In the years since becoming a fan of indie fantasy, I’ve had the pleasure of finding many indie authors who write fantastic work that often goes unheralded. None more so than the very first indie fantasy trilogy I ever read: the Dynasty of Storms series by Brandon Cornwell.
This trilogy landed on me by circumstance via the author’s real-life brother, an artist who goes by the handle Ronindude, who draws a lot of fantasy artwork (much of it cheesecake pin-ups) and is currently a one-man dev team for a dark fantasy indie game. The man’s work is impressive, and through his artwork for the book’s characters, I found the books themselves. It should be noted that the books on Amazon are sold under their individual titles (Rising Thunder, Thunderbolt, and Storm’s Break) while the box set for the trilogy is listed as The Warrior’s Trilogy. The cover, admittedly, is rather plain. The covers for all the books came from a time in indie fantasy before the more professional covers became the norm.
Delving into random books has long been a habit of mine that usually results in a new favorite, and this was no exception. Like many indie fantasy books drawing on classics for inspiration, it takes familiar elements and uses them in interesting, often unexpected ways.
The trilogy stars a young elf warrior named Elias Stromgard. Unlike the standard convention, Elias is not a waifish lad, but an anomaly amongst his race, standing almost 7 feet tall. He is a bruiser with freakish strength who lives in exile in a northern human kingdom after his banishment from his elvish homeland. He befriended the king when he was a young man and fought in his service, but the book starts with the king now on his deathbed. Since the king was the only one keeping the humans who didn’t trust him at bay, Elias doesn’t wait for a knife in his back and strikes out on his own.
Here you’d think the plot would start churning out some familiar tropes: a band of misfits of varying races and classes, an epic quest, or other staples of the genre. But rather than becoming a tried and true D&D style fantasy, the story turns into much more of a band of brothers tale with Elias falling into a company of human mercenaries in search of work. Rumors of war with a demonic army and an encounter with a dark knight wielding shadowy demonic powers spur Elias and the mercs into a continent-spanning series of epic battles and adventures that never fail to entertain.
The trilogy weaves in and out of a lot of unexpected places and takes them to events that often surprised me, but never felt out of place. There come certain points where a side quest needs to be undertaken to gain an ally or as a favor, but even tertiary quests end up being exciting and fun. Elias becomes a hardened center of the book’s heart, a man wanting to find a place to belong, and his best weapon is his strength and the enormous sword he wields with it. Often, he wins others to his side by reducing his problems to bloody chunks and earning respect. It's an unabashedly male-centric story that never settles long enough to wear out its welcome.
Other characters join him, but most don’t receive as much characterization as Elias. Eventually, an elven mage joins him, as the third book turns towards the magic of this world and how the stakes against the demonic army known as the Felle rise to threaten the whole world. Elias fights other humans as much as he fights armies of the Felle. He’s never too overpowered to feel like he has plot armor, but he isn’t a fledgling either. These books are for those who prefer an aged, more grizzled protagonist instead of a young man trying to grow into his status. Eli is no chosen one. Just a big elf with a big sword and a target-rich environment.
The prose moves at a brisk pace, and this is one of the only books I’ve ever read where I can say its best quality is its pacing. More than any author I’ve ever read, Brandon Cornwell paces his books to perfection. No scene was ever too short or too long; all of them end on the right note and towards the next plotline or setpiece. For all its fantastic elements, the trilogy’s biggest strengths are its epic battles. These books feel much more like fantasy war books than anything. Action is quick, vibrantly detailed, bloody, and often brutal without being too dark. A few fights with fantastical creatures help break up the monotony and add a good touch of variety.
The trilogy ends on a satisfying note, though there is a fourth book (Snowfall, book 1 of a new and currently unfinished trilogy) and an anthology of short stories: Songs of the Northlands. At present, the books are available only in ebook and audiobook formats. Brandon Cornwell is an undiscovered gem amongst the indie authors on Amazon, and his books are highly entertaining, well-written, and well worth the time.
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So I guess my next stop is Amazon.