We Ride the Storm- Devin Madson
We Ride The Storm by Devin Madson. So I has seen this book and its sequels make the rounds for the past few years. It has always been one of those things where it's on your tbr but for some reason you don't get to it for awhile. Well I wish I would have sooner because this book was solid. I want to thank the good folks at Orbit for the opportunity to read this series. I'm nearly half way through book 2. But anyway, Here's a brief synopsis.
We Ride the Storm by Devin Madson (The Reborn Empire #1)
In the midst of a burgeoning war, a warrior, an assassin, and a princess chase their own ambitions no matter the cost in Devin Madson's visceral, emotionally charged debut.War built the Kisian Empire. War will tear it down.Seventeen years after rebels stormed the streets, factions divide Kisia. Only the firm hand of the god-emperor holds the empire together. But when a shocking 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.As an empire dies, three warriors will rise. They will have to ride the storm or drown in its blood.
So right off the bat the tone and writing of this book was great. It hooked my interest pretty quick and more or less didn't let go. I felt that the pacing of the book was solid and didn't lag too much on any one pov. Devin Madson writes great characters and that's what made this book so enjoyable. I preferred reading Mikos pov the most and Rahs the least. Rahs dogmatism after awhile got a bit irritating, but that's only a personal issue as it makes sense for his character to be dogmatic. Regardless Book 2 has already changed my mind to that effect so I guess that is moot after all.
The secondary characters were diverse, written well and interesting. When authors focus all their characterization on their main POV characters, but leave the secondary with nothing it shows. You can have a great plot or amazing world-building but if you got shit characters, it's not gonna be good.
The world-building wasn't too in your face but there was enough to garner interest and tie the story together. I thought the ending was great. It was a closure but also open to lead into book 2. Go pick this book or any other Madson books, you won't regret it.
4/5