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Dreamwalker #1
Stormbringer
NIKKEAH TARANIS is a Stormcasting superstar.
Having ascended to the lofty rank of champion at the Spectrum stadium, Nikkeah enjoys a life of stardom high above his caster kin. The next step in his conquering the annual Invocation tournament, in which two dozen elite casters pit their magic and wit against each other for the chance at ultimate fame and fortune.
In the days before the tournament, a sinister force sabotages Nikkeah's ability to compete fairly, trapping him in the threads of a much darker plot that dismantles his glamorous life and sets him against his beloved city. Armed with little more than his outrage and wild magic, Nikkeah charges down the road to retribution. But what he discovers at the end may leave him with more questions than answers.
(Content abusive behaviors, suicide, addiction)
Having ascended to the lofty rank of champion at the Spectrum stadium, Nikkeah enjoys a life of stardom high above his caster kin. The next step in his conquering the annual Invocation tournament, in which two dozen elite casters pit their magic and wit against each other for the chance at ultimate fame and fortune.
In the days before the tournament, a sinister force sabotages Nikkeah's ability to compete fairly, trapping him in the threads of a much darker plot that dismantles his glamorous life and sets him against his beloved city. Armed with little more than his outrage and wild magic, Nikkeah charges down the road to retribution. But what he discovers at the end may leave him with more questions than answers.
(Content abusive behaviors, suicide, addiction)
367 pages, Paperback
Published October 2, 2021
3 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Erinn Harper
4 books11 followersErinn Harper is a queer fantasy author and occultist with a passion for building worlds and stories that are dusky, rich in magic, and liberally seasoned with occult or mythological themes. She is an avid reader, tea lover, and bird enthusiast.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 8, 2024
(Updated review of the new edition!)
I love Nikkeah so much. This book pulled me in right away, just reading about him preparing for the Invocation, excited for the future while still burdened by his past... and then of course following how he deals with his world dropping out from under him and everything going to shit. Big, high-stakes things are going on, but the story was always very grounded in Nikkeah's perspective and what these events mean for him, which I appreciated. The flashback chapters sprinkled throughout were an excellent way to illuminate what drives him in the present, and that storyline was one of my favorite parts.
Right from the start I also loved the worldbuilding and descriptions--the setting with its futuristic architecture, the food, the mentions of different cultures. The action scenes were very well done, vivid and gripping. I also loved the supporting characters, especially Nikkeah's coach/mentor/honorary older brother Micah, with his deep care and protectiveness toward Nikkeah, and his own hinted-at troubled past. In all, STORMBRINGER is a great start to the Dreamwalker series, with a satisfying conclusion that still promises much more intrigue, action, and suspense to come!
Content warnings:
I love Nikkeah so much. This book pulled me in right away, just reading about him preparing for the Invocation, excited for the future while still burdened by his past... and then of course following how he deals with his world dropping out from under him and everything going to shit. Big, high-stakes things are going on, but the story was always very grounded in Nikkeah's perspective and what these events mean for him, which I appreciated. The flashback chapters sprinkled throughout were an excellent way to illuminate what drives him in the present, and that storyline was one of my favorite parts.
Right from the start I also loved the worldbuilding and descriptions--the setting with its futuristic architecture, the food, the mentions of different cultures. The action scenes were very well done, vivid and gripping. I also loved the supporting characters, especially Nikkeah's coach/mentor/honorary older brother Micah, with his deep care and protectiveness toward Nikkeah, and his own hinted-at troubled past. In all, STORMBRINGER is a great start to the Dreamwalker series, with a satisfying conclusion that still promises much more intrigue, action, and suspense to come!
Content warnings:
January 18, 2022
This is a great adventure story full of intrigue. MC Nikkeah Taranis is a super star in the world of magic casters. He's a bit arrogant when we first meet him, but an act of sabotage right before the annual Invocation tournament knocks him off of his pedestal and drags him into a vicious plot that threatens his livelihood and city. Harper's characters are well-developed and the pacing of this book is such that I struggled to put it down. A fantastic read!
February 7, 2024
I loved this book the first time I read it, but I'm positively obsessed with it now.
STORMBRINGER is intense, riveting, and decadent.
Nikkeah is, naturally, a firecracker protagonist, and despite the many times I wanted to shake him for making rash decisions, each action and reaction was so authentically in-line with his character that even the bad choices made sense. This book is a masterful balance of leisurely character explorations and edge-of-your-seat action. The tension is palpable, the danger chilling. The setting is alive; I could feel the dampness of Eth Nalore's rain, hear the thunderous crowds at Spectrum stadium, feel the charge in the air with Nikkeah's storms. There is so much packed into this book -- and the sequels promise so much more. I can't freaking wait.
STORMBRINGER is intense, riveting, and decadent.
Nikkeah is, naturally, a firecracker protagonist, and despite the many times I wanted to shake him for making rash decisions, each action and reaction was so authentically in-line with his character that even the bad choices made sense. This book is a masterful balance of leisurely character explorations and edge-of-your-seat action. The tension is palpable, the danger chilling. The setting is alive; I could feel the dampness of Eth Nalore's rain, hear the thunderous crowds at Spectrum stadium, feel the charge in the air with Nikkeah's storms. There is so much packed into this book -- and the sequels promise so much more. I can't freaking wait.
October 8, 2022
As a lover of magic-infused modern settings, this was an urban fantasy of weird pseudo-witches that tipped me straight into a gritty world of fame, fortune, and finding a name for yourself that I couldn't help but fall for.
I loved the introduction of Nikkeah as a cocky main character soaking up the limelight, his relationships with his siblings, his backstory that slowly unfolds alongside his current-day downfall, and his run-in with a certain Halfsleeper who I look forward to seeing more of in book two.
I loved the introduction of Nikkeah as a cocky main character soaking up the limelight, his relationships with his siblings, his backstory that slowly unfolds alongside his current-day downfall, and his run-in with a certain Halfsleeper who I look forward to seeing more of in book two.
February 3, 2024
I did not have a chance to read the original edition of Stormbringer, but when I was offered an ARC of the new edition, I jumped on the chance to read it. As someone who doesn't read a lot of urban fantasy, I worried that it wouldn't pique my interest as much as I wanted it to, but I was very wrong. Stormbringer snuck up on me. For the first few chapters, I was reading casually and simply enjoying the story, but somewhere along the line I got completely dragged into the narrative and ended up binge-reading the last half of the book until 2 AM. There's something about Erinn's writing that made each character feel simultaneously fragile and strong. As a main character, Nikkeah is a lot of things: noble, kind, considerate, caring, soft, stubborn, prideful... there were moments where I wanted to cradle him like a baby, and moments where I wanted to shake him. I truly enjoyed all of the characters... each and every one of them felt tangible and lovable, with the exception of the villains of course. For every lovable character in the novel, there is an equal amount of truly terrible people waiting to ruin Nikkeah - ranging from assholes to strait up sadists. The stakes got really real REALLY FAST in this book, and as both an author and a reader, I think the pacing made for a sneakily addictive read. I can't wait for the next book in the series 👀
March 22, 2022
Stormbringer is an electrifying and thrilling story. I was gripped right from the very start and fell in love with our protagonist, Nikkeah, from the beginning as well. I was caught off guard so many times by all of the twists and turns and left unable to put it down for even a second as I burned to know what lay beyond the next page. I'm very excited to make a start on the next book and see what Harper has in store.
February 13, 2024
UPDATED FOR CURRENT VERSION:
I read the original release a year or two ago when it first came out, I can't remember when that was at this point, but this version is sooooo much better.
TLDR: A spin on urban fantasy that's way less grungy than you might think, but hooks you right away and won't let you go until you're screaming at the end because you can't just keep reading or move on to the next installment because it's not out yet.
So, what I love in general about this book is the world building. It's so immersive and you learn as you go. It's so rich and full of lore from the way magic works to the social structure, the social dynamics of those who use magic and those who can't, the religions, and to a degree the geography, weather, and the countries themselves. But not once does it feel like you're just inundated with useless information. It's presented in a way that's relevant and in small nuggets throughout the whole of the book. It's amazing.
There's also some flashback chapters that get tucked in here and there. Now, usually when authors do flashback scenes it can be hit or miss, but these really added to the story. The side story they were telling was relevant, foreshadowing, and really helped to give context for the rest of the plot. Loved them and how they evolved from the first release to now.
The characters are all deep and well developed with their own histories. Micah and his sunglasses, for example. You quickly become aware of the quirks and habits of these characters so that when those habits or quirks change you immediately perk up and realize that something's up.
I adore the way the author describes settings, even the action scenes are so vivid that it's easy to visualize them while reading. It's just so friggen good.
Like I said, this is a rewrite/re-release, and I've now read both versions. I enjoyed the first version well enough, but this is so much more polished and refined. It expands on the things that the original didn't, and you can really tell that the author put in a lot of effort to develop everything so much more than she had before. If you read the first one you should absolutely read this rewrite, it's so much better. And if you didn't read the original you should still read it. It's probably now in my top ten books, honestly.
I would describe this as urban fantasy but without the grunge. When I think of urban fantasy I think dirty grunge, vampires, occult, supernatural stuff. There's some grunge in some places, magic, politics, organized/competitive magical combat, urban nightlife, celebrity, and 'upper crust' elite juxtaposed with the dark underworld of drug use, desperation to be accepted, magical 'racism', violent jealousy, abuse/manipulation, suicide, and light torture. It's a LOT, but it's very well presented and I don't think anything felt unnecessary. Even the two lewd moments were tastefully written and not graphic, which I loved because they didn't become the focus of the scene.
What didn't I like? I'm so glad you asked. The only things I didn't like weren't related to the book itself. Rather they were things that the characters had to endure. I hated that a character had to witness someone die violently because that, for lack of a better phrase, really sucks. I hated that people in a restaurant decided to be a Karen, even though I loved seeing her immediately get told off. But these are things you're SUPPOSED to not like. That's just life. That's society. That's how people are. It brings so much realism to the world and makes it relatable. And honestly, that's what makes a great story I think. But the thing I hated the most was when I finished it and didn't have the next book on my shelf ready to read. Not a major cliffhanger ending but enough that I literally flipped to the next page to see what happened only to realize that was the end.
I will eagerly keep my eye out for book 2.
10/10 will definitely read again.
I read the original release a year or two ago when it first came out, I can't remember when that was at this point, but this version is sooooo much better.
TLDR: A spin on urban fantasy that's way less grungy than you might think, but hooks you right away and won't let you go until you're screaming at the end because you can't just keep reading or move on to the next installment because it's not out yet.
So, what I love in general about this book is the world building. It's so immersive and you learn as you go. It's so rich and full of lore from the way magic works to the social structure, the social dynamics of those who use magic and those who can't, the religions, and to a degree the geography, weather, and the countries themselves. But not once does it feel like you're just inundated with useless information. It's presented in a way that's relevant and in small nuggets throughout the whole of the book. It's amazing.
There's also some flashback chapters that get tucked in here and there. Now, usually when authors do flashback scenes it can be hit or miss, but these really added to the story. The side story they were telling was relevant, foreshadowing, and really helped to give context for the rest of the plot. Loved them and how they evolved from the first release to now.
The characters are all deep and well developed with their own histories. Micah and his sunglasses, for example. You quickly become aware of the quirks and habits of these characters so that when those habits or quirks change you immediately perk up and realize that something's up.
I adore the way the author describes settings, even the action scenes are so vivid that it's easy to visualize them while reading. It's just so friggen good.
Like I said, this is a rewrite/re-release, and I've now read both versions. I enjoyed the first version well enough, but this is so much more polished and refined. It expands on the things that the original didn't, and you can really tell that the author put in a lot of effort to develop everything so much more than she had before. If you read the first one you should absolutely read this rewrite, it's so much better. And if you didn't read the original you should still read it. It's probably now in my top ten books, honestly.
I would describe this as urban fantasy but without the grunge. When I think of urban fantasy I think dirty grunge, vampires, occult, supernatural stuff. There's some grunge in some places, magic, politics, organized/competitive magical combat, urban nightlife, celebrity, and 'upper crust' elite juxtaposed with the dark underworld of drug use, desperation to be accepted, magical 'racism', violent jealousy, abuse/manipulation, suicide, and light torture. It's a LOT, but it's very well presented and I don't think anything felt unnecessary. Even the two lewd moments were tastefully written and not graphic, which I loved because they didn't become the focus of the scene.
What didn't I like? I'm so glad you asked. The only things I didn't like weren't related to the book itself. Rather they were things that the characters had to endure. I hated that a character had to witness someone die violently because that, for lack of a better phrase, really sucks. I hated that people in a restaurant decided to be a Karen, even though I loved seeing her immediately get told off. But these are things you're SUPPOSED to not like. That's just life. That's society. That's how people are. It brings so much realism to the world and makes it relatable. And honestly, that's what makes a great story I think. But the thing I hated the most was when I finished it and didn't have the next book on my shelf ready to read. Not a major cliffhanger ending but enough that I literally flipped to the next page to see what happened only to realize that was the end.
I will eagerly keep my eye out for book 2.
10/10 will definitely read again.
March 24, 2022
Stormbringer is the first book in the Dreamwalker series and follows the path of Nikkeah Taranis as he ascends the ranks of Spectrum, a dueling competition where magic-users, called casters, are pitted against one another.
I found this book to be incredibly refreshing, truly an amazing read! The worldbuilding was great, I found myself entranced in the world of Eth Nalore, from the different cultures showcast, to the details given about the foods eaten.
About a quarter to half-way through the book, disaster strikes, and it made me incredibly stressed lol (which is a good thing). Harper's writing is eloquent and beautiful, their descriptions of a futuristic society split in two between casters and the mundane tore me apart as much as it inspired me. I'm thrilled to continue reading about Nikkeah and his story and can't wait for the next installment!!
I found this book to be incredibly refreshing, truly an amazing read! The worldbuilding was great, I found myself entranced in the world of Eth Nalore, from the different cultures showcast, to the details given about the foods eaten.
About a quarter to half-way through the book, disaster strikes, and it made me incredibly stressed lol (which is a good thing). Harper's writing is eloquent and beautiful, their descriptions of a futuristic society split in two between casters and the mundane tore me apart as much as it inspired me. I'm thrilled to continue reading about Nikkeah and his story and can't wait for the next installment!!
January 27, 2022
This book blew me away from beginning to end! From the characters, settings, and lore, Erinn Harper’s world building abilities don’t fall short. Not to mention it’s queer friendly! Stormbringer is definitely worth the read!
February 22, 2022
I didn’t finish it so as with all my NF’s I think a 3 star rating is only fair. The characters didn’t grab me. It didn’t help that it’s first person POV which I usually stay away from. It’s reminiscent of Hunger Games motif and I’m sure palatable to the younger readers.
September 5, 2022
This book was so amazing! It was a definite page turner and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series! I really liked all the characters, especially Micah and Nikkeah. The author does an amazing job at story telling and building characters:)
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August 25, 2025Hello, dreamers!
Please note that as of February 7th, 2024, there is a new edition of this book available. This edition has been heavily revised and presents a much different reading experience than the first edition, so it's now my preferred text. While you will no longer be able to purchase ebook copies of the first edition, there are a few paperback copies still floating around out there, so be sure to check your copy for the correct edition!
Content warnings for this book:
Thank you so much for all your patience and support! I hope y'all enjoy the new edition. 🖤
Please note that as of February 7th, 2024, there is a new edition of this book available. This edition has been heavily revised and presents a much different reading experience than the first edition, so it's now my preferred text. While you will no longer be able to purchase ebook copies of the first edition, there are a few paperback copies still floating around out there, so be sure to check your copy for the correct edition!
Content warnings for this book:
Thank you so much for all your patience and support! I hope y'all enjoy the new edition. 🖤
October 29, 2023
READ IF YOU ENJOY:
• badass lightning magic
• covens and secret societies
• season one of The Legend of Korra
• badass lightning magic
• covens and secret societies
• season one of The Legend of Korra
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews