Recap:

The last book I shared was Trouble in the Floating City by Michael Ciccarelli-Walsh. I loved the book and hope you’ve enjoyed it as well. Trouble in the Floating City is a fantastic new take on the superhero genre with great characters you can’t help but remember. Junior and Kano are still my favorite. You also get a taste of sci-fi to satisfy that cross-genre that often comes from most superhero stories. I hope you can support Micheal in his book and keep your eyes open for the sequel, Project Vortex, which releases today! Add your reviews to the book as those help Indie authors sell more books!

A Voice of Fire by Aaron Wickel

A Voice of Fire is Aaron Wickel’s second installment in the Elements series. Something unique about the journey of this second book is that he decided to self publish, and it’s turned out great. I received an ARC from Aaron and I am so happy I did. Getting to experience this book before there were any other reviews made it that much more fun. Aaron stealth dropped his book on January 10, 2023 on Amazon and is currently available in the Kindle store, though the paperback is in the works. With all of that in mind, let’s dive into this wonderful fantasy novel and see what makes it such a good read.

Author’s Synopsis:

After training with the Altarians, Zaelek Khiings and Kinara Katari must put their newfound powers to the test. However, what lies ahead is far more dangerous and complicated than anyone expected.
Meanwhile, Ben and Parnikus have been abandoned in the desert of Holus. As they unlock life-changing secrets within Javelar, they must decide where their loyalties lie.
Will Ben and Parnikus discover the truth before it’s too late? Will Kinara have the strength to conquer unforeseen enemies? Can Zaelek fight Javelar and battle his own Daemons at the same time?

Now that you’re a little more filled in, let me remind you of a few things. Yes, this novel is a second book in a series, so if you don’t want any spoilers from the first book, visit here to pick it up. Or you can go to the Myers Fiction Review I did in September 2021. Then once you’ve read that, don’t forget to come back for more excitement in the second installment.

The Story:

A Voice of Fire continues the stories of Zaelek, Kinara, and Zaelek’s siblings as they navigate their new lives. It converted some to the thing they used to oppose, and others face the demons they’ve lied to themselves about since the beginning. The challenges Zaelek faced in A Whisper of Wind become amplified and directly push the story’s other elements. Join Zaelek as he tries to prove himself in the Guardian Force when no one trusts him. Kinara battles the demons of loss, depression, and leaving the memory of a love behind. Ben and Parnikus are forced into the same situation, but with differing reactions. The Javeler keeps gaining a stronger foothold with each operation, and this leads to some risky moves by the Guardian Forces. You’ll watch as love grows, trust decays, and new friends help each other through the new challenges. Don’t forget the magic that ties everything together!

Why You’ll Love it:

Character buy in. Aaron did a fantastic job in this novel at manufacturing the buy in to each important character of A Voice of Fire.My favorite thing about this is that it happens at different stages of the story. The first chapter had me wanting to turn the pages in Ben and Parnikus’s story. Here you’ll find two brothers stuck in the same situation, but finding conflicting feelings even after they receive the same revelations Kinara really got my buy in about halfway through the book, as she faced those struggles that so many of us run from in our life. While they may not be exactly the same, you can draw your own similarities. Zealek’s always had my buy in from book one, but it continues as he faces new challenges and tries to maintain his sanity. You’ll love exploring the worlds of The Guardians and Javeler throughout this book and the amazing technologies they use.

The other thing I found satisfying is the closure of this novel. All of the threads introduced at the beginning of A Voice of Fire comes to a nice tidy ending, while more questions directly related to those threads begin. I think this installment can be read on it’s own if you don’t want to go back to A Whisper of Wind but I always recommend reading book series in order for the full story effect.

Conclusion:

If you’re looking for a great fantasy novel with sci-fi elements, look no further than A Voice of Fire. Aaron Wickel has done a great job in his sequel to A Whisper of Wind and I look forward to further books in the Elements Series. A Voice of Fire is a character driven story with a true balance of cause and effect. The magic system used is unique in it’s development and has the familiarity of some other magic systems so you won’t be completely lost. With new friendships, new insightful backstory, and the rekindling of old flames, A Voice of Fire is a great novel for any Fantasy lover. Thank you for reading, and as always, keep reading, keep learning, and stay fresh, my nugs!

If you’re interested in A Voice of Fire click here to find it on Amazon.

If you’d like to view A Whisper of Wind‘s book review click here, or find it on Amazon here.

Previous: Trouble in the Floating City

Next Book Review: TBD