Re-read
Still part of my binge Dragon Kin re-read series. Actually, I read How to Drive a Dragon Crazy, more like 2 years ago, not like the previous 1-5 books. Why I decline so long.. I didn't know. May I become so busy back then :/. Since it's long weekend, I manage to read both The Dragon Who Loved Me and also How to Drive a Dragon Crazy at 2 days, stat! A reading experience that make my long weekend not too miserable. But you know that long weekend is a gift for us reader, right? To spend all that holiday to just snuggling in our bed and gobble up all the books? XD
I read my old review, and winced a bit. I did think this book is just meh, maybe because like other readers, I sooo wait about Eibhear and Izzy. And the book back then didn't meet my high expectation. But like I had stated in my The Dragon Who Loved Me review, my reading taste and experience always change. Always evolved. Those that I once didn't amused me, now I find I can tolerate it and vice versa.
I up the rate to 4,5 stars, because I see that Aiken try her best to write about Eibhear and Izzy. Silly me too expect Eibhear will go alpha, because...that's not Eibhear. Not at all. Even with the event in the previous book change him, make him more ruthless somehow, he's still a blue dragon with a gold heart. Eibhear simply just become..himself. I know that many readers complaint that the romance is almost non-existent. That Eibhear didn't grovel much, that Izzy is too easy. Gawd, I stated it all in my old review, mind you!! But, re-read always make me see it from another perspective.
See..Izzy already love Eibhear when she first met him at 16 years old. But Eibhear, because he's so nice, he didn't want to admit it at first They constantly have pull and tug war, that I admit, can grated my nerves! I did see that Aiken give a time for Izzy to be matured, so in this book she is already in her thirties. I amend my early opinion that state Izzy still childish and kinda like Anwyll's copy. Yeah, she is so ruthless like Anwyll, but, I can see that Izzy is actually different compared to Anwyll. It's so unfair of me to keep compared that two, while each character have their own unique traits. I think I'm more fond toward Izzy in this re-read, rather than what I feel back then. She actually grow up, still crazy, still..a little bit childish. But, she changed.
As for the almost non-existent romance...well, to be honest, Aiken already did it from Gwenvael's book, What a Dragon Should Know. Keita's book have HFN, Vigholf and Rhona's book actual main story is Anwyll's war with Irons. So why this book will be different? I think Eibhear and Izzy already have enough romance, and I also amend my opinion again about Izzy being so easy to Eibhear. Actually, she's not. Izzy is not Keita that hate clingy man and also didn't like herself to committed to one man for eternity (although I think, Keita in this book finally mated to Ragnar. Talk about time!!). Izzy denied Eibhear at first, not because she playing hard to get, but she feel frustrated for Eibhear's oblivious feeling to her. So, when Eibhear finally admit it, I feel that Izzy was relieved to know about that. She just didn't show it at first. I guess, that's what work best for both Eibhear and Izzy.
As for the story, not much I said. I still like the subplot, the old characters, the new characters. All aspect still wonderful. I will always categorized Dragon Kin as one of finest fantasy romance, if you love your heroine so kick ass and unapologetic and the heroes that play hard, work hard to win their love. Also...the comedy of errors might not for everyone, but it's sure never fail to amazed me. Dragon Kin series, to put it simply, is a keeper! :D
Below is my first review. You will know how I slightly disappointed at first. Funny to read it, th0.
3,5 stars
The first book I read in 2015, also the first paperback I finally read after reading so many e-book last year. One book at a time to conquer my never ending TBR! :). I pick up How To Drive a Dragon Crazy, the 6th book in Dragon Kin series, because I want to start this year with a good book. Well, this one is good, but I admit that I'm a little bit disappointed :/
How to Drive is about Iseabail "Izzy" the Dangerous and Eibhear the Blue (or Compatible), a old characters from Dragon Kin world. Their attraction begin way way back at book #2 (or maybe #3), have been down and up for years. They manage to tease and hurt their feelings, especially Eibhear that try to resist his feeling to Izzy, because he is his uncle. Yep, Izzy is Briec's adoptive daughter and Briec (hero from book #2) is Eibhear's big brother. They're not family by blood, but family will always family and Eibhear don't want to love Izzy since it will be awkward to lusting after his niece even Izzy is clear about her feeling to her "nice" uncle.
The story fast forward 10 years after the event in The Dragon Who Loved Me. Izzy now have mature and become adult woman, a much respected and well feared General of her own, even she's still childish. Eibhear himself already growing big, and bigger than his brothers, he's now with Mi-Runach, a dragon warrior that do not fear death and fight without following order except from the Dragon Queen herself. After 10 years never met, Eibhear kidnap bring Izzy back to the Garbhann Isles because there are big problems. One of it is Izzy's stepsister, Rhianwen, whose magick power keep getting stronger and become a danger for anyone that she hold dear. Izzy and Eibhear must go to Desert Land, a place where Izzy's mother, Talaith come from to save Rhianwen and discover that they must stop a cult on that places.
Well, I'm never a fans of Izzy, because I always think that she's too childish and kinda like Anwyll's copycat. Yeah both are crazy, easily pissed off by other and always treat anyone's throat that displease them so much. But, Anwyll will always be CRAZY and right to because she's the queen and already bloodthirsty from the beginning. Izzy just follow her step and even she's now in her thirties, she like to act like a child! Anyhoo, that's not make her an annoying character, Izzy just don't grow on me.
Same thing with Eibhear. Maybe I want to see that he's being crazy because Izzy's teasing here and there. But he's just midly crazy #heh. I also think that the start of the story is too slow and the romance between Izzy and Eibhear almost non-existent. They have sex, they did. It's steamy, event not as steamy as the previous books. It just all that sexual tension between them (from previous books!) become anticlimatic in the end. I'm so want to read how Eibhear going alpha and Claimed Izzy for his own. But, eh, I don't got it :(.
The best part is the world building that still stellar and the characters. At first I'm a little bit consufed because it's been almost 2 years since I read book #5 and like her other pen name Shelly Laurenston, G.A. Aiken write so many characters! It's so nice to finally reunite with Fire Dragon after 2 books before this one are about Lightning Dragon. We will get know more about Ice Dragon and especially Sand Dragon that reside in Dessert Land with their king. The gods also play important roles to and still full of mysterious intent. The Mi-Runach, Eibhear's friends are funny and a little bit stupid, but I guess one of them, Aidan will get story. Maybe with Branwenn, one of Eibhear's Cadwaladr cousin that seems suited for him.
The epilogue kinda surprising and take the Dragon Kin world into new era. Anwyll and her kin will face a new treat that will endanger Garbhann Isle. The future is uncertain, but well, Aiken is a master storyteller and I always eager to read what next from her. The new installment of Dragon Kin is Playing with Fire. It's about Celyn, Branwenn's brother, have a past with Izzy that created riot between him, Izzy and Eibhear, even they already forget it.