Harmony of Fire by Brian Feehan-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 28, 2022
The We walk among us–beings who existed long before humans ever did, filled with powerful magic. Owen and Alice are both Etherealist, rare humans born with magic and a target for those We that wish to take it from them. At nine years old and against her will, Alice’s soul was tied to one such powerful and evil We. She escaped and was trained as a weapon so she might one day break the bond and safely return home. Owen is a musician who is trying to outrun his past while keeping those around him safe in an increasingly dangerous world. Only through finding each other do either Alice or Owen have a chance of survival.
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Sandy’s Review: HARMONY OF FIRE is the first instalment in Brian Feehan’s contemporary, adult, ALICE AND OWEN urban fantasy, romance series focusing on musician/gatekeeper/Etherialist Owen Brown, and twenty-six year old, Etherialist/ hunter Alice.
SOME BACKGROUND: The We have been around since the dawn of time. With seven levels of power, the We walk among the people of Earth but a war between Heaven and H*ll forced the We to choose sides, be it angel or demon, Heaven or H*ll. Etherialists are humans born with ethereal magic, magic that can be used and abused by someone else.
Told from third person perspective following several time lines HARMONY OF FIRE focuses on twenty-six year old Alice as she hunts down the demon that controls her life. At the age of nine, Alice found herself ‘bonded’ to a man named Kerogen, who was using our heroine as his source for power. As a member of the We, Kerogen is a demon, one of the strongest of his kind, and Kerogen is determined to reclaim that which was lost. Alice is on the run, hunting for the creature that took away her free will but Alice is determined to destroy every demon that crosses her path, or has the unfortunate luck to be caught in her sights. Alice never expected to meet Owen Brown, a man she considers just as evil, but a man who can control the gates between Heaven and H*ll. Trying to prevent further destruction, Alice is imprisoned by Owen and his ‘people’, people who have power unlike anything Alice has seen before. What ensues is the building relationship between Owen and Alice, as Owen’s people make plans to take down the man who has bonded himself to our story line heroine.
We are introduced to a large cast of secondary and supporting characters, many of whom are a part of Owen Brown’s life, a life spent in service protecting the gates to the beyond.
HARMONY OF FIRE is a slow building but detailed, complex and focused story of angels and demons, power and abuse, magic and mayhem, Heaven and H*ll. There is an inordinate amount of ‘info dumping’ as the author’s world building introduces the premise, some of the backstory and details as to the who, how and why. Owen Brown is a man whose darkness pulls at his soul, a need to tread the fine line between good and evil, as our hero performs music to relieve the fire that burns from within.
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Barb’s Review:
Harmony of Fire by Brian Feehan is the first book in his Alice & Owen series. The We walk among us, beings who existed long before humans ever did, filled with powerful magic. Owen and Alice, who are the main characters in this story, are Etherealist, rare humans who also have magical abilities. We meet Alice, whose soul was bonded to an evil We, when she was nine years old; with the help of a priest, Alice was able to escape. Over the years, she learned how to use her powers, and spends her time to find and kill the man who did this to her; especially since he continues to look for her.
Owen is a musician, who has ability to use his music to reach into the souls of those who listen; he is able to go into the dark roads to heaven and hell. Owen has a wonderful band of young people (I loved most the members, but especially Clover), he is very protective and loyal too; always leaving where they play, when threats are lurking and hunters are too close. One of his band members is underage, and needs protection from others, until she is unbonded when she reaches 18 years old. Owen will take his group to an old friend, where they will be safe; we get to meet some amazing friends of the past, such as Mara, Damon, Cornelius, just to name a few.
Alice, who has become a weapon, enters the bar, where Owen, Mara and others are, and attempts to attack them, thinking they are demons, like the man who forced the bonding on her. They manage to stop Alice, from her attack, controlling her powers, as they imprison her in the basement, until they can prove to her, they are not demons. Owen tries to spend time with Alice, to show her how she was taught wrong, and most of the We are good people, who were being killed by Hunters. In a short time, his attraction to Alice escalates, and slowly she opens up to him, intrigued by his gentle kindness; she too will fall hard for Owen, and learn more about his magical music. When Mara, Damon and Cornelius explain that they might be able to break the bond, Alice begins to open herself up to other possibilities.
