Dragon and Thief: A Dragonback Novel
by Timothy Zahn
Synopsis:
Jack Morgan has been framed for theft. He’s hiding on a distant planet with the virtual presence of his deceased Uncle Virge, a con man who has been his only family since Jack’s parents died. Jack knows he must clear his name before the cops catch up with him. A firefight among ships in the skies above leaves a downed ship near Jack’s hiding place, with a single unlikely survivor. It looks like a dragon, and it must join with a human host within six hours or die. The only available host is Jack.
Draycos, Jack’s new “companion,” is a K’da, a dragon-like species that lives symbiotically with the humanoid Shontine. The attackers, determined to exterminate Draycos’s people, will find them if they don’t flee; so the pair works together to escape the planet and begin a search for the truth behind Jack’s frame-up and the identity of the attackers.
With Jack’s future hanging in the balance, as well as the future of billions of Draycos’s people, the pair must track down the people who framed Jack, and prevent the destruction of the remaining K’da and Shontine. They’ll also discover whether their union was mere coincidence, or a friendship written in the stars.
Review:
Draycos is a two-dimensional being who needs a host in order to survive. When his ship is attacked, he vows to seek justice. Jack is a reformed thief on the run, after being framed. The two maintain their separate personalities and entities, Draycos simply needs to return to Jack as a tattoo to recharge. When Jack is forced to take a job for those who framed him, Draycos may be just the ally he needs.
Dragon and Thief is a reprint and first in a series. I read Zahn’s Star Wars novels years ago and loved them. The universe is creative and exciting. And the characters are fantastic. Full of mystery, action, and humor – this fun, space romp was over too soon. And I will now be picking up the rest in this Dragonback series.