Synopsis

The gods are gone. Magic is lost. Vengeance is nigh.

There is death in the north; entire settlements slaughtered in the night by unknown hands. But dead things do not rest. Mages and scholars from across Breitho search for answers, to no avail.

The church clings to a whispered prophecy to bring back the gods and end the horrors in the dark.

But none of them understands what is truly at stake.

In her tiny village, Sarah Brandt has her own problems. She has witnessed her friend’s murder and is now running for her life.

Her frantic escape takes her to a circle of Druid stones, where something ancient and powerful is waiting in the darkness. When she encounters the burning presence within the stones, Sarah’s world changes forever.

Now it isn’t just justice she seeks, but salvation.

Not for herself, but for all humankind.

Quick Review

Ember and Steel is a dark fantasy tale that cleverly balances the gruesome and joyful parts of this richly detailed world. Sarah is the star of this story, a “chosen one” who doesn’t quite fit the mold.

Full Review

Ember and Steel is a triumphant debut from author Donna Morgan. What begins as a brutal and calloused story, quickly becomes something much more nuanced. The book contains many of the hallmarks of dark fantasy—betrayals, battles, and tragic backstories—but Morgan also takes the time to indulge in other things: the flavor of each meal, the spark of romance, the feeling of being in an unfamiliar place… Ember and Steel could have been a fine dark fantasy novel, but Morgan elevates it into something far more interesting.

The story follows Sarah, a woman who is thrust from her life of obscurity and thrown into the middle of a conflict tied into both the setting’s current politics and a cosmic power struggle. All of this comes from her encounter with a Druid circle, where she encounters a fiery presence that holds immense power.

You might recognize this story. We love our unlikely heroes, after all. What really sets Sarah apart is the fact she’s neurodivergent—something I don’t believe I’ve seen in a fantasy novel before. Or, at least, not in the point-of-view character. Morgan never sensationalizes or uses Sarah’s neurodivergence as a crutch, and instead uses her busy mind and feeling that she doesn’t belong to fuel the plot. She struggles to understand and accept what she is becoming throughout the story in a way that makes her ultimate acceptance of it more satisfying. Nothing was just handed to her, after all.

I enjoyed Ember and Steel, but I did find the pacing a bit awkward at times. Some sections felt as though they lasted a bit too long, while others felt rushed. Certain tasks or fights could at times feel like they were resolved too easily, and while the final chapters put a nice bow on the book they also leave us without any consequences for Sarah and her companions’ decisions. This isn’t inherently wrong, but it strikes me as odd for a dark fantasy story to have such a positive ending.

There is clearly a wealth of lore to this world as well, which we’re treated to in bits and pieces through the characters Sarah meets, and through short passages about Breitho’s religion or history at the start of each chapter. Ember and Steel feels like a complete novel, but there is clearly so much more room for Morgan to expand upon what’s here in the rest of this series.

I recommend Ember and Steel. If you’re looking for a new and original dark fantasy tale, this book will hook you from the very beginning. However, the more you dig into Sarah’s journey and the world of Breitho, the more you’ll discover that there’s something special here. Keep an eye on Donna Morgan and this series. 

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Diana Croft, who did a great job balancing the darker scenes against the lighter ones—and making sure each felt important.

Thank you to the author for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.