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Icefire Trilogy #0.5
Icefire
Working in his uncle's butchery in the City of Glass, Isandor knows that he has a strange ability. He can turn animals into ghosts by cutting out their hearts. He knows it's magic and not allowed and has to stay hidden if he is ever become an Eagle Knight.
Then a stranger arrives in town. He is the sorcerer Tandor and he claims that he can help Isandor become a Knight, in return for a gruesome task: to bring him the heart of the Queen.
Then a stranger arrives in town. He is the sorcerer Tandor and he claims that he can help Isandor become a Knight, in return for a gruesome task: to bring him the heart of the Queen.
34 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 21, 2012
6 people are currently reading
177 people want to read
About the author
Patty Jansen
140 books289 followersAuthor of Science Fiction and fantasy and non-fiction.
Author of the Ambassador series, the Icefire Trilogy, For Queen And Country series and the Return of the Aghyrians series.
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Author of the Ambassador series, the Icefire Trilogy, For Queen And Country series and the Return of the Aghyrians series.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 23, 2013
I'm not sure I cared much for the world painted in Icefire. It had magic and intrigue. It had a little romance. It even developed a nemesis or two. But ultimately, I don't think any of the characters were very appealing.
I never fell in love with the main character. I didn't really care how successful he was. And I didn't hate the enemy. Don't get me wrong, the characters are likable/dislikable, but there a spark missing that ignites your passion for a character.
Admittedly, the magic principle proposed in this book is unique. In our world full of fantasy fiction, Patty Jansen comes to us with a story we haven't seen before. I think there is a lot of potential there. And maybe my review isn't fair because it's really hard to do a good job developing a character in a novella. But ultimately I have to say that the book is OK, but I'm not sure I'd really recommend it unless you're just looking for something different.
I never fell in love with the main character. I didn't really care how successful he was. And I didn't hate the enemy. Don't get me wrong, the characters are likable/dislikable, but there a spark missing that ignites your passion for a character.
Admittedly, the magic principle proposed in this book is unique. In our world full of fantasy fiction, Patty Jansen comes to us with a story we haven't seen before. I think there is a lot of potential there. And maybe my review isn't fair because it's really hard to do a good job developing a character in a novella. But ultimately I have to say that the book is OK, but I'm not sure I'd really recommend it unless you're just looking for something different.
January 5, 2018
A very short prequel which definitely pulls you in to read the resulting trilogy. I liked the characters \nd the world. Am now reading Fire and Ice,the first full-length novel of the series.
December 26, 2018
Great prequel to a fantastic trilogy.
May 18, 2013
This short story apparently inspired the author to write a trilogy and given the material presented here I can see why.
There's a remarkable amount of world building packed into relatively few words. Places, people, governments. There's a lot of background referenced here. And it's that additional background that takes this beyond a stereotypical fantasy world.
After all on the surface we have a poor boy who doesn't know who his father is, a princess and a mysterious stranger with magic. As always it's the execution that matters, not the raw elements you're working with. Certainly if you don't like fantasy this won't change your mind. But the characters have a surprising depth to them for a story of this length.
In fact there's really only one area where the short story structure struggles to tell a tale this large and it's in the romance element which just seems to happen to fast to be entirely credible. The ending also leaves things very open with a number of mysteries unresolved and I will certainly be tempted to invest in the trilogy to see how Patty Jansen chose to expand the story and answer those questions.
Icefire itself turns out to be a peculiar sort of magic (whose exact nature is not fully explored) that can only be used by those who are born crippled, an interesting concept and certainly one deserving of further development.
I read through it in one sitting and it kept my attention the whole time, which is always a good thing. Not having read the expanded trilogy I can't really say which is the better of the two (yet) but I think this stands fairly well in it's own right, so long as you recognize that it is a story that doesn't resolve everything it raises.
There's a remarkable amount of world building packed into relatively few words. Places, people, governments. There's a lot of background referenced here. And it's that additional background that takes this beyond a stereotypical fantasy world.
After all on the surface we have a poor boy who doesn't know who his father is, a princess and a mysterious stranger with magic. As always it's the execution that matters, not the raw elements you're working with. Certainly if you don't like fantasy this won't change your mind. But the characters have a surprising depth to them for a story of this length.
In fact there's really only one area where the short story structure struggles to tell a tale this large and it's in the romance element which just seems to happen to fast to be entirely credible. The ending also leaves things very open with a number of mysteries unresolved and I will certainly be tempted to invest in the trilogy to see how Patty Jansen chose to expand the story and answer those questions.
Icefire itself turns out to be a peculiar sort of magic (whose exact nature is not fully explored) that can only be used by those who are born crippled, an interesting concept and certainly one deserving of further development.
I read through it in one sitting and it kept my attention the whole time, which is always a good thing. Not having read the expanded trilogy I can't really say which is the better of the two (yet) but I think this stands fairly well in it's own right, so long as you recognize that it is a story that doesn't resolve everything it raises.
March 3, 2013
Icefire was a good fast read although I really think it was too short for the type of story it was.
The fantasy takes place in a cold and somewhat forbidding world, typical of the genre but intriguing none the less. The main character,Isandor is a boy who may be physically incomplete, but has a hidden magic that makes up for his disability. When the boy tries to remove the heart of an animal, he replaces it with icefire, a glowing magic that keeps the animal alive as a slave to Isandor. However, the boy's talent is not permitted in his world and he is forced to remain an outcast until a mysterious man with a similar ability takes the boy under his wing. Unfortunately for Isandor, it turns out to be worse than being an outcast loved by no one, not even his mother. The path to becoming an Eagle Knight it seems is far more difficult than Isandor could ever have imagined.
While it took me a little reading to get used to the writing style - at first I found it a little choppy - I soon felt the style was a good fit for the story. The only real problem I had was the romance part. It was just too fast and I think that's really where the story needed to be longer. For me it didn't work, but it might for others. Aside from the romance issue, I think the story had potential and the dangerous fantasy world created was an interesting one. The full trilogy could be worthwhile.
The fantasy takes place in a cold and somewhat forbidding world, typical of the genre but intriguing none the less. The main character,Isandor is a boy who may be physically incomplete, but has a hidden magic that makes up for his disability. When the boy tries to remove the heart of an animal, he replaces it with icefire, a glowing magic that keeps the animal alive as a slave to Isandor. However, the boy's talent is not permitted in his world and he is forced to remain an outcast until a mysterious man with a similar ability takes the boy under his wing. Unfortunately for Isandor, it turns out to be worse than being an outcast loved by no one, not even his mother. The path to becoming an Eagle Knight it seems is far more difficult than Isandor could ever have imagined.
While it took me a little reading to get used to the writing style - at first I found it a little choppy - I soon felt the style was a good fit for the story. The only real problem I had was the romance part. It was just too fast and I think that's really where the story needed to be longer. For me it didn't work, but it might for others. Aside from the romance issue, I think the story had potential and the dangerous fantasy world created was an interesting one. The full trilogy could be worthwhile.
July 15, 2016
Having enjoyed the first, and seen the second as more of a connecting novel, I was willing to commit to the third, and thus the trilogy. In the main, I enjoyed both this final novel and the series. Interesting characters and motivations built around an interesting set of premises. However, there were a few issues that I wish had been dealt with: the origins of the heart and the city; the gestation and function of the dacon; the reason for Carro's flashbacks. Sometimes, I thought the action was a bit rushed and could have benefited from a more detailed or leisurely telling.
All in all, though, I enjoyed the series and will read the next set in a few months time.
All in all, though, I enjoyed the series and will read the next set in a few months time.
June 2, 2012
Icefire is the first book I've read from Patty Jansen. It's a really intriguing story that had me flipping pages for the first half of the book. But the second half lost a bit of steam for me and fizzled out toward the end. I wonder if it's because it was setting up future books or if the plot became too predictable? Either way, it's a good read and makes me want to check out more books in the series.
3.8 stars.
3.8 stars.
December 10, 2013
An interesting introduction to a series.
This short story does not stand on its own: the narration feels rushed, as the author is trying to do a huge amount of world-building and characterization in few words. However, as a teaser it is intriguing. I am inclined to pick up at least the first book in this series — assuming the rushed style is in fact an artifact of the format and not a characteristic of the author it looks like the book could be quite good.
This short story does not stand on its own: the narration feels rushed, as the author is trying to do a huge amount of world-building and characterization in few words. However, as a teaser it is intriguing. I am inclined to pick up at least the first book in this series — assuming the rushed style is in fact an artifact of the format and not a characteristic of the author it looks like the book could be quite good.
December 7, 2012
This was so cute...
Isandor is called a cripple because of his leg, but he wants to be a knight.
He knows that he has a special ability and it magic.
This is a sweet love story, with a hint of magic, a touch of evil
and a sense of good guy.
It make a really good short read.
Isandor is called a cripple because of his leg, but he wants to be a knight.
He knows that he has a special ability and it magic.
This is a sweet love story, with a hint of magic, a touch of evil
and a sense of good guy.
It make a really good short read.
March 19, 2013
Might have liked this a whole lot more if I had not read the trilogy first. This "novella" has the same characters but a totally different scenario for part of the storyline. I am leaving my review vague so it is not a spoiler for those who have not read.
October 28, 2012
It seemed a little broken and choppy. It's a short read. Quick.
February 28, 2013
A quick taster of an intriguing world...that has left me wanting more.
March 12, 2013
I am not paying enough attention to books when I check them out on my kobo from the library. This was a "prequel" to a novel. Waste of time.
July 7, 2013
can't wait to read the trilogy
September 27, 2013
This is great! It starts out really good, and ends ridiculous-but-fun.
December 14, 2014
Far to short. I really enjoyed it and can't wait to read the trilogy.
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February 21, 2015kindle
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews