The Emerald Storm

Reading Decathlon, book 3

Author: Michael J. Sullivan

Genre: Fantasy

Themes: friendship, pirates, combat, trust, girl power

Setting: Ayvrun

Story: Hadrian Blackwater and Royce Melbourn are in a hurry to deliver a message from the new king of somewhere (can’t remember, sorry) to a potential ally. But Hadrian has sworn off mercenary work. He wants to settle down somewhere quiet. Maybe as a sailor? And Royce wants to marry his long-suffering sweetheart. Still, it’s always a good idea to keep royalty happy and prevent war, so they agree to one last mission together. Of course, things do not go as planned. Meanwhile, new empress Modena (the girl formerly known as Thrace) is still in jeopardy, Princess Arista is still looking for the rightful emperor, and the Novron church is still terrorizing everyone who disagrees with them.

I love this series so much. It’s got everything I want in fantasy. It’s clever. It’s action-packed. It’s full of great characters with real development. It’s unexpected. It has pirates. And it’s funny – not all the way through, but enough that the darker moments are bearable. And the best part is that there’s another book in the series to enjoy before I have to say goodbye to these characters!

If it sounds intriguing, be sure you start at the beginning. This is deep into the action and you would be lost. It starts with The Crown Conspiracy or The Crown Tower, which is actually the first two books put into one volume. I have listened to the whole series and it is the only way to go. The whole series has totally messed up my sleep, as I keep staying up to find out what happens next. But hey, sleep is overrated. 5 stars for this one.