What do you think?
Rate this book
The Portals #2
Soul of Fire
save the world-early and often
Three months ago Jan learned that elves were real, our world wasn't safe and it was up to her to save her boyfriend-and the world-from being englamoured into slavery. Now Jan has a new deadline-ten weeks, ten days and ten hours. That's when the truce she arranged between our world and the elves' realm ends, and the invasion starts.
While supernatural creatures work to defend humanity, Jan and the kelpie Martin have to find the preter queen, and use her to force the portals closed. But when magic mixes with technology, shutting it down isn't as simple as closing a door or pulling a plug....
Jan's geek-girl know-how might have gotten her this far, but they're going to need technical skills and magic to shut the portals for good....
And their time's nearly up.
Three months ago Jan learned that elves were real, our world wasn't safe and it was up to her to save her boyfriend-and the world-from being englamoured into slavery. Now Jan has a new deadline-ten weeks, ten days and ten hours. That's when the truce she arranged between our world and the elves' realm ends, and the invasion starts.
While supernatural creatures work to defend humanity, Jan and the kelpie Martin have to find the preter queen, and use her to force the portals closed. But when magic mixes with technology, shutting it down isn't as simple as closing a door or pulling a plug....
Jan's geek-girl know-how might have gotten her this far, but they're going to need technical skills and magic to shut the portals for good....
And their time's nearly up.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
3 people are currently reading
383 people want to read
About the author
Laura Anne Gilman
122 books823 followersLaura Anne Gilman’s work has been hailed as “a true American myth” by NPR, and praised for her “deft plotting and first-class characters” by Publishers Weekly. She has won the Endeavor Award for THE COLD EYE, and been shortlisted for a Nebula, (another) Endeavor, and a Washington State Book Award. Her work includes the Devil’s West trilogy, the Cosa Nostradamus urban fantasy series, the Vineart trilogy, and the story collection WEST WINDS’ FOOL. Her upcoming move, UNCANNY TIMES, will be out from Saga Books in 2022.
She lives in Seattle with a cat, a dog, and many deadlines.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
Read
October 22, 2013Soul of Fire by Laura Anne Gilman is just as good, if not better, than Heart of Briar. I think you’d be able to enjoy Soul of Fire without reading Heart of Briar but I would highly suggest reading both since it will make it that much more enjoyable. There are moments in SoF that might be a tad confusing and throw you off for a few and that would be a shame because this is a book to be devoured as quickly as you can.
Jan and her supernatural friends managed to save her lover, Tyler, from the elves and set up a truce at the end of Heart of Briar, but that isn’t where Jan’s involvement ends. The elves will be back in 10 weeks, 10 days, and 10 hours. She has agreed to help with finding out how the elves are controlling the portals and coming to their world, taking humans, whenever they wanted. If she can’t, then there will be a big battle that they must win or be enslaved and brainwashed by the elves. Tyler was held only for a short time and he is just a shell of the man he used to be. That will not be the future for all mankind if Jan and her friends can only find a way to stop the elves and their queen. And, if you thought there was nothing new Laura Anne Gilman could possibly throw into the mix, you’d be wrong!
Soul of Fire is full of suspense and puzzles to be solved. Who will survive? Who will win? Will the world be saved? Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock, time is running out and the danger is closing in. Will Jan find the answers before the elves come to destroy her and all her new friends? Read the book to find out! I highly recommend this to all my friends who read fantasy.
Jan and her supernatural friends managed to save her lover, Tyler, from the elves and set up a truce at the end of Heart of Briar, but that isn’t where Jan’s involvement ends. The elves will be back in 10 weeks, 10 days, and 10 hours. She has agreed to help with finding out how the elves are controlling the portals and coming to their world, taking humans, whenever they wanted. If she can’t, then there will be a big battle that they must win or be enslaved and brainwashed by the elves. Tyler was held only for a short time and he is just a shell of the man he used to be. That will not be the future for all mankind if Jan and her friends can only find a way to stop the elves and their queen. And, if you thought there was nothing new Laura Anne Gilman could possibly throw into the mix, you’d be wrong!
Soul of Fire is full of suspense and puzzles to be solved. Who will survive? Who will win? Will the world be saved? Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock, time is running out and the danger is closing in. Will Jan find the answers before the elves come to destroy her and all her new friends? Read the book to find out! I highly recommend this to all my friends who read fantasy.