I will say that early on, the story was a bit slow and confusing, which in first books of fantasy, is usually normal; by the second half it was very exciting and intriguing. I really loved the chemistry between Owen and Alice. I also loved most of the secondary characters, as Mara, Damon and Cornelius had amazing powers. To say too much more would be spoilers, as you really need to read this, in order to understand. Harmony of Fire is very well written by Brian Feehan, and I look forward to the next book, Harmony of Lies.
Copies provided by Publisher
Excerpted from Harmony of Fire by Brian Feehan Copyright © 2022 by Brian Feehan. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Warning bells flitted through Owen’s mind as a long, skinny arm wearing a simple black and gold leather watch knocked down hard on top of the bar. The clasp to the watch faced up, veins and tendons in the wrist creating lines and valleys for his eyes to follow.
He is freaking out! The thought hit him and reverberated through Owen’s body like a siren going off. He is freaking out. Is this where it starts?
“I need the stamp? Wait! What are you? What the hell are you? You’re not one of the owners? I don’t care. I need protection. Where is the owner?” His voice was fast, and drove in like a ram’s horns, twisting Owen’s gut.
The stranger’s hand reversed from pressing flat and open into a tightened fist, demanding satisfaction. Owen looked from the fist to the stranger’s face.
A sea of humans enjoying the music, atmosphere, or simply wanting drinks framed the new customer. Air in motion stilled as Owen looked, examined, studied. Owen made mental notes of the creature speaking, in case he ever might have a need to find him again.
Five foot eight, on the thin side, black hair parted to the left, wrinkles around the eyes, oval face, nose slightly long, not overly bulbous. Asian American, most likely. Well dressed, in a gray suit, open-collar white shirt, expensive material. Appearance ruffled, sweat around the rim of his hair.
Blue underglow shading just beneath the right eye, as well as along the right jawline. A level two and very frightened.
One of the creatures before earth. One of the We who had celebrated with God, before their choice between going to war, or staying here… One of the We.
Frightened always means deadly when it comes to the We. He doesn’t know who I am. I have to give him something he can hold on to. Be the bartender.
“Hello, sir. Aurei is one of the owners and she just went to the back. She will be out in a moment, and she can help you with what you are looking for. My name is Owen. How about while you wait, I get you a drink, something cold? You look thirsty.”
A patron to the We’s left spoke up. “Hey, I have been waiting for like ten minutes, and this guy just walks in here and you’re going to help him? This is bull. I have girls waiting on me. I was next.”
“Quiet, you fool!” the level two commanded, striking out by infusing his voice with ethereal energy.
Owen watched the wave of words fan out, slamming hard into the patron who had spoken like a blow to the throat. Instantly the patron’s windpipe closed, but the choking didn’t make a sound. The wave of spoken power rippled past like a stone in a pond, silencing those gathered nearest as well.
The power shattered against Owen’s own protection. Like the itch, the protection was a byproduct of ethereal energy stored within, and Owen had more than most.
I hate level twos. They don’t know their ass from their elbow.
Owen’s right hand moved out to the side, with the message Hold. I have this. A clear sign for both Clover and Jessie, who were looking his way.
The release of power in the air was like a foghorn going off to anyone with ethereal power inside the building.
Using the white cooler, Owen stepped up and in one smooth motion leaped over the bar, one hand touching the thick, polished wood for balance as he slipped himself into the small gap that had formed.
The maneuver created reactions but Owen ignored them all, focusing on the thin We with the specs and the human patron who could no longer breathe.
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Brian Feehan is a 2nd generation author, son to #1 New York Times Bestselling author Christine Feehan. He lives in a small coastal town in Mendocino County Ca with his son and the love of his life Michelle. He loves spending time with family, playing tennis, cooking, reading, and of course writing.
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