esop's review against another edition
5.0
Steven McKinnon is just as complex and dastardly in his machinations as Pyron Thackeray. He has created a vast, varied world that feels totally believable with a ton of history and culture, and I was fascinated every time we got to learn more about it, as well as thoroughly engaged with all the action and narrative revelations.
Fans of the first book will find a lot to love here, as McKinnon's writing is as exciting and engaging as ever, and the twist and turns of the narrative will surprise you as the crew travels to several different cities, while a few stay behind in Dalthea in an attempt to rebuild after the events of book 1. The breadth and depth of the world McKinnon has crafted is on full display here; in the first book, we were relegated to Dalthea for the duration of the story, while this time around it's only one of several major cities we get to visit. Each one is as unique as the last, with its own dazzling architecture and fascinating history and culture that McKinnon doesn't shy away from.
His aptitude for plotting complex political storylines is on full display in the Dalthea portions of the book, while the rest is a full-on quest, following the cast on an exciting adventure in search of answers about the source of Serena's power. Like in the previous book, there's a lot to grasp here and a lot of spinning plates, so you definitely need to be on your toes and paying attention to everything going on, because as we come to find out, every detail matters. McKinnon has cleverly and tightly plotted this series, planting seeds in book 1 that finally start coming to fruition in book 2, where I'm sure he's already planted even more.
Those who are worried that the book is juggling too many threads (as some said about book 1), don't worry here. There's certainly a lot going on, but after becoming acquainted with the world and its rules, McKinnon is able to throw us right into the thick of it this time around, knowing that we're already up to speed with what's going on and trusting that we're along for the ride. The narrative is a lot more streamlined than book 1 in the sense that we're not jumping around between a ton of different ideas/genres; there are really only two major storylines here, and each one is tightly focused and chugs along at a good pace.
And once again, the book wraps up in a satisfying way, bringing a close to the immediate conflicts of the book while still setting up major elements to be addressed in the next entry but not leaving you with the feeling that this is an incomplete book.
Wrath of Storms delivers on the promise of book 1's ending by increasing the scope, getting the characters wrapped up in a conflict much bigger than they knew and delivering endless action, drama, and fun. There are a ton of puzzle pieces that seem like they all came from different boxes, but by the end they fit together perfectly and form a picture you didn't even know they were making.
Fans of the first book will find a lot to love here, as McKinnon's writing is as exciting and engaging as ever, and the twist and turns of the narrative will surprise you as the crew travels to several different cities, while a few stay behind in Dalthea in an attempt to rebuild after the events of book 1. The breadth and depth of the world McKinnon has crafted is on full display here; in the first book, we were relegated to Dalthea for the duration of the story, while this time around it's only one of several major cities we get to visit. Each one is as unique as the last, with its own dazzling architecture and fascinating history and culture that McKinnon doesn't shy away from.
His aptitude for plotting complex political storylines is on full display in the Dalthea portions of the book, while the rest is a full-on quest, following the cast on an exciting adventure in search of answers about the source of Serena's power. Like in the previous book, there's a lot to grasp here and a lot of spinning plates, so you definitely need to be on your toes and paying attention to everything going on, because as we come to find out, every detail matters. McKinnon has cleverly and tightly plotted this series, planting seeds in book 1 that finally start coming to fruition in book 2, where I'm sure he's already planted even more.
Those who are worried that the book is juggling too many threads (as some said about book 1), don't worry here. There's certainly a lot going on, but after becoming acquainted with the world and its rules, McKinnon is able to throw us right into the thick of it this time around, knowing that we're already up to speed with what's going on and trusting that we're along for the ride. The narrative is a lot more streamlined than book 1 in the sense that we're not jumping around between a ton of different ideas/genres; there are really only two major storylines here, and each one is tightly focused and chugs along at a good pace.
And once again, the book wraps up in a satisfying way, bringing a close to the immediate conflicts of the book while still setting up major elements to be addressed in the next entry but not leaving you with the feeling that this is an incomplete book.
Wrath of Storms delivers on the promise of book 1's ending by increasing the scope, getting the characters wrapped up in a conflict much bigger than they knew and delivering endless action, drama, and fun. There are a ton of puzzle pieces that seem like they all came from different boxes, but by the end they fit together perfectly and form a picture you didn't even know they were making.
gregg's review against another edition
2.0
I liked it mostly
This was an ok book to read but not remembering things that happened in the first book it took a while to get into really. Some people would definitely enjoy reading this book. It has action, intrigue and reads at an easy pace. A lot of useless violence but then that reflects people in general at times. Will want to read them in order when the third book comes out to enjoy fully.
This was an ok book to read but not remembering things that happened in the first book it took a while to get into really. Some people would definitely enjoy reading this book. It has action, intrigue and reads at an easy pace. A lot of useless violence but then that reflects people in general at times. Will want to read them in order when the third book comes out to enjoy fully.
matt_darksidreads's review against another edition
5.0
I was provided a review copy by the author for a honest review.
Steven McKinnon has another hot one here. Wrath of Storms picks up a short time after the end of Symphony of the Wind with Tyson, Serena, and crew trying to get to Frosthaven to find Musa’s Temple to see if they can rid Serena of her Siren song.
I can’t say enough about Wrath of Storms, it has everything Symphony of the Wind had and takes it to a new level. Mckinnon continues with his world, it blows my mind how easily he crafts this world. He adds more depth to Dalthea, while adding new locations like Ryndara, Tarevia, and others.
At the end of Symphony, we saw Serena coming into her power and coming to grips with it and the fear it instills in others. Now we see Serena test the limits of her powers and find just how far she can go with her power. Tyson also gets fleshed out more, becoming less of the suicidal good guy to moving on from his past.
The battle scenes are taken up a few ticks this time. The battles were very good in Symphony, however the battles in Wrath of Storms feel larger in scale and add some new machines. At the same time some of the battles prove as a testing ground for Serena’s abilities.
Damien has disappeared back to his training grounds to see if he can overcome the bloodlust that is threatening to consume him. A bloodlust that also talks to him and claims helps him as he battles. It was shown in the first book that he wasn’t as efficient in battle is he didn’t kill and that issue gets explored deeper in his part of the story.
Wrath of Storms add a lot of depth and more twists and turns than a mountain road. Cant wait to see the next book in the series
Steven McKinnon has another hot one here. Wrath of Storms picks up a short time after the end of Symphony of the Wind with Tyson, Serena, and crew trying to get to Frosthaven to find Musa’s Temple to see if they can rid Serena of her Siren song.
I can’t say enough about Wrath of Storms, it has everything Symphony of the Wind had and takes it to a new level. Mckinnon continues with his world, it blows my mind how easily he crafts this world. He adds more depth to Dalthea, while adding new locations like Ryndara, Tarevia, and others.
At the end of Symphony, we saw Serena coming into her power and coming to grips with it and the fear it instills in others. Now we see Serena test the limits of her powers and find just how far she can go with her power. Tyson also gets fleshed out more, becoming less of the suicidal good guy to moving on from his past.
The battle scenes are taken up a few ticks this time. The battles were very good in Symphony, however the battles in Wrath of Storms feel larger in scale and add some new machines. At the same time some of the battles prove as a testing ground for Serena’s abilities.
Damien has disappeared back to his training grounds to see if he can overcome the bloodlust that is threatening to consume him. A bloodlust that also talks to him and claims helps him as he battles. It was shown in the first book that he wasn’t as efficient in battle is he didn’t kill and that issue gets explored deeper in his part of the story.
Wrath of Storms add a lot of depth and more twists and turns than a mountain road. Cant wait to see the next book in the series
eyed's review
5.0
What a wild ride, this book is awesome!
I really enjoyed Symphony of the Wind and was looking forward to the further adventures of some really great characters in what may be one of my favorite fantasy worlds.
Let's start with the characters, my favorites are Gallows, Serena and Damien. Serena is a young woman who recently discovered she has some kick ass powers over other peoples minds. Super dangerous stuff, especially when it doesn't come with a user guide. Gallows is an ex soldier turned bounty hunter but most recently turned protector of Serena. Damien another extremely dangerous one, he has some hardcore inner demons that need wrestling and he does his best but he is always one kill away from becoming a murderous lunatic.
Some of the other characters include Myriel the mage's guildmaster, Enoch a near unstoppable man with stone like skin who is untold years old, Buzz a drug addict who is trying to turn his life around, Morton a bad ass mercenary pilot, General Fallon who is trying to put the pieces of his kingdom back together again.
There are other great characters, too many to mention them all. What they all have in common is how real they along with their lives, problems and choices feel. I have grown quite attached to many of them and can not wait to see how the rest of their story plays out.
The world building is top notch, as the characters adventures took me to new places I felt a sense of wonder at the varying cultures and personalities they encountered. I wish they had gotten to spend more time in certain areas just so I could have experienced them deeper, in particular Frosthaven.
The story I will leave up to you to discover. If you are looking at reviews for this you have hopefully read Symphony of the Wind. If you have then you already know Mr. McKinnon is an excellent writer and should need no convincing that this is a must read. If you are yet to start series then you need to get on it because you are missing out.
I really enjoyed Symphony of the Wind and was looking forward to the further adventures of some really great characters in what may be one of my favorite fantasy worlds.
Let's start with the characters, my favorites are Gallows, Serena and Damien. Serena is a young woman who recently discovered she has some kick ass powers over other peoples minds. Super dangerous stuff, especially when it doesn't come with a user guide. Gallows is an ex soldier turned bounty hunter but most recently turned protector of Serena. Damien another extremely dangerous one, he has some hardcore inner demons that need wrestling and he does his best but he is always one kill away from becoming a murderous lunatic.
Some of the other characters include Myriel the mage's guildmaster, Enoch a near unstoppable man with stone like skin who is untold years old, Buzz a drug addict who is trying to turn his life around, Morton a bad ass mercenary pilot, General Fallon who is trying to put the pieces of his kingdom back together again.
There are other great characters, too many to mention them all. What they all have in common is how real they along with their lives, problems and choices feel. I have grown quite attached to many of them and can not wait to see how the rest of their story plays out.
The world building is top notch, as the characters adventures took me to new places I felt a sense of wonder at the varying cultures and personalities they encountered. I wish they had gotten to spend more time in certain areas just so I could have experienced them deeper, in particular Frosthaven.
The story I will leave up to you to discover. If you are looking at reviews for this you have hopefully read Symphony of the Wind. If you have then you already know Mr. McKinnon is an excellent writer and should need no convincing that this is a must read. If you are yet to start series then you need to get on it because you are missing out.
swiff's review
5.0
How do you describe Steve McKinnon’s Wrath of Storms, the sequel to FantasyBookReview’s SPFBO4 finalist Symphony of the Wind? I’ve tried comparing it to everything from “a fantasy Die Hard” to “Indiana Jones with airships, siege battles, and psychic powers,” and all the comparisons I use end up sounding reductive and leaving out so many interesting aspects to this story. I’ve settled on calling it a high-octane, action-fantasy adventure laced with dry humor, a diverse cast of heroes and villains, and an infectious case of ‘just-one-more-chapter’ syndrome.
Five weeks have passed since the events at the end of Symphony of the Wind. Dalthea is struggling under its new government, and the Raincatchers have split up. Damien has elected to face his inner demons, while Gallows and Serena use their newly acquired knowledge to attempt a journey to a place that can help Serena with her gifts. But the chaos sown by rebels and warring kingdoms poses dangers from above and below. New threats emerge, old enemies rear their ugly heads, and unlikely heroes are forced into the spotlight. McKinnon deftly juggles the already-large cast from book one and somehow adds several more wrinkles to the mix in book two, but it never feels like too much of a burden to follow. I recommend reading the refresher page on the author's web site before starting Wrath to catch yourself up.
One of the greatest strengths of these books are how well the large action set pieces are described in so few words. They help me conjure easy visualizations without the need to bog us down with every detail. and help the pages fly by at an incredibly brisk pace. McKinnon also has a knack for making each scene feel fresh (although you figure that Gallows is going to be thrown through a window or kicked off a mountain every chapter or two, because, Gallows.) Everything else about the set pieces feel unpredictable, like the tide could turn at any moment. And it usually does.
After reading Wrath, I’m convinced McKinnon would be a great candidate to write a screenplay for an action film. He understands pacing, movement, working with a large cast, visualization, and evoking emotional change while being economical with the word count. All these traits combine to make this series pure fun; I didn’t want it to end. If anything mentioned above sounds the least bit appealing to your tastes, you owe it to yourself to pick up this series.
Five weeks have passed since the events at the end of Symphony of the Wind. Dalthea is struggling under its new government, and the Raincatchers have split up. Damien has elected to face his inner demons, while Gallows and Serena use their newly acquired knowledge to attempt a journey to a place that can help Serena with her gifts. But the chaos sown by rebels and warring kingdoms poses dangers from above and below. New threats emerge, old enemies rear their ugly heads, and unlikely heroes are forced into the spotlight. McKinnon deftly juggles the already-large cast from book one and somehow adds several more wrinkles to the mix in book two, but it never feels like too much of a burden to follow. I recommend reading the refresher page on the author's web site before starting Wrath to catch yourself up.
One of the greatest strengths of these books are how well the large action set pieces are described in so few words. They help me conjure easy visualizations without the need to bog us down with every detail. and help the pages fly by at an incredibly brisk pace. McKinnon also has a knack for making each scene feel fresh (although you figure that Gallows is going to be thrown through a window or kicked off a mountain every chapter or two, because, Gallows.) Everything else about the set pieces feel unpredictable, like the tide could turn at any moment. And it usually does.
After reading Wrath, I’m convinced McKinnon would be a great candidate to write a screenplay for an action film. He understands pacing, movement, working with a large cast, visualization, and evoking emotional change while being economical with the word count. All these traits combine to make this series pure fun; I didn’t want it to end. If anything mentioned above sounds the least bit appealing to your tastes, you owe it to yourself to pick up this series.
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