Here Be Dragons: Book 1 of the Emergence Series

[Premise: First contact between dragons and humans, with technology at dawn of the information age. Book 1 complete, Book 2 writing in progress.]

What if, billions of years ago, Earth formed a little differently?

A bit less iron, a bit more water, and the first humans evolve upon a lone continent, surrounded by vast oceans that span 97.5% of the planet's surface.

In the millennia that follow, mankind believes their island to be the only in existence – until the first satellites reveal the existence of two distant lands.

Galvanized by this groundbreaking discovery, humanity sends its best and brightest on an expedition, only for a series of disasters to wipe out all but one of the crew. Now, Doctor Alexander Pryce has the honor of being the first and only man to step foot upon a foreign continent.

Alone, Pryce struggles to carry on his comrade's mission, and in doing so draws the attention of one of the island's native inhabitants: an inquisitive and highly intelligent dragon.

Desolate but far from alone, Pryce begins the painstaking process of learning to communicate with an alien species, and in so doing becomes the sole representative of humanity – one whose actions will determine the future of both their species.

A work inspired by the Temeraire series, Project Hail Mary, and The Martian.
Special thanks to VikasRao and Rackiera for providing and inspiring ideas for the speculative evolution.

Links:
Discord server, where you can ask me whatever questions you like and I'll probably answer them. (Assuming the answer doesn't involve heavy spoilers)

Ko-fi, if you want to send something my way. Don't worry about the different username, I have an arrangement with Rackiera.

Paypal, same as the above.

Fantastic Cover Art by Rackiera!