Book Review: “Darkfire” by Garrett Robinson

Warning: If you have not read “Darkfire” by Garrett Robinson, do not read this review unless you want spoilers!

I’m back with another book review, and this time it’s “Darkfire” by Garrett Robinson! I’ve read the first two books, “Nightblade” and “Mystic,” and these two books as well as this one come from me being part of Team Legacy, a group where you can read their books in advance for free and, in return, write an honest review for them! If you’ve come here from Amazon to read the full review, let it be known that I will be continually post only a section of the full book reviews for Team Legacy on Amazon, as that is the condition for posting reviews for their books. Full reviews will always be on this blog, and due to Amazon guidelines, I can’t post the URL to the full review on the Amazon reviews. Make sure to follow this blog to read the full review!

Here’s a summary so we know what it’s about:

“Xain’s madness has branded Loren and her friends, and even Jordel, fugitives from not only the king’s law but Jordel’s order of Mystics. Now their only hope lies in a hidden stronghold far to the north of the kingdom of Selvan. Now that their steps are hounded, they must take an even more dangerous route through the Greatrock Mountains to the west. But more than Mystics and constables will pursue them, as dark creatures stalk them from the shadows of high peaks, and the presence of a mysterious foe known only as “The Lord” looms over them.”

Overall, this book was a definite improvement from “Mystic,” which had disappointed me last time. The plot is more understandable and the worldbuilding actually makes some more sense, which is good!

Loren’s own morals get tested as she vows to never kill anyone at all, justifying her giving Xain magestones late in the book which results in him outright killing the enemy by saying that she didn’t do it herself, as well as other actions, only for her to find out from her friend Chet, who reunites with by the end of the book, that Loren ended up killing her own father back in the beginning of “Nightblade.” The fear of her being a killer comes true, and I think this moral crisis for Loren will only continue in the next book, so I look forwards to reading more of that. Loren is growing and becoming more aware of how her actions can affect others, even in the smallest of ways.

Annis and Gem were not as entertaining to read, to be honest, except for a part late in the book where Annis ends up confronting her mother Damaris (yes, she’s back!) as well as some of Gem’s witty lines. Jordel’s death did not have that impact on me or the characters in the book, either. Xain’s change of heart and allegiance towards the gang was so abrupt and should have had more drama to it as well.

I do like how Xain was struggling with the magestone sickness for most of the book, however. It brought a darkness to Xain’s character, but also a certain depth of how he struggles with that darkness. When Loren forces him to use the magestones again late in the book to get rid of their foes, Xain is reluctant to use them (though does it anyway at her urging) because he knows how addicted he was the first time around. Heck, he even throws the magestones out after Jordel’s death, most likely a vow that he’ll never use them again. It will be interesting to see if Xain sticks to that vow, or succumb to the addiction in the next book.

Albern was a nice new character, and more likeable and interesting than Jordel actually ever was. He added certain insights to the events involving the main cast that were interesting. Speaking of new characters, I’m interested in seeing more of “The Lord” involved in the book, and I have a feeling we’ll see him again in the next book. I would elaborate more on these two, but I would spoil a lot, so I will refrain from doing so.

Overall, I’m rating this book 4 out of 5 stars!

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