Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan

Book Review

Elloise Hopkins

With two of the Sister Queens she serves dead, and Ascarlia under threat, Thera Speldrenda, the Blackspear, has succeeded in seeking support from those of the Outer Isles. It has come at a cost, though. Injured, dragged back on board the ship, Thera must recover and continue to amass allies to stand against the Nihlavrians. All Thera can hope is that Sister Lore’s shocking betrayal will only aid her cause. 

Elsewhere, Ruhlin the Quiet, as he once was, is much changed since he discovered the strength and constraints of the battle rage and his Fire-Blood. Still wearing the stagna collar that inhibits his power, and also recovering from injury, he has another problem. Only a wayfinder knows how to navigate the Fire Isles, and without one Ruhlin can never get home. Wayfinders are rare and come only at a high price. Can he trust a stranger to help him?  

Felnir’s companion, Wohtin, has been revealed as a former advisor to King Velgard, and it seems he can lead Felnir to Vorunvahl, the King’s Land, where Felnir intends to rule. Unfortunately, Wohtin drifts in and out of madness, and Felnir has placed a lot of faith in what may turn out to be an impossible goal.

Back in Ascarlia, like her father, Elvine is a scribe, an archivist to be precise, and now she must do all she can to ensure Sister Lore does not discover the truth of her coveted weapon. The Spear of the Altvar has spoken to Elvine, and that is a secret she must guard very closely indeed.

Born of an Iron Storm begins with an incredibly thorough recap of the previous book. This is a hugely welcome reminder of the various key characters and their current locations, missions and conflicts, though for this reader it did give this second book in Ryan’s Age of Wrath series very much a second book feel, which is to say it began slowly and struggled to get up to pace. That being said, it is probably a no-win situation, because without the recap one would be grasping to remember forgotten details of the complex worldbuilding. 

Once the new content gets going, we have ourselves an expansive continuation of Thera, Ruhlin and Felnir’s journeys, which are packed with battles, both emotional and physical, as they learn more about themselves and the conflicts they find themselves core parts of. Thera stands out again as the principal character, and it is interesting to see her acknowledging and building upon her own weaknesses and reservations.

Elvine too is an interesting character, with more echoes of Ryan’s past books becoming visible through her narrative thread, and more of her familial background and her similarities to her father becoming clear. The dynamics between her and Sister Iron are full of tension and help the pages turn. By the end of this book, all the point of view characters and various subplots have been fuelled with adrenaline, and the effort pays off. We know book three, when it arrives, will deliver an unpredictable and explosive finale to this series.