What do you think?
Rate this book
Legends of the Storm #4
Storm of Fury
The old eddas speak of dreki—fabled creatures who haunt the depths of Iceland's volcanoes and steal away fair maidens.
Bryn wants none of such myths. Accused of a crime she didn't commit, the former Valkyrie was exiled to the mortal realm over a century ago. Now a battle-hardened mercenary, when she's offered a glimpse of redemption—a written confession that will finally clear her name—nothing will stand in her way.
All she has to do is find Marduk, a missing dreki prince, and deliver him in chains to the dreki princess he once dishonoured.
And a trio of dragon-hunters is going to lead her right to him…
Find a missing dreki prince. It will be fun, they said. Fierce dragon-hunter Tormund Sigurdsson knows better. But the second he lays eyes on Bryn, he thinks the gods have finally smiled upon him. After watching his cousin find love with his fated mate, all Tormund wants is an epic love story of his own. The gorgeous, curvaceous redhead is every single one of his dreams woven into flesh—even if she's determined to keep him at arm's length.
There's just one little problem…
She's working for the enemy.
Join USA Today bestselling author, Bec McMaster, on a thrilling quest, with a handsome charmer determined to seduce an ice queen, and a dangerous magic that may destroy the world if unleashed. Download this epic fantasy filled with magic and breathtaking romance today!
Bryn wants none of such myths. Accused of a crime she didn't commit, the former Valkyrie was exiled to the mortal realm over a century ago. Now a battle-hardened mercenary, when she's offered a glimpse of redemption—a written confession that will finally clear her name—nothing will stand in her way.
All she has to do is find Marduk, a missing dreki prince, and deliver him in chains to the dreki princess he once dishonoured.
And a trio of dragon-hunters is going to lead her right to him…
Find a missing dreki prince. It will be fun, they said. Fierce dragon-hunter Tormund Sigurdsson knows better. But the second he lays eyes on Bryn, he thinks the gods have finally smiled upon him. After watching his cousin find love with his fated mate, all Tormund wants is an epic love story of his own. The gorgeous, curvaceous redhead is every single one of his dreams woven into flesh—even if she's determined to keep him at arm's length.
There's just one little problem…
She's working for the enemy.
Join USA Today bestselling author, Bec McMaster, on a thrilling quest, with a handsome charmer determined to seduce an ice queen, and a dangerous magic that may destroy the world if unleashed. Download this epic fantasy filled with magic and breathtaking romance today!
369 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2020
99 people are currently reading
793 people want to read
About the author
Bec McMaster
64 books3,463 followersKidnapped by a dread pirate when she was a child, USA Today Bestselling Author Bec McMaster was raised on myth and legend, and offered her younger siblings to the goblin king many a time. Unfortunately, he did not accept.
Now she writes epic fantasy romance with a dark and sexy twist, which is almost as much fun. She has a secret weakness for villainous heroes, wicked fae princes and dangerous vampires, though in all her daydreams, she’s the one rescuing them.
Bec lives happily-ever-after with her very own hero and princess-in-training in the wilds of Australia, where she can often be found drinking tea or plotting her next travel adventure.
Escape the ordinary at www.becmcmaster.com
Join Bec's mailing list at http://eepurl.com/F_LkD for all the latest news on releases, exclusive excerpts, cover reveals, and epilogues.
Newest Release: CROWN OF DARKNESS (Available now)
Next release: MASTER OF STORMS (Legends of the Storm #5--coming January, 2021)
Where to start?
If you want deliciously dark fae princes, then try Dark Court Rising or Court of Dreams.
For sexy dragon shifters, see Legends of the Storm.
Sorcery and magic?
Try the Dark Arts series.
Kick-bustle ladies-saving-the-day steampunk romance?
Then check out London Steampunk and the London Steampunk: The Blue Blood Conspiracy series.
For rocket-fuelled post-apocalyptic romance with a twist on the werewolf theme, then read the Burned Lands.
Now she writes epic fantasy romance with a dark and sexy twist, which is almost as much fun. She has a secret weakness for villainous heroes, wicked fae princes and dangerous vampires, though in all her daydreams, she’s the one rescuing them.
Bec lives happily-ever-after with her very own hero and princess-in-training in the wilds of Australia, where she can often be found drinking tea or plotting her next travel adventure.
Escape the ordinary at www.becmcmaster.com
Join Bec's mailing list at http://eepurl.com/F_LkD for all the latest news on releases, exclusive excerpts, cover reveals, and epilogues.
Newest Release: CROWN OF DARKNESS (Available now)
Next release: MASTER OF STORMS (Legends of the Storm #5--coming January, 2021)
Where to start?
If you want deliciously dark fae princes, then try Dark Court Rising or Court of Dreams.
For sexy dragon shifters, see Legends of the Storm.
Sorcery and magic?
Try the Dark Arts series.
Kick-bustle ladies-saving-the-day steampunk romance?
Then check out London Steampunk and the London Steampunk: The Blue Blood Conspiracy series.
For rocket-fuelled post-apocalyptic romance with a twist on the werewolf theme, then read the Burned Lands.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
August 19, 2020
It was a sweet story, even if devastating and heartbreaking at times.
I loved Bryn and Tormund, they both were so good for each other. I don't have much to say here, except for these quotes.
And even though I loved the book, it wasn't entirely their story. We've got Sirius' (from the previous book) and Marduk's (from the next one) sides of it (plus some other characters), and quite a build up for the following one, about Marduk and Solveig. I really wished Tormund and Bryn would get more opportunity to shine, as they really deserved that.
The next book is months away and I'm really looking forward to it.
I loved Bryn and Tormund, they both were so good for each other. I don't have much to say here, except for these quotes.
A man comfortable in his own skin. [...] A man who had somehow managed to both put her entirely at ease and charm the pants off her, while they were naked in a bath, without making her feel even remotely uncomfortable.
He was right.
She'd known no other man like him.
- Bryn needed some time to get used to her feelings and the roles reversal was refreshing.
"...that's what I want in a wife," he continued. "I want someone who will guard the weak. I want someone who doesn't even hesitate when it comes to gifting others. I want someone who's going to stand between me and an enraged dreki queen who can breathe fire, and five no quarter."
[...]
"...But one day,' he told her, his voice roughening, "I will have my own wife. My own family. And I will be her axe. And her shield. And the one who guards her while she sleeps. My children will never suffer a single nightmare, for they will know their father watches over them."
- Tormund was the most amazing man any woman would wish for.
And even though I loved the book, it wasn't entirely their story. We've got Sirius' (from the previous book) and Marduk's (from the next one) sides of it (plus some other characters), and quite a build up for the following one, about Marduk and Solveig. I really wished Tormund and Bryn would get more opportunity to shine, as they really deserved that.
The next book is months away and I'm really looking forward to it.
May 27, 2020
*I was provided a pre-publication copy of this book by the publisher for review purposes.*
This book got better and better. I absolutely adored Tormund and I remembered putting in my review a few books back that I wanted to see more of him. I was so glad to see him get the story he deserved. In particular, I enjoyed delving into his past and how he became loyal to Haakon.
