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The Sanctuary Duet #2
Ash and Silver
In Dust and Light, national bestselling author Carol Berg returned to the world of the award-winning Flesh and Spirit. Now she continues the saga of a man whose past is veiled in shadows....
Ever since the Order of the Equites Cineré stole his memory, his name, and his heart, thinking about the past makes Greenshank’s head ache. After two years of rigorous training, he is almost ready to embrace the mission of the Order—to use selfless magic to heal the troubles of Navronne. But on his first assignment alone, the past comes racing back, threatening to drown him in conspiracy, grief, and murder.
He is Lucian de Remeni—a sorcerer whose magical bents for portraiture and history threaten the safety of the earth and the future of the war-riven kingdom of Navronne. He just can’t remember how or why.
Fighting to unravel the mysteries of his power, Lucian must trace threads of corruption that reach from the Pureblood Registry into the Order itself, the truth hidden two centuries in the past and beyond the boundaries of the world...
Ever since the Order of the Equites Cineré stole his memory, his name, and his heart, thinking about the past makes Greenshank’s head ache. After two years of rigorous training, he is almost ready to embrace the mission of the Order—to use selfless magic to heal the troubles of Navronne. But on his first assignment alone, the past comes racing back, threatening to drown him in conspiracy, grief, and murder.
He is Lucian de Remeni—a sorcerer whose magical bents for portraiture and history threaten the safety of the earth and the future of the war-riven kingdom of Navronne. He just can’t remember how or why.
Fighting to unravel the mysteries of his power, Lucian must trace threads of corruption that reach from the Pureblood Registry into the Order itself, the truth hidden two centuries in the past and beyond the boundaries of the world...
464 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2015
32 people are currently reading
979 people want to read
About the author
Carol Berg
33 books1,128 followersCarol Berg is the author of the epic fantasy
The Books of the Rai-kirah, The Bridge of D'Arnath Quartet, the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award winning Lighthouse Duet - Flesh and Spirit and Breath and Bone - the standalone novel Song of the Beast , and the three novels of the Collegia Magica.
Berg holds a degree in mathematics from Rice University, and a degree in computer science from the University of Colorado. Before writing full-time, she worked as a software engineer. She lives in Colorado at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, and is the mother of three mostly grown sons.
The Books of the Rai-kirah, The Bridge of D'Arnath Quartet, the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award winning Lighthouse Duet - Flesh and Spirit and Breath and Bone - the standalone novel Song of the Beast , and the three novels of the Collegia Magica.
Berg holds a degree in mathematics from Rice University, and a degree in computer science from the University of Colorado. Before writing full-time, she worked as a software engineer. She lives in Colorado at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, and is the mother of three mostly grown sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
March 17, 2016
Read "Dust and Light" first, or you're likely to be just as confused as Lucian is, in this book!
In Ash and Silver, we meet a postulant known only as Greenshank, who's been in training for some time with the secretive Order of the Equites Cineré - Knights of the Ashes. All of their candidates for knighthood willingly submit to a magical procedure which suppresses all of their memory of personal identity, allowing them to train and make decisions free of their former identity and deeds. For their final confirmation, a knight must decide whether to agree to let that past finally go, continuing on solely as an instrument of justice, or whether to return to their old life, giving up instead all knowledge of the Order.
But Greenshank's case seems to be a little unusual. Forces from both within and without the Order seem to have some kind of special interest in him. What could be the common link that leads both politically-inclined Registry officials and a lovely, inhuman woman of the Danaë to seek him out? It is revealed to Greenshank that he was once Lucian de Remeni - but, without knowledge of the past, what does that mean? If corruption has infected the Equites Cineré, the missing information is vulnerability rather than freedom.
As always, Carol Berg is excellent.
In Ash and Silver, we meet a postulant known only as Greenshank, who's been in training for some time with the secretive Order of the Equites Cineré - Knights of the Ashes. All of their candidates for knighthood willingly submit to a magical procedure which suppresses all of their memory of personal identity, allowing them to train and make decisions free of their former identity and deeds. For their final confirmation, a knight must decide whether to agree to let that past finally go, continuing on solely as an instrument of justice, or whether to return to their old life, giving up instead all knowledge of the Order.
But Greenshank's case seems to be a little unusual. Forces from both within and without the Order seem to have some kind of special interest in him. What could be the common link that leads both politically-inclined Registry officials and a lovely, inhuman woman of the Danaë to seek him out? It is revealed to Greenshank that he was once Lucian de Remeni - but, without knowledge of the past, what does that mean? If corruption has infected the Equites Cineré, the missing information is vulnerability rather than freedom.
As always, Carol Berg is excellent.
December 11, 2015
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/12/10/b...
Last year I had the pleasure of reading Dust and Light by Carol Berg. It was my first experience with her work and I was introduced to the wonderfully enticing world of the Sanctuary Duet. I had a feeling things were just getting started for protagonist Lucian de Remeni, so I’ve been waiting on pins and needles for the sequel ever since.
But even though Ash and Silver is the second half of this duology, the story surprised me by taking a much unexpected turn. This book differs from its predecessor in many ways, not least of all because it begins two years after the events of Dust and Light with our main character having forgotten everything about himself. The heartbreaking conclusion of the first book left Lucian with no choice but to leave his old life behind, and he ends up in an isolated stronghold of the Order of Equites Cineré. They wiped his memory so that he doesn’t even remember his name, and now he goes by “Greenshank”, just another loyal follower of the Order. But the last two years of rigorous magical training has served Greenshank well, and the story begins as he prepares to embark on his first solo mission.
While on this mission, however, he is visited by a mysterious woman who turns his world upside down. The problem with the past is that it never stays buried, and little by little, Greenshank recovers more of his lost memories as he traces the path back to the beginning. He is the Pureblood sorcerer Lucian de Remeni, scion to a fallen noble house. Once again, he’s plunging headfirst into a storm of conspiracies and corruption, putting himself in great danger as he takes on both the Order and the Pureblood Registry in order to learn the truth.
But while the plot heads off in a new direction, Ash and Silver still shares many similarities with Dust and Light in terms of tone and style. Carol Berg’s world-building is top-notch again, as this sequel fleshes out the magic system established in book one. We learned in Dust and Light that a Pureblood’s unique magical talent is called a “bent”, but Lucian, being an unusual sorcerer, is gifted with two. One of his bents is in art, which allows him to reveal secret truths in his work while painting, and this was by far my favorite detail from the first book.
Perhaps it is no surprise then that in terms of the magical aspects, my one main regret in Ash and Silver is seeing Lucian’s art bent play a much less significant role. After all, he starts the story as Greenshank, having no knowledge of his dual bents, and he spends most of the first half of the novel trying to piece his life back together again. That said, I could hardly resist everything else related to the world-building. In addition to the magic that is everywhere in this novel, there is also a fae-like race that features heavily in this series called the Danae, whose magic is nature-based. Lucian discovers a way to travel to their world, and the descriptions of the place and its people are phenomenal.
Much like in Dust and Light, the writing in Ash and Silver was also very rich and heavy, which actually had both positive and negative consequences. Bluntly put, it wasn’t exactly easy on the eyes, though things smoothed out once I got accustomed to the style, and there’s no denying the deep, immersive feel of the story. The pacing suffered somewhat in the first half as well, due to the nature of Lucian’s new circumstances; two years have passed so there was a lot of groundwork to cover in order to bring readers back up to speed, compared to most sequels. Overall, it’s safe to say that this book ramps up slowly, but was it well worth it in the end? Yes, absolutely.
Ultimately, I felt this sequel was very different from Dust and Light—but in a good way. I enjoyed the return of a few familiar faces, including the protagonist’s sister Juli and his old contract holder Bastien. There were also many surprises as we gleaned new information about these characters. Overall, Lucian’s journey of self-discovery in Ash and Silver turned out to be just as mysterious, suspenseful and full of intrigue, except the scope of the story is much bigger, the stakes are higher, and best of all, there’s a lot more action. A couple of minor hurdles notwithstanding, Carol Berg has delivered a strong and satisfying ending for the Sanctuary Duet.
