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Scarlet Odyssey #3
Primeval Fire
In the final riveting installment of C. T. Rwizi’s Scarlet Odyssey series, Salo’s death leaves his friends reeling—and a magical world in turmoil.
Salo is dead—and the world he left behind is at war.
In the midst of their grief, Salo’s closest clan members begin to experience strange phenomena: visions visit one, while seizures plague another. The clan’s new mystic divines that an arcane signal from the far west is calling, so they set out toward the desert—and encounter a caravan of travelers following the same mysterious call.
Meanwhile, Salo’s loyal allies Ilapara and Tuk embark on a bold mission to raise Salo from the dead. And their sorcery works…or seems to. While the resurrected Salo ignores his friends’ warnings and forms dark alliances, Ilapara and Tuk struggle with their growing unease, even as they follow Salo westward on a quest in which the fate of the world hangs in the balance.
With magic spiraling into mayhem, is this the end of Salo’s saga—or an epic new beginning?
Salo is dead—and the world he left behind is at war.
In the midst of their grief, Salo’s closest clan members begin to experience strange phenomena: visions visit one, while seizures plague another. The clan’s new mystic divines that an arcane signal from the far west is calling, so they set out toward the desert—and encounter a caravan of travelers following the same mysterious call.
Meanwhile, Salo’s loyal allies Ilapara and Tuk embark on a bold mission to raise Salo from the dead. And their sorcery works…or seems to. While the resurrected Salo ignores his friends’ warnings and forms dark alliances, Ilapara and Tuk struggle with their growing unease, even as they follow Salo westward on a quest in which the fate of the world hangs in the balance.
With magic spiraling into mayhem, is this the end of Salo’s saga—or an epic new beginning?
604 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 26, 2022
129 people are currently reading
1053 people want to read
About the author
C.T. Rwizi
6 books338 followersC. T. Rwizi was born in Zimbabwe, grew up in Swaziland, finished high school in Costa Rica, and got a BA in government at Dartmouth College in the United States. He currently lives in South Africa with his family, and enjoys playing video games, taking long runs, and spending way too much time lurking on Reddit. He is a self-professed lover of synthwave.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
October 4, 2022
Absolutely amazing!!!! The ending felt just a tad bit rushed but it was still great. Really loved where the whole cast ended up and all the plot lines felt like they wrapped up satisfactorily. I can’t wait to read whatever C T Rwizi writes next.
July 10, 2022
This is an excellent series, and Primeval Fire is a worthy conclusion. There is little I can say about the plot without spoilers (readers who caught the foreshadowing at the end of the second book are sure to know why), but I will try to talk about the book in general terms.
To get the negatives out of the way upfront, I did feel that the series could have gone an extra book. This final volume certainly wraps things up well enough, but there is a lot going on the world that could have been expanded upon. For some readers, the conclusion will feel rushed; although, I feel that Rwizi is good at implying what gets left off the page. Loose ends may get wrapped up quickly, but we are given some notion of what we've missed.
As for the positives, there is a lot to love. The sci-fi elements continue to develop in Primeval Fire, to the point that much of it reads like science fiction. The fact that all of the technology is running on magic hardly matters. After all, Star Trek's technology might as well be magic for as well as the general audience understands it. The difference, of course, is that Rwizi's technology is explicitly magical, and we also get plenty of fantasy action in a less technological mode.
As in the first two volumes, the complexity of the plot and its various mysteries is balanced by Rwizi's foreshadowing. There are always clues that give one some notion of where everything is headed without giving everything away. Some readers will figure out major plot twists in advance, perhaps--while others will miss all of the hints and be in the dark throughout--but I think that most readers will find that Rwizi is good at telegraphing where things are going without showing his hand.
I'm going with 4 stars because the series isn't perfect, but for me, that really comes down to it having the room for another volume. I very much recommend reading this series.
To get the negatives out of the way upfront, I did feel that the series could have gone an extra book. This final volume certainly wraps things up well enough, but there is a lot going on the world that could have been expanded upon. For some readers, the conclusion will feel rushed; although, I feel that Rwizi is good at implying what gets left off the page. Loose ends may get wrapped up quickly, but we are given some notion of what we've missed.
As for the positives, there is a lot to love. The sci-fi elements continue to develop in Primeval Fire, to the point that much of it reads like science fiction. The fact that all of the technology is running on magic hardly matters. After all, Star Trek's technology might as well be magic for as well as the general audience understands it. The difference, of course, is that Rwizi's technology is explicitly magical, and we also get plenty of fantasy action in a less technological mode.
As in the first two volumes, the complexity of the plot and its various mysteries is balanced by Rwizi's foreshadowing. There are always clues that give one some notion of where everything is headed without giving everything away. Some readers will figure out major plot twists in advance, perhaps--while others will miss all of the hints and be in the dark throughout--but I think that most readers will find that Rwizi is good at telegraphing where things are going without showing his hand.
I'm going with 4 stars because the series isn't perfect, but for me, that really comes down to it having the room for another volume. I very much recommend reading this series.
February 3, 2023
not subtle but very fun
August 19, 2022
Eu adorei esse livro! É uma ótima conclusão pra trilogia. O final do livro anterior me deixou muito cética com o que poderia vir nesse e apesar de a ser uma solução um pouco "fácil" foi muito bem usada (não sei se "fácil" é a palavra aqui, mas não sei muito bem como descrever sem parecer menosprezo. prezo muito! faz todo o sentido com o que foi construído durante os outros livros.) Gosto muito também dos vários pontos de vista, como as vozes de cada ponto de vista têm muita personalidade e esse recurso faz a gente pensar em coisas que não são necessariamente verdade e levam a gente pra lugares que não são necessariamente como a gente pensa em todos os pontos e eu adoro ler o livro desconfiando dos narradores. Todos as pontas soltas durante a trilogia foram amarradas muito satisfatoriamente nesse último livro e, por ter "deuses", acho que o deus ex machina foi muito bem utilizado também. Essa trilogia foi uma fantasia muito diferente de tudo que eu já li, assim como o outro livro do autor These Alien Skies, e com certeza vou ler tudo que ele escrever. Adorei.
July 20, 2023
I have absolutely loved all three of these books and wow do they need to get more attention. The world building, the way magic works, the characters... I'm utterly smitten. I'd like more queer afrofuturist science fantasy in my life, definitely, but I suspect it's more than just this trilogy. Rwizi's Amazon short story These Alien Skies was *also* my favorite of the Black Stars stories I read, and now I have his House of Gold to read and am excited about it--and I just think Rwizi is going on the list of authors whose work I will buy and read sight unseen, based solely on who wrote it. Big, big new fan over here.
February 22, 2024
The final book in the trilogy. Enjoyable, but at times it felt a little rushed, with literal dei ex machina towards the end, and some stories not really dealt with. I very much enjoyed the setting, the African influences, and the ambitious scope of the trilogy, especially as the author's first published works.
December 5, 2025
I’m too confused and I just don’t care anymore at least it’s finally over!!
November 30, 2022
I wanted to love it but...
I was so excited to read the 3rd installment of Salo's story but I found it very ambitious but ultimately weighed down with the weight of too many ideas all competing together to truly enjoy it. Wonderfully descriptive as always but horribly convoluted throughout. I found myself lost in places trying to work out exactly what was going on. I did not feel the same urgency to finish it as I did with the first two books.
I was so excited to read the 3rd installment of Salo's story but I found it very ambitious but ultimately weighed down with the weight of too many ideas all competing together to truly enjoy it. Wonderfully descriptive as always but horribly convoluted throughout. I found myself lost in places trying to work out exactly what was going on. I did not feel the same urgency to finish it as I did with the first two books.
November 29, 2022
I really wanted to enjoy this more. It was a slow build, but then a rushed climax. I feel a lot of editing could have been done within the first 1/3 of the book to ensure the great battle was properly fleshed out. I liked it, but didn't love it.
July 31, 2022
One Sentence Summary: The conclusion to this incredible African-inspired fantasy has our group of protagonists scrambling to prevent a darkness from breaking free into the world.
My thoughts:
Primeval Fire is the last book in the Scarlet Odyssey trilogy and beautifully wraps up the story. The first half was a little slow and introduced a whole host of new characters, so I was concerned the ending would be rushed, and a rushed ending was the last thing this gorgeous trilogy deserved. Fortunately, I needn’t have feared. The second half read like a dream, working hard to conclude the story and wrap up the characters’ story lines. It was all heartbreakingly beautiful, and just reinforced how much I love the characters.
It’s all about the characters for me. The world is incredibly amazing and perfectly detailed, but the characters steal the show for me every time. After the heart stopping end to the second book, I was terrified of what I would find in the last book, and where on earth it could possibly go. But it was perfect, absolutely perfect. I felt that this third book belonged more to Ilapara than Salo, and I loved that it felt like most of the story was told by her. She’s amazing, teetering on the edges of the world of men and the world of women and just perfectly blending them to be perfectly her. I wished for Tuk’s perspective, but seeing him through Ilapara’s eyes was so much fun. Salo, well, he has this incredible story that broke my heart and put it back together. This book just reinforced how much I love him. He’s incredible, almost too good to be true, but I couldn’t imagine him being any other way, because his good heart has always been his downfall throughout the story. I also loved the new characters. I was apprehensive about them showing up, but, by the end, because this book is not small, I adored them and couldn’t imagine the end of the story without them. The characters really stole the show here. They were all perfectly imagined and executed, and I loved getting to know them better. There is also a really sweet romance that had been hinted at throughout the whole series, but it really came out strong here. It was a little off putting at first, as it felt like it came out of nowhere, but, by the end, it just made me melt.
The world deserves some attention. It perfectly blends magic and technology. Ilapara and Tuk get the opportunity to travel beyond the Redlands (Africa) and enter a strange new land (to Ilapara) that really came off strongly as steampunk. I’m not a big fan of steampunk, but this book just perfectly couched it so it felt like steampunk as well as its own thing. The careful balance of magic and technology and how they all worked together has amazed me throughout the series, and Primeval Fire just proved what a feat it is. I loved this world, loved how everything blended so well. It’s an exceptionally well-executed balancing act.
There’s more I’d love to say about Primeval Fire, but, as the third book in the series, and especially after how the second book ended, saying too much would be too revealing. Suffice to say I loved just about everything. The beginning was a little slow and the back and forth in time was a little disorienting, but it all really does come together by the end. The end is note perfect. Primeval Fire is a beautiful conclusion to the trilogy, neatly wrapping up all the story lines and offering new things, people, and places to explore in an incredibly manageable way.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
My thoughts:
Primeval Fire is the last book in the Scarlet Odyssey trilogy and beautifully wraps up the story. The first half was a little slow and introduced a whole host of new characters, so I was concerned the ending would be rushed, and a rushed ending was the last thing this gorgeous trilogy deserved. Fortunately, I needn’t have feared. The second half read like a dream, working hard to conclude the story and wrap up the characters’ story lines. It was all heartbreakingly beautiful, and just reinforced how much I love the characters.
It’s all about the characters for me. The world is incredibly amazing and perfectly detailed, but the characters steal the show for me every time. After the heart stopping end to the second book, I was terrified of what I would find in the last book, and where on earth it could possibly go. But it was perfect, absolutely perfect. I felt that this third book belonged more to Ilapara than Salo, and I loved that it felt like most of the story was told by her. She’s amazing, teetering on the edges of the world of men and the world of women and just perfectly blending them to be perfectly her. I wished for Tuk’s perspective, but seeing him through Ilapara’s eyes was so much fun. Salo, well, he has this incredible story that broke my heart and put it back together. This book just reinforced how much I love him. He’s incredible, almost too good to be true, but I couldn’t imagine him being any other way, because his good heart has always been his downfall throughout the story. I also loved the new characters. I was apprehensive about them showing up, but, by the end, because this book is not small, I adored them and couldn’t imagine the end of the story without them. The characters really stole the show here. They were all perfectly imagined and executed, and I loved getting to know them better. There is also a really sweet romance that had been hinted at throughout the whole series, but it really came out strong here. It was a little off putting at first, as it felt like it came out of nowhere, but, by the end, it just made me melt.
The world deserves some attention. It perfectly blends magic and technology. Ilapara and Tuk get the opportunity to travel beyond the Redlands (Africa) and enter a strange new land (to Ilapara) that really came off strongly as steampunk. I’m not a big fan of steampunk, but this book just perfectly couched it so it felt like steampunk as well as its own thing. The careful balance of magic and technology and how they all worked together has amazed me throughout the series, and Primeval Fire just proved what a feat it is. I loved this world, loved how everything blended so well. It’s an exceptionally well-executed balancing act.
