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The Changeling #4
The Glassfire Serpent: Embers
Robin Fellows, Scion of the Arcania, has a destiny to fulfil – along with an unruly faun to keep in check and many strange friends.
When Robin’s great aunt Irene takes him and fellow Fae Jackalope on a trip to London, it triggers a series of events that will place at least one of them in deadly peril. For an unforeseen discovery in an art curator’s office connects them to many mysterious and magical deeds – both good and evil – and forces the maturing young Robin to face his own history.
As he moves between the worlds, Robin must face the challenges of the Grimms, tackle a spider-wielding maniac, navigate the waterfall city of the Panthea and explore the many deadly secrets of the Netherworlde’s darkest forests.
Meanwhile, he has growing up to do and friendships to nurture, including those with the brooding Jackalope, enigmatic Karya and irrepressible (and unforgettable) Woad.
The Glassfire Serpent, Part I: Embers is an intriguing, immersive and fantastic tale – As Book Four in James Fahy’s popular Changeling series, it will please those readers eagerly awaiting the next instalment of the saga, along with anyone else who loves wonderful fantasy tales, be they 10 or 110 years old.
When Robin’s great aunt Irene takes him and fellow Fae Jackalope on a trip to London, it triggers a series of events that will place at least one of them in deadly peril. For an unforeseen discovery in an art curator’s office connects them to many mysterious and magical deeds – both good and evil – and forces the maturing young Robin to face his own history.
As he moves between the worlds, Robin must face the challenges of the Grimms, tackle a spider-wielding maniac, navigate the waterfall city of the Panthea and explore the many deadly secrets of the Netherworlde’s darkest forests.
Meanwhile, he has growing up to do and friendships to nurture, including those with the brooding Jackalope, enigmatic Karya and irrepressible (and unforgettable) Woad.
The Glassfire Serpent, Part I: Embers is an intriguing, immersive and fantastic tale – As Book Four in James Fahy’s popular Changeling series, it will please those readers eagerly awaiting the next instalment of the saga, along with anyone else who loves wonderful fantasy tales, be they 10 or 110 years old.
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 21, 2021
47 people are currently reading
1700 people want to read
About the author
James Fahy
14 books331 followersJames Fahy is the childrens author of the Changeling fantasy series, a Middle-Grade age series following the adventures of Robin, a seemingly unremarkable boy who is swept up into a war between our world, and the Netherworlde, a shadowy realm which lies beyond our own.
In addition to fantasy for younger people, James also writes adult Urban Gothic
James is represented by the Ampersand Literary Agency, Oxford, Publisher Venture Press, London
In addition to fantasy for younger people, James also writes adult Urban Gothic
James is represented by the Ampersand Literary Agency, Oxford, Publisher Venture Press, London
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
February 3, 2021
I just finished this as an arc of the 4th book in The Changeling series by @jamesfahyauthor. I’ve sung his praises before as a fave author of mine and I adore this series. Once again we go on an adventure with the Erlking gang, Robin, Woad, Henry, and Karya as they search to gather the remaining shards of the Arcania in their continued efforts to rescue the Netherworlde from the evil grip of Eris. This novel takes the group in a bit of a darker turn as, the closer they get to their ultimate goal, the more they learn about themselves and good and evil in general. If none of this sounds familiar to you then you must start at the very beginning with this series. I was enraptured from the first sentence until I finished the book in a blubbering and clapping mess. The only downside is now I am back to waiting for the 5th installment.
October 28, 2022
Ah, The Changeling Series, Book Four - what took me so long to get to you?! This is Part I to Book Five's The Glassfire Serpent: Ashes and I love the theme to this that really caters to a two part (duology) portion of this part of the series. Did that make sense? Before I go any further, please also take note that you really should read (all) these (series) books in order as there's a lot of background and everything will make way more sense than if you didn't.
Honestly, I don't want to say too much since this is a duology within a continuing series and I'll likely decide how I feel overall after I read Part II, Book 5 (keep up, will ya). Basically, if you love middle grade fantasy with lots of adventure and tons of humor with very likable and interesting characters, may I welcome you (back) to Erlking and the Netherworlde? And and and and......
It's like I was back at home. Always a part of every scene, albeit in the background eating popcorn and drinking whiskey but there no less. *wink* I've missed each and every character and all their various quirks. Sigh. They're my family even if they don't know it. And if you need a pick-me-up in terms of witty humor, look no further. I snort at "beats-by-fae" and the fact that witches are actually hard to burn since they're quite damp actually. #dead
I'm saving Ashes for the holiday in November but it may happen sooner as I'm itching with intrigue. Thanks Shay, always, for writing such fun stories that keep that stitch in my side quite taut.
Honestly, I don't want to say too much since this is a duology within a continuing series and I'll likely decide how I feel overall after I read Part II, Book 5 (keep up, will ya). Basically, if you love middle grade fantasy with lots of adventure and tons of humor with very likable and interesting characters, may I welcome you (back) to Erlking and the Netherworlde? And and and and......
It's like I was back at home. Always a part of every scene, albeit in the background eating popcorn and drinking whiskey but there no less. *wink* I've missed each and every character and all their various quirks. Sigh. They're my family even if they don't know it. And if you need a pick-me-up in terms of witty humor, look no further. I snort at "beats-by-fae" and the fact that witches are actually hard to burn since they're quite damp actually. #dead
I'm saving Ashes for the holiday in November but it may happen sooner as I'm itching with intrigue. Thanks Shay, always, for writing such fun stories that keep that stitch in my side quite taut.
October 22, 2021
It's finally here!!
After an almost game-of-thrones level of waiting since the publication of book three, book four finally landed, and I tore through it as though I'd never been away from Erlking at all.
Fahy has a way of slotting you the reader right back into the story as though no time has passed at all, and in a strange way it feels like coming home.
Erlking, the Netherworlde, and all the extended cast of friends and enemies let right off of the page at you, and there is plenty of 'what the hell is going on?' in this volume to keep you guessing.
burned up phoenix feathers, a total eclipse, a mysterious and spooky penpal who writes in blood, and the search for a dead noblewoman. Robin Fellows has his hands full as always, and by the end of this book, things seem very uncertain. Friends kidnapped, others kind of dying, lost in the wilderness...I have no doubt Robin can pull it all out of the fire, but I'm very excited to see how. (and to find out what the heck the 'Glassfire Serpent' actually IS.
After an almost game-of-thrones level of waiting since the publication of book three, book four finally landed, and I tore through it as though I'd never been away from Erlking at all.
Fahy has a way of slotting you the reader right back into the story as though no time has passed at all, and in a strange way it feels like coming home.
Erlking, the Netherworlde, and all the extended cast of friends and enemies let right off of the page at you, and there is plenty of 'what the hell is going on?' in this volume to keep you guessing.
burned up phoenix feathers, a total eclipse, a mysterious and spooky penpal who writes in blood, and the search for a dead noblewoman. Robin Fellows has his hands full as always, and by the end of this book, things seem very uncertain. Friends kidnapped, others kind of dying, lost in the wilderness...I have no doubt Robin can pull it all out of the fire, but I'm very excited to see how. (and to find out what the heck the 'Glassfire Serpent' actually IS.
March 8, 2022
What can I say about this series other than that I love it.
I love Woad. I love Hestia. I love cosy Erlking. I love dangerous Netherworlde. I even love the Grimms. (although no Peryl in this book - wah!)
There's always something new to add though. in book four that comes in the shape of a massive market town sitting astride a waterfall like Niagara on steroids, a brand new Grimm who is so creepy he makes the ones we know look like kittens, a bog-hag. (Finally! A bog hag!) dangerous forests full of murderous creatures. tidal waves and eclipses, and ....(drum roll)....an unexpected kiss.
Loved it.
I love Woad. I love Hestia. I love cosy Erlking. I love dangerous Netherworlde. I even love the Grimms. (although no Peryl in this book - wah!)
There's always something new to add though. in book four that comes in the shape of a massive market town sitting astride a waterfall like Niagara on steroids, a brand new Grimm who is so creepy he makes the ones we know look like kittens, a bog-hag. (Finally! A bog hag!) dangerous forests full of murderous creatures. tidal waves and eclipses, and ....(drum roll)....an unexpected kiss.
Loved it.
March 4, 2022
I'm starting a campaign called 'Stop Putting Woad in Danger'.
Woad is precious and must be protected at all costs! Kidnapped by Mr Ker in book two, almost stolen to have his skin sold off by Ffoulkes in book three, and in this book???
Don't even get me started! I loved it. We now need a book where Woad just goes to a nice hotel or a spa for a while or something, and I can focus on the story in peace, knowing my little blue bundle of Chaos is safe!
Woad is precious and must be protected at all costs! Kidnapped by Mr Ker in book two, almost stolen to have his skin sold off by Ffoulkes in book three, and in this book???
Don't even get me started! I loved it. We now need a book where Woad just goes to a nice hotel or a spa for a while or something, and I can focus on the story in peace, knowing my little blue bundle of Chaos is safe!
March 3, 2022
Spellbinding, sinister, and spectacular.
I waited for so long for this new chapter in the changeling saga, and I forced myself to read it slowly so I didn't rush it, and it was worth the wait. Wonderful, imaginative and passionate story weaving
I waited for so long for this new chapter in the changeling saga, and I forced myself to read it slowly so I didn't rush it, and it was worth the wait. Wonderful, imaginative and passionate story weaving
October 26, 2021
Spiders, why'd it have to be spiders??
Seriously, spiders give me the big ick, and when the antagonist of a book is capable of spewing them out of his hands, that's the time I would like the hero to have a flamethrower.
Plucky Robin Fellows doesn't have a flamethrower, despite this book being based around the magical discipline of fire, but I've got a feeling it's coming! great action, hilarious dialogue, memorable characters that leap off the page. I'm back in the Netherworlde, both feet in, and loving it.
More please!
Seriously, spiders give me the big ick, and when the antagonist of a book is capable of spewing them out of his hands, that's the time I would like the hero to have a flamethrower.
Plucky Robin Fellows doesn't have a flamethrower, despite this book being based around the magical discipline of fire, but I've got a feeling it's coming! great action, hilarious dialogue, memorable characters that leap off the page. I'm back in the Netherworlde, both feet in, and loving it.
More please!
March 2, 2022
There are certain worlds I can always return to, and it feels like coming home. Middle Earth, Earthsea, even Narnia, and James Fahy's Netherworlde is definitely one of them.
What I enjoy most about the Netherworlde, is that each volume of this fantasy saga drags the reader around the map and introduces new areas, new realms. And every time I think I've got a handle on the place, Fahy throws in a curveball that knocks right past all my expectations. This is the first of the Changeling Saga in which Robin (and we) get to see a living, breathing, working city in the Netherworlde, and it's So good. Just so rich in detail and imagination, and I wish I could have read a whole book just dedicated to Titania's Tears alone. Robin and co are on the trail of a dead minor member of the royal court in this tale, and are fighting off enemies from every direction, some familiar, others new and very creepy. it's a race against time to win the arms war before the final battle explodes in the Netherworlde, and the inclusion of fire magic is excellent
What I enjoy most about the Netherworlde, is that each volume of this fantasy saga drags the reader around the map and introduces new areas, new realms. And every time I think I've got a handle on the place, Fahy throws in a curveball that knocks right past all my expectations. This is the first of the Changeling Saga in which Robin (and we) get to see a living, breathing, working city in the Netherworlde, and it's So good. Just so rich in detail and imagination, and I wish I could have read a whole book just dedicated to Titania's Tears alone. Robin and co are on the trail of a dead minor member of the royal court in this tale, and are fighting off enemies from every direction, some familiar, others new and very creepy. it's a race against time to win the arms war before the final battle explodes in the Netherworlde, and the inclusion of fire magic is excellent
March 4, 2022
Erlking Hall always has something new to offer, and I love that readers get to explore a new part of it we've never seen before every time we're there. This time around, the huge volcanic tube room (I'm not explaining it very well!) in which Robin has his fire magic lessons is just great, and it was good to revisit the lake at Erlking's grounds too. Last seen in The Drowned Tomb when Robin crash landed out of the sky on ice wings and smashed into a secret grave on the island.
I wish the writer would release a map of Erlking, but maybe that's something that will happen once the series is completed. I'd love to see if things match up with where I picture them in my head.
In Glassfire Serpent, the book doesn't start at Erlking for once, it starts down in the British capital city, London, at an art gallery, and it was cool to see Robin and everyone out in the real world mingling with regular people. Once the action shifts to the Netherworlde, we get to explore maybe the most beautiful area we've seen so far, mountains and rivers and flower valleys like something straight out of Heidi.
I want to live at Erlking or in the Netherworlde, can you tell? :)
Maybe not in the forest full of unicorns though, because bejjjebus!!
I wish the writer would release a map of Erlking, but maybe that's something that will happen once the series is completed. I'd love to see if things match up with where I picture them in my head.
In Glassfire Serpent, the book doesn't start at Erlking for once, it starts down in the British capital city, London, at an art gallery, and it was cool to see Robin and everyone out in the real world mingling with regular people. Once the action shifts to the Netherworlde, we get to explore maybe the most beautiful area we've seen so far, mountains and rivers and flower valleys like something straight out of Heidi.
I want to live at Erlking or in the Netherworlde, can you tell? :)
Maybe not in the forest full of unicorns though, because bejjjebus!!
September 24, 2021
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is not my first trip into Fahy's wonderfully realised Netherworlde, I've enjoyed the whole series so far, and it's been a long wait for this next instalment, but by golly it's been worth it.
Glassfire Serpent picks up a couple of months after the climatic events of the previous book, Chains of Gaia, with Erlking now in open hostility with the dominant forces of Lady Eris in the Netherworlde, and Robin and his friends are still feeling the consequences of their actions from the battle at the hive prison.
Not least of these is Karya's injuries, sustained during that battle, that just don't seem to be getting any better. in fact, let's not beat around the bush here, she's dying.
Things kick off when Robin's aunt takes him to an exhibition in London about rare books, where they are hoping to find some clues to the mysterious library card from the previous stories. What transpires there snowballs into a life and death adventure in both the human world and the Netherworlde, where Robin must unravel the mystery of a long-lost, possibly deceased Panthea family from the highest realms of Eris' nobility.
What I loved about this book is that we see Robin and co facing off against enemies old and new, their personalties continuing to develop wonderfully, but most of all, we get to see a whole lot more of the Netherworlde we haven't seen before, including a city!
Titania's Tears, the market town built on a waterfall, surpassed my every hope of what urban life in the realm of the Fate might look like. Just spectacular fantasy! And the most unpleasant forest full of the most unlikely monsters I would have imagined Robin having to face.
'Embers' ends on a cliffhanger, but after a very satisfying action sequence, and leaves our heroes in the wind, racing against time. But this is fine, as part two of this duology is hot on it's heels, and I am counting the days until 'Ashes'.
This is not my first trip into Fahy's wonderfully realised Netherworlde, I've enjoyed the whole series so far, and it's been a long wait for this next instalment, but by golly it's been worth it.
Glassfire Serpent picks up a couple of months after the climatic events of the previous book, Chains of Gaia, with Erlking now in open hostility with the dominant forces of Lady Eris in the Netherworlde, and Robin and his friends are still feeling the consequences of their actions from the battle at the hive prison.
Not least of these is Karya's injuries, sustained during that battle, that just don't seem to be getting any better. in fact, let's not beat around the bush here, she's dying.
Things kick off when Robin's aunt takes him to an exhibition in London about rare books, where they are hoping to find some clues to the mysterious library card from the previous stories. What transpires there snowballs into a life and death adventure in both the human world and the Netherworlde, where Robin must unravel the mystery of a long-lost, possibly deceased Panthea family from the highest realms of Eris' nobility.
What I loved about this book is that we see Robin and co facing off against enemies old and new, their personalties continuing to develop wonderfully, but most of all, we get to see a whole lot more of the Netherworlde we haven't seen before, including a city!
Titania's Tears, the market town built on a waterfall, surpassed my every hope of what urban life in the realm of the Fate might look like. Just spectacular fantasy! And the most unpleasant forest full of the most unlikely monsters I would have imagined Robin having to face.
'Embers' ends on a cliffhanger, but after a very satisfying action sequence, and leaves our heroes in the wind, racing against time. But this is fine, as part two of this duology is hot on it's heels, and I am counting the days until 'Ashes'.
September 24, 2021
Super happy to be given a mobi copy of Glassfire Serpent to read and review, as this series is one of my favourite fantasy sagas. With this new instalment, everything is turned up a notch. From intriguing and surprising changes in dynamics in the friendship groups at Erlking, (hey, they're all growing up, right? There's bound to be tensions and drama and a couple of emotional awakenings), to the action, which is pretty evenly divided here between events at Erlking Hall in the first half of the book (total eclipses, tidal waves, budding romances, and a twisted mystery about Sire Holdings, the evil conglomerate hell bent on dabbling with the powers of the Arcania) and in the second half of the book, a rollercoaster ride through new and bloody awesome places in the Netherworlde.
Every time Robin goes to the Netherworlde, I get that 'Narnia' tingle, and it's always different and surprising in each book. Book four takes us on a tour of some alpine hills, one heck of an impressive waterfall, a city that defies gravity and a forest full of danger (and a lot of humour).
There is a new addition to the bad guys in this book, and though his story isn't over by the end of it, he has, in my opinion, taken the crown for loathsomeness. (I mean...evil spiders in your hands...it's never a good look).
As always, this is a breathless and fast-paced fantasy romp of the highest order, and the best thing about it are the characters you cannot help but care about. especially Woad!
Now get me part two, you can't leave me hanging like this for long!
Every time Robin goes to the Netherworlde, I get that 'Narnia' tingle, and it's always different and surprising in each book. Book four takes us on a tour of some alpine hills, one heck of an impressive waterfall, a city that defies gravity and a forest full of danger (and a lot of humour).
There is a new addition to the bad guys in this book, and though his story isn't over by the end of it, he has, in my opinion, taken the crown for loathsomeness. (I mean...evil spiders in your hands...it's never a good look).
As always, this is a breathless and fast-paced fantasy romp of the highest order, and the best thing about it are the characters you cannot help but care about. especially Woad!
Now get me part two, you can't leave me hanging like this for long!
March 8, 2022
This series has done it again!
Only bigger, better and bolder than the books before it.
I've been waiting a while for a chance to dip my toes back into the Netherworlde, especially with the cliffhanger drama of how the previous book ended, and Fahy wastes no time in dropping us right back into a wealth of mystery, intrigue and action from the get-go.
As I've come to expect from the world of Changeling, the characters shine, and Robin has really come into his own here in book four. It's the rest of Erlking's cast we have to worry about this time around, as they lurch from danger to danger.
I loved seeing new sides to the world of the Fae and Panthea, and I cannot WAIT for the second half of this duology to drop.
Only bigger, better and bolder than the books before it.
I've been waiting a while for a chance to dip my toes back into the Netherworlde, especially with the cliffhanger drama of how the previous book ended, and Fahy wastes no time in dropping us right back into a wealth of mystery, intrigue and action from the get-go.
As I've come to expect from the world of Changeling, the characters shine, and Robin has really come into his own here in book four. It's the rest of Erlking's cast we have to worry about this time around, as they lurch from danger to danger.
I loved seeing new sides to the world of the Fae and Panthea, and I cannot WAIT for the second half of this duology to drop.
March 2, 2022
Phenomenal storytelling! The Netherworlde is as rich today as it was in book one, with new places, new monsters and new challenges around every corner.
My heart was in my mouth for several scenes of this book, and without being too spoilery, we must protect Woad at all costs! There were several close calls in Glassfire Serpent where I feared for the fuzzy blue hide of my favourite faun. If anything happens to him in Glassfire part two, I will riot!
My heart was in my mouth for several scenes of this book, and without being too spoilery, we must protect Woad at all costs! There were several close calls in Glassfire Serpent where I feared for the fuzzy blue hide of my favourite faun. If anything happens to him in Glassfire part two, I will riot!
October 22, 2021
I say this every time I read a new book by this author, but once again, this is my new favourite book by this author.
From what I can figure, this particular tower of the Arcania, the tower of fire, is split into two halves, two companion books, with this, Glassfire Serpent Embers, being the first, and the second to follow on pretty soon after. But there is more than enough adventure packed tightly into this edition to satisfy. We revisit some familiar places (Erlking of course, being spectacular at Christmas, and then equally spectacular during a total eclipse of the sun), but we are treated to some new exploration as well.
I enjoyed seeing Robin at large in London. It made a nice change to see him out of the Erlking bubble in this human reality. But what really shines in this book are the Netherworlde locations, from the alpine mountains and valleys, to the huge waterfalls, to the shadiest forest/bogland I've met. but especially the city of Titania's Tears.
This is the first time in the Changeling Series that we've been allowed to view an urban centre in the Netherworlde. Earlier books are set in the wilds, or ruins, or ghost towns, and it was a treat to see how the Netherworlde lives and breathes with a real city.
And the description, both of the city, the people who live and work and trade there, and the sights and sounds, were just out of this world.
I hope we get to see more in the next book. All the hints are there to say that we are leading up to the capital city itself. Road trip to DIS. Count me in
From what I can figure, this particular tower of the Arcania, the tower of fire, is split into two halves, two companion books, with this, Glassfire Serpent Embers, being the first, and the second to follow on pretty soon after. But there is more than enough adventure packed tightly into this edition to satisfy. We revisit some familiar places (Erlking of course, being spectacular at Christmas, and then equally spectacular during a total eclipse of the sun), but we are treated to some new exploration as well.
I enjoyed seeing Robin at large in London. It made a nice change to see him out of the Erlking bubble in this human reality. But what really shines in this book are the Netherworlde locations, from the alpine mountains and valleys, to the huge waterfalls, to the shadiest forest/bogland I've met. but especially the city of Titania's Tears.
This is the first time in the Changeling Series that we've been allowed to view an urban centre in the Netherworlde. Earlier books are set in the wilds, or ruins, or ghost towns, and it was a treat to see how the Netherworlde lives and breathes with a real city.
And the description, both of the city, the people who live and work and trade there, and the sights and sounds, were just out of this world.
I hope we get to see more in the next book. All the hints are there to say that we are leading up to the capital city itself. Road trip to DIS. Count me in
December 30, 2021
James Fahy welcomes us back to the Netherworlde for another epic adventure with the Erlkingers! This time, with more dangers than ever before - and a lot more at stake. I love the direction the story went in this book, with multiple threads weaving together and mysteries to be solved. This book, more than the others, made me feel a sense of urgency and uncertainty (possibly heightened by the fact that this is a ‘part one’ of two) but James Fahy still manages to weave in the humour and wonder we have come to expect from the Changeling series. And let’s not forget the fantastic cast of characters that feel more real with each instalment.
I also enjoyed the theme of things being in halves, which in my opinion really suits a two-part book/story. However, I hope that the second part really picks up on that sense of urgency with a slightly faster pace.
((Slight spoilers, skip this paragraph if you don’t want them)) Another thing to note is that illness is a central part of the story, and whilst there is no reference to real-world issues, I feel that this theme made the book harder to read at times (through no fault of the author; I’m sure this storyline was thought up long ago).
Finally, I feel like I can’t review a Changeling book without commenting on how amazing the Netherworlde is, so here we go: It is truly amazing! Each time a new location is introduced across this series, I am blown away by how unique they feel, along with their inhabitants.
Overall; this was, in my opinion, a fantastic continuation of my favourite book series.
I also enjoyed the theme of things being in halves, which in my opinion really suits a two-part book/story. However, I hope that the second part really picks up on that sense of urgency with a slightly faster pace.
((Slight spoilers, skip this paragraph if you don’t want them)) Another thing to note is that illness is a central part of the story, and whilst there is no reference to real-world issues, I feel that this theme made the book harder to read at times (through no fault of the author; I’m sure this storyline was thought up long ago).
Finally, I feel like I can’t review a Changeling book without commenting on how amazing the Netherworlde is, so here we go: It is truly amazing! Each time a new location is introduced across this series, I am blown away by how unique they feel, along with their inhabitants.
Overall; this was, in my opinion, a fantastic continuation of my favourite book series.
March 3, 2022
I always think its a good thing when the main bad guy in a series is kept offstage as long as possible.
Think Lord of the Rings, we never actually meet Sauron at all. And Even in Harry Potter, Voldy doesn't make an entrance until book four really. (not in the flesh anyway).
The Changeling books have always done the same thing. The evil empress is hinted at, the Lady Eris who everyone fears, even the flowers shiver in Erlking when she's mentioned. But she's not popped up herself yet.
Instead, the author works through a rotating cast of her lackeys, from the dysfunctional family of psychopaths known as the Grimms, to her right hand man, the loathsome Strigoi. It's only at the very end of the last book that we got the teeniest glimpse of Eris' physical presence at all, and even then she was just a shadow wrapped in a cloak at the far end of a battlefield.
With Book four of the series, the plot hinges on a strange and suspicious
contact deep inside Eris capital city, who promises Robin that they can get him into the metropolis, to find a way to save a friend from what seems like certain death. This has me giddy with the thought we might actually get to meet Eris herself somewhere in these pages! In Embers, no such luck yet, though there are new Grimms to meet, and they are worse than any other we've come up against so far. I would bet every shard of the arcania though, that in Ashes, we are getting a big reveal. Until then, I'll be riding demonic unicorns in the swamplands.
Think Lord of the Rings, we never actually meet Sauron at all. And Even in Harry Potter, Voldy doesn't make an entrance until book four really. (not in the flesh anyway).
The Changeling books have always done the same thing. The evil empress is hinted at, the Lady Eris who everyone fears, even the flowers shiver in Erlking when she's mentioned. But she's not popped up herself yet.
Instead, the author works through a rotating cast of her lackeys, from the dysfunctional family of psychopaths known as the Grimms, to her right hand man, the loathsome Strigoi. It's only at the very end of the last book that we got the teeniest glimpse of Eris' physical presence at all, and even then she was just a shadow wrapped in a cloak at the far end of a battlefield.
With Book four of the series, the plot hinges on a strange and suspicious
contact deep inside Eris capital city, who promises Robin that they can get him into the metropolis, to find a way to save a friend from what seems like certain death. This has me giddy with the thought we might actually get to meet Eris herself somewhere in these pages! In Embers, no such luck yet, though there are new Grimms to meet, and they are worse than any other we've come up against so far. I would bet every shard of the arcania though, that in Ashes, we are getting a big reveal. Until then, I'll be riding demonic unicorns in the swamplands.
October 23, 2021
YES! The Netherworlde is back! Erlking is back! and most importantly, Woad is back! (I love that blue faun).
Book Four (part one) of the Changeling Series picks up not too long after the end of book three, with Karya still ill from her wounds during the last battle, and getting worse by the day. When she suddenly starts having fits and getting odd visions about secret sisters, Robin and her other friends are even more concerned, and a mysterious Hex-Message from an unknown friend (or enemy?) seems to suggest that the key to saving Karya's life lies right under Lady Eris' nose, in the capital City of DIS.
There is SO MUCH going on in this book, as well as the above, Robin and co are also unravelling a mystery about a burned feather and a mysterious book, sparring with the sinister Sire Holdings company, AND learning the tower of fire during a very dangerous eclipse while investigating the death or disappearance of a noble family from the Netherworlde.
I loved how the characters are so familiar, but never stagnant. The young inhabitants of Erlking Hall are growing up before our eyes, with all the teenage angsts and blossoming romances and rivalries that this entails.
The Netherworlde is breathtaking as always, with impressive new places to visit, full of wonder and danger. and I NEED the second part ASAP. (drums fingers and keeps refreshing Amazon)
Book Four (part one) of the Changeling Series picks up not too long after the end of book three, with Karya still ill from her wounds during the last battle, and getting worse by the day. When she suddenly starts having fits and getting odd visions about secret sisters, Robin and her other friends are even more concerned, and a mysterious Hex-Message from an unknown friend (or enemy?) seems to suggest that the key to saving Karya's life lies right under Lady Eris' nose, in the capital City of DIS.
There is SO MUCH going on in this book, as well as the above, Robin and co are also unravelling a mystery about a burned feather and a mysterious book, sparring with the sinister Sire Holdings company, AND learning the tower of fire during a very dangerous eclipse while investigating the death or disappearance of a noble family from the Netherworlde.
I loved how the characters are so familiar, but never stagnant. The young inhabitants of Erlking Hall are growing up before our eyes, with all the teenage angsts and blossoming romances and rivalries that this entails.
The Netherworlde is breathtaking as always, with impressive new places to visit, full of wonder and danger. and I NEED the second part ASAP. (drums fingers and keeps refreshing Amazon)
October 25, 2021
My one concern when I got this latest edition in the Changeling series was that, compared to the last book, it didn't seem very long. But then I found out that Glassfire Serpent is actually in two halves. This first instalment Embers, will be twinned with the other half of the duology, Ashes.
This feels like a nice touch, especially as the themes running through the book are definitely on a theme of two halves and twinning. We have Karya (not faring too well in the health department) and also some other mysterious girl who seems an awful lot like Karya.
We have Robin and the others battling against the plots of Eris in one world and the malevolent human corporation of Sire Holdings in this one. There are (according to the promotional snippets at least) two eclipses to contend with, and a lot of enigmatic talk about two halves of a heart.
What I VERY much appreciate here is that, in a lot of fantasy series, books can get kind of bloated and self indulgent as a series goes on (cough cough Order of the Phoenix) and really could do with some trimming down.
But here in book four of the Changeling Series, the author has kept it tight and trim and sharp, with no waffle, and yet there is still so much action and intrigue crammed into this story that it feels like it's bursting at the seams.
I need Ashes now so I can pair the two together and love them equally like my children.
This feels like a nice touch, especially as the themes running through the book are definitely on a theme of two halves and twinning. We have Karya (not faring too well in the health department) and also some other mysterious girl who seems an awful lot like Karya.
We have Robin and the others battling against the plots of Eris in one world and the malevolent human corporation of Sire Holdings in this one. There are (according to the promotional snippets at least) two eclipses to contend with, and a lot of enigmatic talk about two halves of a heart.
What I VERY much appreciate here is that, in a lot of fantasy series, books can get kind of bloated and self indulgent as a series goes on (cough cough Order of the Phoenix) and really could do with some trimming down.
But here in book four of the Changeling Series, the author has kept it tight and trim and sharp, with no waffle, and yet there is still so much action and intrigue crammed into this story that it feels like it's bursting at the seams.
I need Ashes now so I can pair the two together and love them equally like my children.
March 3, 2022
Fahy returns us readers to the welcoming and magical world of Erlking Hall, and this time, the emphasis is less on collecting a shard of the Arcania to win the war of two worlds, and more on a desperate search for a cure to stop Karya from dying (she is still wounded after her run in with Ms Peril in the previous book, and only seems to be getting worse).
One thing I have always enjoyed about the Changeling books, is that from page one, we get a sense that there is way 'more-going-on-we-don't-know-about-yet' (TM) and the reader only really knows what Robin, the main protagonist, knows. And that's often not a lot.
As a consequence, we discover what's really going on in the Netherworlde alongside him. it's a great and skilfully used literary device that pulls us right into the adventure and the thick of the action alongside him. When Robin is confused, we're confused. When he has a revelation, we shout Eureka! and when every bit of carefully laid foreshadowing suddenly comes together, it's the most satisfying thing ever. By the end of this book, poor Robin has been put through the mangler in more than one way, and things are set up for a desperate race against time to save his friends before the next eclipse. (yes, there are two). I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we get a glimpse inside the much-talked about but never yet visited Dis.
One thing I have always enjoyed about the Changeling books, is that from page one, we get a sense that there is way 'more-going-on-we-don't-know-about-yet' (TM) and the reader only really knows what Robin, the main protagonist, knows. And that's often not a lot.
As a consequence, we discover what's really going on in the Netherworlde alongside him. it's a great and skilfully used literary device that pulls us right into the adventure and the thick of the action alongside him. When Robin is confused, we're confused. When he has a revelation, we shout Eureka! and when every bit of carefully laid foreshadowing suddenly comes together, it's the most satisfying thing ever. By the end of this book, poor Robin has been put through the mangler in more than one way, and things are set up for a desperate race against time to save his friends before the next eclipse. (yes, there are two). I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we get a glimpse inside the much-talked about but never yet visited Dis.
March 4, 2022
This review is for both Glassfire Serpent Embers and Ashes, as I've read the fourth instalment duo logy together.
With the book of Fire, the rule book is out of the window! the first book, Embers, reads like a classic quest book, with Robin following a series of clues on the trail of an old family of Panthea who might be able to help him in both the war against Eris and his friends mystery illness. By the end of that book, all of the best laid plans of the Erlking squad are in tatters, with half of them in deadly peril, and the other half flung into the wilds with no guidance and no idea what to do next.
Where Ashes picks up in book two, Robin finally gets to the bottom of the mystery, and the book takes a notably darker turn than ever before, with the running themes being returning to old sins to face the past, a fantastic set piece with a monster to rival Tolkien's Shelob, and of course the cherry on the cake, the breach of the City of DIS.
By the finale, some classic enemies are in the wind, others are revealed to be not what they seemed, and some new ones are even made from the most unlikely and heartbreaking of sources.
This was a powerful episode of the Changeling book, and definitely ups the stakes for the ongoing war of the Netherworlde. Bring on book six!
With the book of Fire, the rule book is out of the window! the first book, Embers, reads like a classic quest book, with Robin following a series of clues on the trail of an old family of Panthea who might be able to help him in both the war against Eris and his friends mystery illness. By the end of that book, all of the best laid plans of the Erlking squad are in tatters, with half of them in deadly peril, and the other half flung into the wilds with no guidance and no idea what to do next.
Where Ashes picks up in book two, Robin finally gets to the bottom of the mystery, and the book takes a notably darker turn than ever before, with the running themes being returning to old sins to face the past, a fantastic set piece with a monster to rival Tolkien's Shelob, and of course the cherry on the cake, the breach of the City of DIS.
By the finale, some classic enemies are in the wind, others are revealed to be not what they seemed, and some new ones are even made from the most unlikely and heartbreaking of sources.
This was a powerful episode of the Changeling book, and definitely ups the stakes for the ongoing war of the Netherworlde. Bring on book six!
March 4, 2022
Things you can always count on in a 'Changeling' book.
Great storytelling, amazing fantasy locations, plenty of surprises, and some of the best dialogue.
It's been a while since I read book three, but less than two pages into book four I was right back in the story. I still love Aunt Irene, I still think Calypso has all of the sass, and that Ffoulkes makes me cringe.
I would have liked to have seen more of Hestia in this book, as she's one of my favourites and pretty unsung, but she's a deep one. But with all the action and fire and spiders, not to mention some very interesting flashbacks in a psychic's hut, I guess there isn't always room for everything.
There have always been two stories being told in this series if you ask me. What is happening NOW, with Robin and the resistance, and what happened back THEN, when the arcania shattered.
Fahy uses clever little devices in each book to give us glimpses of the past, and it's slowly building into a picture that's fairly complex, suggesting that maybe things didn't go down quite the way we think they did back when the war was on and Robin was born. I have my own guesses, especially about certain members of the Fae Court back then, but I guess I'll wait and see if I end up being right.
Great storytelling, amazing fantasy locations, plenty of surprises, and some of the best dialogue.
It's been a while since I read book three, but less than two pages into book four I was right back in the story. I still love Aunt Irene, I still think Calypso has all of the sass, and that Ffoulkes makes me cringe.
I would have liked to have seen more of Hestia in this book, as she's one of my favourites and pretty unsung, but she's a deep one. But with all the action and fire and spiders, not to mention some very interesting flashbacks in a psychic's hut, I guess there isn't always room for everything.
There have always been two stories being told in this series if you ask me. What is happening NOW, with Robin and the resistance, and what happened back THEN, when the arcania shattered.
Fahy uses clever little devices in each book to give us glimpses of the past, and it's slowly building into a picture that's fairly complex, suggesting that maybe things didn't go down quite the way we think they did back when the war was on and Robin was born. I have my own guesses, especially about certain members of the Fae Court back then, but I guess I'll wait and see if I end up being right.
October 22, 2021
When you find a good fantasy writer, you know it. Because they're able to show you things you've never seen before, and with all of the Changeling books, James Fahy does exactly that.
Whether it's harpies as odd lovecraftian tentacle horrors with too many eyes, bioluminescent hypnotic sirens, centaurs that feel like a cross between something from Silent Hill and Hellraiser, or a faun that's bright blue, I can always guarantee that there will be a new spin on some classic monster or mythology.
But I thought surely....SURELY...unicorns are safe, right??
Nope. JHC I never want to run into a Netherworlde Unicorn as long as I live.
But I'm extremely happy that Robin and company did, in what is possibly the creepiest and most deadly forest we've ever seen in the Netherworlde.
I had to keep telling myself. "this is a kids book, remember? Kids love being scared.'
But that's the joy of the Netherworlde. like Never Never land or Narnia, it's the perfectly balanced blend of whimsical and deadly, charming and magical one one hand and nightmarish and dark on the other.
Just like all the best fairy tales.
Whether it's harpies as odd lovecraftian tentacle horrors with too many eyes, bioluminescent hypnotic sirens, centaurs that feel like a cross between something from Silent Hill and Hellraiser, or a faun that's bright blue, I can always guarantee that there will be a new spin on some classic monster or mythology.
But I thought surely....SURELY...unicorns are safe, right??
Nope. JHC I never want to run into a Netherworlde Unicorn as long as I live.
But I'm extremely happy that Robin and company did, in what is possibly the creepiest and most deadly forest we've ever seen in the Netherworlde.
I had to keep telling myself. "this is a kids book, remember? Kids love being scared.'
But that's the joy of the Netherworlde. like Never Never land or Narnia, it's the perfectly balanced blend of whimsical and deadly, charming and magical one one hand and nightmarish and dark on the other.
Just like all the best fairy tales.
March 8, 2022
I was worried when I started reading this book, because, unlike the first three, it doesn't start in Erlking Hall, and that's usually my favourite part of the story. (instead we begin our Changeling journey this time around in a bitter, snowy London)
But after a gripping and fruitful spy mission, we soon get back to Erlking, and just in time for Christmas, so I was relieved. (Can you think of anywhere better to spend Christmas? It's a toss-up between Erlking Hall and Hogwarts for me).
There's a tremendous scene at the lakeside during an eclipse, which was the highlight of the book for me, dramatic, then beautiful, I am a BIG fan of pyre flies, and I was picturing THAT scene on the lakeshore like it was a Disney movie or something.
The Netherworlde, once we get there, is stunning and interesting as always. I would love to read an encyclopaedia of the Netherworlde and learn more about the different towns and cities scattered through the beautiful wilderness. it's not however, a place I would like to go camping. especially with giant centipedes who disguise themselves as ivy growing on trees. Yikes! loved all the city world building and cannot wait to see what comes in part two
But after a gripping and fruitful spy mission, we soon get back to Erlking, and just in time for Christmas, so I was relieved. (Can you think of anywhere better to spend Christmas? It's a toss-up between Erlking Hall and Hogwarts for me).
There's a tremendous scene at the lakeside during an eclipse, which was the highlight of the book for me, dramatic, then beautiful, I am a BIG fan of pyre flies, and I was picturing THAT scene on the lakeshore like it was a Disney movie or something.
The Netherworlde, once we get there, is stunning and interesting as always. I would love to read an encyclopaedia of the Netherworlde and learn more about the different towns and cities scattered through the beautiful wilderness. it's not however, a place I would like to go camping. especially with giant centipedes who disguise themselves as ivy growing on trees. Yikes! loved all the city world building and cannot wait to see what comes in part two
March 8, 2022
With so many main characters to juggle, it's impressive that they all manage to get a satisfying amount of 'screen time' as this epic fantasy series heads into it's fourth instalment. The characters in this series have always been wonderfully written and each have very distinct voices, and this edition shows us just how much they've changed and grown since we met most of them way back in book one.
I liked the focus on Karya in this book. She's always been a total badass, so it was good to see a more vulnerable human side to her (even if she's not human at all). And Woad always seems to know the right thing to say, whether it's to lighten the mood, or give sound advice at the moment you least expect it. Embers ends will several threads dangling tentatively. who is the anonymous hex-messenger? is Lady Tinda alive or dead? can Robin rescue **** and **** before they get thrown on a big bonfire? And will Karya make it to the end of the next book or not?
I'm extremely happy that the author didn't leave a huge gap between this book and the next, or this would have had me tearing my hair out. as it is, the next book is already out so I am going to answer some of these questions asap!
I liked the focus on Karya in this book. She's always been a total badass, so it was good to see a more vulnerable human side to her (even if she's not human at all). And Woad always seems to know the right thing to say, whether it's to lighten the mood, or give sound advice at the moment you least expect it. Embers ends will several threads dangling tentatively. who is the anonymous hex-messenger? is Lady Tinda alive or dead? can Robin rescue **** and **** before they get thrown on a big bonfire? And will Karya make it to the end of the next book or not?
I'm extremely happy that the author didn't leave a huge gap between this book and the next, or this would have had me tearing my hair out. as it is, the next book is already out so I am going to answer some of these questions asap!
March 8, 2022
Five Flaming Fantasy Stars.
Karya, weakened from her injuries at the end of the previous volume, appears to be dying. The only hope of a cure is for Robin and the gang to somehow get into DIS, the impregnable capital city of the Netherworlde, and the home of Lady Eris, and to go back to where Karya came from all those years ago.
Getting into the enemy city isn't going to be easy though. For a start, Robin's aunt and tutors forbid it as a suicide mission, and there are other irons in the fire too. A burned up Phoenix feather discovered at at Art Gallery event which gives Robin visions of spiders and burned up trees, the continuing hunt for the mysterious book that both the powers at Erlking and Lady Eris henchmen are so desperately searching for. The mystery of a family of Fire Pantheas torn apart by war and prejudice, and if that wasn't all enough to be getting on with, Robin is also learning the tower of fire in his continued magical education.
With so much going on, and a rare two-world eclipse coming up, it's a joy that everything ties together and the story races onwards like a firework itself
Karya, weakened from her injuries at the end of the previous volume, appears to be dying. The only hope of a cure is for Robin and the gang to somehow get into DIS, the impregnable capital city of the Netherworlde, and the home of Lady Eris, and to go back to where Karya came from all those years ago.
Getting into the enemy city isn't going to be easy though. For a start, Robin's aunt and tutors forbid it as a suicide mission, and there are other irons in the fire too. A burned up Phoenix feather discovered at at Art Gallery event which gives Robin visions of spiders and burned up trees, the continuing hunt for the mysterious book that both the powers at Erlking and Lady Eris henchmen are so desperately searching for. The mystery of a family of Fire Pantheas torn apart by war and prejudice, and if that wasn't all enough to be getting on with, Robin is also learning the tower of fire in his continued magical education.
With so much going on, and a rare two-world eclipse coming up, it's a joy that everything ties together and the story races onwards like a firework itself
October 23, 2021
The thing I enjoy about this fantasy series, is that yes it's technically a 'children's book', but like all the best children's books, it appeals equally to adults. Changeling has never shied away from deeper themes, and with book four, we are led to explore deeper Robin's growing sense of responsibility. gone is the unsure young green behind the ears from book one. This Robin, after everything he has been through since then, is battle hardened, decisive, a natural leader, and fiercely protective of the found family he has built up around him since first arriving at Erlking.
His development is never more apparent than in the battle in One Horn forest, where you can't help but be impressed by the ease and inventiveness with which he wields all different towers of the arcania in combat. it's a breathtaking scene.
lost, rudderless and alone in the Netherworlde by the end of the book, how will Robin and his companions find their missing noblewoman, and rescue their friends from being executed? I guess we will find out in part two : GF Ashes, and I for one cannot wait.
His development is never more apparent than in the battle in One Horn forest, where you can't help but be impressed by the ease and inventiveness with which he wields all different towers of the arcania in combat. it's a breathtaking scene.
lost, rudderless and alone in the Netherworlde by the end of the book, how will Robin and his companions find their missing noblewoman, and rescue their friends from being executed? I guess we will find out in part two : GF Ashes, and I for one cannot wait.
December 30, 2021
We return to Erlking where the last we read about, one of our beloved Netherworlders, Karya, was badly injured. Our favourite band of friends try to find a way to help her, while continuing to compete with Eris' minions in the race for the next Shard.
Meanwhile Robin continues his training to master the towers, with fire being next on the list. With his less-than-ideal trainer things escalate rather quickly and they find themselves in more trouble than they were.
When a mysterious someone reaches out from the Netherworlde, promising answers to their problems, it seems another trip to the Netherworlde is in order. The band splits up and just like in every horror movie, that never ends well.
Book 4 treats us to some new creatures too and as usual, our beloved James ruines our views of a favourite mythological creatures. Nightmare material for sure (when you know, you know).
If by now you still haven't looked into this series, then what are you waiting for?
I'll be here, waiting for part II.
Meanwhile Robin continues his training to master the towers, with fire being next on the list. With his less-than-ideal trainer things escalate rather quickly and they find themselves in more trouble than they were.
When a mysterious someone reaches out from the Netherworlde, promising answers to their problems, it seems another trip to the Netherworlde is in order. The band splits up and just like in every horror movie, that never ends well.
Book 4 treats us to some new creatures too and as usual, our beloved James ruines our views of a favourite mythological creatures. Nightmare material for sure (when you know, you know).
If by now you still haven't looked into this series, then what are you waiting for?
I'll be here, waiting for part II.
May 1, 2022
This author, James Fahy, never fails. This 4th book of the Changeling saga is even better than the previous if that is possible. We find Robin and his friends going back to the Netherworlde to find a cure for Karya but getting themselves deeper into trouble. Not giving any of the story away. If you haven’t read the previous 3 books, I suggest you do so before reading this one. Or not. It is still a fabulous read and this author continues to write with such fluidity and his descriptive powers are so perfect that you’re no longer reading a book but you’re immersed in the beauty and horror of what is happening. I must confess though that one of my huge pet peeves are cliffhangers and I almost deducted a star from this review just because of that…. But I do love this author and so I can forgive him this time! But no more cliffhangers in the future Mr. Fahy please.
Do I recommend this book? Do you need to ask? Of course I do! And now please excuse me I’m going to read the next part of this adventure.
Do I recommend this book? Do you need to ask? Of course I do! And now please excuse me I’m going to read the next part of this adventure.
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March 2, 2022Robin Fellows is now learning the Tower of Fire magic. From the worlds worst and most unreliable fire tutor, Silas Ffoulkes. The shifty, wheeling-dealing fire Panthea is the one to lead Robin, Jackalope and Woad on a journey to a beautiful Alpine region of the Netherworlde, where they hope to find clues at the great market Agora-town which could lead to a cure for Karya's ailment, which is looking more and more drastic as time goes on.
Inevitably, not everything goes to plan, and facing peacekeepers, Strigoi, an whole new member of the Grimm family, and trying to figure out the mystery of lost books, visions from burned up feathers, and the riddle of a noble house of aristocrats, Robin needs all his wits about him in this book, especially when things go sideways and a kidnapping and daring escape into the dangerous wilds ensures.
Reading book four plunged me straight back into the Netherworlde, and now I'm refusing to leave
Inevitably, not everything goes to plan, and facing peacekeepers, Strigoi, an whole new member of the Grimm family, and trying to figure out the mystery of lost books, visions from burned up feathers, and the riddle of a noble house of aristocrats, Robin needs all his wits about him in this book, especially when things go sideways and a kidnapping and daring escape into the dangerous wilds ensures.
Reading book four plunged me straight back into the Netherworlde, and now I'm refusing to leave
March 2, 2022
Fantastic fiery fantasy!
I'll always sing the praises of this series and author. The Changeling series as a whole is both simple enough to be enjoyed by younger readers, and also challenging and complex enough with its moral themes and characters to engage with older readers too.
The theme of book four seems to be responsibility, as Robin faces tests learning the art of Fire magic designed to force independence on him. Here he has to learn the consequences of his own actions, and that often, no one is coming to make the hard decisions for him, or to save him when things get too difficult. Each book in this series seems strongly to be slowly forging Robin into what he was always destined to be. The Scion. A formidable force for the Tyranical Lady Eris to contend with.
His skills in the final battle here in the swamp against a frankly gruesome bogeyman character show just how far he's come in his mastery of the Arcania. No one does character development quite like this.
I'll always sing the praises of this series and author. The Changeling series as a whole is both simple enough to be enjoyed by younger readers, and also challenging and complex enough with its moral themes and characters to engage with older readers too.
The theme of book four seems to be responsibility, as Robin faces tests learning the art of Fire magic designed to force independence on him. Here he has to learn the consequences of his own actions, and that often, no one is coming to make the hard decisions for him, or to save him when things get too difficult. Each book in this series seems strongly to be slowly forging Robin into what he was always destined to be. The Scion. A formidable force for the Tyranical Lady Eris to contend with.
His skills in the final battle here in the swamp against a frankly gruesome bogeyman character show just how far he's come in his mastery of the Arcania. No one does character development quite like this.
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