by Scott Reintgen
Series: Ashlords #1
Published on January 21, 2020 by Crown Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780593119174
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 368
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Red Rising meets The Scorpio Races in this epic fantasy following three phoenix horse riders--skilled at alchemy--who must compete at The Races--the modern spectacle that has replaced warfare within their empire.
Every year since the Ashlords were gifted phoenix horses by their gods, they've raced them. First into battle, then on great hunts, and finally for the pure sport of seeing who rode the fastest. Centuries of blood and fire carved their competition into a more modern spectacle: The Races.
Over the course of a multi-day event, elite riders from clashing cultures vie to be crowned champion. But the modern version of the sport requires more than good riding. Competitors must be skilled at creating and controlling phoenix horses made of ash and alchemy, which are summoned back to life each sunrise with uniquely crafted powers to cover impossible distances and challenges before bursting into flames at sunset. But good alchemy only matters if a rider knows how to defend their phoenix horse at night. Murder is outlawed, but breaking bones and poisoning ashes? That's all legal and encouraged.
In this year's Races, eleven riders will compete, but three of them have more to lose than the rest--a champion's daughter, a scholarship entrant, and a revolutionary's son. Who will attain their own dream of glory? Or will they all flame out in defeat?
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For all the books I’ve read, I’m not sure I’ve read one like Ashlords and I. Am. A Fan. This book is fast-paced and exciting and packed with twists and turns much like the very race it’s centered around.
I was initially intrigued by the concept of the phoenixes. In this world, they take the form of horses that rise with the sun and die each night, with each rebirth different based on what’s mixed with their ashes. Such a cool idea and brings together two things I’m personally a fan of. Well, three if you count the science/magic aspect of it all. We’re immediately introduced to the phoenixes early on with Imelda, the Alchemist, one of the three point-of-view characters.
The alternating perspectives was definitely one of the strengths of this book. Two points of view, Imelda’s and Adrian’s, are in first person but so distinct that it’s obvious without needing to read the chapter headings who’s speaking. The third, Pippa, is told in the uncommon second person which caught me off guard at first but I quickly fell into it and hers became one of my favorites. I’m not sure why Pippa was picked as the odd one out but I’m not sure it would have worked for the other two characters nearly as well.
All three castes of the empire are represented by these three racers and I loved seeing the world from each perspective, what they have to gain… and what they’ll lose if they fail. While I loved Pippa’s voice, likely because of the distinctive second person style, I think Imelda was my favorite character. She’s the one that surprised me the most with her decisions and her story didn’t follow the direction I expected at all. Which was fantastic because what ultimately happens fits so much better. Plus her alchemy is pretty badass.
I didn’t dislike Adrian but he was my least favorite of the three (though since I liked them all, it required some nitpicking to rank them in any way). He’s all about the rebellion his father wants to stage but how he changes by the end… I hope to see more of that in the sequel.
Because yes, this book needs a sequel. The story isn’t done in Ashlords by any means. At the same time, this is a contained story. This book is about the race, the time leading up to it and everything from the starting gate to the finish line. I feared that might become predictable or copycat-ish of other competition stories but while I think readers of The Hunger Games (as I haven’t read the two books Ashlords is actually compared to) but it’s not Hunger Games 2.0. It stands on its own and the uniqueness of the world and way it’s written definitely made it memorable for me.
Honestly, I couldn’t put Ashlords down. It’s action-packed with a story that ebbs and flows much like a marathon. Although this was the first book by Reintgen that I’ve read, it will absolutely not be the last.
Get Ashlords on your radar. You won’t want to miss this YA fantasy competition filled with the path of ambition, the consequences of rebellion, and the impact of choice. A must-read for the year!
About Austine
I'm a 20-something research proposal developer with a background in the life sciences and education. Reviewer of books since 2011, amateur photographer by day, and aspiring author by night. I believe animals (and books) are better than people.
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