There’s more I’d love to say about Primeval Fire, but, as the third book in the series, and especially after how the second book ended, saying too much would be too revealing. Suffice to say I loved just about everything. The beginning was a little slow and the back and forth in time was a little disorienting, but it all really does come together by the end. The end is note perfect. Primeval Fire is a beautiful conclusion to the trilogy, neatly wrapping up all the story lines and offering new things, people, and places to explore in an incredibly manageable way.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
July 17, 2022
(5/5) I will start out by saying that I loved the first two books in this series and because of some, um, ~events~ that happened at the end of the second book (no spoilers!) I really wasn't sure what to expect with this book. But C.T. Rwizi, C.T. Rwizi did not fail me! I love African-inspired sci-fi/fantasy books and this series was what really introduced me to the subgenre a few years ago, since Scarlet Odyssey was a Prime First Reads book.
It is hard -- really hard -- to write a book from the perspective of multiple characters and for it not to feel boring or like you're just dragging through one chapter to get back to another character, but Rwizi masterfully draws you into each character's story in such a way that none of the chapters feel boring. Loved the character growth and the way Rwizi tied everything together in the end, though this book did feel more mature than previous books (which, I suppose comes with the character and relationship development).
And the worldbuilding! THE WORLDBUILDING!!! I love that Rwizi is expanding the universe from the first two books, where we mostly stayed in the Redlands. Rwizi has previously said in an interview that he would love to see the series made into a video game, and I can definitely see that influence in his writing, with a myriad of characters, moralities, and ethical choices that characters make throughout the series that completely change its course.
I would recommend reading these close together, because reading this one made me wish I'd reread the first two to get caught up/refreshed on the magic system. While this series was previously supposed to be a duology, we are all lucky that Rwizi decided to expand the story into a trilogy. Really great close to a series that I love.
It is hard -- really hard -- to write a book from the perspective of multiple characters and for it not to feel boring or like you're just dragging through one chapter to get back to another character, but Rwizi masterfully draws you into each character's story in such a way that none of the chapters feel boring. Loved the character growth and the way Rwizi tied everything together in the end, though this book did feel more mature than previous books (which, I suppose comes with the character and relationship development).
And the worldbuilding! THE WORLDBUILDING!!! I love that Rwizi is expanding the universe from the first two books, where we mostly stayed in the Redlands. Rwizi has previously said in an interview that he would love to see the series made into a video game, and I can definitely see that influence in his writing, with a myriad of characters, moralities, and ethical choices that characters make throughout the series that completely change its course.
I would recommend reading these close together, because reading this one made me wish I'd reread the first two to get caught up/refreshed on the magic system. While this series was previously supposed to be a duology, we are all lucky that Rwizi decided to expand the story into a trilogy. Really great close to a series that I love.
December 2, 2022
I love this trilogy. I love the universe that the author created and I would read every story he wanted to publish within it. It's so beautiful the way that he blends African mythos with an almost steam-punk sci-fi-esque magic. It would lend itself gorgeously to adaptation to the screen. It would need to be a show, though, not a movie. There is SO MUCH in this universe.
This is the weakest of the 3 books. I'm just going to go ahead and say that. I feel like the story got a little too big and the author perhaps got a little lost. I spend the middle portions of this book mildly nervous about how all these loose ends were going to wrap up. I don't love when new characters or major entities are introduced late in a series (*glares at Wheel of Time*) but that is at least consistent for this series. Each book has significant characters that are only in that one book (or mostly in that one book).
In the end, though, I do like how the author brought it all together. The ending was imperfect but felt right for this series. I will always recommend this series to sci fi or fantasy lovers cause it's just so freaking unique. And since each book is so different, everyone will have different favorite parts. That's cool. And, of course, I have to celebrate the way gender roles, gender identity, and sexuality are handled through out. This book is gay as hell.
OK, that's a good line to end this review on.
This is the weakest of the 3 books. I'm just going to go ahead and say that. I feel like the story got a little too big and the author perhaps got a little lost. I spend the middle portions of this book mildly nervous about how all these loose ends were going to wrap up. I don't love when new characters or major entities are introduced late in a series (*glares at Wheel of Time*) but that is at least consistent for this series. Each book has significant characters that are only in that one book (or mostly in that one book).
In the end, though, I do like how the author brought it all together. The ending was imperfect but felt right for this series. I will always recommend this series to sci fi or fantasy lovers cause it's just so freaking unique. And since each book is so different, everyone will have different favorite parts. That's cool. And, of course, I have to celebrate the way gender roles, gender identity, and sexuality are handled through out. This book is gay as hell.
OK, that's a good line to end this review on.
October 6, 2023
It's rare to find a trilogy where the entire series is strong. Usually one book drags or dips a little, or the series starts brilliantly and then flames out by the time you get to the last book. Not here. All 3 books stay on a consistent level, and ends just as good as it started.
So I thoroughly enjoyed the series, and will be adding anything Rwizi writes into my TBR pile.
So I thoroughly enjoyed the series, and will be adding anything Rwizi writes into my TBR pile.
September 20, 2022
Complex and creative story
This story closes out a truly creative trilogy. So many of the fantasy stories and adventure stories that I read are just variations on a classic theme. Even the world that most people design behind the story is very similar to everyone else’s world. But this story is unique with a magic system that feels a lot like computer code, however it’s based on the two suns and the red moon of the world. The culture is African which is sadly rare in the fantasy stories of today, and the adventures in the plot are full of surprises and complicated characters.
Unfortunately, there are a handful of sexual scenes that aren’t explicit but did make this uncomfortable for me a few times. Also, The showdown at the ending was actually a little anti-climactic. To be clear, the plot was amazing and I thoroughly enjoy how he explained and wrapped it all up. But, without spoilers, all I can say is that it was done in a way that reduced the drama rather than built to a grand climax.
But the rest of the story was good enough that even with a little wobble at the end it was still an engaging read. So I give it four stars.
This story closes out a truly creative trilogy. So many of the fantasy stories and adventure stories that I read are just variations on a classic theme. Even the world that most people design behind the story is very similar to everyone else’s world. But this story is unique with a magic system that feels a lot like computer code, however it’s based on the two suns and the red moon of the world. The culture is African which is sadly rare in the fantasy stories of today, and the adventures in the plot are full of surprises and complicated characters.
Unfortunately, there are a handful of sexual scenes that aren’t explicit but did make this uncomfortable for me a few times. Also, The showdown at the ending was actually a little anti-climactic. To be clear, the plot was amazing and I thoroughly enjoy how he explained and wrapped it all up. But, without spoilers, all I can say is that it was done in a way that reduced the drama rather than built to a grand climax.
But the rest of the story was good enough that even with a little wobble at the end it was still an engaging read. So I give it four stars.
July 8, 2022
Salo died and the world is at war. When members of his clan start having odd experiences, the mystic tells them that a signal is coming from the west and they must respond. During this same time, Ilapara and Tuk decide that they are going to raise Salo from the dead. They seem to be successful, but the Salo they resurrected is not behaving like the person they remember. Why are these groups pulled towards the west? Will they be able to keep the world they know from collapsing?
Primeval Fire is the third and final book in the Scarlet Odyssey series. Rwizi didn’t spend much time getting readers caught up with past events and I am happy because this book had enough length and I enjoyed just jumping in and following the adventure. With that being said, I recommend that readers start with the first book and work their way through it so that they can enjoy the full story and readers will want to reach the end to enjoy the climax.
Primeval Fire is the third and final book in the Scarlet Odyssey series. Rwizi didn’t spend much time getting readers caught up with past events and I am happy because this book had enough length and I enjoyed just jumping in and following the adventure. With that being said, I recommend that readers start with the first book and work their way through it so that they can enjoy the full story and readers will want to reach the end to enjoy the climax.
March 8, 2023
It's been a while since I've had a series to really sink my teeth in, until I found these books. I've been anticipating the final installment of this series for some time, and finally got a chance to re immerse myself in the beautiful labyrinth of magic, mysticism and technology that the author creates. The intricacy of this world created integrated with African culture & mysticism always blows me away. That being said, the final book was bittersweet in that I'm terribly sad that it's ended, but the story itself had me on the edge of my seat. The protagonist Musalodi and his character development throughout the books has been great, not to mention the friendship and trust he develops with the people around him. An all around great character. I have so much to say about this book that I can't put into words. I have thoroughly enjoyed them, and I look forward to what ever else CT. Rwizi will have in store for us going forward!
August 11, 2023
Probably closer to 2.5 stars. I wish I could say I loved it, but I found myself just reading to finish. Overall, it is a very ambitious series, but I felt there were too many characters throughout the series and too many locations / settings specifically in this book. I appreciated the author's diligence in tying up loose ends, but because there were so many characters, you could *almost* guess which were expendable. More disappointing were the quick, sometimes out of scene eliminations of major protagonists. The dispatch of the faux Salo and the almost omnipotent emperor after the huge buildup was extremely anticlimactic. And because there were so many different settings, the author had to spend much of the book describing the scenes in excruciating detail. This was probably the most boring aspect for me. I came to this series after reading his novel, House of Gold, so I am hoping I enjoy the follow-up up to that one more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2023
Perhaps the most difficult aspect of writing a long trilogy -- and the Scarlet Odyssey qualifies -- is making the payoff match the setup. C. T. Rwizi, unfortunately, couldn't quite meet the challenge, and as a result, "Primeval Fire" is a bit of a disappointment.
Still, if you enjoyed the first two, "Primeval Fire" is worth checking out of the library, but even as a 3.5 rather than a 3.0, it's still a letdown. Rwizi has to resort to some cheap tricks to make it all work, and the ending is a confusing mashup of new ideas and out-0f-the-blue occurrences that are more puzzling than satisfying.
Rwizi does keep his modern author credentials intact with queer love stories and an obvious preference for primitive over modern societies, and the pages do turn, with battles, love affairs and betrayals all constants. But when the last page turns, it's more "I got through it" than "that was amazing."
Still, if you enjoyed the first two, "Primeval Fire" is worth checking out of the library, but even as a 3.5 rather than a 3.0, it's still a letdown. Rwizi has to resort to some cheap tricks to make it all work, and the ending is a confusing mashup of new ideas and out-0f-the-blue occurrences that are more puzzling than satisfying.
Rwizi does keep his modern author credentials intact with queer love stories and an obvious preference for primitive over modern societies, and the pages do turn, with battles, love affairs and betrayals all constants. But when the last page turns, it's more "I got through it" than "that was amazing."
August 24, 2022
The second book of this trilogy took a massive swing at the end killing off the main character, and a very important secondary one. And whilst it becomes clear quite early on that the level of magic in this story doesn't necessarily make death insurmountable, it uses that opportunity to spend a lot more time with a few secondary characters who deserved a bit more spotlight. This has the effect of grounding an increasingly esoteric storyline where people and extremely powerful leaders end up challenging the gods. But there is also time for a character to examine his own prejudice and embrace a lost love.
A pretty solid ending to a big canvas trilogy, which knows that the ending is always the hardest bit and makes it work.
A pretty solid ending to a big canvas trilogy, which knows that the ending is always the hardest bit and makes it work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2023
A series that made me sad to finish! Yes, the story is familiar, fantasy, quests, conspiracy, heroes, conflicts. It’s not a new story but I don’t read much fantasy because they tend to be so similar. As a queer POC, I saw my community represented for the first time and it felt magical to me. I got goosebumps from the emotionality; I laughed and I thoroughly enjoyed the world building that was so unlike what I’ve seen before. It celebrated the diaspora of Africanness and did not pigeon hole it. I was moved and awed by its breadth. I think, frankly, it would be an incredible show by hbo. The series has enough to even warrant a second series or prequel books if the author so chose. He created such a vast world of possibility. This is a series I will read over and over again
January 14, 2023
I wish I had re read the 2nd book because I didn't realise how long I'd left it, however it didn't take long to get up to speed, I thought around 25% of it was a filler, there was a lot of couples going on quests! After that it gained a lot more interest and speed. It ended up a little too twee, most everyone survived and lived happily ever after....this was after a cataclysmic world in chaos and most of the main characters survived!!! After saying that I did enjoy it and wouldn't hesitate to recommend. The African slant on this world was a revelation and would be interested to find out if the bogeymen and myths were actual or fiction
January 27, 2023
I cannot understate how much I enjoyed this trilogy and how well this final book stuck the landing. From the growing tensions as things escalate, to the number of answers that we received to the intensity of that final battle - the amount of screaming I did in the last hundred pages alone means that it doesn't deserve anything less than five stars.
I can't say much given that this is the third book in a trilogy so it involves spoilers for the first two but the pay offs in this, and how all characters, living or dead, find an ending that is satisfying and perfect for their characters.
I can't wait to see what Rwizi decides to put out next.
I can't say much given that this is the third book in a trilogy so it involves spoilers for the first two but the pay offs in this, and how all characters, living or dead, find an ending that is satisfying and perfect for their characters.
I can't wait to see what Rwizi decides to put out next.
March 4, 2023
This is one of those series I never wanted to end. After waiting for this book to come out (I couldn’t get over Salo dying). I wanted to savor this book because the story and characters are so rich and complex. I absolutely love how the author paints this world and all its inhabitants. I tried not to move through this book too quickly, but I just HAD to know what comes next. Then the story wrapped up, rather neatly. I was sad and satisfied at the same time. I might start the series over again so I can breeze through it instead of waiting for the next book. I can’t wait for what comes next for the author. I highly recommend this book and the whole series.
February 28, 2024
This has been a fascinating trilogy to read as it blends fantasy and sci-fi to create a world where magic powers advanced machinery but also imbues people with strength and special powers. Mix this with aspects of African culture and characters that are complex and personable and you have a unique and bewitching story that you don't want to put down.
This novel leans more towards the sci-fi aspect than the previous books and introduces more locations and characters which all combine to weave a spellbing tale that delivers a satisfying ending to the trilogy, while also leaving the door open to revisit this world and characters in the future.
This novel leans more towards the sci-fi aspect than the previous books and introduces more locations and characters which all combine to weave a spellbing tale that delivers a satisfying ending to the trilogy, while also leaving the door open to revisit this world and characters in the future.
August 13, 2025
wrapped up well
Third and final book of the trilogy. I appreciated that everything was wrapped up nicely by the end. However, some plot lines were much too convenient. Characters who hadn’t been around since being relatively important in the first book suddenly came back for a paragraph or page in this book seemingly just to close out that long-open thread. Or something that should have killed a character magically didn’t. I’m talking “he fell from a height that should have killed him, but it didn’t“ kind of narration. As with the other two books, I liked the overall story and world. Would still recommend this trilogy.
Third and final book of the trilogy. I appreciated that everything was wrapped up nicely by the end. However, some plot lines were much too convenient. Characters who hadn’t been around since being relatively important in the first book suddenly came back for a paragraph or page in this book seemingly just to close out that long-open thread. Or something that should have killed a character magically didn’t. I’m talking “he fell from a height that should have killed him, but it didn’t“ kind of narration. As with the other two books, I liked the overall story and world. Would still recommend this trilogy.
August 5, 2022
Solid
We've got a science fiction story buried in a fantasy novel, worked great for me till about halfway through the book. Then things got crazy with magic,technology and old gods all getting together. I don't mind high magic systems but I'm a firm believer that there should be limits. I lose interest in unlimited power that multiple people possess. That's why I went with the three star rating. Now for the good, chacterization was terrific and the plot was very interesting . I would certainly read another of Mr. Rwizi' s novels and would suggest him to anyone that asks.
We've got a science fiction story buried in a fantasy novel, worked great for me till about halfway through the book. Then things got crazy with magic,technology and old gods all getting together. I don't mind high magic systems but I'm a firm believer that there should be limits. I lose interest in unlimited power that multiple people possess. That's why I went with the three star rating. Now for the good, chacterization was terrific and the plot was very interesting . I would certainly read another of Mr. Rwizi' s novels and would suggest him to anyone that asks.
July 9, 2022
I loved the first two books of The Scarlet Odyssey trilogy, and my high hopes for the third book have been more than assured. Primeval Fire is an outstanding conclusion to the trilogy. Rwizi masterfully handles all the plot lines, the characters all grow, and interest in the book never flags. An excellent finish to a magnificent trilogy.
My thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an ARC of the book.
My thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an ARC of the book.
August 16, 2022
The series slips in its final third. Salo is resurrected twice. Not even Jesus managed that. And it's too much of a rollercoaster with ever more powerful bad guys wheeled out. Salo powers up to match so there's never really any doubt about the outcome. It gets a bit formulaic and lacks the appeal of the techno primitivism of the first part of the trilogy.
However, I enjoyed the trilogy as a whole. The author writes fluidly and sparks with his dialogue.
However, I enjoyed the trilogy as a whole. The author writes fluidly and sparks with his dialogue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2022
Oh, I loved these books! Scarlet Odyssey, Requiem Moon, and Primeval Fire. They're C.T. Rwizi's debut work, and they are just fantastic. Part sword-and-sorcery, part sci-fi, part political intrigue, part coming-of-age steeped in African myth. I loved looking up the names of monsters and discovering that they were based on actual cryptids. The characters are interesting, believable, and complex. There is, honestly, nothing I can think of that wasn't just beautifully written.
December 30, 2022
This was one of the most fascinating series I have read, with a beautifully rich world, filled with interesting characters, societies, technologies, and magic. For some reason though, this book felt slow to start, but then it rushed to the end. There was a lot of setup before the plot properly took off. But that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the book. It was a fantastic read, and I loved all of the characters and I'm sad that its over.
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