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Reviewed by J. Aislynn d'Merricksson for Readers' Favorite
Fire Above by CH MacLean was quite an interesting fantasy read. It might have begun with the familiar theme of slaves and their inhuman oppressors, but soon enough became far more than that. I have to admit, it was a bit before we learned what exactly these 'lords' were, and it drove me nuts. Well done! The oppressors have a variety of magickal/psychic skills, most notable of which is the ability to 'puppet' their slaves. This is basically taking over the slave's body, while leaving the mind quite aware of what they are being forced to do. The oppressors do this with terrifying frequency.
Throughout most of the book, characters are not given specific names. This did annoy me at first, for I love names. However, it fitted the context of the story quite well. The slaves aren't allowed names, and it makes sense that the slaves would not be allowed to think of their masters in terms other than titles - lords, Queen. The story is told from a slave's point of view, and this tactic helps immerse one in the slaves' way of thinking. Names do come into play later in the book.
At a later point, you also get to see a part of the population learning to redefine their culture and who they are. As someone with an interest in anthropology, and how culture forms and shifts, I found this enjoyable. There were a few places where I found the book to be a bit sluggish, scenes that could be pared down a bit, but, overall, CH MacLean's Fire Above was quite an enjoyable read.
