Showing posts with label Allyson James. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Allyson James. Show all posts
January 4, 2009
5:14 PM |
Edit Post
Edit Post
Back Cover:
It's hell to be a dragon enslaved. Arys, a powerful silver dragon in human form, is bound to a witch who uses his magic and his body to pleasure her in every way imaginable. When Arys spies Naida, a young woman just coming into her powers, watching Arys performing erotic acts with the witch, he knows that Naida is the key to his freedom.
First he must convince Naida she's his true mate and that the power of their sexual play, and her love, will release him.
There isn't much to tell about the content of this story. Silver dragon Arys enslaved by a witch who holds his true name and therefore can compel him to do her bidding, the witch Clymenestra. This time when he's summoned from Dragonspace to provide her his blood for a spell, he encounters a maiden whose blood is also needed for the spell, Naida. Soon Arys knows that Naida is his life mate, the only one who can free him from his enslavement.
This extremely short novella is definitely set in the same world as Allyson James' books in the Here Be Dragons series and it loosely follows the same concept but that is where the comparison ends.
Significant differences in language use, eroticism and time period set this novella apart from the full-length books. The writing to me was less fluent and the use of language was understandably less modern because it took place in an undisclosed time period in the past and not in our modern day world. There is no real plot except for Clymenestra trying to steal Arys' power and Arys wanting to get out of his enslavement.
This story was much more erotic and that's not surprising considering the publisher is Ellora's Cave. The love scenes are very explicit and because of the lack of room for world building or character development and the fact that the love scenes take up most of the 32 pages the story counts, the eroticism is the focal point of the story.
I would not recommend this novella as a first encounter with Allyson James' work. Since I've read more of her work I have other books to compare it to, and it doesn't come close to the high quality, perfectly set up world of Dragons or the wonderful intriguing world of the Shareem. I read the story because it's set in the world of the Here Be Dragons series and would only tell people to read it in order to do the same but not to have a first taste of Allyson James' writing and definitely not if you're not open to erotica.
December 31, 2008
5:16 PM |
Edit Post
Edit Post
Back Cover:
Carol Juan never really believed in her grandmother's old world tales of dragons and legends...
...Until she was set upon by a wildly sensual man sporting a blazing red mane -and nothing else. He is Seth, a fire dragon summoned into this world by a dangerous mage who is seeking to ignite his own evil ends by devouring Seth's fiery powers. What the fire dragon seeks is a life mate, a human female who can help him explore the pleasures of the flesh.
Seth inflames more in Carol than the untapped magic surging inside her -and only she can save him from the mysterious mage who is guarded by an equally sinister cabal. Arousing Carol's latent Dragon Master powers is only the beginning. Now she must risk her own life to save the fire dragon lost in her world -the man she has come to love and desire.
When Seth is summoned by an imprisoned Dragon Master to do his bidding, practical and non-believer Carol Juan's own Dragon Master powers are unlocked and Seth is called to her instead. Higher powers have brought Seth and Carol together to prevent the unleashing of an ancient evil power onto the world. They don't always see eye to eye but there's definitely something more and powerful between them and they know they have to band together in order to succeed in saving the world and the people they love.
Carol is a workaholic. She's tough, successful, smart but also compassionate, she doesn't believe in all the magical mumbo jumbo her grandmother tries to fill her head with even if her best friend is a silver dragon married to a golden dragon and she can count a black dragon and a Japanese god among her friends. She simply doesn't believe in the supernatural. She likes things that are tangible and can be logically explained. At least she does until Seth comes into her life and unlocks her own supernatural powers she never knew she possessed.
Seth is a fire dragon, the most powerful of all dragons. He is protective, solitary-minded and outspoken. He has something candid and endearing in his behavior and his perception of the human world that is so unknown to him. For Seth all human sensations are new. The concept of subtlety is unknown to him, he is direct and blunt and speaks his mind the way he sees things. Through his eyes I saw everyday things we all take for granted come to life.
I followed Seth in his discovery of the human world and his mate and I followed Carol in her discovery of the powers she never wanted to believe in and her acceptance of them inside herself. With the recognition of her newfound power that gives her control over others she also discovers that the tight control she had on her own life and emotions has disintegrated.
The supporting cast of characters consists of all the primary characters from the previous books, some important secondary characters from the previous books and a few new secondary characters. Special and important roles are reserved for Lisa, Caleb and Malcolm. I loved the bantering between the male dragons, especially when Caleb was present. It had a high entertainment level. So did Axel, the funny demon-god from book 1, whenever he made an appearance in the book with his quirky sense of humor. I'm still hoping for his book one day.
Some of the characters are not who or what they seem to be. The fine line between good and evil and the alliances made are not cut-and-dry clear. Different motives and interests are weaved into the intricate plot and what made the characters well-rounded and far from shallow was that they weren't all the stereotypes of good or evil. With every advance into the book small facts were revealed to show that not all bad guys are true evil and not all good guys are without selfish interests. Right and wrong aren't unconditionally attached to respectively good and bad.
Once more I was captivated by another one of Allyson James' dragon stories. I just couldn't tear myself away from the book and wanted to keep reading on and on. I instantly relived the vibe of the first two books in this series. I had no trouble picking up where I had left off with Lisa, Caleb, Malcolm and Saba. Again ancient oriental mythology, culture, and historical traditions are embedded into the story and merged with the plot, creating a romance novel of paranormal fiction that is full and rich. The plot was original, masterful and set up in a great way. Gradually unfolding and revealing linked subplots that were interlaced with the main story-arc.
With THE DRAGON MASTER Allyson James has expanded her world of dragons with another intricate and intriguing layer, enchanting me further with magical storytelling and masterful world building.
Quotes:
He'd been a beautiful dragon, and he was a beautiful man. The universe had decided to stuff that dragon beauty into an ideal human body, and Carol couldn't find fault with the universe's choice.
Carol: "The male solution to everything is to kill it. A woman's strength is her ability to step back and think about it first. We know there are more solutions to problems than just one."
November 9, 2007
9:18 PM |
Edit Post
Edit Post
Love slave...
Saba Watanabe’s enslavement to the black dragon Malcolm left the powerful witch shaken and vulnerable. But when she's assaulted by a white dragon in human form, the only one who can help her is the dangerously seductive Malcolm. With his attraction for Saba still a feverish high; Malcolm agrees to help her track down the white dragon terrorizing the San Francisco streets.
Dragon warrior...
But Malcolm, too, has become vulnerable -victim of a spell cast to drain him of his strength- and Saba may be the only one who can rescue him. The key to their survival is in a mysterious book hidden in the world of Dragonspace. When its profound secrets fall into the hands of the enemy, the life of every dragon in existence is threatened, and Saba must not only battle her desire for Malcolm but learn to use her rising powers to save his kind.
The story of Malcolm and Saba started in Dragon Heat as a subplot but one with a real potential and this potential was certainly met beyond expectation in their own book.
I just love it when expectations created in a first book of a series are adequately met in the following installment and Allyson James did just that with this book.
In book 1 of the series we meet both Malcolm and Saba and you just feel the have a story between them that, if well-written, will have a great impact on you.
Despite the fact that there is a lot going on in the book like the introduction of a new "type" of dragon (the white dragon), murders, magic and a lot more it was never chaotic or hard to follow.
It was action-packed, magical, sensual with humans, witches, dragons, both good and evil. And next to a wonderful love story full of sensuality that survives time, space and species, you also receive a vast amount of knowledge on Japanese and Chinese traditions and culture, computer programming and database knowledge.
This combination of both mystical and mundane things at the same time was perfectly balanced which made it a pleasure to read and a real keeper for me.
Both Saba and Malcolm are complex and layered characters. The connection between them is very intense and strong and one they both can't escape as much as they try to.
Especially Malcolm who is an extremely powerful and intelligent dragon. So mathematical and dispassionate to the point he analyzes and calculates everything including his love for Saba, which is something that can't be analyzed. He is used to everyone obeying him without difficulty or questions and he is fascinated by Saba who resists his mark and control.
Saba is a witch more powers than she would imagine and she is much stronger than she thinks. Her insecurity leads her to doubt herself and her love for Malcolm shows her that she is powerful in her own ways.
The secondary characters are a special and nice addition to Saba and Malcolm. There is a distinction between more and less important secondary characters. This distinction leads my speculations to new heights wondering which characters will have their own book in future installments of this series. I'm really hoping for a book for Axel, the intriguing, witty demon-god with a great sense of humor.
Of course Lisa and Caleb make an appearance and have an important role in the unraveling of some subplots. It was lovely to see how they were doing after their own book. The interactions between Malcolm and Caleb were as witty as in book 1. They are both territorial dragons and their bantering shows this in a real funny way. But still when necessary they will work together to save their loved ones.
Allyson James has a way with plots that are able to draw you into a world so life-like and realistic despite the magic and fantasy. Almost making me believe these worlds she creates are really out there somewhere.
The plot kept me glued to the pages. Fast-paced, fascinating and well written. Every turn in the plot stirring up more angles and questions leading up to a climax in which every piece of the puzzle falls into the right place. Entwining several subplots into one major plot with ease and simplicity.
Her writing style is a delight to read, making complicated and unfamiliar concepts clear and easy to take in.
Her skills in world building are amazing were dragons and witches are concerned. With The Black Dragon she has layered and deepened the series and I'm eagerly anticipating the next installment in this enchanting dragon-series.
Allyson James is masterfully skilled in creating this world that takes you away for many enjoyable hours, regretting it when the book comes to an end because you want to stay in this magical and mystical world of witches, dragons, humans, gods, evil, sacrifice and love. All I can say is: sit back, relax and enjoy this magical ride to the fullest!
Quote:
Malcolm raised his head and found her smiling at him. Smiling at him for punishing her for using his true name. Smiling at him for losing himself in her. He’d snarled at her, shouted, mistrusted her and made love to her to regain his power over her – and she smiled.
Her smile was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen in his long life.
August 5, 2007
6:02 PM |
Edit Post
Edit Post
Lisa Singleton has an unusual roommate—a fifty-foot dragon named Caleb who has glittering scales and a bad attitude. Little does she know that Caleb is actually a powerful warrior sent to protect her from those out to steal her magic and destroy the world. Or that Caleb can take the human form of a sexy hunk. Now, if he doesn't stop distracting her with those gorgeous bedroom eyes, they may not have time to stop their enemies before all of existence is wiped out. At least Lisa and Caleb will have savored every last minute.
Caleb, a golden dragon (warrior-dragon) has been sent to Lisa to protect her from Malcolm, a black dragon wanting to use Lisa's powers, she hasn't any knowledge of yet. To be able to protect her more effectively Caleb is turned into human form by one of the witches that sent him to Lisa.
Caleb is strong , witty and smart for a golden dragon, who are supposed to just fight, eat and mate. Adjusting to his human form takes a little work but he blends into it perfectly.
Lisa is brave, caring and innocent of the great powers she possesses but together they find out and they find each other in the process. Caleb and Lisa are a perfect match, be it sexual or magical
Yep, found me another keeper-series amidst the storm of new releases!
In this book Allyson James takes you into a magical world of golden, black and silver dragons, witches, incubi and ancient oriental magic. All covered in a seemingly everyday world. It's magical and sensual.
A page-turner containing an original plot and a new concept of dragons and the dragonworld. It very distantly touches the feeling the Immortals caused inside me (the series Allyson's alter ego Jennifer Ashley created). The enthralling writing style and world building have the same attracting qualities that just pull you into this world and you never want to come out again.
