The Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan is the type of fantasy that will satisfy even the most demanding reader. Ryan envisioned a very dark world, an odd comThe Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan is the type of fantasy that will satisfy even the most demanding reader. Ryan envisioned a very dark world, an odd combination of futuristic and steampunk elements with bits of swashbuckling adventure thrown into the mix that actually works extremely well. In some aspects, it seems to be ahead of our times, what with government and democracy being long forgotten, but paradoxically, things like the social structure call back times long past. There are illiterate servants, steampunk gadgets, and yet women seem completely emancipated and considered equal in every way.
In Ryan’s world, dragonlike creatures, drakes, are hunted and exploited for their blood. Each color of drakes gives different abilities, but only to those who are blood-blessed. Much like the Jedi, the blood-blessed are discovered early and trained to serve the Ironship Syndicate, with only the rare few managing to remain unregistered.
The Waking Fire is told from three different points of view, more or less evenly divided. One is Lizanne Lethridge, a blod-blessed secret operative for the Syndicate. Next is an unregistered blod-blessed thief with deep ties to the criminal underworld. The third is a naval officer on an ironclad warship. The story revolves around the mythical White drake, never seen but desperately wished for by the Syndicate.
Like all good fantasy books, The Waking Fire is a social commentary, a not so subtle review of capitalistic society. It shows where our fixation on supply and demand could possibly lead, and the future is rather bleak. There is no government in Arradsia – the continent is ruled by the Ironship Syndicate, its shareholders and the product (drake blood) itself. They consider everyone else beneath them and ridicule those who adhere to their monarchies. The cultural differences are huge, the progress far too rapid and the divide too difficult to overcome.
The biggest flaw that can be pointed out is the sheer number of secondary and tertiary characters with similar names. At one point, there were a Talmant, a Trumane and a Tottleborn on a single ship, in a single chapter (and never interacting with each other). Therefore, aside from figuring out the chain of command and the rather complicated relationships, we have to struggle just to figure out who exactly our protagonist is talking to. It took me about four chapters from Hilemore’s point of view to learn to tell them apart. That sort of thing puts an unnecessary burden on the reader and draws the focus away from what’s truly important.
The Waking Fire isn’t for those who prefer fantasy-lite. It has a rather complex world that requires patience and persistence, but it’s worth it. Anthony Ryan used every one of those 592 pages extremely well. With his clever writing style and a talent for twisty plots, he produced a series opener everyone will be talking about in no time at all.
Good urban fantasies with a male protagonist are so very hard to find. I can name no more than three series I truly enjoyed from start to finish, whicGood urban fantasies with a male protagonist are so very hard to find. I can name no more than three series I truly enjoyed from start to finish, which is why books like Chasing Embers are not only fun, but also necessary and always welcomed.
Chasing Embers is told in third person from more than one perspective, which is fairly unusual for urban fantasy. I sometimes wished for the first person narrative I’m more comfortable with, but I understood why Bennett made his choice and how it served his story. It would have been easier to form a connection with Ben had the story been told from his perspective alone, but the slight distance gave us insight into things we wouldn’t have otherwise seen.
Bennett did an excellent job portraying a centuries old character. He really took Ben’s age seriously and adapted his approach to life, his worldview and his whole reality accordingly. It didn’t seem fake like it sometimes does with ancient characters in urban fantasy, his actions and his way of life reflected both his natures, as well as his age. The depth of characterization is truly impressive. There are so many small things in Ben’s behavior that make us uncomfortable at first, until we realize that it’s actually his dragon nature at work, and not the part of him that’s himan.
The author uses his characters (Ben’s love interest Rose especially) to challenge stereotypes. Being a dragon, Ben sees Rose as his damsel in distress and wishes nothing more than to close her in some tower and keep her safe for all eternity. Rose, however, adamantly refuses to be viewed as such, often displaying characteristics of a heroine in her own right. Ben himself isn’t what you’d expect from an ancient dragon. A bit awkward, essentially ordinary and emotionally stunted, he defies every expectation and belief.
Plot-wise, Chasing Embers is a bit rough and gritty at times, which is to be expected from urban fantasy. There is, however, nothing rough or unpolished about James Bennett’s writing – quite the contrary, in fact. There is a richness and a precision in his sentences, a beauty that isn’t flashy, but that’s very present nevertheless. As his protagonist flies from New York to London and beyond, Bennett provides us with an abundance of details that somehow never get in the way of the story he’s telling. The myths and legends are also well researched and not taken lightly, but the author takes certain liberties as he sees fit and the book is so much better because of his approach. The best urban fantasies entertain and educate, and one can learn a lot by reading this debut.
Maja (The Nocturnal Library)
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