The Element of Fire [Paperback]

Martha Wells (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 13, 2006

The Element of Fire was first published in the US by Tor Books in 1993, and has been published in six languages. It was a finalist for the 1993 Compton Crook/Stephen Tall Award and a runner-up for the 1994 Crawford Award. This new edition has b

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this rich fantasy debut, the medieval-like country of Ile-Rien is threatened by internal turmoil and invasion by the forces of the Fayre. Ile-Rien, ruled in name by weak young King Roland but in fact by the Dowager Queen Ravenna, becomes the staging area for the sorcerer Urbain Grandier's vengeance against his native land, where he had been the victim of an inquisition mounted against magic. Thomas Boniface, captain of the Queen's Guard and Ravenna's former lover, aids the dowager in her fight to maintain stability and counter the pernicious influence of powerful nobles. The political balance is further upset when the court sorcerer dies, weakening the palace's defenses against Fayre and allowing Kade Carrion, the king's illegitimate half-sister, whose mother was the Fayre Queen of Air and Darkness, to return to court after many years of banishment. Skillfully blending the fantastical and the mundane, Wells delights with deft and sympathetic characterization while demonstrating a fine touch for adventure.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"The Element of Fire is a powerful fantasy." -- Locus Magazine, 1993

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Martha Wells (November 13, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0615135714
• ISBN-13: 978-0615135717
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,346,885 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Martha Wells is the author of eleven fantasy novels, including Wheel of the Infinite, City of Bones, The Element of Fire, and the Nebula-nominated The Death of the Necromancer. Her most recent fantasy novels are The Cloud Roads and The Serpent Sea, to be published by Night Shade Books in 2011 and 2012. She has also written a fantasy trilogy: The Wizard Hunters, The Ships of Air, and The Gate of Gods, all currently out in paperback from HarperCollins Eos. She has had short stories in the magazines Black Gate, Realms of Fantasy, Lone Star Stories, and Stargate Magazine, and in the Tsunami Relief anthology Elemental and The Year's Best Fantasy #7. She has essays in the nonfiction anthologies Farscape Forever and Mapping the World of Harry Potter from BenBella Books. She has also written two media-tie-in novels, Stargate Atlantis: Reliquary and Stargate Atlantis: Entanglement. Her books have been published in eight languages, including French, Spanish, German, Russian, and Dutch, and her web site is www.marthawells.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, August 7, 2003

By 

not4prophet (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Element of Fire (Mass Market Paperback)

After reading "The Element of Fire", I am ready to declare that Martha Wells is probably the best author of the entertaining 'Swords and Sorcery' type of fantasy alive today. Although this was her first novel, it was the third one of her books that I've read. All of them have been well-written with excellent imagination. So why are her books so much fun to read?

Lots of action. Even though her novels are relatively short, they each contain several large-scale action scenes and plenty of individual sword fights. Wells has clearly studied medieval weaponry and warfare closely enough to know what she's talking about. Her fight scenes are very realistic and easy to visualize.

Surprises. "The Element of Fire" has lots of courtly intrigue and unpredictable plot developments. There's back stabbing, double agents, triple agents, plots, counterplots, and mysterious deaths of major characters right when you least expect it.

Tough characters. Looking for pathetic little reluctant heroes who have to whine for hundreds of pages before they can do anything? Look elsewhere. Wells provides truly hardcore, brave, and loyal characters who aren't afraid to fight and die for what they believe in. I particularly enjoy how Wells gives them humorous dialogue, such as when characters taunt each other before a fight.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fun and one of a kind book!, April 18, 2005

By 

Anthony Marray "amarrayw" (Ohio United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Element of Fire (Mass Market Paperback)

I love the fantasy genre but I hate how most fantasy publishers think that fantasy readers like the same formula (a superhuman who fulfills a prophecy only after he becomes convinced of his destiny when he finds a magic sword from a mystical figure...I've seen it many times).

However, Martha Wells was a breath of fresh air for me. She actually injects her story with intrigue and it reads like a 17th century political chess game. The action flows throughout the story and she realistically throws characters in situations that don't always work out perfectly. Yes, there is talk about fairy and magic, but it doesn't detract from the main story. It's apart of the story and not just something to wow you while reading. This book is hard to find so I would recommend going to the library to read a copy. I recommend all of her other books which are even more accomplished than this gem (especially check out "Death of the Necromancer" and "Wheel of the Infinite").

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, August 30, 2005

By 

MicahA (Shoreline, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Element of Fire (Hardcover)

Martha Wells continues to be the best fantasy writer out there. It's too bad this book is no longer in print - not just because it is such an amazing book, but because I won't let anyone borrow mine for fear they lose it and I could never find another one. The book describes Thomas, the perfect action hero. A great fighter, brave... Although this type of hero is found in almost every book, only Martha Wells can get the reader to truly like him and admire his abilities. Also Kade, one of the better female heroines in any book, helps set the stage for witty dialogue and well fought battles with the fay. This book also sets up "The Death of a Necromancer" which is also worth reading. If you can find a copy of this for an affordable price, buy it immediately.