Ember and Steel by Donna Morgan

Author : Donna Morgan

Book : Ember and Steel

/ Fantasy /

/ Breitho Chronicles Book 1/

Publication date : March 9, 2026

---

Blurb:

The gods are gone. Magic is lost. Vengeance is nigh.

There is death in the north; entire settlements slaughtered in the night by unknown hands. But dead things do not rest. Mages and scholars from across Breitho search for answers, to no avail.

The church clings to a whispered prophecy to bring back the gods and end the horrors in the dark.

But none of them understands what is truly at stake.

In her tiny village, Sarah Brandt has her own problems. She has witnessed her friend’s murder and is now running for her life.

Her frantic escape takes her to a circle of Druid stones, where something ancient and powerful is waiting in the darkness. When she encounters the burning presence within the stones, Sarah’s world changes forever.

Now it isn’t just justice she seeks, but salvation.

Not for herself, but for all humankind.

My thoughts:

Wonderful debut filled with magic, gore, revenge and a reluctant hero on a quest to save all of humanity.

From chapter one, the action kicks in as we meet Sarah, witnessing her best and only friend being murdered, for which she is framed. She faces the impossible choice of staying and possibly facing her own death or running for her life, with the hope that one day she could get revenge.

During her escape, she stumbles upon a force that changes her life irreversibly, and before her, a threat on the grandest scale unravels, leaving her no choice but to act.

Sarah's character is endearing and intriguing, pushing aside the status quo of the typical hero representation by being autistic. The lesson she learns along the way is that it's okay not to fit in, that it's okay to be unique, and that you can be embraced for who you are. Most importantly, it doesn't prevent you from being the hero at the end of the day.

Gwith, on the other hand, is the absolute embodiment of the word knight - loyal to the bone, brave with the biggest heart hidden behind the armour. That makes the combination between him and Sarah all the more heartwarming and sweet in a world that is all but.

Caz is hands down the most charming character of them all, managing to bring levity to the most intense of situations, like a spark of hope much needed.

Really glad I had the chance to pick up this adventure, and I'm curious what awaits them onward.