The Phoenix King: 1 (The Ravence Trilogy)

Product Information

The Phoenix King could just be a simple story about a princess waiting to become a queen. Or it could be a story about a woman falling in love with someone she can’t trust. It could be a story about a father and a daughter trying to navigate their changing relationship as they enter a new phase in their lives. Or it could be a story of revolution. Or of war. The Phoenix King could be a story of a daughter searching for her dead mother. Or searching for her birthright. Perhaps a story about grief and loss? Or the story of a man starting over, searching for peace. Possibly it’s the story of a traitor searching for redemption. It could be any of these, instead, it’s all of these. But it turns out it’s all of these and a few more besides. 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."

For Yassen Knight, fire is redemption. He dreams of shedding his past as one of Sayon’s most deadly assassins, of laying to rest the ghosts of those he has lost. If joining the court of flame and serving the royal Ravence family—the very people he once swore to eliminate—will earn him that, he’ll do it no matter what they ask of him. Aparna Verma did a phenomenal job fleshing out this world. We understand how multiple nations engage with one another, how different religions were formed, and what that means for our three protagonists. But the book's best moments were by far the vulnerable character-driven scenes. I connected to both Leo and Elena much more when they talked about Aahnah. While I wanted to connect with Yassen, something about him made it more difficult to empathize right away. This does not come through clearly in the novel. The bare bones are very much there, and it is absolutely possible for it to be fleshed out further in future novels. I don’t think that the novel spent the time to weave this tapestry effectively, making it hard to adequately feel the political strain that the country is under. The undercurrents were there, but at the end of the day there was simply too much going on.Also characterisation wasn’t very profound. Except for a few characters, others just fell flat including the protagonists. It made me so disconnected from them that at the point of tragic moments, I didn’t care about any of the characters. Aparna Verma’s debut novel follows Elena Ravence as she prepares for her coronation and tries to figure out how to wield fire - an ability required of her as the heir to the kingdom; Leo, Elena’s father, who’s planning a battle against The Phoenix and is not interested in losing; and Yassen, who embarks in a journey with his oldest friend Samson and ends up being thrusted into the hearted Ravence. As the threat of war looms like a storm on the horizon, the two begin a dangerous dance of intrigue and betrayal. And the choices they make could burn down the world.

This is something I had the most problem with- it is being heavily marketed as a romance. It is not romance. Romance is a subplot. The slow burn was kinda meh. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed their moments together. But if there was supposed to be pining, I didn't see it from Elena's side. I didn't see any vulnerability from her. Considering Samson's involvement, things could have been interesting but they were not. When Elena and Yassen finally kiss which is right towards the end, it does feel like a good moment but only for Yassen. Elena needs some emotions to her, desperately. First off, the world-building was incredible. It was so complex yet beautifully intricate. I absolutely love the concept Fire Goddess and her power.. The action scenes were extremely exciting, especially the ones with the fire having its own will and acting upon it. Perhaps I'm being a bit too harsh so let me start off with what I appreciated: The world-building at first seemed a little stagnant, with your typical rival nations, social class difference in each and traditions, however it soon burned brightly (pun not intended) thanks to the prophecies and mythology interwoven into the plot such that the religious aspect played a big part. The phoenix, vengeful gods, raring fire were such a force to be dealt with and truly played a huge role in heightening the tension. 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.When I started this book, I thought, “hey, not so bad.” Two days later, I’m lying in my bed, figuring out what to do next because this book broke me. Elena is my favorite kind of main character - she's flawed but intelligent and driven and strong. The fact that she isn't perfect but strives to make the best choices she can, for her people above all else, is what makes her realistic in a setting with unbelievable magic and powers. She's a badass - a frustrating badass that I want to strangle sometimes, but an inspiring, complicated, well-written badass that you'll cheer for all the same. The kind of book you sit down with to read one chapter and end up spending the whole day on. Come for the science fantasy worldbuilding and stay for the characters you just can’t get out of your head’

Leo, Elena's father and king could have been more ruthless imo. He had the potential to do a lot more than he did. But at the same time I get why he was in a tough spot. This makes him the most complex character in the book. Samson, Yassen's friend was okay. Am expecting a lot from him in the next book. basically, the characters didn't engage me enough and the relationships all felt strangely devoid of emotion. leo and elena had the potential for an interesting parent/child dynamic but we simply didn't get enough of it. 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 :).

The Phoenix King PDF

For me, TBWF’s greatest strength was the focus on religion. I very much had to squint to see the references to Hindu mythology, but the religion woven into the narrative was uniquely done. The inclusion of prophecies in fantasy is very much a hit or miss for me; but The Boy With Fire very much managed to include prophecy in a way that still allowed for the characters their free will and their own roles in the plot. That’s unusual for a fantasy, and I did enjoy it. The book also includes a fascinating twist on the Chosen One trope, and I’m excited to see how that plays out. The past is binding, but I want to break it…if we carry the burdens of our fathers, then we’ll never know what it means to be free.” The world building was amazing. The blend of fantasy with sci-fi elements was perfect for this book. I could picture the desert, fire, and atmosphere so well. A slow burn world building, with great twists and turns that makes you want to read more. There is also enemies to lovers characters in which I enjoy the most in books. I am surprised it is a Fantasy Debut and Aparna Verna has done a great job with this book!