Ryan Cahill

Of Blood and Fire is a classic Epic Fantasy adventure. It takes all the familiar fantasy tropes - elves, dwarves, giants, and dragons - and adds a fresh, contemporary twist.

Of Blood and Fire

Adeline

A classic fantasy tale but very well written, good world building and engaging characters. Looking forward to read the next book !

C. J. Daley 

I have seen this all over bookstagram of course, and many of my friends have sent it to me as a phenomenal indie. After giving the audible audio a sample, I decided to go with it, and Derek Perkins did a good job with it. 

I do feel like I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention this, especially with it being an all-time favorite of mine. I read other reviews of this, and I’d have to agree with some of it, at least on the surface. In the beginning of the novel especially, the lore and world building can read as very formulaic or cookie cutter to Christopher Paolini’s Eragon. I was afraid that this would read as a negative (and overall I do wish that there were some wider gaps in the similarities), but I found some of the super harsh reviews to be kind of closed minded? Do we not remember the wave of people bashing Paolini for being unoriginal? (I have quite a lengthy review in defense of him). When you’re dealing with dragon eggs, dragon riders, young underdog heroes, evil tyrants, it tends to mesh a bit. 

What I found to be the most enjoyable were the parts that differed from it. Although it’s similar, it also tells its own tale, with lore and world building and beings all its own. As a fellow reader Nat recently said to me, “if it’s cookie cutter, at least it’s my favorite brand of cookie.” I would agree. The author distances himself from others like him by focusing on the traits he’s pulled from, and fleshing them out on his own. 

I’ve also heard that the sequel does an even better job of distancing the two. At this point, I will absolutely move onto a second book. I’m actually listening to the prequel right now. 

Worth your time, effort, or money to read.

I have actually finished this book almost a week ago lol… and wow my rating says it. I loved it ! Seeing how much love it received I really hoped to enjoy it for sure but I didn’t expect to love it that much ! It has all the goodies of high fantasy. Chosen one trope, good vs evil, rebellion, animal companion (a baby dragon 🥹) and so on. All of this shaped by a modern narration which I appreciate

A lot would say, it lacks originality but honestly I’m glad this kind of story are still out there. Why would we renounce a recipe that works so well. I would never tire of them especially if this is well executed ! And it was honestly.

The writing was good, good pacing, fascinating world building and I feel like there’s a lot to uncover yet and I’m excited for it. It’s the author’s debut, and they say his writing gets better ? Haha well I guess I’m in for a treat.

Amira BEN

I have actually finished this book almost a week ago lol… and wow my rating says it. I loved it ! Seeing how much love it received I really hoped to enjoy it for sure but I didn’t expect to love it that much ! It has all the goodies of high fantasy. Chosen one trope, good vs evil, rebellion, animal companion (a baby dragon 🥹) and so on. All of this shaped by a modern narration which I appreciate

A lot would say, it lacks originality but honestly I’m glad this kind of story are still out there. Why would we renounce a recipe that works so well. I would never tire of them especially if this is well executed ! And it was honestly.

The writing was good, good pacing, fascinating world building and I feel like there’s a lot to uncover yet and I’m excited for it. It’s the author’s debut, and they say his writing gets better ? Haha well I guess I’m in for a treat.

- Fantasy adventure, I'd say in the same vein as Eragon. With elements reminiscent of Harry Potter. Maybe even Game of Thrones, without the adult content or viciousness. Mind you, I've only seen the show, not read the books of GoT. 

- The story follows a boy, Calen, and his two friends as they discover their world is bigger than they realized.

What Did I Like or Dislike About This Book? aka Pros and Cons

- Great character development. The three main protagonists felt young maturity wise for their age at the start, but that left room for them to grow. Throughout the story as events happen, they do have self realizations and do work on themselves. 

- Positive male role models. Calen's father was very supportive and kind. It was nice to see this sort of parenting written into a story.

- Vast world building. Even though the author used common tropes of the fantasy adventure category, the world of Epheria feels like his. There is a developed history hinted at that pushes the plot forward and gives the story a personality. 

- Story has depth. Characters are compelling, their dilemmas are interesting, giving the story layers. Descriptions are easy to follow, and the pacing works for the bigger picture. 

- Does not have a self contained plot, so I wouldn't recommend reading on its own. Enough happens that the book is satisfying, however, there is no main big baddy that is defeated or really any conclusion. 

- A better question would be: Would I read the rest of the series? The answer is YES! Most definitely.

Ariel Johnson

Why Did I Pick Up This Book?
- I saw it had dragons, enough said.

What Is This Book About?
- Fantasy adventure, I'd say in the same vein as Eragon. With elements reminiscent of Harry Potter. Maybe even Game of Thrones, without the adult content or viciousness. Mind you, I've only seen the show, not read the books of GoT. 
- The story follows a boy, Calen, and his two friends as they discover their world is bigger than they realized.

What Did I Like or Dislike About This Book? aka Pros and Cons

Pros:
- Great character development. The three main protagonists felt young maturity wise for their age at the start, but that left room for them to grow. Throughout the story as events happen, they do have self realizations and do work on themselves. 
- Positive male role models. Calen's father was very supportive and kind. It was nice to see this sort of parenting written into a story.
- Vast world building. Even though the author used common tropes of the fantasy adventure category, the world of Epheria feels like his. There is a developed history hinted at that pushes the plot forward and gives the story a personality. 
- Story has depth. Characters are compelling, their dilemmas are interesting, giving the story layers. Descriptions are easy to follow, and the pacing works for the bigger picture. 
- Did I mention dragons?

Cons: 
- Does not have a self contained plot, so I wouldn't recommend reading on its own. Enough happens that the book is satisfying, however, there is no main big baddy that is defeated or really any conclusion. 

Would I Read the Book Again?
- A better question would be: Would I read the rest of the series? The answer is YES! Most definitely.

Alice Hyman

“I live by day and die by the night. I can fly, I can walk, and I can swim, but I do not get wet. What am I ?” - answer is at the end of the caption !
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Does anyone else get super frustrated writing reviews for books they really like ? Like I am trying to coherently put into words how much I love these characters and this world but I end up just typing AHHHHHHH READ THIS IT IS SO GOOD DRAGONS MAGIC ELVES ITS AMAZING I PROMISE.
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Reading this book was like settling into a well worn and loved chair, or putting on your favourite pair of gloves. It just fit. I immediately felt at home in Epheria, and the world building just kept adding layers and layers of beautiful detail. This book is like a homologation of my favourite high fantasy books - friendships, magic, giants, elves, mages and DRAGONS.
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I feel like traditional high fantasy has been missing in new releases over the past few years, though this book does follow the traditional high fantasy design it is in no way boring or ‘already done’ Ryan Cahill has produced a magical immersive world combining all I love best from Eragon, Brandon Sanderson and Tolkien while adding his complete own twist to the characters, magic and political system.
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One thing I’ve found in a lot of fantasy books is that a character will have to kill their first person, have a minor breakdown and then not care about it anymore. The fact that Calen thinks about everyone's lives, even those of the enemy, really make him feel so much more real, well rounded and, well human.
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If you like The Shadow of the Gods, Eragon, LoTR, Stormlight Archive or really any Brando Sando read this...
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“May your fires never be extinguished“
-
(a: the shadow of a bird )

Sahi K

It’s been a while since I read the prequel novella The Fall which was pretty impressive and I’ve been waiting to read this debut novel since. And just at the time I thought I was falling into a slump, I picked this up and I’m glad it was the right decision. 

There are just some books which pull you in from the first page and this was definitely one of them. But I was expecting that because I really enjoyed The Fall and was looking forward to more exciting adventures in this one. And it was both surprising and not at the same time. I’m not used to reading classic fantasy much, so it was nice to see that I can still enjoy it. And this had all the those old school fantasy tropes done well - human, elves, dwarves, Mages practicing elemental magic even if the magic system is slightly different, the always popular farmboy trope, and the best thing of them all - dragons and their riders. The pacing is perfect and I never felt like putting it down. It’s been a while since I’ve read a fantasy with predominately a journey, so the sense of adventure with high stakes was quite fun. The author managed to create a world with familiar beats and infused it with more unique elements, making it a very entertaining read while also evoking some sense of nostalgia. 

Calen is an interesting protagonist because I saw my feelings about him fluctuate pretty frequently. He could be arrogant and reckless and impulsive at times which frustrated me, but he was also a young brave man who was thrust into situations he never expected, and was tested for his mettle and strength of heart. He is aptly supported by his two bffs Rist and Dann who are equally brave even if their strengths are different, but also provide some of the levity in this otherwise tense story. Their banter was definitely very entertaining and endearing and I kept wishing that nothing would happen to this trio. 

We also have a huge cast of characters, ranging from people of various races fighting against the cruel emperor, who put their trust in and decide to mentor our main character in his newly discovered destiny. They are all mysterious with each one having their own backstories and it was cool the way the author peeled the layers of their personalities slowly, while also leaving some mystery left for the upcoming books and maintaining our anticipation for discovering more. I’m particularly excited to know more about Aseon and Therin, as well as see where Ella’s story is going. And ofcourse, Valerys is amazing and I can only wish to see more of him. 

Lastly, I can only say this was an unexpectedly delightful read with a fascinating ensemble cast of characters, a unique world with familiar elements, and a fantasy book that reminds us of old classics with its generous use of popular tropes executed well. I really enjoyed the author’s own take on the themes we know so well, and I’m very excited to see where this story is going. All I hope is to see many more dragons in the sequel.

Of Blood and Fire

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