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    Flamecaster
    Flamecaster
    Flamecaster
    Audiobook13 hours

    Flamecaster

    Written by Cinda Williams Chima

    Narrated by Kim Mai Guest

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Seven Realms series, a generation later, this is a breathtaking story of dark magic, chilling threats, and two unforgettable characters walking a knife-sharp line between life and death. This dazzling beginning to a new series is indispensable for fans of Cinda Williams Chima and a perfect starting point for readers who are new to her work.

    Adrian sul’Han, known as Ash, is a trained healer with a powerful gift of magic—and a thirst for revenge. Ash is forced into hiding after a series of murders throws the queendom into chaos. Now he’s closer than ever to killing the man responsible, the cruel king of Arden. With time running out, Ash faces an excruciating choice: Can he use his powers not to save a life but to take it?

    Abandoned at birth, Jenna Bandelow was told that the magemark on the back of her neck would make her a target. But when the King’s Guard launches a relentless search for a girl with a mark like hers, Jenna assumes that it has more to do with her role as a saboteur than any birth-based curse. Though Jenna doesn’t know why she’s being hunted, she knows that she can’t get caught. 

    Eventually, Ash’s and Jenna’s paths will collide in Arden. Thrown together by chance and joined by their hatred of the ruthless king, they will come to rescue each other in ways they cannot yet imagine.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateApr 5, 2016
    ISBN9780062440549
    Flamecaster
    Author

    Cinda Williams Chima

    Cinda Williams Chima is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who writes fantasy for teens of all ages. In addition to the Runestone Saga, her critically acclaimed work includes the Heir Chronicles and the Seven Realms series. She lives in Asheville, North Carolina, and she is always working on her next novel. Find out more at cindachima.com.

