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argentbradamante's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
pilardo's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
tracythewriter's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of my favorite books of all time. I've reread it more times than I can count! <3
possibilityleft's review against another edition
3.0
If you like high fantasy and strong female characters, this book is for you. Although it was originally published in '92, it feels like old fantasy to me, something from the 70s or maybe 80s. In any case, it was a fairly engaging tale, if a touch predictable, and there were a lot of great women in this. I feel like I've been starved for awesome ladies in fantasy lately, and this definitely solved that problem.
It's the first book in a trilogy, although it doesn't end abruptly. I don't think that I liked it enough to find the other two books, but if you're really into high fantasy then it's worth picking up. I'm just really picky with high fantasy novels.
It's the first book in a trilogy, although it doesn't end abruptly. I don't think that I liked it enough to find the other two books, but if you're really into high fantasy then it's worth picking up. I'm just really picky with high fantasy novels.
youngserfs's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
A really strong novel by Holly Lisle. The story was great, the characters great, the world great. Not lifechanging literature, but a fantastic piece of fantasy.
cmbohn's review against another edition
3.0
Entertaining book, but I don't think I'll be reading any more in this series.
smcleish's review
4.0
Originally published on my blog here in January 2002.
When shepherdess Faia returns to her home to find that the whole village has been wiped out by plague, she uses one of the spells taught her by her mother to turn it into a pool of lava as part of her response to her grief. This turns out to be a hugely powerful spell, and commands the attention of mages (female) and sages (male) from the town which houses the university in which magicians are trained. An untrained, strong talent is very dangerous, both to its owner and to those around them, so Faia is more or less forced to accompany them back to the Oxbridge style setting of Ariss. Unable to fit in with the generally aristocratic pupils, Faia is stunned when the age old war between the sexes - carefully segregated in the misty city - threatens to break out again.
Even in her early novels like this one, Lisle's concern to promote the role of women in the fantasy genre is apparent. (It is never allowed to affect the interest of her story, however.) Fire in the Mist is an excellent light fantasy novel, with more to it than most, an apprenticeship for the later and more challenging Secret Texts trilogy.
When shepherdess Faia returns to her home to find that the whole village has been wiped out by plague, she uses one of the spells taught her by her mother to turn it into a pool of lava as part of her response to her grief. This turns out to be a hugely powerful spell, and commands the attention of mages (female) and sages (male) from the town which houses the university in which magicians are trained. An untrained, strong talent is very dangerous, both to its owner and to those around them, so Faia is more or less forced to accompany them back to the Oxbridge style setting of Ariss. Unable to fit in with the generally aristocratic pupils, Faia is stunned when the age old war between the sexes - carefully segregated in the misty city - threatens to break out again.
Even in her early novels like this one, Lisle's concern to promote the role of women in the fantasy genre is apparent. (It is never allowed to affect the interest of her story, however.) Fire in the Mist is an excellent light fantasy novel, with more to it than most, an apprenticeship for the later and more challenging Secret Texts trilogy.
tracybanghart's review
5.0
This is one of my favorite books of all time. I've reread it more times than I can count! <3
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