3 reasons Andrea Robertson’s Forged in Fire and Stars is a can’t-miss fantasy release

Andrea Robertson’s Forged in Fire and Stars is a slow-burn fantasy story that will leave you eager for a sequel.

Confronting your destiny isn’t always easy, and that’s something Andrea Robertson’s Forged in Fire and Stars drives home. Although the book’s main character, Ara, has always known she’s a descendant of the Loresmith, she never really thought she’d get to take up the title — at least not until the long-lost prince and princess of her kingdom arrive at her doorstep, hellbent on taking back the throne.

The catch? They believe they need her help to do it, and that means she’ll need to master the powers of the Loresmith. Given that the last Loresmith — Ara’s father — was killed when Vokk took over their land, that means Ara will have to petition the gods for help. There’s no one else to train her, so the teens embark on a journey to find the god Ofrit and win his blessing.

Of course, this is a journey in a fantasy story, so there’s plenty of politicking, running, and fighting along the way — and even if Forged in Fire and Stars is a slow burn at the beginning, its action will have readers biting their nails by the time they’re halfway through.

Forged in Fire and Stars also sets itself up nicely for a thrilling sequel, something readers will be eager to get their hands on after devouring this installment.

If you need more convincing, though, here are the three biggest reasons Forged in Fire and Stars is a can’t-miss fantasy release you’ll want to add to your TBR pile.

The Lore

Robertson’s latest release has no shortage of lore and world building, so it’s perfect for fantasy fans who favor either of those things over character and plot (but don’t worry, there’s plenty of depth when it comes to those facets of the story as well).

Still, the lore is arguably the most interesting part of Forged in Fire and Stars, taking fantasy tropes that appear frequently throughout the genre and putting unique twists on them. From the gods and their history to the history of the Loresmiths, there are so many components of the world building that readers will want to learn more about — and hopefully we will when the next installment arrives.

The Characters

It takes a while to get the full measure of each character in Forged of Fire and Stars, but once readers have gotten to know Ara and her friends, they’ll find it difficult not to root for them — even the ones who may be less trustworthy than they first appear.

And it’s not just the characters themselves that make this a compelling journey; it’s also their relationships with one another. Whether you’re invested in Ara’s blossoming romance with a certain thief or the seemingly strong sibling bond between Eamon and Nimhea, you’ll probably find yourself in your feelings at some point during this book.

The Twists

Forged in Fire and Stars does a solid job of letting readers know a twist is on the horizon without actually revealing what the surprise is. By the time the book is through, however, they’ll have a good idea of where the journey is going — but more questions will have accompanied the answers they did receive.

And that’s exactly where this fantasy story will leave you: sitting in your preferred reading place, wondering when a sequel will arrive.

Forged in Fire and Stars is now available in print, ebook, and audiobook formats.