The Last Dragon Princess is a young adult, fantasy novel by Cynthia Payne. I was honored to be a beta reader for an earlier draft, and I purchased and reread it in order to review the official version of the book.
The story centers on a young woman named Danu, a so-called Breeder. Breeders are Hisgeii (aka people) with special marks whose sons will be special. The sons, known as Shifters, can transform into dragons. Depending on the parents’ caste, the dragon will be born with certain powers. As the story starts, Danu’s people are trapped within one city of her world, hemmed in by the approach of an enemy known as the “Creators.” Creators subjugated the Hisgeii until the people overthrew them and cast them into the far side of the world. The planet, one half stuck in sunlight and the other in darkness, is co-inhabited by Hisgeii and creators.
Danu, the last Breeder of the Hisgeii, is about to take her vows when the council requests she choose the next king from the Shifters and marry him. Danu, unaware she was to become queen and choose the next king, is quite taken aback. Demure and reticent, Danu feels the responsibility of the task before her. And at the end of the ceremony, when a renegade Shifter also joins the list of potential suitors, Danu is overwhelmed by her newfound duties.
And this is only the first chapter.
This novel has many interesting elements which come together elegantly into a cohesive story. There’s the reverse-harem aspect of Danu choosing a king, action sequences with the creators, a few romantic encounters, and dragon demonstrations and fighting aplenty. There’s also intrigue: court politics, assassination attempts, and tricky alliances. About two-thirds through the book, the narrative takes a curious twist which I believe most readers won’t see coming but will enjoy. After this turn of events, the tension mounts to an action-packed conclusion. Kudos to the author for an end that is both satisfying and complete.
Mashing her own world with those of Greek mythology, Ms. Payne weaves a tapestry of the fantastic and the regular. She dives directly into her world which takes some effort to understand the lingo and the caste system, but after the new terms become familiar, it’s worth it. What first seems like it will be a “who will she choose” romance quickly blossoms into a much more complex and deeper plot.
Myth-like in concept, The Dragon Princess includes a scene a third of the way through the novel that is as exciting as most other book’s conclusions. It glides along with effervescent ease. I would have never guessed this was the author’s debut novel. As wonderful as it is, there are a few sequences which could’ve been tightened, but most passages are well-paced and nicely plotted. The characters: innocent Danu, guileful Calmus, roguish Garm, wise Pyrrah, and honorable Hagen, stick in your memory long after reaching the end. The final sequence gives us multiple cliffhangers, an inventive scheme by our heroes, and a realistic yet fantastic character arc. It’s rare when a book gets better the further it goes along, but this one does.
The Last Dragon Princess is a worthwhile purchase. It has all of the elements of a great fantasy adventure: a charismatic main character, a detailed and descriptive setting, and — of course — dragons. So if you’re looking for a dragon story with romance and suspense, look no further.