Review Detail

Fantastic conclusion! Dragon Rebellion by M. Lynn is the final book in The Hidden Warrior duology picking up weeks after the events of Dragon Rising. If you haven’t read book one, there may be spoilers to it in the following review. Read at your own risk. Jian Li has spent the last several weeks at the Minglans’ in Zhouchang waiting for Hua to wake up. After destroying Kanyuan village, killing innocents and soldiers from Piao and Kou alike, the Nagi spared him and took him to the only place she knew that would be safe. While war with the Kou looms on the horizon, Dragon Rebellion looks inward to the war taking place between Hua and the Nagi.

Hua Minglan is trapped inside her own mind, wrestling for control of her body and preventing the Nagi from taking its true dragon form. She is heartsick over what happened in the village. She gave her body over to the dragon thinking she could take her revenge on the Kou, yet the Nagi wants its own revenge against the empire of Piao for its killing of the dragon blooded. Hua is still strong and stubborn in her own rights, and she uses what little control she has over her mind to talk to the Nagi. Hua has one goal, and it is the same goal as when she first disguised herself as Huan and went to war: Protect the people of Piao. Will she have to protect them from herself?

Jian Li is no longer commander of the Piao army. He’s lost his sense of duty, but gained something more. He’s found a family in the Minglan home. He’s fallen for Hua, even while she sleeps. It’s Jian who recognizes the Nagi inside of her, controlling her actions. And it is Jian that will fight to bring her back. I liked Jian in the previous book, but I fell in love with him here. He has found a purpose greater than war and revenge, and he will do whatever it takes to succeed.

The plot revolves around Hua and the Nagi, their struggle to control Hua’s body, and the looming war with the Kou. The Nagi is an interesting twist to this story. It is supposed to be a protector of Piao, but instead it wants its own revenge. While the internal struggle drives Hua’s part of the story, Jian’s story follows him as he searches for Hua and tries to recover the girl he knows.

Overall I enjoyed Dragon Rebellion. The tension and uncertainty of what would happen to Jian and Hua drove the plot, keeping me reading til it was finished. If you are a Mulan fan, a fantasy lover, or just love dragons, I highly recommend it.