The Fire Rose

Rosalind is left penniless and homeless in Chicago upon the death of her father. Just when she is at the point of despair, her academic mentor arrives with an offer that seems tailored to Rosalind's specific skillset. A wealthy railroad baron near San Francisco is in need of a governess for his two children, preferably someone with knowledge of Classical and medieval languages. A train ticket is provided. With very few choices left to her, Rose accepts the offer. When she arrives, she finds no children, but only a reclusive boss who wants her to read to him through a speaking tube from various arcane texts. Though strange, there's nothing inappropriate in the situation, and her other option is to be penniless and homeless in San show more Francisco. But why is her employer so interested in these strange texts? Where are the servants who seem to invisibly cater to her every need? And why does her employer never leave his private rooms?

I enjoyed this Beauty and the Beast retelling set in early 1900s San Francisco. This was published in 1995, and there were a few points at which it showed its age, but nothing that I found egregious. I'll probably continue with this series, but I don't see myself bingeing it. show less

This book is set in the early 20th century. Rose Hawkins is a young scholar in Chicago who finds herself having to make some tough decisions after her father dies and creditors take nearly everything she has left. With no other options left to her, she accepts a position as a governess for the children of Jason Cameron, a wealthy rail baron in San Francisco. When she arrives at her new home and workplace, she discovers that Cameron wasn't entirely truthful. While he doesn't actually have children, he does need her scholarly expertise. A recent accident has made it impossible to read the books he needs to read in order to conduct his research. Rose agrees to work for him under these changed conditions, but the strange books he has her show more reading make her begin to wonder about the secrets Cameron is hiding.

And wonder she should - Cameron is no ordinary man, and his accident was definitely not a normal one. Cameron is an Elemental Master whose specialty is Fire. Confident in his abilities, Cameron attempted a spell that he thought would allow him to assume the form of a wolf at will. However, something went wrong, and he was left in a painful half-man, half-wolf body. He's determined to find a way to undo what he's done, but he needs help for that, which is where Rose comes in. Of course, Rose is neither stupid nor incurious, and Jason eventually finds it necessary to prove the existence of Elemental Magic to her. Rose stays by Jason, even when she discovers what his accident has done to his appearance. With an old enemy looking for any exploitable weakness, Jason needs all the friends he can get.

I have to admit, I wouldn't have minded it if Lackey had only written this one Elemental Masters book. This is by far the best in the series, with interesting and usually enjoyable characters and an almost believable romance (I'll get to that later). The "Beauty and the Beast" aspect doesn't feel at all forced, mainly because Lackey doesn't require that the book use all the details from the story (actually, she doesn't use hardly any).

The magical system was fascinating. I suppose I can see why she felt the need to write more books - this one only scratched the surface of one or two elements, leaving much more that could be explored. This book teaches readers about Elemental Magic through Rose, who becomes Jason's apprentice - it's a nice way to give readers a lot of information while keeping things from getting boring. I loved reading about the Salamanders, and I only wish Lackey had spent more time writing about the Sylphs.

The setting was also fun to read about. I can't personally say whether Lackey got all the details right, but nothing struck me as being jarringly wrong. I wasn't always a fan of Rose and Jason's many popular culture references (or what would have been popular culture back then - musicals, opera, books, etc.) - those felt a little overdone, like Lackey was trying a little too hard. I did, however, like the "life in 1905/1906" details that came up occasionally, like the tidbits about Rose's clothing, etc. Rose's trip to Chinatown was also a lot of fun.

I also enjoyed the romance in this book, although this is one of those romantic storylines that is most enjoyable if you don't think about it too much. The friendship and, eventually, love between Rose and Jason develops smoothly and naturally enough. I think what bothers me is thinking about how the mechanics of their relationship will work. Unlike "Beauty and the Beast," which ends with the Beast becoming a man again, Jason doesn't become like he once was. At one point, Jason finds himself wondering how a relationship between him and Rose could possibly work, since kissing him would be like "kissing an Alsatian," even though he's pretty much human from nipples to mid-thigh. Rose is, at first, startled and upset by Jason's appearance, but she gradually grows used to him and even finds him a little attractive, kind of like one of the Egyptian gods. This, I'm guessing, is supposed to reassure readers that she won't mind doing more than hand-holding with Jason, but I'm not buying it. Apparently, either Lackey thought a sex scene, or even kissing, would turn readers off, or maybe even she couldn't picture how things would work out, because Rose and Jason are never described as doing more than holding hands.

