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Firethorn #2
Wildfire
Firethorn's story continues as her mysterious past unfolds in book two of Sarah Micklem's unique and powerful quasi-medieval fantasy. What the Gods give, the Gods can take away. The sacred Firethorn tree bestowed curious talents on the orphan once known as Luck. But when she is struck by wildfire as she follows her master Galan to war, her powers of healing and shadow-walking take on a new, bizarre strength. Soon she is suspected of witchcraft, even by Galan. Yet Firethorn's dreams are useful to those in power. After the invaders win a climactic battle, Firethorn is captured by King Corvus, who is fleeing with the remnants of his defeated army. He takes refuge in a neighbouring kingdom, where Firethorn finds the village where she was born and learns that her parents -- horse farmers and traders -- were killed in a previous war. Corvus uses her as a decoy in a plot to regain his kingdom; she goes along with the plot, living the life of a privileged aristocrat, in order to return to Galan.
400 pages, Paperback
First published July 23, 2009
17 people are currently reading
395 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Micklem
8 books109 followersSarah Micklem began writing after many years as an art director for children’s magazines. Her first novel, Firethorn, was a Borders Original Voices pick and a finalist for the 2005 Compton Crook Award. The sequel, Wildfire, is now available from Scribner. She is working on the third novel in the series while continuing to practice her other profession, graphic design, at Girl Scouts of the USA in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
January 2, 2019
It's been SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN YEARS, Micklem. You've officially lapsed G.R.R.M. and now I want my third book.
—
Edit 1/2/2019: Adding this addendum in 2019 to note that while I may sound like a foot-stomping baby who wants her third book (I am) I dearly, dearly love this series. Wildfire did something I'd never seen in young adult fantasy—with the later exceptions of Fire by Kristin Cashore and Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor—which is to take a richly imagined fantasy universe (with an interactive website!) and profoundly expand its reaches. Here's hoping Sarah will make all of us Firethorn fans very happy ducklings someday with a conclusion to this incredible story.
—
Edit 1/2/2019: Adding this addendum in 2019 to note that while I may sound like a foot-stomping baby who wants her third book (I am) I dearly, dearly love this series. Wildfire did something I'd never seen in young adult fantasy—with the later exceptions of Fire by Kristin Cashore and Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor—which is to take a richly imagined fantasy universe (with an interactive website!) and profoundly expand its reaches. Here's hoping Sarah will make all of us Firethorn fans very happy ducklings someday with a conclusion to this incredible story.
July 31, 2012
Didn't like where the author took the character. All the characters and plotlines from the first book are abandoned. Firethorn feels unfocused and meandering through circumstances beyond her control. I found this one disappointing.
April 7, 2011
Wildfire is a lovely book, surpassing even its predecessor in my estimation to earn a full 5 stars. The only downside to this book is that it isn't standalone: Firethorn should be read first, and we are still awaiting the third installment.
My favorite aspects of this trilogy are its focus on the lives of women, particularly in the lower classes, and its worldbuilding. Both are prominent here. The heroine Firethorn travels to new lands with fully realized cultures, including one that's reminiscent of ancient Egypt. I don't know if the author has an anthropology background or not, but I'd be willing to believe that she does; rarely have I seen worlds as unique yet believable as this. However, this is still a gritty fantasy and doesn't shy away from the harsher aspects of the cultures it examines. It raises questions about how women and the lower classes have been treated throughout history and provides plenty of food for thought.
Furthermore, I would say the characterization improves with this book: Firethorn becomes a more morally ambiguous character, and a variety of other interesting characters are introduced. I agree with other reviewers that the plot meanders a bit: more happens in this installment than the last (as it should, since it's noticeably longer), but Micklem seems at least as interested in thematics and taking us through her world as she is in the destination. I wouldn't recommend this book to those who require lots of action scenes. Finally, the quality of the writing is very good; I wouldn't expect even literary readers to have complaints on that score. As far as fantasy elements go, as in the first book the supernatural remains mostly in the background.
In sum, Micklem is one of the best new fantasy authors I've found, and I hope she doesn't keep us waiting too long for the conclusion to this trilogy. Highly recommended.
My favorite aspects of this trilogy are its focus on the lives of women, particularly in the lower classes, and its worldbuilding. Both are prominent here. The heroine Firethorn travels to new lands with fully realized cultures, including one that's reminiscent of ancient Egypt. I don't know if the author has an anthropology background or not, but I'd be willing to believe that she does; rarely have I seen worlds as unique yet believable as this. However, this is still a gritty fantasy and doesn't shy away from the harsher aspects of the cultures it examines. It raises questions about how women and the lower classes have been treated throughout history and provides plenty of food for thought.
Furthermore, I would say the characterization improves with this book: Firethorn becomes a more morally ambiguous character, and a variety of other interesting characters are introduced. I agree with other reviewers that the plot meanders a bit: more happens in this installment than the last (as it should, since it's noticeably longer), but Micklem seems at least as interested in thematics and taking us through her world as she is in the destination. I wouldn't recommend this book to those who require lots of action scenes. Finally, the quality of the writing is very good; I wouldn't expect even literary readers to have complaints on that score. As far as fantasy elements go, as in the first book the supernatural remains mostly in the background.
In sum, Micklem is one of the best new fantasy authors I've found, and I hope she doesn't keep us waiting too long for the conclusion to this trilogy. Highly recommended.
February 19, 2014
Neither as well-written nor as compelling as "Firethorn", which was at least consistent and coherent.
In this second book in a proposed trilogy, Firethiorn... is not an actor in her own story. Lots of things happen TO her; she does very little on her own, and much of that is without any clear reason, even "it seemed like a good idea at the time". She rises, she falls, she rises, she falls; she has a completely inexplicable loyalty to a man who cares nothing for her (Stockhom syndrome? but then I would have expected that to be reflected in the text); she does things that she KNOWS her One True Love will find unforgivable and doesn't even seem to THINK about that; etc.
And the society in which much of this takes place makes little sense. "Firethorn" was a grim world, and grimmer for women than men; this one is sheer fantasy, but possibly even grimmer; way past realistic, and I've given up my hopes for a peasant rebellion. I think it may have been based a bit on ancient Greece, but I think that degree of acceptance of the horrible deserved a bit of attention from the author.
Also: way too many gods. To be fair, this is why Firethorn's path here makes no sense; the gods are too meddlesome... but there's a bit of Mary Sue in there as well.And I think it's unreasonable for her to blame every bad decision she made on being god-bothered. I don't even understand the point of some of it, like the aphasia; it didn't seem to have much to do with a coherent plotline.
I'll probably read #3 if it ever comes out, but I was really disappointed in this one. Except for more mystical skillz and more being god-bothered, I don't see that this advanced the plot at all, nor that these things actually advanced it themselves.
In this second book in a proposed trilogy, Firethiorn... is not an actor in her own story. Lots of things happen TO her; she does very little on her own, and much of that is without any clear reason, even "it seemed like a good idea at the time". She rises, she falls, she rises, she falls; she has a completely inexplicable loyalty to a man who cares nothing for her (Stockhom syndrome? but then I would have expected that to be reflected in the text); she does things that she KNOWS her One True Love will find unforgivable and doesn't even seem to THINK about that; etc.
And the society in which much of this takes place makes little sense. "Firethorn" was a grim world, and grimmer for women than men; this one is sheer fantasy, but possibly even grimmer; way past realistic, and I've given up my hopes for a peasant rebellion. I think it may have been based a bit on ancient Greece, but I think that degree of acceptance of the horrible deserved a bit of attention from the author.
Also: way too many gods. To be fair, this is why Firethorn's path here makes no sense; the gods are too meddlesome... but there's a bit of Mary Sue in there as well.And I think it's unreasonable for her to blame every bad decision she made on being god-bothered. I don't even understand the point of some of it, like the aphasia; it didn't seem to have much to do with a coherent plotline.
I'll probably read #3 if it ever comes out, but I was really disappointed in this one. Except for more mystical skillz and more being god-bothered, I don't see that this advanced the plot at all, nor that these things actually advanced it themselves.
July 12, 2024
Firethorn is insane and I’m obsessed with her
July 24, 2009
When we last saw Firethorn, she had resolved to follow Sire Galan to war rather than retreat to the country house he had provided her. As Wildfire opens, she does just that. But the gods aren't finished with Firethorn yet. Before she reaches the city of Lanx, where she will be reunited with Galan, Firethorn is struck by lightning.
She survives, but not unscathed. Firethorn comes away from the incident with several ailments, most notably aphasia. She often says one word when she means another. What I found most interesting about her speech disorder is that it sometimes reveals uncomfortable truths, such as when she accidentally refers to the bloodthirsty Queen Mother, whose name is Caelum, as "Callous."
Firethorn does reunite with Galan, but their time together is short. She falls into the custody of Prince Corvus, who is fleeing into exile in the neighboring country of Lambanein. He finds Firethorn's prophetic dreams useful and takes her along. In the treacherous mountains that separate the two kingdoms, and later in Lambanein as a servant, she faces new dangers and the continued meddling of the gods.
If Firethorn was the story of Firethorn and Sire Galan, Wildfire is Firethorn's story alone. Throughout the novel, her quest is to discover what the gods want with her, and what sort of person she should strive to become. We follow her as she tries to help others, bargains with gods, and sometimes loses her way.
Like Firethorn, Wildfire is not for the faint of heart. It's gritty, often gruesome. There's one scene in particular, right at the end, that I hope fades from my memory soon! However, I found Wildfire rewarding. I enjoyed the beautiful writing and the heroine's personal journey. As the novel ends, Firethorn has a renewed sense of purpose, but I know there will be more twists and turns ahead for her in the third book. I'm looking forward to reading it, and hoping there's some peace or contentment at the end of Firethorn's road.
Read this and my review of Firethorn at FantasyLiterature.net!
She survives, but not unscathed. Firethorn comes away from the incident with several ailments, most notably aphasia. She often says one word when she means another. What I found most interesting about her speech disorder is that it sometimes reveals uncomfortable truths, such as when she accidentally refers to the bloodthirsty Queen Mother, whose name is Caelum, as "Callous."
Firethorn does reunite with Galan, but their time together is short. She falls into the custody of Prince Corvus, who is fleeing into exile in the neighboring country of Lambanein. He finds Firethorn's prophetic dreams useful and takes her along. In the treacherous mountains that separate the two kingdoms, and later in Lambanein as a servant, she faces new dangers and the continued meddling of the gods.
If Firethorn was the story of Firethorn and Sire Galan, Wildfire is Firethorn's story alone. Throughout the novel, her quest is to discover what the gods want with her, and what sort of person she should strive to become. We follow her as she tries to help others, bargains with gods, and sometimes loses her way.
Like Firethorn, Wildfire is not for the faint of heart. It's gritty, often gruesome. There's one scene in particular, right at the end, that I hope fades from my memory soon! However, I found Wildfire rewarding. I enjoyed the beautiful writing and the heroine's personal journey. As the novel ends, Firethorn has a renewed sense of purpose, but I know there will be more twists and turns ahead for her in the third book. I'm looking forward to reading it, and hoping there's some peace or contentment at the end of Firethorn's road.
Read this and my review of Firethorn at FantasyLiterature.net!
June 29, 2009
Wildifre follows upon the events of Firethorn starting where the other ends but it takes the series to a different level; the world and the magic get expanded a lot, while the heroine narration remains the same superb one from book 1.
Without too many spoilers for Firethorn, the heroine follows her noble born lover to war not accepting his (small) estate donation and going meekly there to wait for him, gets struck by lightning (wildfire) on the ship, gets touched by various gods though she starts speaking in somewhat garbled language, riddle-like at least for a while and then well many things happen...
Just a great, great novel, and the ending made me want to read book 3 asap, hopefully in less than the 3-4 years between these two; no cliffhangers and a clear stopping point, but I want more
Twists, turns, still the same down to earth language and descriptions, but much, much more...
Without too many spoilers for Firethorn, the heroine follows her noble born lover to war not accepting his (small) estate donation and going meekly there to wait for him, gets struck by lightning (wildfire) on the ship, gets touched by various gods though she starts speaking in somewhat garbled language, riddle-like at least for a while and then well many things happen...
Just a great, great novel, and the ending made me want to read book 3 asap, hopefully in less than the 3-4 years between these two; no cliffhangers and a clear stopping point, but I want more
Twists, turns, still the same down to earth language and descriptions, but much, much more...
December 30, 2012
This sequel to Micklem's previous book, Firethorn, begins with the heroine following her lover across the sea and to war, along with her good friend Mai. Firethorn is a greenwoman, a skilled healer who uses divination to assist her in determining cures for the sick, and knows that her talents will be put to good use as they march to battle, helping soldiers and camp followers alike.
Firethorn's troubles begin when she is struck by lightning and left with constant cold on one side of her body, a drooping face, and difficulty speaking properly - the words she wants are not always the ones that come out. Even worse, she has lost most of her memories of greenlore, and cannot even recall the Gods. Despite her stricken state, the nobleman Galen accepts her back into his company, and they ride to war.
The book starts off slowly, and at times it can be a tedious trial to read Firethorn's garbled dialogue, but the reader who sticks with it will find their patience rewarded in the latter half of the book. Micklem has a knack for creating well-rounded characters and building a world that feels as if it could be real. Be warned that the final book in the trilogy has not yet been released - Wildfire is quite enjoyable on its own, but ends with the larger plot threads not resolved.
Firethorn's troubles begin when she is struck by lightning and left with constant cold on one side of her body, a drooping face, and difficulty speaking properly - the words she wants are not always the ones that come out. Even worse, she has lost most of her memories of greenlore, and cannot even recall the Gods. Despite her stricken state, the nobleman Galen accepts her back into his company, and they ride to war.
The book starts off slowly, and at times it can be a tedious trial to read Firethorn's garbled dialogue, but the reader who sticks with it will find their patience rewarded in the latter half of the book. Micklem has a knack for creating well-rounded characters and building a world that feels as if it could be real. Be warned that the final book in the trilogy has not yet been released - Wildfire is quite enjoyable on its own, but ends with the larger plot threads not resolved.
July 30, 2011
Firethorn is just a peasant, but her passion for Sire Galen (and his for her) led her to become his mistress. After she endures terrible trials following the army and assisting Sire Galen, he grants her a tract of land. But rather than live in peace and comfort, Firethorn disobeys his orders and follows him once more. Her luck is against her--she is struck by lightning, and spends the rest of the book recovering from neurological damage while slowly losing her vision. The damage is particularly terrible for Firethorn, who has always prided herself on her quick wit, on knowing the uses of plants, and healing her fellow camp followers. Not only is Firethorn's speech and much of her memory taken from her, but she soon finds herself the captive of Sire Galen's enemy, in a foreign land.
This book is awesome. Micklem has clearly considered how her world works, from top to bottom. No society has a ready analog in our world; there are no feudal McEuropes or exotic Asias in her writing. Her characters are equally well-developed and thought out. Firethorn is a complicated woman, driven by desire, pride, and a certitude in gods and magic that is never completely born out by the text. (I love that Micklem never makes it clear whether magic exists or not.)
This is one of the more class and gender conscious books I've read in quite some time, without ever being heavy-handed or pedantic. It's a nuanced examination of the power social mores and norms have on us. I really hope Micklem chooses to write more in this series!
This book is awesome. Micklem has clearly considered how her world works, from top to bottom. No society has a ready analog in our world; there are no feudal McEuropes or exotic Asias in her writing. Her characters are equally well-developed and thought out. Firethorn is a complicated woman, driven by desire, pride, and a certitude in gods and magic that is never completely born out by the text. (I love that Micklem never makes it clear whether magic exists or not.)
This is one of the more class and gender conscious books I've read in quite some time, without ever being heavy-handed or pedantic. It's a nuanced examination of the power social mores and norms have on us. I really hope Micklem chooses to write more in this series!
February 17, 2011
This second installment in the adventures of Firethorn is much more interesting, engaging, exciting... Generally better written in my opinion. First of all, more happens. Firethorn does more and travels farther and comes into her own more. She gains the grudging or hidden respect of strangers, men who should be her captors because they were her lover's, Sire Galan's, enemies. This book is great because Firethorn gets out from under the oppression and overbearing possessiveness and sexual aggression of Sire Galan. Sure, she misses him and longs for him and dreams and schemes of somehow finding a way back to him, but she also lives in the moment and tries to make the best of the situations in which she finds herself. Somehow she manages to find pieces of herself in foreign cities and in misery-inducing conditions. Firethorn gains power as a woman; she learns to wield her sexuality as a weapon and wear it as a disguise, but at the same time it takes her for a wild ride. This second novel helped to erase elements from the first story (like the seemingly gratuitous violence and sexual domination scenes) that I did not like so well or find so vital to the plot. Wildfire also increased my desire for and interest in the continuation of Firethorn's story. More please!
October 27, 2022
5 stars for the first half of the book - Firethorn was such an interesting character in the prequel and after being struck by lightning in this book develops extra abilities and disabilities that make her even more interesting and unique. 1 star for the second half of the book - having Firethorn choose to become a prostitute seemed completely out of character and ruined the story for me. At the end she is tortured and tossed out of the city where her character had changed and it ends with her thinking that she has 'healed', presumably not just from the torture but from whatever made her change her personality as well. She talks about how she had been the pawn of gods – first Ardor with the healing and lightning and healing, and then Carnal Desire. Now she thinks Rift War has overtaken her through King Corvus and his plans. The ending seemed okay because she decides that she had gone along with other people's plans for her, including Sire Galan's, without ever thinking what did she want? what did she think was right? And she decides simply to go back to be a healer in the war. But my dislike of the second half of the book overwhelmed the rest - 1 star.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2012
This is not a bad book, I just didn't have the patience for it right now. The book starts during a ship voyage, and Firethorn is struck by lightning in the middle of the storm. This affects her speech. She can't find the right words and often uses puns unintentionally which have some sort of satirical import on her comments. After a couple of hundred pages this got old to me. I wasn't in the mood to read slowly and glean double meaning out of every quote. Lord Gavin doesn't seem to be around too much in this book, and doesn't seem especially nice when he is, so that disappointed me as well. We were starting to get to some sort of political set-up when I quit. But that was almost 300 pages into the book, and it just went too slowly for me.
September 29, 2019
It has taken me many worlds to find a series akin to the love I have for Jacqueline Carey's Kushiels Series. Firethorns Series has brought me to a new world, and a new character that are as scarce and amazing to me as a series I have strived to find likeness in vibration in other stories, a very unique vibe indeed. I really cannot verbalize how special I found this series. This book and Firethorn occupy a special place in my above all bookshelf. I have no idea when a third book will come, if one will. Many years have passed since this books publication. I truly hope to find the third book in my hands sooner rather than later. To the book gods ears, as well as Sarah Micklem's....please give us the third book!?! For I will absolutely recommend this series for all of my days. 💕🙏💕
October 17, 2009
This book is well written, but didn't grab me quite the way its predecessor did. I guess I'm a sucker for love stories, and for most of the plot Firethorn is apart from everyone she loves. It does move along at a good clip, but doesn't seem to be headed anywhere in particular. (Granted, the author's vision into the future of her world is far sharper than my own. However, I feel like she's set up expectations she has no intention of fulfilling, which can be a good thing, but didn't do it for me this time.) Still, I'll be interested to read the third book when it comes out.
November 18, 2009
"Wildfire" is the magnificent sequel to Sarah Micklem's first fantasy novel, "Firethorn"! I love the world that Micklem has created and "Wildfire" was even more complex and absorbing. I did not want this book to end. However, due to the cliff-hanger ending, I'm assuming there is a third book in the works! (there'd better be!)
December 13, 2013
Not quite as good as the first. Firethorn is a captive of the enemy king. Taken to a distant land that she may have originated from herself. Now she falls low and is brought up to high and then cast out to low again. Sounds like real life but hers is more epic than ours. This does end on a "there must be a third book in the works" tone.
July 13, 2020
I loved it! Not as good as 1st in the series. I don't like her becoming a courtesan, but as always she stays strong. I want to learn the mystery of her life. When is the next book?? It's been 12 years.
November 2, 2013
I was very disappointed by this book. The plot felt disjointed and pointless. I'll probably read the sequel just because I loved the first Firethorn book so much, but this book was just awful!
September 3, 2022
Rich and dense and textured and messy and pungent. Loved it.
March 5, 2010
Gratuitous character abuse! Almost threw this at the wall.
November 5, 2017
Like most #2 in a trilogy, it was all the angst and all the suffering and none of the momentum. I was getting very frustrated with this book and resenting the sense of being at a standstill. Also, the country they were in, with its class divisions and burdens seemed even more awful than where they came from. I'm glad things seemed to finally mobilize at the end, but it seemed like there was a lot of nothing through most of the book and I'm hoping that #3 resolves all of it with a quicker pace.
June 11, 2021
I wanted to like this book, but it was too depressing. The story also ends on a down note, with no third book in sight. I took off one star because of the disappointment about there no ending thing, but I add it back if the third book ever comes out.
February 18, 2018
Was disappointed where the story went. Enough said 😨
September 5, 2018
Excellently written and with a compelling plot, Wildfire is irresistible. I cannot wait for the next book!!!!
