I enjoy fantasy books and romance books, and the combination thereof is one of my favorites when done well. Author Elizabeth Vaughan wrote a marvelous series 20 years ago titled Chronicles of the Warlands. Composed of six books originally, and starting with the phenomenal WARPRIZE, this series was utterly captivating. Vaughan came back and wrote a prequel to this earlier series in 2019 which was only ok, not like the great original books. Now, Vaughan brings us a new related series called the Blood of Xy.
The Blood of Xy series is set in the same magical and primitive world as Chronicles of the Warlands but in a vastly different timeframe, and it’s unclear whether these books take place in the past or the future from the original series. ASHES OF XY is the first in this new series. It’s hard to read ASHES OF XY without comparing it to the epic greatness of WARPRIZE, and I think that riders who loved the original books will be disappointed by this latest tale. Even without suffering the comparison to Vaughan’s early glory days, readers may be underwhelmed in general by ASHES OF XY.
A civil war was just lost, and the new evil overlords were consolidating their power. The wet nurse for the born-on-the-battlefield heir to the throne escapes with her tiny charge and finds herself thrown into a living situation with a crippled scholar who is a distant relative of the former (and current) rulers. There is a gentle romance between these two which is slow-blooming and sweet. I also like the mage and his half-animal (but sometimes human) warrior who spirit the wet nurse away and then works in the background to try to save the kingdom. These characters don’t make up for the somehow one-dimensionality of many of the characters, however, including the almost cartoonishly evil usurper king and queen.
Having fangirled so hard over the original series and eagerly awaiting this new release, I am disappointed to be so underwhelmed by ASHES OF XY. Having been such a loyal Vaughan fan for years, I will definitely pick up book 2, but with a little trepidation. New readers to this author would be much more richly rewarded to revel in the glory of WARPRIZE instead.
When a bloody civil war claims the life of the Warrior Queen of Xy, Amari of Uyole flees the battlefield with the queen’s newborn daughter in one arm and her own infant son in the other, desperate to escape the ruthless hunters sent by the blood-hungry usurper, King Xyrath.
A crippled scholar….
Far from the war, Orval has built a quiet life in the capital of Xy, immersed in his scrolls, pens, and parchment. A distant cousin to the royal family, he has been left to his own devices—and he wants to keep it that way.
A collision of fates….
One cold night, a terrified Amari and her precious burdens appear at Orval’s door, shattering his carefully constructed life. As the ruthless predators gain ground, Amari and Orval must forge a strength they never knew they possessed, not only to protect the babes, but each other.
© 2003-2025 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy