Dancers of the Dawn
Zulerha A. Afzal
Under the blazing sun, an elite troupe of dancers are trained to harness their magic. They are the queen’s most formidable assassins. Aasira has one of the rarest talents – for she is a flame-wielder. Feared by all and envied by some, she uses her power to execute enemies of the crown.
Aasira is a soldier whose weapon is the magic she can harness through dance. She is training at a special school designed to bring out the best in the women who wield magic. She can harness fire, others can harness wind, create nightmare illusions, snakes out of sand and many unique other talents. She and her small troop are involved with a battle before they graduate and then audition to join the queen’s guard.
The stakes are high as there is a rival kingdom due to attack at any time. The pressure on Aasira is especially high as her mother was once a confidant of the queen who rebelled and joined the enemy side. She will do anything to throw off the suspicion of her and yet is desperate to know the truth of what happened to her mother.
I loved Aasira, and her unrelenting drive to prove herself and her devotion to her country despite how emotionally draining it was. I pretty much loved her from the moment she’s introduced and enjoyed delving into the mystery surrounding her past, and her conflicting, fractured memories of her mother who everyone despises.
Her fellow dancers were also interesting to meet, though they aren’t quite as detailed as Aasira. I did really enjoy getting to know their individual personalities, motivations, and magical abilities. Particularly Sahi, Aasira’s closest friend and confidante who we get to know is quite well.
One problem I had with this book is describing this as a slowburn romantasy, because that’s not what this story is. Though it does have a hint of romance, I don’t think it’s enough to be considered a romantasy. Perhaps things will change in the sequel.
I would give this book 4 stars because I loved the characters and the story but some parts were confusing and didn’t flow for me. I would recommend this to teens who love fantasy and magic wielding.
Published by Rock the Boat, 2025
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