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Burn Red Skies #1
Burn Red Skies
It starts with a rift that burns a thousand scars into the sky.
It makes the winds stop.
It makes the stars go dark.
It awakens an ancient beast.
And with it, a new reign of blood.
It is the Summoning.
And at the heart of it is fire.
When the Summoner's army blazes through her village, Dove is forced into hiding. Torn from everything she knows, she begins training in the elements with only one goal in mind: to find her brother. She just needs to get past the Summoner's army—but how can she slay a dragon that is already dead?
It makes the winds stop.
It makes the stars go dark.
It awakens an ancient beast.
And with it, a new reign of blood.
It is the Summoning.
And at the heart of it is fire.
When the Summoner's army blazes through her village, Dove is forced into hiding. Torn from everything she knows, she begins training in the elements with only one goal in mind: to find her brother. She just needs to get past the Summoner's army—but how can she slay a dragon that is already dead?
426 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 12, 2020
37 people are currently reading
1228 people want to read
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January 7, 2022
My 2022 reads are off to a fabulous start! Not only is this the first book I’ve finished this year, and not only is it also an SPFBO Finalist, but it’s brilliant!
When I realised this book had airships and dragons, it had my full attention. For anyone who knows me (and what I write - looking at you, Linaria), you can see exactly why this book appealed.
I know a lot of people love characters or plot in books. Usually one of those two things are most important for them.
But for me, writing style is by far the most important element when I’m reading a book. It’s what hooks me into the story. It could be the greatest story ever, but if the writing style is bland or mediocre, my attention will wane.
Rosero has a SENSATIONAL writing style. It’s immediately clear from the opening lines that the author’s voice is strong, and brings something unique. And it spills into her characters wonderfully - it just so happens to have a stellar cast, too.
Rarely do I understand who a character is and what they’re about from a handful of sentences, but Rosero masterfully does this. We’re thrown into the middle of a world (which is amazing, I’ll get to that in a moment) through the eyes of an eclectic cast. Each one is different and clearly defined.
The chapters alternate between character POVs, and it’s always abundantly clear if we’re with smugglers/sky pirates Decker, Marc, Wolff and the crew, with the voiceless Dove, with Gryff out of his depth and struggling to hold his head above water, with Bard and Dancer, with Valerya herself.
Epic fantasy, and by extension large casts of characters, can be intimidating. There can be so many names and relations that they all sort of blur together. Not so here. Rosero has a firm grip on her characters, which means the reader does, too. At no point was I unsure who Valk or Dancer or Toma or half a dozen of the side characters were. Even when someone’s appearance on page is brief, they shine.
World building is also hugely important to me. I read for escapism, which is why 99% of my books are fantasy. The world building in Burn Red Skies keeps on giving. I’ve never read elemental magic like this before. It’s so much more than Person A born in country A can do magic A. There are four elements - fire, water, ice, and storm. But this elemental affinity affects more than the magic that people can cast. Those of the water element can’t get drunk, their wounds heal almost instantly - closing up like water poured across their skin. Those of Ice burn in daylight, and so their cities are built deep into mountains, boring underground where they’re shielded. Even speech is different - some cultures don’t waste words, simply walking away at the end of a conversation. The Thunderborne live in a floating city. This is the kind of world building I adore. (Also can I be a Thunderborne please? I mean, I already have the blue hair...)
There are mages. Skin changers. A twisted King (ugh I hated him so much), Swordsuits (Spades, Diamonds etc.), mercenaries, a system of sending messages with peregrine falcons. Languages. Different religions/spiritualities. The depth here is staggering, and you’d expect it all to be shoved into a 1000 page tome. However, at just over 400 pages, the pacing is brilliant. There aren’t wasted words, let alone wasted chapters, and while things move along quickly, it’s never blistering.
This year, I’m trying to start jotting down quotes that I particularly like, and here are a few I enjoyed in Burn Red Skies:
“His body felt stitched together, every movement a blade to his ribs. Soon, he would come apart at the seams.”
“Colours of the ascendant stars swirled about her, so delicately constructed that it seemed a light rain might wash it all away.”
“Nothing ever good came from the words of ghosts.”
“The dragon had torn a hole in the sky, red and fierce like the dawn.”
“A voiceless girl roars in the skies.”
And one of my favourite lines from the Bard/Dancer chapters (where a good chunk of the humour is): “Why is there a dead man on my floor?”
My main gripe is a personal one - I’d like MORE DRAGONS, please. Valerya is the General Summoner, known as the She-Jackal. She summoned the red dragon and all fear her for it. You can always sense the dragon’s presence in her chapters, realise she has her own personal struggles with it. She's a complex character and every chapter spent with her (either in her eyes or the POV of someone with her), I found my opinion changing. Her dragon is a big part of her character and the overall plot, and I would like to have seen more of it - even if in flashbacks.
There are a couple of confusing moments in the plot, perhaps a few conveniences of character locations, or things not fully explained, but it didn’t really deter my enjoyment.
This is a hidden gem of a book, judging by how few ratings there are on Goodreads. If you love epic fantasy, things that are (overall) more light-hearted, and have a great cast of characters (including our main one, Dove, who is voiceless), in a world you can't wait to explore, I highly recommend this!
When I realised this book had airships and dragons, it had my full attention. For anyone who knows me (and what I write - looking at you, Linaria), you can see exactly why this book appealed.
I know a lot of people love characters or plot in books. Usually one of those two things are most important for them.
But for me, writing style is by far the most important element when I’m reading a book. It’s what hooks me into the story. It could be the greatest story ever, but if the writing style is bland or mediocre, my attention will wane.
Rosero has a SENSATIONAL writing style. It’s immediately clear from the opening lines that the author’s voice is strong, and brings something unique. And it spills into her characters wonderfully - it just so happens to have a stellar cast, too.
Rarely do I understand who a character is and what they’re about from a handful of sentences, but Rosero masterfully does this. We’re thrown into the middle of a world (which is amazing, I’ll get to that in a moment) through the eyes of an eclectic cast. Each one is different and clearly defined.
The chapters alternate between character POVs, and it’s always abundantly clear if we’re with smugglers/sky pirates Decker, Marc, Wolff and the crew, with the voiceless Dove, with Gryff out of his depth and struggling to hold his head above water, with Bard and Dancer, with Valerya herself.
Epic fantasy, and by extension large casts of characters, can be intimidating. There can be so many names and relations that they all sort of blur together. Not so here. Rosero has a firm grip on her characters, which means the reader does, too. At no point was I unsure who Valk or Dancer or Toma or half a dozen of the side characters were. Even when someone’s appearance on page is brief, they shine.
World building is also hugely important to me. I read for escapism, which is why 99% of my books are fantasy. The world building in Burn Red Skies keeps on giving. I’ve never read elemental magic like this before. It’s so much more than Person A born in country A can do magic A. There are four elements - fire, water, ice, and storm. But this elemental affinity affects more than the magic that people can cast. Those of the water element can’t get drunk, their wounds heal almost instantly - closing up like water poured across their skin. Those of Ice burn in daylight, and so their cities are built deep into mountains, boring underground where they’re shielded. Even speech is different - some cultures don’t waste words, simply walking away at the end of a conversation. The Thunderborne live in a floating city. This is the kind of world building I adore. (Also can I be a Thunderborne please? I mean, I already have the blue hair...)
There are mages. Skin changers. A twisted King (ugh I hated him so much), Swordsuits (Spades, Diamonds etc.), mercenaries, a system of sending messages with peregrine falcons. Languages. Different religions/spiritualities. The depth here is staggering, and you’d expect it all to be shoved into a 1000 page tome. However, at just over 400 pages, the pacing is brilliant. There aren’t wasted words, let alone wasted chapters, and while things move along quickly, it’s never blistering.
This year, I’m trying to start jotting down quotes that I particularly like, and here are a few I enjoyed in Burn Red Skies:
“His body felt stitched together, every movement a blade to his ribs. Soon, he would come apart at the seams.”
“Colours of the ascendant stars swirled about her, so delicately constructed that it seemed a light rain might wash it all away.”
“Nothing ever good came from the words of ghosts.”
“The dragon had torn a hole in the sky, red and fierce like the dawn.”
“A voiceless girl roars in the skies.”
And one of my favourite lines from the Bard/Dancer chapters (where a good chunk of the humour is): “Why is there a dead man on my floor?”
My main gripe is a personal one - I’d like MORE DRAGONS, please. Valerya is the General Summoner, known as the She-Jackal. She summoned the red dragon and all fear her for it. You can always sense the dragon’s presence in her chapters, realise she has her own personal struggles with it. She's a complex character and every chapter spent with her (either in her eyes or the POV of someone with her), I found my opinion changing. Her dragon is a big part of her character and the overall plot, and I would like to have seen more of it - even if in flashbacks.
There are a couple of confusing moments in the plot, perhaps a few conveniences of character locations, or things not fully explained, but it didn’t really deter my enjoyment.
This is a hidden gem of a book, judging by how few ratings there are on Goodreads. If you love epic fantasy, things that are (overall) more light-hearted, and have a great cast of characters (including our main one, Dove, who is voiceless), in a world you can't wait to explore, I highly recommend this!
June 5, 2022
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Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
I read this one for SPFBO 7 and I was really excited for it as my fellow bloggers at FanFiAddict were very happy with it. I did enjoy it but I wasn’t as enthusiastic as them.
The story is intriguing, there are many complex elements with flying ships, magic, dragons and armies. The protagonist is a mute which is intriguing and very unique -funny thing is that I read Gallant by Schwab after this one and it also had a mute protagonist- and the main plot line is her trying to find her brother and save him. The other character I really cared about is Valerya who is like the antagonist of the story, she is morally grey and she has magic which is dwindling in the present world and makes her a force not to be missed with.
The prose is great but for some reasons I found myself confused many times in the story and trying to re-read paragraphs to grasp what happened. I also forgot the secondary characters although there were not many of those and I am used to reading stories with wider casts but I just guess I never connected to them as mush as I wanted to.
The magic system is interesting and I think because we see magic mostly at the beginning and ending, they were my favorite parts. The book is generally slow paced but it even slows down more in the middle which made me feel that that part dragged and I just wanted to know what happens next.
Summary: I enjoyed the story overall and I think it is well written with very good prose. For some reason the secondary characters and some of the plot lines were confusing for me and I could not connect to them. I think the ending was a bit rushed but still beautiful. I would recommend for people looking for something not so casual!
Read this as a guest judge (With FanFiAddict) for SPFBO 7.
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
I read this one for SPFBO 7 and I was really excited for it as my fellow bloggers at FanFiAddict were very happy with it. I did enjoy it but I wasn’t as enthusiastic as them.
The story is intriguing, there are many complex elements with flying ships, magic, dragons and armies. The protagonist is a mute which is intriguing and very unique -funny thing is that I read Gallant by Schwab after this one and it also had a mute protagonist- and the main plot line is her trying to find her brother and save him. The other character I really cared about is Valerya who is like the antagonist of the story, she is morally grey and she has magic which is dwindling in the present world and makes her a force not to be missed with.
The prose is great but for some reasons I found myself confused many times in the story and trying to re-read paragraphs to grasp what happened. I also forgot the secondary characters although there were not many of those and I am used to reading stories with wider casts but I just guess I never connected to them as mush as I wanted to.
The magic system is interesting and I think because we see magic mostly at the beginning and ending, they were my favorite parts. The book is generally slow paced but it even slows down more in the middle which made me feel that that part dragged and I just wanted to know what happens next.
Summary: I enjoyed the story overall and I think it is well written with very good prose. For some reason the secondary characters and some of the plot lines were confusing for me and I could not connect to them. I think the ending was a bit rushed but still beautiful. I would recommend for people looking for something not so casual!
Read this as a guest judge (With FanFiAddict) for SPFBO 7.
Want to read
October 28, 2021I haven't read this yet, but it has been chosen as one of 10 finalists from 300 entries to the 7th Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off ... so it must be good!
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Check it out.
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year mailing list #prizes
June 11, 2023
I've started Burn Red Skies a long, long while ago, but put it to the side when I got into a bad reading slump. My reading mojo has finally returned, and I finished all my SPFBO reading for this year, so I picked it back up and devoured it more or less in one go!
I really enjoyed the world, that has different regions which come with different abilities, elements and aspects. From people being able to wield ice to those who are resistent to fire, there's distinct advantages and disadvantages that come along.
I found the characters really well developed. They each felt like fully fleshed individuals, and I never struggled to know who was on the page at any time. They are all rounded and have flaws as well as their own agenda! I liked how divers the cast was, both in personalities as well as in abilities. One of the main characters is mute for example, while another one is weak and soft. Others are ruthless powerful fighters or even a gang of loveable pirates. For me this mix worked really well and gave more depth to both the world and the story itself.
The plot was a bit confusing or convenient at times, when I didn't fully understand why something happened. I didn't mind this overly much, as I was so drawn in by the characters, and there was always enough action or new bits of the world to discover to easily keep me hooked.
Another strength of this book was the prose. It didn't stand out, but felt really smooth and made it easy to fully leave the real world, and instead step into this new world. a good balance between evocative but unobtrusive.
I really enjoyed the world, that has different regions which come with different abilities, elements and aspects. From people being able to wield ice to those who are resistent to fire, there's distinct advantages and disadvantages that come along.
I found the characters really well developed. They each felt like fully fleshed individuals, and I never struggled to know who was on the page at any time. They are all rounded and have flaws as well as their own agenda! I liked how divers the cast was, both in personalities as well as in abilities. One of the main characters is mute for example, while another one is weak and soft. Others are ruthless powerful fighters or even a gang of loveable pirates. For me this mix worked really well and gave more depth to both the world and the story itself.
The plot was a bit confusing or convenient at times, when I didn't fully understand why something happened. I didn't mind this overly much, as I was so drawn in by the characters, and there was always enough action or new bits of the world to discover to easily keep me hooked.
Another strength of this book was the prose. It didn't stand out, but felt really smooth and made it easy to fully leave the real world, and instead step into this new world. a good balance between evocative but unobtrusive.
December 22, 2022
You know when you like a book so much that you don't know how to put your love for it into words? I feel the same way about Burn Red Skies.
What makes this book special and sets it apart from many other books is the atmosphere and mood the book provides. Depressing, mysterious and with a tremendous depth, the story takes you completely captive and does not seem to let you go even after finishing the book. It does not feel like reading a story, but that this is reality and that our world turns out to be a lie. The beginning of the story sets the right mood right from the start, which is limited to the inner workings of a fortress at first, but later expands to other parts of the world. So you do not just read a story, but you are part of it.
And also the magic system fits perfectly to this mood. Because being magically gifted has its price. The magic here is based on the elements like fire or water, but even if it seems that this makes you a powerful mage, you should know that this can also cause disadvantages that are of a greater nature. For example, Iceborne can be allergic to the sun and only see the moonlight of the world at night. This provides a certain hurdle to the exaggerated power of many mages and yet makes themselves seem not so godlike.
To give the story a heart without leaving the oppressive mood, there are characters here so human that they seem real too. Especially the main character, who is also mute, fits in here extraordinarily with her kind. Even if it may seem that a mute character could be boring, since thus no real conversations can arise, you thought wrong, because the author has so cleverly solved to create so interesting and real-looking dialogues between Dove and her companions, although she is mute. Simply extraordinary! And also all the other main characters are real and fit perfectly into this world. Especially also the "villain", who gives away far too little of himself and I'm waiting for a surprise to come!
This book creates images in your mind that will never leave. And also the characters will creep into your heart. Enjoy this incredible story for yourself and let it capture you.
What makes this book special and sets it apart from many other books is the atmosphere and mood the book provides. Depressing, mysterious and with a tremendous depth, the story takes you completely captive and does not seem to let you go even after finishing the book. It does not feel like reading a story, but that this is reality and that our world turns out to be a lie. The beginning of the story sets the right mood right from the start, which is limited to the inner workings of a fortress at first, but later expands to other parts of the world. So you do not just read a story, but you are part of it.
And also the magic system fits perfectly to this mood. Because being magically gifted has its price. The magic here is based on the elements like fire or water, but even if it seems that this makes you a powerful mage, you should know that this can also cause disadvantages that are of a greater nature. For example, Iceborne can be allergic to the sun and only see the moonlight of the world at night. This provides a certain hurdle to the exaggerated power of many mages and yet makes themselves seem not so godlike.
To give the story a heart without leaving the oppressive mood, there are characters here so human that they seem real too. Especially the main character, who is also mute, fits in here extraordinarily with her kind. Even if it may seem that a mute character could be boring, since thus no real conversations can arise, you thought wrong, because the author has so cleverly solved to create so interesting and real-looking dialogues between Dove and her companions, although she is mute. Simply extraordinary! And also all the other main characters are real and fit perfectly into this world. Especially also the "villain", who gives away far too little of himself and I'm waiting for a surprise to come!
This book creates images in your mind that will never leave. And also the characters will creep into your heart. Enjoy this incredible story for yourself and let it capture you.
January 21, 2022
3.5/5
Burn Red Skies has a great title, cover, and worldbuilding. The story could be tightened up a bit, but overall it's fun.
The protagonist of Burn Red Skies, the mute Dove, has some fancy elemental powers (based on fire). Others consider her disability a weakness, but Dove is not weak. At first, she fears her powers, but she embraces them and develops organically over time. I appreciated her gradual change.
Valerya is another standout character, the first Dragon Summoner in hundreds of years. The thing is, she's not interested in becoming the savior everyone has been waiting for; she's more into a new reign of terror. I imagine some readers will not like her. I do. She is well written.
The setting sets Burn Red Skies apart from generic fantasy worlds. Airships, dragons, politics, drama, and mayhem always add some spice. Elemental magic is always fun. Interestingly, the magic has weakened over the generations. As a result, those who have it reign those who don't. No one likes when something (or someone) disturbs this order.
This story has a lot to offer. If it stumbles, it's in making readers understand why the world is the way it is. The setting is fabulous and imaginative but not well-explained. Mentions of specific events signify something to characters, but not to readers. Another thing that decreased my enjoyment was the novel's shifting pace. Parts were engaging; parts dragged a bit.
Ultimately, however, the story's unexpected turns and the author's crisp writing style keep readers flying through the book. It's not perfect, but it's a promising debut and a potentially exciting series.
Burn Red Skies has a great title, cover, and worldbuilding. The story could be tightened up a bit, but overall it's fun.
The protagonist of Burn Red Skies, the mute Dove, has some fancy elemental powers (based on fire). Others consider her disability a weakness, but Dove is not weak. At first, she fears her powers, but she embraces them and develops organically over time. I appreciated her gradual change.
Valerya is another standout character, the first Dragon Summoner in hundreds of years. The thing is, she's not interested in becoming the savior everyone has been waiting for; she's more into a new reign of terror. I imagine some readers will not like her. I do. She is well written.
The setting sets Burn Red Skies apart from generic fantasy worlds. Airships, dragons, politics, drama, and mayhem always add some spice. Elemental magic is always fun. Interestingly, the magic has weakened over the generations. As a result, those who have it reign those who don't. No one likes when something (or someone) disturbs this order.
This story has a lot to offer. If it stumbles, it's in making readers understand why the world is the way it is. The setting is fabulous and imaginative but not well-explained. Mentions of specific events signify something to characters, but not to readers. Another thing that decreased my enjoyment was the novel's shifting pace. Parts were engaging; parts dragged a bit.
Ultimately, however, the story's unexpected turns and the author's crisp writing style keep readers flying through the book. It's not perfect, but it's a promising debut and a potentially exciting series.
February 13, 2023
Firstly, Dragons. Yes!
Secondly, individually, I liked the two main characters, in particular, I enjoyed the female MC’s unique perspective. As a mute, she gave a different type of main character, and it was interesting how those who came to know her well tried to read her intentions. She’s brave and I am totally onboard for where her adventures take her. I have already bought the second book ready to find out what happens next.
The other MC has his own challenges and afflictions, his journey progresses in a slowly diverging way, setting up some real tension for the second book. His journey from being almost helpless to a position of power, is tense and fraught with turmoil.
The racially linked magic system is clever and I utterly loved the idea of the more neutral society that has emerged as a result. The sky ships, the ice caverns, the cities…
Kerstin Espinosa Rosero has built a deep and intricate world, and I loved it.
Secondly, individually, I liked the two main characters, in particular, I enjoyed the female MC’s unique perspective. As a mute, she gave a different type of main character, and it was interesting how those who came to know her well tried to read her intentions. She’s brave and I am totally onboard for where her adventures take her. I have already bought the second book ready to find out what happens next.
The other MC has his own challenges and afflictions, his journey progresses in a slowly diverging way, setting up some real tension for the second book. His journey from being almost helpless to a position of power, is tense and fraught with turmoil.
The racially linked magic system is clever and I utterly loved the idea of the more neutral society that has emerged as a result. The sky ships, the ice caverns, the cities…
Kerstin Espinosa Rosero has built a deep and intricate world, and I loved it.
December 28, 2020
You can also find this review at The Reader and the Chef
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"One thing has been proven by the histories, my dear," he said. "Our allies change almost as much as our foes. Why, sometimes, they even switch places." - Artis
I just finished Burn Red Skies and omg I very much enjoyed reading it!! High fantasy is my favorite genre so I was so excited to start reading it and I am happy to say that it did not disappoint. The world building is spectacular: it has magic, dragons, different lands to explore, adventure and even elemental wielding!! 😍 Not to mention that it has a large cast of characters, which made it all the more enjoyable as we step into several POVs.
What I liked:
- First of all, I really liked the amazing cast of characters in Burn Red Skies. They all start at different points in this world and the book explores how each of their life has been affected by the ongoing war that has been ravaging their lands.
For example, one of the main characters is Dove, a bold and fierce young woman who was lovingly raised by her adoptive parents, now attempting to escape the king's castle she was working as a maid, on a quest to find her brother. On the other side of the world, we meet characters such as Decker and Merc, crew members of a smuggler ship (such a fun, charismatic pair!), Bard and Dancer (random personalities & an unlikely humorous pair) and a general called Valeryan who is feared by everyone but is secretly a compassionate, yet complicated, character that attempts to fight for her own beliefs.
They don't know each other at first, but something I was highly looking forward to was for when their story arcs would cross paths!
- There's elemental magic! Each land in this world represents a certain element and some characters have the ability to wield fire, ice, or thunderstorms. I really like reading about anything that has to do with elemental magic so I highly look forward to learn more about their abilities in the next book!
- But yes, one of the main themes about Burn Red Skies is the war led by oppressive kingdoms and the neverending fight to hold power. Unfortunately, the only ones that truly suffer is the population and this book does a good job reflecting that. It makes you angry and so, so sad. However, it also makes you root for the characters who are in the position to put a stop to this world's pain.
I must admit I did have trouble connecting to all the POVs at first, mostly because I struggled to pinpoint where exactly I was in the world since everything was scattered and I was unfamiliar with the settings, but after I started to familiarize myself with each perspective, the story completely drew me in.
Overall, Burn Red Skies turned out to be a great read for me! The world is complicated and the characters are ones I would like to follow to see where their stories go. So with that said, I cannot wait for the sequel!
"One thing has been proven by the histories, my dear," he said. "Our allies change almost as much as our foes. Why, sometimes, they even switch places." - Artis
I just finished Burn Red Skies and omg I very much enjoyed reading it!! High fantasy is my favorite genre so I was so excited to start reading it and I am happy to say that it did not disappoint. The world building is spectacular: it has magic, dragons, different lands to explore, adventure and even elemental wielding!! 😍 Not to mention that it has a large cast of characters, which made it all the more enjoyable as we step into several POVs.
What I liked:
- First of all, I really liked the amazing cast of characters in Burn Red Skies. They all start at different points in this world and the book explores how each of their life has been affected by the ongoing war that has been ravaging their lands.
For example, one of the main characters is Dove, a bold and fierce young woman who was lovingly raised by her adoptive parents, now attempting to escape the king's castle she was working as a maid, on a quest to find her brother. On the other side of the world, we meet characters such as Decker and Merc, crew members of a smuggler ship (such a fun, charismatic pair!), Bard and Dancer (random personalities & an unlikely humorous pair) and a general called Valeryan who is feared by everyone but is secretly a compassionate, yet complicated, character that attempts to fight for her own beliefs.
They don't know each other at first, but something I was highly looking forward to was for when their story arcs would cross paths!
- There's elemental magic! Each land in this world represents a certain element and some characters have the ability to wield fire, ice, or thunderstorms. I really like reading about anything that has to do with elemental magic so I highly look forward to learn more about their abilities in the next book!
- But yes, one of the main themes about Burn Red Skies is the war led by oppressive kingdoms and the neverending fight to hold power. Unfortunately, the only ones that truly suffer is the population and this book does a good job reflecting that. It makes you angry and so, so sad. However, it also makes you root for the characters who are in the position to put a stop to this world's pain.
I must admit I did have trouble connecting to all the POVs at first, mostly because I struggled to pinpoint where exactly I was in the world since everything was scattered and I was unfamiliar with the settings, but after I started to familiarize myself with each perspective, the story completely drew me in.
Overall, Burn Red Skies turned out to be a great read for me! The world is complicated and the characters are ones I would like to follow to see where their stories go. So with that said, I cannot wait for the sequel!
November 19, 2022
I thought this was a really intriguing story. You have dragons, sky pirates / smugglers, airships, and there’s also a lot of magic in here even if it doesn’t seem to be talked about so much. It’s not really suggested in the synopsis, but it’s all throughout the pages.
The magic itself was very interesting, as was the overall concept of the story. There wasn’t a lot of explanation around the magic and some of the events of the book, so it felt a bit like I was expected to have some prior knowledge coming into this. I still had a good time with it though as the writing was really good, and there were some great characters to follow.
The magic itself was very interesting, as was the overall concept of the story. There wasn’t a lot of explanation around the magic and some of the events of the book, so it felt a bit like I was expected to have some prior knowledge coming into this. I still had a good time with it though as the writing was really good, and there were some great characters to follow.
Read
January 16, 2022Read this book entry finalist for the SPFBO7 contest as part of the last remaining ten novels for phase two to be read.
My review will be part of the judges panel when we post it on THE FANTASY HIVE in a few weeks.
My review will be part of the judges panel when we post it on THE FANTASY HIVE in a few weeks.
July 1, 2022
https://escapistbookcompany.com/2022/...
Please read my review here. Thanks for reading!!
Please read my review here. Thanks for reading!!
January 22, 2022
I read this for SPFBO. To find out more about the SPFBO contest and to see the participating bloggers/authors and reviews follow the links below
This started off with a kind of steam-punk feel. I really liked the cover and the world is super cool.
I am just going to jump in without my usual short blurb because this is a hard one to summarize without spoiling, since the magic, world, and people are all kind of tied together.
This story features an elemental based magic system, tied to the surroundings and its people by location/territory and (I assume) birth. This reminded me a bit of FF4 where when you traveled the map the areas monsters changed according to the climate- snowy section were ice monsters etc. This is similar in the idea, but one where the people have also been influenced, or adapted, by that environment along with any of their potential magic-based skills; the sun burns the ice-area people, and fire-area people not only wield fire, but are immune to the flames as well- that sort of idea. It’s really neat and I enjoyed this a lot.
There is a fairly large cast that is introduced over the course of the book- some of them quite a bit later in the story. The pov’s were all easy to tell apart though, which I thought was notable.
Because of the way the story unfolds and the style (which is kind of drop-in and hope you keep up) those late-comers pov’s were not as jarring as I would normally find them. (Some of this might be because we gain them as the story explores other areas of the world)
I liked Dancer and Bard the best. Dove and Nan together were very sweet. And the intro to Dove’s brother Gryph, was probably the best grab, for making me want to keep on reading. In the end though, it was Valerya that I found the most interesting- maybe because of the little glimpses here and there of her not seeming to be fully onboard with what her position as General/Summoner is requiring of her.
As the story progressed, we are introduced to quite a bit of the world and culture, as well as some exciting ideas with the Skinwalkers, the coins, the insurgents, etc all helping to give a wider view of the politics of the world. Though at times things felt a little vague and I was never quite sure I grasped the whole picture, or why certain things were happening- especially in the beginning. (Some of this fell into place towards the end)
On the whole the story requires a bit of faith and patience, to see where it is headed because it does feel very unconnected for a long time.
But the writing was beautiful with some really nice turns of phrase and I did enjoy how the relationships worked, and the thread of fate that tied them and their purposes together, as the story unfolded.
I think the next book will probably bring a lot of this together and build on the story and would likely be one of those series that really pays off in the finale.
spfbo score-6.5 or 4 stars (6.5-8/10)
Phase one is here-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Finalist board is here
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
November 13, 2022
Here we have another spfbo7 finalist! As per all the other finalists so far, this is well worth its place in the final
This book was crazy good in some aspects but a little outside my normal preferences in others , but this is definitely a series I will continue
There are 4 pov in this story, 3 I really enjoyed and, 1 I struggled to connect with, but can definitely see that characters arc developing in future books !
The world building is excellent in places, air ships, battlements, the final battle scene. And a little underwhelming in others. I perhaps didn't need there to be so many different aspects in this first book.
The magic system is a little crazy for me. I normally enjoy strict magic systems which I can follow but this book was a bit full on in that respect. That said, I actually was fully intrigued by it and I can see it becoming more clear and developed as the series continues.
Overall I did really enjoy this story. I particularly enjoyed the introduction of Dancer and Bard , half way through the book which lifted the story with some humour and a different angle.
This book was crazy good in some aspects but a little outside my normal preferences in others , but this is definitely a series I will continue
There are 4 pov in this story, 3 I really enjoyed and, 1 I struggled to connect with, but can definitely see that characters arc developing in future books !
The world building is excellent in places, air ships, battlements, the final battle scene. And a little underwhelming in others. I perhaps didn't need there to be so many different aspects in this first book.
The magic system is a little crazy for me. I normally enjoy strict magic systems which I can follow but this book was a bit full on in that respect. That said, I actually was fully intrigued by it and I can see it becoming more clear and developed as the series continues.
Overall I did really enjoy this story. I particularly enjoyed the introduction of Dancer and Bard , half way through the book which lifted the story with some humour and a different angle.
January 11, 2022
The time I spent reading Burn Red Skies was some of the best I had all month. I chose this self-published novel as my first read of the year, and I could be happier.
Burn Red Skies seems to have it all: war, magic, dragons, airships...
But where it really shines is in its characters. From Dove, the mute protagonist hiding from a terrible genocide, to Valerya, the author of said genocide, Burn Red Skies covers an incredible variety of POVs. Each one as compelling as the last.
The world is living and ever changing, the lore is deep, and the magic system is elemental and based on one's strength and mastery (which I love). The dragons are the most unique I've ever seen in fantasy, being more like elemental beings that need to be summoned rather than simply terrestrial beings.
There are political intrigues, factions, and secret societies to boot!
Does it sound like I'm rambling? Because I am. This book is just so good. Just...read it, ok?
Burn Red Skies seems to have it all: war, magic, dragons, airships...
But where it really shines is in its characters. From Dove, the mute protagonist hiding from a terrible genocide, to Valerya, the author of said genocide, Burn Red Skies covers an incredible variety of POVs. Each one as compelling as the last.
The world is living and ever changing, the lore is deep, and the magic system is elemental and based on one's strength and mastery (which I love). The dragons are the most unique I've ever seen in fantasy, being more like elemental beings that need to be summoned rather than simply terrestrial beings.
There are political intrigues, factions, and secret societies to boot!
Does it sound like I'm rambling? Because I am. This book is just so good. Just...read it, ok?
December 21, 2022
4.5/5 stars – rounded up to 5!
“Justice without the possibility of mercy is simply vengeance”
What a debut novel. Kerstin Espinosa Rosero is a serious writing talent and after reading Burn Red Skies I’m not remotely surprised she made the finals of the prestigious Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off in 2021. Rosero’s writing has a distinctive style that’s all her own and she should be on everyone’s radar in the world of fantasy literature.
Burn Red Skies has all the crucial ingredients that go into making a great novel, but the standout feature is how the characters, setting and magic system are all intertwined. This world involves elemental magic, drawn from fire, water, ice and air and those elements also relate to the specific races and countries. The Fire Realm, ruled over by the odious King Morian, is seeking to expand and also keep its subjects … well, subjugated. Their magic is pretty much what you would expect but they have one additional advantage in their general, Valerya, who is a Summoner, capable of unleashing dragons against those who oppose them.
What makes this world interesting is those able to channel the elements also have weaknesses that come with their powers. For example, the Iceborne of Glasgérios are allergic to sunlight, meaning they live in a world of perpetual darkness:
"But the Glasgérians worshipped only one thing, and that was Shadow. The domeras. The Conqueror of Light. It sounded terrifying, but for a nation of people who burned in daylight, she could see why the domeras was their savior."
This premise allows Rosero to explore some complex themes and although there’s plenty of action, this book certainly isn't all hack and slash. There's lots to think about in terms of how we treat people who are different from ourselves, and how we 'other' them to justify our actions. The reference to the historical beheading of Glasgérios' statues when the city was finally conquered by the Fire Realm has strong echoes drawn from our own history. The theme of race and racial purity also runs throughout the novel, particularly intermingling between the different races, which is frowned upon, ostensibly as this affects their magic.
Frankly, the worldbuilding of this novel is amazing on every level, which enriches the reading experience. It has a depth and there’s a deeper backstory, often only hinted at in passing, which makes you eager to learn more as well. We have airships, the miracle of the sky city of Divisorya, the ambitious Fire Realm, the mysterious Ice Realm, the long-lived denizens of the Waterlands of Lancistierre and more besides. The novel is so stuffed with ideas and imagination I’d need another review to cover all of this properly. Oh, and there are dragons – let’s not forget them!
Into this vibrant world Rosero has given us a range of characters, all of whom are nuanced with their own particular strengths and weaknesses. I’m going to single out Dove as one of my favourites. Dove is mute and the ‘voiceless’ in this world are spurned by society, and even feared by the more superstitious, making her an outsider despite being Fireborne. Rosero uses great skill in writing Dove, who communicates in so many different ways throughout the novel, despite not having a voice.
The other character in this novel who really shines in a crowded field is Valerya. At first, I thought she would turn out to be the predictable antagonist of the novel, sweeping all before her with her armies and fire-breathing dragon. However, Rosero is a better writer than that, and Valerya’s character is slowly revealed to be far more complex and believable. The reality is King Morian is the real antagonist and in many ways Valerya is curbing the worst of his excesses as his general, which she recognises:
“Power means a constant battle of choosing the lesser evil. Imagine what worse your Sovereign would do if I weren’t around.”
My other favourites were the adventurers, Bard and Dancer. This pair provide a different dynamic to the story, allowing for moments of comic relief and action orientated entertainment, which helps balance out the more serious aspects of the novel. To write one memorable character takes skill, but that’s four I adore and I’ve not even covered Gryff, Valk, Decker, Merc, Wolff, Artis, Tomá and more besides.
At this point it’s worth mentioning that this is a lot for one novel to carry. If this book has a weakness, it’s the sheer depth of the world and the interactions between this varied cast. There were moments when I was having trouble keeping up on the motivations and tactics of the specific realms and certain characters as the plot whizzed along. However, those individual character voices were so strong it was easy to go with the flow. The main thing is there was no point where I wasn’t enjoying the story, loving the world I was exploring and captivated by the characters.
Any review would also be incomplete without giving credit to Rosero’s distinctive writing. She has a very rich, visual style, full of descriptive prose. I could quote her all day but for the purposes of this review, I’ve picked a few of my favourites, including the quote at the beginning of this review.
"Revenge came at him like a thousand swords, each one a separate note of misery."
"There was nothing glorious about crouching in the cold, surrounded by dead comrades. How quickly a sky that had once burned with a fiery intensity blended into spilled blood, into the smoke that colored it the shade of old bones."
There is so much to enjoy in this book and what excites me most of all is the huge potential of this series. The sequel, Rise Red Kingdom, has already gone straight into my list of books to read in 2023. If you haven’t already picked up Burn Red Skies, I would urge you to do so.
“Justice without the possibility of mercy is simply vengeance”
What a debut novel. Kerstin Espinosa Rosero is a serious writing talent and after reading Burn Red Skies I’m not remotely surprised she made the finals of the prestigious Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off in 2021. Rosero’s writing has a distinctive style that’s all her own and she should be on everyone’s radar in the world of fantasy literature.
Burn Red Skies has all the crucial ingredients that go into making a great novel, but the standout feature is how the characters, setting and magic system are all intertwined. This world involves elemental magic, drawn from fire, water, ice and air and those elements also relate to the specific races and countries. The Fire Realm, ruled over by the odious King Morian, is seeking to expand and also keep its subjects … well, subjugated. Their magic is pretty much what you would expect but they have one additional advantage in their general, Valerya, who is a Summoner, capable of unleashing dragons against those who oppose them.
What makes this world interesting is those able to channel the elements also have weaknesses that come with their powers. For example, the Iceborne of Glasgérios are allergic to sunlight, meaning they live in a world of perpetual darkness:
"But the Glasgérians worshipped only one thing, and that was Shadow. The domeras. The Conqueror of Light. It sounded terrifying, but for a nation of people who burned in daylight, she could see why the domeras was their savior."
This premise allows Rosero to explore some complex themes and although there’s plenty of action, this book certainly isn't all hack and slash. There's lots to think about in terms of how we treat people who are different from ourselves, and how we 'other' them to justify our actions. The reference to the historical beheading of Glasgérios' statues when the city was finally conquered by the Fire Realm has strong echoes drawn from our own history. The theme of race and racial purity also runs throughout the novel, particularly intermingling between the different races, which is frowned upon, ostensibly as this affects their magic.
Frankly, the worldbuilding of this novel is amazing on every level, which enriches the reading experience. It has a depth and there’s a deeper backstory, often only hinted at in passing, which makes you eager to learn more as well. We have airships, the miracle of the sky city of Divisorya, the ambitious Fire Realm, the mysterious Ice Realm, the long-lived denizens of the Waterlands of Lancistierre and more besides. The novel is so stuffed with ideas and imagination I’d need another review to cover all of this properly. Oh, and there are dragons – let’s not forget them!
Into this vibrant world Rosero has given us a range of characters, all of whom are nuanced with their own particular strengths and weaknesses. I’m going to single out Dove as one of my favourites. Dove is mute and the ‘voiceless’ in this world are spurned by society, and even feared by the more superstitious, making her an outsider despite being Fireborne. Rosero uses great skill in writing Dove, who communicates in so many different ways throughout the novel, despite not having a voice.
The other character in this novel who really shines in a crowded field is Valerya. At first, I thought she would turn out to be the predictable antagonist of the novel, sweeping all before her with her armies and fire-breathing dragon. However, Rosero is a better writer than that, and Valerya’s character is slowly revealed to be far more complex and believable. The reality is King Morian is the real antagonist and in many ways Valerya is curbing the worst of his excesses as his general, which she recognises:
“Power means a constant battle of choosing the lesser evil. Imagine what worse your Sovereign would do if I weren’t around.”
My other favourites were the adventurers, Bard and Dancer. This pair provide a different dynamic to the story, allowing for moments of comic relief and action orientated entertainment, which helps balance out the more serious aspects of the novel. To write one memorable character takes skill, but that’s four I adore and I’ve not even covered Gryff, Valk, Decker, Merc, Wolff, Artis, Tomá and more besides.
At this point it’s worth mentioning that this is a lot for one novel to carry. If this book has a weakness, it’s the sheer depth of the world and the interactions between this varied cast. There were moments when I was having trouble keeping up on the motivations and tactics of the specific realms and certain characters as the plot whizzed along. However, those individual character voices were so strong it was easy to go with the flow. The main thing is there was no point where I wasn’t enjoying the story, loving the world I was exploring and captivated by the characters.
Any review would also be incomplete without giving credit to Rosero’s distinctive writing. She has a very rich, visual style, full of descriptive prose. I could quote her all day but for the purposes of this review, I’ve picked a few of my favourites, including the quote at the beginning of this review.
"Revenge came at him like a thousand swords, each one a separate note of misery."
"There was nothing glorious about crouching in the cold, surrounded by dead comrades. How quickly a sky that had once burned with a fiery intensity blended into spilled blood, into the smoke that colored it the shade of old bones."
There is so much to enjoy in this book and what excites me most of all is the huge potential of this series. The sequel, Rise Red Kingdom, has already gone straight into my list of books to read in 2023. If you haven’t already picked up Burn Red Skies, I would urge you to do so.
November 29, 2020
After seeing Kerstin Espinosa Rosero's art on Insta, I got really curious about this book and bought the e-book version as soon as it got published–I didn’t get disappointed. On the contrary.
Her drawings had already captured my imagination, but her writing is on a whole different level, which is quite surprising for a debuting author. The story is extremely powerful, intricate and exhilarating, and after the first read, I’m currently waiting impatiently for my hardcover to arrive.
There are two things that struck me most: first of all, the abundance of creative ideas and the rich language that was necessary to make this diverse, dynamic and distinctive world filled with complex, compelling and convincing characters come alive. Those of you, who are into three-dimensional characters, will certainly appreciate the depth of the world- and character-building and empathize with the protagonists throughout the book–it’s really hard not to relate to the frictions in their pasts, their personal flaws and faults, all while witnessing their personal growth.
The second thing that hit me hard, was how much magic BURN RED SKIES held for me on a personal level: the real kind of magic called “hope” that we all need living in world full of division, discord and disdain. It reflects the idea of what it means to heal after being broken or fractured, blurring the confines of stories and reality as only very few books can do. For me personally, there are good books, and then there are a few stories that touch parts of your soul and remind you of what it means to feel alive and evoke all the feelings humanly possible. While reading, I felt like being on an emotional roller-coaster–I laughed, I cried, and I felt sad and grateful after finishing the last page when I had to part with the DRAGONS, DOVE, DANCER and all the other characters to whom I had grown attached.
I really look forward to seeing them again.
Her drawings had already captured my imagination, but her writing is on a whole different level, which is quite surprising for a debuting author. The story is extremely powerful, intricate and exhilarating, and after the first read, I’m currently waiting impatiently for my hardcover to arrive.
There are two things that struck me most: first of all, the abundance of creative ideas and the rich language that was necessary to make this diverse, dynamic and distinctive world filled with complex, compelling and convincing characters come alive. Those of you, who are into three-dimensional characters, will certainly appreciate the depth of the world- and character-building and empathize with the protagonists throughout the book–it’s really hard not to relate to the frictions in their pasts, their personal flaws and faults, all while witnessing their personal growth.
The second thing that hit me hard, was how much magic BURN RED SKIES held for me on a personal level: the real kind of magic called “hope” that we all need living in world full of division, discord and disdain. It reflects the idea of what it means to heal after being broken or fractured, blurring the confines of stories and reality as only very few books can do. For me personally, there are good books, and then there are a few stories that touch parts of your soul and remind you of what it means to feel alive and evoke all the feelings humanly possible. While reading, I felt like being on an emotional roller-coaster–I laughed, I cried, and I felt sad and grateful after finishing the last page when I had to part with the DRAGONS, DOVE, DANCER and all the other characters to whom I had grown attached.
I really look forward to seeing them again.
April 26, 2021
This is a story about determination, perseverance, and dragons.
In a world where people have harnessed the power of the elements and spirits of long-dead dragons still linger beyond the stars, a variety of people—from kings to orphans—fight for family, power, or just plain survival.
There are characters like Dove, who was separated from her brother and is tangled up in the games of the realm's cruel ruler; Decker, a trader whose airship is forced to stay grounded during a purge; Valerya, General of the Fire Realm and the only one alive with the ability to summon the spirits of the dragons; or Morian, a king who strives to rebuild an empire and will crush anyone in his way.
The entire cast of characters—including the non-POV characters—are brilliantly fleshed out, with their own complex motivations and fears. At the beginning of the book, most of the characters are separated from each other without any idea of the others’ existence or of what’s to come. But with tensions rising ever higher, their arcs begin to interweave (and sometimes separate again) as characters make allies and choose sides.
Something else that makes the book stand out to me is the elemental magic. Some inhabitants of this world wield the power to harness an element like fire or ice, depending on the nation of their origin. The extent of their elemental abilities can vary from person to person, and it is fascinating to see how people train their abilities or combine them with non-magical weapon fighting. The elements can even prove to be a weakness, should they come from an unfortunate combination of lineages.
Last but certainly not least are the dragons. The Summoner General Valerya comes from humble beginnings, but rose through the ranks of the Fire Realm’s army because she possesses a rare power: She can summon the soul of a dragon back to the world to lay waste to her enemies, even if doing so comes at a heavy cost. In the beginning, we mostly get glimpses of it or see the aftermath of the destruction it causes, but even when it isn’t summoned the dragon stays an ever-threatening presence around Valerya.
All in all, I loved this book a lot and can’t wait to see how the story will develop.
In a world where people have harnessed the power of the elements and spirits of long-dead dragons still linger beyond the stars, a variety of people—from kings to orphans—fight for family, power, or just plain survival.
There are characters like Dove, who was separated from her brother and is tangled up in the games of the realm's cruel ruler; Decker, a trader whose airship is forced to stay grounded during a purge; Valerya, General of the Fire Realm and the only one alive with the ability to summon the spirits of the dragons; or Morian, a king who strives to rebuild an empire and will crush anyone in his way.
The entire cast of characters—including the non-POV characters—are brilliantly fleshed out, with their own complex motivations and fears. At the beginning of the book, most of the characters are separated from each other without any idea of the others’ existence or of what’s to come. But with tensions rising ever higher, their arcs begin to interweave (and sometimes separate again) as characters make allies and choose sides.
Something else that makes the book stand out to me is the elemental magic. Some inhabitants of this world wield the power to harness an element like fire or ice, depending on the nation of their origin. The extent of their elemental abilities can vary from person to person, and it is fascinating to see how people train their abilities or combine them with non-magical weapon fighting. The elements can even prove to be a weakness, should they come from an unfortunate combination of lineages.
Last but certainly not least are the dragons. The Summoner General Valerya comes from humble beginnings, but rose through the ranks of the Fire Realm’s army because she possesses a rare power: She can summon the soul of a dragon back to the world to lay waste to her enemies, even if doing so comes at a heavy cost. In the beginning, we mostly get glimpses of it or see the aftermath of the destruction it causes, but even when it isn’t summoned the dragon stays an ever-threatening presence around Valerya.
All in all, I loved this book a lot and can’t wait to see how the story will develop.
January 11, 2021
Review: 3.5 stars
I absolutely love stories with dragons and I was super excited to dig in to Burn Red Skies. It has a slower pace, which picks up in the second half of the book, and it is very character driven. The variety of characters and their unique backgrounds is definitely one of the highlights of the book.
It is a high fantasy, therefore with a completely different world that we know of, which is one of the reasons I really wished there was a map at the start of the book, so that I could find myself in the settings easier, which I must admit had me somewhat lost in the first half. The worldbuilding is therefore complex, I found myself re-reading paragraphs and dialogues often. You can tell that the author spent a lot of time creating this rich and detailed world.
My favorite part of the story was Dove, I loved reading about a strong and brave female protagonist with a physical disability, this is such an important representation, specially in a fantasy novel where we don't see it so often included. The story has a variety of different point of views, but it is focused on Dove, the crew of the smuggler and Valerya the dragon summoner. Valerya is an intriguing and morally grey character, I found myself eager to learn more about her as I read.
"A skirmish becomes a battle etched into the Scrolls. A shadow rises from the darkness and falls in the light. And a voiceless girl roars in the skies."
At first we are not sure how this unique group of characters will connect, and it was a very entertaining revelation when we finally see how all their stories link together. A very enjoyable, and dark (which I love), high fantasy story!
Thank you for the author for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely love stories with dragons and I was super excited to dig in to Burn Red Skies. It has a slower pace, which picks up in the second half of the book, and it is very character driven. The variety of characters and their unique backgrounds is definitely one of the highlights of the book.
It is a high fantasy, therefore with a completely different world that we know of, which is one of the reasons I really wished there was a map at the start of the book, so that I could find myself in the settings easier, which I must admit had me somewhat lost in the first half. The worldbuilding is therefore complex, I found myself re-reading paragraphs and dialogues often. You can tell that the author spent a lot of time creating this rich and detailed world.
My favorite part of the story was Dove, I loved reading about a strong and brave female protagonist with a physical disability, this is such an important representation, specially in a fantasy novel where we don't see it so often included. The story has a variety of different point of views, but it is focused on Dove, the crew of the smuggler and Valerya the dragon summoner. Valerya is an intriguing and morally grey character, I found myself eager to learn more about her as I read.
"A skirmish becomes a battle etched into the Scrolls. A shadow rises from the darkness and falls in the light. And a voiceless girl roars in the skies."
At first we are not sure how this unique group of characters will connect, and it was a very entertaining revelation when we finally see how all their stories link together. A very enjoyable, and dark (which I love), high fantasy story!
Thank you for the author for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 29, 2022
Burn Red Skies was a finalist in Mark Lawrence's SPFBO 7 contest, and I was one of a team of judges that read and reviewed it for The Fantasy Hive.
You can read our full fantasy-hive review here
Although it may not have wowed my fellow judges quite so much, this book definitely had a wow factor for me, with its complex magic systems and its tortured anti-hero. It packed a lot of story into relatively few pages with lean, enigmatic and efficient prose, much like its antagonist Valyera the summoner general. While I would say its compelling characters were the book’s key strength, the prose, world building and magic system all supported those character’s stories admirably. Others may have preferred a plot that kept the reader slightly less in the dark than the characters, I found the element of reader confusion to be a positive feature rather than a negative bug.
You can read our full fantasy-hive review here
Although it may not have wowed my fellow judges quite so much, this book definitely had a wow factor for me, with its complex magic systems and its tortured anti-hero. It packed a lot of story into relatively few pages with lean, enigmatic and efficient prose, much like its antagonist Valyera the summoner general. While I would say its compelling characters were the book’s key strength, the prose, world building and magic system all supported those character’s stories admirably. Others may have preferred a plot that kept the reader slightly less in the dark than the characters, I found the element of reader confusion to be a positive feature rather than a negative bug.
October 28, 2021
We at Fantasy Faction are proud to announce this as our winner for SPFBO7. Congratulations.
April 19, 2022
Burn Red Skies takes place in a world where people from different regions have different elemental powers. We see the story mostly from the point of view of Dove, a mute teenage girl with the power of fire, and Gryff, a boy with the power of ice. Other POV characters are introduced gradually throughout the book, my favorite being Bard, a rogueish character who fights alongside his partner Dancer. Their chapters were usually more humorous than the more somber chapters from Dove or Gryff’s POV, or that of Valerya, the dragon-summoning General of the fire realm’s army. I enjoyed Burn Red Skies quite a lot. It was paced pretty well, and I enjoyed the writing style. There were smugglers, airships, fighting, magic, and a villain who is very much more than the sum of her parts. I had 7/10 stars of fun with Burn Red Skies, and will definitely read the sequel in the future.
Read
January 23, 2022Burn mostly feels like the story of two youngsters, Dove and Gryff, who escape the destruction of their village by the forces of a tyrant king, and end up going in very different directions, with the mute Dove finding her way into the resistance and Gryff ending up as the squire to the woman who is both the king’s leading general and architect of the punitive acts of fire visited on the populace.
I felt the strength of this book was watching the two primary characters grow and develop, taking opposite paths. Dove finds a way to tap her hidden strengths to become an asset to the rebels and Gryff take a darker path, becoming more vicious and willing to kill. It’s a great contrast and their inevitable meeting is wrought with emotion and drama. Also, I have to say that having one of the main characters—Dove—depicted as a mute was a bold choice but it works really well here. A third POV concerns a veteran going by the name of Bard, and a mysterious mage-warrior he meets named Dancer. Bard’s backstory seems to be involved into the history of the tyrant king’s rise to power and also appears tied to some of the rebels with whom Dove associates. The revealed details of Bard’s story are dripped out in a very slow, very patient fashion and hint at the depth of the characters’ histories together. He’s interesting but I thought his presence detracted from the duality of the younger pair. A fourth POV involves Valerya, the king’s general, and Gryff’s direct boss. I gathered she is supposed to be conflicted over the brutal acts required by her role and position but I didn’t find her very likable and never developed much empathy for her.
The book’s pace is relatively slow, with lots of exposition spelled by an action scene here and there. This very much felt like a case where a lot of groundwork was being laid for future volumes but at the cost of keeping this one moving. The middle third of the book dragged in places. The character development of the lead actors was interesting enough to keep things going and the story peaked in a satisfying (if somewhat contrived) manner.
I didn’t necessarily click with the worldbuilding. It was hit or miss for me. While some of the elements (airship traders, the dark wolves, the city buried in the ice) were neat, too much of it felt obscure and not well-explained. There are various types of elemental magic users, the most powerful of which are summoners, who can force a dragon from its home realm to come the characters’ world and wreck havoc, but the mechanisms and exact limitations felt murky. I’m not someone who favors hard, rigid, magic systems but I admit, I didn’t fully understand this one; nor did I really get the various backstories of the feuding nations. I didn’t have a good connection with the setting, which left the whole thing feeling a little untethered.
Overall, Burn is a bit slow for my tastes but it has some interesting, memorable characters and while the worldbuilding wasn’t for me, there is a lot there to absorb. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes multi-POV stories, elemental magic, and wars against the crown.
I felt the strength of this book was watching the two primary characters grow and develop, taking opposite paths. Dove finds a way to tap her hidden strengths to become an asset to the rebels and Gryff take a darker path, becoming more vicious and willing to kill. It’s a great contrast and their inevitable meeting is wrought with emotion and drama. Also, I have to say that having one of the main characters—Dove—depicted as a mute was a bold choice but it works really well here. A third POV concerns a veteran going by the name of Bard, and a mysterious mage-warrior he meets named Dancer. Bard’s backstory seems to be involved into the history of the tyrant king’s rise to power and also appears tied to some of the rebels with whom Dove associates. The revealed details of Bard’s story are dripped out in a very slow, very patient fashion and hint at the depth of the characters’ histories together. He’s interesting but I thought his presence detracted from the duality of the younger pair. A fourth POV involves Valerya, the king’s general, and Gryff’s direct boss. I gathered she is supposed to be conflicted over the brutal acts required by her role and position but I didn’t find her very likable and never developed much empathy for her.
The book’s pace is relatively slow, with lots of exposition spelled by an action scene here and there. This very much felt like a case where a lot of groundwork was being laid for future volumes but at the cost of keeping this one moving. The middle third of the book dragged in places. The character development of the lead actors was interesting enough to keep things going and the story peaked in a satisfying (if somewhat contrived) manner.
I didn’t necessarily click with the worldbuilding. It was hit or miss for me. While some of the elements (airship traders, the dark wolves, the city buried in the ice) were neat, too much of it felt obscure and not well-explained. There are various types of elemental magic users, the most powerful of which are summoners, who can force a dragon from its home realm to come the characters’ world and wreck havoc, but the mechanisms and exact limitations felt murky. I’m not someone who favors hard, rigid, magic systems but I admit, I didn’t fully understand this one; nor did I really get the various backstories of the feuding nations. I didn’t have a good connection with the setting, which left the whole thing feeling a little untethered.
Overall, Burn is a bit slow for my tastes but it has some interesting, memorable characters and while the worldbuilding wasn’t for me, there is a lot there to absorb. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes multi-POV stories, elemental magic, and wars against the crown.
December 14, 2020
There are a lot of fantasy books out there, so finding the needle in the haystack is not easy. But here, you do find a real gem. The book is a clever story of several very unique and individual characters. Over time, you slowly get to know how their stories intertwine.
But let’s start at the beginning. There is this badass Summoner who conjures a dragon from a different realm and annihilates villages for a king who is pretty much the most unusual villain I’ve seen in a while. In the middle of all of this is our mute protagonist. Mute? Yes, it does take a while to figure that out but afterwards it is super interesting to follow her unique point of view. I am not sure if I have ever read a story about a mute protagonist, so it took some getting used to, but it adds a special flavor to it.
The world is crafted with a unique magic system where people are being treated well or badly just because of their inherited elements. Throughout the story, you encounter characters with the various elements and experience their unique viewpoints on the other elements, the other nations, and that one Summoner burning everything to the ground.
Did I mention that there are several unique people? I thought at the beginning of the book that I found my favorite character and was looking forward to more chapters about him, then suddenly there is this other character that casts all his pages in a hilarious light.
Overall, this book is definitely worth a read and I would highly recommend getting your own copy. You will enjoy this sometimes dark and gritty story and you will find your favorite character. I bet there will be one you’ll click with right away.
But let’s start at the beginning. There is this badass Summoner who conjures a dragon from a different realm and annihilates villages for a king who is pretty much the most unusual villain I’ve seen in a while. In the middle of all of this is our mute protagonist. Mute? Yes, it does take a while to figure that out but afterwards it is super interesting to follow her unique point of view. I am not sure if I have ever read a story about a mute protagonist, so it took some getting used to, but it adds a special flavor to it.
The world is crafted with a unique magic system where people are being treated well or badly just because of their inherited elements. Throughout the story, you encounter characters with the various elements and experience their unique viewpoints on the other elements, the other nations, and that one Summoner burning everything to the ground.
Did I mention that there are several unique people? I thought at the beginning of the book that I found my favorite character and was looking forward to more chapters about him, then suddenly there is this other character that casts all his pages in a hilarious light.
Overall, this book is definitely worth a read and I would highly recommend getting your own copy. You will enjoy this sometimes dark and gritty story and you will find your favorite character. I bet there will be one you’ll click with right away.
November 1, 2021
A unique world of elemental magic. A world ravished by war. Lots of incredible action and so many characters to enjoy.
June 22, 2022
Airships, undead dragons, and a genetic-based elemental magic system fill this complexly built world.
Plot: 4/5
The plot mainly follows a brother and a sister who were separated when their village was destroyed. However, even though they want to find each other, they get pulled into conflicts much bigger than themselves and they are not the only POVs brought in to weave this tale.
Overall, I though the story was fantastic, with plenty of action, exploration, and a plot that keeps you invested. The story told is of large conflict and interweaving politics between nations and powerful people, however the plot tends to be rushed at points that I would like to sit back and see more behind the scenes with everything going. The story continued to ramp up with each chapter, and by the end I was glued to the book with everything happening.
Characters: 5/5
There were a wide variety of characters, and all felt deep, complex, and interesting with plenty of growth for the various characters. The main POV is a woman who is unable to speak, and the author does an excellent job in providing interactions with the character without them seeming too one sided. The more you learned of each character, the more it was clear that a lot of care went into this story.
Bonus tidbit, there are a few chapters with characters who go by Bard and Dancer, and I had thought pulling away from the main story would have slowed my reading down as sometimes happens, but these two characters were some of the best characters I’ve read in anything recently. They inspired me in my own writing and I hope I can create characters that thrive off each other as well as Kerstin did here.
Worldbuilding: 5/5
I loved the worldbuilding of this story, elemental magic has been done before, as has specifically genetic elemental magic, but the way it is handled in this story feels refreshing. I loved the aspects of how the magic one controlled affected their bodies, such has not being able to be in sunlight. There is also one character with the ability to summon an undead dragon which plays into the story in fascinating ways, such as new dynamics and depth added to the world.
Writing: 4/5
Kerstin’s prose was well done, and the pacing of the story worked well beyond the rushed parts mentioned in Plot. The only issue I ended up having was early on when there were times where information was sparse. There were times when I was confused about what was happening in the big picture and wanted to fit pieces together a bit more. However, it was never unclear what was happening within the events, and the bigger picture cleared up as the story went on. This is more a personal preference on my end rather than a real concern, as I know there is a careful balance between infodumping and info dripping. I do not believe this would be a concern to many people reading this book.
Enjoyability: 5/5
This book was such a fun ride, and the sequel was purchased pretty quick after I finished. The Bard and Dancer sections were an absolute blast and I found myself laughing several times at their interactions. Overall, this is a great story with a ton going for it and I am so excited to jump into the sequel!
OVERALL: 5/5 Undead Dragons
Plot: 4/5
The plot mainly follows a brother and a sister who were separated when their village was destroyed. However, even though they want to find each other, they get pulled into conflicts much bigger than themselves and they are not the only POVs brought in to weave this tale.
Overall, I though the story was fantastic, with plenty of action, exploration, and a plot that keeps you invested. The story told is of large conflict and interweaving politics between nations and powerful people, however the plot tends to be rushed at points that I would like to sit back and see more behind the scenes with everything going. The story continued to ramp up with each chapter, and by the end I was glued to the book with everything happening.
Characters: 5/5
There were a wide variety of characters, and all felt deep, complex, and interesting with plenty of growth for the various characters. The main POV is a woman who is unable to speak, and the author does an excellent job in providing interactions with the character without them seeming too one sided. The more you learned of each character, the more it was clear that a lot of care went into this story.
Bonus tidbit, there are a few chapters with characters who go by Bard and Dancer, and I had thought pulling away from the main story would have slowed my reading down as sometimes happens, but these two characters were some of the best characters I’ve read in anything recently. They inspired me in my own writing and I hope I can create characters that thrive off each other as well as Kerstin did here.
Worldbuilding: 5/5
I loved the worldbuilding of this story, elemental magic has been done before, as has specifically genetic elemental magic, but the way it is handled in this story feels refreshing. I loved the aspects of how the magic one controlled affected their bodies, such has not being able to be in sunlight. There is also one character with the ability to summon an undead dragon which plays into the story in fascinating ways, such as new dynamics and depth added to the world.
Writing: 4/5
Kerstin’s prose was well done, and the pacing of the story worked well beyond the rushed parts mentioned in Plot. The only issue I ended up having was early on when there were times where information was sparse. There were times when I was confused about what was happening in the big picture and wanted to fit pieces together a bit more. However, it was never unclear what was happening within the events, and the bigger picture cleared up as the story went on. This is more a personal preference on my end rather than a real concern, as I know there is a careful balance between infodumping and info dripping. I do not believe this would be a concern to many people reading this book.
Enjoyability: 5/5
This book was such a fun ride, and the sequel was purchased pretty quick after I finished. The Bard and Dancer sections were an absolute blast and I found myself laughing several times at their interactions. Overall, this is a great story with a ton going for it and I am so excited to jump into the sequel!
OVERALL: 5/5 Undead Dragons
August 23, 2022
Just wanted to say Mike is terrible, this was supposed to be our monthly buddy read but he already started the sequal without me, ahaha
Fortunately this book isn't terrible, in fact I enjoyed it a lot. I joined goodreads to practice saying what I like and don't like about things, so here goes
I really liked this book as a buddy read. I don't know how I would feel reading it by myself, I think I would be a little more confused because I wouldn't have anyone to talk about it with. I think I would have enjoyed it solo too, but I don't remember the last time I read a book by myself. Talking about books with someone is the most fun part
The characters were the best for me. I grew up on JRPG's, especially Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger, etc., so that emotional factor was definitely there for me, and I could overlook the "JRPG logic" ahaha. You follow a random group of misfits on this journey, that at times didn't make sense (that JRPG logic again), but I lived for that as a kid. Even when the pacing became slower, it felt like open world exploring, ahaha so it didn't bother me at all
I think the only thing I didn't like is, and I can't believe I'm saying this, the lack of info dump. Like in stretches of JRPGs you have these big reveals that take like an hour to process because the character is explaining everything, then there's some mysterious flashback that reveals the entire twist. I think this book could benefit from more info? Maybe not like one character explaining everything ahaha, but I don't know.
All in all I think this book is good.
Mike as a reading buddy is not.
Fortunately this book isn't terrible, in fact I enjoyed it a lot. I joined goodreads to practice saying what I like and don't like about things, so here goes
I really liked this book as a buddy read. I don't know how I would feel reading it by myself, I think I would be a little more confused because I wouldn't have anyone to talk about it with. I think I would have enjoyed it solo too, but I don't remember the last time I read a book by myself. Talking about books with someone is the most fun part
The characters were the best for me. I grew up on JRPG's, especially Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger, etc., so that emotional factor was definitely there for me, and I could overlook the "JRPG logic" ahaha. You follow a random group of misfits on this journey, that at times didn't make sense (that JRPG logic again), but I lived for that as a kid. Even when the pacing became slower, it felt like open world exploring, ahaha so it didn't bother me at all
I think the only thing I didn't like is, and I can't believe I'm saying this, the lack of info dump. Like in stretches of JRPGs you have these big reveals that take like an hour to process because the character is explaining everything, then there's some mysterious flashback that reveals the entire twist. I think this book could benefit from more info? Maybe not like one character explaining everything ahaha, but I don't know.
All in all I think this book is good.
Mike as a reading buddy is not.
January 31, 2022
7/10
There are a lot of interesting and intriguing ideas in this book, from the history of the world and how it is told to the interesting magic system. Nothing feels completely new and overwhelming, but at the same time is is fresh enough to pull me in and be excited for the next book.
But: Maybe it was my own troubled state of mind while reading this book or the style of Ms Rosero, but I found it difficult to track the various characters. Four or five characters stuck in my mind, but I kept on forgetting what or who character X was as soon as they left the page. I always needed a reminder when they reappeared. Maybe it is their names or the way they are introduced, because the cast itself isn't too large.
*puzzled*
There are a lot of interesting and intriguing ideas in this book, from the history of the world and how it is told to the interesting magic system. Nothing feels completely new and overwhelming, but at the same time is is fresh enough to pull me in and be excited for the next book.
But: Maybe it was my own troubled state of mind while reading this book or the style of Ms Rosero, but I found it difficult to track the various characters. Four or five characters stuck in my mind, but I kept on forgetting what or who character X was as soon as they left the page. I always needed a reminder when they reappeared. Maybe it is their names or the way they are introduced, because the cast itself isn't too large.
*puzzled*
April 12, 2024
This world of elemental magic and airships was fascinating. The characters were well fleshed out and I really enjoyed how several are in different places when you meet them but then they come together and you realize they know each other. I do love how Rosero drops us into the world and we learn more as we go...no expository dumps of info. The dragons in this world are truly terrifying. I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series!
December 30, 2021
Solid worldbuilding and characterization but some elements didn't quite work for me. Full review and SPFBO scoreto follow on Booknest.
February 5, 2021
This book is set in a different universe altogether, where people have abilities that enable them to manipulate natural forces - in one way or another. Then there is the summoner, a powerful general whose connection with the element is so strong, she can summon a dragon. The story primarily revolves around her, a fireborne, and an iceborne. Incidentally, the author designed her own artwork too, and it is fantastic.
Uniqueness
Dragons, people manipulating elements, and an underdog protagonist all seem like everyday occurrences in any fantasy novel. But as you go deeper, you realize the complexity of the characters and the underlying plot make this book unique in its own right. This book's most notable thing: all characters are grey, which is not very common in fantasy.
Predictability
There are some aspects of the book that were sort of predictable. From a high level, you can tell they are coming; You just won't know when. You would still be caught off guard frequently. You will be so lost in the story.
Writing Style
While the story is tightly knit, there is room for some context setting. When you start reading the book, you'll be thrown into a world you know nothing about. It'll take you some time to put all the pieces together and finally create your own context. The narration uses alternating perspectives, enabling the author to show all sides of a story.
Cost Worth
The Kindle edition costs INR 445 and is free for KU users. The paperback edition is, however, a little steep, in my opinion.
Entertaining
The pace of the story is just right. You will thoroughly enjoy reading the book with all the character's ups and downs. The author also gave the characters their own fun quirks, making them relatable and fun.
Verdict
This is a story filled with dragons and elemental magic. It has an intense and fast-paced storyline. Other books in this series are in progress and worth looking forward to.
Uniqueness
Dragons, people manipulating elements, and an underdog protagonist all seem like everyday occurrences in any fantasy novel. But as you go deeper, you realize the complexity of the characters and the underlying plot make this book unique in its own right. This book's most notable thing: all characters are grey, which is not very common in fantasy.
Predictability
There are some aspects of the book that were sort of predictable. From a high level, you can tell they are coming; You just won't know when. You would still be caught off guard frequently. You will be so lost in the story.
Writing Style
While the story is tightly knit, there is room for some context setting. When you start reading the book, you'll be thrown into a world you know nothing about. It'll take you some time to put all the pieces together and finally create your own context. The narration uses alternating perspectives, enabling the author to show all sides of a story.
Cost Worth
The Kindle edition costs INR 445 and is free for KU users. The paperback edition is, however, a little steep, in my opinion.
Entertaining
The pace of the story is just right. You will thoroughly enjoy reading the book with all the character's ups and downs. The author also gave the characters their own fun quirks, making them relatable and fun.
Verdict
This is a story filled with dragons and elemental magic. It has an intense and fast-paced storyline. Other books in this series are in progress and worth looking forward to.
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