Dieon wanted two things: a home and peace. It proved difficult to build a home, and harder yet to stay there. Peace was even more elusive, especially after the Twisted Idzihar—the traitorous lord of spirits—broke into time and then into Dieon’s body. With To Ashes We Run, Just B. Jordan spins a vibrant and complex story. Commerce, culture, and climate add shades of realism to this fantasy world, while ancient lore and otherworldly creatures strike mystic notes. A deep sense of the goodness, follies, and suffering of the characters pulses through the narrative. The timespan of the novel is measured in years, and the needless repetition of known facts occasionally slows the pace. Still, To Ashes We Run is a rich and heartfelt fantasy, crafted with imagination and care.

Best for: Adult readers and fantasy fans.

Discern: Violence, including murder and one gladiator fight; several characters die gruesomely; two incidents of mass slaughter, mostly non-explicit; two instances of self-mutilation; a small child dies from animal venom.