Book Review: Drakon Book 1: The Sieve by C.A. Caskabel

Drakon Book 1: The Sieve is the first installment in the Drakon series, and starts off strong. Da-Ren is an infidel barbarian who has fled to the Castlemonastery, where he offers a jar of honey in return for redemption for his wife and daughter. The monks ask Da-Ren to tell them their story, which he does. This book focuses mostly on Da-Ren’s earl yyears, growing up in a tribe of warriors and pagan witches.
The Sieve is a ritual all children in Da-Ren’s tribe have to go through, a forty-day initiation trial. Many will fall, but the strong will join the warriors of their clan, and an elite few will become leaders of their clan. The trials are brutal, and Da-Ren’s capabilities are tested to their limits.
Da-Ren is an intriguing character. He has a lot of qualities, but equally as many flaws. The story he tells the monks is heartbreaking but also shows us a glimpse of his world, with their own myths and traditions and stories, and I enjoyed getting to know Da-Ren’s tribe and their culture. The plot moved fast, the writing showed a good distinction between the parts told to the reader by Da-Ren himself, and the parts told by the monk helping to spread his story.
Overall, this was an excellent fantasy novel. I hope the world gets expanded in the next few books but for a first book, it’s perfect – we get just the right amount of world-building without getting lost in the details. Recommended to anyone who enjoys a solid fantasy novel.