Four kingdoms in a fragile truce around the Void. Four weapons, each emblazoned with the sacred power of one of Earth’s elements—air, water, fire, earth. Each weapon forged with the mythic power to choose the heir to its throne. In a lost village in the Aquadom, young Noakhail arduously trains to learn the art of the sword. As a baby, on a day the sky turned red, Noakh was chosen to be the … the Ascendant Phoenix, king of Firia, the Fire Kingdom—a fate he remains unaware of. His parents missing, he lives as an outcast with Lumio, his stepfather, until the day Lumio gives him one of the two legendary fire swords whose powers have chosen Noakh to be the heir to Firia. For the time has come for Noakh to return to his homeland to claim the throne.
Even as Noakh begins his ascendancy, a bevy of young, impatient princesses in the Aquadom—the queendom of water—perform the daily sword ritual: one day the water sword shall choose which princess will become the Lacrima, the rightful heiress of the queendom. Everyone expects the honor will fall to the eldest sister, Katienne. After all, she is just like her mother the queen. But will she be the sword’s choice? And whomever the sword chooses, how will the new heiress address the rising threat of Noakh’s ascendancy?
The Sapphire Eruption is the stunning first volume in the intricate Sword’s Choice series , a medieval fantasy saga unfolding in a harsh and vengeful world. It is a story of ambition and resolve set in an environment ruled by the elements. Here, Noakh’s determination and Katienne’s heartless desires threaten to upset the delicate harmony of a world where the flames of fire are countered by water’s tides, and where air and earth hang in the balance.
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The Final Strain is a captivating read all the way through. The characters are well thought out, and the author does a great job of setting them all up in time for the story to get moving. It’s quite an interesting take on a virus outbreak that creates a dystopian future. As we learn more and more about the characters, they learn about themselves, to the point where they make choices one might not have thought they would make before the outbreak. The short chapters allow the story to stay focused. There’s never any dragging or chewing on a lot of description. The book maintains a consistent pace throughout the rollercoaster ride. I am very interested in what else the author has in store in his works. A great story, and a fun read. I highly recommend The Final Strain, especially for science fiction readers.
The process of world creation is, probably one of the most difficult tasks in the literary world. Being able to create complex, believable, and interesting characters is another one. In the present book, the author could not just excel in these two tasks. I.M. Redwright was able to create a story so enticing and interesting that kept me glued to the book. It felt like being there, I could envision in front of my eyes the four kingdoms, and emotionally I was drawn into the internal struggle of the characters. There is only one thing I regret, and that is that I had to interrupt the read when going to sleep or to work. Great job!
I highly recommend the sapphire eruption and as a first book of the series, make the next one a read eagerly waited for. Get your copy today!
this was a fantastic read!!! full of adventure and fun. with a prince who learns how to empower a special sword, and a princess who has her own exciting storyline…this is a win win read for YA and Adults who love action, medieval times, fantasy and folklore!!
The Sapphire Eruption is an epic adventure told with great imagery as kingdoms are built upon in a manner that creates the visual of medieval times. Author Redwright nicely fleshes out each character and it is easy to see how their respective roles tie into the storyline and its secrets. Lumio, the protector of Noakhail certainly drew me into the storyline. His role supports the ultimate sacrifice as he serves to ensure the rightful ruler and heir to the Fire Kingdom live to sit on the throne. Yet, the legend of the Distra sword and the birthright of the chosen one or the phoenix that brandishes it, shape the story. The Distra holds more than just the power of the flames as its owner may hold the future of the Fire Kingdom in the palm of their hands. Needless to say, The Sapphire Eruption is very nicely told with passion and a zeal for a world that Author Redwright so proficiently builds. To that end, there are four kingdoms of great significance in this story. Yet, the kingdom of Noakh’s destiny is the Fire Kingdom. The history that contrasts the power of fire and water kingdoms is very interesting as is the role of the church. Adding elegance to the story are the princesses, their grooming, and the customs that serve to showcase etiquette and decorum. Moreover, this detail-oriented adventure creatively provides in-depth descriptions that support Noakh’s destiny, his sense of identity, and the fiery combats of good versus evil. This compelling saga will keep you on the edge of your seat, anticipating what will happen next. I’m looking forward to Book 2.
Teen and sci-fi delight-Fantasy fiction with an imaginative land. Thrills and action galore. Believable and intriguing characters that pull you into the story.
Great read! Storyline is full of fantasy and keeps you on the edge of the seat.
A page turner!
This was an exciting read from beginning to end! It has a nostalgic quality reminding me of Avatar the Last Airbender just without the bending and for an older audience.
The amount of detail the author put into each Kingdom’s description, culture, and history is a work itself.
The POV allows for the reader to see all sides of the story which only heightens the tension and foreshadowing.
I’m excited to continue reading this series!
This was a fun and very interesting fantasy novel to get through. I loved the depth of each character and the way their stories intertwined. It definitely reminded me Avatar the Last Airbender with the 4 kingdoms based on the natural elements. I also enjoyed the different points of view from which the story was told, getting different sets of opinions and perspectives. The story was filled with lots of action and adventure, and the descriptions brought the scenes to life. In fact, I really enjoyed the intricacy and detail of each kingdom, the people who were a part of it, their customs and just the way of being of each nation. Overall it was a very exciting read and I recommend it to anyone looking for a good book to entertain them.
I’m not well-versed in this kind of knights-and-swords fantasy, so I was a little worried going in that this book would be inaccessible. Thankfully, the author does a good job of starting out with action and focusing on a few main characters, slowly adding more elements as the book goes along. The world is very expansive and we only get a bit of it in this first part, so it seems like it will definitely sustain several more books. The story does not wrap up, so be warned that there is no resolution until more titles are written. It has a Lord of the Rings-style magical journey and plenty of sword-wielding action without the sexual content of Game of Thrones, so I’d say this is a good choice for younger readers or those just getting into the genre.
My first thought, as I read the last words of The Swords Choice – The Sapphire Eruption by I.M. Redwright was, “What? It’s over??? Oh man, what a bummer.” That’s because I absolutely loved this author’s story-telling and did not want to stop reading. Luckily, the story continues in Book 2 so I will have an opportunity to read the full accounting.
There’s so much depth and history throughout this book that it was easy to feel like I was immersed in Noakh, the phoenix’s world. Being a fan of Piers Anthony, I absolutely love it when an author assigns special meanings to words. In this case, the main character’s name, Noakhhail, means “Don’t Give Up” and through many trials and tribulations, he completely lives up to that admonition.
Don’t get me wrong, there are many times when he is on the verge of throwing down his sword, so to speak. Wondering whether he will or won’t is what keeps the story moving along so swiftly. There are so many perils and situations that are full of action and adventure that there’s not a moment of boredom in the entire book. It reminded me a lot of The Sword In The Stone by T.H. White amongst many other rich, epic Arthurian fantasies. I also loved the idea of a world containing four separate elemental kingdoms.
Oh yes, I forgot to say, Noakh comes from the Fire Kingdom where a “phoenix” is chosen to become the new king. Since it happens so early in the story, it’s not really a spoiler to say that he is chosen to be that phoenix when he is a little baby and things go so awry that he must be spirited away to a safe place to avoid being murdered.
There are many other characters to be admired in the book but I have only concentrated on Noakh, here, because he was my favorite. The review, itself, would be as long as a book if I delved too deeply into the others. Suffice it to say, this is a great read. Check it out for yourself.
The Start to What Promises to be an Epic, Fantasy Adventure
On his seventeenth birthday, Noakhail (Noakh) learns that he had been selected by a magic sword to rule the “fire” kingdom of his world. To take his rightful place, however, he’ll need to defeat the current king who commands a formidable army, who has the twin to Noakh’s magic sword, and who has had years of training and practice in its use. That, in a couple of sentences, is the central conflict of the series, The Sword’s Choice. Book 1 of the series, The Sapphire Eruption sees Noakh learn of his situation, attract a small band of followers, and develop his plan to return, which will take him through each of the other kingdoms (water where he’s been in hiding, earth, and air). The book also foreshadows a conflict with the water kingdom, whose magic sword has also recently selected a new queen, Vienne. She too must learn of her sword’s powers and is opposed by the reigning queen. And neither was favored for selection, Noakh being an unknown commoner and Vienne the least ‘queen-like’ of her princess sisters. Coincidences? Maybe, but more likely, the similarity of backgrounds and plights will play into this tale as it unfolds.
The book, like many fantasies, has much to say about the state of our world. The effect of racial biases and the need to look beyond them is one of the more frequent, indirect references to modern society. For example, when surprised by the compassion shown by a giant, Hilzen, one of Noakh’s band, said he “… could see an aura of wisdom in his eyes, an intelligence that he had been unable to see before, blinded as he was by his prejudices.”
With establishing the fantasy world’s system of magic and its strange settings and peoples as primary objectives of book 1, the story is a bit sluggish despite plenty of swordplay and a few twists. That’s because, in a yet-to-be-built world, it’s difficult to know what are real threats to a magic sword unless the prose conveys the danger. In some cases, the text is a bit clinical for that purpose. “The soldier’s sharp sword sliced smoothly through the other soldier’s neck, his head falling with a thud to the floor ….” There is also a question of detail—how much is needed to carry the plot forward without slowing the pace. Consider this description of the water queen’s power: “… the Guards of the Temple were also under her power, but not as firmly as the rest of the guards, since the Guards of the Temple obeyed the Congregation of the Church as a whole, not just the high priestess. The queen had absolute control of all the guards, except for the Temple Guard and the Divine Protection, as these two only obeyed the Congregation of the Church, of which the queen was a part.” Power is an important topic in a book like this, but a more concise description and working it into the story (rather than telling us) would have been better. And finally, there are some repetitions and vague passages that may interrupt your reading, e.g., “Little by little, Noakh retreated, because although the beasts were not very strong, he stood his ground in the face of such numbers.” Was he staying to fight or retreating to regroup?
All told, The Sapphire Eruption is a solid first book of what promises to be an epic, fantasy adventure with interesting characters and a setting filled with magic and strange beings. An additional edit, however, would have let the story move more smoothly.
Great adventure story with lots of plot twists and amazing characters.
The main characters have magical swords (in this installment the fire sword and the water sword are shown but seems there are more to come) and there is lots of tension.
Loved it.
It’s been a while since I’ve read fantasy and I really enjoyed this foray back into such a beautiful world. Noakhail is the hero of the tale, training and attempting to take his throne. There’s an epic battle and loads of twists and turns.
What I really loved about it, though, was the character development and world-building. The author definitely thought it out well. I loved Noakhil’s passion. I also really liked how each element was included and how he had to travel from water to fire. Very cool imagery and set up for the story.
This book won’t disappoint you and you’ll find yourself reading well into the night to find out what happens next!
There are a few points I wish to make when reading I.M’s book;
1. Reminds me so much of avatar and not in a bad way of any sorts, I love the series just as I much love the theme of this book. I half expect an avatar like king who can wield all the elemental weapons and be like “you’re my bitches now.” Jokes aside.
2. I am a sucker for fire, dual-wielding swords and Pheonixs.
3. The religious aspects remind me of dragon age a little, with different kingdoms and clans having their own god and stories of the old ways it’s very cool.
Now that’s out of the way, there are some things to note when first reading and that the story does follow a similar theme we have all seen before, and a slow beginning before the story can finally kick off but do not let that deter you as the author has carefully used this time to develop and, introduce you to their world. Not giving you one large dump of info in one chapter but over the many starting chapters, giving you the most important pieces of information of the lore, the worlds history, the creatures it inhabits, the customs and the four kingdoms. Easy to digest and put together while keeping forward along with the story.
I have in a way been impartial to human characters, regardless if I am reading or watching a movie, I do struggle to be emotionally attached to human characters but when an animal is involved or a friendly giant (wink, wink) I go aww and want to treasure them at all costs.
I very much enjoyed this book, and I look forward to seeing what happens next in the series.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Sapphire Eruption. The worldbuilding was excellent from the nuances and religions of each of the four realms to the underlying tensions between races and beasts. The characters were all well developed, and I rooted for Noakh as he came to grips with his destiny and forged a relationship with his spirited sword. Redwright’s detailed plot had me eagerly turning the pages until the very end as I sought justice and fulfillment for the characters I had grown to cherish. I’m excited to read the next book!
This was a superlative read. It has been quite a while since I was absorbed into a world medieval fantasy, but I have to say this one got me. Vivid characters, unpredictable plot, great pacing, action… everything a quarantined reader needs! I felt like a kid again, escaping the world in my room with an old copy of Tolkien or Lewis, because the one cool language arts teacher said I was ready for this kind of story. First time an indie author brought that feeling back. This one’s legit!
Great characters with enough pungency to keep wanting to turn the pages. Action is key to this novel, plenty of it. I was back in my youth with Robin Woods in Medieval Times. Instead of bows and arrows, the centerpiece to a magical sword woken up from deep sleep. A fantasy…, yes but a great one. This type of book is not usually my forte––I read the whole shebang in 2 days. Great work Immanuel
In the unique fantasy world created by I.M., Redwright, there are four kingdoms based on the four elements in nature: fire, water, earth, and air. In each realm, a sword that determines the next ruler. Noakhail is the baby chosen by the sword in the kingdom of fire. At the ceremony, a bloody battle kills the priest and the baby’s mother. A soldier, Lumio, escapes with the baby and the magical sword, Distra. He raises the boy and teaches him to fight using Distra. After thieves kill Lumio, Noakhail leaves the kingdom of water, Aquadom, and returns to the fire kingdom, Fiero, to claim his throne.
Noakhail must travel through the kingdom of earth, Tirhan, to reach Fiero. There are battles and adventures. He meets unusual characters—a complicated journey for him to return home.
A second story runs through the book. Vienne, a young princess, is chosen as the heir to the kingdom of Aquadom. Her special sword is called Crystalline. She trains with the sword so that she can maintain her position against her older sister.
Do the two heirs meet as adversaries or friends? I won’t say, but you must read the book to experience the exciting journey that brings them together.
I love a great story, and I especially love it when it’s well written, and I love it even more when the world built for it is so enthralling. Check, check, check. Great read!