The Dragon Gate by Randy Ellefson
Today is a big day for me. Today, I finally get through all my 2020 reviews. I’m writing this on May 9th 2022. Yes, I am that slow.
To celebrate, I must first announce that I received a free copy from the author in return for an honest review. Despite what it says on my Twitter profile, all my opinions are my own.
When I think of Randy Ellefson, I think of his writing guides, so it was an interesting experience to see how he actually writes a novel (he does have a few). Well, it was like a paint-by-numbers. Don’t let that put you off though.
So, what’s it all about?
I would consider this a portal fantasy. A quartet of people travels to Stonehenge when on holiday. While there, some weird stuff happens and they find themselves in another world. While this creates its own problems, things get even worse. The human inhabitants of this other world believe them to be heroes who had left the world years before and have now returned just in time to save the day. The problem is, that they are far from the heroes they are expected to be and the only one with any combat experience is the token karate black belt. Can they save the day?
Is it any good?
Let’s get back to the “paint-by-numbers” comment. This isn’t really a criticism, just a statement of fact. There’s nothing new here, nothing you haven’t read a hundred times before. For those who want fresh and original, stop reading now and continue your search. For the rest of us who expect some level of similarity in our books, this is a fun read. The four main characters are a wee bit stodgy, with some ho-hum reality TV relationships, but you’ll overlook it as the rest of the cast are a blast. There are some grisly fight scenes, and the plot is quite deep and interesting, encouraging us to read more. And we will. The hinted at plot is that intriguing.
Verdict
Good one. A comfort read for those seeking something familiar.
- Format: E-book
- Obtained from: Author
- Print length: 305
- Publisher: Evermore Press LLC
- ASIN: B08MCMZKJ9
