All in all, I LOVED this book. I can't wait for the rest of the trilogy. I'm going to call it now - Aparna Verma will be one of the best fantasy writers of our generation. When Katara and Suki are looking for Aang, they see actress Aang circled by people, but actor Toph is not there. He then appears out of nowhere. The world is a masterful blend of a kingdom with ancient customs, mythologies, and religious beliefs mixed with futuristic technology like pulse guns, holopods, and other advanced elements. I did find it a bit heavy-handed, and it definitely affected the pacing, especially in the first 25% of the book, but the uniqueness of the world and the rest of the story made up for it.

Personally, I would say that the biggest weaknesses of The Boy With Fire came with its characterisation. The characters were distinctly archetypal; other than Samson at the very end, they did not feel as though they evolved past those archetypes. It’s easy to forgive a novel’s flaws if the characters are compelling enough. Unfortunately, since I was not invested in the characters of The Boy With Fire, I found it difficult to enjoy the rest of the story. From her pose, the woman comes across as a fierce warrior. Let’s hope that she has the strength to face a cruel, vindictive god like the Phoenix. The kind of book you sit down with to read one chapter and end up spending the whole day on. Come for the science fantasy worldbuilding and stay for the characters you just can’t get out of your head’

Summary

I see the superficial similarities to both Dune and the Poppy War - one of the most interesting aspects of the story was the blending of fantasy and sci-fi. However, the hallmark of these books is that they are sweeping, complex, adult political fantasies. Aside from the surface level, I do not see those hallmarks in The Boy With Fire. When Aang sleepwalks to the "island" he is barefoot, but when Momo wakes him up he is wearing shoes.

In some legends, the new phoenix embalms the ashes of its old self in an egg made of myrrh and deposits it in the Egyptian city of Heliopolis, the "City of the Sun". The bird was also said to regenerate when wounded, essentially making it immortal and invincible. Similarly, it is asserted that a phoenix can heal a person with its tears, and even temporarily make them immune to death. So began a last deadly conflict. As the Witch King and his councillors began their terrible ritual, the greatest wizards of the Elves attempted to stop them, but such was the awesome power of the Witch King's dark magic that he and his coven of mages slowly and inexorably gained the upper hand. The heavens shook and the earth trembled. In the far north of the world, the Realm of Chaos churned and prepared to advance once more. In the camp of the Phoenix King, Caledor prayed to all the gods and to his grandsire to aid him. [4a] Goodreads Librarians are volunteers who help ensure the accuracy of information about books and authors in the Goodreads' catalog. The Goodreads Libra Goodreads Librarians are volunteers who help ensure the accuracy of information about books and authors in the Goodreads' catalog. The Goodreads Librarians Group is the official group for requesting additions or updates to the catalog, including: This was an incredible debut rich with Indian-inspired mythology, next-generation technology and intricately-written characters, and I loved every moment. Elena Aadya Ravence will soon inherit the crown, but she first needs to learn how to control the Eternal Flame. Her father, Leo Ravence is not ready to step down; there are still things he needs to do to protect his daughter and maintain stability for the kingdom. And he will do whatever he deems necessary to achieve it, no matter how heinous. And then there’s Yassen Knight who wants to shed his assassin past.

See a Problem?

Yassen has been a member of an assassin group for most of his life, but that group has burned his name. He’s considered a traitor everywhere because of his past but Ravence is his home and he has nowhere else to go, so he follows Samson there. Elena is livid and doesn’t want him as her guard but her father insists on sealing the deal with Samson. And so the two begin a dance, her trying to punish him for his past, and him trying to prove to her he’s reformed. It’s also full of secrets and schemes There is a romance, though it’s not the main focus of the story. The love stories are always my favorite parts, and I enjoyed this one. Many of the quotes I highlighted revolve around the couple’s feelings for each other. Though riddled with obstacles that broke my heart on more than one occasion, it was a pairing I wholly rooted for, and I’m hoping beyond hope that there will be more to this part of the story in the next book.

No, currently, there is no movie project for this novel. Where can I read the The Phoenix King by Aparna Verma? The world building is confusing. There were too many names of different groups and spies and they all seemed the same, which is one of the reasons why I was confused. For a book written so good, I would expect the world building to sweep me off my feet but it didn't. I still do not have a concrete idea about it, so will see in the next book.

The Boy With Fire follows Elena, a young ruler ready to ascend to the throne, Yassen, an assassin on the run after an accident, as well as Leo, the current emperor of Ravence. Aang prepares himself to fight Fire Lord Ozai, but has difficulty deciding how to defeat him without taking his life. His friends push him, urging him to kill the Fire Lord, but Aang insists it goes against his beliefs. In his sleep, Aang is drawn toward a mysterious island that appears suddenly in the sea. His friends find June, the bounty hunter, to attempt to locate him again. Fire Lord Ozai crowns himself Phoenix King and Aang awakens on the unknown island now in the middle of the sea. Synopsis [ ]