Reviews with content warning for Murder - The Boy With Fire

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The Boy With Fire by Aparna Verma

14 reviews

najmanasir's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Overall, 4.5 stars! One thing I really enjoyed was how Aparna described scenes in her book. They were always so detailed and descriptive that I could envision everything happening. I tend to play scenes in my head, and her writing style completely supports that. I also admired the complexity of each character, appreciating how multi-dimensional they were. No character was purely "good," as their moral compasses were constantly challenged. For example, we have Leo Ravence, a father and the King of Ravence, who must balance his decisions between protecting his kingdom and his daughter Elena. We watch as he makes irreversible mistakes throughout his reign, but also moments where he shows his care as a father. There is also Yassen Knight, a man of Ravani and Jantari descent and an assassin for the Arohassin. Struggling against the rejection from both sides of his heritage due to having the blood of the opposing lineage in his veins, Yassen also bears the weight of being labeled a traitor and criminal for his allegiance to the Arohassin. Between balancing the desire to belong and the necessity of survival, Yassen questions where his loyalties lie, ultimately faced with decisions on whom to betray and serve. As the story unfolds, their individual narratives and arcs add depth, revealing perspectives that make each character captivating and prompting my sympathy towards them.

Another aspect I wanted to mention was the romance in the book. I appreciated that the romance was a subplot in the book, focusing mainly on the political issues and specific challenges each character had to face in the story. The romance between Elena and Yassen was a slow burn, matching the pace of their relationship development. While initially, the romance felt abrupt and kind of flat, it became more natural as the plot expanded and they found a deep understanding of one another.

Furthermore, the excerpts at the beginning of each chapter (which were snippets from various documents and books within the story's world), were such a creative addition to the narrative. While it may have been a small detail, it added another layer to the story, which deeply tied into the plot, world-building, and connections to specific characters. Honestly, I wished we had full-length documents of these excerpts. Some of my favorite quotes came from them, showcasing Aparna's attention to detail to vividly bring the world to life.

However, one thing I wish had been explored more was Elena's feelings, especially her rage. We do see her rage towards the middle/end of the book, but I wish it was scattered throughout the story. There were many moments when I felt like Elena was too calm, but I can understand that with her predicaments, she had to suppress her emotions more than she would've liked. However, the shift in her personality and morals towards the end of the book leaves a lot to explore in book two. Elena has so much potential and room for growth, and I can't wait to see her character development in the next two books.

Overall, this was a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed. The bonus chapter at the end emotionally wrecked me, making a particular bond so much more powerful. I will now be counting the days until the release of book 2, anticipating the impending chaos that has yet to unfold.

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mirificmoxie's review against another edition

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challenging dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

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jennanaps's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny tense medium-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? Yes

4.75

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gimmiiie's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-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? Yes

5.0

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shoni's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-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? Yes

5.0

It has been well over a day since I finished and I have still not stopped thinking about the characters or the story. Everything about this story made me happy and I wanted the second book as soon as possible. I always wanted more South Asian representation and this book delivered for sure. Inspired by Indian myths and it being a high fantasy is truly combining some of my favorite aspects.

I also really appreciated that we had a POV of the father. Leo's perspective was so refreshing. We saw how he struggle doing what's right for his people but also for his daughter and it was so refreshing. Plus seeing the south asian father daughter struggle from a father's perspective isn't something you see often.

I loved having a strong female lead. Especially in the adult genre! I’m so used to seeing YA characters so I love seeing an older character who isn’t backing down and fights for what she believes in. My favorite is that even though she is a royal, and looks great in a red lehenga, SHE FIGHT BACK AND DOESN’T HESITATE. Like what’s not to love about that. Elena is everyone I've always wanted in a female lead and she's south Asian so it's even better.

On the other hand, Yassen is my boy. I love him. Being of a mixed race constantly not knowing where he belongs and being mistaken and never enough for either is something so personal to me. Aparna did such an amazing job to show the struggle of not knowing where you belong but struggling finding your place. AND THE LONGING BETWEEN YASSEN AND ELENA UGH! I am still not over the iconic dupatta scene. Like the fanart is so beautiful and I think about it constantly. Like that scene was absolutely beautiful and it had so many emotions behind it. And how it the symbolism behind it is so much more than what the surface shows

ESPECIALLY WHEN SHES THINKING OF THE PRACTICE WITH YASSEN WHEN ELENA IS DANCING WITH SAMSON. ALSO CAN WE TALK ABOUT HIM SURIVING AND HIM BEING THE PROPHET?!? AND HOW HIM, ELENA, AND YASSEN ARE THE 3 DIFFERENT TIMES OF FIRE BECAUSE I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT.

