- Original review of SYMPHONY OF THE WIND:
A really intriguing, exciting steampunk adventure with airships, zombie-esque creatures, political intrigue, and even some monsters. Basically everything you could want in a fantasy adventure can be found in Symphony of the Wind.
I read the prequel novella "The Fury Yet to Come" before reading this book, but they can be read in any order and you're filled in on all the events of the novella throughout this book; given that, I would recommend reading the novella first if you were planning on reading both, so that you aren't reading it knowing everything that happens. I also felt that having the background knowledge of the novella helped flesh out Tyson Gallows' character as I read this book, understanding his reactions and motivations before they were fully revealed.
This was a great start to a new series that I'll surely be keeping up with as new entries are released. McKinnon did a great job of creating a fully-realized and lived-in world, providing plenty of details about Dalthea to transport the reader down to its corrupted streets while sprinkling in bits of history and elements of other regions and cultures to craft a vast, believable world with clashing cultures, countries, and beliefs. The novel basically takes place in one city, and it was fun getting to see a lot of different corners of it in such detail.
The characters are varied and great across the board. We have Tyson Gallows, the main character of the prequel who still suffers from PTSD from its events and spending each day not caring if he lives or dies; Serena, a young girl who wants nothing more than to be part of a Raincatcher crew on an airship but is being sought after by powerful, corrupt people throughout the city; Damien, a highly-trained assassin with warring personalities trying to push him over the edge into becoming a relentless psychopath; and that only scratches the surface of the different points-of-view we get into. Veronica, Tiera, and all the others offer unique perspectives and personalities and motivations that are equally compelling and exciting to watch unfold.
The storyline is complex, with a ton of different threads weaving throughout the book, which did cause a little bit of confusion for me, but it seemed intentional--I was just as in the dark as many of the characters about WHY these events were happening, and by the climax of the book all the different threads converged in an exhilarating, satisfying way.
And the ending really was satisfying, which is not always true in a series. But in the case of Symphony, a lot of the major threads were resolved, while still leaving a handful of questions dangling and setting up what promises to be an exciting adventure in book 2 with a much larger scope.
- Original review of WRATH OF STORMS:
Steven McKinnon is just as complex and dastardly in his machinations as Pyron Thackeray. He has created a vast, varied world that feels totally believable with a ton of history and culture, and I was fascinated every time we got to learn more about it, as well as thoroughly engaged with all the action and narrative revelations.
Fans of the first book will find a lot to love here, as McKinnon's writing is as exciting and engaging as ever, and the twist and turns of the narrative will surprise you as the crew travels to several different cities, while a few stay behind in Dalthea in an attempt to rebuild after the events of book 1. The breadth and depth of the world McKinnon has crafted is on full display here; in the first book, we were relegated to Dalthea for the duration of the story, while this time around it's only one of several major cities we get to visit. Each one is as unique as the last, with its own dazzling architecture and fascinating history and culture that McKinnon doesn't shy away from.
His aptitude for plotting complex political storylines is on full display in the Dalthea portions of the book, while the rest is a full-on quest, following the cast on an exciting adventure in search of answers about the source of Serena's power. Like in the previous book, there's a lot to grasp here and a lot of spinning plates, so you definitely need to be on your toes and paying attention to everything going on, because as we come to find out, every detail matters. McKinnon has cleverly and tightly plotted this series, planting seeds in book 1 that finally start coming to fruition in book 2, where I'm sure he's already planted even more.
Those who are worried that the book is juggling too many threads (as some said about book 1), don't worry here. There's certainly a lot going on, but after becoming acquainted with the world and its rules, McKinnon is able to throw us right into the thick of it this time around, knowing that we're already up to speed with what's going on and trusting that we're along for the ride. The narrative is a lot more streamlined than book 1 in the sense that we're not jumping around between a ton of different ideas/genres; there are really only two major storylines here, and each one is tightly focused and chugs along at a good pace.
And once again, the book wraps up in a satisfying way, bringing a close to the immediate conflicts of the book while still setting up major elements to be addressed in the next entry but not leaving you with the feeling that this is an incomplete book.
Wrath of Storms delivers on the promise of book 1's ending by increasing the scope, getting the characters wrapped up in a conflict much bigger than they knew and delivering endless action, drama, and fun. There are a ton of puzzle pieces that seem like they all came from different boxes, but by the end they fit together perfectly and form a picture you didn't even know they were making.
- Original review of CHOIR OF THE DAMNED:
A stunning finale to the Raincatcher's Ballad.
The entire series is full of the most bombastic setpieces I've experienced in fantasy, and this volume is no exception. While McKinnon is a master of crafting wild, unexpected scenarios full of excitement and thrills, they're always grounded by characters we care about. Everyone's development in this final book is great, deepening our understanding of their pasts and motivations and relationships. This ups the stakes in every action scene, making us care about who lives or dies and keeps you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last.
It's no secret that The Raincatcher's Ballad has been one of my favorite series in recent years, and I'm thrilled that the conclusion lived up to the earlier books. The world of this series feels like it reaches beyond the pages, and I don't know if McKinnon plans to dip into this world again any time soon (or at all), but no matter what's next on his plate, I'm ready for a taste.
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From the Publisher
Symphony of the Wind (The Raincatcher's Ballad Book 1)
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The Fury Yet To Come (A Raincatcher's Ballad Prequel Novella)
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Wrath of Storms (The Raincatcher's Ballad Book 2)
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Choir of the Damned (The Raincatcher's Ballad Book 3)
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The Raincatcher's Ballad Trilogy
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Order of the Shadow Dragon: A Fantasy Fiction Adventure (Legacy of Light & Sh...
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| Price | $0.99 | $0.99 | $5.99 | $5.99 | $6.99 | $3.99 |
| Number of pages | 638 | 124 | 524 | 480 | 2015 | 338 |
| Series | The Raincatcher's Ballad | The Raincatcher's Ballad | The Raincatcher's Ballad | The Raincatcher's Ballad | The Raincatcher's Ballad | Legacy of Light & Shadow |
| Kindle Unlimited? | ✓ | No | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | No |
| Paperback | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | No | ✓ |
| Audio | ✓ | No | No | No | No | No |
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