Review: Epic fantasy or epic romance?
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 10 20, 2011
I am a huge fan of epic fantasy, but DRAGON TIES feels more like a romance novel. In this second book of the series, a romantic triangle has developed between Auri, Nachal, and Liran(a powerful Watcher elf). So much of the book is devoted to the romance that the overall plot suffers.  It is the type of romance that would appeal to preteen and teenage girls.  I found myself getting bored and frustrated with the ongoing narrative of tears, anguish, and guilt associated with this romance.On the positive side, once the plot does progress past the romance, it is like the difference between night and day.  I found myself being sucked back into the book. There are some very endearing characters like the grouchy dwarf, the white wolf, the dragon king, and the charming sea dragon from the first book. The action sequences are excellent and leave you wanting more. If more of the book had been like the last few chapters, I would have given the book 5 stars.  I do think that the young author is quite talented, but needs to find more balance in her books to appeal to a wider range of readers.