Ashlords

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death.

In Ashlords, the Ashlord Empire reigns in “blood and fire,” a motto that highlights how its power is derived from the threat of violence against the Dividian and Longhands. The novel interrogates notions of power, and how to maintain it, through the relationships between the Ashlords, the Longhands, and the Dividian. Historically, the Ashlords have maintained their power through ruthlessness and violence. However, the novel argues that the way the Ashlords maintain their power isn’t sustainable, as evidenced by the rebellions plotted by both the Longhands and the Dividian, and therefore doesn’t equal true power. Over the course of the novel, Adrian comes to understand the true nature of power and its connection to mercy through both history and personal experience.

In early scenes, the novel establishes the Ashlords’ methods of holding power through Adrian’s family history, offering the Longhands’ perspectives on the Ashlords. Before sending Adrian to Furia to compete in the Races, Ben takes him to the cemetery where Adrian’s mother is buried. He reminds his son of the peaceful day they spent at the Crossing match, telling him, “That’s all an illusion. A false piece the Ashlords allow us to have.