July 25, 2020
Loved both these books. Hold out for the third.
dnf
September 10, 2023dnf: got convoluted after the first book, lost interest. maybe someday
September 8, 2020
I really loved Firethorn, it was an amazing book and when the sequal Wildfire came out I purchased it immediately, hard cover no less. Wildfire just did not strike me in the same way that Firethorn did, and I don't think it was the writing. The writing was excellent, however, the author chose to employ a device that I thought seemed a bit contrived. There was an accident that caused Firethorn's speech to become jumbled, like she would try to say one thing and would say another or the wrong thing. This caused a great deal of confusion and problems. I just never understood why, if she knew her speech was jumbled, why did she speak? She knew she wouldn't be able to make herself understood so why didn't she find other ways to communicate. It was only her speech that was affected, her intellect was still intact and sharp. Some of her mistakes seemed avoidable.
There was also supposed to be a third book and it has never come. Despite what I see as the main flaw of the book I would still buy the third book in a heartbeat. I want to know what happened to her and if her life somehow becomes her own, it would be nice if she was no longer at the whim of the men around her.
There was also supposed to be a third book and it has never come. Despite what I see as the main flaw of the book I would still buy the third book in a heartbeat. I want to know what happened to her and if her life somehow becomes her own, it would be nice if she was no longer at the whim of the men around her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2013
I waffled between giving this three and four stars. In general, I liked it better than the first installment, but I had more issues with the writing itself. My biggest problem was with the author's info-dropping to catch readers up with events that happened in the first novel. I understand that this is not in itself an easy thing to do, but the constant, blatant references kept pulling me out of the story. I also felt that the ending was rushed and that the protagonist's captivity was overly drawn out. Some things that happened just didn't make sense to me based on some of the facts of the character's country of origin and how she was treated as the story progressed.
I finally decided to give it four stars because the characters and the world they inhabit are very rich. I couldn't stop reading this book, and I read it in its entirety in three days, giving up much needed sleep to read "just one more chapter." I do not buy the notion that complex, realistic characters aren't likable; I liked Firethorn quite a bit, even though she proves herself to be morally ambiguous. She a survivor, and I had to keep reading to see what she would have to survive through.
One thing I'd like to point out is that in a review for the previous book, the reviewer described Firethorn and her warrior-lover and good looking people. I never got that impression in the literal sense, which is another reason why I liked that book. Galan seems rakish, but he is scarred and rough from battle. Firethorn comes off as a very weary, old woman in much of the first book. This lifts a bit in the second, but she is a woman with her own scars. She is described as gaunt and malnourished, not slender, and she has slack muscles in one side of her face, as well as a blind, white eye. I liked that she has to deal with what she sees as her own flaws and that other characters in the book either accepted her with them or saw her as beautiful despite her nonstandard beauty. It was only about halfway through this second book that I realized that Firethorn is still a teenage girl because she comes off as such an old soul. I think it takes a sort of art to make a reader forget that the female love interest in a romance novel is a young woman and instead think that she's nearing fifty or sixty years old because of all of the pain, struggle, and life experience she's racked up.
I finally decided to give it four stars because the characters and the world they inhabit are very rich. I couldn't stop reading this book, and I read it in its entirety in three days, giving up much needed sleep to read "just one more chapter." I do not buy the notion that complex, realistic characters aren't likable; I liked Firethorn quite a bit, even though she proves herself to be morally ambiguous. She a survivor, and I had to keep reading to see what she would have to survive through.
One thing I'd like to point out is that in a review for the previous book, the reviewer described Firethorn and her warrior-lover and good looking people. I never got that impression in the literal sense, which is another reason why I liked that book. Galan seems rakish, but he is scarred and rough from battle. Firethorn comes off as a very weary, old woman in much of the first book. This lifts a bit in the second, but she is a woman with her own scars. She is described as gaunt and malnourished, not slender, and she has slack muscles in one side of her face, as well as a blind, white eye. I liked that she has to deal with what she sees as her own flaws and that other characters in the book either accepted her with them or saw her as beautiful despite her nonstandard beauty. It was only about halfway through this second book that I realized that Firethorn is still a teenage girl because she comes off as such an old soul. I think it takes a sort of art to make a reader forget that the female love interest in a romance novel is a young woman and instead think that she's nearing fifty or sixty years old because of all of the pain, struggle, and life experience she's racked up.
October 9, 2010
Last year when I was offered the chance to review Wildfire by Sarah Micklem, I was told it was the sequel to Firethorn (2004). I asked if Wildfire would stand by itself because I wouldn't be able to give a fair review if it couldn't. I haven't read the first book. Instead of a yes or no answer, I received Wildfire in the mail.
The book does not stand alone. It begins in media res with the main character, Firethorn, being struck by lightning. Without knowing her from the first book how can I possibly know what she has lost of feel for her plight? The lightning strike goes from being a tragic moment to being a plot hook and little more.
Then there's the war. Firethorn apparently disobeyed her lover's wishes and followed him into battle. Of course in her scrambled state, where the words come out wrong and she apparently now has visions, she quickly finds herself in a world of trouble. But along with the battle there is also the movement of the troops and the long haul to get to the front line. It may be more realistic to include these long marches, the dirt, the squalid conditions and other depressing details but it makes for a very slow book, especially when one isn't emotionally invested in any of the characters.
That leaves Firethorn and her condition. She apparently goes from being a strong and competent woman to being touched. She speaks in riddles even though she apparently thinks clearly. To me, she becomes a pale shadow of River Tam from the Firefly series.
Perhaps if I had been able to read the first book I would have preferred the second. Keep that in mind.
The book does not stand alone. It begins in media res with the main character, Firethorn, being struck by lightning. Without knowing her from the first book how can I possibly know what she has lost of feel for her plight? The lightning strike goes from being a tragic moment to being a plot hook and little more.
Then there's the war. Firethorn apparently disobeyed her lover's wishes and followed him into battle. Of course in her scrambled state, where the words come out wrong and she apparently now has visions, she quickly finds herself in a world of trouble. But along with the battle there is also the movement of the troops and the long haul to get to the front line. It may be more realistic to include these long marches, the dirt, the squalid conditions and other depressing details but it makes for a very slow book, especially when one isn't emotionally invested in any of the characters.
That leaves Firethorn and her condition. She apparently goes from being a strong and competent woman to being touched. She speaks in riddles even though she apparently thinks clearly. To me, she becomes a pale shadow of River Tam from the Firefly series.
Perhaps if I had been able to read the first book I would have preferred the second. Keep that in mind.
October 12, 2013
When I read Firethorn I thought it was one of the most creative and interesting reads I'd found for some time. This story was a first from an author who had held the tale next to her heart for years until she put it onto paper writing, rewriting and at last completing it to share with those who love fantasy. Now she has given us the second in the series, Wildfire, which takes the reader on very different but just as creative a journey with the willful Firethorn. She follows her lover, Sire Galen, into war. En route to join him, she is struck by lightning which leaves her unable to communicate in any meaningful way because her language is so addled. Nevertheless, Sire Galen treasures and holds her close to his heart.
As a healer, Firethorn helps many, including a friend who dies in childbirth. At this point she is captured by the enemy. The enemy flees across the mountains in the midst of winter. The king leading the army finds himself seeking shelter with his wife's relatives whose welcome is lukewarm at best and perilous at other times. Meanwhile, Firethorn finds herself learning a new language and becoming immersed in a different culture.
The story is complex and surprising in many ways. Firethorn becomes the lowest of the lowest among the population, raises up to become a respected prostitute only to be cast down again. It's a long read which could perhaps have been aided by some skillful editing. Still I found myself walking beside Firethorn and feeling what she felt. Will she ever find Sire Galen again? The answer waits for the next tale. Yes, I do plan to read the next in the series when Micklem shares it with us.
As a healer, Firethorn helps many, including a friend who dies in childbirth. At this point she is captured by the enemy. The enemy flees across the mountains in the midst of winter. The king leading the army finds himself seeking shelter with his wife's relatives whose welcome is lukewarm at best and perilous at other times. Meanwhile, Firethorn finds herself learning a new language and becoming immersed in a different culture.
The story is complex and surprising in many ways. Firethorn becomes the lowest of the lowest among the population, raises up to become a respected prostitute only to be cast down again. It's a long read which could perhaps have been aided by some skillful editing. Still I found myself walking beside Firethorn and feeling what she felt. Will she ever find Sire Galen again? The answer waits for the next tale. Yes, I do plan to read the next in the series when Micklem shares it with us.
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