The Desert Talon is the second novella in the fantasy series The Crowns of Ishia, this fantasy with western motifs written by Karin Lowachee, published by Solaris Books. A story that is parallel in time with The Mountain Crown, following Janaan, Lilley's lover, after he fled Kattaka, being captured with his suon Tourmaline; he's released as a refugee in Mazemoor into the custody of his sister, Prita.

In this second instalment, Lowachee presents us the nation of Mazemoor, a fascinating setting with a steampunk technology level, a strong bureaucracy; their government tolerates the existence of the Ba'Suon, but is deeply wary of their magic. Janaan, under the refugee status, is under a powerful pressure, especially as his sister and family status depend on him complying with Mazemoor's exigences. Lowachee takes this as the perfect setting to draw a story about nature exploitation, tragedy, and revenge.

We will see how the conflict arises between Janaan and a dangerous suon baron, Eben Wisterel; Janaan is forced to walk a difficult path forced by Mazemoor's administration, while having to deal with his own trauma. Wisterel represents greed and nature's exploitation just for the sake of benefit, even using people as disposable thralls just to get money; in contrast with Janaan and the Ba'Suon traditional culture, respecting the bond with the suons.
Interestingly, we also have a splendid portrait of how precarious are refugees situation, those that are forced to flee their home in the hopes of finding a secure place for them and their loved ones; Prita's family is the best example of it, having to step up to get Janaan out of the refugee center (which is basically a prison with other name), and putting themselves at risk just for giving him a new place.

The interactions between Janaan and his suon are quite heart-warming, also becoming a reflection of how Janaan feels nostalgia and misses Lilley; the writing is sharp, and the pacing is a bit faster than in the first novella, making this book incredibly fast to read. My only gripe is how fast the ending comes, as it feels a bit rushed in comparison with the rest of the story.

The Desert Talon is another excellent instalment in this fantasy western series; if themes such as tragedy, nature exploitation and nostalgia are your jam, I totally recommend you to read this particular novella. It can be read as a standalone, but you will enjoy it more if you have previously read The Mountain Talon; and honestly, I can't wait for the third instalment on the Crowns of Ishia series.