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Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
In the fantasy novel and first book in the series by the same name, Stormless by Nick Stitle is set in Auris and its destructive storms, where an ominous warning is delivered to King Avenos Titansworn by a Summoner, a wielder of magical abilities, from a Sect believed to be extinct. This warning of a looming crisis known as The Resurgence tasks ordinary soldier Castien Varic and an elite group of Auris's strongest magic wielders with unraveling its veracity. Meanwhile, Prince Faelyn Titansworn grapples with divided loyalties between his father and his realm, especially as his father dismisses the impending peril. Two years prior, Asteros Silverglade, the chief of Auris's deadliest Sect, discovered a cache of ancient lore that reveals truths about the disappearance of ancient Sects, and the destructive Tempests that empower the Summoners and unleash the downfall on them all.
Now that's how you start a series! So, first things first, we all know that it is the world-building in any fantasy novel that anchors the story, and Stormless by Nick Stitle has arguably the most unique atmosphere and settings that I have come across in a long, long time. And I'm old enough to have a kid in college. We have two timelines and a now-and-then method of storytelling that works well for the book, which I generally don't love, but Stitle is good enough at its execution so that in Stormless I did. The magic and social structure are intensive and, in short, magic is sourced from crystals and storms, and they split society into seven powerful sects, plus the powerless, called Stormless. I say “in short” but with the depth Stitle has embedded into it, the whole shebang should, hopefully, mean we are in the series for the long haul. And I can definitely say I'm committed to the ride. Very highly recommended.