Riding with the Dragon King: Alice Finnegan Returns for Her Boldest Adventure Yet

What happens after you die, become an angel, and make a dragon your best friend? For Alice Finnegan, the answer is simple: you keep riding.

Alice Finnegan Riding with the Dragon King is the newest adventure in P.M. Coston’s Alice Finnegan series. It picks up after Alice’s first great dragon ride with Goliath and Archangel Michael. Now she is back, with a cottage in heaven, a flock of hummingbirds, and a promise she refuses to break.

This book blends heavenly fantasy, dragon warfare, faraway planets, and sharp humor. It is written, in the author’s own words, for “the adults who can still believe in dragons.”

The Story: From the Bottom of the Sea to a Dragon’s Throne

A promise to a forgotten saint

Alice lives next door to Saint Clement, the first Roman Pope, on the great moon divide of heaven. Clement was murdered more than 2,000 years ago, tied to a ship’s anchor and thrown into the sea off the coast of Tuscany. His body was never found, and his soul never made it home.

Alice vows to fix that. With the Archangels, a blessing from Jesus himself, and a little heavenly trickery, she recovers Clement’s body near Giglio Island. The saint is quietly laid to rest in Rome, with the current Pope in attendance and a dragon perched invisibly on the cemetery wall.

A dragon wedding to remember

Next comes a celebration no human has ever attended. Goliath, Alice’s giant dragon friend, is marrying Panglong, a graceful Asian dragon. There is roasted hog, fireworks, paper dragons, and plenty of ale. Alice even arrives in a custom riding gown made by Marie Antoinette’s former dressmaker.

Then the party is crashed. King Akron and Hector, leader of the violent European dragons, storm in, and the wedding turns into a brawl.

The Battle for the Sky Mountains

That brawl is only the beginning. The European dragons launch a full war on Caesar III, hiring proxy fighters and human riders. Goliath, Panglong, the African and Chinese dragons, and the tough wasteland miners stand together to defend the villages. Gunpowder enters dragon warfare for the first time, and a new age begins.

The battle ends at a negotiating table, with treaties, treasure, and one last duel that tests Goliath’s character more than his strength.

Faith on trial in Rome and in heaven

Between battles, Alice goes undercover as a nun to help Clement speak at the Vatican. There she faces a sharp-tongued German cardinal who tries to trap them in a debate about paganism and the early church.

Back in heaven, Alice helps uncover slave owners who slipped through the pearly gates with forged paperwork. They face God’s own court, with a smooth-talking Beelzebub as their defense attorney.

A rescue mission on Kepler 452b

Alice, Goliath, Panglong, Petal, and three Archangels travel to Kepler 452b to visit old friends Mara and Rock Breaker. A clash with the rival Fire Mountain tribe leaves Rock badly wounded. Then a volcano erupts, and the clan must move and rebuild. Alice is forced to ask a hard question: how much should an angel help before she starts to interfere?

A dragon becomes a king

When word comes that Cornelius, the beloved leader of the dragons, has died, Goliath is called home to run for king. His rival, Morpheus, campaigns with lies, a rigged polling place, and hired assassins. Goliath answers with a public debate, a singing choir, and a lot of nerve.

The road to the crown is not as simple as it seems. A secret behind Cornelius’s death is still waiting to be uncovered. And at the end of it all, Alice gets the ride the title promises.

The Themes Behind the Adventure

Under the dragon fire and the comedy, this book asks some big questions. Here are the ideas that run through every chapter.

Keeping a promise, even when others doubt you

The choirs of angels think finding Clement’s body is “a road too far.” Even Alice’s own son tells her to let it go. She does it anyway. The book shows that loyalty and love often mean doing the hard thing nobody else will try.

Faith, miracles, and what they really mean

Alice spends a whole morning wondering whether a jar of mayonnaise can truly be called a miracle. It is funny, but it leads somewhere real. The story explores what a miracle is, why uncorrupted saints matter, and how faith can be lived with joy instead of fear.

Justice and accountability

In heaven’s courtroom, slave owners and the clergy who helped them hide their crimes must finally answer for what they did. Beelzebub argues that they were “just following orders.” Alice answers that owning another person violates God’s law. The message is clear: no one is above judgment, not even those who sneak past the gates.

Helping others without taking over their lives

This is one of the most thoughtful threads in the book. On Kepler, Alice could heal Rock Breaker in an instant with angelic power. Instead, she uses local plants so the clan can learn methods they can repeat. Later, the Archangels warn her not to interfere with human development. Alice hates the answer, but she understands it. It is a fresh look at the difference between helping someone and doing their growing for them.

Unity across differences

African dragons, Chinese dragons, a Norse commander, human miners, farmers, and angels all fight on the same side. Goliath, an African dragon, marries Panglong, an Asian dragon, and stands up for her when others try to shame their marriage. The book celebrates what happens when very different beings choose to trust each other.

Leadership, honesty, and the cost of power

Goliath’s run for king reads like a sharp, funny look at real-world politics. One candidate offers taxes, smears, and threats. The other offers a plan, open books, and strong safeguards on the treasury. The story suggests that true leaders earn trust, and that the strongest dragon is not always the best king.

Strength paired with mercy

Goliath could kill his enemy Nidhogg in their duel, but he chooses not to. Alice, though powerful, is no warrior; she uses her gifts to protect, freeze, and heal. Again and again, the book shows that real strength knows when to hold back.

The power of imagination

Above all, this is a book about believing. P.M. Coston invites readers back to the days of tree houses, cardboard forts, and secret rooms full of magic toys. As Alice puts it: dragons are real, angels exist, and eternity is too long to think about.

Characters You Will Meet

Who Will Love This Book

Alice Finnegan Riding with the Dragon King is a perfect fit if you enjoy:

• Fantasy stories with dragons, angels, and other worlds
• Faith-based fiction that is warm and hopeful, not preachy
• Humor mixed with real heart and big questions
• Stories about friendship, loyalty, and doing the right thing
• Readers of the first Alice Finnegan adventure who want to know what comes next

It is a book for grown-ups who never stopped looking for dragons in the clouds.

Saddle Up and Start Reading

Ready to climb onto the back of a dragon king? Alice Finnegan Riding with the Dragon King is available now. Visit the Books page to grab your copy, and if you are new to the series, start with Alice’s first dragon ride.Have you read the book? Leave a comment below and tell us your favorite moment. Was it the dragon wedding, the battle for the Sky Mountains, or Goliath’s big debate?