Synopsis[]
The novel which focuses on what could be called the tragedy of the Valdemaran Herald Lavan Firestorm. A boy (Lavan) from a mercantile family born with frightening abilities is misunderstood by his peers and family. The book begins when Lavan's father decides to move the family from the countryside to the city of Haven.
Lavan finds himself stuck in a mercantile school he does not care for and with nasty bullies for senior students. Life does not seem good for Lavan as he becomes the target of the leader of the Seniors.
All this changes when quite suddenly during a bout of heavy-handed bullying a huge fire started around Lavan causing the school to burn down along with several of the students who had been bullying him. The constant bullying had finally thrown open Lavan's innate ability to create and control fires. With the fire raging out of control, a Companion named Kalira "Chooses" Lavan. Companions are spirits of Valdemar who choose people to become Heralds, who roam the land dispensing justice. Lavan in a single moment of panic and rage becomes a Herald Trainee.
During his recovery, Lavan is questioned at length by the Herald Pol as to the nature of the fire at the Academy. When the questions begin to frighten and anger him, Lavan's FireStarting Gift slips his tenuous hold. In an act of desperation, he is able to turn its effects away from the Herald and toward the large torches in the gardens.
It is now, while Herald Pol and a city guard are discussing the fate of the boy responsible for the deaths at the Academy, that Lavan is accosted by Kalira. Kalira is a Companion, one of the horse-like spirit-creatures responsible for choosing Valdemar's Heralds; and she Chooses Lavan, bonding with him as a Chosen, as well as a lifebond. It is through this bonding that Lavan gains his slim control over his terrible power.
The Karse Army poised at the border, Herald Lavan travels to the battlefield with Herald Pol, the Herald's wife, and the Herald's daughter. It is during this journey the group is ambushed, and Pol is seriously injured. Lavan uses the guilt and anger he feels because of the ambush to fuel a fiery attack against the Karsite encampment. This attack earns Herald Lavan the cognomen "Firestorm".
Full painting of Brightly Burning cover
In the Battle of Burning Pines, Herald Lavan singlehandedly holds back the Karsite army by creating a wall of fire in the path of the attack, buying time that allows the Valdemaran army to get into position. Once the battle is underway, he immolates a rush of foot soldiers with a wall of flame, and attacks another rush with large, random spouts of fire. But the final blow is struck when an assassin's arrow kills his Companion Kalira. Without Kalira to keep him sane and his gift under control, Lavan unleashes the full effects of his power in a final strike. Only Pol and the other Herald's ForeSight and Mindspeaking abilities allow the Valdemaran army to limit their losses to the inferno that Lavan sets upon the Karsites. The firestorm not only destroys the Karsite army, but it consumes and kills Lavan as well.
Characters[]
Characters appearing or mentioned in the book.
Main Characters[]
- Herald Lavan Chitward (later known as Lavan Firestorm)
- Herald Pol - Lavan's mentor
Major Characters[]
- Kalira - Companion and lifebonded to Herald Lavan Chitward
- Satiran - Companion to Herald Pol and father to Kalira
- Elenor - Mind-healer and daughter of Pol and Ilea
- Herald Tuck Chester - Friend of Lavan
- Ilea - Healer, Herald Pol's wife
- Jisette Jelnack - Mother of Tyron, accuses Lavan of murder
- Tyron Jelnack - Student and bully at Merchant's school
Minor Characters[]
- Herald Artero - Collegium teacher
- Ben Dotes - Former Ashkevron horsemaster and scout
- Callum - Captain of scout unit
- Herald Charis - Herald previously on circuit at Karsite border
- Chitward family
- Archer Chitward - Lavan's father
- Feodor Chitward - Lavan's younger brother
- Grandmother - Lavan's grandmother
- Macy Chitward - Lavan's younger sister
- Nelda Chitward - Lavan's mother
- Samael Chitward - Lavan's older brother
- Chester family
- Ajela Chester - Tuck's sister
- Cassie Chester - Tuck's sister
- Granny Chester - Tuck's grandmother
- Guy Chester - Tuck's brother
- Hall Chester - Tuck's brother
- Jan Chester - Tuck's brother
- Ma Chester - Tuck's mother
- Merry Chester - Tuck's sister
- Pa Chester - Tuck's father
- Sheela Chester - Tuck's sister
- Stane Chester - Tuck's brother
- Trinny Chester - Tuck's sister
- Dacerie - Companion to Tuck Chester
- Herald Damina - Collegium teacher
- Derrian - Herald-Trainee
- Derwit - Student and bully at the Merchant's School
- Diera Ashkevron - Scout
- Herald Evan - Collegium teacher of ForeSight
- Fayshan - Priestess of Cloistered Order of Kernos-Sequestered
- Fyllia - Herald-Trainee
- Greeley - Seneschal
- Herald Fedor - Army scout with ForeSight gift
- Froggy - Student at the Merchant's School
- Howell - Guildmaster of the Cloth Merchants Guild
- Herald Isten
- Herald Jedin - King's Own
- Herald Jonoton
- Herald Kiela
- Master Keileth - Headmaster of the Merchant's School
- Kelsie - Servant of Chitward family
- Herald Lerrys
- Liss - Student at Merchant's School and classmate of Lavan and Owyn
- Loman Strecker - Student and bully at the Merchant's School
- Lord Marshal's Herald Marak
- Herald Melly - Collegium teacher
- Malken - Herald-Trainee with ForeSight gift
- Mona - Herald-Trainee
- Odo - Weaponsmaster
- Owyn Kittlekine - Student at the Merchant's School, friend of Lavan
- Releigh - Military Commander
- Rolan - Companion to King's own Jedin
- Herald Sharissa
- Telemaine - Guard Captain
- Herald Tevar - Collegium teacher
- King Theran
- Seneschal's Herald Trevor
- Acting Lord Marshal's Herald Turag
- Lord Weldon - Lord Marshal
- Herald Wernar
- Wulaf - Shepherd and scout
Referenced Characters[]
- Adan - Companion to Acting Lord Marshal's Herald Turag
- Duchess Abel - Noble at court
- Amaly - Healer and daughter of Pol and Ilea
- Arjeyla - Student at the Merchant's School
- Barnebin - Ashkevron Horsemaster
- Prince Clevis - Oldest child of King Theran and Queen Fyllis
- Daria - Herald-Trainee
- Queen Fyllis - Queen of Valdemar and wife of King Theran
- Herewan - Teacher at Merchant's School
- Hob - Healer Trainee
- Hayka - Companion to Herald Trainee Malken
- Iresh - Cloth Merchant
- Lady Isend - Noble at court
- Jirkin - Herald-Trainee
- Jolene - Companion to Herald Evan
- Kaika - Bard and daughter of Pol and Ilea
- Kedd - Herald-Trainee with Animal Mindpeech, student of Herald Pol
- Kernos - Deity
- Lada - Companion to Herald-Trainee Wrenlet
- Lady Leana - Noble at court
- Uncle Lerris - Member of the extended Chitward family
- Ranolf - Amaly's husband and son-in-law to Pol and Ilea
- Tori - Collegium Housekeeper
- Lady Vertalays - Noble at court
- Lord Vertalays - Noble at court
- Veth - Herbalist
- Wrenlet - Herald-Trainee
Places[]
- Alderscroft
- Briarley Crossing
- Burning Pines - Previously known as Pine Forest
- Endicott
- Forbay
- Leeside Park - park in Haven
- Lower Devin
- Merchant's School - school for children of Guildmembers in Haven
- Nodding Hill Road - road in Haven
- White Foal Pass
Terminology[]
Gallery of cover images[]
