What do you think?
The Forahm Papers #1
The Ashen Viper
Not yet published
Expected 17 Nov 26Were we not meant to know the truth?
It is by the hands of loresmen that heroes and villains are risen from history’s foundations, today’s stories that became yesterday’s histories that became the legends of yore. And from those legends emerge truths…of a sort. The truths that best serve a story when the facts have been lost to the decay of time.
The war that spelled the end of the Second Age was long mired in such murky truths, in these legends accepted as history, these fables and songs that served as the only surviving memory of those fateful days. Until now. Until these Forahm Papers, and whatever they may contain within.
For it is not the singular hero and villain who weave a story’s tapestry, but the many hands who break from the foundations and hold the truth aloft.
The ministry official who must investigate a sudden disappearance. The reluctant hero who saved a queen and doomed an entire people in the process. The exile whose very soul threatens the destruction of all around her. The son of a traitor who will stop at nothing to see honor restored to his name. The untested heiress faced with a long-dormant storm coming to rage over her land once more.
And the man whose name endured within the darker threads of history, cursed in the shadows as an assassin of kings, an arbiter of doom, a devil taken flesh. For if there is a truth hidden amongst these papers, it must begin here. It must begin with him: the Ashen Viper.
It is by the hands of loresmen that heroes and villains are risen from history’s foundations, today’s stories that became yesterday’s histories that became the legends of yore. And from those legends emerge truths…of a sort. The truths that best serve a story when the facts have been lost to the decay of time.
The war that spelled the end of the Second Age was long mired in such murky truths, in these legends accepted as history, these fables and songs that served as the only surviving memory of those fateful days. Until now. Until these Forahm Papers, and whatever they may contain within.
For it is not the singular hero and villain who weave a story’s tapestry, but the many hands who break from the foundations and hold the truth aloft.
The ministry official who must investigate a sudden disappearance. The reluctant hero who saved a queen and doomed an entire people in the process. The exile whose very soul threatens the destruction of all around her. The son of a traitor who will stop at nothing to see honor restored to his name. The untested heiress faced with a long-dormant storm coming to rage over her land once more.
And the man whose name endured within the darker threads of history, cursed in the shadows as an assassin of kings, an arbiter of doom, a devil taken flesh. For if there is a truth hidden amongst these papers, it must begin here. It must begin with him: the Ashen Viper.
- GenresFantasyEpic Fantasy
1161 pages, ebook
Expected publication November 17, 2026
About the author
Joseph John Lee
8 books96 followersJoseph John Lee is an American fantasy author who writes books that are either dark and depressing or silly and light-hearted, with not much wiggle room in between. A true product of New England, he prefers Dunkin’ over Starbucks, sometimes speaks with a Boston accent, and does not say the word “wicked” in casual conversation as much as one may think. He currently lives in Boston with his wife, Annie, along with their dog, Luna, and their robot vacuum named Crumb.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 29, 2026
The Ashen Viper is an ambitiously chonky epic that will equally enrapture and astound. Words barely scratch the surface of what Lee has created and this is only the beginning. Fans of mammoth epics, add this to your TBR.
July 13, 2026
It's cover reveal day! I'm so thrilled to finally be showing off the cover for The Ashen Viper, the first volume of my new epic fantasy series The Forahm Papers.
I've been sitting on this since . . . December? Sweet mercy it's great to no longer keep it a secret.
The special launch edition Kickstarter is in prelaunch now and you can follow it here.
I do hope you'll give TAV a go - whether by supporting the Kickstarter or by waiting for the general release. It's probably a cliche thing to say "This is the best thing I've ever written," but . . . well, I'd say this is the best thing I've ever written, and I'm thrilled to finally be sharing it with you all.
I've been sitting on this since . . . December? Sweet mercy it's great to no longer keep it a secret.
The special launch edition Kickstarter is in prelaunch now and you can follow it here.
I do hope you'll give TAV a go - whether by supporting the Kickstarter or by waiting for the general release. It's probably a cliche thing to say "This is the best thing I've ever written," but . . . well, I'd say this is the best thing I've ever written, and I'm thrilled to finally be sharing it with you all.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Ashen Viper is impressive not only for its sheer ambition, but for its deft ability to make good on that ambition and provide the reader with a story that is ridiculously epic, mind-boggling broad in scope, and downright insane regarding its worldbuilding.
The first thing to know: this is a big book. Not just in terms of page count, but also in terms of the events it covers, the size of its cast, and the timeline. There’s a prominent arc threading through the book’s backbone that takes us to more than 800 years before the main events of the book, where we follow two immortal brothers whose actions across time essentially help shape the world as we know it. The story takes us across the extents of two continents—Nossia and Sussia—with a third—Essia—being referred to. The characters, though some do eventually cross paths, are scattered across these continents, making clear how all-consuming the unfolding plot is.
All of this combines into a world that feels thoroughly lived in, with a rich history supported by meticulous footnotes, references to in-world texts, and relevant quotes at the start of every chapter. I don’t think I’ve ever read another book that felt quite this researched and authentic, and I’d be so bold as to suggest TAV rivals the Stormlight Archive in this arena.
The cast themselves, though many in number, are actually quite focused on a smaller group, something that becomes apparent the further into the book you get. It can be quite daunting at first, and I know I struggled in the first couple of hundred pages to remember every character we’re being introduced to. However, the author is clever with context clues, and ensures that you’ll never forget a character for long. This is another area where I think TAV can be easily compared to books like the Stormlight Archive.
The main character, arguably, is the Ashen Viper, though to avoid spoilers I won’t mention who they actually are. Instead, I’ll draw attention to the people I consider to be the central characters: Roban, a disaffected young mage trying to win back the trust of the lord his father betrayed; Rodryc, at face value a humble villager, but who harbours a dark past; Onele, a young mage in self-exile who struggles with the weight of her magic; Alyster, a reluctant hero who’s taken to wandering to avoid responsibilities on his home isle; Alain, a man on the trail of the woman he’s infatuated with, who’s gone missing; and Emeline, a young noblewoman drawn into disastrous events through bad luck.
As for the plot, it’s important to note that this is the first book in an extensive fantasy series (the first of 8, I think?), and this is only the opening act. If you’re like me, and you love expansive stories in massive worlds that are given the time and space to unfold at a satisfying and measured pace, then this is definitely the book for you. It has its moments of fast-paced action, no doubt, but this is a slow and steady novel, a story that values its narrative and trusts its reader enough to pay attention. There are a lot of threads being woven together here, and because each thread needs tending, it can sometimes feel like the story isn’t progressing as fast as it could. This doesn’t bother me in the slightest, but I’m a sucker for slow-builds.
The framing device of this book being a text that exists within the world, compiled by a loresman who provides commentary through the footnotes, also adds a certain level of intrigue to the narrative. The loresman drip feeds us information beyond what’s captured within each chapter, and through these subtle notes makes it clear that the events in this book are only the opening stage of what will become a massive, all-encompassing conflict. Hints of the overarching plot are provided, though the focus for now is much more character-level, allowing the reader to decipher for themselves what roles the main cast might have to play in this future conflict only the loresman currently knows about.
The writing style is incredibly polished and professional. It has a somewhat archaic feel to it, not just with character dialogue, but also with the prose itself. This really feels like an in-world text kept hidden in a castle basement for years before being brought out and annotated. However, this doesn’t make it impenetrable, and I found it to be thoroughly easy reading. I don’t think there was a single time a sentence tripped me up (whether that be cliché phrasing, bland imagery, or errors), and I can feel the care and attention the author has lavished upon this novel.
So, overall, this is epic fantasy at its most epic. It provides hearty helpings of battle, politics, and violence, whilst at the same time balancing smaller character moments, interesting group dynamics, and subtle foreshadowing. There are immortals from different realms, armies of resurrected undead, a detailed magic system that has a cost and demands sacrifices from its users, a hidden city in the clouds, and even a dragon.
Seriously, if you consider yourself a fan of epic fantasy in any capacity, this series is one to check out.
A brief side-note: I read the prequel novella, Shrouded Steel for Bastard Land, before I dove into book one. Although you can read them in either order, I think I made the right decision, because the novella provides you with some important background history for the Kingdom of Viriland. Not knowing that context (mostly about how the Trewarne Dynasty that rules Viriland came to the throne) doesn’t take away from reader enjoyment at all, but it did allow me a certain level of familiarity before I began. Any doubts I might’ve otherwise had (not knowing about the Trewarne monarchs and such) would’ve been cleared up with the extensive glossaries the author included, though.
Thank you to the author for my ARC!
The first thing to know: this is a big book. Not just in terms of page count, but also in terms of the events it covers, the size of its cast, and the timeline. There’s a prominent arc threading through the book’s backbone that takes us to more than 800 years before the main events of the book, where we follow two immortal brothers whose actions across time essentially help shape the world as we know it. The story takes us across the extents of two continents—Nossia and Sussia—with a third—Essia—being referred to. The characters, though some do eventually cross paths, are scattered across these continents, making clear how all-consuming the unfolding plot is.
All of this combines into a world that feels thoroughly lived in, with a rich history supported by meticulous footnotes, references to in-world texts, and relevant quotes at the start of every chapter. I don’t think I’ve ever read another book that felt quite this researched and authentic, and I’d be so bold as to suggest TAV rivals the Stormlight Archive in this arena.
The cast themselves, though many in number, are actually quite focused on a smaller group, something that becomes apparent the further into the book you get. It can be quite daunting at first, and I know I struggled in the first couple of hundred pages to remember every character we’re being introduced to. However, the author is clever with context clues, and ensures that you’ll never forget a character for long. This is another area where I think TAV can be easily compared to books like the Stormlight Archive.
The main character, arguably, is the Ashen Viper, though to avoid spoilers I won’t mention who they actually are. Instead, I’ll draw attention to the people I consider to be the central characters: Roban, a disaffected young mage trying to win back the trust of the lord his father betrayed; Rodryc, at face value a humble villager, but who harbours a dark past; Onele, a young mage in self-exile who struggles with the weight of her magic; Alyster, a reluctant hero who’s taken to wandering to avoid responsibilities on his home isle; Alain, a man on the trail of the woman he’s infatuated with, who’s gone missing; and Emeline, a young noblewoman drawn into disastrous events through bad luck.
As for the plot, it’s important to note that this is the first book in an extensive fantasy series (the first of 8, I think?), and this is only the opening act. If you’re like me, and you love expansive stories in massive worlds that are given the time and space to unfold at a satisfying and measured pace, then this is definitely the book for you. It has its moments of fast-paced action, no doubt, but this is a slow and steady novel, a story that values its narrative and trusts its reader enough to pay attention. There are a lot of threads being woven together here, and because each thread needs tending, it can sometimes feel like the story isn’t progressing as fast as it could. This doesn’t bother me in the slightest, but I’m a sucker for slow-builds.
The framing device of this book being a text that exists within the world, compiled by a loresman who provides commentary through the footnotes, also adds a certain level of intrigue to the narrative. The loresman drip feeds us information beyond what’s captured within each chapter, and through these subtle notes makes it clear that the events in this book are only the opening stage of what will become a massive, all-encompassing conflict. Hints of the overarching plot are provided, though the focus for now is much more character-level, allowing the reader to decipher for themselves what roles the main cast might have to play in this future conflict only the loresman currently knows about.
The writing style is incredibly polished and professional. It has a somewhat archaic feel to it, not just with character dialogue, but also with the prose itself. This really feels like an in-world text kept hidden in a castle basement for years before being brought out and annotated. However, this doesn’t make it impenetrable, and I found it to be thoroughly easy reading. I don’t think there was a single time a sentence tripped me up (whether that be cliché phrasing, bland imagery, or errors), and I can feel the care and attention the author has lavished upon this novel.
So, overall, this is epic fantasy at its most epic. It provides hearty helpings of battle, politics, and violence, whilst at the same time balancing smaller character moments, interesting group dynamics, and subtle foreshadowing. There are immortals from different realms, armies of resurrected undead, a detailed magic system that has a cost and demands sacrifices from its users, a hidden city in the clouds, and even a dragon.
Seriously, if you consider yourself a fan of epic fantasy in any capacity, this series is one to check out.
A brief side-note: I read the prequel novella, Shrouded Steel for Bastard Land, before I dove into book one. Although you can read them in either order, I think I made the right decision, because the novella provides you with some important background history for the Kingdom of Viriland. Not knowing that context (mostly about how the Trewarne Dynasty that rules Viriland came to the throne) doesn’t take away from reader enjoyment at all, but it did allow me a certain level of familiarity before I began. Any doubts I might’ve otherwise had (not knowing about the Trewarne monarchs and such) would’ve been cleared up with the extensive glossaries the author included, though.
Thank you to the author for my ARC!
September 1, 2026
Wow.
Wow wow wow. This book… Okay, I don’t even know where to start. But we’ll start with this: I’m a big fan of Steven Eriksen’s Malazan series. Where some people find it “too long” or “too complicated”, I find it immensely rewarding and refreshing. The author, Joseph John Lee… he created a true masterpiece with “The Ashen Viper”. From literally the first page, I kept thinking “this guy knows how to write beautiful prose.” And throughout the rest of the book, that thought never went away. Furthermore, I kept thinking that if any story got as close to the quality of Eriksen’s Malazan series, it’s this one.
I loved this book. This is one I will remember for a long, long time.
Thank you for the ARC!
Wow wow wow. This book… Okay, I don’t even know where to start. But we’ll start with this: I’m a big fan of Steven Eriksen’s Malazan series. Where some people find it “too long” or “too complicated”, I find it immensely rewarding and refreshing. The author, Joseph John Lee… he created a true masterpiece with “The Ashen Viper”. From literally the first page, I kept thinking “this guy knows how to write beautiful prose.” And throughout the rest of the book, that thought never went away. Furthermore, I kept thinking that if any story got as close to the quality of Eriksen’s Malazan series, it’s this one.
I loved this book. This is one I will remember for a long, long time.
Thank you for the ARC!
Currently Reading
October 9, 2026"I envy not the man enamored with days of peace. I can only pity him, for the object of his affections is false"
What a start!
I'll see if I can make a running commentary review. Starts today 9th October.
Loving the vibe of the Roban band. And we get the barest of hints of the magic [insert wiggly fingers and someone saying magic in the background.].
Stay tuned for more.
October 10th
Lord Gwynne makes an appearance 🤣
I absolutely love the Historical footnotes. The history lover in me is giddy whenever there is one. It gives so much more depth to the story and the worldbuilding.
I love me a good mysterious intro for Rodryc. Scythe wielder that akins himself to the Ferryman to the beyond. Toiling the fields? Always give me a jaded character. That's rediscovered a little joy for life.
Hmmmm so interesting to see the hints of gis skills being laid out like this.
“Justice cannot be blind for those who still have eyes.”
Sonnbellan Republican rallying cry during the Month of Rivers Red
Don't I love some subtle commentary!?
Joe clearly flexing his History degrees.
Sonnbell seems to be heavily influenced by a certain Republic of our current world [albeit its version in the past.] This delights me to no end.
Alain is a lucky bastard... until further notice... because of course that man is cursed to suffer the worst bout of bad luck in the coming pages. No doubts.
Absolutely loving the subtlety of the commentary and the foreshadowing.
Alyster is more than he seems to be. Wonder what that is.
Hah! Cuthbert is a bastard. I know exactly the type. We've got plenty of this type on the loose nowadays.
False flag attack incoming.
Hahaha! Chin, meet fist.
Huge appreciation to the worldbuilding paired with the advancement of the story. Roban's bunch shine in what little pages they've got so far. Great characterization in such a short space.
Some casual Historical inspirations for the royals... some of the least discussed issues about the subject.
Love the commentary about warmongering, the dangers of escalating weaponry and the fact that grief will never be a good companion. Much less when you have ultimate power at your disposal.
What a start!
I'll see if I can make a running commentary review. Starts today 9th October.
Loving the vibe of the Roban band. And we get the barest of hints of the magic [insert wiggly fingers and someone saying magic in the background.].
Stay tuned for more.
October 10th
Lord Gwynne makes an appearance 🤣
I absolutely love the Historical footnotes. The history lover in me is giddy whenever there is one. It gives so much more depth to the story and the worldbuilding.
I love me a good mysterious intro for Rodryc. Scythe wielder that akins himself to the Ferryman to the beyond. Toiling the fields? Always give me a jaded character. That's rediscovered a little joy for life.
Hmmmm so interesting to see the hints of gis skills being laid out like this.
“Justice cannot be blind for those who still have eyes.”
Sonnbellan Republican rallying cry during the Month of Rivers Red
Don't I love some subtle commentary!?
Joe clearly flexing his History degrees.
Sonnbell seems to be heavily influenced by a certain Republic of our current world [albeit its version in the past.] This delights me to no end.
Alain is a lucky bastard... until further notice... because of course that man is cursed to suffer the worst bout of bad luck in the coming pages. No doubts.
Absolutely loving the subtlety of the commentary and the foreshadowing.
Alyster is more than he seems to be. Wonder what that is.
Hah! Cuthbert is a bastard. I know exactly the type. We've got plenty of this type on the loose nowadays.
False flag attack incoming.
Hahaha! Chin, meet fist.
Huge appreciation to the worldbuilding paired with the advancement of the story. Roban's bunch shine in what little pages they've got so far. Great characterization in such a short space.
Some casual Historical inspirations for the royals... some of the least discussed issues about the subject.
Love the commentary about warmongering, the dangers of escalating weaponry and the fact that grief will never be a good companion. Much less when you have ultimate power at your disposal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
There’s something wonderfully audacious about The Ashen Viper. It’s a book that reaches for the stars, and even when it occasionally reaches a little too far, I found myself admiring it for having the courage to try.
Joseph Lee has clearly poured a great deal of thought into the world he’s created. There’s history beneath the story, a sense of places and events extending far beyond what we’re immediately shown, and enough unanswered questions to make the world feel like something worth exploring rather than simply a backdrop for the plot.
In terms of ambition, there were moments when it reminded me of The Stormlight Archive. Not because the two books are necessarily alike in style, but because they share that willingness to ask the reader to invest in a world with its own history, conflicts and mythology. I enjoy fantasy that trusts its readers to become immersed rather than explaining everything at once, and The Ashen Viper often gave me that feeling.
I’ll admit, though, that there were times when I wished it would give me a little less. There are sections that could have been trimmed, and moments where the pacing loses some momentum beneath the weight of the detail. A tighter edit might have made the story more immediate and allowed some of its strongest moments to land with even greater force.
But I found it difficult to be too frustrated by that. The same excess is also part of what makes the book compelling. Lee clearly has a tremendous amount he wants to explore, and I’d rather read a fantasy novel that occasionally overwhelms me with its imagination than one that leaves me wishing there were more to discover.
That, ultimately, is what I enjoyed most: getting lost in it.
There are moments in epic fantasy when you stop thinking about the pages in front of you and simply disappear into the world. The Ashen Viper gave me that feeling more than once, particularly when I found myself wondering about the places beyond the story and the histories still waiting to be uncovered. Those moments reminded me why I read fantasy in the first place.
Its pacing could be sharper, and there are certainly places where less might have been more. But those are small reservations beside what I ultimately took from the book: a genuine sense of discovery, an imaginative world, and the feeling of an author willing to take risks with the story he wants to tell.
And by the time I reached the final page, I found myself less concerned with what I would have cut than with what might come next. There was a slight melancholy in leaving the world behind, which is perhaps the best indication that, for all its imperfections, The Ashen Viper had managed to draw me in.
It feels less like a conclusion than the opening of a door. And I very much want to see what lies on the other side.
Joseph Lee has clearly poured a great deal of thought into the world he’s created. There’s history beneath the story, a sense of places and events extending far beyond what we’re immediately shown, and enough unanswered questions to make the world feel like something worth exploring rather than simply a backdrop for the plot.
In terms of ambition, there were moments when it reminded me of The Stormlight Archive. Not because the two books are necessarily alike in style, but because they share that willingness to ask the reader to invest in a world with its own history, conflicts and mythology. I enjoy fantasy that trusts its readers to become immersed rather than explaining everything at once, and The Ashen Viper often gave me that feeling.
I’ll admit, though, that there were times when I wished it would give me a little less. There are sections that could have been trimmed, and moments where the pacing loses some momentum beneath the weight of the detail. A tighter edit might have made the story more immediate and allowed some of its strongest moments to land with even greater force.
But I found it difficult to be too frustrated by that. The same excess is also part of what makes the book compelling. Lee clearly has a tremendous amount he wants to explore, and I’d rather read a fantasy novel that occasionally overwhelms me with its imagination than one that leaves me wishing there were more to discover.
That, ultimately, is what I enjoyed most: getting lost in it.
There are moments in epic fantasy when you stop thinking about the pages in front of you and simply disappear into the world. The Ashen Viper gave me that feeling more than once, particularly when I found myself wondering about the places beyond the story and the histories still waiting to be uncovered. Those moments reminded me why I read fantasy in the first place.
Its pacing could be sharper, and there are certainly places where less might have been more. But those are small reservations beside what I ultimately took from the book: a genuine sense of discovery, an imaginative world, and the feeling of an author willing to take risks with the story he wants to tell.
And by the time I reached the final page, I found myself less concerned with what I would have cut than with what might come next. There was a slight melancholy in leaving the world behind, which is perhaps the best indication that, for all its imperfections, The Ashen Viper had managed to draw me in.
It feels less like a conclusion than the opening of a door. And I very much want to see what lies on the other side.
Did Not Finish
September 12, 2026I went into this book really wanting to like it. I had an arc from the author. I was so excited to read this. Unfortunately though, i just couldn’t get into it. I think this is partially due to the writing style. It is rather archaic and formal, which does add an apic quality to it, but also makes it feel rather distant. It’s not hard to read at all, in fact the pages fly by, but i never felt like i was in the action with the characters. A big-scale plot that i should find fun and interesting, just ended up boring me. Part of me wanted to push through and see if the connection still came, but i feel like after 200 pages i should feel at least something. In reality though, i was simply reading words on a page. So i made the decision not to continue, which makes me rather sad. I didn’t dislike this book and a lot of people seem to love it, so if it sounds interesting i wouldn’t steer you away from it, but for me, I just can’t find the motivation to read another 700+ pages. The author also has a series of cosy fantasy books, which i still want to try as i think they might have slightly different writing style that could work better for me, but i don’t think that Joseph John Lee is the epic fantasy author for me.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What an amazing read!
The prose alone makes this book worth your time. It feels so fresh and different and it draws you in.
It takes some time to develop, but this story is epic and well crafted. With over a thousand pages the author has time to develop the world, the characters and the plot.
The world feels vast and well lived in, with a rich backstory. The little footnotes only add to that. The characters are equally well done and focus around a good crew.
I don't want to say too much, as I think you should go in knowing as little as possible and watch everything develop. This is just the opening act to a great story.
I recived an ARC of the book by the author.
The prose alone makes this book worth your time. It feels so fresh and different and it draws you in.
It takes some time to develop, but this story is epic and well crafted. With over a thousand pages the author has time to develop the world, the characters and the plot.
The world feels vast and well lived in, with a rich backstory. The little footnotes only add to that. The characters are equally well done and focus around a good crew.
I don't want to say too much, as I think you should go in knowing as little as possible and watch everything develop. This is just the opening act to a great story.
I recived an ARC of the book by the author.
June 20, 2026
The Ashen Viper is what you get when you combine an insane amount of worldbuilding, an ambitious multi-book generational-type saga, and a multitude of characters built upon untold gobs of backstory with the mad wizardry (see lunacy) of a tenacious author. And Joseph John Lee is as insane as I’m about to make him sound for giving us this grandiose chonk, but in the best possible way.
There’s no denying that this book is a beast—1160+ pages on my e-reader to be exact—but this story does not waste a single page building and building and building until this first book of an 8-part saga comes to an end. This book, and series as a whole, is told via a historian finding some lost papers (The Forahm Papers), so the narration, while in 3rd Person close perspective, has a scholarly feel to it. There is also a Stormlight Archive structure to how this book is presented, in that there are parts separated by interludes, wherein each part has a set of POVs (some interchanging and disappearing between parts) and the interludes have a completely different set of side POVs. Then throw in some epithets and historical footnotes, plus some past timelines, and you have a book that is just downright ambitious in its scope.
But what is it about you ask? I shall tell you! Essentially this story boils down to an event known as The Great Betrayal, where some opposing kingdoms conspired and bad things happened. This book is the start of this Great Betrayal, and it is all predicated on a legendary character known as the Ashen Viper. What unfolds in this tome is how various characters from different lands with different powers all collide with the Ashen Viper. We also get past timelines detailing how the Ashen Viper became this legend over the course of centuries (yes, there are long-lifed people in this book) and how this person’s actions affected multiple kingdoms.
So the characters, there are MANNNNNNNY. We have: a traitor’s son, a deputy minister in love, a quiet farmer, a snarky heiress, a renowned warrior, a magical outcast, plus an assassin, a survivor, a different magical person, a kid, and more prominent side characters you can shake a stick at. What is impressive is that each of these characters you get POVs from, as well as those side characters you don’t, all have deep backstories. None are cardboard cutouts and each have their own motivations and quirks. It’s impressive, really.
But I will say in regards to the characters and the overall ambition of this book, it puts a lot of trust on the reader’s shoulders. Lee does not skimp on things, the build is slow, especially in the early chapters. It takes awhile for some arcs to truly get going and you, as the reader, need to be prepared for it. I promise, it all pays off, but only if you give it time. For me, it took a long time to warm up to a couple of character arcs just because I didn’t see where they were going, but once they came into focus, they became very much a fave.
I do want to specifically point out the Ashen Viper character (who I won’t name for plot reasons) as a really compelling character arc. I wasn’t fully sold on the dual timeline arc when it first showed up because it felt out of place to me in the overall concise structure of the book, but as I slowly (see stupidly) realized what Lee was doing, I became fully invested. The full breadth of where the Ashen Viper starts, what his character actually is, and what he ends up doing through the ages to get where we meet him as [redacted] is just amazing to follow, and I commend Lee for taking this approach. Bravo, sir, bravo.
One of the coolest part of this book is its magic systems. Yes, systems. We only scratch the surface of what Lee has created in this book so I won’t spoil the secrets that I got him to tell me at knifepoint behind the scenes (I jest…), but each system has its own cool attributes and consequences. We have ‘natura’ which is essentially elemental magic but also takes a part of your physical strength as tithe. We have ‘anima’ and ‘arcana’, plus a couple others you’ll have to RAFO to learn about. Each of these systems has its rules and what I personally love more than anything is when there are consequences to its use, as witnessed by one specific character…I’ll leave that to you to find out about. There might also be magical swords, but no comment here… But what’s also really amazing is that what we get in this book, it’s only the beginning. It is not until 1000 pages in do we learn how deep these systems truly go and what it means for the rest of the saga. And there is also some burgeoning technology introduced, like firearms.
I really do also want to point out Lee’s storytelling and style in this book. It is not simplistic in its prose, nor is it flowery, but there is a style here and it lasts throughout the entire book. That is not an easy thing, especially since this book is as long as it is. But you truly do feel incredibly grounded and a part of this massive world, no matter where in it you are, and that comes down to how Lee builds his scenery. So when cities get leveled by magical battles (of which there are plenty), you feel the grit and grime, the fires and terror. Again, a testament to an author hitting his stride.
At the end of the day, The Ashen Viper is simply astounding. Yes, it is long. Yes, it asks a lot of the reader, begging for patience. In a lesser storyteller’s hands, it easily could have been too much. But not Lee’s. I’m wholly impressed by this book, and with how it ends and where the rest of this saga goes, because if this ending (which is usually a trilogy’s worth of comeuppance) is only the beginning, I cannot wait to see where Lee takes us.
The Ashen Viper will release in Fall/Winter 2026, but be on the lookout for a special edition Kickstarter to launch in the next month or so!
*I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review
There’s no denying that this book is a beast—1160+ pages on my e-reader to be exact—but this story does not waste a single page building and building and building until this first book of an 8-part saga comes to an end. This book, and series as a whole, is told via a historian finding some lost papers (The Forahm Papers), so the narration, while in 3rd Person close perspective, has a scholarly feel to it. There is also a Stormlight Archive structure to how this book is presented, in that there are parts separated by interludes, wherein each part has a set of POVs (some interchanging and disappearing between parts) and the interludes have a completely different set of side POVs. Then throw in some epithets and historical footnotes, plus some past timelines, and you have a book that is just downright ambitious in its scope.
But what is it about you ask? I shall tell you! Essentially this story boils down to an event known as The Great Betrayal, where some opposing kingdoms conspired and bad things happened. This book is the start of this Great Betrayal, and it is all predicated on a legendary character known as the Ashen Viper. What unfolds in this tome is how various characters from different lands with different powers all collide with the Ashen Viper. We also get past timelines detailing how the Ashen Viper became this legend over the course of centuries (yes, there are long-lifed people in this book) and how this person’s actions affected multiple kingdoms.
So the characters, there are MANNNNNNNY. We have: a traitor’s son, a deputy minister in love, a quiet farmer, a snarky heiress, a renowned warrior, a magical outcast, plus an assassin, a survivor, a different magical person, a kid, and more prominent side characters you can shake a stick at. What is impressive is that each of these characters you get POVs from, as well as those side characters you don’t, all have deep backstories. None are cardboard cutouts and each have their own motivations and quirks. It’s impressive, really.
But I will say in regards to the characters and the overall ambition of this book, it puts a lot of trust on the reader’s shoulders. Lee does not skimp on things, the build is slow, especially in the early chapters. It takes awhile for some arcs to truly get going and you, as the reader, need to be prepared for it. I promise, it all pays off, but only if you give it time. For me, it took a long time to warm up to a couple of character arcs just because I didn’t see where they were going, but once they came into focus, they became very much a fave.
I do want to specifically point out the Ashen Viper character (who I won’t name for plot reasons) as a really compelling character arc. I wasn’t fully sold on the dual timeline arc when it first showed up because it felt out of place to me in the overall concise structure of the book, but as I slowly (see stupidly) realized what Lee was doing, I became fully invested. The full breadth of where the Ashen Viper starts, what his character actually is, and what he ends up doing through the ages to get where we meet him as [redacted] is just amazing to follow, and I commend Lee for taking this approach. Bravo, sir, bravo.
One of the coolest part of this book is its magic systems. Yes, systems. We only scratch the surface of what Lee has created in this book so I won’t spoil the secrets that I got him to tell me at knifepoint behind the scenes (I jest…), but each system has its own cool attributes and consequences. We have ‘natura’ which is essentially elemental magic but also takes a part of your physical strength as tithe. We have ‘anima’ and ‘arcana’, plus a couple others you’ll have to RAFO to learn about. Each of these systems has its rules and what I personally love more than anything is when there are consequences to its use, as witnessed by one specific character…I’ll leave that to you to find out about. There might also be magical swords, but no comment here… But what’s also really amazing is that what we get in this book, it’s only the beginning. It is not until 1000 pages in do we learn how deep these systems truly go and what it means for the rest of the saga. And there is also some burgeoning technology introduced, like firearms.
