There is a reason the Feist is a king of this genre and this book is another gem in his crown. Great book 2. Need book three

This is a fantastic second book in the Firemane Saga. There is everything you want and need in an epic fantasy book - non-stop action, betrayals, twists and turns, new alliances, intense fighting, horrific devastation, high-sea drama, and much, much more.

We begin in Beran's Hill. Hatu and Hava bought Gwen's father's inn and are rebuilding it. They become friends with Declan and Gwen and have settled into life in the quiet town. But, because this is an epic fantasy, it doesn't stay quiet for long. Different groups of mysterious strangers arrive and it's clear they are dangerous men up to no good. Hava and Hatu discover that two men are looking for Hatu and decide to send a message to their masters in the Kingdom of Night.

Before we know it trouble comes to Beran's Hill and many lives are upended. The characters are scattered and the remainder of the book finds several of them on separate paths. New characters are introduced as more of the plot comes into focus, but for every question answered, even more arise. I really like the new character of Molly Bowman. We were introduced to her in the last book, but she wasn't as prevalent as she is in this one. Molly adds a bit of wit and heart to the story, and becomes a good and trusted friend to Hava. Hava has never had a female friend, and it's nice to see their friendship develop.

I really enjoyed how twisty the plot is getting. You can't get too comfortable with what you think is going on because before you know it, the author throws another wrench in the works. The scale of the story is getting massive, but have no fear, it's still easy to follow along. In the grand scheme of things, the number of characters to keep track of is manageable. Each chapter alternates its focus on a different character so you know what is happening with multiple characters simultaneously. This is pretty cruel of the author because I couldn't put the book down without finding out what happened next and before I knew it, hours had passed.

This book does not suffer from "second book syndrome" where the story plods along and is basically filler. The action starts right out of the gate and doesn't let up until the exciting cliffhanger. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and Harper Voyager in exchange for an honest review.

For those who read the masterpiece that is King of Ashes when it first released (or have simply forgotten parts of the in depth plot like me), at its conclusion, there were four main people in play. First off there is Hatu, sicari trained teenager and heir to the Firemane throne – he is obnoxious and stoic but also just a little confused at all times. Heading along for the journey is Hava, the teenage beauty and sicari-trained childhood friend of Hatu as an added bonus she has undergone training with the Powdered Women so as to be the deadliest beauty that ever did roam the land of Garn. Next up is Declan, master blacksmith/swordsmith who has lost his home but gained an apprentice and a forge. Last of the major important players is Baron Dumarch, conspirator to the salvation of the Firemane line and all around good guy when it comes to treating his citizens with the respect they deserve. Add to this the shock return of Donte and the various persons from the Order of the Flame and the ending of King of Ashes has all the pieces in place to make Queen of Storms a fantasy epic for the ages.

In Queen of Storms, Declan and Hatu are both comfortable in their surroundings, protected by the Baron and his younger brother Balvern. Declan has his forge and wife to go home to, while Hatu and Hava are attempting to make their stamp on the world by rebuilding Gwen’s fathers Inn after its tragic demise. Although it progresses as expected, the reader begins to gain a better understanding into just how our protagonists view and interact with the world around them. As each slowly begins to realise just how important they are going to be should war recommence in Garn, for the most part everyone is just attempting to get on with life. I found the interactions between most of the characters in the beginning to really scratch the itch that is Feist’s signature blend of story-telling and world building. While everyone is keeping secrets and continuing on with life, one can gain a real insight into just how tough it would be to live in the countryside and attempt to seek a living. But everyone knows it would not truly be a Feist novel until tragedy hits and everything falls apart.

If you have ever read anything from this master storyteller, you will know that tragedy and conflict if where Feist really shines. When the inevitable happens and everyone’s peaceful existence begins to crumble around them, each characters' story progresses in such a way as to be logical but exciting, nonetheless. Whether it be fighting for their home, sneaking through a crumbling city, or riding across the lush countryside, every part of the journey is meticulously planned so as to keep the audience engaged. Returning to previous destinations could have potentially felt stale but with the twists and turns of the plot and the eventual demise of certain factions, the whole thing still felt very fresh and new.

There is also inclusion of new destinations for as we all know, Feist novels seem to have endless locales in which to tell their story. Leaving the mainland, there is the discovery of lands afar known as the Border Ports, a sort of segregating archipelago of islands from which no person of Tembria has ever returned. On these islands, one feels as though they are far from any civilisation, much the same as the introduction of Coaltachin in King of Ashes – although their distance is not particularly far, their people are a special breed all of their own.

While the Sicari took the forefront in the series first instalment and are occasionally referenced throughout Queen, an all-new breed of evil is introduced so as to give the reader a sense that what they thought were the Big Bad are actually small potatoes in terms of the world of Garn as a whole. Upon the introduction of the Azhante, an order of warrior similar to the Sicari, one comes to question just what may be happening. However, until the final pages, it is almost impossible to discern their involvement in the current world order. I found this super refreshing to read as they are well mentioned but for the most part, the order is steeped in mysticism. I also loved that the Sisters of the Deep made a small but seemingly influential return, constantly lurking in the background but leaving the reader to question their true motivation.

Now, if you are after a novel that is fast paced, this is not it. Due to the convoluted nature of the beast that is Queen of Storms, it feels very long despite only being around 550 pages. It is a very long read but feels extremely expansive once you look back on its events. While you are reading it, however, beware of becoming distracted – I found myself having to go back because those seemingly pointless portions of drawn out happening turn into extremely important plot lines.

Overall, if you are a fan of Feist, I feel that you will love him more so now that Queen of Storms is releasing. I would warn you though, if you got angry at the cliffhanger that was King of Ashes, you shall feel no resolution by the end of QoS. The narrative as a whole was well paced but definitely had a few issues, mostly during the first portion when everyone is happy and there is no conflict (who needs happiness right?). The introduction of new characters and locales keeps the story feeling fresh, while the expansion on known characters gives the audience a greater insight into the inner workings of the main protagonists. Also, be aware that unlike KoA, multiple characters may have points of view within the same chapter – most of the time it is easy to pick these transitions and therefore keep track of where everyone is a whole.

Great Story, good plot, great backstory. Story jumps around through different characters points of view, but is is well structured and easy to follow. Was hard to put down as you want to stay with the characters and see when the next section is going to lead. Like that it has some twist and turns that keep you guessing as to where things are going next. Cannot wait for the next installment.

Queen of Storms was another good book from Raymond E. Feist and it continued the story from King of Ashes with some surprising developments. Did not think they they story go in this direction seeing some characters killed and such disasters happen. The unknown enemies are making their moves and will be known from now. How will others come together face this threat is something that will be interesting to see. Hatu and Hava seem to be headed toward new challenges as well. I like Declan and hope to see him stay alive and stay a part of this story to the end. I wouldn't have minded it if they had just put these King of Ashes and Queen of Storms together as one book. The whole story from these two books would have worked better I think in one book. Well now having read this one now will have to eagerly await the next in the series.

This book was fantastic! I read this one before reading book 1 (King of Ashes) and HAD to go back and read book 1. I enjoyed the pacing of the story as well as the writing style. For me, enjoying the writing style is half of the enjoyment! I can't continue reading if the writing isn't engaging. I loved the mystery and the character development and thought about this even when I wasn't reading it. I wanted to finish what I was doing quickly to get back to this story!
Read it!

The second novel in the “Firemane Trilogy” picks up with most of our four main point-of-view characters from book one, “The King of Ashes”, in pretty comfortable places. Of course, the serenity can’t last, not with those that are behind the grand betrayal depicted in that first book still out there. A major horrific event occurs early on and separates the main characters, leading them to grow in their own right, but all driven to recover what they had and reconnect with each other. Hatu is still the last remaining member of the ruling family of Ithrace – the legendary Firemanes, that needs to remain in obscurity or risk assassination, but it is his wife, Hava that gets the bulk of the cool storylines this time out.

This novel is traditional epic fantasy. By that, I mean that unlike much of today’s “gritty” fantasy, the heroes face tough situations and decisions and make their way through them much like a true hero would. They may make mistakes, but their motivations are good. You will not find F-bombs in this book nor anti-heroes as main characters. There is some hefty tragedy in this second book, turning the main storylines on their head and destroying the characters’ best-laid plans.

Raymond Feist is, of course, well known for his lengthy Riftwar Cycle involving many inter-related trilogies, duologies, etc. and totaling nearly 30 books. He tells his stories through his characters and this book continues that tradition. The world building was well done in the first novel but is greatly enhanced this time around as the characters are thrust into new regions and must learn new skills and social dynamics in order to cope and progress toward their futures. The prose is very down-to-earth and easily readable (once again, not like so many of today’s gritty fantasy that tries to be “literary” at the expense of good old fashioned story-telling).

All in all, this is a solid second novel in “The Firemane Saga” and serves well to set up a great finish in the third book. However, this world is sufficiently complex and interesting to allow for another one or two…or five trilogies to come, much as Feist did in his lengthy Riftwar series.

Queen of Storms is the anticipated sequel to King of Ashes which I thoroughly enjoyed last year. It's a great book. More of an introduction than anything, an extended prologue, but with everything firmly in place, I expected the oncoming books to be even better but I do find myself just a little disappointed.

It took me more than two weeks to finish this novel due both by lack of time and lack of involvement. There are large portions of this novel that are great. The problem is the large portions of the novel that are awful. I hardly recognized some of the characters - especially when the majority of the character development took place off the page. There was even more potential for the exploration of some serious moral conundrums. These explorations unfortunately never reach their full potential.

This book was more enjoyable overall and did provide a satisfying continuation to the story but It does not quite hold up, for me, against the more modern greats, but it was an enjoyable enough.

Queen of Storms is the second volume in Fiest's "Firemane Saga."
Hatushaly adn Hava find themselves in Berans trying to rebuild and live in peace. Peace, however, is elusive, as betrayal and violence through the land separating the two. As the only surviving member of the Royal Family of Ithrace, Hatu is taken on a journey to learn to control his fledgling power while Hava embarks on a journey to reacue Hatu. Filled with betrayal and intrigue, Queen of Storms does not disappoint.
The best part of the second book in this series is the callback to the writing style of Feist's older books. It does start a bit slow, as can be expected of Feist, but it steadily picks up.

*I receive a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my review.

Another great novel from Feist. I was initially leery of a new world after enjoying the Rift books so much for so long, however i think we're in for another great series after this excellent followup to King of Ashes.