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Stormchaser
Celoven Windess has been groomed since birth to serve her best friend, Princess Naruné, as her Stone Maiden: her closest aide and confidant in all royal matters. The king’s failing health forces the princess to begin a reign she never wanted, and Cel must be there to guide her.
After a devastating catastrophe, the full weight of responsibility comes down on the untested princess. Hard choices need to be made, affecting the lives of their people, the other nations on the planet, and their colonies on other worlds.
When Cel disagrees with the princess’s decisions, both diplomatically and in matters of the heart, she’s approached by someone who agrees with her and wants to help. How far will Celoven go to do what she knows is right?
After a devastating catastrophe, the full weight of responsibility comes down on the untested princess. Hard choices need to be made, affecting the lives of their people, the other nations on the planet, and their colonies on other worlds.
When Cel disagrees with the princess’s decisions, both diplomatically and in matters of the heart, she’s approached by someone who agrees with her and wants to help. How far will Celoven go to do what she knows is right?
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First published February 28, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 28, 2022
A highly compelling and enjoyable read from first time author Jason Abofsky.
The world of Ankeros is populated by three races.
One that is able use planetary energy in order to perform something akin to what might be described as magic.
Another with greater intelligence and highly advanced science whose bodies are suffused with cybernetic enhancements.
And the third have wings and whose society had a focus on militarism.
The three races have often vied with one another for supremacy of the planet but since the end of The Last War they have been able to maintain a precarious peace with one another. The conclusion of the war also brings about the introduction of a fourth race - an amalgamation of the others comprising the advantages of all three. Not welcome by any of the other three races, these “Amalgans” are small in number and ostracized from society at large.
An act of terrorism very early in the book provides the catalyst for the remainder of the story’s action. While a tragedy in and of itself, we soon learn that there is more at stake than just the lives lost and that all life on the planet is in peril. Will the leaders of the three nations be able to work together to save their people?
The story is told mostly through the POV of the title character Celoven Windess (Cell), handmaid (Stone Maiden) to princess Narune. I found her to be a very likable character and was really rooting for her the whole way through. The story does do a number of POV shifts but I never found these shifts to be confusing or inorganic. The characters aren’t all introduced all at once so we don’t get overwhelmed trying to figure out who everyone is right from the start. We also never spent so much time away from a character that by the time we switch back into their POV we have forgotten who they are.
The story begins touching on genres of mystery and political intrigue and even a little romance but shift more towards James Bond like action as the novel comes to a close.
Overall, I was really drawn in to the story.
There are still a lot of questions that need to be answered and mysteries that need to be solved.
Looking forward to the continuation!
(The author also has three short stories on their Booksie page that are set in the same narrative universe. Each one focuses on a person from one of the three races. They aren’t required reading and don’t really intersect with the plot of this story but they are a good introduction to the world. I recommend checking them out)
The world of Ankeros is populated by three races.
One that is able use planetary energy in order to perform something akin to what might be described as magic.
Another with greater intelligence and highly advanced science whose bodies are suffused with cybernetic enhancements.
And the third have wings and whose society had a focus on militarism.
The three races have often vied with one another for supremacy of the planet but since the end of The Last War they have been able to maintain a precarious peace with one another. The conclusion of the war also brings about the introduction of a fourth race - an amalgamation of the others comprising the advantages of all three. Not welcome by any of the other three races, these “Amalgans” are small in number and ostracized from society at large.
An act of terrorism very early in the book provides the catalyst for the remainder of the story’s action. While a tragedy in and of itself, we soon learn that there is more at stake than just the lives lost and that all life on the planet is in peril. Will the leaders of the three nations be able to work together to save their people?
The story is told mostly through the POV of the title character Celoven Windess (Cell), handmaid (Stone Maiden) to princess Narune. I found her to be a very likable character and was really rooting for her the whole way through. The story does do a number of POV shifts but I never found these shifts to be confusing or inorganic. The characters aren’t all introduced all at once so we don’t get overwhelmed trying to figure out who everyone is right from the start. We also never spent so much time away from a character that by the time we switch back into their POV we have forgotten who they are.
The story begins touching on genres of mystery and political intrigue and even a little romance but shift more towards James Bond like action as the novel comes to a close.
Overall, I was really drawn in to the story.
There are still a lot of questions that need to be answered and mysteries that need to be solved.
Looking forward to the continuation!
(The author also has three short stories on their Booksie page that are set in the same narrative universe. Each one focuses on a person from one of the three races. They aren’t required reading and don’t really intersect with the plot of this story but they are a good introduction to the world. I recommend checking them out)
February 8, 2022
Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of Celoven Stormchaser in exchange for an honest review. Given I’m a relative “early bird,” I’ve kept the below spoiler free.
~~~
Readers of Brandon Sanderson will enjoy the richly intricate tale in the first of what looks to be a fascinating Sci-Fi/Fantasy series. The world and its characters are artfully constructed and provide a natural balance of conflict, tension, and mystery.
Plot: 5/5
The story starts where the action is, and establishes itself as a page-turner from the outset. That said, it never feels rushed, and maintains a pace that kept my attention throughout. The plot itself builds a fascinating blend of mystery, action, and political intrigue, and kept me guessing right to the end. Conflict and tension were built effectively, and the ending left me both satisfied and excited for the sequel. As for the prose, the story maintains a strong quality of writing throughout, and is easy to pick up and read. I’ll also note that I had two distinct “pauses” in reading this for my review, and I had no confusion in returning to the story after each. Everything made sense, and I continued straight from where I left off.
Characters: 4/5
The story boasts a wide cast of POV characters and explores the world through a variety of different perspectives (Celoven is the primary protagonist, with other characters having recurring POVs throughout). This is done well, and keeps the flow of the story going, although there were a few characters I’d have liked to have seen more of after their introduction (Sunaan in particular). In addition, there were a couple of points where the story switched between protagonists when I was strongly invested in the current storyline, though noting this is also a reflection of the tension the author creates. Celoven herself is a strong lead: she’s bold, committed, and does things I’d never do in a million years… in other words, exactly what I look for in a protagonist.
Worldbuilding: 4.5/5
One of my biggest challenges with Sci-Fi and Fantasy is that immersion into a new world (with its own history, magic, and intricacies) can be quite daunting. However, Celoven Stormchaser is an easy book to pick up and read, and its worldbuilding is interspersed with plot and action to help the reader take in information seamlessly. The world is explained on a “need to know” basis, meaning I was never slowed down by “infodumps” or confusion (bar a couple of points where significant detail is placed on things such as flag design, though noting this may just be my personal preference). I found myself shouting “use the ports!” towards the end, which is a sign of an immersive and enticing fantasy universe.
Overall: 4.5/5
For lovers of Sci-Fi and Fantasy, this is absolutely worth a read. It’s one of those books where you can just tell how much thought, effort, and passion the author has put into it, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience from start to finish.
~~~
Readers of Brandon Sanderson will enjoy the richly intricate tale in the first of what looks to be a fascinating Sci-Fi/Fantasy series. The world and its characters are artfully constructed and provide a natural balance of conflict, tension, and mystery.
Plot: 5/5
The story starts where the action is, and establishes itself as a page-turner from the outset. That said, it never feels rushed, and maintains a pace that kept my attention throughout. The plot itself builds a fascinating blend of mystery, action, and political intrigue, and kept me guessing right to the end. Conflict and tension were built effectively, and the ending left me both satisfied and excited for the sequel. As for the prose, the story maintains a strong quality of writing throughout, and is easy to pick up and read. I’ll also note that I had two distinct “pauses” in reading this for my review, and I had no confusion in returning to the story after each. Everything made sense, and I continued straight from where I left off.
Characters: 4/5
The story boasts a wide cast of POV characters and explores the world through a variety of different perspectives (Celoven is the primary protagonist, with other characters having recurring POVs throughout). This is done well, and keeps the flow of the story going, although there were a few characters I’d have liked to have seen more of after their introduction (Sunaan in particular). In addition, there were a couple of points where the story switched between protagonists when I was strongly invested in the current storyline, though noting this is also a reflection of the tension the author creates. Celoven herself is a strong lead: she’s bold, committed, and does things I’d never do in a million years… in other words, exactly what I look for in a protagonist.
Worldbuilding: 4.5/5
One of my biggest challenges with Sci-Fi and Fantasy is that immersion into a new world (with its own history, magic, and intricacies) can be quite daunting. However, Celoven Stormchaser is an easy book to pick up and read, and its worldbuilding is interspersed with plot and action to help the reader take in information seamlessly. The world is explained on a “need to know” basis, meaning I was never slowed down by “infodumps” or confusion (bar a couple of points where significant detail is placed on things such as flag design, though noting this may just be my personal preference). I found myself shouting “use the ports!” towards the end, which is a sign of an immersive and enticing fantasy universe.
Overall: 4.5/5
For lovers of Sci-Fi and Fantasy, this is absolutely worth a read. It’s one of those books where you can just tell how much thought, effort, and passion the author has put into it, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience from start to finish.
March 28, 2022
Celoven STORMCHASER is a tremendously well-written SciFi/fantasy story with a fully realized universe and broad range of characters. Abofsky makes all of this complexity accessible by introducing each new element and character gradually, so that by the time you reach the cliffhanger end you can switch rapidly between multiple characters' points of view without missing a beat of the action or feeling confused or overwhelmed at any point. Moreover, the mystery at the core of this novel is a compelling "who done it" on a global scale, and every time the reader thinks they have a lock on who the bad guys are, it turns out to be not so simple after all. When I reached the end of this first book I turned it over and paged through the glossary of terms to see if there was a teaser chapter for the next book or *anything* to give me a clue as to what happens next, I had become that invested in the story. Luckily, I am now subscribed to Abofsky's author page so I will hear about the next book in the series as soon as it is available. Great debut novel, makes me jealous as hell!
March 2, 2022
I will be the first to unfortunately admit that my life took a MASSIVE spin, and I wasn't able to completely finish this ARC. That being said, I found what I was able to read--in what little spare time I had--was entertaining. I have some nit-picky issues, of course, such as a larger-than-comfortable amount of telling, rather than seeing. However, this book was well written, for the most part.
The reason for the 4 starts comes down to 2 things: 1) I had a hard time connecting with the characters, as I was mostly told about them, rather than shown how they act/are; 2) I struggle with Sci-fi, no matter what. Whether it's Dune, Red Rising, etc. I have a hard time with it. Overall, however, I did enjoy the worldbuilding here, and I thought Jason started a good foundation on his character development as well.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The reason for the 4 starts comes down to 2 things: 1) I had a hard time connecting with the characters, as I was mostly told about them, rather than shown how they act/are; 2) I struggle with Sci-fi, no matter what. Whether it's Dune, Red Rising, etc. I have a hard time with it. Overall, however, I did enjoy the worldbuilding here, and I thought Jason started a good foundation on his character development as well.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 3, 2024
This futuristic world was a good mirror to our own. There were three primary races of beings who all share a common ancestor and have an uneasy alliance of peace. Certain scenes felt like they were crafted from recent headlines.
The world building is lush and the character emotions were well conveyed by Jason Abofsky.
I was expecting more when a character assumes the identities of those responsible for an attack based on biases and racism without any evidence. This plot point did not come to a satisfying conclusion. I look forward to the next novel in this series.
The world building is lush and the character emotions were well conveyed by Jason Abofsky.
I was expecting more when a character assumes the identities of those responsible for an attack based on biases and racism without any evidence. This plot point did not come to a satisfying conclusion. I look forward to the next novel in this series.
February 15, 2022
I had a lot of fun reading this book. It gets right it the action fairly quick, and I was immediately intrigued by the characters and the setting.
This is a fun and enjoyable read in my opinion, even if you aren’t someone who reads space operas very often.
This is a fun and enjoyable read in my opinion, even if you aren’t someone who reads space operas very often.
February 8, 2023
Very interesting world building, complicated political issues, and detailed characters - can't wait to read the next one. Excellent first novel.
February 14, 2025
It's surprisingly fantastic. I picked up a copy at the local book fair, and of course, you never know, but I really enjoyed the story. It is well written, has engaging characters, and takes place in a universe that is ripe for adventure! I will be picking up Book #2 soon.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews