Sequels are incredibly hard as first time writers have often talked about. It gets trickier when your first book gets near universal acclaim. Richard Nell finds himself in such esteemed company along with Rothfuss, Lynch, and Anthony Ryan. For us reviewers it gets trickier as those first books are sheer magic. How does one compare the sequels to them?
To discuss this book will be very spoilerific and so I’ll do my best to reveal as little as possible. Richard Nell really outdoes himself with this one as he gives Ruka the space to shine. When we last met Ruka, he was diminished in battle and mind. Not trusting his ownself and left with a death wish of sorts, he takes a boat and ventures out in the northern seas. Thinking that he’ll die, he finds that fate has much more for him when he reaches the islands. Taken prisoner and soon forced to revert back to Bukayag. Ruka’s journey will have him learn what truly his life’s mission is. Meet someone who might be his intellectual equal and also figure out more about his mental grove. This book is all about Ruka as you can surmise and the surprises in it only lead to more questions.
With Kings Of Ash, Richard Nell circumvents the Kane vs Abel approach that was so evident in his debut Kings Of Paradise. With this book, there’s a major twist right in the first few chapters that wasn’t evident in the previous book and I thought that was a very devious one. This book is almost all about Ruka and how he’s gained his abilities. We get to see where and how he ended up in the Pyu islands and what befell him. There’s also Kale’s chapters as we find out who and what he’s become after his temple sojourn. He’s constantly flummoxed by his abilities but finds himself becoming more and more powerful as the days go by. Lastly there’s very little of Dala but she shines in the meager amount of page time that she gets. Her presence makes her reunite with Ruka and they find out what it is that they have to do. Now that Ruka brings back word of the impossible.
Richard Nell has truly given readers a great gift with Ruka. He’s an enigmatic savant who has taken it upon himself to right what he sees as life’s injustices. The first book we saw Ruka’s childhood and saw why he became the way he did. He was brutal, a bit bloodthirsty and trying to figure out whether he was a monster or a mistake. In this book, Ruka truly finds out what he can do (and it’s big). What his destiny is and finally someone who treats him for the genius individual that he is rather than the grotesque monster he might seem to be. This book really goes in-depth about Ruka’s thoughts and we get some more gems like:
“There is only fear and failure. The world is cruel to the weak. How they suffer does not matter.”
“Success is often luck and to think otherwise is arrogance. Your burden is only to try. Face your path with courage, and let come what may”
There’s some crazy magic stuff which even though unexplained, ends up being a lot cool. I can’t wait to see what the eventual reveal is about. The story really takes the slow route in showing each and every step of Ruka’s evolution. While I really enjoyed this, I’m not sure it will be to everyone else’s liking. The story’s pace takes a backseat in this regard but only because we get a thoroughly detailed look in the happenings. The world-building is really expanded as we get a solid look into the Pyu Islands, the monastery and possible origins of the Ascom people. All of this and more is revealed which made the read such a rich one.
We also meet king Farahi and get a more in-depth look at his thinking process as well as his past. He’s a cipher from Kale’s perspective but from another, he’s still a cipher of sorts but there’s a humane side of him which we get to see. We learn what and how he thinks, what moves him and who is it that he trusts. After reading the Farahi sections, I desperately wanted to re-read Kale’s sections from Kings Of Paradise.
The only complaint I have about this book is its ending which brings me back to my first point about this story not going the Kane vs Abel route. The last twist actually hearkens back to the rivalry that’s showcased from the first book and we get a culmination of that. However the ending is an odd one as both protagonists do things that run counter to what’s happened so far. This I can’t talk more without massive spoilers so I’ll leave it at that. But this was the sole point that I would say was off for me.
CONCLUSION: I don’t want to say anything more about this book. Because it is a direct follow up to Kings of Paradise, anything I tell you about the story of Kings of Ash will tell you how Kings Of Paradise ended. Let’s just say that the story develops in few timelines and when they converge, Nell will prove you wrong and then break you. I‘m not saying more. If you want the rest, go read the books.
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"Still the fire descended. With a roar like a furnace blasted with air, Sula glowed with light. The space around the animal wavered with heat and the warhorse snorted and shook its head as its body wrapped in grey steel mesh. Two iron horns grew from a skull-shaped 'helm' on its head, others from its side just below Ruka's feet. The warhorse stomped and lifted its forelegs and snorted air."Say what you want about the Kings of Ash, it certainly doesn't read like the second, self-published installment from a debut author. Nell continues to weave the tale of Ruka, Kale, and Dala and delivers a satisfying climax. The novel is a page-turner with twists, subversions, and endearing moments. There was a particular meeting between two characters that brought me to tears which was the first time this has ever happened to me in my years of reading. I attribute this to Nell's strong world-building driven by effective character development. The reader understands this world based on the circumstances and the decisions the main characters have faced. As a reader, he laid a strong foundation in Kings of Paradise where you understand what makes each character tick and can relate to their struggles just enough to sympathize with them even if they may deplore you in other ways.Again, I find no complaints about Nell's writing. He has paced the story well; despite a new narrative element in time jumping, the story continued to develop well and the creative decision makes sense to the reader once you catch up to the present. In short, the 2nd installment further develops the story beyond the scope of its predecessor.Here's to hoping that Nell is able to get this series published in hardback and with the respectful layout and font these stories deserve.
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Incredible Book.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on September 26, 2021
