liszt91's review
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
duncandahusky's review
4.0
Rating: 3.75 out of 5
I liked this book but I didn’t love it. There is a fantastic bit of world-building going on here. I really enjoyed that part. The abilities of the Storm Lords were fascinating and the meteorological science behind it all was reasonable to this non-expert. I could see how a lot of that could be a turnoff for others but hey – I’m an engineer and this is how I think anyway.
My problems with this book lay with the characters, I think. We get an understanding of Rowen and where he is coming from early on. I liked his tenacity and willingness to persevere through the worst hardships, and I also liked how the author showed the effects of his struggles on Rowen when he was suddenly somewhere where water was abundant. Kristoff is the one I had more problems with. The depth of his emotions for Rowen seemed out of sync with the short time that they spent together. There didn’t seem to be much as I would have liked in his backstory that explained why he fell in love so quickly.
I did like the logical conclusion that the story reached, and this allowed me to see past some of the flaws previously in the story. I’d recommend this one for an enjoyable read, and maybe another reader can get more out of it than I did.
I liked this book but I didn’t love it. There is a fantastic bit of world-building going on here. I really enjoyed that part. The abilities of the Storm Lords were fascinating and the meteorological science behind it all was reasonable to this non-expert. I could see how a lot of that could be a turnoff for others but hey – I’m an engineer and this is how I think anyway.
My problems with this book lay with the characters, I think. We get an understanding of Rowen and where he is coming from early on. I liked his tenacity and willingness to persevere through the worst hardships, and I also liked how the author showed the effects of his struggles on Rowen when he was suddenly somewhere where water was abundant. Kristoff is the one I had more problems with. The depth of his emotions for Rowen seemed out of sync with the short time that they spent together. There didn’t seem to be much as I would have liked in his backstory that explained why he fell in love so quickly.
I did like the logical conclusion that the story reached, and this allowed me to see past some of the flaws previously in the story. I’d recommend this one for an enjoyable read, and maybe another reader can get more out of it than I did.
aligroen's review
5.0
A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review An Alisa Review:
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
This was a wonderful and well thought out story. This story takes place in a well thought out world that sounds similar to earth but with some very big differences. Rowen’s life has been very harsh when Kristoff rescues him and hopes that he may finally be able to help out his home village, if even from a distance.
Rowen works hard to master his abilities but what he feels isn’t quite what Kristoff and the other Storm Lords describe. His lack of ability to communicate easily causes some of the problems and also keeps himself separate from those around him. Kristoff isn’t sure what to do with his new charge but is willing to do his part of being a mentor. Their feelings grow but both don’t want to cause any problems and don’t let their feelings known until it’s almost too late.
This story is told from both MCs points of view so we are able to understand their thoughts and emotions. Rowen works so hard to become what Kristoff said he was but when they find out how his powers really work his safety and that of those around him is put at risk. Kristoff tries to deny how he is feeling about Rowan and can’t help but be even more protective of Rowan as he works with him. I felt for Rowan when he was suddenly taken from his home and all he has ever known to a new and foreign place and when he fears that he will cause harm to others with his powers. I loved seeing Kristoff actually learn about how the choices for their world are made but he wants to make it better with Rowan.
Cover art by Aaron Anderson is absolutely perfect for this story.
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
This was a wonderful and well thought out story. This story takes place in a well thought out world that sounds similar to earth but with some very big differences. Rowen’s life has been very harsh when Kristoff rescues him and hopes that he may finally be able to help out his home village, if even from a distance.
Rowen works hard to master his abilities but what he feels isn’t quite what Kristoff and the other Storm Lords describe. His lack of ability to communicate easily causes some of the problems and also keeps himself separate from those around him. Kristoff isn’t sure what to do with his new charge but is willing to do his part of being a mentor. Their feelings grow but both don’t want to cause any problems and don’t let their feelings known until it’s almost too late.
This story is told from both MCs points of view so we are able to understand their thoughts and emotions. Rowen works so hard to become what Kristoff said he was but when they find out how his powers really work his safety and that of those around him is put at risk. Kristoff tries to deny how he is feeling about Rowan and can’t help but be even more protective of Rowan as he works with him. I felt for Rowan when he was suddenly taken from his home and all he has ever known to a new and foreign place and when he fears that he will cause harm to others with his powers. I loved seeing Kristoff actually learn about how the choices for their world are made but he wants to make it better with Rowan.
Cover art by Aaron Anderson is absolutely perfect for this story.
the_novel_approach's review
4.0
I’ll start this off by saying this is a DSP Publications novel, so though there is a romantic element, it is secondary to the actual focus—the plot. Having read several of the stories from DSPP, I was already expecting this going in, so as far as the romance portion goes, I wasn’t expecting it to be front and center and, therefore, wasn’t really let down by the lack of concentration in that particular area. Don’t get me wrong it is there, just a very slow burn and on the peripheral to everything else happening.
What did I get in this book? A unique fantasy with incredible world building, intriguing characters, beautiful descriptions, and a plot that kept me absorbed and wondering how it would all pan out.
In a world where heat spells threaten cities and villages and kill with their intensity, the Storm Lords are sort of looked at as mystical creatures and God-like in their powers, with the ability to call upon nature to dispel the horror and havoc that heat spells create. Rowen’s village’s heat spells are only getting worse and more horrific—storms aren’t as common, and his village is on the cusp of ceasing to exist. Rowen has suffered in unimaginable ways, but his strength of character and love for his village keeps him going. The problem is that despite his honor and loyalty to his village, his inability to communicate leaves him vulnerable, and eventually his village brands him a thief and turns their back on him as a burden.
This is when Kristoff finds young Rowen and senses something in the young man kindred to his own powers. He saves Rowen and becomes his mentor, and thus begins Rowen’s training to become a Storm Lord.
I really loved Rowen. I found him fascinating and was pulling for him the entire time. His strength of character, loyalty, humbleness, honor and selflessness was amazing to read. He remained empathetic to his village and their struggles against the heat spells, and was driven to prevent more deaths for them despite what his village had done to him. He desired to save people and ensure no one went through the losses he had gone through. He put forth so much effort to learn to communicate, to find his powers, to understand the new and unusual world with the Storm Lords he found himself in. Even in the most difficult of times, he was always thinking of others.
Kristoff Hurricane is the youngest and most powerful Storm Lord around. Check out the name and you can probably guess his affinity. Yet, despite all his powers, which could have gone to his head and made him egotistical, he was a very endearing character. He truly wanted to save everyone he could, and believed in the cause. He was also much more naïve than Rowen, in many ways, though he was a couple years older and more traveled. He was unaware of the fullest extent, the damage, the struggles and the sacrifices of those in places where Rowen grew up. Sure he is a full-fledged Storm Lord, but with much still to learn and see. Rowen being in his life helps him to open his eyes and begin to truly pay attention; Kristoff asks more questions, he becomes more aware of the bigger picture, the things that aren’t talked about—the difficult decisions that are made and the cost of those choices.
I sort of knew where the story was going pretty early on, and guessed at what Rowen’s abilities would be, but what I couldn’t fathom is how it would all play out in the end. So even though his powers didn’t surprise me, the journey to get there, and what happens after they are discovered, was still enjoyable.
This was a great little fantasy read with well-crafted characters and a different type of world building than I personally have ever read. It was refreshing and I was very happy with the way it was all wrapped up. As long as you are into fantasy, intriguing plots and aren’t too hung up on the romance being front and center, I would totally say give this one a go!
Reviewed by Lindsey for The Novel Approach
What did I get in this book? A unique fantasy with incredible world building, intriguing characters, beautiful descriptions, and a plot that kept me absorbed and wondering how it would all pan out.
In a world where heat spells threaten cities and villages and kill with their intensity, the Storm Lords are sort of looked at as mystical creatures and God-like in their powers, with the ability to call upon nature to dispel the horror and havoc that heat spells create. Rowen’s village’s heat spells are only getting worse and more horrific—storms aren’t as common, and his village is on the cusp of ceasing to exist. Rowen has suffered in unimaginable ways, but his strength of character and love for his village keeps him going. The problem is that despite his honor and loyalty to his village, his inability to communicate leaves him vulnerable, and eventually his village brands him a thief and turns their back on him as a burden.
This is when Kristoff finds young Rowen and senses something in the young man kindred to his own powers. He saves Rowen and becomes his mentor, and thus begins Rowen’s training to become a Storm Lord.
I really loved Rowen. I found him fascinating and was pulling for him the entire time. His strength of character, loyalty, humbleness, honor and selflessness was amazing to read. He remained empathetic to his village and their struggles against the heat spells, and was driven to prevent more deaths for them despite what his village had done to him. He desired to save people and ensure no one went through the losses he had gone through. He put forth so much effort to learn to communicate, to find his powers, to understand the new and unusual world with the Storm Lords he found himself in. Even in the most difficult of times, he was always thinking of others.
Kristoff Hurricane is the youngest and most powerful Storm Lord around. Check out the name and you can probably guess his affinity. Yet, despite all his powers, which could have gone to his head and made him egotistical, he was a very endearing character. He truly wanted to save everyone he could, and believed in the cause. He was also much more naïve than Rowen, in many ways, though he was a couple years older and more traveled. He was unaware of the fullest extent, the damage, the struggles and the sacrifices of those in places where Rowen grew up. Sure he is a full-fledged Storm Lord, but with much still to learn and see. Rowen being in his life helps him to open his eyes and begin to truly pay attention; Kristoff asks more questions, he becomes more aware of the bigger picture, the things that aren’t talked about—the difficult decisions that are made and the cost of those choices.
I sort of knew where the story was going pretty early on, and guessed at what Rowen’s abilities would be, but what I couldn’t fathom is how it would all play out in the end. So even though his powers didn’t surprise me, the journey to get there, and what happens after they are discovered, was still enjoyable.
This was a great little fantasy read with well-crafted characters and a different type of world building than I personally have ever read. It was refreshing and I was very happy with the way it was all wrapped up. As long as you are into fantasy, intriguing plots and aren’t too hung up on the romance being front and center, I would totally say give this one a go!
Reviewed by Lindsey for The Novel Approach
adamantine's review
4.0
I enjoy most books I read but those levels of enjoyment vary. Most things aren't WOW I LOVE THIS throughout the whole thing but that makes it even harder when a book IS like that (or at least 90%+ like that). You know that feeling of not being able to stop turning the page, of spending all your free moments reading a book because damn, how can you concentrate on anything else? This book was unfortunately like that for me. I say unfortunately because now what? It's always hard to go back to average enjoyment books after reading something you really loved reading. A least for me.
That being said... why 4 stars out of 5? Well, it's because
That being said... why 4 stars out of 5? Well, it's because
Spoiler
of the ending. It's not that I disliked the ending... it's that I dislike that I didn't get to see it! The entire ending "epilogue" of sorts would have made a neat sequel. I'd rather have been left in suspense than flashed forwarded that far ahead and being told oh look! Everything worked out! After becoming so invested in the characters (especially, or specifically Rowen) of course I'd feel cheated with an ending like that.
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