Beyond Time is the second book in the Dark Order of the Dragon series. This book centers around a shifter character named Christian Lancelot Du Lac who is the best friend and guard to book one's Jared. Sandra Bischoff's concept of a shifter as uniquely her own as was her concept of vampires from book 1, Beyond the Sun. I don't want to give too much of that away in the review, but it was a pretty fun spin on things. The setting of this book keeps the medieval theme, even throwing in a few new characters. I also like that we got more depth on Zephyr's character in this book. Not only did we learn more about what he did and his role in the past, but also quite a bit more about the character of who he is as a person. I also really liked the relationship between Lance and Elizabeth. The way that they interact with each other feels very real, and their dialogue is well written and funny. I think their romance is in a lot of ways more relatable than that of Jared and Alex even because the reader can sympathize with Elizabeth since she is human and thrown into this mix of paranormal creatures and motives. Elizabeth is also quite a bit younger than Alex, and not nearly as experienced in the ways of the world.

It's a quick paced read, and there is quite a bit of action that weaves around the theme of Lance proving himself and finding love in a very unexpected place (and time for that matter). He has some very difficult decisions that he has to work through. There is some fairly graphic violence, but it is significant to the character development. I only get upset with an author/series when they make you sympathize with their characters and then those characters are hurt without explanation or resolution. None of the violence is for shock factor alone. The end of this book is the best part of all and every loose end that you've been toying with from the beginning is tied up. I wasn't left wanting for a satisfied conclusion to the book. The overall theme of this one is love, and that overshadows everything else that is happening.

I mentioned in my review of Beyond the Sun, what a talented world builder Sandra Bischoff is, and she doesn't let you down in Beyond Time. The way that she blends fantasy, medieval culture, and contemporary paranormal concepts is something that still blows my mind. I can't wait to see what the focus of book 3 will be. I would recommend Beyond Time to anyone who is a fan of shifter books, medieval fantasy, or paranormal romance. The way that Sandra Bischoff has written the Dark Order of the Dragon series is reminiscent of the Others series, where while it involves some of the same characters, they can be read as stand alone books if you like. I have read countless vampire and paranormal books. This series is one of my top favorites, and has earned it's place on my reread shelf.