After the Dragons: Smoke

Set in the far future when humanity has spread to the stars and met other spacefaring cultures, this novel (like all good works) is lightly modeled on current events and indeed history in general. Humanity can be both graceful and grotesque in a myriad of aspects, and Exelby expertly tells the story of dragon bone-harvester, Markio Edi, who, through no fault of his own, is inescapably thrust into deep conspiracy and possible war.

While this is his first book, it is clear that the author is no stranger to worldbuilding or storytelling. Excellently edited and well-paced, this is an engrossing novel that does NOT overgloss the situation that the protagonist is in, but scrutinizes every nook and cranny in an effort to understand the path set before him. Epic space opera.