I really do also want to point out Lee’s storytelling and style in this book. It is not simplistic in its prose, nor is it flowery, but there is a style here and it lasts throughout the entire book. That is not an easy thing, especially since this book is as long as it is. But you truly do feel incredibly grounded and a part of this massive world, no matter where in it you are, and that comes down to how Lee builds his scenery. So when cities get leveled by magical battles (of which there are plenty), you feel the grit and grime, the fires and terror. Again, a testament to an author hitting his stride.
At the end of the day, The Ashen Viper is simply astounding. Yes, it is long. Yes, it asks a lot of the reader, begging for patience. In a lesser storyteller’s hands, it easily could have been too much. But not Lee’s. I’m wholly impressed by this book, and with how it ends and where the rest of this saga goes, because if this ending (which is usually a trilogy’s worth of comeuppance) is only the beginning, I cannot wait to see where Lee takes us.
The Ashen Viper will release in Fall/Winter 2026, but be on the lookout for a special edition Kickstarter to launch in the next month or so!
*I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
In great and big beginning to a grand series planned to be a 8 part saga, you have The Ashen Viper.
If you are a fan of series like the Stormlight Archive and it's massive world. Then this will be right up your alley with it's massive and impressive world. Joe have truly crafted a ambitious world with a large numbers of main pov's, and side pov's. In the same split as you find in the Stormlight Archive with, interludes, parts and backflash from one of the characters.
With how ambisious the world is, I was expecting that I won't connect to all the characters from the start to the end. Even if almost all of them was great, there was a few one's that needed some time and patience, but after some time Lee really showed that the patience was rewarding and worth it. And I can't wait to see them in the next installment in this series.
Ashen Viper is splited into 4 parts, and with how chunky this book is. I actually thought I was gonna use those parts to switch up between some other books, but I was pleasantly surprised with how smooth the story telling are and how easy it was to get dragged into the world, that it wasn't any problems to stay in it without breaks.
This is a great and amazing world, with so much to explore from places that makes you question your sanity, to a amazing journey through the world and it's wonders. And even with amazing magic systems (yes In plural) you will be in for a epic ride. There is also a novella before this one, Shrouded Steel, that I would recommend reading first to give you much more enjoyment and dept to the lore of the story.
Truly don't miss out on this if you love grand and epic fantasy. I had a fantastic time in it, and can't wait to see what happens next.
In great and big beginning to a grand series planned to be a 8 part saga, you have The Ashen Viper.
If you are a fan of series like the Stormlight Archive and it's massive world. Then this will be right up your alley with it's massive and impressive world. Joe have truly crafted a ambitious world with a large numbers of main pov's, and side pov's. In the same split as you find in the Stormlight Archive with, interludes, parts and backflash from one of the characters.
With how ambisious the world is, I was expecting that I won't connect to all the characters from the start to the end. Even if almost all of them was great, there was a few one's that needed some time and patience, but after some time Lee really showed that the patience was rewarding and worth it. And I can't wait to see them in the next installment in this series.
Ashen Viper is splited into 4 parts, and with how chunky this book is. I actually thought I was gonna use those parts to switch up between some other books, but I was pleasantly surprised with how smooth the story telling are and how easy it was to get dragged into the world, that it wasn't any problems to stay in it without breaks.
This is a great and amazing world, with so much to explore from places that makes you question your sanity, to a amazing journey through the world and it's wonders. And even with amazing magic systems (yes In plural) you will be in for a epic ride. There is also a novella before this one, Shrouded Steel, that I would recommend reading first to give you much more enjoyment and dept to the lore of the story.
Truly don't miss out on this if you love grand and epic fantasy. I had a fantastic time in it, and can't wait to see what happens next.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was absolutely floored by this. Wow!
Incredible world building and scope and a pace that doesn't leave a single word wasted
I'll be thinking about this one for a while. Epic in every sense of the word
Incredible world building and scope and a pace that doesn't leave a single word wasted
I'll be thinking about this one for a while. Epic in every sense of the word
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
More to come. Large, vast, expansive with great world building and pacing. A few of the characters got lost in the weeds for me, but otherwise the storytelling was sharp and enjoyable especially for how chonky of a book this is.
Want to Read
July 29, 2026I want this book. Love the cover art!
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