When the novel starts it is tough to say that what it is really about and then after the first three chapters the story starts to open in its full bloom. In the initial chapters the listener cannot even tell that whether the novel is fiction or not because it is just a simple story of two prince one of which is going to be the king. The elder brother among the two princes is the future king and the younger one thus is ignored usually that’s why he has made friends of his own. Three unique people are always around Ilya and they allow him to learn things like magic and love for humans.
Then the life changing opportunity comes in the Cherry Orchard for both of the royal blood in the form of the Firebird. The future king fails to get his hands on the bird and on the other hand Ilya gets a chance to see the true face of that amazing bird. Here the young prince comes to know that he can talk to animals too and with his unique gift he would perhaps be able to free the princess from the magic that is cast upon her.
It is an old habit of Mercedes Lackey that she sets a meeting for two estranged characters and then joins their paths forever. The Oathbound and Oathbreakers are fine examples of such coincidences. Curt Bonnem not new in narration but has narrated such a story for the first time and has succeeded fully. The portrayal of the enchanted world is the strongest aspect of this book which forces all the listeners to go through it again and again in leisure time.
