Dire

Feathers & Flames #1

by John Bailey

Even the skies will burn.

Euraiya is a lazy gryphon, content to let her traps hunt for her. Roving thieves and bullish curs are her only concerns. But after she fails to save her home from a far greater threat, her world erupts into flames.

Broken and half dead, she must claw her way to find a place within a new pride that’s poised to exile her with one wrong move. Forced to prove her worth, her warnings are silenced. But with the leaders distracted and a rogue lord poised to take advantage of any weakness, Euraiya must confront them and herself before it’s too late.

Can Euraiya save what’s left of her future before the fires rain down again?

Dire is the first novel in a new Creature Fiction Fantasy series that pits gryphons against wyverns in a battle for land and survival.

Genres: Dragons, Fantasy, Fiction

257 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 7, 2019

About the author

John is nonbinary and has been writing since they can remember and even before last Tuesday. Always having been a creative, their skills range from digital art to miniature painting, website design and fanfiction.

Their first notable foray into writing was their first book from 2004. While unpublished, it remained on their shelf as a reminder that he would one day publish a book of his own. Following this, their fanfiction endeavours led them to be a panelist at two conventions in Australia and remaining within the top 1000 list of that particular site.

Today they're a streamer, while still working on their second book, Blackbeak.

Reviews

[Dragoniel Silverwing · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story felt like a breath of fresh air, honestly. Finally, a book wherein a gryphon actually feels like a gryphon and not a human in a mismatched shape. The storytelling is solid, I like the characters and the pacing is fairly good. The story comes just short of five stars for me, but it's very close. In a ten point system I would give it 9/10. I am unable to single out something I clearly disliked. Perhaps world development is a little thin, but I would expect the second book to expand on it, as it's usually the case in series.

I will be keeping an eye for the next book, for sure.

[GuineaPigFalconer · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of gryphons, I'm always on the hunt for more gryphon novels, and I was delighted to come across this new book! Dire follows Eurayia, a character who began as frustratingly lazy but who became someone worth rooting for, and I cannot wait to read more of her future adventures.
The world that the characters occupy is fascinating and unique, with mountains, seas, plains and forests galore. With every chapter, the world expanded and foreign locations were hinted at. I look forward to exploring this world more!
Between strong characters, a fascinating setting and a plot that had me glued to the pages, I'm so glad I read this book. I recommend it for anyone who loves animal fantasy, and especially those who love dragons or gryphons!

[J.F.R. Coates · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a lot of really good ideas in this book, filled with some fascinating characters and a good set up for what's to come. I think the biggest flaw, however, was that it did mostly feel like it's set up. I get the feeling that the biggest aspects of the story in this series are still yet to come, with book 1 being mostly an extended prologue.
I certainly enjoyed reading this story, but at the same time I feel like there wouldn't be much plot-related elements that would have been missed had the series story arc picked up at the conclusion of this book. There's certainly character development, especially from the main POV character of Euraiya - she developed significantly - but otherwise it did feel a little thin.

I would still recommend this book, though. Especially to lovers of gryphons and creature characters.

[K. Nagle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The premise of Dire can be summed up as dragons versus gryphons. It's an idea so intuitive that I was left wondering why it isn't a whole genre. I went looking for more dragon vs. gryphon books and found mostly paranormal shapeshifter romances, so any other writers reading this: you should be writing dragons vs. gryphons. It should be a staple of the fantasy genre, and the fact that it isn't shames every author who isn't John Bailey.

I like creature fantasy. My love for creature fantasy is a well-documented fact from the moment I walked into a Waldenbooks and picked up both The Black Gryphon and Raptor Red. It warms my heart to see so many authors unafraid to have gryphon protagonists. Dire does a great job in this regard.

The plot is solid. Euraiya, the opinicus (not just gryphons, also opinici! Yay!) protagonist is sympathetic. Her struggles are real and consist of more than just pulling a magical sword from a stone.

The wyverns are as impressive as the cover suggests. Also, A+ to the cover artist. This looks like the creature fantasy equivalent of Meatloaf's Bat Out of Hell 2 album.

If you're a creature fantasy fan or a gryphon fan, there's no reason you shouldn't buy this book. I've already made space on my bookshelf for the hardcover when it comes out. Until then, the ebook will have to tide me over.

I would definitely read a sequel.

[Runa Merone · Rating 4 out of 5]

7.4/10

Yet another gryphon delight that makes me wonder if I've just somehow been ignoring the concept of an opinicus all this time. I heard about opinici in K Vale Nagle's Eyrie and thought they were a unique creation for that world since it was very gryphon-centric. Nope, turns out they're a mythological creature specifically similar to gryphons! Who knew (aside from the authors).

This was a fun jaunt, though. The story about a lazy hunter coming to terms with her cowardice which indirectly results in some real tragedy was a gripping story. I loved her, I liked most of the cast, the writing and the action was well written, and I'm very interested in seeing where it goes. Much like a lot of the gryphon-themed books I've read this year, the violence was notably more...intense than I was expecting, but that really took it to another level with the drama.

The main issue here was that the book seemed to hinge entirely on a tragic event that the main character keeps reminiscing on like it was some distant memory but it happened only days prior. Like, she ends up far from home just casually trying to integrate into a new clan like she didn't just watch all her friends and family...well, no spoilers but if you know you know. She just sort of moves on, never acting like it affected her but she kept internally monologuing like she knew it should affect her. Bit of a disconnect there.

And much like Eyrie, I found that the end of the book felt a bit abrupt. Like, we were doing a training montage within the final few chapters of the book, and the climax felt like it should have been the end of act 2. Luckily we're getting more in this series (I'll be there day one) but as it stands it feels a bit, uh, truncated. This needed to be at the very least about five chapters longer. Needed a bit more of a resolution, cliffhanger be damned.

But aside from that, this was honestly a bit of a delight. The author is excellent at writing cute little character actions specific to gryphons that make all the characters feel alive. Avian body language is hard to master but they nailed it. I'd love to see their attempt at something cozy because I'd absolutely melt to just hang out with Euraiya (the main character) for a month as she goes about her day, just play fighting with friends and family, enjoying meals with friends, exploring new worlds, and not worrying about a looming threat of gryphon-opinicus wars and wyverns.

Maybe I should read the compilation. Maybe that's what I can expect there. For now, I'm happy patiently waiting for part 2. I've got an audible credit primed and ready at any time.

7.4/10

[Michael Miele · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is my first foray into the gryphons based sub-genre of stories that are popular in furry spaces. After reading this entry, I'm excited to check more of the genre out. It's interesting to see how an author decides to define a mythological creature and how those traits are then used within the story. It's something I always look out for in dragon stories as every author has their own spin on how they think a mythological creature should work. The gryphons in this book largely value strength, both physical and mental, and devotion to their communities. It provides a lot of opportunities for commentary on power structures and the nature of what it means to lead.

I will say that it took a bit for me to get invested. Euraiya is a great character, but the first few chapters felt a little slow and the characters were all ambiently unhappy. There's a great story reason for this and the book really picks up after a bit, so if you're not immediately hooked, I'd say to give it some time.

I felt like Aurok's chapters were great setup for later books in the series, but ultimately would take away from the central plot where Euraiya was the focus. His quest to become a better leader works well within the themes of the story, but it just didn't always land with me.

The inter-clan politics were some of my favorite parts of the book. There's a whole set of gryphon societies that are teased here that I hope get more screentime in later books in the series. The wyverns were a bit of a disappointment as they were used as, essentially, bad guys for the gryphons to fight. I trust the author will help to flesh them and their faction out more later. They were definitely established as a proper threat.

There's also this undercurrent of calling Euraiya lazy for the way in which she hunts that felt weirdly off to me. I think after reading the book, I understand what they were getting at, but in the moment it just felt odd. Probably because I'm viewing it from a human rather than a gryphon perspective.

Enjoyed my time in this world and will probably check out the sequel at some point in the future.

[Jay Smit · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am going to have to compare this story to Jess E. Owen’s work with gryphons/gryfons (the spelling changes with every author). Her world-building and lore were so rich. The story was addictive and coherent. She transported you to a fantastical world of adventure. This book, isn’t there yet, but could be. That really depends on the author.

First the negatives:
The dialogue doesn’t always flow between characters. There are grammatical and editing mistakes that made the reading choppy and sometimes confusing. They didn’t appear often, but they were throughout of the novel.

When some characters are introduced, they are so forgettable or I got them confused with other characters. Sometimes, they even just went missing later in the novel. I think the author wants to get back to them in the next installment, but that isn't always clear. Hence part of the incoherence issue the story has.

Positives:
It was nice to see the main character growing from how they were in the beginning and noticing their weaknesses. She is definitely not flawless by the end of book, but that helps with her characterization. Though, the development was a bit fast in my opinion, but it is a short book.

The uniqueness of this story is the variety of the gryphons/gryphs in their appearance by introducing sub-species. How the subspecies interact with each other also varied depending on their prejudices. This helped to enhance the social dynamics in the story.

The story’s execution needs refinement, but for the most part, it is very good. The errors do not distract too much from the storytelling. I won’t mind reading the second book. Hopefully there will be improvement.

[Reno Calavera · Rating 5 out of 5]

The reason I put this at a 5 instead of a 4 is because I can see myself rereading this series if the subsequent novels deliver like this one. The characters made it compelling and there’s enough mystery to make that desire to know more linger. It pleases, especially for those who appreciate creature fantasy.

How I Use the Rating System
1: There is no 0 on the provided scale, so I use this as a 0. I find no redeeming qualities and would not suggest the title to anyone for any reason.
2: I hated the work and regret wasting my time reading it, but find or understand that it has some value.
3: Average. I don’t regret having read it, but what I received as an experience was nominal.
4: I enjoyed or found value in the title, but it’s not something I would recommend to everyone, or I would not consider rereading it, or there was a significant flaw that prevented it from being a 5.
5: I enjoyed it so thoroughly I would reread it and recommend it to just about anyone. Or I found it so valuable that I felt it deserved such a rating.

[Kaycee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book, started out a bit slow for me but after learning more about the world— which gradually expands for us as our main character matures— I was hooked. The hierarchy of gryph prides is interesting, and the author has a cohesive understanding for how bird anatomy functions, which really helps make the gryphs feel more alive, and adds another layer of depth to the world.

There are some grammatical errors, but I didn’t find them too annoying. They didn’t negatively impact my reading experience. However, descriptions for gryphons and opinicus did confuse me, and I’m still not 100% sure which of the two species has feline front paws. Fairly certain the opinicus are the ones with front paws. This is just a very minor gripe on my part though!

Looking forwards for book two. If you enjoyed Jess E. Owen’s “Song of the Summer King”, Guardians of Ga’Hoole, or other such stories, you’re sure to enjoy this. Give it a try!

[Kelsey Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

My rating is six out of 10. I really enjoyed this book. Uraya was a very frustrating character in the beginning, but she learns from interesting lessons and learn to the value of working with others. I like the cultural dynamics in the story. I can’t wait to see what happens next. The power dynamics in the story are very interesting. I like the relationship dynamics between your Rea and her brother. I like the way it’s shifting from when they were young to now.

[John Wyatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intrigued

An interesting start to a new series revolving around a griffin dominated world. This one however comes with an interesting power structure(culture, politics etc) all of its own. One I look forward to delving into further.

[Andromeda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one took FOREVER to finish. My sleep apnea has been acting up again, and it's made actually taken the time to focus on reading extremely difficult. I also think it wasn't really fair to this book to read Tales of Feathers and Flame first - the way those stories build on the foundation this book set forward makes this feel a little more bare bones and a little less impressive when you read it second, when in reality none of those could have done what they did without the success of this book's fascinating worldbuilding.

I think this book is a great start to a new gryphon series, if one that falls into some common first book pitfalls - first book syndrome, I call it. It's a bit too short, and certain plot elements and threads felt like they could use some more meat. Some plot elements - Aurok and Caslir's involvements especially - feel like they amount to mostly setup for the next book, without much satisfying payoff here. There's a lot of names and characters thrown at you and it's sort of difficult to keep track of everything, especially in the second half.

Ultimately, Dire feels like what I believe it is - a foundation for a future series. But what a foundation it is! The characters we do get to know well - Aurok, Eural, and especially Euraiya in particular - are really likeable and memorable with well defined personalities, values and motivations. Euraiya gets the most satisfying arc, with a solid payoff that still leaves room for more exploration in the future. The worldbuilding is unique and interesting with hints of a lot more to come, setting up the unique sociopolitical climates and viewpoints of the major players of the world and using them to lay out a number of interesting themes that I'm sure will be explored more thoroughly in future books. The writing is strong and especially the action scenes are well paced and conveyed, with a good sense of choreography and motion to them. It's all a very enjoyable read and one that would have been easy to get sucked into had I not been losing my entire mind due to my sleep disorder.

Ultimately, I'm not sure Dire is a classic of the gryphon fantasy niche just yet - it ultimately is just a great foundation for future books to jump off from. I think with a more fleshed out sequel or two this story could be something great, and since we've already seen what can be done with this setting simply along the sidelines by other authors in Tales of Feather and Flame (from the slice of life romance of Kitcarer to the surreal folk horror of Coldbright) I think John Bailey has the chance to absolutely hit it out of the park with his next installment, and it's a shame covid has been putting so many delays on the next book. As it stands now, Dire is just pretty good, but it's pretty good in a way that has me excited for what happens next.

[cockatiel forger · Rating 5 out of 5]

EDIT: finished this! I loved it! Definitely the best of the book ones in the gryphon central books. Felt a lot clearer and better than Eyrie or Song of the Summer King!

Here are some Thoughts:
- Euraiya is a great character and I enjoyed seeing her grow. I didn’t really like Eural that much (he seemed a little off for me), but I adored Aurok too!
- the inclusion of hippogryphs felt interesting as it added an extra layer to the story. The wyverns were kind of average but at least they were a solid antagonist.
-the little details like your spirit being held under your stomach and if it pierces you die was interesting! I hope the second book expands more on that.

Overall, a very enjoyable read and I highly look forward for book 2!

Original review
Still currently reading this, but so far I'm loving it! The clan system is captivating, and I'm loving Euraiya as a character!