What do you think?
Rate this book
Spiritwalker #2
Cold Fire
Cat Barahal and her beloved cousin Bee think they have reached a safe place to shelter. But the Cold Mages who are conspiring to take them prisoner are closing in. The warlord who hopes to conquer all Europa is convinced their destiny is to aid him, whether they want to or not. And the man Cat was forced to marry is back, as vainly arrogant and annoyingly handsome as ever.
Worst of all, as Hallows' Night approaches, powers hidden deep within the spirit world are rising. Cat must seek allies against these threats and figure out who to trust, for if she makes the wrong choices, she'll lose everything.
Only one thing is certain. When Hallows' Night comes the Wild Hunt will ride- and it feeds on mortal blood.
Worst of all, as Hallows' Night approaches, powers hidden deep within the spirit world are rising. Cat must seek allies against these threats and figure out who to trust, for if she makes the wrong choices, she'll lose everything.
Only one thing is certain. When Hallows' Night comes the Wild Hunt will ride- and it feeds on mortal blood.
512 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
185 people are currently reading
3071 people want to read
About the author
Kate Elliott
108 books2,832 followersAs a child in rural Oregon, Kate Elliott made up stories because she longed to escape to a world of lurid adventure fiction. She now writes fantasy, steampunk, and science fiction, often with a romantic edge. She currently lives in Hawaii, where she paddles outrigger canoes and spoils her schnauzer.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 464 reviews
June 21, 2016
4.5 that I am rounding up. The middle book in this trilogy changes the setting, gives us a whole new world and mythos, made me want to drink lots of rum, allowed a love to bloom, and developed the plot in interesting ways. (It's not without some issues, either, but I don't care! Just too much fun.)
September 28, 2011
I don’t know, you guys. I REALLY loved the first book in this series, but this one starts out on the wrong foot. (And then kind of continues that way.) I was looking forward to this one so much that I went out and got it the first day it was released. But - all the things I loved about the first book were kind of missing – the cold mages, the magic, Andevai’s history and conflict with the Four Moons house (SUCH a great character), Catherine’s family and cousin and the backdrop of her traditional upper class upbringing in contrast to the circumstances in which she finds herself.
Instead we get: a new setting, fire mages who don’t do a lot of magic, zombies/lepers, a group of revolutionaries who were minor characters before and have been promoted within the plot, and a whack of new, bland, sort of interchangeable characters right off the bat. Also, in the introduction the author takes pains to explain that this is not an alternate history, merely “a fantasia of an Earth that might have been had conditions included an extended Ice Age, the intelligent descendants of troodons, nested planes of interleaved worlds, and human access to magical forces…” Um. Isn’t that the same thing?
Don’t get me wrong, this was still extremely addictive reading, and I finished the whole thing in a couple of days. But I was disappointed when comparing this to the first book in the series.
Instead we get: a new setting, fire mages who don’t do a lot of magic, zombies/lepers, a group of revolutionaries who were minor characters before and have been promoted within the plot, and a whack of new, bland, sort of interchangeable characters right off the bat. Also, in the introduction the author takes pains to explain that this is not an alternate history, merely “a fantasia of an Earth that might have been had conditions included an extended Ice Age, the intelligent descendants of troodons, nested planes of interleaved worlds, and human access to magical forces…” Um. Isn’t that the same thing?
Don’t get me wrong, this was still extremely addictive reading, and I finished the whole thing in a couple of days. But I was disappointed when comparing this to the first book in the series.
October 8, 2011
UUUUUUUUG I dunno. I LOVED the first one in this series, totally interesting steampunk-magic world, and I was so psyched to see this pop up on my Kindle the other day, but something felt completely off for me in the first half of this book. Especially the first 50 pages, it was lot of confusing information that didn't really settle you back into the world that readers have been away from for a few years, it was like an info dump, and a bit of a scattered wonky political info dump at that. Maybe a prologue would have helped or something? Not sure.
THEN after the unbelievably interesting European setting in book 1, we somehow go to the Carribean for...I'm not sure why? Zombies and fire mages (that were so weak compared to the badass cold mages, what was with that?) I just felt like so much had been set up in the European area I was pouty while I read, "Why are we on a zombie island now?! I wanna go hoooooome!"
GOOD THINGS: Vai is, as always, a REALLY good character in himself with his bad-ass cold magic that's amazing, and there's a great romance here between him and the lead. The two lead girls have a really lovely devoted sister-like relationship that continued to feel fresh to me, and the last 80 pages or so were SO GOOD I wanted to read the next book IMMEDIATELY.
Soo...I dunno. If you read the first one 100% read this one because at the end it sets up for a great third book. I just had some reservations about stuff that happened plot-wise, that's all. But it was a fun romp at least.
THEN after the unbelievably interesting European setting in book 1, we somehow go to the Carribean for...I'm not sure why? Zombies and fire mages (that were so weak compared to the badass cold mages, what was with that?) I just felt like so much had been set up in the European area I was pouty while I read, "Why are we on a zombie island now?! I wanna go hoooooome!"
GOOD THINGS: Vai is, as always, a REALLY good character in himself with his bad-ass cold magic that's amazing, and there's a great romance here between him and the lead. The two lead girls have a really lovely devoted sister-like relationship that continued to feel fresh to me, and the last 80 pages or so were SO GOOD I wanted to read the next book IMMEDIATELY.
Soo...I dunno. If you read the first one 100% read this one because at the end it sets up for a great third book. I just had some reservations about stuff that happened plot-wise, that's all. But it was a fun romp at least.
September 29, 2011
Originally reviewed on The Book Smugglers
Catherine Bell Hassi Barahal has been through an incredibly trying few weeks. Willingly sacrificed by her Aunt and Uncle in order to protect their daughter, Beatrice, Cat has been whisked from her home and bound into an unbreakable marriage to haughty, powerful cold mage Andevai Diarisso Haranwy, based on a prophecy and a deal struck by the Hassi Barahals and the cold mage houses. The only problem is that Cat is not truly a Hassi Barahal by blood, and the cold mages are horrified to have been duped into a magically binding marriage to the wrong girl. The only way to dissolve the marriage is death, and Cat – betrayed, sacrificed, and utterly alone – flees for her life, with her cold mage husband in pursuit.
After the events of Cold Magic, Cat finds herself reunited with her beloved cousin Bee (who had no idea of her parents’ duplicity) but still on the run – from the mage houses that will kill Cat and force Bee into marriage; from the army that wants to keep the girls under their thumb; from warlord Camjiata, the man with the sweeping ambition to unite a disparate Europa under his reign; and, most importantly, from Cat’s husband Andevai, for whom Cat has undeniable feelings (however inconvenient or unwanted). Cat’s flight takes her from the cold landscape of western Europe to the spirit world where she finally learns the truth of her parentage and, bound once again by a cruel magic, is set on a dangerous, terrifying task on the distant shores of the dreaded Salt Island and the Caribbean-like local of the Taino Kingdom. It is here that Cat comes to terms with her identity, her destiny and her heart.
To say that I had high expectations for Cold Fire is a gross understatement – because, fellow readers, try as I might to put a damper on my expectations and outlandish hopes, I guess I’m a sucker at heart and I had huge pie-in-the-sky hopes for Cold Fire. And wouldn’t ya know it? Kate Elliott freakin’ delivers. I loved Cold Fire. Intensely. Allow me to enumerate the ways:
1. The plotting is sprawling, complex, and still manages to move along at a fast and furious pace. For a 600+ page book, this is no small feat. Picking up immediately where Cold Magic leaves off, Kate Elliott ruthlessly plunges readers back into the world of Adurnam, where Cat and Bee are on the run from mages and armies alike. I’ll admit, it took a little while to jog my memory and get back into the story, but I appreciated the decided lack of recap. 1 There’s a lot of running in this book, especially in those early chapters, but the onslaught keeps a reader on her toes and engaged with the crazy huge scope of politicking and action that is occurring in this strange new world. There’s a shifting focus from the power of the cold mages in this second novel, as we learn more about the spirit world (and Cat’s sire), as well as fire mages that prosper in the tropics to the south and west. There’s the omnipresent threat of Camjiata as he tries to curry favor and military support from the Taino before he makes his assault on Europa – and his destiny is inextricably linked to Bee’s and, more frighteningly, to Cat’s. There’s the introduction to Salt Island and the poor souls afflicted by the “teeth” sickness, gone mad and ravenous and highly infectious. There’s the introduction of an entirely new culture and belief system, which brings me to…
1a. The worldbuilding is badass. As an addendum to the above reason for Cold Fire love, the realm of the Taino is a refreshing change from the cold familiarity of western Europa. Ms. Elliott’s is a world similar to our own, but with a Jacqueline Carey-esque spin – while core beliefs and geography may be similar, there are a number of creative reimaginings of myths and culture that characterize the setting of the Spiritwalker trilogy. The Caribbean people of Taino do speak with a Creole type of patois (e.g. “Yee a real maku, ja? New come to the Antilles?” and “Not a bit like dat, Cat’reen”) which is bound to grate for some readers, but I personally felt the attention to detail, the lack of haughty Victorian-esque “colonization” mentality, and the humanization granted to each of these characters was handled respectfully and tastefully.
2. The characters are so deliciously genuine, complete with strengths and flaws, as well as motivations and actions that make sense. I cannot stress the importance of this particular factor. Cat makes her fair share of missteps and bonehead decisions – but not because she’s blithely ignorant or stupid, and not in any lame attempt to create melodrama to propel the plot along. Rather, Cat’s faults are in perfect keeping with her character (and as first person narrator, she’s also not the most reliable person) – she’s slow to trust anyone and fiercely protective of those she loves. I continue to be impressed by Cat’s quiet strength and pigheadedness, as well as with her determination to save those she loves by any means necessary. Cat discovers a lot about herself and her destiny in this book, and I loved seeing her grow and learn to open up to others. Especially where the next point is concerned…
3. The romance is of central importance without being overpowering (or hijacking the plot), and is heart-warming without being cheesy. I may not be the most romantic person, but I love it when a romance is executed perfectly – without excessive cheese, without inappropriate haste, and by playing effectively with tropes that are not cringeworthy. Such is the relationship between Andevai and Cat. Yes, theirs is a classic romantic foible: falling in love after being married. But when it’s done well? Hot damn is it effective – and Ms. Elliott weilds the trope with expert skill. I love that there is no guarantee of happy endings with this pair, either – you don’t know if they’ll be able to get their shit together and look past the past. I won’t spoil you, and I won’t tell you if they do end up together, for any modicum of happiness. The tension, the misunderstanding, and the angst is all part of the appeal in this middle novel, and I loved every second of it.
At the end of the day, I’m not sure if Cold Fire surpasses Cold Magic – but the two are on equally awesome footing. I loved this book, and it earns a spot on my top 10 favorites of the year. I cannot wait for Cold Steel!
Catherine Bell Hassi Barahal has been through an incredibly trying few weeks. Willingly sacrificed by her Aunt and Uncle in order to protect their daughter, Beatrice, Cat has been whisked from her home and bound into an unbreakable marriage to haughty, powerful cold mage Andevai Diarisso Haranwy, based on a prophecy and a deal struck by the Hassi Barahals and the cold mage houses. The only problem is that Cat is not truly a Hassi Barahal by blood, and the cold mages are horrified to have been duped into a magically binding marriage to the wrong girl. The only way to dissolve the marriage is death, and Cat – betrayed, sacrificed, and utterly alone – flees for her life, with her cold mage husband in pursuit.
After the events of Cold Magic, Cat finds herself reunited with her beloved cousin Bee (who had no idea of her parents’ duplicity) but still on the run – from the mage houses that will kill Cat and force Bee into marriage; from the army that wants to keep the girls under their thumb; from warlord Camjiata, the man with the sweeping ambition to unite a disparate Europa under his reign; and, most importantly, from Cat’s husband Andevai, for whom Cat has undeniable feelings (however inconvenient or unwanted). Cat’s flight takes her from the cold landscape of western Europe to the spirit world where she finally learns the truth of her parentage and, bound once again by a cruel magic, is set on a dangerous, terrifying task on the distant shores of the dreaded Salt Island and the Caribbean-like local of the Taino Kingdom. It is here that Cat comes to terms with her identity, her destiny and her heart.
To say that I had high expectations for Cold Fire is a gross understatement – because, fellow readers, try as I might to put a damper on my expectations and outlandish hopes, I guess I’m a sucker at heart and I had huge pie-in-the-sky hopes for Cold Fire. And wouldn’t ya know it? Kate Elliott freakin’ delivers. I loved Cold Fire. Intensely. Allow me to enumerate the ways:
1. The plotting is sprawling, complex, and still manages to move along at a fast and furious pace. For a 600+ page book, this is no small feat. Picking up immediately where Cold Magic leaves off, Kate Elliott ruthlessly plunges readers back into the world of Adurnam, where Cat and Bee are on the run from mages and armies alike. I’ll admit, it took a little while to jog my memory and get back into the story, but I appreciated the decided lack of recap. 1 There’s a lot of running in this book, especially in those early chapters, but the onslaught keeps a reader on her toes and engaged with the crazy huge scope of politicking and action that is occurring in this strange new world. There’s a shifting focus from the power of the cold mages in this second novel, as we learn more about the spirit world (and Cat’s sire), as well as fire mages that prosper in the tropics to the south and west. There’s the omnipresent threat of Camjiata as he tries to curry favor and military support from the Taino before he makes his assault on Europa – and his destiny is inextricably linked to Bee’s and, more frighteningly, to Cat’s. There’s the introduction to Salt Island and the poor souls afflicted by the “teeth” sickness, gone mad and ravenous and highly infectious. There’s the introduction of an entirely new culture and belief system, which brings me to…
1a. The worldbuilding is badass. As an addendum to the above reason for Cold Fire love, the realm of the Taino is a refreshing change from the cold familiarity of western Europa. Ms. Elliott’s is a world similar to our own, but with a Jacqueline Carey-esque spin – while core beliefs and geography may be similar, there are a number of creative reimaginings of myths and culture that characterize the setting of the Spiritwalker trilogy. The Caribbean people of Taino do speak with a Creole type of patois (e.g. “Yee a real maku, ja? New come to the Antilles?” and “Not a bit like dat, Cat’reen”) which is bound to grate for some readers, but I personally felt the attention to detail, the lack of haughty Victorian-esque “colonization” mentality, and the humanization granted to each of these characters was handled respectfully and tastefully.
2. The characters are so deliciously genuine, complete with strengths and flaws, as well as motivations and actions that make sense. I cannot stress the importance of this particular factor. Cat makes her fair share of missteps and bonehead decisions – but not because she’s blithely ignorant or stupid, and not in any lame attempt to create melodrama to propel the plot along. Rather, Cat’s faults are in perfect keeping with her character (and as first person narrator, she’s also not the most reliable person) – she’s slow to trust anyone and fiercely protective of those she loves. I continue to be impressed by Cat’s quiet strength and pigheadedness, as well as with her determination to save those she loves by any means necessary. Cat discovers a lot about herself and her destiny in this book, and I loved seeing her grow and learn to open up to others. Especially where the next point is concerned…
3. The romance is of central importance without being overpowering (or hijacking the plot), and is heart-warming without being cheesy. I may not be the most romantic person, but I love it when a romance is executed perfectly – without excessive cheese, without inappropriate haste, and by playing effectively with tropes that are not cringeworthy. Such is the relationship between Andevai and Cat. Yes, theirs is a classic romantic foible: falling in love after being married. But when it’s done well? Hot damn is it effective – and Ms. Elliott weilds the trope with expert skill. I love that there is no guarantee of happy endings with this pair, either – you don’t know if they’ll be able to get their shit together and look past the past. I won’t spoil you, and I won’t tell you if they do end up together, for any modicum of happiness. The tension, the misunderstanding, and the angst is all part of the appeal in this middle novel, and I loved every second of it.
At the end of the day, I’m not sure if Cold Fire surpasses Cold Magic – but the two are on equally awesome footing. I loved this book, and it earns a spot on my top 10 favorites of the year. I cannot wait for Cold Steel!
March 9, 2017
I said about Cold Magic that it somehow got under my skin in spite of the very heavy world building at the start. Now it has gone from being under my skin to being a world that I am dreamily living in and don’t want to leave. The atmosphere is fantastic, the writing beautiful at times, the sense of place rich and layered. Regardless of characters and plot, being in the world is a feeling to savor.
This book takes us out of the frigid north that is still ruled by princes and mages into the Antilles, where a sort of democracy exists, and where you can almost smell the ocean and taste the fruit. The world building is done with a much lighter hand, expanding your view at just the right pace. Issues of independence, slavery, democracy, women’s rights, class, power, magic and fate - all are interwoven with an immediacy that makes a spellbinding tale. I love how complex the world gets with the growing unrest in multiple nations and the spirit world on top of that. It keeps me from getting bored and keeps me wondering how it’s all going to tie together. Let me just say it was worth the effort the first book took to get into.
And the plot itself is such an adventure! The action starts immediately, and takes completely unexpected turns, keeping me on edge. You know when you read a book that annoys you in some ways, frustrates you in others, and yet you are completely into it and enjoying being in it, and it wins you over by the end? That's this book. It’s an elusive feeling, hard to describe exactly why it grabs you when it may not grab someone else. I’m happy just to enjoy the fact and not over-think it.
One thing I’m really coming to appreciate about this series is the complexity of the characters. They are all flawed, sometimes making stupid decisions, or decisions they believe are right but end up being poor choices once they have more of the facts. Sometimes they’re just plain immature and regret it later. Everyone has their own agenda, not necessarily good or bad, but their goals are not all the same, and there are betrayals, small and large. No one is trustworthy all the time, but most of them are likable some of the time.
I should mention that there is romance, more in this book than in the first. But it’s not the whole story, and I’m enjoying this aspect of the series as well (once Catherine stops being stupid, that is). I’m amazed at how much I ended up liking Vai. He was such a pompous, arrogant, cold prick in the first book, but turns out being much more than he seems. When I found out more about him my opinion did a complete turnaround. Now I’m attached to both him and Catherine, and I’m afraid of what they’re going to have to go through in the last book. Whatever happens, I’m going to try not to rush through it.
This book takes us out of the frigid north that is still ruled by princes and mages into the Antilles, where a sort of democracy exists, and where you can almost smell the ocean and taste the fruit. The world building is done with a much lighter hand, expanding your view at just the right pace. Issues of independence, slavery, democracy, women’s rights, class, power, magic and fate - all are interwoven with an immediacy that makes a spellbinding tale. I love how complex the world gets with the growing unrest in multiple nations and the spirit world on top of that. It keeps me from getting bored and keeps me wondering how it’s all going to tie together. Let me just say it was worth the effort the first book took to get into.
And the plot itself is such an adventure! The action starts immediately, and takes completely unexpected turns, keeping me on edge. You know when you read a book that annoys you in some ways, frustrates you in others, and yet you are completely into it and enjoying being in it, and it wins you over by the end? That's this book. It’s an elusive feeling, hard to describe exactly why it grabs you when it may not grab someone else. I’m happy just to enjoy the fact and not over-think it.
One thing I’m really coming to appreciate about this series is the complexity of the characters. They are all flawed, sometimes making stupid decisions, or decisions they believe are right but end up being poor choices once they have more of the facts. Sometimes they’re just plain immature and regret it later. Everyone has their own agenda, not necessarily good or bad, but their goals are not all the same, and there are betrayals, small and large. No one is trustworthy all the time, but most of them are likable some of the time.
I should mention that there is romance, more in this book than in the first. But it’s not the whole story, and I’m enjoying this aspect of the series as well (once Catherine stops being stupid, that is). I’m amazed at how much I ended up liking Vai. He was such a pompous, arrogant, cold prick in the first book, but turns out being much more than he seems. When I found out more about him my opinion did a complete turnaround. Now I’m attached to both him and Catherine, and I’m afraid of what they’re going to have to go through in the last book. Whatever happens, I’m going to try not to rush through it.
June 29, 2016
A major improvement on the first book, this one moves the action to the Antilles and the culture of the Taino and a Europan enclave that they allow to exist called Expedition.
Scarce days after the end of the first book Bee and Cat flee their house arrest in Adurnam intending to go to the Troll lawyers that Cat had befriended in the first book. At the lawyers they encounter a number of strangers including a Fire Mage as well as Andevai who is there on a different matter. Cat, Bee and Rory flee, and are split up with Cat arriving in the spirit world and finally finding out who her mysterious sire is. Unfortunately, it's not good news.
Cat ends up in the Carribean and encounters new and old foes and new and old friends, including getting to know Vai after the revelations at the end of the first book.
The smaller focus does this book wonders. There's not so much infodump on the world; we got that in book one. In this one we get a much more focused viewpoint into the Taino, the salt plague and the social/political structure of the islands and the type of society Fire Mages build where they can and an indication of the source of power of the Cold Mages. We also learn a lot more about the character of General Camjiata.
An excellent addition to the series and I'm looking forward to tackling the next one in a few days.
Scarce days after the end of the first book Bee and Cat flee their house arrest in Adurnam intending to go to the Troll lawyers that Cat had befriended in the first book. At the lawyers they encounter a number of strangers including a Fire Mage as well as Andevai who is there on a different matter. Cat, Bee and Rory flee, and are split up with Cat arriving in the spirit world and finally finding out who her mysterious sire is. Unfortunately, it's not good news.
Cat ends up in the Carribean and encounters new and old foes and new and old friends, including getting to know Vai after the revelations at the end of the first book.
The smaller focus does this book wonders. There's not so much infodump on the world; we got that in book one. In this one we get a much more focused viewpoint into the Taino, the salt plague and the social/political structure of the islands and the type of society Fire Mages build where they can and an indication of the source of power of the Cold Mages. We also learn a lot more about the character of General Camjiata.
An excellent addition to the series and I'm looking forward to tackling the next one in a few days.
June 20, 2016
Why is Spiritwalker trilogy underrated? I’ll never understand.
As I’ve said in my Cold Magic review, this series is simply well done in every aspect. Some people might not share the same sentiment as I do, for it could be overwhelming. But, I wholly appreciate that, these books challenge the normal status quo of everything I ever encountered.
The focal center of Spiritwalker to begin with, are about two cousins who are deeply loyal to each other, thrust into a world that continues to mislead them. That’s the chief ebb of the plot. That doesn’t entirely mean there is no room for more. As a matter of fact, the inclusivity makes me want to cry. Elliott cleverly engraved countless of important topics YA should avoid in censoring.
• We have a multi-ethnic cast in a multicultural setting. The realm doesn’t only extend to “European” aestheticism, the author also interweaves African culture, (from what I gathered) and more.
• A heroine that sew, eat, does sword fighting, spy.
• Discussion of slavery, colonialism, and privilege. It was ingeniously handled. How is Kate Elliott real. Here’s one of my favorite phrases from this book and there are plenty.
“I would not call material benefit ‘nothing.’ I have seen a man holding his dying child, the one he could not could not feed because his crops failed and the share for his lord must be met regardless. I have seen a wife hold the broken ruin of her husband crushed in a fall of rock in a mine whose bounty enriches the mine’s owner but not those who work in it. Sometimes the gods are cruel, but more often it is the cruelty and greed of men that kills us. You stand in a high place with the waters rising. I would not be so quick to give it up merely for principles.”
• A pompous love-interest who fancy himself a fashion expert. I love him.
• There are sex and enlightening sex talk.
• The romance is the best. It would make you writhe in pain. Though, it doesn’t reign over the plot.
I just love it a lot. A much comprehensible review to come.
As I’ve said in my Cold Magic review, this series is simply well done in every aspect. Some people might not share the same sentiment as I do, for it could be overwhelming. But, I wholly appreciate that, these books challenge the normal status quo of everything I ever encountered.
The focal center of Spiritwalker to begin with, are about two cousins who are deeply loyal to each other, thrust into a world that continues to mislead them. That’s the chief ebb of the plot. That doesn’t entirely mean there is no room for more. As a matter of fact, the inclusivity makes me want to cry. Elliott cleverly engraved countless of important topics YA should avoid in censoring.
• We have a multi-ethnic cast in a multicultural setting. The realm doesn’t only extend to “European” aestheticism, the author also interweaves African culture, (from what I gathered) and more.
• A heroine that sew, eat, does sword fighting, spy.
• Discussion of slavery, colonialism, and privilege. It was ingeniously handled. How is Kate Elliott real. Here’s one of my favorite phrases from this book and there are plenty.
“I would not call material benefit ‘nothing.’ I have seen a man holding his dying child, the one he could not could not feed because his crops failed and the share for his lord must be met regardless. I have seen a wife hold the broken ruin of her husband crushed in a fall of rock in a mine whose bounty enriches the mine’s owner but not those who work in it. Sometimes the gods are cruel, but more often it is the cruelty and greed of men that kills us. You stand in a high place with the waters rising. I would not be so quick to give it up merely for principles.”
• A pompous love-interest who fancy himself a fashion expert. I love him.
• There are sex and enlightening sex talk.
• The romance is the best. It would make you writhe in pain. Though, it doesn’t reign over the plot.
I just love it a lot. A much comprehensible review to come.
April 16, 2025
Cold Fire continues the story begun in Cold Magic, with the majority of page count devoted to Cat's adventures in the Antilles, equivalent to our earth's Caribbean. She's sent there on a distasteful mission, that she must fulfill on a deadline, in order to save her best friend Beatrice (Bee) from death. In the meantime, we meet a new cast of characters and reacquaint ourselves with some old ones, and the preparations for Camjiata's war to become emperor of Europa, and revolutionary sentiments in the populace, continue.
I had some of the same issues with this novel as I had with the previous one. The first two hundred pages are one long chase scene, and considering the last two-thirds of Cold Magic were the same way, you're looking at a chase scene that's 600 pages long. Thank goodness, then, that Cat finally sits still for a while and the reader gets a chance to breathe as she gets to know the Antilles, specifically Salt Island, Expedition and her temporary home there, and the Taino territories on one of its islands. Cat's husband, Andevai (Vai), is also there, and Bee and Camjiata show up, too. It's old home week as Bee,Vai, Rory, Camjiata, and a spoiler character show up for a final confrontation on the border between the city-state of Expedition and the Taino lands on the same island, while a battle is waged offstage in Expedition itself. Small world!
The female leads, Cat and Bee, are unable to blast themselves out of trouble as Vai or the fire mages in the Antilles can. So a lot of their story is centered on their evading people who are powerful and on doing what they can to keep themselves, and each other, safe. As Cat clears up her misunderstandings with Vai (and they sort out their feelings about ), a "love after marriage" story comes into play, and the couple protecting each other becomes important, too. While primarily an adventure story, Cat's genuine affection for these two, and for her adoptive family at the restaurant, added an emotional layer that took it beyond a simple action narrative. The centering of women both in the foreground and the background, the antagonists each with their own motivations and desires, and protagonists who aren't your typical boring over-compensatory badasses and who have a quite natural fear of death (their own and of their loved ones), are all things worthy of praise.
The poly-cultural worldbuilding in this book was quite good, and plot-wise things finally started to come together after the scattershot impression I got from the first book. Whether this is because repetition of certain details finally stuck, or that the middle of this book was relatively slow-paced, it's hard to say. It was a good move taking the action away from the west Europe-esque setting--albeit with a different cultural background than ours--to the Antilles, and the Caribbean culture was presented in a fulfilling way, with its own creole, ecology/food, clothing, family structures, and so on.
However, despite the length of these books, there's a kitchen-sink effect going on, where Elliott is trying to cram too much into too small a space. Some elements could have pared out to make a clearer and less confusing narrative. For example, there's a thirty-page info-dump when Cat, Bee and Camjiata meet each other again that I had to read twice to make any sense of, which made me kind of grumpy.
On the whole this was fun, quick reading, better than Cold Magic, with some definite strengths but also with some pervasive issues that didn't let me enjoy it unreservedly. I'm pleased with its lived-in world and for its lack of problematic nonsense, and am interested in seeing how things turn out in Cold Steel...starting with a rescue mission, it looks like. The adventure continues!
I had some of the same issues with this novel as I had with the previous one. The first two hundred pages are one long chase scene, and considering the last two-thirds of Cold Magic were the same way, you're looking at a chase scene that's 600 pages long. Thank goodness, then, that Cat finally sits still for a while and the reader gets a chance to breathe as she gets to know the Antilles, specifically Salt Island, Expedition and her temporary home there, and the Taino territories on one of its islands. Cat's husband, Andevai (Vai), is also there, and Bee and Camjiata show up, too. It's old home week as Bee,Vai, Rory, Camjiata, and a spoiler character show up for a final confrontation on the border between the city-state of Expedition and the Taino lands on the same island, while a battle is waged offstage in Expedition itself. Small world!
The female leads, Cat and Bee, are unable to blast themselves out of trouble as Vai or the fire mages in the Antilles can. So a lot of their story is centered on their evading people who are powerful and on doing what they can to keep themselves, and each other, safe. As Cat clears up her misunderstandings with Vai (and they sort out their feelings about ), a "love after marriage" story comes into play, and the couple protecting each other becomes important, too. While primarily an adventure story, Cat's genuine affection for these two, and for her adoptive family at the restaurant, added an emotional layer that took it beyond a simple action narrative. The centering of women both in the foreground and the background, the antagonists each with their own motivations and desires, and protagonists who aren't your typical boring over-compensatory badasses and who have a quite natural fear of death (their own and of their loved ones), are all things worthy of praise.
The poly-cultural worldbuilding in this book was quite good, and plot-wise things finally started to come together after the scattershot impression I got from the first book. Whether this is because repetition of certain details finally stuck, or that the middle of this book was relatively slow-paced, it's hard to say. It was a good move taking the action away from the west Europe-esque setting--albeit with a different cultural background than ours--to the Antilles, and the Caribbean culture was presented in a fulfilling way, with its own creole, ecology/food, clothing, family structures, and so on.
However, despite the length of these books, there's a kitchen-sink effect going on, where Elliott is trying to cram too much into too small a space. Some elements could have pared out to make a clearer and less confusing narrative. For example, there's a thirty-page info-dump when Cat, Bee and Camjiata meet each other again that I had to read twice to make any sense of, which made me kind of grumpy.
On the whole this was fun, quick reading, better than Cold Magic, with some definite strengths but also with some pervasive issues that didn't let me enjoy it unreservedly. I'm pleased with its lived-in world and for its lack of problematic nonsense, and am interested in seeing how things turn out in Cold Steel...starting with a rescue mission, it looks like. The adventure continues!
November 18, 2016
Cold Fire is the second book in Kate Elliott’s Spiritwalker trilogy. Some of the things that annoyed me about the first book were less evident in this book. On the other hand, the story didn’t hold my interest quite as well. There were times when I was glued to the Kindle, but there were also many times when I was restless and kept putting it down to do other things.
One of the things that annoyed me in the first book was the way the author delivered exposition in the form of unrealistic dialogue. Now that the characters and the setting have been established, there was far less of that in this book, although there was a little bit of it in the beginning when the author was reminding us of things from the first book.
Kate Elliott’s recapping approach in this book was interesting. The story actually started slightly before the ending of the first book, and the reader gets to see some things that had happened “off page”. I enjoyed that aspect of it; it was nice to see some of the stuff we’d missed before. Eventually, we get up to the point of the final scene in the first book and we go through those events again, but it’s told a little bit differently. The events matched up, but different things were given emphasis and I found myself forming an entirely different (and more accurate) opinion about a character who would be central to this book. There was at least one thing, though, that did seem like a blatant change. It didn’t really impact the story, but it was related to something repeated often throughout both books.
In the first book, I complained that the romantic relationship was predictable and occasionally unrealistic, but at least it didn’t overwhelm the plot. In this book, the romantic relationship gets a lot more page time and it continues to be predictable. I don’t have as many complaints about lack of realism, but it sure was a lot more melodramatic. For some reason I usually swallow melodrama better in epic fantasy stories than I do anywhere else in real or fictional life, but this was a bit much.
I’m writing mostly about the things I didn’t like, but that’s mainly because I just don’t have as much to say about the things I did like. I do still think the over-all story is interesting and, with the exception of what I’ve already mentioned, I like the writing. The action sequences are particularly well-written, I think. Many of the characters are likeable and fun to read about, with small bits of character-driven humor here and there that made me laugh.
Given the way things ended, I expect there is more melodrama in store for the final book, but I’m invested enough now that I want to see how things end. I’m giving this 3.5 stars on BookLikes, but rounding down to 3 on Goodreads.
One of the things that annoyed me in the first book was the way the author delivered exposition in the form of unrealistic dialogue. Now that the characters and the setting have been established, there was far less of that in this book, although there was a little bit of it in the beginning when the author was reminding us of things from the first book.
Kate Elliott’s recapping approach in this book was interesting. The story actually started slightly before the ending of the first book, and the reader gets to see some things that had happened “off page”. I enjoyed that aspect of it; it was nice to see some of the stuff we’d missed before. Eventually, we get up to the point of the final scene in the first book and we go through those events again, but it’s told a little bit differently. The events matched up, but different things were given emphasis and I found myself forming an entirely different (and more accurate) opinion about a character who would be central to this book. There was at least one thing, though, that did seem like a blatant change. It didn’t really impact the story, but it was related to something repeated often throughout both books.
In the first book, I complained that the romantic relationship was predictable and occasionally unrealistic, but at least it didn’t overwhelm the plot. In this book, the romantic relationship gets a lot more page time and it continues to be predictable. I don’t have as many complaints about lack of realism, but it sure was a lot more melodramatic. For some reason I usually swallow melodrama better in epic fantasy stories than I do anywhere else in real or fictional life, but this was a bit much.
I’m writing mostly about the things I didn’t like, but that’s mainly because I just don’t have as much to say about the things I did like. I do still think the over-all story is interesting and, with the exception of what I’ve already mentioned, I like the writing. The action sequences are particularly well-written, I think. Many of the characters are likeable and fun to read about, with small bits of character-driven humor here and there that made me laugh.
Given the way things ended, I expect there is more melodrama in store for the final book, but I’m invested enough now that I want to see how things end. I’m giving this 3.5 stars on BookLikes, but rounding down to 3 on Goodreads.
June 15, 2013
I really liked this story, and I think Elliot developed her characters a lot more in this one. I think the first one was really bogged down by infodumps, and while they were still very present in this one, I think it was to a lesser degree. I definitely felt more engaged in the story, and I think that Elliot had set up her world already, so she didn't feel the need to have the characters engage in so many awkward conversations to describe the environment.
I really like the direction that Cat took in this one. Though she was sometimes a little dense, I felt that made sense, and I appreciated that she did grow up even more. I think she grew to understand the world around her more in this one, and she actually took more time to think about Vai's perspective. Before she was too wrapped up in her world and her ideas of the world around her to really think about that, and I appreciated the fact that she grew out of that a bit here.
Parts of the book dragged for me, but I think Elliot pushed it a new and interesting direction towards the end, and I desperately need to know what happens. Also, Bee continues to be amazing. I love her character, and how she handles the situation she is in, even though it must be difficult.
I would definitely recommend this to readers of high fantasy or people who enjoy books with POC characters and strong female heroines.
I really like the direction that Cat took in this one. Though she was sometimes a little dense, I felt that made sense, and I appreciated that she did grow up even more. I think she grew to understand the world around her more in this one, and she actually took more time to think about Vai's perspective. Before she was too wrapped up in her world and her ideas of the world around her to really think about that, and I appreciated the fact that she grew out of that a bit here.
Parts of the book dragged for me, but I think Elliot pushed it a new and interesting direction towards the end, and I desperately need to know what happens. Also, Bee continues to be amazing. I love her character, and how she handles the situation she is in, even though it must be difficult.
I would definitely recommend this to readers of high fantasy or people who enjoy books with POC characters and strong female heroines.
August 30, 2013
What I loved about Cat in the first book was her resourcefulness, even while alone in a strange land with no allies. Even when other people were trying to exert control over her, she was always the hero of her own life and always made a path for herself.
This book doesn't do that. For the vast majority of it, she's the object, not the subject. She's a supporting character in the machinations of a bunch of powerful males, and the only plot she has any agency in is in giving in to the supposedly great predestined romance with her husband.
WTF?
Why did she have to lose SO MUCH of her agency? And why did all the males who hurt her get away with it, while the only woman who harmed her (in order to protect her own political power) died horribly?
Beyond that, the book is kind of a mess. There are significant pacing problems and too many gratuitous plot twists and dropped plot-threads. Most significant, there's nothing to get the reader invested in the political revolutionary plot that over half the book revolves around. All these characters go around announcing how radical they are, but I'm just not convinced...largely because a) Cat's a stranger there and not likely to be staying, so why should she get involved, and b) Cat's too busy being the pawn of other people's machinations to get to a place where she cares about local politics in any way besides shit that threatens Bee's and her lives.
OTOH, the world-building is excellent and the setting is beautifully drawn. The romance plot is fine, if obvious. The supporting characters at Djeneba's are fabulous and way more interesting to me than the machinations of a would-be emperor and Bee's unlikely queening.
In short, incredibly frustrating.
This book doesn't do that. For the vast majority of it, she's the object, not the subject. She's a supporting character in the machinations of a bunch of powerful males, and the only plot she has any agency in is in giving in to the supposedly great predestined romance with her husband.
WTF?
Why did she have to lose SO MUCH of her agency? And why did all the males who hurt her get away with it, while the only woman who harmed her (in order to protect her own political power) died horribly?
Beyond that, the book is kind of a mess. There are significant pacing problems and too many gratuitous plot twists and dropped plot-threads. Most significant, there's nothing to get the reader invested in the political revolutionary plot that over half the book revolves around. All these characters go around announcing how radical they are, but I'm just not convinced...largely because a) Cat's a stranger there and not likely to be staying, so why should she get involved, and b) Cat's too busy being the pawn of other people's machinations to get to a place where she cares about local politics in any way besides shit that threatens Bee's and her lives.
OTOH, the world-building is excellent and the setting is beautifully drawn. The romance plot is fine, if obvious. The supporting characters at Djeneba's are fabulous and way more interesting to me than the machinations of a would-be emperor and Bee's unlikely queening.
In short, incredibly frustrating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2012
Okay, I think I’ve put this off long enough, don’t you?
I totally loved the first book in this series, Cold Magic. I loved the characters, the worldbuilding, the magic system, everything about it was pretty awesome to tell you the truth. So when this second one came around, I snatched it up right away.
Everything that you didn’t like or stumbled over in the first one; the slow pacing, info-dumping, or excessive attention to detail is not present in this one. I don’t know about you guys but Cold Fire was just a fast-paced race to the finish filled with lots of twists and turns that had me reading for long stretches at a time. It’s even got more romance if you thought the last one needed a bit more “sizzle”. (It’s kept to the background though so you always have this good balance of not too much but not too little)
Cat is so awesome in this one. Even if she found out she’s some long lost heir or has magical powers of her own, she doesn’t turn into some special wonder woman who overly dominates her comrades. She’s still her lovable self; naïve, too trusting, and perhaps a bit dense in the sense that she’s very easily manipulated. But she’s a capable woman, holding her own in dire circumstances, possessing quick wit, and is very loyal to the ones she loves.
Andevai is just smoking hot. I swear, I swoon every time he’s on the page. He’s not only patient but subtle in expressing his true emotions and desires. He’s still his haughty, vain, and arrogant self though. He’s not afraid to confront problems that might turn out negatively for himself and is always honest and to the point. Gosh, I totally loved the whole slow courtship part of the book when he is trying to win Cat over. Swoonworthy fo’ real.
The plot? OHMAHJAYSUS! You know, in one of my reading status updates I actually made a joke about some of the characters that actually came true! I so wasn’t expecting that! No, that doesn’t mean the book is predictable because the way the story unfolded totally blew my mind. I think I must’ve been like Mt. Saint Helens going all BAM! The twists and turns and the rush to the climax was a grip the pillow hard and face turning blue because of no breathing type of deal. And the ending? WHAT! WHAT! My heart cannot handle this! It can’t! *wails* There’s a right nasty cliffhanger just to let you know.
One of my favorite parts about this story is the worldbuilding. Oh, it’s so fabulous. It’s always difficult when you remove an established set of characters from the world you set up in the first book but I think Kate Elliott is able to straddle that nice delicate thread in this one. Yes, everything about the new place the book primarily takes place is very different but there’s enough in here that you are able to immediately latch on and submerse yourself in without having to learn stuff all over again. But my favorite part is the wonderful diversity in her cast of characters. This is not your stock medieval white cast. You’ve got races of all sorts that are all portrayed delicately and respectfully. I love it.
If there’s one caution or warning flag it’s that there is a bit of the book that functions sort of like a date-rape encounter. It’s where the sharp, sly, and cunning is easily able to take advantage of a girl’s loneliness and vulnerability in a place where she is basically alone and without anyone she can rely. Another really nasty aspect is that it’s really terrible how this character uses it to prey on her trusting and oblivious demeanor. Don’t worry, this is seen as a very bad thing and is rightfully treated and addressed as such in the book but it’s just a warning if these sorts of things make you uncomfortable or trigger you.
But this book? It is DELICIOUS. I cannot WAIT to get the final book in this series. Btw, don’t forget to read the extra special smutty chapter on the author’s blog! (I devoured it and it is steamy as it is yummy) Check it out here: http://www.kateelliott.com/wordpress/...
GET IT NOW, PEOPLE! NOOOWWWW!
I totally loved the first book in this series, Cold Magic. I loved the characters, the worldbuilding, the magic system, everything about it was pretty awesome to tell you the truth. So when this second one came around, I snatched it up right away.
Everything that you didn’t like or stumbled over in the first one; the slow pacing, info-dumping, or excessive attention to detail is not present in this one. I don’t know about you guys but Cold Fire was just a fast-paced race to the finish filled with lots of twists and turns that had me reading for long stretches at a time. It’s even got more romance if you thought the last one needed a bit more “sizzle”. (It’s kept to the background though so you always have this good balance of not too much but not too little)
Cat is so awesome in this one. Even if she found out she’s some long lost heir or has magical powers of her own, she doesn’t turn into some special wonder woman who overly dominates her comrades. She’s still her lovable self; naïve, too trusting, and perhaps a bit dense in the sense that she’s very easily manipulated. But she’s a capable woman, holding her own in dire circumstances, possessing quick wit, and is very loyal to the ones she loves.
Andevai is just smoking hot. I swear, I swoon every time he’s on the page. He’s not only patient but subtle in expressing his true emotions and desires. He’s still his haughty, vain, and arrogant self though. He’s not afraid to confront problems that might turn out negatively for himself and is always honest and to the point. Gosh, I totally loved the whole slow courtship part of the book when he is trying to win Cat over. Swoonworthy fo’ real.
The plot? OHMAHJAYSUS! You know, in one of my reading status updates I actually made a joke about some of the characters that actually came true! I so wasn’t expecting that! No, that doesn’t mean the book is predictable because the way the story unfolded totally blew my mind. I think I must’ve been like Mt. Saint Helens going all BAM! The twists and turns and the rush to the climax was a grip the pillow hard and face turning blue because of no breathing type of deal. And the ending? WHAT! WHAT! My heart cannot handle this! It can’t! *wails* There’s a right nasty cliffhanger just to let you know.
One of my favorite parts about this story is the worldbuilding. Oh, it’s so fabulous. It’s always difficult when you remove an established set of characters from the world you set up in the first book but I think Kate Elliott is able to straddle that nice delicate thread in this one. Yes, everything about the new place the book primarily takes place is very different but there’s enough in here that you are able to immediately latch on and submerse yourself in without having to learn stuff all over again. But my favorite part is the wonderful diversity in her cast of characters. This is not your stock medieval white cast. You’ve got races of all sorts that are all portrayed delicately and respectfully. I love it.
If there’s one caution or warning flag it’s that there is a bit of the book that functions sort of like a date-rape encounter. It’s where the sharp, sly, and cunning is easily able to take advantage of a girl’s loneliness and vulnerability in a place where she is basically alone and without anyone she can rely. Another really nasty aspect is that it’s really terrible how this character uses it to prey on her trusting and oblivious demeanor. Don’t worry, this is seen as a very bad thing and is rightfully treated and addressed as such in the book but it’s just a warning if these sorts of things make you uncomfortable or trigger you.
But this book? It is DELICIOUS. I cannot WAIT to get the final book in this series. Btw, don’t forget to read the extra special smutty chapter on the author’s blog! (I devoured it and it is steamy as it is yummy) Check it out here: http://www.kateelliott.com/wordpress/...
GET IT NOW, PEOPLE! NOOOWWWW!
August 14, 2013
Fantasy Review Barn
Another infuriating entry in the Spiritwalker Trilogy. How can a book do some things so damn good, and make a complete mess out of others? I was going to finish off the book, then be done with the series despite already having the concluding volume in my hands. Then in the last hundred pages this meandering tale suddenly got a cohesive plot and found its purpose, ensuring that I will give the final book a try.
Cat may be one of my favorite first person narrators in the genre, which is an amazing upgrade of the first book in which didn’t care for her much at all. She is completely, utterly, one hundred percent captivating. She is smart. Her tongue is razor sharp. She both infuriates and captivates those around her. She fights her own fights when needed, gives ground when it is prudent, and relies on her allies when it is possible. Hilarious when drunk or trying to one up love interest Vai, her voice single handedly kept me reading through some really rough early chapters. Even the romance angles that were fairly unbelievable in the first outing felt more organic this time around.
My favorite part of ‘Cold Magic’ was the world Elliott was building and it is expanded on nicely in this outing. I am a sucker for alternative history and too often it leaves me wanting. Not so the world of this trilogy; Europa is in a long Ice Age, Rome never fell, the Americas are something completely different. No traps of well-known figures from history being forced into awkward situations. Even without the magic it makes for something unique.
But I will be damned if I know what was going on for fully half of this book. And while some questions were answered by the end of the book, I am not sure the path it took to get there was completely worth it. A leap of faith led to a cross continental jump. Cat learns a bit about her parentage and I am just as confused as ever as to its importance. A whole lot of talk about “the Great Hunt;” which had so much build up for something so…isolated? Hardly a worldwide event the whole magical community should know about.
Strong conclusion though, finally tying up loose ends that have been hanging since the first book. I kinda get cold mages now, and fire mages were a nice (if obvious) addition. It appears Cat and her cousin Bee (did I mention Bee? Ya Bee was just as awesome as Cat in this book), it appears that the two of them of a grand adventure in front of them next time around.
3 stars. Again. Just like the first book. And here is hoping the third outing is as focused and fun as the last third of this book, if so it could elevate the whole series in my mind.
Another infuriating entry in the Spiritwalker Trilogy. How can a book do some things so damn good, and make a complete mess out of others? I was going to finish off the book, then be done with the series despite already having the concluding volume in my hands. Then in the last hundred pages this meandering tale suddenly got a cohesive plot and found its purpose, ensuring that I will give the final book a try.
Cat may be one of my favorite first person narrators in the genre, which is an amazing upgrade of the first book in which didn’t care for her much at all. She is completely, utterly, one hundred percent captivating. She is smart. Her tongue is razor sharp. She both infuriates and captivates those around her. She fights her own fights when needed, gives ground when it is prudent, and relies on her allies when it is possible. Hilarious when drunk or trying to one up love interest Vai, her voice single handedly kept me reading through some really rough early chapters. Even the romance angles that were fairly unbelievable in the first outing felt more organic this time around.
My favorite part of ‘Cold Magic’ was the world Elliott was building and it is expanded on nicely in this outing. I am a sucker for alternative history and too often it leaves me wanting. Not so the world of this trilogy; Europa is in a long Ice Age, Rome never fell, the Americas are something completely different. No traps of well-known figures from history being forced into awkward situations. Even without the magic it makes for something unique.
But I will be damned if I know what was going on for fully half of this book. And while some questions were answered by the end of the book, I am not sure the path it took to get there was completely worth it. A leap of faith led to a cross continental jump. Cat learns a bit about her parentage and I am just as confused as ever as to its importance. A whole lot of talk about “the Great Hunt;” which had so much build up for something so…isolated? Hardly a worldwide event the whole magical community should know about.
Strong conclusion though, finally tying up loose ends that have been hanging since the first book. I kinda get cold mages now, and fire mages were a nice (if obvious) addition. It appears Cat and her cousin Bee (did I mention Bee? Ya Bee was just as awesome as Cat in this book), it appears that the two of them of a grand adventure in front of them next time around.
3 stars. Again. Just like the first book. And here is hoping the third outing is as focused and fun as the last third of this book, if so it could elevate the whole series in my mind.
July 21, 2014
I tried to get into this one. I really did. Elliot did a great job with the world building in this one, and I found aspects of it fascinating, like the cold and fire mages, the spirit world and the Wild Hunt. This book earned its two stars based off of that.
So where did the other 3 go? The book dragged in places and I struggled with some of the characters. Characters are super important to me. If I don't care for a character, its difficult to be invested in what happens to them. The protagonist is Cat, a headstrong and gullible young woman who insists on people being polite to her, but does not extend the same courtesies. Unfortunately she is bound so that she must answer all questions with a question which makes for some irritating conversations.
"Why are you answering all my questions with questions?"
"What makes you think I'm answering all your questions with questions?"
Her cousin, Bee, is under no such binding, but does the same, making conversation between the two mind numbing.
Cat was forcibly married to a cold mage, Andevai that she is slowly developing feelings for. Yet it seems that everyone still wants to kiss her for some reason. From talking heads to fire mages.
"My apologies. I'm going to have to ask you to kiss me."
"Kiss you!"
"If I press my lips to yours, the contact will allow me to know if the teeth of the salt plague has gotten into your blood."
This kiss (with a man who is not her husband) then leads to him needing her to take off her clothes and lay with him to "heal her", which leads to well... you know. Of course she wasn't actually sick, but she doesn't seem all that upset about being duped.
What does her husband Vai think of this? That she was drunk and he took advantage so clearly not her fault. Ok. That still doesn't explain the second time.
I can't understand the attraction there at all. He helps her but what does she do in return? Is unfaithful, dishonest and rude. The only thing going for her:
"Tis good when a gal like to eat."
I looked up to see Vai fail not to look pleased with himself.
So let me get this straight. All I need to do is be drunk when I make stupid choices and eat a good meal and all will be well. I think that'll go over real well.
The sad thing is the ending was good. It almost ALMOST brought me around. If only the rest of the book could have been that good.
So where did the other 3 go? The book dragged in places and I struggled with some of the characters. Characters are super important to me. If I don't care for a character, its difficult to be invested in what happens to them. The protagonist is Cat, a headstrong and gullible young woman who insists on people being polite to her, but does not extend the same courtesies. Unfortunately she is bound so that she must answer all questions with a question which makes for some irritating conversations.
"Why are you answering all my questions with questions?"
"What makes you think I'm answering all your questions with questions?"
Her cousin, Bee, is under no such binding, but does the same, making conversation between the two mind numbing.
Cat was forcibly married to a cold mage, Andevai that she is slowly developing feelings for. Yet it seems that everyone still wants to kiss her for some reason. From talking heads to fire mages.
"My apologies. I'm going to have to ask you to kiss me."
"Kiss you!"
"If I press my lips to yours, the contact will allow me to know if the teeth of the salt plague has gotten into your blood."
This kiss (with a man who is not her husband) then leads to him needing her to take off her clothes and lay with him to "heal her", which leads to well... you know. Of course she wasn't actually sick, but she doesn't seem all that upset about being duped.
What does her husband Vai think of this? That she was drunk and he took advantage so clearly not her fault. Ok. That still doesn't explain the second time.
I can't understand the attraction there at all. He helps her but what does she do in return? Is unfaithful, dishonest and rude. The only thing going for her:
"Tis good when a gal like to eat."
I looked up to see Vai fail not to look pleased with himself.
So let me get this straight. All I need to do is be drunk when I make stupid choices and eat a good meal and all will be well. I think that'll go over real well.
The sad thing is the ending was good. It almost ALMOST brought me around. If only the rest of the book could have been that good.
May 8, 2024
This book. This book right here. This is really original and excellently executed epic fantasy. A step up from an already impressive first novel, Elliott's second Spiritwalker book doesn't disappoint.
June 5, 2019
Another fun and exciting instalment in this series! This time the action took us out of Europa and to the Antilles, and I for one enjoyed the change of scenery. I can't wait to see how this story wraps up in the final book!
February 25, 2024
“To give trust is to gain trust. To withhold it until there is no doubt, is not trust.”
Continued fun and adventure in a steampunk parallel world with Napoleon, the Wild Hunt, and hot and cold mages. Told first-person by our resident self-centered, attention-deficit, loud-mouthed twit. Meant in the kindest way. Catherine is, if possible, both more frustrating and more sympathetic than in Cold Magic.
I made a sound, like choking on the suppurating taste of my own naïveté.
Because of the close focus on Cat, the reader knows no more than she does, though is given copious hints that she may be wrong, prejudiced, or emotionally biased. Talks her way into and out of all kinds of delightful messes. Like Emma, you just want to yell at her occasionally.
“If she meant to stab me, she’d have done it to my face while telling me why she was doing it and how I had brought it on myself.” “That is one thing I shall say in she favor: She don’ spare words.”
Elliott makes her story both fun and challenging. Characters come and go, grow and shrink, live and die. She successfully closes this second chapter of her trilogy while drawing the reader toward the third.
“I understand now. Your sire is [redacted].” “And I hate him!” “Of course you do.”
Continued fun and adventure in a steampunk parallel world with Napoleon, the Wild Hunt, and hot and cold mages. Told first-person by our resident self-centered, attention-deficit, loud-mouthed twit. Meant in the kindest way. Catherine is, if possible, both more frustrating and more sympathetic than in Cold Magic.
I made a sound, like choking on the suppurating taste of my own naïveté.
Because of the close focus on Cat, the reader knows no more than she does, though is given copious hints that she may be wrong, prejudiced, or emotionally biased. Talks her way into and out of all kinds of delightful messes. Like Emma, you just want to yell at her occasionally.
“If she meant to stab me, she’d have done it to my face while telling me why she was doing it and how I had brought it on myself.” “That is one thing I shall say in she favor: She don’ spare words.”
Elliott makes her story both fun and challenging. Characters come and go, grow and shrink, live and die. She successfully closes this second chapter of her trilogy while drawing the reader toward the third.
“I understand now. Your sire is [redacted].” “And I hate him!” “Of course you do.”
July 31, 2013
First, let me tell you what Cold Fire is like. Cold Fire is like ripping your heart out, stuffing it into a washing machine, and watching it go around and around, twisting and turning in every which way while you are helpless to do anything. Of course, then you try to do something to this poor heart of yours, so you rush forward to stop the washing machine, but it’s in the middle of the wash, so even when you get your heart out, you still have to wring it out and dry all the excess soapy water, so the end result is the same: pain.
In other words, Cold Fire is a whirlwind of emotion. With Cold Magic, Elliott lay down the rules, introduced us to the world, and made us care for her characters. In Cold Fire, though, the fun finally begins with politics, intrigue, mystery, betrayal, world-building, friendship, kinship, and, best of all, romance. If Cold Magic failed to convince you that this trilogy was worth investing your time into, I implore you to give Cold Fire a try. If nothing else, Andevai will trap your heart so thoroughly you won’t be able to tear away from these books after all.
From the beginning itself, Cold Fire is nothing like its predecessor. For one, the pace is breakneck, from the start to the finish, a refreshing change from the slower commencement of Cold Magic. Additionally, the primary setting of this novel is not the Ice Age Europe we’ve come to know, but rather the Americas. With this brings on a slew of new world-building, just as interesting and creative as that in the first book. I love drawing the threads of familiarity between our world and that which Elliott has created, which makes discovering every layer of this intricate fantasy that much more astonishing.
And yet, Cold Fire shines, through and through, because of its protagonist, Cat. Cat finally comes to find answers to many of her pressing questions about her lineage, but at a price. While she may have been curious and stubborn in Cold Magic, this is the installment where she truly comes into her own. For one, I love that this book portrays women in a strong and independent light. Cat never answers to anyone for her actions and while there are those who tear her down for sticking by her decisions, there are others who understand and accept her for who she is, flaws, mistakes, and scruples aside. Moreover, Cat becomes an even more well-fleshed character in this book, coming to admit her faults and try, painstakingly, to correct them. I love that despite all the changes she undergoes in this installment, she retains her innate traits, all while moving onto becoming a better person; one who is more certain of her place in the world.
In addition to Cat, Bee also finds many answers in this novel. I love that this trilogy is so focused on the friendship between these two girls, both who are powerful and just as important to each other as they are to the story. One of my favorite aspects of their relationship is the fact that they manage to be such tight confidants to one another despite not constantly being together. I find this is such a realistic aspect of friendship, for making it work despite the distances, both physically and mentally, is a barrier many relationships are subject to. And Bee and Cat endure all that and even more together, their love and understanding a shining beacon in their otherwise darker lives. For them, they are more family than friends, and that bond is irreparable and resolute, which is so very rare in fiction. I adore it.
Nevertheless, it would be remiss of me to write this review without a mention of my favorite cold mage (and the keeper of my heart), Andevai. If you thought you swooned towards the end of Cold Magic, think again because you might as well faint from how utterly delectable Andevai is in this book. Where Cold Magic looks to deconstruct Andevai as we know him, introducing us to this arrogant cold mage and peeling back the layers until we see his vulnerable interior, Cold Fire seeks to exploit that kindness, making Cat realize just how wrong she was about her husband. I loved seeing Andevai work ceaselessly to win over Cat’s heart. It’s nothing short of heart-wrenching and their constant back-and-forth banter, wit, and sexual tension kept me on my toes. One of my favorite elements between these two is that their romance keeps you guessing, praying it’ll work out and worried that it may not because of one or the other’s strong personality. And yet, by the end, these two come to complement each other perfectly, their feelings for each other only fueling their grounded characters. I rarely come to enjoy, anticipate, and cherish a romance, but this one I fell for; every unspoken word, glance, and kiss a simmering flame of hidden depths and utter perfection.
At the end of the day, this is simply a trilogy not to be missed. If you’re a fan of strong world-building and character growth, this book has it in spades. If you even remotely enjoy complex politics, revolutions, and impending war, though, this is even more of a gem. Elliott sets up an interesting political scheme with Cold Magic, but Cold Fire is the actual fire to the action. With plenty of new political players and old ones coming to join the mix, there is no end to the assassinations, betrayals, and lies. Which, trust me, I loved. I cannot imagine a book more tightly plotted, well-researched, or full of emotion than this one. It took me by surprise, the way it played with my emotions, and kept me up late at night, huddled in blankets for it felt as if I could feel the searing cold of the mages myself. Its characters are so very real and its world so very believable that I weep to think of it being nearly over. Without a doubt, however, this is a book I will be re-visiting, many times over. After all, I still need an answer to the question vai I cannot have Vai. (See what I did there?)
In other words, Cold Fire is a whirlwind of emotion. With Cold Magic, Elliott lay down the rules, introduced us to the world, and made us care for her characters. In Cold Fire, though, the fun finally begins with politics, intrigue, mystery, betrayal, world-building, friendship, kinship, and, best of all, romance. If Cold Magic failed to convince you that this trilogy was worth investing your time into, I implore you to give Cold Fire a try. If nothing else, Andevai will trap your heart so thoroughly you won’t be able to tear away from these books after all.
From the beginning itself, Cold Fire is nothing like its predecessor. For one, the pace is breakneck, from the start to the finish, a refreshing change from the slower commencement of Cold Magic. Additionally, the primary setting of this novel is not the Ice Age Europe we’ve come to know, but rather the Americas. With this brings on a slew of new world-building, just as interesting and creative as that in the first book. I love drawing the threads of familiarity between our world and that which Elliott has created, which makes discovering every layer of this intricate fantasy that much more astonishing.
And yet, Cold Fire shines, through and through, because of its protagonist, Cat. Cat finally comes to find answers to many of her pressing questions about her lineage, but at a price. While she may have been curious and stubborn in Cold Magic, this is the installment where she truly comes into her own. For one, I love that this book portrays women in a strong and independent light. Cat never answers to anyone for her actions and while there are those who tear her down for sticking by her decisions, there are others who understand and accept her for who she is, flaws, mistakes, and scruples aside. Moreover, Cat becomes an even more well-fleshed character in this book, coming to admit her faults and try, painstakingly, to correct them. I love that despite all the changes she undergoes in this installment, she retains her innate traits, all while moving onto becoming a better person; one who is more certain of her place in the world.
In addition to Cat, Bee also finds many answers in this novel. I love that this trilogy is so focused on the friendship between these two girls, both who are powerful and just as important to each other as they are to the story. One of my favorite aspects of their relationship is the fact that they manage to be such tight confidants to one another despite not constantly being together. I find this is such a realistic aspect of friendship, for making it work despite the distances, both physically and mentally, is a barrier many relationships are subject to. And Bee and Cat endure all that and even more together, their love and understanding a shining beacon in their otherwise darker lives. For them, they are more family than friends, and that bond is irreparable and resolute, which is so very rare in fiction. I adore it.
Nevertheless, it would be remiss of me to write this review without a mention of my favorite cold mage (and the keeper of my heart), Andevai. If you thought you swooned towards the end of Cold Magic, think again because you might as well faint from how utterly delectable Andevai is in this book. Where Cold Magic looks to deconstruct Andevai as we know him, introducing us to this arrogant cold mage and peeling back the layers until we see his vulnerable interior, Cold Fire seeks to exploit that kindness, making Cat realize just how wrong she was about her husband. I loved seeing Andevai work ceaselessly to win over Cat’s heart. It’s nothing short of heart-wrenching and their constant back-and-forth banter, wit, and sexual tension kept me on my toes. One of my favorite elements between these two is that their romance keeps you guessing, praying it’ll work out and worried that it may not because of one or the other’s strong personality. And yet, by the end, these two come to complement each other perfectly, their feelings for each other only fueling their grounded characters. I rarely come to enjoy, anticipate, and cherish a romance, but this one I fell for; every unspoken word, glance, and kiss a simmering flame of hidden depths and utter perfection.
At the end of the day, this is simply a trilogy not to be missed. If you’re a fan of strong world-building and character growth, this book has it in spades. If you even remotely enjoy complex politics, revolutions, and impending war, though, this is even more of a gem. Elliott sets up an interesting political scheme with Cold Magic, but Cold Fire is the actual fire to the action. With plenty of new political players and old ones coming to join the mix, there is no end to the assassinations, betrayals, and lies. Which, trust me, I loved. I cannot imagine a book more tightly plotted, well-researched, or full of emotion than this one. It took me by surprise, the way it played with my emotions, and kept me up late at night, huddled in blankets for it felt as if I could feel the searing cold of the mages myself. Its characters are so very real and its world so very believable that I weep to think of it being nearly over. Without a doubt, however, this is a book I will be re-visiting, many times over. After all, I still need an answer to the question vai I cannot have Vai. (See what I did there?)
May 25, 2016
You know what I love? A series that just gets better and better as it goes along. Cold Magic had a rocky start, and took a couple hundred pages before I really started enjoying it. Cold Fire caught my interest right away, amping up to a finale that stomped on my heart and made me need to read book three posthaste. The Spiritwalker Trilogy boasts one of my favorite romances, and I'm going to need to fangirl about the feels.
Know that there's totally a lot more going on in Cold Fire than romance, but that I'm mostly going to blabber on about that, because, being totally honest here, THAT is what I care about most. BY FAR. I make no secret of the fact that I burn for hate to love romance arcs, and this one is SO well done. Gah. There's a very Pride & Prejudice sort of emotional arc that just makes me swoon. When they meet, Vai is dismissive of Catherine, which is all sorts of awkward, since they're forced to marry at the beginning of the first book. However, you find out that he's just sort of awkward and makes disdainful faces when he's uncomfortable, but that he actually really cares for her. Cat, on the other hand, does not forgive or trust easily, so she has little interest in Vai for most of Cold Magic.
In Cold Fire, my ship finally takes sail, and, oh my, was it ever glorious. There's also a sort of vaguely Tamora Pierce-ian element to the romance, wherein Cat has a dalliance with someone else. Even though I ship them so hard, I loved this, because in some ways it was needful. There's just something so freeing about the heroine making her own choices and being more informed. And, yes, technically it was adultery, but they were forced to wed, so that doesn't bother me in this instance.
Once Vai and Cat are together again, the sexual tension is something fierce. They have crazy amounts of chemistry, and Vai is being such a freaking sweetheart. He KNOWS she hooked up with someone else, and he's still so understanding even though she's technically his wife. He keeps feeding her all of this delicious fruit, and omg it's so hot I can't even. Plus, these two and their banter. Oy, it's fantastic. She's under a bit of a curse thing where she's not allowed to impart certain information, so she has to respond to certain questions with questions, which sort of becomes a flirty banter thing for them and I love it so much. Yes, I do realize I'm a bit incoherent, but GOD I LOVE THEM. Vai loves her for her spirit and strength and the fact that she can be so damn stubborn, and just LOVE.
Obviously, I would rate the romance a full five glorious stars, but, despite those feels, I still had to rate the book a four overall, because I feel like Elliott's still getting a hang of the pacing and plotting. Parts of the book do drag (like when Vai and Cat are not together duh), and it feels like not all that much is actually happening for a lot of the book. The plotting really does pick up towards the end, when Elliott decides to wreak havoc on my emotional state, but the rest felt like a really long way to get there, not that it was not worth it for Vai and Cat.
The world herein is quite lush, but I still don't entirely understand its underpinnings, though I vaguely remember it was some sort of alternate history spun off from Roman times, I think. What I love is how diverse the characters are, many of them mixed race. There are a lot of messages about cultural sensitivity, which is great.
While I think this series has some drawbacks, for me, it's ONE HUNDRED PERCENT worth the slow moments for the epic ship of Cat and Vai. I am all kinds of glad that I sort of neglected to read this review copy for a shameful amount of time, because I would have HATED waiting for book three to come out, because THAT ENDING.
Know that there's totally a lot more going on in Cold Fire than romance, but that I'm mostly going to blabber on about that, because, being totally honest here, THAT is what I care about most. BY FAR. I make no secret of the fact that I burn for hate to love romance arcs, and this one is SO well done. Gah. There's a very Pride & Prejudice sort of emotional arc that just makes me swoon. When they meet, Vai is dismissive of Catherine, which is all sorts of awkward, since they're forced to marry at the beginning of the first book. However, you find out that he's just sort of awkward and makes disdainful faces when he's uncomfortable, but that he actually really cares for her. Cat, on the other hand, does not forgive or trust easily, so she has little interest in Vai for most of Cold Magic.
In Cold Fire, my ship finally takes sail, and, oh my, was it ever glorious. There's also a sort of vaguely Tamora Pierce-ian element to the romance, wherein Cat has a dalliance with someone else. Even though I ship them so hard, I loved this, because in some ways it was needful. There's just something so freeing about the heroine making her own choices and being more informed. And, yes, technically it was adultery, but they were forced to wed, so that doesn't bother me in this instance.
Once Vai and Cat are together again, the sexual tension is something fierce. They have crazy amounts of chemistry, and Vai is being such a freaking sweetheart. He KNOWS she hooked up with someone else, and he's still so understanding even though she's technically his wife. He keeps feeding her all of this delicious fruit, and omg it's so hot I can't even. Plus, these two and their banter. Oy, it's fantastic. She's under a bit of a curse thing where she's not allowed to impart certain information, so she has to respond to certain questions with questions, which sort of becomes a flirty banter thing for them and I love it so much. Yes, I do realize I'm a bit incoherent, but GOD I LOVE THEM. Vai loves her for her spirit and strength and the fact that she can be so damn stubborn, and just LOVE.
Obviously, I would rate the romance a full five glorious stars, but, despite those feels, I still had to rate the book a four overall, because I feel like Elliott's still getting a hang of the pacing and plotting. Parts of the book do drag (like when Vai and Cat are not together duh), and it feels like not all that much is actually happening for a lot of the book. The plotting really does pick up towards the end, when Elliott decides to wreak havoc on my emotional state, but the rest felt like a really long way to get there, not that it was not worth it for Vai and Cat.
The world herein is quite lush, but I still don't entirely understand its underpinnings, though I vaguely remember it was some sort of alternate history spun off from Roman times, I think. What I love is how diverse the characters are, many of them mixed race. There are a lot of messages about cultural sensitivity, which is great.
While I think this series has some drawbacks, for me, it's ONE HUNDRED PERCENT worth the slow moments for the epic ship of Cat and Vai. I am all kinds of glad that I sort of neglected to read this review copy for a shameful amount of time, because I would have HATED waiting for book three to come out, because THAT ENDING.
December 12, 2014
Cold Fire is the second installment in Kate Elliot's Spiritwalker trilogy. As within the first novel Cold Magic the story is told in the first person by the main protagonist Cat.
We'll start right where we left of last time after Cat and her cousin Bee have met the revolutionary general Camjiata.
Throuout the book we will finally learn more about Cat's sire, visit the spirit world and have a look at the other side of the pond.
Those elements are the strenghts of the novel. The world building of this alternate steampunky Earth with Magic, Trolls and Goblins is really well doe and a joy to delve into.
Unfortunately the book has some pacing issues whch annoyed me a bit more this time compared to the first book and after the first third the plot starts to really crawl and just picks up toward the ending. In between you'll find a mix of a romance angle I could have done without and a travelogue of the city called Expedition in the Antilles.
You learn a lot about the people and their culture and it's far from being boring, but the plot really takes a huge break throughout most of the novel.
Thus my enjoyment of the second part of the Spiritwalker books was not as great as the first time, but the ending encouraged me to finish this imaginative series at some point in the future, but not right away.
We'll start right where we left of last time after Cat and her cousin Bee have met the revolutionary general Camjiata.
Throuout the book we will finally learn more about Cat's sire, visit the spirit world and have a look at the other side of the pond.
Those elements are the strenghts of the novel. The world building of this alternate steampunky Earth with Magic, Trolls and Goblins is really well doe and a joy to delve into.
Unfortunately the book has some pacing issues whch annoyed me a bit more this time compared to the first book and after the first third the plot starts to really crawl and just picks up toward the ending. In between you'll find a mix of a romance angle I could have done without and a travelogue of the city called Expedition in the Antilles.
You learn a lot about the people and their culture and it's far from being boring, but the plot really takes a huge break throughout most of the novel.
Thus my enjoyment of the second part of the Spiritwalker books was not as great as the first time, but the ending encouraged me to finish this imaginative series at some point in the future, but not right away.
September 27, 2011
As a reader, I enjoy finishing a book and knowing that the author has done something truly innovative or that the story has somehow changed my perspective on reading. Cold Magic, the first installment of the Spirit Walker trilogy, was such a book. Kate Elliott laid a tremendous foundation to build upon in Cold Fire, but rather than playing it safe and just providing more of the same, Elliott has taken risks in her storytelling. Some readers may feel frustrated by an unexpected change of direction, but more will appreciate seeing something they haven’t seen before.
Revolution is brewing in Europa, and Catherine Hassi Barahal is caught between warring factions who believe she and her cousin Bee hold the key to the impending war. As the conflict grows in her home city of Adurnam and the forces loyal to the Cold Mages pursue her, Cat escapes through the spirit world. The journey provides Cat with answers about her heritage and purpose, but a deeper peril emerges for those she loves as the Wild Hunt chooses its prey...
Want to read more of this review? Check it out here.
Revolution is brewing in Europa, and Catherine Hassi Barahal is caught between warring factions who believe she and her cousin Bee hold the key to the impending war. As the conflict grows in her home city of Adurnam and the forces loyal to the Cold Mages pursue her, Cat escapes through the spirit world. The journey provides Cat with answers about her heritage and purpose, but a deeper peril emerges for those she loves as the Wild Hunt chooses its prey...
Want to read more of this review? Check it out here.
October 18, 2019
What a ride! Loved the sumptous worldbuilding, exhilarating uses of magic and the breathtaking scope of the setting. Everyone feels real and fully fleshed-out; even minor characters have depth and their own story arc with their own goals and challenges. A middle book in a trilogy that feels even bigger and better than the first, so I'm expecting absolute fireworks from the finale.
Kate Elliott is fast becoming one of my favourite authors, and I am eager to try her other worlds.
Kate Elliott is fast becoming one of my favourite authors, and I am eager to try her other worlds.
February 18, 2020
Leest makkelijk weg maar deel 2 viel me toch wel echt tegen invergelijking met deel 1
October 9, 2011
I enjoyed Cold Magic, so much so that I preordered this one. The good news is that it’s a fun book and makes for compelling reading. The bad is that the whole book feels like a diversion from the main plot (two books into the trilogy, I’m still not sure what the “main plot” is, actually) and compared to the first book, is a bit lacking in tension and danger.
The good stuff first: the book is well-paced and interesting throughout. The main characters, Cat, Bee and Andevai, remain interesting and get further development. Cat’s voice is still strong--these are books that depend heavily on voice, and pull it off well. For the matter, Cat herself is an engaging and sometimes downright funny character (particularly when drunk, as it turns out). I mostly liked the romance, which is well-written and not cheesy. (On the other hand, the number of reversals and counter-reversals in Cat and Andevai’s relationship make things a bit hectic, depriving events of some of their emotional impact--and Andevai has gotten much more normal, which probably makes him a better love interest but dials down the dramatic tension a fair bit.)
This book moves the action to an alternate Caribbean, where the Taino kingdom, dominated by powerful fire mages, has an uneasy peace with a city-state called Expedition (on the island we call Hispaniola, although for obvious reasons it has a different name here). The worldbuilding is fun and inventive, and it’s nice just to have a setting that hasn’t been done to death. Also, the social movements we saw in alt-Europe in book one are brewing here too, with underground political organizations that bring to mind analogous groups in the real Latin America. But this isn’t one of those fantasy societies that exists solely to further the plot; it’s fully fleshed-out and feels like a real culture, complete with a sports obsession (specifically, batey--an actual Taino game as it turns out).
But, despite all of this.... there’s the plot. Cold Fire starts out on the wrong foot, the first chapter being a rewrite of the last chapter of Cold Magic, with some details added or omitted, and proceeds for the next 150 pages or so with the characters running around--it feels like the end of Cold Magic got dragged out into Cold Fire, long after the climax was past. Cat then encounters her biological father, who gives her a mission which is meant to lend tension to the next section of the book, but that subplot never really gets off the ground and a great opportunity for drama is handily avoided. And then we get 200 pages of romance, worldbuilding and batey. This book never failed to be interesting, and yet it barely ever achieved the sense of danger and urgency that Cold Magic had throughout. I attribute this in large part to the lack of antagonists--the mansa is entirely absent from this book except for a distance shot in Chapter 1 (version 2.0), and neither Cat’s sire nor anyone else in this book can hope to equal him. Finally, it’s unclear what any of this has to do with the events of Cold Magic, or what the overall arc of this trilogy even looks like. Cold Fire feels more like a book an author might write after a series is successfully completed, fleshing out tangential events that occurred off-screen in the regular series, than like the middle book of a trilogy.
Despite all that, I will probably still recommend the series (although I prefer Elliott’s Crossroads trilogy). It is a fun series with good characters and an intriguing world, and I’m counting on Cold Steel to bring all of this together in some sensible way.
The good stuff first: the book is well-paced and interesting throughout. The main characters, Cat, Bee and Andevai, remain interesting and get further development. Cat’s voice is still strong--these are books that depend heavily on voice, and pull it off well. For the matter, Cat herself is an engaging and sometimes downright funny character (particularly when drunk, as it turns out). I mostly liked the romance, which is well-written and not cheesy. (On the other hand, the number of reversals and counter-reversals in Cat and Andevai’s relationship make things a bit hectic, depriving events of some of their emotional impact--and Andevai has gotten much more normal, which probably makes him a better love interest but dials down the dramatic tension a fair bit.)
This book moves the action to an alternate Caribbean, where the Taino kingdom, dominated by powerful fire mages, has an uneasy peace with a city-state called Expedition (on the island we call Hispaniola, although for obvious reasons it has a different name here). The worldbuilding is fun and inventive, and it’s nice just to have a setting that hasn’t been done to death. Also, the social movements we saw in alt-Europe in book one are brewing here too, with underground political organizations that bring to mind analogous groups in the real Latin America. But this isn’t one of those fantasy societies that exists solely to further the plot; it’s fully fleshed-out and feels like a real culture, complete with a sports obsession (specifically, batey--an actual Taino game as it turns out).
But, despite all of this.... there’s the plot. Cold Fire starts out on the wrong foot, the first chapter being a rewrite of the last chapter of Cold Magic, with some details added or omitted, and proceeds for the next 150 pages or so with the characters running around--it feels like the end of Cold Magic got dragged out into Cold Fire, long after the climax was past. Cat then encounters her biological father, who gives her a mission which is meant to lend tension to the next section of the book, but that subplot never really gets off the ground and a great opportunity for drama is handily avoided. And then we get 200 pages of romance, worldbuilding and batey. This book never failed to be interesting, and yet it barely ever achieved the sense of danger and urgency that Cold Magic had throughout. I attribute this in large part to the lack of antagonists--the mansa is entirely absent from this book except for a distance shot in Chapter 1 (version 2.0), and neither Cat’s sire nor anyone else in this book can hope to equal him. Finally, it’s unclear what any of this has to do with the events of Cold Magic, or what the overall arc of this trilogy even looks like. Cold Fire feels more like a book an author might write after a series is successfully completed, fleshing out tangential events that occurred off-screen in the regular series, than like the middle book of a trilogy.
Despite all that, I will probably still recommend the series (although I prefer Elliott’s Crossroads trilogy). It is a fun series with good characters and an intriguing world, and I’m counting on Cold Steel to bring all of this together in some sensible way.
June 21, 2019
Oh man. I finished the first book thinking, “Hey, this had some problems (racism, a romance that was shaping up to be kind of gross), but maybe it also has potential. Let’s see what happens in book two!” Sometimes when I think that book two ends up being like Noumenon Infinity, something much better than the first book in the series. Other times, book two ends up being this one: worse. Much worse.
But let’s start with the okay things. Part of what I didn’t like about the first book was the romance, and the romance is a much larger part of this book, but I’m actually giving that a pass. It’s a very predictable, hits-all-the-beats old-school romance-novel romance, and I didn’t enjoy it, but that’s on me. The romance does what it sets out to do. Also, a big part of this book’s plot is revolution, and I am here for revolution, always.
And now, the problems. First: agency. In this book, Catherine doesn’t have it. In the first book, she did things; in this book, she is done to. She spends the whole book magically bound in ways that limit or control her speech and her actions. And even beyond that, she’s — just not the decision-maker in any of the main plot. And that’s kind of inevitable. Elliott decided to write a book about big sweeping things: revolution and societal change and justice. And she decided to tell the story via first-person narration from one character, a young, outsider woman with very little sway in society or contact with the various groups of key players. So, yeah, of course she’s in the dark and not very involved with the plot for most of the book, but then — why tell this story from this point of view? And why further restrict her agency, so even when she is at the center of events, she’s not really making the choices or doing the action?
