Fallen Embers [Paperback]

Lauri J Owen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2010

A feisty attorney and her young nephew are transported to an alternate feudal Alaska ruled by a class of decadent mages who have enslaved the shapechanging indigenous peoples. Before she can find her way home Kiera must learn more about the local systems of magic and her own ability to summon fire. On whose side should she fight? Whom can she trust -- Marco, the young mage she saves, or fierce and handsome Laszlo, the slave captain of ruling Lord Vayu's army? Kiera's path leads her deeper into Alaska, to joy and to heartbreak. Choosing to follow her heart may cost her everything.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Owen's debut is a flawed but agreeable fish-out-of-water romantic fantasy. After Alaskan lawyer Kiera is tattooed with a secret curse, she and her six-year-old nephew, Alex, are savagely attacked by a wild dog. They wake up in an alternate feudal Alaska. Encountering three children in mortal danger, Kiera unexpectedly calls up magical fire to defend them. After the local army offers her shelter, Kiera is romanced by shape-shifter Captain Laszlo; he's the first of many men who admire Kiera's plus-size body, which she learns is considered the pinnacle of beauty in this new world. Kiera learns how to control and increase her power while trying to avoid becoming a political pawn. Disgusted with the treatment of the enslaved shape-shifters by the privileged magical nobles, Kiera signs up with the approaching slave rebellion even though it may mean Laszlo will be ordered to kill her. Owen's heroine is strong and self-sufficient, but feels too perfect to fail. Though the implausible ending distracts from an otherwise reasonable plot, the overall result is a pleasant summer read.
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Review

"Flawlessly written and deeply compelling. Lauri J Owen takes you on a journey through the wilds of an alternate Alaska, full of strange, new magic. Snared in the complex politics that suppress the weak and betrayed by the love that she finds, Kiera must battle against more than just a corrupted nobility in her search for justice and the way back home. We are drawn with her relentlessly as she follows her heart regardless of the price, to emerge from this dark and enthralling fantasy with hope for the future."

Pippa Jay
author of Keir --Pippa Jay

"A deliciously rich, empowering fantasy epic that features complex and realistic characters. Every woman who has had her beauty, her competence, her worth questioned will find in Kiera a relatable heroine that proves one person's strength and compassion can not only make a difference but inspire a nation."

Lesleigh J. Owen
co-author, Fat Poets Speak: Voices of the Fat Poets' Society --Lesleigh J Owen

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Pearlsong Press (September 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597190241
• ISBN-13: 978-1597190244
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,093,950 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lauri J Owen (lauriowen.com) is a civil rights lawyer who grew up in Idaho's Treasure Valley and worked for more than a decade in law enforcement. In 2003, her passion for social justice led her to law school. After completing her Juris Doctorate at U.C., Berkeley, she moved to Bethel, a village in the Alaska Bush, where she fell in love with the the people, the magic, and the majesty of her new home state. She now lives in metro Alaska with her elementary-school-aged son. Lauri has finished the second novel in the Embers series, Blowing Embers (2011 publication), and is currently hard at work on the third chapter, Rising Embers.

Ms. Owen is promoting the series with a website (www.lauriowen.com) that offers background on her alternate world, including how to use one's birthdate to gauge the type of mage or shifter one would be there. The promotional video trailers for books one and two can be viewed on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/olauri or on Lauri's web site.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magical and yet realistic, October 17, 2010

By 

Trisha Waddell (Mission, BC, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fallen Embers (Paperback)

I was not sure what I was going to think of this book as I don't read a lot of fantasy/ science fiction. After reading it I feel like this book will be missed by a lot of people if they pigeonhole it into that genre. In fact, I would call it more a paranormal romance, similar in ways to both Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series with shades of the Harry Potter series as well. And yet it is so much more than those as well.

Never before have I so readily identified with a heroine as I do with Kiera. Not just that she is a plus size character, as is so much of our society, but also in her strength and maternal instincts. She is a very realistic character who you instantly care for, cheer for and feel like she is someone you know. In fact, I wish I could have her for my best friend.

The remaining characters are just as richly described and animated. Whether you love them or hate them, I did not find a single character who I had no reaction to or questioned their role in the book. I further appreciated the fact that many of those characters were not clearly wearing good guy or bad guy hats, but often wove their way back and forth amongst those labels and all stages between.

The author manages to immerse you in Kiera's life, and the alternate Alaska. She vividly describes all her characters, societies and the settings so that you often find it hard to pull yourself back into your own world when you aren't reading the book. I was so awed by her ability to clearly explain all the magical components, something I am not sure I have ever encountered in another book. The greater challenge was in not only breaking down the magic into understandable concepts, but making it interesting, exciting and very realistic, a challenge this author more than rose to.

I am already awaiting the next in the series and getting to spend more time with Kiera and Marco, Laszlo and Alex, who have come to feel like a family to me. It was a truly amazing and astonishing first book from this author who I feel will have a long career as a writer.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!, September 23, 2010

By 

K. Barron "Katsreview" (Detroit, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Fallen Embers (Paperback)

I so enjoyed this book! It is filled with characters that I fell in love with, magic, suspense - and an intriguing, imaginative world. It is very well written - the kind of book that makes you want to keep reading even when you know you should go to bed! I see that it is the first in the series - and can't wait for the next one! I want to see the continuation of Kiera's adventures - I was so pleased to have such a strong heroine - admirable in her commitment to social justice, to compassion, to her love for her nephew and friends. And I don't want to give anything away, so I'll just say that Kiera has a great supporting cast too. For anyone who is enthralled with shapeshifters and different kinds of magic - this has the same appeal to me as the Charlaine Harris series.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fire, Magic and Romance!, October 20, 2010

By 

Lindalynx - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fallen Embers (Kindle Edition)

Absolutely FABULOUS book! Lauri Owen has created an amazing alternate world that kept me reading until all hours. I couldn't put this book down! The main character, Kiera, is FIERCE and I appreciate that she's also a big, beautiful woman. I loved the universe Ms. Owen created and found myself thinking about the book even when I wasn't reading it. It's a well-written stay-up-all-night-to-finish book that I recommend to everyone!

Linda Owen