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The Eternal Ephemera #2

Steel Sharpens: An Epic Fantasy Adventure

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Cam Folde has overcome his weaknesses, but his future remains uncertain. During his first year at the Ephemeral Academy, Cam grew far in his Ephemeral Mastery, becoming a person of significance. The eyes of the mighty are now upon him, and they promise him wealth and even marriage into their houses should he offer them loyalty. Yet Cam has other concerns. He no longer trusts his sponsor, Rainen Winder—the Wilde Sage—whose usage of Cam and his friends has seen them almost die on too many occasions. A dilemma exists, however, because breaking with the Wilde Sage will also result in Cam’s expulsion from the academy. Needing wisdom, Cam seeks advice from several of his instructors—the new master of the sword, Cinder Shade, and his wife—but before he can enact their counsel, a fresh challenge becomes apparent.A mythical Realm—deadly beyond measure—proves all-too real… and an unprepared Light Squad must survive it.

698 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 16, 2024

87 people are currently reading
51 people want to read

About the author

Davis Ashura

22 books516 followers
"

Davis Ashura is an author of such sublime depth and beauty that his works have been known to cause a tear to fall from the eyes of even the hardest of hearts.
Just kidding.
But he does write.
This humble writer, who refers to himself in the third person, resides in North Carolina, sharing a house with his magnificent wife who somehow overlooked Davis’ eccentricities and married him anyway. As proper recompense for her sacrifice, Davis then unwittingly turned his magnificent wife into a nerd-girl. To her sad and utter humiliation, she knows exactly what is meant by ‘Kronos’. Living with them are their two rambunctious boys, both of whom have at various times helped turn Davis’ once lustrous, raven-black hair prematurely white (it sure sounds prettier than the dirty gray it actually is). And of course, there is the obligatory strange, adopted cats (all authors have cats-it's in the by-laws). One eats everything placed before him and the other has the world's stinkiest breath.
When not working – nay laboring – in the creation of works of fiction so grand that hardly anyone has read a single word of them, Davis practices medicine, but only when the insurance companies tell him he can.

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5 stars
163 (59%)
4 stars
72 (26%)
3 stars
28 (10%)
2 stars
11 (3%)
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2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Profile Image for Koffe.
736 reviews18 followers
May 29, 2024
Okay so this was an extreme let down in quality compared to the first book. The author uses a lot of shortcuts and plot armour so large a Semi can fit in it. If not for Travis Baldree being the narrator this would be a solid 2 star. So disappointed with the author. Tbh if he doesn't get back to story telling quality that the first book had I will stop reading this series alltogether.
Profile Image for Dave Stone.
1,348 reviews97 followers
November 6, 2025
Long and aggravating
This book just didn't work for me. It was a struggle to finish. Even though it ended better than I'd feared, I really didn't care much by the end.
This was a Magical Academy book that goes off the rails. In the first book we learn about 'Pathways'. Temporary pocket dimensions (like a dungeon) where you can level up through a dangerous trial. We were told that the people & things in a pathway are not real, so it's Okay to slay them for advancement.
Now in this book the kids get sent to a Pathway that seems older than the world they are from with a human civilization under attack from monsters. Are these people inside this Pathway real? Some evidence suggests not. Like the mechanical way the monsters attack in ever increasing power if you slay a weaker one. Like the Billy-Goats Gruff, should you kill a little one a next bigger one will appear, and if you slay that one a next bigger one will appear in perfect video game logic, Strongly suggesting this whole world is artificial.
So the world may or may not be real, the challenge is a geometrical progression of increasing difficultly till you die, and to top it off... annoying characters who mess with the MC.
There was also a lot of foreshadowing of an arena fight and the deaths of several characters that just wore on my nerves.
It ends better than the foreshadowing would suggest, but I was sick of it by that point.
Profile Image for Beba Andric.
1,575 reviews104 followers
January 14, 2024
Cam has come SO far since he was ousted out of his village, he's no longer an outcast or alone, he has friends he can count on, a student of an academy he thought he'd never be a part of, and has earned the respect of professors and students alike, his skill as a natural leader came to the fore as he and his unit, the Light Squad, went through the challenges the academy set for them. I love his friendship with Pan, it's comfortable, comforting and their bond just strengthens as time passes. Though they have all achieved so much more than any other unit in a year, Cam has his skills tested to the limit, his leadership takes a new turn and he has to try reign in all the different personalities of his squad, to get them working as a fluid unit. Easier said than done.... especially with Chastity being on his team. Chastity who takes the mickey out of Cam, Chastity who makes Cam feel very uncomfortable. Strangely enough, it's a deep betrayal that brings them into line, into a cohesive unit. He evokes all sorts of emotions in me, right from when he was still in his village being bullied, then when he got to the academy, and was bullied, when he found true friendship with Pan, when he ascended, when he second guesses himself, when he triumphs, when he fails, when he shows his determination, when his skill and instincts kick in, when he casts puppy dog eyes at Saira, yep, a whole range of emotions!

If you thought lancing a boil involved cutting and draining, you'd be sorely mistaken! The boils in this story are clusters of Rakshasha who are extremely dangerous and deadly and have to be stopped, that have to be sent back from whence they came. These are the creatures they face, not the most deadly by a long shot, but their "forced" propulsion into the realm of Heath, exposes bigger, badder, deadlier creatures. It also exposes lies, deception and a few revelations that will blow your mind, they certainly did mine!

I do love how the author intertwines his characters in this same world, though eons apart, perhaps not eons but you get what I mean. Professor's Shade and Grey, are two such characters and are,as Cam so aptly described, inspirational not aspirational. You'd be doing yourself a huge service to read the prior series, not a necessity, each series is it's own. It was really awesome to "see" them again and that they play such a big part in this book. They are special, they are not who and what they seem, they ARE inspirational! But gosh are all the characters special! They are reflective, they are flawed, they have heart, they are demanding of themselves, they are stubborn, they show resilience beyond what would be normal, they are as complex as they come. These characters all have secrets, hidden agendas, their own reasons and motivations but heck, THAT combination and the snippets of the why, add to the intrigue, to the intensity of the book. One who really disappointed me was Weld, just as I was thinking he was redeeming himself, I even was feeling sorry for him, well, heck, he goes to be even more vile than he was!

The vast dangers the Light Squad face was really heart in throat at times. They don't even know WHO or what these dangers are but thanks to Cam's hyper savvy, even stranded on another realm can't keep them down. Well, not for long...though lurking in the shadows, REALLY lurking where they least expect it, is Rabusu. And that is the most scary of all! It's easy, or relatively, to fight a foe one can see, to fight one who's hidden, heck, that's a huge problem! Friendship is paramount, unity is paramount, if they are to survive, if they are to ascend. And ascend they must, they have no other option if they want to get back to their world. What they go through though, what they endure, is tantamount to spine chilling horror. They have to confront their fears, their weaknesses and overcome them. The payout? Their growth is exponential, inner strength as well as in their tangs. The action, oh my was the action intense! And dramatic! And had me panting in apprehension, my heart racing! But also sighing is delight at the strengthening of the friendships, despite the dangers of the situation, really pulling together, really putting aside all prior prejudice and emerging stronger, together. And thankfully, there's a lightheartedness to a lot of the dialogue, notably Chastity and her merciless teasing of Cam to cut through the tension. The entire debacle around their "relationship" was more than humorous, not the outcome I expected but their journey together, through all they'd been through, only made the outcome more fulfilling.

The author skilfully takes hold of me, propelling me forward, sometimes gently, sometimes lovingly and sometimes violently. But forward I go, eagerly, through all the twists and turns, revelling in every moment, through all the hidden agenda's, through all the entanglements, gladly , willingly, embracing even an ancient evil, who's binding it's time, to gain strength, gain tangs, just waiting for his moment to reappear and enact his revenge. Lovers of The Cradle series, can't afford NOT to read this series!
Profile Image for M.
589 reviews21 followers
August 5, 2024
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Recap...
Cam gets private training from his professors during the summer vacation. Their gang gets a new member, Charity. Weld is not pulling his weight, and he hid a book from the team, so he gets booted off the team and loses his sponsorship to the academy. Weld comes back to the academy and sets up an amush for the light squad. 2 rakshasa sages, Nailing and Nageena, cane through a portal, and the fight ensues. Professor Shade (Cinder)and Grey (Anya) battle with the rakshasa sages, but Nailing threw out two pebbles. One was a black hole that reaked havoc on the city and its inhabitants, while the other was intercepted by Anya's blade, and it transformed the end point of that portal to somewhere familiar to them.
They are hunted by these creatures called Jom-Strafes. They lay spores inside a person and slowly devours a person from the inside. The spores form into a core, and a hatchling explodes out of the body. Jom-Strafes community has some way of knowing that their kind is killed and who killed them. They send out hunting parties to eliminate the killers. Avia is scratched by one of them, and the only way is to get cores out of the monsters and absorb the power Ephemera from the core. This levels you up and provides an exit door from the pocket realm.
Saira is possessed by rakshasa called Rabisu ,who keeps siphoning her Ephmera, and she keeps battling it him from him. Rail teaches her how to cultivate better and sells them a sailboat. On their way to Nylara, they are attacked by the soldiers of the Council of Light. Cam"s team kills all but one. They stop in a town and are arrested. Crown Jom-Strafes attacks them and barely escape with the soldiers. They take them to Nylara to their Crown Corun, who orders them to take them to the Island of Journey. Crown7 killed Corun and followed them through the maze. They pass through the doors and wake up the sleeping sages. Thor awakens and kills Crown7, and he tells Saira to advance from Glory to Crown. Rabisu tricks Thor and enters Cam and is promptly killed by “Rukh and Jessira,” who in turn part Cam with immense knowledge and collapses the Black door. All of the team levels up and then go back to their own world Salvation. Due to time dilation, 4 years have passed and Weld is now a professor, and Shade and Grey are missing. Avia is still an Adept.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for MrG LikesBooks&Booze.
147 reviews
January 21, 2024
Steel Sharpens in another great story in Mr. Ashura's Anchored Worlds. The deepening relationships amongst Light Squad and some shocking changes and situations.
I was extremely impressed with how references to previous aspects of the Anchored Worlds were woven into the storyline. Especially the reference to surfing.
There are nods to all three of the other series and the ability to reference, and build upon such interconnected works is truly impressive.
There are events unfolding within the novel that generate some really intriguing questions.
I'm excited to see how the experiences and knowledge that light squad gained during this novel will influence them in their advancement going forward.
I love how interconnected things are, but I also now feel like I have to go back and re-read everything from the very beginning before book three comes out, or before book 5 of instrument of omens comes out.
The pacing of the novel was good. I actually had read about half of the book in the first day, then work and life got in the way of reading, so it took me far longer to get through the second half. This had everything to do with me, and nothing to do with the quality of the book.
I very much enjoyed Steel Sharpens and I can't wait for the next book in both this and any other series Mr. Ashura creates in his anchored worlds comes out.
3 reviews
January 16, 2024
I have read all of Davis Ashura’s books and I love how they all combine into a world. This newest edition continued that growth. I continually love how each book is different, the characters, the plight, the pace and the world and yet still the same. I say the same that is the part of the same universe of books.

Cam continues his growth from book 1, he has his flaws and demons and they do show up in this book which is great as he is different from Cinder in instruments of omens, but in a way the same. He continually wants to see others around him succeed and to aspire to the highest potential.

While I don’t want to give anything away what I will say is I loved it! I loved the twists that were thrown in, the growth of the characters and the relationships that grow.

Also I still love the random movie quotes, inconceivable………man I love the Princes bride quotes that pop up.

Honestly I can’t say enough, if you want to find a fantasy series that truly is written well, has a massive universe around it and has over 12+ books tied together in various ways then read Davis Ashura’s books.

All men are brothers and all woman are sisters!
Profile Image for Shaina.
91 reviews9 followers
January 21, 2024
If you follow Davis Ashura on any social media, you will know that he has said this book was incredibly fun to write...and it completely shows!

This book was an incredibly fun romp through the newest addition to the universe that he has spent years crafting, and it was an absolutely delightful read. His cast of characters in this series (who I love dearly) experience incredible growth through this book, along with many twists and turns that I didn't see coming! Cam and Light Squad are probably some of my favorite characters in Ashura's works so far, and it was enjoyable watching them grow closer as a unit and grow as individuals as well.

On a side note: I may never forgive you, Mr. Ashura, for what you have done to Weld Plain, though. I know he is, as so aptly described in the book, a 'jackhole', but I was rooting for him to change, darn it!!

Anyway, without giving away any spoilers, I will say that this book ends in an unexpected way, but I am excited to see where Cam and Light Squad go next.

(In the efforts of full disclosure, I was sent an ARC copy of this book and agreed to provide an honest review)
3 reviews
January 16, 2024
This book does not disappoint! If you liked Blood of a Novice, then you will love Steel Sharpens! The world building is great as with all the other Anchored Worlds, as we continue to learn more about Salvation while also becoming aware of even more realms. Equally good is the character development and relationships in these books! These characters have realistic emotions and reactions and never seem to be given a line that doesn't fit their personality.

If you've not tried Davis Ashura, I implore you to do so. This is an amazing read, but put it on the shelf until you read Blood of a Novice but definitely make your way back to it. Honestly, if you give the man's other works a read, I don't think you'll be able to resist reading all he's written.
154 reviews
February 7, 2024
Solid Sequel

I want to start by saying I did enjoy this novel more than others in the genre for sure. However, I’m more used to more adult novels. The language in this book and the characters are clearly young adult and therefore some of the interactions and behaviors are very juvenile. That’s fine, because that’s who the characters are, but not what I necessarily prefer.