Last year I had the pleasure of reading Dust and Light by Carol Berg. It was my first experience with her work and I was introduced to the wonderfully enticing world of the Sanctuary Duet. I had a feeling things were just getting started for protagonist Lucian de Remeni, so I’ve been waiting on pins and needles for the sequel ever since.
But even though Ash and Silver is the second half of this duology, the story surprised me by taking a much unexpected turn. This book differs from its predecessor in many ways, not least of all because it begins two years after the events of Dust and Light with our main character having forgotten everything about himself. The heartbreaking conclusion of the first book left Lucian with no choice but to leave his old life behind, and he ends up in an isolated stronghold of the Order of Equites Cineré. They wiped his memory so that he doesn’t even remember his name, and now he goes by “Greenshank”, just another loyal follower of the Order. But the last two years of rigorous magical training has served Greenshank well, and the story begins as he prepares to embark on his first solo mission.
While on this mission, however, he is visited by a mysterious woman who turns his world upside down. The problem with the past is that it never stays buried, and little by little, Greenshank recovers more of his lost memories as he traces the path back to the beginning. He is the Pureblood sorcerer Lucian de Remeni, scion to a fallen noble house. Once again, he’s plunging headfirst into a storm of conspiracies and corruption, putting himself in great danger as he takes on both the Order and the Pureblood Registry in order to learn the truth.
But while the plot heads off in a new direction, Ash and Silver still shares many similarities with Dust and Light in terms of tone and style. Carol Berg’s world-building is top-notch again, as this sequel fleshes out the magic system established in book one. We learned in Dust and Light that a Pureblood’s unique magical talent is called a “bent”, but Lucian, being an unusual sorcerer, is gifted with two. One of his bents is in art, which allows him to reveal secret truths in his work while painting, and this was by far my favorite detail from the first book.
Perhaps it is no surprise then that in terms of the magical aspects, my one main regret in Ash and Silver is seeing Lucian’s art bent play a much less significant role. After all, he starts the story as Greenshank, having no knowledge of his dual bents, and he spends most of the first half of the novel trying to piece his life back together again. That said, I could hardly resist everything else related to the world-building. In addition to the magic that is everywhere in this novel, there is also a fae-like race that features heavily in this series called the Danae, whose magic is nature-based. Lucian discovers a way to travel to their world, and the descriptions of the place and its people are phenomenal.
Much like in Dust and Light, the writing in Ash and Silver was also very rich and heavy, which actually had both positive and negative consequences. Bluntly put, it wasn’t exactly easy on the eyes, though things smoothed out once I got accustomed to the style, and there’s no denying the deep, immersive feel of the story. The pacing suffered somewhat in the first half as well, due to the nature of Lucian’s new circumstances; two years have passed so there was a lot of groundwork to cover in order to bring readers back up to speed, compared to most sequels. Overall, it’s safe to say that this book ramps up slowly, but was it well worth it in the end? Yes, absolutely.
Ultimately, I felt this sequel was very different from Dust and Light—but in a good way. I enjoyed the return of a few familiar faces, including the protagonist’s sister Juli and his old contract holder Bastien. There were also many surprises as we gleaned new information about these characters. Overall, Lucian’s journey of self-discovery in Ash and Silver turned out to be just as mysterious, suspenseful and full of intrigue, except the scope of the story is much bigger, the stakes are higher, and best of all, there’s a lot more action. A couple of minor hurdles notwithstanding, Carol Berg has delivered a strong and satisfying ending for the Sanctuary Duet.
December 14, 2015
Ash and Silver put Carol Berg on my list of authors to watch. The world she creates is rich, the plot expansive, and the magical and social systems intricate and complex. Ash and Silver is the second book a series, but it was the first book-- and indeed the only book by the author-- that I've read. I actually think the book may be more enjoyable without the context of the first. The protagonist, who goes by Greenshank, is a paratus of the reclusive and mysterious Equites Cinere, whose members must not only renounce all ties to the outside world, but even their very memories of it. I started the book very much like Greenshank: utterly unaware of who he once was and what he had once done. I think it made the slow reveal of his past far more interesting and probably quite a bit less frustrating.
As is clear from the first few pages, Greenshank is a Very Special Person with a Very Special Role in the world, despite his inability to remember the smallest bit of it. He's also spectacular at almost everything he does. If you're opposed to Chosen Ones, this may be something of a trial, but despite my general dislike of the trope, I found myself captivated by the mystery and intrigue of the story. The plot itself is slow-paced and involves the slow intertwining of disparate threads, plus various betrayals, schemes, plots, and adventures. Not all of it necessarily makes sense-- there was one bit in particular whose illogic niggled at me throughout the story-- but even so, I found the eventual resolution satisfying.
For me, the most interesting aspects of the book were the themes that Berg explored. The Equites Cinere makes heavy use of mind-altering magic; not only does it brutally strip its initiates of their pasts, but it uses smaller memory charms to erase itself from the memories of any commonfolk who come into contact with it. The initiates' minds aren't safe even after they are robbed of all identity, for each subsequent mission may also be stolen away. Greenshank generally is accepting of these practices, but I was far less sanguine. Does wiping away one's memory also remove the personality? It's a question that Berg explores in depth. The other major theme of the story is a familiar one, but no less knotty for that: can the end ever really justify the means? As one character puts it:
~~I received this book through Netgalley from the publisher, Penguin Group Berkeley, in exchange for my honest review. Quotes are taken from an advanced reader copy and while they may not reflect the final phrasing, I believe they speak to the nature of the novel as a whole.~~
As is clear from the first few pages, Greenshank is a Very Special Person with a Very Special Role in the world, despite his inability to remember the smallest bit of it. He's also spectacular at almost everything he does. If you're opposed to Chosen Ones, this may be something of a trial, but despite my general dislike of the trope, I found myself captivated by the mystery and intrigue of the story. The plot itself is slow-paced and involves the slow intertwining of disparate threads, plus various betrayals, schemes, plots, and adventures. Not all of it necessarily makes sense-- there was one bit in particular whose illogic niggled at me throughout the story-- but even so, I found the eventual resolution satisfying.
For me, the most interesting aspects of the book were the themes that Berg explored. The Equites Cinere makes heavy use of mind-altering magic; not only does it brutally strip its initiates of their pasts, but it uses smaller memory charms to erase itself from the memories of any commonfolk who come into contact with it. The initiates' minds aren't safe even after they are robbed of all identity, for each subsequent mission may also be stolen away. Greenshank generally is accepting of these practices, but I was far less sanguine. Does wiping away one's memory also remove the personality? It's a question that Berg explores in depth. The other major theme of the story is a familiar one, but no less knotty for that: can the end ever really justify the means? As one character puts it:
"Is it righteous to achieve great ends no matter the cost?"I have no idea what this book would be like if you actually read the previous book in the series, but as a first entry to the world, it was thoroughly enjoyable. I'm looking forward to seeing how later events shape my view of the first book, and I'll definitely keep an eye out for Berg's future imaginings.
~~I received this book through Netgalley from the publisher, Penguin Group Berkeley, in exchange for my honest review. Quotes are taken from an advanced reader copy and while they may not reflect the final phrasing, I believe they speak to the nature of the novel as a whole.~~
December 4, 2015
A few words about this book. Several years ago, she wrote a duology about a young wastrel named Valen, who is addicted to drugs and on the run from his family. Obviously, there is much there that resonates with me, and the Lighthouse Duology became two of my favorite books ever. Berg is one of those writers who likes to keep it fresh and exciting — much like Guy Gavriel Kay, she completes a project and then starts over with a fresh world, new characters, a new system of magic, and new challenges. Never once did I think she would return to Navronne and to Valen. Then, a couple years ago, she announced that she would indeed be exploring Navronne again, in a companion series.
I have to admit, that made me groan. If there is one thing I like more than falling in love with a character, it is having the promise of more books featuring said character. A new duology set in Navronne, but void of Valen? It seemed a sort of torture. There is room for more about Valen — the ending of Breath and Bone seemed poised to be the perfect spring from which a new duet could emerge.
And then I read Dust and Light.
Lucian is the complete opposite of my favorite rampaging drug addict. He never met a rule he didn’t love to uphold, he took his responsibilities seriously, and he would never, ever have repudiated his family as did Valen. Lawful good types usually annoy me, but there is something beautiful and pure about Lucian.
The world-building, though. I am deeply amazed at how the two duets fit so seamlessly together. The Sanctuary books (Dust and Light, and Ash and Silver) fulfill the Lighthouse books, and give them more meaning, more nuance. I don’t know how she did this, I really don’t. Maybe she had Lucian in mind all the while she wrote Valen. Perhaps she knew the mysteries of the Sanctuary duet before she even probed the mysteries of the Lighthouse. Perhaps she is a genius.
I miss my drug addict wastrel Valen, but throughout Ash and Silver, Lucian became the bravest man I have ever met. Word is that she will one day return to Navronne to finish the story, to have the unstoppable Valen meet immovable Lucian, to see what happens when Order meets Disorder. Until that day comes, I think I will go ahead and reread all the books (again) to see if there are any connections I missed the first three times. Come join me!
I have to admit, that made me groan. If there is one thing I like more than falling in love with a character, it is having the promise of more books featuring said character. A new duology set in Navronne, but void of Valen? It seemed a sort of torture. There is room for more about Valen — the ending of Breath and Bone seemed poised to be the perfect spring from which a new duet could emerge.
And then I read Dust and Light.
Lucian is the complete opposite of my favorite rampaging drug addict. He never met a rule he didn’t love to uphold, he took his responsibilities seriously, and he would never, ever have repudiated his family as did Valen. Lawful good types usually annoy me, but there is something beautiful and pure about Lucian.
The world-building, though. I am deeply amazed at how the two duets fit so seamlessly together. The Sanctuary books (Dust and Light, and Ash and Silver) fulfill the Lighthouse books, and give them more meaning, more nuance. I don’t know how she did this, I really don’t. Maybe she had Lucian in mind all the while she wrote Valen. Perhaps she knew the mysteries of the Sanctuary duet before she even probed the mysteries of the Lighthouse. Perhaps she is a genius.
I miss my drug addict wastrel Valen, but throughout Ash and Silver, Lucian became the bravest man I have ever met. Word is that she will one day return to Navronne to finish the story, to have the unstoppable Valen meet immovable Lucian, to see what happens when Order meets Disorder. Until that day comes, I think I will go ahead and reread all the books (again) to see if there are any connections I missed the first three times. Come join me!
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September 15, 2017Carol Berg does it again - long a favorite on my favorites list. Her development of characters, settings, and above all, plot twists is nearly unrivaled in fantasy today. Highly recommended!
January 6, 2016
I've been waiting anxiously after the events of DUST AND LIGHT to continue the series, and finally I can know what happened to Lucian in ASH AND SILVER.
Turns out that his struggles in DUST were just the beginning. It's been two years since the closing events of DUST when Lucian was whisked away from the city after the devastating revelations he made about the Registry--revelations that put his life and his sister's in danger. He agrees to go to a refuge without really knowing what he was agreeing to. It turns out to be Evanide, an isolated citadel where men who can wield magic are molded into warriors. His memory was wiped when he entered so has no recollection of his past or even his real name. As the men of Evanide go through their training to become knights they are sent on missions that protect the weak and forward the cause of justice.
On Lucian's most recent mission he is visited by a woman who knows him and he is compelled to learn more despite the lies he must tell to his senior officers. Soon after, he's brought in to the Knight Marshal's office to meet with Damon, a Registry curator whose presence at Evanide causes Lucian nothing but trouble. Damon has an unexplainable hold over the Marshal, and despite being an outsider determines some of Lucian's missions. Strangely enough these missions lead Lucian to two of the three brothers vying for the Navronne throne, and which show him the horrible realities about the princes and the lengths they will take to obtain the throne.
I wish I could tell you more about the story, but it would mean spoilers, and it's too awesome a story for me to give away what happens.
Told from Lucian's first-person PoV, he continues to be the honorable man who is willing to do the hard things necessary to do what's right--even if it means risking his own life. It's easy to admire Lucian's perseverance when it seems everyone is conspiring against him. It's interesting to watch as he interacts with people and tries to discover their true motives; sometimes his conclusions are right, sometimes they aren't. We see old friends from DUST as well as get to know new ones. These characters all rotate around Lucian's central story; however, while we hear little about their background, they aren't uninteresting and are easily identifiable.
As in DUST (and in her Collegia Magica series), Carol Berg's worldbuilding is in top form. The magic takes center stage here. She deals with the Danae (faerie) and their magic tied to the earth and nature. There's Lucian's dual bents (bent=an affinity for a particular kind of magic; it's rare to have two and it's believed that people with dual bents go insane), which because of their nature gives him the particular ability to travel between this earth and the Danae home. This book deals more with the magic involved in combat, compared to the magic in DUST that dealt with history and art. We learn about how Lucian's magic is both a blessing and something others fear. What he's learned at Evanide over the past two years has only made Lucian stronger both magically and physically--and he uses everything he's learned to try to overcome all who would try to use him for their own ends.
Evanide is the hub of all things that happen in ASH AND SILVER. We learn about its structure and purpose. Lucian considers it his home and a bastion of honor. The outside world is in a state of chaos as the war of succession rages on; his missions show us this chaos and it's easy to see that despite the hard training at the citadel why he considers it a refuge. We learn about other cities, including a central theme first shown in DUST, and why the decisions of others require Lucian's help.
The story moves at a pace similar to DUST. Despite more action, Berg's prose gives the action less power compared to others, such as the flashy Brent Weeks. This does not bother me. I love how she weaves a story of twisty revelations, self-discoveries, and mysterious motivations. Pair that with her beautiful prose and ASH was a delight to read. You could read ASH without having read DUST, but I don't know why you'd want to. They are both worth the time, and with this duet both done, you can read one right after the other.
Recommended Age: 15+ (more for comprehension than content)
Language: None
Violence: A fair amount of fighting; some bloody deaths
Sex: Referenced
***Find this and other reviews at Elitistbookreviews.com***
Turns out that his struggles in DUST were just the beginning. It's been two years since the closing events of DUST when Lucian was whisked away from the city after the devastating revelations he made about the Registry--revelations that put his life and his sister's in danger. He agrees to go to a refuge without really knowing what he was agreeing to. It turns out to be Evanide, an isolated citadel where men who can wield magic are molded into warriors. His memory was wiped when he entered so has no recollection of his past or even his real name. As the men of Evanide go through their training to become knights they are sent on missions that protect the weak and forward the cause of justice.
On Lucian's most recent mission he is visited by a woman who knows him and he is compelled to learn more despite the lies he must tell to his senior officers. Soon after, he's brought in to the Knight Marshal's office to meet with Damon, a Registry curator whose presence at Evanide causes Lucian nothing but trouble. Damon has an unexplainable hold over the Marshal, and despite being an outsider determines some of Lucian's missions. Strangely enough these missions lead Lucian to two of the three brothers vying for the Navronne throne, and which show him the horrible realities about the princes and the lengths they will take to obtain the throne.
I wish I could tell you more about the story, but it would mean spoilers, and it's too awesome a story for me to give away what happens.
Told from Lucian's first-person PoV, he continues to be the honorable man who is willing to do the hard things necessary to do what's right--even if it means risking his own life. It's easy to admire Lucian's perseverance when it seems everyone is conspiring against him. It's interesting to watch as he interacts with people and tries to discover their true motives; sometimes his conclusions are right, sometimes they aren't. We see old friends from DUST as well as get to know new ones. These characters all rotate around Lucian's central story; however, while we hear little about their background, they aren't uninteresting and are easily identifiable.
As in DUST (and in her Collegia Magica series), Carol Berg's worldbuilding is in top form. The magic takes center stage here. She deals with the Danae (faerie) and their magic tied to the earth and nature. There's Lucian's dual bents (bent=an affinity for a particular kind of magic; it's rare to have two and it's believed that people with dual bents go insane), which because of their nature gives him the particular ability to travel between this earth and the Danae home. This book deals more with the magic involved in combat, compared to the magic in DUST that dealt with history and art. We learn about how Lucian's magic is both a blessing and something others fear. What he's learned at Evanide over the past two years has only made Lucian stronger both magically and physically--and he uses everything he's learned to try to overcome all who would try to use him for their own ends.
Evanide is the hub of all things that happen in ASH AND SILVER. We learn about its structure and purpose. Lucian considers it his home and a bastion of honor. The outside world is in a state of chaos as the war of succession rages on; his missions show us this chaos and it's easy to see that despite the hard training at the citadel why he considers it a refuge. We learn about other cities, including a central theme first shown in DUST, and why the decisions of others require Lucian's help.
The story moves at a pace similar to DUST. Despite more action, Berg's prose gives the action less power compared to others, such as the flashy Brent Weeks. This does not bother me. I love how she weaves a story of twisty revelations, self-discoveries, and mysterious motivations. Pair that with her beautiful prose and ASH was a delight to read. You could read ASH without having read DUST, but I don't know why you'd want to. They are both worth the time, and with this duet both done, you can read one right after the other.
Recommended Age: 15+ (more for comprehension than content)
Language: None
Violence: A fair amount of fighting; some bloody deaths
Sex: Referenced
***Find this and other reviews at Elitistbookreviews.com***
June 26, 2016
This was the second and final book in the Sanctuary duology. I’ve now read seven books by Carol Berg and I’ve loved every one of them. Why don’t people I know talk about her books more often?! I’ll definitely read more of them eventually, after I’ve made a dent in some of the other books on my list. There are still so many authors whose books I’ve never read.
These books are told from the first-person perspective of Lucian, a young pureblood man who gets caught up in a web of deception and scheming centering on the purebloods and their leaders. Purebloods are sorcerers, and they believe it's important to keep their bloodlines pure in order to preserve the gift of magic that they believe the gods have given them. The series starts off simply and grows more and more complex as things are revealed. There are many mysteries, and not everybody is who they appear to be. In this second book, Lucian is pulled in so many different directions with his many responsibilities and concerns that I felt stressed out on his behalf! The story, which was already good, really took off in this book. It became harder and harder to put it down.
As with the other books I’ve read by Berg, I really loved the characters and the story. I mentioned in my review of the first book that this duology is set in the same world and at around the same time as her Lighthouse duology. Both duologies feature different characters, but events in both books are at least partially influenced by some of the major events going on in the world. In particular, there is a war being fought by the recently-deceased king’s sons as they each strive to become the next king.
This series, Sanctuary, was written second, but it would stand fine on its own so I think people could read them in whichever order they wanted. Sanctuary ends chronologically before Lighthouse, and I don’t think it would at all spoil any of the major surprises from that series. On the other hand, knowing how things turned out in Lighthouse made it easier to see through some of the deception toward the end of Sanctuary. I did enjoy seeing the small connections and revelations related to the first series though, and they might have been easier to appreciate in publication order. Of the two, Lighthouse was my favorite. They were both great, but I became especially attached to some of the characters in that first series. I was also more surprised by some of the twists in Lighthouse, which may be odd because Sanctuary is arguably the more twisty of the two.
These books are told from the first-person perspective of Lucian, a young pureblood man who gets caught up in a web of deception and scheming centering on the purebloods and their leaders. Purebloods are sorcerers, and they believe it's important to keep their bloodlines pure in order to preserve the gift of magic that they believe the gods have given them. The series starts off simply and grows more and more complex as things are revealed. There are many mysteries, and not everybody is who they appear to be. In this second book, Lucian is pulled in so many different directions with his many responsibilities and concerns that I felt stressed out on his behalf! The story, which was already good, really took off in this book. It became harder and harder to put it down.
As with the other books I’ve read by Berg, I really loved the characters and the story. I mentioned in my review of the first book that this duology is set in the same world and at around the same time as her Lighthouse duology. Both duologies feature different characters, but events in both books are at least partially influenced by some of the major events going on in the world. In particular, there is a war being fought by the recently-deceased king’s sons as they each strive to become the next king.
This series, Sanctuary, was written second, but it would stand fine on its own so I think people could read them in whichever order they wanted. Sanctuary ends chronologically before Lighthouse, and I don’t think it would at all spoil any of the major surprises from that series. On the other hand, knowing how things turned out in Lighthouse made it easier to see through some of the deception toward the end of Sanctuary. I did enjoy seeing the small connections and revelations related to the first series though, and they might have been easier to appreciate in publication order. Of the two, Lighthouse was my favorite. They were both great, but I became especially attached to some of the characters in that first series. I was also more surprised by some of the twists in Lighthouse, which may be odd because Sanctuary is arguably the more twisty of the two.
July 11, 2017
The leap of faith require by this book is so great that I don't think that I've seen it done before, let alone pulled off. A character that you start off genuinely not liking all that much in the first book but who wins you over (which may be becoming a hallmark of the author's?) has to be started off from scratch as a man who's lost his memory. So not only do you have to be able to see the man he was, the man he became, the man who has been erased, the man as he is rebuilt--and manipulated in the rebuilding--and the man he chooses, eventually, to be. At the same time.
Things got a bit too messy and last-minute toward the end, and I found myself struggling to remember the events of the sister series. But a bang-up job, and impressive handling on an impossible writing task.
Things got a bit too messy and last-minute toward the end, and I found myself struggling to remember the events of the sister series. But a bang-up job, and impressive handling on an impossible writing task.
February 11, 2016
Carol Berg is one of my favorite fantasy authors, and although I didn't love it quite as much as the first half of this duology, Ash and Silver was a satisfying conclusion. Though there were some interesting parts in the beginning, it took a little while for this one to completely pull me in--but once it did get going, I couldn't put it down! The characters, world, and the exploration of memory were all well done and made this a memorable read: one of my favorites released in 2015.
Full Review: http://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2016/0...
Full Review: http://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2016/0...
January 17, 2016
At the edge of the eastern sea, the Fortress Evenide holds the Order of the Knights of the Ash. Greenshank is a paratus, one level below a knight, and is working day and night to be deemed ready for promotion. Greenshank is completely loyal to the Knights of the Ash, in part because he has to be. He has no memory of any life before two years ago when he was brought to the citadel. Then one day, returning from an assignment, he is accosted by an otherworldly woman, a Danae, and she calls him Lucien de Remeni.
Ash and Silver is the second book in Carol Berg’s SANCTUARY series. I’m not sure what to say about it, except that if you have liked Berg’s other work, you will like this one. Everything she does well is here, against the backdrop, once again, of a plau... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Ash and Silver is the second book in Carol Berg’s SANCTUARY series. I’m not sure what to say about it, except that if you have liked Berg’s other work, you will like this one. Everything she does well is here, against the backdrop, once again, of a plau... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
December 7, 2015
I loved Dust and Light and screamed out loud at the ending. I was thrilled when a friend bought me a copy of Ash and Silver so it would arrive on release day. Carol Berg writes an intricate, involved, often heartbreaking story of a man stripped to his basic instincts, struggling to understand his abilities, the forces behind his torments, and his place in a conflict capable of ending his world.
I admit Berg constantly stunned me with the inventiveness of her plot's twists and turns, most of which I never saw coming. Writing a spoiler-free review of Ash and Silver is very difficult; I highly recommend the second book in the Sanctuary Duet.
I admit Berg constantly stunned me with the inventiveness of her plot's twists and turns, most of which I never saw coming. Writing a spoiler-free review of Ash and Silver is very difficult; I highly recommend the second book in the Sanctuary Duet.
January 5, 2016
Not my favorite Berg, but still a fine read.
Lots of flying parts to this one! Several different things always going on at the same time. Oh, no, how will our hero ever cope with it all?
I had the same problem I always have with Berg -- there's always at least one thing about the world or plot that I just can't buy into. In this case (not a spoiler, it's mentioned at the end of Dust and Light and discussed thoroughly near the beginning of Ash and Silver), it was the repeated memory wipes for the members of the Order. Aside from the question of possibility, I just can't buy that it wouldn't destroy both personality and ability to function normally. So much of our personality is made up of our memories, and so much ability to function (teach, and direct others, and so on) depends on lessons we've learned in the past. Yes, Berg made some attempts to address this, but I just didn't buy it.
And then in the middle we had lots of exposition -- "as you know, Bob"-type passages -- except that our MC *didn't* know because his memory had been wiped. They got a bit tedious, because of course **we** already knew all that stuff.
And then there were a couple of eye-rolling coincidences, which I won't spoil. Rather minor gripes, but I wish Berg could have arranged them differently.
And then Berg dropped a whole major thread on us. How in the world did
As for the narration -- MacLeod Andrews did a much better job with the accents in this installment than in Dust and Light. It still faded in and out, but not nearly as badly. He still needs to work on accents and voices (too many voices sound alike), but he's obviously improving.
So, not a perfect book by any means. Still, I loved many of the ideas, and as usual her characters stand up out of the page and grab you by the collar.
I'm now starting a reread of the Lighthouse books. I can't stand not remembering enough detail from those earlier books to see how all the pieces fit together!
Lots of flying parts to this one! Several different things always going on at the same time. Oh, no, how will our hero ever cope with it all?
I had the same problem I always have with Berg -- there's always at least one thing about the world or plot that I just can't buy into. In this case (not a spoiler, it's mentioned at the end of Dust and Light and discussed thoroughly near the beginning of Ash and Silver), it was the repeated memory wipes for the members of the Order. Aside from the question of possibility, I just can't buy that it wouldn't destroy both personality and ability to function normally. So much of our personality is made up of our memories, and so much ability to function (teach, and direct others, and so on) depends on lessons we've learned in the past. Yes, Berg made some attempts to address this, but I just didn't buy it.
And then in the middle we had lots of exposition -- "as you know, Bob"-type passages -- except that our MC *didn't* know because his memory had been wiped. They got a bit tedious, because of course **we** already knew all that stuff.
And then there were a couple of eye-rolling coincidences, which I won't spoil. Rather minor gripes, but I wish Berg could have arranged them differently.
And then Berg dropped a whole major thread on us. How in the world did
As for the narration -- MacLeod Andrews did a much better job with the accents in this installment than in Dust and Light. It still faded in and out, but not nearly as badly. He still needs to work on accents and voices (too many voices sound alike), but he's obviously improving.
So, not a perfect book by any means. Still, I loved many of the ideas, and as usual her characters stand up out of the page and grab you by the collar.
I'm now starting a reread of the Lighthouse books. I can't stand not remembering enough detail from those earlier books to see how all the pieces fit together!
December 22, 2015
4.5 stars.
As ever, Carol Berg writes novels that defy easy categorization, but as ever, she writes intelligent works of vast imaginative power. Those people who diss fantasy as ridiculous or second-rate or twee should read Berg: their minds will be changed.
Ash and Silver is a most satisfying conclusion to the story begun in Dust and Light, taking the characters and the world in unexpected directions. I won't attempt to outline the plot - for one thing, it's too complex to do easily, and for another, there would inevitably be spoilers - so suffice it to say, this is a story of political corruption and conspiracy in high places, expertly limned. At stake are our hero's identity, the fate of an entire race, perhaps a crown, and the practice of magic across the whole world.
To say the story is philosophical is to overlook the practically non-stop action and the heart-rending emotion that imbues every page, but the story is, in fact, full of deep insights and enormously important questions about humanity, justice, and honor. Highly recommended.
As ever, Carol Berg writes novels that defy easy categorization, but as ever, she writes intelligent works of vast imaginative power. Those people who diss fantasy as ridiculous or second-rate or twee should read Berg: their minds will be changed.
Ash and Silver is a most satisfying conclusion to the story begun in Dust and Light, taking the characters and the world in unexpected directions. I won't attempt to outline the plot - for one thing, it's too complex to do easily, and for another, there would inevitably be spoilers - so suffice it to say, this is a story of political corruption and conspiracy in high places, expertly limned. At stake are our hero's identity, the fate of an entire race, perhaps a crown, and the practice of magic across the whole world.
To say the story is philosophical is to overlook the practically non-stop action and the heart-rending emotion that imbues every page, but the story is, in fact, full of deep insights and enormously important questions about humanity, justice, and honor. Highly recommended.
July 29, 2017
So, this was my fourth book by Carol Berg and I still don’t know exactly what to think of her. On the one hand, I enjoyed all of her stories immensely, but was especially drawn in by her characters and their stories. On the other hand, these books require quite an effort for me. This is certainly due to the usage of old English language, but also that the complex world is not always fully explained and leaves a lot for the reader to progress and figure out by himself. I guess overall, these books don’t classify as mainstream, but nevertheless deserve more attention by readers.
Recommended for lovers of dark and high-fantasy.
Recommended for lovers of dark and high-fantasy.
October 6, 2019
Carol Berg is an accomplished fantasy writer, usually employing the first-person narrative with protagonists empowered with taboo-sorcery (i.e., Romy (An Illusion of Thieves in Chimera); Seyonne (Transformation in the Books of the Rai-kirah); Seri (Son of Avonar in The Bridge of D'Arnath); Lucian de Remeni here in Ash and Silver (sequel to Dust and Light in the Sanctuary Duet).
And these follow the Lighthouse Duet (Flesh and Spirit and Breath and Bone).
I read this sequel without reading the first book (or prior duet), but it read fine. I got to learn about the hero as he relearned about his past/powers. As the book blurb states, this book is about Lucian de Remeni. Isolation is another of Berg's go-to themes, with her protagonists being torn from their communities either enslaved, outcasted, or exiled. Here, Lucian has undergone a sort of self-imposed amnesia from the onset. His journey transforms him into a completely new individual.
Lucian's powers drew me to this series. He is a sorcerer with "bents" toward portraiture and history. He can portray the truth others (i.e., powerful royalty) wish to conceal, and can read/work the land/architecture too. Lucian is the perfect sleuth, but now he has learned how to fight like a warrior too.
How cool is it that historians and artists can be the most powerful magicians? If they can read the truth, they also can manipulate it. Want to dig up dirt on an enemy? Have an artist portray the enemy's worst dirt. Want to save yourself from judgment? Have an artist erase those nasty details from a portrait already made.
Lucian is embroiled in massively epic conflicts between blue & silver-hued Danae (elf-like fairies of another realm that also for the land), between the Danae and humans, humans and other humans (with a vacancy on the empire's thrown, three princes battle for power, and some have been banished from earth), sects of the Order and Registry of Pureblood sorcerers. The 478 pages can hardly contain all the madness. Somehow, Berg manages to continuously ramp up the intensity and connect all the myriad threads. All conflict involves Lucian somehow.
What do you seek in a good book? The same that Lucian seeks on his adventures: a good story. "What else could a historian desire?" Berg makes being an artist & historian fun and dangerous., and she makes it fun to live vicariously through a like-minded sorcerer.
