ISBN: 0-312-86429-9 Order from: Amazon.com
A conventional fantasy romance with predictable villainous conspiracy, noble heroes and hidden destiny.
Reviewed by David on April 17, 1999
Genre: Fantasy (Dragons, Shapeshifting, Magic, Intrigue, Romance)
Synopsis: After centuries of relative peace, most of the human countries are content with the occasional supervision of the Dragonlords, the incorruptible long-lived shapeshifters occasionally popping up in the true-human population, legacy of long-forgotten magic warfare. However, there is a long-plotting conspiracy of true-humans who chafe under the benevolent rule of the dragons. When a royal succession is challenged, a trio of Dragonlords is called in as the court of last resort.
A young woman, the scion of a merchant family, has always dreamed of Dragonlords. Her encounter with the Dragonlords and the politics of Cassori will let her realize her dreams—and plunge her into deadly danger.
Full Review: One of the three judges, Linden Rathan, is called the Last Dragonlord. At his six hundred years, he is the youngest Dragonlord, and he never found a soulmate. At long last, it appears that a new Dragonlord may be discovered, and Linden may find his mate at last. Unfortunately, this discovery is overshadowed by the political intrigue, the jealousy of a young noblewoman, and the plots of a ruthless fraternity determined to exterminate the nearly immortal Dragonlords.
The good guys are almost universally good. The growing affection between Linden and his soulmate is well portrayed, in a typical romance fashion. The friends and family feature perky children, acerbic friends and wise old women.
Unfortunately, neither the plots nor the evil magic introduce much originality into this novel. This book also features a common flaw: a six-hundred year old Dragonlord that behaves just like a 28-year old man of his appearence in human form. There is some explanation of this in the book, but the great age of many of the protagonists is almost entirely gratuitous to the plot.
On a somewhat plot-related distraction, my dislike of the typical villains of the novel was slightly spoiled by the sympathy for their cause: who wouldn't resent being ruled by a bunch of immortal, secretive, magic-wielding beings, whose only qualification was an accident of birth?
Overall: 4.5; Plot: 5; Characters: 5; Style: 5; World-building: 5; Originality: 4;
Copyright date 1998, Tom Doherty Associates (Tor), December 1998, Cloth, 398 pages
ISBN: 0-312-86429-9 Order from: Amazon.com