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Ashen Torment #1
Witchsign
An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.
From celebrated YA author Den Patrick comes WITCHSIGN, the first novel in a fresh and exciting new fantasy trilogy
It has been seventy-five years since the dragons' rule of fire and arcane magic over Vinkerveld was ended, and the Empire was born. Since, the tyrannical Synod has worked hard to banish all manifestations of the arcane across the lands.
However, children are still born bearing the taint of the arcane, known to all as witchsign. So each year the Emperor sends out his Vigilants across the continent to detect the arcane in these children. Those found tainted are taken, and never seen again. Steiner has always suspected his sister Kjellrunn of bearing witchsign. But when their father's attempt to protect her from the Invigilation backfires, it is Steiner who is mistakenly taken. However it is not death which awaits Steiner, but an Academy where the children with witchsign learn to master their powers - some at the cost of their lives. Steiner is determined to escape the Academy and protect his sister from this fate.
But powerful enemies await him at every turn, and Steiner finds himself taken on a journey straight into the heart of the Empire's deepest secrets, which will force him to reconsider everything he has known about witchsign.
From celebrated YA author Den Patrick comes WITCHSIGN, the first novel in a fresh and exciting new fantasy trilogy
It has been seventy-five years since the dragons' rule of fire and arcane magic over Vinkerveld was ended, and the Empire was born. Since, the tyrannical Synod has worked hard to banish all manifestations of the arcane across the lands.
However, children are still born bearing the taint of the arcane, known to all as witchsign. So each year the Emperor sends out his Vigilants across the continent to detect the arcane in these children. Those found tainted are taken, and never seen again. Steiner has always suspected his sister Kjellrunn of bearing witchsign. But when their father's attempt to protect her from the Invigilation backfires, it is Steiner who is mistakenly taken. However it is not death which awaits Steiner, but an Academy where the children with witchsign learn to master their powers - some at the cost of their lives. Steiner is determined to escape the Academy and protect his sister from this fate.
But powerful enemies await him at every turn, and Steiner finds himself taken on a journey straight into the heart of the Empire's deepest secrets, which will force him to reconsider everything he has known about witchsign.
465 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 24, 2018
108 people are currently reading
4568 people want to read
About the author
Den Patrick
26 books188 followersDen Patrick is originally from Dorset and lives in London. His first three books for Gollancz, the War Fighting Manuals, were released in the autumn of 2013.
The Boy with the Porcelain Blade was nominated for the British Fantasy Newcomer award and forms the first book in the The Erebus Sequence. The Boy Who Wept Blood and The Girl on the Liar's Throne complete this trilogy of Gothic Fantasy books, described by Jen Williams as "Gormenghast meets the X-men".
2018 sees the start of a new series, The Ashen Torment, which kicks off with Witchsign on May 24th, a crossover Fantasy set in a Nordic and Russian inspired world of forbidden magic and imperial tyranny.
The Boy with the Porcelain Blade was nominated for the British Fantasy Newcomer award and forms the first book in the The Erebus Sequence. The Boy Who Wept Blood and The Girl on the Liar's Throne complete this trilogy of Gothic Fantasy books, described by Jen Williams as "Gormenghast meets the X-men".
2018 sees the start of a new series, The Ashen Torment, which kicks off with Witchsign on May 24th, a crossover Fantasy set in a Nordic and Russian inspired world of forbidden magic and imperial tyranny.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
April 25, 2018
An engaging introduction to a very promising series!
‘What if Harry Potter was sent to Russian Hogwarts only to find out he was a Muggle?’
The answer to this bizarre question is given in a most elaborate and gripping manner by Den Patrick in his new series, The Ashen Torment. Witchsign follows the stories of two siblings, Steiner and Kjellrunn, who live in a godforsaken province of the Scorched Republics. The dragons are long dead, but the Solmindre Empire looms over the continent threatening, keen on eradicating any sign of the arcane that is associated with the dragons, the so called witchsign, by forcing every child to undergo the Invigilation. Those found positive to the taint of the dragons are taken away, and no one knows what happens to them. Steiner had successfully passed his Invigilations, until a spiteful Hierarch of the Empire mistakenly assumes Steiner bears the witchsign instead of his sister, and he is taken away to Vladibogdan, a prison island hosting dangerous secrets, and dangerous magic. To Steiner’s astonishment, the children taken away are not executed; on the contrary, they attend the four elemental schools of the Academy situated on the island, and they are forced to serve the Empire that uprooted them from their homes. Without witchsign, Steiner’s position is precarious. While he struggles to survive and outsmart his vicious enemies, Kjellrunn tries to master her skills and find a way to bring her brother back. In their respective quests, Steiner and Kjellrunn uncover conspiracies and secrets regarding their family, the Empire, and the entire world. But those aware of such knowledge are bound to be silenced. In a permanent fashion.
I wasn’t aware of this book’s existence until a beautiful ARC arrived on my doorstep by the publisher, and although I was very skeptical when I started it I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. What I enjoyed the most was Den Patrick’s extensive world-building and folklore; even though Steiner’s world was bleak, colored in the shades of soot, ash and rain, its rich lore and history stood out, and I craved every bit of information regarding the mysterious order of Vigilants, the structure of the Empire, the numerous nations and their religion, and of course the fall of the dragons! The arcane was constantly a sinister presence, provoking fear to those ignorant and fascination to those who had witnessed its grandeur. Den Patrick successfully captured the terror, the prejudice of the peasants that led to cruelty, but also the intoxicating power that corrupted its wielders, that made them greedy, and, occasionally, wicked. The politics and the conflict between the ranks of the Vigilants was also one of the aspects I found deeply enthralling, lacing the story with intrigue. While Steiner’s chapters were more to my liking, since I was deeply invested in his adventures and strike of bad luck, Kjellrunn’s journey to unraveling her powers was also fascinating, and sometimes I found myself torn regarding whose point of view I was more desperate to read.
There were some minor issues, though, that prevented me from giving the fifth star. First, many decisions of the protagonists were highly irrational, since they mainly acted on impulse without regard to the consequences (I mean, there is a reason everyone questioned Steiner’s ability to think), and that eventually became tiresome. And second, some dialogues felt rather strained, like there was too much effort on behalf of the author to make the characters sound witty, and some others were brimming with characterization, as if they tried to convince the reader of the characters’ traits.
Despite the aforementioned flaws, Witchsign was an enjoyable dark YA fantasy read, featuring witches, dragons, shady villains and action, and I am looking forward to the next installment!
*ARC generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
**Review originally posted on BookNest**
‘What if Harry Potter was sent to Russian Hogwarts only to find out he was a Muggle?’
The answer to this bizarre question is given in a most elaborate and gripping manner by Den Patrick in his new series, The Ashen Torment. Witchsign follows the stories of two siblings, Steiner and Kjellrunn, who live in a godforsaken province of the Scorched Republics. The dragons are long dead, but the Solmindre Empire looms over the continent threatening, keen on eradicating any sign of the arcane that is associated with the dragons, the so called witchsign, by forcing every child to undergo the Invigilation. Those found positive to the taint of the dragons are taken away, and no one knows what happens to them. Steiner had successfully passed his Invigilations, until a spiteful Hierarch of the Empire mistakenly assumes Steiner bears the witchsign instead of his sister, and he is taken away to Vladibogdan, a prison island hosting dangerous secrets, and dangerous magic. To Steiner’s astonishment, the children taken away are not executed; on the contrary, they attend the four elemental schools of the Academy situated on the island, and they are forced to serve the Empire that uprooted them from their homes. Without witchsign, Steiner’s position is precarious. While he struggles to survive and outsmart his vicious enemies, Kjellrunn tries to master her skills and find a way to bring her brother back. In their respective quests, Steiner and Kjellrunn uncover conspiracies and secrets regarding their family, the Empire, and the entire world. But those aware of such knowledge are bound to be silenced. In a permanent fashion.
I wasn’t aware of this book’s existence until a beautiful ARC arrived on my doorstep by the publisher, and although I was very skeptical when I started it I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. What I enjoyed the most was Den Patrick’s extensive world-building and folklore; even though Steiner’s world was bleak, colored in the shades of soot, ash and rain, its rich lore and history stood out, and I craved every bit of information regarding the mysterious order of Vigilants, the structure of the Empire, the numerous nations and their religion, and of course the fall of the dragons! The arcane was constantly a sinister presence, provoking fear to those ignorant and fascination to those who had witnessed its grandeur. Den Patrick successfully captured the terror, the prejudice of the peasants that led to cruelty, but also the intoxicating power that corrupted its wielders, that made them greedy, and, occasionally, wicked. The politics and the conflict between the ranks of the Vigilants was also one of the aspects I found deeply enthralling, lacing the story with intrigue. While Steiner’s chapters were more to my liking, since I was deeply invested in his adventures and strike of bad luck, Kjellrunn’s journey to unraveling her powers was also fascinating, and sometimes I found myself torn regarding whose point of view I was more desperate to read.
There were some minor issues, though, that prevented me from giving the fifth star. First, many decisions of the protagonists were highly irrational, since they mainly acted on impulse without regard to the consequences (I mean, there is a reason everyone questioned Steiner’s ability to think), and that eventually became tiresome. And second, some dialogues felt rather strained, like there was too much effort on behalf of the author to make the characters sound witty, and some others were brimming with characterization, as if they tried to convince the reader of the characters’ traits.
Despite the aforementioned flaws, Witchsign was an enjoyable dark YA fantasy read, featuring witches, dragons, shady villains and action, and I am looking forward to the next installment!
*ARC generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
**Review originally posted on BookNest**
May 31, 2018
As always, the honesty post: I received this book free as an Advance Reading Copy from the publisher. I haven't met Den Patrick.
I just really liked this book.
I felt like Den Patrick's only agenda was to tell a really good story, and he did it well. He writes convincingly of life in a harsh environment, one made even grimmer by a repressive government. He writes convincingly of an older brother both annoyed and dismayed by his sister's inability or lack of desire to conceal that she is different, and perhaps dangerously so.
Family and friendship are at the heart of this book. This is the first book I've read by Den Patrick. I'm told that previously he wrote YA. I suspect he did it very well as he has that trick of giving the reader an insight into a relationship without putting up a billboard and spotlights to highlight how perceptivel he is.
This tale belongs to the characters. The author doesn't intrude.
If you like a straightforward fantasy tale, then this is the book for you.
I just really liked this book.
I felt like Den Patrick's only agenda was to tell a really good story, and he did it well. He writes convincingly of life in a harsh environment, one made even grimmer by a repressive government. He writes convincingly of an older brother both annoyed and dismayed by his sister's inability or lack of desire to conceal that she is different, and perhaps dangerously so.
Family and friendship are at the heart of this book. This is the first book I've read by Den Patrick. I'm told that previously he wrote YA. I suspect he did it very well as he has that trick of giving the reader an insight into a relationship without putting up a billboard and spotlights to highlight how perceptivel he is.
This tale belongs to the characters. The author doesn't intrude.
If you like a straightforward fantasy tale, then this is the book for you.
September 17, 2020
I received a review copy of Witchsign in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Den Patrick and Harper Voyager.
Under the cloud-obscured skies of Cinderfell reside blacksmith apprentice Steiner and his sister Kjellrunn. One day a mysterious ship arrives in the dock containing the Empire's Invigilators who are looking for the Witchsign in the residents' youths. Should the Witchsign be detected the children showing the signs are taken away (and presumed executed). It's not really a spoiler for me to reveal that one of the previously named youngsters is taken following the Invigilation and the story that follows is regarding what happens to the teen that leaves Cinderfell and what happens the one that remains.
Excluding one chapter later on in the novel, all the chapters are from the point of view perspective of either Steiner or Kjellrunn. They have spent their entire lives in their sleepy old town and both aid their father in the running of the family blacksmith. Steiner is feisty but good-natured and Kjellrunn is a bit kooky, believing in the old stories, the old Gods and has an undeniable kinship with nature. They both develop a decent amount throughout Witchsign yet it definitely reads like the first step in a pretty epic adventure. Steiner is frustrating to follow occasionally when he gets angry and hits people with his special hammer. I'm hoping what we see here is just the angsty time in his overall development as it would be annoying for me to follow a character like this for three books.
Kjellrunn is the more interesting of the two perspectives yet, until the last 25% of the narrative; what happens in her scenes just isn't as entertaining. Patrick does craft some very good supporting characters though such as Silverdust and Kimi, and it is quite enticing to continue the series as I am aware these players become point of view perspectives in the later books. One character that I didn't really have time for was Steiner's rich "rival" Aurelian. Their paths cross throughout the book, and like a Streets of Rage villain, Aurelian gets stronger every time he is seen. I only finished Witchsign yesterday and I can't even remember what happened to Aurelian in their final fight as I found them uninteresting.
The Ashen Torment trilogy is a Scandinavian-inspired fantasy drama that can be read by adults and savvy YA readers too. The map included in the book is absolutely beautiful and detailed but in this entry, we only really are witnesses to two places. These are skillfully depicted as the author presents a clear and picturesque view of what was happening and where. There are certainly political happenings, myths and lore, and the presence of deities in Ashen Torment but these don't really take the forefront here, though I am interested in diving deeper into the world in the later books. The magic system seems pretty intriguing too, however; we aren't really told how it works to any great degree. In the following books, I would like light to be shed on the magic a bit more.
I'm not quite sure how I feel about Witchsign if I'm honest. If I didn't already have all of the Ashen Torment novels then I may have DNF'd it about 40%. It was quite good, the worldbuilding, the magic, the side characters, and the fact I wanted to and know there is more to learn about this world. That being said, it was just stuttering and plodding along. The chapters take about 8-15 minutes to read, so these lengths helped me carry on, and I will admit that the last 25% or so is very good and tight with some great setpieces and is wrapped up in fine fashion. This could be read as a standalone but I am carrying on because Patrick promises such potential with this series that I am truly hoping it is realised. With that being the case, if I get halfway through Stormtide and it is just more of the same then I may not make it to Nightfall. Witchsign was definitely a hit and miss read for me.
Under the cloud-obscured skies of Cinderfell reside blacksmith apprentice Steiner and his sister Kjellrunn. One day a mysterious ship arrives in the dock containing the Empire's Invigilators who are looking for the Witchsign in the residents' youths. Should the Witchsign be detected the children showing the signs are taken away (and presumed executed). It's not really a spoiler for me to reveal that one of the previously named youngsters is taken following the Invigilation and the story that follows is regarding what happens to the teen that leaves Cinderfell and what happens the one that remains.
Excluding one chapter later on in the novel, all the chapters are from the point of view perspective of either Steiner or Kjellrunn. They have spent their entire lives in their sleepy old town and both aid their father in the running of the family blacksmith. Steiner is feisty but good-natured and Kjellrunn is a bit kooky, believing in the old stories, the old Gods and has an undeniable kinship with nature. They both develop a decent amount throughout Witchsign yet it definitely reads like the first step in a pretty epic adventure. Steiner is frustrating to follow occasionally when he gets angry and hits people with his special hammer. I'm hoping what we see here is just the angsty time in his overall development as it would be annoying for me to follow a character like this for three books.
Kjellrunn is the more interesting of the two perspectives yet, until the last 25% of the narrative; what happens in her scenes just isn't as entertaining. Patrick does craft some very good supporting characters though such as Silverdust and Kimi, and it is quite enticing to continue the series as I am aware these players become point of view perspectives in the later books. One character that I didn't really have time for was Steiner's rich "rival" Aurelian. Their paths cross throughout the book, and like a Streets of Rage villain, Aurelian gets stronger every time he is seen. I only finished Witchsign yesterday and I can't even remember what happened to Aurelian in their final fight as I found them uninteresting.
The Ashen Torment trilogy is a Scandinavian-inspired fantasy drama that can be read by adults and savvy YA readers too. The map included in the book is absolutely beautiful and detailed but in this entry, we only really are witnesses to two places. These are skillfully depicted as the author presents a clear and picturesque view of what was happening and where. There are certainly political happenings, myths and lore, and the presence of deities in Ashen Torment but these don't really take the forefront here, though I am interested in diving deeper into the world in the later books. The magic system seems pretty intriguing too, however; we aren't really told how it works to any great degree. In the following books, I would like light to be shed on the magic a bit more.
I'm not quite sure how I feel about Witchsign if I'm honest. If I didn't already have all of the Ashen Torment novels then I may have DNF'd it about 40%. It was quite good, the worldbuilding, the magic, the side characters, and the fact I wanted to and know there is more to learn about this world. That being said, it was just stuttering and plodding along. The chapters take about 8-15 minutes to read, so these lengths helped me carry on, and I will admit that the last 25% or so is very good and tight with some great setpieces and is wrapped up in fine fashion. This could be read as a standalone but I am carrying on because Patrick promises such potential with this series that I am truly hoping it is realised. With that being the case, if I get halfway through Stormtide and it is just more of the same then I may not make it to Nightfall. Witchsign was definitely a hit and miss read for me.
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July 6, 20246.14 on CAWPILE
February 1, 2020
Really interesting read. I found the magic EXTREMELY confusing but the idea of the story was so interesting I gave it a good go. I think I will read the sequel this year because my track record is always preferring sequels.
If Harry Potter went to Hogwarts but turned out he had no magic.. that was the best review I saw for this book.
If Harry Potter went to Hogwarts but turned out he had no magic.. that was the best review I saw for this book.
June 11, 2019
Excuse me but why have only 246 people on Goodreads read this? Are you okay folks? Well I hope okay enough to order this gem. That's really something quite unique and dark. I understand if some of you are afraid because of the caption but well what a classic example it is where the caption literally doesn't give anything away.
Great characters and a very splendid writing are awaiting you!
You like settings in the north? Yeah that's for you.
And it's dark. I know I have said it but it really has given me a whole other vibe while reading.
Still wondering why not many people have read it... (Only 12 bucks on Amazon Germany rn - got it used for only 7)
Great characters and a very splendid writing are awaiting you!
You like settings in the north? Yeah that's for you.
And it's dark. I know I have said it but it really has given me a whole other vibe while reading.
Still wondering why not many people have read it... (Only 12 bucks on Amazon Germany rn - got it used for only 7)
May 22, 2019
Full review originally featured on The Fantasy Hive: http://fantasy-hive.co.uk/
The Good: Fantastic concepts, especially in terms of world building and history. Strong themes from start to finish, with shock reveals along the way.
The Bad: While Witchsign got off to a cracking start, I felt that the pace slowed in the middle, though it quickened to breakneck speed in the last 10%. Additionally, I felt some of the one-liners were unneeded, but I won’t hold that against the story, which I really enjoyed.
The Ugly Truth: Witchsign is not your typical ‘chosen one’ tale. And that’s a good thing. It’s a story of oppression, survival, and the ability of individuals to adapt and overcome whatever the odds. Think ‘wrong person, right place, right time’. With this in mind, it’s little surprise that it has all the hallmarks of grimdark greatness, albeit with shades of YA storytelling and epic fantasy elements. Whilst I found there was a lot to love about this book, for me it let itself down toward the middle. Overall, with the plot and its developments, it had me hooked; and I for one am looking forward to where Den Patrick takes the story next.
Witchsign is the first book in the Ashen Torment, the second series from author Den Patrick.
The story is told from the perspectives of siblings Steiner and Kjellrun, who live with their father in Cinderfell, a village on the north-west reach of the Solmindre Empire, but not so far as to be free of its oppressing grip. Vigilants of the Empire – inquisitor-like agents – visit villages just like Cinderfell, testing the young for Witchsign: a taint of sorcery, all that remains of the dragons now driven to extinction by the Empire. Anyone found to have Witchsign is taken to the island of Vladibodgan for cleansing by the Vigilants, and although no-one in Cinderfell has been found to have Witchsign for decades, Steiner fears that Kjell’s fey demeanour and rebellious streak is a sign of things to come…
With all that in mind, this book is NOT what I expected. Which is a good thing!
The plot is relatively straightforward – despite what I just said about the book not being what I expected (more on that in a minute). Whilst I had a general gut feeling of where I thought it was going to end up (and the story has a breadcrumb trail of clues that helped this) there were plenty of small surprises along the way, with more kept back for later in the series. I would say that it read a little bit formulaic at times, and some characters seemed to be present as checklist entities in a fantasy story without really spreading their wings (Kristofine, Maxim, Aurelian stood out as examples of this for me).
On the note about ‘later in the series’, while Witchsign is only book one, the ending ties enough of the main threads together that it could be read by itself, and in a way treated as a standalone. This should appeal to those readers who want their stories in ‘one go’ (and not have to wait years for them to be completed), but also to those who want epic arcs spanning multiple volumes, featuring their favourite characters.
And it’s on the note of characters that Witchsign proved to be not what I expected. There are more blacksmith characters in fantasy than you can shake a stick at, but Steiner isn’t your usual black and white brutish blacksmith, nor is he a prophesied ‘chosen one’ beneath all the soot and ash. In essence, Steiner’s story is that of a ‘not chosen one’ thrown into a tale normally associated with, you guessed it, ‘the chosen one’. Through the support of those around him, and a few choice gifts, Steiner is able to overcome the odds, save the day, but still have room to grow and go.
However, in part because of the focus on Steiner in the book, I wanted more from Kjellrun’s story. Without spoiling things, whilst Steiner is embarking on an ‘adventure’ that constitutes a ‘hero’s journey,’ Kjellrun’s story doesn’t have the same level of struggle or odds, or that big ‘this is her moment’ scene. This is partly because her own ‘adventure’ is an inward one, in addition to discovering things about her family’s past, but I felt that with the wealth of original worldbuilding she deserved to have more ‘magic’ in her story (which is rather ironic, seeing as she’s the one at the start who has all the mentions about Witchsign). What I am trying to say is that I wanted more not from Kjell (who is a fantastic character) but for her. Whilst this is predominantly Steiner’s story (or at least it comes off that way), I wanted to know more about Kjell and her ‘hero’s journey’ as she discovers her power, and the price it will cost her. There are multiple occasions throughout the story in which this ‘cost’ is spoken of, but in Kjell’s development I didn’t feel that it was explored very much.
