What do you think?
Rate this book
Ashes of Eormun #1
A Harvest of Ash and Blood
From New York Times bestselling author D. J. Molles comes a brand new, action-packed, fantasy adventure that will leave you on the edge of your seat. What is the price of magic? Not the magic of tricks and illusions, but the kind that heats cities, powers armies, and transforms continents. Magic that forges empires. The Brannic Empire owes its existence to this magic and for those in power, no price is too great. Even when that price is their own children. For it is the ashes of those with magical abilities that the Church of Alchemy harvests to fuel this machine of empire. So the furnaces burn, and the empire grows. And they call it progress. Trying to escape a lifetime of regrets―and outrun his own demons―veteran soldier Lochled Thatcher embarks on the Fourth Crusade to Leftland, a country rich in magic. Desperate to save her brothers, Rony joins Lochled’s squad, only to discover that war is very different from all the songs and fancy speeches. As politics and power clash, Kayna, a Seeker, and Ord, a Priest of the Church of Alchemy, find their foundations of loyalty and faith shaken and crumbling. In this theatre of chaos, magic, and treachery, soldier and priest alike will find their humanity in as much danger as their lives. Will they lose themselves to cruelty and deception? Or can one good action reverse the course of generations of evil? A bold, brutal look at war and belief, A Harvest of Ash and Blood is a sweeping epic fantasy perfect for fans of The Witcher, Joe Abercrombie, and the grimdark.
530 pages, Paperback
First published August 8, 2023
182 people are currently reading
5616 people want to read
About the author
D.J. Molles
45 books1,436 followersD.J. Molles became a New York Times and USA today bestselling author while working full time as a police officer. He's since traded his badge for a keyboard to produce over 20 titles. When he's not writing, he's taking steps to make his North Carolina property self-sustainable, and training to be at least half as hard to kill as Lee Harden (his most popular protagonist).
Molles also enjoys playing his guitar and drums, drawing, cooking, and “shredding that green pow” on his Onewheel.
Most nights you can find him sitting on the couch surrounded by his dogs and family, trying to stream an hour of Netflix with his really sketchy satellite internet connection.
Are you interested in becoming a writer? I've started a video series called "Lessons in Writing" which you can find on all my socials.
Follow on IG & FB @djmolles
TikTok @djmollesauthor
Molles also enjoys playing his guitar and drums, drawing, cooking, and “shredding that green pow” on his Onewheel.
Most nights you can find him sitting on the couch surrounded by his dogs and family, trying to stream an hour of Netflix with his really sketchy satellite internet connection.
Are you interested in becoming a writer? I've started a video series called "Lessons in Writing" which you can find on all my socials.
Follow on IG & FB @djmolles
TikTok @djmollesauthor
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
interested-in
September 30, 2024never heard of this one before so let’s see 👀🤞🏽
July 19, 2023
I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
A new series and genre for DJ Molles. I'm very particular when it comes to fantasy as I don't read a ton of it, but I know the kind of writer Molles is, so I wasn't too concerned. He did not disappoint. This was classic Molles- good world building, fantastic characters with depth and growth, and non-stop action/gore. It was a fun ride, and I look forward to the next one!
A new series and genre for DJ Molles. I'm very particular when it comes to fantasy as I don't read a ton of it, but I know the kind of writer Molles is, so I wasn't too concerned. He did not disappoint. This was classic Molles- good world building, fantastic characters with depth and growth, and non-stop action/gore. It was a fun ride, and I look forward to the next one!
May 24, 2023
A Harvest of Ash and Blood is a white-knuckle ride that gets your heart pounding and your pulse racing as it rampages through the hell that is the battlefield. D. J. Molles has written around twenty novels prior to this, almost all of which seem to be some flavor of military thriller. Maybe it's because I haven't read much like this, but I'm thoroughly impressed by the book's continuous intense action from start to end except for a few breaks for the characters to rest for a bit. The fantasy elements are well-integrated, though those looking for a typical epic fantasy adventure may find themselves with a rather different narrative. This is almost entirely a series of brutal military engagements that reminded me of a mix between twentieth century and medieval wars.
Depending how caught up the reader is by the action there may be little time to think about what is happening, why it is, or what it means. Although many details are stated directly, the implications are left for the reader to determine and the real-world similarities may not be immediately obvious. The narrative walks a fine line between being morally repugnant and awesome, though depending on your sensibilities it may only be the former. I chose to see it as more the latter, if only because the characters reacted what they had done and had great interactions between them. This is as much about the characters as it is about what they do.
The fantasy elements serve both practical and metaphorical functions. The former is how technology is powered by magic, which is a properly deceptive term on multiple levels. A select few individuals have specific magical abilities. Magic is mostly used by the enemy forces, though the allied forces have a few that can. As for the latter I found that there's surprisingly a lot to consider when making real world connections that go deeper than the surface level statements. There's a lot of social commentary, though it's often presented in ways that could be easy to overlook. For those who want it, it's there, and for those who only want the action, it's not difficult to let it all pass by.
This is listed as a standalone on the author's site and it works as a self-contained story, as long as you can be satisfied with many of the worldbuilding specifics being left unexplained. The opening map depicts a tidally locked planet and it's implied as such in the text, though that may not be evident if you didn't already know what that was. There's more than enough left for it to become a series, though that's probably dependent on how well this one does. If there are more, I'll definitely be reading them. If nothing else, this may get the author a few new readers for his primary series who otherwise wouldn't have known about them or gave them a try. I'll certainly try reading what else he's written.
Rating: 4.5/5
I received this DRC from Blackstone Publishing through NetGalley.
Depending how caught up the reader is by the action there may be little time to think about what is happening, why it is, or what it means. Although many details are stated directly, the implications are left for the reader to determine and the real-world similarities may not be immediately obvious. The narrative walks a fine line between being morally repugnant and awesome, though depending on your sensibilities it may only be the former. I chose to see it as more the latter, if only because the characters reacted what they had done and had great interactions between them. This is as much about the characters as it is about what they do.
The fantasy elements serve both practical and metaphorical functions. The former is how technology is powered by magic, which is a properly deceptive term on multiple levels. A select few individuals have specific magical abilities. Magic is mostly used by the enemy forces, though the allied forces have a few that can. As for the latter I found that there's surprisingly a lot to consider when making real world connections that go deeper than the surface level statements. There's a lot of social commentary, though it's often presented in ways that could be easy to overlook. For those who want it, it's there, and for those who only want the action, it's not difficult to let it all pass by.
This is listed as a standalone on the author's site and it works as a self-contained story, as long as you can be satisfied with many of the worldbuilding specifics being left unexplained. The opening map depicts a tidally locked planet and it's implied as such in the text, though that may not be evident if you didn't already know what that was. There's more than enough left for it to become a series, though that's probably dependent on how well this one does. If there are more, I'll definitely be reading them. If nothing else, this may get the author a few new readers for his primary series who otherwise wouldn't have known about them or gave them a try. I'll certainly try reading what else he's written.
Rating: 4.5/5
I received this DRC from Blackstone Publishing through NetGalley.
October 24, 2023
My favorite book this year.
I shared this one earlier in the month as a current read. From page one, I knew I would love it. By the last page, I was blown away.
A Harvest of Ash and Blood would be an ideal book club or buddy read because there's a lot to unpack here, in the best possible way.
The plot is focused and intense, while also providing room for us to contemplate societies, governments, wars, religions, and our roles within it all, whether our participation is active or passive.
The writing is exceptional, from plot to character development to the simple elegance of the sentences.
If you're new to fantasy, no worries. We're eased into the world building and the magic system, and the parallels to our own world make it all easy to follow.
While we're left with a lead-in to the possible direction of book 2, this story is wrapped up with no major cliffhangers. (Which earns bonus points!) I will now be politely stalking the author until the next book is released.
*Thanks to BiblioLifestyle and Blackstone Publishing for the free copy!*
I shared this one earlier in the month as a current read. From page one, I knew I would love it. By the last page, I was blown away.
A Harvest of Ash and Blood would be an ideal book club or buddy read because there's a lot to unpack here, in the best possible way.
The plot is focused and intense, while also providing room for us to contemplate societies, governments, wars, religions, and our roles within it all, whether our participation is active or passive.
The writing is exceptional, from plot to character development to the simple elegance of the sentences.
If you're new to fantasy, no worries. We're eased into the world building and the magic system, and the parallels to our own world make it all easy to follow.
While we're left with a lead-in to the possible direction of book 2, this story is wrapped up with no major cliffhangers. (Which earns bonus points!) I will now be politely stalking the author until the next book is released.
*Thanks to BiblioLifestyle and Blackstone Publishing for the free copy!*
September 15, 2023
“A Harvest of Ash and Blood” by D. J. Molles:
In a world where the Empire relies on the ashes of children with magical abilities to fuel its machinery and weaponry. The narrative unfolds through multiple characters and points of view, each embroiled in the crusades to Leftland, a land rich in magic compared to the Empire.
The objective is to secure magical technology and eliminate the Tickers—beings described as both magical "people" and robots, depending on who is theorizing. These Tickers have resided in Leftland alongside the magical remnants left by the enigmatic Old Ones, said to have created them.
The diverse cast of characters, Lochled, haunted by his memories and family tragedies, Rony, who joins the fight to save her brothers, Kayna, a seeker of knowledge who grapples with balancing secrets and revelations, and Ord, a priest confronting internal struggles within his church and personal biases. Each character is driven by their determination to protect the Empire and its way of life, but as the story unfolds, questions arise about whether the Empire is truly worth defending.
I've given this book a rating of 2 out of 5 stars. If you're an enthusiast of intense action and combat scenes, this book may be a perfect match for your reading preferences. However, for me, the excessive combat sequences and the multitude of points of view did not align with my personal taste, resulting in a less favorable impression.
The concept of the story is intriguing, but the execution left something to be desired. The world-building, while promising, lacked depth, and readers are thrust into a complex setting with minimal explanation, making it challenging to fully immerse oneself in the narrative.
In a world where the Empire relies on the ashes of children with magical abilities to fuel its machinery and weaponry. The narrative unfolds through multiple characters and points of view, each embroiled in the crusades to Leftland, a land rich in magic compared to the Empire.
The objective is to secure magical technology and eliminate the Tickers—beings described as both magical "people" and robots, depending on who is theorizing. These Tickers have resided in Leftland alongside the magical remnants left by the enigmatic Old Ones, said to have created them.
The diverse cast of characters, Lochled, haunted by his memories and family tragedies, Rony, who joins the fight to save her brothers, Kayna, a seeker of knowledge who grapples with balancing secrets and revelations, and Ord, a priest confronting internal struggles within his church and personal biases. Each character is driven by their determination to protect the Empire and its way of life, but as the story unfolds, questions arise about whether the Empire is truly worth defending.
I've given this book a rating of 2 out of 5 stars. If you're an enthusiast of intense action and combat scenes, this book may be a perfect match for your reading preferences. However, for me, the excessive combat sequences and the multitude of points of view did not align with my personal taste, resulting in a less favorable impression.
The concept of the story is intriguing, but the execution left something to be desired. The world-building, while promising, lacked depth, and readers are thrust into a complex setting with minimal explanation, making it challenging to fully immerse oneself in the narrative.
September 28, 2023
“The profane and the sacred always made odd dance partners, and battles seemed to be where they liked to dance best.”
★ ☆
Thank you to D. J. Molles, Blackstone Publishing, and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The concept of this book is so interesting to me. Action, a crusade, magic led by the church? Sign me up. Unfortunately, this book was not for me.
The main struggle for me was that I didn’t connect to the characters, so the action wasn’t high stakes for me like it should have been.
The world building wasn’t developed enough, and I had a hard time picturing the weapons and understanding the political system. As such, the pacing at the beginning was quite hard to get through.
This standalone was written with specific plot lines that continue beyond the book, so beware if you are not a fan of ambiguous endings. In particular, chapter 42 made the character’s entire POV feel unnecessary, given that we learned just enough to realize how irrelevant and limited the previous information was. To me, it felt like an information problem and not an ambiguity.
However, I did find myself highlighting certain sections as the writing had clear and impactful statements about war and morality (as grimdark books do), not to mention the notes of humor.
There were some really bright spots in this book, so while I didn’t connect to it, I’d say it could be worth a shot if the plot sounds interesting to you.
★ ☆
Thank you to D. J. Molles, Blackstone Publishing, and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The concept of this book is so interesting to me. Action, a crusade, magic led by the church? Sign me up. Unfortunately, this book was not for me.
The main struggle for me was that I didn’t connect to the characters, so the action wasn’t high stakes for me like it should have been.
The world building wasn’t developed enough, and I had a hard time picturing the weapons and understanding the political system. As such, the pacing at the beginning was quite hard to get through.
This standalone was written with specific plot lines that continue beyond the book, so beware if you are not a fan of ambiguous endings. In particular, chapter 42 made the character’s entire POV feel unnecessary, given that we learned just enough to realize how irrelevant and limited the previous information was. To me, it felt like an information problem and not an ambiguity.
However, I did find myself highlighting certain sections as the writing had clear and impactful statements about war and morality (as grimdark books do), not to mention the notes of humor.
There were some really bright spots in this book, so while I didn’t connect to it, I’d say it could be worth a shot if the plot sounds interesting to you.
December 13, 2023
I am not one for war stories typically. I didn't expect this book to revolve so much around war/battle, but honestly it set the storyline perfectly and allowed for the character development we see over the short timeline of the book (3-4 days) to come out drastically. I wasn't super sold at the beginning but was flying through it in no time. Loved this unique book.
July 27, 2023
Once again, D.J. Molles reinvents himself. A Harvest of Ash and Blood is a grim and brutal story that will make you question how far you will go to protect who you love and what happens when you don't. As a long-time fan of The Remaining Series and everything else written by D.J. Molles, this tale continues the impetus need to know what's next. I received an ARC in return for an honest review.
