Survive My Fire
Joely Sue Burkhart
Reviewed by Vanessa Lee
Long ago, Chanda sinned grievously against her
people and
was cursed, transformed into a white dragon that resumed human form
under the
full moon. She has suffered for thousands of years, doomed to her hated
existence
until the dry Well of Tears overflowed to water her dry and thirsty
land.
Many warriors have come to challenge her, seeking
her death
for their own means. She has killed them all, but the latest, Jalan, is
different. He knows her secret. He knows how to get past her defenses.
He knows
how to get what he wants.
He's not afraid to use her.
This leads to a battle unlike any Chanda has known and
ultimately to an alliance with the potential to change their world.
The story starts off strong, immediately grabbing the
reader's attention and sweeping her along on a fast-paced, exciting
journey.
The descriptions are vivid, the characters are strong, and the sex is
not only
well written but also actually pertains to the plot. It is erotic
fantasy at
its best – hot and sexy without loosing the thread of the story or
becoming
bogged down in unnecessary intimate moments.
Though at only 72 pages, Survive My Fire is more a
short story than a novel, it lacks little because of that. Burkhart
weaves her
story well. The first page is as enticing as the last and the pace
never lags
but never feels rushed. It's an unbelievably fantastic tale, but one
that makes
it delightful to suspend disbelief.
There are few things that could make Survive My Fire
a slightly more enjoyable read. A glossary to define the words in the
characters' language would not go amiss. Though a few of the words are
defined
in the text and many can be figured out with context clues, some
readers will
find the completely foreign words distracting... even as others
proclaim they
add to the flavor of the story.
That aside, Survive My Fire is a delightful story
that will leave readers wanting more. This novella does exactly what it
is
intended to do – hooks the reader into the premise of the universe and
gets her
excited about the authors other stories. The good news is that there is
a
planned trilogy of full length novels set in this same world. The bad
news is
that as of the time this review was written they're still "coming
soon."
Still, Burkhart has a delightful story in Survive My Fire
and I, for one, am looking forward to more from her.