Dance of the Phoenix

A review of a new book by Sapir A. Englard, author of the digital hit, Millennium Wolves (with minor spoilers)

Image made in Canva

Why I read it

The Dance of the Phoenix is the third book in the Cloak of the Vampire Series by Israeli author Sapir A. Englard.

Englard wrote The Millennium Wolves which was published to Inkitt’s Galatea app. According to Inkitt, the twelve-book series was a “digital hit” read by over 125 million readers.

Like Wattpad, Inkitt is a free online fiction platform. While all platforms use metrics, Inkitt focuses on reader behavior to determine which stories are most likely to succeed.

When a story does well it may be published through Inkitt’s Galatea app. Galatea is a subscription based service with limited free content.

I requested The Dance of Phoenix for review because I was curious about the kind of writing that makes a book a digital hit. Since I didn’t want to pay to read Millennium Wolves on Galatea, The Cloak of the Vampire Series series was the closest I could get.

I also liked that The Dance of the Phoenix was in the genre I write and often read in—Vampire Romance. Millennium Wolves is a shifter story.

I read books one and two of The Cloak of the Vampire Series first, then moved on to the third book, The Dance of Phoenix.

About the series

The Cloak of the Vampire Series follows protagonist Aileen Henderson—a young woman who is turned into a vampire by the powerful vampire Ragnor Rayne—as she learns to navigate a new and dangerous world.

During orientation at an underground vampire-run facility, Aileen learns that Ragnor is no ordinary vampire. He is a “sacred” as well as the lord of the Rayne League. Aileen and Ragnor are attracted to each other and act on their desires. They face many challenges both separately and together.

My thoughts on the series as a whole

Initially, I thought the Cloak of the Vampire books were too young for me. I wasn’t crazy about the idea of vampire leagues, the ambiance of the underground facility or the male main character. I also found the writing awkward at times, especially in the early books.

I did read them, however. Not just because I’d agreed to but because of the protagonist.

Aileen starts out as an underdog and remains an underdog (in spite of her steadily increasing power) through all three books. Having had a very rough start in life, she is consistently supportive of others and tries to do what’s right. She was a sympathetic character and I wanted to see how things turned out.

While I sympathized with Aileen, I was less invested in Ragnor. I didn’t hate him. I just didn’t get a strong sense of him as a person or feel especially drawn to him. Some of his actions seemed erratic.

About Book 3

By the time we reach Book 3, Eileen has returned to the Rayne League after a series of ordeals at another league. She and Ragnor are now in a relationship.

The main event in this book is a deadly tournament called the Hecatomb in which Aileen must participate. I thought the tournament and accompanying twist worked well. The ending of the book was probably a little too ambitious but I appreciated it.

There is a LOT of graphic sex in The Dance of the Phoenix and in the series as a whole. I found much of it repitive with no real connection to the characters. I don’t hate these scenes but they don’t really interest me either so I tend to skim them.

While not all the plot twists were believable there were enough of them to hold my interest.

Triggers: The Dance of the Phoenix includes trauma and violence. I didn’t find it excessive but I have a pretty high tolerance. It will be too much for some readers, so please check the trigger warnings.

Would I recommend it?

For me, reading this series was an exercise. I didn’t mind doing it and I learned a bit in the process.

I think Englard’s biggest strength as a writer is her ability to create a likable and sympathetic underdog character. This helps people feel invested in the story even when writing is less than perfect.

Inkitt evaluates reader engagement. To me, as a reader, this always ties into how invested I am in the characters. While I’m sure there are other considerations, this is the one that stands out to me

It’s worth saying that author opinions on Inkitt and Galatea vary. I don’t know a lot about the platform and am not expressly recommending it. I do find the data analysis aspect of it interesting. In the BBC interview (below) the creator of Inkitt, Ali Albazaz, talks about the platform.

Would I recommend the series? That depends on who’s asking. If you’ve read and like PNR on Inkett, yes. If you’re a curious writer, thinking about writing for a digital platform, sure. If you’re looking for a sophisticated or nuanced vampire story, probably not.

I gave the book three stars and might have given it a four if the writing had been a bit better. Some would give it less but I’m always conscious of something NPR reviewer Maureen Corrigan considers key to a good review.

Does the author accomplish what they set out to do?

I think that Sapir A. Englard did.

---

I received a free copy of The Dance of the Phoenix in exchange for an honest review.