Devin Madson is writing award-winning fantasy from the land down under.
My first foray into the work of Devin Madson was quite rewarding. Character driven information, succinct world building, and well done pacing. Intrigue and action are balanced throughout with vividly written characters bringing it to life.
It’s dark and bloody, with the Kisian empire under attack from its neighbor, the Chiltaens, who have bolstered their army by enslaving the Levanti, a nomad people whose fighting skills, and superior horses are needed to wage a war against Kisia. Told to fight for the Chiltaens or die, the Levanti horse people become a driving power in the action packed events which unfold.
A solid classic style epic fantasy. Character driven and told from three points of view, the chapters are punctuated with stylistic symbols, one for each point of view, and designed by David Schembri.
One a whore assassin with another woman residing in her own body, furiously drinking the voice in her head away at every opportunity, she will stop at nothing to be rid of her.
The second is princess Miko Ts’ai, twin to her brother Tanaka and heirs to the throne in name but not blood, she trained as a warrior and wants the power to be freed from the palace and politics which are their prison.
At the fore is Rah e’Torin, a Levanti horseman of the plains, who finds himself embroiled in a war far from home that belongs to another people and a different world than the nomadic life of his people. He is a captain of the second Swords of his herd.
“We are the Swords that hunt so your hands may be clean. We are the Swords that kill so your soul may be light. We are the Swords that die so you may live.”
This story holds back nothing. The passions which drive an empire or on the realism of killing both people and beasts alike. The gutters, battlefields, and palaces run with blood. They are filled with the screaming of horses, men, women and children. They reek with the stench of death and dying.
Grimdark, epic fantasy, and fans of Asian inspired settings will all find a very satisfying read in We Ride the Storm.
Paperback: 444 pages
Publisher: Cloudburst Books (May 17, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0995413371
ISBN-13: 978-0995413375
More from Devin Madson:
The Vengeance Trilogy
In Shadows We Fall -2017 Aurealis Winner
About the Author:
Aurealis Award-winning author of In Shadows We Fall.
Devin Madson has given up on reality and is now a dual-wielding rogue with a lot of points sunk into stealth and lock picking skills. A completionist at heart, she works through every tiny side-quest and always ends up too over-powered for the final boss. She is still waiting for her Hogwarts letter (a total Ravenclaw) and dreams of flying away in the Tardis.
Anything but zen, Devin subsists on tea and chocolate and so much fried zucchini she ought to have turned into one by now.
If you’re after happy, fuzzy tales then you’ve come to the wrong place. Her fantasy novels come in all shades of grey and are populated with characters of questionable morals and a liking for witty banter.
Find Devin at her pages here. Sign up for her newsletter and receive a free copy of her award winning novella. Click the cover to go and get yours!
Grimmedian 
One Reply to “We Ride the Storm”