Unseen Fire, by
Cass Morris (DAW)
Ancient Rome! With magic! I am not a scholar of ancient
history, so I cannot vouch for the historical accuracy of this dramatic tale of
politics, warfare, cultural upheaval, and romance set about 67 B.C.E. But the
world, its peoples, and their attitudes and choices, in every detail feel so
seamlessly consistent I was never jolted out of the story.
Rome – Aven in this book – is in the beginning of its decline
but still the dominant power in the known world. At the opening of the story, a
brutal dictator, having executed or exiled anyone who spoke out against him,
has died. Now it’s up to those remaining leaders to reconstitute a republic.
Some are already in Aven, having bowed to the dictator or gone into hiding;
others return from exile. One such return is Sempronius, a mage of Shadow and
Water elements, a brilliant leader and strategist who must hide his magical
powers, for mages are forbidden by law from holding public office. Latona,
daughter of an elder Senator, has just been freed from the dictator’s thumb
(and bed), and her confidence in herself and her magical powers of Spirit and
Fire have not yet recovered. Meanwhile, elections bog down as those who want to
restrict power to traditionalist classes vie with those who see Aven’s future
in the expansion of suffrage. And on the Iberian peninsula, a fanatical war
leader is using blood magic to expel the Avenian invaders.
The book perfectly balances the richly nuanced portrayal of
a culture in tumult with characters that change and grow, a fascinating system
of magic and its relationship to pantheist religion, lively dialog, unexpected
plot twists, and a tender love story. It’s a long read (and only the first part
of a longer series) but well worth savoring every page.
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