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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really wanted to like this book. The Long Price Quartet is one of my favorite series, and I was so excited to start a new Abraham book. But it just didn't do it for me. It was slow, so slow, and more of a character study about grief and growth than anything. Which some people probably would like, but I found tedious. I managed to finish, in the end, but I don't think I'll continue on with the series. Not for me.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters invite you into their world and their progression and growth makes the whole thing tick. It drags the teensiest bit in the middle. The prose itself was above average for the fantasy genre. I'd like to learn more about the world of Kithamar, we get lots of hints. Would recommend to fans of fantasy.
Nothing particularly mind-blowing but this feels like a series that is going to be immaculately tied together at the end, so we will see…
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
It is a good read
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the first volume in a new fantasy trilogy by Daniel Abraham, author of a fantasy quartet (The Long Price Quartet) that I very much liked, and co-author of the Expanse science fiction series, which I very much enjoyed. As such, my expectations were high and, for me, the book didn't live up to them. Neither the worldbuilding nor the characters captured me the way the best of Abraham's work has done. I found this mildly enjoyable most of the way through, ramping up toward the end.
My favorite thing about "Age of Ash" is that most of the story is told from the perspective of ordinary poorer people. Not kings, nor warriors; not mages, nor geniuses. There are at least ten point-of-view characters, but the two main ones are Alys and Sammish, a pair of women who start out as collaborators in a cutpurse crew. I liked Sammish from early on and grew fonder of her. But Alys I only liked too little and too late. I think she was meant to be a sympathetic character, but I didn't find her so. Other readers may well differ. Maybe I was just in a sour mood.
As it stands, however, I rate this as 3 out of 5 middling stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
My favorite thing about "Age of Ash" is that most of the story is told from the perspective of ordinary poorer people. Not kings, nor warriors; not mages, nor geniuses. There are at least ten point-of-view characters, but the two main ones are Alys and Sammish, a pair of women who start out as collaborators in a cutpurse crew. I liked Sammish from early on and grew fonder of her. But Alys I only liked too little and too late. I think she was meant to be a sympathetic character, but I didn't find her so. Other readers may well differ. Maybe I was just in a sour mood.
As it stands, however, I rate this as 3 out of 5 middling stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes