We hunt the flame

Oh, I come from a land, from a faraway place
Where the caravan camels roam
Where it’s flat and immense
And the heat is intense
It’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home

Humming the intro of Aladdin in my head I reach for this novel, high expectations and coffee in the hand I settle in to travel to one of the world’s richest places (both in culture and magic) in this highly anticipated debut of 2019.

But the desert is a mysterious place, filled with wonder and deadly pitfalls. And so was this novel. I am going to start this off by saying you will either love this or hate this.  But this is a great place to start if you want to ease into YA fantasy.

We hunt the flame is a story about finding hope in dark times. A band of unlikely friends, who individually set out to find a cure for a curse plaguing their lands find adventure on a cursed island. An unique approach to a familiar storyline, with a rich cultural background. The voices are authentic and believable and quite easy to follow.

I am conflicted about this book. At times it felt like I wouldn’t be able to put it down and there were times where I had to force myself to pick it up again. I did celebrate the end, even if I felt it was slightly predictable. But that being said, as with others I felt this way about, I am quite keen to see what the sequel holds. The stage is set for greatness and I hope the opportunity was seized.

The story holds promise of a great sequel, should the opportunity that presented itself be embraced.

I honestly expected more. But I do want to applaud the author for not flooding this book with mainstream approved “requirements” and sticking to cultural significance and background. The bilingual approach to this book has value, some more than others, although it did affect my ability to get completely lost in the story.

This is a great first fantasy read. I would highly recommend you pick this up if that is the case. However, if you are well versed in the art of fantasy, you will still enjoy it, just view it as a relaxing read.

Synopsis

People lived because she killed.
People died because he lived.

Zafira is the Hunter, disguising herself as a man when she braves the cursed forest of the Arz to feed her people. Nasir is the Prince of Death, assassinating those foolish enough to defy his autocratic father, the king. If Zafira was exposed as a girl, all of her achievements would be rejected; if Nasir displayed his compassion, his father would punish him in the most brutal of ways.

Both are legends in the kingdom of Arawiya—but neither wants to be.

War is brewing, and the Arz sweeps closer with each passing day, engulfing the land in shadow. When Zafira embarks on a quest to uncover a lost artifact that can restore magic to her suffering world and stop the Arz, Nasir is sent by the king on a similar mission: retrieve the artifact and kill the Hunter. But an ancient evil stirs as their journey unfolds—and the prize they seek may pose a threat greater than either can imagine.

Set in a richly detailed world inspired by ancient Arabia, We Hunt the Flame is a gripping debut of discovery, conquering fear, and taking identity into your own hands.

Have you read this? Let me know what you think in the comments section.

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