Clay Harmon

An epic new fantasy in a world of ice, fire and magic! On a world whose bitter cold surface can’t be survived, everyone lives underground and wealth is determined by proximity not to light but to heat, giant ice stalactites plummet into lava pools, and all travel is through a network of subterranean passages. Magical power comes from days-long life-threatening trials which enable the binding of rock and metals in the human body to those in the world around us. Many people aren’t bound to a mineral at all, and rarely more than one. Ig was put through his trials by the Great Ones themselves. His bindings are virtually unlimited, the trials to attain those bindings so arduous he was lucky to survive. He’s now blessed with great power, but cursed with a flesh binding that ties him until death to Magnate Sorrelo, and death is the price of disobedience.

Flames Of Mira

Amira BEN

3.5 ⭐️ 

Thank you to NetGalley and to Solaris for providing me an eArc of one of my most anticipated release in exchange for a honest review.
My opinions here are my own. 

First thing first, let's talk about thr worldbuilding. I think it is the main strength of this book.
The world that has been made by the author was very original. And the magic system really intriguing and fascinating. You take some time to understand it though but really I love the originality of it. 
I liked the atmosphere, the feel of this world. Prepare a winter jacket lol
However, I feel like a map of the world is very missed. I struggled sometimes to spatially visualise some events. Something that I really need to enjoy even more a book. For example, I just know that Radavich is far from Augustin lol and you need to take The Granit Road to move from city to city ? Really, it was difficult to have a kind of 4d vision of what was going on. 

The characters: I really liked our main character Ig and really easy to connect to. You're just rooting for him because his life is not that easy. Some moments I was frustrated by his choices and then you see his growth.
Some characters, you really really hate. You'll know who I promise lol 

The Plot: Opposite to the worldbuilding the politicking, the intrigue was simple, familiar. Nothing out of the ordinary really but if you enjoy political intrigues, rebellions and power struggles set in a unique world. You'll enjoy it. Moreover, Clay Harmon's writing style is very easy for the eyes.
At moments, tough, it fell flat for me making me loosing my interest for the story but I kept going because of the characters. And I'm glad I did. 

Overall, 3.5/5 is pretty solid for a fantasy debut. I can't wait to see how the story evolves and where our heros are going from there. I feel like this series can get better as there's a solid foundation.

Sunyi Dean

Trying to write without spoilers for this one!

A layered, tightly-written fantasy debut that dives deep into the costs of power. 

For example, the magic system (which is unique and cool, with shades of sanderson but much darker) allows people able to bond to elements and control them - but the process for obtaining magic carries a risk of death, and a guarantee of trauma. Ig, the main character, has a lot of raw power, but consequently a lot of trauma, and using his own magic can also wound or kill himself. He has a position of some authority (as an executioner / assassin / servant of someone more powerful) but is essentially enslaved. Acting on his own initiative is dangerous and reverberates with consequences, yet taking initiative and making dofficult choices is exactly what he is required to or his life is effectively forfeit.

Exploring this dynamic between power and cost is what drives and underpins the novel, putting strong characters under intense pressure the whole way through, with few easy options and many consequences. Great fantasy debut, I think would appeal to Sanderson fans among others.

Flames Of Mira

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