Empire of the Dragon

Event Group Thriller #13

by David L. Golemon

230 B.C. - The first sovereign emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, has consolidated his ultimate power with battles against the last of the dissenting tribes of China. With one last province to take, he knows he will be pitted against the one man he fears--his mysterious half-brother, Li Zhang, leader of a peaceful province to the north. The new Emperor's goal was to murder Li Zhang for the secrets he has kept from the world that would give Qin Shi Huang the power to strike beyond the borders of ancient China. The power over earth, water, fire, and air. After a fierce battle by the Great Wall of China, Li Zhang used the powers of Air Bending to escape with his many villages into the expansive and brutal Gobi Desert. There, Li Zhang and his nation will vanish from the histories of not only the First Emperor, but of China itself.

Present Day - The world's warring governments have simultaneously discovered deposits of an extra-terrestrial ore within the borders of Mongolia. This amazing mineral has been found to have properties that if processed correctly, has the potential to send men far beyond our own solar system using only a fraction of the material as fuel. The age of faster than light travel is now within the world's grasp.

Enter Department 5656, the secret U.S. Government agency known to only a handful as the Event Group, as they are called upon to join this expedition when it is learned that the recent and brutal nemesis they discovered as having control over a blinded Russian nation, is leading the search for the newest of elements that will send mankind beyond the stars.

Join Colonel Jack Collins, Carl Everett, and Director Niles Compton, and the rest of the Event Group staff, as they attempt to discover the true mystery of what lies beneath the Gobi.

Skies will explode, oceans of sand will rise, and ancient seas from the bowels of the Earth will be called upon to protect the greatest secret in all of China--The legend of Empire of the Dragon.

Genres: Thriller, Science Fiction, Adventure, Fiction, Action, Historical Fiction

364 pages, Hardcover

First published June 12, 2018

About the author

David L. Golemon (a.k.a. David Lynn Golemon ) is the author of the Event Group Thrillers, including Event, Ancients, Leviathan and Primeval. Legend, the second book in the series, was nominated for a RITA award for paranormal fiction.

Golemon learned an early love of reading from his father, who told him that the written word, unlike other forms, allows readers to use their own minds, the greatest special effects machines of all—an idea Golemon still believes. The only thing he loves more than writing is research, especially historical research, and he sees the subtext of his Event novels as being that understanding history allows us to create a better future. Golemon grew up in Chino, California, and now makes his home in New York.

Reviews

[Reeda Booke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all the books in this series by I have to admit I went into this one with a little trepidation. You see it involves an Airbender, and when I read that, all I could think about was the terrible movie that came out some years back. But after I started reading it, I was hooked, yet again, by the story. The characters in the Event Group have become like family for me and I find it exciting to see what secrets they uncover.

This one is about the fabled city of Shangri-La and involves an asteroid that hit earth millions of years ago that is able to give people interesting powers over the elements, hence the airbender. Oh, and longevity too, which would be fantastic for a person like me who has too many books to read and not enough years left in this life to read them all.
Throw in some baddies, of course, who are after this rock for it's powers and the Event group, who tries to stop them, and you have a rip-roaring adventure!

Another fun, exciting and great adventure for a group that I have faithfully followed over the years. Definitely recommended!

5 stars

[Deborah Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Yet another gripping adventure for the event group. Fast paced adventure that keeps you turning the page. Can’t wait for the next adventure to begin.

[Marilyn Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Newest book

I couldn't put it down. I really liked the ending. Looking forward to the next book, I only hope it is soon.
Had me on the edge of my seat.

[Dee Haddrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could put into words why I love the Event Group series so much, I really do. But I can’t, so you’re just going to have to take my word for it. This is a series you HAVE TO read!!! The characters have become like family to me, and I find myself reading every new book, terrified that something awful is going to happen to one of my “family”. As with every Event Group book, Empire of the Dragon is filled with a well-researched story, fast paced action, a smidge of romance, and twists and turns that will keep you wondering how the story will end. Do not miss this book!

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the twists and turns this book took along the way. From the extreme relevance of the prologue right on through to the graveyard scene at the end. There was a lot to enjoy. I wouldn't have expected a new spin on the Last Airbender to be this compelling. Thirteen books in and The Event Group is still going strong.

It's hard to explain what I liked without touching on spoilers. One character interaction comes to mind. I enjoyed the return of the sharpshooter from Legacy. The guy who came out of nowhere to be this crazy dead-shot. I always wondered what happened to him. He was such a unique character. In this book, he's given a new opportunity to shine. And they touch on their lost friend Matchstick again in a peripheral way. That minor plot point was both touching an interesting.

If you're a fan of the series, check it out.

[Karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I swear to god these books stay playing with my emotions lol. This book definitely tugged harder at my heart at certain parts. Another amazing adventure by the Event group. I started reading the whole series last year and now I am sad, because I read this book entirely way too fast and now I have to wait for whenever the next one comes out. I will miss the group until then. Please write it fast!

[Ammon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is for the audiobook version of Empire of the Dragon by David L. Golemon and narrated by Jeffrey Kafer.

Let me start by saying that I was incredibly surprised by how much I enjoyed Empire. Coming into a series at number #13 in feels like it would be unlucky. I'm sure there were plenty of things I missed not having read (or listened to) 1-12, but the basic concepts of the Event Group were explained quickly and sufficiently enough that I don't feel like there was something crucial I was missing.

Overall, the main characters were not overly memorable, to me at least, but served as a decent vehicle to drive the action forward. Empire felt like a Dirk Pitt novel with a Sci-Fi/Fantasy angle and a larger supporting cast.

For me, the most enjoyable parts of the book were the Prologue and the Epilogue. Usually, you can get by skipping these sections of a novel, but don't shortchange yourself. I won't spoil anything, but needless to say, they were both extremely satisfying. I would definitely pick up another entry in this series.

Having lived spent years of my life living in (or near) the desert (Southern California, Utah, the Atacama Desert in Chilé, etc.) I could relate to Golemon's descriptions of the Gobi. He made the inhospitable feel welcoming and enchanting enough that using it as a setting for the mystical Shangri-La didn't feel out of place.

Jeffrey Kafer was an excellent choice of narrator. He's very dependable. Kafer provides a distinct voice for each character and is well suited for both the action and fantasy aspects of the story-telling.

***Full Disclosure: I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in one sitting. Love all the twists and turns, thoroughly enjoy this series

[Wenzel Roessler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book fills nicely into the universe the series created. It's getting a bit predictable, unfortunately, and I think we're using supercomputer way too much. High praise for the prologue.

[Wes baron]

A welcome continuation of the event group as the entire gang is present. they again are called upon to pool their talents as they have each others backs. The story is a strong comeback after Beyond the Sea
I have enjoyed Jack and his gang as once again they are called on to save the world (or at least China) Looking forward to more

[Elena Alvarez Dosil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally published at:https://www.lomeraniel.com/audiobookr...

The Event Group, a secret department within the U.S. Government is sent to China in order to investigate a mysterious extraterrestrial ore that could change the course of aerospace travel, just to discover that the Russians may be ahead, and that there are deeper mysteries in the desert of Gobi.

This was a very entertaining story, with several twists and turns, and some action. I want to clarify that this is the first book I read in the series, so it took me a while to get familiar with the characters, but this didn’t deter me from enjoying the book, in which the past is mixed with the present, and a supernatural power guards the secrets of it all.

Jeffrey Kafer did an excellent job, as always, narrating this book. His compelling tone kept me on the edge of my seat, and his character interpretations created the illusion of having several real people. Kafer is one of my favorite narrators!

Empire of the Dragon is a page-turner that will delight fans of the series. The book can be read as a stand-alone but I believe it will make more sense if you know the backstory.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

China is trying to recover from the war with the Grays. So Department 5656 sends Sarah, Jason and Charlie Ellenshaw with a team to the Mongolia desert to help them search for a new source of metals. What they actually find goes back to the era of the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. Meanwhile, while investigating Russian’s new version of Dept 5656, Carl gets himself shot by Jack who goes missing in Vietnam.

Things get dicey as the world heads towards WW3 as the Russians, and the Chinese both want what’s hidden in Mongolia. And the high command of 5656 is almost wiped out when they try to stop it.

Footnote: 1) A version of the Last Airbender legend is used as one of the historical threads in this story.

2) If Russia’s ‘5656’ was really a version of the original it wouldn’t be going around killing people but helping people.

3) Why didn’t Europa catch that before? She’s supposed to be monitoring ALL aspects of a person’s implant.

Fave scenes: the elemental battle at the river, the dragon in the waterfall, taking out the Russian SU-57’s and breaking the vial of mercury.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again Henri was my favorite here. Again I really dislike Sarah and her neverending need to be in the middle of the chaos and war, giving Jack multiple heart attacks!

However was a very fast paced adventure with a nice background story, that turned the book into a page Turner for sure. This book has a reluctant hero in Henri and a Jack Collins who is getting far too many death on his shoulder. It was a time for him to be human first and a soldier pretty much never.

I wrote the author, wishing Henri had his own books lol, a mercenary/ treasure hunter spin-off would be amazing, but I know what's coming in the next book ( got a spoiler from my reading buddy lol) so I'm bound to see a darker Henri during Season of the Witch I think.

The good thing is there's another book coming, as confirmed by the author when I asked him on his Facebook page.

Anyway starting book 14 right now!

[Victoria Haugen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel a bit unqualified to leave a thorough review, as this is the first book in the series I've read or listened to, so I'm more unfamiliar than most with the Event Group and their prior experiences.

With that said, it was a very entertaining story! I was captivated by the story and characters.
Great writing, and great narration. I can very much relate to those who were a bit disappointed by the change in narrator in a long-standing series. I usually don't like it when that happens, you're so invested, it's hard to change things up at that point. However, since this my first introduction to the series, I thought the narrator did an amazing job :)

I really enjoyed the listen, and would definitely recommend it to others. Very creative!!
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Larry Swan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is, without a doubt, my favorite series. Since the initial adventure in "Event", these stories just keep entertaining it's readers. The recurring Event Group characters are almost like my own family and I suggest that if you like a combination of sci-fi, supernatural and old fashioned intrigue, please give this series a try. This story takes place in Mongolia where, in one character's opinion, is the location of Shangri-la. One word of warning; while this book is as entertaining as the rest, you would be better served to start at the beginning of the series with "Event". You will never regret it. Of course, that's just my opinion.

[Sharon L. Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great and Awful

I have read all of the Event Series books and thoroughly enjoyed each and every one. Mr. Golemon writes an excellent story. It's just a shame his editing is so poor. I'm assuming he self edits (which is a shame). If not, he should look for a new editor immediately. I found it very distracting with all the incomplete sentences, run on sentences, spelling and punctuation errors. I had an English class in college many years ago that predicted the English language would have no rules as long as one could communicate. Looks like Mr. Golemon is well on his way to contributing to this trend.

[Dave Denlinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was excited to have waited to purchase the hardcover edition. Another great, creative story by Golemon, and I always look forward to the bantering by everyone in the Group. But to me, this story seemed to move quicker than Golemon's other works. His stories always have elaborate descriptions, and I just felt like that was missing in this one. I thought too that the Siberian Group would have been more of a competent, lethal adversary and would have had a larger role in the story. But, I'm excited for Jack and Sarah, and the ending was definitely unexpected and has me really waiting for the next story.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoy Davids books, all the stories he's written that I have read. You know how sometimes you pick up a book, don't expect a lot but just can't put the darn thing down? That was this one for me, the timing was good I guess. The characters I've come to know and route for. Of course the growth of any said character is largely dependent on many factors the author brings to bear. But the inter woven story lines while not numerous were none the less delivered in an exciting and believable way. I definitely recommend reading this one. Look forward to his next book in either this series or the other.

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic installment in the Event Group thriller. After the events upon the Simbrinsk, Collins Jack Collins and Capital Everett attempt to chase down the mysterious and deadly Siberian Group in Southeast Asia where they might encounter things that are not what they seem. Several countries to the north, in the middle of the Mongolian Gobi desert, a group of geologists including members of the Event Group discover a mysterious and powerful substance with ties to the mythical Shangra-la. A material so ancient that ghosts of the Qin dynasty and the Siberian group are literally climbing over each other to recover.

I look forward to the next installment.

[Mark Sherwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio book and although I enjoyed it a lot, I did not enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed some of the other books in the series, and I have read them all. The story was fun but the book itself didn't seem quite as polished as the others. I know this is the first Event Group book published by Quoth, the publishing company he founded with Kent Holloway. Makes me wonder if this one had a different editor, or possibly no editor at all. Still, the occasional awkward sentence structure aside, it is well worth a read if you're a fan of the series.

[M.J. Sewall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. The first in this series that I’ve read. Because of the great structure – secret Government Agency names the EVENT group – it felt like a stand alone novel. Of course, I missed a lot of back story and didn’t feel that connected with the characters, but that was my fault, not the author’s. As good as any spy/supernatural/adventure genre book that I’ve ever read. The voice actor was very talented – did a great job with a huge cast of characters and accents. Kudos to both. I was given a free review copy of this book and have voluntarily left this honest review.

[Pamela M Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good as stand alone stories

The Event Group books always keep my attention, has me thinking about what he has written. Mr Golemon does his research. I have only read 4 of his books at this time. Also I did not read them in order and did not feel as if I was lost. A lot of books written in a series need to be read in the order they were written to make since, or get to the main objective of the books. Each of his books stands alone as a great book. I am looking forward to reading more of his books.

[Catharine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series but, for some reason, I did not enjoy this book as much as most of the others dealing with the exploits of the Event Group. I found the first half of the book to be somewhat slow and disjointed, while the second half nicely sped up and maintained my attention. Maybe I'm the problem, maybe the writer is running out of plot lines but, for whatever reason, this was not one of my favorites. But, let's give David some leeway and see where he takes us from here. Certainly the ending of the book raises some interesting possibilities.

[Melodi Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love David Golemon's Event Group novels. In the Empire of the Dragons he brings to life the mythical "Air Benders". It was good plot of good vs evil. Usually it is only one evil in the novel but he got both evils the Russians and the Chinese. Not only were they fighting against each other but attempting to get to the Dragon Mineral that gives the Air Benders their art. It was exciting and I really enjoyed it. Thanks Mr. Golemon. Give us some more novels on the Event Group adventures.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Needless to say after 12 books, this one shocked me and upset me. I want to start the last one immediately, but I need to take a break so I don't get all worked up when something happens. I really don't want this series to end. I'm hooked on the characters and the stories. I like that each one is an adventure and fantasy. Once I start these, it does not take me long to finish which is why it's taking me awhile to get through the series. I really don't want it to end.

[Kathy Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Problems

Very enjoyable story, as always.
Unfortunately, a new editor of proofreader is needed. There was repeated use of the incorrect pronoun. Very jarring. Frequent phrases such as "about he and I" made the flow of the words less than comfortable. Misspellings and incorrect homonyms grate. Doesn't anyone proofread these before they're released?

[PAMELA A. LANGELIER · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of his best.

I wish Mr. Goleman could produce 2 books a week so that I would have another book to read upon completion of his latest work. I love his characters, wit, and his mix of sci-fi and mystery/adventure. He is truly one of my favorites. Write on, Mr. Goldman write on!!

[Bernica C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another exciting Event Group adventure. I bought it on Audible but couldn’t stand the reader! So I got it on Kindle and read it myself. I did a much better jog of it! The writing I fine.

Another exciting Event Group adventure. I bought it on Audible but couldn’t stand the reader! So I got it on Kindle and read it myself. I did a much better jog of it! The writing I fine.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ancient power

Long, long ago an asteroid crashed to earth in Mongolia. It passed on great power to those who lived close to it. In those times two brothers fought over the asteroid and for 2,000 years it remained hidden. Eventually it was found in Shangri-La and several parties wanted it. Mighty battles followed before it was destroyed.

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the 13th installment of the Event Group series. It was right up there with all the other stories. I felt the end of the story was clipped off. I was missing a more elaborate explanation of how the members of the group got out before their final rescue. However, the cliffhanger at the end of the book has me very excited for #14!!!!