Fall of a Kingdom

Infobox Book
name = Fall of a Kingdom, previously entitled Flame
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Hilari Bell
illustrator =
cover_artist = Greg Newbold
country = United States
language = English
series = Farsala Trilogy
subject =
genre = Fantasy novel
publisher = Simon & Schuster
pub_date = 2003
english_pub_date =
media_type = Print (Hardback, Paperback)
pages = 344 pp
isbn = ISBN 0-689-85413-7
oclc =
preceded_by =
followed_by = Rise of a Hero

"Fall of a Kingdom" is the first novel in the Farsala Trilogy by American author Hilari Bell. It was previously published under the name "Flame!" The Series it was in was also referred to as the "Book of Sorahb".

Plot Summary

The Hrum empire has conquered half of the known world and now they are coming for Farsala, a kingdom made rich from its silk and defined by its horses. The deghans, an arrogant faction of nobels and the ruling authority in Farsala, are confident that they will stop them. Soraya, a conceited deghess, High Commander Merahb's daughter, and Jiaan's half-sister, is going to be sacrificed to the djinn to assure victory for Farsala in the now inevitable battle, but Commander Merahb will not let this happen. He plans to hide his daughter safely in the mountains until the battle is over; then he can return to rescue her. Commanders Merhab's plan is successful and he has secured his position as High Commander and can now focus on the soon approaching Hrum army.

Kavi is a peasant peddler selling copper goods plated in gold and he holds a grudge against the deghans. When he was a young apprentice to a man in the city of Mazad, a deghan came in looking for a remarkable sword and is willing to pay an astronomical price for it, but does not have the money with him. Kavi grabs for the sword, but the deghan pulls and scars his right hand. A year later, the deghan returns for the swords pay, and throws in a bonus amount "For his troubles". The cut cripples him with an injury that still pains him years later. While Kavi is running from a city where he is found to be selling false gold items, he is caught up in High Commander Merahb's plan. He is to visit the cottage where Soraya is staying to supply her with the goods and news that a deghess is accustomed to, and he is to do it like an obedient peasant should. But while he is on his usual rounds of the northern mining towns selling second rate iron goods to the country folk, he is captured by Hrum scouts who have infiltrated Farsala unknown. To save his own life Kavi agrees to turn traitor to Farsala and spy for the Hrum. He also believes that the Hrum will be better rulers of Farsala than the deghans.

When the Hrum arrive in Farsala the deghans and their unstoppable charge is ready to meet them. Seconds before the wall of horses slams into the Hrum's front line, spears five yards long and as thick as sapplings appear throughout the Hrum line. The deghans charge is dissolved and half their army is killed in their initial charge. Jiaan is thrown from his horse and is knocked unconscious. He also thinks he broke his left shoulder. During this time the Farsalan army is being driven back to their camp. When Jiann wakes up, all he sees is his father attempting to save his army and challenge the Hrum's champion to a life or death challenge for victory or defeat. Before Commander Merahb could do anything, he is murdered by four arrows. With the High Commander dead and the Farsalan army defeated and virtually non-existent, Jiaan has to scrounge up an army of peasants and try to defeated an empire that spans half of the known world.

Characters

Major Characters

*Jiaan- Is an eighteen-year-old peasant. He is the illegitimate son of the High Commander Merahb, and therefore is Soraya's half-brother. He has curly brown hair and eyes. He is brave, courageous, and very loyal to Farsala.
*Kavi- Is a nineteen-year-old peddler who was raised in Mazad working in a blacksmith. He hates deghans and gives information to the Hrum army so that they can defeat the Hrum army, because he believes that his country will be a better place under Hrum rule.
*Soraya- Is a fifteen-year-old deghass with long black hair and brown eyes. She is extremely arrogant, self-centered, and is used to getting exactly what she wants when she wants it.

Minor Characters

*Patrius- A kind and honest Hrum officer who befriends Kavi.
*Fasal- A young deghan who doesn't get along very well with Jiaan. One of the few deghans to survive the battle with the Hrum.
*Commander- Soraya's fatherand commander of the farsalan army. He used to be the gahn.