Publisher: Berkley
Publish Date: Out Now
How we got this book: NetGalley
In the latest Novel of the Elder Races, two mates find themselves on different paths, torn between their duty to the Wyr and the passion that binds them… Before she met Dragos, half-human/half-Wyr Pia Giovanni was alone and on the run. Now she’s mated, pregnant and heading south to repair the Wyrs’ frayed relationship with the Elves. Being separated from Dragos is painful, but for the good of the Wyr demesne they need to figure out how to be partners—in more places than just the bedroom. In New York to preside over the Sentinel Games, Dragos is worried about his mate, but knows that finding two replacement sentinels is essential to show the rest of the Elder Races just how strong and brutal the Wyr demesne can be. But as the Games heat up, Pia’s negotiations with the Elves take a turn for the dangerous, straining her bond with Dragos and threatening everything they hold dear…
*Blurb from Goodreads*
1. Thoughts on the Hero
MinnChica: Oh Dragos… I fell in love with him in the first book, and my adoration has yet to subside. He is still just as Alpha and sexy in this book as he was in the first, and I love – LOVE – that Harrison has come back to these characters to continue the overall series arc. I love getting to see Dragos in a little different light, like I said, he was still Alpha to the extreme, but he and Pia have also come to a comfortable place in their relationship where he trusts her and her judgement. I love the way their relationship has developed, and was so glad to see these two back together again.
Lou: I’ve been a big fan of Dragos since the first book; he’s a smexy smiting smoking dragon. What’s not to love about him? He has an arrogance about him that fits his character to a tee as the ruler of the Wyrs, but when it comes to Pia, he becomes very vulnerable, and it’s nice to see Dragos unravel in front of a strong heroine. In Lord’s Fall, we don’t see a ton of interaction with Dragos and Pia, but there is tension between them when Pia goes against his wishes. Dragos’ response is typical, but he does change in his pushy and controlling behaviour.
Has: I think over the course of this series, Dragos has definitely become one of my all time favourite PNR heroes. I loved that he never lost his edge or dominant nature which Harrison has perfectly depicted with his otherworldly nature. But at the same time, I really love the glimpses of tenderness and vulnerability with his scenes with Pia. They definitely made me melt and I liked that despite being so autocratic and full on uber alpha mode, he was willing to let Pia have her space and choices – even though it goes against his nature. The scenes where they had to work out their issues were realistic and close to their characters, and I am loving how their relationship is evolving and developing.
E: Oh Dragos so very grumpy, alpha, dragonic, used to getting his own way and yet soft and squishy on the inside. He went through such a journey during Lord’s Fall. I loved seeing him work to live up to Pia’s expectations in more than one way. I also liked the fact that he was regretting some of the things he said/did in previous books because now he was paying the price for his arrogance. Even with all of that he was still so devoted to Pia, his empire, and the Wyr. I also loved how he organized his Games and ensured that everyone had to fight for their positions including his current Sentinels. I do wonder how he is going to distribute them and if he will ever go about providing Pia with her very own set. Dragos also has some secrets of his own and one of which gets hinted at. Very intriguing…
2. Thoughts on the Heroine
MinnChica: I love Pia, and especially with her being pregnant and dealing with the Peanut as well as being Dragos mate and all that is going on with the Elves, she has really grown into a strong Alpha heroine. She is still sweet and loveable, but she has also developed this harder edge. I love that she struggles so much with keeping her secret from all the Wyr, especially since it puts her in a position of being speculated and gossiped about. I love the way she puts her new security detail in place, and just how strong she has become as not only Dragos mate, but as the female Alpha of the Wyr people. I think Pia is still my favorite heroine in the series!
Lou: Pia is my favourite character out of the Elder series – and I’m not sure if it’s because she was the first heroine of the series. Pia’s character in Lord’s Fall has become more developed, because she’s had to become stronger. She’s Dragos’ mate so she has had to become strong to show the other Wyrs that follow in Dragos’ command that she’s able to deal with what it all entails. I love her journey with Peanut which shows her soft side, and she shows her strength and intelligence with the Elves in her behaviour and interactions with them.
Has: I think I fell in love with Pia’s character when she stole that penny from the first book and left the ‘I’m sorry’ note. She’s definitely found her feet as Dragos’ mate and finding her place by his side as an equal partner. I also liked how her relationship with her guards developed in the story, especially with Eva the wyr who becomes her bodyguard. Oh, I loved them butting heads and their resentful snarkfest in the beginning of the book to developing respect and even affection towards the of the story. It really showed that Pia, who may not be the most powerful or aggressive wyr, holds her own and she does use common sense and knows her limitations. Pia is a fantastic heroine, and I am definitely hopeful and looking forward to more of her in future books. I can’t get enough of both her and Dragos as a couple!
E: Pia is a lot of fun. I enjoyed seeing her again and the fact that she would flex her muscles when needed. She did a great job of first gaining the respect of her guards and then continuing to get their willing support. She also used the same mixture of charm, irreverence, and determination that won Dragos over to work on accomplishing her mission even when things got ugly. I also adored her interactions with Peanut *melts my heart* and everything she did to protect him. Despite the fact that Pia isn’t a traditional warrior Wyr she also doesn’t shy away from fighting for what she values and loves. I can’t wait to find out what she deals with next as she continues to grow into her role as Dragos’ mate.
