Review: Dreams of Fire by Shauna Lawless

Blurb:

The immortals of Ireland renew their ancient warfare as the new generations come to terms with their place in the world. Part of Shauna Lawless's critically acclaimed Gael Song series, Dreams of Fire introduces medieval Ireland as it was a century before The Children of Gods and Fighting Men.

Rónnat and Fódla are Descendants of the Tuatha Dé Danann. They live a peaceful life with their aged warrior father in the north of Ireland. The Fomorians – age-old enemies of their kind – are thought to be battle-vanquished, for no conflict has been fought between their immortal races for generations.

But rumours of war and endless shifting allegiances mean that the Descendants' position is not secure in the mortal world. There are powerful voices among the Descendants who want their kind to dwell permanently in strongholds hidden from mortals – threatening Rónnat's love of freedom.

And the Fomorians, though greatly reduced in number, are far from vanquished. Led by their mighty prince, Balorach, the remaining Fomorians, with their gift of fire-magic, seek to destroy the Descendants.

The Descendants have the advantage of their own magical powers, and mighty warriors defend them... but if they cannot be beaten, why do the voices Rónnat hears on the wind speak of death and destruction?

Review:

I've made absolutely no secret about how much I love the Gael Song series and Shauna Lawless' writing. And given that I am going more and more feral waiting for The Land of the Living and the Dead, this has been the perfect balm to help me through the wait. 

As Shauna says in her author's note, "If you've read The Children of Gods and Fighting Men, [she] hopes this novella has answered some of those questions lurking in the back of your mind about the elusive Rónnant." It absolutely does. I'm going to do my best to keep this spoiler free if you've not dipped into Gael Song yet. 

From the opening passage from The Annals of the Descendants of Tuatha, we're weaved back into the magical landscape that we've come to know and love from Shauna. I'm a sucker for anything that feels like a dreamy story or someone telling a story around a fire and it ticks that box with a bold marker. 

What we know about the Formorians and Gormflaith's mother in particular is more or less limited. We know there are few Formorians left, like single digits left, and this really provides the first fuller glimpse about the war between them and the Descendants. We also know that the 

Descendants had a Gathering to vote to live in their fortress and we get those gaps filled in to a point as well. As Shauna points out herself, it most of all answers some questions about Rónnant, which if you're like me you've been wondering about the choices she made that kicks things off in The Children of Gods and Fighting Men. 

Now, I was with Rónnant before on her distrust of Tomas, and following this I am still with Rónnant on her distrust of Tomas, if not doubling down on it. But there is more lurking in his story with Fódla than we could have known from the two books so far. Consequently, I am actually left with more questions about everyone, which is not making me less feral in my wait for the final book. Talking of the final book, the scene where Rónnant is talking to the wind, something we know is warned against from Gael Song #1,, The Land of the Living and the Dead goes much deeper into the lore of this magical Ireland than just the final book's title. I am very excited for this. 

This is just one of the things that Shauna has weaved into the book to hint at what's to come and also provide background for what's passed that we've, up to now, only heard of. The conversation between Rónnant and Colmon, Rónnant's gifts, Fódla's role in all this. If you've already read Gael Song up to now, this is going to leave you wanting to go back through and put the puzzle pieces together. There is just so much hiding between them and this novella. If you haven't started Gael Song yet, and this is your first dip into it, you will get to see so much more at how seemingly separate occurrences connect together. 

This might be a short read but by no means is it less impactful than Gael Song so far.