What do you think?
Rate this book
Heritor's Helm #1
Fire of the Forebears
Pitted against one another, with the people and country they love in jeopardy, the daughter of a deserter and the son of the king have a chance to fulfill their forebears’ legacy—or destroy it entirely.
Twisted monsters called saja lurk in the shadows of the mountains. Rumors say the Fidelis, human wielders of an ancient elemental magic, again walk the plains. Not all in Avaron believe, and not all welcome the return of legend.
Kura’s a skeptic. But, she’ll cross and befriend centaurs, talking animals, and worse to save her family after the rebellion mistakes her for the land’s prophesied savior. And, while he’d rather negotiate with rebels than fight them, Triston can’t ignore prophecy. That was the sham his father used to steal the crown in the first place.
Over a century ago, their ancestors sailed the oceans in search of peace and died as heroes fighting for it. But heroes—and villains—aren’t always what they seem to be.
Twisted monsters called saja lurk in the shadows of the mountains. Rumors say the Fidelis, human wielders of an ancient elemental magic, again walk the plains. Not all in Avaron believe, and not all welcome the return of legend.
Kura’s a skeptic. But, she’ll cross and befriend centaurs, talking animals, and worse to save her family after the rebellion mistakes her for the land’s prophesied savior. And, while he’d rather negotiate with rebels than fight them, Triston can’t ignore prophecy. That was the sham his father used to steal the crown in the first place.
Over a century ago, their ancestors sailed the oceans in search of peace and died as heroes fighting for it. But heroes—and villains—aren’t always what they seem to be.
- GenresFantasy
521 pages, Paperback
Published February 22, 2022
6 people are currently reading
519 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
August 16, 2022
* I reviewed this book for SPFBO8. You can find my full video review here: https://youtu.be/U7KnCKlqN0U *
Fire of the Forebears is the debut novel from author L.A. Buck, and is book one in the series Heritor’s Helm.
We follow two main characters on opposite sides: Kura, the daughter of a deserter-turned-farmer who finds herself rather more involved in a rebellion than she had perhaps anticipated, and Triston, the son of the king who is sent to quash said rebellion.
What we get here is a solid, epic fantasy—what I like to think of as ‘proper fantasy’ as it’s one of those books that has a bit of a classic feel but with a modern writing style.
There are plenty of epic fantasy staples here: rebellion, prophecy, reluctant heroes, magic swords, fantastic creatures, ‘good’ and ‘bad’ magic, created language… and they are all well done and fit nicely into the world that’s been created here.
One of the highlights for me is how these are all brought into the story in a way that is natural, they’re not just there for show, but at the same time, they’re absolutely not overdone or overused.
The first thing we see that really tells us about this fantasy world is a man riding a talking bear, which really did a good job of setting the scene for me. From that we learn about the nostkynna, which are essentially talking animals.
This isn’t Narnia though, nostkynna are known enough that they’re not a surprise, but they don’t interact with humans much, or at least, not that we see from the characters we follow. They’re also more like regular animals in appearance—not personified like many talking fantasy animals might be.
Then we have the saja—nostkynna who have devoted their soul to the Crux, amplifying their animalistic traits and giving us, for want of a better word, monsters.
There are also centaurs, and I like how they’re not just there as magical creatures in the background, but they’re named characters with history, family, and agency of their own. So overall, the fantastic creatures are a big plus point for the way they are developed and how well they fit in to the world and the story without being overbearing.
There’s a good bit of lore here as well, and get plenty of history organically delivered through the storytelling in this novel.
The magic is quite well done, and as mentioned before there are essentially ‘good’ and ‘bad’ sides of it. Like with the nostkynna who become saja, you also have humans who devote themselves to the Crux, becoming vojaks who can manipulate the elements. The opposite of the Crux is the Essence, and that has its own devotees, the Fidelis, who have elemental powers as well.
All that is secondary to the story though, which hinges on Kura’s desire to break her family free from under the yoke of King Dradge, who she sees as evil.
I really like how family plays an important part in this. Fire of the Forebears has the same sort of well-presented family togetherness that we see in Zack Argyle’s Threadlight series. Family isn’t just there to give us an inciting incident, it’s an ongoing theme in Kura’s story, and also in Triston’s, but to a lesser extent.
I thought the characters overall were quite well done. I definitely enjoyed reading about Kura, and while Triston was perhaps a little more formulaic, he was still interesting and had plenty of good moments.
There’s a good cast of supporting characters as well, nicely balanced with friends and enemies, and the interaction between the characters is generally well managed. Relationships and alliances seem quite organic, they’re certainly not rushed. There’s a bit of happy coincidence here and there, but in general, you can still see the threads that were weaving those coincidences into the fabric of the story.
Plenty of reviews talk about the romance in this book like it’s something that doesn’t belong. There are little hints here and there, but there’s no fully realised romance on show.
Love is a natural part of the world and it’s only right to see it now and again in these stories. Having the potential for a little love in the future against the backdrop of war in the here and now makes a story like this just that little bit more real. It adds heart without having to spell it out, and this book did a really good job at that.
Overall, you’ll find solid writing here and good, balanced pacing that keeps the pages turning. It has a really interesting world, characters, and story, with quite a satisfying conclusion, and it doesn’t just finish with a bang—you get a good bit of falling action as well. Because of that, I would definitely say it could be read as a standalone, but either way, it’s a very good read and a high recommendation.
Fire of the Forebears is the debut novel from author L.A. Buck, and is book one in the series Heritor’s Helm.
We follow two main characters on opposite sides: Kura, the daughter of a deserter-turned-farmer who finds herself rather more involved in a rebellion than she had perhaps anticipated, and Triston, the son of the king who is sent to quash said rebellion.
What we get here is a solid, epic fantasy—what I like to think of as ‘proper fantasy’ as it’s one of those books that has a bit of a classic feel but with a modern writing style.
There are plenty of epic fantasy staples here: rebellion, prophecy, reluctant heroes, magic swords, fantastic creatures, ‘good’ and ‘bad’ magic, created language… and they are all well done and fit nicely into the world that’s been created here.
One of the highlights for me is how these are all brought into the story in a way that is natural, they’re not just there for show, but at the same time, they’re absolutely not overdone or overused.
The first thing we see that really tells us about this fantasy world is a man riding a talking bear, which really did a good job of setting the scene for me. From that we learn about the nostkynna, which are essentially talking animals.
This isn’t Narnia though, nostkynna are known enough that they’re not a surprise, but they don’t interact with humans much, or at least, not that we see from the characters we follow. They’re also more like regular animals in appearance—not personified like many talking fantasy animals might be.
Then we have the saja—nostkynna who have devoted their soul to the Crux, amplifying their animalistic traits and giving us, for want of a better word, monsters.
There are also centaurs, and I like how they’re not just there as magical creatures in the background, but they’re named characters with history, family, and agency of their own. So overall, the fantastic creatures are a big plus point for the way they are developed and how well they fit in to the world and the story without being overbearing.
There’s a good bit of lore here as well, and get plenty of history organically delivered through the storytelling in this novel.
The magic is quite well done, and as mentioned before there are essentially ‘good’ and ‘bad’ sides of it. Like with the nostkynna who become saja, you also have humans who devote themselves to the Crux, becoming vojaks who can manipulate the elements. The opposite of the Crux is the Essence, and that has its own devotees, the Fidelis, who have elemental powers as well.
All that is secondary to the story though, which hinges on Kura’s desire to break her family free from under the yoke of King Dradge, who she sees as evil.
I really like how family plays an important part in this. Fire of the Forebears has the same sort of well-presented family togetherness that we see in Zack Argyle’s Threadlight series. Family isn’t just there to give us an inciting incident, it’s an ongoing theme in Kura’s story, and also in Triston’s, but to a lesser extent.
I thought the characters overall were quite well done. I definitely enjoyed reading about Kura, and while Triston was perhaps a little more formulaic, he was still interesting and had plenty of good moments.
There’s a good cast of supporting characters as well, nicely balanced with friends and enemies, and the interaction between the characters is generally well managed. Relationships and alliances seem quite organic, they’re certainly not rushed. There’s a bit of happy coincidence here and there, but in general, you can still see the threads that were weaving those coincidences into the fabric of the story.
Plenty of reviews talk about the romance in this book like it’s something that doesn’t belong. There are little hints here and there, but there’s no fully realised romance on show.
Love is a natural part of the world and it’s only right to see it now and again in these stories. Having the potential for a little love in the future against the backdrop of war in the here and now makes a story like this just that little bit more real. It adds heart without having to spell it out, and this book did a really good job at that.
Overall, you’ll find solid writing here and good, balanced pacing that keeps the pages turning. It has a really interesting world, characters, and story, with quite a satisfying conclusion, and it doesn’t just finish with a bang—you get a good bit of falling action as well. Because of that, I would definitely say it could be read as a standalone, but either way, it’s a very good read and a high recommendation.
Read
October 17, 2022I haven't read this yet, but it has been chosen as one of 10 finalists from 300 entries to the 8th annual Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off ... so it must be good!
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Check it out.
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year mailing list #prizes
.
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Check it out.
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year mailing list #prizes
.
April 21, 2023
"‘I WILL NOT LIE. I HAVE SHED FIDELIS BLOOD FOR THE MERIT OF ITS NATURE, AND I HAVE FOUGHT IN THE RECONQUEST AS IS MY PLACE AS FIRSTBORN AMONG MY FATHER’S SONS. BUT THERE CAME A DAY WHEN I LIMPED BACK TO MY MOTHER’S HOUSE, COVERED IN BOTH MY OWN BLOOD AND THAT OF YOUR KIND, AND IT STRUCK ME THAT I COULD NOT DETERMINE THE DIFFERENCE. I HAVE HAVE PAID DEARLY FOR THAT REALIZATION, BUT SO DO ALL WHO SEEK THE TRUTH IN THIS WORLD OF DARKNESS, AND I ACCEPT THAT FOR WHAT IT IS.'”
I have provided an honest review of this book – “Fire of the Forebears” by author L.A. Buck – below for purposes of the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO) Number 8 competition, in which this book is one of ten finalists. Before We Go Blog (where I am one of the judges) is assigned the book, along with the other 9 judging blogs, to help determine which one of 10 books will emerge as the SPFBO 8 Champion.
I’ll never deny I love, and sometimes crave, “old school classic fantasy”. Something to take me back to my younger reading of books like “The Black Cauldron”, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”, and “The Sword of Shannara”. Something with many of the familiar tropes, many fantasy readers know and love. It was the promise of this that lured me, based on the cover synopsis, to select “Fire of the Forebears”, Book One in “The Heritor’s Helm Series”, for one of my SPFBO Finalist reads.
Overall, this book delivered on that promise.
The premise is interesting, as two people – the book’s primary and secondary protagonists – on rival sides of a conflict, and from different social circles, are thrust together, with unexpected consequences.
The main heroine, Kura, comes from humble origins, or so it would seem. Her father is a farmer, formerly a war-deserter. Kura lives on the periphery of society, due to her father’s lowly status, though she aspires for more for herself and her family.
But when a rebellion arises against the despotic Drage, King of Avaron, Kura finds herself caught in the middle of the revolt, dealing with the rebels. Then, after finding a crucial artifact, Kura’s position in the rebellion becomes much more important than she could ever have dreamed of.
The secondary lead, Triston, is the son of the tyrannical king Drage, who is the catalyst for the revolution. Triston is dispatched to put down the rebellion. Once hailed as an upstart-hero – the “Rebel-King” – now despised as someone who has become more horrible than who they overthrew, Drage has his son’s loyalty.
Still, Triston isn’t completely aligned with his father’s agenda. Nor is he completely comfortable about the fact Drage usurped the throne based on an ancient prophecy.
Nevertheless, the brave, charismatic and capable Triston, a talented warrior and commander, is dutiful. But will he continue to support his father’s mission, the more he learns about the true nature of the world around him?
The characterization in this book was one of its stronger features, in terms of what the author attempted to accomplish, with two strong and interesting leads in Kura, and Triston. Kura’s plucky personality was drawn out through her very real and interesting relationships with her family, which I found endearing.
Triston, I found to be somewhat of a more predictable character, though I did enjoy his arc. Buck provides the reader with sufficient backstory about both Kura and Triston, that one can become invested in them, and since both are likable, easy to root for.
I did enjoy the way the relationship between the two primary players developed slowly, with all the understandable caution and mistrust due to coming from opposing sides of a civil war.
The auxiliary cast is absolutely sprawling, and a bit hard to keep up with at first. However, in time, their roles in the story become more clear, their names will begin to stick in the reader’s mind, and they lend a richness to the scope of the characterization. Nonetheless, perhaps we don’t get to know as much about them compared to their relative importance to the story.
Readers should be prepared for overlapping POVs in the novel. It is an interesting narrative technique that I see periodically used in fantasy, where the characters participate in the same event, however we get different perspectives of that same event, sometimes from a different location, in back to back POVs.
This device is often utilized in large set battle scenes, where we get one POV character at one end of the battlefield, for example, on the opposing side, relating their experiences. Then, directly following this, another POV character does the same from their side of the battlefield.
It takes some writing aplomb to make overlapping POVs work well, so kudos to the author in this regard.
Steeped in lore and mythology, the worldbuilding, in particular the fantastical elements with the creatures (including centaurs!) in the book, was probably my favourite aspect. We have ancient magical weapons, startling prophecies, and the nostkynna – talking beasts.
Nostkynna are animals, for the most part, in every way save their ability with human speech. We are introduced right away in the novel, to a talking bear, which I loved, and it really set the tone for the nostkynna, throughout the novel, as a critical part of worldbuilding.
Magic in the world has a benevolent and evil side. Humans who worship the “Crux”, can become “vojaks” and wield elemental magic. On the other side, we have the Fidelis, who cleave to the “Essence” and also harness elemental magic.
The nostkynna can evolve into the terrifying saja, if dark magic is employed.
Humans who worship the “Crux” (the dark side), can become “vojaks” and wield elemental magic. On the other side, we have the Fidelis, who cleave to the “Essence” (the good side) and also harness elemental magic.
Buck does a great job of presenting a balanced magic system. She shows the rationale behind the usage of either side of magic, allowing the reader to possibly empathize with both types of users – for Crux and Essence, and see why those users chose to utilize their particular brand of magic.
The main theme running through the book is family, be it found family, or one’s actual blood relatives. The strong sense of healthy and productive family relationships in the novel, many readers will find truly heart-warming, and reinforced, for me, that classical fantasy feel.
The writing is fairly smooth and effortless, easy to read, lean and efficient prose. It’s certainly not elaborate, but it’s not just ‘serviceable’.
There were some stylistic choices in the writing that didn’t always work for me, however I put that down to more personal preference, than any failing of the author. Still, I must note that here, regarding my overall enjoyment of the novel, which was marginally affected by these choices.
Overall this was a good story, with well-worn tropes done well, an expansive world, lots of magic and lore, interesting characters, lots of twists and turns, and well-paced.
This series certainly had a lot of potential.
I am saddened to learn that since, tragically, the young author, L.A. Buck, recently passed away, seemingly, we won’t be treated to future installments of “The Heritor’s Helm”, unless someone else continues the series.
My heart goes out to the author’s friends and family.
P.L.'s SPFBO Score: 7 out of possible 10.
Before We Go Blog's Overall Team Score: 7 out of a possible 10.
I have provided an honest review of this book – “Fire of the Forebears” by author L.A. Buck – below for purposes of the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO) Number 8 competition, in which this book is one of ten finalists. Before We Go Blog (where I am one of the judges) is assigned the book, along with the other 9 judging blogs, to help determine which one of 10 books will emerge as the SPFBO 8 Champion.
I’ll never deny I love, and sometimes crave, “old school classic fantasy”. Something to take me back to my younger reading of books like “The Black Cauldron”, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”, and “The Sword of Shannara”. Something with many of the familiar tropes, many fantasy readers know and love. It was the promise of this that lured me, based on the cover synopsis, to select “Fire of the Forebears”, Book One in “The Heritor’s Helm Series”, for one of my SPFBO Finalist reads.
Overall, this book delivered on that promise.
The premise is interesting, as two people – the book’s primary and secondary protagonists – on rival sides of a conflict, and from different social circles, are thrust together, with unexpected consequences.
The main heroine, Kura, comes from humble origins, or so it would seem. Her father is a farmer, formerly a war-deserter. Kura lives on the periphery of society, due to her father’s lowly status, though she aspires for more for herself and her family.
But when a rebellion arises against the despotic Drage, King of Avaron, Kura finds herself caught in the middle of the revolt, dealing with the rebels. Then, after finding a crucial artifact, Kura’s position in the rebellion becomes much more important than she could ever have dreamed of.
The secondary lead, Triston, is the son of the tyrannical king Drage, who is the catalyst for the revolution. Triston is dispatched to put down the rebellion. Once hailed as an upstart-hero – the “Rebel-King” – now despised as someone who has become more horrible than who they overthrew, Drage has his son’s loyalty.
Still, Triston isn’t completely aligned with his father’s agenda. Nor is he completely comfortable about the fact Drage usurped the throne based on an ancient prophecy.
Nevertheless, the brave, charismatic and capable Triston, a talented warrior and commander, is dutiful. But will he continue to support his father’s mission, the more he learns about the true nature of the world around him?
The characterization in this book was one of its stronger features, in terms of what the author attempted to accomplish, with two strong and interesting leads in Kura, and Triston. Kura’s plucky personality was drawn out through her very real and interesting relationships with her family, which I found endearing.
Triston, I found to be somewhat of a more predictable character, though I did enjoy his arc. Buck provides the reader with sufficient backstory about both Kura and Triston, that one can become invested in them, and since both are likable, easy to root for.
I did enjoy the way the relationship between the two primary players developed slowly, with all the understandable caution and mistrust due to coming from opposing sides of a civil war.
The auxiliary cast is absolutely sprawling, and a bit hard to keep up with at first. However, in time, their roles in the story become more clear, their names will begin to stick in the reader’s mind, and they lend a richness to the scope of the characterization. Nonetheless, perhaps we don’t get to know as much about them compared to their relative importance to the story.
Readers should be prepared for overlapping POVs in the novel. It is an interesting narrative technique that I see periodically used in fantasy, where the characters participate in the same event, however we get different perspectives of that same event, sometimes from a different location, in back to back POVs.
This device is often utilized in large set battle scenes, where we get one POV character at one end of the battlefield, for example, on the opposing side, relating their experiences. Then, directly following this, another POV character does the same from their side of the battlefield.
It takes some writing aplomb to make overlapping POVs work well, so kudos to the author in this regard.
Steeped in lore and mythology, the worldbuilding, in particular the fantastical elements with the creatures (including centaurs!) in the book, was probably my favourite aspect. We have ancient magical weapons, startling prophecies, and the nostkynna – talking beasts.
Nostkynna are animals, for the most part, in every way save their ability with human speech. We are introduced right away in the novel, to a talking bear, which I loved, and it really set the tone for the nostkynna, throughout the novel, as a critical part of worldbuilding.
Magic in the world has a benevolent and evil side. Humans who worship the “Crux”, can become “vojaks” and wield elemental magic. On the other side, we have the Fidelis, who cleave to the “Essence” and also harness elemental magic.
The nostkynna can evolve into the terrifying saja, if dark magic is employed.
Humans who worship the “Crux” (the dark side), can become “vojaks” and wield elemental magic. On the other side, we have the Fidelis, who cleave to the “Essence” (the good side) and also harness elemental magic.
Buck does a great job of presenting a balanced magic system. She shows the rationale behind the usage of either side of magic, allowing the reader to possibly empathize with both types of users – for Crux and Essence, and see why those users chose to utilize their particular brand of magic.
The main theme running through the book is family, be it found family, or one’s actual blood relatives. The strong sense of healthy and productive family relationships in the novel, many readers will find truly heart-warming, and reinforced, for me, that classical fantasy feel.
The writing is fairly smooth and effortless, easy to read, lean and efficient prose. It’s certainly not elaborate, but it’s not just ‘serviceable’.
There were some stylistic choices in the writing that didn’t always work for me, however I put that down to more personal preference, than any failing of the author. Still, I must note that here, regarding my overall enjoyment of the novel, which was marginally affected by these choices.
Overall this was a good story, with well-worn tropes done well, an expansive world, lots of magic and lore, interesting characters, lots of twists and turns, and well-paced.
This series certainly had a lot of potential.
I am saddened to learn that since, tragically, the young author, L.A. Buck, recently passed away, seemingly, we won’t be treated to future installments of “The Heritor’s Helm”, unless someone else continues the series.
My heart goes out to the author’s friends and family.
P.L.'s SPFBO Score: 7 out of possible 10.
Before We Go Blog's Overall Team Score: 7 out of a possible 10.
January 26, 2023
Fire of the Forebears is...rough. There's probably a solid story here, but sadly, in its current form, it didn't appeal to me. I enjoyed the world-building and some of the ideas but somewhat forgettable characters and a predictable plot decreased my enjoyment.
While the book offers a level of closure it leaves some questions unanswered and I think potential readers should know the series won't be finished - the author passed last year.
Now, I know my "review" sounds brutal in these circumstances and I wish I could tell you more about things I enjoyed in the story but I'm always frank. Ultimately, Fire of The Forebears has a solid story inside but in its current form, it's too rough to leave a more lasting impression.
While the book offers a level of closure it leaves some questions unanswered and I think potential readers should know the series won't be finished - the author passed last year.
Now, I know my "review" sounds brutal in these circumstances and I wish I could tell you more about things I enjoyed in the story but I'm always frank. Ultimately, Fire of The Forebears has a solid story inside but in its current form, it's too rough to leave a more lasting impression.
March 2, 2022
Do you like your Narnia talking animals but wish they had more verve and variety? Do you like your Romeo and Juliet plots but wish the character's relationship would grow more organically? Above all do you like your dazzling fantasy novels but wish they'd be grounded in some genuine emotion and have some real stakes driving the story?
Fire of the Forebears is about Kura and Triston, two people on the opposite sides of a brewing war who start off as mortal enemies and evolve into something more. Kura is scraping out a living at the edge of civilization, while Triston is the privileged son of the king, off to put down a rebellion. Events spiral out of control, and both characters are thrust into the middle of adventure, conspiracy, and prophecy, doing their best to follow their hearts while staying true to the people they're trying to protect.
L.A. Buck builds a beautiful world full of wonder and fantasy that still stays grounded. I loved the unique portrayal of the centaurs, and the variety of personalities among the nostkynna--the aforementioned talking animals. The world of Avaron feels both epic and really well lived in, with a lot of fine Tolkein filigree in the languages.
Overall it's a fresh take on fantasy, and despite the struggles of the characters and the background of war, it's an optimistic and uplifting read.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Fire of the Forebears is about Kura and Triston, two people on the opposite sides of a brewing war who start off as mortal enemies and evolve into something more. Kura is scraping out a living at the edge of civilization, while Triston is the privileged son of the king, off to put down a rebellion. Events spiral out of control, and both characters are thrust into the middle of adventure, conspiracy, and prophecy, doing their best to follow their hearts while staying true to the people they're trying to protect.
L.A. Buck builds a beautiful world full of wonder and fantasy that still stays grounded. I loved the unique portrayal of the centaurs, and the variety of personalities among the nostkynna--the aforementioned talking animals. The world of Avaron feels both epic and really well lived in, with a lot of fine Tolkein filigree in the languages.
Overall it's a fresh take on fantasy, and despite the struggles of the characters and the background of war, it's an optimistic and uplifting read.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 25, 2022
Fire of the Forebears is a riveting tale filled to the brim with fantastical (talking) creatures, reluctant heroes, rebellion, prophecy, conspiracy, good vs. evil, family, a hint of romance, and, of course, lots of magic. In other words, this is epic fantasy in all its glory!
