Ice Forged (Ascendant Kingdoms, #1)

Ascendant Kingdoms #1

by Gail Z. Martin

FROM THE RUINS, A HERO WILL RISE

Condemned as a murderer for killing the man who dishonored his sister, Blaine McFadden has been banished for years to a penal colony in the frigid northern wastelands of Edgeland. Military discipline and the oppressive magic of the governor's mages keep a fragile peace, as colonists struggle to survive in the harshest of conditions. But now the supply ships have stopped coming, and this bodes ill for the kingdom that banished the colonists...

McFadden and the other exiles must decide their fate. They can remain in their icy prison, or they can return to the ruins of the kingdom that they once called home.

Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Epic Fantasy, Vampires, Fiction, Audiobook, Adventure

583 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Gail Z. Martin discovered her passion for science fiction, fantasy and ghost stories in elementary school. The first story she wroteat age fivewas about a vampire. Her favorite TV show as a preschooler was Dark Shadows. At age 14, she decided to become a writer.

She enjoys attending science fiction/fantasy conventions, Renaissance fairs and living history sites. She is married and has three children, a Maltese and a golden retriever.

Gail Z. Martin is also Morgan Brice, which is her pen name for urban fantasy MM paranormal romance.

In addition to the online sites listed below, you can find me on
Facebook.com/Groups/MartinShadowAlliance
Facebook.com/Groups/WorldsOfMorganBrice
Twitter: @GailZMartin and @MorganBriceAuthor
YouTube: YouTube.com/c/GailZMartinAuthor
IG: @MorganBriceAuthorGail & Larry newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dd5XLj
Morgan Brice newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dy_8oL
BookBub for Morgan: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/morga...
Bookbub for Gail: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/gail-...
Amazon profile: https://www.amazon.com/Morgan-Brice/e...?
Amazon profile: https://www.amazon.com/Gail-Z-Martin/...
Pinterest (for Morgan and Gail) www.Pinterest.com/Gzmartin

Reviews

[Bookwraiths · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths Reviews

Ice Forged is an entertaining but flawed fantasy/post-apocalyptic hybrid that dazzles in its depiction of the frozen waste of Edgeland and its prisoners/colonists but undergoes a disappointing evolution near the end that results in a very forgettable conclusion.

The story itself centers on a young nobleman, Blaine McFadden, who succumbs to righteous anger and slays his abusive father. The King of Donderath shows mercy to young Blaine by banishing him to a penal colony in the bitterly cold, northern realm called Edgeland. This is a country of snow and ice, mountains and volcanos, which has six months of daylight and six months of perpetual night. Life here is possible, but it is a painful one, filled with never ending coldness that seeps into your bones until you forget what warmth ever felt like. Indeed, without the liberal use of magic, life in this harsh penal colony might not even be possible, and it definitely would not exist without the supply ships that arrive from Donderath throughout the year. So while Blaine’s banishment to Edgeland is cloaked in mercy, it is in truth a sentence worse than death!

After Blaine receives this punishment, six years pass in the book with the turning of a page. Our young hero is now called “Mick”, having decided to hide his noble heritage from his fellow prisoners, and he has survived long enough to become a colonist instead of a prisoner. With a small group of friends, he now owns his own homestead on his own meager farm, raises crops and animals, works a job on the fishing boats that brave the icy sea to bring in the colonies main food source and has moved on with his life. Survival is harsh, painful even, in Edgeland, but there is a certain joy to it that Blaine has embraced. But now things have taken a turn for the worst in this rugged land, for the supply ships have stopped coming. No one knows why exactly, though rumors abound, but what Blaine and all his fellow colonist do know is that soon the six month long cycle of perpetual darkness will begin in Edgeland and without supplies no one might survive this most brutal of times!

Meanwhile, across the frigid sea in the Kingdom of Donderath, the king knows exactly why the supply ships remain at anchor in the harbors: war! A continental spanning conflict has broken out between the four main powers in the land. A struggle that initially looked to be the traditional land grab by one kingdom resulting in a brief war and one country gaining a few miles of land has turned into something much more deadly. For the King of Meroven demands total victory in this conflict, and to obtain this elusive prize he has decided to unleash the full potential of his battle mages upon his foes. Something no other monarch in history has ever felt comfortable doing, because not even the wise are sure what the end result of such a magical armageddon might be to the world and to the magic itself!

Quite an interesting set up, don’t you think?

I did, and all in all, Ice Forged was a decent novel. However, it is probably much better labeled a post-apocalyptic novel than an epic fantasy. The reason I say this is that the novel begins with a rugged group of people, not in the mainstream of their advanced “magical” society, but on the outskirts of civilization. We are introduced to the high tech – I mean, magical world these people once lived in and then witness a horrible cataclysm that wipes out this advanced society, which forces the “survivors” out on the fringe to begin using their highly specialized skills to save the world from its plunge into absolute chaos. Classic post-apocalyptic fiction with a bit of fantasy “magic” thrown in.

Once a fantasy reader understands and accepts Ice Forged for what it is, they can then appreciate the excellent job Gail Z. Martin does for much of this novel in making Blaine “Mick” McFadden’s story so interesting and compelling. It truly is a deftly crafted tale which contrasts a fully realized penal colony with its civilized mother country, allowing a reader to see how magic could become as commonplace as modern day technology and be unknowingly used by everyone for the simplest things to the most complex. Unfortunately, after the apocalypse that destroys this interesting culture, things go a bit awry in this novel.

I personally had two main problems with the story from this point forward.

One, things are too easy for Blaine and his friends. Everything falls into our protagonists waiting arms with far too much regularity. Ancient maps? Blaine gets them. Someone to advice him of what to do with the maps? No problem, there is an ancient hermit in Edgeland that no one knew about before. Civilization ends, but Blaine is far away and doesn’t know it? We will bring a survivor to him. Smoldering conflict between the colonists and the prison warden? Boom, there is a quick fight, and Blaine is now a part of the new ruling body. Food shortages? Blaine finds an abandoned merchant vessel full of goods for the penal colony. Ship to get back to mainland to begin epic quest? I did mention the abandoned merchant vessel, right? Blaine needs to travel through the wreckage of chaos back on the continent? No problem, our hero has more unlooked for allies waiting him. It just went on and on with the easy problem resolutions.

Two, vampires. Let us get one thing straight: I do not dislike vampires. They are great. Watched Dark Shadows as a kid and adored it. The Twilight movies were okay, and yes, I would have voted for Edward. So like I said, I dig vampires. They can be wonderful characters who can add an extra depth and feeling to any story they are in, but here they soon become the whole story. Whenever someone needs saving, there appears a vampire. Need some ancient knowledge? We have a vampire who knows that. Where should Blaine go and what should he do on his epic quest? A vampire knows. Honestly, the vampires went from a cool part of the story to the whole story by the end. I mean, I read a novel about Blaine only to see him turned into a vampires’ gofer?

Criticisms aside, however, Ice Forged has a very interesting post-apocalyptic fantasy world that Gail Z. Martin can weave many a compelling story in for years to come. Just in book two, I look forward to reading more about Blaine’s epic quest to save magic, the obvious rebuilding of society in the aftermath of disaster, and to discover if King of Meroven survived the armageddon he unleashed and is still determined to conquer the continent. So join me in this adventure and give this genre bender a try.

I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank both of them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.

[Michael Fierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won an ARC of Ice Forged by Gail Z. Martin in November 2012, right here on Goodreads! -- *And so you know, all opinions are completely my own and Big Mike receives no compensations of any type for this review.

This book's cover art grabbed me immediately while skimming through the many GR book giveaways!

Fantasy. Ice. Hyborean looking hero. And the fiery lettering of Ice Forged emblazoned on the cover was enough to pique my interest.

First off, this is the sort of story that, while not defined as a mystery, has several sequences and even characters I think would spoil it for you if I were to give away too much.

Better to say that it is a heroic fantasy, with strong male and female characters, taking place in a world once ripe with magic, and now stripped of much of it's external beauty, having become devastatingly bleak, from war, strife, and the near-death of magic itself.

It is a character-driven, well-plotted, world-building fantasy and certainly NOT your typical, farmer boy w/ royal blood on a quest to defeat the evil villain, win the princess, and save the kingdom in the end type that most of us know inside & out.

It has enough of the fantasy formula to keep it within the realm of fantasy fiction I enjoy most, while having scenarios and situations that feel fresh somehow.

It's about snow and ice.

Nah! That's not all it's about! But, in case you wondered, there's lots of both.

Actually, it's about our hero, and his quest to restore the magic that has died from the conflict of war and mage battles.

After a dire, horrible, situation takes place in his home in Donderath, Blaine McFadden must face the consequences of his actions and is sent to Velant, *a penal colony in the harsh icy wastelands of Edgeland, there to spend the rest of his life as a prisoner.

*For those of you thinking, 'Jon Snow and A Game of Thrones', like I was at first, you wouldn't be far off from the mark. For only a second, however. The rest is all Gail!

Several years later, Blaine, known now as Mick amongst his convict friends, has raised himself into a position securing as close to a normal life as is possible in Velant.

He's now earned a house, a piece of land, and livestock he shares with his friends who work hard together to make it work, and not far from the actual walled-in prison, the corrupt administrators of which still oversee their lives.

The interaction between the core group of characters around Mick feels very real and human, as they go about living their lives at the edge of the world.

War changes everything for Mick, his friends, and the lives and lands of all people. With war, comes the loss of magic. The repercussions from which are disastrous. Everyone's lives are forced to change.

Here is where I would normally want to tell you what the characters come up against in the way of evil denizens, political factions, and magical scenarios. And, aw jeez! I just can't though! I even had to avoid designating a couple of shelf-names this book falls under, just so it wouldn't spoil it for any of you who are going to read Ice Forged.

For such a bleak land it's got lots of colorful characters and a story I can't wait to continue with from where this one left off.

Please hurry, Gail!
:)

Oh! I also wanted to make a note that this series is not connected to any of her other books as far as characters or world are concerned.

*I want to say again that I think the book cover artwork is awesome! Usually I know who the artist is but I don't this time. **Also, I want to say that the hero is so well-defined on the cover that I envisioned a particular movie actor while reading it, who's voice was very distinct in my head the whole time and wish for the life of me that I could figure out who it is!

Highly Recommended!!!!

And thanks to Gail Z. Martin & crew for putting up an ARC book on Goodreads so I could win and read it!

[Mogsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...

I've long been curious about Ice Forged. Though I also own The Summoner from her Chronicles of the Necromancer series, for some reason I just knew I wanted this one to be my first Gail Z. Martin book. They're both stories set in high fantasy worlds, but lands of ice and snow have always fascinated me, I don't know why. Maybe because I think these harsh settings are often fertile ground for exceptional protagonists, driven to be harder in an environment marked by extreme temperatures and scarcity. I love to read about characters becoming shaped by those experiences and overcoming those challenges.

So it was a pleasant surprise when the book began by throwing its main protagonist into a situation that was even more harrowing than I'd expected. Blaine McFadden is convicted of murder, and though his reasons for the killing were honorable, the young nobleman is sentenced to live out the rest of his days in a penal colony on Velant, an icy wasteland at the edge of the world. Six years later, Blaine (now known as "Mick") is a new man, emerging as a natural leader in the eyes of the other convicts and colonists. Still, they are kept under the thumb of an oppressive governor, and are at the mercy of the mages who are always too keen to administer their swift and often cruel discipline.

But one day, the supply ships stop coming. War has torn Blaine's former home of Dondareth apart, and the magic that civilization had always depended upon has been lost. It changes everything. Without the mage's power holding them back, the colonists of Velant take back their freedom but afterwards they too must decide their own fate. For many, this frigid land has become home, and they would like nothing more than to stay. Blaine, however, still has a far greater destiny to fulfill.

This is good old fashioned down-to-earth epic fantasy. And I use that description as a compliment. In many ways, this book reminds me of the pure delight and enjoyment I felt when I read Michael J. Sullivan's Riyria Revelations series, which I also loved; both share that same easy, straightforward writing style with story elements and character-types that won't be anything new to the avid fantasy reader, and yet I felt warm and comfortable wrapped in their familiarity.

I was also glad to see I was right about the strong characters, all of whom are wonderful and likeable in this novel. They are what drives this story, and makes the reader care about what happens in this book. When the magic went away, I found myself completely gripped by the consequences, shocked by certain deaths I never expected or kept on edge about what characters would do in response to such a big change in their world. Despite how I described the novel in the previous paragraph, scenes like these are what sets Ice Forged apart and makes it special.

I'm particularly impressed with the world which Gail Z. Martin has created, with emphasis on the background of the lore and magic. Not that the descriptions and details of the places in Velant or Dondareth weren't rendered well either, but I was much more drawn in by the histories of the land and people that she has woven. I love stories that establish a long, vivid past, because then the effects on the present and the future feel more impactful. That is the case here.

All in all, Ice Forged is a solid start to a new series. I eagerly await the next Ascendant Kingdoms novel to continue following Blaine on his quest to restore stability to his world.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Want it in a nutshell? Prisoners in a Russian gulag find out that the world they were forced to leave has been all but destroyed. And despite having been sent to the ends of the earth for their crimes against the kingdom, and putting in hard time in horrible conditions, they are a bit more reluctant to leave the life they have been able to forge in this land. Lead by a noble who gave up his name when forced out of his old life it may be up to them to keep the world from falling in on itself. For the most powerful magic users in the land have pushed the land to its limit, and destroyed the very power they hold.

A lot of little things to like here, making the story rise above the fairly generic nature of the tale. While stuck in a very medieval fantasy setting (the most generic of the generic) the ice land prison colony is honestly a new setting for me in the genre. Frozen wasteland though it was there was enough life to make it interesting. Lead man Blaine (Mick in this new land) had earned his ticket of leave and built a homestead along with a few other residents. And I will admit that at first I missed that the house was hiding a D&D questing party in its wings; complete with a female rogue skilled in dagger use. Blaine, earning his living on the fishing boats and actually making a life of it despite the animosity of the guards, particularly their leader. For a ticket of leave gets you out of the prison mines, but no one is allowed to leave the colony.

I also liked to see a magic system a bit different from the norm. Magic is everywhere in this land, and while some are more powerful with it than other, a large number of people have just enough to make life easier. They are not wielding the magic that will make the world move, but perhaps crops grow just a bit better, sicknesses are bit less nasty, ships hold up a bit better against rot. Little magics that add up to make a big difference. And when it all falls apart? Chaos. Glorious chaos.

This was a fun story, fantasy in a harsh (but livable) setting. While mostly set in the frozen wastes, when the party does get a chance to move they find living is not any easier in a land of anarchy and random storms of wild magic. Characters were serviceable but mostly just archetypes; the leader, the thief, the rogue (sexy, but chaste, former prostitute because this is a fantasy novel). The pace was a highlight, and background info was actually given in a way that didn’t feel like an info dump. I was enjoying this story quite a bit, digging the vampire side story, and getting pumped about a fantasy land dissolving into warlord rule.

But unless reviews are absolutely raving I have no plans to continue on with the series. Shock! Outrage! Good god man, it sounds like you kinda like this book (and anyone who peeks down can see a four star rating). Why won’t you continue? Because quite frankly I don’t really like where this story appears to be heading. It is fairly apparent that the unique gulag inspired setting the first half of the novel was set in has been left behind. So we are losing the interesting setting and moving to a much more generic one. But more importantly the final reveals toward the end of the book hint at the direction our little quest part is moving and I am not sure I want to play. To save the land, find the eight magic artifacts of something or other and take them to eight separate places of power with the special man of destiny. I like playing video games, rarely do I want to read one.

Fun book, and if it turns the sequel is heading in a much different direction than I thought then I will eat crow and give it a chance too. But for now, one was enough.

4 Stars

Review copy acquired through NetGalley

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a voice in my head that tells me that any Martin that also uses their initials must be related to George. I imagine that Gail and George could be having writer type conversations at family meet-ups, swapping plot ideas and congratulating each other for another book they enjoyed. Sadly, it seems this is only in my mind, I couldn't find any evidence at all of a familial connection. However, there are plenty of other connections apparent here. For a start, they both write successful epic fantasy series (although one of them does appear to be slightly more successful than the other). And the similarities don't really end there – I may have only read Martin's (George R.R) Song of Ice and Fire series and this is my first Martin (Gail Z.) – but there are a number of plot similarities too.

Like that other series, Ice Forged features a grim, northern, icy wasteland where the dregs of society are sent. Here it's a prison instead of a wall, but you could easily argue that the wall is a prison for most that are sent there. Also, this is a world where magic has fallen back from society. Not as far as in A Song of Ice and Fire, but there are just a few magicians left in the service of the king. The general populace don't even really think of their 'knacks' as a magic anymore. But that's okay, the George Martin doesn't own icy wastelands or magic systems. These are both commonly used motifs in epic fantasy.

Lord Blaine McFadden, our hero, is cast out to the icy prison for a terrible crime. There he builds a life for himself, never expecting to return (nobody returns) – once you've served a term in the prison you're allowed to settle the land around the main prison, presumably because they have way more criminals than cells and nobody ever just leaves. And this is the meat of the novel, Blaine is fleshed out somewhat into a sort of clichéd undercover hero. None of his friends know he used to be a Lord, instead he titles himself simply Mick. Until, one day, the supply ships stop arriving. There are no new prisoners, but equally no new supplies or guards. Before long (as we all knew was going to happen) Mick and his friends are making their way back to civilisation to find out what's happened – maybe they've lost the war...

Unfortunately this is where the book starts to come apart slightly. It constantly feels as if Martin is holding back: Mick isn't quite as fleshed out as I'd have liked; the return to civilisation feels quite rushed (and even conveniently easy); the sudden appearance of vampires (and even werewolfesque creatures), along with the whole explanation of the magic system feels a little forced (although I do like the idea of there being wild magic and domesticated magic as two separate systems). But these are minor niggles really, I raced through the novel and it does have many interesting ideas that I look forward to seeing Martin explore in the sequels. And I think that's the cause behind many of these niggles, and so many unanswered questions. In her mind, she was writing the first part of a series, not necessarily a standalone novel. As the first part of that series maybe it will stand taller.

[ᴥ Irena ᴥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
From Read Now section on NetGalley.
I've been reading this for days. It wasn't really gripping so I forgot to add it on reading list. Every few days I'd take a peak and I managed to finish it. Even now I am not sure what to think of it.
Maybe I wasn't in the right mood for this, but the story never held my attention the way I thought it would. So take this with a grain of salt. It is possible that it is better than it seems.
I am planning to read it again in the future just to be fair.

[Ranting Dragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.rantingdragon.com/review-o...



Ice Forged is the seventh novel by American author Gail Z. Martin, and her first one to take place outside of the Winter Kingdoms, the world of the Fallen Kings Cycle and the Chronicles of the Necromancer. It tells the story of a young man’s quest to stay alive in a world turned to chaos. Blaine “Mick” McFadden finds himself struggling to restore order in the face of warlords, assassins, criminals and the threat of an invading army.

A new world and a new style
I mentioned in my review of The Dread that I felt she filled a very useful niche in the transition between young adult and adult fantasy, melding the simpler styles of YA with the more serious and realistic themes of adult fantasy. With this new series, Martin seems to be pushing further into the world of adult fantasy with a much grittier and darker vision for her characters and her world.

In this book, we find that Mick has been sentenced to exile in the frozen penal colony of Velant for the murder of his own father, a nobleman and Lord who was also a vicious abuser and rapist. And so we’re already off to a dark start. When a war back on the mainland causes a catastrophic destruction of magic that may well encompass the whole world, Mick, who has earned his freedom and become a colonist rather than a prisoner, finds himself with a choice between living out his life on Velant or trying to return to the mainland and see what has become of everyone there.

In Martin’s previous works, while the stakes were high, everything else always seemed a little too safe—like everybody was still going to make it home for dinner in spite of the troubles. In Ice Forged, however, right from page one, you are left with the impression that everything is just one turn away from complete and total disaster and that this story could easily end with a world descended into utter chaos and violence. It’s a departure, but an excellent one with a great deal of potential.

With apologies to Larry Niven
Ever since I read the 1978 short story “The Magic Goes Away” by Larry Niven, I’ve been fascinated by worlds that have magic and then suddenly find themselves without it. In Ice Forged, we see a world populated by a huge variety of mages, hedge-wizards, healers, and common folk who have some small magic powers. Magic is used everywhere, from making better beer to keeping fences standing up to winning at cards. So when the mysterious event that appears to make magic simply stop working occurs, you’re left with a very rapid, very serious deterioration in society. It is on the scale of what might happen in our world if one day electricity just stopped working. We wouldn’t all die, at least not right away, but an awful lot of people live in an awful lot of places that are only liveable because of such technology.

Martin does an excellent job of communicating just how great an effect this is having on everybody, showcasing the extreme degree to which magic is taken for granted in her world by nearly everyone, even those who lack it. For instance, while sailing the open ocean in a winter storm, you realize that the shipwright used magic to keep the hull sealed instead of solid construction, you find yourself in some very tense moments very quickly.

But what’s with the vampires?
If you followed the link in the first section to my review of The Dread, you may have seen my discussion there of Martin’s use of vampires in a very interesting and engaging way in that world. Ice Forged has yet another variety of slightly non-standard but still fairly traditional vampires—the talishte, who seem to have most of the usual strengths and weaknesses of vampires. But where the Winter Kingdoms books also had spirits, werewolves, demons, and magical beasts, Ice Forged appears to only have humans and vampires. They don’t really detract from the story, and one of Martin’s vampires, Lord Lanyon Penhallow, is actually a very interesting and engaging character. That said, they also don’t really seem to add much to the story, either.

It seems as though Martin just has a deep and abiding love for vampire lore (and who wouldn’t? They’re pretty awesome) but there’s a time and a place for superhuman creatures with incredible powers, and it feels a little like a post-apocalyptic world with no magic and little technology where humans are immediately on the brink of complete societal collapse isn’t that place. Unless the second book in the series is going to be about vampires taking over the world, in which case, mea culpa.

Why should you read this book?
I said in my last Martin review that you should read her because she is a very solid writer with a firm grasp of the basics of plot, pacing, and characters. I also said that she wasn’t really doing anything especially ground-breaking, but sometimes that’s what you’re looking for.

While the same holds true here, the real reason you should read this book is to watch an author grow and come into her own. It’s great to read a book and think to yourself, “That was well done, but what else can you do?” and then see, in their very next book, “Oh, that’s what else you can do… please continue!”

As an author, Martin has finished walking, and now it’s time to run.

[Aildiin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I grabbed this book on sale for the Kindle and I have more than mixed feelings about it.
It's not terrible but the character building isn't that great and the plot is full of holes ( especially the part with Vampires, it really felt like they are in the story because the author likes them).
All in all I don't want to spend a lot of time talking about this book but here is a quick summary of the story :
- The hero( Blaine/Mick) gets condemned for the murder of his father( who deserved it) and sent to a penal colony. A huge war takes place while he is gone that ends up with the destruction of most of the kingdoms as well as the disappearance of magic. When learning of that the penal colony revolts, the bad governor is killed and Mick decides to return to the mainland to try to make magic come back ( because it turned out that a lot of mundane things were using magic and a world without magic sucks.)
Add a sprinkle of vampires clans fighting in the background and you get the story....
I give it 2 stars but to be fair it's slightly better than other books I have rated 2 stars...

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

After killing his father, Lord Blaine McFadden is stripped of his title and sent to the harsh penal colony of Velant in the far north. Six years later, “Mick” has earned the rights of a colonist and has made a comfortable life for himself. However, war has broken out in the home country of Donderath, and the colony soon finds itself cut off from home, as well as the magic that pervades nearly all aspects of daily life.

Ice Forged has a very rushed and weak start. The prologue is good example of why the old “show, don’t tell” maxim is important. Characters are introduced, each gets an infodump paragraph, and a plot point happens in another couple of paragraphs.

The story gets much better once the main characters are introduced. The country of Donderath is in a war with a rival nation, and the use of magical attacks has been causing widespread disturbances. Connor, the deuteragonist, is sent after a mysterious map that may hold the key to the very nature of magic in this world. Magic is pervasive in the world of Ice Forged, and most people are capable of using some form to enhance natural talents and skills. There are also the more skilled mages, and even vampires, which oddly do work in this setting.

As a protagonist, Blaine is a bit bland and a little too perfect. He’s known for being level-headed and a skilled arbiter, talents which lend him to a council position in Edgeland. Even his crime is justified, as his father is widely regarded as an awful person. Fortunately, none of this sticks out enough to become overly annoying.

This is a solid fantasy novel, and surprisingly quick read for almost 600 pages. The mysteries are intriguing enough to keep you reading, and there are some good characters as well. Skip the clunky prologue and get lost in the story.

A review copy was provided through the goodreads.com first reads program.

[Chris Hawks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've picked up a number of books through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program over the years. Some have been phenomenal, and some have been pretty good, but a lot of them have been pretty mediocre, if not downright bad. So when I signed up for a chance to win a copy of Gail Z. Martin's upcoming novel, I had my fingers crossed: all I really wanted was an enjoyable, competently-written fantasy from an established author at a well-known publisher.

Ice Forged delivered exactly that.

The basic premise was an intriguing one: an arctic penal colony gets cut off from the rest of the world after the magical version of nuclear Armageddon. Has the post-apocalyptic scenario been done before in a fantasy world? If so, I haven't read it yet, which isn't saying a lot, other than that the idea here was new enough to me to be exciting. Anyway, the main character, a nobleman's son by the name of Blaine McFadden, gets sentenced to Velant, the aforementioned penal colony at the top of the world. There's some quick jumps in time as we see Blaine adjusting to his new life, while back on the mainland we're introduced to a secondary protagonist, a functionary of the royal court named Bevin Connor. It's through his eyes that we witness the magical strike which lays waste to the country of Donderath, while Connor himself escapes aboard a vessel headed for...Velant.

Martin's an established author with a couple of published trilogies to her name, and it shows here. There's nothing flashy, her prose isn't noteworthy in the slightest, the characters aren't particularly deep, and the book doesn't make you think. But it is eminently readable; the pages and the minutes fly by in a blur. If nothing else, Martin shows herself to be a polished and professional storyteller.

Having said that, I can't help but lament what Ice Forged could have been. Granted, this is just the first book in a series, so Martin's laying the groundwork for future volumes, here, but. As much as I enjoyed Bevin Connor's storyline, imagine if events on Donderath went unexplained and unwitnessed by the reader. Suddenly, the supply ships stop showing up in Velant, and Blaine McFadden's got a mystery on his hands, and the reader is just as bewildered as he is. Suddenly, the mystery of the book becomes "What happened to Donderath?" instead of—well, that would be telling. But I think it could have been pretty amazing.

And while we're on the subject of Blaine McFadden, one thing with him that bugged me: during his years in Velant, he adopts the nickname "Mick" to hide his true identity. Later on, his true heritage comes back to haunt him, and he's forced to decide: is he truly "Mick" or is he "Blaine"? But it's really a false choice, because the narrative has referred to him as "Blaine" for the entirety of the novel, and the only time the reader is reminded of the "Mick" persona is when a character (very rarely) calls him such. Instead, imagine a book that begins with the exile of Blaine McFadden, before switching to The Arctic Adventures Of Mick And Friends, and only after a large portion of the book is it revealed that Mick and Blaine are in fact the same character. Perhaps this is just a side effect of having read too much* of Gene Wolfe and Steven Erikson, two authors who thrive on strategically withholding information from the reader. But sometimes it's worthwhile not to let the reader in on everything. (*I'm kidding, there's no such thing!)

I haven't mentioned it yet, but one of the other conceits of Ice Forged that was new to me in the genre was its use vampires. To the best of my knowledge, vampires have traditionally been used as a fantastical element in otherwise-contemporary settings. Here, Martin deploys more-or-less traditional vampires in a fantasy setting. Apparently, this is also true of her other series(es). I found out about this beforehand via the Author Q&A in the back of the book, and went in expecting to hate them. To the contrary, the vampire characters made for one of the more intriguing aspects of the book. Although I should say, Martin may have taken too much of her readers' knowledge of vampires for granted, and not have explained them as thoroughly as she could or should have: I remember being jarred out of the story at one point when one of them was implied to be flying, and I couldn't figure how that was possible, and certainly couldn't remember it having been mentioned before.

But those are minor nitpicks. When you get right down to it, the end result is that Ice Forged is a well-written, enjoyable fantasy. Sometimes, that's all you want. [3.5 out of 5 stars]

[Althea Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my first book by Gail Z. Martin. From the cover (I’m not really sure why) I was expecting something a bit more military-SF flavored. Nope. This is straight-up fantasy, and I’d recommend it for anyone in the mood for a big, chunky, entertaining but not-too-demanding tale in the genre.

We’re introduced to a Scottish-tinged land, a feudal realm dependent on magic. Blaine McFadden is heir to a manor, but his father’s atrocities finally drive him to kill the man. This action gets him exiled to the northern penal colony of Velant. Fast-forward a few years (this part felt a bit rushed), and Blaine, now calling himself Mick, has made a life for himself in Velant. Life is hard, and the governor has a grudge against him, but he’s become a self-reliant man, and has gathered friends around him. Then – a magical catastrophe strikes. After quite a lot of chaos, dithering about, messing with enigmatic maps and pendants, and meeting with vampires, among other events, it transpires that Blaine may be the very last heir to the Lords of the Blood who, generations ago, tamed magic for the use of the kingdoms. And that means he may be the only one who has a chance of restoring the power that everyone depends on to keep civilization running.

