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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
OMG. One of the must reads of 2018. Review here - https://www.alwroteabook.com/2018/12/12/review-we-ride-the-storm-by-devin-madson/
Jesus Christ on a bike! We Ride the Storm was a novel that was pure adrenaline.
Storm
Noun
a tumultuous reaction; an uproar or controversy.
There is no disillusion hidden behind the pretext of name. This book is a storm, and it aims to rile you up, as quickly as possible. This story aims to shake up the fantasy genre and it does that and more. Its an underrated gem that gleams, and the reader can’t help but fall deep for the magnificent prose and authentic worldbuilding. The author doesn’t beat around the bush and she is happy to cut your throat in the first chapter and not even be sorry about it!
We Ride the Storm is Madson’s first book in the Reborn Empire. The story promises everything that you would expect from an epic fantasy story and has quite literally set the bar far too high for my next read. The characterisation is really were Madson really comes into her own. Their motives and behaviours are crucial to the developing storyline and it was just pin sharp. The reader is given insight into cultures and customs and some of the descriptions are eye wateringly real. Bravo Ms Madson!
We Ride the Storm blew my freaking mind! This is not a book in the regular sense. No, this is like drinking a much-needed rum and coke. It’s smooth, it’s refreshing, and it goes down far too well! I don’t think I have ever wanted to keep reading a book and never wanting it to end so much. The pages and chapters just blended into one. I’m sure I’ve ended up with more than one paper cut from turning those damn pages way too fast! Each chapter gave us a climax and I was just so enthralled and completely in the world Madson had spun that I became, simply lost.
Ever read a book that just emitted a gazillion emotions from your already pumped body? This is what you get from reading this story. We had three different POV’s and I ended up rooting for all three, for different reasons. Each one had a story to tell, each one was fighting for survival and each one needed to whether the storm – see what I did there?
The action, the fear and everything else in between had me picking up my jaw and swearing under my breath, I don’t know how many times. Miko, Cassandra and Rah, three characters that were all forced into difficult situation and three characters that bleed into your soul. Each has a different culture, but their voice is loud and clear. They are imperative to the story moving along at the timely pace we are used to, and they are crucial to the absolute perfection this book has reached. The human condition is the at the centre of this story and it was nailed with laser sharp precision. Got to put my money where my mouth is and say that Rah was a firm favourite!
Within 500 pages Devin Madson spins a tale of political intrigue, familial loyalties, and very much strong female characters. The actions of one person puts into force a domino effect. The plot is so intricately weaved that you’d be forgiven for thinking that you were trapped within a maze. Don’t expect any respite, you a thrown into the fray and its completely up to you on whether you sink or swim. Be prepared for characters to test constraints and boundaries so don’t be surprised when their toxicity leaves a trail.
Storm
Noun
a tumultuous reaction; an uproar or controversy.
There is no disillusion hidden behind the pretext of name. This book is a storm, and it aims to rile you up, as quickly as possible. This story aims to shake up the fantasy genre and it does that and more. Its an underrated gem that gleams, and the reader can’t help but fall deep for the magnificent prose and authentic worldbuilding. The author doesn’t beat around the bush and she is happy to cut your throat in the first chapter and not even be sorry about it!
We Ride the Storm is Madson’s first book in the Reborn Empire. The story promises everything that you would expect from an epic fantasy story and has quite literally set the bar far too high for my next read. The characterisation is really were Madson really comes into her own. Their motives and behaviours are crucial to the developing storyline and it was just pin sharp. The reader is given insight into cultures and customs and some of the descriptions are eye wateringly real. Bravo Ms Madson!
We Ride the Storm blew my freaking mind! This is not a book in the regular sense. No, this is like drinking a much-needed rum and coke. It’s smooth, it’s refreshing, and it goes down far too well! I don’t think I have ever wanted to keep reading a book and never wanting it to end so much. The pages and chapters just blended into one. I’m sure I’ve ended up with more than one paper cut from turning those damn pages way too fast! Each chapter gave us a climax and I was just so enthralled and completely in the world Madson had spun that I became, simply lost.
Ever read a book that just emitted a gazillion emotions from your already pumped body? This is what you get from reading this story. We had three different POV’s and I ended up rooting for all three, for different reasons. Each one had a story to tell, each one was fighting for survival and each one needed to whether the storm – see what I did there?
