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I received a digital ARC of this book from the author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Actual rating: 4.5

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! While it took me a while to get used to the writing style and be truly invested in the characters, I ended up reading the last three quarters really quickly.

I would say the story has somewhat of a slow start, but that isn't without reason. Bonnin really takes her time to introduce her world without having to hold the reader's hand through it. It's up to the readers to put the pieces together themselves. I think part of the reason it took me a minute to grasp the details of the world was because unlike most epic fantasy stories, words that mean something specific beyond the traditional definition are not capitalized (ie beasts, valiants, valor). But once you get past that, the rest is pretty easy to take in.

But where Dauntless truly shines is in its worldbuilding! Though smaller in scale compared a lot of high fantasy I've read before, I was thoroughly impressed with how much detail and nuance Bonnin was able to include in her story in terms of the magic system as well as the politics of the different groups represented, all within a span of relatively fewer pages than most epic fantasies! And it was executed so expertly that it never felt info-dumpy or confusing. The way both plot and worldbuilding unraveled themselves was so masterfully paced that every single chapter felt intentional and meaningful.

While this has been pitched as being Filipino-inspired, I would temper high expectations with regards to Filipino influence since beyond the characters' physical appearance, food references, and the tropical setting, not much about the world's mythology feels particularly Filipino, at least according to my limited knowledge. In terms of the sapphic romance, I really loved that element of the story despite it not being the focus of the plot. Still, it was beautifully written and depicted.

Dauntless was truly something unlike anything I've ever read before. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a quick fast-paced adventure with awesome action scenes, intriguing political dynamics, and animal companion stories. This is accessible and can be enjoyed by anyone from young teens to adult fantasy readers.

You don't want to miss this book when it comes out July 19th!

You may pre-order the book here: