Genre: Epic
Fantasy
Description:
“The cruel and ruthless Chorkan, servants of the Dark God, have one
obstacle in their path to conquest: a young noble in the Kingdom of Kier,
Prince Kaden. Pursued by enemies and friends alike, while under a death
sentence for a crime he didn't commit, Kaden seeks sanctuary with his old
weapons master. He must find a missing princess, save his family, prevent a war
and protect his kingdom, all while avoiding the executioner’s block.”
Author:
“Susan (Stuckey) has retired from the ‘rat race’ and currently writes
stories she would want to read. She has mainly written fantasy, but dabbles in
other genres also.
Always an avid reader, she wrote her first fantasy story on an Apple
2E – and lost it when the computer died. She resumed her affair with writing
when the ‘nest’ emptied and has continued writing (off and on–usually off)
until the present day.”
You can learn more about Ms. Stuckey at her website or follow her onFacebook.
Appraisal:
This is another excellent novella in The Tales of Aldura filled with drama, conspiracy, treachery, and
mystery. Ranger Captain Kaden receives an unsigned warning message that
declares him a traitor to be taken prisoner on sight and executed for murdering
the Klatinan delegation. Not knowing who he can trust Kaden sneaks out of the
Ranger Compound and heads to Stormmir to clear his name. As a fugitive he could
do little to prove his innocence alone. He hesitates to involve his father,
King Baelon of Keir, and brother, the Hereditary Prince, for fear his troubles
would smear their name. Not knowing who to trust he turns to a retired Castle
arms master and distant relative, Bralif, who does offer him a safe haven in a
secret underground room leading to a web of tunnels under the town.
Gwaleth, a power hungry mage, seems to be the mastermind behind this
conspiracy with secrets of his own. However, he has a partner who wants to be
declared King of Keir and he is willing to kill the whole Baelon family to
succeed. Kaden is hard pressed to find allies until he stumbles across a
stranger wearing a green cloak while he is trying to elude the Kings soldiers.
Kaden has little choice but to accept the man’s help.
The plot is fast moving, tense, and full of suspense as Kaden tries to
unravel the secrets and mysteries of the conspiracy surrounding him. You’ll
find double-crossing around several turns, powerful allies you didn’t expect,
swordfights, and magic. There were also a couple of rare Stormhawks that were a
pretty cool addition!
FYI:
I would recommend reading Battle
of Stryker Pass and On Treason’s
Trail before reading Stormhawk's
Warning. As far as the shorter stories, they will give you a feel for some
more of the history of the land and its people.
Added for
Reprise Review: Stormhawk's Warning by Susan Stuckey was the winner
in the Fantasy category for B&P 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. Original
review ran February 10, 2015
Format/Typo
Issues:
No issues with proofing or formatting.
Rating:
***** Five Stars
Reviewed
by: ?wazithinkin
Approximate
word count: 20-25,000 words
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