[J6B]∎ Read Gratis Into the Fire Under Fire Book 1 eBook Kim Vandel

Into the Fire Under Fire Book 1 eBook Kim Vandel

Download As PDF : Into the Fire Under Fire Book 1 eBook Kim Vandel

Into the Fire Under Fire Book 1 eBook Kim Vandel

Into the Fire is on my short list of favorite books. The MC is easy to like and root for. She is vulnerable without being too stupid to live (one of my pet peeves with so many female protagonists). The theme here is God chooses people to do things for which they are unprepared, and then He equips them for the job. Even so, they must step out in faith into situations with no assurance of victory.

Unlike many novels in the superpowers niche, I have read this book several times over, and it doesn't get old. The author acknowledges faith, but she does not make heavy weather of it or get preachy. Not once. That's a tightrope most authors of so-called Christian literature cannot seem to walk. Also, Vandel is not afraid to make the reader squirm, another point in her favor.

Get the book. You won't be disappointed.


Tags : Amazon.com: Into the Fire (Under Fire Book 1) eBook: Kim Vandel: Kindle Store,ebook,Kim Vandel,Into the Fire (Under Fire Book 1),Kim Vandel,Juvenile Fiction Fantasy & Magic,Juvenile Fiction Religious Christian Fantasy

Into the Fire Under Fire Book 1 eBook Kim Vandel Reviews

Kate Brennan has a lot of life-juggling to do. She's a college freshman struggling with calculus and hoping to get into medical school. Her family is firmly in the dysfunctional camp, especially her controlling, passive aggressive mother. She's eighteen and has never dated, but she's hoping to change that very soon. She's really not looking to add any new stress to her life, but apparently God has other plans. A fire tattoo has appeared on her wrist, and a stranger named Nathan is telling her this is a sign she's been called as a Guardian--a protector of the innocent against the Fallen, former Guardians who use their powers for evil. Because, oh yeah, Nathan also tells her she's soon to develop a Gift (supernatural power) that will aid her in the fight. Kate just wants a way out of this calling, a way back to normal life ... if such a thing still exists for her.

This book started out slow for me but was worth pushing forward. The voice, dialogue, and characterizations all strengthen as the book continues. Kate starts out as an extremely negative voice, constantly talking herself down in addition to resisting her calling as a Guardian. She is by turns both frustrating and understandable, slowly growing toward the latter as stakes rise and she gets answers from a group of Guardians who have taken her in to train her.

Supporting characters each have an important role, with some more deeply fleshed out than others. I'm most interested in Nathan, whose Gift is "Knowledge" (a form of prophesy/visions); Ty, Kate's rebellious but redeemable (or so I'm betting) brother; Jackson, the six-foot-seven Guardian with enhanced strength and a (usually) easygoing nature. And of course, I want to know more about Hassan, whose unique backstory and surly disposition promise further layers and growth in future books.

Part of my enjoyment of this book, however, has nothing to do with characters or plot. The ideas delved into are impressive, and Vandel doesn't do half-measures with the issues raised. She skillfully depicts the psychological aftermath of Kate's terrifying encounter with one of the Fallen Guardians; the ethics of vigilantism vs. law, self-defense vs. murder; and the enormity of taking a life in any situation. The mythology here is biblically derived, building on the premise that supernaturally gifted Guardians have existed since the time of Pentecost to serve as protectors of God's people; the Fallen are those who have chosen to use their powers selfishly. It's sort of a fantasy version of spiritual gifts combined with guardian angels, and there's also mention of the Fallen using demons to increase their power. But the story is never spiritually heavy-handed; it's clear the author is using biblical concepts as a jumping-off point for fantasy. Anybody who enjoys superpower stories can enjoy the premise of this one.

It's a fast read once you get past the first few chapters, and at this point, Vandel could go almost anywhere with the story. I'll be picking up the next book for sure. Christian speculative fiction is hard to find; this one is recommended.
What a fantastic book.

I've been striking gold lately with the indie/self-published books I've been reading, and this is a prime example of it. The main character's voice drew me into the story within the first couple chapters and I was hooked ever since. It isn't often that a voice draws me in like this one did. And so as soon as I realized how good the voice was, I knew that I was being drawn into an excellent story. And I enjoyed every step of the way.

Simply put, this story thrives on its characters. Whether it be the protagonist and her delightful sarcastic sense of humor (I actually laughed-out-loud several times during this book), her blunt and multi-faceted mentor, her rebellious and jaded brother, or her openly-antagonistic but secretly-hurting mother, all of the characters in this book were drawn with incredible depth and complexity. The villains were kind of under-developed, but Vandel made the right choice in this book by focusing on the protagonists. Because man. They were fantastic. They even got me enjoying the romance sub-plot of this book. And I don't know when I last actually enjoyed a YA romance. It's been a while.

The superhero plot of this story was definitely playing second-fiddle to the characters, but I was fine with that. Because of how much the story thrived on its characters, it couldn't focus too much on the plot without hurting what this story has going for it. And so it had a very appropriate emphasis on character over plot here, though I could have done with a longer climax fight.

The religious element of the story was okay. It was mostly background setting, which was fine--it worked for the protagonist to be more of a nominal Christian and not to really think much about her faith. But I would have liked it if more would have been done with the idea that these superheroes are all part of a secret society that started at Pentecost. Because that is a really cool idea that has a lot of potential. But it wasn't really explored after the initial explanation of where superpowers came from.

That, however, does little to detract from the great qualities of this book. The story grabbed me from the start with the freshness and humor of the protagonist, carried me along for a delightful ride, and even included some character arcs along the way. It may not have particularly deep or philosophical themes (the thing that normally makes a novel five stars for me). But it knows what it's trying to be as a story, it knows what kind of person its protagonist is, and it paints both beautifully. Can't wait for the sequel.

Rating 4.5 Stars (Excellent).
Into the Fire is on my short list of favorite books. The MC is easy to like and root for. She is vulnerable without being too stupid to live (one of my pet peeves with so many female protagonists). The theme here is God chooses people to do things for which they are unprepared, and then He equips them for the job. Even so, they must step out in faith into situations with no assurance of victory.

Unlike many novels in the superpowers niche, I have read this book several times over, and it doesn't get old. The author acknowledges faith, but she does not make heavy weather of it or get preachy. Not once. That's a tightrope most authors of so-called Christian literature cannot seem to walk. Also, Vandel is not afraid to make the reader squirm, another point in her favor.

Get the book. You won't be disappointed.