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gomoon's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
willrefuge's review
3.0
7 / 10 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2023/04/11/age-of-ash-by-daniel-abraham-review/
—
I am Kithamar. I was born a city.
—
Kithamar is an ancient city in the breadbasket of the world, a hub for travel and trade, a center of wealth and power. It is also more than a city, embodied and ruled by a living god, not that the commonfolk realize it. Only now, for the first time in hundreds of years, this god that calls itself Kithamar does not rule the city—something it is desperate to rectify.
Alys is just another nobody. A poor thief, born to Longhill, she runs her pulls on the borders of Green Hill and the Stonemarket, preying on the rich folk before bringing the goods back home. But when her brother, Darro, is killed, she will find herself embroiled in a conspiracy to replace the current Prince, and to save the city—and the world—from itself.
Not that she cares about any of that. No, Alys is out for revenge. And to make a name for herself; a thief and thug, a killer for hire, a mercenary, someone that can escape Longhill, make it in the outside world.
All Sammish wants is Alys. To make enough coin to see her through the winter, to sleep in the room above the brewery, and to hold the other woman in her arms and heart. A thief that occasionally works with Alys, Sammish’s talent is in her anonymity. A face that no one would glance twice at, if they weren’t already looking for it.
But when Alys becomes caught up in the plot to save Kithamar, Sammish is willing to do anything to save her. Even if it means stepping out of the shadows and into the light of day. As the plot draws closer to fruition, both women will be tested, tempted, and tried. But which will make it through in one piece, and which will fall victim to the river, and be washed away once and for all?
—
So, I told him ‘Here’s a counter-offer. I throw it in the river, everyone starts killing everyone else, and nobody gets paid for any of it.’
—
Second time was the charm for this one.
Yeah, it took me two goes to get through this book, and for one very good reason. A political fantasy, Age of Ash is rather dry. There’s a lot going on—just not a lot of action. For a sub-500 page novel, this is especially surprising. Normally if I call something political fantasy, I’d expect it to be 800+ pages, giving time for a lot of tension and intrigue and atmosphere. Not so here. The instances of action that do occur are few and far between. Worse still, the inconsistency in pacing is rather taxing, as any action will let off and routinely promise more coming, only to take its sweet time ever actually getting there.
The exact point where I burned out the first time is just past the hundred-page mark, where Alys is just coming into her own, but Sammish really hasn’t entered the tale. Alys’ story is an interesting one—and hers’ is the featured tale here—but where Alys is the mainstay, Sammish is the breath of fresh air I needed to make it through. Hers’ is an interesting tale as well: a girl following her heart but eventually deciding that she wants more than to just play second fiddle to Alys, just to be a trophy to the other woman, to be won and held.
And where Sammish is a breath of fresh air, the added stories of Tregarro, Andomaka, and Saffa tie it all together quite nicely. I mean, there’s still little enough action, but the intrigue and the conspiracies are enough to see it through to the end—all while promising something further on, something at the culmination of all the threads.
TL;DR
Age of Ash is a little dry, and takes some getting used to. But while there’s little enough action, there is actually quite a lot going on. Thing is, there’s a legitimately good story here, it just takes some time to find. Which is problematic in a new series, especially one written like Kithamar is. Three books all taking place at the same time, each one telling a different part of the same tale, with all three needed to fill out the picture. Despite the slow start, this is the kind of series I’d expect to get better the farther along it goes. Where I found Alys’ tale a bit dull, Book #2 finds us following the POV of Garreth, a palace guardsman and lover to the Heir Apparent of Kithamar, the only daughter of the new Prince.
Book #2—Blade of Dream—is due out July 18th. I’ll probably be interested in continuing the series, but we’ll see. Therefore I would tentatively recommend Age of Ash, just don’t expect it to be something it’s not.
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2023/04/11/age-of-ash-by-daniel-abraham-review/
—
I am Kithamar. I was born a city.
