Martha Wells is one of my top favorite fantasy authors, recently back to publishing, after a hiatus, with her new novels The Cloud Roads and The Serpent Sea. It had been quite a while since I’d re-read any Wells, so I decided to revisit her first novel, The Element of Fire. The novel, while focused on the political troubles of the roughly-Elizabethan-era fantasy country of Ile-Rien, also includes a romance. Many romance readers will find it satisfying, in particular for the interesting heroine—though the hot hero doesn’t hurt.
The novel’s hero, Thomas Boniface, is captain of the Queen’s Guard. He’s described like this:
the shape and tilt of Thomas’s black eyes gave his face a naturally cynical slant, and that with his dark hair and beard this effect made him resemble certain popular portraits of the Prince of Hell.
Thomas is a warrior through and through; he gave up his viscountancy and loyalty to his family before he could join the Guard. He’s the sort of warrior who always knows where his weapons are and what condition they’re in; his rapier and main gauche are almost part of him.
The queen whom Thomas originally served was the regent for her son for many years; she’s recently seen her son take the throne, but he isn’t doing such a great job of ruling. Now Dowager, Queen Ravenna, is still extremely powerful politically and takes on many tasks that her son the king does not.
Her graying red hair was tucked up into a lace cap and she wore a dark informal morning gown. She was over fifty now, and the years hadn’t diminished her beauty, but transformed and refined it…Thomas had known her to order an execution, explain to the culprit why it had to be done, and deny the family’s fervent pleas for mercy, all without missing a stitch.
Thomas and Ravenna are not the romantic couple of this novel. Though lovers for many years, they are no longer. Ravenna truly hated her abusive husband, who betrayed her with a Fayre woman named Moire.
The daughter of that union, Katherine Fontainon (called Kade), is thus half-sister to the king; she also has strong magical powers. Kade has been banished from Court for years. Her return coincides with attacks by an evil rogue wizard. Based on actions Kade took in the past against the royal court, at first she’s a suspect in the various magical attacks that have been taking place. She’s chosen to return at just the wrong time.
…the Dowager Queen said, “And how is your dear mother, child?” ….
Kade looked ironic and amused. “She’s in Hell,” she said.
Ravenna’s brows lifted. “Wishful thinking, certainly.”
“Oh no, she really is,” Kade assured her. “We saw her go. She lost a wager.”
“My condolences,” Ravenna said dryly….
Thomas, of course, must investigate the magical attacks. Initially, Thomas mostly believes in Kade’s innocence, though not necessarily for flattering reasons.
When violent, Kade was about as subtle as a thrown hammer; when devious, she still preferred to sign her name to the deed.
Thomas and Kade are forced to work together to fight against their magical foes, and gradually, their relationship begins to take shape, trust and admiration going hand in hand as they must repeatedly rely on one another for physical safety.
Their relationship grows in bits and pieces, mingled in with attacks by legions of evil Fae, political intrigues, and betrayals. In the midst of all that, Thomas, who is generally a man of action, begins to realize he has feelings for Kade, though he is not sure yet what kind.
Thomas found himself watching Kade. He was no longer certain what to think about her, and that disturbed him far more than it should, considering everything else there was to worry about. I always try to understand my enemies, he thought, but it’s time to admit that the one thing she is not is an enemy.
Kade’s feelings, though, are in little doubt, particularly after an incident in which Thomas is near death.
“Where’s Thomas?” The words were out before she quite realized it. It crossed her mind that this was the first time she had called him anything but “you bastard.”
… looking back, she couldn’t see when it had happened. She was not sure how her childhood passion figured into it, or when her carefully preserved distant appreciation of him had been intensified by intimacy….Some had implied that the depth of the emotion would hurt; they had not said it would be like the blunt end of a poleax in the pit of the stomach.
For Thomas, it’s clear that trust is more difficult for him than even love. The only person he ever seems to have trusted completely is Ravenna, and if he trusts the wrong person who has power over him, it could mean his life. It’s therefore especially moving when this man, who has always had to be on his guard, for years, begins to accept that he trusts Kade, who has the magical power to easily harm him and bring destruction down on the royal court that rejected her.
[Kade said] “I’m not used to trusting people either and I find it very frightening, and sometimes I don’t know what to think about you.“
What she had said about trust being frightening had hit home with more force than she could have realized. More calmly, he said, ”Neither do I."
The Element of Fire is a compelling read, with complex worldbuilding and characters worth revisiting again and again.
Victoria Janssen is the author of three novels and numerous short stories. Her novel The Moonlight Mistress is set during World War I, and she has a terrifying love of research about that period. Follow her on Twitter:@victoriajanssen or find out more at victoriajanssen.com.
