Thank you to @HoZ_Books for my spot on this blogtour.
SYNOPSIS
Protect your people.
The endless rot storm rages over the ruins of the Ferron Empire. Flore would never let the slavers of the Empire rise again. As a warrior of the Stormguard Commandoes, she wrought horrors in the rot storm to protect her people. She did her duty and left the bloodshed behind.
Fight for your family
Flore’s peace is shattered when blazing orbs of light cut through the night sky and descents on her village. Her daughter is abducted and Flore is forced into a chase across a land of twisted monsters and ancient gods. She must pursue the mysterious orbs, whose presence could herald the return of the Empire she spent her entire life fighting.
Destroy your enemies.
Now, Flore must take up the role she had sworn to put aside and become the weapon the Stormguard trained her to be, to save not only her daughter, but her people…
MY REVIEW
If you like a good fantasy read then you won’t go far wrong with a copy of this engrossing book. With Goblins, gods, monsters, crow men, skein-mage’s, lots of action which really builds up towards the end. This book has it all. I am relatively new to reading fantasy so still learning what some of the characters do. This is book one in what looks to be a very good trilogy.
The world building is brilliant, there is a map at the front of the book which helps you see where places are, especially when the story does at times leap from one place to another dependant in where each character is. There is a lot of description used to give you ideas of the surrounding scenery, landscapes and creatures. Although I think a few times too many descriptions of the Goblins, once they had been described once it didn’t really need to be mentioned again.
Flore Artollen is the main protagonist and it was nice to see a female having such a huge role, when her daughter is taken and many people are killed Flore is determined to get her daughter, Marta, back and get revenge. She is a character you find yourself really rooting for, she takes care of the young cadets she has with her Yselde is a young female cadet who stays by her side for most of the story she is another strong character, along with Cuss another cadet who is trying to find his brother Petron who was taken at the same time as Marta. Along the way they are joined by other creatures from different walks of life, they all have the same goal in stopping the bad guys.
You do have to focus a lot on the story as there are a lot of points of view, and some of the story jumped back and forward in time, mainly in order to explain what the cause of some of the actions were. At times the pace was full throttle action, then it would slow a bit, building towards the dramatic climax at the end.
The writer has used a great deal of imagination bringing an epic fantasy novel into modern day times. It’s nice to see the women being involved in the battles as well as the men. I admit there were bits that confused me at times but I soon worked out what was what again this is from me not having read too many fantasy novels until recently.
A great debut novel, I can see this being a very popular read among fantasy readers and those who love D & D. I look forward to see where things go in book 2.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read, gripping, engrossing, great characterisation, with everything you expect within a fantasy story. Superb imaginary world building. Thank you to @HoZ_Books for an ARC of this book all thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way biased.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ian Green is a writer from Northern Scotland with a PhD in epigenetics. His fiction has been widely broadcast and performed, including winning the BBC Radio 4 Opening Lines competition and winning the Futurebook Future Fiction prize. His short fiction has been published by Londoner, Almond Press, OpenPen, Meanjin, Transportation Press, The Pigeonhold, No Alibi Press, Minor Lits, and more.
Social media:
@ianthegreen
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