the Fyrelit Tragedy by Alison Lochel, Nicholas Lochel

Published by Hachette Australia on June 30th 2015
Genres: Action & Adventure, Fairy Tales & Folklore, Fantasy & Magic, Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 288
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Goodreads


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Five years after the death of their parents, poor farm boys Neleik and Ervine Fyrelit witness the kidnapping of their beloved little sister, Skye. Determined to rescue her, the Fyrelit brothers set off on a journey into darkness. As they traverse unknown lands, they meet loyal companions and face powerful enemies in the hope of rescuing their sister. And they discover a long-hidden secret that will change their world forever . . . THE FYRELIT TRAGEDY is the first in the four-book Zarkora series, from the Australian brother-and-sister writing team, Nicholas and Alison Lochel.

When their little sister Skye is kidnapped by the man who killed their parents, brothers Neleik and Ervine Fyrelit embark on an epic journey to rescue her. They will do whatever it takes to get her back. In an adventure which emcompasses travelling strange lands, magical creatures, oddball companions and the revelation of epic secrets – Neleik and Ervine never give up hope on their quest to rescue Skye and reunite their family.

For those who enjoy heroic quest stories -the Zarkora series is for you. Neleik and Ervine are great characters to follow as they travel across the magical realm of Fynaglade with single minded determination to find their sister. The people they meet along the way are colourful and add an extra element of excitement to their mission.

The Fyrelit Tragedy is a great introduction to what promises to be a fantastic series. The writing is great for younger readers but there is a lot going on and is sure to keep the interest of older readers too. The authors have invented their own magical sport and introduced such an interesting range of supporting characters. There are a lot of surprises along the way which keeps the plot moving at a great pace. Neleik and Ervine grow a lot over the course of the novel and I can’t wait to see what happens next. There’s a slight dash of romance for one of the brothers but for the most part this book is driven by the quest they have to save Skye.

I’m not usually a big fan of middle grade novels but I thoroughly enjoyed Zarkora: The Fyrelit Tragedy. The writing is great and flowed so well – I never would have guessed there was more than one author. It is exciting complete with magic, villains and adventure. I highly recommend this book for fans who loved Percy Jackson for the heroic quest, Jack Mason Adventures for the mystery and the Chronicles of Narnia for the magical world.

 

Thanks to Hachette Australia for the review copy. 

Note: I first read this book a year ago. I was at a book launch in Brisbane and overheard Nicholas and Alison talking about their novel. It wasn’t my usually read but I loved how enthusiastic they sounded and knew this was a book I had to read. I bought a copy and got them both to sign it that night – which is probably the worst thing you can do when you’re at the launch for another author’s book (I also bought a copy of the book launched that night. It was Intruder by Christine Bongers – GREAT book. You should track down a copy!). Nicholas and Alison are both lovely people and I’m so glad their series has gone from being self-published to being picked up by Hachette!