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Book: “Sisters of the Lizard” by Jackson Ford
Publishing Info: Orbit, May 2026
Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!
Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound
Book Description: All Sayana wanted was to enjoy her life in the rolling grasslands of the Tapestry. After she and her fellow Rakada managed to ride humongous fire-breathing lizards to face down the Great Khan’s army, they should have been able to kick back a little for once. Not too much to ask, right?
Instead, the Tapestry is in turmoil – invading armies threaten, the other raider clans are at war, and inside his fortress city of Karkorum, the Khan broods and plots. What’s more, the Rakada’s giant lizards are getting sick, and they have no idea how to cure them. If they die, there’s no telling what might happen to the Tapestry.
But then the Rakada receive a vision – apparently from the gods. A deep emerald pool surrounded by bone-white sands – one that may be able to heal their lizards. With no other option, the raiders set out on an epic quest across the mountains and into the desert.
But the danger that awaits them will be one greater than they’ve ever faced before. These guys really can’t catch a break.
Previously Reviewed: “The Bone Raiders”
Review: After really enjoying the first book in this series, this had a firm spot near the top of my TBR. And this sequel succeeded in the most basic sense: it was more of what I liked from the first book!
The first book introduced a wide cast of female characters, all with excellent and distinct personalities and inner arcs. Here, we got more of the same. While I like all of the main characters, I was especially excited to see that Hogelun moved more to the center stage of the story. She was probably my favorite character from the first book, the one with the most surprising personal story of the sort that we don’t often see in these sorts of stories. And here we see that arc continue even further as Hogelun is pushed to come more fully into her own. The lasting effects of her previous emotionally abusive relationship remain a challenge, and it was so satisfying watching Hogelun progress forward through her own struggles. And while this sounds like a lot of slow, introspective work, the author manages to explore these deeper psychological moments all while making his characters fight on the back of giant lizards!
Sayana’s story also went in a surprising direction. Her story was built more around the fears and challenges the Bone Raiders face in this book, some of which are truly tragic. There was also a stronger emphasis on the religion and lore of this world that was brought to the forefront in Sayana’s story, wrapping up in some fairly incredible twists and turns.
I also continued to be impressed by the author’s ability to merge an action-packed fantasy world alongside deeper themes of family, leadership, and loyalty. Like I said, there was definitely more tragedy in this book, and I definitely found myself tearing up at points. That said, I wouldn’t say it was a heavy read. The action was exciting and there was a humorous tinge to most of the writing.
My one qualm comes down to something that I praised in the first book. There, I enjoyed the fact that the author devoted so much page time to the villain of the story. The same approach was taken here, and while I did appreciate some insights into this character’s perspective, I also disliked them so strongly that I had a hard time wanting to spend any more time with them as the story continued, especially as I became more and more invested in the other storylines.
Overall, this was a fantastic sequel. It delivered on the same strengths in the first book and elevated the overall stakes of the world and story going forward. If you liked the first book or are looking for an action-packed fantasy series, I strongly recommend these books so far!
Rating 8: A bit darker than the first book, but “Sisters of the Lizard” was still a blast, full of action and fierce women!
Reader’s Advisory:
“Sisters of the Lizard” can be found on this Goodreads list: All the New Fantasy Books Arriving in May 2026
The Library Ladies 