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Brimstone Angels #5
Ashes of the Tyrant
Farideh finds herself in the midst of a fast-paced murder mystery rife with political intrigue In the wake of the war brought on by the Sundering, Farideh’s adopted father Mehen has been called back by the clan that cast him out—and twins Farideh and Havilar mean to go with him. Just as Mehen confronts the head of his former clan, a clutch of young dragonborn is found in the catacombs. Not only have they been brutally murdered, their bodies lay near an infernal summoning circle—one that looks all-too-familiar to Farideh. Charged by Mehen's aunt to solve the mystery, Farideh, Havilar, and Mehen set out to find whoever—or whatever—is behind the murders. Meanwhile, on the other side of Toril, tensions escalate between Dahl and his newly-rescued family when the agents of a criminal organization show up at their home. Ashes of the Tyrant is the fifth book in the Brimstone Angels series.
636 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 20, 2015
39 people are currently reading
644 people want to read
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November 16, 2016
9/10
Ashes of the Tyrant is another great book from Erin M. Evans as she’s managed to make again a very good and enjoyable story with lots of action, mystery and suspense; while also bringing a more classic D&D feel than the previous two books in the series and making it even more entertaining.
The story picks up a few days after Fire in the Blood left off with Farideh, Havilar and Mehen reaching the dragonborn city, Djerad Thrymar. However, when they get there they will discover that someone, something has set a killing path, murdering those that are closer to power; but as they will try to solve this mystery Mehen will have to face his own past with the dragonborn clans and their politics, and, with the gods playing their plots and schemes, things will become even harder for them.
Meanwhile, for Dahl things are much different as since he got to Harrowdale he had to get his family somewhere safer and keep them there as long as he can. Only that will not last as long as he hoped because someone close to him has kept a secret hidden for a long time, and when a mercenary group shows up they will have to take an adventure to the depths of the Underdark; but what they will discover there is something that, really, no one expected at all.
Evans’s writing keeps getting better and better with each book, and in this one she brings such a strong and powerful dynamic through the characters that made me love them even more than the last two books. Of course, the story reminded a bit of Lesser Evils, especially with Dahl’s part, but as the events of the Sundering continue she manages to make again it very good and entertaining; while also leaving something in the end for the last book in the series that, I think, will bring us to a really special finale.
Definitely a very good book and an even greater continuation to this series, so if you liked the rest don’t miss this one.
Ashes of the Tyrant is another great book from Erin M. Evans as she’s managed to make again a very good and enjoyable story with lots of action, mystery and suspense; while also bringing a more classic D&D feel than the previous two books in the series and making it even more entertaining.
The story picks up a few days after Fire in the Blood left off with Farideh, Havilar and Mehen reaching the dragonborn city, Djerad Thrymar. However, when they get there they will discover that someone, something has set a killing path, murdering those that are closer to power; but as they will try to solve this mystery Mehen will have to face his own past with the dragonborn clans and their politics, and, with the gods playing their plots and schemes, things will become even harder for them.
Meanwhile, for Dahl things are much different as since he got to Harrowdale he had to get his family somewhere safer and keep them there as long as he can. Only that will not last as long as he hoped because someone close to him has kept a secret hidden for a long time, and when a mercenary group shows up they will have to take an adventure to the depths of the Underdark; but what they will discover there is something that, really, no one expected at all.
Evans’s writing keeps getting better and better with each book, and in this one she brings such a strong and powerful dynamic through the characters that made me love them even more than the last two books. Of course, the story reminded a bit of Lesser Evils, especially with Dahl’s part, but as the events of the Sundering continue she manages to make again it very good and entertaining; while also leaving something in the end for the last book in the series that, I think, will bring us to a really special finale.
Definitely a very good book and an even greater continuation to this series, so if you liked the rest don’t miss this one.
February 22, 2016
The good news? This book was an enjoyable, fast-paced read. And Erin Evans (and Farideh) deserve to be at least as popular as RA Salvatore and Drizzy!
The bad news? Now I have to wait for the next novel in the series!
The bad news? Now I have to wait for the next novel in the series!
January 16, 2016
I would consider this a good addition to the world of the Forgotten Realms, but not a great one. In terms of length, this title is longer than most of those being penned by R.A. Salvatore, Ed Greenwood, and other authors in this universe (my opinion is not definitive here; I have read almost all of Salvatore's books but only a sampling by other F.R. authors). However, for good or ill, a lot of those pages are filled with little action and a lot of waffling. I don't recall any other author having five characters trying to sort out their love life concurrently. My biggest reason for not labeling this book "great" is that at the end of the book I had less idea what was going on and where the characters will go from here than I did at the beginning. Potential spoiler (this may not a spoiler, because I haven't a clue how this works or if it's even important): Also, what's the difference between a god and a demon prince/princess?
Personally, I think this may be my last foray into the world of Erin Evans. I would love to see this story arc resolved, because I've invested quite a few hours into reading the last three books in this series, but the demonology element was too pervasive for me in this installment.
Note: I received an electronic galley proof of this title from the publisher for review purposes.
Personally, I think this may be my last foray into the world of Erin Evans. I would love to see this story arc resolved, because I've invested quite a few hours into reading the last three books in this series, but the demonology element was too pervasive for me in this installment.
Note: I received an electronic galley proof of this title from the publisher for review purposes.
January 6, 2016
The tales of the twins continues in this latest installment. If you haven’t read previous novels in this series, I would suggest at least starting at Adversary, the Sundering novel featuring these characters. This will introduce you to their current incarnations.
What I loved about this novel was the introduction to the dragonborn society. From a role playing standpoint, the introduction of tieflings (Faridah and Havilar’s race) and dragonborn (Mehen’s race) were huge starting with 4th edition. This lead to many people playing those races and for the poor bastard running the game (me), figuring out how to handle their cultures.
As I see it, this fleshing out of their community structure and culture, it is doing for the dragonborn what the R.A. Salvatore novels did for the drow. Bringing them into an actual culture, as opposed to just flavor from the game properties.
The action (especially on the part of the twins) was lessened in this story, but the world-building and interplay with the dragonborn more than makes up for any deficit in adrenaline. Though, honestly, I didn’t see much of a dip.
Overall, I give this novel…
4.5 Stars
What I loved about this novel was the introduction to the dragonborn society. From a role playing standpoint, the introduction of tieflings (Faridah and Havilar’s race) and dragonborn (Mehen’s race) were huge starting with 4th edition. This lead to many people playing those races and for the poor bastard running the game (me), figuring out how to handle their cultures.
As I see it, this fleshing out of their community structure and culture, it is doing for the dragonborn what the R.A. Salvatore novels did for the drow. Bringing them into an actual culture, as opposed to just flavor from the game properties.
The action (especially on the part of the twins) was lessened in this story, but the world-building and interplay with the dragonborn more than makes up for any deficit in adrenaline. Though, honestly, I didn’t see much of a dip.
Overall, I give this novel…
4.5 Stars
January 17, 2016
One of the best...
Erin Evans is a relatively new author to the forgotten realms, and may an be a relatively new author in general. However, what is clear is that she is getting astonishingly better as an author with each book, and this ones her best yet. This series is one of the best in the Forgotten Realms library, and even stands on it's own in fantasy. This book, however, is one of the best Forgotten Realms books ever written, and the series itself would be interesting to anyone. I was disappointed that the publisher, Wizards of the Coast, only published books by three authors this year. All took place in the Forgotten Realms World, and one of the authors was Ed Greenwood, the man who invented this world and has been writing in it for decades. Yet in this novel, Erin Evans wrote about it, and told a better story, then he did.
Erin Evans is a relatively new author to the forgotten realms, and may an be a relatively new author in general. However, what is clear is that she is getting astonishingly better as an author with each book, and this ones her best yet. This series is one of the best in the Forgotten Realms library, and even stands on it's own in fantasy. This book, however, is one of the best Forgotten Realms books ever written, and the series itself would be interesting to anyone. I was disappointed that the publisher, Wizards of the Coast, only published books by three authors this year. All took place in the Forgotten Realms World, and one of the authors was Ed Greenwood, the man who invented this world and has been writing in it for decades. Yet in this novel, Erin Evans wrote about it, and told a better story, then he did.
June 1, 2016
I actually was supposed to get this book in January, not May. I had the signed pre-order on my Christmas list (it was released 29 December 2016) and my dad promised he would get it for me. Then a week went by and Christmas was over, the release was tomorrow and he still hadn’t gotten it. I reminded him. He said he would do it that night. He didn’t. I reminded him again, several times all to know avail. I gave up and hoped one day soon I could have enough income to justify getting such a recent (and hardcover book). Fast forward to early April. My dad doesn’t show up to my birthday dinner with a present, just the promise of a present. The promise of Ashes of the Tyrant and assurances he had ordered it all of two hours ago. I didn’t actually believe him. Then one day in May he hands a package that was addressed to him and said “Here you go, you should know who this is.” I looked at it. The return address was just “Evans” and some address from a smallish town in Washington I had only ever heard of once or twice.
I realized what the package was after I had gotten it open just enough to see pages and a flash of purple. I tore it the rest of the way out of its package and frantically searched for the page that would contain my first Erin M. Evans signature – a year and a half after I first heard of her work at a book signing she was at alongside R. A. Salvatore, oddly enough.
The inscription is addressed to my deadname, since I hadn’t taken Jacky until after the book was ordered (and hadn’t even come out to my dad yet when it arrived), so I’m not going to show it to you all, but it reads as thus:
Dear deadname,
We are all someone before we become ourselves.
Erin M. Evans.
I look at that now and I want to cry. Oh you right you were Evans. How right you were. If I ever get the honor to go to another signing of hers the first thing I would have her do is change the name in this one to Jacky. And then I’ll have to photocopy the thing so I can hang it on my wall.
Anyways, this is supposed to be about Ashes of the Tyrant, not the quite twisty journey of how it got to me. Ashes of the Tyrant is the fifth book of the Brimstone Angels series and lies within the shared world of Forgotten Realms (the world of D&D). If you don’t already read Evan’s books, or any Forgotten Realms books this is a pothac place to start. Brimstone Angels is the first book in this saga, but a better introduction to Forgotten realms might be R. A. Salvatore’s The Crystal Shard (which is the first book of The Icewind Dale Trilogy) or Homeland (book one of The Dark Elf Trilogy, the prequel series to The Icewind Dale trilogy), Ed Greenwood’s Elminster: The Making of a Mage, Elaine Cunningham’s Evermeet: Island of the Elves or book one of the mixed author series The Harpers: The Parched Sea by Troy Denning. There are a lot of options. Forgotten Realms has about 184 books in it now so you’d be hard-pressed to run out of books to read. They’re all very squarely in the Swords & Sorcery genre, so if that’s not something you enjoy, don’t bother. (But seriously most of them are great, I own 30 some Forgotten Realms Novels and one anthology and I’ve read more of them. I had to get a separate (and depressingly empty) bookshelf for them a while back.)
Ashes of the Tyrant begins very soon after the previous volume Fire in the Blood ends, as twin tieflings Farideh and Havilar, their adoptive father a dragonborn (Vayemniri) known as Clanless Mehen and Havilar’s once brightbird, Brin arive in Djerad Thymar, the Vayemniri city where Mehen grew up. Just before their arrival a group of hatching Vayemniri from multiple clans had attempted to open a portal back to Abeir – the realm the Vayemniri had once come from. The portal didn’t work as planned, but something did make it through and slaughtered the hatchlings. Anala – Mehen’s Aunt and the matriarch of his once-clan Verthisathurgiesh who had called Mehen back – hires Mehen and the girls to solve the crime and find the murderer. You read that right, this is a sword and sorcery murder mystery. Or at least the main plotline is.
On the other side of Toril Dahl successfully got his family out of the way of the Shades, for now. Dealings between Dahl and his family are rough, as they believe less and less in his being a secretary in Waterdeep like he had told them before and as they try to find more about his brightbird – Farideh – who he cannot talk to because of a deal he made with the half-devil Lorcan. Things between Dahl and his family only get worse when Mira shows up looking for a once Zhentarim agent by the name of Sessaca Peredur, Dahl’s grandmother. More Zhentarim agents show up and take hostage Dahl, his two brothers and Sessaca, and take the group along as they go search for the lost Master’s Library (which only Sessaca knew how to get in) and something beyond the library.
Meanwhile the Brimstone Angel, Bryseis Kakistos, uses Sairché to pursue her plans to secure another vessel and to bring down Asmodeus, Lord of the Hells and the god of sin.
I absolutely adored this book. Getting to see Djerad Thymar, to get to see where Mehen grew up, to meet Arjhani, his ex-lover, that we’ve heard so much and so little about. For those of you Mehen x Kallan fans, don’t despair because Kallan returns in this book as well as ex-war wizard of Cormyr Istlan (who I’m sure you all will be much less excited about). We also get to see more of Durmzi and get to meet Udajit and find out the real story of why Mehen was made clanless and left Djerad Thymar all those years ago, and what happened between him and Arjhani in Arush Vayem all those years later. This is a big book for Mehen. I enjoyed getting to know Mehen and the world he came from greatly.
I liked the end of the book much less. It managed to somehow tie up most of the loose ends while creating a whole bunch more. I cannot wait until the next book comes out, which at the very least will not happen this year. A recent blog post of Evan’s makes me fear it may never happen at all, which would make me incredibly sad. As a writer I understand that sometimes life has to come first, but it doesn’t mean my reader’s heart won’t break if I never know what happens between Farideh and Dahl and Lorcan or between Mehen and Kallan or what gets Havi out of her latest predicament.
You can find out more about Erin M. Evans and her books at her website www.slushlush.com If you want to know about Vayemniri Draconic specifically she posts about it here ( http://slushlush.com/2013/04/a-dracon... ) and here (http://slushlush.com/2015/10/lonely-p... )
Five out of five reluctant Choosen of the Gods.
I realized what the package was after I had gotten it open just enough to see pages and a flash of purple. I tore it the rest of the way out of its package and frantically searched for the page that would contain my first Erin M. Evans signature – a year and a half after I first heard of her work at a book signing she was at alongside R. A. Salvatore, oddly enough.
The inscription is addressed to my deadname, since I hadn’t taken Jacky until after the book was ordered (and hadn’t even come out to my dad yet when it arrived), so I’m not going to show it to you all, but it reads as thus:
Dear deadname,
We are all someone before we become ourselves.
Erin M. Evans.
I look at that now and I want to cry. Oh you right you were Evans. How right you were. If I ever get the honor to go to another signing of hers the first thing I would have her do is change the name in this one to Jacky. And then I’ll have to photocopy the thing so I can hang it on my wall.
Anyways, this is supposed to be about Ashes of the Tyrant, not the quite twisty journey of how it got to me. Ashes of the Tyrant is the fifth book of the Brimstone Angels series and lies within the shared world of Forgotten Realms (the world of D&D). If you don’t already read Evan’s books, or any Forgotten Realms books this is a pothac place to start. Brimstone Angels is the first book in this saga, but a better introduction to Forgotten realms might be R. A. Salvatore’s The Crystal Shard (which is the first book of The Icewind Dale Trilogy) or Homeland (book one of The Dark Elf Trilogy, the prequel series to The Icewind Dale trilogy), Ed Greenwood’s Elminster: The Making of a Mage, Elaine Cunningham’s Evermeet: Island of the Elves or book one of the mixed author series The Harpers: The Parched Sea by Troy Denning. There are a lot of options. Forgotten Realms has about 184 books in it now so you’d be hard-pressed to run out of books to read. They’re all very squarely in the Swords & Sorcery genre, so if that’s not something you enjoy, don’t bother. (But seriously most of them are great, I own 30 some Forgotten Realms Novels and one anthology and I’ve read more of them. I had to get a separate (and depressingly empty) bookshelf for them a while back.)
Ashes of the Tyrant begins very soon after the previous volume Fire in the Blood ends, as twin tieflings Farideh and Havilar, their adoptive father a dragonborn (Vayemniri) known as Clanless Mehen and Havilar’s once brightbird, Brin arive in Djerad Thymar, the Vayemniri city where Mehen grew up. Just before their arrival a group of hatching Vayemniri from multiple clans had attempted to open a portal back to Abeir – the realm the Vayemniri had once come from. The portal didn’t work as planned, but something did make it through and slaughtered the hatchlings. Anala – Mehen’s Aunt and the matriarch of his once-clan Verthisathurgiesh who had called Mehen back – hires Mehen and the girls to solve the crime and find the murderer. You read that right, this is a sword and sorcery murder mystery. Or at least the main plotline is.
On the other side of Toril Dahl successfully got his family out of the way of the Shades, for now. Dealings between Dahl and his family are rough, as they believe less and less in his being a secretary in Waterdeep like he had told them before and as they try to find more about his brightbird – Farideh – who he cannot talk to because of a deal he made with the half-devil Lorcan. Things between Dahl and his family only get worse when Mira shows up looking for a once Zhentarim agent by the name of Sessaca Peredur, Dahl’s grandmother. More Zhentarim agents show up and take hostage Dahl, his two brothers and Sessaca, and take the group along as they go search for the lost Master’s Library (which only Sessaca knew how to get in) and something beyond the library.
Meanwhile the Brimstone Angel, Bryseis Kakistos, uses Sairché to pursue her plans to secure another vessel and to bring down Asmodeus, Lord of the Hells and the god of sin.
I absolutely adored this book. Getting to see Djerad Thymar, to get to see where Mehen grew up, to meet Arjhani, his ex-lover, that we’ve heard so much and so little about. For those of you Mehen x Kallan fans, don’t despair because Kallan returns in this book as well as ex-war wizard of Cormyr Istlan (who I’m sure you all will be much less excited about). We also get to see more of Durmzi and get to meet Udajit and find out the real story of why Mehen was made clanless and left Djerad Thymar all those years ago, and what happened between him and Arjhani in Arush Vayem all those years later. This is a big book for Mehen. I enjoyed getting to know Mehen and the world he came from greatly.
I liked the end of the book much less. It managed to somehow tie up most of the loose ends while creating a whole bunch more. I cannot wait until the next book comes out, which at the very least will not happen this year. A recent blog post of Evan’s makes me fear it may never happen at all, which would make me incredibly sad. As a writer I understand that sometimes life has to come first, but it doesn’t mean my reader’s heart won’t break if I never know what happens between Farideh and Dahl and Lorcan or between Mehen and Kallan or what gets Havi out of her latest predicament.
You can find out more about Erin M. Evans and her books at her website www.slushlush.com If you want to know about Vayemniri Draconic specifically she posts about it here ( http://slushlush.com/2013/04/a-dracon... ) and here (http://slushlush.com/2015/10/lonely-p... )
Five out of five reluctant Choosen of the Gods.
June 17, 2021
I'm a bit behind on reviewing, so I'm not able to write anything very detailed until I re-read it (which I inevitably will). I will say this: I didn't love it as much as I loved Fire in the Blood. Because all the books tie together without a break, moving to an entirely new city and culture so suddenly is somewhat jarring, particularly because I fell so in love with Suzail. Djerad Thymar did eventually grow on me, but it was a slow adjustment. That being said, it's a deeply interesting setting, and I loved learning so much about the Vayemniri and their culture. Plot wise, the book felt a little bit like a filler - an in-between bit to set us up for the finale, but the action, intrigue, and character development were still as excellent as ever.
February 5, 2023
Something didn’t really click for me with this one. I struggled to read it and had to keep going back over sections, especially when there would be a flash back conversation dropped right in the middle of a present day conversation. Also the impossible to pronounce and incredibly long dragon names didn’t make it an easy read. At one point I send my friends a snap shot of what I was reading because it was a solid paragraph of unpronounceable gibberish.
The story was also quite convoluted and took a long time to get going before crashing to an abrupt conclusion designed to sell the next book.
I did like the descriptions of the Dragonborn city, as that’s not something I’ve gone across before.
The story was also quite convoluted and took a long time to get going before crashing to an abrupt conclusion designed to sell the next book.
I did like the descriptions of the Dragonborn city, as that’s not something I’ve gone across before.
April 24, 2019
This book took me a bit longer than the previous one. I felt it had more trouble getting everything on the road. The set-up for the ending was less great than the previous one.
As soon as the story took more shape, and Farideh and her companions started getting an inkling of what they were dealing with, the book took off. Too bad this took almost half the book to get there.
Nonetheless, enjoyable read and really curious about how this will all conclude in the next book. Really feeling the D&D vibe story wise.
As soon as the story took more shape, and Farideh and her companions started getting an inkling of what they were dealing with, the book took off. Too bad this took almost half the book to get there.
Nonetheless, enjoyable read and really curious about how this will all conclude in the next book. Really feeling the D&D vibe story wise.
October 30, 2020
Definitely the worst book in the series. This book put such a bad taste in my mouth it made me glad there's only one book left witch honestly I'm only gonna read because I already baught it. I can't wait to never have to read another book where every character is "clucking there tongue" constantly. This book was convoluted to say the least much like the new star wars trilogy its hard to see how these books connect other than with reoccurring characters and a real thin over arcing plot i barely understand.
July 18, 2022
I generally have low expectations for the writing quality in books written set in the worlds of D&D, but this was a good book that was also very true to its D&D roots. On the one hand, there is a lot going on - multiple settings, many characters (easily 20), plots, subplots, themes, mysteries that make for some cumbersome reading. But it is woven together quite well, treading the path between obvious and out of nowhere. I don't love that much is left unresolved, but tolerable given that it is well done. Readability 5. Rating 6.
September 9, 2019
This series is exceptional, though the author has a weird habit of opening chapters with surreal dream/nightmare scenes that force you to stop and try to figure out if it's supposed to be prophetic, symbolic, character-developing, or something else entirely... and this book turns that up to 11 by having about four or five different perspective characters experiencing this MULTIPLE TIMES.
For this reason alone I docked a star. Still a great story.
For this reason alone I docked a star. Still a great story.
June 11, 2021
Good stuff here. Like the previous book, a tinge of political fantasy, a dash of murder mystery, and the most fantastic evil granny for good measure. These characters feel like old friends now; relationships crystallising believably (looks like Mehen might finally be getting the boyfriend he deserves, despite himself!), and an actually well-integrated plotline moving forward some of the in-world lore that needed to happen for the 4e=>5e shift, via Dumuzi's plotline.
September 19, 2023
I can simply repeat what I wrote about the previous entry, which goes to show that this probably is what defines Evans' writing style:
Again a lot of excellent story-ideas and interesting plot lines, but the constant "does he love me, do I love him" with back and forths gets tiring. If those and some unreadable dialogues with a too much undecipherable allurings would have been cleaned up, this would have been a really great book.
Again a lot of excellent story-ideas and interesting plot lines, but the constant "does he love me, do I love him" with back and forths gets tiring. If those and some unreadable dialogues with a too much undecipherable allurings would have been cleaned up, this would have been a really great book.
September 7, 2021
Despite me not being much of a fan of fantasy, but this book has its twist that left me dying to know more. It being the fifth book in a six books series can be scary, especially if each is about five hundred pages. And though I read this book without the ones before it, I'd definitely recommend to fantasy lovers out there.
January 23, 2018
Great book! Sometimes got a little soap opera-ish. But definitely does a good job of making you want to continue reading, and preparing you for the final finale book of the series. Can't wait to read the final one.
February 3, 2019
The middle became a bit tedious for me, seeming to focus more on setting up scenarios for the next book than confronting the present ones. With that said, it's a solid D&D fantasy novel, and now I'm certainly looking forward to digging into the next one.
Read
February 7, 2018The story of the twins remain a soap opera, now with a vague demon hunter plot. Their story arcs makes good progress, but is never more than mildly interesting.
September 18, 2017
Great book. I like the fact that they are bringing back material from 1st edition D&D like Enlil and Graz'zt.
February 5, 2018
I enjoyed this book, just not as much as the previous entry.
This book has a lot of information about the Dragonborn and that helps flesh out the story.
This book has a lot of information about the Dragonborn and that helps flesh out the story.
December 3, 2021
An improvement on the past volume, which is saying something, ending felt less rushed but more forced. Looking forward to the conclusion
March 18, 2023
6.5/10
May 8, 2023
good. characters getting dense. politics getting complicated
June 26, 2023
A fun read.
March 28, 2016
Having aided Raedra and saved Suzail from conquest, Farideh and her family venture to a land that weighs heavily on her and Havilar's upbringing, despite them never setting foot there: Djerad Thymar, the center of dragonborn culture in Faerun. While the tale begins as a simple answer to a summons, the family quickly becomes swept up in the mysterious murder of a dozen young dragonborn. All the while, Dahl is on the other side of the world, coming to grips with the fact that he might never be able to see Farideh again--the price of saving his family.
I'm of two minds on this book. On one hand, this book does more to establish the culture of Faerunian dragonborn than any other work yet published by Wizards of the Coast. Evans' dragonborn society is rich in tradition, history, and culture, and this book really dives into it. You learn about the high politics of how leaders are chosen in their militaristic society, and how that tightly interfaces with how the daily lives of individuals play out within their complicated family structures. It's a society that feels fresh and unique, distinct from anything I've seen before in the Realms (and probably elsewhere). It's tight and detailed, and is brought alive with small details, expressions, and mannerisms unique to the dragonborn. And yet, it still leaves room for individuals to distinguish themselves from others or, at times, reject the dragonborn society altogether.
On the other hand, in the end, I can't help but feel like not a lot really happened in this book. There is an immediate concern in the novel, and that is ultimately solved. And along the way, there are dozens of small plot points that are introduced, some of which grow in stature such that they loom very large by the novel's end. But ultimately, the book seems largely there to set up the story in the next, which (if I'm understanding correctly) may well be the ultimate book in this series. Some of this problem in direction may stem from the fact that apparently about half of the critical events in this book were dictated by the game designers and their publisher. The story Ms. Evans really set out to tell is what will be in this next book.
I did enjoy the book. But the more I think about it, the more I think that the interventions of the WotC team really did hurt this novel. It doesn't have the tight, satisfying feel of Fire in the Blood, and as a result it's not a strong a book. Nevertheless, that doesn't dampen my enthusiasm for the series or its characters, and I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series.
I'm of two minds on this book. On one hand, this book does more to establish the culture of Faerunian dragonborn than any other work yet published by Wizards of the Coast. Evans' dragonborn society is rich in tradition, history, and culture, and this book really dives into it. You learn about the high politics of how leaders are chosen in their militaristic society, and how that tightly interfaces with how the daily lives of individuals play out within their complicated family structures. It's a society that feels fresh and unique, distinct from anything I've seen before in the Realms (and probably elsewhere). It's tight and detailed, and is brought alive with small details, expressions, and mannerisms unique to the dragonborn. And yet, it still leaves room for individuals to distinguish themselves from others or, at times, reject the dragonborn society altogether.
On the other hand, in the end, I can't help but feel like not a lot really happened in this book. There is an immediate concern in the novel, and that is ultimately solved. And along the way, there are dozens of small plot points that are introduced, some of which grow in stature such that they loom very large by the novel's end. But ultimately, the book seems largely there to set up the story in the next, which (if I'm understanding correctly) may well be the ultimate book in this series. Some of this problem in direction may stem from the fact that apparently about half of the critical events in this book were dictated by the game designers and their publisher. The story Ms. Evans really set out to tell is what will be in this next book.
I did enjoy the book. But the more I think about it, the more I think that the interventions of the WotC team really did hurt this novel. It doesn't have the tight, satisfying feel of Fire in the Blood, and as a result it's not a strong a book. Nevertheless, that doesn't dampen my enthusiasm for the series or its characters, and I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series.
June 22, 2022
Evans has a great way of balancing the overreaching, epic plot of what is going on in the world with the characters' personal lives (such as their relationships). Havilar and Farideh are both young women, and they have the wants and desires of young women, but they are also involved in world struggles, and are the Chosen of Asmodeus, thus having real, serious issues to deal with. They can't constantly focus on who their "brightbird" is. Evans makes us care about all her characters.
The intrigue and detail in this story kept me on my seat. I am a fan of the Realms, and the gods, and this book did a good job of showing the struggles of deities, and how their followers are affected by it. There is a lot going on here, and it is definitely a book I would recommend to those who have at least a decent grasp on FR lore. I have been reading Realms novels for years, and I had to look up some things. This does not detract from the story, though, far from it. This book also gives good insight to dragonborn culture, so those who have been itching for that will find this book refreshing.
I am torn between wanting Farideh to be with Lorcan and wanting her to be with Dahl. Maybe she can have both? Of course, she would have to find away to stop them from killing each other. Lorcan can be a...jerk, but I can't help but love him. I loved him from the beginning. I didn't like Dahl at first, but he has grown on me. I am glad Havi and Brin are back together, though now Havi is...in trouble, shall we say. I am also curious to see what happens with Mehen and Kallan and/or Arjhani. I am glad to see that this book breaks away from traditional relationships. I hope to see more FR books with same-sex couples. I anxiously await the next book.
We find out more about what is (or might be, one never knows) going on with Asmodeus, and the Unther pantheon seems to be returning, which would make sense considering the gods who were thought dead (or were dead) have returned since the Sundering. There is -a lot- going on here, and the book answers some questions but raises more. It ties in with some other story arcs, like the Rage of Demons, that is going on in the Realms, and there is a brief moment where Sairche sees something that those who have read RAS' newest book Archmage may recognize.
If you are an FR fan, I highly recommend this book. It's a must to your collection
The intrigue and detail in this story kept me on my seat. I am a fan of the Realms, and the gods, and this book did a good job of showing the struggles of deities, and how their followers are affected by it. There is a lot going on here, and it is definitely a book I would recommend to those who have at least a decent grasp on FR lore. I have been reading Realms novels for years, and I had to look up some things. This does not detract from the story, though, far from it. This book also gives good insight to dragonborn culture, so those who have been itching for that will find this book refreshing.
I am torn between wanting Farideh to be with Lorcan and wanting her to be with Dahl. Maybe she can have both? Of course, she would have to find away to stop them from killing each other. Lorcan can be a...jerk, but I can't help but love him. I loved him from the beginning. I didn't like Dahl at first, but he has grown on me. I am glad Havi and Brin are back together, though now Havi is...in trouble, shall we say. I am also curious to see what happens with Mehen and Kallan and/or Arjhani. I am glad to see that this book breaks away from traditional relationships. I hope to see more FR books with same-sex couples. I anxiously await the next book.
We find out more about what is (or might be, one never knows) going on with Asmodeus, and the Unther pantheon seems to be returning, which would make sense considering the gods who were thought dead (or were dead) have returned since the Sundering. There is -a lot- going on here, and the book answers some questions but raises more. It ties in with some other story arcs, like the Rage of Demons, that is going on in the Realms, and there is a brief moment where Sairche sees something that those who have read RAS' newest book Archmage may recognize.
If you are an FR fan, I highly recommend this book. It's a must to your collection
December 29, 2015
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review:
First off I want to say that I am a massive fantasy fan and devour the genre and all its subgenres in any way I can. I have been involved with D&D for 24 years and reading the novels for about the same amount of time. Erin Evans continues right where Fire and The Blood left off with Brin, Havi and their family going to Tymanther and Dahl back home after his agreement with Lorcan. The previous book was very heavy on the political intrigue both human and Devil and this one follows a similar pattern. Although the human intrigue is replaced with Dragonborn dealings and the Devil based plots go much deeper than we could have imagined. The inclusion of DR years in this novel helped me to ascertain where on the timeline this book took place and I was pleased to see that it takes place well before the Sundering is over, which makes some subplots presented in the previous book (Azuth) interesting to say the least.
Expanding upon Mehan’s troubled history and how the Dragonborn interact was a great plot tool by Ms. Evans to me as it helped to shine the light from the godling tiefling’s to their dear old dad who is just trying to keep his head above water with all this chosen nonsense. Dahl’s sections of the book were painfully slow but they had a great overall purpose in presenting his family history and explaining just who he is and how much his current occupation may have been predetermined without him even knowing. It also served to unleash what could be a problem for the realms as a whole in the near future, or at least a massive thorn in Asmodeus’s side.
This book’s pacing was on par with previous entries and like all the rest it left us with a massive cliffhanger involving some holy parties that were quite frankly unexpected to me at least. The more celestial beings that get involved the harder the story is to follow especially when certain people are introduced without much of a backstory. All in all I enjoyed this book, not as much as Fire and the Blood but it is still a very solid book worth reading.
First off I want to say that I am a massive fantasy fan and devour the genre and all its subgenres in any way I can. I have been involved with D&D for 24 years and reading the novels for about the same amount of time. Erin Evans continues right where Fire and The Blood left off with Brin, Havi and their family going to Tymanther and Dahl back home after his agreement with Lorcan. The previous book was very heavy on the political intrigue both human and Devil and this one follows a similar pattern. Although the human intrigue is replaced with Dragonborn dealings and the Devil based plots go much deeper than we could have imagined. The inclusion of DR years in this novel helped me to ascertain where on the timeline this book took place and I was pleased to see that it takes place well before the Sundering is over, which makes some subplots presented in the previous book (Azuth) interesting to say the least.
Expanding upon Mehan’s troubled history and how the Dragonborn interact was a great plot tool by Ms. Evans to me as it helped to shine the light from the godling tiefling’s to their dear old dad who is just trying to keep his head above water with all this chosen nonsense. Dahl’s sections of the book were painfully slow but they had a great overall purpose in presenting his family history and explaining just who he is and how much his current occupation may have been predetermined without him even knowing. It also served to unleash what could be a problem for the realms as a whole in the near future, or at least a massive thorn in Asmodeus’s side.
This book’s pacing was on par with previous entries and like all the rest it left us with a massive cliffhanger involving some holy parties that were quite frankly unexpected to me at least. The more celestial beings that get involved the harder the story is to follow especially when certain people are introduced without much of a backstory. All in all I enjoyed this book, not as much as Fire and the Blood but it is still a very solid book worth reading.
March 16, 2016
I do not give five stars easily, but this book deserves them. Actually, I dare to say that it and her writer are among the best in the Dungeons and Dragons universe fiction.
Erin M. Evans is a superb writer, and this book demonstrates why. First of all because the author provides fresh ideas and style with the discussion of feelings and emotions between the characters, which is welcome in a fantasy book. Actually, I think that such portray of feelings makes the reading much more interesting and captivating. I found myself rooting for some characters, and Evans's writing style brings life to the book, especially since many fantasy books deal with cliches or are shallow, which this book avoids. That being said, the plot is very interesting and the pace is great as well. The main plot of the book deals with murder mysteries in a city of beings called dragonborn. Even for readers who are not familiar with the Forgotten Realms and Dungeons and Dragons the author does describe what they and their society are like. Apart from the plot about solving the murder by the two main characters, two sisters called Farideh and Havilar, and their foster father and allies, the book deals with parallel intriguing plots, such as a character (Dahl) being forced by a criminal organization (the Zhentarim) to find the whereabouts of a lost library/temple, or an evil ghost's revenge plans.
I must confess that I am not too fond of the Forgotten Realms world, but books as this prove me wrong and make me think that it all depends on who the author is. Evans's book is quite engrossing and a page turner. While it is not indispensable to have read the previous books in the series, readers who have done so will be rewarded. Moreover, the ending is fascinating: actually, the bad thing about the book is that I finished writing it already, although it is a long book, which is welcome. The ending is a cliffhanger that makes me want to read the next book in the series as soon as possible. The style is very good. Definitely recommended.
Erin M. Evans is a superb writer, and this book demonstrates why. First of all because the author provides fresh ideas and style with the discussion of feelings and emotions between the characters, which is welcome in a fantasy book. Actually, I think that such portray of feelings makes the reading much more interesting and captivating. I found myself rooting for some characters, and Evans's writing style brings life to the book, especially since many fantasy books deal with cliches or are shallow, which this book avoids. That being said, the plot is very interesting and the pace is great as well. The main plot of the book deals with murder mysteries in a city of beings called dragonborn. Even for readers who are not familiar with the Forgotten Realms and Dungeons and Dragons the author does describe what they and their society are like. Apart from the plot about solving the murder by the two main characters, two sisters called Farideh and Havilar, and their foster father and allies, the book deals with parallel intriguing plots, such as a character (Dahl) being forced by a criminal organization (the Zhentarim) to find the whereabouts of a lost library/temple, or an evil ghost's revenge plans.
I must confess that I am not too fond of the Forgotten Realms world, but books as this prove me wrong and make me think that it all depends on who the author is. Evans's book is quite engrossing and a page turner. While it is not indispensable to have read the previous books in the series, readers who have done so will be rewarded. Moreover, the ending is fascinating: actually, the bad thing about the book is that I finished writing it already, although it is a long book, which is welcome. The ending is a cliffhanger that makes me want to read the next book in the series as soon as possible. The style is very good. Definitely recommended.
January 27, 2016
The previous book was largely courtly intrigue and relationships. We were in the human lands of the Forgotten Realms. Most of the characters and cultures were familiar. Farideh and Havilar created tension by being the odd people out and made a fun novel to read. This novel we gear towards mystery and politics when an entire group of youngsters comes up murdered. All of this is happening in Djerad Thymar with the Vayemniri. And all 30 years after Mehen was exiled. Now Farideh and Havilar aren't the odd faces out, but there is still tension to move the story forward.
While this is a series of stories around the greater mystery of the Brimstone Angel (and what in Infernal is she up to?), each individual novel has a new and fresh feel. The faces are the same but the places are different each time, and that gives the characters depth. They must react differently and grow according to their surroundings. The love issues are there developing along with the characters even if it isn't as prominent as the last novel.
We especially get to see growth with Dumuzi and his struggle with the Vayemniri versus gods culture. I have fallen in love with the fantasy genre even more because it has grown so far past elves and dwarves. The dragonborn aren't human so they shouldn't have a human history. The author makes an ethos here. She builds them a history. Then that history gives a tension worth reading and thinking about.
I am never bored by what I read in the Forgotten Realms. The whole process can be slow going, but they are never boring. I just wouldn't recommend picking this up if you are looking for a light weekend read. I do highly recommend them if you are looking for something to delve into that other world, that escape from the daily grind for a little bit each night. Four stars to Ashes of the Tyrants because I liked Fire in the Blood better.
While this is a series of stories around the greater mystery of the Brimstone Angel (and what in Infernal is she up to?), each individual novel has a new and fresh feel. The faces are the same but the places are different each time, and that gives the characters depth. They must react differently and grow according to their surroundings. The love issues are there developing along with the characters even if it isn't as prominent as the last novel.
We especially get to see growth with Dumuzi and his struggle with the Vayemniri versus gods culture. I have fallen in love with the fantasy genre even more because it has grown so far past elves and dwarves. The dragonborn aren't human so they shouldn't have a human history. The author makes an ethos here. She builds them a history. Then that history gives a tension worth reading and thinking about.
I am never bored by what I read in the Forgotten Realms. The whole process can be slow going, but they are never boring. I just wouldn't recommend picking this up if you are looking for a light weekend read. I do highly recommend them if you are looking for something to delve into that other world, that escape from the daily grind for a little bit each night. Four stars to Ashes of the Tyrants because I liked Fire in the Blood better.
July 6, 2016
This may be my favorite of the series to-date. We get a much closer look at the culture and life of the dragonborn, and while it feels a touch Klingon, it’s not forced or flat. Farideh gets closer to understanding what’s happening to and around her. Her father gets some closure with his old lover and a few of his ghosts. We finally get the story behind his exile.
We also get a lot of time with Dahl and his family, which goes a long way towards making him a more sympathetic character and, in this reader’s mind, a much more suitable partner for Farideh. Dahl learns some interesting things about his family, and he seems to fit better into the world now, and certainly into his family, which isn’t nearly as mundane and back-woods as he’d assumed.
And we get Graz’zt. I love the way he’s portrayed here, almost more a force of nature than a being. Not the way I’ve portrayed him in the past, but for the purposes of this book, it worked very well. I hope we get more of him, but as his presence appears to have been built around the “Out of the Abyss” storyline, it’s a toss-up on whether we will or not.
(We also get a glance at Orcus, and while his description is suitably awe-inspiring, he comes off as far less interesting, and far less primal. However, he barely gets two or three pages.)
My complaints about this book echo my complaints about the others in the series. Much seems to happen just to torment the characters. This book is definitely built on Joss Whedon rules of storytelling; as soon as a couple seems to be coming together, you know that something will happen to separate them.
Still, I’m hooked and will eagerly pick up the next one.
We also get a lot of time with Dahl and his family, which goes a long way towards making him a more sympathetic character and, in this reader’s mind, a much more suitable partner for Farideh. Dahl learns some interesting things about his family, and he seems to fit better into the world now, and certainly into his family, which isn’t nearly as mundane and back-woods as he’d assumed.
And we get Graz’zt. I love the way he’s portrayed here, almost more a force of nature than a being. Not the way I’ve portrayed him in the past, but for the purposes of this book, it worked very well. I hope we get more of him, but as his presence appears to have been built around the “Out of the Abyss” storyline, it’s a toss-up on whether we will or not.
(We also get a glance at Orcus, and while his description is suitably awe-inspiring, he comes off as far less interesting, and far less primal. However, he barely gets two or three pages.)
My complaints about this book echo my complaints about the others in the series. Much seems to happen just to torment the characters. This book is definitely built on Joss Whedon rules of storytelling; as soon as a couple seems to be coming together, you know that something will happen to separate them.
Still, I’m hooked and will eagerly pick up the next one.
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