The Priory of the Orange Tree

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon, 830 pages

For one reason or another, the fire-breathing dragons have left the world alone for almost 1,000 years. But now, the wyrms and their brethren are awakening to wreak havoc across the land, and Queen Sabran of Inys must figure out a way to stop it, either by giving birth to a daughter (which is what the Inysh religion believes to be the only thing holding back the wyrms) or by ignoring her beliefs and seeking out the ancient tools that will allow her to banish the Nameless One (leader of the dragons) for good.

That's a really simple way to sum up this meticulously detailed and wonderfully realized tale of strong women fighting against evil in many forms. Nor is Queen Sabran the center of the story — that place is shared by Sabran's handmaiden (and disguised protector) Ead and the orphaned dragonrider of the East Tane, two complex and amazing women, full of potential, grit, and grace. Simply put, this book is amazing and it deserves to be a classic of the genre.