This story starts with someone sticking her hand in the fire. Needless to say, don't do this! In FROSTBLOOD, Ruby Otrera is magically gifted and her type of person, known as Firebloods, can't burn. But trouble follows any accusation of witchcraft in her medieval world of the 'Frostblood Saga' series and the King's soldiers come for harmless Ruby. When she lashes out to defend herself and her mother, she is jailed.
Awaiting punishment or execution, Ruby is approached by two strangers, Arcus and Brother Thistle, who want to use her talents. They are another talented type, Frostbloods, and they want to work with her to depose the King. Hurt and heartsick, Ruby decides to agree. She is smuggled to a refuge and starts trying to harness the power of flame.
The cold northerly land is at war, and the people leaving the land to fight means that harvests are not gathered, homes and barns not repaired. Ruby shows us a land fallen on hard times. Soldiers pillaging and burning villages mean little bands of refugees are on the roads. Few of them have reason to like Firebloods, although they have never met any. But Ruby has also learned herbal medicine from her mother, and this may help her barter for shelter.
After a lively start the tale settles in to training, whether magical or physical strength, even weaponry. Ruby also learns more about her inner self, and the antipathy between Frostbloods and Firebloods. The locations are well described with a sense of menace held at bay, and we know it won't be long before Ruby's in trouble again. Clearly the author has put a great deal of time into her world building, with creation myths and a classic battle between opposites. Prejudice and oppression fill the atmosphere around the King, who orders combats and assassinations. But the menace is older and darker than mere mortals, and Ruby's fight becomes about saving her soul as much as her life.
I would class this as fantasy for adults because of the level of violence involved, but mature teens could read it too. If you have played computer game Skyrim you will have a good idea of all that the Ontario author Elly Blake has packed into her exciting dark fantasy book FROSTBLOOD.
The Frost King will burn.
Seventeen-year-old Ruby is a Fireblood who has concealed her
powers of heat and flame from the cruel Frostblood ruling
class her entire life. But when her mother is killed trying
to protect her, and rebel Frostbloods demand her help to
overthrow their bloodthirsty king, she agrees to come out of
hiding, desperate to have her revenge.
Despite her unpredictable abilities, Ruby trains with the
rebels and the infuriating--yet irresistible--Arcus, who
seems to think of her as nothing more than a weapon. But
before they can take action, Ruby is captured and forced to
compete in the king's tournaments that pit Fireblood
prisoners against Frostblood champions. Now she has only one
chance to destroy the maniacal ruler who has taken
everything from her--and from the icy young man she has come
to love.
Vivid and compelling, Frostblood is the first in an
exhilarating series about a world where flame and ice are
mortal enemies...but together create a power that could
change everything.
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