THE DUBIOUS GIFT OF DRAGON BLOOD

A prophecy reveals the impending death of one of the Five Dragons of the Realm of Fire.

Sixteen-year-old Crispin Haugen is chosen to be the Dragon Groom who will mate with the Dragon Queen in order to maintain the Five. Crispin, who’s gay, is stunned to learn about his hidden dragon heritage and understandably unenthused about fulfilling his role. He already has enough on his plate, from being outed to his classmates to suffering the humiliation of having a crush publicly revealed. Upon arriving at the Realm of Fire, Crispin finds that his presence isn’t entirely welcome: Though the People hail Crispin’s arrival as a blessing, the pious Prime Magistrate refuses to acknowledge the prophecy and demands that Crispin leave. Further complicating matters is the growing attraction between Crispin and the Prime Magistrate’s handsome and devout pupil Davix. The recurring emphasis on personal agency and consent is a pleasant surprise, especially as it is applied to both intimate relationships and the chosen-one trope. Detailed worldbuilding and exposition slow down the narrative, but the action picks up in the final third of the book. Same-sex relationships are the norm in the Realm of Fire, and sexuality is understood to be fluid. Crispin is White and Filipino; all humans in the Realm of Fire have brown skin and black hair.

An ambitious, but unevenly executed, gay coming-of-age story draped in high fantasy.