Stormforged: A Steamborn Novel by Eric Asher : Review

Jacob fears their time is running out. The full focus of Belldorn and Bollwerk’s tinkers is centered on the construction of the carriers. While Jacob is concentrating on overseeing the work, he worries for Alice who faces a dire challenge of her own. They need to launch an attack on Ballern, but their forces cannot cross the Crystal Sea without the new warships.

To deploy their ground forces they must secure a base, requiring a strengthened alliance with the forest city of Karn. Surrounded by Acidwings and Cannon Bugs, Alice and Furi embark on a journey fraught with danger in hopes of solidifying the Stormborn alliance. Steamborn and Skyborn must stand together in the looming battle … or both will fall.

Even as they prepare for war, an enemy takes advantage of their distracted attention and strikes Midstream. But they are not the only forces moving in the shadows. Owen and the fisherfolk are closing in, intent on giving Mordair, now Steward of Ballern, a farewell he’ll never forget.

As a big fan of Eric Asher’s Steamborn series, I was excited to dive into Stormforged. This latest entry in the series did not disappoint me and is another great example of why Asher is a standout in the steampunk genre. The original plan was to stretch reading the book out over a few days but like always with the Steamborn series I found myself finishing it in a single sitting. Not only did Stormforged live up to the high expectations set by the earlier books but I also think it helps take the series to a new level, making it a must-read for fans of the series,  fans of Ashers, and pretty much anyone who likes to read.

The biggest issue with enjoying a book or series as much as I do this one is that it becomes difficult to pinpoint just one or two aspects that make it stand out but I’ll do my best. For me, the best part of the book and the series are its well-crafted characters and its ever-growing world. You would think that after writing 7 books in the series Asher wouldn’t have a lot of worldbuilding left to do but he somehow manages to expand the Steamborn world with this book in some surprising and captivating ways. The combination of interesting character arcs and an ever-evolving setting helps keep the series both fresh and engaging.

Normally this is the part of the review where I talk about the things I didn’t like about Stormforged but honestly, I can’t think of anything like that to add. This was a great book with a great story and I would recommend it and the Steamborn series as a whole to anyone looking for something to read, no matter what genre. The only real complaint I have is that the Audiobook isn’t done yet so I don’t get to listen to the amazing Saska Maarleveld narrate it, but perfection takes time and Maarleveld’s narration is always perfect. Now I just have to wait for the last book in the series when it comes out later this year and try not to be too sad that it’s going to be the last book.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.