Son of the Storm

'A vibrant tale of betrayal, intrigue and revolution' Anthony Ryan

'A thrilling, fantastical adventure that introduces a beguiling new world' S. A. Chakraborty

In the city of Bassa, Danso is a clever scholar on the cusp of achieving greatness-only he doesn't want it. Instead, he prefers to chase forbidden stories about what lies outside the city walls. The Bassai elite claim there is nothing of interest. The city's immigrants are sworn to secrecy.

But when Danso stumbles across a warrior wielding magic that shouldn't exist, he's put on a collision course with Bassa's darkest secrets. Drawn into the city's hidden history, he sets out on a journey beyond its borders. But the chaos left in the wake of his discovery threatens to destroy the empire.

Award-winning author Suyi Davies Okungbowa begins a thrilling new epic fantasy series of violent conquest, buried histories and forbidden magic.

Praise for Son of the Storm

'A contender for best new fantasy series of the year' SFX

'Everything I love to see in a fantasy story: masterful, fully-realised worldbuilding, morally complex characters, thoughtful and piercing interrogations of power . . . Damn good stuff!' Jenn Lyons

'An elaborately plotted tale of ancient magics and world-shattering politics. I, like many others, will be impatiently waiting for the next instalment!' Andrea Stewart

'An original and fully conceived new world of fantasy teeming with brilliant possibilities' P. Djeli Clark

'An epic fantasy set apart by how deftly Okungbowa unfurls his intricate, richly imagined world' A. K. Larkwood

'Forgotten magic propels a richly drawn story of ambition, conspiracy and the elusiveness of belonging' Fonda Lee

'Bold characters, bloody action and brutal politics. I thoroughly enjoyed it!'

James Islington

“I have to say that this is everything I love to see in a fantasy story: masterful, fully-realised worldbuilding, morally complex characters, thoughtful and piercing interrogations of power, privilege, and all the facets of human nature. Can't wait to see the next book in the series. Damn good stuff!”

Jenn Lyons
A mesmerising coming of age tale set against a thrilling, fantastical adventure that introduces an beguiling new world...and then rips apart everything you think you know S. A. Chakraborty
Okungbowa's world feels fully formed from the first pages, sweeping readers away into an elaborately plotted tale of ancient magics and world-shattering politics. I, like many others, will be impatiently waiting for the next installment! Andrea Stewart
A world so exquisitely observed in every detail, from the built environment to its social and political organization, that you can't help but tumble headlong into its vivid, captivating reality. Esheme is a standout: her unflinching subversion of motherhood to serve her own ends absolutely thrilled me Shelley Parker-Chan, author of She Who Became the Sun

An epic fantasy set apart by how deftly Okungbowa unfurls his intricate, richly imagined world. It's not often you get to read a fantasy novel that spans not only ancient magic, sinister machinations and monstrous forests but courthouses, college classes and hairdressers too, evoking the terrible and fascinating city-state of Bassa in living, breathing detail

A. K. Larkwood, author of The Unspoken Name
An original and fascinating epic fantasy full of bold characters, bloody action and brutal politics. I thoroughly enjoyed it! James Islington
Okungobwa's richly-drawn and ruthlessly strict world never provides its conflicted characters with easy answers. Fantastical beasts and forgotten magic propel a story about ambition, conspiracy, and the elusiveness of belonging. This is epic fantasy that will make you think and leave you unsettled Fonda Lee
Although set in a pre-industrialised world, the themes explored in Suyi Davies Okungbowa's Son of the Storm have a palpable contemporary resonance. Okungbowa weaves an intricate and irresistible plot around the tensions and contradictions of a corrupt, decadent society which is both dependent upon and resentful of its diverse migrant population. The result is a vibrant tale of betrayal, intrigue and revolution which benefits greatly from an original setting, a fresh take on magic and deftly executed characterisation Anthony Ryan
It's always refreshing to find fantasies that break with all the old conventions and tropes, and Son of the Storm delivers on this like a flash of lightning in the dark! Set in a deftly crafted world of forbidden sorcery, magical beasts and fractured polities, this tale follows three characters whose seemingly disparate journeys are set for a collision course that will rewrite the fate of whole peoples and empires. Suyi Davies Okungbowa has created an original and fully conceived new world of fantasy teeming with brilliant possibilities and demanding to be explored! P. Djèlí Clark
This sweeping and politically charged fantasy explores race, gender, and culture in a complex and compelling world Buzzfeed
Highly recommended for fans of epic fantasy based on non-European mythologies Library Journal (starred review)
A contender for best new fantasy series of the year SFX
Son of the Storm, with its intricate African-inspired world-building and lush descriptions, is a delightful addition to this genre Washington Post

Suyi Davies Okungbowa is a Nigerian author of speculative fiction inspired by his West-African origins. He is the author of David Mogo, Godhunter and his shorter works have appeared in Lightspeed, Nightmare, Strange Horizons and other periodicals and anthologies. He lives between Lagos, Nigeria and Tucson, Arizona where he teaches writing while completing his MFA in Creative Writing. He tweets at @IAmSuyiDavies and is @suyidavies everywhere else.

Award-winning author Suyi Davies Okungbowa begins a thrilling new epic fantasy series of violent conquest, buried histories and forbidden magic. In the city of Bassa, Danso is a clever scholar on the cusp of achieving greatness-only he doesn't want it. Instead, he prefers to chase forbidden stories about what lies outside the city walls. The Bassai elite claim there is nothing of interest. The city's immigrants are sworn to secrecy.But when Danso stumbles across a warrior wielding magic that shouldn't exist, he's put on a collision course with Bassa's darkest secrets. Drawn into the city's hidden history, he sets out on a journey beyond its borders. But the chaos left in the wake of his discovery threatens to destroy the empire. 'Everything I love to see in a fantasy story: masterful, fully-realised worldbuilding, morally complex characters, thoughtful and piercing interrogations of power, privilege, and all the facets of human nature. Damn good stuff!' - Jenn Lyons 'A mesmerising coming of age tale set against a thrilling, fantastical adventure that introduces and beguiling new world . . . and then rips apart everything you think you know' - S. A. Chakraborty 'An elaborately plotted tale of ancient magics and world-shattering politics. I, like many others, will be impatiently waiting for the next instalment!' - Andrea Stewart 'One of the most promising new voices in the growing coterie of African SFF writers' - Wired

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