4/5 stars on Goodreads
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| Secrets of the Sword III by Lindsay Buroker |
Death Before Dragons series comes to an end with the ninth book, Secrets of the Sword III. It’s been a fast-paced and exciting UF series full of mayhem, explosions, and dragons, with a side-order of romance and family issues. I’m sad to see it end, but it leaves us in a good place.
For the past three books, Val, the half-elf assassin of the criminal supernatural creatures, has tried to learn how to use the dwarf-made sword she’s acquired from a creature she killed. Here, finally, the dwarf expert comes to teach her. Too bad it’s the week before her wedding and she’s got her hands full with wedding guests who arrive a week early and the change of wedding venue, thanks to Zav, her dragon fiancĂ©, killing a cow that belonged to the owner of the first location. Luckily, goblins come to an aid with an ideal location in the middle of nowhere where Zav’s dragon kin can hunt and play as a preparation for the wedding.
But Val can’t just concentrate on her wedding. Trolls are on a warpath, bombing her cafĂ© and kidnapping Reb, the troll boy she’s helped before. And they have more explosives, so the chances are good that they’ll attack the wedding too.
With all that going on in the book, it’s not a wonder the wedding itself is more of an afterthought, with only a few pages devoted to it at the end. But at least the dragons enjoyed the troll hunt, which finally pleased Zav’s haughty mother. And there was a few sweet moments too--but nothing too sappy.
The book ends with everyone in a good place, but also as they’ve always been. It’s not a final goodbye when you know the lives of the characters will continue even without you. And maybe there will be more books in the future too, picking up where this one left. I’d love to read them, but for now, I’m happy with how the series ended.
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