Dreams of Fire is a short novella set in the world of Shuana Lawless’s Gael Song series. The story follows Rónnat and Fódla at a much younger age. They live a quiet life with their father, safe in the knowledge that the Fomorians have been vanquished from the world. When rumours start to stir about war, the descendants of the Tuatha Dé Danann begin to suggest they should remove themselves from the mortal world. Rónnat is dead set against this, but with those she loves being threatened, will she have a choice?

I really loved both The Children of Gods and Fighting Men and The Words of Kings and Prophets so I was incredibly excited to pick up this new release from Shauna Lawless. This story might be just over 100 pages, but it definitely packs a punch. Full of beautiful writing, I loved being back in this story and reading Dreams of Fire has made me even more excited for the release of book three. The story is well paced and contains quite a bit of action.

I loved being back with Rónnat and Fódla and it was so intriguing to see them as young girls and see how their relationship has changed between the events of Dreams of Fire and The Children of Gods and Fighting Men. This novella is definitely a great addition to the series, but I also think this would be a terrific place for new readers to start the series. The story hooks you in straight away and will have you itching to pick up the main series.

Dreams of Fire is a captivating story and I read the entire thing in one sitting. If you’ve read the main series already this is an excellent tale that gives the reader the chance to learn more about the descendants and their history. If you’ve not yet had a chance to pick the series up yet and you’re looking for a fantasy series full of brilliant characters, magic and action, then Dreams of Fire is the perfect introduction.

Fantastic prequel novella which has whet muy appetite for book three. Utterly immersive and very enjoyable.

This is more like a 4.25, but rating novellas is always hard for me.

Anyway, this was an excellent addition to Shauna’s Gael Song series! We know Ronnat from the books, but only through the eyes of Fodla. Getting Ronnat’s POV was super valuable to the story and it fleshed out her character more. I loved getting the background on how events from the trilogy got set into motion, and it has made me very excited to read book 3!

Also, I believe this can be read without having read the first two books. It explains enough to create a self-contained story and doesn’t rely on the reader having knowledge of the series. If you are curious about this trilogy and don’t want to commit to a full length book, this is a great way to get a sense of Shauna’s writing and experience this world.

this was a great entry in the Gael Song series, it had everything that I wanted from a novella. The characters worked well in this Irish story. It use the Ireland perfectly and had the characters work with the story going on. It had a great writing style and had me wanting to read more. Shauna Lawless has a great writing style and can't wait for more from the author, it had everything that I wanted and glad I gt to read this.

I was pleasantly surprised to see this book up on NetGalley! I had been hoping for the e-arc of the third book in this series being released soon, but am gifted an appetizer first!
The novella is a nice reminder of the world, and gives some much needed background on Ronnat and some of the other Descendant characters that don’t get much time in the main series.
A very quick read, and I’m super excited for the final book!

This is the first of Shauna Lawless's work I've read, and I very much appreciate it is a prequel to a series and that it will make more sense to people who've read the other books. That said, I was curious to sample her writing, and so I thought, 'Why not.'

I'm pleased I did. While it was pretty tough at the beginning - stepping into someone's 'world' with little idea of the world-building that's gone into the stories, the novella is a very intriguing read, and it will certainly encourage me to try the series.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my review copy.

A really interesting novella. I hadn’t read this author previously. Set in Ireland in early times it was actioned packed with a mix of mythology, and life in those times. I enjoyed it. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Dreams of Fire is a fantastic prequel novella in The Gael Song Saga that is perfect as either a first entry into the world or a follow up for an established fan!

YouTube:
https://youtu.be/taBWfwXITE0
Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/291-dreams-of-fire-by-shauna-lawless/id1489097985?i=1000650119059&ls=1
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ClsJtN0FaQ92XYUZJCzlF?si=LaoJBxlIQVKWZGMiwIIqQw

Dreams of Fire is such a rewarding novella and I enjoyed it immensely!

What I’m less certain of is whether to recommend new readers start here or to start with The Children of Gods and Fighting Men. I think the fact I’m unable to decide shows what a great book this is and either will be a great experience for different reasons.

This is completely accessible to new readers; Lawless doesn’t assume the reader will be familiar with the world and so this is a fantastic introduction to the Gael Song world, setting the reader up really nicely for The Children of Gods and Fighting Men with more knowledge than those who read it before this novella was available. On the other side of the coin, there are some great little Easter eggs for returning readers and some satisfying filling in of missing pieces. While some prequel novellas feel like bonus content, Dreams of Fire feels like an essential part of this series, regardless of when you read it. It adds depth and understanding about some of the characters, their motivations and the history of the Descendants & Formorians.

I enjoyed getting to know Rónnat better and seeing a little of the two sister’s younger days in a shorter book where the pacing was really well managed, combining fast paced excitement with necessary, depth-building character interactions.

If you’re returning, you know what you’re getting with the author’s thoughtful, flowing prose. If this is your first Shauna Lawless book then rest assured she’s an expert at her craft, taking care of the flow so well that you can do easily allow yourself to be immersed in the story.

The main difference between this and the 2 full length novels so far is that other than the enjoyable epilogue, the story is from an exclusively Descendant point of view and the focus is almost entirely on the conflict between them and the Fomorians, their future planning and the relationships between themselves. The political manoeuvering the author has such a fine command of is understandably something that requires a lot more scope than a short novella can provide and I think Lawless was wise in keeping the story relatively focused on the backstory of the two enemy groups.

We’re also treated to some more exposure of the magical abilities of the Descendants and why the Fomorians were believed to be gone by the start of The Children of Gods and Fighting Men.

I thoroughly enjoyed Dreams of Fire and can safely say it’s required reading, whether you choose to read this first and go into the first novel with more knowledge – or to come back for some jigsaw pieces after reading in publication order. It’s safe to say I’m recommending you do whatever you like, so long as you read this book!

Thankyou to the publisher Ad Astra/Head of Zeus and the author Shauna Lawless for the opportunity to read this book as an eARC ahead of publication in exchange for this honest review. It was a pleasure.

What a wonderful addition to a fantastic series.

This novella tells some of the backstory to Rónnat and Fódla.. It was a fun and interesting read, reminding me of everything I love about this series. Could be read first for new readers as well.

This is one of my favorite series and it was great getting some background on these characters. I love Fódla and her sister even more!

This is exactly what I needed!

I absolutely love this series and was wanting more background on Ronnat. She is a layered character and to see the start of her descent into "madness" was a joy. I'm generally not a fan of short works as I am a glutton for detail, but this somehow managed to have the charm and feel of a full length novel. It was a seamless jump back into the world of Fodla and Ronnat, but gave us insight into the Tuatha De Danann's culture. Being in their stronghold once again before it became the insular and fearful community that we know in the rest of the series was such fun.

Seeing that Ronnat has long known the course that Fodla's life was going to take, at least up until the time we meet her, was heartbreaking. Knowing that she had to let her sister experience the heartbreak of losing Aoife in order to try to save her life is a heavy burden to bear. This has made me even more excited for The Land of the Living and the Dead!

Dreams of fire
I am a huge Irish history and mythology buff so when I came across this novella on NetGalley I was super giddy and clicked request so fast! This was my first glimpse into the Gael Song series by Shauna Lawless. The history and mythology is woven together so beautifully. I enjoyed the bookends of the Fomorian POVs with the Descendants of the Tuatha Dé Danann. The only reason this wasn’t rated 5 was I felt the plot being a century before the main series, the novella could have been a bit longer in order to give more character development, especially Rónnat. But my feelings may change on the matter once I delve into the Gael Songs (which I purchased immediately after completing this).
Thank you Shauna Lawless, Head of Zeus publishing, and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

One of the best novellas I have read!

Once again Shauna Lawless weaves the threads of history and mythology into a story brilliantly. Dreams of Fire is a gripping and engaging novella with a great cast of characters.

Set around a century before the events that take place in Gael Song, we see many familiar characters at a younger age, as well as an assortment of new characters as well. Often in prequels, it is the new characters that suffer, as the focus is on those the reader is already familiar with. That is not the case here. Figures such as Ciarán immediately had a strong presence.

I loved the history that was explored here, with the ancestors of many key characters of Gael Song being present, as well as seeing the early days of the decline of magic in the Fomorians and the Descendant.

This is a great novella. With smooth prose, vivid characters and a concise, engaging story, I highly recommend Dreams of Fire, no matter where you are in Gael Song, even if you have not dived into the series yet.

4/5 STARS

Another fantastic book by Shauna Lawless! I literally couldn't put it down. I was so happy to learn more about Ronnat and Fodla. But then my heart had to go a get broken (but in a good way). I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Dreams of Fire gives us a delicious bit of back story to some of the characters we have come to know and love from the Gael Song series, with a real focus on Rónnat and Fódla and what made them who they are when we meet them in The Children of Gods and Fighting Men.

Lawless has got such a gorgeous grasp of this story, and the backstory, and you can tell just how much she lives with these characters and how intimately she is acquainted with them. It was such a treat to dive back into this world and see how it was a century before the first novel. I would read Lawless' shopping list, her prose is so absorbing and you really are whisked away to 912 Ireland.

If you enjoy fantasy or historical fiction then I would highly, highly recommend this series. This can be read as a standalone, before or after book 1 and 2. Do yourself a favour and pick it up!

The Tuatha Dé Danann and the Fomorians have been at war for centuries, their neveeding battle carried on by their descendants. Descendants of the Tuatha Dé Danann Rónnat and Fódla live in peace with their father Ciaran in his crannog. But when the immortal warrior discovers he is finally aging at last, his magic failing him, he takes his daughters to the fotress of the descendants. There Fódla proves herself as a healer and meets the enigmatic druid Tomas, she enjoys meting others and learning about her powers. Rónnat, on the other hand, cannot wait to leave, she cannot stand the watchful eyes of Tomas on her sister, nor the mysterious voice she has begun to hear. When word arrives that the Fomorians are drawing near. Rónnat must decide to aid her father in the never-ending fight against their enemies, or protect her sister from those that claim to be her friends.
Dreams of fire acts as a prologue to the Children of Gods and Fighting Men, and a bridge to the The Land of the Living and the Dead. I absolutely love this series steeped in Irish mythology and history.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book! I adore this series, and was thrilled to receive an arc of this novella. This serves as a prequel to the other two books in the series, and helps fill in the events that occurred between the time the Decendents were left to protect Ireland, and “present” day in the series. There was a lot of backstory introduced here, but it didn’t feel cramped or heavy. It adds weight to a lot of what happened in the other two books. This is a great companion to the series, and I’m looking forward to the release of the third!

I've made absolutely no secret about how much I love the Gael Song series and Shauna Lawless' writing. And given that I am going more and more feral waiting for The Land of the Living and the Dead, this has been the perfect balm to help me through the wait.

As Shauna says in her author's note, "If you've read The Children of Gods and Fighting Men, [she] hopes this novella has answered some of those questions lurking in the back of your mind about the elusive Rónnant." It absolutely does.
I'm going to do my best to keep this spoiler free if you've not dipped into Gael Song yet.

From the opening passage from The Annals of the Descendants of Tuatha, we're weaved back into the magical landscape that we've come to know and love from Shauna. I'm a sucker for anything that feels like a dreamy story or someone telling a story around a fire and it ticks that box with a bold marker.

What we know about the Formorians and Gormflaith's mother in particular is more or less limited. We know there are few Formorians left, like single digits left, and this really provides the first fuller glimpse about the war between them and the Descendants. We also know that the Descendants had a Gathering to vote to live in their fortress and we get those gaps filled in to a point as well. As Shauna points out herself, it most of all answers some questions about Rónnant, which if you're like me you've been wondering about the choices she made that kicks things off in The Children of Gods and Fighting Men.

Now, I was with Rónnant before on her distrust of Tomas, and following this I am still with Rónnant on her distrust of Tomas, if not doubling down on it. But there is more lurking in his story with Fódla than we could have known from the two books so far. Consequently, I am actually left with more questions about everyone, which is not making me less feral in my wait for the final book. Talking of the final book, the scene where Rónnant is talking to the wind, something we know is warned against from Gael Song #1,, The Land of the Living and the Dead goes much deeper into the lore of this magical Ireland than just the final book's title. I am very excited for this.

This is just one of the things that Shauna has weaved into the book to hint at what's to come and also provide background for what's passed that we've, up to now, only heard of. The conversation between Rónnant and Colmon, Rónnant's gifts, Fódla's role in all this. If you've already read Gael Song up to now, this is going to leave you wanting to go back through and put the puzzle pieces together. There is just so much hiding between them and this novella. If you haven't started Gael Song yet, and this is your first dip into it, you will get to see so much more at how seemingly separate occurrences connect together.

This might be a short read but by no means is it less impactful than Gael Song so far.

This novella is set in the Gael Song universe of medieval Ireland. It’s immersive and thrilling. I was initially worried about the short length and this impacting on the depth of writing, I worried needlessly. There’s a whole story in these short pages that not only enriches the main trilogy but holds its own. I just love fantasy, myth and history woven together. I cannot recommend this series more. It’s beautifully written and you are absolutely transported into another world.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.