Review

Aiken weaves a fantastical tale of dragons, battles, swords, and magic.

The latest Dragon Kin Novel, The Dragon Who Loved Me, tells the story of Ragnar’s brother Vigholf. Vigholf has a problem, which any dragon male would consider a female a problem, especially if that female is fire breather Rhona the Fearless.

The setting is five years into the war that the Southern and Lightning dragons have been fighting against an evil dragon ruler with a will to enslave all humanity and dragon alike. Rhona finds herself paired with Vigholf, the pest as she refers to him, on a journey both unexpected and dangerous. Both want the war to end, but as they travel it appears Vigholf’s goals are more than just protecting what he deems a helpless female.

Honestly, the little blurb I just provided above does not do this story justice in the least. If you are a fantasy and romance lover than The Dragon Who Loved Me is definitely something to sink your teeth into. I’ll admit that coming into the fifth book in a series took me off guard, as there is an abundance of characters to become familiar with. The task was worth it in the end. I honestly can say that my love for fantasy is back!

Between the tales of two dragons falling for each other, is a complex story that Aiken seamlessly portrays. The language can be coarse at times and violence is rampant, but what do you expect from dragons and humans in the mist of battle? I absolutely loved every minute of this book. My favorite part had little to do with romance, and more with the excitement of a human female that is ruthless, cunning, and downright amazing.  Here’s a snippet:

“What the hells is that?” Parthenius asked him.

“I don’t know sir, but—“ Amius’s words stopped, his mouth open as a woman landed on the back of Parthenius’s white stallion, two swords slamming into their leader’s shoulders and into his spine, killing him instantly.

The woman yanked her blades out, and pushed Parthenius’s body off the restless horse, settling into the saddle. Grinning, she looked at the men surrounding her.

“Hello, lads.” Her grin widened, and Ampius felt real fear for the first time in a long time. “Name’s Annwyl.”

Again, I know that snippet has nothing to do with romance, but if you like be swept into the heat of battle and if you’ve read Aiken’s previous Dragon Kin novels, then you can appreciate Annwyl’s mention. All the other character’s in the Dragon Kin series are present and the story’s ending is phenomenal and bittersweet.

I could sing this book’s praises all day, and plan on wetting my appetite with the first four books at my earliest convenience.

Reviewed by Landra