Ice Forged

Ascendant Kingdoms Saga, Book 1

By: Gail Z. Martin

Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds

Length: 19 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Condemned as a murderer for killing the man who dishonored his sister, Blaine "Mick" McFadden has spent the last six years in Velant, a penal colony in the frigid northern wastelands. Harsh military discipline and the oppressive magic keep a fragile peace as colonists struggle against a hostile environment. But the supply ships from Dondareth have stopped coming, boding ill for the kingdom that banished the colonists. Now, as the world's magic runs wild, McFadden and the people of Velant must fight to survive and decide their fate....

From Gail Z. Martin, author of the beloved series The Chronicles of the Necromancer and The Fallen Kings Cycle, comes a new fantasy adventure for the ages.

Welcome to the end of the world.

Welcome to the beginning of The Ascendant Kingdomgs Saga.

©2013 Gail Z. Martin (P)2013 Recorded Books

True Epic Fantasy Fan

I have only listened to the first book but if you are a true fan of fantasy you should give this one a shot. I almost skipped this series because some of the reviews were so bad. That would have been a mistake. The bad reviews must have been written by romance lovers not fans of fantasy. I have been hooked since the beginning. I am just a regular guy but I have been listening to Audible for years and have a very large library of fantasy books. If this series continues as it has it will be one of my favorites. The narrator, Tim Gerard Reynolds does an excellent job. He brings the characters to life and gives them each their own personality. 5 stars without a doubt.

Tim Gerard Reynolds makes this good book very goog

What did you love best about Ice Forged?

It's good red meat for the fantasy enthusiast tightly told and moves along with a few surprises thrown in.

What about Tim Gerard Reynolds’s performance did you like?

He is always very easy to listen, a warm embracing style that feels like an old friend telling tales over a nice bottle of port.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Way too long for that.

Enchanting

An exciting beginning to an interesting tale. The plot moves smoothly and the characters are enigmatic and the dynamic cohesive. A good story worth the read.

Great Story

I love this series. I am currently listening to it for the second time. To me, that is the best kind of book.

Vamps & Swashbuckling ;-)

Not the best story, but it's better than average, and adding vampires to this genera was a nice touch.

Tim Gerard Reynolds was great as usual.

Good Read

What made the experience of listening to Ice Forged the most enjoyable?

Interesting world. Colorful characters and backgrounds. It could have been easily broken into two books, but thankfully, we did not have to wait for the second. :)

ok, but no ending

I understand when something is part of a series, that it will leave you wanting more. but this has NO ending... I'll read the next one anyway.

Unremarkable Entertainment

Another masterful performance by Tim Gerard Reynolds on this poorly written yet somewhat entertaining adventure. In a under developed world chopped full of every conceivable type of magic there is definitely something for everyone just not well done somethings. The performance of Tim saved this book for me.

From leisured adolescent to tempered man

It's always a treat when I come across a new author that exhibits the promise of becoming one of my top-tier few and Gail Z. Martin shows all the signs of that in book 1 of this saga. It combines the abbreviated struggles of an Odysseus-like adventure as Blaine and his hard earned friends make their way back to their homeland from a prisoner colony.

There are some magical elements to the tale but they play a minor role in this, the first book, and eventually are seemingly lost entirely, causing all sorts of hardships for a society that had come to rely on its uses. His friends are an eclectic mix of assassin/spy/courtesan, ex-soldier, tinkerer/inventor, thief/entertainer and vampire assistant.

The plot plays out evenly starting with familial departure then with several close encounters and eventual return to his family and then a continuation of his quest to restore the magic.

There were some areas that seemed a little under-developed. Blaine's siblings who were suggested to play a significant role in the beginning seemed to be almost forgotten after his return. Even his sister, who did play a significant role in his being sent to a prisoner colony, was completely ignored after a few hugs and tears. Even so, the book was entertaining, made all the more so with Tim Gerard Reynolds's excellent narration performance.

Uneven start to the Ascendant Kingdoms Saga

Velant is a penal colony hidden away in the frozen wastes of Edgeland, an inhospitable location on the edge of the world where the King of Donderath sends the convicted of his domain. Those banished to Velant never return, so it is a fate just short of death to be sent there, and for many it is indeed a death sentence. The prison is ruled by an oppressive governor who uses his warden mages to keep the prisoners in line and ensure they continue working in the ruby mines. Those prisoners fortunate enough to survive their sentence of servitude in the mines still don't get to return home when they are done, instead they earn a ticket of leave which makes them a colonist in a small town near the prison that remains under the rule of the Governor. This town barely survives at the best of times and during the 6 month long dark season it must rely on the regular supply ships from Donderath to keep everyone alive. However, it seems that those ships have stopped arriving for an unknown reason, and the long dark is approaching...

The main character, Blaine McFadden, is sentenced to prison in Velant at the start of the book, and it is his life there that is the strength of this book. Blaine and his fellow convicts are sympathetic characters that struggle to eke out a life against all odds in Edgeland and it is easy to root for them to be successful. Friendships forged by shared suffering bind them together and the reasons they each carry for being sentenced to Velant add a nice amount of flavor to their relationships. Their world is harsh, but lucky for them they have a little bit of magic at their disposal to help get by. 

For better or worse, a quest line fueled by some standard fantasy tropes eventually takes over and forces Blaine and his friends to undertake a quest against long odds.  Vampires, magic, ancient riddles, and last surviving heir quests have all been done before, so does this one actually rise above all the tropes to stand out?  Not really. The story feels incomplete and the unique and engaging aspects of the story seem to be in the rear view mirror when this one ends. The main characters are solid but the all too convenient plot points of the latter half of the book have me a little concerned as I head into book two. Luckily the series is narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds and his masterful storytelling makes everything better so my concern won't stop me from continuing with the series.