5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Violence in Sky Flames, August 8, 2008
The Fire Opal (2007) is the fourth fantasy novel in the Lost Continent series, following
The Dawn Star. In the previous volume, Mel Dawnfield destroyed a tower from the inside. Cobalt Chamberlight defeated the man who stole his wife. And Drummer Headwind found greater talents within himself.
In this novel, Ginger-Sun is an acolyte of the Dragon-Sun, who blazes in the sky and lights the world. She serves as the priestess in her village of Sky Flames, a small hamlet within Taka Mal. Yet her magic works only at night.
She possesses a fire opal. This four-sided pyramid allows her to create spells of heat and light. She knows nobody else who has such abilities.
Ginger is alone in the RayLight Chamber when a man calls out for her to come quickly. Five miners are waiting in the main temple. They have brought in a body that has been beaten and slashed repeatedly. The miners expect Ginger to perform the death rites.
While Ginger is washing the body in the Sunset Chamber, the bloodshot eyes open. Ginger is startled, but answers his questions as she treats his wounds. Then she uses her magic to relieve his pain.
In this story, Ginger learns that her patient is named Darz Goldstone and that he is a soldier. The miners are surprised that Darz is alive, but they help move him to an empty room. They also fetch blankets and a bed. They want to stay with the man, but Ginger convinces them to return to work.
Then the healer arrives and cleans the wounds. He stitches them up and gives Darz a potion to ease his pain. He cautions Ginger against moving the man and reluctantly advises her to keep him in the temple.
At first Darz sleeps a lot. Ginger brings him food and changes his bandages. As he slowly recuperates, Ginger grows to like the man.
Later Ginger notices someone watching her. There are cries in the night and she is attacked while outside the temple. Then the village Elders have complaints about the presence of Darz within the temple.
This tale slowly reveals the identity and nature of Darz and relates the frictions and conflicts within the village. Finally the villagers accuse Ginger of blasphemy and she has to flee from Sky Flames. Darz becomes her guide and protector in the outside world.
The story describes the religion and customs of Taka Mal in greater detail than the earlier volumes of this series. It also dwells on the politics of small towns within this culture. Naturally, it includes conflict and change as well as the introduction of romance into the life of this temple acolyte. Enjoy!
Note the change in the series name. The new name reflects information introduced in this novel. Moreover, it is probably a better name than the former series title since it doesn't duplicate one of the volume titles.
Highly recommended for Asaro fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of exotic cultures, small town ways, and a budding romance.
-Arthur W. Jordin
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13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not just a simple cliffhanger, more like a cliff collapse..., June 29, 2007
The first two books in Ms. Asaro's "First Continent" series were light and entertaining "stand-alone" reads. The Fire Opal begins in much the same way, and I snuggled in for a comfortable evening. Unfortunately, she let me down with an unfinished work.
The story starts with a beautiful, very naïve and lonely Dragon-Sun priestess and a wounded handsome warrior she saves from death. Forbidden attraction blossoms between them, and the action takes off. Betrayed by her own village for breaking her vows (a simple kiss, and a suggestion of witchcraft), the priestess escapes with the hero. All exciting stuff, written well, executed flawlessly. The journey to safety has further challenges, nasty villains, magic, blossoming love, more betrayal, kidnapping, the intervention of Gods, a buildup to a strong climax, and then...
And no "and then". Frustration doesn't begin to measure my disappointment. I traveled a long way with some very well developed characters to get to the final page, and received absolutely nothing for my trouble. I know this seems to be the current trend by authors, but I really didn't expect it from Ms. Asaro. As I said the first two books in this series were "stand-alone" and finished their own storyline. Why she changed her previous pattern is beyond me, but it will make me more careful buying her work in the future.
Wait for the next book in this series before buying this one, unless you enjoy writing the ending for yourself.
PG - 13 for sexual content, mild to moderately graphic torture scenes.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Story Continues, July 4, 2007
This is another piece in an ongoing series of connected but stand alone fantasy novels set in as we learn in this installment ia a contemporary but occulted continent. It is a land where magic works, but of a different kind as it is based on shapes and colors. This is not yet another Tolkien derivative but rather a unique world that keeps getting more complex and interesting with each volume. What's nice is that the series can be picked up anywhere and you can work backwards or fowards as you choose.
The basic plot is the appearence of a mysterious stranger who is cared for by Ginger-Sun with resulting romantic and then physical complications and dangers before the lovers finally wed. I do not wish to spoil it. Asaro avoids the Edgar Rice Burropughs pitfall of multiple books with the same plot. In earlier volumems it was girl saves boy, this one is a little more Boy saves girl. It concludes nicely closing out this tale but leaving plenty of room for future developments as one would expect in a series book, It left me satisfied but wanting more.
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