January 18, 2019
Pretty good two-book series about a woman who's boyfriend is stolen by a fairy and her life unravels as she tries to figure out what's going on. It more or less felt complete at the end of the second book, but I do wonder if it was originally supposed to be a trilogy.
April 12, 2020
This was an ok book how ever I do wish the author had done more to make it more interesting.I look forward to reading more of this author's work.
tbr-series-sequels-x
January 15, 201615 January 2016: $2.99 on Kindle
October 6, 2022
Stock standard sort of a thing. The elves are beautiful and amoral/selfish and are breaking into our world. There are the usual sort of creatures working with some humans and the protagonist is a woman who is weirdly special to many of them, even though they usually have no time for humans. There is a triangle developing for a sequel I think but it was kept low key here. Everyone is heterosexual but homosexuality is mentioned to seem less heteronormative (but everyone is heterosexual including the elves).
There was some tell not show but that might be because we were all supposed to have read the first in the series (I hadn't). World-building didn't grab me particularly. 2 stars means "it was ok". I have certainly read worse but I won't be seeking out more of these
There was some tell not show but that might be because we were all supposed to have read the first in the series (I hadn't). World-building didn't grab me particularly. 2 stars means "it was ok". I have certainly read worse but I won't be seeking out more of these
November 14, 2013
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Two humans and a kelpie are in a race against time to prevent preternaturals (think really angry elves) from showing up in our world to wreak havoc. Add to that the fact that the preternatural Queen – who fled her world and is potentially the only being who can stop the influx of preters – really doesn’t want to leave, and things could get bad very quickly. The clock is ticking…
Opening Sentence: In the middle of the chaos, the constant hum of conversation, the noise of chairs and feet, Jan could hear the clock.
The Review:
Laura Anne Gilman has created a world full of fantastic creatures, many of which I had never heard of before. That being said, while I did enjoy the story, I spent a portion of the book feeling confused, and I was unsatisfied by the ending.
At the end of Heart of Briar, the preter (short for preternatural) consort tells Jan she has 10 weeks, 10 days, and 10 hours before the preters will begin using portals to enter our world, changing life as humans know it forever. By the time Soul of Fire starts, the deadline is just days away. A team of supernaturals (along with Jan and a few select humans) have been working round the clock to try and figure out how the preters have been opening portals. They’re also desperately trying to locate the preter queen, who has escaped to our world. She is the only one who could potentially close the portals and convince the preters to stop their invasion of our world. The team is having no luck on either front, and time is running short.
Jan is feeling out of place on The Farm, the headquarters of this team. She’s not considered strong enough to go out in the field to look for the Queen, and she doesn’t have the tech expertise to really help with figuring out the portals. She can physically feel the clock ticking down to the deadline, and her frustration is mounting. She enlists the help of Martin, the kelpie who went with her to the preter realm in book 1 to rescue her boyfriend Tyler. Together, they set out to find the Queen.
I have not read the first book, and I think that fact hindered me when it came to this book. There are so many different kinds of creatures in this book; I’m not sure if they were described in detail in book 1, but very little description is given here, so I had a hard time picturing what different creatures looked like, especially those with which I wasn’t familiar. A notable exception to this is Gillman’s descriptin of gnomes. These are most definitely not the Travelocity gnomes you see on TV commercials. These gnomes can change their size, and the picture I would get in my head as Jan talked about the gnomes’ limbs elongating and changing was enough to completely freak me out. Very well done!
The only other instance where not reading book 1 really hindered me had to do with the character of Tyler, Jan’s boyfriend from the first book. We’re told that he had been kidnapped and taken to the preter realm after connecting with a preter on an internet hook-up site. This fact did not endear Tyler to me, so when Jan would act as if she wanted to still be his girlfriend, I had a really hard time understanding why she would overlook what caused him to be kidnapped in the first place. I want to go back and read the first book so I can see if my opinion of him changes at all.
My favorite character by far as Martin. He seemed to be the most lifelike to me of any of the characters, and I really wish we had seen more of him. While I liked Jan, I never really connected to her, which is necessary for me personally in order to really enjoy a book.
