Book Thoughts on Thursday: 1303 The Dragonslayer, Christine Rains

Book Thoughts on Thursday is somewhere for me to share with you some of the books I've been reading and really enjoyed.

This week:

1303: The Dragonslayer, Christine Rains

A friendly warning: Although not intentional, I may give away some aspects of the story that you may not want revealed. I know I hate it when spoilers ruin my experience of a story, so feel free to halt your reading here until you've read it for yourself.
Then you can come back to see if you share my thoughts! 

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On the rooftop of neighboring building, dragonslayer Xanthus Ehrensvard fires at his target, Governor Whittaker. How he missed the shot, he doesn't know, but fleeing the scene, he picks up an unwanted passenger. Gorgeous reporter Lois King saw Xan's face, and she believes it's the story to make her career. Except he can't let her walk away knowing what he looks like. Xan has to show her the Governor is a bigger threat to the world than he is.

Xan knows dragons never went extinct. They evolved with human society, taking on mortal forms, and slithered their way into positions of great influence and power, just like the Governor. But it's no easy chore proving to someone that dragons still exist, and even more so, they're disguised as famous people. Xan must convince Lois or find another way to silence her. An option, as he gets to know her, he likes less and less.

After all, dragonslayers are no longer celebrated heroes but outlaws. Just as the dragons wish it. But this outlaw must make a plan to slay the dragon or risk its retribution.

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The third book in The 13th Floor Series introduces us to another of its residents, the dragonslayer Xan. As a character I found him much sleeker and professional than both Marc and Stefanie from the first two stories.

His relationship with his new companion, Lois, is much less obvious too than his neighbours. The introduction of Lois obviously threw a massive spanner into his organised lifestyle, and it certainly drew him far outside of his comfort zone. 
She bulldozed her way into his life and his apartment, along with her ferret, and couldn't have been any more opposite to him. I could sympathise with Xan hugely and his cleaning compulsions, but as they spent more time together I began to wonder if they'd make it as a couple, however unlikely it seemed in the beginning.

Lois is another strong female character, an aspect I'm beginning to love in The 13th Floor, and she's not shy about anything. I enjoyed the scene where he threw her into his bedroom to keep her in the apartment and she commented on the losing battle of his trousers. This behaviour definitely comes across as something unfamiliar to Xan, and he's contending with his growing attraction for her while still trying to battle the dragon Whittaker.

I felt his pain when, at the time he realised how strong his feelings were for Lois, he thought he'd lost her to the dragons fire. At this point I knew they could make it together, and so relief was there when she appeared on the top of the building to pull him up.

This was a great adventure, seeing the two main characters deal with the menace of the dragon enemy and also their growing attraction to each other. They complemented each other well, with her daring and boldness and his strength and ability, and I can see them taking on many more dragons in the future.

And what is it with the ladies having to point out the obviousness of the elevator to those men? 

The Dragonslayer is the third in The 13th Floor series of novellas, and the author Christine Rains will be on tour in October to celebrate the release of the series as a collection. Make sure you check it out!

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