And that brings me to another point, which is the rape. I’m going to spoiler-cut this so people don’t have to read it if it bothers them, but know that Catherine is raped in this book.
Then there’s the unfortunate influence of colonialism, which is alllll through this book, and which I do not feel qualified to unpack. (Although, ugh, the weird racist language issues.) And the ableism in the dehumanizing treatment of an albino character. And there’s the way most of the characters from the first book make only token appearances in this one. And just — there’s a lot of mess here I don’t have time to go into.
I will probably finish the series through sheer bloody-mindedness, but man, I am not looking forward to book three.
But let’s start with the okay things. Part of what I didn’t like about the first book was the romance, and the romance is a much larger part of this book, but I’m actually giving that a pass. It’s a very predictable, hits-all-the-beats old-school romance-novel romance, and I didn’t enjoy it, but that’s on me. The romance does what it sets out to do. Also, a big part of this book’s plot is revolution, and I am here for revolution, always.
And now, the problems. First: agency. In this book, Catherine doesn’t have it. In the first book, she did things; in this book, she is done to. She spends the whole book magically bound in ways that limit or control her speech and her actions. And even beyond that, she’s — just not the decision-maker in any of the main plot. And that’s kind of inevitable. Elliott decided to write a book about big sweeping things: revolution and societal change and justice. And she decided to tell the story via first-person narration from one character, a young, outsider woman with very little sway in society or contact with the various groups of key players. So, yeah, of course she’s in the dark and not very involved with the plot for most of the book, but then — why tell this story from this point of view? And why further restrict her agency, so even when she is at the center of events, she’s not really making the choices or doing the action?
And that brings me to another point, which is the rape. I’m going to spoiler-cut this so people don’t have to read it if it bothers them, but know that Catherine is raped in this book.
Then there’s the unfortunate influence of colonialism, which is alllll through this book, and which I do not feel qualified to unpack. (Although, ugh, the weird racist language issues.) And the ableism in the dehumanizing treatment of an albino character. And there’s the way most of the characters from the first book make only token appearances in this one. And just — there’s a lot of mess here I don’t have time to go into.
I will probably finish the series through sheer bloody-mindedness, but man, I am not looking forward to book three.
November 21, 2011
I am hesitant here...what do I say?
I love the series.
I devoured Cold Magic. It was so incredible that I counted the days until Cold Fire came out. I've been waiting for this book for most of the year.
And yet, maybe that is the problem.
Or perhaps (spoiler alert)...
It's the zombies and steampunk and movement to a part of the world where nothing is familiar because none of it was even touched upon in the first book and then when the second book came out suddenly these things are there as though we were supposed to know about them already.
In other words, it felt as though the world Ms. Elliott had so carefully, and craftily created was suddenly subject to the marketing round table that I know, unfortunately, exists in the entertainment world forcing her to add things to her world that are buzz words and trends right now. Boy do I hope I am wrong.
Look, the story is good. It really, really is. It just felt different, disjointed, from the beginning of this series. As a writer myself I know that following up a first story with a second one can be amazingly difficult - but Ms. Elliott has done this before. I also know, as someone who was on the "suit" side of the entertainment industry for close to 11 years that sometimes the artist does not always get her way. Sometimes you just have to do what the editor tells you to do.
In this case, I hope the editor and Ms. Elliott realize that book number 3 needs to be firmed up a bit. Now that there are zombies and mixed mythologies they need to focus on bringing them together in such a way that it makes sense in the end. And one of the ways to do that may be a dictionary of terms. (Salt plague? Took me more than half the book to figure that one out as I am not someone who reads zombie books. Opia? What's that? Perdita???)
Point of fact, it may be the language that is tripping everyone up here. Again - the story is good, once you can get into it. But the culture of the islands is so different than the Europa culture - which is familiar to most of the audience for this book - that the language used here is unfamiliar. There is no framework for these words. Once you (kind of) figure out what they mean and what the culture is it becomes easier to fall back under the spell of Vai and Cat. But those words were causing me problems all the way to the end.
Regardless - I would say read the book. Definitely read it. Follow this series to the end - because there is a story here that is unique and interesting. Ms. Elliott is blessed to be able to build worlds the way she can. We just need to understand all of the culture she is adding.
I love the series.
I devoured Cold Magic. It was so incredible that I counted the days until Cold Fire came out. I've been waiting for this book for most of the year.
And yet, maybe that is the problem.
Or perhaps (spoiler alert)...
It's the zombies and steampunk and movement to a part of the world where nothing is familiar because none of it was even touched upon in the first book and then when the second book came out suddenly these things are there as though we were supposed to know about them already.
In other words, it felt as though the world Ms. Elliott had so carefully, and craftily created was suddenly subject to the marketing round table that I know, unfortunately, exists in the entertainment world forcing her to add things to her world that are buzz words and trends right now. Boy do I hope I am wrong.
Look, the story is good. It really, really is. It just felt different, disjointed, from the beginning of this series. As a writer myself I know that following up a first story with a second one can be amazingly difficult - but Ms. Elliott has done this before. I also know, as someone who was on the "suit" side of the entertainment industry for close to 11 years that sometimes the artist does not always get her way. Sometimes you just have to do what the editor tells you to do.
In this case, I hope the editor and Ms. Elliott realize that book number 3 needs to be firmed up a bit. Now that there are zombies and mixed mythologies they need to focus on bringing them together in such a way that it makes sense in the end. And one of the ways to do that may be a dictionary of terms. (Salt plague? Took me more than half the book to figure that one out as I am not someone who reads zombie books. Opia? What's that? Perdita???)
Point of fact, it may be the language that is tripping everyone up here. Again - the story is good, once you can get into it. But the culture of the islands is so different than the Europa culture - which is familiar to most of the audience for this book - that the language used here is unfamiliar. There is no framework for these words. Once you (kind of) figure out what they mean and what the culture is it becomes easier to fall back under the spell of Vai and Cat. But those words were causing me problems all the way to the end.
Regardless - I would say read the book. Definitely read it. Follow this series to the end - because there is a story here that is unique and interesting. Ms. Elliott is blessed to be able to build worlds the way she can. We just need to understand all of the culture she is adding.
May 3, 2014
3,5 cos of the ending, but 2 cos of the beginning.
It was not as good as book 1 and it took a while for me to get into the book. I really can't put my finger on it. maybe it was how sudden we were thrown into book 2 from book 1. It felt like I turned a page and then it continued, which can be a good thing but not since it was months since i read it. Perhaps it was the flow of direction, sometimes it seemed to flow to fast, in too many currents and I could not catch the right stream. Which led me to feel confused and unfocused. Whatever it was it went away, but it did come again here and there.
Don't get me wrong, yes it took me a while, but then I started to enjoy the book. But I do feel that it lost something that made book 1 so great. But still good enough for me to want book 3.
The story takes a turn and instead of Europe it takes place in the Caribbean. Where kingdoms rule and these people are not afraid of progress, so here it is more steampunk (not that we see much), but Europe is just ice and magic. Here we have zombies, Cat being lost, we finally learn who her dad is, we meet the general again who wants to conquer Europe, can Cat escape her marriage, does she want to? And Bea learn about the path of dragons. I can't say much, since everything is more or less a spoiler. But yes I was happy about the turn of events, some things made me wonder, and some made me want to kick a certain person.
It was a good book, it held my attention (after the first part), and the world is just fantastic. A true creation in its fullest.
And I must mention that I love Rory! I sure do.
Conclusion:
I would recommend it, because it is for everyone. Whether you like steampunk, fantasy or paranormal, and there is romance to be had too.
It was not as good as book 1 and it took a while for me to get into the book. I really can't put my finger on it. maybe it was how sudden we were thrown into book 2 from book 1. It felt like I turned a page and then it continued, which can be a good thing but not since it was months since i read it. Perhaps it was the flow of direction, sometimes it seemed to flow to fast, in too many currents and I could not catch the right stream. Which led me to feel confused and unfocused. Whatever it was it went away, but it did come again here and there.
Don't get me wrong, yes it took me a while, but then I started to enjoy the book. But I do feel that it lost something that made book 1 so great. But still good enough for me to want book 3.
The story takes a turn and instead of Europe it takes place in the Caribbean. Where kingdoms rule and these people are not afraid of progress, so here it is more steampunk (not that we see much), but Europe is just ice and magic. Here we have zombies, Cat being lost, we finally learn who her dad is, we meet the general again who wants to conquer Europe, can Cat escape her marriage, does she want to? And Bea learn about the path of dragons. I can't say much, since everything is more or less a spoiler. But yes I was happy about the turn of events, some things made me wonder, and some made me want to kick a certain person.
It was a good book, it held my attention (after the first part), and the world is just fantastic. A true creation in its fullest.
And I must mention that I love Rory! I sure do.
Conclusion:
I would recommend it, because it is for everyone. Whether you like steampunk, fantasy or paranormal, and there is romance to be had too.
October 3, 2013
This is the second book in Kate Elliot's SPIRIT WALKER trilogy, preceded by Cold Magic and concluded in Cold Steel, but which manages to avoid most of the pitfalls inherent in many second instalments. It's a direct continuation of the previous book (making it impossible to start reading with this one) and there's still a long way to go till the finish line, but despite ending on something of a cliff-hanger, it still delivers a relatively satisfying story-arc with a climactic finish and a sense of completeness.
Catherine Bell Barahal has been having a rough year. Married against her will to an aristocratic Cold Mage in her cousin's place, she not only learns that her parentage isn't what she thought it was, but that (having realized that she isn't the bride that was promised them) her husband's family now want her dead. Fleeing for her safety and discovering her roots provided ... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Catherine Bell Barahal has been having a rough year. Married against her will to an aristocratic Cold Mage in her cousin's place, she not only learns that her parentage isn't what she thought it was, but that (having realized that she isn't the bride that was promised them) her husband's family now want her dead. Fleeing for her safety and discovering her roots provided ... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
January 31, 2012
It took a bit for me to get into this book, mostly because I had forgotten a lot of the minor names from the previous book. However, once I got over that initial hump, I had a great time. As always, Elliott weaves a world that is both familiar and completely strange/surreal. I often felt, as I was reading, that some of these creatures were taken straight out of Revelations!
I fell in love with Andevai even more than before, and enjoyed the budding romance between Cat and him. I love Elliott's writing (although some people find her way too wordy) and find her one of the rare authors in which her world is populated with many people of color (and I'm not including trolls/saber-tooth tigers/gremlins/strange creatures) and different cultures. She is a master world-builder!
Great read.
I fell in love with Andevai even more than before, and enjoyed the budding romance between Cat and him. I love Elliott's writing (although some people find her way too wordy) and find her one of the rare authors in which her world is populated with many people of color (and I'm not including trolls/saber-tooth tigers/gremlins/strange creatures) and different cultures. She is a master world-builder!
Great read.
October 5, 2011
The 2nd volume in the Spiritwalker trilogy more than lives up to the promise of the first. A convincing alternate world, with all its ramifications considered and fully thought-through, leading to a completely believable series of cultures, interactions and consequences. This should be obligatory reading for anyone playing the alternate-history game, on how to do it right, without laziness, short-cuts or carelessness. Plus fascinating characters, stakes that matter and a wonderfully engaging and pacey plot. And sharks.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 464 reviews