This is a whole other and utterly fascinating world, never thought dragons could be so hot!
The title of the book suggests dragons and heat. Well there's a lot of both. After Caleb turns human and Lisa finds out the how and why of her powers, the heat really turns up in some steamy erotic scenes. One in particular involving ice-cream and chocolate sauce.
When I was reading the book, I was hoping for a book on Malcolm, the black dragon, in the future, because to be honest he captured my attention big time and actually more than Caleb did, and believe me Caleb was amazing....but Caleb is sweet and golden despite being a great warrior. But Malcolm is dark and mysterious enough to leave you wanting more. I was hoping for his story with Saba, one of the witches and my wish came true because book 2 of the Dragons-series is their story and it will be coming out in November 2007!
Allyson James has once again created a series that has captured my interest through the way she weaves magic with steamy hot sensuality and creates an great world and amazing characters.
Quotes:
A (human) woman was beautiful, whatever shape she happens to be. She had curves in the right places and hair to stroke, and eyes to admire, and a smile to warm your heart. He wished he could make them understand how perfect they were.
"Balance," they said, voices chiming. "Harmony is greater than power, because it creates and heals instead of destroying. Creating is slow but so, so strong."
April 28, 2007
7:19 PM |
Edit Post
Edit Post
The Shareem. Males created to be tall, muscled, sexy, and…enhanced. They come in one of three levels—pure sensual pleasure, games and wicked fun, or the ultimate barbarian complete with whip. They know how to bring a woman to ecstasy and exactly how to keep her there.
When Lady Talan d'Urvey reads the diary of a woman who spent one wicked week with a Shareem, she longs to experience the same carnality in one last fling before she takes her vow of celibacy. She goes in search of a Shareem and finds Rees, tall and blond, with Shareem-blue eyes. Just looking into those eyes makes Talan wild with need.
But Rees is a Shareem experiment that never should have been made. Rees is all the Shareem levels rolled into one, and then some. Rees is uncontrollable, Rees is unpredictable. Even Rees's creators could never, ever be sure exactly what he would do…
Well, what can I say about this book.
Not the first erotica on my bookshelves but it is the first one I’ve read, the others still lie there unread...but maybe not for long.
It was easy to read, of course there were quite some erotic scenes but it wasn’t all about the bed scenes. There was also the story between a man created to please women and a woman wanting to discover how it’s like to be pleased by a man. And along the way they discover that there’s more between them than just wanting to teach and learn about sex.
I can’t quite put my finger on it but something was missing or off and I can’t describe what it was exactly. Maybe it was a lack of intensity, maybe it was a lack of emotions, maybe it was a lack of witty humor, maybe it was a combination of all of the above.
I only got pulled into the story at the very end when Rees lost it and was afraid of hurting Talan and Rio was called in.
That was when I thought: “Yes! This is what I want to read."
But still I can’t say I didn’t like the book. I was intrigued by these Shareem and their levels, I was intrigued by the friendship between Rees and Rio, so there is certainly more to be explored here and I most definitely won’t dismiss Ms James or the erotica genre after just reading this one.
I can’t say it was a keeper for me but it surely was a nice and fun read when your in the mood for something different.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Nice to meet you!
- Pearl
- Netherlands
- 39, married to my real life romance hero, addicted to TV shows, reading romance novels and Twitter. I'm a chronic (e)book hoarder and my absolute favorite genres within romance fiction are contemporary romance and romantic suspense, but I don't shy away from historical, paranormal or erotic romance either. Even the occasional (urban) fantasy romance, futuristic and sci fi romance may make it to my Mount TBR. This is my corner of the world wide web where I let you know what books I'm hoarding, reading and reviewing.
Fellow Bloggers
-
BLOG HAS MOVED!3 years ago
-
Recent Read3 years ago
Grab My Button!
Subscribe To
Posts
All Comments
You're from...
The ROOB Posse
