Of Blood and Fire

It's been a while since I read the prequel novella The Fall which was pretty impressive and I've been waiting to read this debut novel since. And just at the time I thought I was falling into a slump, I picked this up and I'm glad it was the right decision.

There are just some books which pull you in from the first page and this was definitely one of them. But I was expecting that because I really enjoyed The Fall and was looking forward to more exciting adventures in this one. And it was both surprising and not at the same time. I'm not used to reading classic fantasy much, so it was nice to see that I can still enjoy it. And this had all the those old school fantasy tropes done well - human, elves, dwarves, Mages practicing elemental magic even if the magic system is slightly different, the always popular farmboy trope, and the best thing of them all - dragons and their riders. The pacing is perfect and I never felt like putting it down. It's been a while since I've read a fantasy with predominately a journey, so the sense of adventure with high stakes was quite fun. The author managed to create a world with familiar beats and infused it with more unique elements, making it a very entertaining read while also evoking some sense of nostalgia.

Calen is an interesting protagonist because I saw my feelings about him fluctuate pretty frequently. He could be arrogant and reckless and impulsive at times which frustrated me, but he was also a young brave man who was thrust into situations he never expected, and was tested for his mettle and strength of heart. He is aptly supported by his two bffs Rist and Dann who are equally brave even if their strengths are different, but also provide some of the levity in this otherwise tense story. Their banter was definitely very entertaining and endearing and I kept wishing that nothing would happen to this trio.

We also have a huge cast of characters, ranging from people of various races fighting against the cruel emperor, who put their trust in and decide to mentor our main character in his newly discovered destiny. They are all mysterious with each one having their own backstories and it was cool the way the author peeled the layers of their personalities slowly, while also leaving some mystery left for the upcoming books and maintaining our anticipation for discovering more. I'm particularly excited to know more about Aseon and Therin, as well as see where Ella's story is going. And ofcourse, Valerys is amazing and I can only wish to see more of him.

Lastly, I can only say this was an unexpectedly delightful read with a fascinating ensemble cast of characters, a unique world with familiar elements, and a fantasy book that reminds us of old classics with its generous use of popular tropes executed well. I really enjoyed the author's own take on the themes we know so well, and I'm very excited to see where this story is going. All I hope is to see many more dragons in the sequel.