The story was also just captivating. From the very first page to the last I could not put it down nor stop thinking about it. I wanted to know what would happen, I wanted to know how everyone's paths would cross and what it would mean in the long scheme of things. The story itself is dark, there is a reason it's an adult and not a YA book. It covers some dark themes and topic and it doesn't shy away from it. It doesn't shy away from discussing what war not only does to a person but what it can push a person to do. It wad do interesting to see and I'm so excited to see more of it!

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tc_booksandmore's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for gifting me with an eARC and physical ARC copy. This is my honest opinion.

This is an interesting blend of science fiction and fantasy and Indian mythology. It took me a little bit to get into the book and I was thrown off by the modernistic weaponry and technology because you don't normally see that in fantasy books. But the characters grew on me and I am intrigued by their stories and what is going to happen going forward. I do like knowing that this is the first in a trilogy because there was world and character building but it wasn't overwhelming. The multiple points of view gave insight into what the characters were thinking and a little about what was missing from the narratives.

There is very little in terms of romance and the little that is there grows naturally and doesn't seemed forced between the characters.

The characters are beautifully flawed and the world is crazy. If you like The City of Brass, A Darker Shade of Magic, An Ember in the Ashes, then I recommend this book.

4 out of 5 stars. No spice.

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inkdrinkers's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.0

Told through three point of views, The Phoenix King is a blend of science fiction and fantasy, set in an India-inspired world. Yassen, an assassin turned bodyguard, Elena, heir and future queen, and Leo, the current king, all battle each other as they fight against a prophecy that might end their world as they know it.

The Phoenix King has a highly interesting premise and gorgeous cover.

I had such high expectations for this novel, and unfortunately it met none of them. Going in, I knew it would be a blend of sci-fi and fantasy (or science fantasy), something done rarely, but when done well it's incredible (see: Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao) - this was not done well. I felt so disconnected from the world from the first page, and as I kept reading I just kept feeling more and more confused and like every bit of science was shoehorned into the plot and just left half-wedged in there to "make it fit" since the book was trying to genre blend.

I found it very awkwardly written, from the character perspective changes, to the way the world felt almost like a parody of sci-fi in some moments (the strange new curses, the religious zealots with no purpose). The tone of the entire novel is set forth with a prologue that I absolutely didn't connect with, featuring a bizarre chase (he's a highly trained assassin, why does he suddenly suck at his job?) and throws the reader into a world that doesn't even attempt to ground itself before creating and introducing new ideas.

I know this was the author's debut, and I feel like you can TELL it was their debut, because the writing is so choppy and, on a technical level, seems to be unable to handle the massive task of building an entire world, religion, and plot in 400 pages. I, also, can't help but be a little annoyed that this was published prior in 2021, and this is the updated edition of the book, with apparently edits, more content, and extras. I'm a little shocked that this version of the book is the one that's gone through more editing because I still feel like it's lacking clarity in far too many areas.

I wish I had enjoyed this as much as I hoped I would, but it completely and utterly missed the mark for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me a copy of this book for an honest review.

Content warnings: Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Sexual content, Slavery, Xenophobia

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ddnreads's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional tense medium-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? No

4.0

Fiuuuuuhhhhh it was one hell of a book. I have mixed feelings about it. It started with a very great premise and I love the beginning. Halfway through I found it hard to finish the story. It's not like I didn't like them, I just sort of felt flat towards the characters. It doesn't ignite the sparks it initially did.

Let's start with what I love:
- The world building
I love it. It's rich, detailed, diverse, and very atmospheric. The author navigated it well. However, my small brain sometimes find it hard to keep up where or who. All fault on me. Hopefully in the final copy there will huge map detailing the places.
It's a science fiction fantasy where the modern technology was blended into the antique world building.

- The characterization
We're given 3 point of view. Leo, the king, Elena, the Heir, and Yassen, the assassin.
I love seeing how their thoughts woven into the plot. It gave them the depth and well explained their behaviour and decision. None of the characters are insufferable. All of them are strong in their stance. Are capable of fight 👌

- Enemies to lovers are acceptable. It's a slowburn definitely. But the romance is definitely much little. It's a plus point for me. I felt it yet it's not overpowering the whole story. It's just enough.

- The writing style is beautiful 🫶🏽😭 I love when the authors create their own phrases and it becomes iconic 👌♥️ I can see the research and mastery it put through to create such a world.

What I have mixed feelings for:
- The palace and political instrigue
The conflicts were overlapping one another.
The international affair conflicts and war felt too rushed and cramped at the end of the book.

- The twist didn't work for me. Including the epilogue. It didn't make sense?????

- I would love it if the pace is a bit faster.

To conclude, if you're into adult SFF, slowburn enemies to lover, political + religion + international war conflicts, badass FMC, twist and turn with a detailed explanation and lengthy actions to get there, give this book a go.

I would definitely read the sequel!!!

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bloggingwithdragons's review against another edition

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mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

I received this book for free from Orbit Books in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Phoenix King is a debut fantasy novel taking place in an Indian-inspired world. It has a really interesting premise centering on an ancient prophecy and is told from the alternating perspectives of a king, a princess, and an assassin. I was initially drawn to The Phoenix King due to its promises of an enemies-to-lovers romance, unique world-building, and morally gray characters. Unfortunately, though the ideas of The Phoenix King were superb, I found they were often contradictory and that the execution was lacking.

The world-building especially felt all over the place for me. The setting was both futuristic and antiquated, for lack of a better term. People use hoverpods, holopods, pulse guns, and visors, but then use scrolls for reading. The lore surrounding the Phoenix also felt contradictory to me. The Phoenix is supposed to be vengeful, so why do her followers say things like, "we the blessed few," when it sounds like they're anything but blessed to worship an angry goddess who seems anything but forgiving and loves a good fiery purge. I don't really understand why her people worship the Phoenix with seemingly little to no benefits. Even Elena, the princess and future queen of the kingdom of Ravence seems to wonder this herself at times.

“‘I’ve seen how fire can tear apart its followers,’ he continued, ‘The Ravani know all this yet continue to worship the Phoenix. Others call it madness, but I think your people have tapped into an ancient force that no other nation understands….Ravence has survived because it knows what it means to burn. It knows loss, yet its people continue to believe.’”

Meanwhile, her father, King Leo, has given up on following religion entirely and stops at nothing to prevent the foretold Prophet from rising and destroying the nation...which obviously flies in the face of their entire religion. Normally when we see people worshiping this kind of deity, it's because they're getting something out of it and that wasn't really demonstrated for me in The Phoenix King beyond the cons. The royal family's fire power doesn't help their citizens in any way, except supposedly as a deterrent to war somehow. But how is one king or queen that is able to wield the Phoenix’s fire, fight off entire armies? It doesn’t seem likely.

Similarly, I asked myself how people who live in a desert settled upon worshiping a fire god, and not a water one. Generally in mythology, people end up worshiping gods that offer something they want, such as a bountiful harvest, wisdom, fertility, etc.. But again, I never saw any direct benefits of worshiping the Phoenix, except that supposedly the royal family made a deal with her to found the nation of Ravence initially. And though Elena tells readers her father only focuses on his nation, and doesn’t do a good enough job taking care of his people, I never really see anyone suffering in the streets or crying out for the Phoenix's aid. But anyways, as much of the novel centers around the Phoenix and the prophecy surrounding the rise of her mysterious prophet, who is foretold to burn the world, the actual benefits of worshiping the Phoenix seems like a very important question. I also would have really liked to learn more about the religion’s practices in general. There were priests and priestess, sayings that her followers uttered, and some ceremonies, but not a lot of actual substance beyond it.

For instance, at one point the novel proclaims, “To be forgiven, one must be burned.” But readers never see any public burnings or anything of the sort. Thieves don’t have brands burned into them or fingers burned off or anything. For a nation supposedly filled with fire fanatics, it certainly doesn’t seem to actually play that much of a role in the everyday life of its citizens (especially outside of the Royal Family).

Other factors of the world-building were also head scratchers. I found it a little odd that in a book taking place in an Indian inspired world, with characters wearing lehengas and saris, that characters had names like “Elena,” “Leo,” and “Samson.” Side characters seem to have completely different names, like “Ferma,” “Yassen,” “Maru,” “Jasmine,” “Giorna,” “Saayna,” “Erwin,” “Arish,” and “Aahnah.” Granted, some of these characters were from different origins, but there were never any common denominators in the choices of names or a whole lot of explanations surrounding them or their countries. I thought perhaps “Elena” and “Leo” were regnal names, but as they’re never called anything else (except for “Leo,” which is apparently a nickname), this does not appear to be the case. This just struck me as odd that all of these names were so disparate (or at least seeming so to me), and there were next to no commonality in names of people from a similar origin. Sure, there’s no rule stating someone has to pick a name from their culture or language, but this is typically something we see in both the real world and fantasy worlds. This may seem like a small thing, but this, along with my consternation over the lore, made my immersion into the world challenging.

In spite of my constant distraction over these questions, my struggles with the pacing, and that much of the earlier plot of the book doesn’t ever go anywhere, I kept reading The Phoenix Kingbecause I wanted to find out the identity of the Phoenix's prophet. The novel does a great job twisting and turning things so that it could easily be several different characters. I would be certain I had the mystery figured out, only to get more information that had me second guessing and thinking it was actually someone else. I thought there was a lot of payoff to the reveal and though I’m interested in the motivations of this character in question, I feel like I can guess them, and don’t think I’m quite curious enough to read the next book in the series to find out if I’m correct.

But I think readers who love Own Voices will very much enjoy The Phoenix King. One of the main characters, assassin Yassen, is half-Ravani and half-Jantari, which is something that irrevocably renders him an outsider in both worlds. He spends a lot of time struggling to process his identity and watching others rudely do it for him. This portrayal is really poignant and I think it will resonate with a lot of readers.

Unfortunately, despite really liking the mystery of the prophet and Yassen’s struggles with belonging and identity, the rest of The Phoenix King felt bland. Though I liked the idea of the characters, I found them to be more archetypes than actual complex characters. Likewise, the enemies-to-lovers romance failed to capture my interest, as I never felt like the two characters in question were ever enemies or lovers. Like yes, it was clear at one point that he planned to kill her due to circumstances beyond his control, but to me, it was pretty obvious he'd make the right choices the whole time. I never feared for her safety around him, despite the fact that he was a notorious assassin who made his name killing royals. I am still positively perplexed as to why a former assassin, specializing in the murder of royals, would be given guard duty to the future queen and basically unlimited access to her. I could understand bringing him on as a special security expert, with his inside knowledge of the feared assassin organization, but as her personal guard? That required a lot of suspension of disbelief on my part.

I also wasn’t the biggest fan of the prose. It was mostly very direct and simplistic, but then had tons of expressions sprinkled in that felt forced and unnatural to me, like they desperately wanted to be quotable and poetic. Many of these sentiments also felt rather over the top and melodramatic to me as well, with not a whole lot of actual meaning behind them. For example:

“Ash begets ash. Heavens burn to reveal the truth. May the sinners be forgiven, and the pretenders see their doom….And thus justice shall bloom.”

Why in an expression about fire and ash is there a reference to blooming? This just doesn’t make sense to me and I quickly learned to stop trying to find the logic in these types of expressions. As a whole, The Phoenix King also suffers from a lot of telling over showing. And to me, it read mostly like a young adult fantasy, with characters making emotional and impulsive decisions, a focus on familial relations, not knowing how to handle relationships or responsibility, and coming into one’s own. It also has a lighter tone than most adult fantasy novels.

So if any of those former themes are your thing, than The Phoenix King will make for an enjoyable read. While The Phoenix King regrettably didn’t work for me and I probably won't read any follow ups in the series, I do think the novel had a strong premise and is the perfect read for those looking for an Indian-inspired fantasy with unique gods, characters struggling with their senses of identity or a follow-up read to The Jasad Heir.

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sydapel's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Boy did this pick up like wildfire (hehehe like the title) at about the 65% mark. Which, objectively is about 30% past when it should have, but I can tell this is on its way to being a long form fantasy series so we can forgive it. I think the world the author has established here is incredibly interesting, with a focus on the burden of revenge and grief and loneliness and rage. However, I felt the world building and establishment of the world was really difficult to intake, and there's a huge focus on that instead of action in the first two thirds, which made it incredibly hard to get into. Cannot wait to see what's next in the series!

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