Elaine Isaak

Ambrose has never shied away from the brutality of the medieval period. Here in the third book, it fully lives up to the 'dark' in dark fantasy. Elisha has been a sympathetic and heavily flawed character from the start, a man blessed and cursed with power he doesn't want. His magic has evolved from healing to power over death itself, but his many enemies may have a greater power yet through their combined strength.

Elisha goes through sheer hell in these pages. It was one of those books where show more I felt the need to read faster, faster, faster, because it was so intense I needed to get it over with and see how things turned out. It's the full GRRM effect (but better, really, because this is more focused). The ending was full of surprises. show less

I was hesitant- how was the author going to make it "ok" to work with a Nazi, accepting her money and working personally with her. Sure, it was to rescue a whole library of extremely important books, but still a *Nazi*?
She not only made it work, she made me actually begin to like the woman with the paycheck. And I was kidding about being hesitant, I dove in willingly, wanting to lose myself in this world of E. Chris Ambrose's again!

As a teenager, I was obsessed with the medieval period. In recent years, it hasn't attracted me as much--so many books repeat the same themes and decades. This book reminded me of how awesome well-written medieval fiction can be, in part because it hit on another one of my major obsessions: healers. Usually they are utilized as handy side characters, patching up the hero when in need. Not so here. Ambrose explores the occupation of the medieval barber, a multitasking field that involves show more hair-cutting, beard-trimming, and all your down-and-dirty doctoring needs.

Elisha is a dark and gritty protagonist. He's not some squeaky-clean goody-two-shoes. He's a damaged man who shares a house with his brother and his wife, and hasn't spoken to either in two years. He tends to the medical needs of a street of brothels. He's closed off emotionally. However, his heart is in the right place, and he has a healer's touch and intuition.

There's a touch of realism to the events. It truly feels like Ambrose researched the medieval battlefield, the injuries, and the crude surgical methods of the time period. The magical element isn't all lights and glitter; no, it's as down-and-dirty as the mud of the battlefield.

I immensely enjoyed the book. It just brings so many fabulous elements together--a medical lead character, an unglamorous and real setting, and a magical system that brings chaos and wonder to the plot. I definitely want to read more books in this series as they are released. show less

"The King of Next Week" is a romance in its literary definition and a historical fantasy. The story's latter two-thirds is set in the seaport of Phippsburg, Maine in the post-Civil War 1860s. At its heart, is a love story that transcends not just race but worlds, of a human man and a djinn woman of diametrically opposed natures.

Captain Matthew Percy, a wounded Union veteran, has the idea to sell blocks of Maine ice to western Africa. However, his ship grounds upon an island not on any map -- show more an island of djinn. Here, he falls in love with Janiri, the djinn chieftain's restless daughter, and she with him. She agrees to return to Phippsburg with him to be his wife for as long as her nature allows. And it is their immutably disparate natures, he of earth (and ice) and she of fire on which this tale brilliantly turns.

"The strength of fire is in what it burns. The strength of the earth is in what it builds."

With Matthew's djinn bride comes, by their nature, three wishes. In Phippsburg, Matthew, Janiri, and (soon) their young child face turmoil: threats to his reputation, his career, even to his beloved family home overlooking the sea. Matthew could "wish" these threats away. He could have vengeance on his enemies. But ...
Read and find out.

Ms. Ambrose's prose is beautiful.
"Have you ever seen snowflakes? They're like lace made of ice..."

I am pleased to highly recommend "The King of Next Week" by E.C. Ambrose.
The tale is magic. show less