Review: Interesting story idea
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 05 21, 2014
Review Courtesy All Things Urban FantasyI really, really wanted to love BEFORE THE STORM. Everything about the summary had my radar pinging in several different directions. I put off another book I was going to read in order to jump in with both feet and hopefully not surface until I was laying back in full book hangover.Unfortunately, that’s not the way it ended up. The story itself is strong enough, and the world-building was truly fascinating. I loved the interactions of the different races, from the Tolvenar to the Noita to the Yaksini and they were all fleshed out really well. It’s in characterization that BEFORE THE STORM stumbled for me. I don’t mind characters making mistakes, even dire ones, and learning from them. That’s life and it makes for a good story. It’s when stubborn characters make rash decisions based on half-truths and omissions (of the “for your own good” sort) and are then yelled at for it that my back goes up. Maybe once, possibly twice, but more than that and it feels more like a means to create more angsty plot filler.Because of the above, I found it difficult to connect with Halle and even with Kale. I think of all the characters, Marcus is my favorite even if I do hear my Team Triangle radar clanging away in the distance, especially given the way it ended. And for me, character connection is very closely tied to how much a book calls to me. Without it, I tend to just lumber along, reading to find out what happens.Overall, BEFORE THE STORM is a strong world and I’m interested in finding out what’s in store for Halle next, but I might pause a few minutes, read the synopsis and perhaps even a few other reviews, before I dive in again.