Onward, Ye Heroes by C S Brown
C S Brown returns to the seven kingdoms in Onward, Ye Heroes to bring readers the epic conclusion to his Smoke Without Ash duology.
The story begins right where Gather, Ye Heroes left off. The prophesied Heroes of Destiny — Tian, Elsbeth and Torg — have converged to begin their attack on the Smoke Without Ash, also known as the Dark, the evil force that lurks in the Northern Wastes. Except, nothing is as simple as it seems.
Facing a larger enemy force than they expected, our heroes’ paths quickly diverge to face the war on three fronts.
A War on Three Fronts
At the news of the Dark encroaching on the neighboring kingdom, Tian heads eastward to aid them. But he’s shocked by what he finds when he arrives. And how will the ruling leader react to his — and his army’s — presence in his kingdom?
To the west, Elsbeth returns to her home kingdom to defend the capital city alongside Prince Roble and his father. But in order to save the people, she’ll have to make a great sacrifice.
“Sometimes responsibility means we have to do what we would rather not.”
When his foothold in the north weakens, Torg and his forces retreat to the Annishere capitol city of Innis, where he plans to fight the Dark using the landscape to his advantage. But the Dark won’t be so easily defeated, and the price for victory may be too steep for Torg to pay.
New Magic and Dark Secrets
Meanwhile, the group of eccentric savants from the first book — led by Konrad to gather research on the Dark — take on a more important role as they begin to learn the secrets of magic. But learning the craft quickly proves more difficult than they ever could have expected. If any of them can truly master magic … what will it cost them?
Throughout our heroes’ journeys, secrets are revealed about the true nature of dragonsteel, the only weapon capable of defeating the Dark, and dragonfire, the Dark’s ultimate weapon. But these aren’t the only dark truths unearthed as they converge for the final epic battle at WorldsTop.
One of them is destined to defeat the dark. But can prophecies — or dragons — really be believed?
Dynamic Characters and Storylines
Just as in the first book, author C S Brown masterfully weaves multiple storylines into a cohesive whole. With so many characters in various places, Onward, Ye Heroes is complex with many moving parts, but it reads naturally, with one scene effortlessly flowing into the next.
The characters we met in the first book evolve and deepen in complexity. As they’ve fully entered this epic war, sacrifice, loss and betrayal make our heroes grow as individuals and as leaders. I particularly liked Konrad’s rise to the spotlight, and Elsbeth’s journey to become a strong and fearsome leader.
Perfect Ending to Epic Duology
Just as with the first book, Brown offers some surprising twists and secrets near the end that strike right through the heart of the story. Which of the three ended up being the real Hero of Destiny? You’ll be shocked when you learn.
In the end, Onward, Ye Heroes comes to a satisfying conclusion, perfectly closing out this epic duology. Readers will see how these heroes’ actions echoed through time, and how they left a lasting imprint on their world — and perhaps, on the reader.
A few years ago, C S Brown left the rat race and moved to Central America. Perched atop a mountain in the middle of a jungle with a beautiful view of the local lake, he settled into retirement. But he found he wanted to do something productive with his time. Fun… but still productive. He chose writing. Before this, the only fiction he had ever written was his employee review. Never had he tried telling a story. He got hooked, and kept writing until one day he realized he had written a book.
Today, you can find him enjoying the view, writing his fantasies in the peaceful confines of a little house outside a (very) small town. When he is not writing, he’s playing guitar, hanging with friends, or being bossed around by his two cats. All in the shadow of an active volcano.
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