Title: Iron and Ether
Series: Blessed Epoch 03
Author: Augusta Li
Genre: High Fantasy
Length: Novel Plus (344pgs)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (25th September 2013)
Heat Level: Moderate – Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 4½ Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Sasha was born to, and has always defined himself by, the secret assassins’ Order of the Crimson Scythe. He chose the love of Yarrow L’Estrella and Duncan Purefroy over his duty to his clan, forfeiting his last mission and allowing Prince Garith to live. Now, the order—previously Sasha’s family—has branded him a traitor. He’s marked, and that means the brethren of the Crimson Scythe won’t stop until Sasha is dead.
Garith’s twin kingdoms balance on the brink of war and all three men have reasons to help the King, whether loyalty, duty, or the interests of their own lands. Still, Yarrow and Duncan are willing to seek out and destroy the assassins’ order to keep Sasha safe. But Sasha isn’t sure that’s what he wants. None want to admit their energy would be better spent helping Garith keep the kingdom united, or in his war against foreign invaders. All plans and assumptions shatter when it becomes clear that the real warmonger isn’t a foreigner, but someone who lives in their midst. Their world teeters on the precipice of change, and Sasha, Duncan, and Yarrow can only hope the links they’ve forged will hold if Garith’s kingdom is torn apart.
Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4176
Review: This story is part of a series and must be read in order. Sasha has always completed his orders from the Order of the Crimson Scythe, but when he choose the love of Yarrow and Duncan and let Prince Garith live he was marked and is now hunted by those he called family. Yarrow and Duncan are determined to put a stop to the Crimson Scythe in any way they can to make them leave Sasha alone but the outcome is not what they expected. As Sasha, Yarrow and Duncan plan against the Crimson Scythe Garith has far more worrying concerns as the Thirteen Goddesses priestess turn against him and foreign invaders make war on his kingdom shores.
Holy crap! This series is really beginning to heat up and throw us curve balls all over the place and making us wonder what on Earth could be coming next. As I write this review, I wonder what I could tell you that wouldn’t ruin the fun of discovery and I have to admit that it is pretty little. If you have been following this epic journey with me then you will know that anything is possible in Yarrow, Duncan and Sasha’s world and if you haven’t then you really need to do yourself a favor and go get the previous books Ash and Echoes and Ice and Embers.
The blurb really does describe this book pretty well but it leaves out a lot of surprises that leave you open-mouthed, and all I can say is I wonder what Augusta Li has in stock for Duncan because Sasha’s was a doozy. While I won’t go into the precise details (read the book) or really even the vague details (read the book) 🙂 I will just cover what is in the blurb. Sasha, Duncan and Yarrow make plans to get the Crimson Scythe to back off, they have Corbin (mage assassin) assisting to locate the leaders but it is much harder to locate them than originally thought. Garith is facing heavy opposition from the priestesses and when war comes to his shore he has to make harsh decisions, he also becomes much closer with his bodyguard Sander on a journey to slay a beast in the hopes of saving his queen and child.
Hmmm what else can I tell you… well, we see Sai (Yarrow’s Emiri friend) who plays a pivotal role in this adventure, we have surprises and shocks, gauntlets being thrown down and stomped on. We see allegiances developing and friendships forged, we have love that is stronger than the will of the gods and we have a burning need for the truth that is festering. There are scenes of epic battle, epic bloodbaths, epic magic, and epic sex. But, with Yarrow, Duncan, and Sasha can you really say you are surprised?
I have to recommend this story if you love high fantasy, epic storylines, fantastic characters, love and loss, hard times and lives lost, glimpses of happiness and hope and an ending that lets you know there is still more to come.