I can describe this book the hard way and tell you it’s about people, and war and basically, it’s survival during a shift in power. It’s complicated choices and characters weaving through other people’s lives, sometimes intersecting them, sometimes not, spurring an outcome that may not be the one they’d expect. So, the trick for some is to out-think, out-maneuver and/or just survive and hope you’re the one that’s a step ahead in the end, and not the other guy.
Oh, and of course, there is magic. The kind of magic/mysticism you roll with- maybe it’ll get explained but maybe not, but I’m not one of those that needs my magic to make sense, especially in this sort of setting.
I, personally, really enjoy this type of fantasy. I liked seeing how the characters choices affect other things/people and I love trying to think ahead a few steps wondering what will happen if they do this or that, and where the author is going to take a story. I like to have characters to root for and I need to have good things and good people, to happen occasionally amidst the bad, to make me want to continue. The author struck that balance very well between the good, the bad, and the ugly.
So, there are three mpov’s, all first person.
Miko- young princess, trained in fighting and everything that a noble would need to know to run a country even though technically it would never be hers to run (what can I say- her mom was ambitious and hoped for her to run from the background of her marriage). I liked Miko’s sections for the political maneuverings. She may be young but she’s clever- she still feels like a teen, at times unsure and at times cocky but always trying to prove herself. I appreciated she didn’t become all knowing as soon as she had to be. The wondering if she was going to manage around the council and nobles, without getting herself beheaded kept me coming back. I really enjoyed her. And as a side-note I hoped for her to win the Emperor over as easily as she did me.
Cassandra- the assassin/whore. I liked Cassandra’s sections because she was interesting- when her story-line lagged she had companions that held my attention. Also, The Death Call and her ride-along, a Gouald type presence (without the worm) that shared her mind, had me intrigued and wanting to know more about her and her abilities. Her ride-along’s nicer nature (most of the time) helped balance out the cold-heartedness of being an assassin/whore. Cassandra kept me reading when things were slow elsewhere.
Rah- the nomad/plainsmen/warrior- Rah took me longer to like/enjoy than any of the other pov’s. His sections seemed to have a bigger cast of people that was harder for me to get to know (especially with my terribleness at names) and his rigidness in sticking to his tribe’s ways, pushed away a lot of his tribesman and even started to frustrate me at times. It wasn’t until they started the march and the Dom joined that I enjoyed his sections more. Also, his sections had some pretty distasteful circumstances with the beheadings, rape, brandings, and slavery etc.. they were tough to read at times. I think Rah’s unerring goodness helped to balance these out. But I still felt lost more often than not trying to keep up with who’s who.
Now, my very favorite character didn’t have a pov but managed to intersect all the pov characters lives at some point (oddly resulting in the same outcome all three times). This person added some humor to Cassandra’s section, some admiration for Miko in her section, and made Rah likeable and gave me a reason to root for him. I am hoping the nature of this person will mean a return in the next book.
Or I can do this the Easy Way, and tell you to just go read the darn thing because it’s worth your time
Other notes-
-If you don’t have a strong stomach the beginning of this could be a determent in continuing on- bear with it, it’s worth getting past the slightly grisly beheading scenes, especially when you realize it’s not for cruelty’s sake. I personally found the voluntary branding later in the book, harder to take than the beheadings- at least they’re post mortem.
-Pretty happy about that turn of events with Grace.
-Loved Minister Manshin- One of those good things, in the bad I was needing.
c/p from my GR's
We Ride the Storm: The Reborn Empire, Book 1
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Top reviews from Canada
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I can do this the Easy Way, and tell you to just go read the darn thing because it’s worth your time
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on August 9, 2018Verified Purchase
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on December 12, 2018
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Top reviews from other countries
Andy Green
Wonderfully evocative, brutally visceral fantasy
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RBW
What a wild ride of a story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on December 13, 2018Verified Purchase
Kindle Customer
Epic fantasy of the highest quality
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on September 24, 2018Verified Purchase
Someone
Ultimately unfulfilling
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on November 14, 2020Verified Purchase
Amazon Customer
Well written
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on June 20, 2021Verified Purchase
