Fire Logic (Fire Logic, #1) (Elemental Logic, #1)

by Laurie J Marks

"Beautifully written."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

The martial Sainnites have occupied Shaftal for fifteen years. Every year the cost of resistance rises. Emil, an officer and scholar; Zanja, a diplomat and last survivor of her people; and Karis, a metalsmith, half-blood giant, and an addict, can only watch as their country falls into lawlessness and famine. Together, perhaps they can change the course of history.

Laurie J. Marks' first two Elemental Logic novels (Fire Logic and Earth Logic) both won the Gaylactic Spectrum Award and received multiple starred reviews. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts, and teaches at the University of Massachusetts.

• ISBN10: 081256653X
• ISBN13: 9780812566536
• Publish Date: 1 March 2004 (first published 1 May 2002)
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Tor Books
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 373
• Language: English

Reviews

[celinenyx]

Fire Logic is a fun queer fantasy, featuring both an f/f and m/m relationship (though they aren't necessarily the focus). It was nice to see a fantasy world that wasn't built on misogyny and homophobia, but while the beginning is quite engaging, it becomes clear that the world building is pretty thin.

We have a fairly standard setup, where the main character is the 'last of her kind', banding together with people to resist an aggressive conqueror. While there were interesting aspects to the whole aggressor/rebel relationship and some points about the perpetuation of a cycle of violence, the writing never lived up to its potential. The characterization left a lot to be desired, never delving into the psyche but staying firmly based on external action. The romantic relationships suffer as a consequence, never really managing to win me over to thinking these people actually have feelings for each other.

This review might seem largely negative, but I did enjoy Fire Logic. Perhaps not enough to pick up the next book in the series though.