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The Ashen Levels #2
Journeyman
Balagir may have escaped the northern wilds, but life aboard the pirate ship the Spite Spear presents its own set of challenges. Not only must he negotiate the perilous seas but indeed, with its unsavoury crew. His quest for understanding will take him on a curious odyssey across a sea studded by strange islands and stranger folk, where friendships will be forged, but just as easily broken.
- GenresFantasy
156 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 8, 2018
2 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
C.F. Welburn
12 books141 followersCraig Farndale Welburn is an award-winning author for his series: The Ashen Levels.
He was born in the year of Star Wars, in the birth town of Charles Darwin, and caught the fantasy bug as a child at the top of a faraway tree, in a hole in the ground and through a snowy wardrobe.
He left Shropshire to study literature, travel the lands and seek his fortune. (He’s still seeking…)
He lives in Madrid with his wife Jessica and son Otis.
He was born in the year of Star Wars, in the birth town of Charles Darwin, and caught the fantasy bug as a child at the top of a faraway tree, in a hole in the ground and through a snowy wardrobe.
He left Shropshire to study literature, travel the lands and seek his fortune. (He’s still seeking…)
He lives in Madrid with his wife Jessica and son Otis.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 10, 2022
More dastardly and unsavory characters! These aren’t the kind I love and grow attached to either. I’m enjoying the story so far and the world is pretty dark. I am actually glad to see Ginike coming along with the group now.
September 10, 2019
Journeyman by C.F. Welburn is the second installment in The Ashen Levels series. This story picks up where the first book left off. We travel with Balagir as he alights on a journey of self discovery.
This is easily one of my favorite series of all time. Welburn's storytelling is superb, and he drew me in and kept me rapt as the story unfolded. Welburn brings his characters to life and the world building is impressive. If you like character driven stories, I highly recommend this series.
This is easily one of my favorite series of all time. Welburn's storytelling is superb, and he drew me in and kept me rapt as the story unfolded. Welburn brings his characters to life and the world building is impressive. If you like character driven stories, I highly recommend this series.
December 19, 2020
Balagir's journey continues, exploring the strange world he inhabits with his fellow ashen. Much of this episode is by sea and it had more than a touch of the Odyssey about it.
This was a great continuation of the first book. The cleverness continues, especially in worldbuilding, while Welburn's writing remains strong.
I found myself a bit less invested in character and plot for some reason, but this is 2 of 5 so there is plenty of room for these to crank up as the series develops.
This was a great continuation of the first book. The cleverness continues, especially in worldbuilding, while Welburn's writing remains strong.
I found myself a bit less invested in character and plot for some reason, but this is 2 of 5 so there is plenty of room for these to crank up as the series develops.
July 24, 2019
Along with a new cast of unsavory characters, Balagir continues his adventures at sea, where he explores creepy islands in search of oaths and smoke and gets some ugly surprises. I don't feel too bad for him...he's grown pretty dastardly. Good.
July 14, 2021
Book 2 in The Ashen Levels by C.F. Welburn.
I really enjoyed book 1 ladt year so have returned to join Balagir in some more adventures, we left the ashen as he boarded a ship to travel south, and this book covers his nautical adventures at sea. We get siren and harpy type creatures, but all with their own unique twists and styles as to make it it fresh and a bit different, there are destructive cataclysms and powerful magical objects. I particularly enjoyed the shifting dynamics amongst the crew. We get plenty of cunning plans, betrayals and jeopardy too. I thought it was impressive how many well tuned adventures were crammed in to such a short book. Excellently written as before, I really enjoy Welburn's prose. This is an excellent installment in The Ashen Levels, and I'd very much recommend checking out the series
I really enjoyed book 1 ladt year so have returned to join Balagir in some more adventures, we left the ashen as he boarded a ship to travel south, and this book covers his nautical adventures at sea. We get siren and harpy type creatures, but all with their own unique twists and styles as to make it it fresh and a bit different, there are destructive cataclysms and powerful magical objects. I particularly enjoyed the shifting dynamics amongst the crew. We get plenty of cunning plans, betrayals and jeopardy too. I thought it was impressive how many well tuned adventures were crammed in to such a short book. Excellently written as before, I really enjoy Welburn's prose. This is an excellent installment in The Ashen Levels, and I'd very much recommend checking out the series
July 28, 2021
Absolute cracking installment to the first book, pretty much leaves off were book 1 ended, after escaping the northern madness, we follow Balagir on another mad trip, after taking berth on a pirate ship with his fellow Ashen, always looking for the elusive smoke, during the journey the captain trys to do him in, he suddenly finds himself in charge of the ship, hopping from island to island, oh and an island full of gorgeous women, what can go wrong, madness and disaster that's what, this fantastic Grim Portal fantasy will have you on the edge of your sit, because you do not know what to expect next, great characters if a little mad, amazing plot and worldbuilding, the audio narrator Jez Jameson gives another great preformence in this crazy adventure, highly recommended....😁
July 30, 2021
In Journeyman, Balagir heads to the high seas. He's the first Ashen to ever captain his own ship and most of his crew are Ashen too. He began as an underdog in Fledgling but has become a leader. He is more ruthless but only when necessary. He sees the value of having companions that won't stab you in the back. Those are hard to find among the Ashen.
Balagir faces new challenges as he journeys seeking answers about the Ashen and his origins. In these challenges, he has not only his own life to think about but also the lives of his men.
There is a bit of a recap in the last chapter. It's well done but I would prefer not to have it.
The narrator, Jez Jameson, perfectly captures the tone of the story and the voices of the individual characters. He's quite brilliant at it. If you're looking for the audiobook, it's the complete series, The Ashen Levels: Omnibus Version.
Balagir faces new challenges as he journeys seeking answers about the Ashen and his origins. In these challenges, he has not only his own life to think about but also the lives of his men.
There is a bit of a recap in the last chapter. It's well done but I would prefer not to have it.
The narrator, Jez Jameson, perfectly captures the tone of the story and the voices of the individual characters. He's quite brilliant at it. If you're looking for the audiobook, it's the complete series, The Ashen Levels: Omnibus Version.
August 29, 2019
So our main character Balagir is off on more adventures to help him find his identity. With new characters some unusual. On his way he has more oaths to fill in order to continue on his path which is seems to filled with disappointment and peril.
This story is a great continuation to the first book. Well written storytelling, precise and interesting. It brings your imagination alive and it is easy to see into Balagir's world.
February 3, 2019
About
Continuing where Fledgling left off, Journeyman puts us straight back in the boots of Balagir, who has once more undertaken a perilous journey.
Set largely on and around the ship known as the Spite Spear, Balagir continues to weave his way around those who get in his way, by accident or not, and builds on his experience of the world he previously awoke in.
He also encounters a wide range of new faces, some more pleasurable to look at than others, and will ultimately need to dabble in leadership to succeed.
Plot
As with any significant journey, many challenges will be thrown our way, and that is no different for Balagir. I think, however, that perhaps the main difference is the sheer oddity of what befalls him; I don’t want to spoil it, but who knew a frog could be handled so well?
The themes of Fledgling continue to be present, and are integral to Balagir’s approach to the situations before him. The side quests he embarks on fit well into the overall picture, and they’re never too laborious to read about, or too insignificant to forget.
In short, I don’t think the second book detracts from the plot of the first, and instead builds well upon it.
Characters
Just as a fire starts to grow in strength, so to do the characters in Journeyman; their foundations are familiar to us and slowly we discover the layers upon them.
The strongest development continues to be Balagir, in my opinion, as his reactions seem natural and yet learned from experience, perhaps an accurate representation of someone who has lost their memories.
Those who accompany him felt grounded and well thought-out, with believable personalities as per the first book.
I do however feel that more could be explored between them, for although their usage is handled well, sometimes it would be nice to have a break and hear their own tales. On one hand, we can say that this fits the nature of the book overall, but on the other, who doesn’t want to know more?
World Building
With a ship comes the sea, and with the sea comes new lands and adventures. Journeyman certainly uses this to its advantage, and a good variety of events and people are experienced as a result.
The Spite Spear was an interesting plot component but was integrated well throughout, and added motion to Balagir’s world; it’s easy to make a character ‘travel’, but it isn’t always so easy to make it interesting to read about.
