REVIEW: Queen of Storms by Raymond E. Feist

Raymond E. Feist’s Riftwar Saga holds a special place in my heart. Magician ignited in me a passion for epic fantasy that no other novel has achieved. That was until now. Queen of Storms marks the second volume in Feist’s Firemane Saga and embodies all that we have come to expect: expansive worlds, heroic tendencies, legends and legacies.

Raymond E. Feist

Picking up right where King of Ashes left off, Hatu & Hava are settled in Beren’s Hill re-establishing the Inn of the Three Stars, a life far removed from their upbringing on Coaltachin. Meanwhile, Declan has assembled a militia and is preparing to wed Gwen. But just as we are swept into the serenity, devastation and death befalls Beren’s Hill, thrusting our heroes onto their own paths of great tribulation. Their strength and determination is put to the test as Hatu, the last remaining member of the ruling family of Ithrace – the legendary Firemanes, begins to understand the extent of his legacy.

Feist’s worldbuilding is masterly in Queen of Storms, guiding us further through Garn with a complex environment hosting an array of cultural nuances. The world is a thrill to explore with Feist’s scintillating prose manoeuvring us through the story. Another brilliant element of the Firemane Saga is the multiple bodies of power with suspicious intent, creating a constant undercurrent of threat. From the politically powerful Church of the One to the black-clad assassin-like Azhante, danger lurks through each page.

The Firemane legend is one of the most guarded aspects of the saga, with hints of its magnitude teased through veiled references to elemental control and glimpses of untamed power. Hatu is sought after by all, to both the detriment and protection of his well-being, while remaining relatively clueless to his significance. Despite this legend being at the core of the story, Feist manages to prolong the reveal of this undoubtedly impactful information, building the intrigue almost unbearably.

Suffice it to say, this is shaping up to be an absolute epic that I cannot get enough of. Rife with power and struggle, magic and legends, betrayals and devastation, the Firemane Saga is a gift from the ever-giving Feist. I highly recommend it to any fans of Feist’s Riftwar Cycle, A Song of Ice and Fire or The Witcher.

—Queen of Storms by Raymond E. Feist (HarperCollins Australia) is out now.

Queen of Storms

The Firemane Saga; Book 2

by Raymond E. Feist

Hatushaly and his young wife Hava are living a good life, working to reopen the burned-out Inn of the Three Stars in the prosperous trading town of Beran's Hill.

But there is a great deal more to this bucolic scene than meets the eye. Both Hatu and Hava were raised on the secret island of Coaltachin, and though they may appear to be no more than a young couple in love, preparing for the midsummer festival where their friends Declan and Gwen will be wed, they are in fact assassins on a mission, waiting instructions from their masters in the Kingdom of Night...

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Ashleigh Berry