Flame of Surrender (the Ferryman and the Flame, #1)

by Rhiannon Paille

[Suz @ Bookish Revelations]

Surrender is a beautiful atmospheric novel, depicted with lush vivid imagery. The world that Rhiannon Paille creates is unlike any other, I've read before full of splendor, beauty, and vivid imagination. The attention to detail, is what made this novel so appealing to me. In the world of fantasy, this is the book that you want to be reading, because her sense of narrative and writing style, are essentially what pulls you into the world. Gorgeous and compelling, from the moment you step foot into the world, to the moment that you turn the last page - this book will have you aching for more.

Conceptually, it is one of the most stunning and beautifully written fantasy novels, that I've read in a long time. The world bends to desire, melts into gorgeous scenery, and delights in telling a story that will definitely take you on an epic journey that you won't soon forget. The fantasy is rich and deeply beguiling. The characters and their world is intriguing and full of so much mystery and suspense, that you won't want to put the book down. It has every element that a fantastic fantasy novel should have and so much more to offer the reader.

To say that I was completely enthralled and absorbed in the stunningly original and creatively beautiful world that Rhiannon Paille has created, would definitely be an understatement. I literally thrived on the enchantment of it, alone. The journey that each of these brilliantly developed and wonderfully rich characters took, completely wowed me beyond belief. There is so much attention to detail and background information spun into the myth that Paille created, that sometimes it will set your head spinning. I don't necessarily want to say that it's too much at times, but there is a lot to get through, and sometimes it can lend itself to being a bit confusing.

The characters are wonderfully illustrated, complex, and interesting. Each of them are uniquely different in their own ways and come with their own quirks and fascets that explain who they are. Most of them are likable and easy to connect with for the most part, while few other's may not be. Kaliel was definitely different from most of the other girls in Surrender and I think that's why I was particularly drawn to her. It was nice to see a character that refused to just accept things at face value and in turn eventually ended up doing what she thought was best. Strong and resourceful, but full of her own brand of fire and spunk, Kaliel is definitely a character that I grew to love fiercely for my own personal reasons.

The romance that tenderly develops between Kaliel and Krishani is beautiful. While some might feel as if it were insta-love from the beginning, I actually found it endearing that he would have that much of a connection with Kaliel after having met her only once, to develop one of the many powers he learns in the novel. It's heart warming, touching, and extremely emotionally powerful in many ways. There are gorgeous tragedies in the midst of this complex and extremely captivating world that Rhiannon Paille has encapsulated in this one novel, that will leave readers churning for more. Any fantasy and sci-fi fan would definitely love this series, as it's the beginning of what will be an epic journey to the finish.