A review by diazona
The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3 by Lindsay Buroker

5.0

I wavered a bit along the way, but I wound up absolutely loving these books, and I can't wait to read the next one in the series. The series is a fantasy epic, which is pretty standard fare for me, but it stands out against some of the more classic examples of the genre (*ahem* Tolkien) for a few key reasons. First, the society in these books develops and advances over time; much of the plot is driven by scientific research and the arms race between enemy political powers. None of this nonsense where old things are axiomatically better. Second, the characters are truly relatable. They could be living in our own world if not for the different names and cultural conventions and the whole magic element - which, incidentally, is balanced just well enough to make a difference in the story without wiping away any real danger. And last but not least, Jaxi the petulant psychic soulblade is one of the most vivid characters I've read in a very long time - the perfect blend of trusty companion and comic relief. (I swear, as I write this I can hear her smirking at that.)

The one thing I didn't like is that the book leans just a little more into the romance genre than I'd like. There are a few amorous scenes with more detail than I care for, and there are a couple characters who from time to time come across as what I would imagine to be romance novel tropes. (In my defense, I think Jaxi would agree.) Still, those are isolated parts of the story, and they absolutely are not enough to diminish the overall experience.