3. Favorite Scene
MinnChica: There are so many favorite scenes to choose from, but I think the one that stands out to me the most is when Pia shares a dream with her little Peanut. Maybe it’s because I’m pregnant, and the idea of being able to see my own little man in a dream, talk to him, and be able to bond on such a deep level really resonates with me at this moment in my life, but I couldn’t get through that moment without tears in my eyes. I loved so much about that moment, as it was so obviously special for Pia.
Lou: I think my favourite scene has to be the end with Peanut, which was super fun and lovely to read. Like Minn said above, to see her baby hero in her dreams was very sweet and added vulnerability to the story that I thought was missing throughout the rest of the story.
Has: That is my favourite scene too! In a lot of ways it felt like a little vignette/story which really topped the book for me. It was a fun, emotional and sweet scene – and I loved how Peanut interacted with Pia! I think this may have become one of my favourite scenes in the series, because it was so full of emotion and meaning and I loved the final line with Dragos. It showed how much he has gained and changed.
E: That was a wonderful scene I agree but I think for my favorite scene I am going to go with *thinks for a long time* the conversation that Pia had with Dragos when he came to find her after their disagreement. The words he used in their conversation were such a stark contrast to his usual style it showed that he actually listened and took to heart what she had been trying to tell him. To me that meant he cared so much for her and didn’t view her as one of his many possessions. It was incredibly sweet especially since the situation wasn’t one that readily lent itself to anything other than straight, short commands.
4. Dislike about book
MinnChica: Honestly, I don’t know that there was anything I didn’t like about the book. It was great to be back amongst the Wyr, and to see how both Dragos and Pia were doing. I loved the plot with the Elves, and while it was very brutal at times, it was also so well done.
Lou: What I didn’t like was the long separation between Dragos and Pia – it went on for far too long, and I found myself getting a little bored with the Elves. It seemed to lose excitement and sag a little. I wanted to see how Pia and Dragos have adapted, and we didn’t get a lot of page time with them together which I was dissapointed about
Has: I agree about the separation and the lack of real time between Pia and Dragos which is why I was so glad about that ending. Although they were able to meet up in their dreams, I felt some things were missing because it wasn’t real, and I did think the build-up in the first half was slightly slow. But the main plot about the elves and introduction of new story threads about the God Machines, which I hope we get to revisit in future books, made up for it despite the slightly disappointed romance reader in me.
E: I actually didn’t mind their separation. I liked seeing how Pia and Dragos had to deal with one being separated and two handling equally important issues. As a result I didn’t have anything I disliked about this book. Harrison brought in new facets of her world, its history, and even some of its legends.
5. Any other misc. thoughts along with grade
MinnChica: All in all I am so glad that Harrison went back to Dragos and Pia for this installment of the series. I think the two books with them are my favorite books from the series. I love their romance and interactions together and with all the secondary characters in their lives. I can’t wait to see what happens with the new Sentinels, and how the series continues to grow and shape over time. I think the Elder Races series continues to be one of the freshest and most unique series in the paranormal romance world.
I give Lord’s Fall an A-
Lou: I’m glad to see that Rune and Dragos were reunited in this book, and to see them perhaps initiate a friendship again. That’s what I didn’t like in the previous books. The friendship of these men which had been in place for a long time disappeared when they ended up mated. I think Lord’s Fall was more of a bridge between books and somewhat of a filler. New characters are introduced, and I can’t wait to see what happens with Aryal, the harpy, who was spitting mad in this book. Overall, I enjoyed Lord’s Fall, but it’s not one of my favourites. I give it a B-.
Has: Lord’s Fall for me really cements the romance between Dragos and Pia. For me they are such wonderful and vivid characters, and they are my favourite couple in this series. And along with the vibrant and imaginative backdrop of elves, wyrs, mythical and magical beings this is definitely one of the best PNR series around. I also loved how the on-going plot threads were intertwined from previous books such as the prophecy which plays out as the main plot, but also leaves open unexpected plot threads as well as an aftermath that will probably reverberate in the next few books. But for me, the real joy in this book, is the imagination of the world-building and the growing romance between Dragos and Pia, which is a sweeping, and epic as well as passionate and tender and that is a dynamite combination for a fantastic good read! I give Lord’s Fall a B+
E: Oh this was a great installment. Things were hinted, new characters introduced, past history brought up, other history *waggles eyebrows* alluded to, typically peaceful Wyr competing to become Sentinels, and other elements of Dragos’ power were revealed. I find it amazing how much Harrison can build into her stories without overwhelming the reader, the plot or neglecting character development. Everything is so neatly entwined and builds on previous events seamlessly even as other stories have played out since Dragon Bound, the last story featuring Pia and Dragon. Like always Harrison ends Lord’s Fall and doesn’t leave me hanging with that particular installment arc but I now have so much more I want to find out about. This series is one of my favorites and always seems fresh. I give Lord’s Fall an A.
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