Sage Fire Reviews

The Fire Within

“Stop Dragon My Heart Around”

The Fire Within is a brilliantly conceived vignette from author Joely Sue Burkhart, set amongst the forbidding desert lands of Keldar. Though the work is novella length, Ms. Burkhart uses her words to good effect, introducing us to compelling characters, and some truly stunning landscapes. It forms a bridge between the events in Survive My Fire and The Rose of Shanhasson, but holds it own as an enticingly fiery tale of true love and possession.

Synopsis: 

Eleni has been trapped under the cruel thumb of her tyrannical brother Darius since childhood. She must do anything he wishes, however capricious or cruel, or suffer his wrath. Darius is now hard-pressed by Princess Jenna and as more and more of the noble houses flock to her, he fears the throne of the Green Lands will be lost. Eleni suggests a dangerous ploy—she will allow herself to be captured so that she may secure him new allies amongst the savage and unpredictable tribes of the Keldari.

Darius is reluctant to let her go, but he is reassured by the knowledge that he can visit her in her sleep, and torture or kill her if she tries to escape. For escape is exactly what Eleni has in mind. She plans to throw herself at the feet of her captors and beg for their protection. But can the courageous Eleni survive the harshness of Keldar, where water is a commodity to die for, far more precious than gold?

At first, her scheme seems successful. Zahak, a saif of Keldar, buys her on behalf of his ambitious brother, Amin tal’Cobra, who wishes to become azi’Keldar, ruler of all the Keldari tribes. But she is soon unwillingly drawn to the handsome and fiery Zahak, and he, though it be treachery, to her. Within him lies deeply shadowed grief, and the powerful frenzy of a winged beast—the red dra’gwar, but Eleni, captivated by a tenderness she has never before experienced, allows him to mark her as his own.

Now Zahak must fight to the death to protect her—from both his brother Amin’s schemes and her increasingly harrowing dream encounters with Darius, who takes on a dragon form of his own. When the black dragon attacks, all of Keldar may fall prey to his ravening madness. Only the unbreakable bond that Eleni and Zahak share, and the strength of the Red dra’gwar touched with White, stand in his way.

Impression: 

The descriptive passages in The Fire Within are as evocative and wide as the deserts within which this book is set.  I soon felt caught up in the long histories of conflict and fate within the Green Lands and Keldar, which the author layers seamlessly into the narrative.  Heat—sensual and searing—pulses through every page of the story, bringing both passion to the lovers and painful torture in the burning sands of Keldar.

Though this book joins a conflict in progress, I was not confused by the story, or the evocative language.  Ms Burkhart is careful to keep the events reasonably simple, though the political machinations are there in the background.  This novella stands on its own merits, as a stirring love story between two people whom destiny drives together.

 I usually enjoy books with a strong female lead, one who is willing to risk everything in the pursuit of happiness.  The author has given me such a character in Eleni, and I quickly grew to care about her and the very hunky Zahak.  The description of the sensual massage that he gives Eleni was one of the highlights of the book for me:

"There was a seductive magic in the slow powerful glide of his hands. She knew he meant to loosen sore muscles, but she felt possessed and treasured in a way she’d never felt before. His hands moved higher, massaging up her hamstrings, and she moaned softly. Heat pooled in her abdomen. Spices soaked into her nose, stirring the Fire sparking in her veins."

Lovely, lovely stuff.  A great read.  I look forward to more from Ms. Burkhart.

RATING:  8 Campfires

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Two candles for some tasteful sensual description, certainly intended for mature audiences.

2 Flames for sexual content.

Author's credentials:

Joely Sue Burkhart

Joely always has her nose buried in a book, especially one with mythology, fairy tales, and romance. She, her husband, and their three monsters live in Missouri. By day, she’s a computer programmer with a Masters of Science degree in Mathematics. When night falls, she bespells the monsters so she can write. Read more about her current projects at on her blog.

 Reviewer's credentials:

Suzanne Francis was born in a hotel in King's Lynn, Norfolk, England and spent much of her early life traveling widely with her military family. In addition to writing, her passions include music, neo-paganism and tramping through the countryside. She now makes her home in Dunedin, New Zealand along with her husband and four children.

Heart of Hythea by Suzanne Francis is available now from
www.mushroom-ebooks.com/authors/francis_suzanne/heartofhythea.html
and the Amazon.com Kindle Bookstore.

Visit Suzanne at:  www.suzannefrancis.com

All work © 2008, MD Johnson, all rights reserved.