To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions in the comment section or in your own blog then link it from the comments.
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?
I look forward to seeing your answers below!
What are you currently reading?
Stormlord Rising, by Glenda Larke. This is the second book in the Stormlord series and seems to be moving at a slightly slower, but more reasonable slower pace, than the first book. This one, I believe, will move at the same pace as the last book, which I've completed, and will explain some of the other things missing from reading the third book first.
It is nice to see the development of the characters, especially Terelle and Jasper, as they grow up and learn from the folks around them. And it's a bit disturbing to see just how depraved both Laisa, Taquar and Senya are. In the third book, it is mentioned repeatedly that Senya is missing a morality compass, or something along those lines - and I have to agree. Besides being a spoiled brat, she has no concept of right or wrong, good or bad - it's what she wants that matters, nothing more.
I am currently only 100 or so pages into this book on my nook.
What did you recently finish reading?
The Last Stormlord, by Glenda Larke. This is the first book in the Stormlord trilogy and unfortunately was read out of order of the books, so I know how things will end up due to references in the last book. As previously mentioned in another blog post, I started the Stormlord Trilogy with the third book on accident. I picked it up at a store, not having seen a note that it was the last in the Trilogy and read it, enjoying it. And in all honesty, book 3 can stand alone without knowing the backstory as the story can be pieced together from the third book alone. That being said, this first book can't stand alone. There are too many loose ends in it and it definitely has a cliffhanger to take you on to the second book.
That being said, The Last Stormlord introduces you to a harsh world where water makes it to the desert cities with the magical command of men and women who can shift water, create clouds, make it rain where it needs to - unfortunately, the last Stormlord is dying and all the other people who can manipulate water with their power are too weak to control storms and make them go where they are needed. It causes strife in the cities and dune tribes to rebel because they can't get enough water. It also makes the Stormlord send out folks to look for a future water sensitive that could become a stormlord - they find one in what turns into the series protagonist - Shale Flint.
The book covers a number of years in a short amount of time - the book is only 675 pages long and ends up seeming rushed at the end to get to the next book in the series. Despite it being rushed, the backstory needed to be told and I don't really think the details were as necessary as the story. And as I read Book 2, more of the backstory fills in the blanks left in Book 1.
What do you think you'll read next?
Master of the Dance by T.C. Southwell, book five in The Queen's Blade Series. I've already read the first four books, just hadn't bought this one till my last trip to Seattle, now I have it and a few others to read and catch up on when I have time. I still need to pick up the rest of the Slave Empire series, which is more sci-fi than fantasy, but was just as an enjoyable read.
You can learn more about the Stormlord Series here: http://www.sfsite.com/03b/sl364.htm