Between the two main characters, they present a really interesting take on the typical ‘chosen one’ story, and instead Witchsign for me read more like a ‘right place, right time’ of consequences and challenges – or better yet ‘wrong place, wrong time’ but through their own strengths they still set out to right the wrongs of the world.
The worldbuilding, despite having some very clear real-world influences, especially in terms of naming, has something wonderfully special and different about it. To summarise: think Slavic-influenced worldbuilding with hints of a Christian-inspired religious empire versus the pagan old ways of its denizens. I absolutely loved the idea of magic born from the taint of dragons, and the many secrets surrounding it. And although I went into this with the idea of a dark fairytale in my head, Witchsign is more dark folklore with myth and magic brought to life. Instead of typical fairytale creatures Witchsign has spriggani and cinderwraiths, and without spoiling anything, I thought they were a brilliant touch – especially the cinderwraiths, which are wonderfully inventive.
Despite the ‘dark’ tones here and there, I would argue this isn’t grimdark. Nor would I classify it as YA fantasy (which Den Patrick is known for from his Erebus Sequence), though the ingredients are there. For me this does count as straight-up fantasy, without being a generic ‘elves and dwarves and witches and wizards’ fantasy (though there’s nothing wrong with those generics either). There’s something for everyone here, whilst being something different – something special – all at the same time.
I struggled to think of comparisons as I was reading this, because there’s no one thing that stands out as a clear ‘x meets y’, which again, is a good thing (I’m labouring this line, I know, but…that’s because it is a good thing!). Having finished the book, I would say that it is ‘The Witcher’ crossed with John Gwynne’s Faithful and the Fallen and Jen William’s Winnowing Flame series, wrapped up in Grimdark wrapping paper with a YA gift-tag. Like I said, something for everyone, but something different – something special – all at the same time.
I really enjoyed Witchsign, and although it slowed a little in the middle with some clear ‘this is what is going to happen next’ moments, the ending proved that there’re still plenty of miles left in the tank. Add to that Den Patrick can write a satisfactory ending whilst leaving more surprises waiting in the wings, I for one will be staying for the second act that is Stormtide, book two in the Ashen Torment.
Thank you to Den Patrick who provided a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The Good: Fantastic concepts, especially in terms of world building and history. Strong themes from start to finish, with shock reveals along the way.
The Bad: While Witchsign got off to a cracking start, I felt that the pace slowed in the middle, though it quickened to breakneck speed in the last 10%. Additionally, I felt some of the one-liners were unneeded, but I won’t hold that against the story, which I really enjoyed.
The Ugly Truth: Witchsign is not your typical ‘chosen one’ tale. And that’s a good thing. It’s a story of oppression, survival, and the ability of individuals to adapt and overcome whatever the odds. Think ‘wrong person, right place, right time’. With this in mind, it’s little surprise that it has all the hallmarks of grimdark greatness, albeit with shades of YA storytelling and epic fantasy elements. Whilst I found there was a lot to love about this book, for me it let itself down toward the middle. Overall, with the plot and its developments, it had me hooked; and I for one am looking forward to where Den Patrick takes the story next.
Witchsign is the first book in the Ashen Torment, the second series from author Den Patrick.
The story is told from the perspectives of siblings Steiner and Kjellrun, who live with their father in Cinderfell, a village on the north-west reach of the Solmindre Empire, but not so far as to be free of its oppressing grip. Vigilants of the Empire – inquisitor-like agents – visit villages just like Cinderfell, testing the young for Witchsign: a taint of sorcery, all that remains of the dragons now driven to extinction by the Empire. Anyone found to have Witchsign is taken to the island of Vladibodgan for cleansing by the Vigilants, and although no-one in Cinderfell has been found to have Witchsign for decades, Steiner fears that Kjell’s fey demeanour and rebellious streak is a sign of things to come…
With all that in mind, this book is NOT what I expected. Which is a good thing!
The plot is relatively straightforward – despite what I just said about the book not being what I expected (more on that in a minute). Whilst I had a general gut feeling of where I thought it was going to end up (and the story has a breadcrumb trail of clues that helped this) there were plenty of small surprises along the way, with more kept back for later in the series. I would say that it read a little bit formulaic at times, and some characters seemed to be present as checklist entities in a fantasy story without really spreading their wings (Kristofine, Maxim, Aurelian stood out as examples of this for me).
On the note about ‘later in the series’, while Witchsign is only book one, the ending ties enough of the main threads together that it could be read by itself, and in a way treated as a standalone. This should appeal to those readers who want their stories in ‘one go’ (and not have to wait years for them to be completed), but also to those who want epic arcs spanning multiple volumes, featuring their favourite characters.
And it’s on the note of characters that Witchsign proved to be not what I expected. There are more blacksmith characters in fantasy than you can shake a stick at, but Steiner isn’t your usual black and white brutish blacksmith, nor is he a prophesied ‘chosen one’ beneath all the soot and ash. In essence, Steiner’s story is that of a ‘not chosen one’ thrown into a tale normally associated with, you guessed it, ‘the chosen one’. Through the support of those around him, and a few choice gifts, Steiner is able to overcome the odds, save the day, but still have room to grow and go.
However, in part because of the focus on Steiner in the book, I wanted more from Kjellrun’s story. Without spoiling things, whilst Steiner is embarking on an ‘adventure’ that constitutes a ‘hero’s journey,’ Kjellrun’s story doesn’t have the same level of struggle or odds, or that big ‘this is her moment’ scene. This is partly because her own ‘adventure’ is an inward one, in addition to discovering things about her family’s past, but I felt that with the wealth of original worldbuilding she deserved to have more ‘magic’ in her story (which is rather ironic, seeing as she’s the one at the start who has all the mentions about Witchsign). What I am trying to say is that I wanted more not from Kjell (who is a fantastic character) but for her. Whilst this is predominantly Steiner’s story (or at least it comes off that way), I wanted to know more about Kjell and her ‘hero’s journey’ as she discovers her power, and the price it will cost her. There are multiple occasions throughout the story in which this ‘cost’ is spoken of, but in Kjell’s development I didn’t feel that it was explored very much.
Between the two main characters, they present a really interesting take on the typical ‘chosen one’ story, and instead Witchsign for me read more like a ‘right place, right time’ of consequences and challenges – or better yet ‘wrong place, wrong time’ but through their own strengths they still set out to right the wrongs of the world.
The worldbuilding, despite having some very clear real-world influences, especially in terms of naming, has something wonderfully special and different about it. To summarise: think Slavic-influenced worldbuilding with hints of a Christian-inspired religious empire versus the pagan old ways of its denizens. I absolutely loved the idea of magic born from the taint of dragons, and the many secrets surrounding it. And although I went into this with the idea of a dark fairytale in my head, Witchsign is more dark folklore with myth and magic brought to life. Instead of typical fairytale creatures Witchsign has spriggani and cinderwraiths, and without spoiling anything, I thought they were a brilliant touch – especially the cinderwraiths, which are wonderfully inventive.
Despite the ‘dark’ tones here and there, I would argue this isn’t grimdark. Nor would I classify it as YA fantasy (which Den Patrick is known for from his Erebus Sequence), though the ingredients are there. For me this does count as straight-up fantasy, without being a generic ‘elves and dwarves and witches and wizards’ fantasy (though there’s nothing wrong with those generics either). There’s something for everyone here, whilst being something different – something special – all at the same time.
I struggled to think of comparisons as I was reading this, because there’s no one thing that stands out as a clear ‘x meets y’, which again, is a good thing (I’m labouring this line, I know, but…that’s because it is a good thing!). Having finished the book, I would say that it is ‘The Witcher’ crossed with John Gwynne’s Faithful and the Fallen and Jen William’s Winnowing Flame series, wrapped up in Grimdark wrapping paper with a YA gift-tag. Like I said, something for everyone, but something different – something special – all at the same time.
I really enjoyed Witchsign, and although it slowed a little in the middle with some clear ‘this is what is going to happen next’ moments, the ending proved that there’re still plenty of miles left in the tank. Add to that Den Patrick can write a satisfactory ending whilst leaving more surprises waiting in the wings, I for one will be staying for the second act that is Stormtide, book two in the Ashen Torment.
Thank you to Den Patrick who provided a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
December 19, 2024
I think this story would have been far more successful had the author written in third person limited or even first person. Unfortunately, this is written in third person omniscient, and none of the characters are particularly lovable. I simply couldn't get emotionally involved in the storyline. If I had felt more connected to at least one of the characters, the story would have worked better.
The setting is a world in which magic has been outlawed and potentially magical children born with "witchsign" are slain by law. So of course, one survives to young adulthood and is discovered. It's a fairly recognizable fantasy setup. That would not be a problem if the characters were so intensely interesting and lovable that readers wanted to engage with the story anyway.
The author doesn't help matters by using semi-archaic language from time to time and rather stiff prose structure. There's just not much personality to this text overall, and I think that's what turned me off.
The setting is a world in which magic has been outlawed and potentially magical children born with "witchsign" are slain by law. So of course, one survives to young adulthood and is discovered. It's a fairly recognizable fantasy setup. That would not be a problem if the characters were so intensely interesting and lovable that readers wanted to engage with the story anyway.
The author doesn't help matters by using semi-archaic language from time to time and rather stiff prose structure. There's just not much personality to this text overall, and I think that's what turned me off.
December 16, 2020
Nakonec tři, a to to mělo tak hezky našlápnutý dosáhnout si na tu čtverku. Jo a anglická audiokniha, kterou má na triku Thomas Judd je neskutečná. Ještě jsem nic takovýho neslyšela. Bylo to úžasný, procítěný a ještě ke všemu se tam zpívalo.
Úžasnej svět, kterej se s každou jednou kapitolou rozvíjel a posunoval se výš a výš. Rusko-severskej folklór, mytologie mísená s fantasy prvky, draci, originální prvky a neskutečná uvěřitelnost. O tento svět je prostě pečovaný a jde to cítit z každé stránky.
Asi tak do půlky příběhu bylo všechno zalitý sluncem. Ale pak čtenář zjistil, že postavy, ač se jednalo o docela obstojný sourozenecký duo, se nikam neposouvají. Ustrnuly na místě, věci kolem nich se měnily a ony musely zabrat, a najednou to přestalo fungovat a stačit. V návaznosti na to se začaly hemžit nelogičnosti a z příběhu bylo cítit, jako by byl autor neskutečně unavenej, vyčerpanej a chtěl to nějak ukončit. S koncem to všechno tak nějak sláblo, skomíralo. Velká škoda.
Slušná YA fantasy, která má úžasný úvodníky kapitol, dokáže překvapit, je dobře napsaná a je z ní cítit ta oddanost autora. Škoda jen, že na všechno nestačil dech.
