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The Frostmarked Chronicles #2
The Trials of Ascension
Salvation does not come without sacrifice.
Rise. Otylia will never forget the betrayer’s blade slicing across her throat. Nor will she forgive.
Trapped by Weles in the underworld of Nawia, she is further from Wacław and Dziewanna than ever. The Trials of Ascension are Otylia’s only hope to escape her father’s grasp, but is she ready to pay the price of immortality?
Fall. Wacław would do anything to get Otylia back. But no demon has ever entered Nawia’s paradise.
Marching west with the nomadic clans, Wacław senses the darkness inside him growing with his power. As Marzanna threatens his hopes of saving both Otylia and his tribe, will he surrender to the demon’s call or resist as the world he knows burns before him?
Immerse yourself in Slavic mythological realms both new and old as The Frostmarked Chronicles continue in the dramatic sequel to A Dagger in the Winds.
Rise. Otylia will never forget the betrayer’s blade slicing across her throat. Nor will she forgive.
Trapped by Weles in the underworld of Nawia, she is further from Wacław and Dziewanna than ever. The Trials of Ascension are Otylia’s only hope to escape her father’s grasp, but is she ready to pay the price of immortality?
Fall. Wacław would do anything to get Otylia back. But no demon has ever entered Nawia’s paradise.
Marching west with the nomadic clans, Wacław senses the darkness inside him growing with his power. As Marzanna threatens his hopes of saving both Otylia and his tribe, will he surrender to the demon’s call or resist as the world he knows burns before him?
Immerse yourself in Slavic mythological realms both new and old as The Frostmarked Chronicles continue in the dramatic sequel to A Dagger in the Winds.
- GenresFantasy
ebook
Published November 23, 2021
7 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Brendan Noble
17 books100 followersBrendan Noble is an American epic fantasy author writing epic fantasy with inspiration from his Polish ancestry, mythology, video games of all types, and Dungeons & Dragons. He loves to explore the complexities of politics and the gray between good and evil.
Shortly after beginning his writing career in 2019, Brendan married his wife Andrea and moved to Rockford, Illinois from his hometown in Michigan. Since then, he has published three series: The Realm Reachers, The Frostmarked Chronicles, and The Prism Files.
Outside of writing, Brendan is a data analyst and soccer referee. His top interests include German, Polish, and American soccer/football, Formula 1, analyzing political elections across the world, playing extremely nerdy strategy video games, exploring with his wife, and reading.
Shortly after beginning his writing career in 2019, Brendan married his wife Andrea and moved to Rockford, Illinois from his hometown in Michigan. Since then, he has published three series: The Realm Reachers, The Frostmarked Chronicles, and The Prism Files.
Outside of writing, Brendan is a data analyst and soccer referee. His top interests include German, Polish, and American soccer/football, Formula 1, analyzing political elections across the world, playing extremely nerdy strategy video games, exploring with his wife, and reading.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 14, 2021
This is a tale of love and dominance, of hurts and approval, of what lengths the gods will go, to avenge a perceived wrong done to them, but through a different perspective. Interesting and complex, this book brings in myths and legends of a culture that's not familiar to me, yet had me wanting nothing more than to find out more. It basically centres on Otylia and Warclaw, one a direct descendant of a goddess, the other, a demon. Their love and friendship is tested to the brink when Otylia is captured by her father and taken to his realm. Warclaw vows to rescue her, even journeying to a place forbidden to his kind. But he knows, not only does he need to free Otylia for himself, the realm needs her to stop the Horde from taking over the world and destroying everything and everyone in it's path. I loved his character, his love for Otylia, his determination to stop Marzanna, his whole demeanor, which is so at odds with how a demon should behave. The more I read, the more I loved Warclaw, demon or not, he's one hell of dude! Otylia, trapped and desperate to escape the underworld, is told, the only way out, is through the trial of Ascension but she is suspicious of Weles and his motives. What ensues is spectacular, full of emotions, impending doom, betrayal and despair. So interwoven with folkore and myths, I found myself holding my breath at each of Otylia's trials and as Warclaw finally submits. What does he submit to, you might be asking, but that would be a major spoiler! Overcoming one situation, only opens them both up to more, even worse events. The world I found myself in, was so beautifully crafted, so many different aspects come to life, the underworld is unlike any I've read before, magnificent. God's, goddesses and demons, some fight for dominance, whilst some will do anything to stop the carnage. I'm rooting for Otylia and Warclaw to succeed and I can't wait for the next chapter in this phenomenal tale
January 30, 2025
There was an immediate and overwhelming sense of familiarity and astonishment as I delved into the universe of The Trials of Ascension. The level of beauty, peril, and intricacy in this cosmos has been raised to new heights by Brendan Noble.
The cover itself, perhaps more suited to a younger audience, reminded me of Brandon Sanderson's 'The Well of Ascension' - which I absolutely love - and the massive quality of the work is nothing short of that.
The second book in The Frostmarked Chronicles follows Otylia's adventures, and I was excited to see how she would cope with the Nawia underworld. Imprisoned, her determination to survive shines through and is admirable. Her quest for freedom through the Trials of Ascension is as much a test of physical survival as a test of inner strength and belief. The stakes were incredibly high, and the emotional weight of her journey resonated deeply within me.
Opposite this gripping narrative stands Wacław, Otylia's devoted companion. His unwavering quest to save her serves as a testament to a love that recognizes no limits. As he strides west alongside the nomadic clans, I could sense his internal battle against the dark power burgeoning within him. The conflict between his desire for Otylia's salvation and the irresistible summons of a demon, is painted magnificently, and I am left wondering how far one will go for love.
Both Otylia and Wacław undergo remarkable growth arcs in this work. No longer the naive teenagers I met in the first book, they develop into complex individuals shaped by their experiences and the harsh realities of their world. This transformation is beautifully rendered and adds a layer of authenticity to their struggles and triumphs.
Brendan Noble's prose is once again nothing short of compelling, his world-building is rich and complex. The way he brings Nawia to life and explores the inner turmoil of his characters is simply captivating. Noble intersperses microscopic moments that give the book depth and richness—characters experiencing oranges, yoghurt, mirrors, and volcanoes for the first time and responding with an intense sense of curiosity and wonder. Such moments work to highlight the innocence of the characters about the huge world outside their limited horizons. Moreover, the social convention that keeps the majority ignorant of reading and writing—because "words have power"—brings an interesting element of depth to the world-building.
The other heart-wrenching theme of the book is an exploration of sorrow and loneliness. Both protagonists struggle with loss so profound, setting out on journeys that navigate the feelings that follow such occurrences. The tangible feeling of loneliness that surrounds them in their respective endeavours feels very real to me, and I find myself able to relate to their cause.
This is the core of the book's theme: salvation requires sacrifice.
My hopes for this follow-up were high, driven by the great fun that I had reading the original work, and I am pleased to say that The Trials of Ascension not only met but far exceeded them in astronomical ways. Noble's ability to create a story that is as emotionally devastating as it is thrilling says a lot about his skills as a writer.
I highly recommend The Trials of Ascension to anyone who enjoys epic fantasy with mythological elements, complex characters and a plot that makes you lose track of time. This book is a must-read for fans of fantasy and is a leap in quality from the first book in the series.
I would like to thank Brendan Noble for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | FOLLOW ME on Goodreads | HIRE ME as your Beta Reader | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM
The cover itself, perhaps more suited to a younger audience, reminded me of Brandon Sanderson's 'The Well of Ascension' - which I absolutely love - and the massive quality of the work is nothing short of that.
The second book in The Frostmarked Chronicles follows Otylia's adventures, and I was excited to see how she would cope with the Nawia underworld. Imprisoned, her determination to survive shines through and is admirable. Her quest for freedom through the Trials of Ascension is as much a test of physical survival as a test of inner strength and belief. The stakes were incredibly high, and the emotional weight of her journey resonated deeply within me.
Opposite this gripping narrative stands Wacław, Otylia's devoted companion. His unwavering quest to save her serves as a testament to a love that recognizes no limits. As he strides west alongside the nomadic clans, I could sense his internal battle against the dark power burgeoning within him. The conflict between his desire for Otylia's salvation and the irresistible summons of a demon, is painted magnificently, and I am left wondering how far one will go for love.
Both Otylia and Wacław undergo remarkable growth arcs in this work. No longer the naive teenagers I met in the first book, they develop into complex individuals shaped by their experiences and the harsh realities of their world. This transformation is beautifully rendered and adds a layer of authenticity to their struggles and triumphs.
Brendan Noble's prose is once again nothing short of compelling, his world-building is rich and complex. The way he brings Nawia to life and explores the inner turmoil of his characters is simply captivating. Noble intersperses microscopic moments that give the book depth and richness—characters experiencing oranges, yoghurt, mirrors, and volcanoes for the first time and responding with an intense sense of curiosity and wonder. Such moments work to highlight the innocence of the characters about the huge world outside their limited horizons. Moreover, the social convention that keeps the majority ignorant of reading and writing—because "words have power"—brings an interesting element of depth to the world-building.
The other heart-wrenching theme of the book is an exploration of sorrow and loneliness. Both protagonists struggle with loss so profound, setting out on journeys that navigate the feelings that follow such occurrences. The tangible feeling of loneliness that surrounds them in their respective endeavours feels very real to me, and I find myself able to relate to their cause.
This is the core of the book's theme: salvation requires sacrifice.
My hopes for this follow-up were high, driven by the great fun that I had reading the original work, and I am pleased to say that The Trials of Ascension not only met but far exceeded them in astronomical ways. Noble's ability to create a story that is as emotionally devastating as it is thrilling says a lot about his skills as a writer.
I highly recommend The Trials of Ascension to anyone who enjoys epic fantasy with mythological elements, complex characters and a plot that makes you lose track of time. This book is a must-read for fans of fantasy and is a leap in quality from the first book in the series.
I would like to thank Brendan Noble for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | FOLLOW ME on Goodreads | HIRE ME as your Beta Reader | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM
November 11, 2021
The second book in the series was even better than the first. The author dives deep into the lives and relationships of the Slavic deities. I didn't realize it at first, but the sections follow Otylia's trials to her own godhood. As she veers closer to this forced goal, Wacław takes on more of his demonic side. I loved the contrast between what the two of them undergo - to opposites, but they still try to hold onto what will keep them together. So much adventure and revelations in the book. This is a book you'll want to add to your collection... and move up on your TBR list.
August 16, 2022
Amazing seties
This was a brilliant book which is book two of a fantastic series. It's brilliantly written its a story of adventure, magic, war, its truly a amazing series a must read !!
This was a brilliant book which is book two of a fantastic series. It's brilliantly written its a story of adventure, magic, war, its truly a amazing series a must read !!
December 10, 2021
The Trials of Ascension is the second novel in the Frostmarked Chronicles. This is the second novel I have read by Brendan Noble. Hard to believe but it is even better than the first. This novel had a great story line, building upon the characters introduced in the preceding novel. The author’s continues to display showed maturation in his writing from his previous novel, the current novel flowed wonderfully, keeping you engaged from the beginning. The foreshadowing led me to draw some conclusions but I was proved wrong at every turn! The novel was thrilling throughout. And I can’t wait to read the next novel in the series. In this second book of an epic fantasy adventure rooted in Slavic mythology, dive into a new world featuring powerful gods, menacing beasts and demons, friends to enemies to lovers romance, a group of traveling friends, and plenty of secrets to uncover. I received this novel through StoryOrigins and this is my honest review. The opinions are all my own.
December 31, 2021
Thank you so much @brendan_noble_author for sending me the book.
ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ:
This is the second book in "The Frostmarked Chronicles" by Brendan Noble. I was thrilled to receive the arc as I've been waiting to read book 2 since I read "A Dagger in the winds" (Book 1).
This book is even better than the first one.The book is divided into 4 parts with a beautiful artwork in the begining of each section giving you a glimpse of what could happen next, in the story. The story's pacing was perfect and as the first book had already made me deeply care for the characters I was hooked to reading it right from the beginning. The switch between Waclaw and Otylia's POV was the best part of the book. I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed reading each chapter. The forshadowing and the cleverly placed plot twists definitely makes it a gripping read.
ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ:
This is the second book in "The Frostmarked Chronicles" by Brendan Noble. I was thrilled to receive the arc as I've been waiting to read book 2 since I read "A Dagger in the winds" (Book 1).
This book is even better than the first one.The book is divided into 4 parts with a beautiful artwork in the begining of each section giving you a glimpse of what could happen next, in the story. The story's pacing was perfect and as the first book had already made me deeply care for the characters I was hooked to reading it right from the beginning. The switch between Waclaw and Otylia's POV was the best part of the book. I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed reading each chapter. The forshadowing and the cleverly placed plot twists definitely makes it a gripping read.
February 20, 2025
2.5 stars. This one is sooooo long, it really dragged for me. The writing style has kind of a choppy feel and all the internal dialog of the main characters feels really repetitive. The thing that bothers me the most is the nebulous nature of the magic system - it’s impossible to know what’s the normal expectation, so I have no idea what a character should or shouldn’t be able to do. It just seems like they can pull any magical feat out of a hat, except when they inexplicably can’t. It does feel like the author understands the system well - the world building does seem like it’s been thoroughly done - but it’s not at all clear to the reader even if we should be worried or not. Definitely don’t need to read book 3. That said, the characters' growth arc is good and I appreciate that.
December 31, 2021
I enjoyed this just as much as the first one, the trials and Otylia's journey was fantastic 😊
July 16, 2022
Ratings - 3.8⭐/5
#qotd: Ever heard of a love story between a demon and goddess?
Well that's what you'll read in the trials of ascension.
This is the second installment of the frostmarked chronicles.
In first book we were introduced with all the characters and the gods that they worshipped. In the continuation of the story we will come to know more about Otylia, the female protagonist who needs to succeed four trials in order to Ascend and become a goddess. On the other hand, Waclaw is struggling to cling to his humanity and not give in to his demonic side which could very well doom him.
Both Character Development and world building was splendid. A lot of mystery about the main characters family and background were unveiled. Keeping track of all the gods was a bit hard for me. A lot of killing and action was also part of the story. Now I want to see how Otylia and Waclaw will fight evils together and save their lands when they have their own big problems to deal with.
#qotd: Ever heard of a love story between a demon and goddess?
Well that's what you'll read in the trials of ascension.
This is the second installment of the frostmarked chronicles.
In first book we were introduced with all the characters and the gods that they worshipped. In the continuation of the story we will come to know more about Otylia, the female protagonist who needs to succeed four trials in order to Ascend and become a goddess. On the other hand, Waclaw is struggling to cling to his humanity and not give in to his demonic side which could very well doom him.
Both Character Development and world building was splendid. A lot of mystery about the main characters family and background were unveiled. Keeping track of all the gods was a bit hard for me. A lot of killing and action was also part of the story. Now I want to see how Otylia and Waclaw will fight evils together and save their lands when they have their own big problems to deal with.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews