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Stormlord Rising (Watergivers #2)

3.88 of 5 stars 3.88 · rating details · 945 ratings · 48 reviews

Shale Flint is forced to help the devious rainlord, Taquar Sardonyx, in his quest to create rain - even though Taquar′s lust for power threatens to consume all that stands in his path.

Terelle leaves the Scarpen with her great-grandfather, Russet ... his painting of her future has trapped her into doing his will. Obsessed with regaining his status as a Watergiver lord in hi...more

Mass Market Paperback, 619 pages

Published March 1st 2010 by HarperVoyager

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Dec 11, 2012 Nathan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-female, high-fantasy, rated-3-star, read-2012

First posted here.

This review may contain spoilers from The Last Stormlord

Not long ago I discovered by chance 'The Last Stormlord,' and it may have been my favorite new read of the year. A well handled "adult" story, it was brutal without ever seeming overly grim. It had a strong cast of characters and a lot intrigue. In some way's it read like a fantasy version of 'Dune," but with enough originality to stand completely on its own. It dealt with a land where water is king, and those with the mag...more

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Jan 12, 2011 Ithlilian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I loved The Last Stormlord and couldn't wait to get into Stormlord Rising. It wasn't what I expected since most of it was centered around a war, but it still had many of the things I love about fantasy. First, interesting characters. The characters are the center of this trilogy and they are very dynamic and multidimensional. It really broadens the scope of a novel when multiple viewpoints are added and that is the case here. We get to see what is going on from both sides of the fight, and one s...more

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Aug 31, 2011 PaulineMRoss rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-fantasy, price-full, 4-star

This, the second in the 'Watergivers' trilogy, picks up exactly where the previous one left off, in the immediate aftermath of battle, and the surviving characters are all plunged into crisis without preamble. Having grumbled in my review of book 1 that so many major characters died, my complaint this time is over the number who miraculously survived, despite being believed dead. I suppose there's just no pleasing some people. Given all these unlikely reincarnations, maybe we will yet see Lyneth...more This, the second in the 'Watergivers' trilogy, picks up exactly where the previous one left off, in the immediate aftermath of battle, and the surviving characters are all plunged into crisis without preamble. Having grumbled in my review of book 1 that so many major characters died, my complaint this time is over the number who miraculously survived, despite being believed dead. I suppose there's just no pleasing some people. Given all these unlikely reincarnations, maybe we will yet see Lyneth and Moiqa? Well, maybe not.

The events of the previous book and the background of the Scarpen cities and their rainlords and stormlords are sketched in rather briefly here and there, but it might not be enough for anyone coming back to the story after a long gap. The pace is rapid from the start and never lets up, so anyone who's not up to speed on the story so far is liable to get left behind.

All our main characters are trapped in situations not of their making. Terelle is a prisoner of Russet's water-painting magic, Shale is forced to work alongside the devious Taquar, while Ryka and Kaneth are slaves of the Reduners, the dune nomads. This creates real tension, and the plot races along as they all work to set themselves free (with varying degrees of success), although not without useful dialogues which serve to keep the reader well informed about all the various options. It is a little surprising, actually, how often these people sit down in the midst of dire circumstances to talk at great length, and this reaches ridiculous levels near the end when Shale and Ravard hold a full conversation in the middle of a massive battle.

The world-building is necessarily less detailed in this book, but we do move out of the Scarpen cities and into some of the other regions. We saw a little of the Gibber plains last time out, but this time we also see the Red Quarter (home of the dune tribes) and the White Quarter (the salt plains of the Alabaster folk), and both of these are interesting scenically and in their societal structures, as well as giving us some insight into the economics of Quartern life. We haven't yet seen the coast or the mysterious Khromatis region, but perhaps that will come in book 3.

It is nice to learn more about the indigenous lifeforms, notably the seriously scary ziggers, truly the stuff of nightmares, and the ubiquitous pedes, used for both riding and carrying. Rather delightfully, the pedes turn out to have personalities and memory, and even affection for humans who treated them kindly in the past, which is unexpectedly charming. I never would have thought I'd consider giant creepy-crawlies in terms of 'Ah, how sweet!' but that's fantasy for you.

We also learn something of the various religions - the dune gods of the Reduners, the One True God of the Alabasters, and the delightfully earthly origin of the Sungod worshipped in the Scarpen cities, the giver of water-powers. This is hugely entertaining stuff. I particularly liked the thought tossed out, almost as an aside, that the innate water-sensing ability is god-given and not magical at all, while the power of water painting is sorcery and therefore totally evil. This is, of course, a question which should be considered by all fantasy writers (and readers, for that matter) - what exactly is magic anyway?

The characters continue to be interesting and (sometimes) to behave in unexpected ways. The changes to Kaneth as a result of his injuries are particularly intriguing, although his rapid recovery is slightly implausible. Most of the main characters are likeable and believable. The bad guys are still a little too bad to be truly credible, but on the whole (Taquar and Ravard in particular) they have enough depth to be more than just cartoons. I particularly like Kaneth and Ryka (and Kaneth's friend), and all the squabbling rainlords (even Laisa and Senya). And I love the slightly bonkers Iani. And Shale and Terelle are OK too. Shale has grown up big time in this book, although still with an adolescent's peculiar combination of angst and over-confidence, and Terelle is getting there too.

Ravard is especially interesting. I don't suppose the revelation of his identity surprises anyone, but it's still fascinating to see the man he's become. I do have an issue with his behaviour, however. I'm not a psychologist, but I would have expected a boy who was abducted and enslaved, and who then worked his way up to leadership amongst his abductors would have wanted to show the strength of his loyalty by being even more committed to the tenets of his new society than everyone else. The Reduners espouse slavery and rape as well as bravery and warrior skills, yet Ravard keeps no slaves and is remarkably gentle and tolerant with Ryka. In fact, his whole relationship with Ryka felt quite unbelievable to me, given his age and the ethos of the society. Choosing an older woman, and visibly pregnant too? Odd behaviour. Choices of this type would be more consistent with a mature, self-confident character, which Ravard definitely isn't. And yet, the author makes even this bizarre arrangement seem quite understandable.

The magic system is coming into its own now. I was astonished at the number of inventive ways that Shale could find to use his (rather limited) skills to good effect in battle. Who would have thought that a shower of rain would be so effective a weapon? I very much like that all the rainlords have different levels of ability. This makes for a much more realistic type of magic (if there is such a thing, of course). Terelle's water painting is becoming exceptionally convenient from a plot point of view, but this type of magic was flagged up from early in book 1, so it's not a cheat, any more than Shale hurling water around is - both are just extensions of a form of magic already in existence.

The book ends, inevitably, with a huge battle (or perhaps a series of battles would be more accurate). I found it a bit difficult to work out exactly where everyone was (the map on my Kindle version is minute) so I was a bit unsure who was going up the hill and who was going down. After a while I stopped trying to work it out and let it flow over me, but then I found myself surprised when Ryka bumped into the Reduners again. The author is remarkably good at gently reminding the reader of key information, and she also describes the scenery very clearly and succinctly, so the fault is mine for not paying proper attention. This was the only point in this or the previous book where I went into 'wait - what?' mode. Not that there aren't twists in the plot, of course, but mostly it's very clear who's where and what's going on.

The book ends with the immediate crisis resolved, but the big long-term problem (the shortage of stormlords to provide water) is still hanging by a thread, and everything is now in place for the final showdown. The Reduners are still looking to return to the pre-stormlord era of random rain, while Shale and Terelle try to find a new source of water power, Ryka and Kaneth head for the dunes, and Laisa, Senya and the priest manoeuvre for their own interests. And Taquar is still around, and will undoubtedly come into play again very soon. It's been a long time since I enjoyed a series so much that I wanted to move straight from one book to the next, but this is one that I just can't put down. Four stars. [First written August 2011]
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Jul 18, 2012 Deirdre rated it 3 of 5 stars

It took me forever to get into this story, it really dragged for me until the last about 200 pages when I got caught up in the story. The nomadic Reduners have destroyed the Quarterns cities and taken many of the people hostage. Shale lives, relying on his enemy to survive and to get rain to the remaining few cities. Ryka Feldspar is pregnant and trying to survive, captured as a slave and forced into the bed of their next leader.

It felt to me that there was a little bit too much going on, Very s...more

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Sep 27, 2010 Stefan rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, www-fantasyliterature-com-review

Stormlord Rising, the second novel in Glenda Larke’s WATERGIVERS trilogy, starts right where The Last Stormlord left off: Ryka is a captive of the marauding Reduners, Terelle is traveling to Khromatis against her will, and Jasper — the titular last stormlord — finds himself forced to work together with his nemesis (and now de facto ruler) Taquar Sardonyx to create much-needed rainstorms for the parched lands of the Quartern. With almost every main character forced into a situation they don’t wan...more Stormlord Rising, the second novel in Glenda Larke’s WATERGIVERS trilogy, starts right where The Last Stormlord left off: Ryka is a captive of the marauding Reduners, Terelle is traveling to Khromatis against her will, and Jasper — the titular last stormlord — finds himself forced to work together with his nemesis (and now de facto ruler) Taquar Sardonyx to create much-needed rainstorms for the parched lands of the Quartern. With almost every main character forced into a situation they don’t want be in right from the start, this novel is a darker and, unfortunately, less enjoyable story than its predecessor.

Ravard is an interesting new character, though most readers will figure out right away who he actually is. Fortunately, that doesn’t spoil what’s possibly the most multi-dimensional character in the series. In comparison, other characters are thin, especially the renegade rainlord Taquar and Davim the Reduner leader. These two villains sometimes lapse into cartoon-like speech that’s so over-the-top evil that, if this were a Bond movie, they’d probably be in wheelchairs, wearing monocles and petting white cats.

The Last Stormlord is a fast-paced read, but there are a few points where Stormlord Rising drags, especially during a number of repetitive arguments between the main characters. Although the chapters focusing on Ryka and Ravard keep the reader’s interest, they unfortunately contain many of the more transparent plot twists. The chapters featuring Terelle’s water painting suffer from the same problem, particularly as Terelle’s abilities become a magical and all-too-convenient fix for seemingly insurmountable problems. At times, this transparency, together with the relative thinness of many characters, gives Stormlord Rising a young adult tone. Re-reading The Last Stormlord for this review, I noticed it actually has the same problem, but that novel is so fast-paced and so much plain fun to read that I barely noticed it at first reading.

Considering its straightforward plot and characterization, Stormlord Rising contains a disproportionately large number of characters that are involved in or are the victim of sexual violence and sexual manipulation. I won’t list examples here, but so many of the characters are at some point either victim or perpetrator (or both) of rape, are threatened with forced prostitution, or use sex to manipulate people, that the plot device unfortunately begins to lose some of its impact. Characters casually say things like “You can avail yourself of her reluctant services if you like. [...] The bitch bit me, though, so be careful.”

Even if I occasionally groaned at some corny dialogue and predictable plot twists, it was exciting to revisit the Quartern in Stormlord Rising. The setting is still fascinating, and the theme of water conservation remains relevant. Despite a few slow spots and some repetition, the novel is otherwise fast-paced. We also learn more about the mysterious Watergivers and the history of the land, which, together with the novel’s action-packed plot, kept me interested enough to finish this second part of the WATERGIVERS trilogy and left me looking forward to finding out how the story ends in Stormlord’s Exile.

(This review was published on 9/27/2010 on FanLit - www.fantasyliterature.com)(less)

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Sep 22, 2010 Jenny Delandro rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, fantasy

I do enjoy a novel set in a world which is brought to life like this one.

You really do believe the hardships and samll victories..

Some characters are still a bit flat though, Russet could almost not be there.

There was a feeling of building tension and the battle near the end was thrilling.

I loved that Ryka and Kanneth are back together, I like that she named him after the boy who died.
I do not understand what Mica's problem is and there does not seem to a happy outcome anytime soon, but I hope t...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Jsnows rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wasn't too impressed with The Last Stormlord but I'm glad I persevered and moved on to Stormlord Rising.

I found book 1 to be average and sometimes monotonous but book 2 picks up nicely where the story stopped and moves on to bigger and better things and characters. I found myself caring about the characters (or, in some cases, despising them)and enjoying the faster pace of the story.

Hopefully Stormlord's Exile, which I've just started, will keep the pace and interest level set by Stormlord Ri...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Blodeuedd Finland rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This book has 3 main, and as always I had a favorite. One whose chapters I really wanted to read. I think that in book 1 it was Shale I wanted to read about, but that went and changed.

Shale, or Jasper, is a prisoner in this book as it picks up right after the fall of Breccia in book 1. He is angrier, stronger and he will not be used again. Terelle, the woman he loves has fled as her grandfather forces her to return to his country of origin. I am getting more and more intrigued by the Watergivers...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Jackie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, fantasy

The middle book of a trilogy set in a world where water is a scarce resource and must be manipulated by a group of people called Rainlords and Stormlords.
The story continues on seamlessly from the truly excellent first book.
Ms Larke has the ability to write beautifully and it is a pleasure to read her prose.
Her characters and the world they live in are described so well that it is simple to work out who's who, even though there are many, many people contributing to the story.
Her main protago...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Tabs rated it 3 of 5 stars

Though the bones of the story is still intact, this book is mostly filler. I am sorry the first book was a page turner will reading this book I kept thinking, "I don't need to know that, can we get on with it." If the book had been 300 pages shorter, it would have gotten 5 stars.

The more I write the more I want to take away one more star because Stormlord Rising just went around in a small circle ending up exactly where you expected it to be. Nothing resolved. I hope there is only one more book...more

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Apr 12, 2011 Snicks rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed book 2 of the watergivers series. The Last Stormlord for me was very slow and hard to get into. I got hooked around the last third of the book and decided to continue the series. I am so glad I did. I really like the characters and their development in Stormlord Rising. The pacing was good and I finished this one quickly. Now I have to wait till August! Uggh! Can't wait to read more about Terrelle and where she comes from. Eagerly awaiting the final installment...

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May 12, 2012 Rohit rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was possibly the BEST second book of a trilogy I've ever read and I've read a lot of fantasy. I was so impressed with Glenda's handling of what it's like to be a victim of a war, which makes it hard to agree with that guy's review - the heroism of the characters who have lost everything, who have been brutalised (in situations all too realistic in warzones), is well-drawn and provides an opportunity for people, particularly women, to see how it's possible to be so beaten down yet still stan...more

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Nov 26, 2010 Nick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: australia, science-fiction

Im not much for longwinded series, and this second installment continues the longwindedness that "Watergivers #1" set up. But I like the desert world that Larke has created. I like knowing that she's Australian and that the world she creates has some similarities to that desolate continent. Comparisons will inevitably made between this fantasy world and the novel series "Dune" -- but whereas these books are much more consistent in quality, none of them have the punch of the original Dune. This i...more

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Jul 23, 2011 Ruth rated it 3 of 5 stars

c2010: Another enoyable instalment of the Shale/Jasper story. I am glad that some got their just desserts as well. To me, the plot retained its ingenuity although I think some of the paragraphs could have been edited down a bit without losing the integrity of the story. Perhaps there is some sort of prize for having books of over 600 pages. Some of the events seemed out of character towards the end but perhaps necessary for the 3rd instalment. Would recommend.

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Sep 15, 2011 GemS rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

A fantasic second book in this trilogy. I was hooked from the beginning this time where we picked up where the first left off. The story was moved along nicely and some issues were rbought to conclusion where as some were left for next time. Also a few new interesting developments but I don't yet know how they are going to play out. Can't wait to get my hands on the third and final book, this is still my fave serier this year.

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Feb 22, 2011 Deviant Divas rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

The good thing about this book is that it started right where the first book ended. There was no confusion on what was going on. The one problem I had with the Shale aka Jasper Bloodstone was his naivety towards some things like Senya and her mother Larisa.

Other then that the book was great. I can not wait until the last book. I am excited to see what happens with Mica and the other characters.

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Jan 25, 2013 Cameron Asbell added it

Shelves: fantasy

I liked it almost as much as the first. I wish there was more world building, some power not related to water maybe. But, it is a different power in the fantasy world from what we tend to see. I actually liked the bad characters more than the heroes. They were more interesting to me, but I did enjoy the book and looked forward to the next.

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Nov 11, 2012 Harry Kloss rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This novel is, I think, a bit of an anomaly. Usually there is a sophomore slump with the second book in a series; this is a stronger tale than the first. The characters are better developed, the story is tighter and more compelling, the sense of drama is heightened. Great storytelling which makes me eager to find out what happens next.

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Jan 04, 2013 Kane rated it 3 of 5 stars

Once I got into the whole idea of the Stormlord, it was an easy read. Some of the characters never cease to amaze me with their allegiances and loyalty. ;-) Keeps it interesting and I can think of a few people like that in the real world.

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Sep 18, 2011 Murray Gunn rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: every fantasy lover

Shelves: fantasy

Glenda Larke continues to shine as one of the few writers producing original fantasy. The world in this particular book is a divided a little too clinically into quarters, but the culture in each quarter is unique, the characters and their motivations intriguing and the plot has enough depth and surprises to keep any fantasy reader interested. I'll be looking out for the epub version of the final book with keen interest.

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Feb 26, 2013 Maaike rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-reading

It has taken me around 2 months to finish this book. That says it all, don't you think? Altough I did like the first book, however, I could not connect with any of the main characters (except for Ryka) in this one. I disliked all, even Shale and Terelle, which was unexpected. Furthermore, it took ages for the story to start moving, and then ages again for the next thing to happen, and so forth. I was doubting between one or two stars, because I did finish it instead of just throwing it aside, bu...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Betty rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So, I am now living partially in this universe and partially in the Stormlord universe. I've lost sleep and put off doing almost everything else in order to finish this book. That must be the definition of a good read! Now on to book three...

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Apr 03, 2010 Jo Wake rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am currently reading this and had to send for it from Australia as I found the first book to be so fabulous. This one is equally as good and I will have to hope Glenda manages to finish the third book soon.

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Oct 13, 2011 Otb4evr rated it 4 of 5 stars

The 2nd book picked up where the first book left off. Good plot line and more world building. The characters were fleshed out more, though one of the plot lines was a bit tedious. Decent book...

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Mar 27, 2013 Paul Mclaughlan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Love the world. Thought the characterisation of Shale / Jasper suffered a bit in the middle in order to shore up Terelle's viewpoint, but returned strongly.
Looking forward to the last book!

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Aug 26, 2010 Josiah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010

A disappointing direction. Soap opera plot development and flat dialogue. Everyone's making really tough decisions! Ooo...

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Dec 30, 2010 Tina Burns rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you're a High Fantasy reader, this is a great choice. Even w/ the recommendation by Karen Miller. ;)

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Aug 30, 2012 Steve rated it 4 of 5 stars

Probably the best book of the series, but I am too tired at the moment to write a full review. :)

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Aug 07, 2010 Kelly Flanagan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

READ THIS BOOK!!!!!The first of the series isn't half s good as this one. You won't be able to put it down!

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Dec 28, 2012 Charissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Not as good as the first one in the series, but still a very enjoyable read!

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About Glenda Larke

Glenda was born in Western Australia, the daughter of a farmer. She was educated at government state schools and the University of Western Australia, where she obtained a degree in history and a diploma in education. Married to a Malaysian scientist, she has grown-up children, and now lives in Malaysia, where she is actively involved in rainforest conservation.
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