Fireborne – Rosaria Munda – The Aurelian Cycle #1 – G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books For Young Readers – Published 15 October 2019
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Synopsis
Annie and Lee were just children when a brutal revolution changed their world, giving everyone—even the lowborn—a chance to test into the governing class of dragonriders.
Now they are both rising stars in the new regime, despite backgrounds that couldn’t be more different. Annie’s lowborn family was executed by dragonfire, while Lee’s aristocratic family was murdered by revolutionaries. Growing up in the same orphanage forged their friendship, and seven years of training have made them rivals for the top position in the dragonriding fleet.
But everything changes when survivors from the old regime surface, bent on reclaiming the city.
With war on the horizon and his relationship with Annie changing fast, Lee must choose to kill the only family he has left or to betray everything he’s come to believe in. And Annie must decide whether to protect the boy she loves . . . or step up to be the champion her city needs.
My thoughts
Magnificent. Truly and wonderfully magnificent, this is everything I need and love in a fantasy book. Actually it’s just everything I need and love in a book, full stop. So carefully crafted, so beautifully written, such strong, complex characters, such a unique position to place the characters in, not facing a revolution but living in the aftermath of one, so compelling and unputdownable. Fireborne is a book I devoured and the first book in a series I can’t wait to continue.
Annie and Lee are children of the revolution. Yet, despite their diverse backgrounds, Lee the son of aristocracy, Annie the daughter of peasant farmers, they formed a bond of friendship. Orphans, they tested into the role of Guardians —dragonriders—, a role previously only reserved for the leading rulers. Now, Annie and Lee are in the midst of the tournaments to determine who will be the FirstRider. But with the looming threat of the old regime, their loyalties and friendship will be tested.
