I was very excited to read this book but was disappointed and had to dnf due to the beginning being too slow and not being able to connect with any of the characters. this book unfortunately did not impress me.

The book was okay.

The worldbuilding is a strong focus of the book and it is quite nice : the world we evolve in feels ancient, with layers of history and political complexity. And - it's what drew me to the book - characters were really well written : they felt sympathetic, yet flawed in their own ways, they acted coherently with what we knew of them, and I particularly liked the character of Ellaria, an aging lady who lead a war forty years ago and is still super badass, while still feeling her age. Such a character is rare in fantasy books, where you encounter young naive boys and girls, or wise mentors with big beards, but rarely women who lead a full life.

However, the story in itself felt a bit meandering, and almost felt like a RPG adventure, where the game master threw the characters on a big quest and gave them new leads to follow during sub-quests. Therefore, the general rythm of the book was a bit off for me: pattern of the intrigue felt repetitive with sub-quests with a particular pairing of characters / reunion / new pairings and a new subquest too follow, and so on... It tired me a bit after a time. Thankfully, I liked the characters well enough to continue.

To be noted also: as a non-native English reader, I got quite confused by editorial mistakes. Phrases felt off, with weird words choices, commas not placed at the right time... I kept wondering if it was me who had a lack in vocabulary or if it was the book (but most of the time, it was the book ^^). It's a pity, because the overall quality of the story remains close to what you would have with big publishing houses (I've read way worse books for big houses), but spelling mistakes should definitely be corrected.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of the book to review. In the end, I quite enjoyed the ride, in spite of the flaws that I mentioned.

This book was right up my alley, but i had to stop reading & read again parts that as soon as it started did not understand. I've been trying to finish this book for a while but i just can not connect with the story. Honestly, between the length & the unnecesary bits, i think the author just tried to do something that they weren't comfortable with. Too many points of views, there were things that i either wasn't understanding or were badly written. With all of this said, i couldn't finish, even though i tried to for a month or so. The length wouldn't have been that big of an issue but the path the story was taking clearly wasn't what i was expecting & it felt more like an obligation than a joy to keep reading this book.

This is the type of book that is hard for me to review as I could not get into it. The writing is fine, but it is too descriptive for me. This is for people who love world-building I would say. I kept putting the book down myself and didn't feel very motivated to pick it back up. The beginning is too slow, and it takes its time introducing the characters... and by the time the story started I wasn't invested at all. I didn't manage to finish it.

I looked forward to reading this book with its promise of magic, steampunk-esque flavor, fantasy and action suspense setting. I struggled almost immediately to stay in the story. Willing suspension of disbelief is so necessary especially in this genre. However at least once a chapter or more, there is a grammatical error, typo, or error in sequence that kept yanking me out of the action, interfered with the flow of the story and made it hard to maintain an interest in the characters/story. Though I understand that pre-publications may contain errors, I think it unrealistic to expect readers to overlook so many

DNF @12 %
I was interested in the story and I do think it would have been interesting to finish, but unfortunately there were a few choppy sentences that snagged my eyes and pulled me out of the story. Too many POV's were introduced back to back, and a clear path for where the story was heading was lacking.

3.5 stars!
I enjoyed the blend of steampunk with high fantasy, although it did feel like the author fell into some cliche tropes and plot lines. It was really refreshing to have such an age-diverse cast, it’s not often you read about a 60 year old woman in fantasy kicking ass! However the writing style didn’t pull me in as much as I would have liked and it felt like it dragged along in some parts. Overall I enjoyed it but am not sure if I’ll pick up the sequel.

The Binding Tempest (Book One of The Luminance Saga) - Steven Rudy



I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in order to provide an honest review.

Steven Rudy is an American author and father of three kids who initially had studied Architecture and taken some minor courses in philosophy and creative writing. With the COVID pandemic proving the opportunity for the author to actually write his first novel.



“The Binding Tempest” follows several main characters – Ellaria, Elias and Kovan the figures from the old war who depending on who you ask are either hero or enemy to the new regime coming into power. Then you have the new blood – Learon, Wade and Tali, the young impressionable youth that have been caught up with the war heroes and their quest to stop the new regime threatening to unleash an old and deadly evil on the land and all those living there.

On their way they will need to learn to trust each other and work together, as well as come to terms with who they truly are and the new direction all their lives have taken. And the craziest stories and myths of the past may not be the crazy stories they were led to believe after all.

Luminaries may not be the scary unknown that they once were, especially for one of the young ones and the Sageans are an evil that needs to be feared and eliminated once and for all, yet as their power is sweeping through the land and all the people who lead and control – it’s a task that seems to grow more insurmountable by the day.



“The Binding Tempest” is an exciting and thrilling new fantasy meets science fiction tale. It was an entertaining story to that was a little National Treasure and a little Stargate – both of which I absolutely love. My favourite characters though would have to be Ellaria, I love how she was tough, didn’t care what others thought of her and was just herself. Kovan though he was quiet - I really related to the love he had for history and felt for the way even his own friends treated him at times, not fully understanding him for who he was – really resonated with me. Tali is such a young lady, who is just a lost soul trying to find her way in the world, discovering more about herself than she thought she ever would.

I am really excited to see where the author takes us for the next instalment of The Luminance Saga.

☆☆☆☆,5 /5

Alors, prenez un scénario digne d’un bon roman de Fantasy Épique et mélangez-y de la science et de la technologie propre à l’époque du Steampunk. Le résultat n’en est qu’époustouflant. J’ai beaucoup aimé ce premier tome.
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Un empire déchu, une république ratée, et une frontière d'alchimie, de magie et de machines...

Quarante ans après la Grande Guerre, Ellaria, un ancien héros de guerre, découvre que la Coalition des Nations est tombée sous le contrôle d'un nouveau Sagean Dark Lord. Un Luminaire avec le pouvoir de contrôler l'énergie a émergé pour récupérer le trône vacant. Mais leur véritable identité reste cachée. N'ayant plus personne à qui faire confiance, Ellaria demande de l'aide à d'anciens alliés éparpillés à travers la frontière chaotique.
Désormais, trois vétérans vieillissants et une bande de jeunes voyous sont tout ce qui peut protéger la république défaillante du retour d'un empire maléfique. Ensemble, leur seul espoir est enfoui dans les mystères du passé et dans une ancienne relique appelée la Pierre de la Tempête.
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Tout d’abord, j’ai énormément aimé la manière dont l’auteur a construit son univers. Il est beau, magique et sombre, complexe à la fois. Je suis toujours admirative devant les particularités qui sont spécifiques au genre du Steampunk et je dois dire que mes yeux ont brillé d’admiration face aux descriptions des différentes machines, technologies et sciences de l’univers. Puis, tout cela couplé à la magie, c’est juste un cocktail enchantant !
Également, dans la construction de son texte et de ses personnages, j’ai beaucoup apprécié le fait que l’auteur ne s’arrête pas à un seul groupe d’âge. Je dirais qu’il peut être difficile de qualifier ce roman de Young Adul ou d’Adult (avec la définition des âges des personnages) car les protagonistes sont de tous les âges ! Il y a autant de personnages âgés que jeunes et c’était très intéressant de les voir interagir ensemble. Peu importe l’écart d’âge, ils évoluaient ensemble. Chacun apprenait quelque chose à l’autre et ça n’avait que de la valeur. De plus, la communication est mise en avant dans ce roman car c’est un tome introductif là où les protagonistes doivent se retrouver et s’unir afin de faire face à leur ennemi. Ce sont des alliés qui doivent apprendre à se connaître et à travailler ensemble.
Vraiment, lire tous ces instants où ils apprenaient, où ils parlaient, ça n’avait pas de prix pour moi et bien que je ne me suis pas attachée plus que ça à eux, j’ai très hâte d’en savoir plus à leur sujet.
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Comme je l’ai mentionné déjà, c’est le premier tome d’une saga, ainsi il est introductif. L’auteur nous plonge dans son univers en contextualisant les événements et les lieux. On découvre un nouveau calendrier, une nouvelle géographique et une nouvelle société. Le rythme est plutôt lent, bien qu’il tend à accélérer vers les dernières pages et même si parfois, j’ai trouvé quelques informations répétitives entre ce qui avait été dit dans la narration et ce qui avait été dit aussi dans les dialogues, pour moi ce premier roman a fait son travail !

