Review – Heir of Thunder (Stormbourne Chronicles, Book 1) by Karissa Laurel (4.5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Steampunk
Length: 291 pages
Publisher: Evolved Publishing LLC
Release Date: September 24, 2016
ASIN : B01LWKUQ1Z
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Stormbourne Chronicles
Source: Bought for Kindle
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
“The Lord of Thunder’s sudden death leaves his daughter, Evelyn Stormbourne, unprepared to rule Inselgrau in his place. Weeks before Evie’s ascension to the throne, revolutionaries attack and destroy her home. She conceals her identity and escapes under the protection of her father’s young horse master, Gideon Faust. Together they flee Inselgrau and set sail for the Continent, but they’re separated when a brutal storm washes Evie overboard.
In her efforts to reunite with her protector and reach allies on the Continent, Evie befriends a band of nomads who roam the world in airships fueled by lightning. She also confronts a cabal of dark Magicians plotting to use her powers to create a new divine being, and she clashes with an ancient family who insists her birthright belongs to them.
If she’s to prevail and defeat her enemies, Evie must claim her heritage, embrace her dominion over the sky, and define what it means to be Heir of Thunder.”
Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Stormbourne Chronicles. I bought this book for my Kindle.
Thoughts: This was a super fun YA steampunk adventure read, with a bit of romance. Evie is heir to the Stormbourne throne but is forced to flee her home when it’s destroyed by an unknown hostile group. She is accompanied in her travels by the stablemaster Gideon. What follows is a series of dangerous adventures where Evie must learn to survive on her own despite her sheltered upbringing. Evie must also learn to control the storm magic that lies within her.
This was very entertaining and engaging. Yes, the story is fairly simple and a bit predictable but I still had a great time reading this. I enjoyed the characters a lot and love the relationship Evie and Gideon develop. There is some mystery and intrigue throughout and I enjoyed watching Evie start to discover the depths of her power and unravel the mysteries of her family history.
Is this high literature? No. Is it a fun, light, steampunk, fantasy read with likable characters and an intriguing world? It sure is!
My Summary (4.5/5): Overall this was a very fun light YA steampunk adventure read. I plan on continuing the series and really enjoyed this. It was an easy read that kept me entertained and left me feeling happy and excited to read more. I immediately went and bought the second book in this series after finishing this one.
