Bringer of Storms

This novel continues the story began in Beyond the Summerland and takes the threat to Kirthanin to the next level! The ramifications of a certain stunning event at the end of the first book is the driving force behind the lives of the characters some eighteen years in the future. City rises against city in the search for justice, while many others are affected by the long struggle. The truly dangerous enemies use this to their advantage and then a massive threat breaks loose-- causing an even more critical confrontation. The Bringer of Storms and the armies of the enemy arise! This book also ends with a shock and I am sure the ramifications of what happened will be felt throughout book three. This story should flow into the next book without too much of a time gap, as the conflict that was pressing, was not fully resolved. The only slight mar to the book is the same as I mentioned about the first one, which is that some of the dialogue seems too modern at times. Mom and dad, instead of mother and father, and similar things that just didn't feel "medieval" enough. This is a very minor concern, though, and is very subjective. I am definitely looking forward to book three in this great series! Buy the first two-- you won't be sorry!

LB Graham added deeper character development in his second book. The characters are interesting, and the story flows better. Very strong new writer. Looking forward to book three. I have already pre-ordered.

Once again, L.B. Graham exemplifies powerful story telling. As with the first installment in the Binding of the Blade series, I had difficulty putting Bringer of Storms aside so that I might attend to the more mundane things in life (like work). In fact, I find myself writing this review at 2:30 A.M. after having just finished the book. READ THIS BOOK!! You will not regret it!!

Bringer of Storms continues L.B. Graham's wonderful story with a brisk, exciting pace! The pages kept turning as the darkness of the storm began to spread. Just as the ending of Beyond the Summerland left me eager to continue the story, Bringer of Storms has left me excited and inspired! Mr. Graham has put so much into these books. Again, I was refreshed and intrigued by his storyline!

In following Mr. Graham's first book, "Beyond the Summerland," "Bringer of Storms" does an excellent job. It's even more exciting, more accelerated than the first one, and Graham's world-building is certainly up to par--somewhat in between C.S. Lewis' Narnia and Tolkien's Middle Earth, but still the author's own. Fantasy doesn't get much better. And considering that this is the second book in a five-part series (according to what I hear, the fifth installment will be released in May '08), who knows--the series could become even better. In "Bringer of Storms," all of the surviving main characters return to the scene seventeen years after the shocking event at the close of book 1 to make a rainbow of perspectives, from murdered Joraiem Andira's sixteen-year old son Benjiah to Rulalin Tarasir, an unpopular but fascinating character. The story opens in a much darker setting than BtS; Civil War has been raging in Kirthanin for seven years, and an even darker shadow is beginning to smother the land, making the beginning of book 2 much more tense than the perhaps cautious demeanor of the characters at the beginning of book 1. Graham does not rush into his story, but rather he uses events and conversations to give the reader an idea of what is going on and the general attitude of the people before racing into a complex battle scene and leaving readers baffled. I was thoroughly intrigued and, when I finished it, wholly satisfied. I can't wait for the next book!