Of Fire and Ash (Volume 1) (The Fireborn Epic)

Fire and Ash is a story of an outcast princess, a slave turned priest turned slave again, and an imperial fugitive. It is a tale of learning to value one’s self and bravery. It is a story of invasion, rebellion and empires. And it all centers on the marvelous solborn, horses with elemental magic. The characters seem real; Gillian Adams does such a great job. The magic is unique, something to value greatly in any fantasy novel. I recommend this to middle school children, because it does have some romance. I think middle school and general branch libraries should stock this book. It is worth rereading, so buying this book would be a good idea if you love horses and medieval battles. The bond between horse and rider is major in this book, while they do not talk, they are extremely close. The writing makes it seem like the reader is the character, and emotions come into play a lot. This is a very fast-paced, engaging book. Every middle school student who likes horses in battle or medieval-type battles with magic will love this book.