When I first saw the movie Dragonheart as a kid, something in me clicked into place, because that is exactly the way I pictured dragons. No matter what books I read or games I played that sort of missed the mark, to me, finally, someone got it right. I feel a similar kindred soul for The Redwood Rebel--this is the book that got fantasy right.
From the very beginning, the settings, the conflicts, the personalities all began to rise out of the mist like Avalon. You won't be flooded with three pages of descriptions like the dusty classics, but you won't be floundering to figure out what the room looks like either, or when this character acquired a glass in their hand. The magic is explained in such a way that you could feel yourself using your own. You learn more about a particular type while the character does, and though it's not perfect—how does one conjure up solid objects like chairs and clothes, anyway?--it isn't limitless and unexplained. I admire the characters right away. The protagonist Naomi is ferocious when a situation calls for it, loyal and heartbroken for her home, genial with people who give her the benefit of the doubt, and doesn't react out of nothing. My favorite part about her is how she balances being proud with being humble; she values herself and her boundaries, but will also reconsider and readjust when she's wrong. Her companions along the journey are also intriguing, lively, and relatable. They are as vibrant and unique within their races as they are mixed among each other, and it's a treat to be able to agree with both sides of an argument because the character's motives are so well-defined. Speaking of motives, that of the villains can hold water as well. They don't seek destruction for the sake of it, but for the sake of their own gains. They have desires of their own and vary in the ways they wish to achieve them. I especially enjoyed reading about the harpies and how their bloodthirsty ways were driven by biology as well as allegiance. My absolute favorite part, however, was the worldbuilding. There are three main areas described in the book, and all so uniquely defined in geography and culture that I could imagine them in ways similar to our own countries on Earth, without being restricted by my associations with those countries. The lands in Redwood Rebel are very different from each other, and I feel almost as though I had visited them all just by the way they were discussed, even though it has only taken place in one so far. The way the locations work together makes perfect sense based on their weather and landscapes and the way civilizations trade. The backgrounds of each character vary for their countries too—you can tell that a character's decisions and feelings are motivated in part by their upbringing and surroundings, as well as by their own attributes. Culture influences each character but doesn't limit them to only understanding one belief. To further praise it, a location's beliefs could be argued for oppression or against it, depending on how tightly someone held it to their own interpretations, just like complex beliefs in real life. Adventure scenes were clear and rallying, making me want to join the fight. There were times where the action was less than roiling, and many conversations or thoughtful paragraphs took longer than perhaps they should've (there is some telling rather than showing), but the insight they offered did help, and I never found myself bored enough to put it down. In fact I'm reading it a second time right now, and I haven't skimmed once. Overall, I found the plot engaging and wondered several times how they would get out of a predicament. I was consistently curious throughout the tale and being rewarded in later chapters for my observations. There was a variation of race and viewpoint exhibited by the characters, which is something novels need more of. Conflict tripped things up nicely well into the story, so that nothing came easily and every action had a consequence or a reaction. This is a thoroughly well-crafted book, the kind that will get passed around and bought for friends' birthdays and requested at libraries because it contains everything modern readers are looking for, and nothing they can do without. This is the book your “castles, dragons, and actual diversity” side has been craving.
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Unlike just about every book ever, I actually agreed with the cover quote praising this one. It says "Fire Bringer does for deer what Watership Down did for rabbits," and if it meant giving poignant insight to their social order, hosting imaginative anthropomorphism, and making the reader utterly appalled at how they wage war against each other, then yeah, I'd have to agree with that. Fire Bringer is one of those amazing books that turns something I normally hate (prophecy stories) into something I forgive and adore, and it does this by giving life to the main character as he struggles against what his fate implies. I get his frustration, I cheer along his journey, I want with every ounce of me for these characters to make it. And as much as I like the protagonist, the side characters shine just as strongly. The character arcs were so well handled that the reluctant eye-rolling/mocking friend grew up to be the one I got attached to the most. And the does in this book are handled with true understanding of inner strength--the mothers make sacrifices of love for their children, the queen shows resilience in the face of tyrants, and the youngest does outsmart enemy bucks with the sharpest antlers when they can't go head to head. None of them sacrifice their emotional connectivity for brute strength, but they are all strong. It's a great approach to a species which has an obvious gender imbalance, and it leaves the author able to focus on true expression of qualities such as honor, optimism, and loyalty. There's wilderness here too, and that isn't lost even in moments where natural enemies are temporary accomplices. He shows the difficulty in any opposing animals to remain near each other, and it keeps it from feeling too contrived or Disney-like. ("But Dad, don't we eat the antelope?" Yeah, we do, and don't you forget it.) Fire Bringer is a solid, enthralling book if you're looking for anything with great story, characters, and descriptives. There's not a complaint I have about it so I'm glad I found it when I did. I recommend it to anyone, but especially people who believe that animals hold more personality than they're given credit for. |
AuthorCarrie is a burgeoning writer in North America. She thinks about stories 23/7 because everyone needs some time off. She enjoys apples, giving and receiving feedback, and couch-fort gaming with loved ones. Archives
April 2016
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