We Ride the Storm by Devin Madson

In the midst of a burgeoning war, a warrior, an assassin, and a princess chase their own ambitions — no matter the cost — in Devin Madson’s visceral, emotionally charged debut fantasy novel.
War built the Kisian Empire. War will tear it down.
Seventeen years after rebels stormed the streets, factions divide Kisia. Only the firm hand of the god-emperor holds the empire together. But when a shocking betrayal destroys a tense alliance with neighboring Chiltae, all that has been won comes crashing down.
In Kisia, Princess Miko Ts’ai is a prisoner in her own castle. She dreams of claiming her empire, but the path to power could rip it, and her family, asunder.
In Chiltae, assassin Cassandra Marius is plagued by the voices of the dead. Desperate, she accepts a contract that promises to reward her with a cure if she helps an empire fall.
And on the border between nations, Captain Rah e’Torin and his warriors are exiles forced to fight in a foreign war or die.
As an empire dies, three warriors will rise. They will have to ride the storm or drown in its blood.
The Reborn EmpireWe Ride the Storm (taken from Amazon)

Thank you to Orbit Books and Angela Man for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This book will be available for purchase on June 23rd.

The plot twists in this book has plot twists! Full of cut-throat characters, intrigues aplenty, and many a gory scene, We Ride the Storm is an excellent fantasy, one that deserves to be mentioned among the ‘greats’ of the genre.

The world-building was excellent. Each character was so different and the multiple perspectives allowed for a rich tapestry of setting development. While told from the points of view of the three main characters, each character is told in the first person. That would normally have the potential to be confusing. However, each character was so unique that it was easy to follow.

I loved how each character and every sub-plot managed to coalesce into one story. My favorite character was Rah. He was the leader of a nomadic tribe with a cause. His feelings of injustice and his refusal to just lay down and take the easy road endeared me to him. All of the characters are amazing, though.

This book will not be for everyone. It is a bit on the brutal side. But the story-telling is incredible and the story Devin Madson has woven is engrossing. I highly recommend this to fantasy lovers who don’t mind a little gore.