From the Ashes

I received this novella to judge for the SFINCS semi-finals. Opinion is my own, and does not represent that made by the team. I did also happen to purchase this in paperback, as I prefer to read physical, and I liked the cover.

This is the prequel to The Heart of Quinaria series, and in my opinion, it does operate quite well on its own. It’s a little sparse of descriptors, but it is very focused on the story it’s centering on, so it still works.

Igtheos and Elize are an interracial married couple with a mixed child. The differences are not exactly explained, at least not in black and white, but I took the Nyrian people to be kind of elf/god like beings. The would be dictator they rebel against would put a stop to such relationships, and much more. He believes the humans to be outright beneath them. So when he offers terms for their surrender that seem to good to be true, the rebels still have no choice but to accept. That or be starved out. This is the chaos that ensues when he breaks his treaty to the rebels. It’s a good examination of hope over caution, as well as the lengths people will go for those they love (and in some sense the depths).

While being quite short, perhaps even for novella standards, this was still quite impactful. The action is big, the emotion even bigger. I really felt for the rebels cause, mostly through how the author portrays the rebel leaders. And of course, fights over equality are always hard hitting, fantasy world or not. And in my opinion, this kind of representation of evil is one of the darkest there is. Not just outright evil, not just bad and hectic, but the pointed attempt at lowering or even annihilating a people. In that sense, it is quite a heavy read though.

You feel their losses, you feel their plight, and you feel like raising up a sword in their defense.