Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
For a book that's more sci fi than anything else, I have to say I was hooked. I normally read fantasy, almost never touching sci fi, but this book just had a hold on me from the very first chapter.
All of the characters are unique and memorable. Even though this world has unique faiths and various races of people, I still could connect with them and remember their culture. The mythos surrounding the Phoenix and the people of Ravence is at the core of this book. The mysteries embedded in these mythos are unraveled as the book goes on. Come the end of it, you're surprised to discover that some "truths" are still yet to be discovered!
Elena, Yassen, Samson, and Leo are all fascinating characters. All but Samson have their own POVs, so you get to explore the political turmoil through their eyes. Elena wants to wield fire and become a strong (and peaceful) queen. Leo wants to protect his daughter from the dangers of the Eternal Fire and from the political turmoil that is brewing. Meanwhile, Yassen simply wants to be free. Each are highly skilled and very goal-oriented, though they respond to adversity in their own way.
While I did read this book rather slowly (for me), I did so only because I wanted to savor every scene and exchange. There aren't a lot of high action moments until the end and any romance in this book is a slow burn. I'm okay with all of that. A book about fire deserves the chance to increase the intensity of it without you realizing you're burning.
I hope we don't have to wait long for book two! I can picture this as a movie. This is the kind of story that I want to see everywhere. I want everybody to be talking about it! I want special editions and for folks to chuckle at the Star Wars nods. (Yoddha Base. hehe)
For now, I'll gladly preorder the book and wait for it to show up in physical form. The ARC I read wasn't the final version, so there are absolutely things in the physical book that I would love to see. I cannot wait for its release! Thank you Orbit for picking up Aparna Verma, and thank you Aparna for this rich world of political turmoil. Oh, and thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this!
All of the characters are unique and memorable. Even though this world has unique faiths and various races of people, I still could connect with them and remember their culture. The mythos surrounding the Phoenix and the people of Ravence is at the core of this book. The mysteries embedded in these mythos are unraveled as the book goes on. Come the end of it, you're surprised to discover that some "truths" are still yet to be discovered!
Elena, Yassen, Samson, and Leo are all fascinating characters. All but Samson have their own POVs, so you get to explore the political turmoil through their eyes. Elena wants to wield fire and become a strong (and peaceful) queen. Leo wants to protect his daughter from the dangers of the Eternal Fire and from the political turmoil that is brewing. Meanwhile, Yassen simply wants to be free. Each are highly skilled and very goal-oriented, though they respond to adversity in their own way.
While I did read this book rather slowly (for me), I did so only because I wanted to savor every scene and exchange. There aren't a lot of high action moments until the end and any romance in this book is a slow burn. I'm okay with all of that. A book about fire deserves the chance to increase the intensity of it without you realizing you're burning.
I hope we don't have to wait long for book two! I can picture this as a movie. This is the kind of story that I want to see everywhere. I want everybody to be talking about it! I want special editions and for folks to chuckle at the Star Wars nods. (Yoddha Base. hehe)
For now, I'll gladly preorder the book and wait for it to show up in physical form. The ARC I read wasn't the final version, so there are absolutely things in the physical book that I would love to see. I cannot wait for its release! Thank you Orbit for picking up Aparna Verma, and thank you Aparna for this rich world of political turmoil. Oh, and thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this!
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
medium-paced
4 ⭐️
This story was slow to start for me. I almost DNFed at 20%. I am so glad I didn't though! The story gets way better and had twists and turns I did not see coming. I enjoyed it a lot.
This story was slow to start for me. I almost DNFed at 20%. I am so glad I didn't though! The story gets way better and had twists and turns I did not see coming. I enjoyed it a lot.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Well written, but unfortunately I just didn't connect with any of the characters and it meant I was just trying to get through the book and didn't really care what happened.
The way I wanted to smash through this book in one setting and the way my life conspired against me in this last month are truly at odds with the way I LOVED THIS BOOK WITHOUT RESERVATION EVEN THOUGH IT TOOK ME THREE WEEKS TO GIVE IT ITS DUE AND FINISH IT! I normally write to you, amorphous Goodreads friends, or to myself about the experience of the story.
But perhaps because of how I discovered this book, I write to Author Aparna Verma: Hi!! I just finished The Phoenix King and I’ve been following this journey since the teasers and your cover reveal. I can’t express quite yet how wonderful it has been losing myself in Ravence with Elena, Yassen, and (unexpectedly!!) Leo and Ferma and Samson. What a magnificently complex cast of characters to fall head over heels in love with! Thank you also for the nuanced, yet completely normalized, Desi and Asian and African strains of folklore, culture, and mythology woven within. It was beautiful to not see italics everywhere for normal words like mera/o/I or lehenga or pav bhaji. Also the gasp I practically screamed at my dining table towards the end was delicious and wrecking. I read fantasy, scifi, and mystery as though my life depends on it (it probably does at this point) and the way I tell you I didn’t see the Prophet coming??????? Anyway, LOVE your work! Can’t wait for the next installment
But perhaps because of how I discovered this book, I write to Author Aparna Verma: Hi!! I just finished The Phoenix King and I’ve been following this journey since the teasers and your cover reveal. I can’t express quite yet how wonderful it has been losing myself in Ravence with Elena, Yassen, and (unexpectedly!!) Leo and Ferma and Samson. What a magnificently complex cast of characters to fall head over heels in love with! Thank you also for the nuanced, yet completely normalized, Desi and Asian and African strains of folklore, culture, and mythology woven within. It was beautiful to not see italics everywhere for normal words like mera/o/I or lehenga or pav bhaji. Also the gasp I practically screamed at my dining table towards the end was delicious and wrecking. I read fantasy, scifi, and mystery as though my life depends on it (it probably does at this point) and the way I tell you I didn’t see the Prophet coming??????? Anyway, LOVE your work! Can’t wait for the next installment
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Sexual content