Leaves of Fire

The Newirth Mythology #2

by Michael B. Koep

Imagine paintings that hold the secrets to the meaning of life and death or scribbled words that can alter the past and reshape the present. We know art imitates life but in Michael B. Koep s thriller fiction trilogy, the author brings the arts to life in an action-packed tale spanning seven centuries.

In the spring of 1338, young William of Leaves knows only of remedies, herbs and his mother s kindness. When he is forced to watch as she is dragged to a witch s pyre by a mob led by the Bishop of London, the mysterious immortal apothecary, Albion Ravistelle, promises the boy a chance at vengeance.

In the summer of 1972, Helen Storm is a stoned groupie on the Sunset Strip with a very special condition: she is immortal. When her life intersects with a famous guitar player, she is introduced to her future as a deadly and remorseless assassin.

In present day, psychologist Loche Newith and Julia Iris must come to terms with Loche s prophetic writings that have changed the course of history and shaped the lives of William, Helen, and countless others. As a war breaks out between the immortals on earth and Albion Ravistelle, Loche must accept the realities he has authored and cross over into death he must enter again into Basil Fenn s paintings to find a way to end the conflict.

In Part Two of The Newirth Mythology, Leaves of Fire, Koep entwines these lives and lifetimes as he explores myth, memory, revenge and the hope of forgiveness.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Adventure, Historical Fiction

392 pages, Paperback

First published June 4, 2015

About the author

Michael B. Koep has been a college educator, an international touring musician and a dynamite waiter. He is a swordsman, an avid world traveler, a visual artist, and a professional rock drummer. He has climbed the pyramids of Giza, fenced an Italian master and has done battle with the infamous North Korean propaganda loudspeakers by aiming a massive PA across the DMZ and taking a drum solo. He is known as a drummer and lyricist for progressive rock group KITE , as well as the percussionist for the rock power trio The RUB. Michael is a winner of a Costello Poetry Prize and the award winning author of The Newirth Mythology. His next book GIGMENTIA: A Drummer's Love Song to Rock Shows, Fatherhood, Writing, and the Passing of a Beloved Mom releases in July, 2023. He lives in North Idaho with with his family in a house filled with books, vinyl records, paint brushes, maps and musical instruments.

Reviews

[F.J. Soto · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fast paced sequel to The Invasion of Heaven will grab your attention and not let go. Your journey takes you back and forth through time and to places familiar and strange. Michael has created a beautiful and dangerous world full of unforgettable characters. I can't wait to find out where the next book takes us.

I had to buy the first book and I loved it too, definitely looking forward for the third one.

[Kayla TM · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I do think this book suffers a little bit from second book syndrome, it is an interesting, fast-paced story. Loche Newirth has created a new reality with his writing and within this new world, a war of factions is coming. I have to say, I really wish there was more reflection, and shock, by Loche over what he has done. The magnitude of what he has created, unknowingly. I wish he just took a moment to look at the woman Helen was, the love and companionship that must have been there at one point, and attempted to dissect why he turned her into the person he did. Why doesn’t he morn for the relationship he essentially destroyed? A lot of the book does lack the depth of character that I think it could benefit from. It focuses mainly on the physical movements and trials that the characters are facing. I did like the glance into the pasts of both Helen and William. All in all, I will end up reading the third book. Four stars.

[Zippergirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah, the travails of the middle child, you carry the family name but you're neither the miracle of the first nor the spoiled baby of the family. While the astonishing first book, The Invasion of Heaven, is a daunting act to follow, this second child of The Newirth Mythology trilogy has not been neglected.

A rift has opened among the immortals, the Itonalya and the Orathon Wis. The appointed guardians of the gateways between heaven and earth and gifted with longevity, their curse is that they will never attain heaven. The stalwart Itonalya struggle to uphold the sanctity of earth. But watching from the other side of the portals, spirits with god-like powers crave the ephemeral lives of human beings. The lucky ones break through. Crossing is forbidden and these spirits must be hunted down and sent back. The Orathon Wis no longer fulfill their sacred duty, immortality is not enough for them. Led by Albion Ravistelle, they will open the portals and create a heaven on earth. To do this they will slaughter their brethren, the Itonalya.

The first book was the story of the painter and the poet, this second brings us closer to their family. William the Healer, the child of a priest and a healer in the 14th century, cradles all he has of his old life, a small leather pouch. Helen Newirth, a fourteen year old fangirl with the hots for a guitarist for Led Zeppelin, escapes her broken home for a new life. And young Edwin, torn between his father, Loche, and his mother, is a bright little light in the darkness.

Leaves of Fire is enchanting; more than you might expect from the middleborn. The first book is critical to the story arc and if you enjoy wild, imaginative fantasy and brilliant prose, begin with The Invasion of Heaven, and put the third in this trilogy from Michael Koep on your wishlist.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Hardeepkrai · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the book to be a tad boring, despite the brilliant storyline. Infact, in a bid to be fair and honest,I struggled and marched on until 31% of the whole, and then I couldn't continue and dropped reading it. I found that since there are multiple characters and timelines being jumped back and forth, it was quite tedious to make sense of who is who and where. It would be a tad easier if the author would split up the timelines across 'The Past', The Present' and 'The Alternate Reality' and then give us the view point of each character. Atleast then we can find it easier to follow what is happening within the time realm. Despite the illustrious name, the author can improve it somewhat.

[Amy Bruestle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the 2nd book in this trilogy and I didn’t LOVE it, but it was definitely wayy better than the first one as far as readability! Looking forward to reading the 3rd and final of the series!

[Lyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really amazing. If you haven't read the first one, don't worry - this one has a great little summary of it, that just made me love it even more. Koep is not messing around with his writing; the level of creativity in these two novels is, out of everything I've ever read, second only to Stephen King's Dark Tower series. I can't even think of anything to say that would accurately express how good it is (yes, there are typos here and there, probably more than your average book, but the story is fantastic).
I'd recommend this book to everyone, because I personally love it. I'm very much looking forward to the third book coming out, and I hope to get a signed copy, to complete my collection of the series. It's definitely worth keeping and revisiting.
Note: I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won Leaves of Fire from GoodReads for a honest review. I liked this book and I recommend it!

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

** I received a copy of this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway. **

Another twisting and turning and fascinating installment in the Newirth series. This one not only switched from person to person and place to place (and reality to reality) but from past to not so past to present. You learn much more about one of the main 'good' characters and one of the 'evil' characters (good and evil are very vague ideas in these books!). I still dislike the main female antagonist just as much as I did before but now at least some of her actions make a bit of sense. The battle between the two main groups gained quite a bit of ground in this novel, setting the stage for the final show-down which I hope will be detailed in the next book. The story within a story element is not as apparent in this book but it is still present and still brings another aspect to the story. I flew through the first two books and am now waiting impatiently for the release of the final book in the trilogy!!

[Harley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5

This was almost as fantastic as The Invasion of Heaven. The only problem was that it was a bit slow in the middle. It took me a little bit to get from 25% to 75%, but I read the last quarter in one morning. I really enjoyed that this was both a prequel and sequel at the same time. Expanding the backstory while pushing the story forward and connecting the two felt natural and worked well.

I love Koep's writing. It's both lyrical and straightforward. It doesn't shy from being both eloquent and harsh. So many moments I smiled at the tenderness of character interactions, and then was shocked at some of the brutal actions that occurred. I'm very excited to dive into the third book and see out the conclusion of this series. I'm still trying to understand why this series isn't more popular than it is. Hopefully more people find it and become just as enamored as the rest of us.

[Susan Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book, I loved reading this. I am very thankful for having the chance to win this.

[Jill Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very excited when I saw this title - it sounded so intriguing, and when I looked up the first in the series it looked amazing... I got the first (The Invasion of Heaven) from Amazon (it was a Kindle Lending Library book!) and tore through it. It was incredible - complex, full of twists and turns and loop-the-loops. Half the time, I had no idea which end was up - in the best possible way. I couldn't tell if the characters were delusional or the world was. And when the big reveal came, it all got even weirder and even better. It ended with a vengeance, and I couldn't WAIT to start this second installment.

Then I started this second installment. Sigh...

I know that second books in trilogies often suffer as individual reads (particularly when you read them for the first time). I've seen them compared to middle children, a comparison which makes me laugh because it's often so true - there's none of the magic of seeing everything for the first time, none of the closure of knowing this is the last time you'll be a part of this particular world... I try to give second books an extra bit of benefit-of-the-doubt as a result, since I know they often (unfairly) bear the brunt of keeping things moving and tying everything together. I tried that strategy with this one. And tried again. And again...

But no matter what I tried telling myself, I could NOT get into this one.

There are SO MANY characters and story lines, and they are so wildly divergent and rambling, that even though I knew that they must come together and that they'd likely do so in a crazy-cool-random way, I couldn't stay in the story(ies). It seemed so far afield from the constant action and bizarreness of the first book. In that one, there was never a point that I wasn't questioning what was going on or where the story would go next - I literally couldn't turn the pages fast enough, the questions were so thick on the ground and the uncertainties so compelling... But this book just dragged at me. I couldn't find myself caring enough to keep turning pages, let alone turn them with eager anticipation. I looked up other people's comments to see if I was alone in this feeling, and see if I just needed to slog through the beginning to get there. Unfortunately, it seems that my experience is all too common among readers. It's a tragic shame, because the concept is so cleverly played out in The Invasion of Heaven...

It's been three years since the release of that book; I may have to wait three more until the conclusion is available and try again, because I'd really like to know how this whole thing wraps up. But I just couldn't slog through it now, painfully and slowly, knowing I'd have to do it again when the next installment is available (because there's no way one could wait years between these books and keep all of the relevant weirdness clear enough to follow it to its conclusion)...

My review copy was provided by NetGalley.

[Brent Soderstrum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book from the Newirth Mythology.

I am both amazed and chagrined with this series. It is the weirdest series I have ever read yet Koep clearly is a talented storyteller. In the middle book of the trilogy, there are really four interwoven stories so if you aren't going to sit down and read this book in big chunks you are bound to get confused with the characters, some of which are in all the stories despite there being a 600-700 year difference in the timing of each story.

The first story covers William in the 14th century. William watches his mother is burned at the stake for being a witch. His father is a priest. Willliam and his father chase after the Bishop and his monks who killed his mother. Albion encourages and helps William to plot the assassination. Oh, did I mention that William is immortal and heals from wounds inflicted upon him.

The second story involves Helen Storm in the 1970s. Helen ends up being the wife of Loche Newirth. We first meet Helen as she tries to seduce Jimmy Page from Led Zepplin. She ends up falling from the 14th floor of a balcony at a hotel and living because....you guessed it....she is immortal. Albion is involved in this story too. Helen is in love with him and wants to have his child. Albion uses her to kill and talks her into marrying Loche.

The third and fourth stories take place in the present day. In Italy, William helps Loche negotiate with Albion for the return of Julia in exchange for Loche's son, Edwin. William is able to bring back Julia and Helen which is a tad awkward since Helen hates Julia. Throw in Samuel, who is immortal, and his lover Leonaie who is 95 and wants to be immortal. Lots of characters hook up. It is difficult at times to keep everyone straight and remember who is good and who is bad. oh, and just because you are immortal doesn't mean you can't be killed. You suffer pain and you can be killed if you are cut into tiny pieces or your head is cut off.

Very weird series but I have to read the last volume to see if Koep can make sense of it all in the end.

[Brenda Knight]

Once I started reading this series, (The Newirth Mythology), I knew I couldn't stop! I absolutely had to get the entire series so I could read right through it. I was mesmerized by the concept, the story, the characters, the world building, all of it. I won book 2, Leaves of Fire, from a Goodreads Firstreads giveaway. I knew I had to start with book 1, The Invasion of Heaven, so I did not want to begin reading book 2 first. Several months later, I won book 1 in the series again, from Goodreads. Now all I had to do was remember where I put book 2. It did not take me very long to locate. I started reading book 1 and absolutely could not put it down. Then I started reading book 2 and knew I had to get my hands on book 3, The Shape of Rain, ASAP. I did not foresee my luck holding out for winning the 3rd book of the trilogy, especially since I had not yet seen a giveaway for book 3, and it had been available for purchase for a while. Thank goodness for Amazon.com! I was able to purchase a used copy of book 3 for a price within my limited budget.
A huge "Thank you!" to the author, Michael B. Koep for signing the Goodreads giveaway copies. I will treasure them always.
Just a note to readers: Book 3 is a very large volume. Read it anyway. You will not get bored and every page is necessary to complete the story as written in books 1 & 2. Book 3 could've been broken down to be Book's 3 & 4, but the author started out writing a trilogy, so he completed the series in 3 books.
Bottom line, I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a really good fantasy or new mythology story. You will not be disappointed.

[Gino · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book through the Goodread's Giveaway. I did read the first book and I think you should read it to really understand this book as the trilogy is really one long story. This book picks up from the end of the first book. I didn't really care for the first book and would probably not bought or read this second one if I did not receive it through the giveaway. I agree with some other reviews that the segmented back and forth between the past and the present makes the story choppy and annoying. I don't know if it's Koep's writing style or just his make up of his world and characters. I just find his portrayal of the gods lacking. How he makes them pretty powerless. That they need two mortals with special powers to interact with the human world. They just lack definition. Koep has a great idea but i do not think, in my opinion, that he translated it or conveys it sufficiently.

[Andrea George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Goodreads, Michael B. Koep, and Will Dreamly Arts Publications for an autographed copy of "Leaves of Fire". "Leaves of Fire" is the second book in the Newirth mythology trilogy. If you have not read the first book in the series, "The Invasion of Heaven", no worries. Mr. Koep includes a synopsis at the beginning of this novel. I was able to read this novel without feeling lost, or that I missed out on not having read the first book in the series. However, after having read and enjoyed this novel, I will be reading book one, "The Invasion of Heaven", before moving on to book three, "The Shape of Rain".
Mr. Koep has a talent for taking this novel from 1331 to the present day, across different continents without skipping a beat. Even though this novel has multiple characters, I found the plot to be easy to follow, yet fast-paced with lots of twists and turns.
If you enjoy the genres of suspense and paranormal fiction, this is the novel for you!

[Kristian · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I won this book as a Goodreads Giveaway, I started the book and had a little trouble grasping the concept at first and could not get into it. A week or so later I won The Invasion of Heaven as a Goodreads Giveaway as well, so I stopped reading this one and read the other immediately. I came back to this book and I love it and the first book in the Newirth Mythology. This is a very unique story and very enjoyable to read the only thing from stopping me from reading it faster was my own exhaustion. This book follows 3 different people within the storyline. It is a fascinating read I can not wait for the third book. I want to make sure it is signed and will keep it in my library for years to come. I recommend it highly to all readers. I feel there is something for everyone.

[Chloe Edwards · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Second book in the series, Leaves of Fire, just made me appreciate how creative Michael B Koep is as an author, the details and characters within this book as well as the storyline is so interesting and I just wish I liked them! This book delved into The Immortals more and explained more of the world and the things that happen, it was almost a filler between the first and third but still very interesting and very fast paced. The main thing I disliked about this book is that there were so many characters and so many storylines that it became confusing at times but overall it was very intriguing!

(Taken from my blog)

[Maggies Daisy · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this fantastical story, we are introduced to a world that's been influenced by two men, brothers, one a poet and another artist. What makes these men unique is their writing and art opens doors into heaven. I found the first part of the book somewhat hard to follow but once I became familiar with all the characters I was drawn into their adventures and look forward to reading the rest of this series.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say that this is one of the first books that I have had a hard time keeping up with. I got confused between the past, present and alternate reality and it was hard to keep up with the characters as well. I thought that the idea of this story was brilliant and was looking forward to reading this one but I could not being myself to finish it once I got confused with everything. Sorry! I tried and I would urge everyone else to give this one a chance for themselves, maybe it was just me!

[CDWB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Book and Author

I love that this book makes you think, ponder, and digest each paragraph. You can't be in a rush and skim read it or you would be doing yourself a disservice. The second book now leans to the poet, Loche, not his brother, Basil , the painter. It is a wonderful series so far and I'm looking forward to enjoying the last book. I can't recommend this series enough.

[Theo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whew. This was a slog. Good guys in jeopardy, bad guys behaving badly. Jimmy Paige showing up where he was least needed. A new brand of demi-human, Moon Children! If I remember correctly. Nothing much to hold on to, only the thought that the third book will recover some of the strengths of the first book.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this in a Goodreads giveaway. This is the second book I've read by the author and the second I've read in this series.

I can't wait to read the third book. While I didn't like this book as much as the first I did find it difficult to put down. The characters are well developed and the story is great with a nice flow.

[Tehila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I receiveda free copy of Leaves of Fire, the second volume of the Newirth Mythology, for review purposes.

The book starts with some maps, and a synopsis of the first volume, making it easy to pick up the story line.

Looking forward to some more by Mr Koep.

[CAROLYN Wyman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable book. It was an easy read and I loved it. Once I started I couldnt put it down. It had an easy to follow storyline - This was the first book that I have read from him but I will definetly read more

I recieved this in Exchange for an honest review.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as sensational as the first in the trilogy, but still enjoyable and fun in its own way. I cannot wait to read the last part (and I'm hoping it has more crazy in it, because I really loved the out of this world crazy from the first part).

[Paul Klee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing content. Again the story(ies) are fascinating. The whole of this is original absurd and thought provoking. My criticism is the structure. I find the chapters too short which makes me feel a bit unsettled.

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good thriller. I look forward to reading more from the series.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this story. This was a Goodreads giveaway winner.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rare sequel as good as its predecessor. Can't wait to read number three.

[Marie B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 of 3
Very good. Some surprises. Can't wait to get thru part 3