Claw & Ember by S.R. Wren follows the torturous journey of Nyra, an isolated farm girl who believes she was born for something extraordinary. When she’s chosen by the gods and bonds with a panther, her life as a Felinar Rider is ordained. War is coming, stirred up between the Felinar and the wolf-bonded Voruun by an unseen hand. But when she encounters a Voruun rider while on patrol and their connection awakens her magic, she struggles to control her power. Riders can’t possess magic; it’s the rule whispered in the corridors of power. But Nyra has both her bonded panther and the growing spark of chaos, and now she’s the greatest threat to her own people. With the mark already appearing on her record, Nyra’s quest takes her to the capital of Felinar, where the mages will either kill or redeem her.

Claw & Ember by S.R. Wren is delivered through clever language patterns that create punchy pacing. The narrative is introspective and deep, drawn from Nyra’s inner pain. Loneliness and confusion thread through the novel alongside its gripping, pertinent theme of seeking, because even though Nyra gains friends in the Riders and bonds with her panther, she is still ultimately alone and striving for something more. I felt enfolded in the story, engaged and sympathetic to Nyra’s isolation. I loved the descriptive world-building even in its bleakness. S.R. Wren is a genius with words, sleek and engaging, the narrative reading like riddles. This concise description of Nyra’s last contact with her father doesn’t waste a single word but evokes incredible depth. ‘I finished. Stood. Waited. He nodded once. That was goodbye. That was all I got.’ I highly recommend this series.

Nyra was tired of the harsh, rigid life of her rural village, where gruelling labor and expectations were the norm. She craved a life with more meaning and purpose. Entering puberty, a phase associated with the onset of magical and special abilities, she is subjected to a momentous rite meant to reveal her abilities. After exhibiting potent power, Nyra is summoned to Firestone, a training fortress where individuals are trained to bond with great cats and endure hardship to be Riders. However, as Nyra begins her training with other recruits, she realizes that she might not have understood the nature of her powers or even her true potential. And that these might be her downfall or her way up the ladder of power and influence. Find out how it all goes down in Claw and Ember: Empire of Claw and Ember Book 1 by S. R. Wren.

Nyra is a complex, independent, pragmatic, and sometimes cynical girl who embodies the struggle of pursuing personal desires under the crushing weight of societal expectations. Her journey from the village to Firestone and beyond explores themes of self-discovery, identity, empowerment, magic, power, connection, and more. The storyline unfolds through a first-person perspective and short, declarative sentences, all of which anchored me into Nyra’s actions and thoughts. The prose is gritty and visceral, mirroring the oppressive backdrop of the story. The author tinges the narrative with a constant sense of danger and tension as through the harsh training, fledgling border conflicts, and volatile political environment, violence and disaster always seem to lurk nearby. Lovers of fantasy and adventure novels blended with romance, drama, and suspense will find Claw and Ember by S. R. Wren an enthralling read.