If you are a fan of Anne McCaffrey, then this ought to fit the bill. This is another tale where humans bond with attractive flying animals and in this case, if you are at all horse-y, it will hold even more appeal. I’m not, but I enjoyed it, as the author has the knack of plunging the reader straight into the story and sketching in a picture of the Duchy of Oc in just a few lines.

This must be the first in a new series, for I yearned to get away from the Academy and its drills and see what sort of exciting missions the horse and rider teams get sent on a la Naomi Novik. But there are plenty of loose ends and the next book ought to contain even more to enjoy. Larkyn makes for an engaging heroine, Lord William is a hissable villain and the whole thing was an easy, fast read of modest length, a treat for somebody usually faced with sets of doorstops whenever I fancy a fantasy! I’ll be looking out for the next book in the series, so you can tell this author has done a good job.