I first learned of this series through Mary Robinette Kowal, and was forewarned that this was really the best of the three books out there in the series. I loved the raw energy of the first book (Black Blade Blues, which just made me smile with the mix of a lesbian blacksmith reforging a sword meant for dragon-slaying, with the story set in Seattle. And the icing on the cake for me in that first book was the notion that dragons in today's world could shape-shift, and one was an investment banker. Perfect. Though I found book two to suffer from middle-book syndrome, this current book, snapped my attention firmly back in place. Characters continue to sharpen and refine. Some story arcs complete, while there is firm evidence that the author likes these characters enough to continue the adventures. Plus, there's humor.
One added bonus for me reading this book was that after my last two reviews, I got a very nice note from the author via GoodReads. (Especially nice, since I was honest that I was less than enamored with book 2). The end result was he took my growls about the evilness of killing off a barista who could pull a good shot the right way. If we ever meet, I'll treat him to a cuppa (or if he's not a coffee drinker, a shot of whatever might be his beverage of choice, caffeinated, malted, or whatever his poison.)
I'm curious to see where this series goes and how a couple of the threads play out. Will keep an eye out for the next book.
(3.5 out of 5 stars)
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