October 20, 2025
they said for fans of joe abercrombie i said sign me right up
no shade the description/summary doesn't really give any information on what the book is actually about. but i always love to go into a fantasy book blind so i can struggle a bit before settling into the worldbuilding. and boy does this do just that. in fact, the stakes/plot/worldbuilding are hardly touched at all in favor of character work and action scenes. isn't that typical joe abercrombie? apparently children are taken to be killed for the purposes of the machines of the empire, but that's all we know. there's no deeper dive into the science behind that nor the origin - it just is. why is there discrimination for the "savages" of the south and their lighter skin? who knows?? how is religion and the church entrenched into the people of this world and are their gods given proof of existence or are they just concepts to be worshipped? the thing is that we don't know and even though that's a partial reason for the feeling of something lacking in this book, molles more than makes up for it with everything else.
the beginning was slow. i didn't care for the characters nor their journey nor their crusade and hell, not even the first bloody beach battle that was presumably supposed to lure the reader in. it was only the night after that i really began to enjoy myself. so i get if there are claims of boredom or brutality thrown around out there. this IS a grimdark book - i want my characters to be lowkey violently evil. that just makes them 10x more fun and interesting.
those action scenes!! the beach battle was only boring to me bc i didn't gaf about any of the characters nor the plot. but after that, each and every moment was written so well. joe abercrombie indeed. and yeah you really do jump from battle to battle with hardly a chapter or two for a break. this is exactly what evan winter wanted to do with The Rage of Dragons i am so sorry to say. that book hit you on the head with a hammer and with no nuance. just the main character taking no damage and constantly fighting with absolutely zero emotional tone to back it up. this, on the opposite hand, drew the reader in. it made me feel their bloodlust for killing like yeah! kill that guy! who gaf if they're people or individuals with thoughts and feelings, the act of killing was so visceral and entertaining it felt like it didn't matter. they were just soldiers following orders after all.
lochled: a very interesting and unique name. had me thinking of lachlan from Empire of the Vampire this whole time though. he's your typical soldier, full of guilt bc of all the heinous things he's done in the past and continues to do. he had a wife and a daughter and yeah they haunt him. oh and one last thing, if given the opportunity, he had these demons that make him go batshit crazy berserk at any given moment, and that monster even had a name. if you said this is just logen ninefingers (The Blade Itself) you would be correct and yet he still felt refreshing. it wasn't repetitive or annoying bc molles did manage to put some flavor in there, especially with his internal monologue that i feel we never got too much of with logen.
rony: here we have a girl who's never really fought before join this crusade and she's in the company of rough tough grough men. and of course she manages to hold her own. her journey was actually the whole reason that got me more interested in this book. the moment when she realizes this group of soldiers can become her new family and brothers and that she'd do anything to protect them and that the thought of losing them makes her spiral? that angst is so good. also her ability to also go lowkey crazy and be violent was satisfying. she is everything to me tbh.
kayna: oh she is so mysterious let me have a look into her brain. she didn't get many povs bc that would just spoil us wouldn't it. she has the power to commune with her other seekers and that particular worldbuilding is also never explored but whatever. she was a great levelheaded figure and i loved her scant relationship with rony - i do hope they see each other again. her ending i wanted to pry her thoughts open like let us in!!
ord: what do you say for a guy named ord. he's the priest, the weakling of the team, but why did he have to be so funny, unintentionally. he is way out of his league but he does some good work at the end with a weapon and the killing. it'd be interesting to see if he even matters at all since he doesn't seem to be in the description for book 2. and his whole mindset of the church seems to change so maybe he also get to impact that? or they could just straight up kill him.
hotsteel: and i know he didn't matter much, just like the rest of lochled's squad, but i want to say how much i appreciate these kind of characters. the reader thinks of him, maybe not as noble, but perhaps a little as he is the leader of this expedition. he is very competent at what he does and when mutiny threatens, he is good at squashing things with his boot. my favorite part in the whole book is when that moment i actually laughed to myself. and then you come to the realization he will do whatever he's ordered to do bc he's not a good man, he's a good soldier. he will commit unspeakable horrors bc that's how things are done in the chain of command. i find these characters so fascinating - that they would do horrible things, know how horrible they are, and yet continue on because of the command, the order, the duty, the loyalty, whatever the cause. think of glokta torturing ppl bc that's what keeps the union running. i may be crazy but i like when authors are unafraid and unabashedly unashamed to include these horrific acts of violence. who said molles endorsed this? he's portraying things as they are, often times in the real world. what made hotsteel tick? how is he different than lochled who, mere days ago, would've done the unspeakable? how did he look into those eyes and continue as he did? and ofc it begs the question of: did lochled kill hotsteel's father?
all that to say, i love grimdark. it always happens to me that i loathe the band of men who are gross but join together as found family but then something happens and by the end of it, i love them. the casual violence of it all is exciting as the reader. the shoving away of the moral compass as it bobs to the surface every now and then. i don't want to read books about saints who always do the right thing because they want to. lochled and co were so much more interesting when their actions were not justifiable and completely unhinged. genuinely had such fun with this book, from after the beach battle all the way to the end.
no shade the description/summary doesn't really give any information on what the book is actually about. but i always love to go into a fantasy book blind so i can struggle a bit before settling into the worldbuilding. and boy does this do just that. in fact, the stakes/plot/worldbuilding are hardly touched at all in favor of character work and action scenes. isn't that typical joe abercrombie? apparently children are taken to be killed for the purposes of the machines of the empire, but that's all we know. there's no deeper dive into the science behind that nor the origin - it just is. why is there discrimination for the "savages" of the south and their lighter skin? who knows?? how is religion and the church entrenched into the people of this world and are their gods given proof of existence or are they just concepts to be worshipped? the thing is that we don't know and even though that's a partial reason for the feeling of something lacking in this book, molles more than makes up for it with everything else.
the beginning was slow. i didn't care for the characters nor their journey nor their crusade and hell, not even the first bloody beach battle that was presumably supposed to lure the reader in. it was only the night after that i really began to enjoy myself. so i get if there are claims of boredom or brutality thrown around out there. this IS a grimdark book - i want my characters to be lowkey violently evil. that just makes them 10x more fun and interesting.
those action scenes!! the beach battle was only boring to me bc i didn't gaf about any of the characters nor the plot. but after that, each and every moment was written so well. joe abercrombie indeed. and yeah you really do jump from battle to battle with hardly a chapter or two for a break. this is exactly what evan winter wanted to do with The Rage of Dragons i am so sorry to say. that book hit you on the head with a hammer and with no nuance. just the main character taking no damage and constantly fighting with absolutely zero emotional tone to back it up. this, on the opposite hand, drew the reader in. it made me feel their bloodlust for killing like yeah! kill that guy! who gaf if they're people or individuals with thoughts and feelings, the act of killing was so visceral and entertaining it felt like it didn't matter. they were just soldiers following orders after all.
lochled: a very interesting and unique name. had me thinking of lachlan from Empire of the Vampire this whole time though. he's your typical soldier, full of guilt bc of all the heinous things he's done in the past and continues to do. he had a wife and a daughter and yeah they haunt him. oh and one last thing, if given the opportunity, he had these demons that make him go batshit crazy berserk at any given moment, and that monster even had a name. if you said this is just logen ninefingers (The Blade Itself) you would be correct and yet he still felt refreshing. it wasn't repetitive or annoying bc molles did manage to put some flavor in there, especially with his internal monologue that i feel we never got too much of with logen.
rony: here we have a girl who's never really fought before join this crusade and she's in the company of rough tough grough men. and of course she manages to hold her own. her journey was actually the whole reason that got me more interested in this book. the moment when she realizes this group of soldiers can become her new family and brothers and that she'd do anything to protect them and that the thought of losing them makes her spiral? that angst is so good. also her ability to also go lowkey crazy and be violent was satisfying. she is everything to me tbh.
kayna: oh she is so mysterious let me have a look into her brain. she didn't get many povs bc that would just spoil us wouldn't it. she has the power to commune with her other seekers and that particular worldbuilding is also never explored but whatever. she was a great levelheaded figure and i loved her scant relationship with rony - i do hope they see each other again. her ending i wanted to pry her thoughts open like let us in!!
ord: what do you say for a guy named ord. he's the priest, the weakling of the team, but why did he have to be so funny, unintentionally. he is way out of his league but he does some good work at the end with a weapon and the killing. it'd be interesting to see if he even matters at all since he doesn't seem to be in the description for book 2. and his whole mindset of the church seems to change so maybe he also get to impact that? or they could just straight up kill him.
hotsteel: and i know he didn't matter much, just like the rest of lochled's squad, but i want to say how much i appreciate these kind of characters. the reader thinks of him, maybe not as noble, but perhaps a little as he is the leader of this expedition. he is very competent at what he does and when mutiny threatens, he is good at squashing things with his boot. my favorite part in the whole book is when that moment i actually laughed to myself. and then you come to the realization he will do whatever he's ordered to do bc he's not a good man, he's a good soldier. he will commit unspeakable horrors bc that's how things are done in the chain of command. i find these characters so fascinating - that they would do horrible things, know how horrible they are, and yet continue on because of the command, the order, the duty, the loyalty, whatever the cause. think of glokta torturing ppl bc that's what keeps the union running. i may be crazy but i like when authors are unafraid and unabashedly unashamed to include these horrific acts of violence. who said molles endorsed this? he's portraying things as they are, often times in the real world. what made hotsteel tick? how is he different than lochled who, mere days ago, would've done the unspeakable? how did he look into those eyes and continue as he did? and ofc it begs the question of: did lochled kill hotsteel's father?
all that to say, i love grimdark. it always happens to me that i loathe the band of men who are gross but join together as found family but then something happens and by the end of it, i love them. the casual violence of it all is exciting as the reader. the shoving away of the moral compass as it bobs to the surface every now and then. i don't want to read books about saints who always do the right thing because they want to. lochled and co were so much more interesting when their actions were not justifiable and completely unhinged. genuinely had such fun with this book, from after the beach battle all the way to the end.
August 7, 2023
First off trigger warnings -
Murder
Genocide
Grotesque mutilation of bodies
Rape/SA
Blatant disregard for life
Racism
Drug and alcohol use
Gore
Gritty dark and brutal.
Homophobia
Child murder
There may be more but this is just based off of the first 35% of the book.
I will say my favorite genres are fiction/fantasy with aspects of fae and action. So this should have been up my alley.
Unfortunately the amount of blatant racism, as though white people are somehow victims of racist idiology from poc, homophobic slurs, grotesque descriptions of murder and mutilations of the living and dead bodies, burning in mass of bodies/genocide and disregard for life I DNF’d this book at 35%.
I have no problem with the writing itself. It’s not badly written. It’s the ignorance, homophobic slurs, and grotesque nature of the material I personally didn’t like.
If you enjoy reading about slaughtering helpless people and burning their bodies, if you enjoy reading about the characters laughing and joking about mutilating and slaughtering people without remorse, if you enjoy reading about white people somehow being on the end of “racism” and how constantly picked on they are for their skin color then this is for you!
Review based on an ARC provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
Murder
Genocide
Grotesque mutilation of bodies
Rape/SA
Blatant disregard for life
Racism
Drug and alcohol use
Gore
Gritty dark and brutal.
Homophobia
Child murder
There may be more but this is just based off of the first 35% of the book.
I will say my favorite genres are fiction/fantasy with aspects of fae and action. So this should have been up my alley.
Unfortunately the amount of blatant racism, as though white people are somehow victims of racist idiology from poc, homophobic slurs, grotesque descriptions of murder and mutilations of the living and dead bodies, burning in mass of bodies/genocide and disregard for life I DNF’d this book at 35%.
I have no problem with the writing itself. It’s not badly written. It’s the ignorance, homophobic slurs, and grotesque nature of the material I personally didn’t like.
If you enjoy reading about slaughtering helpless people and burning their bodies, if you enjoy reading about the characters laughing and joking about mutilating and slaughtering people without remorse, if you enjoy reading about white people somehow being on the end of “racism” and how constantly picked on they are for their skin color then this is for you!
Review based on an ARC provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
July 14, 2023
A breath taking fantasy war story that blends the dark themes and vivid characters of Joe Abercrombie with the bloodsoaked singlemindedness of blood meridian by Cormac Mccarthy. Brilliant!
August 8, 2023
As with any D.J. Molles text, this story, too, was an amazing universe to be absorbed into, and I am chomping at the bit to read more as sequels begin to come out! Elements of the plot reminded me of the Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness where man is taking advantage of a seemingly more peaceful alien race, and also some resemblance to his previous novel titled "Wolves" where a father's journey and subsequent fight to rescue his taken daughter plays out but in this case the main character Lochled has lost his daughter in the past and the assumption is that she is deceased now, but his journey into war after war is encompassed by the regret he has for not doing enough to have saved her.
I read the entire novel in two days as it is a true page turner full of character growth and action. I think this story itself and the new universe that D.J. Molles has created here demonstrates just how talented he is as an author to not only create something like this from scratch but also shows the flexibility in his writing as nothing in this text would lead a new reader to realize that Molles is best known for his "The Remaining" and Harden universes. So overall, I am extremely impressed by this and cannot wait for more!
The tough part for me with the text was the beginning of the novel, seeing that many of the verbiage used by the characters was created for this story and the list of character names being introduced not being common names caused me pause a few times to ensure I had my head wrapped around who was doing what. Some characters mentioned in this story are just that - mentioned - eluding to us as readers meeting them in future installments. At the onset of the story it was just a bit tough trying to understand the dialect being introduced as well as comprehend the names of regions where the setting was being discussed in correlation with the provided map at the beginning of book.
Lastly, as a spoiler, I must say that for all the time spent on diving into other areas of the plot that, to me at least, didn't have a huge bearing on the story itself, I feel it was a missed opportunity to not have Breakwood's demise and a couple pages later Cryer's death not given a bit of detail. I, for one absolutely love imagining a fight scene, especially when we want a character to get some sort of revenge in a story, and nobody does it better than Molles. But for whatever reason the reader finds Lochled approaching Breakwood to take him out - thinking since it was at the end of a chapter we were left at a typical cliffhanger as we jump to another character's plot, and we would find the remains of the battle between the two men in a chapter or two. However that battle and carnage wasn't covered at all and Lochled simply says he killed him when asked. So it makes me wonder if we didn't actually "see" him die, will Breakwood's character show up again down the line? As for Cryer, he was used as an important character throughout, but his death and the explanation came out of nowhere and was lacking in detail. I'm unsure as to why he was even killed off because as an important character his death didn't really lead to any different of an outcome which typically an important character's death should. I'd have rather seen Cryer and Ponts exchange deaths as Ponts' was at least detailed and was a more valiant demise. It wouldn't have bothered me if Ponts received Cryers death since he wasn't as important at least in my opinion as Cryer was. Since both were basically going to be written off and die anyways, it'd have been better to flip flop their ends and hopefully the details in this paragraph can be given some more focus on future installments. It was interesting to see the main character's right hand man of sorts being a big bulky fella like D.J. has traditionally used in a number of past books, actually being eliminated whereas they usually get to stick around!
Overall, A+ for me as I appreciate an invitation into a new world of escape that Molles bestows to readers via the text on parchment he accumulated with this latest arrival to my bookshelf!
I read the entire novel in two days as it is a true page turner full of character growth and action. I think this story itself and the new universe that D.J. Molles has created here demonstrates just how talented he is as an author to not only create something like this from scratch but also shows the flexibility in his writing as nothing in this text would lead a new reader to realize that Molles is best known for his "The Remaining" and Harden universes. So overall, I am extremely impressed by this and cannot wait for more!
The tough part for me with the text was the beginning of the novel, seeing that many of the verbiage used by the characters was created for this story and the list of character names being introduced not being common names caused me pause a few times to ensure I had my head wrapped around who was doing what. Some characters mentioned in this story are just that - mentioned - eluding to us as readers meeting them in future installments. At the onset of the story it was just a bit tough trying to understand the dialect being introduced as well as comprehend the names of regions where the setting was being discussed in correlation with the provided map at the beginning of book.
Lastly, as a spoiler, I must say that for all the time spent on diving into other areas of the plot that, to me at least, didn't have a huge bearing on the story itself, I feel it was a missed opportunity to not have Breakwood's demise and a couple pages later Cryer's death not given a bit of detail. I, for one absolutely love imagining a fight scene, especially when we want a character to get some sort of revenge in a story, and nobody does it better than Molles. But for whatever reason the reader finds Lochled approaching Breakwood to take him out - thinking since it was at the end of a chapter we were left at a typical cliffhanger as we jump to another character's plot, and we would find the remains of the battle between the two men in a chapter or two. However that battle and carnage wasn't covered at all and Lochled simply says he killed him when asked. So it makes me wonder if we didn't actually "see" him die, will Breakwood's character show up again down the line? As for Cryer, he was used as an important character throughout, but his death and the explanation came out of nowhere and was lacking in detail. I'm unsure as to why he was even killed off because as an important character his death didn't really lead to any different of an outcome which typically an important character's death should. I'd have rather seen Cryer and Ponts exchange deaths as Ponts' was at least detailed and was a more valiant demise. It wouldn't have bothered me if Ponts received Cryers death since he wasn't as important at least in my opinion as Cryer was. Since both were basically going to be written off and die anyways, it'd have been better to flip flop their ends and hopefully the details in this paragraph can be given some more focus on future installments. It was interesting to see the main character's right hand man of sorts being a big bulky fella like D.J. has traditionally used in a number of past books, actually being eliminated whereas they usually get to stick around!
Overall, A+ for me as I appreciate an invitation into a new world of escape that Molles bestows to readers via the text on parchment he accumulated with this latest arrival to my bookshelf!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2023
A big thank you to netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A Harvest of Ash and Blood follows the campaign waged by the Byrrhic Empire against the Leftlanders whose people are derogatorily called the Tickers. We see through the eyes of 3 main players: veteran and traumatized squad sergeant Lochled, new recruit and only female soldier in the army Roan and the priest assigned to the army Ord. Set in a grimdark world, the focus of this book is on the characters and their traumatic journey through war and how they grapple to find meaning in all the fighting and killing they are forced to do.
The Highlight: I thought the characters were excellently written and fleshed out. When at first you hear of a grizzled older man taking a younger female character under his wing, you get flashbacks to the Last of Us, the Witcher, etc and you initially start to wonder if people are going to grow out of this trope and write something original. However, Molles avoids falling into the trap and he does this successfully by exploring their personalities and relationship dynamics with other people rather than that 1 counterpart. Lochled is his own man as we get to peer into his past, his conflict with obeying orders vs his conscience, his sense of duty towards his comrades and superiors vs his compassion/empathy for the tickers etc. Likewise, Roan initially distrusts all the men but then gets to know them and accept that they are not necessarily evil, just traumatized men thrown into ever worse situations by their government. So the characterization in this novel was excellent and definitely a highlight.
The bad: Unfortunately, this book had several weak points including the political intrigue/broader background of the conflict between the church and the ruling government. It is brought up as a potential issue between the priest and the seeker but it has absolutely zero relevance to the plot and seems to be tied into a future book or something but why put it in this one if it is completely irrelevant. Also, why Ord is after this medicine in Leftland that drives the whole journey of the 3 squads is never fully explained; only hinted at regarding the plague which could have served as a good reveal but was a missed opportunity. I also really did not like/understand why the other 2 squads ended up betraying Lochled and Captain Hotsteel so I feel like this book could have done with a bit of polishing and tightening up especially on the plot and details.
Recommendation: Overall, a really good book with regards to characterization and dialogue but much weaker on the plot so I would recommend to people who enjoy morally ambiguous characters and great exchanges in a grimdark setting but not so much to people who love a very clear and focused plot.
Actual rating 2.5.
A Harvest of Ash and Blood follows the campaign waged by the Byrrhic Empire against the Leftlanders whose people are derogatorily called the Tickers. We see through the eyes of 3 main players: veteran and traumatized squad sergeant Lochled, new recruit and only female soldier in the army Roan and the priest assigned to the army Ord. Set in a grimdark world, the focus of this book is on the characters and their traumatic journey through war and how they grapple to find meaning in all the fighting and killing they are forced to do.
The Highlight: I thought the characters were excellently written and fleshed out. When at first you hear of a grizzled older man taking a younger female character under his wing, you get flashbacks to the Last of Us, the Witcher, etc and you initially start to wonder if people are going to grow out of this trope and write something original. However, Molles avoids falling into the trap and he does this successfully by exploring their personalities and relationship dynamics with other people rather than that 1 counterpart. Lochled is his own man as we get to peer into his past, his conflict with obeying orders vs his conscience, his sense of duty towards his comrades and superiors vs his compassion/empathy for the tickers etc. Likewise, Roan initially distrusts all the men but then gets to know them and accept that they are not necessarily evil, just traumatized men thrown into ever worse situations by their government. So the characterization in this novel was excellent and definitely a highlight.
The bad: Unfortunately, this book had several weak points including the political intrigue/broader background of the conflict between the church and the ruling government. It is brought up as a potential issue between the priest and the seeker but it has absolutely zero relevance to the plot and seems to be tied into a future book or something but why put it in this one if it is completely irrelevant. Also, why Ord is after this medicine in Leftland that drives the whole journey of the 3 squads is never fully explained; only hinted at regarding the plague which could have served as a good reveal but was a missed opportunity. I also really did not like/understand why the other 2 squads ended up betraying Lochled and Captain Hotsteel so I feel like this book could have done with a bit of polishing and tightening up especially on the plot and details.
Recommendation: Overall, a really good book with regards to characterization and dialogue but much weaker on the plot so I would recommend to people who enjoy morally ambiguous characters and great exchanges in a grimdark setting but not so much to people who love a very clear and focused plot.
Actual rating 2.5.
August 8, 2023
***ARC received from Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for honest review, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***
I struggled to get into this book, it was a little slow from the beginning. Its trying to set up characters, the world, alchemy and its just a lot to take in. Once it gets going and heads out on the crusade it gets a lot better.
The book is told from a few points of view, Rony the new recruit, Lochled the seasoned soldier, Ord the priest and Kayna the seeker with more knowledge that she is letting on. They each bring a unique view to the battles as where they are in their life. I liked Lochled the most, a disillusioned soldier simply following commands to give his life something to do. He already has a deep distrust of the church so its not really a crisis of faith but as a loyal soldier he begins to question blindly following orders and what has been asked of him. It doesn’t mean he is a good person, its very clear that none of these people are good. Nor are they truly evil either, its the old saying do monsters make war or does war make monsters and characters fall into either category.
There is a lot of violence in this book, its not the worst violence I’ve read in a book but if you don’t like descriptions on violence this won’t be the book for you. It is the characters response to the violence that is the story though. What it does to them both physically and mentally. Lochled has been through a few wars, he’s seen and done terrible things compared to Rony who is seeing her first battle. How they react to the violent they receive and inflict on others was well done as it reflects where they are as characters. The church and alchemy is fascinating look at what people are willing to give up for progress. Its a terrible thing that their society is built on but they justify it by it was their belief, following a gods will, those with abilities are less than. Multiple of reasons that when you start to think of how they justified it how horrible of a person they are. Its what Lochled has to struggle with which is goes through during the book, truly stopping to think. His internal struggles were really well written as he finally presses back on being just a soldier, tired of just taking orders.
The writing is good but things are still missing. I wish the world building had been a little stronger. The books seems to be a standalone but its built like its the first in a series with a lot of characters introduced that don’t add much to this story but would for a larger series. The lead characters are left without a full resolution but enough of a resolution for this arc of their story. If it does end up being a larger series I would be interested to see where it goes because there is a lot more to explore.
I struggled to get into this book, it was a little slow from the beginning. Its trying to set up characters, the world, alchemy and its just a lot to take in. Once it gets going and heads out on the crusade it gets a lot better.
The book is told from a few points of view, Rony the new recruit, Lochled the seasoned soldier, Ord the priest and Kayna the seeker with more knowledge that she is letting on. They each bring a unique view to the battles as where they are in their life. I liked Lochled the most, a disillusioned soldier simply following commands to give his life something to do. He already has a deep distrust of the church so its not really a crisis of faith but as a loyal soldier he begins to question blindly following orders and what has been asked of him. It doesn’t mean he is a good person, its very clear that none of these people are good. Nor are they truly evil either, its the old saying do monsters make war or does war make monsters and characters fall into either category.
There is a lot of violence in this book, its not the worst violence I’ve read in a book but if you don’t like descriptions on violence this won’t be the book for you. It is the characters response to the violence that is the story though. What it does to them both physically and mentally. Lochled has been through a few wars, he’s seen and done terrible things compared to Rony who is seeing her first battle. How they react to the violent they receive and inflict on others was well done as it reflects where they are as characters. The church and alchemy is fascinating look at what people are willing to give up for progress. Its a terrible thing that their society is built on but they justify it by it was their belief, following a gods will, those with abilities are less than. Multiple of reasons that when you start to think of how they justified it how horrible of a person they are. Its what Lochled has to struggle with which is goes through during the book, truly stopping to think. His internal struggles were really well written as he finally presses back on being just a soldier, tired of just taking orders.
The writing is good but things are still missing. I wish the world building had been a little stronger. The books seems to be a standalone but its built like its the first in a series with a lot of characters introduced that don’t add much to this story but would for a larger series. The lead characters are left without a full resolution but enough of a resolution for this arc of their story. If it does end up being a larger series I would be interested to see where it goes because there is a lot more to explore.
August 8, 2023
I am an old nerd who is very steeped in fantasy. I played D&D as a kid starting in the late 70s and have read every fantasy novel and series I could get my hands on since first reading The Hobbit as a small child. I have read everything from the good, the bad, and the ugly. As much as I love Molles' other works, I was afraid to see him crossover into Fantasy. I'm a big Stephen King fan but didn't love Eyes of the Dragon. I was hoping the same didn't happen with Molles'. The short of it - I LOVED A Harvest of Ash and Blood.
Molles is a master of creating worlds and characters. I think I forgot about this aspect because while The Remaining and Harden series takes place in the US, it's an apocalyptic future and he had to create that. I didn't give him the credit he deserved. I knew he would kill it with the characters and Molles did just that, figuratively and literally.
Molles' characters are always multifaceted and real. Lochled is a hard man that has been through a lot. Throughout the story, we are shown how Lochled became the man he is now really fleshing out his character. Rony is another one who belies the initial perception. She is a young girl thrust into the company of incredibly hard men. We see her grow and overcome the circumstances. Even the other supporting characters are not one-dimensional. Molles somehow plumbs the depth of their personalities as well.
Starting out a whole new world is a difficult task to accomplish without slowing down the story. But Molles balances the tedious job of moving the story along while giving the pertinent information to make sure we understand what we need but not get lost in the details. Molles' new world of Eormun is filled with unique and new ways of using magic as well as unique and new "creatures". This is another great spin making it a fun adventure. I really look forward to Molles pulling the curtain back and learning more about these new twists introduced.
A Harvest of Ash and Blood is very dark and many times brutal. Keep that in mind as you start this journey. There are a lot of commentaries on the church, racism, and many other societal issues. At least I saw them that way. I'm not sure if Molles meant them that way so I will opine no further.
Molles did not disappoint with his newest endeavor into a new genre. I am excited to see where this adventure leads and look forward to learning new things about Eormun and those who reside there.
I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Molles is a master of creating worlds and characters. I think I forgot about this aspect because while The Remaining and Harden series takes place in the US, it's an apocalyptic future and he had to create that. I didn't give him the credit he deserved. I knew he would kill it with the characters and Molles did just that, figuratively and literally.
Molles' characters are always multifaceted and real. Lochled is a hard man that has been through a lot. Throughout the story, we are shown how Lochled became the man he is now really fleshing out his character. Rony is another one who belies the initial perception. She is a young girl thrust into the company of incredibly hard men. We see her grow and overcome the circumstances. Even the other supporting characters are not one-dimensional. Molles somehow plumbs the depth of their personalities as well.
Starting out a whole new world is a difficult task to accomplish without slowing down the story. But Molles balances the tedious job of moving the story along while giving the pertinent information to make sure we understand what we need but not get lost in the details. Molles' new world of Eormun is filled with unique and new ways of using magic as well as unique and new "creatures". This is another great spin making it a fun adventure. I really look forward to Molles pulling the curtain back and learning more about these new twists introduced.
A Harvest of Ash and Blood is very dark and many times brutal. Keep that in mind as you start this journey. There are a lot of commentaries on the church, racism, and many other societal issues. At least I saw them that way. I'm not sure if Molles meant them that way so I will opine no further.
Molles did not disappoint with his newest endeavor into a new genre. I am excited to see where this adventure leads and look forward to learning new things about Eormun and those who reside there.
I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 30, 2023
"A Harvest of Ash and Blood" by D.J. Molles offers a gripping journey into a world of warfare, magic, and moral complexity. At the outset, the story takes a moment to set the stage, which might be a hurdle for some readers. However, once the crusade ignites, the narrative accelerates into a wild ride of intense action, leaving your heart pounding and pulse racing.
Molles masterfully employs multiple perspectives, allowing us to glimpse the battles through the eyes of characters like Rony, Lochled, Ord, and Kayna. Lochled, a disillusioned soldier with a deep distrust of the church, stands out as a captivating protagonist. His internal conflict—questioning orders and beliefs—is profoundly portrayed, echoing the timeless debate of whether war births monsters or monsters orchestrate war.
The violence within the book is stark and vivid, but it's the characters' responses to this brutality that truly shape the story. The author skillfully captures how violence molds and shatters individuals, drawing a stark contrast between experienced soldier Lochled and novice combatant Rony.
What's particularly intriguing is the exploration of the church and alchemy's role in societal advancement. It's disturbing to witness the justifications made for progress, even if they entail horrifying sacrifices. Lochled's evolution—from a pawn blindly following orders to someone questioning his complicity—is a testament to the book's character-driven depth.
While the writing is strong, a touch more robust world-building would have enriched the experience. Additionally, some characters appear poised for a broader series, and while this book stands well on its own, it leaves ample room for further exploration.
"A Harvest of Ash and Blood" offers a unique blend of action and introspection. With its intense battles, intricate characters, and thought-provoking themes, it’s a must-read for those seeking more than just surface-level adventure. This book demonstrates Molles' storytelling prowess and leaves us eagerly hoping for future installments to delve deeper into this compelling world.
Molles masterfully employs multiple perspectives, allowing us to glimpse the battles through the eyes of characters like Rony, Lochled, Ord, and Kayna. Lochled, a disillusioned soldier with a deep distrust of the church, stands out as a captivating protagonist. His internal conflict—questioning orders and beliefs—is profoundly portrayed, echoing the timeless debate of whether war births monsters or monsters orchestrate war.
The violence within the book is stark and vivid, but it's the characters' responses to this brutality that truly shape the story. The author skillfully captures how violence molds and shatters individuals, drawing a stark contrast between experienced soldier Lochled and novice combatant Rony.
What's particularly intriguing is the exploration of the church and alchemy's role in societal advancement. It's disturbing to witness the justifications made for progress, even if they entail horrifying sacrifices. Lochled's evolution—from a pawn blindly following orders to someone questioning his complicity—is a testament to the book's character-driven depth.
While the writing is strong, a touch more robust world-building would have enriched the experience. Additionally, some characters appear poised for a broader series, and while this book stands well on its own, it leaves ample room for further exploration.
"A Harvest of Ash and Blood" offers a unique blend of action and introspection. With its intense battles, intricate characters, and thought-provoking themes, it’s a must-read for those seeking more than just surface-level adventure. This book demonstrates Molles' storytelling prowess and leaves us eagerly hoping for future installments to delve deeper into this compelling world.
March 17, 2024
I was initially drawn to "A Harvest of Ash and Blood" by D. J. Molles due to its intriguing premise and promising premise. The story follows a group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world, facing numerous challenges and threats as they struggle to rebuild society. However, as I continued reading, I found myself increasingly frustrated with the slow pacing and lack of character development. The plot seemed to drag on without any significant advancement, and the characters lacked depth, making it difficult to connect with their struggles.
As I reached the halfway mark of the book, I made the difficult decision to stop reading and ultimately DNF (did not finish) "A Harvest of Ash and Blood." Despite my initial excitement for the story, I found myself losing interest in the fate of the characters and their journey. The writing style also felt disjointed at times, making it hard to follow the narrative cohesively. Overall, I was disappointed by my experience with this book and felt that it fell short of my expectations.
In conclusion, "A Harvest of Ash and Blood" by D. J. Molles was a disappointing read for me. While the premise held promise, the slow pacing, lack of character development, and disjointed writing style ultimately led me to DNF the book. I would caution readers who are looking for a fast-paced and engaging post-apocalyptic story to approach this book with caution, as it may not meet their expectations.
2.5/5 STARS!
As I reached the halfway mark of the book, I made the difficult decision to stop reading and ultimately DNF (did not finish) "A Harvest of Ash and Blood." Despite my initial excitement for the story, I found myself losing interest in the fate of the characters and their journey. The writing style also felt disjointed at times, making it hard to follow the narrative cohesively. Overall, I was disappointed by my experience with this book and felt that it fell short of my expectations.
In conclusion, "A Harvest of Ash and Blood" by D. J. Molles was a disappointing read for me. While the premise held promise, the slow pacing, lack of character development, and disjointed writing style ultimately led me to DNF the book. I would caution readers who are looking for a fast-paced and engaging post-apocalyptic story to approach this book with caution, as it may not meet their expectations.
2.5/5 STARS!
July 24, 2023
What do you get when you combine an epic fantasy, with war, religion, and politics. Well...pretty much a lot of fantasy novels actually. Specifically we get this gem, A Harvest of Ash & Blood.
So this story takes place during a war time, we have our religious sect that basically controls the Brannic Empire because the Church of Alchemy harvest goods to make "progress" or "new technology" such as lights and such. What are these goods you may ask? People, and now mostly children. Not just anyone, people who have magical abilities. Most of the kids don't even know they have these abilities as the Seekers find them when they sense their power and they take them off and burn them. The ashes are then used to power everything. This my friends is all just the first few pages.
This story goes hard and fast, we are thrown in to war, secrecy, morality, and interpersonal turmoil very quickly. The violence is very violent, but not off putting. The world that is built is very vivid with well developed characters. The story is well written and we see the struggles of humanity through all of our characters. How far is too far? Can we fix the past wrongs? Etc.
This is a really good, dark fantasy that does a fantastic job with all its subtleties and world building. I can't wait to see what else is to come.
So this story takes place during a war time, we have our religious sect that basically controls the Brannic Empire because the Church of Alchemy harvest goods to make "progress" or "new technology" such as lights and such. What are these goods you may ask? People, and now mostly children. Not just anyone, people who have magical abilities. Most of the kids don't even know they have these abilities as the Seekers find them when they sense their power and they take them off and burn them. The ashes are then used to power everything. This my friends is all just the first few pages.
This story goes hard and fast, we are thrown in to war, secrecy, morality, and interpersonal turmoil very quickly. The violence is very violent, but not off putting. The world that is built is very vivid with well developed characters. The story is well written and we see the struggles of humanity through all of our characters. How far is too far? Can we fix the past wrongs? Etc.
This is a really good, dark fantasy that does a fantastic job with all its subtleties and world building. I can't wait to see what else is to come.
August 12, 2023
"He never cared for them, they were awfully large animals and they had minds of their own... he never knew if the thing was going to go mad and kill him on a whim. Then again you could say the same thing about the men around here. Maybe he was just better at reading men than he was at reading horses."
"never understood why we have to take something so beautiful and make it do ugly things for us."
"That's about all you get out of the the soildering life, the promise of being with all your dead friends at the end of it."
First off i want to thank my partners @bibliolifestyle & @blackstonepublishing & @djmolles for Sharing this gorgeous copy of A Harvest of Ash and Blood by Dj Molles! I actually gasped out loud when I got this book! So thank you so much!
This book is full of AMAZING world building, characters you get attached to, and a story that keeps you always wanting more! I couldn't put this book down! And the feeling of it in my hands 😍 (that's what she said!) Anyway! This was such an action packed adventure that reminded me so much of Jay Kristoff's writing style! For a second there i thought i was reading his book! Anyway you guys really need to read this book! I ended up listening to alot of it on audio and that was amazing as well!
"never understood why we have to take something so beautiful and make it do ugly things for us."
"That's about all you get out of the the soildering life, the promise of being with all your dead friends at the end of it."
First off i want to thank my partners @bibliolifestyle & @blackstonepublishing & @djmolles for Sharing this gorgeous copy of A Harvest of Ash and Blood by Dj Molles! I actually gasped out loud when I got this book! So thank you so much!
This book is full of AMAZING world building, characters you get attached to, and a story that keeps you always wanting more! I couldn't put this book down! And the feeling of it in my hands 😍 (that's what she said!) Anyway! This was such an action packed adventure that reminded me so much of Jay Kristoff's writing style! For a second there i thought i was reading his book! Anyway you guys really need to read this book! I ended up listening to alot of it on audio and that was amazing as well!
July 14, 2023
I received an advanced readers copy of A Harvest of Ash and Blood in exchange for my honest review.
We are no stranger to D.J. Molles exceptional writing and his well paced stories that make you fall in love with the characters along the way. This story threw for me for a loop in the best way possible. This dark fantasy is the first in a new series for D.J. And he absolutely killed it. The world building was on par with its counterparts such as A Game of Thrones and The Lightbringer series in my humble opinion. In true Molles fashion, the characters are extremely well developed and almost every one has an ulterior motive for why they commit their acts as well as the consequences for their actions. The action was brutal and engrossing and the interpersonal relationships were witty and deeply intricate. I was astounded with the gritty and dark nature of this story throughout and was gripped from page one. Harsh and Bloody, but also subtle and nuanced in ways only D.J. can portray in tandem. It had been a wild ride from start to finish and I can’t wait to read more of Lochled’s trials and tribulations in the next iteration. Great job again Mr. Molles.
August 4, 2023
Thank you NetGalley, Blackstone and D. J. Molles for the eARC! All opinions are my own.
