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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
We Ride the Storm by Devin Madson is one of the best books I’ve read, ever. It really is fantastic and Devin’s recent deal with Orbit books is fully deserved; you can see why they have put their faith in her to deliver a full series.
So why did I love it? A number of reasons, of course. Mainly:
The expansive world that really feels fleshed out, with a history as intriguing as its future
The cultures and factions introduced, with a rich array of characters representing them
The 3 brilliant, and completely different, POVs
The best political intrigue and twisting throne room manoeuverings I’ve read since A Clash of Kings
Well thought-out magical elements that complement the story rather than taking over or becoming the centre of attention.
“In Kisia, Princess Miko Ts’ai is a prisoner in her own castle. She dreams of claiming her empire, but the path to power could rip it, and her family, asunder.
In Chiltae, assassin Cassandra Marius is plagued by the voices of the dead. Desperate, she accepts a contract that promises to reward her with a cure if she helps an empire fall.
And on the border between nations, Captain Rah e’Torin and his warriors are exiles forced to fight in a foreign war or die.”
-Synopsis
Through these 3 POV characters, we gradually develop an understanding of the political, cultural and historical backdrop the story takes place in, which has a very Asian-inspired feel. For someone who has predominately read fantasy set in a medieval Europe type setting, this was pretty new for me. I wondered during the first couple of chapters whether it would feel as familiar to me (despite being fantasy) as a world inspired by something I have much more understanding of. My questions were answered very quickly and it was a real pleasure to dive head first into the world Madson has created here, the change of setting feeling completely refreshing to me, which is another reason I really loved it. It showed that you should definitely leave your comfort-zone and explore stories inspired by other cultures than your (my) own.
So, as I was saying: the 3 POV characters.
My favourite has to be Miko. All three characters pull us along on their personal journeys, and we can empathise or sympathise with them all in some respect but Miko’s story really makes you feel her frustrations, her challenges and desires. It is also through her POV we see the majority of the Kisian political battles and the brutal, butterfly-effect nature of playing the Game of Thrones, to reference a successful author. One turn of phrase or misstep is enough to change the course of history and you really get that impression in Miko’s story.
I loved Rah’s storyline too, and it was really interesting to see how his Levanti warriors (basically a nomadic horselord tribe) would react to being forced into a situation they hadn’t experienced, and fight alongside the Chiltaens – a lot of reminders of Imperial Rome both in style and characteristics, with Rah’s sense of honour being put to the test.
Cassandra is perhaps a little less relatable than the other two (as relatable as a Princess and tribal warrior can be!) but it is through her story we see possibly the most of the magical elements and characters that make this story read like a fantasy. Without this, it could easily be an excellent historical fiction with a few names and places changed. Especially intriguing is her relationship with her nameless and pretty intrinsically tied companion. Their fates are obviously tied in some respect and this is drip-fed to the reader at just the right speed to keep things exciting and interesting without revealing all.
Although all first person narratives, the three interweave together to tell an engaging wider story, the characters viewpoints working well too, in viewing the other major players in the conflict and the events shaping it.
Just before finishing the book, I was told that Devin Madson actually completed her Vengeance Trilogy, in the same world, but set years previously. I will read this while waiting for the follow up to We Ride the Storm. I have no idea whether it is beneficial to read that trilogy first, but there was certainly nothing missing for me in terms of knowledge gaps. Perhaps there will be a few Easter Eggs or nods to past events here that I missed; saying that though, as mentioned at the start of the review, having a fleshed out history already in place actually made this all the more enjoyable! It can be really immersive to jump into a story with important events having already transpired, giving a realistic and actual ‘history-like’ (in a good way) feel to the worldbuilding.
I’d like to end by saying, Devin Mason, if you happen to read this review sometime, thanks for creating such an awesome book, I loved it and can’t wait to ride forth on your next adventure when more of the story is revealed! I highly recommend this book to anybody that enjoys political intrigue, entertaining characters with depth, badass women, some pretty brutal moments and an amazingly well crafted world!
After recently reading about content/trigger warnings, I decided to add some of the more obvious ones in my reviews. This book does feature (once) a rape scene and some bloody imagery, including heads being sawn off dead bodies. I found neither to be gratuitous in the context of the wider story.
So why did I love it? A number of reasons, of course. Mainly:
The expansive world that really feels fleshed out, with a history as intriguing as its future
The cultures and factions introduced, with a rich array of characters representing them
The 3 brilliant, and completely different, POVs
The best political intrigue and twisting throne room manoeuverings I’ve read since A Clash of Kings
Well thought-out magical elements that complement the story rather than taking over or becoming the centre of attention.
“In Kisia, Princess Miko Ts’ai is a prisoner in her own castle. She dreams of claiming her empire, but the path to power could rip it, and her family, asunder.
In Chiltae, assassin Cassandra Marius is plagued by the voices of the dead. Desperate, she accepts a contract that promises to reward her with a cure if she helps an empire fall.
And on the border between nations, Captain Rah e’Torin and his warriors are exiles forced to fight in a foreign war or die.”
-Synopsis
Through these 3 POV characters, we gradually develop an understanding of the political, cultural and historical backdrop the story takes place in, which has a very Asian-inspired feel. For someone who has predominately read fantasy set in a medieval Europe type setting, this was pretty new for me. I wondered during the first couple of chapters whether it would feel as familiar to me (despite being fantasy) as a world inspired by something I have much more understanding of. My questions were answered very quickly and it was a real pleasure to dive head first into the world Madson has created here, the change of setting feeling completely refreshing to me, which is another reason I really loved it. It showed that you should definitely leave your comfort-zone and explore stories inspired by other cultures than your (my) own.
So, as I was saying: the 3 POV characters.
My favourite has to be Miko. All three characters pull us along on their personal journeys, and we can empathise or sympathise with them all in some respect but Miko’s story really makes you feel her frustrations, her challenges and desires. It is also through her POV we see the majority of the Kisian political battles and the brutal, butterfly-effect nature of playing the Game of Thrones, to reference a successful author. One turn of phrase or misstep is enough to change the course of history and you really get that impression in Miko’s story.
I loved Rah’s storyline too, and it was really interesting to see how his Levanti warriors (basically a nomadic horselord tribe) would react to being forced into a situation they hadn’t experienced, and fight alongside the Chiltaens – a lot of reminders of Imperial Rome both in style and characteristics, with Rah’s sense of honour being put to the test.
Cassandra is perhaps a little less relatable than the other two (as relatable as a Princess and tribal warrior can be!) but it is through her story we see possibly the most of the magical elements and characters that make this story read like a fantasy. Without this, it could easily be an excellent historical fiction with a few names and places changed. Especially intriguing is her relationship with her nameless and pretty intrinsically tied companion. Their fates are obviously tied in some respect and this is drip-fed to the reader at just the right speed to keep things exciting and interesting without revealing all.
Although all first person narratives, the three interweave together to tell an engaging wider story, the characters viewpoints working well too, in viewing the other major players in the conflict and the events shaping it.
Just before finishing the book, I was told that Devin Madson actually completed her Vengeance Trilogy, in the same world, but set years previously. I will read this while waiting for the follow up to We Ride the Storm. I have no idea whether it is beneficial to read that trilogy first, but there was certainly nothing missing for me in terms of knowledge gaps. Perhaps there will be a few Easter Eggs or nods to past events here that I missed; saying that though, as mentioned at the start of the review, having a fleshed out history already in place actually made this all the more enjoyable! It can be really immersive to jump into a story with important events having already transpired, giving a realistic and actual ‘history-like’ (in a good way) feel to the worldbuilding.
I’d like to end by saying, Devin Mason, if you happen to read this review sometime, thanks for creating such an awesome book, I loved it and can’t wait to ride forth on your next adventure when more of the story is revealed! I highly recommend this book to anybody that enjoys political intrigue, entertaining characters with depth, badass women, some pretty brutal moments and an amazingly well crafted world!
After recently reading about content/trigger warnings, I decided to add some of the more obvious ones in my reviews. This book does feature (once) a rape scene and some bloody imagery, including heads being sawn off dead bodies. I found neither to be gratuitous in the context of the wider story.
Great epic fantasy. I haven't read previous books from this author. I picked up this book, because of the awesome cover and interesting blurb and I am very glad I did.
Basically we have a three main characters: Torin, Miko and Cassandra. Each POV is different in style. Torin is captain of group of soldiers and his storyline is from realm of military fantasy. Miko is princess in difficult position at court and her storyline focuses on politics. Cassandra is assassin who uses her seduction skills to kill her targets while they are asleep and her storyline is most akin to adventure story.
But all these storylines tell one complete story about war between two countries and it's nice to see how every protagonist have different views on it. What I liked about this book how almost every chapter has its own arc and is rewarding on its own. Story moves forward briskly and there is quite a few twists and surprises.
Why not 5 stars then? Firstly there was one important event towards the end in Miko's storyline, which disappointed me. Miko's storyline was my favourite. I love clever politics and she certainly delivers. But towards the end Miko's get herself into precarious position and then solves all her problems with quite random and very high risk maneveur, which would never work if her opponents weren't suddenly dumb and it somewhat undermines all political moves that took place before this event. Secondly the ending could have had more impact, I felt it was a bit rushed. But overall it was a good ending, which sets up second book nicely.
Basically we have a three main characters: Torin, Miko and Cassandra. Each POV is different in style. Torin is captain of group of soldiers and his storyline is from realm of military fantasy. Miko is princess in difficult position at court and her storyline focuses on politics. Cassandra is assassin who uses her seduction skills to kill her targets while they are asleep and her storyline is most akin to adventure story.
But all these storylines tell one complete story about war between two countries and it's nice to see how every protagonist have different views on it. What I liked about this book how almost every chapter has its own arc and is rewarding on its own. Story moves forward briskly and there is quite a few twists and surprises.
Why not 5 stars then? Firstly there was one important event towards the end in Miko's storyline, which disappointed me. Miko's storyline was my favourite. I love clever politics and she certainly delivers. But towards the end Miko's get herself into precarious position and then solves all her problems with quite random and very high risk maneveur, which would never work if her opponents weren't suddenly dumb and it somewhat undermines all political moves that took place before this event. Secondly the ending could have had more impact, I felt it was a bit rushed. But overall it was a good ending, which sets up second book nicely.
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
A solid fantasy with engaging characters, hints of magic, and violent twists, We Ride the Storm had a frustrating lack of answers, but it’s still a damned fine read.
Devin Madson tells her story through three POV characters, alternating between them in the early going, but then largely leaving one behind in the second half. Part of the reason why I liked this rather than loved it is the fact that it was my favorite character she neglected.
Princess Miko Ts’ai, a young woman trapped between a father’s tainted legacy and a stepfather’s ugly rule, is the first character we meet. She is a frustrating character, single-minded and courageous to the point of foolishness, but also incredibly naive for one who has grown up in such a tenuous situation. I liked her, and I loved the way her story arc developed, but I found her a hard character to pin down. The ways in which she’s learned the art of war while being ignored is perhaps the most interesting way in which the story explores the refreshing twist of a Princess, not a Prince, striving to seize power in a time of war.
The next POV character we meet is Captain Rah e’Torin of the Levanti horse tribes, a young man just as single-minded as naive as Miko. The world is changing around him, but he refuses to change with it. He’s one of those characters who would rather see his people die honoring their culture than live changed by the world. He is an admirable young man, one who remains true to his ideals no matter what the cost, and while there were more than a few moments where I had to applaud that passion, he was also somewhat tiresome. If he’d had more personality, some humor or potential for joy within his perpetually dour bearing, he might have been more interesting.
The last POV character we meet is Cassandra Marius, who was by far the most interesting of the lot. She’s a dangerous woman, using her role as a whore to get close to the men she’s hired to assassinate, but what makes her so intriguing is her connection to death. The dead call to her (in what way we’re never quite told), and she has a voice inside her head that constantly argues against her dark passions. She captivated me from her first chapter. I would have gladly read a novel all about her, or one where she is the only POV, but she’s sadly neglected in the second half, and we’re never given the answers we crave as to how/why the dead call to her, who that voice is, or just what she expects the mysterious Witchdoctor to do for her.
While he’s not a POV character, Dom Leo Villius is another character I wanted to see more of and know more about. Like Cassandra, this book left me with far too many questions about him for my liking. He has so much personality for a secondary character (his verbal sparring with Cassandra is fantastic), and the twists in his story are some of the most genuine in the book. He’s not comic relief, not by any stretch, but his every scene does breathe a little light and life into the story.
As for the plot, it was a solid story of cultures at war, empires at risk, and challenges for succession. I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the ways in which schemes and plots threatened to topple empires from within, but I also struggled with the world building. We don’t see enough of Kisia to really understand it as an empire, and the potential of an Emperor past his prime and an Empress playing Lady Macbeth from the shadows is largely squandered. Similarly, the Chiltae seem more a race of people than a political force, and I struggled to understand where they stood and how they compared to Kisia. The bulk of the world building seems to go to the Levanti horse tribes, but I found them the least interesting and became bored with them.
Despite my frustrations, We Ride the Storm did end exceptionally strong, bringing together all of the plots and machinations to topple one empire while establishing a long-hinted new power. There are no great surprises there, no killer twists to leave the reader reeling, but it’s a satisfactory climax.
https://sallybend.wordpress.com/2020/06/05/we-ride-the-storm-by-devin-madson/
Devin Madson tells her story through three POV characters, alternating between them in the early going, but then largely leaving one behind in the second half. Part of the reason why I liked this rather than loved it is the fact that it was my favorite character she neglected.
Princess Miko Ts’ai, a young woman trapped between a father’s tainted legacy and a stepfather’s ugly rule, is the first character we meet. She is a frustrating character, single-minded and courageous to the point of foolishness, but also incredibly naive for one who has grown up in such a tenuous situation. I liked her, and I loved the way her story arc developed, but I found her a hard character to pin down. The ways in which she’s learned the art of war while being ignored is perhaps the most interesting way in which the story explores the refreshing twist of a Princess, not a Prince, striving to seize power in a time of war.
The next POV character we meet is Captain Rah e’Torin of the Levanti horse tribes, a young man just as single-minded as naive as Miko. The world is changing around him, but he refuses to change with it. He’s one of those characters who would rather see his people die honoring their culture than live changed by the world. He is an admirable young man, one who remains true to his ideals no matter what the cost, and while there were more than a few moments where I had to applaud that passion, he was also somewhat tiresome. If he’d had more personality, some humor or potential for joy within his perpetually dour bearing, he might have been more interesting.
The last POV character we meet is Cassandra Marius, who was by far the most interesting of the lot. She’s a dangerous woman, using her role as a whore to get close to the men she’s hired to assassinate, but what makes her so intriguing is her connection to death. The dead call to her (in what way we’re never quite told), and she has a voice inside her head that constantly argues against her dark passions. She captivated me from her first chapter. I would have gladly read a novel all about her, or one where she is the only POV, but she’s sadly neglected in the second half, and we’re never given the answers we crave as to how/why the dead call to her, who that voice is, or just what she expects the mysterious Witchdoctor to do for her.
While he’s not a POV character, Dom Leo Villius is another character I wanted to see more of and know more about. Like Cassandra, this book left me with far too many questions about him for my liking. He has so much personality for a secondary character (his verbal sparring with Cassandra is fantastic), and the twists in his story are some of the most genuine in the book. He’s not comic relief, not by any stretch, but his every scene does breathe a little light and life into the story.
As for the plot, it was a solid story of cultures at war, empires at risk, and challenges for succession. I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the ways in which schemes and plots threatened to topple empires from within, but I also struggled with the world building. We don’t see enough of Kisia to really understand it as an empire, and the potential of an Emperor past his prime and an Empress playing Lady Macbeth from the shadows is largely squandered. Similarly, the Chiltae seem more a race of people than a political force, and I struggled to understand where they stood and how they compared to Kisia. The bulk of the world building seems to go to the Levanti horse tribes, but I found them the least interesting and became bored with them.
Despite my frustrations, We Ride the Storm did end exceptionally strong, bringing together all of the plots and machinations to topple one empire while establishing a long-hinted new power. There are no great surprises there, no killer twists to leave the reader reeling, but it’s a satisfactory climax.
https://sallybend.wordpress.com/2020/06/05/we-ride-the-storm-by-devin-madson/
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Oof so this is a hard one to review, cause on the surface it's a classic fantasy book, yet some of this really didn't sit right with me.
For such a long book it doesn't care about killing off characters, but only characters that had just shown up and that we don't care about. And pushing the main POVs to basically side characters especially cassandra, the MOST interesting one there, as she can hear the dead (why didn't we see more of this it was practically nothing, we interacted with one dead person, even though she can hear all dead???)
It was also disappointed that there was multiple unneeded references to rape as well as an on page rape scene (where in retaliation people chant? Like.... WWHYYYY I FUCKING HATE THIS SHIT ITS SO UNNEEDED)
The rapist didn't suffer any consequences, the victim didn't seem to care. I was so surprised this wasn't edited out especially the multiple comments that women shouldn't be fighters and should be tending to men.
O and rape was compared to a horse being dead... yeahhhh
I am so surprised no one mentions this in reviews cause it's so often said in the book
There is a few highlights, fun tidbits from cultures such as head severing to release souls. But that's a bout it
Also... why have Rah be a pov, he didn't impact the story in the slightest, it would have been better to have the heiromonk, a man who can read minds and can't die (not really) to be a pov.
This book overall should have been 200 pages as nothing happens on page, the plot is weak and overall is unimpressive.
For such a long book it doesn't care about killing off characters, but only characters that had just shown up and that we don't care about. And pushing the main POVs to basically side characters especially cassandra, the MOST interesting one there, as she can hear the dead (why didn't we see more of this it was practically nothing, we interacted with one dead person, even though she can hear all dead???)
It was also disappointed that there was multiple unneeded references to rape as well as an on page rape scene (where in retaliation people chant? Like.... WWHYYYY I FUCKING HATE THIS SHIT ITS SO UNNEEDED)
The rapist didn't suffer any consequences, the victim didn't seem to care. I was so surprised this wasn't edited out especially the multiple comments that women shouldn't be fighters and should be tending to men.
O and rape was compared to a horse being dead... yeahhhh
I am so surprised no one mentions this in reviews cause it's so often said in the book
There is a few highlights, fun tidbits from cultures such as head severing to release souls. But that's a bout it
Also... why have Rah be a pov, he didn't impact the story in the slightest, it would have been better to have the heiromonk, a man who can read minds and can't die (not really) to be a pov.
This book overall should have been 200 pages as nothing happens on page, the plot is weak and overall is unimpressive.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Murder, War
Minor: Animal death, Death, Blood
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The constant head severing never gets easier to read. I liked all 3 POV characters so this was hard to put down, I always wanted to keep reading the next chapter. There's a lot left here for a sequel but this book is already pretty long so at least most of the characters completed part of their story. Rating is probably closer to 4.5 but I'll round up because I couldn't put it down.
2.5 stars out of 5
to be honest this book was boring for me, I couldn't get into the story in any way.
the main problem I think was that I didn't like any of the three main characters and POVs and therefore had no interest in how their story was unfolding.
I barely finished the book and I won't be reading the rest of the books in the series.