[Book Tour] THE IRON CROWN by L.L. MACRAE

So turns out I got my days mixed up and am posting my leg of the tour a day late! My work and personal life has been rather eventful lately so I’ve gone into full scatter brain mode. 😩

Book Blurb:

Fenn’s first and only memory is finding himself in the middle of a forest, face to face with a dragon spirit mocking him, all knowledge gone apart from his own name.

Lost and confused, his only hope for answers is Calidra—a woman living on the edge of the world with her partner. Forced to return home when her father dies, Calidra has put off facing her estranged mother for seven years, and she begrudgingly helps Fenn, forging papers for him so he can avoid the Queen’s Inquisitors.

But her mother is the least of her worries when they discover an ancient enemy is rising again. It should be impossible with the Iron Crown in power—and Fenn is terrified he might unwittingly be playing a part in the war’s resurgence.

Surrounded by vengeful spirits and powerful magic, Fenn’s desperate attempt to find his way home might well alter the fate of Tassar, and every power in it.

My thoughts:
The Iron Crown is a fantastic fantasy adventure from start to finish. I love everything about how the world is built from its soggy island forests to bustling port towns to sweeping blizzard plains. The way dragons are implemented into this world is so captivating, from how they morph from giant monsters (or little ones in some cases) to elemental aspects and environments of nature. MacRae describes these environments with such detail and care, it really feels like you’re traversing through the landscape in all elements while reading The Iron Crown. If you’re like me and love immersive and nature-rich worlds you’ll love this book.

The creatures in The Iron Crown are memorising. From the dragon spirits mentioned above, to the hauntingly terrifying Myrish Death Spirits to the graceful and powerful Griffins.

The characters and POVs we follow in The Iron Crown are engaging from the beginning. Despite finding himself in a bog with memory loss, Fenn isn’t a blank page. Although a little confused and dazed from the start his boldness and determination shine through. Calidra is cautious and headstrong and faces any danger with the tip of her blade. She distrusts everyone but manages to melt and soften to her new friends she makes throughout her journey through Tassar. Torsten is the Queen’s Surayo’s Master Inquisitor and marks a stark change in prospective and the readers experience of this story, which I like. Although initially he’s framed very much as the stern authority acting out the Iron Crown’s wishes, he has his own motivations and spirits to tend to. Jisyel, ever the optimist, is a wonderful addition to our party. She’s bubbly and excitable and her resolve is a strength to those around her. I was so excited to be reunited with Apollo after meeting him for the first time in The Citrine Key, the prequel novella to The Iron Crown.

If I had to pick a colour for this book it would be orange. I just remember a lot of things being orange. 😅

There’s so much more I want to talk about but I’m super rusty in writing reviews right now, plus I always struggle to discuss what I love about a book without completely spoiling them! The Iron Crown is an easy 5 stars for me and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a great fantasy read or looking to pick up more indie fantasy.

Book Links:
eBook: https://t.co/iCufW8DBnO
Signed paperbacks at The Broken Binding: https://www.thebrokenbinding.co.uk/product-page/the-
iron-crown-l-l-macrae
Signed/personalized paperbacks from author website: https://llmacrae.com/shop/p/theironcrown