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Dragon Blood #2
Deathmaker
When Lieutenant Caslin Ahn joined Wolf Squadron, she was prepared for the reality that she might one day be killed in the line of duty. She was less prepared for being shot down, assumed dead by her own people, and dragged off to the Cofah Empire as a prisoner of war. As if being thrust into a dungeon and interrogated wasn't bad enough, the sadistic commandant decides to give her a cellmate: the notorious pirate Deathmaker. Given the crimes he's committed against Iskandia, Cas owes it to her people to try and kill him.
Part warrior and part scientist, Tolemek "Deathmaker" Targoson has not only slain thousands with his deadly concoctions, but he has a special loathing for Iskandian pilots. It was Ahn's commander, Colonel Zirkander, who ruined his military career, forcing him to leave his country in shame and join a pirate organization. Years later, he uses his dreadful reputation like a shield to keep people away; all he wants is to be left alone to work in his laboratory. But when fate lands him in a cell with Zirkander's protégé, he sees a chance for revenge. Why kill the lieutenant when he can use her to get to his old nemesis?
There's just one problem: it's hard to plot against your enemies when you're in prison with them. Cas and Tolemek will have to work together if they hope to escape the Cofah dungeon. In the process, they may find that neither is what the other expects, and that they have far greater problems to worry about than ensnaring each other...
Deathmaker is a full-length 85,000-word novel. It is set after the events in Balanced on the Blade’s Edge, but it can be enjoyed even if you haven’t read the first book.
Part warrior and part scientist, Tolemek "Deathmaker" Targoson has not only slain thousands with his deadly concoctions, but he has a special loathing for Iskandian pilots. It was Ahn's commander, Colonel Zirkander, who ruined his military career, forcing him to leave his country in shame and join a pirate organization. Years later, he uses his dreadful reputation like a shield to keep people away; all he wants is to be left alone to work in his laboratory. But when fate lands him in a cell with Zirkander's protégé, he sees a chance for revenge. Why kill the lieutenant when he can use her to get to his old nemesis?
There's just one problem: it's hard to plot against your enemies when you're in prison with them. Cas and Tolemek will have to work together if they hope to escape the Cofah dungeon. In the process, they may find that neither is what the other expects, and that they have far greater problems to worry about than ensnaring each other...
Deathmaker is a full-length 85,000-word novel. It is set after the events in Balanced on the Blade’s Edge, but it can be enjoyed even if you haven’t read the first book.
241 pages, ebook
First published May 22, 2014
334 people are currently reading
1544 people want to read
About the author
Lindsay Buroker
197 books6,236 followersI'm a full-time indie fantasy and science fiction author. When I'm not writing, I'm ferrying my dogs to hiking trails for adventures.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 365 reviews
February 6, 2025
3.5* fun, but I know she can write better
I already see an improvement from the 1st novel in the series. Deathmaker still focuses more on the romance than her other series I love, but it was less instant and a bit more interesting. I am happy that this novel still has the ingredients I love in Buroker’s books: great world building, exciting fighting scenes and funny banter between the characters. I hope the next volume will drop much of the romance and concentrate on the other parts.
The 2nd volume focuses on Caslin Ahn, a member of Zirkander’s Wolf Squadron. She crashed and is believed to be dead by her team. Instead, she was taken prisoner by Iskandia and put in the same cell with Tolemek "Deathmaker" Targoson, a chemist turned pirate and apparently an alleged mass murderer. They reluctantly team up to escape but it will not be so simple for each to go their separate ways afterwards, as initially intended.
Pirates in the air, yes, I want more please. I am very much enjoying the steampunk universe Buroker created in this series or in The Emperor’s Edge.
P.s. What the hell was she thinking when she chose the names in this series.
I already see an improvement from the 1st novel in the series. Deathmaker still focuses more on the romance than her other series I love, but it was less instant and a bit more interesting. I am happy that this novel still has the ingredients I love in Buroker’s books: great world building, exciting fighting scenes and funny banter between the characters. I hope the next volume will drop much of the romance and concentrate on the other parts.
The 2nd volume focuses on Caslin Ahn, a member of Zirkander’s Wolf Squadron. She crashed and is believed to be dead by her team. Instead, she was taken prisoner by Iskandia and put in the same cell with Tolemek "Deathmaker" Targoson, a chemist turned pirate and apparently an alleged mass murderer. They reluctantly team up to escape but it will not be so simple for each to go their separate ways afterwards, as initially intended.
Pirates in the air, yes, I want more please. I am very much enjoying the steampunk universe Buroker created in this series or in The Emperor’s Edge.
P.s. What the hell was she thinking when she chose the names in this series.
June 7, 2024
I think I might have a new Favorite Buroker couple...
Ok, I love them all but there is such amazing chemistry between Lieutenant Caslin Ahn and Tolemek “Deathmaker”.
You know the saying, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”...well lets take that a little further... Buroker gives two enemies, brings and a third and gives us a sizzling romantic tension and OMG, what a storyline.
Ahn is amazing! Strong, Smart, Sexy, a warrior that is not cowed even with the odds against her. Tolemek is a genius and most definitely a survivor, even with treachery surrounding him. Fabulous lead characters!!!
Steampunk gadgets, technically advanced ancient civilizations, past character interaction, I was in heaven.
I can only imagine where the Dragon Blood series will take us next.
Written by: Lindsay Buroker
Series: Dragon Blood
Sequence in series: 2
Rating: 5 Stars
Find this book on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Ok, I love them all but there is such amazing chemistry between Lieutenant Caslin Ahn and Tolemek “Deathmaker”.
You know the saying, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”...well lets take that a little further... Buroker gives two enemies, brings and a third and gives us a sizzling romantic tension and OMG, what a storyline.
Ahn is amazing! Strong, Smart, Sexy, a warrior that is not cowed even with the odds against her. Tolemek is a genius and most definitely a survivor, even with treachery surrounding him. Fabulous lead characters!!!
Steampunk gadgets, technically advanced ancient civilizations, past character interaction, I was in heaven.
I can only imagine where the Dragon Blood series will take us next.
Written by: Lindsay Buroker
Series: Dragon Blood
Sequence in series: 2
Rating: 5 Stars
Find this book on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
November 19, 2021
With bad boys, rebellious girls and pirates, I really should have loved this. But the heavy-handed 'enemies to lovers' plot was a bit much for me to really get into the story, making this just okay.
It's a new set of characters, though one shares a link to one of the protagonists of the first story, keeping everything tied together. The trilogy is still free on Amazon, I believe, so you might as well read straight through.
This one follows Anh - a tiny fighter pilot lady taken captive by the enemy, and Tolamek - a scientist-pirate bad boy who is obviously secretly a Good Guy. The two have to work together to foil a plot but this brings them uncomfortably close to one another.
As I mentioned, the romance was a major turn off for me and because it was audio I found myself tuning out a lot. Nothing about the story really captivated me and I considered giving it up so many times but hey, I already paid 3 bucks for the audio. *shrugs*
I wish there had been more attempt to establish the plot and the good vs bad guys of the story before forcing the romance between the two main characters. It felt like the purpose of the story was their hookup instead of all the other interesting action scenes that were happening, and that kind of bummed me out.
Plus, so many tropes. I rolled my eyes so. many. times.
Honestly, I'm even bored talking about it.
So,
Good: Pirates and explosions
Bad: Insta-love and cringe-worthy romance
Read at your own risk.
It's a new set of characters, though one shares a link to one of the protagonists of the first story, keeping everything tied together. The trilogy is still free on Amazon, I believe, so you might as well read straight through.
This one follows Anh - a tiny fighter pilot lady taken captive by the enemy, and Tolamek - a scientist-pirate bad boy who is obviously secretly a Good Guy. The two have to work together to foil a plot but this brings them uncomfortably close to one another.
As I mentioned, the romance was a major turn off for me and because it was audio I found myself tuning out a lot. Nothing about the story really captivated me and I considered giving it up so many times but hey, I already paid 3 bucks for the audio. *shrugs*
I wish there had been more attempt to establish the plot and the good vs bad guys of the story before forcing the romance between the two main characters. It felt like the purpose of the story was their hookup instead of all the other interesting action scenes that were happening, and that kind of bummed me out.
Plus, so many tropes. I rolled my eyes so. many. times.
Honestly, I'm even bored talking about it.
So,
Good: Pirates and explosions
Bad: Insta-love and cringe-worthy romance
Read at your own risk.
August 29, 2019
Ahn and Tolemek's story.
I didn't know if I wanted to switch the characters, I liked Zileander so much that I thought I should maybe skip this book or, at the least, I thought I'd find it lacking and less interesting than the previous book.
Yes, I was wrong. I don't know who I like more, Ahn or Zileander now. They're both amazing and this book will probably surprise you.
Even more, I like a bad boy gone good, especially in fantasies. Well, Tolemek isn't actually bad, and you'll see what I mean once you read the book.
I found the plot even more interesting than the previous story and I couldn't put the book down (not even to sleep or actually do much else).
So yes, if you liked the other book, you'll love this one.
I didn't know if I wanted to switch the characters, I liked Zileander so much that I thought I should maybe skip this book or, at the least, I thought I'd find it lacking and less interesting than the previous book.
Yes, I was wrong. I don't know who I like more, Ahn or Zileander now. They're both amazing and this book will probably surprise you.
Even more, I like a bad boy gone good, especially in fantasies. Well, Tolemek isn't actually bad, and you'll see what I mean once you read the book.
I found the plot even more interesting than the previous story and I couldn't put the book down (not even to sleep or actually do much else).
So yes, if you liked the other book, you'll love this one.
January 6, 2015
I didn't like this one as much as I liked the first one, primarily because I didn't like the h/h.
Cas was disappointing to me. For someone who was supposedly this badass, she was unbelievably docile as she was taken prisoner again and again. She had so many situations where she had the upper hand and she did nothing with it. She wasn't exactly what I'd call TSTL - she always managed to escape or do something to get the upper hand - but when she got it, she folded like a house of cards. It made her an incredibly annoying character, and it also made the whole thing feel contrived. I'd rather she didn't manage these escapes at all, than have her do it and be such an idiot about it that she just hands her gun over to her captors every time.
Even worse, I thought she was a shitty officer. She is in a bad position in the last third of the book - a position she let herself get put into (see above - she had a damn easy way out, that she didn't take). She's a fucking terrible officer, and should be bounced down to latrine duty, because between the idiocy on her escape attempts and the inability to make the hard call and protect thousands of people, she's incapable of being in charge of anyone. Officer, my ass.
Tolemek is even worse, to me. He's just not redeemable. Here's the thing: this guy is an inventor of weapons of mass destruction. These weapons have been used, twice, to take out villages. Hundreds of civilians killed each time. Over the course of the story, we find out that this thing he invented was a weapon, and deliberately so. It wasn't some tragic case of "hey guys, I invented this unlimited power source, it should revolutionize energy for the modern world... oh shit, did you just make that into a bomb?" Instead, this is like the guy who invented Hitler's gas chambers. It could never have been used for anything good, and his intent was actually to create a weapon so terrible that other countries would just surrender when his home country came to invade. There's no "oh, wow, I didn't realize that could be used to kill people" going on here. It was always his intent.
So I give no fucks that this guy angsted a bit about the weapon when it was actually used. Hey idiot, that's what you made it for. It was always going to do that. And in my opinion, anyone who invents that shit is just fucking evil. Period. They are responsible for their shit, and they are responsible for all the innocent men, women and children who died in its use. I don't want him to get a happy ending. I want him to rot in jail. I want the families of the people who were massacred by his weapon to get in a line and take turns beating him up.
I most certainly do NOT want to see him get a HEA and his own fancy new lab, where he swears he's only going to invent GOOD things from now on. No, fuckbag. You had your chance, and you chose, of your own free will, to invent hideous shit designed only to murder civilians. And now you get to pay that coin.
Unfortunately, this may ruin the series for me, because if he and Cas are recurring characters, I will be ill every time they show up. She's an idiot and he's a monster. They're intolerable.
Cas was disappointing to me. For someone who was supposedly this badass, she was unbelievably docile as she was taken prisoner again and again. She had so many situations where she had the upper hand and she did nothing with it. She wasn't exactly what I'd call TSTL - she always managed to escape or do something to get the upper hand - but when she got it, she folded like a house of cards. It made her an incredibly annoying character, and it also made the whole thing feel contrived. I'd rather she didn't manage these escapes at all, than have her do it and be such an idiot about it that she just hands her gun over to her captors every time.
Even worse, I thought she was a shitty officer. She is in a bad position in the last third of the book - a position she let herself get put into (see above - she had a damn easy way out, that she didn't take). She's a fucking terrible officer, and should be bounced down to latrine duty, because between the idiocy on her escape attempts and the inability to make the hard call and protect thousands of people, she's incapable of being in charge of anyone. Officer, my ass.
Tolemek is even worse, to me. He's just not redeemable. Here's the thing: this guy is an inventor of weapons of mass destruction. These weapons have been used, twice, to take out villages. Hundreds of civilians killed each time. Over the course of the story, we find out that this thing he invented was a weapon, and deliberately so. It wasn't some tragic case of "hey guys, I invented this unlimited power source, it should revolutionize energy for the modern world... oh shit, did you just make that into a bomb?" Instead, this is like the guy who invented Hitler's gas chambers. It could never have been used for anything good, and his intent was actually to create a weapon so terrible that other countries would just surrender when his home country came to invade. There's no "oh, wow, I didn't realize that could be used to kill people" going on here. It was always his intent.
So I give no fucks that this guy angsted a bit about the weapon when it was actually used. Hey idiot, that's what you made it for. It was always going to do that. And in my opinion, anyone who invents that shit is just fucking evil. Period. They are responsible for their shit, and they are responsible for all the innocent men, women and children who died in its use. I don't want him to get a happy ending. I want him to rot in jail. I want the families of the people who were massacred by his weapon to get in a line and take turns beating him up.
I most certainly do NOT want to see him get a HEA and his own fancy new lab, where he swears he's only going to invent GOOD things from now on. No, fuckbag. You had your chance, and you chose, of your own free will, to invent hideous shit designed only to murder civilians. And now you get to pay that coin.
Unfortunately, this may ruin the series for me, because if he and Cas are recurring characters, I will be ill every time they show up. She's an idiot and he's a monster. They're intolerable.
May 24, 2014
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I loved the first book - featuring Sardelle and Ridge - and was a bit disappointed to learn this book wouldn't 'feature' them. I am beyond elated with this story so shame on me for having any doubts! This book is AMAZING. It touches on pretty much every genre: comedy, romance, thriller, fantasy, etc.
Lt. Caslin Ahn, whom we've been introduced to previously by Ridge in book 1, is our heroine. She's smart, witty, loyal...and pretty much an awesome character in general. Does she make mistakes? Totally! But that's what makes her so darn charming and likable. As for Tolemek, he's an enigma that reveals himself as the story progresses. Luckily we don't have to wait too long, as the book pretty much dives right in to the plot and doesn't stop until the end. There are quite a few characters, though only a few really important ones. It had been a while since I read the first book in the series, but there aren't many terms to remember, thankfully.
The plot of this book is chaotic (though told in a very non-confusing way) in the amount of action it has. Narrated from a 3rd person POV the author's writing style is entertaining and drew me in right away. There are lots of gems throughout the book and made me actually laugh out loud...and at times made me furrow my brow and frown.
And last, but not least, the editing was flawless (as far as I could tell)!
Dare I say this is my favorite book from this author?! Cannot wait to see more from Wolf Squad, and hopefully more of the characters we know and love!
I loved the first book - featuring Sardelle and Ridge - and was a bit disappointed to learn this book wouldn't 'feature' them. I am beyond elated with this story so shame on me for having any doubts! This book is AMAZING. It touches on pretty much every genre: comedy, romance, thriller, fantasy, etc.
Lt. Caslin Ahn, whom we've been introduced to previously by Ridge in book 1, is our heroine. She's smart, witty, loyal...and pretty much an awesome character in general. Does she make mistakes? Totally! But that's what makes her so darn charming and likable. As for Tolemek, he's an enigma that reveals himself as the story progresses. Luckily we don't have to wait too long, as the book pretty much dives right in to the plot and doesn't stop until the end. There are quite a few characters, though only a few really important ones. It had been a while since I read the first book in the series, but there aren't many terms to remember, thankfully.
The plot of this book is chaotic (though told in a very non-confusing way) in the amount of action it has. Narrated from a 3rd person POV the author's writing style is entertaining and drew me in right away. There are lots of gems throughout the book and made me actually laugh out loud...and at times made me furrow my brow and frown.
And last, but not least, the editing was flawless (as far as I could tell)!
Dare I say this is my favorite book from this author?! Cannot wait to see more from Wolf Squad, and hopefully more of the characters we know and love!
June 24, 2015
I'm not sure why but this one definitely appealed more to me than the first book. There was just something very endearing about Tolemek. Or maybe I just have a thing for mad/evil scientist :P
Keep 'em coming Buroker!
Keep 'em coming Buroker!
August 30, 2016
3.5 Stars
I think Deathmaker was a tad better than Balanced on the Blade's Edge.
The world building is getting better and better. I love the world Buroker has created. A little steampunk, some magic, pirates and flying warriors- totally my kinda thing.
The character building is interesting. I loved Tolemek. The stupid/genius that is lost and lonely, who had good intentions and ended up doing the worst kind of evil. Add to that muscles, great intellect, kind nature and broody dark moods and we have hotness personified.
Ahn is a strong female lead. In fact so far all the females are seriously interesting in the series. I love their strength and braveness, as well as their intelligence and feistiness.
The romance was fast but not insta. I totally believed it. I felt their connection and I was rooting for the kiss to happen way way way before it finally happened. So much better than in the first instalment.
I like the series so far and am going to start Blood Charged right away.
I think Deathmaker was a tad better than Balanced on the Blade's Edge.
The world building is getting better and better. I love the world Buroker has created. A little steampunk, some magic, pirates and flying warriors- totally my kinda thing.
The character building is interesting. I loved Tolemek. The stupid/genius that is lost and lonely, who had good intentions and ended up doing the worst kind of evil. Add to that muscles, great intellect, kind nature and broody dark moods and we have hotness personified.
Ahn is a strong female lead. In fact so far all the females are seriously interesting in the series. I love their strength and braveness, as well as their intelligence and feistiness.
The romance was fast but not insta. I totally believed it. I felt their connection and I was rooting for the kiss to happen way way way before it finally happened. So much better than in the first instalment.
I like the series so far and am going to start Blood Charged right away.
May 11, 2015
I've written the review for the first 4 book bere:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
February 2, 2017
Turns out reports of Wolf Squadron pilot Lieutenant Caslin Ahn's death were somewhat premature: When her flier crashed into the ocean, she managed to get out and swim for safety. Unfortunately, the helpful rescuers pulling her out of the water belonged to the enemy, and she promptly got shipped off to the Cofah Empire as a prisoner of war. With everyone at home believing her dead, she knows noone will come to rescue her - so she'll just have to rescue herself. Whether her new cellmate, the notorious pirate and scientiest Tolemek "Deathmaker" Targoson, the man who created the terrible chemical weapon that wiped out an entire Iskandian village and who holds an old grudge against Colonel Zirkander and his Wolf Squadron, will be an obstacle or unlikely ally in an escape remains to be seen.
Even better than the first in the series! Cas and Tolemek have amazing chemistry and are both great characters to follow. With those two teaming up with Ridge and Sardelle, things look very promising indeed for the following parts of the series!
Even better than the first in the series! Cas and Tolemek have amazing chemistry and are both great characters to follow. With those two teaming up with Ridge and Sardelle, things look very promising indeed for the following parts of the series!
October 8, 2014
Actual rating: 2 ½
I can’t say I was overly enthusiastic about Balanced on the Blade’s Edge (too much insta-romance for me there) but I love Buroker and the world she came up with in this new series so I decided to give Deathmaker a try.
The first part of the book I actually enjoyed a lot more than Balanced on the Blade’s Edge. I love Buroker’s writing and she is one of the very few authors that manage to alternate POVs flawlessly. I enjoyed the setting and the characters are better developed here. Besides, there is much more chemistry between Ahn & Tolomek than between Sardelle and Ridge. Still, it all falls a bit flat after a while and there are some very silly romance elements that made it hard for me to actually enjoy this instalment.
Not a bad book but not engaging enough to convince me to keep reading this series.
I can’t say I was overly enthusiastic about Balanced on the Blade’s Edge (too much insta-romance for me there) but I love Buroker and the world she came up with in this new series so I decided to give Deathmaker a try.
The first part of the book I actually enjoyed a lot more than Balanced on the Blade’s Edge. I love Buroker’s writing and she is one of the very few authors that manage to alternate POVs flawlessly. I enjoyed the setting and the characters are better developed here. Besides, there is much more chemistry between Ahn & Tolomek than between Sardelle and Ridge. Still, it all falls a bit flat after a while and there are some very silly romance elements that made it hard for me to actually enjoy this instalment.
Not a bad book but not engaging enough to convince me to keep reading this series.
