William Ray reviewed Kings of Ash by Richard Nell
Review of 'Kings of Ash' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
5+ out of 5.
Richard Nell outdoes himself. It's an audacious epic -- a clash of great armies, heroes and sorcery.
Kings of Paradise was a great read (I'm still mystified it wasn't at least a finalist in SPFBO) but the sequel is everything it was and more. A great epic is like a roller coaster, climbing up high as suspense builds for that giddy thrill when you hit the inevitable drop. For some reason, my reaction at those moments is always to laugh, and as Kings of Ash raced to its conclusion, I found myself giggling in sheer delight.
As readers of the first book will recall, Kings of Paradise followed Ruka and Kale, two very different boys, one who grew to be a hero, and the other a monster. Although not clear until the end of the book, their stories took place years apart. Kings of Ash returns …
5+ out of 5.
Richard Nell outdoes himself. It's an audacious epic -- a clash of great armies, heroes and sorcery.
Kings of Paradise was a great read (I'm still mystified it wasn't at least a finalist in SPFBO) but the sequel is everything it was and more. A great epic is like a roller coaster, climbing up high as suspense builds for that giddy thrill when you hit the inevitable drop. For some reason, my reaction at those moments is always to laugh, and as Kings of Ash raced to its conclusion, I found myself giggling in sheer delight.
As readers of the first book will recall, Kings of Paradise followed Ruka and Kale, two very different boys, one who grew to be a hero, and the other a monster. Although not clear until the end of the book, their stories took place years apart. Kings of Ash returns to those two, filling in the years between as the two draw towards confrontation. The roles of hero and monster seem to revolve back and forth, and Nell masterfully balances the sentiment, making it impossible not to root for both sides, all the while knowing their confrontation is inevitable.
The magics slowly introduced in the first book are at the forefront of the second, powerful, bound by mysterious rules and always hinting at greater mysteries just beyond. It's a great balance of characters steeped in high sorcery without sacrificing that embrace of mystery that makes magic feel magical.
This is one of the best bits of epic fantasy I've read in ages!
