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Glenda Larke
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The Last Stormlord Kindle Edition

by Glenda Larke (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 212 ratings
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Shale is the lowest of the low-an outcast from a poor village in the heart of the desert. In the desert water is life, and currency, and Shale has none. But he has a secret. It's the one thing that keeps him alive and may save all the cities of the Quartern in the days to come. If it doesn't get him killed first...

Terelle is a slave fleeing a life as a courtesan. She finds shelter in the home of an elderly painter but as she learns the strange and powerful secrets of his art she fears she may have traded a life of servitude for something far more perilous...

The Stormlord is dying in his tower and there is no one, by accident or design, to take his place. He brings the rain from the distant seas to his people. Without a Stormlord, the cities of the Quartern will wither and die.

Their civilization is at the brink of disaster. If Shale and Terelle can find a way to save themselves, they may just save them all. Water is life and the wells are running dry...
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  1. Book 1 of 3
    Stormlord
  2. Print length
    705 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Orbit
  6. Publication date
    February 16, 2010
  7. File size
    1347 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Last Stormlord is a tremendously entertaining read that's easy to get sucked into, hard to put down, and never boring. Recommended." --FANTASY LITERATURE

"In her previous novels Larke has demonstrated an enviable skill. With this novel she moves into the realm of sheer virtuosity. The plot is engrossing and the characters fascinating. In bookshops where bland fantasies line the shelves, Larke stands out from the crowd." -- THE WEST AUSTRALIAN

"I am in awe of the sheer virtuosity with which Larke has created her world. Water, or rather the scarcity of water, is the basis of government, economy, social hierarchy and even religion." -- AUREALIS MAGAZINE

From the Author

This trilogy is called THE WATERGIVERS trilogy in the Australian edition and won the coverted inaugural SARA DOUGLASS SERIES AWARD, for the best Australian Speculative Fiction series completed between 2011 and 2014. All three books were also shortlisted finalists for the Aurealis Awards for the Best Fantasy Novel of the Years 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0035IICZY
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Orbit; Illustrated edition (February 16, 2010)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 16, 2010
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1347 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 705 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 212 ratings

About the author

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Glenda Larke

Glenda Larke

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Writer, environmentalist, in love with wild places and strange things. Not as young as I would like to be. That's me in the photos, some taken in Borneo when I was working on tropical rainforest and bird conservation.

I started off in Australia, a farmer's daughter, but as an adult I lived in North Africa and Europe and South-east Asia, only to return recently to my birthplace. I've been a teacher and a naturalist and, most of all, a writer of fantasy novels. You know - magic and adventure and the weird, books flavored by my life experiences. A sweaty bit of the tropics, an arid taste of the desert, an ancient touch of central Europe; crowded cities and dense forests and sun-baked islands. World building is my forte, storytelling my great love.

I have fourteen books published, in several languages, available in different formats. They have been shortlisted for numerous awards, and have won several, including the inaugural Sara Douglass Series Award, won by the Stormlord Trilogy. My most recent book, out in January 2023, is THE TANGLED LANDS. It is a standalone novel with new characters.

On twitter @glendalarke

On facebook as Glenda Larke

Blog at http://glendalarke.blogspot.com

Webpage at www.glendalarke.com

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
212 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

LewFer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story with interesting setting and premise
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2011
Verified Purchase
They say not to judge a book by its cover. One should also refrain from judging a book by its title. "The Last Stormlord"? Really? The title threw me off a bit; every time something is touted as "the last" of its kind, especially in the fantasy genre, I immediately think of a standard (i.e. played out) plot where so and so is the last sorcerer/witch/wizard, etc. of the land and forces are pitted against each other as they try to save or destroy the only remaining person of his or her kind. The Last Stormlord is similar in idea to these archetypal plots, but the overall story is engaging, thrilling, and entertaining. Several characters come into play, a few more developed than others, and a small number of main protagonists are thrust into the forefront of the book. The story takes place in an arid place called the Quartern, named after the four quadrants that make up the land. Fresh water is dreadfully scarce, and the people are at the mercy of those who can sense and control the precious liquid: rainlords and stormlords. Alas, there are far too few stormlords left in the Scarpen, the rich, most advanced segment of the land. Clouds cannot be formed from the Giving Sea as readily as in the past, for the only stormlord left is old and dying. He sends out the few remaining rainlords to search for any potential stormlords throughout the Quartern, including the poor, undeveloped places that most people in Scarpen barely think about. Indeed, most Scarpens look down upon anyone from the other three quadrants. In fact, communication and contact between the poorest folks and the wealthy who rule the city are so rare that the unfortunate families in the dry Gibber area think that rainlords are actually gods, rather than people who were born lucky with the gift of water sensitivity. Intrigue and dynamic relationships between the characters abound, and things aren't clearly predictable in this desert-based fantasy novel. A few mysteries are tossed in for even more interest to the reader, and Glenda Larke does a great job conveying the desperation and anxiety surrounding the water-starved people of this land. My only minor critique would be how each chapter starts with the location and (if applicable) city level of the setting. I found this to be slightly disruptive; is this a fantasy novel, or an episode of Law & Order?? Does the reader really need it spelled out that the next chapter takes place in Breccia city, level 2? Wouldn't this fact be self-evident by context clues, such as Nealrith speaking with his father in the comfort of their luxurious dining room? At any rate, that's my only issue. This first novel in the Watergivers series made me thirsty (pun intended) for more, so I immediately purchased the next book, eager to find out what happens to the beloved (and not so beloved) characters in this dry wasteland. As social commentary, I like how the scarcity of fresh water is the main driving force behind all the action; it harkens to our own modern culture where water is slowly, but surely, becoming a rare and precious resource, yet we in developed nations take its availability for granted. This, along with the great disparity between the rich and the poor, and the crushing authority of the few with power add to the chilling parallels between this work of fiction and our own semi-perilous future (or would that be present?) All in all, I loved the book, even though reading it made me more aware of fresh water scarcity and consequently, thirsty. Be sure to check it out, and if you do, have a glass of water nearby while you're reading.
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Julie
4.0 out of 5 stars Great start to a new fantasy trilogy
Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2011
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The Last Stormlord has good world-building, with an interesting geography/climate, multiple cultures, religions, and socioeconomic classes, and the history and conflicts that would naturally arise in such a world. The story is told through multiple POVs, not only of the protagonists but also several interesting insights into the antagonists' thoughts. Although it won't make you sympathize with them, it does allow you to understand their motives and make them more real. The author also uses time-elapse to show the meaningful events in the childhoods of the two primary protagonists (Shale and Terelle), then fast-forward to several years later when something else meaningful is happening to them, then fast-forward to several years later again. I thought it worked well, since their personalities and character development are tied closely to where they come from, it allows you to see the meaningful events in their lives without being bogged down by unimportant minutiae.

There's a good balance between world-building, character development, and action, there are several plot twists, and the book ends on a cliffhanger (it isn't written as a stand-alone novel but as part 1 of a trilogy, so there is no closure at the end). I found it a very enjoyable read and picked up book 2 the same day I finished book 1.
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Tango
3.0 out of 5 stars Leaves You Wanting More, For Good and For Ill
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2010
Verified Purchase
I had never heard of Glenda Larke before this book. When I finished with the book, I honestly feared she might be more-talented version of Christopher Paolini. Much to my surprise, she's an experienced author working on her third trilogy.

But before I get too far in to the book, let me first lambaste the idiot who attempted to summarize the story on the back cover of the paperback edition: This person identified three major characters in an order totally unrelated to the way they are introduced. Worse, the third section of the summary instantly gives away things that take us several chapters to learn about the first.

As for the story itself, the characters are predictably clichéd, the villain more so than the heroes, and the supporting cast worst of all. The villain barely establishes a connection with the third dimension. Then there's the guy who's just truly evil and barely makes it in to the second dimension. The supporting cast are firmly one- dimensional and act totally in the roles the establish themselves in.

By far the greatest flaw of this book is that it is only a book by the technical definition: paper bound together as a cohesive element. None of the major story elements are resolved in this book. There is no resolution to anything. It feels more like one is reading The Fellowship of The Ring, but without even the minimal closure brought about by Boromir's death. J. R. R. Tolkien's book was The Lord of The Rings; his publisher decided there should be three books. I can only hope Ms. Larke has such an excuse.

The book fails to tell a story, settling instead to set one up. Don't get me wrong, despite its flaws, the story is intriguing. However, the book ends without finishing any part of the story. The book covers six years of time and the characters do not seem to age at all.

When the book ends, it feels more like one is going to commercial break at the end of SyFy's eternally frustrating mid-season finales; right up to the moderately annoying character dropping a sinister cliffhanger in response to a death that should have stirred the reader's heartstrings and failed to do so.

Ms. Larke appears to be writing an epic miniseries for SyFy - something they generally do well, Tales of Earthsea notwithstanding. However, she's trying to present it as a trilogy of books when by the end of book one, you feel like you're only a third of the way through the novel.
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Top reviews from other countries

Darcy Meier
3.0 out of 5 stars The Amazon book is missing pages 473 - 504. Not sure if it's a one off or a bad printing.
Reviewed in Canada on October 9, 2019
Verified Purchase
I started this series, it was taking quite a while to get into the first book. I was actually enjoying the book midway through, unfortunately the edition I received was missing pages 473 - 504. That's a first for me. They had an earlier part of the book bound in the spot those pages went. Make sure your copy isn't the same before you start.
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firewriter
5.0 out of 5 stars could not put it down
Reviewed in Australia on September 17, 2021
Verified Purchase
The characters are so beautifully drawn (am I weird for falling in love with Tarquar? What is wrong with me?) I was so involved with the story at one stage I forgot it’s not real. Can’t wait for the rest of the story to unfold.
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Rt
5.0 out of 5 stars original
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 31, 2015
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I felt the themes behind this Sci Fi fantasy were original and it is a good story . I am looking forward to book 2
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Pauline M Ross
4.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating world, a great story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 1, 2011
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This is one of those books that bobbed up somewhere while I was idly trawling through Goodreads and discussion groups, so I have no idea who recommended it. Whoever it was - you have my thanks! I loved this book. Right from the first page I was drawn into it and the magic never let go. It is (inevitably) the first part of a trilogy, so plenty more story to go.

The book is set in a desert environment where every aspect of life is governed by the availability or lack of water, and society is divided into those who have it and live comfortably, and those who don't and have to grub around on the margins to survive. Interestingly, there are other parts of the world where water is abundant, but nothing more is revealed about why that should be. Although there are similarities with 'Dune', this is a work of fantasy, so there is magic at work - some people have the ability to sense or move water, and a very few (the stormlord of the title) can draw water from the sea into clouds to create rainstorms where they are needed. Only one stormlord remains, and he is old and sick. His death will plunge the land under his care into crisis.

This background is beautifully created. The author has thought carefully about the possible lifestyles and likely forms of animal life in such a precarious world, and developed them brilliantly. The pedes and ziggers, dayjars and reeves, the multi-level cities with their water-traders and snuggeries - all are believable and evocative. The reader is instantly immersed, with foreign terminolgy scattered about everywhere. Many authors do this just to be cute or clever, but that didn't seem to be the case here. All the terms were either readily understandable (not hard to guess what a pede is) or were soon explained. I liked the dialects for the different regions, too, which were well-defined and credible. Even the swearing had local colour. The names were in keeping, even if often unpronouncable (Taquar? Moiqa? Nealrith?), but this is a bit of a fantasy convention.

The plot is nicely developed. The threat of impending catastrophe should the last stormlord die, and the likely consequences, are laid out right from the start and the tension builds steadily to the inevitable disaster. Everything that happens feels logical , and the motivations of the characters are always understandable. The author has a nice way of disclosing key information, so that the reader works it out just a satisfying moment or two before the reveal, without unnecessary cliff-hangers or overblown drama. The author is also very good about repeating essential details just at the point where it might become puzzling. This makes it really easy to keep track of what's going on and why. And the action just rolls along so that you have to keep turning the pages - that 'just one more chapter' effect.

The main characters are generally complex enough to be interesting. The bad guys are perhaps a little too evil to be credible, but the others are very much drawn in shades of grey. Terelle and Shale have both had difficult childhoods, but the effects of that are not overdone - it gave them depth rather than making them into caricature hero/heroine figures fighting back from adversity. Taquar was interesting, too, and I would have liked to know a little bit more about him. I also liked Kaneth and Ryka - their relationship felt totally believable. The squabbling amongst the various rainlords over how to deal with the situation, and the difficult decisions faced by decent people in impossible situations is beautifully done.

I loved the magic system. The idea of sensing water and moving it about at will is a beguiling one. I find myself looking at clouds now and thinking - if only... The author has devised some very clever applications of it - ways of killing, for instance, or surviving underwater. The water painting is obviously a related form of magic, but is not well developed so far. Presumably it will become more significant in the later books.

One aspect I particularly liked is that Terelle and Shale, while encountering their various difficulties, regularly received help from complete strangers - just normal people behaving decently to fellow human beings. There are too many fantasies around these days which focus unrelievedly on humanity's dark side and it's nice to find a more balanced portrayal.

My only complaint, such as it is, is that the death toll in the final battle was rather high amongst the named characters. The unwashed masses always die in droves, of course, but I like to see most of the significant characters survive, especially as there are still two more volumes to go. But it's a small quibble.

This is not a particularly original book in many ways, but it's good, solid fantasy which I found enjoyable at every level. It has unusually good world-building and an excellent magic system, with a nicely worked plot, believable characters and a down-to-earth writing style which I liked very much. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
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DS
5.0 out of 5 stars A great book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 7, 2014
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This is the first book that I read from Glenda, and I was immediately hooked. I now want to read all her stories.
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