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Children of the King #2
The Fire Starter
A secluded island. A fiery princess…and a translator with a smoldering mission.
Princess Amaryllis Filippopoulos, the rightful heir of Celosia, will not succumb to her father’s absurd plot to marry her off and forfeit her rule. When a proxy wedding creates a sham of a marriage and battle erupts over the bride, will she do the unimaginable in order to save her island?
Prince Valryan Molan is sent by the King to translate the island's scrolls…and to marry its princess. The High Lord of Celosia may have handed Valaryn the key to his kingdom, but she’s as pliable as iron.
When strangers with illegal fire weapons threaten Celosia, Valryan and Amaryllis must face a combustible choice. Will the heat fuse them together or blow them apart?
Princess Amaryllis Filippopoulos, the rightful heir of Celosia, will not succumb to her father’s absurd plot to marry her off and forfeit her rule. When a proxy wedding creates a sham of a marriage and battle erupts over the bride, will she do the unimaginable in order to save her island?
Prince Valryan Molan is sent by the King to translate the island's scrolls…and to marry its princess. The High Lord of Celosia may have handed Valaryn the key to his kingdom, but she’s as pliable as iron.
When strangers with illegal fire weapons threaten Celosia, Valryan and Amaryllis must face a combustible choice. Will the heat fuse them together or blow them apart?
- GenresFantasy
293 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 10, 2012
33 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 10, 2013
This story blew me away. I found myself engrossed to the point where I thought about the book all the time. The story was achingly beautiful. The heroine Amyaryllis was strong, yet vulnerable in that she feared any kind of weakness. The hero was similar, but in a very masculine way. Valryan was probably the most heroic character I've read in the past year. I loved how the author showed his struggle to follow the King in everything that he did, from his gut-wrenching honesty, to his complete humanity. He was by no means a feminine-thinking man, which I think made me love him more... because he thought like a man would think. Too often we female authors soften our male heroes up to the point that they are not realistic. This author created a spiritual man in Valryan who was thoroughly lovable and very masculine.
The way Valryan talked to himself and cried out to the King when he struggled was especially powerful. I loved how he sought the King to help him have more faith and to believe that the King's Word to him would work out in the end. His desire for everyone to know the King was heart-warming and enviable. I loved how he nick-named his wife sparky and how he used that to tease her in a loving way. Their growing relationship was breathtakingly beautiful.
I loved the faith aspect of this book and how the author showed the progression so beautifully. She touched on the heart of humanity and the desire for purpose and meaning. She also touched on the fear that often keeps people from the truth and how loving someone like Christ loved us does indeed -- over time -- draw the lost to the King. We just need to be patient, consistent, and genuine in our relationships with those we love. Of course, we can only get that kind of strength through constant communication with the King.
The message about marriage was especially strong as were the truths that the hero learned through the King about how loving Him first made everything else the way it was intended to be. I found their joining prior to his wife knowing the King to be especially powerful since it reflects on the human love that often leaves us very insecure and dissatisfied in marriage. With the King's presence in marriage, however, the is beauty of marital love is beyond description and His presence is indeed with us. We need to use that reality to give us courage and strength. We need to be willing to trust the King completely. The way the author showed how the hero being trustworthy increased the heroine's ability to trust the King was incredibly insightful. So was the way salvation was described to someone who didn't even believe in God, and the revealing of the Scriptures. Awesome, awesome book. I'd give it ten stars if I could.
The way Valryan talked to himself and cried out to the King when he struggled was especially powerful. I loved how he sought the King to help him have more faith and to believe that the King's Word to him would work out in the end. His desire for everyone to know the King was heart-warming and enviable. I loved how he nick-named his wife sparky and how he used that to tease her in a loving way. Their growing relationship was breathtakingly beautiful.
I loved the faith aspect of this book and how the author showed the progression so beautifully. She touched on the heart of humanity and the desire for purpose and meaning. She also touched on the fear that often keeps people from the truth and how loving someone like Christ loved us does indeed -- over time -- draw the lost to the King. We just need to be patient, consistent, and genuine in our relationships with those we love. Of course, we can only get that kind of strength through constant communication with the King.
The message about marriage was especially strong as were the truths that the hero learned through the King about how loving Him first made everything else the way it was intended to be. I found their joining prior to his wife knowing the King to be especially powerful since it reflects on the human love that often leaves us very insecure and dissatisfied in marriage. With the King's presence in marriage, however, the is beauty of marital love is beyond description and His presence is indeed with us. We need to use that reality to give us courage and strength. We need to be willing to trust the King completely. The way the author showed how the hero being trustworthy increased the heroine's ability to trust the King was incredibly insightful. So was the way salvation was described to someone who didn't even believe in God, and the revealing of the Scriptures. Awesome, awesome book. I'd give it ten stars if I could.
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Blurb:
A secluded island. A fiery princess…and a translator with a smoldering mission.
Princess Amaryllis Filippopoulos, the rightful heir of Celosia, will not succumb to her father’s absurd plot to marry her off and forfeit her rule. When a proxy wedding creates a sham of a marriage and battle erupts over the bride, will she do the unimaginable in order to save her island?
Prince Valryan Molan is sent by the King to translate the island's scrolls…and to marry its princess. The High Lord of Celosia may have handed Valaryn the key to his kingdom, but she’s as pliable as iron.
When strangers with illegal fire weapons threaten Celosia, Valryan and Amaryllis must face a combustible choice. Will the heat fuse them together or blow them apart?
Blurb:
A secluded island. A fiery princess…and a translator with a smoldering mission.
Princess Amaryllis Filippopoulos, the rightful heir of Celosia, will not succumb to her father’s absurd plot to marry her off and forfeit her rule. When a proxy wedding creates a sham of a marriage and battle erupts over the bride, will she do the unimaginable in order to save her island?
Prince Valryan Molan is sent by the King to translate the island's scrolls…and to marry its princess. The High Lord of Celosia may have handed Valaryn the key to his kingdom, but she’s as pliable as iron.
When strangers with illegal fire weapons threaten Celosia, Valryan and Amaryllis must face a combustible choice. Will the heat fuse them together or blow them apart?
March 12, 2018
The Fire Starter is book two from Gloria Clover’s series, Children of the King. I enjoyed the first book and this one did not disappoint. I loved Amaryllis and admired her strength as a woman. I, also, loved Valryan and admired his courage and bravery. The story is a touching one that has the beautiful element of faith.
I give The Fire Starter a well deserved 5 stars and recommend it to those who love beautifully written speculative fiction. I look forward to the next book from the Children of the King series.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
I give The Fire Starter a well deserved 5 stars and recommend it to those who love beautifully written speculative fiction. I look forward to the next book from the Children of the King series.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
May 9, 2018
I enjoy the author's transparency in her note at the beginning of the book. However, I don't find too much "speculative" about this story. It has a touch of fantastical elements, but mostly it is just a story of an island that has walled itself off from technology and adopted agnosticism.
This book felt much less allegorical than the first in the series, but I didn't enjoy it any less.
The reason it didn't earn five stars from me is because I couldn't accept Amaryllis' misconception. Once it was pointed out to her, even she realized it was something she should have questioned earlier. So why didn't she? It made her seem stupid and she was portrayed as quite intelligent about everything else.
I do enjoy how the author highlights the weaknesses in her characters. I especially loved how Valryan came face to face with how God can use those weaknesses for His glory. Very poignant and pertinent.
This doesn't read like a series. If there is an overarching series goal, I would guess it has to do with the pirates who attacked the islands in each book. We spent even less time learning about them here, so if there is something that ties the books together, I hope the author will emphasize that more in the next book.
This book felt much less allegorical than the first in the series, but I didn't enjoy it any less.
The reason it didn't earn five stars from me is because I couldn't accept Amaryllis' misconception. Once it was pointed out to her, even she realized it was something she should have questioned earlier. So why didn't she? It made her seem stupid and she was portrayed as quite intelligent about everything else.
I do enjoy how the author highlights the weaknesses in her characters. I especially loved how Valryan came face to face with how God can use those weaknesses for His glory. Very poignant and pertinent.
This doesn't read like a series. If there is an overarching series goal, I would guess it has to do with the pirates who attacked the islands in each book. We spent even less time learning about them here, so if there is something that ties the books together, I hope the author will emphasize that more in the next book.
July 18, 2018
Well, this book, as with the first book, had it's "steamy" moments. Nothing overt, just a guy who really wanted the woman. The woman was afraid that if she was with the man she would no longer be able to function mentally to rule her country - so she was adamant that she would never marry. Her father tried proxy marriages, and the first two didn't work, but he used her handmaiden on the third one and she said the vows and according to the laws of her country she and Valryan, the prince the King had sent to rule this land, were married. "Sparky" Valryan's nickname for the princess, was having none of it and as the King directed Valryan exhibited patience towards her and eventually she came to love him, although she still feared that being with him intimately would scramble her mind.
I kept waiting for that intimate moment to happen and wasn't comfortable reading the story. Even though this story had a lot more suspense to it than the first, I just didn't trust the writer to keep it clean. I skipped to the end at about the half-way point. If I'm not comfortable reading something because I'm waiting for something bad to happen (a cuss word or a sexual scene), then it's not a book I should be reading. Sure enough, the ending of this book was like the first one. I skipped the last couple of pages too, but did get the gist of how the story ends from the last chapter.
This story also didn't have, at least to the point that I read it, the closeness to the Father that the first story had. Valryan popped in on occasion to meet with "Dad", but there wasn't the closeness or the reverence of the first story.
It's a great concept for a series and the writing was exceptional. I just wish I could say it was clean.
I kept waiting for that intimate moment to happen and wasn't comfortable reading the story. Even though this story had a lot more suspense to it than the first, I just didn't trust the writer to keep it clean. I skipped to the end at about the half-way point. If I'm not comfortable reading something because I'm waiting for something bad to happen (a cuss word or a sexual scene), then it's not a book I should be reading. Sure enough, the ending of this book was like the first one. I skipped the last couple of pages too, but did get the gist of how the story ends from the last chapter.
This story also didn't have, at least to the point that I read it, the closeness to the Father that the first story had. Valryan popped in on occasion to meet with "Dad", but there wasn't the closeness or the reverence of the first story.
It's a great concept for a series and the writing was exceptional. I just wish I could say it was clean.
May 3, 2018
Knights of the Round Table meets today’s real life struggles
I greatly enjoyed the many facets woven into this book even though I can be a bit picky about fantasy reading. The author did a great job of blending multiple topics together into a deeper story. This book has a medieval fantasy setting but discusses turbulence within relationships as well as the struggles Christians encounter with sin and non believers. The author does a beautiful job of blending all of the topics together into a smooth story line. I didn’t feel like there were details missing or choppy topic changes. She writes about some deep topics and struggles including the difficulties of witnessing to non believers, maintaining Christian virtue, and struggles within marriage. If you’re looking for a fictional romantic Christian read on some of the real life topics that plague the world today combined with the fantasy element of medieval times this book is for you. I very much enjoyed this book and would definitely read the series.
I greatly enjoyed the many facets woven into this book even though I can be a bit picky about fantasy reading. The author did a great job of blending multiple topics together into a deeper story. This book has a medieval fantasy setting but discusses turbulence within relationships as well as the struggles Christians encounter with sin and non believers. The author does a beautiful job of blending all of the topics together into a smooth story line. I didn’t feel like there were details missing or choppy topic changes. She writes about some deep topics and struggles including the difficulties of witnessing to non believers, maintaining Christian virtue, and struggles within marriage. If you’re looking for a fictional romantic Christian read on some of the real life topics that plague the world today combined with the fantasy element of medieval times this book is for you. I very much enjoyed this book and would definitely read the series.
May 13, 2018
I ordered this book on the strength of the sample and promise of a strong heroine. Very disappointed on both fronts. She does not want to be married, nor give up her rights to her heritage. The "hero" marries her by proxy and will not stop mauling her, despite the repeated requests to quit. He came across as power hungry and predatory instead of godly. ugh.
May 24, 2018
3.5 Stars
September 3, 2018
It is a great book to read
January 6, 2020
Loved loved this book, loved the whole premise of the book, such an enjoyable read and can't wait to read the others in the series.
September 25, 2020
I'm very torn on this book. I didn't want to write a review until I managed to corral my thoughts into something that made sense. It hasn't happened yet - and I am not sure if it will.
If you read this book - be aware there is a good deal of focus on the physical aspects of love. The protagonists meet in bed -- and spend a lot of time describing each other's bodies. Sometimes it felt like a "bodice ripper" rather than Christian fiction. It walks right up to the edge. Some may not be bothered at all - but some don't want anything even close to the edge so I felt it should be mentioned.
The second half of the book adds in a lot more with the spiritual side (the spiritual materialin the beginning was mostly him asking for help to not touch and kiss her and God telling him to be patient). There was some really interesting sections about how God speaks to non believers. There was a lot of really good and thought provoking material. I even discussed the book and characters with my husband.
If you read this book - be aware there is a good deal of focus on the physical aspects of love. The protagonists meet in bed -- and spend a lot of time describing each other's bodies. Sometimes it felt like a "bodice ripper" rather than Christian fiction. It walks right up to the edge. Some may not be bothered at all - but some don't want anything even close to the edge so I felt it should be mentioned.
The second half of the book adds in a lot more with the spiritual side (the spiritual materialin the beginning was mostly him asking for help to not touch and kiss her and God telling him to be patient). There was some really interesting sections about how God speaks to non believers. There was a lot of really good and thought provoking material. I even discussed the book and characters with my husband.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews