Heather’s Bookshelf: Blood & Flame
Author: Brendan Corbett
Released: 05/20/25
Genre: Adult Fantasy
“…Wynne was initially content to watch, but as Sionan neared, she breathed deeply and readied to mimic the instruction. As she cast the spell, sparks crackled along the which of the candle. Wynne held her breath until a flame billowed to life.
…Wynne gleefully extinguished the candle with a small metal cap, ready to light it anew as the last curls of smoke faded.”
“Blood and Flame” is book 1 of The Quinate's Faithful series, but the review here is conducted as a standalone. “Blood and Flame” introduces Dara and Wynne- two initiates into the Quinarium.
Dara and Wynne come from very different backgrounds and with different challenges. Dara comes from a life as a miner with parents determined to use her no matter the cost. But Dara’s determination propels her into becoming a Blood Mage. Wynne is high-borne with a powerful mother from a political family. However, she wants nothing to do with those responsibilities, instead desiring to be a healer. Secretly enrolling against her parent’s wishes, Wynne pursues becoming a Flame Mage. Both Dara and Wynne are determined to leave their pasts behind.
Assigned to a rite to investigate a rumored source of mana well also stopping the slaughter of a village’s farm animals, Dara and Wynne must learn to work together if they are going to find the truth. They will also need a little help if they are to make it across the treacherous lands.
Will finding the truth solidify their place within the Quinarium or will it completely disrupt everything they thought they knew and wanted?
Trigger Warning: violence, adult language, death, animal death (livestock)
Overall, I enjoyed this story. Set in the fantasy genre, the author incorporates several aspects of world building I found to be unique or interesting intwined with classic tropes. Mana takes center stage in importance and is very familiar for anyone delving into fantasy worlds. Utilizing the gauntlets with the mana in the manner used was both new and intriguing to me. I also enjoyed the incorporation of the different types of beings. Even familiar ones had a bit of a twist. The book feels divided into three sections- new mages learning at school, new mages on their first quest, and established mages wrapping up the consequences of the rest. While I’m happy the book moved along quickly, I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning of the book and could have learned more about how the mages developed their knowledge and skills. Each of the main protagonists- Dara and Wynne- are likable, though flawed. They both come with baggage from their families and backgrounds- though from seemingly opposite sides of the spectrum. Though seeking to leave their own pasts behind them, they judge the other by the same and must learn to overcome their biases if they are going to work together. For the middle portion of the tale, ancillary characters enter the fold. Ami, a fae, is spunky, smart, and quirky. Cuadro is a Paladin: strong, determined, and loyal. Neither appears in the story long enough. The budding romance could have also been delayed a bit as it felt rushed here. There’s wasn’t enough of the “will-they-won’t-they” to lead to any kind of tension, and that was a missed opportunity. Even though this is a book I, the story wraps up nicely and can be read as a standalone.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A book I, fantasy tale with 2 strong protagonists and intriguing world-building details; hindered by decreased ancillary character development and pacing challenges.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with Brendan Corbett
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Find it for purchase here
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