What do you think?
Rate this book
Dead Remnants
Welcome to the afterlife of Denver—where phantom buffalo roam and ghost factions wage war.
Seventeen-year-old Ashen Deming is dead, but she can’t move on. Not with the soul of her best friend on the line. He is stuck in a horrific curse—a curse no spirit knows how to break.
Ashen is determined to find a cure, but at every turn opposing factions try to snatch her for themselves. As the menacing specters close in, a new threat is exposed—one that looms over the dead and the living—and Ashen and her posse of ghosts have one brief chance to stop them. If they fail, the entire world will be lost to darkness forever.
But Ashen’s time is running out. If she doesn’t cross over soon, she will be damned to roam the haunted city for eternity.
Dead Remnants is a YA urban fantasy, filled with dark humor and spliced with historical flashback stories, revealing real ghosts of America’s ugly past. Perfect for older teens and fans of JOSS WHEDON, NEIL GAIMAN, STEPHEN KING, and GUILLERMO DEL TORO.
**Trigger Warning**
This book contains five flashback chapters - vignettes of American history that show the nation's darkest moments, including torture and genocide. Please be aware that they can be skipped without impacting the main story arc.
Visit Armarna Forbes online at www.armarnaforbes.com and on Twitter @ArmarnaForbes
Seventeen-year-old Ashen Deming is dead, but she can’t move on. Not with the soul of her best friend on the line. He is stuck in a horrific curse—a curse no spirit knows how to break.
Ashen is determined to find a cure, but at every turn opposing factions try to snatch her for themselves. As the menacing specters close in, a new threat is exposed—one that looms over the dead and the living—and Ashen and her posse of ghosts have one brief chance to stop them. If they fail, the entire world will be lost to darkness forever.
But Ashen’s time is running out. If she doesn’t cross over soon, she will be damned to roam the haunted city for eternity.
Dead Remnants is a YA urban fantasy, filled with dark humor and spliced with historical flashback stories, revealing real ghosts of America’s ugly past. Perfect for older teens and fans of JOSS WHEDON, NEIL GAIMAN, STEPHEN KING, and GUILLERMO DEL TORO.
**Trigger Warning**
This book contains five flashback chapters - vignettes of American history that show the nation's darkest moments, including torture and genocide. Please be aware that they can be skipped without impacting the main story arc.
Visit Armarna Forbes online at www.armarnaforbes.com and on Twitter @ArmarnaForbes
- GenresUrban Fantasy
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2019
2 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Armarna Forbes
1 book25 followersArmarna Forbes grew up in what remains of the Old West and likes to write stories about dead things. She now lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, with her husband, Chris, and their three cats, Jack, Loki, and Heidi.
Winner of the @scottishbktrust New Writers Award 2022
Winner of the @scottishbktrust New Writers Award 2022
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
July 4, 2021
I wrote it. It's not half bad.
October 15, 2019
After a bus crash, Ashen finds herself dead. The new world is filled with ghosts and something much darker. But the darkness doesn't come as a total surprise, she's had a run-in that nearly killed her when she was younger. While she's not ready to stay amongst the people she's meeting, she does plan to stay long enough to find her best friend Jacob that was on the bus with her. When she finds him, she can only hope he isn't lost to reality as so many people here have fallen prey to. There are warring factions among the dead with the Light, the Unseen, and the Warders, and it's getting in the way of her goals, but she might have to learn to rely on the people trying to help her if she wants to get through all of this unscathed.
So this was a fun read mostly told in Ashen's point of view, but Forbes dedicated chapters to some of our other important characters backstories as to how they died, and I really liked that she did that as it not only gave a complete and vivid picture, but the other characters had really interesting backstories, some of them including Native American Lore. In addition to Ashen, we had Macajaw, Max, Angry Fox, Vana, John and so many more.
The storytelling here is great (with the exception of a couple things that didn't make sense to me, and those were completely minor). Forbes has created such a fun world that gets you sucked in, it's highly imaginative and unique, with so much action it has you desperately flipping pages to find out what is going to happen. Am definitely a new fan anxious for more from this new author.
So this was a fun read mostly told in Ashen's point of view, but Forbes dedicated chapters to some of our other important characters backstories as to how they died, and I really liked that she did that as it not only gave a complete and vivid picture, but the other characters had really interesting backstories, some of them including Native American Lore. In addition to Ashen, we had Macajaw, Max, Angry Fox, Vana, John and so many more.
The storytelling here is great (with the exception of a couple things that didn't make sense to me, and those were completely minor). Forbes has created such a fun world that gets you sucked in, it's highly imaginative and unique, with so much action it has you desperately flipping pages to find out what is going to happen. Am definitely a new fan anxious for more from this new author.
October 3, 2019
Dead Remnants is a fantastic novel that brings a neat freshness to the 'recently dead navigating the afterlife' trope. The characters are varied and smartly written, and the mechanics of the book's afterlife are fun and not too complex. Dividing ghosts into different warring groups whose motives are all in question was a great touch.
My favorite aspect of the novel was the lush and evocative imagery, both in terms of the outlandish afterlife 'visuals', and simple down-to-earth descriptions. Forbes has a real talent for finding a great phrase for describing a creeping shadow or a herd of spectral buffalo.
Forbes also intersperses several short-story-like vignettes of the dead's former lives which add a great bit of color, while tying in expertly to the overall story, so they never feel like a meaningless aside. This coupled with her aforementioned talent for descriptions take these short tales from being minor footnotes into rich stories in their own right.
Dead Remnants is a fantastic read and it is hard to believe it's a debut novel. I look forward to more from Forbes in the future!
My favorite aspect of the novel was the lush and evocative imagery, both in terms of the outlandish afterlife 'visuals', and simple down-to-earth descriptions. Forbes has a real talent for finding a great phrase for describing a creeping shadow or a herd of spectral buffalo.
Forbes also intersperses several short-story-like vignettes of the dead's former lives which add a great bit of color, while tying in expertly to the overall story, so they never feel like a meaningless aside. This coupled with her aforementioned talent for descriptions take these short tales from being minor footnotes into rich stories in their own right.
Dead Remnants is a fantastic read and it is hard to believe it's a debut novel. I look forward to more from Forbes in the future!
October 15, 2019
Dead Remnants, by Armarna Forbes is a YA Urban Fantasy tale that follows young Ashen on a journey into the afterlife. As a young child, Ashen was visited by a terrifying supernatural presence, but it wasn’t a one-time occurrence. When Ashen’s life ends unexpectedly she finds herself in the midst of a war between beings of the afterlife, but she’s being forced to pick sides. Which side will she choose?
~Story
The story is told through multiple points of view, each explaining the character’s life prior to their tragic and untimely deaths. Through exploring their pasts, I came to bond with the characters on a deeper level and found myself picking favourites early on.
Conflict developed organically between the main characters, each with their own ideas of how to put an end to the war.
~Characters
There were more than seven characters to keep track of, so I’m going to briefly discuss my favourite four: Ashen, Jacob, Macajah, and Thaddeus (the main villain.)
Ashen had been able to see the supernatural ever since she was small. I admired her immediately, seeing how well she coped with an alcoholic and emotionally-vacant mother. Ashen was a brave character for her age, as well as being a loyal and caring friend.
Jacob, Ashen’s best friend is lost to us for a good portion of the story, however the scenes that include him show him to be a dependable and trustworthy friend, always there for Ashen when she needs him most.
Macajah was a truly tortured soul, whose backstory tugged at my heart. He was an honourable gentleman that had his life and livelihood ripped away from him too soon by a gang of unscrupulous men, all because they wanted something he’d worked hard for. It’s sad to think that people do this to others in real life, instead of trying to make their own success in the world.
Finally, we come to Thaddeus, a dark force to be reckoned with and our core villain. Even he has his own backstory, which intertwined with several of the main character’s, including Ashen and Macajah. In life, Thaddeus was a cunning, cruel lowlife and in the afterlife, not much has changed. The other characters spend most of their time trying different ways to take Thaddeus down, to prevent him from dooming the afterlife’s inhabitants.
~Writing
From the very first page, I was drawn into the mystery of how and why Ashen was seeing supernatural beings. I needed answers and had to read on.
The author created an interesting world for the deceased: a sort of alternate dimension that intersects with the world of the living. I loved the way it was set up, as though a second journey must be taken through a tunnel, for lost souls to reach true paradise.
Each part of the book, as I later realized, was titled after the five stages of grief: Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. That’s when it really hit me that all books tend to revolve around grief, after some sudden and unexpected change that shakes the characters to their core. The author did a wonderful job of exploring each of the five stages, post Ashen’s death, creating an evocative tale that had me praying the characters would come out victorious.
The ending was well thought out, however I did find myself wondering where Ashen ended up. Perhaps there will be a book two, so I can find out?
~A Memorable Quote
As always, I’d like to end with a memorable quote from the book:
‘That’s the funny thing about hope, you never know what dark place it’ll shine from.’
With so much negativity circulating our world at the moment, I feel like it’s important to find hope or faith wherever you can: not necessarily faith in religion, but in life in general. I think we all need that little light in our life, that spark that no matter what happens, enables us to carry on living, and moving forward.
~Overview
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel.
It was different to what I expected but left me with lots to think about.
My rating: 4 stars.
Recommended? Yes, for lovers of YA Urban fantasy, and the supernatural.
~Story
The story is told through multiple points of view, each explaining the character’s life prior to their tragic and untimely deaths. Through exploring their pasts, I came to bond with the characters on a deeper level and found myself picking favourites early on.
Conflict developed organically between the main characters, each with their own ideas of how to put an end to the war.
~Characters
There were more than seven characters to keep track of, so I’m going to briefly discuss my favourite four: Ashen, Jacob, Macajah, and Thaddeus (the main villain.)
Ashen had been able to see the supernatural ever since she was small. I admired her immediately, seeing how well she coped with an alcoholic and emotionally-vacant mother. Ashen was a brave character for her age, as well as being a loyal and caring friend.
Jacob, Ashen’s best friend is lost to us for a good portion of the story, however the scenes that include him show him to be a dependable and trustworthy friend, always there for Ashen when she needs him most.
