The Last Stormlord (Watergivers Book One)

Title: The Last Stormlord
Author: Glenda Larke
Series: Watergivers (aka "Stormlord Trilogy")

Succeeded By: Stormlord Rising

Ratings

Score: 7/10
How likely I am to read the next in the Series: Probable

Review

This book sounds and looks exciting. It's cover emblazoned with lightning and the silhouette of what appears to be a magic-wielder standing at the forefront. Could this be the titular character that the cover proudly proclaims to be "The Last Stormlord"?


I Don't Know. It's never really mentioned who the character on the cover is. Probably not either of the stormlords in the book. One is old and frail, and the other... well, it just isn't likely. But it's impressive anyway.

What's not so impressive is the start of the book. It doesn't begin with Shale, the main character, but the girl Terenelle. This character is also fairly important, and my favourite character, but Shale is not introduced until what I felt was quite far into the book. Before that it seemed that each chapter was about different places and characters, to the point where I found myself a little confused.

However, starting from the chapter after Shale is introduced, the whole story begins to make more sense. The plot is original and interesting. It quickly becomes a highly intriguing story of class and politics, which in many ways reflects our own world.

But it is the characters that make this book difficult to put down. Shale is smart, and curious, making us look forwards to seeing what he'll discover. Terenelle on the other hand, while also clever, is strongly emotional, and incredibly easy to become attached to. These are some of the best characters I have seen in some time.

It's a long book, but if you have a bit of time I'd say this would be a good book to fill it. It seems a bit confusing at first, but the storylines come together nicely, and the characterisation is superb.

More Information

Main Protagonist(s): Male and Female
Main Antagonist(s): 1-2 Male
Main Relationships: Heterosexual
Genre: Fantasy
Brief Synopsis (Amazon):
Shale knows of no other world than the desert. He knows that his life - and the lives of his family - depend on one thing and one thing only: water. Water is life for all the citizens of the Quartern and it is the Stormlord who brings the rains to the desert. But the magic is disappearing. The Stormlord's heirs lack the talent to bring the water from the distant seas and young students with a certain promise tend to die, mysteriously, out in the wastes. Shale may be the saviour of every life in the Quartern. He can do what no mere Rainlord can, and may be the newest, and the last, Stormlord - if he can learn to control the waters of life and, of course, if he lives that long. Shale's entire civilization stands at the brink of disaster. Water is life and the wells are going dry...

ISBN: 978-1841498119
Website: Author's Site
Amazon Link: The Last Stormlord
Pages: 640
First Published: Mar 4, 2010
Publisher: Orbit