Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer’s Reviews > Fireborne > Status Update

Reading the note in the back if I’d known it was based on Plato I would have passed on this. It’s boring. The dragons were incidental. The story is depressingly adult. Knowing it’s based on The Republic and a love of classics I realize I would never enjoy this.

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 liked Lee and his determination to do what is right. It mirrored Atreus who was willing to commit atrocities to remake the world.

He does it... kills her. Atreus was going to kill him even if he did... but Power realized and hints it to Annie. Who brings witnesses to save him. So yeah I was wrong about Atreus... a nameless solider tasked with killing the boy saved him. Just disobeyed and dropped him at the orphanage. We learn in flashback.

Oh boo boo they rehash what they’ve both known about each other in detail. Power finds a note Julia sent and tries to arrest Lee and Annie. She calls for her dragon and wrests back control. They head off to Atreus. Who I think totally knows who Lee is, he needed a Dragonborn to spark the dragons. So melodramatic... total tripe! 🤢

This has become so dreary! I thought is as slow and boring before but now it’s so depressing that killing myself would be an escape I relish! When the other side takes out their ships Atreus immediately goes back to the old ways and uses dragons to get all the food. Then they decide who is worth living!

The most exciting scene just happened when Lee’s dragon sparked in their battle for top spot and he flamed Annie. He had to jump from his dragon to hers to open her coolants and save her. Though no mention is made of his saving her life. He’s tapping Crissa the girl who likes him even though he knows it’s only sex for him. Totally reads as adult.

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.

At least in the last 20 pages something has happened with those on the other side of the war! Power also was intriguing how he worked over Annie, made her realize she’s been overthinking her qualifications as head of attack! I do like this subtlety but the pacing is mind numbingly slow.

This got boring. I realized this is really about Annie and Lee’s history with each other and with their past. It’s subtle like an adult novel and lacks action. Lee wants to be with Annie and she him... BUT he’s really from the old guard. She can’t forget that and he realizes this. The whole position jockeying is really about their romance!

Reads like an adult book but not so heavy language. I am enjoying it despite its lack of action and focus on character and angst.