“Nerdection Good Read”
When the thirteenth battle was won, peace should have been restored to the land. But someone found a way to subvert the rules drafted centuries ago. With the playbook now discarded, another cycle begins anew. A fresh pair of champions—one prophet and one warrior—should have been assigned their roles to take on their counterparts representing the opposing forces of destruction. Yet only one warrior came forth bearing more power than his predecessors.
Forced to assume dual responsibilities from the moment the first flame flickers within. Becoming the sole saviour of a broken world magnifies his perpetual loneliness—a condition he cannot seem to evade for too long. To put an end to the Other’s reign of chaos, the warrior must overcome the pain of his past whilst journeying down the uncharted path to restore the world from its descent into total ruin.
Spoiler-Free Plot
There isn’t much of a life to be had by a former slave, once a soldier—drafted to serve an authoritarian regime that prides itself on the immeasurable cruelty it has wrought on humanity—now a fugitive.
Colouring his hair and tattooing his skin to hide himself in plain sight has worked well for Roux Anthony thus far. He has managed to evade the Collectors on the hunt for his whereabouts by moving around often and keeping to himself.
Relationships, both shallow and deep, would drag innocents down alongside him, so he avoids them entirely. It’s an easy thing to do, having lost everyone he once cared about. Holding people at a distance has become second nature.
The appearance of a mysterious stranger named Anne, who readily divulged captivating tales of great battles, Keepers, Warriors, Prophets, other worldly powers, and multiple dimensions, is enough to sway Roux to take up for a prophetic cause. One that promises a chance at returning to the harmonious life enjoyed by all before violence and the Association destroyed humanity and the planet alongside it.
Most surprising of all is the fated task placed squarely upon his shoulders. Roux’s past tragedies forged within him all of the necessary components needed to combat attacks from all directions, including those from within. He must prepare for the end when it arrives. Success might not turn out as he envisions it to be.
My Take on Born of Fire: The Phoenix Knight
The story kicks off with a fight scene to set the tone for the rest of the saga. As a reader, your entry point places you right into the thick of it; introduced to a combat-ready protagonist, seemingly on the wrong side of the law, cornered, forced into a tussle, and so are we. It’s a thrilling start, to say the least.
The dialogue and brief narrations placed at the beginning of each part give the story a graphic novel or video game-like quality that I believe fans of the action and fantasy genres will appreciate.
Coming in at just under five hundred pages, it suffices to say that A LOT happens over the course of this book. Characters flow in and out of scenes as needed, travel routes criss-cross into different realms, locations, and even back into the past, there are battles galore ranging from small skirmishes to world-defining warfare—just to mention a few things readers get to sample in this story.
The aforementioned narrations did help me keep the story straight when I sometimes lost track of the plot. While this element was appreciated, I felt that the sheer amount of events taking place would have worked out better if it had been split across two to three shorter novels. In those, perhaps these moments could’ve been explored with more depth.
I did notice that there were discussions and interactions between characters that were only mentioned in passing, which could’ve bolstered the perception of those relationships had we gotten to figuratively “see” those interactions taking place. Some characters held only a fleeting presence, which made it more difficult for me to comprehend the protagonist’s attachment to them, as it felt like their whole relationship took place behind a veil I was not granted permission to peel back for better viewing.
Otherwise, I enjoyed the lore, the dichotomous struggle between good and evil, and the bittersweet ending. I would have loved more visual cues of the locations different scenes took place in. A viewfinder that panned beyond the activity taking place to add holistic context, to sprinkle on a little bit of extra seasoning to a literary universe that must’ve taken a great deal of time and effort for the author to craft.
Overall, this is a sweeping, action-packed fantasy that delivers on spectacle and imagination, sure to satisfy readers who crave intensity and high-stakes adventure.
Age Rating
14 years and above
Content Warnings
Death, Slavery, Violence.
About The Author Of Born of Fire: The Phoenix Knight
Lisette Martinez is a reading intervention teacher from Holyoke, Massachusetts. With a deep love for books and learning, she has devoted her life’s work to reading and education. A teacher for nearly twenty years, she holds two Master’s degrees and finds joy in inspiring young minds. Lisette lives quietly with her daughter, family, and three beloved dogs.
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