We follow two young main characters, Kura and Triston, who couldn’t possibly be more different from each other. Kura’s father is a deserter, which has forced her family to live in the shadows where they are desperately trying to survive as poor farmers. Triston is the privileged son of the rebel king whose contentious reign has been stirring up unrest all throughout the kingdom. Their paths cross when Triston is sent out to strike down the rebellion that Kura has found herself more involved in than she had perhaps ever wished for.
I loved following these characters on opposite sides of the conflict, as it added a lot of tension and intrigue to the story.
L.A. Buck excels at writing incredibly complex, flawed and endearing characters, which made it so easy for me to latch onto these protagonists. Despite their clashing goals, I quickly found myself sympathising with and rooting for both of them, making this an incredibly compelling read. Their complex dynamic ended up being one of my favourite aspects of the story and I loved the realistic, genuine and unexpected development of their relationship over the course of this book.
Another highlight of the story for me is the big focus on family. Unfortunately, it’s rare to see healthy and functional family dynamics in epic fantasy, but this book delivered on that aspect in spades! Kura is surrounded by a warm, loving family and will do anything to keep them safe, while Triston is trying his best to make his father proud. The familial relationships portrayed here are far from perfect, but that’s exactly what makes them so believable and realistic.
The world building is also really impressive and I absolutely loved getting lost in this vast world with its rich lore, intriguing magic and complex history. These lands are filled with all sorts of magnificent fantastical creatures, which also made for a wonderfully diverse cast of supporting characters. I particularly enjoyed how these fantastical creatures were actually well-developed and complex characters with strong personalities and a great sense of agency, instead of being just another fun magical touch to the story.
The magic system is interesting and well-developed, but it definitely leans towards the softer side and can feel a bit elusive. I personally really liked that and I think it perfectly fits this wonderful story filled with prophecy and lore.
All that said, I do have to admit that all the unfamiliar terms/names/races were a bit overwhelming and I think they could have been integrated a bit more smoothly into the narrative. I constantly found myself needing to flip to the glossary for explanations, which somewhat broke my immersion. And kind of in that same vein, I thought that there were maybe a couple too many side characters to keep track of, which made some of them feel a bit underdeveloped and insignificant to me.
Lastly, I am happy to say that I was very pleasantly surprised by some of the unexpected twists and turns here. This story might be filled with lots of good old fantasy tropes, but that doesn’t mean that they’re overdone or that the plot is predictable. I really liked how the author played around with genre conventions and put her own spin on some of these familiar tropes. These characters’ journeys were compelling and surprising, which kept me on my toes the entire way through this chunky book.
Overall, I had a fabulous time reading this story and it reminded me of what I love about the fantasy genre. Although this series is unlikely to ever be continued (what with the tragic situation around the author), this first instalment is still 100% worth your time, as it stands very well on its own and leaves you feeling fulfilled and satisfied. I think this book will be a great hit for any fantasy lover, be they veterans or newbies to the genre, because it’s just such a compelling and captivating read. Highly recommend!
We follow two young main characters, Kura and Triston, who couldn’t possibly be more different from each other. Kura’s father is a deserter, which has forced her family to live in the shadows where they are desperately trying to survive as poor farmers. Triston is the privileged son of the rebel king whose contentious reign has been stirring up unrest all throughout the kingdom. Their paths cross when Triston is sent out to strike down the rebellion that Kura has found herself more involved in than she had perhaps ever wished for.
I loved following these characters on opposite sides of the conflict, as it added a lot of tension and intrigue to the story.
L.A. Buck excels at writing incredibly complex, flawed and endearing characters, which made it so easy for me to latch onto these protagonists. Despite their clashing goals, I quickly found myself sympathising with and rooting for both of them, making this an incredibly compelling read. Their complex dynamic ended up being one of my favourite aspects of the story and I loved the realistic, genuine and unexpected development of their relationship over the course of this book.
Another highlight of the story for me is the big focus on family. Unfortunately, it’s rare to see healthy and functional family dynamics in epic fantasy, but this book delivered on that aspect in spades! Kura is surrounded by a warm, loving family and will do anything to keep them safe, while Triston is trying his best to make his father proud. The familial relationships portrayed here are far from perfect, but that’s exactly what makes them so believable and realistic.
The world building is also really impressive and I absolutely loved getting lost in this vast world with its rich lore, intriguing magic and complex history. These lands are filled with all sorts of magnificent fantastical creatures, which also made for a wonderfully diverse cast of supporting characters. I particularly enjoyed how these fantastical creatures were actually well-developed and complex characters with strong personalities and a great sense of agency, instead of being just another fun magical touch to the story.
The magic system is interesting and well-developed, but it definitely leans towards the softer side and can feel a bit elusive. I personally really liked that and I think it perfectly fits this wonderful story filled with prophecy and lore.
All that said, I do have to admit that all the unfamiliar terms/names/races were a bit overwhelming and I think they could have been integrated a bit more smoothly into the narrative. I constantly found myself needing to flip to the glossary for explanations, which somewhat broke my immersion. And kind of in that same vein, I thought that there were maybe a couple too many side characters to keep track of, which made some of them feel a bit underdeveloped and insignificant to me.
Lastly, I am happy to say that I was very pleasantly surprised by some of the unexpected twists and turns here. This story might be filled with lots of good old fantasy tropes, but that doesn’t mean that they’re overdone or that the plot is predictable. I really liked how the author played around with genre conventions and put her own spin on some of these familiar tropes. These characters’ journeys were compelling and surprising, which kept me on my toes the entire way through this chunky book.
Overall, I had a fabulous time reading this story and it reminded me of what I love about the fantasy genre. Although this series is unlikely to ever be continued (what with the tragic situation around the author), this first instalment is still 100% worth your time, as it stands very well on its own and leaves you feeling fulfilled and satisfied. I think this book will be a great hit for any fantasy lover, be they veterans or newbies to the genre, because it’s just such a compelling and captivating read. Highly recommend!
January 30, 2023
I read this for SPFBO. To find out more about the SPFBO contest and to see the participating bloggers/authors and reviews follow the links below
Long time readers might find Fire of the Forebears familiar feeling, it definitely has a classic turn to it with the animal races, civil unrest brewing between the races and the ruling parties, prophecies, and ancient swords. I couldn’t help but think of Eddings, or because of the animals- Narnia.
With point of views on both sides of the conflict in Avaron, we are given a full picture of the world and the unrest that is brewing. First, through Kura, whose dealings with the rebel’s lead to the discovery of an important relic- propelling her into a position she’s not sure she is capable of filling. And secondly, through prince Triston, son of the current king of Avaron, whose policies have become a major boiling point with the public.
*
I had mixed-feeling about this story. Some aspects of it were strong and I quite enjoyed them and others didn’t always click with me.
The world has a steep learning curve, with a lot of information and names, to take in
at once, and I found it took a while to find my feet in the world-building aspect of this story. Likely, just bad timing on my part, since I read it over the holiday when there are so many other distractions.
But like most of these drop-in worlds, it does get easier as it goes. The in-world terminologies and everything else, start falling into place and a person spends less time wondering what certain things mean, and are freed-up to just enjoy the story.
*
It’s a very fantasy-feeling world, and really, nothing says “fantasy” more than centaurs and talking bears. I have to say I’m not a fan of talking animals but that’s just me. Though, I did like that they felt like more than just people in the guise of bears, etc. They had their own social system/communities and so on, so it seemed like more thought was put into that aspect of their being, which I appreciated.
The magic is cool, and feels very balanced with the good and bad on both sides. I do love a good balanced magic, and world view, for that matter. One where it’s sometimes hard to tell who is in the wrong, and one where we can see where each side has a point. I thought that part of the storytelling was handled very well.
The story doesn’t go into too much detail or strategy for battles or anything like that. Things are decided and then carried through, without too much difficulty. I think because of the scale of the events they were dealing with; it gave things a bit of an easy feel.
Sometimes the characters pov’s overlapped but in shared time- so though the characters may not meet, we are seeing events in a different space or area at the same - if that makes sense. Overlapping pov is a huge pet-peeve with me when it is used as a full-on word-for-word repeat of a previous scene, so I really liked how the use of it in these instances, was to fill-in the picture we already mostly had, without that total repeat of events. It’s use made the battle scene feel larger- hearing the crashes, and knowing a tower (or whatever it was) just fell, because we read it in the previous pov. Nicely handled.
The other thing I thought was handled exceptionally well, was the big bad.
Hinting at what we already knew, but keeping the descriptions vague and effectively- again with that great use of the overlapping pov that I mentioned earlier- giving us a strong reveal, when it all comes to a head and they realize who it is.
All in all, this is a classic feeling tale that will appeal to fantasy readers new and old.
spfbo score 6 or 3.5 stars
Learn more about the contest here-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Phase one is here-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Finalist board is here
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Long time readers might find Fire of the Forebears familiar feeling, it definitely has a classic turn to it with the animal races, civil unrest brewing between the races and the ruling parties, prophecies, and ancient swords. I couldn’t help but think of Eddings, or because of the animals- Narnia.
With point of views on both sides of the conflict in Avaron, we are given a full picture of the world and the unrest that is brewing. First, through Kura, whose dealings with the rebel’s lead to the discovery of an important relic- propelling her into a position she’s not sure she is capable of filling. And secondly, through prince Triston, son of the current king of Avaron, whose policies have become a major boiling point with the public.
*
I had mixed-feeling about this story. Some aspects of it were strong and I quite enjoyed them and others didn’t always click with me.
The world has a steep learning curve, with a lot of information and names, to take in
at once, and I found it took a while to find my feet in the world-building aspect of this story. Likely, just bad timing on my part, since I read it over the holiday when there are so many other distractions.
But like most of these drop-in worlds, it does get easier as it goes. The in-world terminologies and everything else, start falling into place and a person spends less time wondering what certain things mean, and are freed-up to just enjoy the story.
*
It’s a very fantasy-feeling world, and really, nothing says “fantasy” more than centaurs and talking bears. I have to say I’m not a fan of talking animals but that’s just me. Though, I did like that they felt like more than just people in the guise of bears, etc. They had their own social system/communities and so on, so it seemed like more thought was put into that aspect of their being, which I appreciated.
The magic is cool, and feels very balanced with the good and bad on both sides. I do love a good balanced magic, and world view, for that matter. One where it’s sometimes hard to tell who is in the wrong, and one where we can see where each side has a point. I thought that part of the storytelling was handled very well.
The story doesn’t go into too much detail or strategy for battles or anything like that. Things are decided and then carried through, without too much difficulty. I think because of the scale of the events they were dealing with; it gave things a bit of an easy feel.
Sometimes the characters pov’s overlapped but in shared time- so though the characters may not meet, we are seeing events in a different space or area at the same - if that makes sense. Overlapping pov is a huge pet-peeve with me when it is used as a full-on word-for-word repeat of a previous scene, so I really liked how the use of it in these instances, was to fill-in the picture we already mostly had, without that total repeat of events. It’s use made the battle scene feel larger- hearing the crashes, and knowing a tower (or whatever it was) just fell, because we read it in the previous pov. Nicely handled.
The other thing I thought was handled exceptionally well, was the big bad.
Hinting at what we already knew, but keeping the descriptions vague and effectively- again with that great use of the overlapping pov that I mentioned earlier- giving us a strong reveal, when it all comes to a head and they realize who it is.
All in all, this is a classic feeling tale that will appeal to fantasy readers new and old.
spfbo score 6 or 3.5 stars
Learn more about the contest here-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Phase one is here-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Finalist board is here
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
December 6, 2022
I am bored. This book is long.
The writing is too sparse for me. The characters are bland.
Gave up at 12%.
The writing is too sparse for me. The characters are bland.
Gave up at 12%.
March 3, 2023
A low three.
I think the groundwork for a really cool story is here but it felt like a first draft to me. With a lot of clunky world building and some what bland characters. That being said I did enjoy the politics in this. And the interesting chosen one choice!
I read this for SPFBO Cassidy's version and theirs a whole vlog on my channel. With better in depth thoughts.
https://youtu.be/yeAVfoZmVkg
I think the groundwork for a really cool story is here but it felt like a first draft to me. With a lot of clunky world building and some what bland characters. That being said I did enjoy the politics in this. And the interesting chosen one choice!
I read this for SPFBO Cassidy's version and theirs a whole vlog on my channel. With better in depth thoughts.
https://youtu.be/yeAVfoZmVkg
January 27, 2023
Fire of the Forebears by L.A. Buck
I am not a person who enjoys books described as ‘classic epic fantasy’. I want to have unique elements to books that have grounded worldbuilding and depth of character. Unfortunately, Fire of the Forebears went down the classic fantasy route which affected my enjoyment.
So what worked for me?
Worldbuilding: The author took classic fantasy items like talking animals and centaurs and enriched the world in which the books takes place. This for me breathes life into the genre.
What did not work for me?
Writing: The writing style was something that greatly affected my enjoyment of the book. One of my least favorite narrative styles is telling not showing in the plot because it takes me out of the story.
Similar Media?
I would compare this book to Of Blood and Fire by Ryan Cahill due to the tropes used and classic fantasy feel.
Score: 5.2/10
Character: 6
Plot: 5
World-Building: 7
Writing: 3
Enjoyment: 5
I am not a person who enjoys books described as ‘classic epic fantasy’. I want to have unique elements to books that have grounded worldbuilding and depth of character. Unfortunately, Fire of the Forebears went down the classic fantasy route which affected my enjoyment.
So what worked for me?
Worldbuilding: The author took classic fantasy items like talking animals and centaurs and enriched the world in which the books takes place. This for me breathes life into the genre.
What did not work for me?
Writing: The writing style was something that greatly affected my enjoyment of the book. One of my least favorite narrative styles is telling not showing in the plot because it takes me out of the story.
Similar Media?
I would compare this book to Of Blood and Fire by Ryan Cahill due to the tropes used and classic fantasy feel.
Score: 5.2/10
Character: 6
Plot: 5
World-Building: 7
Writing: 3
Enjoyment: 5
Read
April 16, 2023Read for SPFBO, this is only my personal opinion, group verdict might differ widely.
There's nothing wrong with this book, but it just didn't really grip me. It could definitely just be down to my taste, as I'm really not a fan of talking animals, which seems to be a plus for other people. Sadly just not my personal cup of tea.
There's nothing wrong with this book, but it just didn't really grip me. It could definitely just be down to my taste, as I'm really not a fan of talking animals, which seems to be a plus for other people. Sadly just not my personal cup of tea.
April 6, 2023
Fire of the Forebears is a classic take on epic fantasy. Its pages are full of harrowing escapes, desperate sword fights, mystical creatures, and powerful magic. Despite a slow start, the plot eventually sunk its teeth into me and kept me following the adventures of its female lead as she struggled with concepts like faith, destiny and duty, on her way to saving the land from a gathering evil.
The characterization also took a while to develop, in my opinion. While I eventually came to see the heroine as a fairly-well realized character, her male counterpart, Triston, always felt pretty generic to me. In general, there are a lot of secondary characters who come and go and some of them stood out while many felt sort of interchangeable.
I enjoyed the prose and the overall style of this novel. The action and description was always clear, and relatively succinct, with solid descriptions that grounded the scenes in a way that brought them to life.
As I said in the opening paragraph, I think this story took a while to find its footing, but once it hit about the fifty-page mark, I felt I had a pretty good sense of what was going on and felt compelled to read along and discover the fate of the characters. There were several good layers of mystery that kept me turning pages, what were the Saja(animals corrupted by evil magic), and what really happened with the Fidelis(the mages), as well as the mystery of the villains behind it all.
The worldbuiding in this book grew on me too. The initial element we were exposed to was talking animals, which didn’t really grab me. But as the story unfolds many other fantastical pieces are added to the world making it feel well realized and multi-faceted. Looking back, I think that the worldbuilding is the strongest part of this book. All the different factions and magic felt fleshed out and interesting.
Overall, this story had a lot of elements that weren’t well suited to my tastes. Still, there was a lot to like in this novel, and part of what is so great about this competition is discovering books that you might not have otherwise. If you love old school epic fantasy with the chosen one battling the forces of darkness then you might want to try this book.
The characterization also took a while to develop, in my opinion. While I eventually came to see the heroine as a fairly-well realized character, her male counterpart, Triston, always felt pretty generic to me. In general, there are a lot of secondary characters who come and go and some of them stood out while many felt sort of interchangeable.
I enjoyed the prose and the overall style of this novel. The action and description was always clear, and relatively succinct, with solid descriptions that grounded the scenes in a way that brought them to life.
As I said in the opening paragraph, I think this story took a while to find its footing, but once it hit about the fifty-page mark, I felt I had a pretty good sense of what was going on and felt compelled to read along and discover the fate of the characters. There were several good layers of mystery that kept me turning pages, what were the Saja(animals corrupted by evil magic), and what really happened with the Fidelis(the mages), as well as the mystery of the villains behind it all.
The worldbuiding in this book grew on me too. The initial element we were exposed to was talking animals, which didn’t really grab me. But as the story unfolds many other fantastical pieces are added to the world making it feel well realized and multi-faceted. Looking back, I think that the worldbuilding is the strongest part of this book. All the different factions and magic felt fleshed out and interesting.
Overall, this story had a lot of elements that weren’t well suited to my tastes. Still, there was a lot to like in this novel, and part of what is so great about this competition is discovering books that you might not have otherwise. If you love old school epic fantasy with the chosen one battling the forces of darkness then you might want to try this book.
February 22, 2022
“Fire of the Forebears” is an extremely well-written epic fantasy. It follows a plot that will be familiar to most readers of the genre: a seemingly ordinary young girl, who discovers she has a fate much greater than she thought possible, must join with a ragtag group of rebels to bring down a wicked king.
What makes “Fire of the Forebears” unique is its characters–which is interesting, as I would say the book feels more plot- than character-driven. Certainly, Buck’s skill is in writing scenes of description or action more than in introspection. The book had the distant feel that sometimes overtakes epic fantasy, and the characters, at times, seemed somewhat flat. However, Kura, its heroine, had something I see so rarely in any fantasy, especially epic fantasy: a family. What is more, she had a living, breathing family of well-developed characters with whom she had actual meaningful relationships which resembled the sorts of relationships people have with their families in real life. This kind of thing is vanishingly rare in fantasy, and for good reason–it is hard to send a character off to a heroic fate when they are comfortably ensconced in a loving community, and easy to motivate them by killing off a parent or two. Nonetheless, book after book after book filled with lone heroes (not to hate on this trope, my own books suffer a higher-than-average parental mortality rate, to be sure) gets old. “Fire of the Forebears” provided a different way of looking at the role of a hero in a community, which I truly appreciated.
See the full review at my blog: https://anyajosephs.wordpress.com/202...
What makes “Fire of the Forebears” unique is its characters–which is interesting, as I would say the book feels more plot- than character-driven. Certainly, Buck’s skill is in writing scenes of description or action more than in introspection. The book had the distant feel that sometimes overtakes epic fantasy, and the characters, at times, seemed somewhat flat. However, Kura, its heroine, had something I see so rarely in any fantasy, especially epic fantasy: a family. What is more, she had a living, breathing family of well-developed characters with whom she had actual meaningful relationships which resembled the sorts of relationships people have with their families in real life. This kind of thing is vanishingly rare in fantasy, and for good reason–it is hard to send a character off to a heroic fate when they are comfortably ensconced in a loving community, and easy to motivate them by killing off a parent or two. Nonetheless, book after book after book filled with lone heroes (not to hate on this trope, my own books suffer a higher-than-average parental mortality rate, to be sure) gets old. “Fire of the Forebears” provided a different way of looking at the role of a hero in a community, which I truly appreciated.
See the full review at my blog: https://anyajosephs.wordpress.com/202...
November 1, 2022
A wonderful adventure
In lands of centaurs, talking animals, monsters and elemental magic a prophecy looms. Of a saviour revealed in a kingdom strife with rebellion. All the earmarks of a future classic. An excellent read!
In lands of centaurs, talking animals, monsters and elemental magic a prophecy looms. Of a saviour revealed in a kingdom strife with rebellion. All the earmarks of a future classic. An excellent read!
May 2, 2022
A powerful and intriguing novel, Fire of Forebears is definitely a read for those who are fans of the Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings series; a strong fantasy plot lines lurks within its 635 pages.
The book focuses on our two main characters, Kura and Tristan, who are both from completely different walks of life. She is the daughter of a former deserter and therefore lives as an outcast in the shadows, determined to secure a better life for her family. He is a prince and the son of the rebel king who’s reign of fear has governed the kingdom for years. We follow the characters on their initially separate journeys which, of course, eventually intertwine, posing a whole new interesting dynamic. I enjoyed the interplay between the two: L.A. Buck has a knack for developing incredibly detailed and deep characters with powerful back stories and believable personalities that clearly govern the way in which they make their choices and the novel progresses. Both are incredibly likeable and yet, so different in their approach to the events that unfold. Their interesting association was definitely one of the selling points of the novel and with it being the length it is, it gave the reader time to indulge in the slow and realistic development of their relationship rather than the rapid speed at which characters often form alliances and friendships.
With twists and turns throughout the entire book, all is not as it seems. There literally is a surprise waiting in each individual chapter. However, I did find this a little hard to follow at times, especially given the multitude of supporting characters; I would possibly go far as to say that for me, there were too many other protagonists who played a crucial role in the development of the story. Added to this was the fact that with it being a fantasy novel, the characters were of course from a varying range of backgrounds and mythologies, which again made it a little confusing in places, especially in terms of remembering who is who.
For those who a diehard fans of fantasy novels, I honestly believe that this is an excellent read. It has pace and passion, twists and turns, and plenty of moments where magic truly comes to life. For me personally, did find its length pretty heavy going at times; I could certainly appreciate that it was a well-written book but it did not truly hook me in the ways that my favourite books do. However, The Book Dragon is very grateful to have been given the opportunity to review this book on behalf of the author and does believe it warrants a 4 star rating.
Josephine Park
Lead Reviewer, Children's & Young Adult's Fiction
https://www.thebookdragon.co.uk
The book focuses on our two main characters, Kura and Tristan, who are both from completely different walks of life. She is the daughter of a former deserter and therefore lives as an outcast in the shadows, determined to secure a better life for her family. He is a prince and the son of the rebel king who’s reign of fear has governed the kingdom for years. We follow the characters on their initially separate journeys which, of course, eventually intertwine, posing a whole new interesting dynamic. I enjoyed the interplay between the two: L.A. Buck has a knack for developing incredibly detailed and deep characters with powerful back stories and believable personalities that clearly govern the way in which they make their choices and the novel progresses. Both are incredibly likeable and yet, so different in their approach to the events that unfold. Their interesting association was definitely one of the selling points of the novel and with it being the length it is, it gave the reader time to indulge in the slow and realistic development of their relationship rather than the rapid speed at which characters often form alliances and friendships.
With twists and turns throughout the entire book, all is not as it seems. There literally is a surprise waiting in each individual chapter. However, I did find this a little hard to follow at times, especially given the multitude of supporting characters; I would possibly go far as to say that for me, there were too many other protagonists who played a crucial role in the development of the story. Added to this was the fact that with it being a fantasy novel, the characters were of course from a varying range of backgrounds and mythologies, which again made it a little confusing in places, especially in terms of remembering who is who.
For those who a diehard fans of fantasy novels, I honestly believe that this is an excellent read. It has pace and passion, twists and turns, and plenty of moments where magic truly comes to life. For me personally, did find its length pretty heavy going at times; I could certainly appreciate that it was a well-written book but it did not truly hook me in the ways that my favourite books do. However, The Book Dragon is very grateful to have been given the opportunity to review this book on behalf of the author and does believe it warrants a 4 star rating.
Josephine Park
Lead Reviewer, Children's & Young Adult's Fiction
https://www.thebookdragon.co.uk
February 22, 2022
This is the sort of story that I wish I found every time I picked up a new fantasy: a well realized world with interesting characters engaging in a believable quest with meaningful stakes. But let's swoop past the bird-eye view and get into the nitty-gritty a bit.
Fire of the Forebears is an epic fantasy tale following Kura and her support of a resistance movement against the local king. Standard stuff at first, but where Forebears shines is in how it uses that familiar formula to craft a richer tale. For a start, one of her principle adversaries is Triston, the son of said king, and second primary protagonist, giving the reader a view of the kingdom's side of the story and showing that it isn't so obvious that they really deserve to be overthrown. In fact all of the major characters are complex and multi-faceted, with layers of goals and priorities that don't always smoothly overlap. Seeing how they are forced to interact and deal with one another makes for some excellent tension and stakes.
The world itself is also extremely well realized, with a thorough history, deep political ties, and a lore that is integral to the main story. The fantastical elements and history of the world are more than mere set dressing; they are used as the primary driving force of the tale, so that each new tidbit you learn is not just a helpful bit of world-building, but also gives you greater insight into what's actually happening to the characters on the ground.
The prose is also smooth, keeping the reader engaged throughout. Strong pacing and delightful imagery move the story along at a healthy clip, with no points feeling like they drag on needlessly or get overly dull. And when the action truly picks up, Forebears thrills and excites.
So in summary, if you love Epic Fantasy stories, this one is a no brainer. A delightful read!
Fire of the Forebears is an epic fantasy tale following Kura and her support of a resistance movement against the local king. Standard stuff at first, but where Forebears shines is in how it uses that familiar formula to craft a richer tale. For a start, one of her principle adversaries is Triston, the son of said king, and second primary protagonist, giving the reader a view of the kingdom's side of the story and showing that it isn't so obvious that they really deserve to be overthrown. In fact all of the major characters are complex and multi-faceted, with layers of goals and priorities that don't always smoothly overlap. Seeing how they are forced to interact and deal with one another makes for some excellent tension and stakes.
The world itself is also extremely well realized, with a thorough history, deep political ties, and a lore that is integral to the main story. The fantastical elements and history of the world are more than mere set dressing; they are used as the primary driving force of the tale, so that each new tidbit you learn is not just a helpful bit of world-building, but also gives you greater insight into what's actually happening to the characters on the ground.
The prose is also smooth, keeping the reader engaged throughout. Strong pacing and delightful imagery move the story along at a healthy clip, with no points feeling like they drag on needlessly or get overly dull. And when the action truly picks up, Forebears thrills and excites.
So in summary, if you love Epic Fantasy stories, this one is a no brainer. A delightful read!
March 4, 2022
Fire of the Forebears is a really interesting foray into world building filled with epic adventure and battle. Kura is raised with little and her family drifts as they move from safe zone to safe zone. Triston is the heir to the throne, a gifted swordsman but also sheltered in many ways from his people’s plight. Kura discovers a relic sword is and mistaken as the land’s prophesied savior and somehow finds herself leading the rebellion. The characterisation of Kura and Trison is fantastic - they are well developed and intricated. However, there are a lot of species that made it confusing and I could not always remember who the saja were vs the valerian etc. I wonder if images would be helpful for each chapter to better define this. However, overall the main characters and the plot make this a worthwhile read. 4/5 stars
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 16, 2023
2.5 stars or 5/10
I read this as a judge for SPFBO8 - my opinion and score is mine alone and not necessarily the same as my fellow judges.
This took me 3 goes to get past the 20-30% mark which sadly made this more of a chore to read and I had to push myself to finish. It has some interesting ideas in world building (I especially loved the talking animals) but personally I didn't think they were utilised as much as they could have been.
The plot felt jaded and the characters were uninspiring; I couldn't relate to any one of them. One thing I did like was that the romance I was expecting between the two main human characters didn't eventuate.
I read this as a judge for SPFBO8 - my opinion and score is mine alone and not necessarily the same as my fellow judges.
This took me 3 goes to get past the 20-30% mark which sadly made this more of a chore to read and I had to push myself to finish. It has some interesting ideas in world building (I especially loved the talking animals) but personally I didn't think they were utilised as much as they could have been.
The plot felt jaded and the characters were uninspiring; I couldn't relate to any one of them. One thing I did like was that the romance I was expecting between the two main human characters didn't eventuate.
February 22, 2022
Kura is a rebellious twenty year old who is confronted with an impossible situation, trying to keep her family safe. Prince Triston is struggling to find out the truth about his father and the history he thought he knew. With a fresh new take on centaurs as a race/nation and a fascinating magical system, this book is sure to please any book lover who likes hard fantasy.
January 25, 2024
Don't mind me as I read this authors backlist while I wait for the next book. Fans of high fantasy will enjoy this and it's something to look for.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Read
February 22, 2022This book is now officially available for purchase! https://books2read.com/u/bpw2Wz
February 28, 2022
Firstly let me start with this, I was kindly given an eArc in exchange for an honest review.
Fire of the Forebears is the first in a new series that has all the hallmarks of a traditional epic fantasy tale; well built worlds, flawed but intriguing characters, well written action scenes, a quest of two and creatures both great and small. The animals talk, the frigging animals talk to humans and other characters. It was like an epic fantasy jungle book (even the goats talk). I found myself being and saying things similar to Pippin in Lord of the Rings where he and Merry first meet Treebeard, except in this story it was a Goat
“The Goat is talking Merry, The Goat is Talking”
Big booming Goat voice “ GOAT, I am no Goat “
Reading the first couple of chapters I was thinking yes I am going to like this and I did like it, but something held me back from loving it. There is no denying this author can write and they can write well, the prose was great. I was heavily engaged throughout the story and I did find the pages turning (metaphorically as it was an eArc and no physical pages were harmed in the reading of this book). I just found myself at times thinking “Where’s the wow factor”. There is a heavy romance subplot in this book and I just do not do Romance and this maybe put me off from ever truly being into the story. Romance, it's not my thing ( just ask my wife) I just don’t see the need for it, especially in fantasy and I certainly do not want to be reading about it. What I will say though is I liked the strong family elements, that was sort of new and a refreshing take on our protagonist, she actually knows she has someone to lose.
Overall a good read, a solid 3 stars for me ( I may have given it 3.5 but the Romance killed that hope) and one many will like but for me it just didn’t wow me, I apologise to the author for this as I really wanted to love it. However that's not to say I wouldn’t read the next one because I would add it to my TBR.
Fire of the Forebears is the first in a new series that has all the hallmarks of a traditional epic fantasy tale; well built worlds, flawed but intriguing characters, well written action scenes, a quest of two and creatures both great and small. The animals talk, the frigging animals talk to humans and other characters. It was like an epic fantasy jungle book (even the goats talk). I found myself being and saying things similar to Pippin in Lord of the Rings where he and Merry first meet Treebeard, except in this story it was a Goat
“The Goat is talking Merry, The Goat is Talking”
Big booming Goat voice “ GOAT, I am no Goat “
Reading the first couple of chapters I was thinking yes I am going to like this and I did like it, but something held me back from loving it. There is no denying this author can write and they can write well, the prose was great. I was heavily engaged throughout the story and I did find the pages turning (metaphorically as it was an eArc and no physical pages were harmed in the reading of this book). I just found myself at times thinking “Where’s the wow factor”. There is a heavy romance subplot in this book and I just do not do Romance and this maybe put me off from ever truly being into the story. Romance, it's not my thing ( just ask my wife) I just don’t see the need for it, especially in fantasy and I certainly do not want to be reading about it. What I will say though is I liked the strong family elements, that was sort of new and a refreshing take on our protagonist, she actually knows she has someone to lose.
Overall a good read, a solid 3 stars for me ( I may have given it 3.5 but the Romance killed that hope) and one many will like but for me it just didn’t wow me, I apologise to the author for this as I really wanted to love it. However that's not to say I wouldn’t read the next one because I would add it to my TBR.
June 21, 2023
Fire of the Forebearers started slow for me despite kicking its plot off early and making distinct effort to build investment in Kura as its main character with decisions, consequences, and motivations. The initial chapters of her story are in particular full of fantasy elements as well, with centaurs, talking animals (a simple, but often rewarding concept throughout the book) ancient spirits, hybrid monsters, and more. Most of it's fairly well handled (the magical sword of legend mcguffin ends up being fairly cliche) but the book still failed to really catch my interest. Even now, I'm not entirely sure why, but I attribute some of it to Kura largely being alone through most of the beginning, lacking other character to interact with aside from brief action scenes or dialogue, but also the lack of a clear direction of from her. Yes she has motivations, but it takes a bit for the immediate plot to clarify enough for her to actively undertake it. It's as she begins the pursuit of her family, in the blind hope of their survival, and she meets other, lasting characters, that the narrative began to entertain me.
After that the strength of the book's writing comes into full effect, primarily with the inherent conflicts surrounding Triston as a genuinely decent prince of the kingdom the rebels are attempting to overthrow, and Kura coopting the prophecy to aid in the rescuing of her family bring a pleasant bit of character work and a nice subversion of the trope.
Throughout the book the prose and character work is quite strong, and the pacing, aside from the start, flows well with a good mix of action and interaction scenes. Both Kura and Triston are likable as MC's, with decent complexity, and regularly make meaningful decisions to display character and agency.
After that the strength of the book's writing comes into full effect, primarily with the inherent conflicts surrounding Triston as a genuinely decent prince of the kingdom the rebels are attempting to overthrow, and Kura coopting the prophecy to aid in the rescuing of her family bring a pleasant bit of character work and a nice subversion of the trope.
Throughout the book the prose and character work is quite strong, and the pacing, aside from the start, flows well with a good mix of action and interaction scenes. Both Kura and Triston are likable as MC's, with decent complexity, and regularly make meaningful decisions to display character and agency.
February 27, 2022
A riveting take on the traditional epic fantasy formula and uniquely-flawed characters that are easy to love and follow along. Kura and the crew she picks up along the way travel through a beautifully described landscape as each character grows and fights their own demons while also working together and forming strong bonds to fight the overarching antagonist.
Prince Tristan’s development through the book is amazing. His growth and development acts as a main driver for the plot of the story and it is very easy to read. He starts out as an easy to hate character, despite having his pov in parts of the chapters. As he joins forces with other characters he, and also the reader, gets to experience the corruption in the government.
Most fantasy stories follow main characters with no family but Forebears contrasts that by having Kura’s driving force being the family she wants to save. As refreshing as it is to see a positive blood family in a fantasy book it did feel slightly off, like some of the ease and connection within a natural family was missing.
*SPOILER ALERT AHEAD* Another amazing thing in this book was that Kura wasn’t ever authentically the chosen one, she never came into it and continually played the ruse. It was so refreshing to see a character follow a destiny they had fallen into, rather than one they had trained for or dreamed of. The ending with Dradge and the sword was honestly my favorite part!
Overall, an amazing epic ya-fantasy with a strong romance subplot but without an overbearing amount of spice or tension. I would definitely recommend it!
Prince Tristan’s development through the book is amazing. His growth and development acts as a main driver for the plot of the story and it is very easy to read. He starts out as an easy to hate character, despite having his pov in parts of the chapters. As he joins forces with other characters he, and also the reader, gets to experience the corruption in the government.
Most fantasy stories follow main characters with no family but Forebears contrasts that by having Kura’s driving force being the family she wants to save. As refreshing as it is to see a positive blood family in a fantasy book it did feel slightly off, like some of the ease and connection within a natural family was missing.
*SPOILER ALERT AHEAD* Another amazing thing in this book was that Kura wasn’t ever authentically the chosen one, she never came into it and continually played the ruse. It was so refreshing to see a character follow a destiny they had fallen into, rather than one they had trained for or dreamed of. The ending with Dradge and the sword was honestly my favorite part!
Overall, an amazing epic ya-fantasy with a strong romance subplot but without an overbearing amount of spice or tension. I would definitely recommend it!
Read
February 10, 2024Loved this story, the characters, the world-building and the plot. There’s a potential romance in the offing, which is how I like fantasy romances … so low-key as to almost-not exist.
Buck brings in a raft of different character types and makes them all work. Her heroine is well-aware that she’s not the chosen everyone thinks, but is willing to go along with it. Also, she needs some lessons in swordwork; she got her butt handed to her every time. I don’t think there was a single battle where she didn’t end up bleeding and in urgent need of a healer.
There’s only one nitpicky thing I want to comment on because I nearly spit my drink across the living room. One of the races is centaur. At one point, one of them whinnies. Now, centaurs aren’t horses and don’t make horse-like sounds to my knowledge, because their upper bodies are human. Like, how does a human throat produce that sound, and for what possible reason? Terrible choice, imo.
That aside, I thought everything else was a fresh look at high fantasy and a good story of the chosen one.
Buck brings in a raft of different character types and makes them all work. Her heroine is well-aware that she’s not the chosen everyone thinks, but is willing to go along with it. Also, she needs some lessons in swordwork; she got her butt handed to her every time. I don’t think there was a single battle where she didn’t end up bleeding and in urgent need of a healer.
There’s only one nitpicky thing I want to comment on because I nearly spit my drink across the living room. One of the races is centaur. At one point, one of them whinnies. Now, centaurs aren’t horses and don’t make horse-like sounds to my knowledge, because their upper bodies are human. Like, how does a human throat produce that sound, and for what possible reason? Terrible choice, imo.
That aside, I thought everything else was a fresh look at high fantasy and a good story of the chosen one.
March 20, 2023
Sadly, this one just did not work for me. I did find the writing to be kind of clunky, especially in the dialogue, but that was easy to overlook. I just wanted a lot more depth from the story and characters. Everything was too easily forgettable. There was so much opportunity for world building and lore here, but we spent a lot of time with talking animals and such that had no bearing on the story. It is a very classic tale, and I definitely preferred Tristan's POV to the female. The potential was here, but the execution was not my favorite.
November 19, 2022
I really struggled to get synchronised with the book, and was left wondering what was going on for much of the story. Characters kept flitting back in and I was struggling to recall who they were, and which faction they represented.
There were also a number of terms used that I failed to integrate. For example, was it a race, faction, religion, character or trait. So my mental image of the story wasn’t particularly well formed, and thus my enjoyment suffered,
There were also a number of terms used that I failed to integrate. For example, was it a race, faction, religion, character or trait. So my mental image of the story wasn’t particularly well formed, and thus my enjoyment suffered,
Read
January 14, 2023DNF’d @ 56%
I enjoyed this when I read it but after I put it down I had no feeling of wanting to pick it back up. It was starting to make me slumpy, so for now I’m dnfing this and I might come back to it but I might not. I think knowing this series will never be finished is hindering me and my reading experience with it.
Because I read over half of it I will be counting it as read but I will not be rating it.
I enjoyed this when I read it but after I put it down I had no feeling of wanting to pick it back up. It was starting to make me slumpy, so for now I’m dnfing this and I might come back to it but I might not. I think knowing this series will never be finished is hindering me and my reading experience with it.
Because I read over half of it I will be counting it as read but I will not be rating it.
March 28, 2022
Cool world building. I’m not a fan of talking animals and just couldn’t get into the story. I’m sure it’s a lovely book
March 25, 2023
sadly didn't really love this!
I read this for SPFBO (Cassidy's version). Watch my reading vlog with more thoughts here:
https://youtu.be/xFK7zjfW6AQ
I read this for SPFBO (Cassidy's version). Watch my reading vlog with more thoughts here:
https://youtu.be/xFK7zjfW6AQ
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews