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kit_steitz's review
4.0
Compelling and complex protagonist, interesting and well rounded cast of characters, paced much better than the first book, and action packed. A fun read. Looking forward to the third book.
roguebelle's review against another edition
5.0
A magnificent follow-up to THE WAKING LAND. Jahan’s POV is fascinating, and so much of how the magic grows and develops in this story is just so satisfying. I can’t wait for Sophy’s story in Book Three!
marie_thereadingotter's review against another edition
2.0
Review
http://pagestoexplore.blogspot.com/2018/04/review-memory-of-fire-by-callie-bates.html
http://pagestoexplore.blogspot.com/2018/04/review-memory-of-fire-by-callie-bates.html
crystallyn's review
5.0
I loved book 1 of The Waking Land, so when I saw book 2 furthered the relationship of Elanna Valtai and Jahan Korakides, I was delighted. This time we get Jahan's POV and we learn a great deal about what drives him. In The Memory of Fire, Jahan returns to his hometown of Paladis to try and broker peace but when he arrives he finds that things were not the same as when he left. When searching for his lost brothers, he winds up caught up in a deadly rebellion against the emperor and his magic dampening witch-hunters. In the midst of it all he has to contend with a force from his abusive past. This is a fantastic continuation of Bates' series and I'm desperate to know where she's going to take us in Book 3!
nietzschesghost's review
4.0
Having read "The Waking Land", the first book in this series by Callie Bates, I was very excitable about the prospect of securing an advanced review copy of "The Memory of Fire" to read and review. When my prayers were answered I was over the moon!
I have to say, I enjoyed this more than the first one although some of the issues with the "The Waking Land" are still present in this sequel. My main criticism is that the plot is overly intricate with a lot happening and a large cast of characters meaning it takes a good amount of brainpower to keep them all straight in your head. There are a significant number of characters on the periphery too, all with minor parts in the plot and who's development is limited. They are difficult to form attachments to as a consequence. With regard to the ending, I would've expected to have been given more knowledge of The Witch Hunters by the author, seen as they are an integral part of the way the book concludes.
Okay, now on to the positives! I thought Bates was extremely bold and brave to dedicate most of "The Waking Land" to Elanna and her development. Here, the POV changes and the story is told from Jahan's perspective. I really enjoyed this aspect as I think sometimes when a story is already very "busy", to change the POV between different characters throughout a book can make it even busier. I appreciated the paranoid undertone to proceedings as you never knew who you could trust, a feature I love and primarily see in crime thrillers. It was also a hell of a lot darker than the series first. Some of Jahan's previous behaviour is explained by learning his history and I appreciated getting his backstory. Bates has created two contrasting main characters in Elanna and Jahan - Elanna is vivacious and strong, Jahan's story is a much sadder one which has a knock-on effect on his thought processes and the way he lives his life.
I feel that there is plenty more life left in this tale and the finale certainly leaves open the possibility for a third book in the series. I would definitely pick up the third title to learn more about Elanna and Jahan and follow them on their adventures in this fresh and vivid world.
A final note - this is absolutely a book that requires you to have read the first in the series as the plot follows on from what happened previously and won't make a lot of sense to those who attempt to try it as a standalone title.
Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
I have to say, I enjoyed this more than the first one although some of the issues with the "The Waking Land" are still present in this sequel. My main criticism is that the plot is overly intricate with a lot happening and a large cast of characters meaning it takes a good amount of brainpower to keep them all straight in your head. There are a significant number of characters on the periphery too, all with minor parts in the plot and who's development is limited. They are difficult to form attachments to as a consequence. With regard to the ending, I would've expected to have been given more knowledge of The Witch Hunters by the author, seen as they are an integral part of the way the book concludes.
Okay, now on to the positives! I thought Bates was extremely bold and brave to dedicate most of "The Waking Land" to Elanna and her development. Here, the POV changes and the story is told from Jahan's perspective. I really enjoyed this aspect as I think sometimes when a story is already very "busy", to change the POV between different characters throughout a book can make it even busier. I appreciated the paranoid undertone to proceedings as you never knew who you could trust, a feature I love and primarily see in crime thrillers. It was also a hell of a lot darker than the series first. Some of Jahan's previous behaviour is explained by learning his history and I appreciated getting his backstory. Bates has created two contrasting main characters in Elanna and Jahan - Elanna is vivacious and strong, Jahan's story is a much sadder one which has a knock-on effect on his thought processes and the way he lives his life.
I feel that there is plenty more life left in this tale and the finale certainly leaves open the possibility for a third book in the series. I would definitely pick up the third title to learn more about Elanna and Jahan and follow them on their adventures in this fresh and vivid world.
A final note - this is absolutely a book that requires you to have read the first in the series as the plot follows on from what happened previously and won't make a lot of sense to those who attempt to try it as a standalone title.
Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
tonstantweader's review
4.0
The Memory of Fire follows directly on the heels of The Waking Land. When the first book in this exciting fantasy ended, the newly freed people of Eren feared the great empire of Paladis would retaliate and sure enough, they are preparing to send their Black Ships to pacify the rebellion and drive magic back out of the land. Jahan is from their, a friend of the Crown Prince, and decides to return as a diplomatic envoy in order to negotiate peace in hopes of avoiding a war.
He has a private mission as well, rescuing his youngest brother from Madiya, the cruel tutor who taught him magic at the cost of many of his memories. He thinks something is amiss with his middle brother as well. However, returning home is a disappointment. His middle brother has fled the military academy and is missing and his youngest brother seems terribly wounded even though Madiya has left.
His return to the court is unsuccessful, the Crown Prince has no time for him and everyone is against him except some rebel friends and his aunt. He is suspected of being a sorcerer, a crime which could lead to life in prison or death. It’s really a mess and to top it all off, there’s an incipient rebellion seeking his leadership, strange allies within the Court that may have ulterior motives, and so much inner conflict, he is half-paralyzed by indecision.
As a second in a series, The Memory of Fire avoids the usual trap of retelling too much of the first book. Bates trusts readers to remember, and if they forget, to just accept the world as it comes along. The liberation of Eren is not reprised. There’s far too much to accomplish in Paradis. It’s fast-paced and exciting. The duplicitous characters are presented with the complexity that means their duplicity is suspected and not out of the blue.
I was frustrated by Jahan at times. He was needlessly indecisive and inconsistent. Clearly, he has great magic but fails to use it to its best effect thanks to bad self-talk. That was the problem with Elanna as well. I hope whoever is the focus in Book Three will not be someone whose paralyzed by doubt. That’s a bit unfair to Jahan, he did not have time to be paralyzed, but he was as much driven by events as driving them. He was acted upon more than taking action on his own unless in extremis.
An interesting complication is Jahan’s particular magic. It consists of reminding materials of their other states. For example, reminding a fire what it was when it was out or vice versa. It is also the antithesis of Elanna’s power and I wonder if that might lead to problems down the road as his power drains life and hers wakes life. There is more than a hint that his power offends her which would be a great development in Book Three, figuring out how his power can function without damage. There are power sources he can employ in Paradis, but what about if and when they return to Eren?
I am eager to read the next in the series. I already have questions and expectations, which goes to show what a successful series Bates has written.
I received a copy of The Memory of Fire from the publisher through NetGalley.
The Memory of Fire at Del Rey | Penguin Random House
Callie Bates author site
Tonstant Weader Reviews The Waking Land.
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2018/06/09/9780399177422/
He has a private mission as well, rescuing his youngest brother from Madiya, the cruel tutor who taught him magic at the cost of many of his memories. He thinks something is amiss with his middle brother as well. However, returning home is a disappointment. His middle brother has fled the military academy and is missing and his youngest brother seems terribly wounded even though Madiya has left.
His return to the court is unsuccessful, the Crown Prince has no time for him and everyone is against him except some rebel friends and his aunt. He is suspected of being a sorcerer, a crime which could lead to life in prison or death. It’s really a mess and to top it all off, there’s an incipient rebellion seeking his leadership, strange allies within the Court that may have ulterior motives, and so much inner conflict, he is half-paralyzed by indecision.
As a second in a series, The Memory of Fire avoids the usual trap of retelling too much of the first book. Bates trusts readers to remember, and if they forget, to just accept the world as it comes along. The liberation of Eren is not reprised. There’s far too much to accomplish in Paradis. It’s fast-paced and exciting. The duplicitous characters are presented with the complexity that means their duplicity is suspected and not out of the blue.
I was frustrated by Jahan at times. He was needlessly indecisive and inconsistent. Clearly, he has great magic but fails to use it to its best effect thanks to bad self-talk. That was the problem with Elanna as well. I hope whoever is the focus in Book Three will not be someone whose paralyzed by doubt. That’s a bit unfair to Jahan, he did not have time to be paralyzed, but he was as much driven by events as driving them. He was acted upon more than taking action on his own unless in extremis.
An interesting complication is Jahan’s particular magic. It consists of reminding materials of their other states. For example, reminding a fire what it was when it was out or vice versa. It is also the antithesis of Elanna’s power and I wonder if that might lead to problems down the road as his power drains life and hers wakes life. There is more than a hint that his power offends her which would be a great development in Book Three, figuring out how his power can function without damage. There are power sources he can employ in Paradis, but what about if and when they return to Eren?
I am eager to read the next in the series. I already have questions and expectations, which goes to show what a successful series Bates has written.
I received a copy of The Memory of Fire from the publisher through NetGalley.
The Memory of Fire at Del Rey | Penguin Random House
Callie Bates author site
Tonstant Weader Reviews The Waking Land.
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2018/06/09/9780399177422/
amandamullen's review
4.0
3.5 stars! Wow, I enjoyed this so much more than its predecessor. It's from Jahan's perspective, so I suppose I should have seen that coming.
The Memory of Fire delves further into the magic system and political sphere of the world Bates crafts in The Waking Land. It unravels the consequences of Caeris's uprising, and it shows the struggle to maintain a government that accepts sorcery in a world that does not.
I don't know that I'd say it's worth reading the first book just to get to this one. But if you like politically fantasies, and you're patient with giving debut authors a shot, I recommend it.
The Memory of Fire delves further into the magic system and political sphere of the world Bates crafts in The Waking Land. It unravels the consequences of Caeris's uprising, and it shows the struggle to maintain a government that accepts sorcery in a world that does not.
I don't know that I'd say it's worth reading the first book just to get to this one. But if you like politically fantasies, and you're patient with giving debut authors a shot, I recommend it.
marziesreads's review
4.0
3.75 Stars
The Waking Land, first book in this series introduced us to Elanna Valtai, a teenage heroine who was enjoyable to read, and Jahan, a character who, as can be seen in my review of the previous book, I had reservations about. Whereas The Waking Land was all told from Elanna's POV, The Memory of Fire is Jahan's POV, a brave change of course for a second book. (Audiobook listeners who recall Erin Spencer's narration as Elanna in the first book will have Andrew Eiden narrating this book as Jahan.)
As the book opens, Elanna has exhausted herself and her powers trying to wake the land and restore agricultural fertility to villages in Eren. Jahan is called back to Paladis and we are introduced, through his painful memories and intrusive communique from a witch by the name Madiya (I kept thinking of Medea), to his painful history. Jahan and his younger brothers Rayka and Lathiel have all had their minds and their magic manipulated by Madiya. The damage done to their family has resulted in Jahan suffering lasting trauma and self-doubt. Madiya, using a combination of drugs and what can only be seen a coercion and torture, has sought to make Jahan resistant to the witch hunters, who use bells to seek out those with magic. The tone of the bells disables the magician and from the opening scenes of the book we know that from early childhood, Jahan is as familiar with their use as he is with his own struggles to use magic in his homeland. (In contrast how to his magical ability flows when he is with Elanna in Eren.)
While I was interested in finding out more about Jahan's history, I found that I missed Elanna's bright voice. (I have to say that overall, Bates' prowess at the first person POV writing has improved since the first book.) This is a much darker book than the first entry in the series, because Jahan has had a much darker life. The political intrigue that awaits Jahan back in Ida is fast and thick, as he finds Lathiel addicted to opium, Rayka missing, his friend Prince Leontius on the outs, and all the usual fear of discovery should he or his brothers be revealed as sorcerers. Add to that Emperor Alakseus, who was less than thrilled with a Caveadear magically waking the land in Eren, having Elanna captured and dragged before him for draining of her power and execution. (He doesn't give a damn about kidnapping a subject from another country, dragging them before his throne and sentencing them to death for something that was legal in the country they were kidnapped from.) In attempting to protect her, Jahan himself is revealed as a sorcerer.
Some of the lackluster manner of Jahan that I felt in the first book is now clearly understandable after reading his history in this second book. His tendency to despair (in contrast to Elanna's resilience) made the middle portion of the book drag a bit but the last third of the book is full of action, as things must be put aright in Paladis. It is also full of Elanna and Jahan working in synchrony and ultimately I have decided I like them together. Jahan is a different character when Elanna is around.
This book's final chapter and epilogue provide a clear opening for a third book in the series. Bates has created a world that is fresh and characters who have plenty more life in them. I will definitely pick up the next book to see what trouble Elanna and Jahan get into next. I do have to say that I hope it will be Elanna telling us about it, however. The comparative vivacity of her POV just makes for an easier read.
I received a Digital Review Copy of this Book from Del Rey and NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
The Waking Land, first book in this series introduced us to Elanna Valtai, a teenage heroine who was enjoyable to read, and Jahan, a character who, as can be seen in my review of the previous book, I had reservations about. Whereas The Waking Land was all told from Elanna's POV, The Memory of Fire is Jahan's POV, a brave change of course for a second book. (Audiobook listeners who recall Erin Spencer's narration as Elanna in the first book will have Andrew Eiden narrating this book as Jahan.)
As the book opens, Elanna has exhausted herself and her powers trying to wake the land and restore agricultural fertility to villages in Eren. Jahan is called back to Paladis and we are introduced, through his painful memories and intrusive communique from a witch by the name Madiya (I kept thinking of Medea), to his painful history. Jahan and his younger brothers Rayka and Lathiel have all had their minds and their magic manipulated by Madiya. The damage done to their family has resulted in Jahan suffering lasting trauma and self-doubt. Madiya, using a combination of drugs and what can only be seen a coercion and torture, has sought to make Jahan resistant to the witch hunters, who use bells to seek out those with magic. The tone of the bells disables the magician and from the opening scenes of the book we know that from early childhood, Jahan is as familiar with their use as he is with his own struggles to use magic in his homeland. (In contrast how to his magical ability flows when he is with Elanna in Eren.)
While I was interested in finding out more about Jahan's history, I found that I missed Elanna's bright voice. (I have to say that overall, Bates' prowess at the first person POV writing has improved since the first book.) This is a much darker book than the first entry in the series, because Jahan has had a much darker life. The political intrigue that awaits Jahan back in Ida is fast and thick, as he finds Lathiel addicted to opium, Rayka missing, his friend Prince Leontius on the outs, and all the usual fear of discovery should he or his brothers be revealed as sorcerers. Add to that Emperor Alakseus, who was less than thrilled with a Caveadear magically waking the land in Eren, having Elanna captured and dragged before him for draining of her power and execution. (He doesn't give a damn about kidnapping a subject from another country, dragging them before his throne and sentencing them to death for something that was legal in the country they were kidnapped from.) In attempting to protect her, Jahan himself is revealed as a sorcerer.
Some of the lackluster manner of Jahan that I felt in the first book is now clearly understandable after reading his history in this second book. His tendency to despair (in contrast to Elanna's resilience) made the middle portion of the book drag a bit but the last third of the book is full of action, as things must be put aright in Paladis. It is also full of Elanna and Jahan working in synchrony and ultimately I have decided I like them together. Jahan is a different character when Elanna is around.
This book's final chapter and epilogue provide a clear opening for a third book in the series. Bates has created a world that is fresh and characters who have plenty more life in them. I will definitely pick up the next book to see what trouble Elanna and Jahan get into next. I do have to say that I hope it will be Elanna telling us about it, however. The comparative vivacity of her POV just makes for an easier read.
I received a Digital Review Copy of this Book from Del Rey and NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.