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A Court of Thorns and Roses
Sarah J. Maas
4.6
A Fire Endless: A Novel (Elements of Cadence, 2)
by Rebecca Ross
Published Sep 19, 2023
Categories
About this book
The Isle of Cadence teeters on the brink of collapse as the North Wind, Bane, maneuvers to seize absolute dominion over both human and spirit realms. This fragile equilibrium, long maintained by tradition and blood, threatens to shatter under the weight of an encroaching sickness and a malevolent supernatural ambition. In the east, clan leader Torin and his healer wife, Sidra, struggle to protect their people from a mysterious plague.
As Torin ventures deeper into the volatile world of elementals to find answers, he risks losing his humanity to the very spirits he seeks to command. Meanwhile, in the west, the bard Jack embarks on a perilous journey across clan lines to reunite with Adaira. Armed with his harp and a desperate need for clarity, Jack attempts to unravel the dark secrets behind Bane’s resurgence.
Their paths converge in a race against time to restore peace to their fractured home. Yet, challenging a primal force of nature demands a harrowing toll. As the boundaries between the human and faery worlds blur, the characters must confront the limits of their love and the ultimate sacrifices required to ensure the survival of their people and the future of their island.
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What readers are saying
Transparent DreamLoved this 2 book series
"At first, I was afraid to start this, fearing the 2 books would be just the start of a longer series that was yet unwritten. But I started it all the same. Happy to find it ended after 2. Very satisfying. A lovely story, with relatable, imperfect characters. Very well written. And, FINALLY, an author who uses a proofreader!! That was a HUGE plus. Nothing takes me out of a story more quickly, than poor editing, and no proofreading. I'll be looking at more of Ms. Ross's works. Thank you for a beautiful story. I loved it! ["
May 17, 2024 Verified Purchase
MichelaBeautiful Book With a Flaw
"I loved this book. I really did. Right up to the final chapter, which poked a slow leak in my balloon. For the strengths, we have 4 principal characters: Jack, Adaira, Torin and Sidra. We also have romantic arcs for both couples, as well as individual journeys. We have some compelling supporting characters: David (LOVED him) Innes, Oathbreaker, Mirin, Frae, Kae, Hob. And of course, the Folk as a group. I think Ross did some fantastic character development with limited page time for a lot of these characters. Now here I'm going to go off into a little bit of pseudo-critique, and there will be spoilers, which I'll warn about. After finishing this book, I literally lay in bed turning this around in my head for hours. LOL! It's a HEA of sorts, but to me, not an emotionally satisfying ending. So we have some characters who are clearly archetypes/D&D influenced. We have The Soldier/King (Torin) The Healer/mystic (Sidra) The Princess/Heiress (Adaira) The Bard/Teacher (Jack) The character arcs were well done, particularly with Torin and Sidra. I loved that those two switched roles. We had the cynical soldier/King step into Sidra's role by entering the spirit's realm in search of a cure for the blight that's destroying both halves of the island. In turn, Sidra is now her own patient, and steps in as the laird, to the point that she dresses for battle when she travels to the west. Of the two, Torin was incredibly changed during that arc, and for the better. Over in the West, David and Innes mirror Torin and Sidra, with her being the laird and he being the consort/healer. Innes has some good character progression, where David remains fairly static. But he really is an appealing character. Now here are my problems. Jack is the Bard and a teacher. He's what the east has been praying for, and the west fears most. The role of the Bard was huge, particularly in European history. They weren't just entertainers, they were the keepers of history and lore. Jack's role as the Bard is huge. He's also tasked with communing with the spirits twice a year, and he's used (almost brutally) by Adaira during the impending crisis. I had visions of him training other bards, including (possibly) his sister Frae, who is so infatuated with his music, as opposed to their mother's weaving. Adaira starts off with a strong identity: she's a leader, the Heiress, the Laird, and at the end of the first book, the outcast. In much of this book, she's in a liminal state. She's lost most of her self-identity and doesn't really know her role in the West. But by the end of the book, she's completed a satisfactory journey and again finds her place. SPOILER ALERT * * * * * * * So here's where I was left unsatisfied with the book. Jack the Bard has pretty much a single role. A single talent. And it's exceedingly important, not only to his self-identity, but to the people of the island. He has the ability to return music to both the east and the west, not only as a bard, but as a teacher. But we're forwarned: he's destined to be the downfall of the antagonist. (who did take me by surprise.) Adaira foreshadows his potential downfall/death at the hands of Bane. It's almost like Jack is fated to save the world, and then that's pretty much it. So as it turns out, he does survive this great battle, but loses that which gives him his identity: Music. Now this isn't an O. Henry story. He's the only one that makes this massive sacrifice. No one else does. And if he'd stepped into a new role...maybe as a teacher, it would have fit. Instead, he ends the book as a character even more liminal than Adaira was. Unlike David and Sidra, he doesn't have an identity or role to step into. He's not a father, not a soldier, not a rogue, not a farmer. He's basically Adaira's sidekick. Not even that, really. Don't get me wrong, they're in love, Jack's father and mother are together, he'll be at Adaira's side as she forges peace. But he's lost the core of his character and there was nothing to replace that void. In a sense, he's been relegated from The Hero to a supporting character. This is really lovely writing and I know a lot of readers are happy with the ending. I just feel like if you take something away, something has to fill that void. I will definitely be reading more of this author's books in the future, and hopefully, we'll get a chance to see more of this world. I'd love to see them a decade or so in the future. I'd love to see Niall and Mirin making up for lost years, for Frae to find her passion. I'd really love to see Jack moved out of this rather bleak vacuum he's in, because he's a bit of a curmudgeon and I wonder if he'll properly grieve for what he's lost. ["
December 22, 2023 Verified Purchase
CassieA fitting end to a beautiful duology.
"This story was so beautiful and ambient. I loved the vibes so much - late summer turning into autumn on an enchanted Scottish island full of magic and folklore. I really liked that we explored the Spirit world more in this book and finally got to see what the hell happened to the West to make them how they are now. I thought it was very fitting to see both sides of the story to the rivalry and to find out how the hierarchy in the spirit world was established. The romance is beautiful and makes you just love - love. I was a little irritated with the strain that was put on Jack and Adaira in the beginning of the book due to a silly misunderstanding that created an unnecessary distance between them. I really hate the "We're so in love we'll die for each other!" and then "Oh actually we might lose this relationship because we can't seem to communicate all of sudden!". It was explained well and the author smoothed it all over for me by the middle of the book but it put me out a bit at first. In the end this is a wonderful duology and the perfect ending to this book. Pick it up - you will not regret it! You'll only regret not being able to jump into this world for real! ["
January 11, 2024 Verified Purchase
Dana KingFavorite series of the year!
"I can't even begin to express how much I love this series. This was my favorite series that I read in 2024. The characters are very well written and I love the author's voice. Both main couples are interesting and give you reasons to root for them. The lore is deep and compelling and the setting is beautiful. ["
August 13, 2025 Verified Purchase
