Trapped in the human realm, all Malcolm, otherwise known as the Black
Dragon, wanted was to go home to Dragonspace. Once he has returned home,
all he can think about is going back to the mortal world and the woman who
has somehow managed to worm her way into the heart of the Black Dragon, a
being known for logic, not sentimentality.
When Saba is attacked by an evil White Dragon, it is the perfect opening to
return to his beloved witch. Malcolm will stop at nothing to protect what
is his, and even though she is no longer under the mark that enslaved her
will to his, Saba most definitely belongs to Malcolm.
But the White Dragon may have found a way to destroy Malcolm, and it will
take every ounce of power and strength Saba can muster to save the dragon
who has captured her love so effortlessly.
In
the first book of Allyson James’ Dragon Series, Malcolm
started out as a villain – or so he seemed. By the end of Dragon Heat,
readers understood that Malcolm was not evil, he simply did not think the
way other people do – or even other dragons for that matter. In fact, by
the end of that book, you wanted to see more of this misunderstood dragon
and the witch he left behind, Saba.
Which brings me to the present, standing and applauding Ms. James for
delivering a compelling story that more than lives up to the expectations
fans had for Malcolm’s tale.
While we left the previous story with the understanding that Malcolm was
much more than he initially seemed, Ms. James explores his character in much
greater detail in the sequel, The Black Dragon. In this
story, the reader knows unequivocally that Malcolm has never been a
villain. He has only ever wanted to protect those under his care, not
enslave them. He feels things very deeply, even if the peculiarities of the
Black Dragon’s personality cause him to express things in ways most people
don’t understand.
As with the first book in this series, the situation and characters in
The Black Dragon lend themselves easily to humor throughout the
story. Watching as the ever so logical Malcolm tries to woo the
disbelieving Saba is both comical and heartwarming! He may not often know
the most romantic way to say something, but he always gives Saba the truth,
and he definitely shows how much he cares for her time and again.
After Malcolm enslaved Saba to his will in the previous story, it is
completely understandable that Saba is doubtful concerning Malcolm’s
intentions and true feelings for her. That’s what makes it even more fun to
watch as she submits to his seductions, even as she thinks he is bound to
leave her once again. Of course, it is easy for us practically omniscient
readers to say it is fun, while poor Saba struggles to resist a dalliance
that she is sure will break her heart in the end. Ah, but after reading
those scorching hot love scenes with Malcolm, I daresay she has a bit of fun
regardless!
The Black Dragon also allows us to revisit with Caleb and
Lisa, the couple from Dragon Heat, as they figure prominently
in the story for their friends, Malcolm and Saba. It was wonderful to see
these characters again and glimpse their lives after the happy ever after
started!
I stated in my review for Dragon Heat that this series is now
on my pre-order list, and Allyson James only reinforced that with this
story. The Black Dragon is truly a magical story that will
leave the reader wanting to believe in dragons, witches and all manner of
other mystical creatures.
Reviewed by Jennifer
