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Drachen
A marine archaeologist standing-up for herself. A psychopath with mother issues. A hitman who hates failure. A soldier with a point to prove. A policeman out on a limb. And a treasure that tests every allegiance.
Brett Rivera has spent three years searching for the Drachen. The day she finds it is the day her life changes: there is no sign of its legendary treasure and now a cold-blooded killer is hunting her. What does he know that she doesn’t?
Brett is chased in Finland, double-crossed in Tallinn, abducted in Lübeck, and shot at in Bremen as this action-packed thriller dashes across northern Europe, barely pausing for breath.
A shipwreck. A lost treasure. A hell of a race from one to the other.
Brett Rivera has spent three years searching for the Drachen. The day she finds it is the day her life changes: there is no sign of its legendary treasure and now a cold-blooded killer is hunting her. What does he know that she doesn’t?
Brett is chased in Finland, double-crossed in Tallinn, abducted in Lübeck, and shot at in Bremen as this action-packed thriller dashes across northern Europe, barely pausing for breath.
A shipwreck. A lost treasure. A hell of a race from one to the other.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 25, 2015
282 people are currently reading
765 people want to read
About the author
Brendan Le Grange
2 books40 followersBrendan le Grange was born and educated in South Africa, though he now lives between Manila and Hong Kong with his beautiful wife and daughter.
As a business consultant, he has travelled to forty countries and lived in three. And it was during the reading binges to break up these transits - with the likes of Clive Cussler and Jack du Brul - that the writer began to emerge, bringing to life the cities, characters, and history he encountered.
Le Grange’s debut action thriller, Drachen, is a wild chase through North Europe along the Baltic coast. Based on a reimagined history of the medieval Hanseatic League, a young marine archaeologist discovers evidence of a treasure so valuable, it will test every allegiance.
As a business consultant, he has travelled to forty countries and lived in three. And it was during the reading binges to break up these transits - with the likes of Clive Cussler and Jack du Brul - that the writer began to emerge, bringing to life the cities, characters, and history he encountered.
Le Grange’s debut action thriller, Drachen, is a wild chase through North Europe along the Baltic coast. Based on a reimagined history of the medieval Hanseatic League, a young marine archaeologist discovers evidence of a treasure so valuable, it will test every allegiance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
September 21, 2015
A real fast-paced thriller that is full to the brim with explosive action.
Considering this is Le Grange's first novel, I was impressed with the skilfulness with which he wrote. He very much reminds me of Clive Cussler or David Baldacci. The different characters were deftly portrayed and interesting, especially in the case of the female protagonist. I loved that one of the main characters was a strong woman, who was both clever and capable. That's not something you always see in thrillers of this type. Well done Le Grange!
The European cities which formed the background of the treasure hunt were great choices too: Tallinn, Lubeck. It was brilliant to see another side of Europe in literature, not just the traditional haunts of Paris, London etc.
Overall, a really enjoyable read. One that took me less than a day to power through. I wouldn't hesitate in picking up his next novel.
Many thanks to Brendan Le Grange and Booklady Catlover Publicity for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Considering this is Le Grange's first novel, I was impressed with the skilfulness with which he wrote. He very much reminds me of Clive Cussler or David Baldacci. The different characters were deftly portrayed and interesting, especially in the case of the female protagonist. I loved that one of the main characters was a strong woman, who was both clever and capable. That's not something you always see in thrillers of this type. Well done Le Grange!
The European cities which formed the background of the treasure hunt were great choices too: Tallinn, Lubeck. It was brilliant to see another side of Europe in literature, not just the traditional haunts of Paris, London etc.
Overall, a really enjoyable read. One that took me less than a day to power through. I wouldn't hesitate in picking up his next novel.
Many thanks to Brendan Le Grange and Booklady Catlover Publicity for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 12, 2015
Brett Rivera is a female Indiana Jones! She has spent years looking for the Drachen .. a shipwreck, a lost treasure. Today she has found the shipwreck .. but there is no treasure.
Brett is chased through Finland, shot at, abducted and there is a cold-blooded killer on her trail.
This is an action adventure thriller, sometimes leaving me breathless. The author has done a fine job of bringing his characters to life. Having never been to Europe, I really enjoyed running ...literally... from one end to the other trying to keep abreast of Brett.
Will she find the treasure before someone kills her?
I truly enjoyed this book. It had a little bit of something for everyone.
My thanks to the author and Booklover Catlady Publicity for the digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
Brett is chased through Finland, shot at, abducted and there is a cold-blooded killer on her trail.
This is an action adventure thriller, sometimes leaving me breathless. The author has done a fine job of bringing his characters to life. Having never been to Europe, I really enjoyed running ...literally... from one end to the other trying to keep abreast of Brett.
Will she find the treasure before someone kills her?
I truly enjoyed this book. It had a little bit of something for everyone.
My thanks to the author and Booklover Catlady Publicity for the digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
September 21, 2015
Reading Drachen by Brendan le Grange is not unlike getting onto a roller coaster at Disney World. You get a thrilling ride and story to go with it. The book begins in a Finnish forest with the main protagonist, Brett Rivera, managing to outrun and outsmart a trio of assassins led by the somewhat inept Kalev. Brett has done the impossible – finding the wreckage of the Drachen, a ship purported to have held looted treasure on board when it sank off the coast of Finland hundreds of years earlier. However, much to Brett’s colossal disappointment, the Drachen’s been looted and the only thing left behind are a few random items that apparently hold the clues to finding the treasure.
It’s clear that much thought has been given to the plot, with a great deal of research having been done by the author in order to keep the plot grounded in authenticity. Although the author has some challenges with a shifting point of view (“POV”) throughout the story which is a little distracting at times, the action is constant, the descriptions vivid and the prose crisp, keeping the reader engaged at all times. What makes Drachen somewhat unique is that treasure hunters are typically men which is why having a woman treasure hunter at the helm of le Grange’s adventure is a refreshing change. The character of Brett Rivera has the intelligence of the swashbuckling adventurer, Indiana Jones and the seemingly well-honed survival instincts of the rogue operative, Jason Bourne – quite frankly somewhat of a stretch, given that she’s a former software developer and former professor of marine biology. All in all, however, a very good read.
It’s clear that much thought has been given to the plot, with a great deal of research having been done by the author in order to keep the plot grounded in authenticity. Although the author has some challenges with a shifting point of view (“POV”) throughout the story which is a little distracting at times, the action is constant, the descriptions vivid and the prose crisp, keeping the reader engaged at all times. What makes Drachen somewhat unique is that treasure hunters are typically men which is why having a woman treasure hunter at the helm of le Grange’s adventure is a refreshing change. The character of Brett Rivera has the intelligence of the swashbuckling adventurer, Indiana Jones and the seemingly well-honed survival instincts of the rogue operative, Jason Bourne – quite frankly somewhat of a stretch, given that she’s a former software developer and former professor of marine biology. All in all, however, a very good read.
September 11, 2015
I was given a free copy of the book for an honest review from Booklover Catlady Publicity.
This is an action filled, fast paced thriller about searching for a missing treasure that was aboard the Drachen. The story begins in the Baltic sea, with the people searching for it and their reasons for wanting to find it. Through-out the entirety of the story there are chases, gunfire, water cannons, explosions the whole nine yards. But did the Drachen ever make it home? Was the treasure even on the Drachen before it sunk?
I swear I was practically screaming at this book. The clues, the twists at times were unnerving, but made for a very engaging read.
September 12, 2015
Da vinci code meets Indiana Jones. A fun read. Dragons, codes, goodies. baddies. whats not to like? A great tale of a treasure hunt that is well written so you can picture the scenes. Good characters and place descriptions add to the good feel of the surroundings and take you around Europe. Recommended.
July 27, 2016
To begin with, let me say that I don't mind reading books about heroic men and women written in the classic mode.
In fact, I quite like books by writers such as Clive Cussler and Richard Turner, whose book "Goliath" is a great example of these kinds of heroic figures: Men and women who can sustain a broken bone or two or a gunshot and still get the job done.
But - and this is important - I want to know that's what I'm reading about when I pick the book up.
That was not the case when I started reading "Drachen."
For starters, it's billed as a book about a police detective named Matthys Rossouw.
It isn't.
Rossouw appears in the book only briefly and when he does he's often at his desk or in his chief's office trying to get permission to go after someone who is - apparently - obsessed with dragons and steals paintings featuring them.
His boss, however, repeatedly turns him down and he disappears for a few chapters only to pop up again either scrolling the Internet looking for clues or, again, seeking permission to chase the mystery thief.
Second, it's got some pretty improbable characters and only the slimmest of justifications for why they are doing what they do.
Brett, a female marine archaeologist of an uncertain age, is searching for a mythical treasure ship named "Drachen." She finds it - although it has eluded detection for centuries - but is promptly run off by mysterious villains who also want the ship and its secrets, though not for the same reason. She escapes but only after learning the treasure she is seeking isn't aboard the sunken ship. She has a clue, however, about where she must go next and so, after (literally) outrunning a former Finnish special forces trooper who now leads the bad guys, she sets off on her quest.
Brett is wealthy and, apparently, bored out of her mind. She doesn't need the treasure because she's already rich and she embarks on her quest alone - no assistants, no back-up - for reasons of her own that didn't really ring true to me.
Sam, meanwhile, is a British Army officer who serves with an elite regiment. He's also searching for the treasure, mostly to prove his grandfather was right when he took a book from the Nazis that allegedly holds clues to its whereabouts.
Seems grandpa was ridiculed a lot for claiming that the treasure exists.
He meets Brett at the site of the first clue, promptly knocks her out, steals an amber orb with a dragon carved into it, and flees leaving her to the not-so-tender mercies of the Finn and his gang, who are still chasing her.
Why they are, however, isn't explained because the "treasure" their wealthy employer is seeking has been found.
Hiko, meanwhile...
Anyway, the point is that the characters aren't terribly realistic, which I wouldn't mind if I'd known that at the start instead of thinking I was buying a mystery featuring a determined cop chasing a world-class thief.
Brett and the people who eventually become her allies - including Sam - are a tough bunch. They get beaten, shot, and generally abused during the book but always seem to bounce back with little or no recovery time. Cussler's and Turner's heroes do too, but, again, you know that going in.
The bad guys are not very skillful, apparently. They can't seem to hit what they're aiming at, get shot and beaten up by Brett and her crew, and when they do capture them - which happens sometimes - they can't hold onto the slippery archaeologist and her allies for very long.
That said, author Brendan le Grange writes well. He has a strong narrative voice, although his plotting is not up to the same level as his prose. He also relies on the "deux ex machina" technique too often. For example, at one point Brett and her allies are staging an ambush of the bad guys chasing them. One of the cars they are ambushing enters the kill zone and its tires explode when it runs over a strip of nails that a member of Brett's team has laid across the road.
What?
First of all, we were never told that anyone had done that.
Second, and more important from my point of view, who carries that kind of stuff around with them on the slim (very slim) chance that it will come in handy one day?
Especially when they are running for their lives while on a treasure hunt?
One last criticism: Throughout the book a lot of gunfire is exchanged.
Okay, that's not a bad thing.
However, what struck me as odd - particularly near the end of the book when the gun battle takes place in a small town - is that no one seems to notice.
Gunshots are exchanged and, with one exception, no one apparently hears them and calls the cops. If this book took place in Miami, maybe that would happen... in a small Baltic town?
No.
Also: People get killed - bad guys anyway - but no one finds their bodies and calls the cops. As a result, the cops never start an investigation.
Weird.
The verdict: An okay book that tries too hard to blend heroic fiction with a police procedural and, unfortunately, doesn't do either very well.
In fact, I quite like books by writers such as Clive Cussler and Richard Turner, whose book "Goliath" is a great example of these kinds of heroic figures: Men and women who can sustain a broken bone or two or a gunshot and still get the job done.
But - and this is important - I want to know that's what I'm reading about when I pick the book up.
That was not the case when I started reading "Drachen."
For starters, it's billed as a book about a police detective named Matthys Rossouw.
It isn't.
Rossouw appears in the book only briefly and when he does he's often at his desk or in his chief's office trying to get permission to go after someone who is - apparently - obsessed with dragons and steals paintings featuring them.
His boss, however, repeatedly turns him down and he disappears for a few chapters only to pop up again either scrolling the Internet looking for clues or, again, seeking permission to chase the mystery thief.
Second, it's got some pretty improbable characters and only the slimmest of justifications for why they are doing what they do.
Brett, a female marine archaeologist of an uncertain age, is searching for a mythical treasure ship named "Drachen." She finds it - although it has eluded detection for centuries - but is promptly run off by mysterious villains who also want the ship and its secrets, though not for the same reason. She escapes but only after learning the treasure she is seeking isn't aboard the sunken ship. She has a clue, however, about where she must go next and so, after (literally) outrunning a former Finnish special forces trooper who now leads the bad guys, she sets off on her quest.
Brett is wealthy and, apparently, bored out of her mind. She doesn't need the treasure because she's already rich and she embarks on her quest alone - no assistants, no back-up - for reasons of her own that didn't really ring true to me.
Sam, meanwhile, is a British Army officer who serves with an elite regiment. He's also searching for the treasure, mostly to prove his grandfather was right when he took a book from the Nazis that allegedly holds clues to its whereabouts.
Seems grandpa was ridiculed a lot for claiming that the treasure exists.
He meets Brett at the site of the first clue, promptly knocks her out, steals an amber orb with a dragon carved into it, and flees leaving her to the not-so-tender mercies of the Finn and his gang, who are still chasing her.
Why they are, however, isn't explained because the "treasure" their wealthy employer is seeking has been found.
Hiko, meanwhile...
Anyway, the point is that the characters aren't terribly realistic, which I wouldn't mind if I'd known that at the start instead of thinking I was buying a mystery featuring a determined cop chasing a world-class thief.
Brett and the people who eventually become her allies - including Sam - are a tough bunch. They get beaten, shot, and generally abused during the book but always seem to bounce back with little or no recovery time. Cussler's and Turner's heroes do too, but, again, you know that going in.
The bad guys are not very skillful, apparently. They can't seem to hit what they're aiming at, get shot and beaten up by Brett and her crew, and when they do capture them - which happens sometimes - they can't hold onto the slippery archaeologist and her allies for very long.
That said, author Brendan le Grange writes well. He has a strong narrative voice, although his plotting is not up to the same level as his prose. He also relies on the "deux ex machina" technique too often. For example, at one point Brett and her allies are staging an ambush of the bad guys chasing them. One of the cars they are ambushing enters the kill zone and its tires explode when it runs over a strip of nails that a member of Brett's team has laid across the road.
What?
First of all, we were never told that anyone had done that.
Second, and more important from my point of view, who carries that kind of stuff around with them on the slim (very slim) chance that it will come in handy one day?
Especially when they are running for their lives while on a treasure hunt?
One last criticism: Throughout the book a lot of gunfire is exchanged.
Okay, that's not a bad thing.
However, what struck me as odd - particularly near the end of the book when the gun battle takes place in a small town - is that no one seems to notice.
Gunshots are exchanged and, with one exception, no one apparently hears them and calls the cops. If this book took place in Miami, maybe that would happen... in a small Baltic town?
No.
Also: People get killed - bad guys anyway - but no one finds their bodies and calls the cops. As a result, the cops never start an investigation.
Weird.
The verdict: An okay book that tries too hard to blend heroic fiction with a police procedural and, unfortunately, doesn't do either very well.
Want to read
April 20, 2020TheFussyLibrarian
September 21, 2015
I got „Drachen“ through Goodreads Giveaway – thank vou!
As a german I was caught by the title and the fact, that it is not a geman book. I’m still sort of irritated that the name of the ship is in german, but apart from townnames places are called in the english version (although the autobahn wasn’t called a motorway or highway – if you’re american – what would have been better – in my opinion ;-) ). For example the churches: St Firmin Church in Dätlingen is in german St Ferminuskirche. Or St Stephens Church in Bremen is St Stephani. And so on. No biggie, true. But still irritating if you think about the ship called Drachen and not Dragon (ok, I just leraned that shipnames stay the same. Ok, so forget the that…)
Another language problem which I totally don’t get are the books which Brett and Sam own. They are both written by german people. Alright. So Brett and Sam understand german – even that good, that they get the clues and stuff. Acceptable. But the books were written in the time of the Hanse. Even I as a german would have a) problems with the handwriting and b) with the language. Yeah, irritating. But ok. Might be.
So much to the language. Back to the book itself. I found it easy going. Rather quick to read, once you’re hooked. The really short chapters helped a lot and gave the story some speed. More so by the fact that even in thse short chapters the characters often changed and every now and then backsight (at least I can’t think of a better word for it) happend. I liked that a lot!
I really enjoyed the fights and races (I’m still not sure if you could or would go 160 kmh on a german countryroad especially in the dark….), most of all the half naked one xD
On the opposite I found the writting in general often not deep enough, like there is something missing. But as I said bevor it builds up speed. So yeah.
All in all I enjoyed the book. For the last 50 pages I read it through whereas I had a rather slow start. Sadly I didn’t get that close to the characters. I hoped and feared wirh them, but nothing more. The little background we got to every single one was just enough to make them interesting, but not much more. Apart from Hiko of course. I’m still wondering about him. Why does he own that much money at such a young age, just from beeing a artthief? What about him and his mother? I get what happend, but… I wohl have liked to know more about him.
And what about our four heros and the Drachen?
To Brendan: Thank you for the nice words and you are forgiven for demolishing parts of my homeland ;-)
I’m not really good at writting reviews, I hope it wasn’t too bad ;-)
As a german I was caught by the title and the fact, that it is not a geman book. I’m still sort of irritated that the name of the ship is in german, but apart from townnames places are called in the english version (although the autobahn wasn’t called a motorway or highway – if you’re american – what would have been better – in my opinion ;-) ). For example the churches: St Firmin Church in Dätlingen is in german St Ferminuskirche. Or St Stephens Church in Bremen is St Stephani. And so on. No biggie, true. But still irritating if you think about the ship called Drachen and not Dragon (ok, I just leraned that shipnames stay the same. Ok, so forget the that…)
Another language problem which I totally don’t get are the books which Brett and Sam own. They are both written by german people. Alright. So Brett and Sam understand german – even that good, that they get the clues and stuff. Acceptable. But the books were written in the time of the Hanse. Even I as a german would have a) problems with the handwriting and b) with the language. Yeah, irritating. But ok. Might be.
So much to the language. Back to the book itself. I found it easy going. Rather quick to read, once you’re hooked. The really short chapters helped a lot and gave the story some speed. More so by the fact that even in thse short chapters the characters often changed and every now and then backsight (at least I can’t think of a better word for it) happend. I liked that a lot!
I really enjoyed the fights and races (I’m still not sure if you could or would go 160 kmh on a german countryroad especially in the dark….), most of all the half naked one xD
On the opposite I found the writting in general often not deep enough, like there is something missing. But as I said bevor it builds up speed. So yeah.
All in all I enjoyed the book. For the last 50 pages I read it through whereas I had a rather slow start. Sadly I didn’t get that close to the characters. I hoped and feared wirh them, but nothing more. The little background we got to every single one was just enough to make them interesting, but not much more. Apart from Hiko of course. I’m still wondering about him. Why does he own that much money at such a young age, just from beeing a artthief? What about him and his mother? I get what happend, but… I wohl have liked to know more about him.
And what about our four heros and the Drachen?
To Brendan: Thank you for the nice words and you are forgiven for demolishing parts of my homeland ;-)
I’m not really good at writting reviews, I hope it wasn’t too bad ;-)
November 18, 2015
Book Review of Drachen by Brendan Le Grange
If Dean Koontz were to write a historical fiction thriller with an Indiana Jones theme and both strong male and female characters, it would
be something like Brendan Le Grange’s “Drachen”. This story is a fast paced, action and historically driven thriller that tweaks a real life
history of the medieval Hanseatic League and creates a legend and treasure so powerful and illustrious that the lines between friend and
foe becomes blurred easily.
Taking a fun approach of looking through the eyes of various characters in this novel, the story follows a young marine archaeologist who’s
looking to find a treasure and must face the likes of a crazed killer with some serious issues, a hitman who doesn’t know what it means to
fail, and a soldier looking for a sort of redemption. Brett is hot on the trail of the Drachen, a ship said to hold untold treasure. Yet
not only does she not find the treasure, but she finds herself in the fight of her life as she delves deeper into the mystery of the Drachen
and must evade armed killers and soldiers who want the secrets of the treasure for themselves.
The writing in this book is very well told. The pace is constant and fast, keeping the plot moving forward at a reasonable rate and doing
a wonderful job of implementing a great sense of history into the modern age. The formatting of the book was perfect, and the characters
did a wonderful job of telling their stories and kept an air of mystery throughout the story, doling out bits and pieces of their past and
motivations to keep us wanting more until the very end.
Without spoiling the ending, Le Grange does a masterful job of using his life experiences and travels from around the world to tell a tale
that one rarely finds anymore. I personally loved the history that dripped from every page of this book, and it left me wanting to read more
of his writing. There are equal parts action, history, adventure and thriller mixed into this book, making this a story people will thoroughly
enjoy reading. Make sure to pick up your copy of Drachen by Brendan Le Grange today!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author and Booklover Catlady Publicity in return for a fair and honest review.
Many thanks!
If Dean Koontz were to write a historical fiction thriller with an Indiana Jones theme and both strong male and female characters, it would
be something like Brendan Le Grange’s “Drachen”. This story is a fast paced, action and historically driven thriller that tweaks a real life
history of the medieval Hanseatic League and creates a legend and treasure so powerful and illustrious that the lines between friend and
foe becomes blurred easily.
Taking a fun approach of looking through the eyes of various characters in this novel, the story follows a young marine archaeologist who’s
looking to find a treasure and must face the likes of a crazed killer with some serious issues, a hitman who doesn’t know what it means to
fail, and a soldier looking for a sort of redemption. Brett is hot on the trail of the Drachen, a ship said to hold untold treasure. Yet
not only does she not find the treasure, but she finds herself in the fight of her life as she delves deeper into the mystery of the Drachen
and must evade armed killers and soldiers who want the secrets of the treasure for themselves.
The writing in this book is very well told. The pace is constant and fast, keeping the plot moving forward at a reasonable rate and doing
a wonderful job of implementing a great sense of history into the modern age. The formatting of the book was perfect, and the characters
did a wonderful job of telling their stories and kept an air of mystery throughout the story, doling out bits and pieces of their past and
motivations to keep us wanting more until the very end.
Without spoiling the ending, Le Grange does a masterful job of using his life experiences and travels from around the world to tell a tale
that one rarely finds anymore. I personally loved the history that dripped from every page of this book, and it left me wanting to read more
of his writing. There are equal parts action, history, adventure and thriller mixed into this book, making this a story people will thoroughly
enjoy reading. Make sure to pick up your copy of Drachen by Brendan Le Grange today!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author and Booklover Catlady Publicity in return for a fair and honest review.
Many thanks!
September 22, 2015
Drachen: A Thriller, is Book 1 in A Matthys Rossouw Pursuit series, by Brendan le Grange. This book was almost like being on a wild ride, not knowing what was going to happen next. Grange has an amazing way of throwing readers into loop after loop, action after action. It just didn't stop until the end, which is something that I can definitely appreciate. This book was so complex, there was a lot going on in it which made me unable to put it down. Excellent writing.
The book starts out on a high note, and ends on one as well. Brett Rivera's main goal is to outrun a group of assassins who are being run by Kalev. Brett is fortunate enough to find the wreckage of a looted treasure ship, Drachen. Everyone has been searching for Drachen, but up until Brett, no one has managed to find it. However, she discovers that the treasure has already been looted, by clues are left behind as to who took it first.
There are a lot of characters involved in this book, and they all have one goal: find the lost treasure. I love that the main character is a woman, as she is portrayed as a strong lead. The only word of caution before starting this one is: don't start it at night! It will be the quickest way to lose your entire night's sleep. Five stars all the way for a brilliant story, and I truly can't wait for the next one to come out.
The book starts out on a high note, and ends on one as well. Brett Rivera's main goal is to outrun a group of assassins who are being run by Kalev. Brett is fortunate enough to find the wreckage of a looted treasure ship, Drachen. Everyone has been searching for Drachen, but up until Brett, no one has managed to find it. However, she discovers that the treasure has already been looted, by clues are left behind as to who took it first.
There are a lot of characters involved in this book, and they all have one goal: find the lost treasure. I love that the main character is a woman, as she is portrayed as a strong lead. The only word of caution before starting this one is: don't start it at night! It will be the quickest way to lose your entire night's sleep. Five stars all the way for a brilliant story, and I truly can't wait for the next one to come out.
September 21, 2015
With only a shadowy idea of where this novel could possibly go from start to finish, I dove headfirst into Drachen, as any loyal adventure reader should. What I found was yet another new and fascinating protagonist, Brett Rivera, who had me in the palm of her hand from the start. It's hard not to be charmed by the savvy, smart, and determined treasure seeker, and we choose sides easily as a reader. What unravels from that momentous discovery is like few other action stories I've read in recent years. Painted across half of Europe, the bullets fly and time seems to be running out for this unlikely heroine. However, what carries her through each and every impossible escape is a single-minded focus on the goal - the truth behind the treasure she's spent so long seeking. Sometimes diving too deep can be dangerous, but for Brett and myself, plunging ourselves into this mystery was inevitable. le Grange's writing style is impressively terse in certain moments, and beautifully illustrative in others, and his dialogue is believable, not pressured to be overly dramatic by this genre's conventions. Nicely balanced overall, from an author I will certainly seek out in the future.
September 21, 2015
I wasn't immediately sold by this book, as I think it took sort of a grinding, stuttering start, at least in my experience. While my first impression was poor, I feel foolish for admitting that now, as by the end of the book, I was thoroughly smitten by Brett's stunning strength in the face of danger, and le Grange's shocking ability to tie up a plot in a neat, brilliant bow. I think, however, the true praise for this book has to go to the ancillary characters, who drove the plot, yet never wrested control of it. There was a wonderful balance of parallel stories that tangled and turned within one another, leaving us all breathless to know when they would collide. That is the sort of writing that I can get on board with, and something that I look forward to in le Grange's coming novels.
At times, the story was a bit crowded, and the ultimate endgame was shrouded in almost too much mystery (is that possible?). Perhaps I was just frustrated that I couldn't figure out how it would end until opening that last chapter. The author knew how to keep me on my toes, and for someone as wrapped up in suspense and thrillers as I am, that is quite the accomplishment indeed.
At times, the story was a bit crowded, and the ultimate endgame was shrouded in almost too much mystery (is that possible?). Perhaps I was just frustrated that I couldn't figure out how it would end until opening that last chapter. The author knew how to keep me on my toes, and for someone as wrapped up in suspense and thrillers as I am, that is quite the accomplishment indeed.
April 24, 2016
This was an adventure/ mystery story that I really enjoyed. Brett, is a woman who after many years of searching for the 'Drachen' and it's missing treasure finally finds it. But when she searches it, much to her disappointment finds nothing there. Determined still, Brett begins her hunt but soon learns that she is not the only one who is looking.
The pace in this story was very fast all the way through and that was what I liked about it. The clues, were interesting and I liked how they led to the characters travelling to places such as Finland.
It was hard for me to pick a favourite character. They all seemed just as clever and determined as each other.
They way the author describes the places were the characters go and the history connected to them I found very interesting. I could just imagine them as I was reading.
I would recommend this story to anyone. But fans of adventure stories or thrillers will really like this. After reading this, I would say that I would read more books by this author in the future.
I received a copy of this book from the author and Booklover Catlady Publicity in return for a fair and honest review. Thank you.
The pace in this story was very fast all the way through and that was what I liked about it. The clues, were interesting and I liked how they led to the characters travelling to places such as Finland.
It was hard for me to pick a favourite character. They all seemed just as clever and determined as each other.
They way the author describes the places were the characters go and the history connected to them I found very interesting. I could just imagine them as I was reading.
I would recommend this story to anyone. But fans of adventure stories or thrillers will really like this. After reading this, I would say that I would read more books by this author in the future.
I received a copy of this book from the author and Booklover Catlady Publicity in return for a fair and honest review. Thank you.
October 18, 2015
A real page turner!
Drachen: A Thriller (A Matthys Rossouw Pursuit Book 1) by Brendan Le Grange has great balance of dialogue, action and description. The short chapters are perfect for someone with only a few minutes at a time to read, but be warned, you may not be able to put it down.
Brendan Le Grange is a master story-teller and very good at building and holding suspense. Brett and the gang get into all kinds of dilemmas individually and together that keep the suspense going page after page. There are several different plots going on, everyone with their own agenda getting into each others' way, that creates some great twists and turns, keeping the reader guessing.
The "good guys" have some extraordinary good luck and some of the scenes seem a little out of place which pushes the boundaries of believability at times, but not enough to take the quality of the book down too much at all.
Overall, an exciting and enjoyable read!
Many thanks for my free copy of this book from the author and Catlady Publicity given in return for a fair and honest review.
Drachen: A Thriller (A Matthys Rossouw Pursuit Book 1) by Brendan Le Grange has great balance of dialogue, action and description. The short chapters are perfect for someone with only a few minutes at a time to read, but be warned, you may not be able to put it down.
Brendan Le Grange is a master story-teller and very good at building and holding suspense. Brett and the gang get into all kinds of dilemmas individually and together that keep the suspense going page after page. There are several different plots going on, everyone with their own agenda getting into each others' way, that creates some great twists and turns, keeping the reader guessing.
The "good guys" have some extraordinary good luck and some of the scenes seem a little out of place which pushes the boundaries of believability at times, but not enough to take the quality of the book down too much at all.
Overall, an exciting and enjoyable read!
Many thanks for my free copy of this book from the author and Catlady Publicity given in return for a fair and honest review.
September 23, 2015
I received a free copy from the author and Booklover Catlady Publicity in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Drachen is so much fun. Non-stop action, sparkling dialog, amazing locations and over-the-top villains make for delightful reading. Brett is an archeologist who found a treasure map in a sunken ship. Sam is a soldier who wants to prove his worth to his late grandfather by finding the treasure that he chased all his life. Together, with the help of their friends, they dig, dive, jump, climb and duck bullets. The characters are more archetypes than complex creatures, but sometimes that is just what you need. Drachen is cinematographic but the fights, car chases and locations are only limited by the reader's imagination – the special effects are boundless. Don’t read this book looking for a dissertation on the meaning of life but, if you want to have pure adrenaline-fueled fun, Drachen will hit the mark.
Drachen is so much fun. Non-stop action, sparkling dialog, amazing locations and over-the-top villains make for delightful reading. Brett is an archeologist who found a treasure map in a sunken ship. Sam is a soldier who wants to prove his worth to his late grandfather by finding the treasure that he chased all his life. Together, with the help of their friends, they dig, dive, jump, climb and duck bullets. The characters are more archetypes than complex creatures, but sometimes that is just what you need. Drachen is cinematographic but the fights, car chases and locations are only limited by the reader's imagination – the special effects are boundless. Don’t read this book looking for a dissertation on the meaning of life but, if you want to have pure adrenaline-fueled fun, Drachen will hit the mark.
September 21, 2015
This was a nice read, I have to start with the elements of the book such a map to illustrate the location of the story, a working table of content which is always a good sign when it comes to digital books. As I expected after checking the TOC, the format of this book is very well done and I didn’t find any faults on it which made the reading experience very good.
As for the story, it is very interesting and has a cast of characters ranging from marine archaeologist to hitmen and treasures. Brett Rivera finds a shipwreck that she has been looking for three years and when she finds it, her life takes an unexpected turn when she is being hunted down. I like that the author took the time to develop the characters and the plot, it didn’t feel rushed at all.
As for the story, it is very interesting and has a cast of characters ranging from marine archaeologist to hitmen and treasures. Brett Rivera finds a shipwreck that she has been looking for three years and when she finds it, her life takes an unexpected turn when she is being hunted down. I like that the author took the time to develop the characters and the plot, it didn’t feel rushed at all.
September 25, 2015
Let's get one thing straight right away: "Drachen" is a fantastic idea... it just doesn't quite work for me.
It's a really fast read, there's non-stop action... but maybe too fast and too action packed.
Occasionally, the story shifted back and forward in time. This was confusing as the story moves so fast it doesn't give you time to adjust.
Then there's the errors. "River Weir" in Durham should have been "Wear"... "stationery" instead of "stationary", etc.
Needs work.
It's a really fast read, there's non-stop action... but maybe too fast and too action packed.
Occasionally, the story shifted back and forward in time. This was confusing as the story moves so fast it doesn't give you time to adjust.
Then there's the errors. "River Weir" in Durham should have been "Wear"... "stationery" instead of "stationary", etc.
Needs work.
September 17, 2016
Interesting book about a German boat from WWII that was discovered by a woman who goes all over Northern Europe accompanied by friends to unravel the secret and is pursued by those who wish to beat her to the prize.
December 17, 2018
This book read like an 'okay' action movie...Kinda like National Treasure. I had two main problems with this book: the first being the severe lack of character development. I felt no attachment whatsoever to any character. Brett seems like a somewhat likable protagonist - somewhat. It was easy to be detached, meaning it was easy to put down the book once I started and forget about it. Second, this book is a "Matthys Rossouw Pursuit" book. It sure doesn't feel like it because there were only a handful of paragraphs about the dude. Wasn't terrible but I wasn't into it. I hope the next one is better.
November 12, 2025
Interesting
But, so many problems. The chase and the puzzle were intriguing, but they would have been more so if le Granger had given us more information about the characters. The big questions for me, especially as time went on, was why and how?Why were they treasure hunting? How did they know about it in the first place? How did they know each other? At the end of the book. I don’t know any more about the characters than I did as they were introduced and about Matthys Rossouw, supposedly the protagonist based on the title, I know the least. On top of that, the typographical errors are many and annoying. I won’t be reading Book 2.
But, so many problems. The chase and the puzzle were intriguing, but they would have been more so if le Granger had given us more information about the characters. The big questions for me, especially as time went on, was why and how?Why were they treasure hunting? How did they know about it in the first place? How did they know each other? At the end of the book. I don’t know any more about the characters than I did as they were introduced and about Matthys Rossouw, supposedly the protagonist based on the title, I know the least. On top of that, the typographical errors are many and annoying. I won’t be reading Book 2.
November 30, 2018
Interesting Read
Very exciting escapades throughout the story. Lots of unbelievable escapes. The ending was anticlimactic. Details were so often unnecessary. I will read more from this author
Very exciting escapades throughout the story. Lots of unbelievable escapes. The ending was anticlimactic. Details were so often unnecessary. I will read more from this author
December 12, 2018
Exciting
An exciting book, but more than a little unrealistic. The story dragged at times, the interesting parts made it a worthwhile read.
An exciting book, but more than a little unrealistic. The story dragged at times, the interesting parts made it a worthwhile read.
September 12, 2019
Goodread
This book kept my interest while being a fast read. Was not gorry and I like that. Not my usual read but I d choose it again
This book kept my interest while being a fast read. Was not gorry and I like that. Not my usual read but I d choose it again
December 7, 2020
This book was action packed from start to finish. I removed a star due to spelling and grammatical errors throughout the book. Otherwise an enjoyable read; can’t wait to read more in this series.
December 10, 2020
Guess this just isn't my kinda book.
Did not enjoy at all...who knows why I read until the end. Don't like chase scenes in movies, nor in books.
Did not enjoy at all...who knows why I read until the end. Don't like chase scenes in movies, nor in books.
January 21, 2021
This was a fun treasure hunt, moving across Europe and Hong Kong.
Interesting character mix and some beautifully described interiors of ancient European churches.
Interesting character mix and some beautifully described interiors of ancient European churches.
February 26, 2021
Implausible. Not worth the effort. I gave up at 24%
August 30, 2021
Different
I enjoyed this book, likable characters,a variety of settings and some bad guys. A light easy read. The concept is interesting as well.
I enjoyed this book, likable characters,a variety of settings and some bad guys. A light easy read. The concept is interesting as well.
September 11, 2015
A shipwreck. A lost treasure. A hell of a race from one to the other.
South African born Brendan le Grange completed his education with an MBA in International Business and Entrepreneurship from Gordon Institute of Business Sciences in Johannesburg but now as a business consultant he has travelled extensively, living in three of the forty countries he has visited. He now lives between Manila and Hong Kong and is currently Head of Analytics (ASEAN) in both Hong Kong and Manila and is an internationally experienced credit risk strategist with projects delivered on three continents and across the credit lifecycle. DRACHEN is his debut novel and is a wild chase through North Europe along the Baltic coast, based on a reimagined history of the medieval Hanseatic League.
Some authors focus on stories by offering an historical review to open their books. Brendan elects to set the pace of the chase in his opening of his debut novel, in a manner that makes us appreciate the quality of wordsmith we are going to be reading. At first the names and location may be confusing, but the tension level is what he manages to percolate with his descriptive prose: `She had to find a way through. She had to keep running. Or stop. For a moment, Brett thought of doing just that, of closing her eyes and giving up. But no, not when all she had to show for her work was a bag of trinkets and tangle of unanswered questions. She would run. She had given up on hope, though. Hope was for people running towards something and she was running away. She had fear and she was okay with that.' Now breathe, and prepare for a wild story that pulls us through centuries of history uncovering clues amidst a backdrop of violence, gunfire and car chases.
The author's synopsis is excellent: `A marine archaeologist standing up for herself. A psychopath with mother issues. A hitman who hates failure. A soldier with a point to prove. A policeman out on a limb. And a treasure that tests every allegiance. Brett Rivera might not know what's going on or who she can trust but she's in a race of her life and she knows she's not going to give up. After three years searching she has found the wreck of the Drachen - a warship built by the Hanseatic League or, `commissioned to retrieve some grand treasure and that, having found the treasure and tamed the dragon that once guarded it, they took the dragon aboard as their talisman and went on to battle fantastic beasts and foreign armies as they sailed home'). First the hold is empty and then she's attacked and almost killed. Why is a mother-obsessed psychopath spending so much money to catch her? Who is the British soldier really? How is the hazy amber globe and the rusted keys she recovered supposed to help her locate the Hanseatic League's greatest lost treasure? Brett doesn't know, but she has two things in her favor: Patrick her best friend and an ancient book which just might be the missing piece. She is pursued in Finland, double crossed in Tallinn, abducted in Lübeck, shot at in Bremen and A young marine archaeologist discovers evidence of a treasure so valuable, it will test every allegiance.'
Taut and tense yet allowing for solid character development, Brendan's writing style is invigorating and is able to place a plausible fantasy thriller before his audience as well as more seasoned travelers! This is a fine debut
South African born Brendan le Grange completed his education with an MBA in International Business and Entrepreneurship from Gordon Institute of Business Sciences in Johannesburg but now as a business consultant he has travelled extensively, living in three of the forty countries he has visited. He now lives between Manila and Hong Kong and is currently Head of Analytics (ASEAN) in both Hong Kong and Manila and is an internationally experienced credit risk strategist with projects delivered on three continents and across the credit lifecycle. DRACHEN is his debut novel and is a wild chase through North Europe along the Baltic coast, based on a reimagined history of the medieval Hanseatic League.
Some authors focus on stories by offering an historical review to open their books. Brendan elects to set the pace of the chase in his opening of his debut novel, in a manner that makes us appreciate the quality of wordsmith we are going to be reading. At first the names and location may be confusing, but the tension level is what he manages to percolate with his descriptive prose: `She had to find a way through. She had to keep running. Or stop. For a moment, Brett thought of doing just that, of closing her eyes and giving up. But no, not when all she had to show for her work was a bag of trinkets and tangle of unanswered questions. She would run. She had given up on hope, though. Hope was for people running towards something and she was running away. She had fear and she was okay with that.' Now breathe, and prepare for a wild story that pulls us through centuries of history uncovering clues amidst a backdrop of violence, gunfire and car chases.
The author's synopsis is excellent: `A marine archaeologist standing up for herself. A psychopath with mother issues. A hitman who hates failure. A soldier with a point to prove. A policeman out on a limb. And a treasure that tests every allegiance. Brett Rivera might not know what's going on or who she can trust but she's in a race of her life and she knows she's not going to give up. After three years searching she has found the wreck of the Drachen - a warship built by the Hanseatic League or, `commissioned to retrieve some grand treasure and that, having found the treasure and tamed the dragon that once guarded it, they took the dragon aboard as their talisman and went on to battle fantastic beasts and foreign armies as they sailed home'). First the hold is empty and then she's attacked and almost killed. Why is a mother-obsessed psychopath spending so much money to catch her? Who is the British soldier really? How is the hazy amber globe and the rusted keys she recovered supposed to help her locate the Hanseatic League's greatest lost treasure? Brett doesn't know, but she has two things in her favor: Patrick her best friend and an ancient book which just might be the missing piece. She is pursued in Finland, double crossed in Tallinn, abducted in Lübeck, shot at in Bremen and A young marine archaeologist discovers evidence of a treasure so valuable, it will test every allegiance.'
Taut and tense yet allowing for solid character development, Brendan's writing style is invigorating and is able to place a plausible fantasy thriller before his audience as well as more seasoned travelers! This is a fine debut
September 7, 2015
I really struggled with this book because I couldn't get a feel for who the main character was for a while-was it Brett or Sam or both-due to the severe lack of character development and zero set-up for the book which is so disappointing because I thought the book started out with such an exciting chase sequence. After Brett is able to evade her pursuers the next chapter goes into her visiting an expert on the Drachen treasure. I wasn't sure about the timeline here at first because I expected a more in-depth explanation for why she was being chased. The explanation was glossed over and then she's suddenly pursuing clues with this expert who doesn't stay in the picture for long. In other words there is no set-up for the book.
A more in-depth sequence that described Bret's journey to finding the ship and then having it taken from her would have been great, especially if we were getting it as the action unfolded because it would have helped me to have a feel for her personality, goals and motivations. Who is Bretta as a person? Who is Sam as a person? We don't even find out he has a wife until half-way through the book with a comment that felt like more of an afterthought. The obvious goal is the treasure, but what is everyone's compelling motivation here besides getting rich quick which isn't enough internal conflict to carry the plot through to the end.
I just couldn't connect to anyone, and there were so many characters with lots of scenes where the author told me what they were doing, but failed to add much characterization. Everything just felt very linear from the plot, the characters and even the dialogue. I love thrillers so I was disappointed that this didn't live up to my expectations.
I will say the clues that they discovered and the way the treasure was hidden was very clever. I just wish the information could have been delivered in a more compelling and engaging way.
The history and locations on the other hand were absolutely spectacular. This was rich in detail and highlighted the author's knowledge of the various areas his characters flew through on their journey to finding treasure. The story behind the treasure was fascinating, and the tension during chase scenes and shoot-outs was enthralling. There were some great one-liners that had me chuckling, and that snarky sarcasm from some of the characters-Ramon-kept me turning pages.
I think in the end I stuck with the book for the beautifully described locations, history and brief bursts of humor. I think this author is extremely talented, however, and with a little more attention to set-up, character development and execution this book could really shine. Debut novels can be like this. An author gets their feet wet and grows from the first book to the next. I think this author is just going to continue to get better and better due to the fact that he started out with so much raw talent in the first place. Even though I was a bit disappointed with the book, I intend to follow this author and enjoy his journey of growth from book to book.
A more in-depth sequence that described Bret's journey to finding the ship and then having it taken from her would have been great, especially if we were getting it as the action unfolded because it would have helped me to have a feel for her personality, goals and motivations. Who is Bretta as a person? Who is Sam as a person? We don't even find out he has a wife until half-way through the book with a comment that felt like more of an afterthought. The obvious goal is the treasure, but what is everyone's compelling motivation here besides getting rich quick which isn't enough internal conflict to carry the plot through to the end.
I just couldn't connect to anyone, and there were so many characters with lots of scenes where the author told me what they were doing, but failed to add much characterization. Everything just felt very linear from the plot, the characters and even the dialogue. I love thrillers so I was disappointed that this didn't live up to my expectations.
I will say the clues that they discovered and the way the treasure was hidden was very clever. I just wish the information could have been delivered in a more compelling and engaging way.
The history and locations on the other hand were absolutely spectacular. This was rich in detail and highlighted the author's knowledge of the various areas his characters flew through on their journey to finding treasure. The story behind the treasure was fascinating, and the tension during chase scenes and shoot-outs was enthralling. There were some great one-liners that had me chuckling, and that snarky sarcasm from some of the characters-Ramon-kept me turning pages.
I think in the end I stuck with the book for the beautifully described locations, history and brief bursts of humor. I think this author is extremely talented, however, and with a little more attention to set-up, character development and execution this book could really shine. Debut novels can be like this. An author gets their feet wet and grows from the first book to the next. I think this author is just going to continue to get better and better due to the fact that he started out with so much raw talent in the first place. Even though I was a bit disappointed with the book, I intend to follow this author and enjoy his journey of growth from book to book.
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