Audiobook Review: The Dragons of the Storm by George Robert Minkoff

Making history come to life in an engaging way is a daunting challenge for many authors, but with his impressive career as a historian and a lifelong lover of the written word, author George Robert Minkoff delivers The Dragons of the Storm, an outstanding second installment of his historical trilogy. Following onwards from The Weight of Smoke, the first book of the In the Land of Whispers series, this second novel delves deeper into storytelling and myth, as well as the historical realities surrounding Captain John Smith’s legendary journey and tenure as the president of the Jamestown colony.

Whereas historical accounts, particularly of colonial times, can be dry and procedural, Minkoff makes much of this novel a story within a story, with secondary character Jonas Profit acting as both storyteller and caretaker for Captain John Smith as he recovers from a near-fatal injury. This deeper layer of the tale is enrapturing, with the daring exploits of Francis Drake being unfurled in victorious detail by the alchemist who actually sailed with him. This entire series is an exploration of both the might and folly of the British Empire, a tongue-in-cheek theme that is perfectly encapsulated in the attitudes of each character.

Minkoff’s knowledge of this time period is thorough, but there are plenty of points in the historical timeline where facts must be sewn together with informed assumptions and patches of fiction. Fortunately, he does this seamlessly, creating a fluid and compelling story. There is an epic quality to this series, a feeling that transcends the genre of historical fiction and touches on some modern-day issues – the responsibility of leadership, the perception of external threats from an “other,” and the value of learning from previous mistakes are universal and timeless concepts that are delicately examined in this second installment.

The audiobook version, released in honor of the 400^th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement, is narrated by living legend Nigel Gore, a Shakespearean actor who elevates the story to new heights. His recitation goes above and beyond many audiobook recordings, featuring subtle accent variations and authentic emotional moments, as though Gore is discovering this tale right alongside listeners. The visceral language of Minkoff and the dynamic voice patterns of Gore are perfect counterparts, as Gore’s patiently enthralling voice helps the more reflective passages stand out and shine. John Smith and Francis Drake may be larger-than-life figures in the history of British conquest and expansion, but their stature is somehow heightened by this powerfully delivered narration.

The occasionally convoluted sentence, syntactically speaking, can be a stumbling block for listeners, but Minkoff is a meticulous writer, so linguistic and aural gymnastics are only needed a handful of times. As with any piece of historical fiction, there are some extended expositional passages that are slower moving, but again, the theatrical and confident voice of Gore make even banal descriptions come alive.

Overall, this dense and richly developed novel is a gem, and will leave every Minkoff fan clamoring for the final piece of this impressive trilogy.