Flamefall

By Author / Illustrator

Rosaria Munda

Genre

Fantasy

Age range(s)

14+

Publisher

Dorling Kindersley

ISBN

9780241771266

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

10-07-2025

Synopsis

In New Pythos, the defeated dragonlords have regrouped, ready to reclaim their city and crush the revolution that drove them out.

Annie, the youngest Firstrider in Callipolan history, is tasked with defending her city against the looming threat. But the responsibility weighs heavy - rations are running out, tensions are rising, and every decision she makes could spark rebellion in her own streets.

Lee, scarred by betrayal and the price he paid for loyalty, questions where he belongs. Supporting Annie means upholding the system that cost him his family, while joining the rebels means tearing apart the world they fought to build.

Griff, a lowborn dragonrider serving the Pythian lords, knows his life has no value to those in power. But when a fateful mission puts him in Annie's path, he's forced to confront a choice: continue fighting for a future that will never include him, or risk everything by siding with his enemies.

With famine tearing their city apart and war closing in, Annie, Lee, and Griff must decide who to trust and what to sacrifice to save the people they care about. This sequel to Fireborne is full of high-stakes action, shifting loyalties, and heart-wrenching decisions.

The full Aurelian Cycle trilogy: Fireborne (book 1); Flamefall (book 2); Furysong (book 3)

Download Extract

Reviews

Jacqueline

The city is starving, and unrest is brewing. Across the water enemies are gathering. Tumultuous events are unleashed when these three things come together. In the middle of it are Annie and Lee and in New Pythos, Griff. These three will be drawn together and thrown about with the events that unfold. Where do their loyalties lie, and will those loyalties bring them into conflict with one another?

Flamefall is the second book in the Aurelian Cycle, picking up where book one, Fireborne, left off. The story is told through three voices, Annie, Lee and in addition for this book, Griff. In someways it might make the story a bit piecemeal, but in others it has the advantage of showing different points of view. The villains are villainous, but some are more complex, which makes them more interesting. In fact, none of the characters are perfect, all of them entirely human and flawed which is why the reader warms to them. They make choices where the reader screams at them not to do that, pretty much in the same way as you yell at the characters on TV!

The Aurelian Cycle falls very much into the epic YA category with plenty of dragons and romance. Whilst the book felt a bit slow to start with, it picked up and became very exciting by the end - so much so that I cannot wait for the next book. A warning - the ending is a real 'doof doof' moment!

528 pages / Reviewed by Jacqueline Harris, teacher