We Ride The Storm by Devin Madson | Book Review.

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

As an empire dies, three warriors will rise. They will have to ride the storm or drown in its blood.
"An exciting new author in fantasy." —Mark Lawrence, author of Red Sister
Seventeen years after rebels stormed the streets, factions divide Kisia. Only the firm hand of the god-emperor holds the empire together. But when an unexpected betrayal destroys a tense alliance with neighboring Chiltae, all that has been won comes crashing down.
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.
War built the Kisian Empire. War will tear it down.
We Ride the Storm is the epic launch of a bold and brutal fantasy series, perfect for readers of Mark Lawrence, John Gwynne, and Brian Staveley.
Praise for The Reborn Empire:
"Imaginative world building, a pace that builds perfectly to a heart-pounding finale and captivating characters. Highly recommended." —John Gwynne, author of The Faithful and the Fallen
"A complex tale of war, politics, and lust for power." —The Guardian
The Reborn EmpireWe Ride the StormWe Lie with Death
For more from Devin Madson, check out:
The Vengeance TrilogyThe Blood of WhisperersThe Gods of ViceThe Grave at Storm's End

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. 

ABOUT DEVIN MADSON

Devin Madson is an Aurealis Award-winning fantasy author from Australia. After some sucky teenage years, she gave up reality and is now a dual-wielding rogue who works through every tiny side-quest and always ends up too over-powered for the final boss. Anything but zen, Devin subsists on tea and chocolate and so much fried zucchini she ought to have turned into one by now. Her fantasy novels come in all shades of grey and are populated with characters of questionable morals and a liking for witty banter.

That’s the spiel! I write books. I read books. I shout about books. I rewatch Lord of the Rings way more than is healthy and play a lot of video games. The easiest place to find me doing all those things is on twitter at @DevinMadson, where I also tell tales of my Doom Child, talk about my writing and spout total nonsense.

Devin Madson