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The Lesbrary

Sapphic Book Reviews

Lesbrary Reviews

Mfred Reviews Fire Logic by Laurie J Marks.

July 11, 2012 by Danika Ellis

A friend recommended Fire Logic to me, partly because I am a long-time fantasy novel enthusiast, but also with the specific note that it is one of those “invisibly queer” books. By invisible, I do not mean closeted, repressed, or filled with subtext– instead, Fire Logic presents a world where queer characters are never explained; their lifestyles are never narrated as being capital-Q Queer, they just are. Characters never question their sexuality, defend it, or even really discuss it. Rigid gender roles do not exist either; a sword-fighter is as likely to be a woman as a man, and the same for farmers, metalsmiths, etc., and all with very little discussion or explanation. It is a refreshing and delightful thing, to encounter a world where subculture is ordinary, and magic is everyday.

Fire Logic is set in a country at war– the land of Shaftal, left bereft after the leader died without passing his magic onto an heir, was invaded by the ruthless Sainnites. For fifteen years, a guerilla army has been resisting the occupation, with decreasing success. The story is divided between three main characters, Zanja, the sole survivor of her tribe (although, thankfully, this is not a rape-revenge fantasy novel), Emil, a scholar forced back into soldiering by the occupation, and Karis, a metalsmith with a terrible drug addiction and even more powerful secrets. Warfare, politics, romance– Marks rather deftly weaves all together into a well-written story that is both thoughtful and interesting.

I will admit that the prose is, at time, strangely distant. I occasionally struggled to be emotionally engaged. The first third of the book is very slow, and so I had a hard time paying attention to the intricate details and politics. It does pick up, however, and I did become more engrossed– even if I was a little bit removed. Overall, I really liked it, and I look forward to continuing the series.

(Fire Logic was also reviewed previously by Danika)

Categories: Lesbrary Reviews
Tags: , MFred

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The Lesbrary is a sapphic book blog that started in 2010. It's run by Danika Ellis, and we have about a dozen reviewers from around the world recommending sapphic books in every genre. Check out the top navigation bar for more about the Lesbrary as well as options to browse by genre, age category, rating, and more.

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