The Mage Storms trilogy

Book 1: Storming Warning
DAW
mmp released Sep 1995
432 pages

Book 2: Storming Rising
DAW
mmp released Oct 1996
416 pages

Book 3: Storming Breaking
DAW
mmp released Oct 1997
464 pages



This may look like a complete series but it is actually part of Valdemar and you will understand what's happening if you've read previous books.

In this series, Ancar of Hardorn is dead and the Empire is moving in to take over the leaderless country. Karse and Valdemar form an uneasy alliance because the Empire is not the only problem facing their countries.

Long ago and far to the north, lived two mages. One didn't like to be the equal of anybody, he wanted to "rule the world" and the two fought with magic. The "good" mage decided to take out both of them and unleashed a magical weapon. Unfortunately, the shock wave it caused is coming back through time and disrupting magic, changing animals and the very land.

This sounds a bit far fetched and not very exciting but it is exciting and it makes sense. First, two countries that have been enemies for so long, with prejudice and mistrust on both sides, must work together. The waves are thought to be a new weapon of the Empire and the mages of both countries, as well as some unlikely new people (Griffins anyone?) must discover what the waves are, how to avoid the danger areas, and figure out how to STOP them from happening. Help comes from several different mage schools that don't usually work together, the Prince-Consort's home country sends help and an unexpected source comes forward.

There is court intrigue as well as stupidity as a small group races against time to save the world. The story goes from country to country and group to group to let you know what is happening. I was sad to see it end and want just one more book to tie up a couple of loose ends for me and find out what happens next.

I've already read these twice, maybe three or four times, and will again in a couple of years.