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Dragon #3
Dragon Hatching
Becoming a host for a parasitic dragon wasn't part of the plan. Actually, there wasn’t really any plan to begin with, but when the dragon egg hatches, Ashe figures it's time to come up with one.
Katsu's plans are failing miserably. His vast medical knowledge isn't helping Ashe's dragon situation, he's having problems staying detached, and the other mercenaries are concerned about their lifeforce being sucked dry and want Ashe to leave. Katsu is determined that if Ashe leaves, so will he. First, though, he has to make sure that his people aren't killed in battle... something they seem determined to do.
Katsu's plans are failing miserably. His vast medical knowledge isn't helping Ashe's dragon situation, he's having problems staying detached, and the other mercenaries are concerned about their lifeforce being sucked dry and want Ashe to leave. Katsu is determined that if Ashe leaves, so will he. First, though, he has to make sure that his people aren't killed in battle... something they seem determined to do.
36 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 15, 2011
37 people want to read
About the author
J.B. McDonald
23 books41 followersJB has been writing fiction of some sort or another since she was eight years old, when she started with the highly acclaimed and illustrated, “Bucky the Bronco and his Missing Horseshoe.” Everyone in the McDonald household heard about it. Most even read it. Then they made the fatal mistake of encouraging it, and before anyone quite knew how it happened, JB declared that she was going to spend the rest of her life writing.
She wrote online for a stretch and warped a good many people. They sent heartfelt thanks and, on occasion, gift baskets. Sometimes they even brought her cheese sauce and wine. They were less appreciative of the gift of the world’s worst porn, which, thankfully, has gone by the wayside.
JB is possessed of a sense of humor that just will not quit, despite how many stick beatings it’s been through. She also has a cheerfully evil laugh that brings terror to many young hearts. She sadly lacks in cooking skills, which is why the gift baskets and cheese sauce are so important. Instead of cooking, or doing anything as time-consuming as eating regularly, she devotes all her time to writing so that she can inflict more horror—that is, fiction—on you, her hopefully devoted fans.
JB can be reached at her website (https://www.JBMcDonaldScribblesHere.w...), as long as you don't get distracted by her ravings or adorable pictures and videos of her service dog, Doc.
She wrote online for a stretch and warped a good many people. They sent heartfelt thanks and, on occasion, gift baskets. Sometimes they even brought her cheese sauce and wine. They were less appreciative of the gift of the world’s worst porn, which, thankfully, has gone by the wayside.
JB is possessed of a sense of humor that just will not quit, despite how many stick beatings it’s been through. She also has a cheerfully evil laugh that brings terror to many young hearts. She sadly lacks in cooking skills, which is why the gift baskets and cheese sauce are so important. Instead of cooking, or doing anything as time-consuming as eating regularly, she devotes all her time to writing so that she can inflict more horror—that is, fiction—on you, her hopefully devoted fans.
JB can be reached at her website (https://www.JBMcDonaldScribblesHere.w...), as long as you don't get distracted by her ravings or adorable pictures and videos of her service dog, Doc.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 17, 2022
3.5*
I’ve settled in now and find I’m enjoying this series, in this one Ashe brings a dragon to life with possible life threatening consequences
I’ve settled in now and find I’m enjoying this series, in this one Ashe brings a dragon to life with possible life threatening consequences
March 13, 2013
This is another wonderful installment of the Dragon series. Now that Ashe, the elf, and Katsu, the human medic, are definitely a couple, their determination to stay together is severely tested. Katsu is still healing form having his arm broken by the slave traders a few weeks earlier, and the next crisis occurs; Ashe's dragon egg, the one he got in payment for helping sell the other eggs, turns out to be a lot less dead than he thought. The dragon inside hatches and becomes an insidious threat.
Ashe is suddenly stuck with a bay dragon that uses him as a food source. The gradual realization of what is going on is quite scary. If the dragon dies, Ashe does, since they are now linked. If Ashe dies, or so everyone thinks, the dragon will latch on to someone else, and kill them as well. Ashe is now stuck with a parasite, Katsu cannot seem to help him, and people Ashe thought of as friends suddenly look at him with distrust. The solution to them seems easy: getting rid of Ashe will mean their problem is solved. Needless to say, Ashe hates the idea of leaving the only family he has ever known.
