Audiobook Review: The Child of Fire and Earth by Barry Ryerson

Hew had always dreamt of being a knight. Take that, villain! Yes, princess, of course I'll rescue you. Thank you, your Majesty, yes I am great with a sword. Unfortunately, being a farmer's son made that dream impossible. Real life was more about cleaning animal mess and checking for weeds.

Until he met the dragon.

It opened up a hidden world of magic around him. Faeries. Hobgoblins. Monsters, shape changers, brownies; you name them, he met them.

But there was a problem.

A blight to the north was making magic fade from the Earth. If it disappeared completely, then everyone would freeze to death.

Yes, that included Hew's annoying little sister, but even she didn’t deserve to be frozen. He would have to be brave and defeat this blight. The question was…

What could a nearly eleven-year-old do?

GENRE: Middle Grade Fantasy Adventure (for age 8-12 years)

PURCHASE LINKS: Audible | Signed Paperback | Amazon | Book Depository | Blackwell's

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Barry Ryerson started his career in music technology; using computers to compose music, edit sounds, and mix recordings. After several years of teaching courses from Level 2 diplomas to full degrees, his health took a tumble, and he had to give up teaching. This meant, though, that he had time to write, something he has taken to with passion. He still can't quite believe he's an author.

He has done a wide variety of random things in his life so far (he has a pilot's license, performed for 1,500 people at Disneyland Paris, and, technically, is also a ninja) and he sincerely hopes this never stops.

You can learn more about Barry and his works by visiting his website, or following him on Twitter and Instagram.

Review & Recommended Listening

I'll be honest: this is only the second audiobook I have ever listened to. I'm not great with audio, as I can only keep up if I'm doing something physical and doesn't involve thinking, like washing the dishes or cleaning the house, so it's very hard for me to "binge" something and get all the way to the finish line while the fire's burning hot. Plus audiobooks are more pricier than I could afford, alas.

I had, however, been blessed with the opportunity to sample this wonderful book on audio, and it did not disappoint. Narrated by the wonderful L Spooner, I was quickly drawn into the magical world of Hew, Zelina and their friends (and not quite friends). Here's a preview of the audio for a peek at their delightful combined storytelling:

The Child of Fire and Earth is a children's book, but it doesn't feel like it in audio form. Maybe in print or digital it would've been clearer, with the simplicity and straightforwardness of the narrative, but listening to the audiobook almost felt like watching a fantasy movie suitable for all ages. There's a lot of action and adventure, there are many lovely characters, and the lore is a treat, easy to follow while still being unique. I've certainly never encountered the elements being used that way before! The setting is also fun, because while I had the initial impression that this was going to be a completely fantasy-warped medieval-esque Earth, we're eventually introduced to real enough places. Loch Ness, Glasgow, Iceland...

All in all, it's an engaging tale that I couldn't put down (or should I say press pause?), with delightful characters and an immersive world. I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure and would love more!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommended Listening: As I mentioned in my open call for books to review, I’ll now be adding a song to my reviews! It’ll be one that either sums up the book for me, what I’d imagine in a trailer were it a movie, something that I associate with the story or one of the characters for whatever reason… or maybe even an original inspired by it 😉

Okay, I'm just going to link the entire soundtrack compilation for one of my favorite childhood games. They don't have the same story, but they have a similar feel... and they both have several dragons. 😊