Macajah was a truly tortured soul, whose backstory tugged at my heart. He was an honourable gentleman that had his life and livelihood ripped away from him too soon by a gang of unscrupulous men, all because they wanted something he’d worked hard for. It’s sad to think that people do this to others in real life, instead of trying to make their own success in the world.
Finally, we come to Thaddeus, a dark force to be reckoned with and our core villain. Even he has his own backstory, which intertwined with several of the main character’s, including Ashen and Macajah. In life, Thaddeus was a cunning, cruel lowlife and in the afterlife, not much has changed. The other characters spend most of their time trying different ways to take Thaddeus down, to prevent him from dooming the afterlife’s inhabitants.
~Writing
From the very first page, I was drawn into the mystery of how and why Ashen was seeing supernatural beings. I needed answers and had to read on.
The author created an interesting world for the deceased: a sort of alternate dimension that intersects with the world of the living. I loved the way it was set up, as though a second journey must be taken through a tunnel, for lost souls to reach true paradise.
Each part of the book, as I later realized, was titled after the five stages of grief: Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. That’s when it really hit me that all books tend to revolve around grief, after some sudden and unexpected change that shakes the characters to their core. The author did a wonderful job of exploring each of the five stages, post Ashen’s death, creating an evocative tale that had me praying the characters would come out victorious.
The ending was well thought out, however I did find myself wondering where Ashen ended up. Perhaps there will be a book two, so I can find out?
~A Memorable Quote
As always, I’d like to end with a memorable quote from the book:
‘That’s the funny thing about hope, you never know what dark place it’ll shine from.’
With so much negativity circulating our world at the moment, I feel like it’s important to find hope or faith wherever you can: not necessarily faith in religion, but in life in general. I think we all need that little light in our life, that spark that no matter what happens, enables us to carry on living, and moving forward.
~Overview
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel.
It was different to what I expected but left me with lots to think about.
My rating: 4 stars.
Recommended? Yes, for lovers of YA Urban fantasy, and the supernatural.
October 21, 2019
I’d give this book 4.75 stars if that were an option. I’m going to go ahead and give it 5, because that’s probably what it deserves. The only reason I’d give it slightly less is my own personal preferences (which I will explain). This is undoubtedly a great, if not outright perfect, book. It’s been ages since a book has not only engaged me to this degree, but also made me FEEL so much.
I’ll begin with what I loved:
-The writing is nearly perfect, providing vivid description while remaining fast paced and easy to read.
-The flashback scenes, which depicted how each of the main characters died, were incredible. Frightening and dark, but incredible. I was most engaged during these scenes, hard as some of them were to read (more on that later).
-The characters were fleshed out, believable, likeable, and had a lot of personality.
-The story itself was beautiful, moving, and epic. I could see this as a big-budget fantasy movie one day.
Now, I’ll get to what I liked less. Please note this is not a criticism of the author. I’m very sensitive. While I do love scary stories, I have a personal policy not to read or view scenes that involve torture. There is a torture scene in this book. I won’t give away too many details except to say that it involves the torture and killing of a man and his pet dog, and that it involves racism. I understand the purpose of the scene, but I did have to skip ahead when I began feeling physically ill.
In a way, this is just more praise for the author. Bad writing doesn’t affect me much, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle this scene because other earlier scenes had affected me to such an intense degree. The torture scene is far from the only scary part. The deaths of the other characters were all unjust, frightening, and incredibly sad. This is the only book I’ve read in a long time where I had to take breaks because I was feeling so freaked out and upset. This book is a good example of how intense reading can be when the writer has this level of skill.
So, while parts of this book were a bit too dark for my taste, the astounding beauty of the writing and overall story made it worth it for me. I’ll check out more work from this author in the future.
I’ll begin with what I loved:
-The writing is nearly perfect, providing vivid description while remaining fast paced and easy to read.
-The flashback scenes, which depicted how each of the main characters died, were incredible. Frightening and dark, but incredible. I was most engaged during these scenes, hard as some of them were to read (more on that later).
-The characters were fleshed out, believable, likeable, and had a lot of personality.
-The story itself was beautiful, moving, and epic. I could see this as a big-budget fantasy movie one day.
Now, I’ll get to what I liked less. Please note this is not a criticism of the author. I’m very sensitive. While I do love scary stories, I have a personal policy not to read or view scenes that involve torture. There is a torture scene in this book. I won’t give away too many details except to say that it involves the torture and killing of a man and his pet dog, and that it involves racism. I understand the purpose of the scene, but I did have to skip ahead when I began feeling physically ill.
In a way, this is just more praise for the author. Bad writing doesn’t affect me much, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle this scene because other earlier scenes had affected me to such an intense degree. The torture scene is far from the only scary part. The deaths of the other characters were all unjust, frightening, and incredibly sad. This is the only book I’ve read in a long time where I had to take breaks because I was feeling so freaked out and upset. This book is a good example of how intense reading can be when the writer has this level of skill.
So, while parts of this book were a bit too dark for my taste, the astounding beauty of the writing and overall story made it worth it for me. I’ll check out more work from this author in the future.
December 22, 2019
It took some time to finish Dead Remnants by debut author, Armarna Forbes, but that was my fault. My new schedule left very little time to read. I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns of this ghost tale which takes place in the afterlife. Our main character, Ashen, joins forces with a cowboy and a posse of ghosts so she can save the soul of her best friend. Along the way she not only learns about her new found friends in the realm of the afterlife but she learns to trust and to accept. I love how the author creatively developed the world of the afterlife with such vivid detail. I wasn't a fan of the western/southern drawls in the language (Y'alls and such) and found it a bit too much at times but the writing was solid, the characters intriguing, and the storyline interesting. I especially enjoyed how Ms. Forbes used small vignettes of flashback to let us into the life of her characters. The side stories of those were well written and got me into the head of each character. Ashen's character develops and broadens throughout the story and at the end she learns the greatest lesson of all - that love prevails and sometimes sacrifice is needed in order to save those you love. For those who want to read a ghost story with a twist and enjoy Westerns ~ this is a book for you. I look forward to reading future work by Ms. Forbes as her stories intrigued me and her writing kept me coming back until the end.
April 4, 2020
A must read for lovers of the supernatural.
Unseen are evil spirits. Ashen is One of the newly deceased and has her afterlife put in jeopardy when she is asked to bare witness against an unseen. I totally enjoyed this book and the way it’s plot twists and turns. A truely enjoyable read.
Unseen are evil spirits. Ashen is One of the newly deceased and has her afterlife put in jeopardy when she is asked to bare witness against an unseen. I totally enjoyed this book and the way it’s plot twists and turns. A truely enjoyable read.
December 6, 2019
Great book
Never thought I would enjoy a ghost story filled with cowboys and injuns. But I thoroughly enjoyed Dead Remnants. Great book and awesome character names.
Never thought I would enjoy a ghost story filled with cowboys and injuns. But I thoroughly enjoyed Dead Remnants. Great book and awesome character names.
January 26, 2020
Full review: www.jessreviews.co.uk
September 26, 2020
How I read this: Free ebook copy received from the author
3.5 stars
This is a supernatural fantasy story about a girl with a troubled childhood, in danger because of some supernatural beings who are after her for no apparent reason. Ashen gets in trouble and eventually ends up as a half-ghost, in tow of some peace keepers on the other side. Something big is going on, and it has to be fixed before the real world gets in danger too.
The book moved a little slow for me and I found it hard to get into. This might just be me and reading it at the wrong time. Objectively speaking, the book was fine - but maybe just not for me.
Personal preferences aside, there is one big positive - the book is diverse. Special attention in the story goes to Native American people who are represented by more than one character. I am not qualified to say how good the rep is, but the book had sensitivity readers, so I would suppose they approved it and it was good. However, I can say that there were a few parts where I wiped a tear. One part where the forced migration of a tribe of Native Americans was depicted - it was very sad and written with a lot of compassion. There was even a list of victims, remembered with respect, which brought tears to my eyes. There was also a bigger section devoted to mass killings of tribal societies, and they were heart wrenching. I appreciated that about the book a lot, and I wish more books represented the horrors that have been done to these people - way too often we just conveniently forget.
However, for me the biggest problem was the pace of the book. For almost half of the book, we are waiting for an explanation of what's going on - the main character keeps asking but is not given an explanation. For me, that was a little bit long, and I struggled through that part. It didn't really keep my suspense and interest, and I felt like the answers could have come sooner. Instead, the author chose to include some world-building, which is fine and may work for other readers, but it didn't work for me. At some point, the forces of good and evil start recruiting the main character, and it seems as though she knows what's going on (although nobody has explained it to her yet). I was very confused at that point because it still wasn't clear to me what's the situation - at all.
After the book breaks through the half mark, everything becomes much better. Things started moving and I got involved with the story and finished the book quite fast. All in all, the story was good - I just wish the first half moved faster and maybe explained me more why things were going on. By far, the best thing about the book is representation of the downtrodden - killings of Native Tribes, imprisonment of a Black man without a trial and lynching. It broke my heart, but it was written with love and it needs to be told. This is why I'm giving 3.5 stars - the story is a 3 for me, but the diversity and the aims to tell these histories feel like a 4. I'm sure it will be at least a 4 for you, judging by everyone else's rating!
I thank the author for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
3.5 stars
This is a supernatural fantasy story about a girl with a troubled childhood, in danger because of some supernatural beings who are after her for no apparent reason. Ashen gets in trouble and eventually ends up as a half-ghost, in tow of some peace keepers on the other side. Something big is going on, and it has to be fixed before the real world gets in danger too.
The book moved a little slow for me and I found it hard to get into. This might just be me and reading it at the wrong time. Objectively speaking, the book was fine - but maybe just not for me.
Personal preferences aside, there is one big positive - the book is diverse. Special attention in the story goes to Native American people who are represented by more than one character. I am not qualified to say how good the rep is, but the book had sensitivity readers, so I would suppose they approved it and it was good. However, I can say that there were a few parts where I wiped a tear. One part where the forced migration of a tribe of Native Americans was depicted - it was very sad and written with a lot of compassion. There was even a list of victims, remembered with respect, which brought tears to my eyes. There was also a bigger section devoted to mass killings of tribal societies, and they were heart wrenching. I appreciated that about the book a lot, and I wish more books represented the horrors that have been done to these people - way too often we just conveniently forget.
However, for me the biggest problem was the pace of the book. For almost half of the book, we are waiting for an explanation of what's going on - the main character keeps asking but is not given an explanation. For me, that was a little bit long, and I struggled through that part. It didn't really keep my suspense and interest, and I felt like the answers could have come sooner. Instead, the author chose to include some world-building, which is fine and may work for other readers, but it didn't work for me. At some point, the forces of good and evil start recruiting the main character, and it seems as though she knows what's going on (although nobody has explained it to her yet). I was very confused at that point because it still wasn't clear to me what's the situation - at all.
After the book breaks through the half mark, everything becomes much better. Things started moving and I got involved with the story and finished the book quite fast. All in all, the story was good - I just wish the first half moved faster and maybe explained me more why things were going on. By far, the best thing about the book is representation of the downtrodden - killings of Native Tribes, imprisonment of a Black man without a trial and lynching. It broke my heart, but it was written with love and it needs to be told. This is why I'm giving 3.5 stars - the story is a 3 for me, but the diversity and the aims to tell these histories feel like a 4. I'm sure it will be at least a 4 for you, judging by everyone else's rating!
I thank the author for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
August 17, 2019
A page-turning novel that looks at big questions through the unexpected coming-of-age (after death) of its protagonist, the determined and likeable Ashen. Named in an affectionate nod to The Evil Dead, Ashen wakes in a Denver morgue (a room she shares with a corpse pleasingly tagged ‘Romero’), after a horrific bus crash involving her only friend, Jacob, and her patient box-turtle, Langhorne. What follows is definitely not your classic zombie-fest.
As she stumbles from the hospital, Ashen finds herself adopted by the laconic, definitely-not-a-cowboy Macajah (‘Cage’), one of the valiant posse of Warders who soon become the closest friends she’s ever had, alive or dead. She gradually realises there’s a battle raging across the city: the souls of the living are at stake, and the Warders (and others) want her on their side … but all she really wants to do is find Jacob, and then move on. What does a prematurely dead seventeen-year-old do, when she’s pulled in so many directions? Ashen’s response is part of what makes her such an appealing character: we want to know what will happen next, and whether she’ll take matters into her own hands. And we want to know more about this vivid, beautiful afterlife she finds herself in, just as urgently as she does.
The nature of time and existence, and challenges to received assumptions about good, evil and just plain ordinary thread through this intriguing novel, alongside more immediate concerns about fear, choice and hope, as Ashen navigates a glimmering Denver that belongs to all eras, historic buildings fading in and out over the modern city of the lavishly evoked ’80s of her present-day. Questions are asked – and some are answered – but the really big ones remain tantalisingly out of reach, even for the ‘dead remnants’ who roam a Colorado whose buffalo-rich plains flow alongside its now-waterless creeks. They are the ones who chose to stay in the same world as the living instead of moving on – and some of them have been there for a looooong time.
In this stunning debut novel, Coloradan author Armarna Forbes has drawn on the rich, but often questionable, heritage of the American West in a way rarely seen in Fantasy: those trying to hold a balance between the extremes of the terrifying, terrorising ‘Unseen’ and the (self-)righteous ‘Light’ hail from some of the country’s darkest times. And yet a Tsitsistas wise woman, a tomahawk-wielding girl, a murdered scholar and a young soldier returned from a pointless death on Europe’s shores together form a powerful team, and with the inimitable Macajah, they actually stand a chance at keeping the living free, and safe. Until the Unseen and the Light join forces …
Engaging and so well-written it’s hard to believe this is Forbes’ first novel, this is a YA Fantasy that takes the reader on a very different, wholly fascinating, ride. Highly recommend to readers of all ages. I just hope the author writes a sequel (or two) … this world is too good to leave behind just yet.
As she stumbles from the hospital, Ashen finds herself adopted by the laconic, definitely-not-a-cowboy Macajah (‘Cage’), one of the valiant posse of Warders who soon become the closest friends she’s ever had, alive or dead. She gradually realises there’s a battle raging across the city: the souls of the living are at stake, and the Warders (and others) want her on their side … but all she really wants to do is find Jacob, and then move on. What does a prematurely dead seventeen-year-old do, when she’s pulled in so many directions? Ashen’s response is part of what makes her such an appealing character: we want to know what will happen next, and whether she’ll take matters into her own hands. And we want to know more about this vivid, beautiful afterlife she finds herself in, just as urgently as she does.
The nature of time and existence, and challenges to received assumptions about good, evil and just plain ordinary thread through this intriguing novel, alongside more immediate concerns about fear, choice and hope, as Ashen navigates a glimmering Denver that belongs to all eras, historic buildings fading in and out over the modern city of the lavishly evoked ’80s of her present-day. Questions are asked – and some are answered – but the really big ones remain tantalisingly out of reach, even for the ‘dead remnants’ who roam a Colorado whose buffalo-rich plains flow alongside its now-waterless creeks. They are the ones who chose to stay in the same world as the living instead of moving on – and some of them have been there for a looooong time.
In this stunning debut novel, Coloradan author Armarna Forbes has drawn on the rich, but often questionable, heritage of the American West in a way rarely seen in Fantasy: those trying to hold a balance between the extremes of the terrifying, terrorising ‘Unseen’ and the (self-)righteous ‘Light’ hail from some of the country’s darkest times. And yet a Tsitsistas wise woman, a tomahawk-wielding girl, a murdered scholar and a young soldier returned from a pointless death on Europe’s shores together form a powerful team, and with the inimitable Macajah, they actually stand a chance at keeping the living free, and safe. Until the Unseen and the Light join forces …
Engaging and so well-written it’s hard to believe this is Forbes’ first novel, this is a YA Fantasy that takes the reader on a very different, wholly fascinating, ride. Highly recommend to readers of all ages. I just hope the author writes a sequel (or two) … this world is too good to leave behind just yet.
August 15, 2019
This book starts with a shock in that the main character, Ashen, dies. I knew it was about the afterlife, but to start with a living teenage girl and actually kill her off to open the story stunned me.
Now, you might think that would lower the stakes and make the rest of the story boring, but it doesn't. In this world, dead isn't the worst thing you can be, and the author does a great job of raising the stakes for these dead characters throughout the story.
The descriptions of people and places throughout the book are fantastic and detailed. I felt like I could actually see the ghostly version of Denver she created. The characters are richly detailed, each with their own story, voice and personality, and they serve perfectly to support the afterlife world the author has created.
The action moves fast, and every word matters. This is a book you can't skim, and you won't be able to put down. It will stay with you, long after you finish. Highly recommended.
Now, you might think that would lower the stakes and make the rest of the story boring, but it doesn't. In this world, dead isn't the worst thing you can be, and the author does a great job of raising the stakes for these dead characters throughout the story.
The descriptions of people and places throughout the book are fantastic and detailed. I felt like I could actually see the ghostly version of Denver she created. The characters are richly detailed, each with their own story, voice and personality, and they serve perfectly to support the afterlife world the author has created.
The action moves fast, and every word matters. This is a book you can't skim, and you won't be able to put down. It will stay with you, long after you finish. Highly recommended.
October 26, 2019
I was given an ecopy of this book by the author in exchange for review.
This story is at times heartwarming and deeply uncomfortable. You can feel the love in the found family the protagonist joins after her passing. My particular favorite is Cage, the gruff but loveable cowboy. The WWII war hero Max is also adorable. And the descriptions of ghostly powers are both intriguing and different from a lot of ghost fiction.
It gets uncomfortable in showing the ghost backstories. You know they all end in death (obviously) but the stories cover some of the darkest stories of genocide and racism. John's backstory was particularly heinous. It shows the mirror of America's darkest sins.
The ending is incredibly bold. Part of me is desperately hoping that this is first in a series because I am gutted by the heartache it caused. But it also feels like such a perfect finale.
If you want a severe discomfort with a lot of heart, this is the one for you.
This story is at times heartwarming and deeply uncomfortable. You can feel the love in the found family the protagonist joins after her passing. My particular favorite is Cage, the gruff but loveable cowboy. The WWII war hero Max is also adorable. And the descriptions of ghostly powers are both intriguing and different from a lot of ghost fiction.
It gets uncomfortable in showing the ghost backstories. You know they all end in death (obviously) but the stories cover some of the darkest stories of genocide and racism. John's backstory was particularly heinous. It shows the mirror of America's darkest sins.
The ending is incredibly bold. Part of me is desperately hoping that this is first in a series because I am gutted by the heartache it caused. But it also feels like such a perfect finale.
If you want a severe discomfort with a lot of heart, this is the one for you.
September 12, 2019
Dead Remnants has a unique world that interlinks fantasy with this very world.
Considering that this a fantasy-horror themed novel, I've been so pleasantly surprised when I've found myself wondering about how much of it could actually be happening in the real world :)
I have also really enjoyed the "origin stories" for the many characters in the ensemble, that was quite a clever way to add depth to their decisions and understand what makes them tick.
Contrary to some of the other reviews before me, my favourite character without contest is Thaddeus, the big nasty villain. He delivers so much in his lines and mannerisms that he's left me wanting a film adaptation. One can only hope!
I would absolutely recommend to pick this one up, top choice.
Considering that this a fantasy-horror themed novel, I've been so pleasantly surprised when I've found myself wondering about how much of it could actually be happening in the real world :)
I have also really enjoyed the "origin stories" for the many characters in the ensemble, that was quite a clever way to add depth to their decisions and understand what makes them tick.
Contrary to some of the other reviews before me, my favourite character without contest is Thaddeus, the big nasty villain. He delivers so much in his lines and mannerisms that he's left me wanting a film adaptation. One can only hope!
I would absolutely recommend to pick this one up, top choice.
October 7, 2019
Great debut novel by Armarna Forbes. A unique view on the afterlife and the battles between the light and dark and those that would keep the balance. I loved the vivid imagery of the ghost world superimposed on the living.
The historical flashbacks rounded out the characters that support Ashen and show how they are tied together. I especially liked Angry Fox.
Highly recommend this young adult fantasy.
The historical flashbacks rounded out the characters that support Ashen and show how they are tied together. I especially liked Angry Fox.
Highly recommend this young adult fantasy.
August 26, 2019
I really enjoyed this book, a teenage girl finds herself in the wild west afterlife with ghost steam trains, and phantom buildings. I really enjoyed the way characters backstories are revealed throughout the book.
August 13, 2019
A great read! The characters are awesome, I especially love Macajah. The story kept me engaged all the way through. Recommended.
August 16, 2019
I loved so much about this book! The characters were thoughtful and the story was thrilling. I'd recommend this to anyone who loves a good story.
August 20, 2019
A great, fast-paced fantasy with memorable characters. I was particularly fond of the flashback historical fiction segments interspersed throughout, but the whole book is well worth reading.
January 31, 2020
*I received a free copy of this book, with thanks to the author. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Dead Remnants is an enjoyable urban fantasy debut, built on a fascinating afterlife premise, in equal parts creepy and hopeful.
Ashen was 17 and worrying about what would happen to her now that school was finished and adulthood loomed. But now she’s dead and has a whole host of new problems… like saving the spirit world and getting her best friend back.
Ashen’s death happens in the early chapters of the book, and most of the book follows her adventures in the afterlife as she faces the choice between moving on to an unknown next place or staying in the mid-way limbo she finds herself in now, where ghosts ‘drift’ hopelessly and the Light, Unseen and Warden teams wrestle for control of the souls of the dead.
I felt the pacing was a little uneven, with those first few chapters – before Ashen’s death – feeling quite slow and unnecessary to the main plot. However, once the story reached the afterlife it really picked up and the action was focused around which team Ashen might pick – if any! – and whether she could find Jacob, her best friend, in a strange world where she doesn’t know what she can do or who she can trust.
I really enjoyed the ‘Drifter’ plot element in this story (the name used here for classic ghosts who repeat the same actions without awareness), and also the whole light/dark/grey power battle. I found it a little hard to feel connected to the characters at first, but seeing flashbacks to each Warden’s before-life really helped to develop my understanding of them. I was a little disappointed in just how very bad the villain turned out to be, as with no redeeming qualities at all he became a bit of a recurring symbol rather than a fully-fleshed individual with his own arc, whereas the ‘good’ characters were more complex.
The author tackled some massive issues here, from relatable teenage problems like alcoholic parents and unrequited love; through to the problematic history of the American peoples; what happens after we die, and is it ever possible to remain unbiased and neutral when faced with true evil.
This is a fresh, unique take on ghosts and the afterlife that would work really well as the first book in a series, as it sets up a fascinating world populated with some very interesting characters. As a standalone book, I felt that the ending was a little abrupt after such a detailed build-up, and so felt a little flat when I reached the final page. I would really have liked to see more from Ashen and her allies (especially the budding love-interest)!
It’s just your imagination.
It’s just your imagination.
It’s just your imagination.
Ashen Deming gulped down her dread and glanced behind her. Nope; not her imagination. In the last seat of the bus, some guy—some creepy guy—leered at her. It was clear he hadn’t showered in weeks. His pallid tinge coupled with his paper-white lips reminded her of an old, mangled mannequin.
She took a deep, even breath. At least she wasn’t riding alone.
– Armarna Forbes, Dead Remnants
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
Dead Remnants is an enjoyable urban fantasy debut, built on a fascinating afterlife premise, in equal parts creepy and hopeful.
Ashen was 17 and worrying about what would happen to her now that school was finished and adulthood loomed. But now she’s dead and has a whole host of new problems… like saving the spirit world and getting her best friend back.
Ashen’s death happens in the early chapters of the book, and most of the book follows her adventures in the afterlife as she faces the choice between moving on to an unknown next place or staying in the mid-way limbo she finds herself in now, where ghosts ‘drift’ hopelessly and the Light, Unseen and Warden teams wrestle for control of the souls of the dead.
I felt the pacing was a little uneven, with those first few chapters – before Ashen’s death – feeling quite slow and unnecessary to the main plot. However, once the story reached the afterlife it really picked up and the action was focused around which team Ashen might pick – if any! – and whether she could find Jacob, her best friend, in a strange world where she doesn’t know what she can do or who she can trust.
I really enjoyed the ‘Drifter’ plot element in this story (the name used here for classic ghosts who repeat the same actions without awareness), and also the whole light/dark/grey power battle. I found it a little hard to feel connected to the characters at first, but seeing flashbacks to each Warden’s before-life really helped to develop my understanding of them. I was a little disappointed in just how very bad the villain turned out to be, as with no redeeming qualities at all he became a bit of a recurring symbol rather than a fully-fleshed individual with his own arc, whereas the ‘good’ characters were more complex.
The author tackled some massive issues here, from relatable teenage problems like alcoholic parents and unrequited love; through to the problematic history of the American peoples; what happens after we die, and is it ever possible to remain unbiased and neutral when faced with true evil.
This is a fresh, unique take on ghosts and the afterlife that would work really well as the first book in a series, as it sets up a fascinating world populated with some very interesting characters. As a standalone book, I felt that the ending was a little abrupt after such a detailed build-up, and so felt a little flat when I reached the final page. I would really have liked to see more from Ashen and her allies (especially the budding love-interest)!
It’s just your imagination.
It’s just your imagination.
It’s just your imagination.
Ashen Deming gulped down her dread and glanced behind her. Nope; not her imagination. In the last seat of the bus, some guy—some creepy guy—leered at her. It was clear he hadn’t showered in weeks. His pallid tinge coupled with his paper-white lips reminded her of an old, mangled mannequin.
She took a deep, even breath. At least she wasn’t riding alone.
– Armarna Forbes, Dead Remnants
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
August 23, 2022
Although this isn’t my typical read I really enjoyed it.. there were a couple parts that confused me but continuing to read and they made sense. Overall a good book and can’t wait for the next one!
July 29, 2023
A great read! The characters are awesome, especially Macajah. The story kept me engaged all the way through. Highly recommended.
March 18, 2025
Could not stop reading - very very good story.
August 30, 2019
This is a rich and interesting young adult urban fantasy that is short enough to keep you engaged in the adventure but deep enough to stimulate the imagination. Its strongest quality is the world building. The world of the warders, the Unseen and the light; travel by mirrors and through lakes; arches that take you to the afterlife; these all get you thinking as much about how you would react to this afterlife as the adventures of the heroine.
The first three chapters are a bit exposition heavy – you’re going to hear a lot about how great Jacob is and how awful Ashen’s childhood – but that’s a common problem in fantasy and it is worth sticking it out. Once Ashen dies the wild-west afterlife proves compelling and there twists and turns in the story that keep you engaged.
The author has made the unusual choice of structuring the book around a series of flashbacks. These slow the plot but do a great deal to deepen the world. I think that’s the key to appreciating this book. If you want something that will spark your imagination, that will take you on a journey through the past and into the underworld, and you like a bit of supernatural fantasy, this is for you.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend you give it a try. It would also make a great gift for the teenagers in your life, particularly those who like a chaste love triangle and have enjoyed writers like Phillip Pullman or Susan Cooper.
The first three chapters are a bit exposition heavy – you’re going to hear a lot about how great Jacob is and how awful Ashen’s childhood – but that’s a common problem in fantasy and it is worth sticking it out. Once Ashen dies the wild-west afterlife proves compelling and there twists and turns in the story that keep you engaged.
The author has made the unusual choice of structuring the book around a series of flashbacks. These slow the plot but do a great deal to deepen the world. I think that’s the key to appreciating this book. If you want something that will spark your imagination, that will take you on a journey through the past and into the underworld, and you like a bit of supernatural fantasy, this is for you.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend you give it a try. It would also make a great gift for the teenagers in your life, particularly those who like a chaste love triangle and have enjoyed writers like Phillip Pullman or Susan Cooper.
August 28, 2019
This is one of the more enjoyable novels I've read this year: standout characters, a unique afterlife setting, and a fast-paced plot that rockets toward an exciting final showdown between the forces of light and dark (and the "warders" whose job it is to keep the peace between the two) with very personal stakes for the main character, Ashen.
I find myself still thinking about some of the characters and their fates even now -- not just Ashen, who I really liked, but also in particular the cowboy lawman Macajah and (my personal favorite) the young Cherokee, Angry Fox. Which gets me to my favorite element of the book: the flashbacks to various characters' lives just before they died.
That technique is used here similar to the best episodes of the TV show LOST, where flashbacks revealed a little more about each character and also added a piece of the puzzle to the overall mystery. And that's something else worth noting here -- there's definitely a strong mystery element at the heart of the story, i.e. why is the afterlife suddenly being threatened, how are the "bad" ghosts suddenly able to crossover to the living world, and what does it all have to do with Ashen and her death?
All in all, a very strong debut novel that kept me turning pages late into the night. Highly recommended!
I find myself still thinking about some of the characters and their fates even now -- not just Ashen, who I really liked, but also in particular the cowboy lawman Macajah and (my personal favorite) the young Cherokee, Angry Fox. Which gets me to my favorite element of the book: the flashbacks to various characters' lives just before they died.
That technique is used here similar to the best episodes of the TV show LOST, where flashbacks revealed a little more about each character and also added a piece of the puzzle to the overall mystery. And that's something else worth noting here -- there's definitely a strong mystery element at the heart of the story, i.e. why is the afterlife suddenly being threatened, how are the "bad" ghosts suddenly able to crossover to the living world, and what does it all have to do with Ashen and her death?
All in all, a very strong debut novel that kept me turning pages late into the night. Highly recommended!
September 2, 2019
Inventive, Action-packed
Full of history and paranormal action; a time-shifting urban setting with an old-school undead cowboy—terrifically fun but still tugs at your heartstrings. A winner!
Full of history and paranormal action; a time-shifting urban setting with an old-school undead cowboy—terrifically fun but still tugs at your heartstrings. A winner!
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews