Storm’s Breath: Book One – Nullifier

Hi guys, how have you been this week?
Have you come across any bookish gems in your travels?

Today, I’m excited to be sharing a Fantasy Role Playing Game novel entitled Storm’s Breath, by author J. R. Ford.

About

While participating in a realistic role playing game, Pavel Cernik makes new friends and fights against monster and man alike, all in the hopes of winning the prize money in the pot. On his travels, he is forced to learn the true value of both friendship and heroism.

Character

Pavel Cernik is a courageous and honourable young man who wants to play at being a hero. He was a highly likable and motivated character. Seeing how his true sense of heroism was tested over the span of his journey was interesting, leading to the revelation of his true character.

Farrukh is loyal and caring, a real team player among many players that were simply out for themselves. He only had a small part in the novel, however, his character’s impression stayed with me throughout.

Heather is timid and sweet, an endearing young woman, desperate to experience life. She felt very relatable, doubting her usefulness in life as I’ve often done myself. It was refreshing to see so human a character presented on the page.

Ana, in stark contrast to Heather, is a real fighter in every sense of the word. Fierce, smart, and terribly stubborn, she soon became my favourite character, always protecting her friends, even at cost to her own safety.

Edwin Casper, on the other hand, made for the perfect antagonist. Brash, brutish and arrogant, he was a true bully. He swept people aside, with little regard for anyone in the game but himself and those he came to deem useful.

Every character had a strong presence that highlighted their individual personality, as well as their contrasts to others.

Likes

There was much that I liked about Storm’s Breath, including the first person, past tense narration. The flow of the writing was good and made for a smooth reading experience.

Likewise, the relationships forged between the characters were meaningful and interesting, developing gradually over the course of the story, without taking attention away from the main plot.

The enemies the main characters encountered were well-described and sounded frightening, the tension mounting any time they appeared.

Memorable Quotes

As always, whilst reading, I kept my eyes open for any quotes that really spoke to me, the following three of which hooked me in.

‘Like a screen turned off, silence reflects all.’
‘I know there is no faster way to hostility than by dismissing someone’s feelings.’
‘Some people don’t have a single thread of moral fiber throughout their bodies- everything they do is for their own gain.’

These three quotes each had something to say about our own human nature and experience, whether that be about silence leading to self reflection so that we may see ourselves and our actions more clearly, or about other people’s actions toward others and the consequences that follow.

Overview

Overall, Storm’s Breath was a fun and adventurous read, with themes of friendship, loyalty, teamwork, and self-sacrifice that helped to draw the story together.

I’m really glad to have been asked to review this book and can’t wait to continue with the next book in the series.

Rated: 4 stars.
Recommended: To lovers of fantasy books, specifically lovers of Role playing Games and Dungeons & Dragons style stories.

Thank you for joining me for today’s review.

If you’d like to learn more about Storm’s Breath, visit its Goodreads page HERE.
Or, to learn more about J. R. Ford, visit his official website HERE.

As always, if you enjoyed this review, why not share it over social media, or show your support by leaving a comment below.

That’s all from me for today guys.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend,

Ellie. xoxo