Publication Date: 15 March 2024

The Blurb

Serina and Raff live on separate islands, each believing the other’s people to be their sworn enemy. Forced together in dramatic circumstances, they become unlikely friends while caring for their young dragons. But when Serina’s home, family, and all the dragons of Arcosi are threatened, can Raff and Serina persuade their families to work together? It will take faith, forgiveness and courage to save the dragons!

The Review

A thrilling conclusion to the trilogy, The Pirate’s Dragon is a timeless tale of hope and redemption that resonates long after the final page is turned. You don’t need to have read the first two books to dive into this one, but they are well worth it to understand the complexities of the history of the world you are entering…

I have loved reading about new generations on Arcosi, and seeing how the actions of previous generations ripple through time. In the third outing, we see the fall out from the great battle in Rise Of The Shadow Dragons – the painful rifts and differing histories depending on who is retelling it. Once again, I was swept away to the immersive fantasy world Liz has skilfully crafted, and loved every electric moment soaring on dragons and being plunged into the emotional depths of characters struggling to trust each other and work together for the greater good.

Skull Island added an exciting new destination with it’s own customs and characters, but I will leave Liz to tell you a little more about it in her guest post…

In a world where division and discord surround us from every news outlet, The Pirate’s Dragon‘s message of unity and cooperation feels particularly poignant. Through Serina and Raff’s journey, readers are reminded of the power of compassion and cooperation to bridge even the widest divides and usher in a brighter tomorrow. With its richly imagined world, compelling characters, and thought-provoking themes, it is a testament to the enduring power of storytelling to inspire, uplift, and unite.

I am desperately sad that this is my final journey to Arcosi, but look forward to sending new readers to its shores…

The Guest Post by Liz Flanagan

I started writing The Pirate’s Dragon in March 2020, and I can now look back and see how lucky I was to have this project underway during those strange and worrying pandemic months. When real life was quiet, scary and uncertain, I got to spend a few hours every day escaping to an imaginary island peopled with pirates! That was certainly a wonderful escape for me – one I’ll always be grateful for. But what led me to write about pirates?

Ever since I was a small child, I’ve loved pirate stories – and their popularity goes back decades, if not centuries! But what is it about pirate stories that is so fascinating and exciting? Partly it’s the danger and the unknown: pirates exist on the fringes of ordinary society and they live by their own rules. On board a pirate ship, life might be hard work, but it is also ever-changing, daringly independent and full of adventure. The potential rewards are enormous, but the risks are huge. Pirates had to be courageous, clever and strong-minded, even reckless – all of these things seem like qualities that lend themselves to wonderful stories! Do you have a favourite pirate story?

But it’s not just the action and adventure that drew me to pirates. When I started researching real historical examples, I found that pirate life was much more progressive and surprisingly modern in some ways than I had ever realized. While not overlooking the violence and sometimes brutal punishments, you could argue that pirates lived in a much more equal way than the rest of society at that time. Under ‘the pirate code’ every crew member had a vote. Treasure was divided equally, except for the captain taking two shares; and other key people having a share of one and a quarter. This meant successful pirate crews could soon earn much more than in the British navy – and some of them retired on their earnings. And while I’m not suggesting that female pirates were common – in fact women are outlawed by ‘the pirate code’ – there are some celebrated examples of pirate women which have caught our imagination, including Anne Bonny and Mary Read. When these women were captured, they avoided the punishment of hanging because they were pregnant at the time. Mary later died of a fever while in prison, but Anne’s fate is unknown.

Some people also argue that pirates had more forward-thinking views on issues like racial equality, same-sex marriage and disability rights – those areas are less clear from the evidence we have. One thing is certain: this is a rich and fascinating area to research!

In The Pirate’s Dragon, I was inspired by some of my favourite historical facts – as well as using a hefty dose of imagination. I have a retired pirate queen who still dominates Skull Island, where pirate rules apply – and even she must obey them. Skull Island may be idealized, an escape from reality, but I hope you enjoy your time there as you read The Pirate’s Dragon!

The Pirate’s Dragon is published by UCLan Publishing, £8.99 ISBN: 9781915235992

Huge thanks to UCLan Publishing for sending me a copy, to Antonia for inviting me to take part in the blog tour., and to Liz for such an insightful guest post! Do make sure you check out all of the other stops on the Blog Tour