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Dragon Kin #1
Dragon Actually
It's not always easy being a female warrior with a nickname like Annwyl the Bloody. Men tend to either cower in fear-a lot-or else salute. It's true that Annwyl has a knack for decapitating legions of her ruthless brother's soldiers without pausing for breath. But just once it would be nice to be able to really talk to a man, the way she can talk to Fearghus the Destroyer. Too bad that Fearghus is a dragon, of the large, scaly, and deadly type. With him, Annwyl feels safe-a far cry from the feelings aroused by the hard-bodied, arrogant knight Fearghus has arranged to help train her for battle. With her days spent fighting a man who fills her with fierce, heady desire, and her nights spent in the company of a magical creature who could smite a village just by exhaling, Annwyl is sure life couldn't get any stranger. She's wrong. [And just wait until you meet the rest of the family.]
352 pages, ebook
First published September 1, 2004
1770 people are currently reading
18597 people want to read
About the author
G.A. Aiken
56 books4,447 followersA.K.A. Shelly Laurenston
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author G.A. Aiken, Originally from Long Island, New York, lives on the West Coast and spends most of her time writing and making sure her rescued Pittie doesn’t love everyone into a coma. When she’s not writing about sexy dragons, she’s writing about sexy wolf, lion, tiger, and other fang-filled predators under the name Shelly Laurenston. Find out more about this New York Times and USA Today Bestselling authors books at www.shellylaurenston.com.
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author G.A. Aiken, Originally from Long Island, New York, lives on the West Coast and spends most of her time writing and making sure her rescued Pittie doesn’t love everyone into a coma. When she’s not writing about sexy dragons, she’s writing about sexy wolf, lion, tiger, and other fang-filled predators under the name Shelly Laurenston. Find out more about this New York Times and USA Today Bestselling authors books at www.shellylaurenston.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,990 reviews
April 14, 2020
💀 Impromptu buddy reread with my MacHalo Freaks 💀
➽ And the moral of this reread is: Yes, dragons still do it better. And no, nothing beats bloodthirsty, batshit crazy warrior princesses. Nothing. Well Kate Daniels probably does, but she doesn't count. It wouldn't be fair on her fellow fictional characters. Anyway, I've decided that if I can't be Kate Daniels or Shanti when I grow up, I'll be Annwyl the Bloody. Why? Because this:
[Original review]
This is a silly book abouthorny dragons, homicidal damsels in little distress, broad-chested horny hunks and batshit crazy with horny tendencies dragonesses.
Theyhave sex share lovely moments, they have sex live in dens, they have sex fight each other, they have sex battle other dragons to reclaim their kingdoms, they have sex walk around naked a lot, they have sex argue and they sometimes have sex fall in love.
The chicks kick ass. The guys are as male as it gets. Pure, mindless dragon fun, that's what this is.
• Book 2: About a Dragon ★★★
• Book 3: What a Dragon Should Know ★★
➽ And the moral of this reread is: Yes, dragons still do it better. And no, nothing beats bloodthirsty, batshit crazy warrior princesses. Nothing. Well Kate Daniels probably does, but she doesn't count. It wouldn't be fair on her fellow fictional characters. Anyway, I've decided that if I can't be Kate Daniels or Shanti when I grow up, I'll be Annwyl the Bloody. Why? Because this:
“Do you not listen to our daily meetings about the state of your lands?” “Of course I don’t. They’re dead boring.” “Not everything can involve bloodshed, Annwyl.” “Can’t you come get me when there is bloodshed? Otherwise just leave me alone to read.”Bloodshed, books or nothing. Annwyl, a girl after my own black withered heart.
[Original review]
This is a silly book about
They
The chicks kick ass. The guys are as male as it gets. Pure, mindless dragon fun, that's what this is.
• Book 2: About a Dragon ★★★
• Book 3: What a Dragon Should Know ★★
March 10, 2012
It's so embarrassingly delightful when a book I've mentally marked as nothing but porn manages to completely stun and amaze me.
Make no mistake, Dragon Actually is mostly fictional porn. But it's also a sweet, funny, and lovable story about a grumpy alpha dragon and his vicious yet vulnerable mate. And since it's been ages since I've made a list-review, allow me to make one now.
Dragon Actually managed to catch me off-guard by:
1. Making me laugh-out-loud (for real) after every other scene, which means I enjoyed this book a lot more than I was anticipating.
2. Giving me an X-rated version of Toothless for my oh-so-innocent daydreams, because it's impossible to imagine this guy doing anything besides eating fish, chasing light, and flying:
3. Ruining all other paranormal creatures for me, because now nothing but a hot dragon prince will do.
4. Creating a heroine with guts, wits, morals, and brains whom I never got annoyed with.
5. Introducing a large yet memorable cast of dragon royalty I can't wait to read more about.
6. Inserting a great short story on the unexpected love between a certain spoiled dragon queen and her scary consort, that I actually liked more than the main romance.
And finally:
7. HOT DRAGON SEX. 'Nuff said.
3.5/5 stars
For more reviews, visit my blog.
Make no mistake, Dragon Actually is mostly fictional porn. But it's also a sweet, funny, and lovable story about a grumpy alpha dragon and his vicious yet vulnerable mate. And since it's been ages since I've made a list-review, allow me to make one now.
Dragon Actually managed to catch me off-guard by:
1. Making me laugh-out-loud (for real) after every other scene, which means I enjoyed this book a lot more than I was anticipating.
2. Giving me an X-rated version of Toothless for my oh-so-innocent daydreams, because it's impossible to imagine this guy doing anything besides eating fish, chasing light, and flying:
3. Ruining all other paranormal creatures for me, because now nothing but a hot dragon prince will do.
4. Creating a heroine with guts, wits, morals, and brains whom I never got annoyed with.
5. Introducing a large yet memorable cast of dragon royalty I can't wait to read more about.
6. Inserting a great short story on the unexpected love between a certain spoiled dragon queen and her scary consort, that I actually liked more than the main romance.
And finally:
7. HOT DRAGON SEX. 'Nuff said.
3.5/5 stars
For more reviews, visit my blog.
July 16, 2016
This book is funny. Like beware of reading it in public because you will look crazy by cracking up out loud- funny.
Nobody wants to look that crazy...
We have Annwyl the Bloody as our heroine. She meets the dragon, Fearghus the Destroyer, as she is lopping off heads of the enemy soldiers and dying herself. Fearghus saves Annwyl's life and she is living in his cave while she recuperates. Apparently, it's a nice cave, as far as cave's go. Feargus even sets her up with a bedroom, and there's an indoor cave-lake where she can swim with her dragon friend.
Yeah, not sure how comfortable I would be swimming with a dragon...
Of course the dragon and the girl fall in love. But, she has a problem. She is also falling in love with the knight that the dragon has sent to train her. This could be an awkward triangle - especially when one of them can just incinerate the other - problem solved. Luckily, though, the knight is also the dragon. He's a shifter. Thank goodness too, because if there was going to be some weird dragon-human sex, I was out. No monster-porn for me. I mean, sure, I like blue alien porn, vampire porn, and werewolf porn, but I'm waaaay above the monster-porn. Yeah, my standards are super high.
Well, it's not from me! It must be from the guy behind me..
The best part of this book is the witty dialogue. Everyone is funny and spouting out sarcastic quips, even the bad guy.
Lorcan rubbed his head. "Am I asking too much to want the little bitch dead? Am I?..All I want is for her to suffer a painful, horrifying death. And for her head to be on a spike in front of my castle. That's all I want."
Sounds so reasonable when he says it like that.
Also great is the relationship that Fearghus has with his dragon family. He and his siblings fight but they will also do anything for him. And, sure, he cut off the tail of one of his brothers and is constantly asking if he can kill his family, but hey, who doesn't want to kill their family once in a while? Especially around the holidays? Come on, admit it!
"Really, Fearghus. You need to stop asking me to let you kill our family."
Fearghus shook his head. "They just keep irritating me."
"I know. But, that's what most families do. Irritate."
But, really, everything in this story was enjoyable. It is just a super fun burrito covered in awesomesauce.
Nobody wants to look that crazy...
We have Annwyl the Bloody as our heroine. She meets the dragon, Fearghus the Destroyer, as she is lopping off heads of the enemy soldiers and dying herself. Fearghus saves Annwyl's life and she is living in his cave while she recuperates. Apparently, it's a nice cave, as far as cave's go. Feargus even sets her up with a bedroom, and there's an indoor cave-lake where she can swim with her dragon friend.
Yeah, not sure how comfortable I would be swimming with a dragon...
Of course the dragon and the girl fall in love. But, she has a problem. She is also falling in love with the knight that the dragon has sent to train her. This could be an awkward triangle - especially when one of them can just incinerate the other - problem solved. Luckily, though, the knight is also the dragon. He's a shifter. Thank goodness too, because if there was going to be some weird dragon-human sex, I was out. No monster-porn for me. I mean, sure, I like blue alien porn, vampire porn, and werewolf porn, but I'm waaaay above the monster-porn. Yeah, my standards are super high.
Well, it's not from me! It must be from the guy behind me..
The best part of this book is the witty dialogue. Everyone is funny and spouting out sarcastic quips, even the bad guy.
Lorcan rubbed his head. "Am I asking too much to want the little bitch dead? Am I?..All I want is for her to suffer a painful, horrifying death. And for her head to be on a spike in front of my castle. That's all I want."
Sounds so reasonable when he says it like that.
Also great is the relationship that Fearghus has with his dragon family. He and his siblings fight but they will also do anything for him. And, sure, he cut off the tail of one of his brothers and is constantly asking if he can kill his family, but hey, who doesn't want to kill their family once in a while? Especially around the holidays? Come on, admit it!
"Really, Fearghus. You need to stop asking me to let you kill our family."
Fearghus shook his head. "They just keep irritating me."
"I know. But, that's what most families do. Irritate."
But, really, everything in this story was enjoyable. It is just a super fun burrito covered in awesomesauce.
September 17, 2025
do NOT judge quality of story by its cover dammit!
Meet Annwyl The Bloody
Her past times include chopping off people's heads....
...And reading books
“Not everything can involve bloodshed, Annwyl.”
“Can’t you come get me when there is bloodshed? Otherwise just leave me alone to read.”
Bloodshed, books, or nothing! Finally a heroine with guts, wits, morals, and brains!!
She is so crazy, stubborn, snarky, fearless! And she definitely speaks her mind
“Fearghus didn’t say anything. He wanted to see her reaction. She didn’t speak for several moments. Then, “I’m freezing me tits off. Where are the books?”
Sometimes authors OVERDO these characteristics so it comes off as just annoying.... but Annywl really pulls it all together with an honest desire to help her people and kill anyone who messes with her plan of course
“And then Brastias saw the girl do something he would never forget.
She kicked the beast. Right in the knee.
Brastias and Danelin exchanged glances.
“Well, you always thought she was insane,” Brastias offered.
“I didn’t think I was right.”
“You lying toe-rag!” she yelled up at him.
And now enter the mythological creature that both inspire and infuriate her!!!!
Dragons
Fearghus the Destroyer is a grumpy alpha dragon that wishes on several occasions he had just kept on napping instead of saving the crazy warrior . Something I really appreciate is the author really nailed the personality of a dragon that thinks himself above everything and everyone.
However, Annwyl drags him back into the world and even tries to recruit him to help take down her brother, Lorcan.
Lorcan rubbed his head. "Am I asking too much to want the little bitch dead? Am I?..All I want is for her to suffer a painful, horrifying death. And for her head to be on a spike in front of my castle. That's all I want!
And I friggen adored as Annwyl and Fearghus's relationship develops from disinterested strangers to forced allies to ... ekkkkkk
“Did you just throw a book at me? In my own den?”
“Yes. And I’d throw it again!”
Fearghus scratched his head in confusion. He’d never met a human brave enough—or stupid enough, depending on your point of view—to challenge him.
“But,” he croaked out, amazed, “I’m a dragon.”
“And I have tits. It means nothing to me!”
With jokes and sassy comments that had me actually cackling with glee *I love dragons wayyy 2 much*
“Higher beings, eh? It must be nice.”
“You need not feel jealous. You are much better than most humans.”
Annwyl laughed outright. And Fearghus realized how much he loved to see her smile. “Why thank you, oh mighty dragon.” She curtsied low.
“Now. Now, Annwyl. No need to curtsy. A simple nod of your head and absolute worship will be more than enough.”
Fearghus and his relationships with his family was amazing and absolutely hilarious. It was like regular sibling-teasing but to a whole new level:
Sure he cuts off the tail of one of his brothers and keeps asking if he can kill them, but doesn't that just say how much he likes them?
“Really, Fearghus. You need to stop asking me to let you kill our family.”
Fearghus shook his head. “They just keep irritating me.”
Overall a great book with excellent world-building and character development that promised more crazy adventures with the rest of Fearghus' family that I will definitely be checking out. If you like dragons and romance, then book is ABSOLUTELY for you. 10/1o would recommend
Meet Annwyl The Bloody
Her past times include chopping off people's heads....
...And reading books
“Not everything can involve bloodshed, Annwyl.”
“Can’t you come get me when there is bloodshed? Otherwise just leave me alone to read.”
Bloodshed, books, or nothing! Finally a heroine with guts, wits, morals, and brains!!
She is so crazy, stubborn, snarky, fearless! And she definitely speaks her mind
“Fearghus didn’t say anything. He wanted to see her reaction. She didn’t speak for several moments. Then, “I’m freezing me tits off. Where are the books?”
Sometimes authors OVERDO these characteristics so it comes off as just annoying.... but Annywl really pulls it all together with an honest desire to help her people and kill anyone who messes with her plan of course
“And then Brastias saw the girl do something he would never forget.
She kicked the beast. Right in the knee.
Brastias and Danelin exchanged glances.
“Well, you always thought she was insane,” Brastias offered.
“I didn’t think I was right.”
“You lying toe-rag!” she yelled up at him.
And now enter the mythological creature that both inspire and infuriate her!!!!
Dragons
Fearghus the Destroyer is a grumpy alpha dragon that wishes on several occasions he had just kept on napping instead of saving the crazy warrior . Something I really appreciate is the author really nailed the personality of a dragon that thinks himself above everything and everyone.
However, Annwyl drags him back into the world and even tries to recruit him to help take down her brother, Lorcan.
Lorcan rubbed his head. "Am I asking too much to want the little bitch dead? Am I?..All I want is for her to suffer a painful, horrifying death. And for her head to be on a spike in front of my castle. That's all I want!
And I friggen adored as Annwyl and Fearghus's relationship develops from disinterested strangers to forced allies to ... ekkkkkk
“Did you just throw a book at me? In my own den?”
“Yes. And I’d throw it again!”
Fearghus scratched his head in confusion. He’d never met a human brave enough—or stupid enough, depending on your point of view—to challenge him.
“But,” he croaked out, amazed, “I’m a dragon.”
“And I have tits. It means nothing to me!”
With jokes and sassy comments that had me actually cackling with glee *I love dragons wayyy 2 much*
“Higher beings, eh? It must be nice.”
“You need not feel jealous. You are much better than most humans.”
Annwyl laughed outright. And Fearghus realized how much he loved to see her smile. “Why thank you, oh mighty dragon.” She curtsied low.
“Now. Now, Annwyl. No need to curtsy. A simple nod of your head and absolute worship will be more than enough.”
Fearghus and his relationships with his family was amazing and absolutely hilarious. It was like regular sibling-teasing but to a whole new level:
Sure he cuts off the tail of one of his brothers and keeps asking if he can kill them, but doesn't that just say how much he likes them?
“Really, Fearghus. You need to stop asking me to let you kill our family.”
Fearghus shook his head. “They just keep irritating me.”
Overall a great book with excellent world-building and character development that promised more crazy adventures with the rest of Fearghus' family that I will definitely be checking out. If you like dragons and romance, then book is ABSOLUTELY for you. 10/1o would recommend
March 24, 2015
This series, this series...
I love Annwyl!!! Just LOVE her. She is so crazy, stubborn, snarky and fearless. She has no brain-to-mouth filter, something that I find very attractie to my heroines. She is such a badass and she keeps getting crazier as the books progress.
Fearghus is good as well. All hot and powerful but Annwyl steals the show IMO.
Found this pic somewhere...
This book is awesome, at least I believe it is. Full of funny moments and action, without any angst and turmoil and all that boring stuff. Some would say that the emotional chemistry between the characters isn't there and it would probably be true but I love it nonetheless.
The dragon family is HILARIOUS. My favs are Gwenvael and Éibhear.
This is not much of a review but I'm too bored to write sth better!;)
I love Annwyl!!! Just LOVE her. She is so crazy, stubborn, snarky and fearless. She has no brain-to-mouth filter, something that I find very attractie to my heroines. She is such a badass and she keeps getting crazier as the books progress.
Fearghus is good as well. All hot and powerful but Annwyl steals the show IMO.
Found this pic somewhere...
This book is awesome, at least I believe it is. Full of funny moments and action, without any angst and turmoil and all that boring stuff. Some would say that the emotional chemistry between the characters isn't there and it would probably be true but I love it nonetheless.
The dragon family is HILARIOUS. My favs are Gwenvael and Éibhear.
This is not much of a review but I'm too bored to write sth better!;)
October 21, 2015
3.25 stars
As cringe-worthy as that cover is, it does a good job of depicting what this book contains. Chesticles. Male chesticles. Male DRAGON chesticles. All up in this mofo. Because dragons are allergic to clothing.
I somehow missed that this book contains two totally different story lines. The first 60% focuses on one couple, and then BOOM, a second couple is introduced. Whereas the first couple have an actual story arc (which is filled with hilarity as well as hawt schmex), the second couple...didn't really.
It was pretty much straight dragon porn (thankfully in human form) with some growling and arguing thrown in for good measure.
So, as much fun as I had while reading this, I just can't bring myself to give it more than three stars. Because when you get right down to it, this is little more than brainless, mindless fluff.
Read
March 18, 2017DNF at page 156. A dare so kindly provided by an amazing GR friend of mine: Edge of Bubble :) Luv ya sis, but one day you’ll be the death of me :D
To begin with, I’m a terrible reader when it comes to romance. There was a time when I breathed with historical romance, until it was an overload and I ran for UF and thrillers for recovery. But the romance I read was nothing compared to “Dragon Actually”.
I must give credit to the beginning of this book, it started good, with a fight, a kick-ass heroine and a dragon. I thought: Yay, what more can a girl like me want? Exactly, if the book stayed like that at least for 75%, I would have finished it with eye rolling of course, but still finished. The problem is that I received 75% of smut and only 25% of fighting and funny spices instead while I read. I think the best way to hide the flaws of a weak story is to spill some endless pages of annoying and pointless smut. If I took away all the smut, I’d get not much left and that’s a real problem.
Characters: Annwyl and Fearghus (Lord Idiot) both have awesome backstories, they are skilled in fighting, are scarred emotionally and physically, woot for that! They can proceed in a great lets-make-everything-bloody-and-gripping way as they both have potential as fighters, but instead I got interaction between Lord Idiot who is mainly ruled by his mating desires and a supposed to be kick ass heroine who thinks with her lower part. I think that both of them lacked a proper development as characters, they needed to be more multilayered. I liked other characters in the story, starting with the dragon kin, battle comrades and ending with the great villains. They weren’t fully fleshed-out, but at least they had more going on :)
It was strange for me as the final fight between good and bad happened so early in the story and I felt like I lost the little entertainment I had with this book. It was a struggle to read further.
To sum up it was a bad experience.
To begin with, I’m a terrible reader when it comes to romance. There was a time when I breathed with historical romance, until it was an overload and I ran for UF and thrillers for recovery. But the romance I read was nothing compared to “Dragon Actually”.
I must give credit to the beginning of this book, it started good, with a fight, a kick-ass heroine and a dragon. I thought: Yay, what more can a girl like me want? Exactly, if the book stayed like that at least for 75%, I would have finished it with eye rolling of course, but still finished. The problem is that I received 75% of smut and only 25% of fighting and funny spices instead while I read. I think the best way to hide the flaws of a weak story is to spill some endless pages of annoying and pointless smut. If I took away all the smut, I’d get not much left and that’s a real problem.
Characters: Annwyl and Fearghus (Lord Idiot) both have awesome backstories, they are skilled in fighting, are scarred emotionally and physically, woot for that! They can proceed in a great lets-make-everything-bloody-and-gripping way as they both have potential as fighters, but instead I got interaction between Lord Idiot who is mainly ruled by his mating desires and a supposed to be kick ass heroine who thinks with her lower part. I think that both of them lacked a proper development as characters, they needed to be more multilayered. I liked other characters in the story, starting with the dragon kin, battle comrades and ending with the great villains. They weren’t fully fleshed-out, but at least they had more going on :)
It was strange for me as the final fight between good and bad happened so early in the story and I felt like I lost the little entertainment I had with this book. It was a struggle to read further.
To sum up it was a bad experience.
Read
January 13, 2025Dragon Actually confused me straight off the bat by being two novellas rather than one novel. This meant I got about 60% of the way through the whole volume under the impression I’d only read 60% of a single book. And since love had already been declared, orgasms accumulated and baddies vanquished, I had no idea what was supposed to happen next – short of the protagonists sailing to America and arguing about nothing, like in The Flame & The Flower. But then, while I was too busy being emotionally disorientated to notice, Dragon Actually wrapped up and I was plunged into Chains & Flames, which is a sort of prequel to Dragon Actually.
So, I’ll start with Dragon Actually: Annwyl The Bloody (so named because of her prowess, rather than her finesse, on the battlefield) is at war with her evil brother. The book opens with her getting seriously injured and rescued by Fearghus the Destroyer, a dragon who sweeps her off to his lair and looks after her while she recovers. He becomes almost instantly obsessed with her and decides to help her defeat her brother by training her in combat. In this setting, dragons can conveniently turn human (otherwise I would not like to think of the mechanics of this relationship) and, for reasons that never entirely make sense, Fearghus neglects to tell Annwyl that the arrogant knight he sends to do sexy sparring with her is, well, him. Eventually the truth comes out, Annwyl goes back to her army and, with the help of Fearghus and his family, lays the smack down on her brother. There is then some pointless faffing around but the love of woman and dragon prevails and happy endings are duly dispensed.
I would characterise Dragon Actually as mostly harmless. It’s unabashedly light-hearted and entertaining, and occasionally quite funny, but – for me, as a fantasy reader – it was just a bit shallow. I feel quite bad about this because it basically means I’m The One Who is Against Fun but, for fun to be effective, it needs to be taken seriously by someone, and I felt this was neither a satisfying fantasy novel nor a satisfying romance. I think part of the problem might be that historicals can get away with not providing much detail because it’s easy enough to fill in the blanks for yourself. We’ve all seen BBC costume dramas so we all know what the past is supposed to look like. It has carriages and Colin Firth in it. But if you move the action into an imagined realm, unless a modicum of thought goes into how things work, you’re going to very quickly end up in Nowherelandia.
And Dragon Actually is very much set in Nowherelandia. There is generic fantasy stuff going on – wars, evil kings, places with funny names, vague references to the past, mysterious magic, wibble wibble – but it’s all basically scenery, and not very interesting scenery at that. I didn’t get any sense of this world as a real place, with a history that mattered. The conflict between Annwyl and her brother seems primarily an excuse for Annwyl to meet, and then get it on with, a dragon. And, please don’t get me wrong, I’m not one of those fantasy readers who believe depth is conveyed by breadth and that it’s not ‘proper’ fantasy unless it’s 900 pages long and nothing happens for the first 700 of them. But I’d just finished Angel’s Blood which has action, romance, character development eroticism and cracktastic amazing world building, and all in a book so slim I could probably have eaten it without needing a glass of water.
Maybe I’d have stopped fussing about the world itself if the relationship between Annwyl and Fearghus had been any less shallow than the setting, but it wasn’t. I mean it’s … nice? But, to be brutally honest, I didn’t really care if they got together or not, which probably wasn’t helped by the fact most of their deeper drives and motivations were incoherent bordering on incomprehensible. For example, Annwyl is unable to defeat her brother without extra training from Fearghus, because … because … actually I have no idea. Reasons? I think it’s a combination of Annwyl being frightened of him and controlled by her rage but, apart from getting quite extensively laid by Fearghus, I didn’t see what had changed for her over the course of the book. I mean, if all that was needed for peace in the war-torn kingdom of Nowherelandia was for one woman to get some counselling, it makes all the bloody warfare seem a bit futile.
Similarly, an absolutely ludicrous situation develops between Annwyl and Fearguus, simply because Ferghus won’t tell her he’s the knight AND the dragon, again, because … uh … Reasons. He babbles some nonsense about the dragon ability to turn human being a closely guarded secret (which he later blows wide open when he turns into a human in full view of Annwyl’s entire goddamn army, and nobody apart from Annwyl seems remotely surprised about it) and his sister claims it’s because he’s afraid Annywyl will reject him if she knows the truth. But this makes absolutely no sense because Annwyl has already made it very clear that she fancies the Knight, but think he’s a dick, and likes the dragon but obviously can’t get it on with him because ick. Fearghus continues to insist she has to accept both parts of him but when he’s being the Knight he is actively a complete tosser which is NOT his personality the rest of the time. So I have literally no idea what he’s trying to accomplish with this Shakespeare Comedy Moment. The only possible motivation I can construct for him is that he knows he’s in a romance novel and wants to hold off shagging the heroine until most dramatically appropriate moment while simultaneously shoring up material for A Big Apology later.
‘Why the hell are you doing that’ aside, I did quite like Fearghus. He’s the least dickish hero I’ve met so far, except when he’s randomly pretending to be more of a dick… which I guess is dickish by definition but moving on. He’s honestly pretty sweet in a slightly generic way. Annwyl, however, was a bit meh. I really liked the concept – she’s this six-foot, scar-covered warrior (at least inasmuch as she can be without deviating from being conventionally attractive). But I was also a bit disappointed that we basically had Lucy Lawless here, in all her fabulousness, and yet it’s specifically established that Fearghus sees her as tiny and fragile in her girly non-dragon mortality. Because women are only ever attractive to men if we perceive them as being weaker than us.
On the page, she’s funny, strong, warm and straight-talking, and a lot of her initial conversations with Fearghus made me laugh:
But there’s a lot of her personality that’s just narrated or explicated approvingly by other characters. And the truly interesting things we’re told that Annwyl does – fight wars, lead man into battle, win the loyalty of entire kingdoms – happens almost entirely in the background. Again, maybe my fantasy roots are showing, but I wanted to see her do this stuff so I could admire her for myself, rather than being simply told I should.
I think it was Oscar Wilde (it wasn’t) who said that we may judge someone’s worth by the worth of their enemies. And Annwyl’s enemies are, well, they’re crap. Her brother is the least engaging villain I think I have ever encountered in fiction. He has one personality trait and that is: He Hates All Women. He’s supposed to be a tyrant and we see him doing Lol!Evil things like killing his own henchmen (dude, that’s just poor resource management) and, apparently, he branded all the witches (not, you understand, because immense magical power is dangerous and should be regulated but because He Hates All Women). But there’s no sense of style, scope or scale there. I guess maybe the point was supposed to be that he’s a pissant little weasel – and Annwyl was truly the only person holding herself back – but it doesn’t feel remotely threatening and the confrontation, when it finally comes, doesn’t make for much of a climax. So to speak.
Also Ms Aiken villain-teased me with the guy on at least two occasions. I kept thinking he was going to get character development but he never did. Not long after Annwyl introduces him, the narrative jumps to his POV and I got all excited because it struck me as unusual to get a glimpse into the villain’s head and I thought there was going to be more going on in there than I Hate All Women. There wasn’t. Later, we learn that Evil Brother has allied with a wizard who turns out to be some kind of corrupt, sorcerous dragon who had been using him all along. Again, my little heart sped up, hoping for some kind of interesting twist. There wasn’t.
And I know this was supposed to be Annywl’s story. I’m not trying to say it should have been less about her and more about this random man. But sending her up against the villainous equivalent of a smooshed grape was just insulting to her. She doesn’t even get to take out the corrupt dragon. This is particularly odd because the book goes out of its way to establish a means by which Annwyl can kill dragons. Earlier in the book, Fearghus’s Dad shows up and try to kill her for no particular reason, a confrontation that goes badly for Annwyl until she realises that a dragon’s only weak spot is, um, his cock. Fearghus stops her before she can stab his Dad in the nads but I could see no reason for this scene to happen unless it was setting for a heroic dick chopping in the final battle. Chekov’s Dragon Wang, if you will.
But that never happens. Dicks were comprehensively left unchopped. Ms Aiken basically made me stare at dragon’s penis for no reason at all. Why, why did you make me do that? More importantly, the book missed its one opportunity to have Annwyl’s experiences with Fearghus really mean something. As it is, the evil dragon is whisked into the air and set on fire by Fearghus, presumably so he has something to do in the final battle. But all it does is highlight how hollow the whole business is. I think the evil brother and the evil dragon are meant be parallel antagonists for Annwyl and Fearghus, but since all the power is clearly concentrated in the dragons and Annwyl’s brother is the puppet of a dragon, it makes Annwyl’s actions largely meaningless, except as some kind of hardcore personal therapy.
Dragon Actually wasn’t, by any means, a bad read. I can see all the ways it could be an easy-going romp. It just didn’t particularly do anything for me. I was far too interested in things the text didn’t care about, and I wasn’t sufficiently engaged where the text was focused. I liked Fearghus and Annwyl well enough (ish), but they do an awful lot of bonking, and I kept bogging down. I know this makes me sound an almighty prude but I was at a bit of a loss to see what it contributed. I found it, um, kind of boring and neither Fearghus or Annwyl were sufficiently defined in terms of character for the sex to really say anything about them or to me, apart from that they were having sex and liking it.
There’s also a bit of an odd scene where Fearghus is trying to convince Annwyl to forgive him for not confessing he was the Knight of Dickhead and he ends up tying her to the bed and diddling her senseless until she does. There’s nothing abusive here – they are both clearly up for it and into it. But I don’t understand why you have to construct a ridiculous context in order to consenting tie your partner up. When you could … just … y’know … tie your consenting partner up. Maybe I’m missing some subtlety here? But it’s way less complicated that way round and it seems an awful lot of trouble to go to introduce some minor kink into your relationship.
I’m going to stop hammering this book in a minute. I promise. But I also had a bit of trouble with the writing. There a few lines, thoughts and ideas that are just a bit peculiar. For example, early on Fearghus muses:
Um, seriously dude? This is a badly injured woman we’re lusting about here. Personally, when I see that someone has been hurt, I think to myself “gosh, I’d better help that person” not “wahoo, I would really like to put my dick in there!”
And, similarly, I felt the book didn’t have much faith in my ability to pay attention, interpret a situation for myself or remember things I’d already been told, which made me a bit sad. For example, Fearghus is ‘fascinated’ by Annwyl in about six seconds and tells us so about four times in the next ten pages. And, at one point, he’s watching Annwyl frolic about naked and the narration tells us:
I can’t decide whether this was spot-on and kind of endearing or the equivalent to all those dreadful moments in 50 Shades of Grey when Ana stares the trousers hanging off Christian Grey’s hips and tells us: “He was so freaking hot!” I mean, I will confess that when I stare at breasts I tend to think ‘wow, those are good’ rather than ‘wow, those look like cherry-topped gazelles galloping over white hills’. But ‘they were amazing’ somehow feels a bit, uh, flat. It’s one step away from awesome, dude.
By the same token, there’s this:
Well, uh, yes. I know she called you handsome. I was right there. I read it two seconds ago. Again, I don’t know if this just me being an arse but the text is speckled with moments like these. And, although they’re not a big deal, they added up to yet another factor stopping me having much fun with Dragon Actually.
On the other hand, I actively disliked Chains & Flames. It has all the problems of Dragon Actually but more so. Also the protagonists are Fearghus’s mum and dad, which frankly I found a bit weird. I’d just spent a decent sized book with these guys squarely in the parent zone and I had trouble getting them out again. I’m not trying to say that people who have kids can’t have sex lives but, up until now, I’d only seen these people as parents of the viewpoint character. And nobody should have to think about Dad tying Mum to the bed.
Here’s the plot, such as it is. Rhiannon is a spoiled Pwincess Dwagon (sorry) with magical powers. Her mother hates her (because Reasons) and hands her over to this guy called Bercelak … so he can break her or something, and force her into marriage? And that benefits Rhiannon’s mother how? Again, it’s another one of those ‘seriously, that’s your plan?’ undertakings. Bercelak is some sort of lower class of dragon because his father was a big dragonwhore. Most of the action takes place with everybody in human form but, at this point, I was already driving myself up the wall trying to work out on how on earth this dragon-based society was supposed to function. I mean, dragons are big, really big. You may think it’s a long way down to the shops to chemist but that’s just peanuts to dragons. What do their living arrangements look like? How do they feed so many of them? Why do they have stairs when they can fly? How do a bunch of dragons hold a party? Gah!
Nobody in this book has anything like a personality. Rhiannon is spoiled and annoying and then just annoying. Bercelak has always been in love with Rhiannon because, ahem, Reasons. Rhiannon’s mother is pointlessly and motivelessly malignant. I think one of Bercelak’s sisters might be a lesbian dragon but I am basing this solely on the fact she has short hair, which will tell you just how desperately I was flailing around looking for character traits.
Also the dynamics of sex and gender left me feeling faintly uncomfortable throughout. I don’t know whether it’s deliberate or accidental but dragon society seems to be incredibly sex-negative. Bercelak’s father, who is actually called Ailean the Wicked, is more generally known as Ailean the Slag. I was so confused by this I went and looked the word up in the OED in case there was some alternative American meaning. Ailean the Smelter? But, no, slag is trans-Atlantic, as a term for a worthless, sexually promiscuous person (although over here it’s more generally, and even exclusively, directed at women). I suppose, at least, we can console ourselves with the consideration that dragons practice gender non-specific slut-shaming but it all seems a bit unpleasant to me? I mean, liking sex is not a crime, nor is having sex with multiple partners or having a lot sex. Is this some sort of subtle deconstruction of the hypocrisy inherent in the sexual double standard? Is it just a joke I’ve failed to get? But even if it is, it seems a bit mean to play for the lulz something that is genuinely a destructive and harmful part of our society. I am lost. Help!
Bercelak essentially seduces Rhiannon by faux-forcing (fauxing?) her. He tells her to say ‘no’ and he’ll stop, and she never does, while continuing to protest. Again, as kinky games go, there’s nothing wrong with this – whatever floats your boat is my motto – but, at one point, Rhiannon thinks:
And I’m still lost. To me, this whole sequence muddles kink and sexual politics in a deeply unhelpful way. I understand that there can be freedom in restraint and submission. And I also know guilt-free sex is a fantasy (which is, in itself, kind of sad because nobody should have to feel guilty for liking or wanting sex). The discussion of F&F lightly touched on these subjects. For that matter, I’ve read The Sheik which is the fluffiest rape fantasy imaginable, and I can see how it came to be written, and why. It’s even kind of adorable, in a rapey, racist way.
[continued in comments]
So, I’ll start with Dragon Actually: Annwyl The Bloody (so named because of her prowess, rather than her finesse, on the battlefield) is at war with her evil brother. The book opens with her getting seriously injured and rescued by Fearghus the Destroyer, a dragon who sweeps her off to his lair and looks after her while she recovers. He becomes almost instantly obsessed with her and decides to help her defeat her brother by training her in combat. In this setting, dragons can conveniently turn human (otherwise I would not like to think of the mechanics of this relationship) and, for reasons that never entirely make sense, Fearghus neglects to tell Annwyl that the arrogant knight he sends to do sexy sparring with her is, well, him. Eventually the truth comes out, Annwyl goes back to her army and, with the help of Fearghus and his family, lays the smack down on her brother. There is then some pointless faffing around but the love of woman and dragon prevails and happy endings are duly dispensed.
I would characterise Dragon Actually as mostly harmless. It’s unabashedly light-hearted and entertaining, and occasionally quite funny, but – for me, as a fantasy reader – it was just a bit shallow. I feel quite bad about this because it basically means I’m The One Who is Against Fun but, for fun to be effective, it needs to be taken seriously by someone, and I felt this was neither a satisfying fantasy novel nor a satisfying romance. I think part of the problem might be that historicals can get away with not providing much detail because it’s easy enough to fill in the blanks for yourself. We’ve all seen BBC costume dramas so we all know what the past is supposed to look like. It has carriages and Colin Firth in it. But if you move the action into an imagined realm, unless a modicum of thought goes into how things work, you’re going to very quickly end up in Nowherelandia.
And Dragon Actually is very much set in Nowherelandia. There is generic fantasy stuff going on – wars, evil kings, places with funny names, vague references to the past, mysterious magic, wibble wibble – but it’s all basically scenery, and not very interesting scenery at that. I didn’t get any sense of this world as a real place, with a history that mattered. The conflict between Annwyl and her brother seems primarily an excuse for Annwyl to meet, and then get it on with, a dragon. And, please don’t get me wrong, I’m not one of those fantasy readers who believe depth is conveyed by breadth and that it’s not ‘proper’ fantasy unless it’s 900 pages long and nothing happens for the first 700 of them. But I’d just finished Angel’s Blood which has action, romance, character development eroticism and cracktastic amazing world building, and all in a book so slim I could probably have eaten it without needing a glass of water.
Maybe I’d have stopped fussing about the world itself if the relationship between Annwyl and Fearghus had been any less shallow than the setting, but it wasn’t. I mean it’s … nice? But, to be brutally honest, I didn’t really care if they got together or not, which probably wasn’t helped by the fact most of their deeper drives and motivations were incoherent bordering on incomprehensible. For example, Annwyl is unable to defeat her brother without extra training from Fearghus, because … because … actually I have no idea. Reasons? I think it’s a combination of Annwyl being frightened of him and controlled by her rage but, apart from getting quite extensively laid by Fearghus, I didn’t see what had changed for her over the course of the book. I mean, if all that was needed for peace in the war-torn kingdom of Nowherelandia was for one woman to get some counselling, it makes all the bloody warfare seem a bit futile.
Similarly, an absolutely ludicrous situation develops between Annwyl and Fearguus, simply because Ferghus won’t tell her he’s the knight AND the dragon, again, because … uh … Reasons. He babbles some nonsense about the dragon ability to turn human being a closely guarded secret (which he later blows wide open when he turns into a human in full view of Annwyl’s entire goddamn army, and nobody apart from Annwyl seems remotely surprised about it) and his sister claims it’s because he’s afraid Annywyl will reject him if she knows the truth. But this makes absolutely no sense because Annwyl has already made it very clear that she fancies the Knight, but think he’s a dick, and likes the dragon but obviously can’t get it on with him because ick. Fearghus continues to insist she has to accept both parts of him but when he’s being the Knight he is actively a complete tosser which is NOT his personality the rest of the time. So I have literally no idea what he’s trying to accomplish with this Shakespeare Comedy Moment. The only possible motivation I can construct for him is that he knows he’s in a romance novel and wants to hold off shagging the heroine until most dramatically appropriate moment while simultaneously shoring up material for A Big Apology later.
‘Why the hell are you doing that’ aside, I did quite like Fearghus. He’s the least dickish hero I’ve met so far, except when he’s randomly pretending to be more of a dick… which I guess is dickish by definition but moving on. He’s honestly pretty sweet in a slightly generic way. Annwyl, however, was a bit meh. I really liked the concept – she’s this six-foot, scar-covered warrior (at least inasmuch as she can be without deviating from being conventionally attractive). But I was also a bit disappointed that we basically had Lucy Lawless here, in all her fabulousness, and yet it’s specifically established that Fearghus sees her as tiny and fragile in her girly non-dragon mortality. Because women are only ever attractive to men if we perceive them as being weaker than us.
On the page, she’s funny, strong, warm and straight-talking, and a lot of her initial conversations with Fearghus made me laugh:
“You take the heads of men and bathe in their blood.”
“I do not […] you take a man’s head, there’s blood. Spurting blood. But I do not bathe in anything but water.”
But there’s a lot of her personality that’s just narrated or explicated approvingly by other characters. And the truly interesting things we’re told that Annwyl does – fight wars, lead man into battle, win the loyalty of entire kingdoms – happens almost entirely in the background. Again, maybe my fantasy roots are showing, but I wanted to see her do this stuff so I could admire her for myself, rather than being simply told I should.
I think it was Oscar Wilde (it wasn’t) who said that we may judge someone’s worth by the worth of their enemies. And Annwyl’s enemies are, well, they’re crap. Her brother is the least engaging villain I think I have ever encountered in fiction. He has one personality trait and that is: He Hates All Women. He’s supposed to be a tyrant and we see him doing Lol!Evil things like killing his own henchmen (dude, that’s just poor resource management) and, apparently, he branded all the witches (not, you understand, because immense magical power is dangerous and should be regulated but because He Hates All Women). But there’s no sense of style, scope or scale there. I guess maybe the point was supposed to be that he’s a pissant little weasel – and Annwyl was truly the only person holding herself back – but it doesn’t feel remotely threatening and the confrontation, when it finally comes, doesn’t make for much of a climax. So to speak.
Also Ms Aiken villain-teased me with the guy on at least two occasions. I kept thinking he was going to get character development but he never did. Not long after Annwyl introduces him, the narrative jumps to his POV and I got all excited because it struck me as unusual to get a glimpse into the villain’s head and I thought there was going to be more going on in there than I Hate All Women. There wasn’t. Later, we learn that Evil Brother has allied with a wizard who turns out to be some kind of corrupt, sorcerous dragon who had been using him all along. Again, my little heart sped up, hoping for some kind of interesting twist. There wasn’t.
And I know this was supposed to be Annywl’s story. I’m not trying to say it should have been less about her and more about this random man. But sending her up against the villainous equivalent of a smooshed grape was just insulting to her. She doesn’t even get to take out the corrupt dragon. This is particularly odd because the book goes out of its way to establish a means by which Annwyl can kill dragons. Earlier in the book, Fearghus’s Dad shows up and try to kill her for no particular reason, a confrontation that goes badly for Annwyl until she realises that a dragon’s only weak spot is, um, his cock. Fearghus stops her before she can stab his Dad in the nads but I could see no reason for this scene to happen unless it was setting for a heroic dick chopping in the final battle. Chekov’s Dragon Wang, if you will.
But that never happens. Dicks were comprehensively left unchopped. Ms Aiken basically made me stare at dragon’s penis for no reason at all. Why, why did you make me do that? More importantly, the book missed its one opportunity to have Annwyl’s experiences with Fearghus really mean something. As it is, the evil dragon is whisked into the air and set on fire by Fearghus, presumably so he has something to do in the final battle. But all it does is highlight how hollow the whole business is. I think the evil brother and the evil dragon are meant be parallel antagonists for Annwyl and Fearghus, but since all the power is clearly concentrated in the dragons and Annwyl’s brother is the puppet of a dragon, it makes Annwyl’s actions largely meaningless, except as some kind of hardcore personal therapy.
Dragon Actually wasn’t, by any means, a bad read. I can see all the ways it could be an easy-going romp. It just didn’t particularly do anything for me. I was far too interested in things the text didn’t care about, and I wasn’t sufficiently engaged where the text was focused. I liked Fearghus and Annwyl well enough (ish), but they do an awful lot of bonking, and I kept bogging down. I know this makes me sound an almighty prude but I was at a bit of a loss to see what it contributed. I found it, um, kind of boring and neither Fearghus or Annwyl were sufficiently defined in terms of character for the sex to really say anything about them or to me, apart from that they were having sex and liking it.
There’s also a bit of an odd scene where Fearghus is trying to convince Annwyl to forgive him for not confessing he was the Knight of Dickhead and he ends up tying her to the bed and diddling her senseless until she does. There’s nothing abusive here – they are both clearly up for it and into it. But I don’t understand why you have to construct a ridiculous context in order to consenting tie your partner up. When you could … just … y’know … tie your consenting partner up. Maybe I’m missing some subtlety here? But it’s way less complicated that way round and it seems an awful lot of trouble to go to introduce some minor kink into your relationship.
I’m going to stop hammering this book in a minute. I promise. But I also had a bit of trouble with the writing. There a few lines, thoughts and ideas that are just a bit peculiar. For example, early on Fearghus muses:
He remembered how quickly and strongly his human body reacted to the sight of her. Naked, pale and covered in her own blood.
Um, seriously dude? This is a badly injured woman we’re lusting about here. Personally, when I see that someone has been hurt, I think to myself “gosh, I’d better help that person” not “wahoo, I would really like to put my dick in there!”
And, similarly, I felt the book didn’t have much faith in my ability to pay attention, interpret a situation for myself or remember things I’d already been told, which made me a bit sad. For example, Fearghus is ‘fascinated’ by Annwyl in about six seconds and tells us so about four times in the next ten pages. And, at one point, he’s watching Annwyl frolic about naked and the narration tells us:
But he couldn’t stop staring at her breasts. They were amazing.
I can’t decide whether this was spot-on and kind of endearing or the equivalent to all those dreadful moments in 50 Shades of Grey when Ana stares the trousers hanging off Christian Grey’s hips and tells us: “He was so freaking hot!” I mean, I will confess that when I stare at breasts I tend to think ‘wow, those are good’ rather than ‘wow, those look like cherry-topped gazelles galloping over white hills’. But ‘they were amazing’ somehow feels a bit, uh, flat. It’s one step away from awesome, dude.
By the same token, there’s this:
“Sometimes queens have to do things they’re not always proud of,” she teased. “Including the torturing of handsome dragons, such as yourself …” She smiled as she spoke – and called him ‘handsome’ – but he wouldn’t put anything past her.
Well, uh, yes. I know she called you handsome. I was right there. I read it two seconds ago. Again, I don’t know if this just me being an arse but the text is speckled with moments like these. And, although they’re not a big deal, they added up to yet another factor stopping me having much fun with Dragon Actually.
On the other hand, I actively disliked Chains & Flames. It has all the problems of Dragon Actually but more so. Also the protagonists are Fearghus’s mum and dad, which frankly I found a bit weird. I’d just spent a decent sized book with these guys squarely in the parent zone and I had trouble getting them out again. I’m not trying to say that people who have kids can’t have sex lives but, up until now, I’d only seen these people as parents of the viewpoint character. And nobody should have to think about Dad tying Mum to the bed.
Here’s the plot, such as it is. Rhiannon is a spoiled Pwincess Dwagon (sorry) with magical powers. Her mother hates her (because Reasons) and hands her over to this guy called Bercelak … so he can break her or something, and force her into marriage? And that benefits Rhiannon’s mother how? Again, it’s another one of those ‘seriously, that’s your plan?’ undertakings. Bercelak is some sort of lower class of dragon because his father was a big dragonwhore. Most of the action takes place with everybody in human form but, at this point, I was already driving myself up the wall trying to work out on how on earth this dragon-based society was supposed to function. I mean, dragons are big, really big. You may think it’s a long way down to the shops to chemist but that’s just peanuts to dragons. What do their living arrangements look like? How do they feed so many of them? Why do they have stairs when they can fly? How do a bunch of dragons hold a party? Gah!
Nobody in this book has anything like a personality. Rhiannon is spoiled and annoying and then just annoying. Bercelak has always been in love with Rhiannon because, ahem, Reasons. Rhiannon’s mother is pointlessly and motivelessly malignant. I think one of Bercelak’s sisters might be a lesbian dragon but I am basing this solely on the fact she has short hair, which will tell you just how desperately I was flailing around looking for character traits.
Also the dynamics of sex and gender left me feeling faintly uncomfortable throughout. I don’t know whether it’s deliberate or accidental but dragon society seems to be incredibly sex-negative. Bercelak’s father, who is actually called Ailean the Wicked, is more generally known as Ailean the Slag. I was so confused by this I went and looked the word up in the OED in case there was some alternative American meaning. Ailean the Smelter? But, no, slag is trans-Atlantic, as a term for a worthless, sexually promiscuous person (although over here it’s more generally, and even exclusively, directed at women). I suppose, at least, we can console ourselves with the consideration that dragons practice gender non-specific slut-shaming but it all seems a bit unpleasant to me? I mean, liking sex is not a crime, nor is having sex with multiple partners or having a lot sex. Is this some sort of subtle deconstruction of the hypocrisy inherent in the sexual double standard? Is it just a joke I’ve failed to get? But even if it is, it seems a bit mean to play for the lulz something that is genuinely a destructive and harmful part of our society. I am lost. Help!
Bercelak essentially seduces Rhiannon by faux-forcing (fauxing?) her. He tells her to say ‘no’ and he’ll stop, and she never does, while continuing to protest. Again, as kinky games go, there’s nothing wrong with this – whatever floats your boat is my motto – but, at one point, Rhiannon thinks:
Oh she enjoyed these rules of his. She didn’t have to act like the slag she currently was. Instead she could pretend this was all beyond her control when, in fact, he’d given her complete control.
And I’m still lost. To me, this whole sequence muddles kink and sexual politics in a deeply unhelpful way. I understand that there can be freedom in restraint and submission. And I also know guilt-free sex is a fantasy (which is, in itself, kind of sad because nobody should have to feel guilty for liking or wanting sex). The discussion of F&F lightly touched on these subjects. For that matter, I’ve read The Sheik which is the fluffiest rape fantasy imaginable, and I can see how it came to be written, and why. It’s even kind of adorable, in a rapey, racist way.
[continued in comments]
May 27, 2012
GA Aiken is a big name in paranormal romances, both under this cognomen and also as Shelly Laurenston. This was my first time reading her, and I had a positive experience.
What I liked right away about this story was the nice flow of the narrative. I was in a big reading slump where it seemed like it was harder to read books and get sucked in, and I liked how easy it was to fall into the world of this book. Aiken has some very good humor, and not afraid to make it involve some physical interactions between the characters. Along the lines of The Three Stooges and Bugs Bunny, to be clear.
I do have to say that her female characters stand out with their brash, tough nature. I liked Annwyl a bit more than Rhiannon, even though I acknowledge that both were shaped by their environment. Annwyl is the real deal when it comes to being a warrior. She didn’t earn her name of Annwyl the Bloody for no reason. Let’s just say that few will survive a sword fight with her without coming away about eight to ten inches shorter on the top. They are a good match for the heroes, meeting these big tough guys toe to toe. In some cases even more vicious at times.
The other thing I enjoyed a lot were the dragons. I liked the descriptions of them and their lifestyles, although it was quite disconcerting for them to talk so casually about eating humans and gleeful in killing them in various ways. Yeah, I know dragons probably view humans the way we do cows. But still…. Anyway, if one has a ‘what if’ about the lifestyles of the big and scaly, then Aiken will hook you up.
What I think was a bit too much for me was the graphic depictions of violence. In a way, I think it works for her, considering this harsh, brutal world of warring humans and dragons. On the other hand, I am a bit squeamish when it comes to descriptions of men getting gutted and their entrails falling out. And people getting squished to a pulp. If you can get past this, a reader will enjoy the action elements and the fact that the heroines go to battle hardcore.
Readers who like their romance on the hot and steamy side will not be disappointed. I am not into BDSM at all, but the chains that featured heavily in the second story certainly made things interesting.
Overall, quite satisfied. I liked Annwyl and Fearghus’ story a bit more, but the story of Fearghus’ parents (Rhiannon and Bercelak)’ famed courtship was very good as well. I will read more in this series.
What I liked right away about this story was the nice flow of the narrative. I was in a big reading slump where it seemed like it was harder to read books and get sucked in, and I liked how easy it was to fall into the world of this book. Aiken has some very good humor, and not afraid to make it involve some physical interactions between the characters. Along the lines of The Three Stooges and Bugs Bunny, to be clear.
I do have to say that her female characters stand out with their brash, tough nature. I liked Annwyl a bit more than Rhiannon, even though I acknowledge that both were shaped by their environment. Annwyl is the real deal when it comes to being a warrior. She didn’t earn her name of Annwyl the Bloody for no reason. Let’s just say that few will survive a sword fight with her without coming away about eight to ten inches shorter on the top. They are a good match for the heroes, meeting these big tough guys toe to toe. In some cases even more vicious at times.
The other thing I enjoyed a lot were the dragons. I liked the descriptions of them and their lifestyles, although it was quite disconcerting for them to talk so casually about eating humans and gleeful in killing them in various ways. Yeah, I know dragons probably view humans the way we do cows. But still…. Anyway, if one has a ‘what if’ about the lifestyles of the big and scaly, then Aiken will hook you up.
What I think was a bit too much for me was the graphic depictions of violence. In a way, I think it works for her, considering this harsh, brutal world of warring humans and dragons. On the other hand, I am a bit squeamish when it comes to descriptions of men getting gutted and their entrails falling out. And people getting squished to a pulp. If you can get past this, a reader will enjoy the action elements and the fact that the heroines go to battle hardcore.
Readers who like their romance on the hot and steamy side will not be disappointed. I am not into BDSM at all, but the chains that featured heavily in the second story certainly made things interesting.
Overall, quite satisfied. I liked Annwyl and Fearghus’ story a bit more, but the story of Fearghus’ parents (Rhiannon and Bercelak)’ famed courtship was very good as well. I will read more in this series.
October 23, 2018
Actual Rating 2.5 stars
It's fine.
The relationship development was a bit fast for me. I don't really see where they fell in love. Friendship, sure I can see that, love, no. The romance needed a deeper unfolding.
The problems, or added plots surrounding the romance were a bit absurd and underdeveloped as well and that made me lose interest in the story, even though I found the beginning interesting.
I have to say that it is nice seeing a warrior woman in a paranormal romance book. It is promising that we are seeing more and more of this models everyday. Bye-bye damsel in distress.
It's fine.
The relationship development was a bit fast for me. I don't really see where they fell in love. Friendship, sure I can see that, love, no. The romance needed a deeper unfolding.
The problems, or added plots surrounding the romance were a bit absurd and underdeveloped as well and that made me lose interest in the story, even though I found the beginning interesting.
I have to say that it is nice seeing a warrior woman in a paranormal romance book. It is promising that we are seeing more and more of this models everyday. Bye-bye damsel in distress.
April 10, 2012
I am soo disappointed with this book. It really is 2 short stories, or 1 almost-novel length story, and 1 short story.
I read the first, and refused to read anymore, so it's on the DNF shelf.
A warrior named Annwyl has spent the past 2 years trying to defeat her cruel evil brother, gaining her the nickname Annwyl the Bloody. She is almost killed in front of a dragon's lair...Fearghus the Destroyer, but he is fascinated by her, and as she heals, she falls for him. By day, a knight comes to her to help her train and learn to hold her infamous rage at bay, by night she and the dragon talk and read. She has no clue they are both Fearghus. Sounds good right?
Wrong.
It took me forever to find this book, and I've heard pretty good things about G.A. Aiken. (TBH I really enjoy her alter ego Shelly Laurenston's Pride series, so this was extra disappointing for me)
I almost didn't finish it.
The writing was awful, the dialogue awful and the story was stupid. I almost gave up twice, and I definitely did not read the second story. I was so so saddened that it had some potential, but really, it was poorly written. :(
I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 because the fight scene at the end was captivating. I liked Fearghus' mother the queen. Her story is the one at the end, and yet I couldn't even bring myself to read it. I don't mind sexual tension or the "I love him, does he love me?" plot, but this was so poorly done I couldn't even get into it. I liked the dragons a lot, but I won't bother reading any more of the dragon kin books, which is a shame. It was the writing style that I didn't like, as well as the lack of good dialogue. I get it was supposed to be funny, but for me, it just...wasn't.
A shame
I read the first, and refused to read anymore, so it's on the DNF shelf.
A warrior named Annwyl has spent the past 2 years trying to defeat her cruel evil brother, gaining her the nickname Annwyl the Bloody. She is almost killed in front of a dragon's lair...Fearghus the Destroyer, but he is fascinated by her, and as she heals, she falls for him. By day, a knight comes to her to help her train and learn to hold her infamous rage at bay, by night she and the dragon talk and read. She has no clue they are both Fearghus. Sounds good right?
Wrong.
It took me forever to find this book, and I've heard pretty good things about G.A. Aiken. (TBH I really enjoy her alter ego Shelly Laurenston's Pride series, so this was extra disappointing for me)
I almost didn't finish it.
The writing was awful, the dialogue awful and the story was stupid. I almost gave up twice, and I definitely did not read the second story. I was so so saddened that it had some potential, but really, it was poorly written. :(
I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 because the fight scene at the end was captivating. I liked Fearghus' mother the queen. Her story is the one at the end, and yet I couldn't even bring myself to read it. I don't mind sexual tension or the "I love him, does he love me?" plot, but this was so poorly done I couldn't even get into it. I liked the dragons a lot, but I won't bother reading any more of the dragon kin books, which is a shame. It was the writing style that I didn't like, as well as the lack of good dialogue. I get it was supposed to be funny, but for me, it just...wasn't.
A shame
March 17, 2021
Dragon Actually by G A Aiken
1st book in the Dragon Kin series. Paranormal romance.
Annwyl the Bloody is a female warrior fighting to dethrone her tyrant of a brother. She has followers but her brothers forces are strong. When she meets Fearghus, a dragon, she’s impressed with his strength and hoping he can help her win battles against her brother.
Fearghus is intrigued by the human. She smells good. So after healing her and seeing her unafraid of him in his dragon form, he decides to help her improve her fighting skills. Getting her past her rage is the first step in making her unbeatable. If that means a smack of his sword on her butt, well then, that’s how he’ll play it.
I love a strong heroine and that she was willing to fight against her brother. It was sweet that she was falling for Fearghus in both of his forms.
An excellent adventure with quite a bit of humor. Not all innocent though as these are warriors but in general the fighting isn’t too gruesome. The point is made, but it’s a romance in the end.
1st book in the Dragon Kin series. Paranormal romance.
Annwyl the Bloody is a female warrior fighting to dethrone her tyrant of a brother. She has followers but her brothers forces are strong. When she meets Fearghus, a dragon, she’s impressed with his strength and hoping he can help her win battles against her brother.
Fearghus is intrigued by the human. She smells good. So after healing her and seeing her unafraid of him in his dragon form, he decides to help her improve her fighting skills. Getting her past her rage is the first step in making her unbeatable. If that means a smack of his sword on her butt, well then, that’s how he’ll play it.
I love a strong heroine and that she was willing to fight against her brother. It was sweet that she was falling for Fearghus in both of his forms.
An excellent adventure with quite a bit of humor. Not all innocent though as these are warriors but in general the fighting isn’t too gruesome. The point is made, but it’s a romance in the end.
March 10, 2017
Buddy read *more like buddy torture =p * with lovely Orient and Craig
This is the book that made me fall in love with PNR. It is a light and funny read with a nice plot. Books get way more funny and a bit more complex plotwise as the series progress.
I'llgloat talk more after buddies finish their reading =p
This is the book that made me fall in love with PNR. It is a light and funny read with a nice plot. Books get way more funny and a bit more complex plotwise as the series progress.
I'll
March 24, 2019
I quite liked this one. 4.5 rounded to 5.
The 0.5 subtraction is because Fearghus' story dragged a little toward the end. And Bercelak's story might be more like 4 stars.
Surprisingly, I enjoyed Annwyl and Fearghus the most out of the the dragon pairs I've read about. Even the ones that I haven't read about. I think it's because of the "novelty" of a woman falling in love with a dragon, while lusting for the man. This was an uncharacteristically sex-filled installment (given I've been reading backwards). I mean, there's always sex, but this one really was every other page. Tho the scenes themselves were short, there were plenty of them!! (not complaining)
I enjoyed that part the most. How she loved the dragon by night and talked to him and petted him but got down and dirty with the man by day. Being confused all the while because she wanted the man but loved the dragon.
The other stories had less of the "charm" this one has. Two dragons. A woman who knows about dragons and is too cold and logical to be impressed...
When reading Book 3, I didn't really feel like reading book 1 about F & A's story. But I really liked it! Best thus far!
Now... not sure if I want to read book 2... probably :)
The 0.5 subtraction is because Fearghus' story dragged a little toward the end. And Bercelak's story might be more like 4 stars.
Surprisingly, I enjoyed Annwyl and Fearghus the most out of the the dragon pairs I've read about. Even the ones that I haven't read about. I think it's because of the "novelty" of a woman falling in love with a dragon, while lusting for the man. This was an uncharacteristically sex-filled installment (given I've been reading backwards). I mean, there's always sex, but this one really was every other page. Tho the scenes themselves were short, there were plenty of them!! (not complaining)
I enjoyed that part the most. How she loved the dragon by night and talked to him and petted him but got down and dirty with the man by day. Being confused all the while because she wanted the man but loved the dragon.
The other stories had less of the "charm" this one has. Two dragons. A woman who knows about dragons and is too cold and logical to be impressed...
When reading Book 3, I didn't really feel like reading book 1 about F & A's story. But I really liked it! Best thus far!
Now... not sure if I want to read book 2... probably :)
January 19, 2012
Clearly I am a fool for waiting so long to start this series. The first book in the series is actually two stories in one. So here are my thoughts on each:
DRAGON ACTUALLY – 5 stars
Annwyl the Bloody is a warrior chick who simply does as she pleases. Though a mere human, she is a force, igniting passion and determination in her battalion as she leads them into possible death. Her greatest enemy is her own brother, Lorcan. A sadistic brother who gets off on suffering, Annwyl must do everything in her power to take her brother down.
While I hated Lorcan with a passion, I loved Annwyl with the same intensity. She is probably my new favourite heroine. She was mighty, strong, and with her trigger happy temper, she made this read highly enjoyable.
However, when she is injured in battle, a black dragon saves her from her demise, nursing her back to health in his den. With the help of his sister Morfyd a witch healer and dragon, Fearghus gets up close and personal with Annwyl.
Their love progresses slowly in this book. I liked how there was the distinction between romantic love and friendship, though it seems that Annwyl developed feelings far deeper than friendship with Fearghus later on.
I loved that G.A. Aiken incorporated witty banter alongside some serious asskicking. It was the perfect balance of light hearts and bloody gore.
There is also a side romance between Morfyd, Fearghus’s sister and Brastias, the general. Though we don’t actually see anything happen with them, it was nice to read their sexual tension.
CHAINS AND FLAMES– 4 stars
In DRAGON ACTUALLY, readers are introduced to Fearghus’s mother, Rhiannon and his father, Bercelak. This short story is of how they met and fell in love.
Princess Rhiannon has a big ego. Basically, she thinks she is the shit. But when her mother tells her that her mate will be Bercelak, Rhiannon feels like she’s been bitchslapped several times. Surely this can’t be happening. She’s a princess and Bercelak is not of royal blood. But....it happens and Rhiannon finds herself in Bercelek’s quarters.
As a human.
Bercelak was interesting to read about. He was a grumpy old bastard in DRAGON ACTUALLY, but I liked his teasing tone in this book. Added to that is the fact that he’s a Dragon Dom. Yep, you read that right. And no, there’s really no such thing as a Dragon Dom. I made it up, but if anyone had to be described as a Dragon Dom, it would be B.
What can I say...chains and whips excite him!
While Rhiannon was a complete raging bitch most of the time, I thought she matched Bercelak well. This book really got its claws into me because I just want to finish writing this review so I can read the next one.
Hope this suffices. If not, then read the damn book yourself and write a better review , because really, it seems that no words can really express how much I enjoyed this read.
DRAGON ACTUALLY – 5 stars
Annwyl the Bloody is a warrior chick who simply does as she pleases. Though a mere human, she is a force, igniting passion and determination in her battalion as she leads them into possible death. Her greatest enemy is her own brother, Lorcan. A sadistic brother who gets off on suffering, Annwyl must do everything in her power to take her brother down.
While I hated Lorcan with a passion, I loved Annwyl with the same intensity. She is probably my new favourite heroine. She was mighty, strong, and with her trigger happy temper, she made this read highly enjoyable.
However, when she is injured in battle, a black dragon saves her from her demise, nursing her back to health in his den. With the help of his sister Morfyd a witch healer and dragon, Fearghus gets up close and personal with Annwyl.
Their love progresses slowly in this book. I liked how there was the distinction between romantic love and friendship, though it seems that Annwyl developed feelings far deeper than friendship with Fearghus later on.
I loved that G.A. Aiken incorporated witty banter alongside some serious asskicking. It was the perfect balance of light hearts and bloody gore.
There is also a side romance between Morfyd, Fearghus’s sister and Brastias, the general. Though we don’t actually see anything happen with them, it was nice to read their sexual tension.
CHAINS AND FLAMES– 4 stars
In DRAGON ACTUALLY, readers are introduced to Fearghus’s mother, Rhiannon and his father, Bercelak. This short story is of how they met and fell in love.
Princess Rhiannon has a big ego. Basically, she thinks she is the shit. But when her mother tells her that her mate will be Bercelak, Rhiannon feels like she’s been bitchslapped several times. Surely this can’t be happening. She’s a princess and Bercelak is not of royal blood. But....it happens and Rhiannon finds herself in Bercelek’s quarters.
As a human.
Bercelak was interesting to read about. He was a grumpy old bastard in DRAGON ACTUALLY, but I liked his teasing tone in this book. Added to that is the fact that he’s a Dragon Dom. Yep, you read that right. And no, there’s really no such thing as a Dragon Dom. I made it up, but if anyone had to be described as a Dragon Dom, it would be B.
What can I say...chains and whips excite him!
While Rhiannon was a complete raging bitch most of the time, I thought she matched Bercelak well. This book really got its claws into me because I just want to finish writing this review so I can read the next one.
Hope this suffices. If not, then read the damn book yourself and write a better review , because really, it seems that no words can really express how much I enjoyed this read.
January 5, 2012
4.5 stars
I see from the other reviews that this seems to be a Love It or Hate It kind of book. I'm firmly in the Love It camp. I guess it depends on what you were expecting from the novel? I was personally hoping for nothing more than brain candy, and I certainly wasn't the least bit disappointed in that regard. I thought Dragon Actually was humorous and entertaining, and the bonus story Chains and Flames a wonderful add-on to the overall experience.
I see from the other reviews that this seems to be a Love It or Hate It kind of book. I'm firmly in the Love It camp. I guess it depends on what you were expecting from the novel? I was personally hoping for nothing more than brain candy, and I certainly wasn't the least bit disappointed in that regard. I thought Dragon Actually was humorous and entertaining, and the bonus story Chains and Flames a wonderful add-on to the overall experience.
September 9, 2020
This one surprised the hell out of me. It was pushed on me by Abby because she likes to torture me is the greatest friend ever.
I would have never read this book. The cover is ridiculous and I was told it was dragon porn. Sorry, not my cuppa. But then the some of the other MacHalo ladies got in on the conversation and if you don't already know, they like their stories a little smutty sometimes. Just for the record, this is more of a shifter PNR, not at all monster porn as I was led to believe, and I am VERY thankful for that.
So anyway, I ended up reading this. And it was really fun and funny. I liked the main characters as well as almost every single side character. The sexxy times were appropriately steamy and to round out the required elements there was plenty of action and violence so it wasn't just all romance and snuggles. I may have a mild obsession with dragons so my opinion completely biased, just as a word of warning, but I really enjoyed this and immediately moved on to the next in the series.
I wasn't quite as impressed with the prequel that was included with this book, but it was free and it was still better than some other junk I've read recently so this was still a win for me.
I would have never read this book. The cover is ridiculous and I was told it was dragon porn. Sorry, not my cuppa. But then the some of the other MacHalo ladies got in on the conversation and if you don't already know, they like their stories a little smutty sometimes. Just for the record, this is more of a shifter PNR, not at all monster porn as I was led to believe, and I am VERY thankful for that.
So anyway, I ended up reading this. And it was really fun and funny. I liked the main characters as well as almost every single side character. The sexxy times were appropriately steamy and to round out the required elements there was plenty of action and violence so it wasn't just all romance and snuggles. I may have a mild obsession with dragons so my opinion completely biased, just as a word of warning, but I really enjoyed this and immediately moved on to the next in the series.
I wasn't quite as impressed with the prequel that was included with this book, but it was free and it was still better than some other junk I've read recently so this was still a win for me.
April 16, 2020
As it turns out, I've got a thing for obnoxious, arrogant and sexy dragon shifters getting domesticized by snarky heroines. Happy happy feels!
Binge reading the series right now!
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
Binge reading the series right now!
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
October 12, 2010
This rating and review is based solely on the first story in the book, Dragon Actually and will be updated when I read the second story, Chains & Flames.
Dragon Actually, the first book in the Dragon Kin series, is my first G.A. Aiken/Shelly Laurenston read and so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this author. To be honest, I thought the first half of the story was OK. There was a lot of humor, but not much depth to the plot or characters at all and, truth be told, I don’t think there was supposed to be. I found myself becoming bored with the back and forth wise cracks between Annwyl the Bloody, Fearghus the Destroyer and Morfyd the Witch, and was really ready for something more. About the time I had convinced myself that skimming was an acceptable form of reading after all, and that despite what I've been telling my daughter, I would not go to hell for skimming, things really started to pick up and I became completely invested in the characters, even though Annwyl was, more often than not, annoying.
My favorite parts of the story involved the Dragon family. I truly enjoyed Fearghus, and found myself wanting him, after more than 200 years of life, to finally find happiness, even if that meant that it had to be with Annwyl. Fearghus’ family was very entertaining! I enjoyed the banter between the siblings and parents, and the childhood rivalries that carried over into adulthood. All of those stories were introduced early on in the book, but were fully developed during the final half. Again, those were the things that made this book a fun, and at times, laugh out loud, read.
The halfway mark was also about the time that we finally got to see some real depth of emotions from our hero and heroine. Ms. Aiken was able to make me feel Fearghus’ sorrow, and his longing for something he had never even known was missing from his life – love. And as things start to come together, we better understand Annwyl’s need for revenge, and her hesitancy to allow her heart to be claimed by any man. But the claiming of her body was another story. The sexual scenes in the book were very hot and plentiful.
The bottom line – Don’t let the 3 star rating discourage you from reading this book, because I feel that Dragon Kin, as a series overall, has the potential to be super, and for this reason I’m really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Sexual content: Vaginal and oral.
Dragon Actually, the first book in the Dragon Kin series, is my first G.A. Aiken/Shelly Laurenston read and so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this author. To be honest, I thought the first half of the story was OK. There was a lot of humor, but not much depth to the plot or characters at all and, truth be told, I don’t think there was supposed to be. I found myself becoming bored with the back and forth wise cracks between Annwyl the Bloody, Fearghus the Destroyer and Morfyd the Witch, and was really ready for something more. About the time I had convinced myself that skimming was an acceptable form of reading after all, and that despite what I've been telling my daughter, I would not go to hell for skimming, things really started to pick up and I became completely invested in the characters, even though Annwyl was, more often than not, annoying.
My favorite parts of the story involved the Dragon family. I truly enjoyed Fearghus, and found myself wanting him, after more than 200 years of life, to finally find happiness, even if that meant that it had to be with Annwyl. Fearghus’ family was very entertaining! I enjoyed the banter between the siblings and parents, and the childhood rivalries that carried over into adulthood. All of those stories were introduced early on in the book, but were fully developed during the final half. Again, those were the things that made this book a fun, and at times, laugh out loud, read.
The halfway mark was also about the time that we finally got to see some real depth of emotions from our hero and heroine. Ms. Aiken was able to make me feel Fearghus’ sorrow, and his longing for something he had never even known was missing from his life – love. And as things start to come together, we better understand Annwyl’s need for revenge, and her hesitancy to allow her heart to be claimed by any man. But the claiming of her body was another story. The sexual scenes in the book were very hot and plentiful.
The bottom line – Don’t let the 3 star rating discourage you from reading this book, because I feel that Dragon Kin, as a series overall, has the potential to be super, and for this reason I’m really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Sexual content: Vaginal and oral.
February 14, 2021
This is actually 2 novellas.
Dragon Actually
The better of the two. This had a more likable hero and heroine. Unfortunately, I found the dialogue immature and irritating but overall it was a decent story filled with good paced action, love and conflict. What I didn't like was how the heroine so I lost respect for her. She also was too over the top bloodthirsty and completely unromantic.
Chains and Flames
I disliked the hero immensely, as well as the heroine. Not only is he an arrogant rake but is a total ass as well. He "supposedly" loves the heroine and yet And what the hell was up with the centaur? He's oogling her on his way to claim the h? What a jerk. Oh and lets not forget how he
Both stories are very sexually explicit, and the first, violently graphic. This is not what brought my rating down . What brought my rating down is the lack of logic in both stories.
They were somewhat entertaining, but the writing needs work. especially the dialogue aspect.
Dragon Actually
The better of the two. This had a more likable hero and heroine. Unfortunately, I found the dialogue immature and irritating but overall it was a decent story filled with good paced action, love and conflict. What I didn't like was how the heroine so I lost respect for her. She also was too over the top bloodthirsty and completely unromantic.
Chains and Flames
I disliked the hero immensely, as well as the heroine. Not only is he an arrogant rake but is a total ass as well. He "supposedly" loves the heroine and yet And what the hell was up with the centaur? He's oogling her on his way to claim the h? What a jerk. Oh and lets not forget how he
Both stories are very sexually explicit, and the first, violently graphic. This is not what brought my rating down . What brought my rating down is the lack of logic in both stories.
They were somewhat entertaining, but the writing needs work. especially the dialogue aspect.
January 12, 2018
Dragon Actually: 5 stars
I really enjoyed reading about Annwyl the Bloody and Fearghus the Destroyer. She's a slightly insane warrior chick (think a beheading hardcore Xena) who has only her fellow soldiers as sort of friends. They're all mainly terrified of her, and no love in her life. Fearghus is a cranky hermit dragon who likes no one, barely one or two of his siblings. Annwyl ends up at F's cave, he nurses her back to health & thus their friendship begins. It's lovely to see these two "terrifying" people see the mushy lovey truffle center of each other. And it's humorous, as is everything by this author.
Chains & Flames: 3 - 3.5 stars
This is about Bercelak & Princess Rhiannon - Fearghus' parents. It's their romance. I liked both characters, but it wasn't something I'd reread. I definitely didn't enjoy their sexual encounters. Bercelak is into BDSM and likes to chain the ladies up. The dialogue between the two is fun. Otherwise, not really my cup of tea, romance wise.
I really enjoyed reading about Annwyl the Bloody and Fearghus the Destroyer. She's a slightly insane warrior chick (think a beheading hardcore Xena) who has only her fellow soldiers as sort of friends. They're all mainly terrified of her, and no love in her life. Fearghus is a cranky hermit dragon who likes no one, barely one or two of his siblings. Annwyl ends up at F's cave, he nurses her back to health & thus their friendship begins. It's lovely to see these two "terrifying" people see the mushy lovey truffle center of each other. And it's humorous, as is everything by this author.
Chains & Flames: 3 - 3.5 stars
This is about Bercelak & Princess Rhiannon - Fearghus' parents. It's their romance. I liked both characters, but it wasn't something I'd reread. I definitely didn't enjoy their sexual encounters. Bercelak is into BDSM and likes to chain the ladies up. The dialogue between the two is fun. Otherwise, not really my cup of tea, romance wise.
November 12, 2018
4 stars
This story sucked me in from the start, which is a credit to the author as world building is usually a complex and cumbersome process in the first books of a series such as this. Aiken did a great job of balancing the scene setting without dragging the reader down in too much detail.
The central conflict of the story involves Annwyl the Bloody's rebellion against her half brother who has assumed the role of King upon their father's passing. Annwyl is a fierce warrior, so much so that she commands a league of men who help her fight against the cruel regime for control of the kingdom. But in the opening scene of the story, she has become mortally wounded in battle, and it appears the rebellion will fall short of its goal without her at the helm. Enter the dragon: Fearghus the Destroyer, who hears a commotion outside of his secluded dwelling where he has removed himself to for many decades in the attempt to escape the pressures of his family and society in general. Irritated that his abode has been so rudely disturbed, he exits his cave to find a battle in progress with a female warrior fighting to her inevitable death. Though he never involves himself in human battles, for some reason, this undaunted female sparks his curiosity. While the other members of the battle are fleeing at the sight of such a ferocious beast, Annwyl stands her ground, and that intrigues Fearghus enough to quickly eliminate her foes and begin to magically heal her fatal injuries.
When Annwyl awakens after many nights of being tended to by a female witch presumably in Fearghus' employ, she realizes he chose to save her, and while she knows she should fear the mighty dragon, she does not and knows she owes her life to him. She quickly develops a friendship with him, and he grudgingly becomes fond of her in return. When he suggests she train with a fierce knight to further her skills and better prepare her to face her brother, she reluctantly accepts; when the knight arrives, she finds herself strongly attracted to him, something that has never happened to her before though she has been among and in close quarters with many men for years. She struggles with her growing affection for Fearghus and the feelings that the knight awakens in her.
Overall, this was a fun, steamy, action-filled read, and I enjoyed it. The only thing that I didn't care much for was the drawn out "love triangle" --- it was a little unnecessary and unrealistic that Annwyn wouldn't catch on sooner. Also, Those flaws aside, I loved the feisty spirit of Annwyl and the persistence of Fearghus. The encounters with his family members teed it up well for future books in the series.
Plot --- 4/5
Main Characters --- 4/5
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Steamy Level --- 3.5/5
POV --- 3rd
Violence --- Battle scenes were pretty gory
Language --- Not egregious
This story sucked me in from the start, which is a credit to the author as world building is usually a complex and cumbersome process in the first books of a series such as this. Aiken did a great job of balancing the scene setting without dragging the reader down in too much detail.
The central conflict of the story involves Annwyl the Bloody's rebellion against her half brother who has assumed the role of King upon their father's passing. Annwyl is a fierce warrior, so much so that she commands a league of men who help her fight against the cruel regime for control of the kingdom. But in the opening scene of the story, she has become mortally wounded in battle, and it appears the rebellion will fall short of its goal without her at the helm. Enter the dragon: Fearghus the Destroyer, who hears a commotion outside of his secluded dwelling where he has removed himself to for many decades in the attempt to escape the pressures of his family and society in general. Irritated that his abode has been so rudely disturbed, he exits his cave to find a battle in progress with a female warrior fighting to her inevitable death. Though he never involves himself in human battles, for some reason, this undaunted female sparks his curiosity. While the other members of the battle are fleeing at the sight of such a ferocious beast, Annwyl stands her ground, and that intrigues Fearghus enough to quickly eliminate her foes and begin to magically heal her fatal injuries.
When Annwyl awakens after many nights of being tended to by a female witch presumably in Fearghus' employ, she realizes he chose to save her, and while she knows she should fear the mighty dragon, she does not and knows she owes her life to him. She quickly develops a friendship with him, and he grudgingly becomes fond of her in return. When he suggests she train with a fierce knight to further her skills and better prepare her to face her brother, she reluctantly accepts; when the knight arrives, she finds herself strongly attracted to him, something that has never happened to her before though she has been among and in close quarters with many men for years. She struggles with her growing affection for Fearghus and the feelings that the knight awakens in her.
Overall, this was a fun, steamy, action-filled read, and I enjoyed it. The only thing that I didn't care much for was the drawn out "love triangle" --- it was a little unnecessary and unrealistic that Annwyn wouldn't catch on sooner. Also, Those flaws aside, I loved the feisty spirit of Annwyl and the persistence of Fearghus. The encounters with his family members teed it up well for future books in the series.
Plot --- 4/5
Main Characters --- 4/5
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Steamy Level --- 3.5/5
POV --- 3rd
Violence --- Battle scenes were pretty gory
Language --- Not egregious
November 2, 2020
Keeping secrets to protect your heart...
I absolutely LOVE anything G.A. Aiken writes. Well, I absolutely love anything Shelly Laurenston writes too, so I have to say that anything this author writes is a winner for me. Dragon Actually was my introduction to the wonder and magic of dragon shifters. It's action-packed, funny, sexy, and very original, with characters that you question how they can not be real.
It cracks me up that such strong characters can be such scaredy cats. Fearghus keeps his true identity a secret because he's scared that Annwyl will walk away once she knows. Annwyl doesn't like the idea of being vulnerable, and while she's quite happy to show that vulnerability to a dragon, she's not up to sharing it with a man. Both of them will have to risk heartbreak if they're ever to know true happiness. Fearghus will have to share his dragon and the man before Annwyl will risk her heart.
The narrator does a fantastic job, with just the right amount of 'personality' to suit both Annwyl the Bloody and Fearghus the Destroyer. She also manages to show their strengths and vulnerabilities perfectly. Hollie Jackson is a narrator I will definitely keep an eye out for in the future.
The Dragon Kin Series is a favourite, and I will definitely listen to more in the future.
I absolutely LOVE anything G.A. Aiken writes. Well, I absolutely love anything Shelly Laurenston writes too, so I have to say that anything this author writes is a winner for me. Dragon Actually was my introduction to the wonder and magic of dragon shifters. It's action-packed, funny, sexy, and very original, with characters that you question how they can not be real.
It cracks me up that such strong characters can be such scaredy cats. Fearghus keeps his true identity a secret because he's scared that Annwyl will walk away once she knows. Annwyl doesn't like the idea of being vulnerable, and while she's quite happy to show that vulnerability to a dragon, she's not up to sharing it with a man. Both of them will have to risk heartbreak if they're ever to know true happiness. Fearghus will have to share his dragon and the man before Annwyl will risk her heart.
The narrator does a fantastic job, with just the right amount of 'personality' to suit both Annwyl the Bloody and Fearghus the Destroyer. She also manages to show their strengths and vulnerabilities perfectly. Hollie Jackson is a narrator I will definitely keep an eye out for in the future.
The Dragon Kin Series is a favourite, and I will definitely listen to more in the future.
January 26, 2012
If I were to write a review in Annwyl's words, it would be this: Oi! This book is bloody brilliant!
Wow this book is a definite fave! Love Fearghus and Annwyll and their magical world of dragons and fierce battles. Not to mention the secondary characters are great too and I look forward to getting to know them better in the following books.
I haven't had a good laugh in a while and this book, had me giggling like an idiot! Superb!
Wow this book is a definite fave! Love Fearghus and Annwyll and their magical world of dragons and fierce battles. Not to mention the secondary characters are great too and I look forward to getting to know them better in the following books.
I haven't had a good laugh in a while and this book, had me giggling like an idiot! Superb!
February 3, 2023
Varlık içinde kitap yokluğu hisseden bünyeme, çerezlik bir şeyler bakarken başladım okumaya 🤣 Akşam başlayıp sabaha bitirdim.Nedense onca çıkan kitaba rağmen ilgimi çeken bir şeyler bulamıyorum resmen.Çıtır çerez, eğlenceli diye kalmıştı aklımda. Ve hala aynı zevkle okudum. Biraz kaba bir dili var, normalde sevmem ama karakterler arası diyaloglara renk kattığı bir gerçek.
Birinci Kitap / Annwyl - Feraghus
İkinci Kitap / Bercelak - Rhiannon
Birinci Kitap / Annwyl - Feraghus
İkinci Kitap / Bercelak - Rhiannon
December 5, 2018
01.02.2017
Kate said: " One of the best dragon books. It's funny, violent, and smexy times. "
And Aileene was like:
Would Kate and this book turn skeptical Aileene into a dragon-book whore?
Or would it leave her unimpressed again and in return incinerate Kate's dragon-smut lovin' derrière?
Stay tuned.
Reading commences sometime soon.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
BR with my Oz mate Ben
Recommended by a good friend - Kate. BR’ed with (another good mate) Ben.
Nowadays, finding time to read is hard. Sitting to write a review is even harder. For me anyways.
Writing a review =
This is a story of sexy dragons and bad ass warrior women who do not hesitate, they know what they want, they take what they want.
Annwyl, this chick is an insane warrior who has a loyal army to fight against her evil brother who unfortunately is the king.
They hate each others guts and both are determined to kill each other.
Anywyl is pretty bad ass. She says and do what she wants and she kills and by kills she cuts her enemies head off thus earning her other name, Anwyl the Bloody.
Fearghus is a shape shifting dragon and a warrior but keeps to himself, values his solitude and never associate himself to anything / anyone esp the wars of human.
Anwyl got badly injured in battle and was saved by, of course, none other than our dragon, Fearghus.
He healed her and let her stay in his place until atleast she gets her strength back.
He takes interest in her butt. She fascinates him with her fearless and no nonsense attitude.
Day by day, his feelings for her grows stronger and wants her to succeed on her aim to kill her brother.
So what did he do?
He enlists and sends a knight to come to train her and to use her infamous rage that makes her vulnerable to her advantage.
During night, Anwyl, no matter how exhausted she is, comes and seeks the dragon. They talk stuff and read books. She finds comfort in his presence.
Fearghus never shifted and shown her his human body. And Fearghus has a secret.
Normally, secrets do not bode well with me but this one was done in a good way that I found it funny reading their moments together.
The secondary characters are intriguing esp Morfyd. I’d like to get to know her better.
I want to give this a 5 star rating including the bonus novella (review below) but there is one thing that made me stop. Whilst I liked the plot, the characters and the flow of narrative, I find Anwyl a bit too much on being a bad ass(?),
Other things I enjoyed in this book.
1. Him calling her a wench. It was brilliant.
2.
3. Females here are all strong (fighters or not), no blushing virgins and disadvantaged women.
4. Morfyd, Fearghus’s sister and Brastias, Anwyl’s loyal general. Their sexual tension was palpable and I want more of their story. I hope there is one.
5. The male dragons names - so fitting, so muscular, so perfectly dragon.
Chains and Flames
This is a story of Fearghus’s parents, Bercelak and Rhiannon.
I was truly hesitant to read this and was set to dislike Bercelak. Well, he was an arsehole in Dragon Actually but boy was I wrong.
He is amazing! And Rhiannon? Not so much. But warmed up to her in the end.
Rhiannon is a spoiled and rude princess. She views everyone as unworthy, if not her meal.
But not everything is going for her. Her birth mother hates her. Why? You read the book.
Bercelak or Low Born as Rhiannon calls him is the Dragon Warrior of the Dragon Queen Throne.
The dragon queen has rewarded Bercelak to his loyal service by giving her daughter, Rhiannon, to him so he could mate her.
Rhiannon couldn’t hate more her mother when she learnt this. She believes that no one should claim her let alone Bercelak.
Their story together was something I really, REALLY enjoyed reading.
To be honest, I prefer daddy Bercelak (‘s story) than his offspring Fearghus.
Bercelak is YUM. He knows how to tame, he’s patient and USES chains.
Must read to all esp Dragon fans.
Rating this 4 Kate's-dragon-smut lovin' derrière-is-safe-for-now Stars
*reads review again* *sighs*
Kate said: " One of the best dragon books. It's funny, violent, and smexy times. "
And Aileene was like:
Would Kate and this book turn skeptical Aileene into a dragon-book whore?
Or would it leave her unimpressed again and in return incinerate Kate's dragon-smut lovin' derrière?
Stay tuned.
Reading commences sometime soon.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
BR with my Oz mate Ben
Recommended by a good friend - Kate. BR’ed with (another good mate) Ben.
Nowadays, finding time to read is hard. Sitting to write a review is even harder. For me anyways.
Writing a review =
This is a story of sexy dragons and bad ass warrior women who do not hesitate, they know what they want, they take what they want.
Annwyl, this chick is an insane warrior who has a loyal army to fight against her evil brother who unfortunately is the king.
They hate each others guts and both are determined to kill each other.
Anywyl is pretty bad ass. She says and do what she wants and she kills and by kills she cuts her enemies head off thus earning her other name, Anwyl the Bloody.
Fearghus is a shape shifting dragon and a warrior but keeps to himself, values his solitude and never associate himself to anything / anyone esp the wars of human.
Anwyl got badly injured in battle and was saved by, of course, none other than our dragon, Fearghus.
He healed her and let her stay in his place until atleast she gets her strength back.
He takes interest in her
Day by day, his feelings for her grows stronger and wants her to succeed on her aim to kill her brother.
So what did he do?
He enlists and sends a knight to come to train her and to use her infamous rage that makes her vulnerable to her advantage.
During night, Anwyl, no matter how exhausted she is, comes and seeks the dragon. They talk stuff and read books. She finds comfort in his presence.
Fearghus never shifted and shown her his human body. And Fearghus has a secret.
Normally, secrets do not bode well with me but this one was done in a good way that I found it funny reading their moments together.
The secondary characters are intriguing esp Morfyd. I’d like to get to know her better.
I want to give this a 5 star rating including the bonus novella (review below) but there is one thing that made me stop. Whilst I liked the plot, the characters and the flow of narrative, I find Anwyl a bit too much on being a bad ass(?),
Other things I enjoyed in this book.
1. Him calling her a wench. It was brilliant.
2.
3. Females here are all strong (fighters or not), no blushing virgins and disadvantaged women.
4. Morfyd, Fearghus’s sister and Brastias, Anwyl’s loyal general. Their sexual tension was palpable and I want more of their story. I hope there is one.
5. The male dragons names - so fitting, so muscular, so perfectly dragon.
Chains and Flames
This is a story of Fearghus’s parents, Bercelak and Rhiannon.
I was truly hesitant to read this and was set to dislike Bercelak. Well, he was an arsehole in Dragon Actually but boy was I wrong.
He is amazing! And Rhiannon? Not so much. But warmed up to her in the end.
Rhiannon is a spoiled and rude princess. She views everyone as unworthy, if not her meal.
But not everything is going for her. Her birth mother hates her. Why? You read the book.
Bercelak or Low Born as Rhiannon calls him is the Dragon Warrior of the Dragon Queen Throne.
The dragon queen has rewarded Bercelak to his loyal service by giving her daughter, Rhiannon, to him so he could mate her.
Rhiannon couldn’t hate more her mother when she learnt this. She believes that no one should claim her let alone Bercelak.
Their story together was something I really, REALLY enjoyed reading.
To be honest, I prefer daddy Bercelak (‘s story) than his offspring Fearghus.
Bercelak is YUM. He knows how to tame, he’s patient and USES chains.
Must read to all esp Dragon fans.
Rating this 4 Kate's-dragon-smut lovin' derrière-is-safe-for-now Stars
*reads review again* *sighs*
Read
June 1, 2017DNF No Rating Just Can't.
August 28, 2008
Ohhh eeee! Grab a glass of water and sit down with "Dragon Actually" by GA Aiken (AKA Shelly Laurenston) and you'll laugh out loud when you're not fanning yourself. This book actually contains two related stories. I'm tagging this as erotica because of the frank descriptions and plethora of sex in the book. And boy is it good!
Annwyl the Bloody isn't really sure she likes her nickname. All she really wants to do is kill her brother the wacko, blood-thirsty king and get back to living without looking for a blade headed her way. She's become the leader as well as the heart and soul of the rebellion against her brother and killed more men than she can count. But it looks like her time has come when she's ambushed by a group of her brother's soldiers. Oh well, at least she'll go down fighting! Next thing she knows, she's in a bed, in a cave, and there's a dragon TALKING to her!
Fearghus the Destroyer likes his name. It means humans leave him alone. He's perfectly happy to sit quietly and read and -- what are those loud noises? HUMANS! OH well, he'll just step outside and give them a scare...maybe have some baked human for lunch! Just one left and it's a beautiful female!! She doesn't seem to be scared. How interesting...
I gobbled this one down in one sitting and now I'm just tapping my toes waiting for GA Aiken's next release, "About A Dragon" coming in December 2008. Aiken has done a great job of combining hot sex, humor, and the paranormal. The added bonus of the short story about Fearghus' parents is the icing on the cake. So get off your duff and go pick up "Dragon Actually" by GA Aiken. I absolutely loved it and I think you will too!
Annwyl the Bloody isn't really sure she likes her nickname. All she really wants to do is kill her brother the wacko, blood-thirsty king and get back to living without looking for a blade headed her way. She's become the leader as well as the heart and soul of the rebellion against her brother and killed more men than she can count. But it looks like her time has come when she's ambushed by a group of her brother's soldiers. Oh well, at least she'll go down fighting! Next thing she knows, she's in a bed, in a cave, and there's a dragon TALKING to her!
Fearghus the Destroyer likes his name. It means humans leave him alone. He's perfectly happy to sit quietly and read and -- what are those loud noises? HUMANS! OH well, he'll just step outside and give them a scare...maybe have some baked human for lunch! Just one left and it's a beautiful female!! She doesn't seem to be scared. How interesting...
I gobbled this one down in one sitting and now I'm just tapping my toes waiting for GA Aiken's next release, "About A Dragon" coming in December 2008. Aiken has done a great job of combining hot sex, humor, and the paranormal. The added bonus of the short story about Fearghus' parents is the icing on the cake. So get off your duff and go pick up "Dragon Actually" by GA Aiken. I absolutely loved it and I think you will too!
November 6, 2015
A buddy re-read with the MacHalo Freaks... Because life is all about the DRAGONS!
" “Lorcan rubbed his head. “Am I asking too much to want the little bitch dead? Am I?” It seemed Hefaidd-Hen learned long ago not to answer certain questions. “All I want is for her to suffer a painful, horrifying death. And for her head to be on a spike in front of my castle. That’s all I want.”
― G.A. Aiken, Dragon Actually "
This is a wonderful, funny, sexy and bloody book, and OoooOO JOY, it is just the beginning!!! As always, my favorite thing about the book, apart from Annwyl, is that it does not take itself seriously - it is there to entertain, not to make us think profound thoughts and help us solve world hunger or peace in the Middle East... It just is! And I love every violent bit of it!!!
" “Do you not listen to our daily meetings about the state of your lands?”
“Of course I don’t. They’re dead boring.”
“Not everything can involve bloodshed, Annwyl.”
“Can’t you come get me when there is bloodshed? Otherwise just leave me alone to read.”
― G.A. Aiken, Dragon Actually "
What else is there to say???
" “Lorcan rubbed his head. “Am I asking too much to want the little bitch dead? Am I?” It seemed Hefaidd-Hen learned long ago not to answer certain questions. “All I want is for her to suffer a painful, horrifying death. And for her head to be on a spike in front of my castle. That’s all I want.”
― G.A. Aiken, Dragon Actually "
This is a wonderful, funny, sexy and bloody book, and OoooOO JOY, it is just the beginning!!! As always, my favorite thing about the book, apart from Annwyl, is that it does not take itself seriously - it is there to entertain, not to make us think profound thoughts and help us solve world hunger or peace in the Middle East... It just is! And I love every violent bit of it!!!
" “Do you not listen to our daily meetings about the state of your lands?”
“Of course I don’t. They’re dead boring.”
“Not everything can involve bloodshed, Annwyl.”
“Can’t you come get me when there is bloodshed? Otherwise just leave me alone to read.”
― G.A. Aiken, Dragon Actually "
What else is there to say???
July 16, 2019
Güldük eğlendik ama niye bu kadar uzattın ki?
Karakterlerin komik diyalogları olmasa hiç çekilmezdi devam edip,etmeyeceğim konusunda çekimserim bakalım zaman gösterecek artık..
Karakterlerin komik diyalogları olmasa hiç çekilmezdi devam edip,etmeyeceğim konusunda çekimserim bakalım zaman gösterecek artık..
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