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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a book! I’m not always a fan of slow fantasy (though I know it’s often necessary for good world building) but there was something so deliberate about the pace of this book, like a vulture slowly circling its prey, sprawling much like the city its set in. Kithamar is a fascinating location – it is a huge and ancient city that, over the years, has swallowed up smaller settlements until old enemies have settled into being relatively comfortable neighbours.
The part of the city we see the most is Longhill, where the main character Alys is from. Longhill is the home of the Inlisc people, and it is the poorest area of the city, made of fragile wood and looked down upon by the rest of Kithamar. The story starts with an eagle-eyed view of the city, coming at it a year after the main events begin; the Prince has died and the city is in limbo, but before things gain too wide a perspective the focus narrows down to Alys and how she came to her current situation. Alys is a young woman who spends her days running pulls, teaming up with others from Longhill to steal from those more fortunate, especially on festival days when people are out in their finery.
When the leader of her team decides to target a member of the city guard for their next pull, Alys gets caught and is able to get away only with the help of her older brother Darro. He sends her into hiding for a few days, promising to take care of everything, but when she emerges again Darro’s corpse has washed up on the shores of the river. In shock and grief, Alys takes up Darro’s last job to try and discover what killed him, and she is catapulted into a world of secrets, danger, and magic, and she runs the risk of losing herself to her anger and the city itself.
‘There are gods in the streets these days.’
As I said at the start, this is a slow-paced story, though it has many bursts of action, but the slow reveal of the mystery at the heart of Age of Ash is so worth it, and as Abraham builds up the tension he also builds up a strange and beautiful world. I am not sure I would ever want to live in Kithamar but I would happily read many books set within its walls, as I’m sure hundreds of stories could be told about it. Though I loved that Alys, a young girl from the slums and of no political importance, took centre stage, I was also itching to catch more glimpses inside the walls of the palace and I do hope we get to see more politics and intrigue in the rest of the trilogy. This was my first encounter with Daniel Abraham’s work (apart from my current obsession with The Expanse tv show) and it certainly won’t be the last – I eagerly await the next book in the Kithamar Trilogy and will definitely be exploring the author’s backlist.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
NB: I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley. Inasmuch as I can be sure of such things, I believe that this has not affected the content of my review.
This book is a solid, well-constructed tale about how the poorest people in a city ruled by a corrupted, evil, undying spirit can--if not overthrow the villain and restore justice, at least make things very inconvenient for the evil spirit for a while. The character journeys of our two main characters, Alys and Sammish, their arcs of grief and love and disappointment and reconciliation, were believable without falling into tropes, and their eventual ending points felt satisfying and real, if bittersweet.
The characterization of the city of Kithamar, too, was skilled, with the character of the neighborhoods enriched with a careful attention to the social organization and economic habits of the people who live there. There were many particularly effective details about how hard life is in the poorest neighborhood of Longhill, how people live on the knife-edge of freezing and starvation, develop tricks for balancing the need for warmth and food with not enough money for either, about how they recognize the signs when somone starts losing that balancing act, but can't afford to help, because they're always teetering on that knife-edge themselves. It makes the moment when someone does help that much more affecting--particularly when they help someone who doesn't 'deserve' it, although of course even that moral calculus is suspect, since everone 'deserves' not to starve or freeze to death.
Abraham is very good at what he does. I don't believe this book is quite as good as his Dagger andd the Coin sequence, or his Long Price Quartet, but then it's only a single book, and his works tend to really shine as the story stretches out and complexifies. But I always enjoy his work, even in single books, and I look forward to reading the next book in this series. But I am not impatient for it, because, in a final gift to his reader, Abraham wraps the story up in a very satisfying way. There is room for a sequel, but it's not a cliffhanger. Kithamar will be ready for me when next I'm ready for it.
This book is a solid, well-constructed tale about how the poorest people in a city ruled by a corrupted, evil, undying spirit can--if not overthrow the villain and restore justice, at least make things very inconvenient for the evil spirit for a while. The character journeys of our two main characters, Alys and Sammish, their arcs of grief and love and disappointment and reconciliation, were believable without falling into tropes, and their eventual ending points felt satisfying and real, if bittersweet.
The characterization of the city of Kithamar, too, was skilled, with the character of the neighborhoods enriched with a careful attention to the social organization and economic habits of the people who live there. There were many particularly effective details about how hard life is in the poorest neighborhood of Longhill, how people live on the knife-edge of freezing and starvation, develop tricks for balancing the need for warmth and food with not enough money for either, about how they recognize the signs when somone starts losing that balancing act, but can't afford to help, because they're always teetering on that knife-edge themselves. It makes the moment when someone does help that much more affecting--particularly when they help someone who doesn't 'deserve' it, although of course even that moral calculus is suspect, since everone 'deserves' not to starve or freeze to death.
Abraham is very good at what he does. I don't believe this book is quite as good as his Dagger andd the Coin sequence, or his Long Price Quartet, but then it's only a single book, and his works tend to really shine as the story stretches out and complexifies. But I always enjoy his work, even in single books, and I look forward to reading the next book in this series. But I am not impatient for it, because, in a final gift to his reader, Abraham wraps the story up in a very satisfying way. There is room for a sequel, but it's not a cliffhanger. Kithamar will be ready for me when next I'm ready for it.
Age of Ash, the first book in a new fantasy trilogy by Daniel Abraham, follows various citizens of the bleak city of Kithamar as they face a year of violence, plague, political machinations, and mystery. This multi-POV story displays poverty and the need for survival in an incredibly realistic way. Though I didn’t always agree with the characters’ actions, I understood their motivations and never doubted that the narrative choices were intentional for the overarching plot of the series. Similar to his work in the Long Price Quartet, Abraham effortlessly weaves the plot of this story with the economic background of the city and meaningful character relationships and interactions. Some of my favorite parts of this book were the conversations between two characters and watching the way they develop.
I loved this book and can’t wait for news of the release of book two. The narrative framing of Age of Ash does leave the reader with unanswered questions by the end of the book, which I think is intentional and didn’t retract from my enjoyment of the story; however, I can see how this choice will bother some readers. With that being said, I have full confidence in Daniel Abraham’s plotting skills and feel like this could be a new favorite series for me.
Many thanks to NetGalley for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I received this novel from Orbit Books, through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review: my thanks to both of them for this opportunity.
I’m quite familiar with Daniel Abraham’s fantasy production, having greatly enjoyed both The Long Price Quartet and The Dagger and the Coin series, and of course I know that under the shared pen name of James S.A. Corey he’s the co-author, together with Ty Franck, of the successful SF series The Expanse, so that when the start of this new fantasy saga was announced I was more than eager to see for myself what it was about.
The city of Kithamar has a long history of power and prosperity, but also of violence and strife: as the novel starts, the uneasy peace between the two ethnic groups living in the city is shaken by the death of the former ruler and the ascendance of his successor - many wonder, given the troubled times, how long he will be able to remain in his place. But Age of Ash is not so much the tale of people in power, but rather of the city’s inhabitants: first we meet Alys, a very proficient member in a band of thieves, one of the most lucrative occupations among Kithamar’s underprivileged. The murder of her brother sends her on a very different path, however: searching for answers first and then for vengeance, Alys finds herself enmeshed with convoluted political maneuvers and the dark, ancient secret behind Kithamar’s rule - a secret that might claim her life. Sammish is another member of the dsmr band, her skill in being inconspicuous a very valuable one for thieving, but a hindrance in her desire to be noticed by Alys on whom she has a crush: when Alys’ focus on vengeance becomes all-encompassing and takes her into the orbit of some shady characters, and once the mysterious Saffa - a woman searching desperately for her kidnapped child - opens Sammish’s eyes on the evil undercurrents of powers in Kithamar, the girl will have to deal with conflicting loyalties and a newfound awareness of the world she’s living in. The third main POV comes from Andomaka, a noblewoman with great aspirations to power and the member of a weird religious cult holding the secret behind the workings of the power handout between rulers: she is strong, ambitious and ruthless, the true representative of the caste that has been governing Kithamar throughout the centuries.
The slow burn of Age of Ash might have proved discouraging if I had not been prepared: previous experience with Daniel Abraham’s novels taught me that he likes to carefully prepare the playing field and that the beginnings of his series require a little patience, which is always rewarded in the end. In this particular case, the “preliminary” work serves to create the image of a living, breathing city in all its colorful detail: shopkeepers and artisans plying their trade in the winding streets and alleys of Kithamar, urchins running underfoot and thieves moving like smoke in crowded areas; the various districts, looking like enclaves where the two ethnicities coexist in a delicate balance, giving way to the mansions of the more affluent citizens and of the nobility - these elements are pictured in such a vivid manner that after a while they feel three-dimensional, to the point that it’s almost possible to hear the sounds and perceive the smells. We are led through the city in its better times, like the harvest, which brings abundance of food and a festive atmosphere, when street revelries offer the chance for celebration and great thieving opportunities in the crowded passages; and we see it in the bitter cold of winter, when food is scarce and ice covers the ground and hangs from the roofs in big icicles, when the poorest have to choose between eating or warming their homes, a time when darkness and gloom prey heavily on everyone’s mind.
While I enjoyed such richness in the world-building, I found myself somewhat distanced from the characters, particularly where Alys is concerned: the single-minded focus on her quest leaves little space for any kind of emotional connection or feeling of sympathy. Even her grief at the loss of her brother shows this kind of hard edge (for want of a better definition) that turns it into something cold and soulless, devoid of any spark of humanity. I ended up feeling greater empathy with Sammish, not least because she exhibits a greater capacity for emotional and psychological growth throughout the story and because what looks like childish infatuation morphs, in the end, into a willingness to help her friend and to do the right thing, not just for Alys but for the city as well. The unassuming girl who can move through crowds unnoticed shows more courage and heart, in the end, than the one who should be the main focus of the story, and this comparison did not help me at all in my reflections on Alys’ character: this is however only the first book in a series so I’m also suspending my judgment while waiting to see how the story progresses and what kind of surprises the author has in store for his readers.
And speaking of the plot itself, there are many unresolved threads here - particularly where Andomaka’s actions and her connection with the religious cult are concerned - that will certainly be further explored in the next books: there is a lot of intrigue, with longtime ramifications, that simply begs to be developed more fully. The complex, creepy layers of Kithamar’s power management and its handling through the generations are barely touched here and I can hardly wait to see how the continuation of the story will deal with them, and with Andomaka’s plans, about which I can’t afford to say more because that way lie some massive spoilers.
The start of this new series is indeed a very promising one, and I can’t shake the feeling that this first installment barely scratched the surface of a story that holds many more surprises in store for me. Time, of course, will tell what they are…
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Grief
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Age of Ash (Kithamar #1) by Daniel Abraham
4.5 stars
Thank you to Orbit Books and Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings (may contain spoilers): Death/Death of a Child/Death of a Sibling, Violence/Gore, Suicidal Thoughts, Self Harm, Body Horror
Age of Ash follows the story of Alys, a young thief living in an impoverished neighbourhood in the city of Kithamar, over the course of an emotionally devastating and politically turbulent year. The death of the previous prince of the city and subsequent coronation of the next ruler kicks off a series of events which lead to a grieving Alys becoming intermingled with the proceedings of the cultish dark magic at the helm of the city, and Alys must decide whether she should embrace this life or not. While Alys is the main perspective, I would argue that the perspective of Sammish, another young thief from Longhill, is equally important. Sammish is a few years younger than Alys and has had a crush on her for as long as she can remember. However, as Alys gets pulled deeper into dark plots, Sammish needs to decide for herself whether to follow Alys. We also get the perspectives of a few other, very interesting characters, which definitely add some dimensions to the story, but Alys and Sammish are by far the most prevalent!
I thought the writing style of this novel was so unique and engaging, I hadn’t really read anything written in this way before. I think the best way to describe it would be like a very dark fairytale. From the very first chapter, I was immensely captivated and drawn in to the story, and I could hardly put the book down. The pacing was very even throughout the book (although not really fast-paced, which is fine by me, but maybe not everyone’s preference). I also liked how the more mystical elements of the plot were gradually revealed as the book progressed, it made it very easy to put myself in the shoes of Alys or Sammish, and I really felt for their confusion and eventual terror as they began to understand more of what was going on. It also made some given the world of the city that little bits were revealed at a time, as the mystical elements of the book are very much a secret from pretty much nearly everyone who lives there.
The novel is, in my opinion, very character focused and I really felt a lot for Alys and Sammish while I was reading. Both of the characters were crafted in a way so that they were simultaneously very relatable but very flawed, and I definitely found myself getting frustrated at them at times, which to me is an indicator of a very human and realistic character. I think the themes of growing up, loneliness, loss, and grief were all explored in a very interesting way over the course of the novel and I definitely could perceive the growth in the two main characters from the start of the novel to the end. While I certainly haven’t experienced anything very similar to Alys and Sammish’s lives over the course of the book’s year, as someone who is (probably?) around the same age as them, I definitely related to some of their uncertainties about who they wanted to be and what they wanted their lives to be. I loved that the book took its time exploring these themes and I think this was what led to such a great exploration of them.
That being said, this is definitely a quieter and more introspective fantasy novel, so there aren’t very many action sequences or things of that sort. I didn’t have a problem with this, but it's a good thing to be aware of before beginning the book in my opinion just so you don’t go in with the wrong expectations! However, I will say that the extensive discussion of thievery techniques in this book was really entertaining to read about and it was interesting to see how particular characters’ roles and techniques in regards to petty crimes related to their inner growth and personality. I also think the book leaned into small amounts of horror, particularly when describing the cultish aspects of certain groups, which I really enjoyed.
If I were to critique one aspect of the book, it would be that I wish there was a bit more worldbuilding, especially as the book takes place inside of a single city. I would have loved to learn more about the politics, cultures, and traditions within the city and I hope this is included in greater detail in a future instalment of the trilogy. This isn’t to say there wasn’t any worldbuilding at all, I think sufficient amounts were done for the story’s purpose, I am just always hungry for more when it comes to this sort of thing.
Overall, I think this was a unique, enchanting, and entertaining entry into a new trilogy! While this is definitely adult fantasy, I think it would also serve as an excellent gateway into the genre for younger readers who don’t mind a slower paced, character focused story.
4.5 stars
Thank you to Orbit Books and Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings (may contain spoilers): Death/Death of a Child/Death of a Sibling, Violence/Gore, Suicidal Thoughts, Self Harm, Body Horror
Age of Ash follows the story of Alys, a young thief living in an impoverished neighbourhood in the city of Kithamar, over the course of an emotionally devastating and politically turbulent year. The death of the previous prince of the city and subsequent coronation of the next ruler kicks off a series of events which lead to a grieving Alys becoming intermingled with the proceedings of the cultish dark magic at the helm of the city, and Alys must decide whether she should embrace this life or not. While Alys is the main perspective, I would argue that the perspective of Sammish, another young thief from Longhill, is equally important. Sammish is a few years younger than Alys and has had a crush on her for as long as she can remember. However, as Alys gets pulled deeper into dark plots, Sammish needs to decide for herself whether to follow Alys. We also get the perspectives of a few other, very interesting characters, which definitely add some dimensions to the story, but Alys and Sammish are by far the most prevalent!
I thought the writing style of this novel was so unique and engaging, I hadn’t really read anything written in this way before. I think the best way to describe it would be like a very dark fairytale. From the very first chapter, I was immensely captivated and drawn in to the story, and I could hardly put the book down. The pacing was very even throughout the book (although not really fast-paced, which is fine by me, but maybe not everyone’s preference). I also liked how the more mystical elements of the plot were gradually revealed as the book progressed, it made it very easy to put myself in the shoes of Alys or Sammish, and I really felt for their confusion and eventual terror as they began to understand more of what was going on. It also made some given the world of the city that little bits were revealed at a time, as the mystical elements of the book are very much a secret from pretty much nearly everyone who lives there.
The novel is, in my opinion, very character focused and I really felt a lot for Alys and Sammish while I was reading. Both of the characters were crafted in a way so that they were simultaneously very relatable but very flawed, and I definitely found myself getting frustrated at them at times, which to me is an indicator of a very human and realistic character. I think the themes of growing up, loneliness, loss, and grief were all explored in a very interesting way over the course of the novel and I definitely could perceive the growth in the two main characters from the start of the novel to the end. While I certainly haven’t experienced anything very similar to Alys and Sammish’s lives over the course of the book’s year, as someone who is (probably?) around the same age as them, I definitely related to some of their uncertainties about who they wanted to be and what they wanted their lives to be. I loved that the book took its time exploring these themes and I think this was what led to such a great exploration of them.
That being said, this is definitely a quieter and more introspective fantasy novel, so there aren’t very many action sequences or things of that sort. I didn’t have a problem with this, but it's a good thing to be aware of before beginning the book in my opinion just so you don’t go in with the wrong expectations! However, I will say that the extensive discussion of thievery techniques in this book was really entertaining to read about and it was interesting to see how particular characters’ roles and techniques in regards to petty crimes related to their inner growth and personality. I also think the book leaned into small amounts of horror, particularly when describing the cultish aspects of certain groups, which I really enjoyed.
If I were to critique one aspect of the book, it would be that I wish there was a bit more worldbuilding, especially as the book takes place inside of a single city. I would have loved to learn more about the politics, cultures, and traditions within the city and I hope this is included in greater detail in a future instalment of the trilogy. This isn’t to say there wasn’t any worldbuilding at all, I think sufficient amounts were done for the story’s purpose, I am just always hungry for more when it comes to this sort of thing.
Overall, I think this was a unique, enchanting, and entertaining entry into a new trilogy! While this is definitely adult fantasy, I think it would also serve as an excellent gateway into the genre for younger readers who don’t mind a slower paced, character focused story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement, Slavery, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Alcohol
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Kithamar runs on the life blood of its people, all of them from the very wealthy to the very poor, and maybe something more
We follow Alys - emo queen of bad decisions
and Sammish - who is way too tired to be dealing with everything - and by everything I mean Alys' bad decisions.
In the beginning we don’t know much, apart from the hardship the characters see and face everyday from children. They need to make money to buy food and they will do that anyway they can - running cons and cutting purses.
They know as little as we do about magic, riches and crafted daggers. Then something happens that thrusts Alys, and through her Sammish, into a world where the decisions they used to make seem easy and nothing is certain
A great slow paced fantasy willed with morally grey characters, old gods and even older magic.
I really enjoyed this book, though there were at times were I was wishing that the suspense and mystery would give way to action sooner - the descriptions and world building started to drag slightly. But the action when it does come is enrapturing and definitely worth the wait. The plot twists and turns and so do the characters !
(Massive thanks to Daniel Abraham and Orbit publishing for the opportunity to read this book !)
We follow Alys - emo queen of bad decisions
and Sammish - who is way too tired to be dealing with everything - and by everything I mean Alys' bad decisions.
In the beginning we don’t know much, apart from the hardship the characters see and face everyday from children. They need to make money to buy food and they will do that anyway they can - running cons and cutting purses.
They know as little as we do about magic, riches and crafted daggers. Then something happens that thrusts Alys, and through her Sammish, into a world where the decisions they used to make seem easy and nothing is certain
A great slow paced fantasy willed with morally grey characters, old gods and even older magic.
I really enjoyed this book, though there were at times were I was wishing that the suspense and mystery would give way to action sooner - the descriptions and world building started to drag slightly. But the action when it does come is enrapturing and definitely worth the wait. The plot twists and turns and so do the characters !
(Massive thanks to Daniel Abraham and Orbit publishing for the opportunity to read this book !)