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The Fires of Aileryan #1
Shadow of Fire
A potent power is about to be unleashed.
Forbidden and forged in flame.
Control over the elements is a gift from the Gods, but since the creation of the Rift, fire magic has been outlawed in Merawuld. The Rift is a source of mystery, fear, and, for some, a tempting source of power.
Ash is a fire caster who has spent years hiding her magic, but when her explosive powers reveal themselves she is imprisoned by the Mage Council. Ash’s powers are coveted by the High Mage, who seeks to use her as a pawn against not only his enemies, but his allies as well.
With the Bone Mother’s winter fast approaching, the fae Princess vows to fight against the corrupting influence of power, forming an alliance whose success rests on a human man’s desire for peace; a man who must decide if he will play the game he's inherited or begin one of his own.
But in Aileryan, the Gods have their own plans. As the Mother of All turns the wheel of the year, the land is brought to the edge of war. Loyalty and courage will be sorely tested as paths intertwine and Fate plays her hand.
If Ash can’t learn to control her magic, the scheming of gods and mortals could spell doom for them all.
Forbidden and forged in flame.
Control over the elements is a gift from the Gods, but since the creation of the Rift, fire magic has been outlawed in Merawuld. The Rift is a source of mystery, fear, and, for some, a tempting source of power.
Ash is a fire caster who has spent years hiding her magic, but when her explosive powers reveal themselves she is imprisoned by the Mage Council. Ash’s powers are coveted by the High Mage, who seeks to use her as a pawn against not only his enemies, but his allies as well.
With the Bone Mother’s winter fast approaching, the fae Princess vows to fight against the corrupting influence of power, forming an alliance whose success rests on a human man’s desire for peace; a man who must decide if he will play the game he's inherited or begin one of his own.
But in Aileryan, the Gods have their own plans. As the Mother of All turns the wheel of the year, the land is brought to the edge of war. Loyalty and courage will be sorely tested as paths intertwine and Fate plays her hand.
If Ash can’t learn to control her magic, the scheming of gods and mortals could spell doom for them all.
370 pages, Paperback
First published May 5, 2022
249 people are currently reading
4775 people want to read
About the author
Kate Schumacher
9 books332 followersAuthor also writes as K.M. Schumacher
Kate Schumacher writes epic fantasy with romance subplots, complex politics and vast, sprawling worlds filled with myth and magic and faeries. These are worlds you can get lost in, worlds where you will find fierce female characters who don't need saving, and men who support them. You will find flawed, reluctant heroes, Celtic myth, power-hungry villains, complicated alliances and a cast of relatable characters.
Kate's writing is influenced by history, sociology, philosophy and mythology, and by politics. She writes multiple point of view stories with individual plot lines that interweave at different points throughout the narrative. Kate never intends this either - her characters are just bossy and rude and all have things to say.
Follow her on Instagram and TikTok @kate.schumacher.writer or visit her website: kateschumacherauthor.com for more information about her published books, her worlds, and her new works.
Kate Schumacher writes epic fantasy with romance subplots, complex politics and vast, sprawling worlds filled with myth and magic and faeries. These are worlds you can get lost in, worlds where you will find fierce female characters who don't need saving, and men who support them. You will find flawed, reluctant heroes, Celtic myth, power-hungry villains, complicated alliances and a cast of relatable characters.
Kate's writing is influenced by history, sociology, philosophy and mythology, and by politics. She writes multiple point of view stories with individual plot lines that interweave at different points throughout the narrative. Kate never intends this either - her characters are just bossy and rude and all have things to say.
Follow her on Instagram and TikTok @kate.schumacher.writer or visit her website: kateschumacherauthor.com for more information about her published books, her worlds, and her new works.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
October 11, 2022
I did something stupid and treated this book like any other - reading one page at a time when I had a moment for it. Don’t do that, people! You want to be focused, especially at the beginning. Otherwise you will get lost and dnf and we don’t want that. This book will make you think more than it will make you feel.
Shadow of Fire is a complex story of political intrigues, thirst for power and magic. There’s a bit of romance but it’s not in the center of attention. However there are some love stories in the making and this is only the first book of a series so who knows what comes next!
Written in third person, from an absolutely insane amount of POVs, the story is not easy to get into (see the above mentioned focus requirement). As a result we are jumping from one character to another before we even get to know them which can be confusing and frustrating. The main story is actually interesting so it’s a shame that the first chapters are so challenging. It took me a moment to get invested but when I did it became an enjoyable read so I may give the second book a shot.
One more thing that bothered me was how serious this book was. I need a joke here and there but alas; glares, gruesome expressions and death threats. But then again that’s not really a flaw per se, more of an author’s choice. It’s just not exactly a match for my tastes. Oh well.
Thank you NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Shadow of Fire is a complex story of political intrigues, thirst for power and magic. There’s a bit of romance but it’s not in the center of attention. However there are some love stories in the making and this is only the first book of a series so who knows what comes next!
Written in third person, from an absolutely insane amount of POVs, the story is not easy to get into (see the above mentioned focus requirement). As a result we are jumping from one character to another before we even get to know them which can be confusing and frustrating. The main story is actually interesting so it’s a shame that the first chapters are so challenging. It took me a moment to get invested but when I did it became an enjoyable read so I may give the second book a shot.
One more thing that bothered me was how serious this book was. I need a joke here and there but alas; glares, gruesome expressions and death threats. But then again that’s not really a flaw per se, more of an author’s choice. It’s just not exactly a match for my tastes. Oh well.
Thank you NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 25, 2023
I wasn't quite sure how else to leave an update. I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed or added my book to your shelves. Hopefully, within the next few months, I will be able to announce details on the sequel. Thank you again and happy reading!
March 18, 2024
I don't know if I will find the right words to convey my love for Shadow of Fire and Kate's writing style. I feel like giving this series 5 stars doesn't do it justice, it deserves so much more. More stars and more recognition.
Shadow of Fire is book 1 in The Fires of Aileryan series by Kate Schumacher. The story is told from multiple POVs, and the impression I was left with is that this is how you do multiple POVs right. I never felt confused or found it difficult to follow different characters (9 in total). If anything, it added to the story's depth, showing it from various perspectives, motives, and wishes.
The story revolves around Ash, a girl born with forbidden fire-casting powers. In a world full of people wanting to use and exploit her powers, she needs to find her voice, overcome her fears and fight for what she believes is right. Ash is the main character, but I wouldn't say others aren't just as important. Given the fact we are gifted multiple POVs, other characters are given more power in sharing their voice and their stories, which I find so refreshing in a world saturated with similar plots.
Shadow of Fire offers so much more than romantic subplots (they are present, and written perfectly), it offers deeply rooted lore, beautifully woven world-building, a thirst for power, and political and court intrigues... But also, it offers a need for a new and better world, a world with possibilities and opportunities for everyone, and characters trying to achieve that.
I urge you to give The Fires of Aileryan series a try, it will consume your mind, make you think about characters and their actions, root for them, and feel for them. I'm on book 2 now, reading and savoring it, each and every page.
Shadow of Fire is book 1 in The Fires of Aileryan series by Kate Schumacher. The story is told from multiple POVs, and the impression I was left with is that this is how you do multiple POVs right. I never felt confused or found it difficult to follow different characters (9 in total). If anything, it added to the story's depth, showing it from various perspectives, motives, and wishes.
The story revolves around Ash, a girl born with forbidden fire-casting powers. In a world full of people wanting to use and exploit her powers, she needs to find her voice, overcome her fears and fight for what she believes is right. Ash is the main character, but I wouldn't say others aren't just as important. Given the fact we are gifted multiple POVs, other characters are given more power in sharing their voice and their stories, which I find so refreshing in a world saturated with similar plots.
Shadow of Fire offers so much more than romantic subplots (they are present, and written perfectly), it offers deeply rooted lore, beautifully woven world-building, a thirst for power, and political and court intrigues... But also, it offers a need for a new and better world, a world with possibilities and opportunities for everyone, and characters trying to achieve that.
I urge you to give The Fires of Aileryan series a try, it will consume your mind, make you think about characters and their actions, root for them, and feel for them. I'm on book 2 now, reading and savoring it, each and every page.
September 12, 2022
I had a hard time putting this book down. There was a total of 9 POVs (some for only a chapter or 2). I was invested in every single one. I needed to know what happened next, and how things played out. I was pleasantly surprised, as I went into this one completely blind. It was exactly what I needed. Witches, forbidden magic, romantic sub-plot, Fae, worldbuilding,etc. The writing and storytelling was top notch. I will be eagerly waiting for book 2.
May 23, 2024
I don’t know why, but I feel like writing a rant. Maybe because I've been saving this book for a while and I had high hopes for it.
Here we go.
(This first consideration is just an impression I had, but it's just a me thing and not a critique.) In the starting point of the story I saw some similarities with Shadow and Bone: a young woman is discovered to have a lost power that could heal a scorch in the land that’s difficult to cross and from where creatures come from (it’s a Rift, practically a fiery pit in the earth, and not the Fold, a swath of darkness, but still), and she’s helped in her escape by her childhood best friend and crush who is a soldier.
There are also fae and personal vendettas and power grasps and a lot of characters, so the development of the story and the execution are its own story, a girl with a special power it’s just one aspect, so I got over the connection my mind made at the start, a lot of fantasy have similar starting points honestly.
There are other big problems.
Frankly I’m sad. Because this book could have been really good, the story is interesting, the world is interesting, the world building well thought, but everything is so rushed, and sometimes even thrown there in a nonsensical way, just for plot purposes, that it took me out of the story.
The execution of the happenings is not good, it’s shaky and lacking. I don’t even know how to explain it, but it’s like there are links missing between things that happen.
The characters could have been really good as well, with different backgrounds, personalities, wants and cultures, but they are not developed enough, they have no growth, and I found them mostly shallow.
Ash is a stereotypical FMC with a secret power she doesn’t want that could make all the difference and has no personality.
Jarlath is Mal but more annoying. Ash is his innocent flower he must protect but as soon as she starts learning to use her power he gets snippy and kind of resentful, because she doesn’t need his constant protection, and also gets annoyingly jealous of the prince helping them because he breaths near the girl he likes.
Fox starts well, but she’s not developed and things don’t make sense for me: she is super determined to make her way into the world on her own and she has worked as an assassin to pay for her freedom for years, but then in two seconds we are told she decided to abandon her assignment (that it’s not different from her usuals just important for the story) without even reading her thoughts, but nothing in her situation has changed, why is she doing this now other than for plot reasons?
Mahelivar is so not developed that I have nothing to say.
Laeli and Thalion could have been interesting, so could have been their romance, but, again, there’s no development. The scene in the cave between them is ridiculous: they just met, they are from enemy territories, he kills her friend, takes her prisoner, she tries to escape, and then they start making out, out of the blue… And the problem is not just his idiocy (because of course she ends up escaping, even if we also see from her pov she’s so attracted to him to have difficulty remember he’s her captor…), but also the instalove on both parts and the rashness of it all. She is his prisoner and they fall in love with one look?
Senan in theory is amazing, and is probably my favorite, but he is, guess what, NOT DEVELOPED.
Sorry about the rant, I needed to express my sadness.
Here we go.
(This first consideration is just an impression I had, but it's just a me thing and not a critique.) In the starting point of the story I saw some similarities with Shadow and Bone: a young woman is discovered to have a lost power that could heal a scorch in the land that’s difficult to cross and from where creatures come from (it’s a Rift, practically a fiery pit in the earth, and not the Fold, a swath of darkness, but still), and she’s helped in her escape by her childhood best friend and crush who is a soldier.
There are also fae and personal vendettas and power grasps and a lot of characters, so the development of the story and the execution are its own story, a girl with a special power it’s just one aspect, so I got over the connection my mind made at the start, a lot of fantasy have similar starting points honestly.
There are other big problems.
Frankly I’m sad. Because this book could have been really good, the story is interesting, the world is interesting, the world building well thought, but everything is so rushed, and sometimes even thrown there in a nonsensical way, just for plot purposes, that it took me out of the story.
The execution of the happenings is not good, it’s shaky and lacking. I don’t even know how to explain it, but it’s like there are links missing between things that happen.
The characters could have been really good as well, with different backgrounds, personalities, wants and cultures, but they are not developed enough, they have no growth, and I found them mostly shallow.
Ash is a stereotypical FMC with a secret power she doesn’t want that could make all the difference and has no personality.
Jarlath is Mal but more annoying. Ash is his innocent flower he must protect but as soon as she starts learning to use her power he gets snippy and kind of resentful, because she doesn’t need his constant protection, and also gets annoyingly jealous of the prince helping them because he breaths near the girl he likes.
Fox starts well, but she’s not developed and things don’t make sense for me: she is super determined to make her way into the world on her own and she has worked as an assassin to pay for her freedom for years, but then in two seconds we are told she decided to abandon her assignment (that it’s not different from her usuals just important for the story) without even reading her thoughts, but nothing in her situation has changed, why is she doing this now other than for plot reasons?
Mahelivar is so not developed that I have nothing to say.
Laeli and Thalion could have been interesting, so could have been their romance, but, again, there’s no development. The scene in the cave between them is ridiculous: they just met, they are from enemy territories, he kills her friend, takes her prisoner, she tries to escape, and then they start making out, out of the blue… And the problem is not just his idiocy (because of course she ends up escaping, even if we also see from her pov she’s so attracted to him to have difficulty remember he’s her captor…), but also the instalove on both parts and the rashness of it all. She is his prisoner and they fall in love with one look?
Senan in theory is amazing, and is probably my favorite, but he is, guess what, NOT DEVELOPED.
Sorry about the rant, I needed to express my sadness.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2022
I loved this book! It took me a little bit to get my head around who was who and where they all belong, as there are quite a few characters we get POVs from, but once I had that straight (and had picked my faves!) I raced through the rest of the book.
It has forbidden fire magic, elemental witches and mages, fae and familiars, battle and romance, politics and power, and pretty much anything else you could want in a fantasy read. The world building was great, and I really enjoyed getting to know how the different communities fitted together. I especially loved the focus throughout the story on the celebration of seasonal festivals like Beltane, Mabon, and Samhain.
I can’t wait for the next book to be released.
It has forbidden fire magic, elemental witches and mages, fae and familiars, battle and romance, politics and power, and pretty much anything else you could want in a fantasy read. The world building was great, and I really enjoyed getting to know how the different communities fitted together. I especially loved the focus throughout the story on the celebration of seasonal festivals like Beltane, Mabon, and Samhain.
I can’t wait for the next book to be released.
July 10, 2022
This book was epiiiiiiiic!!!
Although it took me two months to plow through it, I savoured every magical morsel. This was the book I turned to late at night when I couldn’t sleep, this was the book I turned to when I was at the hospital with my child, this was the book that saw me through the death of my uncle. Through all this, Shadow of Fire had been there, calling me, the characters calling me, the landscape calling me.
Kate has an incredible way with words, she shows the reader what is happening on, she doesn’t just tell you. Her words delve deeper and bring out such vivid imagery. I want to live in this novel.
Congrats on an incredible debut Kate. You should be proud of yourself. I cannot wait for book two.
Although it took me two months to plow through it, I savoured every magical morsel. This was the book I turned to late at night when I couldn’t sleep, this was the book I turned to when I was at the hospital with my child, this was the book that saw me through the death of my uncle. Through all this, Shadow of Fire had been there, calling me, the characters calling me, the landscape calling me.
Kate has an incredible way with words, she shows the reader what is happening on, she doesn’t just tell you. Her words delve deeper and bring out such vivid imagery. I want to live in this novel.
Congrats on an incredible debut Kate. You should be proud of yourself. I cannot wait for book two.
May 9, 2022
Brace yourselves bookworms, because I’m about to fangirl *extremely* hard over Shadow of Fire by Kate Schumacher! This is the debut novel of an incredibly gifted Indie author, and is a NA fantasy recommended for ages 16+. The first book in The Fires of Aileryan series, Shadow of Fire completely immerses us in a world full of magic, deities, politics and danger…
Ash is a fire caster, and fire magic has been outlawed ever since the Rift occurred. When her magic is discovered, it soon becomes clear that powerful people want Ash for their own purpose… And to get away from the High Mage, Ash has to escape prison. With the threat of war from multiple sides, fae royalty are determined to get Ash to Sitra, even as they struggle to protect the world from what’s inside the Rift. But can anyone stop this war that’s brewing? Or will an assassin stop the one chance the fae have, to end the threat of the Rift? And can humans and fae put aside their differences, or will everything come crashing down as the season turns to winter?
I cannot emphasise enough just how much I *love* this book! None of the characters in Shadow of Fire are one dimensional; every single one of them have strengths, weaknesses and uneasy alliances. The humans, fae and halfkin who fill these pages are characters I can’t say goodbye to, despite my turning of the last page.
Shadow of Fire is truly an amazing, enthralling and irresistible start to The Fires of Aileryan series. This absolute gem of a NA fantasy has a place in my heart, and I can tell you right now, I have a good feeling that so will anything else Kate writes. If you love brave heroines, the presence of magic, and huge stakes that could see the end of everything? Join my fangirling, and go buy yourself a copy of Shadow of Fire as soon as you possibly can!
* You can see my full review on my blog: https://www.immersedinbooks.com/shado... *
Ash is a fire caster, and fire magic has been outlawed ever since the Rift occurred. When her magic is discovered, it soon becomes clear that powerful people want Ash for their own purpose… And to get away from the High Mage, Ash has to escape prison. With the threat of war from multiple sides, fae royalty are determined to get Ash to Sitra, even as they struggle to protect the world from what’s inside the Rift. But can anyone stop this war that’s brewing? Or will an assassin stop the one chance the fae have, to end the threat of the Rift? And can humans and fae put aside their differences, or will everything come crashing down as the season turns to winter?
I cannot emphasise enough just how much I *love* this book! None of the characters in Shadow of Fire are one dimensional; every single one of them have strengths, weaknesses and uneasy alliances. The humans, fae and halfkin who fill these pages are characters I can’t say goodbye to, despite my turning of the last page.
Shadow of Fire is truly an amazing, enthralling and irresistible start to The Fires of Aileryan series. This absolute gem of a NA fantasy has a place in my heart, and I can tell you right now, I have a good feeling that so will anything else Kate writes. If you love brave heroines, the presence of magic, and huge stakes that could see the end of everything? Join my fangirling, and go buy yourself a copy of Shadow of Fire as soon as you possibly can!
* You can see my full review on my blog: https://www.immersedinbooks.com/shado... *
April 28, 2022
book in a few words:
~ young girl wielding forbidden magic
~ a hunt
~ battle of power
~ betrayal
~ princess falling for the enemy
~ friend ready to sacrifice his life for love
✨When I started reading this book, I wasn’t sure if it will be a book for me. I’m not a big fan of multiple povs, and this book had quite a lot of them but after some time, I started to fall in love with each of an amazing character Kate created.
✨This story of friendship and love will take you to the magical places of elemental magic. The story is quite complex so it can take some time to understand every part of it but as soon as you do, you won’t be able to put the book down.
✨The writing, storyline and world building is definitely a chef’s kiss so I’m sure you all will fall in love with it as much as I did! I cannot wait for the book two!
~ young girl wielding forbidden magic
~ a hunt
~ battle of power
~ betrayal
~ princess falling for the enemy
~ friend ready to sacrifice his life for love
✨When I started reading this book, I wasn’t sure if it will be a book for me. I’m not a big fan of multiple povs, and this book had quite a lot of them but after some time, I started to fall in love with each of an amazing character Kate created.
✨This story of friendship and love will take you to the magical places of elemental magic. The story is quite complex so it can take some time to understand every part of it but as soon as you do, you won’t be able to put the book down.
✨The writing, storyline and world building is definitely a chef’s kiss so I’m sure you all will fall in love with it as much as I did! I cannot wait for the book two!
July 25, 2023
I read this for SPFBO. To find out more about the SPFBO contest and to see the participating bloggers/authors and reviews follow the links below
This is a hard one to summarize briefly because it’s a world that grows (along with the political intrigue, and the personal relationships) as the story goes.
Ash has been hiding her ability to use fire magic for years, it’s difficult because she is unable to really control it and in one of these episodes she is found-out and imprisoned. Fire magic is rare and a death sentence, thanks to a Rift full of monsters being created with its use by another fire user Faleria, years before.
The discovery of Ash’s magic creates a unique opportunity for the powers in charge- turning Ash into a potential pawn in a high-stakes game that everyone wants to have in their corner.
Ash is just one of the pov’s that are entangled in the goings on between the two countries, and also between the Fae. It’s quite a huge world and we are getting to see all sides of it through multiple people.
*
Shadow of Fire isn’t very long in the scheme of fantasy- around 380 pages but at times it felt longer. The first and biggest reason for me, was likely because of the huge amount of pov’s and getting to know each of them, their part of the world and how they relate to others etc. I found myself not really settling into the story (and not having to refer back to my notes to remind myself who a person was) until a good halfway through or so.
The second is more a personal taste, and that was just that there were too many descriptions and unnecessary scene settings. I do love a beautiful scene and getting to know a character through their enjoyment of the setting, but too many and I start skimming chunks.
If anything, I felt that a little clean-up with fewer pov’s and fewer descriptions, would focus the story and let the great characters and the writing shine.
Small complaints aside. I had a great time with this book and I think Shadow of Fire will appeal to a lot of people. Especially if they're like me and love stories filled with political intrigue, scheming bad guys, magic, romance and danger. I really enjoyed this world (I am sure everyone knows by now my love of the Fae settings) and its characters- once I got to know them- especially Laili and Thalion’s enemies to lovers’ romance which is one of my favourite romance tropes.
Shadow of Fire definitely has a first book jumping off place feel to it and the way things were shaping-up it looks to be a really fun series.
Learn more about the contest here-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
This is a hard one to summarize briefly because it’s a world that grows (along with the political intrigue, and the personal relationships) as the story goes.
Ash has been hiding her ability to use fire magic for years, it’s difficult because she is unable to really control it and in one of these episodes she is found-out and imprisoned. Fire magic is rare and a death sentence, thanks to a Rift full of monsters being created with its use by another fire user Faleria, years before.
The discovery of Ash’s magic creates a unique opportunity for the powers in charge- turning Ash into a potential pawn in a high-stakes game that everyone wants to have in their corner.
Ash is just one of the pov’s that are entangled in the goings on between the two countries, and also between the Fae. It’s quite a huge world and we are getting to see all sides of it through multiple people.
*
Shadow of Fire isn’t very long in the scheme of fantasy- around 380 pages but at times it felt longer. The first and biggest reason for me, was likely because of the huge amount of pov’s and getting to know each of them, their part of the world and how they relate to others etc. I found myself not really settling into the story (and not having to refer back to my notes to remind myself who a person was) until a good halfway through or so.
The second is more a personal taste, and that was just that there were too many descriptions and unnecessary scene settings. I do love a beautiful scene and getting to know a character through their enjoyment of the setting, but too many and I start skimming chunks.
If anything, I felt that a little clean-up with fewer pov’s and fewer descriptions, would focus the story and let the great characters and the writing shine.
Small complaints aside. I had a great time with this book and I think Shadow of Fire will appeal to a lot of people. Especially if they're like me and love stories filled with political intrigue, scheming bad guys, magic, romance and danger. I really enjoyed this world (I am sure everyone knows by now my love of the Fae settings) and its characters- once I got to know them- especially Laili and Thalion’s enemies to lovers’ romance which is one of my favourite romance tropes.
Shadow of Fire definitely has a first book jumping off place feel to it and the way things were shaping-up it looks to be a really fun series.
Learn more about the contest here-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
September 13, 2022
This is epic fantasy at its best!
The world was immersive & the descriptions vivid. I really enjoyed the old lore & elemental magical elements along with the traditional characterisation of the Fae & magical creatures - instead of a lot of the similar ‘ fae courts ‘ we are seeing at the moment.
It felt similar to the epic fantasies I used to read in my teens, but much more fresh.
The authors writing is very descriptive so I found I really had to focus when reading or I would miss things!
The multiple povs added an amazing depth & dimension to the world & I was honestly surprised at how I felt each characters voice so quickly - I especially loved getting the ‘villains’ povs as well. And while in some ways having multiple povs helped to give you a more well rounded view of the world in others it felt like it took you longer to get to certain places within the story - because each time you change pov you need to gather information to understand them each in their own way.
But the plot moved at a nice consistent pace & I loved all the different romantic relationships that were explored (there is definitely one couple that was my firm favourite! ) The great thing about multiple characters is the multiple love stories!
It has absolutely beautiful pros, the world building is immaculate & the way the author was able to move through the characters povs without it being confusing & giving you an insight into each one so effortlessly is masterful work.
This is definitely an adult fantasy novel & while there is romantic relationships there is no spice. There are steamy parts to it though & I still enjoyed the intimate moments that did take place between the characters.
I am looking forward to book 2 & the final part of this duology to see how they will all overcome the big hurdles put in front of them.
The world was immersive & the descriptions vivid. I really enjoyed the old lore & elemental magical elements along with the traditional characterisation of the Fae & magical creatures - instead of a lot of the similar ‘ fae courts ‘ we are seeing at the moment.
It felt similar to the epic fantasies I used to read in my teens, but much more fresh.
The authors writing is very descriptive so I found I really had to focus when reading or I would miss things!
The multiple povs added an amazing depth & dimension to the world & I was honestly surprised at how I felt each characters voice so quickly - I especially loved getting the ‘villains’ povs as well. And while in some ways having multiple povs helped to give you a more well rounded view of the world in others it felt like it took you longer to get to certain places within the story - because each time you change pov you need to gather information to understand them each in their own way.
But the plot moved at a nice consistent pace & I loved all the different romantic relationships that were explored (there is definitely one couple that was my firm favourite! ) The great thing about multiple characters is the multiple love stories!
It has absolutely beautiful pros, the world building is immaculate & the way the author was able to move through the characters povs without it being confusing & giving you an insight into each one so effortlessly is masterful work.
This is definitely an adult fantasy novel & while there is romantic relationships there is no spice. There are steamy parts to it though & I still enjoyed the intimate moments that did take place between the characters.
I am looking forward to book 2 & the final part of this duology to see how they will all overcome the big hurdles put in front of them.
April 14, 2023
One word: unputdownable. This is an actual word because of this book. I had the privilege of beta reading this originally, and I was blown away by Kate’s absolute mastery of the written word. She effortlessly weaves mythology and legend into her worlds while presenting us with clever characters with depth and soul.
If you’re looking for political intrigue mixed with lore and magic and some serious action scenes all pinned together with slow burn romance, read this now. I’d tell you to read book 2 after, but I know you’ll be forced to once you’ve had a taste of this delicious world Kate has created for us.
If you’re looking for political intrigue mixed with lore and magic and some serious action scenes all pinned together with slow burn romance, read this now. I’d tell you to read book 2 after, but I know you’ll be forced to once you’ve had a taste of this delicious world Kate has created for us.
September 30, 2022
3.5⭐️ Solid start to a new fantasy series! The political posturing straight out of gate had me hooked!
Shadow of Fire has it all; magic, folklore, war, romance. All vividly woven into the story. 🤌
I would recommend and I'm excited for book 2.
Shadow of Fire has it all; magic, folklore, war, romance. All vividly woven into the story. 🤌
I would recommend and I'm excited for book 2.
August 7, 2022
This book has something for everyone - like fae? Awesome world building? Great characters and with chemistry?? Political intrigue? Involvement of the Gods? Elemental magic? All of this - check check check check!!!… It took me a little bit to get into this one but to be honest it was a rough work week and my brain was just cooked I think LOL. But once I did get into this, it played like a movie in my head, which I absolutely adore! It took me the longest time to figure out who my favourite characters were because the MC is great but so are all the side characters! I’m walking away from this book with 1… Oh no ok let’s be honest… 2 new potential book boyfriends and a new book girlfriend!!! I cannot wait to see what happens in the sequel and I am so so so so so happy that I do not have to wait long for it!
CW: Violence, death, classism, racism (towards Demi-fae)
CW: Violence, death, classism, racism (towards Demi-fae)
August 10, 2022
Full review to follow but… WOW. I cannot wait to see where this series takes us. That ending?! The beautiful prose. The CHEMISTRY. The intricate cleverly woven multiple POVs. I am shook. I NEED MORE KATE. PLEASE.
July 11, 2022
Just reread this one and loved it even more!!! I am looking forward to the next installment.
New Adult Fantasy: not suitable for anyone under 16 years of age – it contains adult language, violence, sexual content and inferences to death and torture.
Fantasy isn't just for kids!
What I loved about this book – everything.
Story – complex and enthralling. In this book we travel to the kingdoms of Merwuld, Eshlune, Veshlir and Estillen.. The world is inhabited by humans, Mages, halfkins, Fae and other strange beings. There is an evil Queen who wants to take over her Brothers Kingdom and get her revenge for being banished to the Ice Kingdom 100 years ago. An equally evil leader of the Mage council, who is manipulating the human Queen to carry out his evil takeover of the adjoining kingdom and another evil King, hell bent on war.
The heroes are trying to stop this all in war from beginning and fighting for the good of all. It is a story filled with magic, excitement, danger, manipulation, deceit, treachery, spies, fights for their lives and love. Everything you want in a fantasy story is here in the perfect amount to entice and captivate.
Characters and Character development – Over the first part of the story, we are gradually introduced to the cast of compelling characters. Each of the MCs has a unique personality with their own story to add to the overall richness and depth of this fantasy tale. The main characters also compliment each other so well, naturally drawing together to form alliances and bonds of friendship and more. I love that the females in this story are strong, independent and show an ability to lead and solve the issues at hand. It is not that the male characters are weak, in fact they are strong, just as capable, but also have an empathy that too is a strength.
Favourite Characters – Thalion and Leali, but I loved them all. Fox is a truly captivating character and I look forward to seeing more of her and discovering her story in future books.
World Building – Superlative. The author has created such an amazing world. It is diverse in it's separate kingdoms, each with a unique climate and landscape. The magical kingdom of the Fae is enchanting and beautiful. A reflection of those that live there. Veshlir is cold and barren, a place for those who have nowhere else to go. The use of ancient rituals and legends such as Beltane gives it a familiarity and embeds your imagination in the dark ages and all the wonder of that time. A time where magic and the ancient Gods determined each and every aspect of life.
Writing/language – magical and descriptive. This is a story that draws you in with the detailed descriptions of each land and it's characters. It weaves it's own magic as you read and become invested in these characters and their fight for what is right.
This is a story I couldn't put down. I am looking forward to book 2 so much and hope it is well and truly in the pipeline. Kate Schumacher tells us this story began 20 years ago. I am so very glad she decided that Fantasy isn't just for kids and that she wrote such a magical story for those of us who agree wholeheartedly.
If you love fantasy, you need to read this book.
Thank you to the author for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
New Adult Fantasy: not suitable for anyone under 16 years of age – it contains adult language, violence, sexual content and inferences to death and torture.
Fantasy isn't just for kids!
What I loved about this book – everything.
Story – complex and enthralling. In this book we travel to the kingdoms of Merwuld, Eshlune, Veshlir and Estillen.. The world is inhabited by humans, Mages, halfkins, Fae and other strange beings. There is an evil Queen who wants to take over her Brothers Kingdom and get her revenge for being banished to the Ice Kingdom 100 years ago. An equally evil leader of the Mage council, who is manipulating the human Queen to carry out his evil takeover of the adjoining kingdom and another evil King, hell bent on war.
The heroes are trying to stop this all in war from beginning and fighting for the good of all. It is a story filled with magic, excitement, danger, manipulation, deceit, treachery, spies, fights for their lives and love. Everything you want in a fantasy story is here in the perfect amount to entice and captivate.
Characters and Character development – Over the first part of the story, we are gradually introduced to the cast of compelling characters. Each of the MCs has a unique personality with their own story to add to the overall richness and depth of this fantasy tale. The main characters also compliment each other so well, naturally drawing together to form alliances and bonds of friendship and more. I love that the females in this story are strong, independent and show an ability to lead and solve the issues at hand. It is not that the male characters are weak, in fact they are strong, just as capable, but also have an empathy that too is a strength.
Favourite Characters – Thalion and Leali, but I loved them all. Fox is a truly captivating character and I look forward to seeing more of her and discovering her story in future books.
World Building – Superlative. The author has created such an amazing world. It is diverse in it's separate kingdoms, each with a unique climate and landscape. The magical kingdom of the Fae is enchanting and beautiful. A reflection of those that live there. Veshlir is cold and barren, a place for those who have nowhere else to go. The use of ancient rituals and legends such as Beltane gives it a familiarity and embeds your imagination in the dark ages and all the wonder of that time. A time where magic and the ancient Gods determined each and every aspect of life.
Writing/language – magical and descriptive. This is a story that draws you in with the detailed descriptions of each land and it's characters. It weaves it's own magic as you read and become invested in these characters and their fight for what is right.
This is a story I couldn't put down. I am looking forward to book 2 so much and hope it is well and truly in the pipeline. Kate Schumacher tells us this story began 20 years ago. I am so very glad she decided that Fantasy isn't just for kids and that she wrote such a magical story for those of us who agree wholeheartedly.
If you love fantasy, you need to read this book.
Thank you to the author for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 15, 2023
HOLY GUACAMOLE
(SPOILER FREE!)
First of all: thank you Kate for being my first ARC!
Second of all: read this work of art!
I said it before and I'm saying it again. If you read this book or anything Kate writes you will immediately feel that she was BORN to write and tell her stories.
The world building was *chef's kiss*. It felt so real, so well thought through and I never doubted a second that this would be a 5 star read!
The characters are divine. None like the other and I do have my favorites (I mean... Those who know, know, those who don't, don't.)
And the plot line itself? Just flowing in such dimensions that it convinces you from chapter 1 on through to the epilogue which has been so good!
I now speak to anyone now who appreciates great high fantasy books, who doesn't shy away from some violence, who devours pages that are laced with such poetic and lovely writing! Read this!
And yeah, it's a debut. Never would have thought that. And yes, I'm praising it, but just because it deserves it. Just wow.
Goodbye, I'll go wait in a dark corner until I get my hands on book 2👀
(SPOILER FREE!)
First of all: thank you Kate for being my first ARC!
Second of all: read this work of art!
I said it before and I'm saying it again. If you read this book or anything Kate writes you will immediately feel that she was BORN to write and tell her stories.
The world building was *chef's kiss*. It felt so real, so well thought through and I never doubted a second that this would be a 5 star read!
The characters are divine. None like the other and I do have my favorites (I mean... Those who know, know, those who don't, don't.)
And the plot line itself? Just flowing in such dimensions that it convinces you from chapter 1 on through to the epilogue which has been so good!
I now speak to anyone now who appreciates great high fantasy books, who doesn't shy away from some violence, who devours pages that are laced with such poetic and lovely writing! Read this!
And yeah, it's a debut. Never would have thought that. And yes, I'm praising it, but just because it deserves it. Just wow.
Goodbye, I'll go wait in a dark corner until I get my hands on book 2👀
June 26, 2022
You can find this review and all my others over at www.readbookrepeat.wordpress.com
I received a copy of this book from Social Book Tours in conjunction with their organised book tour. All thoughts are my own.
Actual rating of 3.75
Ever since The Rift was created, Fire Magic has been outlawed and punishable by death in Merawuld. So when Ash can no longer hide the fact that she is a Fire Caster, she believes her life is forfeit. It soon turns out that there are far more nefarious dealings in play and there are different factions fighting over her capture. Some wish to kill her, some wish to control her, and some wish to help her. As the Bone Mother's winter is fast approaching, The Fae Princess is determined to help Ash learn to control her powers while battling against corrupt, power hungry leaders who want nothing but war. Her hope rests on the shoulders of a human man who wishes for peace. Everything is riding on Ash learning to control her fire magic, lest the world fall into war and ruin, spelling doom for all.
This was a fantastic opening to what is promising to be an amazing series. I'll admit, in the beginning, there was so much going on, actually, throughout the whole book, there's a lot going on. This instalment serves to set up the world building and political hierarchy for the rest of the series, while simultaneously introducing us to the major players and their stories and goals. So initially I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about it, but once I began to understand everything and wrap my head around all the different characters, I started to really enjoy the story that is forming. It's going to be a big story I believe, there are a lot of players and a lot of different threads to follow, yet they all somehow intertwine which I thought was great.
In the beginning, I was super invested in Ash's story and was mostly wanting to stick with her and Jarlath. So I didn't like that the story jumped into other characters leaving me hanging on what was going on with Ash and Jarl, I felt like I just didn't care about anyone else at that point. But then! Then I became invested in the thread that follows the Fae Princess and her chance encounters with Tharion; I'll admit, since finishing the story, I am mostly here for their story now. Don't get me wrong, I'm still keen to see what happens with Ash and Jarlath because they're great characters too, but I became so endeared and invested in the Fae Princess and the son who is a disappointment to his father in so many ways. And don't get me started on Fox. Initially I believed there were too many characters flying around with too many stories for me to enjoy any of them, but I've become invested in so many of them, and I just didn't think that was going to happen! I can't stop thinking about the stable hand that Tharion talks to either...I want to say his name is Elan? Yeah, he's been living rent free in my head since I finished the book and I just need to know what's going to happen with his and his sister's story. So yeah, you could say I'm invested. The characters are all so well written, they're all so distinctly different from one another with so much depth and realness to them. There's also some character growth that happens throughout this story, which I always love. I love when characters and relationships get to grow and evolve organically, it makes the story more enjoyable for me while still lending a sense of believability to everything.
The world, my god the world. This world is huge. It is so rich in it's diversity and when you tie in the hierarchy and the political back stabbing and just everything, it's big. There is a lot that needs to be set up and explained and illustrated so bare in mind that there's not so much info dumping happening, but there's a lot of information to take in and wrap your head around. So while it might seem daunting initially, stick with it and take in as much as you can because what ends up forming is such a gorgeously detailed world that is so rich in it's lore and the different races and religions. We visit so many different places throughout the story and I loved the descriptions of every single one. I also love that we get a full picture of everything without the descriptions being overly involved and over the top.
I'm not normally too keen on political heavy stories, whatever genre they may be, but I find myself super invested in what's going to happen between the warring factions in this story. There's so many people involved that I've begun to care about and I just need to know that things are going to turn out okay for them, I'll take knowing that most of them are okay if I have to. I just know that I'm probably going to have my heart ripped out and stomped on as the series progresses, but I still need to know what's going to happen. I am invested.
All in all, I felt that this was an absolutely fantastic start to a promising new fantasy series. It has many threads that will need to be tied together and they've already started crossing over and twining into each other which I feel really lends to Schumacher's ability in her craft. The characters and world are rich and so well developed with room to evolve and grow as the story progresses and the writing had a decent flow to it. Though it felt like it took me a while to get through this one, I feel that was more because there was so much to take in and this book is a lot of setting up the world and the stories, I feel that the pacing in book two will be much better as so many foundations have been laid in this opening story. If you like a fantasy with rich world building, fabulous lore, deep characters and relationships and stories that really drive the story forward, give this one a go, you won't be disappointed. And I implore you, if initially you are finding that there's a lot going on, stick with it, because I promise, once you close that back cover, you'll be hooked.
I received a copy of this book from Social Book Tours in conjunction with their organised book tour. All thoughts are my own.
Actual rating of 3.75
Ever since The Rift was created, Fire Magic has been outlawed and punishable by death in Merawuld. So when Ash can no longer hide the fact that she is a Fire Caster, she believes her life is forfeit. It soon turns out that there are far more nefarious dealings in play and there are different factions fighting over her capture. Some wish to kill her, some wish to control her, and some wish to help her. As the Bone Mother's winter is fast approaching, The Fae Princess is determined to help Ash learn to control her powers while battling against corrupt, power hungry leaders who want nothing but war. Her hope rests on the shoulders of a human man who wishes for peace. Everything is riding on Ash learning to control her fire magic, lest the world fall into war and ruin, spelling doom for all.
This was a fantastic opening to what is promising to be an amazing series. I'll admit, in the beginning, there was so much going on, actually, throughout the whole book, there's a lot going on. This instalment serves to set up the world building and political hierarchy for the rest of the series, while simultaneously introducing us to the major players and their stories and goals. So initially I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about it, but once I began to understand everything and wrap my head around all the different characters, I started to really enjoy the story that is forming. It's going to be a big story I believe, there are a lot of players and a lot of different threads to follow, yet they all somehow intertwine which I thought was great.
In the beginning, I was super invested in Ash's story and was mostly wanting to stick with her and Jarlath. So I didn't like that the story jumped into other characters leaving me hanging on what was going on with Ash and Jarl, I felt like I just didn't care about anyone else at that point. But then! Then I became invested in the thread that follows the Fae Princess and her chance encounters with Tharion; I'll admit, since finishing the story, I am mostly here for their story now. Don't get me wrong, I'm still keen to see what happens with Ash and Jarlath because they're great characters too, but I became so endeared and invested in the Fae Princess and the son who is a disappointment to his father in so many ways. And don't get me started on Fox. Initially I believed there were too many characters flying around with too many stories for me to enjoy any of them, but I've become invested in so many of them, and I just didn't think that was going to happen! I can't stop thinking about the stable hand that Tharion talks to either...I want to say his name is Elan? Yeah, he's been living rent free in my head since I finished the book and I just need to know what's going to happen with his and his sister's story. So yeah, you could say I'm invested. The characters are all so well written, they're all so distinctly different from one another with so much depth and realness to them. There's also some character growth that happens throughout this story, which I always love. I love when characters and relationships get to grow and evolve organically, it makes the story more enjoyable for me while still lending a sense of believability to everything.
The world, my god the world. This world is huge. It is so rich in it's diversity and when you tie in the hierarchy and the political back stabbing and just everything, it's big. There is a lot that needs to be set up and explained and illustrated so bare in mind that there's not so much info dumping happening, but there's a lot of information to take in and wrap your head around. So while it might seem daunting initially, stick with it and take in as much as you can because what ends up forming is such a gorgeously detailed world that is so rich in it's lore and the different races and religions. We visit so many different places throughout the story and I loved the descriptions of every single one. I also love that we get a full picture of everything without the descriptions being overly involved and over the top.
I'm not normally too keen on political heavy stories, whatever genre they may be, but I find myself super invested in what's going to happen between the warring factions in this story. There's so many people involved that I've begun to care about and I just need to know that things are going to turn out okay for them, I'll take knowing that most of them are okay if I have to. I just know that I'm probably going to have my heart ripped out and stomped on as the series progresses, but I still need to know what's going to happen. I am invested.
All in all, I felt that this was an absolutely fantastic start to a promising new fantasy series. It has many threads that will need to be tied together and they've already started crossing over and twining into each other which I feel really lends to Schumacher's ability in her craft. The characters and world are rich and so well developed with room to evolve and grow as the story progresses and the writing had a decent flow to it. Though it felt like it took me a while to get through this one, I feel that was more because there was so much to take in and this book is a lot of setting up the world and the stories, I feel that the pacing in book two will be much better as so many foundations have been laid in this opening story. If you like a fantasy with rich world building, fabulous lore, deep characters and relationships and stories that really drive the story forward, give this one a go, you won't be disappointed. And I implore you, if initially you are finding that there's a lot going on, stick with it, because I promise, once you close that back cover, you'll be hooked.
February 21, 2022
HOLY POTATO CHIPS AND SALSA DIP BATMAN!!!!
Someone hand Kate an award and put her on the best seller list because this is a work of art - and I need book two ASAP!
Well developed characters,
Twists and turns and plot development,
World building is *chefs kiss*
If you like fantasy, folk lore and power plays then this is for you!!!!
Someone hand Kate an award and put her on the best seller list because this is a work of art - and I need book two ASAP!
Well developed characters,
Twists and turns and plot development,
World building is *chefs kiss*
If you like fantasy, folk lore and power plays then this is for you!!!!
September 29, 2022
“People have a way of believing what suits them.”
A very long time ago humans arrived on the lands of the Fae and were welcomed onto those lands. The two groups quickly worked to learn from one another and grew a new community. The Fae started families with the humans and many generations would be born with Fae gifts. Unfortunately, human life is far shorter than the lifespan of these wondrous beings and the Fae grew weary of watching their offspring and loved ones die long before them. The Fae decided to retreat back to their forest lands and separated from the humans. Their blood, however, continues on through the human population creating halfkins, some born with magic, some not.
All children are tested to see if they have an elemental gift and are then sent for training if they do. Earth, air, and water magic are the elements humans are sometimes born with, fire having been not seen for a hundred years. Fire magic terrifies the humans due to the rift.
The rift was created like this. The new Fae King and his sisters could not agree on how to deal with the humans. The siblings eventually went to war amongst themselves because of this. Faleria and King Rhodri wanted to attempt to continue living in peace with the humans while Kiarda wished to destroy those she saw as invaders. Faleria sought to contain Kiarda and in doing so created a rift in the earth of fire.
While fire magic hadn’t been seen in 100 years, one would be born with that frightening gift. Due to this circumstance out of her control, she would be hunted and forced to face her destiny.
The world building in this book is phenomenal. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series. This book does have multiple narrators, 9 I believe. It can be somewhat difficult to follow at first but quickly becomes easier. If you love high fantasy books I highly recommend this one to you.
A very long time ago humans arrived on the lands of the Fae and were welcomed onto those lands. The two groups quickly worked to learn from one another and grew a new community. The Fae started families with the humans and many generations would be born with Fae gifts. Unfortunately, human life is far shorter than the lifespan of these wondrous beings and the Fae grew weary of watching their offspring and loved ones die long before them. The Fae decided to retreat back to their forest lands and separated from the humans. Their blood, however, continues on through the human population creating halfkins, some born with magic, some not.
All children are tested to see if they have an elemental gift and are then sent for training if they do. Earth, air, and water magic are the elements humans are sometimes born with, fire having been not seen for a hundred years. Fire magic terrifies the humans due to the rift.
The rift was created like this. The new Fae King and his sisters could not agree on how to deal with the humans. The siblings eventually went to war amongst themselves because of this. Faleria and King Rhodri wanted to attempt to continue living in peace with the humans while Kiarda wished to destroy those she saw as invaders. Faleria sought to contain Kiarda and in doing so created a rift in the earth of fire.
While fire magic hadn’t been seen in 100 years, one would be born with that frightening gift. Due to this circumstance out of her control, she would be hunted and forced to face her destiny.
The world building in this book is phenomenal. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series. This book does have multiple narrators, 9 I believe. It can be somewhat difficult to follow at first but quickly becomes easier. If you love high fantasy books I highly recommend this one to you.
December 15, 2023
I really enjoyed this book.
The concept and story at its core has me completely captivated. I’m invested in the characters, and invested with their journeys.
The plot is intriguing and constantly making me wonder what’s next, what’s going to happen.
The one thing I struggled with is the large cast with multiple POV’s, THIS IS A ME STRUGGLE NOT A WRITING PROBLEM.
I have always struggled reading more than 3 POV’s in one book, no matter how brilliantly the book is written (SJM’s TOG series is one of my favorites and I still struggled to keep up with all the POV’s towards the end of that series as well).
My individual problem is that when the POV switches between too many characters in different places it can take me out of the story and I have to reorient myself in the world again.
In saying, that the author handled the large cast and many POV switches remarkably and I was able to follow the flow of the main plot with minimal disruption to my flow of reading (for me this is an accomplishment).
Brilliant book and I’m diving straight into book 2 because I’m invested and need to know what happens next.
The concept and story at its core has me completely captivated. I’m invested in the characters, and invested with their journeys.
The plot is intriguing and constantly making me wonder what’s next, what’s going to happen.
The one thing I struggled with is the large cast with multiple POV’s, THIS IS A ME STRUGGLE NOT A WRITING PROBLEM.
I have always struggled reading more than 3 POV’s in one book, no matter how brilliantly the book is written (SJM’s TOG series is one of my favorites and I still struggled to keep up with all the POV’s towards the end of that series as well).
My individual problem is that when the POV switches between too many characters in different places it can take me out of the story and I have to reorient myself in the world again.
In saying, that the author handled the large cast and many POV switches remarkably and I was able to follow the flow of the main plot with minimal disruption to my flow of reading (for me this is an accomplishment).
Brilliant book and I’m diving straight into book 2 because I’m invested and need to know what happens next.
December 5, 2022
3☆
Shadow of Fire is about magic and the thirst for power. We follow a large cast of main characters: Ash, Jarlath, Leali, Senan, Thalion, Mahelivar, Fox, and several more that I cannot remember.
For the first almost 100 pages, I was bored and considering not finishing this. There are an excessive amount of POV's and each time there are new names, concepts, and political things that I had to give myself a break. It's very hard to get into, but a third way into it, it's slightly more enjoyable. I would have preferred if we followed just one of the storylines, instead of as many as we could get in there, but that's just a personal preference.
As I've recently discovered, for me to enjoy a fantasy book, there needs to be some element of romance, even if it's not the focus. This leads to my point: if it weren't for Leali and Thalion, I think I wouldn't have enjoyed this as much as I did. Those two characters and their storyline amount to 2 out of the 3 stars. Their chemistry and their plotline were so good. As I mentioned before, I would've much preferred if the book centred around these 2 characters. Ash and Jarlath have potential but they mostly frustrated me.
Overall, enjoyable and it's set up really well for the upcoming sequel, but just not really for me.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Shadow of Fire is about magic and the thirst for power. We follow a large cast of main characters: Ash, Jarlath, Leali, Senan, Thalion, Mahelivar, Fox, and several more that I cannot remember.
For the first almost 100 pages, I was bored and considering not finishing this. There are an excessive amount of POV's and each time there are new names, concepts, and political things that I had to give myself a break. It's very hard to get into, but a third way into it, it's slightly more enjoyable. I would have preferred if we followed just one of the storylines, instead of as many as we could get in there, but that's just a personal preference.
As I've recently discovered, for me to enjoy a fantasy book, there needs to be some element of romance, even if it's not the focus. This leads to my point: if it weren't for Leali and Thalion, I think I wouldn't have enjoyed this as much as I did. Those two characters and their storyline amount to 2 out of the 3 stars. Their chemistry and their plotline were so good. As I mentioned before, I would've much preferred if the book centred around these 2 characters. Ash and Jarlath have potential but they mostly frustrated me.
Overall, enjoyable and it's set up really well for the upcoming sequel, but just not really for me.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 12, 2022
"Before we can grow and change and emerge renewed, we must let go of the things that hold us back. Of the things we cannot control."
On the continent of Aileryan, humans and fae live uncomfortably in the same world. Humans stick to their cities, the vestiges of fae magic in the blood of some, halfkin are treated poorly or as slaves. But there are political movements afoot, agendas in play, and now a girl with forbidden fire magic has revealed herself and gone on the run. The wheel of the year is turning and as the veil grows thin, who will harness the powers of the mortal and immortal worlds to their own gain? And can the girl Ash harness her own power before it's too late?
I experienced this debut indie fantasy book as Holly Black meets G R R Martin.
What do I mean by that? Well, we have the fae, we have a magic system, we have elemental magic, we have humans and non-humans - all that fantasy stuff. But we also have this large, disparate world with complex politics, we have the sneaky guy trying to amass power, we have kings and queens and slaves and those in between. I didn't really get a sense of a single main character, but rather a vast world of many competing interests, and we get to see and visit with many of those. In those ways, it reminded me of the Game of Thrones series.
It took me a little bit to get into, just because in the initial chapters, we spend each chapter with a new character in a new place. So it took me a while to get a feel for the world and care about the characters. There's nothing unusual about this in a high fantasy read however, as world and character building in such a vast story takes time. I'm glad I stuck with it, as I ended up really enjoying this book.
I would definitely categorise it as adult high fantasy. It is told in an omniscient kind of style such that you're really reading a large story with many moving pieces rather than becoming completely immersed in a character (again, GoT reminiscent). This is a bit different than a lot of modern (indie) fantasy, but once I got used to it, I enjoyed it. The writing feels mature and I was unsurprised to read that the author has tertiary qualifications in writing.
I really enjoyed the celtic and pagan elements woven into the story, the way it makes use of the wheel of the year and the deities such as the Cailleach. I definitely sense a lot more to this story that is only just begun and set up in this book, and I'm keen to read more!
On the continent of Aileryan, humans and fae live uncomfortably in the same world. Humans stick to their cities, the vestiges of fae magic in the blood of some, halfkin are treated poorly or as slaves. But there are political movements afoot, agendas in play, and now a girl with forbidden fire magic has revealed herself and gone on the run. The wheel of the year is turning and as the veil grows thin, who will harness the powers of the mortal and immortal worlds to their own gain? And can the girl Ash harness her own power before it's too late?
I experienced this debut indie fantasy book as Holly Black meets G R R Martin.
What do I mean by that? Well, we have the fae, we have a magic system, we have elemental magic, we have humans and non-humans - all that fantasy stuff. But we also have this large, disparate world with complex politics, we have the sneaky guy trying to amass power, we have kings and queens and slaves and those in between. I didn't really get a sense of a single main character, but rather a vast world of many competing interests, and we get to see and visit with many of those. In those ways, it reminded me of the Game of Thrones series.
It took me a little bit to get into, just because in the initial chapters, we spend each chapter with a new character in a new place. So it took me a while to get a feel for the world and care about the characters. There's nothing unusual about this in a high fantasy read however, as world and character building in such a vast story takes time. I'm glad I stuck with it, as I ended up really enjoying this book.
I would definitely categorise it as adult high fantasy. It is told in an omniscient kind of style such that you're really reading a large story with many moving pieces rather than becoming completely immersed in a character (again, GoT reminiscent). This is a bit different than a lot of modern (indie) fantasy, but once I got used to it, I enjoyed it. The writing feels mature and I was unsurprised to read that the author has tertiary qualifications in writing.
I really enjoyed the celtic and pagan elements woven into the story, the way it makes use of the wheel of the year and the deities such as the Cailleach. I definitely sense a lot more to this story that is only just begun and set up in this book, and I'm keen to read more!
July 17, 2023
3.5 stars
This book requires focus and time. There are A LOT of characters and you are reading all of their POVs. It took me until almost halfway through to get a full grip of who and what each character is. So if you sit down with this one, which I hope you do because it's a good book, be sure to actually dedicate your full attention to it so you aren't left slightly confused.
World building=fantastic
Political intrigue=abso-freaking-lutely
Magic-You bet!
Romance- a smidge and it's not too cheesy or spicy
Great characters! Even the baddies are delightful to read about.Good character growth. An appealing plot. There's a learning curve but I promise it's worth the read! I'm starting the second one now.
This book requires focus and time. There are A LOT of characters and you are reading all of their POVs. It took me until almost halfway through to get a full grip of who and what each character is. So if you sit down with this one, which I hope you do because it's a good book, be sure to actually dedicate your full attention to it so you aren't left slightly confused.
World building=fantastic
Political intrigue=abso-freaking-lutely
Magic-You bet!
Romance- a smidge and it's not too cheesy or spicy
Great characters! Even the baddies are delightful to read about.Good character growth. An appealing plot. There's a learning curve but I promise it's worth the read! I'm starting the second one now.
August 6, 2022
Shadow of Fire is a rip-roaring adventure in a world where fire is feared and fire magic outlawed — which is unfortunate, because Ash’s secret life as a fire caster is finally out.
A master at world-building, @kate.schumacher.writer has created a world I didn’t want to leave. With a marvellous cast of characters including fae, assassins, mages and of course, a fabled fire-caster, I couldn’t tell you who my favourite was. Ash or Laeli? Thalion or Jarlath? It didn’t matter - every character was strong, kick-ass and layered and made me root for them all the way to final page - so much so I almost let the fire go out because I forgot to stop reading to get more wood!🙊
Hanging around (im)patiently for Book Two in The Fires of Aileryan.
A master at world-building, @kate.schumacher.writer has created a world I didn’t want to leave. With a marvellous cast of characters including fae, assassins, mages and of course, a fabled fire-caster, I couldn’t tell you who my favourite was. Ash or Laeli? Thalion or Jarlath? It didn’t matter - every character was strong, kick-ass and layered and made me root for them all the way to final page - so much so I almost let the fire go out because I forgot to stop reading to get more wood!🙊
Hanging around (im)patiently for Book Two in The Fires of Aileryan.
December 15, 2022
Kate's writing just flows so beautifully! The world building is epic and large! There's a lot of characters and I'm not gonna lie my C-vid brain struggled to keep them all straight. But I did enjoy getting each of their backstories and the whys to their decisions. It felt like I was watching LotR epic adventure and battles! So really well done!!
January 3, 2023
I ended up not finished this book at the time ( 70% ). I got extremely confused by the amount of different POV's. Due tot this, I wasn't enjoying reading the book as much as I would've liked. The story on the other hand was really good! I will definitely come back to this at a later time and try again.
June 22, 2022
All of the characters are so well formed, her female leads are kick ass queens and those male leads?..... Well, you are just going to have read it to know! 🥰.
There are so many wonderful characters evolving, so much intrigue & political power plays, power hungry rulers & devious council members and the enemies to lovers, the tension building, will have you glued to the pages, and that has me so excited for more.
🌟🌟If you want:🌟🌟
👸Elemental Magic
🧝♂️Fae Kingdom
🤴Halflings
🧝Enemies to Lovers
🧚♀️Human and Fae at War
👸Gods
🧝♂️Political Intrigue
🤴Multiple POV
🧝World Building
🧚♀️Great Characters
And all in the one fabulous fantasy book by an Australian Indie Author then this is for you.
There are so many wonderful characters evolving, so much intrigue & political power plays, power hungry rulers & devious council members and the enemies to lovers, the tension building, will have you glued to the pages, and that has me so excited for more.
🌟🌟If you want:🌟🌟
👸Elemental Magic
🧝♂️Fae Kingdom
🤴Halflings
🧝Enemies to Lovers
🧚♀️Human and Fae at War
👸Gods
🧝♂️Political Intrigue
🤴Multiple POV
🧝World Building
🧚♀️Great Characters
And all in the one fabulous fantasy book by an Australian Indie Author then this is for you.
November 14, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and Black Kat Press for this eARC!
This world is really interesting and I’m excited to see where the story goes. Ash is full of potential and I hope we get to see some more power from her in the next book.
This world is really interesting and I’m excited to see where the story goes. Ash is full of potential and I hope we get to see some more power from her in the next book.
November 19, 2022
If you prefer your fantasy on a grand scale, then this book is for you! In Shadow of Fire you'll get multiple POVs and complex world-building, political intrigue and shifting alliances, fierce foes and fae magic, with a dash of romance thrown in as well.
I'm always a sucker for stories with Gaelic-inspired folklore and practices, so I was onboard with that aspect straight away. What I particularly appreciated was how we got to explore the diverse regions of the world of Aileryan through the eyes of equally diverse characters (including antagonists).
The one slight drawback for me was that we didn't get a lot of time to just sit with each character and get to know them, to understand them on a deeper level. And some characters got more development than others. But with a fast-moving plot and well-drawn tension, I was never bored and was always keen to know what would happen next. I'll definitely be picking up the sequel!!
I'm always a sucker for stories with Gaelic-inspired folklore and practices, so I was onboard with that aspect straight away. What I particularly appreciated was how we got to explore the diverse regions of the world of Aileryan through the eyes of equally diverse characters (including antagonists).
The one slight drawback for me was that we didn't get a lot of time to just sit with each character and get to know them, to understand them on a deeper level. And some characters got more development than others. But with a fast-moving plot and well-drawn tension, I was never bored and was always keen to know what would happen next. I'll definitely be picking up the sequel!!
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