Unquenchable Fire
#9253.70 adjusted 3.84 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 2 books Status Unfinished 1988–1994 Reading commitment Low Rachel Pollack Last reviewed 2026-11-01
Overview
Unquenchable Fire (1988) and its sequel Temporary Agency (1994) are fantasy novels by Rachel Pollack set in an alternate United States where shamanism works. A second revolution put shamans called the Founders at the head of the nation, miracles are routine, and a Spiritual Development Agency oversees them. The first book follows Jennifer Mazdan of Poughkeepsie, who finds she is to be the mother of a new messiah and resists the role. The second follows Ellen Pierson, who first as a teenager and later as a young adult works with the lawyer Alison Birkett against malign spirits and a corrupt government. Both can be read alone. The author died in 2023, and no further book in this world is listed.
Urban fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (2 works) counts toward ranking
Unquenchable Fire Rachel Pollack
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Unquenchable Fire | 1988 | 1 | core | 3.67 (543 ratings) |
 | Temporary Agency; Can be read without the first book. | 1994 | 2 | core | 3.78 (178 ratings) |
Two novels set in an alternate America ruled by a shaman-founded spiritual order.
Quick answers
- How many books are in Unquenchable Fire? Unquenchable Fire's Core Canon is 2 books.
- What is the reading order for Unquenchable Fire? Publication order, starting with Unquenchable Fire. Full list and years in the Core Canon table above.
- Is Unquenchable Fire finished? Unfinished (1988–1994).
- How much reading does Unquenchable Fire take? Low reading commitment (estimated from 2 Core Canon books).
- How is Unquenchable Fire ranked? #925 in this site's official ranking, based on 721 reader ratings across 2 Core Canon books. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #925?
Ranked #925 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 3.70 across 2 core books.
- A smaller readership (721 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- Remarkably consistent across the whole series: all 2 rated core books rate within 0.11 of each other.
- 0.11 behind #924, Audition for the Fox.
- Below the top-10 average of 4.46.
Why explore this universe?
Modestly rated · 2 books · Unfinished · 721 ratings · Ranks #925 overall
Good choice if you want a quick, low-commitment urban fantasy universe.
Reading order
Publication order (2 Core Canon books)
- Unquenchable Fire (1988)
- Temporary Agency (1994)
Documented internal/story chronology is recorded for every Core Canon book here, and matches publication order exactly, with no divergence to show separately.
Awards (verified)
- Arthur C. Clarke Award, 1989: won: Unquenchable Fire
You might also like
Suggestions computed from what Unquenchable Fire and each of these worlds have in common on record (subgenre, audience, shape, reading commitment and score), not a documented narrative connection.
- Alchemy of Secrets Urban fantasy · Ongoing · Low commitment · 3.84
- Something Rich and Strange Urban fantasy / Mythic fantasy · Complete · Low commitment · 3.83
- The Bone Clocks / Slade House Urban fantasy / Dark fantasy · Complete · Low commitment · 3.83
- Pandemonium Urban fantasy / Dark fantasy · Complete · Low commitment · 3.80
Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.70 across 721 ratings on 2 Core Canon books. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Canon Extension: 27 universes; 5 candidates ruled out; older open items closed accepted 2026-11-01
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- Wikipedia: Unquenchable Fire Tier 2
- Encyclopedia of Science Fiction: Pollack, Rachel Tier 2
- Fantasy Hive: Temporary Agency review Tier 2
- Hachette UK: Temporary Agency Tier 2
Last reviewed: 2026-11-01
Rule: Core Canon = Unquenchable Fire (1988) and Temporary Agency (1994).