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The Ashes of Avarin #0.5
A Prelude to Ashes
Prince Adrian has a secret.
He has been meeting with Myrra, the princess of Dakhra. They love each other, but their fathers are mortal enemies, and Dakhra is not a part of the Domain.
The rulers of the Domain nations have been granted hundreds of years by the blessings of the Seraph, and their borders are kept safe by the Church’s elite griffin riders. But the enemies of the Domain are gathering.
A foreign threat may be the chance Adrian and Myrra need to bring their nations closer... if they can convince their fathers to work together.
Will new enemies be enough for rivals to overcome old grievances, or will they bring them closer to war?
A Prelude to Ashes is a prequel novella that takes place one hundred years before the events of A Touch of Light, the first book in the Ashes of Avarin series.
He has been meeting with Myrra, the princess of Dakhra. They love each other, but their fathers are mortal enemies, and Dakhra is not a part of the Domain.
The rulers of the Domain nations have been granted hundreds of years by the blessings of the Seraph, and their borders are kept safe by the Church’s elite griffin riders. But the enemies of the Domain are gathering.
A foreign threat may be the chance Adrian and Myrra need to bring their nations closer... if they can convince their fathers to work together.
Will new enemies be enough for rivals to overcome old grievances, or will they bring them closer to war?
A Prelude to Ashes is a prequel novella that takes place one hundred years before the events of A Touch of Light, the first book in the Ashes of Avarin series.
144 pages, Paperback
First published March 28, 2022
5 people are currently reading
484 people want to read
About the author
Thiago Abdalla
7 books238 followersGet your FREE eBook copy of the prequel novella, A Prelude to Ashes, when you sign up for Thiago's mailing list: www.tabdalla.com
Thiago was born in Brazil but grew up in the fantasy worlds from the stories he kept in his mind. He has inhabited everywhere from Middle-Earth and Azeroth to the planes of Dominaria, Ravnica and Tarkir. No matter the medium, what kept him coming back was always his love for story.
He could never wait for the next world to dive into, so, after being (indirectly) urged on by the (printed) words of Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence, Patrick Rothfuss, N. K. Jemisin and many, many others, decided to create his own.
Thiago was born in Brazil but grew up in the fantasy worlds from the stories he kept in his mind. He has inhabited everywhere from Middle-Earth and Azeroth to the planes of Dominaria, Ravnica and Tarkir. No matter the medium, what kept him coming back was always his love for story.
He could never wait for the next world to dive into, so, after being (indirectly) urged on by the (printed) words of Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence, Patrick Rothfuss, N. K. Jemisin and many, many others, decided to create his own.
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March 21, 2023
A Prelude to Ashes is an explosive and action-packed prequel novella. And it’s FREE!
This was an impromptu reading. I did not plan to read A Prelude to Ashes this month. But after A Shade of Madness, the second book in The Ashes of Avarin by Thiago Abdalla, arrived at my place, my mood to start this series appeared. I did not begin the series by reading A Touch of Light, as I was told by plenty of readers, including the author himself, that this is a great introductory installment to The Ashes of the Avarin series. So, similar to The Fall by Ryan Cahill, I decided to start my journey into The Ashes of Avarin, a series that has been gaining popularity in the self-published fantasy community for the past year, through the prequel novella that you can get for free by subscribing to the author’s newsletter. And I don’t regret it one bit. I am not sure yet whether A Touch of Light will be a better starting point or not as I haven't read it yet, but I think as far as novellas go, A Prelude to Ashes was great. And this is coming from me, a reader who generally is not a fan of novellas and short stories.
The story in A Prelude to Ashes takes place 100 years before the event of A Touch of Light. Prince Adrian has a secret. He is in a relationship with Myrra, the princess of Dakhra. Unfortunately, their father is a mortal enemy, and Dakhra is not part of the Domain. War is coming. Both Adrian and Dahkra will have to convince their fathers to work together. A Prelude to Ashes is an action-packed 100 pages novella, and an action-packed novella usually doesn't click with me. However, Abdalla's focus of the narrative on the small cast of characters, Adrian and Myrra, certainly made it much easier for me to care about the unfolding events and all the battles. This will be subjective, of course, but I was invested in Adrian and Myrra's story quickly.
The stakes of the story constantly feel high. And Adrian’s relationship development with Myrra as they try their best to attain peace was well-written. In times of war and conflict, especially when two people in love are standing on opposite sides, miscommunication can happen easily and destroy everything. That feeling of whether Adrian and Myrra can overcome the miscommunication and perceived betrayals between them was one of the elements that kept the tension of the story going. And it's not only Adrian and Myrra. There were other supporting characters like Derren, Jovu, and both Adrian and Myrra's father. I think Abdalla nailed the sibling relationship between Adrian and Jovu nicely.
I don't want to say too much in my review here. This novella is short enough already, and you can most likely read it in one hour. But I believe the characters, events, and the world-building established here will benefit me greatly when I read the first book in the series, A Touch of Light, soon. I wish I had known how great the world-building was. I would've dived into the series sooner. We have Griffins, Sentinels, potions, alchemy, magic, and airships! I love when epic fantasy includes sci-fi elements. They, more often than not, worked well for my reading experience.
A Prelude to Ashes has successfully sparked my interest to read The Ashes of the Avarin series much sooner than I expected. It is an engaging novella about war, love, faith, and loyalty. The same rule with all great novellas applies here. I wish A Prelude to Ashes had more page count because it felt like it ended too quickly. Fortunately, I will get more stories out of this world soon. I'm excited to read A Touch of Light ASAP!
You can get this novella for FREE from: HERE
You can find the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Michael, Michael, Miracle, Nicholas, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Teri, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.
This was an impromptu reading. I did not plan to read A Prelude to Ashes this month. But after A Shade of Madness, the second book in The Ashes of Avarin by Thiago Abdalla, arrived at my place, my mood to start this series appeared. I did not begin the series by reading A Touch of Light, as I was told by plenty of readers, including the author himself, that this is a great introductory installment to The Ashes of the Avarin series. So, similar to The Fall by Ryan Cahill, I decided to start my journey into The Ashes of Avarin, a series that has been gaining popularity in the self-published fantasy community for the past year, through the prequel novella that you can get for free by subscribing to the author’s newsletter. And I don’t regret it one bit. I am not sure yet whether A Touch of Light will be a better starting point or not as I haven't read it yet, but I think as far as novellas go, A Prelude to Ashes was great. And this is coming from me, a reader who generally is not a fan of novellas and short stories.
"She’d always tried to show Adrian and Jovu that death was prevented by peace, not dominance. War was never final. There would always be cracks where the conquered would hide their vengeance, only to rise again."
The story in A Prelude to Ashes takes place 100 years before the event of A Touch of Light. Prince Adrian has a secret. He is in a relationship with Myrra, the princess of Dakhra. Unfortunately, their father is a mortal enemy, and Dakhra is not part of the Domain. War is coming. Both Adrian and Dahkra will have to convince their fathers to work together. A Prelude to Ashes is an action-packed 100 pages novella, and an action-packed novella usually doesn't click with me. However, Abdalla's focus of the narrative on the small cast of characters, Adrian and Myrra, certainly made it much easier for me to care about the unfolding events and all the battles. This will be subjective, of course, but I was invested in Adrian and Myrra's story quickly.
"She had no taste for it, but this was war. These deaths were the price to pay for the rash decisions of old men."
The stakes of the story constantly feel high. And Adrian’s relationship development with Myrra as they try their best to attain peace was well-written. In times of war and conflict, especially when two people in love are standing on opposite sides, miscommunication can happen easily and destroy everything. That feeling of whether Adrian and Myrra can overcome the miscommunication and perceived betrayals between them was one of the elements that kept the tension of the story going. And it's not only Adrian and Myrra. There were other supporting characters like Derren, Jovu, and both Adrian and Myrra's father. I think Abdalla nailed the sibling relationship between Adrian and Jovu nicely.
"He was right, and Adrian found himself out of words to feed the man’s courage. Maybe that was why men turned to faith— it gave them something to cling to in moments when death was near."
I don't want to say too much in my review here. This novella is short enough already, and you can most likely read it in one hour. But I believe the characters, events, and the world-building established here will benefit me greatly when I read the first book in the series, A Touch of Light, soon. I wish I had known how great the world-building was. I would've dived into the series sooner. We have Griffins, Sentinels, potions, alchemy, magic, and airships! I love when epic fantasy includes sci-fi elements. They, more often than not, worked well for my reading experience.
"Hardly a fair ending to the fight, but that’s war. Nothing is fair. The fight is never only against the enemy standing before you."
A Prelude to Ashes has successfully sparked my interest to read The Ashes of the Avarin series much sooner than I expected. It is an engaging novella about war, love, faith, and loyalty. The same rule with all great novellas applies here. I wish A Prelude to Ashes had more page count because it felt like it ended too quickly. Fortunately, I will get more stories out of this world soon. I'm excited to read A Touch of Light ASAP!
You can get this novella for FREE from: HERE
You can find the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Michael, Michael, Miracle, Nicholas, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Teri, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.
June 13, 2023
My complete review of A Prelude to Ashes is published at Grimdark Magazine.
Thiago Abdalla’s prequel novella, A Prelude to Ashes, takes place one hundred years prior to the events of A Touch of Light, Book One of The Ashes of Avarin series.
One hundred years? It’s actually not that long for the people of the Domain, who live extraordinarily long lives thanks, presumably, to the blessings of the Seraph, the goddess of life who keeps death at bay.
A Prelude to Ashes is an excellent introduction to the world of Avarin. Although you could read A Prelude to Ashes and A Touch of Light in either order, I’d recommend reading A Prelude to Ashes first.
There are a couple of reasons for this suggestion. First, the prequel novella provides helpful worldbuilding-related information to lay the context for the much longer A Touch of Light. Second, given its narrower scope and smaller cast of characters, A Prelude to Ashes is more accessible for new readers. Hence, I’d advise new readers to tackle A Prelude to Ashes first and then move on to A Touch of Light.
Although there is important foundational worldbuilding in A Prelude to Ashes, the real focus is on the relationships among the characters. I especially loved the bond between Prince Adrian and his older brother, Jovu, as well as Adrian’s forbidden relationship with his partner, Myrra, a princess from the rival nation of Dakhra. Adrian and Myrra are trying to unite their two countries within the common land of the Domain, but will their fathers be able to overcome their longstanding differences?
The plot of A Prelude to Ashes is full of action, just as in A Touch of Light and its sequel, A Shade of Madness. Abdalla strikes just the right balance between character development and heart-pounding action, with plenty of well-written scenes for grimdark readers to enjoy:
“The blood oozed thick and dark, red so deep it shone black in the night. Maybe not even red, now that she inspected him closer. Nasha took another few tentative steps, one hand close to her obsidian hunter’s knife, breath held in her chest.”
The ending of A Prelude to Ashes is especially well done, leaving me thirsty to spend more time in the land of Avarin.
Overall, A Prelude to Ashes is a very welcome addition to The Ashes of Avarin series and the perfect place to start for readers new to Thiago Abdalla’s epic fantasy world.
Thiago Abdalla’s prequel novella, A Prelude to Ashes, takes place one hundred years prior to the events of A Touch of Light, Book One of The Ashes of Avarin series.
One hundred years? It’s actually not that long for the people of the Domain, who live extraordinarily long lives thanks, presumably, to the blessings of the Seraph, the goddess of life who keeps death at bay.
A Prelude to Ashes is an excellent introduction to the world of Avarin. Although you could read A Prelude to Ashes and A Touch of Light in either order, I’d recommend reading A Prelude to Ashes first.
There are a couple of reasons for this suggestion. First, the prequel novella provides helpful worldbuilding-related information to lay the context for the much longer A Touch of Light. Second, given its narrower scope and smaller cast of characters, A Prelude to Ashes is more accessible for new readers. Hence, I’d advise new readers to tackle A Prelude to Ashes first and then move on to A Touch of Light.
Although there is important foundational worldbuilding in A Prelude to Ashes, the real focus is on the relationships among the characters. I especially loved the bond between Prince Adrian and his older brother, Jovu, as well as Adrian’s forbidden relationship with his partner, Myrra, a princess from the rival nation of Dakhra. Adrian and Myrra are trying to unite their two countries within the common land of the Domain, but will their fathers be able to overcome their longstanding differences?
The plot of A Prelude to Ashes is full of action, just as in A Touch of Light and its sequel, A Shade of Madness. Abdalla strikes just the right balance between character development and heart-pounding action, with plenty of well-written scenes for grimdark readers to enjoy:
“The blood oozed thick and dark, red so deep it shone black in the night. Maybe not even red, now that she inspected him closer. Nasha took another few tentative steps, one hand close to her obsidian hunter’s knife, breath held in her chest.”
The ending of A Prelude to Ashes is especially well done, leaving me thirsty to spend more time in the land of Avarin.
Overall, A Prelude to Ashes is a very welcome addition to The Ashes of Avarin series and the perfect place to start for readers new to Thiago Abdalla’s epic fantasy world.
June 29, 2022
4.5⭐
An exciting, battle-filled novella that gives us more insight into the world of the Domain, its prince, and the shady politics behind the scenes. Excited for book 2!
An exciting, battle-filled novella that gives us more insight into the world of the Domain, its prince, and the shady politics behind the scenes. Excited for book 2!
November 16, 2022
A Prelude to Ashes is a prequel novella to the first book in Ashes of Avarin which is A Touch of Light (ATOL). When I read that first entry (by publication date) to this world, I was a bit disappointed, as I there were questions that I felt were left unanswered. Although this novella doesn’t necessarily answer any of those, it does give a bit more background, especially to one aspect of the opening novel that I felt was under-explored.
It's set about a hundred years before ATOL and because various of the characters are long-lived, we do see some of the same people taking centre stage here. For me, this was quite good actually because some of the relationships that I didn't feel were developed enough in ATOL do get explored here, so I really enjoyed that aspect. It gave some history to the conflict that you see in ATOL, but more than that, it really builds on the characters.
The central character is Adrian, who's one of the three main characters in ATOL. The other two main characters in ATOL aren't featured in this novella so we focus on Adrian and the people around him, and I really enjoyed the story that we had here. I thought it was a really good introduction to the world and this is a definite good example of a novella providing a gateway to a series.
Pretty much everyone I’ve seen who has read it says that it should be read before ATOL, and I would agree with that because I think the knowledge of some of the characters that you have in this novella, and what they go through, will be of great benefit when you come across those characters in ATOL.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. I feel that it definitely elevates the series overall, and if you haven't read ATOL yet, I definitely recommend picking this one up first so you can get yourself nicely grounded in this world, or if you have read the novel, pick this one up as well so you can expand your knowledge of the world.
It's set about a hundred years before ATOL and because various of the characters are long-lived, we do see some of the same people taking centre stage here. For me, this was quite good actually because some of the relationships that I didn't feel were developed enough in ATOL do get explored here, so I really enjoyed that aspect. It gave some history to the conflict that you see in ATOL, but more than that, it really builds on the characters.
The central character is Adrian, who's one of the three main characters in ATOL. The other two main characters in ATOL aren't featured in this novella so we focus on Adrian and the people around him, and I really enjoyed the story that we had here. I thought it was a really good introduction to the world and this is a definite good example of a novella providing a gateway to a series.
Pretty much everyone I’ve seen who has read it says that it should be read before ATOL, and I would agree with that because I think the knowledge of some of the characters that you have in this novella, and what they go through, will be of great benefit when you come across those characters in ATOL.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. I feel that it definitely elevates the series overall, and if you haven't read ATOL yet, I definitely recommend picking this one up first so you can get yourself nicely grounded in this world, or if you have read the novel, pick this one up as well so you can expand your knowledge of the world.
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July 22, 2022
A nice-looking hardback novella - said to be a gentler on-ramp into the series.
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November 11, 2022
This short book is an absolutely thrilling, action-packed adventure! Prelude takes place a century before A Touch Of Light (a novel I have started but paused about 10% in when life got in the way), and it’s brilliant to be back in these lands again.
The first thing I have to say is how much I ADORED the worldbuilding. It’s all interesting and well thought out, but I am really taken by Dakhra, an industrial city with clockwork, steam, potion-makers, alchemists, and airships! I’d definitely consider this a cousin to my own books in terms of the steampunk flavoured airships, but this is firmly epic fantasy, with the scope and political machinations that come with that title.
Sentinels fly atop enormous griffins, sharing silver eyes and a keen skill for battle. Simply hearing one overhead is often enough to turn the tide of battle-hardened warriors, let alone when they start doing damage, and they bring with them an awe-inspiring presence that filled me with wonder every time a griffin was on the page!
The magic, if it is that (it’s so fundamental to the world it is pretty much part of the worldbuilding) surrounding life and death is incredibly well-written and utterly compelling. In the Domain, their goddess, the Seraph, grants long life to those who are worthy and show faith. This results in people living for many years past what would be expected, even into the hundreds of years. The flip-side is death is treated as a taint - even those who die are rarely mentioned by their loved ones.
It’s a really unique dynamic that I’ve not come across before, and is fabulous and exciting to read about!
Despite being a short read, the characters do a lot of heavy lifting in such a richly detailed world. For anyone who has any familiarity with the golden child and the scapegoat will find common ground here with Adrian and his brother Jovu. (Think of Boromir and Faramir from Lord of the Rings) Both are very likeable characters (for the most part), and I really felt for Adrian’s struggles and insecurities, when nothing he did was good enough, so he forged his own path, consciously or not. He's not had things easy, and he doing what he feels is best. Unfortunately, that may well have far-reaching consequences.
Adrian is a great protagonist, but I really, really enjoyed Myrra. She’s intelligent and capable, caught between two worlds, and desperate to save both. Seen as a traitor and hero on both sides, she is true to herself in spite of so much turmoil and pain. Ultimately, she wants peace. It’s an ideal shared by Adrian, but the lengths they go to try and achieve it may worsen things in the long run.
It is more than two nations warring over land or resources (ruin-stone is important, and is a used in Holy buildings within the Domain), there are personal grudges, long-standing feuds, and a clear clash of cultures to manage.
Adrian and Myrra obviously care a great deal about each other and have known each other for quite some time. I’d love to find out more about how they first met, and enjoy some quieter moments with them without war and battle surrounding them on all sides.
Highly recommend if you want a fresh taste of epic fantasy written in a brilliant author voice, with plenty of battle sequences, superb worldbuilding, and characters to drive the whole thing forward. Very enjoyable read!
The first thing I have to say is how much I ADORED the worldbuilding. It’s all interesting and well thought out, but I am really taken by Dakhra, an industrial city with clockwork, steam, potion-makers, alchemists, and airships! I’d definitely consider this a cousin to my own books in terms of the steampunk flavoured airships, but this is firmly epic fantasy, with the scope and political machinations that come with that title.
Sentinels fly atop enormous griffins, sharing silver eyes and a keen skill for battle. Simply hearing one overhead is often enough to turn the tide of battle-hardened warriors, let alone when they start doing damage, and they bring with them an awe-inspiring presence that filled me with wonder every time a griffin was on the page!
The magic, if it is that (it’s so fundamental to the world it is pretty much part of the worldbuilding) surrounding life and death is incredibly well-written and utterly compelling. In the Domain, their goddess, the Seraph, grants long life to those who are worthy and show faith. This results in people living for many years past what would be expected, even into the hundreds of years. The flip-side is death is treated as a taint - even those who die are rarely mentioned by their loved ones.
It’s a really unique dynamic that I’ve not come across before, and is fabulous and exciting to read about!
Despite being a short read, the characters do a lot of heavy lifting in such a richly detailed world. For anyone who has any familiarity with the golden child and the scapegoat will find common ground here with Adrian and his brother Jovu. (Think of Boromir and Faramir from Lord of the Rings) Both are very likeable characters (for the most part), and I really felt for Adrian’s struggles and insecurities, when nothing he did was good enough, so he forged his own path, consciously or not. He's not had things easy, and he doing what he feels is best. Unfortunately, that may well have far-reaching consequences.
Adrian is a great protagonist, but I really, really enjoyed Myrra. She’s intelligent and capable, caught between two worlds, and desperate to save both. Seen as a traitor and hero on both sides, she is true to herself in spite of so much turmoil and pain. Ultimately, she wants peace. It’s an ideal shared by Adrian, but the lengths they go to try and achieve it may worsen things in the long run.
It is more than two nations warring over land or resources (ruin-stone is important, and is a used in Holy buildings within the Domain), there are personal grudges, long-standing feuds, and a clear clash of cultures to manage.
Adrian and Myrra obviously care a great deal about each other and have known each other for quite some time. I’d love to find out more about how they first met, and enjoy some quieter moments with them without war and battle surrounding them on all sides.
Highly recommend if you want a fresh taste of epic fantasy written in a brilliant author voice, with plenty of battle sequences, superb worldbuilding, and characters to drive the whole thing forward. Very enjoyable read!
July 7, 2022
Upon recommendation, I read Prelude prior to reading Touch of Light.
In A Prelude to Ashes we follow Prince Adrian and Princess Myrra, forbidden lovers from opposite sides of a bitter feud between their countries, trying to find a better way for their people.
There was a great balance between character and relationship development and fast paced action. We get a taste of the nations and world as a whole and enough of the politics and religion to wet your whistle enough to want more. Need more.
I look forward to continuing in A Touch of Light asap (audiobook is releasing this month!!) I need to know more about the High Pontiff and his motivations especially and see where the world stands 100 years later.
Where will our protaginists be, how will the world have changed, will there be more griffins?! I need to know these things. A fantastic introduction to the world of Avarin
In A Prelude to Ashes we follow Prince Adrian and Princess Myrra, forbidden lovers from opposite sides of a bitter feud between their countries, trying to find a better way for their people.
There was a great balance between character and relationship development and fast paced action. We get a taste of the nations and world as a whole and enough of the politics and religion to wet your whistle enough to want more. Need more.
I look forward to continuing in A Touch of Light asap (audiobook is releasing this month!!) I need to know more about the High Pontiff and his motivations especially and see where the world stands 100 years later.
Where will our protaginists be, how will the world have changed, will there be more griffins?! I need to know these things. A fantastic introduction to the world of Avarin
May 30, 2022
What can I say other than I loved this!! Prelude takes place before a touch of light and expands on some characters I sorely wanted to know about. It was great to learn more of Myrna and Jovu.
I usually don’t reach for Novellas but I am pleased that I did for this one. Thiago shows real writing chops by packing in a compelling story about struggle, prejudice, and love. Ashes of Avarin is quickly becoming one of my favorite fantasy stories!!! How could it not when the author keeps giving me griffins to love and enjoy.
I sound like I’m gushing over this but the writing just flows off the page and the story grips and pushes you through at a frenetic pace. Do yourself a favor and check this one out.
I usually don’t reach for Novellas but I am pleased that I did for this one. Thiago shows real writing chops by packing in a compelling story about struggle, prejudice, and love. Ashes of Avarin is quickly becoming one of my favorite fantasy stories!!! How could it not when the author keeps giving me griffins to love and enjoy.
I sound like I’m gushing over this but the writing just flows off the page and the story grips and pushes you through at a frenetic pace. Do yourself a favor and check this one out.
May 29, 2022
5/5 Stars
I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
A Prelude to Ashes is a prequel novella to A Touch of Light by Thiago Abdalla. At 144 pages, this fantasy novella introduces the world of Avarin and sets place 100 years before A Touch of Light.
We see two POVs (points of view) from both Adrian and Myrra. A Prince and Princess of different lands, their fathers are mortal enemies, and their love has been kept secret. They hope to bring their nations together in peace but are caught between the hatred of their fathers. What will happen when these rivals are confronted with a new enemy.
At the time of writing this review, I haven’t read A Touch of Light. However, I found A Prelude to Ashes to be a great introduction to Thiago Abdalla’s storytelling, the world building and characters. The execution of the story was masterful, with the worldbuilding done seamlessly through the characters perspectives.
This read faster than I was expecting, and I found myself immersed in the characters situations. Additional aspects that I loved included: how captivating the conflicts of these kingdom’s are portrayed, the characters are well written, and their development through the story is well done.
We see political intrigue, religious themes, great actions scenes, and griffins.
I’ve been looking forward to reading A Touch of Light since its release back in March. Now I need to see if I can read it sooner because I loved this world!
A Prelude to Ashes releases on May 31st 2022 and you can get a free eBook when you sign up for Thiago’s mailing list: www.tabdalla.com
I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
A Prelude to Ashes is a prequel novella to A Touch of Light by Thiago Abdalla. At 144 pages, this fantasy novella introduces the world of Avarin and sets place 100 years before A Touch of Light.
We see two POVs (points of view) from both Adrian and Myrra. A Prince and Princess of different lands, their fathers are mortal enemies, and their love has been kept secret. They hope to bring their nations together in peace but are caught between the hatred of their fathers. What will happen when these rivals are confronted with a new enemy.
At the time of writing this review, I haven’t read A Touch of Light. However, I found A Prelude to Ashes to be a great introduction to Thiago Abdalla’s storytelling, the world building and characters. The execution of the story was masterful, with the worldbuilding done seamlessly through the characters perspectives.
This read faster than I was expecting, and I found myself immersed in the characters situations. Additional aspects that I loved included: how captivating the conflicts of these kingdom’s are portrayed, the characters are well written, and their development through the story is well done.
We see political intrigue, religious themes, great actions scenes, and griffins.
I’ve been looking forward to reading A Touch of Light since its release back in March. Now I need to see if I can read it sooner because I loved this world!
A Prelude to Ashes releases on May 31st 2022 and you can get a free eBook when you sign up for Thiago’s mailing list: www.tabdalla.com
May 22, 2022
rtc after i get some other things updated here
May 27, 2022
I've been waiting to read A Touch of Light for a little while now. But when I saw that this novella was coming, and that the author suggests it be read first (going against my usual rule of publication order), I thought I'd give this one a go first - the author was kind enough to provide me with an eARC.
After getting past the first couple of chapters of this new fantasy world, which is introduced amidst a siege, I really powered through the rest of this novella in a couple of hours.
This is a novella of epic scale, with battle after battle. The battles are brilliantly described. Despite being a novella with lots of action, the characters aren't given short thrift at all; the characters' relationships are established early on and developed throughout.
This is a world with various nations and factions, with an intriguing religious aspect and political machinations at play.
And there are griffins too!!
This was a really enjoyable read, and by the end of the last chapter and epilogue, I was left wanting more.
I'm looking forward to reading A Touch of Light very soon.
After getting past the first couple of chapters of this new fantasy world, which is introduced amidst a siege, I really powered through the rest of this novella in a couple of hours.
This is a novella of epic scale, with battle after battle. The battles are brilliantly described. Despite being a novella with lots of action, the characters aren't given short thrift at all; the characters' relationships are established early on and developed throughout.
This is a world with various nations and factions, with an intriguing religious aspect and political machinations at play.
And there are griffins too!!
This was a really enjoyable read, and by the end of the last chapter and epilogue, I was left wanting more.
I'm looking forward to reading A Touch of Light very soon.
June 29, 2022
3.5. Interesting. Not sure prequel novellas are the best starting point but I will try A Touch of Light.
August 26, 2022
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For more reviews, go to www.wolfmantula.com/book-reviews
Since A Prelude to Ashes is set 100 years prior to the events in A Touch of Light, it can be read either before or after. I decided that I should read this first since it gives a backstory into what leads to the events of the world in the main story. If you would like to read it for free, all you have to do is go to tabdalla.com and sign up for his newsletter. From there, you’ll receive an email with the steps to download it to your kindle.
“war is failure. It is brash incompetence disguised as a solution. There are no perfect strategies. It is an officer’s job to hide it, but there is always a weak link.“
This was a captivating story that was very well written. It gives a great introduction into Thiago’s world of Avarin that is on the brink of war, where family loyalties are divided, betrayal is on the doorstep and death means you are unworthy. The story gave enough fighting, court intrigue and dialogue between characters that made me excited to jump into A Touch of Light. The battle scenes were done very well and gave a lot of descriptions so that you could see it vividly in your mind.
What I thought was going to be a story about star-crossed lovers like Romeo and Juliet was much, much more than that. Adrian & Myrra, are the two main characters that we follow throughout and are actually nothing like Romeo & Juliet. What I loved most about Adrian is his relationship with his brother Jovu because it reminded me of my own relationship with my older brother. Myrra might be my favorite just because of her attitude towards life and the fact that she’s not some weak girl that needs to be helped. Also, there’s freaking sentinels flying on Griffins! Need I say more on that?
For more reviews, go to www.wolfmantula.com/book-reviews
Since A Prelude to Ashes is set 100 years prior to the events in A Touch of Light, it can be read either before or after. I decided that I should read this first since it gives a backstory into what leads to the events of the world in the main story. If you would like to read it for free, all you have to do is go to tabdalla.com and sign up for his newsletter. From there, you’ll receive an email with the steps to download it to your kindle.
“war is failure. It is brash incompetence disguised as a solution. There are no perfect strategies. It is an officer’s job to hide it, but there is always a weak link.“
This was a captivating story that was very well written. It gives a great introduction into Thiago’s world of Avarin that is on the brink of war, where family loyalties are divided, betrayal is on the doorstep and death means you are unworthy. The story gave enough fighting, court intrigue and dialogue between characters that made me excited to jump into A Touch of Light. The battle scenes were done very well and gave a lot of descriptions so that you could see it vividly in your mind.
What I thought was going to be a story about star-crossed lovers like Romeo and Juliet was much, much more than that. Adrian & Myrra, are the two main characters that we follow throughout and are actually nothing like Romeo & Juliet. What I loved most about Adrian is his relationship with his brother Jovu because it reminded me of my own relationship with my older brother. Myrra might be my favorite just because of her attitude towards life and the fact that she’s not some weak girl that needs to be helped. Also, there’s freaking sentinels flying on Griffins! Need I say more on that?
May 28, 2022
I’ve not yet read Thiago Abdalla’s book “Touch of Light” so being able to dive into this prequel novella knowing nothing of the world of Avarin was exciting.
I was not just pleasantly surprised, but impressed. His prose flowed without getting bogged down in description, yet he pulled no punches in describing the battle scenes. The battle scenes were not needlessly violent, nor did they skip over important details. I want to know more about rune stone, the sentinels, and the politics at play across the world. I will most certainly be continuing on.
If you’re looking to check out Thiago’s writing, “A Prelude to Ashes” is a perfect dive, and will leaving wanting more!
I was not just pleasantly surprised, but impressed. His prose flowed without getting bogged down in description, yet he pulled no punches in describing the battle scenes. The battle scenes were not needlessly violent, nor did they skip over important details. I want to know more about rune stone, the sentinels, and the politics at play across the world. I will most certainly be continuing on.
If you’re looking to check out Thiago’s writing, “A Prelude to Ashes” is a perfect dive, and will leaving wanting more!
January 14, 2023
Its hard to review a novella, I thought this was longer and so it decieved me, because this clocks in at an unbelievable 96 pages which leaves you wanting more and then gives you more by giving you a preview of the first full book of the series A Touch of Light which is set over 100 years after the events of this novella.
To have you invested in a series with just 96 pages either means your very easily pleased, or the writer is pretty damn good at his job. I will let you decide. Why did I not give this five stars? because its too short! Ha Ha!
To have you invested in a series with just 96 pages either means your very easily pleased, or the writer is pretty damn good at his job. I will let you decide. Why did I not give this five stars? because its too short! Ha Ha!
May 9, 2023
This was an awesome prequel novella! I opened A Touch of Light a few months ago and the list of characters in the beginning overwhelmed me a bit, so having this novella to introduce the world and some of the characters was perfect to me. The characters were interesting and different from each other, I loved their points of view and hope we'll get more from some of the side characters that were introduced here. The writing was really good, although in the beginning I got confused when we switched between POVs, since it's told in third person but in both POVs the character referred to their fathers as "Father".
I get the hype now that everyone's been talking about with the griffins, I can't wait to get more of them in the other books!!
And so many questions were asked that I need the answers for!
I can't wait to continue this series!
I get the hype now that everyone's been talking about with the griffins, I can't wait to get more of them in the other books!!
And so many questions were asked that I need the answers for!
I can't wait to continue this series!
May 29, 2022
This novella is now free to read if you sign up for the author's newsletter on his website, so do yourself a favour and give this series a shot asap! ;)
I recently finished A Touch of Light and really enjoyed that story, but there were some characters that I would've loved to have seen more of. Well, enter A Prelude to Ashes.
This prequel novella is set a hundred years before the events in A Touch of Light and mainly follows the star-crossed lovers Adrian and Myrra, who we know (and love) from book 1. Don't think that this is a romance story though, because that is really not the case. This novella is chock full of amazing action scenes and political scheming, as our characters are facing a foreign threat.
Now, you might wonder how these characters can be featured in both books if the stories are set a hundred years apart, but I promise you it makes sense in this world. Check out my review of book 1 (or even better, just read the book yourself) to find out more about the cool world building. In short, though, life in the Domain is worshipped and those who are deemed worthy by the Seraph are granted with extremely long lives.
Anyway, I have to admit that I was honestly quite surprised by how invested I was in this story. I mean, it's a prequel, so we know where these characters are going to end up in book 1. And yet, the stakes are high and I felt myself getting anxious during some of the fight scenes, because they were written SO well!
While I personally didn't mind that I read A Touch of Light first, I think this story will be even more amazing if it's read before jumping into book 1. Not only because the stakes will feel even higher, but also because I think the world building in this novella felt a bit more easy to digest than was the case in A Touch of Light. While reading book 1, it took me quite a while to find my footing and I think that I could've enjoyed the start of the story more if I had already familiarized myself with this world by reading the prequel first. All that said, it really doesn't matter all that much where you jump into this series... the most important thing is that you do so. Like, seriously, what are you waiting for?
I recently finished A Touch of Light and really enjoyed that story, but there were some characters that I would've loved to have seen more of. Well, enter A Prelude to Ashes.
This prequel novella is set a hundred years before the events in A Touch of Light and mainly follows the star-crossed lovers Adrian and Myrra, who we know (and love) from book 1. Don't think that this is a romance story though, because that is really not the case. This novella is chock full of amazing action scenes and political scheming, as our characters are facing a foreign threat.
Now, you might wonder how these characters can be featured in both books if the stories are set a hundred years apart, but I promise you it makes sense in this world. Check out my review of book 1 (or even better, just read the book yourself) to find out more about the cool world building. In short, though, life in the Domain is worshipped and those who are deemed worthy by the Seraph are granted with extremely long lives.
Anyway, I have to admit that I was honestly quite surprised by how invested I was in this story. I mean, it's a prequel, so we know where these characters are going to end up in book 1. And yet, the stakes are high and I felt myself getting anxious during some of the fight scenes, because they were written SO well!
While I personally didn't mind that I read A Touch of Light first, I think this story will be even more amazing if it's read before jumping into book 1. Not only because the stakes will feel even higher, but also because I think the world building in this novella felt a bit more easy to digest than was the case in A Touch of Light. While reading book 1, it took me quite a while to find my footing and I think that I could've enjoyed the start of the story more if I had already familiarized myself with this world by reading the prequel first. All that said, it really doesn't matter all that much where you jump into this series... the most important thing is that you do so. Like, seriously, what are you waiting for?
June 5, 2022
E-ARC provided by the author Thiago Abdalla
CONVINCING YOU TO READ THIS IN 6 WORDS:
Detailed Characterization, Religious & Political Intrigue, Betrayals, Plot-twists, Interesting world-building
SUMMARY:
A Prelude to Ashes by Thiago Abdalla takes place 100 years before A Touch of Light. And we witness how Prince Adrian and Princess Myrra slowly succumb to what their heart wants. The two of them try their best to do what is correct for their kingdom and have one goal, try to put people over death. Try to protect the people from the other clans and if that means plan a little in secret or make sure the other kingdom has a prior warning of a secret ambush then be it.
But when a series of unfortunate events take place against the Domain by Dakhra, Prince Adrian has no choice but to believe that Princess Myrra is all set against him and his kingdom. The clans on the united front attack and are there to collect the ruin-stone. But why? And who is the face behind the attacks?
"...I love you, Adrian. And I don't need to follow Her to know we want the same thing. We'll find a way to be together, and to end the enmity our fathers cling to."
REVIEW:
I was lucky enough to receive an early access to A prelude of Ashes, thanks to the author, Thaigo Abdalla. A prelude to Ashes as mentioned above is set 100 years before A Touch of Light. And before, we even begin a debate about what to read first? Both are fine. There are many people who preferred A prelude to Ashes before A Touch of Light and me, being part of the minority loved the fact that I read A Prelude to Ashes after A Touch of Light.
I really enjoyed the dive back to the Land of Avarin. I had enjoyed A Touch of Light earlier this year and this chance to meet the characters again was just perfect. A prelude to Ashes gave a much clear depth to the characters and gave some clarity about Seraph and the relation between Prince Adrian and Princess Myrra. And one of my favorite moments was witnessing the relations. Not just Adrian and Myrra. But between both of them and their family. Witnessing Adrian still trying to win his father's affections as he did in A Touch of light shows just how much Adrian struggled to get his fathers approval. We also get a chance to witness the relation between the two Princes- Adrian and Jovu which we were robbed of in A Touch of Light. A Prelude to Ashes lets us witness the family of Princess Myrra and how each decision she took was in the light of what she thought was the best for the kingdom, even if it meant taking decisions that would affect her relation with her family. And throughout the novella we witness the perfect balance of letting us know the history and allowing us to join the dots to the events of A Touch of Light. And I loved every moment there.
Everything from the writing to the plot line was just perfect and it was a smooth ride altogether. Abdalla really knows how to mix religion with politics making it a perfect recipe for disaster. And somehow I didn't realise it before how much we can squeeze in 100 pages if we do it correctly.
A Prelude to Ashes by Thaigo Abdalla is a short story that will make show you confusion, thirst to prove oneself, the questions like if he/she is the one and of course curiosity.
"I'd do nothing differently, Myrra."
You can read the review for A Touch of light here
CONVINCING YOU TO READ THIS IN 6 WORDS:
Detailed Characterization, Religious & Political Intrigue, Betrayals, Plot-twists, Interesting world-building
SUMMARY:
A Prelude to Ashes by Thiago Abdalla takes place 100 years before A Touch of Light. And we witness how Prince Adrian and Princess Myrra slowly succumb to what their heart wants. The two of them try their best to do what is correct for their kingdom and have one goal, try to put people over death. Try to protect the people from the other clans and if that means plan a little in secret or make sure the other kingdom has a prior warning of a secret ambush then be it.
But when a series of unfortunate events take place against the Domain by Dakhra, Prince Adrian has no choice but to believe that Princess Myrra is all set against him and his kingdom. The clans on the united front attack and are there to collect the ruin-stone. But why? And who is the face behind the attacks?
"...I love you, Adrian. And I don't need to follow Her to know we want the same thing. We'll find a way to be together, and to end the enmity our fathers cling to."
REVIEW:
I was lucky enough to receive an early access to A prelude of Ashes, thanks to the author, Thaigo Abdalla. A prelude to Ashes as mentioned above is set 100 years before A Touch of Light. And before, we even begin a debate about what to read first? Both are fine. There are many people who preferred A prelude to Ashes before A Touch of Light and me, being part of the minority loved the fact that I read A Prelude to Ashes after A Touch of Light.
I really enjoyed the dive back to the Land of Avarin. I had enjoyed A Touch of Light earlier this year and this chance to meet the characters again was just perfect. A prelude to Ashes gave a much clear depth to the characters and gave some clarity about Seraph and the relation between Prince Adrian and Princess Myrra. And one of my favorite moments was witnessing the relations. Not just Adrian and Myrra. But between both of them and their family. Witnessing Adrian still trying to win his father's affections as he did in A Touch of light shows just how much Adrian struggled to get his fathers approval. We also get a chance to witness the relation between the two Princes- Adrian and Jovu which we were robbed of in A Touch of Light. A Prelude to Ashes lets us witness the family of Princess Myrra and how each decision she took was in the light of what she thought was the best for the kingdom, even if it meant taking decisions that would affect her relation with her family. And throughout the novella we witness the perfect balance of letting us know the history and allowing us to join the dots to the events of A Touch of Light. And I loved every moment there.
Everything from the writing to the plot line was just perfect and it was a smooth ride altogether. Abdalla really knows how to mix religion with politics making it a perfect recipe for disaster. And somehow I didn't realise it before how much we can squeeze in 100 pages if we do it correctly.
A Prelude to Ashes by Thaigo Abdalla is a short story that will make show you confusion, thirst to prove oneself, the questions like if he/she is the one and of course curiosity.
"I'd do nothing differently, Myrra."
You can read the review for A Touch of light here
June 2, 2022
This novella, in my estimation, demonstrates the author’s brilliance. Let me clarify what I mean by that.
Preface: I read A Touch of Light, a few months ago and I had to put it down after the first four or five chapters. I did this because I felt like I had been dropped off into a world that I didn’t fully comprehend. And there was a LOT to comprehend in that book. Still, even though I had put it down, I kept thinking about it. So I went back Avarin. Lo and Behold, around chapter eight, it was off to the races.
My critique of that book, stated in an earlier review, was: “I have read many comments on this page discussing that they find the book overwhelming. In some sense, I think that is a fair critique…” <— I still stand by this. That said, Mr. Abdalla, does something with this novella that I very rarely see authors do. He listened to his fans. Let me say that again - he listened to his fans. In doing so, he crafted a novella that was not only superbly written, but opened up the world of Avarin at a pace readers will be happy to dive into. Wow, what a refreshing change of pace, there’s an author that takes feedback. That’s not the only thing that makes it clever though.
The story itself is a fast paced character driven novella. It hits all the same intrigue that ATOL does. It is well written, and, as an aspiring author myself, I can’t help but be jealous of his prose (look how many commas were in that sentence, terrible). The writing flows well and is very readable.
The third reason I think this book is so smart is because it appeals to both people who have and haven’t read A Touch of Light. Though, I think I liked this one better because of its focus on Adrian and Myrra.
In some sense, ATOL reminds me of the movie, The Godfather. In both stories, I had no idea WTF is going on when I started. Later on, as they’re both burning through good guys and bad guys alike, I found myself saying, “So that’s WTF was going on.” The amazing thing about both stories is that they make me want to read/watch them again. Prelude to Ashes only serves to reinforce this thought in my mind. And best of all, it was free.
I wholeheartedly recommend it. 5/5 stars.
Preface: I read A Touch of Light, a few months ago and I had to put it down after the first four or five chapters. I did this because I felt like I had been dropped off into a world that I didn’t fully comprehend. And there was a LOT to comprehend in that book. Still, even though I had put it down, I kept thinking about it. So I went back Avarin. Lo and Behold, around chapter eight, it was off to the races.
My critique of that book, stated in an earlier review, was: “I have read many comments on this page discussing that they find the book overwhelming. In some sense, I think that is a fair critique…” <— I still stand by this. That said, Mr. Abdalla, does something with this novella that I very rarely see authors do. He listened to his fans. Let me say that again - he listened to his fans. In doing so, he crafted a novella that was not only superbly written, but opened up the world of Avarin at a pace readers will be happy to dive into. Wow, what a refreshing change of pace, there’s an author that takes feedback. That’s not the only thing that makes it clever though.
The story itself is a fast paced character driven novella. It hits all the same intrigue that ATOL does. It is well written, and, as an aspiring author myself, I can’t help but be jealous of his prose (look how many commas were in that sentence, terrible). The writing flows well and is very readable.
The third reason I think this book is so smart is because it appeals to both people who have and haven’t read A Touch of Light. Though, I think I liked this one better because of its focus on Adrian and Myrra.
In some sense, ATOL reminds me of the movie, The Godfather. In both stories, I had no idea WTF is going on when I started. Later on, as they’re both burning through good guys and bad guys alike, I found myself saying, “So that’s WTF was going on.” The amazing thing about both stories is that they make me want to read/watch them again. Prelude to Ashes only serves to reinforce this thought in my mind. And best of all, it was free.
I wholeheartedly recommend it. 5/5 stars.
July 2, 2022
What a very fine introduction to Adrian and Myrra! I loved seeing more of the griffins too. The battle was so well executed. I thought you got to know all the side characters very well too. And a very interesting ending with the High Pontiff.
This is a great addition to the story.
This is a great addition to the story.
July 23, 2022
4 stars
oooo this made me so excited to pick up the next book
oooo this made me so excited to pick up the next book
March 25, 2023
So usually you obtain this novella by signing up for the author's mailing list, but was having website issues and posted the novella for free for a few days. I grabbed it thinking 'ok what the heck'. I'm willing to say now that despite knowing I'm in the minority, this isn't the series for me.
Everyone on the Indie Accords Discord was saying that this story answers a lot of questions about the book. First, I don't think there should have to be a prequel to explain things. Second, I don't agree that the pages explained much. We got to meet Jovu and spend some time with Myrra which are about the only new things. We learn a little more about the political background which we already mostly knew.
I feel like I'm reading the outline of a bigger fantasy work, which is exactly how I felt with A Touch of Light too.
There is still a huge jump in time before the events of A Touch of Light, which jumps again between the prologue and actual start. Seeing Myrra's point of view did give a little more insight into her life but these events happened a few centuries ago. I was at least hoping to see something about how the Domain eventually accepted her, but their relationship is still a shell. How did they meet at least? My bad but I'm not believing that he's going to war for her unless there's some background
Abdalla is a good writer which is why I even went here, but he's not giving me much more to like about the books 🤷♀️ I think I gave A Touch of Light three stars too. I was just hoping that more would be revealed in the prequel.
Everyone on the Indie Accords Discord was saying that this story answers a lot of questions about the book. First, I don't think there should have to be a prequel to explain things. Second, I don't agree that the pages explained much. We got to meet Jovu and spend some time with Myrra which are about the only new things. We learn a little more about the political background which we already mostly knew.
I feel like I'm reading the outline of a bigger fantasy work, which is exactly how I felt with A Touch of Light too.
There is still a huge jump in time before the events of A Touch of Light, which jumps again between the prologue and actual start. Seeing Myrra's point of view did give a little more insight into her life but these events happened a few centuries ago. I was at least hoping to see something about how the Domain eventually accepted her, but their relationship is still a shell. How did they meet at least? My bad but I'm not believing that he's going to war for her unless there's some background
Abdalla is a good writer which is why I even went here, but he's not giving me much more to like about the books 🤷♀️ I think I gave A Touch of Light three stars too. I was just hoping that more would be revealed in the prequel.
June 19, 2022
3.5/5 stars.
As a prequel novella, it really through the reader into the story. I think it also accomplished a lot of history and set up for the book to come. I didn’t think the main relationship between the two POV characters was really that established though, felt a bit insta-love or honestly even just like a working friendship instead? The Epilogue definitely brought up a lot of questions though and I’m excited to get into Touch of Light next month.
As a prequel novella, it really through the reader into the story. I think it also accomplished a lot of history and set up for the book to come. I didn’t think the main relationship between the two POV characters was really that established though, felt a bit insta-love or honestly even just like a working friendship instead? The Epilogue definitely brought up a lot of questions though and I’m excited to get into Touch of Light next month.
May 27, 2023
Finding a new voice in epic fantasy is a thrill when the author turns out to be talented in his execution. This is exactly the case with Thiago Abdalla’s A Prelude to Ashes.
Set 100 years before book one of The Ashes of the Avarin series, A Touch of Light, this prequel novella sets up many of the conflicts and elements of this new world. Adrian and Myrra are forbidden lovers and the children of their respective leaders. The stakes are high as they try to navigate a way to bring their two houses together as war threatens to tear both of their homes apart.
I would recommend this novella to anyone looking for a new epic to follow. It’s short but is also filled with action, characters you can get behind, and enough worldbulding that you’ll be compelled to give the first book a try.
What’s better? It’s free from the author’s website. You basically have no excuse not to give it a shot!
Set 100 years before book one of The Ashes of the Avarin series, A Touch of Light, this prequel novella sets up many of the conflicts and elements of this new world. Adrian and Myrra are forbidden lovers and the children of their respective leaders. The stakes are high as they try to navigate a way to bring their two houses together as war threatens to tear both of their homes apart.
I would recommend this novella to anyone looking for a new epic to follow. It’s short but is also filled with action, characters you can get behind, and enough worldbulding that you’ll be compelled to give the first book a try.
What’s better? It’s free from the author’s website. You basically have no excuse not to give it a shot!
June 1, 2022
This novella packs a punch!
A great return to Avarin, the world that Thiago Abdalla started to build with a Touch of Light.
For a novella of around 27k words it has everything an epic fantasy novel contains. Great characters, fantastic worldbuilding, political intrigue, awesome action and GRIFFINS!
I am super excited to see more of Avarin and the characters.
Sign up for Thiago Abdalla's newsletter and get this novella for FREE!
This is an author's journey you will want to follow.
A great return to Avarin, the world that Thiago Abdalla started to build with a Touch of Light.
For a novella of around 27k words it has everything an epic fantasy novel contains. Great characters, fantastic worldbuilding, political intrigue, awesome action and GRIFFINS!
I am super excited to see more of Avarin and the characters.
Sign up for Thiago Abdalla's newsletter and get this novella for FREE!
This is an author's journey you will want to follow.
June 12, 2022
A really nice novella that adds up to the world of The Ashes of Avarin. I really enjoyed learning more about what happened before the first book A Touch of Light whose concept I absolutely adore. Some character's motivations are slowly hinted at in this novella (knowing that I stopped reading A Touch of Light at 50% in order to read this novella, hoping to understand better this complex worldbuilding the author is delivering).
Coming back to the novella, it didn't give all the answers I was looking for, but I was in for the ride! The plot is very engaging, however, my personal preference goes to character-driven plots, which wasn't really the case for this novella (and so far the book as well). I really wished the characters where more fleshed out, being the ones who influence the plot and not the other way around.
With that being said, I will continue my read through A Touch of Light for the worldbuilding and the plot which are both very promising and definitely the strengths of the novella and the first book in this series.
Coming back to the novella, it didn't give all the answers I was looking for, but I was in for the ride! The plot is very engaging, however, my personal preference goes to character-driven plots, which wasn't really the case for this novella (and so far the book as well). I really wished the characters where more fleshed out, being the ones who influence the plot and not the other way around.
With that being said, I will continue my read through A Touch of Light for the worldbuilding and the plot which are both very promising and definitely the strengths of the novella and the first book in this series.
August 30, 2022
I marvel when an author can do a lot of things in a slim volume, and Thiago Abdalla has certainly done that here. He gives you a compelling narrative, characters that you connect with and immediately care for, and some really great world-building (even if I wasn't 100% clear about some of the factions), all in under 150 pages! A Prelude to Ashes is a novella set 100 years before his novel, A Touch of Light, and upon finishing this novella immediately added that novel to my must-read list. An indie author you DEFINITELY should check out. 4.5/5
January 9, 2023
This was a decent introduction to this series, but I do think it would have been better after reading A touch of Light. As it is, the majority of this prequel novella focuses on a battle and I am just less interested in combat for combat's sake. But I'm looking at this as an investment to get more context into A Touch of Light when I read it!
July 28, 2022
Great way to enter to the world of Thiago Abdalla. I find the narrative really fresh, really quick.
Loved the plot and how the battles are described.
A great piece to start a great saga!
Loved the plot and how the battles are described.
A great piece to start a great saga!
January 3, 2023
Friends, I have to start this off by giving you a piece of advice, which you can take with a grain of salt, but I would not start here with this series, even though it's a prequel. After I read the first book in the series,
A TOUCH OF LIGHT,
only then did I understand this novella. If I had read it in publication order, after the first book, I think I would've felt differently, once I had an attachment to the characters. (I hope this made sense...it did in my head, lol) On a reread, I will read this one second and will likely be back over here adjusting my rating.
So what is this novella about? Readers get to see where it all really began for Prince Adrian - what happened to make him the man we meet in A TOUCH OF LIGHT, and why it is he found himself on the path he was on. Since I started here, there wasn't enough character development for me to care or have any opinions on the characters. Instead, I briefly met a Sentinel and their Griffin - they stole the show and that was literally the ONLY thing I wanted to read about, lol. As a result, I went straight from this novella into the first book of the series, so even though I didn't form any connections or understand what was going on at the time, Thiago Abdalla had set his hook in me. It wasn't a catch and release either because I flew through A TOUCH OF LIGHT and I'm eagerly awaiting the release of book 2 in a couple weeks!!
So what is this novella about? Readers get to see where it all really began for Prince Adrian - what happened to make him the man we meet in A TOUCH OF LIGHT, and why it is he found himself on the path he was on. Since I started here, there wasn't enough character development for me to care or have any opinions on the characters. Instead, I briefly met a Sentinel and their Griffin - they stole the show and that was literally the ONLY thing I wanted to read about, lol. As a result, I went straight from this novella into the first book of the series, so even though I didn't form any connections or understand what was going on at the time, Thiago Abdalla had set his hook in me. It wasn't a catch and release either because I flew through A TOUCH OF LIGHT and I'm eagerly awaiting the release of book 2 in a couple weeks!!
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