Ours is the Storm

by D. Thourson Palmer

Revik Lasivar knows he is a savior. He knows he will never be defeated. He knows he is fighting for good.

Everything Revik Lasivar knows is a lie.

Revik is the prophesied heir to an ancient power, born to deliver his kingdom. Ahi'rea is the nomad seeress fighting to destroy it. As Ahi’rea leads her warriors to his border, Revik embarks on a last crusade to drive them out. When the savior and seeress cross swords, however, the deceptions they uncover will change both of them, and their world, forever.

Genres: Fantasy

344 pages, Paperback

First published January 14, 2014

About the author

D. Thourson Palmer sheared sheep in rural Ohio, studied in the Appalachian foothills, taught in Japan wherever a train could take him, and got lost in the Central Valley of California. In his past he’s been a forensic chemist, blood research scientist, English teacher, and competitive judoka.

His forthcoming novel, Rust River Gothic, is emblematic of his work; a dreamlike, sometimes unsettling waterway leading from our world to another—more vibrant, more peculiar, and more dangerous. He also writes emotional and freaky epic fantasy that veers occasionally into horror. He is the author of Ours Is the Storm and the epic fantasy web series “RAZE.”

He lives in Columbus, Ohio.

Reviews

[Dyrk Ashton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has one of the most powerful and intriguing first chapters I've ever read. And it continues to impress from there. Palmer has combined what we love about epic fantasy with wonderful speculation on life, spirituality, even colonization and hegemony - but don't worry, he hides that stuff well beneath some of the most amazing and harrowing chase and fight scenes I've read in a long time. I may be most impressed by the author's choices of cultures and races in this book. We have a fairly standard epic fantasy kingdom with castles and a sorcerer king, but Palmer opposes that to grassland plains folk strongly reminiscent of Native Americans - and in a very respectful and fascinating way. You want something that has all you want from Epic fantasy, but with a refreshing and exciting twist.

Fast, fresh and fearless, as exciting as it is intelligent. Check it out.

[Delta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great example of how good a debut novel can be. It's got a huge world with lots of history, conflicts that can survive generations, and enough plot twists to keep the average fantasy lover on their toes. The writing and dialogue was very well done and sounded natural. The world building was sparse, but didn't adversely affect the story line. I only have a few complaints. First, fantasy names don't need apostrophes or strange syllables to sound foreign; I spent way too long trying to figure out who was who. The book could have used a bit more explanation about the magicky stuff earlier; I had to use the tidbits to figure out what had already happened earlier in the story. Last, even when in a third-person perspective, we don't need to see a scene from every peripheral character; especially if that character is about to die.

Overall, a great fantasy novel that turns your expectations upside down.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

[J.R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's nice when something comes completely out of the blue like this, and it's also one of the great benefits of reviewing self-published fiction.

I received an e-mail from the author suggesting that if I was looking for something a little different that I should try his work. I took one look at the book in question and told him not to worry about sending me a copy, as I bought it on the strength of the synopsis and the quite unusual cover.

So I put my money where my mouth is on this one, how does it fare?

Ours Is the Storm is not a conventional fantasy, as the aforementioned synopsis informs us quite bluntly. It's a story of identity and misconceptions and that theme runs like a current through almost every interaction within.

Instead of a gentle easing into the work, the plot hits us with a torture sequence for its coming of age story. One that is important but briskly dealt with as if to tell the reader 'no, this isn't your typical story'. It then proceeds to the next fantasy trope: that of the overpowered protagonist wielding energies and dispatching his foes. It does away with that in similar fashion.

Then we get to our second protagonist of our tale: a member of the nomadic Huumphar tribe. These oddly-named denizens are a mixture of the Naavi from Avatar, the Klingons from Star Trek, the Fremen from Dune and the uncontacted tribal peoples of modern-day society. They kill all who come into contact with them and they possess magic, most importantly that of Sight. The ability to see into the future.

Ahi'rea, wild seeress of her dying tribe, determined to stamp out the power destroying them. Revik, wielder of enormous power that is destroying them.

In most modern fantasy this would result in their bitter argument and eventual reconcillation complete with love triangle. The book teases these things only to tell us to stop being so stupid. These are mortal enemies, not soap opera characters.

The major selling point of the story is not how everything Revik knows is a lie, but the extent to which this is true and how it unveils it chapter by chapter.

There are three things that Palmer has nailed on the head: plot, pacing and character development. Not only the lead characters are fleshed out but the secondary and even ancillary players have their own plots and relationships and role within the tale. The pacing cuts all possible bloat from the story and keeps things flowing in a brisk but not rushed manner.

The major plot is kept to the background as the minor character driven conflicts are played out to further it. Things are unfolded at the right pace and there's no sense that we're left waiting or wondering what's happening.

Ours Is the Storm is a modern book, and deftly avoids worn-out clichés whenever possible, with even that antagonist having a legitimacy to his dastardly ways in spite of his lack of moral ambiguity.

There were no typos that I spotted, and I'm glad that the author invested in proper editing as the end product is very professional.

So why only four stars? Two gripes, both major ones unfortunately.

The naming of the Huumphar was some of the worst I've seen in fantasy. It took me two thirds of the tale to get all of their names straight in my head, and I'd advise you to pay close attention early on to who is who to avoid this confusion.

Secondly, there wasn't enough exposition or world-building. The book sacrificed a lot of this detail for pacing, and I can only hope that the world that Palmer is creating will be expanded upon. Fifty more pages of dialogue detailing things wouldn't have derailed the strong plot and would have given us a better grasp on the world that these people were fighting for.

Aside from these issues, Ours Is the Storm is almost the perfect début and heralds the introduction of a bright new talent into the fantasy scene. I highly recommend it for anyone with an interest in the genre.

[Derpa · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at about a third of the way.

Some books just really kill my resolve to actually push through and this was that way. I wouldn't necessarily say it was a really bad book or that I feel nobody could like it, but honestly, it just hit so many of the things that kill a book for me.

First of all, the blurb ruins it all from the get go. We get told right away that Revik is wrong. Not just that, but when I started reading it was obvious that he was wrong. Hell, all people on his side are obviously written to be total assholes.
While at the same time everyone of the plainspeople are written as these wonderfully exotic, wise, deep, super mega warriors whose shit smells like roses.
I kind of dislike that, the way people living a simpler life are often portrayed as these wonderful people just by virtue of being "exotic". Isn't it a bit... I don't know, weird to just assume that if someone lives in a hut instead of a house and walks instead of using a horse they are magically morally superior and somehow better as people? (Also, if it would be so, why don't people who believe it move to a hut? Sounds super easy to me.)
I really dislike when a book pushes the idea that the richer and/or more developed people and societies are somehow just bad, while the poor and/or less developed are just full of wisdom because of reasons. We are all people. We all have the potential for both in us.

The other thing is how damn slow this was. The flow of it feels like cement, with way too much talk about random, unimportant things. The weird writing style in the parts dealing with the tribe people didn't help as well. This goes back to my previous point. Why, oh why are they written like a bunch of deep wisdom spewing weirdass monks without a proper human personality? They all sound full of pathos and just really stiff. Not dynamic at all, like they are made out of wood.

Revik's story is weird for a different reason. He gets saved and raised by man, not remembering anything from his childhood and family and all. He doesn't ask, though. He just accepts almost no information at all and then does whatever he is told. A kid would want to know things, not just do the things, then accept everything randomly told him when it was convenient to convince him about something.

All in all, I really didn't like this one. It's lifeless and slow, doesn't really feel like the characters are actual people and the sides are ridiculously perfect for their role in this good and bad fight.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I'm not rounding it up because it was so boring.

This was my assignation for the r/fantasy Blind Date with a Book event. I asked for something character-driven... This was anything but.

While the reviews talk about character development (none that I noticed), subverting fantasy tropes (none that I noticed), and twists (none whatsoever), all I saw was an extended military campaign.

The ebook was professionally edited, and the word choice was varied (a good thing), but the narration itself was very "tell-y."

