War of Lost Hearts Book 0.5: Ashen Son by Carissa Broadbent

 

War of Lost Hearts Book 0.5

Maxantarius is a skilled magic Wielder and a military rising star. But in one terrible night, he has learned that glory is bloodier than he ever could have imagined. 

War has broken out, thrusting his family into the center of a savage conflict. In its wake, Max is chosen to compete for the title of Arch Commandant.

The title is all he has ever wanted. But the competition is merciless, and victory will mean fighting against the love of his life… all while he must navigate a war that threatens to destroy those he treasures most. 

As allies and enemies alike draw blades at his back, Max learns that no victor walks away with clean hands. 

It’s only a matter of how far he’s willing to go

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60354430-ashen-son

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My Review: 4/5 Stars

This is a short story that follows Max way before book one begins. Max has started making his way up in the military and with an ambush in his own home, war is closer than he could have imagined. The story ends with the announcement of him and others being nominated for successor of the Arch Commandant. What I liked about this short story was seeing Max at a very different stage in his life and his family. It’s a small taste of what was going on before everything and who he was. One downside to this story is that is was the promise of part one of four and from what I can tell that was never finished. Still, it’s worth a read if you loved the series. I liked reading it last because it connects to a few things I didn’t learn about until the final book.