News
Books
Writing
Hobbies
Gallery
Links
Email Brian
Email Kerri

Unless otherwise noted,
all material on Heromaker.net
is written by Brian Murphy
© 2006.

Review Archive
  • Annotated Chronicles, The

  • Coraline

  • Dragon Weather

  • Dragons of a Fallen Sun

  • Enchantment

  • Etruscans: Beloved of the Gods

  • Galactic Gateway, The

  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

  • Hecklers.com Interactive Comedy

  • Rats, Bats & Vats

  • Sea Dragon Heir

  • Snow Crash

  • Stupid White Men

  • Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fantasy, The

  • White Apples

    		•

    BOOKS

    Sea Dragon Heir
    by Storm Constantine
    Tor; New York, NY; 384 pgs; Hardcover; $24.95

    Borders and boundaries are constantly being tested, pushed, and expanded both in and out of the Fantasy genre, yet none do it quite so well or with as much grace as Storm Constantine in her latest novel. With Sea Dragon Heir, Constantine blurs the lines of sexuality, politics, morality, religion, and even the elements.

    Two hundred years ago the Lords of the Fire Drakes conquered the Lords of the Sea Dragons, the Palindrakes, taking their land and crippling their heritage by forcing the young heir to the throne into service for the victors. But the secret and haunting magics of the sea were not lost in this war, they merely broke contact with the land, diving deep into the ocean to wait for the future. The heir's mother hid the power of the Sea Dragons until the time was right, when the Palindrakes could call it forth to aid them in reclaiming their land, culture, people, and freedom.

    Now, the magics of the sea elemental are returning, brought back by twins born to the Palindrakes—Valraven and Pharinet. While Valraven is forced into military service for the Emperor, part of his ancestor's oath, his twin sister Pharinet slowly learns the secrets of her country's past connection to the sea and the Sea Dragons.

    For the Fantasy reader who wants everything fantastic, Sea Dragon Heir has it all. Courtly politics, plots within plots, mystery, romance, sex, magic, monsters and gods. But Constantine overlaps bits and pieces of this tale, turns things upside down, oftentimes confusing the reader in the best of all possible ways.

    Sea Dragon Heir is the first of three novels concerning the Lords of the Fire Drakes and the Lords of the Sea Dragons. This book is highly recommend to those of you who love a bit of meat on the Fantasy bone and are willing to approach, and sometimes cross, any and all existing borders, boundaries, and even taboos. Enjoy.

    (Originally published in Realms of Fantasy magazine, April 2000.)