Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

Dragon: Book 1 by Mel Bridges is a historical adventure that takes readers back to the ancient Han Dynasty in China and their domination over the people of the northern provinces of Vietnam. Local Vietnamese villages were governed by their elders but always under the control and relentless taxation of the Chinese overlords. Two sisters, Trung Trac and Trung Nhi, daughters of a village general play a leading role in the uniting of the many Viet clans to finally stand up to their oppressors and throw the hated Chinese out of northern Vietnam. Trung Trac was always destined to become the next village leader upon the death of her father, something that would come far too early for the young woman. Skilled in administration and the art of ruling, Trung Trac comes to rely heavily on her more adventurous and warrior-like sister Trung Nhi to finally unite the various clans and free their land from the Chinese. These two formidable young women form a powerful and unstoppable team as they take on an enemy of such strength, technology, and vast resources as China’s Han Dynasty.

Dragon is the first book in what promises to be an exciting series that will reverberate down the region's folklore for generations to come. Author Mel Bridges has used her literary skills to masterfully take a set of characters and develop their interactions to match history and folklore. I particularly enjoyed seeing the different development of these two women’s characters and personalities as they grew from childhood to adulthood. The use of era-appropriate regional maps and simple yet delightful drawings to illustrate the action gives extra believability to the characters. The inclusion of a detailed list of words and expressions, as well as historical citations from other works give this story an air of authenticity despite the reader being well aware that most of the personal interactions are from the author’s imagination. This story is relatable to all ages. Although much of the action is focused on violent events such as beheadings, sieges, and battles, the focus is very much on the relationships between the participants, especially the two sisters but also their close friends and relatives. One can truly feel the pain and anguish experienced by Trung Nhi when she realizes she has to inform her friends of the loss of their loved ones. This is a wonderful story of courage and the thirst for freedom that will appeal to many readers. I anticipate the next episode of this fantastic adventure and highly recommend this read.