The Temptation of Dragons was such a fun fantasy book, that reminded me of the urban fantasy books I used to read in high school – but even more nerdy references and badass heroines.
Summary
Driving along the highway at night, Penny could never have dreamed that she would be administering the last rites to a dragon hit by a car. But there you go. This night begins a supernatural journey that will expose all those ‘myths’ as real: dragons, were-foxes, gryphons, the whole band of them. It’s not all fun snail-shark hunting or dragon rides. Penny is asked to maintain her job as the priest of a small church, as well as serve as a liaison between the other sides of the thin place as well. And this means she spends her off time negotiating with cannibalistic dragons, dealing with a gryphon who can’t drink alone, and taking rides on a very mysterious dragon of her own.
Review
Cymri does a fantastic, see what I did there, job at balancing the mundane with the supernatural. We have scenes of Penny’s community and the daily struggles of running a church in a community where the faith seems to be on the decline. We also have scenes where Penny embraces her fandom and fulfills her wildest dreams – riding on taxi dragons and seeing unicorns. There is also a great mix of church duties and supernatural ones – where there is also a church order.
Besides the wonderful tightrope walking dance Cymri takes us on, the characters are lovely. Penny’s gryphon companion, Morey, is wonderfully clever and humorous. Their companion is not only adorable, but fiercely loyal. Even more so, Penny is a complex heroine who goes from Doctor Who to Buffy the Vampire references in a manner that makes me wish Penny was my best friend. (We would be great friends). I’d also like to add that Raven can visit me anytime. If you’re out there, come fly by my non-existent garden to take me for a dragon ride, no sexual pun intended.
While there are many entertaining and funny story lines, especially Penny’s journey into figuring out the delightful supernatural world of Lloegyr, there is also a steady current of themes. I do not want to spoil you, but it makes you take a closer look at our own world. Combined with all these factors, the world that Cymri paints for us is fun and has some great touches that establish the world.
Overall,
This is an entertaining book that will keep you reading. Check this out especially if you like urban fantasy, dragons, or nerd culture references.
You can pick up The Temptation of Dragons on Amazon(US) and add it to Goodreads. If you have Kindle Unlimited, it’s also included in that!
Disclaimer: I was sent this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Discussion
Would you rather have a snail shark or a gryphon as a companion?
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