At some points, the book felt a little bit uneven. I had some issues with the beginning, and it felt odd how there were two POV characters, but one was featured far more prominently than the other. Once the story hit its stride, though, I found it very entertaining, even if the Featured Quest wasn’t the most original concept. It’s also a big ol’ cliffhanger, so it’s a good thing I have the next book in the series on my e-reader and ready to go (thanks to NetGalley!).

I’d say this tale might be enjoyed by fans of Janny Wurts and/or Tad Williams.

[Douglas Meeks · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, from some reviews I think people have not read much epic fantasy, first it is usually a trilogy, the descriptions are detailed and the "pacing" is slow but steady. (UPDATE: This will actually be 4 books I found out)

This is a great beginning to a epic trilogy that this story will become (I am making a easy assumption it will not end in 2 books). I find Blain to be a great hero and his group are exceptional for this story.

It is slow in some places but we are building a world here that is only in the mind of the author so it has to be somewhat detailed and throw in a history lesson every so often but i can tell you this is the best epic fantasy i have read in years.

There are actually several plots going on at once (another reason this book is long, actually several stories intertwined) but the first half of the book is more of a survival with a bit of revolution, the second half is more typical epic fantasy with a near impossible quest laid out before Blain to complete and this part of the plot carries over to the second book so sit back and enjoy.

Bottom Line: Great book, I was never bored and the several stories kept me involved at all times and there are many questions that you know will be answered at some future point in the story (including a bit of romance I am betting). 4 Stars and maybe more but I have to hold something back for the other books ....

[Darren Hagan-Loveridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I'm gonna say maybe 3.25 stars? I'm a bit conflicted. The book itself wasn't bad but it wasn't amazing.

I enjoyed the prologue, but then chapter 1 was 6 years later and it took me a while to get into it from there. Then the pacing just seemed all over the place so sometimes I'd want to read it but others it'd feel like a drag. One chapter would be about 15 pages, then the next would be about 40 pages and not moving very fast.

The characters were okay but I didn't particularly connect to any. I really enjoy seeing characters interact with each other and have a lot of banter but it kind of fell a little flat at times and humourless.

The ending was very anticlimactic too. It was building up to something happening, then it failed and they were just like "Oh well, better go home".

It was just kind of an okay read for me. I don't want to slate it too much, but in terms of fantasy I've read far better and more gripping novels. I'm gonna read the next one and if I'm not in love, just leave it there.

[Benjamin Kohler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from a Goodreads Giveaway.

I enjoyed this book. Being the first in (a trilogy?), I was left...unsatisfied.
The beginning of this story was very good. The characters were introduced and I was happy with them. And then in a flurry of activity there were a bunch of vampires, and the author seemed to rush through the ending. I almost wonder if he had a deadline he had to make. Furthermore, the ending was too much cliffhanger, not enough resolution.

I probably took off one star for vampires. In a world that you can invent yourself, you can make up your own critters. And I took one star off for the ending. It wasn't an ending. Part of the next book belonged in this book.

Otherwise this book was a pleasure to read.

[rachel, x · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

• This defied all of my expectations.
• It drew me in with its gorgeous characters, suspenseful mystery, kickass battle scenes, creative magical system, and intriguing politics.
• Martin writes with beautiful imagery.
• The characterisation was wonderful. I came to love every single one of them.
• The lack of romance was refreshing, especially when there was such a prominent m/f friendship.
• I have never read anything like this before - with its combination of magic and politics - and it really drew me in.
• The introduction was a little rushed though, and the vampire lore a tad sloppy.

[The Shayne-Train · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when the magic dies?

This is the question that comes up in this immediately captivating fantasy novel. A very interesting and polished magic system goes awry due to the fantasy equivalent of a World War. The populace has been taking the little touches of magic that make their lives easier for granted, and now discover the world is a much harsher place.

The dialog is snappy, the insights into the characters are entertaining. I am SO reading the next book in the series. And SOON.

[RuthAnn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ice Forged was a quality epic fantasy. I enjoy Gail Z. Martin quite a bit. I loved Chronicles of the Necromancer. I didn't feel quite the connection to these characters that I felt to Tris or Kira or JonMarc, but enough to keep me interested until the end.

If I don't get to the second book in the series for a while, that will be ok, but I will eventually read it.

[Simona · Rating 4 out of 5]

it's actually 4/2 stars. maybe 4 3/4... really good, I look forward the next one.

[Chrystopher’s Archive · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. I'm not sure if it's me, the MC, the story, or the narrator, but I'm just not feeling it.

[Lel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this, great start to another series from Gail Martin. The characters were great, yes it was kind of predictable in some places but that didnt take away my enjoyment. A great basic fantasy series that I know I will go on to finish.

[Reading4Fun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading The Ascendant Kingdoms Saga by Gail Z. Martin. I’m not entirely sure what to say other than I really enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down.

This is a four book fantasy series (first book: Ice Forged) about a group of convicts who ultimately find themselves responsible for restoring a kingdom destroyed by the collapse of magic. Sent away to prison for various crimes, this group of convicts soon finds that being exiled to Velant was the only thing that saved their life when magic broke and destroyed their home country of Dondareth. Determined to find answers, they return to Dondareth and discover that the loss of magic isn’t the only problem that Dondareth faces.

From humans to vampires to mages to necromancers to ghosts to wraiths, this book has a host of characters that will either endear themselves to you or make you hate them.

Like I said, I couldn’t put the series down. I read all four books within the span of 2 or so weeks. This is definitely going on my “favorites” list for young adults.

Check out my blog to see what other books I've enjoyed: https://rpbooklist.wordpress.com/

[Nathan Carbone · Rating 3 out of 5]

*LIGHT SPOILERS BELOW*

A super beginner friendly fantasy book.

Long story short a group of convicts set out to save the world with the help of a few vampires in this medieval/apocalyptic world. Fast paced, interesting story that grabbed me from the first chapter. Really enjoyed the book and looking forward to reading the rest of the series. However not as much action as I was hoping for but I’m sure things will ramp up in the coming books. All the characters are enjoyable and decently fleshed out. I’m assuming some darker elements of fantasy is also soon to come with all this talk of Blood lords and vampires, at least I’m definitely hoping for it lol.

Anyways good book, definitely recommend for fantasy fans.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I snagged Ice Forged by Gail Z. Martin when it was a Kindle daily deal and decided it would a be good time to try out Amazon’s Whispersync Voice. Ice Forged is a strange mash-up of genres that peaked my interest when I saw Gail Martin’s guest post about the novel over at Fantasy Book Critic. In her article Martin discusses the genesis of her novel and the notion that Ice Forged takes the premise of an apocalyptic novel and transposes it from its modern setting to a medieval fantasy world. In Ice Forged the loss of power and utilities (as you would see in a “modern” postapocalyptic novel) is replaced by the disruption of magic which in the world of Ice Forged has seeped its way into the everyday lives of most people.


The magic is one of the more interesting aspects of Martin’s novel. While she does include the flashy magic fantasy readers are familiar with she focuses very much on small magics. Not everyone in the world of Ice Forged has what it takes to be a mage but many (as is the case with many of the novel’s protagonists) can utilize magic in small, often practical, ways. This could be anything from providing a slight edge in combat, social lubrication, or even aiding in brewing and distilling. By tying magic intrinsically to the daily lives of her characters Martin can better explore how its disruption effects the possibility of recovery after catastrophe.

Ice Forged presents this premise wrapped in the trappings of traditional fantasy. The novel’s hero, Blaine MacFadden, starts the novel being exiled for murder to a land of ice and snow eventually ending up in the penal colony of Edgeland. At the same time the novel follows Bevin Connor back on the mainland. Bevin is a young man who serves the aging and eccentric Lord Garnoc and is the primary perspective through which the reader witness the unfolding tragedy and oncoming magical maelstrom. Martin fleshes her world out a bit further by introducing vampires into the mix. Ancient and aristocratic the vampires in the novel are primarily allies to our protagonists whose age means they are able to serve as vast reservoirs of knowledge in the wake of the magical catastrophe brewing.

Admittedly I felt that the novel leaned a bit too heavily on the traditional fantasy tropes. Furthermore the novel takes quite a bit of time to get to the magical catastrophe hinted at in the summary. Martin does weave bits of conspiracy and rumor into the proceedings offering up hints that there is something bigger going on than what the protagonists can see. Most postapocalyptic novels are in many ways an exercise in the sociological imagination; they fictionalize the notion of making the familiar strange and examining how society reacts. In the case of postapocalyptic novels grounded in the “real” world there is already a large degree of familiarity with most readers which makes for a little bit less work on the author’s part. This isn’t the case in Ice Forged as Martin must familiarize readers with the world in order for us to understand how the loss of magic impacts society and in turn the novel’s protagonists. This is one hell of a task. Martin does a credible job particularly in the crafting Blaine’s adopted family structure in Edgeland and Bevin’s reactions to events in the novel. The impact isn’t quite as strong as a more conventionally set postapocalyptic novel but still makes for an engaging and entertaining read.

As I stated earlier Ice Forged represented my first attempt at using Amazon’s Whispersync for Audio. The way the program works is you purchase the Kindle book and then you can purchase the Audible audiobook version at a discounted price. As you read (or listen) the digital files sync to the furthest location you’ve read or listened to. When it works its a pretty brilliant service that works seamlessly. It was pretty awesome to put my book away in the morning, climb in the car for work and pick up listening right where a I left off reading. The “when it works” caveat is a small one, my titles didn’t sync properly when I first purchased them, and Amazon/Audible support resolved the issue quickly. Narrator Tim Gerard Reynolds is fairly straightforward reader and I can’t find anything to really complain about with his performance. While Reynolds doesn’t elevate the text as some of the more well known audiobook narrators do I’ve heard worse and I’ve heard better.

[Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from Goodreads First Reads program, and it was unexpectedly personalized and signed, which was very nice! I really wanted to love this book, and I read the reviews from a few other winners who were big fans, and, to employ a cliche, I think there's a really compelling story in there. However, it just didn't do it for me. This is the story of Mick, a young nobleman's son who killed his abusive father and was sent to a penal colony in the northern wastes of the kingdom to mine rubies and live out the rest of his days. However, while he's gone, a war erupts, leaving the colonists as some of the few humans untouched by the aftermath of the war. I found the premise to be really interesting; you have this group of colonists, eking out their living in the penal colony, who are basically cut off from the government that put them there. What do they do when contact with that authority is gone? Now, I'm not a professional writer, so I hesitate to make suggestions, but I think it would have been exciting and mysterious if the book was written solely from the point of view of Mick. The uncertainty of what to do, what could be going on at home, and what it could mean for their future seems like it would have been magnified had we not also had points of view from the capital. Also, the beginning really seemed to not flow very well. Again, I claim no special background that would make me an expert in writing, but I have read many fantasy books, and I never found myself wondering who's point of view I was reading, or how much time had past in any of the truly great books I've read. It just seemed to jump around at first, introducing elements to the story that seemed very out of place and brought out of nowhere. All that said, I felt that by the last third of the story the characters were developed enough that I was invested in them and I'm interested in reading the next one.

**UPDATE 8/17/15** I did finally pick up the second book and enjoyed it quite a bit! If you liked this book at all, I would definitely recommend moving on to the second.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes you just want to go to the fair and eat funnel cake. Neither the fair nor the funnel cake are going to change your life in any way, but they can be good while they last. This is funnel cake fantasy, which doesn't mean that it's bad. It does mean that there is a certain ceiling on the level of quality, and also a certain amount of resemblance to someone's home brew Dungeons and Dragons setting.

Ice Forged is fine. That's the nicest thing to say about it. It's not bad. It throws some stock characters at us in a somewhat unique setting of a frozen prison colony wasteland. It's never boring but it's never super interesting either, even when there's action going on. There are a few parts that are nice enough. The magic is interesting when it's not being info dumped on us. World-building is more of a thumbnail sketch than anything detailed.

That's something of a problem when you're supposed to care as havoc is wreaked on this world. Our main characters Blaine/Mick and Connor are alright. Blaine is basically your standard fantasy hero, with the twist that he kills his incestuous rapist father in the first chapter and that's why he gets sent to the ice continent. This is the kind of thing where the rape part feels gratuitously added, especially since this whole thing is just a throwaway part of the plot introduction. The guy could have just been beating people for the same effect.

There are vampires. I don't really know why. I'm kind of over vampires in general. Thankfully, they're more of a sideshow than the main event - at least in this first volume. None of our main characters are vampires. It's not an excuse to introduce brooding angst or any of that, so at least that's something. A few minor annoying phrases pop up here and there, like the repeated use of, "A copper for your thoughts." There's not a lot of depth in general. It's something, though. If you're really bored, it is a book and you probably won't regret the time spent reading it.

[Ailsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good epic fantasy, and this is an excellent start to just such a series. Blaine is sentenced right at the beginning of the story, and takes on the name Mick to hide from the past and give himself a new start. The story covers his long journey on the ship full of other convicts to Velant, where the winters are long, harsh, and with virtually no daylight. However the story is equally focused on a young man (whose name I can't find just now, it's a while since I've read this one!) who lives in the capital city of Dondareth, Blaine's homeland. He is the aide to someone on the ruling castle and through him you see some of the events that cause the supply ships to stop going to the colonists.

As the reader, seeing both viewpoints, you get a much clearer view of what's going on than the characters and that made it frustrating sometimes to see one group discussing a course of action based on what they knew, when to me it was clear that they should be taking a different path. This is particularly relevant nearer the end, when one group of characters knows that a bad thing will happen if someone does a certain thing, and the other group, unable to talk to them, decides to do that thing. It actually added a lot more tension to the story, having the collective knowledge which the characters lacked, and knowing they were walking into danger when they were unaware of it.

There is a slight supernatural element to the story, which I wasn't expecting. It caught me completely by surprise when it was revealed. I'm still not sure why it was necessary to bring in but I'll hold my judgement until I've read the second book.

Overall I'm giving Gail Z. Martin's 'Ice Forged' 7 out of 10. I'm planning on picking up book 2 next time I'm home and can raid my parents' bookshelves.

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had fun reading this book. It's set in a solid fantasy-type world with a nice concept of magic. I agree with another reviewer who said that the vampires (yes, there are vampires) seemed like they were added just because the author likes to write about them, not because they fit particularly well into the structure of the world. Everytime they pop up in the story, it feels a little forced. It didn't ruin the experience for me by any means, but it was definitely something I noticed as I read.

I liked the characters for the most part, too. They sometimes fall a little flat, but they are almost all pretty likable. I like that they made choices that made sense for their situations (nothing is worse than a too-stupid-to-live protagonist).

A nutshell summary: The main character, Blaine (Mick) is sent to a penile colony for killing his abusive father. Some time later, he has survived and built a life for himself in the brutally cold Edgeland. This, of course, is when the proverbial Shit gets Real. The land that exiled him is in trouble as a result of war. Magic has become unhinged and wild, and Blaine and his band of friends may be the only ones who can fix it. And there are vampires.

In summary, It was a fun read. I'll be watching for the sequels, but I don't know that this will be on my list of books that I recommend to others.

[Michelle Hauck · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a little thrown because the book starts right at the point where Blaine murders his sister’s molester. It didn’t really give us a chance to invest in the characters, in fact we barely see the sister, which makes it difficult to connect with the killing or Blaine’s exile. I keep reading mainly because of plot than because I ever developed a deep interest in the characters.

The plot I could get behind. It was interesting and had enough twists to keep my attention. I did want to see whether the characters succeeded in their quest to bring back the magic. Unfortunately, I’ll have to wait for a sequel. The magic system was a little on the underdeveloped side. It was never really explained in depth what the magic could and couldn’t do. Maybe that’s a subject for the sequel.

I was also disappointed in the exile setting. I expected something much more harsh and difficult to survive—a hand-to-mouth situation. I expected dead bodies in the street, but it felt much more civilized. More like frontier settlers than penal colony in Siberia.

The vampires seemed horribly out of place. They just didn’t fit with the rest of the story, even though they were a crucial part of it. Kind of felt like they just needed someone really strong or someone to provide the main characters answers.

All in all, this was a fair read. It didn’t get me excited, but it wasn’t bad.

I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

[JJBMocha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received the ARC of this book through Goodreads First Reads. Thank you!
My first thought when I got this book is that it has a beautiful cover. Looking forward to start reading as soon as I get some free time from the busy holiday season.
I am pleasantly surprised with this book. I didn't have high expectations as this is the first book that I have read by this author. As I am a huge fan of Lord of the Rings and the Tairen Soul series similar (fantasy) world got me in with the first page. New world, war, magic, good and bad vampires, wolf/beast like monsters, things that are hard to explain, how to survive after the magic is gone, more than one hero, a group who is trying to save the world .....it's amazing. I enjoyed reading from the two points of view, gave more insight into what is going on and the feeling of two hero's. The end is abrupt but gives the insight into what is going to be a next step for this group. Unknowns are slowly revealed when the time is right. Our main hero has a character of a possible next king. He is an interesting man, a real man, protector, fair, leader who doesn't even know that he is a leader, that it's a part of him, who he is. I am definitely looking forward for a release of the next book in this series.

[Fantasy Literature · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some crimes that are so heinous that a person’s reaction to them is almost chemical, not logical. When Blaine McFadden is confronted by the sight of his beloved younger sister after she has been sexually assaulted, he loses control and in short order kills the man responsible. In that act, no matter how justified, Blaine seals his fate and is exiled to a distant, frozen penal colony to pay for having taken another man’s life.

Ice Forged is Gail Z. Martin’s initial entry in a new series called THE ASCENDANT KINGDOMS SAGA. In a world that contains both magic and technology, Blaine becomes a leader. He’s the kind of guy who sees what needs to be done and is willing to just step and do it.

The penal colony of Velant tests and stresses the people who are sent there. The weather is horrible, the living conditions are rough and the guards and administrator of ... Read More:
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