What do you think?
Rate this book
The Flaxfield Quartet #2
Fireborn
Cabbage is an apprentice wizard, and it is harvest time, when wizards travel to make the harvest safe. But when Cabbage and his master, Flaxfield, try to work the harvest spells, they encounter magic that turns the field to flames.
Bee is an apprentice wizard, and tomorrow is her twelfth birthday, when apprentices learn their true names. Bee’s is Flame, a powerful name that her greedy master wants to steal. But doing so will disturb the universe, and it’s hard to say what might be born out of the fire that results. . . .
In this companion to Dragonborn, Toby Forward creates an enchanting adventure set in a world out of balance—and introduces us to the marvelous characters who will set it right again.
Bee is an apprentice wizard, and tomorrow is her twelfth birthday, when apprentices learn their true names. Bee’s is Flame, a powerful name that her greedy master wants to steal. But doing so will disturb the universe, and it’s hard to say what might be born out of the fire that results. . . .
In this companion to Dragonborn, Toby Forward creates an enchanting adventure set in a world out of balance—and introduces us to the marvelous characters who will set it right again.
448 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
40 people are currently reading
369 people want to read
About the author
Toby Forward
45 books32 followersToby Forward is the author of many books for children, including Shakespeare's Globe. He has also written for adults. Toby Forward lives in Liverpool, England, with his wife and two daughters.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
October 1, 2019
3.75 stars
I liked how this sort of tied into the first book slowly and then all at once. I was happy to read some of the origin stories of people we'd met in Dragonborn, and I liked trying to figure out who they were before the story told us.
The writing didn't feel quite as strong as the first, though I did enjoy reading it once I got into it. It took me a little bit to be fully invested, but then I was hooked. There's a lot about the magic system that isn't explained which is somewhat annoying, but I'm hoping the next book will help expand on that, as it goes back to following the characters from Dragonborn.
I liked how this sort of tied into the first book slowly and then all at once. I was happy to read some of the origin stories of people we'd met in Dragonborn, and I liked trying to figure out who they were before the story told us.
The writing didn't feel quite as strong as the first, though I did enjoy reading it once I got into it. It took me a little bit to be fully invested, but then I was hooked. There's a lot about the magic system that isn't explained which is somewhat annoying, but I'm hoping the next book will help expand on that, as it goes back to following the characters from Dragonborn.
February 4, 2014
Forward, Toby. Fireborn: A Dragonborn Novel. Bloomsbury, 2013.
Bee is an apprentice to an evil fire wizard, and on the day of her naming ceremony, he steals her magic. Now she will need help from another wizard and his apprentice to get her magic back from the evil wizard.
The narration in this book is beautiful. I loved the lyrical quality of the fairy-tale story. This was not a "read for my fifteen minute break and then put down" kind of book; I needed lots of uninterrupted time to get lost in the story and enjoy the world-building and the characters. This book is not fast-paced, so I would not recommend it to readers with little patience for narration, but strong readers or those who enjoy taking their time to read through a book will enjoy this one very much.
Recommended for: tweens
Red Flags: minor fantasy violence
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars
Read-alike for: Inkheart, the Redwall series, Paolini's Inheritance series
Bee is an apprentice to an evil fire wizard, and on the day of her naming ceremony, he steals her magic. Now she will need help from another wizard and his apprentice to get her magic back from the evil wizard.
The narration in this book is beautiful. I loved the lyrical quality of the fairy-tale story. This was not a "read for my fifteen minute break and then put down" kind of book; I needed lots of uninterrupted time to get lost in the story and enjoy the world-building and the characters. This book is not fast-paced, so I would not recommend it to readers with little patience for narration, but strong readers or those who enjoy taking their time to read through a book will enjoy this one very much.
Recommended for: tweens
Red Flags: minor fantasy violence
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars
Read-alike for: Inkheart, the Redwall series, Paolini's Inheritance series
April 23, 2019
I've decided this series may not really before me. There wasn't all that much wrong with the book I just, personally, didn't enjoy it. Which is a shame, because I like the world and everything. I don't know why I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first.
