For the third volume this one spent a long time on the final battle, a problem of having so many and such powerful adversaries that having pulled of the best emotional coup at the end of the second book this one was left with mere sorcerers and gods to sort out, who we hadn't been quite so eager to see eliminated. Nor was the scenery as fresh and satisfying as previously, but though the story was drawn out it was fairly played and generally satisfactory. ( )

good conclusion to this exotic and memorable series. lots of character growth, and they're all such engaging characters too. ( )

The Origin of Storms
Elizabeth Bear
Book 3 of The Lotus Kingdoms

Elizabeth Bear is probably one of the most versatile authors I know. I first met her way back in 2005 with her Jenny Casey books and have been following along ever since. Sometimes she thrills me and sometimes I find her prose/subject mater just a tad intimidating, but I have never failed to finish a book of hers other than satisfied. Which is quite the accomplishment given the massively disparate subject matter (from Norse mythology to AI-driven space opera and pretty much working away on everything between) she tackles.

The Origin of Storms is book 3 of The Lotus Kingdoms series, which itself is the second trilogy that takes place in the worlds of the Eternal Sky. As in a lot of the fantasy of this genre, Bear uses the first two books to set up the final conflict between “good” and “evil” (although it’s, thank goodness, much much more nuanced than that), and starts this third and final volume with the minor villains disposed of, the armies arrayed, heroes/heroines girded and final conflict looming. And then off the story goes, upsetting the form, exploring motherhood, “stewardship” and the real meanings of power and responsibility. At least that’s what I took from it. The great thing about Bear is when she’s in top form, the story’s pretty darn dense and there’s always lots and lots you can take away. I think The Origin of Storms is pretty high up in the Bear canon.

While the first series had an Asian steppes flavour, this one moves the action to a south-Asian milieu with more rajahs and fewer horses. The conflicts are rooted in a fallen empire and the struggles of the multiple heirs to secure their own borders and destinies. As we start The Origin of Storms we realize perhaps the conflict is bigger than simple, mortal jealousies and ambitions — that perhaps these children of empire have inherited something much larger and more dangerous than they expected.

One think I liked, and this is a tad provocative, is Bear’s handling of oft-touchy issues like race, gender, sexuality and equality, etc. that are slowly (or quickly, depending on your viewpoint) coming to the forefront in SciFi/Fantasy publishing. To me, Bear delivers a smooth story chock full of diversity without really making a big deal of it—it just is, as it should be. Integral to the story, unremarkable except when it’s not and delivered with a smooth touch that leaves very little for anyone to get their shorts in a knot about.

Anyway, it’s a great book, a great conclusion to a great series and leaves me both wondering and keen to find out where Bear will take us next. ( )