Of Blood and Fire

I have seen this all over bookstagram of course, and many of my friends have sent it to me as a phenomenal indie. After giving the audible audio a sample, I decided to go with it, and Derek Perkins did a good job with it. 

I do feel like I'd be remiss if I didn't mention this, especially with it being an all-time favorite of mine. I read other reviews of this, and I'd have to agree with some of it, at least on the surface. In the beginning of the novel especially, the lore and world building can read as very formulaic or cookie cutter to Christopher Paolini's Eragon. I was afraid that this would read as a negative (and overall I do wish that there were some wider gaps in the similarities), but I found some of the super harsh reviews to be kind of closed minded? Do we not remember the wave of people bashing Paolini for being unoriginal? (I have quite a lengthy review in defense of him). When you're dealing with dragon eggs, dragon riders, young underdog heroes, evil tyrants, it tends to mesh a bit. 

What I found to be the most enjoyable were the parts that differed from it. Although it's similar, it also tells its own tale, with lore and world building and beings all its own. As a fellow reader Nat recently said to me, “if it's cookie cutter, at least it's my favorite brand of cookie.” I would agree. The author distances himself from others like him by focusing on the traits he's pulled from, and fleshing them out on his own. 

I've also heard that the sequel does an even better job of distancing the two. At this point, I will absolutely move onto a second book. I'm actually listening to the prequel right now. 

Worth your time, effort, or money to read.