Review: An enjoyable return to the Kindred
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 30, 2013
A nice return to the Kindred we started out with. The last 2 books, while enjoyable, were not the same quality as their predecessors. After the series almost jumped the shark, Chained has returned us to the Kindred we know and love.*** MINOR SPOILERS***There is less mention of the previously featured couples, which I actually liked, as to me, the stories sometimes seemed spread too thin between the characters we'd already read about and the featured couple. There are quick mentions, just enough to know the current status of births and pregnancies. There is one scene featuring Reddix and Nina that includes an activity that also occurred in Exiled. That scene seemed to be handled in a way inconsistent with the Kindred cultures. This time, it was dealt with more realistically and was more consistent with the world of the Kindred.Maggie and Kor were an unlikely couple, a scientist and slave forced to fight to the death, like a gladiator, from childhood. With very little in common, they still make an adorable couple. Yes, I said adorable about  a convicted killer. Even with his past and crazy, evil parents, he's somehow still, in his own way, sweet and considerate...until the final act, of course. In a nice switch from many romance novels, the female lead saves the male lead and, indeed, whole villages in those final  scenes.The epilogue nicely sets up the next in the series, featuring a set of Twin Kindred separated at birth, Sees Truth  and Strays Far, and Becca, a woman who intended to become a nun until the incident with Kat's bonding cake in Shadowed. I have been hoping for more Twin and Blood Kindred, this will be fun.One thing I should mention is that when Maggie leaves on her 6 month scientific mission, she is engaged to a dry, dull scientist, Donald (mentioned briefly as Kurt in Shadowed). She resists the physical part of her relationship with Kor until  it becomes necessary , but she does cheat on him. Some may take a stand on the cheating, but it is clear that the relationship with her fiancée really shouldn't still exist. Throughout the book, she makes her loyalty to Donald clear and Kor respects it, even saying that it's one of the things he loves about her.A fun read, definitely worth reading!