Sandy M’s review of Queen of Dragons (Drakon, Book 3) by Shana Abe
Paranormal romance by Bantam 26 Dec 07
I love being back in the world of Abe’s dragons. Although there is always a dire situation to be had, one that requires a swift hand, usually the Alpha’s, there is still the dry humor that makes the story a little fun along with all the mystery and danger.
The Alpha this time is Kimber Langford, Earl of Chasen. He has stepped up to take over in his father’s absence, who, along with his wife, is scouring the earth seeking the fate of their youngest daughter who we read about in The Dream Thief. Kimber has been groomed for this role, but it seems that as more and more things go wrong, he feels more and more out of control and does not have the power to keep his people safe.
We also met Princess Maricara of Transylvania in The Dream Thief, and in Queen of Dragons she comes into her own. A woman with an iron will and legions of stubbornness; a dragon as free and light hearted as Kimber would like to be. Kimber has known most of his life Mari will be his, but when he finally meets her he understands what his parents hold so dear in their own relationship. But trying to make Mari understand their mating is a fait accompli races his own iron will and stubbornness toward an inevitable head-on collision.
The famous shifting from human to smoke to dragon is still the same, but each is used in several different ways from the first two books. The flight of dragons can be felt in your bones when they take to the skies, and the sensuousness shared by Kimber and Maricara when they are in all three forms is delicious. Kimber has the same sense of humor as his father and Abe uses it beautifully. And, of course, an Alpha dragon just does something to your nerve endings, your synapses, your brain. Kimber also takes after his father in this respect, and it’s a good thing they both found strong women to love them.
This time Abe leaves the ending wide open for the next book. There are as many questions answered as there are left unanswered. But it’s all done in a good way. I didn’t feel cheated at the end or like I missed something. It’s a true cliffhanger and I have only anticipation for future installments of the stories of Darkfrith and its legendary drakon.
Grade: A+
There exists a world beyond your own.
There exists a world of frozen savagery, of ice and snow, and needle-tipped mountains draped smoky emerald in summer, and dusky blue every autumn. In this world, your safe and pleasant life is vanished, a mere illusion revealed.
Comets are born here. Stars are stirred. Glaciers steam; diamonds sparkle; silent music saturates the very air-and mighty dragons tear furrows through it all, breathing light and fire in crystalline exhalations.
We are the drákon.
Maricara of the Zaharen was born an eighteenth century peasant but raised to be a princess. As the hidden leader of the drákon of the Carpathian Mountains, she represents all that is glimmering and elusive in her kind: polished strength, striking radiance…and a will to keep her dragon kin safe at all costs, even if it means she must protect them from herself.
Kimber, Earl of Chasen, is more new to his role as Alpha of the English drákon, but there’s nothing elusive about him. He is powerfully, unmistakably male, and destined to rule his tribe. He’s also been engaged to Maricara for years-although she doesn’t know it.
The dragons of Darkfrith believed themselves to be the last of their kind. The revelation of the other tribe’s existence-even in far-flung Transylvania-is considered nothing but a threat to them and their way of life. This threat has to be contained, and Kim is willing do whatever he must to achieve that. Even bloodshed. Even war.
There could hardly be a pair of creatures less suited for marriage, much less diplomacy between these two separate, savagely beautiful groups of beings.
Yet Kim and Mari’s destinies are about to collide in a very unexpected way. One hot summer night the princess slips into Darkfrith unannounced, bearing some extremely unwelcome news: the sanf inimicus, human hunters of the drákon, have revived their ancient sect, and are beginning to pick off the shapeshifters one by one.
No one is safe. And unless Kimber and Maricara decide to unite after all, it might mean the end of every dragon, in every place….
Read an excerpt.
