Rating: 4.5🌈
Conspiracy of Dragons marks the end of Louisa Masters’ Here Be Dragons series and it’s Steffen’s story that brings everything to a surprisingly strong and emotional close.
Steffen is a dragon who’s character has always ridden that edge of humor with a element of mystery and pathos about him. His overly suspicious, oftentimes paranoid tendencies, even as the head of security for Brandt and Here Be Dragons, brought about some comic scenes as well as sad ones over the previous novels.
But here we get to travel next to him, see into his traumatic past, and realize what a tremendous character of depth has been lurking around the periphery all this time. From the heart tugging revelation of what constitutes Steffen’s hoard to a hidden love that’s enduring all his fears and pain to continue to nurture and support him, Steffen’s romance extends beyond the couple backwards to their history, encapsulates their current relationships, and then tries to envision a new future for all.
That’s quite a story.
It picks up shortly after The Dragon Experiment where the life force has shown them that humans must re-learn how to use their magical abilities, otherwise all the other beings, except dragons, will eventually perish. That humans should regain magic has Steffen terrified.
Weaving that overall species goal, as seen through Steffen’s perspective, as well as through others trying to figure out best to slowly and safely implement this is wonderful. We get to have many of our favorite characters from all the stories involved (Alistair, Gideon,Sam…) as well as those so important to Steffen and his growth here.
That’s Wil. A gentle, warm-hearted dragon who’s essential to Steffen in every way. While Steffen is the center here, Wil is Steffen’s heart. Their story is painful, sexy, quietly strong, and loving. Perfect for a finale.
A suspenseful hunt, a surprise character, and a joyous element previously revealed in an earlier story help round out the narrative themes and bring the series to a satisfying close.
I will be very sad to see these characters go. I have come to love them so.
If you haven’t found this series or author, there’s a reading list of connected universe story/series.
Read all the stories in this universe so you’re familiar with the events that have occurred and the characters and relationships that are referred to.
I’m highly recommending them all, including this one.
Happy Reading!
🔹Hidden Species Series first, followed by…
Here Be Dragons
1. Dragon Ever After (2021)
2. The Professor’s Dragon (2021)
3. The Dragon Experiment (2022)
4. Conspiracy of Dragons (2022)
Description:
There’s only one person I trust…
It’s no secret that I’m hard to handle. People get annoyed by me. Sometimes they’re amused, but not for long. It’s not easy to deal with a paranoid conspiracy theorist, and I stretch everyone’s patience.
Everyone except Wil. He was there at the beginning, when I left my old life behind, and he’s stuck with me since. He’s been my friend when no one else wanted to. Patiently taught me how to fit in. He’s the one person I know I can rely on.
He’s the only man I can see myself ever being with. The only man I would want to spend eternity with.
But when my past rears its ugly head and the stuff of my nightmares rises from the dead, the hope of a happy future rapidly fades. I need him more than ever, but I can’t risk him. I can’t let anyone use him against me.
Torture doesn’t have to be physical to hurt. And I’m not going to let myself be hurt again.
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Unless it’s noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 