Get your Signed copy today! Kindle Edition Amazon Dancaster Creative Category:  Fantasy Publisher: Dancaster Creative ISBN-10:  1442170999 Pages: 704 Copyright: May 11, 2009 ISBN-13: 9781442170995 Price: $4.99 (eBook) Book Three of The Jade Owl Legacy Series: The China Hands a beset with new troubles and challenges as they search for the source of the Jade Owl's power. A shadow stalks the lanes and streets, from Gui-lin to San Francisco, from Florence to the Dragon’s Pool. In its wake, Rowden Gray and his China Hands follow a course to right the wrongs of time. The relic is hidden, but stirs in the soul and archaic rituals long since forgotten, but never lost. Some books are closed. Others are open, giving up their secrets. In the darkness, ancient terror awaits. A barren field yields up its magic and . . . the comets return to earth. The Dragon’s Pool, the next installment of an adventure like none other, looms across the landscape giving even the stouthearted pause to reflect. The stalwart characters of The Jade Owl and The Third Peregrination are back, and joined by new players and helper bees and . . . yes, villains. It is time for the Tien-xin Rite. It is time to close history’s fissure. It is time to complete the prophesy that dwells beneath Her Majesty’s hem. It is time to count the teeth that emerge from the Dragon’s Pool.

Professional Reviews
From Rainbow Reviews
The Dragon's Pool continues the riveting tales begun in the first two volumes of this exciting paranormal/intersexual series. With Rowden Gray settled into the coveted position of Curator-General of the San Francisco Museum of East Asian Arts and Culture, married to his beloved Audrey and father of a toddler daughter and a new child due soon, life is sweet and often serene. The Jade Owl has been hidden away ~ far, far, away from Nick Battle, son and cultural heir of the famous "Old China Hand" John Battle, whose artifact collection the Museum houses-but the Jade Owl is not the only supernatural entity about to disturb the peace of the Museum and of Rowland, his family, and friends.

Each preceding volume of Edward C. Patterson's extensive series The Jade Owl Legacy has been a marvel of convoluted plotting, supernatural venue, finely delineated characterization, and heartwarming romance, love, and attachment, set in the subcultures of archaeology and the gay community of San Francisco. The series records a paranormal legacy stretching from ancient China to contemporary San Francisco and back across the oceans to China today, with characters who each elicit the reader's empathy as their lives unfold, and unusual and unexpected events run the gamut of the supernatural continuum of probabilities. This reviewer enjoyed particularly both the paranormal excursions and Mr. Patterson's cleverly delineated revelations of San Francisco's multi-layered gay subculture. In any event, as with the two preceding entries in The Jade Owl Legacy series, The Dragon's Pool is another not-to-be-missed novel from accomplished and prolific author Edward C. Patterson.

http://rainbow-reviews.com/?p=1367

The third in an amazing series
The Dragon's Pool is the third in a masterful series by Edward C. Patterson. He is a Sinologist extraordinairre. In The Jade Owl, we meet most of our protagonists in San Francisco, Nick Battle, and his life-partner, Simon/Simone, Rowden Gray, and the rest of the 'China Hands' that include some of the best sinologists all interweaved in the history of China and the current study of China. The Third Peregrination, Owl's sequel takes us back to China and the China Hands once again, astound us with their courage, heart, and the magic and power that is an integral part of this series -
Now we have The Dragon's Pool...and although our favorite folks don't make it to China until over half of the book, the web of the story is gracefully spun by Edward C. Patterson, using the old and new characters to create a situation that must take our friends back to China to once again repair a tear in time, and rescue two innocents.
Those whom were thought 'family' friends are not, and mean evil to the China Hands. Those who were rescued, come forth into the most amazing book of the series to date.
Comets, dragons, oh yes, I said dragons, and the mystery that is Nick Battle that never fails to amaze, come into play.
The end of The Dragon's Pool is one of the most spectacular I have ever read and couldn't have even imagined, but not only is amazing, but shows love, hope and one hopes Mr. Patterson is writing book 4 of this wonderful series as fast as he can.
Mr. Patterson is a writer who knows his subject matter like no other, and he literally brings you with him in this wild ride of a series.
My words cannot do this series justice - it needs to be experienced.
In this instance - I would definitely suggest starting with The Jade Owl first, then The Third Peregrination, etc.
Edward C. Patterson also has a companion-like series starting with The Academician - The Southern Swallow - book 1 - that gives backstory to the series, but can stand alone.
This is one talented writer. These are long books that as you read, will wish they were 100 pages longer - lightening fast action and characters you come to love as your own, and even great bad guys.
Long live the China Hands!!!
ellen george

The China Hands Reconnoiter
After saving the world and fulfilling the warrants in The Third Peregrination (Book 2 of the Jade Owl Legacy Series), Rowden Gray welcomes a more traditional domestic life. Expecting his second child and preparing for a new display as curator at the museum, all seems well. Yet Rowden's dreams foretell a future adventure and he wonders why it is the gifts of telekinesis and telepathy bestowed upon him by the now silent artifacts remain. For Nick Battle however, these are more than just questions but a curse. Blessed with similar gifts, Nick dons a mask and cape living out his nights as a vigilante attempting to right the worlds wrongs one incident at a time. Around the world, the other China Hands are once again inexplicably drawn to one another to not only save loved ones from the clutches of time but complete a new warrant involving an even greater power than they had previously encountered or expected.

In this third installment of the Jade Owl Legacy, Edward C. Patterson once again delivers on an intriguing fantasy. Whereas the first two books focus around the relics which drive much of the story, this book takes a moment to fill in the back story for the main characters. Patterson weaves a complex and detailed tapestry of families, legend, history, destiny, politics, love interests, and conspiracy all with an international flair including the requisite destinations of San Francisco and China with substantial time also dedicated to Italy. This book brings back some of the strongest characters from the first book including Nick's partner Simone and many of the others who were either not mentioned or had small parts in the second offering. As usual, Patterson's descriptions, characters, and cadence bring great texture to a very unusual, educational, and engaging story.

While the first two books could likely be read independently, I think this book is best enjoyed if the previous books are read first. Also, a companion series (the Southern Swallow Series) provides readers with additional information explaining the origins of the relics and the references to the key characters referenced throughout the Jade Owl Series.

Patterson has truly created an expansive and epic series with the Jade Owl Legacy. Though all warrants appear closed at the end of this installment, Patterson throws in a unexpected twist at the end leaving the door open for the next adventure.

Todd Fonseca