4.75 stars
Fox is a thief with morals—she steals from those who can afford it and takes only a little at that. But she has no choice. Fox and her closest companion are indentured servants to an unscrupulous wealthy woman in the stronghold. Unable to pay off their debts with the work they’re given, they steal in the hopes of one day being free—truly free.
While searching for an easy mark, Fox identifies a would-be assassin with her rare magical ability, and then helps a royal bodyguard fend off his vicious attack on the prince. Soon that good deed embroils her in a vast and shimmering world of imperial politics, long-lost magic, and improbable romance. But Fox longs for freedom, and must decide if love is its own kind of cage.
Nancy’s Thoughts:
In Ember Eternal, veteran author Chloe Neill offers a romantasy set in a fully-realized, beautifully described pre-industrial world. She always gives the reader a complete picture of the characters and their surroundings, so the mental images that flow from the pages are never vague or puzzling. Yet that picture is painted so efficiently that the description doesn’t slow the pace. I’m happy to say the book includes zero made-up terms that may sound cool but are never explained, even though they pop up often. Using words that way is a pet peeve of mine.
The heroine, an orphaned thief named Fox, can see ghosts and has other magical senses she doesn’t fully understand. She only steals what she needs and avoids taking from someone who needs the money more. Her best friend, Wren, also a thief and an orphan, is Fox’s sister in all but blood. The two of them are bond servants to a wealthy woman who hires them out for money. Neither Fox nor Wren knows how much is owed on her bond, and neither expects ever to pay it off.
Fox’s creed is “Never be noticed.” Forced to choose between doing the right thing or not being noticed, however, she chooses what is right. Almost everything that happens to her in the story springs from one such choice.
The hero, Nik, arrives at the stronghold, the city where Fox lives, in the train of the prince who is its new ruler. An assassination attempt against the prince leads Nik and Fox to work together. The romance between them builds slowly, and their cooperation leads to a number of unwelcome surprises for Fox. Her abilities draw the attention of a magic-wielder who means to destroy the prince’s dynasty, the Lys’Careths.
The characters are sympathetic, engaging, and layered, and the romance, while not the primary storyline, is strong and well developed. The heat level increases as Fox and Nik’s emotional intimacy deepens.
Because the story is told in first person, we have only Fox’s viewpoint on events and the relationship. We do get a good idea of Nik’s feelings from his reactions.
The supporting characters are varied and elicit different levels of sympathy. The Lady, who holds Fox’s and Wren’s bonds, is mercenary and grasping but not unkind to them. The palace staff and guardsmen are loyal and efficient, a contrast to the local city guard, and each has a moment to show individual personality traits.
Unfortunately, Fox isn’t the only woman interested in Nik’s heart. The other woman, while manipulative and not generally trusted, has a moment that sparks Fox’s grudging sympathy for her.
The plot is logical and builds off the unique features of the story world. The choices Fox and Nik make are believable because they are in keeping with the characters’ beliefs as established earlier in the story. The book doesn’t wrap everything up at the end, but the ending was satisfying and believable.
I’m reluctant to include more about the characters or the plot. I don’t want to spoil the twists the story takes.
You may have gathered that I was cruising toward a five-star review. I was. But one thing about the book pulled me out of the story and frustrated me. In four or five places, I needed dialogue attributions that aren’t supplied. When more than two characters are in a scene, it isn’t always possible to tell which one is speaking based on the content of the dialogue. When I’m confused because I don’t know who is talking, I have to stop and count lines back from the last attribution. Even then, I can’t always tell. This happened in only four or five places, and balancing those rare frustrating incidents against my tremendous enjoyment of the rest of the story led me to take off only ¼ of a star.
I highly recommend this book, and I can’t wait for the next one.
~ 4.75 stars
Nancy
Reader questions from Nancy:
Do you read romantasy?
If you’re a romantasy reader, where on the continuum of worldbuilding do you fall? Do you like detailed worldbuilding, or are you closer to the minimalist level of a preindustrial setting, some magic or otherworldly elements and maybe some made-up terms? Or are you somewhere in between?
Do you prefer the romance in
a romantasy to be the central story, a strong but subordinate element, or a
50/50 split?
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