Chasing the Dragon [Kindle Edition]

Chasing the Dragon takes on double meanings but the one you know at the start is Georgia Quincey is a female Dragonslayer. The story starts out at a diner where the dragon just slaughtered everyone inside the diner. Georgia arrives after she sees this slaughter in a vision, it's how she tracks the dragon, and the dragon has left behind some zombie like dead bodies to take care of Georgia, and they are controlled by the dragon. This is a typical day in Georgia's life.

Georgia's life is tracking the dragon, as it was her fathers and everyone down her bloodline throughout history. And this tale takes place in present time with Georgia, a heroin addict, and is an unlikely dragon slayer. The tales tells of her following the dragon and the confrontation that is to come, and as you would expect it's going to be bloody. This is an excellent urban fantasy/horror story - I really liked it and it is easily recommended.

I've been impatiently waiting for this title since it was announced by Chizine Publications (the little press that could...these guys rock).

More and more I'm liking these novella length works. You can go a little crazier, do a little more -- without worrying about the weight of the thing collapsing under the length of a novel.

Kaufmann is an outstanding writer. Sparse yet effective descriptions that instantly crystallize the setting. Great uses of threads and flashbacks. Since it's a novella, there really is only one narrative stream -- but his use of flashbacks and dream sequences makes it feel much larger than it is.

The main character Georgia is a real anti-hero -- running from her destiny, she hits rock bottom, gets hooked, then takes up the task of defeating the Dragon...all the while trying to figure out where to score her next hit.

Exploding cars, shotguns, undead, dragons, drug addicts, gangs...it moves relentlessly, giving us enough of a breather to sprinkle the back story of not only how Georgia came to be a Dragonslayer, but a drug addict.

If I had to label one negative (and it was a small thing) it was the climax. I don't want to give away whether poor Georgia succeeds -- but let's say it didn't quite hit the right note for me. It was close, but I would've liked it slightly different (it felt inevitable...so when it didn't happen the way I had anticipated, it didn't feel quite right). That wouldn't be enough, however, to knock it from a five-star review.

Ryan McFadden
Author of 'Women of the Apocalypse'
Women of the Apocalypse

4 AND 1/2 STARS

This book was truly a pleasant surprise. I've read Kaufmann's "General Slocum's Gold", but "Chasing The Dragon" is even better. Author Nicholas Kaufmann melds various themes and genres together into a seamless and very suspenseful action/horror tale set in an urban landscape. Kaufmann strategically drops clues - little crumbs -- along the way, feeding the reader's hunger like the drug addicted heroine. And like all great storytellers, Kaufmann weaves those pieces of the puzzle into a wonderfully original narrative.

I was very impressed with the clear descriptions of the many action scenes. Most authors cannot handle writing elaborate fight sequences without confusing the reader and making a mess of what the characters are doing at any given time. But Kaufmann's vivid descriptions are never clouded or confusing. His writing allows the reader to feel as if they are right there in the middle of the action, participating along with the characters.

I am so glad I gave this book a try. The familiar mythology of dragon slaying was given new life in a very unique way. The main character's journey was completely satisfying and equally strong throughout each act of the story. With the exception of a couple typos in the book (which is surprising, since the copy editor is credited by name), this is a near perfect tale of a character's journey from rock bottom to persevering and achieving her full potential. For succeeding with such an ambitious project, this gets my top recommendation.