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The Epidmauri Saga #1
Flight of a Thousand Embers
A war to erupt. A kingdom to bleed. A curse to consume.
Escera has been divided since the banishment of magic in the kingdoms. Exile or death is the only option for those discovered. Now, terror spreads as the emperor declares war upon the kings.
For Narwin Malancy of Argotra, her power to command the storm has forced her into a life of secrecy. Her dream of becoming a warrior has crumbled. As she navigates her new path, she finds it tainted with shadows, deception, and death.
Splenor Bardazin serves as a city guard, but wields fire in his flesh. Yet his task grows burdensome as he questions his purpose. When he and Narwin discover a man killed by magic, they are forced to uncover the truth behind the rumors of a magical onslaught.
Amid investigations, Guy Renzell’s rash and impulsive methods cause a rift among his peers. Fraught with his duties as well as his troubled conscience, Guy must see past his pride or watch the kingdom succumb to an eternal winter.
Meanwhile, Princess Rayla of the Zide Empire challenges her father’s war with the west. The dagger at his side is driving him deeper into madness, with whispers consuming his mind. Rayla knows the voices are not human, nor are they divine, and they have returned to Escera with a taste for blood and souls.
Escera has been divided since the banishment of magic in the kingdoms. Exile or death is the only option for those discovered. Now, terror spreads as the emperor declares war upon the kings.
For Narwin Malancy of Argotra, her power to command the storm has forced her into a life of secrecy. Her dream of becoming a warrior has crumbled. As she navigates her new path, she finds it tainted with shadows, deception, and death.
Splenor Bardazin serves as a city guard, but wields fire in his flesh. Yet his task grows burdensome as he questions his purpose. When he and Narwin discover a man killed by magic, they are forced to uncover the truth behind the rumors of a magical onslaught.
Amid investigations, Guy Renzell’s rash and impulsive methods cause a rift among his peers. Fraught with his duties as well as his troubled conscience, Guy must see past his pride or watch the kingdom succumb to an eternal winter.
Meanwhile, Princess Rayla of the Zide Empire challenges her father’s war with the west. The dagger at his side is driving him deeper into madness, with whispers consuming his mind. Rayla knows the voices are not human, nor are they divine, and they have returned to Escera with a taste for blood and souls.
- GenresFantasyEpic Fantasy
511 pages, ebook
Published May 16, 2023
11 people are currently reading
215 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
July 10, 2023
Solid book. Good themes of loyalty to friends/country vs loyalty to self. Having to hide who you are and being frustrated by this. Selfish vs selfless, all four of the main POVs had this struggle.
The prose wasn't the greatest or the most dynamic, but it held my interests. The four POVs were solid, but I failed to connect with any of them. Hoping that changes in the next book, which I will definitely pick up. It's 420pgs, so a quick read. A solid quick, 3-star read. And sometimes that is just what you need.
The prose wasn't the greatest or the most dynamic, but it held my interests. The four POVs were solid, but I failed to connect with any of them. Hoping that changes in the next book, which I will definitely pick up. It's 420pgs, so a quick read. A solid quick, 3-star read. And sometimes that is just what you need.
March 18, 2023
Escera is divided. Magic is banished and those who wield it are hated, doomed to be killed or exiled from the kingdom. They are mocked as God-imitators and those with magic fear being discovered.
Fear is spreading as the Emperor has declared war on the smaller kings.
For Narwin, her magic caused her dream of becoming a warrior to crumble and she is faced with a life of being a library keeper. Her new path is not what she thought it would be as she finds it tainted in shadows, filled with deception and death.
Splendor is a city guard but fire and life burns beneath his flesh. Keeping his secret is difficult, especially as he often works with those tasks to seek his kind out. He grows weary of this tasks as a guard and finds them burdensome as he questions his purpose.
Guy is impulsive and rash, which causes a divide amongst himself and his peers. Faced with his duties and his conscience, he must decide between his kingdom or his pride.
Rayla, daughter of the emperor, challenges her fathers decisions. The dagger at his side is driving him mad and causing a darkness to spread through her home that only she and her mother can see.
These four navigate their lives unaware of the paths the others are on…. And just how they all interconnect.
This book was honestly so good. I got approved as an arc reader for this burgeoning series. It is a fantasy world filled with politics, intrigue, romance, and deception. A world divided on itself, which will be its downfall.
I think that this book was paced so well. It starts off with a prologue that is just so gripping and it did not let me go. This is a multi POV book, and despite having four different characters that you’re following, I was able to keep them all separate. I didn’t feel lost or confused and seeing how everyone’s decisions affected, the others was amazing and showed how well out this author planned and thought things through.
My only critique, which is true for so many fantasy books is the pronunciation of the words. I found myself shortening many words and names to the first syllable because I could not understand how they were meant to be said. It also did take me a bit to understand that what they used as currency was not in fact dragons but that’s on me.
Overall, I am very happy to give this book a four star rating, and I am looking forward to the sequel, especially with the cliffhanger and the way the characters developed.
Fear is spreading as the Emperor has declared war on the smaller kings.
For Narwin, her magic caused her dream of becoming a warrior to crumble and she is faced with a life of being a library keeper. Her new path is not what she thought it would be as she finds it tainted in shadows, filled with deception and death.
Splendor is a city guard but fire and life burns beneath his flesh. Keeping his secret is difficult, especially as he often works with those tasks to seek his kind out. He grows weary of this tasks as a guard and finds them burdensome as he questions his purpose.
Guy is impulsive and rash, which causes a divide amongst himself and his peers. Faced with his duties and his conscience, he must decide between his kingdom or his pride.
Rayla, daughter of the emperor, challenges her fathers decisions. The dagger at his side is driving him mad and causing a darkness to spread through her home that only she and her mother can see.
These four navigate their lives unaware of the paths the others are on…. And just how they all interconnect.
This book was honestly so good. I got approved as an arc reader for this burgeoning series. It is a fantasy world filled with politics, intrigue, romance, and deception. A world divided on itself, which will be its downfall.
I think that this book was paced so well. It starts off with a prologue that is just so gripping and it did not let me go. This is a multi POV book, and despite having four different characters that you’re following, I was able to keep them all separate. I didn’t feel lost or confused and seeing how everyone’s decisions affected, the others was amazing and showed how well out this author planned and thought things through.
My only critique, which is true for so many fantasy books is the pronunciation of the words. I found myself shortening many words and names to the first syllable because I could not understand how they were meant to be said. It also did take me a bit to understand that what they used as currency was not in fact dragons but that’s on me.
Overall, I am very happy to give this book a four star rating, and I am looking forward to the sequel, especially with the cliffhanger and the way the characters developed.
April 19, 2023
A huge thank you has to go to debut indie author P. N. Vang for letting me read an e-ARC of Flight of a Thousand Embers! This story has everything you could ever want in a NA fantasy, featuring magic, forbidden love & a terrible curse. Tell me you wouldn’t want to read that?!
Within the kingdom of Argotra, magic is forbidden. The epidmauri (magic users) are called god imitators, & face exile or death if they’re discovered. Having always dreamed of being a warrior, Narwin’s fear of her storm magic being found out has recently forced her onto a new path. Yet when a corpse is found in the woods, with a lingering magic surrounding it? Narwin must find answers to a growing threat within the kingdom. Although she’s aided by Splenor, a fiery epidmauri, Narwin knows she’s running out of time… Because Emperor Doroxau has declared war on Argotra, & soon the world order will fall. Can Narwin fight for her freedom & embrace who she really is? Will her friend, Guy Renzell, see the error of his ways before the end? Or can Princess Rayla of the Zide Empire stop this war before it’s begun, by breaking a terrible curse?
This NA fantasy has the best of both worlds, in terms of fantasy writing. We get tried & true plot devices, like a cursed weapon. But we also get so much more… There are shadow sprites who can turn into something unexpected, & magic which reacts so differently within this realm. Flight of a Thousand Embers is a beautifully nuanced story, full of pain, quiet hope, & dreams that just won’t die.
To be honest? I have found a new & enchanting land to wander through, & I can’t wait to come back to it again & again...
*** You can read my FULL review on my blog here: https://www.immersedinbooks.com/fligh... ***
Within the kingdom of Argotra, magic is forbidden. The epidmauri (magic users) are called god imitators, & face exile or death if they’re discovered. Having always dreamed of being a warrior, Narwin’s fear of her storm magic being found out has recently forced her onto a new path. Yet when a corpse is found in the woods, with a lingering magic surrounding it? Narwin must find answers to a growing threat within the kingdom. Although she’s aided by Splenor, a fiery epidmauri, Narwin knows she’s running out of time… Because Emperor Doroxau has declared war on Argotra, & soon the world order will fall. Can Narwin fight for her freedom & embrace who she really is? Will her friend, Guy Renzell, see the error of his ways before the end? Or can Princess Rayla of the Zide Empire stop this war before it’s begun, by breaking a terrible curse?
This NA fantasy has the best of both worlds, in terms of fantasy writing. We get tried & true plot devices, like a cursed weapon. But we also get so much more… There are shadow sprites who can turn into something unexpected, & magic which reacts so differently within this realm. Flight of a Thousand Embers is a beautifully nuanced story, full of pain, quiet hope, & dreams that just won’t die.
To be honest? I have found a new & enchanting land to wander through, & I can’t wait to come back to it again & again...
*** You can read my FULL review on my blog here: https://www.immersedinbooks.com/fligh... ***
March 31, 2023
I received a free ARC of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.
The world in this book is intimately crafted. There is so much care out into even the smallest details which really makes it jump off the page at you. Immersion happens so easily.
The beginning will immediately grab your interest. I found myself instantly engaged in the story and wanting to push forward. The characters were interesting and I connected with them fairly easily.
Where it drops a bit is the middle. The pacing slows down to a bit of a slog in quite a few places and makes me think a few scenes could have been combined to make it feel more cohesive.
But overall, a very impressive fantasy world and well worth visiting.
The world in this book is intimately crafted. There is so much care out into even the smallest details which really makes it jump off the page at you. Immersion happens so easily.
The beginning will immediately grab your interest. I found myself instantly engaged in the story and wanting to push forward. The characters were interesting and I connected with them fairly easily.
Where it drops a bit is the middle. The pacing slows down to a bit of a slog in quite a few places and makes me think a few scenes could have been combined to make it feel more cohesive.
But overall, a very impressive fantasy world and well worth visiting.
April 6, 2023
This is my voluntary review after receiving a free ARC copy.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, particularly the intriguing characters like Narwin, my favourite, I also found the magic system to be fascinating. P.N. Vang's writing style was very engaging, which helped me become more engrossed in the story.
My only criticisms concerns the pronunciations of certain words, I often abbreviated them since I wasn't sure how to pronounce them and I didn't want to butcher my experience. I also found the story to slow a bit around the middle but that didn't stop me from reading since I was already fascinated by the story.
With these minor issues aside, I'm delighted to give this book a well-deserved five-star rating. I'm eagerly anticipating the next instalment and plan to purchase a physical copy on the release day.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, particularly the intriguing characters like Narwin, my favourite, I also found the magic system to be fascinating. P.N. Vang's writing style was very engaging, which helped me become more engrossed in the story.
My only criticisms concerns the pronunciations of certain words, I often abbreviated them since I wasn't sure how to pronounce them and I didn't want to butcher my experience. I also found the story to slow a bit around the middle but that didn't stop me from reading since I was already fascinated by the story.
With these minor issues aside, I'm delighted to give this book a well-deserved five-star rating. I'm eagerly anticipating the next instalment and plan to purchase a physical copy on the release day.
November 1, 2025
I initially read this as a beta reader and then I had the chance to reread the final version. Flight of a Thousand Embers is an amazing NA fantasy book and I loved it! It’s also a debut novel, which is impressive. I totally recommend it to fantasy lovers.
~ February, 2023
~ February, 2023
October 29, 2023
Much of the first parts of the book seems bogged down by mundanity, grey descriptions, and what seem to be unconvincing characters and dialogue some of the time. It too often feels like the persons in the story have a lack of foresight even towards their own motives.
There is a point about halfway through the book where a description, the first major act of near insanity by the antagonist Emperor of Zide, a murder, occurs: it is a spectacular description and as jarring as the nature of the event itself. Around this point the book really begins to take off and Vangs writing skills comes into stride, there are golden descriptions, and passages which appear brilliant in inspiration.
The book has a pantheonistic approach to deity, like many great fantasies. I really wanted to hear more about the gods machinations, in the vein of Erikson's Malazan series; I do not know if they are Greco-Roman in likeness or Egyptian in similarlity or what their traits clearly are. Even their names are rarely mentioned. Since the "Epidmauri" are magic users meaning "god imitators" I find it one of the most interesting and vital fields of her saga.
One of the things I hope Vang develops more is a more intuited direction to mystery in the Epidmauris and their magic. Personally I much like the spirituality and subtleness of magic systems after a form like Tolkien, who remains a champion in this regard especially with his "magic is just their technology" point of view on elven arts; or of even more brilliance something like Patrick Rothfuss' "names", rather than the dead sledgehammer kind common to Dungeons and Dragons, Warhammer, or someone like Eddings. Her magic system is an integral part of her story as magic use is an deeply entrenched part of society across the given world, with a great deal of fear and heresy in the mainstay location of the book. It is a nice touch that the elemental affinities of given Epidmauri are reflected in their personality. Her systems are built on what I can guess is god-given magic, and also seem based on primal elements(the alchemical derived forces of things like wind, lightning, fire, water, etc), but there is a lot more uniqueness hinted at in the book and a lot of potential I would like to see explained. It reminds me a bit of Robert Jordan's saidin and saidar- (the One Power being defined also by elemental forces)
I felt a marked sense of fleshiness to the motives, personality, and choices of all the major characters after the initial story setup of the first half. It seemed to really take off around the middle: becoming much more engaging, as encounters with other Epidmauris ensued and especially the sadistic leanings, bleak past, and haunting motivations of a like-and-hate character, Splenor, unfold. There was a blossom of romance the book began with between he and Narwin, and a combined thread work emerges, markedly in the rising dread of the coming clash between Argotra's west and the Zide empire, especially in their conflicting opinions of the status of the Epidmauri and the mysterious gods who, still, are only hinted at. It helps give a sense of antiquity the driving force of aggression behind the Empire is vague but is bound up in an old legend.
There is a strong portrayal of this gifted people bearing the saga namesake, first as a hidden caste, and in Zide more like an honored militant sect or even a secret society. The first encounter and rashness by one major character, Splenor, with one of them, an antagonist named Remi, is a revealing touch the author defined by his fiery personality, noteworthy for its chime of character delineation when it happens and charge of excitement it provokes. As if the reader is, perhaps, witnessing the rise of a great man like Alexander the Great or Genghis Khan. Things rapidly unfold quite differently.
I ended up liking Splenor despite his darkness, despite his bleak morality, and yes he can be evil. His camaraderie with Guy Renzell is also a likeable and rare brotherhood.
The inquisitors, Narwins gentle heroism and her peril, the consequences of these secretive Epidmauri, and the vague mystery of the gods themselves beg for answers and by the end there is much revealed in the MCs and conflicts than I expected. The ending of the book sees a coming war.
Vangs inspiring world really shows and the story waxes in intrigue.
I enjoyed the book and hope Vang continues her saga.
There is a point about halfway through the book where a description, the first major act of near insanity by the antagonist Emperor of Zide, a murder, occurs: it is a spectacular description and as jarring as the nature of the event itself. Around this point the book really begins to take off and Vangs writing skills comes into stride, there are golden descriptions, and passages which appear brilliant in inspiration.
The book has a pantheonistic approach to deity, like many great fantasies. I really wanted to hear more about the gods machinations, in the vein of Erikson's Malazan series; I do not know if they are Greco-Roman in likeness or Egyptian in similarlity or what their traits clearly are. Even their names are rarely mentioned. Since the "Epidmauri" are magic users meaning "god imitators" I find it one of the most interesting and vital fields of her saga.
One of the things I hope Vang develops more is a more intuited direction to mystery in the Epidmauris and their magic. Personally I much like the spirituality and subtleness of magic systems after a form like Tolkien, who remains a champion in this regard especially with his "magic is just their technology" point of view on elven arts; or of even more brilliance something like Patrick Rothfuss' "names", rather than the dead sledgehammer kind common to Dungeons and Dragons, Warhammer, or someone like Eddings. Her magic system is an integral part of her story as magic use is an deeply entrenched part of society across the given world, with a great deal of fear and heresy in the mainstay location of the book. It is a nice touch that the elemental affinities of given Epidmauri are reflected in their personality. Her systems are built on what I can guess is god-given magic, and also seem based on primal elements(the alchemical derived forces of things like wind, lightning, fire, water, etc), but there is a lot more uniqueness hinted at in the book and a lot of potential I would like to see explained. It reminds me a bit of Robert Jordan's saidin and saidar- (the One Power being defined also by elemental forces)
I felt a marked sense of fleshiness to the motives, personality, and choices of all the major characters after the initial story setup of the first half. It seemed to really take off around the middle: becoming much more engaging, as encounters with other Epidmauris ensued and especially the sadistic leanings, bleak past, and haunting motivations of a like-and-hate character, Splenor, unfold. There was a blossom of romance the book began with between he and Narwin, and a combined thread work emerges, markedly in the rising dread of the coming clash between Argotra's west and the Zide empire, especially in their conflicting opinions of the status of the Epidmauri and the mysterious gods who, still, are only hinted at. It helps give a sense of antiquity the driving force of aggression behind the Empire is vague but is bound up in an old legend.
