Book Review: Dragon Kin’s Blood by Jo Jo Gatenby

About the book: Dragon Kin’s Blood

Who do you trust when you can’t go home?

After centuries of hiding themselves and their shifting abilities from outsiders, the Dragon Kin decide to send a delegation of “dragon riders” to a nearby Lowlander territory. Eager to see the world, young Lauran quickly volunteers. But not all Lowlanders can be trusted. As the visit comes to an end, Lauran finds herself trapped in her draconic form—and hunted by an evil warlock. Desperate to protect herself and her people, she flees along the Dragon Spine Mountains, away from friends and foes alike.

Meanwhile, the last place Jenny wants to be during her summer break from university is on a family vacation with her mother’s new husband and his young son, Davy. Hoping for some peace and quiet, she explores a nearby cave—only to stumble into a portal to the Kingdom of Galahar, a land of magic and mythological creatures.

As Jenny searches for Davy, who follows her through the portal, and Lauran struggles for freedom, they come together with the help of Nath, an apprentice shaman of the Anishinabe people. Between Jenny’s technology and Nath’s magic, can they help Lauran escape the warlock’s relentless pursuit before he gets his hands on the Dragon Kin’s blood?

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon (UK) | Amazon (USA) | Goodreads

About the author: Jo Gatenby

Thanks to her great-grandmother, Jo Gatenby is a status Algonquin, of the Pikwakanagan First Nation, in Canada. The mountain people in this, her first novel are heavily influenced by native beliefs, and the magic words used are Algonquin language based.

Jo writes whatever the voices shouting in her head tell her to. As a result, she has had over two dozen stories and flash fiction published in on-line magazines. Links to many of these can be found on her website. She has also self-published five children’s books, which can also be found on her website.

Connect with Jo:

Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Thoughts

I’m always drawn to fantasy that takes familiar ingredients and mixes them in slightly unexpected ways, and Dragon Kin’s Blood by Jo Gatenby does exactly that. We get dragon shapeshifters, a secluded mountain culture, political ambition in the form of a power-hungry duke, and a warlock who is clearly bad news for anyone in his path. It’s YA fantasy, but with some cozy touches—most notably the presence of kaffee—and the added wrinkle of two kids from our world suddenly finding themselves in the middle of a magical one.

The story begins with several characters moving through their own separate threads. When those threads finally weave together, the narrative gains momentum and becomes especially engaging. The dynamic between the characters is fun to watch develop, and a number of the side figures are interesting enough that I would happily spend more time with them in future installments.

The women in this story are particularly well drawn. Each one feels like an individual, with her own perspective and reactions rather than blending into the background. Gatenby’s prose is also approachable in the best way: clear, descriptive, and easy to follow without getting bogged down in excess detail.

At the same time, there are places where the story seems eager to move forward just when a moment might benefit from a little more space. Certain turning points arrive and resolve quickly, leaving me curious about how those experiences truly shaped the characters involved. The climactic sequence, which carries major stakes for the world and the people in it, might have landed even more strongly with a deeper look at what everyone was thinking and feeling as events unfolded.

One small personal note: I am absolutely the reader who flips to the map before beginning chapter one. The map included here is impressive in scope, though intricate enough that I occasionally had to pause and trace things out to keep track of where everyone was headed.

Overall, this is the kind of fantasy you can sink into without emotional whiplash or relentless grimness. The adventure unfolds steadily, the characters are enjoyable company, and the world hints at more stories still waiting to be told.

Dragon Kin’s Blood offers an inviting introduction to a magical setting filled with dragons, shifting alliances, and journeys across rugged landscapes.

Goes well with: a mug of kaffee, fresh bread, and a crackling fire.