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Tarot #2
Flame
Deadly competition. Deep desert. A dying tyrant.
Finn Harris was declared the Mage Guild's champion.
However, that was only the beginning of the Emir's competition. The next stage will send Finn and his companions deep into the desert north of Lahab in search of a long-lost relic. The magical artifact is said to be held within the Abyss.
Except, this time, he's not just facing novice mages. Everyone in the region seems to be arrayed against him, god and man alike. Racing against the other two champions, swept into the middle of a conflict between the Emir and those he's wronged, and at the mercy of a manipulative fire goddess, Finn must battle his way through the Abyss and claim his prize.
Yet he will not stop, and he cannot afford to fail - not with Rachael's life hanging in the balance.
He will need to embrace his gifts and overcome his past.
Finn will need to become a true prophet of the flame.
Finn Harris was declared the Mage Guild's champion.
However, that was only the beginning of the Emir's competition. The next stage will send Finn and his companions deep into the desert north of Lahab in search of a long-lost relic. The magical artifact is said to be held within the Abyss.
Except, this time, he's not just facing novice mages. Everyone in the region seems to be arrayed against him, god and man alike. Racing against the other two champions, swept into the middle of a conflict between the Emir and those he's wronged, and at the mercy of a manipulative fire goddess, Finn must battle his way through the Abyss and claim his prize.
Yet he will not stop, and he cannot afford to fail - not with Rachael's life hanging in the balance.
He will need to embrace his gifts and overcome his past.
Finn will need to become a true prophet of the flame.
22 pages, Audible Audio
Published June 16, 2020
About the author
Travis Bagwell
21 books2,127 followersRecovering attorney and avid gamer that writes stuff! Mostly about videogames.
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Website: https://travisbagwell.com/
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You can find me here:
Website: https://travisbagwell.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/YPYcR6K
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/da3strikes/
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Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
April 14, 2020
Ember was so good, but Flame was not. Way too much time spent reading a book and then there was 40% of the story spent killing ants. Just boring as heck. Skim, skim, skim, flick, speed read... oh here is a decent part. Then Skim, skim, skim again.
November 30, 2022
Honestly, there's nothing outrageously original about this, but it *is* perfectly adventure, adventure, adventure. No complaints at all. It has all the spells, fighting, competition, and sacrifice that anyone who wants fantasy usually dies for.
This one does fit in as the middle book of the Flame trilogy. As an offshoot and blend of the Darkness, it's all basically a build-up to a massive collaborative effort in the virtual game. It's all story, baby.
This one does fit in as the middle book of the Flame trilogy. As an offshoot and blend of the Darkness, it's all basically a build-up to a massive collaborative effort in the virtual game. It's all story, baby.
September 16, 2022
Flame had a great start and a great end but the entire middle third was just excruciatingly filler apart from a few character moments.
May 10, 2020
Overall: +4
Pretty much standard dungeon clearing and didn't really add much value to overall plot/characters. A good twist at the end gives a bit of polish but overall a dreary read.
I'm done with the series. When/If this merges with the main AO plot, I'll reconsider.
Plot/Pace: +4
Starts off well, but then we get into a a pedestrian dungeon clearing mode that offers nothing different from other numerous books in this genre. Felt like more than half the book was clearing the dungeon and then once we finally progress to main plot, it was rushed to a climax with a twist that overall gives the impression of this book being nothing more than a filler.
Characters: +3
Finn as usual takes almost all of the character space. The flashback of Bilel at start of every chapter didn't really gel with rest of books and felt like reading two different books simultaneously. Also the Bilel segments was more magic theory and didn't move the plot or his character. For a mature genius adult, Finn is quite annoying in rushing into things and making instinctual decisions mostly endangering himself and his crew. And still somehow everything he touches ends up gold which stretches belief greatly. The +3 rating is all for the brief Julia segments.
Pretty much standard dungeon clearing and didn't really add much value to overall plot/characters. A good twist at the end gives a bit of polish but overall a dreary read.
I'm done with the series. When/If this merges with the main AO plot, I'll reconsider.
Plot/Pace: +4
Starts off well, but then we get into a a pedestrian dungeon clearing mode that offers nothing different from other numerous books in this genre. Felt like more than half the book was clearing the dungeon and then once we finally progress to main plot, it was rushed to a climax with a twist that overall gives the impression of this book being nothing more than a filler.
Characters: +3
Finn as usual takes almost all of the character space. The flashback of Bilel at start of every chapter didn't really gel with rest of books and felt like reading two different books simultaneously. Also the Bilel segments was more magic theory and didn't move the plot or his character. For a mature genius adult, Finn is quite annoying in rushing into things and making instinctual decisions mostly endangering himself and his crew. And still somehow everything he touches ends up gold which stretches belief greatly. The +3 rating is all for the brief Julia segments.
May 10, 2020
For fans of the series, this is a very nice continuation of the story. For those who haven't read anything in this series, this may not be the place to start.
I liked it, but parts of it were iffy, only because character actions didn't always make sense to me. Of course, that didn't stop me from enjoying the story, because it's a pretty good one, just not always as direct as I'd have liked.
I liked it, but parts of it were iffy, only because character actions didn't always make sense to me. Of course, that didn't stop me from enjoying the story, because it's a pretty good one, just not always as direct as I'd have liked.
February 23, 2024
Full review to come.
May 6, 2020
This book was a bit of a disappointment. Lots of filler content with the lead characters pretty much being stuck in a hole for the entire book. And the end left me feeling like I read half a book instead of a full story.
May 15, 2020
An OK read, but feels like it misses the charm of previous books.
The meat of the book is contained within a dungeon grind, and like Ascend Online#2 it becomes fatiguing to get through.
The biggest problem is Fin’s motivation is hard to emphasise with. With more backstory and flashbacks for Rachel i might have felt more invested in his mission, but with just two flashbacks and horrible death scene I felt more the casual observer then in the front seat rooting for Fin to win. I just don’t know Rachel well enough to care about her.
The story is also 100% within the game. What made Jason in the previous titles more interesting and relatable was that he was still in touch with reality, the things that happened in the game had real impact on a second narrative that had heavy implications to where they led. Finn only existing within the game feels a bit two dimensional and makes him less interesting.
This is just my opinion (and my bad habit of backseatting hahaha) I guess the ending of so much build up and a no payoff cliffhanger left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth that made me want to nitpick instead of praise. I’m still keen on reading the next.
The meat of the book is contained within a dungeon grind, and like Ascend Online#2 it becomes fatiguing to get through.
The biggest problem is Fin’s motivation is hard to emphasise with. With more backstory and flashbacks for Rachel i might have felt more invested in his mission, but with just two flashbacks and horrible death scene I felt more the casual observer then in the front seat rooting for Fin to win. I just don’t know Rachel well enough to care about her.
The story is also 100% within the game. What made Jason in the previous titles more interesting and relatable was that he was still in touch with reality, the things that happened in the game had real impact on a second narrative that had heavy implications to where they led. Finn only existing within the game feels a bit two dimensional and makes him less interesting.
This is just my opinion (and my bad habit of backseatting hahaha) I guess the ending of so much build up and a no payoff cliffhanger left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth that made me want to nitpick instead of praise. I’m still keen on reading the next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2020
Travis Bagwell has gone from a better than average author to a good author to a craftsman of his trade with the Tarot series. They are all well paced and the plot is clean and consistent while being constantly the focus. The characters are interesting without being over the top or cliched.
Flame follows book 1 and we end up leaving the pressure cooker of the first book and get thrown into a pressure cooker of a single dungeon. Much of the story that carries through from the first book continues and is built upon.
I was waiting for this book to come out eagerly and am hoping for more. If you have read the first book this is a seamless continuation from that book.
Worth reading if you have read the first book.
Flame follows book 1 and we end up leaving the pressure cooker of the first book and get thrown into a pressure cooker of a single dungeon. Much of the story that carries through from the first book continues and is built upon.
I was waiting for this book to come out eagerly and am hoping for more. If you have read the first book this is a seamless continuation from that book.
Worth reading if you have read the first book.
July 13, 2020
Character arcs, delicious delicious character arcs!
(Disclaimer: I listened to the audiobook and as always David Stifel does a great job with the narration and with the characters)
As my first line suggests, I love stories in which the protagonist develops and changes. The way Bagwell does it is able as subtle as a freight train but it hits more like a car. I will admit that there are parts of the book that are very predictable and there is a pretty much drawn out training session portion of the book that does tend to drag on. The rest of the characters are also necessary and provide a reason to be included in the story. My main gripe is the ending. It sets up for a sequel but in an annoying way.
(Disclaimer: I listened to the audiobook and as always David Stifel does a great job with the narration and with the characters)
As my first line suggests, I love stories in which the protagonist develops and changes. The way Bagwell does it is able as subtle as a freight train but it hits more like a car. I will admit that there are parts of the book that are very predictable and there is a pretty much drawn out training session portion of the book that does tend to drag on. The rest of the characters are also necessary and provide a reason to be included in the story. My main gripe is the ending. It sets up for a sequel but in an annoying way.
December 23, 2021
This one started off great, ....then they got into the abyss...then it was omg look a cavern, AHH MONSTERS KILL THEM.....ok whats through this tunnel?
omg look a cavern, AHH MONSTERS KILL THEM.....ok whats through this tunnel?
omg look a cavern, AHH MONSTERS KILL THEM.....ok whats through this tunnel?
omg look a cavern, AHH MONSTERS KILL THEM.....ok whats through this tunnel?
omg we're out of the cavern....cool
The End.
yawn
omg look a cavern, AHH MONSTERS KILL THEM.....ok whats through this tunnel?
omg look a cavern, AHH MONSTERS KILL THEM.....ok whats through this tunnel?
omg look a cavern, AHH MONSTERS KILL THEM.....ok whats through this tunnel?
omg we're out of the cavern....cool
The End.
yawn
June 19, 2020
3.5. I agree there was a lot of killing ants. But I kind of enjoyed it. I think it's meant to set up how they became a tight team and eventually overthrow the emir.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2021
Solid LitRPG. To be expected from this author. If you enjoy the other entries in the Awaken Online Series, these Tarot books have been well worth the read.
June 10, 2023
⭐️⭐️ This is my personal 5 star rating system because I’m too lazy to write a review for every book.
5 stars -> OMFG. I couldn’t stop listening. I was engaged from beginning to end. The story & narrator was amazing. I 100% recommend this book & author. I was able to clearly follow each and every character.
4 stars -> It was pretty good. I would’ve rated 5 stars, But either the ending was lacking, I struggled to keep up with characters, or the story didn’t keep me fully engaged. The narrator was pretty good as well. I’m on the fence about recommending this book, It could go either way.
3 Stars -> It was boring at times & I missed chunks of the story. I most likely struggled to keep up with character developments. The only way I would recommend this book is if it was part of a series. The narrator was most likely average or just couldn’t fix a mediocre book.
2 Stars -> It was pretty horrible. I used it as background noise because I hadn’t had a chance to search for another book. The book either had a bad narrator, The character development was non existent, or the story was hot garbage. I would not recommend this book.
1 Star -> The absolute only reason I listened to this book was because i had no time to search for another one & I needed background noise. It was 1 step up from listening to the radio. I wouldn’t recommend this book to my worst enemy. Everything about this book was terrible. This is only recommended for people on death row and have absolutely nothing else to read.
5 stars -> OMFG. I couldn’t stop listening. I was engaged from beginning to end. The story & narrator was amazing. I 100% recommend this book & author. I was able to clearly follow each and every character.
4 stars -> It was pretty good. I would’ve rated 5 stars, But either the ending was lacking, I struggled to keep up with characters, or the story didn’t keep me fully engaged. The narrator was pretty good as well. I’m on the fence about recommending this book, It could go either way.
3 Stars -> It was boring at times & I missed chunks of the story. I most likely struggled to keep up with character developments. The only way I would recommend this book is if it was part of a series. The narrator was most likely average or just couldn’t fix a mediocre book.
2 Stars -> It was pretty horrible. I used it as background noise because I hadn’t had a chance to search for another book. The book either had a bad narrator, The character development was non existent, or the story was hot garbage. I would not recommend this book.
1 Star -> The absolute only reason I listened to this book was because i had no time to search for another one & I needed background noise. It was 1 step up from listening to the radio. I wouldn’t recommend this book to my worst enemy. Everything about this book was terrible. This is only recommended for people on death row and have absolutely nothing else to read.
July 4, 2020
Predictable, rehash of previous books in the awaken online series.
This is My last book by this author, I have read ever awaken online book so far and they have been going downhill fast. Far too long for very little substance and the same storytelling could have been done with at least 1/3 the pages which might have kept me more captivated or at least not groaning in frustration at how slow and predictable this book is.
This is My last book by this author, I have read ever awaken online book so far and they have been going downhill fast. Far too long for very little substance and the same storytelling could have been done with at least 1/3 the pages which might have kept me more captivated or at least not groaning in frustration at how slow and predictable this book is.
July 9, 2024
I’m having so much fun with this series. Again, I like the mechanics and how our MMC’s mind works.
This one did fall a bit flat and I don’t think we progressed much with anything in this book. That being said though, I can’t wait to read the conclusion.
This one did fall a bit flat and I don’t think we progressed much with anything in this book. That being said though, I can’t wait to read the conclusion.
April 6, 2020
Repetitive plot.
I’ll preface my review by saying I have read all of the other Awaken Online books. I really have enjoyed the series overall, but this book as well as AO: dominion have been my least favorites. I liked the first book in this spinoff Ember - fun new plot and setting.
Unfortunately, the bulk of this second book is a never ending dungeon crawl battling ants with very slow progress. I didn’t find there to be a lot of new content or twists which made the plot feel formulaic. There is constant emphasis on the real life “reward,” but I struggle to see how a very intelligent adult would buy into this scenario.
Hopefully Jason and company return soon.
I’ll preface my review by saying I have read all of the other Awaken Online books. I really have enjoyed the series overall, but this book as well as AO: dominion have been my least favorites. I liked the first book in this spinoff Ember - fun new plot and setting.
Unfortunately, the bulk of this second book is a never ending dungeon crawl battling ants with very slow progress. I didn’t find there to be a lot of new content or twists which made the plot feel formulaic. There is constant emphasis on the real life “reward,” but I struggle to see how a very intelligent adult would buy into this scenario.
Hopefully Jason and company return soon.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2020
This is the second book in the Tarot series, which a sub-series in the larger Awaken Online series. I've read and loved all eight of the previous books. Awaken Online is about various characters that play the VRMMORPG of the same name. The Tarot series centers around Finn. In the real world, he is an older computer programmer who lost his wife in the car accident that paralyzed his legs. In AO, he is a fire mage that has been chosen by the in-game deity of fire to be her champion. These books are of the "LitRPG" genre, so they read like someone playing a role playing game, complete with stats, skills, and spells. It's really cool. Flame is mainly a dungeon crawl, so it wasn't my favorite entry, but it set up the next book to be really exciting. I think Finn's story would benefit from a sensitivity reader, though. I'm blind, so there were a few parts in this book that made me feel really alienated from a series that I adore. Other than that, I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to give the genre a try! Start with Catharsis!
Blind Bookworm
Blind Bookworm
March 8, 2022
Another re-read here with a small pause on my TBR because this series really is just that good in my opinion.
Out of the three books in the Tarot series in Awaken Online this is my favorite book. I honestly love all the Abyss scenes and the whole idea of Finn slowly coming into his ‘Chosen One’ status. I think it’s because I like the way that, despite the fact that this was obviously a video game dungeon, it feels less video game-y and more realistic and interesting to read about than other dungeons in other LitRPGs that I’ve read.
I also really like in this book that we really start to see Daniel start to grow as a character. We see a little bit of a hint of it in the previous book, but he really starts to get a personality and develop his own sense of humor in this book specifically. I also really like the development of Finn and Julia’s relationship in this book. I feel like they were really strained in the first book, and we get to see Finn recall some memories from Julia’s childhood a bit but in this book, we really see him open up to her as her father and it lets them reconnect a bit which I really love. The spicy level is also a level 1.
Overall, I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 star rating. I really just love this whole series and am super enjoying re-reading it.
Out of the three books in the Tarot series in Awaken Online this is my favorite book. I honestly love all the Abyss scenes and the whole idea of Finn slowly coming into his ‘Chosen One’ status. I think it’s because I like the way that, despite the fact that this was obviously a video game dungeon, it feels less video game-y and more realistic and interesting to read about than other dungeons in other LitRPGs that I’ve read.
I also really like in this book that we really start to see Daniel start to grow as a character. We see a little bit of a hint of it in the previous book, but he really starts to get a personality and develop his own sense of humor in this book specifically. I also really like the development of Finn and Julia’s relationship in this book. I feel like they were really strained in the first book, and we get to see Finn recall some memories from Julia’s childhood a bit but in this book, we really see him open up to her as her father and it lets them reconnect a bit which I really love. The spicy level is also a level 1.
Overall, I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 star rating. I really just love this whole series and am super enjoying re-reading it.
September 23, 2020
An exceptional adventure
There have been reviews where ppl seemed dismayed by the dungeon-crawling aspects of the Abyss and honestly, they are wrong in so many ways. What I found this volume was a story that had strong themes of whatever it takes to make your dream possible.
The abyss part of this story was more about refining our characters in ways that need to be done. We got character development of our father and daughter character, who I loved deeply and am gonna be sad when they all eventually go up against Jason and the rest of the Original Sin. Julia's character was my favorite in the last volume and this one she is just as much, a daughter who was pretty much alone with a grieving father that was deep into his own pain. As someone that lost a parent, this really jumped out at me especially her desire to act out. I can only imagine what that was like for her. Finn truly realizing his faults slowly has become powerful as he never really sat there and saw what his brilliant daughter was capable of.
This book was more about pushing out heroes forward and ripping the band aid of discovering Finn's secret to which I loved more than anything. It showed a contrast between his character and Jason, who continues to keep things close instead of including his teammates. We really needed this difference to see how far our heroes from the main series needs more work.
The only development that I wish needed more digging was Kyyle's but that might happen the next volume, so I'm withholding that as a negative. What I do like about his character is that he took all of the information he learned in stride and just went in to help a friend in need. It makes me really wonder about his own background.
The setup to the Real enemy was actually great that I didn't even get until the last couple of chapters. Maybe I'm slow, but it was a good twist. It was a wtf moment for sure, but it also was kinda sad because I kinda can see why our antagonist was led to his conclusion.
My final take is that I loved this volume, it wasn't a death match -battle royale like the last one, but it really made the character shine through. Btw, those complaining about the ants don't realize that this part of the story was crucial. The whole dungeon was created to mess with them, vex them to no end and I liked it a lot. I understand why it was like that, it was designed to drag because that's what Alfred wanted.
Read on, readers and remember: slow down, enjoy the people who are still here that love you. Out time here is limited.
There have been reviews where ppl seemed dismayed by the dungeon-crawling aspects of the Abyss and honestly, they are wrong in so many ways. What I found this volume was a story that had strong themes of whatever it takes to make your dream possible.
The abyss part of this story was more about refining our characters in ways that need to be done. We got character development of our father and daughter character, who I loved deeply and am gonna be sad when they all eventually go up against Jason and the rest of the Original Sin. Julia's character was my favorite in the last volume and this one she is just as much, a daughter who was pretty much alone with a grieving father that was deep into his own pain. As someone that lost a parent, this really jumped out at me especially her desire to act out. I can only imagine what that was like for her. Finn truly realizing his faults slowly has become powerful as he never really sat there and saw what his brilliant daughter was capable of.
This book was more about pushing out heroes forward and ripping the band aid of discovering Finn's secret to which I loved more than anything. It showed a contrast between his character and Jason, who continues to keep things close instead of including his teammates. We really needed this difference to see how far our heroes from the main series needs more work.
The only development that I wish needed more digging was Kyyle's but that might happen the next volume, so I'm withholding that as a negative. What I do like about his character is that he took all of the information he learned in stride and just went in to help a friend in need. It makes me really wonder about his own background.
The setup to the Real enemy was actually great that I didn't even get until the last couple of chapters. Maybe I'm slow, but it was a good twist. It was a wtf moment for sure, but it also was kinda sad because I kinda can see why our antagonist was led to his conclusion.
My final take is that I loved this volume, it wasn't a death match -battle royale like the last one, but it really made the character shine through. Btw, those complaining about the ants don't realize that this part of the story was crucial. The whole dungeon was created to mess with them, vex them to no end and I liked it a lot. I understand why it was like that, it was designed to drag because that's what Alfred wanted.
Read on, readers and remember: slow down, enjoy the people who are still here that love you. Out time here is limited.
April 16, 2020
I hate trying to write reviews because there are really only pass/fail results for me. Did I make it all the way through? Yes? 5 stars. No? There would be nothing here to read. In all fairness, if an author holds my attention from page one to the end, they’ve done their job. Anything less than 5 stars is petty criticism from someone incapable of even doing the job let alone doing a better one.
So in respect for the author and their work, I am going to start pasting this along with a generic review I found somewhere. “This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”
Now, since I have to keep explaining myself to people who don't like my reviews, I guess some clarification is in order.
1. I am 100% against criticism for works of art. Art is subjective, meaning reviews are irrelevant. The observer's opinion is only relevant to the observer. It is my belief that regardless of what others might say, I have to experience the art for myself.
2. I read upwards of 20 books a month. The $10/month I spend on K U, feels like I am cheating the authors. But since I can't afford 20 books a month if I were to purchase them directly, all I can offer is a positive review. That leads us to the final point.
3. If I get to the end of a book, then it was worth my time. I give those books 5 stars because it helps the author get exposure. That is the only reason I write reviews at all.
I understand that people are people and they are going to do what they do regardless of my stance. I know the way that I review books upsets some people. I am sorry they feel that way but as many have said, they will just ignore my review going forward. In fact, if you made it this far through my review, you should definitely read the book and completely ignore all of the reviews here. You are a much better judge of what you will like than anyone here.
Cheers
So in respect for the author and their work, I am going to start pasting this along with a generic review I found somewhere. “This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”
Now, since I have to keep explaining myself to people who don't like my reviews, I guess some clarification is in order.
1. I am 100% against criticism for works of art. Art is subjective, meaning reviews are irrelevant. The observer's opinion is only relevant to the observer. It is my belief that regardless of what others might say, I have to experience the art for myself.
2. I read upwards of 20 books a month. The $10/month I spend on K U, feels like I am cheating the authors. But since I can't afford 20 books a month if I were to purchase them directly, all I can offer is a positive review. That leads us to the final point.
3. If I get to the end of a book, then it was worth my time. I give those books 5 stars because it helps the author get exposure. That is the only reason I write reviews at all.
I understand that people are people and they are going to do what they do regardless of my stance. I know the way that I review books upsets some people. I am sorry they feel that way but as many have said, they will just ignore my review going forward. In fact, if you made it this far through my review, you should definitely read the book and completely ignore all of the reviews here. You are a much better judge of what you will like than anyone here.
Cheers
October 22, 2023
This second book in the Tarot series grabbed my attention right from the start and kept me hooked all the way through.
We’re thrown back into this incredible, complex world, and the political intrigue is just fascinating. The way Bagwell dives into the politics between the fighters', merchants', and mages' guilds had me on the edge of my seat. And introducing that new faction of people who’ve lost their mana? Brilliant. It added so much depth to the story without slowing things down with too much backstory.
I found the personal touch with the main character’s daughter being one of the mana purged really touching. It made everything feel so much more real and high-stakes. And Belil’s journal? What a great addition to the story. I started piecing things together when they got to the city for the final showdown, but I didn’t see that ending coming. I mean, in hindsight, it makes sense with the way Jason, Eliza, and Alex’s stories were going, but Bagwell still managed to throw in a surprise or two.
Being a big fan of LitRPG novels, I actually really enjoyed the trial and error with the fire ants. It was refreshing to see the characters not just breeze through everything and actually have to work for their progress. Sure, the middle part of the book felt a bit slow, but the rest of it more than made up for it.
All in all, “Awaken Online: Flame” is a fantastic read, with a perfect blend of action, intrigue, and emotion. Whether you’re new to the series or a returning fan, this book is definitely worth picking up.
4.5 out of 5 stars. The 0.5 deduction is attributed to the slower pacing in the middle of the book
We’re thrown back into this incredible, complex world, and the political intrigue is just fascinating. The way Bagwell dives into the politics between the fighters', merchants', and mages' guilds had me on the edge of my seat. And introducing that new faction of people who’ve lost their mana? Brilliant. It added so much depth to the story without slowing things down with too much backstory.
I found the personal touch with the main character’s daughter being one of the mana purged really touching. It made everything feel so much more real and high-stakes. And Belil’s journal? What a great addition to the story. I started piecing things together when they got to the city for the final showdown, but I didn’t see that ending coming. I mean, in hindsight, it makes sense with the way Jason, Eliza, and Alex’s stories were going, but Bagwell still managed to throw in a surprise or two.
Being a big fan of LitRPG novels, I actually really enjoyed the trial and error with the fire ants. It was refreshing to see the characters not just breeze through everything and actually have to work for their progress. Sure, the middle part of the book felt a bit slow, but the rest of it more than made up for it.
All in all, “Awaken Online: Flame” is a fantastic read, with a perfect blend of action, intrigue, and emotion. Whether you’re new to the series or a returning fan, this book is definitely worth picking up.
4.5 out of 5 stars. The 0.5 deduction is attributed to the slower pacing in the middle of the book
June 30, 2026
Once again, my rating is higher due to enjoyment of particular elements, but should be lower if looked at more objectively, which seems to be a feature of this series.
Once again, the author sprinkles some themes or elements in absolutely adore: exploring a magic system, creative uses of seemingly limiting abilities, magical craftsmanship, even magical body modification. However, once again it's all done in a rush. The first book of this side series was fun because for a while the protagonist was given time to explore and experiment with his newfound powers before the plot truly kicked in, because once it does it rarely ever slows down, which becomes tedious after a while. Due to that some of the protagonist's decisions seem forced and taken "because I need it for a later payoff". Three times he has decided to undertake dangerous and threatening procedures that result in permanent damage being done to him in an environment not suitable for it, with the two latter times making me ask "Really? You saw no other choice but to do that? Nothing else came to mind?".
It's definitely a very game-heavy chapter in the story with real life mostly having in-game consequences, but still due to the goal it often seems a bit too involved. It remains to be seen if the third book lands the premise successfully.
So far I'm enjoying this protagonist more than Jason from the main series, I just wish the author gave him the time to experiment more and discover more cool stuff and interactions.
Once again, the author sprinkles some themes or elements in absolutely adore: exploring a magic system, creative uses of seemingly limiting abilities, magical craftsmanship, even magical body modification. However, once again it's all done in a rush. The first book of this side series was fun because for a while the protagonist was given time to explore and experiment with his newfound powers before the plot truly kicked in, because once it does it rarely ever slows down, which becomes tedious after a while. Due to that some of the protagonist's decisions seem forced and taken "because I need it for a later payoff". Three times he has decided to undertake dangerous and threatening procedures that result in permanent damage being done to him in an environment not suitable for it, with the two latter times making me ask "Really? You saw no other choice but to do that? Nothing else came to mind?".
It's definitely a very game-heavy chapter in the story with real life mostly having in-game consequences, but still due to the goal it often seems a bit too involved. It remains to be seen if the third book lands the premise successfully.
So far I'm enjoying this protagonist more than Jason from the main series, I just wish the author gave him the time to experiment more and discover more cool stuff and interactions.
May 17, 2021
True rating is a 3.5 ONLY because there seemed to be not much going on, but a lot of "fights" happened.
I love this series so my reviews tend to be biased. That said I love the new Tarot side story to awaken online. The MC and the main cast are easy to fall in love with and the story as a whole goes in a unheard of direction compared to the main story. These are all amazing things however this one story does something that the others tended to shy away from: Conflicts and fights that had very little significance.
A lot of what I have to praise this book for is what I praise Awaken Online for in general. It's an original concept that goes into AI and the possibilities it has to change the world for the better by following a group of people that are broken and need a mental fix. It's great and it shines when it goes into personal conflict and growth... however it's weakest in action intense fights. Unless of course those fights merit the other things I mentioned.
This book has all that in spades, however it also has almost meaningless fights that happen back to back without giving you much of a break in between. You start to zone out just because there is so much of the same thing. This is really the only thing I can say bad about it though.
Otherwise, this book is great. There were moments that I teared up as the characters were having a long waited for heartfelt discussion and many twists are employed that spice things up. All in all you have to read it... so read it already!
I love this series so my reviews tend to be biased. That said I love the new Tarot side story to awaken online. The MC and the main cast are easy to fall in love with and the story as a whole goes in a unheard of direction compared to the main story. These are all amazing things however this one story does something that the others tended to shy away from: Conflicts and fights that had very little significance.
A lot of what I have to praise this book for is what I praise Awaken Online for in general. It's an original concept that goes into AI and the possibilities it has to change the world for the better by following a group of people that are broken and need a mental fix. It's great and it shines when it goes into personal conflict and growth... however it's weakest in action intense fights. Unless of course those fights merit the other things I mentioned.
This book has all that in spades, however it also has almost meaningless fights that happen back to back without giving you much of a break in between. You start to zone out just because there is so much of the same thing. This is really the only thing I can say bad about it though.
Otherwise, this book is great. There were moments that I teared up as the characters were having a long waited for heartfelt discussion and many twists are employed that spice things up. All in all you have to read it... so read it already!
September 19, 2020
Painful journey for a mediocre story
I nearly chewed a hole through my cheek while winding through the repetitive series of phrases and trite dialogue that made up the bulk of this “book.” I don’t know if it was the novelty of the first few AO stories that kept me trudging on through this quagmire of word vomit, or if it was my desperate hope of a satisfying resolution at the end. (Spoiler: readers will be left hanging onto a very thin thread of a trilogy.)
Perhaps Travis would be better suited to writing paid weekly serials instead of attempting to create an epic? In short, this reads exactly like I would expect a first draft script treatment for the 17th hour of 24 to sound. There isn’t a shred of character building following the introduction to Finn in the first book and no trace of authenticity to his purported age or handicap, nor is there any respect paid to the world building rules established in the first couple of AO books.
In what I can only assume was a vain effort to pump out as many words per day as possible, AO: Flame is nothing more than a cascade of copy and pasted system notifications, summaries of stats, and level up tedium. Avoid unless your readership goal is leveling up your disappointment!
I nearly chewed a hole through my cheek while winding through the repetitive series of phrases and trite dialogue that made up the bulk of this “book.” I don’t know if it was the novelty of the first few AO stories that kept me trudging on through this quagmire of word vomit, or if it was my desperate hope of a satisfying resolution at the end. (Spoiler: readers will be left hanging onto a very thin thread of a trilogy.)
Perhaps Travis would be better suited to writing paid weekly serials instead of attempting to create an epic? In short, this reads exactly like I would expect a first draft script treatment for the 17th hour of 24 to sound. There isn’t a shred of character building following the introduction to Finn in the first book and no trace of authenticity to his purported age or handicap, nor is there any respect paid to the world building rules established in the first couple of AO books.
In what I can only assume was a vain effort to pump out as many words per day as possible, AO: Flame is nothing more than a cascade of copy and pasted system notifications, summaries of stats, and level up tedium. Avoid unless your readership goal is leveling up your disappointment!
June 4, 2021
I keep going back and forth between 3 and 4 stars...
It was interesting seeing what Finn would come up with next to solve their dilemmas but it was also very repetitive. I thought the last book was taking a turn to help that but Bagwell either fell off the new horse and got right back on the old one, or didn't get back up at all.
I get it. I get that this is all about Rachael. But... c'mon. We. Get. It. Really don't need to hear that scene any more.
The librarian. The librarian. The librarian. D:
I feel soo bad for Julia and Finn's son who's barely mentioned which obviously makes sense considering he's playing AO with her but... Ugh. I did appreciate how her and Finn finally talk about things. See how that continues.
Bilel wasn't surprising but I liked it. Wondering (and rather sad about) how Finn is going to deal now.
"Hell, I could probably convince my psych professor to just stop coming to class in exchange for writing up my notes on the adventure and the effects on you and Julia."
Kyyle can be amusing occasionally. Sometimes he and Julia run together.
It was interesting seeing what Finn would come up with next to solve their dilemmas but it was also very repetitive. I thought the last book was taking a turn to help that but Bagwell either fell off the new horse and got right back on the old one, or didn't get back up at all.
I get it. I get that this is all about Rachael. But... c'mon. We. Get. It. Really don't need to hear that scene any more.
The librarian. The librarian. The librarian. D:
I feel soo bad for Julia and Finn's son who's barely mentioned which obviously makes sense considering he's playing AO with her but... Ugh. I did appreciate how her and Finn finally talk about things. See how that continues.
Bilel wasn't surprising but I liked it. Wondering (and rather sad about) how Finn is going to deal now.
"Hell, I could probably convince my psych professor to just stop coming to class in exchange for writing up my notes on the adventure and the effects on you and Julia."
Kyyle can be amusing occasionally. Sometimes he and Julia run together.
December 6, 2021
This guy is nuts
Fin keeps going overboard to try and win the competition. Doing some very crazy stuff, especially with his eyes, all in the name of not telling his Fr**ing team mates!@#!@# what is going on and why he is so determine to win the competition.
This story plot devise should be outdated by now. I can maybe understand why a teenage boy will act like that, but an old man, and highly intelligent one at that… come on… and the big revile even make it all feel there were no reason for it anyway… so pretty pleas with sugar on top, stop using this plot device!
the combo of 3 smart people together makes this dungeon dive really interesting. The twists are a bit spoon fed to you if you keep attention, with makes its feel like the MC should have figure things faster, but hay, I'm not the one trapped in ant hell for two weeks and after a hard trip in the desert, so I can see why they will be slower in understanding things.
This story keeps the building of the magic system in the game world, and it’s a big portion of the story so be aware.
Other that that, the book was fun and interesting, I highly recommend it.
Fin keeps going overboard to try and win the competition. Doing some very crazy stuff, especially with his eyes, all in the name of not telling his Fr**ing team mates!@#!@# what is going on and why he is so determine to win the competition.
This story plot devise should be outdated by now. I can maybe understand why a teenage boy will act like that, but an old man, and highly intelligent one at that… come on… and the big revile even make it all feel there were no reason for it anyway… so pretty pleas with sugar on top, stop using this plot device!
the combo of 3 smart people together makes this dungeon dive really interesting. The twists are a bit spoon fed to you if you keep attention, with makes its feel like the MC should have figure things faster, but hay, I'm not the one trapped in ant hell for two weeks and after a hard trip in the desert, so I can see why they will be slower in understanding things.
This story keeps the building of the magic system in the game world, and it’s a big portion of the story so be aware.
Other that that, the book was fun and interesting, I highly recommend it.
February 2, 2023
I actually got this book from my library Audiobook program Libby, not Amazon. I bought the first one on Amazon and if I had actually purchased this one I would have been disappointed, but probably not enough to return it. There are some uplifting moments in the book when Finn has some real cathartic revelations and advancements. But it's long and disjointed and often I found myself listening to action scenes to find out "wait... what happened?" and having to rewind, sometimes more than twice, to attempt to understand how that was happening and still never quite sure. Sure, Awaken Online is a magical world, and sure, it follows physical-world rules - and that's why some of the stuff seemed unbelievable. Fortunately it was all original material (although it reminds me of Muad'Dib) but it just needed some serious editing - not so much for length (although it is long) but for clarity. It seems like it went to press too soon.
September 8, 2026
Flame was exactly what I wanted from the second book in the Tarot trilogy: bigger, sharper, and more confident than Ember.
What I liked most was that it never felt like a placeholder between the beginning and the finale. The story actually moves. The world opens up, the consequences start to matter more, and the characters are forced into situations that make their growth feel earned rather than automatic.
The progression elements are still a major draw for me, but Flame worked because I was just as interested in the choices being made as I was in the power-ups. There is more tension, more strategy, and more of a sense that the series is building toward something substantial.
It does slow down in a few places, and there were moments where I wanted the plot to push forward a little faster, but those were small complaints.
If Ember hooked me, Flame convinced me this trilogy is going somewhere worth following.
What I liked most was that it never felt like a placeholder between the beginning and the finale. The story actually moves. The world opens up, the consequences start to matter more, and the characters are forced into situations that make their growth feel earned rather than automatic.
The progression elements are still a major draw for me, but Flame worked because I was just as interested in the choices being made as I was in the power-ups. There is more tension, more strategy, and more of a sense that the series is building toward something substantial.
It does slow down in a few places, and there were moments where I wanted the plot to push forward a little faster, but those were small complaints.
If Ember hooked me, Flame convinced me this trilogy is going somewhere worth following.
May 13, 2020
This novel is the latest in Bagwell's brilliant Awaken Online series, which continues Finn's story from Ember. Whereas the previous book served primarily to introduce Finn and the new area of Lahab, this one delves more into the history and background of the city and its inhabitants. There are several elements of this novel that are reminiscent of Frank Herbert's Dune (perhaps intentionally so), like the eremitic setting, sandworms, and messianic plotline. Nevertheless, it is a powerfully original story, showing how far the author has come in terms of creative skill and writing ability since the first novel. Bilel's journal entries at the start of each chapter, for instance, was an interesting means to gradually reveal that backstory as the main narrative progressed. Overall, a fantastic addition to the series and entertaining story.
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