Warrior of the Wind

October 1, 2023
As the world teeters on the brink of change, factions amass, lost magic beckons, and three young people continue their search for power. In this sequel to Son of the Storm (2021), Danso and Lilong have journeyed into the world beyond Bassa. Lilong is still seeking the reason for her daa's departure from their island home and the way his quest relates to the magical ibor, while Danso has turned to chronicling their journey and documenting the stories he hears--which may well be true. But the two cannot yet rest. Esheme, Danso's one-time intended and now the Red Emperor, is still on their trail, using ibor to her own ends and drawing ever nearer. Ultimately, the three approach Lilong's home in an archipelago shrouded in mystery and legend where revelations about ibor and their own personal quests may lie. Broad and imaginative in scope even as it's firmly grounded in a West African setting, this installment surpasses the first as the characters' world opens up and their motivations are explored more deeply. Though the pacing is still ponderous, the slow movement of the plot nevertheless pulls the characters along through increasingly tense and dangerous scenarios and allows room to explore their inner worlds and relationships with each other. From the heat of the savanna to the red eyes of a beast, there is much here to unspool and much still left to follow. Slow-paced yet expansive, the book follows individual people to paint a much larger picture of empires as they rise and fall.

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October 1, 2023

Lilong and Danso have escaped Bassa with their lives, but their experiences have left them unnerved. Now hiding in Chabo, away from the territory of the Red Emperor, Esheme, they are given some breathing room. But as their slim security begins to crumble away, Lilong wants to return to her home with the Diwi--the ibor heirloom--and keep it from Esheme, as ibor is a powerful mineral that can be drawn on to perform supernatural feats. The journey back to Lilong's people, however, is filled with dangers and surprises. Danso trails along, searching for a place to belong and wondering if ibor is the only way to create it. Meanwhile, Esheme takes more land under her control. All three search for freedom from their pasts, but their paths to the future will diverge and meet in unexpected ways. The multiple points of view allow readers to observe the consequences of choices made. VERDICT The second "Nameless Republic" book builds on a complex story of rising power, secrets, and unique magic in an African-inspired landscape.--Kristi Chadwick

Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2023
In this sequel to Son of the Storm (2021), the Red Emperor, Esheme, is at the height of her power--and she's determined to solidify herself as someone to be feared. Someone untouchable. But that requires stamping out the rebels who escaped Bassa--scholar Danso and skin-changing warrior Lilong, who have a powerful magical object in their possession that could threaten her empire. As Esheme threatens to exhaust herself shoring up power using her blood magic, Danso and Lilong negotiate with a company of bandits. If they break someone out of prison, the Gaddo Company will pay for their passage east, where they can find Lilong's father and figure out what the magical object has in store for them. This book extends the well-built world of frightening beasts and bloodthirsty rulers that Okungbowa established in the first book of this series. Similar to that volume, Warrior of the Wind tends to drag slightly, particularly in the middle. Still, the intricate, fascinating world and Esheme's character journey are both worth the investment for lovers of epic fantasy.

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