I thoroughly enjoyed Legacy of Ash by Matthew Ward. So much so I have since read the rest of the trilogy.
This is a big high fantasy, with epic world-building and a large cast of characters - think GoT.

I wouldn't recommend it for a fantasy newbie but brilliant all the same.

Legacy of Ash is an epic fantasy set in a world previously torn apart by war. It’s epic in the world-building, the construction of the magic and the history of the people; it’s also epic due to its length – not one for a novice fantasy reader.

This is the first in a trilogy, meaning there was a fair amount of world-building. But it was woven through the multiple points of view rather than through an expositional information dump, which doesn’t seem to be uncommon in a book this length.

With several characters carrying the narration, it does mean there can be long gaps between storylines. While it allowed us to get to know the characters, it also disrupted the pacing sometimes: as you were swept up in one storyline, you’re suddenly thrown back to another, sometimes for multiple chapters.

Despite a well-developed world and an intriguing magic system, it was the characters that made this work. Misconceptions and prejudices give way to bonds of brotherhood while old friendships are torn apart by doubt. Victor’s determination to help people at any cost makes him a true hero while Josiri gets the redemption arc story – and makes it work. There are too many characters to explore them all in depth, but I loved them all – or loved to hate them as the case may be.

While the book was long, it kept me engaged throughout and I invested in the plot. I’m looking forward to continuing the series and recommend this one.

I loved this book!

I love a good political fantasy and this definitely delivers!

I was hooked from page one and read the whole thing in 3 days!

I've already picked up the sequel and can't wait to complete the series!

Legacy of Ash is two things: really long and really great.

I'm not sure if it felt longer to me because I was reading it on my kindle but it was a sizeable commitment! One that was worth it.

The story is intricately woven. The characters are complex and flawed, the politics subtle and thankfully not too many moving parts so it is relatively easy to keep track of. I particularly loved Malachi, Josiri and Viktor, their arcs were the most enjoyable.

I did struggle with some of the elements of the world, in particular some of the magic systems and creatures. They were just there without much explanation, I personally would have enjoyed a bit of a deeper exploration or a bit of clever background setting. But over the length of the book it fades away and you get used to it.

For me, the subtle shift in loyalty and allegiance was great - not to government or legacy but to people and camaraderie. And that final shocker!! It definitely has me wanting to read more of this epic fantasy series!

Received from Little Brown Book co and Netgalley for honest read and review.
I tried really hard to get into this one,but I could not get a hang of any of the characters or the story.
I was quite disappointed as the blurb sounded really entertaining,but not for.me.

A very ambitious debut novel, epic in scope, cast of characters and plot. However, I found myself struggling to pick it up too often.
The book takes place in an empire with far-from-happy constituent parts and angry neighbours. The heirs of the traitorous Southweald "phoenix" are held captive as figureheads warning off any thoughts of rebellion. Meanwhile, a cliched corrupt council tries to keep the empire safe from impending invasion.
The book is filled with interesting magical creatures and abilities, with a demon, witches, crow-themed goth assassins and ancient spirits. These were at the fore nowhere near often enough, treated as curses and cast aside in favour of political plotting and old fashioned battle.
The first third of the book was awesome: learning about the richness of the world, its history, politics and magic. It really was set up to be an epic story of political intrigue, deception, plotting and underhand nastiness.
Sadly, this all lead to a battle sequence that lasted far too long. It was really like Joe Abercrombie had taken one of the First Law books and shoved The Heroes into the middle of it. I really struggled to get past this long, fairly boring conflict.
The second half of the book then calms down and focuses once again before taking a massive left-turn and changing to something very different.
As with many books of this size, the cast was massive and a number of characters not distinct enough to remember by name. And so many had such promising abilities to offer but were largely absent when they would have been so useful. It was like having a superstar in an amateur dramatic society and leaving them out of most of the script. Having said that, I once saw a pantomime with David Van Day in the cast and it was in everyone's best interests that he was largely absent.
The book finished well, but it was an 800-page book that read like a 1200-page one, taking me 5 weeks to read.

This was a solid first book in a trilogy which left me interested to read more. While the pacing could, in my opinion, be a little meandering at times, it was more than made up by strong characterisations and worldbuilding.

A promising start for this new fantasy series by Mathew Ward. A very old magic is rising an reigniting conflict between the victors and the suppressed of the Tressian Republic. A nation once deemed democratic and a protector of the people is riven ambition and corruption. Some willing to sacrifice their own children to hold onto that power. Different factions vying for control and across the Republic a dark shadow is rising and secrets and lies are uncovered.
Revolution is coming but it’s unclear where the danger truly lies.
An uneasy alliance is formed joining forces to face an outside threat putting both sides at risk. The plot carries us along at a rattling good pace with skirmishes and fierce fighting, and underneath it all, lies and betrayal . The world is literally set on fire.Excellent world building an character portrayal.Looking forward to reading more.

This is by far one of the densest and most complex fantasy stories I have ever read. I greatly admired and enjoyed the 50% of the book I read, but did find that, given the current political climate, it was a book I struggled to focus on. This is not the book's fault, merely my inability to rest and focus at this time, and this is definitely a title I will return to and buy physically, in the near future.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Little Brown Book Group UK, Orbit and the author, Matthew Ward, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of Legacy of Ash in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.

What a cracker of a start to this trilogy!
The storyline was well thought out and written. The characters are well drawn and intriguing. The settings were rich in detail. Very easy to imagine being alongside and a part of the action. I, for one, can't wait for the next book in the series.

Well worth a read.

I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would! I read historical fiction mainly but liked the sound of this. I'm so glad I took a chance as this has been one of my favourite reads of the year, it's easy to follow, well written, great character depth and has enough action to keep me hooked. Brilliant!!

The first half of the book is a bit slow because it's setting things up for the second half which is faster-paced and more action-packed. The characters are well-written and develop a lot throughout the story and I absolutely loved it!
---
It took me about a week to read this book and it was so worth it.

It's been a while since I read a new epic fantasy that I liked. I'm a fan of this kind of epic story that's long and complex and feels like the old fantasy of the 90s and early 2000s.

The first half of the book sets up the second half, so it's slower in pace and doesn't have much action. While usually, I wouldn't enjoy reading 400 pages of nothing I actually didn't mind the slow pace in Legacy of Ash at all. In fact, I came to slowly know and appreciate the characters for what they were and I enjoyed reading each of their POVs (because there are a lot) immensely. It's been a long time since I've read a book where the characters start out having some kind of prejudice about something and then develop and grow out of it. I loved following each and every one of their journeys. Most of all, I loved the multiple enemies-to-comrades-to-friends arcs, they were for sure my absolute favourite.

We start off with the siblings Josiri and Calenne Trelan who are pretty much prisoners in their own home. Josiri is bitter about the past and Calenne is basically trying to run away from their mother's legacy. In the beginning, I liked Josiri but wasn't especially interested in him, he was a bit boring to me, and I disliked Calenne a lot. She was spoiled and just awful, trying to use a person who cared about her for her own selfish reasons.

However, they both grew on me. I think that Calenne has an amazing character arc and she developed a lot. I really enjoyed reading about her and her journey and I didn't expect to like her at all because of her attitude in the beginning but after meeting with Viktor, she became a completely different character who I came to love. I also loved how open-minded she was given how secluded she was growing up.

Josiri was another matter. I started off liking him but after he met Viktor, his attitude changed in a way I didn't enjoy. His journey into growth took a bit longer but he eventually grew on me again and I really liked him. Watching somebody grow out of a mindset that has been instilled in them all their life and come to be the person he is now while still being flawed was fascinating. I loved reading his POVs because they were certainly very interesting (as was pretty much everything in this book) and the only thing that I wish there was more of was his relationship with Calenne. I feel like his brotherly relationship with a different character (not named to avoid spoilers) was closer than the one he had with Calenne but you could tell he loves her dearly despite the lack of interaction between them after the first 200 pages (even though there is a reason for that after page 450 XD).

Anastacia was an interesting character for sure and I wonder if there will be more of her in the next book. I certainly want to know what happens with her arc.

Viktor is one of my favourite characters in this book. I love him so, so much. The first time we meet him, he isn't painted in a good light but the more you read about him, the more you realise that there's more to him, he is a layered character whom I love and respect. He is exactly the type of character I like to read about and I'm not sure if labeling him as morally grey is correct but he sure as hell is to me. I appreciate and love the way he has a goal and is driven to achieve it, how humane he is despite everything he goes through, and I absolutely adored his whole character arc and I can't wait to read more about him (I will, right?). I also loved his relationship with two specific characters and his friendships as well. He is just amazing. I can talk a lot more about this but I'm trying to make it spoiler-free.

Melanna was kind of boring to me but that comes from personal taste rather than a boring character arc. She comes from a country in which women aren't allowed to fight, they aren't considered heirs and all your usual stuff. Naturally, she's rebelling against it, she wants to fight and win in order to inherit her father's throne. A father who loves and supports her, and I'm so glad he did. I loved her relationship with her father and the more I read about her, the more she grew on me (like all the characters except for a specific lady). She also developed a lot in this but she still has a lot more growing to do. I'm very much intrigued by her character arc and would love to read more about her.

There were a few other shorter POVs like governer Yanda, Revekah Halvor, and Kurkas which brought in some more color to the story so to speak. I loved reading their POVs and seeing how they perceived the MCs I came to love so much. I also particularly enjoyed reading about Revekah and Kurkas, their development as people is one of my favorite and their friendship arc is almost as good as (view spoiler).

Then there was Apara's POV that I found very intriguing because I didn't realise at first who was behind the event that made everything happen in this book but it became obvious soon after.

Watching the characters try to understand what was happening and who was behind it all was very very interesting. I was absorbed in the story the whole time and I loved being with these characters. Their struggles and their growth was something welcome because it's been a long time since I've read a book with so much character-development packed into it. I absolutely loved it.

The villain was just sick and crazy, the way they would stop before nothing in order to achieve their goal was scary and annoying. There was literally nothing they wouldn't do and that's what I love in a well-written villain.

I absolutely loved the story because there were two main plot-lines and the powers the characters were up against were way, way beyond them. There are some really high stakes here and that's what I enjoyed the most about this book. I loved the slow pacing because it gave me time to grow attached to the characters and the story and to look forward to their next move. I just absolutely loved it and I don't know what else to say.

I also liked the world-building and the magic as well. I'm so glad there is magic in this book because I feel like if there hadn't been any, I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much as I did. I wonder if there will be more of it in the next one because I'd love to see it even more developed.

I also loved the different cultures and religions in the book. I loved how the explanations were weaved within the story in a way that if you would get who Ashana is by simply following the events in the book and what the characters are talking about and the same goes about the Raven and Lumestra.

I'm sure I can talk a lot more about Legacy of Ash but I think I've mentioned mostly everything I wanted to talk about. I absolutely loved this book and I will wait for Legacy of Steel.

A very promising start, with all the best (in my opinion) elements of a good epic fantasy. I will definitely be buying the next book!

An excellent book which is the promising start to the Legacy Trilogy. I enjoyed the variety of characters and the way the author developed them through the story. I also liked the balance between the intrigue and action which allowed good descriptive battles without going over the top. I would recommend this book if enjoy books like "The Farseer Trilogy".

A good epic fantasy according to my heart.
There's a complex plot, a lot of interesting characters and an amazing world building.
It's full of action, I liked the pace and I think that the author is a good storyteller.
Can't wait for other books by this author.
It's engrossing and entertaining, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

4.75 Stars

Legacy Of Ash, by Matthew Ward is an extraordinary and epic fantasy, it is vast, complex and glorious. I positively adored this book, it truly reached the epic complexity so many fantasies aim for.

Synopsis: The Tressian Republic is falling, a shadow looms over it. In the aftermath of a failed rebellion and on the brink of a war with the Hadari, the leaders meant to represent justice and democracy are at war with eachother. As they fight among themselves with poisonous words and deadly means they ignore the pending war and focus on winning control of their Republic. The Republic’s Champion, Viktor Akadra, is the best warrior the Republic has and he has his sights on the upcoming war. However, he hides a dark secret, one that would see him burned. Josiri Trelan wishes to reignite his late mothers wish of rebellion, but he is a political prisoner constantly monitored. His sister, Calenne wants nothing more than to be free from the shadow cast by their mother’s legacy. But, as war looms and threatens the Republic the three natural born enemies must work together to protect their home. Can they put aside their differences and navigate the deadly political plots and even more deadly war threatening their home? And can they pay the price for the peace they so desperately want?

— Rich, Immersive, Evocative And Detailed —
The Writing Style/Narrative. Matthew Ward’s writing style is incredibly dense and complex, but in a positive way. I will admit that initially it can be quite confusing and difficult to get into as Ward has no qualms about throwing you head first into this world with his deep and intricate descriptions and style. He often flits between referring to characters by first name and surname so this may take some time to grasp as the cast of characters is very vast. However, this style really pays off once you are familiar with the characters as it is perfectly suited to the story’s complexity. The style is rich, immersive, evocative and detailed, you are easily absorbed into this world with the beautiful descriptions and naturally flowing dialogue making it feel real and alive.

Moreover, Ward does not shy away from creating world specific dialogue that has in world regional differences, for example, Goddesses have two different names depending on where you are from, while this takes some time to comprehend it adds an entirely new dimension to the story and world as a whole it makes it more realistic and fully realised, it promises a lot of potential and goes above and beyond that promise.

Ward opts for an interesting narrative, it is the multiple third person narrative perspective – I love the third person narrative and this does not disappoint. As I said the cast of characters is significant and the story is told from a lot of these characters perspectives, this initially is confusing but as you become immersed in the story the easier it is to navigate and the more you can appreciate the efficiency of this style choice. The story and world is vast so the multiple narratives allow us to follow a lot of events in detail and it shows us just how intricate this plot is (while ensuring we can understand it), it was the perfect choice for this story and really allows you to grow connected to the characters.

Due to the narration we get to see both sides of each of the wars/battles or general conflict throughout the entire story. This is unusual as we often are only able to see the “hero’s” view, yet in this story we see all sides of the story and there isn’t really a hero – it is incredibly unique and very refreshing to see such a wide scope that still maintains a sense of mystery and tension.

I really enjoyed this writing style and loved the way Ward used the multiple third person narration to gives us insight into the conflicts created, it allowed for some wonderful dramatic irony to be formed and added to the atmosphere overall.

— Expansive And Immense Story —
The Story/Plot. So, as an avid fantasy reader and watcher I have constantly seen books and shows promoted as “The next Game Of Thrones…If you loved Game Of Thrones then you’ll love this…GOT meets X” and usually this is innaccurate, not because the fantasy is poor but because it doesn’t live up to the epic vastness and complexity that GOT offers. Legacy Of Ash was also compared to Game Of Thrones and this time it lived up to the comparison.

Legacy Of Ash has an epic story full of minute and important intricacies, carefully woven elements that intertwine to create an incredible larger story and has the expansive and immense story and atmosphere that exists in GOT. The large cast, the wars and political battles, the multiple perspectives from both sides of the conflict, the boundless morally grey characters and the incredible lore all combines to create a story of epic proportions that truly stands up to the comparison it has been given. Legacy Of Ash shows that fantasy can be immense and breathtaking without overdoing the violence or sexual elements that are normally relied upon.

The story has multiple elements; firstly the failed rebellion led by Josiri Trelan’s mother. The story opens with a prologue depicting her and how the rebellion ends – a nice addition to the story as it immediately creates a deadly atmosphere with very clear ideas of which characters we think we will be rooting for. When the main story starts we see the effects of this failed rebellion, Josiri is a political prisoner, his people are seen as traitors and it sets up nicely for the conflicts that exist and develop as the story grows. This also creates a strong base for Josiri’s ideals, he wants to reignite his mother’s rebellion and we see this in action straight away. The rebellion is at the core of a significant amount of the conflicts in the story and is incredibly interesting. This was a powerful start to the novel and an incredible base to build upon- it was efficient, effective and intriguing.

Secondly, the Hadari war. The Hadari are on the brink of attacking the Tressian Republic, yet the leaders seem unfazed. Viktor wants to fight the Hadari and protect the Repblic, but to do so he needs Josiri’s help. This was another excellent element in the story as it opened up the beginning of the shifting alliances that we see as the story develops. This was a massive part of the story and was executed flawlessly, the battle and action scenes were remarkable, interesting, well paced and wonderfully detailed. I really enjoyed this element of the story and the interactions between Viktor and the Trelan family.

While the action scenes are excellent and I loved each and every one of them, the story also delves into political battles between the Republic leaders. The blackmail, the twisted words, the shadowy violence and the purely evil mastermind behind the cruellest changes is phenomenal. The political war was just as enthusing and intriguing as the physical fights and battles, it was clever, deadly and entertaining to watch characters make cold-hearted or desperate decisions in the pursuit of ambition. This was an excellent addition to the story and added another dimension to an already epic world.

I loved all of these elements my only issue that kept me from giving this book 5 stars was; the absolute end fight seemed to end pretty quickly, it didn’t feel quite difficult enough. Secondly, I feel like a specific character (avoiding spoilers!) was absent for too much of the novel, they are mentioned a lot throughout the middle but we don’t know anything about their situation from anyone’s perspective, while the majority of their absence is effective for reasons I won’t explain, I feel like maybe it was too much.

All of these elements combine to create an amazing and outstanding story, one that I loved every minute of, this really took me back to the roots of why I love fantasy. I thoroughly enjoyed watching alliances form, break, shift and change as people fight, are manipulated and blackmailed. Every opinion you have of the characters are challenged as the story moves on, nothing is as it seems and there are no set “good guys” and “bad guys” (except maybe one character who, in my opinion, was pure evil) everything is in the grey and it is fantastic. This is a story that is perfect for traditional fantasy lovers, it uses the tradional and well known elements of fantasy and twists them into somthing refreshing and unique.

— Interesting, Unusual And Rich —
The World-Building/Magic System. Within this world the people believe in multiple Goddesses and those with magic are seen as having been gifted it by said Goddesses. However, having magic dictates you path in life but if you have ‘dark’ magic you are seen as a witch who should be burned. The magic as a whole seems to initially have little relevance to the plot as a whole until the pieces start to fit together. I found the magic to be quite interesting, you see the effects of it continuously but the rules are a little less obvious, what we see is more of a personal experience of magic use rather than a guide to what it can and cannot do. I liked the idea of it coming from the Goddesses and look forward to seeing more about the magic and the lore as a whole. The light vs dark element was very cleverly done both dark and light magic is strong and able to beat the other, depending on who uses it and how it is used.

The Goddesses themselves are intriguing we get a few different stories about who they are and how they came to be, as well as their current role in this world. The stories differ because the history does, the lore is very rich detailing the defeat of a dark power, the guidance of the light and yet the history doesn’t seem wholly accurate according to other characters. This adds realism to the story with beliefs being moulded as well as allowing you to theorise yourself about who is correct. I really enjoyed the idea behind the deities and how they work.

The actual world itself is split, with the Southshires being the area in which the traitors live. The Capital homes the majority of the citizens, most notably the most influential families, each of whom have a seat on the council so that they can deal with issues democratically. I really liked this set up, specifically the democracy which is unusual in fantasy such as these which often depict a sole ruler like a Monarch. The idea of a council meant the political battles were much more interesting because there was a significant amount always at stake.

Furthermore, I loved the idea that when people marry they take the name of the spouse from the more influential family, not from the husband by default – I thought it added a nice element to the story that gave the world an intriguing dynamic. In fact gender as a whole is hardly an issue in the Republic, women fight and are some of the most determined characters in the story.

Finally, the world has a dark underbelly known as The Crow Market, a dark and cruel addition to a world that is deadly enough by day as it is. The Crow Market deals in death, The Raven’s favourite – Goddesses dominate the ‘religious’ beliefs in this world but the Raven is an exception, and he was incredibly interesting – his game is manipulation and it goes beyond the terror of violence on many levels. I really enjoyed this aspect of the world as well, it added another thread to the web of deadly deals and promises made in the course of the story.

The world is very clevery crafted, the fantastic world-building and intriguing lore makes for an epic setting.

— Cleverly And Carefully Spun —
The Characters. This book is full of cleverly and carefully spun characters who feel real because they are gritty, flawed and diverse. So while there is room for more diversity in this book, the characters are still rather diverse with incredibly individual perosnalities and with a mix of strong female characters at the forefront. Each characer is easy to connect with and understand, their motivations are human, and their flaws make them vulnerable and likeable, I enjoyed reading about each and every one of them.

Viktor Akadra. My favourite character in the book, Viktor is the Republic’s champion – the man who killed Josiri’s mother and ended the rebellion. I did not think I would like him but I was so very wrong. Viktor is as complex as characters get. He is flawed, he is kind, he is for justice and wants to do what is right, and yet cannot consider himself a good person. Viktor’s intentions are usually good, but that does not mean he always acts in the best interest of everyone, but he is not intentionally cruel or evil, he just wants peace for the Republic. Yet, Viktor’s character, as the story goes on, begins to make more difficult decisions with each development and at times can seem vicious. I loved him!

Viktor has a secret though, one that would see him burn and it is one that tests him time and time again to the point where he may not even win. I really enjoyed the chapters from his perspective because at his core he is good, he wants to help but that doesn’t mean he can always make the best or kindest decisions.

Josiri Trelan. Initially, he really annoyed me, he is a great character driven by his mother’s passion but he is also flawed, he doesn’t listen to those closest to him. But, he is passionate, he wants to start a rebellion for his mother and for his people. He wants to protect his family no matter the cost. He was an interesting character, not my favourite, but I did like his perspective – it was interesting to see his opinions and emotions which helps you understand why he makes the choices he does. By the end I did actually like him and scenes with him and Viktor were some of my favourites because their sarcasm and wit was incredibly entertaining.

Calenne. Another character that took me a little while to warm to was Calenne but as her character grew I liked her more. She is a very determined character who is willing to compromise on her own happiness to be free from the Trelan name. Calenne is very headstrong and acts without thinking or for selfish reasons but she develops well and becomes much more likeable.

Ebigail Kiradin. Ebigail, the woman who is crueller than Cersei Lannister and the most manipulative character I have seen in a long time, I hated her with a burning passion. Ebigail is a master at manipulation and is sickeningly ambitious – and she is good at it. You can’t help but admire her intellect, no matter how much you may dislike her. She was a fantastic political opponent and scenes with her were thrilling and shocking, her plans were well thought out, and she knows how to play the game. An excellent character, even if I hated her.

Melanna. A Hadari Princess, and a fierce fighter filled with determination. The Hadari are more strict in terms of gender than the Republic and Melanna wants to prove she is of equal worth to a son on the battlefield. Melanna is clever and headstrong but at times acts without thinking. I really enjoyed her perspective it was very interesting, particularly as she is on the opposing side of the war to most of the central characters. I quite liked her character and found her to be very strong and talented, she also has a unique perspective for reasons I cannot say but this was very intriguing and opened up the world a lot more.

Anastacia. Supposedly a Demon, according to Calenne, Anastacia has magic of some kind and is trapped in the same place as Josiri. I really loved Anastacia right from the start, she is quick-witted, sharp, intelligent, sarcastic and overall a fantastic character who is unafraid to stand up for herself. Ana and Josiri have an excellent bond between them which develops nicely as the story goes on and the character as an individual is strong and fierce.

Rosa. Rosa is a warrior, strong, determined, independent and an excellent fighter. But due to unfortunate circumstance she becomes a bit of a mess, and while you feel empathy for her because she is a strong and capable character who gets turned upside down, there is no doubt to her talent. I liked the character of Rosa but she is very gullible and easily lead making her a dangerous character. I loved her relationship with Sevaka though and felt it was an excellent bond between two incredible women.

Malachi. Malachi is a friend of Viktor and is a talker not a fighter, he looks for the best solution to a problem rather than charging in, but he lacks confidence and charisma. I loved Malachi and he develops well through the course of the story, he is the balance Viktor needs and is a sweet character who loves his family and is incredibly loyal.

There are many more characters and side characters that are vital to the story but listing and talking about them all would take forever. However, they are all fantastic and well developed regardless of their significance to the plot. The relationships built between them all are excellent and I cannot wait to see this develop later on in the series. The characters really added to this story, they truly made the book.

Overall. Legacy Of Ash, by Matthew Ward was a nostalgic and glorious fantasy read with an intricate and deadly plot as well as phenomenal characters who leapt off the page. His potential is fully realised and the story is an immersive success. Ward is undoubtedly a talented story-teller who has spun an epic tale of war, deceit and deadly politics. Definitely a top favourite for me and I will definitely be continuing the series.

This is the perfect read for traditional fanatsy lovers, a must read for epic fantasy enthusiasts and the perfect book for those who love strong, dynamic characters who live in the grey.

*I received an eARC of #Legacy Of Ash by #MatthewWard from #Netgalley #Orbit #LittlebrownUK in exchange for an honest review*

I have finished this whopping book of 768 pages. 700 PAGES! That’s how big, that’s how epic, that’s how well written this novel is. What a FANTASTIC READ! 10/10 from me already. This review contains minor spoilers.

This is one of the most impressive fantasy debuts I have ever seen. There are great fantasy authors out there that write terrific books on this scale and magnitude. Ones that come to my mind are Christian Cameron, Mike Shackle and Nick Martell. Matthew joins the ranks of Gywne, Anthony Ryan, Brandon Sanderson and Micheal J Sullivan. That’s how good this book is. The world-building is epic.

Some of the dialogue I loved:

”Liquor has no claim on my wits.”

”I’m not carrying a dagger, I’m a councilman visiting a prisoner.”

”I’m a man of many aspirations. I can always make room for another.”

To summarise, there’s a lot of details: About how a Duke humiliates a Tressian Archimandrite by giving his trusted friend, Revakh to do the job. There’s details of cataphracts and golden immortals fighting medieval knights and I was so impressed. Finally someone took the Sassanid and Persian Achemanid Empire as inspiration. Malachi turned out to be one of the most impressive characters in the book, being the good and noble diplomat that wishes he could get out of this murky entrail of politics. Malachi’s children are also great as well his as wife, Lilly is. Ebigail was the worst character ever. She had spun a web, a dark web that was the cause of many misfortunes. All I can say is…bah! And there have been no shortage of evil people like her in history.

Fantastic Description:

”Where the black stone of the ancient city surrendered to granite colonnades of repurposed streets, he detoured into the unprocessing chambers that bore the antlered crest of the Satanra family.”

And so much of this is rooted from history, I could no doubt get a sense of Byzantine Politics, or maybe even a hint of the messy situtation Italy was in during the 11th century, when the Italian city states fought against each other. The Parliament of Crows is one of those impressive tiny details that you MUST not miss out on. It’ll pay off. And Kasamor…may his legacy last in the echoes forever. May Lumestra bless him always. This is way more historical fantasy that seems similar to Guy Gavriel Kay. All of this fight…all of this…it just saddens me.

I too like reading historical fiction, but there comes a point when you think: What was the worth of it? What was the worth of the Crusades when it lead to Byzantium’s collapse? The Crusades didn’t achieve much in terms of stragetic goals, and it led directly to the Ottomans coming and ruling parts of eastern Europe for a very long time or so. Now apply this to the Hadari Empire being split among warring nobles, and Kai Saran looking to cement his rule against the Tressians. Now what historical comparison can you draw with that? Many!

What does it bubble down too? What’s the main goal? For a mere goal in the Council of Tressia, nobles manipulate each other so that they can preserve their power. That’s pretty much what most of human history is. But it does not let us forget that that in this time, heroes are forged. Epic battles across vast distant landscapes are fought. People die. And their history is written by the victor. Not the loser. Who are we, that as human beings, to have been so blessed that we can share such stories across the ages? What is the light? What is the dark? And what are we? Good and noble beings? Or evil and cruel? Do we not create the monsters of our own fears? These questions now make me ponder after having read this book.

Hats off to the cover designer, Larry Rostant because he DID an AMAZING job that no wonder the cover feels exactly what the novel is about. Out of the ashes, an new empire is born. An empire of thought? An confederacy of republics? And Viktor Akadra? This man is the DEFINITIVE EDITION of an anti-hero. One of the best examples of taking his regrets, and making them to use it as a driving motivation. A man that has commited the most heinous of crimes. Just read. You’ll see a man that will become a legendary warrior. A broken man, that has transformed himself due to his sheer will. Which, no matter what life threw at him, no matter what happened, he fought on. It was his sheer determination, his sheer wit, and his courage that made him become what he was meant to become. And Josiri Trelan? A youngling that had no confidence within himself became a man with clarity and clear thought at the end of all this drama. There is so much drama, so much political intrigue not to meantion the cast of characters. I liked Melanna and felt she needs an entire book of her own, or more scenes of her. I think we’ll see more of her in book 2.

Revakh was an awesome character, simply one of the best. Add Kurkas. He’s a delight! Watch out for him. He’s a very great character. Rosa was a good character, including Calenne, Josiri’s sister. At the end, I think she figures out what she wants. What she’s been running away from her whole life. The Hadari are a really powerful empire and I seriously want a novel on that. I would love to see way more of the Hadari. And kudos to Matthew adding cataphracts! And Golden Immortals! I believe they are inspired from the Persian Immortals. As a minor request, I would love to see this as an Age of Empires II Custom Campaign, a Netflix/Amazon TV show because this show has everything. At this point I’m going to be listing everything. So read this AMAZING book for yourself. I read this and man it took me 10 hours, but that 10 hours of your life is going to be so worth it. Can’t wait for book 2!

This was an ambitious book that just fell a little short of the mark for me.

The Positives: I thought there was a good balance between the magical elements of the world and the political realities. The magic on show was interesting, but it was in the political sphere where I thought the book was strongest. I particularly enjoyed the machinations of Ebigail Kiradin - a deliciously wicked character.

The Negatives: I found the plot quite nebulous and felt like we were just thrown into the world with little explanation as to what was happening. It felt like I was reading a sequel without having read the first book.

Overall, there were some interesting elements to this one, but I found the overall reading experience a bit confusing.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A shadow hangs over the Tressian Republic. Armies are invading the borderlands, the republic is crumbling, noble families plot against each other and political intrigue is rife.
There's a lot going on in this book and it took a few chapters to really get to know the characters - there's a lot of names to remember.
The story is told from multiple POV and the characters are pretty complex - my favourite were Viktor and Anastacia.
This is a good old fashioned epic fantasy with around 800 pages, full of magic, witches and demons. Looking forward to the next instalment.
Thanks to Little Brown Book Group and Netgalley for the ARC.

Okay, this is a VERY long book, but don't be put off because there is not a wasted word to be found here. I love the way Matthew Ward writes, and I loved the story. I hated some characters, liked others, and some I'm still not sure about. "Legacy of Ash" is fantasy the way it should be written and is worth every minute spent reading it. More please!

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance copy to review. This review is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.