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Formats
Ebook Details
  • 05/2023
  • B0C68J5RZN
  • 457 pages
  • $7.99
Paperback Details
  • 05/2023
  • 978-1-7366566-2-4 1736656627
  • 260 pages
  • $12.99
Hardcover Details
  • 05/2023
  • 978-1-7366566-4-8 1736656643
  • 292 pages
  • $24.99
Jason Lancour
Author
Storm Cloud Rising

Adult; Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror; (Market)

No prophecy. No Chosen One. No greatest hero of all time. The fate of the known universe does not hang in the balance. A group of mercenaries is hired for what was supposed to be an easy assignment. Get in. Get out. Get paid. But like most things in life, nothing is as easy as it seems. In a world rich with history, meticulously engineered laws of magic, unique cultures and peoples (as well as the occasional whiskey joint), the “private contractors” soon find their already varied motivations and priorities shifting. What started out as a simple job spirals out of control into a struggle for survival in the midst of a plot that is bigger – much bigger – than any of them could ever have anticipated. Blood will be spilled, confidences broken, and a fair bit of whiskey consumed. Not everyone is who they seem, and no one seems in control. This is only the beginning…
Reviews
The sharp-edged fantasy from Lancour, the first volume in the Storm Cloud series, introduces a band of mercenaries and a classic case of biting off more than they can chew as a seemingly simple assignment—recover a gold disk and magic box, both stolen from a duke— turns out to be a “large tangled puzzle” with stakes higher than anyone expects. Set in a world where magic has a strict order, psychics can control you with a single glance, and bandits run wild while guilds control everything else, Storm Cloud Rising bursts with engaging characters who see their fantasy adventure skill sets (archer, mage, blade-for-hire) as down-to-Earth professions. Tensions are high, deadlines are pressing, and trust turns out to be in short supply. But how can mercenaries trust their companions when they can’t even trust their own minds?

Lancour does a terrific job of world-building through vivid lived detail, and the expansive cast of mercenaries engages from the start, as the hardscrabble group introduces themselves, in crisp and sometimes cutting dialogue, to the duke, to each other, and to readers. Corelan, Qaz, Daelyn, and Lena exchange exciting banter throughout their journey into the desert, as they come to understand the escalating threat of running afoul of the Psychic’s League. Lancour writes fantasy with the eye and spirit of a thriller novelist, with visceral action, pulsing suspense, and a welcome attention to physical reality. The novel will hook readers who prefer pulp integrity in their sword and sorcery, as Lancour develops mysteries and gives real reason to worry about who will survive through to the end.

Storm Cloud Rising is still a fantasy, with copious new terminology and cultures for readers to chart, which at times can prove daunting. (A glossary would help.) But this entry moves quickly and boasts welcome pulp integrity as the mercenaries, striving to keep up with events, find themselves reduced to plans like “If things get ugly, kick in the door and start swinging.”

Takeaway: Sharply told mercenary fantasy with true pulp integrity.

Comparable Titles: Joe Abercrombie, Glen Cook.

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

Book Trib

“From the precision with which his characters have been crafted, to the intricacies of the fight scenes, to the lore of this fictional world and its many inhabitants, Lancour knows how to put together an epic story.” – Book Trib Reviews

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Kirkus Reviews

“…Lancour adds some new life to the old formula, mainly through sharp prose, often laced with wry and very contemporary humor.” – Kirkus Reviews

Click the link for the full review!

 

Formats
Ebook Details
  • 05/2023
  • B0C68J5RZN
  • 457 pages
  • $7.99
Paperback Details
  • 05/2023
  • 978-1-7366566-2-4 1736656627
  • 260 pages
  • $12.99
Hardcover Details
  • 05/2023
  • 978-1-7366566-4-8 1736656643
  • 292 pages
  • $24.99
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