Katsu is in a tough situation, His theory as to how 'magic' works is quite different than Ashe's; he calls it chakra energy. Either way, he cannot seem to help Ashe other than keeping him alive as the dragon feeds. This is very hard for Katsu, and adding the need to deal with all the injured from the recent battles means he needs all his energy to deal with life.
The need to rely on each other grows for Ashe and Katsu, but so does their ability to deal with their emotions. Their understanding of their differences begins to lead to appreciation of the other, and possibly even respect. Not that Katsu would ever admit that. If you like fantasy with just a touch of 'magic', if you're looking for an adventure story about faraway lands and men of different backgrounds coming together, different cultures, and if you enjoy watching two men deal with their emotions, one better than the other, then you will probably like this short story.
NOTE: This book was provided by Torquere Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Ashe is suddenly stuck with a bay dragon that uses him as a food source. The gradual realization of what is going on is quite scary. If the dragon dies, Ashe does, since they are now linked. If Ashe dies, or so everyone thinks, the dragon will latch on to someone else, and kill them as well. Ashe is now stuck with a parasite, Katsu cannot seem to help him, and people Ashe thought of as friends suddenly look at him with distrust. The solution to them seems easy: getting rid of Ashe will mean their problem is solved. Needless to say, Ashe hates the idea of leaving the only family he has ever known.
Katsu is in a tough situation, His theory as to how 'magic' works is quite different than Ashe's; he calls it chakra energy. Either way, he cannot seem to help Ashe other than keeping him alive as the dragon feeds. This is very hard for Katsu, and adding the need to deal with all the injured from the recent battles means he needs all his energy to deal with life.
The need to rely on each other grows for Ashe and Katsu, but so does their ability to deal with their emotions. Their understanding of their differences begins to lead to appreciation of the other, and possibly even respect. Not that Katsu would ever admit that. If you like fantasy with just a touch of 'magic', if you're looking for an adventure story about faraway lands and men of different backgrounds coming together, different cultures, and if you enjoy watching two men deal with their emotions, one better than the other, then you will probably like this short story.
NOTE: This book was provided by Torquere Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
May 23, 2015
I loved getting to see more dragons in this installment. And love how the relationship is developing. Can't wait to see what happens next!
Favorite Quote:
Ashe felt a little more gloomy; he was a magical feast for a dragonlet, and his lover was fascinated.
Favorite Quote:
Ashe felt a little more gloomy; he was a magical feast for a dragonlet, and his lover was fascinated.
February 28, 2012
This is the third installment in JB McDonald’s series with Ashe, the mercenary elf who’s not too clear on how to use his magic, and Katsu, the human medic for the mercenary band, who’s far too grumpy to admit he cares about anything besides a successful healing.
This time, an elven ritual of redistributing the magic wakens more than Ashe could imagine. A dragon egg he kept in his magpie’s nest of souvenirs and pretty things wasn’t supposed to hatch, but next thing he knows, he’s playing parent to the hatchling, who slurps up the deliciousness of elven magic with a side of life force. Getting rid of this unwelcome freeloader is now his and Katsu’s top priority, until the other mercenaries do what mercenaries do, and there are casualties to treat.
The relationship between Katsu and Ashe remains a delight—-Ashe has learned what not to take at face value. What sounds like a chewing-out from Katsu falls like love poetry on his ears, and Katus’s growls about even asking a question have meaning that gladdens Ashe’s heart.
Ashe is a sunny sort, not asking much from life except adventure, which he’s gotten in far greater quantities since connecting with Katsu. He’s still pretty independent, and having to rely on Katsu for staying alive and free as keeps happening is still something he’s getting used to.
Tha pair have been together for two adventures by now; the story works okay as a standalone, though it’s stronger for reading the other two first. The relationship arc is still in the getting solidified zone, but if the readers are waiting for Katsu to declare love in a way that doesn’t have to be translated from “grouchy”, I think we all may be waiting a long time. His actions speak for him.
The issue of the dragon isn’t quite as clear cut: the story ends on an impasse, though the beast turns out to have a few redeeming qualities. Major issues remain, which smells like sequel bait. This and a couple of scenes from the POV of a secondary character who is apparently the designated asker of questions took away from the overall story, but not so much that it isn’t an enjoyable read. I did feel at this point, where I didn’t in the other two, that I hadn’t gotten all my questions answered.
If you’re coming into the series at this point, you won’t be totally confused, though you’ll want to go back and catch up. And if you’re reading along, as I am, you’ll definitely want to know what happens
This time, an elven ritual of redistributing the magic wakens more than Ashe could imagine. A dragon egg he kept in his magpie’s nest of souvenirs and pretty things wasn’t supposed to hatch, but next thing he knows, he’s playing parent to the hatchling, who slurps up the deliciousness of elven magic with a side of life force. Getting rid of this unwelcome freeloader is now his and Katsu’s top priority, until the other mercenaries do what mercenaries do, and there are casualties to treat.
The relationship between Katsu and Ashe remains a delight—-Ashe has learned what not to take at face value. What sounds like a chewing-out from Katsu falls like love poetry on his ears, and Katus’s growls about even asking a question have meaning that gladdens Ashe’s heart.
Ashe is a sunny sort, not asking much from life except adventure, which he’s gotten in far greater quantities since connecting with Katsu. He’s still pretty independent, and having to rely on Katsu for staying alive and free as keeps happening is still something he’s getting used to.
Tha pair have been together for two adventures by now; the story works okay as a standalone, though it’s stronger for reading the other two first. The relationship arc is still in the getting solidified zone, but if the readers are waiting for Katsu to declare love in a way that doesn’t have to be translated from “grouchy”, I think we all may be waiting a long time. His actions speak for him.
The issue of the dragon isn’t quite as clear cut: the story ends on an impasse, though the beast turns out to have a few redeeming qualities. Major issues remain, which smells like sequel bait. This and a couple of scenes from the POV of a secondary character who is apparently the designated asker of questions took away from the overall story, but not so much that it isn’t an enjoyable read. I did feel at this point, where I didn’t in the other two, that I hadn’t gotten all my questions answered.
If you’re coming into the series at this point, you won’t be totally confused, though you’ll want to go back and catch up. And if you’re reading along, as I am, you’ll definitely want to know what happens
April 10, 2012
Reviewed on Hearts On Fire... http://heartsonfirereviews.com/
It has been a few weeks since Ashe's rescue and all is going well until Ashe performs a quarterly ritual designed to realign magic. Suddenly Ashe's dragon egg hatches and our elf is up to his pointy ears in problems. Katsu has no knowledge of this kind of dragon and it is absorbing Ashe's magical life force to grow. The dragonlet grows quickly and the other members of the group are afraid that once the dragonlet sucks Ashe dry and kills him that it will kill them next. The mercenaries are hired by a local Lord to fight over a petty squabble with another Lord. Ashe is forbidden to fight by the group's leader, Nate, and really doesn't have the energy for it. Katsu is worried about his lover but true to form will not admit it. Ashe is told by Nate that after the battle that he must leave the group and take his dragon and Katsu finally admits that he doesn't want to be without Ashe and will leave also. The dragonlet is eating meat now and there is some kind of bond forming between it and Ashe. When Ashe sees Nate go down in battle, he rushes to fight off Nate's attacker even though he is still weak. The dragonlet winds up saving Nate's life in the end and Ashe wins a reprieve from banishment for now. I really like the two characters Katsu and Ashe but poor Ashe can't seem to catch a break. Katsu does open up a little more to Ashe about his background and Ashe has finally learned to blow off his lover's little rants. Neither man is going to change the other and they deal with it. This story also brings forward another character, Ridgely, who gives the reader the group's POV much as Eddie did in the last story. I'm very much looking forward to see how Ms McDonald wraps up the series in what seems to be the last book. I recommend that anyone who enjoys a short fantasy start this series with book one because they'll become hooked in no time.
It has been a few weeks since Ashe's rescue and all is going well until Ashe performs a quarterly ritual designed to realign magic. Suddenly Ashe's dragon egg hatches and our elf is up to his pointy ears in problems. Katsu has no knowledge of this kind of dragon and it is absorbing Ashe's magical life force to grow. The dragonlet grows quickly and the other members of the group are afraid that once the dragonlet sucks Ashe dry and kills him that it will kill them next. The mercenaries are hired by a local Lord to fight over a petty squabble with another Lord. Ashe is forbidden to fight by the group's leader, Nate, and really doesn't have the energy for it. Katsu is worried about his lover but true to form will not admit it. Ashe is told by Nate that after the battle that he must leave the group and take his dragon and Katsu finally admits that he doesn't want to be without Ashe and will leave also. The dragonlet is eating meat now and there is some kind of bond forming between it and Ashe. When Ashe sees Nate go down in battle, he rushes to fight off Nate's attacker even though he is still weak. The dragonlet winds up saving Nate's life in the end and Ashe wins a reprieve from banishment for now. I really like the two characters Katsu and Ashe but poor Ashe can't seem to catch a break. Katsu does open up a little more to Ashe about his background and Ashe has finally learned to blow off his lover's little rants. Neither man is going to change the other and they deal with it. This story also brings forward another character, Ridgely, who gives the reader the group's POV much as Eddie did in the last story. I'm very much looking forward to see how Ms McDonald wraps up the series in what seems to be the last book. I recommend that anyone who enjoys a short fantasy start this series with book one because they'll become hooked in no time.
November 18, 2012
4 Hearts
First published at MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.co...
Ashe has a little problem, a baby dragon has become attached to him and it could kill him. Katsu is trying his best to help Ashe but his best isn’t enough.
Ashe and Katsu are back in this installment and they face even bigger difficulties than before. Ashe has somehow managed to get himself in trouble again. When the leader says he must leave to protect everyone else his lover, Katsu, declares he will leave too. There isn’t much world building in this book as it has been done in other books, but you get a very medieval feel from the book.
Ashe and Katsu’s relationship is very close but neither will say to the other that they love them. Even though it is obvious that they do. I really like the way these two interact and they are just perfect for each other. The story-line is cool and it doesn’t miss a beat. I love how we keep getting installments about these two that just work perfectly. I have to admit because I have read the other two books in this Dragon series it was easy for me to fall back into their relationship and how they treat each other. For someone who hasn’t read any of the previous books I think their relationship would confuse people. So I suggest that the previous books are read first.
I will recommend this to those who love fantasy, gruff men, cute elves, troublesome dragons and a good story.
First published at MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.co...
Ashe has a little problem, a baby dragon has become attached to him and it could kill him. Katsu is trying his best to help Ashe but his best isn’t enough.
Ashe and Katsu are back in this installment and they face even bigger difficulties than before. Ashe has somehow managed to get himself in trouble again. When the leader says he must leave to protect everyone else his lover, Katsu, declares he will leave too. There isn’t much world building in this book as it has been done in other books, but you get a very medieval feel from the book.
Ashe and Katsu’s relationship is very close but neither will say to the other that they love them. Even though it is obvious that they do. I really like the way these two interact and they are just perfect for each other. The story-line is cool and it doesn’t miss a beat. I love how we keep getting installments about these two that just work perfectly. I have to admit because I have read the other two books in this Dragon series it was easy for me to fall back into their relationship and how they treat each other. For someone who hasn’t read any of the previous books I think their relationship would confuse people. So I suggest that the previous books are read first.
I will recommend this to those who love fantasy, gruff men, cute elves, troublesome dragons and a good story.
July 5, 2012
In this continuation of the story of Ashe and Katsu, Ashe performs an elven ritual that seems to have dire consequences for him. Only one dragon egg has been retained after the disastrous attempt to sell them and it's an attractive green egg that Katsu had given to Ashe. The day after Ashe performs his ritual, the egg, which has not been warmed hatches. The dragonlet seems quite attached to Ashe and in fact there is a green mark on Ashe that cannot be explained. As the dragonlet grows, it seems to be leaching all of Ashe's magic and energy. Any attempt to damage or chase away the dragonlet results in pain or loss of consciousness for Ashe. The other mercenaries are afraid of the dragonlet and Katsu is worried for Ashe. In the end Nate tells Ashe that he will have to leave at the end of the campaign because the dragonlet is causing too much trouble and distraction and also everyone is worried that once it is done with Ashe, it will go after someone else. This makes Ashe very sad since this group has been his family. He is somewhat reassured when Katsu tells him that he will be going with him and he will find a solution to this problem. In this story, Katsu comes closer to admitting his feeling for Ashe and is obviously worried about him and wants to take care of him. I can't wait to see what happens next.
December 10, 2011
3.5 stars
December 21, 2011
cute but abrupt ending
August 7, 2012
As good as all the other Dragon series books :)
Now, on to the next one!
Now, on to the next one!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews