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Fellfire Summer #1
Fellfire Summer
When Commadont Alaric Monteval is asked to emigrate from his homeland of Vasque to neighboring Orexa on a long-term diplomatic mission, he thinks the move tantamount to retirement from his soldiering days and resigns himself to a quiet—and assuredly boring—life among the clouds atop the airborne country’s luxurious Holds.
However, he quickly finds himself wishing that the most intimidating hurdles he might be faced with were the opulent Oresian galas and the fickle moods of his new Holdmaster, Everet of Eizenthley, as he’s drawn into helping investigate an assassination attempt prefacing a coup d’etat.
Now the newly minted ambassador and his host must work together—a difficult task at times—to unravel the murderers’ plot before their world comes quite literally crashing down on their heads.
However, he quickly finds himself wishing that the most intimidating hurdles he might be faced with were the opulent Oresian galas and the fickle moods of his new Holdmaster, Everet of Eizenthley, as he’s drawn into helping investigate an assassination attempt prefacing a coup d’etat.
Now the newly minted ambassador and his host must work together—a difficult task at times—to unravel the murderers’ plot before their world comes quite literally crashing down on their heads.
403 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 28, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 21, 2023
mm - fantasy romance - enemies to lovers- slow burn - reread - 5 stars - I love the world building in this series. And the characters are fluffy. And it’s a massive slow burn (MZ levels, not Ilona Andrews levels). Very much enjoyed the reread.
June 10, 2019
I enjoyed this book a lot more than I originally thought I would when I first started it up. The beginning was a bit slow, but it really picked up during the second half. It had just enough mystery, political intrigue, magic, and romance for my tastes. I'll definitely be continuing this series!
September 4, 2021
2.5 stars
At first, I thought I'd found a real hidden gem with this one. The world-building was really interesting, but it lost momentum at some point (I waited too long to rate this, so the details are fuzzy...) and I never really bought the connection with the love interest. Good enough to finish, but no interest in continuing the series
Part of my "Two-star Ratings Do Not Make Me the Devil" Era!!! I rate a lot of good books 3 stars because they didn't contend with my favorites for whatever reason (sometimes small, sometimes very personal), so I've decided I have to be more honest about 2 stars = It's ok
At first, I thought I'd found a real hidden gem with this one. The world-building was really interesting, but it lost momentum at some point (I waited too long to rate this, so the details are fuzzy...) and I never really bought the connection with the love interest. Good enough to finish, but no interest in continuing the series
Part of my "Two-star Ratings Do Not Make Me the Devil" Era!!! I rate a lot of good books 3 stars because they didn't contend with my favorites for whatever reason (sometimes small, sometimes very personal), so I've decided I have to be more honest about 2 stars = It's ok
February 23, 2017
Compared to the last couple of stories I read, this was very welcome. Good writing, decent plot, interesting world build and intriguing characters, but it wasn't all smooth sailing.
I felt there were some inconsistences/unanswered questions in the plot. If Oresians don't leave Orexia and don't allow anyone inside their boarders, how did they get word to Vasque about a treaty? How do they learn a foreign language so well without a native speaker? For a country that's so xenophobic they make the ambassador from another country become one of them--taking a Oresian name, marrying into an Oresian family--why are people thrilled to see him? It's Everet's job to make sure the Crown Hold blows up completely when it's damaged, but he's never been to see the furnaces he would be required to destroy in an extremely difficult situation?
The whole blond/white hair of the Oresians didn't sit well with my scientific sensibilities. If a population is exposed to large enough amounts of UV light, as the story claims they are, then they'll adapt to producing more melanin, the compound that causes colour in skin, hair and eyes, to reduce the amount of UV light absorbed. Blond hair/white skin is seen in populations that have adapted to living in regions with less UV light, to maximise their absorption. On the other hand, I don't think the Oresians had been living as they were long enough for massive evolutionary changes to occur, either, so why do they have white hair? If it's merely a bleaching effect of the sun, then they would have dark roots. Natural bleaching would require massive amounts of exposure, as well.
But they're all just minor plot holes/inconsistences that I could get past with a bit of effort. The overall plot was interesting, if a little muddled by Everet and Alaric never quite being on the same page. I did find the whole attraction side of their relationship rather dry and, well, pretty much absent until the very end. By then, the sexy times felt out of place because there had been zip sexual tension between them, no real indication either of them felt much of a physical attraction to the other and frankly, the story read more like an old-timey YA story where you didn't mention private parts or name the more basic instincts for what they were. Though, it was refreshing to have a society that condoned same sex relationships, even if it was used as a form of population control.
On a purely technical point, the frequency of ellipsis to begin dialogue was bothersome. Like everything in life, moderation is best. Overuse of a technique robs it of its impact.
It sounds like I'm being overly picky and maybe I am, but in an otherwise good story, these things stuck out at me because they could have been so easily fixed. I certainly don't think they're reason enough to not read the book.
I felt there were some inconsistences/unanswered questions in the plot. If Oresians don't leave Orexia and don't allow anyone inside their boarders, how did they get word to Vasque about a treaty? How do they learn a foreign language so well without a native speaker? For a country that's so xenophobic they make the ambassador from another country become one of them--taking a Oresian name, marrying into an Oresian family--why are people thrilled to see him? It's Everet's job to make sure the Crown Hold blows up completely when it's damaged, but he's never been to see the furnaces he would be required to destroy in an extremely difficult situation?
The whole blond/white hair of the Oresians didn't sit well with my scientific sensibilities. If a population is exposed to large enough amounts of UV light, as the story claims they are, then they'll adapt to producing more melanin, the compound that causes colour in skin, hair and eyes, to reduce the amount of UV light absorbed. Blond hair/white skin is seen in populations that have adapted to living in regions with less UV light, to maximise their absorption. On the other hand, I don't think the Oresians had been living as they were long enough for massive evolutionary changes to occur, either, so why do they have white hair? If it's merely a bleaching effect of the sun, then they would have dark roots. Natural bleaching would require massive amounts of exposure, as well.
But they're all just minor plot holes/inconsistences that I could get past with a bit of effort. The overall plot was interesting, if a little muddled by Everet and Alaric never quite being on the same page. I did find the whole attraction side of their relationship rather dry and, well, pretty much absent until the very end. By then, the sexy times felt out of place because there had been zip sexual tension between them, no real indication either of them felt much of a physical attraction to the other and frankly, the story read more like an old-timey YA story where you didn't mention private parts or name the more basic instincts for what they were. Though, it was refreshing to have a society that condoned same sex relationships, even if it was used as a form of population control.
On a purely technical point, the frequency of ellipsis to begin dialogue was bothersome. Like everything in life, moderation is best. Overuse of a technique robs it of its impact.
It sounds like I'm being overly picky and maybe I am, but in an otherwise good story, these things stuck out at me because they could have been so easily fixed. I certainly don't think they're reason enough to not read the book.
January 25, 2016
This M/M fantasy novella, presumably the first instalment in a series, has flaws and strong points.
What I mostly missed is the scope, the wide narrative breadth that is so typical of successful "sword and sorcery"s. This author often appears to be in a hurry: she does not take her time with her settings and her dialogues; she does not make the most of her situations; she does not develop her plot to its full potential.
This might appear minor, but it detract from the overall narrative tension.
In a fantasy, details are essential to the whole: they help the reader to suspend disbelief; they give true depth to plot and characters. Ms Delecour seems to realise that something is wrong and tries to make up for it by introducing short paragraphs that give insight into her characters' psychologies and explain the point she is trying to make, but this device is dissatisfying and ends by making it clearer that something else is missing.
On the other hand, this novella manages to entertain all the same:
there are some nice action scenes; there are good dialogues; there is a decent intrigue and characters are likeable. It really needed more pages, though.
What I mostly missed is the scope, the wide narrative breadth that is so typical of successful "sword and sorcery"s. This author often appears to be in a hurry: she does not take her time with her settings and her dialogues; she does not make the most of her situations; she does not develop her plot to its full potential.
This might appear minor, but it detract from the overall narrative tension.
In a fantasy, details are essential to the whole: they help the reader to suspend disbelief; they give true depth to plot and characters. Ms Delecour seems to realise that something is wrong and tries to make up for it by introducing short paragraphs that give insight into her characters' psychologies and explain the point she is trying to make, but this device is dissatisfying and ends by making it clearer that something else is missing.
On the other hand, this novella manages to entertain all the same:
there are some nice action scenes; there are good dialogues; there is a decent intrigue and characters are likeable. It really needed more pages, though.
January 21, 2022
I’m wavering between 2 and 2.5 stars. I didn’t love it. There’s a lot of plot and world building - Its clear the author put a lot of thought into it. But the plot felt contrived and the characters reactions to events inauthentic. The romance to plot ratio is very small though there are extras and sequels so you may get more in that. I would say it’s worth a try if you like fantasy romance - I think some people would enjoy the detailed world building that has gone into this.
October 10, 2015
ive never read it but i dont like it
September 19, 2023
I really enjoyed this one! The world building was interesting and Alaric and Everet are both likable characters. I loved the banter between them!
Alaric finds himself a rather unwilling ambassador to Orexa - a country made up of floating cities called Holds. There he meets Everet a Holdmaster, who on the surface is flirty and flighty but isn't quite what he seems. Outwardly, Orexa appears peaceful but the two men are quickly thrown into political intrigue and assassination attempts.
There are some exciting scenes full of explosions, quick escapes, and near misses. My only complaint is that I wish Alaric and Everet had been more involved in solving the mystery. Everet spends most of the time oblivious to what is really going on and I felt his character would have been stronger had he been less ignorant. I'm disappointed that the other books in the series don't follow these characters.
Alaric finds himself a rather unwilling ambassador to Orexa - a country made up of floating cities called Holds. There he meets Everet a Holdmaster, who on the surface is flirty and flighty but isn't quite what he seems. Outwardly, Orexa appears peaceful but the two men are quickly thrown into political intrigue and assassination attempts.
There are some exciting scenes full of explosions, quick escapes, and near misses. My only complaint is that I wish Alaric and Everet had been more involved in solving the mystery. Everet spends most of the time oblivious to what is really going on and I felt his character would have been stronger had he been less ignorant. I'm disappointed that the other books in the series don't follow these characters.
March 20, 2018
I've read this about a year and a half ago so I don't remember the details exactly. What has stayed with me is that the book had too many plot holes and that it's a wasted potential.
April 28, 2016
4.5 stars
For military man-turned-ambassador Alaric, sent away to live on a flying island in the interest of forging a treaty, the future seems pretty bleak. But Everet, the Holdmaster who takes him in, isn't quite what he seems, and as the two work together to solve a deadly mystery, the fellfire sparks fly.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Part romance, part fantasy/adventure, part mystery, part military/political intrigue, there is so much to get caught up in that I found myself wishing that it was longer. (Fortunately, Delecour has two short stories out now that provide fantastic follow-up.) Fellfire Summer started out a little slow, but once things took off I couldn't put it down until I suddenly found myself at the end of the book. The world-building was fun, creative, and well thought out, and the characters were intelligent and engaging. I loved the constant banter between Alaric and Everet, although I would have liked a little more of a lead-up to certain things. For being Delecour's first book, I think it was a triumph, and I highly recommend it.
For military man-turned-ambassador Alaric, sent away to live on a flying island in the interest of forging a treaty, the future seems pretty bleak. But Everet, the Holdmaster who takes him in, isn't quite what he seems, and as the two work together to solve a deadly mystery, the fellfire sparks fly.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Part romance, part fantasy/adventure, part mystery, part military/political intrigue, there is so much to get caught up in that I found myself wishing that it was longer. (Fortunately, Delecour has two short stories out now that provide fantastic follow-up.) Fellfire Summer started out a little slow, but once things took off I couldn't put it down until I suddenly found myself at the end of the book. The world-building was fun, creative, and well thought out, and the characters were intelligent and engaging. I loved the constant banter between Alaric and Everet, although I would have liked a little more of a lead-up to certain things. For being Delecour's first book, I think it was a triumph, and I highly recommend it.
January 3, 2016
3.5
I struggled really hard to start this book. Barley the first chapter in and I put the book down and read others...
I really just.. couldn't get into it, however, after i skimmed the first few chapters, at around chapter 3, the story finally grabbed at me.
Still.. I found myself skipping parts to a more interesting scene.
I can't really articulate what it was that bothered me. I got bored? It was too slow? I got annoyed at the progress? I just don't know, but by the end I was really, really happy with the outcome and glad that even though I struggled to get into that I actually finished the book.
I look forward to reading the others and.. Even though I myself struggled with it, I DO suggest it to anyone that likes high fantasy.
You might love it from the start. ;)
I struggled really hard to start this book. Barley the first chapter in and I put the book down and read others...
I really just.. couldn't get into it, however, after i skimmed the first few chapters, at around chapter 3, the story finally grabbed at me.
Still.. I found myself skipping parts to a more interesting scene.
I can't really articulate what it was that bothered me. I got bored? It was too slow? I got annoyed at the progress? I just don't know, but by the end I was really, really happy with the outcome and glad that even though I struggled to get into that I actually finished the book.
I look forward to reading the others and.. Even though I myself struggled with it, I DO suggest it to anyone that likes high fantasy.
You might love it from the start. ;)
April 2, 2016
Nada mal, nada mal. Ésta es una historia de fantasía épica que tiene, además, un poco de romance M/M. Hay aventura e intriga, y aunque predecible en ciertos aspectos, la historia está interesante. Me gustó que la novela no gira en torno al romance, sino que éste aparece poco a poco pero sin volverse cursi. Está padre que quede abierto a muchas opciones respecto a los dos personajes principales.
Eso sí, casi no hay personajes femeninos y los pocos que aparecen lo hacen en uno o dos capítulos nada más (una de ellas me gustó aunque sólo aparece al principio; la otra, la que tiene un papel relevante, creo que pudo participar más). El conflicto se soluciona demasiado rápido y de manera muy anticlimática, desde mi punto de vista.
Eso sí, casi no hay personajes femeninos y los pocos que aparecen lo hacen en uno o dos capítulos nada más (una de ellas me gustó aunque sólo aparece al principio; la otra, la que tiene un papel relevante, creo que pudo participar más). El conflicto se soluciona demasiado rápido y de manera muy anticlimática, desde mi punto de vista.
October 11, 2021
For reasons I won’t get into, I did not want to like this, but good is good and this was great! Post-war societies, political intrigue, fantasy elements, distinct cultures, slow burn romance, and engaging dialogue. This was definitely a page turner. I also read the two related short stories, “Stormfront” and “Beachhead” which did a wonderful job of giving the couple some closure. “Argentine Winter,” the next title in the series was good, but not as good. There’s a third as well, and I’m looking forward to that release, though I don’t know if it will be categorized as M/M.
October 18, 2016
What a read. It did take me a while to get into this but once in I was hooked. Liked the way the story is not dominated with hot MM sex , until the end, but the emerging relationship. Also liked the mix of intrigue , detective work, magic, and put fantasy. Really looking forward to the next set of books.
September 28, 2015
In overall this was an enjoyable fantasy, but I missed some real attraction between Everet and Alaric. Nonetheless the main storyline was pulling and good.
September 29, 2015
That book is serious to long and to boring for my taste. The start was pulling but after the Kings Hold was taken down it got fast boring.
So, I wont say much more.
So, I wont say much more.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews