In A Kiss of Crimson Ash, we bounce between four main characters: Taara, the new queen; Garjan, her new husband; Bhediya, his mistress; and Roland, a thief. Their relationships shape everything that happens in A Kiss of Crimson Ash. The Goddess has chosen them to save the empire; if they fail, all is lost. Get lost in medieval India in this debut romantasy from Anuja Varghese: A Kiss of Crimson Ash.
[Note: While I am reviewing this novel independently and honestly, it should be noted that it was provided to me by Orbit for the purpose of this review.] Warning: My review of A Kiss of Crimson Ash contains some spoilers!]
Four very unlikely heroes
Taara thought she had more time. Just a few months ago, everything was perfect. She was a princess, and her mother ruled their peaceful little kingdom. She knew she’d eventually become queen, but that was way in the future, hardly worth thinking about. But now her mother is locked in a tower, afflicted with a madness that no one can cure. Taara is crowned queen and married to a man she’s never met, all in the same day. Garjan doesn’t seem that bad, but she doesn’t know him. In fact, Taara realizes that she doesn’t really know anything. Not about men, not about how the world works. She wants to be a good queen but doesn’t know where to start, especially since everyone still treats her like a little girl.
Garjan is divided. On the one hand, he’s a nice guy who wants to uphold the vows he’s made to his new wife. He will do all he can to protect her. But then he learns that his own brother and the emperor are conspiring to harm Taara. He will still do all he can to protect her, but how can he fight such power? And that’s before he grapples with the fact that his heart belongs to another.
Bhediya can’t believe it. She always knew that Garjan would eventually have to marry someone else; princes don’t marry prostitutes. But it happened so suddenly. Now he’s gone, off in another kingdom with his new wife, and she’s left here in Nandapore, which has suddenly gotten a whole lot more dangerous. You see, the women of Nandapore have magic in their blood. Well, some of them do. It’s not a lot, just enough to do some small spells. Bhediya can make small flames in her hands. However, the king seems to have decided that magic is bad and women are being hunted by the mysterious Sanamiri elves to right what they believe is an ancient wrong. Where can Bhediya turn to for help with her prince gone?
Roland is an interesting thief. Known mostly by his nickname, “Bhuta” “ghost”, Roland has earned his name twice over. Originally, he was called “Bhuta” because of his white skin, an oddity even in the port town of Nandapore. But despite his apparent disability, Roland is so good at his job that he moves through the city like a ghost, getting into places he shouldn’t, taking what he wants, and finding things that are hidden away. While working one of these jobs, Roland gets dragged into the danger of taking over the city. Now he’ll have to decide whether he’s going to slip away to safety or take a stand to protect the city he loves.
Wait, what’s the story?
Whew, that was a lot of character introduction without much context. Sorry about that. So these four characters, along with some other helpers they meet along the way, are working to uncover a mystery, defeat an evil, and save their homes. The Goddess has hand-picked these four to represent her four sides: the mother, the sage, the warrior, and the lover. Together, they represent her power and hopefully will have the strength to defeat the evil that threatens to tear the world apart. And I do mean tear the world apart. So long ago it’s become legend, animals, elves, and gods lived together in harmony. Then humans got introduced into the mix, and everything went sideways. Now, a cult within the elvish population known as the Sanamiri believes they know how to fix everything. It starts with sending magic back where it belongs, but it doesn’t end there.
If the Sanamiri have their way, it will all be over. But they’re not the only players here. The emperor seems to think that he can use magic to find a weapon that will give him control over the entire world (guess an empire wasn’t enough). And Garjan’s brother wants a piece of that action too. Everyone has a plan for using the magic stolen from the gods. Including the Goddess who activated her avatars. Who will win in this magical game of conquest? And will they win the war, or just a battle?
Romantasy, erotica, or something else
I have to admit, the publisher’s description of “romantasy” is a new one for me. I get the concept, a romantic fantasy. I mean, aren’t all romances fantasies in the end? It seems like an unnecessary word to me, although it is fun to say (try it). But more to the point, I’m not sure it’s still the right description for A Kiss of Crimson Ash. Erotica would be a better descriptor for the steamy passages. Most of the story just seems to be a flimsy framework for getting characters into compromising positions and letting them run wild. It might even teeter on the edge of something else, although there is a story that ties it all together, so I wouldn’t go quite that far.
Now I’m not knocking Varghese’s work. There’s nothing wrong with erotica; I have a few books of it on my own shelf. And her scenes are beautifully written and arousing. She also has a nice story, trying everything together. If you removed all the sexual encounters, the story would stand on its own, so it’s not just smut. But those encounters sure do make a more exciting story, just be aware that you probably don’t want to borrow this book to your kid or your mother unless you want to have an uncomfortable conversation at some point!
Rating: 7/10
A Kiss of Crimson Ash by Anuja Varghese is available now!
Learn more about the book at the official website for the title.
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