There Be Dragon by Michael Tars is an adult fantasy that will capture your heart. Kwe is an officer in Earth's enhanced military force somewhere in the future. When he is caught up in a blast, he is transported to another world that resembles medieval Earth, only magic here is real. At the time of the explosion, the people in Kalador are doing a ritual to call the next Lord Dragon to their world. Amongst all the gods that rule over nations in Kalador’s world, Lord Dragon is the only one who comes from another world. Kira, Maya, and 11-year-old Nora are looking for the new Lord Dragon. If they find him, they will be his Maidens, and one of them will be his Chosen. For the three girls, this would mean an escape from the abusive lives that many women face in Kalador. They are indeed the first to find Kwe. When Kwe wakes up and finds himself in bed with a young naked woman, he is flummoxed. He must accept that he is now the leader of Kalador and that in time his dragon will awaken, although he can already hear voices whispering ‘Mine’ and ‘Burn’. Facing treason and assassination attempts, Kwe starts to train female bodyguards and sends clear messages to his ‘friendly’ neighbors. But when an attempt is made on Kira’s life, and Kwe is wounded, will his connection to his world and the love of Kira be enough to save him?

Michael Tars has written a funny, action-packed fantasy romance. In There Be Dragon, the humor is in good taste as Kwe has to deal with 11-year-old Nora, who loves pom-poms and speaking her mind. Kwe also hears voices that urge him either to burn people or to kiss Kira, and then there is the elusive voice that speaks like Yoda. These voices manifest as a huge dragon that can burn through rock. Although there is a lot of fun and humor, the main theme for me is child and woman abuse. Kwe comes across as the savior of broken females. The author also focuses on politics and diplomacy, and on the naivety of someone not versed in the customs of the world they are in; Kwe finds himself willing to consider marriage to the Spider Queen. What stands out is how Tars uses a future version of Earth to bring to light the issues of people stealing and abusing children and the PTSD that soldiers have to deal with in the aftermath of rescuing the children and hunting down those who are responsible. And just when my heart couldn’t stand the suspense anymore, the book was finished…cruel, but now I cannot wait for the sequel. Thank you for a good fantasy with romance. This is one of those books you read when life gets hard, and you want something uplifting but also with something juicy to chew on. Absolutely outstanding.

In Michael Tars’s There Be Dragon, Kwe, a twenty-second-century special operative, is hurled from a skyscraper during a mission and awakens in Kalador, a kingdom that has just called for a new divine protector. Three young women searching for the legendary Lord Dragon find him in the snow. Kira sees his arrival as an escape from a promised marriage, while her friend Maya has a father preparing to sell her. Nora, Kira’s eleven-year-old sister, is certain her pompoms attracted him. Kalador accepts Kwe as the Dragon reborn, but he knows nothing of the role or the world around him. Neighboring demigods are testing the kingdom’s borders. Meanwhile, the power inside Kwe is beginning to answer fear with fire. To protect the country that claims him, he must learn what becoming its Dragon will demand.

Michael Tars’s There Be Dragon is serious science fantasy, and Tars is excellent at showing what it costs Kwe to be treated as divine when he still sees himself as a man. The most impressive part is how Tars handles power. Kwe knows Kira has been told that binding him to Kalador could save her country, so he refuses to treat her willingness as simple consent while that pressure exists. Tars makes that moral question part of Kwe’s character rather than pausing the story to explain it. The organic humor arrives at exactly the right moments. My favorite is the High Priest deciding Yoda was a legendary Dragon who trained the great Sky Walker after misunderstanding Kwe’s references. Well written and genuinely absorbing, readers who enjoy science fiction crossovers with epic fantasy will adore this. Very highly recommended.