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sasbery's review
3.0
I thought I would like having multiple stories for ease of reading but found myself wanting some longer and some I'd prefer to skip over. As long as I was enjoying the story at hand, it was a good relaxing read. If the story did not catch my attending in the first page or so, it was difficult to want to start reading it again.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
bookwormbunny's review
Fire: Demons, Dragons, and Djinns is an anthology of stories about creatures that are beholden to the element of fire. Each story is unique in its characters, storyline, and creatures that the author chooses to focus on.
She Alone by Blake Jessop is a story within a story. The author starts the story with the characters themselves, and then the story shifts and becomes one being told by one of the characters. This is a bit of surprise at first. This was a shift that I was not expecting and it took me a bit to figure it out. It is an interesting story though of a steampunk/clockwork creatures, a human with Titan (machine) parts and an Ifrit named Jinn. The story has some hints of romance, but the story is focused on retelling itself to make one remember. The story is both fascinating and sad.
This is one of the many stories you can find in this anthology. They each revolve around strong and unique characters. I was fascinated by the stories and enjoyed them very much.
I am rating this anthology 4 out of 5 stars. Some stories, of course, are better than others. Some I feel that there could have been a sign of transition in the storyline so that the reader could be and would be more prepared for what is about to happen next. There aren't any major editorial issues to speak of, so I'm happy to point that out. For those who enjoy fantasy novels and hold an affinity with fire, I think that this will be a good anthology to pick up and enjoy.
She Alone by Blake Jessop is a story within a story. The author starts the story with the characters themselves, and then the story shifts and becomes one being told by one of the characters. This is a bit of surprise at first. This was a shift that I was not expecting and it took me a bit to figure it out. It is an interesting story though of a steampunk/clockwork creatures, a human with Titan (machine) parts and an Ifrit named Jinn. The story has some hints of romance, but the story is focused on retelling itself to make one remember. The story is both fascinating and sad.
This is one of the many stories you can find in this anthology. They each revolve around strong and unique characters. I was fascinated by the stories and enjoyed them very much.
I am rating this anthology 4 out of 5 stars. Some stories, of course, are better than others. Some I feel that there could have been a sign of transition in the storyline so that the reader could be and would be more prepared for what is about to happen next. There aren't any major editorial issues to speak of, so I'm happy to point that out. For those who enjoy fantasy novels and hold an affinity with fire, I think that this will be a good anthology to pick up and enjoy.
tinyelfarcanist's review
adventurous
fast-paced
2.5
I read this to quench my need for djinn stories. TBH I enjoyed the first half and was mostly annoyed/bored by the rest, but I managed to finish it.
Here are my ratings for the individual stories:
-She Alone by Blake Jessop ★★★★
This was an interesting tale that I would have loved to read more of.
-Strange Attractor by Kevin Cockle ★★
"Blue eyes the colour of anti-freeze worried in the rear-view mirror." For real?
-Magnesium Bright by Lizbeth Ashton ★★★★
I really enjoyed this one. Interesting twist.
-Permanence by Dusty Thorne ★★
This story goes nowhere just for the "big reveal".
-Old Flames by V.F. LeSann ★★★★
It was fun and character-centered.
-The Hatchling by K.T. Ivanrest ★★★★
Wholesome story with character development.
-The Djinni and the Accountant by Hal J. Friesen ★★
I felt this one was longer than needed and still the character development felt out of nowhere.
-The Second Great Fire by Laura VanArendonk Baugh ★★★
It's probably just that it wasn't my kind of story. I felt satisfied at the end so it got an extra star.
-Bait by Krista D. Ball ★★★★★
This was my favorite one. It was funny and I didn't want it to end. I want to read more from Lieutenant Dodd!!
-Double or Nothing by Mara Malins ★★★★
Weird <i>Yu-Gi-Oh!</i> style story mixing different folklore, but I found it exciting and liked the ending.
-A Girl, Ablaze with Life by Claude Lalumière ★
Fire RAPING a girl. I almost skipped this one.
-Light My Fire by Susan MacGregor ★★★
Jim Morrison inspired story.
-Ring of Fire by JB Riley ★
Another boring story that goes nowhere and expects to be something in the end.
-Aladdin's Laugh by Damascus Mincemeyer ★
I couldn't connect to the characters.
-Phoenix Rising by Heather M. O’Connor ★
Honestly, I didn't get it. I'm sorry I'm stupid.
-Cold Comfort by Gabrielle Harbowy ★★★
Interesting story with character development. I would've liked it more if it was a full novel.
-Aitvaras by R. W. Hodgson ★★★
I liked the ending. It's based in a less known fire creature.
-Midnight Man versus Frankie Flame by Chadwick Ginther ★★★
It was ok for a short story. I got nothing out of it, though.
-Breath of the Caldera by Wendy Nikel ★★★
Predictable, but not bad.
-Cilantro by Annie Neugebauer ★
Woman living in a bad marriage, nothing is explained. Nice horror elements.
-The Midwife and the Phoenix by J.G. Formato ★★
A little bit predictable. I guess I was just tired.
Here are my ratings for the individual stories:
-She Alone by Blake Jessop ★★★★
This was an interesting tale that I would have loved to read more of.
-Strange Attractor by Kevin Cockle ★★
"Blue eyes the colour of anti-freeze worried in the rear-view mirror." For real?
-Magnesium Bright by Lizbeth Ashton ★★★★
I really enjoyed this one. Interesting twist.
-Permanence by Dusty Thorne ★★
This story goes nowhere just for the "big reveal".
-Old Flames by V.F. LeSann ★★★★
It was fun and character-centered.
-The Hatchling by K.T. Ivanrest ★★★★
Wholesome story with character development.
-The Djinni and the Accountant by Hal J. Friesen ★★
I felt this one was longer than needed and still the character development felt out of nowhere.
-The Second Great Fire by Laura VanArendonk Baugh ★★★
It's probably just that it wasn't my kind of story. I felt satisfied at the end so it got an extra star.
-Bait by Krista D. Ball ★★★★★
This was my favorite one. It was funny and I didn't want it to end. I want to read more from Lieutenant Dodd!!
-Double or Nothing by Mara Malins ★★★★
Weird <i>Yu-Gi-Oh!</i> style story mixing different folklore, but I found it exciting and liked the ending.
-A Girl, Ablaze with Life by Claude Lalumière ★
Fire RAPING a girl. I almost skipped this one.
-Light My Fire by Susan MacGregor ★★★
Jim Morrison inspired story.
-Ring of Fire by JB Riley ★
Another boring story that goes nowhere and expects to be something in the end.
-Aladdin's Laugh by Damascus Mincemeyer ★
I couldn't connect to the characters.
-Phoenix Rising by Heather M. O’Connor ★
Honestly, I didn't get it. I'm sorry I'm stupid.
-Cold Comfort by Gabrielle Harbowy ★★★
Interesting story with character development. I would've liked it more if it was a full novel.
-Aitvaras by R. W. Hodgson ★★★
I liked the ending. It's based in a less known fire creature.
-Midnight Man versus Frankie Flame by Chadwick Ginther ★★★
It was ok for a short story. I got nothing out of it, though.
-Breath of the Caldera by Wendy Nikel ★★★
Predictable, but not bad.
-Cilantro by Annie Neugebauer ★
Woman living in a bad marriage, nothing is explained. Nice horror elements.
-The Midwife and the Phoenix by J.G. Formato ★★
A little bit predictable. I guess I was just tired.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Pedophilia
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Rape
Minor: Suicide
deearr's review
5.0
I’ve been fortunate enough to read one of editor Rhonda Parrish’s previous collections (Mrs. Claus: Not the Fairy Tale They Say), and thus looked forward to reading “Fire: Demons, Dragons, and Djinn.”
One might expect that the theme of fire might generate a similarity among the offered tales. However, the diversity of stories (as well as the different writing styles of the 21 authors) kept the book fresh from start to finish. Like anyone else, I enjoyed some stories more than others, but I am happy to report that all of the stories were of high quality.
The elegantly-written “She Alone” (Blake Jessop) was the introductory tale, a magical story fusing past and present events together. Though I enjoyed all of the stories, there are a few that became personal favorites. Krista D. Ball’s “Bait” was a humorous account featured in a memoir by the main character, documenting the meeting between the members of his party with a fire demon. “Double or Nothing” by Mara Malins features the high stakes of a magical futuristic card game (and yes, fire is involved). Special mention has to go to Susan MacGregor for her artful mix of pop culture history and fantasy in “Light My Fire.”
The book became so engrossing it was almost like reading a thriller. Once I completed one story I was on to the next, and the compilation ended way too soon for me. Fun reading, and worth all five stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Tyche Books for a complimentary copy of this book.
One might expect that the theme of fire might generate a similarity among the offered tales. However, the diversity of stories (as well as the different writing styles of the 21 authors) kept the book fresh from start to finish. Like anyone else, I enjoyed some stories more than others, but I am happy to report that all of the stories were of high quality.
The elegantly-written “She Alone” (Blake Jessop) was the introductory tale, a magical story fusing past and present events together. Though I enjoyed all of the stories, there are a few that became personal favorites. Krista D. Ball’s “Bait” was a humorous account featured in a memoir by the main character, documenting the meeting between the members of his party with a fire demon. “Double or Nothing” by Mara Malins features the high stakes of a magical futuristic card game (and yes, fire is involved). Special mention has to go to Susan MacGregor for her artful mix of pop culture history and fantasy in “Light My Fire.”
The book became so engrossing it was almost like reading a thriller. Once I completed one story I was on to the next, and the compilation ended way too soon for me. Fun reading, and worth all five stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Tyche Books for a complimentary copy of this book.
loram's review
3.0
I like the idea of theme anthologies and the concept of this one really appealed to me. All the stories involve some sort of creatures of fire.
I hadn't heard of any of the authors so it was a bit of a gamble, and like most anthologies with a collection of unfamiliar authors, some stories appealed to me more than others.
We had an Ifrit, a fire sprite, demons, including one who fought an Angel, dragons, gryphons, genies, an elemental magician, a tribute to Jim Morrison (though the author didn't seem aware that he didn't write Light My Fire), a host of mythological fire gods, Phoenixes and an Aitvara.
Unfortunately five and a half of the twenty-one stories were written in present tense, which I detest and find difficult to read (one kept switching between past and present tense).
Four of the stories stood out as particularly good. These were:
The Second Great Fire by Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Breath of the Caldera by Wendy Nikel, The Midwife and the Phoenix by J.G. Formato and especially Double or Nothing by Mara Malins, which involved a game of cards that brought to mind Magic the Gathering, but with real creatures. This one made the book worthwhile on its own.
While I can only give the collection as a whole three stars, these authors I'll be looking to see what else they've written.
I hadn't heard of any of the authors so it was a bit of a gamble, and like most anthologies with a collection of unfamiliar authors, some stories appealed to me more than others.
We had an Ifrit, a fire sprite, demons, including one who fought an Angel, dragons, gryphons, genies, an elemental magician, a tribute to Jim Morrison (though the author didn't seem aware that he didn't write Light My Fire), a host of mythological fire gods, Phoenixes and an Aitvara.
Unfortunately five and a half of the twenty-one stories were written in present tense, which I detest and find difficult to read (one kept switching between past and present tense).
Four of the stories stood out as particularly good. These were:
The Second Great Fire by Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Breath of the Caldera by Wendy Nikel, The Midwife and the Phoenix by J.G. Formato and especially Double or Nothing by Mara Malins, which involved a game of cards that brought to mind Magic the Gathering, but with real creatures. This one made the book worthwhile on its own.
While I can only give the collection as a whole three stars, these authors I'll be looking to see what else they've written.
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