Some readers may also be turned off by Lackey's one-dimensional villains. Paul, Jason's apprentice and secretary, has absolutely no redeeming characteristics. Actually, the fact that Jason knew about his apprentice's horrific entertainments and did nothing is a black mark against him - if Rose ever finds out, Jason's going to be in the dog house, no pun intended. Simon, Jason's enemy, is even more one-dimensional. He's there to be both bad and (somewhat) clever, while Paul is merely bad. If you like your villains to be more than just cardboard, this is not the book for you.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, and it held up nicely to a re-read, after a few years of sitting in my bookshelves collecting dust. I think I'll just pretend that the other books in the series never happened...

(Original review, with read-alikes and watch-alikes, posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.) show less

When this was originally published 1995, it was a stand-alone. Book 2 in the series didn't follow until 2001.

Following the death of her professor father, scholar Rosalind ("Rose") Hawkins is left destitute in 1905 Chicago. Her doctoral supervisor persuades her to take a post in California with a rail baron who wants a modern tutor for his children, especially his daughter. After a multi-day rail journey across the Great Plains and the Rockies, Rose finally reaches her destination - a lonely estate outside San Francisco. Things are not what they seem - there are no children, rail baron Jason Cameron actually wants a research assistant into esoteric matters. He is a master of the element of Fire and a spell he should not have attempted show more (an Earth spell) has left him in the form of a man-wolf. He has retreated from society and retired to his estate and is served by Salamanders.

This is basically a retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story (the subsequent books are in the same vein). Lackey has deftly transposed it from it's aristocratic European setting into robber baron era America, keeping some elements but loosing the happy ending. The ending is happy in a way - but not in the way of the fairytale. The premise of the world building is that magic exists and follows (in the West) the 4 elements. Oriental magic is touched on - it has similarities to the Western system, but is not identical. History has followed roughly the same course as our world - the Chicago fire was caused by warring elemental masters, the fire following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake (which a Chinese Earth master tries to prevent) follows the death of Cameron's rival Fire master.

I've badged it as an urban fantasy, but it could equally be badged as a secret history. It is not a paranormal romance - although there is a romance element to the story (the interaction between Jason Cameron and Rose Hawkins turns to a love story) it is not in the foreground.

Recommended. show less

I pulled an all-nighter to finish this book, and I was doing Wiggles of Happy the entire time. I found myself alarming my cat by squealing incoherently as I turned pages.

What we have here is a brilliant gaslamp (steampunk but fantasy instead of sci-fi) reinterpretation of Beauty and the Beast. Rosalind Hawkins is left destitute by the death of her father, and has to travel across the country to take a tutoring job offered by the mysterious Jason Cameron. When she arrives she discovers that there are no children for her to tutor, and instead she will be translating old magic books for Jason because he has suffered a debilitating injury and is unable to read them himself.

Rose is a marvelous heroine, feminine and intelligent and vulnerable show more and resourceful. Jason is fascinating too, mysterious and larger than life, and undeniably sexy despite (or because of) his realistic flaws. The story is written mostly in third-person from Rose's point of view, but some sections switch to Jason's or Jason's secretary, Paul du Mond's. It was jarring the first few times, but I discovered that it allows the characters to plot individually and for us to know what's being planned without the characters knowing. The plot delivered on every promise it made, but using the plans characters made that were at odds, I never knew who was going to come out on top. There was a perfect blend of romance, mystery, and action.

The Fire Rose was immensely satisfying, detailed, and an utter joy to read. It is the first of Lackey's Elemental Masters series, all of which feature reinterpreted fairy tales in the same time period and system of magic, but not the same protagonists. I'd love to hear more about Rose and Jason, but I'm also looking forward to book 2, The Serpent's Shadow. show less

A retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in San Francisco in the early 1900's. Mercedes Lackey's Elemental Masters series revolves around magicians with affinities for an element (Earth, Air, Fire, Water). This is the first in the series (though really, while set in the same world and having some overlapping charactesr, they can be read in any order).

Rose is a bit of a bluestocking (much like Belle in Disney's Beauty and the Beast) and Jason Cameron is a magician who brings a "curse" in the form of a magical accident down upon himself through his own arrogance (much as Disney's Beast offends a witch with his snooty self and get himself cursed). James is a fire master, and his servants are salamanders, the elemental of fire. (Rather than show more talking tea pots and candlesticks as in Disney's version, or the invisible spirits/servants in some other versions.)

I love this retelling of Beauty and the Beast because it's about seeing through the surface to the true heart of a person, and Jason is NOT a "beast" in nature. Many modern retellings of Beauty and the Beast seem to involve a guy who is beastly in NATURE, not in appearance (or both), and then the heroine endures his horribleness and tries to "save" him and change him. Even the watered down Disney version features Belle enduring the rages and temper of the beast (though she rages right back, sometimes, which is nice, I guess). Rose and Jason develop a relationship based on mutual respect, which is a refeshing change in much of these fairy tale retellings which are often just overblown excuses to write smut. (No smut involved, by the way - if you're looking for a steamy read, this is not your book. Though there is plenty of romance and tugging of the heartstrings.)

This is my favorite novelization of the Beauty and the Best fairy tale. I'll let you know if I find a better one, but it's not likely. ;) show less

The Fire Rose, by Mercedes Lackey

Do NOT judge this book by its cover!

"The Fire Rose" is a gem, a masterful retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story.

The Beauty is Rose Hawkins, a booksmart Chicago native working toward a doctorate at university. The Beast is Jason Cameron, a San Francisco rail baron, and a man trapped by hubris in the body of a wolf.

Left penniless when her father dies, Rose has few options for survival. She could work as a governess or a teacher, but pursuing her cherished degree is certainly out of the way. Disheartened by her situation, Rose accepts an employment offer from Jason Cameron: she will travel to San Francisco to be a governess to his children. Only when she arrives, Rose finds that Jason was lying to show more her: there are no children and instead she is to translate ancient alchemical books for him.

Far from being upset at the unusual situation, Rose is happy with her new life. She lives in luxury, and considers herself a research colleague rather than an employee. She is also unaware that the works she is reading to Jason are actually Magickal in content, and that Jason Cameron is a Firemaster. And Rose...she herself may have potential to do Magick.

"The Fire Rose," is to me, an almost flawless book. I've read my copy so many times the binding is worn out, and it would be a book I'd take to a desert island. Rose and Jason are two of my favorite characters of all time. I feel like they are old friends, and I dearly wish that Lackey had continued their story. "The Fire Rose" is a one book story, and has a good ending; it's just my personal (and greedy) wish for more of them.

Lackey creates a plausible magic system, and explains it over the course of the book. Because Rose reads Jason many texts, it gives the author a great way to explain how the system works. The author also pays plenty of attention to detail. "The Fire Rose" fits in perfectly with the time it is set, as all comparisons are made to period events or people. The descriptions of clothing and furnishings are sumptuous, and helped me immerse myself in the book.

There's a little of something for everybody in "The Fire Rose," and I'm always sad when I read the last page.

5/5. show less

The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey offers a gaslit mashup of Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella with salamanders and sylphs. As a bonus, you get an evil butler who is into the sex and drug trade. The novel is set in San Francisco just before the quake but provides less local color than I wanted. Lackey has a readable style and a likable heroine, even though she carries laudanum in her pocket just in case she feels like suicide today. Finally, there are just too many lapses of logic, detail, and (even for the nineties) political correctness.