Deathmaker (Dragon Blood Book 2)

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was more than happy to return to the world of Balanced on the Blade's Edge and Deathmaker didn't disappoint. There is plenty of action, romance, humor and new, interesting characters. Lt. Cas Ahn, who was mentioned in the first book, is one of the main characters in this one along with Tolemek AKA the Deathmaker. They start out on opposite sides of the conflict between Cofah and Iskandia but realize their mutual survival depends on helping one another. I was immediately caught up in the story. Great read!

Ridge and Sardelle (whom we met in Balanced on the Blade's Edge) return in the second half of the book as secondary characters along with Jaxi, Sardelle's soulblade. We also begin to get a better idea of what it means to have dragon blood when there is no tolerance or understanding of magic.

Lindsay does her usual excellent job of balancing plenty of action with well drawn characters who have to make very tough choices under awful conditions. As always, this book has been well edited, making it a pleasure to read.

Quite the epic love story. Girl in prison pirate breaks her out. Is it love or is he using her to get to his main target? When Fighter Pilot Cas gets shot down and captured the last thing she thought would happen, happened. They throw one of the most blood thirsty pirates in her cell. When she helps him break out she doesn't know what will happen next. He's protecting her, but at what cost.
This was a really fun read. We got introduced to some new characters and got to go along with them on their adventure.
I really like this series and this story. It's full of cocky tongue in cheek humor and lots of action. The men are men and the women are warriors. Old friends are in this story and the new friends are an excellent addition. I can't wait to start Blood Charged.

Book two is often disappointing. But in this case, the sequel was even better than the original...which is saying something since I loved the first book in this series!

If I had to pigeonhole the genre, I think I'd call it a mashup of space opera and steampunk. There's no actual space travel, but the feel is there. On the other hand, there's the typical world-building of steampunk (plus magic), so lots of interest in that direction as well.

What I like best, though, is the level of romance/heat in this series. The books are very character driven and each one is about a new couple finding each other. But the adventures take center stage and there's no open-door sex. Just lots of road blocks thrown in the way to make it tough for the protagonists to get along.

The price is also right. Three full-length books for 99 cents if you buy them in the box set. Even at my speedy reading rates, that's a little bit cheaper than Kindle Unlimited, and for top-notch titles!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was more than happy to return to the world of Balanced on the Blade's Edge and Deathmaker didn't disappoint. There is plenty of action, romance, humor and new, interesting characters. Lt. Cas Ahn, who was mentioned in the first book, is one of the main characters in this one along with Tolemek AKA the Deathmaker. They start out on opposite sides of the conflict between Cofah and Iskandia but realize their mutual survival depends on helping one another. I was immediately caught up in the story. Great read!

Ridge and Sardelle (whom we met in Balanced on the Blade's Edge) return in the second half of the book as secondary characters along with Jaxi, Sardelle's soulblade. We also begin to get a better idea of what it means to have dragon blood when there is no tolerance or understanding of magic.

Lindsay does her usual excellent job of balancing plenty of action with well drawn characters who have to make very tough choices under awful conditions. As always, this book has been well edited, making it a pleasure to read.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book for an honest review

I would like to start off with saying that I really enjoy Lindsay Buroker’s work, I really enjoyed the first book in the Iskandia/Cofah world. It was amazingly fun. This book was good, I enjoyed the story and characters but I didn’t get that same amazing factor that I experienced while reading the first book. Well that’s not entirely true, I felt like the story and characters were really hitting their stride in the last half of the book.

As you can see from the blub the book follows Ahn and Mek (Tolemek) – the characters are generally well rounded. I was very interested in their stories, histories and exploring their natures. I however didn’t feel the same ‘click’ factor that was there in Blade’s Edge between Ridge and Sardelle. That ‘click” factor I think was there at the end, in fact I enjoyed the last section of the book and how the relationship blossomed but it was slow to show up. I was also a little surprised by Mek’s PoV, he didn’t have the bad a.. pirate/dealer of death mentality that I think would have made this book more fun. He comes off at times like a love sick scientist who isn’t very socially adept which really clashes with the “Deathmaker” pirate persona.

As I write this review, I am coming to believe that my less than amazing feelings on this book have to do with the relationship vs action plots. There is action, lots of interesting things happening, but there is a relationship plot as well and at times it felt like the book was struggling on which one it wished to be. And I’m not entirely sure the relationship flowed well, it wasn’t till the last section of the book that it really seemed to slip into stride.

Now, do I think the book is worth the cost, HECK YES! – Was I planning to buy it before I received my free copy: YEP – Having read it, would I still have been happy with the cost (had I paid it), the answer is still Yes – the story is fun, the world is really interesting and I really want to see more in this world. I really liked the entire pirate world that was presented here and the interesting ways that Mek’s inventions are interweaved.

I do recommend this book; I do plan on reading this book again and hope that Lindsay writes more in this world.

This one is full of pirates, flying machines, and a sharp-shootin' gal who who can skin your nose with a rock from a hundred yards away.

Set in a steampunk world complete with magic, war, adventure, plenty of escapes, and a good dollop of a fancy gooey concoction with remarkable metal-melting properties, it's brilliant stuff. I just loved it.

In fact, my traitorous heart even thinks it prefers this little number to Lindsay's Emperor's Edge series!!

How is that possible when I do love Amaranthe and Sicarius so much? (If you haven't read those books you are doing yourself a serious disservice, and I would suggest you rectify that oversight without further ado.)

But as much as I love A&S from Emperor's Edge, Cal and Tolemek from Deathmaker have absolutely stolen my heart.

Cal is the ultimate impetuous shoot-first-ask-questions-later heroine.

Tolemek - despite his dastardly nickname Deathmaker - is a smart, Captain Jack Sparrowish (Pirates of the Caribbean) hero with a penchant for making gooey substances (from snake and spider venom) with both deadly and benign properties.

The chemistry between these two sworn enemies is fun to read, although, unlike Balanced on a Blade's Edge (the first in this series) this is more of an adventure than a romance. For those who loved Balanced on a Blade's Edge, Ridge, Sardelle and Jaxi also appear in this one. That said, Cal and Tolemek are definitely the show-stealers.

As we can expect from Lindsay, the action is fast-paced and riddled with her usual witty dialogue. There is even an unexpected twist at the end to keep it from becoming predictable.

And . . . tara tara . . . no deluge scene! No water at all!

So, after this rave review, what didn't I like?

Okay, I admit, this sounds shallow, but the cover . . .

I know, I know, I did choose this one when Lindsay posted her options on Facebook for comment, but it was the best of a boring lot . . .

Maybe it's just me, but I find the blue very dull. Tolemek deserves better . . .

So, if you haven't read this yet, I suggest you rush out and buy it. And in case you are wondering how much Lindsay paid me for this review . . . nada - other than a free copy for comment.

But, let it be said, hand on heart, this is my honest opinion of a fantastic story. I can't wait to read more about these guys.

Disclaimer: Review copy was free.

This is an excellent adventure, tightly plotted. Although it's described as a sequel to "Balanced on a Blade's Edge", it can be read as standalone. It uses different characters, set in the same world. A little bit of romance (PG or PG-13). Characters are engaging, with witty dialogue, and thrown into well-plotted situations. The world-building is excellent, and logically self-consistent.

I won't go over the setting or plot--those are described well in the other reviews and author blurb. I will say that once I started, I found it very hard to stop.

If you're a fan of Lindsay Buroker, you don't need to read this review. If you're never read this author, but you like SF and adventure, give this author a try. The dialogue (both internal and external), characters, world-building, and plot are all excellent, and you'll enjoy this. No cliffhangers either--you can stop here (but I defy you to stop with just one of Lindsay Buroker's books!)

Minor nitpicks: The romance was very predictable, and progressed rather quickly (and somewhat unbelievably), but this did not detract from the plot. The villains suffer a bit from "evil overlord" syndrome, and there's a few minor editing errors. But never mind the nitpicks, it's a great read! Enjoy the book!

Summary: 5 stars. Recommended for people who like fun, fast-paced fantasy romance adventure with quirky characters and witty writing.

Deathmaker is the second book in the Dragon Blood fantasy series. It features different characters than the first book, but Sardelle, Ridge, and Jaxi (yay!) make cameos near the end.

The world-building was even better than the first book with more locations and groups. The pirates were a fun addition, and I liked reading more about the big bad Cofah Empire.

There was lots of action to keep the story moving and amidst it all a developing romance between the unlikely pair of Cas the fighter pilot and Tolemek the pirate scientist. The romance was a tad tamer than the one between Sarelle and Ridge (sexual tension but no sex scene).

The writing was witty, and the characters were well-developed. Most of all, the book was fun and left me eager to read the next one in the series.

Lindsay Buroker has written another fascinating fantasy romance with all the intriguing character development that I enjoy so much. There did come a point, though, when I became very conscious that this smacked more of romance than fantasy or sci-fi.

That was when I realized this was a story about how the love of a woman can change the bad boy. In this case, that meant Lt. Cas Ahnsung would fall for the presumably evil scientist/pirate Tolemek known as Deathmaker, and help him redeem himself. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the story.

Because I so liked Col. Zirkander and his sorceress Sardelle, from Balanced on the Blade's Edge, I was especially pleased when they entered the story.

Fortunately, I purchased the story is part of a team boxed trilogy so I get to start reading the immediately, Blood Charged, immediately.

Note: This book is part of The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was more than happy to return to the world of Balanced on the Blade's Edge and Deathmaker didn't disappoint. There is plenty of action, romance, humor and new, interesting characters. Lt. Cas Ahn, who was mentioned in the first book, is one of the main characters in this one along with Tolemek AKA the Deathmaker. They start out on opposite sides of the conflict between Cofah and Iskandia but realize their mutual survival depends on helping one another. I was immediately caught up in the story. Great read!

Ridge and Sardelle (whom we met in Balanced on the Blade's Edge) return in the second half of the book as secondary characters along with Jaxi, Sardelle's soulblade. We also begin to get a better idea of what it means to have dragon blood when there is no tolerance or understanding of magic.

Lindsay does her usual excellent job of balancing plenty of action with well drawn characters who have to make very tough choices under awful conditions. As always, this book has been well edited, making it a pleasure to read.

What can be common between Lt. Ahn, a prisoner of war fighter pilot from Iskandia, and Deathmaker, a scientist infamous for his deadly experiments, from Cofah? With a long history of enmity between the countries, possibly nothing. But the two end up together to break out from the Cofah prison. Eventually, Ahn ends up as a prisoner again while trying to fight her way back to Iskandia and learns of an impending attack on the capital. She is desperate to warn her people . However, she receives unexpected help but to what end? And did I mention that there are pirates too?

Buroker brings out yet another book with an entertaining and richly woven plot which is full of action with believable characters and their back stories. A touch of magic, humour and a budding romance add charm to the plot. It is second in the Dragon Blood series where Ridge and Sardelle, main characters from the first, have special appearance in the later half of the story but with new central characters it can be enjoyed as standalone.

I received it as a review copy and thoroughly enjoyed every line, page and chapter. So if you are looking for a good read and are into fantasy or pirate stories, then this one is worth a try.

I like how this book has a completely different thread from the first book in the series. A character is mention from book 1, someone you don't believe has survived, and it starts out with her. Then the story wraps around her, and you wonder if they'll entangle with the characters from the first book, whom you've grown to love. It was a great way to introduce new characters in a world that has already grown. Then it all ties together in the end, leading to the next book in the series where all the characters can be together.

This book is another adventure in the world of Cofah and Iskandia. Although Lindsay Buroker has said this series (I sure hope it will continue to be a series) offers more romance, I have to say Deathmaker is a lot more action and adventure than romance. There was a touch of romance but I would have liked a bit more steam and development of the romance part of the story. In Balanced on the Blades Edge the steam happened perhaps a little too fast and in Deathmaker it was too slow and undeveloped for my taste.

That said, the action and adventure, the world-building and the character development are top notch. The story quickly sucks you in and before you know it you’re invested in the main characters and rooting for them. I’m not a fan of gore but I do enjoy action and adventure and Lindsay Buroker is terrific at keeping the action on the right side of the gore-meter. Enough blood and guts to satisfy the bloodthirsty without grossing out the squeamish – a nice balance. To top it all off, the book features a strong female character, as in all Buroker books.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for action, adventure, well-developed characters and a rollicking good steampunk fantasy story. The book is well written and edited. I’m giving 4 stars because I wanted more to the romance – would make it a 4.5 if it was possible.

Disclaimer: I was offered a free copy for an honest review. (It’s like an early Christmas gift to have this happen when it’s for an author you already follow ☺)

Fighter-pilots in bi-planes in a secondary fantasy setting? Yesssss, give me more, give me more. (Okay, maybe not bi-planes necessarily, but still. That level of tech.)

Romping fun adventure, had a blast. Buroker does it again! :D So, this is the sequel to Balanced on the Blade's Edge, and though it follows two new protagonists and that usually bothers me...it didn't bother me at all. Don't know how Buroker keeps pulling off things I normally don't like to read, but she does.

For full disclosure, I suppose I should say I got a review copy, but that doesn't affect how much I enjoyed the story and the characters. Since I've also been dubbed a curator of steamy/sweet romance by my followers, I should say that this book is on the sweet setting rather than steamy like the first one, which I actually prefer. But preferences aside, I think it suited them. Yes, sweetness suits Deathmaker, irony included. ;)

Am hoping for a sequel--more sequels! The more time we spend in the world the more I want to spend in it. Hope we get to learn more about Deathmaker and his sister, Sardelle and Ridge, and Cas and her other pilot buddies. Crash and Ace anyone? Please tell me I'm not the only one hoping they get sequels too. :D (And can't forget Jaxi. She was a definite highlight of the book...can she get her own book? Hmmm. That'd be tricky to pull off, but pretty awesome.)

Once again Lindsay Buroker does not disappoint - and I'm starting to doubt that she ever could!

This book had pirates, pilotes and steampunk. I couldn't put it down. It pulls you in from the very first sentence and then the fast-paced action, subtle romance and great banter between the characters makes you turn page after page after page.
In "Balanced on the Blade's Edge" Buroker had introduced us to an amazing and utterly interesting world that I didn't want to leave, and so the opportunity to discover even more of it was like Christmas coming early. A steampunk world filled with airships, war and magic...
Great read!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is another adventure in the world of Cofah and Iskandia. Although Lindsay Buroker has said this series (I sure hope it will continue to be a series) offers more romance, I have to say Deathmaker is a lot more action and adventure than romance. There was a touch of romance but I would have liked a bit more steam and development of the romance part of the story. In Balanced on the Blades Edge the steam happened perhaps a little too fast and in Deathmaker it was too slow and undeveloped for my taste.

That said, the action and adventure, the world-building and the character development are top notch. The story quickly sucks you in and before you know it you’re invested in the main characters and rooting for them. I’m not a fan of gore but I do enjoy action and adventure and Lindsay Buroker is terrific at keeping the action on the right side of the gore-meter. Enough blood and guts to satisfy the bloodthirsty without grossing out the squeamish – a nice balance. To top it all off, the book features a strong female character, as in all Buroker books.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for action, adventure, well-developed characters and a rollicking good steampunk fantasy story. The book is well written and edited. I’m giving 4 stars because I wanted more to the romance – would make it a 4.5 if it was possible.

Disclaimer: I was offered a free copy for an honest review. (It’s like an early Christmas gift to have this happen when it’s for an author you already follow ☺)

Fighter-pilots in bi-planes in a secondary fantasy setting? Yesssss, give me more, give me more. (Okay, maybe not bi-planes necessarily, but still. That level of tech.)

Romping fun adventure, had a blast. Buroker does it again! :D So, this is the sequel to Balanced on the Blade's Edge, and though it follows two new protagonists and that usually bothers me...it didn't bother me at all. Don't know how Buroker keeps pulling off things I normally don't like to read, but she does.

For full disclosure, I suppose I should say I got a review copy, but that doesn't affect how much I enjoyed the story and the characters. Since I've also been dubbed a curator of steamy/sweet romance by my followers, I should say that this book is on the sweet setting rather than steamy like the first one, which I actually prefer. But preferences aside, I think it suited them. Yes, sweetness suits Deathmaker, irony included. ;)

Am hoping for a sequel--more sequels! The more time we spend in the world the more I want to spend in it. Hope we get to learn more about Deathmaker and his sister, Sardelle and Ridge, and Cas and her other pilot buddies. Crash and Ace anyone? Please tell me I'm not the only one hoping they get sequels too. :D (And can't forget Jaxi. She was a definite highlight of the book...can she get her own book? Hmmm. That'd be tricky to pull off, but pretty awesome.)

Once again Lindsay Buroker does not disappoint - and I'm starting to doubt that she ever could!

This book had pirates, pilotes and steampunk. I couldn't put it down. It pulls you in from the very first sentence and then the fast-paced action, subtle romance and great banter between the characters makes you turn page after page after page.
In "Balanced on the Blade's Edge" Buroker had introduced us to an amazing and utterly interesting world that I didn't want to leave, and so the opportunity to discover even more of it was like Christmas coming early. A steampunk world filled with airships, war and magic...
Great read!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Having read and enjoyed Balanced on the Blade's Edge, I was excited to receive a free review copy of the sequel, Deathmaker. The story starts out with Caslin Ahn (mentioned in Blade's Edge as a member of Zirkander's Wolf Squadron) captured by Cofah enemy forces as a prisoner of war. Her new cellmate is Deathmaker, an enemy scientist with a particular grudge against Wolf Squadron. Cas finds herself in a shaky alliance with Deathmaker as they struggle to escape while maintaining the upper hand against each other.

Although this is the sequel to Balanced on the Blade's Edge, I think readers can still enjoy it as a stand-alone novel without getting confused. However, since the two main characters of the first book make an appearance, I'd recommend reading Blade's Edge first to get the full enjoyment of seeing familiar characters continuing their adventures. Like Blade's Edge, this book is a fast-paced adventure story with likeable main characters and a side of intrigue. There is an interesting dichotomy between Cas and Deathmaker because they are members of opposing nations and represent the differing justifications made by each nation for the current war. They must overcome the prejudices that have been ingrained in their thinking in order to make a connection with each other.

The storyline moves along quickly and doesn't get bogged down with an excess of details. Those looking for an epic novel with fully fleshed-out side characters would be better off looking toward the author's Emperor's Edge series, but for anyone seeking a quick and enjoyable read with a dash of romance, Deathmaker is a great option. I hope to see future novels in this series, but the story wraps up nicely as a stand-alone novel and should prove to be a satisfying read on its own. Even though I received a free copy of Deathmaker, I would not have been disappointed with it if I had paid for it and recommend it without hesitation.

Lindsay is probably one of my favorite authors so if this review seems biased, it's because it is. But it's well earned!! Everything she writes tends to have great balance of action, adventure, romance, and comedy! Deathmaker was no different!

Cas and Mek were great characters. I could have gone with a little more character building, especially with Mek because by the end of the book he seemed more like a love sick puppy than a bad guy with a reputation (even if there are reasons for the rep!) I did like the role where Cas is a bad a** in the air! I couldn't figure out at what point the feelings became mutual for both parties though. I guess Cas was thinking outside of notation when she went in for that kiss!

I loved seeing Ridge and Sardelle again and find out how exactly they were able to keep her secret. Now, on to the next mission.........

Maybe an adventure with the four of them going to get Mek's sister!!! Are you reading this, Lindsay??? Hint hint hint!!

At the very end of "Death Maker", Lindsey Boroker's sequel to Balanced on the Blade's Edge, she asks to let her know if we the readers would like more stories from this world.

How can we fail to want more stories containing mysterious sorcerers, a magic sword, evil pirates, a gorgeous Colonel and an equally gorgeous scientist, romance, humour and adventure. Well the answer can only be .. Yes, a most definite yes.

As always Lindsay's characterisation, plot lines etc., are excellent. A well written story that keeps you engrossed to the last page and wanting more. Lindsay is an outstanding author; a true storyteller.

Lieutenant Caslin Ahn, who was presumed dead at the end of book one, finds herself in a prison cell with a pirate who is responsible for a massacre of civilians in this second installment. He has his own agenda, frees her with him and thus gets the ball rolling...
The storytelling is very smooth and offers no break for either the protagonists as well as the readers (yes, I pretty much read it in one sitting). As usual, the authors pens brilliantly witty dialogues and likeable, authentic characteres with relatable motivations. I enjoyed it immensely. However, I did feel that this was more of a steampunk/adventure book than a romance. The romance was mostly upheld by the Hero while the heroine seemed to loathe him less and less and then just kissed him. So while the story came together nicely, the romance fell a little bit flat in the end and felt rushed, as well as somewhat anticlimatic to me.

I was ridiculously happy that LT Ahn was, in fact, not dead. Even though she had a very small part in BotBE, I found the idea of her character intriguing. I appreciate bad-ass female characters in the military, especially ones with a sense of humor. Cas and her questionably dressed pirate friend have plenty of entertaining adventures as she attempts to return home to Iskandia and Wolf Squadron.

Pirates and fighter pilots in a steampunk fantasy?? I'm not sure it gets much better than that. Buroker has seamlessly continued the intriguing world she created in Balanced on the Blade's Edge with this second installment, even though it primarily focuses on new characters. I might even say I enjoyed Tolemek and Cas's story more than Ridge's and Sardelle's. But, admittedly, I do tend to favor characters with questionable pasts and much to prove. I look forward to the next book set in this world, and more Tolemek and Cas, please.

I love Lindsay Buroker's ability to create new worlds filled with intriguing characters. Every one of her books has a strong plot woven with a great romance. I hope she adds more books to this series.

Another great book by Lindsay Buroker. Again Linsday has great characters and a written a book you don't want to put down. I did feel that in some parts there were similarities to other books, which is why I have only given it the 4 stars. However about 1/2 way into the book it become more original again, and like all her books, I want to read more about these characters. Thanks for another great book Lindsay :-)