I really enjoyed reading this book! I loved the first one, and this world and these characters and their adventures were so engaging! And this book was the same, I really felt for Malachus searching for his Mother-Bond, and Halani trying to protect her Uncle, and how that put them at odds. Such a great read!

Starting off roughly where the first book ended, at the market place where Gilene and Azarion are reunited, and then continues on. And it was really great to briefly see them again, and then go on this adventure with Halani, and new character Malachus!

We learn so much about dragons, given that they were extinct in the first book, at least in the Krael Empire. We get the true story of the Sun Daughter, and that was pretty heartbreaking, because there were so many misdirects and lies. Like that the dragon was a female. That was a pretty big one!

I really enjoyed these two on the journey, they definitely faced obstacles, namely the Mother-Bond, and the fact that the Empress was out for Malachus's blood. What with that ending, oh, yeah, that was just fantastic to read! It was a thrilling ending!

This book was really fantastic, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I would love to have a 3rd book in the series!

Review excerpted from my blog post over at FanSciHist Romance Reviews (https://fanscihist.wordpress.com/2020/07/27/dragon-unleashed-by-grace-draven/)

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Library recommendation: Recommended for public libraries, either for Romance or Fantasy collections. 

Warning: Hereafter, you chance spoilers. I will try never to reveal major plot points, but to review any book, you must reveal some parts of the story.


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Number of titles I have read by this author: 21 (I think - everything except what is no longer available to purchase)

Love story speed: Medium burn

Relationship dynamics: The Draga (H)/The Healer (h)

Physical Descriptions: Malachus: of taller than average height with sharp facial features, a beakish nose, dark brown hair, and dark brown eyes ; Halani: of average height with a round face, long, curly brown hair, and grey eyes.

Sexual content: Some; “onscreen,” romantic, some explicit, some not.

Triggers: Rape (alluded to) of secondary character; PTSD (secondary character); recounted parental death; recounted sibling death; violence; torture; gore

Grammar/Editing: My ARC had some minor typos, but otherwise was very clean.

Review: Overall, this is an evenly paced book set in a fantasy realm that was well-established in the first book in the series (see my review <a href="https://fanscihist.wordpress.com/2020/07/27/dragon-unleashed-by-grace-draven/">here</a> for more detail). The world building is consistent with the first book and is very much up to the author's usual high standard. The writing style is very fluid and a treat to read, as usual.

Malachus and Halani are the main characters of this installment. Malachus is a draga trapped in a human body. Halani is an illiterate, but skilled, healer. This is very much a combination of a birthright reclamation narrative and a "we're together temporarily" theme, much like the first book in the series. As ever, Draven is the queen of writing natural, believable relationships, even with fantasy elements thrown in. Halani and Malachus are incredibly well-developed and truly sympathetic characters. Asil (Halani's mother) is a star supporting character and even the lesser supporting characters are engaging. The villains are fascinating, with very clear motivations, and receive satisfying (and deserved) comeuppance. 

I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series.




Full disclosure: I received a free advance review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Halani is a character that is easy to like because of her dedication to her mother and her desire to help others. I thought the author did a good job of writing a creative storyline. I also enjoyed reading about the Gypsy lifestyle.

Thank you to Berkley & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

It's no secret that Grace Draven is an incredibly creative and imaginative author, but unfortunately her books just aren't for me (and I can't tell you exactly why that is; I simply just don't click with them). That being said, I don't want to discourage anyone from reading this book, because I know plenty of readers who will thoroughly enjoy it. It's clear that Draven puts a lot of thought and care into her world-building and characters, and DRAGON UNLEASHED is no exception. If you enjoy intricate fantasy worlds with a historical feel coupled with a central romance arc, definitely check this one out.

Another excellent story by Grace Draven. Dragon Unleashed is about Halani who we meet in the previous book who took in Gilene and Azarian, and Malachus who is a Draga trapped in human form until he can find his mother bond. Halani and Malachus are excellent characters and the romance was a slow burning flame with such love and tenderness between our two protagonists and the action was pretty decent not as good as the first book, as It took awhile for things to happen. Dragon Unleashed is not as engaging as Phoenix Unbound but it is still a good addition to her Fallen Empire series

This was the incredible book I have come to expect from Grace Draven. I loved the expanding mythology in this world from the first book. The vibe was a lot different than in Phoenix Unbound but it really worked for this story and the romance. It has a slower build with tons of the tension and longing that I love. I can't wait to see where the rest of this series goes

The Fallen Empire books seem to be stand alone stories that share the same world but different characters. Some characters from Phoenix Unbound made an appearance in this one but they really didn't have a big part in the story. The pacing in Dragon Unleashed was just right and the characters were likable even when they made questionable decisions. I like when characters are practical and Halani is but in the best way. Malachus is capable and strong but not boastful or arrogant and that is a nice change. It is a quick read and the ending wont leave you troubled.

In Phoenix Unbound, a new fantasy world is introduced. It is diverse, colorful, and darkly dangerous. It also introduced the heroine of Dragon Unleashed, an engaging side character named Halani. I couldn't wait to get Halani's own adventure with a dragon.

Dragon Unleashed is the second of the Fallen Empire series and is something of a companion novel with strong spoilers for book one so shouldn't be read out of order.

Malachus is one of the legendary draga. His kind have all but vanished especially within an Empire where they are hunted. He doesn't want to leave the land of Winosia and cross the sea, but thieving humans have stolen his mother-bond, a bone from his mother, that allows him to safely shift into his dragon form when it is time or he will immolate. His quest takes him to a free trade market on the edge of the Empire where the hunted become the hunters and it is only with the help of a mysterious healer from one of the caravans that he survives. Halani is like no other human he knows and he slowly learns to trust her even as the dark evil empress is closing in on the dragon she wishes to exploit and wring every last drop of magic from his blood.

Halani has lived as a trader all her life and used to her uncle's greed, but when he acquires a magical bone and won't listen to her about the bad feeling she has for this object, she knows trouble will follow. And, a tall mysterious stranger whose magic sings with her own is the one who follows. Having earth magic that she must keep secret at all costs, she adds more secrets to it because another's life depends upon it. Slowly, she comes to know Malachus and learns the price of her secrets might be his very life. Will she be enough when the might of the empire comes for a draga who is nothing like she expected?

Unlike Phoenix Unbound, Dragon Unleashed takes its time building to the action part of the plot. Slowly chess pieces are moved into place and gently the characters and their relationship are developed. It is by no means boring, but the tension doesn't snap into place until late so the book calls for patience.

Halani and Malachus are fabulous characters and I had no trouble engaging with both or seeing them together. There was no hot sizzle there, but a slowly building fire. Hali's mother Asil and the other members of the trading caravan group were fun to get to know, too- okay not her greedy uncle. There are other perspectives- the empress and her go-to guy. They are so warped and cruel that it was easy to hate them and cheer on their fate in the end. Though, in that side of the story, I think I spotted the mysterious female lead of the next book.

As much as I enjoyed the characters and the storyline, I felt a little detachment and I wanted something more out of that epilogue. It was good, but I wanted more. Maybe that bit of more will come in the next book.

All in all, it was good stuff and I think fantasy romance fans who don't mind a gentle pace and drawing out of the story will enjoy it.

I usually like books by this author, but this time, I just didn't click with the story. I liked the characters, I liked the world building...I just didn't really enjoy the story. I wanted to.

This was an interesting take on dragon mythology. I really enjoyed the love story between Malachus and Halani! The backstory of Malachus's family was absolutely heartrending.

Arc provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Grace Draven has hit it out of the park again. I quite enjoyed the first book in this series, but this one I fell in love with the main characters even more. All the characters, even the side ones, felt like they were a whole character and not just one layer. Even here a month later I still remember quite a bit of the plot which says a lot for how much I enjoyed this book. It makes me want dragons and magic to be real. Which, is a clear sign to me that this author can keep creating wonderful books that a romp to read.

A sweeping fantasy filled with dragons, ruthless leaders, and loads of magic. This book is great for people who liked Game of Thrones, but wish it had a little more romance.

The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.

I liked both Malachus and Halani very much – both as a couple and individually. I was so moved by the compassion Malachus still had within him considering his history with humankind and what had been done to him and his family by them. I admired how he was able to see other points of view and understand the motivation of others even when he did not agree. I liked his nobility and steadfastness. Halani is a little more practical in nature; of necessity she has had to compromise on some things and do things she would not otherwise do, but at heart she is a kind and generous woman who loves her family, particularly her mother. There is, in a way, an interesting juxtaposition between Halani and her mother, Asil, and Gharek and Estred.


I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting with Dragon Unleashed. Perhaps I thought it would be more similar to Phoenix Unbound. It is not. The books are very different in tone, with this book being somewhat slower paced. I enjoyed Dragon Unleashed however and I’m very intrigued at what’s next for the Empire and where and how the trilogy will end.

Grade: B

THIS COVER, Y'ALL. This is the follow-up to Phoenix Unbound, a book that reminded me of all the best parts of the TV show Spartacus paired with a high fantasy world unlike anything I’ve read in some time. Although the main couple from the first book does briefly pop up in this one, you can technically read it as a standalone, BUT I’d suggest going back and reading from the beginning if you’re so inclined. If Phoenix Unbound was fiery, intense, passionate, then Dragon Unleashed is its grounded, earthy, slow-burn cousin, with lots of tender touches and longing glances to build the tension in a world of growing stakes and the threat of a powerful enemy.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow what a sequel!

In this sequel to Phoenix Unbound, the world expands beyond the area which we know. We meet a man from another land, who also happens to be a DRAGON!!!!!!!! He comes across Halani, an amazing healer with magical power after a battle for the one thing he wants most in this world.

While she is helping him heal, they begin to get to know one another, and he knows why he is so drawn to her. Their romance makes my heart soar, and I truly love how sweet Malachus is with Halani, and her sweet mother. I don't want to spoil things, so I will leave things here for now.

But know, that I loved this even more than the first, and I truly can't wait to read what else is to come from this series!

I was pulled in the stunning cover and requested it before realizing it is the second book in a series. I tried not to give to much away for myself because I loved the bits I read and want to read the first. This author is on my radar now and I’m going to check out her other books.

Favorite Quote:

“You will always have a place among us, a place beside me, in life and beyond death when the earth sings us to dust and tells the wind of how Halani of the Lightning loved a draga and he loved her in return.”

I’ve never made any secret of the fact that I am unabashedly a Grace Draven fangirl and have loved all her work. Dragon Unleashed is the second novel in her Fallen Empire series and features a draga on a quest and an earth witch who is a member of a traveling group of traders.

This book felt different than its predecessor. While Phoenix Unbound kind of kicks off the series with a bang, Dragon Unleashed is paced in an unhurried way. Most of the action takes place in the second half, which means that the first half is build-up and backstory, learning about our characters and watching their relationship unfold in a sort of leisurely fashion. Honestly? It took me a few chapters to really become engaged. I knew there would be a big pay-off because this author always delivers, but I wondered how long it would take the pacing to pick up.

Readers first meet Halani in the first book in the series. She has spent her life as part of a traveling caravan of free traders. Her gifts lie in earth magic, healing, and helping her uncle as one of the leaders of her people.
Malachus is on a quest to find his mother bond. As a draga, he is trapped in the guise of a man until he can merge with the gift left by his mother and become his true self. His search leads him to a market where he is ambushed and injured, but then rescued and nursed back to health by Halani.

What he doesn’t know is that her uncle is now in possession of his mother-bond.

The romance between them slowly builds as they discover and confide in each other, so that trust and love start to grow. It’s a soft, patient sort of romance full of longing and hope and I thoroughly enjoyed watching them fall in love. Their HEA was so lovely.

The second half of the book is where the action picks up tremendously and the main conflict really kicks off. The villain is once again Dalvila, the Spider of the Empire, and she is convinced that drinking the blood of a draga will help her regrow the arm she lost in her last battle. I knew the slow build-up would be worth the wait and it really was. The climax is awesome. Draven shapes her dragon lore with scenes of storytelling among the traders so that by the time readers get to see the final scenes they are on the edge of their seat in anticipation.

I’m not sure who will feature in the next book in the series, but I do have a sense that we haven’t seen the last of Gharek and the mysterious Siora. No matter who it is, I look forward to my next adventure in this world.

Well I was a bit surprised to see that this story was about the new couple of Halani and Malachus but we do get a glimpse of our previous couple. The story revolves around the search for an item that Malachus must have to fulfill his destiny and much to his dismay and as much as he tries he cannot stop his attraction and eventual love for Halani. This story while I am giving it 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 was not the usual "can't put it down" attraction I have for her other books and felt it dragged a bit but a great ending makes up for a lot and this had a great ending as did the first book in this series and both are wonderfully complete with no cliffhanger endings. I am not sure if this is going to be a trilogy and wonder where the overarching story of the empire goes from here. I guess at the end of all I can say I was entertained but unlike other books of hers it took a exceptional ending to pull this one up to 5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC!

Malachus is a draga trapped in his human disguise, and the time to shift and immolate into his true form grows closer. Unfortunately the one item needed to aid Malachus in his transformation, his inheritance known as a mother-bond, was stolen by raiders and he’s been hunting it ever since.

Halani is a part of a band of free traders, with a gift for healing and storytelling. But Halani also possesses earth magic, a secret for which is punishable by death in the Krael Empire, and thus makes her cautious of the many newcomers she comes across. When Halani’s uncle Hamod comes across a mysterious artifact with strong magic, she urges him not to buy it, worried that it might bring about trouble.

Their paths cross as Malachus tracks down his inheritance and after a fight, finds himself in the healing care of Halani and her group of free-traders. Malachus’s healing takes time, and although he is antsy to get back to finding his mother-bond, he can’t deny the growing attraction between himself and Halani. Unknown to the new companions, the Empress Dalvila is enacting a plan to acquire the mother-bond and Malachus’s power — one that could spell out the end of his life.

Dragon Unleashed is the sequel in the Fallen Empire series, but it focuses on a different couple this time around. I had no prior knowledge of the first book in the Fallen Empire series, and I honestly didn’t need it — the worldbuilding is so strong and captivating that Dragon Unleashed can be read as a standalone without feeling like anything’s missing. The Krael Empire is vast, with every city and its market having its own lifeblood and culture to make it stand out from the others. When Malachus talks of his old home in Wisonia, it seems peaceful and self-sustaining; while Domora is lively and enchanting, with its sinister secret of the Maesor market.

The romance between Malachus and Halani is at the heart of the story and it is enthralling. To start, Draven’s prose is wonderful: flirtatious, intelligent dialogue, beautiful descriptions and insightful observations all rolled together to create this sexy, slow-burn romance between two individuals that is captivating and keeps you waiting. And when Malachus and Halani finally get together it is so rewarding.

I don’t read a lot of sci-fi/fantasy romance books, but this book was a great re-introduction to the genre and easily one of my favorite books that I’ve read this year.

Book one in this series, Phoenix Unbound hit my all-time favorites list when I read it a couple of years ago. It's one of those rare books that's in a league above all others, almost untouchable. I loved it that much. Now you understand what the follow up had to live up to. There was a considerable wait for Dragon Unleashed (not that I'm complaining), but as usual, Grace Draven has delivered the goods. Make no mistake, even though I didn't rate this a full five stars, this was another quality fantasy in the world of the Fallen Empire.

This is the story of Halani, a healer in the traveling free trader caravan from the previous book. Halani and her family took in Gilene and Azarion when they were on their journey. Gilene suspected that the healer who took care of her was hiding some sort of magic, and she was correct. As an earth witch, gifted with the ability to draw power from the earth, she would be hunted down and killed by Krael forces if it became common knowledge. Empress Dalvila is a blood-thirsty, immoral ruler who sees anyone with magical powers as a threat. Those who are born with abilities do not practice out in the open for fear of the consequences. Although the Empire's capitol was hit hard in the previous book, they are not defeated yet by any means. There may be some surprise over who the antagonist is in this second installment.

Malachus is a four hundred year old Draga, an ancient dragon who is trapped in human form until he reunites with his mother-bond. If he does not reunite with the bone that holds the power to release his caged form, he will eventually die. Malachus has lived a long and lonely life hunting down the artifact that was stolen from the Sovatin monks who raised him. He's grown world weary and jaded towards humans and their weakness of character. His respect for most people has dwindled to almost nothing, making him avoid interactions whenever possible. So it's a rare thing when he makes friends with the woman shown to him in his lightning vision. The woman who may hold the key to reuniting him with what he seeks most.

Although Malachus is embittered, and lost his family through a cruel betrayal, right from the start you can sense a gentleness in his soul. He shows it through his care and concern for his horse, and the compassionate way he interacts with Halani's mother who has the mental capacity of a child. He becomes her protector and friend, gaining his good opinion for her forthwrite, pure heart. With Halani, he is torn on how to feel about her and approaches her with caution. Whether it's through their shared earth magic, or something more, he's drawn to her immediately, and he's never felt that for a human before. After being gravely injured, he's forced to stay and recuperate with the caravan, giving him a chance to learn more about the healer who kindles a new and unfamiliar passion. She seems to have the same fascination in her eyes, but they both know that his destiny is on another path.

My one reasoning for detracting a little bit from my rating was because the first half was a little slow moving for my taste. The pace is quite different from the jam-packed action and excitement of book one. It was a slow and steady incline in the first half with the action finally settling in strong in the back end. You have a feeling of doom hanging over your head as you wait for Halani and Malachus to come face to face with those who are slyly setting a trap for them to walk into. It doesn't help that Halani doesn't come clean to Malachus about what her Uncle has done, even when she suspects that he is tied to it in some vital way. It allowed their enemies to get a strong plan in place, which wasn't without its frustrations.

The romance between Halani and Malachus was slow burning, but infused with such tenderness you could feel it with every longing glance and soft touch. They both knew they were together on borrowed time, so they cherished every moment like it was their last. They didn't want to part with any regrets of lost time or opportunity. When their love was tested, both were willing sacrifice everything without hesitation, even their lives.

Malachus is a fractured man with a foot in two different worlds who must choose which one holds his future. Is his home in the safe harbor that calls to him, or is his safe harbor in the arms of the woman he loves? This was a fantastic addition to the series that I highly recommend. If you haven't explored the dark and dangerous land of the Fallen Empire yet, you're truly missing out.