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City of Sacrifice #2
Ash and Bones
Smoking Mirror spoke in smoke and stone.Having returned Mother Death to Bastion, Nuru flees to the inner rings. The Loa heretics seek to turn her to their own ends and topple the nahual from power. As Bastion crumbles, Nuru contemplates the ultimate A world without gods. Broken by his battle with Mother Death, Akachi awakens with renewed purpose. He must hunt the blasphemers who would destroy his beloved city. Armed with the Staff of the Fifth Sun he stalks Nuru through Bastion’s rings. The survival of all humanity rests on his shoulders.Nothing is as it seems. Smoking Mirror, god of discord and strife, plots behind the scenes. He manipulates gods and men alike in a game as old as time.From the lowest Grower to the gods at her heart, Bastion is once again at war."Gritty and unrelenting. A great read."--Petros Triantafylou- Booknest.eu"The fertile soil of Mesoamerican mythology, warped through the lens of Fletcher's hyperkinetic imagination, yields hypnotic, terrifying results."--Brian Staveley, author of THE EMPEROR'S BLADES "With every novel he writes, Fletcher has a way of contributing something brilliantly twisted and utterly unique to the Fantasy (orscifi) genre, and I found Smoke and Stone to be his best work yet." --Grimdark Magazine"Smoke and Stone is a fast-paced, narcotic-laced, titanic-sized struggle between gods where the final city of man is the playing field and champions will determine who will live, rule and prosper, and who will die." --FantasyHive"Ancient, bloodthirsty gods, street sorcerers, rival gangs, faith, and sacrifice all come to play a part is this dark and original tale from one of the best in the biz. It's bloody, enthralling, and grimdark as f*ck. "--fanfiaddict.com"Michael R. Fletcher has written an amazing book about the devastation left by a war of gods. Filled with forced oppression, and the sacrifice of millions. Gods, who in desperation to save their worshipers, created a city in which the remains of mankind dwell. Strangely enough, it's weirdly magical. There's a haunting feeling of both hopelessness and possibilities."--grimmedian.com"Set in a unique and finely crafted world decimated by war, rich in both history and beliefs evocative of Mesoamerican culture, this story is suffused with ageless deities of endless monikers determined to topple the current structure of the pantheon. These renewed and ongoing battles between fickle gods threaten to trigger bloodshed between men, revealing well-kept secrets that will surely shatter the fabric of society. Devoted priesthoods and heretical assassins, savage street-magic fueled by carefully formulated concoctions of narcotics and divine will, public sacrificial rituals to appease blood-thirsty gods, the world-building in this book is both astonishing and impeccable."--whispersandwonder.com"Smoke and Stone is post-apocalyptic fantasy magnificence..."--novelnotions.net"It's unapologetic. It will make you uncomfortable. It might even offend you. Please don't let that stop you. Art shouldn't be comfortable. Good art should be the exact opposite, and this book delivers."--bookwormblues.net"It is a dark tale full of unconventional ideas with that special kind of madness that only Fletcher can provide. " --fantasybookreview.com"Deranged. Bleak. Brilliant." --jamreads.
439 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2020
63 people are currently reading
567 people want to read
About the author
Michael R. Fletcher
51 books1,324 followersMichael R. Fletcher is a science fiction and fantasy author, a grilled cheese aficionado, and a whiskey-swilling reprobate. He spends his days choreographing his forklift musical (titled "Get Forked"), and using caffeine as a substitute for sanity. Any suggestions that he is actually Dyrk Ashton in disguise are all lies.
Blog (kinda): http://michaelrfletcher.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRFlet...
Twitter: @FletcherMR
Instagram: fletcher_michael_r
Blog (kinda): http://michaelrfletcher.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRFlet...
Twitter: @FletcherMR
Instagram: fletcher_michael_r
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
July 31, 2020
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Ash and Bones is a sequel filled with battles, narcotics, magic stones—especially obsidian—and moral dilemmas.
Bastion and the gods are at war; as Nuru contemplates for a world without gods, Akachi strives to fulfill what his god wants—hunt the blasphemers that would destroy his city. Ash and Bones is the second installment in Fletcher's City of Sacrifice series; it starts off from where Smoke and Stone left off, and the actions begins immediately. Fletcher is one of my favorite grimdark authors. I’ve mentioned this before, his Manifest Delusions series, and more recently, Black Stone Heart are some of the best grimdark fantasy I’ve ever read. Fletcher managed to maintain his imaginative world-building streaks in this sequel. The epigraphs, in particular, at the start of each respective chapters in this novel contained some of Fletcher’s best writing so far, such as:
Great epigraphs aside, reading Akachi and Nuru’s story again were bloody delightful. Faith is definitely the most pivotal theme of this novel and series; the conflicts that arise in the series so far can be surmised to a clash of differences in belief, and I do believe that the contemplation that each of them has throughout the book reflected their emotions clearly. The morality of right and wrong was often questioned, the battles waged were insane, and the world-building continues to build from what the previous book has established.
Unfortunately, I have to admit that there were parts in Ash and Bones that didn’t work for me too well. I felt that Ash and Bones is a hugely transitional novel, and despite the large pages count—or what felt like it—the story didn’t progress as much as I hoped. As I mentioned before, this is a book full of contemplation and battles, and frankly, it did get repetitive for me after a while. It seemed like for the entirety of the novel what Akachi and Nuru ponder in their decision making goes around in a continuous loop. “I will fight for my god,” to “is it okay to do this," to “why am I chosen to do this,” and back again to “I will fight for my god.”
Although I did like reading about the main characters, all of the side characters were uninteresting; one month from now I’ll most likely forget about them. Lastly, and this could be just me, but other than mirrors, it seems like Fletcher now has a new obsession with the word ‘obsidian.’ I do know and understand that obsidian stone is a part of the series. However, between this and Black Stone Heart, the first book in Fletcher’s Obsidian Path series, the frequent use of of the word obsidian—more than 100 times in this book alone—ended up becoming a distraction to me; I actually had to remind myself several times that I’m reading about Akachi and Nuru, not Khraen, because their voices started sounding similar.
Thankfully, Ash and Bones did end on a very high note that made me excited to find out how this all will conclude. It pains me to say that this is the first of Fletcher’s book that I have mixed feeling about, but hey, it can’t always be a hit, right? Regardless of my opinion, I do honestly think that fans of Fletcher’s books will still find plenty of things to love in this book; do give this a go! It seems like Fletcher is planning to release the sequel to Black Stone Heart next, and I’m seriously looking forward to it.
P.S:
Felix Ortiz did such an incredible job on the cover art; easily one of the greatest cover arts I’ve seen so far. I also loved the nod to Beyond Redemption and She Dreamed in Blood in the text.
Official release date: 1st August 2020
You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US
The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Devin, Hamad, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Zoe.
Ash and Bones is a sequel filled with battles, narcotics, magic stones—especially obsidian—and moral dilemmas.
“There are two means of convincing a population to police itself: Religion, and Economy. Faith and greed.”
Bastion and the gods are at war; as Nuru contemplates for a world without gods, Akachi strives to fulfill what his god wants—hunt the blasphemers that would destroy his city. Ash and Bones is the second installment in Fletcher's City of Sacrifice series; it starts off from where Smoke and Stone left off, and the actions begins immediately. Fletcher is one of my favorite grimdark authors. I’ve mentioned this before, his Manifest Delusions series, and more recently, Black Stone Heart are some of the best grimdark fantasy I’ve ever read. Fletcher managed to maintain his imaginative world-building streaks in this sequel. The epigraphs, in particular, at the start of each respective chapters in this novel contained some of Fletcher’s best writing so far, such as:
“The Bankers preach economy. They will work the bones until they break, drive the meat until it fails, ink the flesh with the sins of debt, and break the heart if it means a profit. They care not for the soul for it has no intrinsic value.”
Great epigraphs aside, reading Akachi and Nuru’s story again were bloody delightful. Faith is definitely the most pivotal theme of this novel and series; the conflicts that arise in the series so far can be surmised to a clash of differences in belief, and I do believe that the contemplation that each of them has throughout the book reflected their emotions clearly. The morality of right and wrong was often questioned, the battles waged were insane, and the world-building continues to build from what the previous book has established.
“Faith does not compel the gods to forgive us our transgressions and blasphemies.”
Unfortunately, I have to admit that there were parts in Ash and Bones that didn’t work for me too well. I felt that Ash and Bones is a hugely transitional novel, and despite the large pages count—or what felt like it—the story didn’t progress as much as I hoped. As I mentioned before, this is a book full of contemplation and battles, and frankly, it did get repetitive for me after a while. It seemed like for the entirety of the novel what Akachi and Nuru ponder in their decision making goes around in a continuous loop. “I will fight for my god,” to “is it okay to do this," to “why am I chosen to do this,” and back again to “I will fight for my god.”
“A willingness to do anything, to commit any atrocity to achieve the desired end, was a horrible thing. He knew it in his blood. People should have doubts, they should question. They should question both their own motives, and the motives of others.”
Although I did like reading about the main characters, all of the side characters were uninteresting; one month from now I’ll most likely forget about them. Lastly, and this could be just me, but other than mirrors, it seems like Fletcher now has a new obsession with the word ‘obsidian.’ I do know and understand that obsidian stone is a part of the series. However, between this and Black Stone Heart, the first book in Fletcher’s Obsidian Path series, the frequent use of of the word obsidian—more than 100 times in this book alone—ended up becoming a distraction to me; I actually had to remind myself several times that I’m reading about Akachi and Nuru, not Khraen, because their voices started sounding similar.
Thankfully, Ash and Bones did end on a very high note that made me excited to find out how this all will conclude. It pains me to say that this is the first of Fletcher’s book that I have mixed feeling about, but hey, it can’t always be a hit, right? Regardless of my opinion, I do honestly think that fans of Fletcher’s books will still find plenty of things to love in this book; do give this a go! It seems like Fletcher is planning to release the sequel to Black Stone Heart next, and I’m seriously looking forward to it.
P.S:
Felix Ortiz did such an incredible job on the cover art; easily one of the greatest cover arts I’ve seen so far. I also loved the nod to Beyond Redemption and She Dreamed in Blood in the text.
Official release date: 1st August 2020
You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US
The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Devin, Hamad, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Zoe.
August 6, 2020
For those who have never read anything by Michael R. Fletcher, there are a few things that you should know. First, his books always contain mind-blowing magical elements. Part of the reason why I love reading his books is that the magic is heavy, it's way dark, and it usually makes my jaw drop at least once a chapter. He is also a master of incredible world-building. Take for instance this series, City of Sacrifice. The setting of Bastion was literally created by the gods after they tore apart the previous one in a bloody apocalyptic war. Now Bastion is a city separated into different rings by class. The lowest class populates the very outer ring of Bastion, while the priests, who keep everyone in their place and working in their particular disciplines, are the highest and make up the inner ring. Pretty cool concept so far right?
Without giving away too much of what transpired in book 1 Smoke and Stone, let's just say that the lower classes (the Growers in particular) begin to question how Bastion has been ruled over the years, and there is a bit of unrest brewing to put it mildly. The priests have been merciless in their subjugation of those in the outer rings and a time of reckoning was bound to occur sooner or later. But it remained to be seen whether or not an uprising could even take place let alone be successful. It wasn't until the end of the first book that we truly got our answer and it was quite a finish to say the least.
ASH AND BONES picks up right where the first book left off and boy does it turn up the action and violence tenfold! Akachi, the pious priest who believes it is his duty to save Bastion from total annihilation has become even more devoutly obsessed with his mission to hunt down those who would threaten his city. His drug-induced visions have led him to this point and he now sees himself as God of the Hunt. Akachi has gone from a timid young priest to a warrior and killing machine with one sole purpose: hunt and eliminate those who would overthrow the status quo. But are his powers even enough to hold back what may be coming? For it seems that the gods have chosen sides and are using the human inhabitants of Bastion as their pawns in a brand new war.
On the other side of this struggle are the Growers (or Dirts) Efra and Nuru. They are the hunted but are by no means defenseless as they wield powerful magic of their own that could tip the scales in their favor against Akachi and his fellow nahual. And they are gaining a following that is growing in defiance and absolute rage. For they believe that the Growers have lived under the heel of the brutal authoritarian rule of the inner ring priests for far too long. They feel strongly that their time to make a stand and change things is now or never.
Wow, what a bloody intense read this was. Where Smoke and Stone was a perfect laying out of the setting and class system culminating in a fantastic ending, ASH AND BONES is a full-stop power play where the fate of humanity is at stake and the chess maneuvering of gods plays out for everyone to see. This book is also quite a bit bigger in page count than its predecessor at 661 pages. But please don't let that deter you from reading it because there is so much going on that I didn't even realize I had just read a hefty book.
The awesome world-building is still there, the ridiculously insane magic and sorcery has gotten even better, and I'm happy to say that Fletcher's signature penchant for a little bit of the ultraviolence (okay a lot) is also turned up considerably. All of this is terrific news and it made me enjoy ASH AND BONES even more than the first book. If you like grimdark or really outstanding dark fantasy, Michael R. Fletcher should be at the top of your list of favorite authors.
Another aspect of this book that I loved was how much the main characters have evolved from when we were introduced to them. Some maybe not in the best of ways to be honest. Fletcher has managed to create a story where there is no obvious good or evil side but rather just varying degrees of evil. The supposed "good guys" claim the moral high ground while dishing out the worst kind of oppression imaginable. And some of those who are the oppressed have motivations of their own that go beyond simply wanting to live free. One thing is for sure as the book blurb states, nothing is as it seems.
I'll wrap up my review by saying that ASH AND BONES is a brilliant read that doesn't lag at all despite its somewhat imposing size. Every chapter reveals another piece of this mesmerizing puzzle and I couldn't help but grab the book every free moment that I got because I kept wanting to get back to it. Be forewarned though, Michael R. Fletcher's books are highly addictive. If you pick up this series and read it you may just read them all (which I am sure he'd be fine with). I have to say that Michael is a really talented writer at the top of his game right now and this book just continues that upward trajectory in my opinion.
Without giving away too much of what transpired in book 1 Smoke and Stone, let's just say that the lower classes (the Growers in particular) begin to question how Bastion has been ruled over the years, and there is a bit of unrest brewing to put it mildly. The priests have been merciless in their subjugation of those in the outer rings and a time of reckoning was bound to occur sooner or later. But it remained to be seen whether or not an uprising could even take place let alone be successful. It wasn't until the end of the first book that we truly got our answer and it was quite a finish to say the least.
ASH AND BONES picks up right where the first book left off and boy does it turn up the action and violence tenfold! Akachi, the pious priest who believes it is his duty to save Bastion from total annihilation has become even more devoutly obsessed with his mission to hunt down those who would threaten his city. His drug-induced visions have led him to this point and he now sees himself as God of the Hunt. Akachi has gone from a timid young priest to a warrior and killing machine with one sole purpose: hunt and eliminate those who would overthrow the status quo. But are his powers even enough to hold back what may be coming? For it seems that the gods have chosen sides and are using the human inhabitants of Bastion as their pawns in a brand new war.
On the other side of this struggle are the Growers (or Dirts) Efra and Nuru. They are the hunted but are by no means defenseless as they wield powerful magic of their own that could tip the scales in their favor against Akachi and his fellow nahual. And they are gaining a following that is growing in defiance and absolute rage. For they believe that the Growers have lived under the heel of the brutal authoritarian rule of the inner ring priests for far too long. They feel strongly that their time to make a stand and change things is now or never.
Wow, what a bloody intense read this was. Where Smoke and Stone was a perfect laying out of the setting and class system culminating in a fantastic ending, ASH AND BONES is a full-stop power play where the fate of humanity is at stake and the chess maneuvering of gods plays out for everyone to see. This book is also quite a bit bigger in page count than its predecessor at 661 pages. But please don't let that deter you from reading it because there is so much going on that I didn't even realize I had just read a hefty book.
The awesome world-building is still there, the ridiculously insane magic and sorcery has gotten even better, and I'm happy to say that Fletcher's signature penchant for a little bit of the ultraviolence (okay a lot) is also turned up considerably. All of this is terrific news and it made me enjoy ASH AND BONES even more than the first book. If you like grimdark or really outstanding dark fantasy, Michael R. Fletcher should be at the top of your list of favorite authors.
Another aspect of this book that I loved was how much the main characters have evolved from when we were introduced to them. Some maybe not in the best of ways to be honest. Fletcher has managed to create a story where there is no obvious good or evil side but rather just varying degrees of evil. The supposed "good guys" claim the moral high ground while dishing out the worst kind of oppression imaginable. And some of those who are the oppressed have motivations of their own that go beyond simply wanting to live free. One thing is for sure as the book blurb states, nothing is as it seems.
I'll wrap up my review by saying that ASH AND BONES is a brilliant read that doesn't lag at all despite its somewhat imposing size. Every chapter reveals another piece of this mesmerizing puzzle and I couldn't help but grab the book every free moment that I got because I kept wanting to get back to it. Be forewarned though, Michael R. Fletcher's books are highly addictive. If you pick up this series and read it you may just read them all (which I am sure he'd be fine with). I have to say that Michael is a really talented writer at the top of his game right now and this book just continues that upward trajectory in my opinion.
August 1, 2020
Review now live at Grimdark Magazine
Smoke to Ashes, and Stone to Bones… Here we go again, continuing the saga where Fletcher introduced us to the world of Bastion in Smoke and Stone. Ash and Bones is the second novel in his City of Sacrifice series, and here we start to see a little more of the sacrifice part of the series title.
In my review for Smoke and Stone I went into how intrigued I was with the unique worldbuilding and magic system employed by Fletcher. He certainly continues that, digging deeper into the mythology and the machinations of the Gods that rule Bastion.
“…those who blasphemed against Bastion’s sacred laws would be offered up to the gods. The gods fed well.”
Once more we get the shifting point-of-view chapters from our two characters on opposite ends of the struggle, Akachi and Nuru. They survived their first squaring off at the end of Book One, where Mother Death was allowed into the city past its wards. Face Painted with Bells is the newest addition to the pantheon, having manoeuvred herself in as caretaker of the Underworld and a placeholder for Mother Death, after their plans to destroy Father Death came to pass. The Pantheon is now in disarray as the remaining Gods move to take their place as first among Gods.
“Trust was a luxury only enjoyed during times of peace.”
The thing is, an ancient pact between the Gods after an earlier war prohibits any God from taking the life of another. So they have to wage this war through their mortal representatives, called Hearts. Our protagonists are chosen to serve in this capacity, with Akachi elevated from priest to become the Heart of Cloud Serpent. As servant of the God of the Hunt, he is tasked to defeat our other protagonist, Nuru, who has been chosen to be the Heart of Mother Death. Joining her is her friend Efra, who may or may not know that she has been selected to be the Heart of the Obsidian Lord. The fact that one of this god’s many names is The Enemy of Both Sides certainly can’t be good, but what is his goal in all of this?
“Trusting a god named the Enemy of Both Sides seemed foolish.”
This just scratches the surface of the conflict between these pages, and there are so many twists and turns I’m not entirely sure I understood them all. What I did understand is that I was on the edge of my seat as Fletcher took us on this journey, both deeper into the city of Bastion, and into the worlds of dreams and visions from the Gods. To top it off, it seems that a final conflict in the Underworld is in the cards before it’s all settled.
Nothing can be taken for granted as the Gods play their chess pieces in this Game that has much higher stakes than anything that has come before.
“He looked terrified, as if maybe dying on an altar in a church of Father Death might not have been such a great idea.”
Be sure to see our review of Book One, Smoke and Stone, here.
Smoke to Ashes, and Stone to Bones… Here we go again, continuing the saga where Fletcher introduced us to the world of Bastion in Smoke and Stone. Ash and Bones is the second novel in his City of Sacrifice series, and here we start to see a little more of the sacrifice part of the series title.
In my review for Smoke and Stone I went into how intrigued I was with the unique worldbuilding and magic system employed by Fletcher. He certainly continues that, digging deeper into the mythology and the machinations of the Gods that rule Bastion.
“…those who blasphemed against Bastion’s sacred laws would be offered up to the gods. The gods fed well.”
Once more we get the shifting point-of-view chapters from our two characters on opposite ends of the struggle, Akachi and Nuru. They survived their first squaring off at the end of Book One, where Mother Death was allowed into the city past its wards. Face Painted with Bells is the newest addition to the pantheon, having manoeuvred herself in as caretaker of the Underworld and a placeholder for Mother Death, after their plans to destroy Father Death came to pass. The Pantheon is now in disarray as the remaining Gods move to take their place as first among Gods.
“Trust was a luxury only enjoyed during times of peace.”
The thing is, an ancient pact between the Gods after an earlier war prohibits any God from taking the life of another. So they have to wage this war through their mortal representatives, called Hearts. Our protagonists are chosen to serve in this capacity, with Akachi elevated from priest to become the Heart of Cloud Serpent. As servant of the God of the Hunt, he is tasked to defeat our other protagonist, Nuru, who has been chosen to be the Heart of Mother Death. Joining her is her friend Efra, who may or may not know that she has been selected to be the Heart of the Obsidian Lord. The fact that one of this god’s many names is The Enemy of Both Sides certainly can’t be good, but what is his goal in all of this?
“Trusting a god named the Enemy of Both Sides seemed foolish.”
This just scratches the surface of the conflict between these pages, and there are so many twists and turns I’m not entirely sure I understood them all. What I did understand is that I was on the edge of my seat as Fletcher took us on this journey, both deeper into the city of Bastion, and into the worlds of dreams and visions from the Gods. To top it off, it seems that a final conflict in the Underworld is in the cards before it’s all settled.
Nothing can be taken for granted as the Gods play their chess pieces in this Game that has much higher stakes than anything that has come before.
“He looked terrified, as if maybe dying on an altar in a church of Father Death might not have been such a great idea.”
Be sure to see our review of Book One, Smoke and Stone, here.
August 2, 2020
How does one follow up a dark fantasy focused on gods using humans to regain their place in Pantheon? Evidently, by making things uber-dark and making the story epic and unforgiving.
In Ash and Bones, the followup to Smoke and Stone, Michael R. Fletcher places his protagonists at the center of a devastating conflict between gods. With Mother Death back at Bastion and a shocking display of power from Nuru and Akachi, peace isn't an option.
Meanwhile, the gods scheme and play their human pawns. Nuru and Efra believe they must oppose gods, no matter the cost or the consequences. Akachi gets delusional. And stoned. Heck, everyone gets stoned in this book. Without drugs, no one could wield so much power and survive.
Fletcher’s talent for crafting compelling and supremely grim fantasy is on full display. He ups the stakes by forcing his characters to stretch their powers beyond their limits. The cost of power is high. Being a god's Chosen One is much more of a curse than it is an honor.
The novel shows both emotional trauma and harrowing battles. It describes them through spectacular scenes showing godlike powers at full display.
As a middle volume, Ash and Bones succeeds not only in showing us the price of power—it also takes care to develop protagonists, especially Nuru and Efra. Akachi gets hopelessly delusional. I don't expect anyone will have a happy ending (it's Fletcher's book after all), but his god will ruin him and the remnants of his beliefs. That said, things happen slowly. Were this book 10-20% shorter, it would move at a breakneck pace. In its current form it, unfortunately, meanders in places and gets repetitious.
The story unfolds through Nuru and Akachis's eyes, and it gives a sense of scale and drastically different views of the same events. While Efra doesn't get POV chapters, her role in the story gets significant. She's terrifying but also fascinating. She's touched by divinity but in Fletcher's world, it doesn't have a positive meaning.
While not perfect, Ash and Bones ends on a powerful note that makes me eager to read the final book in the series.
In Ash and Bones, the followup to Smoke and Stone, Michael R. Fletcher places his protagonists at the center of a devastating conflict between gods. With Mother Death back at Bastion and a shocking display of power from Nuru and Akachi, peace isn't an option.
Meanwhile, the gods scheme and play their human pawns. Nuru and Efra believe they must oppose gods, no matter the cost or the consequences. Akachi gets delusional. And stoned. Heck, everyone gets stoned in this book. Without drugs, no one could wield so much power and survive.
Fletcher’s talent for crafting compelling and supremely grim fantasy is on full display. He ups the stakes by forcing his characters to stretch their powers beyond their limits. The cost of power is high. Being a god's Chosen One is much more of a curse than it is an honor.
The novel shows both emotional trauma and harrowing battles. It describes them through spectacular scenes showing godlike powers at full display.
As a middle volume, Ash and Bones succeeds not only in showing us the price of power—it also takes care to develop protagonists, especially Nuru and Efra. Akachi gets hopelessly delusional. I don't expect anyone will have a happy ending (it's Fletcher's book after all), but his god will ruin him and the remnants of his beliefs. That said, things happen slowly. Were this book 10-20% shorter, it would move at a breakneck pace. In its current form it, unfortunately, meanders in places and gets repetitious.
The story unfolds through Nuru and Akachis's eyes, and it gives a sense of scale and drastically different views of the same events. While Efra doesn't get POV chapters, her role in the story gets significant. She's terrifying but also fascinating. She's touched by divinity but in Fletcher's world, it doesn't have a positive meaning.
While not perfect, Ash and Bones ends on a powerful note that makes me eager to read the final book in the series.
August 27, 2020
Ash and Bones was extraordinary from start to finish. There was action all through the novel. The series needs a movie adaptation.
June 4, 2021
If chaos had a mantra, its words would be found in Ash and Bones.
Michael Fletcher's books are saturated with madness and violence but used with purpose. His stories are not grim dark for the sake of shock value, it is honest storytelling. The second installment for his City of Sacrifice series is even more insane and brilliant than Smoke and Stone.
The city of Bastion is dying. Its Gods utilize both worshippers and the general populace alike to rage war against each other. In a world where blood sacrifice is common, nothing could have prepared Bastion for the return of Mother Death. After twenty-five thousand years of banishment, this goddess of death has returned to drench her streets with blood. Ash and Bones is one of the darkest books I have read and couldn't have been written differently.
With contrasting ideologies, Nuru, Efra, and Akachi continue to fight for their specific vision of Bastion's future. All of them have been stripped of the emotional support they had relied on, mourning their friends who have died. They are attacked on all fronts, for Bastions found ways to manipulate their opponents' emotional states and minds. They are broken but these characters still persevere.
Fletcher excels at developing morally complex characters. The justifications for his character's choices are believable. Even in their darkest moments, I still understood them. I felt their pain. Fletcher capsizes the idea of judging a character based on their motives and actions. I'm eager to see what Nuru, Efra, and Akachi do next.
Michael Fletcher's books are saturated with madness and violence but used with purpose. His stories are not grim dark for the sake of shock value, it is honest storytelling. The second installment for his City of Sacrifice series is even more insane and brilliant than Smoke and Stone.
The city of Bastion is dying. Its Gods utilize both worshippers and the general populace alike to rage war against each other. In a world where blood sacrifice is common, nothing could have prepared Bastion for the return of Mother Death. After twenty-five thousand years of banishment, this goddess of death has returned to drench her streets with blood. Ash and Bones is one of the darkest books I have read and couldn't have been written differently.
With contrasting ideologies, Nuru, Efra, and Akachi continue to fight for their specific vision of Bastion's future. All of them have been stripped of the emotional support they had relied on, mourning their friends who have died. They are attacked on all fronts, for Bastions found ways to manipulate their opponents' emotional states and minds. They are broken but these characters still persevere.
Fletcher excels at developing morally complex characters. The justifications for his character's choices are believable. Even in their darkest moments, I still understood them. I felt their pain. Fletcher capsizes the idea of judging a character based on their motives and actions. I'm eager to see what Nuru, Efra, and Akachi do next.
October 27, 2020
Oops, it seems I somehow forgot to review this one! So here we go, with a little bit of a delay....
This is the second book in the City of Sacrifice series, and I must say I enjoyed it even a bit more than Smoke and Stone, which already was a good book!
Here the characters just grew in depth and felt a lot more real to me, which in turn made me care a lot more about what would happen to them next. I loved exploring a bit more of the lore and the city, and even though there is in fact little actual plot progression in this book, I was never bored for even one single moment along the way. The dialogue and actions felt more natural and I definitely got a better feel for the whole setting, which let me dive right into the story body and sould and actually live the story with along the characters instead of just reading about them.
This is a Michael R. Fletcher book, which means it is grim and dark and bloody as hell, but as this is a sequel it shouldn't come as a surprise - nevertheless, be warned this series is not for the faint of heart.
I can definitely recommend it wholeheartedly (thankfully my heart is still dagger free, opposed to a lot of poor people in this story!)
This is the second book in the City of Sacrifice series, and I must say I enjoyed it even a bit more than Smoke and Stone, which already was a good book!
Here the characters just grew in depth and felt a lot more real to me, which in turn made me care a lot more about what would happen to them next. I loved exploring a bit more of the lore and the city, and even though there is in fact little actual plot progression in this book, I was never bored for even one single moment along the way. The dialogue and actions felt more natural and I definitely got a better feel for the whole setting, which let me dive right into the story body and sould and actually live the story with along the characters instead of just reading about them.
This is a Michael R. Fletcher book, which means it is grim and dark and bloody as hell, but as this is a sequel it shouldn't come as a surprise - nevertheless, be warned this series is not for the faint of heart.
I can definitely recommend it wholeheartedly (thankfully my heart is still dagger free, opposed to a lot of poor people in this story!)
July 31, 2020
I received an e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Michael R. Fletcher has officially become a must read author for me.
Ash and Bone improves on Smoke and Stone in almost every respect. I feel a much deeper connection to the characters this go around and the world building was absolutely captivating.
I've read three books by Fletcher and this has got to be some of his best writing yet. The epigraphs at the head of each chapter offer not only neat little world building bits, but also some pretty biting commentary on society, religion and government.
Ash and Bones asks some BIG questions. About faith. Humanity. Addiction. Greed. Love. Life. The world and the situations are EXTREME, but the emotions are real and that's what grounds this book for me.
All in all, I loved it. Ash and Bones is gory, dark, brutal, action-packed and it raises the stakes in almost every respect.
Michael R. Fletcher has officially become a must read author for me.
Ash and Bone improves on Smoke and Stone in almost every respect. I feel a much deeper connection to the characters this go around and the world building was absolutely captivating.
I've read three books by Fletcher and this has got to be some of his best writing yet. The epigraphs at the head of each chapter offer not only neat little world building bits, but also some pretty biting commentary on society, religion and government.
Ash and Bones asks some BIG questions. About faith. Humanity. Addiction. Greed. Love. Life. The world and the situations are EXTREME, but the emotions are real and that's what grounds this book for me.
All in all, I loved it. Ash and Bones is gory, dark, brutal, action-packed and it raises the stakes in almost every respect.
December 23, 2020
The war is raging, the journey into this wonderfully conceived world really is an adventure, the scenes with magic are magical, so grim, so dark, so easy to get hooked on...
The action simply continues where the first part ended - no unnecessary repetitions to slow the story too much. However, in spite of all the action, it is somehow too slow. Or it is perhaps the questions that really made my eyes bleed - actually, there are just too many questions, there are so many of them that at some moments I wanted to poke my eyes out and scream "ENOUGH WITH THE F....G QUESTIONS!"
At least 90% of them are completely unnecessary and/or redundant and they really kill the joy of reading, they kill and bury such an imaginative and original story. They underestimate the readers.
I am really looking forward to the next part of the story, but please make/write it without all those boring, repetitive, unnecessary, excessive, redundant, unneeded, useless, uncalled for, purposeless questions...
And yet, I am really looking forward to the next part because I want to see more of this city, this world, its circles, its peoples, its gods, their magic, the battles, and the afterworld...
The action simply continues where the first part ended - no unnecessary repetitions to slow the story too much. However, in spite of all the action, it is somehow too slow. Or it is perhaps the questions that really made my eyes bleed - actually, there are just too many questions, there are so many of them that at some moments I wanted to poke my eyes out and scream "ENOUGH WITH THE F....G QUESTIONS!"
At least 90% of them are completely unnecessary and/or redundant and they really kill the joy of reading, they kill and bury such an imaginative and original story. They underestimate the readers.
I am really looking forward to the next part of the story, but please make/write it without all those boring, repetitive, unnecessary, excessive, redundant, unneeded, useless, uncalled for, purposeless questions...
And yet, I am really looking forward to the next part because I want to see more of this city, this world, its circles, its peoples, its gods, their magic, the battles, and the afterworld...
March 22, 2021
The second act in Fletcher's City of Sacrifice series is as mind-blowing as the first. This is grimdark as an epic journey into the mind. The two lead characters respond to conflict within a pantheon of insane gods in their own personalized ways. One is a willing pawn, and the other wishes to destroy the system. Both are forced to confront fundamental questions about existence and reality, and, of course, the reader is forced into the same confrontations. It's a fun ride, if your idea of fun is to wander through a charged battleground of apocalyptic chaos while being hammered on all sides by powerful forces that threaten every core belief you've ever held. This is a book that forces its way into your brain and rewires all your synapses. Colors look different afterwards. Food tastes different. Madness never smelled so good. I eagerly anticipate the third act!
May 19, 2021
After all of the careful buildup in the first few hundred pages, as well as the promising start to the the climax, the ending felt too anticlimactic for me. Hence why I'm giving this three stars instead of 4.
It's truly an excellent read, otherwise. The characters are as real as ever, and at this stage, you can already connect with them as if you knew them personally.
Akachi heeds the instructions of his god, seeking to kill Efra. In his quest, he discovers what Efra and Nuru have already discovered in Book 1: The gods are not infallible.
The overall story is a touching one, especially the travails of Akachi. It tells of what happens when mortals put their fates in the hands of immortals, allowing themselves to be blindly led on in the name of faith. It's a story of faith, pain, and redemption.
Unfortunately, the ending wasn't satisfactory, in my opinion. So I anticipate the next book, hoping Mr. Fletcher continues to dazzle in this tale of blood, blood, and more blood.
It's truly an excellent read, otherwise. The characters are as real as ever, and at this stage, you can already connect with them as if you knew them personally.
Akachi heeds the instructions of his god, seeking to kill Efra. In his quest, he discovers what Efra and Nuru have already discovered in Book 1: The gods are not infallible.
The overall story is a touching one, especially the travails of Akachi. It tells of what happens when mortals put their fates in the hands of immortals, allowing themselves to be blindly led on in the name of faith. It's a story of faith, pain, and redemption.
Unfortunately, the ending wasn't satisfactory, in my opinion. So I anticipate the next book, hoping Mr. Fletcher continues to dazzle in this tale of blood, blood, and more blood.
July 30, 2020
With double the dose of narcotic-fueled madness, Ash and Bones is a fantastic sequel and solid entry in the City of Sacrifice series.
Mother Death has returned to Bastion after her millennia-long exile beyond its walls in the endless Bloody Desert. Her coming heralds the end of days as the soul-thirsting pantheon of gods that rule over humanity's last city now fight for sole control of its inhabitants. With violent riots led by Mother Death's worshipers, the Loa, engulfing the outer ring, Nuru, the instrument of her return, flees inwards, hunted by the vengeful and fanatical sorcerer, Akachi, who will do anything to save Bastion, no matter the cost.
One of the things I loved about Smoke and Stone was the dual narrative that provided perspectives from both sides of the conflict. I was left torn over who to root for. Ash and Bones left me even more so. Nuru, both appalled and embolden by her actions, seeks to reform Bastion, even if it means returning Mother Death to her seat at the head of the pantheon. She is torn between this and thoughts of a world without the tyrannical rule of gods, the latter of which is constantly encouraged by her companion, Ezra. Akachi, on the other hand (there is an in-book pun in there somewhere), fights to stop both, believing that a world without gods or under Mother Death's reign will destroy what is left of humanity. Both have valued justification in their actions and I felt like a judge in the grimdarkest of debates imaginable as both sides put forward their arguments in blood and death. Even now as I write this review, I find myself contemplating over which of them is more in the right. Or Wrong.
Bearing that in mind, this is a book filled with a lot of inner reflection. I do enjoy moments when characters reflect on their actions and argue their way through their thoughts to further action. However, I felt it was overdone here. It got to the point where it became a little predictable whenever Nuru and Akachi would stop to reflect on what they had done, what is happening and what could happen. Or all in three in many cases. At times, I wanted to skim these sections and just get on with the story. Nonetheless, some of these moments worked extremely well in shaping both characters and pushing the plot forwards.
Ash and Bones also contains some excellent supporting characters. Among these are the devoted Kofi, a Loa stone sorcerer; the seductive yet venomous Omphile, a god-touched assassin, and the fallible Mekokuhle, a captain of the elite warrior cult known as the Turquoise Serpents. Even the gods make appearances, many of which bear the coolest names you will ever find in a fantasy book: Mother Death (of course), Her Skirt is Stars, Southern Hummingbird, Smoking Mirror and Face Painted With Bells to name a few. But, the most interesting of these non-pov characters is without doubt Ezra, who might possibly play as just a pivotal role in the fate of Bastion as both Nuru and Akachi. I would love to see a couple of chapters from her point of view in the third book, if Fletcher is willing to break the dual narrative structure a little.
Having enjoyed the worldbuilding in Smoke and Stone, I loved the further delving into the history of this post-apocalyptic, mesoamerican-inspired world throughout Ash and Bones. Some of the best worldbuilding comes in the form of epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter. Like its predecessor, these are put forward as sections taken from the Book of Bastion (Akachi's chapters) and The Loa Book of the Invisibles (Nuru's chapters). Each epigraph details a particular aspect of Bastion, from its caste system and forms of magic to historical events and history of its various gods and goddesses, culminating in a wealth of worldbuilding that adds a strong sense of age and antiquity. Bastion feels ancient, real and lived in. With every new piece of lore, I found myself filled with more questions. I look forward to learning more about this grimdark world in the final book. It deserves a wiki, maybe even a published lore book. I would happily make space for a Book of Bastion or Book of Invisibles (or an amalgamation of both) on my bookshelf.
Finally, I want to acknowledge the excellent magic system Fletcher has created here which is expertly woven into every aspect of the series. Sorcery is powered through either narcotics or stone, both of which are as much inherent to the conflict at the heart of the plot as the characters. The wielding of such magic results in some truly awesome battles, terrifying moments (one scene down in a church stands out in particular) and trippy dreamlike sequences that left me in awe. I did get a little confused at times with the similar names, especially between tecuhtli, tecolotl and tezcat, and the various narcotics used for different purposes, but there is a detailed glossary at the end of the book to help.
Overall, I really enjoyed Ash and Bones. It has double the dose of narcotic-fueled madness that Smoke and Stone had, and is a solid entry in what is shaping up to become an excellent series. The City of Sacrifice, alongside Fletcher's other current series, The Obsidian Path, have in my opinion proven Fletcher to be one of the best grimdark authors in the fantasy community. I look forward to whatever madness he has planned next. Oh, and just a quick acknowledgement of the stunning cover art by Felix Ortiz. Not only is it very pleasant on the eye, but also truly captures the dark atmosphere of the book.
Many thanks to the author for the approved ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Mother Death has returned to Bastion after her millennia-long exile beyond its walls in the endless Bloody Desert. Her coming heralds the end of days as the soul-thirsting pantheon of gods that rule over humanity's last city now fight for sole control of its inhabitants. With violent riots led by Mother Death's worshipers, the Loa, engulfing the outer ring, Nuru, the instrument of her return, flees inwards, hunted by the vengeful and fanatical sorcerer, Akachi, who will do anything to save Bastion, no matter the cost.
One of the things I loved about Smoke and Stone was the dual narrative that provided perspectives from both sides of the conflict. I was left torn over who to root for. Ash and Bones left me even more so. Nuru, both appalled and embolden by her actions, seeks to reform Bastion, even if it means returning Mother Death to her seat at the head of the pantheon. She is torn between this and thoughts of a world without the tyrannical rule of gods, the latter of which is constantly encouraged by her companion, Ezra. Akachi, on the other hand (there is an in-book pun in there somewhere), fights to stop both, believing that a world without gods or under Mother Death's reign will destroy what is left of humanity. Both have valued justification in their actions and I felt like a judge in the grimdarkest of debates imaginable as both sides put forward their arguments in blood and death. Even now as I write this review, I find myself contemplating over which of them is more in the right. Or Wrong.
Bearing that in mind, this is a book filled with a lot of inner reflection. I do enjoy moments when characters reflect on their actions and argue their way through their thoughts to further action. However, I felt it was overdone here. It got to the point where it became a little predictable whenever Nuru and Akachi would stop to reflect on what they had done, what is happening and what could happen. Or all in three in many cases. At times, I wanted to skim these sections and just get on with the story. Nonetheless, some of these moments worked extremely well in shaping both characters and pushing the plot forwards.
Ash and Bones also contains some excellent supporting characters. Among these are the devoted Kofi, a Loa stone sorcerer; the seductive yet venomous Omphile, a god-touched assassin, and the fallible Mekokuhle, a captain of the elite warrior cult known as the Turquoise Serpents. Even the gods make appearances, many of which bear the coolest names you will ever find in a fantasy book: Mother Death (of course), Her Skirt is Stars, Southern Hummingbird, Smoking Mirror and Face Painted With Bells to name a few. But, the most interesting of these non-pov characters is without doubt Ezra, who might possibly play as just a pivotal role in the fate of Bastion as both Nuru and Akachi. I would love to see a couple of chapters from her point of view in the third book, if Fletcher is willing to break the dual narrative structure a little.
Having enjoyed the worldbuilding in Smoke and Stone, I loved the further delving into the history of this post-apocalyptic, mesoamerican-inspired world throughout Ash and Bones. Some of the best worldbuilding comes in the form of epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter. Like its predecessor, these are put forward as sections taken from the Book of Bastion (Akachi's chapters) and The Loa Book of the Invisibles (Nuru's chapters). Each epigraph details a particular aspect of Bastion, from its caste system and forms of magic to historical events and history of its various gods and goddesses, culminating in a wealth of worldbuilding that adds a strong sense of age and antiquity. Bastion feels ancient, real and lived in. With every new piece of lore, I found myself filled with more questions. I look forward to learning more about this grimdark world in the final book. It deserves a wiki, maybe even a published lore book. I would happily make space for a Book of Bastion or Book of Invisibles (or an amalgamation of both) on my bookshelf.
Finally, I want to acknowledge the excellent magic system Fletcher has created here which is expertly woven into every aspect of the series. Sorcery is powered through either narcotics or stone, both of which are as much inherent to the conflict at the heart of the plot as the characters. The wielding of such magic results in some truly awesome battles, terrifying moments (one scene down in a church stands out in particular) and trippy dreamlike sequences that left me in awe. I did get a little confused at times with the similar names, especially between tecuhtli, tecolotl and tezcat, and the various narcotics used for different purposes, but there is a detailed glossary at the end of the book to help.
Overall, I really enjoyed Ash and Bones. It has double the dose of narcotic-fueled madness that Smoke and Stone had, and is a solid entry in what is shaping up to become an excellent series. The City of Sacrifice, alongside Fletcher's other current series, The Obsidian Path, have in my opinion proven Fletcher to be one of the best grimdark authors in the fantasy community. I look forward to whatever madness he has planned next. Oh, and just a quick acknowledgement of the stunning cover art by Felix Ortiz. Not only is it very pleasant on the eye, but also truly captures the dark atmosphere of the book.
Many thanks to the author for the approved ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 31, 2023
ARC kindly provided by the author.
Let’s start this off by saying, Mike Fletcher is one of my favourites. As an author, he is highly creative, humorous, intelligent, and dark with the best of them. As an Internet personality, he’s a bit of a loose cannon. You should probably be following him on the socials, if not already doing so. Also check out YouTube where you can listen to Mike’s hot metal instrumentals inspired by his books! Super badass!!!!
If you are thinking of picking up his books, I highly recommend each and every one of them to anyone who will listen!
Ash & Bones is part 2 of The City of Sacrifice series. I was thinking of this series to date as Fletcher’s stab at fantasy for normal people. I might need to walk that back. This book contains some dark fuckery and gruesome scenes, in classic Fletcher style.
The story picks up where we left off. The gods of Bastion are at war, fought through their mortal Hearts in both reality as well as narcotic fuelled dreams. The last remaining Heart wins their god the coveted top spot of the pantheon. The people of Bastion pay the gods steep price, as they always have, in their blood, sacrifice, and souls.
Nuru and Efra intend to use their power with hopes to make the world a better place for the long suffering Growers. Akachi is bent on finding Nuru and Efra to act out his gods vengeance and remove their patron gods from the pantheon.
Meanwhile, the gods scheme and manipulate behind the scenes without remorse for their human devotees.
For me, this book took a while to get going. Once it did, the writing was tight and the development of characters and plot kept me glued to the pages.
Formalistically, the story flows much like the original instalment of the series. It looses a few creativity points as it hits a little too closely to Smoke and Stone and feels a bit comfortable. Overall, Ash and Bones was an enjoyable continuation to the story of The City of Sacrifice. I look forward to the next instalment to see who or what prevails!
Let’s start this off by saying, Mike Fletcher is one of my favourites. As an author, he is highly creative, humorous, intelligent, and dark with the best of them. As an Internet personality, he’s a bit of a loose cannon. You should probably be following him on the socials, if not already doing so. Also check out YouTube where you can listen to Mike’s hot metal instrumentals inspired by his books! Super badass!!!!
If you are thinking of picking up his books, I highly recommend each and every one of them to anyone who will listen!
Ash & Bones is part 2 of The City of Sacrifice series. I was thinking of this series to date as Fletcher’s stab at fantasy for normal people. I might need to walk that back. This book contains some dark fuckery and gruesome scenes, in classic Fletcher style.
The story picks up where we left off. The gods of Bastion are at war, fought through their mortal Hearts in both reality as well as narcotic fuelled dreams. The last remaining Heart wins their god the coveted top spot of the pantheon. The people of Bastion pay the gods steep price, as they always have, in their blood, sacrifice, and souls.
Nuru and Efra intend to use their power with hopes to make the world a better place for the long suffering Growers. Akachi is bent on finding Nuru and Efra to act out his gods vengeance and remove their patron gods from the pantheon.
Meanwhile, the gods scheme and manipulate behind the scenes without remorse for their human devotees.
For me, this book took a while to get going. Once it did, the writing was tight and the development of characters and plot kept me glued to the pages.
Formalistically, the story flows much like the original instalment of the series. It looses a few creativity points as it hits a little too closely to Smoke and Stone and feels a bit comfortable. Overall, Ash and Bones was an enjoyable continuation to the story of The City of Sacrifice. I look forward to the next instalment to see who or what prevails!
August 20, 2020
Once again, Michael R. Fletcher delivers an astounding dark tale. A riveting sequel to Smoke and Stone, in which the climatic ending changes everything for Bastion. Read my full review here. Ash and Bones surpasses all expectations, even it’s wildly imagined predecessor.
The true war of gods has begun and the main characters find themselves pawns in the struggle. The magic systems are plentiful and highly imagined. Every character is full of depth and holds a place in the cast. The action, and amazing world-building, from start to finish, had me devour this book in two sittings.
The attacks in the life ring cause untold mayhem and death. The fields that feed the eternal city are burning. There is rioting and the soldiers of Hummingbirds are slaughtering the growers. Our main characters find themselves at war with the gods as they struggle to survive. Discovering who they really are, losing their homes and friends, sends each deep into fear and the search for the power that could save them or damn all of Bastion for eternity.
Nuru, a street sorceress, finds herself the conduit and chosen Heart of Mother Death. Her deadly friend Efra is the chosen Heart of Smoking Mirror. Akachi, priest of Cloud Serpent, finds himself the chosen Heart of his god, ******. The war claims their friends and leaves them at the mercy of strangers of the Loa, whose magic has turned the streets of the outer ring into rivers of blood.
While the Nahual, the clergy, depend on dangerous blends of narcotics to reach their gods, the Loa use the power of emotion channeled through stones. Gradually, while the girls make their way into the inner rings, they form a plan to foil thousands of years of deceit and planning. Even if they must die and enter the underworld to do it and face the gods they must destroy.
This series is a must read for dark fantasy fans. It will take you to insanity and back again. I can’t wait for the next book.
The true war of gods has begun and the main characters find themselves pawns in the struggle. The magic systems are plentiful and highly imagined. Every character is full of depth and holds a place in the cast. The action, and amazing world-building, from start to finish, had me devour this book in two sittings.
The attacks in the life ring cause untold mayhem and death. The fields that feed the eternal city are burning. There is rioting and the soldiers of Hummingbirds are slaughtering the growers. Our main characters find themselves at war with the gods as they struggle to survive. Discovering who they really are, losing their homes and friends, sends each deep into fear and the search for the power that could save them or damn all of Bastion for eternity.
Nuru, a street sorceress, finds herself the conduit and chosen Heart of Mother Death. Her deadly friend Efra is the chosen Heart of Smoking Mirror. Akachi, priest of Cloud Serpent, finds himself the chosen Heart of his god, ******. The war claims their friends and leaves them at the mercy of strangers of the Loa, whose magic has turned the streets of the outer ring into rivers of blood.
While the Nahual, the clergy, depend on dangerous blends of narcotics to reach their gods, the Loa use the power of emotion channeled through stones. Gradually, while the girls make their way into the inner rings, they form a plan to foil thousands of years of deceit and planning. Even if they must die and enter the underworld to do it and face the gods they must destroy.
This series is a must read for dark fantasy fans. It will take you to insanity and back again. I can’t wait for the next book.
August 5, 2020
I genuinely feel like I just got done taking a boat load of magic mushrooms. What a book.
All the gods and their chosen "Hearts" battling it out. God killing daggers and staff's that open the sky. Stone magic and drug magic. As a fantasy fan, it's a dream come true.
But it's also a downer - spotlighting themes of faith, obedience, and loss. How these things can be connected.
On a similar note to Book 1, Ash and Bones ends on a devious note, leaving the reader begging to find out what's next.
All the gods and their chosen "Hearts" battling it out. God killing daggers and staff's that open the sky. Stone magic and drug magic. As a fantasy fan, it's a dream come true.
But it's also a downer - spotlighting themes of faith, obedience, and loss. How these things can be connected.
On a similar note to Book 1, Ash and Bones ends on a devious note, leaving the reader begging to find out what's next.
February 14, 2021
Unlike the first book with its introduction to this unique world's magic system that's so integrated with its active gods, this second really dragged for me. It was just too padded with an excess of character ruminating. The point was well made of the doubts, fears and personal inadequacy our main players have but after it was repeated for page after page...well, I began to skip.
It's also as much a commentary on the human condition and class division of labor as a fantasy story. The injustice of predetermined work and what you have by birth not skill. Plus the plot thread that becomes obvious is how the gods really do nothing for humans but take too much.
Middle books often are the hardest to write but this 500+ pages would have been better with about 2 hundred less.
It's also as much a commentary on the human condition and class division of labor as a fantasy story. The injustice of predetermined work and what you have by birth not skill. Plus the plot thread that becomes obvious is how the gods really do nothing for humans but take too much.
Middle books often are the hardest to write but this 500+ pages would have been better with about 2 hundred less.
August 28, 2021
Really liked Smoke and Stone, the first in this series, and was really looking forward to Ash & Bones. However it just didn't live up to the first. for me the pacing was really off - it seemed to drag, the plot and the characters took an age to really develop. I very nearly DNF'd at about 60%, but glad that I didn't as the ending was awesome and I'm looking forward to how the series will conclude.
June 5, 2025
Oops, I finished this a while ago.
Upped tension, upped stakes, and a lot more crazy. I find it a little too easy to root for one "protagonist" more than the other, but the premise is still wicked cool and more and more revealed with each chapter. The ability for things to suddenly 'get god-level serious' while still having human hosts with human needs and wants means you always have to be ready for anything. Lots to like.
Upped tension, upped stakes, and a lot more crazy. I find it a little too easy to root for one "protagonist" more than the other, but the premise is still wicked cool and more and more revealed with each chapter. The ability for things to suddenly 'get god-level serious' while still having human hosts with human needs and wants means you always have to be ready for anything. Lots to like.
August 22, 2021
It was ok, but I was glad when it was over. I don't think I'll be reading the next book in the series.
November 19, 2020
3.5, rounded to 4. I really, really wanted to like this book more than I did. I adored Smoke and Stone. This book was so exceptionally dark and grim, without much actually *happening* for most of it. The themes of adherence to faith versus choosing one's destiny were strongly represented, but I had a very difficult time staying excited throughout the book.
Ash and Bones is not bad by any means, it just didn't work for me nearly as well as book one.
Ash and Bones is not bad by any means, it just didn't work for me nearly as well as book one.
July 17, 2020
There are films you immediately want to see when you hear a certain actor or director is involved. There are certain items on a menu that you stop looking and order. Michael Fletcher has the same effect on me when I see his name on a story. This book just reinforces that feeling. After finishing Smoke and Stone, the first book in the series, my thought was,”How can he get any better with this?” He answered that question with a roar.
Continuing the story of the city of Bastion, the titanic last metropolis of humanity in an otherwise blasted and sere world; Bastion is walled by multiple massive rings and divided by class, the lower end Growers ( or Dirts) in the outer ring and the priests as the highest class in the inner. The story hits the ground running full tilt after the events of Smoke and Stone, with the two main characters, Nuru and Akachi both vying to complete the tasks of their separate gods to bring about what each interpret as the salvation of Bastion. But are they soldiers in the battle to save the city or pawns at the whim of the gods.
Once again Michael’s bold style and deep characters come right at you like a blast from a furnace and leave you just as breathless. This is some of the finest worldbuilding I have come across in a long time, with a deeply complex pantheon and some incredible and inventive magic that doesn’t overpower the story, rather compliments it perfectly.
I’m not going to comment on how he can top this book, because I know it’s a matter of “when” rather than “if”.
Continuing the story of the city of Bastion, the titanic last metropolis of humanity in an otherwise blasted and sere world; Bastion is walled by multiple massive rings and divided by class, the lower end Growers ( or Dirts) in the outer ring and the priests as the highest class in the inner. The story hits the ground running full tilt after the events of Smoke and Stone, with the two main characters, Nuru and Akachi both vying to complete the tasks of their separate gods to bring about what each interpret as the salvation of Bastion. But are they soldiers in the battle to save the city or pawns at the whim of the gods.
Once again Michael’s bold style and deep characters come right at you like a blast from a furnace and leave you just as breathless. This is some of the finest worldbuilding I have come across in a long time, with a deeply complex pantheon and some incredible and inventive magic that doesn’t overpower the story, rather compliments it perfectly.
I’m not going to comment on how he can top this book, because I know it’s a matter of “when” rather than “if”.
September 16, 2022
The second book in the City of Sacrifice Trilogy did not disappoint.
Starting were we left off in Smoke and Stone, it continues the rollercoaster ride that is Nuru&Efra's journey to destroy the gods as well as Akachi's journey to fight Nuru.
I loved especially the hints to Beyond Redemption and She Dreams in Blood. Although the world is apocalyptic and grim as it gets with Fletcher, there is still some humour and hope to find.
In this book Efra finally grew on me and the main characters gain in depth.
The side characters are there but not really as present as the main three.
"Why men?"asked Nuru "Why do we always think of how high a thing is based on the number of men standing on each other?"
"Women are too smart to stand on top of each other just to see how tall some dumb building is," said Efra "but men .. you know they'll try."
We see even more worldbuilding as the two Dirts travel into the inner rings of the city. Society is divided and shattered.
The struggle of their faith is omni-present.
"True faith is what remains when the gods have taken everything."
Overall a great book; fast-paced, bloody, dirty and action-packed as the first from start to finish.
I am hungry for more and cannot wait for the third one.
Starting were we left off in Smoke and Stone, it continues the rollercoaster ride that is Nuru&Efra's journey to destroy the gods as well as Akachi's journey to fight Nuru.
I loved especially the hints to Beyond Redemption and She Dreams in Blood. Although the world is apocalyptic and grim as it gets with Fletcher, there is still some humour and hope to find.
In this book Efra finally grew on me and the main characters gain in depth.
The side characters are there but not really as present as the main three.
"Why men?"asked Nuru "Why do we always think of how high a thing is based on the number of men standing on each other?"
"Women are too smart to stand on top of each other just to see how tall some dumb building is," said Efra "but men .. you know they'll try."
We see even more worldbuilding as the two Dirts travel into the inner rings of the city. Society is divided and shattered.
The struggle of their faith is omni-present.
"True faith is what remains when the gods have taken everything."
Overall a great book; fast-paced, bloody, dirty and action-packed as the first from start to finish.
I am hungry for more and cannot wait for the third one.
December 10, 2023
Senza alcun dubbio una delle mie saghe preferite!!
Unica, epica, malvagia, mistica, oscura come poche altre..
In questo volume dove tutto si fa più folle, oscuro e triplogiochista, la trama unica e imprevedibile, è riuscita a suscitare in me emozioni simili a quelle di Malazan, nonostante qua si parli di un tomo più corto, racchiuso in un unica enorme città e con soli due punti di vista!
Ma anche così Fletcher è riuscito a creare un cast di personaggi incredibile, unici, imprevedibili, incuranti di ogni cosa, ma al contempo umani, profondamente lacerati e toccanti.. benché ambientato tutto nella città di Bastion, il Worldbuilding è clamoroso, prendendo spunto dalle civiltà mesoamericane, con alcune Rings ancora da scoprire, credo nel terzo arriveremo finalmente a scoprire le meraviglie dei più interni!
