Review: Ashes to Ashes review
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 29, 2014
Ashes to Ashes presents an alternative look into the events following the purging of fallen angels and demons from heaven following the rebellion. Gods war over the lands, angels and demons battle each other, elf princes scheme for the throne, and people every scrabble for power or love or to preserve their own lives.The most interesting thing is how the various races interact. Each wants something different, but is hindered or beholden to various constraints. Vampires can't breed, and demons want to be rid of angels, etc etc. The amount of thought that went into making it seem like each race has its own little niche in the world is great, and I liked the sense of wonder and discovery this book had in letting us peek into this world. There are a lot of characters and side stories, featuring tales of love, betrayal, loyalty and heroism. The writing was generally really good, too. Sometimes there's an awkward phrasing here or there, but usually it flowed well and maintained a good pace. This was an engaging read, and I enjoyed it more than I expected to. The more fantastical bent to it was interesting, because considering the cover I thought it would play the demon and angel war story more conventionally.This is actually the second book in a series, and I was so instantly immersed that I didn't guess until I read the information on the book more closely (you'd think the little "Vol. II" on the cover would tip me off). It's very easy to pick up for new readers.