THE DRAGON TAMER by Ana Bosch

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Date published: February 2012
ISBN 978-1-61372-315-9
Fantasy/Paranormal
E-book
Reviewed by Helen
Helen
Weblink: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=55_555&products_id=2749
Obtained via publisher.


CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE! Drake, a dragon master of the tamer clan, saved the life of a youth burning with fever. Aedan, a fire mage, has dragon blood mingled with his own, creating a tempestuous and volatile personality. Though Drake was able to calm the tumult enough to give Aedan a few years of peace, he knew that as the boy came of age, the fire in him would ignite once more.

When, years later, the effects of his fiery impulses force Aedan from the mage clan, his path crosses Drake’s again. Once more taming Aedan with a connection that joins them body and soul, Drake promises to protect Aedan forever—but he fears the day when “forever” might come to an end.

This is a very unusual story set in a fascinating world of dragons, dragon tamers, mages, forgers (armorers), and scholars, all constantly at war with each other. As well as the unique world building, the story is told in a mixture of first and third person, which is also rather different from normal.

Aedan is a compelling character with many layers, and the reader becomes involved in his ups and downs, successes and failures. Drake, the story-teller, is also well drawn, although remains somewhat of a foil for Aedan.

Several minor characters pull at the heart-strings too; excellent work for such a short book, and, of course, the villain is suitably intriguing.

One annoying little part of the world building for me was that God and Hell were both capitalized in conversation as if they were a Christian theology, yet they also spoke of “the gods” as if it were a pantheistic world. Which is it? Or it is multifaceted?

However, I would really like to read more stories set in this world.

Please note, this is a Bittersweet Dreams title, not a traditional romance, and although it is an MM story it is not an erotic title.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.