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After the Fire #1
After the Fire
The god of fire is dead. As he was killed, he unleashed a deadly wave of flame that reduced half the world to ashes. And 25 winters ago everything changed.
After the fire, in a forest surrounded by high mountains, Eleni was born with a phenomenal power. In fear of her abilities, the terrified villagers imprison her during the day, and allow her out only at night to hunt and kill the dark creatures that prowl in the dense forest.
But an unusual visitor from the Islands in the West has appeared; a man with a gift just as strange as hers. He tells Eleni that she is the new goddess of fire, born from the ashes, and that she is in great danger. The god-eaters are taking the gods, one by one. And they are growing stronger.
Entangled between the Fates, the gods, and a world submerged in chaos, Eleni must choose her own path, a path that will affect the future of the world...or the end of it. With no clear direction, even the Fates have lost sight of the world's destiny. And with the god-eaters quickly approaching, Eleni could be next.
After the fire, in a forest surrounded by high mountains, Eleni was born with a phenomenal power. In fear of her abilities, the terrified villagers imprison her during the day, and allow her out only at night to hunt and kill the dark creatures that prowl in the dense forest.
But an unusual visitor from the Islands in the West has appeared; a man with a gift just as strange as hers. He tells Eleni that she is the new goddess of fire, born from the ashes, and that she is in great danger. The god-eaters are taking the gods, one by one. And they are growing stronger.
Entangled between the Fates, the gods, and a world submerged in chaos, Eleni must choose her own path, a path that will affect the future of the world...or the end of it. With no clear direction, even the Fates have lost sight of the world's destiny. And with the god-eaters quickly approaching, Eleni could be next.
Kindle Edition
First published January 31, 2013
7 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
J.L. Murray
22 books150 followersJ.L. Murray is the author of the Niki Slobodian series (Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, The Devil Is a Gentleman, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, The Devil Was an Angel, and The Devil's Backbone), The Thirteen series (Jenny Undead and Eat the Ones You Love), After the Fire, Blood Day, the Blood of Cain series (Monstrous, Hoarfrost, Sanguine), the Gothic Folk series (The Hungry Deep), and The Collins Widow.
Murray is a firm believer that horror can be beautiful, and that good and evil are very far from black and white. She lives with her family in Eugene, Oregon and can be reached through her website at www.jlmurraywriter.com.
Murray is a firm believer that horror can be beautiful, and that good and evil are very far from black and white. She lives with her family in Eugene, Oregon and can be reached through her website at www.jlmurraywriter.com.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 18, 2013
As always J.L Murray does not fail to deliver, great writing, wonderful imagination and loads of action in an amazing world.
After the Fire is a great story filled with gods and strange creatures, where your fate is set and humans aren't worth much. Eleni is a wonderful character, powerful and sweet all in one, it seems that that combination is not possible but there you have it, the author just makes it seem effortless to create something this amazing. Character development is extremely well done and you can’t help but having strong feeling towards some of them, hoping for them, whether well or ill.
Being a Niki Slobodian fan, I was not sure if I was going to enjoy a new and different series, but once I began reading, I did not put the book down until the last page. This is a magnificent read and I am anxious for book 2 in this series to be available.
After the Fire is a great story filled with gods and strange creatures, where your fate is set and humans aren't worth much. Eleni is a wonderful character, powerful and sweet all in one, it seems that that combination is not possible but there you have it, the author just makes it seem effortless to create something this amazing. Character development is extremely well done and you can’t help but having strong feeling towards some of them, hoping for them, whether well or ill.
Being a Niki Slobodian fan, I was not sure if I was going to enjoy a new and different series, but once I began reading, I did not put the book down until the last page. This is a magnificent read and I am anxious for book 2 in this series to be available.
June 22, 2013
I completely fell in love with this book! What intrigued me at first was the thought of gods reincarnating and the idea of God-eaters. And once I found out how big a part the Norse Gods played, I was hooked. The main character,Eleni, is breath of fresh air. Reincarnated as the fire goddess, but with no knowledge of it, she was forced to live in a prison and only let out during the night. I say she is a breath of fresh air because of how independent she is. She knows her power, how to wield it, and she taught herself at a young age to not fear her power. Once she was finally free of the village, she continued to do things at her own pace. Her experiences in life taught her to distrust words, only believing things when she sees them with her own eyes. Of course, this meant that she trusted no one, making it hard to gain allies, but she did give them the benefit of the doubt. I also liked that she did not let herself give in too easily to her emotions, especially concerning Fin. Although honestly, for some reason I want to see what she can do if she ever chose to be with Loki. And speaking of Loki...oh Loki...What can I say? Out of the Norse gods, he is my favorite, but in this book it seems like he's a little unsettled. Granted, he is the god of chaos, but someone or something else is pulling the strings in his head. Plus, what is with his desire to bring Ragnarok. I hope to see more of that in the next book.
There definitely has to be a next book. The author left us with something of a cliff-hanger. It wasn't one of those "OMG this thing just happened and now I need to know if that person is alive or not!" moments, but enough to keep the reading wanting to know more. My love for mythology and Norse mythology at that as well as how J.L. Murray weaves her story has me craving the next book. This book had many of the elements of mythology and were incorporated well in my opinion: the dreams and premonitions, gods and goddesses (both the greater ones that I know and the lesser ones that I came to know), the Fates and their threads, the Reivers or shape-shifters, and lastly the mortals who worshiped the gods/goddesses. When I said that I was hooked, I wasn't kidding. There were passages in the book that had me yelling at the characters at how their emotions got in the way. There were times when I wanted Eleni to just go with Loki for the hell of it. And there were certainly other times when I called certain characters bad names. All these just add to the book in my opinion. So for you readers that enjoy a good book that incorporates Norse mythology, I would recommend this one.
There definitely has to be a next book. The author left us with something of a cliff-hanger. It wasn't one of those "OMG this thing just happened and now I need to know if that person is alive or not!" moments, but enough to keep the reading wanting to know more. My love for mythology and Norse mythology at that as well as how J.L. Murray weaves her story has me craving the next book. This book had many of the elements of mythology and were incorporated well in my opinion: the dreams and premonitions, gods and goddesses (both the greater ones that I know and the lesser ones that I came to know), the Fates and their threads, the Reivers or shape-shifters, and lastly the mortals who worshiped the gods/goddesses. When I said that I was hooked, I wasn't kidding. There were passages in the book that had me yelling at the characters at how their emotions got in the way. There were times when I wanted Eleni to just go with Loki for the hell of it. And there were certainly other times when I called certain characters bad names. All these just add to the book in my opinion. So for you readers that enjoy a good book that incorporates Norse mythology, I would recommend this one.
December 8, 2015
The Fire Of Fate
This series must be read in order. This is the first book. I can't wait for the next one!!!
Eleni has always known she was different. The villagers fear her because of her strange power of fire even though she keeps them safe and provides them with food. They keep her locked in a box made of steel all day and only let her out at night to hunt and protect them. Her only friend is a wolf that is smarter than any wolf had a right to be. Everything changes when she meets a strange man in the woods who has powers as fantastical as hers. What is she? Why does she contain fire within her very body and soul? Will she ever see her mother again? How can she not be the only one?
***This series is suitable for mature young adult through adult readers who enjoy apocalyptic postapocalyptal dark fantasy full of paranormal creatures and Old Gods with action, adventure, mystery, thrills, intrigue and loads of suspense :)
This series must be read in order. This is the first book. I can't wait for the next one!!!
Eleni has always known she was different. The villagers fear her because of her strange power of fire even though she keeps them safe and provides them with food. They keep her locked in a box made of steel all day and only let her out at night to hunt and protect them. Her only friend is a wolf that is smarter than any wolf had a right to be. Everything changes when she meets a strange man in the woods who has powers as fantastical as hers. What is she? Why does she contain fire within her very body and soul? Will she ever see her mother again? How can she not be the only one?
***This series is suitable for mature young adult through adult readers who enjoy apocalyptic postapocalyptal dark fantasy full of paranormal creatures and Old Gods with action, adventure, mystery, thrills, intrigue and loads of suspense :)
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December 19, 2015The Fire Of Fate
This series must be read in order. This is the first book. I can't wait for the next one!!!
Eleni has always known she was different. The villagers fear her because of her strange power of fire even though she keeps them safe and provides them with food. They keep her locked in a box made of steel all day and only let her out at night to hunt and protect them. Her only friend is a wolf that is smarter than any wolf had a right to be. Everything changes when she meets a strange man in the woods who has powers as fantastical as hers. What is she? Why does she contain fire within her very body and soul? Will she ever see her mother again? How can she not be the only one?
***This series is suitable for mature young adult through adult readers who enjoy apocalyptic postapocalyptal dark fantasy full of paranormal creatures and Old Gods with action, adventure, mystery, thrills, intrigue and loads of suspense :)
This series must be read in order. This is the first book. I can't wait for the next one!!!
Eleni has always known she was different. The villagers fear her because of her strange power of fire even though she keeps them safe and provides them with food. They keep her locked in a box made of steel all day and only let her out at night to hunt and protect them. Her only friend is a wolf that is smarter than any wolf had a right to be. Everything changes when she meets a strange man in the woods who has powers as fantastical as hers. What is she? Why does she contain fire within her very body and soul? Will she ever see her mother again? How can she not be the only one?
***This series is suitable for mature young adult through adult readers who enjoy apocalyptic postapocalyptal dark fantasy full of paranormal creatures and Old Gods with action, adventure, mystery, thrills, intrigue and loads of suspense :)
February 28, 2014
I really enjoyed this. Fantasy set in a world populated by mythical creatures, competing families of gods, and a few surviving humans. Eleni appears at first to be one of those few humans, but as her powers unfold and she gets to know a mysterious man named Finn, she learns that she's so much more. The story is gripping as Eleni's role in the world and the identities of the people around her unfold and as Eleni faces a dire threat to her own existence and that of the gods. I also enjoyed the developing relationship between Eleni and Finn.
Well-written and enjoyable. I'm looking forward to the sequel.
Well-written and enjoyable. I'm looking forward to the sequel.
March 11, 2013
Love love love!
January 7, 2014
I liked this author already for her previous books.
In this series she goes into a new wonderful world, and I hope to read more about it soon. It's very well written, and her style makes you enter into the skin of the characters and situations.
I felt the giant trees loom over me, I felt the closeness of the cage, I felt the thick fur of the wolf and my heart feel iced inside when the blue spirit takes possession of Eleni's body.
I get the feeling that in the next books things will get more and more complicated, or maybe I hope for that.
The world building is amazing, and the characters, if a little bit weak at times, are nonetheless impressive.
In this series she goes into a new wonderful world, and I hope to read more about it soon. It's very well written, and her style makes you enter into the skin of the characters and situations.
I felt the giant trees loom over me, I felt the closeness of the cage, I felt the thick fur of the wolf and my heart feel iced inside when the blue spirit takes possession of Eleni's body.
I get the feeling that in the next books things will get more and more complicated, or maybe I hope for that.
The world building is amazing, and the characters, if a little bit weak at times, are nonetheless impressive.
July 24, 2014
It's good. A very well done first instalment. Not as good as Murray's Niki Slobodian series but I'm sure it'll get there in time. I was a little disappointed by the end though. I expected a little better of Eleni and the other gods. All that tension and it ended so quickly. Seemed like they all failed spectacularly easy. But, I will definitely be reading anything else she puts out. Murray is a great writer and I really love her voice. She tells wonderful stories and I am anxious to get my hands on the next book. Good work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2013
A deep, powerful, complex world with an almost morbidly realistic edge to it. Strong characters, not always likeable but with believable emotions that carry the story along. An interesting concept and involved plotline. So realistic it's more an experience than an escape.
September 13, 2013
Actually 3.5. A different storyline to the latest fascination with werewolves and vampires and dragons.
Quite liked it. Now I definitely want to know the next episode in the lives of Eleni and Loki (and Finn).
Quite liked it. Now I definitely want to know the next episode in the lives of Eleni and Loki (and Finn).
January 31, 2014
Treachery,deciet,mayhem and chaos. Wasn't sure what to expect,but this was really good. Plus, a little heartache for a great story. love the characters and am ready for more.
December 15, 2013
This book had an interesting plot, though I couldn't relate to the heroine of the story (Eleni) at all. She was so naive, childish, and stubborn, though I suppose it's because she's so isolated. It was odd seeing different mythical characters from different cultures all mashed up but not completely unreasonable (I guess??).
The plot doesn't move that quickly, but due to the lack of interest in characters (the only one I found myself liking was Fin) the book seemed a lot longer. Not much history is told, everything is just "after the fire" - in fact, you're not even really sure what the heck the big fire incident is all about. I can attribute the lack of knowledge to Eleni's ignorance but mostly I felt confused.
The plot doesn't move that quickly, but due to the lack of interest in characters (the only one I found myself liking was Fin) the book seemed a lot longer. Not much history is told, everything is just "after the fire" - in fact, you're not even really sure what the heck the big fire incident is all about. I can attribute the lack of knowledge to Eleni's ignorance but mostly I felt confused.
October 23, 2013
I am a huge fan of her other series about Niki Slobodian and thought I would give this one a try. Although the world building was complex and I usually enjoy books on mythology,I did find it hard to get invested in the characters. They were not warm and fuzzy by any means as they were struggling to survive but they were still real enough though pretty dark at times. Eleni was a strong female lead and she was not whiny or suffering over which guy to choose as she had much bigger problems to overcome. I still enjoyed reading this book and will probably pick up the next one in the series.
July 18, 2016
Captivating
This book was really interesting and captivated me from the very beginning. I love the how the main character Eleni is portrayed she understands so little of the world but it isn't in a naive and innocent way. I really hate when writers who write characters that are thrown into something they don't understand become almost unable to have common sense anymore as well. Eleni is strong from beginning to end despite the challenges she faces and things she doesn't understand. Great book and I'm interested in reading the other books.
This book was really interesting and captivated me from the very beginning. I love the how the main character Eleni is portrayed she understands so little of the world but it isn't in a naive and innocent way. I really hate when writers who write characters that are thrown into something they don't understand become almost unable to have common sense anymore as well. Eleni is strong from beginning to end despite the challenges she faces and things she doesn't understand. Great book and I'm interested in reading the other books.
August 19, 2013
Not my favorite.
October 7, 2013
Got this free from amazon. It was an interesting story but barely kept me interested enough to keep reading the book.
October 21, 2013
Pretty good. Very different then her other series. I like the other series better, but I'll still continue with this one.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews