Firethorn, narrated by the protagonist of the same name, starts out as Luck, a 'mudfolk' orphan with unusually red hair serving an ageing noblewoman, the Dame, in a land where the division between high and lowborn is literally attributed to the gods. Too restless to live her fate as a drudge and too proud to accept the inevitable abuse that accompanies it after the Dame's death, Luck runs. A year in the mountains spent starving to death makes her desperate enough to eat the poisonous berries of the firethorn tree but instead of dying, she has a revelation that may well include a god-granted gift.
Emerging from the forest, calling herself Firethorn, she tries to return to civilisation, knowing she can never quite fit. In the Upside-Down Days (ten days when the high and lowborn trade places) she meets Sire Galan, a visiting lord who takes her as his lover. When he marches off to war and suggests she tag along as his 'sheath' (a woman that follows a soldier to war and shares his bed), she jumps at the chance just to get away. But life as a camp follower waiting for war may well be something that not even Firethorn can survive... [1]
Plot summary
A mysterious foundling with unique red hair and strange god-given powers, Firethorn is condemned to life as a powerless servant—or so she believes, until one of King Thyrse's noblemen becomes her lover. But, as she accompanies Sire Galan to war, Firethorn discovers she may have traded one form of bondage for another. A soldier's mistress—even a high-born soldier's mistress—is despised as a "sheath," or camp follower. Also, Firethorn's nasty ex-overlord, Sire Pava, has joined the king's army, and she has made a new enemy in her lover's cousin and closest friend, the sadistic Sire Rodela. However, she and Galan share a fiery love that will surely overcome the opposition of both their personal enemies and their kingdom's enemies. Then Sire Galan makes a strange, heart-shattering wager that may not only ruin his honor, but get them both killed.[2]
Characters in "Firethorn"
Firethorn - narrator, protagonist, Sir Galan's lover, the Dame's apprentice
Sire Galan - Firethorn's lover, King Thyrse's nobleman, a Cataphract of the Clan of Crux, Sir Pava's relative
firethorn, novel, firethorn, 2004, fantasy, novel, american, writer, sarah, micklem, firethornfirst, edition, coverauthorsarah, micklemcountryunited, stateslanguageenglishseriesfirethorn, trilogygenrefantasy, novelpublisherscribnerpublication, datemay, 2004pag. Firethorn is a 2004 fantasy novel by American writer Sarah Micklem FirethornFirst edition coverAuthorSarah MicklemCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishSeriesFirethorn TrilogyGenreFantasy novelPublisherScribnerPublication dateMay 25 2004Pages400 pp first edition hardback ISBN0 7432 4794 9 first edition hardback OCLC53356519Dewey Decimal813 6 22LC ClassPS3613 I356 F57 2004Followed byWildfire Contents 1 Plot introduction 2 Plot summary 3 Characters in Firethorn 4 Major themes 5 Release details 6 External linksPlot introduction EditFirethorn narrated by the protagonist of the same name starts out as Luck a mudfolk orphan with unusually red hair serving an ageing noblewoman the Dame in a land where the division between high and lowborn is literally attributed to the gods Too restless to live her fate as a drudge and too proud to accept the inevitable abuse that accompanies it after the Dame s death Luck runs A year in the mountains spent starving to death makes her desperate enough to eat the poisonous berries of the firethorn tree but instead of dying she has a revelation that may well include a god granted gift Emerging from the forest calling herself Firethorn she tries to return to civilisation knowing she can never quite fit In the Upside Down Days ten days when the high and lowborn trade places she meets Sire Galan a visiting lord who takes her as his lover When he marches off to war and suggests she tag along as his sheath a woman that follows a soldier to war and shares his bed she jumps at the chance just to get away But life as a camp follower waiting for war may well be something that not even Firethorn can survive 1 Plot summary EditA mysterious foundling with unique red hair and strange god given powers Firethorn is condemned to life as a powerless servant or so she believes until one of King Thyrse s noblemen becomes her lover But as she accompanies Sire Galan to war Firethorn discovers she may have traded one form of bondage for another A soldier s mistress even a high born soldier s mistress is despised as a sheath or camp follower Also Firethorn s nasty ex overlord Sire Pava has joined the king s army and she has made a new enemy in her lover s cousin and closest friend the sadistic Sire Rodela However she and Galan share a fiery love that will surely overcome the opposition of both their personal enemies and their kingdom s enemies Then Sire Galan makes a strange heart shattering wager that may not only ruin his honor but get them both killed 2 Characters in Firethorn EditFirethorn narrator protagonist Sir Galan s lover the Dame s apprentice Sire Galan Firethorn s lover King Thyrse s nobleman a Cataphract of the Clan of Crux Sir Pava s relative The Dame Firethorn s caretaker and teacher Sire Rodela Sire Galan s armiger Sire Pava Sire Galan s relative Consort Vulpeja Sire Galan s wager Divine Xyster Head of Sire Galan s clan First of Crux Clan of Crux head Ardor Wildfire GodMajor themes EditTourney Firethorn War Social classes Death Fictional places Fasting Exile ServantsRelease details Edit2004 USA Scribner ISBN 0 7432 4794 9 Pub date 25 May 2004 hardcover First edition 2005 UK Voyager ISBN 0 00 720396 9 Pub date 4 April 2005 hardcover 2005 UK Voyager ISBN 0 00 719305 X Pub date March 2005 paperback 2005 USA Spectra Books ISBN 0 553 38340 X Pub date 28 June 2005 paperback 2006 UK Voyager ISBN 0 00 719306 8 Pub date 4 April 2006 paperback Mass market editionExternal links EditJennifer Howell Firethorn by Sarah Micklem Firethorn on Amazon com which quotes the Publishers Weekly review Official Website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Firethorn novel amp oldid 798137617, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
