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Ashes of the Urn #1
The Turquoise Serpent
Sharp swords ring and dark magic crackles! In this tense, high-speed story, an exiled warrior and a disfavored wizard find themselves stranded deep in the kingdom of a forgotten god. To survive, they will need overcome enemy soldiers, mythical beasts, a dark god, and their own hatred for each other - and even that might not be enough.
160 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 9, 2020
19 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 4, 2024
The Mesoamerican flavoring is there but not overwhelming, forming a layer on top of a perfectly serviceable lost-city type story, where travelers are drawn in to an enclosed society and have to navigate the strange rules and secrets. There is of course an arena battle for one of them, because it is not a lost city story without that feature.
And the reader reaches the three-quarter mark and starts to look for the plot twist to the scenario. Nothing is as straightforward as it seems. If there is a surprise in this space it is that the female lead is not a romantic interest, or at least it does not play out in that direction.
The dynamic between Tezca and Cayucali was interesting--the story starts with Tezca's arms badly broken, courtesy a crippling attack by Cayucali--but the sequence of the story separates them so their mutual respect crashes together when the plot demands it. Hopefully the sequel gets to revisit the situation and to see how Xhoc fits into it.
And the reader reaches the three-quarter mark and starts to look for the plot twist to the scenario. Nothing is as straightforward as it seems. If there is a surprise in this space it is that the female lead is not a romantic interest, or at least it does not play out in that direction.
The dynamic between Tezca and Cayucali was interesting--the story starts with Tezca's arms badly broken, courtesy a crippling attack by Cayucali--but the sequence of the story separates them so their mutual respect crashes together when the plot demands it. Hopefully the sequel gets to revisit the situation and to see how Xhoc fits into it.
March 21, 2023
Nice Latin American setting for this sword and sorcery tale. The main problem I had is the warrior character was pretty much a captive the entire story. It set up well for upcoming books, as I have the second one ready to go. I have a feeling it will be a good one..
July 22, 2024
This story had plenty of good action and it was set in an interesting world for me since I don't know much about Mesoamerican mythology and culture. The characters had enough personality to feel real and not too much backstory to drag the pacing down. Looking forward to reading the next book.
September 20, 2021
A rousing tale of swords and sorcery, and an enjoyable adventure from start to finish. I look forward to the next entry in the story!
May 22, 2023
About as good as sword and sorcery gets these days. Jane Gaskell as told by Robert E. Howard. That this was written in 2020 and not 1980 gives me hope for mankind. Warmly recommended.
November 10, 2022
I read this on a whim and am so glad I did. I’m familiar with and enjoy classic sword and sorcery and was pleasantly surprised to find a modern author put his own unique mark on the genre. It managed to feel familiar and fresh at the same time.
I’ve checked once a week since I finished it a year ago on a publish date for a sequel, and reread #1 immediately before diving into the latest installment. It not only held up but was more enjoyable to revisit than the first go through. Felt like being reunited with old friends.
Highly recommend.
I’ve checked once a week since I finished it a year ago on a publish date for a sequel, and reread #1 immediately before diving into the latest installment. It not only held up but was more enjoyable to revisit than the first go through. Felt like being reunited with old friends.
Highly recommend.
November 2, 2022
Fantastic, action-packed story of the sword and sorcery variety. Loved the Mesoamerican setting. Couldn’t put it down.
July 17, 2023
Pretty decent pulp: like a Mexican or Central American Conan story. Will read book 2 next.
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August 7, 2023This is actually my first novel length sword and sorcery and I loved it. Look forward to seeing what Palacio does in the sequel and hope he keeps the series going for a little while at least.
November 17, 2024
The Turquoise Serpent by Alexander Palacio
Ashes of the Urn Book One
Paperback
2020
155 pages
I cannot remember how I stumbled across this book initially. When asked about it in a FB group quite a few people said that they enjoyed it. One person in particular reached out privately, warning me about the author's personal leanings. While I appreciated the warning, it didn't sway my judgment. Too much is made about that sort of thing today and we should all stop.
The book is a smaller trade paperback with a matte cover. I personally do not like this type of cover and wonder why more authors don't spring for the glossy cover. The chapters are brief, about three to four pages long, and each has a title.
Cayucali is an older man. A veteran. A warrior. An exile. A captive. He is being escorted to the capitol for execution. I do not recall why he has broken his exile. Nor why he was exiled. I don't think it was made clear. The story begins after he has trounced the squad of soldiers and their mage. As the story progresses Cayucali and the mage Tezca become guests in Kalak Mool. Tezca is feted and selected for a high honor while Cayucali is forced to fight in the arena for his life. The two realize that their fate is intertwined and eventually seek to escape the Turquoise Serpent.
The Turquoise Serpent is revered as a god. It very well may be however it can only be called upon during specific times. It does not inhabit our world. Ritual sacrifice feeds this thing.
The wizardry practiced by Tezca and his people is sigilry and the use of symbols. This takes time and preparation. The priests of the Turquoise Serpent use the power in blood. This type of sorcery is much more potent. It is brought up that this type of sorcery is dangerous, but it is never made clear exactly how.
I found that The Turquoise Serpent was an entertaining read. The brevity of the chapters made this an easy read between tasks or on break at work. The story, however, was pretty bare. I was left with quite a few questions at the end of the book. Perhaps I will find answers to some of them in the sequel The Flowers of the Moon.
Ashes of the Urn Book One
Paperback
2020
155 pages
I cannot remember how I stumbled across this book initially. When asked about it in a FB group quite a few people said that they enjoyed it. One person in particular reached out privately, warning me about the author's personal leanings. While I appreciated the warning, it didn't sway my judgment. Too much is made about that sort of thing today and we should all stop.
The book is a smaller trade paperback with a matte cover. I personally do not like this type of cover and wonder why more authors don't spring for the glossy cover. The chapters are brief, about three to four pages long, and each has a title.
Cayucali is an older man. A veteran. A warrior. An exile. A captive. He is being escorted to the capitol for execution. I do not recall why he has broken his exile. Nor why he was exiled. I don't think it was made clear. The story begins after he has trounced the squad of soldiers and their mage. As the story progresses Cayucali and the mage Tezca become guests in Kalak Mool. Tezca is feted and selected for a high honor while Cayucali is forced to fight in the arena for his life. The two realize that their fate is intertwined and eventually seek to escape the Turquoise Serpent.
The Turquoise Serpent is revered as a god. It very well may be however it can only be called upon during specific times. It does not inhabit our world. Ritual sacrifice feeds this thing.
The wizardry practiced by Tezca and his people is sigilry and the use of symbols. This takes time and preparation. The priests of the Turquoise Serpent use the power in blood. This type of sorcery is much more potent. It is brought up that this type of sorcery is dangerous, but it is never made clear exactly how.
I found that The Turquoise Serpent was an entertaining read. The brevity of the chapters made this an easy read between tasks or on break at work. The story, however, was pretty bare. I was left with quite a few questions at the end of the book. Perhaps I will find answers to some of them in the sequel The Flowers of the Moon.
January 10, 2024
This was a fun read that flew right by. I'm not as familiar with Conan as I am with, say, Edgar Rice Burroughs, but this book reminded me of the best parts of that genre. Palacio is here to tell you a fun, satisfying adventure story, not show off his intricate worldbuilding or subvert genre tropes. The setting is actually pretty unique (though I don't know why; sword and sandal + Mesoamerica seems like an obvious pairing) and there's a distinct lack of both the nihilism and sleaze that plagues older fantasy novels.
The part I loved the most was the characters. Cayucali is a fantastic warrior, blunt and hot-tempered, agnostic in a world full of passionate cultists, but unlike Conan he has this tired Dad affect, and there are hints he may find something worth praying to someday. Tezca was the character who impressed me the most because I think he easily could have been insufferable, either too much of a brat or too nice for me to buy his flirtation with the dark side. He manages to walk that line, and I can't wait to see where he goes in the next book. Xhoc and Zolin were compelling in their roles, and I really wanted them both to make it. Itzamma, like Tezca, walked a fine line, creepy but still convincing as a tempter. The condor had just the kind of magical mystique I love in fantasy--there may be rules, but there's no system this creature is beholden to.
I'm excited to see where this series goes!
The part I loved the most was the characters. Cayucali is a fantastic warrior, blunt and hot-tempered, agnostic in a world full of passionate cultists, but unlike Conan he has this tired Dad affect, and there are hints he may find something worth praying to someday. Tezca was the character who impressed me the most because I think he easily could have been insufferable, either too much of a brat or too nice for me to buy his flirtation with the dark side. He manages to walk that line, and I can't wait to see where he goes in the next book. Xhoc and Zolin were compelling in their roles, and I really wanted them both to make it. Itzamma, like Tezca, walked a fine line, creepy but still convincing as a tempter. The condor had just the kind of magical mystique I love in fantasy--there may be rules, but there's no system this creature is beholden to.
I'm excited to see where this series goes!
March 2, 2023
Palacio conjures up the familiar feel of classic sword and sorcery and draws you into a Meso-American setting with a unique feel. His style fits in with the newpub wave of authors reaching back to the pulp roots of action adventure, which is a good thing.
Exposition is sparse, which is both a strength and a drawback. I wanted a deeper background to the character of the retired warlord Cayucali, who (without bringing up spoilers) seems oddly at easy with a dangerous situation. Since the Meso-American setting is not familiar to me I found that some things that could be mentioned without explanation in a proto-European theater left me wanting further description. This is not a fatal flaw, and it creates an air of mystery. And to be fair, the descriptions he does have are well done. For example, one scene brings the beauty and danger of a jungle alive.
The flip side of this is the speed at which the story unfolds. Palacio’s solid plot and engaging (and sometimes infuriating) characters never bore. He has a solid grasp of the spirit of sword and sorcery, and no page goes by without an air of mystery and danger.
The Turquoise Serpent is a short, stonking fun, ripping fast adventure. I’ve already picked up book two.
5/5
Exposition is sparse, which is both a strength and a drawback. I wanted a deeper background to the character of the retired warlord Cayucali, who (without bringing up spoilers) seems oddly at easy with a dangerous situation. Since the Meso-American setting is not familiar to me I found that some things that could be mentioned without explanation in a proto-European theater left me wanting further description. This is not a fatal flaw, and it creates an air of mystery. And to be fair, the descriptions he does have are well done. For example, one scene brings the beauty and danger of a jungle alive.
The flip side of this is the speed at which the story unfolds. Palacio’s solid plot and engaging (and sometimes infuriating) characters never bore. He has a solid grasp of the spirit of sword and sorcery, and no page goes by without an air of mystery and danger.
The Turquoise Serpent is a short, stonking fun, ripping fast adventure. I’ve already picked up book two.
5/5
March 9, 2024
My first sword and sorcery novel; I'm glad I read it. I call literary fiction "nothing stories" because "nothing" much happens. This was the opposite. This was genre. Things happened, and I found that so refreshing. The characters establish themselves as dimensional individuals by their actions and dialogues. The world-building is believable. Motivations and backstories are hinted at but left for further instalments. It helps that the writing is beautiful.
December 11, 2022
While the story itself is a fine sword & sorcery tale, I could not find the soul of the writing and so was not ever drawn in. So, it took me about a month to finish such a short book. The mesoamerican inspired world is pretty cool, though.
February 21, 2023
An excellent book that honestly reminds me of buddy cop movies more than Conan, which was what I initially expected. The only reason I marked it down at all is because of a few notable errors missed in editing. Ideally, I’d have given it 4.5 for those, but that’s not an option on GR.
January 19, 2024
Great story in a gritty world!
Great story! Can't wait to continue to explore this Meso-American fantasy land! The characters are great but I can't remember how to spell them!
Great story! Can't wait to continue to explore this Meso-American fantasy land! The characters are great but I can't remember how to spell them!
June 26, 2025
Not bad. A quick, enjoyable read. Will read the sequel.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews