Book Review: There Will Be Dragons

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

[5 stars]

There Will Be Dragons Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
John Ringo
Class/Genre: Science Fiction
Series: The Council Wars # 1
Baen, Nov 2003, $25.00, 538 pp.

Humanity lives in a veritable Garden of Eden with disease and death conquered. Mankind lives almost like Gods in a Utopian Olympus controlled by the computer “Mother”, who monitors and calculates probable outcomes. Mother realizes that there is a 99.9999915% chance that the humans will go to war as the council, who oversees her, is squabblingand there is a 17.347% probability they will wipe out the species. However, Mother is not programmed to warn humanity or any other intelligent species (machine or animal).

The war causes massive destruction with no corner of the globe immune. In isolated Raven's Mill, smith and self proclaimed historian Edmund Talbot sees refugees seeking asylum while warlords assault anyone. Elves visit him to help save mankind, but it may be too late. Enemies from Edmund’s past and new foes realize that to conquer, they must eliminate Edmund first. He is the key for the 82.653% survival of the species; that is if he is not distracted by the fact that his daughter is out there as a perfect pawn to destroy him. Mother knows that without Edmund the survival odds are reversed.

THERE WILL BE DRAGONS is an exciting blending of future science fiction with some fantasy elements into a delightful action-packed tale. The story line never slows down from the moment Mother computes the odds in a mundane ho hum manner. The cast seems genuine whether they are “perfect” human, elf, other mythological creature, or man working the land. Still it is John Ringo’s world that makes Paradise obtained and Paradise Lost seem credible that makes this fab tale so much fun. Fans will anxiously await sequels to ascertain whether humanity finds Paradise Regained.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner

Please Note: Books reviewed are usually provided by the publisher, author, or an agent. Reviewers usually get to keep the book.