Review of The Dragon Class by Melanie Ansley (Riders of Jade and Fire 1)
BlurbA lowborn thief. A priceless dragon. A bond that could change an empire.
Jin is a hardened pickpocket surviving the underbelly of Tang China, until a single heist changes everything. When her gang’s riskiest gamble goes wrong, Jin finds herself bonded to a dragon, and must make a choice: endure the slave mines, or train to join the Dragon Class, the empire’s mightiest and most revered army.
For her dragon Rayshan is a rare and powerful type: a jade. As Jin’s bond with Rayshan deepens and her desire to rise above her humble station grows, Jin faces a battle not only to pass the trials barring her from becoming the empire’s first female dragon rider, but also against the ruthless aristocracy–particularly Gao, the Minister of War, who will defend the empire’s iron clad traditions by any means necessary. And meanwhile, on the edges of the empire, a buried dark force is gathering, threatening to sweep them all into chaos…
Dragon Class is the first book in the epic Riders of Jade and Fire fantasy adventure. If you love dragon fantasy and vivid ancient worlds, this is one ride you won’t want to miss.
My ReviewOkay, I was really really really excited to read this book because ancient China and dragons! I’m a C Drama addict who loves period shows, especially if there are fantasy elements involved, and dragons are like my most favourite mythical creatures ever!
This one didn’t disappoint at all. It centres around three characters. Jin, a street thief who accidentally steals a dragon egg, hatching a dragon who bonds to her, Prince Tai, the crown prince who has to constantly balance his duty to the crown with his own feelings and inclinations, and the exiled prince of Persia, Aadan, who has become a dragon rider, and on whom rests the hope of his people.
The dragon, Rayshan, that bonds to Jin is a jade dragon, which is not only rare, but infamous since the last jade in history belonged to Mengkis Lai who nearly pulled a coup, slaughtering countless innocents. Even worse than the fear of Jin turning dark is the patriarchy which is determined to put her down for being a female. No dragon had ever bonded to a female before since it was believed it was impossible.
Jin is also a thief from the streets, not a noble, which is another blow to the establishment. The Empress Wu seeks to project Jin as a symbol that women can succeed in Dragon Class as they do at the helm of an empire, while Minister Gao does everything in his power to destroy her reputation and credibility before ending her.
While I loved Jin, the character I liked the most was Tai. There was something raw and visceral about his struggles that resonated with me. Aadan was the least interesting of the trio, but it looks like he’s going to be Jin’s love interest while Tai is delegated to being the third wheel at best, and the rejected one in the love triangle at best.
I hate love triangles. Let Jin have them both.
Okay, personal gripes aside, this was an excellent book with classical fantasy tropes, which I loved. If you love fantasy and dragons, don’t miss this one!
