Ash Kickers

Thank you to Angry Robot and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my review.
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Sometimes you need to kick a little ash.

It's all fun and games till someone gets their ash kicked.

I am here to chew bubble gum and kick a little ash

To punny? Nah, there is always time for punny ash kicking.

First off, I LOVE THIS BOOK.

I love this story for a myriad of reasons. These are not limited to: the protagonist kicks absolute ass, the depiction of badass firefighting, the dragons, the Phoenix, the camaraderie, the dialog. Seriously, I can go on and on. This isn't a deep book, this is pure unadulterated fun. And we need to have some fun once in a while, not all books should be serious and thoughtful. Some books should be action-packed, full of jokes, and ones that make you fist pump. This one is like that. I fist pumped and said. “YEAH!” many times.

Ash Kickers is the second of the Smoke Eaters series following the cataclysm of the rise of dragons and later destruction of much of humanity. Firefighters are humanities last hope in fighting dragons. Specifically, specialized firefighters that are immune to dragon smoke. The first of this series, Smoke Eaters is about Brannigan. A veteran firefighter who is conscripted into the Smoke Eaters after 30 years of regular firefighter service. The second book of the series is about Tamerica Williams. Brannigan makes frequent cameos in Ash Kickers. But, the action centers around Williams who is first a firefighter and then becomes a chief with her own team investigating mysterious ash and burning dragons.

Tamerica is a great character. She is strong, weak, and everything you would think a real person, under the circumstance, with that kind of job would feel. She manages a team, personal conflict, guilt, regret, and decision making with as much aplomb as she can. Every so often she breaks down and shows a softer side that a reader can empathize with. It is not all ass kicking and rainbows. She may be an amazing firefighter, but her job is hard and she has lost many friends along the way. Every now and then a person needs to emotionally reset.

Ash Kickers also does a great job adding current events into the mix. Such as how communities feel about immigration. It doesn't feel hackneyed or contrived in an attempt to relate it to current events. Rather, it is a nod to what is going on in the world and shows it in a different light.

Also, I don't think a reader will have any issues picking up the second book and going forward with the story. I never read the first book and had no issues. I will, however, go back and read the first book tuite suite.

This story is all adventure and exactly what I needed. I had so much reading it. If you are looking for a whole lot of fun and great world-building centered around firefighters, you will love this. And dragons, I mean dragons always kick ash.

I remember really enjoying the first book in this series partly due to the novel plot (return of dragons but in a futuristic world) but mostly because of the grumpy old protagonist. This novel follows another of the Smoke Eaters as she continues the fight against the dragons but now finds a new nemesis in a seemingly undefeatable phoenix.
It was a good fun read although I'd pretty much forgotten everything from the previous book (note to self: do a pre-read re-read next time it's been over a year between books). Already ordered the third one, bring on the dragons!