Stormsong

Written by C.L. Polk

Narrated by Moira Quirk

A Reader's Digest Top 25 Best Fantasy Series Ever Written

After spinning an enthralling world in Witchmark, the winner of the World Fantasy Award for best novel that was praised as a “can't-miss debut” by Booklist, and as “thoroughly charming and deftly paced” by the New York Times, C. L. Polk continues the Kingston Cycle in Stormsong. Magical cabals, otherworldly avengers, and impossible love affairs conspire to create a book that refuses to be put down.

Dame Grace Hensley helped her brother Miles undo the atrocity that stained her nation, but now she has to deal with the consequences. With the power out in the dead of winter and an uncontrollable sequence of winter storms on the horizon, Aeland faces disaster. Grace has the vision to guide her parents to safety, but a hostile queen and a ring of rogue mages stand in the way of her plans. There's revolution in the air, and any spark could light the powder. What's worse, upstart photojournalist Avia Jessup draws ever closer to secrets that could topple the nation, and closer to Grace's heart.

Can Aeland be saved without bloodshed? Or will Kingston die in flames, and Grace along with it?

“Fantastical, thoughtful, and un-put-downable, I flew through Stormsong and want the third in the series NOW.”—Elizabeth Hoyt

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 11, 2020
• ISBN: 9781980002093

C.L. Polk

C. L. Polk is the author of the World Fantasy Award winning novel Witchmark, the first novel of the Kingston Cycle, and the Nebula Award winning novella, Even Though I Knew The End. After leaving high school early, they have worked as a film extra, sold vegetables on the street, and identified exotic insect species for a vast collection of lepidoptera before settling down to write fantasy novels. Polk lives near the Bow River in Calgary, Alberta, in a tiny apartment with too many books and a yarn stash that could last a decade. They spend too much time on Bluesky.

Reviews for Stormsong

[Mariha · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great story, the details are amazing..if you also have a sense for fashion you will relate to dame Grace ;) <3

[tornadox-962417 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good and engaging sequel to Witchmark

[Mesuur Iorkighir · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great read. I was a little disappointed in Grace that she couldn’t put two and two together until the very end. Like how can you not be suspicious of the prince

[Vita Oliškeviciute · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There are some lines missing in chapter 10 hence the star off (not sure where else to report this...)

[Mira Carson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love sapphic fantasy especially when it’s read by Moira quirk who just makes every sentence rich and interesting. I preferred the first book in the series, this one felt frantic and stressful which was fitting to the plot but I would have loved some more low stakes or slow moments as a breather between the busyness. The two ‘before bed’ sleepover scenes were my favourite parts of the book and I wish there was more content like that. The romance left me giddy and I’m excited to read more from this author.

[fiverivers_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Polk continues her interesting trilogy in this second novel, this time changing character focus, although certainly the world she's created descends deeper into chaos, subterfuge, political machinations, and outright horrors against humanity. All of that sounds as though the novel would be a slog to read, which it is, but not because of those factors. Certainly Polk had already built a fascinating world. However, with the shift from the lead character Tristan, in Book 1, to his sister, Grace, in book 2, the entire flavour changes, unfortunately not for the better. While Polk crafted a vulnerable, powerful and fascinating character in Tristan, in Grace the flavour changes from one of empathy to one of superficiality. Grace quite often seems more focused on fashion, societal standing, and avoiding controversy than in championing the real cause of empowering the witches who have for generations fed the power-mongers of Aeland, and who now, though freed from bondage, exist in penury and pain.Altogether a disappointing continuation of what started out to be a fascinating story.

[rivkat_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The second book in a series—the first book involved a lot of politics and magic; at the beginning of this one, alt-England’s magic power system has been destroyed just as winter storms come with even greater force, threatening the crops and lives of many citizens. Grace, now appointed the Queen’s chancellor, has to navigate palace intrigue, intrigue among the storm-fighting magicians, pressures for democratic reform, captives from the foreign power that tried to use necromancy against them, and an intriguingly sexy reporter who is about to reveal Grace’s secrets and the secrets of the realm—among other things. If you like whirlwind political fantasy, you might like this.

[twinkley_3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This novel was from the perspective of Grace, Mile's sister. I had really liked Miles and I was disappointed that only the first book was on him. I didn't like Grace in the first book and while I grew to like her more in this, I still wasn't that crazy about her. Grace was someone who had bought into the life of privilege and was somewhat blind to the unfairness of it all. Add to that, she was also loyal to a leader who was not intent on doing what was best for the country. The novel was primarily of her growth. The problem was that I was impatient with her blindness and that affected my enjoyment of the reading. The romance part was weak as well. There was no chemistry between the characters. There is a mystery in this and that was good even if you had suspected who was behind it. My favorite parts of the novel were when Miles and/or Tristan were part of it. I am looking forward to the next one.

[ladycato · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.I greatly enjoyed Witchmark last year when I read it as a Nebula finalist. I was quite curious about how the sequel would play out. Polk established a fascinating, original world of powerful magic, devastating storms, and snarled, vicious political power plays. The setting is quite Victorian in inspiration (but not steampunk). The magic, I really loved. Weather magic has been used in other books, but this take feels new. The queer rep is fantastic, too. Diversity shines here.To my surprise, though, I had a hard time getting into Stormsong. The refreshers about previous events weren't quite enough, leaving me lost for a good while, and the plot cranked up so slowly that I wondered if I should stop completely. The perspective had shifted in this book to Grace, the politically-savvy sister of Miles. I enjoyed her character but things just couldn't get going. Fortunately, I pressed on, and I'm glad I did. Things really picked up halfway through, and the last bit zoomed along, complete with a fantastic ending. As with the first book, the twisty-turny plot is brightened by a deftly-handled romance. While not as consistently enthralling as the first book, Stormsong absolutely came through in the end.