A DRAGON OF TURICUM, author C.R. Bracher’s debut novel, tells the story of Eldred, a young man desperate to prove himself as a warrior despite his lack of the Bond—mystical powers possessed by the warriors among his people. As the son and presumptive heir of the Deiran king, Eldred must manifest the Bond and pass a trial of combat before he can be considered worthy of the throne. As the day of his ascension approaches with no sign of manifesting the Bond, Eldred faces the loss of both his royal birthright and his future as a champion of his realm. Eldred is given a chance to prove his worth, however, when an ancient and dangerous threat emerges in the distant north.
With its heavy focus on combat and political intrigue, A DRAGON OF TURICUM is cut from the same cloth as A Game of Thrones, The Witcher, and other gritty fantasy epics inspired by medieval Europe, while its protagonist and storyline—centered around an academy of warriors-in-training preparing for the trial that will determine their future—recall Stephen King’s Dark Tower saga and its dour, stony-faced hero, Roland. The novel is presumably the first volume of a series, and despite its substantial length, reads more like an introduction than a complete story. A great deal of attention is given to Eldred’s approaching trial and the question of whether or not he will manifest the Bond, so much so that the reader may be forgiven for believing this the novel’s sole concern. Bracher describes the workings of the Academy, its training sessions, and the rules and mechanics of the trials with intricate detail and vivid realism, but this focus on preparation makes the plot feel unbalanced when the focus turns to the threat from the north. Consequently, A DRAGON OF TURICUM feels like two unsatisfying novels—a story of Eldred’s training that drags on too long, and an exciting fantasy adventure tale that is resolved too quickly and abruptly.
There is much to enjoy about A DRAGON OF TURICUM, beginning with intricate world-building that introduces readers to the land of Guaraci and its three primary ethnic groups (diminutive Deirans, stout Mercians, and keen-sighted Maldavians) as well as the mysterious and enigmatic Wretched. Bracher has assembled an appealing cast of characters for his tale, and though Eldred’s stoical nature renders him something of a cipher, he makes an engaging enough hero, his lack of superhuman abilities subverting the usual “chosen one” tropes. Eldred’s impending ascension, threatened by a rival to the throne, and the question of whether or not he will manifest the Bond, make for a suspenseful plot (the initial chapters begin with a sort of countdown to Eldred’s ascension, which lends urgency to his mission but is unfortunately dropped early on). However, the novel falls victim to the tendency to dwell on plot background at the expense of pacing and momentum. And its prose, though functional and competently executed, lacks energy and color, flattening the story’s highs and lows.
Set in a meticulously detailed world with a compelling young hero at its center, A DRAGON OF TURICUM is a solid introduction to a promising new fantasy series.
~Edward Sung for IndieReader