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The Aurelian Cycle #1
Fireborne
Annie and Lee were just children when a brutal revolution changed their world, giving everyone--even the lowborn--a chance to test into the governing class of dragonriders.
Now they are both rising stars in the new regime, despite backgrounds that couldn't be more different. Annie's lowborn family was executed by dragonfire, while Lee's aristocratic family was murdered by revolutionaries. Growing up in the same orphanage forged their friendship, and seven years of training have made them rivals for the top position in the dragonriding fleet.
But everything changes when survivors from the old regime surface, bent on reclaiming the city.
With war on the horizon and his relationship with Annie changing fast, Lee must choose to kill the only family he has left or to betray everything he's come to believe in. And Annie must decide whether to protect the boy she loves . . . or step up to be the champion her city needs.
Now they are both rising stars in the new regime, despite backgrounds that couldn't be more different. Annie's lowborn family was executed by dragonfire, while Lee's aristocratic family was murdered by revolutionaries. Growing up in the same orphanage forged their friendship, and seven years of training have made them rivals for the top position in the dragonriding fleet.
But everything changes when survivors from the old regime surface, bent on reclaiming the city.
With war on the horizon and his relationship with Annie changing fast, Lee must choose to kill the only family he has left or to betray everything he's come to believe in. And Annie must decide whether to protect the boy she loves . . . or step up to be the champion her city needs.
432 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2019
4079 people are currently reading
177396 people want to read
About the author
Rosaria Munda
9 books1,555 followersRosaria Munda grew up in rural North Carolina, studied political theory at Princeton, and lives with her family in Florida. She is the internationally bestselling author of The Aurelian Cycle (Fireborne, Flamefall, and Furysong) and the forthcoming Confessions of a Junior Spy (Feiwel & Friends, 2025).
For book recs and updates, follow her on instagram: @rosariamunda
For book recs and updates, follow her on instagram: @rosariamunda
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,464 reviews
December 6, 2019
I think someone cursed me because lately, I'm facing too many disappointing books, I do not like this.
So, at first, I was really curious about this book. I have to say that I was a bit nervous about the number of other books this book was compared to.
"Game of Thrones meets Red Rising in a debut young adult fantasy that's full of rivalry, romance... and dragons."
"Inspired by Plato’s Republic"
"the story is pitched as Aegon Targaryen and Hermione Granger with dragons, set in the aftermath of a bloody revolution."
Because once a book is so heavily compared to other (popular) books, it better to really deliver.
And for me, it did not. It's simple as that.
In the beginning, I really struggled with the characters. I was unsure if I really enjoyed Lee's POV because just in his first POV, I was annoyed by Annie before we even really meet her. She was just so heavily mentioned that I could not stand her. But in the end, I prefered Lee's POV to Annie's. His character was calmer, more reasonable and less... sensitive in a sense. I felt like Annie was always annoyed by something or someone.
Here, I need to share my favourite quote from this book which really made me giggle at the moment.
"Maybe you could be my maidservant or something."
"I don't know how to be a maidservant."
"I think they just wash things. You're really good at that. Want to plan the trip with me."
However, I have to say that the first chapter was one of the lowest points of the book. It gets slightly better after that, but it still dragged. In all honesty, the book had few "interesting" moments when you thought something would happen and you turned the page and... nothing. Something really started to happen around the 84% mark. And then it all got super rushed. Not sure if it really made any kind of sense. I guess it was supposed to hype the reader for the rest of the series, which did not work, at least for me because I have no plans on continuing with this series.
As I mentioned above, I turned the page, and nothing happened, that's because so much happened off-page. When Lee was somewhere doing something interesting, we got Annie's POV instead. And then we would get some sort of recap of what the other experienced.
And even sometimes when the things were happening on-page, I felt like they were not really happening more like we were told and it was described to us what was going on.
As for the books to which it was compared to, I do not get those. I see the comparison and mention of Plato's Republic and the French Revolution, even Blitz and I personally saw some similarity with the Russian Revolution. And this aspect was really good, probably the strongest point of the book. But the rest, Hermione Granger (I suppose that was Annie, but I don't really see it), Game of Thrones... No, nowhere near.
The story may have been good. The idea is good, but I did not enjoy the execution. And the writing is nowhere near the books mentioned above. Those "name-dropping" popular books may have done a huge disservice to the author and the book.
Beyond this, it might be slightly spoiler-ish! But spoiler will be still under the spoiler tag.
The whole book felt just like background noise to Lee/Annie drama. And I cannot stand them as a couple. I like them standing up for each other, but they do not work together as a couple. Annie spends the majority of the book being offended/annoyed/worried or whatever by something Lee did, did not do, how he moved his muscle or whatever.
In all this, Power was the best character. He was my favourite, he was the only one who made any kind of sense, had a motive and somehow felt like a real character. Plus he was one of the few who could think for himself.
As for dragons, you're probably wondering "this book has dragons, there is a dragon on a cover, why are you not mentioning the dragons?" Well. I sort of did not feel the dragon were that important. Harry Potter was more excited about his broom than these characters about their dragons. They were just tucked somewhere unless they needed to fly on them... And, they were just missing personality if that makes sense.
What I enjoyed and it ties it to the French Revolution inspiration... The idea of bad guys. New regime which replaces the bad old one. Does that make them the good guys? It sort of shows that good and evil in certain cases can be a point of view. Depending on where you stand in one regime, you can see it as a good and others may see it as evil. That was very well done. It just shows that so much is just shades of grey, not white and black.
Plus when they were pressured, they reach out to the practices of the previous regime to reach their goals. This was a good idea, and I wished it was more explored along with the idea of different social groups.
***Advance Review Copy generously provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***
So, at first, I was really curious about this book. I have to say that I was a bit nervous about the number of other books this book was compared to.
"Game of Thrones meets Red Rising in a debut young adult fantasy that's full of rivalry, romance... and dragons."
"Inspired by Plato’s Republic"
"the story is pitched as Aegon Targaryen and Hermione Granger with dragons, set in the aftermath of a bloody revolution."
Because once a book is so heavily compared to other (popular) books, it better to really deliver.
And for me, it did not. It's simple as that.
In the beginning, I really struggled with the characters. I was unsure if I really enjoyed Lee's POV because just in his first POV, I was annoyed by Annie before we even really meet her. She was just so heavily mentioned that I could not stand her. But in the end, I prefered Lee's POV to Annie's. His character was calmer, more reasonable and less... sensitive in a sense. I felt like Annie was always annoyed by something or someone.
Here, I need to share my favourite quote from this book which really made me giggle at the moment.
"Maybe you could be my maidservant or something."
"I don't know how to be a maidservant."
"I think they just wash things. You're really good at that. Want to plan the trip with me."
However, I have to say that the first chapter was one of the lowest points of the book. It gets slightly better after that, but it still dragged. In all honesty, the book had few "interesting" moments when you thought something would happen and you turned the page and... nothing. Something really started to happen around the 84% mark. And then it all got super rushed. Not sure if it really made any kind of sense. I guess it was supposed to hype the reader for the rest of the series, which did not work, at least for me because I have no plans on continuing with this series.
As I mentioned above, I turned the page, and nothing happened, that's because so much happened off-page. When Lee was somewhere doing something interesting, we got Annie's POV instead. And then we would get some sort of recap of what the other experienced.
And even sometimes when the things were happening on-page, I felt like they were not really happening more like we were told and it was described to us what was going on.
As for the books to which it was compared to, I do not get those. I see the comparison and mention of Plato's Republic and the French Revolution, even Blitz and I personally saw some similarity with the Russian Revolution. And this aspect was really good, probably the strongest point of the book. But the rest, Hermione Granger (I suppose that was Annie, but I don't really see it), Game of Thrones... No, nowhere near.
The story may have been good. The idea is good, but I did not enjoy the execution. And the writing is nowhere near the books mentioned above. Those "name-dropping" popular books may have done a huge disservice to the author and the book.
Beyond this, it might be slightly spoiler-ish! But spoiler will be still under the spoiler tag.
The whole book felt just like background noise to Lee/Annie drama. And I cannot stand them as a couple. I like them standing up for each other, but they do not work together as a couple. Annie spends the majority of the book being offended/annoyed/worried or whatever by something Lee did, did not do, how he moved his muscle or whatever.
In all this, Power was the best character. He was my favourite, he was the only one who made any kind of sense, had a motive and somehow felt like a real character. Plus he was one of the few who could think for himself.
As for dragons, you're probably wondering "this book has dragons, there is a dragon on a cover, why are you not mentioning the dragons?" Well. I sort of did not feel the dragon were that important. Harry Potter was more excited about his broom than these characters about their dragons. They were just tucked somewhere unless they needed to fly on them... And, they were just missing personality if that makes sense.
What I enjoyed and it ties it to the French Revolution inspiration... The idea of bad guys. New regime which replaces the bad old one. Does that make them the good guys? It sort of shows that good and evil in certain cases can be a point of view. Depending on where you stand in one regime, you can see it as a good and others may see it as evil. That was very well done. It just shows that so much is just shades of grey, not white and black.
Plus when they were pressured, they reach out to the practices of the previous regime to reach their goals. This was a good idea, and I wished it was more explored along with the idea of different social groups.
***Advance Review Copy generously provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***
February 4, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ I wanted to sleep on my thoughts with this one.
I wish we got more exploration and depth into the world building and set up. It was all quite superficial and barely scratched the surface. When I started to get interested in something we swiftly breezed past it (which sometimes made it confusing to keep up). I wanted more descriptions and showing us how things worked.
However, I did love the actual story and the characters so I will be continuing the series.
Dragon war college vibes, dragon riders, dual POV with a MMC and FMC who were born enemies to friends to academic rivals to acquaintances to slow burn who the fuck knows ???? (I enjoyed that tension).
I wish we got more exploration and depth into the world building and set up. It was all quite superficial and barely scratched the surface. When I started to get interested in something we swiftly breezed past it (which sometimes made it confusing to keep up). I wanted more descriptions and showing us how things worked.
However, I did love the actual story and the characters so I will be continuing the series.
Dragon war college vibes, dragon riders, dual POV with a MMC and FMC who were born enemies to friends to academic rivals to acquaintances to slow burn who the fuck knows ???? (I enjoyed that tension).
October 15, 2024
Honestly this has soooo much of what I look for in a YA Fantasy book; Revolution, Political Intrigue, class warfare, people overcoming obstacles, orphans, family troubles, inner struggles and turmoil, and dragons!
I’ve heard some people say that this book is not comparable to GOT, and while I can agree with that to a degree, but I definitely see a lot of parallels. There’s also a comparison to Red Rising, now I haven’t finished that series yet- I might not. The first book was meh to me, but anyway there’s that.
╰⪼ 🐉Memorable characters
╰⪼ 🔥Dragons
╰⪼ 🐉Tension
╰⪼ 🔥Suspense
╰⪼ 🐉Romance does NOT overpower the story
╰⪼ 🔥Rivals
“𝓑𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓯𝓾𝓻𝔂 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓪𝓷𝓼𝔀𝓮𝓻 𝓲𝓽 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓼”
Annie is a lowborn girl who ended up in an orphanage after her family was slaughtered. And she's perhaps the most loyal person you'll ever meet. She's also an exceptionally talented dragon rider, carrying all the confidence she lacks when on the ground.
Lee was forced to watch his family die during the revolution. His life may have been spared, but it was mostly due to an oversight. Now he's fighting to become a dragon rider. Though he doesn't know what he'll do when he's forced to make the hardest decision of his life.
I have to admit I really love Lee 😩
“𝓘𝓷𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓸𝓯 𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰, 𝓱𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓶𝓫𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭. 𝓗𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓶𝓫𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓯𝓪𝓶𝓲𝓵𝔂 𝓪𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭 𝓱𝓲𝓶, 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓼𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼' 𝓵𝓪𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓮𝓻, 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓫𝓻𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻'𝓼 𝓽𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰, 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓶𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻'𝓼 𝓿𝓸𝓲𝓬𝓮.” 🐉
“𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝔀𝓪𝓽𝓬𝓱 𝓾𝓼 𝓴𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓵, 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓼𝓮𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓸𝓯 𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓼, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓴 𝔀𝓮'𝓿𝓮 𝓰𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓷 𝓲𝓷. 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓭𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓵𝓲𝔃𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓪𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓴 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓴𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓼 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓪𝓼 𝔀𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝓪𝓼 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓽.”
I’ve heard some people say that this book is not comparable to GOT, and while I can agree with that to a degree, but I definitely see a lot of parallels. There’s also a comparison to Red Rising, now I haven’t finished that series yet- I might not. The first book was meh to me, but anyway there’s that.
╰⪼ 🐉Memorable characters
╰⪼ 🔥Dragons
╰⪼ 🐉Tension
╰⪼ 🔥Suspense
╰⪼ 🐉Romance does NOT overpower the story
╰⪼ 🔥Rivals
“𝓑𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓯𝓾𝓻𝔂 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓪𝓷𝓼𝔀𝓮𝓻 𝓲𝓽 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓼”
Annie is a lowborn girl who ended up in an orphanage after her family was slaughtered. And she's perhaps the most loyal person you'll ever meet. She's also an exceptionally talented dragon rider, carrying all the confidence she lacks when on the ground.
Lee was forced to watch his family die during the revolution. His life may have been spared, but it was mostly due to an oversight. Now he's fighting to become a dragon rider. Though he doesn't know what he'll do when he's forced to make the hardest decision of his life.
I have to admit I really love Lee 😩
“𝓘𝓷𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓸𝓯 𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰, 𝓱𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓶𝓫𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭. 𝓗𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓶𝓫𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓯𝓪𝓶𝓲𝓵𝔂 𝓪𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭 𝓱𝓲𝓶, 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓼𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼' 𝓵𝓪𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓮𝓻, 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓫𝓻𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻'𝓼 𝓽𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰, 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓶𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻'𝓼 𝓿𝓸𝓲𝓬𝓮.” 🐉
“𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝔀𝓪𝓽𝓬𝓱 𝓾𝓼 𝓴𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓵, 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓼𝓮𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓸𝓯 𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓼, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓴 𝔀𝓮'𝓿𝓮 𝓰𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓷 𝓲𝓷. 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓭𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓵𝓲𝔃𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓪𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓴 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓴𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓼 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓪𝓼 𝔀𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝓪𝓼 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓽.”
Read
March 12, 2024Soft DNF at page 100. I’m too busy and I have no desire to pick this up when I have a few minutes to read.
« Game of Thrones meets Fourth Wing in a debut young adult fantasy that's full of rivalry, romance . . . and dragons. » —> that was a weird marketing move IMO… why not let books be their own unique thing rather than compare them to other stories…
———•
Pre read ; I have a really busy week ahead, so I’ll be reading this pretty slowly here and there.
Hope everyone has an amazing week❤️
« Game of Thrones meets Fourth Wing in a debut young adult fantasy that's full of rivalry, romance . . . and dragons. » —> that was a weird marketing move IMO… why not let books be their own unique thing rather than compare them to other stories…
———•
Pre read ; I have a really busy week ahead, so I’ll be reading this pretty slowly here and there.
Hope everyone has an amazing week❤️
January 13, 2020
Solid YA fantasy novel! I really enjoyed these characters and the depth Ms Munda brought to life in Annie and Lee. Unlike some reviews I read, I was impressed that there was not a strong romantic aspect. I feel many YA novels focus on romance when there are so many other emotions to be explored.
In addition to the amazing world building, Fireborne is centered around friendship, integrity and loyalty. I am very excited to see Annie and Lee grow in future adventures!
Possible violence warning for younger teens.
*Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the free book in exchange for my honest review.
In addition to the amazing world building, Fireborne is centered around friendship, integrity and loyalty. I am very excited to see Annie and Lee grow in future adventures!
Possible violence warning for younger teens.
*Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the free book in exchange for my honest review.
November 17, 2025
Update: 11/16/25
Sixth time reading.
In a completely unsurprising turn of events, it's still my favorite book. Amid all of the pain and anguish at the foreshadowing, this book always brings me so much comfort and this read was no different. I love this book and these characters so much. It genuinely has changed me as a person and I'm so grateful for that.
As I said last year, if you only ever take one recommendation from me, please let it be this one.
------------------------------------------------
Update: 12/10/24
Fifth time reading this and every single word hurt lmao.
I struggle with rereads because I'm always worried I won't love it as much as I did the times before, but with every reread of this series it just means more to me. I still find little bits of foreshadowing and important imagery I'd never noticed before.
If you only ever take one recommendation from me, please let it be this one.
------------------------------------------------
Update: 11/17/23
Fourth time reading this book and I just continue to be amazed by it. I sincerely don't think there will ever be a book that I love more than this one.
------------------------------------------------
Update: 8/5/22
My third time reading this book and I somehow fell even more in love with it.
This is my favorite book of all time and, as such, that means I can never bring myself to give it a proper review.
Every time I read it, I find more to love. More to be amazed by. The characters only become more endeared to me and their struggles only become more real. The politics and conversations on class, as well as the academic scenes continue to blow me away.
I can’t believe this trilogy is about to end. I’m not ready to say goodbye to these characters, or witness whatever pain they still have to endure.
All my emotional rambling aside, I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
Now time to reread Flamefall (also affectionately known as 512 pages of nothing but pain and Lee being an idiot)
------------------------------------------------
Update: 3/25/21
Even better than the first time around.
------------------------------------------------
Original Read: 3/6/20
“Bring what fury you have and I will answer it with ours.
THIS WAS INCREDIBLE.
The politics. The morally gray characters. The angst. The longing. The complex character dynamics. The DRAGONS.
This is, quite literally, everything I want out of a book.
Sixth time reading.
In a completely unsurprising turn of events, it's still my favorite book. Amid all of the pain and anguish at the foreshadowing, this book always brings me so much comfort and this read was no different. I love this book and these characters so much. It genuinely has changed me as a person and I'm so grateful for that.
As I said last year, if you only ever take one recommendation from me, please let it be this one.
------------------------------------------------
Update: 12/10/24
Fifth time reading this and every single word hurt lmao.
I struggle with rereads because I'm always worried I won't love it as much as I did the times before, but with every reread of this series it just means more to me. I still find little bits of foreshadowing and important imagery I'd never noticed before.
If you only ever take one recommendation from me, please let it be this one.
------------------------------------------------
Update: 11/17/23
Fourth time reading this book and I just continue to be amazed by it. I sincerely don't think there will ever be a book that I love more than this one.
------------------------------------------------
Update: 8/5/22
My third time reading this book and I somehow fell even more in love with it.
This is my favorite book of all time and, as such, that means I can never bring myself to give it a proper review.
Every time I read it, I find more to love. More to be amazed by. The characters only become more endeared to me and their struggles only become more real. The politics and conversations on class, as well as the academic scenes continue to blow me away.
I can’t believe this trilogy is about to end. I’m not ready to say goodbye to these characters, or witness whatever pain they still have to endure.
All my emotional rambling aside, I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
Now time to reread Flamefall (also affectionately known as 512 pages of nothing but pain and Lee being an idiot)
------------------------------------------------
Update: 3/25/21
Even better than the first time around.
------------------------------------------------
Original Read: 3/6/20
“Bring what fury you have and I will answer it with ours.
THIS WAS INCREDIBLE.
The politics. The morally gray characters. The angst. The longing. The complex character dynamics. The DRAGONS.
This is, quite literally, everything I want out of a book.
August 1, 2023
"There was greatness in them. But with that greatness came arrogance, and with that arrogance corruption, and with that corruption downfall."
A tale of friendship, understanding, suffering, atonement, dragons, and revolution.
A brutal revolution changed the lives of all its citizens. Gone were the dragonlords of past, and in their place a new system. A self-proclaimed better system was put into place. But nothing is ever as black and white as it seems.
Lee & Annie
Only children when they were orphaned during the revolution past, the two found friendship in the other. Despite the wretched secrets and past that constantly threaten to rip them apart.
Annie's sobs are drilling into me, that particular sound that I'm primed, from so many years ago, to respond to. Hopeless, lost, frightened. The desire to go to her is almost overwhelming.
-
I look down at this boy, vulnerable, at my mercy, and think, To the ends of the earth I will protect you.
In some ways, their relationship reminds me a bit of Day & June, from the Legend Trilogy, somewhat star-crossed due to the tragedies that befell one of their families as a result of the other.
And while the premise and overall idea were promising, the execution was just okay for me. I liked it enough but did not love the book in its entirety. But I do think I like it enough to tune in for what comes next.
I received a free ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Huge thank you to Putnam's for providing me with a copy to read and review.
A tale of friendship, understanding, suffering, atonement, dragons, and revolution.
A brutal revolution changed the lives of all its citizens. Gone were the dragonlords of past, and in their place a new system. A self-proclaimed better system was put into place. But nothing is ever as black and white as it seems.
Lee & Annie
Only children when they were orphaned during the revolution past, the two found friendship in the other. Despite the wretched secrets and past that constantly threaten to rip them apart.
Annie's sobs are drilling into me, that particular sound that I'm primed, from so many years ago, to respond to. Hopeless, lost, frightened. The desire to go to her is almost overwhelming.
-
I look down at this boy, vulnerable, at my mercy, and think, To the ends of the earth I will protect you.
In some ways, their relationship reminds me a bit of Day & June, from the Legend Trilogy, somewhat star-crossed due to the tragedies that befell one of their families as a result of the other.
And while the premise and overall idea were promising, the execution was just okay for me. I liked it enough but did not love the book in its entirety. But I do think I like it enough to tune in for what comes next.
I received a free ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Huge thank you to Putnam's for providing me with a copy to read and review.
July 7, 2022
4.5 rounding up to 5!
Wow! This was fantastic! As someone who has read quite a bit of young adult fantasy, this one stands out from the rest as reading much more mature than others I’ve read recently! I loved the political intrigue in this book and how well realized that aspect of this world was! The characters in this book are also fantastic with Annie being the stand out for me! They read really mature and even with a romance sub-plot thrown in, it never read angsty or young, even the romance was handled really well and felt very believable. I highly recommend this book to all ages, but if you are an older reader who still enjoys YA, go pick this up! I think this is a YA book I could easily see shelved in the adult section and can see even the most seasoned YA reader really enjoying! Can’t wait for the sequel!
Wow! This was fantastic! As someone who has read quite a bit of young adult fantasy, this one stands out from the rest as reading much more mature than others I’ve read recently! I loved the political intrigue in this book and how well realized that aspect of this world was! The characters in this book are also fantastic with Annie being the stand out for me! They read really mature and even with a romance sub-plot thrown in, it never read angsty or young, even the romance was handled really well and felt very believable. I highly recommend this book to all ages, but if you are an older reader who still enjoys YA, go pick this up! I think this is a YA book I could easily see shelved in the adult section and can see even the most seasoned YA reader really enjoying! Can’t wait for the sequel!
Want to read
September 21, 2018"Inspired by Plato’s Republic and told from a dual point of view, the story is pitched as Aegon Targaryen and Hermione Granger with dragons."
I have no idea what that even means, but I gotta say I'm intrigued lol.
I have no idea what that even means, but I gotta say I'm intrigued lol.
October 17, 2019
This book was absolutely phenomenal.
July 25, 2022
It was alright 😏
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
July 15, 2023
i’ve never said a bad thing about ya fantasy ever
——————
reading this dragon fantasy book instead of that other one because im different quirky not like other girls
(psa that ive had this on hold at my library since before that book was published DONT HATE)
——————
reading this dragon fantasy book instead of that other one because im different quirky not like other girls
(psa that ive had this on hold at my library since before that book was published DONT HATE)
October 17, 2018
It's been a long time since a book made me this happy. FIREBORNE is my new favourite dragon book.
August 1, 2022
“Bring what fury you have and I will answer it with ours.”
i genuinely have no words, this was ya fantasy excellence at its finest that left me breathless and riveted while reading. fireborne took me by complete surprise in the best way possible, when i went into this story with the only knowledge that it had an academy for dragonriders. like being the first in a trilogy it was such a distinctive standout already. maybe it’s just me but i thought it was skillfully thought out on its distinct themes of morals in question, loyalties, atonement, and much more. also the writing not too heavy on world building being easy to absorb and elements of lore, history of the old regimes, impressive political intrigue, character bonds, bureacracy of the new regime, social class levels and of course the aspects of dragon riding in how it’s the nation’s core. the politics stuck out to me a lot, it’s been a while since i’ve read fantasy with the morally clashing complexity this book had with its conflicted characters’ political thoughts. our mains lee sur power and antigone sur aela both so layered in both their own orphaned backstories yet led to them being in the same orphanage together, the events entangles their bond and loyalty to one another. antigone, or annie, definitely had the full character development seeing her truly grow, while lee’s arc factored in his past and interesting seeing his views on the regime. seeing both characters’ perspectives on the new regime and figuring out how things aren’t so black and white in terms of good versus bad. coming to terms that morals and personal beliefs sometimes cannot take place to have order and how the inevitable war plays into testing out the reality of how this new regime will hold already seeing the ruptures with propaganda trying to rid of former dragonlord regime beliefs. classism was a huge aspect in the story with the testing to become a dragonrider is open to any class of economic status. yet obviously there is still blood prejudices and visible privilege with the gold class and their children.
really enjoyed how varying input in dialogue makes readers’ contemplate alongside the character’s views, constantly trying to understand the current ruling leader, atreus, who overthrew the dragonlords, if his vision of a nation is something to vow to defend or if they want more change. lee and annie, alongside their friends and classmates, were hardened within months by the realities of war in the high positions they’re in on orders against their morals that makes it a hard to stomach read at times. i’m very excited and scared to continue this incredible world of the aurelians to see where the story will take me next.
“And as she turned, it was revealed by her tread that she was fireborne.”
i genuinely have no words, this was ya fantasy excellence at its finest that left me breathless and riveted while reading. fireborne took me by complete surprise in the best way possible, when i went into this story with the only knowledge that it had an academy for dragonriders. like being the first in a trilogy it was such a distinctive standout already. maybe it’s just me but i thought it was skillfully thought out on its distinct themes of morals in question, loyalties, atonement, and much more. also the writing not too heavy on world building being easy to absorb and elements of lore, history of the old regimes, impressive political intrigue, character bonds, bureacracy of the new regime, social class levels and of course the aspects of dragon riding in how it’s the nation’s core. the politics stuck out to me a lot, it’s been a while since i’ve read fantasy with the morally clashing complexity this book had with its conflicted characters’ political thoughts. our mains lee sur power and antigone sur aela both so layered in both their own orphaned backstories yet led to them being in the same orphanage together, the events entangles their bond and loyalty to one another. antigone, or annie, definitely had the full character development seeing her truly grow, while lee’s arc factored in his past and interesting seeing his views on the regime. seeing both characters’ perspectives on the new regime and figuring out how things aren’t so black and white in terms of good versus bad. coming to terms that morals and personal beliefs sometimes cannot take place to have order and how the inevitable war plays into testing out the reality of how this new regime will hold already seeing the ruptures with propaganda trying to rid of former dragonlord regime beliefs. classism was a huge aspect in the story with the testing to become a dragonrider is open to any class of economic status. yet obviously there is still blood prejudices and visible privilege with the gold class and their children.
really enjoyed how varying input in dialogue makes readers’ contemplate alongside the character’s views, constantly trying to understand the current ruling leader, atreus, who overthrew the dragonlords, if his vision of a nation is something to vow to defend or if they want more change. lee and annie, alongside their friends and classmates, were hardened within months by the realities of war in the high positions they’re in on orders against their morals that makes it a hard to stomach read at times. i’m very excited and scared to continue this incredible world of the aurelians to see where the story will take me next.
“And as she turned, it was revealed by her tread that she was fireborne.”
October 15, 2019
“And as with gods the world quaked, to see them fireborne.”
Holy mother of dragons. What a freaking ride.
Alright folks, if you - like me - belong to the group of I-will-read-anything-with-dragons readers, then you are in for a treat. Because Fireborne is *your* book.
This book has everything to keep you glued to it. A complex fantasy world and political system, layered characters that are a treat to delve into and all the dragon action. Trust me, this was an impressive fantasy debut and it deserves your time and attention.
As for the romance, as you may be wondering, that’s where my teeny tiny complaint lies. You can’t pitch something as dragons + romance and then have a very secondary romantic subplot. Having said that, the romance was still there; the pining, the longing, the almost impossibility of it all that at the same time gave off this meant to be vibe. It was there and it was delicious in all its subtlety, leaving me wanting MORE.
Solid, freaking-A fantasy debut!
Rating: 4.5/5
*Copy gifted by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
*********
Pre-release thoughts
Fireborne: romance... AND dragons.
Me:
Holy mother of dragons. What a freaking ride.
Alright folks, if you - like me - belong to the group of I-will-read-anything-with-dragons readers, then you are in for a treat. Because Fireborne is *your* book.
This book has everything to keep you glued to it. A complex fantasy world and political system, layered characters that are a treat to delve into and all the dragon action. Trust me, this was an impressive fantasy debut and it deserves your time and attention.
As for the romance, as you may be wondering, that’s where my teeny tiny complaint lies. You can’t pitch something as dragons + romance and then have a very secondary romantic subplot. Having said that, the romance was still there; the pining, the longing, the almost impossibility of it all that at the same time gave off this meant to be vibe. It was there and it was delicious in all its subtlety, leaving me wanting MORE.
Solid, freaking-A fantasy debut!
Rating: 4.5/5
*Copy gifted by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
*********
Pre-release thoughts
Fireborne: romance... AND dragons.
Me:
January 18, 2025
i’ve been eyeing this trilogy since months but never had the chance to read it so when i finally did, i had high expectations - obviously. although it didn’t quite meet those expectations, i still found the book enjoyable enough. there were some things that i liked and some that i didn’t, which im going to elaborate so feel free to read along.
THINGS I LIKED
i can tell that the author put a lot of thought into the complex politics because it was one of the main elements that kept me hooked to the story. the flaws of inherited power versus the complications of a merit system is the crux of the argument presented here. there was realistic conflict between the affluent elite, the leaders of the New Regime, and the common folk. a lot of nuance was added to this and as a reader, it ultimately made me question: if the New Regime started following the footsteps of the Old one, then are they really any better than their oppressors? the ambiguity of the political system is what i loved the most about this book.
lee & annie’s friendship was very fascinating and i couldn’t decide whom to root for because rooting for one would mean hoping the downfall of the other. regardless, annie was easier to root for because her motivations were clear cut and her backstory actually made me hate lee a little. she wanted to break the stereotype that people had about Serfs (lowborns) and make a name for herself but at the same time she found it difficult to do so because of her bond with lee, who is a highborn. the only downside about her was that she guessed at lee’s actual identity a little too early in my opinion, and it took away some of the surprise that i was hoping for. i wish she had found out about hin later on in the book but anyway, i still liked how it turned out.
they were two opposing forces and while i couldn’t fully agree with lee’s choices up to halfway through the book, i still liked his character a lot. his rationale for wanting revenge on the New Regime made sense but he often questioned if it was just, considering the fact that his father was one of the oppressors during the Old Regime. i’m satisfied with how he turned out by the end of the book.
THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE
i buddy read this with my friend and they said “the battles aren’t engaging enough or action packed” which i strongly agree because until the 34% mark, most of the scenes were over so quickly and even after the 50% mark, majority of them were fade-to-black, which was disappointing.
the writing style felt a bit odd in some places. there were abrupt scene changes without any markers IN THE SAME PARAGRAPH. no chapter break nothing, which threw me off. one moment they’re having a normal convo and the next they’re airborne on their dragons which gave me whiplash because why are we moving so fast? some of the lines were even cliche like “he had dark hair, gray eyes, and high cheekbones” and of course, the overly used “i let out the breath i didn't realize i’d been holding.” can’t begin to tell you how many times i’ve come across that one.
thirdly, the dragons felt rather ignored in their own story. they weren’t described in detail nor was the way they were linked with their human riders. simply put, there was too much YA and not enough dragons for my liking. it was as though they were added as an afterthought. i wanted them to be a bigger part of the story but they were just kinda there…
FINAL THOUGHTS
overall, this was a satisfying and fun read. despite it’s flaws, i was glued to it thanks to the fast moving plot, complex characters, and political intrigue. highly recommended for YA fantasy lovers and fantasy enjoyers in general. just don’t go in with too high hopes and let it surprise you instead. i’m excited to see how the story will grow and transform along with our main characters in Flamefall :)
THINGS I LIKED
i can tell that the author put a lot of thought into the complex politics because it was one of the main elements that kept me hooked to the story. the flaws of inherited power versus the complications of a merit system is the crux of the argument presented here. there was realistic conflict between the affluent elite, the leaders of the New Regime, and the common folk. a lot of nuance was added to this and as a reader, it ultimately made me question: if the New Regime started following the footsteps of the Old one, then are they really any better than their oppressors? the ambiguity of the political system is what i loved the most about this book.
lee & annie’s friendship was very fascinating and i couldn’t decide whom to root for because rooting for one would mean hoping the downfall of the other. regardless, annie was easier to root for because her motivations were clear cut and her backstory actually made me hate lee a little. she wanted to break the stereotype that people had about Serfs (lowborns) and make a name for herself but at the same time she found it difficult to do so because of her bond with lee, who is a highborn. the only downside about her was that she guessed at lee’s actual identity a little too early in my opinion, and it took away some of the surprise that i was hoping for. i wish she had found out about hin later on in the book but anyway, i still liked how it turned out.
they were two opposing forces and while i couldn’t fully agree with lee’s choices up to halfway through the book, i still liked his character a lot. his rationale for wanting revenge on the New Regime made sense but he often questioned if it was just, considering the fact that his father was one of the oppressors during the Old Regime. i’m satisfied with how he turned out by the end of the book.
THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE
i buddy read this with my friend and they said “the battles aren’t engaging enough or action packed” which i strongly agree because until the 34% mark, most of the scenes were over so quickly and even after the 50% mark, majority of them were fade-to-black, which was disappointing.
the writing style felt a bit odd in some places. there were abrupt scene changes without any markers IN THE SAME PARAGRAPH. no chapter break nothing, which threw me off. one moment they’re having a normal convo and the next they’re airborne on their dragons which gave me whiplash because why are we moving so fast? some of the lines were even cliche like “he had dark hair, gray eyes, and high cheekbones” and of course, the overly used “i let out the breath i didn't realize i’d been holding.” can’t begin to tell you how many times i’ve come across that one.
thirdly, the dragons felt rather ignored in their own story. they weren’t described in detail nor was the way they were linked with their human riders. simply put, there was too much YA and not enough dragons for my liking. it was as though they were added as an afterthought. i wanted them to be a bigger part of the story but they were just kinda there…
FINAL THOUGHTS
overall, this was a satisfying and fun read. despite it’s flaws, i was glued to it thanks to the fast moving plot, complex characters, and political intrigue. highly recommended for YA fantasy lovers and fantasy enjoyers in general. just don’t go in with too high hopes and let it surprise you instead. i’m excited to see how the story will grow and transform along with our main characters in Flamefall :)
Want to read
August 3, 2022[15 March 2019]
There's a cover! I love the red, and that dragon can slay me :)) #CoverLove
Also, can I just say that the comparison to Seraphina and Red Rising just undid me? I mean, when Rachel Hartman praises a book, I'm in—that woman has always impressed with the philosophy in her books...
• • • • • • •
[Initial review]
Inspired by Plato’s Republic...
Wow. That should be interesting for sure!
...the story is pitched as Aegon Targaryen and Hermione Granger with dragons, set in the aftermath of a bloody revolution.
...Wait. What???? What kind of synopsis is that?! (The kind to make me add it, that's what kind it is 😐😂)
I mean I don't even know what that bleeding means!
What that bleeding means:
What inspired you to write this particular story?
Besides, grey morality!! My fave thing to ever read! Thank you Ms. Munda! Thank you
That's not even considering the explanation to the synopsis:
It looks like this book's gonna be everything I've ever needed ... I don't think anything more needs to be said on the matter: anticipated read
There's a cover! I love the red, and that dragon can slay me :)) #CoverLove
Also, can I just say that the comparison to Seraphina and Red Rising just undid me? I mean, when Rachel Hartman praises a book, I'm in—that woman has always impressed with the philosophy in her books...
• • • • • • •
[Initial review]
Inspired by Plato’s Republic...
Wow. That should be interesting for sure!
...the story is pitched as Aegon Targaryen and Hermione Granger with dragons, set in the aftermath of a bloody revolution.
...Wait. What???? What kind of synopsis is that?! (The kind to make me add it, that's what kind it is 😐😂)
I mean I don't even know what that bleeding means!
What that bleeding means:
What inspired you to write this particular story?
The French Revolution, Plato's Republic, and before either of these, the Blitz...Well, I mean, that deserves a wow and a definitely-adding-it! Wait, it getts better:
...listening to an audiobook about the Battle for Britain, imagining dogfights as I drove, the beginnings of a story taking shape. Somewhere along the way, those fighter planes became dragons, and I never looked back.
Later, working in Paris, I wandered streets whose legacy from the French Revolution was written in defaced tombs and unmarked sites of guillotines, and I knew I wanted to write about revolution. Not about the beginnings of one—the bloody aftermath. So many beautiful YA novels have been about kids starting a revolution, but I wanted to explore the other side of it. I wanted to write about kids who had to pick up the pieces afterwards. And I wanted to inverse a closely related trope...And that is enough for me to know I absolutely need to read this! So many authors ignore the aftermath of the wars they write and I personally need more books on that topic!
...I wanted to imagine an orphaned aristocrat who has every reason to seek revenge, until he realizes that maybe, his family did wrong, too.
Besides, grey morality!! My fave thing to ever read! Thank you Ms. Munda! Thank you
That's not even considering the explanation to the synopsis:
And then what pulled it all together was Plato's Republic, which I studied a bit in college. I was captivated by its dystopian/utopian approach to propaganda and meritocracy. What would a society look like that granted political power unequally according to intelligence, rather than unequally according to birthright?That's a yes for me! Thank you very much I'd like it tomorrow?!
And—even more intriguingly—what would that look like in a society where rulers ride dragons? What if a revolution transformed hereditary dragonriding into a test-based selection process?
That’s where Lee and Annie’s stories start. An aristocrat in hiding, and a former serf who meet in the orphanage, test side by side into their new regime’s dragonriding program, and have to decide if they really can leave the past behind them—and if the new regime really is better than what came before.I've always needed a book questioning a revolution rather than starting one!
It looks like this book's gonna be everything I've ever needed ... I don't think anything more needs to be said on the matter: anticipated read
Read
September 7, 2025DNF at 75%
dnf
October 16, 2019This reads like an amalgamation of several dragon books (A Game of Thrones and Harry Potter among others), but without those books’ distinct voices and characters. There are two POVs (so far), both equally bland and stock. I expected more:(
September 19, 2023
Third time reading and I still got chills.
_
Just finished my reread! The politics! The deception! The slowburn romance! The angst and longing! I’m still blown away.
_
This is so brilliant, and I cannot believe I'm not seeing enough people hype this title up because I had so much trouble putting Fireborne down. This beautifully written fantasy debut is Game of Thrones meets Plato's Republic, and y'all aren't ready for the feels.
Buddy read this with Vinny from Artsy Draft. Full review to follow!
_
Just finished my reread! The politics! The deception! The slowburn romance! The angst and longing! I’m still blown away.
_
This is so brilliant, and I cannot believe I'm not seeing enough people hype this title up because I had so much trouble putting Fireborne down. This beautifully written fantasy debut is Game of Thrones meets Plato's Republic, and y'all aren't ready for the feels.
Buddy read this with Vinny from Artsy Draft. Full review to follow!
September 3, 2024
3.5 stars.
___
“[...] was inspired by Plato’s Republic. Told from a dual point of view, the story is pitched as Aegon Targaryen and Hermione Granger with dragons, [...]”
This is the most OUTRAGEOUS sentence I have ever read.
___
“[...] was inspired by Plato’s Republic. Told from a dual point of view, the story is pitched as Aegon Targaryen and Hermione Granger with dragons, [...]”
This is the most OUTRAGEOUS sentence I have ever read.
August 20, 2023
08/20/23 on sale on kindle for $2.99!
Actual rating 4.5 stars
I haven't had good luck with YA books this year so I almost passed on this one. I'm so glad that I didn't because Fireborne was such a breathe of fresh air. The characters were complex and so well written. I truly empathized with their struggles and appreciated the nuanced relationships. Even the side characters were wonderful.
This book was also thematically rich. It tackled classism, sexism, and morality to name a few. I think my favorite part of this book was the examination of what makes a "just" government. There are also no clear villains in this story which I love. The YA fantasy genre truly needs more books like this. If you like political fantasy that's thought provoking and character driven, definitely pick this one up.
Actual rating 4.5 stars
I haven't had good luck with YA books this year so I almost passed on this one. I'm so glad that I didn't because Fireborne was such a breathe of fresh air. The characters were complex and so well written. I truly empathized with their struggles and appreciated the nuanced relationships. Even the side characters were wonderful.
This book was also thematically rich. It tackled classism, sexism, and morality to name a few. I think my favorite part of this book was the examination of what makes a "just" government. There are also no clear villains in this story which I love. The YA fantasy genre truly needs more books like this. If you like political fantasy that's thought provoking and character driven, definitely pick this one up.
September 23, 2022
Hi my dears! Jumping on here after MANY years to say that for those who'd like their Fireborne hardcovers to match the sequels, you can claim a redesigned jacket on my site as a part of a promotional #FurysongPostorderCampaign. I hope you enjoy your beautiful matching sets and thank you for reading The Aurelian Cycle!
Read
September 4, 2019This book has gotten a lot of advanced buzz, and I have to say, I can see why.
The telepathic dragon/companion trope is pretty well worn by now, and Munda doesn't do much to add to it. But if you like that trope, you're going to be okay with the eggs, impression, shared emotional states with dragons, etc. Munda does a great job with it.
Where this book takes a left turn, I thought, was with the political situation. The story (sort of*) begins ten years after an especially bloody revolution, overthrowing the dragon lords who were this world's nobles. They kept the dragons to themselves, and of course they had everything. Including the leisure time for poetry. The rest of the world scrabbled to support them.
Until the revolution that overthrew them, and nearly stamped them out by killing all the dragon lords down the the smallest kid. But total annihilation is more difficult than it looks when it's hand to hand slaughter, and a few got away, or were spared--including one of our protagonists, Lee, who was born Leo, his father an important dragon lord.
I said "Sort of" above because we get snippets of the revolution, and Lee's story, along with Annie's. She is our secondary protagonist, once a serf. As a serf she would never have been permitted near a dragon, but now she and Lee are dragon riders, for the revolution made it possible for commoners to test for dragon riding.
Early on, we get a glimpse of a past event, an execution. Lee and Annie, tight friends, both misunderstood the other's reaction--and when the reader realizes it, the game alters. Nothing is predictable anymore. Moral dilemmas, with huge emotional freight attached, lie like landmines everywhere. There are no easy choices in this world.
I suspect Munda is a visual writer, as she paints in the complexities of character emotions through subtle observation of body language. That was a real pleasure to read--she avoids the easy but overused LED lights in eyes for emotional conveyance (his eyes gleamed/smoldered/flashed/shot flames, fire, ice, and daggers, blah de blah). That and the difficult choices, plus the twists in the backstory that you think you know, add up to a real page turner.
Tne climax is breathtaking, excruciating, exhilarating by turns. There is an exquisite balance between resolution and hints of what is to come to really make me eager to see what's next.
Wow!
Copy provided by NetGalley
The telepathic dragon/companion trope is pretty well worn by now, and Munda doesn't do much to add to it. But if you like that trope, you're going to be okay with the eggs, impression, shared emotional states with dragons, etc. Munda does a great job with it.
Where this book takes a left turn, I thought, was with the political situation. The story (sort of*) begins ten years after an especially bloody revolution, overthrowing the dragon lords who were this world's nobles. They kept the dragons to themselves, and of course they had everything. Including the leisure time for poetry. The rest of the world scrabbled to support them.
Until the revolution that overthrew them, and nearly stamped them out by killing all the dragon lords down the the smallest kid. But total annihilation is more difficult than it looks when it's hand to hand slaughter, and a few got away, or were spared--including one of our protagonists, Lee, who was born Leo, his father an important dragon lord.
I said "Sort of" above because we get snippets of the revolution, and Lee's story, along with Annie's. She is our secondary protagonist, once a serf. As a serf she would never have been permitted near a dragon, but now she and Lee are dragon riders, for the revolution made it possible for commoners to test for dragon riding.
Early on, we get a glimpse of a past event, an execution. Lee and Annie, tight friends, both misunderstood the other's reaction--and when the reader realizes it, the game alters. Nothing is predictable anymore. Moral dilemmas, with huge emotional freight attached, lie like landmines everywhere. There are no easy choices in this world.
I suspect Munda is a visual writer, as she paints in the complexities of character emotions through subtle observation of body language. That was a real pleasure to read--she avoids the easy but overused LED lights in eyes for emotional conveyance (his eyes gleamed/smoldered/flashed/shot flames, fire, ice, and daggers, blah de blah). That and the difficult choices, plus the twists in the backstory that you think you know, add up to a real page turner.
Tne climax is breathtaking, excruciating, exhilarating by turns. There is an exquisite balance between resolution and hints of what is to come to really make me eager to see what's next.
Wow!
Copy provided by NetGalley
December 6, 2019
2.5 stars rounded to 3 stars because it’s probably better than my level of enjoyment. I found this unwieldy, and lacking in dragons
August 20, 2019
Rosaria Munda's Fireborne is an upcoming fall 2019 release that I hadn't heard much about. Having spent much of my time wedding planning over the past 8 months, the following is what I knew: it's fantasy, said to be a mix of Rachel Hartman's Seraphina and Pierce Brown's Red Rising, and Munda was inspired by the Aeneid and the Republic. I'm always down for fantasy; I haven't read Seraphina, but I did read Red Rising and felt iffy about it; and I could barely get through the Aeneid and the Republic in college. I didn't have high hopes of enjoying Fireborne, but I kept my mind open and unassuming.
And, man, I'm glad I went in suspending hopes of any kind. Fireborne hit every need of mine when it comes to a fantasy story:
-Suspense that had me wondering what was going to happen, because I knew way more than all the characters, and the possible reveals had me on edge. Seriously, I think I was sweating a few times when the stakes were life-and-death serious. And what made it more intense was how the characters' different motivations played into what was known. I was practically skimming the pages through a couple chapters because I needed to know what happened to resolve a certain situation or two.
-Tension between characters that continuously changes and morphs as new developments emerge--especially when the tension is between the two main perspectives and there is a love and fondness between the two, but the stakes are high and they each have polarizing motivations. Not to mention, the constant romantic tension is further complicated by attractions to other people once in a while. From the very start the romantic tension had me rooting for one pair to end up together, then another, and then it got all mixed to the point I gave up and sat back to instead enjoy watching it unfold.
-Characters that crawl into your heart and feel real enough to exist. You can see the flaws of the society they inhabit, and you can see the flaws of the former regime that their current society came from, so you see where everyone stands in the grand scheme of ideologies. But--and this is a heavy 'but,' somber and realizing--it all comes down to I, the reader, understands where they all come from. It isn't black and white as to who is right and just. Their world is very gray, because every character has their reasons and those reasons make sense even as they are in opposition to one another. Not to mention, the side characters were full of life as well and I also loved them. Actually, I loved some of them right away. Overall, Munda is amazing with fleshing out all levels of characters and bringing them to life.
-The world-building, including the tensions between nations, was fantastic. I see exactly what Munda means when she says the Aeneid and the Republic inspired her. The same level of political and social exploration happens, but definitely in a manner that was more engaging for myself. And the exploration of the political and social aspects created an extra depth of reflection for myself that I feel I don't get with some other books (fantasy or not, just books in general). I'm not saying that other books don't set out with a purpose intended for the real world at large. I am, however, saying that this book had me contemplating the grayness of my own world. The world isn't black and white, and far too often people (myself included) try to filter the world into that dichotomy. This book is an enjoyable, albeit sobering, reminder that people need to look beyond themselves and from another person's perspective. (Brief digression: that might be a takeaway all my own from how the perspectives and sides of conflict are in the book, so this might not be something the author intended nor something other readers may feel the same about. I tend to analyze deeply, so this is something I saw and it resonates within me.) (Second brief digression: I just learned that Munda studied political theory and, I swear, it shows--but in an amazing way, because only someone educated in political theory could pull off the complex politics of this story and nail it like Munda does.)
-And, of course, the writing was phenomenal. Aside from the reason listed above, I would say half of the reason that I adore this book is the writing itself. It's refreshing. There is always something actively occurring, even if it is a flashback to better inform the characters' present situations. You aren't left waiting for what's next because Munda is always giving you something new right away. But she does balance it with internal reflections that accentuate and enhance, because those moments allow us to be closer to the characters and better understand their drives. She also does harken back to the Aeneid and Republic in some ways, glorifying their ancient poetry and texts that are oh so similar to the Aeneid and the Republic."
Be sure to keep tissues nearby as you venture into Fireborne. Surprisingly, there are quite a few emotional moments as you follow the characters' hardships and see how their worlds fell apart and came back together.
And, man, I'm glad I went in suspending hopes of any kind. Fireborne hit every need of mine when it comes to a fantasy story:
-Suspense that had me wondering what was going to happen, because I knew way more than all the characters, and the possible reveals had me on edge. Seriously, I think I was sweating a few times when the stakes were life-and-death serious. And what made it more intense was how the characters' different motivations played into what was known. I was practically skimming the pages through a couple chapters because I needed to know what happened to resolve a certain situation or two.
-Tension between characters that continuously changes and morphs as new developments emerge--especially when the tension is between the two main perspectives and there is a love and fondness between the two, but the stakes are high and they each have polarizing motivations. Not to mention, the constant romantic tension is further complicated by attractions to other people once in a while. From the very start the romantic tension had me rooting for one pair to end up together, then another, and then it got all mixed to the point I gave up and sat back to instead enjoy watching it unfold.
-Characters that crawl into your heart and feel real enough to exist. You can see the flaws of the society they inhabit, and you can see the flaws of the former regime that their current society came from, so you see where everyone stands in the grand scheme of ideologies. But--and this is a heavy 'but,' somber and realizing--it all comes down to I, the reader, understands where they all come from. It isn't black and white as to who is right and just. Their world is very gray, because every character has their reasons and those reasons make sense even as they are in opposition to one another. Not to mention, the side characters were full of life as well and I also loved them. Actually, I loved some of them right away. Overall, Munda is amazing with fleshing out all levels of characters and bringing them to life.
-The world-building, including the tensions between nations, was fantastic. I see exactly what Munda means when she says the Aeneid and the Republic inspired her. The same level of political and social exploration happens, but definitely in a manner that was more engaging for myself. And the exploration of the political and social aspects created an extra depth of reflection for myself that I feel I don't get with some other books (fantasy or not, just books in general). I'm not saying that other books don't set out with a purpose intended for the real world at large. I am, however, saying that this book had me contemplating the grayness of my own world. The world isn't black and white, and far too often people (myself included) try to filter the world into that dichotomy. This book is an enjoyable, albeit sobering, reminder that people need to look beyond themselves and from another person's perspective. (Brief digression: that might be a takeaway all my own from how the perspectives and sides of conflict are in the book, so this might not be something the author intended nor something other readers may feel the same about. I tend to analyze deeply, so this is something I saw and it resonates within me.) (Second brief digression: I just learned that Munda studied political theory and, I swear, it shows--but in an amazing way, because only someone educated in political theory could pull off the complex politics of this story and nail it like Munda does.)
-And, of course, the writing was phenomenal. Aside from the reason listed above, I would say half of the reason that I adore this book is the writing itself. It's refreshing. There is always something actively occurring, even if it is a flashback to better inform the characters' present situations. You aren't left waiting for what's next because Munda is always giving you something new right away. But she does balance it with internal reflections that accentuate and enhance, because those moments allow us to be closer to the characters and better understand their drives. She also does harken back to the Aeneid and Republic in some ways, glorifying their ancient poetry and texts that are oh so similar to the Aeneid and the Republic."
Be sure to keep tissues nearby as you venture into Fireborne. Surprisingly, there are quite a few emotional moments as you follow the characters' hardships and see how their worlds fell apart and came back together.
November 10, 2019
Fireborne is one of the most anticipated YA fantasy books of autumn, but, for me, it didn't keep up with the hype.
Things smelled fishy when they started marketing it by comparing it to other popular books. Though the author claims that she was inspired by the classics (something that would have been more intriguing for me to lead me to pick up this book), them suggesting that is a combination of this and that just doesn't sound original. Still it does have that big dragon on the cover.
So, what went wrong?
First of all, what I did like parts of the story. Especially towards the ending, where things got more unpredictable and exciting, I was hooked. However, most of the book is kind of leading to that big outburst, so the action and the dragonfights were few and scarce. I also enjoyed some of the character. Annie was pretty cool and she had a nice, but not smooth, character development. Lee was okay, but he was too traped into his concept and he acted mostly because of it. Duck was a sweetheart, but condemned to be the second lead. Still, I liked his parts, as he was more humane and the easiest character to identify with. Power (now I know shouldn't) but I really liked him. Sure, he was the bully and the "bad guy", but he was the only one acting rationally and thinking straight. And he had some surprising character aspects.
Now, for the things I didn't like and which ruined the book for me. First of all, the whole book felt like it was the sketch of the actual book, just the skeleton or outline if you'd like, of the story that was written as a guidline and it should have been filled with details and some action scenes, but it never was. Most of the time the actual action was happening off the page and you just end up reading the aftermath of it. In other cases, times speeds up and you find the story days or weeks ahead just by the alteration of a paragraph. Also, I felt like I was puzzling the story myslef most of the time. Terms, events, characters and such kept appearing and the book never provided sufficient explanation for them. You just had to accept that it is what it is and move on. Plus, and maybe this is me the old Eragon fan who read the books more than ten times, but I would like to have been provided with more information on the dragons and their connection to their riders. Sure, later on there is a scene that describes how the two main leads got their dragons, but other than that, we get glimpses of what is like to be a dragon rider or what the dragons can do and can't. That, along with the few dragon fights that were only briefly described, and the story that was rushing forward, leaving things unexplained, left in just a mention, or never bothering to give a description of a place, character, event and such, were my main problems of this book.
The double pov, in addition, was a good idea but it would have worked if the characters were showing the reader their take on the event. However, the actual result was that the one picked up where the other had left and they kept altering too quickly, so there was no time to get what the character was feeling or thinking. Also, the romance was just okay. You are fed to believe straight from the start that Lee loves Annie, but she has a stronger bond with other students and she thinks of him as her old childhood friend. And that trope just keeps going throughout the book, with the addition of a love square, that just complicated things only a little. In the end, I wasn't convinced by the couple.
So, either this book was not for me, as only pulled me in towards the end, for the rest, I just kept reading to see why it was so highly praised, or it just needs to be worked on a little more, because the story does have potential.
Things smelled fishy when they started marketing it by comparing it to other popular books. Though the author claims that she was inspired by the classics (something that would have been more intriguing for me to lead me to pick up this book), them suggesting that is a combination of this and that just doesn't sound original. Still it does have that big dragon on the cover.
So, what went wrong?
First of all, what I did like parts of the story. Especially towards the ending, where things got more unpredictable and exciting, I was hooked. However, most of the book is kind of leading to that big outburst, so the action and the dragonfights were few and scarce. I also enjoyed some of the character. Annie was pretty cool and she had a nice, but not smooth, character development. Lee was okay, but he was too traped into his concept and he acted mostly because of it. Duck was a sweetheart, but condemned to be the second lead. Still, I liked his parts, as he was more humane and the easiest character to identify with. Power (now I know shouldn't) but I really liked him. Sure, he was the bully and the "bad guy", but he was the only one acting rationally and thinking straight. And he had some surprising character aspects.
Now, for the things I didn't like and which ruined the book for me. First of all, the whole book felt like it was the sketch of the actual book, just the skeleton or outline if you'd like, of the story that was written as a guidline and it should have been filled with details and some action scenes, but it never was. Most of the time the actual action was happening off the page and you just end up reading the aftermath of it. In other cases, times speeds up and you find the story days or weeks ahead just by the alteration of a paragraph. Also, I felt like I was puzzling the story myslef most of the time. Terms, events, characters and such kept appearing and the book never provided sufficient explanation for them. You just had to accept that it is what it is and move on. Plus, and maybe this is me the old Eragon fan who read the books more than ten times, but I would like to have been provided with more information on the dragons and their connection to their riders. Sure, later on there is a scene that describes how the two main leads got their dragons, but other than that, we get glimpses of what is like to be a dragon rider or what the dragons can do and can't. That, along with the few dragon fights that were only briefly described, and the story that was rushing forward, leaving things unexplained, left in just a mention, or never bothering to give a description of a place, character, event and such, were my main problems of this book.
The double pov, in addition, was a good idea but it would have worked if the characters were showing the reader their take on the event. However, the actual result was that the one picked up where the other had left and they kept altering too quickly, so there was no time to get what the character was feeling or thinking. Also, the romance was just okay. You are fed to believe straight from the start that Lee loves Annie, but she has a stronger bond with other students and she thinks of him as her old childhood friend. And that trope just keeps going throughout the book, with the addition of a love square, that just complicated things only a little. In the end, I wasn't convinced by the couple.
So, either this book was not for me, as only pulled me in towards the end, for the rest, I just kept reading to see why it was so highly praised, or it just needs to be worked on a little more, because the story does have potential.
September 9, 2020
I usually finish books. When I don't, I at least push myself halfway.
Unfortunately, with this one I simply couldn't. From the beginning, Fireborne was confusing and just not very interesting. There were a lot of characters, which I usually do not have a problem with. (I, Claudius worked just fine for me). They just weren't distinct. None of the side characters had any personality. If they did, it was a thin generalization or a state of being. Duck's only personality is being in love with Annie. Power's only personality is being that bratty rich kid who picks on the poor kids. Even Annie and Lee, the protagonists had little personality. The POV is alternating first person, and I had to mentally note whose head I was in because their voices had absolutely zero distinction.
Nothing about the story really interested me at all except Lee's flashbacks to his childhood. Other than that I could not care.
The world building was not bad, but not adequate either. So much of 146 pages I read focused on politics and class dynamics. Yet, there's... not that much presented about the sociopolitical structure other than 1) Atreus, the guy who overthrew the "old regime," is now the First Protector, which I take is sort of like a president or prime minister? 2) There are four classes, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Iron, and you are sorted into those classes with a test, 3) They're really big on propaganda. There could have been so much more. I also had trouble visualizing the setting, though not for lack of descriptions.
Unfortunately, with this one I simply couldn't. From the beginning, Fireborne was confusing and just not very interesting. There were a lot of characters, which I usually do not have a problem with. (I, Claudius worked just fine for me). They just weren't distinct. None of the side characters had any personality. If they did, it was a thin generalization or a state of being. Duck's only personality is being in love with Annie. Power's only personality is being that bratty rich kid who picks on the poor kids. Even Annie and Lee, the protagonists had little personality. The POV is alternating first person, and I had to mentally note whose head I was in because their voices had absolutely zero distinction.
Nothing about the story really interested me at all except Lee's flashbacks to his childhood. Other than that I could not care.
The world building was not bad, but not adequate either. So much of 146 pages I read focused on politics and class dynamics. Yet, there's... not that much presented about the sociopolitical structure other than 1) Atreus, the guy who overthrew the "old regime," is now the First Protector, which I take is sort of like a president or prime minister? 2) There are four classes, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Iron, and you are sorted into those classes with a test, 3) They're really big on propaganda. There could have been so much more. I also had trouble visualizing the setting, though not for lack of descriptions.
November 7, 2019
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The Buzz
Many book bloggers know that I am a dragon lover!! If it has a dragon I will pretty much move heaven and earth to read the book... and its hard to hate a book with a dragon in it. I met my match in Fireborne.
The cover is okay. I wish that it gave a little more of a hint to its ancient classic underpinnings. And less feature to the dragons. I also think the original title was a little more on target... The Dragonlord's Son. It's just this book isn't really about dragons. So all the marketing is really misleading.
The Premise
There's been a brutal and bloody revolution. A pair of kids who survived to grow up in an orphanage will now battle it out in the new regime to become the leader of the guardians. And I've made this sounds way, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more exciting than Fireborne really is. I'm sorry but the potential is there for a really incredible book. Even now I'm reeling at how underwhelmed I was. A lot of it is I expected a pretty dragon stuffed adventure. What I got was a cold war.
The thing is I totally liked both Lee and Annie. They both come from pretty horrible experiences when the new regime takes over. Each day they were just trying to make it to the next one. They didn't realize that they came from different sides in the war. While they still have issues between them I loved this history from their childhood. Both the trauma and how they survived due to the presence of one another. And this history has created a very nuanced relationship. It clearly effected every interaction between the two of them. But I was expecting a dragon stuffed adventure...
And what I got from Fireborne was a reimagining of the world from Plato's The Republic. I applaud what the author was trying to do (according to her note at the end)... and I think she successfully recreated that ancient classic world. But what a boring and dry world it is. I wanted tons of dragon battles and lore. What I got was one off page battle between enemies and two on page battles between allies n dragonback. We didn't even get to see patrols or other war like scenes. We got two mentions of dragon lore. It was so, so light. And we got pages, and pages on the regime. Considering we were along for the ride for 448 pages this isn't a lot of dragon adventure. They were actually quite incidental to the story.
As for the war the Fireborne premise talked about... not much happened. It became a personal war that Lee struggled to deal with. Sure we see how the regime "dealt" with it but it wasn't by taking action. The lack of action in a war time really frustrated me. Especially since we have dragons waiting in the wings.
In the end Fireborne is an incredible slow, slllllllllooooooowwwwwwww burn romance. The pinnacle is a kiss. Yeah, that slow (we're talking about 448 pages here after all.) Everything is about the relationship between Annie and Lee. Even the difficult decision Lee goes through is about Annie. There is a twist at the end which I thought was odd. It served no purpose but to change how we see one character. That may be pertinent to the next book... but I'm not sure I'm up for a Fireborne sequel.
My Experience
By the time 35% of Fireborne rolled around I was firmly rooting for Annie and Lee to overcome the uncomfortableness between them to be together. But I also realized this read like a boring adult fantasy to me. Cool ideas were introduced but bogged down by politics (not much), government (a lot!) and day to day interactions (slice of life feel).
The farther I read the more bored I got and at 55% I realized not much action was going to take place. The "battles" we were told about do happen but they are rather anticlimatic as they are only really about Lee and Annie's relationship. The battles aren't about the regime or the war. I will admit though this scene is the MOST EXCITING scene in the book. I was quite effected by Lee's reaction and the way fire was born.
I did like Annie and Lee. I liked Lee and his determination to do what is right. It mirrored Atreus who was willing to commit atrocities to remake the world. And Annie was a classic empowered female with a story that fit her life a glove. But my favorite character was Power, an amoral jerk and guardian, one of 4 leaders with Annie and Lee. I liked Power because in a sea of boringness he made waves. But he’s a swing character, crafted to do the opposite of what you expect when the author needs something doing that doesn’t make sense.
I said this at 68%... "Gosh this is incredibly boring!! So drawn out. Really a romance between two adultish teens who will become the leaders of their country. The romance is nuanced and slow burn, as they jockey for position in the government as well as with their feelings. The dragons are very light. There is no action plot! It’s all classes, personal interactions and slow moving war chest beating."
By 80% I wanted to kill myself or DNF the rest!! Because the regime imagined from Plato's The Republic is incredible depressing. They are totally amoral and no different than the powers they overthrew. Again I thought... this is so adult. Sure the world is not a nice place. As we age from teens to adults we realize that life isn't all books, tea and leather chairs. We have to work to pay for our books and once college is over real life takes over. I just didn't want to read this in book form. Life will catch up to us with time, when I read I want to have hope, be inspired and take action!!
Fireborne is a reimagining of Plato's The Republic written for YA readers. It adds in a cadre of dragons to make the world a hotter place, but ultimately what saves this book is the slow burn romance. If you like a lot of government, a touch of war and an in depth relationship then you've got to check this out!!
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Writing Style
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ World Building
B+ Cover & Title grade
Thanks to BookishFirst and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It has not influenced my opinions.
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