Book Synopsis:
Constructed of stone and packed earth, the Great Wall of 10,000 li protects China’s northern borders from the threat of Mongol incursion. The wall is also home to a supernatural beast: the Old Dragon. The Old Dragon’s Head is the most easterly point of the wall, where it finally meets the sea.
In every era, a Dragon Master is born. Endowed with the powers of Heaven, only he can summon the Old Dragon so long as he possess the dragon pearl.
It’s the year 1400, and neither the Old Dragon, the dragon pearl, nor the Dragon Master, has been seen for twenty years. Bolin, a young man working on the Old Dragon’s Head, suffers visions of ghosts. Folk believe he has yin-yang eyes and other paranormal gifts.When Bolin’s fief lord, the Prince of Yan, rebels against his nephew, the Jianwen Emperor, a bitter war of succession ensues in which the Mongols hold the balance of power. While the victor might win the battle on earth, China’s Dragon Throne can only be earned with a Mandate from Heaven – and the support of the Old Dragon.
Bolin embarks on a journey of self-discovery, mirroring Old China’s endeavour to come of age. When Bolin accepts his destiny as the Dragon Master, Heaven sends a third coming of age – for humanity itself. But are any of them ready for what is rising in the east?
The Old Dragon’s Head is available in paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
My Review:
I’m not entirely sure what I expected when I started this book but I really wasn’t expecting it to be such a diverse read that crosses lots of genres! This managed to be part murder mystery, part fantasy with some fabulous villians and heroes which were easy to get behind.
It took me a little while to get into this book and to get my head around all the characters but once in I was soon hooked. There is a lot of action and adventure which kept my interest which meant I soon found myself flying through the pages. The author clearly knows his history and I found it fascinating to learn more about the period. The author has included some information about Chinese culture, beliefs and superstitions which I didn’t know much about before reading this. I found it very interesting to learn more about this throughout the book.
I really enjoyed going on the journey with the characters and found the ending to be very intriguing as it ended on a bit of a cliffhanger so I’m hoping that there will be a sequel soon.
Huge thanks to Kelly from Love Books Tours for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Justin Newland writes historical and speculative fiction, often with supernatural and existential themes. His debut novel, The Genes of Isis, was published by Matador in 2018. Justin lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset.
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