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Kithamar #1
Age of Ash
Kithamar is a center of trade and wealth, an ancient city with a long, bloody history where countless thousands live and their stories unfold. This is Alys’s.
When her brother is murdered, a petty thief from the slums of Longhill sets out to discover who killed him and why. But the more she discovers about him, the more she learns about herself, and the truths she finds are more dangerous than knives.
Swept up in an intrigue as deep as the roots of Kithamar, where the secrets of the lowest born can sometimes topple thrones, the story Alys chooses will have the power to change everything.
From critically acclaimed, New York Times–bestselling author Daniel Abraham, co-author of The Expanse, comes a monumental epic fantasy trilogy that unfolds within the walls of a single great city, over the course of one tumultuous year, where every story matters, and the fate of the city is woven from them all.
When her brother is murdered, a petty thief from the slums of Longhill sets out to discover who killed him and why. But the more she discovers about him, the more she learns about herself, and the truths she finds are more dangerous than knives.
Swept up in an intrigue as deep as the roots of Kithamar, where the secrets of the lowest born can sometimes topple thrones, the story Alys chooses will have the power to change everything.
From critically acclaimed, New York Times–bestselling author Daniel Abraham, co-author of The Expanse, comes a monumental epic fantasy trilogy that unfolds within the walls of a single great city, over the course of one tumultuous year, where every story matters, and the fate of the city is woven from them all.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published February 15, 2022
654 people are currently reading
15.2k people want to read
About the author
Daniel Abraham
253 books2,990 followersDaniel James Abraham, pen names M.L.N. Hanover and James S.A. Corey, is an American novelist, comic book writer, screenwriter, and television producer. He is best known as the author of
The Long Price Quartet
and
The Dagger and the Coin
fantasy series, and with Ty Franck, as the co-author of
The Expanse
series of science fiction novels, written under the joint pseudonym James S.A. Corey.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 587 reviews
June 28, 2023
Edit: 5⭐
I enjoyed this so much more on re-read, especially while listening to it concurrently with reading Blade of Dream. So many things I missed or didn't understand the significance of when reading the first time. I still really like Sammish but I didn't like Alys any better.
A note about the audiobook: hard to listen to at times bc of some weird sentence intonations. Hard to describe but if you listen for even a short time, you'll see what I mean.
4.5⭐
Full review here: https://youtu.be/7sX5fJug938
I am certain that this will go up once I've read the second book, as that is generally what happens every time I read an Abraham series. Age of Ash is definitely a "1st Book in an Abraham series" which may turn some people off, but I urge everyone to trust that Abraham always plays the long 'pull'; his payoffs are everything.
Great character work and explorations of grief, family, loyalty, and friendship and I can't wait to see where book 2 goes because I have no clue (though I bet I know who our MC for book 2 is). Really good book I had to sit on and ponder when I was done.
Thank you to Orbit and Angela for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I enjoyed this so much more on re-read, especially while listening to it concurrently with reading Blade of Dream. So many things I missed or didn't understand the significance of when reading the first time. I still really like Sammish but I didn't like Alys any better.
A note about the audiobook: hard to listen to at times bc of some weird sentence intonations. Hard to describe but if you listen for even a short time, you'll see what I mean.
4.5⭐
Full review here: https://youtu.be/7sX5fJug938
I am certain that this will go up once I've read the second book, as that is generally what happens every time I read an Abraham series. Age of Ash is definitely a "1st Book in an Abraham series" which may turn some people off, but I urge everyone to trust that Abraham always plays the long 'pull'; his payoffs are everything.
Great character work and explorations of grief, family, loyalty, and friendship and I can't wait to see where book 2 goes because I have no clue (though I bet I know who our MC for book 2 is). Really good book I had to sit on and ponder when I was done.
Thank you to Orbit and Angela for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
February 10, 2022
Check out my Booktube channel at: The Obsessive Bookseller
[4.5/5 stars] Abraham’s writing sings to my soul.
I find his stories incredibly addicting. I had a massive TBR in between me and this book, but kept finding myself opening it to read a couple pages at a time. The first several passages were so gripping, by the time I was “supposed” to be reading it, I was already almost 20% in.
There are so many things I love about Abraham’s stories. One being the subtle, yet robust world building that just oozes off the pages while you’re focused on other things. He doesn’t take a lot of time setting the scene, but when he does, it’s beautiful and absorbing. Kithamar feels like a real place, a familiar place. Yet at the same time it’s unique in so many ways that only living day-to-day with another culture can bring. I loved spending time on these streets, filth and all, and can’t wait until I get to go back.
Another thing I love is the deep character immersion that only happens when an author isn’t self-conscious about taking his time to really immerse you with his characters. I thrive on that kind of connection and found myself despairing, angry, and a whole myriad of other emotions right alongside them. I talked to the book a couple times, which for me is a sign of true investment. And the cool thing is he probably hasn’t even scratched the surface on what’s planned for this series (with upcoming perspectives for characters we saw only on the periphery here), and that’s incredibly exciting.
This was one of those books I enjoyed so much, I could set aside my over-critical mind and just appreciate the journey. It’s only in retrospect while trying to compose this review where I consider what might not work for other readers. There were no major earth-shattering revelations in this story. Very few what I’d call “action” scenes. And in truth I find it hard to describe exactly why reading it was as wonderful as it was, aside from highlighting broader themes of Abraham’s work. It’s one of those cases where if his writing and unique perspective of subtle, character-driven storytelling works for you, then this book is a grand slam. And after hearing some things about the big-picture development of the series as a whole, I’m so there for every last word.
Recommendations: if you love subtle, immersive world-building and highly character-driven novels, then Age of Ash will be right up your alley. I loved my experience with Long Price Quartet and so far Kithamar is starting out just as strong.
I'd like to thank Orbit Books, Daniel Abraham, and Netgalley for the chance to read and review an early copy of Age of Ash - y'all made my year!
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other Books You Might Like:
[4.5/5 stars] Abraham’s writing sings to my soul.
I find his stories incredibly addicting. I had a massive TBR in between me and this book, but kept finding myself opening it to read a couple pages at a time. The first several passages were so gripping, by the time I was “supposed” to be reading it, I was already almost 20% in.
There are so many things I love about Abraham’s stories. One being the subtle, yet robust world building that just oozes off the pages while you’re focused on other things. He doesn’t take a lot of time setting the scene, but when he does, it’s beautiful and absorbing. Kithamar feels like a real place, a familiar place. Yet at the same time it’s unique in so many ways that only living day-to-day with another culture can bring. I loved spending time on these streets, filth and all, and can’t wait until I get to go back.
Another thing I love is the deep character immersion that only happens when an author isn’t self-conscious about taking his time to really immerse you with his characters. I thrive on that kind of connection and found myself despairing, angry, and a whole myriad of other emotions right alongside them. I talked to the book a couple times, which for me is a sign of true investment. And the cool thing is he probably hasn’t even scratched the surface on what’s planned for this series (with upcoming perspectives for characters we saw only on the periphery here), and that’s incredibly exciting.
This was one of those books I enjoyed so much, I could set aside my over-critical mind and just appreciate the journey. It’s only in retrospect while trying to compose this review where I consider what might not work for other readers. There were no major earth-shattering revelations in this story. Very few what I’d call “action” scenes. And in truth I find it hard to describe exactly why reading it was as wonderful as it was, aside from highlighting broader themes of Abraham’s work. It’s one of those cases where if his writing and unique perspective of subtle, character-driven storytelling works for you, then this book is a grand slam. And after hearing some things about the big-picture development of the series as a whole, I’m so there for every last word.
Recommendations: if you love subtle, immersive world-building and highly character-driven novels, then Age of Ash will be right up your alley. I loved my experience with Long Price Quartet and so far Kithamar is starting out just as strong.
I'd like to thank Orbit Books, Daniel Abraham, and Netgalley for the chance to read and review an early copy of Age of Ash - y'all made my year!
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other Books You Might Like:
January 13, 2022
A really enjoyable story, if a somewhat straightforward one as the characters journey doesn’t do a whole lot to expand the world. We rarely move out of the slums the story takes place in. The story told is very sad. It’s deep and is written in a very prophetic sort of way. It definitly has some fairly poignant messages about the state of our own planet as well. (there's a disease and quarantined sections in the slums.) My flaws come from the characters themselves who all felt like the same person and though the writing is SO beautiful and flows great, it was almost too detailed for me. There were quite a few times I just wanted to move onto the important story bits but the author was hooked on telling me how pretty the snow was. I am still very interested in continuing with this story because there is potential for it to be even better. The foundation is set, now it needs to be built upon.
Full review to come on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/hollyheartsbooks
Full review to come on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/hollyheartsbooks
March 18, 2022
4.5 stars
“For one night, Kithamar is a city between worlds and between ages. It falls out of its own history, at once the end of something and the beginning of something else.”
Age of Ash is the first in a new epic fantasy trilogy by well-known author Daniel Abraham. Despite owning The Dagger and Coin series for years, this is my first foray into Abraham’s novels, but after being utterly enchanted by his prose, I definitely want to read more.
Our tale is set in the illustrious city of Kithamar, a city full of beauty, but with a rich history of blood and war, a city where every person has a story to unfold, a city where a sinister secret has long been kept hidden. It is also a city where two thieves from the slums of Longhill become embroiled in a plot of dark magic and deadly political intrigue. We follow Alys and Sammish, both members of a thieving crew, both skilled in their roles of distraction and going unnoticed. Yet what begins as petty thievery soon turns into so much more. When Alys’s brother Darro is murdered, Alys sets on a journey of discovery and revenge, which leads her down some very treacherous paths. Sammish seeing her beloved Alys suffer and struggle under her grief, tries to help her friend in any way she can, but the more she learns the truth about the murder and the multitude of connections surrounding it, she soon realises she has to try to save more than just her friend.
The opening to this book reminded me of The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, another fantasy book set in a single city, revolving around a band of thieves. However, whereas Locke Lamora focuses on a heist plot with humorous banter and action filled scenes, Age of Ash is a slow burn character driven story. There are small amounts of action scattered throughout but it is more towards the end where we see the scenes become more intense. Yet Abraham’s characters are full of depth and complexities, loss and pain, they are people trying to survive despite life dealing them a bad hand, and I became deeply immersed in their lives as they unravel. Within the first few chapters Abraham portrays disjointed scenes, moments of our characters' lives from their memories to their present deeds. At first these do feel disconnected from one another, you’re never quite sure how these separate storylines will converge, but as the novel progresses they all fall into place.
