Hatching Dragons and other creatures

Just got back the first read through of Dragons of Orion and have started on the second book of the series. Encouraging feedback — “It was better than the last four books I read,” as well as substantive suggestions. This is an initial read through from close family and friends and then after some work I generally ship it out to a few other readers to check out and get feedback.

The story is simple. On the planet of Orion, in the archipelago of the same name a group of islands hosts a tournament every twenty years pitting each island’s Great Guardians, the Dragons, Unicorns, Griffins and Thorpins and their riders agains each other. The victor is crowned the Champion of the islands and the leader of that island is installed as the Sovereign of the archipelago.

This is the 300th year of the contest and Dragon Island, which has won more contests than any other island is down to their last dragons, including a freakish four-headed dragon whose rider Tom Brace has named Four. Tom is the heir to a family of champions, but is the least likely of any of them to win anything. Still, he and Four must try to win the contest and give the dragons time to try to find out where the dragons came from originally and if there are any more on the planet.

In the meantime, a hostile Continental power to the north of the archipelago is making its own moves that could have dire consequences for all the inhabitants of the islands. There was already an attempt to kill the dragons.