9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rich and complex, June 21, 2010
It's hard to describe everything that's going on in the novel, because it has a complex plot with a lot going on at once. It reads like an epic fantasy, with multiple main characters, but is more tightly written than most epic fantasies, fitting nicely into one (admittedly rather long) book. If you enjoyed the complexity of epic fantasies but could never make it through multiple 700+ page books, you'll definitely enjoy this book.
The gist of it is that Firefly island is divided up into four distinct races (and countries). Each race has its own distinctive look and ability. One race is telepathic, one can manipulate stone, one can heal, and the last can (I think) turn into animals. Each race has a "firechild". One firechild is born every 100 years, and the firechild is gifted with abilities far above the other members of their race. Fireflies glow with a particular color when a firechld is alive, so, say, when there are four living firechildren, fireflies come in four different colors.
So that's kind of the background. The plot of the novel is fairly simple -- one firechild has set himself up as king over his people, and has turned himself into stone. No one can hurt him -- except the Esiren (telepathic) firechild, who can make him feel what she's feeling, so he can't kill her. When the fireflies indicate the Esiren firechild has been born, the king sends his son (Prince Lale) to slaughter all the Esirens, in the hopes of killing the firechild through sheer dumb luck, I guess (there's nothing physically by which you can differentiate a firechild from a regular person). Anyhow, one way or another, Prince Lale manages to get the whole island embroiled in war, and the book tells the stories of the four firechildren and a few secondary characters as they try to protect their homelands and kill the evil king.
The world Mr. Arenson has written is complex and deep. He's clearly put a lot of thought into it. The plot is efficient and masterfully timed, with few extraneous scenes. A few well placed flash backs contribute to plot and character development without revealing too much. Most of the characters are well fleshed out and not annoyingly powerful. The battle scenes are gory, but don't revel in it, and a few unexpected twists kept me turning the pages.
My (few) problems with the book are how easily some of the characters, previously untrained in fighting, defeat seasoned warriors. And while most the characters are enjoyable, the book flags a bit when focusing on Aeolia, the Esiren firechild. She possesses a curious sort of self-centered insecurity (All these people died for ME and I'm not worth it) which I found rather grating. Similarly, the few instances of romance were somewhat awkward, and the sooner they were over, the better.
If I could give the book 4.5 stars, I would, since overall it was extremely enjoyable. If you enjoy fantasy at all, particularly epic fantasy, it's definitely worth picking up.
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Firefly Island by Daniel Arenson, August 24, 2007
This review is from: Firefly Island (Five Star Science Fiction and Fantasy Series) (Five Star Science Fiction & Fantasy) (Hardcover)
Daniel Arenson writes a fantastic tale of horror, friendship, love, and triumph intertwined in the lives of the four fire children struggling with the burden of their destiny. The unpredictable twists and turns of Firefly Island left me eagerly turning the page to learn the fate of characters I came to adore. Most admirable, is the way the author moves through feelings of utter desolation to exuberant triumph; highlighting both the injurious and encouraging aspects of human nature. I would recommend this book to fantasy and non-fantasy readers alike.
Oriana Reynaud
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
My favorite indie book by far, November 11, 2010
I would have preferred to write up a review for this book a month ago, but whenever I've sat down to write it I couldn't come up with the words to use that actually displayed my thoughts on this book. At this point I've just given up and am writing it anyways. But I enjoyed this book enough that that was my response to it - wanting to write up a good review for it and not being sure how to get across what I enjoyed.
One thing I found that it excelled at was developing a world. It's not as in depth as the masters, but I don't expect anything to the level of Tolkien's world development from anyone who isn't a linguist before a writer. However even such, there was a world to go with the plot, not a plot that sat in an undeveloped world. The world as a whole definitely influenced my thoughts on the book, because it made the entire story more real.
The characters were also real. I enjoyed their flaws and how they were brought out. The magic that was involved mixed well with the characters who possessed it. It didn't define them, as I've found it does in some fantasy, but develops the character further.
The plot is simple, but well written enough that it keeps the pages turning. There are twists, some of which I really enjoyed to the point where I shared them with my boyfriend. An individual take on a simple plot without being straightforward was solidly enjoyable.
If you enjoy epic fantasy, then this book is absolutely worth picking up. If you enjoy fantasy in general, but don't find epic fantasy your favorite, it would still be worth picking up. I found the writing style one which would not be difficult to follow for people who don't enjoy the extreme epic fantasies as well as solidly enjoyable for those of us who do enjoy those.
I would consider this one of my favorite books. 5 stars.
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