Firebird is a science fiction romance by Kathy Tyers originally published in 1986, rewritten as Christian science fiction and republished in 1999. The second edition is part one of a three-part series, entitled Firebird: A Trilogy.
The protagonist is Lady Firebird Angelo, a wastling of the Naetai royal family. Wastlings are younger offspring of noble houses who are doomed to geis, or honorable suicide, so as not to upset the succession of their older siblings (and their children) to political power. Firebird disagrees with the actions of her government, but is compelled by honor to support it.