Dragon Coast

July 13, 2015
Van Eekhout concludes the Daniel Blackland series, set in a magical alternate version of our world, with this solid installment. In Pacific Fire (2015), the consciousness of Sam, a golem cloned from the evil Hierarch of Southern California, was absorbed into a deadly Pacific Firedrake. Daniel, a sorcerer who gains his power from consuming magical bones, has to find a way to extricate Sam from the dragon. He gathers his trusted friends, Moth and Cassandra, but will also need the help of past rival Gabriel, a water mage, to complete his mission. Learning that the rare axis mundi bone is in the Northern California realm, Daniel disguises himself as his recently deceased brother, Paul, and infiltrates the kingdom to catch the dragon and use the bone to resurrect Sam. While dodging assassins bent on killing “Paul,” Daniel bids to be named High Grand Osteomancer in order to gain access to the axis mundi, but he must outmaneuver others who want the powerful position. This installment features strong writing from van Eekhout, with exciting magical battles and a difficult heist, but there are still occasional questionable plot points and unconvincing character motivations. Agent: Caitlin Blasdell, Liza Dawson Associates.

August 1, 2015

In Pacific Fire, Sam, the foster son of osteomancer Daniel Blackland, allowed himself to become absorbed by a dragon rather than let it fall into enemy hands. Now Daniel is determined to free Sam, but it will take all his skills as a magician and a thief. The dragon has been captured by the Hierarch of the Kingdom of Northern California, and Daniel partners with Gabriel Argent, water mage for Southern California, to recover the dragon and Sam. While half the team looks for the former, Daniel must impersonate his own dead brother, Paul, to get close enough to the Hierarch to steal a bone they need to revive Sam. VERDICT This volume marks a welcome return to the kind of heist plot that made Van Eekhout's debut, California Bones, so captivating. The author's fantastic ear for dialog is often well employed in snark, especially between Daniel and his friend and fellow thief Moth. While the series could end here, it would be a shame to create such an intriguing world and not visit again.--MM

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