Il sistema magico, i sistemi in realtà, sono davvero riusciti.. con molte scene oniriche o allucinate dalle droghe rese graficamente in modo tridimensionale..
Il Pantheon degli dèi è poi qualcosa di divertente, che dà il vero afflato millenario, dato che tutta la loro storia abbraccia 25mila anni e i frammenti che via via di rivelano sono di un epicità e di una malvagità unici!!!
Impossibile non amarlo.. Non vedo l'ora che esca l'ultimo volume a fine anno!!!!
#Fletchermania
Unica, epica, malvagia, mistica, oscura come poche altre..
In questo volume dove tutto si fa più folle, oscuro e triplogiochista, la trama unica e imprevedibile, è riuscita a suscitare in me emozioni simili a quelle di Malazan, nonostante qua si parli di un tomo più corto, racchiuso in un unica enorme città e con soli due punti di vista!
Ma anche così Fletcher è riuscito a creare un cast di personaggi incredibile, unici, imprevedibili, incuranti di ogni cosa, ma al contempo umani, profondamente lacerati e toccanti.. benché ambientato tutto nella città di Bastion, il Worldbuilding è clamoroso, prendendo spunto dalle civiltà mesoamericane, con alcune Rings ancora da scoprire, credo nel terzo arriveremo finalmente a scoprire le meraviglie dei più interni!
Il sistema magico, i sistemi in realtà, sono davvero riusciti.. con molte scene oniriche o allucinate dalle droghe rese graficamente in modo tridimensionale..
Il Pantheon degli dèi è poi qualcosa di divertente, che dà il vero afflato millenario, dato che tutta la loro storia abbraccia 25mila anni e i frammenti che via via di rivelano sono di un epicità e di una malvagità unici!!!
Impossibile non amarlo.. Non vedo l'ora che esca l'ultimo volume a fine anno!!!!
#Fletchermania
September 26, 2020
A lot of sequels spend a good amount of words on reader handholding. They remind the reader of what happened in the previous installment and what all these fantasy terms mean. This book doesn’t do that.
The sense of urgency in this installment is immediately thrust upon the reader: shit is going down, we can’t sit here talking about what just happened because the devastating aftermath is happening all around us. The pacing continues like that for basically the entire book. Even with characters put into positions of just generally not knowing what is true or what’s right to do, they’ve gotta do something. And if you’ve read any of Fletcher’s other work (which you should have if you’re thinking of reading this book, it’s a sequel) you know that his action scenes are grisly and well written. So with that and the balls-to-the-wall pacing, what we have with this book is several hundred pages of an adrenaline packed race through a dark and rapidly crumbling world.
With this sequel Fletcher is rapidly moving up my list of favorite authors. I look forward the next (final?) installment of the series and whatever else he plans to release between now and then.
The sense of urgency in this installment is immediately thrust upon the reader: shit is going down, we can’t sit here talking about what just happened because the devastating aftermath is happening all around us. The pacing continues like that for basically the entire book. Even with characters put into positions of just generally not knowing what is true or what’s right to do, they’ve gotta do something. And if you’ve read any of Fletcher’s other work (which you should have if you’re thinking of reading this book, it’s a sequel) you know that his action scenes are grisly and well written. So with that and the balls-to-the-wall pacing, what we have with this book is several hundred pages of an adrenaline packed race through a dark and rapidly crumbling world.
With this sequel Fletcher is rapidly moving up my list of favorite authors. I look forward the next (final?) installment of the series and whatever else he plans to release between now and then.
July 20, 2020
A truly excellent follow-up. :)
August 11, 2020
I want to give this 5 stars so badly. As a dark, postapocalyptic, mesoamerican inspired fantasy it's masterfully executed. In a world where 90% of fantasy is based on medieval Europe the uniqueness of the world alone would make this stand out. But it's not just unique in its setting, the world feels alive, the culture is well developed, the characters are fleshed out, the story is good, the supernatural stuff is incredibly cool, and most importantly it's fantastic in the truest sense of the word.
But I have a big complaint. Some of the dialogue, particularly with Nuru and Efra, was frustratingly modern. Lots of "fucking" and "pig shit" and "fat boy" and things that reminded me of teenagers in bad tabletop roleplaying games playing edgy characters. This happened to the extent that by the end of the book I dreaded Nuru's chapters because I knew I would be pulled out of the scene at least once. Part of the charm of Nuru's story in the first book was an unpretentious look at how the Dirt lived. They lived in a world of dark gods, blood sacrifice, and mind blowing sorcery that tore wounds in reality but Nuru's family were a bunch of gutterpunks just trying to get by and the dialogue reflected that. They accepted the foundational beliefs of their society, and they aspired to better things but they didn't put on airs. And Efra's charm was that she didn't give a shit about any of the cultural norms. She was her own person, through and through and would tell anyone to go fuck themselves. But for all of that I don't remember ever being pulled out of a scene in the first book. I was completely immersed. But in this book I found myself consistently pulled out of the scene, often so much that it felt like the end of a chapter.
But I have a big complaint. Some of the dialogue, particularly with Nuru and Efra, was frustratingly modern. Lots of "fucking" and "pig shit" and "fat boy" and things that reminded me of teenagers in bad tabletop roleplaying games playing edgy characters. This happened to the extent that by the end of the book I dreaded Nuru's chapters because I knew I would be pulled out of the scene at least once. Part of the charm of Nuru's story in the first book was an unpretentious look at how the Dirt lived. They lived in a world of dark gods, blood sacrifice, and mind blowing sorcery that tore wounds in reality but Nuru's family were a bunch of gutterpunks just trying to get by and the dialogue reflected that. They accepted the foundational beliefs of their society, and they aspired to better things but they didn't put on airs. And Efra's charm was that she didn't give a shit about any of the cultural norms. She was her own person, through and through and would tell anyone to go fuck themselves. But for all of that I don't remember ever being pulled out of a scene in the first book. I was completely immersed. But in this book I found myself consistently pulled out of the scene, often so much that it felt like the end of a chapter.
May 5, 2022
Ash and Bones propels the series forward at a breakneck pace. The "what has come before" section was especially welcome, as book 2 picked up right in the middle of where we left off in Smoke and Stone. In fact I think I would have been lost without it, as it's been a year or so since I read it.
This book expands a hundred fold on the lore of Bastion and the multiverse at large. Fans of the Obsidian Path series should notice hints, easter eggs, and flat out references.
The world is dark, and twisted, but the story is compelling and it always kept me wanting to turn the page and find out what was coming next. Add in the abundant moral and philosophical quandaries and all in all it's a great book, and a must read for fans.
This book expands a hundred fold on the lore of Bastion and the multiverse at large. Fans of the Obsidian Path series should notice hints, easter eggs, and flat out references.
The world is dark, and twisted, but the story is compelling and it always kept me wanting to turn the page and find out what was coming next. Add in the abundant moral and philosophical quandaries and all in all it's a great book, and a must read for fans.
October 5, 2020
For some reason, this didn't work for me - even though I love Fletcher's prose, the terse, compact, straightforward stories he writes, this, in the end, felt like a chore. External and internal descriptions repated over and over with two teenage heroes, who are filled with doubt, and nothing but doubt. Like two grey, soaked, sorry rats hitting the walls of an empty ship, called Bastion, in and endless storm.
March 18, 2022
whoa.
I’m shook. This book was intense, I found myself flinching and looking away so as not to see some of the atrocities, so vivid we’re the descriptions. Despite that, there are characters that I love, and care about deeply. A cause that I can get behind, and hope that the protagonists are successful in their mission. The world building and magic system is flawless. Epic fantasy done right.
I’m shook. This book was intense, I found myself flinching and looking away so as not to see some of the atrocities, so vivid we’re the descriptions. Despite that, there are characters that I love, and care about deeply. A cause that I can get behind, and hope that the protagonists are successful in their mission. The world building and magic system is flawless. Epic fantasy done right.
June 20, 2021
It stayed fun! My review of the first one still stands, as it was more a review of the series. In this one the various avatars of the gods collect more magic juju DBZ style, sometimes at the cost of appendages.
Who will triumph? Who will be ate? Find out on the next episode of City-- of-- Sacrifice!
But like, in the voice of the DBZ announcer guy. You know.
Who will triumph? Who will be ate? Find out on the next episode of City-- of-- Sacrifice!
But like, in the voice of the DBZ announcer guy. You know.
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