The Smoke Thief (Drakon, #1) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Jul 30, 2010 Katyana rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, romance, historical, shapeshifters

I really enjoyed this book - basically just chewed through it until it was done. There wasn't much in the way of fleshed-out secondary characters, but I didn't mind. The development of Kit and Rue was so well-done and rounded that I didn't miss a strong secondary cast.

They were really great, complex characters. Rue, desperate to fit in... honestly, I have to wonder if she didn't become such a flamboyant, notorious thief - as they said in the book, the Council knew it HAD to be a dragon - because I really enjoyed this book - basically just chewed through it until it was done. There wasn't much in the way of fleshed-out secondary characters, but I didn't mind. The development of Kit and Rue was so well-done and rounded that I didn't miss a strong secondary cast.

They were really great, complex characters. Rue, desperate to fit in... honestly, I have to wonder if she didn't become such a flamboyant, notorious thief - as they said in the book, the Council knew it HAD to be a dragon - because she wanted to draw them to her. Display and revel in her strength, after a miserable, outcast childhood. Everything about her, as an adult woman in London, screamed Alpha - she was practically daring them to come, and had plans in place for when they did.

And then there is Kit, the reluctant leader, oddly jealous of the life of a runner. That sort of wistful component really made him appealing.

I also loved the nuance of dragon myths, and the way they were woven in, like, for example:

- Dragons and their treasures... the way they are utterly captivated by gems (you see that several times, Kit's reaction to the pearls at the masquerade ball; Rue's reaction to the rubies)

- Dragon possessiveness. It is funny, because strong possessive or jealous tendencies usually irritate me, but it was so incredibly in their nature that I loved the play of it here.

The only thing missing, in my not-so-humble opinion, was Kit killing that slimy little Councilman. Seriously, it needs to happen.

As an aside, though (and it isn't really fair to include this as commentary on the book, because the BOOK was great, this is more regarding the series), I am disappointed to see that the next book doesn't pick up from here. There is SO MUCH MORE STORY with these characters. What happens when she returns, how they change the shire. Their struggles with the council. What happens with the runner? What is to be done about the crowd of men that drift around her (and what the heck is up with that, anyway? Creepy!) I don't want to jump a couple decades down the road to their children. Pah! Tell the dang story! ...more

14 likes · Like · see review

Feb 14, 2011 Lisa Kay rated it it was amazing

Shelves: authors-s, challenge-disney-princess-reading, series-d, genre-romance-historical, reviewed-by-me, genre-romance-paranormal, character-blonde-hero, genre-fantasy, take-flight, character-woman-in-pants

I have a shelf on GoodReads entitled “take-flight” that I use for all sort of things: airplane pilots, angels, dragons. Or in this case, drákon . These mythical breasts are beautifully, if fiercely, portrayed in Ms. Abe’s book. I love the descriptions of they flights.

It felt…exhilarating. Even with him there, it felt like liberty, like she need never touch the ground again.

The sun began to set and the entire sky kindled to flame, suspending them in wild pink and cherry and orange, colors

I have a shelf on GoodReads entitled “take-flight” that I use for all sort of things: airplane pilots, angels, dragons. Or in this case, drákon . These mythical breasts are beautifully, if fiercely, portrayed in Ms. Abe’s book. I love the descriptions of they flights.

It felt…exhilarating. Even with him there, it felt like liberty, like she need never touch the ground again.

The sun began to set and the entire sky kindled to flame, suspending them in wild pink and cherry and orange, colors so burning and luminous they almost hurt to behold. Every stroke of her wings shifted hues, deepening the heavens, and when the first of the stars sparked overhead – a bouquet of them all at once – all that was left of the day was a band of intense maroon melting like hot sand into the edge of the world.

At times the author’s descriptions reminded me of an old fashioned movie; back when the camera spent time on a scene so we can absorb the surroundings – or the ambience – if you will. Ms. Abe does the same thing; describing the birds’ or monkeys’ reactions to the dragons’ presence, or the intricate description of masquerade costumes. She takes her time on a passage, which is quite alright with me, even if I was a little impatient to move the story along, I finally just enjoyed the lyrical prose of her writing.

I was confused a bit during the prologue and the first chapter, but that is not unusual for me with regards to the fantasy genre. I caught on quick enough by chapter two. Dragons are irresistibly drawn to gemstones. They can smell them, feel them, breathe them. They can change - or “shape-shift” - from human, to smoke, to dragon. Cool.

There was a point at which I was so incredibly glad Rue had escaped the beastly tribe at Darkfrith that I started having my own little fantasy that Kit would not be her love interest. Then, about the time Ms. Abe started writing about that scribe in the council room, I actually flipped to re-read the back-of-the-book-synopsis to check, “Could it be someone else? Please!” There was no way that Kit would ever redeem himself.

I didn’t blame Rue, who is half human, for fighting her fate. Who wants to be in a relationship involving unrequited love? Especially if you’re not the one loved!

About here I need to tell my friend, Faithmarie, not to worry. Rue gets her happily ever after. After all, it did get Romantic Times Historical Romance of the Year 2005. And it’s an enjoyable flight of fantasy until she gets it.
...more

14 likes · Like · see review

Mar 18, 2010 Literary Ames rated it liked it

Shelves: weres-shifters, historical, bye-bye, fantasy, british, read-in-2010, dtb, paranormal-romance, 1st-in-series, i-heart-the-cover-art

I had high expectations. So many have given this 5 stars but it didn't quite reach those lofty heights for me.

I enjoyed the story but the prologue really put me off, it was a lengthy and slightly dull history lesson which was difficult to read. It should have been incorporated into the story instead.

In general, The Smoke Thief was dry in parts but I required more from it. We didn't get to see Rue's rise to Smoke Thief status or her reception from the general population of the Shire when she re ...more

Like · see review

Dec 07, 2011 Caroline rated it really liked it

Excellent

Historical Bodice Ripper Meets Shapeshifter Dragons.

What a fab new find. Shana Abe introduces us to a whole new mythology about a group of shapeshifters who can turn into dragons and mist/smoke. The author uses some beautifully constructed descriptions, she builds some strong characters and really played on my sense of female equality (have you ever seen the movie The Duchess? I really wanted to hurt the Duke!!).

I loved it. It made my blood boil at a times, it had an interesting mytholo ...more

Like · see review