Úžasnej svět, kterej se s každou jednou kapitolou rozvíjel a posunoval se výš a výš. Rusko-severskej folklór, mytologie mísená s fantasy prvky, draci, originální prvky a neskutečná uvěřitelnost. O tento svět je prostě pečovaný a jde to cítit z každé stránky.
Asi tak do půlky příběhu bylo všechno zalitý sluncem. Ale pak čtenář zjistil, že postavy, ač se jednalo o docela obstojný sourozenecký duo, se nikam neposouvají. Ustrnuly na místě, věci kolem nich se měnily a ony musely zabrat, a najednou to přestalo fungovat a stačit. V návaznosti na to se začaly hemžit nelogičnosti a z příběhu bylo cítit, jako by byl autor neskutečně unavenej, vyčerpanej a chtěl to nějak ukončit. S koncem to všechno tak nějak sláblo, skomíralo. Velká škoda.
Slušná YA fantasy, která má úžasný úvodníky kapitol, dokáže překvapit, je dobře napsaná a je z ní cítit ta oddanost autora. Škoda jen, že na všechno nestačil dech.
January 6, 2019
Very slow paced and too much talking and less doing. Not quite my cup of tea to be fair, but it was ok.
February 27, 2018
3.5 stars.
A strong and interesting new YA fantasy with enough mysteries to keep me turning the pages. Magic, dragons, heroes and witches, there's a lot to like in Witchsign and some real villains to rail against.
Good stuff!
A strong and interesting new YA fantasy with enough mysteries to keep me turning the pages. Magic, dragons, heroes and witches, there's a lot to like in Witchsign and some real villains to rail against.
Good stuff!
August 27, 2019
Unputdownable! I've never really been a reader of fantasy, perhaps due to the fact that a lot of the stuff I read never lived up to expectations, but after reading Witchsign, I have to say, I'm sold! What an absolutely brilliant book. I literally couldn't read fast enough. Each character is so well drawn and Den Patrick describes the world he's created perfectly. He gives enough for the reader to create a picture in their mind, but not too much as to spoil the compelling pace of the story. Witchsign is an ambitious start to a brilliant series that might just change the rules of the game when it comes to fantasy. This is better than Game of Thrones, better than anything I've ever read! Witchsign is my new favourite book and Den Patrick is my new favourite author. Highly recommended!!!
November 26, 2017
Den Patrick is back with style. After the success of the Erebus Sequence, he weighs in with Witchsign, the first book in the Ashen Torment. It's full of intrigue and mystery, magic and action, and here be dragons! Great world, great story, great characters, Witchsign is a fantasy adventure that you need to add to your reading list.
July 29, 2018
The Erebus Sequence is an excellent trilogy, each book better than the last. The faux Renaissance setting, exciting plot and the memorable characters made The Boy with the Porcelain Blade, The Boy Who Wept Blood and The Girl on the Liar’s Throne all first rate reads. When I was offered the opportunity to read the first book in Den Patrick’s new series, The Ashen Torment, I jumped at the chance.
In Vinkerveld, the arcane is viewed with distrust. The Emperor and his Synod ensure every child is checked for any suggestion of magical skill. In a backwater village, Steiner and his sister Kjellrunn live a simple life. This all changes the day the Vigilants come to visit.
From Steiner’s perspective, Witchsign could best be described as the journey to discover his inner hero. At first glance he appears unremarkable. Steiner doesn’t see much of a life beyond the village he grew up in (when it comes to fantasy there is something wonderfully reliable about having a protagonist who works as a smith isn’t there). Circumstance steps in and sets Steiner on a different path however. He can’t accept that his sister is going to be taken away, and sacrifices himself in her stead. From that moment on, his life is forever changed. Steiner is forced into slavery and servitude. He has to try and overcome a series of difficult obstacles if he has any chance of reconnecting with his family. Each of these challenges change him at a fundamental level. The further he travels, the more glimpses we see of the man he is going to become. By book’s end, Steiner is far removed from the young man we met in the initial chapters.
There is also a nice evolution to Kjellrunn’s character. She is ruled by her emotions and quick to action. Kjellrunn doesn’t bottle anything up. When she is happy you know she is happy, when she is angry you know she is angry. Trying to control the powers she has discovered makes her unpredictable at times. The changes we see in her are far more overt. Steiner’s removal from the family effects Kjellrunn deeply. She knows she is different and that she is the one who should have been taken. Her brother has given his life to protect Kjellrunn, so she becomes determined to save her sibling at any cost.
The chapters alternate the point of view between Steiner and Kjellrun. Steiner meets other people from across Vinkerveld. He gets the opportunity to expand his horizons and learn about other cultures and how they are as also in thrall to the Empire. Back home, Kjellrunn tries to cope with her powers as well as becoming a pariah. Exhibiting any witchsign means she is shunned by the rest of the village.
As the narrative unfolds, we also learn some details about how the Vigilants go about their business. Their fervent work for the Empire means they are feared wherever they go. They see themselves as the protectors of the people but they are little more than puppets. There are also a few tantalising titbits regarding the Emperor. Though he does not appear in the novel, his presence is felt throughout. I can only hope we’ll learn more in future books.
I really enjoyed Witchsign. Den Patrick knows exactly how to craft fantasy that captivates on every page. The Ashen Torment series is off to a flying start. I look forward to discovering what lies in store for Steiner and Kjellrunn.
In Vinkerveld, the arcane is viewed with distrust. The Emperor and his Synod ensure every child is checked for any suggestion of magical skill. In a backwater village, Steiner and his sister Kjellrunn live a simple life. This all changes the day the Vigilants come to visit.
From Steiner’s perspective, Witchsign could best be described as the journey to discover his inner hero. At first glance he appears unremarkable. Steiner doesn’t see much of a life beyond the village he grew up in (when it comes to fantasy there is something wonderfully reliable about having a protagonist who works as a smith isn’t there). Circumstance steps in and sets Steiner on a different path however. He can’t accept that his sister is going to be taken away, and sacrifices himself in her stead. From that moment on, his life is forever changed. Steiner is forced into slavery and servitude. He has to try and overcome a series of difficult obstacles if he has any chance of reconnecting with his family. Each of these challenges change him at a fundamental level. The further he travels, the more glimpses we see of the man he is going to become. By book’s end, Steiner is far removed from the young man we met in the initial chapters.
There is also a nice evolution to Kjellrunn’s character. She is ruled by her emotions and quick to action. Kjellrunn doesn’t bottle anything up. When she is happy you know she is happy, when she is angry you know she is angry. Trying to control the powers she has discovered makes her unpredictable at times. The changes we see in her are far more overt. Steiner’s removal from the family effects Kjellrunn deeply. She knows she is different and that she is the one who should have been taken. Her brother has given his life to protect Kjellrunn, so she becomes determined to save her sibling at any cost.
The chapters alternate the point of view between Steiner and Kjellrun. Steiner meets other people from across Vinkerveld. He gets the opportunity to expand his horizons and learn about other cultures and how they are as also in thrall to the Empire. Back home, Kjellrunn tries to cope with her powers as well as becoming a pariah. Exhibiting any witchsign means she is shunned by the rest of the village.
As the narrative unfolds, we also learn some details about how the Vigilants go about their business. Their fervent work for the Empire means they are feared wherever they go. They see themselves as the protectors of the people but they are little more than puppets. There are also a few tantalising titbits regarding the Emperor. Though he does not appear in the novel, his presence is felt throughout. I can only hope we’ll learn more in future books.
I really enjoyed Witchsign. Den Patrick knows exactly how to craft fantasy that captivates on every page. The Ashen Torment series is off to a flying start. I look forward to discovering what lies in store for Steiner and Kjellrunn.
Want to read
February 8, 2018Ashen Torment. Doesn't that sound just sublime? I'll definitely be looking out for this on the shelves sometime soon.
June 17, 2018
Sick of every fantasy protagonist being the Chosen One? Witchsign is the book for you. Den Patrick's Steiner Vartiainen is a scrappy blacksmith's son looked down on for his illiteracy. The best part of it is that after I feared that the other shoe would drop the whole novel, he never receives the magical destined legacy that eventually relieved everyone from Luke Skywalker to Jon Snow of their humble origins. No, Steiner is a nobody (at least for now), and that doesn't make him any less of a hero.
Lack of Chosen One syndrome aside, Patrick's Witchsign is a fascinating, gritty high fantasy that doesn't pull its punches. It's refreshingly different from the majority of fantasies marketed as Young Adult these days; this book has more in common with standard adult fantasy than YA. Essentially, the focus is more heavily based on plot and world-building as opposed to character dynamics and personal growth.
The tradeoff pays off. Witchsign is absolutely fantastic on the plot end. Packed with twisty revelations, the story is wholly unpredictable. Plot points that seem all but fated to happen are merely smokescreens for actual, bigger twists. Characters' actions make sense in light of their motivations. And although Steiner is protected by Kevlar-grade plot armour, you could almost forget it from the way Patrick packs his scenes with suspense.
Along with having nearly no romance, one of its more notable departures from well-worn YA tropes is that Witchsign is a complete story in and of itself. There are no cliffhangers, and the next book could well focus on a different set of protagonists and remain narratively sound. In fact, considering that that's what Den Patrick did with his Erebus Sequence, I wouldn't be surprised if Book Two of the Ashen Torment trilogy features entirely fresh faces.
Plot goes hand in hand with world building, and Patrick's Scandinavia-inspired continent of Vinkterveld (in which the Solmindre Empire, aka Russia, are the baddies) is as imaginative as his story arcs. As the first book in a trilogy, Witchsign holds back a lot of details, but throws in intriguing allusion to future revelations so it feels like the author has it all planned out for the sequels.
Patrick's writing again differs from many YA novels in its unpretentiousness. The style of speech he has chosen for his setting strikes an accessible compromise between Vinkterveld's medieval-lite setting and casual modern language, such that characters can on one page respond with an "aye" and on another refer to themselves as "fans" of something without either word feeling out of place.
Witchsign's many admirable qualities said, the hardcover copy contains many typos, namely missing punctuation marks, missing words and subject-verb disagreements, especially in later chapters. There's also a fair deal of awkward syntax, which like the typos may be tied to a lack of proofreading. Although they don't detract from the story much, the number of oversights is conspicuous for a traditionally published novel.
Steiner, Kjellrunn, Marek, Felgenhauer and Mistress Kamalov form a compelling core cast of characters. Even though, with the exception of one chapter near the end, Steiner and Kjellrunn are the only POV characters, the other main characters are hiding many secrets of their own that lead to interesting interactions with the siblings. If there's a character-related aspect that could be expanded on, it's with the sprawling list of supporting characters, some of which naturally fall by the wayside in favour of focusing on the protagonists. Kristofine is one such character. Her background and motivations lend themselves to much potential, and it's a shame that lack of screen time results in her exclusion to the periphery of the story.
As a whole, however, Witchsign is an entertaining read with few significant flaws. Those components which fall a little flat can easily be polished in the sequels, which I have no doubt I will pick up to continue this thrilling series.
My Blog
Lack of Chosen One syndrome aside, Patrick's Witchsign is a fascinating, gritty high fantasy that doesn't pull its punches. It's refreshingly different from the majority of fantasies marketed as Young Adult these days; this book has more in common with standard adult fantasy than YA. Essentially, the focus is more heavily based on plot and world-building as opposed to character dynamics and personal growth.
The tradeoff pays off. Witchsign is absolutely fantastic on the plot end. Packed with twisty revelations, the story is wholly unpredictable. Plot points that seem all but fated to happen are merely smokescreens for actual, bigger twists. Characters' actions make sense in light of their motivations. And although Steiner is protected by Kevlar-grade plot armour, you could almost forget it from the way Patrick packs his scenes with suspense.
Along with having nearly no romance, one of its more notable departures from well-worn YA tropes is that Witchsign is a complete story in and of itself. There are no cliffhangers, and the next book could well focus on a different set of protagonists and remain narratively sound. In fact, considering that that's what Den Patrick did with his Erebus Sequence, I wouldn't be surprised if Book Two of the Ashen Torment trilogy features entirely fresh faces.
Plot goes hand in hand with world building, and Patrick's Scandinavia-inspired continent of Vinkterveld (in which the Solmindre Empire, aka Russia, are the baddies) is as imaginative as his story arcs. As the first book in a trilogy, Witchsign holds back a lot of details, but throws in intriguing allusion to future revelations so it feels like the author has it all planned out for the sequels.
Patrick's writing again differs from many YA novels in its unpretentiousness. The style of speech he has chosen for his setting strikes an accessible compromise between Vinkterveld's medieval-lite setting and casual modern language, such that characters can on one page respond with an "aye" and on another refer to themselves as "fans" of something without either word feeling out of place.
Witchsign's many admirable qualities said, the hardcover copy contains many typos, namely missing punctuation marks, missing words and subject-verb disagreements, especially in later chapters. There's also a fair deal of awkward syntax, which like the typos may be tied to a lack of proofreading. Although they don't detract from the story much, the number of oversights is conspicuous for a traditionally published novel.
Steiner, Kjellrunn, Marek, Felgenhauer and Mistress Kamalov form a compelling core cast of characters. Even though, with the exception of one chapter near the end, Steiner and Kjellrunn are the only POV characters, the other main characters are hiding many secrets of their own that lead to interesting interactions with the siblings. If there's a character-related aspect that could be expanded on, it's with the sprawling list of supporting characters, some of which naturally fall by the wayside in favour of focusing on the protagonists. Kristofine is one such character. Her background and motivations lend themselves to much potential, and it's a shame that lack of screen time results in her exclusion to the periphery of the story.
As a whole, however, Witchsign is an entertaining read with few significant flaws. Those components which fall a little flat can easily be polished in the sequels, which I have no doubt I will pick up to continue this thrilling series.
My Blog
June 15, 2018
More like 3.5 stars. I’ll have to go back to not reading blurbs as I enjoy books more when I don't have set plot expectations for them.
Witchsign had a cool concept and I felt was fun but it failed to pull me in as I expected to read something a little different. The only really negative thing I have to say about it is that by about halfway through the characters started feeling a little safe and flat and that made my interest slip. That said, I probably would have loved this in my earlier fantasy reading days.
For the audio fans: No real complaints here narration was good. Some of the more intense moments felt more like I was being read to rather than experiencing the action but otherwise generally entertaining.
Cover: I actually really like this cover, in fact it's what drew me to the book in the first place. The hand lettering is nicely done and the rough draft like design is nice but I think would have been nicer with some polish and less of a colouring in effect.
In short: Fun, easy read but a little lacking in character depth.
Witchsign had a cool concept and I felt was fun but it failed to pull me in as I expected to read something a little different. The only really negative thing I have to say about it is that by about halfway through the characters started feeling a little safe and flat and that made my interest slip. That said, I probably would have loved this in my earlier fantasy reading days.
For the audio fans: No real complaints here narration was good. Some of the more intense moments felt more like I was being read to rather than experiencing the action but otherwise generally entertaining.
Cover: I actually really like this cover, in fact it's what drew me to the book in the first place. The hand lettering is nicely done and the rough draft like design is nice but I think would have been nicer with some polish and less of a colouring in effect.
In short: Fun, easy read but a little lacking in character depth.
May 18, 2019
Boy this was a slog. One dimensional cardboard cut-out characters with no arc to them. Uninspired events in a bland setting. Dull and poorly defined hand-wavy magic. Deus ex machina left, right and center. Reasonable pacing, but tired and bland writing style.
January 21, 2020
This book was a bit mixed for me. I enjoyed a few aspects the world building, and really appreciate how much thought and work went into creating this world, but I didn't really connect with the story very fast. The characters were okay, but I couldn't really invest in them that much, I had trouble getting into their heads and seeing things from their perspective. I had a lot of trouble keeping the minor characters apart, and I fear that by the time I would get around to reading a sequel I'll have forgotten most of this book.
It was also a little confusing at times, especially when it came to power dynamics. I sometimes didn't really get why they were allowed to get away with something they really shouldn't have been, especially as an oppressed group within the story.
The ending was pretty good and very promising, but I don't know if I'm invested enough to see what happens next. I put the sequel on my maybe list for now, and will see if I end up picking it up sometime.
It was also a little confusing at times, especially when it came to power dynamics. I sometimes didn't really get why they were allowed to get away with something they really shouldn't have been, especially as an oppressed group within the story.
The ending was pretty good and very promising, but I don't know if I'm invested enough to see what happens next. I put the sequel on my maybe list for now, and will see if I end up picking it up sometime.
September 19, 2020
Ponořte se do fantasy Young Adult příběhu, který je zasazen do skandinávského prostředí. Do světa, v němž existují draci a magie.
Napříč celou knihou se střídají dva pohledy vyprávění - Steinera a Kjellrunn, dvou sourozenců, kterým osud nerozdal zrovna ty nejlepší karty, naštěstí jsou oba bojovníci tělem i duší, a tak si dokážou poradit se vším, co je před ně postaveno. Musím přiznat, že postava Kjellrunn byla pro mě o něco více zajímavější. Oba sourozenci si v průběhu knihy prošli transformací, z které vyšli silnější a připraveni na to, co je ještě čeká. Ostatní postavy v knize se mi tolik pod kůži nedostaly, neměly na to také příliš prostoru.
Více v recenzi zde: https://recenzarium.webnode.cz/l/caro...
Napříč celou knihou se střídají dva pohledy vyprávění - Steinera a Kjellrunn, dvou sourozenců, kterým osud nerozdal zrovna ty nejlepší karty, naštěstí jsou oba bojovníci tělem i duší, a tak si dokážou poradit se vším, co je před ně postaveno. Musím přiznat, že postava Kjellrunn byla pro mě o něco více zajímavější. Oba sourozenci si v průběhu knihy prošli transformací, z které vyšli silnější a připraveni na to, co je ještě čeká. Ostatní postavy v knize se mi tolik pod kůži nedostaly, neměly na to také příliš prostoru.
Více v recenzi zde: https://recenzarium.webnode.cz/l/caro...
October 16, 2024
В целом интересно, но довольно примитивно автор делает представление мира через диалоги. Наверное, если бы я прочитала это в 13 лет, это был бы новый Гарри Поттер для меня. Вторую часть читать не буду
September 14, 2020
Witchsign by Den Patrick is a slow burn of a novel, but promises a solid foundation for the Ashen Torment series. Den, whose previous stories included the dark fantasy series Erebus Sequence, writes Witchsign as a novel that can be appreciated by adult and YA readers alike.
Their town of Cinderfall is colored in gray shades, whether it be from ash or dirty snow, brother Steiner and sister Kjellrunn have only known the gray their whole lives. Steiner is a fledgling blacksmith apprentice; his goals in life are to take care of his family, especially his eccentric sister Kjellrunn, find a wife to love, and live in as much comfort as he can fight for. Kjellrunn has always known she was a little bit different. Instead of chasing boys and persuing relationships as some of the other girls in her village, Kjellrunn seeks out the calmness and solemnity of the forest. It brings her quietude, beauty, and color.
A ship arrives, as it does every year, full of the Empire's Invigilators. Invigilators are servants of the Empire and, specifically, the Emporer that seek out and sense those with witchsign. A set of power of the elements. Some have the ability for fire, some earth, some wind, and some water. If an Invigilator detects the witchsign than that child needs to report to the ship the following morning and be taken away permanently. No one knows what happens to the child. They are just gone. The Inviligators are rightly feared by parents and children alike. The time of the Invilligators has come, and it is Kjellrunn's turn to be tested...
The story is told almost entirely from the perspectives of the two kids, Kjellrunn and Steiner. Kjellrunn is left in the village and shunned by the whole community save for her dad and uncle. Steiner is mistakenly shipped away to an academy/prison that sits on a rocky island surrounded by rough seas called Vladibodgan. The island's location is a great secret and only know to those of high ranks in the Empire, and ships that bring supplies to the island. The kids' lives have taken drastic turns from each other. Steiner must survive his ordeal. He doesn't have Witchsign, and that is of great embarrassment to the invilligators in charge. Kjellrunn shunning leaves her unable to get food for her family; her family's smith is also being shunned and told to move to another town. Kjellrunn only wants to survive and help et her brother back at all costs. At the same time, Steiner wants to get off of the island and protect his sister.
I think this parallel of intention between Steiner and Kjellrunn is the heart of the story. Both are desperate to save the other. This desperation fuels the characters desire chapter by chapter. It is an exciting perspective for a reader to watch the scenes unfold and know that they might miss each other if they are successful.
As far as characters go, Steiner and Kjellrunn are pretty standard. At least at this point. Steiner is a sort of angsty teenager but, at his core, has morals and strength. Kjellrunn is also similar, angsty, but where Steiner has a core strength, Kjellrunn has a lot of emotion. I think this part is a means of differentiating her from other characters in the book. She feels a connectedness to the world and nature specifically that is not experienced in other characters. Both characters have moments where they are irritating. Steiner is very much a hothead, and Kjellrunn is a bit flighty. I think that as the story progresses, we will see these two characters mature. Their natures both will be tempered by experience, and they will grow as people.
There are also some great side characters in this book. The book mainly focuses on the siblings; however, we get insight into the side characters and interact with them. I get the impression that their presence in the main character's life will play a crucial role in future books.
I generally enjoyed Witchsign. Some moments slowed the pace down, and I was looking forward to switching perspectives. I think inevitably when reading Witchsign you will be either Team Steiner or Team Kjellrunn. Both have similar goals, save the other person. But I found myself on Steiner's team. I looked forward to the parts that featured him while not being wholly engaged in Kjellrunn's plight. Maybe that will change in future books, and Kjellrunn will be a character that will have more growth and be more enjoyable for me to read. But as it stands, she seems almost as a side character.
The worldbuilding shines in this book. Patrick expertly creates a unique world. Some elements build on popular mythology in fantasy novels, but generally, the world feels very fresh and inventive. I loved the magic system. The last 20% of the book moved at a lightning pace. The action, coupled with the sold world creation, made it fly page to page. I hope that this pace continues in the next novel, Stormtide, and I am looking forward to seeing what new plot twists Patrick will pull.
Their town of Cinderfall is colored in gray shades, whether it be from ash or dirty snow, brother Steiner and sister Kjellrunn have only known the gray their whole lives. Steiner is a fledgling blacksmith apprentice; his goals in life are to take care of his family, especially his eccentric sister Kjellrunn, find a wife to love, and live in as much comfort as he can fight for. Kjellrunn has always known she was a little bit different. Instead of chasing boys and persuing relationships as some of the other girls in her village, Kjellrunn seeks out the calmness and solemnity of the forest. It brings her quietude, beauty, and color.
A ship arrives, as it does every year, full of the Empire's Invigilators. Invigilators are servants of the Empire and, specifically, the Emporer that seek out and sense those with witchsign. A set of power of the elements. Some have the ability for fire, some earth, some wind, and some water. If an Invigilator detects the witchsign than that child needs to report to the ship the following morning and be taken away permanently. No one knows what happens to the child. They are just gone. The Inviligators are rightly feared by parents and children alike. The time of the Invilligators has come, and it is Kjellrunn's turn to be tested...
The story is told almost entirely from the perspectives of the two kids, Kjellrunn and Steiner. Kjellrunn is left in the village and shunned by the whole community save for her dad and uncle. Steiner is mistakenly shipped away to an academy/prison that sits on a rocky island surrounded by rough seas called Vladibodgan. The island's location is a great secret and only know to those of high ranks in the Empire, and ships that bring supplies to the island. The kids' lives have taken drastic turns from each other. Steiner must survive his ordeal. He doesn't have Witchsign, and that is of great embarrassment to the invilligators in charge. Kjellrunn shunning leaves her unable to get food for her family; her family's smith is also being shunned and told to move to another town. Kjellrunn only wants to survive and help et her brother back at all costs. At the same time, Steiner wants to get off of the island and protect his sister.
I think this parallel of intention between Steiner and Kjellrunn is the heart of the story. Both are desperate to save the other. This desperation fuels the characters desire chapter by chapter. It is an exciting perspective for a reader to watch the scenes unfold and know that they might miss each other if they are successful.
As far as characters go, Steiner and Kjellrunn are pretty standard. At least at this point. Steiner is a sort of angsty teenager but, at his core, has morals and strength. Kjellrunn is also similar, angsty, but where Steiner has a core strength, Kjellrunn has a lot of emotion. I think this part is a means of differentiating her from other characters in the book. She feels a connectedness to the world and nature specifically that is not experienced in other characters. Both characters have moments where they are irritating. Steiner is very much a hothead, and Kjellrunn is a bit flighty. I think that as the story progresses, we will see these two characters mature. Their natures both will be tempered by experience, and they will grow as people.
There are also some great side characters in this book. The book mainly focuses on the siblings; however, we get insight into the side characters and interact with them. I get the impression that their presence in the main character's life will play a crucial role in future books.
I generally enjoyed Witchsign. Some moments slowed the pace down, and I was looking forward to switching perspectives. I think inevitably when reading Witchsign you will be either Team Steiner or Team Kjellrunn. Both have similar goals, save the other person. But I found myself on Steiner's team. I looked forward to the parts that featured him while not being wholly engaged in Kjellrunn's plight. Maybe that will change in future books, and Kjellrunn will be a character that will have more growth and be more enjoyable for me to read. But as it stands, she seems almost as a side character.
The worldbuilding shines in this book. Patrick expertly creates a unique world. Some elements build on popular mythology in fantasy novels, but generally, the world feels very fresh and inventive. I loved the magic system. The last 20% of the book moved at a lightning pace. The action, coupled with the sold world creation, made it fly page to page. I hope that this pace continues in the next novel, Stormtide, and I am looking forward to seeing what new plot twists Patrick will pull.
April 7, 2019
There are certain things you should expect from a Den Patrick book: principled, if hot-headed, young men taking up arms against tyranny and oppression, brilliantly written sibling relationships, and a load of brilliant adventurous fun. Witchsign (Harper Voyager) has all of these in spades. The elevator pitch for this book is simple: what if Harry Potter went to evil Hogwarts, but it turned out they'd made a mistake and he was a Muggle?
Steiner and his sister Kjellrunn are teenagers living in a small town called Cinderfell, which is pretty much at the end of the world. Their father is a blacksmith, and their mother left many years before. They aren't well off, and spend a lot of their time scraping to make ends meet. But their lives are disrupted when the mysterious masked Vigilants from the neighbouring and conquering Solmindre Empire arrive. Each year Vigilants come to test young people for Witchsign. Those with it are taken away on board ship and never heard of again. Steiner is found to have Witchsign, and is taken away. But it's a mix up - he was protecting Kjellrunn, who it turns out has blossoming magical powers. Steiner is taken away, but not to his death as he feared - instead he finds that children with Witchsign are taken by the Vigilants to a mysterious island housing a a magical school. Kjellrunn and her father are left behind to cope with the fear and stigma of Witchsign having been discovered in their family.
One of the things I love about Den's writing is that his protagonists aren't your traditional royal heirs with magic powers/weapons/special destinies. Steiner is an ordinary young man who sees that something is wrong and decides to do something about it. He protects the weak and the vulnerable, stands up to bullies, and encourages people to work together to overcome obstacles. Although hot-headed and rash at times, it's because he cares about the wrongs he sees in the world around him, and wants to do something about it. And his relationship with Kjellrunn is beautifully drawn. He is a fiercely protective older brother, who nonetheless will bicker with his sister over trivia.
Above all, Witchsign is a thrilling adventure story full of escapades, heroics, adventure, magic and dragons. It sets the scene perfectly for the second book in the series, as Steiner and his friends set out to overthrow the Solmindre Empire because of the suffering it has caused. But it's written with contemporary sensibilities about corrupt governments, the abuse of power and bigotry.
And Kjellrunn's reaction to being told to smile once too often by a foreign soldier? That had me punching the air in delight.
Steiner and his sister Kjellrunn are teenagers living in a small town called Cinderfell, which is pretty much at the end of the world. Their father is a blacksmith, and their mother left many years before. They aren't well off, and spend a lot of their time scraping to make ends meet. But their lives are disrupted when the mysterious masked Vigilants from the neighbouring and conquering Solmindre Empire arrive. Each year Vigilants come to test young people for Witchsign. Those with it are taken away on board ship and never heard of again. Steiner is found to have Witchsign, and is taken away. But it's a mix up - he was protecting Kjellrunn, who it turns out has blossoming magical powers. Steiner is taken away, but not to his death as he feared - instead he finds that children with Witchsign are taken by the Vigilants to a mysterious island housing a a magical school. Kjellrunn and her father are left behind to cope with the fear and stigma of Witchsign having been discovered in their family.
One of the things I love about Den's writing is that his protagonists aren't your traditional royal heirs with magic powers/weapons/special destinies. Steiner is an ordinary young man who sees that something is wrong and decides to do something about it. He protects the weak and the vulnerable, stands up to bullies, and encourages people to work together to overcome obstacles. Although hot-headed and rash at times, it's because he cares about the wrongs he sees in the world around him, and wants to do something about it. And his relationship with Kjellrunn is beautifully drawn. He is a fiercely protective older brother, who nonetheless will bicker with his sister over trivia.
Above all, Witchsign is a thrilling adventure story full of escapades, heroics, adventure, magic and dragons. It sets the scene perfectly for the second book in the series, as Steiner and his friends set out to overthrow the Solmindre Empire because of the suffering it has caused. But it's written with contemporary sensibilities about corrupt governments, the abuse of power and bigotry.
And Kjellrunn's reaction to being told to smile once too often by a foreign soldier? That had me punching the air in delight.
July 18, 2018
1,5 stars, rounded up to two. Oh boy, what to say about this one. The back cover made me laugh, because I saw that the main character's last name was Vartiainen. It's a common finnish surname, so it was hard to take the names seriously from then on, especially when that was the only finnish last name in the book, so it seemed very random. The mixing of the languages in general really bothered me. The basic names were a combination of Swedish, Norwegian and Russian, plus a bit of German and Finnish thrown into the mix. It just seemed very illogical and "let's just take a word from here and another from there" type of world building. Which I could have used more of. Nothing was explained properly, I hate when that happens in fantasy books. There was 450 pages in this book, could have used maybe at least 50 of it to tell more about the world and the background and history, instead of just saying "there used to be dragons, then there was war, now it's always cloudy in this village."
The characters were left really vague, I didn't connect with them at all, and I didn't feel a great connection between each other either, for example Kjellrunn called his father by his name all the time, instead of calling him father or dad. I don't even know what they looked like since nothing was described much. The text was 100% telling, but a good story needs showing too.
The writing left something to be hoped for too. I had to take a double take on every page, because the stuff happened so quickly that an entire fight was over after three sentences, and I just couldn't keep up. It might have something to do with the fact that english is not my native language, but I like slower and more meticulous descriptions of the events, especially in action scenes.
I liked the cinderwraiths though, that was an interesting concept, and I would have liked to know more of them. There was potential in the setting, but the way the story was told just didn't appeal to me.
The characters were left really vague, I didn't connect with them at all, and I didn't feel a great connection between each other either, for example Kjellrunn called his father by his name all the time, instead of calling him father or dad. I don't even know what they looked like since nothing was described much. The text was 100% telling, but a good story needs showing too.
The writing left something to be hoped for too. I had to take a double take on every page, because the stuff happened so quickly that an entire fight was over after three sentences, and I just couldn't keep up. It might have something to do with the fact that english is not my native language, but I like slower and more meticulous descriptions of the events, especially in action scenes.
I liked the cinderwraiths though, that was an interesting concept, and I would have liked to know more of them. There was potential in the setting, but the way the story was told just didn't appeal to me.
January 14, 2021
I'm not sure what prompted me to buy this book - I do like a bit of fantasy on a dark winter evening so maybe that's what it was.
This is the first in a trilogy of books which is set in a land that bears a close resemblance Scandinavia - the map, the characters' names, even the names of the gods all have a Nordic flavour - not that there's anything really wrong with that. The central characters are siblings - the sister, who bears the witchsign, and her older brother - very protective of hiis sister but prone to act before thinking.
The book was an ok read, but nothing really stood out about it for me and I think I'll probably struggle to remember most of it.
I don't think I'll be going on to read the other two books in the trilogy.
This is the first in a trilogy of books which is set in a land that bears a close resemblance Scandinavia - the map, the characters' names, even the names of the gods all have a Nordic flavour - not that there's anything really wrong with that. The central characters are siblings - the sister, who bears the witchsign, and her older brother - very protective of hiis sister but prone to act before thinking.
The book was an ok read, but nothing really stood out about it for me and I think I'll probably struggle to remember most of it.
I don't think I'll be going on to read the other two books in the trilogy.
May 4, 2020
2.3 / 5 ✪
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Despite a rather disappointing choice of narrator in Steiner, Witchsign was a lovely fantasy, complete with mystery and magic—the start of a great new series. Until… about its 200th page. At this point, the mystery and adventure dampened, the plot developed serious issues, and the story’s flow completely fell to pieces.
Seventy-five years ago, the dragons fell. The Synod overthrew the rule of fire and magic, hunting the mythic creatures to the ends of the earth until none remained. Thus was the Empire born.
Far to the north lie the Scorched Republics, flanked between the Empire and the Sommerende Ocean. Despite being independent, the republics belong to the Empire in all but name. Northmost of the northern republics is Nordvlast, where the brunt of our story takes place. Steiner lives in Cinderfell, a dreary town tucked up against the Spøkelsea, farthest distant from the Empire of any community on the continent. But even here—where the winters are frigid and the summers short, where ash falls from the sky and the sun rarely shines—the Synod still exert their influence. Every year children below the age of 16 are tested for the Witchsign: the ability to touch and control the elements. If such a child is found, they are shipped off by the Empire, never to be seen again.
Steiner is no witch. A blacksmith’s son, he spends his days in the forge and his nights at the tavern, his eye on the owner’s daughter, Kristofine. A girl who has just begun to return his smiles. A simple life, for a simple man.But he fears the coming Invigilation—the day of testing—regardless. It is not for himself that Steiner worries, but for his sister Kjellrunn. A carefree girl of sixteen, Kjell has always been different. Her hair is a tangle and her body immature, appearing to far younger than her actual age. She spends each day in the forests, communing with the trees, the rock, the ocean. She cares little for the townsfolk, and what they think. For they think she has the Witchsign. Steiner suspects so as well. And even so, Kjell has made it through every testing—all but the last. Steiner is sure this year will be the one she is found out, and taken from them. And he is willing to take any risk to protect her.
Any risk.
And he just may have to.
I was quite high on the beginning of this book. One of my top TBR for the year, Witchsign started off well, with a budding romance, a generally likable narrator, a mystery, a conflict, and the promise of much, much more. I was hooked and cruising through; a five-star read for sure.
But… Steiner isn’t the best narrator. Early on he and Kjellrunn share the load rather equally, but later on Steiner shoulders more and more of the story. And he’s… a bit dull. Rash, impulsive, stubborn. There’s nothing wrong with any of this, when it’s well written. But Steiner is not well-written. While the author portrays him as possessive of a keen mind despite his inability to read and write, his hulking frame and his reputation—Steiner’s actions betray him. While early on he seems a thoughtful youth possessed by an impulsive, stubborn streak, later he’s just impulsive, stubborn and rash. I guess this could be chalked up to his development throughout the story, but I just pegged it as bad writing. And though the author continues to paint thought and detail into the prose of Steiner’s chapters and descriptions, the character’s mood consistently contradicts this.
Kjellrunn, meanwhile, offers a thoughtful, provoking POV. Until she doesn’t. And then does, again. See, Witchsign works well enough through the first 300-plus pages. And then it breaks down. The next hundred twenty or so remind me a bit of the first Harry Potter—where the story skips around to the significant moments, while leaving the other parts out in the cold. While that worked (arguably) for Rowling, she used line- and page-breaks to indicate when the story would be taking a breather.
Witchsign doesn’t. I felt like the author was running short on time and provided a bare bones account of the middle, skipped forward to write the ending, and then came back to flesh out the rest. An acceptable tactic, when it works. When you GET to it all. Which e didn’t. What we’re left with is a hundred page gap of poorly written story (so bad in places that I ended up skimming through it a bit), followed by an ending that would’ve worked pretty well if it had matched the preceding events at all. So, while the set-up and middle of the book are good, the lead-in and final battle are nigh-unreadable. Then the wrap-up is back to good. It’s… very frustrating.
The story itself is well-thought out and the world well built—again, until it isn’t. The characters, the development, the plot, the flow—everything takes a break around the two-thirds mark.
Now, if you could just let off there and pick up at the end… but you can’t. Nothing would make sense. Believe me—I tried. Again, Den Patrick has me raving at the beginning and skipping chapters by the end. Quite an unusual feat to pull off more than once. Honestly, it was painful to see the read collapse like it did. And disappointing. A little more time could’ve made all the difference. But… t’was not to be.
TL;DR
Before beginning Witchsign I raved about its beautiful cover and interesting-sounding story. Right away I was hooked, and continued to praise the writing, the mystery and the story. But, like the Boy with the Porcelain Blade before it, that all changed. At around the halfway mark I became disillusioned with Steiner. At the two-thirds mark, became disillusioned with the story. Shortly thereafter, it became nigh-unreadable. If you tough it out to the end, you’re treated to a lovely post-battle wrap up, which only made sense when I figured that the author was running short on time and skipped forward to write the end first. But never got back to the middle. It gets the point across, carries the plot from Point A to B—but barely. And not well.
If you’re on the fence, I’d recommend against it. But, if you, say—have the next book sitting around somewhere already (it was free, which helps), and you want to tough it out… yeah, it’s doable. Wasn’t bad til the 300-page mark. The Ashen Torment continues in Stormtide, published last year. I’ll probably get to it eventually, so I’ll let you know how it goes. An important reminder though: you can’t judge a book by its cover.
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Despite a rather disappointing choice of narrator in Steiner, Witchsign was a lovely fantasy, complete with mystery and magic—the start of a great new series. Until… about its 200th page. At this point, the mystery and adventure dampened, the plot developed serious issues, and the story’s flow completely fell to pieces.
Seventy-five years ago, the dragons fell. The Synod overthrew the rule of fire and magic, hunting the mythic creatures to the ends of the earth until none remained. Thus was the Empire born.
Far to the north lie the Scorched Republics, flanked between the Empire and the Sommerende Ocean. Despite being independent, the republics belong to the Empire in all but name. Northmost of the northern republics is Nordvlast, where the brunt of our story takes place. Steiner lives in Cinderfell, a dreary town tucked up against the Spøkelsea, farthest distant from the Empire of any community on the continent. But even here—where the winters are frigid and the summers short, where ash falls from the sky and the sun rarely shines—the Synod still exert their influence. Every year children below the age of 16 are tested for the Witchsign: the ability to touch and control the elements. If such a child is found, they are shipped off by the Empire, never to be seen again.
Steiner is no witch. A blacksmith’s son, he spends his days in the forge and his nights at the tavern, his eye on the owner’s daughter, Kristofine. A girl who has just begun to return his smiles. A simple life, for a simple man.But he fears the coming Invigilation—the day of testing—regardless. It is not for himself that Steiner worries, but for his sister Kjellrunn. A carefree girl of sixteen, Kjell has always been different. Her hair is a tangle and her body immature, appearing to far younger than her actual age. She spends each day in the forests, communing with the trees, the rock, the ocean. She cares little for the townsfolk, and what they think. For they think she has the Witchsign. Steiner suspects so as well. And even so, Kjell has made it through every testing—all but the last. Steiner is sure this year will be the one she is found out, and taken from them. And he is willing to take any risk to protect her.
Any risk.
And he just may have to.
I was quite high on the beginning of this book. One of my top TBR for the year, Witchsign started off well, with a budding romance, a generally likable narrator, a mystery, a conflict, and the promise of much, much more. I was hooked and cruising through; a five-star read for sure.
But… Steiner isn’t the best narrator. Early on he and Kjellrunn share the load rather equally, but later on Steiner shoulders more and more of the story. And he’s… a bit dull. Rash, impulsive, stubborn. There’s nothing wrong with any of this, when it’s well written. But Steiner is not well-written. While the author portrays him as possessive of a keen mind despite his inability to read and write, his hulking frame and his reputation—Steiner’s actions betray him. While early on he seems a thoughtful youth possessed by an impulsive, stubborn streak, later he’s just impulsive, stubborn and rash. I guess this could be chalked up to his development throughout the story, but I just pegged it as bad writing. And though the author continues to paint thought and detail into the prose of Steiner’s chapters and descriptions, the character’s mood consistently contradicts this.
Kjellrunn, meanwhile, offers a thoughtful, provoking POV. Until she doesn’t. And then does, again. See, Witchsign works well enough through the first 300-plus pages. And then it breaks down. The next hundred twenty or so remind me a bit of the first Harry Potter—where the story skips around to the significant moments, while leaving the other parts out in the cold. While that worked (arguably) for Rowling, she used line- and page-breaks to indicate when the story would be taking a breather.
Witchsign doesn’t. I felt like the author was running short on time and provided a bare bones account of the middle, skipped forward to write the ending, and then came back to flesh out the rest. An acceptable tactic, when it works. When you GET to it all. Which e didn’t. What we’re left with is a hundred page gap of poorly written story (so bad in places that I ended up skimming through it a bit), followed by an ending that would’ve worked pretty well if it had matched the preceding events at all. So, while the set-up and middle of the book are good, the lead-in and final battle are nigh-unreadable. Then the wrap-up is back to good. It’s… very frustrating.
The story itself is well-thought out and the world well built—again, until it isn’t. The characters, the development, the plot, the flow—everything takes a break around the two-thirds mark.
Now, if you could just let off there and pick up at the end… but you can’t. Nothing would make sense. Believe me—I tried. Again, Den Patrick has me raving at the beginning and skipping chapters by the end. Quite an unusual feat to pull off more than once. Honestly, it was painful to see the read collapse like it did. And disappointing. A little more time could’ve made all the difference. But… t’was not to be.
TL;DR
Before beginning Witchsign I raved about its beautiful cover and interesting-sounding story. Right away I was hooked, and continued to praise the writing, the mystery and the story. But, like the Boy with the Porcelain Blade before it, that all changed. At around the halfway mark I became disillusioned with Steiner. At the two-thirds mark, became disillusioned with the story. Shortly thereafter, it became nigh-unreadable. If you tough it out to the end, you’re treated to a lovely post-battle wrap up, which only made sense when I figured that the author was running short on time and skipped forward to write the end first. But never got back to the middle. It gets the point across, carries the plot from Point A to B—but barely. And not well.
If you’re on the fence, I’d recommend against it. But, if you, say—have the next book sitting around somewhere already (it was free, which helps), and you want to tough it out… yeah, it’s doable. Wasn’t bad til the 300-page mark. The Ashen Torment continues in Stormtide, published last year. I’ll probably get to it eventually, so I’ll let you know how it goes. An important reminder though: you can’t judge a book by its cover.
October 4, 2020
Za mě hodně dobře napsaná a poutavá kniha. Na knize se mi hodně líbilo zasazení příběhu do skandinávského prostředí, což se moc často nevidí. Také je to po nějaké době kniha, kde se mi poštěstilo číst o dracích. Osobně jsem ke knize přistupovala s malým očekáváním a krom anotace a krásné obálky jsem o knize nevěděla zhola nic. Možná je to právě tím, že jsem neměla žádná očekávání, ale kniha mě velmi mile překvapila. Zpočátku mi sice trvalo se do příběhu začíst, ale po 50 stránkách se mi to povedlo a za jeden den jsem potom zhltla přes polovinu knihy. Rozjezd je sice pomalejší, ale alespoň má čtenář čas utřídit si myšlenky, vyznat se v prostředí a zapamatovat si hrdiny. Sice hlavní hrdinové by mohli být více a lépe vykreslení, kdy mi lehce chyběl prostor na jejich charakterové rysy a také prostředí by se mohlo dotáhnout lépe, ale jinak příběhově pecka. I když bylo od poloviny knihy znatelné, jakým směrem se bude příběh ubírat, vůbec mě to neodradilo v otáčení stránek a nadšení z příběhu. Moc překvapivých momentů jsem během čtení nezažila, protože jsem události, které se tam odehrávají, tak nějak čekala a z příběhu to bylo znatelné, ale přesto jsem si to velmi užila. Kniha je napsaná opravdu čtivě a není přehlcená informacemi, které čtenář nepotřebuje a rušili by ho od hlavní linky. Za mě opravdu nenáročná a velmi povedená kniha, kterou doporučuji všem nenáročným čtenářům. Osobně mě tato kniha velmi překvapila, tak doufám, že mile překvapí i vás.
October 7, 2018
'Any great country that has to kill its own people to remain great is missing the point.' Steiner p335
Immensely readable adult/teen crossover fantasy novel set in world where a relatively new empire is building and testing its reach with a heavy hand. A hand in chainmail, backed by masked sorceries, that has already purge the land of arcane powered species such as dragons and now turns to capturing all children who show signs of magic, regardless of whether their country belongs to the empire or not. This is done with the cooperation of coerced populations who have been influenced, over time, to look with suspicion and ostracization at any sign of magic.
Two such youth are Kjell and Steiner, brother and sister, one with power and one without but mistakenly picked out by the Empire as marked and thus taken from his family and shipped with the other children/teens to the island where all such marked are trained/and broken down into service of the empire. As expected things soon progress in a way the Empire did not anticipate.
Both siblings develop into protagonists that are easy to root for beyond the oppressiveness of the Empire they stand against - though it did take longer with Kjell as she had a bit of anger towards her family's decision in protecting her that from an adult perspective was veering on the rash and unreasonable side and was a bit frustrating. Her growth emotionally and magically however was well paced and she also has the most superb kick ass scene at one point that just made me want to cheer. As for Steiner, his headlong and sometimes heedless leaps into action might have been annoying if he weren't so likeable, caring and if he didn't often have good cause and luck on his side. I think luck likes him almost as much as I do and as do a number of the characters he won over, though maybe luck doesn't because he also ends up in some pretty unfortunate situations. Regardless it makes for a constantly forward moving ride with plot developments that keep things fresh by not being predictable and spliced with humour among some of the characters interchanges.
Its not just the two main protagonists who are well drawn. The author has populated his novel with a variety of secondary characters, of both genders and various races and species, who are given depth and are compelling and entertaining in their own right. Acerbically funny and occasionally imperious but also an encouraging tutor, Mistress Kamalov, the Vigilant on the run from the Empire was one such character. As were Verner, the roguish uncle who obviously was involved in some underhanded works, Romola the 'sometime' pirate, Sundra, the sullen Spriggani priestess, and Kimi the Yamal princess imprisoned to do forge work as bond to her peoples survival. This is in fact one of the downsides of the book is that I occasionally wished it came with mini novellas for the other characters and for some of the histories of the world as Patrick had done a good enough job world and character building that it left me a bit greedy.
Part of what whetted the appetite for exploring more of the world itself was not just the in text descriptions but the field note passages that precede each chapter. Written in a different style to the main story they give a hint to the direction of the chapter and also to the world of the novel itself. I have included a few below.
The uprising against our draconic masters cost Vinterkveld dearly. Many men and women lost their lives. It should be noted that the various pockets of Spriggani, who infest the forests like fungus, did not answer the call of revolution against the dragons.It is for this reason they are not, nor will they ever be, members of the Empire This passage was a good introduction to the Empire's attitude to the Spriggani race and how they regarded them in an utterly dehumanising fashion that allowed to a build up towards genocidal type of hostilities that are explored later in the book and are reflective of events in reality. Including the spread of a hate ideology by a dominant power that comes to surface in neighbouring communities.
'The Solmindre Empire is ruled from the capital at Khlystburg, where our most benevolent Emperor receives counsel from trusted adviers. There is, however, another locus of influence. Arkiv Island is a vast library where Vigilants are invited to meditate and research. Rumours persist that Arkiv is home to moderates within the Synod, those uncomfortable with the Emperor's more direct approach.' - From the field notes of Hierach Khigir, Vigilant of the Imperial Synod.
'Perhaps the most troubling discovery of my travels across Vintkveld is that the Spriggani have knowledge of arcane power. It is rooted in the earth and water schools and these schools alone, yet it does not corrupt their bodies in the way that Vigilants become twisted blackened things.' - From the field notes of Hierach Khigir, Vigilant of the Imperial Synod.
The darkest fear of any Imperial servant is a unification of a different kind. We would face a war on three fronts if the people of Shanisrond and the Scorched Republics were to enter into an alliance with the Yamal. But such such an uprising would be hardpressed to overcome the military might of the Emperor. I fear he must be taken down from within, and then the issue of succession hangs over the continent like a spectre.' - Untainted Histories Volume 3: Serebryanyy Pyli
'The punishment for killing a Vigilant is death. The punishment for learning of Vladibogdan is was death. The punishment for avoiding Invigilation was also death. This would be impressive if not for the fact that most crimes in the Solmindre Empire are punishable by death. The Emperor was never terribly imaginative in that regard.'- Untainted Histories Volume 3: Serebryanyy Pyli
Immensely readable adult/teen crossover fantasy novel set in world where a relatively new empire is building and testing its reach with a heavy hand. A hand in chainmail, backed by masked sorceries, that has already purge the land of arcane powered species such as dragons and now turns to capturing all children who show signs of magic, regardless of whether their country belongs to the empire or not. This is done with the cooperation of coerced populations who have been influenced, over time, to look with suspicion and ostracization at any sign of magic.
Two such youth are Kjell and Steiner, brother and sister, one with power and one without but mistakenly picked out by the Empire as marked and thus taken from his family and shipped with the other children/teens to the island where all such marked are trained/and broken down into service of the empire. As expected things soon progress in a way the Empire did not anticipate.
Both siblings develop into protagonists that are easy to root for beyond the oppressiveness of the Empire they stand against - though it did take longer with Kjell as she had a bit of anger towards her family's decision in protecting her that from an adult perspective was veering on the rash and unreasonable side and was a bit frustrating. Her growth emotionally and magically however was well paced and she also has the most superb kick ass scene at one point that just made me want to cheer. As for Steiner, his headlong and sometimes heedless leaps into action might have been annoying if he weren't so likeable, caring and if he didn't often have good cause and luck on his side. I think luck likes him almost as much as I do and as do a number of the characters he won over, though maybe luck doesn't because he also ends up in some pretty unfortunate situations. Regardless it makes for a constantly forward moving ride with plot developments that keep things fresh by not being predictable and spliced with humour among some of the characters interchanges.
Its not just the two main protagonists who are well drawn. The author has populated his novel with a variety of secondary characters, of both genders and various races and species, who are given depth and are compelling and entertaining in their own right. Acerbically funny and occasionally imperious but also an encouraging tutor, Mistress Kamalov, the Vigilant on the run from the Empire was one such character. As were Verner, the roguish uncle who obviously was involved in some underhanded works, Romola the 'sometime' pirate, Sundra, the sullen Spriggani priestess, and Kimi the Yamal princess imprisoned to do forge work as bond to her peoples survival. This is in fact one of the downsides of the book is that I occasionally wished it came with mini novellas for the other characters and for some of the histories of the world as Patrick had done a good enough job world and character building that it left me a bit greedy.
Part of what whetted the appetite for exploring more of the world itself was not just the in text descriptions but the field note passages that precede each chapter. Written in a different style to the main story they give a hint to the direction of the chapter and also to the world of the novel itself. I have included a few below.
The uprising against our draconic masters cost Vinterkveld dearly. Many men and women lost their lives. It should be noted that the various pockets of Spriggani, who infest the forests like fungus, did not answer the call of revolution against the dragons.It is for this reason they are not, nor will they ever be, members of the Empire This passage was a good introduction to the Empire's attitude to the Spriggani race and how they regarded them in an utterly dehumanising fashion that allowed to a build up towards genocidal type of hostilities that are explored later in the book and are reflective of events in reality. Including the spread of a hate ideology by a dominant power that comes to surface in neighbouring communities.
'The Solmindre Empire is ruled from the capital at Khlystburg, where our most benevolent Emperor receives counsel from trusted adviers. There is, however, another locus of influence. Arkiv Island is a vast library where Vigilants are invited to meditate and research. Rumours persist that Arkiv is home to moderates within the Synod, those uncomfortable with the Emperor's more direct approach.' - From the field notes of Hierach Khigir, Vigilant of the Imperial Synod.
'Perhaps the most troubling discovery of my travels across Vintkveld is that the Spriggani have knowledge of arcane power. It is rooted in the earth and water schools and these schools alone, yet it does not corrupt their bodies in the way that Vigilants become twisted blackened things.' - From the field notes of Hierach Khigir, Vigilant of the Imperial Synod.
The darkest fear of any Imperial servant is a unification of a different kind. We would face a war on three fronts if the people of Shanisrond and the Scorched Republics were to enter into an alliance with the Yamal. But such such an uprising would be hardpressed to overcome the military might of the Emperor. I fear he must be taken down from within, and then the issue of succession hangs over the continent like a spectre.' - Untainted Histories Volume 3: Serebryanyy Pyli
'The punishment for killing a Vigilant is death. The punishment for learning of Vladibogdan is was death. The punishment for avoiding Invigilation was also death. This would be impressive if not for the fact that most crimes in the Solmindre Empire are punishable by death. The Emperor was never terribly imaginative in that regard.'- Untainted Histories Volume 3: Serebryanyy Pyli
November 29, 2018
The masked Vigilants come for the children with Witchsign, taken from their homes and family, they are never seen again.
I loved the Erebus Sequence and was looking forward to reading Witchsign, the first book of The Ashen series and I wasn't disappointed. It has all the right elements that make a good fantasy story; folklore, magic and lots of interesting characters - my favourites were Silverdust and Tief, I also really liked the Cinderwraiths - Ohhh and there's Dragons.
I will definitely be reading the next book.
I loved the Erebus Sequence and was looking forward to reading Witchsign, the first book of The Ashen series and I wasn't disappointed. It has all the right elements that make a good fantasy story; folklore, magic and lots of interesting characters - my favourites were Silverdust and Tief, I also really liked the Cinderwraiths - Ohhh and there's Dragons.
I will definitely be reading the next book.
March 6, 2019
This books has dragons in it. That is all! Seriously I loved the characters in this book. It’s one of the things that had me really interested. Also the whole premise of Witchsign and the magic system was quite interesting.
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