Firebird (Paperback)

by Kathy Tyers (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Touching romance and spiritual insight...Riveting action...the imagery used to describe Firebird's spiritual journey will stay with me for a lifetime. -- Suzanne Krein, Sfsite.com

Product Description
Her Death Was Expected but Something More Powerful Kept Her Alive

A Science-fiction Story Like They Used to Write..."

-Christopher Parkening, premier classical guitarist.

Bestselling author Kathy Tyers' has rewritten her first and favorite science fiction novel to deal more fully with questions of salvation and the search for faith. If you are a fan of science fiction, Christian fantasy, or just great storytelling you will be thrilled by the important themes and intriguing plot.

Lady Firebird was born a princess of the royal family of Naetai. Because of her birthplace in the family, however, her life is expendable. Honorable suicide is the highest calling she could hope to attain. When she is chosen to lead an attack on the neighboring planet of VeeRon her death is expected. She is taken prisoner during the battle and is held by the enemy.

With her own people seeking her sacrifice, Firebird must choose between two worlds before she can carve out her new destiny. This is the story of Princess Firebird's personal spiritual battle and the eternal consequences it has not only for herself but for everyone around her and especially the man who loves her.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT FIREBIRD:

"A science-fiction stunner, wonderfully plotted, and it anticipates the coming Messiah. A must read for people of science and people of faith." Bob Briner, author of The Leadership Lessons of Jesus

"Brilliant! Firebird is romantic and intellectual with a very strong and creative spiritual message. I thoroughly enjoyed it." Kris L., MN

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (April 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764222147
• ISBN-13: 978-0764222146
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #795,529 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a Space Opera AND It's a wonderful love story!, September 10, 1999

By A Customer

I'm giving this five stars not because it's some academically thought out review, nitpicking every sentence--almost nothing would get five stars that way--but because once I got several pages into it, I was totally swept into the story of Firebird and her world(s). In terms of holding my interest, making me adore the lead characters (who are fiercely courageous, honorable, unselfish people with some aching needs that make them vulnerable), making me want to know more about these cultures that Tyers has created, making me hate putting down the book when I wanted to read MORE.....on these terms, I'm giving it the full rack of stars. For romance fiction lovers, there is a really beautiful love story. For action lovers, there are air battles and sieges and special operations risking all. For those interested in spiritual matters, there are religions, and they actually affect the characters' choices. There is palace intrigue. There is family dysfunction. There is redemption and hope.For those who object to anything that smacks of Christian or Jewish theology, well, this book is published by a religious publisher. Be open-minded. Just because the writer has taken elements from the Judeo-Christian belief system to form one of the two main religious systems in the story, this is not sufficient cause to dismiss the novel. Let's beware of dismissing legitimate archetypes from our own world being used in speculative fiction. Yes, she chooses to use the terms "Father God", an "Eternal Speaker" and "The Path". So what? Does that make the action scenes less intense, the machinations less interesting or the characters less well-drawn?Anyway, I've long loved SF. Be it the more accessible forms such as Star Wars and Babylon Five or the more intellectual type such as Gene Wolfe or Delany or Sturgeon. And I am also an avid reader of genre romance. I like a good head story and a good heart story. I found a happy few hours here and hope Tyers has a sequel planned.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good if not extraordinary, June 5, 2001

By	"kangarex" (Keokuk, IA United States) - See all my reviews

The original Firebird was a good plot and interesting characters somewhat marred by a beginners writing style. The rewrite comes back and cleans up a lot of those faults. Unfortunately it adds several new ones, leaving us with a book essentially about the same quality as the old one.

Ms. Tyers gives us more depth on Netaian culture and religion, which was welcome. She cleans up Phoena's character a bit, which is the original wavered between spoiled brat and true evil plotter. She moves the start of the romance between Firebird and Brennan closer to the end of the book, which is more feasible. She removes several improbably trusting moments from the book - I mean really, the Federates allowing the slaughter of most of their negotiating team? All of these are good things.

On the down side, without the attraction to Brennan so visible, Firebird becomes rather insipid in the middle section of the book, the religious questing might have taken the place of the romance in providing drive, but somehow doesn't. Instead she's barely gotten started questioning when she has a huge epiphanal moment, and now she believes, even if she doesn't quite know what. Ummm - if God had given me a great epiphanal moment right at the start, I wouldn't have had any problem believing either. Things are usually more subtle than that. The Ehretan religion is a bit of a problem too. For a pre-Messianic religion they seem to know an awful lot about what this Messiah is going to be like, and it bears a suspicious resemblance to our Christ. After all, Jesus wasn't at all what the Jews of the day had in mind.

There are some other minor quibbles. Ellet Kinsman is more ethical in her behavior in this version, but somehow less likeable. The old Ellet would do the virtually unforgiveable, but she was doing it out of great emotions and desires which we understood, and could understand even if we disagreed. The new Ellet does less horrible things, but we're given less reason for why she does them, so she seems very dry and remote.

All in all, I call it a wash, it was a pretty good book before, it's a pretty good book now, just different in emphasis.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent balance between sci-fi action and soul-searching, June 8, 1999

By A Customer

In the sci-fi genre, Star Wars books are usually my reading of choice, but I have to say that I was impressed by Kathy Tyers' book Firebird. I read the recently published version by Bethany House and have never read the previously published version. Firebird's struggle is one that many people can probably relate to. The new worlds and cultures Tyers has created were a breath of fresh air. I was especially intrigued by the Sentinels and would like to find out more about them. Tyers gives a lot of good background on characters but leaves spaces that will more than likely be filled in the upcoming books. Tyers has the uncanny ability to create characters that touch the heart as well as characters you dislike upon first meeting. The space battles were very well-done and were balanced out by the moments of romance and deep conversation. I am very much looking forward to the next book coming out! I do not think that Bethany House will regret the decision to publish this series!