There is a strong portrayal of this gifted people bearing the saga namesake, first as a hidden caste, and in Zide more like an honored militant sect or even a secret society. The first encounter and rashness by one major character, Splenor, with one of them, an antagonist named Remi, is a revealing touch the author defined by his fiery personality, noteworthy for its chime of character delineation when it happens and charge of excitement it provokes. As if the reader is, perhaps, witnessing the rise of a great man like Alexander the Great or Genghis Khan. Things rapidly unfold quite differently.
I ended up liking Splenor despite his darkness, despite his bleak morality, and yes he can be evil. His camaraderie with Guy Renzell is also a likeable and rare brotherhood.
The inquisitors, Narwins gentle heroism and her peril, the consequences of these secretive Epidmauri, and the vague mystery of the gods themselves beg for answers and by the end there is much revealed in the MCs and conflicts than I expected. The ending of the book sees a coming war.
Vangs inspiring world really shows and the story waxes in intrigue.
I enjoyed the book and hope Vang continues her saga.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2025
I’ve been meaning to read this series for quite some time, so I made it a goal of mine to finish it this year. Now I want to preface that I’m someone who reads for the vibes, I have to be in the mood to learn about a new world of fantasy. With that said, my plan is to finish this series and loop back around next year and do a reread. Now as for reviews, I honestly don’t know how to write reviews, I just write what I feel, whether it is a review or more so just my thoughts.
Anyway, can I just say that I absolutely love when authors include maps. And this map is beautiful!!! Secondly, the pronunciation guide, chef’s kiss! Thank you! And lastly, the author giving us a guide to the Ivolan Gods as well, thank youuu!!!
The book follows 4 main characters. Narwin, Splenor, Guy and Rayla. The author spent a perfect amount of time introducing the characters and giving us a chance to get to know them.
Narwin and Splenor spend the entire book trying to hide the fact that they are epidmauri, have magic, which is looked down upon. Heck, the opening scene is their friend getting unalived because of magic. Narwin continues to want to hide but you can tell Splenor has some other thoughts where he is starting to accept it and wants to leave. At one point of the book, he does leave and I literally thought he was going turning bad. But he did in fact come back and helped Guy and Narwin against Remy (an epidmauri, which I don’t even want to say was bad, because I need to know more about epidmauri.)
Guy… now this is the man. He starts out, in my mind, as somewhat arrogant, kind of a show off, did not account for his actions, lives in the shadows of his brother. Idk what the author has planned for him, but I have a feeling he will shine through and become a powerful character in books 2 and 3. Even in book 1, he showed growth by admitting his faults and in the end was rewarded.
As for Rayla, idk, but her character is giving, spoilers to another book series, Manon in TOG. I remember reading TOG and just thought, who is this girl and why do I need to know about her? Now Rayla is giving off those vibes. Like I want to keep reading about the other three characters but I just know Rayla’s story is important. I just have to trust the process.
Overall, I really enjoyed this first book and cannot wait to get started on the second! A great read, easy to follow and nicely written.
Anyway, can I just say that I absolutely love when authors include maps. And this map is beautiful!!! Secondly, the pronunciation guide, chef’s kiss! Thank you! And lastly, the author giving us a guide to the Ivolan Gods as well, thank youuu!!!
The book follows 4 main characters. Narwin, Splenor, Guy and Rayla. The author spent a perfect amount of time introducing the characters and giving us a chance to get to know them.
Narwin and Splenor spend the entire book trying to hide the fact that they are epidmauri, have magic, which is looked down upon. Heck, the opening scene is their friend getting unalived because of magic. Narwin continues to want to hide but you can tell Splenor has some other thoughts where he is starting to accept it and wants to leave. At one point of the book, he does leave and I literally thought he was going turning bad. But he did in fact come back and helped Guy and Narwin against Remy (an epidmauri, which I don’t even want to say was bad, because I need to know more about epidmauri.)
Guy… now this is the man. He starts out, in my mind, as somewhat arrogant, kind of a show off, did not account for his actions, lives in the shadows of his brother. Idk what the author has planned for him, but I have a feeling he will shine through and become a powerful character in books 2 and 3. Even in book 1, he showed growth by admitting his faults and in the end was rewarded.
As for Rayla, idk, but her character is giving, spoilers to another book series, Manon in TOG. I remember reading TOG and just thought, who is this girl and why do I need to know about her? Now Rayla is giving off those vibes. Like I want to keep reading about the other three characters but I just know Rayla’s story is important. I just have to trust the process.
Overall, I really enjoyed this first book and cannot wait to get started on the second! A great read, easy to follow and nicely written.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2023
Thank you so much to P.N. Vang for sending me an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
Flight of a Thousand Embers is a powerful fantasy that explores topics of inclusion and morality, in a land where, to one side, magic wielders (epidmauri) are welcomed, and the other they are outlawed. The story follows three epidmauri in the Western land of Argotra, each with different positions in their society, and a princess in Zide where epidmauri are free. As the West sees the trickling start of war with Zide moving in to wage a war fought with magic, two hidden Argotran epidmauri must protect their land without exposing themselves, and chose a side before it's too late. Meanwhile, the Zide princess has battles of her own, believing her father to be under the influence of a sinister power he refuses to see as anything besides one of their seven honoured gods.
The hard magic system is easy to understand whilst containing minor complexities to up the stakes, such as resisting the instinctual pull of other epidmauri magic.
What the story really comes down to in my opinion was morality: when is it okay to cause another's death? Does one fight for their land or for their people? Whose allegiance should one seek, when both sides seem to be doing wrong? And is it wrong to want to be oneself, when a core part of you is outlawed in your land?
The characters were my favourite part of this book by far! They each had distinct motives, allegiances and enemies, passions and proclivities. I felt myself very drawn to Narwin for many reasons; she was just very easy for me personally to relate to. I honestly felt like I could be friends with any of the main 4 though!
The only negative thing I could say about this book is that at times the writing was a little clunky, a bit wordy, pulling me out of the magic temporarily.
Overall a very enjoyable read! Ignore the reading dates logged on Goodreads - the only reason it took me so long to get through is because I'm Beta reading another high fantasy at the same time haha
Flight of a Thousand Embers is a powerful fantasy that explores topics of inclusion and morality, in a land where, to one side, magic wielders (epidmauri) are welcomed, and the other they are outlawed. The story follows three epidmauri in the Western land of Argotra, each with different positions in their society, and a princess in Zide where epidmauri are free. As the West sees the trickling start of war with Zide moving in to wage a war fought with magic, two hidden Argotran epidmauri must protect their land without exposing themselves, and chose a side before it's too late. Meanwhile, the Zide princess has battles of her own, believing her father to be under the influence of a sinister power he refuses to see as anything besides one of their seven honoured gods.
The hard magic system is easy to understand whilst containing minor complexities to up the stakes, such as resisting the instinctual pull of other epidmauri magic.
What the story really comes down to in my opinion was morality: when is it okay to cause another's death? Does one fight for their land or for their people? Whose allegiance should one seek, when both sides seem to be doing wrong? And is it wrong to want to be oneself, when a core part of you is outlawed in your land?
The characters were my favourite part of this book by far! They each had distinct motives, allegiances and enemies, passions and proclivities. I felt myself very drawn to Narwin for many reasons; she was just very easy for me personally to relate to. I honestly felt like I could be friends with any of the main 4 though!
The only negative thing I could say about this book is that at times the writing was a little clunky, a bit wordy, pulling me out of the magic temporarily.
Overall a very enjoyable read! Ignore the reading dates logged on Goodreads - the only reason it took me so long to get through is because I'm Beta reading another high fantasy at the same time haha
April 4, 2024
🔥B O O K R E V I E W 🔥
Flight of a Thousand Embers
This was an outstanding NA fantasy debut by P.N. Vang. Seriously, color me impressed. The writing was flawless, the descriptions beautiful, and such memorable multifaceted characters were established in the intro to the Epidmauri saga.
I really loved the world-building and setting. It was very immersive, and I really enjoyed the magic system in this book. The Epidmauri are those gifted with magic, referred to as "God-imitators" as their abilities are from various gods, their element based off the god they came from. Loved this so much! Such a unique, fresh take on magic wielders.
The political intrigue was fantastic. There's one kingdom, where Epidmauri are forbidden, and, when found, are sentenced to death or exiled. And then you have the empire which is built on Epidmauris, their rule under corruption from an ancient artifact. Super interesting, and I'm really excited to see where this goes in future installments.
The only issue that I had with this book is it took me a while to feel connected. It wasn't until the halfway point that I was feeling immersed and interested, genuinely caring about the characters and seeing what happens next. I suppose this is probably what is called a "slow start," but a lot of this time was establishing world-building and characters. Because it is a multi POV book with four main characters, and their sub-characters, there's a lot to establish, so it's understandable. I think I would've preferred less to focus on at first, so I could foster a connection with one main character, and then move on to building more.
The cast was great! They all had their strengths and weaknesses, which I loved. Splenor is my favorite!! I can't wait to see what happens in his story.
Best yet--book 2 comes out April 8th, so not much waiting for a sequel!
I highly recommend this book to any fantasy lover who enjoys rich immersive worlds, forbidden magic, multi POV and the perfect touch of romance and spice!
Flight of a Thousand Embers
This was an outstanding NA fantasy debut by P.N. Vang. Seriously, color me impressed. The writing was flawless, the descriptions beautiful, and such memorable multifaceted characters were established in the intro to the Epidmauri saga.
I really loved the world-building and setting. It was very immersive, and I really enjoyed the magic system in this book. The Epidmauri are those gifted with magic, referred to as "God-imitators" as their abilities are from various gods, their element based off the god they came from. Loved this so much! Such a unique, fresh take on magic wielders.
The political intrigue was fantastic. There's one kingdom, where Epidmauri are forbidden, and, when found, are sentenced to death or exiled. And then you have the empire which is built on Epidmauris, their rule under corruption from an ancient artifact. Super interesting, and I'm really excited to see where this goes in future installments.
The only issue that I had with this book is it took me a while to feel connected. It wasn't until the halfway point that I was feeling immersed and interested, genuinely caring about the characters and seeing what happens next. I suppose this is probably what is called a "slow start," but a lot of this time was establishing world-building and characters. Because it is a multi POV book with four main characters, and their sub-characters, there's a lot to establish, so it's understandable. I think I would've preferred less to focus on at first, so I could foster a connection with one main character, and then move on to building more.
The cast was great! They all had their strengths and weaknesses, which I loved. Splenor is my favorite!! I can't wait to see what happens in his story.
Best yet--book 2 comes out April 8th, so not much waiting for a sequel!
I highly recommend this book to any fantasy lover who enjoys rich immersive worlds, forbidden magic, multi POV and the perfect touch of romance and spice!
May 7, 2023
I was an ARC reader for this book, but all of my options are my own.
To start off with the good, characters here are not flat. They each have clear arcs and flaws the make them interesting and give them some interesting dynamics. Their world feels the same, with complex politics and beliefs for them to navigate as they strive for what they want. The magic systems is also quite interesting, not just having elemental powers but more complicated ones like drawing or anti-magic. It was also nice to see how these powers combine, making it feel like there are more option.
That does lead me to my first complaint, it is never clear what is possible with the magic or how it works. They talk about a singular magical item, but nothing else seems to work that way. Many of the spells seem cool, but whenever they get pulled out my reaction is "wait, they can do that?" This vagueness is in contrast to the rest of the writing. The characters have arcs that are interesting, but I wish the writing didn't spell everything out. It doesn't need to be said that the angry character needs to work on his ego, he just punched a subordinate for questioning him. While the narration can feel inelegant, the dialogue feels downright clumsy. When one character throws tea in another's face and tells her "You're lucky it wasn't hot or your face would have melted" I have trouble not imagining toddlers acting out these scenes.
While all of this can be distracting, it is still based around a solid core. I'm curious to see more and I think fantasy lovers will have fun with the characters and setting.
To start off with the good, characters here are not flat. They each have clear arcs and flaws the make them interesting and give them some interesting dynamics. Their world feels the same, with complex politics and beliefs for them to navigate as they strive for what they want. The magic systems is also quite interesting, not just having elemental powers but more complicated ones like drawing or anti-magic. It was also nice to see how these powers combine, making it feel like there are more option.
That does lead me to my first complaint, it is never clear what is possible with the magic or how it works. They talk about a singular magical item, but nothing else seems to work that way. Many of the spells seem cool, but whenever they get pulled out my reaction is "wait, they can do that?" This vagueness is in contrast to the rest of the writing. The characters have arcs that are interesting, but I wish the writing didn't spell everything out. It doesn't need to be said that the angry character needs to work on his ego, he just punched a subordinate for questioning him. While the narration can feel inelegant, the dialogue feels downright clumsy. When one character throws tea in another's face and tells her "You're lucky it wasn't hot or your face would have melted" I have trouble not imagining toddlers acting out these scenes.
While all of this can be distracting, it is still based around a solid core. I'm curious to see more and I think fantasy lovers will have fun with the characters and setting.
May 21, 2023
Being gifted with magic is punishable by exile or death in Escera. A hard truth that Narwin and Splenor learn when forced to watch the execution of their friend and mentor, Malfus. Being the only two people in Wortham to posses magic, their lives are constantly in danger.
And since Narwin believes her and Splenor's naivety is the reason that Malfus was put to death, she cannot bring herself to give in to the love she has for him. If she loses control, they will be ruined - it cannot happen again.
But the Zide Empire is planning a war against them, seeing as in their kingdom, the emperor uses magic as a weapon and lately, all he can think about is spilling the blood of his enemies. His daughter, Rayla, and his wife do not agree with him and try to remove the object they believe to be causing his vengeful insanity.
Meanwhile, not everything is as it seems in Wortham's gaurd and protecting the city seems to be much more of a challenge when it is being attacked by infiltrators from within.
My thoughts:
This is a debut novel? I refuse to believe it! This book was so whole. The world building was immaculate and the story was so immersive. I loved the multiple POV's from Narwin, Splenor, Guy and Rayla. The concept behind the magic was so good, I loved the inclusion of the shadow sprites! There was a little bit of mystery too which was perfect. Narwin and Rayla are such strong female characters and I loved the hard choices that Splenor and Guy had to face. I cannot wait to see how Narwin takes hold of her destiny and fights for herself and her future!
And since Narwin believes her and Splenor's naivety is the reason that Malfus was put to death, she cannot bring herself to give in to the love she has for him. If she loses control, they will be ruined - it cannot happen again.
But the Zide Empire is planning a war against them, seeing as in their kingdom, the emperor uses magic as a weapon and lately, all he can think about is spilling the blood of his enemies. His daughter, Rayla, and his wife do not agree with him and try to remove the object they believe to be causing his vengeful insanity.
Meanwhile, not everything is as it seems in Wortham's gaurd and protecting the city seems to be much more of a challenge when it is being attacked by infiltrators from within.
My thoughts:
This is a debut novel? I refuse to believe it! This book was so whole. The world building was immaculate and the story was so immersive. I loved the multiple POV's from Narwin, Splenor, Guy and Rayla. The concept behind the magic was so good, I loved the inclusion of the shadow sprites! There was a little bit of mystery too which was perfect. Narwin and Rayla are such strong female characters and I loved the hard choices that Splenor and Guy had to face. I cannot wait to see how Narwin takes hold of her destiny and fights for herself and her future!
May 2, 2023
For a fantasy geek like me, there's hardly anything more satisfying than discovering an entirely new world as well-developed as this one. When you start reading and get that incredible feeling you're witnessing things happen instead of just reading them on a page, you know you've found a gem.
And that's not even the best part of this novel!
I'm just in awe of the amazing characters in this book. You have morally grey dudes, and then you have Splenor. I usually find it hard to justify some of the vilest actions in some of these "troubled" characters, but I can 100% stand behind this guy. The author managed to keep us on the line about "should we hate this guy or not?" for the entire novel. His ending in this first book is one of the most heartbreaking I've read in a while. Narwin is a bit of a pushover for most of the story, and when she stands her ground it usually backfires horribly (poor woman!). But her character arc is wild, and I'm afraid for her (and of her) for the next book. Guy is perfect. We love Guy. He starts as a cocky bastard with a big ego to hide his insecurities but by the end of the book we can't help but love The Guy.
...please don't kill him.
I'm still not sure how I feel about Rayla. Not my favorite in this novel, but after seeing what the author can do with her characters, I hope for great things.
10/10 recommend to fans of Epic Fantasy, forbidden magic, political intrigue, and amazing characters!
And that's not even the best part of this novel!
I'm just in awe of the amazing characters in this book. You have morally grey dudes, and then you have Splenor. I usually find it hard to justify some of the vilest actions in some of these "troubled" characters, but I can 100% stand behind this guy. The author managed to keep us on the line about "should we hate this guy or not?" for the entire novel. His ending in this first book is one of the most heartbreaking I've read in a while. Narwin is a bit of a pushover for most of the story, and when she stands her ground it usually backfires horribly (poor woman!). But her character arc is wild, and I'm afraid for her (and of her) for the next book. Guy is perfect. We love Guy. He starts as a cocky bastard with a big ego to hide his insecurities but by the end of the book we can't help but love The Guy.
...please don't kill him.
I'm still not sure how I feel about Rayla. Not my favorite in this novel, but after seeing what the author can do with her characters, I hope for great things.
10/10 recommend to fans of Epic Fantasy, forbidden magic, political intrigue, and amazing characters!
August 20, 2023
As someone who doesn't read fantasy very often, this one pulled me in. The writing style is great, the world building and ambience is awesome and as I read the book I actually felt myself in their world. Everyday when I got home from school, I always look forward to reading another chapter. The characters are also great, they are so well put together that in some chapters they made me feel emotions that I never thought I would feel. It has the perfect amount of action and has a perfect and steady build up to the climax. The book is also very well written, you will never have to go back and read the sentence unless you want to read the exciting action again. The book cover art is really good for a debut novel and the book has high quality material. Overall an impressive book, highly recommend for those who want to continue reading fantasy but want more mature characters. I look forward to the next book!
December 10, 2023
I absolutely adored this epic fantasy novel. I found it thanks to BookThreads and I am so grateful for that. You will follow four different characters on the same timeline on varying journeys. And boy are these characters are on a journey. Watching them evolve is a work of art. They genuinely grow, rather than speeding along towards conclusions. They are flawed, but I loved them anyways. But let me say, those flaws are frustrating at times. We want them to see what we see, but they grow naturally as people actually would. I was surprised by how they evolved and no one main character is “good” or “bad”.
The world building is superb. It is detailed without taking away from the story. There are no details that are written just to take space on a page. It all has a purpose and that kind of writing is hard to do.
There is so much action, intrigue, and tangled webs. I cannot recommend this enough and can’t wait for book 2!
The world building is superb. It is detailed without taking away from the story. There are no details that are written just to take space on a page. It all has a purpose and that kind of writing is hard to do.
There is so much action, intrigue, and tangled webs. I cannot recommend this enough and can’t wait for book 2!
June 13, 2023
Well, that was a ride! This fantastic story really captured me. Not gonna lie; at first, it took me some time to get into the story, but after 10% of the book, I was captured by the author's story. Rich in fantasy, world-building, and characters. And what a plot!!!😮What can I say - It is an amazing fantasy novel. The story is so original I cannot even compare it to any other book.
My only slight critique is the slow pacing at the very beginning of the story and in the middle of the book; however, it's because of my personal preference.
The characters are extremely interesting! I cannot express how much I loved everyone!
Lastly, the ending got me shook. It must be one of the strongest elements of the book. Nothing to add more but to say - I am waiting for the second part!!!!
4.7/5 stars
My only slight critique is the slow pacing at the very beginning of the story and in the middle of the book; however, it's because of my personal preference.
The characters are extremely interesting! I cannot express how much I loved everyone!
Lastly, the ending got me shook. It must be one of the strongest elements of the book. Nothing to add more but to say - I am waiting for the second part!!!!
4.7/5 stars
June 21, 2023
This debut novel of New Adult Epic Fantasy was excellently crafted. The worldbuilding is masterfully done with an amazing attention to detail.
The characters were written with incredible detail and complexity, each having their own causes, values, and loyalties which was made visible through the multiple viewpoints used in the narrative. I was really drawn to the character development in the book--it was exquisite.
The magical elements throughout the story are one of a kind and mesmerizing.
The one thing that really bugged me was the sluggish pacing--it was a painfully slow burn. Even though slow pacing may not be my personal favorite, that doesn't mean a book isn't good or that others won't enjoy it-- many fantasy readers appreciate a slow build-up.
All things considered, this was a brilliant first novel and if you love Epic Fantasy, you should definitely check it out
The characters were written with incredible detail and complexity, each having their own causes, values, and loyalties which was made visible through the multiple viewpoints used in the narrative. I was really drawn to the character development in the book--it was exquisite.
The magical elements throughout the story are one of a kind and mesmerizing.
The one thing that really bugged me was the sluggish pacing--it was a painfully slow burn. Even though slow pacing may not be my personal favorite, that doesn't mean a book isn't good or that others won't enjoy it-- many fantasy readers appreciate a slow build-up.
All things considered, this was a brilliant first novel and if you love Epic Fantasy, you should definitely check it out
April 13, 2023
An intricately woven story of magic, love, loyalty, and deception. This story drew me in with the elaborate world building, and kept me with the multifaceted characters. Their fates have been interwoven from the start, despite them having no idea. Bodies are being found, murdered by magic in a land that denies its existence. Magical beings hide in plain sight and fighting for their existence. P.N. Vang has created a magical, complex world where everyone is hiding something, and no secret is safe.
Learn the secrets of Narwin, Splenor, Guy and Rayla as they navigate vastly different territories, war, and secret magic.
Learn the secrets of Narwin, Splenor, Guy and Rayla as they navigate vastly different territories, war, and secret magic.
March 23, 2024
First, I want to say a big thank you for allowing me to be a part of a great book! Fantasy isn’t a book I usually read but I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and I stumbled upon this book as a beta reader.
This book was easy to read, and easy to follow. It had everything you need for a good story. Forbidden love & magic with a bad ass female lead. Narwin & Princess Rayla have different battles in this book but the both show you that a female can do anything to save their country from evil. Narwin fighting evil shadows & Princess Rayla her father. There are for POVs and these characters are on JOURNEYS and they evolve from start to finish.
This book was easy to read, and easy to follow. It had everything you need for a good story. Forbidden love & magic with a bad ass female lead. Narwin & Princess Rayla have different battles in this book but the both show you that a female can do anything to save their country from evil. Narwin fighting evil shadows & Princess Rayla her father. There are for POVs and these characters are on JOURNEYS and they evolve from start to finish.
July 31, 2023
This book frustrated me so much. It’s overwritten, which in turns slows the pacing to a crawl. It took me 21 days of reading one or two chapters here and there on top of cheating on it with 3 other novels just to get through this book. It’s like many of the scenes simply start too early, or the narrative interrupts its momentum to feed the reader descriptions and internals on history and lore that just isn’t relevant in the moment at hand.
That being said though, I did LIKE this book. The characters are interesting to read in their moral greyness, and I especially enjoyed reading Guy’s perspective and narrative transformation. The plot is also quite compelling when it’s happening, and by the 60% mark, things really pick up. This is a solid debut all things considered, and I will happily read the sequel when it comes out next year.
That being said though, I did LIKE this book. The characters are interesting to read in their moral greyness, and I especially enjoyed reading Guy’s perspective and narrative transformation. The plot is also quite compelling when it’s happening, and by the 60% mark, things really pick up. This is a solid debut all things considered, and I will happily read the sequel when it comes out next year.
September 13, 2023
4.5 stars! This is a great start to the series. The characters are dynamic and original and I loved getting to know them all. I cared for them, even though they were often morally grey. The world-building was really well done as well, it felt easy to slip into the fantasy side of things without having to work too hard for it. There was a Game of Thrones feel to the world in the sense that it feels full and fleshed out - everything here was deliberate. I felt the pacing was a little slow at times, but it's laid the groundwork perfectly for the next book, and I look forward to its release!
December 27, 2023
When two young epidmauri, hated magic users, are reckless it causes the death of their mentor and forces them to hide in plain sight. In another realm where magic is used to support the regime, a princess plots to free her father from a cursed dagger. And in the future looms the prospect of devastating war.
It takes a while to grasp the complex world building, politics, relationships and sheer number of multilayered characters, but once you do, this epic fantasy is a blast and a great start to a series.
It takes a while to grasp the complex world building, politics, relationships and sheer number of multilayered characters, but once you do, this epic fantasy is a blast and a great start to a series.
March 3, 2024
Good idea, writing needs work
I liked the concepts of the story in this book, but the writing needs work. It seems like the author wanted to use a lot of turns of phrase and big vocabulary words, but many of them were slightly out of place or a close sound alike was used (example: she looked eloquent vs elegant). I don't know if I will continue the series - part of me wants to know how our characters end up aligning themselves in the war to come, and another part of me dreads the lack of editing.
I liked the concepts of the story in this book, but the writing needs work. It seems like the author wanted to use a lot of turns of phrase and big vocabulary words, but many of them were slightly out of place or a close sound alike was used (example: she looked eloquent vs elegant). I don't know if I will continue the series - part of me wants to know how our characters end up aligning themselves in the war to come, and another part of me dreads the lack of editing.
August 29, 2023
Great debut!
Flight of a Thousand Embers is the wonderful first installment of epic new adult fantasy series, The Epidmauri Saga.
The multi-POV narration shares the intricacies for four main characters, each with their own demons and agendas.
With vast world-building, political intrigue and epic magical battles aplenty, there is a lot to like between the pages of this impressive debut!
Flight of a Thousand Embers is the wonderful first installment of epic new adult fantasy series, The Epidmauri Saga.
The multi-POV narration shares the intricacies for four main characters, each with their own demons and agendas.
With vast world-building, political intrigue and epic magical battles aplenty, there is a lot to like between the pages of this impressive debut!
April 3, 2023
I received free ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really liked this book, the characters and magic were quite interesting, the authors writing style made it very easy for me to get into the book, and I had to just say that I loved it! I will definitely be getting my hands on a hard copy if possible when it comes out!
I really liked this book, the characters and magic were quite interesting, the authors writing style made it very easy for me to get into the book, and I had to just say that I loved it! I will definitely be getting my hands on a hard copy if possible when it comes out!
April 7, 2024
Wow!
I have not been able to focus on a book for about a month, and have started about 4 books hoping for something to catch me attention.
I opened this book, fell into for 6hr, climbed out to cry at the author and get a soda, fell back into the book and now the book is over 😢 🖤 I need the next book!
I have not been able to focus on a book for about a month, and have started about 4 books hoping for something to catch me attention.
I opened this book, fell into for 6hr, climbed out to cry at the author and get a soda, fell back into the book and now the book is over 😢 🖤 I need the next book!
May 15, 2023
Flight of a Thousand Embers is a delightful read about hidden magic. The story is well developed, with twists and turns that will take you on a captivating journey. A must read for anyone who loves fantasy worlds filled with magic, high stakes, conflicted characters, and adventure.
April 26, 2024
This book is fantastic! Well written and it's easy to get sucked in and fall in love with the characters. Not to mention the political intrugue, multiple POVs, magic and monsters, I had a wonderful time and will be moving onto the second book in the saga!
May 1, 2023
I love the book love the storyline and characters can't wait for the next one
May 17, 2023
Great book, really enjoyed reading it. A really strong debut from an upcoming fantasy author.
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