Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Review - The Burning Sky (The Elemental Trilogy #1) by Sherry Thomas

The Burning Sky (The Elemental Trilogy, #1)Title: The Burning Sky
Author: Sherry Thomas
Series: 1st
Pages: 464
Published: September 17th 2013 by Balzer + Bray 
ISBN: 9780062207296
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss







Description: It all began with a ruined elixir and an accidental bolt of lightning…Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's being told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the greatest mage tyrant the world has ever known. A suicide task for anyone let alone a sixteen-year-old girl with no training, facing a prophecy that foretells a fiery clash to the death. Prince Titus of Elberon has sworn to protect Iolanthe at all costs but he's also a powerful mage committed to obliterating the Bane to avenge the death of his family—even if he must sacrifice both Iolanthe and himself to achieve his goal. But Titus makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the Bane closing in, he must choose between his mission and her life. 

I Give This ...
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I'm not sure how this one failed to catch my attention.  It wasn't until I began to see a few reviews come in that I even gave it it a glance.  I am so glad I did!  I would have missed out on this awesome fantasy!

Iolanthe was interesting to learn about.  She's basically been hidden from the eyes of The Realm by her crazy guardian.  She's come to resent him a little for being the talk of the town and constantly moving then around.  But, she determined to prove herself and find a way out of the backwoods town she leaves in.  She didn't know that calling a bolt of lightening was so rare and would bring down the  very world she knows.  Turns out he had been protecting her all this time.

When the Inquisitor comes to investigate the lightening bolt, she quickly send through a trunk that acts as a connection between locations.    Prince Titus is quick to track her down and helps her go undercover as a boy at his prestigious private school.  He's been waiting for a long time for the prophesied one.  He quickly fills her on her plan to take down The Bane and take back control of his kingdom.  He's been a figurehead for way to long.  But Iolanthe does not trust him and the means he will go to all to fulfill his plans and perhaps his own prophesied destiny.  Somewhere along the way they begin to fall in love, further complicating the entire situation. 

Throughout the story Iolanthe learns to control her magic and just how powerful she is.  But, can she really take down The Bane?  It's rumored that he's been killed before yet somehow he's still living.   And how can she keep hidden from his minion the Inquisitor who will go the extraordinary measures to find her.  The Realm has made it their business to track down every hint of powerful magic.

My favorite part of the book was the trip inside Titus' magical book he keeps concealed.   There are 3 copies of this book with each acting a portal to its location.  When it becomes obvious he may have a chance to take down The Bane, he sets off on his own through the book to one of the other magical portals.  But, it's extremely dangerous.  In most cases you can not die inside the book.  But, in order to use it as a portal, you have to strip that protection  away.  And the portal he needs is in the most dangerous location...one he's been killed in many times before.

I really enjoyed this book.  The world the characters lived in was well built.  I really felt the fear that had been instilled into the kingdom.  I really enjoyed our main character as well.  I look forward to seeing what develops between Titus and Iolanthe.  And I admit, I'm highly curious as to who and what The Bane really is!


 

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