The amount of pain, sleeplessness, and torture that Lucian experiences pushes the bounds of believability and the sheer epicness of the conflicts -- coupled with the rate of betrayals & insights-- is mind-boggling. It had me engaged, but this could easily have been expanded into several novels. I plan to be a good historian and read Dust and Light next.
And these follow the Lighthouse Duet (Flesh and Spirit and Breath and Bone).
I read this sequel without reading the first book (or prior duet), but it read fine. I got to learn about the hero as he relearned about his past/powers. As the book blurb states, this book is about Lucian de Remeni. Isolation is another of Berg's go-to themes, with her protagonists being torn from their communities either enslaved, outcasted, or exiled. Here, Lucian has undergone a sort of self-imposed amnesia from the onset. His journey transforms him into a completely new individual.
Lucian's powers drew me to this series. He is a sorcerer with "bents" toward portraiture and history. He can portray the truth others (i.e., powerful royalty) wish to conceal, and can read/work the land/architecture too. Lucian is the perfect sleuth, but now he has learned how to fight like a warrior too.
How cool is it that historians and artists can be the most powerful magicians? If they can read the truth, they also can manipulate it. Want to dig up dirt on an enemy? Have an artist portray the enemy's worst dirt. Want to save yourself from judgment? Have an artist erase those nasty details from a portrait already made.
"Creating memory patterns was art. Words, objects, faces, facts--these were lines, curves, dimensions; thick or narrow, sturdy or delicate, certainty or suggestion. Sensation and emotion were colors, blended and shaded, given depth or left vague. The memory itself was a composition, and if the artist was able to bring his bent to its creation, it would take the aspect of truth."--Lucian de Remeni
Lucian is embroiled in massively epic conflicts between blue & silver-hued Danae (elf-like fairies of another realm that also for the land), between the Danae and humans, humans and other humans (with a vacancy on the empire's thrown, three princes battle for power, and some have been banished from earth), sects of the Order and Registry of Pureblood sorcerers. The 478 pages can hardly contain all the madness. Somehow, Berg manages to continuously ramp up the intensity and connect all the myriad threads. All conflict involves Lucian somehow.
What do you seek in a good book? The same that Lucian seeks on his adventures: a good story. "What else could a historian desire?" Berg makes being an artist & historian fun and dangerous., and she makes it fun to live vicariously through a like-minded sorcerer.
The amount of pain, sleeplessness, and torture that Lucian experiences pushes the bounds of believability and the sheer epicness of the conflicts -- coupled with the rate of betrayals & insights-- is mind-boggling. It had me engaged, but this could easily have been expanded into several novels. I plan to be a good historian and read Dust and Light next.
'..and how pervasive is the righteous anger of a portrait artist easily seduced to murder?" Lucian de Remeni
February 1, 2016
Read the first book before this one, Dust and Light. It will make a lot more sense.
Everything a fantasy book should be - great characters, fantastic world-building, magic that follows the rules of its universe, adventure, betrayals, corruption, mystery and more. I couldn't put it down and my eyes are sore for reading for so long :)
Everything a fantasy book should be - great characters, fantastic world-building, magic that follows the rules of its universe, adventure, betrayals, corruption, mystery and more. I couldn't put it down and my eyes are sore for reading for so long :)
April 23, 2018
Greenshank/Lucian is great. I liked the quiet discipline that underlies his thoughts at the start. As a reader, it felt strange to read what memories came back and what didn't. I loved the progression to him becoming a great guardian, but . I liked that Lucian is fundamentally good - but that . That sucked.
I'm still unsure why . I wish we learned more about bents in general, rather than going through the importance of heredity (which, to be fair, undercut the entire purpose of the Pureblood Registry).
It's still great - this is a book that I would come back to. I love the recurring themes, like . I liked that Lucian still had people he could trust (that people were fundamentally trustworthy). At its heart, it's got a happy ending and a positive outlook on the world. It's a book to curl up with.
I'm still unsure why . I wish we learned more about bents in general, rather than going through the importance of heredity (which, to be fair, undercut the entire purpose of the Pureblood Registry).
It's still great - this is a book that I would come back to. I love the recurring themes, like . I liked that Lucian still had people he could trust (that people were fundamentally trustworthy). At its heart, it's got a happy ending and a positive outlook on the world. It's a book to curl up with.
February 26, 2023
Our protagonist continues to suffer in his search for justice and truth. Introspective and full of dread, with lost memory of who he was he has to save lost people from the other world, parley with magical beings, root out corruption, and free his magic from the shackles of manipulators with unknown motives.
Once again, Berg has no mercy for her character(s), but we see him grow through the ordeals. The book was quite emotional, and had great villain(s). The middle felt repetitive with all the border crossings, doubt, and evasion, but the book delivered high stakes, and no easy answers. I look forward to new duology where Valen and Aros finally meet, and the war for succesion, as well as faith of magic and relations of humans and other beings gets decided.
Once again, Berg has no mercy for her character(s), but we see him grow through the ordeals. The book was quite emotional, and had great villain(s). The middle felt repetitive with all the border crossings, doubt, and evasion, but the book delivered high stakes, and no easy answers. I look forward to new duology where Valen and Aros finally meet, and the war for succesion, as well as faith of magic and relations of humans and other beings gets decided.
July 12, 2017
It took me 2 months to finish this book because of the elaborate and heavy writing style. I really had to drag myself through this one. However, I enjoyed the plot well enough to finish it; curiosity got the better of me this time!
I liked the first book of this duology best. The memory loss trope isn't my favourite and I wish she carried this series on without it. A second book with some more Lucian/Bastian detective action, and character development, would have left me more satisfied. I'm upset this story had to end this way.
I liked the first book of this duology best. The memory loss trope isn't my favourite and I wish she carried this series on without it. A second book with some more Lucian/Bastian detective action, and character development, would have left me more satisfied. I'm upset this story had to end this way.
March 18, 2016
This is the best fantasy book I have ever read! I am a great fan of Carol Berg, and other great fantasy writers like Robin Hobb and George RR Martin. But the emotional roller coaster that this book provided beats them all.
This is the second book in the "Sanctuary-duet" - the first part is "Dust and Light". These take place in the same universe as Berg's other great duet, the "Lighthouse duet", which used to be my favourite, but it has now been replaced!
So what is so great about this book? Well it is surely action-packed, and the depiction of magic is absolutely beautiful. The plot is convoluted, but it is great that we share this bewilderment with the main protagonist, as at the beginning of this book Lucien de Remeni-Masson has been robbed of his memory and of his past, and is now training in a secret knightly order under the name of Greenshanks. He has to reconstruct his past in order to understand what is going on in the present, and in the meantime we get some wonderful musings on identity - how do we know who we are?
The adventures take us not only to Lucien's own world, but again, like in the Lighthouse-books, we meet the mysterious Danae, and also a people called the Xancherians. Well, I warned you it is convoluted!
But it is the hero that is unforgettable - we see Lucien/Greenshanks from his perspective, as the book is told in first-person narrative, and he keeps berating himself for being a failure for not being able to understand, foresee, och fix the deep conspiracy he unwittingly has been involved in. Yet he so much wants to set things right, and yes, the final pages he is truly heroic - we can indirectly see how the stories of his heroism will become legend, to be told for generations. We can sense that what he has done will have epic consequences - yet he only wanted to do the right thing. It is great how the reader can shift from seeing Lucien with his own eyes, to how he must appear to the people whose lives he affects. Never has a hero been so humble, yet so magnificent! The ending is a true test of will-power, of heart and soul over muscle, and yes, you better have some tissue at hand...
Not only is the plot and the characters great, Berg's language is a treat, the book is beautifully written, and a true joy to read. Be sure I will re-read this book with great pleasure again, as the author, for my taste, takes much too long between publishing new work! But that is probably why her books are so great, she takes the time that is needed to create masterpieces.
I am eagerly awaiting Berg's next book!
This is the second book in the "Sanctuary-duet" - the first part is "Dust and Light". These take place in the same universe as Berg's other great duet, the "Lighthouse duet", which used to be my favourite, but it has now been replaced!
So what is so great about this book? Well it is surely action-packed, and the depiction of magic is absolutely beautiful. The plot is convoluted, but it is great that we share this bewilderment with the main protagonist, as at the beginning of this book Lucien de Remeni-Masson has been robbed of his memory and of his past, and is now training in a secret knightly order under the name of Greenshanks. He has to reconstruct his past in order to understand what is going on in the present, and in the meantime we get some wonderful musings on identity - how do we know who we are?
The adventures take us not only to Lucien's own world, but again, like in the Lighthouse-books, we meet the mysterious Danae, and also a people called the Xancherians. Well, I warned you it is convoluted!
But it is the hero that is unforgettable - we see Lucien/Greenshanks from his perspective, as the book is told in first-person narrative, and he keeps berating himself for being a failure for not being able to understand, foresee, och fix the deep conspiracy he unwittingly has been involved in. Yet he so much wants to set things right, and yes, the final pages he is truly heroic - we can indirectly see how the stories of his heroism will become legend, to be told for generations. We can sense that what he has done will have epic consequences - yet he only wanted to do the right thing. It is great how the reader can shift from seeing Lucien with his own eyes, to how he must appear to the people whose lives he affects. Never has a hero been so humble, yet so magnificent! The ending is a true test of will-power, of heart and soul over muscle, and yes, you better have some tissue at hand...
Not only is the plot and the characters great, Berg's language is a treat, the book is beautifully written, and a true joy to read. Be sure I will re-read this book with great pleasure again, as the author, for my taste, takes much too long between publishing new work! But that is probably why her books are so great, she takes the time that is needed to create masterpieces.
I am eagerly awaiting Berg's next book!
February 1, 2016
****This book was reviewed for the San Francisco Book Review****
“You are not a murderer. The curious fact had been served to me that morning like cold fish on a platter, to be digested as I took my daily run.”
~Ash and Dust, Carol Berg
With this masterful opening, we are introduced to Paratus Greenshank, a novice of Fortress Evanide, in training to be a Knight. From the very beginning, the story grabs you by the hand, plunging you headfirst into a world of magick, and war, where nothing is quite what it seems.
We follow Greenshank, a man with missing memory, as he begins to learn more of who he was. His story, and Lucian’s particularly, tugged at my heartstrings. I wished to reach through the pages, and offer comfort to suffering. This a grand thing indeed when an author can so pull one into a new world, and create such empathy with people a world away. There's far more to Greenshank and Lucian, far more than simple war brewing. Change like no other, world-shaping change, is coming and one lowly paratus of Evanide has a far bigger role than even he knows.
Reading this story, with its recurrent theme of memory and loss of memory prompted a poem out of me, something so rare of late. It's been months since that bent was last stoked. I cherish the things that wake my inspiration.
Berg is a brilliant biblioanthropologist, a chronicler for the ages, introducing us to a rich world, sharing with us its history, painting it in words, breathing life and soul into it. The writing reminded me very much of Ursula K. LeGuin.
This is the second in the Sanctuary series, but can be read stand-alone. If you are a fan of A Wizard of Earthsea, or George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, be sure to check out Carol Berg’s Ash and Silver (or any of her other wonderful books!) You will be drawn into worlds you will never forget.
...unless you visit Evanide, and chance upon an old boatmaster who guards the Fortress secrets.
“You are not a murderer. The curious fact had been served to me that morning like cold fish on a platter, to be digested as I took my daily run.”
~Ash and Dust, Carol Berg
With this masterful opening, we are introduced to Paratus Greenshank, a novice of Fortress Evanide, in training to be a Knight. From the very beginning, the story grabs you by the hand, plunging you headfirst into a world of magick, and war, where nothing is quite what it seems.
We follow Greenshank, a man with missing memory, as he begins to learn more of who he was. His story, and Lucian’s particularly, tugged at my heartstrings. I wished to reach through the pages, and offer comfort to suffering. This a grand thing indeed when an author can so pull one into a new world, and create such empathy with people a world away. There's far more to Greenshank and Lucian, far more than simple war brewing. Change like no other, world-shaping change, is coming and one lowly paratus of Evanide has a far bigger role than even he knows.
Reading this story, with its recurrent theme of memory and loss of memory prompted a poem out of me, something so rare of late. It's been months since that bent was last stoked. I cherish the things that wake my inspiration.
Berg is a brilliant biblioanthropologist, a chronicler for the ages, introducing us to a rich world, sharing with us its history, painting it in words, breathing life and soul into it. The writing reminded me very much of Ursula K. LeGuin.
This is the second in the Sanctuary series, but can be read stand-alone. If you are a fan of A Wizard of Earthsea, or George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, be sure to check out Carol Berg’s Ash and Silver (or any of her other wonderful books!) You will be drawn into worlds you will never forget.
...unless you visit Evanide, and chance upon an old boatmaster who guards the Fortress secrets.
January 25, 2016
I envy readers who haven't already read the first of the Sanctuary Duet, Dust and Light. They can go through this linked, contrasting pair of books without having to wait for the conclusion.
I'm not going to recount the plot in detail; other reviewers have done a fine job of that. It's wonderfully complex, filled with contradictions and characters who probably aren't what they seem. Or, wait, maybe they are...
Lucian de Remini has spent the last two years training at Evanide, a remote wave-lashed fortress of the Equites Cinere. The very proper young man who paid so dearly for his one rule-breaking is now a warrior and a magician. The rules of the order require men to give up all their memories of their former life, and in desperation he had agreed to that. Returning memories and plot events feed each other in a spiral of discovery that's sometimes a little hard to follow, but fascinating. I did occasionally wonder whether anyone could survive all the physical trials that Lucian/Greenshanks must endure.
Like some other reviewers, I question whether people who'd undergone repeated memory-wipes wouldn't lose their personalities, and some of their skills. How could they make decisions without relying on experience? It didn't stop me from reading Ash and Silver, or from enjoying it tremendously.
I loved finding answers to the questions I'd had reading the first book--and to some more puzzles that I believe only show up in this one. The world-building is wonderful. Such a variety of cultures and peoples all contending for survival in an equally varied landscape!
I don't know if Berg wants to do any more books set in this world. I'd love to see more of Lucian's sister Juli. Clever, brave and loving, she also gives me the feeling that she has a sense of humor.
I'm not going to recount the plot in detail; other reviewers have done a fine job of that. It's wonderfully complex, filled with contradictions and characters who probably aren't what they seem. Or, wait, maybe they are...
Lucian de Remini has spent the last two years training at Evanide, a remote wave-lashed fortress of the Equites Cinere. The very proper young man who paid so dearly for his one rule-breaking is now a warrior and a magician. The rules of the order require men to give up all their memories of their former life, and in desperation he had agreed to that. Returning memories and plot events feed each other in a spiral of discovery that's sometimes a little hard to follow, but fascinating. I did occasionally wonder whether anyone could survive all the physical trials that Lucian/Greenshanks must endure.
Like some other reviewers, I question whether people who'd undergone repeated memory-wipes wouldn't lose their personalities, and some of their skills. How could they make decisions without relying on experience? It didn't stop me from reading Ash and Silver, or from enjoying it tremendously.
I loved finding answers to the questions I'd had reading the first book--and to some more puzzles that I believe only show up in this one. The world-building is wonderful. Such a variety of cultures and peoples all contending for survival in an equally varied landscape!
I don't know if Berg wants to do any more books set in this world. I'd love to see more of Lucian's sister Juli. Clever, brave and loving, she also gives me the feeling that she has a sense of humor.
February 25, 2016
At the end of Dust and Light, Carol Berg left a lot of strings dangling. Our protagonist, Lucian de Remeni, took a mysterious offer and this book is the result of that offer.
This is a very interesting premise. How much of what makes you the person you are would remain if your memory of who you are is wiped out? Would you still have the same values? Would your conduct, based as it is on those values, remain true to who you used to be? These are among the questions that Berg is dealing with in this conclusion to her Sanctuary duet. Remade as Greenshank, a member of the Order of Equites Cineré, a group of “secret agent do-gooder knights,” he encounters bits and pieces of his past and must decide how he is going to react to the questions they raise in his mind.
As usual, Berg folds, spindles and mutilates her character as he struggles to deal with world-changing events. Once Remeni/Greenshank uncovers more of his past, he is faced with a decision. Does he sacrifice what he used to be to remain as he is, or does he sacrifice what he has become to finish what was begun in the first book. Both options have the potential to bring about tremendous results.
This is a true Carol Berg novel. It is layer upon layer of plot, thick and chunky and not meant for casual reading. I have greatly enjoyed everything of hers that I have read. This novel is no exception.
This is a very interesting premise. How much of what makes you the person you are would remain if your memory of who you are is wiped out? Would you still have the same values? Would your conduct, based as it is on those values, remain true to who you used to be? These are among the questions that Berg is dealing with in this conclusion to her Sanctuary duet. Remade as Greenshank, a member of the Order of Equites Cineré, a group of “secret agent do-gooder knights,” he encounters bits and pieces of his past and must decide how he is going to react to the questions they raise in his mind.
As usual, Berg folds, spindles and mutilates her character as he struggles to deal with world-changing events. Once Remeni/Greenshank uncovers more of his past, he is faced with a decision. Does he sacrifice what he used to be to remain as he is, or does he sacrifice what he has become to finish what was begun in the first book. Both options have the potential to bring about tremendous results.
This is a true Carol Berg novel. It is layer upon layer of plot, thick and chunky and not meant for casual reading. I have greatly enjoyed everything of hers that I have read. This novel is no exception.
January 12, 2016
Well, that was epic. I love love love Carol Berg's books, and this one is a thoroughly enjoyable followup to Dust and Light, which I loved but I think I loved this one even more. Lucien, now known as Greenshank, a knight-in-training in the top-secret Knights of the Ashes, and stripped of all memories of his previous life, discovers his badass side as he trains to protect Navronne from evil. He finds himself the focus of two plots, one involving the disputed throne of Navronne (the object of a terrible civil war being fought the last several years), the other having to do with damage to the parallel world of the Danae and the fate of a massacred city. There's a lot going on, but it's all lots of fun, and as always beautifully written, and Lucien/Greenshank grows into a really unforgettable character. His reunion with Bastien from Dust and Light was fun, and there's also a part with Osriel the Bastard, the terrifying third son of the dead king; knowing what I know about Osriel from the Lighthouse Duet, Ms. Berg's previous books set in this same world, also made this part fun to read. At the end of the book, I could see how Lucien's story and Valen's story from the Lighthouse Duet could come together to solve all of Navronne's problems (and of the Everlasting, the Danae lands). *insert fangirl squee* That would be awesome.
January 9, 2016
As always, Carol Berg has writen a superb and in-depth tale set in a world out of legend with with strong, sympahetic, yet flawed characters. I liked this book so much and there is so much in it that I read it twice, and reread the first book in the series, DUST AND LIGHT, in between in order to remind myself what came before.
Here, Lucien has a new name, Greenshanks, and a new situation, training in a military order of magic-wielding knights, the Equites Cinere. He becomes aware that Damon, a magician high in the councils of the Purebred Registry, is seeking to corrupt not only the Equites Cinere but take over the Registry as well and to use Lucien's unique magical gifts and insights to aid his ambition. At times Lucien gets caught between factions in the other-worldly beings, the Danae, and travels back in time to visit the lost city of Xancheria in its last days. He also helps a persecuted people who fled into the other-world's supposed Sanctuary and got trapped, only to starve. Though he attempts to do good, as he works his way through layers of truths and lies, Lucien finds himself forced to cooperate with his enemies. Though the ultimate resolution felt right for him, it left me sad.
Here, Lucien has a new name, Greenshanks, and a new situation, training in a military order of magic-wielding knights, the Equites Cinere. He becomes aware that Damon, a magician high in the councils of the Purebred Registry, is seeking to corrupt not only the Equites Cinere but take over the Registry as well and to use Lucien's unique magical gifts and insights to aid his ambition. At times Lucien gets caught between factions in the other-worldly beings, the Danae, and travels back in time to visit the lost city of Xancheria in its last days. He also helps a persecuted people who fled into the other-world's supposed Sanctuary and got trapped, only to starve. Though he attempts to do good, as he works his way through layers of truths and lies, Lucien finds himself forced to cooperate with his enemies. Though the ultimate resolution felt right for him, it left me sad.
December 10, 2015
Carol Berg’s Dust and Light (paper) introduced Lucian de Remeni-Masson , a pure-blood sorcerer with the ability to draw truth in his portraits. Too much truth. Political consequences first have in working for an ordinary Coroner drawing pictures of murdered victims that help find their murderers. But politics and Lucian’s own quest for truth led him to Order of the Equites Cineré, knights devoted to Justice. His memories deliberately removed, he trains with no idea of his potential to not only paint the truth but also to open portals to a land of an ancient city whose inhabitants have been changed to trees. Three princes are destroying the kingdom while fighting for the throne and politics throws Lucian, now called Greenshank into a complicated mess shaped by Ash and Silver (paper from Roc). The tale is far too complicated and even strains belief to reach the happy ending of this tale.Review printed by Philadelphia Weekly Press
December 21, 2015
The concluding book in the fantasy duology that began with "Dust and Light." I enjoyed this book very much. The milieu, which is shared with three other of Carol Berg's books, is darkly dramatic, and I appreciate the thoughtful and unusual depiction of magic. The narrator, Greenshank, is both admirable and likable, and faces an array of formidable obstacles. I particularly liked the moments depicting friendship between Greenshank and other characters, and I think I would have preferred more emphasis on those friendships, and less discussion of the complicated plot points. I would love to read a fifth book in this setting featuring Greenshank or Valen or Osriel or Inek or Bastien or Fix. Hmmm. Carol Berg creates interesting characters!
November 1, 2016
The book started out a little slow.......and I was still a bit saddened that Bastien (from the previous book, the coroner who employed Lucian) wasn't in it, though he showed up later............but in the end, the fast pace and amazing suspense held me in to the end. I would rate this higher than almost any other book of Berg's I have read, since her original "Rai-Kirah Trilogy". For as amazing as it was, I felt the last few chapters were a bit rushed as things fell into place...I would gladly have read another 100 pages to have the pace slow just a little bit for more explanation at the end.
July 23, 2017
I'm torn about this book. On one hand, I did like it.
On the other hand, it took a really strange turn as a sequel to Dust and Light, leaving all of the plot lines developed in that book abruptly and completely behind. It went on to develop a new complicated conspiracy, culminating in a weird, over the top, and unsatisfying climax that failed to really resolve any of the plot lines from either book.
This could have easily been a stand-alone book or the beginning of a new series with a new protagonist and it would have been--well honestly pretty flawed, but still enjoyable enough to be forgiven. But as a sequel it was pretty infuriating.
On the other hand, it took a really strange turn as a sequel to Dust and Light, leaving all of the plot lines developed in that book abruptly and completely behind. It went on to develop a new complicated conspiracy, culminating in a weird, over the top, and unsatisfying climax that failed to really resolve any of the plot lines from either book.
This could have easily been a stand-alone book or the beginning of a new series with a new protagonist and it would have been--well honestly pretty flawed, but still enjoyable enough to be forgiven. But as a sequel it was pretty infuriating.
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