Sweet snow below, let's talk about We Hunt The Flame by Hafsah Faizal. I finished this book last night and have already preordered the second book set to come out in January 2021. Let me start this off by saying the first 30% or so felt slow to me and I almost gave up but continued on this adventure with these characters that Faizal created and could not be more glad that I did. The world building is the only thing that kept me going in the fist chapters while the characters didn't really grab my attention until later in the book. It took me some time to really feel a connection to them but once that connection was made I didn't want to let them go.
Zafira is a hunter. She lives in a village of constant snow where a magic forest, the Arz, is slowly taking over the land. Anyone who enters the forest either never comes back out or, if they do, they come back mad...except Zafira. She hides who she is behind the mask of a man because being a woman and a hunter is not accepted by those in power. Nasir is a Crown Prince and assassin with more blood on his hands than the sand in the desert around him. He is grumpy and broody (for good reason) and sent by his father to kill. He follows orders. Both of these two are sent on a journey by the Silver Witch and Sultan to a prison island full of nasty creatures and old magic. Zafira, to find a book to restore magic to the lands and for the love of her people. Nasir to find the mysterious Hunter, kill him (and anyone that knows of this quest/order) and bring the book back to his father...enter Altair. Altair is the life of this book. He is the general of the Sultan's armies, full of sass, Nasir's constant annoyance (but secretly craves the companionship), and has the right to bare arms...literally. He is everything. Sure, once Zafira and Nasir cross paths we see the slow burn of romance and the personal growth of the characters but I am here for Altair and will most definitely be back in this beautiful world once again come January. We meet a few other characters that are part of this alliance or zumra and many, many, many things come to light on this journey.
Zafira is a hunter. She lives in a village of constant snow where a magic forest, the Arz, is slowly taking over the land. Anyone who enters the forest either never comes back out or, if they do, they come back mad...except Zafira. She hides who she is behind the mask of a man because being a woman and a hunter is not accepted by those in power. Nasir is a Crown Prince and assassin with more blood on his hands than the sand in the desert around him. He is grumpy and broody (for good reason) and sent by his father to kill. He follows orders. Both of these two are sent on a journey by the Silver Witch and Sultan to a prison island full of nasty creatures and old magic. Zafira, to find a book to restore magic to the lands and for the love of her people. Nasir to find the mysterious Hunter, kill him (and anyone that knows of this quest/order) and bring the book back to his father...enter Altair. Altair is the life of this book. He is the general of the Sultan's armies, full of sass, Nasir's constant annoyance (but secretly craves the companionship), and has the right to bare arms...literally. He is everything. Sure, once Zafira and Nasir cross paths we see the slow burn of romance and the personal growth of the characters but I am here for Altair and will most definitely be back in this beautiful world once again come January. We meet a few other characters that are part of this alliance or zumra and many, many, many things come to light on this journey.