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Ben Garston #2
Raising Fire
Ben Garston is back . . . and feeling less than fantastic.
To be fair, life isn't exactly treating him all that well. He's lost everything he once held dear, including the love of his life. Still, he did at least escape being dragged into hell by a malevolent spirit bent on total destruction. So there is that.
Now Ben just wants to drink, and forget, and drink some more. But he can't. Not yet.
Because someone is stirring up trouble. Someone who wants to wake the sleepers, and watch the realm of mythology come crashing into the modern day.
Only Ben can stop them. The world will burn if he fails - and that's the last thing he needs on his conscience.
To be fair, life isn't exactly treating him all that well. He's lost everything he once held dear, including the love of his life. Still, he did at least escape being dragged into hell by a malevolent spirit bent on total destruction. So there is that.
Now Ben just wants to drink, and forget, and drink some more. But he can't. Not yet.
Because someone is stirring up trouble. Someone who wants to wake the sleepers, and watch the realm of mythology come crashing into the modern day.
Only Ben can stop them. The world will burn if he fails - and that's the last thing he needs on his conscience.
435 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 29, 2017
22 people are currently reading
296 people want to read
About the author
James Bennett
37 books119 followersJames Bennett is a British Fantasy Award winning author. Raised in Sussex and South Africa, his short fiction has appeared internationally. His acclaimed debut 'Chasing Embers' came out in 2016, the first of the Ben Garston Novels, a series in which mythological creatures fight for dominance in the modern world. Other works include the well-received 'The Book of Queer Saints' and his latest stories can be found in The Dark magazine, BFS Horizons and Occult Detective magazine.
A short story collection 'Preaching to the Perverted' arrives from Lethe Press in September 2024.
James lives in the South of Spain where he's working on a new novel.
'...Inventive and vivid... This is smart action storytelling...'
Publishers Weekly on RAISING FIRE (starred review)
The Ben Garston Novels are available in all good bookshops.
A short story collection 'Preaching to the Perverted' arrives from Lethe Press in September 2024.
James lives in the South of Spain where he's working on a new novel.
'...Inventive and vivid... This is smart action storytelling...'
Publishers Weekly on RAISING FIRE (starred review)
The Ben Garston Novels are available in all good bookshops.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
December 16, 2017
Red Ben, a dragon, is the last of his kind. He is a Remnant, one of the few magical creatures left to walk the earth after the sealing of magic by King John in 1215.
However, laws have been broken, the ancient guild of knights that was tasked with guarding the lore has been slaughtered and the religious branch of the pact is after Ben.
Meanwhile, the last fairy who guards the enchanted sleep of all of the magical creatures, as well as other ancient magics, has gone missing. Could things get much worse? Probably. Ben isn't holding his breath.
I like the world James Bennett has created.
I also like Ben. He reminds me of a draconic Harry Dresden. He's magic, cynical and sometimes makes mistakes when he's tired.
And, like the wizard Harry Dresden, Ben protects the unsuspecting public from great evil and all manner of magical mischief makers.
"Ahead, an open space spread out before him. Tiananmen Square, the largest square in the world, at least offered a safer battleground. With a snap of his wings, he pushed himself after the dragon, flying beyond firing range. A moment of grace that he knew wouldn't last. He was already too late." pg 112
Raising Fire is the sequel to Chasing Fire. It delves more deeply into the legend of the fey and how they left the world, and their creatures, behind.
In the great brier of fabulous beings, the Fay were like roses made of steel. The petals might look pretty enough, but if you didn't watch your fingers, you'd quickly find out that they were sharper than razor blades." pg 165
Readers also get to meet Jia, the Guardian of the East. A young being when her parents are put into the enchanted sleep, Jia grows and matures without her family and only the fairy that put them to sleep for a teacher. She plays an important role in this story.
Jia traipsed behind Ben through the valleys of treasure, her eyes wide, her feet crunching over jewels, kicking the occasional urn from her path. An enchanted light illuminated the cavern, shimmering from the treasure itself, gathered over centuries into a bed." pg 202.
Warning: Raising Fire ends on a cliffhanger. If such things bug you, you may want to wait to read it until the next book is out.
Recommended for readers who enjoy cynical heroes, urban fantasy and dragons.
However, laws have been broken, the ancient guild of knights that was tasked with guarding the lore has been slaughtered and the religious branch of the pact is after Ben.
Meanwhile, the last fairy who guards the enchanted sleep of all of the magical creatures, as well as other ancient magics, has gone missing. Could things get much worse? Probably. Ben isn't holding his breath.
I like the world James Bennett has created.
I also like Ben. He reminds me of a draconic Harry Dresden. He's magic, cynical and sometimes makes mistakes when he's tired.
And, like the wizard Harry Dresden, Ben protects the unsuspecting public from great evil and all manner of magical mischief makers.
"Ahead, an open space spread out before him. Tiananmen Square, the largest square in the world, at least offered a safer battleground. With a snap of his wings, he pushed himself after the dragon, flying beyond firing range. A moment of grace that he knew wouldn't last. He was already too late." pg 112
Raising Fire is the sequel to Chasing Fire. It delves more deeply into the legend of the fey and how they left the world, and their creatures, behind.
In the great brier of fabulous beings, the Fay were like roses made of steel. The petals might look pretty enough, but if you didn't watch your fingers, you'd quickly find out that they were sharper than razor blades." pg 165
Readers also get to meet Jia, the Guardian of the East. A young being when her parents are put into the enchanted sleep, Jia grows and matures without her family and only the fairy that put them to sleep for a teacher. She plays an important role in this story.
Jia traipsed behind Ben through the valleys of treasure, her eyes wide, her feet crunching over jewels, kicking the occasional urn from her path. An enchanted light illuminated the cavern, shimmering from the treasure itself, gathered over centuries into a bed." pg 202.
Warning: Raising Fire ends on a cliffhanger. If such things bug you, you may want to wait to read it until the next book is out.
Recommended for readers who enjoy cynical heroes, urban fantasy and dragons.
Want to read
December 20, 2024I couldn't help it; despite a review that largely panned the first book in the series, I was unable to resist temptation. Low price with the potential for either hilarity or enjoyment--frankly, the snippet preview was enjoyable. It is with mixed emotions that I relay that while Bennett has improved upon his familiarity with the English language, he still seems to be playing dragon MadLibs (see my site for links). However, instead of being hilariously off, it's more like 10 degrees off, just enough to stumble but not enjoy.
