Dragon Blood Lindsay Buroker

J A Myers
Jul 3, 2017
4 min read

Book 1- BALANCED ON THE BLADE'S EDGE

I found these books on Amazon for free, so I thought, why the hell not! And I am glad I did. They were the best books I have read since I read Jon Graham's books.

You are first introduced to cocky, arrogant and intelligent Colonel Ridge Zirkander. He is a middle-aged man fighting a war between Iskandia and Cofah. To be quite honest with you, through the book it is very unclear if these places represent two countries in our own world, or if it is truly set on a whole new planet. I did only start questioning this halfway through the third book, so I don't believe it is a problem that the reader doesn't really know, it adds to the suspense and misses out the prudent description and background.

You are then introduced to the second main character, Sardelle Tershan. When you meet her she is trapped inside a cave without any knowledge of the last 300 hundred years, but a companion called Jaxi, who is a 14-year-old witch. Her soul has been bound to a sword, which had been passed to Sardelle through her training. I have to admit, Buroker has done and absolutely brilliant job in capturing a sassy 14-year-old mind and putting into a sword. The character does not miss a trick when talking to the other characters, whether she is pleasantly chatting away and adding in the much-needed comedy strip, or the snippy comments you would expect from a 14-year-old. I think it is been done brilliantly.

Following the two main characters through their story lines was such a twist and turn in every direction you could possibly believe. In every aspect of being a reader, I have been emotional all the way through, whether I have been upset by the arguments because I have felt exactly what the characters have felt, I have genuinely laughed out loud throughout the book. I found the injection of humour and sarcasm to be a lift in an otherwise serious world of war death and a cold harsh environment.

BOOK 2- DEATHMAKER

When I had finished the first book and started the second, I was sceptical at first because it introduced two different characters. Lieutenant Caslin Ahn had been mentioned in the first book a handful of times so it did make sense to follow her story line through. The second main character being introduced is called Tolemek "Deathmaker" Targoson, a pirate on the Cofah but also a scientist.

After reading the first few pages I was thoroughly invested in these two characters, I still enjoyed the first book, but the second was ripe with emotion and action. I have never looked forwards to a lunch break at work so much in my life, I would get to work early so I had ten or fifteen minutes to spare so I could read before hand.

Getting to know these two characters I was rooting for the two to get together half way through the book. I wanted them to come to terms with their differences and to accept that life works in mysterious ways. It was a strange thing to think that even those these are characters I can relate to their misfortunes and some of their flaws. While Cas is a fighter piolet with a wicked aim, she really did just want to be loved by someone, she needed that connection with someone who was willing to give her space and the room to breathe. But Tolemek, he was a troubled soul, who just needed the time to find what he was looking for (I won't give away the game and tell you what!).

The story line between the two became my life for the two weeks I was reading it. I just wanted to get to the end to see if they really did get their happy ending. I loved the straightforward thinking of Cas. Even from the very first sentence, you knew the character didn't dwell on the problems, she focused her energy on finding solutions. She wasn't overly optimistic, but I think that brings a sort of real life to the character. she becomes a real person in a word the reader can only see and not interact with.

BOOK 3- BLOOD CHARGED

I was impressed. That's all I can say. I was sad to finish it, I stopped for a day before I finished reading the last 20 pages. I prepared myself for the ending. I didn't even want to assume what was going to happen because, at every point of my assuming which way the plot was going to go, I had been wrong. In these case, I love being wrong! It shows the writer has done their research, they have taken their time with the books and found every pathway they can go onto at every junction.

I enjoyed the fact that all found of the much-loved characters come together in one book. They all work together and even though they are differences and tensions, they manage to put them aside for the better good. With every problem that arose I become more and more invested in them, I wanted them to succeed. It is very rare that I love every single one of the characters in a series, but actually, Buroker gives us a reason to love them, even Jaxi who is a sword! I absolutely love her character. I don't want to say she is my favourite because Sardelle handles Ridge and his mood swings perfectly, but then Tolemek has such respect and fear for Sardelle it's just beautiful when others dislike her. But I feel comforted by the relationship between Ridge and Cas, a brother-sister bond I can relate to through my own family.

These three books are incredible. I could go on for days and days telling you about every aspect of perfection, but I won't because you probably don't believe me. So I suggest you get on to Amazon and you read it! It deserves to be read and loved.