The Dragon's Banker by Scott Warren

For merchant banker Sailor Kelstern, money is everything. He's a walking embodiment of the Month Python Money Song. He has had a minor business setback with a very powerful Lord, which means his reputation is down but not out, but business goes on. And then a new client appears, asking him to manage the accounts of a very, very wealthy patron in the transition from hard currency to fiat based economy. The client, as you might have guessed from the title, really REALLY likes gold, and is not at all happy about this new paper money.

This book was a hoot. Seriously, it was so much fun. It was refreshing to see a decent protagonist who didn't use a bit of force, just cleverness and skill, to get through truly difficult situations.

The main character was built perfectly. His motivations, actions, and values all clicked just right to create someone unique, but relatable at the same time. The pacing of the story never lets up (it might actually have been better sometimes if it did) and the plentiful turns paid off well.

The writing was fluid and clever without falling into the trap of "witty banter," and the editing was very solid. This book showed a lot of care and thought, and I really appreciate the author sending me a review copy.

There aren't many economic heroes out there (Discworld's Moist von Lipwig and Cithrin from the Dagger and Coin books are all that spring to mind) but I'm of the growing opinion that we could use a lot more!