The writing is fairly good in quality. Character and plot progression is good as well, but not as strong as the first.

A solid 4/5 for me. Please give this book a shot and see if it suits you. Cheers!
Profile Image for Scott B Stillman.
137 reviews
March 14, 2024
Excellent…Could not put it down

Amazing and creative adventure with characters that continue to grow, while you continue to admire and root for them. This is one of the best fantasy series I have read. It continues to provide unexpected twists and turns that are brilliant. My favorite series by this author…
Profile Image for John-Torleif  Harris.
2,725 reviews12 followers
April 18, 2024
So many questions!

Cam definitely seems to be someone well known to very powerful beings. Light Squad was screwed over by Weld and what will happen now that they have experienced Hearth? I can’t see any of them being willing to deal with him in any capacity again, and with their new knowledge, do they need to have anything further to do with the Ephemeral Academy?
1 review
July 16, 2024
Another one knocked out of the park

I’m constantly amazed by the depth that goes into Davis Ashura’s books. Steel Sharpens is the sequel that Blood of a Novice deserves. The story is intricate and heartfelt. I was worried at times and comforted at others. It was one of the best parts of my day when I got to sit and read it. I can’t wait for book three!
251 reviews
January 30, 2024
Very nice

I always enjoy Davis's books. And this one was no exception. I don't know if he plans to continue this story or work on others but I wouldn't mind more of Cam and the gang. Thank you Davis for an entertaining story.
18 reviews
January 30, 2024
a pager turner

What can I say except this is a must read. I couldn’t put it down and when I did, I couldn’t wait to pick it back up and continue on the adventure do yourself a favor make sure you get a copy of this you’ll love it.
Profile Image for Zeddric Cypher.
54 reviews
February 1, 2024
Brilliant

Davis Ashura’s world and character development are amazing ! Cam and light squad continue to find their way into and out of trouble ! A romance begins to bloom . Great book great series ! But if I were you I would start back in the beginning .
32 reviews
March 28, 2024
Wow!

What an incredibly rivetting series this has become. You get that drawn into the storyline and the main characters you cannot stop reading it, its that infectious😃brilliant writing👍
Profile Image for Chris McKelley.
105 reviews
May 16, 2024
So good

I love this author and his style of writing. Every series i have read are interesting and full of so many great aspects of excellent storytelling. Awaiting the next book patiently
Profile Image for Paulo.
131 reviews
October 10, 2024
This is the second series of this author I’m quitting. The main reason is that the stories start well but soon turn into mysticism, faith and religion. That’s not my cup of tea at all so I see no point continuing something I don’t enjoy.
465 reviews
January 11, 2025
The Eternal Ephemera

The series is one of the best series I have read in a while I love how Dr Ashura brings his characters to life and how all of his books bring all of his books and characters together can't wait to read the next book.
12 reviews
May 15, 2025
Cam is super smart, but doesn't immediately know Weld was working with the enemy Sages? He's sitting there wondering if the guy that shows back up randomly wanting to meet is working with the enemies that randomly show up at the same exact spot at the same time looking for them? lol.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
131 reviews
January 17, 2024
great one

I read a lot of books and this one is becoming one of my favorites. Get it and enjoy it
5 reviews
February 3, 2024
Masterful

I have enjoyed this book and hope to read more about Cam and his friends. The story line coincided with the Blood of a Novice.
7 reviews
February 7, 2024
great book

Love this book and series and author. Hope he continues to make books like this, I love how all his books are connected
10 reviews
June 13, 2024
Addictive

I love this series and the development of all the characters. I look forward to the next book in the series.
5 reviews
July 31, 2024
slow start

Very slow start but if you stick with it becomes better and pace moves faster. All is ephemera, and ephemera is all.
Profile Image for Andy Murphy.
317 reviews1 follower
November 11, 2025
Steel Sharpens

Cam and the rest of Light Squad did amazing on their first year at the Ephemeral Academy and are being recognized for it. He is starting to develop some doubts as to how little concern his sponsor has for his company’s safety. All of this is a mild point though as Light Squad finds themselves fighting to survive in a mythical realm with no preparation.

I have always enjoyed Davis Ashura’s work. The fact that it has gone from high fantasy to progression fantasy is even better. It’s fun to see how this story will attach to his connected realms. The characters are amazing and I still say Pan needs more spotlight! It was a blast to read and I’m looking forward to the next book. Travis Baldree does a great job with the narration!

Content warning: none
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