Title: Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame
Author: Meg Long
Genre: YA Fantasy
Published On: January 17, 2023
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Source: digital
Pages: 416
Synopsis:
A girl hellbent on finding the friend she lost. A planet on the brink of total destruction. Only one way to find answers amidst the chaos: team up with a traitor to stage a revolution, in Meg Long’s Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame.
After a mission gone awry two years ago, Remy Castell has been desperately searching across worlds to find the friend she failed to save—the friend who changed her life by helping her overcome the brainwashing she was subjected to as a genetically engineered corporate agent.
Since then, she’s been chasing the only lead she has: fellow genopath Kiran Lore, the same secretive ex-squadmate who left her for dead when she compromised that mission. She nearly caught up to him on Tundar before joining the infamous sled race alongside outcast Sena and her wolf companion Iska. Now, all three of them have tracked Kiran back to Maraas, the jungle planet where Remy lost everything. But nothing on Maraas is how it was two years ago. Syndicates and scavvers alike are now trying to overthrow a megalomaniac corpo director, which Remy wants nothing to do with; fighting against corpos is as useless as trying to stay dry in the middle of the giant hellstorm that encircles the planet. But the storm—and the rebellion—are growing stronger by the minute.
When Remy finds Kiran, he doesn’t run away like she expects. Instead, he offers her a deal: help with the revolution and he’ll reunite her with her friend. But can she really trust the boy who betrayed her once before? With the entire planet on the edge of all-out war, Remy will have to decide just how far she’s willing to go to save one girl before the impending storm drowns them all.
My thoughts
(Spoiler free)
“Trouble’s practically my shadow at this point.”
Meg Long; Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame
Swift the Storm gave me Lunar Chronicles vibes as Remy is genetically engineered, which reminded me of Cinder. Long does a great job of creating flawed characters who learn from their mistakes, and it’s always rewarding to take the journey along with them as they recognize and adapt to those flaws.
It had been a year since I read Cold the Night, and I’d forgotten much of what happened. I refreshed myself on a few characters, but it wasn’t really necessary. Everything you need to know for Swift the Storm is within its pages. BUT I still recommend reading Cold the Night simply because it’s good!
Sena and her wolf Iska from Cold the Night are present throughout the story, so that’s fun, as well. But we are introduced to some great new characters, too, which I look forward to getting to know better in the next book. And there HAS to be a next book because Long left us on a bit of a cliffhanger. I’m hoping the next book will share both Sena’s and Remy’s points of view, as both of their stories seem unfinished.
While Cold the Night had no romance or love interest—or none that was obvious—Swift the Storm does. It’s not a huge part of the story until the end, but as a fan of romance, I was loving the inclusion. And rooting for them, as well.
Pick this one up if you’re a fan of strong female characters as they fight against insurmountable odds alongside a group of dedicated friends who dare to find their footing in an unstable world among natural and human challenges! And a little bit of romance sprinkled in, of course.
Thank you to the publisher Wednesday Books and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy.
(All quotes are taken from the advance copy and are subject to change in final print.)
Rating: 4.25 stars
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About the Author
A Song For A Book
For Swift the Storm, I wanted an anthem song, one I could imagine Remy, Sena, and gang listening to before they marched into the dangerous jungle. I chose to highlight Paramore’s “Let the Flames Begin”. The title and words nicely reflected the books’ themes.
What a shame we all became such fragile, broken things
A memory remains, just a tiny spark
I give it all my oxygen, to let the flames begin
To let the flames begin
Oh glory
Oh glory
This is how we’ll dance when
When they try to take us down
This is what we’ll be, oh glory
Somewhere weakness is our strength, and I’ll die searching for it
I can’t let myself regret, such selfishness
My pain and all the trouble caused, no matter how long
I believe that there’s hope
Buried beneath it all and
Hiding beneath it all and
Growing beneath it all and
This is how we’ll dance when
When they try to take us down
This is how we’ll sing oh
This is how we’ll stand when
When they burn our houses down
This is what we’ll be, oh glory…
Will you be adding Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame to your tbr? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Wandering!
Lovely review! I love strong female characters!
Thanks Wendy! This one has several strong female characters. 🙂