Trials of Fire and Rebirth

by Edith Pawlicki

Overview

An immortal who can't remember the past, and a god who'd do anything to forget it...

An Ning wakes with no memory of her past in a male body. As the centuries pass, she masters her powers and makes a quiet life among mortals, but she keeps her fears and secrets to herself. Then a strange immortal drifts into her village, and An Ning wants to tell him everything.

Karana never wanted to be the God of Destruction, and after his family fell apart, he abandoned his mortal followers to wander the Earth. He's happy to be free of all responsibilities - until meets An Ning, a young immortal who makes him want to stand for something... Or someone.

When cultists attack their home, An Ning and Karana must brave corrupt temples and the depths of the Underworld.

For only by understanding the past can they build a better future.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781957279022
Publisher:	Edith Pawlicki
Publication date:	06/14/2022
Pages:	324
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.75(d)

About the Author

Edith Pawlicki lives in Connecticut with her husband, twin sons, dog, and two rabbits. She fell in love with words in fourth grade and finds writing necessary to free the worlds and characters in her head. When she isn't busy being a mom and author, she enjoys cooking and crafts. In addition to the Immortal Beings series, she has also written a YA science fiction novel, Minerva. Find her and her books at edithpawlicki.com.

Editorial Reviews

★ 2022-06-10
In this third volume of the Immortal Beings fantasy series, deities inhabit human bodies, fall in love, and strive against bigotry.

Three thousand years ago, in a region called Zhongtu, An Ning awakes in a field of ash, inhabiting a man’s body. She has no other memories of her identity prior to waking other than her name and gender, but she has the magical power to shape clothing from soot. She learns that the village of Xiling has been burned by the God of Destruction and befriends Lady Guiying, a courtesan. When An Ning explains the circumstances of her awakening, Guiying declares her a new god. Soon, An Ning is known as “the Peace Bringer” in the village of Ningjingcun. One day, Karana—who’s the God of Destruction but chooses not to use the title—approaches the village. When he sees someone who reminds him of An Ning, whom he knew millennia ago, he calls her name. Startled, An Ning uses divine magic to teleport to Karana’s side, then faints from the exertion. Karana carries An Ning to her house and remains until she wakes. So begins an unconventional and magical romance that feels like destiny at work—yet Karana keeps his past from An Ning, including her role in it. The truth emerges as the Sundered Cult, seeking vengeance for their deceased Sun God, attacks female monks and deities. Pawlicki’s third series installment is emotionally resonant as both a fantasy and as an exploration of transgender identity. The chapters often shift between An Ning and Karana’s third-person perspectives, and when following An Ning’s actions, the narration uses the pronouns she/her/hers. When following Karana’s, An Ning’s pronouns become he/him/his, portraying Karana’s inaccurate perception. Magical elements, such as Bulgae fire dogs, are well integrated into the narrative. Bits of wisdom weave through the story in lines such as “You cannot control what another believes.” The work’s tragic portrayals of body dysmorphia will be familiar to many readers and may create clarity for others. A magical plot development toward the end reveals how one’s viewpoint on gender is informed by society and also changeable with an open heart.

A vibrant, elucidating LGBTQ+ fantasy.

Kirkus Reviews