Here are some of my thoughts:
• Tormund was funny, friendly, and had a good sense of morals. It was just impossible to hate him. It was sweet seeing how he even got the seemingly cold and lone wolf Sirius to like him. Their tentative friendship was adorable. Tormund was endearing in his jokes, in the way he wanted to protect the defenseless, and in his unfailing loyalty to Haakon. I literally got teary-eyed hearing about his real family and what he went through, and it made sense why he was so good to Haakon. And he was the sweetest with Bryn. He was straight-forward and honest about how much he liked her, with no hesitation, no confusion. It was just pure.
• Bryn was fierce, powerful, and complex. Her background broke my heart too. It completely made sense to me why she betrayed Tormund (this was not a spoiler because that was the whole setup of the plot in the beginning). Her motives were understandable considering her past century of struggling and being alone, and losing what she wanted most – a family. And all because of a lie on top of that. I understood her fury and her need to get back what she had before. I also liked how protective she became of Tormund and how she recognized the goodness of Tormund.
• It made sense why they bonded well when they both were people who were alone and abandoned by their family, and only sought a place to belong. They both had such different personalities, but it was nice to see them truly understand each other in this. I also enjoyed him teasing her nonstop and her being a “hedgehog” and trying but failing to not like him.
• I loved this book’s emphasis of friendships and family. It was evident that Haakon and Sirius found Tormund endearing, and was wary that he’d get his heart broken. And one of the best scenes was seeing Haakon’s blood family who became Tormund’s family as well. They all knew he deserved the best because he was such a good guy. You could really see how much they adored him, and why he truly deserved it.
• It was fun seeing Sirius again, being his sarcastic, prickly self. I liked that they teased him about being tamed by Malin who was such a sweetheart. And it was nice seeing Haakon being happy with Ardis.
• I didn’t think I was going to like the storyline with Solveig and Marduk, but it was actually highly entertaining, and now, I’m curious to see what’d happen with them in the next book!
4 stars for a highly enjoyable and heart-warming book with characters that I adored.
Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Happy/satisfying ending?
Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level?
Tears-worthy?
Humor?
Favorite scenes?
This book got better and better. I absolutely adored Tormund and I remembered putting in my review a few books back that I wanted to see more of him. I was so glad to see him get the story he deserved. In particular, I enjoyed delving into his past and how he became loyal to Haakon.
Here are some of my thoughts:
• Tormund was funny, friendly, and had a good sense of morals. It was just impossible to hate him. It was sweet seeing how he even got the seemingly cold and lone wolf Sirius to like him. Their tentative friendship was adorable. Tormund was endearing in his jokes, in the way he wanted to protect the defenseless, and in his unfailing loyalty to Haakon. I literally got teary-eyed hearing about his real family and what he went through, and it made sense why he was so good to Haakon. And he was the sweetest with Bryn. He was straight-forward and honest about how much he liked her, with no hesitation, no confusion. It was just pure.
• Bryn was fierce, powerful, and complex. Her background broke my heart too. It completely made sense to me why she betrayed Tormund (this was not a spoiler because that was the whole setup of the plot in the beginning). Her motives were understandable considering her past century of struggling and being alone, and losing what she wanted most – a family. And all because of a lie on top of that. I understood her fury and her need to get back what she had before. I also liked how protective she became of Tormund and how she recognized the goodness of Tormund.
• It made sense why they bonded well when they both were people who were alone and abandoned by their family, and only sought a place to belong. They both had such different personalities, but it was nice to see them truly understand each other in this. I also enjoyed him teasing her nonstop and her being a “hedgehog” and trying but failing to not like him.
• I loved this book’s emphasis of friendships and family. It was evident that Haakon and Sirius found Tormund endearing, and was wary that he’d get his heart broken. And one of the best scenes was seeing Haakon’s blood family who became Tormund’s family as well. They all knew he deserved the best because he was such a good guy. You could really see how much they adored him, and why he truly deserved it.
• It was fun seeing Sirius again, being his sarcastic, prickly self. I liked that they teased him about being tamed by Malin who was such a sweetheart. And it was nice seeing Haakon being happy with Ardis.
• I didn’t think I was going to like the storyline with Solveig and Marduk, but it was actually highly entertaining, and now, I’m curious to see what’d happen with them in the next book!
4 stars for a highly enjoyable and heart-warming book with characters that I adored.
Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Happy/satisfying ending?
Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level?
Tears-worthy?
Humor?
Favorite scenes?
February 7, 2021
after loving the previous installment in this series with my whole heart I was a bit afraid going into this one… don’t get me wrong, I knew I would love it, Bec McMaster is one of my all time favourite authors after all, but I wasn’t sure about Tormund as the main character… I adored him as a secondary one so far in the series but damn… now I love him even more… :) his character and how he can diffuse difficult situations with his kindness and humor very quickly made him one of my favourite people in this series… and his chemistry with Bryn? damn, it was amazing… :) she was a total badass heroine that I did not expect to fall in love with as quickly as I did :) this particular installment has quite a few surprises for us and even more new additions to the world of this series… it balances the connection and romance between Tormund and Bryn with fast paced action brilliantly, and it makes for a very entertaining read, especially because of the absolutely hilarious banter… :) it was also surprisingly emotional at times… I definitely did not expect to cry reading it and yet it happened… I highly recommend you picking up this book, especially if you were hesitant about it, it was great, 5 stars :)
XOXO
A
XOXO
A
February 8, 2021
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
When I think of this couple -Tormun and Bryn - what come in my mind is Tormund and Brienne of Tarth from GOT🤣🤣, and to be honest its quite accurate. She is tall, strong, fantastic with a sword, basically a born to be fighter and he is always welding an axe, sporting a smile on his face or cracking up a joke.
“No one ever thought I owned much sense, Bryn. I love hard, I laugh frequently, and I never think of the risks. Life is meant to be lived. A heart is meant to be given.”
Loved them, the Valkyrie and the human with the biggest and soft heart.
She is hired to bring a missing prince back, he his doing the same thing, to bad they are not in the same team, or aren't they?
Action packed, sweet and swoon moments, steamy and laugh out loud situations. Cant wait to read what happens next cos some weird stuff started happening.
“My love,” he finally said, “would never be a chain. My love—when given—would be a gift. It would be my arms around you when you wanted to hide from the world. It would be my axe to guard you when you could not guard yourself. It would be a kiss to your forehead, to remind you
that you are cherished.” He shook his head. “I would never stop you from doing what you loved. I would stand at your side and cheer you on, instead. If you wanted to storm Valhalla, then curse you, I’d pick up my axe and march at your side
When I think of this couple -Tormun and Bryn - what come in my mind is Tormund and Brienne of Tarth from GOT🤣🤣, and to be honest its quite accurate. She is tall, strong, fantastic with a sword, basically a born to be fighter and he is always welding an axe, sporting a smile on his face or cracking up a joke.
“No one ever thought I owned much sense, Bryn. I love hard, I laugh frequently, and I never think of the risks. Life is meant to be lived. A heart is meant to be given.”
Loved them, the Valkyrie and the human with the biggest and soft heart.
She is hired to bring a missing prince back, he his doing the same thing, to bad they are not in the same team, or aren't they?
Action packed, sweet and swoon moments, steamy and laugh out loud situations. Cant wait to read what happens next cos some weird stuff started happening.
“My love,” he finally said, “would never be a chain. My love—when given—would be a gift. It would be my arms around you when you wanted to hide from the world. It would be my axe to guard you when you could not guard yourself. It would be a kiss to your forehead, to remind you
that you are cherished.” He shook his head. “I would never stop you from doing what you loved. I would stand at your side and cheer you on, instead. If you wanted to storm Valhalla, then curse you, I’d pick up my axe and march at your side
September 4, 2021
I LOVE TORMUND!!!
Seriously, what an absolute gem! I adore Bryn and Tormund.
The way Tormund was always a sweetheart and was never deterred by anything was amazing. His banter with Haakon and Sirius was heartwarming. The way Bryn fearlessly fought and fell for the "most frustrating, infuriating and sweetest giant she ever met" was adorable.
I was disappointed with the lack of an epilogue since the last 3 couples each got one and the giant and his hedgehog definitely deserved one too. Also, the fact that Bryn is now mortal makes me weep because....why? Why not make Tormund immortal and have them live hea? This hurt me a lot and has left so many questions unanswered.
Full review to come...
Seriously, what an absolute gem! I adore Bryn and Tormund.
The way Tormund was always a sweetheart and was never deterred by anything was amazing. His banter with Haakon and Sirius was heartwarming. The way Bryn fearlessly fought and fell for the "most frustrating, infuriating and sweetest giant she ever met" was adorable.
I was disappointed with the lack of an epilogue since the last 3 couples each got one and the giant and his hedgehog definitely deserved one too. Also, the fact that Bryn is now mortal makes me weep because....why? Why not make Tormund immortal and have them live hea? This hurt me a lot and has left so many questions unanswered.
Full review to come...
May 14, 2020
So crazy in love with the heroes from previous books 😍 Sirius and Haakon, who played supporting roles to the HEA couple. They were so captivating that I almost couldn't connect with either Tormund and Bryn until 82% into the story. That was when his heart-breaking past practically slay me. The magical ending saved me from crying me a river. What Bryn did was beyond words amazing! Please pick up this book and experience it all in person!
I'm dying to read Book #5 Master of Storms next year❣️ Sharing one of my favorite scenes:
I'm dying to read Book #5 Master of Storms next year❣️ Sharing one of my favorite scenes:
Home was with the family he'd made. With Haakon and Árdís. Even... Sirius. And now Bryn.
"You're coming to Hekla?" . . .
"I go where you go now." Her eyes lit up. "And Sirius told me there's an entire treasury full of magical gems and jewelry." . . .
"Trust me. You don't want to touch those jewels. They once belong to an evil queen."
"But she's dead, isn't she?" . . .
"They're probably cursed." . . .
"Cursed jewels. An evil queen haunting an ancient dreki court. What could possibly go wrong?"
April 4, 2024
Storm of Fury was such a delicious story!
We get magic, adventure, Quests, magical creatures, Dreki, and mythology all packed into one.
Add a hilarious soft hearted giant of a man, and a proud Valkyrie banished to the mortal plane.
The entire series is a wonder.
I absolute adore how the world and characters has been put together.
How it keeps the mystery and the loyalty of these character runs so deep, even I want to be a part of this. 🌺
Read: 14/02/2021
1st rating: 4 stars
Genre/tropes: Romance/paranormal/dragons(Dreki)/mythology/action/history
Cover: 4 stars
POV’s: Multiple -3rd person (Mainly Tormund & Bryn)
Will I recommend: YES.
Bonus info: Cannot be read as a stand-alone.
We get magic, adventure, Quests, magical creatures, Dreki, and mythology all packed into one.
Add a hilarious soft hearted giant of a man, and a proud Valkyrie banished to the mortal plane.
The entire series is a wonder.
I absolute adore how the world and characters has been put together.
How it keeps the mystery and the loyalty of these character runs so deep, even I want to be a part of this. 🌺
Read: 14/02/2021
1st rating: 4 stars
Genre/tropes: Romance/paranormal/dragons(Dreki)/mythology/action/history
Cover: 4 stars
POV’s: Multiple -3rd person (Mainly Tormund & Bryn)
Will I recommend: YES.
Bonus info: Cannot be read as a stand-alone.
June 18, 2020
I absolutely adore this author. She has this way of pulling you in and very often she sets things up in such a way that you can't wait for the next book.
May 13, 2020
Ok I will be blunt and admit that I wasn't really expecting to give this book a five because I honestly thought I wouldn't like the hero as much as previous leading males but boy was I wrong. Tormund is this huge confident, lovable bear of a man with the biggest heart and a backstory that simply made me melt. I absolutely loved him and his journey from brash sidekick to stand up and be counted hero was for this reader so much fun.
The heroine Bryn knows what she wants and its her mission in life to be restored as a Valkyrie and finally be exonerated of a crime that she didn't commit. Yet no matter how standoffish or coolly she treats Tormund the big lug still keeps smiling and generally perplexing her with his nonstop pursuit. She doesn't want a relationship, she doesn't believe in love and yet tracking down Dreki royalty with Tormund by her side opens up Bryns eyes and yes her heart too !
This voluntary take is of an advanced copy and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
The heroine Bryn knows what she wants and its her mission in life to be restored as a Valkyrie and finally be exonerated of a crime that she didn't commit. Yet no matter how standoffish or coolly she treats Tormund the big lug still keeps smiling and generally perplexing her with his nonstop pursuit. She doesn't want a relationship, she doesn't believe in love and yet tracking down Dreki royalty with Tormund by her side opens up Bryns eyes and yes her heart too !
This voluntary take is of an advanced copy and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
January 28, 2023
This book picks up where Clash of Storms left off and this time we go on another adventure looking for another missing royal. This time it's Prince Marduk who hadn't been seen in a decade. Tormund, Haakon( book 2) and my boo Sirius go off to find him and bring him back to the Rurik's new Court. Tormund the happy go lucky giant and cousin to Haakon is the hero and he's basically a big ol puppy with giant muscles and beard. He meets the curvaceous warrior Bryn and falls immediately head over heels. She's much more pragmatic and also a surly grump. She has a reason for joining the quest and finding the lost prince and that reason doesn't include a certain muscle bound, adorable giant.
This is kind of like Lord of the Ring-ish romantic adventure and much more lighthearted than the last book. Here we have a buddy comedy, Surius, Haakon and Tormund have the most adorable and hilarious bromance and I was much more invested in that than the actual romance. While I did like Bryn, the romance was secondary to the plot here and I never really got super invested like I did with Sirius and Malin. That being said, this was a really fun book to read and probably the spiciest of the bunch so far. Tormund is an adorable himbo and he joins my beloved Rupert in my beloved himbos with big golden retriever energy harem. I did find it weird that neither rod the MC were dragon shifters but aside from that it was a fast, well plotted fast moving adventure. If you love fantasy and adventure romance, I highly recommend this book and this series.
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
🔥🔥🔥/5
Tropes:
Close proximity
Road trip
Friends to Lovers
Grump FMC/ Sunshine MMC
This is kind of like Lord of the Ring-ish romantic adventure and much more lighthearted than the last book. Here we have a buddy comedy, Surius, Haakon and Tormund have the most adorable and hilarious bromance and I was much more invested in that than the actual romance. While I did like Bryn, the romance was secondary to the plot here and I never really got super invested like I did with Sirius and Malin. That being said, this was a really fun book to read and probably the spiciest of the bunch so far. Tormund is an adorable himbo and he joins my beloved Rupert in my beloved himbos with big golden retriever energy harem. I did find it weird that neither rod the MC were dragon shifters but aside from that it was a fast, well plotted fast moving adventure. If you love fantasy and adventure romance, I highly recommend this book and this series.
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
🔥🔥🔥/5
Tropes:
Close proximity
Road trip
Friends to Lovers
Grump FMC/ Sunshine MMC
January 7, 2021
It isn't often that I like the second and third books in a series even more than the first, but Bec McMaster managed it with Legends of the Storm series. This third one, featuring Tormund, a secondary character in the earlier books, add wonderful elements of humor. In fact, the beginning of the book has a definite buddy comedy romp feel, until things begin to get serious with the dreki.
McMaster has put together a true genre mash-up in this series. You get a little bit of historical mythology, a little bit of magical fairy tale, a little big of paranormal, a little bit of comedy, and a lot bit of fantasy.
My favorite thing about this book was definitely Tormund. His humor, his gentleness, his understanding, and his honor were all on display. There wasn't a thing a didn't like about him, despite him not really being cast as a classic hero type or even an alpha type. For humans, there really is no way to be much of an alpha in the world of dreki, yet somehow Tormund makes an impact on the lives of everyone he encounters and they value him. Bryn slowly recognizes this and feels the impact on herself.
I have to admit I wasn't quite as invested in Bryn, since Tormund is such a character. However, she has epic struggles and isn't quite as without honor as she might think. I am sure that after I get to know her as long as I do Tormund, I will like her just as well.
Great addition to a great series.
McMaster has put together a true genre mash-up in this series. You get a little bit of historical mythology, a little bit of magical fairy tale, a little big of paranormal, a little bit of comedy, and a lot bit of fantasy.
My favorite thing about this book was definitely Tormund. His humor, his gentleness, his understanding, and his honor were all on display. There wasn't a thing a didn't like about him, despite him not really being cast as a classic hero type or even an alpha type. For humans, there really is no way to be much of an alpha in the world of dreki, yet somehow Tormund makes an impact on the lives of everyone he encounters and they value him. Bryn slowly recognizes this and feels the impact on herself.
I have to admit I wasn't quite as invested in Bryn, since Tormund is such a character. However, she has epic struggles and isn't quite as without honor as she might think. I am sure that after I get to know her as long as I do Tormund, I will like her just as well.
Great addition to a great series.
September 30, 2024
4 stars
Bec McMaster is one of my autobuy author and honestly, auto read too, lol. So each times she have new book comin', I always pre-ordered and read it immediately. Even though I read Storm of Fury a week after release, I still count it as "ASAP" because I usually spend years to read book that I'd bought :P. Storm of Fury is a story about Tormund, Haakon's cousin. Haakon is hero from Storm of Desire, so basically Storm of Fury is not mean to be read as stand alone. Better to read Heart of Fire first to familiarize yourself with the world that McMaster created, about drekis, - dragon shapeshifter- and the people whom dare to love them.
I think at first that Tormund's lady will be Elin, Malin's sister (Malin is heroine from Clash of Storm). But it's a new character. Cast out from the Valhalla, half mortal-half Valkyrie Brynhild is Tormund's wet dream. Literally. She's totally Viking, a mercenary to the core, tall, imposing, ass kicking, red head, and her glare can murder Tormund, but I think he will gladly accept. To summarize, they meet because Tormund, together with Haakon and Sirius (hero from Clash of Storm, Malin's husband), are in quest to find the lost prince of Zini clan, Marduk. Bryn in the other side is also in quest to find Marduk, but with different purpose. Even though Bryn plan to betrayed Tormund since she have her own reason, she can't help to fall into Tormund's charm. Heck, I myself can't resist if Tormund release his manly charm to me. He's totally SMOOTH, like literally a smooth talker. He's humorous, and even with some angst throw to him and when he finally discover Bryn's betrayal, he's still hell bent to give his heart to Bryn. Tormund is totally a teddy bear in disguise of berserker. Not just humorous, have big heart -big enough for him to not cowering to Bryn's glares or when she constantly rebuff his effort to woo her - he's also kind. Too kind perhaps, but that one of his strength. Tormund might be my favorite McMaster hero to date. He have all that quality of heroes that I like. Bryn is totally a lucky woman to have Tormund to love her.
I get why Bryn is playing hard to get, even to the end, although she finally open her heart to Tormund. Her past is hard and a fact that she is way, way older than Tormund, make her always shed her "Ice Queen" persona. I find myself didn't annoyed by Bryn's cold rebuff to Tormund. Sometimes it can be comic reliefs to read she throw of all Tormund's advance. Sometimes it feel endearing. Mind you, I ALWAYS love when the hero try to woo the heroine without being alphahole. Tormund totally respect Bryn's wishes even though he constantly seduce her, but he won't touch Bryn without her consent. Consent is the new sexy! I also liked when McMaster describe the myth behind Bryn's Valkyries story. If you know her original lore, you will know that Brynhild aka Brunhild is cursed by Odin, meet Sigurd, betrayed by him, scorned, kill him and then kill herself. McMaster show that why mostly women heroes in epic saga always come ill-fated. Yeah, said louder, Bec! Bryn herself might be cast off from Valhalla and despite she determined to win her way back to her Valkyries sister, I'm glad with what happen to Bryn in the end, without too much deus ex machinae.
What I liked from Storm of Fury despite the MCs that I totally adore and respect (also no fated mate, because Tormund and Bryn are not dreki. Lol, sometimes I got tired with this fated mate thingie), is the way McMaster blend adventure, romance and also humor. I swear this book is the most funny McMaster book I'd read. It's have bromance, between Tormund, Haakon and Sirius. Heck, even Tormund getting along so well with Marduk. Their bromance is one of the highlight of the book and often make me smile, smirk or laugh a little. Haakon and Sirius constantly tease Tormund and Tormund to them back, but its show how they care to each other. Although Storm of Fury is about Tormund and Bryn, McMaster also write secondary plot about Marduk. Now, we have Rurik that bordering alpha (and sadly, I kinda forget his story, hahaha. He's not that memorable to me *sigh), Haakon that once a man scorned but in the end totally support Ardis, Sirius that is anti hero (anti hero is my catnip!), Tormund that is a humorous teddy bear, and finally, McMaster give us a scoundrel, in the form of Marduk. I'll be like...heh, about time! Marduk is totally a spoiled brat (or prince), maybe because he's the youngest? He's also one of important characters and he kinda find that he have...twin sister. Now that's one of development that I didn't see it coming. I kinda entertained when reading part about Marduk being forced to marry, lol. Although it give reader delicious tidbit of what happen with him in the future. To summarize, he will get his downfall and his heart ripped out from his body. Maybe literally, since his bride, Solveig is totally pissed off of him. Say yes to angry lovers trope!
While Storm of Fury is full action packed and kinda low angst in the first, it did have angst. Can't do without angst, lol. Unfortunately, the end kinda rushed for me, even though some plot kinda open unsolved. Also, there's some glaring typos at the start, like McMaster always mistype draugr, and draugar. Some secret still not revealed, like who is Freyja actually, a question that still nagging me from the start, lol. Also, seems like Amadea didn't die yet and ready to wreak havoc. Although, I'm impatient to read about Marduk, because I want to see his comeuppance since he left Solveig in a totally bad manner and hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Sadly, Marduk's story in Master of Storm didn't come out until January 2021 a.k.a next year. But I hope the wait will be paid off, and maybe I will do some re-read because a reader once said in McMaster FB Group that Solveig already appear in Clash of Storm, but I totally can't remember her, lol.
Storm of Fury have its plus and minus, but the book is still entertaining to read, since I read this in one sitting and didn't check my social media at all (heh, I always know that social media is distraction). The wait for Marduk's Master of Storm in January 2021 will be too long for me *sigh
Bec McMaster is one of my autobuy author and honestly, auto read too, lol. So each times she have new book comin', I always pre-ordered and read it immediately. Even though I read Storm of Fury a week after release, I still count it as "ASAP" because I usually spend years to read book that I'd bought :P. Storm of Fury is a story about Tormund, Haakon's cousin. Haakon is hero from Storm of Desire, so basically Storm of Fury is not mean to be read as stand alone. Better to read Heart of Fire first to familiarize yourself with the world that McMaster created, about drekis, - dragon shapeshifter- and the people whom dare to love them.
I think at first that Tormund's lady will be Elin, Malin's sister (Malin is heroine from Clash of Storm). But it's a new character. Cast out from the Valhalla, half mortal-half Valkyrie Brynhild is Tormund's wet dream. Literally. She's totally Viking, a mercenary to the core, tall, imposing, ass kicking, red head, and her glare can murder Tormund, but I think he will gladly accept. To summarize, they meet because Tormund, together with Haakon and Sirius (hero from Clash of Storm, Malin's husband), are in quest to find the lost prince of Zini clan, Marduk. Bryn in the other side is also in quest to find Marduk, but with different purpose. Even though Bryn plan to betrayed Tormund since she have her own reason, she can't help to fall into Tormund's charm. Heck, I myself can't resist if Tormund release his manly charm to me. He's totally SMOOTH, like literally a smooth talker. He's humorous, and even with some angst throw to him and when he finally discover Bryn's betrayal, he's still hell bent to give his heart to Bryn. Tormund is totally a teddy bear in disguise of berserker. Not just humorous, have big heart -big enough for him to not cowering to Bryn's glares or when she constantly rebuff his effort to woo her - he's also kind. Too kind perhaps, but that one of his strength. Tormund might be my favorite McMaster hero to date. He have all that quality of heroes that I like. Bryn is totally a lucky woman to have Tormund to love her.
I get why Bryn is playing hard to get, even to the end, although she finally open her heart to Tormund. Her past is hard and a fact that she is way, way older than Tormund, make her always shed her "Ice Queen" persona. I find myself didn't annoyed by Bryn's cold rebuff to Tormund. Sometimes it can be comic reliefs to read she throw of all Tormund's advance. Sometimes it feel endearing. Mind you, I ALWAYS love when the hero try to woo the heroine without being alphahole. Tormund totally respect Bryn's wishes even though he constantly seduce her, but he won't touch Bryn without her consent. Consent is the new sexy! I also liked when McMaster describe the myth behind Bryn's Valkyries story. If you know her original lore, you will know that Brynhild aka Brunhild is cursed by Odin, meet Sigurd, betrayed by him, scorned, kill him and then kill herself. McMaster show that why mostly women heroes in epic saga always come ill-fated. Yeah, said louder, Bec! Bryn herself might be cast off from Valhalla and despite she determined to win her way back to her Valkyries sister, I'm glad with what happen to Bryn in the end, without too much deus ex machinae.
What I liked from Storm of Fury despite the MCs that I totally adore and respect (also no fated mate, because Tormund and Bryn are not dreki. Lol, sometimes I got tired with this fated mate thingie), is the way McMaster blend adventure, romance and also humor. I swear this book is the most funny McMaster book I'd read. It's have bromance, between Tormund, Haakon and Sirius. Heck, even Tormund getting along so well with Marduk. Their bromance is one of the highlight of the book and often make me smile, smirk or laugh a little. Haakon and Sirius constantly tease Tormund and Tormund to them back, but its show how they care to each other. Although Storm of Fury is about Tormund and Bryn, McMaster also write secondary plot about Marduk. Now, we have Rurik that bordering alpha (and sadly, I kinda forget his story, hahaha. He's not that memorable to me *sigh), Haakon that once a man scorned but in the end totally support Ardis, Sirius that is anti hero (anti hero is my catnip!), Tormund that is a humorous teddy bear, and finally, McMaster give us a scoundrel, in the form of Marduk. I'll be like...heh, about time! Marduk is totally a spoiled brat (or prince), maybe because he's the youngest? He's also one of important characters and he kinda find that he have...twin sister. Now that's one of development that I didn't see it coming. I kinda entertained when reading part about Marduk being forced to marry, lol. Although it give reader delicious tidbit of what happen with him in the future. To summarize, he will get his downfall and his heart ripped out from his body. Maybe literally, since his bride, Solveig is totally pissed off of him. Say yes to angry lovers trope!
While Storm of Fury is full action packed and kinda low angst in the first, it did have angst. Can't do without angst, lol. Unfortunately, the end kinda rushed for me, even though some plot kinda open unsolved. Also, there's some glaring typos at the start, like McMaster always mistype draugr, and draugar. Some secret still not revealed, like who is Freyja actually, a question that still nagging me from the start, lol. Also, seems like Amadea didn't die yet and ready to wreak havoc. Although, I'm impatient to read about Marduk, because I want to see his comeuppance since he left Solveig in a totally bad manner and hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Sadly, Marduk's story in Master of Storm didn't come out until January 2021 a.k.a next year. But I hope the wait will be paid off, and maybe I will do some re-read because a reader once said in McMaster FB Group that Solveig already appear in Clash of Storm, but I totally can't remember her, lol.
Storm of Fury have its plus and minus, but the book is still entertaining to read, since I read this in one sitting and didn't check my social media at all (heh, I always know that social media is distraction). The wait for Marduk's Master of Storm in January 2021 will be too long for me *sigh
February 9, 2024
If I am being completely honest, the romance didn't romance in this one BUT the bromance.... Gosh, the bromance conquered me! 💖
“You could have warned me!”
Sirius gave him a perplexed look. “Warned you about what?” His expression suddenly lightened. “Did you think I was going to slam into the cliffs? Foolish mortal, I rule the skies. And I wasn’t about to let that puny princeling beat me.”
“Not. Funny. I nearly shat my trousers.”
Sirius was still snickering as Bryn alighted with Marduk.
Sirius finally found his bff squad and went on a little roadtrip with them... And it's everything 'kay?! His sass and teasing is *chef's kiss* Tormund and Sirius are everything, okay? The teasing, the banter and omg the heart to heart moments!! "You are an annoying little gnat Tormund, but you have a good heart" and Tor is like did you just say you like me *excited puppy eyes* 🥰
Okay and what about Sirius confronting his estranged mother?? The "you left me with HIM" and "i loved you so much it broke my heart to leave you but i had to"!! Fucking heartbreak! It made me cry! 💔😭
Bryn was fun and all but she and Tormund just didn't click all the way for me in the romance department; they had more of a platonic soulmates vibe tbh. Plus she doesn't really deserve him...? Tor is so so KIND. And genuinely GOOD. He deserves SO MICH MORE.
Marduk is such a little bitch like omg I can't wait to see Solveig whoop his arrogant arse 👀✌ (the scene where they almost fuck omg that was... enemies with potential benefits for sure!)
“You could have warned me!”
Sirius gave him a perplexed look. “Warned you about what?” His expression suddenly lightened. “Did you think I was going to slam into the cliffs? Foolish mortal, I rule the skies. And I wasn’t about to let that puny princeling beat me.”
“Not. Funny. I nearly shat my trousers.”
Sirius was still snickering as Bryn alighted with Marduk.
Sirius finally found his bff squad and went on a little roadtrip with them... And it's everything 'kay?! His sass and teasing is *chef's kiss* Tormund and Sirius are everything, okay? The teasing, the banter and omg the heart to heart moments!! "You are an annoying little gnat Tormund, but you have a good heart" and Tor is like did you just say you like me *excited puppy eyes* 🥰
Okay and what about Sirius confronting his estranged mother?? The "you left me with HIM" and "i loved you so much it broke my heart to leave you but i had to"!! Fucking heartbreak! It made me cry! 💔😭
Bryn was fun and all but she and Tormund just didn't click all the way for me in the romance department; they had more of a platonic soulmates vibe tbh. Plus she doesn't really deserve him...? Tor is so so KIND. And genuinely GOOD. He deserves SO MICH MORE.
Marduk is such a little bitch like omg I can't wait to see Solveig whoop his arrogant arse 👀✌ (the scene where they almost fuck omg that was... enemies with potential benefits for sure!)
February 22, 2021
3.5/5.0
Another fun and addicting dreki (dragon) story! I didn’t connect quite as much with Brynn and Tormand’s relatinship - although I absolutely ADORE Tormand - as much as previous couples. And the whole Ishtar storyline was a bit muddled, but it was still an interesting ride.
Another fun and addicting dreki (dragon) story! I didn’t connect quite as much with Brynn and Tormand’s relatinship - although I absolutely ADORE Tormand - as much as previous couples. And the whole Ishtar storyline was a bit muddled, but it was still an interesting ride.
June 2, 2020
4.5
We met Tormund before and now his group of dragon-hunters is searching for a missing dreki prince that no one saw in almost a decade. It's lust at first sight, and maybe it could be love, the first time he see the prickly Bryn. He doesn't know she's a former Valkyrie who was exiled many, many, many years ago but he can sense she's hiding something. The fierce readhead follow them to help find the prince but she have her own reason to do so that might not be good news for them. Tormund is always joking, flirting but despite herself, she can't help find him charming. She can look and she could even touch but for Bryn, her heart is off limits. But maybe Tormund's honesty, authenticity, sense of loyalty and openess will break the chains surrounding it.
Thanks to Tormund and the guys always bickering, this book was the funniest in the series so far. It stills deliver plenty of romance and action. Tormund and Bryn completed each other so well and I couldn't help but fall for our smooth-talking charmer hero who says the sweetest things. He was so touching with his desire to be loved.
"My love would never be a chain. My love-when given-would be a gift. It would be my arms around you when you wanted to hide from the world. It would be my axe to guard you when you could not guard yourself. It would be a kiss to your forehead, to remind you that you are cherished."
We met Tormund before and now his group of dragon-hunters is searching for a missing dreki prince that no one saw in almost a decade. It's lust at first sight, and maybe it could be love, the first time he see the prickly Bryn. He doesn't know she's a former Valkyrie who was exiled many, many, many years ago but he can sense she's hiding something. The fierce readhead follow them to help find the prince but she have her own reason to do so that might not be good news for them. Tormund is always joking, flirting but despite herself, she can't help find him charming. She can look and she could even touch but for Bryn, her heart is off limits. But maybe Tormund's honesty, authenticity, sense of loyalty and openess will break the chains surrounding it.
Thanks to Tormund and the guys always bickering, this book was the funniest in the series so far. It stills deliver plenty of romance and action. Tormund and Bryn completed each other so well and I couldn't help but fall for our smooth-talking charmer hero who says the sweetest things. He was so touching with his desire to be loved.
"My love would never be a chain. My love-when given-would be a gift. It would be my arms around you when you wanted to hide from the world. It would be my axe to guard you when you could not guard yourself. It would be a kiss to your forehead, to remind you that you are cherished."
May 9, 2020
Bryn was prickly, battle scarred, and seemingly invulnerable, but if anyone could penetrate her shield, Tormund would be the one to do so!
Tormund was a warrior with a marshmallow heart, quick with a joke, and frankly, the most positive lead I can remember reading!! He’s not afraid to wear his feelings for all to see and was an irresistible ray of sunshine. I liked him before, but fell in love with him here!
Storm of Fury is the comedic entry of the series by far, but no less emotional and passionate! Zippy banter, dragon/human bromances, a feisty red head, and a gentle Viking-I enjoyed this one!
Tormund was a warrior with a marshmallow heart, quick with a joke, and frankly, the most positive lead I can remember reading!! He’s not afraid to wear his feelings for all to see and was an irresistible ray of sunshine. I liked him before, but fell in love with him here!
Storm of Fury is the comedic entry of the series by far, but no less emotional and passionate! Zippy banter, dragon/human bromances, a feisty red head, and a gentle Viking-I enjoyed this one!
January 30, 2021
Ok I loved the dual storyline, Tormunds and the beginning of Maruks. Bryn and Tormund were perfect for each other and it sure was fun to see Tormund win Bryn's heart. What an adventure this one was and of course the ending makes me giddy to dive into the next one Master of Storms. Im ready to see how Marduk and Solveig will get along.
![Profile Image for Namera [The Literary Invertebrate].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1647896333i%2F31792110._UX200_CR0%2C96%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
November 21, 2021
3.5 Stars
Grade=B-
Grade=B-
May 25, 2020
I really did not want to read this 1, book 4 in the series...I find book 3 is often a pinnacle in a series or an early part of a long series and 4 is often disappointing...plus, in a storyline about dragons neither the H nor the h is one...and the H has just been...a sidekick so far in the stories...just human...often comedic relief...boring me yet again as I write this.
And I was wrong. Eventually. I found myself annoyed when the pages featured the H, the h, the H/h. They got in the way of the more interesting characters both past, Sirius is still grrrrr-yum, and future, Marduk and his bitch-one Soveig sign me up for THAT love story, with their boring human lust to love and Valkyrie shit...a H that just wanted love, to matter to someone and who gave love because that mattered to him...so human...so frail in a story about greater mystical beings...so...darn heartfelt. So damn Beta.
I am not a Beta-H gal in my kindle-porn, but I cried like a baby, felt immense joy when the sacrifices both the H and h made for the greater good resulted in them being together in love. Perhaps this tale isn’t so much Dragon-porn as Dragon-chick-lit, but it has its sweet merits.
And I was wrong. Eventually. I found myself annoyed when the pages featured the H, the h, the H/h. They got in the way of the more interesting characters both past, Sirius is still grrrrr-yum, and future, Marduk and his bitch-one Soveig sign me up for THAT love story, with their boring human lust to love and Valkyrie shit...a H that just wanted love, to matter to someone and who gave love because that mattered to him...so human...so frail in a story about greater mystical beings...so...darn heartfelt. So damn Beta.
I am not a Beta-H gal in my kindle-porn, but I cried like a baby, felt immense joy when the sacrifices both the H and h made for the greater good resulted in them being together in love. Perhaps this tale isn’t so much Dragon-porn as Dragon-chick-lit, but it has its sweet merits.
May 10, 2020
Very good length to the series - the hero Tormund was just wonderful, and so deserving of a HEA. His leading lady is great too - very capable. There's also a good set up for the next pair.
August 3, 2020
Z - Secondary character - Zorja Ravenspire
January 28, 2022
Rating this for record keeping but this has been a solid series (going a little too long tho)
May 19, 2020
YES I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK BRING IT OOOOONNNNNNNNN (September 2018)
God, I love this series so much! And I love Tormund! And of course I adored Bryan, a giant warrior lady (she would have been perfect if she’d been a BBW but there is enough references to her size and shape for me to find her relatable). I though this one was the book I would be most excited about, but I am SO VERY ABOUT the next book, with a plain warrior heroine and an enemies to lovers storyline!
Bec McMaster is the gift that keeps on giving!!!
God, I love this series so much! And I love Tormund! And of course I adored Bryan, a giant warrior lady (she would have been perfect if she’d been a BBW but there is enough references to her size and shape for me to find her relatable). I though this one was the book I would be most excited about, but I am SO VERY ABOUT the next book, with a plain warrior heroine and an enemies to lovers storyline!
Bec McMaster is the gift that keeps on giving!!!
November 6, 2020
A fantastic blend of history and mythology, action and romance, and sass and sexiness! Tor is the Viking hero of my dreams and Bryn is the kickarse heroine I wish I was. I loved every second of this book.
Read
May 6, 2023lost interest
August 10, 2020
3.5 stars
Tormund Sigurdsson has been following around his cousin Haakon in their dragon-hunter adventure for years; now he follows him one more time to find a missing dreki prince. Then a gorgeous redhead mercenary walks into their path, informing clues to find Marduk, and Tormund can see her as his future wife. Unfortunately, Bryn, is keeping a secret and a mission, and she's definitely will not submit her heart to him.
Well... even after I finished this book, I am still pretty grumpy. You see, I love Tormund. A hero that lacks angst, lacks brood, lacks arrogant Alpha-ness, in a paranormal romance is few and far between. Tormund feels like a breath of fresh air for me. He's gentle, he's loyal, he's confident about his charms over women... he's just so much fun.
AND he has to share his spotlight with others?!? Ami is not amused 😒
Storm of Fury feels like an extended arc from the first three books. Bec McMaster expands the universe, now involving Marduk's estranged twin sister, Ishtar, with the most powerful Chaos-magic and has been kept locked out all these years, Marduk's promise to marry one of three dreki daughters of King Harald, then Sirius finding out about his mother, heck there's even a chapter with Malin realizing that her sister, Elin, is 'changing' (she is probably influenced by the dead Queen Amadea)
It felt VERY BUSY to me... and it made Tormund not 100% the center of the story (him and Bryn, of course). I was grumbling every time there were chapters from the others' point of views. It felt unfair to Tormund, who deserved his own EPIC love story.
And it could've been an epic one, with Bryn, his woman, to be an ex-Valkyrie ... a woman able to wield flaming swords and fights drekis bravely. It was also wonderful that the roles have been swapped.
Bryn is the one having to fight her feelings. Tormund is ready to give his whole heart to her. Bryn is challenged to rethink about her purpose, her dream of returning to Valhalla, her immortality, to be with this wonderful giant mortal man. The last 1/3rd part after Tormund brings Bryn to stay over at his family's village, and they talk about why they couldn't (or Bryn thought that they couldn't) be what they could be is intimately beautiful.
Yes, this could've been more enjoyable for me if not for those extra scenes from others. I'd like the book to spend more time with Tormund and Bryn, and the other parts annoyed me a bit. Thus, not exactly 4-stars read. I'm sorry Tormund....
Tormund Sigurdsson has been following around his cousin Haakon in their dragon-hunter adventure for years; now he follows him one more time to find a missing dreki prince. Then a gorgeous redhead mercenary walks into their path, informing clues to find Marduk, and Tormund can see her as his future wife. Unfortunately, Bryn, is keeping a secret and a mission, and she's definitely will not submit her heart to him.
Well... even after I finished this book, I am still pretty grumpy. You see, I love Tormund. A hero that lacks angst, lacks brood, lacks arrogant Alpha-ness, in a paranormal romance is few and far between. Tormund feels like a breath of fresh air for me. He's gentle, he's loyal, he's confident about his charms over women... he's just so much fun.
AND he has to share his spotlight with others?!? Ami is not amused 😒
Storm of Fury feels like an extended arc from the first three books. Bec McMaster expands the universe, now involving Marduk's estranged twin sister, Ishtar, with the most powerful Chaos-magic and has been kept locked out all these years, Marduk's promise to marry one of three dreki daughters of King Harald, then Sirius finding out about his mother, heck there's even a chapter with Malin realizing that her sister, Elin, is 'changing' (she is probably influenced by the dead Queen Amadea)
It felt VERY BUSY to me... and it made Tormund not 100% the center of the story (him and Bryn, of course). I was grumbling every time there were chapters from the others' point of views. It felt unfair to Tormund, who deserved his own EPIC love story.
And it could've been an epic one, with Bryn, his woman, to be an ex-Valkyrie ... a woman able to wield flaming swords and fights drekis bravely. It was also wonderful that the roles have been swapped.
Bryn is the one having to fight her feelings. Tormund is ready to give his whole heart to her. Bryn is challenged to rethink about her purpose, her dream of returning to Valhalla, her immortality, to be with this wonderful giant mortal man. The last 1/3rd part after Tormund brings Bryn to stay over at his family's village, and they talk about why they couldn't (or Bryn thought that they couldn't) be what they could be is intimately beautiful.
Yes, this could've been more enjoyable for me if not for those extra scenes from others. I'd like the book to spend more time with Tormund and Bryn, and the other parts annoyed me a bit. Thus, not exactly 4-stars read. I'm sorry Tormund....
I will give my heart, Bryn. Without reservation. But if I had one wish in the world, it would be this: For someone to love me the way that I love them
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2020
A great urban fantasy/dragon/romance series AND book!
This series revolves around the dreki. They are magical creatures who are larger than dragons and can transform from flying lizard to human form. They all have different magical abilities and, like humans, some of them are more moral than others.
This story is mainly about Tormund, the cousin and friend of Haakon, and Bryn. Tormund is a human who hunted dragons and dreki with his cousin in a quest to find Haakon's wife or kill the dragon they believed killed her. (see previous books in series for much, much more!) Tormund and Haakon have now both been sent out on another quest on behalf of the Zini clan of dreki. Find the lost prince Marduk and bring him back. Marduk has been away from court for the last 10 years on a personal quest of his own. What he finds has the potential to change everything for all the dreki and humans. Bryn is a mercenary who, at times, works for a different dreki clan. She uses her fighting skills, learned as a Valkyrie, and natural skills in exchange for coin. Her paths cross with Tormund when she is sent to also find Marduk and bring him to the very intense and angry dreki princess who hired her.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review, but I also bought my own copy as well in support of the author because I enjoy her books that much! This is a really fun and intense book at the same time. I found myself laughing out loud at some points with the banter between Tormond and Haakon. Then, I found myself tearing up with Tormond and Bryn started to open up more about their pasts. In the end this was a great entry into the series and moved the overall story arc forward in a different way that I didn't see coming. I am very interested to see where the Zini clan goes from here with all the different pieces they have. (Not going to say more and spoil the book for anyone!:) I can also see the seeds for at least 2 more books planted here and can't wait to read them as well!
This series revolves around the dreki. They are magical creatures who are larger than dragons and can transform from flying lizard to human form. They all have different magical abilities and, like humans, some of them are more moral than others.
This story is mainly about Tormund, the cousin and friend of Haakon, and Bryn. Tormund is a human who hunted dragons and dreki with his cousin in a quest to find Haakon's wife or kill the dragon they believed killed her. (see previous books in series for much, much more!) Tormund and Haakon have now both been sent out on another quest on behalf of the Zini clan of dreki. Find the lost prince Marduk and bring him back. Marduk has been away from court for the last 10 years on a personal quest of his own. What he finds has the potential to change everything for all the dreki and humans. Bryn is a mercenary who, at times, works for a different dreki clan. She uses her fighting skills, learned as a Valkyrie, and natural skills in exchange for coin. Her paths cross with Tormund when she is sent to also find Marduk and bring him to the very intense and angry dreki princess who hired her.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review, but I also bought my own copy as well in support of the author because I enjoy her books that much! This is a really fun and intense book at the same time. I found myself laughing out loud at some points with the banter between Tormond and Haakon. Then, I found myself tearing up with Tormond and Bryn started to open up more about their pasts. In the end this was a great entry into the series and moved the overall story arc forward in a different way that I didn't see coming. I am very interested to see where the Zini clan goes from here with all the different pieces they have. (Not going to say more and spoil the book for anyone!:) I can also see the seeds for at least 2 more books planted here and can't wait to read them as well!
May 8, 2020
A great addition to the series. I really loved Bryn, she was strong and outspoken and generally a badass. Her backstory was really interesting and played out well for the most part. Tormund was very charming and they had some great dialogue together. McMaster continues with solid plot lines and, as always, has a great combination of plot, characterization, and romance. I'm looking forward to seeing how Ishtar's character develops. There's some solid world building in this one, so really looking forward to see how McMaster expands this universe.
Rant begins:
I'm excited, yet not, for the next book. I'm a big fan of unrequited love, and the chemistry between Marduk and Solveig is great, but from the way McMaster is setting it up, it's seeming like Marduk and Solveig will be that trope where the hero is truly awful to the heroine, but once he seduces her, all will be forgiven and he'll suffer minimal consequences. Call me bloodthirsty, but for once I want the woman scorned to get real revenge, not just a small sputter of revenge and then HEA (BORING!). As great as their chemistry is, I kinda don't want them to end up together because Marduk is an asshole and Solveig deserves to be treated nicely by other men damnit! It does bug me though that she's supposed to be fierce, but she just comes off as needy, which is -sigh- unfortunately common.
Authors: I'm going to write about this fierce, strong woman
Readers: Yes!
Authors: lmao but she's gonna fall for a jerk and actually be a needy loser with no self respect
Readers: 😭 Why tho
Authors: C O M P L E X I T Y
Ms. McMaster, I beg of you, please don't do my girl Solveig dirty. Please give her a modicum of self-respect.
Anyway rant over.
Summary: this series continues to be solid and Bryn is probably one of the best heroines McMaster has written across all of her series.
Rant begins:
I'm excited, yet not, for the next book. I'm a big fan of unrequited love, and the chemistry between Marduk and Solveig is great, but from the way McMaster is setting it up, it's seeming like Marduk and Solveig will be that trope where the hero is truly awful to the heroine, but once he seduces her, all will be forgiven and he'll suffer minimal consequences. Call me bloodthirsty, but for once I want the woman scorned to get real revenge, not just a small sputter of revenge and then HEA (BORING!). As great as their chemistry is, I kinda don't want them to end up together because Marduk is an asshole and Solveig deserves to be treated nicely by other men damnit! It does bug me though that she's supposed to be fierce, but she just comes off as needy, which is -sigh- unfortunately common.
Authors: I'm going to write about this fierce, strong woman
Readers: Yes!
Authors: lmao but she's gonna fall for a jerk and actually be a needy loser with no self respect
Readers: 😭 Why tho
Authors: C O M P L E X I T Y
Ms. McMaster, I beg of you, please don't do my girl Solveig dirty. Please give her a modicum of self-respect.
Anyway rant over.
Summary: this series continues to be solid and Bryn is probably one of the best heroines McMaster has written across all of her series.
May 11, 2021
I have a lot of ebooks that are randomly collected middle books from romance series, almost always because the particular books in question were recommendations from SBTB on a particular request topic I was interested in. Since I don't read these all at once, I end up forgetting how the book was chosen, so it's fun when I end up reading it later and get to guess what the prompt was.
My best guess for this one is "Tall Heroines," which was brought up in a request as being a fairly uncommon trait for the FMCs of romance. Anecdotally, it does seem like there's always a fuss made over how gigantic the MMC is, and if the height of the heroine is mentioned at all, she's usually proportionally tiny compared to the hero. That seems to be the case even for a lot of UF/PNR, where the women are often supernatural warriors of some sort, but not many of them are explicitly described as being tall. Storm of Fury's Bryn is, however, and even though the MMC is still bigger than her, it comes up multiple times that he loves how big and strong she is.
But anyway, more to the point, I had zero expectations going into this other than it being possibly recommended for a feature I'd like, and I ended up really enjoying it. Even though I should be the target audience for UF/PNR given my non-romance reading interests, I have ended up wary of it as a subgenre because alphaholes are really common, and the ubiquitous "fated mates" trope can get really over the top. This was so refreshingly free of the stuff I usually don't like. I was just able to relax and enjoy the mythology and cool world-building, which is kind of a combination of Norse myths and Medieval dragon lore. It did make me go back and start reading the series from the beginning, which is basically a "nuff said" on how much I enjoyed this.
My best guess for this one is "Tall Heroines," which was brought up in a request as being a fairly uncommon trait for the FMCs of romance. Anecdotally, it does seem like there's always a fuss made over how gigantic the MMC is, and if the height of the heroine is mentioned at all, she's usually proportionally tiny compared to the hero. That seems to be the case even for a lot of UF/PNR, where the women are often supernatural warriors of some sort, but not many of them are explicitly described as being tall. Storm of Fury's Bryn is, however, and even though the MMC is still bigger than her, it comes up multiple times that he loves how big and strong she is.
But anyway, more to the point, I had zero expectations going into this other than it being possibly recommended for a feature I'd like, and I ended up really enjoying it. Even though I should be the target audience for UF/PNR given my non-romance reading interests, I have ended up wary of it as a subgenre because alphaholes are really common, and the ubiquitous "fated mates" trope can get really over the top. This was so refreshingly free of the stuff I usually don't like. I was just able to relax and enjoy the mythology and cool world-building, which is kind of a combination of Norse myths and Medieval dragon lore. It did make me go back and start reading the series from the beginning, which is basically a "nuff said" on how much I enjoyed this.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews