jj7twin's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing Dolan Tree find! This falls into my fantasy/mystical/apocalyptic heroes wheelhouse, which I don't read too often depending on the balance of subgenres within the story. Since the names & there are time jumps, it was harder to keep straight who the 4 kids were in the beginning. Once you find out who they are all you want them to do is meet. By the end of the book SPOILER ALERT!!
you get 3/4 all in one place. Couldn't make this update for a while but I've started the 2nd book & things are frustrating me beyond end. Good read, like that I can guess certain real world ties to different elements of the story.
you get 3/4 all in one place. Couldn't make this update for a while but I've started the 2nd book & things are frustrating me beyond end. Good read, like that I can guess certain real world ties to different elements of the story.
lalysva'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
lizzil10388's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
nerdgirllin's review against another edition
3.0
The story is pretty jumpy in the beginning. We manage to navigate the birth, childhood, and adolescence of our main characters. It makes the beginning of the novel seen disjointed. The author does a good job of only giving us the important bits, so the book only seems jumpy in the beginning. Once our heroes set off on th their journeys the story picks up and becomes much more interesting.
jarichan's review against another edition
4.0
Drew Karpyshyn weiss, was er tut. Nämlich gute Fantasy-Bücher schreiben. Dieses hier ist eines seiner wenigen, das nicht auf einer bestimmten Marke basiert. Man merkt aber deutlich den Einfluss gewisser grossen Namen: Star Wars und Herr der Ringe.
Doch vielleicht hat genau das für mich die Faszination dieser Welt ausgemacht. Karpyshyn schafft sich nämlich etwas Eigenes daraus. In dieser Welt warten auch einige Überraschungen auf uns und den Figuren wird es auch nicht einfach gemacht.
Ebenfalls ein grosses Kompliment an den Autoren: die weibliche Hauptfigur, Scythe, hat es geschafft, mein Lieblingscharakter zu werden. Und das ist echt selten, da ich oft Mühe mit den weiblichen Figuren habe.
Definitiv eine Reihe, die ich weiter verfolgen möchte, da man dem Buch leider anmerkt, dass die Handlung noch weitergeht. Man muss also sozusagen weiterlesen.
Doch vielleicht hat genau das für mich die Faszination dieser Welt ausgemacht. Karpyshyn schafft sich nämlich etwas Eigenes daraus. In dieser Welt warten auch einige Überraschungen auf uns und den Figuren wird es auch nicht einfach gemacht.
Ebenfalls ein grosses Kompliment an den Autoren: die weibliche Hauptfigur, Scythe, hat es geschafft, mein Lieblingscharakter zu werden. Und das ist echt selten, da ich oft Mühe mit den weiblichen Figuren habe.
Definitiv eine Reihe, die ich weiter verfolgen möchte, da man dem Buch leider anmerkt, dass die Handlung noch weitergeht. Man muss also sozusagen weiterlesen.
etoiline's review against another edition
4.0
CHILDREN OF FIRE, by Drew Karpyshyn, is a dark fantasy with many characters, so it has somewhat in common with the Song of Ice and Fire series. In both series, bad things happen indiscriminately, and sometimes it's tough to read something like that. You want some glimmer of hope to pull you through, but it's rare to find that in these types of books.
It's tough to get through them. But the action moves along here, and each character has a unique role in the story. I was intrigued by the blurb--a creature of Chaos breaks its bonds, just for a moment, to send a spark of itself into four children, so I weathered my way through some slow parts. The characters are quite cynical, but that's the type of world they live in, so I dealt with it. The story speeds through time, often starting a chapter with something like "In the last twelve years..." so you know that the character has dramatically aged. It's a way to move the story along, but sometimes that's jarring and left me wondering what happened in the intervening years. Not important things, I guess, and that leaves plenty of material for short stories from the author, but it's something that broke me out of the story, since I had to reset my mental character image. There is plenty more to tell in this world, since Chaos isn't remotely finished, and the book manages to end with most of its threads tied off. There's always room for revenge, though. This book has grim characters, magic with consequences, and gritty action, and fans of dark epic fantasy will enjoy it.
Received as a digital ARC via Netgalley and the publisher.
It's tough to get through them. But the action moves along here, and each character has a unique role in the story. I was intrigued by the blurb--a creature of Chaos breaks its bonds, just for a moment, to send a spark of itself into four children, so I weathered my way through some slow parts. The characters are quite cynical, but that's the type of world they live in, so I dealt with it. The story speeds through time, often starting a chapter with something like "In the last twelve years..." so you know that the character has dramatically aged. It's a way to move the story along, but sometimes that's jarring and left me wondering what happened in the intervening years. Not important things, I guess, and that leaves plenty of material for short stories from the author, but it's something that broke me out of the story, since I had to reset my mental character image. There is plenty more to tell in this world, since Chaos isn't remotely finished, and the book manages to end with most of its threads tied off. There's always room for revenge, though. This book has grim characters, magic with consequences, and gritty action, and fans of dark epic fantasy will enjoy it.
Received as a digital ARC via Netgalley and the publisher.
biblioholicbeth's review against another edition
2.0
Honestly, I don't know anything about Drew Karpyshyn. I will admit that what drew me to this book was the background mentioned of his work within the video game realm. Video games have changed so much, and many are very story/character driven, with storylines that would rival some of the best novels. So in that vein, I was quite curious. However, I'm still sort of on the fence.
Don't get me wrong - the world Karpyshyn has created is fantastic. The background of the story is good, and I like where this seems to be going. However. For liking the world as much as I do, I really don't feel like I have much of a connection to the characters themselves. I'm *guessing* this may be due, in part, to the massive world-building that is going on, but it definitely hindered my desire to continue reading. For being a fantasy novel, with a terrifically creative world, I had to work pretty hard to convince myself to get back to the story when I put it down.
Having said that - I would probably get the second book (from the library) when it comes out to see if I want to continue reading. The characters do seem like they have plenty of room for growth, and maybe there will be a better opportunity for that once some of the immense world is fully fleshed out. I have hopes that it will get there, and I'm intrigued enough with everything else to give it another shot!
Don't get me wrong - the world Karpyshyn has created is fantastic. The background of the story is good, and I like where this seems to be going. However. For liking the world as much as I do, I really don't feel like I have much of a connection to the characters themselves. I'm *guessing* this may be due, in part, to the massive world-building that is going on, but it definitely hindered my desire to continue reading. For being a fantasy novel, with a terrifically creative world, I had to work pretty hard to convince myself to get back to the story when I put it down.
Having said that - I would probably get the second book (from the library) when it comes out to see if I want to continue reading. The characters do seem like they have plenty of room for growth, and maybe there will be a better opportunity for that once some of the immense world is fully fleshed out. I have hopes that it will get there, and I'm intrigued enough with everything else to give it another shot!
lindsay_eckert's review against another edition
2.0
Children of Fire started off with an intriguing idea: a few select children are cursed with a chaotic power that will inevitably twist their lives with strife and sorrow. The first 1/3 of the book follows them from birth, how their lives are warped by this event, and the terrible things that happen to them. I read fairly quickly through this part, but then my reading abruptly slowed.
For me, it became a popcorn read. It was a fantasy involving a chosen one with a global destiny, magic systems and histories too often reiterated, with characters that never quite clicked for me. I read pages in a skim and never felt as if the prose needed any concentration.
If you want a light read with a basic bad demon figure who wants to destroy the world, magic explosions, and a few violently gory fight scenes, this might be right for you. If you're looking for challenging prose that's gets you thinking or complex characters, this isn't it.
For me, it became a popcorn read. It was a fantasy involving a chosen one with a global destiny, magic systems and histories too often reiterated, with characters that never quite clicked for me. I read pages in a skim and never felt as if the prose needed any concentration.
If you want a light read with a basic bad demon figure who wants to destroy the world, magic explosions, and a few violently gory fight scenes, this might be right for you. If you're looking for challenging prose that's gets you thinking or complex characters, this isn't it.
vallecillo's review against another edition
3.0
Was a regular book.
Not bad, but also, not that good.
Just regular.
Unfortunately, there are many similarities with other fantasy books, and I know, they usually recur to the same formulas: The journey, the dark one, the prophecy, the hero, BUT, it is the way the author portraits these elements that make the story different.
For me, this was a version of The Wheel of Time.
Dark One imprisoned trying to escape? Check √
Prophecy of a chosen hero to fight the dark one? Check √
Minions of the Dark Lord set lose? Check √
Hero losing a hand? Check √
Also, the magic system is kind of Deux ex Machina, there are no limitations on what a wizard can do. The limitations are more physical, depending on how much power the mage can channel, but apart from that, it seems they can do anything with this Chaotic Magic... you can imagine it? you can do it.
Characterization is not that deep, you don't really get excited to read the passages about any of the 4 main characters in particular (Hello Arya on ASOIAF!), you just go along and read it, that's all.
Well, let's go to book 2, Maybe it will be a little better than this one.
Not bad, but also, not that good.
Just regular.
Unfortunately, there are many similarities with other fantasy books, and I know, they usually recur to the same formulas: The journey, the dark one, the prophecy, the hero, BUT, it is the way the author portraits these elements that make the story different.
For me, this was a version of The Wheel of Time.
Dark One imprisoned trying to escape? Check √
Prophecy of a chosen hero to fight the dark one? Check √
Minions of the Dark Lord set lose? Check √
Hero losing a hand? Check √
Also, the magic system is kind of Deux ex Machina, there are no limitations on what a wizard can do. The limitations are more physical, depending on how much power the mage can channel, but apart from that, it seems they can do anything with this Chaotic Magic... you can imagine it? you can do it.
Characterization is not that deep, you don't really get excited to read the passages about any of the 4 main characters in particular (Hello Arya on ASOIAF!), you just go along and read it, that's all.
Well, let's go to book 2, Maybe it will be a little better than this one.