Immediately I found Abraham’s prose and imagery to be exquisitely detailed. Each description, each setting, was written with such beauty and finesse, it vividly conjured the images in my mind. The City of Kithamar is stunningly brought to life, a character in its own right that fully lives and breathes. Whether it be the deteriorating slums of Longhill, where the people are on the verge of starving, or the more fanciful harvest festival held in Green Hill, I felt the world seep from the page. Abraham is a writer who knows how to set an atmospheric scene.
The book also poignantly explores grief in all its forms. Abraham reflects the way grief is never a singular formulaic response; when we lose someone we hold close to us we lose a part of ourselves, and the way our mind copes with the trauma is different for everyone. Many may say “with time it gets easier”, but for some people it just doesn’t. Throughout Age of Ash, Alys experiences grief in various ways, from denial, to sorrow, to anger and finally to becoming more and more like Darro to keep a part of her brother alive. My heart broke for Alys, the way she would remember Darro’s words, repeating them like a mantra, her fond memories of when he’d look after her when the world abandoned her in the cold, and the way she takes on his mannerisms and begins to live by “what would Darro do?” His death clearly colours her every action, and this to my mind is exactly what grief does.
“Everything stood on everything
else, until she didn't know what she was mourning for except all of it. She was overwhelmed by a storm she couldn't see, but felt it beating at her from every direction.”
I loved Alys's character, her journey is raw and painful, and although many times she sorely needed to realise the downfall she was heading towards, I understood why she couldn’t. Her relationship with her mother is strained, her friendships with others become distant, and instead of building bridges she shatters them and forges new ones, but with the wrong people.
"That's not fair.”
"Who gives a shit? Who promised you fair? I didn't. Fair is good people get treated good, and bad people get the bad. That sound like anyplace you know? I've never been there."
As much as this book centers around Alys, it too follows our second main protagonist, Sammish. Oh how I loved precious Sammish. A person so plain she passes unnoticed in a crowd, a girl who can all but become invisible - a pretty handy trick when you’re part of a thieving crew and your job is to sneak the stolen items away before any of your crew members are caught, no? That’s how Sammish’s story begins, but when her narrative leads her down some strange paths, people suddenly take notice. Throughout Sammish desperately wants to help Alys, yet the more Alys changes, the more she descends into darkness, and most importantly the more Sammish discovers about the corruption and dark magic running through Kithamar, she puts her courage to the test. Sammish is a wonderful, heartfelt character, one who may be a thief in order to survive, but she's the underdog who will use the advantage of the shadows to fight against malevolence.
Speaking of malevolent, there is a sinister spirit lurking in Kithamar, a spirit which has been present right back to the time of Kithamar’s creation. I will tread careful waters here as this was a fantastic little twist to the story which I thoroughly enjoyed. However what I can say is that a large part of the story centres around the Daris Brotherhood, the most predominantly practiced religion by the ruling family in Kithamar. Our other main characters, Adomanka and Tregarro, are it’s foremost members and although I wouldn’t class either characters as the “villains'' in this story, (their motives are far more complex than that), their powers dabble in the use of dark magic, sacrifices and blood, which I found unnervingly creepy. They are also on the hunt for a knife and young boy of royal blood, two things which they will kill to get.
I did find myself wanting some more depth to The Daris Brotherhood, their use of powers and their limitations were never quite fully explained and some parts left me somewhat confused. I feel that this book only touched upon the surface of this though, so I’m eager to discover much more because Abraham definitely has my attention here.
Age of Ash is a stunningly written, character driven story, centred on thieves, grief, and dark magic. Abraham certainly knows how to enchant his readers and transport them to the city of Kithamar, a place of beauty and of forbidding secrets.
“The world is so much rounder when you have more than just the one life in it.”
ARC provided by Nazia at Orbit Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the copy! All quotes used are taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
“For one night, Kithamar is a city between worlds and between ages. It falls out of its own history, at once the end of something and the beginning of something else.”
Age of Ash is the first in a new epic fantasy trilogy by well-known author Daniel Abraham. Despite owning The Dagger and Coin series for years, this is my first foray into Abraham’s novels, but after being utterly enchanted by his prose, I definitely want to read more.
Our tale is set in the illustrious city of Kithamar, a city full of beauty, but with a rich history of blood and war, a city where every person has a story to unfold, a city where a sinister secret has long been kept hidden. It is also a city where two thieves from the slums of Longhill become embroiled in a plot of dark magic and deadly political intrigue. We follow Alys and Sammish, both members of a thieving crew, both skilled in their roles of distraction and going unnoticed. Yet what begins as petty thievery soon turns into so much more. When Alys’s brother Darro is murdered, Alys sets on a journey of discovery and revenge, which leads her down some very treacherous paths. Sammish seeing her beloved Alys suffer and struggle under her grief, tries to help her friend in any way she can, but the more she learns the truth about the murder and the multitude of connections surrounding it, she soon realises she has to try to save more than just her friend.
The opening to this book reminded me of The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, another fantasy book set in a single city, revolving around a band of thieves. However, whereas Locke Lamora focuses on a heist plot with humorous banter and action filled scenes, Age of Ash is a slow burn character driven story. There are small amounts of action scattered throughout but it is more towards the end where we see the scenes become more intense. Yet Abraham’s characters are full of depth and complexities, loss and pain, they are people trying to survive despite life dealing them a bad hand, and I became deeply immersed in their lives as they unravel. Within the first few chapters Abraham portrays disjointed scenes, moments of our characters' lives from their memories to their present deeds. At first these do feel disconnected from one another, you’re never quite sure how these separate storylines will converge, but as the novel progresses they all fall into place.
Immediately I found Abraham’s prose and imagery to be exquisitely detailed. Each description, each setting, was written with such beauty and finesse, it vividly conjured the images in my mind. The City of Kithamar is stunningly brought to life, a character in its own right that fully lives and breathes. Whether it be the deteriorating slums of Longhill, where the people are on the verge of starving, or the more fanciful harvest festival held in Green Hill, I felt the world seep from the page. Abraham is a writer who knows how to set an atmospheric scene.
The book also poignantly explores grief in all its forms. Abraham reflects the way grief is never a singular formulaic response; when we lose someone we hold close to us we lose a part of ourselves, and the way our mind copes with the trauma is different for everyone. Many may say “with time it gets easier”, but for some people it just doesn’t. Throughout Age of Ash, Alys experiences grief in various ways, from denial, to sorrow, to anger and finally to becoming more and more like Darro to keep a part of her brother alive. My heart broke for Alys, the way she would remember Darro’s words, repeating them like a mantra, her fond memories of when he’d look after her when the world abandoned her in the cold, and the way she takes on his mannerisms and begins to live by “what would Darro do?” His death clearly colours her every action, and this to my mind is exactly what grief does.
“Everything stood on everything
else, until she didn't know what she was mourning for except all of it. She was overwhelmed by a storm she couldn't see, but felt it beating at her from every direction.”
I loved Alys's character, her journey is raw and painful, and although many times she sorely needed to realise the downfall she was heading towards, I understood why she couldn’t. Her relationship with her mother is strained, her friendships with others become distant, and instead of building bridges she shatters them and forges new ones, but with the wrong people.
"That's not fair.”
"Who gives a shit? Who promised you fair? I didn't. Fair is good people get treated good, and bad people get the bad. That sound like anyplace you know? I've never been there."
As much as this book centers around Alys, it too follows our second main protagonist, Sammish. Oh how I loved precious Sammish. A person so plain she passes unnoticed in a crowd, a girl who can all but become invisible - a pretty handy trick when you’re part of a thieving crew and your job is to sneak the stolen items away before any of your crew members are caught, no? That’s how Sammish’s story begins, but when her narrative leads her down some strange paths, people suddenly take notice. Throughout Sammish desperately wants to help Alys, yet the more Alys changes, the more she descends into darkness, and most importantly the more Sammish discovers about the corruption and dark magic running through Kithamar, she puts her courage to the test. Sammish is a wonderful, heartfelt character, one who may be a thief in order to survive, but she's the underdog who will use the advantage of the shadows to fight against malevolence.
Speaking of malevolent, there is a sinister spirit lurking in Kithamar, a spirit which has been present right back to the time of Kithamar’s creation. I will tread careful waters here as this was a fantastic little twist to the story which I thoroughly enjoyed. However what I can say is that a large part of the story centres around the Daris Brotherhood, the most predominantly practiced religion by the ruling family in Kithamar. Our other main characters, Adomanka and Tregarro, are it’s foremost members and although I wouldn’t class either characters as the “villains'' in this story, (their motives are far more complex than that), their powers dabble in the use of dark magic, sacrifices and blood, which I found unnervingly creepy. They are also on the hunt for a knife and young boy of royal blood, two things which they will kill to get.
I did find myself wanting some more depth to The Daris Brotherhood, their use of powers and their limitations were never quite fully explained and some parts left me somewhat confused. I feel that this book only touched upon the surface of this though, so I’m eager to discover much more because Abraham definitely has my attention here.
Age of Ash is a stunningly written, character driven story, centred on thieves, grief, and dark magic. Abraham certainly knows how to enchant his readers and transport them to the city of Kithamar, a place of beauty and of forbidding secrets.
“The world is so much rounder when you have more than just the one life in it.”
ARC provided by Nazia at Orbit Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the copy! All quotes used are taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
July 7, 2024
“I am Kithamar. I was born a city.”
Like the master storyteller he is, Daniel Abraham returns with yet another extraordinary tale. Don't be fooled by the deceiving simplicity of the blurb: setting and characterisation take this novel far beyond your tropey street-rat story into the realm where human longings are shaped.
The contrarian reader that I am, I loved this story that only starts here in a rather inconspicuous way. Before you proceed, I will throw at you all the reasons why you should not read the book and then hit Goodreads with your disgruntled rave (which, admittedly, is something I do quite often):
There are no chapter ANYTHINGS. None. It’s just one long, never-ending stream. You want chunkable, bite-sized portions with those mini-cliff-hangers for the taste? Go read Mark Lawrence or something similarly hollywoody. You won’t find those here.
Mind you, I love the way Abraham writes. Regardless of the book’s design (he can do chapters, too!), it is always so difficult for me to stop. And this book is truly written like you'd write about a walk through a foreign city that is alien and unknown but becomes more friendly as you start to recognize the most important landmarks and get used to the funny accent of the locals. Or perhaps it would be more apt to state that the story flows like the river that cuts through the city. The current is not that rapid, but it is relentless; it ebbs and flows. That’s why personally, I didn't mind that all we got were three big chunks. In the grand scheme of things, it made sense.
But, but but…! It is a SLOG! (yay!) You get bored, you might find your foot tapping impatiently for the pace to increase, for the things to start happening, for the people to do something!
Well, it is true. Age of Ash is a slowly unveiling mystery. There are no fireworks in terms of plot, the magic is only very subtle, and the pace, as you can surmise, is very sedate. In fact, it unfurls as naturally as the seasons of the year. You know how winter follows autumn or how imperceptibly spring matures into summer? Sometimes it is impossible to pin down when one ends, and another begins because the grand change is merely an effect of small things that add up. And this story is about small things adding up, day after day. It takes talent to write like this.
What is the most captivating about the book is that while it is not so much character-driven, it definitely is character-dependent. And one of those characters is the city. It is always in the spotlight. We can see and smell its crooks and nooks, its best and worst; the city itself becomes a protagonist that can help you or kill you if you’re careless. It is also incredibly atmospheric.
Why did I say that the novel is not character driven? Mainly because you could argue that the two leading characters are boring. If you feel particularly snarky, you can even argue that both have so little to no reason to get involved in the main plot, which is why they frequently ask themselves what and why they are precisely doing.
Of course, this happens only when you look at the surface of your average street rat story. Dig deeper, and you will find a harrowing tale of loss and grief: loss of family, loss of love, loss of a lifestyle, loss of home. They come in many hues; some are subtle, and some are compulsive-obsessive disorders. Both girls should be read through these lenses; otherwise, their actions and their relation do not make sense.
Alys is not the smartest cookie in the jar. She has wit, but it’s based on honed survival skills, not on intelligence (and definitely not on the emotional one!). My favourite was Sammish. What a wonderful character in how she was introduced and how she developed throughout the story. A respite from Alys on her way to being devoured by her obsession. (It was very difficult for me to read, and I have had my share of grief in my life). While Alys’ fixation on her loss is suffocating and consuming her, closes her to everything outside, Sammish works through the thing(s) she does not have and never will, and somehow it makes how more, not less. It was fascinating to follow her. It was also humbling.
But the tale is really not about those two. They serve as temporary conduits. The main character is the ”thing that called itself Kithamar,” and so I expect the next book to feature an entirely different set of protagonists (may, I am nothing if not excited!). I highlighted all those people’s names when I was reading the prologue, and when reading, I kept asking: where are you? why are you not having a role here? come out, please! And so I know what to expect. Plus, the epilogue is also telling.
How awful, you want to exclaim. The reader literally knows the ending of the plot before s/he knows that the plot exists! What is worse, after reading the book, one still doesn’t know what would happen had a party other than the one won won. Well, yes and no. We see the glimpses, but the mystery is still there. What we got was as much an introduction as it was a teaser. I will probably regret reading it now instead of waiting for the whole series to binge at will, but there are a few writers who are irresistible, and Daniel Abraham is one of them.
Also in the series:
2. Blade of Dream
Like the master storyteller he is, Daniel Abraham returns with yet another extraordinary tale. Don't be fooled by the deceiving simplicity of the blurb: setting and characterisation take this novel far beyond your tropey street-rat story into the realm where human longings are shaped.
The contrarian reader that I am, I loved this story that only starts here in a rather inconspicuous way. Before you proceed, I will throw at you all the reasons why you should not read the book and then hit Goodreads with your disgruntled rave (which, admittedly, is something I do quite often):
There are no chapter ANYTHINGS. None. It’s just one long, never-ending stream. You want chunkable, bite-sized portions with those mini-cliff-hangers for the taste? Go read Mark Lawrence or something similarly hollywoody. You won’t find those here.
Mind you, I love the way Abraham writes. Regardless of the book’s design (he can do chapters, too!), it is always so difficult for me to stop. And this book is truly written like you'd write about a walk through a foreign city that is alien and unknown but becomes more friendly as you start to recognize the most important landmarks and get used to the funny accent of the locals. Or perhaps it would be more apt to state that the story flows like the river that cuts through the city. The current is not that rapid, but it is relentless; it ebbs and flows. That’s why personally, I didn't mind that all we got were three big chunks. In the grand scheme of things, it made sense.
But, but but…! It is a SLOG! (yay!) You get bored, you might find your foot tapping impatiently for the pace to increase, for the things to start happening, for the people to do something!
Well, it is true. Age of Ash is a slowly unveiling mystery. There are no fireworks in terms of plot, the magic is only very subtle, and the pace, as you can surmise, is very sedate. In fact, it unfurls as naturally as the seasons of the year. You know how winter follows autumn or how imperceptibly spring matures into summer? Sometimes it is impossible to pin down when one ends, and another begins because the grand change is merely an effect of small things that add up. And this story is about small things adding up, day after day. It takes talent to write like this.
What is the most captivating about the book is that while it is not so much character-driven, it definitely is character-dependent. And one of those characters is the city. It is always in the spotlight. We can see and smell its crooks and nooks, its best and worst; the city itself becomes a protagonist that can help you or kill you if you’re careless. It is also incredibly atmospheric.
Why did I say that the novel is not character driven? Mainly because you could argue that the two leading characters are boring. If you feel particularly snarky, you can even argue that both have so little to no reason to get involved in the main plot, which is why they frequently ask themselves what and why they are precisely doing.
Of course, this happens only when you look at the surface of your average street rat story. Dig deeper, and you will find a harrowing tale of loss and grief: loss of family, loss of love, loss of a lifestyle, loss of home. They come in many hues; some are subtle, and some are compulsive-obsessive disorders. Both girls should be read through these lenses; otherwise, their actions and their relation do not make sense.
Alys is not the smartest cookie in the jar. She has wit, but it’s based on honed survival skills, not on intelligence (and definitely not on the emotional one!). My favourite was Sammish. What a wonderful character in how she was introduced and how she developed throughout the story. A respite from Alys on her way to being devoured by her obsession. (It was very difficult for me to read, and I have had my share of grief in my life). While Alys’ fixation on her loss is suffocating and consuming her, closes her to everything outside, Sammish works through the thing(s) she does not have and never will, and somehow it makes how more, not less. It was fascinating to follow her. It was also humbling.
But the tale is really not about those two. They serve as temporary conduits. The main character is the ”thing that called itself Kithamar,” and so I expect the next book to feature an entirely different set of protagonists (may, I am nothing if not excited!). I highlighted all those people’s names when I was reading the prologue, and when reading, I kept asking: where are you? why are you not having a role here? come out, please! And so I know what to expect. Plus, the epilogue is also telling.
How awful, you want to exclaim. The reader literally knows the ending of the plot before s/he knows that the plot exists! What is worse, after reading the book, one still doesn’t know what would happen had a party other than the one won won. Well, yes and no. We see the glimpses, but the mystery is still there. What we got was as much an introduction as it was a teaser. I will probably regret reading it now instead of waiting for the whole series to binge at will, but there are a few writers who are irresistible, and Daniel Abraham is one of them.
Also in the series:
2. Blade of Dream
January 28, 2022
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
As a big fan of The Expanse series, which is co-authored by Daniel Abraham, I was excited for this new release fantasy solo project of his. The premise sounded very intriguing so when the chance to get an arc came up I jumped on it. It sounded like a murder mystery intertwined with fantasy and that is something I love. In fact the way that was executed in The Justice of Kings was almost perfect. However, what I got with Age of Ash left quite a bit to be desired.
First of all let me say that I don't think this is a bad book or poorly written. I think it has a lot of things that just didn't appeal to my personal taste and maybe one or two strange character choices. To give a little background the book starts with the murder of the brother of one of the two main characters who live the large city, and only setting of the book, Kithamar. Our main characters Alys and Sammish are both from the poor side of the city and survive by doing "pulls" or schemes to steal and commit petty thefts from wealthier marks. When Alys' brother is murdered under mysterious circumstances I was initially pretty hooked because it had the potential to be a murder mystery and revenge story. Instead what we get is a very very slow and lengthy exploration of grief and a tiny tiny bit of that other stuff. The other main character, Alys' friend Sammish, was just not an enjoyable pov to read. Her character seemed extremely one note, and I struggled to see what she brought to the book. Other than stating repeatedly she had unrequited love for another character and being motivated to get mad and do something because the plot required it I thought she was pretty worthless and has practically half the page time. Given that Alys gets the other half and she's not exactly super fun to follow or even that interesting either it was tough for me.
As for the story itself I was told Abraham books start slow, but honestly thus never kicked into gear in my opinion. Some cool concepts were hinted at or introduced, but we didn't really get enough information to get me really invested. Things are kept so mysterious it's hard to get a grasp on what the stakes are or why things are important. We know there are at least a couple factions at play, but what the consequences are for each side is not really explored.
I will however give credit where credit is due. Even if his characters and storytelling in this particular book weren't to my taste there is no doubt that Abraham can write. There were many passages and sentences that I thought were extremely well crafted. Additionally I think its very gutsy to set a fantasy story like this in a single city state without an expansive world and cultures for world building depth. Abraham gets plenty of depth out if Kithamar and it feels very real with a lot of depth with different cultures and norms among its inhabitants. Also he is very adept at introducing us to these things naturally without any info dumps. And finally, despite wanting to know more about the magic and the lore since it was kept at arms length, I will say I thought it was a very cool idea that I hadn't seen in a lot of fantasy books.
My final thoughts here are that this really isn't a book I can say I enjoyed, but I imagine a lot of other fantasy readers will especially those who already are fans of Abraham's solo stuff. I would recommend anyone who is curious about this book to watch Allen's review of it on his The Library of Allenaxndria YouTube channel. He really liked the book, and I agree with a lot of what he says that the story contains. It just clicked with him more. So if you're on the fence it might be a good perspective to hear.
As a big fan of The Expanse series, which is co-authored by Daniel Abraham, I was excited for this new release fantasy solo project of his. The premise sounded very intriguing so when the chance to get an arc came up I jumped on it. It sounded like a murder mystery intertwined with fantasy and that is something I love. In fact the way that was executed in The Justice of Kings was almost perfect. However, what I got with Age of Ash left quite a bit to be desired.
First of all let me say that I don't think this is a bad book or poorly written. I think it has a lot of things that just didn't appeal to my personal taste and maybe one or two strange character choices. To give a little background the book starts with the murder of the brother of one of the two main characters who live the large city, and only setting of the book, Kithamar. Our main characters Alys and Sammish are both from the poor side of the city and survive by doing "pulls" or schemes to steal and commit petty thefts from wealthier marks. When Alys' brother is murdered under mysterious circumstances I was initially pretty hooked because it had the potential to be a murder mystery and revenge story. Instead what we get is a very very slow and lengthy exploration of grief and a tiny tiny bit of that other stuff. The other main character, Alys' friend Sammish, was just not an enjoyable pov to read. Her character seemed extremely one note, and I struggled to see what she brought to the book. Other than stating repeatedly she had unrequited love for another character and being motivated to get mad and do something because the plot required it I thought she was pretty worthless and has practically half the page time. Given that Alys gets the other half and she's not exactly super fun to follow or even that interesting either it was tough for me.
As for the story itself I was told Abraham books start slow, but honestly thus never kicked into gear in my opinion. Some cool concepts were hinted at or introduced, but we didn't really get enough information to get me really invested. Things are kept so mysterious it's hard to get a grasp on what the stakes are or why things are important. We know there are at least a couple factions at play, but what the consequences are for each side is not really explored.
I will however give credit where credit is due. Even if his characters and storytelling in this particular book weren't to my taste there is no doubt that Abraham can write. There were many passages and sentences that I thought were extremely well crafted. Additionally I think its very gutsy to set a fantasy story like this in a single city state without an expansive world and cultures for world building depth. Abraham gets plenty of depth out if Kithamar and it feels very real with a lot of depth with different cultures and norms among its inhabitants. Also he is very adept at introducing us to these things naturally without any info dumps. And finally, despite wanting to know more about the magic and the lore since it was kept at arms length, I will say I thought it was a very cool idea that I hadn't seen in a lot of fantasy books.
My final thoughts here are that this really isn't a book I can say I enjoyed, but I imagine a lot of other fantasy readers will especially those who already are fans of Abraham's solo stuff. I would recommend anyone who is curious about this book to watch Allen's review of it on his The Library of Allenaxndria YouTube channel. He really liked the book, and I agree with a lot of what he says that the story contains. It just clicked with him more. So if you're on the fence it might be a good perspective to hear.
January 18, 2022
"Longhill's always Longhill."
The strength of this story lies in its world building. It takes only a second to realize the world Daniel Abraham has created is rich with history and is well-developed. The characters reference that history time and time again. They know which district they have come from and what it means. It means that “Longhill’s always Longhill.” No matter where you go – you’re always a Longhill. It’s the type of story that gives you the distinct impression that the author has not only every street mapped out, but that he also knows every stall and business on the street as well as who runs it.
But to me, its weakness is that the story holds you at arms length, never giving you a chance to truly feel anything about the characters. I wondered several times why this was. Part of it was that it often felt as if I were being narrated to by someone watching the events. Other times I wondered if it was because I didn’t feel properly introduced to Alys’s backstory for a while. The story itself has a different pace to it and takes time to fully unwind and reveal itself. Little by little we learn quite a few things about Alys, however, it is a while before we spend a full chapter on what life was like when it was just her and her mom. But as I write this – maybe that is the point. Alys’s rough life has forced her to protect herself at whatever the cost and that includes not opening up to others and letting people in. Perhaps that includes us. Her brother Darro was her rock. While she couldn’t count on much, including her mother, she had him. With his death, her grief takes over in it’s various stages as she tries to stay connected to him any way she can. Perhaps that grief pushes not only Sammish out, but us out as well. Whatever it was, I never felt connected to Alys as well as other characters.
On the other hand, Sammish was a character I felt the closest to. Not many of us have lived the type of life these girls have. But even with that, what made Sammish’s character more relatable was that her feelings, issues, and vulnerabilities are ones that many people have encountered at some point in their lives. Somewhere we’ve had to work through that feeling of being left out or left behind, that feeling of wanting more from someone than we are being given. And it is working through these and coming to terms with these issues that we become the individuals we are today through. Overall, the exploration of her loneliness and desire to help the friend she knew (and not who she was becoming) was very well done and is why she became my favorite character.
There’s no doubt in my mind that some will like the style and really enjoy the book. It’s well written and full of the type of world-building that fantasy readers really enjoy. The character explorations into grief and loneliness will draw people in as well. I also rather enjoyed the ins and outs of pickpocketing as we get descriptions of who all is needed and what is involved to pull off this type of thievery. However, the main plot takes a while to get started and it isn’t until about half-way in before you start receiving information on what is going on and where the story is taking us. This may frustrate some readers, as it did me, if you aren’t expecting it.
Rating: 3.75
Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit for the advanced review copy and opportunity to provide an honest review.
The strength of this story lies in its world building. It takes only a second to realize the world Daniel Abraham has created is rich with history and is well-developed. The characters reference that history time and time again. They know which district they have come from and what it means. It means that “Longhill’s always Longhill.” No matter where you go – you’re always a Longhill. It’s the type of story that gives you the distinct impression that the author has not only every street mapped out, but that he also knows every stall and business on the street as well as who runs it.
But to me, its weakness is that the story holds you at arms length, never giving you a chance to truly feel anything about the characters. I wondered several times why this was. Part of it was that it often felt as if I were being narrated to by someone watching the events. Other times I wondered if it was because I didn’t feel properly introduced to Alys’s backstory for a while. The story itself has a different pace to it and takes time to fully unwind and reveal itself. Little by little we learn quite a few things about Alys, however, it is a while before we spend a full chapter on what life was like when it was just her and her mom. But as I write this – maybe that is the point. Alys’s rough life has forced her to protect herself at whatever the cost and that includes not opening up to others and letting people in. Perhaps that includes us. Her brother Darro was her rock. While she couldn’t count on much, including her mother, she had him. With his death, her grief takes over in it’s various stages as she tries to stay connected to him any way she can. Perhaps that grief pushes not only Sammish out, but us out as well. Whatever it was, I never felt connected to Alys as well as other characters.
On the other hand, Sammish was a character I felt the closest to. Not many of us have lived the type of life these girls have. But even with that, what made Sammish’s character more relatable was that her feelings, issues, and vulnerabilities are ones that many people have encountered at some point in their lives. Somewhere we’ve had to work through that feeling of being left out or left behind, that feeling of wanting more from someone than we are being given. And it is working through these and coming to terms with these issues that we become the individuals we are today through. Overall, the exploration of her loneliness and desire to help the friend she knew (and not who she was becoming) was very well done and is why she became my favorite character.
There’s no doubt in my mind that some will like the style and really enjoy the book. It’s well written and full of the type of world-building that fantasy readers really enjoy. The character explorations into grief and loneliness will draw people in as well. I also rather enjoyed the ins and outs of pickpocketing as we get descriptions of who all is needed and what is involved to pull off this type of thievery. However, the main plot takes a while to get started and it isn’t until about half-way in before you start receiving information on what is going on and where the story is taking us. This may frustrate some readers, as it did me, if you aren’t expecting it.
Rating: 3.75
Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit for the advanced review copy and opportunity to provide an honest review.
December 25, 2021
Not a fan of the writing style. This is a nope for me!
February 1, 2022
Daniel Abraham at long last completed the groundbreaking Expanse series with writing partner Ty Franck at the end of 2021. So expectations are understandably high for his return to epic fantasy, a genre in which he’s already released two critically acclaimed series, The Long Price Quartet and The Dagger and the Coin. Age of Ash is the first volume of a new trilogy set in Kithamar, a massive walled city divided by a deep river, and ruled by the Hansch, a race of people who live mostly in the wealthy districts on the river’s west side. Over to the east, the poorer districts are home to the Inlisc, a race of people conquered in the distant past when the Hansch colonized their lands and absorbed them into what would eventually become Kithamar.
By all rights, this should be the fantasy epic of the year. But there’s something about this story that keeps its potential for greatness at arm’s length. Despite its richly realized secondary world and a plot that promises high stakes, Age of Ash rarely generates big excitement. It’s a story of thieves and assassins, of political treachery and secret societies, of colonialism and the impact of cyclical poverty, of trust and betrayal between family and friends. But the narrative is so rambling and inconsistent in both its focus and pacing that we’re about halfway through before we start to see the big picture with any clarity. And while it does ultimately pay off in the last hundred pages, which are excellent and worth the effort, there is a lot of slog to endure before you get there.
Though it’s the beginning of a trilogy, I’m not sure where Abraham intends to go in the sequels. Age of Ash does feel like a stand-alone story. That’s a good thing, because I’ve always felt that series novels should function as novels, resolving their conflicts and tying up all of their own loose ends without just stringing us along with cheap cliffhangers. But to whatever degree Age of Ash is an imperfect book, it sets a lovingly detailed stage for any future story Abraham should choose to tell.
As the book opens, we learn that the city’s ruler, Prince Byrn a Sal, has died after less than a year on the throne. (continued...)
By all rights, this should be the fantasy epic of the year. But there’s something about this story that keeps its potential for greatness at arm’s length. Despite its richly realized secondary world and a plot that promises high stakes, Age of Ash rarely generates big excitement. It’s a story of thieves and assassins, of political treachery and secret societies, of colonialism and the impact of cyclical poverty, of trust and betrayal between family and friends. But the narrative is so rambling and inconsistent in both its focus and pacing that we’re about halfway through before we start to see the big picture with any clarity. And while it does ultimately pay off in the last hundred pages, which are excellent and worth the effort, there is a lot of slog to endure before you get there.
Though it’s the beginning of a trilogy, I’m not sure where Abraham intends to go in the sequels. Age of Ash does feel like a stand-alone story. That’s a good thing, because I’ve always felt that series novels should function as novels, resolving their conflicts and tying up all of their own loose ends without just stringing us along with cheap cliffhangers. But to whatever degree Age of Ash is an imperfect book, it sets a lovingly detailed stage for any future story Abraham should choose to tell.
As the book opens, we learn that the city’s ruler, Prince Byrn a Sal, has died after less than a year on the throne. (continued...)
September 14, 2023
4.0 Stars
Video: https://youtu.be/eLlHLaTmHd0
This was a solid first book in a new fantasy series. I love fantasy books set in secondary urban settings so the setup was right up my alley. I loved the gritty, dirty world. I also liked the protagonist who was a sympathetic young woman. This was a satisfying book that would work as a standalone but I would want to spend more time in this world.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Video: https://youtu.be/eLlHLaTmHd0
This was a solid first book in a new fantasy series. I love fantasy books set in secondary urban settings so the setup was right up my alley. I loved the gritty, dirty world. I also liked the protagonist who was a sympathetic young woman. This was a satisfying book that would work as a standalone but I would want to spend more time in this world.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
January 30, 2022
Alys is just another nobody from Longhill, a gutter rat relying on ‘pulls’ to survive. Each theft wins her little more than enough to keep a roof over her head and food in her belly, the spoils shared between disparate players, together only for the sake of the job. Her big brother Darro, on the other hand, is running far bigger plays. The high-stakes kind that might help him escape this low-born world. That kind that brings in gold. That gets him killed. Losing the only family she cares about puts Alys on a path of revenge. Desperate to find out who killed him and why, she finds herself playing a very dangerous game with people who know far more about the city than she does. As she starts to lose herself to the chase, Alys must decide how far she’s willing to go to avenge her dead brother, especially when she’s not the only one who’ll be paying the price for her success…
Now, the real winner of this book is not Alys or any of the other characters, it is Kithamar itself. I didn’t realise until I finished the book that the series was going to be connected through the city rather than the individuals in the novel, but it does make the heightened focus on the setting make more sense. It is clear that the city is sunlight bright in the author’s mind, a place painstakingly developed and offered to the reader with loving enthusiasm. It’s not just that the setting is thoroughly detailed, though it is, but the reader is given a sense of tradition and community that add meaning to the ways in which people live and die, how they celebrate and mourn. For this, the author deserves all the praise. It is a rare talent to be able to create such a truly livid-in place, one that seems worn.
And yet, I didn’t care about the city, because I didn’t care about the characters. They are ephemeral, little more than blips in the city’s long record. They make the barest of impressions and now that I know they really don't matter in terms of the series, I feel even less like there was any point to them at all. Sure, they do make a difference here. Perhaps. If you believe that this small moment would, or even could, affect such a place as Kithamar in the long term. It’s difficult to evaluate when the narrative felt bereft of focus. There are rich people with some kind of agenda, but save some ill-defined darkness, the consequences of them getting what they want or not was never truly addressed. Some people died. Some didn’t. The city continues. There was no tension to any of it. As a reader, you watch Alys struggle though her pain and make some choices. Perhaps, for some, that might be enough, her journey to understanding and some kind of freedom. For me, her story felt suffocated by the larger narrative of the eternal city. Alys was not nearly enough to hold it all together, she’s too distant. All of them are, their personalities washed thin by the colour of the city itself.
As much as I appreciate the worldbuilding skill on show here by Abraham, he fails to match it with plot and characterisation. Not a series I’ll continue.
ARC via publisher
Now, the real winner of this book is not Alys or any of the other characters, it is Kithamar itself. I didn’t realise until I finished the book that the series was going to be connected through the city rather than the individuals in the novel, but it does make the heightened focus on the setting make more sense. It is clear that the city is sunlight bright in the author’s mind, a place painstakingly developed and offered to the reader with loving enthusiasm. It’s not just that the setting is thoroughly detailed, though it is, but the reader is given a sense of tradition and community that add meaning to the ways in which people live and die, how they celebrate and mourn. For this, the author deserves all the praise. It is a rare talent to be able to create such a truly livid-in place, one that seems worn.
And yet, I didn’t care about the city, because I didn’t care about the characters. They are ephemeral, little more than blips in the city’s long record. They make the barest of impressions and now that I know they really don't matter in terms of the series, I feel even less like there was any point to them at all. Sure, they do make a difference here. Perhaps. If you believe that this small moment would, or even could, affect such a place as Kithamar in the long term. It’s difficult to evaluate when the narrative felt bereft of focus. There are rich people with some kind of agenda, but save some ill-defined darkness, the consequences of them getting what they want or not was never truly addressed. Some people died. Some didn’t. The city continues. There was no tension to any of it. As a reader, you watch Alys struggle though her pain and make some choices. Perhaps, for some, that might be enough, her journey to understanding and some kind of freedom. For me, her story felt suffocated by the larger narrative of the eternal city. Alys was not nearly enough to hold it all together, she’s too distant. All of them are, their personalities washed thin by the colour of the city itself.
As much as I appreciate the worldbuilding skill on show here by Abraham, he fails to match it with plot and characterisation. Not a series I’ll continue.
ARC via publisher
November 28, 2021
Age of Ash is the first book in a fantasy trilogy set in the city of Kithomar with a plot setup centering around gangs of orphans who set about pickpocketing the populace, mysterious witches, and a knife of power. It is a well-developed fantasy world, but the action takes rather awhile to develop and it often does not succeed in fully capturing the reader's attention.
February 23, 2022
I have finally read my first Daniel Abraham book!
Daniel Abraham’s books have been on my tbr! I have heard great things about The Expanse, The Long Price Quartet and The Dagger and the Coin series, but for some reason, I have never gotten around to reading any of Abraham’s books. I was very excited when OrbitBooks sent a review copy of Age of Ash! This finally gave me an excuse to read some of Abraham’s work. So what did I think?
Age of Ash is the first book in The Kithamar trilogy and follows Alys, who lives in Longhill, Kithamar. When Alys’s brother is suddenly murdered, Alys becomes resolute to determine what ultimately happened to her brother. However, Alys is unexpectedly swept into a conspiracy that will threaten the future of Kithamar as we know it.
I have frequently heard that Abraham’s prose is beautiful, and I can finally understand why he receives such praise. Abraham’s prose is alluring and wonderful, rich with beautiful descriptions and exquisite characterisations. Reading Age of Ash reminded me of Robin Hobb’s books in some ways. Abraham does a phenomenal job at creating atmosphere and tension. Moreover, Abraham is not afraid to spend considerable time fleshing out the characters and the world. While the reader doesn’t get much insight into the whole of Kithamar, the district of Longhill is masterfully brought to life. The reader gains insight into the culture and grittiness of Longhill! Longhill is one of the poorest districts in Kithamar, and its people face many hardships and challenges. Abraham does a phenomenal job at making the reader experience how ruthless Longhill is!
Moreover, Abraham does a fantastic job introducing the main characters, Alys and Sammish. These characters are complex, troubled and are struggling with grief and their identity. While I didn’t necessarily love how these characters behaved at times, Abraham’s does make an effort in justifying their actions. Consequently, Age of Ash has some fantastic themes about grief, loyalty, family, friendship and overcoming hardships.
While there is much to love about Age of Ash, the latter half of this book fell flat for me. Abraham spends a considerable amount of time fleshing out the main characters and setting up the plot. However, it almost felt like this book didn’t start until the 250-page mark. While the story starts picking up at 60%, this was just too late for me. I kept reading since I could see that Abraham was building toward something. However, the payoff just came too late. I started losing interest in this world and its characters after 200 pages of barely anything happening. When things finally started to pick up, I didn’t care enough to try and get fully reinvested in the plot. While I don’t mind a slow burn, this book could easily have been 50 pages shorter. This book has a lot of great things going for it, but I do worry that a lot of readers will feel similarly to me and might DNF this book before the plot starts to pick up.
Moreover, the tone of this story was a tad bit too depressing for my taste. Age of Ash is not a story filled with hope, love and happiness. On the contrary, this world is rough and is filled with injustice and adversity.
I can imagine that Age of Ash is one of those books that will make more sense when the whole trilogy is published. While I did enjoy several aspects of this book, Abraham was not able to get me fully invested in this world or its characters due to its slow pace. If you are looking for a book with beautiful writing, great world-building (or city-building) and interesting themes, then it is worth checking out Age of Ash!
3 / 5 stars
A special thanks to Orbit Books for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Daniel Abraham’s books have been on my tbr! I have heard great things about The Expanse, The Long Price Quartet and The Dagger and the Coin series, but for some reason, I have never gotten around to reading any of Abraham’s books. I was very excited when OrbitBooks sent a review copy of Age of Ash! This finally gave me an excuse to read some of Abraham’s work. So what did I think?
Age of Ash is the first book in The Kithamar trilogy and follows Alys, who lives in Longhill, Kithamar. When Alys’s brother is suddenly murdered, Alys becomes resolute to determine what ultimately happened to her brother. However, Alys is unexpectedly swept into a conspiracy that will threaten the future of Kithamar as we know it.
I have frequently heard that Abraham’s prose is beautiful, and I can finally understand why he receives such praise. Abraham’s prose is alluring and wonderful, rich with beautiful descriptions and exquisite characterisations. Reading Age of Ash reminded me of Robin Hobb’s books in some ways. Abraham does a phenomenal job at creating atmosphere and tension. Moreover, Abraham is not afraid to spend considerable time fleshing out the characters and the world. While the reader doesn’t get much insight into the whole of Kithamar, the district of Longhill is masterfully brought to life. The reader gains insight into the culture and grittiness of Longhill! Longhill is one of the poorest districts in Kithamar, and its people face many hardships and challenges. Abraham does a phenomenal job at making the reader experience how ruthless Longhill is!
Moreover, Abraham does a fantastic job introducing the main characters, Alys and Sammish. These characters are complex, troubled and are struggling with grief and their identity. While I didn’t necessarily love how these characters behaved at times, Abraham’s does make an effort in justifying their actions. Consequently, Age of Ash has some fantastic themes about grief, loyalty, family, friendship and overcoming hardships.
While there is much to love about Age of Ash, the latter half of this book fell flat for me. Abraham spends a considerable amount of time fleshing out the main characters and setting up the plot. However, it almost felt like this book didn’t start until the 250-page mark. While the story starts picking up at 60%, this was just too late for me. I kept reading since I could see that Abraham was building toward something. However, the payoff just came too late. I started losing interest in this world and its characters after 200 pages of barely anything happening. When things finally started to pick up, I didn’t care enough to try and get fully reinvested in the plot. While I don’t mind a slow burn, this book could easily have been 50 pages shorter. This book has a lot of great things going for it, but I do worry that a lot of readers will feel similarly to me and might DNF this book before the plot starts to pick up.
Moreover, the tone of this story was a tad bit too depressing for my taste. Age of Ash is not a story filled with hope, love and happiness. On the contrary, this world is rough and is filled with injustice and adversity.
I can imagine that Age of Ash is one of those books that will make more sense when the whole trilogy is published. While I did enjoy several aspects of this book, Abraham was not able to get me fully invested in this world or its characters due to its slow pace. If you are looking for a book with beautiful writing, great world-building (or city-building) and interesting themes, then it is worth checking out Age of Ash!
3 / 5 stars
A special thanks to Orbit Books for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 29, 2022
For anyone who has never read an Abraham novel before, be aware of what you're getting into with his first book in a series. It's a slow, methodical unravelling of the plot, world and characters that really may - and often times does - put people off continuing. Nevertheless, I have full faith in his ability to hit pay offs later in series that elevate that original entry. I think I will enjoy this book a lot more on re-read before the second book comes out. Basically, stick with it! Abraham is master and I urge you to stick around for a whole series!
Now onto the actual book. We spend a lot of time in the slums of a large city called Kithamar following characters who pick pockets and do general petty crime. Without giving anything away, events occur that escalate the narrative and reveal more of the city and explore religions, sects, cultures that clash and mesh in this vast city. And that would be my main positive in this book, around the 40% mark, this book finally reveals its further plot and I was invested in what was happening and who was involved. Before that point however, I was having real trouble. The setting and environment felt generic and played out having read The Lies of Locke Lamora, Mistborn and countless others that involve this kind of character set. Nevertheless, like I said, once that 40% mark hits, I was engrossed and wanted to barrel through the rest. There are some very interesting magical devices introduced and explored throughout that let me know this wasn't going to continue in the vein that it begun.
There are some really interesting pieces of world building, I loved a lot of the characters in the book and the themes are strong with the story conveying exactly what it wants to. My main problem comes with the 'main character'. I found myself struggling to connect and actually care about her and instead wanted to spend all of my time with every other character we've met. I believe her pay off is worth the journey this book takes, but I actually think it could have used an extra 100-150 pages to really soak in the journey she experiences. Instead, I wasn't wholeheartedly invested in the culmination of this book having not been completely on board through the majority of her journey. This however, lends to my belief that I will enjoy it more on reread and having the later entries to explore and grow the characters and world.
Don't miss out on Abraham!
Thank you to Netgalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Now onto the actual book. We spend a lot of time in the slums of a large city called Kithamar following characters who pick pockets and do general petty crime. Without giving anything away, events occur that escalate the narrative and reveal more of the city and explore religions, sects, cultures that clash and mesh in this vast city. And that would be my main positive in this book, around the 40% mark, this book finally reveals its further plot and I was invested in what was happening and who was involved. Before that point however, I was having real trouble. The setting and environment felt generic and played out having read The Lies of Locke Lamora, Mistborn and countless others that involve this kind of character set. Nevertheless, like I said, once that 40% mark hits, I was engrossed and wanted to barrel through the rest. There are some very interesting magical devices introduced and explored throughout that let me know this wasn't going to continue in the vein that it begun.
There are some really interesting pieces of world building, I loved a lot of the characters in the book and the themes are strong with the story conveying exactly what it wants to. My main problem comes with the 'main character'. I found myself struggling to connect and actually care about her and instead wanted to spend all of my time with every other character we've met. I believe her pay off is worth the journey this book takes, but I actually think it could have used an extra 100-150 pages to really soak in the journey she experiences. Instead, I wasn't wholeheartedly invested in the culmination of this book having not been completely on board through the majority of her journey. This however, lends to my belief that I will enjoy it more on reread and having the later entries to explore and grow the characters and world.
Don't miss out on Abraham!
Thank you to Netgalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 21, 2024
This is the first instalment in the Kithamar series.
Over the course of this series, one story will be told from a multitude of different perspectives of those living within the city of Kithamar, with its developing future and longevity relying upon their actions. What is important to them will be at the forefront of their perspectives, as well as their part to play in Kithamar's future, however small or trivial, and whether they are aware of this or not.
This immediately proved itself to be an impeccably well-told and intricate tale. I adored it initially and this did not lessen throughout the course of the twisted and slowly unfurling tale. I was often unaware of where this book would take the reader or what each sometimes seemingly unrelated side-tangent or sub-plot had to do with the overarching storyline. Blind trust in this author had me enjoying it immensely, keeping my queries silenced, and in utter awe at what was produced.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Daniel Abraham, and the publisher, Orbit, for this opportunity.
Over the course of this series, one story will be told from a multitude of different perspectives of those living within the city of Kithamar, with its developing future and longevity relying upon their actions. What is important to them will be at the forefront of their perspectives, as well as their part to play in Kithamar's future, however small or trivial, and whether they are aware of this or not.
This immediately proved itself to be an impeccably well-told and intricate tale. I adored it initially and this did not lessen throughout the course of the twisted and slowly unfurling tale. I was often unaware of where this book would take the reader or what each sometimes seemingly unrelated side-tangent or sub-plot had to do with the overarching storyline. Blind trust in this author had me enjoying it immensely, keeping my queries silenced, and in utter awe at what was produced.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Daniel Abraham, and the publisher, Orbit, for this opportunity.
February 15, 2022
DNF @ 63%
I don't care about anything happening in this book at all. The characters don't interest me and the plot certainly doesn't interest me. However, Abraham's prose is great, and I will certainly read other stuff from him. In fact, I may try this book again at another time when I am more in the mood for something like this. But it wasn't vibing with me at all, I've already essentially forgotten it as I'm writing this review, and so pressing on until the end seems like a bad time.
I don't care about anything happening in this book at all. The characters don't interest me and the plot certainly doesn't interest me. However, Abraham's prose is great, and I will certainly read other stuff from him. In fact, I may try this book again at another time when I am more in the mood for something like this. But it wasn't vibing with me at all, I've already essentially forgotten it as I'm writing this review, and so pressing on until the end seems like a bad time.
December 30, 2021
Age of Ash follows the tale of the city of Kithamar during a tumultous time in history with assassinations, rivalling gangs and religous cults abound. We mainly follow Alys, a young thief from the slums who sets out to avenge the murder of her brother and learn who killed him and why. As she uncovers more about her brother and his secrets, she inadvertenly peels back the layers of a conspiracy that threatens the entire city. Alys and her allies (some old friends, some relcutant, some trushworthy and some not) must choose whether the dark truths that lie at the heart of the city are worth the danger in confronting them.
This book is a really fun ride full of intrigue, backstabbing and self discovery as we follow Alys and her journey. I really enjoyed the overall pace and tone of the story, the city of Kithamar is quite a grim place but the author decribes it in a way that makes it very easy to imagine and creates an excellent atmosphere that isn't quite grim dark but you can feel the tension and sweltering oppression of the city lurking in the background. The story unfolds gradually as we discover the layers of mystery that lay at the dark heart of Kithamar but you are kept enagaged the whole time and at no point did the pacing feel jagged (ie rushed/too slow).
I liked some of the side characters as well, we also get quite a bit of Sammish's POV, one of Alys childhood friends who is secretly in love with her (love a bit of sapphic pining T_T) who is trying to save Alys from herself for a lot of the book, whihc is often a fruitless task. I liked seeing their friendship and all the angst alongside the exploration of how high political stakes and constant threat put close relationships under a lot of strain.
We also get the POVs of some of the "bad guys" which I honestly really enjoyed and thought added an extra layer of dimension to the story.
I feel like my only criticism of the book is that I didn't feel super connected to the characters. I thought they were very likeable and compelling to follow but something held me back from completely falling in love with them and hence enjoying the book that little bit more! Also I don't think this book is super action packed/battle heavy but rather is more about the intrigue and mystery - I actually prefer this but I just wanted to raise it so you know what to expect!
Overall a very promising start to what is an exciting new fantasy series full of lots of familiar and comforting elements while still feeling like its own book.
This book is a really fun ride full of intrigue, backstabbing and self discovery as we follow Alys and her journey. I really enjoyed the overall pace and tone of the story, the city of Kithamar is quite a grim place but the author decribes it in a way that makes it very easy to imagine and creates an excellent atmosphere that isn't quite grim dark but you can feel the tension and sweltering oppression of the city lurking in the background. The story unfolds gradually as we discover the layers of mystery that lay at the dark heart of Kithamar but you are kept enagaged the whole time and at no point did the pacing feel jagged (ie rushed/too slow).
I liked some of the side characters as well, we also get quite a bit of Sammish's POV, one of Alys childhood friends who is secretly in love with her (love a bit of sapphic pining T_T) who is trying to save Alys from herself for a lot of the book, whihc is often a fruitless task. I liked seeing their friendship and all the angst alongside the exploration of how high political stakes and constant threat put close relationships under a lot of strain.
We also get the POVs of some of the "bad guys" which I honestly really enjoyed and thought added an extra layer of dimension to the story.
I feel like my only criticism of the book is that I didn't feel super connected to the characters. I thought they were very likeable and compelling to follow but something held me back from completely falling in love with them and hence enjoying the book that little bit more! Also I don't think this book is super action packed/battle heavy but rather is more about the intrigue and mystery - I actually prefer this but I just wanted to raise it so you know what to expect!
Overall a very promising start to what is an exciting new fantasy series full of lots of familiar and comforting elements while still feeling like its own book.
February 18, 2022
Daniel Abraham does it again, ladies and germs. He (and Ty) rocked my world with The Expanse series and not that it's gone, and I'm in the period of mourning, I can say the Kithamar series has been like a drug for the past few days. I am going to add a bit under my review in case anyone who was an Expanse fan wants to know if this is for them.
Kithamar is a city of many colors and many schemes. Those who have coin and royalty hire petty thieves and lowlives to perform roles in their stratagems. Alys, a poor girl from Longhill, gets herself involved in the midst of a pull that can shake the entire city. Some lose coin, some lose their lives, and she may even lose herself as she plays as a little wolf for the puppetmaster.
Age of Ash is a slow fantasy with a methodical unravelling of the plot that shows everything is a plot, within a plot, within a plot. And surprisingly, while there is magic in the story, none of the main characters - Alys and Sammish - know how to use it. The Kithamar world is one where people fear magic and those who practice are powerful and few, often unknown. The two characteristics reminded me of The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, though I must say that I find Abraham's writing more of my style (I have seen reviews mentioning the style is a hit or miss, it is a total hit in my case; I'd read Abraham's grocery shopping list and give it five stars at this point).
What I enjoyed the most were the characters. We have a very diverse set of them ranging from petty thieves, witches from another country, slavers, and members of the (cultish) royal family. They all scheme, and it is all personal: we see grief over losing a loved one shapes one's path; we see someone's idealizing her (unrequited) love interest and grieving with the letting go when that person changes; we see someone losing themselves in a scheme for who is close to their hearts; and we see someone's actions being shaped by their past and her slow realization that she was a pawn, but can no longer be with the right group of friends. Above everything and everyone, I loved Darro and Sammish. Sammish was just very dear to me, I loved witnessing her development from a literal shadow to what she becomes. It's been a long time since I rooted for a character as bad as I have for her.
My only complaint about the story was the lack of description of the characters. Hair color is rarely mentioned and whereas we know people of Inslic or Hansch origin tend to have this or that characteristics, I needed more. I only got to know Sammish's hair color and eye color by the end of the book; same with the witch (who, for some reason, I pictured with shaven blonde hair? I can't even explain). It was weird to reach the end and realize I had misimagined some of them, while most of the characters were still not described at all. Alys, for example - how does she look like? I know she looks like her brother and wears hoods often, but that's pretty much it.
Here's my favorite quotes:
"If and if and if. They'll poison us if we let them, these ifs."
Violence is the nature of the world. Peace is the pause between blows.
"She went to sleep, and she didn't wake up." And then, with a solemn knowing not, "She woke down." - This is something I would say and I cracked up.
And now, for the Expanse fans who are thinking 'can this be my new thing?': This is very different from the Expanse. You will not have an Amos or an Avasarala here, though there is a character who may recall you of her. It's not only fantasy but the writing and unraveling of the plot are slower-paced and known to you. There is no found family and, obviously, there is no space nor the Rocinante. That being said, this book has plans within plans within plans. If you enjoyed the character exploration and development in the Expanse, the political intrigue, and how one plan could shake everything (and did), you may certainly enjoy this. Is this going to scratch that The Expanse itch? Probably not, but it is still an insanely good book.
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Any bias here comes from my own fangirl ass. I am still happy dancing that I got to read this early.
Kithamar is a city of many colors and many schemes. Those who have coin and royalty hire petty thieves and lowlives to perform roles in their stratagems. Alys, a poor girl from Longhill, gets herself involved in the midst of a pull that can shake the entire city. Some lose coin, some lose their lives, and she may even lose herself as she plays as a little wolf for the puppetmaster.
Age of Ash is a slow fantasy with a methodical unravelling of the plot that shows everything is a plot, within a plot, within a plot. And surprisingly, while there is magic in the story, none of the main characters - Alys and Sammish - know how to use it. The Kithamar world is one where people fear magic and those who practice are powerful and few, often unknown. The two characteristics reminded me of The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, though I must say that I find Abraham's writing more of my style (I have seen reviews mentioning the style is a hit or miss, it is a total hit in my case; I'd read Abraham's grocery shopping list and give it five stars at this point).
What I enjoyed the most were the characters. We have a very diverse set of them ranging from petty thieves, witches from another country, slavers, and members of the (cultish) royal family. They all scheme, and it is all personal: we see grief over losing a loved one shapes one's path; we see someone's idealizing her (unrequited) love interest and grieving with the letting go when that person changes; we see someone losing themselves in a scheme for who is close to their hearts; and we see someone's actions being shaped by their past and her slow realization that she was a pawn, but can no longer be with the right group of friends. Above everything and everyone, I loved Darro and Sammish. Sammish was just very dear to me, I loved witnessing her development from a literal shadow to what she becomes. It's been a long time since I rooted for a character as bad as I have for her.
My only complaint about the story was the lack of description of the characters. Hair color is rarely mentioned and whereas we know people of Inslic or Hansch origin tend to have this or that characteristics, I needed more. I only got to know Sammish's hair color and eye color by the end of the book; same with the witch (who, for some reason, I pictured with shaven blonde hair? I can't even explain). It was weird to reach the end and realize I had misimagined some of them, while most of the characters were still not described at all. Alys, for example - how does she look like? I know she looks like her brother and wears hoods often, but that's pretty much it.
Here's my favorite quotes:
"If and if and if. They'll poison us if we let them, these ifs."
Violence is the nature of the world. Peace is the pause between blows.
"She went to sleep, and she didn't wake up." And then, with a solemn knowing not, "She woke down." - This is something I would say and I cracked up.
And now, for the Expanse fans who are thinking 'can this be my new thing?': This is very different from the Expanse. You will not have an Amos or an Avasarala here, though there is a character who may recall you of her. It's not only fantasy but the writing and unraveling of the plot are slower-paced and known to you. There is no found family and, obviously, there is no space nor the Rocinante. That being said, this book has plans within plans within plans. If you enjoyed the character exploration and development in the Expanse, the political intrigue, and how one plan could shake everything (and did), you may certainly enjoy this. Is this going to scratch that The Expanse itch? Probably not, but it is still an insanely good book.
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Any bias here comes from my own fangirl ass. I am still happy dancing that I got to read this early.
January 13, 2024
A bit too YA for me coming from Abraham. Still good enough to continue the series.
Read
April 20, 2022DNF
Alas this one just wasn’t capturing my attention and I ended up DNF-ing it around 40%. Whilst the premise of the book, a sister on a revenge quest, sounded like it could well appeal to me, I just never felt a connection with the MCs and I ended up finding excuses to pick up other titles over this one. This is the second adult fantasy I’ve tried by Abraham and despite enjoying the SF Expanse series he co-writes I haven’t been able to click with his solo fantasy titles just yet unfortunately. I’m certain that there’s an audience who will enjoy this but it just wasn’t for me alas.
DNF
Alas this one just wasn’t capturing my attention and I ended up DNF-ing it around 40%. Whilst the premise of the book, a sister on a revenge quest, sounded like it could well appeal to me, I just never felt a connection with the MCs and I ended up finding excuses to pick up other titles over this one. This is the second adult fantasy I’ve tried by Abraham and despite enjoying the SF Expanse series he co-writes I haven’t been able to click with his solo fantasy titles just yet unfortunately. I’m certain that there’s an audience who will enjoy this but it just wasn’t for me alas.
DNF
January 29, 2022
3.75⭐️
Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I have some mixed feelings about Age of Ash, but a lot of what Daniel Abraham does well still ended up shining through and I thought this was a solid first entry to the series in the end!
I'll have a full video review coming out closer to the release date :)
Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I have some mixed feelings about Age of Ash, but a lot of what Daniel Abraham does well still ended up shining through and I thought this was a solid first entry to the series in the end!
I'll have a full video review coming out closer to the release date :)
February 6, 2022
3.5 stars, but I think closer to a 3 than a 4.
Age of Ash is a bit of a strange one for me, because I usually leave my reviews for a couple of days after finishing the book, and let everything sink in, mull it over for a bit. With this one though, I’ve had plenty of time and although I enjoyed it overall, I find I don’t have an awful lot to say about it!
I think that unless you delve into the themes, or the specific character motivations, that is sometimes the conundrum with reviewing a Daniel Abraham book though.
The character work is good, although I felt some of the more interesting character development was right at the end of the book, so there was little time to enjoy this. The story definitely had its moments, with some of those interesting character developments driving the plot forwards in the latter stages of the book.
The standout theme for me was one of grief, with Alys, our main character, trying to come to terms with the loss of her brother, while also trying to unravel the mystery surrounding his death. This was all well handled and I enjoyed the exploration of loss and the path it set Alys upon.
Some people will tell you that the first book in an Abraham series is a slow burn and you don’t really appreciate so much it until you’ve read the full series. Here, I don’t think that was the case. Although it didn’t read at a blistering pace, Age of Ash was still a pretty quick and riveting read.
Probably the only real negative for me was the lack of clear separation between scenes. A few times, there was a change of scene mid-chapter, right at the top of the page on my Kindle. This really threw me out of my rhythm as I would just carry on reading without pause and then have to backtrack slightly, thinking I’d missed something.
Overall, I’m definitely interested in continuing the Kithamar series, and as long as you don’t need great battles, a massive cast and action-packed pages, Age of Ash comes well recommended.
Age of Ash is a bit of a strange one for me, because I usually leave my reviews for a couple of days after finishing the book, and let everything sink in, mull it over for a bit. With this one though, I’ve had plenty of time and although I enjoyed it overall, I find I don’t have an awful lot to say about it!
I think that unless you delve into the themes, or the specific character motivations, that is sometimes the conundrum with reviewing a Daniel Abraham book though.
The character work is good, although I felt some of the more interesting character development was right at the end of the book, so there was little time to enjoy this. The story definitely had its moments, with some of those interesting character developments driving the plot forwards in the latter stages of the book.
The standout theme for me was one of grief, with Alys, our main character, trying to come to terms with the loss of her brother, while also trying to unravel the mystery surrounding his death. This was all well handled and I enjoyed the exploration of loss and the path it set Alys upon.
Some people will tell you that the first book in an Abraham series is a slow burn and you don’t really appreciate so much it until you’ve read the full series. Here, I don’t think that was the case. Although it didn’t read at a blistering pace, Age of Ash was still a pretty quick and riveting read.
Probably the only real negative for me was the lack of clear separation between scenes. A few times, there was a change of scene mid-chapter, right at the top of the page on my Kindle. This really threw me out of my rhythm as I would just carry on reading without pause and then have to backtrack slightly, thinking I’d missed something.
Overall, I’m definitely interested in continuing the Kithamar series, and as long as you don’t need great battles, a massive cast and action-packed pages, Age of Ash comes well recommended.
February 3, 2022
I wish I loved this book more than this but sadly it missed the mark for me. Worldbuilding and atmosphere are amazing but I just didn't really care for the characters. Maybe book 2 will change my mind. Some readers will love this book. Unfortunately I wasn't one of them
February 23, 2022
First thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to this book.
Now Age of Ash is a new book by the coauthor of the Expanse. As a huge fan of the series I have always wanted to read his fantasy but this is my first time with it.
Having said that I will say I'm not disappointed at all bu there were a couple that things that weren't exactly my cup of tea.
Let's start with the good. Kithamar gave me exactly what I wanted. I love fantasy books that are more confined, instead of a gigantic fantasy world, so this one was right of my alley.. And I enjoyed exploring every part of it, but I also felt like we didn't really explore all of it.
The magic, let's just call it that so we don't spoil anything, was also fascinating, as well as the Brotherhood, which I just wanted to know more of.
The plot was also quite good, though I have to say that it meanders for a bit and sometimes it feels like you are just running around with characters. But there are some chapters that are SO GOOD.
Now for the more conflicting parts. The writting style is fantastic but it is also so detailed that we would be stuck for several paragraphs in a descripcion when I wanted to see where the story was going. Also the characters were quite unlikeable and I'm not sure if that was intentional or not...
This felt like a gritty, quite dark and sad story and I really enjoyed it. I feel like there is A LOT of potential for book two, and I'll be here for it.
Full review here
Now Age of Ash is a new book by the coauthor of the Expanse. As a huge fan of the series I have always wanted to read his fantasy but this is my first time with it.
Having said that I will say I'm not disappointed at all bu there were a couple that things that weren't exactly my cup of tea.
Let's start with the good. Kithamar gave me exactly what I wanted. I love fantasy books that are more confined, instead of a gigantic fantasy world, so this one was right of my alley.. And I enjoyed exploring every part of it, but I also felt like we didn't really explore all of it.
The magic, let's just call it that so we don't spoil anything, was also fascinating, as well as the Brotherhood, which I just wanted to know more of.
The plot was also quite good, though I have to say that it meanders for a bit and sometimes it feels like you are just running around with characters. But there are some chapters that are SO GOOD.
Now for the more conflicting parts. The writting style is fantastic but it is also so detailed that we would be stuck for several paragraphs in a descripcion when I wanted to see where the story was going. Also the characters were quite unlikeable and I'm not sure if that was intentional or not...
This felt like a gritty, quite dark and sad story and I really enjoyed it. I feel like there is A LOT of potential for book two, and I'll be here for it.
Full review here
February 28, 2022
Check out more bookish thoughts and content here.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
I really enjoyed Age of Ash! It has strong Joe Abercrombie vibes (minus the banter), and the world building was so wonderful. The city of Kithamar is as much a character in this story as any of the people we follow - I feel like I know my way through the streets because it just came to life as I was reading.
The plot slowed down a little in the middle, but picked up and the book came to an exciting and satisfying ending. The one thing that I felt made Age of Ash a good book rather than a great one was my disconnect with the characters. They were well written and had interesting motivations - I can’t tell you why they didn’t quite click with me, but there was something holding me back from loving them.
I’d definitely recommend this one to fans of adult fantasy, especially low fantasy. I’m curious to see what will happen in the next one!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
I really enjoyed Age of Ash! It has strong Joe Abercrombie vibes (minus the banter), and the world building was so wonderful. The city of Kithamar is as much a character in this story as any of the people we follow - I feel like I know my way through the streets because it just came to life as I was reading.
The plot slowed down a little in the middle, but picked up and the book came to an exciting and satisfying ending. The one thing that I felt made Age of Ash a good book rather than a great one was my disconnect with the characters. They were well written and had interesting motivations - I can’t tell you why they didn’t quite click with me, but there was something holding me back from loving them.
I’d definitely recommend this one to fans of adult fantasy, especially low fantasy. I’m curious to see what will happen in the next one!
March 17, 2024
If you want top quality grown-up fantasy for actual grown-ups, Daniel Abraham is the real deal. The only way to be disappointed with his books is if you were expecting something else. That's a 'you' problem. For example, this book isn't action-packed in the typical epic fantasy sense. That doesn't mean it's not eventful; there's always something happening. There's murder, magic, fights, chases, lies, and intrigue aplenty, but if you only want swords and sorcery this is not the place to be.
Age of Ash is ultimately about grief, a deep, realistic grief that unfolds honestly. This puts the book into the category of literary fantasy, but in the good way that leans on the fantasy side of that equation. It's a meaningful story that will stick with me for a long time.
Throughout, you can also see the wonderful construction of the series. This deeply personal story unfolds in a thriving, living city. Kithamar isn't another character, because saying the setting is a character is stupid. But it is a wholly believable place, with complex history and geography and class divisions and a whole lot happening out of sight that affects people's lives even if they're unaware.
The writing is superb, although not as poetically elevated on a prose level as some other recent favorites (Robert V.S. Redick, Josiah Bancroft, Christopher Buelhman it still packs a punch. As someone who is still learning to read more attentively, I love when a great sentence stops me in my tracks.
I enjoyed thinking about who else this trilogy is going to feature. Each book takes place during the same year in the city, starting with the crowning of Prince Bryn a Sal as the city's new ruler, and ending with his death. This is not a spoiler, it's the book's opening and broadest framework for all to come. Like any real city, there's so much going on constantly that the other books could be about anyone, whether they appeared in this first book or not. I could read the description for book 2 to find out who it's about but I'd rather be surprised. My only confident guess of featured character for either of the next two books is Elaine a Sal, the prince's daughter.
Age of Ash is ultimately about grief, a deep, realistic grief that unfolds honestly. This puts the book into the category of literary fantasy, but in the good way that leans on the fantasy side of that equation. It's a meaningful story that will stick with me for a long time.
Throughout, you can also see the wonderful construction of the series. This deeply personal story unfolds in a thriving, living city. Kithamar isn't another character, because saying the setting is a character is stupid. But it is a wholly believable place, with complex history and geography and class divisions and a whole lot happening out of sight that affects people's lives even if they're unaware.
The writing is superb, although not as poetically elevated on a prose level as some other recent favorites (Robert V.S. Redick, Josiah Bancroft, Christopher Buelhman it still packs a punch. As someone who is still learning to read more attentively, I love when a great sentence stops me in my tracks.
I enjoyed thinking about who else this trilogy is going to feature. Each book takes place during the same year in the city, starting with the crowning of Prince Bryn a Sal as the city's new ruler, and ending with his death. This is not a spoiler, it's the book's opening and broadest framework for all to come. Like any real city, there's so much going on constantly that the other books could be about anyone, whether they appeared in this first book or not. I could read the description for book 2 to find out who it's about but I'd rather be surprised. My only confident guess of featured character for either of the next two books is Elaine a Sal, the prince's daughter.
November 28, 2021
God I love Daniel Abraham. He writes fantasy like a historian, and I love him for it. You just know he has the answers if you ask him a question about his world and answers in the plural because he understands history isn’t a single thing but a mess of things all tangled together that we try to make whole for the comfort of the present. And this book is so steeped in the history of the place he’s made. His worldbuilding always makes me jealous, which is my highest compliment. Also I adore Alys and Sammish. Cannot wait for book 2!
March 21, 2022
The book is not bad but it just took too much effort for me. The city Kithamar felt alive, the description is very good and atmospheric, but plot wise, very few happened in so many pages.
ETA: This - especially the long self-contemplation parts - reminds me of Long Price Quartet. It was Dan's first series and was not my favorite one. Still good, but not great. Having said that, I might still give this series another chance.
ETA: This - especially the long self-contemplation parts - reminds me of Long Price Quartet. It was Dan's first series and was not my favorite one. Still good, but not great. Having said that, I might still give this series another chance.
February 25, 2022
dnf @ 38%
i just dont care and i have no motivation to finish this book
i will try more abraham this just really wasn't working for me
i just dont care and i have no motivation to finish this book
i will try more abraham this just really wasn't working for me
August 14, 2022
CHARACTERS
🔲 mary-sue party
🔲 mostly 2D
🔲 great main cast, forgottable side characters
🔲 well-written
✅ complex and fascinating
🔲 hard to believe they are fictional
PLOT
🔲 you've already heard this exact story a thousand times
🔲 nothing memorable
✅ gripping
🔲 exceptional
🔲 mind=blown
WORLDBUILDING
🔲 takes place in our world
🔲 incoherent
🔲 OK
🔲 nicely detailed
✅ meticulous
🔲 even the last tree in the forest has its own story
ATMOSPHERE
🔲 nonexistent
🔲 fine
🔲 immersive
✅ you forget you are reading a book
PACING
🔲 dragging
✅ inconsistent
🔲 picks up with time
🔲 page-turner
🔲 impossible to put down
Super slow, but I enjoyed it a lot.
🔲 mary-sue party
🔲 mostly 2D
🔲 great main cast, forgottable side characters
🔲 well-written
✅ complex and fascinating
🔲 hard to believe they are fictional
PLOT
🔲 you've already heard this exact story a thousand times
🔲 nothing memorable
✅ gripping
🔲 exceptional
🔲 mind=blown
WORLDBUILDING
🔲 takes place in our world
🔲 incoherent
🔲 OK
🔲 nicely detailed
✅ meticulous
🔲 even the last tree in the forest has its own story
ATMOSPHERE
🔲 nonexistent
🔲 fine
🔲 immersive
✅ you forget you are reading a book
PACING
🔲 dragging
✅ inconsistent
🔲 picks up with time
🔲 page-turner
🔲 impossible to put down
Super slow, but I enjoyed it a lot.
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