The Dragon of New Orleans (Treasure of Paragon #1)

As college undergrad Ravenna Tanglewood and her family come to accept the premature end of her life due to end stage brain cancer, antiquities dealer and immortal dragon Gabriel Blakemore finds her and makes her an offer she won’t refuse. A curse, a quest, parallel realms, and unexpected betrayals are only a few of the challenges Raven and Gabriel must conquer together. Working as a team to survive in the Big Easy becomes more difficult in each chapter. 

Using a sinister tone that leads to questions about Gabriel’s trustworthiness, and with strong magical theory and parallel world building, “The Dragon of New Orleans” offers an impressive mix of Greek mythology, Vodoun rituals, and the distinctive mystique of New Orleans, past and present. That mixture also blends dragon, witch, fae, and elvin lore in intriguing ways. There’s only one flat note in this beautifully composed adventure: repeated usage of the popular plot device of putting the main female character in danger by having her wander away alone like a clueless infant, especially after being threatened more than once. 

Brisk narrative pacing and strong nuanced characterizations of featured and secondary characters combined with a measured doling out of backstory details that seem to stack the odds against Raven and Gabriel ‘s ultimate victory add urgency and engrossing drama to this triumphant love story. It’s a compelling start to what seems destined to be an entertaining series.   

Cardyn Brooks