What do you think?
Steadfast as Stone
Born to poor farmers, Ash Carn truly came alive when her magic was awoken on a forested hill. The orcs who tried to ambush her and her brother were crushed as old trees were ripped from the ground, wielded by the elemental spirits of stone Ash summoned. Now, she is the mage for a powerful house, under the leadership of Duke Erike Eyvindar—a man she once swore to kill.
As war ravages the island realm of Wheyan, Erike and his house struggle desperately for survival. It has been four months since the elves invaded, and the war may finally end soon. Erike’s plan to destroy the elves’ slave army has been set in motion, ready to unfold at one of his people’s most sacred burial grounds. But on the eve of battle, an assassin armed with an enchanted blade strikes. As Erike wavers on death’s door, Ash must save him—or more than the war could be lost.
Meanwhile, forces lurk in the shadows, seeking to bring all in the Island Realms to their knees. As Erike’s homeland plunges into further turmoil, he must gather his friends and allies to push back the gathering darkness. But as those allies fall or turn their backs, Ash and Erike realize that their future may balance on the choices they make—and the moral lines those choices may force them to cross.
As war ravages the island realm of Wheyan, Erike and his house struggle desperately for survival. It has been four months since the elves invaded, and the war may finally end soon. Erike’s plan to destroy the elves’ slave army has been set in motion, ready to unfold at one of his people’s most sacred burial grounds. But on the eve of battle, an assassin armed with an enchanted blade strikes. As Erike wavers on death’s door, Ash must save him—or more than the war could be lost.
Meanwhile, forces lurk in the shadows, seeking to bring all in the Island Realms to their knees. As Erike’s homeland plunges into further turmoil, he must gather his friends and allies to push back the gathering darkness. But as those allies fall or turn their backs, Ash and Erike realize that their future may balance on the choices they make—and the moral lines those choices may force them to cross.
630 pages, Paperback
Published September 8, 2026
About the author
Jeffery A. Smith
4 books29 followersFind me on Instagram (@jeffery.a.smith) to keep up with my latest news or thoughts. I keep my website (www.jefferyasmith.com) up to date with what is going on in my writing and reading life.
My books are like the night sky, dark but full of pinpricks of hope.
The Shores of the Deluge is a series that has been living in my head for most of my life, and I'm so glad to be sharing it with the world. The story spans several generations (and several genres). Shroud of Whispers is a murder mystery, while Steadfast as Stone is a military political thriller. Rippling Darkness will be released in 2027, and it is a twisty adventure story.
My books are like the night sky, dark but full of pinpricks of hope.
The Shores of the Deluge is a series that has been living in my head for most of my life, and I'm so glad to be sharing it with the world. The story spans several generations (and several genres). Shroud of Whispers is a murder mystery, while Steadfast as Stone is a military political thriller. Rippling Darkness will be released in 2027, and it is a twisty adventure story.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 26, 2026
4/5 stars
Format: E book ARC
Spoilers: No
Thank you to the author for providing me with a digital ARC to read and provide an honest review.
I was a big fan of the Shroud of Whispers, and was very excited to check this one out. Shroud is very much a darker fantasy story with a murder mystery tied to an already mysterious world, and felt very local. In Steadfast and Stone, Smith has completely switched things up - new characters, a new part of the world, and the complexity and scope is exponentially greater as this book acts as a political military fantasy. In a sense, Smith has gone full Malayan here, with these two books sharing a world but telling very different self contained stories. For some readers, this may be difficult in terms of a tonal switch, but I did really enjoy this new world and this change in direction in terms of story type.
The story here is also told in a dual timeline circular narrative. While this did at times feel a bit jumbled, or felt like the tension was broken, I think Smith overall did a great job using this narrative structure to slowly reveal mysteries and provide the relevant back story.
Overall, I really enjoyed our main POVs, Erike and Ash, a Duke and a Mage. The magic system was more thoroughly explored here, and we got some great insight into how the powers of the world work. Ash and her earth/rock based powers reminded me a bit of Essun from The Broken Earth Trilogy, although she is a much younger and different character. The magic is still mysterious, and this one left me interested to see how the magic in the world will expand. Erike is a tortured Duke who strains at the bonds of duty, and Ash a generational talent when it comes to her wells of magic with a traumatic past. They played off of each other really well.
While a lot of second books stall out a bit, the fact that this was a whole new cast and setting made it feel really fresh, although at the start you definitely had that book one world building feel. once the story began to really take off though, it was well done. If you enjoy military fantasy and epic battles, this book has plenty of military and political scheming, and battles and strategy galore.