—
Kithamar is an ancient city in the breadbasket of the world, a hub for travel and trade, a center of wealth and power. It is also more than a city, embodied and ruled by a living god, not that the commonfolk realize it. Only now, for the first time in hundreds of years, this god that calls itself Kithamar does not rule the city—something it is desperate to rectify.
Alys is just another nobody. A poor thief, born to Longhill, she runs her pulls on the borders of Green Hill and the Stonemarket, preying on the rich folk before bringing the goods back home. But when her brother, Darro, is killed, she will find herself embroiled in a conspiracy to replace the current Prince, and to save the city—and the world—from itself.
Not that she cares about any of that. No, Alys is out for revenge. And to make a name for herself; a thief and thug, a killer for hire, a mercenary, someone that can escape Longhill, make it in the outside world.
All Sammish wants is Alys. To make enough coin to see her through the winter, to sleep in the room above the brewery, and to hold the other woman in her arms and heart. A thief that occasionally works with Alys, Sammish’s talent is in her anonymity. A face that no one would glance twice at, if they weren’t already looking for it.
But when Alys becomes caught up in the plot to save Kithamar, Sammish is willing to do anything to save her. Even if it means stepping out of the shadows and into the light of day. As the plot draws closer to fruition, both women will be tested, tempted, and tried. But which will make it through in one piece, and which will fall victim to the river, and be washed away once and for all?
—
So, I told him ‘Here’s a counter-offer. I throw it in the river, everyone starts killing everyone else, and nobody gets paid for any of it.’
—
Second time was the charm for this one.
Yeah, it took me two goes to get through this book, and for one very good reason. A political fantasy, Age of Ash is rather dry. There’s a lot going on—just not a lot of action. For a sub-500 page novel, this is especially surprising. Normally if I call something political fantasy, I’d expect it to be 800+ pages, giving time for a lot of tension and intrigue and atmosphere. Not so here. The instances of action that do occur are few and far between. Worse still, the inconsistency in pacing is rather taxing, as any action will let off and routinely promise more coming, only to take its sweet time ever actually getting there.
The exact point where I burned out the first time is just past the hundred-page mark, where Alys is just coming into her own, but Sammish really hasn’t entered the tale. Alys’ story is an interesting one—and hers’ is the featured tale here—but where Alys is the mainstay, Sammish is the breath of fresh air I needed to make it through. Hers’ is an interesting tale as well: a girl following her heart but eventually deciding that she wants more than to just play second fiddle to Alys, just to be a trophy to the other woman, to be won and held.
And where Sammish is a breath of fresh air, the added stories of Tregarro, Andomaka, and Saffa tie it all together quite nicely. I mean, there’s still little enough action, but the intrigue and the conspiracies are enough to see it through to the end—all while promising something further on, something at the culmination of all the threads.
TL;DR
Age of Ash is a little dry, and takes some getting used to. But while there’s little enough action, there is actually quite a lot going on. Thing is, there’s a legitimately good story here, it just takes some time to find. Which is problematic in a new series, especially one written like Kithamar is. Three books all taking place at the same time, each one telling a different part of the same tale, with all three needed to fill out the picture. Despite the slow start, this is the kind of series I’d expect to get better the farther along it goes. Where I found Alys’ tale a bit dull, Book #2 finds us following the POV of Garreth, a palace guardsman and lover to the Heir Apparent of Kithamar, the only daughter of the new Prince.
Book #2—Blade of Dream—is due out July 18th. I’ll probably be interested in continuing the series, but we’ll see. Therefore I would tentatively recommend Age of Ash, just don’t expect it to be something it’s not.
sh1323's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
noranne's review against another edition
3.0
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.
gooeykablooie's review
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
4.0
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.
_dkerr's review
3.5
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…
kvothesduet's review
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
4.0
readersretreat's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
It is a good read
alchaea's review
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
3.0
saldunz's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75