I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A young warrior growing up on the streets must find a way to save his friend from the jails meant for him, while a young woman studying magic struggles when she has no magic of her own in this fantasy-driven narrative studying class systems and destiny in author Ethan Avery’s “Sword & Sorcery: Frostfire”, the first book in the Sword & Sorcery series. 

The Synopsis

Who’s right and who’s wrong is all a matter of perspective.

Erevan has a problem. He grew up on the unforgiving streets of Bogudos and has the scars to prove it. His friend, however, is stuck in jail because of his mistake. But when a suspicious courier offers him a chance to fix things, should he lift his sword to aid her cause?

Meanwhile, Aireyal has been accepted into the wealthiest and most prestigious magical school in all the land. There’s just one problem. She can’t do magic. But that’s far from the only secret within the walls of Darr-Kamo. And what she discovers might just change the world.

The Review

First and foremost, I absolutely loved the world building in this novel. The classic fantasy and magical elements that one hopes to find in these epic stories was paired so perfectly with the more in-depth and honest approach to class systems and how everyone brings a different and unique perspective to the same situation. I love the exploration of what “good and evil” truly means, which in epic fantasy stories can often be pretty cut and dry. Yet the author elevated this narrative to new heights, and created the right amount of tension and atmosphere to keep the story flowing smoothly and the action feeling intense while creating thought-provoking conversations on how people approach everyday topics of discussion.

The world-building was equally on par with the author’s amazing character development as well. Having not only multiple POVs but storylines running adjacent to one another helped showcase just how vast the world the author crafted was, and allowed the two main protagonists to shine brightly in their own stories. What was also so unique early on was seeing how each protagonist was like a mirror image of the other, with Erevan being more of an act first, think later kind of warrior, whereas Aireyal was more of the bookworm who would often get lost in her own mind. That allowed their individual metamorphosis throughout their narratives to feel equally powerful and great to read. 

The Verdict

Masterful, gripping, and entertaining, author Ethan Avery’s “Sword & Sorcery: Frostfire” is a must-read epic fantasy novel and the first in a brand new series readers won’t be able to get enough of. One of my top picks so far in 2022 for fantasy reads, the author found a great harmony between the world building without sacrificing character growth, and the ability to craft characters that reflected the dynamic and diverse nature of our own world and create new heroes that readers can become engaged with was just truly amazing to read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy on April 22nd, 2022, or preorder your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Ethan Avery believes in the power of stories. As a child growing up in Ohio, they gave him a chance to see a bigger world, and to hear what life was like for people that didn’t look like him or believe what he did. And now years later, he hopes to do the same for others. For more information on Sword and Sorcery and what Ethan’s writing next, please visit www.storiesbyethan.com