Dannen's life is ruined when a dragon insists on ‎befriending him. And he didn't even want a dragon in ‎the first place! ‎

Dragons are fascinated by humans, to the point ‎where they can be a menace because it's impossible to ‎keep them away from human settlements. Therefore, ‎in an effort to promote understanding between the ‎species, humans and dragons drew up an agreement. ‎

That agreement specified that, at certain times of ‎the year, any human over the age of twelve who ‎wished to could enter a ballot to be chosen as a ‎candidate to be a dragon friend. Any dragon who ‎wanted a friend could turn up and select the human he ‎or she wanted from among those chosen. ‎

The arrangement worked well. Dragons were ‎delighted to have a special human friend of their own, ‎and many humans were eager to offer themselves and ‎acquire their own dragon. In most cases, ‎understanding between the two species blossomed ‎and everyone was happy. ‎

However, in the town of Moraston, things were ‎different. Moraston was a resort town where the noble ‎and wealthy of the country came to enjoy themselves. ‎It had many fine features that attracted them. One of ‎those was its proximity to a dragon settlement and the ‎opportunity to be chosen by a dragon.‎

Over time, that privilege became the exclusive ‎preserve of the rich and influential. No lower-class ‎name was ever drawn in the ballot, and over time, ‎ordinary people became reconciled to the fact that ‎none ever would be. ‎

The ordinary people nursed a simmering ‎resentment about the state of affairs in their town, but ‎they knew there was nothing they could do about it. ‎The town council existed to serve the interests of the ‎noble and wealthy, not them. Dragons were for the ‎upper classes.‎

That was until one particular dragon broke all the ‎rules and insisted on choosing a lower-class friend. ‎From its perspective, it was simply doing what the ‎agreement allowed it to and choosing the friend it ‎wanted. ‎

From the council's viewpoint, it was an outrage. If ‎they let this pass, every Tom, Dick and Harry would ‎be wanting their own dragon. The choice could not be ‎allowed to stand. An example must be made, one that ‎would dissuade any other lower class person from ‎daring to aspire to have a dragon.‎

Caught right in the middle between the two sides ‎is apprentice blacksmith Dannen, who doesn't even ‎want a dragon. But it looks very much as though ‎between them, the dragon he doesn't want and the ‎council who rule his town are about to completely ruin ‎his life.‎

With a cast of quirky characters and a little touch ‎of romance, The Ice Blue Dragon is a standalone ‎novel about one man's – and one dragon's – struggle ‎to build a workable relationship against a backdrop of ‎injustice and persecution. ‎