This story began with a fascinating premise. I'm always up for genre-bending, and using the concept of terrorists in a real-adjacent fantasy world has all kinds of possibilities. Unfortunately for my taste, this book felt like it was trying to go in too many directions at once. It felt vey scattered and kind of chaotic to me. It did have a lot of great qualities, humorous side characters, and a nice dose of snark, so I'm not about to slam it! I just wish it had lived up in my eyes to what I felt its potential was.

I took one look at the cover of The Last American Wizard and had to read it. It looked like a blast. A fantasy with a gun toting wizard with the possibility of dragons? Sign me up! It didn’t take me long to realize that two and two don’t always equal four. Sometimes you must break out the quantum physics and a glass good of red and just go with it. I’m not sure what mixture of drugs Edward B. Irving was sleeping off when he dreamed up this story, but 30 years ago I’d have been all over that stuff.

I was expecting a lot of action and excitement and boy did Irving deliver. When bullets and glass and blood are not flying it is the wryest - tongue-in-cheek representation of Washington DC I have ever had the privilege to read. Let’s be real, we all know DC is full of Trolls and demons and hellhounds. Irving just put their psychosis on display and gave them really big fangs.

I suppose I should try to thumbnail this for you, but I haven’t had enough wine, and you probably wouldn’t believe me anyway. It’s a little chaotic and a lot unexpected; but If you like underdogs, and magic and tarot cards, The Last American Wizard may be the most original book you read all year. My advise? Disengage your brain and settle in for an exciting (if a bit wordy) ride

Received copy from Netgalley for honest read and review.

This started with a good premise ,but I could not really get into it that much,even tried putting down and starting again where I had left off,but still not for me.

This is a wonderful book that will please fans of satire, political humor, fantasy, and action. A post apocalyptic Washington DC is overtaken by magic. Every day people battle the magic with witty political satire layered into the action. Try it, you’ll like it.

Irving does an excellent job in crafting a light-hearted urban fantasy for an adult market. Filled with snarky one-liners and engaging protagonists, The Day of the Dragonking is a fun time. Steve Rowan is a funny and relatable anti-hero who is attempting (sometimes unsuccessfully) to be the hero that everyone tells him he's supposed to be. His cynical nature and sarcastic attitude only make him more relatable and entertaining. I had some trouble coming to terms with the logistics of this story, but I suspended my disbelief long enough to enjoy it, and I hope you do too.

The book is funny and it is a page turner. I liked the characters and the writing was quite readable.

On the negative side, it wasn't well fleshed out.

Magic, technology, secret government agencies... sorry some of it didn't totally pan out.