The Ashes And The Star-Cursed King, by Carissa Broadbent

The second novel in Carissa Broadbent's Crowns Of Nyaxia series will completly change Oraya's world and our understanding of it.

From the blurb;

'In the wake of the bloody tournament known as the Kejari, Oraya is now a prisoner in her own kingdom. She's left with one certainty: she cannot trust anyone, least of all Raihn, the vampire who betrayed her.

'The House of Night, too, is surrounded by enemies, and Raihn's own nobels are none too eager to accept a Turned King. When Raihn offers Oraya a secret alliance, taking the deal is her only hope of reclaiming her crown - and seeking her revenge. But to do so, she'll need to harness an ancient power, interwind with her father's greatest secrets.

'With enemies closing in on all sides, Oraya finds herself forced to choose between the bloody reality of seizing power - and the devastating love that could be her downfall.'

I'm going to say it. I think this should have been two books. The Ashes And The Star-Cursed King covers a lot of ground, between politcal infighting, Oraya's path of self-discovery and resolving the issues she has with her now dead Father Vincent, the shattered and rebuilding of her love story with Raihn, the complex issues with the gods, it's a lot. Broadbent tries to cut through this by offering two main arcs throughout the novel, with the first finishing about halfway through and igniting the action packed path into the second. However in my mind I would have liked to have seen these two arc's each as individual novels, allowing me to fully embrace each one and not have any of the clunkyness that comes from trying to get so many different arcs to push through at once.

That being said once I was into The Ashes And The Star-Cursed King it was hard to put it down. While it is true that a lot is happening throughout this book Broadbent leaves time for greater character development for both our main and side casts, a greatly appreciated narritive vice that allows the story to be more consuming and well rounded.

Unlike the first installment this novel looks through the interchanging perspectives of both Oraya and Raihn, an important element to hold in this story as throughout a fair chunk of the story their arcs are veering in very different directions, only coming together when the pair beging to mend the wrongs that are between them.

As with The Serpent And The Wings Of Night, this novel is also divided into parts, with each part opening with a glimpse into the past, this time specifically Raihn's, fleshing out this long-lived character and providing more detail to the secrets her has harboured for so long.

While a lot of The Ashes and The Star-Cursed King takles the class-system of vampires between those born and turned and the complex politcal nature of the four house's of Vampires and their relationship to their preffered food-source in humans, it also delves deeper into the gods and the complex history that runs as an undercurrent throughout this series, often driving forward action sequences and keeping our intrest piqued as readers.

Broadbent skillfully managed to re-harness the enticment of a slow-burn romance, a nearly impossible task with an already established couple, and draws us back into the relationship beween Raihn and Oraya with just the right amount of care to ensure is dosn't feel forced.

All the while Oraya is learning more about herself, and through that, her power. Unburdended by her mortality Oraya finally embraces all that she is and it is a pleasure to see her strangth and power bloom into an unstoppable force. While she goes on this very personal journey we also see her put together the missing peices of her past, and of the past of her father Vincent, a character whose effect is felt throughout this novel and whose history becomes a point of great intrest by it's close. leaving us excited to read his story in full in the future.

While some readers may not find Broadbents wrtting style to thier tastes her fantasy world building continues to intrigue and delight, as her chracters go once more into battle for the betterment of their world.

We give The Ashes And The Star-Cursed King Three Stars

ISBN - 978-1035040988

Cover Price - £9.99

First published in the UK 2024 by Tor