The story is told from multiple points of view, although mostly from Jan’s. While I thought the first third of the book moved a little slow, the pace eventually picked up, and I often had a hard time putting it down. My only other complaint would be that the ending left me unsatisfied. This being only a two-book series, I would have liked a little more closure with certain characters and their fates, and it really threw me off when I didn’t get that. That being said, I’m definitely going to be checking out book 1 and will be reading more of Laura Anne Gilman in the future!
Notable Scene:
“You okay?” AJ asked.
Her mouth twitched in a grin, even as she picked up the toast and bit into it. She was living in a farmhouse in western Connecticut, surrounded by supernatural creatures out of a fairy tale, while her boyfriend was being deprogrammed, and the rest of them tried to find a way to stave off an invasion from another…world? Universe? Reality? An invasion of bloody-minded elves, according to her friend Glory, who – when Jan had finally admitted what was going on and asked for help – had taken the news with terrifying aplomb.
“Oh, good,” Glory had said, her voice scratchy over transatlantic phone lines. “Because when you disappeared for a week without a word, I thought you might’ve had a nervous breakdown or something. Elves are much better.”
FTC Advisory: Harlequin Luna provided me with a copy of Soul of Fire. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Two humans and a kelpie are in a race against time to prevent preternaturals (think really angry elves) from showing up in our world to wreak havoc. Add to that the fact that the preternatural Queen – who fled her world and is potentially the only being who can stop the influx of preters – really doesn’t want to leave, and things could get bad very quickly. The clock is ticking…
Opening Sentence: In the middle of the chaos, the constant hum of conversation, the noise of chairs and feet, Jan could hear the clock.
The Review:
Laura Anne Gilman has created a world full of fantastic creatures, many of which I had never heard of before. That being said, while I did enjoy the story, I spent a portion of the book feeling confused, and I was unsatisfied by the ending.
At the end of Heart of Briar, the preter (short for preternatural) consort tells Jan she has 10 weeks, 10 days, and 10 hours before the preters will begin using portals to enter our world, changing life as humans know it forever. By the time Soul of Fire starts, the deadline is just days away. A team of supernaturals (along with Jan and a few select humans) have been working round the clock to try and figure out how the preters have been opening portals. They’re also desperately trying to locate the preter queen, who has escaped to our world. She is the only one who could potentially close the portals and convince the preters to stop their invasion of our world. The team is having no luck on either front, and time is running short.
Jan is feeling out of place on The Farm, the headquarters of this team. She’s not considered strong enough to go out in the field to look for the Queen, and she doesn’t have the tech expertise to really help with figuring out the portals. She can physically feel the clock ticking down to the deadline, and her frustration is mounting. She enlists the help of Martin, the kelpie who went with her to the preter realm in book 1 to rescue her boyfriend Tyler. Together, they set out to find the Queen.
I have not read the first book, and I think that fact hindered me when it came to this book. There are so many different kinds of creatures in this book; I’m not sure if they were described in detail in book 1, but very little description is given here, so I had a hard time picturing what different creatures looked like, especially those with which I wasn’t familiar. A notable exception to this is Gillman’s descriptin of gnomes. These are most definitely not the Travelocity gnomes you see on TV commercials. These gnomes can change their size, and the picture I would get in my head as Jan talked about the gnomes’ limbs elongating and changing was enough to completely freak me out. Very well done!
The only other instance where not reading book 1 really hindered me had to do with the character of Tyler, Jan’s boyfriend from the first book. We’re told that he had been kidnapped and taken to the preter realm after connecting with a preter on an internet hook-up site. This fact did not endear Tyler to me, so when Jan would act as if she wanted to still be his girlfriend, I had a really hard time understanding why she would overlook what caused him to be kidnapped in the first place. I want to go back and read the first book so I can see if my opinion of him changes at all.
My favorite character by far as Martin. He seemed to be the most lifelike to me of any of the characters, and I really wish we had seen more of him. While I liked Jan, I never really connected to her, which is necessary for me personally in order to really enjoy a book.
The story is told from multiple points of view, although mostly from Jan’s. While I thought the first third of the book moved a little slow, the pace eventually picked up, and I often had a hard time putting it down. My only other complaint would be that the ending left me unsatisfied. This being only a two-book series, I would have liked a little more closure with certain characters and their fates, and it really threw me off when I didn’t get that. That being said, I’m definitely going to be checking out book 1 and will be reading more of Laura Anne Gilman in the future!
