Review of 'The Ancient Fire' by Ellen Read

Review of 'The Ancient Fire' by Ellen Read

Released February 23, 2025

Publisher: Serenade

🔥

REVIEW

Any story with Irish content and Celtic folklore will capture my attention. So the new fantasy The Ancient Fire (Book One of The Triple Goddess series) by Ellen Read caught me from the first line: ‘The enchantment protected her and imprisoned her.’ You know from the very start there will be a struggle, battles and a quest. And lots of mystery, magic and mythical creatures, too. And this novel has it all, including compelling characters that inhabit a unique world with special geography, history and a distinct society. It was easy to escape into this realm and become a part of a genuinely beautiful story with heroes, villains and a heaping measure of love that encompasses maternal, sibling and romantic interests. It was a riveting read to follow such a dedicated leader destined to unite and rule her people with compassion, wisdom and care.

Bree is an inquisitive girl of eighteen who loves to read. The fire for adventure burns in her bones: she desires to ‘ride and hunt and throw a spear, to be like one of the heroes in her books…although they all seemed to be men.’ This chauvinistic view that women have struggled against for centuries is evident in this story about our tender heroine, Bree. She will battle against this thinking, seen in her protector Lu, all the while dealing with multiple challenges in the magical world and learning to reign over and unite her people. Lu constantly reminds her of what she must not and cannot do but she challenges him at every turn with her wit, strength, bravery and skills. During these skirmishes, he is constantly surprised, when she continually defeats the enemy.

When her mother dies from the hand of the enemy, Bree is whisked away from her cave dwelling life. She has been in protective care of her aunt from the time she was born and now she is to be transplanted in her new home as the Triple Goddess. So it is easy to imagine how everything feels out of sorts for her. She is not used to servants, soft beds and all the attention. At first she feels lost in the ‘vast building and this new land.’ Doubts creep in on her (you might say she is suffering from imposter syndrome) as she not only doubts her ability to take care of herself but also to fulfil her role as leader for it is a huge responsibility to ‘look after a world of other people.’ Ellen paints a very realistic and sympathetic picture of Bree’s struggle in moving from a life of simplicity to one of great complexity.

There is a fantastic elusive villain in this story that the author describes in great detail. Mor is most likely inspired by the phantom queen Morrigan in Irish mythology who sometimes takes the form of a raven (or number of ravens). She’s the foreteller of doom, death and war, and comes up against Bree with her ‘good magic’. Of course, Mor wants to eliminate her but Bree is a worthy opponent and the epic battles they engage in are quite elevating and riveting. I was often sitting on the edge of my seat!

This is a thrilling re-imagining of the Irish legend of Brigid and the Sacred Flame: the Triple Goddess associated with spring, healing and poetry. The author draws from a rich well of Irish mythology and it is easy to see how she utilises the content in a fresh, creative way. As a new heir of the Tuatha De Danann, Bree has her hands full, learning, protecting and practicing her powers. There are many layers in this story and wonderful surprises, too! Plus the smooth flowing text, magnetic characters and visually memorable scenes whet my appetite for more.

I will be keen to read book two when it comes out as this is a mesmerising tale that I cannot stop thinking about! I am curious to see more of Bree’s developments, her encounters with the major villain who threatens her world and how the romantic elements will play out between the Triple Goddess and her assigned protector. I absolutely enjoyed The Ancient Fire and certainly recommend it for fantasy lovers. An easy 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Ellen Read for a review copy.