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Cold-Forged Flame
The sound of the horn pierces the apeiron, shattering the stillness of that realm. Its clarion call creates ripples, substance, something more. It is a summons, a command. There is will. There is need.
And so, in reply, there is a woman.
At the beginning—no—at the end—she appears, full of fury and bound by chains of prophecy.
Setting off on an unexplained quest from which she is compelled to complete, and facing unnatural challenges in a land that doesn’t seem to exist, she will discover the secrets of herself, or die trying. But along the way, the obstacles will grow to a seemingly insurmountable point, and the final choice will be the biggest sacrifice yet.
This is the story of a woman’s struggle against her very existence, an epic tale of the adventure and emotional upheaval on the way to face an ancient enigmatic foe. This could only spun from the imagination of Marie Brennan, award-winning author and beloved fantasist, beginning a new series about the consequences of war—and of fate.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
And so, in reply, there is a woman.
At the beginning—no—at the end—she appears, full of fury and bound by chains of prophecy.
Setting off on an unexplained quest from which she is compelled to complete, and facing unnatural challenges in a land that doesn’t seem to exist, she will discover the secrets of herself, or die trying. But along the way, the obstacles will grow to a seemingly insurmountable point, and the final choice will be the biggest sacrifice yet.
This is the story of a woman’s struggle against her very existence, an epic tale of the adventure and emotional upheaval on the way to face an ancient enigmatic foe. This could only spun from the imagination of Marie Brennan, award-winning author and beloved fantasist, beginning a new series about the consequences of war—and of fate.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
104 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 13, 2016
22 people are currently reading
1987 people want to read
About the author
Marie Brennan
172 books3,253 followersMarie Brennan a.k.a. M.A. Carrick
Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist who shamelessly pillages her academic fields for material. She recently misapplied her professors' hard work to Turning Darkness Into Light, a sequel to the Hugo Award-nominated series The Memoirs of Lady Trent. As half of M.A. Carrick, she is also the author of The Mask of Mirrors, first in the Rook and Rose trilogy. For more information, visit swantower.com, Twitter @swan_tower, or her Patreon.
Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist who shamelessly pillages her academic fields for material. She recently misapplied her professors' hard work to Turning Darkness Into Light, a sequel to the Hugo Award-nominated series The Memoirs of Lady Trent. As half of M.A. Carrick, she is also the author of The Mask of Mirrors, first in the Rook and Rose trilogy. For more information, visit swantower.com, Twitter @swan_tower, or her Patreon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
September 12, 2016
Provided that this is a quite short story (about 110 pages) it is actually a great book.
It is a fantasy story, possibly the beginning of something really epic !
It felt more like a psychological thriller. She wakes up at some point in the middle of no where and she is compelled to complete a quest she does not know anything about. I really enjoyed the mental trip she goes through. It is a really awesome story of a woman finding herself and I really can recommend it!
Further review to come on my blog: https://aristeainwonderbooks.blogspot...
*This books was given to me by Netgalley in exchange for a honest opinion.
It is a fantasy story, possibly the beginning of something really epic !
It felt more like a psychological thriller. She wakes up at some point in the middle of no where and she is compelled to complete a quest she does not know anything about. I really enjoyed the mental trip she goes through. It is a really awesome story of a woman finding herself and I really can recommend it!
Further review to come on my blog: https://aristeainwonderbooks.blogspot...
*This books was given to me by Netgalley in exchange for a honest opinion.
June 13, 2022
I was going to write a Super Extra Short Review (SESR™) for this one but I've wasted enough time on this tremendously fascinating story as it is, so let's just do the One Gif Thingie (OGT™), shall we?
You're welcome and stuff.
You're welcome and stuff.
November 12, 2016
Well that was fun! And really suspenseful! When's the next one coming out? Immediately, right? Because that was fun!
A woman wakes on a slab of rock and remembers nothing of her life, although she remembers places and objects and such. She finds that she's essentially been conjured into being and is bound to a quest to obtain some blood from a cauldron on a mysterious island that is only there sometimes. The trip to the cave on the island is full of many traps and tests and it manages to create a great deal of suspense for pretty much 2/3 of the novella.
Truly fun and it only took an hour to read.
A woman wakes on a slab of rock and remembers nothing of her life, although she remembers places and objects and such. She finds that she's essentially been conjured into being and is bound to a quest to obtain some blood from a cauldron on a mysterious island that is only there sometimes. The trip to the cave on the island is full of many traps and tests and it manages to create a great deal of suspense for pretty much 2/3 of the novella.
Truly fun and it only took an hour to read.
September 25, 2016
I'd give this novella a solid 3.5*s overall as it's not quite what I expected and it does have some unique moments, but the present tense writing style can be a little jarring at times as it is a little unusual. This is a novella I picked up because I knew I liked Marie Brennan and Tor.com and so it just seemed like a match I needed to sample. I don't think this is the sort of story you should go into knowing too much, and so I won't tell you much, other than it's exciting, mysterious and definitely I can't wait to read the sequel :D
April 1, 2018
Struggling to find something positive to say. I finished it? That’s why it gets two stars instead of one. The writing was very wooden and it wasn’t compelling or intriguing... sorry, not at all for me.
March 27, 2017
A really interesting idea, but I would have liked this more as the first arc of a novel rather than a stand alone story. Well done, just not really my thing?
September 21, 2016
Review also published here
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this novella from the publisher. Keep that in mind while reading the review.
Cold-Forged Flame is a very different story from Marie Brennan's Lady Trent Memoirs, which I adore (and eagerly await the final book of!). What the story does have in common with the series is that it is about a girl/woman on the journey to self-discovery - although in a different manner than the Lady Trent's.
The originally unnamed protagonist is summoned and bound to a task set for her: To retrieve a vial of blood from a cauldron in a cave, on an island that defies logic. She knows nothing about herself, or how she knows even things such as language. Forced to obey against her will, with the doubtful promise of freedom upon completion, she sets out to the mysterious island.
At first, I felt it difficult to connect with the story. It is very different from what I've come to expect from Marie Brennan (which doesn't say much, since I have only read one of her series, I admit). Having a blank slate character with a rebellious attitude worked against the story at first, in my eyes. Confronted with a new, unknown fantasy world, I find it easiest to use characters and their roles within their world to anchor myself while discovering the setting. This was difficult at first, as the protagonist was learning along with me, herself a stranger.
Once the adventure really began, and the plot kept rolling, and even introduced a supporting character to drip-feed answers as more questions opened up and the protagonist's identity seemed to return bit by bit, I fully settled into the tale. I got invested in the two's trials, and the woman's dilemma. By the final steps of their quest, I wanted more and was comfortable with the way Brennan constructed this novella.
The book plunges the reader into an unfamiliar situation, mirroring the protagonist's own position. We follow her, discovering things at a steady pace with her, ask the same questions about her summoners' motives and the task at hand, and as a result, fear for her when things get dicey. The story grows stronger along with the central characters, raising the stakes along with her knowledge of self, and ends on a note where I'd undoubtedly want to read more about them.
With growing knowledge of the setting and characters, I grew fond of the concepts Brennan presented. Granted, the adventure itself was fairly straightforward (if you can even say that about a mysterious island that tries to trick your mind!), but that allowed for more introspection and growth, discovering what kind of person the protagonist is. It worked, despite the shaky start for me.
I am curious to see where all of this is headed, and what magical aspects will come up in following works in the series. Cold-Forged Flame provides a solid foundation for hopefully many more adventures to come.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this novella from the publisher. Keep that in mind while reading the review.
Cold-Forged Flame is a very different story from Marie Brennan's Lady Trent Memoirs, which I adore (and eagerly await the final book of!). What the story does have in common with the series is that it is about a girl/woman on the journey to self-discovery - although in a different manner than the Lady Trent's.
The originally unnamed protagonist is summoned and bound to a task set for her: To retrieve a vial of blood from a cauldron in a cave, on an island that defies logic. She knows nothing about herself, or how she knows even things such as language. Forced to obey against her will, with the doubtful promise of freedom upon completion, she sets out to the mysterious island.
At first, I felt it difficult to connect with the story. It is very different from what I've come to expect from Marie Brennan (which doesn't say much, since I have only read one of her series, I admit). Having a blank slate character with a rebellious attitude worked against the story at first, in my eyes. Confronted with a new, unknown fantasy world, I find it easiest to use characters and their roles within their world to anchor myself while discovering the setting. This was difficult at first, as the protagonist was learning along with me, herself a stranger.
Once the adventure really began, and the plot kept rolling, and even introduced a supporting character to drip-feed answers as more questions opened up and the protagonist's identity seemed to return bit by bit, I fully settled into the tale. I got invested in the two's trials, and the woman's dilemma. By the final steps of their quest, I wanted more and was comfortable with the way Brennan constructed this novella.
The book plunges the reader into an unfamiliar situation, mirroring the protagonist's own position. We follow her, discovering things at a steady pace with her, ask the same questions about her summoners' motives and the task at hand, and as a result, fear for her when things get dicey. The story grows stronger along with the central characters, raising the stakes along with her knowledge of self, and ends on a note where I'd undoubtedly want to read more about them.
With growing knowledge of the setting and characters, I grew fond of the concepts Brennan presented. Granted, the adventure itself was fairly straightforward (if you can even say that about a mysterious island that tries to trick your mind!), but that allowed for more introspection and growth, discovering what kind of person the protagonist is. It worked, despite the shaky start for me.
I am curious to see where all of this is headed, and what magical aspects will come up in following works in the series. Cold-Forged Flame provides a solid foundation for hopefully many more adventures to come.
July 14, 2016
I'm trying to read a little outside of my comfort zone this year and I thought this novella from Tor.com was a perfect place to start. A woman wakes up surrounded by a clan of people whom she doesn't know. She doesn't remember her past or her name but suddenly she is given the task of obtaining a few drops of blood from an ancient entity who lives on an island in the middle of basically nowhere. During the way she encounters threats and forges a new alliance. As she struggles to complete her task, she also struggles to figure out who and perhaps what she really is.
I have to admit I've never read any other works by Brennan but now I really want to do so. I loved her writing style and the novella kept me interested from start to finish. I believe there may be more to this series and I seriously hope there is because I can't wait to find out more. I possibly could have even went with 5/5, but I have to admit I sometimes struggle with novellas because I love character and world building and I often think these aspects take longer to develop. However, in a limited amount of time, Brennan does a pretty bang-up job. I'm sure the people who already love her will devour this upcoming release and people who haven't been introduced to her will probably want to learn more after reading "Cold Forged Flame."
I was provided this from Tor.com in exchange for an honest review.
I have to admit I've never read any other works by Brennan but now I really want to do so. I loved her writing style and the novella kept me interested from start to finish. I believe there may be more to this series and I seriously hope there is because I can't wait to find out more. I possibly could have even went with 5/5, but I have to admit I sometimes struggle with novellas because I love character and world building and I often think these aspects take longer to develop. However, in a limited amount of time, Brennan does a pretty bang-up job. I'm sure the people who already love her will devour this upcoming release and people who haven't been introduced to her will probably want to learn more after reading "Cold Forged Flame."
I was provided this from Tor.com in exchange for an honest review.
September 23, 2016
This is an interesting story with an intriguing main character. The story's main shortcoming is...that it's short. It comes in at about 60 pages on my iPad mini screen, a long short story or a very short novella. At $2.99, it's a bit pricey for what you get.
The story ends with a promising set-up for further adventures, and this story would work well as a prequel to a series. If this is, indeed, the case and the next book (due out next spring) is a full-length novel, I will look forward to it. If the series continues with more short stories at $2.99 a pop, coming out one every several months, I doubt my interest will continue despite the intriguing start.
The story ends with a promising set-up for further adventures, and this story would work well as a prequel to a series. If this is, indeed, the case and the next book (due out next spring) is a full-length novel, I will look forward to it. If the series continues with more short stories at $2.99 a pop, coming out one every several months, I doubt my interest will continue despite the intriguing start.
May 31, 2021
This was a fun little novella. The story follows a woman who wakes up having been summoned to complete a quest, but she doesn't remember anything about who she is or her past. The novella had some good suspense with our narrator trying to figure out who she was, as well as her trying to complete this quest and figure out why she was summoned and what completing the quest will end up accomplishing. This was a fun read that was a nice little intro into this world. I'm definitely interested in following this character again and will definitely be picking up the sequel at some point
February 3, 2018
I really enjoyed this novella, and what looks like the start to a series. It is only 100 pages, and it is amazing how much Brennan fits into this story.
Just go with it, our lead is missing her memory, so you don't know what is really happening for quite some time. I found the story completely worth it. Just immerse yourself in the rich fantasy trappings, that are surprisingly short on words.
Bring on book 2!
Just go with it, our lead is missing her memory, so you don't know what is really happening for quite some time. I found the story completely worth it. Just immerse yourself in the rich fantasy trappings, that are surprisingly short on words.
Bring on book 2!
January 10, 2018
I've heard great things about Marie Brennan's books. My husband has read her The Memoirs of Lady Trent series, and loved it. It was one of his favorite fantasy series that he read in 2016. He has talked so positively about her books that I've really wanted to read them. I was looking through her backlog, and decided to try Cold-Forged Flame. It's a Tor.com novella, which I've read a lot of recently. It's short, so I figured it would be a quick read to get a taste of her writing style. Unfortunately, I didn't like it at all.
I had so many problems with Cold-Forged Flame. I think the main problem I had with the book was that it was so boring. Nothing happened. There was no plot advancement at all. Every time I felt like something exciting was going to happen, the book went down a different path, and nothing happened. It left me feeling frustrated, and very disappointed. It just felt like a waste of time reading one hundred and four pages. I understand that a lot of that was because of world building, and that it's very hard to build a complex world in a little over one hundred pages. If the book was longer, it might have held my interest more because it probably would have had some action. It was starting to have some at the end of the book, but at that point, I just didn't care and wanted to be done reading it.
Cold-Forged Flame was incredibly disappointing to me, especially after my husband had hyped up how good Marie Brennan's books are. It was so incredibly boring. Even though I didn't like this book, I probably will give at least the first book in her The Memoirs of Lady Trent series a try. Cold-Forged Flame is the first book in a series, but I don't foresee myself ever picking up the rest of the series with as much as I disliked this book. I've learned over the last year that with Tor.com novellas, I have a love/hate relationship. Some of them, I become obsessed with and want to read multiple times. Others, I hate. There is no in between. Unfortunately, this was one of the ones I hated. I do still plan to make my way through all of the Tor.com novellas though. There are a lot of hidden gems in there. This just wasn't one of them.
I had so many problems with Cold-Forged Flame. I think the main problem I had with the book was that it was so boring. Nothing happened. There was no plot advancement at all. Every time I felt like something exciting was going to happen, the book went down a different path, and nothing happened. It left me feeling frustrated, and very disappointed. It just felt like a waste of time reading one hundred and four pages. I understand that a lot of that was because of world building, and that it's very hard to build a complex world in a little over one hundred pages. If the book was longer, it might have held my interest more because it probably would have had some action. It was starting to have some at the end of the book, but at that point, I just didn't care and wanted to be done reading it.
Cold-Forged Flame was incredibly disappointing to me, especially after my husband had hyped up how good Marie Brennan's books are. It was so incredibly boring. Even though I didn't like this book, I probably will give at least the first book in her The Memoirs of Lady Trent series a try. Cold-Forged Flame is the first book in a series, but I don't foresee myself ever picking up the rest of the series with as much as I disliked this book. I've learned over the last year that with Tor.com novellas, I have a love/hate relationship. Some of them, I become obsessed with and want to read multiple times. Others, I hate. There is no in between. Unfortunately, this was one of the ones I hated. I do still plan to make my way through all of the Tor.com novellas though. There are a lot of hidden gems in there. This just wasn't one of them.
August 14, 2016
I much enjoyed this author's A Natural History of Dragons, which some people found dull. This is not dull. It's a fast-moving novella with plenty of action and conflict.
The plot is straightforward and doesn't break new ground (fetch quest with obstacles to overcome), and it begins with amnesia. Neither of these things are promising on the face of it. Main-character amnesia, in particular, is a cliche start, and is sometimes an inexperienced author's way of dealing with the fact that they don't know who their character is either. In the hands of an experienced author like this one, though (or like Roger Zelazny, who pulled it off wonderfully in Nine Princes in Amber), it can work, and here it did, for me.
Even though none of the individual elements shows us anything new, they're executed so well that I still enjoyed it. In particular, I liked the defiant punk-rock attitude of the main character, which elevated her from an amnesiac blank slate/standard-issue kickass warrior chick to someone I wanted to cheer for. When faced with decisions, she considers carefully and chooses well and bravely, for clear reasons.
Overall, then, proof that you don't have to innovate to craft an enjoyable story, though I would have preferred more innovation, on the whole.
The plot is straightforward and doesn't break new ground (fetch quest with obstacles to overcome), and it begins with amnesia. Neither of these things are promising on the face of it. Main-character amnesia, in particular, is a cliche start, and is sometimes an inexperienced author's way of dealing with the fact that they don't know who their character is either. In the hands of an experienced author like this one, though (or like Roger Zelazny, who pulled it off wonderfully in Nine Princes in Amber), it can work, and here it did, for me.
Even though none of the individual elements shows us anything new, they're executed so well that I still enjoyed it. In particular, I liked the defiant punk-rock attitude of the main character, which elevated her from an amnesiac blank slate/standard-issue kickass warrior chick to someone I wanted to cheer for. When faced with decisions, she considers carefully and chooses well and bravely, for clear reasons.
Overall, then, proof that you don't have to innovate to craft an enjoyable story, though I would have preferred more innovation, on the whole.
September 15, 2016
Received to review via Netgalley
I was so excited to receive this: I love Marie Brennan’s work, and by coincidence my request was even approved on my wedding day. So of course I’ve hurried to read it, and I wasn’t disappointed at all — it’s part of Tor.com’s novella series, so it is short, but for me it avoids the issues of many other novellas by being both a whole story in itself but with scope for more stories. I think that’s partially what makes it satisfying: it leaves space for more without feeling unfinished, rather than tying things up neatly with a bow or leaving too much undone. I don’t think more stories are necessary: the questions the story poses are answered.
I like the set-up, and to say too much about it would probably spoil the story. The main character doesn’t know what is happening any more than the reader does, and what she remembers or realises is revealed at more or less the same pace as the reader discovers it. It’s an interesting world, one which I’d gladly read more of with other characters too, and Marie Brennan’s writing makes it a smooth and engaging read. This is probably among my favourites of the Tor.com novellas so far, and it’s not just because it’s Marie Brennan’s work — it’s also because it does a really good job with the form.
Originally posted here.
I was so excited to receive this: I love Marie Brennan’s work, and by coincidence my request was even approved on my wedding day. So of course I’ve hurried to read it, and I wasn’t disappointed at all — it’s part of Tor.com’s novella series, so it is short, but for me it avoids the issues of many other novellas by being both a whole story in itself but with scope for more stories. I think that’s partially what makes it satisfying: it leaves space for more without feeling unfinished, rather than tying things up neatly with a bow or leaving too much undone. I don’t think more stories are necessary: the questions the story poses are answered.
I like the set-up, and to say too much about it would probably spoil the story. The main character doesn’t know what is happening any more than the reader does, and what she remembers or realises is revealed at more or less the same pace as the reader discovers it. It’s an interesting world, one which I’d gladly read more of with other characters too, and Marie Brennan’s writing makes it a smooth and engaging read. This is probably among my favourites of the Tor.com novellas so far, and it’s not just because it’s Marie Brennan’s work — it’s also because it does a really good job with the form.
Originally posted here.
September 6, 2016
Reseña completa
Imaginad que os despertáis rodeados de gente que os observa con hostilidad, con reverencia, y con temor. No recordáis nada, ni quién sois, ni cómo habéis llegado allí, ni de dónde venís. Pero sí que hay ciertas acciones o pensamientos que fluyen solos. La confusión es enorme, pero hay otra amenaza, y esto sí que lo podéis afirmar. Esa gente os ha traído allí, os ha encadenado, y os pide un trato. Un trato en el que no tenéis oportunidad de elegir. Conseguir un objeto a cambio de respuestas, y quizá, la libertad. O quizá a cambio de nada. La protagonista de Cold-Forged Flame vive todo esto en las primeras páginas de esta novella publicada por Tor.com en su estupenda colección de novelas cortas a la que estoy tremendamente aficionado y a la que doy prioridad en mi pila. Textos de entre 60 y 200pgs máximo que son puras delicias en el 70% de los casos.
#LeoAutorasOct Mi primero de la lista. Interesante, entretenido, y misterioso. Me lo he pasado en grande aunque se me ha desinflado un poco al final. Prometía "más".
Reseña completa
September 14, 2016
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
I had previously read this author’s warrior/witch duology and the first novel in her Lady Trent series. I wanted more of her work and this book sounded amazing. I read this in a sitting and adored it . . .
The worse thing I can say about the reading experience was that I didn’t know it was a novella! I finished the e-book version and was convinced that I had somehow gotten a weird version. So I re-downloaded in another format. Same. Where were the rest of the chapters? The story was just getting started. I wanted the rest. Grrrrrr! I was confused as to why me book was so short.
Well, the interwebs then told me it was a novella. Silly Captain. However I wouldn’t change me reading experience. Also I recommend if ye choose to read this, other then the little book blurb (if ye wish), read no details before beginning. The way the story unfolds is delightful because I had no clue what the hell was going on. And even the answers ye do get by the end only whet the appetite for more. I want the next novella!
If ye want to see me other reviews go to https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
I had previously read this author’s warrior/witch duology and the first novel in her Lady Trent series. I wanted more of her work and this book sounded amazing. I read this in a sitting and adored it . . .
The worse thing I can say about the reading experience was that I didn’t know it was a novella! I finished the e-book version and was convinced that I had somehow gotten a weird version. So I re-downloaded in another format. Same. Where were the rest of the chapters? The story was just getting started. I wanted the rest. Grrrrrr! I was confused as to why me book was so short.
Well, the interwebs then told me it was a novella. Silly Captain. However I wouldn’t change me reading experience. Also I recommend if ye choose to read this, other then the little book blurb (if ye wish), read no details before beginning. The way the story unfolds is delightful because I had no clue what the hell was going on. And even the answers ye do get by the end only whet the appetite for more. I want the next novella!
If ye want to see me other reviews go to https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
February 9, 2017
4.0 Stars
While I rarely read short fiction, I picked up this novel because the premising sounded so intriguing. I love reading stories that involve unreliable narrators with missing or incomplete memories. Over the course of the book, the narrative slowly unravels the mysterious past of the main character. Despite the short length, this piece of fiction felt memorable, delving deeply into themes of destiny and free-will. This was my first experience writing Marie Brennan's work and I was thoroughly impressed by her excellent, crisp writing. I look forward to reading her full length novels. I would recommend this to fantasy readers looking for quick, clever story.
While I rarely read short fiction, I picked up this novel because the premising sounded so intriguing. I love reading stories that involve unreliable narrators with missing or incomplete memories. Over the course of the book, the narrative slowly unravels the mysterious past of the main character. Despite the short length, this piece of fiction felt memorable, delving deeply into themes of destiny and free-will. This was my first experience writing Marie Brennan's work and I was thoroughly impressed by her excellent, crisp writing. I look forward to reading her full length novels. I would recommend this to fantasy readers looking for quick, clever story.
February 7, 2017
She is summoned, bound to a task and sent on her way with (at first) no idea of who (or what) she is, nor why she has been sent. As she traverses an implacably hostile (and not all that fair-playing) island, she may or may not be discovering some of the answers ...
A shorter novella, this one, but intriguing, and I look forward to the sequel.
A shorter novella, this one, but intriguing, and I look forward to the sequel.
September 26, 2016
3.5/5.0
Mi reseña en español: http://sentidodelamaravilla.blogspot....
Mi review in English: http://sentidodelamaravilla.blogspot....
Mi reseña en español: http://sentidodelamaravilla.blogspot....
Mi review in English: http://sentidodelamaravilla.blogspot....
March 3, 2017
I enjoyed the story, but was thrown out by the character's cursing. Not that she was cursing but her curse words felt 20th/21st century American and the story was obviously not located here.
September 1, 2016
This review was originally posted at my blog: Silicon of the Internet
Title: Cold-Forged Flame
Author: Marie Brennan
Genre: Fantasy
Subgenre: Sword-and-Sorcery
Review by Silicon.
Intro
Cold-Forged Flame is the first novella in a series by Marie Brennan which follows this strange woman through her adventures in a Celtic-inspired land. Publication date is September 13th 2016. I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a pretty unique story that works very well in novella format. Unfortunately, it didn't grab me. There's nothing big that I felt it did wrong--it just didn't pull my interest as much as I wanted it too.
Plot
The premise of this book is essentially "You know nothing, Jon Snow, but we're forcing you on a quest anyway."
The main character awakens into an unfamiliar world and is immediately bound to complete strange quest by the group who summoned her. She has been magically compelled to find a cauldron of blood upon a strange, dangerous island, and return a vial of this blood to her summoners. However, there is a catch--she's given almost no information about the quest or herself, and indeed can't even remember her name, her abilities, anything about her life or the land which she finds herself in. As she fights through the island's challenges, she slowly puts together pieces of herself, and discovers she indeed has a lot more left to lose than she thought.
Usually these sort of "go on a quest, but we're giving you no information"-type plots annoy me, but we discover later on that there is a reason for this non-communication that makes sense. I liked that. I also liked the free will vs. compulsion theme that this story plays with, but I felt it could have pushed more and gone farther than it did. The obstacles she's forced to go through are diverse and feel genuinely difficult. The main character is challenged physically and emotionally throughout the story. She has to balance the necessity to complete the quest with significant misgivings about the world she finds herself in--who can she trust? Should she complete the quest, or try to trick her way out of it? Should she try and figure out who she is, or will that only make her situation more dangerous?
The climax is excellent. I really, REALLY liked the way everything came together at that scene. My favorite moment is definitely when she realizes what she will have to give up in order to complete her quest. Everything before is an excellent build-up to the final reveal and it is done very skillfully.
Characters
There's very few characters in this story, understandable given the length. The main character, who is unnamed, is very fun to read. She's kick-ass, pissed off (VERY understandably), and determined. Though she starts out knowing nothing, she manages to discover bits and pieces of herself in a very organic fashion--figuring out she can fight, for example, when she gets attacked unexpectedly. She's sarcastic, suspicious, and not particularly nice, but also deeply conflicted and because of her lack of self-knowledge. She's been thrown into a bad situation and grimly determines she must make the best of it. She felt very real, and I sympathized with her situation. I was very much on her side the entire time.
Along the way, she meets a companion, Aadet, a stranger who also seeks the cave she's headed towards. She's extremely suspicious and curt with him, but as they travel together she warms to him more and even trusts him--they become friends, in a way. He is definitely weaker and less capable than her, but they depend on each other to make it to the cave that is their goal.
Brennan does a good job of humanizing the summoners especially through the character of Therdiad. They're not some distant evil or unambiguously selfish group, but also just people making the best of a bad situation.
The great enemy, the Lhian, who controls the island and the obstacles the main character is forced to go through, was excellently done. She's a significant power, a dangerous force, and an extremely perceptive one. She isn't evil, and her motivations and challenges make sense, given the gifts she guards.
Writing Style
This story is written in Third Limited POV, and uses present tense throughout. I personally liked the use of present tense--it underlines the way the main character is forced to live entirely in the present, due to her lack of a past and an uncertain future. Overall, the writing style is very clean and very experienced--it's not in-your-face with any self-conscious style and allows the focus to remain on the story. I particularly enjoyed the dialogues between the main character and the various people she meets. The tension and pacing was decent, and definitely builds up at the final scene. I would have preferred the book to have more tension. It's not a race against time story, but I feel like the plot would have benefited from an increase in urgency.
Setting
The setting of this story is Celtic-inspired, as far as I could tell. I admit that Celtic culture, mythology, and language is something that I have only very peripheral and basic knowledge about, so I may be missing quite a bit here. I liked the setting, though I would have liked more information about the world--it rather feels like this story takes place in a bubble, given the main character's lack of knowledge for most of the story. We do get clues about the political struggles between nations by the end of the story, but I would have liked to know more. It's not a typical fantasy sword-and-sorcery setting, which I appreciated. The island was my favorite part--I really liked the way that it could appear or not appear, the mutable landscape, the many obstacles it presented.
Diversity
Not a whole lot to say here. I liked that there were multiple, extremely capable female characters--indeed, they were the most important characters in the story. Given the setting, I was unsurprised to find no PoC, and relationships/attractions are not mentioned in this story at all so I can't say anything about LGBT+ inclusion. I don't really have a problem with the diversity here though, because it IS a very short story with very few major characters.
Conclusion
This book was a "meh" for me. It definitely had elements I enjoyed--the main character, the climax, the writing--but overall, I just didn't feel particularly pulled to read more. It's a good twist on the Sword & Sorcery quest archetype and I didn't feel it had any particular major faults. If you like this type, I'd recommend it. But ultimately my ambivalence towards Jon Snow plots, the not-quite-high-enough tension, and the feeling of disconnect I had to the rest of the land have me setting it down as a "meh" rather than as a "YES". But I can definitely see another reader enjoying this book.
Title: Cold-Forged Flame
Author: Marie Brennan
Genre: Fantasy
Subgenre: Sword-and-Sorcery
Review by Silicon.
Intro
Cold-Forged Flame is the first novella in a series by Marie Brennan which follows this strange woman through her adventures in a Celtic-inspired land. Publication date is September 13th 2016. I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a pretty unique story that works very well in novella format. Unfortunately, it didn't grab me. There's nothing big that I felt it did wrong--it just didn't pull my interest as much as I wanted it too.
Plot
The premise of this book is essentially "You know nothing, Jon Snow, but we're forcing you on a quest anyway."
The main character awakens into an unfamiliar world and is immediately bound to complete strange quest by the group who summoned her. She has been magically compelled to find a cauldron of blood upon a strange, dangerous island, and return a vial of this blood to her summoners. However, there is a catch--she's given almost no information about the quest or herself, and indeed can't even remember her name, her abilities, anything about her life or the land which she finds herself in. As she fights through the island's challenges, she slowly puts together pieces of herself, and discovers she indeed has a lot more left to lose than she thought.
Usually these sort of "go on a quest, but we're giving you no information"-type plots annoy me, but we discover later on that there is a reason for this non-communication that makes sense. I liked that. I also liked the free will vs. compulsion theme that this story plays with, but I felt it could have pushed more and gone farther than it did. The obstacles she's forced to go through are diverse and feel genuinely difficult. The main character is challenged physically and emotionally throughout the story. She has to balance the necessity to complete the quest with significant misgivings about the world she finds herself in--who can she trust? Should she complete the quest, or try to trick her way out of it? Should she try and figure out who she is, or will that only make her situation more dangerous?
The climax is excellent. I really, REALLY liked the way everything came together at that scene. My favorite moment is definitely when she realizes what she will have to give up in order to complete her quest. Everything before is an excellent build-up to the final reveal and it is done very skillfully.
Characters
There's very few characters in this story, understandable given the length. The main character, who is unnamed, is very fun to read. She's kick-ass, pissed off (VERY understandably), and determined. Though she starts out knowing nothing, she manages to discover bits and pieces of herself in a very organic fashion--figuring out she can fight, for example, when she gets attacked unexpectedly. She's sarcastic, suspicious, and not particularly nice, but also deeply conflicted and because of her lack of self-knowledge. She's been thrown into a bad situation and grimly determines she must make the best of it. She felt very real, and I sympathized with her situation. I was very much on her side the entire time.
Along the way, she meets a companion, Aadet, a stranger who also seeks the cave she's headed towards. She's extremely suspicious and curt with him, but as they travel together she warms to him more and even trusts him--they become friends, in a way. He is definitely weaker and less capable than her, but they depend on each other to make it to the cave that is their goal.
Brennan does a good job of humanizing the summoners especially through the character of Therdiad. They're not some distant evil or unambiguously selfish group, but also just people making the best of a bad situation.
The great enemy, the Lhian, who controls the island and the obstacles the main character is forced to go through, was excellently done. She's a significant power, a dangerous force, and an extremely perceptive one. She isn't evil, and her motivations and challenges make sense, given the gifts she guards.
Writing Style
This story is written in Third Limited POV, and uses present tense throughout. I personally liked the use of present tense--it underlines the way the main character is forced to live entirely in the present, due to her lack of a past and an uncertain future. Overall, the writing style is very clean and very experienced--it's not in-your-face with any self-conscious style and allows the focus to remain on the story. I particularly enjoyed the dialogues between the main character and the various people she meets. The tension and pacing was decent, and definitely builds up at the final scene. I would have preferred the book to have more tension. It's not a race against time story, but I feel like the plot would have benefited from an increase in urgency.
Setting
The setting of this story is Celtic-inspired, as far as I could tell. I admit that Celtic culture, mythology, and language is something that I have only very peripheral and basic knowledge about, so I may be missing quite a bit here. I liked the setting, though I would have liked more information about the world--it rather feels like this story takes place in a bubble, given the main character's lack of knowledge for most of the story. We do get clues about the political struggles between nations by the end of the story, but I would have liked to know more. It's not a typical fantasy sword-and-sorcery setting, which I appreciated. The island was my favorite part--I really liked the way that it could appear or not appear, the mutable landscape, the many obstacles it presented.
Diversity
Not a whole lot to say here. I liked that there were multiple, extremely capable female characters--indeed, they were the most important characters in the story. Given the setting, I was unsurprised to find no PoC, and relationships/attractions are not mentioned in this story at all so I can't say anything about LGBT+ inclusion. I don't really have a problem with the diversity here though, because it IS a very short story with very few major characters.
Conclusion
This book was a "meh" for me. It definitely had elements I enjoyed--the main character, the climax, the writing--but overall, I just didn't feel particularly pulled to read more. It's a good twist on the Sword & Sorcery quest archetype and I didn't feel it had any particular major faults. If you like this type, I'd recommend it. But ultimately my ambivalence towards Jon Snow plots, the not-quite-high-enough tension, and the feeling of disconnect I had to the rest of the land have me setting it down as a "meh" rather than as a "YES". But I can definitely see another reader enjoying this book.
April 2, 2017
Interesting themes, but very different from The Memoirs of Lady Trent (the only other work by Brennan that I've read). A lot more cussing, namely. I think the world set up in this, but I hope there are more longer works set in this world (I know there is a sequal but it is also only 100 pages long). If you didn't like the Lady Trent books, I would say check this out because it might be more of your liking.
January 16, 2022
Good novelette with an interesting quest and starting of something interesting. Looking forward to nr two.
August 30, 2016
Brilliant. complex. highly imaginative story of self discovery and survival.
Tor.com publishing schedule has this frequent habit of derailing me from my reading schedule. And they did it yet again – forcing me to pick up Cold Forged Flame by Marie Brennan. Marie Brennan is a name that should be familiar to me, but sadly I haven’t jumped onto the bandwagon of readers, who are enamored by her series, A Natural History of Dragons and the subsequent sequels, detailing the adventures of Lady Trent and co.
So Cold Forged Flame was a book I went in, without any preconceived biases – and damn, it helped. The book is a relatively straightforward, fast-paced scorching tale of self-discovery and also, survival. Written in first person, with an unreliable narrator who suffers from amnesia, thus setting up the intrigue and mystery right from get go. Old trick in the book, executed so well by a writer of master-class. Marie really hooks us into this tricky and dangerous quest of the un-named narrator who wakes up to the clarion call of a war-horn summoned against her will by a tribal chief to do his bidding.
As we proceed, Marie does a bang up job of transporting us into this highly imaginative atmospheric world that the narrator has woken up into, a harsh, treacherous landscape that may not be what it seems at first sight. Despite the length, I was fully absorbed into this mission and had my heart in my mouth for pretty much throughout the story – action and conflict peppers the narrative, the prose is never clunky and the flow is maintained throughout. And yet, even after I read the story, I had tonnes of questions about the world. About the people, the races and everything. Which is always a good thing. While yes, this one does tie up all the conflicts presented from the start, there is definitely room for a lot more flexing, in possibly a series where we will see our amnesiac narrator back in ripping form. There is suppressed violence, juxtaposed with the never-ending search for answers, within her mind. It’s a strange combination that seems to work very well with this form. I absolutely loved it.
The revelations when it comes, are very well timed. I am sorry – but speaking anything further about such, might just give away the essence of the story. So suffice to say that, despite its length, this novella packs a wallop, with its highly imaginative storyline, the conflicted emotions of a narrator you will find mysterious and intriguing enough to follow to the ends of this wonderfully engrossing world. Go ahead. Read it.
It comes out Sept 13th from Tor.com (I received a Netgalley ARC in return for my honest review)
Tor.com publishing schedule has this frequent habit of derailing me from my reading schedule. And they did it yet again – forcing me to pick up Cold Forged Flame by Marie Brennan. Marie Brennan is a name that should be familiar to me, but sadly I haven’t jumped onto the bandwagon of readers, who are enamored by her series, A Natural History of Dragons and the subsequent sequels, detailing the adventures of Lady Trent and co.
So Cold Forged Flame was a book I went in, without any preconceived biases – and damn, it helped. The book is a relatively straightforward, fast-paced scorching tale of self-discovery and also, survival. Written in first person, with an unreliable narrator who suffers from amnesia, thus setting up the intrigue and mystery right from get go. Old trick in the book, executed so well by a writer of master-class. Marie really hooks us into this tricky and dangerous quest of the un-named narrator who wakes up to the clarion call of a war-horn summoned against her will by a tribal chief to do his bidding.
As we proceed, Marie does a bang up job of transporting us into this highly imaginative atmospheric world that the narrator has woken up into, a harsh, treacherous landscape that may not be what it seems at first sight. Despite the length, I was fully absorbed into this mission and had my heart in my mouth for pretty much throughout the story – action and conflict peppers the narrative, the prose is never clunky and the flow is maintained throughout. And yet, even after I read the story, I had tonnes of questions about the world. About the people, the races and everything. Which is always a good thing. While yes, this one does tie up all the conflicts presented from the start, there is definitely room for a lot more flexing, in possibly a series where we will see our amnesiac narrator back in ripping form. There is suppressed violence, juxtaposed with the never-ending search for answers, within her mind. It’s a strange combination that seems to work very well with this form. I absolutely loved it.
The revelations when it comes, are very well timed. I am sorry – but speaking anything further about such, might just give away the essence of the story. So suffice to say that, despite its length, this novella packs a wallop, with its highly imaginative storyline, the conflicted emotions of a narrator you will find mysterious and intriguing enough to follow to the ends of this wonderfully engrossing world. Go ahead. Read it.
It comes out Sept 13th from Tor.com (I received a Netgalley ARC in return for my honest review)
May 14, 2018
If I hadn't known before that this was written by Marie Brennan, I would never have guessed that this book was written by the same author that wrote A Natural History of Dragons. Never.
The writing style is completely different - Cold-Forged Flame is much darker, and if it wasn't such a tiny little novella, I might have enjoyed it even more than I did, and probably more than A Natural History of Dragons.
"There is will. There is need.
And so, in reply, there is a woman."
In Cold-Forged Flame, we follow a woman that seemingly appeared out of thin air. She has no idea of who she is and where she came from, just that her soul is bound to complete a quest. A quest that will take her deeper and deeper into a world she recognizes but doesn't remember, and make her fear the answers to her questions.
For such a short book - barely 100 pages - it felt quite epic. But that shortness was also it's biggest fault, since I would have loved to know more about about the world and magic, and found myself with almost as much questions as our mysterious main character.
I would love to read the sequel Lightning in the Blood, though I unfortunately feel that the potential of this new world that Marie Brennan created was a bit wasted because of the novella format. It could have been much better if we only had the chance to explore it more.
The writing style is completely different - Cold-Forged Flame is much darker, and if it wasn't such a tiny little novella, I might have enjoyed it even more than I did, and probably more than A Natural History of Dragons.
"There is will. There is need.
And so, in reply, there is a woman."
In Cold-Forged Flame, we follow a woman that seemingly appeared out of thin air. She has no idea of who she is and where she came from, just that her soul is bound to complete a quest. A quest that will take her deeper and deeper into a world she recognizes but doesn't remember, and make her fear the answers to her questions.
For such a short book - barely 100 pages - it felt quite epic. But that shortness was also it's biggest fault, since I would have loved to know more about about the world and magic, and found myself with almost as much questions as our mysterious main character.
I would love to read the sequel Lightning in the Blood, though I unfortunately feel that the potential of this new world that Marie Brennan created was a bit wasted because of the novella format. It could have been much better if we only had the chance to explore it more.
October 18, 2016
This feels like a writing experiment gone wrong. The beginning scene, the opening concept of the novella (because at 100 pages this is not nearly a novel!) is compelling: a warrior woman appears, summoned by need, with no idea of who she is or what she is to do. But from there… she doesn’t go on to learn much about herself, or change in interesting ways, or get embroiled in an exciting plot, unravel a mystery, or even wander a fantasy world so unique and richly imagined we don’t really mind there’s not much story or character. Instead, the world remains sketchy, the character remains too indistinct to have much at stake, the plot feels unplanned and episodic, and rather than build to a big reveal or twist, the climax comes without much preparation or emotional punch, like a birthday cake delivered a week too soon.
It’s the first of a series, so perhaps the setting and plot will deepen, the character will flesh out, and the depth that feels lacking here will turn out to be necessary for what comes next. But we can’t help think of other stories with similar premises—Mary Robinette Kowal’s “The Bound Man” starts off with another woman summoned from need and not knowing herself well, and Neal Gaiman’s “Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains…” features characters on a strange quest to a stranger island and a cave there. Both of these accomplish more in less words, tying up tight tales with lots of depth to setting and character. So while the series may pan out better, and there’s no doubt Brennan has a devoted following for her full-length novels, it’s hard to recommend Cold-Forged Flame when there are so many other great stories to read.
More on that at Top New Fantasy
It’s the first of a series, so perhaps the setting and plot will deepen, the character will flesh out, and the depth that feels lacking here will turn out to be necessary for what comes next. But we can’t help think of other stories with similar premises—Mary Robinette Kowal’s “The Bound Man” starts off with another woman summoned from need and not knowing herself well, and Neal Gaiman’s “Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains…” features characters on a strange quest to a stranger island and a cave there. Both of these accomplish more in less words, tying up tight tales with lots of depth to setting and character. So while the series may pan out better, and there’s no doubt Brennan has a devoted following for her full-length novels, it’s hard to recommend Cold-Forged Flame when there are so many other great stories to read.
More on that at Top New Fantasy
November 28, 2017
This is one of Tor.com's new novella line. This particular story was 100 pages, and for an introduction this format was perfect. Sometimes a book doesn't need to be doorstop size to make its point.
Speaking of "perfect," look at this opening paragraph.
The sound of the horn pierces the apeiron, shattering the stillness of that realm. Its clarion call creates ripples, substance, something more. It is a summons, a command. There is will. There is need.
And so, in reply, there is a woman.
Now that, my friends, is a hook, and the author reeled me right on in. The writing is smooth as silk, with not a word wasted, and the pacing was excellent. Due to the book's length, there aren't that many characters, but the people we do meet are vividly drawn. This nameless woman is prickly, sarcastic, and stubborn, and she never gives up. She doesn't know who she is, or how she has been summoned, or why she has been set to a task against her will. This is the story of her task and how she completes it, and what she finds out about herself along the way. It's a story of memory and identity, what you are willing to give up and what you fight to keep.
(One oddity I noticed in reading the other Goodreads reviews--a couple of people mentioned this story is told in first person. It is not. It is third person, present tense, with a tight focus on its protagonist. I guess the POV is so tight it fooled a few people into thinking it's first person, but it isn't.)
I would love to find out more about this world. We're given just enough details to whet the appetite (and I've already pre-ordered the sequel, due out in a few months). Hopefully the next volume will do this.
Speaking of "perfect," look at this opening paragraph.
The sound of the horn pierces the apeiron, shattering the stillness of that realm. Its clarion call creates ripples, substance, something more. It is a summons, a command. There is will. There is need.
And so, in reply, there is a woman.
Now that, my friends, is a hook, and the author reeled me right on in. The writing is smooth as silk, with not a word wasted, and the pacing was excellent. Due to the book's length, there aren't that many characters, but the people we do meet are vividly drawn. This nameless woman is prickly, sarcastic, and stubborn, and she never gives up. She doesn't know who she is, or how she has been summoned, or why she has been set to a task against her will. This is the story of her task and how she completes it, and what she finds out about herself along the way. It's a story of memory and identity, what you are willing to give up and what you fight to keep.
(One oddity I noticed in reading the other Goodreads reviews--a couple of people mentioned this story is told in first person. It is not. It is third person, present tense, with a tight focus on its protagonist. I guess the POV is so tight it fooled a few people into thinking it's first person, but it isn't.)
I would love to find out more about this world. We're given just enough details to whet the appetite (and I've already pre-ordered the sequel, due out in a few months). Hopefully the next volume will do this.
December 2, 2016
Cold-Forged Flame is a weird book. For one thing, it feels more like a short story than a novella. I understand that is the first of what sounds like it may be an ongoing series, but there’s just not quite enough story here for it to stand completely on its own. Instead, it feels far more like the sort of character background that ought to be metered out over the course of a longer novel or series of novellas. That said, there’s a lot of potential here. Ree’s origin story might not start off super interesting, but the back third or so of Cold-Forged Flame definitely picks up, and in the end Marie Brennan has laid a solid foundation for further adventures, which I’m very much looking forward to reading.
December 20, 2024
Re-read Dec 20, 2024
Almost 7 years since I read this for the first time and I didn't even remember one bit of it. Considering the FMC's main dilemma, that seems fitting. Enjoyed it - I imagine just as much as the first time, but I genuinely cannot recall, I thought this was an unread book from my TBR. XD
Read Dec 23, 2017
Read this entire book out loud to myself. Gave me a taste of what it would be like to narrate an audiobook and I have to say that if I ever had the opportunity for it, I'd love it.
On to the actual book, I enjoyed the story and the main character especially. The symbolism was straight-forward and I liked her dry wise-cracks as well as her strength to forge ahead. This was a no-frills type of read and I relished the easy pacing and faultless writing.
Almost 7 years since I read this for the first time and I didn't even remember one bit of it. Considering the FMC's main dilemma, that seems fitting. Enjoyed it - I imagine just as much as the first time, but I genuinely cannot recall, I thought this was an unread book from my TBR. XD
Read Dec 23, 2017
Read this entire book out loud to myself. Gave me a taste of what it would be like to narrate an audiobook and I have to say that if I ever had the opportunity for it, I'd love it.
On to the actual book, I enjoyed the story and the main character especially. The symbolism was straight-forward and I liked her dry wise-cracks as well as her strength to forge ahead. This was a no-frills type of read and I relished the easy pacing and faultless writing.
September 3, 2016
2'5 stars
After reading the book it surprised me how spot-on the synopsis was, as it is really telling all we are going to find on the book.
This is a short story, and while I feel like more of a background foundation might have been handy, I also guess the author could have been bounded by space.
The secundary characters doesn't feel very "alive", but the main one has a very distinctive voice.
I'd probably read more of the upcoming ones as this is an easy but entertaining read.
After reading the book it surprised me how spot-on the synopsis was, as it is really telling all we are going to find on the book.
This is a short story, and while I feel like more of a background foundation might have been handy, I also guess the author could have been bounded by space.
The secundary characters doesn't feel very "alive", but the main one has a very distinctive voice.
I'd probably read more of the upcoming ones as this is an easy but entertaining read.
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