I still do feel that there is missed potential to explore the world in greater detail, and not because this is missing entirely, but perhaps it is a decision made out of pacing. How much of this is a personal requirement, and whether the desired impact of the story really needs it, could be debated; there are still plenty of avenues and lore that could be expanded on.
Writing
The style is consistent between the first and second book, which is a plus in my mind.
I did notice though, particularly in the opening, the sentence structure felt a little jarring in parts; it could have, in my opinion, benefitted from greater connectivity and flow.
This seemed to pass after a short time, though, and once again nothing out of the ordinary stood out – Welburn clearly knows how to use words to great effect.
I will come back to the world building aspect though, because I still don’t know what a ‘chisp’ is, for example. Occasionally there are words which are far from the ordinary English vocabulary, and whilst I totally respect this (language is about expression), it does sometimes break the flow.
Summary
Journeyman greatly added to Balagir’s story and was again an enjoyable book to read. I’m not a book aficionado, despite the fact I am writing my own, so wanting to come back and carry reading is the best praise I can probably ever give.
It maintains the cleverness that was so integral to the first, and that also rewarded and punished in a way that always felt satisfying. There continues to be a balance between hopes, dreams and reality.
If you enjoyed the first, then you would be a fool to not pick up the second.
If you haven’t read the first, do yourself a favour, and then another by reading Journeyman afterwards.
In conclusion, Journeyman does a great job of building on the merits of Fledgling. I would like to have seen more expansion, but this can be easily overlooked for another great read overall.
Continuing where Fledgling left off, Journeyman puts us straight back in the boots of Balagir, who has once more undertaken a perilous journey.
Set largely on and around the ship known as the Spite Spear, Balagir continues to weave his way around those who get in his way, by accident or not, and builds on his experience of the world he previously awoke in.
He also encounters a wide range of new faces, some more pleasurable to look at than others, and will ultimately need to dabble in leadership to succeed.
Plot
As with any significant journey, many challenges will be thrown our way, and that is no different for Balagir. I think, however, that perhaps the main difference is the sheer oddity of what befalls him; I don’t want to spoil it, but who knew a frog could be handled so well?
The themes of Fledgling continue to be present, and are integral to Balagir’s approach to the situations before him. The side quests he embarks on fit well into the overall picture, and they’re never too laborious to read about, or too insignificant to forget.
In short, I don’t think the second book detracts from the plot of the first, and instead builds well upon it.
Characters
Just as a fire starts to grow in strength, so to do the characters in Journeyman; their foundations are familiar to us and slowly we discover the layers upon them.
The strongest development continues to be Balagir, in my opinion, as his reactions seem natural and yet learned from experience, perhaps an accurate representation of someone who has lost their memories.
Those who accompany him felt grounded and well thought-out, with believable personalities as per the first book.
I do however feel that more could be explored between them, for although their usage is handled well, sometimes it would be nice to have a break and hear their own tales. On one hand, we can say that this fits the nature of the book overall, but on the other, who doesn’t want to know more?
World Building
With a ship comes the sea, and with the sea comes new lands and adventures. Journeyman certainly uses this to its advantage, and a good variety of events and people are experienced as a result.
The Spite Spear was an interesting plot component but was integrated well throughout, and added motion to Balagir’s world; it’s easy to make a character ‘travel’, but it isn’t always so easy to make it interesting to read about.
I still do feel that there is missed potential to explore the world in greater detail, and not because this is missing entirely, but perhaps it is a decision made out of pacing. How much of this is a personal requirement, and whether the desired impact of the story really needs it, could be debated; there are still plenty of avenues and lore that could be expanded on.
Writing
The style is consistent between the first and second book, which is a plus in my mind.
I did notice though, particularly in the opening, the sentence structure felt a little jarring in parts; it could have, in my opinion, benefitted from greater connectivity and flow.
This seemed to pass after a short time, though, and once again nothing out of the ordinary stood out – Welburn clearly knows how to use words to great effect.
I will come back to the world building aspect though, because I still don’t know what a ‘chisp’ is, for example. Occasionally there are words which are far from the ordinary English vocabulary, and whilst I totally respect this (language is about expression), it does sometimes break the flow.
Summary
Journeyman greatly added to Balagir’s story and was again an enjoyable book to read. I’m not a book aficionado, despite the fact I am writing my own, so wanting to come back and carry reading is the best praise I can probably ever give.
It maintains the cleverness that was so integral to the first, and that also rewarded and punished in a way that always felt satisfying. There continues to be a balance between hopes, dreams and reality.
If you enjoyed the first, then you would be a fool to not pick up the second.
If you haven’t read the first, do yourself a favour, and then another by reading Journeyman afterwards.
In conclusion, Journeyman does a great job of building on the merits of Fledgling. I would like to have seen more expansion, but this can be easily overlooked for another great read overall.
August 29, 2019
Great storytelling
So our main character Balagir is off on more adventures to help him find his identity. With new characters some unusual. On his way he has more oaths to fill in order to continue on his path which is seems to filled with disappointment and peril.
This story is a great continuation to the first book. Well written storytelling, precise and interesting. It brings your imagination alive and it is easy to see into Balagir's world.
So our main character Balagir is off on more adventures to help him find his identity. With new characters some unusual. On his way he has more oaths to fill in order to continue on his path which is seems to filled with disappointment and peril.
This story is a great continuation to the first book. Well written storytelling, precise and interesting. It brings your imagination alive and it is easy to see into Balagir's world.
October 19, 2020
Balagir’s journey continues, at sea this time, with the unsavory crew of the Spite Spear. He proves to be just as conniving as the rest, Ashen or otherwise, and deftly turns tables as often as they are turned on him. The worldbuilding only gets richer, mysteries deeper, and the seas stormier. The prose and dialogue are just as wonderful in the second book, building the world and characters in a way that makes them feel alive in the mind.
August 7, 2024
Journeyman picks up straight where the first book - Fledgling - left off, and it does so effortlessly and in keeping with the story. I found myself wholly engrossed in the tale as it progressed, this time no less perilous than before, and Balagir is pitted against more than one strange foe and riddle.
CF Welburn continues to use most exquisite prose as he takes us on this dark, folklore-ish tale of ominous creatures, dangerous seas, and dubious characters. I cannot wait to continue the series!
Note: As I listened to this as an Audiobook, it is worth - again - to point out how fantastic a narrator Jez Jameson is. I'm mesmerised by his work, as much as I am of CF Welburn's!
CF Welburn continues to use most exquisite prose as he takes us on this dark, folklore-ish tale of ominous creatures, dangerous seas, and dubious characters. I cannot wait to continue the series!
Note: As I listened to this as an Audiobook, it is worth - again - to point out how fantastic a narrator Jez Jameson is. I'm mesmerised by his work, as much as I am of CF Welburn's!
September 14, 2021
An enjoyable continuation from book one, Welburn's exquisite prose and worldbuilding is again on point in Journeyman.
I greatly enjoyed book one and found this installment even better - there sense of "wrongness" lurking in book one dominates proceedings here, and is present in all Balagir's dealings with isolated island inhabitants, current and former crew, smugglers, and fellow Ashen.
The LitRPG elements are nicely balanced with the needs of the plot and character, too; they don't overwhelm and aren't intrusive to the narrative.
Looking forward to book three.
I greatly enjoyed book one and found this installment even better - there sense of "wrongness" lurking in book one dominates proceedings here, and is present in all Balagir's dealings with isolated island inhabitants, current and former crew, smugglers, and fellow Ashen.
The LitRPG elements are nicely balanced with the needs of the plot and character, too; they don't overwhelm and aren't intrusive to the narrative.
Looking forward to book three.
August 10, 2022
Allow a long afternoon for this stretch of Balagir's quest as he sets out to cross the channel on the Spite Spear. I had an ARC via Booksprout and this is my voluntary review.
March 7, 2024
Coming back to Balagir’s oddisey reminded me how much it resembles a D&D campaign mixed with a dark fairytale. Just what I loved from the first one.
I enjoyed the first book more than this one but I’m still intrigued by the world and overarching story.
Read my full review: Tiny Elf Arcanist’s review for Journeyman
I enjoyed the first book more than this one but I’m still intrigued by the world and overarching story.
Read my full review: Tiny Elf Arcanist’s review for Journeyman
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews