The Gathering Storm by Kate Elliott | Date: 22 May 2011, 20:20
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The Gathering Storm is the fifth novel in the Crown of Stars series, following Child of Flame. In the previous volume, Prince Bayan has been killed by Quman sorcery, but Prince Sanglant has defeated the Quman hosts, capturing Bulkezu, and now has taken his army to the east. King Henry has been possessed by a daimone and Sister Rosvita has been imprisoned in a dungeon, but Hathui escapes the plotters. Liathano walks the spheres, learning the truth of her mother and meeting Sanglant's grandfather and mother. Alain has met Adica and witnessed her death in the great weaving, but has been swallowed by the white fires of the crowns. Ivar dreams of Alain as he and his friends escape through the tunnels to elsewhere.
In this novel, two Eagles, and a young aspirant, meet in an old Dariyan waystation and exchange information. Hanna and Ernst have come from Osterburg and Hathui from Darre. When they leave, Ernst travels back to Princess Theophanu in Osterburg, Hanna goes to Henry's court in Darre, and Hathui travels to Sanglant in Ungria.
In Wendar, Theophanu holds Osterburg as regent while Henry is pursuing imperial ambitions in Aosta, but has few forces available to her and is beset with uprisings in Varre and civil war in Salia.
In Aosta, Henry and his new queen, Adelheid, have overcome the rebels in the north, but still struggle against riots, Arethousan invaders and Jinna bandits in the south. Hanna has been sequestered by Hugh, but is able to make contact with Rosvita's clerics. When a severe earthquake occurs, they use the distraction to rescue Rosvita and then flee to the Convent of St. Ekatarina, but with Hugh in pursuit.
In Ungria, Sanglant, together with Sapientia and Blessing, is moving east to the great grasslands hunting griffen feathers and sorcerers, with Bulkezu as his guide. While only three years old, Blessing is growing very rapidly in physical maturity, but not emotionally.
In the north, Stronghand is invading Alba and thinking Empire. Alain returns through the crowns from his sojourn in the past, grieving for Adica. Stronghand and Alain begin to perceive each other's thoughts once more.
Soon Anne and the other sleepers will begin the great weaving to forever sunder the Ashioi from the world. Can none stop them?
This volume was a long time coming, but well worth the wait. According to Elliott, the story just refused to stay small. Like the previous volume, this novel is almost 900 pages long. Hopefully, the next, and last, volume in the series will not take quite as long. Just remember, Tolkien worked on the Lord of Rings trilogy for decades; does anyone want to complain about that?
Recommended for all those Elliott fans who have waited patiently and for anyone who likes large-scale fantasy tales of war and intrigue.
-Arthur W. Jordin
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