Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Crown of Ash (Blood Skies #4)

by Steven Montano (Goodreads Author)

4.38 of 5 stars 4.38 · rating details · 29 ratings · 17 reviews

Eric Cross and his team have been to hell and back, but their journey isn’t over yet.

Marooned in the remote criminal city of Blacksand, the only way for the mercenaries to get home is to help a local crime boss protect his territories from the Ebon Cities.

To complicate matters, Danica Black is also being hunted by The Revengers, a powerful band of corrupt prison wardens, w...more

Paperback, 297 pages

Published August 20th 2012 by Darker Sunset Press

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Gorgeous Covers

264th out of 363 books — 233 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 362)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Dec 12, 2012 Steve rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia-apocalyptic, favorites

All I can say about this book is, "HOLY SDF#$)%U)@#*"! This series keeps getting better and better, and I keep wondering how much more Mr. Montano can throw at his characters, and how much more they can take before they turn their spirits and hexed bullets on HIM!

This fourth book of the Blood Skies series starts out relatively slow, but builds in intensity with each page. No spoilers here, but the world-building and fantastic writing leaves me wanting more and more and more... I can't wait for b...more

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 05, 2013 Mihir rated it 4 of 5 stars

Full review originally over at Fantasy Book Critic

ANALYSIS: I have been reading Steven Montano’s series since I discovered the first book early last year. I have read the first three books so far and while I didn't enjoy the third book as much as the first two, I’m still enjoying the series as a whole. The first two books had standalone plots while the third book ended on a cliffhanger of sorts. The fourth book picks up immediately after the events of Soulrazor and the readers get a glimpse of...more
Full review originally over at Fantasy Book Critic

ANALYSIS: I have been reading Steven Montano’s series since I discovered the first book early last year. I have read the first three books so far and while I didn't enjoy the third book as much as the first two, I’m still enjoying the series as a whole. The first two books had standalone plots while the third book ended on a cliffhanger of sorts. The fourth book picks up immediately after the events of Soulrazor and the readers get a glimpse of a new part of the world in the Blood Skies series. Lastly I must reiterate that since it’s the fourth book, there might be some spoilers for the first three books so please be warned those who haven’t read the first three books.

We come across a familiar crew of faces that have captured our imagination with their grit, comradely bonds and overall attitude. Eric Cross, the series protagonist is a bit out especially after the events of the climax of Soulrazor. Danica is now the team leader however she finds herself and the team hobbled after they are forced to hide in Blacksand, the city away from Southern Claw as well as the Ebon Cities. The Revengers, the group of mercenaries that Danica was a part of earlier, are hunting them and they will not stop until they find her. There’s also Mike Kane who is put under the spotlight and becomes the second character after Danica Black to get his own POV chapters. This move becomes a lot clearer on reading the book and so I’ll hope the readers RAFO about it. This book is another fast paced thrill ride and continues the tradition of showcasing a few more aspects of the world of Blood Skies.

Before I begin I have to mention Steven Montano is a cruel guy; I say this with all the sincerity of my heart. He's a cruel guy who absolutely punishes his characters to their physical and mental all. This book continues the trend of the earlier wherein the characters are pushed to their absolute maximums in all areas. The story has two distinct threads dealing with characters in two different locations. Danica, Kane and the rest of the group are trying to get back to what they know as their home. Cross is physically with them however mentally he’s in a completely different place called the Shadowlands which as we learn is of major importance for a whole bunch of reasons. The story then completely immerses the reader in these two plot threads and we are kept on tenterhooks in both of them. The story has quite a lot of pace and twists and even a few serious character deaths. This has been the norm in the previous books however one such event left me shocked as a reader as I couldn’t fathom that the author would pull such a move. The ending is a brutal one and basically makes the next book The Witch’s Eye a must read because of the events that have occurred.

After my experience with the third book, I was a bit wary of this series going downhill for me but with this book [fourth] my enthusiasm for this series is renewed doubly. I must say this book was a whirlwind of action, revelations and plot twists, which keep the reader unsettled in their read and this is a very good thing. Often in series the middle volumes act as transitional volumes and there’s not much happening. Steven Montano eschews this practice and thus makes this middle volume equally important in regards to the revelations and characters arcs that are laid bare in this volume. Prose is another point that the author uses effectively to convey the dread and desolate nature of the world within. I had mentioned in my earlier reviews that this was the author’s strong point and it continues in this book as well. However the author sometimes over enthusiastically goes about his task and that might be bothersome to some readers.

I would have to say that there are a few drawbacks to this story, namely these robust descriptions can be at times overwrought. The author really drives home the bleakness of the world and the character’s despair at their individual situations. This can sometimes seem a bit too much but it is said “the hottest fires forge the strongest steel” and I’m going to give the benefit of doubt to the author that he’s striving to prove this maxim to the hilt. There’s also the pace in one of the plot threads, which seems to be meandering for the first half of the book and only gains prominence and speed in the latter half. These are the factors that detract against the enjoyment that the book provides and it is entirely subjective.

CONCLUSION: Steven Montano is a talented writer and with this book, he proves that he’s no one or two-book wonder and that he has planned a terrific series arc for his characters and readers. Crown Of Ash is a fantastic book and even though is a middle volume, is completely free of all its trappings. The Blood Skies series is a genre-amalgamative one and Crown Of Ash is a superb indicator of the series potential.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 12, 2013 Danielle Young rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I first finished Crown of Ash I was a complete blubbering mess. As I laid my kindle down and tried to form a coherent thought, I was at a loss. Seriously, I just sat there, but then one thought formed.....what? and then it became WHAT? Are you serious? My thoughts sort of continued like this for about ten minutes before I could really sit back and process my real thoughts about the book. And what it really boils down to is that this book blew my mind. Simply put, it was the best so far and...more When I first finished Crown of Ash I was a complete blubbering mess. As I laid my kindle down and tried to form a coherent thought, I was at a loss. Seriously, I just sat there, but then one thought formed.....what? and then it became WHAT? Are you serious? My thoughts sort of continued like this for about ten minutes before I could really sit back and process my real thoughts about the book. And what it really boils down to is that this book blew my mind. Simply put, it was the best so far and was just made of sheer awesomeness!

In Crown of Ash we really get two stories, the story of Cross and his "adventure" in the Whisperlands, and the story of the rest of his team--Kane, Danica, Ronan and Maur as they try and find a way to save Cross. But in true Steven Montano fashion the team gets more than they bargained for as the action and crap hits the fan before you are even 10% into the book! And it doesn't let up. I am used to Cross and his team getting into some pretty heavy crap, I mean come on, I have read the first three books in the series, but Crown of Ash was different for me. I started reading it knowing that I would have to put it down to complete homework and other school responsibilities, but every time I put it down I couldn't get it out of my head. I just had to know how Cross and his team were going to get out of this deep bowl of crap!

I was hooked, and before I knew it, I finished the book and I was left looking like a puckering fish, as I opened and closed my mouth in complete disbelief at everything that just happened. It was great, there is no way that I saw that coming. Steven Montano did such a great job layering this story, that as a reader you think you know what is going to happen, but then he turns your whole world on its head and completely surprises you. And those surprises left me shocked, and reeling, mad and a little crushed. (Oh just wait until you read it, you will see). But I loved it, every. Painful. Shocking. Heartbreaking. Soul crushing. Moment.

In Crown of Ash of course we get our fabulous characters back. Like Cross, Kane, Danica, Ronan and Maur, but we even get some new faces, some you will like, and some you will want to punch in the face, but either way you will love the characters. I loved Cross's team before I read Crown of Ash, but since reading this book, I love them more and I think it has a lot to do with the fact that we get to see them function without Cross again. We really get a better look at the team, especially Kane and Danica, my two favorite characters besides Cross. This team has grown so much in the series. They have gone from a group of people that survived the worst together--who also hated each other, to a true team, that can depend on each other no matter the circumstances and no matter the cost. You always know that they will have your back.

And of course you can't have a Steven Montano book without his amazing ability to build worlds and creatures, that will leave you thankful for the world you live in and make you want to snuggle with a blanket or arm yourself with the biggest gun you can find.

Crown of Ash is an incredible dark fantasy novel that is action packed from start to finish. The story will leave you numb as you find that you can think of nothing else, it will make you yell, cheer, and probably even make you cry. But you can guarantee that you will thank Steven Montano for writing this book, well after you forgive him for something he does in the book!(less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 21, 2012 Dallas Funk rated it 4 of 5 stars

All right, so I found myself in an unusual position with this book. Generally, I am very well aware of what I like and what I don't like when I am reading a book. With this one, however, I kept having to pull myself back out of the book and back into my head in order to reflect on what I had read. In other words, it was a good book. It captured my attention fully and truly pulled me into the world that was described between the pages.

Before I get into specifics, I would like to add that I don't...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 20, 2012 Craig McGray rated it 4 of 5 stars

The world created by Montano is felt in every scene. I was anxious to see where the new book took me, and I wasn't disappointed. I'm not one for long winded reviews, so the short version of my review follows.

The landscapes painted by Montano are once again superb. I found myself in the scenes, feeling the darkness of it all, and that's a good thing. Vivid description is the key to me enjoying fantasy worlds. If I can't find myself walking next to the characters, I lose interest. With that being...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 07, 2013 Gautam Surath rated it 4 of 5 stars

The joy of discovering a consistent franchise is difficult to describe. You hope the next one in the series is going to be as good and you fear that it is not. This mixture of hope and fear is what great franchises manage to deliver book after book making sure your fear does not materialize. With Crown of Ash, Steven is managing this balance extremely well. The book continues from where Soulrazer ended but now has another POV added. So we flew through narratives from three protagonists and its j...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 21, 2012 Shannon Gambino rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

The fourth book in the Blood Skies series is deep, dark, and intense. The beast of The Black leaves its mark once again; some are going to live and some are going to die. Crown of Ash is more cerebral than the other books in the series. Mr. Montano gives the reader a closer look inside the minds of Danica Black, Eric Cross, and Michael Kane; feeling their pain and heartache as they continue fighting to protect their bond of friendship. Crown of Ash pushes the reader deep into the dark recesses o...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 30, 2013 Paul Nelson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-books-read, all-time-favourites

The Crown of Ash follows on immediately from where we left off at the end of the third novel in the series Soulrazor. Danica Black, Mike Kane, Ronan & Mauer are now in Blacksands, hiding out while being pursued by a multitude of bounty hunters.
Cross is alive but still unconscious and after weeks shows no signs of improvement. The team is being protected by Klos Vago a member of the shard, a cartel of smugglers and slavers, with no money and no real choice, they are forced into doing the dir...more The Crown of Ash follows on immediately from where we left off at the end of the third novel in the series Soulrazor. Danica Black, Mike Kane, Ronan & Mauer are now in Blacksands, hiding out while being pursued by a multitude of bounty hunters.
Cross is alive but still unconscious and after weeks shows no signs of improvement. The team is being protected by Klos Vago a member of the shard, a cartel of smugglers and slavers, with no money and no real choice, they are forced into doing the dirty jobs for him in return for a promised trip home to Thornn.

Kane, Ronan, Mauer and two of Vago's people Jade a witch and Sol a half-doj enforcer are sent into the wastelands to investigate damage to the arcane barrier that separates Blacksands from the wild territories to the west and north, there ship comes under attack from vampire tanks of the Ebon Cities and they are forced to crash land. Mike Kane takes on a central role in the story and gets his own POV chapters as they are separated from Danica and undertake their own journey.

Back in Blacksands Danica reluctantly accompanies Vago to a public event, a place where someone in hiding really shouldn't be, she is spotted by a murderwraith and attacked. She is forced into using her spirit to survive but this allows the Revengers tracking her to lock onto her arcane signature and after a violent chase she is captured.

Cross remains unconscious throughout but features in incorporeal form, he finds himself in the Whisperlands, at first not knowing why he is there or how to get out and return to his body. He travels far and knowledge comes to him, along with friends and enemies. He has a vital role to play, saving mankind always is, and we follow the separated trio of Black, Cross and Kane as they draw closer together.

The Revengers feature heavily and we get to meet some old friends of Danica with a little of her history revealed aswell. The Revengers take on the role of the chief bad guys, they have joined forces with the renegade undead of Koth, which featured in the debut Blood Skies as the witch known as Red, the former leader of Thornn sought the surrender of mankind. The Revenger leader Rake has a masterplan that could spell the end of the human race and only Cross and his team can stop him.

The Crown of Ash maintains the high standards of the series so far, a frantic pace, coupled with intense and violent action scenes. Fantastic world building and refreshingly not padded out to a 600+ page monster. The plot is excellent and there are plenty of twists and turns and I'll say it again this series is highly recommended, no question.
As usual not all the good guys survive and there was an extremely surprising, if not shocking death of a major character but with this series you kinda have that feeling in the back of your mind, especially when you see there is no way out of some situations and I think at times not even Cross is safe from a grizzly, violent death. After reading this there is an overwhelming need to move straight away onto the next in the series.
(less)

5 likes · like · see review

Aug 19, 2012 Nephthysnile rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fantasy readers, people looking for a good and easy-to-read series, vampire fans

This series is one of the best I have picked up in a long time.

Everything about the world Montano has created sucks you in.

The characters are well developed, with no gaps that force you to make up your own back story to flesh them out.

The world is far enough separated from our own to make it "other-worldly" but not so far removed that pages are needed to describe the simplest of concepts.

The action is believable, with powers and magic having flaws just as any other combat style might.

Overall, I...more

4 likes · like · see review

Apr 21, 2013 Scott Whitmore rated it 5 of 5 stars

It’s hard to believe because his earlier work is so strong, but Steven Montano has upped his game with Crown of Ash, the fourth book in the Blood Skies series. Montano (@Daezarkian) writes exceptionally vivid prose, painting pictures with words that allow the reader to fully experience the wonderfully dark dystopian world he’s created.

Picking up shortly after the closing events of the previous entry, Crown of Ash has everything we’ve come to expect from this series: exciting fantasy/sci-fi/mili...more It’s hard to believe because his earlier work is so strong, but Steven Montano has upped his game with Crown of Ash, the fourth book in the Blood Skies series. Montano (@Daezarkian) writes exceptionally vivid prose, painting pictures with words that allow the reader to fully experience the wonderfully dark dystopian world he’s created.

Picking up shortly after the closing events of the previous entry, Crown of Ash has everything we’ve come to expect from this series: exciting fantasy/sci-fi/military action, nasty villains including vampires and zombies as well other various undead and alien creatures, and some truly unexpected plot twists.

Threads of the overarching story that runs through this series are unraveled a bit further with plenty of references to key events from the previous books, and the actions of various characters during those events have consequences which are realized in Crown of Ash. The Black, the cataclysmic event where worlds and realities were violently fused together, introduced undead and alien creatures to our planet, and most of the remaining humans have banded together under the flag of the Southern Claw.

For much of the book, three separate storylines are in play and Montano balances each superbly. Soldier-turned-mercenary Eric Cross, a human and fallen warlock who has lost the joined spirit that allowed him to perform magic, has been separated from his body and his consciousness wanders the shadowy realm known as the Whisperlands. Time runs differently in the Whisperlands and the longer living creatures stay there the less “real” and more like a shadow they become.

As I previously wrote in my review of Soulrazor (Blood Skies Book 3), no other author puts me so completely into the story as Montano. In this example from Crown of Ash, Cross wanders the Whisperlands:

He moves across plains of dusk, through petrified black forests and up shattered hills. The taste of metal sticks to the inside of his mouth. He breathes air that smells of coal and brimstone. He is so covered in dirt he can no longer recall the feel of his own skin.

He crosses bone bridges and walks through hollow and abandoned cities. He sees the skeletons of sailing ships. Toppled statues of strange human-reptile hybrids litter the landscape.

Black clouds converge like stains. Trees, bone thin and sharp, prod the sky like knives. He walks through fields of blood and oil.

Dark nectar drips from skeletal branches. The spines of heavy brambles twist like daggers from the ground.

He walks until his legs are numb and his throat is raw. Shadows seep down to his pores. He drifts like a lost leaf, carried by a wind that smells of age and death.

— Montano, Steven (2012-08-18). Crown of Ash (Blood Skies, Book 4) (Kindle Locations 1249-1269). Darker Sunset Press. Kindle Edition.

Meanwhile, Cross’ body is in the care of his teammates, former prison warden Danica Black and ex-prisoner Mike Kane, who desperately try to get their unconscious friend and themselves back to the relative safety of Southern Claw territory. To get there will involve fighting the vampires of the Ebon Cities, mercenary groups formed by both humans and undead renegades, and marauding creatures from the blasted and frozen wastelands left behind after The Black.

I can’t say much more without spoiling the plot, but I’ll close by saying I’m diving right into Book 5, The Witch’s Eye. For more on Mr. Montano and this great series, visit his website, Blood Skies.
(less)

like · see review

Mar 22, 2013 Jenna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 52-new-books-in-52-weeks-2013, sci-fi-fantasy, read-in-2013

I love watching the evolution of an author as they work through a series. The worlds become more real and the characters deepen and seem like someone that perhaps might come by for tea. Well, maybe not the characters in Montano's book, tea might seem frivolous and strange after what they have all been through.

What I am loving so much more than I ever thought I would about this series (because it truly is outside of my normal reading) is the way the characters are with each other. These are peopl...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 19, 2012 S.J. Wist rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: apocalyptic, fantasy, fantasy-cookie-read, military, series, vampires

In the fourth book of the Blood Skies series, it's a reap what you sow as everything Eric's team has been through so far comes back for them ten fold. It's a brutal venture across two entirely different battlefields to reach one goal. Danica and Cross have to stop a power that has been waiting for its chance to rise, while the Southern Claw and Ebon Cities wear each other down. Their feelings for each other might just give them the fighting chance.

If their hands weren't full before, they are now...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 13, 2013 Troy Lefman rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow. This is one bad book, and not in a poorly written way. Montano has done it again. Cross, Kane, Black, and company are in for another treacherous journey. The Revengers battle seemed like a hardcore Battle Royale/Road Warrior battle. Steven has really put it to his characters. The Shadow Lords were a nice addition as well as the other villains this time. Danica Black - holy crap what does she have to go through and will she be in The Witch's Eye? Just when I thought Steven could not come up...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 02, 2012 James Groenestein rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: action, fantasy, kindle

Here is another great read from Steve Montano!!

This part, in the continuing Blood Skies series, sees the team split into 3 separate (but joint) stories each of them ending in the same place.

This part also sees Kane becoming a more of a main character and we get to see things more from his view - his feelings, anxieties and his decisions all shape him into a great character and focal point for a portion of this book.

We also see Danica being thrown in at the deep end of things as she struggles to...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 30, 2013 John Hoddy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Steven Montano has created an incredible world in his Blood Skies books and populated it with complex, heroic, tragic and unepectedly funny characters. Crow of Ash has been my favorite in the series thus far. That being said, it broke my heart.

like · see review

Jan 28, 2013 Jennifer Carter rated it 5 of 5 stars

Steven Montano does not disappoint!!!

1 like · like · see review

Aug 05, 2012 Natasha marked it as to-read

Marked to read :)

like · see review

May 16, 2013 Tawana marked it as to-read

Apr 25, 2013 Sita marked it as to-read

Shelves: di

Apr 13, 2013 Doc Martin is currently reading it

Apr 08, 2013 Leah M marked it as to-read

Mar 23, 2013 Ireri marked it as to-read

Shelves: bdi

Mar 22, 2013 Andrea marked it as to-read

Mar 20, 2013 Fandury marked it as to-read

Shelves: horror

Mar 19, 2013 J.p. Vance marked it as to-read

Mar 16, 2013 David Doenges rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mar 13, 2013 Jon Davidson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mar 13, 2013 Rubén marked it as to-read

Mar 09, 2013 Denese Milton marked it as to-read

Mar 09, 2013 Carolyn marked it as to-read

Shelves: giveaways-no

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 12 13 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Carn't bloody wait :)	2	2	Jul 24, 2012 03:14pm

Genres

Fantasy

3 users

See top shelves...

Books by Steven Montano

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Crown of Ash

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Crown of Ash
avg rating	preview: Crown of Ash Goodreads rating: 4.38 (29 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15724301-crown-of-ash?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1340802141l/15724301.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15724301-crown-of-ash?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Crown of Ash by Steven Montano[/url]

Crown of Ash (Blood Skies #4)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

Genres

Books by Steven Montano

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Crown of Ash

new topic
Discuss This Book