Notable Scene:
“You okay?” AJ asked.
Her mouth twitched in a grin, even as she picked up the toast and bit into it. She was living in a farmhouse in western Connecticut, surrounded by supernatural creatures out of a fairy tale, while her boyfriend was being deprogrammed, and the rest of them tried to find a way to stave off an invasion from another…world? Universe? Reality? An invasion of bloody-minded elves, according to her friend Glory, who – when Jan had finally admitted what was going on and asked for help – had taken the news with terrifying aplomb.
“Oh, good,” Glory had said, her voice scratchy over transatlantic phone lines. “Because when you disappeared for a week without a word, I thought you might’ve had a nervous breakdown or something. Elves are much better.”
FTC Advisory: Harlequin Luna provided me with a copy of Soul of Fire. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
August 31, 2017
Book 2 of the portals series. I enjoyed this one even more than the first. Great world building and a strong female protagonist. I think fans of Patricia Briggs would really enjoy these novels.
November 3, 2025
I really liked the first book but this one just didn't really grab me.
October 1, 2013
Soul of Fire (Luna) Laura Anne Gilman .
ARC supplied by Netgalley.
This book had me puzzled for a while. It read as though I was into a second book, and yet I hadn't been able to find a first one. Then looked again and found it, Heart of Briar. By then though I was three-quarters through the book. It would have been far better if I’d read that first as it's quite a complex set of characters and problems to follow otherwise. I was often confused and had to keep making mental notes as I went along. I'd love to read the first book then go back to this, I think I’d be writing a different review then. As it is I found it difficult to get engaged with the book and characters.
It's classed as romance and though Ty, Jan's boyfriend, has been rescued from the Preternaturals he's not the same as he was, and is undergoing therapy from the Supernaturals. See, even those terms had me puzzled for a while, along with the different things each Super and Preter can do, as they're not always the same as fantasy conventions list. I was wondering was Ty meant to be the romance angle? Or perhaps given that he got into trouble by seeing a Preter (though he thought she was human of course) for coffee when he was dating Jan, perhaps after rescuing him she'd turn to one of the Supers? All very puzzling. The first third of the book seemed to be all talking and little action, – again maybe if I’d read first book I’d see it another way but to me I almost gave up here. Didn't know the characters, the problems, how they'd resolve it, and so much of the conversations went over my head. Things picked up though, and I became more engaged with the story and Jan.
I liked Jan, loyal to Ty despite knowing he wasn't, protective of her friends and open minded enough to accept the Supers for what they are, faults and all. Ty though – well, I guess it's the fact that he was prepared to cheat on Jan that set me against him, and he's so broken now that at first he just seems to link Jan to all the bad things, so I wanted her to have romance elsewhere...but with who? The Supers were not like conventional varieties, they admit emotion really is above them, they're just practical and see humans as food or playthings very often. She can't enter a romance with one of them without endangering her life. AJ and Martin were the ones I felt I knew best, good points and faults of course, and they were interesting characters. I love AJ's natural Alpha qualities, but he's dangerous, and Martin – well I couldn't help wishing he wasn't a Kelpie, they tend to drown their human friends when they tire of them....
The basic storyline was interesting, and once I felt “into” it I enjoyed it, but spent so long working out who/what/where and why that it did spoil my overall enjoyment of the book. If you've read and enjoyed book one I’m sure you'll love this, if not then I’d advise buying that before tackling this one. Priced at £5.59 for 304 pages/421kb it's at the upper end of my VFM price scale.
Stars: four, the beginning I’d have gone for just three, because of my confusion over everything but the later part was a good four an half so a four overall. Of course for those who've read book one this is probably a five.
ARC supplied by Netgalley.
This book had me puzzled for a while. It read as though I was into a second book, and yet I hadn't been able to find a first one. Then looked again and found it, Heart of Briar. By then though I was three-quarters through the book. It would have been far better if I’d read that first as it's quite a complex set of characters and problems to follow otherwise. I was often confused and had to keep making mental notes as I went along. I'd love to read the first book then go back to this, I think I’d be writing a different review then. As it is I found it difficult to get engaged with the book and characters.
It's classed as romance and though Ty, Jan's boyfriend, has been rescued from the Preternaturals he's not the same as he was, and is undergoing therapy from the Supernaturals. See, even those terms had me puzzled for a while, along with the different things each Super and Preter can do, as they're not always the same as fantasy conventions list. I was wondering was Ty meant to be the romance angle? Or perhaps given that he got into trouble by seeing a Preter (though he thought she was human of course) for coffee when he was dating Jan, perhaps after rescuing him she'd turn to one of the Supers? All very puzzling. The first third of the book seemed to be all talking and little action, – again maybe if I’d read first book I’d see it another way but to me I almost gave up here. Didn't know the characters, the problems, how they'd resolve it, and so much of the conversations went over my head. Things picked up though, and I became more engaged with the story and Jan.
I liked Jan, loyal to Ty despite knowing he wasn't, protective of her friends and open minded enough to accept the Supers for what they are, faults and all. Ty though – well, I guess it's the fact that he was prepared to cheat on Jan that set me against him, and he's so broken now that at first he just seems to link Jan to all the bad things, so I wanted her to have romance elsewhere...but with who? The Supers were not like conventional varieties, they admit emotion really is above them, they're just practical and see humans as food or playthings very often. She can't enter a romance with one of them without endangering her life. AJ and Martin were the ones I felt I knew best, good points and faults of course, and they were interesting characters. I love AJ's natural Alpha qualities, but he's dangerous, and Martin – well I couldn't help wishing he wasn't a Kelpie, they tend to drown their human friends when they tire of them....
The basic storyline was interesting, and once I felt “into” it I enjoyed it, but spent so long working out who/what/where and why that it did spoil my overall enjoyment of the book. If you've read and enjoyed book one I’m sure you'll love this, if not then I’d advise buying that before tackling this one. Priced at £5.59 for 304 pages/421kb it's at the upper end of my VFM price scale.
Stars: four, the beginning I’d have gone for just three, because of my confusion over everything but the later part was a good four an half so a four overall. Of course for those who've read book one this is probably a five.
October 12, 2013
Laura Anne Gilman takes Clarke’s third law (“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”) and closes the loop back upon itself, nestling the physics and technology of our world back into the fabric of the mystical. Science is magic and magic is science in The Portals series, and this interconnected web of cause and effect makes each battle and each conflict leave a lasting mark on the world as we know it.
SOUL OF FIRE opens amidst consequences, as Jan and the supers prepare for a preternatural invasion sparked by the events in book one. Gilman’s knack for bringing magic down to the gritty, everyday details is in top form as Jan deals with the fallout from her previous quest while trying to find her footing in the current one. I loved the foibles and weaknesses Gilman gives her supers. The kelpie who just can’t help drowning humans (“it’s a thing”), the curiosity and distractibility that makes super scouts as likely to go on spring break as to complete their assignment, and the heartbreaking aftermath of magical enthrallment. Gilman’s preters draw the most from established stereotypes, as they are a cold, rigid society capable of great beauty but no creativity. Despite the familiar base, however, the way their nature interacts with the technology and humanity of our own world is both fresh and interesting.
Though SOUL OF FIRE still nods towards fairy tale origins, the bulk of this world and the thrust of the plot are clearly going off book into new territory. SOUL OF FIRE takes the foundation from book one and cracks GIlman’s world wide open. Despite the complementary balance in this duology, I hope Gilman spins off more stories in this world. As always in Gilman’s fantasy, every war has consequences and rarely is there a win without sacrifice. Human, super, and preter societies are colliding, and no matter the outcome, the world will never be the same… and I want more.
Sexual Content: References to sex.
SOUL OF FIRE opens amidst consequences, as Jan and the supers prepare for a preternatural invasion sparked by the events in book one. Gilman’s knack for bringing magic down to the gritty, everyday details is in top form as Jan deals with the fallout from her previous quest while trying to find her footing in the current one. I loved the foibles and weaknesses Gilman gives her supers. The kelpie who just can’t help drowning humans (“it’s a thing”), the curiosity and distractibility that makes super scouts as likely to go on spring break as to complete their assignment, and the heartbreaking aftermath of magical enthrallment. Gilman’s preters draw the most from established stereotypes, as they are a cold, rigid society capable of great beauty but no creativity. Despite the familiar base, however, the way their nature interacts with the technology and humanity of our own world is both fresh and interesting.
Though SOUL OF FIRE still nods towards fairy tale origins, the bulk of this world and the thrust of the plot are clearly going off book into new territory. SOUL OF FIRE takes the foundation from book one and cracks GIlman’s world wide open. Despite the complementary balance in this duology, I hope Gilman spins off more stories in this world. As always in Gilman’s fantasy, every war has consequences and rarely is there a win without sacrifice. Human, super, and preter societies are colliding, and no matter the outcome, the world will never be the same… and I want more.
Sexual Content: References to sex.
September 5, 2013
Heart of Briar wasn't my favorite Laura Anne Gilman novel, but despite that I squeed and requested Soul of Fire when it appeared on NetGalley. And after reading it I am glad I requested it.
It is was intresting read about Jan's and her friends search for the queen. How they followed every lead, and got more and more desperate. But it was also intresting to see how that forced them to think out side the box, to disobey. But I liked the fact that I could sense a friendship between them, even if it in some cases wouldn't last for much longer than it took to find the Queen.I appreciated to get a glimpse of how life was at the Queen's nascent court, and how her allies slyly manipulated her to their own gain. Those glimpse gave tantialising insight into how their species thought, and their opinion about humans. Nalith, the Queen were creepy, but then all Preters gives me the creeps. I am fervently glad that Preters doesn't exist. The book also revealed exactly how far the Preter Court were prepared to get Nalith back.
The setting shifted between the Farm, the Queen's court and the Preter Court. I really appreciated all the detail and careful work Ms Gilman has put into creating the settings. All of the showed how unique and different the factions were. All of them, their motivations felt believable.
The biggest problem I had with this book was that I didn't feel an sense of urgency as they raced against time to stop the Preter Court. But despite the lack of urgency, I closed the book with a craving for more stories set in this world which is a sign of Ms Gilman's greatness. I have spent some time thinking about the issues I had with this duology, and the conclusion I have come to is that is a duology that you should read back to back really appreciate it.
It is was intresting read about Jan's and her friends search for the queen. How they followed every lead, and got more and more desperate. But it was also intresting to see how that forced them to think out side the box, to disobey. But I liked the fact that I could sense a friendship between them, even if it in some cases wouldn't last for much longer than it took to find the Queen.I appreciated to get a glimpse of how life was at the Queen's nascent court, and how her allies slyly manipulated her to their own gain. Those glimpse gave tantialising insight into how their species thought, and their opinion about humans. Nalith, the Queen were creepy, but then all Preters gives me the creeps. I am fervently glad that Preters doesn't exist. The book also revealed exactly how far the Preter Court were prepared to get Nalith back.
The setting shifted between the Farm, the Queen's court and the Preter Court. I really appreciated all the detail and careful work Ms Gilman has put into creating the settings. All of the showed how unique and different the factions were. All of them, their motivations felt believable.
The biggest problem I had with this book was that I didn't feel an sense of urgency as they raced against time to stop the Preter Court. But despite the lack of urgency, I closed the book with a craving for more stories set in this world which is a sign of Ms Gilman's greatness. I have spent some time thinking about the issues I had with this duology, and the conclusion I have come to is that is a duology that you should read back to back really appreciate it.
September 26, 2013
Arthur C. Clarke's third law states "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." In the SOUL OF FIRE, Laura Anne Gilman closes the loop back upon itself, nestling the physics and technology of our world back into the fabric of the mystical. Science is magic and magic is science in The Portals series, and this interconnected web of cause and effect makes each battle and each conflict leave a lasting mark on the world as we know it.
SOUL OF FIRE opens in amidst those consequences, as Jan and the supers prepare for a preternatural invasion. Gilman's knack for bringing magic down to the gritty, everyday details is in top form as Jan deals with the fallout from previous quest while trying to find her footing in the current one. I loved the foibles and weaknesses Gilman gives her supers. The kelpie who just can't help drowning humans ("it's a thing"), the curiosity and distractibility that makes super scouts as likely to go on spring break as to complete their assignment. Gilman's preternaturals draw the most from established stereotypes of a cold, rigid society that capable of great beauty but no creativity, but the way their nature impacts this world is fresh and interesting.
SOUL OF FIRE takes the foundation from book one and cracks GIlman's world wide open. Though there are still some nods to fairytale origins, the bulk of this world and the thrust of the plot are clearly going off book into new territory. One, ever complicated piece of realism that Gilman brings to her struggle is that every war has consequences and rarely is there a win without sacrifice. The human, super, and preter societies are colliding, and no matter the outcome, the world will never be the same.
Full review to follow.
Sexual Content: References to sex.
SOUL OF FIRE opens in amidst those consequences, as Jan and the supers prepare for a preternatural invasion. Gilman's knack for bringing magic down to the gritty, everyday details is in top form as Jan deals with the fallout from previous quest while trying to find her footing in the current one. I loved the foibles and weaknesses Gilman gives her supers. The kelpie who just can't help drowning humans ("it's a thing"), the curiosity and distractibility that makes super scouts as likely to go on spring break as to complete their assignment. Gilman's preternaturals draw the most from established stereotypes of a cold, rigid society that capable of great beauty but no creativity, but the way their nature impacts this world is fresh and interesting.
SOUL OF FIRE takes the foundation from book one and cracks GIlman's world wide open. Though there are still some nods to fairytale origins, the bulk of this world and the thrust of the plot are clearly going off book into new territory. One, ever complicated piece of realism that Gilman brings to her struggle is that every war has consequences and rarely is there a win without sacrifice. The human, super, and preter societies are colliding, and no matter the outcome, the world will never be the same.
Full review to follow.
Sexual Content: References to sex.
August 28, 2014
Soul of Fire is the second in Laura Anne Gilman’s Portals duology, following Heart of Briar. In that previous volume, Janet, discovering her lover has been kidnapped by elves, forges an unlikely alliance with supernatural creatures to find a way into elfland and, in the best traditions of Tam Lin, win him back.
This accomplished, there still remains a greater threat--why have the elves been so active, and with a time limit on a truce running out, can Janet and her friends find a way to keep them from their voracious predations on humanity? And can they even figure out *why* the elves have stepped up their hunger to take mortals back with them?
Some of the characters feel less well used than what I would like, but its a more than satisfactory conclusion to the duology. The novel worked extremely well for me as an airplane read, an excellent diversion and diversement in the harried life of airplane travel. Gilman’s work transported me to a whole different set of problems and characters for a while, and kept my mind off of the chaos around me. That counts for a lot.
There is no giant magic reset button at the end of the story, though, and Gilman takes some care in looking at, and deconstructing some of the tropes of urban fantasy and romance alike in finishing off the two book series. Every time I read a Laura Anne Gilman novel, I get the sense that I haven’t read enough Laura Anne Gilman novels. Soul of Fire continues that tradition.
This accomplished, there still remains a greater threat--why have the elves been so active, and with a time limit on a truce running out, can Janet and her friends find a way to keep them from their voracious predations on humanity? And can they even figure out *why* the elves have stepped up their hunger to take mortals back with them?
Some of the characters feel less well used than what I would like, but its a more than satisfactory conclusion to the duology. The novel worked extremely well for me as an airplane read, an excellent diversion and diversement in the harried life of airplane travel. Gilman’s work transported me to a whole different set of problems and characters for a while, and kept my mind off of the chaos around me. That counts for a lot.
There is no giant magic reset button at the end of the story, though, and Gilman takes some care in looking at, and deconstructing some of the tropes of urban fantasy and romance alike in finishing off the two book series. Every time I read a Laura Anne Gilman novel, I get the sense that I haven’t read enough Laura Anne Gilman novels. Soul of Fire continues that tradition.
September 12, 2013
I am on the fence, so to speak, about this novel. Whilst I have to congratulate the author on being able to put the contents of her vision on paper in such a dramatic and enticing way, there were also places in this book where I lost interest.
I thought the settings included in this story were amazing. I loved the rich textures and the vivid details Laura Anne Gilman included. Being in the midst of this story was somewhat like taking a vacation to another place where you are getting to see something beautiful through the character's eyes.
One thing that made me particularly happy about this story was that the friendship between the women seemed very natural. Rather than being contrived or feeling like the author was trying to push two people who didn't belong as friends into a situation where they would have no choice, this relationship formed very naturally.
I did wonder a little about the time frames in the book. It seemed that the sense of "We must hurry" was written, but not felt. I felt the pace was a bit slow for the type of action that was presented.This did not carry throughout the entire novel, only certain portions, which, thankfully were brief.
Still, this was a good book and it made want to read other novels by this author.
This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher in cooperation with Netgalley.
I thought the settings included in this story were amazing. I loved the rich textures and the vivid details Laura Anne Gilman included. Being in the midst of this story was somewhat like taking a vacation to another place where you are getting to see something beautiful through the character's eyes.
One thing that made me particularly happy about this story was that the friendship between the women seemed very natural. Rather than being contrived or feeling like the author was trying to push two people who didn't belong as friends into a situation where they would have no choice, this relationship formed very naturally.
I did wonder a little about the time frames in the book. It seemed that the sense of "We must hurry" was written, but not felt. I felt the pace was a bit slow for the type of action that was presented.This did not carry throughout the entire novel, only certain portions, which, thankfully were brief.
Still, this was a good book and it made want to read other novels by this author.
This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher in cooperation with Netgalley.
Read
March 11, 2017"A battle may have been won, but the war looms and the odds of preventing the upcoming preternatural invasion are not good. The action in Gilman's riveting follow-up to the excellent Heart of Briar picks up after all-to-human Jan rescued her lover Tyler from the Elves, with help from some supernatural friends. Once again Gilman builds a rich world filled with complex characters whose motivations are varied and not easily defined." RT Book Reviews, rated 4 stars
I will highly recommend this book to my friends. Laura Anne Gilman has brought classic supernaturual creatures into a new light and I loved the concept. ~ Kim S., Harlequin Books ambassador
I will highly recommend this book to my friends. Laura Anne Gilman has brought classic supernaturual creatures into a new light and I loved the concept. ~ Kim S., Harlequin Books ambassador
July 25, 2016
Gilman continued the wild ride (hunt?) that began in HEART OF BRIAR. There were some twists and turns that were surprising until explained later. Gilman pulled her normal "I'm not going to state it right out for you" that leaves some key elements to the readers imagination. I wish there was another book to continue the characters lives and solve some of the lingering mysteries. Watch out for the major twist in the last three pages, read very carefully.
Note: I won this book and promised to do a review of it.
Note: I won this book and promised to do a review of it.
September 22, 2013
Not having read the first book in this series, I was a little lost at the beginning, but caught up enough to enjoy the overall book. The characters were well done and the story intriguing. If I had any issues, it was that, at times, the read was slow, especially with everything the author told us was going on. I'd like to have seen the pace keep up with the story a bit more. Still, it was a good story, though I do recommend reading the first one first in order to get the full effect.
November 18, 2013
Usually I'm a big fan of Gilman's, but I didn't find this conclusion to this two book series to be very satisfying. The explanation for how the portals were generated was barely an add-on at the end and totally confusing. And the entire conclusion to the the big drama was wrapped up suddenly and in a very hard to believe manner, after all of the build-up it was a real let-down. I just didn't feel like it built on the base of the first book as well as I'd hoped.
December 16, 2013
I didn't care for the first one - Fless and Fire but decided to give the second one a try. I tried to like Soul of Fire. I really did. But the whole concept of elves stealing humans to "empty" them and use them to open portals to our world and invade - just didn't do it for me. So, if there are more books coming in the Portals series, I won't be reading them.
August 6, 2014
i was thinking this would be a trilogy, but maybe my hopes are in vain. she did leave it kind of open at the end tho...i think she is a great author and i really enjoy reading her books. Good plot line and nice strong characters-dealing with fear, stress and heartbreak and coming out on top...
December 5, 2013
It was fine, but in all fairness, I read this book immediately after readying "The Book Thief". That would be a hard line up for any writer. The storyline didn't keep me enthralled, but it continued from book 1 which I enjoyed more. Just an ok read.
October 25, 2013
2,5 stars
Review here:
http://paperbackwonderland.blogspot.pt/
And here:
http://susana.booklikes.com/
Review here:
http://paperbackwonderland.blogspot.pt/
And here:
http://susana.booklikes.com/
September 27, 2014
Tweet-short review: Like the fairy tale twists but sad this is just a duology. With war comes repercussions that reverberate through this world. More, please?
Read
July 1, 2017Miniseries: Portals
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews