This Golden Flame

by Emily Victoria

Orphaned and forced to serve her country's ruling group of scribes, Karis wants nothing more than to find her brother, long ago shipped away. But family bonds don't matter to the Scriptorium, whose sole focus is unlocking the magic of an ancient automaton army.

In her search for her brother, Karis does the seemingly impossible--she awakens a hidden automaton. Intelligent, with a conscience of his own, Alix has no idea why he was made. Or why his father--their nation's greatest traitor--once tried to destroy the automatons.

Suddenly, the Scriptorium isn't just trying to control Karis; it's hunting her. Together with Alix, Karis must find her brother...and the secret that's held her country in its power for centuries.

• ISBN10: 1335080279
• ISBN13: 9781335080271
• Publish Date: 18 March 2021 (first published 2 February 2021)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Mills & Boon
• Edition: Original ed.
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 384
• Language: English

Reviews

[Inkslinger]

'This Golden Flame,' the debut novel from Emily Victoria, is a tale of rebellion amongst the almost single-minded determination of the Scriptorium.

 

Eager to unlock the magic of an ancient automaton army littered throughout the land of Eratia, they're quick to send away those who may get in their way. For Karis, that means her brother is long gone.. and she'll do anything to find him.

 

While seeking her brother.. Matthias' whereabouts, she awakens a hidden automaton. Seeming to have sentient intelligence, Alix seems to have a moral compass.. but no idea why he was created or why his father once tried to destroy them all.

 

Suddenly, control isn't enough for the Scriptorium. They're on the hunt. Leaving Karis and Alix to find her brother and the secret surrounding the automatons.

 

I found it interesting that though the lead is just trying to find her brother, for the most part.. she's kind of outcast.. even by the others like her. Though, Dane is actually really lovely. Karis is a bit of a screw-up, but her heart is in the right place and I love that sense of loyalty within her and it's nice to see the Aroace rep in a fantasy MC. It feels like little by little our stories are becoming a bit more diverse.. too slowly.. yes.. but I'll take the forward progress.

 

Alix has a lot of inner-conflict to deal with, largely due a lack of coherent memories and it doesn't help that those in power want to leverage him. He's a darling though.. despite having a lot of baggage and I found myself forgetting that he was really different in the first place, as automaton or not.. he felt so vulnerably human in some ways.

 

Like many, the magic system was rune based and I always enjoy magic that requires some kind of tangible focal point. What I found interesting was that it wasn't just about the result either, the process of making the rune mattered.

 

Though the Scriptorium thing very reminiscent of the Magisterium for me, they were similar.. but still different. The general feeling of oppression was there, though the scribes weren't just members benefitting from their participation.  

 

Emily does a great job of letting the reader experience the world around them, rather than just telling them everything.. which is something I appreciate. There's nothing that can ruin immersion faster for me than being given a tour like the story is more of a verbal open house.

 

It is a fairly simple story that's easy to read and maybe lacking a little in the complexity department, but not every book has to be an epic 800 page story either. It's very enjoyable and a good first showing for an author with a promising future.

(I received this title as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.)

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of This Golden Flame in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Emily Victoria's debut novel, This Golden Flame, is making waves and touching hearts. It's one of those books that immediately caught my attention thanks to the description and promises, but then went above and beyond in impressing me.

Karis was orphaned at a young age, and soon after taken in by the Scriptorium. To be clear, they didn't do this out of the kindness of their hearts. They bound her and bade her to work for them, alongside all of the other orphan children they've collected.

While some may find it possible to be content with this life, that is not an option for Karis. It never would have been an option, even if she hadn't been separated from her brother in the process. That is why she's been seeking every avenue for freedom.

“Besides, some risks you have to take.”

This Golden Flame is going on my list of books that you absolutely have to read in 2021. It's every bit as brilliant as the title and cover suggest, with lots of pleasant surprises woven in throughout. The end result is a memorable experience.

One that has a lot of representation along the way. It isn't every day you get to pick up a book with an ace main character, especially not in the world of fantasy. Yet that is exactly what happened here, and it is a delight.

Karis' character is bold and tough, but she also knows what she wants. And more importantly, what she doesn't want. Her honesty is refreshing, and it adds so much to the way she navigates this world and all of its problems. At least, it did for me.

“Even after all these years I'm still not used to it. To the quiet.”

This is a fun read, one that has a distinctly steampunk feel to it, as well as several other surprises up its sleeve. It made it an absolute delight to read, and I for one would give anything to see this as part of a series. Though that's just my greedy little heart talking, I know.

If you're looking for a clever fantasy novel with an ace lead, then please take some time to read This Golden Flame, as it is that and so, so much more.

Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks