The Path of the Storm (The Evermen Saga Book 3)

This one has an unsettling amount of deaths. Ella works at traveling through the portal to get Killian and bring him back.

The three books in this series are well-written, and well edited. The characters are memorable, and the plot is gripping.All that being said, I was left unsatisfied. I found references to praying, and religious belief, and I am interested in that in fantasy literature. In the world of the Evermen, that belief, it turns out, is misplaced. There are no real gods. The people are eventually told that, but keep acting as if there were such. Maybe this is the author's world-view of our own culture. I'm not sure.Exactly what are the Evermen? We aren't told, even though there are two of them as characters in the series (one appears only in this book). Are they human, enhanced humans, or some sort of aliens?There's a lot of magic in the books, based on "essence," a substance that may be obtained from lignite, or from dead bodies, and is applied by writing runes, in essence, not ink, on swords, garments, ships, and weapons of war, then using magic words to activate the runes, which, in turn, activates the special properties of the swords, or other equipment. However, in this book, two of the main characters encounter a civilization that has shunned the use of essence, and runes, and depends on technology. The theme of the conflict, or accommodation, between these two ideas of "progress" could have been fleshed out a lot more.The series is full of violence. Don't read it, if you don't want to read about death, lots of it, really lots of it, mostly by swords, and in battle. In fact, there's so much of it that it strains the imagination to suppose that most of the characters could really have survived some of the violence they were exposed to. There are also a couple of sex scenes in the earlier books, although I wouldn't classify the books as pornographic, by any means.Although this third book has a definite ending, and much that has gone on is resolved, there's a conflict coming, and, probably, another book.

Continuing the saga, there is unstoppable, unimaginable, action on land and the high seas in quests for poison cure, war for the Empire, the unbelievable event of the return of the most evil Everyman, a crossing back through the portal, a new emporor and so much more. And, another book after this one? A great read!

Of the three out of four books in the Evermen Saga that I have read, by James Maxwell, I think that this one was the most interesting. While it does cover some additional wars it also introduces new lands of the empire complete with romantic excursions by some of the characters who you hoped would get together, finally. I think that there is a delicate balance between trying to maintain a mythical past from antiquity and present day conveniences. There were times when the author almost alluded to contemporary devices for communication that were not thought of even in a mythical world, and it bothered me somewhat. I am sure from research done by Michael Creighton years ago for his book about journeying back in the time of the Middle Ages that there were inventions that we did not realize that they had and perhaps the same is true for James Maxwell. Maybe he thought of some possibilities like artificial heat sources, lamps lighted by runes etc. This does have expanded and prepared for conclusions in the final book, which I am reading now. I think that in a sense they became more interesting in character development and even descriptions with each new book. It's an engaging saga of history, albeit imagined and created, romance and most certainly violence in their many wars. Sometimes I feel like I am reading a morality tale in 4 books...a little spirituality, cautionary suggestions of what happens when violence does not solve human relationship problems it only enlarges them, and ultimately the Machiavellian principle that power corrupts. However, Machiavelli also felt that the end justifies the means, which history has proven wrong so many times as a source of resolving conflict.

This book did not disappoint. I could not put it down. This one so far is my favorite. The journeys of of them all are compelling. Maxwell deepens the characters with desperation and love so strong you can feel it as you read. Amber and Miro’s journey was so emotional and captivating. I can’t wait to read the next and hope Killian and Ella finally be together.

The overall plot to these is great and I love them in concept- but the writing isn't great. It drove me nuts in the first book but the end was so good I continued to the second. The second was great much more developed and it was fantastic all around. This one though had all the same issue I had with the first one. Its the unrealistic chronological events that string unrealistic action scenes one after another. Literally I believe Miro and Amber get captured what four times directly in a row in this book, each time barely managing to get away and they make some friends who die immediately. Gets repetitive.Example of action in some scenes being painfully unrealistic- minor insignificant spoiler alert- they get captured by the mutineers and Miro jumps ship. He cuts the ship from mooring and it immediately drifts into a coral reef that happened to be nearby and bad guys are all immediately conveniently eaten by sharks. What? He also tries to hard with cliffhangers non-stop which gets annoying.Last annoyance, Ella's attitude at the end is completely at odds with her motivation the entire book- now she doesn't have time for anyone???But at least it stays action packed and I am hooked to the overall plot. The fantasy world is well constructed and the magic concept is legit. I am going straight to the next book to see what happens.

OK, so this book has over 1000 reviews, most great, so what can I add? Well, I'm grateful to the folks who review pretty much every purchase they make from washing-up liquid to washing machines, but I don't have the time nor the inclination. I only review things I think are amazing (or, occasionall,y absolutely dreadful, like the kids robot that only spoke Mandarin, but the seller had failed to mention this!). So, having read Evermen Books 1 and 2, I was naturally going to move on to Book 3 to continue the tale. I'd really enjoyed the first two, but this ....! As the story moved on at greater and greater pace I was totally gripped, but the final chapters - blimey! Maxwell is very adept at writing short chapters as the book builds to a climax, taking each situation and giving the reader just a little bit more - I was just breathless. "What's next?" "Wow!" Well, I managed to survive to the end of the book, panting, and have just begun Book 4 - hoping to discover how the Merralyan's secret weapon (Killian) is going to defeat the Lord of the Night. Tell you what - it's quite a ride!

James Maxwell has created a really interesting world full of excellent characters, great ideas and splendid action.It get a bit narked because every so often he lapses into a sort of "down with the in crowd" moments. I almost laughed out loud when in the middle of a torrid trek through a war torn land the heroine of the moment is cooking by the camp fire. It was like an a episode of master chef .. Rounds of grilled roots topped with something or other and then pinnacled with wild berries. The eaters lapped it up with great delight and appreciation .. Good heavens man it's a war zone ! Helpful and interesting folk die all too easily ( as they do ) but is is almost as if he has created a character who might be useful but as the story and his imagination evolves then they need to be discarded because there. Isn't an immediate fit in the narrative to come. This isn't in a game of thrones way where violence inherent in the society makes these things inevitable but a sort of .. Hummm thought I could use him but it won't work so let's just bin him ! ... Having said all this I am really enjoying this rip roaring saga. As the bad guys get stronger we are almost in a WW2 scenario ., the little guys with limited resources back to the walls facing evil. Just done a sort of Dunkirk ..... Hell, despite the gripes its a wonderful yarn and I am now well in to book 4 and keep turning the pages.

I really don't know how to describe this book, all I can say is read the series. This minus a writer. Amazing, mesmerising, adventurous and the love that is extracted from the heroes as they defend their lands is breath taking. Thank you. Please continue to feed my imagination😀

I have read Book1 and 2 and they were really really good, fantastic I think, I finished book The Path of the Storm in less than a week.These stories are pure fantasy, magical, but believable, people fighting for their lives against the dark, love, war, heroes, heroines, High Lords, and Lore,(James Bond of the medieval times), the story line travels through each book as their lives and trials and tribulations keeps you turning the pages.All I will say is if you like fantasy, Tolkien, Eddings, etc, this epic saga is right up there with the best. James Maxwell certainly knows how to put a big big story together and keep it going and going, building and building.Book 4 is just as good I promise.

I loved the first book in the series, since it was new and bursting with imagination. The second book did not really add to the first, since it was more of the same. This third book is slow and ponderous and is written in a style I might expect from a child. The plot lines are far-fetched, and every time our heroes are in trouble or need a way out, something miraculous turns up. I know I'm being a bit harsh but this is not the mature kind of narrative I expected, especially after the first two books.