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The Tale of Lanen Kaelar #1
Song in the Silence
Lanen Kaelar has spent her life being told just how wrongheaded and foolish she is by her entire family. When Lanen's father dies, she chooses to leave her abusive relatives and search out the great dragons she has always dreamed of, though she knows what she seeks may not be real.
But those who hold true power know that prophecies have been told of Lanen Kaelar since before her birth. They fear the destiny she may fulfill, the mysteries she may unravel--and the strange and terrifying love she may find on the legendary Dragon Isle.
But those who hold true power know that prophecies have been told of Lanen Kaelar since before her birth. They fear the destiny she may fulfill, the mysteries she may unravel--and the strange and terrifying love she may find on the legendary Dragon Isle.
401 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
114 people are currently reading
6765 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Kerner
5 books195 followersElizabeth Kerner (1958–) is a fantasy writer. She is the author of Song in the Silence, The Lesser Kindred, and Redeeming the Lost, the initial trilogy of a series based upon humans re-establishing contact with dragons, who fled mortal lands thousands of years ago for reasons unknown.
An American by birth, she moved to Scotland in 1976 to attend the University of St. Andrews. She obtained an MA (Hons) in English Language and Literature in 1981. She has since lived in New Orleans, East Sussex, Edinburgh, Hilo (Hawai'i), Forest Grove (Oregon) and Edinburgh again. Her day jobs have included being apprenticed to a variety of folk (mostly in Hilo) — a gold-smith, a book binder, and a short career as an assistant furniture and artwork restorer. In 1995 she moved back to her beloved Edinburgh, since which time she has spent 6 years, on and off, as a copy-editor on Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, a cutting-edge astronomy journal. In 2002 she married Dr Steven Beard, continuing the astronomy connection. They presently live with two cats in a small town on the Firth of Forth.
She is currently working on the next three books in the Kolmar series, the first due out from Tor Books in 2011
An American by birth, she moved to Scotland in 1976 to attend the University of St. Andrews. She obtained an MA (Hons) in English Language and Literature in 1981. She has since lived in New Orleans, East Sussex, Edinburgh, Hilo (Hawai'i), Forest Grove (Oregon) and Edinburgh again. Her day jobs have included being apprenticed to a variety of folk (mostly in Hilo) — a gold-smith, a book binder, and a short career as an assistant furniture and artwork restorer. In 1995 she moved back to her beloved Edinburgh, since which time she has spent 6 years, on and off, as a copy-editor on Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, a cutting-edge astronomy journal. In 2002 she married Dr Steven Beard, continuing the astronomy connection. They presently live with two cats in a small town on the Firth of Forth.
She is currently working on the next three books in the Kolmar series, the first due out from Tor Books in 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
June 10, 2009
This book is a total fluff book. And I love it to pieces.
As a young teen, I scoured the library for every fantasy book involving dragons. I loved dragon fantasies like some other people like werewolves or vampires (I'm looking at you, Twilight fans!). And some of these books were very silly and fluffy. But they usually didn't have too much romance, because I thought romance was altogether too gooey and distracted too much from the much more important business of fighting monsters and having adventures.
This book, however, is a gooey dragon romance story, exactly the thing I hated, and somehow it manages to be awesome anyway. Along with "The Last Dragonlord" it was the mainstay of my fantasy romance comfort books.
Let me explain.
The story centers around Lanen Kaelar, (who actually turns out to have a couple other last names, but Kaelar is her Awesome Adventuring Name she picked for herself) who is in her mid-late 20's, unmarried, and has spent her whole life stuck on a farm, dreaming of adventure. When her father dies she takes her money and her skills with a blade (she was trained in the dead of night by her father-figure the stablehand, of course) and sets off for her dream adventure to the Dragon Isle, which can only be reached every 100 years because the storms wreck the ships otherwise.
Once there, she ends up in a plot with a demon-lord bargaining for her life (who may or may not be her real father), meeting and eventually falling in love with a dragon, who is in fact the King of the dragons (and the only one of the dragons who is silver). There is gooey romance and also a lot of pretty epic fight scenes, spies and former thieves and badass old people.
The plot of this book sounds like the worst kind of Mary Sue wish-fulfilling fanfic fluff, but it succeeds because it treats its characters as real and sensible people. People who, in fact, shout at the plot, "WTF is going on, this situation is ridiculous!" (Notably the heroine and the dragon, who both acknowledge it's insane to fall in love with someone completely the wrong species.) The gods answer back, "Shut up, we know what we're doing." But at least the characters wonder.
It's a really nice book and offers some nice explanation for typical dragon mythos (like why dragons really sleep on gold) and offers an impressive look at dragons as an actual society with its own culture. In addition to totally fluffy romance. Fantastic.
As a young teen, I scoured the library for every fantasy book involving dragons. I loved dragon fantasies like some other people like werewolves or vampires (I'm looking at you, Twilight fans!). And some of these books were very silly and fluffy. But they usually didn't have too much romance, because I thought romance was altogether too gooey and distracted too much from the much more important business of fighting monsters and having adventures.
This book, however, is a gooey dragon romance story, exactly the thing I hated, and somehow it manages to be awesome anyway. Along with "The Last Dragonlord" it was the mainstay of my fantasy romance comfort books.
Let me explain.
The story centers around Lanen Kaelar, (who actually turns out to have a couple other last names, but Kaelar is her Awesome Adventuring Name she picked for herself) who is in her mid-late 20's, unmarried, and has spent her whole life stuck on a farm, dreaming of adventure. When her father dies she takes her money and her skills with a blade (she was trained in the dead of night by her father-figure the stablehand, of course) and sets off for her dream adventure to the Dragon Isle, which can only be reached every 100 years because the storms wreck the ships otherwise.
Once there, she ends up in a plot with a demon-lord bargaining for her life (who may or may not be her real father), meeting and eventually falling in love with a dragon, who is in fact the King of the dragons (and the only one of the dragons who is silver). There is gooey romance and also a lot of pretty epic fight scenes, spies and former thieves and badass old people.
The plot of this book sounds like the worst kind of Mary Sue wish-fulfilling fanfic fluff, but it succeeds because it treats its characters as real and sensible people. People who, in fact, shout at the plot, "WTF is going on, this situation is ridiculous!" (Notably the heroine and the dragon, who both acknowledge it's insane to fall in love with someone completely the wrong species.) The gods answer back, "Shut up, we know what we're doing." But at least the characters wonder.
It's a really nice book and offers some nice explanation for typical dragon mythos (like why dragons really sleep on gold) and offers an impressive look at dragons as an actual society with its own culture. In addition to totally fluffy romance. Fantastic.
July 23, 2018
[1.5 stars] A Song in the Silence had a lot of problems.
Not the least of which included a narration that kept forgetting its parameters, a plot that dragged for days, and a bizarre instalove that then (ironically) proceeded to dominate most of the page count. The story was riddled with “wtf?” moments and more than a handful of “just go with it”s.
And yet, I managed not to DNF it.
The overall story was just interesting enough to keep me reading. The basic writing was… actually pretty decent if you’re only taking into account how well the words flew off the page. Before I started having issues with the plot, the slow beginning didn’t feel like a big deal because I found the writing immersive and relaxing.
It was just such an oddly constructed book. I don’t think half of the convenient plot-advancing ideas within it would hold up in today’s competitive fantasy market. I also think the meat of the story could’ve been told beautifully in about 150 pages instead of 400. It spend a great deal of time hashing and rehashing concepts, all of which felt unnecessary. I seldom have patience for endless discussion in books, even if it involves dragons.
Ultimately, the writing, general appreciation for the unconventionality of the book, and a mild curiosity where things would end up kept me reading, but it was a close thing. I can’t say as though I’m thrilled I made it all the way through (I started speed reading at the 80% mark just to get it over with), because of how much time it took me to get there.
Series status: after a lengthy debate (which involved a blog post you’ll never see because I made up my mind before it went live), I decided to abandon this series. I snooped around Goodreads to see if I could find some spoilery reviews for the next two books. As it turns out, I’m not missing much. Had I read on I was most definitely in for another 600 pages of the elements I didn’t like about this one. These books will be donated. :)
Recommendations: This book is not very recommendable from my point of view. Most of the books I had this many issues with were DNFs, so I guess it had some redeeming qualities, but none that I could endorse. I will say that it hit me out of the blue as a fantasy romance tale, a genre I’m not well-read in, so if you like books of that variety you might have better luck with it than I did.
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other books you might like (…better?):
Not the least of which included a narration that kept forgetting its parameters, a plot that dragged for days, and a bizarre instalove that then (ironically) proceeded to dominate most of the page count. The story was riddled with “wtf?” moments and more than a handful of “just go with it”s.
And yet, I managed not to DNF it.
The overall story was just interesting enough to keep me reading. The basic writing was… actually pretty decent if you’re only taking into account how well the words flew off the page. Before I started having issues with the plot, the slow beginning didn’t feel like a big deal because I found the writing immersive and relaxing.
It was just such an oddly constructed book. I don’t think half of the convenient plot-advancing ideas within it would hold up in today’s competitive fantasy market. I also think the meat of the story could’ve been told beautifully in about 150 pages instead of 400. It spend a great deal of time hashing and rehashing concepts, all of which felt unnecessary. I seldom have patience for endless discussion in books, even if it involves dragons.
Ultimately, the writing, general appreciation for the unconventionality of the book, and a mild curiosity where things would end up kept me reading, but it was a close thing. I can’t say as though I’m thrilled I made it all the way through (I started speed reading at the 80% mark just to get it over with), because of how much time it took me to get there.
Series status: after a lengthy debate (which involved a blog post you’ll never see because I made up my mind before it went live), I decided to abandon this series. I snooped around Goodreads to see if I could find some spoilery reviews for the next two books. As it turns out, I’m not missing much. Had I read on I was most definitely in for another 600 pages of the elements I didn’t like about this one. These books will be donated. :)
Recommendations: This book is not very recommendable from my point of view. Most of the books I had this many issues with were DNFs, so I guess it had some redeeming qualities, but none that I could endorse. I will say that it hit me out of the blue as a fantasy romance tale, a genre I’m not well-read in, so if you like books of that variety you might have better luck with it than I did.
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other books you might like (…better?):
March 8, 2012
All of you who love science fiction, a fantastic plot, a tear jerking love story, and beautiful imagery and writing all rolled into one... look no further. This series has it all, and Elizabeth Kerner had me hooked within the first page. The tale of Lanen as she follows her dreams to the dragon isle is one that I revisit often. It never fails to invoke the same emotional reaction it always did, appealing to me both as a young adult(when I first read it), and an adult(When I read it the second... third... and fourth times). Stunning imagery stands next to an equally exciting plot, with twists and turns along the way to take you to an eventual mad scramble for the next book in this amazing series. A five of five for sure, and a highly recommended read for all lovers of dragons and followers of their dreams.
September 10, 2013
Song in the Silence is a straightforward pursuing-a-dream journey story that avoids the chest-thumping conventions of typical epic fantasy capital-Q Quests. Kerner's heroine has feminine goals and strengths, rather than succeeding like a male hero would. Perhaps when writing this story in the early 1990s, Kerner was sick of fantasy women warriors who, no matter how skilled, were still inevitably portrayed as busty sex goddesses in leather lingerie, and wanted to create a different kind of female fantasy hero. (The novel's cover art sadly still has a midriff baring and breast-baring peekaboo top, but Lanen's picture is the closest to pratical travel wear of any woman on an epic fantasy cover I'd seen by 1996). Kerner's commitment to feminine strength goes beyond the overarching theme of Lanen questing to talk to and understand dragons rather than wanting to slay them and claim their treasure. Along the way Kerner highlights Lanen's courageous compassion, her honesty with herself and her awareness of the feelings of others, her bravery in venturing beyond her comfort zone and her willingness to learn, her ability to detect and avoid being manipulated, and her ability to convince, not simply confront, her opponents. Although she starts her journey naive from a sheltered life, Lanen learns quickly and makes a number of reasoned, intelligent decisions that avoid typical quest story traps, both the male (ego) and female (emotionality). I rarely have seen so thoughtful and answer to the question what would it be like to be on the hero's journey as a woman?
Now don't worry, the story isn't too feminine. There are plenty of foundering ships and hulking dragons and other adventures, even some gruesome gore. You spend plenty of time in the story reading the perspective of the dragons, the villians, and others. Kerner's storytelling is smooth despire the frequent changes in point of view, probably because Kerner doesn't overuse the pov-switch cliffhanger.
The main detractor for some readers will be the central male dragon - human woman relationship. Remember that the story was published in 1996, well before the Twilight era. At the time paranormal romance was a section of the used bookstore to giggle over, not a blockbuster YA market with its own shelf at B&N. The relevant comparison at the time was dragon-loving vs. dragonslaying, not to all the other kinds of yearing for the impossible couples (girl & vampire, girl & werewolf, etc., etc.,)that we have today. But if the very idea of one more story featuring 'the impossible Other' soulmates makes you want to chuck the book, this story is not for you! I hear you, I'm sick of that trope too, but even despite it this story has won a lasting place on my bookshelves. Recommended for fans of Mercedes Lackey, Anne McCaffrey and Andre Norton.
Now don't worry, the story isn't too feminine. There are plenty of foundering ships and hulking dragons and other adventures, even some gruesome gore. You spend plenty of time in the story reading the perspective of the dragons, the villians, and others. Kerner's storytelling is smooth despire the frequent changes in point of view, probably because Kerner doesn't overuse the pov-switch cliffhanger.
The main detractor for some readers will be the central male dragon - human woman relationship. Remember that the story was published in 1996, well before the Twilight era. At the time paranormal romance was a section of the used bookstore to giggle over, not a blockbuster YA market with its own shelf at B&N. The relevant comparison at the time was dragon-loving vs. dragonslaying, not to all the other kinds of yearing for the impossible couples (girl & vampire, girl & werewolf, etc., etc.,)that we have today. But if the very idea of one more story featuring 'the impossible Other' soulmates makes you want to chuck the book, this story is not for you! I hear you, I'm sick of that trope too, but even despite it this story has won a lasting place on my bookshelves. Recommended for fans of Mercedes Lackey, Anne McCaffrey and Andre Norton.
May 1, 2007
One of my first favorite books recommded to me by a friend. After re-reading it several times, I'm able to pick out the good and the bad. 1.) The characters are absolutely lovable and cherishable. Their personalities shine radiantly through Kerner's writing. 2.) The story is compelling and romantic...though perhaps a little too neatly wrapped up. But a happy ending will please most audiences. 3.) The writing, in and of itself, is not perfect...But this can be overlooked by the former 2 points.
The portrayal of the dragons was what drew me in, ultimately. Sentient, intelligent beings is how I have always seen them. This book brings that out.
The portrayal of the dragons was what drew me in, ultimately. Sentient, intelligent beings is how I have always seen them. This book brings that out.
January 9, 2021
I was scrolling through my books and saw this book cover, and for the life of me, I couldn't remember reading this book. I guessed this was one of my skimmed books but I couldn't remember why.
Lonely horse-breeder, Lanen Kaeler, has dreams of meeting legendary dragons. Once her silent father dies, Lanen pursues her dream but also learns of her own lost history, and her mother's blood debt to a demon. She eventually meets and falls in love with the Dragon king and changes the nature of dragon/human relationship forever.
The 2nd go around felt mostly the same, drudging through awkward narratives, multi-POV's, boring characters, unbelievably superficial insta- love, and heavy-handed world-building that just put me to sleep...again. But the potential for a somewhat interesting storyline is there. Besides the very obvious wish fulfillment of an ordinary girl loving and transforming a sentient beast, I am glad that I gave this book another look through.
Lonely horse-breeder, Lanen Kaeler, has dreams of meeting legendary dragons. Once her silent father dies, Lanen pursues her dream but also learns of her own lost history, and her mother's blood debt to a demon. She eventually meets and falls in love with the Dragon king and changes the nature of dragon/human relationship forever.
The 2nd go around felt mostly the same, drudging through awkward narratives, multi-POV's, boring characters, unbelievably superficial insta- love, and heavy-handed world-building that just put me to sleep...again. But the potential for a somewhat interesting storyline is there. Besides the very obvious wish fulfillment of an ordinary girl loving and transforming a sentient beast, I am glad that I gave this book another look through.
