DRC Review: Books 1 and 2 of The Ryūjin Saga by Stephan Lethaus
- Story Eater
- Jul 19
- 3 min read
Release date: 15 July 2025 (The Magical Legacy of the Ryūjin)/2 September 2025 (The Discovery of the inner Magic)
Original German Release: 15 June 2016
Rating: 4.5/5
Synopsis: The Magical Legacy of the Rybinsk is the captivating beginning of a saga where ancient forces awaken, unlikely bonds form, and the fate of a magical world begins to shift.
Have you ever debated the ethics of killing… with a dragon?
Rob, a stable boy from Castle Skargness, never asked for any of this. But when a twist of fate throws him together with Fuku Riu—a reckless young forest dragon with far too much attitude and far too little patience—everything changes.
After a tragic turn during the legendary dragon tournament, Rob and Fuku are forced to flee north, hunted by the merciless servants of pure magic. Their uneasy alliance is tested at every step, and trust is hard‑won in a land full of ancient threats and unseen watchers.
Meanwhile, in a very different world, Mi Lou—a pragmatic systems analyst from 2055—finds herself pulled into Skaiyles by forces she doesn’t yet understand. Her arrival marks a turning point, though none of them realize it yet.
As pure magic rises and buried legacies begin to stir, even the smallest bond may carry the weight of destiny.
Review
I knew The Magical Legacy of the Ryūjin and The Discovery of the inner Magic [sic] would be interesting as soon as I read the synopsis and email from the very generous author (many thanks for the DRC). Despite my extremely full backlog of reads and current writing schedule, I fit it in anyway. I'm very, very glad I did.
SFF translated into English from other languages is my literary catnip. So many unique worlds and possibilities open up in such stories. Characters act differently, worlds work with amazing mechanics, and even relationships have refreshingly humorous dynamics. Combine these features with an indie author's freedom of creativity, and readers get such wonderful escapist treats.
In The Ryūjin Saga, Lethaus introduces readers to a split narrative across worlds and times that merge, all centered around a young stable lad named Rob and a seriously intimidating fighter named Mi Lou. Bonds are forged and bands are formed—with dragons and horses—as our characters fight for their friends and their homes.
Characters take center stage in this saga. With so many dragon books on the market, I've read a minuscule drop in the bucket of offerings, and many of them did not contribute to critical thought. Rob and Fuku read like Sullivan's Royce and Hadrian, sans the thieving, when they maybe first met back when they still had spotty beards and gangly knees. I loved reading these two get shoved together and realize they make a great team—and pretty good friends, too. Once Mi Lou enters the chat, things get really fun. Lethaus adds to the mix some experienced dragon mages with senses of humor that range anywhere from stick to kazoo to spice things up for variety's sake. Even the bad guys were fun to read.
The split timeline aspect of these novels intrigued me as well. Time travel ranks highly among my favorite fantasy subgenres, and Lethaus wrote an interesting mash. Though not overly developed with small things like how a person out of time adjusts to different levels of technology and civilization, amid all of the goings-on of the mages clashing with each other, I still liked reading Mi Lou's assimilation from futuristic cyberpunk into a world with dragons roaming free and folk flinging magic everywhere. I'll be interested in future volumes of the saga so I can continue the journey and see how it plays out for all of the characters.
Overall, 4.5 out of 5. Indie books are my jam, and I loved this world and characters. Also, Lethaus actually used correct terminology for bow usage. I'm beside myself with glee to see all the chuckleheads looking down their noses on indie authors when they can't even get stuff right themselves. Perfectly done.
My profuse thanks to the author for sending me this DRC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.
Comments