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War is coming to the Valelands and Balagir has arrived just in time. But in time for what? To stop it? Who would listen to an ashen anyway? In the south they are distrusted and despised due to the escapades of the old ashen ‘heroes’.
Two bickering cities of men, a united horlock clan and the scheming largatyn are pitted against each other, with the askaba seemingly pulling the strings; but just where do the ashen fit in all of this? And how will they survive a war between four different armies when they cannot even work together?
Two bickering cities of men, a united horlock clan and the scheming largatyn are pitted against each other, with the askaba seemingly pulling the strings; but just where do the ashen fit in all of this? And how will they survive a war between four different armies when they cannot even work together?
- GenresFantasy
150 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2018
2 people are currently reading
12 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 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 10, 2022
These just get better and better! Hero did not disappoint and I am looking forward to seeing this darker side to Balagir. I think we’ll finally find out the mystery behind the Ashen in book four!
October 8, 2019
The forth book in this series takes an interesting turn. In his deepening quest to discover the origins of the ashen, Balagir gets involved in a war that is not what it seems, but instead a complex machination set up by an ancient, conniving order of priests who hate the ashen and seek to use them to dastardly ends. In an attempt to expose them, Balagir finds himself in the unlikely role of a diplomat. When this goes sour and war ensues, our redoubtable hero takes up the blade and we get to see a very dark and devastating side of him indeed. I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes in the next book.
January 16, 2021
Balagir and his fellow ashen travel south and find themselves the centre of attention. Dark forces, who seem to know more about their nature than they do themselves, take an interest in them. Will the 'settlers' work with them or give in to their prejudices?
This one felt longer and more epic in scale than the episodes up to now. We also begin to get some hints that the mystery of the ashen may be solved in book 5.
Balagir finds himself in a war zone - meanwhile, he keeps levelling up. Many new characters are introduced. I would have liked to get to know these other characters a little better - they sounded interesting, but many remained little more than names. Still, that's in keeping with the mystery surrounding the series.
This one felt longer and more epic in scale than the episodes up to now. We also begin to get some hints that the mystery of the ashen may be solved in book 5.
Balagir finds himself in a war zone - meanwhile, he keeps levelling up. Many new characters are introduced. I would have liked to get to know these other characters a little better - they sounded interesting, but many remained little more than names. Still, that's in keeping with the mystery surrounding the series.
September 10, 2019
Hero by C.F. Welburn is the fourth book in The Ashen Levels series. Balagir ends up in a war he tries to prevent.
This is the best of the books, so far. There is more action than the other books, which was an unexpected treat! I wish there was a ten star option on Goodreads, because this book deserves it! I'm surely going to miss this series when I'm done with the fifth and last book in this series. Well done, Welburn!
This is the best of the books, so far. There is more action than the other books, which was an unexpected treat! I wish there was a ten star option on Goodreads, because this book deserves it! I'm surely going to miss this series when I'm done with the fifth and last book in this series. Well done, Welburn!
August 6, 2024
Okay, I'm not going to lie: I am starting to feel like a parrot reviewing these books, but they are all just as fabulous as each other, so I have little to add between the instalments.
However! This particular book - Hero - does up the ante somewhat as war brews, and Balagir is thrown into the midst of it! So even though many of the same elements are there - dark, gritty, folklore-ish atmospheres, and mysteries abounding - this one takes it to the next level, quite literally!
I loved the battle scenes and how more secrets are starting to unravel concerning the ashen and their origin. I can only say I continue to enjoy this brilliant series, and I will jump straight into the last book: Paragon!
Oh, and I always have to mention how much I love the narrator, Jez Jameson. 5/5 right there!
However! This particular book - Hero - does up the ante somewhat as war brews, and Balagir is thrown into the midst of it! So even though many of the same elements are there - dark, gritty, folklore-ish atmospheres, and mysteries abounding - this one takes it to the next level, quite literally!
I loved the battle scenes and how more secrets are starting to unravel concerning the ashen and their origin. I can only say I continue to enjoy this brilliant series, and I will jump straight into the last book: Paragon!
Oh, and I always have to mention how much I love the narrator, Jez Jameson. 5/5 right there!
October 19, 2020
War looms and someone is pulling the strings. Can Balagir untangle the web and make a difference in the fated outcome? I was on the edge of my seat through the whole book. Action, intrigue, deception and misinformation swirl around Balagir and a rag tag company of Ashen as they meddle in the politics of men. Balagir finds himself thrust into a leadership position among the Ashen who have never been united for anything before. The battle scenes were incredible and at one moment all hope was lost. As the battle rages, so does Balagir. I’ll cheer on Balagir to the bitter end!
July 29, 2021
A cracking forth installment in The Ashen Levels series, Our boy Balagir is the bloody hero of the hour, as he continues his journey south with his fellow Ashen to discover their origin, but with Balagir things never go smoothly, walking straight into a war between two nations, in this book you get to see a darker and more destructional side of Balagir, lots of new devious and mad characters, Lizard Lords and that bloody battle, holy moly, absolutley awesome series, the narration has gone up a notch in this one, Jez Jamesons french accent and cackling laughter is brilliant, go check it out, you won't regret it....😁
August 12, 2021
Awesome - review to come
August 12, 2022
Allow another long afternoon for this extremely well-written dystopian quest which leaves a bitter aftertaste. I had an ARC via Booksprout and this is my voluntary review. 4 1/2*
August 17, 2021
Balagir has seen a vision of the future. Trying to convince those on the brink of war to unite against a greater threat is turning into an impossible task, especially when he is betrayed. The more Balagir learns, the more questions crop up. He also meets heroes of legend, but they aren't what he was expecting. When the war starts, the battle is fierce. Will the heroes arrive in time to help?
Book 4 ends on a high note with questions left unanswered. I'm looking forward to the conclusion in Paragon. I wonder how C.F. Welburn will tie up all the loose ends.
Even though there are too many people to keep track of, I still followed the story without any problems. I've been listening to the Omnibus Version, and Jez Jamison is a superb narrator.
Book 4 ends on a high note with questions left unanswered. I'm looking forward to the conclusion in Paragon. I wonder how C.F. Welburn will tie up all the loose ends.
Even though there are too many people to keep track of, I still followed the story without any problems. I've been listening to the Omnibus Version, and Jez Jamison is a superb narrator.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews