Fantastic Flying Feeling

Fly Into Fire by Susan Jane Bigelow

* Book won from Candlemark & Gleam

5 out of 5 gnomes

This world just keeps getting better and more complicated.  I loved the first book and this one just adds more layers to the characters and their world.  Once again there are multiple points of view that are used very well and the story just draws you in.  There are a lot of new characters and some from the first book Broken also return.

Sky Ranger used to be on the side of the Confederation because he thought that they were the best choice to protect his people the Extrahumans aka what we would call superheroes.  He turned a blind eye to much of their atrocities though until certain events and people from his past showed him how very wrong he was. 

Sky Ranger is definitely more of an antihero at first but he ends up actually growing and learning from his past.  After the first book I wasn't sure that I would ever like him as a character but I think the story is made all the stronger by seeing his point of view of the world.  At his core the guy just seems to be about protecting those that he sees as a family and now making the world a better place.

The first chapter shows how many still view him as an enemy.  He has a lot to prove to himself and to everyone else.  When trapped with a rather diverse group of people it's hard to gain trust but all they have is each other.  He quickly becomes close to Renna who has her own reasons for being on the run.

Renna is another major point of view in the book and a very interesting one at that.  Her pack that she's so protective of has information about her past life as a man.  The Confederation isn't exactly tolerant so this is one of the many reasons she was aboard the refugee ship.  Renna slowly grows closer to people and realizes that there are people out there that she can trust and be herself with.

Penny Silverwing is also back and I couldn't be happier about that.  In this book you get to see the strong confident side of Penny.  She has pretty much literally been through the ringer but after accomplishing her mission from the previous book she gets some info that she wants to follow up on.  She's obviously never forgotten Sky Ranger and he was important to her before and at the end of the mission.  She just has to know what happened to him.  Her and Sky Ranger make a really interesting couple and their mile high club type antics are so funny.

Once again I find myself thoroughly enjoying the side characters stories too especially when they fill in some previous unknown information.  Broussard, Skye, and Dee have a heck of a background and take the story in intriguing directions.  It feels like each character is vital and has an important story to tell.  What makes it awesome is that you'll likely find yourself really wanting to know these characters backgrounds and what their future holds.

Throughout the story all the characters are on a path and they get intertwined with one another.  It feels like you never know who'll be important.  There is a whole theme of family and accepting people with a strong current of redemption too.  Journeys and rescues abound, oh and lots of cool fighting and flying too.  By the end if feels like this rebellion may just be going in the right direction.

The ending was great.  It's sweet but then you get some more mystery thrown into the mix.  I can't wait to see what happens next especially with the future so vital to their world.