Two words: Murder birds. I love Fonda Lee's work, and this was such a cool little novella! I'm constantly impressed by the world-building that goes into novellas. This is a story of Ester (a rukher) and her roc, Zahra (a massive hunting bird). Their mission is to hunt manticores that plague and wreak havoc on nearby villages and towns. 

In this short book, we see the ways in which Ester bonds with, trusts, and cherishes her roc. Their bond is special and tenuous - Zahra is a wild creature who will agree to perform tasks at Ester's command as long as it benefits her. These are not creatures to be disregarded or ignored. If you don't respect your roc, they will not respect you.

What I loved most was watching their relationship develop over time, the way Lee highlights specific, momentous adventures, and how she was able to make me feel joy, heartbreak, agony, and ultimately hope by the end of the novella. She makes it easy to immerse yourself in this world of majestic beasts and monsters, and calls our attention to how we treat the wild things of this world.