King of Ashes audiobook

I received an advance reader copy of King of Ashes in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Raymond E. Feist and Harper Voyager. For many generations, the five great Kingdom's had enjoyed a time of peace and prosperity. Each realm had its own Monarch and the story begins with a great battle and the betrayal of Steveren Langene, the King of Ithrace. He is known as Firemane because of his bright red hair and his Kingdom was a place of arts, culture, and merriment. His former allies are looking to execute him, his family (not excluding the women and children), and leave his city and legacy in ashes. After the Firemane house's inevitable demise and when the conflict has concluded the powerful Baron Daylon Dumarch finds a mysterious young child in his war tent just before his army is about the return to his freehold of Marquensas. As a former close acquaintance of Firemane's, he believes that this baby is the last of the late King's children and has somehow escaped the rest of his families fate.Following the prologue, King of Ashes picks up the action 16 years later. There approximately 5 point of view perspectives throughout the narrative; however, 90% of the tale follows two individuals. Hatu, a very angry and often confused fiery haired individual who has been training at a school for a hidden organisation known as the unseen army of Coaltachin. This school trains its members in many criminal activities including spying, robbery, and assassination. The second main perspective is that of Declan, a 22-year-old blacksmith who resides in a sleepy town in an area known as The Narrows. He's looking to progress to be the youngest ever Master Blacksmith. He is reminiscent of Gendry from Game of Thrones. Feist has created a world that shows real quality and depth that's full to the brim with histories, different races and cults, many religions (although all but one is currently vilified), and political intrigue. My favourite aspect of the narrative was discovering more about Hatu and his two closest friends at the assassin school. Unlike some popular fantasy tales such as The Name of the Wind and A Wizard of Earthsea, most of the education provided to these students isn't classroom-based. It mainly consists of these apprentices being set tasks and objectives out in the streets under the watchful eye of Masters and criminal gang leaders to earn their skills and reputations. The cult is complex with certain codes of ethics and secret statements that say one thing but imply something completely different. These segments were an absolute joy to read. Another major positive for Kings of Ashes is the well-realised amazing characters. It presents slow burning character development excellence. I really enjoyed reading about Baron Daylon Dumarch and his bastard half-brother whose, although seemingly decent individuals, we never really grasp and understand their motives throughout. King of Ashes is a pretty brilliant first step in what will no doubt be an excellent fantasy trilogy and it seems that only the mere surface of the depth and possibilities have been revealed so far. Especially with reference to magic. I don't like comparing novels to other big names in the genre as it's often a lazy shortcut or an easy sell for a blurb. On this occasion; however, I think King of Ashes deserves to be heralded in the current fantasy scene alongside heavyweights such as A Game of Thrones, The Name of the Wind, and The Lies of Locke Lamora and fans of those aforementioned works will find much to enjoy here. My only real issue is that this is obviously the first of a trilogy/series and it's not brilliant as a standalone tale. It doesn't conclude with a huge battle or insanely intense set-pieces. It sets future events up well though but as a potential reader, I'd say do not expect any real form of closure as the first book in The Firemane Saga concludes. That being said, I read the last 15% of the book very slowly making sure I took in every invigorating word as I truly didn't want King of Ashes to end. There are enough intriguing events at the book's climax and potential avenues the future story arcs could traverse that I will definitely be picking up book #2 as soon as I can. King of Ashes is Epic Fantasy written by one of the masters of the genre and mixes political intrigue, secret assassin cults, and a hidden heir to one of the Kingdoms, whilst always presenting excellent world-building and sublime character development.

I received an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.Feist is back in form as the King of Ashes establishes a promising and solid foundation for a completely new saga away from the massive Riftwar Cycles multi-series. Five kingdoms used to co-exist in Garn, spread across the two continents of North and South Tembria. The Kingdom of Flames was destroyed by an act of betrayal and the ruling line of Firemanes completely wiped out, or so it was thought. As different as the setting and world of the Firemane Saga can be, there are nonetheless echoes of Magician: Apprentice in this first book of the new trilogy, mainly from the slow-burn character development, minimal plot progression and extensive worldbuilding. The story predominantly focuses on the characterisation of the main protagonists - Hatushaly and Declan - two young men who are more than they appear to be. Hatushaly, a fiery-haired boy with rage issues, was brought up in the mysterious nation of Coaltachin and trained by the Quelli Nascoti, a legendary group of the world's best spies, infiltrators, saboteurs and assassins. Instead of commencing on Hatu's coming-of-age story from very young, he was already on the verge of becoming a man when we first get his POV, and most of the requisite 'classroom' training had been completed. At this stage of their training, students get assigned on-the-job with crew captains and at times with one of the Masters. Admittedly, learning about the inner workings of the Quelli Nascoti has to be the most compelling part of Hatu's chapters as the growth of Hatu's character can be said to be predictable as was the revelation of his true identity. What that identity portends, however, was not expected and that gave me the promise of exciting things to come.The other main character, Declan, was a young and talented smith, who witnessed the further collapse of the Covenant as mercenaries traversed the land to press capable men into service for the covetous King of Sandura. In my opinion, Declan's POV is the less interesting of the two main characters. There is also a third POV, who has only a few chapters to her name - Hava, a close friend of Hatu's, and the best female fighter amongst the students in his school. While Hatu is perhaps a little less so, the other two seem to be fairly cookie-cutter characters. Feist once again demonstrated his skill of creating a world with depth and detail. There is a lot of travelling (and sailing) involved in the narrative which was used to great effect in regaling to the reader the vivid descriptions of the towns, ports, cities and landscapes; how these then impact the economics and commerce of the area depending on its strategic location. We have the cultures of the different people and of course, loads of political intrigue between monarchies, the Church and the independent nobility. One thing I note in particular was the great detail and realism present in Hatu's seafaring adventures and Declan's blacksmithing. I appreciated that Feist stayed away from the standard magical elements such as wizards, elves and dwarves, even though I enjoyed these very much when I read Riftwar. The tone of King of Ashes is low fantasy at this point, giving me more Game of Thrones vibes than Lord of the Rings. Moreover, we also get a significant amount of narrative around sex in this book, and I am still unsure as to where that stands with me right now. Don't get me wrong, I have no issues with sex in my books, but it just seemed too much like a direction Feist felt he needed to take to stay relevant in the genre.As a foundational book to set the stage for a larger story to come, King of Ashes did a great job in introducing the readers to the main characters and the world of Garn and its people. Even though the story and characters feel familiar, the pages somehow turn effortlessly as I find myself getting quite absorbed at times. We also do not get any climactic endings of major battles nor are there plot wrap-ups of any sort to be had. I had a feeling that if I had not read Magician in its re-released omnibus edition, I might find myself feeling as unresolved at the end of Magician: Apprentice as I do now at the end of King of Ashes. Hence, I will give Feist the benefit of the doubt to fully take the plot forward in the sequel, as the last few chapters evoked the anticipation of much more to come.This review can also be found at Booknest

Having read the far majority of all of Feist's works before now, and even doing so recently, I was pretty astounded to learn that he had a NEW fantasy series. One that requires no previous knowledge or the need to rely on vast previous worldbuilding. In other words, this is a perfect book to jump into, assuming you want an absolutely gorgeous and detailed kingdom, some rather fully-fleshed out political entities, and two ideal YA character-candidates reminiscent of some of Feist's much earlier (and excellent) work involving two rather precocious princelings. Or their sons. This is also Feist at the top of his game. He's learned many hard lessons over the years and he has honed all his best strengths into building this book into one hell of a grand Epic Fantasy intro. War hasn't come, but the trap has been laid. It's unfortunate how much I love these two main characters. A brilliant young Smith on the rise, kin to the Barony but unknown to any but the Baron and his bastard brother. And another orphan who is the last son of a king of the Firemanes, red-headed people betrayed and wiped out... who also happens to be the source of magic in the land. He is saved on a whim by the Baron who betrayed his father to death, was allowed to be raised in secret by a clan of assassins.This couldn't bite anyone in the butt. I'm sure of it. And yet, with this rather traditional High-Fantasy treatment, I must stress that the devil is truly in the details. It rises and falls with how good the writing is, how invested we get, and how much fun we have.This book not only holds up well against any modern standard but goes quite a bit farther in that it has deep, wide-reaching roots and a fantastically enjoyable tone.In other words, ya'll be fools to pass this up if you're into good modern fantasy written by a master of the field with all the heart of the classics (some of which, HE WROTE).:)

"King of Ashes" was the last book in my pile of winnings from the Goodreads drawings. I regret that it took me this long to finish it, but I was busy. So now I would like to post my review.Years ago in Japan, the ninjas were a force to be reckoned with. They were not only skilled assassins, who knew how to use all available weapons, but they were also masters of espionage. Both boys and girls were taught the various arts from childhood. They learned not only how to blend in to the population by performing the various trades of the day, but some even set up families in different towns under assumed names. When called upon for a mission, they would risk death to succeed, much like the kamikaze pilots of a later war. Their loyalty was often due merely to who paid them. The reason for this explanation will shortly become apparent. "Book One: King of Ashes" is set in some mystical world of five kingdoms. The story begins where King Lodavico has just won a bloody battle due to the treasonous acts of certain kings and nobles. Assisting him are the evil followers of the Church of the One God, which suspiciously sounds like the Christian Church following the Apostasy, where 'heretics' are burned at the stake. As the last of the prisoner executions are taking place, one of the treasonous nobles finds a baby in his tent. He hides the man child and then makes arraignments to send it far away. As he negotiates the payment, he stipulates that the child is not to be abused or harmed, and to be returned at a certain date. What happens is that the baby is to be raised by the 'Hidden Warriors' in the 'Kingdom of the Night.'These 'Hidden Warriors' are much like the ninjas of Japan, yet operate with the criminal efficiency of the Mafia. Thievery accounts for much of their income as does payment for assassinations and espionage. The child, by the name of Hatu, advances through the various stages of the school. He comes to realize that he is different through his treatment. Unlike other children, who may be crippled or killed, he is never put in true harms way. As he progresses, he becomes friends with two others: a boy named Donte and the girl Hava. Donte's grandfather is one of the masters who rule their organization, while Hava is just one badass girl who can take it as well as dish it out. Though the children often bath together as they grew, Hatu one day got a rise out of seeing Hava naked and realized amidst his embarrassment how much he was growing to care for her. No pun intended. Other characters are important and I will mention only a few. Each character is in a different setting but as the story progresses you can see that their paths are destined to meet. And that should be very interesting. Daylon is the treasonous noble who found the baby. The reason for his treachery becomes apparent toward the end of the book. He is a generous and fair ruler who has made his lands prosperous. Balven is Daylon's bastard brother and his most loyal follower. Rodrigo is another noble, who is more interested in bedding wenches than doing the stuff that nobles do, yet he appears to be one of Daylon's confederates. Declan is one of the youngest master blacksmiths ever, who has learned the secret art of forging King's Steel. A sword made of such material easily cuts through armor and other sword blades. Gwen is the innkeeper's daughter who falls for Declan. She is devastated by tragedy but I have a feeling she is going to come out of this stronger than ever. Jusan is Declan's apprentice, and I think he is there for a reason. The Copper Hills is probably the place where the final showdown will one day be.This story reads much like 'The Game of Thrones' without the vulgar sex. As I got close to the end of this book, and saw how few pages were left, I kept thinking in the back of my mind how much I hate cliffhangers. But I will give you credit, Raymond Feist, you tied up just enough loose ends perfectly.Damn! Now I am going to have to look for books Two and Three also!

A new Feist, not only a new Feist but a new series, this has been a book i have waited for with some anticipation. I’ve been a fan of this writers work since my early reading days, Magician was a revelation, how fantasy could be written, to be epic and sweeping, and yet immediate and crammed with great characters and prose. Raymond Feist created a unique voice and style and a world that has wowed fantasy readers for over 30 years.click link for full reviewhttps://parmenionbooks.wordpress.com/...

This is my first read from the critically acclaimed Raymond E. Feist so I was very excited to read this. It starts off towards the end of a war where one kingdom was taken over by the other four kingdoms and their line is perished or so everyone thought. A baby survives who is the heir of the fallen kingdom, Ithrace and the baby is sent away by a baron to a secret place where the baby is to be trained and taken care of. Then it's 17 years later and the baby has grown up to be a spy for a hidden island of Coaltachin. We learn the story of Hatu, the baby who survived and how he doesn't know anything about his identity and is looking for answers whilst completing his training. Simultaneously, we get the story of Declan, the smith who was an orphan and was raised by a legendary smith. We learn of their present stories and their abilities to do more than what seems at first. Hatu finishes his training and goes for his first mission and Declan loses his only home to the raiders from sandura. Hatu learns somethings that were only known to be myths and Declan leaves his only home to survive and he ends up at Marquensas, Barony of Daylon who sent Hatu to train at Coaltachin. There are also some chapters from other characters' POVs, one of the Baron Daylon and the other Hava, friend of Hatu who is also a spy. Hatu has another friend Donte who gets lost at sea on one of the missions. Hatu also learns that he is the last Firemane survivor from Daylon but doesn't know how to feel. He and Hava pose at husband and wife and end up as inn keepers at Beran's Hill, the same town where Declan lives. The world building was impeccable and very detailed. I loved the writing of the author as it never bored me and I kept on reading wanting to know what would happen next. Even though the book is 549 pages, I never once thought that it's a long book and would I be able to finish it? I was savouring and quickly reading at the same time. There are some things that I would have liked more such as the war at the beginning. I wish we had more details about those and not just towards the end of it. I also wished that Declan and Hatu crossed their paths earlier as opposed to right at the end of this book but obviously we'll get to see that in the next book. I didn't have any favourite characters yet I enjoyed reading about them all. That ending though and I cannot wait to read the second book in the series. 5 stars

This was the first Feist book I've read, and I'm impressed! I'm definitely going to have to read his other stuff now after this book. I loved his world-building, and the characters were so well done. The only thing I didn't like about it was the fact that some things were repeated a few times. The one that sticks out the most was the phrase "first among equals" when Master Zusara was mentioned. There were a couple more like this throughout, but it wasn't enough for me to rate the book any lower. It just seemed like he found a phrase he liked for a character and stuck with it, a little too much sometimes. There were a few plot twists I wasn't expecting, which is always a bonus. A few I could see coming a mile away, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment at all. It ended on the perfect cliffhanger (one that I was hoping for), and I can't wait for the next book!

3.5 StarsRounding this up to 4 because, well, it’s Raymond E. Feist. King of Ashes is the first book in a brand new trilogy from Raymond E. Feist, set in a new world unconnected to his dozens of Midkemia-related novels. As someone who grew up reading everything he wrote, and he wrote a LOT (Goodreads informs me Feist is my most read author), I was very excited to read something brand new from him. While I enjoyed the story, I was a little disappointed overall. For centuries the Covenant has existed between the five great kingdoms of Garn, ensuring peace between the nations. That peace is shattered when Ithrace, one of the five kingdoms, is betrayed and the ruling line killed down to the last child. Or so the killers think. A boy survives, and is hidden by one of the free lords, raised unaware of his identity as part of a long simmering plan. The story primarily follows two main storylines. There is Declan, an orphan taken in by a smith and taught his trade, and Hatu, another orphan raised by a secretive nation of spies, assassins, and thieves. The book follows them as they both reach adulthood and start to find their way. As the book progresses, their own paths begin to figure more prominently in a broader story arc that involves the surviving four kingdoms. So how did Feist do, starting over with a fresh world after decades spent in Midkemia? The answer for me is a bit mixed I’m afraid. First of all, the book itself is clearly a setup for future installments. Almost all of the book was laying groundwork for events to come. The unfortunate side effect is that the pacing suffered, and at the end it didn’t feel like as much had happened in the book as I would have liked. There was also a tendency to describe everyday, mundane activities in greater detail than was probably necessary, another thing that didn’t help pacing. My other main issue was the redundancy. The sheer number of times information was repeated quickly got old. This seemed to happen mainly when Feist is attempting to provide greater insight into a character’s thought process. It felt very forced at times, almost as if I was being beaten over the head with that particular point to make sure I didn’t miss it. As an aside, it seemed like most of the character development came via these passages where Feist shows us the characters thoughts, as opposed to helping flesh out their characters by their actions. My issues with the pacing and repetition almost make me want to go back and read some old Feist, because I don’t recall ever having these problems with his writing before. There were some definite positives. Feist has put together an interesting plot and thrown in some nice touches on the worldbuilding side as well. It has an old school fantasy feel which I also enjoyed. I know my review sounds pretty negative, but I genuinely did enjoy the book. I think part of my issue is that I love Feist and his Midkemia books so my expectations were extremely high, and King of Ashes didn’t quite meet them. I’ll still definitely read the next book once it comes out, because it is Feist after all.

Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Tasha LeighPreviously Garn consisted of five kingdoms, each as strong and noble as the next. Until the day Lodavico, King of Sandura, betrayed the great kingdom of Ithrace and murdered its king Steveren and all the flame haired Firemanes, heirs to Ithrace’s throne. Satisfied with his conquest, Lodavico and the three other remaining realms engage in a semi-peaceful treaty, leaving the fallen kingdom in disrepair, its people losing all but a tiny spark of hope. There was a rumour of a baby who was smuggled out, the last remaining Firemane, heir to all its power should he come of age and reclaim his rightful place.Declan is a gifted apprentice, learning his craft from the legendary Edvalt, weaponsmith to the fallen Firemane regents and possessor of the recipe for the famed king’s steel. Growing up in a small village and seeing Edvalt as a father, his existence is quiet. Until the day Oncon is invaded by soldiers from Sandura and his life changes forever.Hatushaly lives with a secret society alongside his friends Donte, son of a master assassin, and Hava, a gifted apprentice and formidable fighter. Together they have learnt the art of the assassins, existing in anonymity, hoping to be chosen as the newest sicari. While his friends thrive in their positions, Hatu has never felt like he truly belongs. Always standing out in a crowd with his fair skin and fire-red hair.King of Ashes is Raymond E Feist’s, author of the Riftwar Cycle, newest entry into his extensive catalogue of bestselling novels. Following the completion and release of Magician’s End in 2013, Feist headed on hiatus after being plagued with health and personal setbacks. 2018 marked his re-entry into the publishing world, coming back with a bang in April.Any fan of Feist’s previous works would recognise his signature style of storytelling, creating rich visuals and immaculately planned out worlds—King of Ashes is no different. Coming in at 545 pages, the world of Garn is filled with lush imagery, from bloody battlefields to rundown inns and stinky docks, the reader is immersed from the very first page. When travelling through the kingdom of Ithrace, the changing scenery is both beautiful and logical. One can feel the bustle of the markets and the serenity of the open road.The narration of King of Ashes takes the form of two perspectives—that of Hatu undergoing his education as a future sicari and through the eyes of Declan as he strives for greatness in his chosen profession of weapon smithing. Initially one may feel as though the changing points of view have no purpose as the young men involved have never been associated. By the end of the story however, it is obvious that each man has his part to play in the restoration of their once great land.As is a standard within any good fantasy, the primary characters were extremely well written. Declan, full of determination, is ever coolheaded, logical and practical in every task he undertakes. Although his background is relatively unexplained, Feist’s mastery of the written word leads the consumer to remain interested regardless of whether the weaponsmith is forging king’s steel or traveling through the countryside. Hatu, assassins apprentice, is as fiery of hair as he is in temperament. Ever adventurous regardless of his setting, he is forever met with hardship unknowing as to why. Ignorant to his position within the world, the flame haired heir is stubborn but loyal to those to whom he is closest.Secondary personalities are also treated with the care of a seasoned author. Every person has their place, although it is not always obvious until pivotal points within the story as to their importance. Hava and Donte remain prominently featured throughout until the untimely demise of one at the hands of external forces. Declan’s love interest is even given a story arc of her own leading to a heart wrenching crescendo in the novels closing pages.While I would have preferred the story to be faster paced, by the conclusion of this first instalment in the Firemane series, the slow burn allowed so many facets to be explored without skimping on the details. While not full of plot twists and murdery moments, the action within carried the story to a finale which was both fitting and confirmed the readers suspicions. Towards the end, our main characters meet, albeit briefly, and then head their separate ways, a point that may lead to frustration in some and elation in others. A word of warning though – the epilogue turns everything on its head and leads to a revelation the reviewer could never have envisioned.Overall, King of Ashes is an excellent addition to Raymond E Feist’s repertoire of hard-hitting fantasy novels. Full of lush imagery, immaculately outlined characters and a narrative which will satisfy even the fussiest reader, the cessation of Feist’s hiatus from the written word could not have come at a better time.

Absolutely brilliant

Few authors have had the effect that Raymond Feist has had on the fantasy genre. He is as synonymous with grand fantasy novels as Stephen King is with horror. As of right now, Feist has written 30+ books, most notably the Riftwar Cycle. A collection of fantasy stories that revolve around the world of Midkemia and Kelewan. However, Feist's newest series, The Firemane Saga, has the potential to be as widespread and loved as the Riftwar Cycle. “The queen had a late child, yes . . . ,” said Daylon. He let out a long sigh. “Most likely it died during the taking of the villa. They threw babies from the cliffs to the rocks when the household was slaughtered. Perhaps he was one.”The first book of the series, King of Ashes, details the fall of the Ithrace kingdom through great treachery. For more than a century, the five nations worked in partnership with each other to build a world of great prosperity. This is especially true of the Ithrace kingdom. They are known for the beauty of the land and a love of the arts and wealth that far exceeds the other four kingdoms. It indeed was a magnificent kingdom of milk and honey. The King of Ashes begins with a prologue after the great betrayal, and Ithrace is burning to the ground. The King of Ithrace, Steveren Langene, and his entire family are brought onto a stage and unceremoniously had their throats cut. The aim was to destroy every Firemane member and eradicate the family line. But they missed one... and this is how a great fantasy story begins. "So he had betrayed a man he loved like a brother to spare his people future ravages. As the priests of the One God would say, Daylon had made his pact with the Dark One; he had sold his soul."The last Firemane child, a baby, is spirited away from the burning city under cover of darkness to the land of the island nation of Coaltachin. Coaltachin, a secret people specialing in spying, thieving, and information gathering, is taking custody of the child until the child turns 17. From there, the Baron Daylon Dumarch will take back the child and explain to him his lineage if all goes to plan. King of Ashes officially begins 16 years after the betrayal of Ithrace with the perspective of 16-year-old Hatu. There are a variety of viewpoints given in the story. This adds a certain roundness to the narrative and the ability to take in new perspectives. However, the majority of the viewpoints are from Hatu, Declan, and Hava. At this point, Hatu and Hava are dear friends and students at Coaltachin. At the same time, Declan is a journeyman smith finishing off his first masterpiece to claim Master smith in another town. Hatu, as a character, is young, impulsive, and angry. Although he has, through necessity, figuring out ways to calm the ever-present anger that boils inside of him, it still is there. Declan is in a lot of ways, the opposite of Hatu. Where Hatu is impulsive, Declan is steadfast. Where Hatu burns hot, Declan cools down to ice. It is ironic in the case of Declan when his life is on the line, and he must battle, he boils his mind down to a single point of action. He is ruthless, cold, and efficient. Both of the characters' lives slowly spin and swirl towards each other. "He was content to rise or fall on his own ability, but when he failed due to lack of information, Hatu flew into a rage—often at himself for not acquiring the knowledge, or at others for not providing it. Unreliable information was what he hated most."The world-building of King of Ashes is thoughtful, expansive, and detailed. A well thought out world is Feist's wheelhouse. Although his stories tend to be character-based, Feist gives a perfect amount of detail to his worlds so that the reader can get a clear picture in their head. Any missing information can be filled in by imagination. The characters are highly detailed, and the dialog does not ever have a forced or static feel to it—the bane of many fantasy books. Feist's characters tend to speak like humans and have human reactions. Honestly, Raymond Feist is a master at this kind of fantasy. You would think that a lost child destined to save the world, might be a little tropey. In any other hands, it probably would be. But this is Feist, and he could write a phone book and have it be engaging. "Declan said, “One last thing, my lord.” “Yes?” said Daylon, turning to Declan. “My master said that I needed to see you to honor his pledge.” “Who was your master?” “Edvalt Tasman.” Daylon looked at his half brother, who raised an eyebrow and gave him a short nod. Daylon was silent for a moment, then said, “He was as gifted a smith as I’ve ever known. I made him promise he’d send me his best apprentice. So, that would be you?” “He judged me fit to be named master,” said Declan. “I was an orphan and he was like a father to me, and so because of that, I honor his pledge to you, my lord.” Daylon was again silent, then he said, “You tell me this more from duty than from any desire to seek service.” “Truth to tell, my lord, I promised him I would do this, but my ambition is to set up my own forge and be my own man.”Pacing-wise, this book is a slower burn. It balances giving enough information to the reader while keeping the pace moving. This isn't easy in the first book of a series. Feist does this generally very well. But at points, in the story, the pacing lags a bit, especially in the beginning. I want to get to know these characters; I want more from them. But Feist teases the readers with glimpses. One of the most interesting and I would think pivotal figures later on in the series is Baron Daylon Dumarch and his brother. The interactions these two have coupled with the political climate, and the Baron's everpresent guilt made me want to skip to his sections. His pain is almost palpable. “I seek only not to despise the man I see in the mirror,” said the Baron of Marquensas." He betrayed his best friend and will spend what is left of his life atoning for it. One of the other aspects of the book I particularly enjoyed is the magical system. Many fantasy books use magic as a sort of Deus ex Machinea. It can do anything, save anyone. King of Ashes is much more subtle. There is magic in this world, but its extent and how it works is not fully fleshed out at this point. I like that. It teases the reader and allows the narrative to the rest of the great dialog and characters rather than flashy magic. King of Ashes is a bright start to a new series. It is epic in scope, detailed in character, exciting, heart wrenching, and entertaining. It is all the best parts of the fantasy genre written by a master. Much need not be explained when you say the name, Feist. Readers know that they are in the presence of something great, and King of Ashes is no different.

I’ve read several excellent fantasy novels recently and so it was with some reluctance that I picked up this one, thinking the odds of yet another 5-star fantasy novel would be unlikely. Nevertheless, I was most pleasantly rewarded by perhaps the best of the batch, for this one started out as a wonderful read and sustained that all the way through.The balance of power in North and South Tembria is reliant on the equality of the five greatest kingdoms, but this peaceful coexistence is shattered when one of the powers, the Kingdom of Flames is betrayed and its King and entire family executed by the other four. Almost all, that is, for one infant survived. Baron Daylon Dumarch had reluctantly participated in the betrayal but tries to atone by secreting the surviving infant to the so called Island of Night where the lad grows up among legendary spies, assassins, cutthroats, and other assorted criminals.Most of the book is told from two alternating point-of-view characters and takes place some 17 years after the betrayal. Hatu (short for Hatushaly) is the surviving infant king although this is completely unknown to him as he learns the skills of the master criminal. Along with his two best friends, Hava and Donte, he undertakes dangerous and clever missions at the behest of his masters. The other main POV character is Declan, another orphan of mysterious origin, and who is blessed with extraordinary skill as a blacksmith, managing to forge his masterwork at the very young age of 22. Both Hatu and Declan have numerous adventures in this book and even though it seems they are destined to work together, they do not actually meet until the very end of the novel.This novel is traditional epic fantasy. By that, I mean that unlike much of today’s “gritty” fantasy, the heroes face tough situations and decisions and make their way through them much like a true hero would. They may make mistakes but their motivations are good. You will not find F-bombs in this book nor anti-heroes as main characters (at least not yet…some are still sufficiently vague to really know for sure). Raymond Feist is, of course, well known for his lengthy Riftwar Cycle involving many inter-related trilogies, duologies, etc. and totaling nearly 30 books. He is known for telling his stories through his characters and this book continues that tradition. While this entire book serves as the setup for the real meat of what is to come, we do get to know the major characters very well and more importantly, really come to care for them and what the future may hold for them. The world building is so well done that I didn’t even realize how much I was learning about how it was all coming together. The prose is very down-to-earth and easily readable (once again, not like so many of today’s gritty fantasy that tries to be “literary” at the expense of good old fashioned story-telling). There is magic in this world and exotic creatures but these are only briefly touched on in this first volume…teased really.All in all, this is a wonderful opening novel in what will be known as “The Firemane Saga”. I’m not sure how many books will be in the series but if they are all as good as this first one then I will be onboard for all, even if there are 30 of them. As for this one, it is due to be published on 5/8/2018. Special thanks to the publisher, Harper Voyager, for a free Advanced Reader’s Copy in return for an honest review.