Showing posts with label devin madson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label devin madson. Show all posts

Friday, December 6, 2024

Review: Between Dragons and Their Wrath by Devin Madson

Between Dragons and Their Wrath (Shattered Kingdom Trilogy #1) by Devin Madson
Orbit
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Paperback. 480 pages.

About Between Dragons and Their Wrath:

"From Aurealis Award‑nominated author Devin Madson comes a new rip-roaring epic fantasy full of dragons, alchemical magic, and forbidden romance that unfolds as three people in a shattered empire become entangled in a looming revolution. 

When dragons rage, chaos reigns.

Conquest built the Celes Basin, now enemies once more threaten its borders. But when the Lord Reacher declares himself supreme ruler to enforce unity, old angers erupt, threatening to tear the basin apart from within.

Tesha, a glassblower’s apprentice with a talent for poisonwork, becomes a false tribute bride as part of a desperate political plot. In the Reacher’s court, she’s perfectly placed to sabotage him, but her heart has other plans.

Naili is laundress to an eccentric alchemist, a job that has left her with strange new abilities that are slowly consuming her—and attracting the notice of the city’s underground rulers. With time running out, she’ll have to gain power by any means just to survive, let alone change the world.

And in the desolate Shield Mountains, sharp-shooting dragon rider Ashadi protects the basin from the monsters of The Sands beyond, but when an impossible shot pierces his dragon’s glass scales, he becomes the hunted one.

As chaos sweeps across the land, Tesha, Naili, and Ashadi must fight to survive political enemies, long-buried secrets, and monsters both within and without."

Given how much I loved Devin Madson's Reborn Empire series, I expected to enjoy Between Dragons and Their Wrath—yet somehow, it still managed to surprise me in the best way!

The story alternates between three main POVs: Ashadi, a dragon rider who becomes caught up in deeper plots while undertaking his duties; Tesha, a glassblower's apprentice turned undercover insult bride; and Naili, a laundress for a powerful alchemist whose life is suddenly uprooted. I loved following each of them and was particularly delighted by the clever connections woven between their arcs. Madson excels at interweaving threads across her narratives, and this book showcases that strength brilliantly.

While I enjoyed all the perspectives, my favorites were Tesha and Ashadi—both had especially compelling storylines that kept me deeply invested and I found their personalities the easiest to connect with, personally. I will also note that there's a touch of romance in this book, but it's fairly understated and didn't overshadow the main plot at any time. Instead, I actually felt it complemented some of the broader themes without taking center stage.

The pacing felt steady and consistent, which was a breath of fresh air. With a book this and with multiple POVs (all of which were also in first person), it's easy for a story to lose momentum at times, but I really felt as though Between Dragons and Their Wrath avoided that trap. Each chapter is packed with enough intrigue and development to keep you turning the pages, and I never felt lost while transitioning between characters.

Despite the title and cover of this book featuring dragons, I would warn you not to go into this book expecting a lot of dragons, because the dragon content is actually few and far between. Dragons are indeed present in this world, but they are really more of a background element in this book. However, Between Dragons and Their Wrath offers plenty of other reasons to keep reading, such as its heavy political fantasy elements. Much of the plot revolves around politics between different territories and families, imperialistic elements, and the overall delicate balance of power between different territories and cultures.

The world-building is rich and imaginative, and I loved getting a taste of the diverse cultures and regions shaping this story. I found it fascinating to see how how they viewed and interacted with one another, as there were many different sentiments and histories involved with each relationship. The history of this world feels vast and I definitely got the feeling that we've only scratched the surface of it, so I can't wait to see what else there is to learn in future books.

This first book ended on a really strong note-it wasn't a cliffhanger, but it absolutely sets up the sequel perfectly to pick right back up and continue on this journey. I'm especially intrigued by the direction the dragon storyline seems to be heading. It's unexpected, imaginative, and promises to add so much depth and even more layers to this world and its history.

Overall, I've given Between Dragons and Their Wrath 4.5 stars! I am so pleased to be reading books from Devin Madson again and additionally pleased that this was such a great story. This would be a great read for fans of political fantasy, carefully crafted characters, and a multi-layered story. I can't wait to read the sequel!

*I received a copy of Between Dragons and Their Wrath in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Can't-Wait Wednesday: We Cry For Blood (The Reborn Empire #3) by Devin Madson & A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee


Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.
 

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

We Cry for Blood (The Reborn Empire #3) by Devin Madson
Publication: August 5th, 2021
Orbit
Paperback. 624 pages.
Pre-order: AmazonIndieBound

"The empire has fallen and another rises in its place in the action-packed third book of Devin Madson's bold and bloody epic fantasy quartet. 

Ambition and schemes have left the Kisian Empire in ashes. Empress Miko Ts’ai will have to move fast if she hopes to secure a foothold in its ruins. However, the line between enemies and allies may not be as clear-cut as it first appeared. 

After failing to win back his Swords, former Captain Rah e’Torin finds shelter among the Levanti deserters. But his presence in the camp threatens to fracture the group, putting him on a collision course with their enigmatic leader. 

Assassin Cassandra Marius knows Leo Villius’s secret—one that could thwart his ambitions to conquer Kisia. But her time in Empress Hana’s body is running out and each attempt they make to exploit Leo’s weakness may be playing into his plans. 

And, as Leo’s control over the Levanti emperor grows, Dishiva e’Jaroven is caught in his web. To successfully challenge him, she’ll have to decide how many of her people are worth sacrificing in order to win."
I read the first in the Reborn Empire series back in 2018 and have been hooked ever since! I can't wait for this next installment because I just know it's going to be another amazing and intense fantasy read. 

and...

A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
Publication: August 3rd, 2021
Delacorte Press
Hardcover. 384 pages.
Pre-order: AmazonIndieBound

"Felicity Morrow is back at Dalloway School. 

Perched in the Catskill mountains, the centuries-old, ivy-covered campus was home until the tragic death of her girlfriend. Now, after a year away, she’s returned to graduate. She even has her old room in Godwin House, the exclusive dormitory rumored to be haunted by the spirits of five Dalloway students—girls some say were witches. The Dalloway Five all died mysteriously, one after another, right on Godwin grounds. 

Witchcraft is woven into Dalloway’s history. The school doesn’t talk about it, but the students do. In secret rooms and shadowy corners, girls convene. And before her girlfriend died, Felicity was drawn to the dark. She’s determined to leave that behind her now; all Felicity wants is to focus on her senior thesis and graduate. But it’s hard when Dalloway’s occult history is everywhere. And when the new girl won’t let her forget. 

It’s Ellis Haley’s first year at Dalloway, and she’s already amassed a loyal following. A prodigy novelist at seventeen, Ellis is a so-called “method writer.” She’s eccentric and brilliant, and Felicity can’t shake the pull she feels to her. So when Ellis asks Felicity for help researching the Dalloway Five for her second book, Felicity can’t say no. Given her history with the arcane, Felicity is the perfect resource. 

And when history begins to repeat itself, Felicity will have to face the darkness in Dalloway–and in herself."
I am one of those that's always a sucker for a school setting, and I am so curious about the witchy components!

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Can't-Wait Wednesday: We Lie With Death by Devin Madson, Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer, & In the Garden of Spite by Camilla Bruce


Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 
We Lie With Death (The Reborn Empire, #2)
We Lie with Death (The Reborn Empire #2) by Devin Madson
Publication: January 12th, 2021
Orbit
Paperback. 576 pages.
Pre-order: AmazonIndieBound

"Into Kisia's conquered north, a Levanti empire is born.
 
Loyal to the new emperor, Dishiva e'Jaroven must tread the line between building a new life and clinging to the old. Only Gideon can lead them, but when he allies himself with a man returned from the dead it will challenge all she thinks she knows and everything she wants to believe.
 
Now empress of nothing, Miko is more determined than ever to fight for her people, yet with her hunt for allies increasingly desperate, she may learn too late that power lies not in names but in people.
 
Rah refused to bow to the Levanti emperor, but now abandoned by the Second Swords he must choose whether to fight for his people, or his soul. Will honor be his salvation, or lead to his destruction?
 
Sold to the Witchdoctor, Cassandra's only chance of freedom is in his hands, but when her fate becomes inextricably linked to Empress Hana, her true nature could condemn them both.
 
There is no calm after the storm.
I read the first two books in The Reborn Empire back when Devin Madson self-published then and since being acquired by Orbit there's been some minor changes to the books and I am so excited to re-read this sequel!

and...
Into the Heartless Wood
Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer
Publication: January 12th, 2021
Page Street Kids
Hardcover. 368 pages.
Pre-order: AmazonIndieBound


"Epic, heartbreaking, and darkly atmospheric, Into the Heartless Wood is the story of impossible love between a monstrous tree siren and a boy who lives at the edge of her wood.
 
The forest is a dangerous place, where siren song lures men and women to their deaths. For centuries, a witch has harvested souls to feed the heartless tree, using its power to grow her domain.
 
When Owen Merrick is lured into the witch’s wood, one of her tree-siren daughters, Seren, saves his life instead of ending it. Every night, he climbs over the garden wall to see her, and every night her longing to become human deepens. But a shift in the stars foretells a dangerous curse, and Seren’s quest to become human will lead them into an ancient war raging between the witch and the king who is trying to stop her."
This sounds like a really beautiful and magical story, I'm curious to see how it is executed!

and...
In the Garden of Spite
In the Garden of Spite by Camilla Bruce
Publication: January 19th, 2021
Berkley
Hardcover. 480 pages.
Pre-order: AmazonIndieBound


"An audacious novel of feminine rage about one of the most prolific female serial killers in American history--and the men who drove her to it.
 
They whisper about her in Chicago. Men come to her with their hopes, their dreams--their fortunes. But no one sees them leave. No one sees them at all after they come to call on the Widow of La Porte. The good people of Indiana may have their suspicions, but if those fools knew what she'd given up, what was taken from her, how she'd suffered, surely they'd understand. Belle Gunness learned a long time ago that a woman has to make her own way in this world. That's all it is. A bloody means to an end. A glorious enterprise meant to raise her from the bleak, colorless drudgery of her childhood to the life she deserves. After all, vermin always survive."
I've heard a few things about Belle Gunness before and I'm reallly curious to read this fictional story based off of her. I'm not sure what to expect, but I'm certainly intrigued!

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

Monday, April 8, 2019

Review: We Lie With Death by Devin Madson

We Lie With Death (The Reborn Empire #2)
We Lie With Death by Devin Madson (The Reborn Empire #2)
Publication: TBD 2019, Self-Published
Ebook. 484 pages.

About We Lie With Death:

"'Into Kisia’s conquered north, a Levanti empire is born. 

Loyal to the new emperor, Dishiva e’Jaroven must tread the line between building a new life and clinging to the old. Only Gideon can lead them, but when he allies himself with a man returned from the dead it will challenge all she thinks she knows and everything she wants to believe. 

Now empress of nothing, Miko is more determined than ever to fight for her people, yet with her hunt for allies increasingly desperate, she may learn too late that power lies not in names but in people. 

Rah refused to bow to the Levanti emperor, but now abandoned by the Second Swords he must choose whether to fight for his people, or his soul. Will honour be his salvation, or lead to his destruction? 

Sold to the Witchdoctor, Cassandra’s only chance of freedom is in his hands, but when her fate becomes inextricably linked to Empress Hana, her true nature could condemn them both. 

There is no calm after the storm."

When I read We Ride the Storm last year, I had no idea how much I would end up loving it or that it would become the start of a new trilogy that I would be endlessly anticipating as it continues to be released. We Lie With Death is an intricate, gritty, richly developed, and highly satisfying follow-up that I sincerely enjoyed and cannot recommend enough to others to pick up. The mixture of racial tension, political intrigue, religious strife, and many other thematic elements were developed even more in this installment and allowed the plot to be propelled even further. 

Before I even read the first page of the book, Madson managed to exceed my expectation by including a "the story so far" recap and detailed character list that I always immensely appreciate in fantasy books. This is the perfect way to refresh your memory before diving into the sequel, as it was short but filled with just enough information to catch your up on the biggest details from the first book.

We Lie With Death has a much different pace than We Ride the Storm, but it somehow managed to be just as captivating and exciting as the first book. The pacing this time around felt a bit slower, a bit more plotting, and more complex and unpredictable than before. There were a lot of mysteries introduced in the first book that were further explored or answered in this book in ways that I never saw coming and that have left satisfied with what I know, but still yearning to know more in future books. 

The characters remained some of the most compelling components of the story. We continue to follow Rah, Miko, and Cassandra, as well as the newest addition, Dishiva. I didn't expect to have a new POV from Dishiva, but I ended up feeling extremely grateful to have it and follow things from her station in the story. Cassandra and Miko  remain two incredibly  compelling characters who are both exceptionally strong in their own unique ways. They are also both rather cunning, but aren't without faults or the ability to make mistakes or false judgments. Rah continued to be a fascinating character to follow as well, though I feel he had slightly less development than his female counterparts. His journey is still fascinating to follow and I liked seeing how he handles all of his life circumstances, but he just didn't seem as changed as the others. 

This book also allowed us to explore some new locations of the world created by Madson, which I found rather exciting, and I also liked meeting some new characters, such as the Witchdoctor, as well as becoming reacquainted with old ones, such as Empress Hana. I felt that there was a lot more to delve deeper into regarding religions, tensions between various peoples, and individual characters themselves that has turned this into an even more complex and page-turning story.

One of the best things about Madson's writing is her ability to mix serious themes and tones with humor and a somewhat more lighthearted-narrative at times. Don't get me wrong--this is not a lighthearted story, but it is one that has a great balance of darkness and violence with moments that help to keep things more entertaining and realistic. As I mentioned above, the pacing is slower than the first book, but it's still not a slow pace. There is more plotting and discussions and revelations, but there's also plenty of action to keep things moving forward.

As a quick side note, I'd like to note that this book was initially scheduled to be release on March 28th, 2019, but it has been (temporarily) pushed back. I do not have an updated publication date, but don't let that stop you from starting this series and looking forward to the sequel's release! It is absolutely worth it.

Overall, I've given We Lie With Death a well-deserved five stars!


Buy We Ride the Storm (Book 1): Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Monday, July 30, 2018

Review: We Ride the Storm by Devin Madson

We Ride the Storm by Devin Madson
Self-published, 2018
Ebook. 444 pages. 

About the book:
"War built the Kisian Empire and war will tear it down. And as an empire falls, three warriors rise. 

Caught in a foreign war, Captain Rah e’Torin and his exiled warriors will have to fight or die. Their honour code is all they have left until orders from within stress them to breaking point, and the very bonds that hold them together will be ripped apart. 

Cassandra wants the voice in her head to go away. Willing to do anything for peace, the ageing whore takes an assassination contract that promises answers, only the true price may be everyone and everything she knows. 

A prisoner in her own castle, Princess Miko doesn’t dream of freedom but of the power to fight for her empire. As the daughter of a traitor the path to redemption could as easily tear it, and her family, asunder. 

As an empire dies they will have to ride the storm or drown in its blood."

In a weird way, I'm becoming overwhelmed by the sheer amount of truly incredible fantasy books I've read so far this year. It's been surprising to me because I know that I am probably only getting pickier when it comes to books I love, so I've arrived at the conclusion that authors are simply majorly on their game this year (once again). I say all this as a prelude to the fact that We Ride the Storm completely blew me mind and is easily one of my favorite books of the year now.

We Ride the Storm is yet another wonderful self-published novel that I have read as a part of /r/fantasy's TBRindr and I am still in awe. I've already said this on my blog with other awesome self-published books (Kings of Paradise, Kingshold), but if you have any preconceived notions about the quality of self-published books and not thinking that they are up to par with traditionally published books, then banish those thoughts from your head right now, because wow was this book phenomenal.

The setting is a strong Asian-inspired one that was so well-written and felt very carefully created and full of detail. Since I read a lot of fantasy, it's easy to get fatigued by different settings and plot or to find similarities among different books, but I'm pleased to say that, on the whole, We Ride the Storm was one of those books that just felt so distinct and creative.

One thing that really stood out to me about this book was that I don't recall ever once feeling bored or overwhelmed with information. It's not that this book is simply told or lacks depth and complexity in any way, it's that this story is told in such an engaging and flowing manner that I couldn't look away from. Madison is meticulous in her detail and continuity and it never felt overdone. This is a fairly dark, grim book with an abundance of violence, but since it's scope is so epic I felt this slightly undercurrent of hope and determination that stayed throughout the novel. It's a pretty small ray of hope sometimes, but it's still there, as if there is a sense or goal of goodness at the end of it. There is also some great dry, witty humor at times that helped this book from going too dark or depressing, which really cemented this book as a well-rounded and well-developed piece of literature.

The story is told from the perspective of three main characters: Rah e'Torin, Cassandra, and Princess Miko. Rah is one of those men that is so loyal to his vows that he's almost annoying and makes me want to say, "just do the bad thing already and shut up," which is always the mark of a character with high morals. He actually reminded me at various times of Joscelin from Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Dart, simply because of how steadfast he was at staying true to his own ethics and values, and although it can cause him to appear a stubborn mule, it shows his strong, admirable character and a great dedication to his vows and herd. He is a little burst of goodness amidst the grim, morally skewed characters that are littered throughout the rest of the pages.

Cassandra is a bit of a foil to Rah in some ways, seeing as she is both a prostitute and an assassin (a 'whoresassin,' if you will), which would probably go against most of Rah's values. I really enjoyed Cassandra's character, as well a certain accompanying character that is somewhat a part of her--their interactions were always highly entertaining. Cassandra is a tough woman that I couldn't help but admire throughout the entire story. Although she seems to keep ending up in the rough end of situations, she sticks with what she knows she needs to do and never really gives up.

Although I really liked both Rah and Cassandra, Miko is the character that I loved. I am pretty sure she has just become one of my new favorite characters from any book. Miko is strong and confident in herself, but she is also completely aware of the fact that she is still young and has much to learn before she even considers becoming a ruler. I really admired that she was so pragmatic and seemed to actually be filled with common sense. She thinks of her future in every step, while also thinking of the future of those around and the people in her empire and how they will fare as a result of different actions. She is what I consider to be the epitome of badass, which is confirmed by a particular scene in this book that I have been wanting to read in a fantasy book for years. It was actually something that I've always wished for someone to do... and Miko finally did it, and I am endlessly impressed by her.

For those wondering about magical elements in this book, they are overall on the more subtle side so far. There are some obvious instances of fantastic elements, but otherwise it is not a magic-heavy system just yet. I can tell that Madison is really laying some groundwork in this book, though, and I expect future novels might have even more than we experienced in this book.

Overall, I've given We Ride the Storm five (plus) stars! I can see this book going so far and becoming one of the top must-read fantasy novels/series, so definitely get out there and pick up a copy if it sounds like something you might like. Now I need to go out and get my hands on a physical copy to add to my collection!

Content warning: As mentioned, this is a rather violent story at times (the first chapter starts off with a man attempting to remove the head of a dead man--it's for cultural reasons, but still) and there is also some sexual violence, so if you are sensitive to anything like that, just be aware of that when going into the story.

*I received a copy of We Ride the Storm courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating of the book.*