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Ashes of Luukessia #1
A Haven in Ash
The land of Luukessia is lost. A horde of beasts known only as the scourge has ravaged the land, leaving only the village of Terreas to survive. Hemmed in on all sides by the scourge, the denizens of Terreas eke out a lonely existence, trying to survive in a land that is all but dead.
Jasen Rabinn is a teenage boy trapped in Terreas but with a mind rooted outside the boundaries of his village. He longs for adventure, and when the mysterious Baraghosa – a sorcerer of a sort not native to Luukessia – comes to Terreas, a chain of events is set in motion that will carry Jasen beyond his simple town. To adventure. To danger.
To his destiny.
Jasen Rabinn is a teenage boy trapped in Terreas but with a mind rooted outside the boundaries of his village. He longs for adventure, and when the mysterious Baraghosa – a sorcerer of a sort not native to Luukessia – comes to Terreas, a chain of events is set in motion that will carry Jasen beyond his simple town. To adventure. To danger.
To his destiny.
- GenresFantasy
245 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 22, 2017
262 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
About the author
Robert J. Crane
185 books1,173 followersRobert J. Crane was born and raised on Florida's Space Coast before moving to the upper midwest in search of cooler climates and more palatable beer. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in English Creative Writing. He worked for a year as a substitute teacher and worked in the financial services field for seven years while writing in his spare time.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 24, 2021
Morose, repetitive, boring, and insane.
The MC is the most depressing MC I have ever read about. People with clinical depression are more up beat than this guy. All he does is brood over what-ifs and what he has lost.
We are subjected to the same depressing descriptions over and over, the same brooding about the same subjects over and over.
The author took 3! pages to describe the brooding and fear the MC experienced in about 5 seconds.
Insane? Yes!
Imagine, you live in a village that is surrounded by monsters. These monsters will eat you. They are deathly afraid of water, can't swim and drown easily.
Do you A. dig a deep moat around your village or B. build a stone wall? The author chose B.
Same scenario. A 10 year old inexplicably gets outside your stone wall. A 16 year old saves the 10 year old. Do you A. Cheer and congratulate him on saving a life or B. condemn him for going over the stone wall? The author chose B.
Same scenario, but you have limited farmland. Do you A. save every bit of seed you can every year and fill every bit of space with crops or B. let some "magician" pick a child/teenager from your village every year in exchange for seed? The author chose B.
Same scenario. Do you A. try to limit the mouths you have to feed every year or B. act like rabbits and have 6 or 7 children in each family? The author chose B.
By the end, I was rooting for the monsters to kill everyone.
The MC is the most depressing MC I have ever read about. People with clinical depression are more up beat than this guy. All he does is brood over what-ifs and what he has lost.
We are subjected to the same depressing descriptions over and over, the same brooding about the same subjects over and over.
The author took 3! pages to describe the brooding and fear the MC experienced in about 5 seconds.
Insane? Yes!
Imagine, you live in a village that is surrounded by monsters. These monsters will eat you. They are deathly afraid of water, can't swim and drown easily.
Do you A. dig a deep moat around your village or B. build a stone wall? The author chose B.
Same scenario. A 10 year old inexplicably gets outside your stone wall. A 16 year old saves the 10 year old. Do you A. Cheer and congratulate him on saving a life or B. condemn him for going over the stone wall? The author chose B.
Same scenario, but you have limited farmland. Do you A. save every bit of seed you can every year and fill every bit of space with crops or B. let some "magician" pick a child/teenager from your village every year in exchange for seed? The author chose B.
Same scenario. Do you A. try to limit the mouths you have to feed every year or B. act like rabbits and have 6 or 7 children in each family? The author chose B.
By the end, I was rooting for the monsters to kill everyone.
April 7, 2022
I was intrigued by the story line of this book. Jasen and Alixa, 2 kids who live in a village from which they cannot venture out, ever, as they would be torn to pieces by the Scourge. The village is protected by a wall that keeps out the Scourge but no one knows why. What are the Scourge, are they all human or dogs, are all Scourge evil and why will they not pass the wall? The first third of the book centers around why they cannot leave the village, the second third is about why they have to leave, and the last third about their journey past the wall to save their village and families. When they leave they team up with Shilara the village outcast and drunk. Unfortunately for me the pace is too slow, the characters undeveloped and in the end I still was none the wiser why the Scourge never passed the wall around which most of the story centred. That may be because I ended up skimming many parts of the story as it meandered slowly through the 3 key parts to the story line. That said I am still intrigued by the story and will persist and read the second installment. If nothing else I want to find out more about loveable Scourgey.
November 27, 2017
It was better than I expected it to be.
Okay. This book is a good book of U were to date it as a stand alone book, but I am not. I can't help but compare it to the other books from the same universe and it is just not as epic as they were.
I like the characters but they are not as complex and intriguing as they were before. I can, however, see that this will become amazing in the next book.
It is just difficult to write a five star first book in a series with all the introductions and the set up and such.
I am looking forward to the next book.
Okay. This book is a good book of U were to date it as a stand alone book, but I am not. I can't help but compare it to the other books from the same universe and it is just not as epic as they were.
I like the characters but they are not as complex and intriguing as they were before. I can, however, see that this will become amazing in the next book.
It is just difficult to write a five star first book in a series with all the introductions and the set up and such.
I am looking forward to the next book.
June 7, 2019
Great book.
I loved all the characters in the Sanctuary series. And was bummed that I had read them all. When i stumbled across this series, I was excited to read more from this author and in the same world as Sanctuary. I was.not let down. This book was just as well written as the last and i am glad that it was written so you aren't left wondering what was happening in Luukessia after the scourge. Cant wait to start reading the next in line.
I loved all the characters in the Sanctuary series. And was bummed that I had read them all. When i stumbled across this series, I was excited to read more from this author and in the same world as Sanctuary. I was.not let down. This book was just as well written as the last and i am glad that it was written so you aren't left wondering what was happening in Luukessia after the scourge. Cant wait to start reading the next in line.
November 19, 2019
Science fiction/fantasy
Set in Luukessia after the sqroorge, it features two teenagers and a shunned adult along with a good stooge, attempt to save the last human village left in Luukessia. For years the village has made a deadly trade for grain in order to survive. But, this year the deal was refused so the grain must be obtained another way. Along the way they fight many dangers and then face the ultimate betrayal of all. All in all, it a great book.
Set in Luukessia after the sqroorge, it features two teenagers and a shunned adult along with a good stooge, attempt to save the last human village left in Luukessia. For years the village has made a deadly trade for grain in order to survive. But, this year the deal was refused so the grain must be obtained another way. Along the way they fight many dangers and then face the ultimate betrayal of all. All in all, it a great book.
December 3, 2017
Great beginning!
Loved the new characters & creatures in this first installment. A world rich with mystery & hardship. Can't wait for the next installment to see how our unlikely trio fares on the next part of their journey. On a RJC binge this weekend, it's heaven! First Sterling, then this & now onto the latest GOOTB. Netflix for the imagination. Ty!
Loved the new characters & creatures in this first installment. A world rich with mystery & hardship. Can't wait for the next installment to see how our unlikely trio fares on the next part of their journey. On a RJC binge this weekend, it's heaven! First Sterling, then this & now onto the latest GOOTB. Netflix for the imagination. Ty!
August 13, 2021
Sanctuary Series is a must.
I have read almost half of Robert J Crane’s total books, maybe, but I have never been disappointed by any single one. I love this whole series. Ashes of Luukessia is a great starter book to help explain the lands after the scourge, and a story of survival.
I have read almost half of Robert J Crane’s total books, maybe, but I have never been disappointed by any single one. I love this whole series. Ashes of Luukessia is a great starter book to help explain the lands after the scourge, and a story of survival.
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September 14, 20254.25 stars
This was a nice little side quest journey of the fallen lands of the main story line. Following a town that was left behind a war torn rubble from the scourge who endlessly devour humans. The book did start slow but it picked up quick. The action was endless and I liked the side arc of this quest and story.
This was a nice little side quest journey of the fallen lands of the main story line. Following a town that was left behind a war torn rubble from the scourge who endlessly devour humans. The book did start slow but it picked up quick. The action was endless and I liked the side arc of this quest and story.
January 28, 2018
Not a patch on Sanctuary tales
I liked the story but it lumbered along bit and just when it got Interesting it finished. Now I realise that is to entice me to the next book but I would a have liked a bit more before the end.
I liked the story but it lumbered along bit and just when it got Interesting it finished. Now I realise that is to entice me to the next book but I would a have liked a bit more before the end.
May 31, 2025
Disappointed
This did not read as a RJC book. I think this is the coauthors work in the Sanctuary universe with RJC name. I'm 11 chapters in and can't finish it. Reads a book for middle schoolers.
This did not read as a RJC book. I think this is the coauthors work in the Sanctuary universe with RJC name. I'm 11 chapters in and can't finish it. Reads a book for middle schoolers.
January 8, 2018
Great to have another sanctuary book.
Much different from those of the past looking forward to the future ones that are to come. In thus ashes of Luukessia series
Much different from those of the past looking forward to the future ones that are to come. In thus ashes of Luukessia series
January 23, 2023
Wow
As all this mans books , wow what an imagination he has . Like all of his stories you never know what's next , that is quite a talent.
As all this mans books , wow what an imagination he has . Like all of his stories you never know what's next , that is quite a talent.
September 7, 2018
I enjoyed reading this book and im going to read more ive now read 1 and 2 looking forward to reading the rest
December 1, 2017
As the first of a stand alone trilogy (albeit related to the Sanctuary series) this is set 50 years after Legend. As a huge fan of the series and indeed RJC I was very excited to read this. It was only near to the end that I remembered it was a co-authored book - I have to give full credit where it's due as it is obviously a very well matched partnership.
The villagers of Terreas face hard times. The main characters, against all adversity have only a glimmer of hope which they hold fast to. Risking their lives against the scourge, and aided by an unlikely ally in the adventure of a lifetime they must push themselves to save their village . When luck is finally on their side, they suffer hardship on a catastrophic scale resulting in a fight for survival and an ending that has the reader looking forward to what comes next.
Thoroughly enjoyed it!
The villagers of Terreas face hard times. The main characters, against all adversity have only a glimmer of hope which they hold fast to. Risking their lives against the scourge, and aided by an unlikely ally in the adventure of a lifetime they must push themselves to save their village . When luck is finally on their side, they suffer hardship on a catastrophic scale resulting in a fight for survival and an ending that has the reader looking forward to what comes next.
Thoroughly enjoyed it!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews