This week, Susie Black’s Saturday Author Spotlight shines on YA urban fantasy author Dan Rice.
About the author: Dan Rice pens the young adult urban fantasy series The Allison Lee Chronicles in the wee hours of the morning. The series kicks off with his award-winning debut, Dragons Walk Among Us, which Kirkus Reviews calls, “An inspirational and socially relevant fantasy.” While not pulling down the 9 to 5 or chauffeuring his soccer fanatic sons to practices and games, Dan enjoys photography and hiking through the wilderness.
Susie Black had the opportunity to read and review Dragons Walk Among Us. Here is a blurb to whet your appetite:
Shutterbug Allison Lee is trying to survive high school while suffering the abuse of the popular girls. Her life is often abysmal, but at least her green hair is savage. The school paper and the judges of a photo contest recognize her talent for photography. While visiting her friend Joe, a homeless vet, Allison’s life irrevocably changes after an attack leaves her blind. All her dreams as a photojournalist are dashed as she realizes she’ll never see again. Despair sets in until she is offered an experimental procedure to restore her vision. But there are side effects, or are they hallucinations? She now sees dragons accompanying some of the people she meets. Can she trust her eyes, or has the procedure affected her more than she can see?
Here is Susie’s Review:
Part science fiction, part fantasy, part nail-biting thriller, part teenage angst, Dragons Walk Among Us takes readers on a rollercoaster ride of emotions in a heart-pounding fight of good versus evil. Debut author Dan Rice has written a YA adventure novel that is engaging enough for an adult audience. Rice has created a cast of flawed but believable characters readers can’t help but relate to and root for. The tautly constructed plot throws the protagonist and her friends into a baptism-by-fire situation, and they must face the challenge of fighting for survival. The plot ramps up to a breakneck pace with twists and turns that compel readers to keep turning the pages because one is so anxious to see what happens next. Dragons Walk Amongst Us is one of the most imaginative, in-depth descriptively written tales this reader has ever read. One could almost feel the heat from the dragons breathing fire. The story grabs readers by the throat and doesn’t let go of them for a minute. If you start out reading this book doubting the existence of dragons and parallel universes, you’ll be questioning your beliefs when you get to the end. This terrific tale will capture the interest of every reader who appreciates flawed characters who stand up for themselves and fight for what they believe in when it counts the most. Dragons Walk Among Us has more than earned the five-star review this reader has given it.
https://www.amazon.com/Dragons-Walk-Among-Allison-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B0951N
Dan Rice is an excellent writer!