Review: Keeper of the Flame
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 21, 2013
Latest in the 'Dragon Knights' series, this tale introduces gryphons... these winged big cats live in cliffside caves. But one abandoned youngling is following agent Hugh around town in the sleet. Attracted by his magical heat, little Miss is pitiful but Hugh, masquerading as an ordinary trader in this foreign land, gets her warm and fed. She's barely able to talk yet but she needs a friend. The endearing kitten is soon the source of tavern rumour and a lady who is KEEPER OF THE FLAME arrives to inspect the situation.Assassins stalk the night and fleeing, the Keeper and Hugh run into further danger, when the dragon shapeshifter needs help from his little gryphon friend.  Lera the Keeper has her own innate magic and her relief at being safe, plus finding a like talent, draws her to Hugh in a tender, very passionate romance.  But the hired Eyes may still be out to get her, and she doesn't know who in palace circles she can trust.Halfway the story becomes more tightly linked in to the earlier books so a knowledge of the affairs of various countries and magicians would be a help. Once we get into the political discussions and suddenly endless cast list from earlier books, the standalone element is lost and someone new to the series would be swamped, which is why I didn't give this more stars.  Bianca D'Arc has been creating a complex world filled with magical beings and ordinary folks; palaces, temples and inns. While dragonish folk like flames, gryphons are afraid of fire, with their fur and oiled wing feathers. The disparity makes for some distrust and compromises among the characters.I really enjoyed the descriptions of the winged cat-girl and her behaviour.  Many earlier Dragon Knight characters return in this book which takes off in a different direction but retains the action, romance and intrigue we have come to expect.