Perception is propaganda.

Reality is built to deceive.

To find Truth, everything must burn.

In the "sacred" city of Avalon, perfection is law. Obey, and you ascend. Cross the line, and you burn — live on TV.

Megan is everything to Sage — the love of his life. The only person who ever made him question what they were told. Then she vanishes.

Determined to find her, Sage follows a trail beyond the glass metropolis to Redemption City (Red C)—a wasteland Avalon has condemned as a lawless abyss. Guided by the fiercely unpredictable Victoria, who may or may not be a witch, Sage unravels the propaganda that shaped his worldview.

The deeper Sage pierces the veil of deception, the more he discovers that the “evil” Red C is nothing like it is portrayed on Exposé TV. The true nightmare lies in the perfect city he left behind.

Avalon isn’t just a city. It's a construct—a system of control so absolute its citizens don’t know they’re prisoners. Every thought, action, and belief is monitored for public judgment. There is no hiding in the city of glass.

As Sage discovers the fractures between good and evil, truth and illusion, he finds his world on the brink of war. Red C is rising. Avalon is watching. And Sage must choose: truth or lies.

Ceremony of Fire is a haunting, psychologically rich dystopian novel about love, friendship, and the search for truth in a world built on illusion.

Blending immersive world-building with emotional intimacy and spiritual symbolism, this is perfect for fans of Never Let Me Go and Station Eleven—dark, gripping, and unforgettable.

About the Author

C. D. Lawrence is a screenwriter, occasional poet, and former children’s and YA author whose books, published through a Big Five house, have sold hundreds of thousands of copies.

Ceremony of Fire is his first novel for adults.

Note to Reviewers

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Thank you for reading Ceremony of Fire.