The Fire Eye Refugee is a fast-paced, incredibly fun read. It’s a fantasy detective story, reminiscent of 1920s era detective novels. There is a lot to love in this little book, and it’s worth not only adding to your TBR pile but moving toward the top.
Samuel Gately has given us a unique fantasy tale with a lovable cast of characters. Like in all great detective stories, the beat is important and in this case the beat is the city of Celeste during the Fire Eye festival. Gately weaves a wonderful world that feels incredibly real. There are prejudices. There is arrogance. There is a giant eye made of fire! Literally. It sits (hovers?) above the city and provides a mystery all its own. Not only is the worldbuilding excellent, but Gately provides an excellent main character and a loveable cast to support her. Each of the characters feels like they have their own motivations and reasons for doing what they do. They each have personality, and that’s something that is often lacking in side characters—especially in stories that are fast-paced. Have I mentioned that this book doesn’t really stop to catch its breath? It keeps you guessing and turning the pages until the end.
There are a couple small weaknesses that get in the way of an otherwise excellent novel, however. First, the romantic subplot was weak, and contributed nothing to the rest of the plot. For such a tightly plotted story, it felt unnatural to take a (seemingly) sudden detour for some sex before basically getting back to business as usual. It seemed extraneous and could have been expunged without damage to the novel. Second, and this is a more preference-oriented critique, there were painfully few fantasy elements. If the phenomenon of the Fire Eye were removed, there would be very little to set this apart as a fantasy. There are hints that the world includes at least some fire magic, but they remain only hints in this book. This won’t be a weakness for everyone, but I like my fantasy with magic—and lots of it.
These weaknesses weren’t enough to severely impact my enjoyment, though. This is yet another SPFBO 2018 book that I can heartily recommend to others. Don’t hesitate to grab this book and spend a wonderful day wrapped up in a well-executed world with amazing characters and a fast-paced plot. When you finish, you’ll want to pick up the sequel and see what happens to Kay and company next. 4.2/5 stars.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2019
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Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2018
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Top reviews from other countries
Olivia
An entertaining fantasy mystery
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 9, 2018Verified Purchase
kevnol
Great fantasy detective story with lots of potential for sequels.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 26, 2018Verified Purchase
