Rating 3.5. I saw this in the sci fi section of the bookstore. The cover caught my attention so I decided to give it a try.I admit I enjoyed this story more then I thought I would. It's not perfect and it has it's issue but overall this isn't bad for a first book. Most surprisingly however was how well the author did in regards to the main character. Sarah. I'd like to quote from another review I saw on tumblr: "I really am amazed how a middle-aged straight man has managed to hit so many nails head on when adopting the voice of a young conflicted lesbian."I actually didn't know Sarah was gay until I started reading the book and she could certainly benefit from some therapy to help her come to terms with her past and present life. But I agree that while the story and plot isn't anything particularly amazing, he really did a good job creating a troubled and nuanced main character. I honestly have to applaud him on that one.However as regards the sexuality in the book it leaves me with mixed feeling. There are sexual themes in the book but its discussed openly rather then shown for the most part. On the one hand it felt like it was part of the story and not essential to the plot but a part of it at least. Other times it felt like the author stopped just short of going overboard and adding sexual themes in just to please potential readers. Overall it was a good story. Not fantastic or amazing but good and worth checking out. This book is cool because it features a kick-ass lesbian heroine and her romance with her girlfriend Katie. Sarah Behauhall is a blacksmith in a current urban reality setting. She also works as props manager for low-budget movies to pay the bills. Sarah has a one-of-a-kind sword called Gram and when one of the extras on her movie set who is a tall man that claims he is in fact a dwarf and needs her to slay a dragon, who is a Portland lawyer, then that is when things get really weird.The book has a refreshing take on dragons, dwarfs and giants and Sarah coming to terms with herself as a gay woman, fighting the demons of her past, her relationship with her girlfriend and her destiny as a warrior.The book is action-packed and has some violent and gory scenes but they are not too graphic. The sex scenes between Sarah and Katie are not explicit. The story tells of Sarah's fight to come to terms with her sexual preference after growing up with over-zealous religious family who taught her that homosexuality was a sin and made her participate in anti-gay marches. This causes havoc on her raltionship with Katie.It was refreshing to find a fantasy novel with a gay heroine who's cool and likable. And I love the cover art!
