9 stars out of 10
Intense and heart wrenching sequel from The Burning series, solid continuation for the fans of Rage of Dragons.

Keyword: high fantasy, military fantasy, war, African inspired, author of color, lgbt rep
Trigger & content warning: gore and violence, decapitation, mutilation

REVIEW
The story of The Fires of Vengeance continues where the first book left off. The book bring us directly to the chaos in capital city of Omehi and the threat of another attack by indigenous people of Xidda. Being the Queen's right hand man, Tau Solarin must navigate between his own burning desire to revenge and the burden of his obligation to the kingdom. But, unknown to all darkness lurking in the mystic realm of Isihogo also starting to make a move.

Fires of Vengeance is a gritty military fantasy about power struggle, unjustice, grief, and solace. The war is a cycle of hatred razing down everything in its path. And just like vengeance, unless there is no bridging and understanding there's no stopping of the burning fire.

I like how this book improve significantly better than the first one. Among the things that's I like are:
- All the fightings and the battles are more intense, more meaningful in this book. The stakes are higher and Evan Winter successfully intertwined personal conflicts to give it more favor.
- Character development, especially on Tau Solarin.
- More women, yay. There are more prominent women holding important roles to the plot. We are greeted by strong and formidable women throughout the story.
- We are also shown more of the worldbuilding in grander scale. Its mysteries are starting to unravelled and it set for bigger confrontation in the next book.
- Some of the scenes would look visually stunning on screen. Perfect for a colossal movie or a tv series.
- Canon gay couple.
- Some angst, of course. Evan Winter is good at hurting us. :')

My only complains to this book is only in how the worldbuilding was delivered in the naration. It's a bit clunky at parts and not as smooth as I hope it could be.

Overall, it's a well written book and a solid sequel for the series. I can't wait to read the upcoming book (hopefully) next year. Highly recommended to fans of millitary fantasy genre that love their story dark, gritty, and brutal. Filled with action scenes and burn your adrenaline from the get go to finish.



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Thank you Netgalley and Orbit publisher for giving me e-arc of this amazing book in an exchange of honest review. I have finished reading this since early March this year and intend to write blog post to accompany the review. Unfortunately things didn't go as planned but I will probably write a blog post nearing the release date of book 3.

This was a phenomenal sequel that built on everything I loved about the first book.

Winter upped his game on every level. The action scenes were even more spectacular, the character development for Tau was masterful, and his prose was more electrifying than ever.

I also have to commend Winter for putting more focus on female characters this time around, especially Tsiora. It was the one thing I felt was missing in book one, a strong female lead. Tsiora rises to the role perfectly.

I'm desperately awaiting the next instalment.

Fires of Vengeance is a fiery and powerful sequel to The Rage of Dragons. Winters managed to bring the whole story to the next level. This trilogy is worth reading. A must!

Fires of Vengeance surpasses its predecessor with a high and exhilarating plot.

The sequel is purely another masterpiece from Evan Winter. More of the character growth and world-building. I have this inch of doubt that I thought Tau lost his own reason why he joined the Nobles and their petty wars. Winter slowly diverted the story in which Tau would be a greater part of the story. Winter also weaves this notion that we focus on the war while reading Rage of Dragons and Fires of Vengeance and didn't see what he is in store for us.

Another great sequel!

Oh how I love Tau! He's such a flawed character but I just can't help but love him!

This book expands so much on the previous story and I cannot wait to see where it goes next!

If I could insert a chef's kiss gif I would. This book gripped me from page one and didn't let me go. Due to personal reasons, I wasn't able to finish it as fast as I wanted to, but whenever I wasn't reading it I kept thinking about it. Book 1 already blew my mind, but the fires of vengeance even more. I have so many highlights on my kindle and I keep hitting people up with quotes from the book. It was so well-paced, filled with action, high stakes, AND DRAGONS. I love how it touched more about the moral issues of having lesser and nobles. "I'll reclaim my humanity by destroying a man who would otherwise deny it. You can't talk people into giving up their hold over you. You have to make them do it."

A heart-racing sequel to The Rage of Dragons, which proves yet again how brilliant Evan Winter's writing is.
If you love The Rage of Dragons, don't hesitate to pick this up. The book has epic battle scenes, great characters, and fantastic world-building and manages to outdo The Rage of Dragons in every aspect.

Highly Recommended!

The Fires of Vengeance was the perfect sequel to one of my favourite books of 2019, The Rage of Dragons. The growth from each of the characters, most especially Tau, is remarkable. Whereas, The Rage of Dragons spent a lot of time setting things up for the sequels, in The Fires of Vengeance we see those things come to fruition in the most satisfying way. This sequel expands the scope of the world and the stakes are raised enormously. My favourite parts were the povs from different characters because we get to see the world from a different angle. Tau's view of the world is singularly driven by his quest for revenge. Evan Winter does a great job of making each character's pov instantly discernible.

The Fires of Vengeance is an incredibly satisfying and riveting sequel to The Rage of Dragons. Evan Winter is quickly cementing his place as one of my favourite authors and I can't wait to read more of his works.

"When we fight, the world burns.”

Trigger Warning : decapitation, mutilation, gore, death, war

ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The rage within still burns, many are lost, now that the fires of rage subsides a different fire burns as Tau Solarin the Queen’s champion returns continuing his bloody path in The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter.

January was a bumpy reading month for me, though I ended the year of 2020 on a strong note by finishing one of my most anticipated reads for a the whole month I could not physically look at a book or an ebook. I was experiencing a real horrible case of fantasy burn out, I slowly picked up my reading pace as the month progressed and I am finally ready to pick up The Fires of Vengeance. Before I start my review, I want to thank Orbit and NetGalley for sending me this ARC (Advance Readers Copy) for me to review. I received this ARC 3 days before the book is released at that moment I have not read the first book.

“Rage is love…twisted in on itself. Rage reaches into the world when we can no longer contain the hurt of being treated as if our life and loves do not matter. Rage, and its consequences, are what we get when the world refuses to change for anything less.”

The Fires of Vengeance is the sequel and second installment to Evan Winter’s amazing debut, The Rage of Dragons, of The Burning series. In this sequel to an already amazing first book, Evan Winter did an absolutely marvelous job writing the continuation of the story. It is rare for sequels to be better than the first book, Evan Winter expanded the foundations laid in the first book. While in The Rage of Dragons the main catalyst for everything is revenge, in The Fires of Vengeance it is still about revenge; but the author also explored grief, forgiveness, love, and companionship. And most importantly is resistance. The Omehi has long since forgotten their history and their true main enemy. This book explores those unanswered questions from the first book, readers will get to explore the world building and the history of the Omehi with the Cull, exploration of Isihogo and its demons, how the Caste system came to be, past queens, and many more.

“Tau. You are enough.”

Tau Solarin has grown a lot as a character, starting the story he was a reluctant low caste man that just wants to get by, fueled with revenge he trained day and night in Isihogo to defy people and to show that people like him are capable in being something more. Now, Tau is chosen to be the Queen’s Champion, becoming the Champion he is given new responsibilities and men to lead. He also has to navigate his way through the court being the Queen’s bodyguard and the ‘icon’ for the people of Omehi. Tau emotionally matures in this sequel, seeing him finally become vulnerable as he sits down and discusses his grief with Tsiora is one of the most touching moment in the book. The contrast in Tau’s personality is astounding to witness. The side characters such as Hadith, Uduak, Themba, Yaw, Jabari, and Kellan Okar; they all also grew with Tau. Jabari and Hadith both stood out for me amongst the others as they become a key part in the story. Jabari definitely defied the impossible and it was nice to see his arc with Tau. How they rekindled their brotherhood after so long apart. The found family aspect is stronger than before, Tau and his sword brothers actively look out and support each other no matter what the circumstances are.

We have the queen, the Gifted, and the army. Nkosi, we have you, and that’s all we need to crush them.

Now, I want to praise something that is a huge improvement from the first book. It is the addition of strong female characters. In The Rage of Dragons, we only met one female character, Zuri, though she is a monumental character in the first book I craved for more female presence in the book. Evan Winter teased Tsiora’s character during the end of the first book and I was so excited to see her action. Wow! Evan Winter did not only write about Tsiora but also Nyah, the Queen’s councilor; Thandi, a gifted woman that works closely with Nyah; Esi, Tsiora’s sister; Hafsa, a healer and the queen’s hand maidens, Auset and Ramia. It just made the story much more exciting and more vibrant. The interaction between Tau and his sword brother’s has with the Queen’s troupe is so much fun to read. I love the banter between Themba has with the hand maidens. Though I love Tau’s POV, one of my favorite moments in the previous book is the unexpected POVs from other characters. Evan Winter treated us to a conclusion of the Dossa saga which ended on a bittersweet note, my emotions could not handle it. The author also offered us perspectives from Esi and Tsiora. Both of whom are critical players in the story. Their chapters were refreshing and impactful to the story at the same time.

“We have faith, faith in the Goddess and in all of you. Do not fear, because we walk in Her light, and in it there is nothing to fear.”

Evan Winter’s writing is addicting, the way Evan paces his stories is truly magnificent and satisfying. The pace of the story and the emotional aspect gradually builds up with each chapter and towards the end it all explodes leaving you shook. It was an effortless experience to jump back into the world Evan has created. Hands down, Evan Winter is a force to be reckoned with, The Fires of Vengeance cemented him as the leading voice in adult SFF. A stand out chapter for me is the first chapter; for readers you will highly appreciate that first chapter, as the author recaps everything that has happened in the first book in a well thought out way. This book is much more bloody and violent, while the previous book the violence is like a constant hum in the story. In this sequel it hits you harder with each blow it gets more gritty, more savage, and of course more bloody. It is an never ending cycle of death, loss, grief, and sorrow. In this cycle Tau is the main player, he leaves trails of death, smashing foe after foe that stands on his path of revenge.

Final thoughts, Evan Winter returned with a vengeance and smashed my expectations with The Fires of Vengeance. It is truly the sequel that triumphs over it’s predecessor, for readers that struggled with the constant battle scenes will truly love this sequel because it included a lot of character growth, amazing battle scenes, new female characters (which is all of the new characters), a stronger sense of found family and amazing characterization. On top of that is the amount of lore dropped by Evan. More people should read The Burning series! When you think the first book is great it gets better. The last time I felt this great about a sequel is after I read Hollow Empire by Sam Hawke. That’s it I’m putting this book on my list of best sequels. Second book syndrome ? Be gone!

“Keep fighting, and I swear that before it consumes us, we’ll burn our pain to ash in the fires of vengeance.”

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

This is the second instalment in The Burning series.

Tau is a Lesser, lacking the physical strength and respect of the nobles of his lands. However, his prowess in battle and his dedication to the art of war, even when his sword is housed in its sheath, have led him to the queen's side. He now serves as her champions, although many are unimpressed by his new position. They must, however, put their faith in Tau if he is to continue to lead them to freedom and keep their queen safe from harm, in the process.

I am continually surprised by just how much I adore this series. Epic high fantasy is very much my favourite genre, but a military focus within it very much isn't. However, Winter ensured the political intrigue kept a large a portion of the focus as the martial action scenes. The latter were also where this author truly excelled, as each action scene was so vividly depicted that I could imagine each swing of the blade or strike of knuckles on bone as easily I could each of the governmental movements being simultaneously made, behind the battle ground.

Whilst these two features reigned throughout the book, the focus on magic continued to emerge as the book's narrative progressed, and as its characters unearthed more secrets by how exactly it was manifested and governed.

This, in every one of these aspects, was a very dense book. I can only applaud its author for the clever construction of each and how seamlessly they slotted together to deliver a thrilling story with such an unguessable trajectory.

Hello, Bookish Folk!

It is about time I reviewed this book, I finished reading The Fires of Vengeance at the end of December. I read it in a total of four days and I listened to a good chunk of this book via the audiobook. This is one of those books I cant really read myself. I know that sounds odd but Prentice does such an incredible job at narrating this book and book one that even when I am reading the physical book I hear his voice, but then it becomes some weird fucked up version (I suck at accents) in my own head and it no longer feels authentic to me.

A massive thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for approving my request for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Here are a few things you can expect from :

A worthy and remarkable sequel;
A deeper look into all the things you loved about book one;
Characters you cant help but become utterly invested in; and
Incredible duels, graphic and intense action and epic battles;
The Audiobook…

I said it in my review of The Rage of Dragons Prentice Onayemi is amazing. Both of the audible narations for the The Burning books are the BEST I have listened to. I have probably listened to maybe thirty audiobooks so far but none have yet claimed the title of my favourite audiobook over these books. THEY ARE AMAZING.

On to the full review…

Evan Winter has done it again.

His debut novel The Rage of Dragons blew me away like never before, and I can easily say Fires of Vengeance has done the exact same. I think it takes a truly talented writer to produce a second book in a series that is equal to if not superior to book one.

The Fires of Vengeance picks up where The Rage of Dragons left us, and it has continued to build on an already spectacular foundation. While there is still a lot of focus on Tau’s revenge it also becomes so much more. We delve deeper into this amazing world Winter has created, into its history, its lore and we see so much more of what drives not only Tau but Tsiora and her people.

I really liked the deeper look into Isihago, I don’t want to say much by way of this but know it is thrilling to read and is the place where one of my FAVOURITE fights take place.

As with book one we experience this story mainly through Tau’s POV with little glimpses into a few other peoples minds and each one brings out such an emotional response from the reader. You feel their determinations, steel, heart and so much more. Every action shows you a little more of these characters and what drives them.

I love Tau, I loved him in book one despite his single-mindedness and I grew to love him so much more in this book, he becomes more. He is no longer set to his own singular purpose but also the aims of those around him, those he has bonded with even more and slowly begun to realise that he isn’t on his own.

The increase in attention on the other characters that surround Tau are also fabulous, each brings their own flare and complexities. You truly see the impact of those surrounding Tau and how this isn’t just his fight anymore, it is all of theirs too.

Winter is such an incredible writer it is pure joy to visit the world he creates, I said in my review of The Rage of Dragons he is a superb writer and he continues to shine in this book. He is such an emotional and powerful writer, you feel the oppression, the injustice and the hurt that it causes.

As with book one, The Fires of Vengeance feels relatively fast paced though not in an action after action after action sense, but in a tense, page-turning way. The players are always moving, something is always happening and you literally can not stop wanting to read more.

Knowing that there is to be another two books in this series makes me so happy, I don’t think three would be sufficient. I am so excited to see where Winter goes with the following books and how everything we are teased with in the series so far will come into effect!

The Fires of Vengeance is an incredible book that does not stumble or bow down to the other books in this genre, it stands strong and so so proud. It is two books in and an ultimate favourite of mine. So, a MASSIVE thank you to Evan Winter for writing this masterpiece and allowing us to experience such an incurable book!

THE RANKS:

BUY THE HARDBACK | BUY THE PAPERBACK | BUY THE EBOOK | LIBRARY RENTAL OR SALE PURCHASE

Easy. Easy. Easy…BUY THE HARDBACK!

I said it earlier this book is fast becoming an all time favourite and it still has two books to go! Grab the audiobook too. Just saying.

The follow-up to Rage of Dragons follows Tau and his sword-brothers as they seek to take back control of their country after its civil uprising and invasion by the less civilised former inhabitants of Xidda.
I had my misgivings about reading this second book as I had some issues with "Rage ...", finding the first two thirds really quite a slog. My love of the final third, where all the action was, really made my mind up. I am so glad I decided to read this book as it is truly superb. It has been a long time since a book kept me up reading at night, normally my eyes go quite quickly. Not so here, I was reading for over an hour at times.
The book is a nonstop thrill, every page either filled with action, strategy or concise dialogue that moves the plot along. There is simply no filler material at all.
I received a free copy in advance from the publishers and netgally in exchange for an honest review

Thanks to NetGalley and Evan Winter for allowing me access to this book.

First, let me tell you that I didn't love the first book in this series. I completely adored the world but You was a character that I couldn't get behind.

Having said that my feelings haven't changed. Tau is still too hot heated and still doesn't think twice about what he's doing and the consequences. This is 100% intentional and yes, the character always acts according to this personally but as I told you Tau is waaaay too intense for me.

Apart from that little fact, Queen Isiora is a character that loved following and the little mysteries that we get uncovered by her were fascinating. In the same way I still loved the magic system. I love everything with monsters but the brutality of these was amazing. The new aspect that I also loved was the battle strategy and the gigantic war in general.

Again, I know this is personal preference but man, Tau, chill a bit. I still believe this series could reach it's full potencial and after the ending of this book I will push through Tau in the next book.

I've had a bit or a torrid time recently and been unable to write reviews. However, this book is a 5*. If you enjoyed book one then you'll love this book. More characters come to the fore, you learn more about the history, and the Queen takes a leading role. Female characters are more pivotal . The second book feels deeper.

Rating: 4 out of 5.
Synopsis: Tau is now the Queen’s champion and has pledged to help her, aid her – because at the end of the line is his vengeance. But Queen Tsiora’s Queendom is collapsing, the people of Xidda are still a threat, and something else looms in the dark. Can Tau protect his Queen, get his revenge and survive what the Goddess has in store for them next?

CW/TW:Violence/Gore/Death/other warnings often present in epic fantasy may exist.

Spoiler Warning: This review will contain spoilers for book 1 in this series: The Rage Of Dragons (The Burning #1), By Evan Winter

So I loved book 1, it was a contained yet epic adventure with African inspiration, and book 2 did not disappoint!

The Fires Of Vengeance, by Evan Winter manages to maintain the revenge driven narrative but also weave in the Queen’s Champion story perfectly. We also get a more experienced Tau in this book, book 1 is focused on his training, his desire to become strong enough to fight the Nobles (Specifically those responsible for his father’s death), but this book has a trained and deadly Tau which was a DELIGHT. I love my skilled and bloodthirsty vengeful characters and Tau is just that. I also liked that he trains throughout the book too, and doesn’t just stop now hat he is incredibly skilled, it maintained a realism in an otherwise fantasy world.

This book focuses on a few things. Firstly, the coup against Queen Tsiora that occurs at the end of book 1. Queen Tsiora is an interesting character herself, kind and calm but cruel and sharp when needed – a perfectly perfected mask exists when she is in the role of Queen. Young and with the odds against her, Tsiora is still determined and clever, she doesn’t ignore or dismiss people based on blood, be them Lessers or Nobles she selects fighters based on skill and belief in them. A tad obsessed with the Goddess but she is the Queen so it is understandable, I really liked reading about her character and watching her fight for her Queendom and her people.

Secondly, we still have a revenge focus, which didn’t disappear just because Tau became Champion – he did not turn self-righteous (Thank goodness!). While Tau does come to actually want to protect and fight for the Queen, his need for revenge still actively exists, he still fights to prove Lessers are not inadequate against Nobles, the inequalities and prejudices still exist and we see him, the Queen and other characters fight against these barriers. More mysteries and answers are also revealed regarding the past of the Omehi people, which I loved learning about and it added brilliantly to the fantastic world already built. Everything in this book added wonderfully to the worldbuilding, filling in gaps but also maintaining some element of mystery for the next instalment!

Thirdly, we have the demon aspect, which is equally as interesting and horrifying as in the previous book. I loved this aspect of the story and the new mysteries that arise from it. I also loved how it came into play in this book – though I won’t go into details because spoilers, I thought it was really interesting and well done (despite the horrifying nature of it!)

Finally, I love the characters development in this book, and the new characters introduced – especially Nyah and the handmaidens (They are actually hilarious *coughcoughthemountainscenecoughcough* I love their sarcasm). The new characters added a lot to the story, and the old characters developed well and became even more interesting! The relationships between the characters also grew, changed and developed nicely, and I loved the fight scenes which felt so well coordinated, especially with the characters who trusted each other and fought together.

This isn’t relevant to the story but everytime someone mentions Tau’s dual weilding I cannot help but think of Kirito from Sword Art Online 🤣

Anyway. Overall, I really enjoyed book 2, from the characters, the continued and new plot elements and the building on the world, mysterious and secrets. This is a brilliant sequel to an epic book 1 and I highly recommend it!

This book is perfect for high/epic fantasy lovers, and anyone who loves a revenge story!

*I received an eARC from #Netgalley in exchange for an honest review – Thank you!*

The Fires of Vengeance takes all the best parts of The Rage of Dragons and proves, if proof was somehow still needed, that Evan Winter is a name to watch in SFF. My only complaint is that it was too short, just as I was really getting into the plot and the characterisations - WHAM! it was over. But the journey itself more than made up for it.

The Fires of Vengeance is a fantastic sequel to The Rage of Dragons – and just look at that stunning cover! This book has taken all the strengths of the first book and lifted them to new heights, creating a masterpiece that explores how far someone can go for revenge, and in the name of resistance, and presenting in such a way that you can’t help but feel it all viscerally, to care about the characters and the world.
This was a book that consumes, and I couldn’t put it down.
It was fantastic to return to Tau, and as this book picks up immediately after the climax of the first book, we get to experience the impacts those events have had directly and see how they shape him going forward. Winters has created a wonderful character in Tau, and it was a delight to see him growing and developing throughout this book, still driven by his quest, but with a broadening view. I am also in awe of how much this character has to endure, and how he stands up to it, battered and suffering, but forged by it and surviving, and as the reader, it is impossible not to be carried along by his story and to be heavily invested in it.
The rest of the cast undergoes similar development, never forgotten in Tau’s wake, and what I particularly enjoyed with this one was the addition of new female characters, which not only filled a space from the first book but also added to an already fantastic cast. Winters has a great ability to breathe life into his characters in a short space of time, what can take pages upon pages if not multiple chapters or books, is done in pages here, and you find yourself invested in the characters, even villains and that is all down to his skill at characterisation, which as with many things in this book has levelled up.
Winters writing pulls you inescapably into the book, and there is an excellent balance between the build-up and emotional moments and the action sequences that he brings to life with such skill that it is impossible to put the book down during those moments. The Fires of Vengeance takes the action up a notch, with more violence and blood than its predecessor and on a larger scale, but there is that balance with the softer moments, and this is a wonderful exploration of war, and the dangerous loop of vengeance and death.
An absolutely fantastic book that has only reinforced the fact that Evan Winter is an author to watch, and I am delighted that we have two more books in this series (even if I do want the third one right now so that I can continue reading). I had high expectations after reading the first one, and they were more than matched, and you would be missing out if you didn’t give this series a shot.

A fast-paced sequel that picks up a grief-stricken and victorious champion—Tau—to not just strike against the classist and cast-based system that had wronged him ever since the start of this Xhosa inspired fantasy series filled with demons, dragons, and magic, but also counter the rising tensions and attacks from multitude sources: personal vengeance, brutal demons, and an ancient race fighting for domination. With higher stakes, more fervor to rise, and viscerally violent sequences, the narration easily submerges one in a pool of emotions, clash, and tension. Greater details of the world and a chance to highlight villainous viewpoints, the writing holds subtle messages like the magnetism of vengeance and misery that always follows brutality. Characters accompany through their own complexities and motives, but a slight disconnect in terms of establishing relationships is disappointing in this epic fantasy line with cultural and political undertones.

For those of you who read and loved Evan Winter’s Rage of Dragons, and have been waiting to grab the sequel… Well, you’ve a lot to look forward to.

Fires of Vengeance keeps a tight grasp on all of the things that made Rage of Dragons such a success. Quick and brutal action. Anger and a desire for vengeance. Quick, sharp prose that constantly demands you read one. more. chapter.

In these dull, repetitive pandemic months, this was exactly the book I needed. The kind that swept me away to another world, refusing to let me set it down. Fires of Vengeance starts picks up where Rage of Dragons left off: with Tau in a different position, but with another war to fight.

I always think that the second books in a series are the most difficult to pull off. An author has to dance with what brought them to the party, but they also have to offer some evolution. Some additional complexity. To introduce a sense of movement towards the impending conclusion.

In the Fires of Vengeance, Evan Winter does this by digging deep into the themes of his book. And for me, the most prominent of these was an exploration of the cycle of violence. It’s no secret that Tau is a bit of an angry sort. It’s no secret that he has a bit of a scorched-earth approach to settling scores — hence the title. But while that attitude may have served Tau well in the first book, he also never really had to bear the cost of it. When he fights, the world burns.

Oddly enough, the most telling part of this for me wasn’t actually within the novel itself. It was in the acknowledgements at the end, when Evan Winter speaks to his son. “Believe in yourself, because you will always be more than enough,” he says. “Try to leave people better than you find them, because the world can be hard, and we’re all in this together”.

While being an absolutely adorable and commendable message from a father to his son, you can also see the contrast here between the author’s advice and his character’s world-view. Tau believed in himself when no-one else would, and he was right to. But how often has he left people better than he found them? Tau’s story isn’t about whether the ends justify the means, it’s about whether the means justify the ends.

In Fires of Vengeance, Tau’s actions have far more serious consequences. And the same goes for Queen Tsiora. The two have a complicated relationship that I found really engaging, but do they bring out the worst in each other? Some of the decisions made by the pair lead to downright brutal outcomes, which can in themselves trigger more violent responses in return. Violence begets violence. I believe that most fans of Rage of Dragons will enjoy Fires of Vengeance, but I think it’s a darker and harder read.

There have been some steps to address criticism of the first book, and there are significantly more women with agency this time around — though such agency might be limited by responsibilities and duties. I loved how they fit within the cast, and character dynamics between Tsiora’s circle and Tau’s circle made for several amusing scenes.

There are some things that certain readers might trip up on. We learn a great deal more about the lore of the world, and about the Cull — the mysterious group that chased the Omehi off their original continent. However, this is presented in a very up-front fashion: through nightly stories with one character giving the information to another. Personally, I thought that this made sense within the narrative, and I really enjoyed those scenes. However, I suspect that those readers who are sensitive to opaque infodumping may think differently.

There was something that did me trip me up a little, though, and frustratingly I’m struggling to think of the words to describe it. I thought the book was very well paced. At no time did I ever think it was dragging, or focusing somewhere where it shouldn’t — though I was a little surprised that the final confrontation near the end felt as brief as it was. With that said, when I’d finished and I looked at how much progress had been made in terms of the overarching story… it didn’t seem like very much. Particularly compared to the first book.

If the Burning series had been a trilogy, I’d be quite worried about how it would come together — a bit of the “wise man’s fear”, if you will. Thankfully, though, this seems to be a four book series. And while Winter still has a lot to introduce and get through before the end, there’s still two books to come.

For those of you who loved Rage of Dragons, I think you’re in for a treat. Speaking for myself, Fires of Vengeance was a more interesting and complex book that didn’t sacrifice anything that made the first book enjoyable. I didn’t think it had quite as satisfying an ending, but it has left me excited to see where the story will go from here.

A vast improvement from the first one.
Incredible action scenes and characters whom I love. I wish there were more dragons.
The world building got developed and fixed some of the problems I had with it in the first one.
Enjoyed it a lot more.

Even if it's not as exciting as the Rage of Dragons it's an entertaining and engrossing story.
Sometimes it's a bit dragging when describing battle but I liked the plot and the world building.
The characters are well thought and interesting.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine