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Steelhaven #1
Вестителят на бурята
Първата книга от вълнуваща нова поредица, която феновете на епичното фентъзи и историческите романи ще оценят.
Неуравновесен ветеран,
разочарован наемен убиец,
злочест чирак,
пиян мошеник,
отчаян крадец...
Във времена на криза не ти се полага да си избираш героите.
Добре дошли в Стийлхейвън...
Пазете си гърба
Неуравновесен ветеран,
разочарован наемен убиец,
злочест чирак,
пиян мошеник,
отчаян крадец...
Във времена на криза не ти се полага да си избираш героите.
Добре дошли в Стийлхейвън...
Пазете си гърба
474 pages, Hardcover
First published April 25, 2013
108 people are currently reading
4846 people want to read
About the author
Richard S. Ford
21 books434 followersR S Ford originally hails from Leeds in the heartland of Yorkshire. He is a writer of fantasy and historical fiction (check out Richard Cullen on Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...)
You can find out more about what he's up to, and download free stuff, here:
http://wordhog.co.uk
And follow him on Twitter here: @rich4ord
And Instagram here: thewordhog
You can find out more about what he's up to, and download free stuff, here:
http://wordhog.co.uk
And follow him on Twitter here: @rich4ord
And Instagram here: thewordhog
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
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June 28, 2025So, this book interested me for a variety of reasons, not least of them the fact that the author Richard Ford entered and won a contest to narrate a Broken Empire/Jorg short story for me:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
He did a great job with it too.
I'd seen a range of reviews for Herald of the Storm, some full of praise, some with complaints, but all of them intriguing.
Now that I'm done I find myself wanting to compare the story and style to other authors I've read. I think Malice by John Gwynne would be the closest match, with elements of Michael Sullivan's Ryria and even a splash of Jeff Salyards' Scourge of the Betrayer.
It's a book with many point-of-view characters (8 I think) each commanding their own chapters, and between them covering many angles on a wide ranging event (an invading army that we don't get to see, and the large capital city that they're closing in on). In addition to comparing it in style and scale to Malice I could compare both to A Game of Thrones in that respect.
Ford gives us view points from beggar child to heir to the throne, and all stops in between. The first 8 chapters belong to 8 separate characters, so there's a steep learning curve and it's a while before you get to revisit anyone.
This approach may be forced upon Ford by his attempt to fit a George RR Martin's weight of story into a Prince of Thorns length (well, not quite that short) book. It does mean though that the start is a little rough with considerable amounts of plot/background information being fed to us, sometimes in 'as we both know' conversations.
Things smooth out as you get into the meat of the book and readers will find themselves selecting favorite characters whose chapters they most want to read.
It's possible to map most of these characters onto standard 'trope' figures, but that's perhaps unfair since even the most cliched character can be made fascinating by good writing and even the most promising and original character can be killed with bad prose.
Ford hits a lot of good notes and sets up a major conflict for book 2 that should be very exciting having had all this groundwork laid to establish the characters inside the city.
I can see now that both the people who rave about the book, and the people who had reservations, have a case. Ultimately it will come down to your personal reading tastes and where they lie on issues of scale, detail, pace etc.
For some this will be too much story squeezed into too small a space, for others it will be bursting at the seams with drama, excitement, and imagination.
I found plenty to like and would be interested to see what Ford could achieve with a truly Martinian page count!
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...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
He did a great job with it too.
I'd seen a range of reviews for Herald of the Storm, some full of praise, some with complaints, but all of them intriguing.
Now that I'm done I find myself wanting to compare the story and style to other authors I've read. I think Malice by John Gwynne would be the closest match, with elements of Michael Sullivan's Ryria and even a splash of Jeff Salyards' Scourge of the Betrayer.
It's a book with many point-of-view characters (8 I think) each commanding their own chapters, and between them covering many angles on a wide ranging event (an invading army that we don't get to see, and the large capital city that they're closing in on). In addition to comparing it in style and scale to Malice I could compare both to A Game of Thrones in that respect.
Ford gives us view points from beggar child to heir to the throne, and all stops in between. The first 8 chapters belong to 8 separate characters, so there's a steep learning curve and it's a while before you get to revisit anyone.
This approach may be forced upon Ford by his attempt to fit a George RR Martin's weight of story into a Prince of Thorns length (well, not quite that short) book. It does mean though that the start is a little rough with considerable amounts of plot/background information being fed to us, sometimes in 'as we both know' conversations.
Things smooth out as you get into the meat of the book and readers will find themselves selecting favorite characters whose chapters they most want to read.
It's possible to map most of these characters onto standard 'trope' figures, but that's perhaps unfair since even the most cliched character can be made fascinating by good writing and even the most promising and original character can be killed with bad prose.
Ford hits a lot of good notes and sets up a major conflict for book 2 that should be very exciting having had all this groundwork laid to establish the characters inside the city.
I can see now that both the people who rave about the book, and the people who had reservations, have a case. Ultimately it will come down to your personal reading tastes and where they lie on issues of scale, detail, pace etc.
For some this will be too much story squeezed into too small a space, for others it will be bursting at the seams with drama, excitement, and imagination.
I found plenty to like and would be interested to see what Ford could achieve with a truly Martinian page count!
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
...
August 16, 2013
Love this book. But then I wrote it, so I would wouldn't I. Wouldn't I?
February 9, 2017
Richard Ford's publisher was kind - or foolish - enough to send me a copy of HERALD OF THE STORM. Being a gritty fantasy debut novel very much in the vein of my own, I of course couldn't resist the opportunity to read it with a cynical eye, determined to pen a mean-spirited review to discredit a rival author. Why, I was even going to be so brazen as to finish it with "A brave effort, but there are other, MORE STRIKING debuts out there..."
Sadly, HERALD OF THE STORM is too bloody good for that. It's a perfect example of tight, gritty, character-driven storytelling, teeming with incredible personalities and plotted with the skill of of a virtuoso. In 400 tightly-written pages, Ford packs in more event and character development than many authors manage in three or four books in their bloated doorstopper epics.
The cast are all drawn from the pool of familiar archetypes - you have the world-weary old soldier with a bloody past, the street urchin, the arrogant (ex) nobleman, the bumbling apprentice, the feisty princess, etc - but Ford embraces these fantasy staples with gusto and succeeds in making them all extremely likeable while adding his own spin to their personalities. It's a pleasure to watch their stories weave together as the narrative unfolds on the decidedly grimy streets of Steelhaven.
The story is packed with action, humour and surprises. It's very much a debut in the vein of Joe Abercrombie - but this is quite possibly a better novel than THE BLADE ITSELF. There really isn't much to criticise unless you're uncomfortable with lots of swearing and violence. It's not quite as dark as Mark Lawrence's excellent PRINCE OF THORNS - but it gets pretty gruesome in places.
Overall then, fantastic, and another towering victory for the west country's grimdark fantasy cabal - there must be something in the cider. If you only read two gritty epic fantasy debuts this year, make sure HERALD OF THE STORM is one of them...
Sadly, HERALD OF THE STORM is too bloody good for that. It's a perfect example of tight, gritty, character-driven storytelling, teeming with incredible personalities and plotted with the skill of of a virtuoso. In 400 tightly-written pages, Ford packs in more event and character development than many authors manage in three or four books in their bloated doorstopper epics.
The cast are all drawn from the pool of familiar archetypes - you have the world-weary old soldier with a bloody past, the street urchin, the arrogant (ex) nobleman, the bumbling apprentice, the feisty princess, etc - but Ford embraces these fantasy staples with gusto and succeeds in making them all extremely likeable while adding his own spin to their personalities. It's a pleasure to watch their stories weave together as the narrative unfolds on the decidedly grimy streets of Steelhaven.
The story is packed with action, humour and surprises. It's very much a debut in the vein of Joe Abercrombie - but this is quite possibly a better novel than THE BLADE ITSELF. There really isn't much to criticise unless you're uncomfortable with lots of swearing and violence. It's not quite as dark as Mark Lawrence's excellent PRINCE OF THORNS - but it gets pretty gruesome in places.
Overall then, fantastic, and another towering victory for the west country's grimdark fantasy cabal - there must be something in the cider. If you only read two gritty epic fantasy debuts this year, make sure HERALD OF THE STORM is one of them...
October 21, 2018
Actual rating: 3.5 stars.
August 3, 2013
did not expect to have much interest in this based on earlier work by the author; the prose is not bland like say in, City, the other recent epic fantasy release marked as "tried not for me", but at least for now it did not work for me; however this one warrants another try at a later time since at least it has energy, so who knows...
changed my mind and will try this seriously
a bit surprisingly considering that I did not really get on with Kultus, I am really really enjoying Herald of the Storm which at first i thought wouldn't interest me but liked the sample and bought it; it is the gritty big capital city preparing for trouble stuff so far and with a large cast but it is just dark and cynical - not really like either Joe A or KJP as the style is more of the traditional stuff (self serious, lacking the humor of Joe A and the irony of KJP) but the content is brutal (already one of the characters I thought could become important got killed, another charged to protect the local equivalent of the pope and finding him as a lecherous womanizer attempting to seduce a young nun, beats the crap out him regardless of consequences...)
Finished Herald of the Storm by R. Ford and I read the last 250 pages in a sitting as they were really compulsive; the writing was still a bit raw and unpolished, but the content is just A++ stuff modern fantasy with multiple threads/pov's that complement and intersect each other very well, twists, turns and dark, brutal, no mercy stuff. The next installment became a huge asap and if the author polishes a little his writing, this series will go to the first rank of the genre; ending at a good tbc (no cliffhangers)
changed my mind and will try this seriously
a bit surprisingly considering that I did not really get on with Kultus, I am really really enjoying Herald of the Storm which at first i thought wouldn't interest me but liked the sample and bought it; it is the gritty big capital city preparing for trouble stuff so far and with a large cast but it is just dark and cynical - not really like either Joe A or KJP as the style is more of the traditional stuff (self serious, lacking the humor of Joe A and the irony of KJP) but the content is brutal (already one of the characters I thought could become important got killed, another charged to protect the local equivalent of the pope and finding him as a lecherous womanizer attempting to seduce a young nun, beats the crap out him regardless of consequences...)
Finished Herald of the Storm by R. Ford and I read the last 250 pages in a sitting as they were really compulsive; the writing was still a bit raw and unpolished, but the content is just A++ stuff modern fantasy with multiple threads/pov's that complement and intersect each other very well, twists, turns and dark, brutal, no mercy stuff. The next installment became a huge asap and if the author polishes a little his writing, this series will go to the first rank of the genre; ending at a good tbc (no cliffhangers)
January 6, 2015
Great start. Lots of characters and storylines being introduced so you need to approach this as the beginning of a series. If you are looking for a satisfactory ending or compartmentalized book-book series, this is definitely not for you.
With that said, the writing is great and the aforementioned becomes a "pro" if you like a vast landscape with lots of characters, storylines and world-building. The good thing is that the 2nd book is out and you don't have to wait.
Worth a shot for any fan of fantasy.
With that said, the writing is great and the aforementioned becomes a "pro" if you like a vast landscape with lots of characters, storylines and world-building. The good thing is that the 2nd book is out and you don't have to wait.
Worth a shot for any fan of fantasy.
August 7, 2013
Great book. A character-driven tale of a city facing approaching turmoil. I enjoyed all of the characters and loved how they interacted as the plots mingled. A must read.
August 1, 2016
Originally reviewed here: http://thequeenofblades.blogspot.co.u...
I'll admit I was not expecting much. I just happened to be on the library website renewing something else, when I saw this. It happened to have been on my to-read list. I happened to have succumbed in a moment of weakness. I have a virtual pile waiting for my attention. I was, under no circumstances, to request any more books - from anywhere. Of course, I came away with three orders! I'm weak.
I was only about 7 or 8 chapters in when I realized this would be quite the ride. The cast of PoV's is huge. There's eight of 'em. Eight. Its only a 392 page book! Now you might think that causes it to feel a little thin on details. Not the case. The world building was limited, but I never noticed until after I finished reading the whole book. The characters are totally central to the plot and they are so well written I didn't miss the particulars one background filler's coat or the finer details of Janessa's palatial home.
This character driven writing is great, it's a tried and tested way to get the reader to focus on the cast and consequently care about them. It works really well. I cared. I cared a lot. Which makes me wonder why this book is so under rated? It truly deserves a better standing.
The plot was just as great. Through the various cast members we get to see the inner workings of the city. Some of them cross paths, some don't, all play a vital role. I struggled to pick a favourite. They are all so brilliantly written! If I had to I'd probably go with Nobul. I'm a sucker for broken war veterans. Although Waylian was also great, as was Merrick. I suppose they all have one thing in common. Their failures. Nobul is a failure as a father. Waylian is a failure as an apprentice, and Merrick simply a failure as a man.
As we near the end everything comes together in a hugely satisfying climax, with all of the characters facing a choice of who they wish to be. Wolf or shepherd, as it were.
I'll admit I was not expecting much. I just happened to be on the library website renewing something else, when I saw this. It happened to have been on my to-read list. I happened to have succumbed in a moment of weakness. I have a virtual pile waiting for my attention. I was, under no circumstances, to request any more books - from anywhere. Of course, I came away with three orders! I'm weak.
I was only about 7 or 8 chapters in when I realized this would be quite the ride. The cast of PoV's is huge. There's eight of 'em. Eight. Its only a 392 page book! Now you might think that causes it to feel a little thin on details. Not the case. The world building was limited, but I never noticed until after I finished reading the whole book. The characters are totally central to the plot and they are so well written I didn't miss the particulars one background filler's coat or the finer details of Janessa's palatial home.
This character driven writing is great, it's a tried and tested way to get the reader to focus on the cast and consequently care about them. It works really well. I cared. I cared a lot. Which makes me wonder why this book is so under rated? It truly deserves a better standing.
The plot was just as great. Through the various cast members we get to see the inner workings of the city. Some of them cross paths, some don't, all play a vital role. I struggled to pick a favourite. They are all so brilliantly written! If I had to I'd probably go with Nobul. I'm a sucker for broken war veterans. Although Waylian was also great, as was Merrick. I suppose they all have one thing in common. Their failures. Nobul is a failure as a father. Waylian is a failure as an apprentice, and Merrick simply a failure as a man.
As we near the end everything comes together in a hugely satisfying climax, with all of the characters facing a choice of who they wish to be. Wolf or shepherd, as it were.
June 28, 2025
Добро начало, книгата се чете бързо и интригува донякъде читателя, но само до средата си.
Ричард Форд е събрал в нея почти всички възможни фентъзни клишета и все пак е успял да постигне приличен резултат. Харесват ми героите му и очаквам да науча повече за тях в следващите две части на трилогията. Преводът също става.
Моята оценка - 2,5*.
Ричард Форд е събрал в нея почти всички възможни фентъзни клишета и все пак е успял да постигне приличен резултат. Харесват ми героите му и очаквам да науча повече за тях в следващите две части на трилогията. Преводът също става.
Моята оценка - 2,5*.
September 4, 2018
Me ha gustado.
Tiene buenos personajes, una construcción precisa de cada uno, pero con una narración bastante ligera que aporta agilidad a la lectura. En algunos momentos puede resultar denso, ya que abusa un poco de datos sobre la ambientación que, en principio, parecen irrelevantes, pero con la costumbre de repetir varias veces esa idea, finalmente acaba registrado en nuestra memoria. He echado de menos algo más información, incluso descripciones de los propios personajes, que han sido un poquito vagas, pero ha resultado entretenido y es un buen trabajo.
Buena ambientación, aunque no novedosa, sin duda el punto fuerte es la diversidad de personajes, la historia personal d cada uno y la manera en que al final se entrelazan.
¿Historia previsible? Quizá, pero la narración nos lleva donde nos quiere llevar y aunque puede que no resulte sorprendente (y no haya sobresaltos), es una lectura que me ha resultado cómoda. Leeré el siguiente :)
Tiene buenos personajes, una construcción precisa de cada uno, pero con una narración bastante ligera que aporta agilidad a la lectura. En algunos momentos puede resultar denso, ya que abusa un poco de datos sobre la ambientación que, en principio, parecen irrelevantes, pero con la costumbre de repetir varias veces esa idea, finalmente acaba registrado en nuestra memoria. He echado de menos algo más información, incluso descripciones de los propios personajes, que han sido un poquito vagas, pero ha resultado entretenido y es un buen trabajo.
Buena ambientación, aunque no novedosa, sin duda el punto fuerte es la diversidad de personajes, la historia personal d cada uno y la manera en que al final se entrelazan.
¿Historia previsible? Quizá, pero la narración nos lleva donde nos quiere llevar y aunque puede que no resulte sorprendente (y no haya sobresaltos), es una lectura que me ha resultado cómoda. Leeré el siguiente :)
October 29, 2018
3.25*'s
I think the author is playing the long game with this series so this one was a bit slow. I also didn't like all of the character's POVs. Some I really liked though. This is a mild Grimdark book in actions but the intent is there.
Looking forward to the rest of the series.
I think the author is playing the long game with this series so this one was a bit slow. I also didn't like all of the character's POVs. Some I really liked though. This is a mild Grimdark book in actions but the intent is there.
Looking forward to the rest of the series.
May 19, 2014
I am going to write a short review for this one, basically because it is a primer for the rest to the series. This book is all about building the world, introducing the main characters and hinting at the bad guys. For 60% of the book, not a lot happens, but you do really get to understand who everyone is and in a lot of cases, how they are linked.
Normally with nothing much happening, I would get bored, but there is enough there to keep you turning pages. Then as we hit the back part of the story, the intensity increases and a really good story starts to develop. I am going to give this 3.5 out of 5, but I am leaping straight into book 2, which I have HIGH hopes for.
Normally with nothing much happening, I would get bored, but there is enough there to keep you turning pages. Then as we hit the back part of the story, the intensity increases and a really good story starts to develop. I am going to give this 3.5 out of 5, but I am leaping straight into book 2, which I have HIGH hopes for.
May 27, 2017
Bienvenidos a Steelhaven... El Heraldo de la Tormenta es el inicio de la trilogía Steelhaven y por lo tanto nos introduce en su mundo, presentandonos a diferentes personajes, conociendo a los buenos y a los malos, viendo cómo funciona el reino; logras entender quién es cada uno y cómo piensan verdaderamente.
Después de un comienzo lento, ya que me costó meterme en la trama porque se presentan muchos personajes con diferentes roles; tenía miedo de que fuera una lectura pesada. Afortunadamente a medida que pasan las páginas la historia toma ritmo y me encontré ansiosa por saber qué iba a pasar.
Al principio conocemos a 7 personajes que parecen tener 7 historias diferentes, pero luego gradualmente, vemos cómo sus vidas se entrelazan y comparten situaciones. Estos personajes nos brindan diferentes perspectivas y vemos por sus ojos qué esta pasando y cómo es la ciudad de Steelhaven. Personajes como la heredera del trono, un mercenario caradura, un asesino con remordimientos de consciencia, un aprendiz mago, una joven ladrona, una monja guerrera... Esto me gustó muchísimo, cada personaje está muy bien construido, cada uno con su propia personalidad inconfundible. Tiene muy buenos personajes femeninos: fuertes, decididas y con importantes roles. Y lo mejor es que todos logran crecer en el transcurso del libro.
La trama engancha y la narrativa no es complicada, está muy bien escrito: con descripciones y detalles, con capítulos cortos dónde pasan cosas concretas y te mantiene con ganas de saber más.
Un libro para los amantes de la fantasía, intenso, lleno de aventuras y acción, situado en un mundo fantástico con asesinos, magia, guerreros, malos, mafia...
Un libro que te mantiene con intriga y tensión, con toques de violencia y humor dónde es necesario. Sin dudas, un buen inicio de saga que me tiene ya esperando su continuación!
Después de un comienzo lento, ya que me costó meterme en la trama porque se presentan muchos personajes con diferentes roles; tenía miedo de que fuera una lectura pesada. Afortunadamente a medida que pasan las páginas la historia toma ritmo y me encontré ansiosa por saber qué iba a pasar.
Al principio conocemos a 7 personajes que parecen tener 7 historias diferentes, pero luego gradualmente, vemos cómo sus vidas se entrelazan y comparten situaciones. Estos personajes nos brindan diferentes perspectivas y vemos por sus ojos qué esta pasando y cómo es la ciudad de Steelhaven. Personajes como la heredera del trono, un mercenario caradura, un asesino con remordimientos de consciencia, un aprendiz mago, una joven ladrona, una monja guerrera... Esto me gustó muchísimo, cada personaje está muy bien construido, cada uno con su propia personalidad inconfundible. Tiene muy buenos personajes femeninos: fuertes, decididas y con importantes roles. Y lo mejor es que todos logran crecer en el transcurso del libro.
La trama engancha y la narrativa no es complicada, está muy bien escrito: con descripciones y detalles, con capítulos cortos dónde pasan cosas concretas y te mantiene con ganas de saber más.
Un libro para los amantes de la fantasía, intenso, lleno de aventuras y acción, situado en un mundo fantástico con asesinos, magia, guerreros, malos, mafia...
Un libro que te mantiene con intriga y tensión, con toques de violencia y humor dónde es necesario. Sin dudas, un buen inicio de saga que me tiene ya esperando su continuación!
January 5, 2014
Comparisons to other authors can sometimes hurt a book rather than help it. One of the main parallels that have been drawn here is between Ford’s work and that of George R R Martin (indeed, it seems rare nowadays for a fantasy novel to escape the inevitable comparisons with ol’ GRRM), but aside from the structure of the novel (alternating chapters from differing points of view) and maybe a bit of the grittiness I wouldn’t personally make this comparison, partly because ASoIaF is something of a sweeping epic, while Herald of the Storm is concerned (for the moment) entirely with the events within a single city.
That the entire story is contained within the city of Steelhaven is actually, for me, the book’s strongest point. The plot is fairly tight and pacy, and the ways in which several of the individual storylines were eventually interwoven was nicely done. There are two or three main plotlines occurring at the same time – an illegal slave-trading operation, a royal assassination attempt, and an act of dark magic – and it’s interesting to see how different characters are involved in each plot, and how each mini-plot becomes relevant to the bigger picture. In fact, the whole book does a nice job of laying the groundwork for the next one in the series.
I enjoyed the diversity of the characters: there’s Kaira Stormfall, morally upright Shieldmaiden of the goddess Vorena; Janessa Mastragall, innocent and headstrong heir to the throne; River, an assassin with a conflicted soul; Merrick Ryder, a former duellist and dandy who has fallen on hard times; Rag, a street urchin and pickpocket; Nobul Jacks, soldier-turned blacksmith-turned city guard; and Waylian Grimm, apprentice in the tower of magick (no, I’m not sure why it has to be spelt with a ‘k’ either). Although there are a fair amount of characters, the variety between them helps to keep it interesting and make it work.
Despite not being a huge fan of the structural style (namely the use of alternating PoV chapters) I did enjoy the way the author used this to keep certain things, such as the identity of certain characters, hidden until key moments. He uses the alternating chapters to gradually reveal the connections between different characters, and to show the impact of other characters’ decisions on others’ lives. I did feel that certain characters’ storylines felt a little out of place – Rag’s story came to feel a bit irrelevant, and Waylian (and magick in general) also seemed a bit like it had been shoe-horned in there. However, the final chapters for these characters do seem to suggest that both will play a larger role in future novels.
A quick point about the language: I don’t usually have a problem with the use of profanity in fiction, provided that the use of language fits with the character of the person who’s saying it. However, the author has created several less-than-golden characters here, many of whom swear frequently; and although it fits the tone of the novel, which is dark and gritty, it does sometimes reach a point where the constant repetition of ‘f**k’ and ‘s**t’ becomes a bit tiresome.
I mentioned the popular use of GRRM as a benchmark for modern fantasy novels, this one included, but the fact is I bought this book on the strength of numerous comparisons with Joe Abercrombie (another of my favourite fantasy authors). While I can certainly see the similarities – character-driven storytelling, grimy characters, dirty deeds – I think this is another case of hurting a book by comparing it to another of a very high standard. Ford’s characters didn’t quite spring to life for me in the same way as those in, say, the First Law trilogy, and I didn’t feel as sympathetic towards any of them as I did towards those in Abercrombie’s books. If I hadn’t heard any of the glowing comparisons (one blog even raved that Herald of the Storm was actually much better than First Law) then I probably wouldn’t even have noticed, but as it is I couldn’t help being just a tiny bit disappointed. However, I enjoyed the story, the characters grew on me, and I look forward to reading the next in the Steelhaven series when it’s released later this year.
That the entire story is contained within the city of Steelhaven is actually, for me, the book’s strongest point. The plot is fairly tight and pacy, and the ways in which several of the individual storylines were eventually interwoven was nicely done. There are two or three main plotlines occurring at the same time – an illegal slave-trading operation, a royal assassination attempt, and an act of dark magic – and it’s interesting to see how different characters are involved in each plot, and how each mini-plot becomes relevant to the bigger picture. In fact, the whole book does a nice job of laying the groundwork for the next one in the series.
I enjoyed the diversity of the characters: there’s Kaira Stormfall, morally upright Shieldmaiden of the goddess Vorena; Janessa Mastragall, innocent and headstrong heir to the throne; River, an assassin with a conflicted soul; Merrick Ryder, a former duellist and dandy who has fallen on hard times; Rag, a street urchin and pickpocket; Nobul Jacks, soldier-turned blacksmith-turned city guard; and Waylian Grimm, apprentice in the tower of magick (no, I’m not sure why it has to be spelt with a ‘k’ either). Although there are a fair amount of characters, the variety between them helps to keep it interesting and make it work.
Despite not being a huge fan of the structural style (namely the use of alternating PoV chapters) I did enjoy the way the author used this to keep certain things, such as the identity of certain characters, hidden until key moments. He uses the alternating chapters to gradually reveal the connections between different characters, and to show the impact of other characters’ decisions on others’ lives. I did feel that certain characters’ storylines felt a little out of place – Rag’s story came to feel a bit irrelevant, and Waylian (and magick in general) also seemed a bit like it had been shoe-horned in there. However, the final chapters for these characters do seem to suggest that both will play a larger role in future novels.
A quick point about the language: I don’t usually have a problem with the use of profanity in fiction, provided that the use of language fits with the character of the person who’s saying it. However, the author has created several less-than-golden characters here, many of whom swear frequently; and although it fits the tone of the novel, which is dark and gritty, it does sometimes reach a point where the constant repetition of ‘f**k’ and ‘s**t’ becomes a bit tiresome.
I mentioned the popular use of GRRM as a benchmark for modern fantasy novels, this one included, but the fact is I bought this book on the strength of numerous comparisons with Joe Abercrombie (another of my favourite fantasy authors). While I can certainly see the similarities – character-driven storytelling, grimy characters, dirty deeds – I think this is another case of hurting a book by comparing it to another of a very high standard. Ford’s characters didn’t quite spring to life for me in the same way as those in, say, the First Law trilogy, and I didn’t feel as sympathetic towards any of them as I did towards those in Abercrombie’s books. If I hadn’t heard any of the glowing comparisons (one blog even raved that Herald of the Storm was actually much better than First Law) then I probably wouldn’t even have noticed, but as it is I couldn’t help being just a tiny bit disappointed. However, I enjoyed the story, the characters grew on me, and I look forward to reading the next in the Steelhaven series when it’s released later this year.
February 20, 2014
Writing 4/5
Imagination 4/5
Plot 4/5
Setting 3.5/5
Characters 4/5
Grimdark 4.5/5
My Overall Enjoyment 4.5/5
I wish I stuck with this last year because it's great. After a bit of a slow start, which was why I set it aside last year, the different story-lines really hooked me and I found myself anxiously turning pages awaiting what happens next. I think there are 5 main characters, and with the exception of one of them, which was well done just not for me, I enjoyed them all immensely which is rare for me. Even in ASoIaF, I might like half the viewpoint characters and could just as soon leave the rest. I most enjoyed the apprentice magicker Waylian because through him we learn a lot about the history of the world and how magic has played a part. The scene with the Archmages was one of my favorites and it included my other favorite character, the "herald" who was really mysterious but had too few scenes. I would be interested in learning more about him.
Overall pretty grim world and characters, excellently written actions scenes, some unexpected twists, characters you thought might become good that didn't and ones you thought wouldn't did, and all of the characters threads converged to a believable and satisfying conclusion while setting up for what I hope will be a long series. The worldbuiding was good, just right for a reader who doesn't want to invest a huge chunk of time learning religions, factions, tribes, etc in yet another epic tome, as was the magic system, which I enjoyed exploring. This book has a sword and sorcery feel to me, less emphasis on the world and more on the characters, not at all to say the former was lacking, but it seemed pretty character driven. The writing is great and I flew through this book, it was very fun and easy to read. Great character and place names which always increases my reading enjoyment. This is the third time this year that giving a book a second try has paid off huge. The second book in this series comes out later this year, The Shattered Crown and I can't wait to read more Richard Ford!
Highly recommended! If the first few chapters seem a little slow, don't give up. It is well worth sticking with it for this excellent book. Grimdark readers should enjoy this book. It is a bit less grimdark than some others so those new to the genre should enjoy but it also has the brutalness that typifies the genre.
Imagination 4/5
Plot 4/5
Setting 3.5/5
Characters 4/5
Grimdark 4.5/5
My Overall Enjoyment 4.5/5
I wish I stuck with this last year because it's great. After a bit of a slow start, which was why I set it aside last year, the different story-lines really hooked me and I found myself anxiously turning pages awaiting what happens next. I think there are 5 main characters, and with the exception of one of them, which was well done just not for me, I enjoyed them all immensely which is rare for me. Even in ASoIaF, I might like half the viewpoint characters and could just as soon leave the rest. I most enjoyed the apprentice magicker Waylian because through him we learn a lot about the history of the world and how magic has played a part. The scene with the Archmages was one of my favorites and it included my other favorite character, the "herald" who was really mysterious but had too few scenes. I would be interested in learning more about him.
Overall pretty grim world and characters, excellently written actions scenes, some unexpected twists, characters you thought might become good that didn't and ones you thought wouldn't did, and all of the characters threads converged to a believable and satisfying conclusion while setting up for what I hope will be a long series. The worldbuiding was good, just right for a reader who doesn't want to invest a huge chunk of time learning religions, factions, tribes, etc in yet another epic tome, as was the magic system, which I enjoyed exploring. This book has a sword and sorcery feel to me, less emphasis on the world and more on the characters, not at all to say the former was lacking, but it seemed pretty character driven. The writing is great and I flew through this book, it was very fun and easy to read. Great character and place names which always increases my reading enjoyment. This is the third time this year that giving a book a second try has paid off huge. The second book in this series comes out later this year, The Shattered Crown and I can't wait to read more Richard Ford!
Highly recommended! If the first few chapters seem a little slow, don't give up. It is well worth sticking with it for this excellent book. Grimdark readers should enjoy this book. It is a bit less grimdark than some others so those new to the genre should enjoy but it also has the brutalness that typifies the genre.
March 14, 2023
5 stars. This was brilliant.
Usually fantasy books with assassins and/or thieves as main characters are not my thing. The "she was an assassin with a heart of gold" and "he was the world's greatest thief" books tend to be a hard no.
This had thieves. It had assassins. It had questionable guards, suave conmen, and breaches-pissing apprentices. It had nobles and people acting nobly. It had the grays of moral dilemmas. It had a seedy, dark city that was alive; a character in its own right.
It had 8 POVs. Each distinct. Ford is a master at weaving characters and plotlines together. This was on full display here. He's an overlooked author, and that's a shame.
Fantastic start to a trilogy.
Usually fantasy books with assassins and/or thieves as main characters are not my thing. The "she was an assassin with a heart of gold" and "he was the world's greatest thief" books tend to be a hard no.
This had thieves. It had assassins. It had questionable guards, suave conmen, and breaches-pissing apprentices. It had nobles and people acting nobly. It had the grays of moral dilemmas. It had a seedy, dark city that was alive; a character in its own right.
It had 8 POVs. Each distinct. Ford is a master at weaving characters and plotlines together. This was on full display here. He's an overlooked author, and that's a shame.
Fantastic start to a trilogy.
October 16, 2025
a globalist nonsense
July 21, 2013
The Review: http://thefoundingfields.com/2013/07/....
“An excellent book. Unputdownable, engrossing, spectacular – you won’t want to miss this.” ~The Founding Fields
There’s a lot of grimdark fantasy out there at the moment. George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, The First Law Series by Joe Abercrombie, and Mark Lawrence’s Broken Empire Trilogy are three of the more notable books from the subgenre. However, when I approached Herald of the Storm, I approached it not with the sense that this would feel like a rehash of books that we’ve seen before, but with a sense of anticipation. Ford’s Kultus was well received by my fellow Founding Fields reviewers Commissar Ploss and Djinn24, and it was mostly well received elsewhere from what I’ve seen. And Herald of the Storm has already been receiving some pretty good praise so far from what I’ve seen. So I went in with anticipation, and the end result? Well, the end result was good. I actually really enjoyed this book.
"Welcome to Steelhaven… Under the reign of King Cael the Uniter, this vast cityport on the southern coast has for years been a symbol of strength, maintaining an uneasy peace throughout the Free States. But now a long shadow hangs over the city, in the form of the dread Elharim warlord, Amon Tugha. When his herald infiltrates the city, looking to exploit its dangerous criminal underworld, and a terrible dark magick that has long been buried once again begins to rise, it could be the beginning of the end."
There are several things to love about Herald of the Storm. If gritty fantasy is your thing, then you’ll enjoy it. Sure, whilst it may be in the standard fantasy format, debut novel in a trilogy to boot, the book’s setting is somewhat different than most. Rather than follow a variety of characters across the entire world, Richard Ford chooses to hone in on one city, or to be more accurate – a cityport. Steelhaven, and populates it with a vast amount of inhabitants, fleshing each of them out and developing them into more than just your average one dimensional, stock fantasy heroes.
Although the narrative is divided between multiple characters, The principal character is Janessa, daughter of King Cael, and focuses on Janessa’s role when Cael is, at the start of the story – off fighting a war. And therefore, even though the larger responsibilities of government are left to councillors of her father, Janessa still has to deal with the smaller scale bureaucratic duties. Many of the other seven characters however, could easily fit stereotypical roles, which by saying this would almost make me hypocritical by going back on my earlier statement about them being one dimensional and your standard heroes. But they’re not. Ford has taken a similar approach to what Whedon took with Firefly, and deliberately work within these predefined roles. However, it’s the strong level of storytelling that Ford brings to the table here – with some great character interaction, and some fantastic character development over the course of the book, and at the end – leaving the reader eagerly awaiting more, and what’s more – you’ll care about these characters. You won’t treat them like they’re just talking plot points designed to advance a story, you’ll treat them like genuine people. They’re that well developed.
Of course, in a grimdark fantasy, you’ll expect action – and that’s exactly what Ford gives us. It’s unrelenting, gritty, and moves along, taking no prisoners. Creating attention to characters as well as the action and handling both in a way that still leaves plenty of time for worldbuilding, Ford has managed to create the perfect balance. Whilst there may not be one ongoing, main plot thread that tangles all the little extras together, the book is very good at exploring different, subplots across the city. What we don’t get is a sense that there’s an overall story, but that’s pretty much one of the few issues that I had with Herald of the Storm, the only thing preventing it from getting top marks. However, with two books left, there is plenty of time to develop a main plot thread, but with the way that Ford handles everything else, you almost won’t care.
Therefore, despite its one small issue then - Herald of the Storm is a strong opener, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting Ford’s next book set in the city of Steelhaven.
VERDICT: 4/5
“An excellent book. Unputdownable, engrossing, spectacular – you won’t want to miss this.” ~The Founding Fields
There’s a lot of grimdark fantasy out there at the moment. George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, The First Law Series by Joe Abercrombie, and Mark Lawrence’s Broken Empire Trilogy are three of the more notable books from the subgenre. However, when I approached Herald of the Storm, I approached it not with the sense that this would feel like a rehash of books that we’ve seen before, but with a sense of anticipation. Ford’s Kultus was well received by my fellow Founding Fields reviewers Commissar Ploss and Djinn24, and it was mostly well received elsewhere from what I’ve seen. And Herald of the Storm has already been receiving some pretty good praise so far from what I’ve seen. So I went in with anticipation, and the end result? Well, the end result was good. I actually really enjoyed this book.
"Welcome to Steelhaven… Under the reign of King Cael the Uniter, this vast cityport on the southern coast has for years been a symbol of strength, maintaining an uneasy peace throughout the Free States. But now a long shadow hangs over the city, in the form of the dread Elharim warlord, Amon Tugha. When his herald infiltrates the city, looking to exploit its dangerous criminal underworld, and a terrible dark magick that has long been buried once again begins to rise, it could be the beginning of the end."
There are several things to love about Herald of the Storm. If gritty fantasy is your thing, then you’ll enjoy it. Sure, whilst it may be in the standard fantasy format, debut novel in a trilogy to boot, the book’s setting is somewhat different than most. Rather than follow a variety of characters across the entire world, Richard Ford chooses to hone in on one city, or to be more accurate – a cityport. Steelhaven, and populates it with a vast amount of inhabitants, fleshing each of them out and developing them into more than just your average one dimensional, stock fantasy heroes.
Although the narrative is divided between multiple characters, The principal character is Janessa, daughter of King Cael, and focuses on Janessa’s role when Cael is, at the start of the story – off fighting a war. And therefore, even though the larger responsibilities of government are left to councillors of her father, Janessa still has to deal with the smaller scale bureaucratic duties. Many of the other seven characters however, could easily fit stereotypical roles, which by saying this would almost make me hypocritical by going back on my earlier statement about them being one dimensional and your standard heroes. But they’re not. Ford has taken a similar approach to what Whedon took with Firefly, and deliberately work within these predefined roles. However, it’s the strong level of storytelling that Ford brings to the table here – with some great character interaction, and some fantastic character development over the course of the book, and at the end – leaving the reader eagerly awaiting more, and what’s more – you’ll care about these characters. You won’t treat them like they’re just talking plot points designed to advance a story, you’ll treat them like genuine people. They’re that well developed.
Of course, in a grimdark fantasy, you’ll expect action – and that’s exactly what Ford gives us. It’s unrelenting, gritty, and moves along, taking no prisoners. Creating attention to characters as well as the action and handling both in a way that still leaves plenty of time for worldbuilding, Ford has managed to create the perfect balance. Whilst there may not be one ongoing, main plot thread that tangles all the little extras together, the book is very good at exploring different, subplots across the city. What we don’t get is a sense that there’s an overall story, but that’s pretty much one of the few issues that I had with Herald of the Storm, the only thing preventing it from getting top marks. However, with two books left, there is plenty of time to develop a main plot thread, but with the way that Ford handles everything else, you almost won’t care.
Therefore, despite its one small issue then - Herald of the Storm is a strong opener, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting Ford’s next book set in the city of Steelhaven.
VERDICT: 4/5
October 20, 2018
2 stars - I was going to go for 2.5 stars but knocked the half off purely because I'm feeling mean today.
From the back cover:
The vast cityport of Steelhaven was once a symbol of strength, maintaining an uneasy peace throughout the Free States. But with the King away, leading his armies, the city is rotting from the inside and the streets are slick with blood.
And now a dark cloud hangs over the capital in the form of the dread warlord Amon Tugha. When his herald infiltrates the city, exploiting a dark criminal underworld, and a dark magic begins to rise, the fate of the Free States will fall into the hands of the most unlikely saviours.
What I liked about this book:
It was fast moving.
It was dark and gritty - probably this is classed as grimdark, but to me it didn't feel as dark as some of the stuff by writers like Abercrombie.
What I didn't like about this book:
The world building wasn't what I was hoping for. The whole novel is set in this one city, so would it be too much to ask for a more detailed description of it? Sure, we had one character coming from one of the temples and that stock fantasy character, the rebellious princess, living in the palace, but how did it all fit with the poorer areas all the other characters seemed to come from? There was no city overview and no map, so I'm none the wiser. It felt as if the whole city was a tangle of alleyways and narrow streets inhabited by starving poor people with a palace and temple stuck in there somewhere and a port glued to one end. It just didn't feel real to me.
The magic system: there wasn't one. One of the characters is studying to be a mage, but although he read books and went to lectures there was no explanation of what he was trying to learn or how magic works. We're told about dark rituals involving blood and runes and there were mutterings of 'a price to be paid' but that was about it. OK, fine. I'll file this one under 'magic works, because the author says it does.'
The POV characters: there were seven of them. That might not be a problem in a larger book, but this one clocked in at just under 400 pages. It felt as if we got the beginning of everyone's story and then the book ended. It didn't end, it just stopped. This is one of my pet peeves: if I have to read a whole trilogy or quartet or whatever to get the full story then let me know on the front cover with a 'the first in a XX part series!' line or I will metaphorically fling your book back in your face.
I feel this is going to be one of those books that everyone else loves and I don't. I don't hate it, I just feel a bit short-changed: to be honest I was expecting more of a complete story, not something that felt like a collection of prologues (I disliked the almost universally admired 'Malice' for the same reason - it felt like a prologue). You may like it, but I'm going to take it off my book shelves for now and contemplate whether or not to pass it on to the charity shop.
From the back cover:
The vast cityport of Steelhaven was once a symbol of strength, maintaining an uneasy peace throughout the Free States. But with the King away, leading his armies, the city is rotting from the inside and the streets are slick with blood.
And now a dark cloud hangs over the capital in the form of the dread warlord Amon Tugha. When his herald infiltrates the city, exploiting a dark criminal underworld, and a dark magic begins to rise, the fate of the Free States will fall into the hands of the most unlikely saviours.
What I liked about this book:
It was fast moving.
It was dark and gritty - probably this is classed as grimdark, but to me it didn't feel as dark as some of the stuff by writers like Abercrombie.
What I didn't like about this book:
The world building wasn't what I was hoping for. The whole novel is set in this one city, so would it be too much to ask for a more detailed description of it? Sure, we had one character coming from one of the temples and that stock fantasy character, the rebellious princess, living in the palace, but how did it all fit with the poorer areas all the other characters seemed to come from? There was no city overview and no map, so I'm none the wiser. It felt as if the whole city was a tangle of alleyways and narrow streets inhabited by starving poor people with a palace and temple stuck in there somewhere and a port glued to one end. It just didn't feel real to me.
The magic system: there wasn't one. One of the characters is studying to be a mage, but although he read books and went to lectures there was no explanation of what he was trying to learn or how magic works. We're told about dark rituals involving blood and runes and there were mutterings of 'a price to be paid' but that was about it. OK, fine. I'll file this one under 'magic works, because the author says it does.'
The POV characters: there were seven of them. That might not be a problem in a larger book, but this one clocked in at just under 400 pages. It felt as if we got the beginning of everyone's story and then the book ended. It didn't end, it just stopped. This is one of my pet peeves: if I have to read a whole trilogy or quartet or whatever to get the full story then let me know on the front cover with a 'the first in a XX part series!' line or I will metaphorically fling your book back in your face.
I feel this is going to be one of those books that everyone else loves and I don't. I don't hate it, I just feel a bit short-changed: to be honest I was expecting more of a complete story, not something that felt like a collection of prologues (I disliked the almost universally admired 'Malice' for the same reason - it felt like a prologue). You may like it, but I'm going to take it off my book shelves for now and contemplate whether or not to pass it on to the charity shop.
November 26, 2018
3.5 Stars
I struggled a bit with the rating for this one. 3 seems a bit low, 4 a bit high. Oh well. Herald of the Storm is an interesting start to the Steelhaven trilogy, full of some great worldbuilding, distinct characters, and excellent writing.
The plot is fairly straightforward. Steelhaven is the center of power of the Free States, and an enemy horde is on its way. While the king is off fighting the enemy, his herald infiltrates the city to prepare for the inevitable invasion. Ford takes a pretty simple plot and unpacks it by showing the story from the perspective of a number of different residents of Steelhaven, each offering a different glimpse of the city. The start of the book may be off putting to some people, as the first 6 or 7 chapters are all from a different POV character. As the book progresses, we start seeing the plot threads coalesce as some of the earlier setup pays off.
The characters themselves are diverse and interesting. We have a princess, a street urchin, an apprentice magician, a warrior maiden, a criminal rogue, an ex soldier, and an assassin. One of the things I have to praise is the writing. The descriptions are evocative, and each character has a distinct voice, which is crucial with so many different perspectives. Another thing I liked is that the author kept the chapters short, which helped with the pacing.
Almost all of the story takes place within the city of Steelhaven, which to me is the true protagonist of the book. The author does a great job creating a city that feels real, and the story has a nice atmospheric feel to it. Despite the story being limited in scope in geographic terms, there was some great worldbuilding added in a way that felt organic. I love me some good fantasy lore, and the sporadic mentions of intriguing lands and ancient battles left me wanting to know more about them. Aeslanti beast men? Wyvern Guard? I definitely want to see more of this world.
The biggest negative for me is that the book largely feels like a setup for future events. While the short chapters helped tremendously with the pacing, it took me a little while to settle into the story. Once I did, I enjoyed the book, but some people may not have the patience to make it to the latter parts of the book.
Overall, I definitely enjoyed the book and am looking forward to seeing where the story goes next.
I struggled a bit with the rating for this one. 3 seems a bit low, 4 a bit high. Oh well. Herald of the Storm is an interesting start to the Steelhaven trilogy, full of some great worldbuilding, distinct characters, and excellent writing.
The plot is fairly straightforward. Steelhaven is the center of power of the Free States, and an enemy horde is on its way. While the king is off fighting the enemy, his herald infiltrates the city to prepare for the inevitable invasion. Ford takes a pretty simple plot and unpacks it by showing the story from the perspective of a number of different residents of Steelhaven, each offering a different glimpse of the city. The start of the book may be off putting to some people, as the first 6 or 7 chapters are all from a different POV character. As the book progresses, we start seeing the plot threads coalesce as some of the earlier setup pays off.
The characters themselves are diverse and interesting. We have a princess, a street urchin, an apprentice magician, a warrior maiden, a criminal rogue, an ex soldier, and an assassin. One of the things I have to praise is the writing. The descriptions are evocative, and each character has a distinct voice, which is crucial with so many different perspectives. Another thing I liked is that the author kept the chapters short, which helped with the pacing.
Almost all of the story takes place within the city of Steelhaven, which to me is the true protagonist of the book. The author does a great job creating a city that feels real, and the story has a nice atmospheric feel to it. Despite the story being limited in scope in geographic terms, there was some great worldbuilding added in a way that felt organic. I love me some good fantasy lore, and the sporadic mentions of intriguing lands and ancient battles left me wanting to know more about them. Aeslanti beast men? Wyvern Guard? I definitely want to see more of this world.
The biggest negative for me is that the book largely feels like a setup for future events. While the short chapters helped tremendously with the pacing, it took me a little while to settle into the story. Once I did, I enjoyed the book, but some people may not have the patience to make it to the latter parts of the book.
Overall, I definitely enjoyed the book and am looking forward to seeing where the story goes next.
November 12, 2014
2.5/5
Obviando un poco promociones e inoportunas estrategias de marketing... ¿qué podemos encontrar tras las páginas de El heraldo de la tormenta? Pues, francamente, una novela bastante sosa. Prescindible. Aburrida. Anticlimática. La trilogía de Steelhaven no empieza con demasiado buen pie a pesar de tener a su disposición todos los elementos necesarios para triunfar entre los amantes del género fantástico. Y esto es así porque en lugar de aprovechar los enormes recursos que ofrece una historia de semejantes características, Richard Ford nos entrampa en una deshilachada red de tramas paralelas que solo conducen a oscuros callejones sin salida. Muchas subtramas y muy pocas interesantes, en definitiva. Richard Ford dedica tanto espacio a la exploración interior de los personajes (y al desarrollo más que cantado de sus respectivas evoluciones) que se olvida casi por completo de indagar en el universo que ha creado, repartiendo ligeros esbozos allá por donde puede sobre la historia, la mitología, la cultura o la magia de su particular cosmos literario. Y es una pena, porque el libro no es malo en absoluto.
Reseña completa: http://generacionreader.blogspot.com....
Obviando un poco promociones e inoportunas estrategias de marketing... ¿qué podemos encontrar tras las páginas de El heraldo de la tormenta? Pues, francamente, una novela bastante sosa. Prescindible. Aburrida. Anticlimática. La trilogía de Steelhaven no empieza con demasiado buen pie a pesar de tener a su disposición todos los elementos necesarios para triunfar entre los amantes del género fantástico. Y esto es así porque en lugar de aprovechar los enormes recursos que ofrece una historia de semejantes características, Richard Ford nos entrampa en una deshilachada red de tramas paralelas que solo conducen a oscuros callejones sin salida. Muchas subtramas y muy pocas interesantes, en definitiva. Richard Ford dedica tanto espacio a la exploración interior de los personajes (y al desarrollo más que cantado de sus respectivas evoluciones) que se olvida casi por completo de indagar en el universo que ha creado, repartiendo ligeros esbozos allá por donde puede sobre la historia, la mitología, la cultura o la magia de su particular cosmos literario. Y es una pena, porque el libro no es malo en absoluto.
Reseña completa: http://generacionreader.blogspot.com....
March 21, 2013
Read the full review here - http://wildersbookreview.blogspot.co....
Herald of the Storm takes the fundamental parts of gritty, epic fantasy and puts the focus on character first. It’s filled with big personalities that each have their own stake in keeping the city of Steelhaven safe from the constant threat of war. The lack of any cohesive plot throughout the novel may be an issue for some, but this is the story of one city in a vast fantasy world. It’s testament to Ford’s world building skills that although we never leave the city of Steelhaven, we do get the sense that outside its walls is a whole world, just ready for exploring. If you love the works of Joe Abercrombie or even George R.R. Martin you will probably find something to enjoy in Steelhaven – it’s violent, vicious and darkly funny. Book Two can’t come fast enough - bring it on.
Herald of the Storm takes the fundamental parts of gritty, epic fantasy and puts the focus on character first. It’s filled with big personalities that each have their own stake in keeping the city of Steelhaven safe from the constant threat of war. The lack of any cohesive plot throughout the novel may be an issue for some, but this is the story of one city in a vast fantasy world. It’s testament to Ford’s world building skills that although we never leave the city of Steelhaven, we do get the sense that outside its walls is a whole world, just ready for exploring. If you love the works of Joe Abercrombie or even George R.R. Martin you will probably find something to enjoy in Steelhaven – it’s violent, vicious and darkly funny. Book Two can’t come fast enough - bring it on.
March 14, 2019
For a novel that ends up being less than 400 pages, Herald of the Storm has a lot of characters. So many that I can’t actually remember them all and I am going to have to flip through the book to make sure I don’t miss any of them out. I did enjoy some of the character’s stories are more interesting than others but all of the characters were enjoyable to read and, for once, I wasn’t irritated to have to read one of them (there’s always a first time for everything, ha ha).
Kaira and Merrick were my two favourites. I thought they worked very well as characters in their own right and together. Their story was interesting and I am interested in seeing where it goes. They are also very entertaining to read together. I also liked Janessa and her part in the story especially because it has potential to be awesome. River was interesting but he disappeared out of the story after a while and wasn’t heard from again for the rest of the novel so I was left hanging. Waylian’s story was also a highlight and didn’t go where I was expecting. His relationship with Gelredida was very well done. Nobul was a good character and his story was very personal rather than relating to the overall plot. I also liked Rag but, again, her story doesn’t connect with the main story at the moment so I did feel a little disconnected. Hopefully hers and Nobul’s stories grow in the rest of the trilogy.
Ford does a very good job of making an enemy hundreds of miles away seem like a credible threat. The majority of the novel takes place solely in the city of Steelhaven so you only hear about Amon Tugha yet he still feels like he could destroy everything in sight. Herald of the Storm is a very enjoyable start to the trilogy. It is well paced and builds throughout the novel until the last line makes you want to immediately go out and buy the next one.
And by go out, I mean buy it off the internet because, as I have already said, you can never find it in a shop.
Kaira and Merrick were my two favourites. I thought they worked very well as characters in their own right and together. Their story was interesting and I am interested in seeing where it goes. They are also very entertaining to read together. I also liked Janessa and her part in the story especially because it has potential to be awesome. River was interesting but he disappeared out of the story after a while and wasn’t heard from again for the rest of the novel so I was left hanging. Waylian’s story was also a highlight and didn’t go where I was expecting. His relationship with Gelredida was very well done. Nobul was a good character and his story was very personal rather than relating to the overall plot. I also liked Rag but, again, her story doesn’t connect with the main story at the moment so I did feel a little disconnected. Hopefully hers and Nobul’s stories grow in the rest of the trilogy.
Ford does a very good job of making an enemy hundreds of miles away seem like a credible threat. The majority of the novel takes place solely in the city of Steelhaven so you only hear about Amon Tugha yet he still feels like he could destroy everything in sight. Herald of the Storm is a very enjoyable start to the trilogy. It is well paced and builds throughout the novel until the last line makes you want to immediately go out and buy the next one.
And by go out, I mean buy it off the internet because, as I have already said, you can never find it in a shop.
May 6, 2019
Unappreciated gem. Thou' it does well for my ego, for being one of the, not that many, to discover a book with such a top quality content.
December 11, 2016
Chronique tirée de mon blog :
Un bon début de trilogie, solide et intéressant !
En fait dans ce livre on suit vraiment une brochette de personnages, huit ! Ces personnages tournent tous autours de la situation principale de l'histoire. Celle ou un messager du grand ennemi des Royaumes Libres a réussi à infiltrer la ville et commence à placer ses pions, ceux qui lui seront nécessaire pour envahir la ville plus rapidement quand il sera arrivé à ses portes.
On commence à nous présenter les personnages dans leur contexte, et à les faire évoluer dans l'histoire. Ce que j'ai bien aimé c'est le fait que bien qu'ils soient assez proche en terme de lieu, de contexte et tout, au début aucun des personnages ne se connait directement. Et petit à petit les uns vont se rapprocher des autres et se retrouver mêlés qu'ils le veuillent ou non à l'histoire principale.
Bien que l'histoire se concentre principalement sur les parties sombres de la ville, vu qu'il n'y a qu'un seul personnage qui n'y est pas lié d'une façon ou d'une autre, l'ambiance n'est pas sombre pour autant. Je dirais même au contraire. Il y a de bonnes touches d'humour de ci de la, qui sont vraiment très agréable.
Et le style du récit fait qu'on se concentre bien plus sur le personnage que la situation ce qui allège aussi une situation qui aurait pu partir un récit beaucoup plus sinistre.
J'ai bien aimé le fait que pour l'instant on a aucune idée de ce qu'a vraiment fait le messager lors de son passage. On a des indices bien sur, enfin on l'a vu dans diverses situations mais on n'a pas encore pour l'instant de lien commun entre ses différentes apparitions. Et donc on se doute qu'il a encore plein de trucs qui vont arriver par derrière et qu'on découvrira dans les tomes suivants.
En fait ce tome était la plus pour nous présenter les personnages et les positionner dans la fresque que pour faire vraiment avancer le scénario. J'ai meme presque l'impression que la vrai histoire commencera après.
J'ai bien aimé aussi le mystère autours de Amon Tugha, je crois que c'est vraiment le point qui m'intrigue le plus pour l'instant avec les secrets de ce qu'a bien pu faire le messager dans la ville. Qui est-il? On sait qu'il a un lien avec la ville qu'il a été rejeté et je suis sure qu'il a des liens avec nos personnages, mais lequel?
Sinon je soulignerais que le style est vraiment très fluide, j'ai eu l'impression que tout passait très vite et que je suis arrivé à la fin bien plus rapidement que j'imaginais. En fait c'était fun et facile à lire, très loin de certains romans qu'on imagine avec le même thème mais qui sont plus sombre et denses. Les histoires s'enchaînent assez rapidement vu que les chapitres sont court et qu'on change de point de vue à chaque. Ce qui fait qu'on est en permanence en plein dans une histoire d'un des personnages et qu'on a pas le temps de s'ennuyer, même si on n'aime pas le personnage en question, on sait qu'on passera rapidement au suivant.
Voila en fait il y avait vraiment un sentiment de facilité et de fluidité sur l'ensemble du livre, je n'ai pas du tout ressentit de longueurs et d’ennui.
Au final un premier tome très sympa. Il pose les personnages dans la situation globale et les fait tous tourner et entrer en contact avec un mystérieux personnage central dont on ne sait pas grand chose pour l'instant. Une lecture très fluide et fun, ou tout s'enchaîne très rapidement.
Un bonne découverte, je lirais la suite avec plaisir !
17/20
Un bon début de trilogie, solide et intéressant !
En fait dans ce livre on suit vraiment une brochette de personnages, huit ! Ces personnages tournent tous autours de la situation principale de l'histoire. Celle ou un messager du grand ennemi des Royaumes Libres a réussi à infiltrer la ville et commence à placer ses pions, ceux qui lui seront nécessaire pour envahir la ville plus rapidement quand il sera arrivé à ses portes.
On commence à nous présenter les personnages dans leur contexte, et à les faire évoluer dans l'histoire. Ce que j'ai bien aimé c'est le fait que bien qu'ils soient assez proche en terme de lieu, de contexte et tout, au début aucun des personnages ne se connait directement. Et petit à petit les uns vont se rapprocher des autres et se retrouver mêlés qu'ils le veuillent ou non à l'histoire principale.
Bien que l'histoire se concentre principalement sur les parties sombres de la ville, vu qu'il n'y a qu'un seul personnage qui n'y est pas lié d'une façon ou d'une autre, l'ambiance n'est pas sombre pour autant. Je dirais même au contraire. Il y a de bonnes touches d'humour de ci de la, qui sont vraiment très agréable.
Et le style du récit fait qu'on se concentre bien plus sur le personnage que la situation ce qui allège aussi une situation qui aurait pu partir un récit beaucoup plus sinistre.
J'ai bien aimé le fait que pour l'instant on a aucune idée de ce qu'a vraiment fait le messager lors de son passage. On a des indices bien sur, enfin on l'a vu dans diverses situations mais on n'a pas encore pour l'instant de lien commun entre ses différentes apparitions. Et donc on se doute qu'il a encore plein de trucs qui vont arriver par derrière et qu'on découvrira dans les tomes suivants.
En fait ce tome était la plus pour nous présenter les personnages et les positionner dans la fresque que pour faire vraiment avancer le scénario. J'ai meme presque l'impression que la vrai histoire commencera après.
J'ai bien aimé aussi le mystère autours de Amon Tugha, je crois que c'est vraiment le point qui m'intrigue le plus pour l'instant avec les secrets de ce qu'a bien pu faire le messager dans la ville. Qui est-il? On sait qu'il a un lien avec la ville qu'il a été rejeté et je suis sure qu'il a des liens avec nos personnages, mais lequel?
Sinon je soulignerais que le style est vraiment très fluide, j'ai eu l'impression que tout passait très vite et que je suis arrivé à la fin bien plus rapidement que j'imaginais. En fait c'était fun et facile à lire, très loin de certains romans qu'on imagine avec le même thème mais qui sont plus sombre et denses. Les histoires s'enchaînent assez rapidement vu que les chapitres sont court et qu'on change de point de vue à chaque. Ce qui fait qu'on est en permanence en plein dans une histoire d'un des personnages et qu'on a pas le temps de s'ennuyer, même si on n'aime pas le personnage en question, on sait qu'on passera rapidement au suivant.
Voila en fait il y avait vraiment un sentiment de facilité et de fluidité sur l'ensemble du livre, je n'ai pas du tout ressentit de longueurs et d’ennui.
Au final un premier tome très sympa. Il pose les personnages dans la situation globale et les fait tous tourner et entrer en contact avec un mystérieux personnage central dont on ne sait pas grand chose pour l'instant. Une lecture très fluide et fun, ou tout s'enchaîne très rapidement.
Un bonne découverte, je lirais la suite avec plaisir !
17/20
March 3, 2015
Ако знаех, че когато си купих книгата само заради корицата, че ще уцеля толкова приятна за четене книга, то щях да пусна тото – явно късметът е бил с мен този ден. „Вестителят на бурята“ е непретенциозно (засега) начало на една поредица за Стийлхейвън, чието мото е „Добре дошли в Стийлхейвън...Пазате си гърба!“. Ричард Форд е едва прохождащ автор, но вярвам ,че с времето ще надмине всички очаквания – светът на Стийлхейвън е богато и наситено описан, героите са плътни и разгръщащи се с всяка следваща глава, а най-доброто – сюжетната линия е стабилна и се разгръща в течение на цялата книга без осезаемо забавяне. Героите са много и се навързват перфектно с течение на повествованието (е, не всички, но определено се загатва много сериозно за останалите). Друго, което ми направи изключително приятно впечатление, е пъстротата на действието. До голяма степен книгата ми напомни по стил на Брандън Сандерсън след като дописа Колелото.
Сюжетните линии са много: принцеса, която е изправена пред тежки решения; убиец, нает да убие принцесата; пропил се благородник в немилост, който сключва сделки за роби; Щитоноска-воин, която трябва да пази благородника, отказвайки се от познатия й досега живот; млада джебчийка, изправена пред трудността да си извоюва място в Гилдията; бивш войник-ветеран, сега ковач, който се завръща към корените си и се изправя пред моралната дилема дали да убие убиецът на сина си; чирак-магьосник, който открива, че силата може да се крие в най-странните места. И това са само главните герои. Второстепенните герои са безброй много и изпълняват заложените си цели перфектно. А в целият този хаос от север настъпват хуртите с безжалостния си принц и адски бойни хрътки, които искат да завладеят Стийлхейвън. Споменах ли, че сюжетът е богат на действия и няма опасност да доскучае?
Въпреки че в началото ми беше малко трудно да следвам всички герои и случващото се с тях, то след средата не можех да я оставя, толкова ми беше интересна.
Стийлхейвън е свят, изпълнен с опасности, но и богат на приключения. Макар да не е от класът на Стивън Ериксън по богатство, то определено на всеки, който харесва Брандън Сандерсън ще му допадне и Ричард Форд, и неговите герои. Приятно за четене, не много леко четиво, но пък завладяващо.
Трябва да отдам дължимото на Артлайн за качеството на изработка цялостно на книгата. Преводът е перфектен, корицата е невероятна, отделно, че е и hardcover (рядко срещано на пазара днешно време), не забелязах грешки в текста и споменах ли, че корицата е много добра! Поздравления на Стефан Вълканов за нея, а ако го познавах щях да го черпя една бира за невероятния талант, който има – корицата е всичко, което може да се иска за тази книга.
А ако трябва да обобщя книгата с две думи: заповядайте в Стийлхейвън, за да може Ричард Форд да отвее всичките ви очаквания и след това да ви зашемети със свят, изпълнен с опасности и приключения, любов и омраза, сила и власт! И за да може да усетите полъха на задаващата се буря на хоризонта – буря, след която няма да оцеляване.
Сюжетните линии са много: принцеса, която е изправена пред тежки решения; убиец, нает да убие принцесата; пропил се благородник в немилост, който сключва сделки за роби; Щитоноска-воин, която трябва да пази благородника, отказвайки се от познатия й досега живот; млада джебчийка, изправена пред трудността да си извоюва място в Гилдията; бивш войник-ветеран, сега ковач, който се завръща към корените си и се изправя пред моралната дилема дали да убие убиецът на сина си; чирак-магьосник, който открива, че силата може да се крие в най-странните места. И това са само главните герои. Второстепенните герои са безброй много и изпълняват заложените си цели перфектно. А в целият този хаос от север настъпват хуртите с безжалостния си принц и адски бойни хрътки, които искат да завладеят Стийлхейвън. Споменах ли, че сюжетът е богат на действия и няма опасност да доскучае?
Въпреки че в началото ми беше малко трудно да следвам всички герои и случващото се с тях, то след средата не можех да я оставя, толкова ми беше интересна.
Стийлхейвън е свят, изпълнен с опасности, но и богат на приключения. Макар да не е от класът на Стивън Ериксън по богатство, то определено на всеки, който харесва Брандън Сандерсън ще му допадне и Ричард Форд, и неговите герои. Приятно за четене, не много леко четиво, но пък завладяващо.
Трябва да отдам дължимото на Артлайн за качеството на изработка цялостно на книгата. Преводът е перфектен, корицата е невероятна, отделно, че е и hardcover (рядко срещано на пазара днешно време), не забелязах грешки в текста и споменах ли, че корицата е много добра! Поздравления на Стефан Вълканов за нея, а ако го познавах щях да го черпя една бира за невероятния талант, който има – корицата е всичко, което може да се иска за тази книга.
А ако трябва да обобщя книгата с две думи: заповядайте в Стийлхейвън, за да може Ричард Форд да отвее всичките ви очаквания и след това да ви зашемети със свят, изпълнен с опасности и приключения, любов и омраза, сила и власт! И за да може да усетите полъха на задаващата се буря на хоризонта – буря, след която няма да оцеляване.
April 26, 2021
https://undertheradarsffbooks.com/202...
Welcome to Steelhaven, the city of strength and prosperity on the south cost of the kingdom. King Cael has united the free cities under his rule and Steelhaven has undergone a golden age, but a shadow lingers over the city in the form of the dread Elharim warlord, Amon Tugha. Amon Tugha’s herald infiltrate’s the city and is looking to destroy the kingdom from within through the criminal underworld. Steelhaven will bleed and the time of war is at hand.
Herald of the Storm takes place in almost entirely in Steelhaven which can be considered a character itself. We are introduced to all of the cities factions, guilds, criminals, and even the royalty throughout the story. The city is described as a very real, gritty place to live and builds on the atmospheric feel with each chapter. Although the plot is pretty simple, R. S. Ford does a great job of building the world through his characters and the choices they make. We follow throughout the story: a princess, a street urchin, an apprentice magician, a warrior maiden, a criminal rogue, an ex soldier, and an assassin. Each character has their own distinctive voice and desires for the plot to move forward with some well timed twists along the way. Many of the characters have cross over interactions and the tension will only build until the finale.
Although Steelhaven is a great atmospheric fantasy story, it is not without some shortcomings. The first seven chapters of the story are written with different POV characters and this may be off-putting to some readers. Some of the characters will not be enjoyed by everyone, but I looked at it as the author diversifying his character repertoire and her does it very well. My favorite character in this book is the assassin River not only because of his secret missions and members of his guild, but due to his intelligence and desire for a better life. River may just fins this when he comes across the royal family. Herald of the Storm in many ways reads and feels like a setup for the rest of the series which expands beyond the walls of the fortified city. Magic, war, vengeance, pride, and betrayals are major themes in this series and you will not want to miss it.
R. S. Ford has created a city in Steelhaven that has taken on a life if its own. Mark Lawrence in his review of this book says that the closest comparison he can give is Malice by John Gwynne. The characters are diverse, strong, and spirited enough to stand on their own and this is one under the radar novel worth adding to your TBR.
Cheers!
Welcome to Steelhaven, the city of strength and prosperity on the south cost of the kingdom. King Cael has united the free cities under his rule and Steelhaven has undergone a golden age, but a shadow lingers over the city in the form of the dread Elharim warlord, Amon Tugha. Amon Tugha’s herald infiltrate’s the city and is looking to destroy the kingdom from within through the criminal underworld. Steelhaven will bleed and the time of war is at hand.
Herald of the Storm takes place in almost entirely in Steelhaven which can be considered a character itself. We are introduced to all of the cities factions, guilds, criminals, and even the royalty throughout the story. The city is described as a very real, gritty place to live and builds on the atmospheric feel with each chapter. Although the plot is pretty simple, R. S. Ford does a great job of building the world through his characters and the choices they make. We follow throughout the story: a princess, a street urchin, an apprentice magician, a warrior maiden, a criminal rogue, an ex soldier, and an assassin. Each character has their own distinctive voice and desires for the plot to move forward with some well timed twists along the way. Many of the characters have cross over interactions and the tension will only build until the finale.
Although Steelhaven is a great atmospheric fantasy story, it is not without some shortcomings. The first seven chapters of the story are written with different POV characters and this may be off-putting to some readers. Some of the characters will not be enjoyed by everyone, but I looked at it as the author diversifying his character repertoire and her does it very well. My favorite character in this book is the assassin River not only because of his secret missions and members of his guild, but due to his intelligence and desire for a better life. River may just fins this when he comes across the royal family. Herald of the Storm in many ways reads and feels like a setup for the rest of the series which expands beyond the walls of the fortified city. Magic, war, vengeance, pride, and betrayals are major themes in this series and you will not want to miss it.
R. S. Ford has created a city in Steelhaven that has taken on a life if its own. Mark Lawrence in his review of this book says that the closest comparison he can give is Malice by John Gwynne. The characters are diverse, strong, and spirited enough to stand on their own and this is one under the radar novel worth adding to your TBR.
Cheers!
April 17, 2013
'Welcome to Steelhaven', says the blurb, and it’s the city that ties the characters together. 7 characters, 7 disparate stories - or so it seems at first. Gradually, these lives begin to mesh and weave together, as you know they must.
The characters are the bread, butter and jam of the thing and they are really good. Each character is so well drawn: there’s never any confusion as to who each is, even when in disguise, even when (I think) there’s supposed to be ambiguity and a touch of surprise - there’s really is no surprise because everyone is so like themselves. The characterisation is that good.
The story is not over-wrought or trying too hard to be 'epic'. It has the usual fantasy setting, Medievalish in tone, but there's a strong thread of realism, Steelhaven feels like a real place in a real time. There is magic, but it’s not high fantasy – in the sense there are no elves or dragons (thank goodness). This magic has mystery that is intricately woven into the plot, it’s not a device, a get out of jail card, the story is far more subtle than that.
In short, this is a very finely crafted, excellently written, old-fashioned adventure yarn set in a gritty, realistic, fantasy world, and the whole thing driven by the best set of characters I’ve read all year. Excellent stuff and highly recommended.
The characters are the bread, butter and jam of the thing and they are really good. Each character is so well drawn: there’s never any confusion as to who each is, even when in disguise, even when (I think) there’s supposed to be ambiguity and a touch of surprise - there’s really is no surprise because everyone is so like themselves. The characterisation is that good.
The story is not over-wrought or trying too hard to be 'epic'. It has the usual fantasy setting, Medievalish in tone, but there's a strong thread of realism, Steelhaven feels like a real place in a real time. There is magic, but it’s not high fantasy – in the sense there are no elves or dragons (thank goodness). This magic has mystery that is intricately woven into the plot, it’s not a device, a get out of jail card, the story is far more subtle than that.
In short, this is a very finely crafted, excellently written, old-fashioned adventure yarn set in a gritty, realistic, fantasy world, and the whole thing driven by the best set of characters I’ve read all year. Excellent stuff and highly recommended.
August 6, 2015
Deslumbrante, cuando me dieron el libro y vi que mencionaron a Rothfuss y George RR Martin supe que venía algo bueno, aunque tenía miedo de que sus mundos épicos en cierta forma se parecieran, pero no, podría decir que he encontrado la prosa de Martin con el misterio de Rothfuss, pero sería quitarle mérito a Richard Ford, que sin duda se lo ha ganado, el heraldo de la tormenta es el inicio de la trilogía SteelHaven, en la que vamos a conocer la razón de ser de los personajes lo cual me parece perfecto, y la manera en que funciona el reino, encontraremos, magia, asesinos, soldados, mafia y mucho más!, no puedo esperar a la segunda parte.
October 27, 2013
Finished, ok another first time author who shows very good signs of great reads to come.
The book is very slow but its worth the time you put into it. The action really comes in, in the last 70 pages of the book.
It contains some very good female characters in main roles in the story.
The book is very slow but its worth the time you put into it. The action really comes in, in the last 70 pages of the book.
It contains some very good female characters in main roles in the story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews