Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Featuring: Ruby; Arcus
ISBN: 0316273252 EAN: 9780316273251 Kindle: B01F1UD500 Hardcover / e-Book Add to Wish List
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.
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.
© 2003-2024 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy