This Blog Has Been Taken Over By Dragons. Poll + Giveaway.

Filed in Draconismoi , Fantasy , featured , Giveaways , reading challenge Posted on June 12, 2013 @ 3:00 pm 38 comments

As discerning readers have no doubt noticed….This blog has been taken over by dragons!

This really shouldn’t come as a shock. Dragons are magnificent and powerful creatures. They range from brilliant, duplicitous, magic-wielding immortals – to the less-strategically inclined, but equally deadly, fire-breathing, poison-spewing, feral winged-creatures terrorizing all who dare to enter their territory.

Even as we speak, they are shoring up their defenses and laying in siege weaponry. Soon the dragons shall spread throughout the internet and into your computer.

THEY CANNOT BE STOPPED. (Plus, who would even want to try? Only soulless monsters who have to appreciation for literature, art, beauty, and the distinct pleasure of having one’s head still attached to one’s body.)

Dragons can, however, be placated. Through copious amounts of praise and treasure. Book Lovers Inc. has thus begun honoring our draconic overlords through Dragon Day (in which there has been much praise, and the promise of treasure). This shall be the first of many such days, and it is up to you, dear readers, to determine which variety of dragon deserves the next round of adoration attention.

The Book Lovers have submitted suggestions, but it is you who will pick which draconic realm this Dragon Lover shall enter next. Choose wisely, because if you are interested only in adding to my list of Draconic Unmentionables, there shall be FIRE AND BLOOD.

Playing with FireMarlene numbers herself amongst those with tragic self-destructive streaks, and has proffered the, in her words, “low-brow” Playing with Fire by Katie MacAlister. Which is clearly filled with tropes I loathe. Such as “true-mates.” I am suspicious that it will spend far more pages analyzing the chafing issues one encounters with a scaly penis, than the implication that this asshole goes around making out with women just to see if they spontaneously combust.

Amanda, being a true fan of Robin Hobb’s Dragon Keeper, is (in a duplicitous and distinctly dragon-like fashion), attempting to split the porn vote by recommending Dragon Actually by G. A. Aiken. Wherein an entire country apparently fails to educate ranking officers about their greatest enemy’s ability to magically shape-shift – and all it takes is a good deep dragon dicking to turn a patriot against the homeland she’s fought and bled for.

Everyone else in the world thinks dragon porn begins and ends with Thea Harrison’s Dragon Bound. Many Book Lovers purport that this is my gateway paranormal romance book. Will it succeed where so many others failed? Bearing in mind that dragons do not justify kidnapping, coercion, sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, or the wonders of Stokholm Syndrome, you can color me skeptical. Also, see below:

Literally the only time I have ever found unicorns interesting.

Contrast these allegedly erotic offerings with the gender-bending adventures of Allison Goodman’s Eon/Eona training to become the world’s only link to a dragon’s energy, or an entire magical society rising up against a recruiter (seriously, shittiest job ever) who has been randomly prophesied to become The Last DragonSlayer! Is PNR even in the running? REALLY?

Girl Who Circumnavigated FairylandAnd we cannot fail to properly acknowledge the book-loving wyvern who will undoubtably steal the show in The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in the Ship of Her Own Creation. Book Loving transcends species! Do you think horny knights will spend any time encouraging literacy in young people? A vote for Cathrynne Valente is a vote for the children. Think of the children!

Alternately, we can go the anthology route, and spend time with over a dozen different dragons in The Dragon Book.

I have admittedly pre-judged all of these books based on their covers, blurbs, or random spoilers seen on Goodreads. I am fully prepared to hate a book I expected to love, or to be disappointed that dragons were not utilized to their fullest glorious extent. I am, however, equally ready to cleanse my library of any obscene defilement of dragons with fire, sow the ashes with salt, and bury them on sanctified ground.

So as Dragon Day draws to a close, look to your Dragon Futures, and VOTE! Explain your vote in the comments. Do you truly believe dragons could be a gateway drug into the wide world of romance? Are you a dragon afficionado interested in how to best develop dragon appreciation in young people? Are you a sociopath who feeds off the pain and suffering of book reviewers? Inquiring minds want to know!

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~*~*Giveaway*~*~

In honor of Dragon Day, and the hopes of having similar days in the future, we have TWO dragon-themed giveaways. There are THREE copies of A Natural History of Dragons available, courtesy of Tor, for US/CAN readers.
BLI is simultaneously offering a copy each of A Natural History of Dragons and Seraphina – open internationally.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment explaining which dragon book you voted for me to review in the poll, and why. (Seriously, I want to know. Are you sadists hell bent on tormenting me? Or are you fellow dragon aficionados intent on expanding my dragon horizons?)

You can also enter for each giveaway by commenting in the review posts here and here.

(You can read our full giveaway policy here)

Please be sure to include a valid email address in the comment form (need not be in the actual body of the comment) AND tell is if you are international or US/Canadian AND mention which book you want. I know, I know, it’s a lot of work. But these are DRAGONS people. Completely and utterly worth the extra effort.

Giveaway ends on Saturday, June 29th, 2013; we will announce the winner on Sunday.

Good luck!!!!

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If you don’t see the poll below, follow the link and vote here.

About Draconismoi


Draconismoi is a Legal Aid Attorney out on the frozen tundra. After two weeks of -30F, she started telling people she moved to Alaska because she loves the indoors. Right now you'll find her curled up under all the blankets she owns, surrounded by a pile of books. Every so often she emerges from her cave (when there is food) and wonders how she'll justify prolonging this behavior once the temperature rises and the sun returns.

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38 Comments

Join the Discussion
  • blodeuedd June 12, 2013 at 3:16 pm

    International.

    I voted for Eon/Eona for the simple reason that I have heard such good things

    • draconismoi June 12, 2013 at 4:53 pm

      Me too! Though it has been throwing me that every edition seems to have a different title. Took me forever to figure out how many actual books there are, and what order they need to be read in.

  • Sullivan McPig June 12, 2013 at 3:56 pm

    I confess:.reading your take on Dragon Actually made me snort and vote for it. Haven’t read it myself, but am now tempted to do so.

    International entry for A Natural History of Dragons.

    • draconismoi June 12, 2013 at 4:46 pm

      Damnit! I never considered my own snark as the problem here. I really SHOULD have considering all the positive feedback I got when I shredded the romance genre last year…..

  • miki June 12, 2013 at 4:14 pm

    I voted for Robin Hobb book because it’s a good author and i’m curious on his view about dragon because there wasn’t any in what i already read of him
    international and i would like to enter for seraphina

    thanks

    • draconismoi June 12, 2013 at 4:47 pm

      Amanda thanks you. She’s been pushing this book on me for months now.

      • aurian June 15, 2013 at 10:31 am

        Robin Hobb is one of my favourite fantasy authors. I especially love HER assassin series.

        • Amanda June 17, 2013 at 4:56 am

          Thank you. I love her as well. Are you reading the farseer trilogy with us at the moment?
          I read the first two pages of assassins apprentice and it was like a warm blanket settling over me. I love her world so so much

  • Viki S. June 12, 2013 at 4:40 pm

    I’ve loved these reads and it was hard to decide but EON/EONA struck a chord with me so that was my pick. Thank you.
    vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com

    • draconismoi June 12, 2013 at 4:48 pm

      Whoo! Dragon porn is falling behind! There is hope for me yet.

  • Susan June 12, 2013 at 9:19 pm

    Uh oh. Fire AND blood? I’m scared.

    But congratulations on Dragon Day, Cass! I know that every day is Dragon Day for you, but this is one day you get to share with the rest of us.

    I voted for Hobb, but Valente would also make me happy. Girls and dragons–what’s not to love? I admit I’d never hear of Eon/Eona before, but it sounds interesting. Heck, I’d read most of these.

    I read the Aiken books but wasn’t smitten. The plots, romances, and humor all fell short for me. (I very much prefer her shifter books under the Laurenston name.) Allyson James has 2 PNR series with dragons–I like the Stormwalker series better of the two.

    • draconismoi June 12, 2013 at 9:42 pm

      Fire AND blood. Absolutely. Didn’t you see Drogon eloquently expressing himself above (and on the sidebar)? He has opinions about sexual violence, misogyny, slavery, and theft.

  • JenM June 12, 2013 at 10:37 pm

    I voted for “other” and would like to suggest Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton. As I understand it, this Victorian society re-imagined with dragons, and includes ritually eating the remains of other dragons in order to gain their strength and power. I saw a very positive review (at Booksmugglers, I believe?) and I’ve been intrigued ever since. Very curious to hear your opinion on it. Oh, and I’d love to win a copy of Seraphina, which sounds fantastic.

    • Draconismoi June 17, 2013 at 1:34 am

      Tooth and Claw was a DNF for me.

  • Becky June 12, 2013 at 11:02 pm

    Half dragon, half library? You have my attention.
    The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland got my vote. Curiosity won out over sadism. 🙂

    • Draconismoi June 13, 2013 at 12:05 am

      Phew! I was a little worried my bad karma would cause all my friends to rise up against me, cackling with evil glee…..

      Which I would, admittedly, totally deserve. Don’t tell Rachel about this! She’s probably still looking for ways to get back at me after that whole camping thing….

  • Mary Preston June 13, 2013 at 3:31 am

    I voted for DRAGON KEEPER because my daughter is a Robin Hobb fan & would sic her dragon on me if I had not.

  • JessS June 13, 2013 at 7:35 am

    Okay I voted for The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland because it sounded cool. Having only heard of two of the books on the list (and not in a totally positive way) it seemed the best way to pick.
    And I’m international and would probably like Seraphina more.
    also ooh oooh loved the use of the unicorn in Cabin in the Woods 😀

    • Draconismoi June 13, 2013 at 11:22 am

      YES. It always makes me happy to see people catching my references.

  • Kim Pinch June 13, 2013 at 9:03 am

    I voted for Playing with Fire – Katie MacAlister because I love her books but I will admit I haven’t read this one yet.

    • draconismoi June 13, 2013 at 2:01 pm

      This one is leading the dragon sex team. I skimmed through a copy yesterday in preparation for it’s win.

      SO MUCH WORSE THAN I EVER COULD HAVE IMAGINED.

  • erinf1 June 13, 2013 at 12:03 pm

    oooohhhhh… dragons…. pretty… and ouch all at the same time! LOL… I voted for Eon/Eona (Omnibus) – Allison Goodman b/c I loved them!

    • Draconismoi June 18, 2013 at 8:13 pm

      You are clearly with the majority on this one. I’m very hopeful it will win!

  • Susan June 13, 2013 at 2:02 pm

    I chose Eon/Eona because genderbending is awesome and “training to become the world’s only link to a dragon’s energy” sounds euphemistic enough to keep me happy. Euphemism FTW!

  • draconismoi June 13, 2013 at 2:38 pm

    You make a valid point. Perhaps Eon/Eona is pulling ahead because I’ve unintentionally made it sound very, very dirty…..

  • Chelsea B. June 13, 2013 at 6:10 pm

    I voted for Dragon Bound because that novel was all kinds of awesome! GO DRAGONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Draconismoi June 17, 2013 at 1:30 am

      Interesting. Stella and Marlene are going back and forth over whether Dragon Bound or Dragon Actually would make me more insane. They are currently tied, so I may have to read both….

      Then it will be a battle to the death! Most likely ending in mine.

  • Rachel June 13, 2013 at 9:07 pm

    I voted for Dragon Bound…. as punishment for that whole camping thing 🙂 but I thought it the book you’d be most likely to enjoy of the romance type ones. Also, you should know that Becky reminded me to vote.

    • draconismoi June 13, 2013 at 9:39 pm

      Curse you Becky! Traitor.

      • Becky June 13, 2013 at 9:48 pm

        Sorry, guess I was feeling more sadistic today

        • Draconismoi June 18, 2013 at 8:11 pm

          I promise that I will call you to to go over my review of whichever Dragon Porn book ones. I’m thinking I’ll turn it into a PNR drinking game, as suggested over at Fangs for the Fantasy. I’m sure it’ll be hilarious for all involved.

  • Jess1 June 14, 2013 at 6:42 pm

    I going to vote with the other Jess and choose The Girl Who Circumvagated Fairyland. It sound like a fun read and you can enjoy the great drawings that it’s supposed to have. It’ll be a nice break for you from the other steamy dragon reads.

    • Jess1 June 14, 2013 at 6:43 pm

      Oopps, Sorry my spelling is so poor, but I meant Circumnavigated etc.

      • Draconismoi June 18, 2013 at 8:14 pm

        No worries. Discerning readers will notice I made a typo regarding the World’s Most Eloquent Yet Ridiculously Long Title as well.

  • aurian June 15, 2013 at 10:34 am

    Lol I voted for the Katie McAllister book. I did not like it, and would enjoy your review more I guess. But for dragons to love, I am surprised there is not a book by Deborah Cooke on it, and I also vote for both Allyson James series. They are very good, and perhaps you will even enjoy them.

    • Draconismoi June 17, 2013 at 1:31 am

      Well, I only put dragon books on here I hadn’t already read.

  • Ren June 29, 2013 at 12:13 pm

    I vote for His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik. I don’t know if you had read this or now, but I enjoy this more than Eragon (I know!) and Eon/Eona. I love dragon, and any good dragon book is always welcome. Love Naomi Novik book, because she combine dragon myth and Napoleon wars .
    I think I’m minority here, because I feel Dragon Bound is just ordinary PNR, nothing special, even Dragos is well… Dragon 😛

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