Josh Vanbrakle

The Wings of Dragons: Book One of the Dragoon Saga Josh Vanbrakle 1st edition

2013 Foreword Reviews Book of the Year Award Winner for YA Fiction

From fantasy author Josh VanBrakle comes an epic new trilogy of friendship, betrayal, and explosive magic. Lefthanded teenager Iren Saitosan must uncover a forgotten history, confront monsters inspired by Japanese mythology, and master a serpentine dragon imprisoned inside a katana to stop a revenge one thousand years in the making.

Lodia's history declares lefthanded people chaotic, dangerous, and devil-spawned. For Iren, the kingdom's only known Left, that's meant a life of social isolation. To pass the time and get a little attention, he plays pranks on the residents of Haldessa Castle. They're harmless fun, until one of his stunts nearly kills Amroth Angustion, Lodia's charismatic heir to the throne.

Now to avoid execution for his crime, Iren must join a covert team and assassinate a bandit lord. The mission is suicidal, and Iren's chances aren't helped when he learns that his new katana contains a dragon's spirit, one with a magic so powerful it can sink continents and transform Iren into a raging beast.

Adding to his problems, someone on the assassination team is plotting treason. When a former ally launches a brutal plan to avenge the Lefts, Iren finds himself trapped between competing loyalties. He has to figure out who - and how - to trust, and the fates of two nations depend on his choice.

"A fast-paced adventure...led by a compelling cast of characters. Josh VanBrakle keeps the mysteries going." - Foreword Reviews

"The many twists and turns of the plot will make it easy...to fall deep into the world of the Dragoon Saga." - Kirkus Reviews