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Trials of Fire and Rebirth
An immortal who can’t remember the past and a god who wants to forget it�
An Ning wakes in a male body with no memories. When she uses her immortal magic to feed refugees, they worship her as a god and call her Peace Bringer. Yet peace eludes An Ning.
Karana hates being the God of Destruction. He would happily abandon his role and leave ruling the universe to his relatives. Unfortunately, those relatives are insisting he deals with the Cult of Alag Karana and its new tendency to burn women alive.
When the cult leads Karana to An Ning’s village, he realizes his regrets are tied to An Ning’s mysteries.
But even if they face their dark history,can they build a brighter future?
Explore a wondrous world in this intricate tale of sorrow, love, and redemption.
An Ning wakes in a male body with no memories. When she uses her immortal magic to feed refugees, they worship her as a god and call her Peace Bringer. Yet peace eludes An Ning.
Karana hates being the God of Destruction. He would happily abandon his role and leave ruling the universe to his relatives. Unfortunately, those relatives are insisting he deals with the Cult of Alag Karana and its new tendency to burn women alive.
When the cult leads Karana to An Ning’s village, he realizes his regrets are tied to An Ning’s mysteries.
But even if they face their dark history,can they build a brighter future?
Explore a wondrous world in this intricate tale of sorrow, love, and redemption.
- GenresFantasy
320 pages, Hardcover
Published June 14, 2022
2 people are currently reading
1,497 people want to read
About the author
Edith Pawlicki
8books63followersRegarding ratings - I only keep books on my shelves that I want to give 4 or 5 stars to - I am quite decisive about what I enjoy, so I rarely finish books that I don't and as a fellow author, it feels rude to broadcast when a book wasn't for me.
About me -With twenty-six first cousins and three older siblings, I grew up playing with all of them in the woods of Connecticut. I majored in computer science and Japanese and minored in history at the University of Rochester. After graduating, I taught English in Japan before moving to the Seattle suburbs, getting married, and earning my Masters in Teaching. The birth of my twin sons in 2016 turned me into a full-time mother, and when they turned two, I resumed my hobby of writing because the characters and worlds occupying my head were keeping me awake at night! In 2021, I felt ready to share a novel, so I published Minerva followed by the first two books of the Immortal Beings series.
About me -With twenty-six first cousins and three older siblings, I grew up playing with all of them in the woods of Connecticut. I majored in computer science and Japanese and minored in history at the University of Rochester. After graduating, I taught English in Japan before moving to the Seattle suburbs, getting married, and earning my Masters in Teaching. The birth of my twin sons in 2016 turned me into a full-time mother, and when they turned two, I resumed my hobby of writing because the characters and worlds occupying my head were keeping me awake at night! In 2021, I felt ready to share a novel, so I published Minerva followed by the first two books of the Immortal Beings series.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 8, 2022
One of the most poignant books I have read so far this year, "Trials of Fire and Re-Birth" by Edith Pawlicki is a beautiful, enrapturing Asian-inspired fantasy novel about love, loss, gods, faith, reincarnation, body dysphoria, gender, and ultimately, hope. I was truly moved by this book, and so happyI read it!
The story is focused on two main characters, An Ning and Karana. An Ning awakens after disasterstrikesa small village called Xiling, in the body of a man. This is extremely disturbing to her, since, to the best of her recollections, she has always been a woman. Still, for the most part, her memory is foggy. Intervening to help save some courtesans who are being bullied by a mob who believe the courtesans are partly to blame for the disaster of Xiling being burned, An Ning moves on to travel with them, and other refugees trying to start anew in the aftermath of the catastrophe.
She eventually discovers, with thehelp of a particular courtesan who has befriended her, that she has god-like powers, and uses them to help feed her companions. This act causes the refugees to venerate An Ning as a god. It is proven in time that An Ning is indeed a powerful immortal being. In time she establishes her own following, and for centuries going forward is worshiped as a god called Peace Bringer, though she is a very minor deity in the hierarchy of the gods.
One who is not minor in the pecking order of the gods is the God of Destruction, Karana. Karana has lots of family drama, in the main court of the top gods. At one time, he was an exile from the grand court. In addition to this, he is weary of his long life, especially the loss of his many mortallovers over the centuries.
Moreover, he is not particularly enamoured with being a god in the first place, and is haunted by his turbulent past. Yet the other gods won't let him shirk his responsibilities, and demand he get to the bottom of a cult that murders women, tied to worship of Karana himself. Karana's further inquiry into the cult leads him to the village where An Ning is the ruling deity.
A mutual attraction blooms, though Karana has never been drawn to men before, and An Ning had previously believed she was asexual, since she had never wanted either man or woman before meeting Karana. Were these two powerful beings destined to be together all along? Or will their differences, insecurities, and past traumas inevitably keep them apart?
This book may only have been approximately 300 pages, but the character work accomplished in this relatively small page count is astounding. The complexities of both main characters, and the situations they find themselves in, are vividly brought to life. An Ning, who is kind, noble, and benevolent at her core, is troubled by feeling like she is in a body that she does not belong in.
