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A review by isabellarobinson7
Sword of Fire by Katharine Kerr
1.5
Rating: 1.5 stars
The only thing amazing about this book (other than its cover) was how many clichés the author could squeeze into 500 pages. That's a little harsh, but let me explain. First we have a female MC who is plain-but-beautiful, not-like-other-girls, and only-a-commoner who knows nothing about the outside world, but don't worry because it's in a cute way (so precious! Must be protected!). Naturally we then have a bad-boy-brooding-but-secretly-a-softie love interest (staring into middle distance; has The Smoulder™) that corrupts our pure, innocent, naive MC. Through sheer coincidence, (and absolutely not because the plot needs them to) these two unlikely allies end up together on Fantasy Quest variant 7 (not to be confused with variant 6, they are very different). On this perilous quest (where the characters' lives are most definitely in danger) our duo find themselves in some frosty mountains, and lo and behold! our heroine gets cold. But fear not! Our brave and dashing man (who is drop dead gorgeous but conveniently single) comes to the rescue! Mustering up all his courage (of which he has much) he gallantly swoops in and warms her in his embrace! But our kind, sensitive man fears violating the lady's good, pious nature, and he pulls back. No! we scream. We have been rooting for this couple since the first chapter they met! (which also happened to be the first time they kissed, but it's not insta love because... uh... it just isn't). But we needn't worry our ship will not sail, because our fair maiden has already been corrupted to the core by this immoral man, so what is one scandalous night upon every other unscrupulous thing she had done with his guidance? *swoons*
Ok, but in all seriousness, Sword of Fire wasn't that bad. I wrote this while I was pushing myself through the last 100 pages and I got a tinsy bit carried away. I am just not the right audience for this. Why is it that whenever I try to diversify my authors (usually by trying to read more fantasy books by women), I always end up with duds?
The only thing amazing about this book (other than its cover) was how many clichés the author could squeeze into 500 pages. That's a little harsh, but let me explain. First we have a female MC who is plain-but-beautiful, not-like-other-girls, and only-a-commoner who knows nothing about the outside world, but don't worry because it's in a cute way (so precious! Must be protected!). Naturally we then have a bad-boy-brooding-but-secretly-a-softie love interest (staring into middle distance; has The Smoulder™) that corrupts our pure, innocent, naive MC. Through sheer coincidence, (and absolutely not because the plot needs them to) these two unlikely allies end up together on Fantasy Quest variant 7 (not to be confused with variant 6, they are very different). On this perilous quest (where the characters' lives are most definitely in danger) our duo find themselves in some frosty mountains, and lo and behold! our heroine gets cold. But fear not! Our brave and dashing man (who is drop dead gorgeous but conveniently single) comes to the rescue! Mustering up all his courage (of which he has much) he gallantly swoops in and warms her in his embrace! But our kind, sensitive man fears violating the lady's good, pious nature, and he pulls back. No! we scream. We have been rooting for this couple since the first chapter they met! (which also happened to be the first time they kissed, but it's not insta love because... uh... it just isn't). But we needn't worry our ship will not sail, because our fair maiden has already been corrupted to the core by this immoral man, so what is one scandalous night upon every other unscrupulous thing she had done with his guidance? *swoons*
Ok, but in all seriousness, Sword of Fire wasn't that bad. I wrote this while I was pushing myself through the last 100 pages and I got a tinsy bit carried away. I am just not the right audience for this. Why is it that whenever I try to diversify my authors (usually by trying to read more fantasy books by women), I always end up with duds?