What do you think?
Rate this book
Nor Fang, Nor Fire #1
Ash and Ambition
Trapped in the form of the knight who supposedly slew him, the dragon Tzavalantsaval - with a loathsome goblin steward as his only true ally - struggles to navigate the Kirresci royal court and humanity itself, even as politics and intrigues he scarcely understands push the southern kingdoms ever nearer to open war.
Audio CD
First published August 6, 2019
25 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Ari Marmell
101 books436 followersWhen Ari Marmell has free time left over between feeding cats and posting on social media, he writes a little bit. His work includes novels, short stories, role-playing games, and video games, all of which he enjoyed in lieu of school work when growing up. He’s the author of the Mick Oberon gangland/urban fantasy series, the Widdershins YA fantasy series, and many others, with publishers such as Del Rey, Titan Books, Pyr Books, Wizards of the Coast, and now Omnium Gatherum.
Ari currently resides in Austin, Texas. He lives in a clutter that has a moderate amount of apartment in it, along with George—his wife—and the aforementioned cats, who probably want something.
Ari currently resides in Austin, Texas. He lives in a clutter that has a moderate amount of apartment in it, along with George—his wife—and the aforementioned cats, who probably want something.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
Read
November 22, 2019I only made it to the 30% mark of this one. It is a bit of a pity as I had high hopes for this story as both the blurb and the story concept are fantastic. Unfortunately the execution is somewhat less than fantastic and so this whole story ended up being super dull and quickly turned into an unbearable chore.
The idea behind the story was a good one. Tzavalantsaval, a dragon, has been slain! It is not the end for him though as he finds himself trapped in the body of the human knight who defeated him with only a single goblin underling left to serve him!
The tale should have been so fun. Tzavalantsaval having to navigate life as a human should have been comedy gold and also been a great chance to tell the tale of a dragon overlord redeeming himself. Sadly that is just not how this one played out. I only lasted a short amount of time as the story was pretty dull and boring but what I did read was completely devoid of humour and Tzavalantsaval himself was not a character who I found particularly appealing. It was a shame really as I had high hopes for this one and I love love love the premise but the story was just a total flop!
Rating: 2 stars.
Audio Note: I felt like Ralph Lister did the best he could with this one.
The idea behind the story was a good one. Tzavalantsaval, a dragon, has been slain! It is not the end for him though as he finds himself trapped in the body of the human knight who defeated him with only a single goblin underling left to serve him!
The tale should have been so fun. Tzavalantsaval having to navigate life as a human should have been comedy gold and also been a great chance to tell the tale of a dragon overlord redeeming himself. Sadly that is just not how this one played out. I only lasted a short amount of time as the story was pretty dull and boring but what I did read was completely devoid of humour and Tzavalantsaval himself was not a character who I found particularly appealing. It was a shame really as I had high hopes for this one and I love love love the premise but the story was just a total flop!
Rating: 2 stars.
Audio Note: I felt like Ralph Lister did the best he could with this one.
July 28, 2023
This got to be dnd inspired. Instead of chapters. Like part one and so on.
That goblin was so unintentionally funny
That goblin was so unintentionally funny
April 19, 2020
A great read with a great story, fun, and character development that works.
Loved it, except for one thing...I now have to wait for the next one.
Loved it, except for one thing...I now have to wait for the next one.
October 14, 2022
The definition of a pleasant surprise! I started this book a while ago, but put it down for whatever reason. I honestly can't remember what it was, and I feel like a complete fool for doing so in retrospect. This ended up being on of the most enjoyable fantasy stories I've read, with a truly original concept executed with surprising deftness. I say truly original, though the idea is so obvious I'm amazed I haven't personally encountered it before, making me suspect there must be something similar out there.
The setup is this: imagine the knight from the fairytale goes to slay the dragon with a magic blade, but instead, the dragon slays the knight, only to have the magic sword in his flesh still trying to kill him. In an effort to avoid certain death, the dragon uses their magic to shapeshift into the human form of the very knight that tried to slay them. This causes the magic blade to no longer recognize them as a dragon, and thus seek to kill them outright. But the blade lingers, ever threatening. So the dragon, under the cause of Sir Nicholas (you'll forgive misspellings of names as I listened to the audiobook) must seek a way to extract the offending sword fragment in order to return to their true, majestic form.
The protagonist being the dragon is utterly refreshing. Not only does it approach the usual fantasy tropes in an entirely new angle, it also represents a more morally complex character, with goals and priorities far different from us mere mortals. The additions of a snide goblin sidekick just seals the deal. It would almost be a buddy comedy if it wasn't for all the gruesome violence, but honestly the story is only enhanced for me by the every strengthening relationship between dragon and goblin. There's also a stellar supporting cast of well-rounded characters, who the false Sir Nicholas must navigate around, slowly learning the ways of humans lest his secret be revealed. And there's even a strong secondary protagonist, a swordswoman from an order of highly trained warrior assassins, who has a bit of an adventure of her own that neatly dovetails with Nicholas'.
The book is just oozing with charm, and since the protagonist isn't the usual squeaky clean orphan farm boy, his actions remain surprising and uncertain. How he grapples with his new human life and his desire to return to normal is endlessly endearing, and there's real growth for himself and those around him. I have a minor complaint that the only real villains of the story don't really show up until right near the end, and thus feel a bit disconnected from the story. But it hardly matters in the long run, since seeing Nicholas' escapades ends up being much more interesting.
Fantasy lovers, if you're looking for something fresh and exciting in your preferred genre, don't miss this one!
The setup is this: imagine the knight from the fairytale goes to slay the dragon with a magic blade, but instead, the dragon slays the knight, only to have the magic sword in his flesh still trying to kill him. In an effort to avoid certain death, the dragon uses their magic to shapeshift into the human form of the very knight that tried to slay them. This causes the magic blade to no longer recognize them as a dragon, and thus seek to kill them outright. But the blade lingers, ever threatening. So the dragon, under the cause of Sir Nicholas (you'll forgive misspellings of names as I listened to the audiobook) must seek a way to extract the offending sword fragment in order to return to their true, majestic form.
The protagonist being the dragon is utterly refreshing. Not only does it approach the usual fantasy tropes in an entirely new angle, it also represents a more morally complex character, with goals and priorities far different from us mere mortals. The additions of a snide goblin sidekick just seals the deal. It would almost be a buddy comedy if it wasn't for all the gruesome violence, but honestly the story is only enhanced for me by the every strengthening relationship between dragon and goblin. There's also a stellar supporting cast of well-rounded characters, who the false Sir Nicholas must navigate around, slowly learning the ways of humans lest his secret be revealed. And there's even a strong secondary protagonist, a swordswoman from an order of highly trained warrior assassins, who has a bit of an adventure of her own that neatly dovetails with Nicholas'.
The book is just oozing with charm, and since the protagonist isn't the usual squeaky clean orphan farm boy, his actions remain surprising and uncertain. How he grapples with his new human life and his desire to return to normal is endlessly endearing, and there's real growth for himself and those around him. I have a minor complaint that the only real villains of the story don't really show up until right near the end, and thus feel a bit disconnected from the story. But it hardly matters in the long run, since seeing Nicholas' escapades ends up being much more interesting.
Fantasy lovers, if you're looking for something fresh and exciting in your preferred genre, don't miss this one!
June 14, 2021
3.25 stars. A dragon being forced to be human and discovering it doesn't entirely suck. An interesting premise. I enjoyed this start to the series. Even the relatively tedious section where he had to learn to curb his temper and his arrogance - which is to be expected in this sort of situation. (Though I think it took a little too long for him to realize that the female noble who danced attendance on him was, in fact, involved in what amounted to a mating flight with the man he'd replaced and he ought to step up his game.
In any case, Lister did a competent job with the narration.
All in all, I can recommend either reading or listening to Ash and Ambition. I wonder when the next one will come out?
In any case, Lister did a competent job with the narration.
All in all, I can recommend either reading or listening to Ash and Ambition. I wonder when the next one will come out?
April 8, 2023
Ahhhhhhhh, THIS WAS FUCKING AMAZING!!!!! The court intrigue, the politics, the action, and the goriest fight scene I have ever read. One of the most original fantasies I have come across.
Smim has my heart! Such a sadistic goblin. Adored him.
I NEED BOOK 2!
The audiobook is equally fabulous. Ralph Lister did a fantastic job!!
Smim has my heart! Such a sadistic goblin. Adored him.
I NEED BOOK 2!
The audiobook is equally fabulous. Ralph Lister did a fantastic job!!
August 1, 2023
fang and talon against…
… one’s own betraying flesh?
A raw deal, especially for a dragon!
Marmell tells the fire part of a grand and hopefully lengthy tale of intrigue, coming to terms with the self, and the limitations of the human form… and does grandly, gracefully, and with flair and words set to warm and chill the heart.
… one’s own betraying flesh?
A raw deal, especially for a dragon!
Marmell tells the fire part of a grand and hopefully lengthy tale of intrigue, coming to terms with the self, and the limitations of the human form… and does grandly, gracefully, and with flair and words set to warm and chill the heart.
April 24, 2024
It took a while to get interesting, starting out rather dull, but I really liked it by the end. The premise itself is brilliant, and, audiobook-wise - I enjoyed the narrator's impression of a goblin immensely 😀
May 4, 2020
Cool premise, do want to see where the series goes.
December 1, 2019
Here is a saga of a hero's journey. It does not end with this book but does have a satisfying conclusion.There are lots of weapons and descriptions of maneuvers, detailing fighting colored with lots of blood and guts. Bound to be a favorite for the fans of goblins, giants, trolls, dragons and knights in gleaming armor. Fans of pretty elves will be displeased. There is even an amusing plot twist at the end. I can imagine the fan art opportunities.
Pluses: It does have character development. It does have an interesting and complex plot. The reader does discern between voices.
Miniuses: The reader's voice ranges from gruff to painful. Really I'm worried that he has damaged his voice. The women all sound like English high born spinsters.
Note to author: when characters are speaking in archaic style, using "figured it out", definitely pushes the reader out of the book to wonder why you couldn't manage to avoid it. And why your editor didn't point it out.
Pluses: It does have character development. It does have an interesting and complex plot. The reader does discern between voices.
Miniuses: The reader's voice ranges from gruff to painful. Really I'm worried that he has damaged his voice. The women all sound like English high born spinsters.
Note to author: when characters are speaking in archaic style, using "figured it out", definitely pushes the reader out of the book to wonder why you couldn't manage to avoid it. And why your editor didn't point it out.
September 18, 2019
Good read.well written
Good read.well written with a good story and a nice twist in characters and good development of bothers the story line and characters
Good read.well written with a good story and a nice twist in characters and good development of bothers the story line and characters
January 10, 2020
Great characters and great story, but it was still overall lacking somehow.
December 20, 2020
This was a good traditional fantasy with an interesting twist on the St George and dragon myth. Marmell is a terribly underrated writer, and I hope this new series gets some attention.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews