The kind of novel that redefines a genre.
The life of a Barian is one of proud sacrifice and fierce eagerness to protect their homeland of Auren, their fellow Barians, and everything they value. For centuries, the powerful Kazenvek have been the enemy of the Barians. Imar, sub-chief of Drahl and son of the chieftain Galt, has trained his whole life to fight the Kazenvek and keep them from pushing further south, a vocation he excels at. But these vicious ice demons are changing. Once viewed only as mindless beasts with an insatiable desire to destroy, the demons have begun tolerating one another where they once fought for dominance, and are now migrating in unsettling numbers. Chieftain Galt rides north with Imar to learn why, but he knows more about the Kazenvek shift than he’s telling his people and his son. In the cruelest way imaginable, Imar learns what Galt was hiding about their enemy. With a heavy heart, Imar must take up the chieftain’s mantle and stand up for his people, though the grief threatens to consume him. Along with a well-traveled old friend, a brave knight of Darg, and the feared Warlord, Imar discovers that an evil older than memory is stirring across Auren. These fighters may not always be on the same side of the battle line, but their paths pull them inexorably closer.
Raising the bar for heroic fantasy, Prelude to the Storm is the kind of novel that redefines a genre. Worldbuilding is done methodically, through the lens of each character’s unique culture and experiences. Imar is tenacious and loyal, and he sees Auren in black and white. He has a reverence for the customs and traditions of his people. Sir Garith of Darg tells his story through letters to his Queen. His first-person narration lends warmth, wit, and candor to the expansive story arc. A reader favorite, Kitoor, is a breath of fresh air in a saga where gruesome destruction might be lurking around every bend. His peaceful, soothing, devoted nature never wavers, even as he struggles to see his path clearly. Taken together, the distinctive storytelling that alternates between characters hints at a cosmos, a lore, an ethos older than any single voice could articulate. True to its name, this novel merely sets the stage for what is to come, leaving readers eager for the next chapter. The action is sharp and the history is deep in Prelude to the Storm, a feast for lovers of immersive, epic fantasy.