I am really interested to see where this story goes, and I think you have to trust the author a bit here. Let him cook, because I think the convergence of stories is going to be really cool, and this was a great book on its own.
Format: E book ARC
Spoilers: No
Thank you to the author for providing me with a digital ARC to read and provide an honest review.
I was a big fan of the Shroud of Whispers, and was very excited to check this one out. Shroud is very much a darker fantasy story with a murder mystery tied to an already mysterious world, and felt very local. In Steadfast and Stone, Smith has completely switched things up - new characters, a new part of the world, and the complexity and scope is exponentially greater as this book acts as a political military fantasy. In a sense, Smith has gone full Malayan here, with these two books sharing a world but telling very different self contained stories. For some readers, this may be difficult in terms of a tonal switch, but I did really enjoy this new world and this change in direction in terms of story type.
The story here is also told in a dual timeline circular narrative. While this did at times feel a bit jumbled, or felt like the tension was broken, I think Smith overall did a great job using this narrative structure to slowly reveal mysteries and provide the relevant back story.
Overall, I really enjoyed our main POVs, Erike and Ash, a Duke and a Mage. The magic system was more thoroughly explored here, and we got some great insight into how the powers of the world work. Ash and her earth/rock based powers reminded me a bit of Essun from The Broken Earth Trilogy, although she is a much younger and different character. The magic is still mysterious, and this one left me interested to see how the magic in the world will expand. Erike is a tortured Duke who strains at the bonds of duty, and Ash a generational talent when it comes to her wells of magic with a traumatic past. They played off of each other really well.
While a lot of second books stall out a bit, the fact that this was a whole new cast and setting made it feel really fresh, although at the start you definitely had that book one world building feel. once the story began to really take off though, it was well done. If you enjoy military fantasy and epic battles, this book has plenty of military and political scheming, and battles and strategy galore.
I am really interested to see where this story goes, and I think you have to trust the author a bit here. Let him cook, because I think the convergence of stories is going to be really cool, and this was a great book on its own.
July 26, 2026
Steadfast as Stone was completely different from Shroud of Whispers. Even though both books take place in the same world at different times, they fall into very different genres. Shroud of Whispers gives a more supernatural dark mystery fantasy vibe, while Steadfast as Stone leans more toward epic military fantasy. I enjoyed both books.
Steadfast as Stone uses a circular dual timeline narrative that I found interesting. I like going back and forth between the two time lines, seeing and learning the facts behind the war and watching the characters grow. As with the first book, I felt the character development was excellent and I enjoyed most of the characters. What I wish I got a little more of was the history of the world. After reading Shroud of Whispers I felt he introduced the world well, and I expected more of that in Steadfast as Stone. Maybe that will come in book three.
The ending was great and it feels like it is setting up a really strong third book. Just like book one, this is a solid four star read for me and I look forward to the next installment.
Steadfast as Stone uses a circular dual timeline narrative that I found interesting. I like going back and forth between the two time lines, seeing and learning the facts behind the war and watching the characters grow. As with the first book, I felt the character development was excellent and I enjoyed most of the characters. What I wish I got a little more of was the history of the world. After reading Shroud of Whispers I felt he introduced the world well, and I expected more of that in Steadfast as Stone. Maybe that will come in book three.
The ending was great and it feels like it is setting up a really strong third book. Just like book one, this is a solid four star read for me and I look forward to the next installment.
Review of advance copy received from Author
After really enjoying Shroud of Whispers, I was curious to see where Jeffery A. Smith would take this world next. Unfortunately, Steadfast as Stone turned out to be a very different experience, and ultimately one that didn't work for me.
Although both books share the same world, this feels like a completely different type of fantasy. Where the first book had a darker supernatural mystery feel, this one leans much more towards epic military fantasy. That change in direction simply wasn't to my taste. I also struggled with the new cast of characters. Their development is well handled, but I never formed the same connection with them that I had hoped for.
The dual timeline was another issue for me. The story moves between two periods across nearly two decades, using the past to gradually add context to the present. In theory, I can see why this structure could work well, especially for revealing history and building mystery. In practice, I found the constant movement between timelines distracting. Just as I became invested in what was happening in the present, the story would take me back into the past, which repeatedly broke my rhythm and made the plot harder to follow. Of the two timelines, I definitely preferred the present-day storyline.
The pacing also felt too slow for me. The book takes its time establishing political tensions, relationships and the wider world, but I often felt that it took too long for everything to come together. There is a lot of information to absorb, with numerous names, locations and side characters introduced throughout the story.
I appreciate that this expands the world considerably. We get to see a different part of it and learn much more about its history and complexity, which is undoubtedly a strength. However, I often felt overwhelmed rather than intrigued. There are so many pieces of information and smaller threads that appear briefly and then disappear without becoming important later. They certainly make the world feel larger, but I wasn't convinced that all of them added enough to the actual story.
The fact that the book includes a glossary also became a little frustrating for me. With such a large cast, numerous locations and complicated connections, I understand why it was included, but I personally prefer when those details become clear naturally through the narrative rather than requiring additional reference material to keep track of everything.
The ending did catch me by surprise and seems to be setting the stage for another instalment. Unfortunately, despite appreciating what the author is trying to build with this larger world, I don't think I'll be continuing with the series.
Verdict: An ambitious expansion of the world with solid character development and plenty of new lore, but the shift towards military fantasy, slow pacing and dual-timeline structure didn't work for me. I appreciated the effort put into broadening the setting, but I found the story difficult to connect with and ultimately less enjoyable than its predecessor.
A big thank you to Jeffery A. Smith for sending an eARC. I really appreciate it, even if this instalment wasn't quite the right fit for me.
Although both books share the same world, this feels like a completely different type of fantasy. Where the first book had a darker supernatural mystery feel, this one leans much more towards epic military fantasy. That change in direction simply wasn't to my taste. I also struggled with the new cast of characters. Their development is well handled, but I never formed the same connection with them that I had hoped for.
The dual timeline was another issue for me. The story moves between two periods across nearly two decades, using the past to gradually add context to the present. In theory, I can see why this structure could work well, especially for revealing history and building mystery. In practice, I found the constant movement between timelines distracting. Just as I became invested in what was happening in the present, the story would take me back into the past, which repeatedly broke my rhythm and made the plot harder to follow. Of the two timelines, I definitely preferred the present-day storyline.
The pacing also felt too slow for me. The book takes its time establishing political tensions, relationships and the wider world, but I often felt that it took too long for everything to come together. There is a lot of information to absorb, with numerous names, locations and side characters introduced throughout the story.
I appreciate that this expands the world considerably. We get to see a different part of it and learn much more about its history and complexity, which is undoubtedly a strength. However, I often felt overwhelmed rather than intrigued. There are so many pieces of information and smaller threads that appear briefly and then disappear without becoming important later. They certainly make the world feel larger, but I wasn't convinced that all of them added enough to the actual story.
The fact that the book includes a glossary also became a little frustrating for me. With such a large cast, numerous locations and complicated connections, I understand why it was included, but I personally prefer when those details become clear naturally through the narrative rather than requiring additional reference material to keep track of everything.
The ending did catch me by surprise and seems to be setting the stage for another instalment. Unfortunately, despite appreciating what the author is trying to build with this larger world, I don't think I'll be continuing with the series.
Verdict: An ambitious expansion of the world with solid character development and plenty of new lore, but the shift towards military fantasy, slow pacing and dual-timeline structure didn't work for me. I appreciated the effort put into broadening the setting, but I found the story difficult to connect with and ultimately less enjoyable than its predecessor.
A big thank you to Jeffery A. Smith for sending an eARC. I really appreciate it, even if this instalment wasn't quite the right fit for me.
Review of advance copy received from Author
When noble family feuds caused by freak accidents blends into war with both elves and orcs and potent magic is thrown into the mix by headstrong individuals, it is easy to see why kingdoms are torn apart.
And in this book (which easily can be read as a stand-alone) the reader is allowed to look behind the scenes, so you feel you know something more than most of the characters in the story (like in GOT where you experience the white walkers in the prologue so you know which stance to take later on when the Lannisters call them superstition and the Starks don’t).
Having a penchant for intertwined storylines set at different timelines this book was a fast read, even if it was 630 pages. The prose is very clean and story-driven so it’s easy to follow the characters and the strategies in the politics and war to come, and it gave me the same vibes as when reading The Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny.
With a focus on two main characters who get to travel a lot, you don’t lose track of the story and avoid the common pitfall of too many POVs (point of views) to slow down the pace and bewilder the casual reader.
That these characters are likeable to evoke sympathy makes it easy to journey with them (compared to a main character with no nice traits that can seriously hamper the enjoyment of a good story), even if they have their flaws.
