'Of Blood and Fire' by Ryan Cahill is a classic high fantasy novel set in the world of Epheria, following the journey of three friends, Calen, Rist, and Dann, as they undergo The Proving to transition from boys to men. The book intricately weaves together elements of dragon bonds, blood magic, and complex worldbuilding, introducing readers to a rich tapestry of lore and characters. As the story progresses, the friends find themselves embroiled in a war that has been ongoing for centuries, leading to a dramatic turn of events that changes their lives forever.
The writing style of Ryan Cahill in 'Of Blood and Fire' has been praised for its masterful worldbuilding and character development. With a focus on friendship, loyalty, and the classic 'coming of age' theme, the book delves into themes of bullying, escalating conflicts, and the complexities of human nature. Readers have noted the gradual unveiling of the fantasy world of Epheria, with hints of deeper lore and mysteries that keep them engaged and intrigued throughout the story.
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From The Publisher:
Born in fire. Tempered in blood.
Epheria is a land divided by war and mistrust. The High Lords of the South squabble and fight, only kept in check by the Dragonguard, traitors of a time long past, who serve the empire of the North.
In the remote villages of southern Epheria, still reeling from the tragic loss of his brother, Calen Bryer prepares for The Proving - a test of courage and skill that not all survive.
But when three strangers arrive in the village of Milltown, with a secret they are willing to die for, Calen's world is ripped from under him and he is thrust headfirst into a war that has been raging for centuries.
There is no prophecy. His coming was not foretold.
He bleeds like any man, and bleed he will.
Ratings (10)
Incredible (1) | |
Loved It (3) | |
Liked It (2) | |
It Was OK (3) | |
Did Not Like (1) |
Reader Stats (26):
Read It (11) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (13) | |
Not Interested (1) |
2 comment(s)
Well, reader, I finished it, although it took considerable willpower and an abnormal amount of time.
I've had this book on my to-read list since February 2022 and on Kindle Unlimited since October 2022, so you'd think I would've gotten around to it before February 2023. I did try to read it once before, with very little success. I was in a reading slump, and nothing interested me just then, so I didn't fault the book. Perhaps I should've.
This book feels exactly like every other fantasy book you've ever read. Small-town boy gets mixed up in events beyond his control; it turns out he's some "chosen one" that miraculously showed up at the perfect time; he and his friends leave said town behind to follow a mysterious group of people toward their destiny. Tell me, did I describe Of Blood and Fire or The Eye of the World? Spoiler alert: THEY'RE THE SAME! Tropes are an integral part of fiction (fantasy particularly), so seeing them in this book didn't upset me. What did was the COMPLETE lack of creativity surrounding every aspect of the story. I don't think I read anything in the entire 500+ pages of this book that hadn't already been done to death in countless others.
Our main character, Calen, had no qualities to endear him to me. If anything, I disliked him because of his absolute LACK OF BRAIN CELLS. I swear every decision he made felt like something the author made him do to move the story forward — no logic or wisdom necessary. I understand he's very young and inexperienced, but it's hard to like someone when you disagree with every action they make. His friends were no better, so I didn't even earn a respite with them!
Despite my general disappointment in this book, I must admit that the author did a remarkable job with the descriptive language used throughout. Each new setting felt alive with personality, color, and culture with every word he used to explore this world with the reader. I also liked the addition of wolfpines and wished Faenir had been a larger part of the story. What can I say? I'm an animal lover and a sucker for a furry companion.
The end of this book was the most intriguing part, but even that can't induce me to read the sequel. I've gone as far or farther than I care to go with this series.
From the first page on - the book feels familiar with reminding you of WoT, Malice, Eragon, LoTR. It has all the fantasy tropes with elves, dwarves, dangerous thick forests, dragons, so much that the evil one also feels like one you have come across earlier.
That said, Ryan Cahill has definitely tried to put his own spin to the old tropes and succeeded to a great extent. Interesting and fast read. I generally am wary of the coming of age YA fantasy as the main characters angst puts me off (seemingly acting as if their pain is real pain, the only one that matters). The author has dealt with the YA emotions delicately but they are not so overbearing.
Am interested to see where the series leads and if it can keep me hooked.
What can you read after
Of Blood and Fire?
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