The ambitious kickoff to Abofsky’s Celoven Stormchaser series introduces four races living in uneasy peace on the planet Ankeros and the crisis that will force Celoven, Stone Maiden to Naruné, crown princess of Malenor, to rethink her loyalties–and everything she’s ever known. The peace quickly begins to unravel when the destruction of an Epion city also shows the instability of Ankeros’s core. Sun, the assistant to the Epion president, is convinced that the catastrophe was started by the Pelosians, but the First General Hirkain of the Pelosian military quickly produces evidence that the amalgans, a race looked down upon by the other three, are to blame–setting off discrimination and oppression of the amalgan people.

In his debut, Abofsky demonstrates rich world building. Epions, Pelosians, and Malens each have their own strengths that make them feel superior to each other and the amalgans, creating shifting alliances and dynamics that help move the story forward as First General Hirkain forms a relationship with Naruné that gives his people access to mines to build evacuation ships for leaving the planet. (Like her friend Sun, Celoven doubts Hirkain’s motives.)

Telling the story from the point of view of multiple characters gives readers a strong sense of the complicated relationships between individuals and the different groups, as well as the political and social dynamics. Ankeros’s leaders, coming from military, monarchical, and democratic societies, can either work together or fight separately for survival. Keeping up with everything can be a challenge for them and for readers alike, as the story’s scope and its large cast can be demanding, though Celoven makes a compelling central figure. Abofsky limits the number of unnecessary scenes, a wise decision given the complexity of the novel and its varied perspectives, and provides a nice conclusion to the story while setting up well for a second book in the series.

Takeaway: Sci-fi and fantasy fans alike will enjoy rich worldbuilding as four different groups must either work together or fight separately for survival.

Great for fans of: Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series, Sally Green’s The Smoke Thieves series.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B+