The world building is integrated into the story and composed in a way that you don’t have to understand everything to enjoy the story, but like Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson, it doesn’t explain things either, so if you want to have the world lore, you must read carefully.
My tidbit from this book was the portrayal of Malarin tribesmen and their “uncivilised” customs, and how random accidents/encounters is gossiped into intention or can change a story (or how a simple shovel can spoil intentions, but I won’t spoil more about that as this review is spoiler free).
And in this book (which easily can be read as a stand-alone) the reader is allowed to look behind the scenes, so you feel you know something more than most of the characters in the story (like in GOT where you experience the white walkers in the prologue so you know which stance to take later on when the Lannisters call them superstition and the Starks don’t).
Having a penchant for intertwined storylines set at different timelines this book was a fast read, even if it was 630 pages. The prose is very clean and story-driven so it’s easy to follow the characters and the strategies in the politics and war to come, and it gave me the same vibes as when reading The Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny.
With a focus on two main characters who get to travel a lot, you don’t lose track of the story and avoid the common pitfall of too many POVs (point of views) to slow down the pace and bewilder the casual reader.
That these characters are likeable to evoke sympathy makes it easy to journey with them (compared to a main character with no nice traits that can seriously hamper the enjoyment of a good story), even if they have their flaws.
The world building is integrated into the story and composed in a way that you don’t have to understand everything to enjoy the story, but like Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson, it doesn’t explain things either, so if you want to have the world lore, you must read carefully.
My tidbit from this book was the portrayal of Malarin tribesmen and their “uncivilised” customs, and how random accidents/encounters is gossiped into intention or can change a story (or how a simple shovel can spoil intentions, but I won’t spoil more about that as this review is spoiler free).
July 21, 2026
𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧.
I rate this a 4.25.
I really liked Shroud of Whispers, but Steadfast as Stone ended up becoming my favorite of the two.
One thing I really appreciated was that this didn’t feel like a repeat of the first book. Instead of following the original characters, we get a completely new group of people to follow, and I’ll admit I was a little hesitant at first. Thankfully, it didn’t take long before I was fully invested in them.
The dual timelines were probably my favorite part of the whole book. Normally I end up preferring one over the other, but that wasn’t the case here. Every time the story switched, I was just as excited to see where it was going. Watching the two storylines slowly come together made for a really satisfying reading experience.
This book leans much more into politics, but it never felt overwhelming because everything was grounded in the characters and their relationships. The characters are really what made this book for me. The friendships, loyalty, and trust that develop throughout the story all felt genuine, and those relationships gave the emotional moments even more weight.
The pacing is definitely more deliberate. It takes its time building the world, the political tensions, and the relationships before everything starts clicking into place. It isn’t fast-paced, but it never felt slow either, and I always felt like the story was moving toward something.
As much as I enjoyed Shroud of Whispers, I honestly think Steadfast as Stone is the stronger book. It expands the world in such an interesting way, introduces characters I ended up loving, and the ending had me screaming internally. 😱
Lastly, thank you to Jeffery A. Smith for sending me a signed physical ARC. I’m so grateful I had the chance to read this one early!
I rate this a 4.25.
I really liked Shroud of Whispers, but Steadfast as Stone ended up becoming my favorite of the two.
One thing I really appreciated was that this didn’t feel like a repeat of the first book. Instead of following the original characters, we get a completely new group of people to follow, and I’ll admit I was a little hesitant at first. Thankfully, it didn’t take long before I was fully invested in them.
The dual timelines were probably my favorite part of the whole book. Normally I end up preferring one over the other, but that wasn’t the case here. Every time the story switched, I was just as excited to see where it was going. Watching the two storylines slowly come together made for a really satisfying reading experience.
This book leans much more into politics, but it never felt overwhelming because everything was grounded in the characters and their relationships. The characters are really what made this book for me. The friendships, loyalty, and trust that develop throughout the story all felt genuine, and those relationships gave the emotional moments even more weight.
The pacing is definitely more deliberate. It takes its time building the world, the political tensions, and the relationships before everything starts clicking into place. It isn’t fast-paced, but it never felt slow either, and I always felt like the story was moving toward something.
As much as I enjoyed Shroud of Whispers, I honestly think Steadfast as Stone is the stronger book. It expands the world in such an interesting way, introduces characters I ended up loving, and the ending had me screaming internally. 😱
Lastly, thank you to Jeffery A. Smith for sending me a signed physical ARC. I’m so grateful I had the chance to read this one early!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this book!
One thing to note before starting this: Steadfast as Stone doesn’t directly follow Shroud of Whispers. It’s set in the same world, but follows different characters in a different part of the world. While book one was a mystery fantasy, this one is more of a military fantasy, focused on moving armies across the world.
I wish I had known this going in (I don’t read the back of books haha) because I went in expecting us to pick up right where we left off. Because of that, it took me quite a while to get my bearings and to get over my disappointment that we weren’t returning to those characters or finding out what happened next. I was really looking forward to continuing where we left off!
As with book one, a considerable chunk of this story is dedicated to worldbuilding. There are A LOT of characters, so many that I had a hard time keeping track of them, and a lot of places to remember. I found myself constantly referencing the map and reference pages. Between the amount of worldbuilding and the fact that military fantasy isn’t typically what I gravitate toward, it took me until a little over halfway through to really get into the story. But once I hit around 65%, everything started clicking. The dual timelines began getting closer and closer to the present day and I felt more connected to the character. Next thing I know, I'm blowing through the book. It got really good!
While it may seem like you could read these books separately, I would strongly advise against it. Characters from book one appear in this story, a major event from the first book is referenced and acts as a catalyst for some of the major events here, and the author expects you to already understand the magic system.
Overall, I really like the premise, characters, and magic system. I do think the worldbuilding could be trimmed down and tightened up, especially in the beginning. It was a bit of a struggle to get into at first, but I think a lot of that came down to me going in with the wrong expectations. Once I adjusted to what this book was actually doing, I found myself much more invested and flew through the second half.
One thing to note before starting this: Steadfast as Stone doesn’t directly follow Shroud of Whispers. It’s set in the same world, but follows different characters in a different part of the world. While book one was a mystery fantasy, this one is more of a military fantasy, focused on moving armies across the world.
I wish I had known this going in (I don’t read the back of books haha) because I went in expecting us to pick up right where we left off. Because of that, it took me quite a while to get my bearings and to get over my disappointment that we weren’t returning to those characters or finding out what happened next. I was really looking forward to continuing where we left off!
As with book one, a considerable chunk of this story is dedicated to worldbuilding. There are A LOT of characters, so many that I had a hard time keeping track of them, and a lot of places to remember. I found myself constantly referencing the map and reference pages. Between the amount of worldbuilding and the fact that military fantasy isn’t typically what I gravitate toward, it took me until a little over halfway through to really get into the story. But once I hit around 65%, everything started clicking. The dual timelines began getting closer and closer to the present day and I felt more connected to the character. Next thing I know, I'm blowing through the book. It got really good!
While it may seem like you could read these books separately, I would strongly advise against it. Characters from book one appear in this story, a major event from the first book is referenced and acts as a catalyst for some of the major events here, and the author expects you to already understand the magic system.
Overall, I really like the premise, characters, and magic system. I do think the worldbuilding could be trimmed down and tightened up, especially in the beginning. It was a bit of a struggle to get into at first, but I think a lot of that came down to me going in with the wrong expectations. Once I adjusted to what this book was actually doing, I found myself much more invested and flew through the second half.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
In Steadfast As Stone the end is the beginning and the beginning is the end. Doesn't that sound fun and mysterious?
Jeffery has really done it in SaS, and I had such a fun and relaxing time in this one. Which can also sound a bit weird, because this is much more complex and can be more info packed than book 1.
Compared to Shroud which is a murder mystery fantasy with a Male (Xamual) and Female (Trú) pov, in the same time period. Here we have 2 completely different main characters in 2 different time periods across the timespan about 19 years, in a political military fantasy.
Jeff did a fantastic job with everything from the backstory of Erike povs, that leads you along to the events that happens in Ash povs in the present time. Since this is a story that leads along 19 years, you will get the feeling of alot of time jumps. For me it's not the most favorite part of stories, but here it's been executed fantastic and I did not feel that I missed out on anything important, while the story flowed perfectly and easy to follow.
This is also a very thick story compared to Shroud with many different side characters and places, and for that Jeff has put in a nice glossary, map and even a pronunciation guide for those who loves that.
Loved this one, and this is definitely Jeffery's best book so far. Can't wait to see what's next in The Shores of The Deluge.
In Steadfast As Stone the end is the beginning and the beginning is the end. Doesn't that sound fun and mysterious?
Jeffery has really done it in SaS, and I had such a fun and relaxing time in this one. Which can also sound a bit weird, because this is much more complex and can be more info packed than book 1.
Compared to Shroud which is a murder mystery fantasy with a Male (Xamual) and Female (Trú) pov, in the same time period. Here we have 2 completely different main characters in 2 different time periods across the timespan about 19 years, in a political military fantasy.
Jeff did a fantastic job with everything from the backstory of Erike povs, that leads you along to the events that happens in Ash povs in the present time. Since this is a story that leads along 19 years, you will get the feeling of alot of time jumps. For me it's not the most favorite part of stories, but here it's been executed fantastic and I did not feel that I missed out on anything important, while the story flowed perfectly and easy to follow.
This is also a very thick story compared to Shroud with many different side characters and places, and for that Jeff has put in a nice glossary, map and even a pronunciation guide for those who loves that.
Loved this one, and this is definitely Jeffery's best book so far. Can't wait to see what's next in The Shores of The Deluge.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Steadfast as Stone is the second book in the Shores of the Deluge series. Set in the same world as Shroud of Whispers, it takes you on a completely different journey. While Shroud of Whispers was more of a fantasy murder mystery, Steadfast as Stone is a political war story.
We meet a whole new set of characters, who grow on you rapidly. I loved how Erike grew in the book. A new Duke, inexperienced in battle, trying very hard to do the right thing, while his abilities are being judged by the other nobles. How can you not root for him?
The story is told in 2 pov's, each from a different time period. This worked so well for the story. It flows perfectly, and it was always perfectly clear where we were on the timeline.
There was also a lot of action in this book. The battles fought never felt repetitive. There was always some other smart tactic, new advantages, disadvantages, and it never dragged. There was always something on the line.
The book always made you want more. I think Jeffery deserves way more recognition and hype. I loved both Shroud of Whispers and Steadfast as Stone very much, and I am curious what book 3 will bring. I know I can't wait to read it.
We meet a whole new set of characters, who grow on you rapidly. I loved how Erike grew in the book. A new Duke, inexperienced in battle, trying very hard to do the right thing, while his abilities are being judged by the other nobles. How can you not root for him?
The story is told in 2 pov's, each from a different time period. This worked so well for the story. It flows perfectly, and it was always perfectly clear where we were on the timeline.
There was also a lot of action in this book. The battles fought never felt repetitive. There was always some other smart tactic, new advantages, disadvantages, and it never dragged. There was always something on the line.
The book always made you want more. I think Jeffery deserves way more recognition and hype. I loved both Shroud of Whispers and Steadfast as Stone very much, and I am curious what book 3 will bring. I know I can't wait to read it.
September 8, 2026
I read Shroud of Whispers, which obviously led to me reading the second book in the series: Steadfast as Stone was incredible. Ash is easily one of my favorite protagonists I’ve ever read. She’s such a compelling character, and I found myself thinking about her long after I finished the book. Her personal story draws you in, but I stayed for her wit and sharpness. She was so observant, and her chapters felt like I was constantly learning something new.
There are so many scenes that have stayed with me, the kind that I can still vividly picture in my mind. The atmosphere and imagery were so memorable that certain moments almost feel like memories of my own, but what impressed me most was the dual POV structure. Seeing those two perspectives come together was such a satisfying payoff. It added a level of intentionality to the story that made the whole book feel even more carefully constructed in retrospect. FIVE STARS easily.
There are so many scenes that have stayed with me, the kind that I can still vividly picture in my mind. The atmosphere and imagery were so memorable that certain moments almost feel like memories of my own, but what impressed me most was the dual POV structure. Seeing those two perspectives come together was such a satisfying payoff. It added a level of intentionality to the story that made the whole book feel even more carefully constructed in retrospect. FIVE STARS easily.
Review of advance copy received from Autorin bzw. Autor
This book is very different from book 1. This is an epic adventure instead of a fantasy mystery. We also get to follow a different set of MCs.
That being said, the story ties into the world nicely and broadens the world quite a bit. You get to explore a different part of it.
Smith got me to root for the characters as well as grief for them. Something he was able to do in book one of the series as well. Excellent character work!
The pacing was steady with some tension arcs that will keep you turning the page.
I recived an ARC of the book by the author.
That being said, the story ties into the world nicely and broadens the world quite a bit. You get to explore a different part of it.
Smith got me to root for the characters as well as grief for them. Something he was able to do in book one of the series as well. Excellent character work!
The pacing was steady with some tension arcs that will keep you turning the page.
I recived an ARC of the book by the author.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews