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Dragon Hunters #1
The Lost Dragon
Andreas was born a Spartan warrior, long before human history even records Sparta existing. He served directly under Ares, until the day his lover was killed on the battlefield in front of him. On that day, he met his father, the mysterious Black Dragon God known as Jarel. From then on, he served his father faithfully, enforcing the laws of the primordial embodiment of black fire and father of the paranormal. Now, in these modern times, he hunts the rogue vampires and their leader. Little does he know, there's more to this than vampires simply turning against his father.
While protecting the lovely Cassandra Odele, Andreas must battle forces he doesn't know as he attempts to stop the resurrection of the Titan king, Cronus. Added to his problems, he now has two teenage nephews to see into adulthood. Of course, there's always a twist when dealing with the gods, and Andreas will come face to face with his past, leaving him to decide which is more important, his soul or the world?
While protecting the lovely Cassandra Odele, Andreas must battle forces he doesn't know as he attempts to stop the resurrection of the Titan king, Cronus. Added to his problems, he now has two teenage nephews to see into adulthood. Of course, there's always a twist when dealing with the gods, and Andreas will come face to face with his past, leaving him to decide which is more important, his soul or the world?
226 pages, Paperback
First published January 20, 2012
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August 17, 2013
Faced with the chaotic mythological syncretism the world-building of this novella actually consist of, it took me a little time to detect its source -I belong to an earlier generation, after all- and I found it in Japanese epic manga/anime.
It is a commonplace to say that westerners are unable to truly understand oriental philosophies and ways of living. Those among us who try either ridicule themselves with their gross misunderstandings or have to spend their lives there to really catch authentic glimpses of an entirely different approach to life.
The same goes both ways though.
Even highly educated and knowledgeable oriental people usually entirely fail to understand the deep symbolism and significance of Western myths, legends and philosophies.
Manga authors -who are a very interesting bunch but usually lack western formal higher-education- have taken myths, gods and philosophies and altered them following the rules of their own unbridled imagination and adapted them to an oriental world-vision.
In the meantime anime/manga have become quite popular in the Western world as well and some westerners have begun writing their own addition to the genre, closing the circle.
I feel this long preamble is necessary to explain my reaction to this novella, the first in a series of -currently- four plus a world-setting guide.
The way the mythological entities (mostly Greek but there are some from Christianity and European folklore) are revised in this book is intellectually unacceptable.
Their symbolic depth is entirely gone and what we get is a group of capricious supernaturals prey to basic -and rather primitive- human passions toying around and battling with their supernatural strengths.
The change is not unacceptable because the author's world-setting is different from tradition: it is because, while rich in details, it is nowhere as complex.
We lose figures that make up the fabric of our civilisation and we get unsufferable brats. Just like those that people manga/anime.
If the author did not have the will, need or ability to create a new complex mythology and only cared about easy fun -which is legitimate- he could have simply scratched any reference to existing myths and created everything ex novo.
Another point of contention for me is that the author creates a patriarchal, traditional society, where elders rule not because they are wiser but because they are stronger and wilier. They keep their children on a short leash and, beside never questioning themselves, they usually are the cause of the messes their children are forced to clean up while being kept in ignorance.
It is convenient, as it offers the possibility of continuous unexpected plot-twists, but is nonetheless simplistic.
As far as the actual narration is concerned, the plot is not entirely flawless but it is compelling. It is not hard at all to come to the end of the book and, even if this first episode is self contained, one is curious about the sequels.
Characterization is bidimentional and not always consistent, once again according to manga tradition.
Writing is nothing short of embarassing and amateurish at first. Typos, grammar mistakes, style slips and inconsistencies do not help, even if they are not disrupting.
Things get better along the way though and writing becomes fluider and fluider even showing hints of authentic raw talent here and there. One could wonder whether the next episodes could be much better simply thanks to the exercise.
There are a couple of sex scenes, all of them gay, all of them tainted by the usual manga-like approach of dominant/submissive partner.
It is a commonplace to say that westerners are unable to truly understand oriental philosophies and ways of living. Those among us who try either ridicule themselves with their gross misunderstandings or have to spend their lives there to really catch authentic glimpses of an entirely different approach to life.
The same goes both ways though.
Even highly educated and knowledgeable oriental people usually entirely fail to understand the deep symbolism and significance of Western myths, legends and philosophies.
Manga authors -who are a very interesting bunch but usually lack western formal higher-education- have taken myths, gods and philosophies and altered them following the rules of their own unbridled imagination and adapted them to an oriental world-vision.
In the meantime anime/manga have become quite popular in the Western world as well and some westerners have begun writing their own addition to the genre, closing the circle.
I feel this long preamble is necessary to explain my reaction to this novella, the first in a series of -currently- four plus a world-setting guide.
The way the mythological entities (mostly Greek but there are some from Christianity and European folklore) are revised in this book is intellectually unacceptable.
Their symbolic depth is entirely gone and what we get is a group of capricious supernaturals prey to basic -and rather primitive- human passions toying around and battling with their supernatural strengths.
The change is not unacceptable because the author's world-setting is different from tradition: it is because, while rich in details, it is nowhere as complex.
We lose figures that make up the fabric of our civilisation and we get unsufferable brats. Just like those that people manga/anime.
If the author did not have the will, need or ability to create a new complex mythology and only cared about easy fun -which is legitimate- he could have simply scratched any reference to existing myths and created everything ex novo.
Another point of contention for me is that the author creates a patriarchal, traditional society, where elders rule not because they are wiser but because they are stronger and wilier. They keep their children on a short leash and, beside never questioning themselves, they usually are the cause of the messes their children are forced to clean up while being kept in ignorance.
It is convenient, as it offers the possibility of continuous unexpected plot-twists, but is nonetheless simplistic.
As far as the actual narration is concerned, the plot is not entirely flawless but it is compelling. It is not hard at all to come to the end of the book and, even if this first episode is self contained, one is curious about the sequels.
Characterization is bidimentional and not always consistent, once again according to manga tradition.
Writing is nothing short of embarassing and amateurish at first. Typos, grammar mistakes, style slips and inconsistencies do not help, even if they are not disrupting.
Things get better along the way though and writing becomes fluider and fluider even showing hints of authentic raw talent here and there. One could wonder whether the next episodes could be much better simply thanks to the exercise.
There are a couple of sex scenes, all of them gay, all of them tainted by the usual manga-like approach of dominant/submissive partner.
March 15, 2013
My thoughts...
The plot was VERY good
Jarel, the Black Dragon god and ruler of the paranormal can't allow the rise of an ancient evil.. the powerful Cronus... the god that will can destroy all other god, and as consequence, the universe.
In a fast paced book, god, demigods and humans must fight rogue vampire and werewolves... everyone will follow Jarel's orders, even if it can cost their own lives.
The characters
Probably I should use a less vulgar world, but I can't.. I must say this story has a shiload of characters.
Andreas Damone, Jarel's oldest son can be consider the protagonist BUT he is not the only narrator. Many, countless, characters will narrate the story, and it gave me a great incentive to keep reading. Brandon and Demun, Andreas's nephews, are also very important to the plot, and will have a key rule in the fight to find Kalus and the rogue vampires... but also Vic.. and Cassandra... and... yeah... a shitload of characters.
If you have problems with a book with MANY narrators my advice is stay away from this book. But, if you, like me, like multiple point of views, grab this book and devour it! Certainly you will love it too!
The best thing (IMO) about this book were...
The fighting scenes.
I love them all... blast of powers, swords, kicks, martial art maneuvers, everything! Andreas, Vic, Brandon and Demun will kick a lot of asses, and it was always awesome!
The, sadly, thing I hate in this story was...
The paranormal-romance.
yeah... sorry... I KNEW it's a paranormal romance but it kind of tired me. Everyone must be in love, have a soul mate, be lost and desperate without the soul mate... I read so many paranormal-romances and probably that's what I got tired of... the old formula: main character NEED a soul mate, be mated, exchange blood in a soul mate ritual, tattoo with the soul mate name, Greek gods using demigods and humans as tools to defeat other gods... have you ever saw this? I bet you did, if you read the most famous PRN books out there... I believe this book is unique for the action scenes I rarely see s well described in PRNs, but at the same time there is no originality in all the soul mate crap that tired me a lot. I'm a romantic person but sometimes a kick ass story need to be JUST a kick ass story, and not a sappy romance, with everyone so freaking in love or searching their soul mates.
Yeah, maybe I should be less bitchy, it's a paranormal-romance, why complain about it? Because when I start a story and see a plot so GREAT I start to think it should be only fantasy, not romance. Or, better balanced, with less protagonists in a soul mate quest, and more more humor and characters non romantic interactions. One simple example is Vic, that can't be in scene without someone saying to him he should embrace the fact he is in love... dammit... he may "like" Demun, but Demun is a freaking 16 years old teenager! Thanks God Vic is saying STFU to Janus all the time... as a dragon god Janus can be a hell of an annoying god, playing the couple matching game.
I want to read more, but maybe I'm not in the right mood for paranormal romance... so I will not keep reading this series now. But I can't even give less than 5 stars... the fighting scenes were too cool to give less than 5 stars! Seriously.... love it!
so yeah, 5 stars
The plot was VERY good
Jarel, the Black Dragon god and ruler of the paranormal can't allow the rise of an ancient evil.. the powerful Cronus... the god that will can destroy all other god, and as consequence, the universe.
In a fast paced book, god, demigods and humans must fight rogue vampire and werewolves... everyone will follow Jarel's orders, even if it can cost their own lives.
The characters
Probably I should use a less vulgar world, but I can't.. I must say this story has a shiload of characters.
Andreas Damone, Jarel's oldest son can be consider the protagonist BUT he is not the only narrator. Many, countless, characters will narrate the story, and it gave me a great incentive to keep reading. Brandon and Demun, Andreas's nephews, are also very important to the plot, and will have a key rule in the fight to find Kalus and the rogue vampires... but also Vic.. and Cassandra... and... yeah... a shitload of characters.
If you have problems with a book with MANY narrators my advice is stay away from this book. But, if you, like me, like multiple point of views, grab this book and devour it! Certainly you will love it too!
The best thing (IMO) about this book were...
The fighting scenes.
I love them all... blast of powers, swords, kicks, martial art maneuvers, everything! Andreas, Vic, Brandon and Demun will kick a lot of asses, and it was always awesome!
The, sadly, thing I hate in this story was...
The paranormal-romance.
yeah... sorry... I KNEW it's a paranormal romance but it kind of tired me. Everyone must be in love, have a soul mate, be lost and desperate without the soul mate... I read so many paranormal-romances and probably that's what I got tired of... the old formula: main character NEED a soul mate, be mated, exchange blood in a soul mate ritual, tattoo with the soul mate name, Greek gods using demigods and humans as tools to defeat other gods... have you ever saw this? I bet you did, if you read the most famous PRN books out there... I believe this book is unique for the action scenes I rarely see s well described in PRNs, but at the same time there is no originality in all the soul mate crap that tired me a lot. I'm a romantic person but sometimes a kick ass story need to be JUST a kick ass story, and not a sappy romance, with everyone so freaking in love or searching their soul mates.
Yeah, maybe I should be less bitchy, it's a paranormal-romance, why complain about it? Because when I start a story and see a plot so GREAT I start to think it should be only fantasy, not romance. Or, better balanced, with less protagonists in a soul mate quest, and more more humor and characters non romantic interactions. One simple example is Vic, that can't be in scene without someone saying to him he should embrace the fact he is in love... dammit... he may "like" Demun, but Demun is a freaking 16 years old teenager! Thanks God Vic is saying STFU to Janus all the time... as a dragon god Janus can be a hell of an annoying god, playing the couple matching game.
I want to read more, but maybe I'm not in the right mood for paranormal romance... so I will not keep reading this series now. But I can't even give less than 5 stars... the fighting scenes were too cool to give less than 5 stars! Seriously.... love it!
so yeah, 5 stars
April 29, 2013
4 1/2 Hearts
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
Andreas has served his father, the Black Dragon God, for thousands of years enforcing the laws for all paranormals. When his father asks him to protect a human from the vampires little does he know what he is about to walk into, as a vampire attempts to resurrect Cronus Andreas is made guardian to his twin nephews who also become targets and with gods causing trouble Andreas past comes into play and Andreas has a choice to make, his loyalty to his father and God or his love for his soul mate.
This is a fantastic fantasy world that immerses us in the world of Gods, Goddesses and paranormals. Andreas held his lover Kazarian in his arms as he died on the battlefield among the Spartans, only to have Ares appear before him, seconds too late to save Kazarian, but not too late to save Andreas from a similar fate because he is the son of the Black Dragon God Jarel. Now in this modern age he serves his father enforcing his laws, but there is an attempt to resurrect Cronus and overthrow Zeus, and Andreas is called upon to guard a mortal and his nephews to prevent it from happening. But the conspirators play dirty trying to force Andreas to do their bidding, but they also make a mistake by showing the involvement of a god or goddess.
I really enjoyed this story of mythical gods and goddesses and the world they live in, Andreas is only one of the main characters in this book with each character bringing a bit of their own story to the table weaving together a wonderful fantasy that has veiled hints for future couples, uncovers a conspiracy and is a touch violent. This is a well written story that draws you in feeding you bits and pieces and making you long for more. There are many characters that you get to know and you begin to wonder what their stories will be. Brandon, Demun, Vic, Apollo, Adonis and Odele along with Jarel, Andreas and Kazarian make this book vastly interesting.
While we don’t get the chance to see much of Andreas and Kazarian together because of the flow of the storyline, the time they do get together is incredible and when they come together in passion it is wonderful and passionate. There’s action and danger that is well described and fits perfectly into the story, the paranormal powers aren’t overused and it actually adds more to the story because of that. Drako has created a world that I want to know more about and although I personally don’t like M/F, I will still be reading the other books in this series because I need to know what happens next with Jarel and Zeus.
I recommend this book if you love paranormal, fantasy, battles and fights, tastefully placed humour, some fantastic love making, great characters, a wonderful storyline and an ending that is happy for Andreas and Kazarian, but leaves you wanting the stories of other characters.
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
Andreas has served his father, the Black Dragon God, for thousands of years enforcing the laws for all paranormals. When his father asks him to protect a human from the vampires little does he know what he is about to walk into, as a vampire attempts to resurrect Cronus Andreas is made guardian to his twin nephews who also become targets and with gods causing trouble Andreas past comes into play and Andreas has a choice to make, his loyalty to his father and God or his love for his soul mate.
This is a fantastic fantasy world that immerses us in the world of Gods, Goddesses and paranormals. Andreas held his lover Kazarian in his arms as he died on the battlefield among the Spartans, only to have Ares appear before him, seconds too late to save Kazarian, but not too late to save Andreas from a similar fate because he is the son of the Black Dragon God Jarel. Now in this modern age he serves his father enforcing his laws, but there is an attempt to resurrect Cronus and overthrow Zeus, and Andreas is called upon to guard a mortal and his nephews to prevent it from happening. But the conspirators play dirty trying to force Andreas to do their bidding, but they also make a mistake by showing the involvement of a god or goddess.
I really enjoyed this story of mythical gods and goddesses and the world they live in, Andreas is only one of the main characters in this book with each character bringing a bit of their own story to the table weaving together a wonderful fantasy that has veiled hints for future couples, uncovers a conspiracy and is a touch violent. This is a well written story that draws you in feeding you bits and pieces and making you long for more. There are many characters that you get to know and you begin to wonder what their stories will be. Brandon, Demun, Vic, Apollo, Adonis and Odele along with Jarel, Andreas and Kazarian make this book vastly interesting.
While we don’t get the chance to see much of Andreas and Kazarian together because of the flow of the storyline, the time they do get together is incredible and when they come together in passion it is wonderful and passionate. There’s action and danger that is well described and fits perfectly into the story, the paranormal powers aren’t overused and it actually adds more to the story because of that. Drako has created a world that I want to know more about and although I personally don’t like M/F, I will still be reading the other books in this series because I need to know what happens next with Jarel and Zeus.
I recommend this book if you love paranormal, fantasy, battles and fights, tastefully placed humour, some fantastic love making, great characters, a wonderful storyline and an ending that is happy for Andreas and Kazarian, but leaves you wanting the stories of other characters.
August 26, 2013
This book was gifted in return for an honest review ages ago and I'm am finally getting caught up :-)
Not quite what I had expected from the title. The concept of setting and characters did keep me reading, and if you like a big cast of characters, and can appreciate the style of humour used throughout, you will love this book.
The modern speaking Gods etc was a little jarring for me at first but I did keep reading to see where it was leading, and quite enjoyed that I did. As demonstrated in other reviews of The Lost Dragon, some people are going to get the sarcasm and humour, and some just aren't. For me, I found the very richly described characters perhaps a little shallow, but I still 'got' them and wanted to know where this story would lead.
This book is a good start to a series and by the end of it you will absolutely know if you want to read the future books. Go into this with an open mind, and you will very much enjoy it.
Not quite what I had expected from the title. The concept of setting and characters did keep me reading, and if you like a big cast of characters, and can appreciate the style of humour used throughout, you will love this book.
The modern speaking Gods etc was a little jarring for me at first but I did keep reading to see where it was leading, and quite enjoyed that I did. As demonstrated in other reviews of The Lost Dragon, some people are going to get the sarcasm and humour, and some just aren't. For me, I found the very richly described characters perhaps a little shallow, but I still 'got' them and wanted to know where this story would lead.
This book is a good start to a series and by the end of it you will absolutely know if you want to read the future books. Go into this with an open mind, and you will very much enjoy it.
March 31, 2013
The Lost Dragon was an excellent book. It held my interest from page 1 right through to the end. The story was astonishingly well thought out and rendered. I particularly liked the action scenes. I frequently found myself physically moving with the action. I came to quickly care about the characters and what happened to them.
I was somewhat (and only somewhat) put off by the mixing of tenses, sometimes within a single sentence, and by a few spelling errors. None of the errors I mentioned were enough to be too jarring or put me off the story. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading fantasy tales. Well done, Drako!
I was somewhat (and only somewhat) put off by the mixing of tenses, sometimes within a single sentence, and by a few spelling errors. None of the errors I mentioned were enough to be too jarring or put me off the story. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading fantasy tales. Well done, Drako!
August 27, 2016
Very interesting story. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The world the author created was wonderful with all the gods and goddess were interrelated. The author also seamlessly wove events and stories and mythological histories together to make sense. I really liked seeing these characters in a different light. The MC's were well written and there are a lot of them. I did wish for a little more detail to some of them but since this is a series I think that is expected:)
March 31, 2013
It was a great read from start to finish. Will definitely recommend this book to others! :)
August 20, 2012
Reviewed for Lovers of Paranormal, A Goodreads Group
I was provided a copy of the eBook by the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review, and all conclusions are honest and my responsibility.
The war you won’t hear about on ABC news…
We are introduced to the worlds of the gods, the ancients that populate our mythology, to those born at the beginning of the world. This story starts with an introduction to the main character, Andreas, eldest surviving son of Jarel, God of the Black Dragons. Andreas is a dragon immortal, possessed of superior fighting powers, the ability to transform into a dragon, and a hole in his heart. His soul mate, Kazarian, a Spartan warrior and his friend and lover, and his “sanity” in the insane world of the Spartan warrior. I should mention here that if you have an issue with love and sexual relationships that are not strictly heterosexual, you will see a tastefully created sex scene between the two, as well as a more tentative and testing relationship with teenagers. Personally, I found the relationship far outweighed the fact that it was two men – the characters were that well defined and described with great use of craft and care.
I don’t want to start getting into a ton of spoilers, so the premise is this: Andreas is tasked with the care of Cassandra (a healer) who is being hunted by a rogue band of vampires. Along the way, two more are entrusted to his care: Demun and Brandon, twin boys who are Andraes’ nephews, and newly motherless. We meet gods who are petty and grasping, and gods who seek only to create a chaos and change the world as we know it. And Andreas is the gathering point for the beginning of the end.
The writing was straightforward and descriptive; the characters are well defined and completed with a complexity and sense of humor that appears in sarcasm, offhanded comments and even sly looks. While I didn’t at first understand the detail afforded the fighting scenes, it was illuminating to see the characters protecting and defending without using a myriad of supernatural powers. This choice by the author also allowed me to better see the capabilities of the characters when in the mortal realm, and I think it was a wise choice in the writing.
As I mentioned before, the relationships are portrayed as loving and complete, subject to uncertainties, petty jealousies and complete contentment. And there is a bonding, which any reader of paranormal stories knows is a unique bond of soul mates, that is condoned and coerced by some bending of situations and rules to bring to fruition.
As the first of a series – it’s a great kick off book. Although there are a significant number of characters, the main characters are memorable and will be easy to reconnect with in the next book. The ancient gods: Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, Apollo, all are similar in character to the stories that are familiar from mythology, and there are nice tie-ins to Fenrir, Loki, Demeter, and Lucifer.
I most certainly will recommend this to friends who appreciate a well-crafted story with plenty of action, intrigue and the glamor of dragons.
I was provided a copy of the eBook by the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review, and all conclusions are honest and my responsibility.
The war you won’t hear about on ABC news…
We are introduced to the worlds of the gods, the ancients that populate our mythology, to those born at the beginning of the world. This story starts with an introduction to the main character, Andreas, eldest surviving son of Jarel, God of the Black Dragons. Andreas is a dragon immortal, possessed of superior fighting powers, the ability to transform into a dragon, and a hole in his heart. His soul mate, Kazarian, a Spartan warrior and his friend and lover, and his “sanity” in the insane world of the Spartan warrior. I should mention here that if you have an issue with love and sexual relationships that are not strictly heterosexual, you will see a tastefully created sex scene between the two, as well as a more tentative and testing relationship with teenagers. Personally, I found the relationship far outweighed the fact that it was two men – the characters were that well defined and described with great use of craft and care.
I don’t want to start getting into a ton of spoilers, so the premise is this: Andreas is tasked with the care of Cassandra (a healer) who is being hunted by a rogue band of vampires. Along the way, two more are entrusted to his care: Demun and Brandon, twin boys who are Andraes’ nephews, and newly motherless. We meet gods who are petty and grasping, and gods who seek only to create a chaos and change the world as we know it. And Andreas is the gathering point for the beginning of the end.
The writing was straightforward and descriptive; the characters are well defined and completed with a complexity and sense of humor that appears in sarcasm, offhanded comments and even sly looks. While I didn’t at first understand the detail afforded the fighting scenes, it was illuminating to see the characters protecting and defending without using a myriad of supernatural powers. This choice by the author also allowed me to better see the capabilities of the characters when in the mortal realm, and I think it was a wise choice in the writing.
As I mentioned before, the relationships are portrayed as loving and complete, subject to uncertainties, petty jealousies and complete contentment. And there is a bonding, which any reader of paranormal stories knows is a unique bond of soul mates, that is condoned and coerced by some bending of situations and rules to bring to fruition.
As the first of a series – it’s a great kick off book. Although there are a significant number of characters, the main characters are memorable and will be easy to reconnect with in the next book. The ancient gods: Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, Apollo, all are similar in character to the stories that are familiar from mythology, and there are nice tie-ins to Fenrir, Loki, Demeter, and Lucifer.
I most certainly will recommend this to friends who appreciate a well-crafted story with plenty of action, intrigue and the glamor of dragons.
August 28, 2012
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This book was fun, full of action and humor that truly had me laughing out loud. I woke my husband from a sound sleep because I just had to keep reading. (oops) Drako's humor suited me to a T. And I have to admit I enjoyed reading this book and plan on reading the series.
This book does fall into the Gay/Lesbian category with a pretty explicit yet tasteful male on male scene. I do not recommend this book for those who cannot handle that sort of thing.
In this book we deal with at least two of my favorite things, Dragons and Gods! The characters are well written, and memorable. The mythological aspect of the book is very similar to the stories of old regarding the ancient gods, Zeus, Hera, Loki, etc so it makes the story not only entertaining but something we can relate to with the history of our modern mythology. This book has plenty of action and the fighting scenes are fabulous because it lets us see what these “men” can do on the mortal plane. The author used a very descriptive form of writing style so his characters are well defined and complete with all the complexity of true living humans, with wonderful senses of humor and a touch of sarcasm added in for style. We live, laugh and love along with these characters.
But this book isn’t simply a book about the Gods and Dragons it’s also a book about the relationships of the main characters. This is a story about love and acceptance. This is a story of bending the rules of social norms. True love conquering all (at least for the moment).
I plan on completing this series with his following books. And I do so recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Dragons and Gods and yes even Vampires…
This book was fun, full of action and humor that truly had me laughing out loud. I woke my husband from a sound sleep because I just had to keep reading. (oops) Drako's humor suited me to a T. And I have to admit I enjoyed reading this book and plan on reading the series.
This book does fall into the Gay/Lesbian category with a pretty explicit yet tasteful male on male scene. I do not recommend this book for those who cannot handle that sort of thing.
In this book we deal with at least two of my favorite things, Dragons and Gods! The characters are well written, and memorable. The mythological aspect of the book is very similar to the stories of old regarding the ancient gods, Zeus, Hera, Loki, etc so it makes the story not only entertaining but something we can relate to with the history of our modern mythology. This book has plenty of action and the fighting scenes are fabulous because it lets us see what these “men” can do on the mortal plane. The author used a very descriptive form of writing style so his characters are well defined and complete with all the complexity of true living humans, with wonderful senses of humor and a touch of sarcasm added in for style. We live, laugh and love along with these characters.
But this book isn’t simply a book about the Gods and Dragons it’s also a book about the relationships of the main characters. This is a story about love and acceptance. This is a story of bending the rules of social norms. True love conquering all (at least for the moment).
I plan on completing this series with his following books. And I do so recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Dragons and Gods and yes even Vampires…
August 20, 2012
The Lost Dragon is the first book of a series I plan to finish. It took me a few chapters to get into the author's rhythm...different from what I'm used to, and also very masculine. (I tend to immerse myself in female authors, though I'm trying to branch out more and more).
First, this book is one that I received for free in exchange for an honest review. (Paranormal Lovers Group) So, I'd like to thank the author for the opportunity to read his work!
Very well written; full of action and humor that truly had me laughing out loud and I kept getting looks from my family as I was reading it. I've found other books humurous, but I usually just chuckle. Drako's humor was just really very funny to me. Down to earth and REAL.
Please note that this book falls into the Gay/Lesbian category and does include an explicit male on male scene...if you can't handle that, this book is not for you!!! This was the first for me and I must admit I had an "awkward" moment as you could see from my progress notes here on Goodreads.
BUT, overall...I really loved this story. It was so interesting and executed very well.
The second in the series is available right now, and I believe Drako is currently writing the third.
Currently available through Amazon only.
First, this book is one that I received for free in exchange for an honest review. (Paranormal Lovers Group) So, I'd like to thank the author for the opportunity to read his work!
Very well written; full of action and humor that truly had me laughing out loud and I kept getting looks from my family as I was reading it. I've found other books humurous, but I usually just chuckle. Drako's humor was just really very funny to me. Down to earth and REAL.
Please note that this book falls into the Gay/Lesbian category and does include an explicit male on male scene...if you can't handle that, this book is not for you!!! This was the first for me and I must admit I had an "awkward" moment as you could see from my progress notes here on Goodreads.
BUT, overall...I really loved this story. It was so interesting and executed very well.
The second in the series is available right now, and I believe Drako is currently writing the third.
Currently available through Amazon only.
July 2, 2013
Dragons, and Vampires, and Werewolves. Oh My!
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I must admit that this introduction into the world of The Dragon Hunters Series had my attention just from the concept alone. The book promised to deliver a tale full of action, creatures of fantasy, gods of myth, and mystical mayhem. And from page one until the last word written, I was not let down.
Through the story of Andreas, we are introduced into a world hidden within our own and a few places that humanity has long forgotten or may not have ever known existed. The characters are engaging and worth spending the time to get to know. Some of the fight scenes may have you feeling the pain right alongside of our heroes. I found myself getting some strange looks as I could not keep from making the occasional … “geez,” “oh,” and “that had to hurt” comments aloud.
I am purposefully leaving out anything that may be spoilers because I would not want to ruin the adventure for everyone.
The Lost Dragon is definitely a book that I feel comfortable in recommending to any open-minded readers who are seeking to escape into a well-paced novel that leaves one both satisfied and wanting more by the stories end.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I must admit that this introduction into the world of The Dragon Hunters Series had my attention just from the concept alone. The book promised to deliver a tale full of action, creatures of fantasy, gods of myth, and mystical mayhem. And from page one until the last word written, I was not let down.
Through the story of Andreas, we are introduced into a world hidden within our own and a few places that humanity has long forgotten or may not have ever known existed. The characters are engaging and worth spending the time to get to know. Some of the fight scenes may have you feeling the pain right alongside of our heroes. I found myself getting some strange looks as I could not keep from making the occasional … “geez,” “oh,” and “that had to hurt” comments aloud.
I am purposefully leaving out anything that may be spoilers because I would not want to ruin the adventure for everyone.
The Lost Dragon is definitely a book that I feel comfortable in recommending to any open-minded readers who are seeking to escape into a well-paced novel that leaves one both satisfied and wanting more by the stories end.
February 9, 2014
I was given this book (ahead of book No. 5) in exchange for an honest review by the author via Lovers of Paranormal.
WOW! A great book. Gods, demons, demi-gods and humans all put together in a fantastically well thought out book. The world that the author has created is a mix of modern life and God produced realms as well as the expected Olympus which all work very well together.
All the characters are well written and enjoyable but I have a super soft spot for Andreas. The twins are great and I really liked the interaction between them and now Andreas. The 'sex talk' takes on a whole new meaning with those three, very good :-) The romance between Andreas and Kazarian took a while to come to fruition, 11,000 years long!! but was beautifully written and I love a good HEA.
The plot of the book books along nicely and with so many Gods, demi-gods, demons and humans thrown into the mix it could be easy to get confused but this story holds its own throughout and each character has a chance to shine. The plot is gripping and well thought out.
I recommend this book and can't wait for the next!
WOW! A great book. Gods, demons, demi-gods and humans all put together in a fantastically well thought out book. The world that the author has created is a mix of modern life and God produced realms as well as the expected Olympus which all work very well together.
All the characters are well written and enjoyable but I have a super soft spot for Andreas. The twins are great and I really liked the interaction between them and now Andreas. The 'sex talk' takes on a whole new meaning with those three, very good :-) The romance between Andreas and Kazarian took a while to come to fruition, 11,000 years long!! but was beautifully written and I love a good HEA.
The plot of the book books along nicely and with so many Gods, demi-gods, demons and humans thrown into the mix it could be easy to get confused but this story holds its own throughout and each character has a chance to shine. The plot is gripping and well thought out.
I recommend this book and can't wait for the next!
May 19, 2013
At first glance , this novel seems similar to " Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief"' Yes there are Gods, half-bloods, and the general end game of the evil doers is the same. However this book is exciting ! The actions sequences are top notch from the very first page of the book. I also enjoyed the male /male romance . You really get a good sense of love lost and love found in new beginnings. One of my favorite parts throughout the whole novel was the different kinds of creation myths that link the different gods to their modern day paranormal counterparts. One of the coolest I thought was Fenrir and his descendants . I found myself excited to see how different ancients would match up in our world today.
I would recommend this book to fans of paranormal and myth, you can't go wrong for 99 cents . I would buy the next book as well and look forward to more from this author.
I would recommend this book to fans of paranormal and myth, you can't go wrong for 99 cents . I would buy the next book as well and look forward to more from this author.
April 30, 2013
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Take all your Greek mythology and add a few additional gods that are missing from the realm of Olympus, add other fantasy creatures such as vampires and werewolves, place in modern times and you have the Dragon Hunters series. This book centers on the decendants of the Black Dragon God and their fight to prevent the resurrection of Chronos by the rogue factions.
I found the characters engaging, but I believe they could have used a bit more depth although by the end of the book most of their characteristics are explained in ways that make the stories work. Would consider recommending this to young adults, but there are some adult situations with some mild graphic scenes not appropriate for young readers.
Overall I enjoyed the book and look forward to the rest of the series.
I found the characters engaging, but I believe they could have used a bit more depth although by the end of the book most of their characteristics are explained in ways that make the stories work. Would consider recommending this to young adults, but there are some adult situations with some mild graphic scenes not appropriate for young readers.
Overall I enjoyed the book and look forward to the rest of the series.
March 28, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. What’s not to like when 11,000 year old gods use modern, street vernacular and have attitude issues? Plus, there are vampires and werewolves and demons. Oh my! Add to the mix a woman who everyone seems to want to either protect or abduct and you have a read with a lot going on. The characters are interesting and the story line is compelling and action packed. As a straight woman with no real-life experience regarding the ins-and-outs of male-male sexual encounters, the love scene was enlightening and well-crafted.
August 30, 2012
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This Book Was Really Good It Was Funny And Awesome I Laughed So Hard. If You Want To Read A Book That Has Great Mythological Characters In It This Book Is The One For You. I Really Cant Get Into Much Detail Or I Will Want To Give Spoilers Out And I Dont Want To Ruin Such A Wonderful Book For You All I Can Say Is Read It You Wont Be Disappointed.
This Book Was Really Good It Was Funny And Awesome I Laughed So Hard. If You Want To Read A Book That Has Great Mythological Characters In It This Book Is The One For You. I Really Cant Get Into Much Detail Or I Will Want To Give Spoilers Out And I Dont Want To Ruin Such A Wonderful Book For You All I Can Say Is Read It You Wont Be Disappointed.
July 31, 2012
LOVED this book! I love fantasy fiction, and this young author does an amazing job with his first work. Looking forward to reading more from him. : )
August 1, 2013
review coming soon
January 19, 2015
The writing is meh. We get blocks of exposition stated at us, unincorporated into the narration. It's a study in Our Monsters Are Different and all its sub-tropes. There is incongruous het UST involving the MC. There is stuff that reads as thinly coded social justice issues, but from a perspective that I don't agree with. (fun fact: way to deal with misogyny is not to treat guys like crap.)
I got distracted and don't remember if I had another point. But maybe this is a point! I was as engaged in the text as I am in trying to review it.
tl;dr, I didn't like it, and I decided I didn't hate myself enough to force myself to keep going.
Running commentary. Spoilers possible. Reader's discretion advised:
Yeah, yeah. Love, whatever. I know little about these characters and have less invested in them at this point.
This overuse of "Black Dragon God" is getting annoying. Just saying his fucking name already. Say it out loud. *whispers* Jarel. ...well, that was disappointingly anticlimactic. And oh, look. A study in Our Gods are Greater (not linking the TV tropes cuz the page is useless. Basically, just imagine Our Monsters Are Different, but with "Gods" and "Greater." My fictitious (i.e. not steeped in tradition) gods are greater, more powerful, more secret, more revered, respected, saluted, blah blah blah. Even Zeus didn't dare cross him (we already have Hestia, dude.)
Aaand now we transition to a more contemporary narrative sort of mode.
Aw, look. More Our Gods Are Greater. How "cute" (and by cute I mean meh why do I care again? Oh, right, I don't.)
Aaawkward possible het undertones? Nope, shot down by an obvious, ooobvious Chekhov's Gun later. But god the het undertones were awkward.
This joke is not funny. This joke is like several different types of sexual harassment. But I guess that's funny.
Aaand there's the Chekhov's Gun. We'll see later if this is real or actually a red herring and het is endgame after all.
Wow. Jarel in sunglasses. Much hip. Such cool. Wow.
I see character introduction/description is as chunky and blocky as usual.
Oh, look. Random kids. Hey, look. This one has a Meaningful Name
"No amount of warning could truly help them prepare for the loss of their mother, the queen of their household and the most important woman in their lives."
Ooookay.
"This woman was loved in the human and supernatural world, as several gods were in attendance."
...ooooooookaaaay...
"Andreas, in turn, remained with the boys at all times. He wore his shades, but this was a softer side to the harder man, as he kept an arm around the boys during the ceremony."
what.
Who even is this mystery woman? All we know is she is dead, and apparently gave birth to these two characters we were just introduced to and I, at least, have nothing invested in, so their grief is just words on the page.
Aaaand okay, random, break from the limited character we are used to, to pursue some tangent about Vic, and his love life.
Who is Marcus? Do we know him? I don't think so?
What the fuck is up with this section? "For those unfamiliar with" author what are you doing breaking the fourth wall like that? This ain't a parody. Stay in your assigned seat you assigned yourself.
And blah, blah, blah, an extended study in Our Monsters Are Different, great. But like Our Gods Are Greater, too. But also the whole Fenrir thing. Why is everyone calling Jarel father? Is Jarel suddenly everyone's father? Oh, wait, he's the father of the Mary Sue. Of course he is.
I can feel my face in this expression
I have now reset back to neutral, but I feel like it will happen again, like it already has.
Wow, next paragraph. That was quick.
My hands have lifted in a "what the fuck" sort of way. OTL this backstory. "We are original. We have this, this, and this as points. The main plot is we need to stop the resurrection of Cronus. Because no one's ever done that before."
(Ugh it's another Cronus story. Just so you know, as a PSA, it's another Cronus story. The entire machinations of Our Gods Are Greater and Our Monsters Are Different is so they can create their totes original!!! variation on the We Need to Stop Cronus story.
Dad is a fucking hypocrite. "Modern dress makes him uneasy"? Says the asshole toting around sunglasses.
And wow, down to your ankles. How can you possibly walk without heels?
(Do we have different definitions of ankles or something?)
Okay, this is weird because there is so much low-key flirting going on between Andreas and Cassandra. This is like that incest Folgers commercial. Cuz it's marked M/M on GR. Which means het is probably not the endgame. Which means they weren't trying to create sexual tension.
Aaand look at that. Jarel proves himself to be a dudebro asshole. What's with the blonde jokes right off the bat? Clearly Aphrodite sees more. But I forget. Jarel's the Mary Sue in this situation (quite interesting, where the MS is a sort of meta god-figure and not the MC. Hm. Author-stand-in Mary Sue?).
This entire interaction between Jarel and Aphrodite makes no sense. There seems to be little internal consistency with characterization, nevermind how problematic the representation is. Whaaat a heteronormative, misogynistic asshole.
(Ah. Author is male. Hm.)
What. Is. This. This...this. Is so incredibly unendearing, for either the characters or the author.
...what did you do to Artemis and Apollo? Why have they been Flanderized before you even characterized them?
Yo, Artemis. Misandry is not how you fight patriarchy and toxic masculinity. It just gives Men's Rights Activists/Meninists more ammo.
And oh, look. Author has Apollo "see the wrong in his ways" and bend over backwards to make amends to this goddess among men, queen Cassandra the great who is great just for existing.
Oh my god is this the Social Justice Warrior side of tumblr?
And gee, Jarel. Tell us how you really feel? How many times can you repeat how the Olympians are vain, petty, selfish, weak, whatever, before you get tired? APPARENTLY, SO MANY, BECAUSE HE DOESN'T GET TIRED OF THIS.
You know what fuck this. I'm out. I can't do this anymore. All I have is blocks of exposition, a study in tropes, my thing is toootally original and different, and het UST. Does this even go into the realm of M/M? Who knows. We need to wait who knows how long for the Chekhov's Gun to fire before we can tell.
23%
I got distracted and don't remember if I had another point. But maybe this is a point! I was as engaged in the text as I am in trying to review it.
tl;dr, I didn't like it, and I decided I didn't hate myself enough to force myself to keep going.
Running commentary. Spoilers possible. Reader's discretion advised:
Yeah, yeah. Love, whatever. I know little about these characters and have less invested in them at this point.
This overuse of "Black Dragon God" is getting annoying. Just saying his fucking name already. Say it out loud. *whispers* Jarel. ...well, that was disappointingly anticlimactic. And oh, look. A study in Our Gods are Greater (not linking the TV tropes cuz the page is useless. Basically, just imagine Our Monsters Are Different, but with "Gods" and "Greater." My fictitious (i.e. not steeped in tradition) gods are greater, more powerful, more secret, more revered, respected, saluted, blah blah blah. Even Zeus didn't dare cross him (we already have Hestia, dude.)
Aaand now we transition to a more contemporary narrative sort of mode.
Aw, look. More Our Gods Are Greater. How "cute" (and by cute I mean meh why do I care again? Oh, right, I don't.)
Aaawkward possible het undertones? Nope, shot down by an obvious, ooobvious Chekhov's Gun later. But god the het undertones were awkward.
This joke is not funny. This joke is like several different types of sexual harassment. But I guess that's funny.
Aaand there's the Chekhov's Gun. We'll see later if this is real or actually a red herring and het is endgame after all.
Wow. Jarel in sunglasses. Much hip. Such cool. Wow.
I see character introduction/description is as chunky and blocky as usual.
Oh, look. Random kids. Hey, look. This one has a Meaningful Name
"No amount of warning could truly help them prepare for the loss of their mother, the queen of their household and the most important woman in their lives."
Ooookay.
"This woman was loved in the human and supernatural world, as several gods were in attendance."
...ooooooookaaaay...
"Andreas, in turn, remained with the boys at all times. He wore his shades, but this was a softer side to the harder man, as he kept an arm around the boys during the ceremony."
what.
Who even is this mystery woman? All we know is she is dead, and apparently gave birth to these two characters we were just introduced to and I, at least, have nothing invested in, so their grief is just words on the page.
Aaaand okay, random, break from the limited character we are used to, to pursue some tangent about Vic, and his love life.
Who is Marcus? Do we know him? I don't think so?
What the fuck is up with this section? "For those unfamiliar with" author what are you doing breaking the fourth wall like that? This ain't a parody. Stay in your assigned seat you assigned yourself.
And blah, blah, blah, an extended study in Our Monsters Are Different, great. But like Our Gods Are Greater, too. But also the whole Fenrir thing. Why is everyone calling Jarel father? Is Jarel suddenly everyone's father? Oh, wait, he's the father of the Mary Sue. Of course he is.
I can feel my face in this expression
I have now reset back to neutral, but I feel like it will happen again, like it already has.
Wow, next paragraph. That was quick.
My hands have lifted in a "what the fuck" sort of way. OTL this backstory. "We are original. We have this, this, and this as points. The main plot is we need to stop the resurrection of Cronus. Because no one's ever done that before."
(Ugh it's another Cronus story. Just so you know, as a PSA, it's another Cronus story. The entire machinations of Our Gods Are Greater and Our Monsters Are Different is so they can create their totes original!!! variation on the We Need to Stop Cronus story.
Dad is a fucking hypocrite. "Modern dress makes him uneasy"? Says the asshole toting around sunglasses.
And wow, down to your ankles. How can you possibly walk without heels?
(Do we have different definitions of ankles or something?)
Okay, this is weird because there is so much low-key flirting going on between Andreas and Cassandra. This is like that incest Folgers commercial. Cuz it's marked M/M on GR. Which means het is probably not the endgame. Which means they weren't trying to create sexual tension.
Aaand look at that. Jarel proves himself to be a dudebro asshole. What's with the blonde jokes right off the bat? Clearly Aphrodite sees more. But I forget. Jarel's the Mary Sue in this situation (quite interesting, where the MS is a sort of meta god-figure and not the MC. Hm. Author-stand-in Mary Sue?).
This entire interaction between Jarel and Aphrodite makes no sense. There seems to be little internal consistency with characterization, nevermind how problematic the representation is. Whaaat a heteronormative, misogynistic asshole.
(Ah. Author is male. Hm.)
What. Is. This. This...this. Is so incredibly unendearing, for either the characters or the author.
...what did you do to Artemis and Apollo? Why have they been Flanderized before you even characterized them?
Yo, Artemis. Misandry is not how you fight patriarchy and toxic masculinity. It just gives Men's Rights Activists/Meninists more ammo.
And oh, look. Author has Apollo "see the wrong in his ways" and bend over backwards to make amends to this goddess among men, queen Cassandra the great who is great just for existing.
Oh my god is this the Social Justice Warrior side of tumblr?
And gee, Jarel. Tell us how you really feel? How many times can you repeat how the Olympians are vain, petty, selfish, weak, whatever, before you get tired? APPARENTLY, SO MANY, BECAUSE HE DOESN'T GET TIRED OF THIS.
You know what fuck this. I'm out. I can't do this anymore. All I have is blocks of exposition, a study in tropes, my thing is toootally original and different, and het UST. Does this even go into the realm of M/M? Who knows. We need to wait who knows how long for the Chekhov's Gun to fire before we can tell.
23%
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2021
I wasn't sure if I would like this book. I don't normally read this genre but like these type of movies, so I decided to give it a try. I really enjoyed this book and ready to start reading the next books in the series. I think this would make a great movie or show. The action scenes were great and I could see and feel everything happening. I couldn't put it down. Great read.
May 23, 2013
I was gifted this book on a read for review arrangement
This book surprised me. At first I thought it was going to be a “very boy” action packed fight ‘em up. Then I learnt the protagonist was gay. That was a direction I was not expecting and it kept me reading!
The main character, Andreas, is a black dragon god decendant. His father, Jarel, is the black dragon god who holds as much, if not more, power than Zeus, the leader of Olympus. The story follows the action as subordinate gods and “rogues” (those who defy the rules of the gods) try to bring back an ancient power.
It is good to see books which have a twist not usual in their genre and that is what captured me, at first, with this book. However, I have to be honest and mention its faults as well as its great points.
Good Points
Originality – the content of the story does a lot to bring action fantasy out of its stale niche.
Characterisation – almost all characters are well rounded and feel realistic.
Plot – the plot flows really well, obviously crafted with a good hand for structure. It is also original, new, and kept me reading to see what happened next.
Ending – the ending set up for another book and still managed to keep most ends tied up. I myself have trouble with endings so I have to give props where props are due here.
The Discussion
The cover, for instance, would not have made me pick the book up. I understand there is an illustrator etc but it is not my style of art and the picture is not perfectly centred on the background. The writing however is appropriate for genre and looks good.
On to the intro: the protagonist is fighting for Sparta before the main time line of the story in the modern age. The plot idea here is great but this first scene needs tidying up. Words are repeated in the first scene (‘thought’ twice in the first 3 sentences – ‘slash’ is also used as a verb twice on the first page).
This is, of course, looking at the text on a micro level but these repetitions do get noticed by a reader and it makes the narrative seem clunky. There is also a little bit of over exposition here.
However, to the good points: this problem seems to disappear for the most part after the first scene. My advice would be for the author to read over this scene and double check they are happy with it. Perhaps it would read better from Andreas’ POV as a memory? This would give us greater insight into the character early on.
Narrative issues later in the story are much more minor and sparse. I think I saw one ‘site’ instead of ‘sight’ and on one page an ‘is’ was missing from a sentence etc – nothing huge at all.
The only big problem later on is the lack of description for Solaris and Cassandra. Solaris is not described beyond cliffs and big halls. It needs colour to the landscape as well as the gods and others inhabiting it.
Meanwhile Cassandra falls flat for me. All the other characters are well rounded with great characterisation and very original (more good points) but Cassandra accepts things too easily. She is pulled this way and that with no argument at all. Even for a healer, this goes too far for a woman’s personality imo, especially as she is not a mopy young pacifist.
The transition into her “new form” (trying for no spoilers here) also needs better handling. She grows but not much about her appearance or carriage is mentioned otherwise. It also seems as if her personality changes substantially. This character, I feel, needs more time devoted to her.
As a minor point, Jarel sees her as a love interest for Andreas even though he already knows why this romance cannot happen – perhaps this love interest idea should be played down, more implied than real or made more cryptic as a red herring.
The last problem I have is the fight scenes. Mostly, there are, as other reviewers have suggested, descriptive and original. However in a few places I noticed the same area of the body was hit repeatedly and yet the narrative did not say ‘again’ or imply this is recognised. A couple of times the kicks or punches seems infeasible in the positions I was lead to believe the characters were in. Also a few times different characters got hit in the same place, and way, close together. This just needs straightening out a little. Also, I feel these fights could benefit from shorter sentences rather than convoluted ones as sometimes I started to lose interest and fall out of the action.
Although I have to say that these scenes are much more original in flips and moves and injuries than I can think of on the spot so congrats to the author for that.
Considering the good points and the discussion points, as well as my definite enjoyment for the read, I have to give this book a 4/5.
It is well structured and paced with mostly great characters and very original content. This trumps the few minor slip ups as well as the need to re-evaluate Cassandra’s persona as the novel is still very readable as is.
This book surprised me. At first I thought it was going to be a “very boy” action packed fight ‘em up. Then I learnt the protagonist was gay. That was a direction I was not expecting and it kept me reading!
The main character, Andreas, is a black dragon god decendant. His father, Jarel, is the black dragon god who holds as much, if not more, power than Zeus, the leader of Olympus. The story follows the action as subordinate gods and “rogues” (those who defy the rules of the gods) try to bring back an ancient power.
It is good to see books which have a twist not usual in their genre and that is what captured me, at first, with this book. However, I have to be honest and mention its faults as well as its great points.
Good Points
Originality – the content of the story does a lot to bring action fantasy out of its stale niche.
Characterisation – almost all characters are well rounded and feel realistic.
Plot – the plot flows really well, obviously crafted with a good hand for structure. It is also original, new, and kept me reading to see what happened next.
Ending – the ending set up for another book and still managed to keep most ends tied up. I myself have trouble with endings so I have to give props where props are due here.
The Discussion
The cover, for instance, would not have made me pick the book up. I understand there is an illustrator etc but it is not my style of art and the picture is not perfectly centred on the background. The writing however is appropriate for genre and looks good.
On to the intro: the protagonist is fighting for Sparta before the main time line of the story in the modern age. The plot idea here is great but this first scene needs tidying up. Words are repeated in the first scene (‘thought’ twice in the first 3 sentences – ‘slash’ is also used as a verb twice on the first page).
This is, of course, looking at the text on a micro level but these repetitions do get noticed by a reader and it makes the narrative seem clunky. There is also a little bit of over exposition here.
However, to the good points: this problem seems to disappear for the most part after the first scene. My advice would be for the author to read over this scene and double check they are happy with it. Perhaps it would read better from Andreas’ POV as a memory? This would give us greater insight into the character early on.
Narrative issues later in the story are much more minor and sparse. I think I saw one ‘site’ instead of ‘sight’ and on one page an ‘is’ was missing from a sentence etc – nothing huge at all.
The only big problem later on is the lack of description for Solaris and Cassandra. Solaris is not described beyond cliffs and big halls. It needs colour to the landscape as well as the gods and others inhabiting it.
Meanwhile Cassandra falls flat for me. All the other characters are well rounded with great characterisation and very original (more good points) but Cassandra accepts things too easily. She is pulled this way and that with no argument at all. Even for a healer, this goes too far for a woman’s personality imo, especially as she is not a mopy young pacifist.
The transition into her “new form” (trying for no spoilers here) also needs better handling. She grows but not much about her appearance or carriage is mentioned otherwise. It also seems as if her personality changes substantially. This character, I feel, needs more time devoted to her.
As a minor point, Jarel sees her as a love interest for Andreas even though he already knows why this romance cannot happen – perhaps this love interest idea should be played down, more implied than real or made more cryptic as a red herring.
The last problem I have is the fight scenes. Mostly, there are, as other reviewers have suggested, descriptive and original. However in a few places I noticed the same area of the body was hit repeatedly and yet the narrative did not say ‘again’ or imply this is recognised. A couple of times the kicks or punches seems infeasible in the positions I was lead to believe the characters were in. Also a few times different characters got hit in the same place, and way, close together. This just needs straightening out a little. Also, I feel these fights could benefit from shorter sentences rather than convoluted ones as sometimes I started to lose interest and fall out of the action.
Although I have to say that these scenes are much more original in flips and moves and injuries than I can think of on the spot so congrats to the author for that.
Considering the good points and the discussion points, as well as my definite enjoyment for the read, I have to give this book a 4/5.
It is well structured and paced with mostly great characters and very original content. This trumps the few minor slip ups as well as the need to re-evaluate Cassandra’s persona as the novel is still very readable as is.
April 24, 2013
The Lost Dragon by Drako
Andreas Damone, son of the Black Dragon God, Jarel, is more than 11,000 years old. At the beginning of the novel, his mission was to hunt rogue vampires in the city of St. Louis, Missouri. He has been alone for most of those years, having lost his soul mate prior to beginning his service for the Black Dragon God when he was serving as a Spartan soldier. His lover was a fellow soldier who died in Andreas’ arms during the war.
Jarel approaches Andreas with a special mission: he asks his son to protect Odele, one of Apollo’s healers. Jarel suspects that Kalos, leader of the massive horde of rogue vampires, will try to capture Odele and use her blood in a ceremony to raise Cronus. Cronus’ rising would ultimately lead to the rising of the Titans and a war above all wars as Cronus and the Titans would attempt to overthrow Zeus. It is Anrdreas’ job to prevent this from happening and to discover the identity of the traitor god or goddess shielding Kalos.
In addition to this massive task, Andreas is soon also tasked with guarding his nephews, as well as Cassandra.
The story itself was compelling, but the author had a jarring way of occasionally narrating straight to the reader. This was disturbing and interrupted the flow of the story. The text was often delivered in a dull, monotonous form, rather than enticing the reader through the wonders of mythology, as should have been done. There were also some grammatical issues that seriously needed to be resolved.
These issues aside, there is an 11,000 year-old love story, demons, dragons, detailed fight scenes, gods and goddesses and families that are more dysfunctional that most people can imagine. The Lost Dragon has something to offer everyone.
This book was provided by the author through Goodreads’ Read for Review program in exchange for an honest review.
Andreas Damone, son of the Black Dragon God, Jarel, is more than 11,000 years old. At the beginning of the novel, his mission was to hunt rogue vampires in the city of St. Louis, Missouri. He has been alone for most of those years, having lost his soul mate prior to beginning his service for the Black Dragon God when he was serving as a Spartan soldier. His lover was a fellow soldier who died in Andreas’ arms during the war.
Jarel approaches Andreas with a special mission: he asks his son to protect Odele, one of Apollo’s healers. Jarel suspects that Kalos, leader of the massive horde of rogue vampires, will try to capture Odele and use her blood in a ceremony to raise Cronus. Cronus’ rising would ultimately lead to the rising of the Titans and a war above all wars as Cronus and the Titans would attempt to overthrow Zeus. It is Anrdreas’ job to prevent this from happening and to discover the identity of the traitor god or goddess shielding Kalos.
In addition to this massive task, Andreas is soon also tasked with guarding his nephews, as well as Cassandra.
The story itself was compelling, but the author had a jarring way of occasionally narrating straight to the reader. This was disturbing and interrupted the flow of the story. The text was often delivered in a dull, monotonous form, rather than enticing the reader through the wonders of mythology, as should have been done. There were also some grammatical issues that seriously needed to be resolved.
These issues aside, there is an 11,000 year-old love story, demons, dragons, detailed fight scenes, gods and goddesses and families that are more dysfunctional that most people can imagine. The Lost Dragon has something to offer everyone.
This book was provided by the author through Goodreads’ Read for Review program in exchange for an honest review.
August 26, 2016
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
This book grabbed my interest and held it until the end. The author drops us into the world of mythology and in particular the realm of the Black Dragon God, Jarel. The story follows Jarel's oldest son, Andreas and his quest for justice for his fallen brother.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved immersing myself in the world that the author created, and I'm eager to start the next book in the series.
There were a few minor editing errors that I noticed, but nothing that diminished my pleasure of reading this book.
This book grabbed my interest and held it until the end. The author drops us into the world of mythology and in particular the realm of the Black Dragon God, Jarel. The story follows Jarel's oldest son, Andreas and his quest for justice for his fallen brother.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved immersing myself in the world that the author created, and I'm eager to start the next book in the series.
There were a few minor editing errors that I noticed, but nothing that diminished my pleasure of reading this book.
April 22, 2013
This book, The Lost Dragon by Drako, grabbed your attention from the very beginning and took off running. It tell the tale of Andreas, once human as a Spartan warrior, now immortal, the son of the Black Dragon God, Jarel. He's given the assignment of protecting Cassandra Odele, a gifted healer and his twin nephews. The nephews are part human, part dragon and part demon. There is a battle brewing to topple the gods and destroy earth. Is every one prepared for the coming war?
June 1, 2014
I received this book many months ago free in exchange for a review and I've now only just got around to reading it.
The plot is amazing. The characterisation is brilliant. All the mythology is wrapped up in a way that makes it seem real. The gods and creatures are not the same and this book shows this well. It is perfect as the first book in a series and a stand-alone book. The whole soul mate concept is believable in this and the romance is not at all cheesy. Can't wait to read the next one.
The plot is amazing. The characterisation is brilliant. All the mythology is wrapped up in a way that makes it seem real. The gods and creatures are not the same and this book shows this well. It is perfect as the first book in a series and a stand-alone book. The whole soul mate concept is believable in this and the romance is not at all cheesy. Can't wait to read the next one.
October 3, 2016
Gods, dragons, vampires, demons.....what more could you ask for? This book also had kick-ass fight scenes that were easy to follow, a well thought out plot, a touch of Greek mythology and some very sweet MM romance! I will defiantly check out the others in this series!
June 28, 2013
Amazing book! What can I say about it? Review to come up soon.
July 16, 2015
Decent idea, but sadly the writing's just not very good and the whole thing is terribly overwrought. Not the right book for me.
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