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Carved From Ashes
After three years on the hunt for the Cabal, Allax uncovers a chilling lead to this shadowy organization. With a fractured team, enemies on all sides and trust unraveling between Peacekeepers, Allax must navigate a treacherous path of long-buried conspiracies, betrayal, and threats unlike anything he has ever faced. Carved from Ashes, the second book in The Heirs of Mythogenesis series, is a high-stakes sci-fi thriller where the cost of failure could be the return to global war.
410 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 13, 2025
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About the author
Len F. Fisher
2 books11 followersLen F. Fisher is the creator of The Heirs of Mythogenesis universe, a massive literary world comprising dozens of powerful story arcs and hundreds of fascinating characters.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 14, 2025
Three years into the future, Allax and his crew are still trying to track down any remaining Talos units as well as remnants of rebuilding Cabal factions. They're still getting misdirection and half-truths from their superiors, so they're riding on their own instincts to figure out what's lurking in the shadows.
*****
Surprisingly, I struggled with this one. I loved the first novel, and as much as the action and intrigue was steady and let us develop a more medium pace in this one, the characters never went deeper than surface level despite the multiple POV's. I know the author had to split this book into two, but I still feel like we spent a lot of time following leads, and not much of actually getting to know the characters and their motivations. Allax often felt flat and emotionally void, Maika was flippant, aggressive and dismissive, and the rest of the team fell around them in a chasm of supporting characters without very much substance.
I also had a hard time grappling with how the last book left off and this one began. We ended with Allax in a desperate bid to keep Eve alive, bringing her consciousness into the network. There was a devotion to keeping her alive and present, and finding a way to bring her back to him in a corporeal form. I was convinced that a portion of the novel would be dedicated to the commitment to that cause while avenging her death. Instead, the novel starts out 3 years into the future, and Eve has been demoted to an AI connoisseur, relegated to research, helping the team get out of tricky situations, and watching Allax be with the woman who openly disliked her, and who in the previous novel he felt nothing for.
In general it was jarring to see Maika and him back together. The intimate scenes between them were awkward and stilted, which is par for the course for writers who aren't used to including intimate scenes in their work, so I didn't mind. However the conversation around their arrangement was baffling. She communicated her feelings, Allax told her she was wrong, and then all of a sudden he has a massive diatribe of love and devotion for her, but only as someone he can be sexually intimate with. From there he slowly regressed from open affection to being awkward about how they engaged in public. It was so genuinely strange that I wasn't sure how this could work out, and the ending of this book felt like whiplash when he seemed to have a level of open emotions and a cheesy nickname for her that seemed to come out of left field.
I also was not a fan of how the author uses women's death and trauma to advance the male lead. Allax is who he is due to losing his first love, then again he's reinvigorated to his cause when he takes on Eve's consciousness after she passes in the first novel, and then in the second she's relegated to a glorified assistant that helps him succeed in his cause. What happens to Maika at the end of the second, pushes him to take out the Cabal as a setup for the next novel and layers more emotional baggage on him to elevate him as the damaged lead on a path of destruction. Even the "mother" figure of Tara is a wretched woman who's used to advance his trauma and pain, and she's a weak and untrustworthy character at that. It's women's suffering, trauma or weakness that used to advance his character's growth, instead of the character advancing on his own.
The only heroic female characters either die or go through severe physical or emotional trauma. The male heroic characters end up fine. Even the female villains who are apparently the masterminds get significantly less on-page time and often disappear so male villains can battle with male heroes. I genuinely don't think the author is inherently aware of this bias, however he's slowly removed every female hero from the story through tragic means, or traumatized them and had them storming off and taking a background role. The end of this book had one female hero left who actually existed in her own body, albeit she's recovering from psychological horrors, and I expect that that will continue with how we end the book with how Maika is situated. She has yet to be used as an accessory to the MMC, but I'm concerned that she will in the next novel, or become another reluctant love interest as the rest have.
Despite the issues above, it is an interesting and engaging read. If you can ignore how light it is on character development, and the quiet removal of female leads, it still is a decent book. It just does what a lot of sci-fi does, and removes women from the story, which was disappointing. I will most likely still read book 3 to see what the author chooses to do to tie up the end of the story, but I'll do so hesitantly.
*****
Thank you to the author Len Fisher for the digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*****
Surprisingly, I struggled with this one. I loved the first novel, and as much as the action and intrigue was steady and let us develop a more medium pace in this one, the characters never went deeper than surface level despite the multiple POV's. I know the author had to split this book into two, but I still feel like we spent a lot of time following leads, and not much of actually getting to know the characters and their motivations. Allax often felt flat and emotionally void, Maika was flippant, aggressive and dismissive, and the rest of the team fell around them in a chasm of supporting characters without very much substance.
I also had a hard time grappling with how the last book left off and this one began. We ended with Allax in a desperate bid to keep Eve alive, bringing her consciousness into the network. There was a devotion to keeping her alive and present, and finding a way to bring her back to him in a corporeal form. I was convinced that a portion of the novel would be dedicated to the commitment to that cause while avenging her death. Instead, the novel starts out 3 years into the future, and Eve has been demoted to an AI connoisseur, relegated to research, helping the team get out of tricky situations, and watching Allax be with the woman who openly disliked her, and who in the previous novel he felt nothing for.
In general it was jarring to see Maika and him back together. The intimate scenes between them were awkward and stilted, which is par for the course for writers who aren't used to including intimate scenes in their work, so I didn't mind. However the conversation around their arrangement was baffling. She communicated her feelings, Allax told her she was wrong, and then all of a sudden he has a massive diatribe of love and devotion for her, but only as someone he can be sexually intimate with. From there he slowly regressed from open affection to being awkward about how they engaged in public. It was so genuinely strange that I wasn't sure how this could work out, and the ending of this book felt like whiplash when he seemed to have a level of open emotions and a cheesy nickname for her that seemed to come out of left field.
I also was not a fan of how the author uses women's death and trauma to advance the male lead. Allax is who he is due to losing his first love, then again he's reinvigorated to his cause when he takes on Eve's consciousness after she passes in the first novel, and then in the second she's relegated to a glorified assistant that helps him succeed in his cause. What happens to Maika at the end of the second, pushes him to take out the Cabal as a setup for the next novel and layers more emotional baggage on him to elevate him as the damaged lead on a path of destruction. Even the "mother" figure of Tara is a wretched woman who's used to advance his trauma and pain, and she's a weak and untrustworthy character at that. It's women's suffering, trauma or weakness that used to advance his character's growth, instead of the character advancing on his own.
The only heroic female characters either die or go through severe physical or emotional trauma. The male heroic characters end up fine. Even the female villains who are apparently the masterminds get significantly less on-page time and often disappear so male villains can battle with male heroes. I genuinely don't think the author is inherently aware of this bias, however he's slowly removed every female hero from the story through tragic means, or traumatized them and had them storming off and taking a background role. The end of this book had one female hero left who actually existed in her own body, albeit she's recovering from psychological horrors, and I expect that that will continue with how we end the book with how Maika is situated. She has yet to be used as an accessory to the MMC, but I'm concerned that she will in the next novel, or become another reluctant love interest as the rest have.
Despite the issues above, it is an interesting and engaging read. If you can ignore how light it is on character development, and the quiet removal of female leads, it still is a decent book. It just does what a lot of sci-fi does, and removes women from the story, which was disappointing. I will most likely still read book 3 to see what the author chooses to do to tie up the end of the story, but I'll do so hesitantly.
*****
Thank you to the author Len Fisher for the digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 11, 2025
How dare you. I mean that as a compliment. I think.
There are books that pull you in, books that wreck you, and then there’s Carved From Ashes, which drags you into its world, sets your emotions on fire, and hands you a drink while you watch everything burn.
OH MY GOD. The stakes, the worldbuilding, the characters making the craziest possible decisions but in a way that makes perfect sense for who they are.
The Bioethics? INSANE. Talos Awakening flirted with the idea of AI personhood, genetic enhancement, and government control. Carved From Ashes commits to it. The moral dilemmas are raw, immediate, and terrifyingly relevant. Every new revelation makes you sit back and go, "Oh. Oh, that’s messed up."
The Characters? GREY AS HELL. No one is safe. No one is good in a simple sense. But it’s not a grimdark mess. The world is believably human. These people have justifications, loyalties, and traumas that shape every choice. Allax is self-destructing in slow motion while Maika is carrying more than any one person should have to bear. Their dynamic?? An emotional landmine field.
The Worldbuilding? IMPECCABLE. You could write entire dissertations on the history, politics, and tech of this universe, and yet the book never feels like a lore dump. Every detail adds weight to the present narrative, shaping the characters’ choices and consequences.
The Writing? CUTS LIKE A BLADE. I came in expecting cool fight sequences (got them). I stayed because the dialogue cut like Damascus steel and Allax and Maika's dynamic left me reeling. Every interaction holds layers of meaning. Every moment of silence speaks louder than words.
The Ending?? Oh. Oh, You’re Cruel For That.
There are cliffhangers, and then there’s this. The kind of ending that makes you want to fight your own reflection in frustration while furiously preordering the next book. The kind where you sit in silence for five minutes, just processing. The kind where you question if the author has any mercy at all (honest answer: no. no mercy.).
Final Verdict:
If Talos Awakening was the setup, Carved From Ashes is the chaos unleashed. This is a story about power—who wields it, who is crushed beneath it, and who dares to break free from it. It’s thrilling, devastating, and so immersive you forget to breathe.
Read this book. But also, prepare to scream.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5, but also I am wrecked, so thanks for that. I need an armada of lawyers for my emotional damages because I can't even)
READ IT. READ IT. READ IT. Please.
There are books that pull you in, books that wreck you, and then there’s Carved From Ashes, which drags you into its world, sets your emotions on fire, and hands you a drink while you watch everything burn.
OH MY GOD. The stakes, the worldbuilding, the characters making the craziest possible decisions but in a way that makes perfect sense for who they are.
The Bioethics? INSANE. Talos Awakening flirted with the idea of AI personhood, genetic enhancement, and government control. Carved From Ashes commits to it. The moral dilemmas are raw, immediate, and terrifyingly relevant. Every new revelation makes you sit back and go, "Oh. Oh, that’s messed up."
The Characters? GREY AS HELL. No one is safe. No one is good in a simple sense. But it’s not a grimdark mess. The world is believably human. These people have justifications, loyalties, and traumas that shape every choice. Allax is self-destructing in slow motion while Maika is carrying more than any one person should have to bear. Their dynamic?? An emotional landmine field.
The Worldbuilding? IMPECCABLE. You could write entire dissertations on the history, politics, and tech of this universe, and yet the book never feels like a lore dump. Every detail adds weight to the present narrative, shaping the characters’ choices and consequences.
The Writing? CUTS LIKE A BLADE. I came in expecting cool fight sequences (got them). I stayed because the dialogue cut like Damascus steel and Allax and Maika's dynamic left me reeling. Every interaction holds layers of meaning. Every moment of silence speaks louder than words.
The Ending?? Oh. Oh, You’re Cruel For That.
There are cliffhangers, and then there’s this. The kind of ending that makes you want to fight your own reflection in frustration while furiously preordering the next book. The kind where you sit in silence for five minutes, just processing. The kind where you question if the author has any mercy at all (honest answer: no. no mercy.).
Final Verdict:
If Talos Awakening was the setup, Carved From Ashes is the chaos unleashed. This is a story about power—who wields it, who is crushed beneath it, and who dares to break free from it. It’s thrilling, devastating, and so immersive you forget to breathe.
Read this book. But also, prepare to scream.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5, but also I am wrecked, so thanks for that. I need an armada of lawyers for my emotional damages because I can't even)
READ IT. READ IT. READ IT. Please.
April 26, 2025
The plot thickens, the mystery deepens, the action continues!
“Everything you accomplish, everything you want to accomplish, it won’t matter as much if you don’t have someone to share it with.”
Overall: 4 ⭐
Plot: 4 📍
Spice: 2.5 🔥
Tension: 4🧨
While the synopsis says this takes place immediately after the events of “Talos Awakening,” we meet up with Allax, Maika, and a few of the other survivors from the first book a full three years later. There’s a few parts that don’t seem to make sense with the first book - which I can’t go into detail about without giving away some of the story. Some of it is personality, some of it is character traits/abilities. But if you didn’t read book 1, this would read perfectly fine without those “huh?” moments.
The level of adrenaline and fast-paced action has come down a notch from “Talos” which makes sense - our team of heroes is in for the long haul and this reads more along the lines of a mystery/thriller than a full-on action. In fact, with the descriptions we get with the world-building, it feels a little like Blade Runner, but with less neon; an overarching “good and moral” ruling order with a highly sophisticated crime syndicate acting as the perfect foil. The story really highlights that old adage “bad deeds for noble actions” but goes one step further. How those deeds can either be sanctioned or condemned depending on who enacts them and just how ‘bad’ can those bad deeds be before the morality argument fails.
We get a little deeper into the team’s dynamics which is a lot of fun - “Talos” didn’t have time for much levity. Some of the banter between the friends was full-on eye rolling, head shaking, don’t-want-to-but-have to smile.
“Every time you get excited about something, it’s guaranteed to turn into a fight…”
“We’re just gonna get some coffee or something. How is that going to turn into a fight?
“I don’t know…. But I just know you’ll manage it somehow.”
There’s a few explicit spicy scenes, but honestly? I thought they actually detracted from the story. Fade to black or implied would have been more in line with the feel of the rest of story. I anticipated more intense action in addition to the mystery and danger, especially after the incredibly thrilling first story.
Thank you to Len F Fisher for the opportunity to read and review this book!
All opinions are my own.
“Everything you accomplish, everything you want to accomplish, it won’t matter as much if you don’t have someone to share it with.”
Overall: 4 ⭐
Plot: 4 📍
Spice: 2.5 🔥
Tension: 4🧨
While the synopsis says this takes place immediately after the events of “Talos Awakening,” we meet up with Allax, Maika, and a few of the other survivors from the first book a full three years later. There’s a few parts that don’t seem to make sense with the first book - which I can’t go into detail about without giving away some of the story. Some of it is personality, some of it is character traits/abilities. But if you didn’t read book 1, this would read perfectly fine without those “huh?” moments.
The level of adrenaline and fast-paced action has come down a notch from “Talos” which makes sense - our team of heroes is in for the long haul and this reads more along the lines of a mystery/thriller than a full-on action. In fact, with the descriptions we get with the world-building, it feels a little like Blade Runner, but with less neon; an overarching “good and moral” ruling order with a highly sophisticated crime syndicate acting as the perfect foil. The story really highlights that old adage “bad deeds for noble actions” but goes one step further. How those deeds can either be sanctioned or condemned depending on who enacts them and just how ‘bad’ can those bad deeds be before the morality argument fails.
We get a little deeper into the team’s dynamics which is a lot of fun - “Talos” didn’t have time for much levity. Some of the banter between the friends was full-on eye rolling, head shaking, don’t-want-to-but-have to smile.
“Every time you get excited about something, it’s guaranteed to turn into a fight…”
“We’re just gonna get some coffee or something. How is that going to turn into a fight?
“I don’t know…. But I just know you’ll manage it somehow.”
There’s a few explicit spicy scenes, but honestly? I thought they actually detracted from the story. Fade to black or implied would have been more in line with the feel of the rest of story. I anticipated more intense action in addition to the mystery and danger, especially after the incredibly thrilling first story.
Thank you to Len F Fisher for the opportunity to read and review this book!
All opinions are my own.
March 9, 2025
An action-packed ride filled with twists and turns. If you’re a fan of shows like The Punisher and The Boys, you’re gonna love this book!
Something I loved about this book early on was the fact that we slowed the heck down a bit. Talos Awakening was fast paced, action packed, and definitely enjoyable. But for my own liking, it didn’t give enough time to develop as much of the world and characters as it could have.
Carved from Ashes thrives here, giving us plenty of world building and character development that all combine to create a richer experience that allows for a deeper connection to our protagonists. One of the best examples of this is Maika, who I didn’t really like a whole lot from the first book. But getting to know her better in this one has completely flipped my opinion of her, and now I think she’s pretty great!
I found the main plot to be super engaging, and I did wonder whether it would be noticeable that the book had been split from a much larger manuscript, but honestly? I couldn’t tell at all. The overall structure was great, as was the pacing, and by the end, I found myself wanting more.
There are a couple of spicy chapters (back-to-back), which admittedly, aren’t really my thing. But there was nothing over the top about them, and they actually had some good character moments intertwined.
All in all, a fantastic book, and I eagerly await the next instalment in the series!
Something I loved about this book early on was the fact that we slowed the heck down a bit. Talos Awakening was fast paced, action packed, and definitely enjoyable. But for my own liking, it didn’t give enough time to develop as much of the world and characters as it could have.
Carved from Ashes thrives here, giving us plenty of world building and character development that all combine to create a richer experience that allows for a deeper connection to our protagonists. One of the best examples of this is Maika, who I didn’t really like a whole lot from the first book. But getting to know her better in this one has completely flipped my opinion of her, and now I think she’s pretty great!
I found the main plot to be super engaging, and I did wonder whether it would be noticeable that the book had been split from a much larger manuscript, but honestly? I couldn’t tell at all. The overall structure was great, as was the pacing, and by the end, I found myself wanting more.
There are a couple of spicy chapters (back-to-back), which admittedly, aren’t really my thing. But there was nothing over the top about them, and they actually had some good character moments intertwined.
All in all, a fantastic book, and I eagerly await the next instalment in the series!
March 9, 2025
This is book two of the Heirs of Mythogenesis series.
Set three years after the dramatic conclusion of book one and the fallout from the Talos incident, we rejoin Allax, Eve, and Maika as they relentlessly pursue any lingering leads and elusive answers concerning Lotus's enigmatic activities and the whereabouts of the escaped Talos. Their investigation leads them down a rabbit hole of deception, unearthing long-buried secrets, shocking betrayals, and formidable foes once presumed dead, now emerging from the shadows to threaten everything they hold dear.
So far, this series is excellent intricate world-building and with easy to follow sci-fi narrative, making it an easy and enjoyable read. And that ending, wow not sure how to take that.
Set three years after the dramatic conclusion of book one and the fallout from the Talos incident, we rejoin Allax, Eve, and Maika as they relentlessly pursue any lingering leads and elusive answers concerning Lotus's enigmatic activities and the whereabouts of the escaped Talos. Their investigation leads them down a rabbit hole of deception, unearthing long-buried secrets, shocking betrayals, and formidable foes once presumed dead, now emerging from the shadows to threaten everything they hold dear.
So far, this series is excellent intricate world-building and with easy to follow sci-fi narrative, making it an easy and enjoyable read. And that ending, wow not sure how to take that.
March 12, 2025
The way Allax grew from trying to do the right thing but not knowing what it was to finding purpose and love in his life was the standout feature of this book for me. He has large shoes to fill, but he rises to the demand and above. The glass tower crumbling level by level was masterfully done. Every time I thought that they were in too deep, turns out the chasm ran deeper still. I was not very sold on Allax’s relationship with Maika. I was so sure that Allax and Eve were supposed to be the end game, but Maika and Allax do fit better in certain ways, so that’s not a major complain. What I did struggle with was how Eve’s existence was an open secret at this time and yet the Shane or Tara didn’t as much as acknowledge it. I do believe that Len will address this in the coming books.
March 13, 2025
ALLAX DRAKE IS A NAME TO REMEMBER.
Disclaimer: This is based off of an ARC, a free copy of the book given to me in advance of release in exchange for an honest review.
Talos Awakening was the weapon. Carved From Ashes was the bullet. I felt the impact with every blow in this novel.
With his second release as well as second entry into the world first glimpsed in Talos Awakening, Len F. Fisher is very adroitly showing himself to be an absolute beast of science fiction and action.
I feel like I just watched Captain America: The Winter Soldier, except the main character is Master Chief meets Jason Bourne.
The plot was tense and unpredictable. The action sequences were crisp, full of sharp descriptions and bloody consequences. I actually enjoyed every single character - even the ones I didn’t like, I didn’t like because that’s what the author intended.
All I can say is that if this series continues along this path, Allax Drake is a name that - for me - will join the likes of those aforementioned masters of action.
I wasn’t sure with just one book if I could say this yet, but with the second I’m sure. This series just really, really hits that perfect sweet spot for me… it had me electrified and on the edge of my seat the entire read.
Do yourself a favor, and read this.
Disclaimer: This is based off of an ARC, a free copy of the book given to me in advance of release in exchange for an honest review.
Talos Awakening was the weapon. Carved From Ashes was the bullet. I felt the impact with every blow in this novel.
With his second release as well as second entry into the world first glimpsed in Talos Awakening, Len F. Fisher is very adroitly showing himself to be an absolute beast of science fiction and action.
I feel like I just watched Captain America: The Winter Soldier, except the main character is Master Chief meets Jason Bourne.
The plot was tense and unpredictable. The action sequences were crisp, full of sharp descriptions and bloody consequences. I actually enjoyed every single character - even the ones I didn’t like, I didn’t like because that’s what the author intended.
All I can say is that if this series continues along this path, Allax Drake is a name that - for me - will join the likes of those aforementioned masters of action.
I wasn’t sure with just one book if I could say this yet, but with the second I’m sure. This series just really, really hits that perfect sweet spot for me… it had me electrified and on the edge of my seat the entire read.
Do yourself a favor, and read this.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews