Fireborn (Born Prophecy, #1)

by Katie MacAlister

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of Fireborn through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Fireborn is the first novel in a new series by Katie MacAlister, called the Born Prophecy. Obviously, with a title such as that, you just know that this is going to be an epic series. It’s a fantasy series, though a lighthearted one that is full to the brim of action, adventure, and some fighting.
Two ancient races are setting up to do battle – it’s the sort of fight that will ruin or alter the world as we know it. And three young characters are stuck in the middle of it all. Allegria, Hallow, and Deo.
Allegria was raised to devote herself to her goddess. But all she’s ever really wanted in life was a chance for adventure. And to really get to use her powers for something good, rather than being constantly forced to hide it.
Hallow was an apprentice before he lost his master. Now he’s been pulled into this mess alongside everybody else, all thanks to what his master once knew. But he’s a born and bred leader, even if he doesn’t know it.
Deo holds the weight of a prophecy on his shoulders. He’s also the son of two monarchs, which surely just adds to the weight he’s been forced to bear. All things considered, he’s bearing the weight well. But he isn’t exactly following the path expected of him either.

“We will do what we always do. We will prepare. We will defend what is ours. And we will surive.”

Fireborn was not quite the novel I was hoping it would be, if I’m being entirely honest. I had high expectations, because I’ve enjoyed Katie MacAlister’s work in the past. Katie MacAlister has always been known for being able to balance the humor and adventurous elements of her novels. And thus this series immediately became one that I wanted to check out.
There were elements about Fireborn that I enjoyed. Allegra’s character bounced back and forth between intense and humorous, thanks to the combination of her personality and her situation. Hallow was a fascinating character, one I would have happily read more about. I didn’t like Deo all that much, but I’m not entirely sure that I was supposed to, so that’s okay.
One complaint I do have about the three perspectives is that none of the three felt all that distinct. I honestly do enjoy a novel full of multiple POV’s, but this one could have used some work. These three characters are all quite different, and as such it should have been obvious who was thinking at any given moment. But it wasn’t, not all the time, at least.
But ultimately, I feel like this novel went off of the train tracks at some point. It started out strong, but I found myself losing interest around the thirty percent mark. I did end up finishing the book, and I’m glad I did, as there were later parts that were highly entertaining.
I know that I didn’t end up loving Fireborn as much as I was hoping, which is disappointing. I still have hope for the series though, since I’ve enjoyed MacAlister’s work so much in the past. So I think I’m going to go ahead and try the next novel in the series (Starborn), it seems only fair.

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