The Boy with Fire was a fantastic beginning to The Ravence Trilogy. Told in three different perspectives, this book captures motive and ramifications so well. Aparna Verma knows how to create a captivating world and shape fierce, intriguing characters. This journey was so good from start to finish, and I am absolutely looking forward to all of Verma’s future work and the rest of the story!

Positives:
- The world building was amazing. The blend of fantasy with sci-fi elements was perfect for this book. I could picture the desert, fire, and atmosphere so well.
- All 3 characters (Elena, Yassen, and Leo) were interesting and engaging. I enjoyed when they would interact, but I also think the author wrote their moments in solitude very well. I loved having villains as protagonists, people who made terrible decisions and had to face their consequences.
- When the plot was good, it was good! The plot twist left me in shock, screaming at what was just revealed. Sometimes I couldn't put the book down because I just needed to know what would happen next.

Negatives:
- There's a thing authors do that I call ‘the remote’. You know when you're watching a movie and you need to fast forward? As you skip through, you get the basic gist that happens, seeing the scene but not really feeling present in it. When you get to the part you want, the clip plays like normal and you're engaged once more. In books, a scene will occur rapidly or in a short amount of page time. To me it feels like getting the outline of a scene that could have had an indescribable “more”, and I got that feeling a lot during this book.
- The characters spent a lot of time trapped in their own thoughts. Yes it's great to learn about their past and the ideas behind the choices they make, but I am someone who craves banter and uninterrupted dialogue.

Overall, this was such a great read! I truly can not wait for book two!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishing company for this arc!

There's a lot to like about this novel: the pacing, the characters, the plot twists. (Especially the plot twists.) The Boy with Fire takes its reader on a journey through kingdoms and their rites, their similarities and differences, their wars and their peace treaties. (The latter don't often last long.) Although long, it is by no means slow-paced: it has its ups and downs, especially in the beginning, but there is always something happening to carry the plot and the characters forward.

Its worldbuilding was really detailed. I found it interesting how the typical swords-and-daggers weaponry was intermixed with guns and much more advanced technology, creating a relatively unique fantasy world. Naturally, what I liked best about the worldbuilding was that I could see bits of culture that remind me of my own, and recognize words from a language similar to mine. There aren’t too many such words to be overwhelming; even for a person that doesn’t have ties in South Asia, the story is easy to follow, especially because it has an extensive glossary at the back.

I know this has been categorized as adult fiction here on NetGalley, but I'd personally say it belongs to the young adult category. This isn't because of its characters: out of the three points of view the reader is given, two are of 25-year-olds and the third is of the father of one of these 25-year-olds. The reason why I'd say teenagers are much more likely to enjoy this book is due to its content and writing style, both of which fit the young adult category well.

In many, many books I've read over the years (especially those which seem geared towards a teenage audience), I've seen "quotable lines" added to the story which often seem a little forced. I understand why you might have such lines in a story: they stand out; they get quoted; they bring curious new readers to a book. On their own, perhaps they truly are good lines; however, when reading such dramatic lines within the story itself, they're too noticeable as such to feel comfortable in the words surrounding them. This, amongst a couple of other things, is why I'd say The Boy with Fire seems more young-adult-esque to me – the writing style, although generally good for an older audience, too, would appeal to a younger one quite a lot as well. Why not market it to them, too?

Overall, though, this was a very enjoyable read, and the plot drew me forward and engaged me till the very end.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I heard this was a fantasy book inspired by Indian mythology and has morally grey characters,I immediately wanted to read it. Our culture is so beautiful and we aren’t really represented enough in this genre. But I’m glad to day that this book exceeded my expectations.

It took me a few chapters to get into the story but once I got through it ,I couldn’t get enough. I loved how aesthetically pleasing the book is. The scenic beauty of Ravence,the legend and myths, and the world building was so beautifully described and it was easy to get lost in. Also, all the desi terms and influences in the story got me really excited each time. Aparna's writing flows smoothly and is easy to follow.

What made me love the book even more were the characters. They were all so complex and had to make ruthless decisions that had terrible consequences. But they had their own insecurities and fears . It was so easy to relate to them and love them despite their flaws.

It is really great for a debut and a captivating read. I really liked it and I can’t wait to find out more about the fates of the characters.

I was really excited for this book but unfortunately it wasn’t for me. The characters failed to catch my eye and the plot was really slow.

There is no simple way to put it, but I absolutely loved 'The Boy With Fire'. Right from the start, I was completely pulled into the story. Aparna Verma's prose is enchanting and I could easily imagine scenes from the book playing out in front of me, like they were a movie. This book gets really dark at times; and that's one of the things that elevates it for me. It doesn't shy away from showing power and madness and how selfish desires can lead to your own destruction. The book is told in three point of views; Elena Ravence, her father and king Leo Ravence, and Yassen Knight. Each of these characters are completely distinct from each other and are complex in their own way. I loved them all, but I have to say my favorite was definitely Yassen.
And the ending? It broke me. I sort of saw what was coming, but still it was painful and it essentially pulled out my heart and ripped it into two.

It's such a fantastic debut and I'm so excited to learn what comes next!

The reason why this book interested me so much was how the author described The Boy With Fire - i couldn't be more excited to get my hands on this. Indian-inspired epic fantasy with badass women, morally grey characters and corruption? Give me!

While being a solid foundation for a fresh, interesting sci-fi/fantasy world, it didn't quite reach my expectations.
The writing was great and easy to follow, the worldbuilding intriguing, filled with lore and had me wanting more and more.
Unfortunately, my biggest issue was the fact that i simply could not connect to any of the characters. Characters, for me, are what makes or breaks a book, and by no means am i saying that these are bad characters, but for me, i needed more depth. I can certainly appreciate what the author was going for, i just feel like i missed something very important and could not grasp it.
The other tough spot for me was the pacing. The first half of the book felt rather aimless and a bit slow at times, it did not glue my eyes to my kindle. The latter half was quite the opposite - perhaps too much fit into a smaller time frame which ultimately made the plot feel rushed.

Overall i still had fun with this, and i know i'm in the minority with these opinions - i can't wait to see how Aparna Verma takes off! I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more publications by her.

At first, I didn't plan to pick up this arc but when I saw the art/tiktok vids of the author posted on twitter I was intrigued. I loved the indian-inspired fantasy world that the author created mixed with the sci-fi concept of holopods and holocars. The world-building was rich and I really enjoyed exploring it. I also love how each of the characters are unique and distinguishable. The characters were all complex and dynamic in their own way. Lastly, the ending of the book, I didn’t expect it at all. I can't wait to read the next installment.

The Boy With Fire follows Elena- the heir to the kingdom of Ravence as she approaches her coronation, Yassen- an orphaned ex criminal who was rebuked from his job/affiliations and Leo, the king of Ravence as they struggle to deal with understanding power, understanding themselves, a country on the edge of change via new rule and prophecy and the elemental magic rooted within their country. This book is told in these three points of view, but personally I found myself enamored with the side characters who never got a pov just as much as the characters who did. That being said, there def was a lot of room for the relationships between the characteres to be explored more but getting to know the characters even without this was amazing because they are all such unique, enticing people.

Ravence is a country cloaked in mythology and learning what makes the country tick as well as the people within it is a beautiful part of this book and very well done. Despite this, there is a pretty big info dump at the beginning and I struggled a little with it but honestly that was a me problem not a problem with the book. The writing during the initial world building is not hard to understand at all and goes rather quickly. And on top of the simplistic nature, the initial worldbuilding helps us to understand some of the characters right off the bat- not just the world itself, which is useful for the rest of the book because it's like the characters are established in your head by the time you get through the worldbuilding and further into the plot. Also, Ravence and it's surrounding countries where our books take place is beautiful! Learning about it is a joy because of how lovely it is (learning about cloud cookies that become "honeyed air" in your mouth brought up such an intense craving in me).

The pacing of this book was also a little difficult for me. The start is interesting after learning about the world we are in, and the plot is addicting. The story is suspenseful and mysterious and keeps you hooked but towards the middle it slows down... a lot. There's a little hump to get through that feels a little repetitive but after that the plot does pick back up! I found myself getting more and more invested again at around 70% of the book and I was so thankful that I made it through the hump because the plot thickens in an amazing way and the plot is enticing, suspenseful and towards the end it definetely becomes the kind of book that you want to tear through but at the same time you want to live in it forever.

All in all, this is def worth the read for people who enjoy YA and NA fantasy (but with checking the appropriate content warnings of course) and I am desperately waiting for the next book.

“The path of fire burns everyone in the end.”

I always get weirdly anxious reading books that haven’t been recommended to me by someone—even if it SOUNDS amazing, what if I end up not liking it?? Well I can promise you, that is not the case at all with The Boy with Fire by Aparna Verma.

This Indian inspired fantasy/sci-fi novel is told from 3 perspectives: Yassen Knight, a notorious assassin who’s defected from the Arohassin; Elena Ravence, the confident heir to the crown, yet who still lacks the ability to hold Fire; and Leo Ravence, the king who will stop at (literally) nothing if he believes it will protect his country.

Ravence is a desert kingdom, on the brink of war with the neighboring metallic and bright Jantari kingdom. Paper is a rarity, replaced by a culture of holocrons, pulse guns, and game suits.

The first few chapters I did struggle with a little, as I was trying to keep up with all the names, places, events, culture, and backstory. (Oh, if only I had discovered the glossary sooner this would have probably been easier 😅) By about chapter 4, I was really piecing everything together and felt super invested in our 3 MCs. The world building is incredibly complex and detailed, but in a way that adds a lot to the story—you can tell Aparna Verma has really thought out every single aspect.

The pacing was spot on—there really wasn’t a moment that I was bored. I loved that Fire is so central to everything throughout the book—it burns, destroys, heals, rebuilds, devours, consumes, renews—and this really mirrors the journey of the characters. The last 1/4 of the book had me going “Oh crap” and then “OH $#%&!!” 🤣

This book is seriously great. It’s got slow burn enemies to friends (or more??), morally gray characters, corruption/redemption arcs, multiple POVs, an Indian inspired setting, complex world building, and best of all CLOUD COOKIES! Some people are comparing it to Poppy War meets Dune (haven’t read this YET so I can’t say!), but at times I definitely got vibes of Throne of Glass/Assassins Blade, The Bridge Kingdom, and maybe even a little Cinder?

This book is really worth your time and I already want to know when book 2 comes out!

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this wonderful book ❤️

Review will also be posted on my Goodreads and Instagram account, @thebookishmusician!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“There is no hard line between the servant and the sinner. There is only a soft blur, a delicate edge in which a man can lose himself.”

The Boy with Fire is an impressive debut from Aparna Verma.

I have a soft spot for worlds that blend sci-fi and fantasy, and Sayon delivers. This book was sold as a mix of Dune and The Poppy War, and while I haven't read the latter, I definitely felt the influence of the former. The reverence and connection that the characters had to their environment is something that I wish I'd see in more fantasy. The desert almost felt like a character of its own. The influence of Indian folklore is also very present and there was a lot of religious lore included in the worldbuilding, which was a nice touch.

As far as characters, Elena was the one who hit home the most for me- she's clever, intense, pragmatic, and takes no shit. I felt like her POV was the best written and it was easiest to get inside her headspace. Yassen is another favorite, and I felt that his arc in this book was the strongest of any character and there was a lot of development. I'm dying to know more about his and Samson's backstories!

The prose itself is so lovely and there are lots of standout quotes- it's poetic without being hard to follow and lets the story flow naturally. It elevates the novel to another level and is where I feel Verma's skill as a writer really shines.

As far as critique I have a few points, but nothing major- <spoiler>I may be too much of a SFF veteran but I won't believe a character is dead until I see a body, so a couple reveals fell flat for me. I also wanted a little more of a concrete explanation to the magic system but trust it to be explored further in sequels. On the note of characters, I felt that Akaros wasn't built up enough to be believably threatening and wish he could have been kept in the dark as more of a mysterious villain, communicating to Yassen through a messenger to really hammer home the scope of his power. The facelessness of it would have been nice, I think. </spoiler> Lastly, I wish we could have seen more of the world from the POV of someone outside the royal household. I always think that things like that, even in interludes, help make a world feel more fleshed out.

I was intrigued by almost every element of this book- the character, the setting, and the plot all left me wanting more. I can't wait to see what Verma comes up with for book 2 and I'm excited for how she'll build on TBWF.

This book was a wonderful read. The author's writing is truly beautiful as it pulls you along Yassen's and Elena's journey. The author was able to world build so beautiful that you felt like you were right there with the characters. Using Indian mythology was a great idea as I feel it is one that is not typically depicted in most books (although this is starting to change). In addition, the character development was well done. The character's actions and growth made sense.

Sometimes having multiple POVs don't always work, but I have to say this was not the case for this story. I truly enjoyed reading about Yassen's, Elena's, and Leo's points of view. Having Leo's point of view has to be one of the best ideas the author had in creating this book. It is not very often that readers get the tyrant's point of view, especially with Leo being the father of the main character.

The book does have a slow start but as you continue reading it slowly starts to draw you in, to the point where you can't put it down. One of my favorite parts has to be the ending of the story. With so many unknowns about what's going to happen with the two main characters, I excitedly look forward to reading the next book in the trilogy.

Overall a 4.5/5 star rating.

this is a pretty solid debut and i'm so glad we're getting more desi inspired adult fantasies, the genre is in desperate need.

the standouts of this novel are definitely the writing and worldbuilding. the writing is straightforward yet beautiful and really easy to read; it's the perfect balance between description, action and dialogue, which is pretty impressive for a debut author. the worldbuilding is so immersive and wonderfully developed; the lore and the culture are written with fascinating detail and i just love the concept of prophecies, vengeful gods and dangerous mythological creatures. it's all written in a fairly accessible way too and i'd recommend this book to newbie fantasy readers.

however, the boy with fire wasn't really a great reading experience for me sadly. my main issue is the fact that i simply didn't care for the characters. they felt interesting in theory but for some reason, i was never emotionally invested in them, so i never cared about what happened to them. elena's pov felt very repetitive to me, especially in the first half, and i wish her relationship with ferma was more developed. yassen was a character that i should have liked but again, i got tired of his repetitive thoughts - also, his relationship with samson felt so empty for all that they were childhood best friends. leo was the most interesting character by far, i wish he could've been the main character instead of elena. the romance was also pretty stale for me personally.

basically, the characters didn't engage me enough and the relationships all felt strangely devoid of emotion to me. leo and elena have a really interesting parent/child dynamic but we simply didn't get enough of it.

another issue i have is the pacing. the first 50% is way too slow with hardly anything actually happening. when significant things finally start taking place in the second half, they're bogged down with boring interludes. the last 10% is when i got the most interested but for me to really enjoy a book, i need to be invested from the start, not just at the end.

overall, my problems with this book are very personal; i think this author has a lot of potential and i would still recommend this book if you're interested in an indian-inspired adult fantasy with morally grey characters and themes of war and religion.

My reason for reading this book was simply because I saw a tweet from the author on my Twitter timeline talking about how The Boy With Fire is an adult fantasy book inspired by Hindu mythology with a corruption arc and a romance subplot. When I heard there would be a corruption arc, I was intrigued and immediately looked up the book. When I saw that it was available on Netgalley, I didn’t hesitate to download the e-ARC.

When reading this book, my biggest issue was with the pacing. The first half or so of The Boy With Fire was super slow and it felt like barely anything happened. However in the last half of the book, things did start picking up, and it was more action-packed towards the end, which I enjoyed. I hope the future books in this series continues at this pace and that the slower build at the start was only to establish some background and contribute to the world building.

Also, as for the corruption arc I was promised I was kind of… underwhelmed? Maybe when I saw that tweet from the author I subconsciously had this expectation in my head about it and then subsequently let myself down. Though maybe this will be explored further in future books, since this was only the first book of a series.

In terms of what I liked about The Boy With Fire, I felt immersed in the world-building of this book. It was probably my favorite part about it. I also enjoyed the enemies to lovers subplot, but not as much as I wanted to. I liked it but it wasn’t anything new or different from other enemies to lovers relationship dynamics that I’ve seen before. Maybe in the next books of this series my opinion will change with further exploration of these characters.

All this to say, if this is only the first book in a series, then I think this was a good start. I believe there’s a lot of potential for this series to prosper.

It is a solid debut for a fantasy novel, I loved it, I found myself reading for Leo and fell in love with Elena and Yassen, their dynamics between all characters are interesting with a touch of betrayal that always make it 100x better and i was loving all the Indian culture through the book, im very excited for the sequel

This book is extremely well written - it has a complex world and interesting characters. The ending took me by complete surprise and I can't wait to read the sequel when ever it releases! I will be looking for books by Aparna Verma in the future!

Okay, I will be updating this review once the official release is out because my ARC was unfortunately lacking some of the glorious content 😔✊🏾.

If you're tired of reading stories where the lines between good/evil are too clear cut, you will immensely enjoy this. Its easy enough to say that I think we've all grown out of yearning for a High Strung Hero, an either an Irredeemable Evil or an Evil thats how it is due to "society" treating them as an outcast. Of course, I think the latter can be more enjoyable when done correctly and the former can be enjoyable when the character is three dimensional.

This book has that. You will LOVE the moral dilemma and complexity that plagues each narrator. Yassen and Elena are incredibly fleshed out characters and Leo is absolutely a driving force of ordered chaos.

The lore of this book is based upon various Desi mythology (YESSSS) and while it is not meant to represent it traditionally, the Eastern influence is clearly captivating and will be engaging for readers who aren't familiar with the beauty of Desi mythos. Dare I say, The Boy With Fire will open up the gate for more people to embrace sci fi/fantasy with a background and setting based in a Pan-Asian experience.

The Boy With Fire is marketed as Dune meets the Poppy War. I can definitely see reminiscent of Dune in the socioeconomic and sociopolitical climate and the Poppy War in the exploration of the characters' morality and ethical expositions.
That being said, The Boy With Fire stands well on its own and provides unique characteristics that blend together with its developing atmosphere.

I can say all that with an Incomplete ARC. I just know I will devour the full manuscript. PLEASE read this book. You're soul will thank you.

Everything points north, even death."

🔥Book Review🔥
Boy with Fire by @spirited_gal

I was provided an e-arc for an honest review.

1. Synopsis:
Yassen Knight, an assassin on the run after an accident is given a deal for his freedom : Protect the heir of Ravence from Arohassin, a guild of assassin who were also Yassen's previous employers.

Elena Ravence, heir to kingdom of Ravence, is set to be a competent queen, ready to bring out the golden ages of her country, alas she cannot hold fire. She can't even sit in the eternal fire, which is necessary to do for thee coronation ceremony. Either she learns or she loses the crown.

Leo Ravence, King of Ravence, is still skeptical of giving his throne away but when a horrifying fate disrupts his legacy, Leo is ready to set fire to heaven if it brings protection to his future.

2. World-Building:
Aparna Verma has not only created a diverse world based on Indian Mythology, she has intricately woven a detailed background, themes of colonialism, genocide and racism in a thoughtful and beautiful manner into the book. She has truly created a living breathing universe with a history worth dying for.

3. Characters:
One thing fantasy authors fail to do properly is characters. The author proves this thought completely wrong. Aparna Verma's ability to write raw,realistic and relatable characters is by far the best thing about the book. Not only i liked the 3 protagonists of the book but also fell in love with the side characters.

4. Plot twists and Writing Style:
Aparna Verma knows the right balance between flowery language and fast paced action scenes. She writes wonderfully and keeps the reader hooked for all of the book. I couldn't breathe for the last few chapters of the book, it was that good.

Final thoughts:
I loved this book so much that its unfair that I'll probably need to wait a long time for the next 2 books in the Ravence triology. Out of the box and filled with tropes that aren't used as much or properly executed, the author is incredible and has written a strong debut that is going to change the world of fantasy literature. Also the Indian rep here is amazing, the accurate depiction of our culture is just ❤

Aparna Verma's "The Boy With Fire" is advertised to be a mix between R.F Kuang's "The Poppy War" and Frank Herbert's "DUNE". And while elements of both books can be seen in the novel, it still manages to be something completely unique on its own.

The Boy With Fire immerses you in a captivating fantasy world using its descriptive worldbuilding and easy to follow terms. With every word that is read, one can feel as if they are stepping into the world itself and watching the story unfold before their eyes. It paints a picture of destruction, loss, and power that much like fire, you can never seem to look away from. The book was paced in such a way that felt so organic; it was neither rushed nor too slow for my liking. It rode the course of the plot that takes you along for the ride of your life.

You follow the perspectives of Leo, Elena, and Yassen throughout the book and each character's voice is so distinct and fleshed out that you have no trouble distinguishing them from each other ; they each have their flaws, motivations, and inspirations that drive them to make the decisions that they do. But that isn't to say that these characters are predictable and flat. Even as the story progresses and their characters slowly develop, nothing ever seems out of place or out of character. Each decision and scrap of dialogue has its meaning behind it. And while I can say that some of the character relationships just didn't click for me, I have no trouble following their stories at all.

This book has morally gray protagonists, corruption and redemption arcs, and Indian mythology packed into one hell of an alluring writing style that will leave you wanting to know more. You better mark your calendars for August 31st because this book is certainly worth the hype!

I really enjoyed reading this, and i was very interested in the story. Loved a lot of the characters and their personalities. One of the first stories i have read that were written as good as this. I love the way magic is used in the book. Highly recommend to anybody looking to read this and i'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

What is it about: The book follows Ravani king, his daughter who is heir to the throne and ex assassin. The Boy With Fire is the tale of a world teetering on the edge of war and prophecy, of fate and betrayal, of man’s irrevocable greed for power — and the sacrifices that must come with it.
This book has all my favorite elements and yet it's so different from others. Author was not joking when she said it has dune vibes, enemies to lovers trope, corruption and redemption arcs, Indian mythology. I really love how sci-fi and fantasy elements were blended together and created such unique world that is very easy to imagine.
As for characters we have 5: Elena Yassen, Leo, Samson and Ferma. Every character is distinct and well developed and I enjoyed reading about each of them. I really recommend this book!