BOOK REVIEW: Fireborne by Rosaria Munda

A fire breathing fantasy that questions political stability

I read this one because it was recommended to me as part of the 12 books in 12 months challenge for 2022. Going in, I really only knew that it was a fantasy story that takes place after a revolutionary overthrow of the government. And dragons. I knew there were dragons. I was not disappointed at all, and it was fun to read a fantasy that was a little different from my norm. I can say that it was my first dragon based fantasy.

The quick summary finds our main characters Lee and Annie in the competition to become first rider, basically the one in charge of the dragon riders which is the primary defense of the country. Both were orphaned, Annie, a peasant who only finds herself in competition because of the new regime’s rules allowing members of all castes to test into a different one, and Lee, born into the ruling class of the old regime, find themselves growing up together. The old regime resurfaces, wanting their power back putting Lee in a precarious situation of turning his back on his family he thought all dead or turning his back on everything and everyone he has grown to believe in.

While Lee is the main protagonist, it was Annie’s character that I was drawn to more. Here we have these two allies/friends/partners who are starting from opposite ends of the spectrum, even if they don’t know it. Everyone assumes that Lee is going to win the 1st rider tournament because he’s just that type of character. Smart, good looking, friendly, and even though his lineage is secret, he has an aura of privilege. Annie, on the other hand, has to fight for even the slightest amount of respect. I liked her tenacity and grit. She was a true dragon rider, and even though it was clear who was going to be named 1st rider, I still wanted Annie to have her moment.

The supporting cast of characters, like Cor and Power, were great. I loved that they were each developed as unique entities with their own diverse backstories, personal secrets and personalities. They enhanced scenes when needed and provided the opportunities to propel action scenes.

Establishing and developing the conflict was interesting because the book begins AFTER the revolution and all the death and rebuilding that came with it. There is this unseen enemy that is alluded to and then partially established when Lee’s cousin, Julia, reaches out with her threats, demands and expectations. Munda effectively uses flashbacks to allow the reader to get some of the insight needed to fully understand the what and why of the current political structure which is definitely a subtle topic that Munda addresses.

The political world and the fantasy world are created in unison with each other but with the undertone of how unstable governments can be, and whether or not revolutions actually establish a better world for the people is definitely addressed. It becomes a case of the lesser of two evils. Like, ‘well, at least we’re not AS bad as the old regime’ mentality. This may come from the draw to the Classical Literature of The Aeneid and Republic that seems to be inspiration, but with dragons.

I loved the dragons. I have read a lot of fantasies, it is my favorite genre, but I can’t think of another book where dragons are such an integral part of the world. The dragon fleet is basically the military. It is the world’s defense, so it is quite an issue when you learn that the dragons haven’t ‘sparked’ yet, meaning that they only breathe ash, not fire. Not going to do much good if the secret members of the old regime have sparked dragons in their arsenal.

The moral dilemmas and overall themes that come out of this story are pretty clear. Lee is faced with the horror of the crimes his family committed, but also faced with the pull of blood family versus found family. Having to make his own decision regardless of the consequences, but also having to cope with said consequences. There are the ideas surrounding governmental power on the citizens, class systems and the prejudices that are associated with such a system. Fitting to our current society, book banning and censorship are presented issues. There really are so many hidden little details that if you look closely enough, you are destined to find some message that connects with you.

Matching the complicated undercurrents with a somewhat complicated world, there were moments in the first portion of the book where I felt that there was a lot to keep up with. However, Munda did a fantastic job with the pacing of the story and keeping things progressing with a nice ebb and flow of action. And ultimately, I was happy with the conclusion. The places the characters find themselves in at the end are perfect for what is eluded to be coming.

Where does this land on my bookshelf?

I enjoyed this read and am sure that I will complete the series, but I think for now I will place it on my middle shelf. I wasn’t left in a book hangover or dying to get through just one more chapter. But it is highly enjoyable, fantasy read. I’m glad I read it and recommend it to those looking for a different type of fantasy. Like I stated earlier, there aren’t a lot of dragon stories that present dragons in this way. They are not monsters hell bent on destruction. Here they are presented with almost equal care as the human characters are. The personalities and connections they make with their riders is almost enduring. I found myself liking the dragons more than some of the characters. So, if you get a chance, definitely give this one a go!

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