Dragon Actually: Dragon Kin, #1 by G A Aiken

Publisher: Zebra Publishing

Published: 10/06/2008

 Buy here

Rating: Entrée










Annwyl the Bloody had one goal in life….. to take her brother’s head. Unfortunately, he had the same goal, and he had the upper hand since he was king.  Mortally wounded by a group of her brother’s warriors, Annwyl is determined to go out in a blaze of glory, but when the seemingly victorious warriors turn and run, it seems Annwyl’s last moments will be as a dragon’s lunch. Fearghus the Destroyer is a black dragon with a fierce  desire to be left alone, and when he hears a battle taking place outside his cave, he figures lunch is served. Something about the female warrior captures his interest and he takes her into his care, and figures he’ll save her for a midnight snack. Amazingly enough she shows no fear of him and is entertaining to say the least.

  I just recently learned that G.A. Aiken is the fabulous Shelly Laurenston (or vice versa). Anyway, when I found this out, I immediately ordered all the books because I love Shelly’s hilariously sexy shifter books, so why wouldn’t I like the Dragon Kin series. Not only did I like them, I looooved them. These characters are so over the top, violent, sarcastic and raunchy as all get out. Even the characters I don’t particularly like are fascinating and funny.  The heroines, in this case Annwyl, are always top notch. She is just shy of being psychotic, but fiercely loyal, and a legendary warrior who terrifies men of all species. Fearghus is just a big ol’ gorgeous grump, wanting to get his freak on. Dragons are very sexual beings, and yes, they shift to human, so it’s not gross.

  Dragon Actually was a very quick read, just a little over 200 pages, so I devoured it extremely fast, But it does give us insight of the much longer books to come.  It introduces the reader to many of the characters they will learn more about. Fearghus’s siblings and extended family are full of diverse craziness, and it was my divine pleasure to get to know them. This went directly to my “Must Read” series list, and Annwyl is on my Fiercest heroine list.  The women in this book are fabulously kick ass, and there is not one word that I would change. 

There is also a bonus novella at the end of Dragon Actually, called Chains and Flames, which is the story of Fearghus's parents, Bercelak the Great and Rhiannon the White. It tells of their mating on less than optimal terms and Rhiannon's ascension to the throne. It also gives Bercelak and Rhiannon a more sympathetic cast, because they were not loveable in Dragon Actually. It might be advisable to read this first, I truly wish I had, maybe I would have wished them dead a little less.