Books read in 2017: No. 5 -- Fire & Ice (Book I of The Icefire Trilogy)

by Patty Jansen

Started: Feb. 15
Finished: Feb. 23

Notes: This is another author new to me, someone I've been meaning to check out for a while now. Plus, I often feel as if I don't read enough women writers, so here's another opportunity to correct that; this isn't some need to be politically correct, but my wanting to experience different writers' voices.

Mini review: A generation earlier there was a rebellion that overthrew the magic-wielding royals in this world, but now the heir who has been in hiding for decades is trying to sneak back into the palace to regain his political power from the current rulers. That brief description doesn't sound all that unique, but it's the details which make the difference. Unfortunately, this one had some similarities, especially thematically, with the Awakened books, one of which I'd just read before this book ... so, that shot down some of my interest. That's not the author's fault, however, just timing. That being said, the writing here is decent, the characters interesting enough to hold me along, and the plot and world were better than average. What interested me the most was how magic worked in this world. There's still some things needing explaining, but that's for future books in the series. Could I recommend it? Sure.