I remember walking through a discount bookstore and stumbling on these. The design of the dragons and the name Lanen picked at my brain, and after about 10 seconds of concentration it connected - the book I loved so much in middle school and high school wasn't a standalone novel with an unsatisfactory conclusion! It was a trilogy! It had a real ending! I scooped up both this and Redeeming the Lost and rushed to the front counter as if someone was going to fight me for the books if I lingered. I gushed about the books to my confused, but patient, partner all the way home.

The book itself isn't great. It is incredibly representative - we hear the story of how Lanen and Akhor/Varien/Dragon Dude meet at least 6 times, and some characters hear the story multiple times. The dialogue is sometimes so dramatic, purple, or stereotypical fantasy that it comes off as goofy. Characters will change moods at a drop of a dime, going from happy to enraged to laughing in a single paragraph.

The framing device of the trilogy is that the entire story is being recorded, and the POVs we get are different people relating their accounts. I HATE this framing device because when done honestly, it 1) removes all tension because you know who lives and who dies, and 2) it requires explaining how/why everyone is telling their story. If a POV opens with an explanation that they are talking to a ghost for this part, I know how this POV ends and all tension is lost. It also leads to just silly explanations, such as a few paragraphs of Berys explaining that he decided he wanted a diary despite the overwhelming need for secrecy and used a demon to cast a spell to scribe his thoughts and sensations in a narrative and just...come on.

I mentioned that it was Twilight with dragons before Twilight was cool in my review of the previous book. The comparison continues to be apt - Akhor is violently protective and controlling of Lanen in several cases, which, combined with his relative lack of understanding of human culture, leads to him nearly killing a few people. (I don't think he gets to Edward stalker levels, though.) The massive resemblance is between Lanen and Bella: Lanen and Akhor bang like high schoolers, and with as much knowledge and protection. Lanen gets pregnant, which is a shock and surprise, because despite looking human, Akhor is still a dragon, just with his meat reconfigured into human shape. (Which has some interesting body horror elements to it, when I think about it.) The pregnancy promptly begins to kill Lanen because its a hybrid baby, everyone suggests an abortion, but Lanen refuses. They eventually stumble upon someone who can provide medical assistance, and the pregnancy continues without a hitch. If I recall the third book correctly, Lanen even starts mentally communicating with the babies, who tell her how they love her. This came out in 2001, Twilight in 2005...and I idly wonder...

Perhaps my biggest issue with it is that all the women play second fiddle to a large extent. Rella is a spy and assassin, but Jamie is totally better. Aral is an incredibly strong healer, but Vilkas is totally better. Salera is a badass little dragon, but immediately defers to Shikrar was superior. And Lanen, poor Lanen, does nothing - a protagonist that fails to protag. She's shepherded by the others without much input of her own, very much the helpless princess. Lanen is very interested in defending herself and has studied under Jamie (again, the best fighter/killer ever). You'd think that that would mean some agency. Nope! Akhor, the man-dragon that routinely forgets he doesn't have dragon appendages anymore, the man-dragon that was so new he had to develop calluses to wear clothes, the man-dragon who has been human all of 6 months - the first time he picks up a sword in his life, Jamie says that he's incredible and that no matter how hard Lanen trains or how motivated she is, she is better off just getting out of the way and letting Akhor fight. She is understandably crushed, but comes to the conclusion to give up and accept this proclamation.

Frankly? That is just unnecessary bullshit.

There are a few things I like. I like the large and expanding cast, who feels more fleshed out and diverse than the previous book. I like the changing POVs. I like how the structure brings the group together at the end in a way that doesn't feel too unnatural. I still like the world in general.
( )

The Lesser Kindred is the second book about Lanen Kaelar and her fight against an evil Socerer and fate. This book picks up from the first book Song of Silence with Lanen and her newly human husband Varien. The book contains many features of a fantasy novel. Lanen becomes pregnant and because her children are half dragon/half human, her body rejects them. It takes magic in order to save her and her children and she is changed into something that is not quite human. The story seems to be driven by fate. When things are needed (or people), they just happen to show up on time. There is the theme of good vs. evil, the typical fantasy theme. It is a continuation of the fight of Dragons and Demons that start in the first book and the beginning of history. There are two main reasons for the 4 star review. First, like the first book in this series, the book is told from different people's points of view and switch often. There are more characters in this book, so it becomes hard to keep track of who is talking. The other reason is that this book doesn't seem to be as attention catching as the first book and ends in a cliff hanger. The problem with the cliffhanger ending (while it did work with me), left me frustrated and confused. It was like the author hit the limit of pages and just stopped. Overall it is a good fantasy book, espcially for people who like strong female characters. I would recommend this book for high school age children. ( )

The Lesser Kindred is the second book about Lanen Kaelar and her fight against an evil Socerer and fate. This book picks up from the first book Song of Silence with Lanen and her newly human husband Varien. The book contains many features of a fantasy novel. Lanen becomes pregnant and because her children are half dragon/half human, her body rejects them. It takes magic in order to save her and her children and she is changed into something that is not quite human. The story seems to be driven by fate. When things are needed (or people), they just happen to show up on time. There is the theme of good vs. evil, the typical fantasy theme. It is a continuation of the fight of Dragons and Demons that start in the first book and the beginning of history. There are two main reasons for the 4 star review. First, like the first book in this series, the book is told from different people's points of view and switch often. There are more characters in this book, so it becomes hard to keep track of who is talking. The other reason is that this book doesn't seem to be as attention catching as the first book and ends in a cliff hanger. The problem with the cliffhanger ending (while it did work with me), left me frustrated and confused. It was like the author hit the limit of pages and just stopped. Overall it is a good fantasy book, espcially for people who like strong female characters. I would recommend this book for high school age children. ( )

An interesting second book, in this one you have Lanen dealing with her relationship with Varien while being chased by Berys, who has plots within plots.
Interesting and it does set up for the sequel but there were times when my interest lagged. ( )