An epic dragon-rider quest where Empress of Salt and Fortune meets Temeraire

Méka must capture a king dragon, or die trying.

War between the island states of Kattaka and Mazemoor has left no one unscathed. Méka’s nomadic people, the Ba’Suon, were driven from their homeland by the Kattakans. Those who remained were forced to live under the Kattakan yoke, to serve their greed for gold alongside the dragons with whom the Ba’Suon share an empathic connection.

A decade later and under a fragile truce, Méka returns home from her exile for an ancient, necessary rite: gathering a king dragon of the Crown Mountains to maintain balance in the wild country. But Méka’s act of compassion toward an imprisoned dragon and Lilley, a Kattakan veteran of the war, soon draws the ire of the imperialistic authorities. They order the unwelcome addition of an enigmatic Ba’Suon traitor named Raka to accompany Méka and Lilley to the mountains.

The journey is filled with dangers both within and without. As conflict threatens to reignite, the survival of the Ba’Suon people, their dragons, and the land itself will depend on the decisions – defiant or compliant – that Méka and her companions choose to make. But not even Méka, kin to the great dragons of the North, can anticipate the depth of the consequences to her world.

Karin was born in South America, grew up in Canada, and worked in the Arctic. She has been a creative writing instructor, adult education teacher, and volunteer in a maximum security prison. Her novels have been translated into French, Hebrew, and Japanese, and her short stories have been published in numerous anthologies, best-of collections, and magazines. When she isn't writing, she serves at the whim of a black cat.

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“A stunning accomplishment.” —Aurealis

“For die-hard fans of dragon-riding books, this is sure to satisfy.” —Publishers Weekly

“The Mountain Crown is a mystic and atmospheric adventure that explores generational memory, of being lost, regaining trust, and reclaiming the self, set in a rich world of rebellion and resistance. This book will bring readers on a journey that illuminates the meaning of freedom, the virtues and pitfalls of culture and tradition, along with the conflicts they may cause. An action-packed read for fans of Untethered Sky.” —Ai Jiang, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Linghun

“A taut, superbly told tale.” —Janny Wurts, author of the Wars of Light and Shadow series

“This thoughtful, anti-colonial take on dragons—or, rather, suon—and the consequences of greed kept me turning the pages from fierce start to fiery conclusion.” —Kamilah Cole, bestselling author of So Let Them Burn