ISLE of DRAGONS by L. A. Thompson – Steampunk Sci-fi, Y/A Sword and Sorcery Fantasy, Fantasy Anthologies and Short Stories

Jade of House Sol has the chance to save her father from the Isle of Dragons, but land, sea, and the guards of her homeland stand between them. Will, her new friends, prove loyal and capable enough to see her journey through, and what will they find on the elusive island?

Carison Sol, betrayed by his fellow nobles, disappears across the sea in the dark of night. Meanwhile, Jade flees the guards chasing her, the leader whom is Kaylen, a former friend. Just as her pursuers close in, a young witch named Miria saves her and offers shelter, but Jade can’t stay still long. Though she doesn’t know much about the Isle of Dragons, Miria and her brother Dan must find their parents, and they offer to join Jade in her quest. Together, the three of them find a dragon who can take them to the magical island. Their journey is full of friends and enemies – and situations that test their mettle and their connection to one another.

Isle of Dragons starts off running, with a tense scene of Jade evading the guards who want to drag her back to the capital. From there, scenes after scenes flow quickly into one another, leading the characters to new and exciting challenges. As they run and struggle, Jade and her companions gradually uncover a dangerous conspiracy that’s shifting the very forces of their world out of balance. They rarely have a chance to rest, constantly on the chase, which relaxes only long enough to prepare the next rising tension point.

Author L. A. Thompson develops her coming-of-age young adult novel with characters that will resonate with today’s audience.

Her characters showcase their personalities and the dynamics they’ll share with those around them, which makes the cast unique and compelling. The journey develops and expands with charming, friendly people who bring Isle of Dragons’ world to life, alongside the callous villains. Kaylen, the hunt’s leader, makes for a villain both relentless, and in her uncertainties, sympathetic. She becomes a strong foil for Jade as the story continues, drawing on their shared past.

Jade’s heart is bare in the prose, showing the strength of her desire to save Carison, as well as her fear of being a burden on her friends, of putting them in danger with her very presence. The relationships and conflicts between Jade, Miria, and Dan remain at the heart of the story, even as Jade and Miria’s determination borders on obsession and threatens to destroy them.

Thompson sets scenes with efficiency and care, with landscapes of fully realized Steampunk, full of color, heat, cold, and history.

The sense of mystery and adventure is vital as the heroes find something new to learn about every place they visit. Their travels begin with fantastic descriptions of fighting, riding, and befriending dragons. They master impressive feats of magic and the mechanical vehicles which roam the land, driven by Jade, Dan, and their pursuing guards. Their flight through these extraordinary settings becomes grander and more complex with every close escape, action scenes growing more intense to match the stakes they hold.

To finish her journey, Jade must learn the importance of not facing the world alone but embracing the community and kindness to save the lost and frightened. She finds that good people are struggling under their corrupt, power-hungry leaders and that the only way to go on is to accept help and offer it to those she meets. Kaylen’s villainy is thrown into stark reality by the unjust law she serves and the cruelty that those above her inflict. Betrayal offers intoxicating power; will Jade resist it and keep her loyalty to those who care for her, or will her old world of scheming nobles drag her back into their fold?

Isle of Dragons is an excellent fit for fans of fantasy and adventure, and those who love to see creative Steampunk mechanical devices, magical fights, and well-developed characters whose story is worthy of reading the next book in the series.