Encountering Karana, and her feelings for him, only compound this issue for her. As An Ning begins to unravel the mysteries that surround her awakening in the ash of the burned village, and how those mysteries are intertwined with the man she loves, we the readers see her courage, fralities, and confusion laid bare.
While there are a lot more shades of grey to Karana, I believe the reader will come to appreciate and admire him, as An Ning loves him, for the inner good that composes his fundamental make-up. Karana can be terrifying, unrepentantlyvengeful, and in his blind desire for revenge, obtuse, at times, as the God of Destruction.
But overall he is a good person, and a very sympathetic character that I truly enjoyed reading about. The stories of his lost loves, the inevitability of a god who stays eternally youthful never being able to have lasting (by immortal standards) relationships with mortals whose life spans are destined to be short, makes the reader feel empathy towards Karana.
The auxiliary characters are wonderful. Chika, Akemi, and Miho, the Sea Dragon'sgranddaughters, and faithful disciples of An Ning, stole my heart. Bai's sarcasm and wit as the smartest person (God) in the room, Guleum as a compelling villain, and the compassionate, sensitive yet all-powerful Threefold Goddess, were fantastic additions to the many interesting and diverse characters that populate the pages of "Trials of Fire and Re-Birth".
The worldbuilding is excellent, lush, Asian-inspired. Pawlick's world comes replete with blood-thirsty creatures like the Xuezei, palaces contained within magic domes of air or suspended in heaven by the will of the gods alone, immortals, spontaneously formed from...well anything, capricious gods, my favourite, the Bulgae which are are immortal creatures that resemble dogs but made of fire, and so many more amazing characteristics.
There is a rich and colourful history and backstory of many millenia, poetry, gorgeous maps, illustrations, timelines, and family trees interspersed THROUGHOUT the novel at just the right reading juncture (as opposed to at the beginning of the novel or as appendices) that really enhance the reading experience.
There is a glossary of names and places at the end of the book as well. A great magic system, including teleportation, and lots of mystery and ambiguity (which I like) around the extent of powers of the gods (who are not completely invulnerable, and can be killed), was icing on the cake to the incredible worldbuilding.
There are numerous time-line jumps, as the long life of the gods warrants a lot of flashbacks, but there are always notations at the beginning of these jumps two help keep things straight for the reader. But be warned: be prepared for them, or one might find oneself confused.
The themes in this book are heavy, but extremely thought-provoking and well handled. Sexual assault, molestation, homophobia, transphobia, racism, suicide, infanticide, and mental health are all integral in the book, and while Pawlicki does not depict them graphically, she does not shy away from them either. At the heart of the love story between Karana and An Ning, is An Ning's gender, how she sees herself, how others see her, and how she WANTS to be seen.
An Ning presents as a male for much of the book, though she identifies and refers to herself - and is referred to by the author - with female pronouns, while other characters refer to her with male pronouns. In the world of "Trials of Fire and Re-Birth", homophobia and transphobia does exist,and adds inner turmoil for An Ning.
Because of that kind of bigotry, additional angst about her feelings towards Karana arises. But this is an extremely gender and sex-positive book, and the adroit and sensitive way in which Pawlicki deals with these issues is highly commendable.
There are some great action sequences in the book. Again, in terms of the author's descriptions, it's less about being explicit (as with the themes I alluded to above), but more about being emotive with these scenes. After reading these scenes, they feel reminiscent of classic Kung fu & martialarts movies, in terms of the abilityto capture the immensity of the moment, though the choreography of the actual fight is not as detailed as those movies, if they were translated to book form.
My minor quibble with this incredible book is that some of the modern colloquialisms seemed a bit at odds with the type of tale written. Yet on a whole the prose was very good, sharp, clear, and at times, quite poetic, with some absolute gems of quotable lines sprinkled throughout the book.
This book definitely moved me, and the beautiful love story, great worldbuilding, engrossing themes, and tales within tales was just my jam.
A relatively short book that packs a huge wallop, easily five stars for "Trials of Fire and Re-Birth" by Edith Pawlicki. Loved this one!
The story is focused on two main characters, An Ning and Karana. An Ning awakens after disasterstrikesa small village called Xiling, in the body of a man. This is extremely disturbing to her, since, to the best of her recollections, she has always been a woman. Still, for the most part, her memory is foggy. Intervening to help save some courtesans who are being bullied by a mob who believe the courtesans are partly to blame for the disaster of Xiling being burned, An Ning moves on to travel with them, and other refugees trying to start anew in the aftermath of the catastrophe.
She eventually discovers, with thehelp of a particular courtesan who has befriended her, that she has god-like powers, and uses them to help feed her companions. This act causes the refugees to venerate An Ning as a god. It is proven in time that An Ning is indeed a powerful immortal being. In time she establishes her own following, and for centuries going forward is worshiped as a god called Peace Bringer, though she is a very minor deity in the hierarchy of the gods.
One who is not minor in the pecking order of the gods is the God of Destruction, Karana. Karana has lots of family drama, in the main court of the top gods. At one time, he was an exile from the grand court. In addition to this, he is weary of his long life, especially the loss of his many mortallovers over the centuries.
Moreover, he is not particularly enamoured with being a god in the first place, and is haunted by his turbulent past. Yet the other gods won't let him shirk his responsibilities, and demand he get to the bottom of a cult that murders women, tied to worship of Karana himself. Karana's further inquiry into the cult leads him to the village where An Ning is the ruling deity.
A mutual attraction blooms, though Karana has never been drawn to men before, and An Ning had previously believed she was asexual, since she had never wanted either man or woman before meeting Karana. Were these two powerful beings destined to be together all along? Or will their differences, insecurities, and past traumas inevitably keep them apart?
This book may only have been approximately 300 pages, but the character work accomplished in this relatively small page count is astounding. The complexities of both main characters, and the situations they find themselves in, are vividly brought to life. An Ning, who is kind, noble, and benevolent at her core, is troubled by feeling like she is in a body that she does not belong in.
Encountering Karana, and her feelings for him, only compound this issue for her. As An Ning begins to unravel the mysteries that surround her awakening in the ash of the burned village, and how those mysteries are intertwined with the man she loves, we the readers see her courage, fralities, and confusion laid bare.
While there are a lot more shades of grey to Karana, I believe the reader will come to appreciate and admire him, as An Ning loves him, for the inner good that composes his fundamental make-up. Karana can be terrifying, unrepentantlyvengeful, and in his blind desire for revenge, obtuse, at times, as the God of Destruction.
But overall he is a good person, and a very sympathetic character that I truly enjoyed reading about. The stories of his lost loves, the inevitability of a god who stays eternally youthful never being able to have lasting (by immortal standards) relationships with mortals whose life spans are destined to be short, makes the reader feel empathy towards Karana.
The auxiliary characters are wonderful. Chika, Akemi, and Miho, the Sea Dragon'sgranddaughters, and faithful disciples of An Ning, stole my heart. Bai's sarcasm and wit as the smartest person (God) in the room, Guleum as a compelling villain, and the compassionate, sensitive yet all-powerful Threefold Goddess, were fantastic additions to the many interesting and diverse characters that populate the pages of "Trials of Fire and Re-Birth".
The worldbuilding is excellent, lush, Asian-inspired. Pawlick's world comes replete with blood-thirsty creatures like the Xuezei, palaces contained within magic domes of air or suspended in heaven by the will of the gods alone, immortals, spontaneously formed from...well anything, capricious gods, my favourite, the Bulgae which are are immortal creatures that resemble dogs but made of fire, and so many more amazing characteristics.
There is a rich and colourful history and backstory of many millenia, poetry, gorgeous maps, illustrations, timelines, and family trees interspersed THROUGHOUT the novel at just the right reading juncture (as opposed to at the beginning of the novel or as appendices) that really enhance the reading experience.
There is a glossary of names and places at the end of the book as well. A great magic system, including teleportation, and lots of mystery and ambiguity (which I like) around the extent of powers of the gods (who are not completely invulnerable, and can be killed), was icing on the cake to the incredible worldbuilding.
There are numerous time-line jumps, as the long life of the gods warrants a lot of flashbacks, but there are always notations at the beginning of these jumps two help keep things straight for the reader. But be warned: be prepared for them, or one might find oneself confused.
The themes in this book are heavy, but extremely thought-provoking and well handled. Sexual assault, molestation, homophobia, transphobia, racism, suicide, infanticide, and mental health are all integral in the book, and while Pawlicki does not depict them graphically, she does not shy away from them either. At the heart of the love story between Karana and An Ning, is An Ning's gender, how she sees herself, how others see her, and how she WANTS to be seen.
An Ning presents as a male for much of the book, though she identifies and refers to herself - and is referred to by the author - with female pronouns, while other characters refer to her with male pronouns. In the world of "Trials of Fire and Re-Birth", homophobia and transphobia does exist,and adds inner turmoil for An Ning.
Because of that kind of bigotry, additional angst about her feelings towards Karana arises. But this is an extremely gender and sex-positive book, and the adroit and sensitive way in which Pawlicki deals with these issues is highly commendable.
There are some great action sequences in the book. Again, in terms of the author's descriptions, it's less about being explicit (as with the themes I alluded to above), but more about being emotive with these scenes. After reading these scenes, they feel reminiscent of classic Kung fu & martialarts movies, in terms of the abilityto capture the immensity of the moment, though the choreography of the actual fight is not as detailed as those movies, if they were translated to book form.
My minor quibble with this incredible book is that some of the modern colloquialisms seemed a bit at odds with the type of tale written. Yet on a whole the prose was very good, sharp, clear, and at times, quite poetic, with some absolute gems of quotable lines sprinkled throughout the book.
This book definitely moved me, and the beautiful love story, great worldbuilding, engrossing themes, and tales within tales was just my jam.
A relatively short book that packs a huge wallop, easily five stars for "Trials of Fire and Re-Birth" by Edith Pawlicki. Loved this one!
Currently reading
April 19, 2022I really love this book. Of course, every book I write is special to me, but this came together in a particularly satisfying way.
The idea for it actually came up in Tale 1 of the Immortal Beings - Karana is the uncle of a main character (Jin) in that book. He's very kind to her and she loves him a lot, and yet I had given him a rough backstory - burning down a city and killing 10,000 mortals! I kept thinking about this contradiction: the God of Destruction is a big softie.
In Tale 2 of the Immortal Beings, I introduced immortal creatures who reincarnated by bursting into flame (the Phoenix and the Bulgae), and I started wondering about that aspect of the magic system.
And then came An Ning. She's probably my favorite character so far - she's both strong and kind, and she takes care of every one she meets... which is why she really needs someone to take care of her. And again, I thought I saw an interesting way to expand the magic system I had been creating with her character.
Anyway, this story makes me emotional and happy, and I loved exploring objective truth versus subjective belief and how they influence each other. I hope others find as much delight in reading it as I found writing it!
The idea for it actually came up in Tale 1 of the Immortal Beings - Karana is the uncle of a main character (Jin) in that book. He's very kind to her and she loves him a lot, and yet I had given him a rough backstory - burning down a city and killing 10,000 mortals! I kept thinking about this contradiction: the God of Destruction is a big softie.
In Tale 2 of the Immortal Beings, I introduced immortal creatures who reincarnated by bursting into flame (the Phoenix and the Bulgae), and I started wondering about that aspect of the magic system.
And then came An Ning. She's probably my favorite character so far - she's both strong and kind, and she takes care of every one she meets... which is why she really needs someone to take care of her. And again, I thought I saw an interesting way to expand the magic system I had been creating with her character.
Anyway, this story makes me emotional and happy, and I loved exploring objective truth versus subjective belief and how they influence each other. I hope others find as much delight in reading it as I found writing it!
June 8, 2022
Trials of Fire and Rebirth is an absolutely beautiful story and artwork in this book is breathtaking! It's a story of love and fate. The characters are complex and wonderful. You can feel the love and the connection between them. I liked the world and the magical system. Edith Pawlicki truly knows how to captivate her readers! Such an amazing storyteller! When I read this one I had to go back and read the others! Each one can be read individually but this truly is an amazing series! I can't wait to see what the next book brings us!
May 10, 2022
4 starsFirst off let me just say thisbook is beautiful... I mean I know that the cover is not the book but it is just so beautiful you are missing out if you are not holding this book in your hand the maps and art inside the book are just breathtaking. now having said that the story doesn't disappoint....Edith has a way with her story and her imagery that details fly off the page to let yourimagination soar with her on this journey. An Ning is a loveable character and I found her relatable, Karana was a strong Male lead without being over dominant and I felt the love story between the two was beautiful. the story moved along at a wonderful pace for me and I actually liked the flash backs which is saying somethingcause I normally DON'T. as this book is number 3 in the series but a stand alone I can definitelysay that the other 2 books are going on my TBR.
May 2, 2022
I loved this book.
Some parts made me uncomfortable. Some parts made me laugh. Some parts made me tear up. A lot of parts made me think. And all throughout, it was a ton of fun.
In a nutshell, the story follows two primary characters and braids together their adventures, romance, and struggle for self-definition. The main characters are good people, but happen to be minor gods, and the book explores their relationships with the world, each other, and their own selves.
I feel like a lot of stories that grapple with "who am I / who do I want to be" questions tend to be super angsty melodramas (and I have little patience for their whiny characters); but that is definitely not the case here; both characters have strong senses of self from page one, but their views become more nuanced and evolve over time as they struggle with how others perceive them and what role they want to play in the world. I found it very true-to-life (despite the fact that I'm not an immortal who is worshiped as a god).
Readers of the preceding books will find some fun continuity bonuses, but Trials of Fire and Rebirth stands on its own: if you were only planning to read one book in the series, I'd recommend you read this one.
I love books that inspire reflection, and I 100% recommend this one.
Some parts made me uncomfortable. Some parts made me laugh. Some parts made me tear up. A lot of parts made me think. And all throughout, it was a ton of fun.
In a nutshell, the story follows two primary characters and braids together their adventures, romance, and struggle for self-definition. The main characters are good people, but happen to be minor gods, and the book explores their relationships with the world, each other, and their own selves.
I feel like a lot of stories that grapple with "who am I / who do I want to be" questions tend to be super angsty melodramas (and I have little patience for their whiny characters); but that is definitely not the case here; both characters have strong senses of self from page one, but their views become more nuanced and evolve over time as they struggle with how others perceive them and what role they want to play in the world. I found it very true-to-life (despite the fact that I'm not an immortal who is worshiped as a god).
Readers of the preceding books will find some fun continuity bonuses, but Trials of Fire and Rebirth stands on its own: if you were only planning to read one book in the series, I'd recommend you read this one.
I love books that inspire reflection, and I 100% recommend this one.
June 23, 2022
I started this one yesterday and, unsurprisingly, breezed thru it. It's just so hard not to get lost into the world this author creates. The writing is so beautiful and the story captivating.
I absolutely LOVE that this is filled with illustrations that have quips and facts underneath. I also love the map and timeline as I'm such a sucker for these types of details in fantasy books.
I said this before, and I'll repeat it here, this gives me all the vibes of the Asian martial arts movies of old. They were my favorite and I still go back and watch them once in a while. Those movies were so colorful, full of graceful moves and had gorgeous backdrops. This book, as with the prior 2, are reminiscent of those films and bring back all the love and feels.
Despite this being book 3 in The Immortal Beings series, this can definitely be read standalone. If anything, this will make you want to grab the other two because the writing and story are just that good.
I sincerely appreciate the publisher and By the Book VBP for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
I absolutely LOVE that this is filled with illustrations that have quips and facts underneath. I also love the map and timeline as I'm such a sucker for these types of details in fantasy books.
I said this before, and I'll repeat it here, this gives me all the vibes of the Asian martial arts movies of old. They were my favorite and I still go back and watch them once in a while. Those movies were so colorful, full of graceful moves and had gorgeous backdrops. This book, as with the prior 2, are reminiscent of those films and bring back all the love and feels.
Despite this being book 3 in The Immortal Beings series, this can definitely be read standalone. If anything, this will make you want to grab the other two because the writing and story are just that good.
I sincerely appreciate the publisher and By the Book VBP for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
July 6, 2022
Edith Pawlicki has been a joy to know as an author. I love mythologies, and this follows in the steps of recent novels like Kaikeyi, Electra, and Adriane. Unlike these novels, Pawlicki’s novel breaks away from the tradition of female protagonists and rather creates An Ning as a complex and nuanced gender-fluid character.
It is no wonder that Pawlicki’s novel has been praised as an LGBTQ fantasy explores gender fluidity through its main character, as we follow An Ning in their journey for seeking the truth. This adventure story is filled with twists and turns, often keeping you at the edge as there is a struggle for truth, for one’s identity, and the exploration of Gods! Following An Ning’s journey in the novel kept me hooked, and made me want to read the entire series (although this novel can be read as a standalone). The final element this novel explores is fate and how we cope with it. Pawlicki beautifully explores these themes in the third installation of the Immortal Beings series.
This book was published on June 14, and is available for purchase! Please get your copy if you are a fan of sci-if/fantasy genre!
It is no wonder that Pawlicki’s novel has been praised as an LGBTQ fantasy explores gender fluidity through its main character, as we follow An Ning in their journey for seeking the truth. This adventure story is filled with twists and turns, often keeping you at the edge as there is a struggle for truth, for one’s identity, and the exploration of Gods! Following An Ning’s journey in the novel kept me hooked, and made me want to read the entire series (although this novel can be read as a standalone). The final element this novel explores is fate and how we cope with it. Pawlicki beautifully explores these themes in the third installation of the Immortal Beings series.
This book was published on June 14, and is available for purchase! Please get your copy if you are a fan of sci-if/fantasy genre!
July 11, 2022
I loved this book it was a great bit of more story to this already really well fleshed world. I loved the characters so much but I especially loved An Ning and Karana they fit so well together these two have loved on another for many of An Ning's lives many of which Karana feels like he has failed her and how what he is does that curses all whom he has ever loved. I loved the plot it started as a slowing moving story of An Ning remembering lives and the many tragic ways she has died with Karana never being able to stop a single one for which he feels cursed the story moves to telling me about Karana and how this all started I really loved the ending though a great end to an amazing story.
May 2, 2022
I was a beta reader for this book. I've been so captivated by this 3 part series I couldn't wait to read the final book. Although this one can easily be read as a stand-alone book, the whole series has been fantastic and I'd highly recommend reading them all. This book explores love and fate through time, and feels fresh in how it deals with communication struggles, family dynamics, and identity. Have a glance through the glossary at the end before starting to read to get a better sense of the terms in this fantastical world of gods and goddesses.
September 25, 2022
Title: Trials Of Fire And Rebirth
Author: Edith Pawlicki
Synopsis: An immortal who can’t remember the past and a god who wants to forget it�
An Ning wakes in a male body with no memories. When she uses her immortal magic to feed refugees, they worship her as a god and call her Peace Bringer. Yet peace eludes An Ning.
Karana hates being the God of Destruction. He would happily abandon his role and leave ruling the universe to his relatives. Unfortunately, those relatives are insisting he deals with the Cult of Alag Karana and its new tendency to burn women alive. When the cult leads Karana to An Ning’s village, he realizes his regrets are tied to An Ning’s mysteries.
But even if they face their dark history,can they build a brighter future?
Review: This book was perfection it’s is book three in the series and was not a disappointment and I think it is my favorite of this series so far! Every time I pick up your books I have to keep telling myself it’s not researched but it reads like it was. The love story was beautiful and I was rooting for them the entire time! The complexities of these characters is immaculate! Please pick up this series! Everyone that reads it gets something out of it!
Author: Edith Pawlicki
Synopsis: An immortal who can’t remember the past and a god who wants to forget it�
An Ning wakes in a male body with no memories. When she uses her immortal magic to feed refugees, they worship her as a god and call her Peace Bringer. Yet peace eludes An Ning.
Karana hates being the God of Destruction. He would happily abandon his role and leave ruling the universe to his relatives. Unfortunately, those relatives are insisting he deals with the Cult of Alag Karana and its new tendency to burn women alive. When the cult leads Karana to An Ning’s village, he realizes his regrets are tied to An Ning’s mysteries.
But even if they face their dark history,can they build a brighter future?
Review: This book was perfection it’s is book three in the series and was not a disappointment and I think it is my favorite of this series so far! Every time I pick up your books I have to keep telling myself it’s not researched but it reads like it was. The love story was beautiful and I was rooting for them the entire time! The complexities of these characters is immaculate! Please pick up this series! Everyone that reads it gets something out of it!
July 11, 2022
"... it's more like I was floating, lost, and then someone embraced me, and I was where I was suppose to be."
My heart, my soul will never be the same after reading the vividly beautiful descriptive fantasy novel Trials of Fire and Rebirth by new favorite fantasy author Edith Pawlicki.
Though the third book in the Immortal Beings series, this story is very much a stand alone, perhaps even a prequel. Either way it is a must read for fantasy, romance, mystery, mythology and fans of literary fiction with meaning and purpose.
The profoundly precise world building in this story is completely immersive to the senses. You will feel the burning sun, the destructive fire and fear the mythical creatures.
An Ning, an immortal being wakes up in a male body with no memories. Yet her core essence, her good being, reigns within as she figures out her magic and uses it to feed and care for the refugees in her village. They worship her as a god named Peace Bringer. Despite her good deeds she is very much lost not just in her body but her soul.
Katana, god of destruction, is also lost, hating his powers and responsibilities and feeling like something is missing from his life. His latest mission, to uncover and destroy a cult who are burning women alive, takes him to An Ning's village. He soon realizes they have a connection which may be the answer to his unhappiness and her lost memories.
Are they each other's redemption, love or death? Or maybe all three? Through their adventures and trials they may get burned but in the end find salvation.
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
My heart, my soul will never be the same after reading the vividly beautiful descriptive fantasy novel Trials of Fire and Rebirth by new favorite fantasy author Edith Pawlicki.
Though the third book in the Immortal Beings series, this story is very much a stand alone, perhaps even a prequel. Either way it is a must read for fantasy, romance, mystery, mythology and fans of literary fiction with meaning and purpose.
The profoundly precise world building in this story is completely immersive to the senses. You will feel the burning sun, the destructive fire and fear the mythical creatures.
An Ning, an immortal being wakes up in a male body with no memories. Yet her core essence, her good being, reigns within as she figures out her magic and uses it to feed and care for the refugees in her village. They worship her as a god named Peace Bringer. Despite her good deeds she is very much lost not just in her body but her soul.
Katana, god of destruction, is also lost, hating his powers and responsibilities and feeling like something is missing from his life. His latest mission, to uncover and destroy a cult who are burning women alive, takes him to An Ning's village. He soon realizes they have a connection which may be the answer to his unhappiness and her lost memories.
Are they each other's redemption, love or death? Or maybe all three? Through their adventures and trials they may get burned but in the end find salvation.
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
June 17, 2022
An Ning awakens in ash, not remembering anything besides her name and that she is female�.but her body is male. When she makes rice to feed refugees that helped her, one refugee realizes she must be a god. This begins the story of The Peace Bringer.
Karana is known as The God of Destruction. He is traveling the world following a cult that burns women alive in the hopes of reincarnation. Karana comes across An Ning and mistakes him for someone he once loved that died 3000 years ago. Feeling drawn to him, Karana stays with The Peace Bringer for 30 years, neglecting his duty to stop the cultist. When An Ning tries to thwart an attack on some women, she is taken prisoner and her disciples were attacked. One of her disciples is murdered, and Karana feels guilty as if it were his fault. Together, Karana will find the cultist leader and An Ning will locate the soul of her disciple to reincarnate�.while also learning her past�.
My thoughts:
Yet again this author slayed. I love her take on mythology. She weaves such unique and vivid stories. This one was full of romance, regret, anger, justice, accepting yourself, power, and more. It was just a spectacular tale.
Karana is known as The God of Destruction. He is traveling the world following a cult that burns women alive in the hopes of reincarnation. Karana comes across An Ning and mistakes him for someone he once loved that died 3000 years ago. Feeling drawn to him, Karana stays with The Peace Bringer for 30 years, neglecting his duty to stop the cultist. When An Ning tries to thwart an attack on some women, she is taken prisoner and her disciples were attacked. One of her disciples is murdered, and Karana feels guilty as if it were his fault. Together, Karana will find the cultist leader and An Ning will locate the soul of her disciple to reincarnate�.while also learning her past�.
My thoughts:
Yet again this author slayed. I love her take on mythology. She weaves such unique and vivid stories. This one was full of romance, regret, anger, justice, accepting yourself, power, and more. It was just a spectacular tale.
June 28, 2022
An Ning wakes up in a male body with no recollection of what came before. Although An Ning is inherently female, outwardly, she's a male. An Ning helps a village & they, in turn, worship her as a god, calling her the peace bringer. When her path crosses with Karana, the god of destruction, she feels like she's known him forever, and he feels the same. Can An Ning's peaceful ways and Karana's destructive ways find a way to co-exist?
"Why did he ruin everything? Why was he destruction? Why couldn't he be hope?"
What a beautiful story! I immediately fell in love with the character of An Ning. She was dynamic and just a genuinely beautiful soul. Her desire to do good in her world shone through the pages. Her discomfort with her physical form was so well written that I felt her pain. I can't say enough about her.
Karana was a dark character who could not see his own light, and I enjoyed watching his journey. Like An Ning, he struggled with who he was, but his was an internal struggle of a different nature.
The love story here was heartwarming. The twist was beautifully unveiled. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll leave it at that.
Take this from me, someone who is NOT a fantasy fan, read this book & you will not be disappointed. It is Book 3 in the series, but it serves as a good entry point & could be read first.
"Why did he ruin everything? Why was he destruction? Why couldn't he be hope?"
What a beautiful story! I immediately fell in love with the character of An Ning. She was dynamic and just a genuinely beautiful soul. Her desire to do good in her world shone through the pages. Her discomfort with her physical form was so well written that I felt her pain. I can't say enough about her.
Karana was a dark character who could not see his own light, and I enjoyed watching his journey. Like An Ning, he struggled with who he was, but his was an internal struggle of a different nature.
The love story here was heartwarming. The twist was beautifully unveiled. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll leave it at that.
Take this from me, someone who is NOT a fantasy fan, read this book & you will not be disappointed. It is Book 3 in the series, but it serves as a good entry point & could be read first.
July 9, 2022
This is the third book in the "Immortal Beings" series, and by far my favorite. My husband commented to me when he saw this book and said that it's not my usual book that I would pick up (apparently he didn't pay attention when I was reading the first two??) But he is correct, because I'm not into mythology that much. This series has really piqued my interest; I highly recommend checking them out.
Anyways, more about this book. I loved the character An Ning. Her backstory is very interesting (and disturbing). She is a very complex character (waking up from the ashes and realizing that she is now a man) who deals with a gang rape and arranged marriage. But she is also strong, and I love that in a book (a strong female lead).
I do have to admit I didn't like Karana's character in the first two books, but he definitely grew on me in this book. I love the love story between An Ning and Karana. And when you get to the end, it's even a more beautiful love story (if you read the book, you know what I'm talking about).
Oh, and my other two favorite characters are Ember and Blue. They reminded me of my sister's new puppies.
Anyways, more about this book. I loved the character An Ning. Her backstory is very interesting (and disturbing). She is a very complex character (waking up from the ashes and realizing that she is now a man) who deals with a gang rape and arranged marriage. But she is also strong, and I love that in a book (a strong female lead).
I do have to admit I didn't like Karana's character in the first two books, but he definitely grew on me in this book. I love the love story between An Ning and Karana. And when you get to the end, it's even a more beautiful love story (if you read the book, you know what I'm talking about).
Oh, and my other two favorite characters are Ember and Blue. They reminded me of my sister's new puppies.
June 25, 2022
Trials of Fire and Rebirth is the third book in the Immortal Beings series, but it can be read as a standalone or first since you'll probably want more of this fantasy world after reading one book.
Trials of Fire and Rebirth centers around Karana and An Ning which I was super excited about because Karana was my favorite side character from the first two books. Some of the characters from the first two books do appear in this one, but you won't be lost if you don't read them first. Trials of Fire and Rebirth was unputdownable. It is heartbreaking yet beautiful and I wouldn't change a single thing about it.
Edith has created a beautiful fantasy world filled with mortals, gods, and immortal creatures. I highly recommend the entire Immortal Beings series, but Trials of Fire and Rebirth is my favorite book. I hope there will be more books set in this world because I'm not ready to let go.
Thank you to Edith and By the Book VBP for the book in exchange for my honest review.
Trials of Fire and Rebirth centers around Karana and An Ning which I was super excited about because Karana was my favorite side character from the first two books. Some of the characters from the first two books do appear in this one, but you won't be lost if you don't read them first. Trials of Fire and Rebirth was unputdownable. It is heartbreaking yet beautiful and I wouldn't change a single thing about it.
Edith has created a beautiful fantasy world filled with mortals, gods, and immortal creatures. I highly recommend the entire Immortal Beings series, but Trials of Fire and Rebirth is my favorite book. I hope there will be more books set in this world because I'm not ready to let go.
Thank you to Edith and By the Book VBP for the book in exchange for my honest review.
June 15, 2022
I was lucky enough to beta-read Trials of Fire and Rebirth. All I can really say is, READ IT!! It's reflective, funny, beautiful, heartbreaking, terrifying at times (in a good way) and, somehow even though it is fantasy -- very very real. The kind of story I love most to read. <3<3
July 5, 2022
Trials of Fire and Rebirth is such a beautiful book. Edie’s writing always amazes me and takes me deep into her books. Her writing is just so special. ToFaR also has some stunning artwork included (which I love).
This is book three of The Immortal Beings series and also a good place to start (if you haven’t read the first two). A few spoilers here, but this is great as a stand alone also. Trust me, you will want to read all three of these.
If you enjoy:
🔥 Asian Mythology
🔥 Stories involving Gods
🔥 Creatures of the Underworld
🔥 Vivid world building
🔥 Love stories
🔥 Pride reads 🌈
🔥 Lots of action
This book (and series) IS for you.
I will admit, upon first starting this series, I was hesitant as it’s outside of my comfort zone for sure. I am beyond blown away with how amazing this storyline is and how invested I am now. I can’t get enough and flew through this one (I’m getting the hang of it now). I want to read more and more and want her to continue to write this series. 🙏
🖤 When An Ning wakes up in a body that she doesn’t recognize with no memory of the past, she has to come to terms with who she is and this current life. Karana is the God of Destruction but has never wanted to be and has been wandering Earth for centuries, also trying to find himself and his place.
🖤 When these two cross paths they soon realize they must learn about the past together, in order to build a better future.
It gets crazy!
No spoilers 🤐 but I will say that is such a profound soulmate storyline - but also packed with action and so much more. I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK. in every way.
Please give me more Edie. 😂 I’m so thankful that you are part of the VBP fam and that I got your
books on my radar. Thank you. Thank you. ♥️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is book three of The Immortal Beings series and also a good place to start (if you haven’t read the first two). A few spoilers here, but this is great as a stand alone also. Trust me, you will want to read all three of these.
If you enjoy:
🔥 Asian Mythology
🔥 Stories involving Gods
🔥 Creatures of the Underworld
🔥 Vivid world building
🔥 Love stories
🔥 Pride reads 🌈
🔥 Lots of action
This book (and series) IS for you.
I will admit, upon first starting this series, I was hesitant as it’s outside of my comfort zone for sure. I am beyond blown away with how amazing this storyline is and how invested I am now. I can’t get enough and flew through this one (I’m getting the hang of it now). I want to read more and more and want her to continue to write this series. 🙏
🖤 When An Ning wakes up in a body that she doesn’t recognize with no memory of the past, she has to come to terms with who she is and this current life. Karana is the God of Destruction but has never wanted to be and has been wandering Earth for centuries, also trying to find himself and his place.
🖤 When these two cross paths they soon realize they must learn about the past together, in order to build a better future.
It gets crazy!
No spoilers 🤐 but I will say that is such a profound soulmate storyline - but also packed with action and so much more. I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK. in every way.
Please give me more Edie. 😂 I’m so thankful that you are part of the VBP fam and that I got your
books on my radar. Thank you. Thank you. ♥️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 1, 2022
I was a beta reader for this book. This is the third book in an epic fantasy/love story. I think that each book is even better than the last. This one is a little different as it deals with gender dismorphia but it was a very interesting perspective. I love this world and the magic system. The books and this one in particular deal with some very sad human experiences so I cried quite a bit. I highly recommend this series and this book in particular if you love will developed characters with complex backgrounds.
June 21, 2022
So, as a straight, religious Jewish woman, with rigid gender ideals, I don't usually read books with any type of gender identity themes. I just don't enjoy them. I'll do me, You do you, I just don't want to read about it. That being said, I thought this book was well written, the storyline was interesting, with several twists and turns that I was not expecting. I read the first two books set in this world, and fell in love with the characters, and the writing. So I had to continue the series when the author wrote another book! I was satisfied with how it ended, and will definitely still read any more books that are yet to come!
May 2, 2022
I cannot wait for this book to come out!!! Edith is such an amazing writer and I love the life that she pores into each of her characters! Her writing captivates me and her dialogue is witty and refreshing!
July 16, 2022
The immortal beings series has been such a delight to read and so interesting. I love that we get to spend time with Karana from previous books as well as An Ning.
For anyone that enjoys Asian mythology, this series is so enjoyable and I recommend it! I want to say the plot of Fire & Rebirth is my favorite, but the first 2 were also so good that I don’t really know!
Some of themes in this book did not cross my mind when I read the synopsis, but the LGBTQ thoughts and conversations that came up are so important for modern society.
For anyone that enjoys Asian mythology, this series is so enjoyable and I recommend it! I want to say the plot of Fire & Rebirth is my favorite, but the first 2 were also so good that I don’t really know!
Some of themes in this book did not cross my mind when I read the synopsis, but the LGBTQ thoughts and conversations that came up are so important for modern society.
September 5, 2022
Having read the previous books in the Immortal Beings series, I shouldn’t have been surprised by how good this book was. But I have to admit, a part of me thought, “Oh, it’s a single-book spinoff from the mainline. I’m sure I’ll like it, but…�
Boy, did I underestimate Trials of Fire and Rebirth.
The character development was phenomenal, with a teasing build-up leading to swift changes at the end. Personal revelations entertwined with a magic system that Pawlicki had fleshed out in the first two books, but further pinned down during book three.
Outside of the character growth and world building, a tale of love—not blind but forgiving, both sudden and eternal—weaves through the narrative. And above all, the book offered second chances.
I love Pawlicki’s Immortals, and I hope she doesn’t drop them as she launches her new series.
Boy, did I underestimate Trials of Fire and Rebirth.
The character development was phenomenal, with a teasing build-up leading to swift changes at the end. Personal revelations entertwined with a magic system that Pawlicki had fleshed out in the first two books, but further pinned down during book three.
Outside of the character growth and world building, a tale of love—not blind but forgiving, both sudden and eternal—weaves through the narrative. And above all, the book offered second chances.
I love Pawlicki’s Immortals, and I hope she doesn’t drop them as she launches her new series.
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