A young woman travels up into the mountains, searching for an almost-legendary gold dragon. Her goal is to capture it, bring it down to the lowlands, and sell it as a riding beast. What happens is very different, and surprising. There is far too much mystery in this novella for me to say more, without giving spoilers, but it comes to a very satisfactory conclusion.
The characters in this story are appealing; the setting is vivid and interesting. In spite of being part of a wider sequence–the world of Athule–it completely stands on its own. The plot drew me in, even when I thought it was a simple dragon-hunting adventure; it captivated me when it became much more than that.
