Queen of Dragons by Shana Abé

Series: Drakon Series, Book 3

Genre: Fantasy
 
Copyright: 2007
 
Pages: 304
 
Rating:  3/5
 
Review:  This is my third Shana Abé book and I'm still in love with all things Drakon.
The previous book the Dream Thief had my favourite character Zane, and Amalia - the daughter of Kristoff and Rue from Book 1. This one is the story of the Transylvanian Drakon Queen Maricara and Lia's elder brother, the Darkfrith Alpha Kimber.

Mari has come to Darkfrith with news of an Old enemy of the Drakon who are trying to wipe them out. But the arrival of a unknown Drakon into a Darkfrith that's been discussing her and her Transylvanian home  for years - one who is beautiful, a alpha and who can Turn causes chaos in Darkfrith, with the council, the other men and Kimber all with ideas of their own.
Good thing Mari is headstrong to handle them all.

This book for me was mostly the story of a courtship among enemies, doubt, mistrust, and longing. Almost all of it from Kim's side. I found Mari to be a well drawn character who knew what needed to be done and was very much like Rue and Amalia in her strength and stubbornness. Kim was a bit more confusing for me - an alpha thrust into the position with lil or no experience at handling everything thrown his way and a man who knew what he wanted but bumbled about while he got to it. I'd have hit him over the head and found someone else in some instances if I was Mari. Other times he was a gem. The Alpha part seemed like second skin to Kristoff, and I guess I missed that in Kim. (btw, I always thought Kimber was a girls name?)

The enemies were pretty much confusing and a lot of the story that involved them, especially the ending, left me with a huh?

Which brings me to the ending. After all that build up, anti-climax is a mild word for it. I found it too abrupt, and what really upset me was the cliff-hangers. What happened to Rhys, the other brother? Kit, Rue, Lia, Zane ..so many people I want to know about. . It wasn't really a cliff-ending as such, but it left a lot of things up in the air. Now I HAVE to read the next book. I would have anyway,  but being forced to due to abrupt endings is not a happy feeling.

I love that way Abé writes - poetry and prose all together. Each new book has new characters that have their own abilities and only add to the Drakon world. While not the best book from the 3 I've read so far, this is still a good book that'll keep you turning the pages till 3 in the morning. Do read in order of series to appreciate them though.


See my reviews of the previous books from this series:
Book 1 - The Smoke Thief
Book 2 - The Dream Thief