I really enjoyed The Phoenix King by Aparna Verma, book 1 of the Ravence Trilogy- south east asian inspired fantasy fiction.
I received a copy of the book for a free and unbiased opinion.
In my opinion, there aren’t enough science fiction fantasy books out there and this book reminded me why I love this little sub-genre so much. The author’s world-building is intricate and vivid with the technology seamlessly woven in with the fantastical elements of prophecy and magic. The prose becomes hypnotic towards the middle of the book and I could easily see this book on TV or the screen.
The story is told from the points of views of Leo, Jassen and Elena. Elena is the royal heir desperately trying to gain control of Fire who has a secret mission kept hidden from the King.. King Leo, however, is my guilty favourite- thauthor manages to make this King sympathetic despite sending people to death by fire. Jansen is a mixed Jantarian and Ravian assassin now trying to do right by the heir
The Ravani Fire is a malevolent presence lurking in the background of the book, pushing and influencing the characters but also, attacking and caressing them- a character in it's own right!
There is a slow burn romance but this never overtakes the main story which moves along with plenty of intrigue, dram, action and magic
I can't wait to read the next book after that ending!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. I really enjoyed this one, the world building is a fantastic blend of fantasy and sci-fi/futuristic elements that work really well together. The world building also flows well with the story with no clunky info dumping. The characters were well-rounded and each of the POV characters had a distinct voice. They all have very different motivations and multiple sides to them, which gives them a complexity I love to read. I think the romance aspect in the books was a little underdeveloped compared to other aspects of the book, but this is a minor point. I look forward to book 2!