Review: A new favorite series!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 27, 2011
This is the first book by Mr. Andrew Ashling that I have read.  Several other friends / people I follow either were reading or had read one of his newer books "A Dish Served Cold" and gave it great reviews.  Because I didn't dare read it first (it has some scary plot lines, to me anyway!) I decided to start with a genre I'm more familiar with, the science fiction / fantasy category. I now know this is more of a post apocalyptic novel, but for me this category still fits.I am very happy I started here because I really loved Mr. Ashling's story.  There are several interesting threads running through this first book in the Bonds of Hate series.  The first one, and the one the reader gets the least number of clues about , is that of the story teller himself.  Who is he, who is the man who is his audience, and what the heck is up with that stool!  Many of the scenes between the two young prince / half brothers make me feel sad and lonely for them and make me angry at their despicable treatment of each other.  They seem to be, in essence, two broken children unable to climb out of their predicament.There are also at least four other significant story threads that wrap around themselves throughout the book adding complexity, character development, and continuity.  The writer handles scenes of hilarity, camp, and human suffering with equal aplomb and in the end, I am left with excitement for the remaining books in this series and a new found appreciation and warmth for Mr. Ashling's writing.Thank you, Andrew Ashling, for writing one of my new favorites!