July 26, 2021
I admit I was disappointed in Tomelek aka Deathmaker, notorious pirate, feared by Iskandia and Cofah alike. I expected an enigmatic, roguish anti-hero of dubious morals, but what I got instead was, eh... an alchemist with bad luck and not a lot of spine?
I got over my disappointment eventually though, because I have to admit that this kind of hero is a better match for Ahn than a rebellious anti-hero would have been.
Speaking of Ahn though... Gosh, I have the biggest crush on Lieutenant Ahn. I love how competent and strong she is without slipping into the harmful tough-abrasive-badass trope. Idk if there's something about being an excellent steampunk pilot or if it's something in their drink water but what with Ridge and Lt. Ahn, Wolf Squadron is proving to be full of unfairly attractive people LOL.
I got over my disappointment eventually though, because I have to admit that this kind of hero is a better match for Ahn than a rebellious anti-hero would have been.
Speaking of Ahn though... Gosh, I have the biggest crush on Lieutenant Ahn. I love how competent and strong she is without slipping into the harmful tough-abrasive-badass trope. Idk if there's something about being an excellent steampunk pilot or if it's something in their drink water but what with Ridge and Lt. Ahn, Wolf Squadron is proving to be full of unfairly attractive people LOL.
June 14, 2015
Nice sequel I liked it fine - a little less than the first installment.
The reason lies solely in the romance. I just liked Ridge and Sardelle a lot as a couple and found the way their relationship progressed much more enjoyable.
Tolemek or Deathmaker is certainly an interesting character, but the Cas remained kind of pale though there certainly are enough facets to her (physical manko overcome through ingenuity - and vigor; excellent marksman; special family history etc.) that should have made her a great heroine. Didn't work exactly with me.
I found the story interesting and suspenseful.
The reason lies solely in the romance. I just liked Ridge and Sardelle a lot as a couple and found the way their relationship progressed much more enjoyable.
Tolemek or Deathmaker is certainly an interesting character, but the Cas remained kind of pale though there certainly are enough facets to her (physical manko overcome through ingenuity - and vigor; excellent marksman; special family history etc.) that should have made her a great heroine. Didn't work exactly with me.
I found the story interesting and suspenseful.
December 12, 2022
I liked how this started a lot better than the first but then the middle was kind of dull. We get back story by a truth serum where the people tell their backstories. I drifted several times in the middle. Then the end was pretty good accept the very end where a decision has to be made. It almost seemed like the acceptance of him by everyone was too easy and quick. Still it was a little fun in the end and definitely seems like this was a lead in to more storylines.
October 31, 2016
Wow, awesome :) Loved Tolemek from the beginning (yes due to the Jason Momoa like picture on the cover :) I warmed up to Cas when she warmed up to Tolemek. Perfect? No but entertaining and enough action to keep the story moving quickly.
April 23, 2019
Loved this second book in the Dragon Blood series. This enemies to lovers tale is exciting, adventurous and full of cool world building. I'm very much enjoying the unusual intersection of magic and science. I immediately went on to book three. Definitely recommend!
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October 27, 2024
this one somehow sucked MORE
IM SORRY BABE BUT WHAT IS UP WITH YOU AND STOCKHOLM SYNDROME??!?!??
IM SORRY BABE BUT WHAT IS UP WITH YOU AND STOCKHOLM SYNDROME??!?!??
August 24, 2023
This is a very good story, but the first book in this series was about two different characters (Sardelle and Ridge) and it ended with their plotline up in the air. So, it’s a bit of a jar to suddenly just forget them and start reading about two completely different people (Ahn and Tolemek) we know nothing about. It took a bit to get into the book because I kept wondering what was happening with Sardelle and Ridge.
Once the action got going, however, it was as good as one can hope for in a Buroker book (she is a master at it!) and it kept me totally emerged and reading through the last page.
I do think the whole “destroyer of entire cities - children and all” is an awfully hard character to like, however. I never did fully connect with him - even after a plausible answer was given for his decisions. Yes, he may not have known… but he still made something that had such devastating capabilities… and was he THAT naive to think no one - not even bad guys would use it for nefarious purposes? WAY too much of a stretch for this brain.
Once the action got going, however, it was as good as one can hope for in a Buroker book (she is a master at it!) and it kept me totally emerged and reading through the last page.
I do think the whole “destroyer of entire cities - children and all” is an awfully hard character to like, however. I never did fully connect with him - even after a plausible answer was given for his decisions. Yes, he may not have known… but he still made something that had such devastating capabilities… and was he THAT naive to think no one - not even bad guys would use it for nefarious purposes? WAY too much of a stretch for this brain.
February 17, 2022
Insta-love story in book one I get, but same exact thing in book 2 seems a bit lazy. Will I continue until book 3 yes, why?? Jaxie ( I am doing audible so not sure on spelling) is why. I love the snarky blade, and I think it is funny the energy source that anti-magic people rely on is basically an old light bulb by magicians.
April 22, 2023
There are very few books I give 5 stars to but anything by Lindsay Buroker almost automatically get them. This book has all the required action, great characters and interesting story. Well worth reading
Want to read
May 14, 2021🎁 Part of The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3 which is FREE on Amazon today (5/14/2021)! 🎁
October 10, 2023
Better than the first but I’m still not feeling it.
April 16, 2019
Cas and Tolemak’s story was much more enjoyable than the first book. More action and adventure you’d expect in a fantasy story.
