Readers who are looking for their next historical fantasy novel need look no further than author Steffanie Costigan’s Land of the Dragon. This detail-focused novel will take readers back to the 1940s, the era of WWII, and give it a fantasy twist. You’ll be swept from war-torn Germany to a realm of dragons, unicorns, elves and so much more as a young woman finds herself and her five siblings swept from one war to another.
Land of the Dragon establishes itself with a cover depicting the half faces of two dynamically different characters. On the left, you’ll see a young man with a glowing blue eye. Behind him a blue dragon arching above his head seemingly reminiscent of an Eastern dragon. It will appear like the dragon is floating in clouds, while off to the side are raindrops hitting the water.
To the right of the young man’s face, you’ll see a young woman’s face. Her eye is a brilliant red to match the background giving off the sense of “fire and brimstone.” A golden dragon, more reminiscent of a more Western dragon arches over her head with glowing red eyes. Thunder clouds flash with lightning and towards the bottom sits a cage with a creature appearing to escape it.
This cover appears to give readers the sense that Land of the Dragon will be a story of good vs evil. The blue appears to symbolize goodness, while the red takes on a more dark and sinister nature. The question that will tug at your mind will be…is this young woman on the cover Eleanor? Or is this someone else that she is meant to battle? What is the connection? And who is the young man on the left? Worry not dear reader. All questions will be answered when you come to the final pages of this book.
Author Steffanie Costigan starts off Land of the Dragon by introducing readers to Eleanor Kuhn. The prologue of Land of the Dragon sets the stage for readers by showcasing how the war that is raging has directly impacted Eleanor and her family. The fateful knock at the door. The shattering of her father’s picture as it falls to the ground. It all points to news that will forever change this young family. But there’s more to come than just a death notice letter being handed over.
Land of the Dragon is told from the first-person point of view. The storyline alternates between Eleanor, her sister Tara, and a young man that they will later meet by the name of Andrew. Eleanor is the eldest of five children, and she is still reeling from the impact of her father’s loss. You’ll soon see, in the first couple of chapters, how the death of their father has also deeply impacted Tara.
Where Eleanor has taken the stance that her brother, Thomas, who is 18 years old, will not be drawn into Hitler’s war. Her sister, Tara, has taken on the more extreme path of choosing to become even more devout to the world Hitler dreams of and walking the path of being a “loyal German.” It’s easy to see throughout Land of the Dragon that Tara is struggling, and few if any truly see this. Well, except for one who chooses to take advantage of the girl.
For the first several chapters of Land of the Dragon, this story remains in the real world. You’ll see the struggles of the family dynamics. Thomas is selected to join the war. This threatens to tear the family apart. While Tara believes that he should be proud and have pride in his selection, the rest of the family has no such inclination. But you get the sense that Tara is least liked due to her vehement stance. Her attitude definitely is off-putting, but author Costigan will leave breadcrumbs as to why.
The first chapters of Land of the Dragon depict how Tara and Eleanor view things differently, especially in the aftermath of their father’s death. All believe that he died one way, but the truth will be revealed at an unexpected place and time. You’re almost going to believe that his death will be connected to the fantasy element, but not quite.
Readers will get hints of fantasy when Eleanor has a mysterious dream where she sees Andrew for the first time. She’s immediately attracted to him, but there is no sign that he is anything but a normal human being. Is Andrew the young man depicted on the cover of the book? Guess you’ll have to dive in to find out for yourself. Or just keep reading. LOL!
When Land of the Dragon shifts into the fantasy realm, you’re not going to be allowed to truly witness it. One minute the characters will be conscious and aware, and then the next…they won’t be. But when they come to they will find themselves in the place called Shenandoah. Eleanor and one of her siblings, Anna, wash up in one place, while Thomas, Tara, and the rest wash up some place else. It’s disappointing we don’t get to witness the transition, but the good news is that things quickly become interesting.
This is around the time that Andrew makes his first true appearance in the Land of the Dragon. Author Costigan is quick to spring on readers that Andrew is more than just a human, he’s a dragon, too. Cue eyebrow raise and intrigue! While there are hints of attraction between Eleanor and Andrew, Andrew is quick to give them a warning…Shenandoah is not safe for women and girls. The land of Shenandoah is the home of the dragons. The people there can shift into dragons, and they have a dark past filled with horror and tragedy.
Throughout Land of the Dragon readers will notice that Tara will be made to be the dark element of the story. She’s petulant, trying, and quick to view herself as a victim. She doesn’t feel seen, appreciated, or even loved by her family. All of these dark emotions make her the perfect “target” for a dark entity to take root inside her.
Land of the Dragon is a novel that focuses heavily on Eleanor, but author Costigan still gives Andrew and Tara moments to shine here and there. There is a lot of drama that plays out on these pages. Readers who enjoy detail will absolutely revel in this book as it overflows with details. Sometimes we felt that there were too many details in some places and not enough in others.
Land of the Dragon has a decent amount of German words sprinkled throughout this story as well. At one point we even thought that this book had been written in German and then translated into English. Readers who aren’t familiar with the German language will be pleased to know that the author has included the translations in the story, you’re just going to have to flip back and forth. So be sure to mark your place, first.
In Land of the Dragon you’re going to find “love at first sight.” Reading all the way to the end, readers will discover that this element of the story is reflective of author Costigan’s own personal life. This romance angle of the story only goes so far though, because author Costigan still allows the characters to make their own choices. Even if that briefly means choosing another.
Throughout Land of the Dragon there will be a lot of back and forth. You will see Tara, especially, struggling with what she knows is right and wrong. Tara will struggle with the evil that has taken root inside of her and the chaos that she will bring to the world. As the story winds down author Costigan will allow Tara a small redemption arc, but for readers hoping for a “happy ending for all”…well, that won’t be the case.
Land of the Dragon is a story packed with war, loss, hope, romance, and yes, the potential for more. Readers who prefer and appreciate clean romance novels will like this book. You get some romance on page, but nothing too overdone. There will be some hints of certain actions, but you’ll have to use your imagination beyond the words.
Readers who enjoy fantasy novels with dragons, historical aspects, war, and redemption arcs will definitely not want to miss out on Land of the Dragon. This is a well-detailed and engaging novel with hidden little Easter eggs scattered throughout that if you pay close attention, you’ll find them. But even if you don’t catch them the first time, it’s a book worth rereading and seeing what you can discover on the second go. Who knows…maybe one day we’ll return to the Land of the Dragon and see what has become of these characters.
Pros:
- Engaging
- Good storytelling
- Translations on hand for German words used
- Dynamic cast of characters
- Redemption arc
Cons:
- Overly detailed in spots, not enough details in other areas
- Too many characters claiming “love” with little to no foundation
Scribble's Worth 
Leave a comment