The Phoenix King: 1 (The Ravence Trilogy)

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Yassen has been a member of an assassin group for most of his life, but that group has burned his name. He’s considered a traitor everywhere because of his past but Ravence is his home and he has nowhere else to go, so he follows Samson there. Elena is livid and doesn’t want him as her guard but her father insists on sealing the deal with Samson. And so the two begin a dance, her trying to punish him for his past, and him trying to prove to her he’s reformed. It’s also full of secrets and schemes There is no simple way to put it, but I absolutely loved 'The Boy With Fire'. Right from the start, I was completely pulled into the story. Aparna Verma's prose is enchanting and I could easily imagine scenes from the book playing out in front of me, like they were a movie. This book gets really dark at times; and that's one of the things that elevates it for me. It doesn't shy away from showing power and madness and how selfish desires can lead to your own destruction. The book is told in three point of views; Elena Ravence, her father and king Leo Ravence, and Yassen Knight. Each of these characters are completely distinct from each other and are complex in their own way. I loved them all, but I have to say my favorite was definitely Yassen. When writing, I drew inspiration from my own heritage. I was born in India, in the desert of Rajasthan. My mom raised me on the epic tales of the Mahabharat and the Ramayana. While THE BOY WITH FIRE is not an adaptation or retelling of Hindu myths, these stories certainly influenced my world-building. If you want a South Asian fantasy with enemies-to-lovers, betrayal, prophecies, and sacrifice, this is the book for you. overall, my problems with this book are very personal; i think this author has a lot of potential and i would still recommend this book if you're interested in an indian-inspired adult fantasy with themes of war and religion.

However, the last quarter was when things really took off, and now I’m intrigued to see where the rest of the trilogy goes. For Leo Malhari Ravence, fire is control. He is not ready to give up his crown-there's still too much work to be done to ensure his legacy remains untarnished, his family protected. But power comes with a price, and he'll wage war with the heavens themselves to keep from paying it. The book is written in 3 distinct, character POVs: Yassen Knight, Elena Ravence, and Leo Ravence. Yassen breaks your heart, Elena inspires you to burn your enemies, and Leo just scares you. I have to say that my favorite is (surprisingly) Leo. He's such a dynamic character. You know that what he's doing is WRONG (like hello!!), but you understand WHY he goes batshit crazy.

The Phoenix King Summary

I especially can't wait to see Elena's development through the series. I think that she has so much room for growth. There is just so much potential in her. I also think her ending in book one leaves so much to explore in book two. I think all the characters have so much potential but especially Elena.

It has badass women. Morally grey characters. It’s a fantasy world with sci-fi elements. It’s got political plotting and enemies to lovers and slow burn romance. The magic system in this book is also so interesting. It’s also inspired by Indian Mythology which is so cool, and this world is so interesting. I really, really enjoyed this one! Aparna Verma has a strong voice and creates an interesting world, captivating lore, and realistic characters in this stunning debut fantasy novel. I love the multi-POV design of the story and how each gives such a unique perspective on the same situation.As a huge fan of mythology and lore, having the faith of the Phoenix as an omnipresent theme in the book was an excellent touch. The lore brought meaning to the magical abilities of the characters, highlighting the importance of balance in power. Also, the emphasis on the consequences of wielding fire is something I enjoyed reading. It sheds light on the obsession that drives power-hungry characters to madness, proving that having powers is not always a good thing. In a kingdom where flames hold magic and the desert hides secrets, an ancient prophecy comes for an assassin, a princess, and a king. But none are ready to face destiny—and the choices they make could burn the world.

Yassen is a character who logically should have had a degree of moral complexity. There’s the very classic conflict in the trope of the reluctant assassin, which is always effective; the plot twist regarding Yassen’s allegiances gives it a unique flair. I do think, however, that this reveal would have been more effective had we not actually had his point of view in the novel at all. Since we did get to see his thought process throughout, it genuinely did not make sense that he has been keeping such a big secret from the audience. He’s not denying it to himself; so why doesn’t it appear in his inner monologue at all? This omission obscured key aspects of Yassen’s personality, making him feel generic as a character throughout the story and making it very difficult to feel invested in him. Leo Ravence is not yet ready to give up the crown. There’s still too much work to be done, too many battles to be won. But when an ancient prophecy threatens to undo his lifetime of work, Leo wages war on the heavens themselves to protect his legacy. I loved the worldbuiling, from the metal cities of Jantar to the deserts of Ravence, the worship of the Phoenix to the history of the Jantari, all of it was incredible. It's a world I hope to be able to read more because there is definitely so much more to see and learn. As well as this, I loved the way the language changed from one person's perspective to another without hindering the overall flow of the book. Perhaps it was thanks to my surreal expectations with it being compared to my favourite fantasy series of all time: the Poppy War, or perhaps it was because I read it in a few sittings and skimmed through it... whatever it was, I hardly remember anything and 50% in was resisting the temptation of a DNF. Thank you to Netgalley and New Degree Press for an e-ARC of The Boy With Fire in exchange for a sincere review.I wanted my POC characters to be ruthless and angry and vindictive. I wanted them to be selfish and loving and kind. I wanted them, simply, to be human and let the reader judge their actions.” Overall, I still think it's an entertaining story and has a lot of potential to be a good series, but it didn't hold up for me over the years. Perhaps if it was changed to be YA it would do better. The world building is fantastic. I loved that it’s kind of entwined throughout the entire story. You don’t get an overwhelming amount of information all at once. Some of it comes from dialogue, some is just woven into the plot. I really liked that it wasn’t just thrown at us. Leo is just....god I wanted to hate him but I loved him for how interesting and different he was. He wasn't the young hero, he is the aging and grieving king just doing his best to protect his daughter and his nation using his experiences. His experience was hard won, with very little guidance, so while his choices are suspect at best, I really enjoyed his POV. As he stared at the heap of bodies, Leo felt something integral leave him... but as he slowly rose to his feet, he knew it wasn't his fear or his remorse, but his humanity."

The Boy With Fire, an Indian inspired fantasy pitched as Dune meets The Poppy War, without a doubt was an ambitious debut that promised a myriad of tropes many of us in the bookish community crave, as well as an #OwnVoices perspective more of us gravitate towards. The characters, it’s fair to say that 50% of the book is spent on getting to know the POV characters, how Elena, Leo and Yassen think and rationalize their actions, it’s especially interesting to see how the events of the book actually have an effect on them. This novel has several undertones, and the plot isn't as direct as I've gotten used to in the fantasy novels that came out in the last few years. Don't get me wrong, I love it! Books are supposed to be multilayered and complex, with twists and turns guiding us through the story, instead of being simple and direct. How is the audience supposed to engage with the story otherwise?ARC copy provided in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changes my rating or review. And BR with some lovelies :).