Forged in Fire and Stars (Loresmith, #1)

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Author(s)

Andrea Robertson

Publisher

Philomel Books

Genre(s)

Age Range

12+

Release Date

May 05, 2020

ISBN

978-0525954125

Buy This Book

"Fans of Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse will flock to this new series." --Booklist

Games of Thrones meets An Ember in the Ashes in this action-packed fantasy from the internationally bestselling author of the Nightshade series.

Ara has always known the legend of the Loresmith: the blacksmith who served alongside the kings and queens of Saetlund, forging legendary weapons to arm warriors and protect the kingdom. She's been told it's her fate to inherit the title and become the next Loresmith. But since the monarchy's downfall in a vicious conquest years before, Ara has never truly believed she would be able to take up her duty.

But when the lost Princess Nimhea and Prince Eamon steal Ara from her quiet life with a mission to retake the throne and return Ara to her place as the Loresmith--Ara's whole world turns upside down.

Suddenly, Ara must leave her small mountain village and embark on a dangerous adventure where she will uncover new truths about her family's legacy, and even face the gods themselves. With a mysterious thief as an unexpected companion, and dark forces following their every move, Ara must use all her skills to forge the right path forward--for herself, her kingdom, and her heart.

From internationally bestselling author Andrea Roberston comes a gorgeously written new fantasy series perfect for readers of Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse or Sabaa Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes series.

Praise for Forged in Fire and Stars:

"An epic and classic fantasy." --School Library Journal

"Fans of Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse will flock to this new series." --Booklist

Games of Thrones meets An Ember in the Ashes in this action-packed fantasy from the internationally bestselling author of the Nightshade series.

But when the lost Princess Nimhea and Prince Eamon steal Ara from her quiet life with a mission to retake the throne and return Ara to her place as the Loresmith--Ara's whole world turns upside down.

Praise for Forged in Fire and Stars:

"An epic and classic fantasy." --School Library Journal

Editor reviews

3 reviews

Overall rating

4.3

Plot

4.5(2)

Characters

4.5(2)

Writing Style

4.0(2)

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A(0)

Engaging Epic Fantasy

April 21, 2024

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

Forged in Fire and Stars is a solid first book in a high fantasy trilogy. The world-building was well done and shaped this story into a unique addition to the genre. The country of Saetlund has been invaded. The twin heirs escaped before the fall and were raised in secret. The famous Loresmith whose powers were granted by the gods was able to get his pregnant wife away before his death. Now the twins have found Ara and they all start on an epic quest to visit the gods to regain her mythic powers that are her birthright to free their country.
Along the way they meet a charming thief named Teth, blessed by the goddess, Eni to help them. I love his character and the emerging relationship between Ara and him. They are later joined by Lahvja who has mysterious powers and secrets of her own.
There are brief glimpses of the enemy and their dark magic. There is also a surprise betrayal. I have read the book twice and there are few clues to prepare you for the big reveal that changes everything.
I used an audiobook for a portion of this book and liked the choice to make the characters have an Irish accent. It fits in nicely with a world full of myths and legends and tangible magic belief systems powered by gods.
Overall, this is a book good enough to enjoy reading more than once. Reading by book or audiobook are both pleasant options. The trilogy is now complete and I look forward to binge reading them all.

Connie Reid, Site Manager Top 10 Reviewer 577 reviews

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enthralling and atmospheric YA fantasy

May 03, 2020

Overall rating

4.7

Plot

N/A

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FORGED IN FIRE AND STARS is an engaging YA fantasy/adventure. The book begins in the past, when Saetlund was under siege by Vokkans. The Loresmith gives his life to save the royal twins and his own child who has not yet been born. We then travel to the future to meet Ara, his then unborn daughter. She is now a teenager, who has known that her legacy is that of the Loresmith. However, this legacy is typically passed down through teachings. As her father was unable to teach her, she does not possess the full powers of the Loresmith.

When she is captured by the royal twins who escaped, Nimhea and Eamon, she learns that she must petition the gods for their favor to become what she is destined to be. Together, they embark on a quest to find the gods and allow Ara to fulfill her destiny as the Loresmith, with the ultimate goal of taking back the kingdom.

What I loved: The world-building here is incredible. We get backstory on the legends, mythology, and the world as it is in the past and now. There are also some interesting discussions about religion, power/ethics, and governments that arise throughout. The characters are fully realized, and the core group that travels together are all incredibly three-dimensional and people that I really began to love during the novel. This story is beautifully woven throughout the book.

This first novel is really about the quest, and through it, the world around is completed. Their journey is not only action/adventure, but a lot of character-building and ethical discussions that make this a really engaging read.

Also, I would highly recommend going back to the start of the book once you get to the end, because it gives new meaning to some of those (I'm being vague to avoid spoilers). This was a book I wanted to go through again immediately after reading.

What left me wanting more: Although I really loved the book overall, as a small point, there are some places where the plot gets a little slow, and I would have liked a faster pace. These may be ironed out more in the final version of the book.

Final verdict: Enthralling, atmospheric, and beautifully woven, FORGED IN FIRE AND STARS is a YA fantasy that asks interesting questions and introduces great characters in a new series. Highly recommend for fans of Adrienne Young, Sabaa Tahir, and Claire Legrand.