Dragonmark

Dark-Hunter, Book #26

Lords of Avalon, Book #5

Were-Hunters, Book #9

By Sherrilyn Kenyon

ISBN# 9781250092403

Author’s Website:  www.mysherrilyn.com/

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Review

After the horrors humans had put him through, Illarion can’t stand their species.  As a child he was forced to fight as a mount in their battles.  They cut his vocal cords in an attempt to keep him from breathing fire.  It did nothing to stop his fire, but left him unable to talk or Bane-Cry to his brothers for help.  His brothers healed him, only later for the others to get their hands on he and Max and merge them with apollites, in an attempt to stop their curse.

Now, Illarion stays in his dragon form as much as possible.  He keeps to himself on his island guarding the treasures that have been entrusted to him.

Yet, every year he goes, in the disguise of an old beggar, to the St. George’s Day celebration. Every year he is turned away.  Until the year a young woman stands up for him and takes him inside for the festivities. 

Most of the humans want to curry favor with the dragons so they will protect their village.  They want to be selected as their mates even.  Edilyn is not like the humans though.  She wants to be a warrior and wants nothing to do with the dragons.

Illarion can’t keep his eyes off of Edilyn.  He sees how kind she is even when the others are so cruel to her.  And, when the humans are under attack, Illarion goes to her aide and asks her to be his mate.  She agrees.

However, they are transported into a fae realm, he can’t get them out of.  They live there for years fighting for survival.  And, Illarion loses everything he holds dear when Edilyn dies in his arms and is ripped away from him.  He has nothing to live for.

What would Illarion be willing to pay to get his love back?  The world may burn up in flames, but it may be worth it to him just to hold Edilyn in his arms again.

I was kind of excited to read this one, after reading Maxis’s book, Dragonbane.  Sadly, I didn’t like this one nearly as much.  Parts of it was hard to follow what was actually going on, especially when you’d get thrown into a memory.  It was not always clear it was a memory though.  And, parts of it were a repeat of what happened in Dragonbane, but including Illarion’s point-of-view (and the pov of others as well).  I felt Illarion got a bit cheated and only got a quarter of a story.  It seemed like Kenyon just phoned it in on this one.

I did like Illarion.  He’d been through so much at the hands of others.  I really felt horrible for him.  He was much kinder than I would have been, that’s for sure.

“See, this is what happens when you spend so much time around Max. I keep telling you bastards dumbass is contagious. Why don’t you listen to me?”

I enjoyed seeing some of my friends from the series, even if it was only for a brief time.  I really do hope there is a Savitar book either already written or in the works.  I need it.

I have to assume Falcyn’s book is next and I really hope it’s a new story and not another replay of the same events.