Highlander: The Element of Fire

Highlander #2

by Jason Henderson

Centuries after bloodthirsty and immortal pirate Khordas vows to kill him, Highlander Duncan MacLeod meets his deadly enemy in 1897 Nantucket when he learns of Khordas's plot to destroy everyone that MacLeod holds dear. Original. TV tie-in.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Media Tie In, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Adventure, Historical Fiction

212 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1995

About the author

I've been writing for a long time-- comics, games (like Destiny 2), books-- there's always *something.* But lately I've gotten into modern-day YA novels with the Alex Van Helsing series and now middle grade with the new Young Captain Nemo series.

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the movie Highlander starring one Connor MacLeod there was asecond less thought out movie but they started a TV series that lasted 6 seasons and had one spin-off that lasted one season. Anyhow the star of the TV series that greatly embellished upon the movies was the younger Highlander Duncan Macleod.

In this book Duncan has just become an immortal and his kinsman Connor does him the service being his teacher as they come across an ancient immortal by the name of Khordas. Who is not part of the game of the immortals and believes his own godhood and the right to retain his godlike status over them puny mortals who serve only in his greater glory.

Connor and Duncan come across this Immortal a few time during their travels over the world and time. When they halfway the nineteenth century finally comes to a confrontation with this Immortal that breaks every moral code both Highlanders have .

An interesting continuation of the TV show starring Duncan Macleod even if the premise is somewhat far-fetching it does try to expand upon the curse of the immortality visited by the men and women who live longer than any man.woman should

[Wayland Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Highlander was one of my favorite movies, and I enjoyed the tv show. So when I found out there were novels, I had to go check them out. Yes, I'm that kind of geek. This one was a special bonus for me, as both TV's Duncan and the movies' Connor are in it. Plus, it has pirates. C'mon, how can you mot like Immortal pirates?

As with most Highlander stories, it bounces back and forth between past and present (which is now also the past, this was on a long time ago). Connor keeps trying to teach Duncan how to succeed as an Immortal, just as Ramirez did for Connor, but Duncan stubbornly goes his own way. That gets him in all kinds of trouble. In this book, we see some of the times the MacLeod cousins were at sea, when they ran afoul of the Dread Pirate...errr, a pirate called Khordas. True to form, they become enemies, but don't manage to fight to the death, because hey ,that's what the modern part of the story is for. Khordas comes back with vengeance on his mind, and things get ugly for Duncan and those around him.

It was a fun story. Recommended for Highlander fans, and anyone who likes pirates and swordplay.

[Thom · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first novel tie-in from the TV series The Highlander, it has good and bad elements. It's also a very quick read, and fits nicely in a carry-on for cross country flights.

The villain has delusions of godhood, explored towards the end of the book. For fans of the Highlander, he's not playing The Game - but he is fairly evil. He also bears a grudge towards Duncan MacLeod for an incident some 200 years before.

Like the movie and the series, some of the best parts of the story are in the flashbacks. These are done well, and include Connor training Duncan.

So why only 3 stars of 5? Duncan didn't feel like the Highlander I remember from television, and the dialogue with Connor was pretty clunky at times. The villain's motivation I get, but why so much mud? He's really stuck in the past, I guess.

Read this a part of a challenge to read TV tie in fiction. While I could easily fill the year with Star Trek novels, I decided to branch out, and Highlander is one of many. I found this a better novel than Cyborg, but not as good as some of the Trek I've read. Next up - Forever Knight or Dark Angel.

[Heather's Mum · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Element of Fire, written by Jason Henderson,
was the first official Highlander novel. It was based on Highlander: The Series.

This story tells the story of Duncan MacLeod's training days with Connor MacLeod and their centuries long comradeship.
The MacLeods are "Immortals," as is Khordas, a pirate who dedicates his life to the killing the Highlander.

The adventures continue with:
Highlander: Scimitar
Highlander: Scotland the Brave
Highlander: Measure of a Man
Highlander: The Path
Highlander: Zealot
Highlander: Shadow of Obsession
Highlander: The Captive Soul
Highlander: White Silence
Highlander: An Evening at Joe's

[William Crosby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Khordas, the Salamander, likes killing people and setting fires. Connor and Duncan, "immortals" (though they can die), try to stop Khordas and his Companion. A series of tragic events related to Duncan & Khordas set over a period of several centuries is the focus of the story. (E.g. if you are a woman and hang around Duncan, you are asking to be killed by Khordas.)

Entities who laugh when they cause destruction are annoyingly trite. Many trite phrases (e.g. "oh you are going to pay for this" & "you're not getting rid of met that easily.).

[Stuart McIntosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was an avid viewer of the tv series borne from the 1985 film. This book introduces us to Duncan MacLeod, Connor's "much younger" clansman and fellow immortal. It fills in a background and foundation from Connor training Duncan through centuries of bitter battles with a sinister immortal, Khordas. It has set up the remainder of the book series for me in splendid fashion.

[Clare Moseley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the better Highlander tie-in books I've read. I liked the focus on Duncan and Connor's relationship over the years and the immortal who thinks himself a god is a good concept.

[Wild-Rogue-Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a little weird.

I greatly enjoyed reading the first Highlander novelization and the few episodes of The Series I could find.
It's just. . . every time Duncan did or said something remotely stupid I kept waiting for Connor to come out of nowhere, with a rolled up newspaper, and hit Duncan upside the head.

Also, whenever it was mentioned that Khordas is a pirate or of his pain of losing his first Companion, I'd instantly start to hum songs from The Pirate Movie. Not even kidding here - 'I Am A Pirate King' was hummed the most.
When Khordas would talk about his 'elements', I kept imagining him standing over a fire, rubbing his hands and saying, "Fire. Burn, burn, BURN!" and give off a freakish cackle.

Overall, this was a good novel, not the best ever, but it makes me want to hunt for the rest of the series.

[Noah Soudrette · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm a big Highlander fan and am particularly a fan of Connor . Since he appears in this book beside Duncan so much I picked it up. Unfortunately it is atrocious. The villain, called the Salamander, literally sits in a pot of boiling mud in the middle of a burning ship before fighting our two heroes. Absurd.

[Todd R · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good Highlander novel. Three stars reflect an average novel, but being as this is a shared universe novel that's pretty good. Good insight into the nature of the Game and an interesting opposing Immortal kept this book moving. Very readable and recommended for the fans of Highlander.

[Elli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gives a nice little background into the Macleods relationship - Connor and Duncan which was not covered in the opening eps of Highlander the Series.