****Woman with a warrior heart and soul ***** Performance ****Story ****Overall Review by Rox Burkey
Natalie Wright builds a complex world of magic, survival, greed, and power with dragons across time at the heart of this tale. Quan Santu works for her father, tanning hides in a booming yet modest business in a hamlet. Her brothers protect her yet see her as pampered by their father.
the central character, Quan, sometimes feels she is battling herself or at least something inside. Animals run from her, people shy away in her presence, and making friends has never been easy. She is a strong independent character cherished and taught by her father early on to calm herself rather than lash out in anger. When Quan overhears a conversation between her father and a visitor demanding that Quan join her, the lines are drawn between love and power. Before Quan can learn the details of a secret her father never wished to tell, he and many of the people in her community are slain by a dragon in a fierce massacre. Angry, Quan decides to take matters into her own hands to find the answers. Not yet twenty, she joins a rogue band of vigilantes. With this motley group, she not only learns to fight but values acceptance of her differences by others and discovers, over time, the soul within herself.
Ms. Wright describes vivid colors that paint visual scenes of the country Quan travels through, from deserts to royal courts, icy waters, and vicious battles enhanced with magical accents. The action and adventure are non-stop when Quan strikes out on her own. Her tenacity to learn the truth makes her stronger and more resilient. The entire cast of characters, including the animals, is well-developed and essential to the strong storytelling of this unique fantasy.
The narration by Amelia Hugh compliments the tension of the story, which escalates within the first few minutes. Ms. Hugh does a masterful job with the various voices with well-placed pauses to draw the listener further into the tale. There were no issues with the pace or quality of the audio rendition.
Fans of dragon lore and fantasy will thoroughly enjoy Season of the Dragon Dragos Primeri, Book One. The unexpected ending will keep fans on the hook for the follow-on tales of this world. An exciting series for young adults and beyond to enjoy.
About the Author
Natalie Wright is the award-winning author of Season of the Dragon (2023) and the Sci-Fi series, H.A.L.F. Natalie also co-hosts the popular SFF pocast, Tipsy Nerds Book Club: Two Tipsy Nerds, One Great Story. Natalie is a professional member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA), and SouthWest Writers.
Natalie frequently appears on writer panels conferences such as the Nebula Conference and BookLife’s Indie Author forum, as well as at book festivals and comic cons across the western United States. She has won multiple awards for her fiction, including being chosen by Library Journal for inclusion in its curated eBook collection. Her first novel, written for young adults, was featured by popular online site Wattpad and has been read over 2.1 million times worldwide.
Known for your immersive world building and in-depth character creation, Natalie is available for writer’s workshops at libraries, small groups, and community groups. Natalie is also available to speak to bookclubs. Use the form on the Contact page to reach out and learn more, including how your group can receive a discount on her books.
When not writing, enjoys international travel, hiking in the desert, and cooking French food. She lives in Arizona with her husband and two cat overlords, and visits her college-age son frequently in NYC.
About the Narrator
Nuanced storyteller, general US accent
My name is Amy Hutchins and I’m a classically trained stage and voice actor who lives and works in NYC. I’ve narrated over 50 audiobooks under the pseudonym Amelia Hugh. I love fantasy, YA, NA, romance, and mystery/thrillers. I’m also an accent nerd.
