CALL OF THE DRAGON

In this series opener, three temple initiates journey to find their gods before their world is overrun by dark spirits.

In the Kingdom of Kwa, 17-year-old Moremi excels at sensing the dragon goddess Yida’s idan. But her lack of piety disappoints her mother, who’s the principal iyalawo, or priestess, of Yida. By contrast, her best friend, Nox, son of the chief babalawo, or priest, of dragon god Dam, is so pious that he’s likely to be pledged to Dam at the coming Dírágónì ceremony. After she’s unexpectedly forced to pledge, Moremi is confused when both gods mark her, something that shouldn’t happen. Still more shocking, the king, believing himself to be the chosen one, attempts to overthrow the gods, while his co-conspirator, Addaf, unleashes the life-sucking emi buburu upon them. Angered and injured, the gods retreat, and Moremi, Nox, and Moremi’s bully, Zaye, flee the chaos, with Addaf in hot pursuit. Guided only by the dragons’ addictive idan, the trio have five days to find the dragon gods and complete the cleansing ceremony—or the world will be destroyed. The rich, vibrant setting and intriguing magic system pull from West African religious traditions and mythology (Addaf is the lone white character in an otherwise Black cast). Unfortunately, the characters and their motivations are underdeveloped. The fast-paced scenes are compelling, but the quieter moments feel aimless, eroding the story’s emotional impact.

Features atmospheric worldbuilding but is let down by lightly sketched characters.