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/ 5
⚔️ A Harvest of Ash & Blood captivates the reader with its action packed, intense, military focus and deep character reflection. You are thrown into a world that is powered by the ashes of children. More specifically, the ashes of children with magic abilities. With a church that controls everything, a magical Industrial Revolution, deep rooted political betrayal, and an invasion turned into barbarism - how will our veteran Lochled handle it?
⚔️ The beginning of this book throws you right in the middle of a war which we know nothing about, it was a little overwhelming with all the world building in the beginning but once you get your bearings; you’re ready for the wild ride which is the second half of the book. The intricate magic system, world building, even down to the unique weapons was incredible.
I heavily recommend this to those looking for something new in the fantasy genre, Lochled and Rony will not disappoint.
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/ 5
⚔️ A Harvest of Ash & Blood captivates the reader with its action packed, intense, military focus and deep character reflection. You are thrown into a world that is powered by the ashes of children. More specifically, the ashes of children with magic abilities. With a church that controls everything, a magical Industrial Revolution, deep rooted political betrayal, and an invasion turned into barbarism - how will our veteran Lochled handle it?
⚔️ The beginning of this book throws you right in the middle of a war which we know nothing about, it was a little overwhelming with all the world building in the beginning but once you get your bearings; you’re ready for the wild ride which is the second half of the book. The intricate magic system, world building, even down to the unique weapons was incredible.
I heavily recommend this to those looking for something new in the fantasy genre, Lochled and Rony will not disappoint.
July 4, 2025
This was a hard read, I just didn't expect it to be so intense and I prob should of dnf’d because battles aren’t my cup of tea to read ever and you get enough atrocities being committed every day on the news now, however I guess that’s the harsh reality of war etc. There were so many ick moments, murdering children, senseless deaths, atrocities argh, do I want to read the next one? I really don’t know. I felt sorry for the tickers, though at first you are drawn in to feel a kind of kinship with the invading force characters but then they land and yucky yuck yuck, and for what, to serve a church that kills people including children for their magic ashes, and now they want ticker ashes.
I presume the next book might be tickers and defectors coming together to overthrow this death church. Hope so but not sure I want to battle read again argh
I presume the next book might be tickers and defectors coming together to overthrow this death church. Hope so but not sure I want to battle read again argh
August 12, 2023
Look I'm going to make this short and sweet if you've read books by this guy before you know what you're about to get,his writing has only gotten better with every book, this is a man that loves writing and is trying to hone his craft like a sniper,if you love GrimDark Fantasy you're in for a treat it's a brutal diversive world of powerful Magic and horrible creatures with some really bad ass characters,Lochled kind of reminds me of a certain Barbarian from another brutal grimdark world that I love not a carbon copy either completely his own character just certain shines of light I see reminds me so what more can you ask for,Read it if you have unlimited it's free you will not be disappointed.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC for an unbiased and Honest review
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC for an unbiased and Honest review
August 16, 2023
Thank you to D. J. Molles, Blackstone Publishing, and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reading copy.
I'm not familiar with this author, and I understand that this genre is new to the author as well. Their usual domain isn't something I usually lean towards, as I'm not particularly drawn to war or military themes. Nevertheless, the title of this work and the blurb caught my attention. I found the book's premise and the unique magic system intriguing, and the whole thing gave me major steampunk vibes, which I love. Unfortunately, this did not do it for me. I struggled with the writing style sometimes and wished the worldbuilding was stronger. It is not a bad book, by any means - it was just not for me.
I'm not familiar with this author, and I understand that this genre is new to the author as well. Their usual domain isn't something I usually lean towards, as I'm not particularly drawn to war or military themes. Nevertheless, the title of this work and the blurb caught my attention. I found the book's premise and the unique magic system intriguing, and the whole thing gave me major steampunk vibes, which I love. Unfortunately, this did not do it for me. I struggled with the writing style sometimes and wished the worldbuilding was stronger. It is not a bad book, by any means - it was just not for me.
August 22, 2023
This is a book I read in less than 3 days!! Normally, it takes a week or even more for me read a fantasy, but this story just absorbed me and wouldn’t let me do anything until I finish reading. The starting was interesting to read with the characters introduction, history, and world building. Keep in mind, everything in this story happens in a different universe; one that is different from ours.
The author has crafted a story that gives a view on war ridden/destroyed world. It’s scary, but also eye opening. The character povs are my favourite, they are eclectically complex; a priest, a soldier, and a commoner. They all have interesting views and collaborate on their thoughts. It’s just fascinating to read the whole book. Highly recommend!!
🎁 Blackstone publishing
The author has crafted a story that gives a view on war ridden/destroyed world. It’s scary, but also eye opening. The character povs are my favourite, they are eclectically complex; a priest, a soldier, and a commoner. They all have interesting views and collaborate on their thoughts. It’s just fascinating to read the whole book. Highly recommend!!
🎁 Blackstone publishing
December 31, 2023
2.5 stars - so much potential, but it just didn’t quite it right for me. Still deciding it I should round up or down my stars
Lots of battles, not enough character building. It had such potential with the world it was building. But I found it lacked attachment to the characters. It read like a big battle scene, but it didn’t draw me in because I wasn’t attached to the characters. I wanted more world building too - tell me more about the tickers, the harvest.
Felt like a bit of a cliff hanger at the end of the second last chapter. Perhaps there will be more world and character building in future books (if there are some).
Lots of battles, not enough character building. It had such potential with the world it was building. But I found it lacked attachment to the characters. It read like a big battle scene, but it didn’t draw me in because I wasn’t attached to the characters. I wanted more world building too - tell me more about the tickers, the harvest.
Felt like a bit of a cliff hanger at the end of the second last chapter. Perhaps there will be more world and character building in future books (if there are some).
January 4, 2024
Extraordinary. The storyline a unique twist on magic, the characters suck you right in there amongst them. But it's not really a book about magic. It's a book about humanity, of church and state and justice and morality and beliefs and guilt and all things human. The truly incredibly exquisite wordsmithing comes through in his descriptions of War. The tragedy, the ecstasy, the horror, the insanity, the fear. Never have I seen it told with such profound depth. This is a story that will stay with you long after you close that final page. This is a giant of a book. I sity in awe. I can not recommend it highly enough.
July 18, 2023
This was a very compelling read. It reminded me of Abercrombie or even Lawrence in the Grimdark genre.
The magic system was super unique and had the perfect amount of gruesome aspects to stick working the Grimdark genre for me. I really enjoyed how original it was. I've never read anything like it.
The storyline was interesting and definitely kept my interest. The pacing was a little slow at times but it picked up and I was able to easily finish the book.
I'd definitely recommend this book to fantasy and Grimdark lovers.
The magic system was super unique and had the perfect amount of gruesome aspects to stick working the Grimdark genre for me. I really enjoyed how original it was. I've never read anything like it.
The storyline was interesting and definitely kept my interest. The pacing was a little slow at times but it picked up and I was able to easily finish the book.
I'd definitely recommend this book to fantasy and Grimdark lovers.
August 30, 2023
Molles has a way of creating new worlds with words and inducing panic attacks with his action scenes. Not kidding! This new world is fabulous and full of thought provoking characters that have to deal with the conundrum of right and wrong and the toll it takes mentally and emotionally. I would classify this as scifi fantasy and combat gore. This is fast paced and I found myself taking deep breathes trying to slow my heartbeat as it was very intense throughout most of the book. I am ready to jump into the next one as it does leave you hanging! If you like action this will not disappoint!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews