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Ile-Rien #1
The Element of Fire
The kingdom of Ile-Rien is in peril, menaced by magical threats and court intrigue. As the weak King Roland, misled by treacherous companions, rules the country, only his ruthless mother, the Dowager Queen Ravenna, truly guards the safety of the realm. But now Urbain Grandier, the dark master of scientific sorcery, has arrived to plot against the throne and Kade, bastard sister of the king, has appeared unexpectedly at court. The illegitimate daughter of the old king and the Queen of Air and Darkness herself, Kade's true goals are cloaked in mystery. Is she in league with the wizard Grandier? Or is she laying claim to the throne? It falls to Thomas Boniface, Captain of the Queen's Guard and Ravenna's former lover, to sort out who is friend, who is foe in a deadly game to keep the Dowager Queen and the kingdom she loves from harm.
Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 1993
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About the author
Martha Wells
111 books24.3k followersMartha Wells has been an SF/F writer since her first fantasy novel was published in 1993, and her work includes The Books of the Raksura series, the Ile-Rien series, The Murderbot Diaries series, and other fantasy novels, most recently Witch King (Tordotcom, 2023). She has also written media tie-in fiction for Star Wars, Stargate: Atlantis, and Magic: the Gathering, as well as short fiction, YA novels, and non-fiction. She has won Nebula Awards, Hugo Awards, Locus Awards, and a Dragon Award, and her work has appeared on the Philip K. Dick Award ballot, the British Science Fiction Association Award ballot, the USA Today Bestseller List, the Sunday Times Bestseller List, and the New York Times Bestseller List. She is a member of the Texas Literary Hall of Fame, and her books have been published in twenty-five languages.
She is also a consulting producer on The Murderbot Diaries series for Apple TV+.
She is also a consulting producer on The Murderbot Diaries series for Apple TV+.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 410 reviews
October 23, 2014
Three and a half stars.
If you are considering Martha Wells, I suggest starting with one of her books besides The Element of Fire. The Death of the Necromancer (review), for instance, or The Cloud Roads (review), or even City of Bones (review). I thoroughly enjoyed–and own–all of them, though all are very different approaches to the fantasy genre. Fire was her debut book, published in 1993, and lacks the finesse of her later works. It is a more traditional fantasy focused on a court setting, with court politics, kingdom disputes and intrusions from the land of fairy defining the struggle.
Much like Necromancer, the story begins with a heist. It’s an engaging way to begin a story, but in this case, requires attention as the team begins an orchestrated break-in. Captain Boniface is conducting a raid of a foreign sorcerer’s house, an undercover mission to rescue a kidnapped but disgraced sorcerer Galen Dubell. At the same time, a theater troupe in the capital city of Vienne is preparing to perform with one of their new players, Kade. The two find themselves on the same side when a golem breaks loose during a performance. From there, both internal and external conflicts threaten to destabilize the kingdom of Ile-Rein. Captain Boniface finds himself unsure of who to trust, and Kade discovers herself questioning everything she knew about the court and her upbringing.
Viewpoint alternates between Boniface and Kade, creating a situation where the reader gets insight into each as they work to prevent the kingdom from falling to the opposition. The villain isn’t particularly hidden, but unraveling the complexity of the scheme keeps a few surprises in store.
It took a long time to understand the world Wells was creating, which hampered my initial ability to immerse into the story. Starting in the middle of an action sequence, in a fantasy setting with magical elements is only the start. Adding internal court politics that have their beginning in the distant past, a neighboring country with a radically different culture, as well as the realm of fae means the number of complicated elements build instead of resolve. As Captain Boniface and Kade are also attempting to find their emotional footing, it’s a lot to weave together, and enough for a trilogy. Sanderson, had he written this, would have made the events into a six-book arc. At least. Eventually I lost myself in the world, but I don’t know that this is a book that one would want to pick up and put down, or read over a month, at the risk of losing continuity.
While I enjoyed the writing style, the tone felt uneven. Though the book jacket describes it as stemming from a “swashbuckling tradition,” and cites “Errol Flynn panache, style, and atmosphere,” I would disagree. Multiple deaths and the possible fall of a kingdom raise the stakes beyond a simple adventure where all the hero risks is pride or a short stay in the local prison. These characters are fighting for identity, beliefs and ultimately, their lives.
If you are a fan of traditional fantasy, or a fan of Wells’ work, I’d give this a go. But if you don’t have large amounts of reading time, I’d recommend one of her other works over The Element of Fire, particularly Nebula nominee The Death of the Necromancer, which feels like a more polished version of this work.
April 26, 2012
I normally don't like fantasy novels that revolve around court intrigue because politics bores the crap out of me, but Martha Wells has a way of making political maneuverings seem just as exciting as the battle scenes, of which there are many in this book.
It gets off to something of a slow start with the author dropping the reader into a large body of characters, only to switch scenes and drop the reader into another large body of characters. Fortunately Wells is good at drawing connections between those characters so you don't feel like you need to take notes to keep track of everyone. Of course after the initial attack on the palace, there are a lot fewer characters to keep track of.
Aside from action and intrigue, there's also a bit of romance, but it's the kind I can totally get behind. No dewy-eyed looks or statuesque bombshells here. Kade goes through the entire book with tangled hair and a mud-spattered dress because it frankly doesn't occur to her not to. Thomas has a sense of irony and wry humor that allow him to appreciate and not feel threatened by strong women, while still being a brilliant soldier himself. There are no scenes of repressed lust either. Kade and Thomas come together in small increments (Him: Maybe she's not the person I always thought she was; Her: I'm not going to be one of those silly cows in court who swoon over Thomas Boniface...even if he does have beautiful eyes...not that I care...well, crap.).
Wells has a breezy writing style and a wonderful ear for dialogue that make every conversation a joy to read. This is by far my favorite book this year and the most fun I've had reading anything in ages.
It gets off to something of a slow start with the author dropping the reader into a large body of characters, only to switch scenes and drop the reader into another large body of characters. Fortunately Wells is good at drawing connections between those characters so you don't feel like you need to take notes to keep track of everyone. Of course after the initial attack on the palace, there are a lot fewer characters to keep track of.
Aside from action and intrigue, there's also a bit of romance, but it's the kind I can totally get behind. No dewy-eyed looks or statuesque bombshells here. Kade goes through the entire book with tangled hair and a mud-spattered dress because it frankly doesn't occur to her not to. Thomas has a sense of irony and wry humor that allow him to appreciate and not feel threatened by strong women, while still being a brilliant soldier himself. There are no scenes of repressed lust either. Kade and Thomas come together in small increments (Him: Maybe she's not the person I always thought she was; Her: I'm not going to be one of those silly cows in court who swoon over Thomas Boniface...even if he does have beautiful eyes...not that I care...well, crap.).
Wells has a breezy writing style and a wonderful ear for dialogue that make every conversation a joy to read. This is by far my favorite book this year and the most fun I've had reading anything in ages.
July 29, 2025
Royal court politics lead to a coup in this riveting high fantasy filled with intricate plots, unlikely alliances, magic and faeries in wondrously-imagined worlds.
Some of the parts that moved me relate to the psychology of notable characters being subject to (childhood) abuse, neglect and machinations: those who have difficulty trusting anyone but themselves and forced to be self-reliant and those who are too willing to excuse abusive behaviour because they had been subjected to worse. While the former appears full of malice and hence untrustworthy, the latter appears naive, silly and manipulable even though I think both long for love, a protector and a person upon whom they can rely and lay their trust, sometimes to a point of desperation and self-destruction; they never had such a person in the years they were put through harrowing experiences and finding no one to help them. The characters eventually realise their truth and necessary personal growth. Of course, some only grow to be vengeful and destructive.
Happily, a large number of self-absorbed and ambitious manipulators who are not dead or undermined, live to manipulate and destroy each other—that is satisfying to watch.
“we sane men participate in insanity for reasons of our own”
Strong characters with proper development and motives kept me invested. However, I’d have to give it a second read to understand the plots/motives properly which was fun but complicated to read as they unravel.
When occupying a position of power, best be wary of enemies near and far especially those who have your ears. It is hard to determine who can or cannot be trusted until it is too late—masks only come off when it is safe for wearers to remove them by which time, some damage has already been done. One strategy is to align with those who can bring about your goals but can deal the least amount of damage just in case they turn out to be scum—not an easy feat since power and capacity often apply in many directions.
And just like that, I’m happy being a nobody.
Some of the parts that moved me relate to the psychology of notable characters being subject to (childhood) abuse, neglect and machinations: those who have difficulty trusting anyone but themselves and forced to be self-reliant and those who are too willing to excuse abusive behaviour because they had been subjected to worse. While the former appears full of malice and hence untrustworthy, the latter appears naive, silly and manipulable even though I think both long for love, a protector and a person upon whom they can rely and lay their trust, sometimes to a point of desperation and self-destruction; they never had such a person in the years they were put through harrowing experiences and finding no one to help them. The characters eventually realise their truth and necessary personal growth. Of course, some only grow to be vengeful and destructive.
Happily, a large number of self-absorbed and ambitious manipulators who are not dead or undermined, live to manipulate and destroy each other—that is satisfying to watch.
“we sane men participate in insanity for reasons of our own”
Strong characters with proper development and motives kept me invested. However, I’d have to give it a second read to understand the plots/motives properly which was fun but complicated to read as they unravel.
When occupying a position of power, best be wary of enemies near and far especially those who have your ears. It is hard to determine who can or cannot be trusted until it is too late—masks only come off when it is safe for wearers to remove them by which time, some damage has already been done. One strategy is to align with those who can bring about your goals but can deal the least amount of damage just in case they turn out to be scum—not an easy feat since power and capacity often apply in many directions.
And just like that, I’m happy being a nobody.
February 4, 2022
[7/10]
Kade made her strategy on the run, which was poor planning in a chess game, but in real life tended to make opponents waste time bumbling around wondering what in hell she was thinking. The only problem was her inclination to the dramatic.
Growing pains in this literary debut that will eventually lead to a sizeable collection of awards for the author of the Murderbot series, but sparks of wit and some subversion of genre tropes shine through. A rather generic medieval setting [that I hear will be fleshed out in subsequent Ile-Rien novels] and a plot that is all over the place and full of holes are compensated by lively action and a predictable yet entertaining romance under the element of fire between a cynical, older musketeer in the Queen’s guard and a runaway princess of the court who decides to return home just when a secretive sorcerer launches a devastating attack against the palace. The magic system is a combination of sorcery based on old-fashioned book spells and of faerie glamour and mischievousness. Kade, daughter of the former King of Ile-Rien with a Queen from one of the Faerie domains has access to both forms of magic, while Thomas Boniface, Captain of the Queen’s Guards, is a renowned duellist with rapiers who also wields a pair of flintlock pistols.
Together, Kade and Thomas must thwart the plans of the powerful sorcerer Grandier who has brought the dark side of the Faerie Host inside the walls of the royal palace in Vienne. There is very little time to draw breath and take stock of the situation as the usual political plots to subvert Kade’s young brother, King Roland, and his young queen Falaise turn the halls of the old palace into a slaughterhouse.
>>><<<>>><<<
I would have probably rated the story higher if I didn’t know already how much better at storytelling Martha Wells will eventually become. Her second novel, “City of Bones” , is already miles ahead of this one in terms of originality and control of plot and characters.
For all the conveniently arranged spyholes that reveal the plans of the dastardly enemies or the infamous secret passages through the walls of the castle that caused my eyes to roll on occasion, this was a fast and fun ride through the way fantasy was written at the start of the 90s.
Kade made her strategy on the run, which was poor planning in a chess game, but in real life tended to make opponents waste time bumbling around wondering what in hell she was thinking. The only problem was her inclination to the dramatic.
Growing pains in this literary debut that will eventually lead to a sizeable collection of awards for the author of the Murderbot series, but sparks of wit and some subversion of genre tropes shine through. A rather generic medieval setting [that I hear will be fleshed out in subsequent Ile-Rien novels] and a plot that is all over the place and full of holes are compensated by lively action and a predictable yet entertaining romance under the element of fire between a cynical, older musketeer in the Queen’s guard and a runaway princess of the court who decides to return home just when a secretive sorcerer launches a devastating attack against the palace. The magic system is a combination of sorcery based on old-fashioned book spells and of faerie glamour and mischievousness. Kade, daughter of the former King of Ile-Rien with a Queen from one of the Faerie domains has access to both forms of magic, while Thomas Boniface, Captain of the Queen’s Guards, is a renowned duellist with rapiers who also wields a pair of flintlock pistols.
Together, Kade and Thomas must thwart the plans of the powerful sorcerer Grandier who has brought the dark side of the Faerie Host inside the walls of the royal palace in Vienne. There is very little time to draw breath and take stock of the situation as the usual political plots to subvert Kade’s young brother, King Roland, and his young queen Falaise turn the halls of the old palace into a slaughterhouse.
>>><<<>>><<<
I would have probably rated the story higher if I didn’t know already how much better at storytelling Martha Wells will eventually become. Her second novel, “City of Bones” , is already miles ahead of this one in terms of originality and control of plot and characters.
For all the conveniently arranged spyholes that reveal the plans of the dastardly enemies or the infamous secret passages through the walls of the castle that caused my eyes to roll on occasion, this was a fast and fun ride through the way fantasy was written at the start of the 90s.
d-n-f
August 16, 2021DNF at 30%
I was lent this book by a friend, but I just couldn't get into it, no matter how many times I gave it another chance. I was confused about who was who throughout the book and everyone seemed to have the same name.
When I lost my page one day, I took is as a sign to stop reading, especially given I couldn't remember where I had been up to in the story because it was so boring!
I was lent this book by a friend, but I just couldn't get into it, no matter how many times I gave it another chance. I was confused about who was who throughout the book and everyone seemed to have the same name.
When I lost my page one day, I took is as a sign to stop reading, especially given I couldn't remember where I had been up to in the story because it was so boring!
May 10, 2016
I liked this tale. It is very fantasy, maybe a bit on the classic side but it holds up well, and I particularly appreciated the clear narrative approach, its refreshing straightforwardness –by no means to be confused with simplicity. There are interesting characters, action, politics, irony and mysteries. And the Fay!
3.5 stars rounded down because the romance is dropped like an afterthought and it fell flat, anyway considering this is a debut book I’m impressed; surely this won’t be my last Martha Wells’s story.
"Do you think you can control your desire for martyrdom and let me manage this?"
That’s what I wrote a couple of weeks ago when I jotted down my review. Actually, I’ve just finished The Death of the Necromancer and I’m in awe.
In this respect, though a very enjoyable book on its own which I would recommend for a pleasant fantasy read, the Element of Fire is kind of a dry run (pun intended, probably) compared to the second standalone of the Ile-Rien series. There all my minor gripes have been fully addressed: the characters are adult and well-rounded while the romance is just hinted at and it’s very, very clever.
Thomas had always known that if he had to die to please a royal ego, he wanted it to be as scandalous, messy, and politically inconvenient for as many persons as possible.
3.5 stars rounded down because the romance is dropped like an afterthought and it fell flat, anyway considering this is a debut book I’m impressed; surely this won’t be my last Martha Wells’s story.
"Do you think you can control your desire for martyrdom and let me manage this?"
That’s what I wrote a couple of weeks ago when I jotted down my review. Actually, I’ve just finished The Death of the Necromancer and I’m in awe.
In this respect, though a very enjoyable book on its own which I would recommend for a pleasant fantasy read, the Element of Fire is kind of a dry run (pun intended, probably) compared to the second standalone of the Ile-Rien series. There all my minor gripes have been fully addressed: the characters are adult and well-rounded while the romance is just hinted at and it’s very, very clever.
Thomas had always known that if he had to die to please a royal ego, he wanted it to be as scandalous, messy, and politically inconvenient for as many persons as possible.
October 31, 2017
Pretty conventional fantasy based in a European-like city/country. Swords, rapiers, jherkins, smocks, ladies-in-waiting, sorcerers, fae, scheming and double-dealing abound. I did, however, care about Kade and Thomas and Ravenna. I could have spent lots of time with Ravenna.
The book was a pleasant enough diversion, and piqued my interest sufficiently for me to continue with the next Il-Rien book, as I understand it's better than this one.
The book was a pleasant enough diversion, and piqued my interest sufficiently for me to continue with the next Il-Rien book, as I understand it's better than this one.
July 13, 2015
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I’d probably rate this somewhere between 3 and 3.5 stars. In the beginning, this book was a ball of confusion for me. I said it started slow, but that’s not correct. How can a beginning that includes the Queen’s Guard literally being fought by a warded house be a slow start? Definitely not a slow start, but the particular moment left me feeling disoriented for a while. Things didn’t start becoming clearer until around page 50 or so. That’s when the book started to answer my question, “To what end?” While I saw a certain reveal coming, I was glad she didn’t let that drag out to the end. She introduced it about midway through the story, which gave the plot room to explore other things. Once things started to happen, this book built momentum, escalating fairly quickly by the time readers start nearing the middle of the book.
However, with the momentum came a few hiccups. There were too many instances of buildup for certain plot points and then, the denouement for these things didn’t deliver that satisfying sense of closure one expects, which can be frustrating. Some other things that were twined into the plot had a tendency to come off as “Oh my, what a coincidence!” moments, followed abruptly with, “Well, if that was the case, why didn’t they do/say/tell [insert scenario here] instead of nothing?” Some things seem to started to buildup to something interesting and then suddenly fizzle out.
I liked most of the main characters. Ravenna, Thomas, Grandier, and Kade really got to shine throughout the book. Grandier’s gray morality and “be the monster they made you” attitude was interesting. I loved Ravenna, especially the fact that, unlike other book nobility, Ravenna surrounded herself with gentlewomen and queen’s servants that she taught to be as scrupulous, resourceful, and quick-thinking as herself. Her servants were not fodder, and she was just as loyal to them as they were to her. Other characters felt a little weaker in their roles, such as the King and Queen, but they had some memorable moments as well.
I also liked that Wells’ magic system didn’t automatically make the fay overpowered. She stuck more to the mischievous, flighty, chaotic nature of them and their magic while sorcery was a more powerful tool as a learned art. Fay magic is quick and illusionary where sorcery takes years of training and dedication to master. The fay are afraid of this careful control of magic because a fay can only be so good whereas sorcery gives its users access to remarkable power. Kade toes the line of human and fay, using both fay magic and sorcery to her advantage. Kade wasn’t a magical genius, though, because she’s not a master of either magic, but both forms of magic gave her a varied arsenal of attacks, such as pulling glamour out of the air or using spellfire to light a candle.
This book was part fantasy, part mystery. I’m curious about the Seelie and Unseelie Courts and wonder if I’ll see more of them in future books. Derek Perkins was an engaging narrator and an excellent voice for this series, though I did find some of his voices a little too similar for some characters. His vocal characterization of both Ravenna and Kade were my favorites, but he did do well enough that I will continue to listen to the audiobooks. I loved the various little pieces of the puzzle coming together throughout the book, even if I felt the ultimate reveal was very dramatic against the more mellow tone of the story, especially considering how so many points had such underwhelming conclusions. I wasn’t as taken with this book as I was The Cloud Roads. The Cloud Roads feels like the type of book that I would use to introduce people to Wells’ work, but I had fun with this book all the same.
I’d probably rate this somewhere between 3 and 3.5 stars. In the beginning, this book was a ball of confusion for me. I said it started slow, but that’s not correct. How can a beginning that includes the Queen’s Guard literally being fought by a warded house be a slow start? Definitely not a slow start, but the particular moment left me feeling disoriented for a while. Things didn’t start becoming clearer until around page 50 or so. That’s when the book started to answer my question, “To what end?” While I saw a certain reveal coming, I was glad she didn’t let that drag out to the end. She introduced it about midway through the story, which gave the plot room to explore other things. Once things started to happen, this book built momentum, escalating fairly quickly by the time readers start nearing the middle of the book.
However, with the momentum came a few hiccups. There were too many instances of buildup for certain plot points and then, the denouement for these things didn’t deliver that satisfying sense of closure one expects, which can be frustrating. Some other things that were twined into the plot had a tendency to come off as “Oh my, what a coincidence!” moments, followed abruptly with, “Well, if that was the case, why didn’t they do/say/tell [insert scenario here] instead of nothing?” Some things seem to started to buildup to something interesting and then suddenly fizzle out.
I liked most of the main characters. Ravenna, Thomas, Grandier, and Kade really got to shine throughout the book. Grandier’s gray morality and “be the monster they made you” attitude was interesting. I loved Ravenna, especially the fact that, unlike other book nobility, Ravenna surrounded herself with gentlewomen and queen’s servants that she taught to be as scrupulous, resourceful, and quick-thinking as herself. Her servants were not fodder, and she was just as loyal to them as they were to her. Other characters felt a little weaker in their roles, such as the King and Queen, but they had some memorable moments as well.
I also liked that Wells’ magic system didn’t automatically make the fay overpowered. She stuck more to the mischievous, flighty, chaotic nature of them and their magic while sorcery was a more powerful tool as a learned art. Fay magic is quick and illusionary where sorcery takes years of training and dedication to master. The fay are afraid of this careful control of magic because a fay can only be so good whereas sorcery gives its users access to remarkable power. Kade toes the line of human and fay, using both fay magic and sorcery to her advantage. Kade wasn’t a magical genius, though, because she’s not a master of either magic, but both forms of magic gave her a varied arsenal of attacks, such as pulling glamour out of the air or using spellfire to light a candle.
This book was part fantasy, part mystery. I’m curious about the Seelie and Unseelie Courts and wonder if I’ll see more of them in future books. Derek Perkins was an engaging narrator and an excellent voice for this series, though I did find some of his voices a little too similar for some characters. His vocal characterization of both Ravenna and Kade were my favorites, but he did do well enough that I will continue to listen to the audiobooks. I loved the various little pieces of the puzzle coming together throughout the book, even if I felt the ultimate reveal was very dramatic against the more mellow tone of the story, especially considering how so many points had such underwhelming conclusions. I wasn’t as taken with this book as I was The Cloud Roads. The Cloud Roads feels like the type of book that I would use to introduce people to Wells’ work, but I had fun with this book all the same.
May 29, 2022
I read and enjoyed many books by Martha Wells and always meant to check out the ones set in Ile-Rien. This audiobook was well narrated by Derek Perkins. The story was a decent example of sword and sorcery style fantasy but the characters weren’t well developed enough for my taste. I did enjoy the story and will also listen to the next one, The Death of the Necromancer .
April 27, 2010
Swashbuckling, intrigue, sorcery, snide banter, evil attack fairies...
Free at http://www.marthawells.com/eof1-8.htm
Free at http://www.marthawells.com/eof1-8.htm
April 11, 2020
7/10
He de reconocer que me ha costado bastante entrar en la historia. El primer cuarto de libro se me hizo raro, demasiado nombre, demasiada intriga palaciega con gente que no conocía y una narración poco fluida. Pero una vez pasado ese tramo lo cierto es que todo mejora mucho y la historia comienza a tener todo el sentido del mundo.
Por ponerle un pero, quizás es demasiado predecible su desenlace, pero al final el worlbuilding funciona muy bien de la mano de una narración que va ganando fluidez con el paso de las páginas.
He de reconocer que me ha costado bastante entrar en la historia. El primer cuarto de libro se me hizo raro, demasiado nombre, demasiada intriga palaciega con gente que no conocía y una narración poco fluida. Pero una vez pasado ese tramo lo cierto es que todo mejora mucho y la historia comienza a tener todo el sentido del mundo.
Por ponerle un pero, quizás es demasiado predecible su desenlace, pero al final el worlbuilding funciona muy bien de la mano de una narración que va ganando fluidez con el paso de las páginas.
March 9, 2017
First of all, I should have read this and not listened to the audiobook. My memory for names is bad at the best of times but combine it with unusual names (here some fantasy names with a pinch of French thrown in) and some really gripping scenes got ruined for me because I tried to remember who the person was that just did the thing that was apparently a big deal.
Otherwise, this book falls into the 'I can see other people enjoying this a lot more than I did' category. Not that I didn't enjoy it at all. It had great characters. None of the human characters were one-dimensional and also the bad guys got their proper motivation beyond 'I like laughing diabolically as often as possible'. And the good guys sometimes had to do things that weren't so good (without angsting about it). Also, the author clearly put a lot of thought into the workings of the royal court and the court intrigue (a lot more than many other fantasy authors...) . Oh and the final battle was pretty epic.
Now for the but. Well, the variety of minor buts that wouldn't have bothered me as much if there hadn't been so many. Like the overuse of the 'I have important information but I can't tell you right now because of reasons. I will wait till it's too late for my information to be helpful (or I just die before I can tell you)'-trope. I buy that once (but will still hate it), but this book just did it over and over...
I also just don't like the fae. Like, at all. I'm not that fond of books that base their magic on fairy mythology (fairy rings, land of the fae etc.) This is very much personal preference but it's just such a convenient way of adding chaotic evil for the sake of evil characters. And especially if you compare them to the well-thought out human evil guys in this book it feels like a let-down.
Lastly. The Romance. It did not work for me at all. I don't think I ever went WTF as much at a character proclaiming that they had fallen in love. Because I just didn't see it at all. I saw a great friendship but the romantic feelings just came completely out of the blue and mostly just annoyed me.
Otherwise, this book falls into the 'I can see other people enjoying this a lot more than I did' category. Not that I didn't enjoy it at all. It had great characters. None of the human characters were one-dimensional and also the bad guys got their proper motivation beyond 'I like laughing diabolically as often as possible'. And the good guys sometimes had to do things that weren't so good (without angsting about it). Also, the author clearly put a lot of thought into the workings of the royal court and the court intrigue (a lot more than many other fantasy authors...) . Oh and the final battle was pretty epic.
Now for the but. Well, the variety of minor buts that wouldn't have bothered me as much if there hadn't been so many. Like the overuse of the 'I have important information but I can't tell you right now because of reasons. I will wait till it's too late for my information to be helpful (or I just die before I can tell you)'-trope. I buy that once (but will still hate it), but this book just did it over and over...
I also just don't like the fae. Like, at all. I'm not that fond of books that base their magic on fairy mythology (fairy rings, land of the fae etc.) This is very much personal preference but it's just such a convenient way of adding chaotic evil for the sake of evil characters. And especially if you compare them to the well-thought out human evil guys in this book it feels like a let-down.
Lastly. The Romance. It did not work for me at all. I don't think I ever went WTF as much at a character proclaiming that they had fallen in love. Because I just didn't see it at all. I saw a great friendship but the romantic feelings just came completely out of the blue and mostly just annoyed me.
July 30, 2007
The best fantasy I’ve read in at least a year. If you enjoy GRRM’s Song of Ice and Fire series, you should pick this book up as well. The old king is dead. In his place rules his only living son, the weak and ineffectual King Roland, who is utterly at the command of his treacherous childhood friend. It falls to the dowager queen Ravenna and her faithful, but aging, Captain of the Queen’s Guard to keep the country together. Into this already explosive situation comes Roland’s bastard sister Kaid, who is the fey daughter of the Queen of Air and Darkness, and a serial killing renegade magician. Internecine court politics, well-rounded characters, and a whole lot of adventure combine to make this a truly enjoyable book.
September 14, 2024
So exciting! Martha Wells, I'd say you're well on your way to becoming one of my favourite authors, if you weren't already thanks to Murderbot, and this just solidifies the position! (Not that she'll ever actually read these silly words)
The Elements of Fire concerns itself with politics at court, the uncertainty of appearances, and trust. Not all who seem trustworthy are so, nor are all those untrustworthy who seem so, and while Wells starts the book with a gripping incursion into a dreadful house straight out the pages of pulp adventure magazine, she spends good time afterwards setting up the intricate relationships and tentative alliances between the many-many names filling this book.
Ultimately, it's not really as complicated as it seems at first glance, and many of the names do not wonder beyond having a name, but the world Wells creates and the people she populates it with is gripping enough that after the slow second chapter (during which you might find yourself wondering why you should care about any of them), you might soon find yourself turning the pages in hurry to get to the next big twist or a sweet release for the endangered characters. The book sports several great scenes I'm sure to remember for as long as I remember this book (with memory being as fallible as it is, that's the best I can promise, and to aid it, a few extremely spoilery examples: ).
But even more than court politics and magical mystery, the book deals in death. Wells introduces many characters in the first chapters of the book, diving deep with few but giving enough still to most that you'll wince when another one of them is soon described dead one way or another. Many are dispatched quietly off-screen, like some horrible Christmas present for the reader to discover under the tree hand-in-hand with the surviving leads, while others are drawn out futile miseries. At first it made the story feel dangerous, but then at one point it did get a bit much (namely, ), this constant death and hopelessness for most of them.
And while I'm already complaining, the romance does have a bit of an ick factor taking into account their age difference and how she still often sees him as the man she remembered as a child. Her story also seems more defined by her romantic feelings than his, despite her having considerably more reason to care about some of these happenings.
But I digress. I did enjoy the book tremendously, and soon after starting it, I couldn't stop reading it. Even the romance had some nifty choices, like how much of it was told from a female perspective, which is probably not surprising, but considering how these violent male-centric fantasy romps tend to go, it was nice. Mixing the times of The Three Musketeers with the magical creatures of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a fun choice, and the characters all felt like a realistic part of this world. To then find out after reading that it was Wells’ first novel was quite surprising, considering how confidently written and well structured it felt (though I guess it also goes some way to explaining a few of the clichés).
A good start to another series to dive into, having once taken a chance on All Systems Red expecting to go no further than a silly little novella, I’m again gladdened to find myself here, wanting more.
The Elements of Fire concerns itself with politics at court, the uncertainty of appearances, and trust. Not all who seem trustworthy are so, nor are all those untrustworthy who seem so, and while Wells starts the book with a gripping incursion into a dreadful house straight out the pages of pulp adventure magazine, she spends good time afterwards setting up the intricate relationships and tentative alliances between the many-many names filling this book.
Ultimately, it's not really as complicated as it seems at first glance, and many of the names do not wonder beyond having a name, but the world Wells creates and the people she populates it with is gripping enough that after the slow second chapter (during which you might find yourself wondering why you should care about any of them), you might soon find yourself turning the pages in hurry to get to the next big twist or a sweet release for the endangered characters. The book sports several great scenes I'm sure to remember for as long as I remember this book (with memory being as fallible as it is, that's the best I can promise, and to aid it, a few extremely spoilery examples: ).
But even more than court politics and magical mystery, the book deals in death. Wells introduces many characters in the first chapters of the book, diving deep with few but giving enough still to most that you'll wince when another one of them is soon described dead one way or another. Many are dispatched quietly off-screen, like some horrible Christmas present for the reader to discover under the tree hand-in-hand with the surviving leads, while others are drawn out futile miseries. At first it made the story feel dangerous, but then at one point it did get a bit much (namely, ), this constant death and hopelessness for most of them.
And while I'm already complaining, the romance does have a bit of an ick factor taking into account their age difference and how she still often sees him as the man she remembered as a child. Her story also seems more defined by her romantic feelings than his, despite her having considerably more reason to care about some of these happenings.
But I digress. I did enjoy the book tremendously, and soon after starting it, I couldn't stop reading it. Even the romance had some nifty choices, like how much of it was told from a female perspective, which is probably not surprising, but considering how these violent male-centric fantasy romps tend to go, it was nice. Mixing the times of The Three Musketeers with the magical creatures of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a fun choice, and the characters all felt like a realistic part of this world. To then find out after reading that it was Wells’ first novel was quite surprising, considering how confidently written and well structured it felt (though I guess it also goes some way to explaining a few of the clichés).
A good start to another series to dive into, having once taken a chance on All Systems Red expecting to go no further than a silly little novella, I’m again gladdened to find myself here, wanting more.
December 13, 2022
A good flintlock fantasy. There's never enough at stake for it to become great.
January 28, 2024
Even though some funny moments were scattered around the story, it felt too serious for such a plot.
I like the portrayal of all the characters, the villain's overly engineered plan and the immaculately crafted royal politics.
What I didn't enjoyed were the gun-to-your-head hurried romance and the lack of climactic moments and/or a BIG reveal.
Also I had a hard time picturing Ile-rien.
All and all I will read the next book in the series; it has so much potential.
I like the portrayal of all the characters, the villain's overly engineered plan and the immaculately crafted royal politics.
What I didn't enjoyed were the gun-to-your-head hurried romance and the lack of climactic moments and/or a BIG reveal.
Also I had a hard time picturing Ile-rien.
All and all I will read the next book in the series; it has so much potential.
October 13, 2008
Light, funny, likable characters, clear good guys, clear bad guys, kind of obvious where it goes - typical pre-new_epic_fantasists stuff, but I enjoyed it a lot and I intend to read all 5 Ile-Rien books.
Recommended with the caveat above - do not expect anything original or deep, but if you enjoy Ms. Wells style and you are in the mood for a romp with swords and sorcery the book is for you.
Recommended with the caveat above - do not expect anything original or deep, but if you enjoy Ms. Wells style and you are in the mood for a romp with swords and sorcery the book is for you.
March 2, 2021
I really enjoyed this book.
March 7, 2025
3,5* rounded up
I'm a bit torn on this one.
Over all I enjoyed it, but I just never grabbed me as much as other books did.
I liked the main character, but at times she did feel a bit like two different people Switching back and forth between very capable, powerful and sure of herself and then suddenly not.
Some if the side characters also felt more two dimensional than I'd have hoped for.
In am also not a fan of the developing romance. I rarely like a romance, but this one just didn't feel like it grew, but rather like someone hit the switch. From not admitting there might be attraction to "we'd die for each other" in 0,5 seconds.
I really liked the world building and the political intrigue, which created a nice classical fantasy feel which made me feel right at home.
All in all not a bad book, I did enjoy it. Just not a favorite.
I'm a bit torn on this one.
Over all I enjoyed it, but I just never grabbed me as much as other books did.
I liked the main character, but at times she did feel a bit like two different people Switching back and forth between very capable, powerful and sure of herself and then suddenly not.
Some if the side characters also felt more two dimensional than I'd have hoped for.
In am also not a fan of the developing romance. I rarely like a romance, but this one just didn't feel like it grew, but rather like someone hit the switch. From not admitting there might be attraction to "we'd die for each other" in 0,5 seconds.
I really liked the world building and the political intrigue, which created a nice classical fantasy feel which made me feel right at home.
All in all not a bad book, I did enjoy it. Just not a favorite.
February 4, 2013
Premise: Set in the same world as The Wizard Hunters and its sequels, but takes place centuries prior. In the kingdom of Ile-Rien, the Captain of the Queen’s Guard goes to rescue an academic sorcerer from a dangerous foreign wizard. It seems simple enough, but with power-hungry sycophants circling the young king, who himself seems disinclined to care about the kingdom, everything is part of someone’s plot and everyone will be drawn into the battle for the future of the country.
I really enjoyed this book. Wells seems to have a knack for characters who I find likable because of their abrasive ways. In this book, it’s Kade Carrion, half-fay bastard sister to the king. She’s all sorts of awesome. She could be powerful, but chooses to mostly skate by on her luck and trickery. She’s snarky and sad and simply delightful.
The Dowager Queen Ravenna is pretty spectacular as well. Just because her weak-willed son has reached his majority doesn’t mean she’ll easily give up the power she’s wielded her entire life. She’s often cynical and angry, but also extremely clever and hard, as she’s needed to be to keep her land safe through violent war.
Captain Thomas Boniface is a bit more generic, but he’s a good-hearted sort, although he’s learned enough cynicism and deceit from Ravenna to have survived this long at her side.
The story is easy to follow and trips along at a good pace. I did see one twist coming, but just long enough to really feel the foreshadowing hit. The romantic subplot is well handled, and while it informs characters’ motivations, it never overwhelms the story.
The descriptions of the various fay creatures are great, and the differences between fay magic and human sorcery (only alluded to loosely in the other books in this world) are explored in depth.
Overall, while neither groundbreaking or perfect, I found this to be a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable read.
I really enjoyed this book. Wells seems to have a knack for characters who I find likable because of their abrasive ways. In this book, it’s Kade Carrion, half-fay bastard sister to the king. She’s all sorts of awesome. She could be powerful, but chooses to mostly skate by on her luck and trickery. She’s snarky and sad and simply delightful.
The Dowager Queen Ravenna is pretty spectacular as well. Just because her weak-willed son has reached his majority doesn’t mean she’ll easily give up the power she’s wielded her entire life. She’s often cynical and angry, but also extremely clever and hard, as she’s needed to be to keep her land safe through violent war.
Captain Thomas Boniface is a bit more generic, but he’s a good-hearted sort, although he’s learned enough cynicism and deceit from Ravenna to have survived this long at her side.
The story is easy to follow and trips along at a good pace. I did see one twist coming, but just long enough to really feel the foreshadowing hit. The romantic subplot is well handled, and while it informs characters’ motivations, it never overwhelms the story.
The descriptions of the various fay creatures are great, and the differences between fay magic and human sorcery (only alluded to loosely in the other books in this world) are explored in depth.
Overall, while neither groundbreaking or perfect, I found this to be a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable read.
Want to read
March 18, 2015Read for free: http://www.marthawells.com/eof1-8.htm
June 18, 2023
Rating: Enjoyed It, 3.5 stars
This is Martha Wells first novel, and I can see how much she has grown as a writer and a story teller. This book was fine, I enjoyed it, but it definitely doesn't compare to the Books of the Raksura, Murderbot, or Witch King.
In this we follow a couple different players in the kingdom of Ile-Rien where the king is weak and open to control from his nobles, and the dowager queen runs the kingdom behind the scenes: Thomas Boniface, the captain of the king's guard, and Kade, the illegitimate and half-fae daughter of the previous king. Ile-Rien is in peril from the weak rule, a ruthless neighboring kingdom, and an evil sorcerer who has returned after years away.
I would say that this is pretty standard sword and sorcery fantasy, and there's not anything that really makes it stand out for me, which is why I didn't rate it higher. I liked the characters well enough, it was fast paced and I wanted to know what would happen, but it ultimately wasn't as compelling as what I know Martha Wells is capable of with her later works. The characters were interesting but not as three dimensional as I would like and there was more telling over showing for a lot of this.
I also thought that there was a weird romance sub-plot between Kade and Thomas and they mention multiple times the large age gap between them and the fact that he was the same age as her father. So that was weird. I liked the introduction of the fae to the more traditional medieval setting, but I would have preferred more exploration of that.
So overall, it was fun enough, and I'm glad that I read it, but I definitely think Martha Wells has improved as a writer as she continued in her career.
This is Martha Wells first novel, and I can see how much she has grown as a writer and a story teller. This book was fine, I enjoyed it, but it definitely doesn't compare to the Books of the Raksura, Murderbot, or Witch King.
In this we follow a couple different players in the kingdom of Ile-Rien where the king is weak and open to control from his nobles, and the dowager queen runs the kingdom behind the scenes: Thomas Boniface, the captain of the king's guard, and Kade, the illegitimate and half-fae daughter of the previous king. Ile-Rien is in peril from the weak rule, a ruthless neighboring kingdom, and an evil sorcerer who has returned after years away.
I would say that this is pretty standard sword and sorcery fantasy, and there's not anything that really makes it stand out for me, which is why I didn't rate it higher. I liked the characters well enough, it was fast paced and I wanted to know what would happen, but it ultimately wasn't as compelling as what I know Martha Wells is capable of with her later works. The characters were interesting but not as three dimensional as I would like and there was more telling over showing for a lot of this.
I also thought that there was a weird romance sub-plot between Kade and Thomas and they mention multiple times the large age gap between them and the fact that he was the same age as her father. So that was weird. I liked the introduction of the fae to the more traditional medieval setting, but I would have preferred more exploration of that.
So overall, it was fun enough, and I'm glad that I read it, but I definitely think Martha Wells has improved as a writer as she continued in her career.
August 3, 2023
So, the big question is:
Popcorn* book, or
Inadequately Committed Reader**?
I seem to have the same relationship with all of Wells' fantasy books. They are always immediately engaging, the world is interesting and well thought out, as are the characters. The writing is solid and the audio narrator is excellent, so I'm perplexed by how I tend to intermittently lose focus. I lose track of the secondary characters, the plot seems to meander, and afterward the story rapidly becomes hazy... but I can't pinpoint why.
The only flaws I noticed were some minor repetitiveness, and perhaps a too abrupt ending that could have been a little more satisfying with a denouement. Maybe?
Now, I'm perfectly content to read "popcorn" books*, but I feel strongly that these are objectively better (4+ ★) than my personal experience would seem to indicate(3.5 ★).
*You know, the ones that are a fun diversion at the time but leave no lasting impression.
**AKA Distracto-girl
***
GR Personal Rating System:
★★★★★ 5 Stars ~ LOVED
★★★★☆ 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED
★★★☆☆ 3 Stars ~ LIKED
★★☆☆☆ 2 Stars ~ MEH
★☆☆☆☆ 1 Star ~ NOPE
Popcorn* book, or
Inadequately Committed Reader**?
I seem to have the same relationship with all of Wells' fantasy books. They are always immediately engaging, the world is interesting and well thought out, as are the characters. The writing is solid and the audio narrator is excellent, so I'm perplexed by how I tend to intermittently lose focus. I lose track of the secondary characters, the plot seems to meander, and afterward the story rapidly becomes hazy... but I can't pinpoint why.
The only flaws I noticed were some minor repetitiveness, and perhaps a too abrupt ending that could have been a little more satisfying with a denouement. Maybe?
Now, I'm perfectly content to read "popcorn" books*, but I feel strongly that these are objectively better (4+ ★) than my personal experience would seem to indicate(3.5 ★).
*You know, the ones that are a fun diversion at the time but leave no lasting impression.
**AKA Distracto-girl
***
GR Personal Rating System:
★★★★★ 5 Stars ~ LOVED
★★★★☆ 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED
★★★☆☆ 3 Stars ~ LIKED
★★☆☆☆ 2 Stars ~ MEH
★☆☆☆☆ 1 Star ~ NOPE
July 24, 2023
Sin dalle prime pagine, Martha Wells trasporta il lettore nell'avventura: il romanzo di debutto dell'autrice comincia in medias res, mettendo subito in chiaro che si tratta di un fantasy ricco di azione. Le scene più concitate sono descritte con una chiarezza che non confonde e permette di avere in mente ogni scena come in un film.
Il protagonista del romanzo è il capitano della Guardia della Regina, Thomas Boniface, sempre in bilico tra la seriosità e la sbruffoneria; il regno in cui vive è però in pericolo, minacciato dagli intrighi di corte di Denzil, il cugino del re, e da un pericoloso e sfuggente mago dalle motivazioni oscure, Urbain Grandier. In questo macello si intrufola anche la sorellastra di re Roland, Kade, ambigua creatura in parte fatata e dall'animo di trickster: sarà un'alleata o un'avversaria di Thomas?
Come dicevo all'inizio, il romanzo è scritto bene e con chiarezza. La ricchezza di azione coinvolge e gli intrighi di corte danno un sufficiente senso di mistero che consente di essere incuriositi; tuttavia, nella seconda parte del romanzo, ho trovato che la parte più propriamente fantasy (lo scontro con Grandier e la sua magia oscura) prendesse troppo il sopravvento, a discapito dei complotti e delle trame politiche. Chiaramente, si tratta di una questione di gusti.
In ogni caso, consiglio Il potere del fuoco a chiunque voglia un buon fantasy vintage.
Il protagonista del romanzo è il capitano della Guardia della Regina, Thomas Boniface, sempre in bilico tra la seriosità e la sbruffoneria; il regno in cui vive è però in pericolo, minacciato dagli intrighi di corte di Denzil, il cugino del re, e da un pericoloso e sfuggente mago dalle motivazioni oscure, Urbain Grandier. In questo macello si intrufola anche la sorellastra di re Roland, Kade, ambigua creatura in parte fatata e dall'animo di trickster: sarà un'alleata o un'avversaria di Thomas?
Come dicevo all'inizio, il romanzo è scritto bene e con chiarezza. La ricchezza di azione coinvolge e gli intrighi di corte danno un sufficiente senso di mistero che consente di essere incuriositi; tuttavia, nella seconda parte del romanzo, ho trovato che la parte più propriamente fantasy (lo scontro con Grandier e la sua magia oscura) prendesse troppo il sopravvento, a discapito dei complotti e delle trame politiche. Chiaramente, si tratta di una questione di gusti.
In ogni caso, consiglio Il potere del fuoco a chiunque voglia un buon fantasy vintage.
November 28, 2023
I liked this book! I think it ended well. There were some cliché moments, and nothing outstanding about this, and the cast of characters and places was a bit overwhelming. But it was enjoyable.
September 18, 2023
3.5 stars, Metaphorosis reviews
Summary
In a fantastic alternate Europe, Thomas, favorite and once lover of the Dowager Queen, is on an errand to recover a kidnapped sorceror - a mission he's unlikely to survive, and that may be the point for the King and his sycophants.
Review
I can never remember whether I first encountered Wells through The Element of Fire or City of Bones. After just re-reading both, though, I tend to think it was City of Bones . That is an excellent book and would certainly have sent me looking for more. This is a good book, well written, but not really my kind of thing – it’s very courtly and political, though with enough engaging characters to keep things moving along nicely – after a pretty slow start. I’m not sure I’d have pursued more Wells books after reading just this.
As noted, the book starts slowly – very slowly. We’re thrown into actions scenes with our protagonist, but have neither the context to understand the world nor the background to find the protagonist appealing. I found the first couple of chapters dry and dense, to the extent that I shifted to a John DeChancie comedy for a while just to regain some momentum. After that stumble, the book does pick up considerably, though it sticks to a sort of romantic court politics that I just don’t find very interesting. This especially because the key romance is of an older man with a young woman – literally his former lover’s stepdaughter; I found it a bit on the icky side. The book not only is based in an alternate Europe (not my kind of thing either) but deals with a version of Faerie, complete with Seelie and Unseelie Courts (again, not my thing). I give credit to Wells for making this trifecta of ‘not my things’ pretty palatable and decently fast-moving.
I read this in the new, revised (likely only lightly, based on the re-released City of Bones) omnibus edition with its sequel, Death of the Necromancer, but I’d guess not too much has changed. At least, nothing particular stood out. If you like these kinds of topics, this book is well done. If you just like Martha Wells, this book is also well done, and you may enjoy it. I did eventually grow into the series enough that I picked up most of the several sequels.
PS I’m posting this with the original paperback cover, which, I have to point out, is pretty misleading.
Summary
In a fantastic alternate Europe, Thomas, favorite and once lover of the Dowager Queen, is on an errand to recover a kidnapped sorceror - a mission he's unlikely to survive, and that may be the point for the King and his sycophants.
Review
I can never remember whether I first encountered Wells through The Element of Fire or City of Bones. After just re-reading both, though, I tend to think it was City of Bones . That is an excellent book and would certainly have sent me looking for more. This is a good book, well written, but not really my kind of thing – it’s very courtly and political, though with enough engaging characters to keep things moving along nicely – after a pretty slow start. I’m not sure I’d have pursued more Wells books after reading just this.
As noted, the book starts slowly – very slowly. We’re thrown into actions scenes with our protagonist, but have neither the context to understand the world nor the background to find the protagonist appealing. I found the first couple of chapters dry and dense, to the extent that I shifted to a John DeChancie comedy for a while just to regain some momentum. After that stumble, the book does pick up considerably, though it sticks to a sort of romantic court politics that I just don’t find very interesting. This especially because the key romance is of an older man with a young woman – literally his former lover’s stepdaughter; I found it a bit on the icky side. The book not only is based in an alternate Europe (not my kind of thing either) but deals with a version of Faerie, complete with Seelie and Unseelie Courts (again, not my thing). I give credit to Wells for making this trifecta of ‘not my things’ pretty palatable and decently fast-moving.
I read this in the new, revised (likely only lightly, based on the re-released City of Bones) omnibus edition with its sequel, Death of the Necromancer, but I’d guess not too much has changed. At least, nothing particular stood out. If you like these kinds of topics, this book is well done. If you just like Martha Wells, this book is also well done, and you may enjoy it. I did eventually grow into the series enough that I picked up most of the several sequels.
PS I’m posting this with the original paperback cover, which, I have to point out, is pretty misleading.
August 30, 2014
3.5 or 4 stars. I liked this book, but not as much as her award-winning The Death of the Necromancer.
I listened to the audio, superbly narrated by Derek Perkins. He's a pro.
As for the story, it's action-packed, coherent, and mildly complex. Good dialogue. Gruesome. Some sections are vividly gripping, some parts went on too long, and some scenes are just plain sad. I think King Roland -- so lacking in self-esteem -- made the greatest impression on me. His portrayal felt realistic.
However, the weak king is a secondary character. I didn't get into the main characters. I wish Wells would devote a greater percentage of the text to characterization and relationship development. She is strong on plot and action -- which is important -- but I need to care about the characters, and that means I need to know them, individually and as a team.
So, after half a dozen false starts, I finally got into the characters just enough to stay the course. This is primarily a kingdom based fantasy, with a romantic relationship on the side. I didn't get deeply drawn into the story of Kade and Thomas, because his past affair with Queen Ravenna overshadowed it.
The fantastical elements include shape shifting, wizards, wards, dark fey from the Unseelie Court, light fey from the Seelie Court (Tatiana and Oberon).
Lots of unnatural disgusting creatures. Lots of bloody battles. Treason, court intrigues, and various betrayals. A few kisses. Cool scenes of the castle, home of the Queen of Darkness and Air (Kade).
Recommend her award-winning The Death of the Necromancer.
I listened to the audio, superbly narrated by Derek Perkins. He's a pro.
As for the story, it's action-packed, coherent, and mildly complex. Good dialogue. Gruesome. Some sections are vividly gripping, some parts went on too long, and some scenes are just plain sad. I think King Roland -- so lacking in self-esteem -- made the greatest impression on me. His portrayal felt realistic.
However, the weak king is a secondary character. I didn't get into the main characters. I wish Wells would devote a greater percentage of the text to characterization and relationship development. She is strong on plot and action -- which is important -- but I need to care about the characters, and that means I need to know them, individually and as a team.
So, after half a dozen false starts, I finally got into the characters just enough to stay the course. This is primarily a kingdom based fantasy, with a romantic relationship on the side. I didn't get deeply drawn into the story of Kade and Thomas, because his past affair with Queen Ravenna overshadowed it.
The fantastical elements include shape shifting, wizards, wards, dark fey from the Unseelie Court, light fey from the Seelie Court (Tatiana and Oberon).
Lots of unnatural disgusting creatures. Lots of bloody battles. Treason, court intrigues, and various betrayals. A few kisses. Cool scenes of the castle, home of the Queen of Darkness and Air (Kade).
Recommend her award-winning The Death of the Necromancer.
May 20, 2009
Yay for free ebooks on Stanza/iPhone! This had been recommended to me in passing, but I didn't follow-up on it until I found myself in this recent mood for fantasy of manners. And this was exactly what I hoped it would be: filled with adventure and court intrigue, with very complex character development, flashes of wit and humor, and a dash of romance. I especially appreciated the strong women characters (Kade!), but even the less likable characters were very interesting and felt real. And while I confess I completely lost the threads of the plot toward the end (as people endlessly found ways to doublecross each other--will have to reread and make sense of it), the resolution was still very satisfying.
I should also note that I managed to enjoy this despite my very strong aversion to faeries in fantasy literature. (I blame said aversion on lots of mediocre urban fantasy. My dislike of faeries in fiction almost rivals my dislike of elves in fiction.)
I believe a free download of this is also available on Wells' website; I think the physical book is out of print.
I should also note that I managed to enjoy this despite my very strong aversion to faeries in fantasy literature. (I blame said aversion on lots of mediocre urban fantasy. My dislike of faeries in fiction almost rivals my dislike of elves in fiction.)
I believe a free download of this is also available on Wells' website; I think the physical book is out of print.
March 16, 2017
This was a competent if slightly lacklustre fantasy in the swashbuckling, basically early modern Europe with added magic vein; I didn't dislike it, but I never really warmed to it either. There were some interesting characters, including a rather older hero than one normally finds, and some well-drawn and complex female characers, but it got rather infodumpy in places (a lot of "as X was only too well aware..." followed by a chunk of the history, geography or politics of the world of the novel), and the romance plot felt a bit tacked on and left me feeling that I would actually have much preferred the two main characters to develop a friendship rather than a romance.
I know this was the author's first book, and in the preface she mentions making revisions for this edition, so I suspect that she has developed and improved her writing since this was first published, and I may well try one of her later books one day.
I know this was the author's first book, and in the preface she mentions making revisions for this edition, so I suspect that she has developed and improved her writing since this was first published, and I may well try one of her later books one day.
March 5, 2021
I have really enjoyed discovering/rediscovering Martha Wells this past year! I read Death of the Necromancer years ago, on my honeymoon, and then the book was put in storage during a move and I didn't have a chance to revisit it until a few months ago. This book is Wells' first book, and the first one set in Ile-Rien, although it, like Death of the Necromancer, works as a standalone. The writing gives a wonderful sense of place, the characters are all witty and wounded in the right proportions, and the story was imaginative and compelling.
2021 re-read: I'm bumping this to 5 stars, because this is RIDICULOUSLY good, particularly for a debut novel, and it deserves it. I hope more people find their way to Martha Wells' other works through Murderbot.
2021 re-read: I'm bumping this to 5 stars, because this is RIDICULOUSLY good, particularly for a debut novel, and it deserves it. I hope more people find their way to Martha Wells' other works through Murderbot.
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