The Last Stormlord (2009)

2.0-2.5 stars

I just couldn't buy an entire civilization that refused to seek out new horizons, explore beyond the status quo of barely enough water to survive in a desert, enabling themselves like addicts completely dependent on their next fix of water from their stormlord. I admit, the water magic system intrigued, but did not wow me. It reminded me of a psi-power system more so than an actual magic system.

All the characters fairly brimmed with potential to entice me to care about their predicaments and futures. Something just didn't gel though, beyond the normal revulsion for obviously despicable villains and those cowardly scheming opportunists that waffle in the wind. The good characters lacked something, but I can't put my finger on it. Convincing passion? Believable choices? Inspired intelligence?

Finishing the book was a relief. I could finally close the cover and not be beaten over the head with power plays and prison metaphors any longer.

For such a thick tome, I experienced no hindrance to a fairly fast read. Not a lot of subtlety or depth to ponder.

I doubt I'll ever re-read this and won't likely continue the series, unless GoodReads reviews by friends proves the next installment aspires to a higher plain of fantastic fiction. ( )

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. ( )

In a world wehre there is little water, water is currency, life, and the magic of this world is centered around generating and controlling water.

Shale starts the story in a small village, at the bottom of the heap the power he has over water will change his life. Terelle is supposed to become a courtesan but resists that life and finds herself in the home of a painter, what she learns here could change everything too.

The Stormlord is alone, surrounded by people with lesser power who want his place he is getting old and dying and without a successor he is wearing himself out trying to get water to the town. Questions are about to be asked about how come he is the last.

It's interesting. Reading this while being in the middle of a strange drought myself I found a certain amount of resonance. Thinking to myself what it would be like if, instead of a water cut-off of 12 hours we had a 24 hour cut-off. The author does get into the mind of people who regard water as precious, of people who have to slog to get any and how at the end their bodies surrender their water for everyone else. There are some pretty nasty moments as the upper classes restrict more and more water due to the lack, leaving themselves with and others without. The story ends and I really did want to know what happens next. ( )

This review and others can be seen on my blog: http://bookworm-meags222.blogspot.com

I have to say I wasn't sure I would enjoy this novel when I first picked it up. I received it from my aunt for free and as a result felt that it couldn't hurt to try something new. That being said, I really enjoyed this book. It is about a land where there is no random rain and instead they have stormlords and rainlords who can actually manipulate water to form rainstorms. The story focuses on 3 different storylines which end up merging into one. My favourite character in the story is Terelle who is sold into a brothel at a very young age. She is determined not to sell her body for water and as a result runs away and makes a different path for herself. The book takes you into a magical place but at the same time much of it is very relatable to humanity. The main storyline is that the stormlord is dying and they do not have anyone to take his place. As a result their civilization may run out of water. It reminds me of our planet and what is happening right now. If we continue to treat our earth this way there may not be much of it left in the future. This book is a part of a series and I can't wait to read the next 2. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. ( )

Eminent scientists the world over have been predicting for some time now that the next international conflicts are likely to be about water. Australia is already facing severe social turmoil over the need to review water allocations on our main river system, the Murray Darling. It is clear that the resource has been over-allocated and that, to ensure survival of important biodiversity and ecological communities, we need to to redirect water from productive agriculture to the environment. But how to do that equitably and without enormous social disruption is a question we have yet to come to a community view on.

Glenda Larke’s book ‘The Last Stormlord’, water is life and the wells are running dry. It could well be a depiction of what happens in the future if we get it wrong now.

Shale is the lowest of the low-an outcast from a poor village in the heart of the desert. In the desert water is life, and currency, and Shale has none. But he has a secret. It’s the one thing that keeps him alive and may save all the cities of the Quartern in the days to come - if it doesn’t get him killed first. Terelle is a slave fleeing a life as a courtesan. She finds shelter in the home of an elderly painter but, as she learns the strange and powerful secrets of his art, she fears she may have traded a life of servitude for something far more perilous. The Cloudmaster brings the rain from the distant seas to his people. But he is dying in his tower and there is no one to take his place. Without a Cloudmaster, the cities of the Quartern will wither and die. Their civilization is at the brink of disaster. If Shale and Terelle can find a way to save themselves, they may just save them all.

Although the book is set in a very different world, Glenda Larke is Australian, and her descriptions of the land sof the Quartern resonated with me. The red dust, the blazing sun, the looming drought, and the tightening of water restrictions—these are all part of the Australian experience right here and right now. Larke has created an engrossing fantasy setting embedded with issues and concerns that are very much part of our world. Water, and control of water is power indeed.

I acquired this as a freeby in uncorrected proof form from my favourite fantasy bookshop, Galaxy Books in Canberra. I initially found it slow going but, about a third of the way in, something clicked and I couldn’t put it down. This is the first book I have read by Larke – and it certainly won’t be the last. ( )