The Dragon of Despair

Somehow made a totally different culture feel like home. By the end of the book I had a fondness for New Kelvin and didn’t really care if they went back to Hawk Haven or not. It’s rare for me to be sold on a new, strange location and culture. Melina is a particularly horrid villain and I truly hated her. Citrine was very sympathetic and complex, but she had more agency than just being a creature to pity.

Well written with great character development. Am currently re-reading it in anticipation of starting the next two books in this series. I'm amazed at how well it holds my attention the second time through. The wealth of details which were forgotten by me make it a great read again. One of the top ten authors in my book.

I'm having a hard time deciding whether I liked the first book in this series or this one, but so far all the books are wonderful. Part of the conflict in this book revolves around the villain, Melina Shield, who has just been wedded to the monarch of New Kelvin. The other major conflict that progresses the plot is the madness of Citrine, which presumalby will be cured if she can confront her mother, who caused her to be traumatized to the point of insanity. All of the main characters from the first two books are there to contribute (on varying levels; Sir Jared and Elise hardly do anything).There have been complaints that there is little character deleopment in this book. This isn't entirely true. Firekeeper has some very complicated mental issues to deal with, Edlin matures a lot, and Citrine learns how she can fit herself into the world.Overall, this is a true page-turner, with all the riveting plot twists and wonderful prose you can expect from Jane Lindskold. If another one of these books comes out, I'd definetly read it!

Dragons continues the story of Melina vs. Firekeeper, but as with all the Firekeeper novels, it's more than just "good vs. evil." It's also about levels and layers of political intrigue - and this time, not just between the assorted human kingdoms. The wise wolves that raised Firekeeper have kingdoms of their own, and now their council is getting into the act. Once again, the plot twists and turns unexpectedly, with the fates of individual characters and whole kingdoms in doubt up to the last breathlessly turned page.

The wolf series gets better and better. This, the third in the series carrys Firekeeper and crew into new territory. Firekeeper grows with each book. Melinda, thank you, finally gets her comeupance. The combination of great characters, good writing and wonderfully structured world, with just enough magic is the kind of book that I've grown to expect from Lindskold. Her "Changer" series was great, but these first three in the "Firekeeper" books are harbingers of an exceptional series. I hope that she continues until I grow old!

The Dragon of Despair (2003) is the third novel in the Firekeeper series, following Wolf's Head, Wolf's Heart. In the previous volume, Firekeeper and her companions had traveled to New Kelvin to confiscate three magical artifacts taken there by Lady Melina Shield in collusion with agents of the Isles. At least one of the artifacts, a mirror, had exhibited powerful properties and King Tedric had no desire to allow Melina, or anyone else, to acquire such powers. The Hawk Haven party managed to steal the articles with the help of Grateful Peace, a high official in the New Kelvin government, and Firekeeper then carried the items to the Royal Beasts for proper disposition. In this novel, Hawk Haven learns that Melina has married the Healed One, the hereditary Chief of State of the New Kelvin government. Nobody knows what her intentions are nor how much authority she has in New Kelvin. Even Grateful Peace, who is now living in exile within Hawk Haven, is uncertain about her position, especially since Melina has certain powers to influence the thoughts of others. Consulting his heirs and councilors, King Tedric decides to send a party to New Kelvin under the pretext of establishing trade relations, a party that will consist basically of the persons who gone on the previous mission to New Kelvin, including Firekeeper, Derin Carter, Elise Archer, Sir Jedred Norwood, Edlin Norwood, Wendee Jay, and Elise's maidservant Ninette. When Grateful Peace volunteers to accompany them, he is added to the party in the disguise of a local guide. Melina's daughter Citrine has become very disturbed by events that occurred while she has held hostage by the pirates and then subsequently abandoned by her mother. Moreover, attempts to break the possessive bond placed on Citrine by Melina have failed. Now the healers have suggested that Citrine's only hope of recovery is to confront her mother, so Citrine is added to the party in disguise as the guide's son. During this time, another problem is found west of the mountains. A fairly large grouped of pioneers have established a new colony. They have settled on the same ground as Prince Barden's colony and have even named the budding town Bardenville. The Royal Beasts are not pleased and have requested King Tedric, through Firekeeper, to dismantle the town and remove the settlers. This novel delves deeper into the people and politics of Hawk Haven and New Kelvin. It also explains more about the days when the fire plague killed so many magic users and the remaining colonists were abandoned by their mother countries. In particular, the author shows how many of the customs and governmental institutions in New Kelvin were shaped by the first Healed One, the only magic user to survive the plague, and his expectations that the homeland would soon re-establish control of the colony. Highly recommended for Lindskold fans and anyone else who enjoys tales of exotic cultures and strange magics. -Arthur W. Jordin