The Dragon Round

Power’s promising first novel mixes dark naval adventure with classic fantasy in a tale of mutiny with a twist. Greed and politics conspire against Jeryon, captain of the ship Comber: his first and second mates have aspirations above their stations, and they somehow manage to survive a dragon attack. Instead of killing Jeryon outright, mutineers Livion and Solet put Jeryon in a dinghy with the ship’s apothecary, Everlyn, but give them no food or water, or even an oar. Chance will see them survive or die, leaving the mutineers with no blood on their own hands. Power adeptly mashes together Horatio Hornblower–style adventure with the art of training dragons and a hint of backstabbing treachery for a thoroughly enjoyable tale. Agent: Sydelle Kramer, Susan Rabiner Literary. (July)