Castles of Steel and Thunder

by Gail Anthea Brown

In Caithness, in the time of faeries, Sysa Steel lives a secluded life with Grey, her grandfather. That all changes when Grey takes Sysa to a faerie mound and she disappears into a strange, mysterious world. Once there, Sysa discovers the truth about her family and a quest for vengeance that threatens their existence. Meeting Brodie and Lavellan complicates things, while answers seem to lie in the stories Grey told her as a child. With everything at stake, Sysa must challenge the force of the Castle of Thunder.

In a world full of magic, is the power of stories the greatest power of all?

320 pages, Paperback

Published December 2, 2020

Reviews

[Hayley Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so enjoyed this book, what a fantastic debut from Gail Brown! It’s so refreshing to read fantasy that uses local legends and the setting of Caithness was just the perfect backdrop to the story. The story kept me guessing and now I can’t wait to read the next book, it looks like there is much more to come. A brilliant read for all ages.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a deeply disappointing read.
I was excited to read it as it was based in Scotland and included some ancient folklore.
It started well with Sysa and her grandfather in Caithness ( although it was difficult to work out when this was set ? 18th century? A missed opportunity to describe the area and population of that time)
Sysa returns to the faeries on her 18th and we have a whole new world to discover.
They have all been waiting for her as their kingdom is under threat and only she can save them.
I was looking forward to how the battles would go, what strategies she’d take and what the enemy would look like, how the powers would work etc etc.
however instead of getting on with it Sysa gets distracted by falling in love with the boy who her sister obviously likes 🙄 please! Could it be any more frustrating. This theme continues and the sister eventually falls in love with William the human ( who she’s known for 5 minutes) and Kristen pairs off with Frode ( because obviously every girl needs a boy to be complete ).
This seemed like such a wasted opportunity for an excellent book.

[Graeme_C · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Her kiss with him now felt so long ago, left in a place where the thin membrane between life and death had been almost visible, curving around them, goading them like a chant. The only way through it had been to cry out that they were alive, reaching out to each other to claim their own existence.”

In Caithness, in the time of faeries, Sysa Steel lives a secluded life with Grey, her Grandfather. That all changes when Grey takes Sysa to a faerie mound and she disappears into a strange, mysterious world. Once there, Sysa discovers the truth about her family and a quest for vengeance that threatens their existence. Meeting Brodie and Lavellan complicates things, while answers seem to lie in the stories Grey told her as a child. With everything at stake, Sysa must challenge the force of the Castle of Thunder.

This story is steeped in Scottish folklore and I thoroughly enjoyed learning all about the Fae folk; from the Seelie who are the good Fae folk who use light magic to help others, and the Unseelie who use dark magic – it’s those fairies who cause such mischief in our world! I particularly loved the moments when we are treated to hearing Sysa’s grandfather telling his stories by the peat fire - oh how that took me right back to being told stories in my own childhood. I don’t want to give too much away, but Grey telling his stories is how he passes on his magic to his granddaughter, which I thought was a lovely touch. My favourite story was The Piper of Windy Ha’ – a real folk tale of Caithness. Also, the sacrifice Grey made for his granddaughter 💔

I read this wonderful story over a few nights and each evening I looked forward to escaping into the world of Fryish, and so I am glad to see there is a sequel. If you are a lover of folklore, then this book is for you. 'Castles of Steel and Thunder' is full of fairies, kelpies, selkies, unicorns, giants, shapeshifters, and many other creatures from Scottish folklore.

“Look what love has done to each one of us here. Maybe Rogart is right. Maybe love really does cause us all nothing but a life of misery and pain." 💔 oh boy I can relate.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well written book and one that I have thoroughly enjoyed reading. Although this not a genre I usually read, I loved how the folklore and local legends of Caithness provided the cornerstones of this novel and that they are interwoven into the magic of the story. I particularly enjoyed the portrayal of the grandfather and granddaughter’s relationship and how it demonstrates that the lessons and values we are taught in early life are those that we draw on and give us strength in later times of need.

[Kehs · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! Gail Brown understands the role of the mythic imagination and the importance of place in one's life. She brings both to this engaging heroine's journey. Looking forward to sharing this novel with my daughters. Sysa is a heroine that will be a pleasure to watch grow in future novels.

[Jeanine Sinclair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was great reading a story that was (at least partially) set in Caithness. Sysa's journey, along with all of her friends and family, really drew me in. Lovely storytelling mixed with local folklore.

[Annie Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughts from a lassie from Caithness

I read this book because I am from Caithness. Thurso is my hometown. I am very familiar with the stories of the selkies, faeries and kelpies. I loved the book. Getting ready to read the next one.

[Victoria Teven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magic from start to end.