Welcome to the December 9th review stop on the blog tour for The Magic in Fire Anthology, organized by Silver Dagger Book Tours. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for spotlights, other reviews, guest posts by the author, and a giveaway! (More on that at the end of this post.)
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The Magic in Fire
Contributing authors:
A.A. Warne, Victoria Young, Dragonness Wyverna, A.H. Serrano, L.R. Huseboe, Kieran McKiel, R.A. Darlinge, Aörali Eden, B.R. Storm, Ilona Krueger, Serena Dawson, Michelle Crow, J.T. Moriarty
Published 1 December 2020
Self-Published by A. A. Warne
Genre: Fantasy Anthology, Short Fiction
Page Count: 222
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!
*** 12 MAGICAL TALES IN ONE MASSIVE FANTASY COLLECTION ***
Twelve stories – Thirteen authors.
One theme – The Magic in Fire.
FEATURING IN THIS ANTHOLOGY:
Victoria Young – The Doll Boutique
There’s nothing healthy about a tan – Melinda had heard the warnings and frankly, being stuck in a cramped white coffin was not her idea of fun. But when she wakes from the solarium bed in a dusty prison cell, Melinda realises she’s gotten herself into a tighter spot than she expected.
Dragonness Wyverna – Fire Under Water
Humans have come to the desert, and with them comes death. The oasis has been an indestructible black rock and shelter for the Desharihn fire sprites for generations. But when a band of humans arrive to mine the rock, it is up to Fia, the last Rahar sprite, to save the tribe from the humans’ immutable greed.
A. H. Serrano – Conviction by Fire
Blessed with the power of fire, Lhii Fuéra’s duty is to protect, but in the aftermath of a murder, she’s the one placed on trial. As the daughter of a great general, Lhii soon realizes that justice matters little among the powerful, and she’s faced with a choice: Become the victim or blame the victim.
L. R. Huseboe – Flames of Green
Jaer and his Knight Commander Kae, wander the thick forest in search of information about their missing spy. What they found was a battle against their century-long enemy, the Shaedyn. Will they prevail or face the same unknown fate?
Kieran McKiel – Hummingbird
Far from home and missing his love, Marco is fighting a war to end all wars. When hope seems lost, a strange entity appears with an offer to help him survive.
A. A. Warne – The Masters of Fire
The Masters of Fire were once a powerful brotherhood, but now only two of their brothers remain in the free world. Will they be strong enough to liberate their kin from the clutches of the Mad King? Or will an uncomfortable truth unravel their master plan?
B. R. Storm – The Harbinger
Since the beginning of Earth, Watcher has been tethered to immortality, waiting for the final soul to depart. The day finally comes and Watcher prepares for rest, but he’s confronted by the bringer of apocalyptic carnage.
Ilona Krueger – Song of my Soul
Always the realist, Felicity does not entertain anything that is unscientifically based. Her clinical assertions leave no room for magic and imagination. It is said, however, that Pride goes before a fall. And fall, she does. Is there salvation from the pit? Does she rise from the ashes? Is there hope for a new understanding?
Serena Dawson – A Spark of Courage
Prince Zabriel’s fire magic is weak, but Princess Maniela’s will to defy their cruel father is strong. Zabriel agrees to help his sister, and she leads them into a battle that will determine the fate and future of their kingdom.
Michelle Crow – The Flame
When Momma Courtney shows up on Prudence’s doorstep and draws magical wards to protect the house from an impending attack; Prudence’s reality is thrown into chaos as she discovers she’s the last Flame Keeper. Now with the entire village’s lives in her hands, can she save them from the body-snatching Ifrits with her untrained powers?
J. T. Moriarty – Petals of Autumn
As the legendary dragon, Flallemin, sets its sights on Goblin Birchwoods, Wedina has an impossible challenge: train the entire tribe. While there are plenty of shields, there’s only one sword and Wedina knows it’ll take more than might to deal with the hungry dragon.
Also featuring:
R. A. Darlinge & Aörali Eden – Fated Shadows
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My Rating: 4 Stars
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I was granted complimentary access to a copy of The Magic in Fire through Silver Dagger Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to both Silver Dagger and whichever author or publicist hired the tour for this opportunity! This has not swayed my opinion. My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
The Magic in Fire is an anthology of short fantasy stories involving fire as a magical element. I was drawn to this as a review opportunity for two reasons: 1. I’m a sucker for elemental magic and if I had elemental powers it would be fire, and 2. A. A. Warne. I reviewed Warne’s The Reluctant Wizard earlier this year and absolutely loved it, so why would I turn down a chance to read something else by this author?
Well, I was certainly not disappointed. Each author expertly crafts interesting worlds and characters and ushers us through whirlwind plots with finesse. Warne’s story The Masters of Fire about two such masters of fire and their troubles with “The Mad King” who is, uh… quite literally devouring the race in hopes of attaining their power. Fun, right? I did not expect such a short story to pack so much intrigue with a plot twist I didn’t predict.
As with many short story anthologies, although I did really enjoy my read, all of these stories left me wanting more and I know at least most of them don’t have more. They’re just shorts. It’s an itch that can’t be scratched. The difference between a 4 and a 5-star book to be is often very little and comes down to honestly answering questions to myself like would I read it again ahead of unread books on my TBR. The answer to that is that I might revisit individual stories, particularly to hype myself up to read any longer works related to them, but I don’t see myself pulling out the anthology for a cover-to-cover read through for nostalgic purposes, so it’s a 4.
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One lucky follower of the tour will walk away with a $50 Amazon gift card! Don’t forget to visit other stops on the tour for more chances to enter. Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway.
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