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World on Fire #1
How To Set The World On Fire
The Quest Series is an annual competition at The Academy that challenges warrior, wizard and scholar students. In teams of four, they travel across the realm to collect magical items, race through castles, and interact with enchanting creatures in pursuit of championship glory. Kase Garrick is a warrior that strives for greatness and wants to prove himself a champion, but can only compete if he convinces two scholars and a wizard to come together. Although their team defies normal convention, it does not lack strength, wisdom or heart. Their journey tests their individual skills, dares them to look past their differences, and stretches them beyond their limits in order to overcome adversity. It’s a quest of self-discovery and growth, trust and patience, friendship and teamwork.
- GenresFantasy
278 pages, Paperback
First published May 13, 2017
145 people are currently reading
1187 people want to read
About the author
T.K. Riggins
12 books15 followersT.K. Riggins started writing because of a dare. His friend was searching for something new to read, and after coming up empty handed, challenged Riggins to take action. Instead of recommending a book, he decided to pen a story of his own.
He shared an experience from his past, where he witnessed a cattle farmer deal with fetus malposition. The farmer was able to reach inside the cow, turn the calf around in the womb, and reorient the birthing position. With a little bit of tugging, some questionable language, and a healthy dose of faith, the calf entered the world and took its first breath with ease.
Growing up in the city, Riggins thought he witnessed a miracle. The calf was struggling and was surely dead, but with the help of the farmer it was alive and well. Riggins turned this day on the farm into a fantasy story by replacing the cow with a flying lion, and the miracle work of the farmer into a tale of magic, because the experience was magical to him.
His audience loved the story, so Riggins was obligated to make more. Instead of focusing on just the farm, he used other aspects of his life to create a world involving the physical strength of a warrior, the intellectual prowess of a scholar, and the passionate magic of a wizard. After a while, he had a whole book!
Although he doesn’t have a typical writer’s background in Literature or Education, his BSc in Mechanical Engineering helps him innovate, problem solve, and attack his series with a fresh perspective. He’s able to take a classic fantasy setting and add a modern twist, creating a world and story of his own.
T.K. Riggins is the Chanticleer OZMA award-winning author of the fantasy novel How To Set The World On Fire. Originally from the Midwest, he now lives on the Canadian west coast, where he enjoys hiking the path less traveled, swimming against the current, and continuously pushing the boundaries.
He shared an experience from his past, where he witnessed a cattle farmer deal with fetus malposition. The farmer was able to reach inside the cow, turn the calf around in the womb, and reorient the birthing position. With a little bit of tugging, some questionable language, and a healthy dose of faith, the calf entered the world and took its first breath with ease.
Growing up in the city, Riggins thought he witnessed a miracle. The calf was struggling and was surely dead, but with the help of the farmer it was alive and well. Riggins turned this day on the farm into a fantasy story by replacing the cow with a flying lion, and the miracle work of the farmer into a tale of magic, because the experience was magical to him.
His audience loved the story, so Riggins was obligated to make more. Instead of focusing on just the farm, he used other aspects of his life to create a world involving the physical strength of a warrior, the intellectual prowess of a scholar, and the passionate magic of a wizard. After a while, he had a whole book!
Although he doesn’t have a typical writer’s background in Literature or Education, his BSc in Mechanical Engineering helps him innovate, problem solve, and attack his series with a fresh perspective. He’s able to take a classic fantasy setting and add a modern twist, creating a world and story of his own.
T.K. Riggins is the Chanticleer OZMA award-winning author of the fantasy novel How To Set The World On Fire. Originally from the Midwest, he now lives on the Canadian west coast, where he enjoys hiking the path less traveled, swimming against the current, and continuously pushing the boundaries.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 1, 2018
4.5 stars rounded up to a 5.
First of all, the beginning! What a great way to start a story. I like how the main character Kase is already familiar with the fact that there is magic and there are magical creatures in his world. Once he gets to school, he does get a sense of wonder as he learns how much more magic there is to behold.
Kase is a bit of a hotshot, but what teenage boy isn't to some degree. I really liked his older sister, Cali, and Talen and Lenia are a lot of fun too.
I wouldn't have minded seeing each of the challenges drawn out a little longer and given the characters more hardships. They were so interesting, and I wanted more!
The author has created a whole world with so many more stories that could be told. I look forward to reading more in the future!
First of all, the beginning! What a great way to start a story. I like how the main character Kase is already familiar with the fact that there is magic and there are magical creatures in his world. Once he gets to school, he does get a sense of wonder as he learns how much more magic there is to behold.
Kase is a bit of a hotshot, but what teenage boy isn't to some degree. I really liked his older sister, Cali, and Talen and Lenia are a lot of fun too.
I wouldn't have minded seeing each of the challenges drawn out a little longer and given the characters more hardships. They were so interesting, and I wanted more!
The author has created a whole world with so many more stories that could be told. I look forward to reading more in the future!
March 13, 2024
Well, I'm not a teenager anymore, quite older actually and I have a feeling this is series that is aiming toward younger audience. However, that doesn't mean I didn't like it...in fact I'm eager to read the whole series and I'm about to finish the second one Money Jane.
Characters are funny and well written. There might not be that much we know about them from past (which I would like) but there is a feeling in me saying Kase is far more that it's shown so far. Book is easy to read and to follow. Quest competition, was pretty fun to read and I do always like when bully gets what is coming to him/her.
I'm looking forward to rest of the series but currently it's not in top 10 of the books/series I have read.
Characters are funny and well written. There might not be that much we know about them from past (which I would like) but there is a feeling in me saying Kase is far more that it's shown so far. Book is easy to read and to follow. Quest competition, was pretty fun to read and I do always like when bully gets what is coming to him/her.
I'm looking forward to rest of the series but currently it's not in top 10 of the books/series I have read.
October 14, 2024
I won this book in a giveaway, i got the Kindle version. Here is my honest review
Characters
The characters are all flat. They are all very stereotypical. Quiet, shy, smart girl. Older leader who is a little bossy. Overly confident main character who is good at literally everything he trys. "Rebel" girl who main character immediately falls in love with. There is zero character development. None of the relationships in the book are talked about, in the beginning Kase gets in a fight with his sister and then never again is their relationship brought up. Kase and Lenia just immediately start acting like a couple even though they never once talked about their feelings for eachother. The characters interactions feel fake and forced, they are constantly giggling at what anyone else has to say. Cali calls Kase "brother" all the time, i will die before i refer to my brothers as "brother". Speaking of which, we never once learn the age of these kids, or what they look like. The most i got was Lenias very green eyes, and 3/4ths through the book we find out the main character has brown hair. As well as the bad guy, Niveous being thin. Niveous's character makes no sense, he immediately is rude to his girlfriends younger brother, he starts fights constantly and then goes running to his dad when he gets hit back. Nothing he does is really very threatening. Hes just a brat, which doesn't make sense because he is supposed to be graduating from the school while Kase is just starting.
Story
The prologue is all about Kase and his aunt and uncle at the farm, he repeatedly calls them old but they dont even have grey hair yet. In the prologue they help a massive dangerous beast give birth and Kase forms a connection with the baby. Never once again is this brought up in the whole book, what was the point. Even the personality that Kase is givin in the Prologue is immediately changed once he goes to school, in the beginning it says that he doesn't talk much and is a shy little fella. As soon as he gets to school he is a big buff charismatic guy who is constantly making jokes. Its so contradictary.
They routinely bring up things that make us question whats going to come of that and literally they are never mentioned again
Did Niveous cheat on Cali? Why did Lenia feel pain in her throat when healing Kase? What is the relevance of the Unicorns? Is Kase part wizard? What happened to Kase's mom, where is his dad? I have so many questions. We never find out what anyone gets for winning the Quest Series, like what was the point. Also why is everyone to segregated all the time. Why did so much happen off screen. When he got his punishment the first time for fighting we dont find out what that punishment is for like 3 more chapters when it is randomly brought up. There are multiple times where i thought a page was missing because id go to the next page and they would be in a totally random location. They team faced little to no challenge
World building
There was none. The author just used words that make us assume its like any other fantasy world. He gives them phones and tvs and alexa and Wikipedia. There is never once a reason as go why the School is split into three groups, and for some reason they talk about each section of the school as its own school which confused me. Magic apparently can just be used and doesn't take any talent whatsoever. The realm is not explained at all. Nothing made sense.
Overall i felt like i was reading a bad miraculous ladybug fanfic. Nothing made sense and the characters were flat.
Characters
The characters are all flat. They are all very stereotypical. Quiet, shy, smart girl. Older leader who is a little bossy. Overly confident main character who is good at literally everything he trys. "Rebel" girl who main character immediately falls in love with. There is zero character development. None of the relationships in the book are talked about, in the beginning Kase gets in a fight with his sister and then never again is their relationship brought up. Kase and Lenia just immediately start acting like a couple even though they never once talked about their feelings for eachother. The characters interactions feel fake and forced, they are constantly giggling at what anyone else has to say. Cali calls Kase "brother" all the time, i will die before i refer to my brothers as "brother". Speaking of which, we never once learn the age of these kids, or what they look like. The most i got was Lenias very green eyes, and 3/4ths through the book we find out the main character has brown hair. As well as the bad guy, Niveous being thin. Niveous's character makes no sense, he immediately is rude to his girlfriends younger brother, he starts fights constantly and then goes running to his dad when he gets hit back. Nothing he does is really very threatening. Hes just a brat, which doesn't make sense because he is supposed to be graduating from the school while Kase is just starting.
Story
The prologue is all about Kase and his aunt and uncle at the farm, he repeatedly calls them old but they dont even have grey hair yet. In the prologue they help a massive dangerous beast give birth and Kase forms a connection with the baby. Never once again is this brought up in the whole book, what was the point. Even the personality that Kase is givin in the Prologue is immediately changed once he goes to school, in the beginning it says that he doesn't talk much and is a shy little fella. As soon as he gets to school he is a big buff charismatic guy who is constantly making jokes. Its so contradictary.
They routinely bring up things that make us question whats going to come of that and literally they are never mentioned again
Did Niveous cheat on Cali? Why did Lenia feel pain in her throat when healing Kase? What is the relevance of the Unicorns? Is Kase part wizard? What happened to Kase's mom, where is his dad? I have so many questions. We never find out what anyone gets for winning the Quest Series, like what was the point. Also why is everyone to segregated all the time. Why did so much happen off screen. When he got his punishment the first time for fighting we dont find out what that punishment is for like 3 more chapters when it is randomly brought up. There are multiple times where i thought a page was missing because id go to the next page and they would be in a totally random location. They team faced little to no challenge
World building
There was none. The author just used words that make us assume its like any other fantasy world. He gives them phones and tvs and alexa and Wikipedia. There is never once a reason as go why the School is split into three groups, and for some reason they talk about each section of the school as its own school which confused me. Magic apparently can just be used and doesn't take any talent whatsoever. The realm is not explained at all. Nothing made sense.
Overall i felt like i was reading a bad miraculous ladybug fanfic. Nothing made sense and the characters were flat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2020
3/5 - relationships
2/5 - characters
3/5 - story
It took over 60 pages for the plot to start and it wasn't that interesting. There were several unnecessary scenes that added nothing to the story and/or introduced characters that we never see again. Overall, the story was lackluster at best and annoying at worst.
*Spoilers*
The squad
The book constantly reminds the reader about how awesome and strong Kase is, he just has to be the strongest character in the whole book even though he's a first year. He falls in love with the magic equivalent of the punk girl from lemonade mouth, insta love of course.
Not sure what to make of Talen. The reader is told over and over again how emotionless she is but then shows her constantly being goofy. Also, she basically has a photographic memory and holds half the groups colective brain cells, and Cali holds the other half.
Cali is the oldest and the leader of the group. She takes no nonsense when they have a job to do, of couse its Kase and lemenade mouth who do the nonsense.
2/5 - characters
3/5 - story
It took over 60 pages for the plot to start and it wasn't that interesting. There were several unnecessary scenes that added nothing to the story and/or introduced characters that we never see again. Overall, the story was lackluster at best and annoying at worst.
*Spoilers*
The squad
The book constantly reminds the reader about how awesome and strong Kase is, he just has to be the strongest character in the whole book even though he's a first year. He falls in love with the magic equivalent of the punk girl from lemonade mouth, insta love of course.
Not sure what to make of Talen. The reader is told over and over again how emotionless she is but then shows her constantly being goofy. Also, she basically has a photographic memory and holds half the groups colective brain cells, and Cali holds the other half.
Cali is the oldest and the leader of the group. She takes no nonsense when they have a job to do, of couse its Kase and lemenade mouth who do the nonsense.
January 19, 2020
If you judge this book by its cover and its first two chapters, it has promise. Everything after that is deflating. Mix "Harry Potter and the Goblet or Fire" with "Project MC2" and remove all internal struggle.
I do think the author had something in Chapter 2 when he writes "The power that comes from a wizard come from the very core of their being". This is much cooler than needing to have a wand (like in Harry Potter). But other than that, the kids basically have magical tablets with Alexa access to help them.
I would have liked to see Kase struggle more with his relationship with his sister. This is addressed at the beginning of the book, but never revisited.
I wanted this book to breathe fire...instead it was a dud of a sparkler.
I do think the author had something in Chapter 2 when he writes "The power that comes from a wizard come from the very core of their being". This is much cooler than needing to have a wand (like in Harry Potter). But other than that, the kids basically have magical tablets with Alexa access to help them.
I would have liked to see Kase struggle more with his relationship with his sister. This is addressed at the beginning of the book, but never revisited.
I wanted this book to breathe fire...instead it was a dud of a sparkler.
dnf
September 16, 2025DNF at 18%. I tried so hard to give this book a chance. The writing is really childish. I teach middle school, and I would try to get my students to write better than this. We don’t need to be told that a character says “use all four items,” and then hear that the same character says “keep going” and rotates his hand “in a move along gesture.” That’s the same thing! I don’t need to be reminded that there’s a group of four people several times in a single scene. I don’t need characters’ emotions shown and then immediately told, only to be told again 3 lines later that the character still feels the same way.
The story seemed kind of interesting, but I couldn’t tolerate the writing long enough to get into it.
The story seemed kind of interesting, but I couldn’t tolerate the writing long enough to get into it.
March 29, 2023
This is a great fantasy for pre-teens. However, it can be a fun read for older readers, as long as you understand this is intended for a young audience to temper your expectations.
I would definitely recommend this for parents looking to get their children into the genre and even for adults that are happy to read a less complicated story that is full of energy and childish optimism.
I would definitely recommend this for parents looking to get their children into the genre and even for adults that are happy to read a less complicated story that is full of energy and childish optimism.
January 8, 2024
Entertaining and fun to read
I enjoyed this book! It was entertaining and fun to read, and the characters were likeable. I really liked how diverse characters worked together as a team, combining their strengths to overcome many obstacles, including bullies and cheaters.
I enjoyed this book! It was entertaining and fun to read, and the characters were likeable. I really liked how diverse characters worked together as a team, combining their strengths to overcome many obstacles, including bullies and cheaters.
April 10, 2024
Adventure, friendship & magic!
Fun. Great friendship story with adventure, lovable good guys & sneaky bad guys. Predictable, but capable of a few surprises. Very good airplane read.
Fun. Great friendship story with adventure, lovable good guys & sneaky bad guys. Predictable, but capable of a few surprises. Very good airplane read.
February 26, 2021
awesome, you should read it
June 3, 2019
I received this as a gift from the author while I was reviewing the sequel. I wanted to read it separately to keep things clear.
I actually prefer this book, which is more contained (the 2nd book is clearly expecting a 3rd). Kase in a confident, supremely capable warrior who is good natured about his awesomeness. This is not the usual underdog in a fantasy school (three branches for scholars/warriors/magicians) -- Kase excels at most everything. His problems are mostly caused because he is too hot headed and noble to accept the bullying that the school encourages in the richer (?) students. The book is mostly about the contest he joins with his friends (girl friend?) and sister, and how they succeed.
As an adult, I notice that the team is actually rather sloppy -- they tend to take naps at odd times, even when not sabotaged by the bad guys, and tend to stroll through the races so I'm not quite sure how they score high enough to advance, but hey, they are having fun and so am I. A few odd twists of plot didn't slow my enjoyment of watching Kase handle the world.
I actually prefer this book, which is more contained (the 2nd book is clearly expecting a 3rd). Kase in a confident, supremely capable warrior who is good natured about his awesomeness. This is not the usual underdog in a fantasy school (three branches for scholars/warriors/magicians) -- Kase excels at most everything. His problems are mostly caused because he is too hot headed and noble to accept the bullying that the school encourages in the richer (?) students. The book is mostly about the contest he joins with his friends (girl friend?) and sister, and how they succeed.
As an adult, I notice that the team is actually rather sloppy -- they tend to take naps at odd times, even when not sabotaged by the bad guys, and tend to stroll through the races so I'm not quite sure how they score high enough to advance, but hey, they are having fun and so am I. A few odd twists of plot didn't slow my enjoyment of watching Kase handle the world.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews