The Blue Dragon's War, Sean Newton, Exdea Ltd., 2015
First of a series, this fantasy novel takes place in and around the town of Kehlaktur. It is a decent place, inhabited mostly by minotaurs. One day, a very large blue dragon named Glaurax is found just outside the town. It says that the town will grow and thrive, like never before, under its benevolent guidance (read: slavery). The minotaurs are not interested.
Glaurax has a hard time taking no for an answer. It leaves, and soon returns with an army of orcs to take the town by force. The battle happens at a river not far from the town; orcs and dragon one side, with the minotaurs on the other side. The minotaurs just happen to be outnumbered by ten to one. It is a fearsome battle, with high numbers of casualties on both sides. The dead bodies are thrown in the river. They are so numerous that they create a dam downstream and turn the river into a lake. Who is victorious? Who is still alive at the end?
This is an excellent story and an excellent start to a series. It's got orcs, minotaurs and sword battles; everything a fantasy lover could want. The author certainly knows how to do fantasy the right way.
