Rise of the Storm (The Desolate Empire Book 1)

✍ Scribed by Ochs, Christina

• Book ID: 109194006
• Publisher: Lujin Press
• Year: 2015
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 7 MB
• Series: Desolate Empire 1
• Category: Fiction

✦ Synopsis

When a renegade priest prophesies an imminent apocalypse, a conflict is sparked which will tip a continent into war.

Prince Kendryk is young, handsome and popular, his kingdom prosperous and peaceful. But in the face of the prophesied apocalypse, he must choose between conscience and power. If he chooses the side of faith, he must defy the ruthless Empress Teodora, ruler of a vast empire, imperiling kingdom and family— but if he chooses the side of power, he risks plunging his world into a darkness worse than war.

The coming conflict will touch the lives of thousands, among them…

Prince Kendryk’s adored wife, Gwynneth, the proud daughter of a king, whose ambition may come at great cost…

Braeden, a violent mercenary, commander of a legendary winged army, who will find himself in the service of an employer he must defy to protect those he holds dear…

And Janna, the merchant’s wife, forced to abandon her home and her way of life, ill-prepared to keep herself and her children safe from the ravages of war…

An epic historical fantasy drawn from European history, Rise of the Storm is Book One in the Desolate Empire series. It explores the origins of the Protestant Reformation and the early days of the Thirty Years War (1618-48) in a fast-paced, engaging alternate history setting. It follows four main characters through the religious and political upheavals triggering a violent conflict that engulfed a continent for decades.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

What was the inspiration behind your books?

During a long-ago visit to Heidelberg Castle in Germany, I heard the tragic story of its most famous inhabitants, the young Count-Elector Frederick V and his glamorous wife, Elizabeth Stuart. I wanted to write a book about them then and the terrible war they inadvertently helped start, but couldn't figure out how to do it as compelling historical fiction. Years later, I discovered historical fantasy and realized I could tell the story that way. Because I could, I threw in the Protestant Reformation for good measure.

Who will enjoy this series?

Even though this is fantasy, there's little magic and I think a lot of historical fiction readers enjoy this as well. I've had several readers refer to it as a "kinder, gentler Game of Thrones," and I think that describes it very well. I also write with my teenage nieces and nephews in mind, so I keep it pretty clean and try to avoid graphic depictions of violence. I hadn't set out to write for the young adult market specifically, but younger readers seem to enjoy it and find the many younger characters easy to relate to. Generally, if you enjoy authors like George R.R. Martin, Diana Gabaldon, Scott Lynch and Mark Lawrence, you ought to like these books as well.

What makes the series special?

I've noticed that Renaissance Europe gets little fictional coverage and the 17th Century is particularly neglected. It's actually an incredibly fascinating time, with countless political, social and military developments, and these books explore a lot of those in an alternate history kind of setting.

Fantasy authors are often accused of creating a "McEurope" in their settings and I hope I've succeeded in putting a unique twist on that. I've created an unusual alternative Europe with a slightly different social structure, considerable gender equality,along with a polytheistic religion that comes with its own myths, folklore and legends. There's plenty of sword-wielding and wearing of fabulous plate armor, though the use of flintlock and wheellock firearms in addition to artillery gives the plentiful action scenes a different spin as well.

How many books are in the series and what order should I read them in?

I'm planning five books for the series and am releasing them roughly six months apart, though I hope to speed the pace up a bit.

Read them in this order:

Rise of the Storm
Valley of the Shadow
Hammer of the Gods (coming Spring 2016)

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Review

" . . .The verdict is in: Ochs is a hell of a writer. Rise of the Storm is exciting, well constructed, surprising, heartfelt, and will leave you wanting more." -Literary Braun

About the Author

Christina Ochs writes epic historical fantasy from the passenger seat of a semi truck. At any given time, she, her driver husband and their two cats can be found anywhere in the lower 48.