Child of Fire and Blood begins the Theobroma series. Backed by the fearsome powers of ancient magic and destructive weapons technology, the ruler of Alban threatens to launch a war from the frozen nation's Crimson Throne. Will overwhelming power and ambition allow Lar Kwa to embroil the world in deadly conflict? Can even the unified forces of humans and dragons stop him? Hope remains that the enigmatic Warlords can stand against the mad aggressor if they can only be convinced to emerge from their long-maintained isolation. If they cannot be swayed, how can the efforts of those brave few willing to act be enough against a relentless war machine? One unusual young man named Shakata thinks that he and his friends may be able to find the key to stopping this global threat before it reaches its full potential. Or is the intrepid band giving too much credit to Shakata's troubled dreams?