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The War Eternal #3
From Cold Ashes Risen
The Corpse Queen Comes.
Eskara has lost everything. The War Eternal has cost her everything she loves, and the Iron Legion has taken the rest. Yet there is something that is still hers, something that kept her warm during her time in the Pit. Anger and a lust for vengeance. First on the list of those who must pay, the Emperor of Terrelan.
Her friends counsel peace, but her inner demons push for war, and Eska finds herself caught in the middle. Will she find a way to reap her vengeance? Or will the enemies of her past catch up to her first? One thing is certain. The world will soon know fear when the Corpse Queen ascends her throne.
The stunning continuation to The War Eternal trilogy sees Eska facing her most dangerous enemies yet, both within and without. Perfect for fans of Patrick Rothfuss and Mark Lawrence.
Eskara has lost everything. The War Eternal has cost her everything she loves, and the Iron Legion has taken the rest. Yet there is something that is still hers, something that kept her warm during her time in the Pit. Anger and a lust for vengeance. First on the list of those who must pay, the Emperor of Terrelan.
Her friends counsel peace, but her inner demons push for war, and Eska finds herself caught in the middle. Will she find a way to reap her vengeance? Or will the enemies of her past catch up to her first? One thing is certain. The world will soon know fear when the Corpse Queen ascends her throne.
The stunning continuation to The War Eternal trilogy sees Eska facing her most dangerous enemies yet, both within and without. Perfect for fans of Patrick Rothfuss and Mark Lawrence.
446 pages, Hardcover
First published May 26, 2020
273 people are currently reading
1285 people want to read
About the author
Rob J. Hayes
45 books1,917 followersWinner of Mark Lawrence's 3rd Self Published Fantasy Blog Off (SPFBO) with Where Loyalties Lie
Rob J. Hayes has been a student, a banker, a marine research assistant, a chef, and a keyboard monkey more times than he cares to count. But eventually his love of fantasy and reading drew him to the life of a writer. He’s the author of the Amazon Best Selling The Heresy Within, the SPFBO-winning piratical swashbuckler Where Loyalties Lie, and the critically acclaimed Never Die.
Rob J. Hayes has been a student, a banker, a marine research assistant, a chef, and a keyboard monkey more times than he cares to count. But eventually his love of fantasy and reading drew him to the life of a writer. He’s the author of the Amazon Best Selling The Heresy Within, the SPFBO-winning piratical swashbuckler Where Loyalties Lie, and the critically acclaimed Never Die.
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August 15, 2020
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Hayes not only managed to have a powerful entry into the trilogy, overcome the second book slump, but he also ended the trilogy greatly! This is one of the best trilogies I have ever read! People always ask me what adult books that are not intimidating they can read and I am going to start recommending this series more and more.
As in last book, this novel takes place after the events of the last book, and since book 2 ended with a cliffhanger, this one starts strongly and it has many action scenes.
I am really impressed by Hayes ability to write characters, the psychological aspect is one of the best I have ever read. I just feel the characters, I literally had goosebumps at some parts of the book. Hayes decided to be brutal though and say goodbye to some characters but we don’t talk about heartbreaks here!
I also think the writing in this one was the best in the trilogy, I highlighted many quotes and I am certainly reading all of Hayes future books! The memory thing was smart to get us into a second POV, the only criticism I have for this book is that the 1st person POV although well done, sometimes did not give me the opportunity to feel the other secondary characters and instead we got told how they felt and acted.
The story line ends with this entry and all the plot lines are closed. The good surprise is that the trilogy ended but the author mentioned that there will be 2 more books in the series and I am already excited for those.
Summary: A great ending to a great trilogy, with fleshed out characters, excellent writing, interesting plot and world-building. This trilogy shows that self published books can be as good and even better than traditionally published books. I am keeping an eye on Hayes’ future books for sure!
You can get more books from Book Depository
“Let me assure you, regardless of whether you give your war a fancy name like The War Eternal, it is still a war; and the people who will suffer most from it are those caught in the middle.”
Hayes not only managed to have a powerful entry into the trilogy, overcome the second book slump, but he also ended the trilogy greatly! This is one of the best trilogies I have ever read! People always ask me what adult books that are not intimidating they can read and I am going to start recommending this series more and more.
As in last book, this novel takes place after the events of the last book, and since book 2 ended with a cliffhanger, this one starts strongly and it has many action scenes.
I am really impressed by Hayes ability to write characters, the psychological aspect is one of the best I have ever read. I just feel the characters, I literally had goosebumps at some parts of the book. Hayes decided to be brutal though and say goodbye to some characters but we don’t talk about heartbreaks here!
I also think the writing in this one was the best in the trilogy, I highlighted many quotes and I am certainly reading all of Hayes future books! The memory thing was smart to get us into a second POV, the only criticism I have for this book is that the 1st person POV although well done, sometimes did not give me the opportunity to feel the other secondary characters and instead we got told how they felt and acted.
The story line ends with this entry and all the plot lines are closed. The good surprise is that the trilogy ended but the author mentioned that there will be 2 more books in the series and I am already excited for those.
Summary: A great ending to a great trilogy, with fleshed out characters, excellent writing, interesting plot and world-building. This trilogy shows that self published books can be as good and even better than traditionally published books. I am keeping an eye on Hayes’ future books for sure!
You can get more books from Book Depository
August 21, 2020
The War Eternal series by Rob J. Hayes has been such a delight to read from beginning to heart-stopping end. The fact that all three volumes of this trilogy were released within a month of each other only added to my enjoyment because there wasn't a lot of refresher needed as I progressed through each new book. When I first delved into this series I had an hunch that it would be one of my very favorites, but I didn't understand just how much so until I got further entrenched in Rob's intoxicating new world. I've said before that I don't understand how Rob Hayes doesn't seem to slip when it comes to putting out a brand new series, and I stand by that statement wholeheartedly after reading the final entry FROM COLD ASHES RISEN.
The book picks up pretty much immediately following the events that concluded book 2, and there is a great deal of turmoil and uncertainty when we join Eska and her friends once again. She has faced about as much pain and adversity as any main character I've ever encountered and yet she is still standing and determined to accomplish her goal of paying back those who have taken so much from her. And make no mistake, they have taken a lot. Fueled by a rage that can only come from someone who has experienced the worst of treatment and imprisonment, freedom has allowed Eska the opportunity to hatch her plan as she recruits a few supernatural beings to help her along the way.
She is also still beleaguered by the mysterious entity that converses with her internally known as Serrakis. Serrakis often plays upon the vulnerable parts of Eska and brings all of Eska's darkest thoughts to the forefront, never letting Eska forget her tragedies. It's bad enough dealing with the pain that you've already experienced in your life without also having an internal voice reminding you every second. And yet they also share a special bond that ties them together. The full nature of that relationship gets fully revealed in this book by the way and the revelations are stunning. In the end I was left exhausted and exhilarated by the finale. As the blurb states so tantalizingly: The Corpse Queen Comes.
I really wasn't prepared for that ending, wow! So many outstanding plot lines that come together beautifully and so many darkly magical elements to rejoice at. I just loved this entire series and this one most of all. While FROM COLD ASHES RISEN started out fairly slow, the book had this feeling of a gradual build until all hell broke loose. And when it did, I couldn't get enough and finished the last half of the book in less than 24 hours.
The world-building is just as you would expect from a Rob J. Hayes book, simply brilliant and with lots of layers. I don't exactly know how he thinks up these beautiful creations but I hope he doesn't stop doing it. Floating cities, deep underground prisons, dark parallel "other" worlds where hideous monsters reside, I mean he just doesn't falter when it comes to building these amazing settings. As someone who really enjoys great world-building, Rob is one of the best, if not the best in this area.
I've also mentioned in my previous reviews for this series that the magic is so wonderfully handled and original. If you are in need of a unique magic system, then this is the series for you. No lazy standard forms of magic here, it is all terrifically complex and artfully constructed, often leaving the characters who wield it the worse for wear. The boundaries are certainly stretched and this book especially shows how masterful Hayes is as a creator of off the charts twisted sorcery.
Finally I'd like to mention the main character Eska, who matures about as much as any character can in the span of three books. We first meet her as a young, confused, and angry teenager but we part knowing her to be a strong, determined, and unflinching heroine. All the while her flaws are still there and quite visible yet rather than shrink from them, she embraces and uses them to become the person she was always meant to be. No apologies, no regrets, Eska truly is the Corpse Queen in every aspect.
If you haven't read any Rob J. Hayes before, this series is an excellent starting point. It has all of the elements that make you want to turn each page feverishly to find out what happens next. FROM COLD ASHES RISEN concludes The War Eternal series with a tremendous flourish. I can't praise it enough for being one hell of a rousing adventure. This is epic fantasy the way it should be written, with the type of appeal that will make any reader swoon with excitement. I can't wait to see what Rob J. Hayes has in store for us next. I'm sure whatever it is will be well worth the wait.
The book picks up pretty much immediately following the events that concluded book 2, and there is a great deal of turmoil and uncertainty when we join Eska and her friends once again. She has faced about as much pain and adversity as any main character I've ever encountered and yet she is still standing and determined to accomplish her goal of paying back those who have taken so much from her. And make no mistake, they have taken a lot. Fueled by a rage that can only come from someone who has experienced the worst of treatment and imprisonment, freedom has allowed Eska the opportunity to hatch her plan as she recruits a few supernatural beings to help her along the way.
She is also still beleaguered by the mysterious entity that converses with her internally known as Serrakis. Serrakis often plays upon the vulnerable parts of Eska and brings all of Eska's darkest thoughts to the forefront, never letting Eska forget her tragedies. It's bad enough dealing with the pain that you've already experienced in your life without also having an internal voice reminding you every second. And yet they also share a special bond that ties them together. The full nature of that relationship gets fully revealed in this book by the way and the revelations are stunning. In the end I was left exhausted and exhilarated by the finale. As the blurb states so tantalizingly: The Corpse Queen Comes.
I really wasn't prepared for that ending, wow! So many outstanding plot lines that come together beautifully and so many darkly magical elements to rejoice at. I just loved this entire series and this one most of all. While FROM COLD ASHES RISEN started out fairly slow, the book had this feeling of a gradual build until all hell broke loose. And when it did, I couldn't get enough and finished the last half of the book in less than 24 hours.
The world-building is just as you would expect from a Rob J. Hayes book, simply brilliant and with lots of layers. I don't exactly know how he thinks up these beautiful creations but I hope he doesn't stop doing it. Floating cities, deep underground prisons, dark parallel "other" worlds where hideous monsters reside, I mean he just doesn't falter when it comes to building these amazing settings. As someone who really enjoys great world-building, Rob is one of the best, if not the best in this area.
I've also mentioned in my previous reviews for this series that the magic is so wonderfully handled and original. If you are in need of a unique magic system, then this is the series for you. No lazy standard forms of magic here, it is all terrifically complex and artfully constructed, often leaving the characters who wield it the worse for wear. The boundaries are certainly stretched and this book especially shows how masterful Hayes is as a creator of off the charts twisted sorcery.
Finally I'd like to mention the main character Eska, who matures about as much as any character can in the span of three books. We first meet her as a young, confused, and angry teenager but we part knowing her to be a strong, determined, and unflinching heroine. All the while her flaws are still there and quite visible yet rather than shrink from them, she embraces and uses them to become the person she was always meant to be. No apologies, no regrets, Eska truly is the Corpse Queen in every aspect.
If you haven't read any Rob J. Hayes before, this series is an excellent starting point. It has all of the elements that make you want to turn each page feverishly to find out what happens next. FROM COLD ASHES RISEN concludes The War Eternal series with a tremendous flourish. I can't praise it enough for being one hell of a rousing adventure. This is epic fantasy the way it should be written, with the type of appeal that will make any reader swoon with excitement. I can't wait to see what Rob J. Hayes has in store for us next. I'm sure whatever it is will be well worth the wait.
Read
March 2, 2023Really enjoyed the first two instalments of this unique series, so of course I was looking forward to carrying on and being back with this fresh and dynamic cast!
The scope expands to a more epic level, with a far greater exploration of daemon realms and creatures, which Rob J. Hayes explored brilliantly. Full of fanatical creativity but also tension and fear when you come across these monsters. Then there were events that all three books so far have been building towards, and the payoff was hugely satisfying!
Full Review to Come
The scope expands to a more epic level, with a far greater exploration of daemon realms and creatures, which Rob J. Hayes explored brilliantly. Full of fanatical creativity but also tension and fear when you come across these monsters. Then there were events that all three books so far have been building towards, and the payoff was hugely satisfying!
Full Review to Come
Read
April 4, 2022Book 4 (Sins of the Mother) is coming May 3rd 2022!
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September 3, 2020
Review now live at Grimdark Magazine
All good trilogies come to an end. It’s something that we are sad to see, yet we can’t turn away from that final entry in a series even if we wanted to. From Cold Ashes Risen is no different. We’ve come a long way in the saga of Eskara Helsene and while we can’t wait to see how it turns out, it’s a bit bittersweet that it will be over soon. And in the case of our narrator, Eska, a little scary too.
“I could feel the fear, and it was delicious.”
In my review of The Lessons Never Learned by Rob J. Hayes, I made a comparison to The Empire Strikes Back, in that as a middle-of-trilogy installment, it was a somewhat uncommon occurrence that it didn’t lag in the middle. In many (if not all) ways, Empire was the best of the (original) Lucas trilogy, and I felt that Lessons could be that in The War Eternal.
I was half right. My original comparison holds, as Lessons did not feel bloated and boring as some middle books do in trilogies. But I can’t honestly say it was the best of the three. I think now that the final book, From Cold Ashes Risen might take that title.
Probably because there were no Ewoks.
Silly comparisons aside though, Hayes has created quite the satisfying trilogy from beginning to end. Starting with Along the Razor’s Edge and continuing through The Lessons Never Learned and finally closing it up with From Cold Ashes Risen, Hayes tells a three part epic where each installment stands on its own equally and builds on the others.
“Belmorose said: There are just two reasons for torturing a person. The first is to acquire vital information that would otherwise be withheld. The second is because you’re a sadistic fuck who likes to inflict pain.”
Eskara Helsene is out of her Pit prison, and she’s survived her disastrous assault on the floating (in place) “dead” city of Do’shan though taken heavy losses. Her surviving friends have grievous wounds and her one true love has died at her hand. It’s all they can do to rest for a time and lick their wounds, while the rage builds within Eska.
“How could she claim to love me as I loved her, and yet force me to be the instrument of her death?”
It is time for Eska to reassess and determine how she is going to not only survive but get her vengeance on those that brought her to this pain. Her friends counsel for peace, but she is having none of it.
“I would wager most tragedies could be avoided by listening to the words of those who preach pacifism. Unfortunately, they tend to preach it at a much lower volume than those who preach war.”
Not only does Eska have revenge in mind, but her targets are quite powerful: The Emperor of Terralan himself, as well as the traitor which caused the downfall of her own nation, The Iron Legion himself, Loran Orran. Broken and defeated as she is, Eska has the tools to bounce back and pursue her dark goals. She has Sources, power promised by a Djinn in return for his freedom, and her darkest secret, the “demon” Ssserakis, the ancient horror linked to her body and mind.
In this trilogy, Hayes has not only given us a lot of grimdark action, twists, and turns, but provided the readers with a study in character growth of a woman as she grows from being a scared young girl to a powerful sorcerer. It’s great insight into one that would be a villain in many stories, as Eska is in her own from time to time, to be honest. But her tale is told from her perspective, and while she clearly states that she is not making excuses for her actions or behavior, she is showing the reasons behind what she’s done. This doesn’t make her heroic and might not make her villainous. What it does make her, is human. As such, this is a satisfying tale for this reader upon its conclusion. I felt that I learned as much about Eska as she did about herself.
“Heroes and villains are for stories. In the world outside of songs and books, we are all just people.”
All good trilogies come to an end. It’s something that we are sad to see, yet we can’t turn away from that final entry in a series even if we wanted to. From Cold Ashes Risen is no different. We’ve come a long way in the saga of Eskara Helsene and while we can’t wait to see how it turns out, it’s a bit bittersweet that it will be over soon. And in the case of our narrator, Eska, a little scary too.
“I could feel the fear, and it was delicious.”
In my review of The Lessons Never Learned by Rob J. Hayes, I made a comparison to The Empire Strikes Back, in that as a middle-of-trilogy installment, it was a somewhat uncommon occurrence that it didn’t lag in the middle. In many (if not all) ways, Empire was the best of the (original) Lucas trilogy, and I felt that Lessons could be that in The War Eternal.
I was half right. My original comparison holds, as Lessons did not feel bloated and boring as some middle books do in trilogies. But I can’t honestly say it was the best of the three. I think now that the final book, From Cold Ashes Risen might take that title.
Probably because there were no Ewoks.
Silly comparisons aside though, Hayes has created quite the satisfying trilogy from beginning to end. Starting with Along the Razor’s Edge and continuing through The Lessons Never Learned and finally closing it up with From Cold Ashes Risen, Hayes tells a three part epic where each installment stands on its own equally and builds on the others.
“Belmorose said: There are just two reasons for torturing a person. The first is to acquire vital information that would otherwise be withheld. The second is because you’re a sadistic fuck who likes to inflict pain.”
Eskara Helsene is out of her Pit prison, and she’s survived her disastrous assault on the floating (in place) “dead” city of Do’shan though taken heavy losses. Her surviving friends have grievous wounds and her one true love has died at her hand. It’s all they can do to rest for a time and lick their wounds, while the rage builds within Eska.
“How could she claim to love me as I loved her, and yet force me to be the instrument of her death?”
It is time for Eska to reassess and determine how she is going to not only survive but get her vengeance on those that brought her to this pain. Her friends counsel for peace, but she is having none of it.
“I would wager most tragedies could be avoided by listening to the words of those who preach pacifism. Unfortunately, they tend to preach it at a much lower volume than those who preach war.”
Not only does Eska have revenge in mind, but her targets are quite powerful: The Emperor of Terralan himself, as well as the traitor which caused the downfall of her own nation, The Iron Legion himself, Loran Orran. Broken and defeated as she is, Eska has the tools to bounce back and pursue her dark goals. She has Sources, power promised by a Djinn in return for his freedom, and her darkest secret, the “demon” Ssserakis, the ancient horror linked to her body and mind.
In this trilogy, Hayes has not only given us a lot of grimdark action, twists, and turns, but provided the readers with a study in character growth of a woman as she grows from being a scared young girl to a powerful sorcerer. It’s great insight into one that would be a villain in many stories, as Eska is in her own from time to time, to be honest. But her tale is told from her perspective, and while she clearly states that she is not making excuses for her actions or behavior, she is showing the reasons behind what she’s done. This doesn’t make her heroic and might not make her villainous. What it does make her, is human. As such, this is a satisfying tale for this reader upon its conclusion. I felt that I learned as much about Eska as she did about herself.
“Heroes and villains are for stories. In the world outside of songs and books, we are all just people.”
May 18, 2020
From Cold Ashes Risen is the unsettling, vengeance-fueled conclusion to Eskara Helsene’s story that successfully fulfills all the foreshadowed promises of the earlier books while landing many new surprises. Although its slower-paced start stretches longer than necessary, we delve deep into Eska's psyche as she suffers the ramifications of her life's decisions. And although we suffer right along with her, it's a heart-wrenching, wonderful experience.
Once again, I have to tip my hat to the storytelling narrative device that Hayes has tweaked, deciding where and when to let the reader know bits and pieces of key info along the way. You know what’s coming, but not how. And when the how drops, it’s a rush. I’m not using hyperbole, I’ve actually been bodily thrilled at several points while reading this story. How cool is that??
I must admit that the pacing of this story was a bit scattershot, as this one started off slower than the other two. The first act served as a realignment and aftermath from the events of book two’s conclusion, and it took a while to move past it. But once the story (quite literally) hits the ground, it’s full speed ahead and never looks back. It was jolting, but looking back I can see why the pause was necessary.
While the end of this trilogy serves as a good stopping point, there’s still so much more story to tell. Not only of Eska’s life, but of the ripples she’s made throughout the rest of the world(s). That’s a roundabout way of saying 'I want more,' which is especially high praise, considering I’ve quickly binged these books and I'm still starved for more from this world.
I’ve mentioned before how Peter McLean’s ‘Tomas Piety’ has such a strong and lasting character voice that lived inside my head, long after I finished those books. Hayes has created a character to rival Piety in Eskara Helsene. She is unique and unforgettable; a rebel, innately defiant, forced to murder as a pre-teen, a tragic antihero that is a flawed human like the rest of us at her core. I think that’s why I’m drawn to her. She makes so many mistakes and I love her for it, because we all screw up. It’s just that she’s so damn powerful that the world breaks whenever she makes a oopsie.
I’ll cut myself off here before I write my own Eskara novel, but if you’ve read this far, then you know how much I recommend this series. The characters and world-building are fantastic even for Hayes' standard of work, the prose is especially tight, and highlighted quotes are abound. The War Eternal is simply essential reading.
Once again, I have to tip my hat to the storytelling narrative device that Hayes has tweaked, deciding where and when to let the reader know bits and pieces of key info along the way. You know what’s coming, but not how. And when the how drops, it’s a rush. I’m not using hyperbole, I’ve actually been bodily thrilled at several points while reading this story. How cool is that??
I must admit that the pacing of this story was a bit scattershot, as this one started off slower than the other two. The first act served as a realignment and aftermath from the events of book two’s conclusion, and it took a while to move past it. But once the story (quite literally) hits the ground, it’s full speed ahead and never looks back. It was jolting, but looking back I can see why the pause was necessary.
While the end of this trilogy serves as a good stopping point, there’s still so much more story to tell. Not only of Eska’s life, but of the ripples she’s made throughout the rest of the world(s). That’s a roundabout way of saying 'I want more,' which is especially high praise, considering I’ve quickly binged these books and I'm still starved for more from this world.
I’ve mentioned before how Peter McLean’s ‘Tomas Piety’ has such a strong and lasting character voice that lived inside my head, long after I finished those books. Hayes has created a character to rival Piety in Eskara Helsene. She is unique and unforgettable; a rebel, innately defiant, forced to murder as a pre-teen, a tragic antihero that is a flawed human like the rest of us at her core. I think that’s why I’m drawn to her. She makes so many mistakes and I love her for it, because we all screw up. It’s just that she’s so damn powerful that the world breaks whenever she makes a oopsie.
I’ll cut myself off here before I write my own Eskara novel, but if you’ve read this far, then you know how much I recommend this series. The characters and world-building are fantastic even for Hayes' standard of work, the prose is especially tight, and highlighted quotes are abound. The War Eternal is simply essential reading.
July 15, 2020
The War Eternal is a trilogy that I would recommend to read from start to finish, even if you weren't fully grabbed in the first book. I have to admit that I liked first book very much and the second a little less. All because of the main character I couldn't really like.
I had the final book for a while on my list, but every time I wanted to read it, some new novel came to my sight and I read it instead. Finally I decided to grab it, and it was brilliant. Looking back at the previous installments and my resentment of Eskara, I can see that author showed her in that way deliberately, so we could see how she evolved. In this book I could finally get to like Eska and fully root for her, and I think that her development was presented brilliantly. She is no angel, of course, she is still deeply flawed, but it was so good to see a change from full of anger teenager to the mature woman, more resonable and even humble sometimes.
The prose of Rob J Hayes is excellent and it makes a book more captivating.
It was very good conclusion of the trilogy and I am glad that we're gonna see more books in the world. I can't wait to read them !
I had the final book for a while on my list, but every time I wanted to read it, some new novel came to my sight and I read it instead. Finally I decided to grab it, and it was brilliant. Looking back at the previous installments and my resentment of Eskara, I can see that author showed her in that way deliberately, so we could see how she evolved. In this book I could finally get to like Eska and fully root for her, and I think that her development was presented brilliantly. She is no angel, of course, she is still deeply flawed, but it was so good to see a change from full of anger teenager to the mature woman, more resonable and even humble sometimes.
The prose of Rob J Hayes is excellent and it makes a book more captivating.
It was very good conclusion of the trilogy and I am glad that we're gonna see more books in the world. I can't wait to read them !
February 9, 2023
Honestly just finished this and don't know if my words will make sense.
But
This series has surprised me at every corner.
It has one of my favourite friendships in it.
And man I unexpectedly BALLED my eye out at the end of this one. And I mean a puddle surrounded me. If a book can make me do that I think it automatically deserves five stars.
I have no idea where this series is going from here. As the major driving factors of Eskas story I feel like have been wrapped up. Like I could end here and be perfectly happy. (Also prob cause I'm not ready for the emotions of the last two books)
Anyways I'm excited to see where the final two books go.
Eska is the main character of my dreams. She is feisty and sassy, she often makes bad decisions and doesn't think things through, but she's passionate and loyal and an amazing friend on your side. 💛💛
I will say my few complaints are the same as book one and two, Hayes is very repetitive in his writing, and a few plot devices im unsure about!
But
This series has surprised me at every corner.
It has one of my favourite friendships in it.
And man I unexpectedly BALLED my eye out at the end of this one. And I mean a puddle surrounded me. If a book can make me do that I think it automatically deserves five stars.
I have no idea where this series is going from here. As the major driving factors of Eskas story I feel like have been wrapped up. Like I could end here and be perfectly happy. (Also prob cause I'm not ready for the emotions of the last two books)
Anyways I'm excited to see where the final two books go.
Eska is the main character of my dreams. She is feisty and sassy, she often makes bad decisions and doesn't think things through, but she's passionate and loyal and an amazing friend on your side. 💛💛
I will say my few complaints are the same as book one and two, Hayes is very repetitive in his writing, and a few plot devices im unsure about!
February 20, 2025
Breathless. Speechless. My little black heart cracked with this one.
Holy fuck, this one was good! I found myself reflecting back to the first story and admiring how far along I had travelled with Eska. Excellent character growth and world building. The second book did feel like a bit of a bridge between the books, but well worth the journey.
As a trilogy, this felt whole and complete. I know there are two more books, and I think they should have been made a duology. I hope they don’t take away from this epic tale from Hayes. Speaking of epic Hayes, I think I’m ready to start The God Eater Saga.
Holy fuck, this one was good! I found myself reflecting back to the first story and admiring how far along I had travelled with Eska. Excellent character growth and world building. The second book did feel like a bit of a bridge between the books, but well worth the journey.
As a trilogy, this felt whole and complete. I know there are two more books, and I think they should have been made a duology. I hope they don’t take away from this epic tale from Hayes. Speaking of epic Hayes, I think I’m ready to start The God Eater Saga.
November 24, 2020
Originally published over at The Fantasy Hive.
If I’ve learned something from Rob J. Hayes over the three novels in his War Eternal series, it is this: that creature of shadow and nightmare wrapped around the core of who you are? It was your best friend all along.
From Cold Ashes Risen is the conclusion of Eskara Helsene’s story (for now). A better one, I couldn’t have hoped for—Eska proves herself one of the most satisfying villainous protagonists I’ve come across, thick-headed and uncompromising, violent and resolute. Her connection with Ssserakis continues to be centre-stage; the nightmare is Eskara’s ace in the hole, her trump card and her constant companion. The extension of that bond throughout Cold Ashes will bring any emotionally engaged reader great satisfaction.
The imagination Rob J. Hayes shows does not fail to impress. I’ve written elsewhere about the delightful way in which Source magic works; Hayes has continued to build on top of the solid foundation he set up in Along the Razor’s Edge, expanding and adding layer after layer of complexity. The summoning of demons through Impomancy, for example, is a process both graphic and painful (and pretty disgusting, too): every demonic entity passes through the Sourcerer’s body in some way—through cuts, through vomiting up a fast-growing monstrosity, even through a horrifying belch. Gut-wrenching stuff!
It doesn’t end at the magic, either. The worldbuilding is an inspiration—there’s much that is familiar to it but twisted in thrilling ways; and even more that is fresh and exciting to dive into. Anytime the book expanded on the Djinn and Rand, the god-like immortal entities of the world, I couldn’t look away.
Let’s return to my earlier example: reading about how Impomancy works, I was itching to start working on a D&D Summoner or Demonologist class that makes use of this very unique and visual magic—I was immediately thinking about what the mechanics of that would look like in the game. It’s not that Ashes Risen draws you just to read. It inspires you to participate, to enter into a dialogue with its rich ideas.
It’s not the worldbuilding alone. Some of the lines Rob has penned struck so deep, I wanted to do nothing so much as show them off to my friends, to the world at large. Here’s one:
The Iron Legion Shook his head. “There is no reasoning with you.” It is the last recourse of those with no reason to accuse others of being beyond it.”
Such words strike to the heart of things well beyond the fantastic, don’t they?
There’s elegance to the prose, to the reflexive, rhetorical quality to it. At the early onset of the second book, The Lessons Never Learned, that inward examination was almost wearying—but Hayes has evaded that trap this time, in part because of the sheer ground he covers but also because Eska’s supporting cast draws her out in more challenging ways than ever before. Her allies were always an intriguing bunch, but her foes have never been more challenging, never more loathsome, never more personal. Conflict is near constant past the opening first act, and the character work that comes with it, both for Eska and her friends (Hardt, Horrelain, Imiko, Biokid), is riveting.
The War Eternal has shaped up to be my favourite fantasy trilogy of the year—I can’t think of a more consistent close to a series I’ve read in 2020 than From Cold Ashes Risen. Rob J. Hayes has outdone himself with perhaps the darkest fantasy novel he’s written to date; in some ways, it’s the most hopeful, too, and the one that sees a character of his grow the most.
My advice? Treat yourself to this exemplary trilogy. You shan’t regret it.
If I’ve learned something from Rob J. Hayes over the three novels in his War Eternal series, it is this: that creature of shadow and nightmare wrapped around the core of who you are? It was your best friend all along.
From Cold Ashes Risen is the conclusion of Eskara Helsene’s story (for now). A better one, I couldn’t have hoped for—Eska proves herself one of the most satisfying villainous protagonists I’ve come across, thick-headed and uncompromising, violent and resolute. Her connection with Ssserakis continues to be centre-stage; the nightmare is Eskara’s ace in the hole, her trump card and her constant companion. The extension of that bond throughout Cold Ashes will bring any emotionally engaged reader great satisfaction.
The imagination Rob J. Hayes shows does not fail to impress. I’ve written elsewhere about the delightful way in which Source magic works; Hayes has continued to build on top of the solid foundation he set up in Along the Razor’s Edge, expanding and adding layer after layer of complexity. The summoning of demons through Impomancy, for example, is a process both graphic and painful (and pretty disgusting, too): every demonic entity passes through the Sourcerer’s body in some way—through cuts, through vomiting up a fast-growing monstrosity, even through a horrifying belch. Gut-wrenching stuff!
It doesn’t end at the magic, either. The worldbuilding is an inspiration—there’s much that is familiar to it but twisted in thrilling ways; and even more that is fresh and exciting to dive into. Anytime the book expanded on the Djinn and Rand, the god-like immortal entities of the world, I couldn’t look away.
Let’s return to my earlier example: reading about how Impomancy works, I was itching to start working on a D&D Summoner or Demonologist class that makes use of this very unique and visual magic—I was immediately thinking about what the mechanics of that would look like in the game. It’s not that Ashes Risen draws you just to read. It inspires you to participate, to enter into a dialogue with its rich ideas.
It’s not the worldbuilding alone. Some of the lines Rob has penned struck so deep, I wanted to do nothing so much as show them off to my friends, to the world at large. Here’s one:
The Iron Legion Shook his head. “There is no reasoning with you.” It is the last recourse of those with no reason to accuse others of being beyond it.”
Such words strike to the heart of things well beyond the fantastic, don’t they?
There’s elegance to the prose, to the reflexive, rhetorical quality to it. At the early onset of the second book, The Lessons Never Learned, that inward examination was almost wearying—but Hayes has evaded that trap this time, in part because of the sheer ground he covers but also because Eska’s supporting cast draws her out in more challenging ways than ever before. Her allies were always an intriguing bunch, but her foes have never been more challenging, never more loathsome, never more personal. Conflict is near constant past the opening first act, and the character work that comes with it, both for Eska and her friends (Hardt, Horrelain, Imiko, Biokid), is riveting.
The War Eternal has shaped up to be my favourite fantasy trilogy of the year—I can’t think of a more consistent close to a series I’ve read in 2020 than From Cold Ashes Risen. Rob J. Hayes has outdone himself with perhaps the darkest fantasy novel he’s written to date; in some ways, it’s the most hopeful, too, and the one that sees a character of his grow the most.
My advice? Treat yourself to this exemplary trilogy. You shan’t regret it.
May 11, 2020
From Cold Ashes Risen is an outstanding finale to one of my favourite series of the year.
Eska has lost - lost so much, yet she continues to fight on, to battle for vengeance and for her friends. In this book she loses much more but also gains so much.
The book itself is so well written, Rob J. Hayes has certainly grown as a writer. The characters, the pacing of the plot and the world-building – all excellent. The tight focussing on Eska gave her a depth that you don’t often find. We share her sorrow, regret, hope, frustration, anger, joy, bullheadedness as she learns through horrific trials to navigate not just the world but her relationships and herself.
This character has really touched me personally in a way that few do. Her strength, her love and her hate for enemies and herself, her contradictions, her sheer determination and never giving up in the face of insurmountable odds is pretty powerful.
Here are a few quotes that I highlighted:
Thank you Rob for an amazing series. I’m hopeful it’s not the last we will hear from Eska!
Eska has lost - lost so much, yet she continues to fight on, to battle for vengeance and for her friends. In this book she loses much more but also gains so much.
The book itself is so well written, Rob J. Hayes has certainly grown as a writer. The characters, the pacing of the plot and the world-building – all excellent. The tight focussing on Eska gave her a depth that you don’t often find. We share her sorrow, regret, hope, frustration, anger, joy, bullheadedness as she learns through horrific trials to navigate not just the world but her relationships and herself.
This character has really touched me personally in a way that few do. Her strength, her love and her hate for enemies and herself, her contradictions, her sheer determination and never giving up in the face of insurmountable odds is pretty powerful.
Here are a few quotes that I highlighted:
When drowning in pain and hardship, it becomes easy to view it only from one point. To become so insular, that you fail to realise that others are struggling in different ways with different demons.
Fuck them all! I forge my own path. I will not allow others to tell me who I am. I will tell them. I'll tell the whole world. I will scream my defiance into the face of every single person in this world before I allow them to dictate my fate.
I've heard it said that life has a habit of kicking a person when they are down. It's crap. Life is not some sentient, callous overlord looking to magnify our pain. Each of our lives are full of friends and enemies, often ones we didn't even realise we had, and they are ever watchful for when you are reeling and injured. Friends will, of course, rush to aid you in such a state, assuming you haven't pushed them away. Enemies, on the other hand, will jump on you when you are at your most vulnerable. It is not life that kicks us when we are down. Most often, it is our own choices that do the job, coming full circle to teach us the error of our ways.
Thank you Rob for an amazing series. I’m hopeful it’s not the last we will hear from Eska!
May 30, 2020
Great storytelling
This has been a very entertaining story, everything about this story was fun. Great imagination to create so many interesting facets to this story. It's a faced paced story filled with many a twist and turns, but not so fast that the details get ignored. There's a whole load of interesting characters, but the main character is the star. She's a very flawed person who's trying to do right, but like many of us, emotion gets in the way. Definitely requires a read.
This has been a very entertaining story, everything about this story was fun. Great imagination to create so many interesting facets to this story. It's a faced paced story filled with many a twist and turns, but not so fast that the details get ignored. There's a whole load of interesting characters, but the main character is the star. She's a very flawed person who's trying to do right, but like many of us, emotion gets in the way. Definitely requires a read.
February 3, 2022
Well then. After my stutter step with the first in this series I’m certainly glad that I decided to continue reading. I’ve always appreciated RJH and this third instalment cements that fact. This is my favourite fantasy novel I’ve read in a long while. 5+⭐️
September 7, 2023
The story progresses with some epic scenes! My absolute favourite thing about this series is how different our main character is from any other fantasy series I've ever read. My favourite of the 3 read so far and cannot wait to slam the last two
July 19, 2020
Loads of people write anti-heros. Most do it (very) badly, for the same reason most people can't seem to write decent antagonists. Why? Because they do it by immediately stripping reason out of the character, defaulting to a sociopath-style motivation because they lack the time, skill or inclination to make a 'bad' character more real.
What Rob J Hayes has done with the lead in this series is plausibly write a hugely damaged human being with lots of power and poor impulse control. She is believable because, while she is flawed, her thought processes are realistic. She might be a massive fucking asshole, but its because of a realistic reaction to a awful life full of mistreatment and distrust.
The way Eskara is written elevates this series to my favourite list on the strength of that facet alone. Happily the rest of the book is damn good as well.
What Rob J Hayes has done with the lead in this series is plausibly write a hugely damaged human being with lots of power and poor impulse control. She is believable because, while she is flawed, her thought processes are realistic. She might be a massive fucking asshole, but its because of a realistic reaction to a awful life full of mistreatment and distrust.
The way Eskara is written elevates this series to my favourite list on the strength of that facet alone. Happily the rest of the book is damn good as well.
May 27, 2020
Full review over at Fantasy Book Critic
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: From Cold Ashes Risen bring to an end to Eska’s journey as espoused by the trilogy format. At the end of The Lessons Never Learned, both the reader and Eska are given some majorly shocking revelations. With those, it made me want to read this book immediately. In this review, I’ll have to be very vague so as to not spoil the plot but also keep away from spoilers from the preceding volumes.
The story begins with Eskara being shattered about knowing the truth of her and Josef’s powers. There’s also the revelations about the world and the magic system. All in all this volume had mighty expectations placed on it because of the way, the story has unfolded and the particular way Eska narrated her own story. The main plot takes a while to come together but once it does, we the readers are treated to an all-out war that Eska rages against her enemy. The Corpse Queen rises and when she does, all else will fall.
This book takes all that we know about the world, the magical races and Eskara and then it further pulls the rug from beneath it all. Rob J. Hayes was worried about this trilogy about the style utilized, the main narrative voice, the plot structure, etc. All of his fears while justified from an author brand standpoint, turn out to be unsubstantiated from a fan standpoint. The writing is solid as ever (maybe one can argue that it’s better than his previous books considering the narrative and story structure), the pacing is crisp and each book has its own place, style and reveals a further aspect of the world, magic system and current happenings.
Eska as a character has really matured over the past two volumes. Yes she still has her rage but now she has the magical acumen and mental fortitude to back up the rage and make it into a cold flame which lasts longer and is more vicious. In this trilogy ending volume, she has all of her advantages taken away except for Serrakis and she has to truly work to achieve her end goal. The complete and utter annihilation of the entity that has shaped her life and powers. In both the past and future timelines we get a vivid story about how the past shapes the future and yet certain things are still unpredictable as ever.
The surviving characters and those she holds dear to her heart such as Hardt, Tamura and another unnamed character (SPOILERS) are given much more scope to shine. Plus I loved how the author played with the concept of sacrifice and heroism. Perhaps none more personified by the one entity who isn’t a person (Serrakis). The shadowy, Other worldly monster truly comes into the picture and I loved the way Serrakis does what it believes to be sancrosant. Lastly a quick word about the covers for this series, Felix Oriz and Shawn T. King have been a staple factor for Rob’s books and this series has been visually stunning. However the cover art for this volume is simply mindblowing to say the least & I’ve been just in awe of it since it was unveiled over at the Fantasy Hive.
For drawbacks, there’s a couple I would like to highlight but they are very spoilerific and more than a bit subjective. So I can’t really talk about them however the author note in the end of the book significantly dispels one of them. The other one perhaps is more due to the author’s ruthlessness and maybe by now I should expect that. But the losses still hurt and kudos to the author for making me so invested in his works no matter which story he chooses to tell.
CONCLUSION: From Cold Ashes Risen not only heralds a pivotal plot aspect but also the rise of Rob J. Hayes as a writer to seriously be considered as one of the best wordsmiths of the darker side of fiction. This trilogy might end with this book but the story and the characters will live on and maybe, just maybe we the readers will be rewarded with more….
January 4, 2021
What a phenomenal ending to one of the best fantasy series it's ever been my pleasure to read.
I want to say so much about this series, and its finishing novel, but I find I fear I won't do it justice.
Seriously, for real: if you like grimdark, read the fucking HELL out of this series.
I want to say so much about this series, and its finishing novel, but I find I fear I won't do it justice.
Seriously, for real: if you like grimdark, read the fucking HELL out of this series.
June 4, 2020
Rob Hayes, I have read all of your books and loved every one of them. From Cold Ashes Risen is now by far my favorite of them all. Great series that just keep getting better as at went. Absolutely loved it.
August 16, 2020
4.5 rounded up. This was a great book and Hayes really delivered.
I wasn't planning on reading the whole trilogy without reading other books in between, but I found myself unable to get into other books until I finished this trilogy.
I kept wanting to read more about Eska, the world and pretty much all the other characters.
Hayes really impressed me with this book.
I wasn't planning on reading the whole trilogy without reading other books in between, but I found myself unable to get into other books until I finished this trilogy.
I kept wanting to read more about Eska, the world and pretty much all the other characters.
Hayes really impressed me with this book.
April 30, 2022
I started this when I heard a fourth book is well on its way. Before I kept pushing it back on my TBR, as j just didn't want to part from Eska for good!
This was as good as the first two, and I just loved seeing Eska being all sorts of grown up compared to book one.
Nevertheless she's still often forced to act, overwhelmed or unable to control her rage, which makes her so much more relatable to me.
It's hard to see her struggling, and she is put through so much, but I adore how she just won't give up or give in, and just soldier on, no matter how utterly hopeless things may seem.
Her character growth and changing goals feel very realistic. Every person we meet and every decision we make form us, and Eska has to adapt over and over. She is still one of the characters that I can easily identify with, and that is why her story is utterly addictive to me.
I can't wait to read Sina of the Mother!
This was as good as the first two, and I just loved seeing Eska being all sorts of grown up compared to book one.
Nevertheless she's still often forced to act, overwhelmed or unable to control her rage, which makes her so much more relatable to me.
It's hard to see her struggling, and she is put through so much, but I adore how she just won't give up or give in, and just soldier on, no matter how utterly hopeless things may seem.
Her character growth and changing goals feel very realistic. Every person we meet and every decision we make form us, and Eska has to adapt over and over. She is still one of the characters that I can easily identify with, and that is why her story is utterly addictive to me.
I can't wait to read Sina of the Mother!
July 3, 2022
By this point I am so invested in Eska and all around her, I am in love.
All her pain I can feel. Her hardships, her torture, her love.
Ssserakis still one of my fav character, evolves even further.
A wild ride to the end. Teared up more than one time.
The Corpse Queen comes.
All her pain I can feel. Her hardships, her torture, her love.
Ssserakis still one of my fav character, evolves even further.
A wild ride to the end. Teared up more than one time.
The Corpse Queen comes.
September 16, 2020
4,5*
Ok, this was brutal.
I wrote in my review for The Lessons Never Learned that I hope to see Hayes ease up a little, but he just laughed right to my face.
After that bombshell ending from previous book, we continue right where we left off: With Eska still on Do'shan, her lover dead, her friends are hurt, stuck with a fickle Djinn, betrayed by Mezula and outmatched by her, once upon a time hero, Iron Legion, Loran Orran. With this revelation of his true goal, Eska realized her enemy is not only the emperor of Terrelan, but the greatest Sourcerer who ever lived.
I already wrote it, but this book is brutal for our heroine. She goes through torture, pain and more losses that a human can take in such a short amount of time while getting stronger power-wise. I found that particularly interesting because it showed that getting power isn't enough to fix everything when she needed to deal with her grief properly. This and her already established rashness led to some of the darkest scenes as Eska suffered in the hands of emperor. On another note, he is such a simple focused villain he doesn't deserve all of her rage, pain and sacrifices for revenge to be pinned on him. The scene depicted on the cover by excellent Felix Ortiz, hence, made for such a cathartic experience and it may be my favourite in the whole trilogy.
Confronting the Iron Legion was a completely different thing. I remembered this passage from Along the Razor's Edge:
Ha! Oh, we get you Eska... He is so above everyone else when it comes to powers he run circles around them. He also simply doesn't care about anyone. And it's not that that really makes him scary: it's the fact he is so damn reasonable about the whole thing. He has explanations, he argues and he's, most of the time, right. He is simply not an opponent you have luxury to make stupid mistakes against and it's there, finally, we get to see a more cautious Eska. Was it too late? I must say, when around 50% mark she had a stupid fight with Hardt, I groaned. But there, at the end, she is perfectly in-sync with Ssserakis (her deepened relationship with her terror was particularly great), in peace with herself and her friends have her back. It was glorious to see it after everything.
Eska was never a character that's easy to like, but for some reason, I feel like different type of character couldn't come up to and cross that finish line.
Trilogy is finished, but mr Hayes announced two more books set in the same world. That's awesome, because the world is vast, rich and there are some characters/things that can possibly pop up in future books:
I really enjoyed this trilogy as a whole and that definitely tipped the scale toward higher rating. Recommended.
Ok, this was brutal.
I wrote in my review for The Lessons Never Learned that I hope to see Hayes ease up a little, but he just laughed right to my face.
After that bombshell ending from previous book, we continue right where we left off: With Eska still on Do'shan, her lover dead, her friends are hurt, stuck with a fickle Djinn, betrayed by Mezula and outmatched by her, once upon a time hero, Iron Legion, Loran Orran. With this revelation of his true goal, Eska realized her enemy is not only the emperor of Terrelan, but the greatest Sourcerer who ever lived.
I already wrote it, but this book is brutal for our heroine. She goes through torture, pain and more losses that a human can take in such a short amount of time while getting stronger power-wise. I found that particularly interesting because it showed that getting power isn't enough to fix everything when she needed to deal with her grief properly. This and her already established rashness led to some of the darkest scenes as Eska suffered in the hands of emperor. On another note, he is such a simple focused villain he doesn't deserve all of her rage, pain and sacrifices for revenge to be pinned on him. The scene depicted on the cover by excellent Felix Ortiz, hence, made for such a cathartic experience and it may be my favourite in the whole trilogy.
Confronting the Iron Legion was a completely different thing. I remembered this passage from Along the Razor's Edge:
"There was a tale of his trip to Do'shan, his battle of wits with the Djinn incarcerated there. Some people say no one ever gets the better end of a deal with a Djinn. They are masters of words and loopholes, twisting people's desires upon themselves. The tale was extravagant, I'll give it that, and it claimed the prince answered correctly one riddle for each year he had been alive. In the end, the Djinn relented and gave him a boon. Having since been to Do'shan, I believe very little of that story; only that prince Loran has indeed been there and matched wits with the trapped Djinn."
Ha! Oh, we get you Eska... He is so above everyone else when it comes to powers he run circles around them. He also simply doesn't care about anyone. And it's not that that really makes him scary: it's the fact he is so damn reasonable about the whole thing. He has explanations, he argues and he's, most of the time, right. He is simply not an opponent you have luxury to make stupid mistakes against and it's there, finally, we get to see a more cautious Eska. Was it too late? I must say, when around 50% mark she had a stupid fight with Hardt, I groaned. But there, at the end, she is perfectly in-sync with Ssserakis (her deepened relationship with her terror was particularly great), in peace with herself and her friends have her back. It was glorious to see it after everything.
Eska was never a character that's easy to like, but for some reason, I feel like different type of character couldn't come up to and cross that finish line.
Trilogy is finished, but mr Hayes announced two more books set in the same world. That's awesome, because the world is vast, rich and there are some characters/things that can possibly pop up in future books:
I really enjoyed this trilogy as a whole and that definitely tipped the scale toward higher rating. Recommended.
February 11, 2023
I adore the magic, the world, and the characters. Eska and. her horror are two of my favorite characters and companions. Somehow they manage to be snarky while also likable enough that you can't help but root for the bad decisions. The world keeps growing and expanding. I am unsure how we continue from here since everything seemed to wrap up, but I'm excited to find out.
August 18, 2020
I for sure thought Eskara was going to die, and I've never been so happy to be wrong. She's such a brutal and angry character, but when she loves... she really loves. Through all of the darkness there was love. They called her the Corpse Queen, but if they knew her from the beginning... if they were there much like her friends were, they would have known otherwise.
This was amazing. Dark... but amazing.
This was amazing. Dark... but amazing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2023
A solid ending to the initial trilogy of The War Eternal. World-building remains by far the strongest element and the main draw for me throughout this series (in addition to Moira Quirk’s fantastic narration of the audiobooks!). I absolutely ADORED the sources, different magics, combinations, and how they are linked to literal gods. I loved the lore of how the gods came to be, why the world is the way it is, and all the ancient horrors that live just beyond the veil.
I love how nothing is quite as it seems, the “otherworld” of Savoy, and the creatures that dwell there. The prose is wonderful, and brought to life by Quirk’s narration - she brings a huge variety and range of voices for each character, and delivers the emotional beats masterfully.
The lore grows with every book, so I enjoyed books 2 & 3 more than the first book due to this increased scope.
Book three feels like a proper continuation of book 2 (to the point I thought it could have started even later than it did), and brings things to a conclusion. Some characters get satisfying arcs (Ssserakis in particular), while others less so.
Ssserakis is my favourite character by a long, long way (Eska herself remains my least favourite), and hearing the horror’s struggles, doubts, strength, vulnerability, all while trapped was brilliant.
The narrative style of the story being told to us by an older Eska at some indefinite point in the future remains. It is a hit or miss style for me. The pros are how much more exciting stuff is foreshadowed, and the downs are… how much more exciting stuff is foreshadowed. A lot of the stakes are therefore robbed because we know Eska survives (because she tells us multiple times about future things that are true/more exciting than current things), so you’re kind of along for the ride rather than wondering whether she will get through various obstacles.
All the action sequences were brilliant, edge-of-your-seat type events, and it is clear that this is the story of a legend being made, rather than a regular person caught at the wrong place/wrong time.
Overall the style is not quite my favourite, but I was so intrigued by the world, magic, and horrors, that I was intrigued to learn more and see how it concludes!
A fun read!
I love how nothing is quite as it seems, the “otherworld” of Savoy, and the creatures that dwell there. The prose is wonderful, and brought to life by Quirk’s narration - she brings a huge variety and range of voices for each character, and delivers the emotional beats masterfully.
The lore grows with every book, so I enjoyed books 2 & 3 more than the first book due to this increased scope.
Book three feels like a proper continuation of book 2 (to the point I thought it could have started even later than it did), and brings things to a conclusion. Some characters get satisfying arcs (Ssserakis in particular), while others less so.
Ssserakis is my favourite character by a long, long way (Eska herself remains my least favourite), and hearing the horror’s struggles, doubts, strength, vulnerability, all while trapped was brilliant.
The narrative style of the story being told to us by an older Eska at some indefinite point in the future remains. It is a hit or miss style for me. The pros are how much more exciting stuff is foreshadowed, and the downs are… how much more exciting stuff is foreshadowed. A lot of the stakes are therefore robbed because we know Eska survives (because she tells us multiple times about future things that are true/more exciting than current things), so you’re kind of along for the ride rather than wondering whether she will get through various obstacles.
All the action sequences were brilliant, edge-of-your-seat type events, and it is clear that this is the story of a legend being made, rather than a regular person caught at the wrong place/wrong time.
Overall the style is not quite my favourite, but I was so intrigued by the world, magic, and horrors, that I was intrigued to learn more and see how it concludes!
A fun read!
June 16, 2020
What's the real measure of a book? It's that you're willing to overlook minor issues because it's just so damn good. From Cold Ashes Risen wraps up the Eternal War saga and like the transition from the first to second book, FCAR picks up right where the previous volume left off, and the entire book feels like a runaway mix of gripping action, soul-crushing despair, and bittersweet triumphs. I enjoyed the first two volumes but this is the only one of the three I had a very hard time putting down. I had a few questions about the hows and whys of certain plot elements but the emotional connection to the protagonist and the perfectly-paced march to the finale overcame all my quibbles...and there's enough left over to continue the tale. I can't ask for anything more from a book. Kudos, Mr. Hayes.
April 20, 2022
This is how you finish a trilogy.
That’s it, that’s the review. Well, not really, but it certainly sums up the core of the book hangover I am currently nursing, that blend of satisfaction, hunger for more and the aching realisation that it is over – although the author’s note, promising more in this world was everything I needed.
From Cold Ashes Risen was the perfect conclusion to the narrative that has built through the previous two books, even though there are still questions, still stories untold, ripples unexplored – and for me that gave this story, and Eska’s actions more impact. Because, while we could only see what she shared with us, even with her references to the future, brief mentions of the lasting impact of her actions, it is enough to create a vast scope and to imagine the future she has set in motion. Do I want to see more? Absolutely, and I will wait, however long for the other books mentioned in the author’s note. At the same time, I love how this conclusion tied up the threads of her tale, or her rise to Corpse Queen, but left the story, the world to continue.
The pacing was a little different in this one, in that we had a slower start. I enjoyed this pause, this chance for Eska and the others to take stock, recover and learn, and it was a much-needed chance to catch your breath because the rest of the book was a gripping rollercoaster that didn’t let go. All the glimpses we’d been offered, mentions of what was to come coming to fruition, and delivered in ways that we could never have expected, all wrapped up in action, vengeance and emotion. It was a river sweeping that swept me along, but it never lost the smaller moments, the moments of friendship, of calm, of introspection, and that made it all the more powerful.
This book also brought the world-building to a crescendo. We learn so much throughout this book, the truth of the Djinn and Rand, more about the Other World, about magic. Some of it, bringing what we thought we knew crashing down around us, the truth more potent than we realised, and because we discover it alongside Eska it’s shocking, it hurts, and it felt real.
Eska continued to grow throughout this book, and while vengeance remained at her core. Her anger still there, but not as wild as it had been when she was younger, still proud – too proud – sometimes. Yet, in this book, we see her growing into who she thought herself to be, she learned and practised, and no step was easy. She had to fight to hone her magic into the weapon she wanted. She had to fight and listen to her friends and family, not always agreeing with them and still speaking without thought at times, but always taking on board what they said in some shape or form. Learning, more about herself – her need for company, to protect – what she would and wouldn’t sacrifice for vengeance, and we see her take responsibility, and acknowledge her mistakes even if she can’t take them back. At the same time, her rag-tag family shifts and changes, adapting to her growth as well as their own and the shifting world around them, and there were some raw, painful moments because of it.
I love Eska as a character, even when I don’t like her or don’t agree with her characters, and that is due to the fantastic development and the way she is written. She is flawed, she is powerful, and she is, utterly, messily human even when she seems more ‘monster’ than anything else.
Of all her relationships, and all the secondary characters – if he can even be called that – I love the bond that she shares with Sserakis. I’ve always enjoyed his character and role in the story, which was significantly expanded in this third book and was definitely one of my favourite parts of the narrative. To see the way they grew together, both as ‘people’ and in terms of power, and their choices right up until the end, struck a powerful chord with me, and I would love to know more about what happened to him.
I also have to mention the Emperor. There have been a lot of terrible people in this book, sometimes Eska has been the worse, but none of them made my skin crawl as much as this man. The first time he spoke, it felt like every hair stood on end. The Red Cells and what happened there – and what it did to Sserakis and Eska was one of the darkest parts of the book, and also one of my favourites, but that man unnerved me from start to end, and I have to say I felt no small satisfaction in what happened to him.
Honestly, I could wax lyrical about this book for hours and hours and not come close to how much I loved this book, and the entire trilogy. Instead, I am going to finish here and say I loved this book, I cannot recommend it enough, and now I am going to go and nurse my book hangover.
That’s it, that’s the review. Well, not really, but it certainly sums up the core of the book hangover I am currently nursing, that blend of satisfaction, hunger for more and the aching realisation that it is over – although the author’s note, promising more in this world was everything I needed.
From Cold Ashes Risen was the perfect conclusion to the narrative that has built through the previous two books, even though there are still questions, still stories untold, ripples unexplored – and for me that gave this story, and Eska’s actions more impact. Because, while we could only see what she shared with us, even with her references to the future, brief mentions of the lasting impact of her actions, it is enough to create a vast scope and to imagine the future she has set in motion. Do I want to see more? Absolutely, and I will wait, however long for the other books mentioned in the author’s note. At the same time, I love how this conclusion tied up the threads of her tale, or her rise to Corpse Queen, but left the story, the world to continue.
The pacing was a little different in this one, in that we had a slower start. I enjoyed this pause, this chance for Eska and the others to take stock, recover and learn, and it was a much-needed chance to catch your breath because the rest of the book was a gripping rollercoaster that didn’t let go. All the glimpses we’d been offered, mentions of what was to come coming to fruition, and delivered in ways that we could never have expected, all wrapped up in action, vengeance and emotion. It was a river sweeping that swept me along, but it never lost the smaller moments, the moments of friendship, of calm, of introspection, and that made it all the more powerful.
This book also brought the world-building to a crescendo. We learn so much throughout this book, the truth of the Djinn and Rand, more about the Other World, about magic. Some of it, bringing what we thought we knew crashing down around us, the truth more potent than we realised, and because we discover it alongside Eska it’s shocking, it hurts, and it felt real.
Eska continued to grow throughout this book, and while vengeance remained at her core. Her anger still there, but not as wild as it had been when she was younger, still proud – too proud – sometimes. Yet, in this book, we see her growing into who she thought herself to be, she learned and practised, and no step was easy. She had to fight to hone her magic into the weapon she wanted. She had to fight and listen to her friends and family, not always agreeing with them and still speaking without thought at times, but always taking on board what they said in some shape or form. Learning, more about herself – her need for company, to protect – what she would and wouldn’t sacrifice for vengeance, and we see her take responsibility, and acknowledge her mistakes even if she can’t take them back. At the same time, her rag-tag family shifts and changes, adapting to her growth as well as their own and the shifting world around them, and there were some raw, painful moments because of it.
I love Eska as a character, even when I don’t like her or don’t agree with her characters, and that is due to the fantastic development and the way she is written. She is flawed, she is powerful, and she is, utterly, messily human even when she seems more ‘monster’ than anything else.
Of all her relationships, and all the secondary characters – if he can even be called that – I love the bond that she shares with Sserakis. I’ve always enjoyed his character and role in the story, which was significantly expanded in this third book and was definitely one of my favourite parts of the narrative. To see the way they grew together, both as ‘people’ and in terms of power, and their choices right up until the end, struck a powerful chord with me, and I would love to know more about what happened to him.
I also have to mention the Emperor. There have been a lot of terrible people in this book, sometimes Eska has been the worse, but none of them made my skin crawl as much as this man. The first time he spoke, it felt like every hair stood on end. The Red Cells and what happened there – and what it did to Sserakis and Eska was one of the darkest parts of the book, and also one of my favourites, but that man unnerved me from start to end, and I have to say I felt no small satisfaction in what happened to him.
Honestly, I could wax lyrical about this book for hours and hours and not come close to how much I loved this book, and the entire trilogy. Instead, I am going to finish here and say I loved this book, I cannot recommend it enough, and now I am going to go and nurse my book hangover.
December 5, 2020
So I finally got round to finishing the War Eternal trilogy, after beginning it with an ARC Rob was kind enough to provide me with almost a year ago (that's absolutely flown since then, I have absolutely no idea where this year's gone).
This trilogy's been an absolute ripride for me, I've enjoyed every instalment, every moment, and it's kept me up a few nights reading into the small hours. This was a great finale to the series, and wrapped up many plot points and questions I had from books 1+2.
The lore was expanded, compounded and clarified nicely in this book, which in and of itself its utterly fascinating, and there's some major, major nods to games in it that I believe Rob is a fan of, and these are spun in their own unique and imaginative way.
The characters evolved convincingly too over the course of both the trilogy and this book. Eska and Ssserakis's plotlines concluded very nicely for me, and kudos to Rob for making me get as attached to a horror as Eska herself did. I was still left with a fair few questions after the ending, but mostly about points I'm pretty certain that Rob will be answering in future titles in this world.
This was a series I really, truly enjoyed, and I'm sad it's over! It's been the primary focus of my precious and scant reading time this year, so I'm gutted its done!
I give it 4/5 yams - yamtastic!
This trilogy's been an absolute ripride for me, I've enjoyed every instalment, every moment, and it's kept me up a few nights reading into the small hours. This was a great finale to the series, and wrapped up many plot points and questions I had from books 1+2.
The lore was expanded, compounded and clarified nicely in this book, which in and of itself its utterly fascinating, and there's some major, major nods to games in it that I believe Rob is a fan of, and these are spun in their own unique and imaginative way.
The characters evolved convincingly too over the course of both the trilogy and this book. Eska and Ssserakis's plotlines concluded very nicely for me, and kudos to Rob for making me get as attached to a horror as Eska herself did. I was still left with a fair few questions after the ending, but mostly about points I'm pretty certain that Rob will be answering in future titles in this world.
This was a series I really, truly enjoyed, and I'm sad it's over! It's been the primary focus of my precious and scant reading time this year, so I'm gutted its done!
I give it 4/5 yams - yamtastic!
July 20, 2020
Rob Hayes does it again, The War Eternal trilogy exceeded even my lofty expectations. An epic tale of a journey made by a heroine, that refuses to admit defeat regardless of circumstances met, endured and conquered. Challenges are plentiful, defeats and tragedies seemingly insurmountable are written, depicted and described in excruciating detail. Hayes continues to produce inspiring, detailed works that highlight his talent, skills and gifts. I am grateful to have discovered Rob J. Hayes and remain a dedicated fan of his stellar writing skills. Another series well done, Rob J. Hayes, well done! Thank you.
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