June 22, 2013
This book wasn't what I was expecting I was expecting a continuation of the story but instead this took me back and explained the story before the first book. Such a good idea and I loved trying to guess which of the characters of the first book they'd turn out to be. I loved it and can't wait till I can read the next one.
June 27, 2016
I read the first book and then read this one from and had been looking for the second book and was lucky enough to find it in a book shop in Wellington. I like how the author can keep the story going when it takes place in so many different places. The characters are believable and engaging making you want to follow their story.
June 2, 2021
My name is Cabbage, but don't ask me why my mentor, Flaxfield, gave me that wizard name. Something strange is now happening to Flaxfield's spells, and we've realized it's from wild magic. Even our simplest spells turn to flames that burn out of control. He was once almost killed when a harvest spell engulfed him in a blazing inferno, but strangely, I walked right through the fire to save him. I'm able to summon a magical cat that eats the runaway flames, but Flaxfield isn't sure how I can do that. We know the wild magic originated with a girl named Bee, but her mentor stole her ability to wield fire. He was never a very good wizard, and now he's changed. He's turned into something that's dangerous. Somehow, we must figure out a way to combat this new kind of magic.
This book is part of the Flaxfield Quartet, although my local library listed it as A Dragonborn Novel. I reread my review of the first book from eight years ago, and I was confused. I wrote, and the synopsis on Goodreads confirmed, that Flaxfield died, so how was he a main character again in the second book? Another reviewer said the story in Firstborn preceded the first book, but that wasn't made clear anywhere. The rules of magic weren't shared, so I didn't understand how the spells worked. That was important, because the whole conflict was based on magic that was out of control. Finally, I've always had a problem with books and multiple settings, and at one point, this book had five settings. A couple of them weren't necessary and didn't add much to the plot. It became distracting and made remembering events trickier when reading over many sittings. Overall, I enjoyed the story about an apprentice wizard and his mentor battling an out-of-control magic. The author included a few surprises to characters that made the book even more interesting. I liked the concept of this book, but the ending wasn't satisfying. The conflict was stopped, for the time being, but it was clearly not resolved. It will need to be taken care of in a future book.
This book is part of the Flaxfield Quartet, although my local library listed it as A Dragonborn Novel. I reread my review of the first book from eight years ago, and I was confused. I wrote, and the synopsis on Goodreads confirmed, that Flaxfield died, so how was he a main character again in the second book? Another reviewer said the story in Firstborn preceded the first book, but that wasn't made clear anywhere. The rules of magic weren't shared, so I didn't understand how the spells worked. That was important, because the whole conflict was based on magic that was out of control. Finally, I've always had a problem with books and multiple settings, and at one point, this book had five settings. A couple of them weren't necessary and didn't add much to the plot. It became distracting and made remembering events trickier when reading over many sittings. Overall, I enjoyed the story about an apprentice wizard and his mentor battling an out-of-control magic. The author included a few surprises to characters that made the book even more interesting. I liked the concept of this book, but the ending wasn't satisfying. The conflict was stopped, for the time being, but it was clearly not resolved. It will need to be taken care of in a future book.
July 18, 2018
I love this series! Well I've only read the first 2, but so far so good. I was a little thrown when I started reading as it was different characters. It didn't take me long to realise what was going on though and that we were back in time and being told the story of how the lady in the castle who was the hidden threat throughout Dragonborn, came to be. I would recommend reading this as soon as you've finished Dragonborn as the links with the characters was fantastic but I did have to rack my brain a little to remember who they were and how they fit in. There's not a lot I can say that will not give the plot away, but I would recommend this to adults and teens alike. It is a cleverly written, consuming book with likeable characters, scary drama, disgusting bugs and a real feeling of peril throughout. I feel like I need a lie down having just finished it.
April 4, 2018
I'm enjoying this series, and I enjoyed this second book even more than the first. It provided a good deal of back story and answered a lot of questions that the first book had raised and left unanswered. The characters are distinctive and interesting, and the underlying "world" and its circumstances are rather fascinating. I've read comments comparing this series to the Chronicles of Prydain, and long time favorite of mine (by Lloyd Alexander), and I can see some definite similarities. I don't think this series is quite as endearing as the Prydain books, but there are positive similarities between them. For those who enjoy children's fantasy, adventure, and magic, this is a pleasant and worthwhile contribution.
January 3, 2018
When Slowin, an old dying wizard, steals magic from Bee, his young apprentice, he changes his own life and nearly destroys hers. But he also releases Wild Magic into the world—magic that cannot easily be controlled. It is up to Flaxfield and Cabbage to rescue Bee and to prevent Slowin from using the Wild Magic against them.
I copied this synopsis from Goodreads because it captures the story well. I enjoyed the book. It has a good storyline and action. It is the classic battle between good and evil set in a wizarding world. There are good lessons here on friendship, not judging others by appearance, overcoming your fears, and working together to overcome evil.
I copied this synopsis from Goodreads because it captures the story well. I enjoyed the book. It has a good storyline and action. It is the classic battle between good and evil set in a wizarding world. There are good lessons here on friendship, not judging others by appearance, overcoming your fears, and working together to overcome evil.
October 14, 2017
This was much the same as the previous one - it's just that the slow pacing began to wear on me in this book.
Chronologically, this is a prequel to Dragonborn. We focus on Bee (who is known as December in Dragonborn) and Cabbage in their actions in sealing the Big Bad (Slowin, now known as Ash, and Brassbuck) into the Castle.
The lyrical quality of the writing remains. It's a good children's book, but it's not for me.
Chronologically, this is a prequel to Dragonborn. We focus on Bee (who is known as December in Dragonborn) and Cabbage in their actions in sealing the Big Bad (Slowin, now known as Ash, and Brassbuck) into the Castle.
The lyrical quality of the writing remains. It's a good children's book, but it's not for me.
May 24, 2018
I enjoyed it alot. Bee and Cabbage are adorable characters. I find it in the middle of the series. I cant wait to find the rest and finish reading it. Very unusual loved the twist and turns. I cant wait to find more.
October 26, 2017
Great book
Love this book. Lots of magic adventure and fun. Can’t wait to read the next one. Wonder what happens to the characters
Love this book. Lots of magic adventure and fun. Can’t wait to read the next one. Wonder what happens to the characters
November 2, 2020
So glad that I read this book. Worth my time.
February 4, 2018
It was a slow start but in the end it was a great book!!! I loved how it explained people and things from Dragonborn!
January 2, 2014
Fireborn by Toby Foward is a juvenile companion novel to Forward’s Dragonborn, set in a different time but the same fantastical world. I haven’t read Dragonborn and was under the impression by “companion novel” that that wouldn’t impede my reading of Fireborn. I’m not sure if that is the case, but if you think it would have made a difference, let me know! As it was, let me just say that there are no dragons…. Disappointment :(. While Fireborn has an interesting world and adventure to it, it is not appropriate for the full range of middle-grade readers and it just didn’t really draw me in.
Note: I received Fireborn through Netgalley for an honest review.
Fireborn by Toby Forward (The Flaxfield Quartet #2)
Published by Bloomsbury on December 3rd, 2013
Genres: Fantasy, MG
Length: 432 pages
How I got my copy: NetGalley
IndieBound - Book Depository - Goodreads
Purchases made support this blog
If magic sets the world on fire, something new is born from the flames.
When an old, dying wizard steals magic from his young apprentice, Bee, he changes his own life and nearly destroys hers. But he also releases something new into the world - a wild magic that turns fields to flames and upsets the order of the world. It will take another apprentice, Cabbage, to find Bee and try to set the world right again.
Strengths:
There are pieces of Fireborn such as the magic and the different creatures that was fascinating. In hindsight, I actually did enjoy the overall story too, but those pieces didn’t fit together all that great.
The world that we are given glimpses of in Fireborn looks awesome.
Fireborn has a definite whimsical feel to the writing and dialogue. If you like whimsical dialogue that is sometimes a bit zany, you might enjoy that aspect ;-).
Weaknesses:
Fireborn has some pretty graphically violent scenes (beetles swarming over and eating people, horrible burns) that really makes me not want to see it in the hands of middle-graders.
Especially in the beginning of Fireborn, everything felt scattered and just downright strange. I had no real idea of what the central plot was going to be until about 50% and I didn’t enjoy how jumpy the storytelling was.
Part of the problem causing the previous point are the number of characters. Fireborn is constantly jumping between characters, with only a couple of paragraphs in each POV before switching scenes. This might work with just a couple main characters, but I think I counted at least five different POV that we frequently jumped to.
The names in Fireborn are fairly ridiculous and impeded my ability to take the characters seriously. The main MC is called Cabbage…. There is a wizard named Flaxfield and another female wizard named Flaxfold. When they are in a scene together, it’s freaking confusing!
There was just way too little world-building in Fireborn for it to be a companion novel. This is the real spot where I think reading the previous novel would have significantly helped, since I had no idea what these humanoid species looked like, no idea where all these places that were being discussed were in relation to each other, and too little knowledge of the backstory surrounding the main villain and Flaxfield. It felt like there were things I was expected to already know about, which does not a companion novel make!
The big ending is completely a let down and really quite a load of BS in my opinion. The children characters just abandon another character that they previously cared about. He is literally left trapped with the villain and no one seems to have a problem with this. That is how I want middle-graders to learn how to treat their friends, yup indeed….
Summary:
Fireborn raised my interest in the first novel, Dragonborn, but I don’t recommend reading it as a companion/stand-alone novel. It also really doesn’t seem appropriate for middle-graders, though the lack of an intricate plot and character names that I could take seriously leaves me doubting that many older readers will be interested either. I would very much like to know if any of you have read Dragonborn and what your thoughts are on that one, since I suspect that that might have heavily changed my opinion on a couple elements of Fireborn. However, I doubt that I would have enjoyed Fireborn much more given the rest of the problems.
2 Stars
Note: I received Fireborn through Netgalley for an honest review.
Fireborn by Toby Forward (The Flaxfield Quartet #2)
Published by Bloomsbury on December 3rd, 2013
Genres: Fantasy, MG
Length: 432 pages
How I got my copy: NetGalley
IndieBound - Book Depository - Goodreads
Purchases made support this blog
If magic sets the world on fire, something new is born from the flames.
When an old, dying wizard steals magic from his young apprentice, Bee, he changes his own life and nearly destroys hers. But he also releases something new into the world - a wild magic that turns fields to flames and upsets the order of the world. It will take another apprentice, Cabbage, to find Bee and try to set the world right again.
Strengths:
There are pieces of Fireborn such as the magic and the different creatures that was fascinating. In hindsight, I actually did enjoy the overall story too, but those pieces didn’t fit together all that great.
The world that we are given glimpses of in Fireborn looks awesome.
Fireborn has a definite whimsical feel to the writing and dialogue. If you like whimsical dialogue that is sometimes a bit zany, you might enjoy that aspect ;-).
Weaknesses:
Fireborn has some pretty graphically violent scenes (beetles swarming over and eating people, horrible burns) that really makes me not want to see it in the hands of middle-graders.
Especially in the beginning of Fireborn, everything felt scattered and just downright strange. I had no real idea of what the central plot was going to be until about 50% and I didn’t enjoy how jumpy the storytelling was.
Part of the problem causing the previous point are the number of characters. Fireborn is constantly jumping between characters, with only a couple of paragraphs in each POV before switching scenes. This might work with just a couple main characters, but I think I counted at least five different POV that we frequently jumped to.
The names in Fireborn are fairly ridiculous and impeded my ability to take the characters seriously. The main MC is called Cabbage…. There is a wizard named Flaxfield and another female wizard named Flaxfold. When they are in a scene together, it’s freaking confusing!
