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Tales of Elemental Spirits #2
Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits
Master storytellers Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson, the team behind Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits, collaborate again to create five captivating tales incorporating the element of fire.
In McKinley?s ?First Flight,? a boy and his pet foogit unexpectedly take a dangerous ride on a dragon, and her ?Hellhound? stars a mysterious dog as a key player in an eerie graveyard showdown. Dickinson introduces a young man who must defeat the creature threatening his clan in ?Fireworm,? a slave who saves his village with a fiery magic spell in ?Salamander Man,? and a girl whose new friend, the guardian of a mystical bird, is much older than he appears in ?Phoenix.?
With time periods ranging from prehistoric to present day, and settings as varied as a graveyard, a medieval marketplace and a dragon academy, these stories are sure to intrigue and delight the authors? longtime fans and newcomers alike.
320 pages, Paperback
First published July 21, 2009
41 people are currently reading
2034 people want to read
About the author
Robin McKinley
44 books7,284 followersBorn in her mother's hometown of Warren, Ohio, Robin McKinley grew up an only child with a father in the United States Navy. She moved around frequently as a child and read copiously; she credits this background with the inspiration for her stories.
Her passion for reading was one of the most constant things in her childhood, so she began to remember events, places, and time periods by what books she read where. For example, she read Andrew Lang's Blue Fairy Book for the first time in California; The Chronicles of Narnia for the first time in New York; The Lord of the Rings for the first time in Japan; The Once and Future King for the first time in Maine. She still uses books to keep track of her life.
McKinley attended Gould Academy, a preparatory school in Bethel, Maine, and Dickinson College in 1970-1972. In 1975, she was graduated summa cum laude from Bowdoin College. In 1978, her first novel, Beauty, was accepted by the first publisher she sent it to, and she began her writing career, at age 26. At the time she was living in Brunswick, Maine. Since then she has lived in Boston, on a horse farm in Eastern Massachusetts, in New York City, in Blue Hill, Maine, and now in Hampshire, England, with her husband Peter Dickinson (also a writer, and with whom she co-wrote Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits in 2001) and two lurchers (crossbred sighthounds).
Over the years she has worked as an editor and transcriber (1972-73), research assistant (1976-77), bookstore clerk (1978), teacher and counselor (1978-79), editorial assistant (1979-81), barn manager (1981-82), free-lance editor (1982-85), and full-time writer. Other than writing and reading books, she divides her time mainly between walking her "hellhounds," gardening, cooking, playing the piano, homeopathy, change ringing, and keeping her blog.
Her passion for reading was one of the most constant things in her childhood, so she began to remember events, places, and time periods by what books she read where. For example, she read Andrew Lang's Blue Fairy Book for the first time in California; The Chronicles of Narnia for the first time in New York; The Lord of the Rings for the first time in Japan; The Once and Future King for the first time in Maine. She still uses books to keep track of her life.
McKinley attended Gould Academy, a preparatory school in Bethel, Maine, and Dickinson College in 1970-1972. In 1975, she was graduated summa cum laude from Bowdoin College. In 1978, her first novel, Beauty, was accepted by the first publisher she sent it to, and she began her writing career, at age 26. At the time she was living in Brunswick, Maine. Since then she has lived in Boston, on a horse farm in Eastern Massachusetts, in New York City, in Blue Hill, Maine, and now in Hampshire, England, with her husband Peter Dickinson (also a writer, and with whom she co-wrote Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits in 2001) and two lurchers (crossbred sighthounds).
Over the years she has worked as an editor and transcriber (1972-73), research assistant (1976-77), bookstore clerk (1978), teacher and counselor (1978-79), editorial assistant (1979-81), barn manager (1981-82), free-lance editor (1982-85), and full-time writer. Other than writing and reading books, she divides her time mainly between walking her "hellhounds," gardening, cooking, playing the piano, homeopathy, change ringing, and keeping her blog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
May 15, 2010
The short version is: I liked the McKinley stories best, and I'm afraid it shows-off my favoritism. I borrowed this book from the library and was so impatient to begin reading it that I only made it as far as the relative privacy of my parked car before opening it up and plunging in.
I started with the first McKinley story, of course.
I enjoyed a couple of the Dickinson ones, but I didn't love them nearly as much.
I started with the first McKinley story, of course.
Hellhound — a horsey tale; and fabulous. If McKinley has a single curse it is in writing works that make me long to know what happens after the pages stop. To which I say damn you, McKinley! Also, she invents the very best names. Gelsoraban, Jry, Krobekahl, and Strohmoront indeed. I want to know their stories, too.
First Flight — a novella nearly a third of the entire book. And while it does it honestly work as a whole and complete story, it ended right when I got really curious about what else might happen. And I love how McKinley made the dragons so BIG. And I love Ern's entire worried personality.
I enjoyed a couple of the Dickinson ones, but I didn't love them nearly as much.
Pheonix, which felt so solidly like an old-man's tale, on light and life and English priests of Egyptian gods, and probably my favorite of the Dickinson ones.
Fireworm, which was okay too, on ages-past humans and mythology and cold, endless winters, and I suspect this story would have fit in quite nicely with Jean Auel's works had Auel been inclined to include more otherworldly monsters in her stories.
But the Salamander Man story was just so very flat.
February 7, 2015
This collection would get 5 stars and a permanent place on the favorites shelf just for the first story alone. PHOENIX, by Peter Dickinson, was one of the best short stories I've ever read. Roughly fifty pages long, and I laughed and smiled and finished up in happy tears and with goosebumps over my arms. The next story HELLHOUND, by Robin McKinley, also gave me goosebumps and was what I would call "classic McKinley." Just an all-around great collection, and the perfect companion to their other ELEMENTALS stories, WATER. (If you haven't read WATER, well, what's wrong with you? It has a freaking DAMAR NOVELLA at the end!)
My only frustration was that FIRST FLIGHT, McKinley's novella that ends this collection should have been a full length book! I would have loved more of this story! It felt like a big tease!
My only frustration was that FIRST FLIGHT, McKinley's novella that ends this collection should have been a full length book! I would have loved more of this story! It felt like a big tease!
June 24, 2013
Another of the elemental series by two vastly different, yet conveniently married authors. It's hard to look at the together, so we'll look at them separately.
Dickinson is, as always, an exquisite writer whose language has a real poetry and whose stories always feel like spiderwebs - intricately spun and slighty insubstantial. The experience of reading them is a fascinating one and the distance that Dickinson somehow creates between reader and story always makes me feel like I'm peering through a microscope or binoculars in order to glimpse something so impossibly different, something only accessible through the poetry of his language. Which is lovely and lends itself to a range of styles, but is sometimes rather cold.
McKinley, I should note, is the exact opposite. She doesn't give the pinhole view into her characters' heads, she lifts you up and dumps you bodily into their mind, their worldview and their lies. If Dickinson reminds me of gossamer, McKinley reminds me of steel cables. Once you're in that story, you are IN it. I once commented that McKinely has many characters, but only one real style; fortunately, it's an excellent style and it provokes an almost visceral reaction to the characters in me.
I enjoyed both sets of stories, but McKinley has been one of my favorite authors since I was about eight years old, so I will concede that I loved hers more. But I recommend both writers unreservedly; though very different, they both are excellent examples of how to tell a story.
Did I mention that the stories themselves were some of the most fascinating and innovative I've read in fantasy in a long time. "First Flight" in particular, struck me because it was the first time I'd seen anyone do something new with the humans flying dragons thing..it didn't feel like a rehash of Pern even though it shared so many of the same elements. That's the mark of a good author - innovation in old ideas, and if you like it, you have to look at what she can do with fairy tales.
Dickinson is, as always, an exquisite writer whose language has a real poetry and whose stories always feel like spiderwebs - intricately spun and slighty insubstantial. The experience of reading them is a fascinating one and the distance that Dickinson somehow creates between reader and story always makes me feel like I'm peering through a microscope or binoculars in order to glimpse something so impossibly different, something only accessible through the poetry of his language. Which is lovely and lends itself to a range of styles, but is sometimes rather cold.
McKinley, I should note, is the exact opposite. She doesn't give the pinhole view into her characters' heads, she lifts you up and dumps you bodily into their mind, their worldview and their lies. If Dickinson reminds me of gossamer, McKinley reminds me of steel cables. Once you're in that story, you are IN it. I once commented that McKinely has many characters, but only one real style; fortunately, it's an excellent style and it provokes an almost visceral reaction to the characters in me.
I enjoyed both sets of stories, but McKinley has been one of my favorite authors since I was about eight years old, so I will concede that I loved hers more. But I recommend both writers unreservedly; though very different, they both are excellent examples of how to tell a story.
Did I mention that the stories themselves were some of the most fascinating and innovative I've read in fantasy in a long time. "First Flight" in particular, struck me because it was the first time I'd seen anyone do something new with the humans flying dragons thing..it didn't feel like a rehash of Pern even though it shared so many of the same elements. That's the mark of a good author - innovation in old ideas, and if you like it, you have to look at what she can do with fairy tales.
January 28, 2011
I don't remember Water having such a marked contrast between the Peter Dickinson and Robin McKinley stories. In fact, I don't even remember noticing which stories belonged to which author. But in this book, I sure noticed. The first Dickinson story, "Phoenix," was wonderful. Very well told and absorbing. However, the next Dickinson story "Fireworm," bored me so much I skimmed. And, to be honest, I was so dispirited that after the first few snoozy paragraphs of "Salamander Man," I skipped straight to the last story in the book: McKinley's "First Flight," which was excellent and had enough story and muscle to make up its own novel, had McKinley felt like expanding upon it. Her other story, "Hellhound," was one of the best short stories I've read in a while. It gave me goosebumps and the creeps, made me cry, and made me think about it for hours afterward, which is always a good sign.
McKinley always manages to work dogs or horses into her stories, but never in a way that's hackneyed or saccharine. I've decided her writing reminds me a bit of really good frozen vanilla yogurt with sprinkles. Comforting, nourishing to a degree, reminiscent of childhood, and always, always a good idea.
McKinley always manages to work dogs or horses into her stories, but never in a way that's hackneyed or saccharine. I've decided her writing reminds me a bit of really good frozen vanilla yogurt with sprinkles. Comforting, nourishing to a degree, reminiscent of childhood, and always, always a good idea.
October 13, 2009
This is the follow-up to McKinley’s and Dickinson’s first collaborative collection, Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits, which I need to read. I haven’t read many of their longer works – Beauty, by McKinley, and Eva, by Dickinson, are the only ones, though many of McKinley’s are on my “gee why haven’t you read this yet?” list. I had a fresh mind when I read this, is what I’m saying; no expectations.
Dickinson’s three stories – “Phoenix”; “Fireworm”; and “Salamander Man” – are written with a storyteller’s rhythm, giving them the feel of legends. The word “old-fashioned” keeps coming to mind, but it isn’t really the right one – maybe “timeless” is better because it doesn’t have the negative connotations. As a nice contrast, McKinley’s stories – “Hellhound” and “First Flight” – are modern and humorous; they don’t feel weighty, like Dickinson’s, but they’re not frivolous. “Hellhound” takes place in the present day, so a modern-sounding narrator makes sense, but even the narrator in the pure fantasy story “First Flight” has a more every day, contemporary voice. I think this is why I liked McKinley’s stories so much better then Dickinson’s, even though all the stories are well-written; it’s all about tone.
“Phoenix” is about the mythical Egyptian bird-god of legend and how it survived – and found new believers – in a snowy, wooded conservation area. The narrator, a boy named Dave, tells the story to young Ellie when she visits the woods, about how he found the god in a fire at the age of 100 and, after rescuing it, has been living backward ever since. It’s an interesting concept but I got bored reading the story – there’s no action, and the story is mostly internal reflection, as the boy recounts his past with nostalgia and a kind of bittersweet acceptance of the passage of time.
I liked “Fireworm” and “Salamandar Man” better. In “Fireworm”, Tandin finally finds his place in his primitive community when he learns he has the power to destroy his people’s ancient enemy, the fireworm, but in the process he comes to identify with the fireworm more then with the humans he lives with. Killing the fireworm in this context is more tragedy then triumph. This notion of looking outside ourselves to recognize commonalities in an alien species – to empathize – is what made this story my favorite. It’s a hero fantasy with a hero who realizes that, seen another way, he’s also a villain.
In “Salamander Man,” the slave boy Tib also finds his destiny -- to become the giant Salamander Man long enough to free 27 salamanders from corrupt magicians who are using them for their power. In doing this, he essentially strips the entire town of magic. Even though I just said I liked this story better then “Phoenix”, I don’t remember it well. Just that it was kind of strange but very well-written.
I really did like McKinley’s stories a lot. In “Hellhound,” Miri, who lives on a farm and works primarily with horses, adopts an unusual dog from the pound with burning red eyes. She names him Flame, and he proves to be much smarter than the average dog. Freakishly so. Others are wary around this creature, but Miri trusts him and he proves to be a blessing when her brother falls prey to an evil spirit residing in the nearby graveyard. Miri is instantly likable in her comfortable relationship with her family, her love for animals, and her willingness to look beyond Flame’s frightening appearance.
McKinley’s stand-out concluding novella, “First Flight,” follows Ern, a humble boy who wishes secretly to be a healer, despite the fact that healers are basically shunned as the lowest of the low in society (no one admits to going to a healer when ill or injured, because no one is supposed to admit to being ill or injured – a nice change to the way healers are usually portrayed). Ern has an uncanny skill with herb medicine, but he’s spent so much of his life playing down his abilities that he can’t recognize the large amount of good he does for everyone around him. Ern’s brother, Dag, is going to Dragon Academy to be a dragon rider, but the dragon he’s paired with is injured and unable to make the First Flight (when the new rider and the dragon enter Firespace together for the first time). Despite the fact that everyone knows his dragon can’t do it, Dag will be forced to try and fail in front of everyone. Ern accompanies him to Dragon Academy as moral support, bringing along his strange pet foogit (who has a large, hilarious role to play in this story), but in his unassuming, nigh-invisible way, he manages to do something everyone thought was impossible. This story is one of the best I’ve read and is worth the price of the book alone. Ern’s witty, understated sense of humor and keen observations make his narrative a joy to read, and he’s about as large-hearted a character as one could find. I would like her to continue this story.
Dickinson’s three stories – “Phoenix”; “Fireworm”; and “Salamander Man” – are written with a storyteller’s rhythm, giving them the feel of legends. The word “old-fashioned” keeps coming to mind, but it isn’t really the right one – maybe “timeless” is better because it doesn’t have the negative connotations. As a nice contrast, McKinley’s stories – “Hellhound” and “First Flight” – are modern and humorous; they don’t feel weighty, like Dickinson’s, but they’re not frivolous. “Hellhound” takes place in the present day, so a modern-sounding narrator makes sense, but even the narrator in the pure fantasy story “First Flight” has a more every day, contemporary voice. I think this is why I liked McKinley’s stories so much better then Dickinson’s, even though all the stories are well-written; it’s all about tone.
“Phoenix” is about the mythical Egyptian bird-god of legend and how it survived – and found new believers – in a snowy, wooded conservation area. The narrator, a boy named Dave, tells the story to young Ellie when she visits the woods, about how he found the god in a fire at the age of 100 and, after rescuing it, has been living backward ever since. It’s an interesting concept but I got bored reading the story – there’s no action, and the story is mostly internal reflection, as the boy recounts his past with nostalgia and a kind of bittersweet acceptance of the passage of time.
I liked “Fireworm” and “Salamandar Man” better. In “Fireworm”, Tandin finally finds his place in his primitive community when he learns he has the power to destroy his people’s ancient enemy, the fireworm, but in the process he comes to identify with the fireworm more then with the humans he lives with. Killing the fireworm in this context is more tragedy then triumph. This notion of looking outside ourselves to recognize commonalities in an alien species – to empathize – is what made this story my favorite. It’s a hero fantasy with a hero who realizes that, seen another way, he’s also a villain.
In “Salamander Man,” the slave boy Tib also finds his destiny -- to become the giant Salamander Man long enough to free 27 salamanders from corrupt magicians who are using them for their power. In doing this, he essentially strips the entire town of magic. Even though I just said I liked this story better then “Phoenix”, I don’t remember it well. Just that it was kind of strange but very well-written.
I really did like McKinley’s stories a lot. In “Hellhound,” Miri, who lives on a farm and works primarily with horses, adopts an unusual dog from the pound with burning red eyes. She names him Flame, and he proves to be much smarter than the average dog. Freakishly so. Others are wary around this creature, but Miri trusts him and he proves to be a blessing when her brother falls prey to an evil spirit residing in the nearby graveyard. Miri is instantly likable in her comfortable relationship with her family, her love for animals, and her willingness to look beyond Flame’s frightening appearance.
McKinley’s stand-out concluding novella, “First Flight,” follows Ern, a humble boy who wishes secretly to be a healer, despite the fact that healers are basically shunned as the lowest of the low in society (no one admits to going to a healer when ill or injured, because no one is supposed to admit to being ill or injured – a nice change to the way healers are usually portrayed). Ern has an uncanny skill with herb medicine, but he’s spent so much of his life playing down his abilities that he can’t recognize the large amount of good he does for everyone around him. Ern’s brother, Dag, is going to Dragon Academy to be a dragon rider, but the dragon he’s paired with is injured and unable to make the First Flight (when the new rider and the dragon enter Firespace together for the first time). Despite the fact that everyone knows his dragon can’t do it, Dag will be forced to try and fail in front of everyone. Ern accompanies him to Dragon Academy as moral support, bringing along his strange pet foogit (who has a large, hilarious role to play in this story), but in his unassuming, nigh-invisible way, he manages to do something everyone thought was impossible. This story is one of the best I’ve read and is worth the price of the book alone. Ern’s witty, understated sense of humor and keen observations make his narrative a joy to read, and he’s about as large-hearted a character as one could find. I would like her to continue this story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2020
It is unfortunate that Peter Dickinson (the one who isn't Robin McKinley) contributed three of the book's five stories, because the disparity between his stories and McKinley's is very obvious. The contributions from the one who isn't Robin McKinley were disjointed, lacking in action or characterisation, and generally a waste of approximately half the book. Reading his pieces, particularly "Fireworm" felt like a real chore. Before I reached the halfway point of this anthology I was unsurprised to find myself counting pages until the stories by the one who isn't Robin McKinley would be finished and I could get back to stories that were actually well-written and followed interesting plots.
McKinley's two stories are fresh pieces that have not appeared in other anthologies, to my knowledge, and although they are not representative of her best work, as the first one in particular feels somewhat rushed, they are loads better than Dragonhaven. Reading them I found myself actually caring about the characters and the plots and trying to guess what would come next, and not just because the one story has horses and the other dragons
Had the stories not been ordered in such a way that one was forced to trudge through the stories from the one who isn't Robin McKinley in order to get to McKinley's pieces, I could have finished the book much more quickly. I would advise people who feel my compulsion to read the entire book from introduction to end notes to avoid this book, as they will be made to suffer for three fifths of the stories and unable to bring themselves to skip them, even though I assure you there are no hidden gems, or even particularly pleasing phrases contained therein.
McKinley's two stories are fresh pieces that have not appeared in other anthologies, to my knowledge, and although they are not representative of her best work, as the first one in particular feels somewhat rushed, they are loads better than Dragonhaven. Reading them I found myself actually caring about the characters and the plots and trying to guess what would come next, and not just because the one story has horses and the other dragons
Had the stories not been ordered in such a way that one was forced to trudge through the stories from the one who isn't Robin McKinley in order to get to McKinley's pieces, I could have finished the book much more quickly. I would advise people who feel my compulsion to read the entire book from introduction to end notes to avoid this book, as they will be made to suffer for three fifths of the stories and unable to bring themselves to skip them, even though I assure you there are no hidden gems, or even particularly pleasing phrases contained therein.
June 19, 2021
Better than the Water short story collection from the same authors. Very cozy/comfy fantasy with a focus on the bonds between animals (both natural+supernatural) and humans. As an animal lover it was definitely my cup of tea.
Phoenix - 4/5
Strong start to the book. Imagery of the forest and Phoenix are vivid and beautiful. Light on plot but the vibes are immaculate. I loved how it emphasized gratitude and reciprocity as a way of life.
Hellhound - 5/5
A horse barn, a creepy yet sweet dog, a plucky capable young woman, and a haunted cemetery apparently make just the right recipe for a story I love. Who would have thought. This one has both slice of life and supernatural elements melded together really well, with small hints adding up to a tense and suspenseful break from the everyday scenes of before.
Fireworm - 3/5
This one had a great ending, taking a classical tale of a hero slaying monsters and turning it on its head. But the confusing action and dry descriptions really weighed down the story.
Salamander - 2/5
There are a lot of cool concepts in this one, but the execution was frankly bizarre. I didn't like how the ending was all info dump or how the protagonist felt so unrelated to the plot. I don't even want to touch how this story handled slavery and indigenous people other than to say "bad."
First Flight - 5/5
I love unconventional protagonists, and our protagonist Ern is definitely that. He's not the story's dragonrider- that's his older brother Dag. Ern's an aspiring healer in a world where sicknesses, diseases, and disabilities are viewed as shameful personal failings. He's not about to let the fact he hasn't been apprenticed as one stop him from pursuing his craft.
While the story does cover some familiar territory with dragons, fantasy academies, and magic, there's plenty of unique elements that set it apart. Dragons fly through dimension hopping, have three eyes, and purr to name a few. The world feels familiar but fresh. Most of all I love how this is a fantasy story that does not require disabilities to be magically cured for its characters to find happiness. There's a lot of our world reflected in Ern's and I think McKinley deftly tackles issues of ableism in very revealing ways.
Phoenix - 4/5
Strong start to the book. Imagery of the forest and Phoenix are vivid and beautiful. Light on plot but the vibes are immaculate. I loved how it emphasized gratitude and reciprocity as a way of life.
Hellhound - 5/5
A horse barn, a creepy yet sweet dog, a plucky capable young woman, and a haunted cemetery apparently make just the right recipe for a story I love. Who would have thought. This one has both slice of life and supernatural elements melded together really well, with small hints adding up to a tense and suspenseful break from the everyday scenes of before.
Fireworm - 3/5
This one had a great ending, taking a classical tale of a hero slaying monsters and turning it on its head. But the confusing action and dry descriptions really weighed down the story.
Salamander - 2/5
There are a lot of cool concepts in this one, but the execution was frankly bizarre. I didn't like how the ending was all info dump or how the protagonist felt so unrelated to the plot. I don't even want to touch how this story handled slavery and indigenous people other than to say "bad."
First Flight - 5/5
I love unconventional protagonists, and our protagonist Ern is definitely that. He's not the story's dragonrider- that's his older brother Dag. Ern's an aspiring healer in a world where sicknesses, diseases, and disabilities are viewed as shameful personal failings. He's not about to let the fact he hasn't been apprenticed as one stop him from pursuing his craft.
While the story does cover some familiar territory with dragons, fantasy academies, and magic, there's plenty of unique elements that set it apart. Dragons fly through dimension hopping, have three eyes, and purr to name a few. The world feels familiar but fresh. Most of all I love how this is a fantasy story that does not require disabilities to be magically cured for its characters to find happiness. There's a lot of our world reflected in Ern's and I think McKinley deftly tackles issues of ableism in very revealing ways.
July 31, 2010
Synopsis
A collection of short stories based around the magical element of Fire. A companion novel to Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits.
Review
I should start with the fact that I fell in love with Robin McKinley's writing when I was first given her Blue Sword novels in 7th grade. This compilation is no exception, though my problem with her short stories is that I never want them to end... I also enjoyed Peter Dickinson's stories, though I've never read a full novel written by him.
Here are my thoughts on the five stories in the collection.
Phoenix by Peter Dickinson - A story about the way a phoenix changes the lives of the people it meets in England. While I enjoyed this story, I did find some of the dialect a bit difficult to follow. I also thought that all of the characters, with the exception of Dave to be a bit flat.
Hellhound by Robin McKinley - The adoption of a really ugly dog changes a young woman forever. I really enjoyed this story, with it's slight dip into the modern, paranormal world. I wish that the story could have continued and shown what other situations could have been conquered.
Fireworm by Peter Dickinson - In a time when fire is the greatest technology, an outcast young man must save his clan from a fireworm. My favorite of Peter Dickinson's stories. I really enjoyed the bittersweet aspects of the story, and that Peter allowed us to know the other side of the coin.
Salamander Man by Peter Dickinson - A young slave is taken from the only home he has known and left alone is a bare room. I enjoyed the interactions of the slave and his owner, but the middle of the story fell a little bit flat for me.
First Flight by Robin McKinley - Ern wants to heal and help people in a land where healers are considered disreputable because no one should admit to needing healing. When his brother, a dragon rider cadet, comes home with the news that he has been assigned to a broken dragon for his First Flight, Ern must stop hiding himself to help his brother and dragon, finding a place for himself in the process.
This is the longest story in the collection, and could have easily gone on to become a whole book. I definitely did not want this story to stop when it did, and wanted to know what kind of place Ern made for himself in the world. I loved it.
My Recommendation
I really enjoyed this book, and will read it again. The stories are all family friendly. If you enjoyed Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits you will also enjoy Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits. 4/5 Wait for a coupon.
A collection of short stories based around the magical element of Fire. A companion novel to Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits.
Review
I should start with the fact that I fell in love with Robin McKinley's writing when I was first given her Blue Sword novels in 7th grade. This compilation is no exception, though my problem with her short stories is that I never want them to end... I also enjoyed Peter Dickinson's stories, though I've never read a full novel written by him.
Here are my thoughts on the five stories in the collection.
Phoenix by Peter Dickinson - A story about the way a phoenix changes the lives of the people it meets in England. While I enjoyed this story, I did find some of the dialect a bit difficult to follow. I also thought that all of the characters, with the exception of Dave to be a bit flat.
Hellhound by Robin McKinley - The adoption of a really ugly dog changes a young woman forever. I really enjoyed this story, with it's slight dip into the modern, paranormal world. I wish that the story could have continued and shown what other situations could have been conquered.
Fireworm by Peter Dickinson - In a time when fire is the greatest technology, an outcast young man must save his clan from a fireworm. My favorite of Peter Dickinson's stories. I really enjoyed the bittersweet aspects of the story, and that Peter allowed us to know the other side of the coin.
Salamander Man by Peter Dickinson - A young slave is taken from the only home he has known and left alone is a bare room. I enjoyed the interactions of the slave and his owner, but the middle of the story fell a little bit flat for me.
First Flight by Robin McKinley - Ern wants to heal and help people in a land where healers are considered disreputable because no one should admit to needing healing. When his brother, a dragon rider cadet, comes home with the news that he has been assigned to a broken dragon for his First Flight, Ern must stop hiding himself to help his brother and dragon, finding a place for himself in the process.
This is the longest story in the collection, and could have easily gone on to become a whole book. I definitely did not want this story to stop when it did, and wanted to know what kind of place Ern made for himself in the world. I loved it.
My Recommendation
I really enjoyed this book, and will read it again. The stories are all family friendly. If you enjoyed Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits you will also enjoy Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits. 4/5 Wait for a coupon.
April 28, 2024
My love affair with Robin McKinley's novels began a number of years ago, and continues through her latest publication, a collection of short stories by McKinley and her husband Peter Dickinson.
Have I mentioned that I'm definitely not in love with Peter Dickinson?
Fire contains five short stories - two of which are McKinley's. We shall ignore the three written by Dickenson in this review. Suffice it to say they are vastly inferior.
"Hellhound" is the story of a young woman who adopts a red-eyed stray dog that doesn't seem quite... dog-like. But when she faces things that are not quite human, it might be nice to have a dog who's not quite a dog...
"First Flight" follows the story of a younger brother, long lost in the shadows of his older siblings, who wants to pursue the disreputable profession of a healer. But when his dragon-rider brother's first flight is assigned to a dragon who has lost an eye and can no longer travel through fire space, he goes to the dragon-riding academy, even though everyone knows there is nothing that anyone could possibly do.
"Hellhound" - a nice read, though wrapped up a bit too quickly.
"First Flight" - absolutely brilliant.
Go read Fire. At least those two stories.
Update, 9/30/22:
Fire is the sort of book that deserves to be read more than once a decade. Apparently, last time I read it I was Not At All Impressed by Dickinson's contributions to the anthology. This time, I found myself enjoying two of his three, though it was still McKinley's two stories that gave me the Good Book Feels. They are very typical McKinley--with awkward, animal-loving main characters, gorgeous storytelling, and fascinating settings.
I don't know that I have time for a re-read of McKinley's entire backlist, but it's certainly tempting.
Update, 4/27/24:
I still very much prefer McKinley's contributions to this collection over her husband's, but I grow fonder of Dickinson's stories each time I read them. (Except for Fireworm. I still am entirely unenthusiastic about that one.) McKinley's love of animals (particularly dogs and horses) shines through in her two stories, as does her gorgeous prose and likeable main characters.
Have I mentioned that I'm definitely not in love with Peter Dickinson?
Fire contains five short stories - two of which are McKinley's. We shall ignore the three written by Dickenson in this review. Suffice it to say they are vastly inferior.
"Hellhound" is the story of a young woman who adopts a red-eyed stray dog that doesn't seem quite... dog-like. But when she faces things that are not quite human, it might be nice to have a dog who's not quite a dog...
"First Flight" follows the story of a younger brother, long lost in the shadows of his older siblings, who wants to pursue the disreputable profession of a healer. But when his dragon-rider brother's first flight is assigned to a dragon who has lost an eye and can no longer travel through fire space, he goes to the dragon-riding academy, even though everyone knows there is nothing that anyone could possibly do.
"Hellhound" - a nice read, though wrapped up a bit too quickly.
"First Flight" - absolutely brilliant.
Go read Fire. At least those two stories.
Update, 9/30/22:
Fire is the sort of book that deserves to be read more than once a decade. Apparently, last time I read it I was Not At All Impressed by Dickinson's contributions to the anthology. This time, I found myself enjoying two of his three, though it was still McKinley's two stories that gave me the Good Book Feels. They are very typical McKinley--with awkward, animal-loving main characters, gorgeous storytelling, and fascinating settings.
I don't know that I have time for a re-read of McKinley's entire backlist, but it's certainly tempting.
Update, 4/27/24:
I still very much prefer McKinley's contributions to this collection over her husband's, but I grow fonder of Dickinson's stories each time I read them. (Except for Fireworm. I still am entirely unenthusiastic about that one.) McKinley's love of animals (particularly dogs and horses) shines through in her two stories, as does her gorgeous prose and likeable main characters.
July 24, 2020
Phoenix - This was a really interesting tale and a fun twist on various mythological stories. I liked the old man as a character, but the woman and girl weren't as interesting. 4 stars.
Hellhoud - A true McKinley tale with horses and dogs and other-worldly happenstances. Sometimes the "and the mystical creature helped the girl save the day" ending works really well (i.e. The Blue Sword), sometimes (this time) I feel like we really need a few more dots to help us see more action and wrap thing up. 3 stars
Fireworm - Boring. Like, I fell asleep reading it boring. 1 star
Salamander Man - Great start, but ran out of steam. I would have liked to see more with the salamanders or the boy slave. There really wasn't any explanation on why that particular boy was chosen. 2 stars
First Flight - McKinley at her finest. This was the longest story in the compilation, and the most interesting. Supporting characters are sufficiently interesting/human/quirky to keep my attention, and the dog creature is, of course, endearing. There is some rambling, which is McKinley's writing style, but it works well even in the short-story format. I feel like this tale may have birthed the idea for Dragonhaven, or perhaps they are connected in some way - they could definitely be cousins. Reading them back to back like I did this time around made me wish, again, that Dragonhaven had some extra editing or something, because First Flight shows us just how amazing McKinley is with world building in magical realms. 5 stars
Hellhoud - A true McKinley tale with horses and dogs and other-worldly happenstances. Sometimes the "and the mystical creature helped the girl save the day" ending works really well (i.e. The Blue Sword), sometimes (this time) I feel like we really need a few more dots to help us see more action and wrap thing up. 3 stars
Fireworm - Boring. Like, I fell asleep reading it boring. 1 star
Salamander Man - Great start, but ran out of steam. I would have liked to see more with the salamanders or the boy slave. There really wasn't any explanation on why that particular boy was chosen. 2 stars
First Flight - McKinley at her finest. This was the longest story in the compilation, and the most interesting. Supporting characters are sufficiently interesting/human/quirky to keep my attention, and the dog creature is, of course, endearing. There is some rambling, which is McKinley's writing style, but it works well even in the short-story format. I feel like this tale may have birthed the idea for Dragonhaven, or perhaps they are connected in some way - they could definitely be cousins. Reading them back to back like I did this time around made me wish, again, that Dragonhaven had some extra editing or something, because First Flight shows us just how amazing McKinley is with world building in magical realms. 5 stars
January 2, 2011
Like all collections of short stories I liked some better than others.
But all the stories in this book were well written and enjoyable, heartwarming and fun.
There wasn't one that I disliked which is saying a lot.
The last story was by far my favorite. =)
But all the stories in this book were well written and enjoyable, heartwarming and fun.
There wasn't one that I disliked which is saying a lot.
The last story was by far my favorite. =)
February 3, 2011
Two stars: one for Fireworm and one for First Flight (see status updates for minireviews).
March 12, 2018
I really enjoyed First Flight!
January 29, 2020
I only really liked the Robin McKinley ones, the Peter Dickinson stories were bland and the middle one was pretty sexist. Fire was only a small part of the stories too
May 4, 2025
Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits was one of the unexpected hits for me this year, so I was eagerly awaiting picking up the sequel. Sadly, while Fire has some good moments, it’s not nearly as stellar as its predecessor.
Like Water, Fire is a collection of short stories – or, in this case, four shorts and a novella – all themed around one of the classical elements. Husband-and-wife team of Peter Dickinson and Robin McKinley take turns writing and although there are obvious differences between the two, their styles mesh well enought that the book still feels cohesive.
“Phoenix” (Dickinson) – A young girl meets an old woman and her mysterious young grandson, the keepers of a small patch of woods, and learns of their connection to the magical, immortal phoenix. This one started off really good and the middle of the story, while the protagonist raises the phoenix chick, was charming, but the plot went off in a strange and somewhat uncomfortable direction later on and the ending tried to shove in too much exposition too quickly.
“Hellhound” (McKinley) – Miri adopts a giant dog with red eyes from the pound and when tragedy strikes the riding stables she runs with her family, she will learn just how extraordinary her pet really is. This one had a slightly rushed ending, but overall it was quite adorable. Miri and her family are all very likable and the plot has a good sense of tone.
“Firewyrm” (Dickinson) – In an ancient, icy land, Tandin walks the dangerous ghost path to learn how to defeat the firewyrm that menaces his tribe. I liked the mythic, mystical tone here, it was fresh and new after the first two, more traditionally modern settings, and it was fascinating to learn about firewyrm ecology through Tandin’s eyes. There is, however, a subplot involving a curse that is broken in a way that was both under-explained and very strange.
“Salamander Man” (Dickinson) – A young slave is purchased from his shopkeeper mistress by a wizard, but it turns out that there are other forces at work. This one started out promising as well, with some spare but evocative worldbuilding and an intriguing setup, but partway through it became incredibly rushed. It almost seemed as though Dickinson ran out of pagecount and was forced to just put in a summary of what he had planned to do with the rest of the story, which was extremely unsatisfying.
“First Flight” (McKinley) – Ern’s brother Dag has been away training as a dragon rider, but as his official first dragon flight approaches, he is assigned to a dragon with a disability that makes it impossible for her to complete the task. Ern must overcome his self-doubt and help Dag find a way to make the dragon fly again. “First Flight” is the longest story by quite a bit, which works to its detriment a bit, taking a while to get going and overall meandering. Once again, however, the worldbuilding is fun and the characters charming and likable. The narrative voice feels like a refinement of the one from Dragonhaven, still an energetic first-person narrator, but slightly more focused and less chaotic.
While there were a few stand-outs, overall, Fire was rather disappointing. None of the stories sucked me in the way the ones in Water did and the weaker tales were actively bad instead of being merely forgettable. While I still plan to pick up the final book in the series, Earth and Air, I’m not anticipating it nearly as much as I was anticipating this one.
Warnings: Although it is subtle, “Salamander Man” contains an undercurrent of what I percieve as slavery apologism, seeming to contend that slavery is alright if you treat your slaves well. While it’s ambiguous if this is meant as in-universe or authorial sentiment and I like to give the benefit of the doubt and assume it’s the former, it made for an uncomfortable reading experience.
Additionally,
Like Water, Fire is a collection of short stories – or, in this case, four shorts and a novella – all themed around one of the classical elements. Husband-and-wife team of Peter Dickinson and Robin McKinley take turns writing and although there are obvious differences between the two, their styles mesh well enought that the book still feels cohesive.
“Phoenix” (Dickinson) – A young girl meets an old woman and her mysterious young grandson, the keepers of a small patch of woods, and learns of their connection to the magical, immortal phoenix. This one started off really good and the middle of the story, while the protagonist raises the phoenix chick, was charming, but the plot went off in a strange and somewhat uncomfortable direction later on and the ending tried to shove in too much exposition too quickly.
“Hellhound” (McKinley) – Miri adopts a giant dog with red eyes from the pound and when tragedy strikes the riding stables she runs with her family, she will learn just how extraordinary her pet really is. This one had a slightly rushed ending, but overall it was quite adorable. Miri and her family are all very likable and the plot has a good sense of tone.
“Firewyrm” (Dickinson) – In an ancient, icy land, Tandin walks the dangerous ghost path to learn how to defeat the firewyrm that menaces his tribe. I liked the mythic, mystical tone here, it was fresh and new after the first two, more traditionally modern settings, and it was fascinating to learn about firewyrm ecology through Tandin’s eyes. There is, however, a subplot involving a curse that is broken in a way that was both under-explained and very strange.
“Salamander Man” (Dickinson) – A young slave is purchased from his shopkeeper mistress by a wizard, but it turns out that there are other forces at work. This one started out promising as well, with some spare but evocative worldbuilding and an intriguing setup, but partway through it became incredibly rushed. It almost seemed as though Dickinson ran out of pagecount and was forced to just put in a summary of what he had planned to do with the rest of the story, which was extremely unsatisfying.
“First Flight” (McKinley) – Ern’s brother Dag has been away training as a dragon rider, but as his official first dragon flight approaches, he is assigned to a dragon with a disability that makes it impossible for her to complete the task. Ern must overcome his self-doubt and help Dag find a way to make the dragon fly again. “First Flight” is the longest story by quite a bit, which works to its detriment a bit, taking a while to get going and overall meandering. Once again, however, the worldbuilding is fun and the characters charming and likable. The narrative voice feels like a refinement of the one from Dragonhaven, still an energetic first-person narrator, but slightly more focused and less chaotic.
While there were a few stand-outs, overall, Fire was rather disappointing. None of the stories sucked me in the way the ones in Water did and the weaker tales were actively bad instead of being merely forgettable. While I still plan to pick up the final book in the series, Earth and Air, I’m not anticipating it nearly as much as I was anticipating this one.
Warnings: Although it is subtle, “Salamander Man” contains an undercurrent of what I percieve as slavery apologism, seeming to contend that slavery is alright if you treat your slaves well. While it’s ambiguous if this is meant as in-universe or authorial sentiment and I like to give the benefit of the doubt and assume it’s the former, it made for an uncomfortable reading experience.
Additionally,
June 4, 2023
#2 in the Tales of Elemental Spirits paranormal YA series
This collections of stories was excellent! I'll admit that the stories written by McKinley were my favorites, probably because they were much more focused on the characters rather than the history or the story itself. With each of them, I became involved in the people and their situations.
Phoenix - 4 stars - What a great story to begin with. Ellie, as a tree-lover, asked to become involved in the "tree census," feeling comfortable with both the trees and Dave and Welly. But the real story is about Dave in his younger days, discovering the phoenix and building a lasting relationship with it. Sweet, with a message of care and caring amongst the people of the time and the bird.
Hellhound - 5 stars - This is my favorite of the stories. Loved the characters and Mira's special relationship with the dog she rescued from the pound. Flame is very unusual, with glowing red eyes, but he's calm and loving and works well around the horse barn and the students. But when an emergency occurs, Flame is there for Mira and provides support for the whole family. The family is close and loving, and I enjoyed watching their interactions. And the dog/owner relationship was another win for me.
Fireworm - 3 stars - This is my least favorite, possibly because it was quite a bit more complicated than the others. Written by Peter Dickinson, I didn't relate to it as well. It follows a long-ago civilization who believe in spirits, and one of the bad ones is the fireworm. When a young, unobtrusive man becomes front and center to the story, his standing is raised, and he becomes an advisor in protecting his cave from the deadly creature. I didn't really relate to the people, plus I found the jumping back and forth from the spirit world to the world-where-people-live-and-die to be somewhat confusing. OK, but nothing memorable.
Salamander Man - 3.5 stars - Also by Dickinson, but I liked this one better. Tib is a slave in what sounds to be old Morocco or someplace like that. He has grown up with Aunt Ellila, helping her establish her business of selling artifacts, and they are close. When a magician comes along to break them up, Tib discovers another side of himself and faces adversity. Again, the caring of people for each other was what struck me about this story, and I enjoyed watching their relationships grow and change.
First Flight - 4.5 stars - A young man and his dog join his older brother when he returns to the Dragonrider academy, to help him face the problems with his dragon's disability. And somehow, they all work together to help. This is about a young man who, as the third son, has no confidence, especially because his specialty is in healing, which is a bad thing in their society. (Everyone's supposed to feel healthy and fine, not ever admitting that they have a problem.) I loved his interactions with his brother and with the other people at the academy. Mostly everyone was open-minded about his abilities, and I liked his enthusiasm. Loved the goofy dog, who added some fun and humor.
This collections of stories was excellent! I'll admit that the stories written by McKinley were my favorites, probably because they were much more focused on the characters rather than the history or the story itself. With each of them, I became involved in the people and their situations.
Phoenix - 4 stars - What a great story to begin with. Ellie, as a tree-lover, asked to become involved in the "tree census," feeling comfortable with both the trees and Dave and Welly. But the real story is about Dave in his younger days, discovering the phoenix and building a lasting relationship with it. Sweet, with a message of care and caring amongst the people of the time and the bird.
Hellhound - 5 stars - This is my favorite of the stories. Loved the characters and Mira's special relationship with the dog she rescued from the pound. Flame is very unusual, with glowing red eyes, but he's calm and loving and works well around the horse barn and the students. But when an emergency occurs, Flame is there for Mira and provides support for the whole family. The family is close and loving, and I enjoyed watching their interactions. And the dog/owner relationship was another win for me.
Fireworm - 3 stars - This is my least favorite, possibly because it was quite a bit more complicated than the others. Written by Peter Dickinson, I didn't relate to it as well. It follows a long-ago civilization who believe in spirits, and one of the bad ones is the fireworm. When a young, unobtrusive man becomes front and center to the story, his standing is raised, and he becomes an advisor in protecting his cave from the deadly creature. I didn't really relate to the people, plus I found the jumping back and forth from the spirit world to the world-where-people-live-and-die to be somewhat confusing. OK, but nothing memorable.
Salamander Man - 3.5 stars - Also by Dickinson, but I liked this one better. Tib is a slave in what sounds to be old Morocco or someplace like that. He has grown up with Aunt Ellila, helping her establish her business of selling artifacts, and they are close. When a magician comes along to break them up, Tib discovers another side of himself and faces adversity. Again, the caring of people for each other was what struck me about this story, and I enjoyed watching their relationships grow and change.
First Flight - 4.5 stars - A young man and his dog join his older brother when he returns to the Dragonrider academy, to help him face the problems with his dragon's disability. And somehow, they all work together to help. This is about a young man who, as the third son, has no confidence, especially because his specialty is in healing, which is a bad thing in their society. (Everyone's supposed to feel healthy and fine, not ever admitting that they have a problem.) I loved his interactions with his brother and with the other people at the academy. Mostly everyone was open-minded about his abilities, and I liked his enthusiasm. Loved the goofy dog, who added some fun and humor.
February 7, 2022
McKinley's only poor one. Why did people rave about "First Flight?" The kid's continual disparagement of his foogit Sippy was annoying, and could even be considered abusive. Here is a kid who is supposed to be an animal lover, but he calls Sippy stupid and lame. Here is a kid who is supposed to care about others, but he resists the imperative to engage the world, learn of what he and Sippy need to do, and do it. He's not even courteous enough to learn the name of "the old guy." He was relentlessly determined to remain a clueless child. Where was the growth? I count on McKinley to do good characterizations and tell good stories. This collection was her worst.
February 4, 2020
Excellent collection of stories. Both authors are very good. Each story features some kind of fire elemental or a creature associated with fire. There are some lovely twists and turns, with a few surprising endings. The character development is astounding, given the short form, and in most cases, timeframes, but it never felt forced or rushed.
I haven't read Dickinson before but he's now on my reading list. Robin McKinley has been a favorite for most of my life. Their styles complement each other very well.
I haven't read Dickinson before but he's now on my reading list. Robin McKinley has been a favorite for most of my life. Their styles complement each other very well.
October 15, 2020
Be prepared to read each story from beginning to end. The only way to be willing to put this book down is after you finish which ever story you are on. Then get tempted by the next to read and enjoy, or reread the fantastic fantasy tales over again.
I originally picked this book up because I am a fan of Robin McKinley's writing. She did not disappoint and I plan to look for more of Peter Dickinson's work as his stories here captivated me completely.
I originally picked this book up because I am a fan of Robin McKinley's writing. She did not disappoint and I plan to look for more of Peter Dickinson's work as his stories here captivated me completely.
November 9, 2021
Ah, Robin McKinley! I love you and you drive me a little crazy.
I love your characters, your stories, your settings, it’s all full of heart and animals and underdogs getting their just desserts… but ô Lordisa, the editing, the rambling disjointed info-dumps, the slow as molasses pacing…!!! Argh argh argh.
But I still love you
I love your characters, your stories, your settings, it’s all full of heart and animals and underdogs getting their just desserts… but ô Lordisa, the editing, the rambling disjointed info-dumps, the slow as molasses pacing…!!! Argh argh argh.
But I still love you
March 8, 2021
These are 5 stories, that have a theme of fire. RM wrote 2 & her husband wrote 3. Both have a similar writing style. They write a story that's slow & easy. All are stories that held my interest & I enjoyed them.
May 17, 2022
Fun short stories. I liked the "Water" collection better. (Parental preread possibly needed, one of the stories includes a piece in which a man turns into a bear and mates with a female bear who is really a spirit/god type being)
April 13, 2023
Not my favorite anthology but still solid! I definitely prefer McKinley's stories over Dickinson's; she has such a strong feeling for animals that really shines through in her two. There are some weird colonialist vibes to some of Dickinson's.
March 19, 2018
Popsugar Reading Challenge - a book by two authors
September 13, 2018
The four stars are entirely for First Flight. And maybe for Phoenix. The other stories, I have already forgotten.
February 15, 2019
The first few stories were all right, but I really enjoyed the last one.
April 2, 2019
There are some real gems in this book.
February 3, 2020
Unbelievably good. Five stories: one of Peter Dickinson's didn't fully appeal to me, but the other 4 stories are four of the best stories I have ever read.
Read
May 31, 2020Hellhound - All of the rest of it was still black, lightlessly black, black as if light were an unconvincing myth…
September 15, 2021
Nice collection. I will definitely pick up the next one.
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