If you like your warriors stoic and undergoing rapid shifts in purpose that conveniently allow them to keep doing what they were doing all along (AKA, fighting the other side because Reasons) and plots that are effectively one long fight scene, you might like this. I was clearly not the target audience.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

In our (predominantely) white, Western, ex-British world, we are still hung up on our colonial roots and a deep sense of shame and guilt - no one really talks of it in that way but it's there, nevertheless. Whether you're Canadian, Australian, American, Kiwi or from any of the other ex-British Empire colonies (with perhaps the exception of India; slightly different scenario), we weren't exactly welcomed with open arms, and we've yet to really apologise or make amends (because that would mean, as far as we're concerned, returning land, and we are very resistant to this). This post-colonial, anxiety-riddled, ideological hang-up comes out in our fiction, of course, and never more so than in Fantasy Fiction. Which is just one of the reasons why I love the genre.

While some authors take the Big Guns approach, in which the heroes of their fantasy worlds bring 'freedom', 'democracy' and 'capitalism' to the 'oppressed', the 'enemy' or the 'savages' (a la The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind), or forcibly unite the countries in order to defeat a greater enemy (American colonial history in a nutshell a la the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan) - and both push into the 'frontier' - others take the perspective of the 'indigenous' population being invaded, conquered and oppressed by another, arrogant force. Stories like Eric van Lustbaader's excellent Pearl Saga (which he's never finished and I fear, now, never will), for example, or any other Fantasy tale in which we side with the invaded rather than the invader, tells an interesting story of its own as we seek to empathise with our own indigenous populations, who we have and continue to oppress and denigrate.

Palmer's Ours is the Storm is a worthy entry into this body of ideologically-driven fantasy fiction, and unique enough to stand proud amongst them. It sets up fairly conventional expectations: the underdog hero with an epic purpose; the discovery of magic and a belief in its might and power; the Native-American-like plains people (Huumphar) who fight guerrilla style; the female hero of the Huumphar who, you think, will play the role of a great interracial love affair with the male hero; a great, perverted evil that corrupts and erodes those who wield it (always fun to pick what this trope is an analogy of: capitalism? colonialism? Depends what your views are...); and of course a might big showdown of power and ego in which our underdog hero much be triumphant. Like any genre, Fantasy has a formula - or several - but it is what authors inventively do with that formula that keeps us reading.

The boy has lived so long in complete darkness, in a stone cell somewhere, nowhere; he hasn't spoken to anyone in he doesn't know long, he has now lost his memories. He doesn't know who he is, who his parents are, what they looked like or how their voices sounded. He doesn't know where he's from or where he is now. This has become his life, his present, past and future.

Until, one day, an opening appears in the ceiling: a hatch has been opened, and a voice reaches down to him. The voice, the man, promises to release him, sounds outraged at his condition, and passes him a knife: the first of many tests. The boy, freed, learns that he is Revik Lasivar, son of a great man, a powerful leader in uniting Feriven, this land, under one strong leader: Halkoriv, the man who has freed him.

Halkoriv styles himself a king, and has lived for far longer than a normal human life span. He wields a magical force, a power that dominates and turns his servants into obedient mindless drones. Halkoriv is cunning, but at first seems merely fatherly to Revik. Revik, a poor starved boy driven nearly mad by being held captive in the dark of Cunabrel's fortress for so long. With no memories of his parents he latches onto Halkoriv and strives to please him - and to honour his father's legacy. Established as Halkoriv's heir, after years of training Revik is sent out on his final test: to lead an army to Cunabrel's door and defeat this nobleman who dares to separate himself from Halkoriv, and destroy the dream of a united Feriven in the process.

To get to Cunabrel's lands, Revik must pass through the plains: Huumphar land. He comes up with a brilliant strategy that changes the balance of power in the grasslands, and in the process of defeating Cunabrel, Revik comes into his own power. Seemingly invincible, he rides down a party of Huumphar on his own, but meets his match in the seeress Ahi'rea, who, with her Sight, can See that it is not a real magic Revik wields, but that he is being ridden by a monster that will devour him. The clash of swords and magic will have a devastating result for Revik, as he learns that everything he believed in was a lie. So who is Revik Lasivar?

This is just the beginning, really, and the deceptions and lies are handled with a magician's sleight-of-hand, a dexterity and skill that will surely surprise you. You think you've got it worked out, you think you understand more than poor Revik: that Halkoriv arranged for him to spend tortuous years in a dungeon cell so that he could pretend to save him; that Halkoriv set Cunabrel up to take the blame for it; that Revik is an ally to the Huumphar, by birthright, but this knowledge has been stolen from him; and so on. Who is Revik is a question that runs through the whole novel, and this theme of identity is pivotal to the plot. The turns in the plot are delicious, and one of the book's greatest strengths.

Ours is the Storm is well-written, visually arresting and fast-paced; the Huumphar are easily established, building upon our contextual knowledge of indigenous populations, specifically Native Americans. As an analogy for American colonialism and frontier-expansion, Ours is the Storm isn't particularly subtle, and by extension does seem to say the British Empire was rotten to the core, amongst other things. The one thing I would have liked more of was characterisation. Revik was well drawn, believable and oddly charismatic. In contrast, I never quite understood the key Huumphar characters, who are pivotal, such as Ahi'rea (not sure how to pronounce that either!). She was never fully fleshed out, so, while she was a strong character with whom you could place great faith, a believable character, I didn't get to know her as a woman or a Huumphar.

Alongside this theme of colonial invasion is the one of peace versus war, and the idea that the Feriven army is almost possessed by a hatred of the Huumphar - whom they dehumanise and fear - and an unnatural drive to fight. What it brings to mind, of course, is that our natural state of co-existence is one of harmony and peace, not bloodshed, and that, given a real choice, people would rather live peacefully and cooperatively than in terror. Thus, the thirst for blood, for whatever ideological reason, is largely manufactured. I can't help but think of the bloodlust and push for revenge that occurred in the mainstream media after 9/11, the repercussions of which are still being felt by many. Peace begins to seem like a fanciful dream, and Ours is the Storm posits the idea that you have to tackle the rotten core at the heart of it to finally find rest from the hatred and endless fighting. And, hopefully, to be happy with what you've got, appreciate differences rather than fear them, and respect others' right to live freely.

My thanks to the author for a copy of this book.

[Alex Denby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good exploration on the themes of manipulation and believing you're acting for good.

[John Mccormick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Librarything to read and honestly review.
This book gripped me from first to last page, well written descriptive and imaginative with lots of intrigue and excellent characterization. So why not five stars spoiled slightly by the difficulty of getting my head and tongue around some of the names. Why?

[ReadBecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having jumped into this directly from Poppy War was pretty perfect, as without knowing going in this is very focused on two sides of a war, so I was right in the groove for reading that. We have one side who are what we would view as more technologically advanced, fighting with swords and lances, a mix of cavalry. On the other hand we have the plainsfolk, scattered tribes using guerrilla tactics, fighting with machetes and spears. However, the plainsfolk also have shamanistic Seers, which helps them in their fight, the Seers have of course foretold the return of a great son, who will lead to victory, as always prophecies are shifty things. Meanwhile, we learn right from the start that Revik Lasivar was kidnapped as a child, and has been raised by his enemy to fight, now he stands prepared to lead the enemy against his own people.

This manages to pack a full military epic into a rather short standalone, it was just about the ideal package for someone like myself who isn't a huge epic fantasy reader. The use of some tropes was done in interesting and fresh ways, as was the setting. There were even a couple major twists I didn't see coming. Also, while I liked all the main characters quite a bit, Tak'la was the real MVP, man did I get emotionally invested in his journey.


#24in48

[canadian320tml · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. I found the story captivating and I felt very invested in the fates of the characters. I hope to read more about the characters and world developed in this book! Great book!!

[N.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Ours is the Storm tells the story of the Huumphar, the people of the plains, and their struggle against King Halkoriv. They longed for the appearance of their saviour, the one to fight with them against the corrupt and evil king. Revik longed for vengeance on the man who held him prisoner. In time, the fates of all peoples wound together in one final battle that would put an end to an ancient and hungry power. For theirs was the Storm.

I often have a hard time really getting into fantasy like Ours is the Storm. Worlds tend to be detailed in a way that is overwhelming for the reader with too many additions to the plot that really add nothing. Thankfully, this is not the case with Palmer’s writing. The world and people are introduced slowly and organically. It’s honestly a very good example of showing, not telling (as much as I hate that phrase). The focus shifted between chapters well, and rather than keep the reader waiting for chapters and chapters, things were planned in a way that we could keep up with what was happening off stage. The first few chapters I did find flipped a bit too much within the chapter itself, but that sorted itself out after chapter four or five.

While the world itself was well built, it was still a little difficult for me to picture the kingdom. Despite some mentions of time passing, it was difficult to get a sense of how far people travelled. That could be simply my lacking, rather than the fault of Palmer. What I did really rather enjoy, were the simple twists and turns I was taken on, the bait and switches, and the inclusion of a strong female character. Yes, she was still seen as a romantic goal, but she was strong because that’s who she was. Not because Palmer needed to add a strong female to check off a list, as I have seen many authors do. Her strength fulfilled a purpose. In fact, every character seemed to have a purpose.

I think perhaps my favourite part of the novel was that we think we know the main players, the important people, but really they were the side characters in someone else’s story. Had the entire novel been from the saviour’s point of view, I think it would have been far less entertaining. I’ve read that story before. I haven’t read this one (unless you include Lord of the Rings. It was all Aragorn’s story, after all but I digress).

If you’re a fan of medium-high fantasy with a well-planned world, Ours is the Storm is the book for you. It has a beautiful ending that leaves it open for more, but can sit well as is. I also suggest this novel to those who need a little encouragement finding the strength within yourself to follow your destiny.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a signed copy through the SPFBO giveaway and am I ever glad I did. This one will be read again.

I really enjoyed this one. Intriguing characters and a gripping story. I hope to read more from Palmer soon.

[Anyanka · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first few chapters of this book really grabbed my attention, and reminded me of Ursula K. Le Guin’s writing style and worlds. The characters were intriguing and well-developed, and the story well-paced.

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Flawed, yet entertaining story. Remarkably polished compared to myriad other self-published titles.

In many ways this is a book-long warring conflict after the establishing chapters are set, revolving around the civilized kingdom attempting to wipe out the simple plainsfolk resistance and unite the realm in peace. Of course, the motives aren't that simple.

While there are plenty of battles, the focus is more on the characters. Most of the perspectives are fairly interesting. We see the conflict from all sides, with a clear good vs. evil theme at the top and colonial vs. indigenous motif the rest of the way down.

The plot could have used some refinement in specific areas. I found the culmination of events short-lived and lackluster, even though it concluded sensibly enough. A longer struggle and more detailed epilogue would have been appreciated. There was a lot of buildup for a hasty finale.

Pretty good story, pretty good characters, and pretty good writing. It held my attention to the end.

[Vorgex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my, such an amazing story.
The story is strong and emotional, the magic is interesting, the world is beautifully built, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Short (we don't always need 900+ pages to tell a story), easy to read (but beautifully written), and just incredible!
I won this book, but I would pay for it ten times over.
Good job, Palmer! I'm looking forward to reading your other works.

[Jennifer (bunnyreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve had this on my to-read list for about a year. The title caught my attention, and the summary is one of the best I’ve read in a long time. Even now after having read the book it makes me want to read it again.

I thought the book was pretty solid, other than a few minor things- like the names were a little hard to keep straight, until I mentally shortened a lot of them up to the first apostrophe, and it could have used a little more world building at times.

The pacing was great- it moved at a good speed- even during times when there wasn’t a huge amount happening. I loved the characters… all of them. I’m actually a little mad about the death of one of them.
I liked how the possible romance played out, especially in the fact that it wasn’t some clichéd thing that railroaded the plot off course.

What really helped earn this story it’s fifth star for me though, among the other things I’ve mentioned, was how many times I was surprised when I suspected things were heading to the “oh this is the trope where this happens", then it would veer off and wasn’t that at all.

I thought this was a great debut novel. I enjoyed it so much, thought about it during the day when I wasn’t reading it and even tried to slow down my reading a bit so it would last longer.

I will definitely be keeping my eyes and ears open for more from this author.

[Aldun · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Ours is the Storm' attempts a lot of interesting things but has problems with the execution.

The start of the plot is delayed by a redundant two-page prologue that expects you to remember six Fantasy names with little context. It kicks in fast enough after that, though. Amnesia is used as a device to start the plot which may cause some eye-rolling. However, there is an attempt to put a twist on the amnesia formula which is one of the many valiant attempts the book makes.

Sadly, the exposition is very blunt, encouraged by the amnesia. The reader is told almost everything about the characters, their motivation, and the world in the form of remember-this-dialogue. While this may be a convenient way to pull off the deception of the main character, it also cripples the book. The protagonist starts out with very little personality and it's hard to be interested in his fate when his sudden badassery kicks in. Up to this point, he has just been a blank slate to be filled by exposition dialogue and has no memorable traits.

If you are looking for stories that revolve around manipulation and deception of the protagonist and perhaps the reader, you may have a good time with 'Ours is the Storm'.

This review is a first impression based on the first hour of reading. For other first impressions of indie and self-published Fantasy check out: http://firsthourfantasy.blogspot.de/

[David Ketelsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book free from GoodReads.

Ours is the Storm is a fantasy novel by D. Thourson Palmer that might presage a shift in the fantasy genre. Palmer writes with maturity and authority and this novel feels more like a history than a fantasy. It's missing that tongue-in-cheek quality that many fantasy authors have which gives Ours is the Storm an emotional intensity that is impressive to experience. Palmer, if he continues to write fantasy novels, could well be one of those rare authors who redefine a genre.

In Ours is the Storm three characters from different lands though originally from the same people vie with one another to redefine their society through violence and a smattering of magic. This is a heady mix of action, intrigue and a diabolical plot 20 years in the making with the fate of a people held in the balance. More volumes in this world that would flesh out the Cheduna, Gharven and especially Huumphar peoples would be most welcome. This is an excellent book that leaves you wanting to know more, a lot more, about the world that Palmer has created.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

To make it short, I liked this book a lot. "Revik"/Azra was an intriguing character--I liked the choices that he made but I can't help but want to see and explore his other potentials--what he could've been if Sitis made home in his body. I mean, I know that that sounds wrong, and that technically, it wouldn't him anymore, but still.

I didn't see the plot twist coming though! I mean, I was practically cheering for him during his battles. The fact that he isn't who he thought he was was kind of devastating. I even come up with the theory that the real Revik was Draden. But it turns out that the real one was some Achilles like copycat from his childhood.

Overall, this book was just brilliant. It's intriguing, and I want to see more and read more about this world. It's premise is just fantastic, so hopefully, maybe there'd be another book to come out that happens in the same world.


That's all for now.

[Yriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book free from a GoodReads' giveaway.

Amazing debut fantasy novel full of magic, mighty warriors, lots of action and great stories, I really enjoyed it until the end. The characters are solid, their dialogues and thoughts are well written, so it's easy to understand their feelings and their connection in the story. There are nice and unexpected plot twists for a debut novel, a great surprise that kept me very interested.

I wanted to read more about the magic system (the good side and the evil side) and the Huumphar and the other clans' cultures. A little bit more detailed character's appearance and wordlbuilding (or a map) would make easier to set the reader in the developing of the events, since the characters travel a lot and there are stories happening in different places at the same time.
Despite that, it's a great novel and would love to read it again in spanish :)

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

The set-up, twists, and constant subversion of cliches kept me on my toes. Which is obviously great. But characters other than Revik could have used more fleshing out. I didn't understand the motivations of any of the Huumphar (except maybe Ahi'rea's father, but only vaguely toward the very end) or the heroes at the end. I didn't understand why they were so steadfast in their culture even though everybody was clearly unhappy with it. It seemed like the author had his allegory so strong in his sights that he didn't have the resources to develop his characters more.

[Aly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. I loved the character of Revik. The author had me from the beginning all the way until the end. This for me was a different type of sci-fi/fantasy! It was great! I would recommend it to everyone! * I received the author in exchange for an honest review*

[DE · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to people who are looking for something fast paced.

[Jason Faris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read by a new author I hope to read more from. I really fun world for fully developed characters to play in.

[Brenda Schneider · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Captivating story of fantasy worlds, full of interesting characters and their exciting adventures. Really enjoyed this book. I received this book through GoodReads for a honest review.

[Pratik Amin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book overall, it went in a different direction than I anticipated and there are definitely some twists and turns in the plot.

[Silvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating 3.5 stars.

Find this review & more @ bookishsilvertongue

I received a free review copy from NetGalley, in exchange for a honest review

The Huumphar are being wiped out. It's the strongest, most-through-out attack their people has ever witnessed. And it's led by the man they expected to be their closest ally.
King Halkoriv raised young Revik Lasivar after his parents were brutally murdered. He gave the boy everything: power, education, social status, a new purpose. To avenge his family and pursue his father's dream: a united kingdom, free from rebellious northeners and nomadic plainsfolk. But the Huumphar tell another tale...

Although it took me a while to get into it, I really enjoyed this book in the end. The story and characters really gripped me, and would have earned this a 4 star rating. Unfortunately, the writing was not always up to par.

It's hard to talk about the plot without spoiling something, because there really are a load of twists. I was very glad that, despite my almost encyclopedic knowledge of fantasy tropes, I couldn't guess most of them (I could see where they were coming from, but almost never guessed exactly what was going to happen). I'd also like to praise the author because this had so many chances to become white-saviour-ish crap, but it didn't. He kept it respectful, and original.
The novel is also a perfect example of "realistic" fantasy, even cynical to an extent, that doesn't rely so heavily on gruesome gritty violence.

I came to care deeply for most of the cast. Despite the convoluted plot, Ours is the storm was very much character-driven. Even secondary characters were lively and had their part in the novel, but didn't create any glaring pacing issues.
My only gripe with characterization is that the male main character "inner strenght" is being in love/admiration for another. Not only it's overdone, it's also lazy writing: too often authors use "love!!!" instead of building proper character development.

I didn't care at all for the worldbuilding, the setting felt flat and generic most of the times. The only culture we're shown are the Huumphar, the other peoples are bland and never really described.
The magic system was also pretty up in the air, which is a pity because I think it could have given a character a far more interesting reason for being important in the war.

The writing was not terrible, but it showed this was a debut novel. The handling of points of view was especially jarring. There were often abrupt switches, or a few sentences from the pov of a character right in the middle of a long sequence narrated by another... it made reading hard. The first half of the novel already didn't interest me much, and these pov mistakes were much more frequent, I almost dropped the novel.
Hang in there, it's worth finishing!

[Martha · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!)

Sometimes a book isn't bad, it just doesn't "click" for me. I think that was the problem with this book. It had a really interesting premise and I honestly picked it up for the cover/title as much as anything. It's a book that could have been really great with some editing tweaks, I think, but personally I felt like the whole thing was a little dry and dull. Events kind of plodded along instead of unfolding and nothing ever felt surprising. I never really felt invested in any of the characters.

I ended up DNFing partway in because it just didn't hold my interest; I've really struggled to stay interested in books lately so this could be more of a fault on my part than anything wrong with the book. Also, it seems like there are lots of other good reviews for this book on Goodreads, so maybe this is just me. As I said, sometimes a book just doesn't "click" personally, but it might be great for someone else! I do think this is a book that requires some patience since it unfolds so slowly, so just be aware going in that you're not going to get flashy action sequences or anything like that.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

The pieces are all there, but the thing that makes a great book hang together, that makes you care about the characters and what will happen, is missing.

That said, if you enjoy very detailed, turn-by-turn combat you might get more out of this book as there's quite a lot of that.

[Bryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF.

I had to set this one down. I'm going to come back to it at some point, and I thought it was good, I just didn't latch on it to it like I wanted to.