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299th out of 321 books
—
245 voters
The Phoenix Unchained (Enduring Flame #1)
New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory first teamed up to write The Obsidian Trilogy, set in a wondrous world filled with magical beings, competing magic systems, and a titanic struggle between good and evil. That world proved so popular with the creators and readers alike that Lackey and Mallory have returned to it with The Phoe...more
Hardcover, 400 pages
Published
October 16th 2007
by Tor Books
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I listened to this book on audio -- so if I spell any names wrong I do not mean any disrespect ... I just don't know the appropriate spellings!
I loved this book and really thought the reader did an excellent job. I have read many Mercedes Lackey books over my life time and have really enjoyed most of them. She is my go to author when I need a comforting world to live in other than my own. Worlds full of magic, light and goodness.
The Enduring Flame trilogy doesn't disappoint!
Tiercel and Harrier a...more
I loved this book and really thought the reader did an excellent job. I have read many Mercedes Lackey books over my life time and have really enjoyed most of them. She is my go to author when I need a comforting world to live in other than my own. Worlds full of magic, light and goodness.
The Enduring Flame trilogy doesn't disappoint!
Tiercel and Harrier a...more
Spoilers ahead. Well, not in my opinion, but I figure I’ll hedge my bets just in case.
I recently picked up an audiobook copy of The Phoenix Unchained by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory from my local library. I’d never heard of either author, but my friend Ruben asked me to read and review more fantasy, and who am I to turn down such a request? After all, some of my first reading loves were Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms fantasy schtick. Sure, I thought. It’ll be fun—an opportunity to get bac...more
I recently picked up an audiobook copy of The Phoenix Unchained by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory from my local library. I’d never heard of either author, but my friend Ruben asked me to read and review more fantasy, and who am I to turn down such a request? After all, some of my first reading loves were Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms fantasy schtick. Sure, I thought. It’ll be fun—an opportunity to get bac...more
2 likes · like · see review
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While I appreciate the faster pace she sets in this one, something is still missing. To be fair, it could be my innate dislike for sequels to any series where the world has already been saved from the Apocalypse. I only picked it up after I realized 1)it's 1,000 years later and 2) the two main characters are not descendants of the main characters from the previous trilogy. The latter is what was most important to me. I feel sometimes when authors have the next set of character be the offspring o...more
This is really a 3.5, but I gave it four stars because of sentimentality.
Unabashedly the first installment of a trilogy (it's advertised as such), this book ends in the middle of nowhere, literally. Tyr and Harrier are somewhere between the Elven lands and the desert and Harrier has just received the shock of his life, which is what led me to add the final half star. I can imagine the end of this book is going to tweak gag reflexes from more than a few, but I'm forgiving reader and I'm willing...more
Unabashedly the first installment of a trilogy (it's advertised as such), this book ends in the middle of nowhere, literally. Tyr and Harrier are somewhere between the Elven lands and the desert and Harrier has just received the shock of his life, which is what led me to add the final half star. I can imagine the end of this book is going to tweak gag reflexes from more than a few, but I'm forgiving reader and I'm willing...more
I got really excited when I read the back of this book,as it appeared to address one of my personal pet peeves - that "restoring the balance of the universe" always seems to mean "good slaughters evil." (Don't get me started about Star Wars.) This is the first book in the trilogy, so I'm not disappointed yet, but I may yet be. Philosophical points aside, this is a solid fantasy in the fairly traditional mages-dragons-elves-oh-my vein.
Well, it's possible I would have enjoyed this better had I read it rather than listened to it b/c the reader made the naked fire woman sound like an old man, the unicorn sound like an idiot valley girl, and one of the main characters (pictured on the cover with muscles and such) sound like a wimpy girl, and the main dragon and his bonded's voices sometimes intermingling and sounding similar....The way it was read really made the book cheesy. Yet still, the story line had just enough that I could...more
Spoiler alert; if that's possible for a book that is so obvious a two year old child could guess the out come. I'm not going to give a review of the book, that would just be a waste of words. My opinion however is something slightly more interesting; again in my opinion.
The book had potential. I had heard good things about both authors and I really wanted to find another fantasy writer to enjoy. The writing wasn't terrible, but it wasn't brilliant either.
At first I was taken in with the hope for...more
The book had potential. I had heard good things about both authors and I really wanted to find another fantasy writer to enjoy. The writing wasn't terrible, but it wasn't brilliant either.
At first I was taken in with the hope for...more
Jan 11, 2012
Angela~twistedmind~
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
lovers of the fantasy genre
Mercedes Lackey is one of my 'go to' authors.......although it's annoying to figure out which trilogy is a spin off of a previous one. *sigh* Occasionally she delivers a less than steller let down, but not this time........although it is a spin off of another trilogy that I have not read. grrr. One pet peeve......an error was found in the text. One of the main characters was called by another name at one point. Other than that one thing I found very little to criticize. The story, in my opinion,...more
Sep 15, 2012
Znic
added it
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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1 like · like · see review
It started off rough, but finished surprisingly well. The novel begins in an extremely clunky and clichéd manner--basic (obvious) coming-of-age adventure setup. Granted, I cut some slack for this in Arrows of the Queen, so you'd think I could now. But I can't either because it actually is worse in this book, or because the other one came highly recommended by a close friend and this one didn't. Also, it commits the sin of Capitalizing Random Non-proper Nouns, which drives me bananas.
However, th...more
However, th...more
This book was actually a fairly quick read, although it felt like it took a long time to get the story moving. It was very interesting to see Kellen's world 1000 years after his actions, to see how distorted things have become! I look forward to reading the 2nd book!
First book in a new trilogy set in the same world as the Obsidian trilogy (1,000 years later.) I loved how the main characters of the Obsidian trilogy became mythologicalized (is that a word?) in this story. Lackey shows why she is my favorite fantasy author with this book.
I love fantasy books. I have listened to and read many of this genre. Of all the books I have read only one was by Mercedes Lackey, Magics Pawn, it was the worst fantasy book I had ever read. For this reason I would not read her books. Now, recently, I went to the local library to find a good fantasy audiobook for my long commutes. I've seen this book several times and every time I would say "nah".. until this last time. So, I gave it a chance and man am I glad I did. This story was great. It ha...more
After loving the first trilogy as much as I did, I couldn't wait to read this one. I was terribly disappointed. This book (and trilogy as a whole) fell short for me. The two main characters start out uninteresting and dull - and only get worse from there. They just become whiny brats and never seem to redeem themselves. The only interesting characters seem to get killed off too soon after introduction, and often for no particular reason other than as a plot device intended add more sympathy for...more
The swearing level in these books is manageable and there is nothing else to be concerned with. In adult fantasy, this is pretty rare. Still, I would hit those chapters where it was not at a manageable level.
As for the story, it is fairly good. A lot of action, some good casting and until book three the plot line moved along fairly quickly. Unknown to me when I picked up the series was that it was the follow-up to a previous trilogy. Perhaps I might have enjoyed the book even more if I had known...more
As for the story, it is fairly good. A lot of action, some good casting and until book three the plot line moved along fairly quickly. Unknown to me when I picked up the series was that it was the follow-up to a previous trilogy. Perhaps I might have enjoyed the book even more if I had known...more
I was SO excited when I was walking through the bookstore and saw this on the shelf. I loved Mallory and Lackey's other trilogy and this one did not disappoint!
At first I worried it would just be a squeal but very very few of the characters from the first trilogy are in this one and only one becomes important in any real way. Once again, the books start off a little slow but for good reason. Getting to know the main characters and exploring the way the world works now as apposed to in the first...more
At first I worried it would just be a squeal but very very few of the characters from the first trilogy are in this one and only one becomes important in any real way. Once again, the books start off a little slow but for good reason. Getting to know the main characters and exploring the way the world works now as apposed to in the first...more
First off, I did not finish this book. I COULD NOT finish this book. Even on audio. I grabbed this randomly at the library when I was looking for an audiobook to make the daily commute a little more bearable. Unfortunately, this had the opposite effect.
I guess my main problem wasn't so much that the novel was poorly written, it was mostly that it was just so bland. The characters were one-dimensional, the fantasy cliches tripped over each other, and the plot was unoriginal. The bottom line is th...more
I guess my main problem wasn't so much that the novel was poorly written, it was mostly that it was just so bland. The characters were one-dimensional, the fantasy cliches tripped over each other, and the plot was unoriginal. The bottom line is th...more
I re-read this, as the third book in the trilogy has just come out. I really loved the "Obsidian Trilogy," and this series is set in the same world, but about a thousand years later. It has wonderful elements of friendship, as two young men set out to discover the reason for the sudden emergence of magical powers in one of them. They encounter various "Otherfolk" on their journey, and gradually realize that a very drak evil may soon be returning to their world. The pace is slower than in the ori...more
I really like this book. I am surprised that more people don't know about this series. This story has all the classic elements of a fantasy novel that we all know and love, plus a good amount of new creative elements that keep you interested. The thing I like most about a fantasy story, is the world- and this world is fantastic. You get into the history of this world as you go through the story. The culture of the people is really cool too. I also like how magic exists in this world, and how peo...more
If you haven't started this series yet, don't. The characters are impossible to like and the story moves very, very slowly. I sometimes found myself wishing the main characters would die off - they were so unlikeable and they seem to never change. Also, the characters have an overly dramatic reluctance to use violence to save people that is both stupid and unnatural. And they never, ever change. They watch thousands of people die. They have tremendous power. And they won't do crap. It's pathetic...more
Ms Lackey puts a bit too much description and detail in, but either I've become inured or this book is cleaner. I really enjoy this particular world; and I'm fascinated with how she is telling the rest of Kellen and Idalia's story - by leaping ahead 1000 years and looking back through the misunderstandings of history and folklore.
The audiobook's performer pronounces place and people names differently than the one who performed The Obsidian Trilogy, so I found myself mentally correcting him throu...more
The audiobook's performer pronounces place and people names differently than the one who performed The Obsidian Trilogy, so I found myself mentally correcting him throu...more
Well, it took awhile to get into this one, but I managed to get through. It is a sequel to the Obsidian Trilogy. I found that out a bit later after reading some reviews, and realized it did help me get more into the book.
Tiercel would have a life as a city magistrate of the great city of Armethalieh. His best friend, Harrier, would be eventually harbor master, or at least apprenticed to learn the ropes. What happens is a huge change of fate, and the book tells of how that happens. It all starts...more
Tiercel would have a life as a city magistrate of the great city of Armethalieh. His best friend, Harrier, would be eventually harbor master, or at least apprenticed to learn the ropes. What happens is a huge change of fate, and the book tells of how that happens. It all starts...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Although not as good as the first series that these books follow I still really enjoyed it. Given the fact that I read this after Salvatore's Drizzt series I was probably a lot more open to books that didn't have endless, sweeping battle scenes that took up 90% of the book. This book is more about the journey than the fight and you get to know the characters. I liked the arguments between Tyr and Har showing that they are still young and immature doing their best in a hard situation. The book ha...more
ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.
I picked up The Phoenix Unchained, the first novel in The Enduring Flame trilogy by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory because I haven't read Lackey before (and I wanted to) and this book was available on audiobook (and I needed something for my commute). The Phoenix Unchained is a sequel to The Obsidian Trilogy which, unfortunately, is not available (yet) on audio, and which I haven't read. However, I had heard that this new trilogy can stand alone, so I d...more
I picked up The Phoenix Unchained, the first novel in The Enduring Flame trilogy by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory because I haven't read Lackey before (and I wanted to) and this book was available on audiobook (and I needed something for my commute). The Phoenix Unchained is a sequel to The Obsidian Trilogy which, unfortunately, is not available (yet) on audio, and which I haven't read. However, I had heard that this new trilogy can stand alone, so I d...more
Jul 25, 2012
Amblingbooks.com
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audiobooks,
fantasy
In this opening volume of a new epic fantasy trilogy from bestselling authors Lackey and Mallory, Harbormaster-to-be Harrier and the young nobleman Tiercel begin a marvelous journey to uncover their destinies. Along the way, they meet a charming female centaur, several snooty Elves, and the most powerful dragon their world has ever known.
Listen to The Phoenix Unchained on your smartphone, notebook or desktop computer.
Listen to The Phoenix Unchained on your smartphone, notebook or desktop computer.
After five books of second rate horror, sci fi, and romance my to-read pile finally yielded a worthwhile fantasy. My lack of net access has promoted me to read more. My writing is still puttering along at a slow pace. Considering the condition of this book I believe I got it clearance at Borders. This book is fun, quirky, scary evil monsters, and pulls off the long quest style tale without getting boring. Lovers of fantasy will find this tale a treat. =)
Dec 31, 2009
Michelle
marked it as to-read
Read the first page and a half, and decided I'll have to get to this one. Generally the first page or two is enough to turn me off to a high fantasy with a teenage male protagonist -- I'm sick to death of the aimless orphan boy who works in the kitchens and isn't bright enough to catch on when people start saying mysterious things that indicate he's destined for greatness.
This book starts out very differently.
This book starts out very differently.
This book was excellent. This series gets away from some of the softerthings that Lackey has been writing. I like that Harrier & Tiercel show the fact that they are conflicted about the horrible things that they will have to do with the power they have been given. It is also interesting that what I assumed was going to be a major character actually died in this book.
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Mercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts &...more
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“. . . from what he knew about the Creatures of the Dark they wouldn't waste their time laying elaborate traps. They'd just eat someone.”
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