April 4, 2013
This book had kind of a slow start, but once it got going it was an absolute joy to read.
It put me in mind of Mercedes Lackey's early Valdemar books or The Fairy Godmother, tending toward the tone of the latter; there's a mix of conversation, mundane "living life" moments, and fantastical action. Also, like the books I mentioned, a romance story features as central to the plot and a lot of time is spent on it, though it doesn't become the whole story like in Romeo and Juliet.
The ending may come off as a bit Deus Ex Machina, but if you pay attention to the story it's clear that the seemingly "quick fix" has a lot more epic meaning associated with it that is no doubt explored in the later books.
Practical side note: I was pleasantly surprised to find a book this old available as an e-book.
It put me in mind of Mercedes Lackey's early Valdemar books or The Fairy Godmother, tending toward the tone of the latter; there's a mix of conversation, mundane "living life" moments, and fantastical action. Also, like the books I mentioned, a romance story features as central to the plot and a lot of time is spent on it, though it doesn't become the whole story like in Romeo and Juliet.
The ending may come off as a bit Deus Ex Machina, but if you pay attention to the story it's clear that the seemingly "quick fix" has a lot more epic meaning associated with it that is no doubt explored in the later books.
Practical side note: I was pleasantly surprised to find a book this old available as an e-book.
October 1, 2017
So I believe I bought this book over 2 years ago...maybe more. I got about 1/4 in..stopped because the plot was going nowhere and the sugary, over the top language was giving me a headache. HOWEVER, I love dragons and dragon-related books so told myself I'd get back to it...hehehe...Forgot about it until I was browsing my Kindle and realized I never finished the book. I tried starting again from where I left off...and again I was bored to tears...This is like the dragon-version of Twilight but without the sparkles...Seriously, I couldn't take it..and I love dragons..they make me smile...but not even dragons could make me like this book.
January 2, 2014
Song in the Silence by Elizabeth Kerner is a bardic high fantasy about a young woman believing in legends and finding much more than she ever hoped possible, including adventure, demons, dragons and love of an unexpected variety
This was a Guest Post over at Once Upon A Time and I’m reposting just in case you missed it :)
When I was at the library a few months ago I saw a pamphlet celebrating Dragon Week and squeed with delight. OMG all I LOVE dragons :D. So I decided to look for one of the titles that I hadn’t read (not very many, ha) that looked interesting: Song in the Silence by Elizabeth Kerner. And so began an adventure of bardic proportions!
Goodreads
Title: Song in the Silence
Author: Elizabeth Kerner
Pages: 416
Genre-ish: High Fantasy through and through
Rating: ★★★★☆ - Interesting story, slow pace
Setting: Song in the Silence is set in a fantasy world where large but dumb reptiles are called dragons, but legends tell of an island full of riches beyond imagining, and more importantly, intelligent and beautiful True Dragons.
Premise: Lanen is a young woman who has just lost her uncle (who raised her from a babe) and has found herself comfortably provided for by his horse business. She finally has the opportunity to follow her dreams and find out if the True Dragons really exist, though of course the journey to get there involves crossing a sea which no ship has made it across in about a hundred years….
Strengths:
Very interesting and unexpected spin on the romance element
Strong and beautifully imperfect female lead (Lanen is rather plain and taller than many men, awesome!)
Seeing as this is listed as #1 of a series, the lore foundation that is laid is really promising and I will definitely find the second book to continue the larger plot that was started
An authentic bardic style telling, with archaic phrasing and a slower pace, very classic fantasy style
Weaknesses:
That last strength (which I was honestly impressed by) also becomes a weakness if you aren’t in the mood for a slow pace, since this book definitely relaxes more than compels
The main plot of the book wasn’t clear for a chunk of the beginning, which leaves the reader feeling a bit lost, but hang in there!
The same authentic bardic feel includes phrasing and some vocabulary that is a little difficult to understand if you are reading fast. I found myself going back over sentences here and there, but it was worth it :)
Summary:
I really enjoyed the story and absolutely LOVED the characters of Song in the Silence and really look forward to reading more from Elizabeth Kerner, but this book is definitely more of a project book than something to take on a trip. It will likely take you a little bit of time but it really is worth it to push through the slower parts. Kerner’s style reminded me heavily of Tolkien’s at various points, though with less large descriptive chunks ;-).
This was a Guest Post over at Once Upon A Time and I’m reposting just in case you missed it :)
When I was at the library a few months ago I saw a pamphlet celebrating Dragon Week and squeed with delight. OMG all I LOVE dragons :D. So I decided to look for one of the titles that I hadn’t read (not very many, ha) that looked interesting: Song in the Silence by Elizabeth Kerner. And so began an adventure of bardic proportions!
Goodreads
Title: Song in the Silence
Author: Elizabeth Kerner
Pages: 416
Genre-ish: High Fantasy through and through
Rating: ★★★★☆ - Interesting story, slow pace
Setting: Song in the Silence is set in a fantasy world where large but dumb reptiles are called dragons, but legends tell of an island full of riches beyond imagining, and more importantly, intelligent and beautiful True Dragons.
Premise: Lanen is a young woman who has just lost her uncle (who raised her from a babe) and has found herself comfortably provided for by his horse business. She finally has the opportunity to follow her dreams and find out if the True Dragons really exist, though of course the journey to get there involves crossing a sea which no ship has made it across in about a hundred years….
Strengths:
Very interesting and unexpected spin on the romance element
Strong and beautifully imperfect female lead (Lanen is rather plain and taller than many men, awesome!)
Seeing as this is listed as #1 of a series, the lore foundation that is laid is really promising and I will definitely find the second book to continue the larger plot that was started
An authentic bardic style telling, with archaic phrasing and a slower pace, very classic fantasy style
Weaknesses:
That last strength (which I was honestly impressed by) also becomes a weakness if you aren’t in the mood for a slow pace, since this book definitely relaxes more than compels
The main plot of the book wasn’t clear for a chunk of the beginning, which leaves the reader feeling a bit lost, but hang in there!
The same authentic bardic feel includes phrasing and some vocabulary that is a little difficult to understand if you are reading fast. I found myself going back over sentences here and there, but it was worth it :)
Summary:
I really enjoyed the story and absolutely LOVED the characters of Song in the Silence and really look forward to reading more from Elizabeth Kerner, but this book is definitely more of a project book than something to take on a trip. It will likely take you a little bit of time but it really is worth it to push through the slower parts. Kerner’s style reminded me heavily of Tolkien’s at various points, though with less large descriptive chunks ;-).
abandoned
May 22, 2014So many books, so little time! I think I am done with this one, not so much because after 70 pages very little had happened as because the protagonist is just too stupid to live. She finds out that she might be the daughter of a guy who's promised to sacrifice the life of his firstborn child in exchange for power. Mere days after this revelation, she decides it would be a good idea to hang out with a strange older man who seems unduly interested in her (we've already established that she's not that attractive, but looks a lot like her mom), and who shares at least some of the traits of this villain as he's been described to her. Not only that, she tells him exactly when she was born! You know, just so he can confirm that she was in fact conceived at the right time to be his offspring. This woman is 24 years old! I'm quite sure I had more sense than that at half her age.
I was also amused at the very long conversation that establishes all this backstory - or more precisely, the fact that while it took me about half an hour to read, it apparently took the characters all day to have. How slowly do these people talk?
I was also amused at the very long conversation that establishes all this backstory - or more precisely, the fact that while it took me about half an hour to read, it apparently took the characters all day to have. How slowly do these people talk?
February 2, 2013
I picked up this book second hand from a charity shop. I picked it up, examined it, put it down and walked away from it. But I kept thinking about about, so I went back and bought it. It's magic was already working on me.
What magic? Something about the title, the cover, the map, the beginning of the story, the voice of Lanen. They all spoke to me from the beginning, and I was spellbound.
On page 76 came my Great Criticism. I had soaked Lanen into me, and for 76 pages we had followed her, in her voice alone, and then, suddenly, there came another voice, and then another! Half pages each, startling, jarring, and disturbing. I hadn't seen this perspective change coming, and it shook me. But later, as such changes became expected, and frequent, I adapted.
Lanen was born at Hadronsstead, a horse farm in the northwest of the Kingdom of Ilsa, which is the farthest west of the Four Kingdoms of Kolmar.
Lanen has a hidden history, a dangerous future, and a dream. A dream of Dragons. And this is the beginning of her tale.
It is a tale well worth reading.
What magic? Something about the title, the cover, the map, the beginning of the story, the voice of Lanen. They all spoke to me from the beginning, and I was spellbound.
On page 76 came my Great Criticism. I had soaked Lanen into me, and for 76 pages we had followed her, in her voice alone, and then, suddenly, there came another voice, and then another! Half pages each, startling, jarring, and disturbing. I hadn't seen this perspective change coming, and it shook me. But later, as such changes became expected, and frequent, I adapted.
Lanen was born at Hadronsstead, a horse farm in the northwest of the Kingdom of Ilsa, which is the farthest west of the Four Kingdoms of Kolmar.
Lanen has a hidden history, a dangerous future, and a dream. A dream of Dragons. And this is the beginning of her tale.
It is a tale well worth reading.
July 31, 2017
I completely forgot that I read this book already...but OH WELL!!!
April 19, 2020
For some reason it's hard to quantify what I liked about this book. It's definitely not a groundbreaking fantasy book, and it's full of 90s campiness that a fantasy snob would turn their nose at. Maybe that's precisely why I liked it. It's not often these days, that you get to romp around a fantsy setting without some very serious threat that we have to solve. Not that this book doesn't have a villain and his requisite henchmen, but it only gets dark at a select few moments, while the rest always has some light-heartedness beneath it all.
The main character, Lanen, is smart an witty. She's a dreamer, but still has an air of practicality about her. Of course, the fact that she can her dreams so quickly is a bit of a stretch. That's made up for by the fact that once she gets there, it's an uphill battle. The challenge that Lanen faces feels mind boggling and how she keep her coll is astonishing.
My one biiger problem with the book was the shift in character perspective. Usually this wouldn't bother me, but in this book it's made clear that this is an older Lanen in the future recounting the events of her youth. The change in perspective makes no sense in that respect. It felt a bit like the author realized halfway through the book that Lanen's POV wasn't enough to tell the story, but was too attached to the initial premise to cut it or rework it. Maybe I missed something, but still it peeved me a bit.
Overall, I would have liked this to be longer in some places, but it's still solid as it is. Not an amazing book, but still a fun one.
Quotes I liked:
"What good I thoguh I could do, all alone, against thousands of years of mistrust and the power of a Demonlord, I cannot now imagine, but such are the dreams of youth, too gloriously stupid to realize what cannot be done. And without those dreams, hoe should we ever accomplish the imposssible?"
The main character, Lanen, is smart an witty. She's a dreamer, but still has an air of practicality about her. Of course, the fact that she can her dreams so quickly is a bit of a stretch. That's made up for by the fact that once she gets there, it's an uphill battle. The challenge that Lanen faces feels mind boggling and how she keep her coll is astonishing.
My one biiger problem with the book was the shift in character perspective. Usually this wouldn't bother me, but in this book it's made clear that this is an older Lanen in the future recounting the events of her youth. The change in perspective makes no sense in that respect. It felt a bit like the author realized halfway through the book that Lanen's POV wasn't enough to tell the story, but was too attached to the initial premise to cut it or rework it. Maybe I missed something, but still it peeved me a bit.
Overall, I would have liked this to be longer in some places, but it's still solid as it is. Not an amazing book, but still a fun one.
Quotes I liked:
"What good I thoguh I could do, all alone, against thousands of years of mistrust and the power of a Demonlord, I cannot now imagine, but such are the dreams of youth, too gloriously stupid to realize what cannot be done. And without those dreams, hoe should we ever accomplish the imposssible?"
August 11, 2009
There are a lot of dragon stories out there; tons of fantasy and sci-fi fiction about people and dragons, magic, sorcerers, demons, quests. It's pretty basic. But this novel stood out, maybe because I hadn't heard about it before or since I read it. And I really, really liked it.
Lanen Kaelar is a helper on her family's farm...until her father dies and she is set free. Off in search of adventure, accompanied by the roguish Jamie, who essentially raised her, Lanen heads for the coast. In her mind, she is determined to find the fabled Dragon Isle, where legends say the exiled true dragons still live. Ever since her youth, Lanen has felt a powerful connection to dragons, and she believes she is meant to have some kind of kinship with these legendary creatures she so reveres.
But when Lanen's arduous journey finally brings her to the Isle, she will become embroiled in more conflict than she can imagine. A demon sorcerer in disguise who needs her for a dark ritual. A kingdom of wise, stubborn, and intelligent dragons living in secret, whose world is shattered by Lanen's arrival. And the Silver King of the dragons himself, Akor, who finds himself drawn, against all laws of human, dragon, and nature, to the fiery Lanen Kaelar.
Forbidden love, complex cultures and histories of human and dragon, well-done characters, really nasty villians, and an interesting narrative style that rotates perspective every few pages among at least six different characters, this novel was different than any "dragon fantasy" I've ever read. And because of its little-known status, I try to recommend it as often as I can.
Lanen Kaelar is a helper on her family's farm...until her father dies and she is set free. Off in search of adventure, accompanied by the roguish Jamie, who essentially raised her, Lanen heads for the coast. In her mind, she is determined to find the fabled Dragon Isle, where legends say the exiled true dragons still live. Ever since her youth, Lanen has felt a powerful connection to dragons, and she believes she is meant to have some kind of kinship with these legendary creatures she so reveres.
But when Lanen's arduous journey finally brings her to the Isle, she will become embroiled in more conflict than she can imagine. A demon sorcerer in disguise who needs her for a dark ritual. A kingdom of wise, stubborn, and intelligent dragons living in secret, whose world is shattered by Lanen's arrival. And the Silver King of the dragons himself, Akor, who finds himself drawn, against all laws of human, dragon, and nature, to the fiery Lanen Kaelar.
Forbidden love, complex cultures and histories of human and dragon, well-done characters, really nasty villians, and an interesting narrative style that rotates perspective every few pages among at least six different characters, this novel was different than any "dragon fantasy" I've ever read. And because of its little-known status, I try to recommend it as often as I can.
October 16, 2017
I honestly really enjoyed this book. It's one of the few that has drawn me in, in a long time. Lanen is a woman who has spent her entire life living under someone else's thumb, and after his death, she decides to finally strike out on her own. She dreams of dragons, crazy as that may be, and something about it calls her. And so she goes and has an adventure, faced with insane odds and unreal dilemmas that strike at her along the way:
1. Promised to a demon and nearly killed.
2. Meets and befriends a dragon.
3. Falls in love.
4. And returns.
I loved Lanen's curiosity...and how she was not overly girly--maybe even a bit of a tomboy.
I loved Rella--the curious, odd sort of old woman that she is, but know knows much more and is much more than she lets on.
I despised Marik--for all his being.
And adored Akor, borne again as Varien.
It made me laugh, it made me sad, but more importantly, it kept me interested. That's something anything new had yet to do in over 4 or 5 years, maybe more. It had stopped reading and this has me at it again. It felt like it did my first time reading Eragon again. And I hope it will not be the last.
1. Promised to a demon and nearly killed.
2. Meets and befriends a dragon.
3. Falls in love.
4. And returns.
I loved Lanen's curiosity...and how she was not overly girly--maybe even a bit of a tomboy.
I loved Rella--the curious, odd sort of old woman that she is, but know knows much more and is much more than she lets on.
I despised Marik--for all his being.
And adored Akor, borne again as Varien.
It made me laugh, it made me sad, but more importantly, it kept me interested. That's something anything new had yet to do in over 4 or 5 years, maybe more. It had stopped reading and this has me at it again. It felt like it did my first time reading Eragon again. And I hope it will not be the last.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2020
This was my favorite book when I was about 13, and my experience of rereading it was not unlike the experience of that food critic in Ratatouille when he ate the titular food.
A delight to read. Takes me back to a time when I believed in dragons and constantly dreamed about meeting them. Lanen Kaelar was my kindred spirit.
I found the plot predictable, but that might just be because I'd read it before. It certainly makes use of a lot of common fantasy tropes, but there's enough unique elements that I didn't really mind.
Docked half a star because I found the frequent perspective shifts jarring. Switching between the minds of different characters, often multiple times in the same scene, felt unnecessary, and distracted from the story in places.
But that's really my only complaint. Can't wait to reread the sequels.
A delight to read. Takes me back to a time when I believed in dragons and constantly dreamed about meeting them. Lanen Kaelar was my kindred spirit.
I found the plot predictable, but that might just be because I'd read it before. It certainly makes use of a lot of common fantasy tropes, but there's enough unique elements that I didn't really mind.
Docked half a star because I found the frequent perspective shifts jarring. Switching between the minds of different characters, often multiple times in the same scene, felt unnecessary, and distracted from the story in places.
But that's really my only complaint. Can't wait to reread the sequels.
January 2, 2011
Dragons, and a strong female protagonist, what more could I ask for?
A female protagonist is important for me (sorry, I really do not mean to be offensive with that, it's just the way I enjoy the books I read), and friendship between dragons and humans is a winner with me too.
A female protagonist is important for me (sorry, I really do not mean to be offensive with that, it's just the way I enjoy the books I read), and friendship between dragons and humans is a winner with me too.
January 18, 2023
Lanen is a girl who dreams of dragons.
Akhor is a dragon who dreams of meeting humans.
Lanen Kaelar is a farm girl of mysterious parentage who dreams of adventure beyond the family farm. There are no surprises here, and I anticipated nearly every major plot point long before it happened. It’s textbook hero’s journey. We all know this story.
But somehow, this book compelled me. I knew exactly where it was going but there’s a comfort in that. Yes, the romance is sappy, and a confession of love comes after two meetings. But it was well told with some sharp worldbuilding. It is silly that the King of the Dragons falls instantly in love with the first human he meets? Absolutely. Is it kind of charming? Yes.
I enjoyed the cultural exchanges between Akhor and Lanen, and learning about the dragon’s language and history. There’s some beautiful prose, and despite the predictability, I was never bored. There’s a lot of lore dumping at the beginning, as well as scenes of the protagonist falling for a REALLY OBVIOUS trap, which is INFURIATING. The story takes a couple chapters to get to going. Personally I love traveling scenes (blame Tolkien) so I didn’t mind. Things start to pick up once she gets to Dragon Isle.
There’s a sequel hook and some juicy pieces of lore that I’m waiting to be expanded on, so I’m hoping the sequel will forge a slightly more original path. There’s a lot to explore so I’m optimistic.
I stumbled upon this book by accident. I was just wandering the library. Normally I hear about books by word of mouth, or I’ll pick something that catches my eye in a bookstore or the racks at target. I’ve been bored lately tho so I decided to head to the library and wander the stacks till I found something interesting. I would have never found this book otherwise as I’m not even sure it’s still in print. The author’s website re directs to a medical page. When I went to inter library loan the sequel, it wasn’t even in my network; I had to order it from the state catalogue. And that’s why libraries are so important. Now someone across the state is going to have to pluck this book from the stacks and send it my way, which is a beautiful thing. For now I’m waiting
Akhor is a dragon who dreams of meeting humans.
Lanen Kaelar is a farm girl of mysterious parentage who dreams of adventure beyond the family farm. There are no surprises here, and I anticipated nearly every major plot point long before it happened. It’s textbook hero’s journey. We all know this story.
But somehow, this book compelled me. I knew exactly where it was going but there’s a comfort in that. Yes, the romance is sappy, and a confession of love comes after two meetings. But it was well told with some sharp worldbuilding. It is silly that the King of the Dragons falls instantly in love with the first human he meets? Absolutely. Is it kind of charming? Yes.
I enjoyed the cultural exchanges between Akhor and Lanen, and learning about the dragon’s language and history. There’s some beautiful prose, and despite the predictability, I was never bored. There’s a lot of lore dumping at the beginning, as well as scenes of the protagonist falling for a REALLY OBVIOUS trap, which is INFURIATING. The story takes a couple chapters to get to going. Personally I love traveling scenes (blame Tolkien) so I didn’t mind. Things start to pick up once she gets to Dragon Isle.
There’s a sequel hook and some juicy pieces of lore that I’m waiting to be expanded on, so I’m hoping the sequel will forge a slightly more original path. There’s a lot to explore so I’m optimistic.
I stumbled upon this book by accident. I was just wandering the library. Normally I hear about books by word of mouth, or I’ll pick something that catches my eye in a bookstore or the racks at target. I’ve been bored lately tho so I decided to head to the library and wander the stacks till I found something interesting. I would have never found this book otherwise as I’m not even sure it’s still in print. The author’s website re directs to a medical page. When I went to inter library loan the sequel, it wasn’t even in my network; I had to order it from the state catalogue. And that’s why libraries are so important. Now someone across the state is going to have to pluck this book from the stacks and send it my way, which is a beautiful thing. For now I’m waiting
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May 23, 2012
I have fond memory of this reading, so...I bought a copy from this big posh book store on orchard road in singapore . It was called Kinokuniya or something japanese. The author is not very big. But I had been feeling like a good fantasy book to read. This turned out to be my first fantasy full scale novel that I read. I was majorly fascinated to find out that i was a dragon according to chinese mythology, some crap but hey it's the most revered sign of their zodiac and there is even a festival on it, so cool! If you go to this park , there's all 12 animal signs and this one statue of the dragon which is set on a small hill alone away from others. I spent an hour playing with it all by myself, I was quite mad but you could blame it on my tough childhood.
About the book, it's a good plot. The author has drawn a made-up map for the characters who live on a fantasy world. So this girl is a lot like a normal human female except she lives on another world, I'm confusing myself I think...so this girl has always dreamed of talking to a dragon. Dragons in their world are like dragons on earth, they are mythical vanished beings with legendary superpowers. No one knows how to talk to dragons anymore, but the girl finds some way of getting to the forbidden land while being secretly chased by an evil wizard type and his evil creatures. She gets this one young dragon to talk to her and even sees him, I can't remember but the dragon can take on a human form and well this dragon is really a very handsome male and they get married or something. But the world is at risk from something buried long underneath the ground which could be awakening again. But the girl is having her first baby and has to change to dragon kind and it's a painful process and she could easily die. BUT she's special and strong and healthy or soemthing so I think all ends well. So the girl and the dragon king have to save the world. I read part 1 and 2, she got a webpage on it...yeah there was this one time when I had lots of time, and I had never read fantasy before with animals/creatures in it. I am mostly sci-fiction. Yeah so the story was interesting somehow even if the evil magic was scary so I skipped those pages, but it was good fun. I didn't have the money to buy part 3, i sort of tried to read it in the store but I guess I was onto other stuff already cos I can't remember how it ends. I donated both the books to the library to save on my luggage expenses.
About the book, it's a good plot. The author has drawn a made-up map for the characters who live on a fantasy world. So this girl is a lot like a normal human female except she lives on another world, I'm confusing myself I think...so this girl has always dreamed of talking to a dragon. Dragons in their world are like dragons on earth, they are mythical vanished beings with legendary superpowers. No one knows how to talk to dragons anymore, but the girl finds some way of getting to the forbidden land while being secretly chased by an evil wizard type and his evil creatures. She gets this one young dragon to talk to her and even sees him, I can't remember but the dragon can take on a human form and well this dragon is really a very handsome male and they get married or something. But the world is at risk from something buried long underneath the ground which could be awakening again. But the girl is having her first baby and has to change to dragon kind and it's a painful process and she could easily die. BUT she's special and strong and healthy or soemthing so I think all ends well. So the girl and the dragon king have to save the world. I read part 1 and 2, she got a webpage on it...yeah there was this one time when I had lots of time, and I had never read fantasy before with animals/creatures in it. I am mostly sci-fiction. Yeah so the story was interesting somehow even if the evil magic was scary so I skipped those pages, but it was good fun. I didn't have the money to buy part 3, i sort of tried to read it in the store but I guess I was onto other stuff already cos I can't remember how it ends. I donated both the books to the library to save on my luggage expenses.
October 31, 2014
This is essentially Twilight with a dragon instead of a vampire. Yes, really. If that appeals to you, then you'll like this, but if not, you should probably avoid this novel. Lanen is a dull author's pet, her dragon love interest is equally bland, and the plot is full of cliches. Worldbuilding's okay, though.
December 5, 2008
i stopped reading this book after a few pages because, frankly, it bored me. i did not have the attention span to finish reading it. maybe if i wholeheartedly applied myself i would like it more, but for now i'll just leave it unrated.
March 4, 2020
For me, a good fantasy romance.
I'm surprised by how eager I was to keep finding out what would happen next but this didn't reach perfection level because:
1) it's clearly not the whole story so several things weren't solved at the end;
2) a certain situation didn't follow the path I think would be better.
I'm debating if I want to read the next installment.
One one hand I want to see what happens, on the other there are two more books and to wait two whole books for closure....
I'm surprised by how eager I was to keep finding out what would happen next but this didn't reach perfection level because:
1) it's clearly not the whole story so several things weren't solved at the end;
2) a certain situation didn't follow the path I think would be better.
I'm debating if I want to read the next installment.
One one hand I want to see what happens, on the other there are two more books and to wait two whole books for closure....
May 24, 2020
This is one of the first adult novels I ever read. So it has a special place in my heart and on my bookself. Would I still love this book as much as I did when I first read it? Probably not. But it is the memory of this book that gives it all the special feels.
Some day I will re-read this book. But today is not that day.
Some day I will re-read this book. But today is not that day.
July 30, 2018
Every once in a while I find myself wanting to read a book that has dragons in it. They are such a fun fantasy creature! I had high hopes for Song in the Silence and though the premise of the plot isn't bad, the executions of the story left something to be desired.
It all begins at a place called Hadronsstead, a horse ranch that is kind of out in the boonies. The main character is a 24 year old woman named Lanen Kaelar who works there on her 'fathers' farm. And I use the term father loosely because they've never been close. There has never been any familial attachment.
The only person on the ranch that brings light to Lanen's life is a kind older man named Jamie. He was Hadron's second, and Lanen's chosen father figure. One cold winter day Master Hadron passes on and much to everyone's surprise, leaves most of everything to Lanen.
After inheriting the horse breeding business Lanen divides the responsibilities three ways and then decides to start living her life. It's time to peruse her dreams! Thus Jamie and Lanen go to the great fair to sell off the last of Hadron's pure bred steeds.
Obtaining quite a pretty penny from the horse auctioning, Lanen feels she is in a much better position now to continue on her merry way. But things do not go off without a hitch. The MC soon learns about some of the mystery surrounding the mother she never knew and how past events may have put her in grave danger.
Shortly after Jamie warns Lanen of the potential threats she may face, the villain from her mothers past comes a calling, in a rather weird and super creepy very icky way I may add! It's terribly obvious that Bors of Trissen is actually Marik, the guy that Lanen needs to stay away from.
Unfortunately she is blind as bat and apparently didn't listen to anything Jamie had to say because she is just too focused on her dream to notice anything else. But what kind of dream could possibly make someone so oblivious? DRAGONS! Lanen wants to speak to dragons, or the Kantri/Kindred as they were once called.
No one believes they exist anymore for they were only spotted on Dragon Isle, and the last sighting was some 130 years go. Storms brew nearly all year round in the sea surrounding the isle, except for once every 10 years when the storms abate. But the calming of the storms is deceptive! No ships have returned since the last dragon was spotted. Only a fool would set sail to the land of beasts!
Some folks however feel the risk is worth it for a go at lansip leaves. Lansip trees have magical properties and the leaves they produce can cure vast ailments and heal the injured. The fruits are even more potent and could potentially prolong ones life. But the trees can only live on the Dragon Isle so demand for lansip is quite high.
After asking around Lanen learns that there is in fact a boat taking off for the storm shrouded isle. Being overjoyed at the prospect of finally living her dream and talking to a real dragon, she joins the ship without a second thought. But the kicker is thatMarik Bors of Trissen owns the ship and will be coming along. Oh boy! What a coincidence.
So basically the heroine goes on her perilous adventure alone as Jamie heads back to the ranch to keep things running -- as she requested. Fast forward a little bit and Lanen is stuck on an island with a very bad man and can't escape him. Though I must commend her for keeping her cool when she figures everything out. Playing ignorant helps!
Then during the first night on the Dragon Isle Lanen sneaks out to the boundary line and lives her dream. She speaks to a dragon! But not just any dragon, it's the silver King dragon! His name is Khordeshkhistriakhor, or Akor for short. Gosh, all the dragons in this book have terrible names! They are just godawful. Good luck pronouncing them!
And just like Lanen, Akor longs for the knowledge and connection of a Gedrishakrim/human. Thus the two form a friendship that swiftly turns into a very deep and trusting bond. Both of them feel as if they have known each other for a long time and soon care about one another deeply. They feel it in their very essence!
Oh yeah, it's exactly as it sounds. I'm talking dragon love, baby! It's a forbidden 'doomed' love kinda thing that all the readers know will turn out alright in the end. And it does! True love conquers all in this book. Which I like because I am a sucker for happy endings!
Despite that one boon, the story seemed to drag on and on and on. The reason for that is because of all the PoV hopping. So during an action scene with say Lanen, we get to read about how she see's what's going on and how she reacts to it, but then suddenly the PoV jump to another, lets says Akor, and then the reader gets to see how he feels about what is going on at that very same moment. So the reader gets to view how both characters take in the scene before them.
Which that might not sound bad to some people, but I have to tell you that it's very tedious! It slows down the speed of the plot. As a reader I do not need to know how all the characters feel about what is going on at the same time. To me it just appears as filler, or a stall.
So the base plot of Lanen wanting to meet a dragon and fighting off the evils from her mothers past seems like it would be a fun adventure to indulge in. But all the character PoV jumping for intensity and dramatic effect kills the pace of how it unfolds. Because of all that view hopping this book became a very tempered story that would occasionally bore me.
It's almost as if this author at some point played a game of D&D and then decided to write a book about what happened to the characters and felt a need to catalogue every players reaction to the adventure. This is what the book feels like! Heck, there are even Rakshasa in the story who also happen to be demons, just like they are in D&D. Not to mention all the circles of hell and the fact that there are dragons in this novel.
Now I don't play D&D but I know a bit about it and there are definite similarities. I don't mind it so much that Kerner may have found inspiration from a tabletop game. What I dislike is the PoV hopping! It made the plot slow and really made the story feel disjointed.
On another note, the romance got to me after a while. Initially it was cute and I liked how sweet Lanen and Akor were to one another but I eventually found it to be too syrupy sweet. There was no sarcasm or sass, just pure sugary sweetness. Euugh..... I need wit to be present in a romance to fully enjoy it, darn it!
Still, it was nice reading about a couple being so loving and respectful towards each other. As I said earlier they get their happy ending, in an almost predictable way. This isn't exactly a hard story to follow so there isn't too much mystery to be found in these pages, or a real feel that things will not go right. There was never any doubt that there would be less than a happy ending.
I really wanted to like this book because it has dragons! Everything is better with dragons but try as I might, I just couldn't love this book. It was such a slog! I swear I got the worst case of brain frog while forcing myself through the chapters. So much tedium!
There is a lot left unfinished at the end of this novel and I would like some answers, but I am not sure if I am willing to beat my brain through the second installment to get them. Perhaps if I ever feel like torturing myself with someones D&D recount then I'll read then next one.
It all begins at a place called Hadronsstead, a horse ranch that is kind of out in the boonies. The main character is a 24 year old woman named Lanen Kaelar who works there on her 'fathers' farm. And I use the term father loosely because they've never been close. There has never been any familial attachment.
The only person on the ranch that brings light to Lanen's life is a kind older man named Jamie. He was Hadron's second, and Lanen's chosen father figure. One cold winter day Master Hadron passes on and much to everyone's surprise, leaves most of everything to Lanen.
After inheriting the horse breeding business Lanen divides the responsibilities three ways and then decides to start living her life. It's time to peruse her dreams! Thus Jamie and Lanen go to the great fair to sell off the last of Hadron's pure bred steeds.
Obtaining quite a pretty penny from the horse auctioning, Lanen feels she is in a much better position now to continue on her merry way. But things do not go off without a hitch. The MC soon learns about some of the mystery surrounding the mother she never knew and how past events may have put her in grave danger.
Shortly after Jamie warns Lanen of the potential threats she may face, the villain from her mothers past comes a calling, in a rather weird and super creepy very icky way I may add! It's terribly obvious that Bors of Trissen is actually Marik, the guy that Lanen needs to stay away from.
Unfortunately she is blind as bat and apparently didn't listen to anything Jamie had to say because she is just too focused on her dream to notice anything else. But what kind of dream could possibly make someone so oblivious? DRAGONS! Lanen wants to speak to dragons, or the Kantri/Kindred as they were once called.
No one believes they exist anymore for they were only spotted on Dragon Isle, and the last sighting was some 130 years go. Storms brew nearly all year round in the sea surrounding the isle, except for once every 10 years when the storms abate. But the calming of the storms is deceptive! No ships have returned since the last dragon was spotted. Only a fool would set sail to the land of beasts!
Some folks however feel the risk is worth it for a go at lansip leaves. Lansip trees have magical properties and the leaves they produce can cure vast ailments and heal the injured. The fruits are even more potent and could potentially prolong ones life. But the trees can only live on the Dragon Isle so demand for lansip is quite high.
After asking around Lanen learns that there is in fact a boat taking off for the storm shrouded isle. Being overjoyed at the prospect of finally living her dream and talking to a real dragon, she joins the ship without a second thought. But the kicker is that
So basically the heroine goes on her perilous adventure alone as Jamie heads back to the ranch to keep things running -- as she requested. Fast forward a little bit and Lanen is stuck on an island with a very bad man and can't escape him. Though I must commend her for keeping her cool when she figures everything out. Playing ignorant helps!
Then during the first night on the Dragon Isle Lanen sneaks out to the boundary line and lives her dream. She speaks to a dragon! But not just any dragon, it's the silver King dragon! His name is Khordeshkhistriakhor, or Akor for short. Gosh, all the dragons in this book have terrible names! They are just godawful. Good luck pronouncing them!
And just like Lanen, Akor longs for the knowledge and connection of a Gedrishakrim/human. Thus the two form a friendship that swiftly turns into a very deep and trusting bond. Both of them feel as if they have known each other for a long time and soon care about one another deeply. They feel it in their very essence!
Oh yeah, it's exactly as it sounds. I'm talking dragon love, baby! It's a forbidden 'doomed' love kinda thing that all the readers know will turn out alright in the end. And it does! True love conquers all in this book. Which I like because I am a sucker for happy endings!
Despite that one boon, the story seemed to drag on and on and on. The reason for that is because of all the PoV hopping. So during an action scene with say Lanen, we get to read about how she see's what's going on and how she reacts to it, but then suddenly the PoV jump to another, lets says Akor, and then the reader gets to see how he feels about what is going on at that very same moment. So the reader gets to view how both characters take in the scene before them.
Which that might not sound bad to some people, but I have to tell you that it's very tedious! It slows down the speed of the plot. As a reader I do not need to know how all the characters feel about what is going on at the same time. To me it just appears as filler, or a stall.
So the base plot of Lanen wanting to meet a dragon and fighting off the evils from her mothers past seems like it would be a fun adventure to indulge in. But all the character PoV jumping for intensity and dramatic effect kills the pace of how it unfolds. Because of all that view hopping this book became a very tempered story that would occasionally bore me.
It's almost as if this author at some point played a game of D&D and then decided to write a book about what happened to the characters and felt a need to catalogue every players reaction to the adventure. This is what the book feels like! Heck, there are even Rakshasa in the story who also happen to be demons, just like they are in D&D. Not to mention all the circles of hell and the fact that there are dragons in this novel.
Now I don't play D&D but I know a bit about it and there are definite similarities. I don't mind it so much that Kerner may have found inspiration from a tabletop game. What I dislike is the PoV hopping! It made the plot slow and really made the story feel disjointed.
On another note, the romance got to me after a while. Initially it was cute and I liked how sweet Lanen and Akor were to one another but I eventually found it to be too syrupy sweet. There was no sarcasm or sass, just pure sugary sweetness. Euugh..... I need wit to be present in a romance to fully enjoy it, darn it!
Still, it was nice reading about a couple being so loving and respectful towards each other. As I said earlier they get their happy ending, in an almost predictable way. This isn't exactly a hard story to follow so there isn't too much mystery to be found in these pages, or a real feel that things will not go right. There was never any doubt that there would be less than a happy ending.
I really wanted to like this book because it has dragons! Everything is better with dragons but try as I might, I just couldn't love this book. It was such a slog! I swear I got the worst case of brain frog while forcing myself through the chapters. So much tedium!
There is a lot left unfinished at the end of this novel and I would like some answers, but I am not sure if I am willing to beat my brain through the second installment to get them. Perhaps if I ever feel like torturing myself with someones D&D recount then I'll read then next one.
January 23, 2024
Hoo boy. Never re-read your childhood favorites, kids.
I first found this book in middle school, in the school library. The sci-fi/fantasy section pickings were very, very slim at the time and I was slowly working my way through the section when I came to this. I remember being arrested by the cover art and staring at it for a long time - I guess I really loved the design of the dragons.
I've never been a huge romance fan, but I dug on this hard. I suppose the best, or worst, connection I can make is that it was my Twilight - a regular young woman To be fair, at least there were no instances of stalking, gaslighting, or abuse between them, which I would argue is a very important difference.
Still, hard to believe this pre-dates Twilight by a good decade. But I loved it, I loved them, I loved the world, and the pronunciation/language info at the end gave me one of my first tastes of conlangs, albeit an incredibly simplified one.
I've re-read it a million times since, though I only listed it once since I don't want to have guesstimates in my Goodreads totals.
It really, really shows its age reading it through modern, adult eyes.
Both Lanen and Akhor are Mary Sue/Stus, with special abilities/qualities that are never really explained - they are just special. They fall in love at first sight because *~*destiny*~*, rather than through actual interaction. The dialogue between characters, particularly our protagonist couple, is some of the purplest prose I've ever seen in literature. The antagonists are cartoonishly evil in the vein of a Dragonlance novel. There's almost literal deus ex machina to move the plot along and solve the primary dilemmas of the novel. Its very much late 80s/early 90s fantasy.
If you are a sucker for flowery romance, old school fantasy, or dragons, this should be up your alley. If you have more refined tastes, you'll probably find this too simple. I'm still perfectly happy to re-visit it, flaws and all, because it captured my imagination so well as a kid.
And its still a better love story than Twilight.
I first found this book in middle school, in the school library. The sci-fi/fantasy section pickings were very, very slim at the time and I was slowly working my way through the section when I came to this. I remember being arrested by the cover art and staring at it for a long time - I guess I really loved the design of the dragons.
I've never been a huge romance fan, but I dug on this hard. I suppose the best, or worst, connection I can make is that it was my Twilight - a regular young woman To be fair, at least there were no instances of stalking, gaslighting, or abuse between them, which I would argue is a very important difference.
Still, hard to believe this pre-dates Twilight by a good decade. But I loved it, I loved them, I loved the world, and the pronunciation/language info at the end gave me one of my first tastes of conlangs, albeit an incredibly simplified one.
I've re-read it a million times since, though I only listed it once since I don't want to have guesstimates in my Goodreads totals.
It really, really shows its age reading it through modern, adult eyes.
Both Lanen and Akhor are Mary Sue/Stus, with special abilities/qualities that are never really explained - they are just special. They fall in love at first sight because *~*destiny*~*, rather than through actual interaction. The dialogue between characters, particularly our protagonist couple, is some of the purplest prose I've ever seen in literature. The antagonists are cartoonishly evil in the vein of a Dragonlance novel. There's almost literal deus ex machina to move the plot along and solve the primary dilemmas of the novel. Its very much late 80s/early 90s fantasy.
If you are a sucker for flowery romance, old school fantasy, or dragons, this should be up your alley. If you have more refined tastes, you'll probably find this too simple. I'm still perfectly happy to re-visit it, flaws and all, because it captured my imagination so well as a kid.
And its still a better love story than Twilight.
October 29, 2014
I found this story to be somewhere between the usual type of dragon filled fantasy and a fantasy romance with dragons. There's the signs of a far reaching Quest to Save the World, but for the most part things seem to revolve around the budding and bizarre relationship between Lanan and Akhor.
I say bizarre because she's a (fairly) regular woman, even if everyone around her seems to think that being tall and strong makes her freakish, and he's the king of the dragons, and no, neither of them can shape shift. The characters themselves admit to their feelings being just this side of madness, but it becomes obvious they love each other even if they can't make love to each other and it is surprisingly sweet.
I only really had two problems with this book. The first was that it took so long to get going. The first quarter to a third of the book is tedious set-up that really wasn't needed. It was so much of a chore that I almost gave up, but just when I was reaching the end of my patience things finally started to pick up and the society and history of the dragons begins to get explained. The second problem is how everything is told in a first person past tense way and events are often broken up with "chapters" from different character point of views (also past tense). It came across as very awkward and made some things a bit confusing because I couldn't just concentrate on one individual at tense moments, I was often reading about 3 or 4.
Apart from my small problems, which may not actually bother anyone else, I found it fairly pleasant if a bit fluffy to read. I wasn't sure if I really wanted to bother with the second one until quite close to the end, but in the end I think my desire to see how the story unfolds beats my very real dislike of the writing style.
I say bizarre because she's a (fairly) regular woman, even if everyone around her seems to think that being tall and strong makes her freakish, and he's the king of the dragons, and no, neither of them can shape shift. The characters themselves admit to their feelings being just this side of madness, but it becomes obvious they love each other even if they can't make love to each other and it is surprisingly sweet.
I only really had two problems with this book. The first was that it took so long to get going. The first quarter to a third of the book is tedious set-up that really wasn't needed. It was so much of a chore that I almost gave up, but just when I was reaching the end of my patience things finally started to pick up and the society and history of the dragons begins to get explained. The second problem is how everything is told in a first person past tense way and events are often broken up with "chapters" from different character point of views (also past tense). It came across as very awkward and made some things a bit confusing because I couldn't just concentrate on one individual at tense moments, I was often reading about 3 or 4.
Apart from my small problems, which may not actually bother anyone else, I found it fairly pleasant if a bit fluffy to read. I wasn't sure if I really wanted to bother with the second one until quite close to the end, but in the end I think my desire to see how the story unfolds beats my very real dislike of the writing style.
March 30, 2018
I didn't know what to expect going into this book other than that someone had compared it to one of my favorite fantasy romances of all time, "The Last Dragonlord" by Joanne Bertin.
It was...interesting. I clearly didn't love it, given my rating, and here are my reasons why.
Warning: spoilers ahead
-It was definitely insta-love. I see it a lot in YA fantasy, but typically not in regular fantasy. How can Lanen and Akhor meet briefly twice before they realize the depth of their love for each other?
-Also I found it kind of weird that a human female would fall in love with a dragon. Not a weredragon with the ability to transform into a human shape like the dragonlords of "The Last Dragonlord", but a full bodied dragon with horns, wings, claws, the whole package.
-I'm sorry, but the idea of a young and sheltered woman who has grown up in the safety and protection of her home traveling the countryside on her own seems a bit odd, both for Lanen's mother Maran and for Lanen herself. Lanen only heard the song about dragons once, was that really enough to instill such a deep yearning to meet them inside her? Overall I thought her backstory was not well developed.
-It was too convenient that Akhor turned into human shape at the end. It's not explained at all and came out of nowhere. I thought the author might go in this direction, especially after hinting at the possibility through dreams, but I would have wanted a better reason for why it happened.
-The prophecy about Marik Gundar's daughter is the most specific one I've ever heard. What kind of prophecy goes out of its way to mention the specific person it is about??
-It's never explained why Lanen is the only human to have true speech (i.e. the ability to speak mind to mind). Another mystery that will never be solved.
It was...interesting. I clearly didn't love it, given my rating, and here are my reasons why.
Warning: spoilers ahead
-It was definitely insta-love. I see it a lot in YA fantasy, but typically not in regular fantasy. How can Lanen and Akhor meet briefly twice before they realize the depth of their love for each other?
-Also I found it kind of weird that a human female would fall in love with a dragon. Not a weredragon with the ability to transform into a human shape like the dragonlords of "The Last Dragonlord", but a full bodied dragon with horns, wings, claws, the whole package.
-I'm sorry, but the idea of a young and sheltered woman who has grown up in the safety and protection of her home traveling the countryside on her own seems a bit odd, both for Lanen's mother Maran and for Lanen herself. Lanen only heard the song about dragons once, was that really enough to instill such a deep yearning to meet them inside her? Overall I thought her backstory was not well developed.
-It was too convenient that Akhor turned into human shape at the end. It's not explained at all and came out of nowhere. I thought the author might go in this direction, especially after hinting at the possibility through dreams, but I would have wanted a better reason for why it happened.
-The prophecy about Marik Gundar's daughter is the most specific one I've ever heard. What kind of prophecy goes out of its way to mention the specific person it is about??
-It's never explained why Lanen is the only human to have true speech (i.e. the ability to speak mind to mind). Another mystery that will never be solved.
October 23, 2018
This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.
Lanen Kaelar has longed to explore the world since she was a small girl because she was abandoned by her travelling mother. When her father dies, she is determined to go to the Dragon Isles where no ship has returned from in the last 20 years. Not to be daunted, she goes anyway.
Apparently (according to the blurb) she has been exposed to the most horrible family life ever growing up. I was expecting her to be beaten every night and have to sleep on the hearth rug. Instead she just seemed not to fit in. Um, ok, getting married is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea and your father not loving you much is painful, but you have a loving farm hand to help you out! When she sets out on her trip, it’s not like she’s being held back.
There is a lot of talking and not much action. Sure, they take out a too-friendly stableman which prompts a long story assisted by plenty of ale. But no action! No forward motion! Sigh. Nothing enough here to keep my attention.
This was a too-fluffy novel with an unconvincing story-line. For something that I was promised to have dragons in, the first third of the novel had no dragons. No plot progression much either. So I abandoned this novel in the interest of reading something else with a bit more pizzaz. I could afford to be picky, there was a whole bookshelf there for the reading!
Lanen Kaelar has longed to explore the world since she was a small girl because she was abandoned by her travelling mother. When her father dies, she is determined to go to the Dragon Isles where no ship has returned from in the last 20 years. Not to be daunted, she goes anyway.
Apparently (according to the blurb) she has been exposed to the most horrible family life ever growing up. I was expecting her to be beaten every night and have to sleep on the hearth rug. Instead she just seemed not to fit in. Um, ok, getting married is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea and your father not loving you much is painful, but you have a loving farm hand to help you out! When she sets out on her trip, it’s not like she’s being held back.
There is a lot of talking and not much action. Sure, they take out a too-friendly stableman which prompts a long story assisted by plenty of ale. But no action! No forward motion! Sigh. Nothing enough here to keep my attention.
This was a too-fluffy novel with an unconvincing story-line. For something that I was promised to have dragons in, the first third of the novel had no dragons. No plot progression much either. So I abandoned this novel in the interest of reading something else with a bit more pizzaz. I could afford to be picky, there was a whole bookshelf there for the reading!
March 29, 2016
I first read this book back when I was 12 and I did not remember this book at all (okay so that's not such a shocker, but I feel kind of amazed that I imagined things completely different). I picked this book up again because like....DRAGONS!!!!
Yes this book is full of dragons! And they do not disappoint! You get a small little glimpse into their culture (I really wish it was more, it could have been an amazing read!) and how they show emotion and how they speak. It was interesting. It's unfortunate that there are a lot of lulls in this book that feel like pulling teeth. I had to force myself to complete it (which was good, because in the last couple of chapters it gets interesting again, after a couple really dull ones). I feel like this book could have been shorter, or maybe filled with more adventure or epicness? Its a good read when you get past the foot dragging, and I do look forward to reading the next book because I have a feeling (a hope?) that it gets better and is set at a faster pace.
Yes this book is full of dragons! And they do not disappoint! You get a small little glimpse into their culture (I really wish it was more, it could have been an amazing read!) and how they show emotion and how they speak. It was interesting. It's unfortunate that there are a lot of lulls in this book that feel like pulling teeth. I had to force myself to complete it (which was good, because in the last couple of chapters it gets interesting again, after a couple really dull ones). I feel like this book could have been shorter, or maybe filled with more adventure or epicness? Its a good read when you get past the foot dragging, and I do look forward to reading the next book because I have a feeling (a hope?) that it gets better and is set at a faster pace.
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