The Origin of Storms

Lotus Kingdoms #3

by Elizabeth Bear

Hugo Award-winning author Elizabeth Bear concludes her highly-acclaimed epic fantasy trilogy, The Lotus Kingdoms, which began with The Stone in the Skull and The Red-Stained Wings. It all comes to a surprising, satisfying climax in The Origin of Storms!

A Locus Magazine 2022 Recommended Reading List pick!

The Lotus Kingdoms are at war, with four claimants to the sorcerous throne of the Alchemical Emperor fielding three armies between them. Alliances are made, and broken, many times over—but in the end, only one can sit on the throne. And that one must have not only the power, but the rightful claim.

The Lotus Kingdoms
#1 The Stone in the Skull
#2 The Red-Stained Wings
#3 The Origin of Storms

The Eternal Sky Trilogy
#1 Range of Ghosts
#2 Shattered Pillars
#3 Steles of the Sky

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Queer, Fiction, LGBT, High Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 28, 2022

About the author

What Goodreads really needs is a "currently WRITING" option for its default bookshelves...

Reviews

[Barb in Maryland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marvelous conclusion to this trilogy!

Ms Bear hit all of the necessary elements with style and wit:
Stalwart band of loyal friends--check
Perilous journey--check
High stakes--check
Betrayal--check
Court politics--check
Evil wizards vs good wizards--check
A dragon--check and double check.
I had fun reading this. The author did a good job of wrangling so many different groups of people, moving around so many different locations.
I was very happy with the final outcome. I can well imagine our main characters moving forward, ready to take on life's challenges.
I hope the author is not going to abandon this world. She still has lands that I would love to see her explore.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up from a 2-3. So much of this book didn’t work for me so I’m struggling to find one neat rating in stars. I think I finished it mainly because I wanted to know what happened to a few of the main characters (there were too many characters. Most did not get well developed) and because I loved the trilogy before this one, The Eyernal Sky. In this second trilogy the world was interesting but the pacing was really choppy. A lot of what happened was told to the reader and not acted out. I know others liked this series so perhaps I’m just not being generous.

[The Captain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ahoy there mateys! This was a decent conclusion to the Lotus Kingdoms trilogy.  The plus side has the reader getting some answers for why the worlds worked the way they do (interesting if not completely fleshed out).  I also continued to love the strong female characters.  The downsides were too many characters so that not all were given adequate page time or resolution. Plus there was a slow start to the novel in general.  I really wanted more time with the scientist magicians and the Gage.  I wasn't completely satisfied by the ending and who the bad guys were.  I admit that I preferred the first trilogy set in the Eternal Sky world but am still glad to have read this one.  Arrr!

[Chrystopher’s Archive · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aw man. This was a good series ender.

I loved so much of what Bear did here, flipping expectations and wrapping up everyone’s story in such a satisfying, if sometimes bittersweet, way.

There are so many great jaw-drop moments that I don’t want to spoil, so just trust me - if you think you know what’s going to happen, you’re wrong.

The beginning of the book did feel clunky, almost unfinished, with lots of portentous conversations that didn’t seem the really go anywhere. If anything, the first quarter of this book felt more like the middle-book-in-a-trilogy than the actual middle book did.

Also (and this happened in the first book too), I feel like things happen between Mrithuri and Serhan that are either missing completely or hinted at so vaguely that I missed them.

Those few things aside, I was very happy with where this left all our friends, especially Mrithuri and Sayeh.

[John Devlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I certainly liked much of Bear’s short fiction but this trilogy left me feeling snookered.

The story of a hard luck mercenary and his metal companion was intriguing and enjoyable…and then the story morphed into royal courts and lineages and sly takes on womanhood.

The ending was a fine thing but I can’t say these books were worth the last novels tedious pacing.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very solid ending to an epic fantasy series set in a detailed South Asian-inspired world with complex politics, and prominently placed queer and disabled characters. To be honest, I waited too long between reading the previous book and this one so I struggled a bit to remember all the character threads, but I was able to pull them all together in the end. I liked this series enough that I might do a full reread in the future. Anyway, if you like epic fantasy series, this is a good one.

[MargaretDH · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounded down.

This was a fitting end to the trilogy, and Bear's action writing really shines here. I feel like everything was wrapped up in a satisfactory way, and once the final confrontation started wrapping up, this was hard to put down.

I liked the world building here and all the political wrangling. Plus there's some magic animal bonding stuff thrown in, and a super old, super wise dragon. This was a good epic fantasy trilogy, without any bloat, and it's worth your time to pick up.

[Siavahda · Rating 3 out of 5]

HIGHLIGHTS
~blind dragons are still badass
~#transwomenarewomen
~literal bookworms contribute to empire
~goddesses are rarely what you expect
~wearing a crown is almost as complicated as claiming it

*Spoilers for The Bone in the Skull and The Red-Stained Wings!*

To be honest, the ending ruined it for me.

The first two thirds of Origin of Storms cover Mrithuri, Sayeh and the rest working to consolidate Mrithuri’s unexpected empire. It’s definitely slow to get moving, but something about the rhythm and cadence of the prose made it surprisingly readable and oddly soothing. It was easy to drift along with, enjoyably. It involved more military logistics than political manouvering, but there was manouvering, and it was sneaky and clever and well-done.

Even moreso than the rest of the trilogy, Origin of Storms is very much a book about women: royal women, noble women, educated women, loyal women, servant women, holy women. It’s about the restrictions placed on women – especially those who want to hold power that men will respect – and how to move within those restrictions to get what you want (or as close to what you want as can be managed). It’s about the nature of feminine power, which can’t look like power at all if you want to get things done. It’s about being women playing the traditionally-male game of kingdoms and thrones. It’s about how hard that is.

And it is very, very much about women – all kinds of women – working together.

One of the things that made me happiest about Origin is that Sayeh – who is third-sex, and identifies and presents as a woman – is never left out of this. Her place among the rest of the women is never even up for debate, is never questioned. Of course she’s one of them. She’s a vital and valued member of the sisterhood. Which is something that would make me happy no matter when this book was coming out, but it feels particularly important – and powerful – right at this moment, when so much transphobia is running rampant in the USA and UK.

But the last third or quarter of the book ruined the entire trilogy for me.

Read the rest at Every Book a Doorway!

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want epic fantasy and you like beautiful writing, I recommend this trilogy.

I particularly appreciated that the trilogy turns out to be about preventing war, not winning it. A refreshing twist.

The ending didn't quite work for me. It was so epic, but the epicness was about the gods, who we don't really know as characters.

[Caitlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars

this book put me in a huge slump.

[Nikola · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was chef’s kiss 💋
Honestly the ending made me want to cry about how this is all over already!

At some points in the story i was literally shocked and gaping at the screen because of the plot twist moments
Although i did feel like there was just somethings missing in the story but i just can’t exactly pin point where.

At the beginning the story did feel quiet boring and too detailed for my liking but i did get much better as it went on.

Overall i though this series was very enjoyable and i would definitely recommend to my friends ❤️

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fine wrapup, still wordy but with a long climactic battle, no deaths of anyone, you know, likeable, and all sorts of destinies fulfilled. Not ro mention some lines like:

What’s that?” asked the Dead Man, looking up.
“That,” the Gage said, “is an actual dragon. Not an ice-drake. Would you like to meet her?”
The Dead Man swallowed. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
The Gage boomed a laugh. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
“I’m edible.”
The Gage bent toward him quizzically, then straightened. “Oh, right. That. It’ll be fine. She’s friendly.”
*************************************************
The Dead Man sighed. “I should have known better than to bring a gun to a god fight.”
*************************************************

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great end to a trilogy, and a great book in its own right. I really enjoyed the world, the characters, the epic battles, and the celebration of womanhood and femininity. It did a great job of tying up threads previously introduced in the two preceding books, and while I would not say it's a stand alone, it was a story on its own.

The inspiration from Southeast Asian culture really brought a certain something to the world, as well as the unique cosmology Bear created. It's clear this world is alive, vibrant, and lived in, even when you're not reading about these people.

Perhaps the crowning glory (haha) was Mrithuri. Her strengths, her weakness, her gifts, and her flaws. She was a great leader, but she had to overcome some big hurdles and dig deep for that leadership, sacrificing a lot to get there. The contrast and examination of what sacrifice meant for and from her, as a person, versus what she was expected to sacrifice as a woman in that culture, was stark and telling. (I thought the solution of her marriage was exactly what was called for, and perfectly logical in the situation.)

Her personal journey, which started in the first book, and culminated here, was also powerful. She had to wrestle with some big demons, and it wasn't always pretty or perfect. This was beautiful, because it felt real and genuine. The addiction she struggled with was condemned, but not her.

Overall, this was a fascinating addition to fantasy that I am so grateful I stumbled across and got to partake of. I will revisit this world and these characters again because the world is so beautiful and the characters are so compelling. Highly recommend.

[Randal · Rating 3 out of 5]

A disappointing end to what had been a very enjoyable trilogy.

It's slow-starting to the point of dull through about two-thirds of its 384 pages. There's more in here about armies marching than any book since How Hannibal Got His Army & a Bunch of War Elephants Through the Alps: A Detailed Account, written by his quartermaster.

At some point, worldbuilding just gets repetitive. Yes, we know this character has a poorly-set broken leg so she has trouble moving around; yes, that character suffers from a bone-wasting disease so is susceptible to fractures; yes, a third wears a cloth mask that covers all but his eyes so hides his smile; and royalty is not supposed to flinch. I could go on ... Bear certainly does.

It's hard not to feel like this is so much padding to fill out a wildly slight plot (and yes, I can hear the echoes of my undergrad English T.A. going on about internal plots, but there's not much of that here, either).

After detailing the slow drudge of armies across the landscape leading up to an anticlimactic battle in the first half, suddenly in the last quarter there's magic travel whisking characters around the map like a heavily armed game of Snakes & Ladders.

The last third shows off Bear's considerable descriptive talent in The Big Fight Scene, spread across multiple combats, half the cast of characters and at least one continent, but for me it's not enough to lift the book out of a large bucket of meh.

I wanted to get swept away. Mostly I got put to sleep.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please read Goodreads summary above.
Down one rajni-the entirely self-motivated Anuraja-Sayeh and Mrithuri join forces.
Just in time, too, because the existential threat they had foreseen on the horizon begins to manifest itself.
The Gage and a new friend-no spoilers!-go on a journey to the far east to investigate and intervene with the Origin of Storms, a force much greater than the petty squabbles between rulers in the Lotus Kingdom.
They are joined by Himadra, who embraces an alliance with Sayah and Mrithuri, and, for his part, joins the quest and discovers a whole new mode of travel.
The book is very reliant on the characters-good portrayals!-along with magical special effects in various guises.
I will confess to losing my patience with Mrithuri at times. She does show a level of immaturity when contrasted with the older and more steady Sayeh.
She is vulnerable, yet she is kind of full of herself in terms of viewing herself as a ruler. She seems especially immature in her relationship with the long-suffering Dead Man. She wants him to recognize her duty as a ruler and her needs as a woman, and does not acknowledge that oftentimes those needs directly conflict. He tries to put her best interests even before his own, and she doesn't have the capacity to appreciate that.
When she finally acquires power, she does freely admit that she does not know how to use it. Fortunately she has more experienced people in her court-Sayeh especially-who can guide her.
The ending is hopeful, but there are enough dynastic loose ends for a possible sequel...

[Rachel Zakuta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth Bear can do anything. Space opera? Check. Historical fantasy? Check. Epic fantasy set in a unique world where the sky of each region reflects the spiritual beliefs of the inhabitants? Absolutely.

This book finishes The Lotus Kingdoms trilogy, which is a wonderful read full of adventure, amazingly drawn characters, and complex political maneuvering. In this last book we finally got a metaphysical explanation for all the different skies! Really I don't want to tell you anything about the plot, because everything is such a delightful surprise. Let's just say, it starts with the lone surviving Dead Man, the completely metal but all-too-human Gage, and a prophecy meant for a princess in a far-off and crumbling kingdom where night is day, an elephant picks a holy lotus, and nuns sing constantly in the walls.

Bear handles theme like it's a silken thread attached to a needle, and all she has to do is dip in and out, in and out, to achieve perfection. It's extremely difficult to thread theme (in this case, women and how they exercise power in a patriarchal world) throughout a series without sounding preachy or pushing the adventure, the magic, the characters' growth, or anything else aside -- but Bear makes it look so easy!

[K.S. Trenten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picking up the pieces left behind by her late husband, reforging alliances, and preparing for the enemy that’s out there is focus of the first half of the book; a very realistic, pragmatic, yet often political journey Mrithuri and her allies. Marrying another mistreated queen as she and Sayeh face the sexism and various obstacles was a gorgeous move in that direction, showing some intriguing opportunities in a setting where women often have to fight for the upper hand. The last part of the book involved the epic battle with the enemy, the challege of channeling godlike power, and the revelation of the cost of that power while wielding it.

I got lost among some Mrithuri’s allies and enemies, although it’s impossible to forget the Dead Man and the Gage. The problems they faced ranged from societal to mythical, yet the two entwined, even as the characters went from coping with the elemental to rubbing off the grit of reality. The world was enriched by the range of the struggle; as the characters discovered it during that struggle.

While I may not have fallen in love with this as much as I have some of Bear’s other work, it was still a rich, engrossing read, well worth picking up, along with a satisfying finish to a trilogy.

[Lata · Rating 3 out of 5]

The conclusion of this intricate trilogy has all the elements I loved from books one and two: political intrigue, plotting and scheming, and a hugely diverse set of characters.

The poetess Ummuhan returns, though in a smaller role, while Dead Man and Gage are doing their best to stave off threats. The two rajnis, Sayeh and Mrithuri, work hard to deal with the outcomes of war and stabilize the Lotus Kingdom. And there's an ancient dragon who's got tons of knowledge, ability and charm who joins in to help everyone.

The pacing continues to be slow, which is fine, as it matches books one and two. And the things I liked in the previous books really come to the fore during all the action: all the fantastic women, whether poetess, rajni, bookworm, or dragon, dealing with problem after problem, decisively. The dragon Kyrlmyrandal, and the rajnis Mrithuri and Sayeh were standouts for me.

Then, at the three quarter mark, I kept wondering, did I just leave book three and enter something else? Because where did the Beast come from? I don't understand how its reveal was credibly set up, so I stayed confused as this new, terrifically bad threat was dealt with, before we returned to the story I expected, of Mrithuri and Sayeh continuing to figure out how to run the new empire.

The first three quarters of the story was a solid 4 stars, while the last quarter dropped precipitously for me to at best a 2-star rating. Because I really enjoyed the series till that weird plot twist, I'm going to give this book 3 stars for its final rating.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Macmillan-Tor/Forge Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

[TJ West · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve really enjoyed Elizabeth Bear’s The Lotus Kingdoms trilogy, so I’m rather sad to have finished the third volume, The Origin of Storms. It was, though, a truly great piece of fantasy writing, filled with finely-crafted prose, great characters, and a plot that keeps you reading past your bedtime.

What I also should point out is just how subtly (yet explicitly) queer this series is. There’s a character who is third sex, and she ends up with another woman. There are characters with disabilities, and at least one character who is transhuman. Each of them is drawn with considerable detail, and we’re led to care about the fates of them and the world in which they live.

Bear is truly one of the great fantasy writers working today, with an eye for both plotting and prose that is rarely matched and even more rarely exceeded. I can’t recommend this book enough.

[A.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

How pretty is that cover? Dragons, she mutters gleefully.

I had to buy my own copy when the library did not get in the third book of the series, and not because they didn’t want to order it for me, but because Tor declined to offer it to libraries in Australia. Why? I mean, really? ‘People want to pay a larger fee to lend our book out…’ no. WTF?

Never mind, I took me a little bit to recall everything that happened before; it is pretty complex.

The dead man, the gage, the old dragon and our challenged queens.

Things are … not good. The stakes are very high. Besieged by multiple armies, spies and traitors in their midst, the queens have to risk it all and if the throne rejects Mrithuri’s claim she’s toast. Sayeh needs her son back and the balance needs to be restored before the world tears itself apart.

4 stars

[Andi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book!

I should have re-read books 1 and 2 before starting the finale, since it's been a few years and I've read many books in between. There's almost no review of previous plot lines or character back stories either, so it's definitely best to read this trilogy back to back. I did eventually settle in, thanks to Bear's lush prose.

My only real criticism is the Beast. That whole plot line feels forced, almost like Bear went back and added it later to up the book's complexity score. The final "boss fight" was the kind of overpowered ridiculousness that turns me off from many movies and other book series. I think it would have been a better book without it.

This is still a fantastic series and Elizabeth Bear is one of the rare authors who writes fantasy novels that I want to read.

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I am a former student and current Patreon supporter of this author. Even if I weren't, I'd still love this book. Bear is just that good, and this book brings to a close not one but TWO trilogies with all the cool things you'd expect for an epic series: love, loss, boss fights, politics, philosophy, humor, characters you want to slap or marry (perhaps both). And a dragon. Come on, what's not to love?

One of my measures for the success of a book, particularly one that appears later in a series, is whether or not it makes me want to go back and re-read the previous work. O HELL YES.

So if for some reason you've been waiting to start The Lotus Kingdoms series, wait no more! GET THEE TO THY LIBRARY/BOOKSTORE/INTERNET BOOK THING and treat your eyeballs to:

1 - The Stone in the Skull
2 - The Red-Stained Wings
3 - The Origin of Storms

For the FULL immersion, I recommend going back and reading The Eternal Sky trilogy, set in this world:

1 - Range of Ghosts
2 - Shattered Pillars
3 - Steles of the Sky

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this as much as the other two. The others all started quite slow and then picked up. This just didn't pick up. And then there was a huge fight. And then it was over. I wanted more characterisation. I'd been teased about an unlikely f/f relationship in this. I was hoping for Sayeh and the poet. But the fact that it wasn't a romance, just an arranged marriage, and no real attraction, and at the cost of a straight relationship that was given a lot more time (and one I did like) was a bit disappointing. I felt like the book really was burdened with too many characters and too many fights at the end.

[Jiayi Zhou · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted so badly to like this book (as well as the entire trilogy) because it explored beautiful themes around womanhood, restrictions on women, and the sacrifice required for power and responsibility. The world is fantastical and inspired and has all the elements of a good high fantasy. However, the story falls short of expectation. There were half-baked prophecies that didn't make sense, easy resolutions from god-powers, and shallow romances that developed and ended without going to a depth that I thought they deserved. I wasn't convinced by the climax of the book, and after a long build-up, I felt like the series fell flat for me.

[Amalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Bears writing is so consistently well done throughout this whole series and it was so delightful to dig into. This was an entirely enjoyable end to a creative and unique epic fantasy.

While I would love to give this five stars like the first two books, the ending action/climax was a little too busy and drawn out for me to do so. It did get a bit confusing and it felt like many of the big epic elements didn't serve much purpose despite being cool. The pacing of the end was also a bit off in my opinion as there was barely any post climax resolution.

Other than that, I had such a good time and would recommend this to anyone who's looking for a detailed epic political series.

[Allison Willey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really great trilogy, and some of the best world building I've seen in a fantasy novel. I loved the LGBTQ+ representation and the detail she provided in each book. I did think the ending was somewhat rushed in its resolutions, and not every character had an arc that was resolved (maybe she's considered further books with these characters?). It seemed a little odd to me that she took such care in writing three books only to devote maybe 5 pages to an "after the adventure" story arc resolution; but I may just be picky. It's still a good book and I definitely recommend.

[richardrpjasper.org · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rousing Conclusion

To an epic serues! I will confess that it took me a little while to get into this one, mostly because enough time has elapsed since the first two appeared that I had quite lost the thread and had to become reacquainted with the characters. But such characters! Mrithuri and Sayeh and the Dead Man and the Gage and Himadra. So well-drawn, so believable, so overflowing with humanity. Plus the last quarter of the book is non-stop action packed. When conclusions leave you satisfied AND wanting more you know the author has done great work.

[Talenyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the thin plot-lines spun by the first two books come together powerfully in this final installment. And the brilliant character development continues right until the very end. This book is definitely worth all the build-up! I would highly recommend the series to anyone who wants a more self-reflective, adult view on the traditional hero narrative (although I still think readers familiar with the Eternal Sky world will get the most out of it).

[Duane Gosser · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun series with amazing setting, several really great characters and beautiful writing. However, the story (especially the last book) felt very disjointed. The story would jump so much it seemed like there were missing chapters. You could get back on track due to the quality of the writing but this really took away from the overall quality of the story.

This was my first trip with E. Bear and I will definitely try some of her other works.

[Jill Carrigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mrithuri and Sayeh marry each other so that mrithuri can sit on the throne. She does and wields all the power and realizes that her grandfather trapped the Mother into serving them, so she releases her. There's a huge battle between everyone, but since she released the mother everything turns out ok. This wasn'ty favorite book in the series because there's a lot of god battling in the and it got a little boring. The game and the dead man set off together again in the end