A Book A Week

"I have ignited a fire---a spark of a flame!"

I'm not normally a fan of fantasy. With the exception of a few popular series, the genre has just never really captured my attention. When my friend and debut author Travis R.J. offered me a copy of his debut fantasy novel to review, I was hesitant to accept it. It isn't the genre I would normally pick up, and I was nervous that I wouldn't enjoy the writing. As I opened the book, however, my hesitance soon began to fade. Magic by Fire: Spark of a Flame drew me in through a powerful opening that quickly introduced the main characters and hinted at the adventure to come. I was ready to go wherever this story was going to take me. 

By all accounts, Liam is an ordinary boy. He lives with his mother in a small village, and the pair manage the local bakery. Each day looks much like the others, and Liam is perfectly content with this routine. After work, he often sneaks out of the town to the forested landscape that surrounds it. Liam and his best friend Pat spend the evenings playing with an enchanted ball and cautiously exploring their abilities with 'ignegic', fire-based magic. Being a Pyrend, someone who can perform this magic, is extremely rare. Moreso, practicing ignegic has been outlawed by the queen. Already it seems that Liam isn't as ordinary as we originally believed. 

In Magic by Fire: Spark of a Flame Travis R.J. deftly lays the foundation of his planned trilogy upon the characters who inhabit it. The care with which he crafts each person and relationship directly translates into us connecting with them. The bond between mother and son, mentor and mentee, and best friends are each fully realized. The emotional connection with the characters served to heighten the action and drama that they encountered. More importantly, this careful character work grounds the fantasy in a sense of reality. 

Whether you are someone who regularly reads the genre or are more like myself, there is something for a variety of readers to find in Spark of a Flame. The story sets up a classic hero's journey, placing the ordinary main character into extraordinary circumstances. An old prophecy sets most of the narrative action into motion, and it is up to the main character to determine if they will play into that prediction or go against it. In most fantasy I've read, it is the world-building that usually plods along and loses my interest. Travis R.J. circumvents this challenge by revealing most of the world through his characters and the events that unfold. There is a brief section at the midpoint of the novel that started to lag a bit for me, but it quickly gave way to more revelations and a suspenseful encounter in a faraway town. Ultimately, Magic by Fire: Spark of a Flame was exactly the kind of novel I needed to read to ignite my own interest in the genre. It promises to burn into a fully formed blaze over the course of the nest two installments. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2021, 8)

Frank Coffin, police detective and interim chief of Provincetown, Massachusetts, is undergoing a lifestyle change. As a typical middle-aged man who's mind tells him he's invincible while his body reminds him of his mortality, Coffin is attempting to eat better, exercise more, and quit smoking. He's been recognized for his dedication to his job, is surrounded by supportive friends, and his girlfriend has just revealed that she is pregnant with his child. As the tourist season draws to a close, life is good for Frank Coffin. With all this considered, he has decided he would like to live a little bit longer to enjoy it.

Of course, the quiet off-season is soon interrupted. It all begins when an arsonist sets fire to a dumpster. As more fires begin to pot up around the city, Coffin attempts to catch the arsonist before he escalates to burning down the small town and killing anyone who stands in his way.

Even more troubling is the mental state of Coffins cousin Tom, who is also one of his police officers. For years, Provincetown has fostered rumblings of UFO's in the surrounding area. Locals remain divided on the issue, but Frank becomes directly involved in the matter as Tom begins to speak of his own sightings. As he rambles about being abducted by the invaders, Frank must find a way to ease his cousin's fears and stop the arsonist before the entire town goes mad.

I was very impressed with this novel. While it is certainly not the biggest or most ambitious mystery that I've read, I really appreciated Loomis's subtle way of crafting this delightful story. Frank Coffin immediately comes off as a kind of every man who is easy to root for. Provincetown has the perfect combination of small town setting and quirky characters, allowing a sense of reality to permeate the story. Loomis writes with a refreshingly frank style that makes this novel a quick, suspense driven read.

For more information, visit the author's website http://jonloomis.blogspot.com/,
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/review/R29KG3X2NKAG9R/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm,
and http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13167070-fire-season.

(week 33, book 37)