I gave the first book in the Kithamar trilogy, Age of Ash, 3 stars. I was generally reserving judgment. Book 2 reassured me that this trilogy is probably going to be up to Daniel Abraham’s usually high standard. However, I am - with great reluctance - going to say that if you haven’t started the series, you’re probably better off waiting until 3 comes out.
This trilogy has an interesting concept. They all take place within a single city, and each book covers the same year. But each book centers on a different character, giving a wildly differing view of events. And only when we have read all three, are we assured, will we understand the full story. Hence my very cautious optimism after book 1; it was a good book, and told a good story, but it was odd in that the story ended but in a very incomplete way.
Having read book 2, I’ve changed the way I’m understanding this trilogy. The main character of the Kithamar trilogy isn’t a person: it’s the city of Kithamar itself. Each volume (assuming #3 follows the same pattern) tells the story of one person within the city. Put those together, and you get that combination of complete, but not; both books 1 and 2 finished the story of their respective protagonists, but we only got a piece of the meta-story of Kithamar.
For those who read book 1, the main character here is Garreth Left, the city guardsman we see briefly in book 1. There’s a prominent secondary protagonist in Elaine a Sal, daughter to and heir of the Prince of Kithamar. We do see the protagonist of book 1, though only briefly (more or less as much as we see Garreth in book 1). Many of the city-wide events from book 1 are seen here, but with different perspectives. The story of the protagonist of book 1 is only hinted at. I dearly wish I’d reread book 1 before this, because I know I missed a good deal. I definitely plan to do so before book 3.
Regarding what you’re getting in the books more generally: for those who have read Abraham’s other stuff, this has more of the feel of the Long Price Quartet than the Dagger & the Coin or the Expanse. It’s very atmospheric, with a definite melancholy running through it all. It’s a highly experimental book, almost the literary equivalent of a concept album, but it’s a promising one.
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