This cover got me really interested in reading this book. It did a good job of tackling issues like colonization, eco-disaster, caste, and colorism but from very different perspectives to the usual as it was purely African with no Western elements existing. That took a bit of getting used to but I liked it. Sadly I did not really like any of the characters and I do not enjoy books when there is no one that I really want to root for. However, I would probably read the next book because I want to find out what happens next with Danso now that this world was built up in this book.

Fascinating and intricate, Son of the Storm by Suyi Davies Okungbowa is the first book in The Nameless Republic epic fantasy series.

I came into this with already high expectations, and Okungbowa did not disappoint. With such detailed worldbuilding and equally complex characters, Son of the Storm offers a chance for readers to escape into a new world seamlessly surrounded by real world issues. Danso, our mixed-race scholar, experiences difficulty in fitting in the the city of Bassa due to his skin color and would rather go beyond the city walls in search of knowledge that the Bassai elite claims to not exist. Lilong, a magic-wielding yellowskin* warrior whose existence is only known to a number of Bassai, slowly learns how to trust and help others aside from her own people. And, of course, we have Esheme who is a power-hungry daughter of a more-than-ambitious fixer, and, currently my favorite despite (or possibly because of) her character development throughout the book. (I truly have a soft spot for morally gray characters.)

Being written from several perspectives, which include those of the characters mentioned above, Okungbowa was able to create individuals that are more than simply supporting or minor characters. These individuals have their own lives, and we get to hear and live through them. What’s more is that Okungbowa was able to write all these different perspectives in a way that’s not confusing in between each perspective change.

Since we’re being introduced to a new world, it’s normal that a lot of information would be provided, and it might be a bit of an overload. Fortunately, Okungbowa writes extremely well. He’s able to provide enough information in each chapter so as to give readers more context into the world of The Nameless Republic while still keeping things interesting. The pacing of the book was slow and steady, yet it was never boring. I am in love with how he writes, and can’t wait to read the sequel—Warrior of the Wind—which comes out in 2022!

Despite his high position as a scholar, Danso is an outsider in the strict caste system of Basso. His mother was an immigrant to the city-state, his father a native healer, so he's a rare mixed-race member of the upper caste. He's also VERY curious about the world outside Basso, though information information is hard to come by. But when a skin-changing woman from the Nameless Islands (which, according to Basso sources, don't even exist any more) appears in Basso, Danso finds that what he thought he knew isn't right at all.

As the beginning of a series, this book does an excellent job of addressing a multitude of complex topics — including race, caste, propaganda, colonialism, political uprisings, and immigration — without losing any of the action and adventure. The characters are equally complex, and grow (sometimes horrifically) throughout the novel. I can't wait to see what happens next in this series!

This second book in the Nameless Republic trilogy just hit bookstore shelves in November 2023, following 2021’s Son of the Storm. Okungbowa introduces readers to a fantasy setting where scholar Danso has long been told there are only two places in the world: the mainland and the desert. The islands that were once the third place have long gone extinct. The city of Bassa closes its borders—but not soon enough to keep out a supposedly extinct islander, who enters Bassa to find an ancestral artifact. Danso’s path has been laid out for him, an ideal scholar engaged to an up-and-coming politician, and their future would look bright, if it were anything Danso wanted. Instead, he longs for what’s beyond the walls of the city, and when he decides to help the islander, a magic-wielding warrior, escape after her attempt to retrieve the artifact goes wrong, he begins to uncover the truth behind all the lies he has learned.

When Warrior of the Wind picks up, Danso and the warrior, Lilong, have joined a vagabond colony, fleeing from a bounty put on them by the new emperor, Danso’s former intended. But that’s the least of their problems when a new, dangerous power rises from the islands—something ancient, something uncontrollable, and something not even magic may be able to stop. While Warrior of the Wind is likely to have you just as eagerly awaiting the third installment of the Nameless Republic trilogy as Children of Virtue and Vengeance left fans waiting for the last Orïsha book, these dense fantasies are worth the investment for readers who love complex worldbuilding and beautifully drawn magic.

[NOTE: This is the first I have been able to feature the duology, and I was glad to be able to mention both of them.]

I purchased this book for my personal library but have not yet reviewed it. I plan to do so in the future!

Okungbowa's writing is top-notch, with a gift for creating vivid and immersive settings that bring the story to life. The worldbuilding in "Son of the Storm" is exceptional, with a richly detailed setting that is full of magic and wonder. The story is full of twists and turns, with a complex plot that keeps the reader guessing.

The characters in "Son of the Storm" are also a highlight, with a diverse and memorable cast that adds depth and nuance to the story. Danso is a compelling protagonist, with a sense of curiosity and wonder that makes him easy to root for. The other characters are also well-drawn, with their own motivations and secrets that keep the reader engaged.

One of the strengths of "Son of the Storm" is its use of mythology and folklore to create a rich and compelling fantasy world. The story draws on West African mythology and culture to create a unique and refreshing take on the epic fantasy genre. The themes of power, privilege, and oppression are also woven throughout the story, adding depth and complexity to the world and its characters.

Overall, "Son of the Storm" is an outstanding debut novel that is sure to delight fans of epic fantasy. Okungbowa's writing is superb, with a talent for creating immersive and engaging worlds. The characters are memorable and complex, and the story is full of twists and turns that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat. If you're looking for a fresh and original take on epic fantasy, "Son of the Storm" is definitely worth checking out.

This book was enjoyable and I look forward to continuing the series! Some notes before book 2 (a reread will definitely be in order):

Pros
-great world building
-lush setting
-the characters were interesting, nuanced, and complex

Cons
-beginning was a little slow and heavy on the info-dumps (understandable as the culture is vastly different from they typical medieval Europe)
-in general, the writing felt a little stilted; not sure if this was an intentional stylistic choice or not; it didn’t detract from the story

3.5 stars. I really enjoyed this story. The world building was immersive and I was immediately pulled into the story. The political intrigue kept me on the edge of my seat and the characters were well developed. Some of the choices made left me a little stressed because I could clearly see the negative outcome to these choices but other than that I have a good time reading this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Publishing for the E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is such an amazing an unique high fantasy. I loved the wide cast of characters. Each one was so different from the other and I love how we got to see them grow and change throughout the book. We got to see some change for the better and we also got to see some be corrupted by power. I loved the action in this. The action scenes were described beautifully and I felt like I was right there battling with them. The magic system in this is so cool. It kind of reminded me of mistborn since it's based on types of a mineral called Ibor and each type gives a certain power. I highly recommend this for fantasy lovers.

After trying to read this book three times, and getting about 1/3 of the way through it each time, I think I've decided it's just not for me. I wanted to love it, and I think it's just not the right story for me.

The story sounded great, but I think with a slower pacing, and the type of stories that I've been gravitating toward are just not aligning with this book. Which is not indicative of the story in anyway.

I have some mixed thoughts about this book. It started out so amazing, I was quickly hooked and loved the world building and characters. Around the 30% mark things did not progress and I soon got bored. Every single chapter started out with a few pages of exposition about the setting or characters thoughts, and after a while that dragged the story to a standstill. It went from a book that I was loving to something I was dreading to continue with.

This is a muli-POV fantasy world inspired by Nigeria. The world was so unique and I loved learning about it. We mainly follow Danso as he studies at a university, gets treated terrible by his peers due to his skin color, and learns about magic that he thought was a myth. The other POVs are just as interesting as his - Estheme (Danso's betrothed), Zaq (Danso's servant/second), and Lilong (a mysterious woman from a thought to be dead race) along with a few others. The way Okungbowa built such complex characters and political intrigue was fascinating, but in the end could not hold the story up on its own.

I really wish the story would have continued to roll with the plot and moved past everything happening on exposition. This could have been something AMAZING, but instead ended up more average.

Trigger warnings for racism, discrimination, and slavery

If you like slow stories with amazing worlds and heavy political intrigue this is a books for you. Just be ready for almost no plot to happen, and the majority of the work to be about characters thoughts.

Thanks to Orbit and Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks for granting my wish! WOW I can’t believe I waited so long to read this. This was such a refreshing fantasy read. Can’t wait for book 2!

This book is one of the best fantasy books I have read in a while.

I really enjoyed Suyi's writing style and characters, It started a little slow but quickly changed pace. Really looking forward to what comes next.

4 stars

fun fantasy that i wish i had read sooner and not stalled for so long. the characters were genuinely interesting and i’ve been struggling quite a bit with fantasy lately so that’s saying something.

I was super thankful to be gifted this copy by the publisher. I enjoyed the settings and the main character. However, I found that the world building felt a bit heavy and slowed down the pace. I think what this book is doing is interesting and would definitely check out more from this author. I have to say that part of it was me not being super in the mood for a chunky fantasy, so I'll definitely recommend for you to check it out if you think the premise sounds good. The setting and atmosphere was really well executed and I did feel transported to where the story takes place, so that's always a plus in my book!

This is a tough book to review because I enjoyed it fine, but wanted to enjoy it so much more. And this book has so much potential that I could tell it was just on the cusp of giving me what I was looking for, but I never felt like we really got there.

To start I want to state that Okungbowa is a fantastic writer. There's no arguing that. He has a way with language that's incredibly fluid and easy to read. His descriptive language is vibrant and incredibly clear; his dialogue allows each character's unique voice to really shine through. His writing is very engaging and I look forward to experiencing it again in the future.

What didn't quite work for me here is the world itself. It's immense and I found myself a bit lost as I went through this book. I always carried this nagging feeling like I'd missed something or like I didn't quite know what was going on. Many fantasy readers are familiar with the "lost in the deep end" feeling at the beginning of many (most?) books in the genre, but it usually wears off once you're a few chapters in and have found your groove with the book. But for this one, it never really wore off for me. Sometimes I would think I had something about figured out, only for another little twist to throw me on my head again. This applied specifically with the political structures and the hierarchy of people within the city, the geopolitical conflicts between the insiders and the outsiders, and, to a lesser degree, the development of the magic system.

I'm still eager to read the sequel and will likely give this book a thorough reread before its release. I hope next time I'll be able to better grasp the deeper depths this story has to offer rather than merely wading through the shallow end to the finish line. I'm sure this is an excellent book for the right reader who can absorb and grasp all the things I missed on a first readthrough. I just wish that reader could have been me.

I used this review copy to inform my interview with Suyi Davies Okungbowa on the Fantasy Inn podcast: https://thefantasyinn.com/2021/05/11/e82-suyi-davies-okungbowa-interview/

This book was one wild friggin ride! I am not certain I can give a coherent review. The character work in this story is absolutely wonderful. Everyone has depth and nuance. Everybody is flawed as hell and their motivations made clear while also retaining complexity. The plot is meandering but moves at a good pace as each character makes decisions about the revelations they face and deals with the fallout from those decisions. Both Danso and Esheme got on my nerves in equal measure and for completely different reasons. But I also fully understood both of them and the reasons why they were the way they were. There were also some beautifully written passages throughout this novel that made me pause and simply appreciate the writing for its own merit. Overall an absolute delight to read! Already excited to read the next one!

Son of the Storm is a fierce read unlike any other Science Fiction Fantasy book. The world in which this author creates is brilliant, well thought out and just over all magnificent. The characters and perspectives are unique and all wrap up quite well through the book.

This story is politic heavy and just … well heavy. But don’t let that discourage you, it’s well worth it in the end.

First, thank you to Orbit for the electronic review copy! Epic fantasy and a cover like that — how could Son of the Storm not catch my eye? I enjoyed it and will definitely be reading book two in the Nameless Republic trilogy when it comes out later this year.

Son of the Storm jumps around in terms of point of view, but the main character is a young man named Danso. He’s from a caste that normally wouldn’t be allowed to become scholars, but in a society that claims to prize knowledge above all else, his photographic memory earns him a place at the university. Until he gets too curious. And meets a person who isn’t supposed to exist from a place that isn’t supposed to exist with a magic that isn’t supposed to exist.

I liked this book, although I think the trilogy is truly going to take off in book two. This one’s pacing wasn’t the fastest and felt a bit like a long exposition. Still, it has a ton of promising elements — a good central mystery, great magic system, and plenty of questions left to answer — that feel like they’re about to combine into epicness. It’s also got a GREAT villain who has only truly become the villain by the end of book one. In fact, all the characters are a bit unlikeable (immature, stubborn, making selfish choices) for most of this book, which can feel a little frustrating but also feels REAL and I think will set up some great character arcs by the end of the trilogy.

I also really appreciated the imaginative worldbuilding here and the way it examines things like colorism, classism, xenophobia, and diaspora. I’m excited to see those themes develop even more in book two.