Fans of Gillian Philip's Firebrand novels will be thrilled to get their hands on this stunning prequel, set when Seth's mother Lilith met his father, the Sithe captain Griogair, for the first time. Starting with Griogair rescuing the youngster from the Lammyr, who have kept her captive for years, it follows Lilith trying to settle into the way of life of the Sithe as Griogair keeps an uneasy eye on her... and those of us who've read Firebrand and Bloodstone realise that he's right to be worried. When a young Sithe boy starts to bully Lilith, he’s clearly taking a massive risk…
Those of you who haven't read Firebrand or Bloodstone will no doubt be thoroughly confused, but this is fairly clearly written for Philip's existing fans rather than as a jumping-on point. That's not to say that it's inaccessible to newcomers; I feel that it will almost certainly have much more of an impact if you know how main characters Lilith, Leonora, and Griogair develop in the future though. For everyone who's already hooked on the tales of the Sithe, this is a recommendation without question - it's short but impactful, it fleshes out the background of Seth's parents, and the writing is as wonderful as we've come to expect from Philip by now. This is the kind of novella that e-readers are perfect for, and at a fantastic price.
Overall this is a very strong recommendation if you’ve read those first two books, while if you haven’t I’d urge you to check out the amazing Firebrand first, then Bloodstone, and finally turn your attention to this novella.
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