There was just way too little world-building in Fireborn for it to be a companion novel. This is the real spot where I think reading the previous novel would have significantly helped, since I had no idea what these humanoid species looked like, no idea where all these places that were being discussed were in relation to each other, and too little knowledge of the backstory surrounding the main villain and Flaxfield. It felt like there were things I was expected to already know about, which does not a companion novel make!
The big ending is completely a let down and really quite a load of BS in my opinion. The children characters just abandon another character that they previously cared about. He is literally left trapped with the villain and no one seems to have a problem with this. That is how I want middle-graders to learn how to treat their friends, yup indeed….
Summary:
Fireborn raised my interest in the first novel, Dragonborn, but I don’t recommend reading it as a companion/stand-alone novel. It also really doesn’t seem appropriate for middle-graders, though the lack of an intricate plot and character names that I could take seriously leaves me doubting that many older readers will be interested either. I would very much like to know if any of you have read Dragonborn and what your thoughts are on that one, since I suspect that that might have heavily changed my opinion on a couple elements of Fireborn. However, I doubt that I would have enjoyed Fireborn much more given the rest of the problems.
2 Stars
August 17, 2014
This second book of The Flaxfield quartet took me by surprise. It is surprisingly good.
At first, I felt the same annoyed feeling as when I read the first book (right, why do I continue reading it then?). I was annoyed by the lack of explanation of what's happening and then the jumpy and unfinished conversations.
In the middle of the story, the Flaxfield that I used to know from in the first book turned out to be not as adorable and as wise and as gentle as 'Dumbledore'. He is just someone else, he is not Dumbledore. He reacted differently when facing problem. Ah, and there was something about Flaxfield and someone (that I shouldn't spoil) that just awkward. Again, no explanation about them in the book, so I can only judge and I say I don't like it.
I began to love the story in the middle of the story. When they were all in panic and Flaxfield-dore revealed himself as Flaxfield. Also, I found some of the characters are just lovely, like Bee and Perry. Ah, and Mellwood. And Carford. Like almost everyone. The characters are developed really well, each of them; sort of redeeming the flavorless characters from book one. Maybe the author did it on purpose for the book one, dunno.
The war and drama here was way better and more exciting than one in the first book; even from the beginning of the book. But then, for me the bad guys weren't messing up enough to be defeated. They were just starting to win and create some small harm to the people and then, bang, defeated (for a while, for those who have read the book already). The war was just too soon, the evil guys haven't reign yet. Maybe in book 3 and in book 4 will be the crushing of the evil.
The first book was just like a "mess" where things were happening without you know why and the author didn't gave a s and just continue writing. Well, now I know why he did it and I adore the author for making it such a "messy" story like that. Now the third book sounds so interesting for me. Already have it in my hand ;)
At first, I felt the same annoyed feeling as when I read the first book (right, why do I continue reading it then?). I was annoyed by the lack of explanation of what's happening and then the jumpy and unfinished conversations.
In the middle of the story, the Flaxfield that I used to know from in the first book turned out to be not as adorable and as wise and as gentle as 'Dumbledore'. He is just someone else, he is not Dumbledore. He reacted differently when facing problem. Ah, and there was something about Flaxfield and someone (that I shouldn't spoil) that just awkward. Again, no explanation about them in the book, so I can only judge and I say I don't like it.
I began to love the story in the middle of the story. When they were all in panic and Flaxfield-dore revealed himself as Flaxfield. Also, I found some of the characters are just lovely, like Bee and Perry. Ah, and Mellwood. And Carford. Like almost everyone. The characters are developed really well, each of them; sort of redeeming the flavorless characters from book one. Maybe the author did it on purpose for the book one, dunno.
The war and drama here was way better and more exciting than one in the first book; even from the beginning of the book. But then, for me the bad guys weren't messing up enough to be defeated. They were just starting to win and create some small harm to the people and then, bang, defeated (for a while, for those who have read the book already). The war was just too soon, the evil guys haven't reign yet. Maybe in book 3 and in book 4 will be the crushing of the evil.
The first book was just like a "mess" where things were happening without you know why and the author didn't gave a s and just continue writing. Well, now I know why he did it and I adore the author for making it such a "messy" story like that. Now the third book sounds so interesting for me. Already have it in my hand ;)
November 10, 2016
Fireborn is the second book in the series by author Toby Forward. This book goes back in time from the first novel, Dragonborn, to find the wizard, Flaxfield, with another young apprentice, Cabbage. Cabbage and Flaxfield travel to an inn far from home on the way to provide magic to a farming community after their harvest is complete. Flaxfield and Cabbage visit over dinner with a roffle friend and his young son, Percy. Roffles are small people that live underground. Flaxfield tries to lightly punish one of the inn workers for eavesdropping, but the magic goes “wild” and the worker dies. Cabbage and his new friend, Percy, set off with Flaxfield on a journey to discover why the magic is not working as it should. In another plot of the story, Bea is an apprentice to the wizard, Slowin, a lazy and regretful wizard. He is trying to gain her trust so he can steal her name. This would give the less than talented wizard her powerful magic powers. The two plots come together and a battle between good and evil takes place.
I liked this book because it told more about Flaxfield and his earlier life. What surprised me about this book was that it did not follow through with Sam’s story from the first book in the series. By going back in time though, it did explain some of the stories Flaxfield told in the first book about the ‘girl and the wild magic’. I wouldn’t change anything about the book.
This book continues to be a good read for young adults that like fantasy and magic. Due to its’ length, it is best for 5th grade and up. I would definitely recommend this book to boys and girls.
I liked this book because it told more about Flaxfield and his earlier life. What surprised me about this book was that it did not follow through with Sam’s story from the first book in the series. By going back in time though, it did explain some of the stories Flaxfield told in the first book about the ‘girl and the wild magic’. I wouldn’t change anything about the book.
This book continues to be a good read for young adults that like fantasy and magic. Due to its’ length, it is best for 5th grade and up. I would definitely recommend this book to boys and girls.
September 7, 2016
Fireborn was really hard for me to rate. It was also really hard for me to come to terms with how I felt about it.
The story as a whole was both disjointed and united. Think of a quill, the way you have different sections that make no sense on their own until you step back and look at the entire piece. That's how I felt about this book.
There was constant head jumping (or character jumping) and I never got used to it because it had no predictable pattern.
Sometimes the 12 yr old characters sounded extremely mature for their age.
What I loved to pieces however was the world. A world built on very strict rules of magic. A world where magic is anything but passive, it was as if magic was a being on its own. For example all children are born with baby magic and only the ones that don't lose it become magicians after their apprenticeship is over.
Without a doubt my favorite character was Bee because I loved her journey to finding and accepting herself despite all the terrible things that happened to her.
Cabbage wasn't too bad, but I felt like his storyline was full of filler scenes, but he was a cheeky boy and I liked that.The antagonists were neither black or white but dislike of them grew as I got deeper into the story.
In the end this is an ok book (for me), with a slow and an up-and-down pace but beautiful prose. I believe the magic system and the world would appeal a lot to young readers.
The story as a whole was both disjointed and united. Think of a quill, the way you have different sections that make no sense on their own until you step back and look at the entire piece. That's how I felt about this book.
There was constant head jumping (or character jumping) and I never got used to it because it had no predictable pattern.
Sometimes the 12 yr old characters sounded extremely mature for their age.
What I loved to pieces however was the world. A world built on very strict rules of magic. A world where magic is anything but passive, it was as if magic was a being on its own. For example all children are born with baby magic and only the ones that don't lose it become magicians after their apprenticeship is over.
Without a doubt my favorite character was Bee because I loved her journey to finding and accepting herself despite all the terrible things that happened to her.
Cabbage wasn't too bad, but I felt like his storyline was full of filler scenes, but he was a cheeky boy and I liked that.The antagonists were neither black or white but dislike of them grew as I got deeper into the story.
In the end this is an ok book (for me), with a slow and an up-and-down pace but beautiful prose. I believe the magic system and the world would appeal a lot to young readers.
December 16, 2013
This story follows the adventures of Cabbage, an apprentice to Wizard Flaxfield, Perry, a roffle, from the Deep World, and Bee, a young girl whose powerful magic is stolen and creates a wild kind of magic that goes on a destructive path that threatens to kill everyone, including her. When the wizard, Flaxfield loses his magic, it is up to Cabbage and Perry to help Bee and stop Slowin and his hungry beetle army and return balance to the world.
When I first began reading Fireborn, I almost did not finish it. The beginning felt disjointed with the different story lines of Bee and Cabbage, it was hard to tell where the story was going. However, once I had a sense of the story arc and plot, I was able put the pieces together and enjoy the story. This was unlike any story about magic that I have ever read, which is great because I don't normally like to read about magic and sorcery.
I can see preteens liking the characters, Cabbage and Perry. They are brave, adventurous, loyal, witty and funny. They are boys from two different worlds, that would rather keep them apart, but they forge a friendship despite the rules in place to separate them. They are the reason I kept reading and cheering for their success. I was a little disappointed in Bee's character and the lack of her presence and journey in the book. I wanted to see more of her the way I experienced Cabbage and Perry.
When I first began reading Fireborn, I almost did not finish it. The beginning felt disjointed with the different story lines of Bee and Cabbage, it was hard to tell where the story was going. However, once I had a sense of the story arc and plot, I was able put the pieces together and enjoy the story. This was unlike any story about magic that I have ever read, which is great because I don't normally like to read about magic and sorcery.
I can see preteens liking the characters, Cabbage and Perry. They are brave, adventurous, loyal, witty and funny. They are boys from two different worlds, that would rather keep them apart, but they forge a friendship despite the rules in place to separate them. They are the reason I kept reading and cheering for their success. I was a little disappointed in Bee's character and the lack of her presence and journey in the book. I wanted to see more of her the way I experienced Cabbage and Perry.
August 27, 2016
Fireborn was a weird book for me. On the one hand, I loved the story, the characters, and the magic. Several parts of the book were beautiful and had me engrossed in the story. I cared about the characters and what they were experiencing. I couldn't put the book down because I had to see how it ended.
On the other hand, I spent much of the book feeling like I'd missed some vital piece of information. It was like getting dumped into a play during the second act. I would have loved to know more about the world they lived in, the creatures in it, and how the magic works.
The ending left me scratching my head. Some characters were completely unresolved, like they walked off the stage without saying their final lines.
The point of view bounced around a lot. At first, it was very distracting, but I got used to it and it didn't bother me after the first few chapters. There wasn't really a main character, either. Based on the cover and synopsis, I had expected the story to focus on Bee, but Cabbage starred in more scenes than she did, and the other characters played equally important roles.
For the most part, Fireborn was enjoyable. There are some disturbing scenes and scary situations, but there is also friendship, loyalty, and kindness. There is beauty and strength amidst trials and hardships.
Content: Disturbing/scary scenes
My blog: Batch of Books
On the other hand, I spent much of the book feeling like I'd missed some vital piece of information. It was like getting dumped into a play during the second act. I would have loved to know more about the world they lived in, the creatures in it, and how the magic works.
The ending left me scratching my head. Some characters were completely unresolved, like they walked off the stage without saying their final lines.
The point of view bounced around a lot. At first, it was very distracting, but I got used to it and it didn't bother me after the first few chapters. There wasn't really a main character, either. Based on the cover and synopsis, I had expected the story to focus on Bee, but Cabbage starred in more scenes than she did, and the other characters played equally important roles.
For the most part, Fireborn was enjoyable. There are some disturbing scenes and scary situations, but there is also friendship, loyalty, and kindness. There is beauty and strength amidst trials and hardships.
Content: Disturbing/scary scenes
My blog: Batch of Books
April 6, 2017
I need to be able to give a six star rating. I read a Toby Forward book and I never want to read anything by anyone else. I loved Dragonborn, but Fireborn is just as good, if not better. Normally, I don't like prequels, but this time it works. You get to know people that you loved or hated in Dragonborn, but in an entirely new way. Getting to meet Flaxfield was a joy and, even knowing what would happen, I loved meeting Bee. Cabbage and Perry were my favorites, though. Although, Flaxfold was amazing, and let's not forget Cartford and Dorwin and Jackbones. I want to spend more time with these people and I don't think two more books will be enough.
Oh, I forgot to mention Mattie. I can't wait to find out what happens to him, too. I'm so glad I have Doubleborn to read next.
Oh, I forgot to mention Mattie. I can't wait to find out what happens to him, too. I'm so glad I have Doubleborn to read next.
November 16, 2013
Fireborn was a particularly interesting book that offered fantasy, conflict, darkness, and light all at the same time. In reading about Bee and the other characters, I was definitely intrigued, being easily drawn into reading more. Still, I was a bit concerned with the mature scenes. I kept thinking that the book needed a parental advisory label.
The author did an amazing job with creating this magical world, as well as with distinguishing its peculiar characters. For those who enjoy a good Harry Potter-esque adventure, this book would be enjoyable.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are my own.
The author did an amazing job with creating this magical world, as well as with distinguishing its peculiar characters. For those who enjoy a good Harry Potter-esque adventure, this book would be enjoyable.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are my own.
March 17, 2014
I didn't actually finish this book. Really, I didn't get very far at all.
You see, I had read the previous book and I really didn't get it. But when my mom got this from the library for me I was like, Oh well, let's just give this a try! But within the first, like, two chapters I was SO confused. There were two different characters who met five different other characters and there was no backstory and everything was jumping around like a kangaroo. Maybe I gave up too fast, but I don't think the read was worth the headache.
You see, I had read the previous book and I really didn't get it. But when my mom got this from the library for me I was like, Oh well, let's just give this a try! But within the first, like, two chapters I was SO confused. There were two different characters who met five different other characters and there was no backstory and everything was jumping around like a kangaroo. Maybe I gave up too fast, but I don't think the read was worth the headache.
November 16, 2013
This was an odd book. Because I didn't read the first one in the series, it was a little hard to get into. I had trouble following the story at first. The author skips around with characters and the language is...odd. But...I also found I couldn't put the book down. The characters are really well rounded and believable. It's actually an interesting story and I know I'm going to have to go back and read the first one now so I know better what's going on.
April 7, 2014
I really didn't enjoy that book and the principal reason is the author's style. There are so many point of views in that book that you just can't read it without having a big headache. So many characters are meeting and they clearly have no need to be there.
Though, the author created a nice universe about magic and have a beautiful way to talk about it. I liked the stories about magic and the way you should/shouldn't use it.
Though, the author created a nice universe about magic and have a beautiful way to talk about it. I liked the stories about magic and the way you should/shouldn't use it.
October 7, 2013
I borrowed a copy from NetGalley for review.
I thought this was good. However the constant changing from different characters point of view kind of made the story seem a bit jumpy.
I liked the story and plot that Bee and the other characters were attempting to stop the evil wizard from trying to use magic to destroy everything. But at times it felt like something was missing.
I thought this was good. However the constant changing from different characters point of view kind of made the story seem a bit jumpy.
I liked the story and plot that Bee and the other characters were attempting to stop the evil wizard from trying to use magic to destroy everything. But at times it felt like something was missing.
December 9, 2016
Better than the first book.
The second book of the series rivals the first with the way it closed the gaps in the story line. Readers have the back story and understand what was going on in the first and now anxiously await to see what happens back in the present with the main character Sam.
The second book of the series rivals the first with the way it closed the gaps in the story line. Readers have the back story and understand what was going on in the first and now anxiously await to see what happens back in the present with the main character Sam.
August 15, 2012
I really liked what this book has brought to the series as it is thus far. It was really great to get the background stories on some of the characters in the first book!
I love the author's style and the way consequence and effect are explored :)
I love the author's style and the way consequence and effect are explored :)
March 24, 2016
It just wasn't as good as the previous book, and it neither held together or had engaging characterization. Frustrating. It was as if the author relied on genuinely horrifying horror elements to carry the story along.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews