The Fireborn Chronicles: Fireborn Found

Mary Andrews
Swimming Kangaroo Books (2007)
ISBN 9781934041505
Reviewed by Deb Shunamon for Reader Views (5/08)


I really enjoyed reading “The Fireborn Chronicles: Fireborn Found,” but am not entirely sure why it was written. Mary Andrews’ novel tells of the forming of a Universal Government Dark Ops unit and its wired leader, assassin healer, and empathic/telepathic members. The little control these characters feel they have over their own lives proves to be nothing compared to what they will eventually discover.

The novel moves quickly, beginning with the realistic relationship between a high ranking mother and her adopted teenaged son, who happens to be so good at what he does that he is dangerous. From here the various team members are collected, their individual situations explained, and their allegiance to one another tested. Overall, the familiar characters are believable and well written. The author also provides some terrific settings on planets that I would have liked to have spent much more time on, and her writing is clear and relaxed. However, while I liked what she wrote very much, there are some confusing bits, such as the abruptness of the main character being a teenager on one page, and on the next apparently an adult calling another teenager a kid, but perhaps the greatest puzzle is why this book was written. I felt as if I was reading a very long (but interesting) introduction simply describing the settings and characters that will soon be embarking on adventures that may change their universe. The reader never actually gets to one of these stories, and I was quite unsatisfied at the end.

There is a lot to like in “The Fireborn Chronicles: Fireborn Found.” This is a book with late teens as heroes, realistic relationships, wonderful settings, and great action. With a bit more work, this could be quite an interesting series on its way. The author has a great imagination, and the writing ability to share it with us.

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