This is the first book of “The Dragon Blood Collection” by Lindsay Buroker. I found this series on Amazon, and thought it looked interesting. It did not have many reviews, but they were all positive, and it is a fantasy book written by a woman. Something of a rarity. I am always on the lookout for strong female leads, and this book did not disappoint. The two POV characters are Sardelle Tarushan, a 34 year old sorceress who has been trapped in stasis for 300 years, and Colonel Ridge Zirkander, a ‘fly by the seat of his pants’ fighter pilot. Romance obviously ensues. But there is more to the story than that.
Sardell’s main objective in the book is to rescue her sword, a soulblade that she was bonded to since becoming a full-fledged soceress. Her soulblade, named Jaxi, contains the spirit of a teenage girl, is trapped deep within a mountain. A mountain being mined for valuable ores and under tight watch by an enemy military. Ridge is the new commander of the whole operation, and comes from a culture that kills anyone with a hint of magical ability. It is a very Romeo and Juliet romance.
This book is written extremely well. There is a great balance between the hero’s journey and the hero’s romance. And it’s nice to read a romance that is based on more than just looks. I mean, both Sardelle and Ridge are attractive based on their descriptions. But there is also a mutual respect and rapport that develops between the two, before and canoodling ever happens.
Booktastik Reviews 