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The Necromancer's Key #5
Ascension
The final conflict draws nigh as demonic, necromantic, and human forces collide, and the fate of civilization hangs in the balance…
With the Order knights of Branil’s Burg defeated, the victorious Niyandrian rebels bend the knee to Anskar, their Melesh-Eloni—“godling”—and the true heir to the throne.
But despite their victory, time is running out. Anskar’s powers are unpredictable, and to some, terrifying. Already, the mainlanders plan vengeance: an armada is being prepared, not for colonization this time, but for slaughter.
And the ever-looming spirit of Queen Talia still seeks to return from the dead to begin a new necromantic empire, with her as the ever-living ruler.
As war looms, and the people of Niyas face certain destruction, Anskar’s heritage of demon blood and necromancy swells within him. But there are forces greater even than those of the sorcerous tides… Soon he will wield enough power to save a civilization, or doom an entire world.
This is the final book in The Necromancer’s Key series.
With the Order knights of Branil’s Burg defeated, the victorious Niyandrian rebels bend the knee to Anskar, their Melesh-Eloni—“godling”—and the true heir to the throne.
But despite their victory, time is running out. Anskar’s powers are unpredictable, and to some, terrifying. Already, the mainlanders plan vengeance: an armada is being prepared, not for colonization this time, but for slaughter.
And the ever-looming spirit of Queen Talia still seeks to return from the dead to begin a new necromantic empire, with her as the ever-living ruler.
As war looms, and the people of Niyas face certain destruction, Anskar’s heritage of demon blood and necromancy swells within him. But there are forces greater even than those of the sorcerous tides… Soon he will wield enough power to save a civilization, or doom an entire world.
This is the final book in The Necromancer’s Key series.
684 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 28, 2023
49 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Mitchell Hogan
36 books939 followers
*** Signup to Mitchell's New Release mailing list to be the first to hear about new releases, and for bonus chapters of A Crucible of Souls! ***
When he was eleven, Mitchell Hogan was given the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to read, and a love of fantasy novels was born. He spent the next ten years reading, rolling dice, and playing computer games, with some school and university thrown in. Along the way he accumulated numerous bookcases' worth of fantasy and sci-fi novels and doesn’t look to stop anytime soon.
His first attempt at writing fantasy was an abysmal failure and abandoned after only one page. But ideas for characters and scenes continued to come to him and he kept detailed notes of his thoughts, on the off chance that one day he might have time to write a novel. For a decade he put off his dream of writing until he couldn’t stand it anymore. He knew he would regret not having tried to write the novel percolating inside his head for the rest of his life. Mitchell quit his job and lived off dwindling savings, and the support of his fiancé, until he finished the first draft of A Crucible of Souls.
He now writes full time and is eternally grateful to the readers who took a chance on an unknown author.
A Crucible of Souls won the 2013 Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel.
Mitchell lives in Sydney, Australia, with his wife, Angela, and daughters, Isabelle and Charlotte.
When he was eleven, Mitchell Hogan was given the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to read, and a love of fantasy novels was born. He spent the next ten years reading, rolling dice, and playing computer games, with some school and university thrown in. Along the way he accumulated numerous bookcases' worth of fantasy and sci-fi novels and doesn’t look to stop anytime soon.
His first attempt at writing fantasy was an abysmal failure and abandoned after only one page. But ideas for characters and scenes continued to come to him and he kept detailed notes of his thoughts, on the off chance that one day he might have time to write a novel. For a decade he put off his dream of writing until he couldn’t stand it anymore. He knew he would regret not having tried to write the novel percolating inside his head for the rest of his life. Mitchell quit his job and lived off dwindling savings, and the support of his fiancé, until he finished the first draft of A Crucible of Souls.
He now writes full time and is eternally grateful to the readers who took a chance on an unknown author.
A Crucible of Souls won the 2013 Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel.
Mitchell lives in Sydney, Australia, with his wife, Angela, and daughters, Isabelle and Charlotte.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 13, 2025
this is the last part of the Necromancer's Key with lots of twists and turns.
what happens to Anskar and Sareya in the end?
Talia and Carred?
Who wins and who loses?
And what is the outcome?
c'mon guys I am not here to shoot out spoilers. Read this book and enjoy yourself.
what happens to Anskar and Sareya in the end?
Talia and Carred?
Who wins and who loses?
And what is the outcome?
c'mon guys I am not here to shoot out spoilers. Read this book and enjoy yourself.
April 30, 2024
What a mess.
The final book in the series and finally we get to see what it all has been leading up to. We are excited to see where Anskar's gradual transition has been leading him and to get answers to questions regarding the gods, the Church of Menselas, the tainted cabal, the ruins and the weird guys we met in the second book, the consortium and so on.
Not.
What we get is erratic behavior from both main characters where especially Anskar changes his mind about fundamentally everything every two pages. In the end basically nothing in the previous books matter and probably not even anything from the first half of this one!
The final book in the series and finally we get to see what it all has been leading up to. We are excited to see where Anskar's gradual transition has been leading him and to get answers to questions regarding the gods, the Church of Menselas, the tainted cabal, the ruins and the weird guys we met in the second book, the consortium and so on.
Not.
What we get is erratic behavior from both main characters where especially Anskar changes his mind about fundamentally everything every two pages. In the end basically nothing in the previous books matter and probably not even anything from the first half of this one!
August 2, 2024
Solid conclusion to a good series.. ...I loved the 1st 4 books of this series but I felt like this one took a step back. There was a section in the middle where I got bored and I thought the ending was a little blah. Still, I enjoyed the book, and loved the series overall and I recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy/magic.
August 18, 2024
good yarn
this series,sluggish at times and too much vomiting and stench but all in all a fun read, the tides thing was unique I enjoyed reading and would recommend to readers of fantasy/sword and sorcery
this series,sluggish at times and too much vomiting and stench but all in all a fun read, the tides thing was unique I enjoyed reading and would recommend to readers of fantasy/sword and sorcery
August 15, 2024
I think the best way to describe this series is "oppressive." It's like a talented painter is showing off a new painting, but the only colors used were black and slightly less darker black. I understand that to a large extent this was the intent, but without contrast it all just blurs together.
Basically, it is the opposite of a slice of life style, in that every scenario ends poorly for the characters. It becomes predictable in that you know every outcome will be bad. You might not know exactly what is going to happen to them, but you know it will be bad. The few times things seem good, you learn to expect that it's just a bait and switch. I can tell the author is talented, but it's smothered under an apparent need for all the bad things in life to happen to these characters.
This last book was a real struggle to get through. There were arcs that felt unnecessary and the ending is not satisfying enough to justify the experience.
Basically, it is the opposite of a slice of life style, in that every scenario ends poorly for the characters. It becomes predictable in that you know every outcome will be bad. You might not know exactly what is going to happen to them, but you know it will be bad. The few times things seem good, you learn to expect that it's just a bait and switch. I can tell the author is talented, but it's smothered under an apparent need for all the bad things in life to happen to these characters.
This last book was a real struggle to get through. There were arcs that felt unnecessary and the ending is not satisfying enough to justify the experience.
May 10, 2024
I cannot say I am disappointed, because I suspected that this book will be bad after the previous 4. I find it hard to point out the main thing that was wrong, there were just so many.
This was supposed to be a culmination of all the previous parts and it is very far from it. The whole Saraya plotline is just so unnecessary. There are new characters, new concepts, which are boring. Antskar doesn't know what the hell it is he wants. A lot of things is left unexplained.
The whole story is just tiresome to read through. No fun at all.
Do not trust the high rating (over 4,33 starts at the time of writing this review) thhese have to be family and friends of the author.
I know I am going to stay away from Mr. Hogan from now on.
This was supposed to be a culmination of all the previous parts and it is very far from it. The whole Saraya plotline is just so unnecessary. There are new characters, new concepts, which are boring. Antskar doesn't know what the hell it is he wants. A lot of things is left unexplained.
The whole story is just tiresome to read through. No fun at all.
Do not trust the high rating (over 4,33 starts at the time of writing this review) thhese have to be family and friends of the author.
I know I am going to stay away from Mr. Hogan from now on.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews