andrew649's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
2.0
jessicat1212's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
considerthelily's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Loved this book to pieces, but found myself confused and lost for a lot of it. Liked Brennan despite being determined to hate him at first. Can’t wait for more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Death, Suicide, War, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Vomit
adamdavidcollings's review against another edition
4.0
Lady Firebird Angelo is the daughter of the Queen - but don't assume this means she has an easy life. She is a "wastling", distant enough in the life of succession that she is expected to sacrifice her life for the good of her planet. It seems abhorrent to us that a child could be raised without love, with the sole destiny of being wasted, but growing up in that culture, she feels an obligation to fulfil her destiny.
This book is the story of Lady Firebird, a protagonist with a long journey ahead of her. She will be forced to rethink everything she has ever believed: the value of her life, her political allegiances, even her religion. This is the story of a person discovering who she really is, and what really matters to her.
Kathy Tyers creates a rich universe which feels much bigger than the small corner in which most of the story is set. She gives Firebird an interesting and believable character arc.
This book is almost more 'space fantasy' than it is science fiction: more akin to Star Wars than Star Trek.
Running behind all of this is the very creative idea that the Judeo/Christian God created this fictional universe, where there is no Earth. In the author's words "The Firebird series isn't a spiritual allegory, but only an exended-slow-motion-parable of conversion". The Old Testament story of Israel waiting for her Messiah takes place in space rather then on one planet. Personally, I thought this aspect of the story could have been given greater focus. It feels like we barely scratched the surface of the possibilities that this "what-if" question raises. I suspect that subsequent books in the series will delve more deeply into this.
This is a classic in the still-too-small Christian Sci-fi genre, but don't assume it is only of interest to Christians. I believe this book warrants a much wider readership than that.
This book is the story of Lady Firebird, a protagonist with a long journey ahead of her. She will be forced to rethink everything she has ever believed: the value of her life, her political allegiances, even her religion. This is the story of a person discovering who she really is, and what really matters to her.
Kathy Tyers creates a rich universe which feels much bigger than the small corner in which most of the story is set. She gives Firebird an interesting and believable character arc.
This book is almost more 'space fantasy' than it is science fiction: more akin to Star Wars than Star Trek.
Running behind all of this is the very creative idea that the Judeo/Christian God created this fictional universe, where there is no Earth. In the author's words "The Firebird series isn't a spiritual allegory, but only an exended-slow-motion-parable of conversion". The Old Testament story of Israel waiting for her Messiah takes place in space rather then on one planet. Personally, I thought this aspect of the story could have been given greater focus. It feels like we barely scratched the surface of the possibilities that this "what-if" question raises. I suspect that subsequent books in the series will delve more deeply into this.
This is a classic in the still-too-small Christian Sci-fi genre, but don't assume it is only of interest to Christians. I believe this book warrants a much wider readership than that.
thestarman's review against another edition
3.0
[BOOK 1 in series; I read the original 1987 version].
IN SHORT: Romance between two "enemies," inside a Star Wars*-influenced space opera. Notable for some some quasi-religious elements which become more prevalent in Books 2+.
VERDICT: ~3 stars if you are not allergic to Star Wars -and- the Sci-Fi/Romance sub-genre (often recognizable by 2 floating heads in space on the cover, ha ha!). It's all slightly cheesy or odd by today's standards, but it holds up as a a decent, space-opera style escape from reality.
Or: 2 stars if you were expecting a rip-roaring adventure.
Maybe 4 stars if you only read these things for the characters, drama, and romance.
BEST CHARACTER: Bad girl Phoena.
RUNNER-UP: Firebird.
Note: The author has aso written some offical Star Wars universe novels. 'Firebird' seems to borrow heavily--perhaps way too heavily from SW, but you may dig that sort of thing. magical genetic Force-like powers, special swords that might as well be lightsabers, etc. (but little to no mention of robots, at least not in Books 1 &2).
IN SHORT: Romance between two "enemies," inside a Star Wars*-influenced space opera. Notable for some some quasi-religious elements which become more prevalent in Books 2+.
VERDICT: ~3 stars if you are not allergic to Star Wars -and- the Sci-Fi/Romance sub-genre (often recognizable by 2 floating heads in space on the cover, ha ha!). It's all slightly cheesy or odd by today's standards, but it holds up as a a decent, space-opera style escape from reality.
Or: 2 stars if you were expecting a rip-roaring adventure.
Maybe 4 stars if you only read these things for the characters, drama, and romance.
BEST CHARACTER: Bad girl Phoena.
RUNNER-UP: Firebird.
Note: The author has aso written some offical Star Wars universe novels. 'Firebird' seems to borrow heavily--perhaps way too heavily from SW, but you may dig that sort of thing.
Spoiler
There arecopperkaleidoscope's review against another edition
3.0
I have a higher opinion of the old version before she rewrote it into Christian propaganda, for sure. I love her world building even now, but as someone who read this in her early teens, it doesn't stand up to giants like Sanderson and Modesitt or even Card.
lisaebetz's review
5.0
I don't read much sci-fi, but a friend gave me this. I'm glad she did. Sic-fi novices may be bewildered by the plethora of technical details, but the details are well chosen and mostly self-explanatory. I had no problem believing in the world she created. Firebird and Brennan were both easy to like, and the faith issues they struggled with added believable tension to the story. Bravo for inventing religions that were original ans yet so relateable. A fast-paced read with enough twists to make it fun. Looking forward to the next volume of the trilogy.
liorae's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
anna_catherman's review against another edition
3.0
I'm probably going to revise this review once I've read the rest of the trilogy, but for now I wanted to give a few initial thoughts:
*The book was overall fair. Not my new favorite thing, but also one I don't necessarily
*The concept was interesting. A Christian sci-fi/space opera set in a different universe. The cultures were intricate and interesting, although some of the overall worldbuilding was just a bit too close to a Star Wars.
*The romance was...weird. I generally don't mind romance subplots, but this book's spiritual messages around the romance left me really confused. I'm interested to see how the concepts introduced here addressed in further books.
*The book was overall fair. Not my new favorite thing, but also one I don't necessarily
*The concept was interesting. A Christian sci-fi/space opera set in a different universe. The cultures were intricate and interesting, although some of the overall worldbuilding was just a bit too close to a Star Wars.
*The romance was...weird. I generally don't mind romance subplots, but this book's spiritual messages around the romance left me really confused. I'm interested to see how the concepts introduced here addressed in further books.
adamdavidcollings's review against another edition
4.0
Lady Firebird Angelo is the daughter of the Queen - but don't assume this means she has an easy life. She is a "wastling", distant enough in the life of succession that she is expected to sacrifice her life for the good of her planet. It seems abhorrent to us that a child could be raised without love, with the sole destiny of being wasted, but growing up in that culture, she feels an obligation to fulfil her destiny.
This book is the story of Lady Firebird, a protagonist with a long journey ahead of her. She will be forced to rethink everything she has ever believed: the value of her life, her political allegiances, even her religion. This is the story of a person discovering who she really is, and what really matters to her.
Kathy Tyers creates a rich universe which feels much bigger than the small corner in which most of the story is set. She gives Firebird an interesting and believable character arc.
This book is almost more 'space fantasy' than it is science fiction: more akin to Star Wars than Star Trek.
Running behind all of this is the very creative idea that the Judeo/Christian God created this fictional universe, where there is no Earth. In the author's words "The Firebird series isn't a spiritual allegory, but only an exended-slow-motion-parable of conversion". The Old Testament story of Israel waiting for her Messiah takes place in space rather then on one planet. Personally, I thought this aspect of the story could have been given greater focus. It feels like we barely scratched the surface of the possibilities that this "what-if" question raises. I suspect that subsequent books in the series will delve more deeply into this.
This is a classic in the still-too-small Christian Sci-fi genre, but don't assume it is only of interest to Christians. I believe this book warrants a much wider readership than that.
This book is the story of Lady Firebird, a protagonist with a long journey ahead of her. She will be forced to rethink everything she has ever believed: the value of her life, her political allegiances, even her religion. This is the story of a person discovering who she really is, and what really matters to her.
Kathy Tyers creates a rich universe which feels much bigger than the small corner in which most of the story is set. She gives Firebird an interesting and believable character arc.
This book is almost more 'space fantasy' than it is science fiction: more akin to Star Wars than Star Trek.
Running behind all of this is the very creative idea that the Judeo/Christian God created this fictional universe, where there is no Earth. In the author's words "The Firebird series isn't a spiritual allegory, but only an exended-slow-motion-parable of conversion". The Old Testament story of Israel waiting for her Messiah takes place in space rather then on one planet. Personally, I thought this aspect of the story could have been given greater focus. It feels like we barely scratched the surface of the possibilities that this "what-if" question raises. I suspect that subsequent books in the series will delve more deeply into this.
This is a classic in the still-too-small Christian Sci-fi genre, but don't assume it is only of interest to Christians. I believe this book warrants a much wider readership than that.