Set Fire to the Gods

Sara Raasch · Kristen Simmons

Aug 2020 · Sold by HarperCollins

About this ebook

Avatar: The Last Airbender meets Gladiator in the first book in this epic fantasy duology in which two warriors must decide where their loyalties lie as an ancient war between immortals threatens humanity—from Sara Raasch, the New York Times bestselling author of the Snow Like Ashes series, and Kristen Simmons, acclaimed author of Pacifica and The Deceivers. Perfect for fans of An Ember in the Ashes, And I Darken, and The Winner’s Curse.

Ash is descended from a long line of gladiators, and she knows the brutal nature of war firsthand. But after her mother dies in an arena, she vows to avenge her by overthrowing her fire god, whose temper has stripped her country of its resources.

Madoc grew up fighting on the streets to pay his family’s taxes. But he hides a dangerous secret: he doesn’t have the earth god’s powers like his opponents. His elemental gift is something else—something that hasn’t been seen in centuries.

When an attempted revenge plot goes dangerously wrong, Ash inadvertently throws the fire and earth gods into a conflict that can only be settled by deadly, lavish gladiator games, throwing Madoc in Ash’s path. She realizes that his powers are the weapon her rebellion needs—but Madoc won’t jeopardize his family, regardless of how intrigued he is by the beautiful warrior.

But when the gods force Madoc’s hand, he and Ash uncover an ancient war that will threaten more than one immortal—it will unravel the world.

Ratings and reviews

Disjointed storytelling. Characters obsessed with so many different threads of the plot/motivations that, when their focus switched between them, it felt like an entirely different person speaking through the character. Relying very heavily on a combination of homages to Avatar the Last Airbender, Hunger Games, even Percy Jackson—but spends so little time on its own world and situation that I felt lost as a reader more than a few times. For a book supposed to be about characters decking it out in an arena, they spend very little time in an arena. There are nice instances of poetic description that deserve a mention, particularly flashbacks between Ash and her mother—but that's the biggest takeaway I got. Ultimately wished I'd just waited for a library copy.

Good

About the author

Sara Raasch has known she was destined for bookish things since the age of five, when her friends had a lemonade stand and she tagged along to sell her hand-drawn picture books too. Not much has changed since then: her friends still cock concerned eyebrows when she attempts to draw things, and her enthusiasm for the written word still drives her to extreme measures. She is the New York Times bestselling author of the Snow Like Ashes series, These Rebel Waves, and These Divided Shores. You can visit her online at www.sararaaschbooks.com and @seesarawrite on Twitter.

Kristen Simmons is the critically acclaimed author of the Article 5 series, The Glass Arrow, Metaltown, Pacifica, and The Deceivers. She has worked with survivors of abuse and trauma as a mental health therapist, taught Jazzercise in five states, and is forever in search of the next best cupcake. Currently she lives in Cincinnati, OH, with her husband, where she spends her days supporting the caffeine industry and chasing her rambunctious son. You can visit her online at www.kristensimmonsbooks.com.