Scars and Scales by KC J. Hutchins is the story of Xerxes, a dragon in the midst of a tense war that threatens the lives of mythical species, including his. With the ability to shift between dragon and human forms, Xerxes, while mighty, is vulnerable to those who want to destroy him. He finds himself confined to a cage under the command of a ruling queen, who condemns Xerxes to a life of misery until she gets what she wants. How far will Queen Desley go to satisfy her power-hungry desires? Will Xerxes be able to able to trust others and unite the lands against Delsey, or will the entire dragon population be decimated?

The first thing that I noticed about this book was how deep the lore is. This makes sense considering KC J. Hutchins blog. He’s obviously spent a lot of time developing this world and it shows in this immersive story. This novel immerses the reader in a fantastical world of intriguing magic, dragons, and royalty. The descriptions throughout the story were extensive and help create a clear picture of the landscape in this epic adventure story. There is a lot to take in and new ideas to absorb to fully understand the book, but it all slowly comes together the more you read.

This is an engaging ensemble story with characters that are compelling and develop organically as the story progresses. Add this to the exceptional dialogue which keeps the plot moving and you have a novel that feels as grand as Lord of the Rings, with a little less exposition.

Scars and Scales by KC J. Hutchins is an exciting epic fantasy novel that brings together an eclectic band of fascinating characters and sets them on a perilous quest that is consistently entertaining. Highly recommended to fans of high fantasy or anyone that is looking for a well-defined fantasy world.

Pages: 392 | ISBN: 9798218039929