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The Rise of the Fifth Order #1
Born of Water
A failed duty. A forbidden magic. An epic journey begins.
In the world of Myrrah, elemental magic is not just a gift but a destiny. Ria, a young girl who has always hidden her forbidden powers, finds her life unraveling when she calls upon magic to save her best friend’s life. She discovers there is something worse than being able to control water, air, fire, or earth—there is another power, one that is forbidden, and its use is punishable by death.
The Church of Four Orders rules Myrrah with an iron fist, controlling those born with elemental abilities and condemning those with the gift of magic. Ria must flee everything she has known to outrun a creature sent to capture those who use tainted magic. Her best chance of success lies in the protection of Niri, an outcast Water Priestess who might choose to betray her as much as help her.
Haunted by the potential of a young girl with powers untold, Niri must choose between her loyalty to the Church and the life of an innocent. With the Curse—a relentless creature sent to eliminate magic users—closing in, Niri joins forces with Ria and her best friend, Lavinia, and her brother, Ty, a runaway with secrets of his own. Together, they embark on a perilous journey across the sea to the fabled Temple of Dust, seeking answers and refuge.
As the group navigates a land filled with danger and ancient magic, Ria must discover just what is the magic she controls and why the Church of Four Orders wants anyone born with it killed before they capture her. Their journey tests the limits of their endurance and the bonds of their friendship as they uncover the truth about their powers and their place in the world.
Born of Water is the thrilling first installment in the Rise of the Fifth Order series—a tale of courage, sacrifice, and the enduring power of friendship in the face of insurmountable odds. Fans of Sarah J. Maas, Mercedes Lackey, Anne McCaffrey, and Andre Norton will be captivated by this fast-paced epic fantasy in a richly detailed world full of unforgettable characters.
Begin the epic fantasy adventure described as “fast-paced and a wonderful fantasy trilogy” and “a rich fantasy full of interesting characters,” with “mind-boggling imagination!” Recipient of a Reader’s Choice Award and Fantasy Book of the Month March 2020, pick up your copy today!
In the world of Myrrah, elemental magic is not just a gift but a destiny. Ria, a young girl who has always hidden her forbidden powers, finds her life unraveling when she calls upon magic to save her best friend’s life. She discovers there is something worse than being able to control water, air, fire, or earth—there is another power, one that is forbidden, and its use is punishable by death.
The Church of Four Orders rules Myrrah with an iron fist, controlling those born with elemental abilities and condemning those with the gift of magic. Ria must flee everything she has known to outrun a creature sent to capture those who use tainted magic. Her best chance of success lies in the protection of Niri, an outcast Water Priestess who might choose to betray her as much as help her.
Haunted by the potential of a young girl with powers untold, Niri must choose between her loyalty to the Church and the life of an innocent. With the Curse—a relentless creature sent to eliminate magic users—closing in, Niri joins forces with Ria and her best friend, Lavinia, and her brother, Ty, a runaway with secrets of his own. Together, they embark on a perilous journey across the sea to the fabled Temple of Dust, seeking answers and refuge.
As the group navigates a land filled with danger and ancient magic, Ria must discover just what is the magic she controls and why the Church of Four Orders wants anyone born with it killed before they capture her. Their journey tests the limits of their endurance and the bonds of their friendship as they uncover the truth about their powers and their place in the world.
Born of Water is the thrilling first installment in the Rise of the Fifth Order series—a tale of courage, sacrifice, and the enduring power of friendship in the face of insurmountable odds. Fans of Sarah J. Maas, Mercedes Lackey, Anne McCaffrey, and Andre Norton will be captivated by this fast-paced epic fantasy in a richly detailed world full of unforgettable characters.
Begin the epic fantasy adventure described as “fast-paced and a wonderful fantasy trilogy” and “a rich fantasy full of interesting characters,” with “mind-boggling imagination!” Recipient of a Reader’s Choice Award and Fantasy Book of the Month March 2020, pick up your copy today!
402 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 17, 2012
756 people are currently reading
1310 people want to read
About the author
Autumn M. Birt
48 books141 followersAutumn is a bestselling author in fantasy, epic fantasy, and war - not all on the same series though!
She is the author of the epic fantasy, adventure trilogy on elemental magic, the Rise of the Fifth Order. Games of Fire is an epic continuation of the world and characters begun in the Rise of the Fifth Order and received tremendous critical reviews and book 2, Gates of Fire & Earth, is also a Fantasia Reviews 2017 Book of Year nominee.
She is also the author of Friends of my Enemy, a military dystopian/ dark fantasy tale laced with romance. Friends of my Enemy was released in full in 2015 and is quite the story full of strong characters, tight plots, and lots of action.
New stories are already emerging. Check out the Tainted Fae to be released in 2021 and soon followed by Black Throne/Black Blood along with a whole new world written with her writing partner, Jesper Schmidt.
In her real life, Autumn has traveled across North America in an old Land Cruiser. However, she currently lives in a tiny cabin in the woods of Vermont. Along with her for all her adventures are her husband and small cairn terrier, Ayashe. Check out her Instagram feed for lots of fun travel pics!
Expect a lot of great adventures, both real and fictional, coming soon!
You can learn more about Autumn’s book online at her website www.AutumnWriting.com including her latest work-in-progress.
She is the author of the epic fantasy, adventure trilogy on elemental magic, the Rise of the Fifth Order. Games of Fire is an epic continuation of the world and characters begun in the Rise of the Fifth Order and received tremendous critical reviews and book 2, Gates of Fire & Earth, is also a Fantasia Reviews 2017 Book of Year nominee.
She is also the author of Friends of my Enemy, a military dystopian/ dark fantasy tale laced with romance. Friends of my Enemy was released in full in 2015 and is quite the story full of strong characters, tight plots, and lots of action.
New stories are already emerging. Check out the Tainted Fae to be released in 2021 and soon followed by Black Throne/Black Blood along with a whole new world written with her writing partner, Jesper Schmidt.
In her real life, Autumn has traveled across North America in an old Land Cruiser. However, she currently lives in a tiny cabin in the woods of Vermont. Along with her for all her adventures are her husband and small cairn terrier, Ayashe. Check out her Instagram feed for lots of fun travel pics!
Expect a lot of great adventures, both real and fictional, coming soon!
You can learn more about Autumn’s book online at her website www.AutumnWriting.com including her latest work-in-progress.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
June 23, 2018
The powers of earth, water, fire and air will be harnessed by four friends in a land where magic is forbidden. A Former priestess of the Church will risk her own life and give up her position in order to help put an end to the Curse, a magical being whose endgame is to destroy all magic, as dictated by its creators.
This is a story of adventure, discovery and even young love in a world that has turned its back on anyone who possesses magic. BORN OF WATER by Autumn Birt is just the beginning of the journey for an unlikely band of allies, unsure of the powers they wield and unaware of the potential they have.
Cross a sea, run from danger and face off against danger alongside these characters as they ride a roller coaster of emotions in an unknown world.
Autumn Birt has done a wonderful job of creating depth and humanity in her characters, complete with frailties and failings without resorting to over-the-top angst, off-color dialogue or adult situations. A magical start to this series!
Certainly not a quick read, but one to be savored, enjoyed and to feel the same discoveries the young characters experience!
Series: The Rise of the Fifth Order - Book 1
Publisher: Autumn M. Birt; 3 edition (May 9, 2015)
Publication Date: May 9, 2015
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Print Length: 368 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
This is a story of adventure, discovery and even young love in a world that has turned its back on anyone who possesses magic. BORN OF WATER by Autumn Birt is just the beginning of the journey for an unlikely band of allies, unsure of the powers they wield and unaware of the potential they have.
Cross a sea, run from danger and face off against danger alongside these characters as they ride a roller coaster of emotions in an unknown world.
Autumn Birt has done a wonderful job of creating depth and humanity in her characters, complete with frailties and failings without resorting to over-the-top angst, off-color dialogue or adult situations. A magical start to this series!
Certainly not a quick read, but one to be savored, enjoyed and to feel the same discoveries the young characters experience!
Series: The Rise of the Fifth Order - Book 1
Publisher: Autumn M. Birt; 3 edition (May 9, 2015)
Publication Date: May 9, 2015
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Print Length: 368 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
July 22, 2013
First of all, I love the ideas of putting the four basic elements of our planet - earth, water, fire, and air - into their own context. Here in this book, they have their own temple, their own super powers, and their own practitioners, called Elementals. This author has a vivid imagination. You can tell she is just bubbling over with ideas, and that she could continue conjuring magnificent scenes as long as her sleep holds out and as long as her computer does not break down!
In a quest reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings, a foursome travels to seek the answers to thwart off an evil curse. The pacing is a little uneven, as we're told at the beginning that the quest is urgent, but then the book slows down in order to give the characters breathing space in order to develop bonds and relationships, which are lovingly explored. The author cares about her characters, and she strives hard to give each of the four major characters equal time and billing. It works: we know a lot about each of the foursome by the time the book ends.
As for Ty, the only male in the posse, I understand the desire to give him a brooding nature, but sometimes his outbursts and hunches seem to be odd. Perhaps digging deeper as to why he feels that way would help us identify even more with his character. For example, he states before the halfway point in the book that he doesn't trust one of the group, Niri, who had initially joined out of urgency, but her actions to date had only protected the group from great harm. While he did have a flashback to recount why he felt that way about members of the ominous "Church," by that point Niri had vastly proved herself. Placing his mistrust squarely at the moment she joined, at the very beginning, might have been a more smooth introduction of his feelings about the "Church."
I agree with another reviewer that there is a little too much description on an ongoing basis throughout the entire book. The battle scenes were great and left me breathless, but there is a little too much recounting of travel in the book, leading to lulls between battle scenes. I felt as if the characters had docked, sailed, headed into port, and re-assembled so many times that I just lost count. On the other hand, Lavinia's sojourn in the Forest of Falin was very nicely done, and I didn't feel that there was any waste of story-telling. The author knows that we need periods of rest between fight scenes to allow the characters room to grow and to establish friendships, and that is what happens in the Forest of Falin.
I loved two battle scenes in particular. The battle at the Temple of Dust and the battle at the Temple of Wind. Fire versus water. Air versus Earth. Thrilling!
In a quest reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings, a foursome travels to seek the answers to thwart off an evil curse. The pacing is a little uneven, as we're told at the beginning that the quest is urgent, but then the book slows down in order to give the characters breathing space in order to develop bonds and relationships, which are lovingly explored. The author cares about her characters, and she strives hard to give each of the four major characters equal time and billing. It works: we know a lot about each of the foursome by the time the book ends.
As for Ty, the only male in the posse, I understand the desire to give him a brooding nature, but sometimes his outbursts and hunches seem to be odd. Perhaps digging deeper as to why he feels that way would help us identify even more with his character. For example, he states before the halfway point in the book that he doesn't trust one of the group, Niri, who had initially joined out of urgency, but her actions to date had only protected the group from great harm. While he did have a flashback to recount why he felt that way about members of the ominous "Church," by that point Niri had vastly proved herself. Placing his mistrust squarely at the moment she joined, at the very beginning, might have been a more smooth introduction of his feelings about the "Church."
I agree with another reviewer that there is a little too much description on an ongoing basis throughout the entire book. The battle scenes were great and left me breathless, but there is a little too much recounting of travel in the book, leading to lulls between battle scenes. I felt as if the characters had docked, sailed, headed into port, and re-assembled so many times that I just lost count. On the other hand, Lavinia's sojourn in the Forest of Falin was very nicely done, and I didn't feel that there was any waste of story-telling. The author knows that we need periods of rest between fight scenes to allow the characters room to grow and to establish friendships, and that is what happens in the Forest of Falin.
I loved two battle scenes in particular. The battle at the Temple of Dust and the battle at the Temple of Wind. Fire versus water. Air versus Earth. Thrilling!
September 21, 2014
Born of Water by Autumn M. Birt is a well-crafted fantasy adventure featuring Niri, a priestess of the Church of Four Orders. She seeks to recruit Ria, a girl from Mirocyne rumored to possess mystical powers. Only upon encountering Ria and her comrades, Ty and Lavinia, she discovers kindred spirits who she feels compelled to protect from the dark forces of the universe. They begin an epic journey that takes them across the Forest of Falin to the Great Desert of Ak’Ashanti (and this one comes with maps included, folks). Along the way, they find themselves on a path of self-discovery where Ria and her friends learn as much about themselves as their mystical environment in this coming-of-age novel.
The element of water plays an essential role in the author’s narrative. Niri realizes an epiphany in the opening chapter as she sees it as a new horizon, taking her beyond her limited role as a priestess and allowing her to explore a new reality. We also see how it is considered a sacred element by the people, revered for its life-giving qualities as much as its mystery and promise to explorers and wayfarers. For Ria it is a blessing and a curse, a source of power that the diabolical Curse is sent to destroy. It also serves as a metaphor in the subplot as the roguish Ty seeks to redeem himself, washing himself clean of his mottled past in becoming the anti-hero in Birt’s story. The author cleverly brings her central theme to mind in developing the storyline, giving it an Aquarian sense of adventure and fidelity with which readers of all ages can identify.
Pick up a copy of Born of Water by Autumn M. Birt and prepare for a trip you won’t forget.
The element of water plays an essential role in the author’s narrative. Niri realizes an epiphany in the opening chapter as she sees it as a new horizon, taking her beyond her limited role as a priestess and allowing her to explore a new reality. We also see how it is considered a sacred element by the people, revered for its life-giving qualities as much as its mystery and promise to explorers and wayfarers. For Ria it is a blessing and a curse, a source of power that the diabolical Curse is sent to destroy. It also serves as a metaphor in the subplot as the roguish Ty seeks to redeem himself, washing himself clean of his mottled past in becoming the anti-hero in Birt’s story. The author cleverly brings her central theme to mind in developing the storyline, giving it an Aquarian sense of adventure and fidelity with which readers of all ages can identify.
Pick up a copy of Born of Water by Autumn M. Birt and prepare for a trip you won’t forget.
December 20, 2020
A nice pretty light YA with lots of adventure and pretty good pacing. The protagonists are generally likeable and relatable (although Ty can be frustrating at times). There is the potential for a well built world although I wish we'd spent more time in some of the communities and cultures, learning about them.
This reminds me a lot of Avatar with the use of the four elements and the focus on the story. I enjoy the wide sense of adventure with pirates, storms, a desert, dragons, a city that reminds me of Tortuga from Pirates of the Caribbean. This doesn't delve into some of the complexity that some fantasy novels do (there's a lot of handwaving on how easy it is to survive in a desert with minimal water or how to use camels when you've never traveled with them before), but that doesn't bother me too much because it fits the storytelling mode the author has going. I think the one piece I wish the author had concentrated on more is why the characters trust each other. I understand how they end up together but some of the trust and feeling of friendship comes awfully fast, especially between Niri and the others (she calls them friends after knowing them about an hour in adverse circumstances). Same with the relationship between Lavinia and Darag...it's just too easy. Not a huge complaint at the end of the day, but that was the part that I think bothered me the most.
Anyways, I recommend this to anyone who enjoys Avatar the Last Airbender or is looking for a fun fast-paced read with adventure and magic. I also think this would make an excellent tv show because the imagery is great.
I received a complimentary copy from the author.
This reminds me a lot of Avatar with the use of the four elements and the focus on the story. I enjoy the wide sense of adventure with pirates, storms, a desert, dragons, a city that reminds me of Tortuga from Pirates of the Caribbean. This doesn't delve into some of the complexity that some fantasy novels do (there's a lot of handwaving on how easy it is to survive in a desert with minimal water or how to use camels when you've never traveled with them before), but that doesn't bother me too much because it fits the storytelling mode the author has going. I think the one piece I wish the author had concentrated on more is why the characters trust each other. I understand how they end up together but some of the trust and feeling of friendship comes awfully fast, especially between Niri and the others (she calls them friends after knowing them about an hour in adverse circumstances). Same with the relationship between Lavinia and Darag...it's just too easy. Not a huge complaint at the end of the day, but that was the part that I think bothered me the most.
Anyways, I recommend this to anyone who enjoys Avatar the Last Airbender or is looking for a fun fast-paced read with adventure and magic. I also think this would make an excellent tv show because the imagery is great.
I received a complimentary copy from the author.
September 8, 2013
I saw some chatter about this book on Twitter, connected with the author, and took a look. I liked what I found!
Synopsis: Niri is a priestess of the Church and she was supposed to select Ria as a new acolyte during a ceremony. She doesn’t, but tries to atone for her mistake by following Ria, her friend Lavinia, and Lavinia’s brother Ty. They discover that Ria possesses magic power - which is forbidden by the Church. Niri helps them escape, forfeiting her own position to do so. They embark on a quest to discover a way to defeat the Curse, a magical being that was created to pursue and kill those who possess magic. Along the way, they have many wondrous adventures and discover amazing talents and abilities. No spoilers from me, though!
What I liked: I enjoyed the way Autumn Birt fleshed out her characters and her description of events. The scenes while sailing were well done, as were the events in the forest where they meet Darag. I particularly liked the evolution of the relationships among the characters. Some were predictable, while others a surprise.
The narrative itself was also entertaining and the author’s imagination worked well with the use of the Elements Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Niri, a Water Elemental, finds creative ways to use her powers to further their quest, and who knows what else they will discover before the quest ends?
What I didn’t like: I found a few spelling errors that distracted me a bit. Ty’s mood swings and odd outbursts needed some explanation (but perhaps they will be explained in the sequel). I also thought that a little more background on each of the characters would have been helpful in understanding the way the characters acted and reacted.
Overall impression: Born of Water is a very nicely told story with a fresh take on the four elements. I would recommend it to fantasy adventure fans, those who like a little romance, and anyone who is a fan of magic! I know I will read the next installment!
Synopsis: Niri is a priestess of the Church and she was supposed to select Ria as a new acolyte during a ceremony. She doesn’t, but tries to atone for her mistake by following Ria, her friend Lavinia, and Lavinia’s brother Ty. They discover that Ria possesses magic power - which is forbidden by the Church. Niri helps them escape, forfeiting her own position to do so. They embark on a quest to discover a way to defeat the Curse, a magical being that was created to pursue and kill those who possess magic. Along the way, they have many wondrous adventures and discover amazing talents and abilities. No spoilers from me, though!
What I liked: I enjoyed the way Autumn Birt fleshed out her characters and her description of events. The scenes while sailing were well done, as were the events in the forest where they meet Darag. I particularly liked the evolution of the relationships among the characters. Some were predictable, while others a surprise.
The narrative itself was also entertaining and the author’s imagination worked well with the use of the Elements Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Niri, a Water Elemental, finds creative ways to use her powers to further their quest, and who knows what else they will discover before the quest ends?
What I didn’t like: I found a few spelling errors that distracted me a bit. Ty’s mood swings and odd outbursts needed some explanation (but perhaps they will be explained in the sequel). I also thought that a little more background on each of the characters would have been helpful in understanding the way the characters acted and reacted.
Overall impression: Born of Water is a very nicely told story with a fresh take on the four elements. I would recommend it to fantasy adventure fans, those who like a little romance, and anyone who is a fan of magic! I know I will read the next installment!
July 21, 2014
This is one of those books for which I wish there was a four and a half star option!
I loved this book. The first thing that dragged me in was the gorgeous description. The author is outstanding at painting vivid pictures of both the place and the people within it and I loved that the book travelled all over the shop over the course of it.
The second thing that dragged me in was the main character of Niri. She is both naive and strong which is a winning combination in my book.
I loved the magic and the way it expands in the final third of the book is also very exciting.
The set pieces, from the battle in the desert to the final showdown up in the mountains were great. Well described and exhilarating.
Why would I like to give it four and a half instead of five?
Two small bugbears. In the early parts of the book, the characters swayed back and forth in terms of emotion. Sometimes it worked perfectly and other times it just felt a bit forced. It took a slight leap of faith on my part to stick with them until their motivations became clear.
My other slight issue was a tendency to start a number of chapters in the future for a few paragraphs then jump back in time. It confused me a little until I got the hang of it!
However, those small gripes aside, this book is a wonderful, epic tale I wouldn't hesitate to recommend, particularly to young adult readers.
I loved this book. The first thing that dragged me in was the gorgeous description. The author is outstanding at painting vivid pictures of both the place and the people within it and I loved that the book travelled all over the shop over the course of it.
The second thing that dragged me in was the main character of Niri. She is both naive and strong which is a winning combination in my book.
I loved the magic and the way it expands in the final third of the book is also very exciting.
The set pieces, from the battle in the desert to the final showdown up in the mountains were great. Well described and exhilarating.
Why would I like to give it four and a half instead of five?
Two small bugbears. In the early parts of the book, the characters swayed back and forth in terms of emotion. Sometimes it worked perfectly and other times it just felt a bit forced. It took a slight leap of faith on my part to stick with them until their motivations became clear.
My other slight issue was a tendency to start a number of chapters in the future for a few paragraphs then jump back in time. It confused me a little until I got the hang of it!
However, those small gripes aside, this book is a wonderful, epic tale I wouldn't hesitate to recommend, particularly to young adult readers.
August 18, 2018
Disjointed story
While I managed to complete this book I have no desire to read the others. The story seems to keep an uneven pace. At times I was frustrated with how it dragged on and on about how to sail and at other times the interesting ideas never seemed fully formed. One minute they all hate Niri and the next they admire her. Then hatred turns to love on a dime but with no idea how they arrive there. I would not recommend this one.
While I managed to complete this book I have no desire to read the others. The story seems to keep an uneven pace. At times I was frustrated with how it dragged on and on about how to sail and at other times the interesting ideas never seemed fully formed. One minute they all hate Niri and the next they admire her. Then hatred turns to love on a dime but with no idea how they arrive there. I would not recommend this one.
March 6, 2016
I just finished reading "Born of Water", Rise of the Fifth Order Book1 by Autumn M. Birt, and what a fantastical journey it was. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series. Autumn M. Birt is one of those authors who allows you to dream with your eyes wide open. Loved it....
May 24, 2020
An interesting plot, follows Niri as she tries to rescue Ria from the church who would kill her because of the power that she has. They set out with brother Ty and his sister Liv on an epic adventure each learning their abilities are far greater than they initially thought. This is one of those books that stays with you after you put it down, you wonder what will happen next and how things will turn out.
I removed a star (I would make it half a star if possible) because I found it confusing who was speaking many times, and sometimes it was attributed wrongly in my opinion. This is likely an editing rather than writing error. Also the mood swings for no apparent reason were off putting during the first half of the book, and it could have used an explanation. An explanation of sorts was offered later but would have made more sense earlier. However, this didn't spoil the book for me and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy novels.
I prefer fantasy that has it's own world and the world building is excellent. It covers several continents, each with different people, styles of buildings, landscapes and so on.
I removed a star (I would make it half a star if possible) because I found it confusing who was speaking many times, and sometimes it was attributed wrongly in my opinion. This is likely an editing rather than writing error. Also the mood swings for no apparent reason were off putting during the first half of the book, and it could have used an explanation. An explanation of sorts was offered later but would have made more sense earlier. However, this didn't spoil the book for me and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy novels.
I prefer fantasy that has it's own world and the world building is excellent. It covers several continents, each with different people, styles of buildings, landscapes and so on.
July 4, 2018
An intriguing premise, much too long for my sensibilities though.
December 11, 2017
TLDR: Cool story and characters with some giant side-eye moments.
BORN OF WATER is a story that reads like a cross between the Odyssey and Avatar: The Last Airbender; it's less about the endpoint as it is about the journey itself. And the cool elemental powers, of course. I did enjoy how the relationships between the cast evolved and deepened, as well as the plotline to discover the secrets of the past. The world is racially diverse and well planned. The story begins in an area I thought mirrored Rome or Greece, but the cast travels far beyond that to areas that resemble Celtic Scotland, the Middle East, and China. The writing in each new environment is so lush and detailed, you can taste the salt on your tongue and feel the desert sun on your face.
I appreciate many of the romantic themes, specifically the importance of two people fully consenting to a relationship when they are ready. Darag and Lavinia's storyline was a sudden but welcome departure from the main plot. I'm always skeptical of people falling in love in the space of a week, but I found myself coming around to these two. I'm also glad Ty got over his unrequited feelings for Ria since I detest it when guys 'wear down' and thus win the girl.
Of the main cast, Nirine and Lavinia are definitely the most developed and interesting. Niri's struggle to challenge the teachings that have guided her entire life is compelling, as is the steady exploration of her powers. Lavinia's growth from an insecure girl antsy to grow up to a confident swordsman who won't ever grow up was great. She didn't have any magical powers or sailing prowess to bring to the table, so she took it upon herself to acquire her own special skill set.
Ty and Ria were nebulous to me. Ty's unpredictable moods made him tough to sympathize with, even as I was seeing the signs that he would become Niri's love interest. It was tough to see why anybody would love this dude with all his volatility. Despite being the one whose powers set off the entire novel, Ria felt like a tertiary character until the last 20% of the book. The development of Ria's powers were almost laughable. She goes an entire novel with almost no magic experience, and then learns to shapeshift into a dragon during--not before, DURING--a life and death battle with another dragon. And that's not even going into her very rapid mastery in manipulating all four elements.
I have mixed feelings about the revelation that any elemental can manipulate all the elements if they tried. On one hand, it felt overpowered and convenient for Niri, Darag, Ria, and Zhao to master multiple elements right before the big finale. It also made me confused about how magic/elemental control even works in this world. On the other, I find the storyline of figuring just how deep the Church's rewrite of history goes super cool, and finding out that the magic system itself was 'rewritten' by the Church interesting as well.
My greatest peeve is that many scenes use this strange in media res structure that doesn't really work. For example, the very first scene begins with Niri searching the city for Ria. After a page or two, we get a flashback passage describing the ceremony that caused Niri's search. Why not start the book with the ceremony? Why tell us Niri's motivations instead of show us? I found it difficult to understand Niri's urgency or the significance of the ceremony with this after-the-fact context. This jarring narrative device crops up many times, including right before the climax. We get a line of dialogue suggesting a battle is about to begin, then we are slingshotted back in time two days to recount the training the cast did to prepare for said battle. It totally disrupts the tension.
BUT! Despite the weird scene structure, despite wanting to throttle Ty half the time, despite wondering how the hell magic even functions in this world...I still loved the book enough to grab the next one.
BORN OF WATER is a story that reads like a cross between the Odyssey and Avatar: The Last Airbender; it's less about the endpoint as it is about the journey itself. And the cool elemental powers, of course. I did enjoy how the relationships between the cast evolved and deepened, as well as the plotline to discover the secrets of the past. The world is racially diverse and well planned. The story begins in an area I thought mirrored Rome or Greece, but the cast travels far beyond that to areas that resemble Celtic Scotland, the Middle East, and China. The writing in each new environment is so lush and detailed, you can taste the salt on your tongue and feel the desert sun on your face.
I appreciate many of the romantic themes, specifically the importance of two people fully consenting to a relationship when they are ready. Darag and Lavinia's storyline was a sudden but welcome departure from the main plot. I'm always skeptical of people falling in love in the space of a week, but I found myself coming around to these two. I'm also glad Ty got over his unrequited feelings for Ria since I detest it when guys 'wear down' and thus win the girl.
Of the main cast, Nirine and Lavinia are definitely the most developed and interesting. Niri's struggle to challenge the teachings that have guided her entire life is compelling, as is the steady exploration of her powers. Lavinia's growth from an insecure girl antsy to grow up to a confident swordsman who won't ever grow up was great. She didn't have any magical powers or sailing prowess to bring to the table, so she took it upon herself to acquire her own special skill set.
Ty and Ria were nebulous to me. Ty's unpredictable moods made him tough to sympathize with, even as I was seeing the signs that he would become Niri's love interest. It was tough to see why anybody would love this dude with all his volatility. Despite being the one whose powers set off the entire novel, Ria felt like a tertiary character until the last 20% of the book. The development of Ria's powers were almost laughable. She goes an entire novel with almost no magic experience, and then learns to shapeshift into a dragon during--not before, DURING--a life and death battle with another dragon. And that's not even going into her very rapid mastery in manipulating all four elements.
I have mixed feelings about the revelation that any elemental can manipulate all the elements if they tried. On one hand, it felt overpowered and convenient for Niri, Darag, Ria, and Zhao to master multiple elements right before the big finale. It also made me confused about how magic/elemental control even works in this world. On the other, I find the storyline of figuring just how deep the Church's rewrite of history goes super cool, and finding out that the magic system itself was 'rewritten' by the Church interesting as well.
My greatest peeve is that many scenes use this strange in media res structure that doesn't really work. For example, the very first scene begins with Niri searching the city for Ria. After a page or two, we get a flashback passage describing the ceremony that caused Niri's search. Why not start the book with the ceremony? Why tell us Niri's motivations instead of show us? I found it difficult to understand Niri's urgency or the significance of the ceremony with this after-the-fact context. This jarring narrative device crops up many times, including right before the climax. We get a line of dialogue suggesting a battle is about to begin, then we are slingshotted back in time two days to recount the training the cast did to prepare for said battle. It totally disrupts the tension.
BUT! Despite the weird scene structure, despite wanting to throttle Ty half the time, despite wondering how the hell magic even functions in this world...I still loved the book enough to grab the next one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2013
“Born of Water” has promise as a story. The premise is clever and provides for some really interesting fight scenes. The magic system of the book isn’t all that unique: Individuals able to control wind, water, fire, earth, and spirit. It’s a thing familiar to Native American culture. But Brit does an excellent job of giving the magic new life.
This is a quest/journey story, with a group of individuals traveling to various locals in an effort to uncover secrets of the past, all while being sought by a terrible foe. This made the story extremely exciting in places, and dreadfully boring in others. There’s only so many ways you can describe sailing on an open sea. It doesn’t help much that the descriptions in the book were often lavish, with some sentences attempting to do too much work and ending up confusing. The actions scenes were tense, and I thought Brit did an excellent job of keeping within the boundaries of her designed magic system. There was only once where she didn’t foreshadowing one of the character’s abilities, and the scene felt contrived rather than natural.
The characters, while given solid personality traits, could be flighty at times, with wild emotional twists. The women were petulant and fearful, while the men all carried this chivalrous attitude that stood in the way of granting them a measure of maturity. I don’t exactly recall the ages of the characters, but their actions made them feel like adolescents.
Brit does an extraordinary job in bringing her new lands to life. Her imaginative eye takes the reader and places them firmly in these interesting settings. It was these moments when the story truly showed it promise.
There were a few issues with the story and the style that I felt really hurt the book. One female character learns how to use a sword and disarms a "fine fighter" in only a few days. Chapters sometimes open in the present before switching to flashbacks, and then returning to the present. This became a bit jarring and there didn’t seem to be any need for not starting the new chapters where the old left off. There was also a bit of head jumping, which pulled me out of the story time and against as I tried to understand how one character knew another character’s intimate thoughts.
Even with its faults, “Born of Water” was an interesting read. It was a good story overpowered by heavy & odd description, but with unique takes on setting. Some sentences were rough and clearly rushed. I think it would be worth Brit’s time to invest in an editor to ensure the book is polished to its potential.
This is a quest/journey story, with a group of individuals traveling to various locals in an effort to uncover secrets of the past, all while being sought by a terrible foe. This made the story extremely exciting in places, and dreadfully boring in others. There’s only so many ways you can describe sailing on an open sea. It doesn’t help much that the descriptions in the book were often lavish, with some sentences attempting to do too much work and ending up confusing. The actions scenes were tense, and I thought Brit did an excellent job of keeping within the boundaries of her designed magic system. There was only once where she didn’t foreshadowing one of the character’s abilities, and the scene felt contrived rather than natural.
The characters, while given solid personality traits, could be flighty at times, with wild emotional twists. The women were petulant and fearful, while the men all carried this chivalrous attitude that stood in the way of granting them a measure of maturity. I don’t exactly recall the ages of the characters, but their actions made them feel like adolescents.
Brit does an extraordinary job in bringing her new lands to life. Her imaginative eye takes the reader and places them firmly in these interesting settings. It was these moments when the story truly showed it promise.
There were a few issues with the story and the style that I felt really hurt the book. One female character learns how to use a sword and disarms a "fine fighter" in only a few days. Chapters sometimes open in the present before switching to flashbacks, and then returning to the present. This became a bit jarring and there didn’t seem to be any need for not starting the new chapters where the old left off. There was also a bit of head jumping, which pulled me out of the story time and against as I tried to understand how one character knew another character’s intimate thoughts.
Even with its faults, “Born of Water” was an interesting read. It was a good story overpowered by heavy & odd description, but with unique takes on setting. Some sentences were rough and clearly rushed. I think it would be worth Brit’s time to invest in an editor to ensure the book is polished to its potential.
March 30, 2013
Enjoyable fantasy suitable for young adult audience.
Four young adults travel by boat, by camel and on foot, to evade the Curse, a winged beast that kills users of forbidden magic and those who use magic outside the rules of ‘the Church’, which is composed of four orders of Elementals.
I very much liked the notion of Elemental magic. Niri’s power over water is used imaginatively in the various adventures throughout the journey, and control of air makes for an exciting battle versus the Curse. The story is well-developed and I was genuinely interested in what would happen next. The fantasy world is easy to visualise, with landscapes common to the genre, ranging from tree-dwellings to desert. There are often details that lift the description above the usual; the four temples are well-created and struck me as different.
Details of the sea journeys are especially convincing and you get the feeling that this author really knows about ships and sailing. Of course it helps the journey to have a naiad, Niri, changing the tide from time to time.
The main characters are under 20 (if you don’t count the tree-being Darag, who is considered young in his own community) and they are full of angst over boyfriend/girlfriend possibilities and over brother/sister arguments and little jealousies. Romance is innocent and starry-eyed, although the cultural difficulties of falling in love with a tree-person add some welcome dilemmas. I think a young adult reader would identify more with these emotions than I did; I find brother Ty’s possessive attitude to sister Lavinia highly irritating. There are times when I would like to remind the group that they are on a mission and that they are wasting time on petty sulks – but that is a reflection on my jaded 57 years.
I do think there are way too many significant looks and gestures, and that cutting three-quarters of these out completely would improve the pace without losing any of the emotion. The reader doesn’t need every blink and hand movement described.
Four young adults travel by boat, by camel and on foot, to evade the Curse, a winged beast that kills users of forbidden magic and those who use magic outside the rules of ‘the Church’, which is composed of four orders of Elementals.
I very much liked the notion of Elemental magic. Niri’s power over water is used imaginatively in the various adventures throughout the journey, and control of air makes for an exciting battle versus the Curse. The story is well-developed and I was genuinely interested in what would happen next. The fantasy world is easy to visualise, with landscapes common to the genre, ranging from tree-dwellings to desert. There are often details that lift the description above the usual; the four temples are well-created and struck me as different.
Details of the sea journeys are especially convincing and you get the feeling that this author really knows about ships and sailing. Of course it helps the journey to have a naiad, Niri, changing the tide from time to time.
The main characters are under 20 (if you don’t count the tree-being Darag, who is considered young in his own community) and they are full of angst over boyfriend/girlfriend possibilities and over brother/sister arguments and little jealousies. Romance is innocent and starry-eyed, although the cultural difficulties of falling in love with a tree-person add some welcome dilemmas. I think a young adult reader would identify more with these emotions than I did; I find brother Ty’s possessive attitude to sister Lavinia highly irritating. There are times when I would like to remind the group that they are on a mission and that they are wasting time on petty sulks – but that is a reflection on my jaded 57 years.
I do think there are way too many significant looks and gestures, and that cutting three-quarters of these out completely would improve the pace without losing any of the emotion. The reader doesn’t need every blink and hand movement described.
November 20, 2015
As an Epic Fantasy fan, one of the things I love to see is how each author brings their world to life. I’m a huge fan of characters, and this book didn’t disappoint. My personal favorites were Niri and Ty, but for different reasons.
Niri is the typical woman-caught-in-a-difficult-situation when she finds herself between staying loyal to the church that taught her what she knows and keeping Ria safe from the Curse. While the decision seems easy, the author did a phenomenal job of showing the character’s angst as well as that of the girls she’s trying to help. As the story evolves, we get to see Niri’s previous beliefs and dreams stripped away as she discovers the truth about herself. I can’t tell you how much I loved it when she finally came out of her shell, but that’s all I’ll say. No spoilers here.
My enjoyment of for Ty is more complicated. I’ve always been a fan of the complicated characters that you like, but also want to slap the crap out of them. They make the story fun and entertaining for me, so that’s my reasoning there.
Beyond Niri and Ty, all of the characters and their traits were well developed and engaging. Each had their moments of needing to be shaken or hugged, which added another level of depth to the story, in my opinion.
The story itself was smooth flowing and engaging. The characters spent a great deal of time sailing, and the author did an excellent job in mentioning what they were doing and why instead of going into an in-depth description. Avoiding those slow moments aren’t always easy, but I thought they were handled well and kept me interested in continuing with the story.
Overall, I enjoyed this and look forward to reading the author’s other works in the future.
Niri is the typical woman-caught-in-a-difficult-situation when she finds herself between staying loyal to the church that taught her what she knows and keeping Ria safe from the Curse. While the decision seems easy, the author did a phenomenal job of showing the character’s angst as well as that of the girls she’s trying to help. As the story evolves, we get to see Niri’s previous beliefs and dreams stripped away as she discovers the truth about herself. I can’t tell you how much I loved it when she finally came out of her shell, but that’s all I’ll say. No spoilers here.
My enjoyment of for Ty is more complicated. I’ve always been a fan of the complicated characters that you like, but also want to slap the crap out of them. They make the story fun and entertaining for me, so that’s my reasoning there.
Beyond Niri and Ty, all of the characters and their traits were well developed and engaging. Each had their moments of needing to be shaken or hugged, which added another level of depth to the story, in my opinion.
The story itself was smooth flowing and engaging. The characters spent a great deal of time sailing, and the author did an excellent job in mentioning what they were doing and why instead of going into an in-depth description. Avoiding those slow moments aren’t always easy, but I thought they were handled well and kept me interested in continuing with the story.
Overall, I enjoyed this and look forward to reading the author’s other works in the future.
January 14, 2015
I'll admit that, going into this book, I thought it was going to be a bit of a knock-off Westernized version of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Thankfully, such concerns were put to rest pretty quickly. Autumn Birt's created a solid fantasy world, where the power to control the elements has been strongly controlled by the Church of the Elements, and the use of magic is punished by death. Sounds a bit stock, perhaps, and it soon raised concerns for me that the book would wobble into other unfortunate stock modern fantasy tropes, but the book does manage to skate around that.
I won't spoil it, but suffice to say that Autumn makes great use of manipulating the limited amount of information that both the reader and the characters have, and the rules of the world seem to change as more of that information comes to light. I think that it was perhaps a bit rushed, especially with the amount of characters who eventually show up on the pages, but it's still an exhilarating ride, and I certainly sympathized with the characters as they came into their respective birthrights.
In particular, the true nature of the Curse is, well... suffice to say it underscores not just the core tensions of the story, but also in how Autumn seems to focus far more on change and understanding, rather than the usual application of steel and spell, to be the means of resolving problems.
It's an interesting approach, and while I can't say that it worked perfectly for me, it was still a very enjoyable read, and I certainly plan to add the sequel to my to-read list!
I won't spoil it, but suffice to say that Autumn makes great use of manipulating the limited amount of information that both the reader and the characters have, and the rules of the world seem to change as more of that information comes to light. I think that it was perhaps a bit rushed, especially with the amount of characters who eventually show up on the pages, but it's still an exhilarating ride, and I certainly sympathized with the characters as they came into their respective birthrights.
In particular, the true nature of the Curse is, well... suffice to say it underscores not just the core tensions of the story, but also in how Autumn seems to focus far more on change and understanding, rather than the usual application of steel and spell, to be the means of resolving problems.
It's an interesting approach, and while I can't say that it worked perfectly for me, it was still a very enjoyable read, and I certainly plan to add the sequel to my to-read list!
January 14, 2018
A well written book with believable characters. The interactions and dialogue were the strengths. However, the magic system is not explained too well and I thought there must be more ramifications to the world itself, with people who have landscape changing powers; there weren't.
Also, the magic system seemed inconsistent - I had no idea what "spells" were by the end, or how much it cost to manipulate the elements. The main character can summon the sea to the desert but not potable water from palm trees.
Quarter of the book was spent on teenage romance between two side characters that I did not care for. The plot (and the looming threat I was invested in) was all but forgotten about at this point, and I failed to see what value this added.
The pacing was mishandled too. I thought the climax had arrived at about the 80% mark, or whenever the group reached their destination, and I didn't understand why the book didn't end there. The second "climax" felt much weaker and set up the future books which I will not be reading. The romance sub plot didn't do the pacing any favours either.
All in all, I think I would have enjoyed the book if I was ten years younger. I started reading the book thinking it was adult fantasy, may be that's why this review is too negative. This might very well be a good read for teenagers.
Also, the magic system seemed inconsistent - I had no idea what "spells" were by the end, or how much it cost to manipulate the elements. The main character can summon the sea to the desert but not potable water from palm trees.
Quarter of the book was spent on teenage romance between two side characters that I did not care for. The plot (and the looming threat I was invested in) was all but forgotten about at this point, and I failed to see what value this added.
The pacing was mishandled too. I thought the climax had arrived at about the 80% mark, or whenever the group reached their destination, and I didn't understand why the book didn't end there. The second "climax" felt much weaker and set up the future books which I will not be reading. The romance sub plot didn't do the pacing any favours either.
All in all, I think I would have enjoyed the book if I was ten years younger. I started reading the book thinking it was adult fantasy, may be that's why this review is too negative. This might very well be a good read for teenagers.
July 21, 2014
From the mysterious opening to the clever ending I found this book very enjoyable. Always on the lookout for a series I can give my teenager to read I am glad I found this one.
Not one but 3 female leads! The story moves along at a good pace and keeps you wanting more. The author did a great job in describing her fantastical world without getting bogged down. You could certainly see and feel what the characters experienced and feel their peril.
Remembering the age of our heroes the angst they experience is certainly believable and relate-able.
This book has all the elements you want. Peril, unrequited love, coming of age, and a whole lot more.
Having found themselves thrown into this dangerous journey to protect the people they love these these heroes are believable in their fears and reluctance. It is only because of the fact that they stick together no matter what that they survive.
Some readers may nit pick little things but if you like young adult fantasy then this is a great read overall and still worthy of the 5 stars. I think it promises to be a great series.
Not one but 3 female leads! The story moves along at a good pace and keeps you wanting more. The author did a great job in describing her fantastical world without getting bogged down. You could certainly see and feel what the characters experienced and feel their peril.
Remembering the age of our heroes the angst they experience is certainly believable and relate-able.
This book has all the elements you want. Peril, unrequited love, coming of age, and a whole lot more.
Having found themselves thrown into this dangerous journey to protect the people they love these these heroes are believable in their fears and reluctance. It is only because of the fact that they stick together no matter what that they survive.
Some readers may nit pick little things but if you like young adult fantasy then this is a great read overall and still worthy of the 5 stars. I think it promises to be a great series.
July 30, 2014
YA Fantasy for everyone. This is at its heart, a quest. Take a talented priestess who finds that her church is far from pure, set her and a group of friends adrift (sort of), and add a curse that will not stop-- even when bound by water and chained to the bottom of the sea.
It's a great world to explore, and I love the notion that being able to control more than one element makes you a criminal. There's a lesson to be learned about power and control, and Birt does an excellent job building a world where magic and religion are one in the same.
It's a great world to explore, and I love the notion that being able to control more than one element makes you a criminal. There's a lesson to be learned about power and control, and Birt does an excellent job building a world where magic and religion are one in the same.
April 18, 2018
A great adventure with a good mix of intrigue and a little romance. The concept and story were well done and unique from many of the epic fantasy novels I have read before.
I enjoyed the various lead characters, in particular, Niri.
I enjoyed the various lead characters, in particular, Niri.
July 10, 2017
Born of Water is the fits book on The Rise of the Fifth Order series, which is quite unique and, perhaps, even a little complex. First, I wish to compliment the author on her imagination. The world she created, creatures and curses were something amazing and enchanting. In fact, I adding a couple of color maps into the book just helped to make the story even more magical and exciting. Nonetheless, I advise you to devote your whole attention to the story if you are reading it. Otherwise, you will get very confused because it has so many characters telling their problems, worries and adventures that you would even forget who the main one. In fact, I even doubt there is a hero or heroine. In my opinion, all of them battled for the reader’s attention in their own unique ways. First Ria, who has lived a lie all her life. Yes, she who people made her believe and if people find out, it might be the end for her. Then there is Niri, a water priestess who might be the only hope of survival for Ria. Then there are the two siblings that swore to protect Ria from harm’s way. Yes, you will get your time to get to know each one of them and even more secondary characters.
Honestly, having that many characters and trying to give almost equal attention to each of them is very tiring for the reader. Suddenly everything was all Niri, then all Ria, then we jump to the siblings and back again. It was very confusing. However, the strong point is that we get to see the character development of each, to some point. Another thing that I would like to see was a better explanation of the world Ria and her friends are living with. What is the Church? What is an Elemental? I am not saying you don’t get an explanation. All I am saying is that suddenly you are pushed head first into the story without a proper introduction and hints and pieces are just left through the story for you to interpret. I am not saying it is bad, it just isn’t exactly my cup of tea.
Now, I must compliment the way the author mixed mystery, action, romance, and friendship. I kind of had fun trying to figure out the course Ria’s group was going to take. I was even hoping for a couple to develop, it kind of did just not the one I was expecting. Oh well, I love unexpected twists and this plot has a lot. I do believe that aside from originality, the strong point of this book is that was never predictable.
Honestly, having that many characters and trying to give almost equal attention to each of them is very tiring for the reader. Suddenly everything was all Niri, then all Ria, then we jump to the siblings and back again. It was very confusing. However, the strong point is that we get to see the character development of each, to some point. Another thing that I would like to see was a better explanation of the world Ria and her friends are living with. What is the Church? What is an Elemental? I am not saying you don’t get an explanation. All I am saying is that suddenly you are pushed head first into the story without a proper introduction and hints and pieces are just left through the story for you to interpret. I am not saying it is bad, it just isn’t exactly my cup of tea.
Now, I must compliment the way the author mixed mystery, action, romance, and friendship. I kind of had fun trying to figure out the course Ria’s group was going to take. I was even hoping for a couple to develop, it kind of did just not the one I was expecting. Oh well, I love unexpected twists and this plot has a lot. I do believe that aside from originality, the strong point of this book is that was never predictable.
September 11, 2018
Full of potential.
Niri, during one of the Priest ceremonies, spies a girl with hidden magic. She knows that returning without the girl could result in a punishment severe enough to leave her crippled for life. The only solution is to find this mystery girl and drag her to the church, willing or not. If she had no choice, why should this girl that shone like a sun with potential.
It isn't until a clash with some local smugglers that she realizes what the girl has is beyond potential for the elements. What she has is something that will get her killed. Something the Priests in her order of elementals calls "magic".
A Curse is unleashed to hunt the girl, named Ria, to death. The Order of Priests and Priestesses has already condemned Ria to die long before they meet her.
I was surprised consistently in this book. What I thought was just a novel of different elements sorted into their order with their Temples became a plot full of magic, gifts, friends, and strange abilites. The only thing I found difficult was quantifying the seemingly endless abilities that Niri possessed at her fingers.
Niri, during one of the Priest ceremonies, spies a girl with hidden magic. She knows that returning without the girl could result in a punishment severe enough to leave her crippled for life. The only solution is to find this mystery girl and drag her to the church, willing or not. If she had no choice, why should this girl that shone like a sun with potential.
It isn't until a clash with some local smugglers that she realizes what the girl has is beyond potential for the elements. What she has is something that will get her killed. Something the Priests in her order of elementals calls "magic".
A Curse is unleashed to hunt the girl, named Ria, to death. The Order of Priests and Priestesses has already condemned Ria to die long before they meet her.
I was surprised consistently in this book. What I thought was just a novel of different elements sorted into their order with their Temples became a plot full of magic, gifts, friends, and strange abilites. The only thing I found difficult was quantifying the seemingly endless abilities that Niri possessed at her fingers.
June 29, 2019
This review was first published on Kurt's Frontier.
Synopsis:
Priestess Niri of the Church of Four Orders is faced with an impossible choice. What started as a simple mission to retrieve a young woman who has elemental magic may have become a search and destroy mission. The girl in question, Ria, also possesses forbidden gifts. The Church has already sent the Curse to kill her. Niri renounces the Church, but that is only the beginning of her journey. She must now protect Ria from the Curse and the church. However, Ria’s friends Ty and Lavinia will try to defend her from the Church and by extension, Niri. The four companions must come to terms with their pasts and learn to trust one another if they are to survive the journey and learn the truth about the powers Ria possesses.
Review:
Autumn Brit has done a remarkable job of world building. The four elements of Water, Earth, Fire, and Air form the backbone of the magic used on this world. Niri is a water elemental who renounces her place in the clergy when their seemingly arbitrary rules condemn a sixteen-year-old girl to death. Thus, starts a journey of self-discovery for the four companions. Niri must slowly win the trust of her companions while helping them fight off the minions of the Church of the Four orders. On this journey, Ria must learn to use her forbidden magic without attracting the attention of the Church’s antimagic enforcer known as the Curse. Along the way, they will learn about their own abilities, magic and mundane, find new friends, and love.
Synopsis:
Priestess Niri of the Church of Four Orders is faced with an impossible choice. What started as a simple mission to retrieve a young woman who has elemental magic may have become a search and destroy mission. The girl in question, Ria, also possesses forbidden gifts. The Church has already sent the Curse to kill her. Niri renounces the Church, but that is only the beginning of her journey. She must now protect Ria from the Curse and the church. However, Ria’s friends Ty and Lavinia will try to defend her from the Church and by extension, Niri. The four companions must come to terms with their pasts and learn to trust one another if they are to survive the journey and learn the truth about the powers Ria possesses.
Review:
Autumn Brit has done a remarkable job of world building. The four elements of Water, Earth, Fire, and Air form the backbone of the magic used on this world. Niri is a water elemental who renounces her place in the clergy when their seemingly arbitrary rules condemn a sixteen-year-old girl to death. Thus, starts a journey of self-discovery for the four companions. Niri must slowly win the trust of her companions while helping them fight off the minions of the Church of the Four orders. On this journey, Ria must learn to use her forbidden magic without attracting the attention of the Church’s antimagic enforcer known as the Curse. Along the way, they will learn about their own abilities, magic and mundane, find new friends, and love.
September 4, 2017
This book has promise. The worldbuilding is great and the story rolls along nicely.
I did have 2 major points and 2 minor ones.
One: The characters often had exaggerated reactions to events, to the degree that it regularly felt infantile to me.
This really threw me of, which resulted in me not being able to be totally engrossed in this otherwise great story.
Two:
And now the minor ones:
The POV switching from one character to another was at times very confusing.
There were a lot of side characters which hardly featured in the book, that all had names that were named, none of which returned later in the book. I could not keep track of who had wich name and whatnot.
I did have 2 major points and 2 minor ones.
One: The characters often had exaggerated reactions to events, to the degree that it regularly felt infantile to me.
This really threw me of, which resulted in me not being able to be totally engrossed in this otherwise great story.
Two:
And now the minor ones:
The POV switching from one character to another was at times very confusing.
There were a lot of side characters which hardly featured in the book, that all had names that were named, none of which returned later in the book. I could not keep track of who had wich name and whatnot.
December 24, 2019
I tried to shove past the stilted grammar, the switching back and forth randomly between character voice, the errors, and such. It's like four characters share the same scatterbrained mind. He likes her, she likes him, she likes her, she doesn't like her, back and forth, everyone snuggles, lean on the manly man, no I hate you, get mad at the untrustworthy sister, kiss and make up, build a connection, snuggle again, break the connections, and none of it is done based on any kind of consistence. Weird ways of advancing a plot, traveling between towns for a single action in each town as the characters play musical chairs with each other for no reason. Bizarre serendipity moments to reward weird plot devices. I found a sword, I've always wanted to learn the sword, run away into the woods with the sword, oh look I stumbled into someone to teach me the sword, and they can do it in a day! A decent starting premise, but nothing else whatsoever works.
Ugh!
Ugh!
January 29, 2017
The good, the bad, the epulogue
The good: The story and the elements are so well written that you find yourself waiting to see what they can do. The addition of the other races, kith and nomads makes it more interesting. The story does a good job of not ending on a cliff hanger but leaving you wanting to read the second just to see how each character will continue to grow.
The bad: there are so many voices it is hard to keep track of who is talking and what is happening. I understand the author wanting to show all angles but it becomes difficult when non main characters just pop up narrating their stories.
The epilogue: this book is one epic journey for all the people, not just one which gives the reader the chance to fall in love with each part. A must read for fantasy lovers!
The good: The story and the elements are so well written that you find yourself waiting to see what they can do. The addition of the other races, kith and nomads makes it more interesting. The story does a good job of not ending on a cliff hanger but leaving you wanting to read the second just to see how each character will continue to grow.
The bad: there are so many voices it is hard to keep track of who is talking and what is happening. I understand the author wanting to show all angles but it becomes difficult when non main characters just pop up narrating their stories.
The epilogue: this book is one epic journey for all the people, not just one which gives the reader the chance to fall in love with each part. A must read for fantasy lovers!
May 28, 2018
Ria’s journey to learning who she is, what she can do is very action packed. Filled with love, betrayal and magic.
Niri learning about what the Church is really about is deep. She learns what she needs to do and how to go about doing it.
Lavinia - Ria’s best friend is so loyal and wants to help but doesn’t know how until she comes across a sword. I’ll leave you to find out what she does with it.
Ty - Lavinia’s brother - isn’t who he seems he is but he grows as a character and and as a sibling and friend.
Overall this story is Spell bounding- no pun intended. I love it and it has me on the edge of my seat. Love! Would definitely recommend!
Niri learning about what the Church is really about is deep. She learns what she needs to do and how to go about doing it.
Lavinia - Ria’s best friend is so loyal and wants to help but doesn’t know how until she comes across a sword. I’ll leave you to find out what she does with it.
Ty - Lavinia’s brother - isn’t who he seems he is but he grows as a character and and as a sibling and friend.
Overall this story is Spell bounding- no pun intended. I love it and it has me on the edge of my seat. Love! Would definitely recommend!
July 26, 2018
Wow! I've had this book sitting in my kindle for a while, but never got around to reading it. Then I won the audio book in giveaway, and now I'm hooked. Admittedly, there were about a hundred pages there that I wanted to murder one of the main characters for being a big baby, but they got over it, eventually. The magic system is a little wonky, but interesting. I like the characters, but wish the narrator had done a better job of differentiating between their voices. The story is interesting enough that I would read the e-book when I couldn't listen to the audio book. I very much look forward to the next in the series.
January 27, 2018
.The story started off a bit slow with hard to like characters. But about 25% into the story I found it hard to put down. The characters had flaws-- they were not perfect. The interactions were real. These were people with problems and they needed each other to resolve them. Well written and with plenty of challenges. Good interesting cast of characters. Dealing with different forms of magic-- earth, water, wind but uniting to overcome those that were there to "help and teach them" but in reality just wanted to control them!
September 15, 2018
Nice Start to an Epic Tale
I received this book for free. It took me a while to get into a groove with this book. It has a lot of setup for this fantasy realm. However, the story is entertaining and immersive. This book concluded it's main plot, but it opens a world for continuing stories and a conclusion to an overarching storyline started in this book.
There are a number of grammatical errors. There is also the typical YA romance. I didn't find either to be too distracting.
I received this book for free. It took me a while to get into a groove with this book. It has a lot of setup for this fantasy realm. However, the story is entertaining and immersive. This book concluded it's main plot, but it opens a world for continuing stories and a conclusion to an overarching storyline started in this book.
There are a number of grammatical errors. There is also the typical YA romance. I didn't find either to be too distracting.
November 30, 2018
Overall, the story was enjoyable. I found the characters interesting and loved the magical, elemental aspect. The story reminded me of the Avatar: the Last Airbender series. Some parts were hard to follow and some areas seemed jumbled, I didn't like how a chapter would start in the middle of an event then suddenly jump to two days earlier. My only other complaint was Ty; he annoyed me beyond anything. I feel like I really got into the story towards the end, so I'm curious about the second book.
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