Tabs’ review of Feel The Burn (Dragon Kin, Book 8) by G.A. Aiken
Paranormal Romance published by Zebra 24 Nov 15
The barbarians are back! And so are the arrogant dragons and their (often) psychotic spouses. The eighth book in G.A. Aiken’s Dragon Kin series starts off pretty much where the last one left off. Kachka Shestakova, having left the Steppes of the North with her sister, is bored out of her mind. So when The Mad Queen gives her a quest, she gathers a ragtag band of misfits (don’t they always) and sets out to kick some cult ass. When she unexpectedly runs into Rebel King Gaius Domitus, again the sparks fly.
The previous book in this serious, Light My Fire, was so frickin funny that my hopes were really, really high for this one. The good news is that it definitely delivered on the humor. The ridiculously sexist matriarchal barbarian ladies are back in the house. It’s also fun to watch Kachka and Gaius interact, because they’re both such dicks at heart that it’s really no surprise they get along.
The pace of the book, however, is really off. Kachka gets started on her quest and then gets halted before she gets very far. Everyone then spends about a hundred pages just chilling back home at Garbhán Isle, getting up to their usual shenanigans. As far as shenanigans go, no one writes them better than Aiken, but it still wears on a gal. They’re definitely amusing, but the plot completely screeches to a halt and that’s seriously frustrating. Things pick up once they get back on the road, but the momentum definitely suffers.
Overall, this was a fun entry in the series, but I thought the middle was boring and that the barbarian lady jokes wore a bit thin after a while. Also, the romance really took a back seat to setting up the war that’s been brewing for a few books now. I still want the next one in my hot little hands, especially if the next couple is Aidan and Brannie, but this just isn’t a favorite in the series for me.
Grade: B-
Summary:
I, Gaius Domitus, one-eyed rebel dragon king of the Provinces, know that better than most, since I have to fight off half my ungrateful family on a regular basis to keep law and order here in my lands. But I never expected to have to consort with a barbarian human woman.
Kachka is beautiful, if you like them fierce—and of course I do. But she keeps complaining about how spoiled and decadent I am, and how a feared Daughter of the Steppes has no time for foolish dragons. I think she likes my eye patch, though. It is quite dashing. With death always at our tails, we take our passion like we take our allies. As they say, love the barbarian you’re with…
Other books in this series:
These last few books have seemed pretty polarizing among Aiken readers, but in reality digging these misandrist barbarian women. I agree though the plot did screech to a halt, but there was some familial bonding that was desperately needed, that I’m not sure where else it could have gone.
These have been divisive? I loved the last one so hard. It’s totally my favorite in the series. And the mysandrist barabarians really are a stroke of genius. What’s not love about the line “Quiet, penis-haver.” Not a darn thing.
I just felt like this was a “set the stage” book and, while necessary, could have used a little more oomph. The balance can be hard when a series gets this long, though.