What do you think?
Rate this book
When Flames Ascend
Choice buried the tyrant.
A barbarian chose the truth.
The gods chose to look away.
You think the story ended in that church. You believe death finishes a story.
It does not.
Something ancient is teaching the living how to move as one. Shrines rise where bonfires once burned. Order settles like ash.
I argued for her. I carved a path where none existed.
When the world demands you become no one, the most dangerous thing you can do is remember who you are.
-Nyrr, Silent Flame of the Shadowforged
A barbarian chose the truth.
The gods chose to look away.
You think the story ended in that church. You believe death finishes a story.
It does not.
Something ancient is teaching the living how to move as one. Shrines rise where bonfires once burned. Order settles like ash.
I argued for her. I carved a path where none existed.
When the world demands you become no one, the most dangerous thing you can do is remember who you are.
-Nyrr, Silent Flame of the Shadowforged
357 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 21, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
To say this book starts with a gut punch would be like saying war and peace is a light read but it's this darker more panicked tone that carries you through the opening and prepares you for one more adventure with keothi the barbarian with higher stakes, more interesting characters and LORE!!! leading to a fantasy duoligy I won't forget any time soon.
p.s.1 this is a snack sticker
p.s. 2 SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON
p.s.1 this is a snack sticker
p.s. 2 SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON
September 15, 2026
I really loved Virell the main antagonist, I think there was some great banter and philosophical discussions at times. Again, I really enjoy the use of metaphors in the prose. For me it helps with descriptions and painting a picture. I saw a post from the author that some of the ARC readers felt it slowed down a lot but I didn’t really feel it, yea, there were quieter moments but you need them to build back up to action or for a shock to hit right.
I loved Keothi as a character and what the book had to say about not following the path that has been laid out for you. About taking your agency back and having the freedom to make your own choices, just overall self empowerment. Lastly there was an aspect about this book that reminded me of A Wrinkle in Time (one of my favorite books as a kid) and I won’t say more than that!
I loved Keothi as a character and what the book had to say about not following the path that has been laid out for you. About taking your agency back and having the freedom to make your own choices, just overall self empowerment. Lastly there was an aspect about this book that reminded me of A Wrinkle in Time (one of my favorite books as a kid) and I won’t say more than that!
July 21, 2026
***I received an ARC copy of this book directly from the author; my review is honest & not influenced by any outside pressures***
The first book in this series was a confusing jumble. This second one was much more cohesive. However, it felt like it drug on unnecessarily in many instances. Some of the characters felt stagnant and the ending was anticlimactic. It felt like a chore getting through a good chunk of the middle of this one.
That being said, the “magic” was unique. The influence of the gods was interesting. The ripple down effect to society was almost too real and raw.
Overall, 3 stars. Unsure if I’d continue the series should a third book come out.
The first book in this series was a confusing jumble. This second one was much more cohesive. However, it felt like it drug on unnecessarily in many instances. Some of the characters felt stagnant and the ending was anticlimactic. It felt like a chore getting through a good chunk of the middle of this one.
That being said, the “magic” was unique. The influence of the gods was interesting. The ripple down effect to society was almost too real and raw.
Overall, 3 stars. Unsure if I’d continue the series should a third book come out.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The FMC continues to be the beating heart of the series. She stands fearlessly against gods to break prophecies, but deep down she is still just a strong blacksmith who will do whatever it takes to defend her home and family.
The writing style itself is a bit different from what I normally read- it's well written but it took me longer to get into a steady reading rhythm.
The writing style itself is a bit different from what I normally read- it's well written but it took me longer to get into a steady reading rhythm.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was looking forward to this, as I absolutely adored the first book in this duology. The development that was a strong part of book one is equally strong here. We see deeper levels of growth that add new dynamics to the characters.
One extremely bright point for me was keeping the theme of a strong female lead, which is important for me on multiple fronts. We have the continuation of the personality, which is always good to see. Then there is the fact that we can avoid the damsel-in-distress trap that is affecting many newer books.
The pacing is where things started to lose me a bit; there was an up-and-down that kept the book from finding a perfect flow. Avoiding spoilers, particularly the final third of the book, felt like it was rather quick. It was still easy and enjoyable to follow, but it took you out temporarily.
The expansion of the lore and worldbuilding was top-notch for me. I was looking forward to seeing more places and understanding the mythology that was created for this novel. I thought I had it figured out, but there was always something new that extended the layers, for the better.
The biggest aspect that followed me throughout the entire novel, however, was the feeling that this was two books put into one. I believe that would have fully fixed the pacing and smoothed things out to another degree. I still have questions after finishing, and I believe doing a trilogy would’ve been an excellent way to go.
At the end, I would give the novel a 3.5. It wasn’t quite as great as the first one, but it was still very solid. I think that overall it’s an enjoyable set of books that I would recommend to my book club.
One extremely bright point for me was keeping the theme of a strong female lead, which is important for me on multiple fronts. We have the continuation of the personality, which is always good to see. Then there is the fact that we can avoid the damsel-in-distress trap that is affecting many newer books.
The pacing is where things started to lose me a bit; there was an up-and-down that kept the book from finding a perfect flow. Avoiding spoilers, particularly the final third of the book, felt like it was rather quick. It was still easy and enjoyable to follow, but it took you out temporarily.
The expansion of the lore and worldbuilding was top-notch for me. I was looking forward to seeing more places and understanding the mythology that was created for this novel. I thought I had it figured out, but there was always something new that extended the layers, for the better.
The biggest aspect that followed me throughout the entire novel, however, was the feeling that this was two books put into one. I believe that would have fully fixed the pacing and smoothed things out to another degree. I still have questions after finishing, and I believe doing a trilogy would’ve been an excellent way to go.
At the end, I would give the novel a 3.5. It wasn’t quite as great as the first one, but it was still very solid. I think that overall it’s an enjoyable set of books that I would recommend to my book club.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews