Reviewed by:
What the book club told us about the book:
Our School Review
What our pupils thought
“The book was an insight into what the difference is between fighting for power and fighting for what is right. It was a pleasure to read.” (Year 7 student)
“I think Fireborne is a good book with many twists and turns with unexpected parts but clues you in on what happens next if you look for it so it is a very fun read over the summer.” (Year 7 student)
“It’s a really cool book! It has dragons and politics, so it should be great!” (Year 7 student)
‘”Fireborne’ is a really good book. It is about a group of teens fighting for First Rider on dragons! I like all of the unexpected twists and I never knew what would happen next. Lee was definitely my favourite character because of his complicated backstory and his secrets.” (Year 7 student)
“‘Fireborne’, the first book in the Aurelian Cycle, is a story about dragon riders with political intrigue, focusing on themes of warfare and revolution. It has an intricate and detailed plot with emotional depth of the main characters, Annie and Lee. It focuses on the story of two orphans who compete for the position of First Rider, commander of their fleet. The story is intertwined with political and personal relationships with a dual POV narrative – deeply understanding their thoughts and feelings. I recommend it to people who enjoy young adult fantasy with a political twist, and romance, aged 14+.”(Year 10 student)
Out of 5 stars, the pupils give this book:
About the book club:
What our educators thought
“‘Fireborne’ is the story of two dragon riders in the aftermath of a revolution in a city called Callipolis. Lee is an orphan of the old ruling regime, the brutal Dragonlords. The fact of Lee’s survival is a secret and he is forced to celebrate ‘Palace Day’ the day his family was brutally usurped and murdered. When Lee discovers that some of his family members are still alive and hatching a plot to return to power, even though he doesn’t think they deserve it, his loyalty is torn.
Annie is a former peasant – raised to her position by the new meritocracy. Despite the egalitarian ideals of the new regime, Annie is still looked down on and dismissed for her background and still carries the trauma of her family being murdered by the Dragonlords. She must overcome her insecurities, learn to stand up for herself and embrace her full potential. Raised together in an orphanage as friends, Annie and Lee are now competing against each other for the top job of first Dragonrider, and facing the possibility of another war.
The story is inspired by Virgil’s ‘Aeneid’ and Plato’s ‘Republic’ and the worldbuilding evokes the brutality and ceremony of ancient Greece or Rome – plus dragons. It also explores some fascinating ideas about ethics, morality and society that would spark some great discussion. The story is a little slow to get going but it speeds up in the second half. Although this is the first book in a trilogy, the story did have a satisfying conclusion and didn’t end on a cliffhanger.
While the keen Year 7 readers in my book club raced through it, the story may be a little too sophisticated for your average twelve-year-old, although there is no content that would make it unsuitable for younger readers, apart from some violence. But it is perfect for those epic-dragon-fantasy fans and could be suggested as a teen-friendly substitute for ‘Fourth Wing’. (Although ‘Fireborne’ was actually published first.)
A fast-paced, richly constructed world of ambition, ideology and dragons. I read this book when it was first published in 2019, but I loved it even more the second time round – highly recommended!”
Out of 5 stars, the educator gives this book:
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