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The Perilous Gods #2
When the Winds Sing
Alex Orlov is a changed man.
Not because his time in Pelican Bay Prison rehabilitated him—rehabilitation is for the guilty, after all—but because helping a stranger cost him three years of his life and his dream job as a forest ranger. All Alex wants now is to stay out of other people’s business, finish his parole quietly, and to never, ever return to the harrowing experience of living behind bars.
Goals that are shattered when an encounter with an elderly Russian man embroils him in a conflict between three Slavic gods. Conscripted into a game he doesn’t understand, Alex mistakenly believes he can refuse to play. But when creatures out of dark Russian folklore follow the gods to his small Northern California town, and then to his home with his sister and her children, the rules of the game change. Alex has looked out for his sister since they were teens and he’s not going to stop now, even if it means going head-to-head with gods.
As the conflict drags him ever closer to parole violation and a return to prison, however, it becomes clear that protecting his family may carry the cost of coming face-to-face with his greatest fear.
Not because his time in Pelican Bay Prison rehabilitated him—rehabilitation is for the guilty, after all—but because helping a stranger cost him three years of his life and his dream job as a forest ranger. All Alex wants now is to stay out of other people’s business, finish his parole quietly, and to never, ever return to the harrowing experience of living behind bars.
Goals that are shattered when an encounter with an elderly Russian man embroils him in a conflict between three Slavic gods. Conscripted into a game he doesn’t understand, Alex mistakenly believes he can refuse to play. But when creatures out of dark Russian folklore follow the gods to his small Northern California town, and then to his home with his sister and her children, the rules of the game change. Alex has looked out for his sister since they were teens and he’s not going to stop now, even if it means going head-to-head with gods.
As the conflict drags him ever closer to parole violation and a return to prison, however, it becomes clear that protecting his family may carry the cost of coming face-to-face with his greatest fear.
Audible Audio
Published March 3, 2026
11 people want to read
About the author
L.D. Colter
19 books47 followersL. D. Colter has farmed with draft horses and worked as a paramedic, Outward Bound instructor, athletic trainer, roller-skating waitress, and concrete dispatcher, among other curious choices. She’s an author of contemporary, epic, and dark fantasy novels, a WSFA Small Press Award finalist, and a two-time winner of the Colorado Book Award for science fiction and fantasy. Her website and blog can be found at: https://www.ldcolter.com/ and her newsletter subscription at: https://l-d-colter-speculations.kit.c...
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 27, 2025
Alex Orlov is just an average guy trying hard to stay on the right side of the law, when he stops to offer help to an old man. Things spiral out of control, as the old man is Orel Stribog, one of the ancient Slavic gods, and beings from Slavic folklore follow the god into Alex's life. At first, Alex doesn't believe any of this is real, but then "they" come for his nephews. Alex really doesn't want to risk breaking his probation and returning to jail, but neither can he sit by and watch his family being targeted merely for being associated with him.
This is the second book in The Perilous Gods series, but each book is 100% freestanding, and deals with different characters in entirely different pantheons. I really enjoyed book 1, dealing with Greek mythology, but I LOVED this book. The dark take on the gods and folkloric beings felt fresh yet true at the same time, and the plight of an ordinary guy accidentally mixed up in the workings of gods--well, I couldn't help but sympathize and keep on reading! Alex is entirely relatable, as are his friends and family. Really great characterization all around makes this clearly a character-driven book. That said, the plot didn't lag, but kept twisting and ramping up the tension, from simple strangeness and a sense of creepiness to outright danger--both mortal peril and that "I'll regret this forever, but I have no choice" type.
This book will be especially appreciated by fans of mythology, especially Slavic mythology, and by readers who enjoyed Katherine Arden's "The Bear and the Nightingale," Naomi Novik's "Spinning Silver," and Lilith Saintcrow's "Spring's Arcana."
This is the second book in The Perilous Gods series, but each book is 100% freestanding, and deals with different characters in entirely different pantheons. I really enjoyed book 1, dealing with Greek mythology, but I LOVED this book. The dark take on the gods and folkloric beings felt fresh yet true at the same time, and the plight of an ordinary guy accidentally mixed up in the workings of gods--well, I couldn't help but sympathize and keep on reading! Alex is entirely relatable, as are his friends and family. Really great characterization all around makes this clearly a character-driven book. That said, the plot didn't lag, but kept twisting and ramping up the tension, from simple strangeness and a sense of creepiness to outright danger--both mortal peril and that "I'll regret this forever, but I have no choice" type.
This book will be especially appreciated by fans of mythology, especially Slavic mythology, and by readers who enjoyed Katherine Arden's "The Bear and the Nightingale," Naomi Novik's "Spinning Silver," and Lilith Saintcrow's "Spring's Arcana."
October 28, 2025
Thank you to Solaris Books and L. D. Colter for the opportunity to read When the Winds Sing.
This is my second novel by L. D. Colter, and it did not disappoint! The author’s writing style is captivating and immersive, effortlessly pulling the reader into the story.
The book follows Alex Orlov and his encounters with various Slavic gods. If you’re looking for a spooky read this season, I highly recommend this one—it’s filled with monsters, rich lore, and fascinating side characters. I also loved how much I learned about Slavic mythology along the way.
One aspect I especially appreciated about Alex’s character was his ability to make the right choice, even when it was the hardest one to make.
Overall, When the Winds Sing is beautifully written, engaging, and a quick, satisfying read.
This is my second novel by L. D. Colter, and it did not disappoint! The author’s writing style is captivating and immersive, effortlessly pulling the reader into the story.
The book follows Alex Orlov and his encounters with various Slavic gods. If you’re looking for a spooky read this season, I highly recommend this one—it’s filled with monsters, rich lore, and fascinating side characters. I also loved how much I learned about Slavic mythology along the way.
One aspect I especially appreciated about Alex’s character was his ability to make the right choice, even when it was the hardest one to make.
Overall, When the Winds Sing is beautifully written, engaging, and a quick, satisfying read.
November 18, 2025
L.D. Colter’s Perilous Gods trilogy (Solaris Nova, 2025) has been generating a lot of attention lately, so I was excited to receive an ARC of the second book in the series, When The Winds Sing. I began reading at a time when I needed stress-relief and distraction from real life, and wow, did this book deliver. The opening images of an old man flying a kite in the midst of a nasty rainstorm grabbed me immediately. The protagonist is easy to care about. His past is woven beautifully into the present-day action, so by the time the shenanigans ramp up, I was fully onboard with him. His relationship with his sister is like a soothing balm, creating a welcome balance between the extremes of the protagonist’s life.
It’s not a spoiler to mention the gods that play a role in this story. And what kind of god isn’t a little infuriating? The gods in Colter’s writing are unique and full of personality, keeping the tension tight with each new unexpected turn.
I often enjoy stories that draw from Slavic folk tales, even though I’m not as well-versed as I’d like. The introduction by Alex Shvartsman provides a nice grounding in the folk tale space, so do read the full intro before diving into the book.
I’m looking forward to the other books in the set.
It’s not a spoiler to mention the gods that play a role in this story. And what kind of god isn’t a little infuriating? The gods in Colter’s writing are unique and full of personality, keeping the tension tight with each new unexpected turn.
I often enjoy stories that draw from Slavic folk tales, even though I’m not as well-versed as I’d like. The introduction by Alex Shvartsman provides a nice grounding in the folk tale space, so do read the full intro before diving into the book.
I’m looking forward to the other books in the set.
February 2, 2026
When the Winds Sing begins with a strong characterization of Alex Orlov, on parole after having been wrongly incarcerated. Alex loves his family—his sister and his nephews—and desperately wants to have his conviction overturned so that he can return to his former life as a forest ranger. Alex also has some familiarity with Russian through his grandparents and so is apparently rather unphased (though rather inconvenienced) when Russian folk deities invade his life.
I really appreciated the Alex characterization at the beginning of the novel and was somewhat disappointed at the thin characterization of the Russian folk beings. For the most part, they seemed to serve as a mask over generic antagonists, turning a big chunk of the novel into a somewhat ordinary missing person’s case. It wasn’t until the exciting climactic action at the end that we saw much of the unique folktale nature of these characters. While the main action had a thrilling conclusion, all the ancillary tension in Alex’s life was tidied up a little too neatly in the denouement to satisfy.
I really appreciated the Alex characterization at the beginning of the novel and was somewhat disappointed at the thin characterization of the Russian folk beings. For the most part, they seemed to serve as a mask over generic antagonists, turning a big chunk of the novel into a somewhat ordinary missing person’s case. It wasn’t until the exciting climactic action at the end that we saw much of the unique folktale nature of these characters. While the main action had a thrilling conclusion, all the ancillary tension in Alex’s life was tidied up a little too neatly in the denouement to satisfy.
October 23, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and Solaris for the eARC
If you liked "While the gods sleep", you should enjoy this second book in the series. This time we are set in the United States, in our time. We follow Alex, freshly out of prison and promptly thrown into a godly matter.
The tone is very similar from book one to book two despite the change of gods and place. It really feels like a sort of continuation, The gods are unreliable, with high powers an yet with their problem, drawing people into their struggle. Namely Alex and his family and friends here.
The use of elements of slavic folkolore is nicely done, with a few less known characters, like Likho.
The lack of romance threat of any kind was nice, too.
An easy and quick read, "When the winds sing" kept that a little withdrawn quality I felt in the first book, making it a bit hard to really care for the characters but still made for an entertaining read.
If you liked "While the gods sleep", you should enjoy this second book in the series. This time we are set in the United States, in our time. We follow Alex, freshly out of prison and promptly thrown into a godly matter.
The tone is very similar from book one to book two despite the change of gods and place. It really feels like a sort of continuation, The gods are unreliable, with high powers an yet with their problem, drawing people into their struggle. Namely Alex and his family and friends here.
The use of elements of slavic folkolore is nicely done, with a few less known characters, like Likho.
The lack of romance threat of any kind was nice, too.
An easy and quick read, "When the winds sing" kept that a little withdrawn quality I felt in the first book, making it a bit hard to really care for the characters but still made for an entertaining read.
February 16, 2026
While this is the second novel in the Perilous Gods seried, it is a stand alone novel. This is an action packed story of a man striving against impossible odds, both earthly and otherworldly. Like the the first novel in the series a man's life and fate are caught up in the drama of feuding gods, but what makes this story unique is that the gods aren't the ones were used to. These are the obscure, but no less fascinating Slavic gods. If you're familiar with any of them, it's probably Baba Yaga (who definitely makes an appearance). With a deft hand Colter weaves supernatural into the struggles of a man who just wants to lay low after having been wrongly imprisoned, return to his job as a forest ranger. While the story carries you along and is studded with plenty of excitement from entities often more powerful than wise, it never strays far from its heart. Alex's love for his family puts him in a difficult predicament, but he is determined to protect them, as well as not breaking parole or being consumed by the gods who will stop at nothing to achieve their own ends.
November 6, 2025
Creepy, spellbinding, and occasionally profoundly moving, When the Winds Sing is a very worthwhile followup installment in the Perilous Gods series (though it is a standalone). L.D. Colter continues in her quest to follow in the footsteps of Tim Powers and the best contemporary fantasy writers.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews