Review copy was received from Purchased. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Wild & Wildfire by JD Evans Narrator: Tim Campbell, Caren Naess
Series: Mages of the Wheel #0.5
Published by Podium Audio on February 28, 2023
Genres: Fantasy Romance
Length: 14 hours, 44 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible
He is the future sultan, a man who wields brutal magic and only knows how to be what they’ve made him. She is a commoner, a woman who champions the vulnerable and treads where she does not belong.
Dilay Akar is the daughter of a judge. By day, she trains the wealthy in magic, and by night, she breaks the Sultan’s laws. But even those closest to her do not always appreciate what she is striving for, or believe that she can achieve it.
Omar Sabri is the Sultan’s tool, flaying minds open to obtain their secrets and truths. Everyone who looks at him sees only the prince—or the monster. Even he cannot see the man beneath the power and the position.
When Omar secretly enlists Dilay’s help in controlling his magic, it sets off a chain of events that will reshape Tamar for generations to come. Dilay will have to choose between the familiar and the powerful. Between people she cares for. And whether to hurt one to help many.
I learned a new word this week. A friend was talking about this Romantasy that she had discovered on Reddit and that I absolutely had to read as soon as possible. Romantasy isn’t actually a new term (or so my daughter informs me); and while I am sure it hasn’t earned its entry into the OED, I’m already slinging it around like I’ve been using it forever, including in this review. The book in question, Wind and Wildfire, book 0 in the Mages of the Wheel series by J.D. Evans, is a splendid Romantasy: a perfect blend of romance and fantasy set in a detailed and starkly beautiful world. It has memorable characters that are easy to love (and hate) and a plot that sets the tone for future conflict within the series, both political and magical.
Dilay is carving new paths in Tamar. As the first woman to teach at the university, she helps many noble-born develop and harness their magical abilities. However, she doesn’t reserve her gift for the privileged few, and she defies the current law of the Sultanate by secretly helping the common-born to develop and harness their abilities.
Dilay’s childhood friend, Behram is a tortured fire mage whose greatest fear in life is to be at the mercy of someone else. His loyalty towards Dilay is nearly obsessive and it isn’t clear if their friendship is enough to keep him from becoming one of those that he has always hated the most.
Omar, son of the Sultan, lacks the control he needs to effectively use his rare magical abilities. He is desperate to conquer the magic that is destroying his mind as well as those that he is forced to interrogate on behalf of the Sultan. On the advice of his good friend, Behram, Omar seeks out Dilay and her unconventional, yet effective methods for mastering magic. Their meeting ignites a passion as fierce as a wildfire, blazing despite the efforts of a world determined to quell it.
Wind and Wildfire has all of the elements I look for in a romance; well-developed, believable characters, simmering sexual tension, and a satisfying emotional arc that leads to an HEA. For those of us that dislike love triangles, never fear, that isn’t really the point of the story. There is also a significant amount of set-up for political intrigue and future conflict within the land of Tamar, but it doesn’t overtake the love story.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t discuss the other aspect that categorizes Wind and Wildfire as a Romantasy. J.D. Evans has created a world that calls to mind whispering deserts and majestic mountains rising from sun-drenched coasts inspired by her time in Lebanon. In her descriptions, you get a sense for the ancient land that has borne witness to millennia of human lives, but in no way does the story get bogged down by the descriptions. The writing is efficient and to the point, and it doesn’t seem as if a single word is wasted or placed ineffectively.
The world-building is simple yet well-thought out. It isn’t to the level of detail you’d find in Epic or High Fantasy, but I found it thorough and intriguing. Dilay’s research and teaching demonstrations inform the reader how the magic of Tamar works, and there are no massive data dumps to distract from the story. I would like to know more about the Wheel and the origins of magic, as well as the Sundering that took place between the different lands. I found the drawing of the Wheel included in the print and eBook (and on the author’s website for those of us listening to the audiobook) helpful in illustrating the interconnectedness of the magic.
 Wind and Wildfire is technically the prequel to the Mages of the Wheel, and while the author suggests reading it after the first installment, I do better with a more linear approach, so I read it before beginning the series. I found the characters interesting and the setting captivating. I look forward to more conflict and tension in the next book. If you are a fan of “Romantasy,” or new to the genre and intrigued by a blend of fantasy and romance, this is a great place to start.
Narration:
The narration is in alternating POVs between Dilay and Omar, and skillfully narrated by Tim Campbell and Caren Naess. I enjoyed the Middle-Eastern influence in both of their performances and think both narrators did a great job imparting the characters’ emotions. I didn’t have any trouble distinguishing between the different characters. Although the Audiobook doesn’t have the map or Wheel illustrations, these can be found on the author’s website.
Listen to a clip:Â HERE
About Tim Campbell
Tim Campbell is an award winning actor and singer who lives in Los Angeles, CA. He works primarily in audiobook narration and voice over and has narrated hundreds of titles spanning almost every genre. He has won or been nominated for almost every major award in the audiobook industry, including most recently a 2018 Audie, a 2019 Audie (nom), a 2019 Voice Arts Award, and several Independent Audiobook and Audiofile Magazine Earphones awards.
He lived and trained in the UK and Germany, narrates as both an American and a Brit, and has studied performance diction in German, Italian, French, Spanish and Japanese, and Latin. He specializes in accents, dialects, and character work and holds three degrees in theater and music as well as graduating from the esteemed two year Great Books Colloquium of Pepperdine University.
In his other, musical life, Tim sings regularly with the LA Master Chorale, Los Angeles Opera, and in studio sessions for TV and Film. Highlights include principal ensemble in Candide at LA Opera, Courfeyrac in Les Miserables at Fresno Grand Opera, Jud in Oklahoma with Cabrillo Music Theater, and Anthony in Sweeney Todd with Pacific Opera Project and singing on the soundtrack for Star Wars IX: The Rise of Skywalker and films such as Creed 2, Venom, and many others.
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I've developed a preference for audiobooks over the last few years, which allow me to complete chores, run carpool, or work on my many building and craft projects while 'reading.
My all time favorite selections include Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, Karen Marie Moning's Fever series, and all of Robin Hobb's books set in the Farseer world. Â Honorable mentions to Elle Kennedy, Penny Reid, Meljean Brook, Ann Aguirre, Krista and Becca Ritchie, Jeaniene Frost, and Kristen Callihan.
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