September 30, 2021
5 stars as I didnt think i'd like the change of characters from the start but the book changed my mind. Was actually pretty funny too.
August 4, 2014
I picked Deathmaker as the first book to grace my shiny new Kindle Paperwhite, since Lindsay Buroker hasn't let me down yet, and thankfully that continues to hold true - it's a fun read with likeable characters and some major action in the skies for a change from the largely ground-based events of Balanced on the Blade's Edge. Pirates, planes, steam contraptions and magic - it sounds like a lot, but it works. It's less strong on the romance front, but I enjoyed it nevertheless.
Book 2 jumps right across into Cofah enemy territory and follows Lieutenant Cas Ahn, briefly mentioned in Book 1 as Zirkander's junior in the Wolf Squadron and who was presumed to have fallen in battle. The obviously-not-dead Ahn has more than a few problems on her hands when she finds herself stuck in a Cofah dungeon with Iskandia's greatest enemy, the Deathmaker Tolemek himself, for a cellmate. For a while, the decision to feature a different couple in Book 2 left me worried that this would adopt the romance series format where each book cycles through a different couple in a vaguely connected web (which works for many people, but I personally hate it - I prefer my series tightly linked rather than changing tones with every book), but Deathmaker stays firmly connected to the events and characters of Book 1. It feels less like a second novel that is only distantly related to the first installment and more like an ongoing story that just happened to shift to different points of view.
Ahn is a fighter and an intelligent and resourceful one, so I took to her almost as quickly as I did Amaranthe. The best thing about her (and Lindsay Buroker's heroines in general) is that she was absolutely determined to escape capture and never stops trying, even when there's an attractive enemy-turned-potential-ally tempting her to change her mind. If you're sick of captor-captive romances where heroines lose all sense of reason, throw caution to the wind and forget all plans of escape the minute they fall in love, then you'll love Ahn. Did I also mention that she's a sharpshooter who loves her firearms and a fighter pilot to boot?
I found Tolemek less interesting, which is a shame, because he's really a very nice guy and nice heroes seem to be a rarity these days. He's a gentleman who treats Ahn well, despite there being no love lost between their races, plus a genius inventor and scientist on top of that, and yet... Perhaps the problem is that aside from being nice, loyal and self-depracating, it was his past rather than his personality/character that lent him depth. I LIKED him, but wasn't intrigued by him.
Romance plays a much bigger role in the Dragon Blood series in comparison to Emperor's Edge and having one couple formed per book (so far) results in a lot less time for the slow-burn relationships that the author writes so well. That said, the relationship between Ahn and Tolemek develops at a good pace here, with them working around their mutual distrust and attraction in their strange alliance. The transition from that into romance, however, could have been better - the attraction, gradual earning of trust and understanding was quite believable up to the point when it suddenly moves into all-out devotion and heady romantic demonstrations in the final third, which was a tad odd. It would probably have been better if Lindsay had left the resolution of their romantic development until the next book - with all that was happening here and Tolemek's uncertain position in Iskandia, it just didn't make sense that they would progress so quickly that they'd almost match Ridge and Sardelle in relationship status.
I did love seeing Ridge and Sardelle (and Jaxi!) again, though, and look forward to reading more about them when they take over the POV-reins again in Book 3. I hope Book 3 will also fill in the significant time gap on the Ridge/Sardelle front between Book 1, to Book 2, . I wouldn't say no to a Ridge/Tolemek bromance, either.
Book 2 jumps right across into Cofah enemy territory and follows Lieutenant Cas Ahn, briefly mentioned in Book 1 as Zirkander's junior in the Wolf Squadron and who was presumed to have fallen in battle. The obviously-not-dead Ahn has more than a few problems on her hands when she finds herself stuck in a Cofah dungeon with Iskandia's greatest enemy, the Deathmaker Tolemek himself, for a cellmate. For a while, the decision to feature a different couple in Book 2 left me worried that this would adopt the romance series format where each book cycles through a different couple in a vaguely connected web (which works for many people, but I personally hate it - I prefer my series tightly linked rather than changing tones with every book), but Deathmaker stays firmly connected to the events and characters of Book 1. It feels less like a second novel that is only distantly related to the first installment and more like an ongoing story that just happened to shift to different points of view.
Ahn is a fighter and an intelligent and resourceful one, so I took to her almost as quickly as I did Amaranthe. The best thing about her (and Lindsay Buroker's heroines in general) is that she was absolutely determined to escape capture and never stops trying, even when there's an attractive enemy-turned-potential-ally tempting her to change her mind. If you're sick of captor-captive romances where heroines lose all sense of reason, throw caution to the wind and forget all plans of escape the minute they fall in love, then you'll love Ahn. Did I also mention that she's a sharpshooter who loves her firearms and a fighter pilot to boot?
I found Tolemek less interesting, which is a shame, because he's really a very nice guy and nice heroes seem to be a rarity these days. He's a gentleman who treats Ahn well, despite there being no love lost between their races, plus a genius inventor and scientist on top of that, and yet... Perhaps the problem is that aside from being nice, loyal and self-depracating, it was his past rather than his personality/character that lent him depth. I LIKED him, but wasn't intrigued by him.
Romance plays a much bigger role in the Dragon Blood series in comparison to Emperor's Edge and having one couple formed per book (so far) results in a lot less time for the slow-burn relationships that the author writes so well. That said, the relationship between Ahn and Tolemek develops at a good pace here, with them working around their mutual distrust and attraction in their strange alliance. The transition from that into romance, however, could have been better - the attraction, gradual earning of trust and understanding was quite believable up to the point when it suddenly moves into all-out devotion and heady romantic demonstrations in the final third, which was a tad odd. It would probably have been better if Lindsay had left the resolution of their romantic development until the next book - with all that was happening here and Tolemek's uncertain position in Iskandia, it just didn't make sense that they would progress so quickly that they'd almost match Ridge and Sardelle in relationship status.
I did love seeing Ridge and Sardelle (and Jaxi!) again, though, and look forward to reading more about them when they take over the POV-reins again in Book 3. I hope Book 3 will also fill in the significant time gap on the Ridge/Sardelle front between Book 1, to Book 2, . I wouldn't say no to a Ridge/Tolemek bromance, either.
August 9, 2014
The world is fascinating, the characters are somewhat flat but not to the point of boredom, and the plot is at least coherent. But somehow this book just felt...empty. Like I was reading a collection of excerpts and somehow missing the meat of the book. One of my biggest complaints was how little danger the characters ever seemed to be in. Oh, we were told they were in grave peril a lot, but we also knew that they weren't, not really. Take for example Cas' fear of the infamous "Deathmaker." She's afraid that this mass murderer will kill her - or worse. But within three pages, we're inside his head and within two sentences we know that not only will he never hurt her, but he is really a nice, somewhat anxious man. Within ten more pages, he's thinking about how much he likes her. Within 13 pages, he's actively protecting her. And she trusts him almost as quickly. The outside threats from then on never seem very real or dangerous. The writing in this book is still decent, and the world is very clever and engaging. But the sense of danger, of personal growth, or really even of romance between the two leads was lacking. Three stars for world building and somewhat clever plot.
June 6, 2014
Deathmaker takes place in the same world as Balanced on the Blade's Edge, slightly after the events of the first book.
Take sky pirates, steam powered airships and marvelously deadly flying machines, add a mad scientist on a mission, a sharp shooting gunslinger, some deadpan wit and the old saying 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend', and Deathmaker is the result.
Packed with nail biting action, daring escapes, forbidden magic, goo, and Buroker's trademark smart-mouthed spunky female heroine, Deathmaker is a must have addition to your bookshelf.
Take sky pirates, steam powered airships and marvelously deadly flying machines, add a mad scientist on a mission, a sharp shooting gunslinger, some deadpan wit and the old saying 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend', and Deathmaker is the result.
Packed with nail biting action, daring escapes, forbidden magic, goo, and Buroker's trademark smart-mouthed spunky female heroine, Deathmaker is a must have addition to your bookshelf.
December 19, 2020
I enjoyed Deathmaker, the second book in the Dragon Blood series. Where the first book featured Sardelle and Ridge this book has two new main characters Cas and Tolomek. At first the two books only seem loosely related with having the same setting, but later in the book we meet the characters form book 1 again and the plot lines intertwine a bit more. While both books have been enjoyable I am still not quite sure where the series as a whole goes, but I am looking forward to the next book.
Deathmaker is another engaging read. As long as I am reading these books I want to keep reading. There is enough going on and happening and I like Lindsay Buroker's writing style. I did notice that once I do put the book down I am not as excited to pick it up again as with some other books, but while reading I always enjoy the book. As usual I like the action scenes and fast paced type plot the author writes as well as the banter between the characters. It's more of a 3.5 stars rating, better than a 3 star read, but not quite 4 star level.
In Deathmaker we get to see Cas' and Tolomek's perspectives, they meet when they're both taken captive by the Cofah and thrown into the same cell. I like seeing how they escape together. They both have plans for the other, but also acknowledge it's handy to escape together and that's how their friendship slowly starts. I quite enjoyed the start, after that the plot got a bit less good in my opinion.
I was a bit sad this one again has the prisoner type of plot line with one of the characters being captive. It all seems handled quite lightly, which I am happy about. I am not a fan of those type of stories in general and while written that part of the plot didn't appeal to me as much. Besides trying her best there isn't as much Cas can really do to improve her situation which wasn't as interesting. Due to the whole prisoner type of situation I also didn't really feel the romance between Tolomek and Cas. I did like how it's quite a slow build at first and they had some great banter. I liked them slowly growing closer, but then their relationship suddenly made a jump when Tolomek started seeing her as more and it felt a bit too sudden instead of developing organically to me. There also is a scene later on that felt a bit forced and uncomfortable way to reveal some important background information.
I did like both characters. Cas seemed capable and loyal to her country. I liked how she was capable and especially knew her way around firearms and throwing and aiming things. She seems quite smart too, although a few of her escape plans didn't seem very well thought out after the first few steps. I liked how Tolomek seemed really bad, but was mostly a good guy. Although I did feel like his character could've been developed a bit more about his motivations and also about a change of heart he has later in the book as now that felt a bit sudden. I liked reading about all the weird inventions be made, except for one very deadly one. He did seem a bit naive in a way about that and how he still believed the best in people or that people do what they say even while having been around pirates for a long time.
It was fun to see Sardelle and Ridge again later in this book as well as the talking sword. And it was interesting to see how their plot line kinda ties in with these two new characters. There are some interesting developments and I like the hints that the whole Dragon Blood thing will be more important later on, but for now the bigger picture plot line is still very slow to develop if not almost absent. Most of the first two books seem to focus on the immediate problems going on right then and resolving those. They feel more like a standalone adventure, but I am curious to see how that develops in later books.
I like how in this book we get to see a bit more of the world, but sadly most of the focus was on the pirates and I felt like they didn't have as big of a role in the overarching plot line but were a convenient enemy for the big showdown at the end. We did get to see the famous fliers in action and also see a bit more about the technology. Although I still find hard to really get a good grip on the technology level and was quite surprised when a cable cabin suddenly popped up. I hope we get to see more of the world building in future books.
To summarize: this was an enjoyable read. This book follows two different main characters, but is set in the same world and later ties in with the first two main characters. It's a good read that keeps my attention while reading, although when I put the book down I don't find myself as eager to get back in. There are some minor things that bother me while I think about, but when reading it's mostly just a great entertaining story. This one had a solid start, although I didn't really care for the prisoner type plot line later on. I liked the two main characters and how the author gave us a feel for their personalities, although I would've liked to see a few things get more developed. I liked the banter and interactions between the two main characters, but felt the romance developed a bit suddenly with a leap that didn't feel as natural. And there's a forced background reveal scene later on that bothered me. I liked seeing more of the world, although I still struggle a bit getting a good feel for some things like the technologies they have. There are a few hints to where the overarching plot line could go, but for the most part I am unsure what to expect from future books. I look forward to seeing what happens next.
Deathmaker is another engaging read. As long as I am reading these books I want to keep reading. There is enough going on and happening and I like Lindsay Buroker's writing style. I did notice that once I do put the book down I am not as excited to pick it up again as with some other books, but while reading I always enjoy the book. As usual I like the action scenes and fast paced type plot the author writes as well as the banter between the characters. It's more of a 3.5 stars rating, better than a 3 star read, but not quite 4 star level.
In Deathmaker we get to see Cas' and Tolomek's perspectives, they meet when they're both taken captive by the Cofah and thrown into the same cell. I like seeing how they escape together. They both have plans for the other, but also acknowledge it's handy to escape together and that's how their friendship slowly starts. I quite enjoyed the start, after that the plot got a bit less good in my opinion.
I was a bit sad this one again has the prisoner type of plot line with one of the characters being captive. It all seems handled quite lightly, which I am happy about. I am not a fan of those type of stories in general and while written that part of the plot didn't appeal to me as much. Besides trying her best there isn't as much Cas can really do to improve her situation which wasn't as interesting. Due to the whole prisoner type of situation I also didn't really feel the romance between Tolomek and Cas. I did like how it's quite a slow build at first and they had some great banter. I liked them slowly growing closer, but then their relationship suddenly made a jump when Tolomek started seeing her as more and it felt a bit too sudden instead of developing organically to me. There also is a scene later on that felt a bit forced and uncomfortable way to reveal some important background information.
I did like both characters. Cas seemed capable and loyal to her country. I liked how she was capable and especially knew her way around firearms and throwing and aiming things. She seems quite smart too, although a few of her escape plans didn't seem very well thought out after the first few steps. I liked how Tolomek seemed really bad, but was mostly a good guy. Although I did feel like his character could've been developed a bit more about his motivations and also about a change of heart he has later in the book as now that felt a bit sudden. I liked reading about all the weird inventions be made, except for one very deadly one. He did seem a bit naive in a way about that and how he still believed the best in people or that people do what they say even while having been around pirates for a long time.
It was fun to see Sardelle and Ridge again later in this book as well as the talking sword. And it was interesting to see how their plot line kinda ties in with these two new characters. There are some interesting developments and I like the hints that the whole Dragon Blood thing will be more important later on, but for now the bigger picture plot line is still very slow to develop if not almost absent. Most of the first two books seem to focus on the immediate problems going on right then and resolving those. They feel more like a standalone adventure, but I am curious to see how that develops in later books.
I like how in this book we get to see a bit more of the world, but sadly most of the focus was on the pirates and I felt like they didn't have as big of a role in the overarching plot line but were a convenient enemy for the big showdown at the end. We did get to see the famous fliers in action and also see a bit more about the technology. Although I still find hard to really get a good grip on the technology level and was quite surprised when a cable cabin suddenly popped up. I hope we get to see more of the world building in future books.
To summarize: this was an enjoyable read. This book follows two different main characters, but is set in the same world and later ties in with the first two main characters. It's a good read that keeps my attention while reading, although when I put the book down I don't find myself as eager to get back in. There are some minor things that bother me while I think about, but when reading it's mostly just a great entertaining story. This one had a solid start, although I didn't really care for the prisoner type plot line later on. I liked the two main characters and how the author gave us a feel for their personalities, although I would've liked to see a few things get more developed. I liked the banter and interactions between the two main characters, but felt the romance developed a bit suddenly with a leap that didn't feel as natural. And there's a forced background reveal scene later on that bothered me. I liked seeing more of the world, although I still struggle a bit getting a good feel for some things like the technologies they have. There are a few hints to where the overarching plot line could go, but for the most part I am unsure what to expect from future books. I look forward to seeing what happens next.
August 2, 2014
(3 1/2 stars) The second book in the series, this is a great light YA fantasy/ steampunk, and definitely one for Buroker Fans. I found the storyline, humour and characters more enjoyable in this second volume, and the relationship between the two protagonists more believable (although some more character complexity and development on the romance front would have made it even better). Enjoyable read!
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