Everything will be all right.” He hoped the words sounded more convincing to Calenne than they did to him. “Mother will come.” The girl flung her arms around Elda. She said nothing, but the tears on her cheeks told a tale all their own. The church spire passed away to his left. Desperate townsfolk crowded its lychpath, seeking sanctuary behind stone walls. People filled the streets beyond. Some wore council blue, most the sea-grey of Eskavord’s guard, and too many the garb of ordinary folk caught in between. CIA Statement on "Legacy of Ashes" ". Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). 2007-08-06. Archived from the original on 2008-01-09 . Retrieved 2021-03-16. Katya took up position at the bridge’s narrow crest, her sword point-down at her feet in challenge. She’d no illusions about holding the wayfarers. It would cost them little effort to ride straight over her, had they the stomach for it. But the tightness of the approach offered a slim chance.

It’s a big world. Lose yourself in it. I’ve learnt that it’s always better to do something than nothing.” We all know how it goes; if it’s an epic fantasy debut, the particular book will immediately be advertised as A Song of Ice and Fire or Game of Thrones meets (insert another author/series/book here,) and Legacy of Ash isn’t excluded from that tradition. As much as I often find this kind of advertisement misleading most of the time, Legacy of Ash may have just done justice to this often-misleading claim. Legacy of Ash is an epic fantasy debut with many characters and names to remember, imbued with the hint of huge scope found in A Song of Ice and Fire and action sequences that bear a resemblance to Bernard Cornwell’s. Viktor gained leverage on the Council by threatening to reveal the existence of his shadow, convincing his father to support the Southshires’ defence. He arrived in the Southshires just in time to save Calenne from ne’er-do-wells, and through her gained introduction to Josiri. The rough beginnings with the names aside, my investment for the majority of the characters were definitely there. Legacy of Ash has no shortage of well-written flawed characters. The characters and relationship developments between the cast felt believable. Also, I would like to add that Ward writes great female characters. Have I mentioned that Ward has written one of the most despicable—in a good way for the story—evil queen to ever exist on a fantasy book? Seriously, watch out for Ebigal Kiradin. She’s utterly abhorrent, selfish, and manipulative; she pretty much made Cersei Lannister virtuous in comparison. And I love it. Ebigal made the politics in the book so much more engaging and intense, and she has the role of becoming a huge driving factor in the second half of the book.

Overall: Contradictory, but Satisfying

Ruling families plot against one another with sharp words and sharper knives, heedless of the threat posed by the invading armies of the Hadari Empire. Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA is a 2007 book by Tim Weiner. Legacy of Ashes is a detailed history of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from its creation after World War II, through the Cold War years and the War on Terror. The book is based on more than 50,000 documents, primarily from the archives of the CIA, and hundreds of interviews with CIA veterans, including ten Directors of Central Intelligence. [1] Legacy of Ashes won the 2007 National Book Award for Nonfiction. [2] Alas, that confrontation went poorly. Viktor’s shadow was revealed as an aspect of Malatriant’s all-consuming Dark, and he was swiftly overpowered. She revealed that it was he who’d set her free by drawing on the magic of her prison during his triumph at Davenwood. But far from wanting him dead and the world under her thrall, Malatriant claimed she wanted nothing more than to bequeath what remained of her power to Viktor – to have him become her heir. A clarion sounded, its brash notes cleaving through the clamour of the storm. An icy hand closed around Katya’s heart. She’d run out of time. A knight’s promise is not what it was, and the Council nothing if not persuasive.” Katya closed her eyes, lost in the shuddering ground and brash clarions of recent memory. And the screams, most of all. “One charge, and we were lost.”

Richelson, Jeffrey T. (September 11, 2007). "Sins of Omission and Commission". Washington Decoded . Retrieved March 21, 2022. More wayfarers waited at the next junction, their horses arrayed in a loose line beneath overhanging eaves. The town wall loomed through the rain. The west gate was so close. Two streets away, no more. Thank you so much to Angela Man from Orbit for the opportunity to read an e-ARC. All opinions expressed are my own. Callanan, James (2017). "Eisenhower, the CIA, and Covert Action". A Companion to Dwight D. Eisenhower. John Wiley & Sons. pp.365–366. ISBN 9780470655214. Akadra’s sword scraped free of its scabbard. Blades clashed with a banshee screech. Lips parted in a snarl of surprise, he gave ground through the hissing rain.Hooves sounded on cobbles. The leading wayfarers spurred forward, swords drawn to avenge their master’s humiliation. The simarka, given no leave to advance, simply watched unfolding events with feline curiosity. And yet Calenne Trelan, Josiri's sister, seeks only to break free of their tarnished legacy; to escape the expectation and prejudice that haunts the family name. The Tyrant Queen’s reign is done, but vigilance remains. For just as the shadows are strongest on the brightest of days, we are never more imperiled than when we think ourselves safe.”

Denied support by her adoptive mother, the Goddess Ashana, Melanna found encouragement with Ashana’s Huntsman, who gifted her a sword that blazed with alabaster flame. Initially dismissed by the men in the Hadari army – including her father – Melanna proved herself by snatching victory from the jaws of defeat at Charren Gorge, and thereafter fought at Davenwood as a full heir, fit to inherit her father’s throne. Calenne descended the stairs, expression still heavy with distrust. Katya stooped to embrace her daughter. She hoped Calenne’s thin body stiffened at the cold and wet, and not revulsion for a woman she barely knew. From the first, Katya had thought it necessary to send Calenne away, to live shielded from the Council’s sight. So many years lost. All for nothing. Katya rammed the dagger home. Chain links parted. She felt no pain as the blade slipped between her ribs. There was only a sudden giddiness as the last of her burdens fell away into mist. Katya’s hands tightened on her sword. She’d held longer than she’d believed possible. She hoped Josiri had used the time well.By contrast, siblings Josiri and Calenne didn’t seem quite so interesting. While I had hoped they would be front and center as well since it’s Josiri’s people and land that needed both saving from the Hadari and the rest of the Tressian Republic, their causes and personalities felt very bland and one note in comparison to Viktor. I did like that they were quite consistent in their characterizations, but they just felt kind of boring. Despite wanting nothing more than to return to the Southshires and find Calenne, Josiri found himself drawn into the fight. Eventually, Viktor’s allies overthrew and killed Ebigail, only to receive warning that the Southshires were sliding into disaster. Akadra’s hand, so lately extended in conciliation, wrenched the sluggish blade from her grasp. He let his own fall alongside. Tugged off balance, Katya fell to her hands and knees. Defenceless. Helpless.