A Spark of White Fire

Celestial Trilogy, Book 1

By: Sangu Mandanna

Narrated by: Soneela Nankani

Named one of the best 25 space opera books by BookRiot!

The first book in a sci-fi retelling of the Mahabharata. When Esmae wins a contest of skill, she sets off events that trigger an inevitable and unwinnable war that pits her against the family she would give anything to return to.

In a universe of capricious gods, dark moons, and kingdoms built on the backs of spaceships, a cursed queen sends her infant daughter away, a jealous uncle steals the throne of Kali from his nephew, and an exiled prince vows to take his crown back.

Raised alone and far away from her home on Kali, Esmae longs to return to her family. When the king of Wychstar offers to gift the unbeatable, sentient warship Titania to a warrior that can win his competition, she sees her way home: She’ll enter the competition, reveal her true identity to the world, and help her famous brother win back the crown of Kali.

It’s a great plan. Until it falls apart.

Inspired by the Mahabharata and other ancient Indian stories, A Spark of White Fire is a lush, sweeping space opera about family, curses, and the endless battle between jealousy and love

©2018 Sangu Mandanna (P)2021 Recorded Books

A thrilling space action tale.

Extremely digestible plot which details topics such as: True bloodlines exposed, Legacies acknowledged, promises made to and by gods, mortals, betrayals and fury explodes onto the scenes. Brief and satisfying character details.

Unbelievable Main Character

** spoilers **

I was enjoying the book most of the way through, until at some point the heroine just flips her nature of caring about the fate of the people around her to gamble with the fate of the world on the chance that she might get to see her mother who doesn't want to see her and abandoned her as a newborn. I understand why something was needed to advance the plot, but this was just unbelievable nonsense.

I was to stop listening right now. I probably won't, but it will make me think twice about getting any more books in the series.

Weaves Hindu mythology & sci-fi!

Love how the book creates a whole universe like a good sci-fi and blends references to Hindu mythology without being laborious.

Loved it

Loved it. Kept me interested the whole time. A great twist at the end! Great

Nonsense

This other reviewer says it all but I just had to cut & paste a bit of her lengthy & accurate observation for everyone to enjoy too.
"just incredibly disappointing, because I had the highest expectations for this novel. I mean, ownvoices!! Indian!! Space opera!! But nope. In reality, this was just a cesspool of plot holes, inconsistencies, and lack of character building.

If this book didn’t have so many flaws, I think I would’ve managed to actually enjoy this, because once I regained my comprehension (for some reason I was really struggling to read the first half), I kind of enjoyed it. I might actually read the second book too, because I kind of want to know what happens next.

Alas, it had a lot of flaws. But for the first time ever, I will actually be trying to write my thoughts in a divisive and organized matter. Because there is a lot to shuffle through. Including a cousin love interest. Which, of course, has its own separate point.

edit: for the first time ever MY REVIEW IS TOO LONG FOR GOODREADS I had to edit it
— WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT
A Spark of White Fire follows Esmae, a young servant girl who's secretly the princess of the planet Kali. Her brother, Alexi, was originally heir to the throne, when their uncle usurped the throne. He is a “usurper king,” as the book very often and frequently calls him.

The novel starts with a competition to win the spaceship Titania, which is an incredibly powerful warship and honestly probably my second favorite character in the entire ship. Unfortunately, she got literally two lines.

Anyways, Alexi is about to win the competition— but wait! Who is that in the distance! It’s Esmae, the Main Character! And because she is the Main Character, she steps up to bat and strikes home run and WINS THE SPACESHIP because despite her not being on the list of competitors, the spaceship CHOOSES HER.

Because apparently the spaceship knows who she is, despite them never coming in contact or anything!!!

And this leads me into my next point.
— LITERALLY WHO IS ESMAE
Esmae’s real plan is to ally with Alexi and help him to regain the throne that he “deserves.” And obviously the first step in this plan is to jump into a competition that he’s about to win, and take his prize, a warship that would greatly help him in war, away from him.

Obviously. Have you never done this before?

But no, it “makes sense,” because Esmae is actually planning to serve as a spy for Alexi by pretending to side with the uncle, King Elvar.

Except… GIRL you don’t even know any of them!!! Why are you picking sides so soon!! Because of blood relations? YOU ARE LITERALLY BLOOD RELATED TO BOTH OF THEM."