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A review by alexmatzkeit
Ashes of the Sun by Django Wexler
5.0
I have not touched epic fantasy in a while, but I loved this. It confirmed all the faith I had in the author from reading [b:Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Sundered Bond|52817077|Ikoria Lair of Behemoths Sundered Bond|Django Wexler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1585578888l/52817077._SY75_.jpg|78962109], [b:The Gathering Storm|46226731|The Gathering Storm|Django Wexler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1584648886l/46226731._SX50_.jpg|71203401] and his short story in [b:From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back|53965796|From a Certain Point of View The Empire Strikes Back (From a Certain Point of View, #2)|Elizabeth Schaefer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1594737990l/53965796._SX50_.jpg|84332286].
The interesting worldbuilding is first, of course. It builds on the now probably well-established formula of "fantasy built on collapsed sci-fi" I first encountered in [b:Anathem|2845024|Anathem|Neal Stephenson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1488349209l/2845024._SX50_.jpg|6163095] (and which I know Wexler to be a fan of) and later in 2018's Magic: The Gathering Dominaria setting - post-post-apocalypse. If you know about the Star Wars influence, it does take away some of the mystery around the Order (clearly inspired by the Jedi), but it also makes it easier to picture everything in your mind's eye. Wexler mixes and matches his influences, but he does so with great inventive spirit.
What keeps the book together, however, is not the worldbuilding, but the sympathetic characters approaching the same problem from opposite (or are they?) sides. Both of their stories are equally interesting, passionate and driven. It's a writing sleight of hand that they meet for the first time at the exact middle of the book and then drift apart again.
I very much look forward to what will happen next.
The interesting worldbuilding is first, of course. It builds on the now probably well-established formula of "fantasy built on collapsed sci-fi" I first encountered in [b:Anathem|2845024|Anathem|Neal Stephenson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1488349209l/2845024._SX50_.jpg|6163095] (and which I know Wexler to be a fan of) and later in 2018's Magic: The Gathering Dominaria setting - post-post-apocalypse. If you know about the Star Wars influence, it does take away some of the mystery around the Order (clearly inspired by the Jedi), but it also makes it easier to picture everything in your mind's eye. Wexler mixes and matches his influences, but he does so with great inventive spirit.
What keeps the book together, however, is not the worldbuilding, but the sympathetic characters approaching the same problem from opposite (or are they?) sides. Both of their stories are equally interesting, passionate and driven. It's a writing sleight of hand that they meet for the first time at the exact middle of the book and then drift apart again.
I very much look forward to what will happen next.