The action, the fear and everything else in between had me picking up my jaw and swearing under my breath, I don’t know how many times. Miko, Cassandra and Rah, three characters that were all forced into difficult situation and three characters that bleed into your soul. Each has a different culture, but their voice is loud and clear. They are imperative to the story moving along at the timely pace we are used to, and they are crucial to the absolute perfection this book has reached. The human condition is the at the centre of this story and it was nailed with laser sharp precision. Got to put my money where my mouth is and say that Rah was a firm favourite!
Within 500 pages Devin Madson spins a tale of political intrigue, familial loyalties, and very much strong female characters. The actions of one person puts into force a domino effect. The plot is so intricately weaved that you’d be forgiven for thinking that you were trapped within a maze. Don’t expect any respite, you a thrown into the fray and its completely up to you on whether you sink or swim. Be prepared for characters to test constraints and boundaries so don’t be surprised when their toxicity leaves a trail.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Slightly strange one for me here because it honestly just didn't do it for me but I was still able to read through to the end and still want to read the rest of the series to see where it goes.
There are three characters I immediately felt drawn to and really enjoy the multi- person POV as well and the way the different stories are entwined, however it fell somewhat flat for me.
Not because it was boring- it's not.
But it just lacked that thing that has me gagging to pick a book back up at every chance to see what will happen next.
The dialogue is laced with wit which made it feel like we shared a secret with some of the characters and there is enough betrayal, sense of duty, honour etc etc etc to carry the book but I really am going to need authors to get over the trope of ... SPOILER/TW COMING....
..... giving you a chance to block this bit out with your hand...
⚠️⚠️⚠️The trope of fantasy books being to feature a woman being raped. It's kind of boring now.⚠️⚠️⚠️
I totally get WHY, especially when they seem to be written in a time 'before' but let's be more creative with how male characters seek power.
Still, as I said, I'm looking forward to seeing what book 2 holds and love how much the dynamics of 'family' are played with.
There are three characters I immediately felt drawn to and really enjoy the multi- person POV as well and the way the different stories are entwined, however it fell somewhat flat for me.
Not because it was boring- it's not.
But it just lacked that thing that has me gagging to pick a book back up at every chance to see what will happen next.
The dialogue is laced with wit which made it feel like we shared a secret with some of the characters and there is enough betrayal, sense of duty, honour etc etc etc to carry the book but I really am going to need authors to get over the trope of ... SPOILER/TW COMING....
..... giving you a chance to block this bit out with your hand...
⚠️⚠️⚠️The trope of fantasy books being to feature a woman being raped. It's kind of boring now.⚠️⚠️⚠️
I totally get WHY, especially when they seem to be written in a time 'before' but let's be more creative with how male characters seek power.
Still, as I said, I'm looking forward to seeing what book 2 holds and love how much the dynamics of 'family' are played with.
dnf - page 146
Where do i even begin? I really wanted to love this. It has all the elements that I usually would adore in fantasy. Unfortunately, there was a lot that wasn't working for me.
Firstly, this book needs major editing. There were so many spelling mistakes, and awkwardly phrased sentences. Usually, I overlook things like that. But it was so frequent in this story, that it really did disrupt the flow.
The characters felt very archetypal and bland. No one stood out to me, which is bizarre because these are characters that should be extremely intriguing - we have an assassin, an empress, a warrior captain. I just wanted much more developed characters, they felt very two-dimensional. Almost like I was following a bunch of side characters that I couldn't care less about.
If you're someone who enjoys military fantasy novels, you might really enjoy this. i, unfortunately, find military fantasy books to be quite boring
Finally, some slightly problematic elements??
I've seen reviews where people have criticised the Asian represention in this book. Presenting Asians as barbaric savages, for example. The author is a white woman, I wonder if there was a Asian beta reader for this book?? Because there definitely should've been.
Unfortunately, that isn't all. I dnf'd right after the rape scene, which was just handled pretty badly, imo.
Not for me, unfortunately. So disappointed.
Where do i even begin? I really wanted to love this. It has all the elements that I usually would adore in fantasy. Unfortunately, there was a lot that wasn't working for me.
Firstly, this book needs major editing. There were so many spelling mistakes, and awkwardly phrased sentences. Usually, I overlook things like that. But it was so frequent in this story, that it really did disrupt the flow.
The characters felt very archetypal and bland. No one stood out to me, which is bizarre because these are characters that should be extremely intriguing - we have an assassin, an empress, a warrior captain. I just wanted much more developed characters, they felt very two-dimensional. Almost like I was following a bunch of side characters that I couldn't care less about.
If you're someone who enjoys military fantasy novels, you might really enjoy this. i, unfortunately, find military fantasy books to be quite boring
Finally, some slightly problematic elements??
I've seen reviews where people have criticised the Asian represention in this book. Presenting Asians as barbaric savages, for example. The author is a white woman, I wonder if there was a Asian beta reader for this book?? Because there definitely should've been.
Unfortunately, that isn't all. I dnf'd right after the rape scene, which was just handled pretty badly, imo.
Not for me, unfortunately. So disappointed.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A princess, an assassin, and a horse warrior walk into a war. OK, I don't have a punchline for that, but this book does have three distinct POVs, and those are they. Asian-inspired, with complex political maneuvering, this book is on the lighter side of grimdark in that, while its very violent and gory, it also features some characters who are genuinely trying to make a better world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Rape, War
Moderate: Vomit
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
For this year’s Wyrd & Wonder I wanted to take the opportunity to read some of the fantasy books that have been languishing for a while on my TBR, and the first that came to my attention is this first volume in Devin Madson’s Reborn Empire series: with hindsight, I can’t believe I waited so long before losing myself in this magnificent saga that from the very start proved to be a compelling read peopled with amazing characters. The novel seems to throw the readers into the middle of things and it takes a while to get one’s bearings: a brief search taught me that there is a prequel trilogy to this series and that explains the sense of “missing information” one feels at the beginning, but don’t fear - the author has a way of conveying the necessary details through some well-placed dialogue that brings readers up to speed quickly and allows them to connect with the narrative with no problem at all.
The story is told through three different POVs which represent the three main cultures sharing this world - not only that, but each of them is narrated in the first person, gifting the characters with very distinctive personalities that in turn help depict the different milieus they come from, three civilizations that have been at odds with each other for a long time. Through the eyes of Princess Miko we experience the Kisian empire, a realm reminiscent of feudal Japan: Miko and her brother Tanaka are the children of the ruling Kisian emperor - or rather that’s the cover story, since they are in reality the offspring of the previous ruler, whose actions caused him to be branded a traitor and be killed. The two are waiting for Tanaka to be named heir and meanwhile have to navigate the dangerous waters of court intrigue; an impulsive act from Tanaka causes a political upheaval that rekindles the hostility with neighboring Chiltae, launching both countries on the path of war and forcing Miko to act against her cultural and social boundaries and take her destiny - and that of Kisia - into her own hands.
Chiltae offers the well-known medieval fantasy setting, complete with a powerful clergy and their dangerous Blessed Guards. Cassandra Marius is a Chiltaen citizen and a prostitute who also doubles as a hired assassin: there is something very mysterious, and also very wrong with her, since there is a constant, nagging voice in her head that seems to come from a very different personality, one capable at times to take control of her body. Add to that the fact that she can hear the “call” of the dead and you have a very fractured personality that, however, seems able to function well enough to ensure her survival. Hired by an enigmatic individual to assassinate two people in exchange for the promise of a cure for her “ailment”, Cassandra accepts only to discover that her target is a highly placed one, and that she is a quite expendable pawn in a convoluted political game.
Rah e’Torin is the captain of a band of Levanti, nomadic tribes of the plains living in virtual symbiosis with their horses. He and his people have been exiled like many others before them and in their search for a place to call their own they are captured by the Chiltaens who forcibly enroll them in their war against Kisia. Once reached the main camp, Rah discovers that his old friend and mentor Gideon is at the head of the Levanti conscripts, which forces the younger man to come to terms with the compromises their new condition imposes on the old way of life, and to choose between survival and the adherence to Levanti codes of conduct.
When novels are written with multiple POVs, it’s easy to find one or more who are the reader’s favorites at the expense of the others, but such was not the case with We Ride the Storm, because I enjoyed all three characters in equal measure, and the constantly raising stakes of their different destinies made me care for them in a way I seldom experience: as the buildup of events carried them forward, showing more and more nuances in their psychological makeup and turning their individual situation ever more difficult, I found myself unable to stop turning the pages to learn what would happen next.
Even though I enjoyed all three POVs, Miko is the character who shows a major evolution in the course of the book: her culture requires women to defer to men in all matters, and although she can envision a future as ruler of Kisia, she is ready to accept a secondary role to her brother Tanaka, and it’s only when disaster strikes that she finds the moral and physical strength necessary to lead her people in the struggle against the Chiltaen invasion.
[…] I had lived in a prison made of people with more power. I did not want to be afraid anymore. I wanted to sit on the throne of my ancestors and make them proud.
Cassandra is a complicated person in many ways and - sadly - her chapters don’t enjoy the same narrative space as the other two protagonists (although with three more books in the series my hope of learning more is still strong) but what little we see is quite intriguing and also offers one more mystery to be explored in the person of the weird Witchdoctor, who might be the one to solve the puzzle of the mysterious “She” who shares Cassandra consciousness.
Rah is the character for whom I felt a great deal of compassion: both as the leader of his band of outcasts, and then as a conscripted soldier for the supercilious Chiltaen, he desperately tries not to compromise his principles, finding it ever so difficult when even his hero Gideon seems to have bargained his honor in exchange for vague promises of freedom. Rah’s faithfulness to his moral compass is both admirable and sad, because it’s clear that he’s living through a time of change and one has to wonder if that change is going to trample him it its wake.
As a series opener, We Ride the Storm is an amazing story that wonderfully blends excellent characterization and masterful world-building, but it’s also a very emotional journey through the experiences of three very different people who in the course of the story become so alive and real that it’s almost impossible to forget they are fictional characters. At the end of this first volume, all three are left on the brink of… something - be it good or bad - that compels me not to wait too long before moving forward with their journey. I have rarely felt so impressed by a new discovery as I have been with Devin Madson’s writing, and I know I have just found a new favorite author for my reading “adventures”.
We Ride the Storm is an epic fantasy novel that from the description left me intrigued. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Little Brown Book Group UK for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Set in the Kisian empire, the story follows three separate journeys in a country that is on a knife edge of war. Princess Miko is dreaming of claiming the empire as her own, however at the moment she is a prisoner in her own castle with a lot of secrets that could tear her family apart.
Captain Torin is currently roaming the borders between lands with a band of exiles, waiting to find which side of the war he will be fighting for.
Assian Cassandra in the land of Chiltae is plagued with the constant stream of voices in her head and hopes that acceptiong a contract that could potentially give her the cure she has been searching for.
Review:
Overall I really enjoyed the plot and story overall. It was fast paced, reckless and left you feeling like you were in a hurricane of twists and turns.
The world building was fantastic, and as this is the start of an epic fantasy series I expected nothing less, and it was done masterfully.
The characters were mixed for me. I really enjoyed our three leads and seeing them develop throughout the story,However i'm personally not a fan of splitting chapters to different character viewpoints. The main reason being it occasionally distracts me from the story and I forget plot points for each individual character, which leads me to re-reading previous chapters to make sure i knew what was happening. Its not a major issue, it's just my personal preference however for this story the distraction was minimal.
Overall:
If you are looking for an epic fantasy filled with action, war and some serious character and world development this is definitely something to read!
Summary:
Set in the Kisian empire, the story follows three separate journeys in a country that is on a knife edge of war. Princess Miko is dreaming of claiming the empire as her own, however at the moment she is a prisoner in her own castle with a lot of secrets that could tear her family apart.
Captain Torin is currently roaming the borders between lands with a band of exiles, waiting to find which side of the war he will be fighting for.
Assian Cassandra in the land of Chiltae is plagued with the constant stream of voices in her head and hopes that acceptiong a contract that could potentially give her the cure she has been searching for.
Review:
Overall I really enjoyed the plot and story overall. It was fast paced, reckless and left you feeling like you were in a hurricane of twists and turns.
The world building was fantastic, and as this is the start of an epic fantasy series I expected nothing less, and it was done masterfully.
The characters were mixed for me. I really enjoyed our three leads and seeing them develop throughout the story,However i'm personally not a fan of splitting chapters to different character viewpoints. The main reason being it occasionally distracts me from the story and I forget plot points for each individual character, which leads me to re-reading previous chapters to make sure i knew what was happening. Its not a major issue, it's just my personal preference however for this story the distraction was minimal.
Overall:
If you are looking for an epic fantasy filled with action, war and some serious character and world development this is definitely something to read!