“A dragon’s laughter was somehow more terrifying than its roar.”

The Citrine Key is the prequel novella to The Iron Crown, a fantasy novel which deservedly reached the Self Published Fantasy Blog Off competition finals in 2021. I read the novel before going back to the novella, although The Citrine Key was published first in 2020. I think these books can be read in either order, The Citrine Key acting as an introduction to the world of MacRae’s Dragon Spirits series or alternatively allowing the reader to learn more about some of the key characters if they started with The Iron Crown.

The Citrine Key tells the story of misfits Apollo, Malora and Yorik, who have been sent out into the frozen wastes on what appears to be a doomed mission by Queen Surayo, ruler of the Porsenthian Empire. Apollo was my favourite character in The Iron Crown, so after really enjoying that book I was eager to give this a try and learn more about his backstory.

This short novella (119 pages) establishes the premise of the Dragon Spirits series and if you enjoy this story you’re bound to find lots to like in the subsequent novels. In the magical world of Tassar, dragons are linked to various elements and worshiped as gods. Some are benevolent and grant their followers blessings, enabling humans to use their magic. Others are capricious and more likely to curse those unfortunate enough to cross their path. Apollo and his companions find themselves drawn into a quest to persuade Paragos, dragon spirit of the eternal blizzard, to destroy a magical artifact. Paragos very much lives up to his billing and proves to be a terrifying monster every time he appears. However, even greater challenges lie in wait for Apollo, Malora and Yorik in the snow-covered mountains.
This begins as a fairly straightforward adventure story and I think MacRae’s writing is likely to appeal to readers who pick up a fantasy book primarily for pure escapism. As this tale progresses the tone darkens but, overall, this remains a fun read, setting the stage nicely for the main series. The trilogy is due to be completed with the release of The Broken Sword in July, so this is the perfect time to begin exploring the magical world of Tassar if you haven’t already done so.