"Wonder Twin powers, activate!"

That is all I could think as I read this super generic fantasy about two escaped slaves who can make fiery swords magically appear when they touch and stay in close proximity to each other. And they are about as effective as Zan and Jayna when they take form of a puddle and shape of a mouse. Rion and Tair (I cannot remember which is the male and which is the female even a few days later) meander around accomplishing nothing for the whole book.

Luna's art can be stiff and sterile, and that works okay in a sci-fi story like Alex + Ada, but not so much in a gritty, medieval fantasy world like this.

If I never get around to picking up the second volume at the library sometime down the road, I won't feel like I'm missing anything. ( )

In a world where the Eternal Empress has ruled for a thousand years, she's on the verge of conquering the last parts of it still not under her control. Into this world, two unusual young people have been born. Tair is white-haired and very pale; Roin is oddly orange in color.

When they find each other, they discover they have the power to control fire. Events soon convince them they have no choice but to use this power to fight the empire, but how?

Tair and Roin are both likable and interesting, with plausibly different points of view. The world is definitely not our world; it has three suns.

It also has dragons, and that turns out to matter a great deal.

The story doesn't seem terribly original, but it's enjoyable, and our protagonists are likable. I also enjoyed the art, which helped me slip into the story. It's a pleasant way to spend some down time.

I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher, and am reviewing it voluntarily. ( )