Description: After tackling her first mission and coming to terms with her power of empathy, Andriana discovers her first battles were only a taste of what is to come. She and her knight, Ronan, have admitted their feelings for each other, but their bonds are tested when Dri is captured by their mortal and spiritual enemy—Sethos—and his master, Keallach, emperor of Pacifica.
Andriana is certain Keallach can be convinced to follow the Maker’s plan and join the other Remnants . . . but in time, she must decide whether she really can pull him back to the Way, or if Sethos’s web of darkness has slowly and thoroughly trapped them both . . . forever.
My Thoughts: Last year, I received a copy of Season of Wonder from the author, Lisa Bergren. At that time, there were some issues I had taken with the book and, in agreement with the author, I decided to hold off my review until I had read the sequel as well. For that reason, I have decided to post my reviews of both books together. This is a review of both the first and second books of the series.
While I am of huge fan of Lisa's River of Time series, I found Season of Fire (and Season of Wonder) to not be one of my favorites. While sold as a dystopian, it reads far more like fantasy (which is my favorite genre, just not when I am expecting something else). Perhaps if it had been sold as a fantasy, I would have enjoyed it more. As it was, the Remnants powers and abilities did not fit into the dystopian worldview. Throughout the books, I found myself wishing that their gifts had been gifts of the spirit (as their powers are all listed in the Bible as such) rather than powers they were born with and still had even when they had forsaken God's will for their lives.
As well, I took issue with their being forbidden to marry as Remnants. In 1 Timothy 4:2-3, it says,
"Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry (emphasis added) and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth."
While I understand that falling in love would make their jobs harder (Paul does speak of marriage as dividing the will between one's spouse and God), I could not forget these words of scripture.
These things may not be an issue for you. I know there are those who do not believe that the gifts of the spirit are for this day and the future, and that there are groups which forbid certain people from marrying. There are also those who will not take issue with these things because this is a work of fiction. For such people, I believe you will adore this book.
Season of Fire (and Wonder) is full of action and adventure, with a story that is about saving not just the world, but saving people's souls as well. In Season of Fire Dri spends much of her time believing she can reach those that others have given up on, and I admired the refusal to give up as everyone else had. Sometimes I think we are far too tempted to wash our hands those we find to be too difficult.
I received a copy of Season of Fire from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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