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    Reviews for Flamecaster

    4/5

    137 ratings7 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I dont know why but I just wasn't into the Ash/Jenna pairing - I preferred her dynamic with Destin more, but that guy is also a mystery.
      I also preferred ash with lila.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed the book overall but it did feel a bit flat in the end, looking forward to the rest of the series!
    • 4/5
      This was an entertaining epic fantasy novel that begins a new series set in the world of the Seven Kingdoms. It is filled with interesting characters. Adrian sul'Han, who is better known as Ash, is the son of the Queen of the Fells and a budding mage. When his father is killed in front of him, he runs, vowing revenge on the King of Arden, who ordered the murder. He spends four years learning to be a healer and expert poisoner and keeping the fact that he is alive secret from most. He spends his summer in Arden using his skills as a poisoner to disrupt things for the king as he plots and plans to assassinate the king.Jenna Bandelow is an orphan who has a mysterious mark on the back of her neck. She has been working in the mines of Delphi until she watches the King of Arden murder her two best friends. Jenna is also determined to kill the king. She begins as a saboteur in Delphi since she is an expert with explosives. She is active in the underground that is trying to retake the city of Delphi from the king. However, the king has set his spies to find the girl with the mysterious mark on her neck because the Empress of Carthia is willing to trade an army for her. The king needs the army to finally win the 25 year war that he has been waging on the Fells - a war that started over a declined marriage proposal but is now more about religious differences. The Fells is ruled by mages and Arden believes mages are demons and that they must be killed. After activities of their own, both Ash and Jenna meet in the king of Arden's palace. She is a prisoner and he is too though she is in a cell and he is collared to control his magic and working for the king as a healer and magic detector. They fall in love which is completely unexpected for each of them. Jenna and Ash aren't the only ones who want to kill the King of Arden. He is not universally beloved. Nor are they the only ones plotting in Arden. Other interesting characters are Lila, who is a fellow student at the school where Ash has been hiding and learning, and Destin Karn, who is the son of the king's most loyal General. Still another interesting character is Evan Strangward who comes to Arden as an emissary of the Empress of Carthia. Everyone has a hidden agenda.I can't wait to read the next book in this series. There are so many plot threads left dangling and I need to know how the author manages to knit them together.
    • 4/5
      Jenna has been living in hiding as she works for the revolutionaries, she has a secret past and mark on her skin. It came with a warning that someone powerful was hunting for her. When she is taken to the castle, her life becomes intertwined with Ash, a run-away prince and powerful healer who after years of training has been looking for ways to avenge his father's death, which means killing a king. Set in a well-imagined fantasy world, there is action, romance, and intrigue.
    • 4/5
      Cinda Williams Chima never disappoints. To me, Flamecaster just seemed like a long introduction to the future books, but I still loved every second of the characters and the world! And kudos to Chima for starting off the story with a gutsy BAM type of intro. So, go read this book.
    • 3/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: Unlikely allies with a shared goal: to kill the King of Arden.Opening Sentence: Compare to the freezing weather outside, the stable was warm and steamy and alive with the sleepy murmurings of horses.The Review:A most anticipated April release, I had high hopes for Flamecaster but sadly, I was rather disappointed. A few of my friends have recommended books by Cinda Williams Chima but this is the first book I read from this author and I expected an excellent read. Don’t misunderstand me, it was good, but it took me many attempts to actually get into the story and flow of things. Some stories are captivating from the first chapter but Flamecaster wasn’t one of them.If wishes were horses even beggars would ride.The story is told from numerous points of view, which normally doesn’t bother me but with this book it confused me. Plus, it didn’t help that there was a time jump at the start and the main characters changed their names in an attempt to disguise their true identity. Just as I began to grasp the character’s past, their name changed and I was left wondering what was happening!The MCs, Ash and Jenna, were well developed and although both had difficult pasts, their goals were the same; to kill the king of Arden. I liked Jenna’s fiery character and outlook on life, to enjoy the present and not think too far ahead or behind.“Karn!” she cried out. Vaulting from the bed, she knelt beside the healer, but Karn was already there.Swearing, the lieutenant rolled the boy onto his back. “What happened? Did you stab him, too?”“Shut it,” Jenna said. “I think he’s fainted.”Ash, on the other hand, was a worrier and I liked him to begin with, but I soon became irritated with his plans to kill the king. His ideas for assassination were all in his head because he never took any action. I don’t think he would have irritated me as much if he had tried and failed (without getting caught, of course) but Ash appeared to be simply biding his time. At times I wondered whether he genuinely wanted to murder Montaigne or not!“That way I won’t waste time watching people die who might have lived if I only had the skills.” Despite his best efforts, his voice shook.“That’s the thing about guilt,” his father said. “It always seems like there’s enough to go around. The only ones who don’t take a share are the ones who are actually guilty.”My favourite character was Lila. At the start I wasn’t too sure how she fits into the story but her bluntness was entertaining. She certainly added the much needed humour to Flamecaster and it helped that she was pretty kickass!When the thane spotted the dragon, he took a quick step back and gripped the hilt of his sword. “Is…is that what I think it is?”“That depends on what you think it is,” Strangward said.Lila couldn’t help liking the emissary’s style. Whether she’d keep liking him remained to be seen.To conclude, I didn’t enjoy this story nearly as much as I had expected, especially given the hype it received. Perhaps if I had read the Seven Realms series, I might have enjoyed it more but it is unlikely that I will continue this series.Notable Scene:“That’s not what I mean, and you bloody well know it,” Adrian hissed. “Yes, she loved him. He’s dead because he loved her back, and because she loved me, and he shouldn’t have to pay that price for love.”“Aye, there’s something we agree on.” Taliesin set her cup down. “He shouldn’t have had to pay that price. Love is the root of so much suffering and misery, so much loss. It’s the worst thing in the world, to risk yourself by loving someone. At the same time, it’s the best thing in the world-and worth the risk…”FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Flamecaster. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 3/5
      I really wanted to love FLAMECASTER, but really only liked it. What I liked about FLAMECASTER: I enjoyed the fantasy of the story. There were dragons, wizards, healers, a dragon hybrid?—I think we will find out more about that in a later book. I liked most of the characters. They still had some mystery to them to be solved in a future book, but they had some good development in FLAMECASTER and I enjoyed following them. I enjoyed the world. I had no problem picturing the places visited thanks to the world building.What I didn't like about FLAMECASTER: There were too many POVs. I would connect with one mind and then be thrust into another right when things were getting interesting. Too many changes. The story got a bit boring and slow in many spots and I found myself skimming to get to the good stuff. I think some of the skimming and boring parts came from not loving all the characters whose POVs were included. There is some MAJOR insta-love going on. If that wasn't bad enough there is some weird mystical like connection between them that really wasn't explained that well.So the big question is, will I read the next book? I honestly don't know. I don't think I will search it out, but if it happens to fall into my lap for review I think I might give it a try.* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.