Spotlight on Rae Carson’s Fire and Thorns Series

I recently listened to the audiobook of The Empire of Dreams by Rae Carson (narrated by Kyla Garcia), the fourth book in the Fire and Thorns series. It reminded me how much I loved this series, and I wanted to encourage others to check it out.

The first three books of the series — The Girl of Fire and Thorns, The Crown of Embers, and The Bitter Kingdom — focus on Elisa. Empire of Dreams focuses on Red Sparklestone, a supporting character in the previous book.

Elisa is the bearer of a Godstone, a powerful mystical object that is key to the magic and religion of her world. Being a bearer means that she has a great role ahead of her, if she can live long enough to reach it. She is married to King Alejandro of Joya d’Arena, a political match that brings with it challenges and opportunities.

The war between Joya d’Arena and the Inviernos is the major conflict in the book, along with the politic machinations that accompany a war. Watching Elisa grow from uncertain teen to capable ruler is a great journey, with lots of twists and surprises.

One of the things I really like about this series is the way that it treats religion. Religion is a big part of the society Elisa exists in, and as a bearer, and important part of her identity. But Carson never made me feel like I was being proselytized. It treated religion as an aspect of the world but wasn’t the moral of the story. In Empire of Dreams, Red is a non-believer, but the characters is shown to still have morals and ethics and respect for the religious beliefs of others.

In Empire of Dreams, Red takes center stage. When a planned royal adoption is jettisoned by those working against Queen Elisa, Red joins the royal guard. Though there is no prohibition against it, she is the first female to join the ranks. Red faces prejudice and sabotage but finds her path and allies along the way. The chapters about life in the royal guard (“now”) alternate with ones about her childhood (“then”) until she meets Elisa.

This series is likely to be a great match for those who loved Graceling and The Hunger Games. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have.