Fireborne

 Fireborne is book one in The Aurelian Cycle by Rosaria Munda and has made them a go-to author in the fantasy genre because this book was absolutely incredible and had me hooked from the first page due to incredible world-building that has you drawn in, along with the social dynamics of characters both those in the forefront of the story along with secondary ones.Set in the years after a revolution that had the aristocracy brought to their knees , our protagonists Annie and Lee have grown from orphans and allies in the bid to survive among the many struggling children, to competitors in the bid to be a dragonrider and add their name to those of legend. Their journey to this point is written with thought and careful moments that provide insight into how far the two have come and offer the reader the opportunity to walk alongside them and show us how similar and yet, vastly different the two are.  Giving us insight into their worst moments, of the tragedies the two have experienced ensures that we see how these tragedies have shaped the two into becoming the fierce young adults they have become at this point.What I really liked is how Munda doesn’t shy away from what a revolution can look like for those involved whether indirectly or directly as the case maybe. To bring about change, things can and often will be bloody, and decisions are often made in haste that leave situations unresolved. She shows how no matter who is in power, there are always victims and sacrifices to be made and also how sometimes, in the years after bringing down one power - for the majority nothing has really changed and this is really shown in FIreborne.The original dragonriders may well be gone, but discontent is brewing and it’s not so quiet and growing fast.Lee and Annie’s stories have moments where they cross over, or clash at times and when truths come out? You see the two forced to see what life is like without the other there and how trust can be as fragile and the lack of it is as fractured ice on a fast paced river - dangerous at best, deadly at worst. Munda has woven together their story in a wonderful manner, giving us a more insular insight on what is happening around them, and whilst succeeding as Dragonriders may well provide them with the opportunity to succeed and fight back against those in power?Survival might well be more important, and not just in the contests they’re about to faceThis is a wonderful beginning to a series of three books, filled with political machinations made by the most slippery of people - Munda writes a perfect set of characters who are true villains because so many of them, given the opportunity, would tell you with a straight face that they’re anything but bad.. Our heroes are many, and they are far from infallible, forced to make decisions that go against their own values because they’re facing a rock and a very hard place. Plus… dragons who are wonderful and add just a little magic to the chaos Annie, Lee and their friends and foes are in. I loved book one, and then swiftly devoured the other two and was left with a book hangover and wanting more from this wonderfully insightful, talented author.

This book was decent. I’m not entirely sure if I’ll continue the series, but I did enjoy the book.Annie and Lee are complete opposites in every way. She comes from a tiny little hamlet in the highlands, her family poor; he’s the son of the dragonlord- privileged to say the least. Both of them lost their entire family when they were young, though, so they do have something that brings them together. She knew his hidden identity all along, not that he realized that though. They become dragon riders, something unheard of for people like Annie during the dragonlord reign.During the book, you see Annie struggle with confidence, Lee struggle with his conscience, and a myriad of characters. There is very little romance to this book, although you can understand Annie and Lee have hidden feelings towards each other. Maybe one day they’ll actually be together.