The Door Into Fire
Book 1 of The Tale of the Five
"Good strong stuff with the right light touch." (Terry Pratchett)
(Publishers Weekly)
Herewiss is the only man in centuries to possess the Power of the blue Flame, but he can't use or control it -- not even to help his dearest friend, Freelorn, exiled prince of Arlen. Herewiss does have a talent for more mundane sorcery, and (aided by the unearthly creature Sunspark) he uses it to rout the armies besieging Freelorn. But now Herewiss faces a devastating choice.
His time to master the blue Fire is running out. Should he join
Freelorn in his fight to regain his kingdom? Or should he seek out the
ancient keep in the Waste where doors lead into other worlds -- perhaps
even the door whose use will teach him to control the Power that he must
master or die?...
The Door Into Fire, on the strength of which Diane Duane was
twice nominated for the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer in
the SF/fantasy field, is the first volume in a series that has become a
cult classic of fantasy for its unique take on sword and sorcery and its
unforgettable characters.
Edition note: The Door into Fire was first published by Dell SF in 1979, and again by Bluejay Books in 1984, at which time some minor emendations and additions were made to the original novel. This ebook edition follows the 1984 version of the text, which was also used in Fire's most recent print publication by Meisha Merlin Books in 2001.
Reader advisory: This novel contains adult / mature themes and situations.