Of Honey and Wildfires by Sarah Chorn

If you’re a regular reader of self-published or independent fantasy (if not, why not?), you’ve probably heard of Sarah Chorn, an editor par excellence for many of the big names such as Rob J Hayes and Michael R Fletcher. Turns out she is quite the author too. This is the first of her books that I have read, and it certainly won’t be the last.  

So, what’s it all about?

Of Honey and Wildfires is set in a fantasy America back in the early days of the oil rush, except it is not oil, but a magical element called “Shine.” Like the old days of many such discoveries, the lack of technology, health and safety protocol and empathy cause loss of life on a massive scale. Yet despite this early death sentence, because one could earn enough money to provide for one’s family, people signed up in droves to, eh, mine Shine. Of course, the only people who really made any money were those who already had it, and of those, Matthew Esco, the king of the Shine empire, is making the most. When he sends his son and heir Arlen out to the frontier to check out the operation, things take a turn for the worse, as Arlen gets kidnapped by noted industrial terrorist Chris.

We also hear from Chris’ daughter Cassandra, who was initially brought up by her father but was left with her aunt to become “civilised,” I guess. Cassandra is of mixed race (although I’m not sure that’s the correct term in this case), and naturally treated as a pariah. Being known as the infamous Chris’ daughter certainly doesn’t help, and her introduction to civilised life is eye-opening in the worst possible way. We also hear from her best friend Ianthe, who offers a counter-viewpoint to Arlen and Cassandra.

Is it any good?

Abso-bloody-lutely. This is not a fun story, but it’s a good one. You know that scene in the movie Airplane where one of the passengers has a panic attack and people line up to slap her? This is kind of what this story is like. Arlen goes on a voyage of discovery, from being kidnapped to finding out about the sham that his life has been to the horrors of Shine mining on which his future empire is built. Cassandra never had any delusions about her life, yet it seems to spiral downwards, causing her to yearn for the days she spent with her father, tough though there were. The sole bright spots are her relationship with Ianthe and with her adoptive family, but even these bring their own hardships. 

The world-building is terrific, a western setting so authentic that I feel like I read it as one of those many westerns I have watched over the years. The all-pervading Shine is everywhere, from lighting to transport, weapons and even medicine, and it is even an addictive substance. The story is told in an almost poetic format, with lyrical beauty attached to even the most mundane of images. Our storytellers are mostly charismatic, although Ianthe is the weakest of the trio, but has less of the story to tell. Despite the slow nature of this type of story i.e. character-driven), it rattles along at a rapid pace, pushing the plot hard and rarely giving us time to breathe.    

Verdict

A must-read that takes you on a voyage of discovery that encapsulates love, family and friendship.

• Format: E-book
• Obtained from: Amazon
• Print length: 318 (pb)
• Publisher: Independent
• ISBN: 9798636689713