The recently published THE LAST TSAR’S DRAGONS by Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple continues to receives praise.

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY likes the book.

However, the familiar events are still made more intense by their fantastic underpinnings. The weight of the historical events is eased by the anyman bureaucrat, a masterful encapsulation of the court into an individual. History buffs and dragon fans will enjoy this mix of reality and fantasy.

QUEERLY DIFFERENT enjoys the tale.

I have to say that the title is what drew me to this strange but enjoyable little novella. How on earth, I thought, can one make dragons relevant to the Russian Revolution?

Somehow, mother and son team Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple weave together myth and history into a compelling tale of the last days of the Tsar Nicholas II and his family, their relentless hatred of both the Jews and the peasants, and their eventual fall from power.

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All in all, I found THE LAST TSAR’S DRAGONS to be an intriguing tale, and it was rather refreshing to see a story told successfully in the form of the novella. At the same time, however, I for one am left hungering for more, precisely because the central conceit begs so many questions. Where did the dragons come from? Were there other places that used them other than Russia? If not, why not?

Perhaps the authors will one day pursue these questions, but in the meantime, we can savour what they have provided us, a glimpse into how the real world of history might have been impacted had the mythical played a larger part in it.

The cover drew in THE BOOK CANARIES.

This week, I’m hijacking the blurb features with this pretty, pretty cover. Even if I wasn’t already a sucker for fantasy set in Russia, this would have absolutely caught my eye. I am intrigued. I am excited. Bring on the Ruski Dragons!

For more info about THE LAST TSAR’S DRAGONS, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover art by Anabelle Gerardy
Design by Elizabeth Story