Kaidan Tadegan is working on a new site trying to prove the myth that two armies of the gods clashed there. While on the dig site, he discovers the evidence he’s looking for, but he gets more than he bargained for when he discovers a woman’s bones in a section of the dig site where no other remains have been found. As he digs the bones out, he discovers a journal with the woman’s body, which … tells a story that, if true, will turn the myths of the old world and the established concepts of good and evil on their heads. Startled by the find, Kaidan sets out to discover whether the diary’s claims have any validity.
But when the diary leads to a city that’s supposedly long gone, Kaidan’s journey becomes more difficult than expected. Things become even more tangled when he discovers that the city isn’t gone, but it’s no place for the living.
Unable to give up on his quest, he forges ahead. What lies ahead is uncertain, and even more uncertain is whether Kaidan will survive this quest. He has only two questions in his mind. Will he find the truth in this city of the dead? And will the world accept the truth?
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Husband and wife Kaidan and Zerua travel the world searching for the truth. Being Searchers means the quest for truth is of utmost importance. But what happens when they find evidence that may change the entire world? The two will journey to the ruins of Ashkarith, a city cursed during its destruction. They will stand up against ghostly foes and discover things that no one else has heard of. Truths that people will do anything to keep hidden.
Bane of Ashkarith is a straightforward and to the point storyline. There is no deviation from the main characters’ original mission of finding and sharing the truth. It is very evident that no matter what, they will do all they can to fulfill their duty. Even if it does mean standing up against the world.
What I enjoyed the most was the solid foundations set down for the relationship between Kaidan and Zerua. Without needing to go into too much detail, the love and trust seen between the two characters carried the story. When one fell the other was always there to help move them forward, whether it was with a small touch or reassuring words. You could tell they had a long history and were devoted to each other.
I did find that there was little conflict in the book, and some of the secondary characters were too quick to develop relationships with Kaidan and Zerua. I would have liked to see more tension between new characters in order to forge the new relationships into something more believable. There was a lot of room for potential rise and fall in action, but the resolutions always came quickly and did not make it possible.
This is a book of quiet contemplation as Kaidan and Zerua test their faith and all they know. The settings were beautifully explained. Rarely do I see two main characters that are archaeologists in a fantasy novel, and it was a nice addition as they brought their professions into analyzing the city of Ashkarith. This novel felt like the fantasy version of a historical novel. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy books based around the search for history and light romance.
Truely epic world building in this wonderfully well written tale. Following 2 main characters through twists and turns of this, almost historical, archaeological fantasy tale, I found it hard to out down.
I look forward to reading more of Ariel’s works of art on the pages of my kindle.
Ariel Paiement
The Bane of Ashkarith by Ariel Paiement is a book rich with history of the world Ariel built. The world building is absolutely fantastic; so much so that the world of Alcardia feels completely real. If you love books about history and archaeology, combined with fantasy and gods and goddesses, then this is a book you’ll highly enjoy. It’s smooth to read and a quick-read too if you love those. It’s extremely detailed, though it’s a bit slow to get started. Once it does, it will suck you in as you seek to find the truth with the two main characters. What a great read and now I can’t wait to read more books set in this world!
This book was amazing! The plot itself aside, the pacing was great, the descriptions perfect, and the world-building incredible and inspiring! If you love world-building, you have to check this book out!! <3
It's been the first book in quite a while that I've actually been able to finish!