Dragons

With this ambitious genre-bender, Drago (Torq) delivers an uneven mash-up of mythology and technology set in the near future. Andy Brand appears human, but he’s really descended from dragons called Kind, whose first mandate is to “Conceal and Protect” their own. When Andy is kidnapped by the power-hungry Coffin Solar Exploration company, he fights to keep his dragon identity secret as CSE’s operatives relentlessly goad him into revealing his true nature. He only lowers his guard around fellow captive Miranda Fiero, with whom he becomes romantically involved. So when CSE subjects Miranda to a cruel punishment, Andy transforms into his dragon self to save her—playing right into CSE’s hand. His identity in the open, Andy finally learns the company’s true motives for abducting him: CSE needs a dragon’s aid in a crucial space mission for the benefit of humankind. The mystery behind Andy’s capture unravels slowly, keeping readers hooked, but once the novel shifts from fantasy to science fiction the stakes feel both lower and vaguer. Drago does a fine job creating multilayered characters, and his worldbuilding is commendably detailed, but the tonal shift is jarring and will leave fans of each genre mildly unsatisfied. The two halves of this novel don’t create a cohesive whole. [em](June) [/em]