Martha MacNamara, violinist, comes to San Francisco because her daughter Elizabeth called her. However, Martha cannot find Elizabeth: her daughter, a talented computer programmer, has disappeared. Martha meets an Asian gentleman, Mayland Long, who offers to help her. Turns out he’s really helpful, with his 2000 year old Chinese dragon wisdom. While searching for Elizabeth, a romance develops between the two.

Both Martha and Mayland are amazing in their own way. Martha is a person who doesn’t mind being rich or famous, she loves to play the violin and as long as she can do it, she doesn’t mind staying on the couch of a friend of hers. Another wonderful thing about Martha is the rare quality of accepting people for who they are.

Martha doesn’t tell anyone how to lead her life; she doesn’t have “issues” (she’s never hysterical or demanding that everyone do what she wants them to do) or a chip on her shoulder. Martha is at peace with herself and the way others are (of course, if someone tries to hurt her daughter, she’s not going to be nice). This allows her to accept a man who tells her that he is actually a Chinese dragon.

Mayland (his real name is Oolong, after the tea) seems a bit bewildered at times, because being in a human body is still new to him, but he accepts his fate with a calm demeanor. The only thing he insists on is that he is a black dragon, with five fingers, not a green one with three or four fingers. Mayland doesn’t have superpowers; Although he seems very strong, it comes from his ability to use the full potential of the human body.

This ancient dragon in a human body doesn’t really know what to do with himself, how to lead his new life. He is looking for someone stronger than him, someone capable of teaching him, and he thinks he has found that person in Martha. Mayland seems innocent as a child at times; While he is certainly not a child, he is quite inexperienced as a human.

While the idea of ​​a Chinese dragon in San Francisco in 1983 seems silly, in this novel it comes naturally. There are no special effects; when Mayland Long speaks, he does it in a poetic way, so hearing him say he’s a dragon sounds like he sees himself.

Although this book is part urban fantasy, part romance, it does not contain any sex scenes. Yes, Mayland Long falls for Martha and she falls for him. The whole novel, despite the adventure and despite the romance, is too mellow in tone for a hot scene between the sheets. And you don’t need such a scene; the real action, the emotional one, is there.

If I had to take a book with me to a deserted island, tea with the black dragon It would probably be that book. His calm, his wisdom, his wonderful and tolerant character would be great company. Of course, you don’t have to go to a deserted island to read this wonderful book; you can enjoy it in your own home (drinking tea while reading it is optional).