"A thick woollen [sic] jumper, jeans and boots reduced to a cloud of rags."
--Perhaps the word you mean is pile. I don't think clothing groups in clouds.
"Seven tons of red-scaled flesh speared up and over the sea, a shadow fleeting under the clouds.
--I'm not sure '7 tons' can be described as either spear-like or shadowy.
"An hour later, here he was, the rain ricocheting off his horns and flanks like bullets"
--I mean, if you are Superman or Neo, bullets ricochet. Everyone else? Not so much.
Ah, here it is, the Bennett I remember:
"The water below should have soothed him, eased the cramp in his juggernaut gut. The wind, a shrieking harpy, stole away any chance of primal comfort."
Honestly, I smiled, confident at last I was reading a genuine sequel to Dragon Madlibs.
"A thick woollen [sic] jumper, jeans and boots reduced to a cloud of rags."
--Perhaps the word you mean is pile. I don't think clothing groups in clouds.
"Seven tons of red-scaled flesh speared up and over the sea, a shadow fleeting under the clouds.
--I'm not sure '7 tons' can be described as either spear-like or shadowy.
"An hour later, here he was, the rain ricocheting off his horns and flanks like bullets"
--I mean, if you are Superman or Neo, bullets ricochet. Everyone else? Not so much.
Ah, here it is, the Bennett I remember:
"The water below should have soothed him, eased the cramp in his juggernaut gut. The wind, a shrieking harpy, stole away any chance of primal comfort."
Honestly, I smiled, confident at last I was reading a genuine sequel to Dragon Madlibs.
December 22, 2023
I came across this in a charity shop, not realising it was book 2 of a series though that soon became evident from the various mentions of things that had happened 'last year' especially the protagonist's relationship with Rose from whom he is now estranged. It sounded intriguing as it seemed to be about dragons, which I love usually, but when I began to read past the first few chapters I wasn't so taken with it.
The main character, Ben, is a dragon with the power to shift to human shape. There is a lot of world building about a pact set up at the behest of King John of Magna Carta fame whereby the vast majority of magical creatures in the world were put into a deep sleep to prevent further conflict with humanity, using a fabled harp which was reforged into one (it had been broken into 3 pieces by King Arthur when the Queen of Fays had offered it as a way of winning the battle against his evil son/nephew Mordred). Said harp was subsequently broken into 3 pieces again and each piece kept by a different party as a precaution against its being used again. The parties concerned were the last Fay left on Earth (the rest had left in protest after the harp was broken the first time), and two organisations which consisted of a sort of Knights of St John outfit and the religious maniacs who wanted to destroy the magical creatures but were overruled. Only one representative of each type of magical creature has been left awake as a sort of guardian and to police any problems with their own kind. The sleep of the creatures was meant to last only until the Fay should return at some stage when all would be sweetness and harmony between humankind and the others.
My problem with the book, apart from niggles such as why would a pact be referred to as Lore interchangeably when lore means knowledge, and why would the creatures agree to this in the first place, was firstly that the style of the book is very distancing. The characters, even the protagonist, are repeatedly described externally in a way that a person cannot possibly view themselves - whereas these days most fantasy etc is written in close third person or actual first person. I found the constant descriptions of haircuts, dirt on faces and other such details distracting and they put me at arms length from the characters.
The second problem was that there is so much nonstop wham bam action with huge fights and mass destruction that there is no room for real character development. I liked the flashbacks to medieval China focusing on Jia, the female character who is the sole representative of her kind, her feelings about how she misses her parents, and her tuition at the hands of the last Fay, because they were quiet scenes which allowed insight into her character. So I wasn't very happy with the way she is treated in the parts of the book where she appears in the present day, especially with the final denouement. I also got so bored with the frenetic action that I had to put down the book and start reading something else for a couple of hours, before I could face reading the last hundred pages or so.
Ben isn't a sympathetic character despite his constantly feeling sorry for himself and being maltreated by various parties, and I also found the big reveal at the end rather over elaborate . Anyway, with these problems I can only grant this an OK 2 stars.
The main character, Ben, is a dragon with the power to shift to human shape. There is a lot of world building about a pact set up at the behest of King John of Magna Carta fame whereby the vast majority of magical creatures in the world were put into a deep sleep to prevent further conflict with humanity, using a fabled harp which was reforged into one (it had been broken into 3 pieces by King Arthur when the Queen of Fays had offered it as a way of winning the battle against his evil son/nephew Mordred). Said harp was subsequently broken into 3 pieces again and each piece kept by a different party as a precaution against its being used again. The parties concerned were the last Fay left on Earth (the rest had left in protest after the harp was broken the first time), and two organisations which consisted of a sort of Knights of St John outfit and the religious maniacs who wanted to destroy the magical creatures but were overruled. Only one representative of each type of magical creature has been left awake as a sort of guardian and to police any problems with their own kind. The sleep of the creatures was meant to last only until the Fay should return at some stage when all would be sweetness and harmony between humankind and the others.
My problem with the book, apart from niggles such as why would a pact be referred to as Lore interchangeably when lore means knowledge, and why would the creatures agree to this in the first place, was firstly that the style of the book is very distancing. The characters, even the protagonist, are repeatedly described externally in a way that a person cannot possibly view themselves - whereas these days most fantasy etc is written in close third person or actual first person. I found the constant descriptions of haircuts, dirt on faces and other such details distracting and they put me at arms length from the characters.
The second problem was that there is so much nonstop wham bam action with huge fights and mass destruction that there is no room for real character development. I liked the flashbacks to medieval China focusing on Jia, the female character who is the sole representative of her kind, her feelings about how she misses her parents, and her tuition at the hands of the last Fay, because they were quiet scenes which allowed insight into her character. So I wasn't very happy with the way she is treated in the parts of the book where she appears in the present day, especially with the final denouement. I also got so bored with the frenetic action that I had to put down the book and start reading something else for a couple of hours, before I could face reading the last hundred pages or so.
Ben isn't a sympathetic character despite his constantly feeling sorry for himself and being maltreated by various parties, and I also found the big reveal at the end rather over elaborate . Anyway, with these problems I can only grant this an OK 2 stars.
May 25, 2021
Absolutely brilliant.
Bennett is a master wordsmith as he continues weaving his Urban fantasy of myth and magic hovering on the edge of our world.
Fantastic battle scenes and complex characters, Bennett breathes fire, not life into his world of twists and betrayals.
Highly recommend fantasy reading.
Bennett is a master wordsmith as he continues weaving his Urban fantasy of myth and magic hovering on the edge of our world.
Fantastic battle scenes and complex characters, Bennett breathes fire, not life into his world of twists and betrayals.
Highly recommend fantasy reading.
January 8, 2019
A good sequel and continuation to the story which ended in Chasing Embers, and once again readers be ready to fly with our amazing Dragon Benjurigan. After the events in Egypt, this time we are carried to China, as a new threat emerges there which was buried some 800 years ago. And, adding further to the mix of troubles is religious fanatics on the heel of Ben Garston for breaking the Lore. This book was more grim and action packed than the previous novel, and the writing is also more polished and improved i n term of the narrative.
As in the first novel. the worldbuilding is brilliant giving us a picture of 13th century China during the reign of the famous Kubla Khan. And, beware here there is a Unicorn, an arbiter of truth and justice. Bennett gives us more information regarding the sleep of the remnants and how it affected all the supernatural creatures around the world. We come to know more about the events that transpired the Lore, and the departure of the mysterious Fay. There is a notable account of the historical insight in the story that give us a picture of China at the time fraught with Opium Wars, the peasant rebellions, and troubles from the British East India Company. To me, I think it is a fairly accurate picture apart from the fantasy elements.
Here, the threat is from another Dragon called Mauntgraul, a meat eating destructive monster, and the relation between him and Benjurigan isn't much favorable. Someone awakened him with a piece of the magical music of the Fay Harp, and suspicions point towards the only remaining Fay emissary on earth. The rivalry between Mauntgraul and Ben gives insight into the separate outlook of the remnants towars the human world. Meanwhile, the invisible Church closes on Ben trying to capture and execute him for violating the pact of the lore. Also, the fay envoy Von Hart has gone missing, and Ben is caught in a riddle of who to trust. Also, the Unicorn tells Ben about the threat of the lurker king from the nether, and the weakening magical barriers that protect earth from the otherworldly threats. The situation is more dire in this novel, and there is a lot of chaos and bloodshed in the story.
What I liked more in this novel was the character of Jia, the Unicorn. Her enigmatic personality was beautifully developed with a sense of purpose which increased the gravitas of the story. Her story depicting her childhood and her service to the Yuan dynasty, her steadfastness, her confidence and determination is worthy of mention in a alpha male scenario of two fire breathing Dragons. I liked her relationship to Von Hart whom she deems as a teacher and a mentor whom she sees as a friend, although a questionable one. The ending here is salted with a terrific cliffhanger, and I'm more than eager to read the sequel now.
As in the first novel. the worldbuilding is brilliant giving us a picture of 13th century China during the reign of the famous Kubla Khan. And, beware here there is a Unicorn, an arbiter of truth and justice. Bennett gives us more information regarding the sleep of the remnants and how it affected all the supernatural creatures around the world. We come to know more about the events that transpired the Lore, and the departure of the mysterious Fay. There is a notable account of the historical insight in the story that give us a picture of China at the time fraught with Opium Wars, the peasant rebellions, and troubles from the British East India Company. To me, I think it is a fairly accurate picture apart from the fantasy elements.
Here, the threat is from another Dragon called Mauntgraul, a meat eating destructive monster, and the relation between him and Benjurigan isn't much favorable. Someone awakened him with a piece of the magical music of the Fay Harp, and suspicions point towards the only remaining Fay emissary on earth. The rivalry between Mauntgraul and Ben gives insight into the separate outlook of the remnants towars the human world. Meanwhile, the invisible Church closes on Ben trying to capture and execute him for violating the pact of the lore. Also, the fay envoy Von Hart has gone missing, and Ben is caught in a riddle of who to trust. Also, the Unicorn tells Ben about the threat of the lurker king from the nether, and the weakening magical barriers that protect earth from the otherworldly threats. The situation is more dire in this novel, and there is a lot of chaos and bloodshed in the story.
What I liked more in this novel was the character of Jia, the Unicorn. Her enigmatic personality was beautifully developed with a sense of purpose which increased the gravitas of the story. Her story depicting her childhood and her service to the Yuan dynasty, her steadfastness, her confidence and determination is worthy of mention in a alpha male scenario of two fire breathing Dragons. I liked her relationship to Von Hart whom she deems as a teacher and a mentor whom she sees as a friend, although a questionable one. The ending here is salted with a terrific cliffhanger, and I'm more than eager to read the sequel now.
March 26, 2018
A great second in this book series, seeping with a slow unfolding of secrets and full of action! I’m excited to read a third in this series, whenever it comes out, if at all. I hope there is another...I don’t want to be left hanging! 😉
November 10, 2018
Recap: Red Ben, the last dragon, must deal with the breaking of the Pact and the machinations of the last Fay whilst fighting an old foe and risking the exposure of all remnants.
Review: I enjoyed book two much more than book one, I think it was a combination of having all that world building from book one and a more confident writing style from Bennett. Red Ben is still a fairly unlikeable character and his stupidity is enraging but I loved the turn of events and the new remnant characters introduced. I really felt the decay and despair and I'm intrigued to see where the next book will take us.
Review: I enjoyed book two much more than book one, I think it was a combination of having all that world building from book one and a more confident writing style from Bennett. Red Ben is still a fairly unlikeable character and his stupidity is enraging but I loved the turn of events and the new remnant characters introduced. I really felt the decay and despair and I'm intrigued to see where the next book will take us.
September 5, 2017
In 2016 I really enjoyed James Bennett’s first novel, Chasing Embers. So much so, I voted it my debut novel of the year. Nearly twelve months have passed and the sequel, Raising Fire, has now been released.
Red Ben Garston is one of the few Remnants still left in the world. In times past, a pact was agreed between humanity and all the magical entities in the world. The agreement was simple – one of each type of non-human could continue to live while the rest of their kin were placed in a supernatural sleep. The beings left awake would be left in peace as long as the pact held. Everything has ticked along quite nicely for centuries until now. Something, or someone, wants a return to the old ways and Ben is the only person standing in the way.
You’ve got to feel sorry for Ben. Being a long-lived dragon trying to get by in the twenty first century isn’t the easiest thing in the world. Surrounded on all sides by enemies he just wants to be left alone to wallow in self-pity. As long as he has a bottle of Jack Daniels and a comfortable place to lay his head, preferably a huge pile of gold coins, he is happy. Life never seems to work out that way though. All credit to the author, Ben’s pained existence feels very real. There is a haunted quality to our hero. All the mistakes he has ever made, and he has made many, have ground him down and left their mark. As much as Ben tries to escape his past it just refuses to let him go.
Blaise Von Hart returns (Yay!) and we’re treated to a nice big slice of his back story. As suspected, there is far more going on with this character than was immediately obvious in book one. Lest we forget, Von Hart is the last of the Fay, the envoy extraordinary. He has big plans and Ben in going to be involved with them whether he like it or not. One of the things I like most about Raising Fires is the scenes that feature these two characters together. Even though they have known one another for years, the relationship between Ben and Von Hart continues to grow and evolve. You might have thought knowing a person for hundreds of years would have meant there were no more secrets. You would be wrong. Bennett does a grand job of keeping you guessing about the Fay’s intentions. Is he a force of good or bad? Can he be trusted or not? I have to admit, the eventual outcome is not what I was expecting. It can’t ever be a bad thing when a writer defies your expectations and throws you an unexpected curveball in a plot.
As with its predecessor there is an international flavour to the narrative. The story moves from London, across Europe and Asia to China and beyond. I like little details like this. It makes perfect sense to me that a dragon would be able to travel long distances easily. Ben often leads a nomadic existence because he can. Some of the other Remnants are trapped in a single location but Ben has a certain amount of freedom to go wherever he wants.
There is plenty of action in the plot. My personal highlight is a protracted battle between Ben and an opponent who I am not going to name for fear of spoiling the fun. Suffice to say, the level of carnage that is left in their wake is colossal. In his dragon form Ben lives up to the description of “beast”. Pitting him against another Remnant of a similar size lends itself to all kinds of wanton destruction. We’re talking the unstoppable force meeting the immoveable object. This is a full-on clash of the Titans, folks.
Raising Fire is exciting, entertaining and more than a little thought provoking. The book ends in a suitably revelatory fashion and I cannot wait to see where it goes next. This series is swiftly becoming a personal favourite.
Red Ben Garston is one of the few Remnants still left in the world. In times past, a pact was agreed between humanity and all the magical entities in the world. The agreement was simple – one of each type of non-human could continue to live while the rest of their kin were placed in a supernatural sleep. The beings left awake would be left in peace as long as the pact held. Everything has ticked along quite nicely for centuries until now. Something, or someone, wants a return to the old ways and Ben is the only person standing in the way.
You’ve got to feel sorry for Ben. Being a long-lived dragon trying to get by in the twenty first century isn’t the easiest thing in the world. Surrounded on all sides by enemies he just wants to be left alone to wallow in self-pity. As long as he has a bottle of Jack Daniels and a comfortable place to lay his head, preferably a huge pile of gold coins, he is happy. Life never seems to work out that way though. All credit to the author, Ben’s pained existence feels very real. There is a haunted quality to our hero. All the mistakes he has ever made, and he has made many, have ground him down and left their mark. As much as Ben tries to escape his past it just refuses to let him go.
Blaise Von Hart returns (Yay!) and we’re treated to a nice big slice of his back story. As suspected, there is far more going on with this character than was immediately obvious in book one. Lest we forget, Von Hart is the last of the Fay, the envoy extraordinary. He has big plans and Ben in going to be involved with them whether he like it or not. One of the things I like most about Raising Fires is the scenes that feature these two characters together. Even though they have known one another for years, the relationship between Ben and Von Hart continues to grow and evolve. You might have thought knowing a person for hundreds of years would have meant there were no more secrets. You would be wrong. Bennett does a grand job of keeping you guessing about the Fay’s intentions. Is he a force of good or bad? Can he be trusted or not? I have to admit, the eventual outcome is not what I was expecting. It can’t ever be a bad thing when a writer defies your expectations and throws you an unexpected curveball in a plot.
As with its predecessor there is an international flavour to the narrative. The story moves from London, across Europe and Asia to China and beyond. I like little details like this. It makes perfect sense to me that a dragon would be able to travel long distances easily. Ben often leads a nomadic existence because he can. Some of the other Remnants are trapped in a single location but Ben has a certain amount of freedom to go wherever he wants.
There is plenty of action in the plot. My personal highlight is a protracted battle between Ben and an opponent who I am not going to name for fear of spoiling the fun. Suffice to say, the level of carnage that is left in their wake is colossal. In his dragon form Ben lives up to the description of “beast”. Pitting him against another Remnant of a similar size lends itself to all kinds of wanton destruction. We’re talking the unstoppable force meeting the immoveable object. This is a full-on clash of the Titans, folks.
Raising Fire is exciting, entertaining and more than a little thought provoking. The book ends in a suitably revelatory fashion and I cannot wait to see where it goes next. This series is swiftly becoming a personal favourite.
November 25, 2018
Raising Fire (Ben Garston Book 2)
Author: James Bennett
Publisher: Orbit Books
Page count: 386 pp.
Release date: 29 Aug 2017
Reviewer: Theresa Derwin
So, here we are, at the second instalment of the Ben Garston trilogy, and without too many spoilers, here’s what happened.
Ben, a dragon when not in his human form, fought battles, got drunk, lost the love of his life - temporarily.
There is, or was, a kind of accord, that so long as the beasts and magical kinds (remnants) didn’t meddle in human affairs, they’d be safe. Ben broke that rule. Or Lore - said in serious Judge Dredd voice.
Ben, an ‘awake’ Remnant - one of the chosen few - had been allowed to see and remain awake throughout history, and it had made him jaded, apart from how he saw his Rose, the love of his life.
Seriously though, as Ben says,
“ ... inside his cavernous heart, bitterness beat like a drum.” Rose had told him to go away, for spoiler free reasons at this point - and he knew better than to argue. So he’d wandered the frozen realms of the planet, feeling sorry for himself until he looked like a red-headed Santa Claus.
What with mummies, and dragons and dwarves, oh my, we had an action packed first book. Now though, the adventure continues, and as with all second instalments in a trilogy, we have the building blocks to the finale, pieces in a puzzle partly answered, and a cliffhanger to bounce us into Burning Ashes, the third book out Dec 2018.
At the start of this one, ‘Raising Fire’, Ben’s currently, metaphorically flogging himself to death flying through the wintered, watery skies of Norway, reflecting on the delights of 1215.
Yes, Red Ben is old, and cynical.
But, there is, just a short spell into this second book, a difference in authorial voice and tone.
I’m wary about saying this, yet at the same time - need to say it - the author Bennett appears to have grown in style, techniques and cynicism.
And that’s no critique. His writing is more fluid, and confident.
This is a stronger voice here, as Ben goes into his second ‘adventure’.
That adventure starting with being lured by the sound of a magical harp, or a third of it that is, and being drugged and captured by a seven foot female assassin - a ‘Sister’ An assassin of the Whispering Chapter. Apparently, the new version of a magical government - think a grimmer Ministry of Mayhem in Hogwarts terms - has condemned him to death during his absence. But, they want information first. So, he is shackled using a cuff forged from pieces of mystical metal, lunewrought, which will restrain him in human form. The whispering chapter wants to know how to find Von Hart, the envoy guarding one piece of the harp.
The novel blends Arthurian and ancient Chinese legend, religious mythology and fae elements in a contemporary setting.
The scenes in Paris, are written with a poetic love, much like Anne Rice writing of New Orleans in Interview with the Vampire; both texts embedded with lush visuals and passion. I happen to know Bennett enjoys travelling, but if I hadn’t known of his travels, it would be evident from the way he writes about the different cities and historical periods throughout the novel.
Ben’s jaded sense of humour, the neo-noir vibe speckled with urban fantasy
Xanadu - Jia being other - and, as Bennett puts it, “she had committed the unpardonable sin of not being male;”, all work together to produce a fantastic story with modern sentiments.
Jia’s time at court is spent being reminded of her lesser status every day. How dare a woman take on a role generally associated with men?
Narrating the past, Jia thinks about the imprisonment of the ‘remnants’ or mythical creatures, and the sleep they have been put in.
“Abandonment, loneliness, loss – these were the ghosts of all Remnants”
And perhaps the ghosts of every disenfranchised person? Bennett is clearly celebrating the voice of ‘other’ in this novel, not only through characters, but through rich, lush, lands.
When we are in Ben’s head, the Dresden/Noir narrative takes over.
I particularly liked Garston’s jaded thoughts about the world he now finds himself in. “The usual carousel of doom and gloom slid across the screen. Melting icecaps. War in the Middle East. A baboon of a president … It was enough to give anyone a headache.”
... saying nothing here.
Overall, this is a step above the first book in the trilogy and Bennett’s writing has grown considerably, which is normally the case with debut authors.
The only issues I had with the book was the switch through time periods, but this is mostly due to my own cognitive function issues. However, I loved travelling through these historical periods with Ben.
And speaking of Ben, I kind of have a literary character crush on him.
Ben is a grumpy, surly, yet strong and honest dragon.
What’s not to love?
Author: James Bennett
Publisher: Orbit Books
Page count: 386 pp.
Release date: 29 Aug 2017
Reviewer: Theresa Derwin
So, here we are, at the second instalment of the Ben Garston trilogy, and without too many spoilers, here’s what happened.
Ben, a dragon when not in his human form, fought battles, got drunk, lost the love of his life - temporarily.
There is, or was, a kind of accord, that so long as the beasts and magical kinds (remnants) didn’t meddle in human affairs, they’d be safe. Ben broke that rule. Or Lore - said in serious Judge Dredd voice.
Ben, an ‘awake’ Remnant - one of the chosen few - had been allowed to see and remain awake throughout history, and it had made him jaded, apart from how he saw his Rose, the love of his life.
Seriously though, as Ben says,
“ ... inside his cavernous heart, bitterness beat like a drum.” Rose had told him to go away, for spoiler free reasons at this point - and he knew better than to argue. So he’d wandered the frozen realms of the planet, feeling sorry for himself until he looked like a red-headed Santa Claus.
What with mummies, and dragons and dwarves, oh my, we had an action packed first book. Now though, the adventure continues, and as with all second instalments in a trilogy, we have the building blocks to the finale, pieces in a puzzle partly answered, and a cliffhanger to bounce us into Burning Ashes, the third book out Dec 2018.
At the start of this one, ‘Raising Fire’, Ben’s currently, metaphorically flogging himself to death flying through the wintered, watery skies of Norway, reflecting on the delights of 1215.
Yes, Red Ben is old, and cynical.
But, there is, just a short spell into this second book, a difference in authorial voice and tone.
I’m wary about saying this, yet at the same time - need to say it - the author Bennett appears to have grown in style, techniques and cynicism.
And that’s no critique. His writing is more fluid, and confident.
This is a stronger voice here, as Ben goes into his second ‘adventure’.
That adventure starting with being lured by the sound of a magical harp, or a third of it that is, and being drugged and captured by a seven foot female assassin - a ‘Sister’ An assassin of the Whispering Chapter. Apparently, the new version of a magical government - think a grimmer Ministry of Mayhem in Hogwarts terms - has condemned him to death during his absence. But, they want information first. So, he is shackled using a cuff forged from pieces of mystical metal, lunewrought, which will restrain him in human form. The whispering chapter wants to know how to find Von Hart, the envoy guarding one piece of the harp.
The novel blends Arthurian and ancient Chinese legend, religious mythology and fae elements in a contemporary setting.
The scenes in Paris, are written with a poetic love, much like Anne Rice writing of New Orleans in Interview with the Vampire; both texts embedded with lush visuals and passion. I happen to know Bennett enjoys travelling, but if I hadn’t known of his travels, it would be evident from the way he writes about the different cities and historical periods throughout the novel.
Ben’s jaded sense of humour, the neo-noir vibe speckled with urban fantasy
Xanadu - Jia being other - and, as Bennett puts it, “she had committed the unpardonable sin of not being male;”, all work together to produce a fantastic story with modern sentiments.
Jia’s time at court is spent being reminded of her lesser status every day. How dare a woman take on a role generally associated with men?
Narrating the past, Jia thinks about the imprisonment of the ‘remnants’ or mythical creatures, and the sleep they have been put in.
“Abandonment, loneliness, loss – these were the ghosts of all Remnants”
And perhaps the ghosts of every disenfranchised person? Bennett is clearly celebrating the voice of ‘other’ in this novel, not only through characters, but through rich, lush, lands.
When we are in Ben’s head, the Dresden/Noir narrative takes over.
I particularly liked Garston’s jaded thoughts about the world he now finds himself in. “The usual carousel of doom and gloom slid across the screen. Melting icecaps. War in the Middle East. A baboon of a president … It was enough to give anyone a headache.”
... saying nothing here.
Overall, this is a step above the first book in the trilogy and Bennett’s writing has grown considerably, which is normally the case with debut authors.
The only issues I had with the book was the switch through time periods, but this is mostly due to my own cognitive function issues. However, I loved travelling through these historical periods with Ben.
And speaking of Ben, I kind of have a literary character crush on him.
Ben is a grumpy, surly, yet strong and honest dragon.
What’s not to love?
September 11, 2017
***Actual rating: 3,25***
October 10, 2017
Rompingly dragontastic good urbanesque fantasy fiction - If you've read Chasing Embers then Raising Fire follows on in its steed with a splendidly if perhaps at times a touch over complex built world with a host of fascinating three dimensional characters that I'd like to read more of (spin off following Jia in medieval China please).
Everything builds to an intriguing climax and sets book 3 up for one hell of a warring finale.
Everything builds to an intriguing climax and sets book 3 up for one hell of a warring finale.
April 29, 2018
An outstanding follow up to Chasing Embers, I thoroughly enjoyed this next instalment in the Ben Garston series and can't wait to read the next one. Without giving too much away, I particularly loved the fate (or not) of du Sang. More please Mr Bennett!
July 7, 2018
Loved this, one of those rare sequels that I enjoyed more than the 1st book
August 12, 2020
In the second book in James Bennet’s urban fantasy series, our favourite dragon/man Ben Garston (or Benjurigan) is reeling from the aftermath of his (mis)adventures in Chasing Embers (first book). A sleeping enemy has awakened to settle an old score with Ben. A mystical East Asian creature is seeking his alliance to mend the broken Pact, or so it seems. Plus, an ancient fanatical religious charter (think warrior monks and nuns) wants to kill him!
A few weeks ago, I picked up Chasing Embers at the library on a whim, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Dragons, London, knights and fairies—what’s not to like??? And I keep picturing Tom Hiddleston as Ben... So I was really looking forward to reading Raising Fire and see what our protagonist is up to.
In the sequel, Bennet took us to China and introduced us to the sin-you, an Asian unicorn if you like. I have seen sin-you statues in Chinese and Japanese temples, but I didn't know what they were until this book. Jia Jing, a sin-you, is the “appointed judge of the court of Kublai Khan, Guardian of the East, Keeper of the Lore.” She announces herself like that several times in the book that I began to admire her conviction. She’s very much Ben’s opposite who has become jaded with the Lore after hundreds of years. She’s an interesting character, and I very much wanted to root for her, but I had this nagging feeling that things aren’t as straightforward as it seems. And that’s a good thing about Raising Fire! Just when you think you’ve figured out the characters, the author throws you a curveball. Blaise von Hart... Who would have thought???
You don't have to read Chasing Embers to enjoy Raising Fire (although I recommend you do... I'm just a a stickler for order, and also the first book has more of Ben’s background story.) If you love magical, mythical creatures set in a modern world, then give this book a go!
A few weeks ago, I picked up Chasing Embers at the library on a whim, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Dragons, London, knights and fairies—what’s not to like??? And I keep picturing Tom Hiddleston as Ben... So I was really looking forward to reading Raising Fire and see what our protagonist is up to.
In the sequel, Bennet took us to China and introduced us to the sin-you, an Asian unicorn if you like. I have seen sin-you statues in Chinese and Japanese temples, but I didn't know what they were until this book. Jia Jing, a sin-you, is the “appointed judge of the court of Kublai Khan, Guardian of the East, Keeper of the Lore.” She announces herself like that several times in the book that I began to admire her conviction. She’s very much Ben’s opposite who has become jaded with the Lore after hundreds of years. She’s an interesting character, and I very much wanted to root for her, but I had this nagging feeling that things aren’t as straightforward as it seems. And that’s a good thing about Raising Fire! Just when you think you’ve figured out the characters, the author throws you a curveball. Blaise von Hart... Who would have thought???
You don't have to read Chasing Embers to enjoy Raising Fire (although I recommend you do... I'm just a a stickler for order, and also the first book has more of Ben’s background story.) If you love magical, mythical creatures set in a modern world, then give this book a go!
January 11, 2020
After the events of Chasing Embers, "Red" Ben Garston is alone and angry, and understandably so. James Bennett wastes no time in making him even angrier, as those aforementioned events become the catalyst to a breaking of the Lore on a scale even Ben has not yet imagined. Once again Bennett dives deep into highly descriptive prose while creating some vivid action sequences that really do stick in the mind. From oil rigs in the Baltic to the roof of a train in China, from the catacombs of Paris to the shiny paths of the Nether dimension, if this was a film then Russell Mulcahy would be directing it with a budget of hundreds of millions.
Encore un fois.
Encore un fois.
May 8, 2019
Raising Fire is the second in a series of books by James Bennett about the modern relationship between the creatures from fairy tales and fantasy, known as the remnants and humans. A pact known as the lore is currently in place which sees one human disguised remnant from every type of mythical creature left to go about their business on the earth, whilst the rest are subdued into an eternal slumber by a magical harp. Whilst this stands, the humans agree to leave remnants to themselves, thus sustaining some semblance of peace.
Only now, the lore is threatened. Our main character, Ben Garston, the Red, heartbroken and Jack Daniels loving dragon seems to be the only remnant intent on maintaining the pact and peace on Earth as we know it. Through a variety of encounters with different cults and creatures; vampires and unicorns, it seems everyone is after the sacred harp with the power to wake all remnants from their slumber and break this historical agreement.
Full of descriptive action and a fantastic cast of creatures, the book suffers from a confusing introduction, trying to fill everyone in on events up until now in a relatively short space of time. There are lots of similes and metaphors showered throughout the story, but some are often over explained and the amount of speculation that Ben does throughout makes up a lot of the writing. I did sometimes think that the story could've been told in half the page length.
Nevertheless, the plot is a solid one, the twists by characters you don't necessarily see coming and the second half of the book really comes in to it's own and had me gripped until the conclusion, leading nicely into the third instalment. Ben's relationships with the other characters is well written. I especially enjoyed the episodes between him and the recently awoken, and very pissed of White Dragon. Their relationship reminds me a lot of that between the The Master and The Doctor in Doctor Who.
Apart from my slight annoyance at the occasionally over descriptive writing which at times feels a bit pandering - I don't need your metaphors and similes explained at every turn - the plot and characters make up for this and it is an enjoying modern take on the fantasy genre. Recommended for fans of Ben Aaronovitch, Doctor Who, Harry Potter etc. Now the premise of this universe has been set up, I have extremely high hopes for any subsequent books in this series and I'm looking forward to reading the next, Burning Ashes.
Only now, the lore is threatened. Our main character, Ben Garston, the Red, heartbroken and Jack Daniels loving dragon seems to be the only remnant intent on maintaining the pact and peace on Earth as we know it. Through a variety of encounters with different cults and creatures; vampires and unicorns, it seems everyone is after the sacred harp with the power to wake all remnants from their slumber and break this historical agreement.
Full of descriptive action and a fantastic cast of creatures, the book suffers from a confusing introduction, trying to fill everyone in on events up until now in a relatively short space of time. There are lots of similes and metaphors showered throughout the story, but some are often over explained and the amount of speculation that Ben does throughout makes up a lot of the writing. I did sometimes think that the story could've been told in half the page length.
Nevertheless, the plot is a solid one, the twists by characters you don't necessarily see coming and the second half of the book really comes in to it's own and had me gripped until the conclusion, leading nicely into the third instalment. Ben's relationships with the other characters is well written. I especially enjoyed the episodes between him and the recently awoken, and very pissed of White Dragon. Their relationship reminds me a lot of that between the The Master and The Doctor in Doctor Who.
Apart from my slight annoyance at the occasionally over descriptive writing which at times feels a bit pandering - I don't need your metaphors and similes explained at every turn - the plot and characters make up for this and it is an enjoying modern take on the fantasy genre. Recommended for fans of Ben Aaronovitch, Doctor Who, Harry Potter etc. Now the premise of this universe has been set up, I have extremely high hopes for any subsequent books in this series and I'm looking forward to reading the next, Burning Ashes.
May 22, 2020
Even an old dragon can learn new tricks.
Ben Garston is back. A year after the events of Chasing Embers, Raising Fire picks up with Ben being hunted down by the Whispering Chapter - the cult-like religious sect of the Curia Occultus. Something is going on, the fairy envoy Von Hart has gone missing, and an old enemy has risen in the east. Teaming up with Jia Jing, a sin-you Remnant, Ben must once again defend the world from evil forces.
This was a great sequel. It pick up some lose threads from the first novel and tied them together nicely, while still putting forward its own story. I'm glad to see Bennett has an overall plan for the trilogy, and as such is weaving the stories together. I enjoyed the introduction of Jia Jing, she was a complicated and layered character with her own story and motives. It was also interesting to see how Von Hart's character and role in the plot evolved between books.
I felt at the times the writing became a little too philosophical, making some of the aspects of the final reveal a bit confusing. There was also a fair bit of unnecessary repetition. While most leftover threads from Chasing Embers were addressed, there was one in particular that was largely ignored. Where was Rose? Mention was made of her a few times throughout the story, but she did not appear. Last we heard she was pregnant with Ben's child, and that seems a pretty important thread to leave hanging.
All in all, I continue to enjoy this series and I look forward to seeing how it all comes to an end in Burning Ashes.
Ben Garston is back. A year after the events of Chasing Embers, Raising Fire picks up with Ben being hunted down by the Whispering Chapter - the cult-like religious sect of the Curia Occultus. Something is going on, the fairy envoy Von Hart has gone missing, and an old enemy has risen in the east. Teaming up with Jia Jing, a sin-you Remnant, Ben must once again defend the world from evil forces.
This was a great sequel. It pick up some lose threads from the first novel and tied them together nicely, while still putting forward its own story. I'm glad to see Bennett has an overall plan for the trilogy, and as such is weaving the stories together. I enjoyed the introduction of Jia Jing, she was a complicated and layered character with her own story and motives. It was also interesting to see how Von Hart's character and role in the plot evolved between books.
I felt at the times the writing became a little too philosophical, making some of the aspects of the final reveal a bit confusing. There was also a fair bit of unnecessary repetition. While most leftover threads from Chasing Embers were addressed, there was one in particular that was largely ignored. Where was Rose? Mention was made of her a few times throughout the story, but she did not appear. Last we heard she was pregnant with Ben's child, and that seems a pretty important thread to leave hanging.
All in all, I continue to enjoy this series and I look forward to seeing how it all comes to an end in Burning Ashes.
September 15, 2017
The first novel in this series created a rich world where history, myth and fairy tale blend together and offered us a protagonist driven by duty more than heroism as it built towards a climax. This second volume picks up with the fallout of the previous years events, dropping the reader straight into the action as we discover that far from being allowed to fade back into the background, Red Ben is going to be fighting for his life.
The focus in the second novel is on the eastern and western guardians of the remnants and the lore and the machinations of the Envoy, leading us through Xanadu in the past, Paris in the present and of course, a little bit of London among others. The threads of loss, betrayal, longing and survival weave throughout the fantastic story telling and compelling characters. It's faster paced than the first, full of visceral battle scenes, with the occasional potent moment of sorrow or despair, rooting it deeply in the readers heart.
James Bennett is a superb storyteller and this series is a must read for fans of knightly adventures, dragons or fantasy, or pretty much anyone who reads fiction really.
I would recommend reading the first, but technically I think you could dip straight in at book 2, Bennett drops just enough breadcrumbs to follow the plot without the full background, although I think it is a shame to miss out on book 1 personally.
The focus in the second novel is on the eastern and western guardians of the remnants and the lore and the machinations of the Envoy, leading us through Xanadu in the past, Paris in the present and of course, a little bit of London among others. The threads of loss, betrayal, longing and survival weave throughout the fantastic story telling and compelling characters. It's faster paced than the first, full of visceral battle scenes, with the occasional potent moment of sorrow or despair, rooting it deeply in the readers heart.
James Bennett is a superb storyteller and this series is a must read for fans of knightly adventures, dragons or fantasy, or pretty much anyone who reads fiction really.
I would recommend reading the first, but technically I think you could dip straight in at book 2, Bennett drops just enough breadcrumbs to follow the plot without the full background, although I think it is a shame to miss out on book 1 personally.
January 18, 2018
I picked up this book in the Nook store on my tablet because I wanted to see what happens next. My personal review of the book is as follows:
In my personal opinion this book felt like a set up to a bigger storyline arc move in the next book in the series aside from that I feel like the book was largely about "Ben" dealing with a lot of deeper issues with his emotions and forcing him to overcome his denial about his situation.
I personally wish that the plot points would have been worked out to flow better between each other, I also feel that because "Ben" spent so much of the storyline dealing with his emotions and trying to stay away from everyone to protect himself it felt like he wasn't interactive within his own story which left me feeling frustrated because "Ben" is a main character and the series as a whole is based upon him. I can't wait to see where the he goes from here in the next book because of the character development. Overall I personally rate this book a 4 and half out 10.
In my personal opinion this book felt like a set up to a bigger storyline arc move in the next book in the series aside from that I feel like the book was largely about "Ben" dealing with a lot of deeper issues with his emotions and forcing him to overcome his denial about his situation.
I personally wish that the plot points would have been worked out to flow better between each other, I also feel that because "Ben" spent so much of the storyline dealing with his emotions and trying to stay away from everyone to protect himself it felt like he wasn't interactive within his own story which left me feeling frustrated because "Ben" is a main character and the series as a whole is based upon him. I can't wait to see where the he goes from here in the next book because of the character development. Overall I personally rate this book a 4 and half out 10.
August 22, 2018
This is the second in the Ben Garston series. Ben is old - so old he's the last of his kind on earth - or at least thats what the Lore says. Ben is a remnant - one of the few mythological beings still hanging around- the rest of them have gone to sleep to stop wars of extinction with humans. In this case, Ben is a dragon - an ancient red dragon who, along with the last fey, a guild of aristocrats and a religious order of knights, is supposed to keep the peace. Except the aristocrats have died out (with help), the order has gone very fundamentalist and the fey - well who knows with the Fey! Oh and some one has released Bens ancient enemy - an ancient white dragon (with all the Arthurian symbolism of red and white dragons!). Throw in some chinese mythology and Ben has a lot to deal with. And the reader has an original and exciting story to read. It does, towards the end, move more and more towards being a set up for a third book which detracts somewhat from the story but its till a good read if you like modern urban fantasy and dragons!
March 11, 2019
A bridging novel Many years ago man and the magical creatures that share the world came to a pact, that a select group would stay on earth and the rest would sleep. Most of humanity has forgotten and the magical creatures hide out. Ben Garston is one of those magical creatures, a dragon and really all he wants to do is drink and forget the past and the girlfriend he had to leave but no, the folks who enforce the pact have plans and one of them includes killing him.He has to work with other magical creatures who have their own agenda. The fate of the world is in their hands but how to save it is a problem.
It's interesting with modern world and mythology clashing and characters trying to do their own thing. It's also a bridging novel so I think a lot of it is involved in setting up what will come. Interesting but needs the prequel.
It's interesting with modern world and mythology clashing and characters trying to do their own thing. It's also a bridging novel so I think a lot of it is involved in setting up what will come. Interesting but needs the prequel.
March 22, 2018
I read the first book and enjoyed it. The world building was so strong and immersive that it really caught my imagination. The story of Ben was good, but one I'd read in many other urban fantasies. Brooding dude, alcoholic, must save his love interest from certain peril. Did it help he was a dragon? Yeah, kinda.
The second book is where Bennett hits his stride. He returns to the world building of the first book and uses it to his best advantage by drawing on intrigue and interesting new creature types that I've never seen used before and re-imagining classic monsters like vampires in an interesting way . I can't go fully into detail without ruining the book, but I'm eager for the 3rd book to be released. Very eager!
The second book is where Bennett hits his stride. He returns to the world building of the first book and uses it to his best advantage by drawing on intrigue and interesting new creature types that I've never seen used before and re-imagining classic monsters like vampires in an interesting way . I can't go fully into detail without ruining the book, but I'm eager for the 3rd book to be released. Very eager!
May 6, 2021
Now, I am going to start this off with the fact that I brought all three books in this trilogy before I read the first one, thinking that I would like the first book and, therefore, all of them.
And much of my review for this is going to be the same as my review for the first book. I like the overall storyline, I just... get lost in what is actually happening at times.
Maybe it is just a little too wordy for me. That, at times, I find myself reading the same paragraph a couple of times because I don't think that I've actually read it properly.
Maybe, despite my better nature, I am going to give the third book a read. I can at least be hopeful and have my fingers crossed that I will enjoy it more...
And much of my review for this is going to be the same as my review for the first book. I like the overall storyline, I just... get lost in what is actually happening at times.
Maybe it is just a little too wordy for me. That, at times, I find myself reading the same paragraph a couple of times because I don't think that I've actually read it properly.
Maybe, despite my better nature, I am going to give the third book a read. I can at least be hopeful and have my fingers crossed that I will enjoy it more...
April 2, 2019
Really enjoyed it to start with but it did lose cohesion a little around chapter 12 and 13 that totally killed the pace of the story. It just tried to be a little too deep and was filled with excessive imagery that bogged down what is otherwise an exiting book. Luckily it picks up relatively quickly but I had to drop it from a 5 star read to a 4.
June 9, 2022
Bennett ups his game in the second book of his trilogy, and he was already starting from a high point. The middle book is absolutely packed full of fun. Beautifully and zestfully written with a real sense of place and a cinematic scope, this is page-turning fantasy at its best. I especially liked the otherw0rldy eldritch horror of the last few chapters.
September 28, 2023
More dragons! As well as a bisexual vampire and the Chinese equivalent of a unicorn! I love how the author weaves myths, legends and history into his world, George and the dragon in book one, King Arthur in this one, as well as Kublai Khan and the Middle Kingdom. Cannot wait to see how this series ends
February 19, 2019
I found the writing style has smoothed out. The prose are less overwhelming, making the story flow better.
This book expands with a few more nonhumans introduced. This world must get ready for many more, because they're waking up from their centuries old forced sleep and they're not happy.
This book expands with a few more nonhumans introduced. This world must get ready for many more, because they're waking up from their centuries old forced sleep and they're not happy.
January 3, 2020
I really really want to like this character and this series of books but I just can’t seem to find any sort of empathy or emotional connection to Ben, it’s hard to relate to him when the characters I normally like are Harry Dresden, Alex Verses & Jack Reacher.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2021
I wanted to like this book but somehow it never worked for me. Its well written. Its got dragons and unicorns and great fights. But for some reason I just felt frustrated with the story and didn't find anything to engage me
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