I interrupt your regular programming to flog my book: It just received five stars from Foreword Reviews. Here's what the reviewer had to say:

In Reflecting Fires, Claburn -- a writer of non-fiction, screenplays, and fiction who has appeared in Fantastic, On Spec, and Spaceways Weekly -- shares stories from the Empire of Sarcos. The empire is not just another fantasy world; it is a carefully crafted society set in a future alternate reality. Although the world on which the stories take place is never named, it is possibly America on an Earth that is much different from our own.

The setting is similar to historic Europe at the beginning of the Age of Mercantilism. This feudal society of Sarcos worships a number of gods, most notably the sun and the moon. It fears technology as a false idol. The empire’s hierarchy consists of a ruling council, religious officials, hereditary nobles, a middle class, and the proletariat. There are also practitioners of magic, or adepts, who are members of each class. Finally, there are the eclectics, people who use the ancient forbidden technology to enhance their natural attributes.

The “Reflecting Fires” of the title are fervor and fever, “one of health and one of sickness.” The health of a society can be undermined by the fervor of a heretic, much like a fever undermines the health of a body. A threat to the status quo is a serious crime in Sarcos. For example, “according to tradition, it was heresy to depict the gods as people. Icons were used instead, the sun or a candle for Halo [the sun god]. By all accounts, Scrim’s [an artist] canvas had been layer upon layer of thick black paint.” Scrim is tried for heresy because the blackness is considered a denial of the god’s existence.

Sarcos is stratified both by custom and choice. Although advanced technology once existed on this world, it proved to be a double-edged sword. This metaphor is physically manifested in the presence of huge sword monuments throughout the country that point to the now-unreachable stars. This is not the story of a revolution, however. The people of Sarcos do not want to change their society themselves; they prefer the known restrictions of their current way of life to the uncertainty of change. Instead, they eagerly await the foretold birth of a savior who will fuse all doubts and uncertainties into a clear vision of a new society.

The novel is composed of a series of vignettes set over a period of years. Some of the more important actors are Dahlia, a religious official; her erstwhile lover, Skye, a member of the ruling council; and Flux, a lowborn orphan who becomes the savior of the empire. Slowly, various paths converge on a predestined ending, with magic ever present in this far country. The conclusion of the book fulfills prophecy exactly, but not as the characters expect, largely due to supernatural influences.

This fantasy world is complicated enough to have its own lexicon, included at the beginning of the book. With so many characters, a roster of important individuals might have been useful. A map of Sarcos would have further enhanced the richness and sheer number of the landscapes that Claburn describes, and would have been a great benefit to readers.

This novel will engage the imagination of readers and draw them into its fully constructed world. While the conclusion is satisfying, it leaves enough unanswered questions for Claburn to revisit the land in a sequel. This is Claburn’s first novel; hopefully, he considers a return to this empire for his second, a choice that would be sure to please readers.