Fire & Ice (Icefire Trilogy Book 1)
Book 1 of this dark fantasy series is free.
Deep under the City of Glass in the frozen southern land, an age-old machine called the Heart of the City radiates a power which locals call icefire. Most citizens are immune to it, but a few, always born with physical disabilities, can bend it to their will. For fifty years, the ruling Eagle Knights, who fly on the back of giant birds, have killed these Imperfects, fearing the return of the old royal family, who used icefire to cut out people’s hearts, turning them into ghostly servitors.
The old king’s grandson Tandor only sees the good things icefire brought: power and technology now forgotten while the people of the south live in dire poverty. He’s had enough of seeing his fellow kinsfolk slaughtered by ignorant Knights, of Imperfect babies being abandoned on the ice floes to be eaten by wild animals. His grandfather’s diary tells him how to increase the beat of the Heart the first step to making the land glorious once more. Arrogant as he is, he sets the machine in motion. All he needs is an army of Imperfect servitors to control the resulting power.
Isandor is Imperfect, an ex-Knight apprentice, betrayed by his best friend and running for his life.
The queen Jevaithi is Imperfect, living like a prisoner amidst leering Knights, surviving only because the common people would rebel if their beloved queen were harmed.
Both are young and desperate and should be grateful that Tandor wants to rescue them from their hopeless situations. Or so he thinks. The youngsters, however, have no inclination to become heartless ghosts, but while they defy Tandor, the Heart beats, and he alone cannot control its power.
Unless someone stops him.
For readers who like their fantasy dark and gritty. Sign up for the author’s mailing list and receive another freebie.
Great literary concept,
Interesting and in the main deeply troubled characters. Quite a change not to be reading a book with the strong, handsome and only slightly troubled lead, either all ready there in your face, or hovering around waiting for step forward and save the world.
A really good and well thought out concept, being Icefire. Some might say an idea to be not too dissimilar from Dust. Maybe, but I am sure that I have read books not too dissimilar from Dracula, without the fear to be accused of being plagiarised.
And to my mind the most important, the story is constantly moving in on. Rather than page after chapter of meaningless and mindbending drivel.
One review here says it reminds them of Game of Thrones, because there was Ice and Snow !, well if that is all it takes ok. But then goes on to say they are reminded of The Golden Compass, there again, what ever rocks your boat. I have never read the book The Golden Compass, but I have read, to my mind a totally original masterpiece, His Dark Materials, ( it has Dust ) ( sadly not on kindle, but read it ) by a truly brilliant and versiltile author, Philip Pullman. Of which the first part of this trilogy is Northern Lights, which The Golden Compass is a poor film version of.
So to my mind any positive comparison to Philip Pullman, can be nothing more than an excellent read, that will open your imagination
As the first book in the trilogy is a freebie, it is a sure win, win read.
0
Was this review helpful to you?
|Very happy with the boook,
I enjoyed reading this book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone, its free so you gave nothing to lose, give it a try and I’m sure you’ll like it.
0
Was this review helpful to you?
|A tale of adventure and woe,
However, it is one of those stories whereby nothing happy ever happens. Everyone’s lives seem full of woe and misery, which is fine if it’s told as well as this, but you need something to smile about to get through a book. There are some very minor editing issues, but they do not distract from the telling of the tale. All in all I enjoyed this story, it just made me feel a bit sad for all the characters.
0
Was this review helpful to you?
|