Chronicles of the Dragon Pirate

Set in a mythical world centuries ago, this sci-fi fantasy novel for young adults follows the life of Tomas Rios, a teenager living in a small town who finds out he may not be who he thought he was.

Time is broken into the Old World and the New, which began after a great war killed off the ancient dragons that possessed magical powers. Tomas Rios is a skilled healer whose knowledge is highly coveted. His simple life with his adoptive grandparents changes when he meets evil Capt. Cholula, an army leader who wants Tomas for his healing skills. Revealing that Tomas is one of the descendants of a powerful dragon lineage, Cholula requests that he join her army. When he refuses, the outcome is bloody. He returns home to find his Gran-Pere brutally murdered, and shortly after, his foster mother passes away. Determined to seek revenge for their deaths, Tomas embarks on a journey with Capt. Hawkins on his ship. As the evils that brought on the Great War begin to stir again, Tomas’ role in preventing another destructive war becomes crucial. He gets engaged to Pepper, who can take various forms and who gives him strength on his journey. As the story progresses, Tomas learns that he’s the son of Long-Mu, one of the last powerful Dragons, and he’s inherited important powers, including the ability to slow time. While Talon’s narrative can be exciting and fast-paced, and Tomas comes across as a worthy hero, many moments in the story feel a bit jumbled, perhaps since, with so many characters, too much information creeps in. A trilogy setup would allow Talon to create a more solid back story and further develop characters aside from Tomas and Pepper.

An energetic, sometimes horrifying tale set in an intriguing fantasy world, which may be a bit too complicated for some readers.