A Kingmaker. A fantastic world-building. Magic and gods. I was excited to read A Promise of Fire when I browsed through its blurb. A Promise of Fire is promising a lot. Anyway, what is A Promise of Fire? If you haven’t heard of this, I’m unsure what you are reading in the world.
A Promise of Fire is a Greek mythology-inspired adventure romance story.
I was always intrigued by Greek Mythology. Actually, lots of adventure stories have taken inspiration from it, from film to printed literature. So, A Promise of Fire catches my attention. And since this is a story of a Kingmaker I expected there to be political themes too in the plot.
Imagine a love story set in a Greek era that involves magic and gods! All these elements present hook my taste! Okay, but let’s check out if A Promise of Fire really delivers what it promises.
Also Read: Scepter of Marahuyo
- Part 1: The Plot of A Promise of Fire
- Part 2: Main Protagonist of From Blood And Fire
- Part 3: Plot Review of A Promise of Fire
- Part 4: Recommending a Similar Book To A Promise of Fire
Part 1: The Plot of A Promise of Fire
There’s one of you every two hundred years. Kingdoms rise and fall for you. Because of you.
Being a Kingmaker, a woman who discerns truth through deception carries with it that responsibility. For years, Cat of A Promise of Fire has been hiding from her family and those who seek to use her, until she meets a stubborn warlord who has recently conquered a kingdom and who had abducted her.
Griffin, of A Promise of Fire, also known as Beta Sinta to the outside world, wants to establish his family’s dominance by enlisting the help of the mages, and Cat’s abilities are just what he needs.
However, things are not as straightforward as they appear, and when mercenaries and monsters begin to seek them when war breaks out inevitably when Gods intervene, and when Cat’s past threatens to ruin her present, things become anything but easy.
Cat begins to understand that although many cares about her and wish to keep her safe, the cost might be too high.
You’re my life now. We’ll live together, or die trying.
Even though Cat accompanied Griffin against her will, she never stopped reminding him that he kidnapped her. Cat of From Blood And Fire is a stunning, self-assured, calculating, and strong warrior who uses violence when necessary but has a good soul and a desire to better his people. And I tell you, Blood And Fire had some extremely steamy scenes, yet
Griffin and Cat’s relationship isn’t all that but sacrifices.
Part 2: Main Protagonist of From Blood And Fire
Cat
Do people talk about fight or flight? That’s nonsense. It’s fight and flight.
We have a badass heroine here in From Blood And Fire. Cat was raised to fight. She wields magic. Kingdoms were on her shoulder. She’s not the type of girl you want to mess with.
Because attachments only endanger her life, she tried not to get attached to anyone. She was obstinate but devoted to the few people she thought deserving of her loyalty. She would go far to protect her loved ones no matter what. Cat of From Blood And Fire is a character to root for, and she was crafted in ways where it’s easy for readers to love her.
Griffin
Griffin is the male lead in A Promise of Fire and Cat’s love interest. In order to help his family rule, Griffin wants to enlist the aid of mages, and Cat’s known kingmaking abilities are highly helpful to him. But not everything in this chaotic world is as it seems; mercenaries and creatures start to hunt them mercilessly.
Griffin’s character in A Promise of Fire was at first not a gentleman. He kidnaps Cat and does not even give her privacy to use the bathroom. He’s dominant and threatening yet he’s sexy and bold. It’s just that Griffin and his family don’t have magic, yet they had just ruled a kingdom so in order to maintain their influence, they need Cat, someone who wields magic.
Part 3: Plot Review of A Promise of Fire
The setting for the novel, A Promise of Fire is a world ruled by Greek gods, with several kingdoms and a population made up of both magical and non-magical individuals.
Cat is referred to as a “Kingmaker” since she can spot lies and hear the truth when someone speaks one. She is therefore useful in the game of politics. Lies burn her on the inside, like some kind of electric weapon.
On the other hand, Griffin, the male lead of A Promise of Fire, and his family recently seized a kingdom without the use of magic therefore Cat is necessary for them to maintain their dominance. I like the concept of A Promise of Fire. It is such a creative concept to mix mythology, politics, action, and romance, plus with a strong female lead.
As I said a while ago, at one glance you’ll get that A Promise of Fire really promises a lot to its readers. And yeah, I get all that it promised in the beginning. I was entertained. Although there is a downside of the character building of Griffin, it wasn’t noticed for the plot itself was creative.
Part 4: Recommending a Similar Book To A Promise of Fire
If you love mythology and folklore being incorporated in a romance story, like with the premise of A Promise of Fire, I’m sure you too will enjoy A Scepter of Marahuyo. It also tells the adventure of a kickass heroine.
The plot involves magic and transmigration. The Scepter of Marahuyo tells the story of Holly one of the mediocre mages of Marahuyo Academy. Despite dreaming of becoming a traveling mage, her master forced her to apply as the next Scepter of Benia, a position of power in their nation.
She agreed since she was going to fail it anyway. However, joining the Selection spells her doom at the hands of no other than her best friend, Olivia, who became the current Ruler. As Holly is drifting out of consciousness, she suddenly wakes up as her sixteen years old self, with all her mage friends around her, still unaware of the future.
Given a second chance, she decided not to join the Selection and gain the strength she needed to pursue her dream of becoming a traveling mage amidst a monster-riddled world. Meanwhile, the guy she loves who had been with her through triumph and pain had forgotten about her and all the adventures they both shared together.
Thus, as Holly tries to change her fate, she is also changing the lives of those around her, most of which had repercussions that she could never undo. The Scepter ofMarahuyo is an adventure romance story incorporated too with folklore themes.
