Charlotte Bond

Thank you, NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group, for the chance to read and review this ARC!

Honestly, it's been a while since I read some good fantasy, and with this book only at 176 pages, it felt like an excellent place to try to get back into things. The shorter length was appealing as it allowed me to dive into a new fantasy world without committing to a lengthy read, especially given that I am not that crazy a fan of dragons, even though those seem to be in fashion this year.

Despite its short length, this book strikes a delicate balance between engaging the reader and building up the setting. Including brief chapters recounting past knights' tales was a brilliant touch.

The female characters were interesting enough; there wasn't much emotional investment on my part, but the writing and plot were enough for me to keep going. While I would like to read other books in the series, I do feel like a bit more on their development would have been good.

While the author stayed away from stuffing in tropes, a cheap tactic used to get readers in, and instead relied on her plot( which is fantastic), the representation of sapphic love in the blurb was a little misleading. Our main Sir Maddileh is bi, but that's all we get in this book. We don't see her interested in anyone, which is understandable given what happened to her. If you're looking for sapphic love or romance, we get none of that. However, there's potential for improvement in future installments, which is something to look forward to.

While the book was a satisfying read overall, I couldn't help but feel that the ending was rushed. A few more pages could have drawn out the climax, providing a more fulfilling conclusion.

Overall, I leave this book a well deserved 4 stars!… (mere)

THE FIREBORNE BLADE by Charlotte Bond is a good example of a novella that does not work for me. While there is a good amount of action that is both interesting and suspenseful, the story lacks the depth that would put the action into context. There is little world-building and no character development. We know nothing about Maddileh’s past, even though she thinks about her parents and about going home to them. We don’t know what made Maddileh pursue a life as a knight, nor do we really get a full explanation for why the Fireborne Blade is so important to her. We don’t even know why it is so special other than the fact that it is in a dragon’s lair. As for the dragons, we get glimpses that not all of the dragon slaying stories Maddileh knows are true, but nothing comes of that knowledge. To me, THE FIREBORNE BLADE would be better as a much longer novel, one that would afford Ms. Bond the room to develop her world and her characters. As it stands, it needs a detailed backstory, complete with a better picture of the world Maddileh inhabits, to make it complete. Right now, THE FIREBORNE BLADE is all action with the rest of the story and the necessary context missing.… (mere)

The Fireborne Blade was a really good book, with strong likeable characters, and a twist that I didn't see coming, leaving me wanting to read the next book.

Maddileh, the main female character, is strong and determined, refusing to let the fact that she is a woman in a world where women are seen to be "lesser" and unworthy of being a knight or using magic. Letting nothing stop her from being the knight she knew she was meant to be. I liked her character very much.

In this book there are also short world developing stories that were quite interesting.

I don't want to say too much and give things away but I highly recommend this book.

If I could say anything "negative", which in reality is a compliment, it would be that I wish the book was longer so I could have spent more time with the characters. Even though I feel the story was written in the exact way it should have been. I personally like longer books, but that is just a personal preference.

I plan to ask my public library to get this when it's available as I think it is a very good book and would like others to have the ability to read it.

Dyslexia: As for my dyslexia some sentence formations did give me a little trouble but it was still a very enjoyable read. (Mild difficulty from point of view of an adult with dyslexia)

Thank you to Charlotte Bond and Tor publishing group for my advanced copy of this book for an honest review, I really enjoyed being able to read the early release and am happy to now have it in our home library.… (mere)

Kill the dragon. Find the blade. Reclaim your honor.
It’s that, or end up like countless knights before her, as a puddle of gore and molten armor.

Maddileh is a knight. There aren’t many women in her line of work, and it often feels like the sneering and contempt from her peers is harder to stomach than the actual dragon slaying. But she’s a knight, and made of sterner stuff.

A minor infraction forces her to redeem her honor in the most dramatic way possible, she must retrieve the fabled Fireborne Blade from its keeper, legendary dragon the White Lady, or die trying. If history tells us anything, it's that “die trying” is where to wager your coin.

Maddileh’s tale contains a rich history of dragons, ill-fated knights, scheming squires, and sapphic love, with deceptions and double-crosses that will keep you guessing right up to its dramatic conclusion. Ultimately, The Fireborne Blade is about the roles we refuse to accept, and of the place we make for ourselves in the world.… (mere)