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Whispers from Mirrowen #1
Fireblood
Tyrus of Kenatos has made it his life’s work to banish the plagues that ravage the kingdoms. He believes the answer to ending the devastation lies in the Scourgelands. Yet, Tyrus’s first expedition into the cursed woods failed after being defeated by mysterious minions who stalked and killed most of his band.
Now a prisoner in his own tower, Tyrus has summoned his nephew Annon—a Druidecht possessing innate magic called the fireblood—on the guise of finding a hidden treasure with which to purchase his twin sister Hettie’s freedom. But in reality, Tyrus is using his niece and nephew, and their magic, as an opportunity to escape and resume his desperate mission. And to aid them, he has enlisted the warrior-monk Paedrin—who is almost as green as the siblings when it comes to traveling these troubled lands. The trio is determined, and along the way they grow to trust each other—and new additions to the group—in order to accomplish their missions…whether or not those missions are one and the same.
But the Arch-Rike—ruthless ruler of Kenatos—has learned of these plans, and has sent the fearsome Kishion to destroy all those that oppose him. Now Tyrus and his unwitting allies must face down not only the plague, but this new enemy—and fulfill their quest before a fresh horror is unleashed on the world…
440 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 5, 2013
3319 people are currently reading
5081 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Wheeler
126 books5,215 followersWall Street Journal bestselling author Jeff Wheeler took an early retirement from his career at Intel in 2014 to write full-time. He is a husband, father of five, and a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Jeff lives in the Rocky Mountains.
Learn about Jeff’s many worlds at www.jeff-wheeler.com, or participate in one of his online writing classes through Writer’s Block (www.writersblock.biz).
Learn about Jeff’s many worlds at www.jeff-wheeler.com, or participate in one of his online writing classes through Writer’s Block (www.writersblock.biz).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 404 reviews
February 21, 2013
Love this book, but then again, I'm biased since I helped Jeff Wheeler publish this book. That said, the reason I decided to partner with Jeff is because I loved his writing, and thought he fits a decidedly necessary niche in the current fantasy landscape: entry-point fantasy.
Growing up, I was exposed to the genre by reading David Eddings, Terry Brooks, and Dragonlance--books that would be on the border of YA and adult today. For me, FIREBLOOD fit that description perfectly, and I felt it's the natural next step for a reader done with Harry Potter or Christopher Paolini, but not quite ready to take on the scope (or darkness) of the current crop of great fantasy writers (Martin, Weekes, Sanderson, etc).
Growing up, I was exposed to the genre by reading David Eddings, Terry Brooks, and Dragonlance--books that would be on the border of YA and adult today. For me, FIREBLOOD fit that description perfectly, and I felt it's the natural next step for a reader done with Harry Potter or Christopher Paolini, but not quite ready to take on the scope (or darkness) of the current crop of great fantasy writers (Martin, Weekes, Sanderson, etc).
May 11, 2015
The Good: the sources of inspiration the author drew upon for this book. It's obvious Jeff Wheeler is a fan of ancient history, world cultures, as well as the medieval era. I recognized a lot of this in the places, cultures, and lore as I was reading, such as the parallels between the Druidecht and the Celtic druids of old. Having interest in some of these subjects myself, I took an immediate liking to the world of Fireblood. It is rich and populated with a fascinating diversity of races, classes, and religions.
Also, loved the first chapter, which really would have been better served labeled as a prologue. As cheesy as it sounds, the book did hook me straight from the start because of it. It was filled with urgency, danger, just the right amount of bombastic, and came to a close with enough mystery to make me want to turn the page and find out just what the hell happened.
The Average: the characters. Sadly, this was the biggie that prevented me from enjoying the book more and giving it a higher rating. Annon, Hettie, Paedrin, Tyrus, and some of the other supporting characters thrown in were presented with their own unique background and histories, but none really stood out. Each felt like they were missing something crucial in their personalities to make them memorable or help me make a connection. It was hard to immerse myself 100% in the story when I struggled to truly care about the characters.
The Not-So-Good: It almost hurts to write this, because like I said, I very much enjoyed the world of Fireblood. But it all just felt so dang small. Maybe it's the pacing of the story, because despite the richness of the setting, I felt it lacked an epic scope, especially when the more important and grander nature of our characters' quest is put in context. No doubt their world is a much bigger place, but I couldn't help but imagine Annon, Hettie and Paedrin zipping around from zone to zone in an area not much bigger than the size of a theme park.
Nonetheless, this was a great introduction to what I suspect will be a much bigger story. Readers who are used to having more "epic-ness" in their fantasy might yearn for a little more character development and world-building, but fans of adventure fantasy and heroic journeys should enjoy this.
See the full review at The BiblioSanctum
Also, loved the first chapter, which really would have been better served labeled as a prologue. As cheesy as it sounds, the book did hook me straight from the start because of it. It was filled with urgency, danger, just the right amount of bombastic, and came to a close with enough mystery to make me want to turn the page and find out just what the hell happened.
The Average: the characters. Sadly, this was the biggie that prevented me from enjoying the book more and giving it a higher rating. Annon, Hettie, Paedrin, Tyrus, and some of the other supporting characters thrown in were presented with their own unique background and histories, but none really stood out. Each felt like they were missing something crucial in their personalities to make them memorable or help me make a connection. It was hard to immerse myself 100% in the story when I struggled to truly care about the characters.
The Not-So-Good: It almost hurts to write this, because like I said, I very much enjoyed the world of Fireblood. But it all just felt so dang small. Maybe it's the pacing of the story, because despite the richness of the setting, I felt it lacked an epic scope, especially when the more important and grander nature of our characters' quest is put in context. No doubt their world is a much bigger place, but I couldn't help but imagine Annon, Hettie and Paedrin zipping around from zone to zone in an area not much bigger than the size of a theme park.
Nonetheless, this was a great introduction to what I suspect will be a much bigger story. Readers who are used to having more "epic-ness" in their fantasy might yearn for a little more character development and world-building, but fans of adventure fantasy and heroic journeys should enjoy this.
See the full review at The BiblioSanctum
October 5, 2019
Another series by Wheeler off to a great Start!
So far I have really enjoyed everything I've read by Jeff Wheeler. Fireblood is no exception! The series sees Annon and his sister Hettie being set up by their Uncle to go on some kind of mission, but we aren't really sure what everyone's motivations are yet.
Annon is of the Druidecht order, they live mostly out of doors and commune with, and learn from nature spirits. The other important characteristic of the family is that they can summon the Fireblood - using old words to tame inner fire and use it as a weapon against their enemies. The easiest way to have this explained is to just read the description!
There is a sizeable amount of intrigue being set up as Tyrus, the leader of the Paracelsus order, is definitely using his nephew but his goal has always been to stop the plague, which requires defeating the scourgelands.
I am writing these reviews after finishing the series, and all of the classes and orders seemed like a lot at first but there is a glossary, and everything makes so much sense by the end.
All my boxes are checked though - family lost, found, and maybe or maybe not lost again, magic, the natural world, at least one completely insane ruler, a kishion (assassin) on the loose after Tyrus and company, banter, and a motley group of adventurers.
I listened to maybe half of it, on and off audio and absolutely love the narrator as well, his accent is just PERFECT.
Totally recommend for fans of clean high fantasy
So far I have really enjoyed everything I've read by Jeff Wheeler. Fireblood is no exception! The series sees Annon and his sister Hettie being set up by their Uncle to go on some kind of mission, but we aren't really sure what everyone's motivations are yet.
Annon is of the Druidecht order, they live mostly out of doors and commune with, and learn from nature spirits. The other important characteristic of the family is that they can summon the Fireblood - using old words to tame inner fire and use it as a weapon against their enemies. The easiest way to have this explained is to just read the description!
There is a sizeable amount of intrigue being set up as Tyrus, the leader of the Paracelsus order, is definitely using his nephew but his goal has always been to stop the plague, which requires defeating the scourgelands.
I am writing these reviews after finishing the series, and all of the classes and orders seemed like a lot at first but there is a glossary, and everything makes so much sense by the end.
All my boxes are checked though - family lost, found, and maybe or maybe not lost again, magic, the natural world, at least one completely insane ruler, a kishion (assassin) on the loose after Tyrus and company, banter, and a motley group of adventurers.
I listened to maybe half of it, on and off audio and absolutely love the narrator as well, his accent is just PERFECT.
Totally recommend for fans of clean high fantasy
April 25, 2017
I think I'd rate this somewhere between 2 and 3 stars (between "Ok" and "I liked it"), were the rating system more robust.
I picked this up via Goodreads recommendation on the Kindle store for a dollar, and my read of it was a combination of Kindle and Audible audiobook. While it was a worthwhile read, Fireblood never succeeded in sucking me in, despite some interesting features.
The most notable and positive aspect of Jeff Wheeler's writing is his language and setting. The juxtaposition of a spiritual "otherworld" has been done before, but not in the same way. The descriptions of spirit interactions (from the world of Mirrowen) through the experiences of the main character Annon, a Druidecht (druid) is one of the most fascinating features of the book, and that most conducive to the air of adventure throughout. Wheeler's races (all human subraces, and all inexplicably vastly varied and with inherent powers) are very different and well described.
The drawbacks, however, are considerable. First of all, while there were a few moments of action sprinkled throughout the book, only the climactic scene had any real tension or sense of danger to it. Additionally, while some fantasy books suffer from an overload of description and narrative exposition, Fireblood suffers, I think, from an overdose of dialog between characters - a great deal of which is bickering, smug condescension, or cryptic monologues.
The book revealed another major flaw to me about halfway through. Early on, due to the protagonists's interactions with their superiors, I began to have suspicions that I was engaging in another fantasy that was going to throw deus ex machina plot devices and deifically powerful secondary characters into the mix to completely strongarm the story. This behavior built up in tendency and the hammerblow finally dropped at about the halfway point.
This is frustrating, because part of the fun of reading fantasy is the air of freedom and growth of characters. When all major story points and twists are delivered by something completely out of a character's control, or some ultra-dramatic bit of magic, it's hard to get attached to characters, since we (as readers) don't really see them being decisive, capable, and, well...INTERESTING.
Funnily enough, the book itself states (from one character to another) how much a character has changed/grown - BUT HE DIDN'T DO IT ON HIS OWN, but rather through a powerful magical event. This is somewhat representative of a story where the plot and background are gradually revealed by comparatively omniscient, omnipotent side characters who pop up just long enough to railroad everything before leaving again. The effect of this was putting the book down after reading the last page and realizing that I didn't particularly care what happened to any of the three main, young characters.
I might try book 2 at some point, but I won't be in a hurry to do so. With the novelty of his setting, it's really a pity that there's not more life to Jeff Wheeler's characters, nor engagement to be found in his story.
I picked this up via Goodreads recommendation on the Kindle store for a dollar, and my read of it was a combination of Kindle and Audible audiobook. While it was a worthwhile read, Fireblood never succeeded in sucking me in, despite some interesting features.
The most notable and positive aspect of Jeff Wheeler's writing is his language and setting. The juxtaposition of a spiritual "otherworld" has been done before, but not in the same way. The descriptions of spirit interactions (from the world of Mirrowen) through the experiences of the main character Annon, a Druidecht (druid) is one of the most fascinating features of the book, and that most conducive to the air of adventure throughout. Wheeler's races (all human subraces, and all inexplicably vastly varied and with inherent powers) are very different and well described.
The drawbacks, however, are considerable. First of all, while there were a few moments of action sprinkled throughout the book, only the climactic scene had any real tension or sense of danger to it. Additionally, while some fantasy books suffer from an overload of description and narrative exposition, Fireblood suffers, I think, from an overdose of dialog between characters - a great deal of which is bickering, smug condescension, or cryptic monologues.
The book revealed another major flaw to me about halfway through. Early on, due to the protagonists's interactions with their superiors, I began to have suspicions that I was engaging in another fantasy that was going to throw deus ex machina plot devices and deifically powerful secondary characters into the mix to completely strongarm the story. This behavior built up in tendency and the hammerblow finally dropped at about the halfway point.
This is frustrating, because part of the fun of reading fantasy is the air of freedom and growth of characters. When all major story points and twists are delivered by something completely out of a character's control, or some ultra-dramatic bit of magic, it's hard to get attached to characters, since we (as readers) don't really see them being decisive, capable, and, well...INTERESTING.
Funnily enough, the book itself states (from one character to another) how much a character has changed/grown - BUT HE DIDN'T DO IT ON HIS OWN, but rather through a powerful magical event. This is somewhat representative of a story where the plot and background are gradually revealed by comparatively omniscient, omnipotent side characters who pop up just long enough to railroad everything before leaving again. The effect of this was putting the book down after reading the last page and realizing that I didn't particularly care what happened to any of the three main, young characters.
I might try book 2 at some point, but I won't be in a hurry to do so. With the novelty of his setting, it's really a pity that there's not more life to Jeff Wheeler's characters, nor engagement to be found in his story.
December 18, 2019
Buku pertama dalam trilogi novel 'Whispers from Mirrowen', bergenre high fantasy. Plot novel ni kebanyakannya diinspirasikan dari mitos2 Celtic dan Greek (seperti druid, dryad, etc). Plotnya laju pada 1/2 pertama buku, penuh dengan aksi dan pengenalan teori2. Pada 1/2 terakhir buku, plotnya berat sikit, dengan plot-twist yg tak dijangka. Best jugak lah utk dibaca oleh peminat genre fantasi.
Plotnya mengambil tempat di dunia yg hampir musnah akibat wabak misteri. Tyrus yg dahulunya gagal untuk menghalang wabak itu (yg berpunca dari Scourgelands) telah menghantar dua anak saudaranya, Annon (seorang Druidecht dengan kuasa magis terpendam dipanggil fireblood) dan Hettie untuk mencari harta karun misteri. Annon bersetuju menyertai misi itu kerana dengan harta tersebut, saudara kembarnya, Hettie akan dapat dibebaskan dari cengkaman kumpulan penjenayah yg digelar Komani. Dalam misi itu, Annon dan Hettie telah diiringi oleh seorang pahlawan bernama Paedrin. Tanpa mereka sedari, mereka sebenarnya telah dipergunakan oleh Tyrus untuk tujuan tertentu. Mereka juga turut diburu oleh Arch-Rike - penguasa kerajaan Kenatos yg bertekad untuk menggagalkan misi mereka itu.
Plotnya mengambil tempat di dunia yg hampir musnah akibat wabak misteri. Tyrus yg dahulunya gagal untuk menghalang wabak itu (yg berpunca dari Scourgelands) telah menghantar dua anak saudaranya, Annon (seorang Druidecht dengan kuasa magis terpendam dipanggil fireblood) dan Hettie untuk mencari harta karun misteri. Annon bersetuju menyertai misi itu kerana dengan harta tersebut, saudara kembarnya, Hettie akan dapat dibebaskan dari cengkaman kumpulan penjenayah yg digelar Komani. Dalam misi itu, Annon dan Hettie telah diiringi oleh seorang pahlawan bernama Paedrin. Tanpa mereka sedari, mereka sebenarnya telah dipergunakan oleh Tyrus untuk tujuan tertentu. Mereka juga turut diburu oleh Arch-Rike - penguasa kerajaan Kenatos yg bertekad untuk menggagalkan misi mereka itu.
September 10, 2013
I usually give books sent for me to review a lot more of a chance than books I pick up on my own, having some sense of obligation. And that was the case with Fireblood by Jeff Wheeler. According to my trusty Kindle, I read sixty-seven percent, giving it more than a week of picking it up and putting it down. Generally, if I can’t finish a book in two or three days, I know I’m having problems with it. So over a week and barely past halfway through, I decided to let this one go.
The story is set in a world visited regularly by devastating plagues. The first chapter, more of a prologue, shows us the tail end of an unsuccessful expedition into the Scourgelands in an attempt to end the plagues. The leader of the expedition, Tyrus, appears to be the sole survivor. Years later, Tyrus is involved once again in an attempt to stop the plagues, this time involving his nephew Anon, a Druidecht (yes, think... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
The story is set in a world visited regularly by devastating plagues. The first chapter, more of a prologue, shows us the tail end of an unsuccessful expedition into the Scourgelands in an attempt to end the plagues. The leader of the expedition, Tyrus, appears to be the sole survivor. Years later, Tyrus is involved once again in an attempt to stop the plagues, this time involving his nephew Anon, a Druidecht (yes, think... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
March 30, 2022
I really enjoyed this one. The characters were well fleshed out and interesting. My favorite is Paedrin. He was so much more than I expected and quite badass fighter. It was nice to read a book with no jealousy, love triangles or whiny damsels. Hopefully the next book will be the same way! I’m giving this five stars.
March 27, 2014
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I just read "The Wretched of Muirwood" by this same author and really liked it. Imagine my disappointment when this book failed to live up to the standard that "Wretched" had set.
It's clear that the author likes the medieval setting, and likes to play with different myths and tropes of the time. In this case, we have a young Druidecht (yes, he's a druid), his long-lost twin sister who was given to the Romany (yes, the gypsies) and a young monk. The races are pretty clearly based on the Norse pantheon.
The set-up: the girl who has been adopted by the Romany is actually, according to their custom, to be sold as a slave when she turns 18. Apparently, the Romany sell their slaves once per decade, so she'll be sold again to a different person when she turns 28, etc. Nothing about this idea made any sense to me. Especially since the girl seems to take pride in her adopted heritage, while at the same time wanting to get out of this slavery deal. Her druid brother and the monk are assigned to help her get the money necessary to buy her freedom, by going after an old treasure. They are recruited to do this task by a wizard- and we all know that wizards definitely will tell the whole truth to anybody they're sending on quests, amirite?
So, the set-up was weird to me- it just didn't make sense for anybody to do things this way. The characters seemed one-dimensional. Our druid is mad all the time, our monk is pround, and our Romany girl is hostile. The writing seemed much less sophisticated than the Muirwood book did, and it feels to me like this book is an earlier sample of the author's writing that is now being published. Unfortunately, I think it needed some editing that it didn't get. This feels like a much weaker work.
I just read "The Wretched of Muirwood" by this same author and really liked it. Imagine my disappointment when this book failed to live up to the standard that "Wretched" had set.
It's clear that the author likes the medieval setting, and likes to play with different myths and tropes of the time. In this case, we have a young Druidecht (yes, he's a druid), his long-lost twin sister who was given to the Romany (yes, the gypsies) and a young monk. The races are pretty clearly based on the Norse pantheon.
The set-up: the girl who has been adopted by the Romany is actually, according to their custom, to be sold as a slave when she turns 18. Apparently, the Romany sell their slaves once per decade, so she'll be sold again to a different person when she turns 28, etc. Nothing about this idea made any sense to me. Especially since the girl seems to take pride in her adopted heritage, while at the same time wanting to get out of this slavery deal. Her druid brother and the monk are assigned to help her get the money necessary to buy her freedom, by going after an old treasure. They are recruited to do this task by a wizard- and we all know that wizards definitely will tell the whole truth to anybody they're sending on quests, amirite?
So, the set-up was weird to me- it just didn't make sense for anybody to do things this way. The characters seemed one-dimensional. Our druid is mad all the time, our monk is pround, and our Romany girl is hostile. The writing seemed much less sophisticated than the Muirwood book did, and it feels to me like this book is an earlier sample of the author's writing that is now being published. Unfortunately, I think it needed some editing that it didn't get. This feels like a much weaker work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2015
I had listened The Wretched of Muirwood series and loved those so figured I had to give this a go. Sadly this fell short of the Muirwood mark.
Let's start with the bad things. So I listened to the audio book and disliked the narrator straight off so it took me a while to get into it. whilst some of the narrators voices were good for the main characters I felt they did not fit, especially Hetties and Paedrin. Paedrins sounded like a cross between Welsh and Indian. I thought because of this the characters were a bit flat and one dimensional so I switched to reading it myself and found they were exactly the same! I didn't connect with any of the characters but If I was to pick one I liked it would be Paedrin, he was they only one that seemed to have a personality.
The first half of this book was kinda rubbish, it didn't feel well written and the whole introduction to the world was not really forthcoming. Some of the interactions with the characters felt fake and I didn't believe any of it. The last thing I felt was bad was it felt too much like the muirwood books. The author definitely has a thing about plagues and wiping out populations and he even put the Fear Liath in this book as well. If I had not of read the Muirwood books first I think I would have enjoyed this more.
Ok so the good. It's a good story, I like the magic systems, I enjoyed the last half of this book and the little twists he puts in. The writing seemed to get better towards the end and the characters did become a little more interesting, but only a little. Overall I do need to know what happens so I've moved onto the next book. We will see how that goes, the narrator is different and has the introduction of some more characters.
Let's start with the bad things. So I listened to the audio book and disliked the narrator straight off so it took me a while to get into it. whilst some of the narrators voices were good for the main characters I felt they did not fit, especially Hetties and Paedrin. Paedrins sounded like a cross between Welsh and Indian. I thought because of this the characters were a bit flat and one dimensional so I switched to reading it myself and found they were exactly the same! I didn't connect with any of the characters but If I was to pick one I liked it would be Paedrin, he was they only one that seemed to have a personality.
The first half of this book was kinda rubbish, it didn't feel well written and the whole introduction to the world was not really forthcoming. Some of the interactions with the characters felt fake and I didn't believe any of it. The last thing I felt was bad was it felt too much like the muirwood books. The author definitely has a thing about plagues and wiping out populations and he even put the Fear Liath in this book as well. If I had not of read the Muirwood books first I think I would have enjoyed this more.
Ok so the good. It's a good story, I like the magic systems, I enjoyed the last half of this book and the little twists he puts in. The writing seemed to get better towards the end and the characters did become a little more interesting, but only a little. Overall I do need to know what happens so I've moved onto the next book. We will see how that goes, the narrator is different and has the introduction of some more characters.
July 8, 2018
Full review to come!
March 1, 2015
Synopsis:
Tyrus of Kenatos has made it his life’s work to banish the plagues that ravage the kingdoms. He believes the answer to ending the devastation lies in the Scourgelands. Yet, Tyrus’s first expedition into the cursed woods failed after being defeated by mysterious minions who stalked and killed most of his band.
Now a prisoner in his own tower, Tyrus has summoned his nephew Annon—a Druidecht possessing innate magic called the fireblood—on the guise of finding a hidden treasure with which to purchase his twin sister Hettie’s freedom. But in reality, Tyrus is using his niece and nephew, and their magic, as an opportunity to escape and resume his desperate mission. And to aid them, he has enlisted the warrior-monk Paedrin—who is almost as green as the siblings when it comes to traveling these troubled lands. The trio is determined, and along the way they grow to trust each other—and new additions to the group—in order to accomplish their missions…whether or not those missions are one and the same.
But the Arch-Rike—ruthless ruler of Kenatos—has learned of these plans, and has sent the fearsome Kishion to destroy all those that oppose him. Now Tyrus and his unwitting allies must face down not only the plague, but this new enemy—and fulfill their quest before a fresh horror is unleashed on the world…
Review:
***I received this title from Amazon Publishing through NetGalley for an honest review***
What an amazing new world with animated characters that you love, hate and everything in between. Jeff Wheeler’s story of three young people who grow a lifetime in a short span. This is the way of life though. Young adults thrust into the ocean of the world to sink or swim, but in no way return the same as when they left.
The Druidecht, Annon, possessor of the fireblood, hidden from the world in the woods of Wayland. Feared because he can wield fire, but more so for the simple fact that he can survive the plague that devastates the kingdoms. Along with a twin sister that he didn’t know he had, Annon and Hettie set out on an adventure with a warrior-monk Paedrin.
Wheeler’s world of magic, lore, love, hate, treachery and madness makes for a riveting, edge-of-your-seat page turner for fantasy and science fiction fans. The creatures the three face can be well imagined through Wheeler’s descriptions. His insight into the human condition, is written with thoughtful deliberation. The transition of youthful perception to a more mature outlook on the world around them, and within their own mind is thought provoking. Though the story dragged from time to time, I found myself giving an “Oh. My. God. How could he end the book like this.” Taken for a ride right along with Annon, Hettie and Paedrin, I found myself crying out a very loud NO when Wheeler ended the first part of the trilogy with the best cliff-hanger possible, I am now in search of book two and three so that Annon, Hettie and Paedrin can rest in my brain. After all, the fate of Mirrowen rests on our shoulders.
Links:
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Jeff-Wheeler/e/...
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Fireblood-Whisp...
Website: http://www.jeff-wheeler.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Tyrus of Kenatos has made it his life’s work to banish the plagues that ravage the kingdoms. He believes the answer to ending the devastation lies in the Scourgelands. Yet, Tyrus’s first expedition into the cursed woods failed after being defeated by mysterious minions who stalked and killed most of his band.
Now a prisoner in his own tower, Tyrus has summoned his nephew Annon—a Druidecht possessing innate magic called the fireblood—on the guise of finding a hidden treasure with which to purchase his twin sister Hettie’s freedom. But in reality, Tyrus is using his niece and nephew, and their magic, as an opportunity to escape and resume his desperate mission. And to aid them, he has enlisted the warrior-monk Paedrin—who is almost as green as the siblings when it comes to traveling these troubled lands. The trio is determined, and along the way they grow to trust each other—and new additions to the group—in order to accomplish their missions…whether or not those missions are one and the same.
But the Arch-Rike—ruthless ruler of Kenatos—has learned of these plans, and has sent the fearsome Kishion to destroy all those that oppose him. Now Tyrus and his unwitting allies must face down not only the plague, but this new enemy—and fulfill their quest before a fresh horror is unleashed on the world…
Review:
***I received this title from Amazon Publishing through NetGalley for an honest review***
What an amazing new world with animated characters that you love, hate and everything in between. Jeff Wheeler’s story of three young people who grow a lifetime in a short span. This is the way of life though. Young adults thrust into the ocean of the world to sink or swim, but in no way return the same as when they left.
The Druidecht, Annon, possessor of the fireblood, hidden from the world in the woods of Wayland. Feared because he can wield fire, but more so for the simple fact that he can survive the plague that devastates the kingdoms. Along with a twin sister that he didn’t know he had, Annon and Hettie set out on an adventure with a warrior-monk Paedrin.
Wheeler’s world of magic, lore, love, hate, treachery and madness makes for a riveting, edge-of-your-seat page turner for fantasy and science fiction fans. The creatures the three face can be well imagined through Wheeler’s descriptions. His insight into the human condition, is written with thoughtful deliberation. The transition of youthful perception to a more mature outlook on the world around them, and within their own mind is thought provoking. Though the story dragged from time to time, I found myself giving an “Oh. My. God. How could he end the book like this.” Taken for a ride right along with Annon, Hettie and Paedrin, I found myself crying out a very loud NO when Wheeler ended the first part of the trilogy with the best cliff-hanger possible, I am now in search of book two and three so that Annon, Hettie and Paedrin can rest in my brain. After all, the fate of Mirrowen rests on our shoulders.
Links:
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Jeff-Wheeler/e/...
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Fireblood-Whisp...
Website: http://www.jeff-wheeler.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
January 28, 2019
Took me a long time to get through this one. The idea behind the story was intriguing, I liked the aspect of the recurring plague, but would have liked to see it in action a bit more to lend urgency to the quest. For the most part the characters were well done, especially the interplay between Paedrin and Hettie. Tyrus was an interesting character as well. The world-building was also intriguing, though sometimes the delivery was a bit on the info-dumpy side of things.
Did you notice my repetitive use of was/were in the above paragraph? Yes? Good. No? Go back to writing school. So here we are at my biggest barrier to the story, the prose. Which I found super frustrating, because at times it was so close to good. It had the right details; painted the right picture. But good heavens, did the editor not read the book? Here's a paragraph that caused me a lot of stress:
Their destination was at the northern edge of town, a small two-story dwelling, a shop with a living place above the doors. There was a lamp lit above the stairs, but no light in the shop below. The shop was closed and locked, but Dwyer removed a key and opened it. As they entered, the room was full of books and paper, bottles of ink, and soft, padded chairs. The carpet was dirty and well worn. The place was rather shabby overall. There was a desk, a counter, riddled with scraps of paper and ink blots. A small staircase went from the back of the room to the upstairs floor.
Now, I'm no internet grammar Nazi, nor am I an English teacher, and, to be honest, my own prose is only passable at best, but this, this is a travesty even for a YA audience. To be fair, this was the worst of the lot, and after this paragraph I forced myself to take off my critical goggles which made the read a bit more enjoyable, but it still never managed to make it into the 4-star range. Basically, because I had to skim a bit faster to avoid all the was/were-ses staring me in the face.
The ending left me intrigued for more, but also frustrated, because literally none of the plot-lines resolved themselves. So now, if I want to find out more about the gosh-dang plague, I have to read more books. Which I feel is quite unfair. A book 1 should have more resolution than that.
With all that said, I can't make myself go down to 2 stars. It had enough bright spots to keep me engaged, and I do find myself frustrated that the book ended, so my official score is a 2.5 stars. The end.
Did you notice my repetitive use of was/were in the above paragraph? Yes? Good. No? Go back to writing school. So here we are at my biggest barrier to the story, the prose. Which I found super frustrating, because at times it was so close to good. It had the right details; painted the right picture. But good heavens, did the editor not read the book? Here's a paragraph that caused me a lot of stress:
Their destination was at the northern edge of town, a small two-story dwelling, a shop with a living place above the doors. There was a lamp lit above the stairs, but no light in the shop below. The shop was closed and locked, but Dwyer removed a key and opened it. As they entered, the room was full of books and paper, bottles of ink, and soft, padded chairs. The carpet was dirty and well worn. The place was rather shabby overall. There was a desk, a counter, riddled with scraps of paper and ink blots. A small staircase went from the back of the room to the upstairs floor.
Now, I'm no internet grammar Nazi, nor am I an English teacher, and, to be honest, my own prose is only passable at best, but this, this is a travesty even for a YA audience. To be fair, this was the worst of the lot, and after this paragraph I forced myself to take off my critical goggles which made the read a bit more enjoyable, but it still never managed to make it into the 4-star range. Basically, because I had to skim a bit faster to avoid all the was/were-ses staring me in the face.
The ending left me intrigued for more, but also frustrated, because literally none of the plot-lines resolved themselves. So now, if I want to find out more about the gosh-dang plague, I have to read more books. Which I feel is quite unfair. A book 1 should have more resolution than that.
With all that said, I can't make myself go down to 2 stars. It had enough bright spots to keep me engaged, and I do find myself frustrated that the book ended, so my official score is a 2.5 stars. The end.
May 25, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was intriguing and magical. Although written in a way that it could be understood by a younger reader, it makes a very satisfying read for adults as well. Wheeler is able to paint detailed landscapes in only a few words and bring about an entirely new universe with a few well-written descriptions. The characters are engaging and not without their flaws. This enables you to see their progression and journey with them as they learn and change. The plot is well-timed with enough action to keep the story moving but not so much that you miss details about the characters or the world they inhabit. Some authors can fall into a rut after their first few series of writing each book with the same kind of "flavor" to them. This, however, is not the case. Fireblood is a fantastic first book in a distinctly new trilogy with new characters, a new world with all its rules, and a new story. I look forward to further literary explorations of this world.
December 24, 2018
Not what I was expecting. The writing isn't up to the standards of the author's other series, but I'm trying to hang in there.
December 19, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
March 13, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed the Muirwood series. I even bought and listened to the audio version, and the series was fun to hear the second time around. This series differs in several ways, but is every bit as enthralling. The most significant difference is the point of view through which Fireblood is written. Muirwood was a coming-of-age adventure/romance involving a young woman, and the story was told through her eyes.
Fireblood is more complex in storyline and main character perspectives. Part of the story involves at least one major female lead, a shewd/streetsmart finder, Hettie; and a portion of the story is told through her perspective, but the majority of the story is told through the eyes of the somber/stalwart druidecht, Annon, and the flippant/dedicated bhikhu (warrior-monk), Paedrin. Wheeler weaves a complicated plight (an imminent plague) that the large cast of characters from all different political/religious/ethnic backgrounds join together to face. The story grows more complex by the competing interests and the layers of diverse motivations of the protagonists.
One of the most appealing aspects of Fireblood is the depth of the characters. The reader should be skeptical about the true motives for all of the characters as several are definitely not what they first appear to be (sorry for the vagueness, but I don't want to give away spoilers). If you have read any of Wheeler's earlier works you will understand what I mean. Needless to say, the complexity of the characters adds flavor to the story.
This was an ambitious undertaking for Wheeler. In Fireblood, he introduces a large cast of important characters, describes many more factions than he introduced in the The Wretched of Muirwood, creates multiple magic systems with nuances and intricacies, and carries an exciting and urgent storyline to a satisfying climax. He did all of these things very well. He also concludes this book by balancing the need for a sense of closure with a well-crafted sense of anticipation for the continuation of the story in Book 2. I am anxious to see what happens next.
Fireblood is more complex in storyline and main character perspectives. Part of the story involves at least one major female lead, a shewd/streetsmart finder, Hettie; and a portion of the story is told through her perspective, but the majority of the story is told through the eyes of the somber/stalwart druidecht, Annon, and the flippant/dedicated bhikhu (warrior-monk), Paedrin. Wheeler weaves a complicated plight (an imminent plague) that the large cast of characters from all different political/religious/ethnic backgrounds join together to face. The story grows more complex by the competing interests and the layers of diverse motivations of the protagonists.
One of the most appealing aspects of Fireblood is the depth of the characters. The reader should be skeptical about the true motives for all of the characters as several are definitely not what they first appear to be (sorry for the vagueness, but I don't want to give away spoilers). If you have read any of Wheeler's earlier works you will understand what I mean. Needless to say, the complexity of the characters adds flavor to the story.
This was an ambitious undertaking for Wheeler. In Fireblood, he introduces a large cast of important characters, describes many more factions than he introduced in the The Wretched of Muirwood, creates multiple magic systems with nuances and intricacies, and carries an exciting and urgent storyline to a satisfying climax. He did all of these things very well. He also concludes this book by balancing the need for a sense of closure with a well-crafted sense of anticipation for the continuation of the story in Book 2. I am anxious to see what happens next.
January 17, 2018
I...... man, I just have so many problems with this book. Let's start with the biggie, eh?
Wheeler has tried very hard to make a diverse universe populated by the Plague-ravaged denizens of multiple different races. Different races, love those! Diverse universe, love that! So, where's the bad? The problem is thus: diverse races aren't *actually* diverse if you can sum their entire population up with a few key characteristics. The Vaettir? Well, as a race they value life above just everything else and use their magic in wise, kind ways. Hearken to your good guys, y'all. The Preachan? Oh, they handle the trading and whatnot. They're pretty unscrupulous and do things like bet on everything and accost you to sell things. All of them. Because an entire race can be defined by a few adjectives you stuck on a character-creation sheet.
And then. You have the Romani. Boy, that's a glaringly familiar word stuck amongst all these fantasy-names, isn't it? Pretty early on you start hearing about this group of people. As a people, (I know what your brain is saying. It's begging. 'Please say they're great people. Don't create an ethnic group of people called Romani and make them thieves and wanderers. Please don't say thieves and wanderers. Please...' Sorry, guys) the "Romani are known for kidnapping and organized crime." "They control the caravan routes and deliver goods between kingdoms."
I just can't, guys. What are one-note characters, insights to a plot that make no sense for a character to be able to divine, non-sequiturs that spew from mouths just so the right person can reveal the right BIG SECRET at a random time, constant deus-ex-machinas, and weirdly timed plot when compared to that?
And yet, it still gets two stars because it wasn't terrible enough to put it down, and so long as the sequel remains free I might one day pick it up when I'm bored just so I don't ever have to be curious about whether or not this all plays out in the Traditional Epic Fantasy way, or if there might be a surprise or two in store.
Wheeler has tried very hard to make a diverse universe populated by the Plague-ravaged denizens of multiple different races. Different races, love those! Diverse universe, love that! So, where's the bad? The problem is thus: diverse races aren't *actually* diverse if you can sum their entire population up with a few key characteristics. The Vaettir? Well, as a race they value life above just everything else and use their magic in wise, kind ways. Hearken to your good guys, y'all. The Preachan? Oh, they handle the trading and whatnot. They're pretty unscrupulous and do things like bet on everything and accost you to sell things. All of them. Because an entire race can be defined by a few adjectives you stuck on a character-creation sheet.
And then. You have the Romani. Boy, that's a glaringly familiar word stuck amongst all these fantasy-names, isn't it? Pretty early on you start hearing about this group of people. As a people, (I know what your brain is saying. It's begging. 'Please say they're great people. Don't create an ethnic group of people called Romani and make them thieves and wanderers. Please don't say thieves and wanderers. Please...' Sorry, guys) the "Romani are known for kidnapping and organized crime." "They control the caravan routes and deliver goods between kingdoms."
I just can't, guys. What are one-note characters, insights to a plot that make no sense for a character to be able to divine, non-sequiturs that spew from mouths just so the right person can reveal the right BIG SECRET at a random time, constant deus-ex-machinas, and weirdly timed plot when compared to that?
And yet, it still gets two stars because it wasn't terrible enough to put it down, and so long as the sequel remains free I might one day pick it up when I'm bored just so I don't ever have to be curious about whether or not this all plays out in the Traditional Epic Fantasy way, or if there might be a surprise or two in store.
March 13, 2015
My Review Of Fireblood
I gave this read 4 stars as I would not re read this but I would read more books in the series. It took me a little while for the story to grab me. I did become involved with the characters and cared what happened to them. This was a well told tale with well developed characters. My only real problem with this read was that it ended abruptly and left the reader hanging. It just needed just a little something more. I am aware that this is beginning of a series but I felt the ending was chopped off.
I gave this read 4 stars as I would not re read this but I would read more books in the series. It took me a little while for the story to grab me. I did become involved with the characters and cared what happened to them. This was a well told tale with well developed characters. My only real problem with this read was that it ended abruptly and left the reader hanging. It just needed just a little something more. I am aware that this is beginning of a series but I felt the ending was chopped off.
April 30, 2020
Wheeler strikes again! I love all of his books that I've read so far. Just when I thought the story was going on a tangent, the threads were woven together and everything made sense. A marvel of a story! I cannot wait to pick up the next book in the trilogy.
June 3, 2013
I couldn't even get past the first few chapters...
July 2, 2023
I received this book in exchange for an honest review (albeit a while ago) from the publisher, this has not altered my opinion of this book. I would like to thank 47North and NetGalley for the free copy.
This was one ride of a fantasy story. I ended up getting the audiobook off Kindle Unlimited which really helped with my reading of it simply because I wanted to read it all the time. The entire story itself was an interesting ride of who to trust and watching naïve characters grow and become just a bit more worldly. There were puzzles, betrayals, possessions, magic, madness, and many other things that ticked so many boxes of what I love to read in high fantasy books. As the first book in a trilogy, this did a wonderful job of setting us up for the remaining two books and for giving us the broad strokes of world development. The characters were different and so individual, it was almost refreshing to see just how different their motives were and how much they all had at stake, all banking on one person that none of them truly trusted.
Annon is easily my favorite character of this book, but I've always loved the characters that are closer to nature and any sort of fantastical druidic lore I can get my hands on. His development from basically an adult child to a young man who is learning a lot about himself and the world around him, questioning everything was really interesting and fun to watch. Hettie is probably one of the most interesting characters and I loved her spunk and sass. She is a force to be reckoned with and even after a hard life she is still growing and developing. Peadrin was honestly one character I wasn't sure what to do with all the time, mostly because he felt the least developed at first, but as the story continued he became more and more fun and more and more interesting. I can't wait to see where our characters end up.
Overall, this book was a great introduction to the world of Mirrowen and the magic and politics there. It's a high fantasy filled to the brim with culture, politics, conflict, and mistrust. I can't wait to continue with the series. I am only sad it took me so long to read it. This gets a 5 out of 5.
This was one ride of a fantasy story. I ended up getting the audiobook off Kindle Unlimited which really helped with my reading of it simply because I wanted to read it all the time. The entire story itself was an interesting ride of who to trust and watching naïve characters grow and become just a bit more worldly. There were puzzles, betrayals, possessions, magic, madness, and many other things that ticked so many boxes of what I love to read in high fantasy books. As the first book in a trilogy, this did a wonderful job of setting us up for the remaining two books and for giving us the broad strokes of world development. The characters were different and so individual, it was almost refreshing to see just how different their motives were and how much they all had at stake, all banking on one person that none of them truly trusted.
Annon is easily my favorite character of this book, but I've always loved the characters that are closer to nature and any sort of fantastical druidic lore I can get my hands on. His development from basically an adult child to a young man who is learning a lot about himself and the world around him, questioning everything was really interesting and fun to watch. Hettie is probably one of the most interesting characters and I loved her spunk and sass. She is a force to be reckoned with and even after a hard life she is still growing and developing. Peadrin was honestly one character I wasn't sure what to do with all the time, mostly because he felt the least developed at first, but as the story continued he became more and more fun and more and more interesting. I can't wait to see where our characters end up.
Overall, this book was a great introduction to the world of Mirrowen and the magic and politics there. It's a high fantasy filled to the brim with culture, politics, conflict, and mistrust. I can't wait to continue with the series. I am only sad it took me so long to read it. This gets a 5 out of 5.
September 28, 2020
Creo que por ahora es de los libros que menos me gustan del autor, pero aún así estoy interesada en seguir con la trilogía porque de verdad Jeff Wheeler me gusta mucho y para mi, se merece más reconocimiento.
Este libro empieza cuando Tyrus se encuentra en un gran peligro y es salvado por una de sus compañeras que en ese momento revela que está embarazada, y le hace jurar que a cambio de salvarlo él debe salvar a sus bebés. Luego de muchos años Tyrus envía a Annon (hijo de su amuga fallecida) en una misión para liberar a Hettie de terminar vendida como esposa, es en este momento en el que Annon se entera luego de 18 años que tiene una melliza y hará lo que sea para ayudarla.
Aunque para mi este libro tuvo momentos un poco aburridos, aún así quedé muy intrigada con el final y quiero saber más de los personajes además de conocer las aventuras que tendrán ahora los personajes. Siento que en comparación a otros libros que he leído de Jeff Wheeler, este por ahora ha sido el más flojo e innecesariamente largo, le quitaría algunas páginas la verdad.
No quiero contarles más de esta historia porque como siempre, soy partidaria de que lean los libros con la mejor información posible.
Los libros de Jeff Wheeler siempre están llenos de magia y aventuras, van a conocer una gran variedad de personajes y estarán llenos de aventuras, sin excepción todos los personajes siempre tienen una gran evolución y les prometo que disfrutarán los libros.
Este libro empieza cuando Tyrus se encuentra en un gran peligro y es salvado por una de sus compañeras que en ese momento revela que está embarazada, y le hace jurar que a cambio de salvarlo él debe salvar a sus bebés. Luego de muchos años Tyrus envía a Annon (hijo de su amuga fallecida) en una misión para liberar a Hettie de terminar vendida como esposa, es en este momento en el que Annon se entera luego de 18 años que tiene una melliza y hará lo que sea para ayudarla.
Aunque para mi este libro tuvo momentos un poco aburridos, aún así quedé muy intrigada con el final y quiero saber más de los personajes además de conocer las aventuras que tendrán ahora los personajes. Siento que en comparación a otros libros que he leído de Jeff Wheeler, este por ahora ha sido el más flojo e innecesariamente largo, le quitaría algunas páginas la verdad.
No quiero contarles más de esta historia porque como siempre, soy partidaria de que lean los libros con la mejor información posible.
Los libros de Jeff Wheeler siempre están llenos de magia y aventuras, van a conocer una gran variedad de personajes y estarán llenos de aventuras, sin excepción todos los personajes siempre tienen una gran evolución y les prometo que disfrutarán los libros.
October 28, 2018
2.75ish maybe? Almost 3 stars but only because of the last 20% or so. I am actually a little shocked, I almost had to put this one away and try again another day. The last 20% really saved this whole series and gave me hope for the next one. The first 80% was dry and really seemed to drag, and the lack of explanation really had me struggling to make it to the finish. The world building itself was not really the problem it was just the enormous amount of time between the introduction and actually finding out what we have been headed toward this whole time that made the journey less than excellent.
I will say that Jeff Wheeler does have a talent for making characters come together at just the right times, like he is weaving the strands of fate in such a way that every person has to be at this spot at this time for the story to progress in the way it does. That continues to some extent here in Mirrowen but not as much as with the King Fountain and Muirwood series. Because of all the plotting and secrecy we didn't get to really start knowing the characters until much later in the book which made it hard as a reader to really become invested in the story. Though I really do have alot of hope for the next one since all that mess is behind us now.
I will say that Jeff Wheeler does have a talent for making characters come together at just the right times, like he is weaving the strands of fate in such a way that every person has to be at this spot at this time for the story to progress in the way it does. That continues to some extent here in Mirrowen but not as much as with the King Fountain and Muirwood series. Because of all the plotting and secrecy we didn't get to really start knowing the characters until much later in the book which made it hard as a reader to really become invested in the story. Though I really do have alot of hope for the next one since all that mess is behind us now.
July 25, 2019
So right now I'm out of the country, and I couldn't bring books with me because they were too heavy. So I couldn't bring The Nightmare Ninja. And so I found this website that allowed me to read some books online, so I decided to start reading this series. I honestly enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would, and I loved the twists and the turns even though sometimes, things would happen too fast for me to process. Overall, this was a great read!
July 3, 2021
Solidnih 4* za prvi dio. Jednostavan stil, komplikovana imena, nova zemlja i interesantna priča.
January 18, 2018
The book started off a little slow, I'll be honest. The world-building was interesting, but a little on the clunky side. And it seemed at times to lean overmuch on fantasy tropes (it read like an AD&D campaign). BUT once the Heroic Party is formed, they've got their Daring Quest identified, and Wheeler gets through the foundation knowledge stuff things start moving along nicely. Very nicely, in fact. There are sufficient twists and turns in the plot, as well as some really compelling world-building, to keep the reader engaged through to the end. I'm glad I purchased the whole trilogy, cos I will likely be reading them straight through.
April 2, 2020
Nice opening to a new series and a great adventure
I love Jeff's writing for the clarity and passion in each character and the pase of events that unfold evenly and catch your attention to a plot.
This book is no different and I am happy I decided to read the Mirrowen trilogy after a break from other series by Jeff last year:)
I love Jeff's writing for the clarity and passion in each character and the pase of events that unfold evenly and catch your attention to a plot.
This book is no different and I am happy I decided to read the Mirrowen trilogy after a break from other series by Jeff last year:)
June 20, 2017
Love this author
I'm impressed with your writing. You are the first author that has enticed me to read not just one of their series but all of their series! After finishing The Hollow Crown & how Merlin commented about "other worlds in which people can fly with a breath", I found that to be the case in The Mirrowen series. I'm not sure if that's coincidence but I'm hoping it shows how all the series' are connected & are all just different worlds. I'd love to see Merlin reappear in another of your series, that would be cool. I've read the Kingfountain series & am in LOVE with it & I'm so glad you're an author that doesn't wait a year or years to publish the next book! It's annoying when that happens because you forget most of the first book when the next comes out or forget to purchase the next book because it takes them too long to even post it on Amazon for you to preorder. You are not that kind of author & I love it! I've already preordered the next 2 Kingdountain books & while waiting I'm immersed in this Mirrowen series, and I'm about to begin the second book. I'm so in love with it & I don't even skip pages or sections, like I do with some authors, because they over describe unimportant things or are just "filling" pages to make a book long enough. It's like every page & word you write is actually pertinent to the story you are writing & not adding what I consider "filler". As I said before, I'm impressed with your writing, your stories, & the fact that there's no sex or cussing needed in your books because the story doesn't require it & you write so well that it's not needed to catch a readers attention. I'm a Christian, so that last point is very important to me. Thank you for your stories that have captured me, I look forward to the rest of the books you produce (I'm now a huge fan), I'm an avid reader who's read hundreds of books & you're the first author to get me ensnared into reading more than one of their series! I've tried with other authors, but the other books they've produced never had me reading them, because they weren't as good as their first series. Either due to a lack of them running out of ideas for another series, trying to rush a story for profit off their sudden popularity, or them not being able to produce a story that's as strong or stronger than the previous series that I loved of theirs. I'm also rereading your stories also which isn't normal for me unless I love a book.
I'm impressed with your writing. You are the first author that has enticed me to read not just one of their series but all of their series! After finishing The Hollow Crown & how Merlin commented about "other worlds in which people can fly with a breath", I found that to be the case in The Mirrowen series. I'm not sure if that's coincidence but I'm hoping it shows how all the series' are connected & are all just different worlds. I'd love to see Merlin reappear in another of your series, that would be cool. I've read the Kingfountain series & am in LOVE with it & I'm so glad you're an author that doesn't wait a year or years to publish the next book! It's annoying when that happens because you forget most of the first book when the next comes out or forget to purchase the next book because it takes them too long to even post it on Amazon for you to preorder. You are not that kind of author & I love it! I've already preordered the next 2 Kingdountain books & while waiting I'm immersed in this Mirrowen series, and I'm about to begin the second book. I'm so in love with it & I don't even skip pages or sections, like I do with some authors, because they over describe unimportant things or are just "filling" pages to make a book long enough. It's like every page & word you write is actually pertinent to the story you are writing & not adding what I consider "filler". As I said before, I'm impressed with your writing, your stories, & the fact that there's no sex or cussing needed in your books because the story doesn't require it & you write so well that it's not needed to catch a readers attention. I'm a Christian, so that last point is very important to me. Thank you for your stories that have captured me, I look forward to the rest of the books you produce (I'm now a huge fan), I'm an avid reader who's read hundreds of books & you're the first author to get me ensnared into reading more than one of their series! I've tried with other authors, but the other books they've produced never had me reading them, because they weren't as good as their first series. Either due to a lack of them running out of ideas for another series, trying to rush a story for profit off their sudden popularity, or them not being able to produce a story that's as strong or stronger than the previous series that I loved of theirs. I'm also rereading your stories also which isn't normal for me unless I love a book.
September 11, 2013
Another outstanding book by Jeff Wheeler! I just finished reading Fireblood and I have to say that I loved it as much as the Muirwood series! I never thought I would say that, but it's true. The characters are so compelling and have so many things to work through that you can't help but root for all of them. I laughed and cried and was shocked, just as I was when I was reading the Muirwood series. I have to say that this was another book I could not put down. I even plugged my Kindle into the charger and kept reading. Jeff Wheeler's words just flow ever so nicely from chapter to chapter and pretty soon, you are literally hooked! I was seriously upset when anyone called me and I had to put my kindle down! The Druidecht are my favorite race. I love the main character, Annon and I also love Nizeera as well as Hettie and Paedrin. Book 2 comes out in February and I have already preordered it. I don't want to wish my life away, but........ I am so sorry that this isn't an eloquent review. I'm just not good at writing them, but I still wanted to tell everyone how much I loved this story! So there you have it. Let your fingers do the typing right on over to amazon.com and order this book. http://www.amazon.com/Fireblood-Whisp... I promise you will not be disappointed! Let the countdown begin! About 146 days until book 2, titled, Dryad-Born is released!
February 15, 2015
In theory, this book should have been awesome! It didn't blow my skirt up. There was very little I liked about it.
Right in the beginning they show you a glimpse of the fireblood power. It made me excited for this book. That unfortunately was one of the only times I really liked the book.
I happened to listen to the audiobook while at work, and the accents kinda threw me off. I knew there were multiple races within the book, and it SHOULD have helped identify who was talking, but the narrator just wasn't great at it. It sounded as if he was switching accents within a sentence sometimes.
ANYWAY.. Back to the book itself.
I feel as though this book took various already popular and well loved stories, and mashed it together and tried calling it original. There were so many races, and different ways of calling certain things that weren't really explained. Some are obvious, but the things that weren't were a bit confusing, because they were poorly described. Many parts of the book dragged because they were just walking and talking in the woods. I was expecting more action. I grew bored with it, not even wanting to listen to it while I had nothing better to do.
Only things I really liked was that Paedrin was a effing ninja, sheep brains, and the Kishion fights.
This was incredibly hard to write without spoilers.
Right in the beginning they show you a glimpse of the fireblood power. It made me excited for this book. That unfortunately was one of the only times I really liked the book.
I happened to listen to the audiobook while at work, and the accents kinda threw me off. I knew there were multiple races within the book, and it SHOULD have helped identify who was talking, but the narrator just wasn't great at it. It sounded as if he was switching accents within a sentence sometimes.
ANYWAY.. Back to the book itself.
I feel as though this book took various already popular and well loved stories, and mashed it together and tried calling it original. There were so many races, and different ways of calling certain things that weren't really explained. Some are obvious, but the things that weren't were a bit confusing, because they were poorly described. Many parts of the book dragged because they were just walking and talking in the woods. I was expecting more action. I grew bored with it, not even wanting to listen to it while I had nothing better to do.
Only things I really liked was that Paedrin was a effing ninja, sheep brains, and the Kishion fights.
This was incredibly hard to write without spoilers.
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