8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
4.5 stars for a tale of wizards and war, May 31, 2010
A Girl Born of Smoke starts off with an young girl, Aurora, running from a mysterious man and finding sanctuary with two strangers. After I read the first few chapters, I thought I knew what was going on, but I was wrong. Jessica Billings spins a tale that takes you through fascinating and unexpected twists and turns that truly leave you guessing about what is going to happen next. The moment you think you know who the good guys are, you will find yourself proven wrong in the next paragraph. I managed to catch on to some of the twists, but one took me by surprise and had me eagerly reading more.
Beyond the well-crafted story line, the characters are diverse and distinctive and a pleasure to get to know as the story progresses.
This is an excellent first novel of a new author who I hope will be writing more.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Girl Born of Smoke Rocks!, August 8, 2010
Right from the very beginning, we have a sense that there is something different about this girl Aurora, who is beating a hasty retreat from her home, with no sense at that point of where she is going.
As if by fate, Aurora connects with an odd couple who seem to revel mostly in their differences, who just happen to be sojourning in Aurora's former neighborhood. Soon, they are prepared to bring her to their home, far away, and help her establish a new life.
Establish she does! When she settles into her new home, she connects with some interesting people, the most significant of whom is Djerr, someone who will join her in the Citizen's Army, which has been locked in battle with the Wizard's Army. The Wizard's Army is not, at this stage, composed of Wizards, but rather by people who await the arrival of the new wizard, with the intention of serving that wizard, whose destiny is to bring peace and order to a beleaguered, war-torn land. Little do the faithful realize that the wizard they seek is in their midst!
Billings writes a crafty tale that will surprise readers with many twists and turns. Aurora is a strong enough character to withstand some rather dark aspects of her personality that make her more real, more human, than most protagonists.
The Girl Born of Smoke should be on your bookshelf today! Thanks for an entertaining read Jessica!
Jim Henry
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A tempting exploration of fantasy and magic, May 21, 2010
"The Girl Born of Smoke" appears to be, at first glance, a simple tale of journey and self discovery. However, to under-estimate the story is to over-estimate yourelf. Everytime I thought I had the tale figured out, author Jessica Billings turned it around and went off some new direction, daring me to guess again. Who is a hero and who is a villain is a continual question not answered at length until the very end.
Written in inviting prose and populated with living, vibrant characters, the author tempts the reader to turn the page and continue on regardless of the hour or the day. Don't start this book unless you've the proper time to lose yourself in its pages. And remember--you might *think" you know what's going on, but you probably don't.
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