Ashes of Onyx

by Seth Skorkowsky

4 out of 5

Synopsis

They stole her magic.

They killed her friends.

Nothing in the multiverse will stop her quest for revenge.

Kate Rossdale once held all the promise of becoming Baltimore’s greatest sorceress. But promise is a hard thing to hold when your coven is murdered, your magic is stripped away, and the only solace left to you comes one powdered line at a time.

When she’s offered the restoration of her power by a man she doesn’t know or trust, Kate sets in motion the retribution of her enemies.

Soon she finds herself racing across the globe, and across worlds, venturing into exotic realms of forbidden dreams, to the spires of Lost Carcosa, hunting for the magic-thief who robbed her of everything she held dear, including the most dangerous magic any sorceress can possess—hope.

Review

Kate Rossdale was once a powerful witch, but after a terrible accident that was her fault, she is a shell of her former self. Craving a taste of the magic she once had, she agrees to work with a mysterious man who promises the real answers behind the tragedy. In Ashes of Onyx, enemies become allies, and different realms come together, to face the real threat to all worlds.

This is the first book I’ve read by Seth Skorkowsky, and I really enjoyed the worlds he has created. This is much more than just your usual Urban Fantasy, restricted to the world around us. There are different realms that can only be traveled to with magic. I thought this was the strongest part of the book; the different realities felt solid and believable, whilst also exotic and full of opportunity. Of course, the plot tied to our world was also very interesting. Those who train in magic join covens or ‘towers’, which have their own secrets and motives. To add more pressure, they have to hide from the witch hunters.

I felt that the pace of the story was sacrificed a little, perhaps for the book’s focus on creating a strong multi-level background. There was a lot of waiting for spells to be ready, for troops to gather. The momentum does build back up for the final battle, which did hook me in until the end. Ashes of Onyx is an impressive standalone novel, which neatly wraps everything up. I think there is room for a series, and it would be a shame if the author didn’t revisit the world he has created.

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