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We Men of Ash and Shadow

The Vanguard Chronicles, Book 1

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We Men of Ash and Shadow

By: HL Tinsley
Narrated by: RJ Bayley
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About this listen

We Men of Ash and Shadow is the first book in the Vanguard Series and follows the journey of protagonist, John Vanguard, through the dark and corrupt city of D’Orsee. A Grimdark gas lamp novel, We Men of Ash and Shadow explores themes of redemption, loyalty, and betrayal against the backdrop of a world where survival often means compromising your values.

Amidst the gas lamp shadows former soldier-turned-mercenary John Vanguard hunts criminals at the behest of his corrupt employer, Captain Felix Sanquain. Shamed by his deserter past and seeking to make amends for his many misdeeds, a chance encounter with Tarryn Leersac - a skilled young would-be-assassin fallen from the graces of high society - leads Vanguard to become an unlikely mentor.

Charged with hunting down the killer of two guards left washed up on the banks of the canal, the further Vanguard delves into the underbelly of the city the more he finds himself entangled in a web of secrets and lies. A prominent aristocrat is missing. Crime lords, con men, and harlots run amok and the city teeters on the brink of another revolution.

With his already precarious reputation hanging by a thread, Vanguard must piece together how and why the last war came to pass, find a way to earn redemption for his mistakes, and come to terms with the past in a city where few survive, and even fewer can be trusted.

©2020 HL Tinsley (P)2021 HL Tinsley
Dark Fantasy Fantasy Fiction City
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Excellently written Grimdark

I really enjoyed this. The author (H L Tinsley) was new to me but her story certainly didn’t disappoint. If you like your fantasy of a grimdark / gaslight persuasion I think you’ll like it too.
Also, a word for the narrator (RJ Bayley) : Excellent. Superbly descriptive voice, and most aplomb at delivering the assortment of different accents.
I look forward to book 2.

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Predicable but worth a listen

Debut novel with interesting ideas and great first chapter to introduce this world, but from there meanders along to the end. I think it would have been ideal as a longer but standalone book, with the main character perhaps appearing in separate stories. Promising debut from Holly Tinsley

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Dark and grim for sure

I had read this book compared to Lies of Locke Lamora, having never read that I can’t comment but I can say it’s very good in the way of the Pious Men series of books, excellent character building even though they are not pleasant and the world they inhabit, an occasional bit of humour to lighten the heavy load would have been appreciated but I am no writer just a reader

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