Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon by Mary Fan

Publisher: Page Street Kids
Publication Date: June 11th, 2019
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Buy Links: Book Depository | Amazon | Google Play | Barnes & Noble
ISBN: 9781624147333
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Source: Huge thanks to The Royal Polar Bear Reads for hosting an International Blog Tour and Page Street Kids for kindly provided an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis

When a powerful viceroy arrives with a fleet of mechanical dragons and stops an attack on Anlei’s village, the villagers see him as a godsend. They agree to give him their sacred, enchanted River Pearl in exchange for permanent protection—if he’ll marry one of the village girls to solidify the alliance. Anlei is appalled when the viceroy selects her as a bride, but with the fate of her people at stake, she sees no choice but to consent. Anlei’s noble plans are sent into a tailspin, however, when a young thief steals the River Pearl for himself.

Knowing the Viceroy won’t protect her village without the jewel, she takes matters into her own hands. But once she catches the thief, she discovers he needs the pearl just as much as she does. The two embark on an epic quest across the land and into the Courts of Hell, taking Anlei on a journey that reveals more is at stake than she could have ever imagined.

With incredibly vivid world building and fast-paced storytelling, Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon is great for readers who are looking for something fresh in epic fantasy.

First of all, it's an Asian fantasy which means, it is set in the Asian world! And, dragon? Okay, I'm sold to this book! When I receive an email from Rafael @ The Royal Polar Bear Reads, I could not hide the excitement to read the book thus without further ado, let's get into my thoughts.

📀 The Premise

Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon has a very promising premise which you instantly fall in love with the stories. It has a perfectly amazing element such as magic, ghost, machinery dragon, friendship, Chinese rep, and did I mention that they have a cool technology that they used, no? A badass heroine and good chemistry with Tai and that which makes the whole reading experience even more enjoyable. From this book, I learn about steampunk - a combination of advanced technology and old-fashioned. Seriously, I do not know how to explain that but I hope you can get what I mean.

Reading this book, it feels like I'm in a dynasty China like in the Chinese drama/movie that set in ancient times and I really love it. I got all the feels from the book.

📀 The Badass Heroine & The Male Protagonist Who has a secret of his own

Now, let's get into the two main characters in Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon. Anlei, the badass warrior who does not has time to think about love, other than, only to get revenge over the death of her father and to protect her village. However, when the Viceroy came to her village, an unexpected thing happened to her which is hard for her to do but obey it in order to protect her village.

While Tai, the male protagonist who has a secret of his own and has his own war to fight. Eventually, both of them met and together they fight the war. I love their relationship, their teamwork, their snarky comments toward each other which I think that's how it will bring the relationship close to each other, isn't it? Or is that me who feel that way. Either way, their chemistry is really amazing.

📀 The Plot & The Writing

As mentioned from the synopsis of the book, it is fast-paced storytelling following both of the two main characters embarking their journey to fight and to save the people from all sort of evils who attacking Anlei's village and Tai's people. When you read this book, you will realize you cannot put the book down because you need to know what is going to happen, how are they and what not. Seriously. There is an unexpected thing happen in this book which makes you go - 'OMG! Are you serious?I..I don't even realize that' - that moment hit me.

Anyway, this is my first time reading a book written by Mary Fan and she has written a vividly amazing world-building and very descriptive writing that really really appeals to me.

Even so, I do have to say this, there is tiny teeny part in the story that I felt it was quite draggy and I honestly have the urge to skip it fast so I could go into the best part of the book, though. Do I skip? Nope, I ain't skip any part of the book because I felt it is important to know every word of the book so I could absorb the story into my heart. That being said, it won't affect my likes toward this book.

📀 Conclusion

In a nutshell, Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon is a fantastic steampunk fantasy sets in the Asian world that truly 'wow' me and honestly, it was a crazy fierce journey following them and even, the unexpected twist which will leave a mark in me for a very long time. The pace, the writing, the setting are amazing and I really recommend you to read this book and I hope you do enjoy reading them as much as I do.

The Author

Mary Fan is a hopeless dreamer, whose mind insists on spinning tales of “what if.” As a music major in college, she told those stories through compositions. Now, she tells them through books—a habit she began as soon as she could pick up a pencil.

Mary lives in New Jersey and has a B.A. from Princeton University. When she’s not scheming to create new worlds, she enjoys kickboxing, opera singing, and blogging about everything having to do with books.