Son of the Storm by: Suyi Davies Okungbowa
Release Date: May 11th, 2021
Publisher: Orbit Books
Genre: Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 545
Cover Artist: Dan dos Santos
On-page Representation
- African/Black
- Albinism
- Disability
- Nonbinary
- Pan/polysexual
Trigger and Content Warnings
- Ageism
- Bones
- Colourism/discrimination
- Emotionally manipulative relationship
- Fire
- Misogyny
- Pain
- Pregnancy and miscarriage/abortion
- Violence, blood and murder
Synopsis
A young scholar’s ambition threatens to reshape an empire determined to retain its might in this epic tale of violent conquest, buried histories, and forbidden magic.
In the thriving city of Bassa, Danso is a clever but disillusioned scholar who longs for a life beyond the rigid family and political obligations expected of the city’s elite. A way out presents itself when Lilong, a skin-changing warrior, shows up wounded in his barn. She comes from the Nameless Islands–which, according to Bassa lore, don’t exist–and neither should the mythical magic of ibor she wields. Now swept into a conspiracy far beyond his understanding, Danso will have to set out on a journey that reveals histories violently suppressed and magic only found in lore.
Review
Thank you immensely to Caffeine Book Tours, author Suyi Davies Okungbowa, and Orbit Books for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Son of the Storm is yet another homerun from Orbit Books. I am truly never disappointed by the story, the characters, or the world we are presented. The author manages to pull you into the story within the first chapter. Fantastically written and captivating this story had me flipping pages quicker than my fingers could manage. We are introduced to a character who is being hunted for an unknown reason, buttt we have to wait if we want to find out exactly who this is because the story immediately jumps to Danso, whom I love very much. Danso was not my favorite during the opening acts of this book, but he grew on me very quickly in a short amount of time and I found myself eagerly awaiting his chapters in the book. He is your typical MC that wants something different in life, but he is also so much more than that.
The magic system in this book is very familiar and unique at the same time. One thing this novel does well is introducing us to this magic system and the use of Ibor. As this system is introduced to readers it is also being introduced to the characters and I felt that this brought me closer to them. I truly felt like I was on this journey of discovery with them.
Political intrigue makes up a portion of this book as well and I loved being able to see another character, Esheme, develop into someone I never thought she would turn out to be from her opening scene. I will say that the signs were there that gave us a hint to her true nature, but nothing obvious. The direction that Davies Okungbowa took this character definitely added a depth to this story that I didn’t know I needed.
All in all, this book will now sit on my favorite fantasy pedestal along with The Rage of Dragons and The Unbroken.
Caffeine Book Tours Schedule: Son of the Storm
Meet the Author
Suyi Davies Okungbowa is a Nigerian author of speculative fiction inspired by his West-African origins. He is the author of David Mogo, Godhunter and his shorter works have appeared in Lightspeed, Nightmare, Strange Horizons and other periodicals and anthologies. He lives between Lagos, Nigeria and Tucson, Arizona where he teaches writing while completing his MFA in Creative Writing. He tweets at @IAmSuyiDavies and is @suyidavies everywhere else.
Meet the Cover Artist
Well known for his colorful oil paintings, most often depicting strong women, Dan dos Santos’ work spans a variety of genres, including comics, film and video games, but is best known for his book cover work.
He has worked for clients such as Disney, Universal Studios, Activision, Scholastic Books, The Greenwich Workshop, Penguin Books, Random House, UpperDeck, Wizards of the Coast, DC Comics, and many, many more.
Dan has been the recipient of many awards. He is a ‘Rhodes Family Scholarship’ winner, a five time ‘Hugo Award’ Nominee for Best Artist, Jack Gauhan Award Winner, Chesley Award Winner, and has received both Gold and Silver Medals from ‘Spectrum: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art’.
His illustrations have graced the #1 spot on the New York Times Best Seller list numerous times, and his covers can seen in bookstores in dozens of countries around the world.
Simply put, Dan dos Santos is one the most recognized artists in his field. With hundreds of book covers to his credit, his vision has helped shape what the Fantasy market is today.
Check out my other blog posts here!
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