Waves of a Tempest

by Jessica Barberi

The Emperor of Perinthia rules with an iron fist. Young boys are torn from their families at just ten years old, forced into military conscription. Soldiers are forbidden from marrying, while only the Emperor's loyal officers and nobility are permitted wives. Beliefs outside the greatness of the throne have been brutally crushed - temples burned, devotees killed or enslaved. Yet a glimmer of hope persists in secret.

Roshin grew up an orphan on the docks of the southern port city of Ancalah. Taken in by a sister of the faith of Hulen Ahir, she was trained in the healing arts, as well as the forbidden truths of the old religion. Traveling the country as a healer, Roshin has witnessed the Empire's oppressive degradation of the social order. But the reality hits home when she and her companions are seized and sold into bondage.

With her world consumed by darkness, Roshin clings to the faith's prophecy - that light will come on the back of a dragon, when a destined rider rises again to crush the Empire's tyranny. And now, it seems that rider has arrived.

Genres: Fantasy

336 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 2024

About the author

Jessica Barberi is a seasoned novelist, mother, and IT professional who discovered her passion for writing while searching for meaningful stories to share with her children.

As a lifelong lover of fantasy lands and adventure, she set out to create worlds that are both transportive and relatable, weaving tales that show readers a path forward in the face of adversity.

The "Fires of an Empire" saga was born from Jessica's desire to craft stories that would captivate her son and introduce him to the kind of heroes she longed to see more of in fiction.

With richly imagined worlds and themes of perseverance, personal growth, and the triumph of light over darkness, her novels are a testament to her belief in the power of storytelling to inspire and empower.

When not writing or working, Jessica can often be found exploring the great outdoors with her family, seeking new adventures and inspiration in the natural beauty of her home near the Great Lakes.

Having completed five novels exploring the world of Perinthia, Jessica continues to expand her unique vision through her writing, bringing new depth and excitement to her carefully crafted fantasy world.

Reviews

[Lucy Hewlett · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars!

This story is definitely intriguing, and I REALLY want to know what happens next cuz like, WHAT??!!

I really like the little details that you slowly find out that were revealed throughout the story.

However, really the only complaint I have about the story, is the reader of the audio book (he... was not that good at voices 😬😭😭 I'm sorry) and the text/editing of the book itself... there were many little things in the text that I REALLY wanted to just edit SO BAD, but obviously, I couldn't. The writing was okay... it was simple, and extremely fast paced sometimes, which felt like the whole story was a little rushed, but also slow and kind of repetitive at the same time... but, the STORY is really good.

I also love how there are Christian-like themes throughout the entirety of this story! it was really interesting and I love how much detail of the history of this fantasy world is in this book.

Anyway, I hope the next audiobook isn't... as... annoying, but we'll see 😅😬 Ciao, my lovelies! ✨💕🥲😚🩵💕✨

[Tiago Resende · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Ciran is on the path to fulfil the core prophecy of the Hulen Ahir creed; a healer who is evidently one of its most fervent acolytes, is also running away from the turmoil of the times in Perinthia.

Now, I understand the need to have this 'always on the move' narrative at this stage in the characterization, but for anyone picking up this up after Fire From Ashes, understand that it is more or less the same arc (sans dragon) and offers no conclusion - not to the narrative arc, nor any of the themes Barberi presented. It is for this reason that while I can negotiate an open ending for the first book, I'm less inclined to do so for a second, especially having the weakest of the two. It isn't so much that a series cannot have arcs divided between books, but the endings definitely need to at least present the closing of a theme within the narrative. Ciran had his dragon, which helped it stick to landing that way.

This doesn't happen in Waves of Tempest. You hope that it will, right up until the epilogue, but it doesn't.

Of course the story continues to capitalize on Barberi's descriptive qualities, which now bare a feminine voice, resulting in rather exquisitely vivid scenery from time to time, you can sense the care placed in making this come across different and it does. Naturally, the reactions of the protagonist are also faithful in a similar way. You just don't have much time to indulge in it, because tension is delivered far more frequently here, hinging to the fact that Roshin and her confidant Ashlyn are not warriors and have to traverse a nation riddled with treacherous, defeated and ill spirited denizens, which unequivocally display how much damage to the fabric of these societies emperor Belenos has wrought. While you could argue that their journey could have been less convoluted, consider that if you run from threats, constantly vulnerable, and yet somehow end up exactly where you need to be right away... That's just too convenient to be believable, so I really take no issues with any aspect of the journey itself. It was often quite stressful. Desired effect achieved.

I really loved most of this book, but the ending left me truly miffed, over the things it neglected to finish in the process of establishing the second admirable protagonist in this Saga. You get this sensation throughout, that the moral themes of the story steadily orbit the burdens and strengths of motherhood, until you realize that too is left incomplete in what ends up as an unintentionally cruel omission, in my opinion. As such, I cannot mark this as a 100% impeccable read, which is regrettable, because I believe Roshin has tremendous potential and the themes that accompany her somewhat failed to live up to this great character set-up. I expect the continuation will sort this out in an epic way (really has to now), just be aware this one stings a bit. Perhaps that was the point, but I personally do not understand the decision to close the story this way.

Hey, at least it hooks you for the next one. It is a cumulative push to hype for Forged In Flames.

[TAFehr · Rating 3 out of 5]

While connected to the series, this book is not necessarily a continuation like most would assume. We have a parallel stream that connects to the first book near the end. And while the cover would insinuate this is a dragon book, it is most certainly not, though as it is tied to the series where dragons are a main part, it takes a bit of a reprieve in order to tell the story of the main protagonist.

Where I feel Barberi excels is her ability to lay out the story without feeling overwrought, or that the narrative is plodding. She has a distinctive talent of a storyteller rather than a mere author. The narrative creates a good hook, and made me want to follow along the journey and discover what happens to the protagonist, which sadly is something I've found lacking in must indie books. At no point did I find myself looking to see how many pages remain as to get on to the next book (which is often the case for a story that lacks the certain "je ne sais qouis" which makes me want to move on to the next book as a desire, rather than a duty.)

While I did feel this story had a number of protracted sections, and a bit too much aimless wandering, I don't feel that was unintentional in light of the story being told. As a second book in the series, one might expect it to build upon another and so move a bit further in regards to plot lines, but as this is effectively a second origin story, it very much reads like a set-up where the payoff is to come in the future. So as part of a series, the book does well to get you ready for the rest, but unfortunately this comes at an immediate cost to the story at hand.

[Nichole S · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this book surprised me by taking an unexpected turn from Book One. Instead of continuing the previous story, it runs parallel to those events with an entirely new cast of characters. We follow Roshin, a traveling healer whose strength lies in her faith and compassion rather than combat skills.

The author breaks refreshingly from current fantasy trends by presenting a more traditionally feminine type of heroism. Roshin, along with her companions Ashlyn and the wise Granya, shows that courage and strength come in many forms. Their relationships feel incredibly genuine, and their struggles in this harsh world are both relatable and compelling.

While the fantasy elements are more subtle here than in Book One (don't expect much from the dragons beyond the lore), this actually makes the world feel more authentic. The author balances darker moments with genuine human connections and touches of hope, creating a story that feels both grounded and engaging.

This is a unique take on fantasy that proves you don't need to swing a sword to be a hero. It left me eager to see what happens next as these parallel stories collide. Highly recommended, especially for readers looking for something different from typical fantasy fare.