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Dance with the Devil #6
Shield of the Dragon
In the aftermath of destroying two powerful syndicates and joining league with the last person he expected, all Ken wants is a chance to catch his breath, and maybe regain the attention of the man who said he wanted Ken as more than just a Steward but now seems to have lost interest. But every other day brings a new crop of people wanting to kill them, and it's only a matter of time before they succeed.
All Amr wants is time—time to move his clan and settle them into their new home, time with the dragon he never thought he'd own, and most of all he wants time for his Steward, to see the man rest and recover and stop getting himself almost killed every week. He wouldn't mind a chance to rekindle their fragile relationship either.
Diamond wants a life that feels worth living. The one he left behind wasn't all that great, but it beat waking up to the nasty results of a curse that should have killed him and working as a hitman for the Cambry Syndicate. Then he goes to fetch someone for his boss, and gets dragged even deeper into the strange paranormal world he's still learning to call home...
All Amr wants is time—time to move his clan and settle them into their new home, time with the dragon he never thought he'd own, and most of all he wants time for his Steward, to see the man rest and recover and stop getting himself almost killed every week. He wouldn't mind a chance to rekindle their fragile relationship either.
Diamond wants a life that feels worth living. The one he left behind wasn't all that great, but it beat waking up to the nasty results of a curse that should have killed him and working as a hitman for the Cambry Syndicate. Then he goes to fetch someone for his boss, and gets dragged even deeper into the strange paranormal world he's still learning to call home...
197 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 14, 2016
24 people are currently reading
341 people want to read
About the author
Megan Derr
284 books2,956 followersMegan is a long time resident of queer romance and keeps herself busy reading and writing it. She is often accused of fluff and nonsense. When she’s not involved in writing, she likes to cook, harass her wife and cats, or watch movies. She loves to hear from readers and can be found all over the internet.
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meganaderr@gmail.com
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meganderr.com
patreon.com/meganderr
meganderr.blogspot.com
facebook.com/meganaprilderr
meganaderr@gmail.com
@meganaderr
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
October 12, 2016
I loved parts of this. I love that we got more of Amr and Ken's story. And I love everything about Diamond and York.
And I was intensely disappointed by other parts. The biggest one: why, in book #6 of what has until now been a purely m/m or all-male menage series, WHY would you suddenly think adding a female would be okay? Maybe I didn't pay close enough attention to tags, I just wasn't expecting to suddenly have to skip over scenes with girly-bits in book #6 of a series. I'll certainly be more careful about reading tags in the future, and may not continue reading this series.
I was also disappointed in
Some Favorite Quotes:
"I'm starting to see why people love to punch you."
"It's just like you to make friends with your kidnapper. I'm not sure why I expected anything else."
And I was intensely disappointed by other parts. The biggest one: why, in book #6 of what has until now been a purely m/m or all-male menage series, WHY would you suddenly think adding a female would be okay? Maybe I didn't pay close enough attention to tags, I just wasn't expecting to suddenly have to skip over scenes with girly-bits in book #6 of a series. I'll certainly be more careful about reading tags in the future, and may not continue reading this series.
I was also disappointed in
Some Favorite Quotes:
"I'm starting to see why people love to punch you."
"It's just like you to make friends with your kidnapper. I'm not sure why I expected anything else."
June 23, 2025
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love Megan Derrs worlds.
This was so good. Dragons are always a favorite with me and these dragons are both cute and strong.
Kens story was pretty much all I had hoped for. I love insecure guys and poor Ken was so insecure, yet trying for the whole don't give a fuck vibe. Adorable.
Story wise very intriguing and enjoyable if a little confusing with the whole clans thing and names.
But as happy as I was reading this I had a few more niggles than with other stories by this author.
first there was way more sex in this story. Worse there was a female involved if only briefly. Sometimes it just felt like too much sex, especially the 3somes and even 4somes. There was also a creepy moment with Diamond and York
I find the continuity with the dragons size is confusing. Big one minute but able to fit 5 or so in a car all be it a large car the next. It also was unclear at times if the dragons were in human or dragon form. Not enough to spoil things but enough to make me stop and think, which is really not what I want to be doing while reading.
There were also issues with names getting mixed up, and a few little things that I feel should of been caught by an editor.
But I'm still giving it 5 stars despite my moaning, because hell it's dragons and magic and I love Megan Derr worlds lol.
ETA Still love it, still have the same niggles lol
ETA Same as above.
This was so good. Dragons are always a favorite with me and these dragons are both cute and strong.
Kens story was pretty much all I had hoped for. I love insecure guys and poor Ken was so insecure, yet trying for the whole don't give a fuck vibe. Adorable.
Story wise very intriguing and enjoyable if a little confusing with the whole clans thing and names.
But as happy as I was reading this I had a few more niggles than with other stories by this author.
first there was way more sex in this story. Worse there was a female involved if only briefly. Sometimes it just felt like too much sex, especially the 3somes and even 4somes. There was also a creepy moment with Diamond and York
I find the continuity with the dragons size is confusing. Big one minute but able to fit 5 or so in a car all be it a large car the next. It also was unclear at times if the dragons were in human or dragon form. Not enough to spoil things but enough to make me stop and think, which is really not what I want to be doing while reading.
There were also issues with names getting mixed up, and a few little things that I feel should of been caught by an editor.
But I'm still giving it 5 stars despite my moaning, because hell it's dragons and magic and I love Megan Derr worlds lol.
ETA Still love it, still have the same niggles lol
ETA Same as above.
November 6, 2022
Reread 2022
Much better than the previous book.
This one just was more interesting and sucked me in.
I loved the cameos from some of my favourites
In the previous one Ken annoyed me a bit with his antagonist attitude, but in this one I felt for him trying his hardest to fit in.
Loved it
"Sword of the King" was my least favorite of this series, and "Shield of the Dragon" continues on from that. The continuation worked for me and helped to answer some of the questions.
Ken's struggles to connect with the members of Amr's clan was well done. Due to his past, when he was connecting with some of the members, he didn't trust it.
I liked Diamond and his friendship with Ken, the little smart barbs thrown at each other were funny.
Really good cameo's from characters from previous books. Grey was a highlight. I was positive i knew who it was and had a little happy dance when it was revealed as one of my favorite couples from this series
Can't wait for Twilight now
Much better than the previous book.
This one just was more interesting and sucked me in.
I loved the cameos from some of my favourites
In the previous one Ken annoyed me a bit with his antagonist attitude, but in this one I felt for him trying his hardest to fit in.
Loved it
"Sword of the King" was my least favorite of this series, and "Shield of the Dragon" continues on from that. The continuation worked for me and helped to answer some of the questions.
Ken's struggles to connect with the members of Amr's clan was well done. Due to his past, when he was connecting with some of the members, he didn't trust it.
I liked Diamond and his friendship with Ken, the little smart barbs thrown at each other were funny.
Really good cameo's from characters from previous books. Grey was a highlight. I was positive i knew who it was and had a little happy dance when it was revealed as one of my favorite couples from this series
Can't wait for Twilight now
March 30, 2023
The thing I liked most about this story is the appearance of Devlin & Midnight and the fact that he & Chris look so much alike someone felt the need to tell him! I really can't wait for the last book in the series, where I suspect those two will meet.
June 30, 2020
3.5 Stars
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher. This has not influenced my review.*
This book picked back up just a few weeks or so after the previous one, this time with Ken and Amr as the main couple and Diamond and York as the side couple. But like the previous book, this also a fairly sweet story (despite the violent and somewhat dark backdrop) with cute romances and characters who cared about each other.
I have to admit though, I think I burnt myself out on fluffy books by reading too many in a short period of time. And unfortunately this was the one when I started to get frustrated. I got tired of Ken being angsty and thinking Amr didn't want him anymore, even when Amr kept doing everything possible to make it clear that he did. And Diamond's character seemed very similar to Ken's in many ways, although he at least seemed to be able to accept the idea that someone wanted him.
Speaking of Diamond, him getting and bonding with his dragon seemed sudden. I'm also confused because it was my understanding that owners sleeping with dragons was taboo and a big no-no among the syndicates, and he worked for a syndicate, yet he immediately took his dragon to bed without a single hesitation and seemed to know all about them, how to treat them, how to bond with them, etc. as though he were part of or trained by a clan, even though he was new to the whole supernatural world. Maybe I just got confused about something.
But as I said, this was still sweet. I liked the characters and wanted them to get happy endings. I especially liked Diamond and York's romance---I was rooting for them! I think York might've actually been my favorite even though he wasn't a POV character. Something about him was just interesting, and he seemed like a good person. There were also lots of menage-filled sexy times. And this book still had the same interesting portrayal of dragons with the ability to shift into human form (if you haven't read the previous book and want to know more about the dragons, check out my previous review), plus a non-romance part of the plot about the clans and syndicates involving more dragons and Camelot lore. So overall, this was another enjoyable read.
*Even though this book has different main characters than the others in this series, Books 5 and 6 go together with some overlapping characters and plot happenings, so I recommend reading Book 5 before you read this one.*
Recommended For:
Fans of Book 5 in Megan Derr's Dance with the Devil series. Anyone who likes M/M, paranormal/urban fantasy, dragons, and sexy times.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher. This has not influenced my review.*
This book picked back up just a few weeks or so after the previous one, this time with Ken and Amr as the main couple and Diamond and York as the side couple. But like the previous book, this also a fairly sweet story (despite the violent and somewhat dark backdrop) with cute romances and characters who cared about each other.
I have to admit though, I think I burnt myself out on fluffy books by reading too many in a short period of time. And unfortunately this was the one when I started to get frustrated. I got tired of Ken being angsty and thinking Amr didn't want him anymore, even when Amr kept doing everything possible to make it clear that he did. And Diamond's character seemed very similar to Ken's in many ways, although he at least seemed to be able to accept the idea that someone wanted him.
Speaking of Diamond, him getting and bonding with his dragon seemed sudden. I'm also confused because it was my understanding that owners sleeping with dragons was taboo and a big no-no among the syndicates, and he worked for a syndicate, yet he immediately took his dragon to bed without a single hesitation and seemed to know all about them, how to treat them, how to bond with them, etc. as though he were part of or trained by a clan, even though he was new to the whole supernatural world. Maybe I just got confused about something.
But as I said, this was still sweet. I liked the characters and wanted them to get happy endings. I especially liked Diamond and York's romance---I was rooting for them! I think York might've actually been my favorite even though he wasn't a POV character. Something about him was just interesting, and he seemed like a good person. There were also lots of menage-filled sexy times. And this book still had the same interesting portrayal of dragons with the ability to shift into human form (if you haven't read the previous book and want to know more about the dragons, check out my previous review), plus a non-romance part of the plot about the clans and syndicates involving more dragons and Camelot lore. So overall, this was another enjoyable read.
*Even though this book has different main characters than the others in this series, Books 5 and 6 go together with some overlapping characters and plot happenings, so I recommend reading Book 5 before you read this one.*
Recommended For:
Fans of Book 5 in Megan Derr's Dance with the Devil series. Anyone who likes M/M, paranormal/urban fantasy, dragons, and sexy times.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
August 16, 2016
When an author returns to a fantasy world after a period of years, my concern always is will they be able to maintain the creativity that captured my interest in the beginning. I am happy to say that in Shield of the Dragon, Megan Derr has picked up seamlessly from Sword of the King, even managing to bring in some characters from further back in the Dance with the Devil world, so that I had to refresh my memory from my extensive collection of Megan’s books in print. What is not to love about a world populated by sentient dragons, the mythos of King Arthur and his Knights, and more supernatural characters than anything on TV? This book focuses on Ken and Amr and their proof one can not expect a relationship to survive without communication. More dragons meet their owners. More evil and misguided characters meet their ends. All the important characters from Sword make a reappearance and the reader meets the next to star in this series. My only complaint is now I have to wait until 2017 for the next installment!
June 9, 2025
This book had so many of the elements I love from Megan Derr—found family, fierce loyalty, powerful dragons, and the deep emotional pull of love hard-earned. And while Shield of the Dragon absolutely delivered on much of that, it also fumbled in places that felt unusually careless for an author who’s usually so precise.
🐀Let’s start with the good: Ken remains a standout. He’s endured betrayal, manipulation, and violence without losing his kindness or strength. His voice is quiet, but never weak; he’s resilient, observant, and always doing what’s needed, even when no one sees it. The quiet dignity of his suffering makes the moments of recognition and care hit all the harder. His friendship with Diamond is a highlight—genuine, unforced, and refreshingly devoid of trope. Diamond might be crass and chaotic, but he respects Ken deeply, and their growing bond is one of the most emotionally satisfying elements in the book.
🧌Diamond and York’s relationship also lands solidly. Their reconciliation scene is funny and true to character—“You say sorry for being an arsehole, I’ll say sorry for lying, we’ll kiss and make up”—and when Diamond finally blurts out an “I love you” without even realising it, it’s a genuinely earned moment.
🐲But the elephant in the room is the Victoria storyline. Ken bonding a second dragon—and going on to be claimed by her—just hours before he was rescued and reunited with Nev was one of the most emotionally jarring elements in the book. Not because the narrative can’t handle complicated dynamics, but because Ken wouldn’t do this.
The Ken we’ve come to know over the last two books is intensely careful with Nev’s feelings. He’s gentle with Nev’s vulnerability. He’s always attuned to how much their bond matters. And yet, in this book, Ken bonds Victoria without a single internal thought about Nev. He doesn’t hesitate. He doesn’t question. There’s no moment of “what would Nev feel about this?” until right before the claiming—and even then, when he senses Nev’s pain through their connection, he still goes ahead. He was already thinking about Nev. He was only hours away from being rescued. And he still made that choice.
What makes it worse is that the books themselves previously established this isn’t just about jealousy. Dragons are explicitly noted to be unbothered by their owners having sex or relationships with humans—but other dragons are a different matter:
“So Erie was saying he was cool with all of it. Ken really had been right: dragons didn’t seem to care what he did with other humans; it was only other dragons that would cause a problem.”
— Sword of the King, Megan Derr
Ken knew this. He was the one who said it. So when the story expects us to accept that he went ahead and bonded and was claimed by another dragon without even thinking about Nev—without even considering the sanctity of that connection—it feels like the narrative threw out Ken’s core emotional intelligence for the sake of moving the plot.
And Victoria—while not the villain—also bears some weight here. Dragons choose their owners, yes. But are we really supposed to believe she didn’t know Ken already had a bonded dragon? That it wouldn’t be the right thing to wait, to meet Nev, to speak to the other half of the bond before making it something so permanent? The story doesn’t even ask these questions. It just rushes through the pain, gives us a few pages of reunion, and expects that to be enough.
It isn’t.
Because Nev was devastated. And we watched him suffer being apart from Ken and knowing he had done this, while Ken’s entire internal world was focused elsewhere. Their reunion is brief, rushed, and never truly reckons with the scale of what happened.
❤️ What Shield of the Dragon captures with painful clarity is the emotional distance between Ken and Amr—despite their physical closeness. Ken is in Amr’s home, but not in his life. He’s visible, but not seen. He’s useful, but not chosen. He stays quiet because he knows anything louder might give away that he’s still hoping—and he can’t afford to be that exposed again.
Amr, for all his power and care, nearly fumbles the relationship completely—not because he doesn’t love Ken, but because he misreads him. Ken does express himself, just not in the loud or obvious ways Amr expects. He mentions that no one seems to like him. He doesn’t enter Amr’s room when they move in together—not because he wants space, but because he’s waiting to be invited. He wears nice clothes, puts on aftershave, tries—subtly, consistently—to be noticed. But Amr doesn’t see it. Instead, he assumes Ken has moved on, that he’s found someone else. And in the silence that follows, clan elders and so-called allies continue to belittle Ken unchecked. Later, while Ken is gone, Amr’s own mother calls him a “street rat”—a vile, classist insult that almost goes unchallenged. Amr is clearly shocked, but he says nothing. What should have been said, what Ken never gets to hear, is: He may be a street rat, but a dragon chose him. What do you have? That silence echoes louder than any insult, and Ken feels it.
And yet—to his credit—Amr doesn’t let it end there. Once he realises the depth of Ken’s pain and how close he came to losing him, Amr starts making the right choices. He’s present. He’s gentle. He feeds Ken, clothes him, holds him, protects him—not as a responsibility, but as someone cherished. He vows to give Ken a quiet life, a safer future. And finally—finally—he learns how to show Ken what was always true: that Ken isn’t just his steward, but his equal, his love, and his home.
That’s the ache that sits under Shield of the Dragon. And it’s why this book, even with its missteps, still lands so powerfully by the end. Because despite the pain, despite the fumbled choices, Ken is finally seen. And that matters.
🐀Let’s start with the good: Ken remains a standout. He’s endured betrayal, manipulation, and violence without losing his kindness or strength. His voice is quiet, but never weak; he’s resilient, observant, and always doing what’s needed, even when no one sees it. The quiet dignity of his suffering makes the moments of recognition and care hit all the harder. His friendship with Diamond is a highlight—genuine, unforced, and refreshingly devoid of trope. Diamond might be crass and chaotic, but he respects Ken deeply, and their growing bond is one of the most emotionally satisfying elements in the book.
🧌Diamond and York’s relationship also lands solidly. Their reconciliation scene is funny and true to character—“You say sorry for being an arsehole, I’ll say sorry for lying, we’ll kiss and make up”—and when Diamond finally blurts out an “I love you” without even realising it, it’s a genuinely earned moment.
🐲But the elephant in the room is the Victoria storyline. Ken bonding a second dragon—and going on to be claimed by her—just hours before he was rescued and reunited with Nev was one of the most emotionally jarring elements in the book. Not because the narrative can’t handle complicated dynamics, but because Ken wouldn’t do this.
The Ken we’ve come to know over the last two books is intensely careful with Nev’s feelings. He’s gentle with Nev’s vulnerability. He’s always attuned to how much their bond matters. And yet, in this book, Ken bonds Victoria without a single internal thought about Nev. He doesn’t hesitate. He doesn’t question. There’s no moment of “what would Nev feel about this?” until right before the claiming—and even then, when he senses Nev’s pain through their connection, he still goes ahead. He was already thinking about Nev. He was only hours away from being rescued. And he still made that choice.
What makes it worse is that the books themselves previously established this isn’t just about jealousy. Dragons are explicitly noted to be unbothered by their owners having sex or relationships with humans—but other dragons are a different matter:
“So Erie was saying he was cool with all of it. Ken really had been right: dragons didn’t seem to care what he did with other humans; it was only other dragons that would cause a problem.”
— Sword of the King, Megan Derr
Ken knew this. He was the one who said it. So when the story expects us to accept that he went ahead and bonded and was claimed by another dragon without even thinking about Nev—without even considering the sanctity of that connection—it feels like the narrative threw out Ken’s core emotional intelligence for the sake of moving the plot.
And Victoria—while not the villain—also bears some weight here. Dragons choose their owners, yes. But are we really supposed to believe she didn’t know Ken already had a bonded dragon? That it wouldn’t be the right thing to wait, to meet Nev, to speak to the other half of the bond before making it something so permanent? The story doesn’t even ask these questions. It just rushes through the pain, gives us a few pages of reunion, and expects that to be enough.
It isn’t.
Because Nev was devastated. And we watched him suffer being apart from Ken and knowing he had done this, while Ken’s entire internal world was focused elsewhere. Their reunion is brief, rushed, and never truly reckons with the scale of what happened.
❤️ What Shield of the Dragon captures with painful clarity is the emotional distance between Ken and Amr—despite their physical closeness. Ken is in Amr’s home, but not in his life. He’s visible, but not seen. He’s useful, but not chosen. He stays quiet because he knows anything louder might give away that he’s still hoping—and he can’t afford to be that exposed again.
Amr, for all his power and care, nearly fumbles the relationship completely—not because he doesn’t love Ken, but because he misreads him. Ken does express himself, just not in the loud or obvious ways Amr expects. He mentions that no one seems to like him. He doesn’t enter Amr’s room when they move in together—not because he wants space, but because he’s waiting to be invited. He wears nice clothes, puts on aftershave, tries—subtly, consistently—to be noticed. But Amr doesn’t see it. Instead, he assumes Ken has moved on, that he’s found someone else. And in the silence that follows, clan elders and so-called allies continue to belittle Ken unchecked. Later, while Ken is gone, Amr’s own mother calls him a “street rat”—a vile, classist insult that almost goes unchallenged. Amr is clearly shocked, but he says nothing. What should have been said, what Ken never gets to hear, is: He may be a street rat, but a dragon chose him. What do you have? That silence echoes louder than any insult, and Ken feels it.
And yet—to his credit—Amr doesn’t let it end there. Once he realises the depth of Ken’s pain and how close he came to losing him, Amr starts making the right choices. He’s present. He’s gentle. He feeds Ken, clothes him, holds him, protects him—not as a responsibility, but as someone cherished. He vows to give Ken a quiet life, a safer future. And finally—finally—he learns how to show Ken what was always true: that Ken isn’t just his steward, but his equal, his love, and his home.
That’s the ache that sits under Shield of the Dragon. And it’s why this book, even with its missteps, still lands so powerfully by the end. Because despite the pain, despite the fumbled choices, Ken is finally seen. And that matters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2016
All of this.
March 4, 2017
This is, in my opinion, the worst of all the books in this series. Someone should tell Derr that when dragons are involved, 4 is ok, but 5 are too many.
September 17, 2016
OMG! Giddy bouncing going on over here. I somehow had it in my head after Book 5 that Megan Derr was done with this series. I can't believe we got another book. And on top of that it's super fantastic!!!
***I received my copy from Netgalley and that in no way influences my review. These are my opinions in their full reactive glory. ***
So I absolutely adored this book. Not only is it in one of my favorite series' by Megan Derr, it continues with some of my favorite characters as well. I have enjoyed every book in the "Dance with the Devil" series, but previous to this, every book has stood on their own as essentially a stand alone in the greater world. There have been little mentions of characters or events in previous books that tied things together, but no character/group of characters has ever had a direct sequel before. Imagine my delight when the first time it happens it's with my favorite characters from the series. Shield of the Dragon is a direct sequel to Sword of the King, the previous book in the series. I adored that book and the unique take on dragons that is first put forth in Midnight but expanded upon in "Sword."
This book actually really settled the world building for me. As every book has been individual, and has taken place in different cities and points of reference around the world, the actual world building felt disjointed at times when you looked at the greater scheme of things. I was never completely sure how each book or location interlaced with the others in the series. This book really took the greater world and brought all the little tendrils in and tied them together. We were introduced to the Clans in Midnight and the syndicates in Sword of the King, but it's here where we finally get to really see more of the structure of both and how they differ as the two sides of the dragon coin collide. There are a lot of returning characters in this book from many of the previous books in the series, and more than a few hints of how connected other parts might just be. I loved that about this story. There were so many potential story lines and later books that this story establishes. This is the first book that really cemented for me how the paranormal world works within the normal world as well. I always felt like in the previous books the normal world knew the paranormal existed. This clearly establishes that not to be the case.
As for the actual meat of this book, it was absolutely deliciously yummy. Ken was always one of my favorite characters from the previous book and I was delighted to get to focus on him in this story. Seeing all of his insecurities brought to the surface as he struggled to find his place in the new world order was just lovely. He's gone through so much pain in the past and his introduction to the paranormal world was turbulent to say the least. Ken has never really had a home, except for in his relationship with Nev, and even that has had lingering question marks in his brain. Now with Amr and being inducted into Clan Mordred, Ken isn't really sure where he stands and Amr isn't making it any easier. There is a lot of work to be done to get Clan Mordred established in their new home and after their one kiss Amr has seemed to distance himself. Ken, in his new role as Steward, is constantly barraged with the attacks of the syndicates as they test the boundaries as well. This makes for one tight bundle of nerves from the get go. It gave a kick start to really getting to tell Ken and Amr figuring out what they wanted which was nice as they were the side story in the last book. I really loved Ken's journey in this book. He truly is discovering who and what he is in the world, his strength and place is his for the taking.
The introduction of Diamond was really great as well. Such a fun take on the Snow White story. Diamond was poisoned by his own brother and is the only person alive that has survived that particular curse. It drastically changed is physical appearance to ghost white with blood red lips and has made his blood poisonous to everyone around him. He is death walking. Not a pleasant introduction to the fact that the paranormal does exist. He has worked diligently for the Cambry Syndicate since as the chief enforcer. As much as he would dearly love to bound with a dragon, the seem to want nothing to do with him. That is until one of the clans comes calling and using his boss to help further their cause.
I loved the plot lines in this story. This really establishes what the boundaries of the syndicates and clans are. It makes it clear how the dragons came to be and how they got to the place they are at now. Of course there is a ton of action as Ken and Diamond are working on different sides of the same coin. Everyone wants control of the Pendragon, no matter that he's chosen his bond and won't be forced out of it. Ken will defend Amr and Cam with his life.
So many old friends coming back to join the party in this story. I knew immediately who Grey was and it just made me grin stupidly at the world. His addition into this story was the icing on the cake. You knew he had to be working towards something even if at times you weren't sure exactly what that was. Some of his actions seemed incredibly misleading, and yet you knew their had to be a point somewhere. I liked how he took Diamond under his wing and encouraged him with York, pointing everyone in the best direction even when it seemed at odds with what they thought should be right. He is still kick ass and awesome.
It's so hard writing this review to be as spoiler free as possible when all I really want to do is fangirl gush over so many little specific moments within this story. I love this take on the Arthurian myths and Camelot. It's twisted just enough to fit perfectly within the framework of this story. Getting the teaser at the end of this book for the next book and what it's to be about has got me all a quiver for 2017. I will need to get my hands on that one as soon as possible. Once again Megan Derr does not disappoint and I'm gifted with another fabulous story to enjoy endlessly.
***I received my copy from Netgalley and that in no way influences my review. These are my opinions in their full reactive glory. ***
So I absolutely adored this book. Not only is it in one of my favorite series' by Megan Derr, it continues with some of my favorite characters as well. I have enjoyed every book in the "Dance with the Devil" series, but previous to this, every book has stood on their own as essentially a stand alone in the greater world. There have been little mentions of characters or events in previous books that tied things together, but no character/group of characters has ever had a direct sequel before. Imagine my delight when the first time it happens it's with my favorite characters from the series. Shield of the Dragon is a direct sequel to Sword of the King, the previous book in the series. I adored that book and the unique take on dragons that is first put forth in Midnight but expanded upon in "Sword."
This book actually really settled the world building for me. As every book has been individual, and has taken place in different cities and points of reference around the world, the actual world building felt disjointed at times when you looked at the greater scheme of things. I was never completely sure how each book or location interlaced with the others in the series. This book really took the greater world and brought all the little tendrils in and tied them together. We were introduced to the Clans in Midnight and the syndicates in Sword of the King, but it's here where we finally get to really see more of the structure of both and how they differ as the two sides of the dragon coin collide. There are a lot of returning characters in this book from many of the previous books in the series, and more than a few hints of how connected other parts might just be. I loved that about this story. There were so many potential story lines and later books that this story establishes. This is the first book that really cemented for me how the paranormal world works within the normal world as well. I always felt like in the previous books the normal world knew the paranormal existed. This clearly establishes that not to be the case.
As for the actual meat of this book, it was absolutely deliciously yummy. Ken was always one of my favorite characters from the previous book and I was delighted to get to focus on him in this story. Seeing all of his insecurities brought to the surface as he struggled to find his place in the new world order was just lovely. He's gone through so much pain in the past and his introduction to the paranormal world was turbulent to say the least. Ken has never really had a home, except for in his relationship with Nev, and even that has had lingering question marks in his brain. Now with Amr and being inducted into Clan Mordred, Ken isn't really sure where he stands and Amr isn't making it any easier. There is a lot of work to be done to get Clan Mordred established in their new home and after their one kiss Amr has seemed to distance himself. Ken, in his new role as Steward, is constantly barraged with the attacks of the syndicates as they test the boundaries as well. This makes for one tight bundle of nerves from the get go. It gave a kick start to really getting to tell Ken and Amr figuring out what they wanted which was nice as they were the side story in the last book. I really loved Ken's journey in this book. He truly is discovering who and what he is in the world, his strength and place is his for the taking.
The introduction of Diamond was really great as well. Such a fun take on the Snow White story. Diamond was poisoned by his own brother and is the only person alive that has survived that particular curse. It drastically changed is physical appearance to ghost white with blood red lips and has made his blood poisonous to everyone around him. He is death walking. Not a pleasant introduction to the fact that the paranormal does exist. He has worked diligently for the Cambry Syndicate since as the chief enforcer. As much as he would dearly love to bound with a dragon, the seem to want nothing to do with him. That is until one of the clans comes calling and using his boss to help further their cause.
I loved the plot lines in this story. This really establishes what the boundaries of the syndicates and clans are. It makes it clear how the dragons came to be and how they got to the place they are at now. Of course there is a ton of action as Ken and Diamond are working on different sides of the same coin. Everyone wants control of the Pendragon, no matter that he's chosen his bond and won't be forced out of it. Ken will defend Amr and Cam with his life.
So many old friends coming back to join the party in this story. I knew immediately who Grey was and it just made me grin stupidly at the world. His addition into this story was the icing on the cake. You knew he had to be working towards something even if at times you weren't sure exactly what that was. Some of his actions seemed incredibly misleading, and yet you knew their had to be a point somewhere. I liked how he took Diamond under his wing and encouraged him with York, pointing everyone in the best direction even when it seemed at odds with what they thought should be right. He is still kick ass and awesome.
It's so hard writing this review to be as spoiler free as possible when all I really want to do is fangirl gush over so many little specific moments within this story. I love this take on the Arthurian myths and Camelot. It's twisted just enough to fit perfectly within the framework of this story. Getting the teaser at the end of this book for the next book and what it's to be about has got me all a quiver for 2017. I will need to get my hands on that one as soon as possible. Once again Megan Derr does not disappoint and I'm gifted with another fabulous story to enjoy endlessly.
March 7, 2024
This one has a lot of moving parts. I had a hard time maintaining interest while progress was jerky and seemed somewhat pointless. It does come together somewhere in the middle and the second half is better. I skimmed nearly all the sex scenes. I just don't care anymore because they're all so similar.
These dragon-focused books feel more made up on the spot, more so than the earlier books. I don't think they were, but that's how they feel. However, finally, girl dragons and girl characters are represented. The whole clan thing doesn't make a lot of day-to-day, how do you feed everyone sense, which is a big part of the make-it-up-as-you-go feel.
I have a short story and two more books to go.
These dragon-focused books feel more made up on the spot, more so than the earlier books. I don't think they were, but that's how they feel. However, finally, girl dragons and girl characters are represented. The whole clan thing doesn't make a lot of day-to-day, how do you feed everyone sense, which is a big part of the make-it-up-as-you-go feel.
I have a short story and two more books to go.
September 17, 2016
From Magnolia Reviews: Three Petals
I do recommend this book. It was yet another interesting and well-formed story, exactly what I've come to expect and appreciate from Derr. However, I thought the plotting was a little weak in this story. It relied too heavily on things in the past and future books, rather than highlighting its own, distinct plot. Overall, I liked it, but there were enough issues that I could only give it three petals.
Read the full review on Maggie's website: http://magnoliareviews.weebly.com/rev...
I do recommend this book. It was yet another interesting and well-formed story, exactly what I've come to expect and appreciate from Derr. However, I thought the plotting was a little weak in this story. It relied too heavily on things in the past and future books, rather than highlighting its own, distinct plot. Overall, I liked it, but there were enough issues that I could only give it three petals.
Read the full review on Maggie's website: http://magnoliareviews.weebly.com/rev...
April 26, 2017
Great addition to the series. One star subtracted for less than stellar basic editing (an ongoing Megan Derr issue) and het sex.
April 16, 2023
MIDNIGHT
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2016
I enjoyed this one quite a bit. Certainly more... action oriented and contain grander plots than
.
The book begins with Diamond, the new MCs. Shortly followed by
Diamond was certainly an interesting character. I wonder if calling him an anti-hero would be correct or not... Since he certainly wasn't flinching when he was recruited to work for Cambry syndicate. At first he was lamenting how he was betrayed and ended up in his current condition. But I do questioned how plausible it was for a somewhat regular stripper/prostitute to make such a career switch. From a, maybe, regular Joe who I supposed maybe Cambry was willing to invested in training Diamond? Especially with how Cambry was obsessed with poisons.
I also had a hard time picturing Diamond in my head since from how he was described in the book, my imagination tend to went toward Jared Leto's Joker in Suicide Squad. Which was kinda wrong...
And then we got a surprised visit from some very special people. It was certainly to fun to see them again. This visits, however, reveal one very delicious tidbits about the guy. I do badly wanted to know how Ms. Derr will do with this situation. It would certainly be a very entertaining scene to read.
I do have a slight nitpick however. There were a considerable amount of pages where Ken was being insecure about his place with the clan, his position, and Amr. It was justifiable by who he was as a character, his background and his situation. They managed to patched things up quickly only to have the issue exacerbated by the big event. Also for all the secrecy that
I wonder what will be readers' reaction when they read that Ken
This book also expanded on the world building regarding the clans. Possibly in preparation for the next book. The big reveal that happen toward the end of the book was kind of a spoiler for the outcome of the next book. But from the blurb, the event of the next book would cover the event that lead to to events in
. And it would be next year before we get to read it :(.
All in all, I have no issue with Diamond's seemingly flexible morality. It was understandable that he didn't care if the world burn. Since when his world fell apart and no one lend a hand to pick him up other than the bad guy. Not to mention his moral compass seems to be wonky to begin with. His pairing was... I kinda blank on that actually... Since I don't know... Only that they seems to be sweet together.
.The book begins with Diamond, the new MCs. Shortly followed by
Diamond was certainly an interesting character. I wonder if calling him an anti-hero would be correct or not... Since he certainly wasn't flinching when he was recruited to work for Cambry syndicate. At first he was lamenting how he was betrayed and ended up in his current condition. But I do questioned how plausible it was for a somewhat regular stripper/prostitute to make such a career switch. From a, maybe, regular Joe who I supposed maybe Cambry was willing to invested in training Diamond? Especially with how Cambry was obsessed with poisons.
I also had a hard time picturing Diamond in my head since from how he was described in the book, my imagination tend to went toward Jared Leto's Joker in Suicide Squad. Which was kinda wrong...
And then we got a surprised visit from some very special people. It was certainly to fun to see them again. This visits, however, reveal one very delicious tidbits about the guy. I do badly wanted to know how Ms. Derr will do with this situation. It would certainly be a very entertaining scene to read.
I do have a slight nitpick however. There were a considerable amount of pages where Ken was being insecure about his place with the clan, his position, and Amr. It was justifiable by who he was as a character, his background and his situation. They managed to patched things up quickly only to have the issue exacerbated by the big event. Also for all the secrecy that
I wonder what will be readers' reaction when they read that Ken
This book also expanded on the world building regarding the clans. Possibly in preparation for the next book. The big reveal that happen toward the end of the book was kind of a spoiler for the outcome of the next book. But from the blurb, the event of the next book would cover the event that lead to to events in
. And it would be next year before we get to read it :(.All in all, I have no issue with Diamond's seemingly flexible morality. It was understandable that he didn't care if the world burn. Since when his world fell apart and no one lend a hand to pick him up other than the bad guy. Not to mention his moral compass seems to be wonky to begin with. His pairing was... I kinda blank on that actually... Since I don't know... Only that they seems to be sweet together.
December 4, 2016
This. This.
This..
is how you write a good story.
This is how you write about dark skinned and light skinned people
This is how you write about more dark skinned people than light skinned people.
This is how you describe the appearance of people of African* descendant without only calling them 'black' (because they are all alike, right?).
This is how you write about people.
This is how you write about prostitutes with self respect and without shaming them.
This is how you write mm sex scenes with an unexpected mf, mmf,mmfmmmmfm clusterfuck-of-people.
This is how you write sex scenes. I don't think I skipped even one. And I skip almost every sex scene I encounter (I get bored with them, ok?)
This is how you write tongue in the cheek jokes.
I can't say how happy this book made me. I can't day how many times this story made me smile. I can't say how fucking grateful I am to see diversity in a story without the feeling it's only there because 'diversity'. I abso-fucking-love* this book (the whole series actually) and the only reason I don't give it 5 stars is I read the other books a while ago and forgot who was who half the time. A lot of characters from earlier books made a cameo. Which sometimes I liked and sometimes got frustrating because of the 'who the fuck was that again?'-feeling.
Also it feels a little bit insta-love to me. Which is not totally fair because in the story they mostly do* know each other for longer. But there you have it.
*ugh English. Why don't you work the way I want to!
is how you write a good story.
This is how you write about dark skinned and light skinned people
This is how you write about more dark skinned people than light skinned people.
This is how you describe the appearance of people of African* descendant without only calling them 'black' (because they are all alike, right?).
This is how you write about people.
This is how you write about prostitutes with self respect and without shaming them.
This is how you write mm sex scenes with an unexpected mf, mmf,
This is how you write sex scenes. I don't think I skipped even one. And I skip almost every sex scene I encounter (I get bored with them, ok?)
This is how you write tongue in the cheek jokes.
I can't say how happy this book made me. I can't day how many times this story made me smile. I can't say how fucking grateful I am to see diversity in a story without the feeling it's only there because 'diversity'. I abso-fucking-love* this book (the whole series actually) and the only reason I don't give it 5 stars is I read the other books a while ago and forgot who was who half the time. A lot of characters from earlier books made a cameo. Which sometimes I liked and sometimes got frustrating because of the 'who the fuck was that again?'-feeling.
Also it feels a little bit insta-love to me. Which is not totally fair because in the story they mostly do* know each other for longer. But there you have it.
*ugh English. Why don't you work the way I want to!
December 31, 2022
I guess I liked this book better than the last but I think I'm just not a dragon person. I'm really missing the other abnormals, and wished they played a bigger part, but I understand that that would get repetitive. I will say that I'm struggling to remember who everyone is, though. This series has a LARGE cast and most of them have very unusual names. Since I listened to the first few books, I'm struggling with being okay that I don't remember how to pronounce some names that already came up, and straight up not knowing how to read some names like "Amr". If it's a real, foreign, name I do wish there was a guide or something. I've been reading it like "Amir" but that doesn't seem quite right. Oh well. On to book 7.
October 1, 2018
Haha. Finally Amr gets it. Ken is in a position he neither wanted nor thinks he’ll stay in for long. The Mordreds are moving in and they don’t like Ken. I like the multi dragon thing that changes things up a bit. Glad to see characters from the other books in this one. Ken and Nev are the sweetest, their bond stronger than any other dragon. Diamond was a nice new addition.
August 17, 2020
Ken is my favorite in the last book so I was glad that he and Amr are getting a story. I am excited for this book but I got disappointed. The book is okay but I am more interested in the two guest characters from the previous book in this story ^^; The addition of another dragon kinda threw me off a bit.
January 29, 2021
Made a mistake trying to read them in order and I completely skipped over the 5th one but no worries if you do that too, you can follow the story just fine.
Okay, this one through me for a loop. I know that throughout the series Megan has avoided using the words gay, straight or anything that has to do with sexuality so I'm left wondering if an Owner likes only the company of men but his dragon is female he'll have no problems bonding with it? 'Cos Amr has a male dragon, Cam, his lover is male, Ken, Ken's dragon is male, Nev, and they make one happy gay poly relationship. But Ken having Lancelot's Blessing gets a 2nd dragon Victoria and they all happily fuck together????
I know that dragons aren't restricted in terms of gender 'cos mating for the sake of recreation is mating, and bonding with their Owner is bonding and the two are completely different. But when it comes to humans what the ever loving eff?
What happened here?
Also I have to say menage, polys and the like aren't my thing and the last 3 books in the series, (not counting the short story before the) Sword of the King (haven't read yet), Shield of the Dragon (threw me for a looooop) and Twilight (haven't read yet) have polys and it's a rather complicated relationship in a rather complicated story and one poly was a treat, two were fine but it gets tiring after that. So as you can understand I'm actually thinking of not continuing reading and finishing the series (if they are finished, have no clue).
And I soooo wanted to read Neirin's story darn it.... *sigh*
Okay, this one through me for a loop. I know that throughout the series Megan has avoided using the words gay, straight or anything that has to do with sexuality so I'm left wondering if an Owner likes only the company of men but his dragon is female he'll have no problems bonding with it? 'Cos Amr has a male dragon, Cam, his lover is male, Ken, Ken's dragon is male, Nev, and they make one happy gay poly relationship. But Ken having Lancelot's Blessing gets a 2nd dragon Victoria and they all happily fuck together????
I know that dragons aren't restricted in terms of gender 'cos mating for the sake of recreation is mating, and bonding with their Owner is bonding and the two are completely different. But when it comes to humans what the ever loving eff?
What happened here?
Also I have to say menage, polys and the like aren't my thing and the last 3 books in the series, (not counting the short story before the) Sword of the King (haven't read yet), Shield of the Dragon (threw me for a looooop) and Twilight (haven't read yet) have polys and it's a rather complicated relationship in a rather complicated story and one poly was a treat, two were fine but it gets tiring after that. So as you can understand I'm actually thinking of not continuing reading and finishing the series (if they are finished, have no clue).
And I soooo wanted to read Neirin's story darn it.... *sigh*
September 1, 2023
Dragons and men in tough situations are rescued in this paranormal mm romance and adventure. As always, I skipped the many graphic sex scenes, as they do nothing for the plot.
At this point, I have already lost track of the ever-expanding cast of characters and their exploits four or more books ago.
Typos: More than a. Handful of sentence. Fragments. Who's for whose, and a bunch of other typos.
At this point, I have already lost track of the ever-expanding cast of characters and their exploits four or more books ago.
Typos: More than a. Handful of sentence. Fragments. Who's for whose, and a bunch of other typos.
June 29, 2020
Oh my goodness, I just love this universe. I could reread and reread and reread all the books in this series.
It was so good to revisit so many other characters and I see that I've missed reading some of the other novellas. I will need to rectify that.
I love the dragons!!!!
It was so good to revisit so many other characters and I see that I've missed reading some of the other novellas. I will need to rectify that.
I love the dragons!!!!
June 18, 2022
I would have loked this better if Diamond was a third in the relationship. Or would not have a POV at all. But I can see that the closely related book in this series have the same kind of structure, so here we are.
November 11, 2017
chaotic.
December 20, 2022
4.5 rounded up. Liked this one much better, especially the new and old characters.
March 21, 2017
I loved the book but there's more sex than I'm used to from Megan Derr. It took up pages that could have been better used. The characters and plot were great and I've preordered the next book.
October 9, 2016
Review for BookWinked
Shield of the Dragon is the long awaited continuation of the Dance with the Devil series and directly connected to Sword of the King, one of my favorite books. Shield of the Dragon is slightly darker than Sword of the King and not quite as good as Sword of the King is a delicious mix of action, drama, humor and sweetness. Shield is slightly darker and rougher and missing that delicious blend, but no less good.
So tell us about Shield of the Dragon
Shield is the continuation of where Sword left of, but with a focus on Amr and Ken and with the introductions of a few new characters and return characters from books other than Sword. It’s slightly rougher with more action and more (inner) drama. There are several plot lines that in the end all come together, but start separately. It’s hard to really tell anything about it without giving anything away. The blurb gives a good introduction.
What I can say is that I liked how this story starts. At the same time it has the feel of a story that is the set-up for something larger. This is why it is why, I think, it misses the flow and blend of themes that Sword has.
The one thing I didn’t like about Shield was how the interaction with the dragons was pushed to the background. With the bond and re-bonding of dragons you’d think it would get more attention, but the focus was more on the story as a whole. As someone who especially loves the dragons of this word, I really really really wanted more.
There are some new characters, what are they like?
Along with familiar characters such as Amr and Ken and a few I’m not telling you about yet, there are a few new ones. One of them is Diamond. Yes, I’m not kidding, his name really is Diamond. Alright, his stripper name. He is a bit of a mystery. He works for a Boss and was cursed by his brother. He loves dragons, but none of the regular dragons come near him. That is all about to change when the head goon does some shady deals with a clan.
I liked Diamond. He’s practical and not afraid to get his hands dirty. At the same time he’s caring, in his own way. It’s what attracts him to York, among other things. York is a bit of a mystery of himself. He was in the background for most of the story, but there is more to him than meets the eye and I hope we see more of him at some point. Along with Diamond, because there is a story there!
How was the writing?
The style of writing is what we are familiar with from this author. It’s chatty, descriptive and flowing without being overly formal. It has some witty qualities. Unlike most of the other books, but in line (some) with Sword, the writing is rougher. There is a lot of cursing and the use of “fuck”. I think, up to date, this book has the most swear words I have ever read in a book.
Do you recommend this story?
Yes, absolutely. Fans of the story Sword and dragons in general will love this one. It’s handy to read the previous books in the series before starting this one, otherwise you get lost halfway through.
What is your opinion of Sword of the King?
Honestly, I loved Sword. It would be hard to top that one. I can’t say Shield is a favorite, but I definitely loved it. I like how dragons are portrayed and the rough urban fantasy world created in this series. Shield is good - better than most urban fantasy books I read on average - but because it reads more like a set-up for something bigger it’s not as good as other installments in the Dance with the Devil series.
Shield of the Dragon is the long awaited continuation of the Dance with the Devil series and directly connected to Sword of the King, one of my favorite books. Shield of the Dragon is slightly darker than Sword of the King and not quite as good as Sword of the King is a delicious mix of action, drama, humor and sweetness. Shield is slightly darker and rougher and missing that delicious blend, but no less good.
So tell us about Shield of the Dragon
Shield is the continuation of where Sword left of, but with a focus on Amr and Ken and with the introductions of a few new characters and return characters from books other than Sword. It’s slightly rougher with more action and more (inner) drama. There are several plot lines that in the end all come together, but start separately. It’s hard to really tell anything about it without giving anything away. The blurb gives a good introduction.
What I can say is that I liked how this story starts. At the same time it has the feel of a story that is the set-up for something larger. This is why it is why, I think, it misses the flow and blend of themes that Sword has.
The one thing I didn’t like about Shield was how the interaction with the dragons was pushed to the background. With the bond and re-bonding of dragons you’d think it would get more attention, but the focus was more on the story as a whole. As someone who especially loves the dragons of this word, I really really really wanted more.
There are some new characters, what are they like?
Along with familiar characters such as Amr and Ken and a few I’m not telling you about yet, there are a few new ones. One of them is Diamond. Yes, I’m not kidding, his name really is Diamond. Alright, his stripper name. He is a bit of a mystery. He works for a Boss and was cursed by his brother. He loves dragons, but none of the regular dragons come near him. That is all about to change when the head goon does some shady deals with a clan.
I liked Diamond. He’s practical and not afraid to get his hands dirty. At the same time he’s caring, in his own way. It’s what attracts him to York, among other things. York is a bit of a mystery of himself. He was in the background for most of the story, but there is more to him than meets the eye and I hope we see more of him at some point. Along with Diamond, because there is a story there!
How was the writing?
The style of writing is what we are familiar with from this author. It’s chatty, descriptive and flowing without being overly formal. It has some witty qualities. Unlike most of the other books, but in line (some) with Sword, the writing is rougher. There is a lot of cursing and the use of “fuck”. I think, up to date, this book has the most swear words I have ever read in a book.
Do you recommend this story?
Yes, absolutely. Fans of the story Sword and dragons in general will love this one. It’s handy to read the previous books in the series before starting this one, otherwise you get lost halfway through.
What is your opinion of Sword of the King?
Honestly, I loved Sword. It would be hard to top that one. I can’t say Shield is a favorite, but I definitely loved it. I like how dragons are portrayed and the rough urban fantasy world created in this series. Shield is good - better than most urban fantasy books I read on average - but because it reads more like a set-up for something bigger it’s not as good as other installments in the Dance with the Devil series.
September 20, 2016
4.5* Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.
Every time I think this series can’t get any better, Ms. Derr proves me wrong. :D Continuing from the previous book, Sword of the King, Amr and Ken are just trying to keep things moving along with the relocation of Clan Mordred and solidifying their hold on what was once Rust Syndicate territory. Continuous attacks testing them for weakness and a lingering hostility from Amr’s council has taken its toll on Ken, however, and without any time alone with Amr he feels the tenuous relationship they began a month ago slipping through his fingers. Things are worse than they feared, however, when an unexpected trap lands Ken in deeper trouble than even he can easily escape from. With more than just his lover’s life on the line, Amr will need all the help he can get a maybe a little luck, too.
Ah, this was so good! While the dragons and their owners have shown up in several books in the series, it’s the previous book and this latest installment that have really let them shine. While I liked Ken in the last book, I found myself absolutely loving him here; he is such a fighter and even when things are stacked against him, he finds a way to push on through. That spirit is only eclipsed by the vulnerable side of himself that he pretty much hides at all costs and that I was so very glad to see breaking through the tough guy exterior periodically throughout the story. Amr, while not as focal to this book as Ken was, still managed to fill the story with his presence and the interactions between the two men were fantastic though I do wish I’d gotten more of them. :p
The story itself was extremely enjoyable and I just loved how the author continued to bring in characters from the previous books in the series either through a mention or cameo appearance. There were characters showing up in this book that I honestly never thought I’d see again and it was just amazing how well they worked within the plot itself. The new characters were also really well done and with Diamond especially, I absolutely adored how the fairytale of Snow White was brought together with a bad bit of magic to make such a unique individual.
I love this series so much and this book in no way disappointed! While reading the previous books will give you a good grasp of the universe and how the previous stories are interconnected, the only one you really need to read before this one is Sword of the King though I would recommend checking out Midnight, as well. Honestly you should just read the entire series because they’re all amazingly good and I re-read them all several times a year. If you’re a fan of Megan Derr, fantasy, paranormal or dragons, you should totally check this book out!
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2016/09/1...
Every time I think this series can’t get any better, Ms. Derr proves me wrong. :D Continuing from the previous book, Sword of the King, Amr and Ken are just trying to keep things moving along with the relocation of Clan Mordred and solidifying their hold on what was once Rust Syndicate territory. Continuous attacks testing them for weakness and a lingering hostility from Amr’s council has taken its toll on Ken, however, and without any time alone with Amr he feels the tenuous relationship they began a month ago slipping through his fingers. Things are worse than they feared, however, when an unexpected trap lands Ken in deeper trouble than even he can easily escape from. With more than just his lover’s life on the line, Amr will need all the help he can get a maybe a little luck, too.
Ah, this was so good! While the dragons and their owners have shown up in several books in the series, it’s the previous book and this latest installment that have really let them shine. While I liked Ken in the last book, I found myself absolutely loving him here; he is such a fighter and even when things are stacked against him, he finds a way to push on through. That spirit is only eclipsed by the vulnerable side of himself that he pretty much hides at all costs and that I was so very glad to see breaking through the tough guy exterior periodically throughout the story. Amr, while not as focal to this book as Ken was, still managed to fill the story with his presence and the interactions between the two men were fantastic though I do wish I’d gotten more of them. :p
The story itself was extremely enjoyable and I just loved how the author continued to bring in characters from the previous books in the series either through a mention or cameo appearance. There were characters showing up in this book that I honestly never thought I’d see again and it was just amazing how well they worked within the plot itself. The new characters were also really well done and with Diamond especially, I absolutely adored how the fairytale of Snow White was brought together with a bad bit of magic to make such a unique individual.
I love this series so much and this book in no way disappointed! While reading the previous books will give you a good grasp of the universe and how the previous stories are interconnected, the only one you really need to read before this one is Sword of the King though I would recommend checking out Midnight, as well. Honestly you should just read the entire series because they’re all amazingly good and I re-read them all several times a year. If you’re a fan of Megan Derr, fantasy, paranormal or dragons, you should totally check this book out!
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2016/09/1...
November 1, 2021
Ken, notorious for his temper and penchant for landing in violent situations, finds himself kidnapped, taken down by a hex and an intriguing syndicate representative.
In the midst of the powerful Cambry syndicate, Ken is trapped for the moment, powerless and controlled by the hired witch known as Grey, who, it turns out, is there to investigate Clan Pellinore, who has sought an alliance with the evil Boss Cambry to regain control of Pellinore's knight dragons. It seems the dragons have lost faith in their previous owners, and all of the dragons have refused to bond with anyone from Pellinore.
Except for.Diamond, Ken's kidnapper. Diamond was used to being whatever Cambry asked of him, so when he was ordered to snatch Ken from Clan Mordred, he did so, with the assistance of Devlin White whom Diamond knew as Grey, who was tasked by Prince Avalon Pendragon to look into the troubled Pellinore dragons as well as extend tentative greetings to the newly restored Clan Mordred's new prince and his Pendragon Cameron.
This is a fantastic tale of espionage set to include modern weaponry and ancient, yet effective, means of fighting and defending honor, knights, and their fiercest, most deadly weapons of all, their dragons. When Diamond is claimed by a steel knight dragon that had been among the ownerless dragons of Pellinore, the situation becomes even more tense, especially for Ken, Diamond and Grey. They find themselves caught up in the sweeping disaster that threatens to overcome Clan Pellinore, while Cambry fights to take over and steal the very dragons Pellinore had been struggling to retain with the menacing and dangerous false misrepresentation of Cambry, who is the worst betrayer of all. Diamond discovers Cambry's duplicity in both the current dragon mess as well as his own poisoning assassination attempt that backfired into his present cursed existence - Cambry had hired Diamond's own brother to poison him, then claimed and hired Diamond after that failed to keep control of Diamond and his very deadly power and strengths.
So very thrilling, and quite mesmerizing, this story evolves into an exciting, more than engaging and interesting plot with seriously surprising side notes. The humor is droll, as Grey/Devlin is originally an English Duke, and I love the historical elements blending into the modern era in which they all are a part of because of the way the world evolves, spins, and continues no matter how much some of the clans seek to remain in and cling to the past. Wish I could give more than five stars, but, really, I MUST note, for the record, that there are many errors in misstatements, grammar, and simple misspellings and misuse of the wrong tenses, plurals over what should be singular, and the occasionally misplaced adjective or verb. Proofreading and editing are a thing.
In the midst of the powerful Cambry syndicate, Ken is trapped for the moment, powerless and controlled by the hired witch known as Grey, who, it turns out, is there to investigate Clan Pellinore, who has sought an alliance with the evil Boss Cambry to regain control of Pellinore's knight dragons. It seems the dragons have lost faith in their previous owners, and all of the dragons have refused to bond with anyone from Pellinore.
Except for.Diamond, Ken's kidnapper. Diamond was used to being whatever Cambry asked of him, so when he was ordered to snatch Ken from Clan Mordred, he did so, with the assistance of Devlin White whom Diamond knew as Grey, who was tasked by Prince Avalon Pendragon to look into the troubled Pellinore dragons as well as extend tentative greetings to the newly restored Clan Mordred's new prince and his Pendragon Cameron.
This is a fantastic tale of espionage set to include modern weaponry and ancient, yet effective, means of fighting and defending honor, knights, and their fiercest, most deadly weapons of all, their dragons. When Diamond is claimed by a steel knight dragon that had been among the ownerless dragons of Pellinore, the situation becomes even more tense, especially for Ken, Diamond and Grey. They find themselves caught up in the sweeping disaster that threatens to overcome Clan Pellinore, while Cambry fights to take over and steal the very dragons Pellinore had been struggling to retain with the menacing and dangerous false misrepresentation of Cambry, who is the worst betrayer of all. Diamond discovers Cambry's duplicity in both the current dragon mess as well as his own poisoning assassination attempt that backfired into his present cursed existence - Cambry had hired Diamond's own brother to poison him, then claimed and hired Diamond after that failed to keep control of Diamond and his very deadly power and strengths.
So very thrilling, and quite mesmerizing, this story evolves into an exciting, more than engaging and interesting plot with seriously surprising side notes. The humor is droll, as Grey/Devlin is originally an English Duke, and I love the historical elements blending into the modern era in which they all are a part of because of the way the world evolves, spins, and continues no matter how much some of the clans seek to remain in and cling to the past. Wish I could give more than five stars, but, really, I MUST note, for the record, that there are many errors in misstatements, grammar, and simple misspellings and misuse of the wrong tenses, plurals over what should be singular, and the occasionally misplaced adjective or verb. Proofreading and editing are a thing.
May 2, 2018
If you are going to read this book and want to enjoy it fully, take my advice and re-read some others first.
- Sword of the King short story in Fairytales Slashed Volume 1 (introduction to Ken and Nev)
- Dance with the Devil
- Midnight
- Risk it All
and finally Sword of the King.
Why? Read Sword of the King because this book is a continuation and you will get a bit confused without a refresher. And the others? Because this book is the queen of the cameos! Almost everyone shows up (YAY!), and if they don't they're mentioned. The actually plot was very simple and small but it was woven so brilliantly into the bigger picture which really took a running leap forward.
I have to shamefully admit it took me way too long to figure out who 'Grey' and his raven were, but when I did the only thing I could say was 'Squeeee'!
But back to the story, Ken and Nev are back and get a surprising upgrade in power, and a new friend (2,3,4,5 how may people can you fit in a bed?) ;)
And Diamond is just a gorgeous character. Ken calls him a princess, and Diamond's response? "Gotta watch out for princesses. They're the ones all the stories are about, and you know what they say about history and victors." and later "I've never claimed to be nice princess". Brilliant. He's the messed up bad guy that we all love to love :). Diamond really made this story and I hope we see him again soon!
If you've read the rest of the Dance with the Devil series, then get your teeth into this one, its brilliant. If you haven't read the series, smack your head against a wall a couple of times then get yourself some damn books!!!!
- Sword of the King short story in Fairytales Slashed Volume 1 (introduction to Ken and Nev)
- Dance with the Devil
- Midnight
- Risk it All
and finally Sword of the King.
Why? Read Sword of the King because this book is a continuation and you will get a bit confused without a refresher. And the others? Because this book is the queen of the cameos! Almost everyone shows up (YAY!), and if they don't they're mentioned. The actually plot was very simple and small but it was woven so brilliantly into the bigger picture which really took a running leap forward.
I have to shamefully admit it took me way too long to figure out who 'Grey' and his raven were, but when I did the only thing I could say was 'Squeeee'!
But back to the story, Ken and Nev are back and get a surprising upgrade in power, and a new friend (2,3,4,5 how may people can you fit in a bed?) ;)
And Diamond is just a gorgeous character. Ken calls him a princess, and Diamond's response? "Gotta watch out for princesses. They're the ones all the stories are about, and you know what they say about history and victors." and later "I've never claimed to be nice princess". Brilliant. He's the messed up bad guy that we all love to love :). Diamond really made this story and I hope we see him again soon!
If you've read the rest of the Dance with the Devil series, then get your teeth into this one, its brilliant. If you haven't read the series, smack your head against a wall a couple of times then get yourself some damn books!!!!
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