A Dynasty of Dragons by Doreen Hopwood

Cast aside everything you think you know about fairies and prepare to slip into a world within our world. Doreen Hopwood has created an entire mythical civilisation with its own complex society and territorial conflicts, that functions just beyond human reach, and is only accessible through closely guarded portals.

The world of Sidhthean is broken into territories held by fairies, goblins, trolls and gnomes and the most powerful ruler is Queen Ceriddwen who controls access to the Four Gates which can be opened onto to the human world. Her kingdom has been put under threat by Gwynn ap Nudd, King of the Goblins, who has already invaded the Anunnaki lands and killed the entire population there, including the Anunnaki dragon fairies and shapeshifting flower fairies. Now that Ceriddwen's son, the Crown Prince Gwion is presumed dead, Gwynn ap Nudd is threatening the Land of the Four Gates, and if he gains control of the land, he intends to invade and conquer the human world through a new portal that has appeared in garden.

The garden belongs to Molly who is a retired Museum and Arts Curator, and just before her husband Fred died, part of their garden collapsed as he was digging a rockery to reveal a cave-like hole that they originally thought to be a sinkhole. It wasn't long after Fred's death that strange animals began appearing from inside the hole and as they were all native to Australia, Molly began to realise the hole was no ordinary physical phenomenon.

Molly can find no logical explanation for what is happening and it is her friend Laura who first suggests that the hole has some supernatural powers. It isn't long before her theory is proved correct and Molly becomes aware of her own connection to the fairy lands.

Writing an enjoyable fantasy novel that runs over five hundred pages is a real achievement as the whole fairy world has to be imagined and then remain consistent throughout. Doreen Hopwood has managed to bring to life multiple characters and locations that allow the reader to become totally immersed in the story without distraction. I was particularly impressed by the later stages of the book where the fairies go into battle with Gwynn ap Nudd and his goblin troops and there is a real cinematic quality to the writing.

Fantasy novels are not often on my reading list but this one kept me interested though the well planned plotline and is well worth a read if you want to experience fairies in a whole different light. The book is available through Amazon if you follow this link:

A Dynasty of Dragons by Doreen Hopwood

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