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The Heir of Ash and Thunder
He spent fifteen years trying to forget the gods. Now, an empire is rising to erase them, and a mysterious woman has arrived to make him remember.
Professor Ilija Dragović has built a quiet life on a foundation of logic, hiding from the memory of a single, grief-stricken night when he believes the gods marked him as their own. He teaches the old myths as stories, confident they are nothing more than dust and echoes in a world that has moved on.
But a quiet war is being waged for the soul of the world. A new, shadowy empire known as the Accord is burning history and branding anyone who remembers the truth as a heretic. At the same time, Ilija’s academic world is invaded by Danica Madsen, a brilliant and unnerving student who presents him with an impossible artifact—a relic that awakens a dangerous, forgotten power stirring in his blood.
Hunted by an empire that knows more about his past than he does, and haunted by visions of a love that feels more real than his own life, Ilija is forced from his quiet life into a desperate search for answers. He must unravel the secrets of the artifact, the history he can't recall, and the source of the storm sealed within his own memory before the world forgets him—and the woman who may be the key to it all—forever.
What begins as a quiet war for history becomes a continent-spanning battle for the future, where myths walk among us, ancient vows demand a bloody price, and the line between man and god is waiting to be shattered.
The first book in an epic new series, The Heir of Ash and Thunder is a must-read for fans of Slavic mythology, reincarnation romance, and sprawling urban fantasy. If you love the mythological depth of American Gods and the epic scale of The Witcher, you won’t be able to put down this explosive series debut.
Professor Ilija Dragović has built a quiet life on a foundation of logic, hiding from the memory of a single, grief-stricken night when he believes the gods marked him as their own. He teaches the old myths as stories, confident they are nothing more than dust and echoes in a world that has moved on.
But a quiet war is being waged for the soul of the world. A new, shadowy empire known as the Accord is burning history and branding anyone who remembers the truth as a heretic. At the same time, Ilija’s academic world is invaded by Danica Madsen, a brilliant and unnerving student who presents him with an impossible artifact—a relic that awakens a dangerous, forgotten power stirring in his blood.
Hunted by an empire that knows more about his past than he does, and haunted by visions of a love that feels more real than his own life, Ilija is forced from his quiet life into a desperate search for answers. He must unravel the secrets of the artifact, the history he can't recall, and the source of the storm sealed within his own memory before the world forgets him—and the woman who may be the key to it all—forever.
What begins as a quiet war for history becomes a continent-spanning battle for the future, where myths walk among us, ancient vows demand a bloody price, and the line between man and god is waiting to be shattered.
The first book in an epic new series, The Heir of Ash and Thunder is a must-read for fans of Slavic mythology, reincarnation romance, and sprawling urban fantasy. If you love the mythological depth of American Gods and the epic scale of The Witcher, you won’t be able to put down this explosive series debut.
- GenresMythology
492 pages, Hardcover
Published September 12, 2025
12 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 11, 2025
The Heir of Ash and Thunder is an immersive, mythology-laced fantasy that blends Slavic, Celtic, and Norse lore into a sweeping tale of love, memory, and gods at war. What hooked me right away was the emotional depth between Ilija and Danica — their connection felt timeless, and the reincarnation element was so well done.
This book does a fantastic job of building a world where myth and history collide. I was especially drawn to the themes of memory as power, love that transcends lifetimes, and the rewriting of truth in a world controlled by jealous gods. It’s rich, romantic, and filled with the kind of epic stakes that fantasy lovers crave.
What held it back from a perfect rating for me were a few stylistic hiccups — some sentences and phrases felt overly repetitive, which occasionally pulled me out of the story. That said, the heart of this book is incredibly strong, and I still found myself fully invested in the journey.
This book does a fantastic job of building a world where myth and history collide. I was especially drawn to the themes of memory as power, love that transcends lifetimes, and the rewriting of truth in a world controlled by jealous gods. It’s rich, romantic, and filled with the kind of epic stakes that fantasy lovers crave.
What held it back from a perfect rating for me were a few stylistic hiccups — some sentences and phrases felt overly repetitive, which occasionally pulled me out of the story. That said, the heart of this book is incredibly strong, and I still found myself fully invested in the journey.
October 13, 2025
4.5 stars. This was an epic urban fantasy with powerful yet vulnerable characters, political intrigue, romance transcending lifetimes, and reincarnated gods working together to take down the cruel goddess Aphrodite before she and her army could eliminate them and make the world forget they had ever existed. If you enjoyed the dark urban fantasy vibes of American Gods but are looking for an author other than NG, this series is for you.
The story centred upon three characters: Ilija, Ana, and Danica. All three were dangerous yet flawed in their own ways. As a female reader, I was glad to see Ana and Danica represented so well, but my favourite part was watching Baba Yaga, a Slavic entity often depicted as an elderly woman, wreak havoc on her enemies. A close second was the first scene in Aphrodite's point of view. What a terrifying character, yet I ended up empathizing with her!
This book was exceptionally well written, and I highlighted so many good quotes in my ebook. The only thing that bothered me was the pacing. Some earlier scenes dragged on too much, and the story would have had better flow if those scenes were trimmed down to focus more upon action and dialogue. But despite that, I'll be continuing with the series and look forward to book 2 when it comes out.
The story centred upon three characters: Ilija, Ana, and Danica. All three were dangerous yet flawed in their own ways. As a female reader, I was glad to see Ana and Danica represented so well, but my favourite part was watching Baba Yaga, a Slavic entity often depicted as an elderly woman, wreak havoc on her enemies. A close second was the first scene in Aphrodite's point of view. What a terrifying character, yet I ended up empathizing with her!
This book was exceptionally well written, and I highlighted so many good quotes in my ebook. The only thing that bothered me was the pacing. Some earlier scenes dragged on too much, and the story would have had better flow if those scenes were trimmed down to focus more upon action and dialogue. But despite that, I'll be continuing with the series and look forward to book 2 when it comes out.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews