A Promise of Fire

July 4, 2016
Debut author Bouchet makes a very strong start to her Kingmaker Chronicles, combining a richly developed political landscape defined by the influence of powerful ruling families, meddling gods, and destiny with a broad exploration of the relationship between might and magic in a social context. In a fantasy world where access to magical power is tied to geography and bloodline, Warlord Griffin, second in command of kingdom Sinta, is guided by a oracular dream from Poseidon to soothsayer Catalia Fisa, who’s hiding in a traveling circus from her family history and her magical role as Kingmaker. Griffin hopes to use Cat as a tool in his challenge of the status quo, in which the minority Magoi rule the hoi polloi. Their smoldering erotic burn hits charged love/hate buttons without falling too far into glorifying Griffin’s abduction of Cat, and by the end of the novel, they become a powerful team well situated for the fights ahead. Bouchet writes believable camaraderie, dramatic fight scenes, and moving personal angst, but worldbuilding purists will hate the insertion of the Greek gods into this secondary-world fantasy context. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary.

Cat is in hiding, posing as a soothsayer in a traveling circus. She's managed to stay safe, hidden in more or less plain sight, for eight years. But then Griffin, the Beta Sinta warlord, shows up and ruins everything. Cat's personality shines in Mia Barron's narration: She sounds prickly yet vulnerable, and fully believable in her complexity. Some of the other characters, however, are less fully developed and suffer from inconsistent characterization. When Griffin kidnaps Cat and brings her to Sinta City, she's drawn back into the world of court intrigue she thought she'd left behind. While the story appears to be set in ancient Greece, there are occasional uses of contemporary phrases that are jarring. First in a new series. K.M.P. � AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine