Customer Reviews

Fire Bringer

5 star:		(97)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

David Clement-Davies's first novel is a truly excellent book for readers young and old alike. Fire Bringer is a gripping saga that draws you into an animal world that is at once incredibly convincing yet also a sharp reflection of our own. Epic but suspenseful and swiftly paced, Fire Bringer follows closely in the tradition of another beloved fantasy and one of my all-time favorite books, Watership Down. It is a story of war and healing, cast with unforgettable characters -- particularly Rannoch -- and told with the resonance of legend. Fire Bringer has the ability to be a classic fantasy and is perhaps the best book I've read this year. I don't give 5 star ratings often but Fire Starter is definitely worthy of it. Do yourself a favor and get a copy as soon as you can.

David Cement-Davies does a great job, in creating an amazing story. This book, is filled with fantasy, danger, adventure, and love; every ingredient to a knock-out book.
The book is about a deer named Rannoch, who is born with a mark shaped like an oak leaf on his forehead. There is a prophecy among the deer, that says a fawn with the mark of an oak leaf on his forehead will bring freedom to all the deer. So when Rannoch was born, the other deer who knew about his birth where scaried, worried, and amazed all at the same time. Rannoch is forced to flee, or lose his life. The whole story is about how he has to survive, and his life.
This book, is very good, because it not only is different from most books, because the characters are animals, but, it has a great plot. I would recommend this book to all adults, and teenagers, because I feel that smaller children, would not understand what the book is talking about, nor would have the patcience to read 498 pages of fiction.
David Clement-Davies, I commened you for your great writing.

Have you ever wondered about what it's like to be a deer? Well in Fire Bringer you find out that being a deer is not so easy. "In a dark and troubled time, a prophecy is about to come true..." This is a book about the life of a young deer named Rannoch. He is born with a fawn mark shaped as an oak leaf, which can only mean the prophecy... Are the gods awakened? Now evil forces of deer are gathering for war and there can't be any good ahead.
Fire Bringer is a story of war, friendship, survival, and a young deer's adventure to escape death. During the whole book, I could not wait to flip to the last page and find out the mystery behind all the war, Sgorr's terrible secret, and especially the forbidden prophecy. This is a book of suspense and action.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes action and personification. Fire Bringer is the kind of book you will read under the covers late at night and you won't be able put it down. Fire Bringer is the best book that I've ever read, and the most suspenseful book too. It has touched me deep inside, and will definitely do the same for others.

For a first book, this one is a winner! Fire Bringer does for deer what Watership Down did for rabbits and Tailchaser's Song did for cats. The premise is simple: A fawn is born bearing a mark which makes him part of a prophecy wherein this "chosen one" will bring better times to his herd. Of course, he's kept a secret until he's old enough to fulfill the prophecy just to save his life, and so far as the whole idea goes, it's pretty much what you expect. What makes the story so outstanding is the way it's written--never boring, often intriguing, and quite unique told from a deer's point of view. You may know how it unfolds, but getting to the last page is pure, fantastic pleasure thanks to Clement-Davies' vivid imagination, the gorgeous settings, and a host of amazing, four-legged characters. If you liked the aforementioned books, you're sure to enjoy this one. It would make a great gift for someone just beginning to appreciate quality fantasy stories.

Fire Bringer is a rousing anthropomorphic fantasy that is sure to appeal to readers of all ages. It has all of the elements of a standard fantasy story (a prophesy to be fulfilled, a villain with a secret past, a hero that ignores his destiny and then embraces it). However, instead of being formulaic, Clement-Davies uses these elements to build strong characters, powerful action sequences, and evocative settings that will linger with the reader. The vigorous writing makes it easy for readers to imagine themselves in the world that the author has created.

This book would make a wonderful introduction to the fantasy field for a first-time reader of the genre. However, even long-time fantasy readers will find enjoyment reading this auspicious debut from Clement-Davies.

I just wanted to respond to a previous reviewer - I am the editor of this book in the UK. Wildcatpawprints implied that we had borrowed the title and story of Fire Bringer from a trilogy by Meredith Ann Pierce. Firstly, neither David Clement-Davies or I have read (or, I have to admit, heard of) this trilogy. Sorry! Secondly, I'm the person responsible for the title, not the author. David, my colleagues and I spent about three months in meetings, sending e-mails, drinking lots of coffee, trying to find a title for this book. We picked Fire Bringer - which refers to a specific incident in the book, and is particularly strong because of its powerful mythic resonances. We think it's a good title. Clearly, Meredith Ann Pierce did too.

As for plot similarities with Ms Pierce's trilogy - all fantasy and allegorical writing draws on our shared cultural heritage, on history, myth and legend, and on the many great stories which inform our literary tradition. Some elements of Fire Bringer - a prophecy fulfilled, a world torn apart by tyranny, a character born to save his own kind - are present in stories since storytelling began. But David Clement-Davies has created a novel of heart-stopping power which is very much his own - and is, I think, a great achievement. Wildcatpawprints, did you actually read the book? I hope lots of other people will.

Okay, I must admit that when I picked up this book I thought it was going to be like any other animal book I have read, and even being a fan of animal books (like I am) It starts getting dull after awhile (If you've read a lot of them you probally know what I mean). But Fire Bringer stunned me, it is my 2nd favorite book (my first one being The Sight), and they both are must reads. David Clement-Davies did a wonderful job.
The story is an epic tale about a young deer who is thought to be the fawn of the prophecy (the saviour) an his quest to find freedom, safety, justice, and peace. I know i must not give the book away so I guess I will stop there. This story I must say though is for more of a teenage/adult audiance, when my 11 year old sister tried to read it she found it a little gruesome and/or scary and she could not understand some parts of it that well.
Other then that it really is a beautifully written book and David Clement-Davies is definately now my favorite author. I have read the book over 4 times now and must force myself to put it down (I even freaked out and bought another copy when I lost my first one). So all I can really say that for animal lovers or not, boys or girls, teenagers or adults, it is a must read and if you enjoy this one I definately recommed The Sight, a semi-sequel (god knows how many times I've read that one).

The Herla (deer) live a simple and traditional life in ancient Scotia. That is until Drail, with his evil right hand man Sgorr (who is literarily the brains behind the operation) strip the Herla of all the traditions they have. They get rid of Anlach, the competition that finds out who will be the leader of the Herla each year, and then brutally murder all the Outriders, including captain Brechin. On that very night Brechin's mate, Eloin has a young male fawn named Rannoch. But even Rannoch's first night his life is filled with tragedy when they discover that he was meant to fulfill an ancient prophesy. To prevent him from being murdered, Rannoch much become a changeling. And as he grows he faces challenge after challenge, surviving only with the help of friends. But what will happen when he's forced to make his final stand by himself. Read this book to fund out.

Once I saw that the author of the amazing Watership Down had recommended this book, I knew I had to buy it. I've always been a fan of animal fantasy and this one is one of the best I've ever read. Rannoch's story is moving and exciting, there's rarely a dull moment in this book. The characters almost have human-like quality while staying true to the way of the deer. I'm defiantly going to pick up the second novel by this fine author, The Sight. I recommend this book to fans of animal fantasy, or just animal lovers in general.

Although this is a well-written and gripping story, I'm surprised by how similar it is to WATERSHIP DOWN, by Richard Adams. This includes the plot, with the prophecy, the long journey, the deer raised and culled by humans, and the battles between deer tribes; the structure of the deer society, with its militaristic Draila ("Owsla" in WATERSHIP DOWN) and its language and folklore (along with the trickster hero); and even the ending. I'm especially surprised that Richard Adams endorsed this book on the back cover, but, as the saying goes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so he must be very flattered. All in all, this is a good book and a worthwhile read, but WATERSHIP DOWN fans shouldn't be shocked if the story seems oddly familiar.

This is a compelling, sometimes sweeping epic. Clement-Davies takes us into a world of deer in conflict and manages to make us care. I was taken by the grandeur and honor represented in the opening scenes. The writing, though suitable for most older children, is rich in detail and character.

In particular, I liked the author's choice of names. They fit characters well. I enjoyed the blending of spiritual and more universal themes with the Prophecy regarding Rannoch. Rannoch is the reluctant prophet/healer, and his soul-searching seemed genuine.

Clement-Davies does withhold a few surprises through the story. Sgorr's secret was particularly jarring, but fitted perfectly. A number of scenes still linger in my thoughts--Rannoch's confrontation with the wolf; Rannoch's vision in the valley mist; the meetings with the sea otter, Nurl. This is a fun, but thoughtful story.

Despite my enjoyment of this book, I ran across sections that seemed forced, maybe in need of more foreshadowing. I also found the viewpoints annoying at times. On the same page, I was taken from the thoughts of Rannoch (the good deer) to the thoughts of Sgorr (the bad deer) to the musings of others in the herd. This style used to be more popular, but it definitely distracts from feeling closer to any particular character. Overall, I wanted to like the book even more than I did.

Clement-Davies is working on a second novel, from what I hear. I look forward to reading it. Perhaps it'll read a bit smoother, perhaps not. Regardless, I know he'll hold my interest and provide a memorable reading escape. I loved the story, flaws and all.