The Last Dragon of the East

August 1, 2024

Following the threads of fate drives Sai from his loving home into the deadly schemes of dragon hunters. His teahouse doesn't make enough profit to afford treatment for his ailing mother, so Sai supplements his income by matching nearby soulmates. He is the only one who can see the red threads that connect hearts fated to love one another. But a hasty good deed brings Sai to Emperor R�ng's attention. He threatens to destroy all Sai cares for if he doesn't bring back the last living dragon. When Sai confronts the dragon, he's astonished to discover that his thread leads to it--though rather than red, it's gray and fraying. The novel begins with humor and a heavy dose of coziness, but that atmosphere is periodically broken by bloodshed, battle, and grievous wounds. These extend beyond descriptions of gore and violence, into the mind of a grieving mother and partner who's suffered loss across centuries. Sai's naivety serves as a counterpoint to his fated one's trauma as their love grows through flashbacks. VERDICT Kwan (Knives, Seasoning, and a Dash of Love) offers a low-heat, medium-violence romantasy based on Chinese folklore.--Matthew Galloway

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August 12, 2024
Kwan’s unfulfilling fantasy debut remixes Chinese legends about dragons and the red threads of fate. Sai, 25, struggles to run the failing teahouse left by his late father while also tending to his ailing mother. His unusual gift of being able to see the red threads of fate, which link true lovers together, allows him to earn some income on the side by working as a matchmaker, though he is mostly seen as a charlatan. Sai’s own thread is gray and unraveling, and he’s afraid to discover where it might lead. When a doctor claims to have a miracle cure for Sai’s mother made of blue dragon scales, Sai is skeptical that dragons could be real, but he’s also desperate. To his surprise, the treatment works, and his mother makes an extraordinary recovery. Then the emperor gets wind of this miracle cure and orders Sai to track down the dragon. On this seemingly impossible quest, Sai discovers that the dragon legends are true—and that his fate is inextricably tied to them. The premise has promise, but faulty execution, from uneven pacing to flat characterization, sells the story short. Given the current boom of dragon books, readers will be better served elsewhere. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret.

September 1, 2024
Sai has a special gift: he can see the lines of fate that connect people to their soulmates. For a bit of extra money, Sai will help people find their person. He uses this extra money to help his sick mother, but when he uses some of the money to buy dragon scales, he is pulled into a plot by the emperor to find the last dragon. Sai is not a warrior; he is not prepared to rough it, nor to fight a dragon or other mythical creatures he finds along the way. Ultimately, he is just a guy in over his head, trying to help out his mother. But Sai is endearing and relatable, even more so when it turns out that he can see his own line of fate, but has never seen or sought out his soulmate. However, as he journeys to find the dragon, his fate line moves. True love could be waiting for him if he continues on the adventure he is not equipped for. Fans of romantasy will like Kwan's Chinese mythology-inspired debut.

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September 1, 2024
A bid to save his ailing mother turns into a literal date with destiny for a young teahouse owner. For as long as he can remember, 25-year-old Sai has been able to see the red threads of fate, ties that link people to their Fated Ones or soulmates. Sai's own limp gray thread is unlike any others he's seen, but he has no time for romance, anyway. Not with his mother in such a frail state. After an illegal substance--powdered dragon scales--restores her health for a time, Sai makes it his mission to find more. Unfortunately for the young man and his mother, the emperor himself catches wind of the miracle cure and demands that Sai find the dragon who shed those scales and bring it to him. Accompanied by a huntress named Feng, who procured the original scales for his family doctor, Sai crosses the border into enemy territory in search of his mother's salvation. Color him surprised when he discovers his thread of fate is tied to that very dragon--who is not at all pleased to see him. Kwan crafts a fascinating world in which the figures of Chinese myth and legend are real, breathing people. There is plenty to like here, along with a few disappointing details. The decision to make same-sex partnerships a normal part of Sai's world is admirable, and Sai himself does not seem to care what gender his Fated One turns out to be. But the flagging middle portion, in which the stakes seem to vanish entirely, turns this cozy, low-fantasy story into a slog. Gentle Sai's gradual transformation into a fierce fighter may appeal to fantasy readers, but the novel's focus on his journey toward coming into his own makes it feel more suited to a teenage audience. Feng, who may be the most compelling character of the lot, disappears early and returns late, nearly forgotten as Sai continues his adventure with his dragon love. An unevenly paced romantic fantasy adventure that feels too young for its intended audience.

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