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ENGLISH REVIEW:

Take a storyline worthy of a good epic fantasy book and mix it in with steampunk-era science and technology. The result is nothing short of breathtaking. I really liked this first book.
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A fallen empire, a failed republic, and a frontier of alchemy, magic and machines ...

Forty years after the Great War, Ellaria, a former war hero, discovers that the Coalition of Nations has fallen under the control of a new Sagean Dark Lord. A Luminary with the power to control energy has emerged to reclaim the vacant throne. But their true identity remains hidden. With no one left to trust, Ellaria seeks help from former allies scattered across the chaotic border.
Now, three aging veterans and a bunch of young thugs are all that can protect the failing republic from the return of an evil empire. Together, their only hope is buried in the mysteries of the past and in an ancient relic called the Storm Stone.
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First of all, I really liked the worldbuilding. The universe is beautiful and magical, but at the same time, it’s dark and complex. In books, I always love the particularities which are specific to the Steampunk genre and I have to say that my eyes shone with admiration at the descriptions of the various machines, technologies and sciences. Then, all of that becomes an enchanting cocktail with the magic in the universe!
Also, in the construction of the text and the characters, I really appreciated the fact that the author doesn’t stop at a single age group. I would say that it can be difficult to qualify this book as Young Adul or Adult (with the definition of the characters’ ages) because the protagonists are of all ages! There are as many old and young characters and it was very interesting to watch them interact with each other. No matter how old they were, they were growing together. Everyone was learning something from the other and it was only valuable. Moreover, communication is put forward in this story because it’s an introductory book where the protagonists must meet and unite in order to face their enemy. They are allies who must get to know each other and work together.
Really, reading all those moments where they were learning, where they were talking, it was priceless to me and even if I didn’t get attached to them, I cann’t wait to know more about them and their adventures.
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As I mentioned before, this is the first book in a saga, so it's introductory. The author immerses us in his world by contextualizing events and places. We discover a new calendar, a new geographic area and a new society. The pace is slow and it tends to accelerate only towards the last pages. Sometimes I have found some repetitive information between what had been said in the narration and what had been said also in the dialogues, but despite that, for me this first book was great and I want to read the sequel as soon as possible.

I love the glossary, it definitely aided in understanding, which is something a lot of fantasy novels don't do. The full colour maps at the beginning of the book are beautiful. The entire story is magical and enthralling, I finished it in a day!

Thank you, the author and NetGalley, for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First off, congratulation to the author for his fascinating debut novel.

OMG! This epic book is one of my favorite books of the year! The fantastic world-building told me that the author had put a lot of planning to come up with this tremendous, thoughtful story. I must admit, I am fascinated by the graphics in the book, and the maps are clear and valuable. Don’t forget to look at the Glossary too; it will help you keep up with everything if you have a lazy memory, just like mine!

I was hooked from page one and finished reading the book in just a few days. Although this is a complicated story, the description was vivid and clear. The plot was fast-paced and full of actions that will keep you on the edge of your seat most of the time. The writing style was beautiful, and the characters were layered; my favorite was Tali. The magic was interesting, and I loved the steampunk elements.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this fabulous book, and I can’t wait to read the next one! I recommend it to everyone who likes high fantasy and epic stories.

The Binding Tempest is an enthralling read. The world in which its set is so detailed that by the end of the novel, you're completely drawn in. Written from a variety of character's perspectives that gradually converge, I found the narrative voices to be captivating. There is a significant amount of backstory to learn, and I must admit, I don't think I fully understood what had supposedly happened before, but that didn't stop me from enjoying what came after. I loved the high fantasy element of the novel and it almost had a spiritual side through the details of elements, energy and crystals. The narrative moved at a real pace and I was swept into the action straight away with the characterisation being a real asset that left me genuinely caring what happened to them. I was also pleasantly surprised that the author didn't fall into including a love story; the plot didn't need it as the action was so fast paced and focused. The only thing that occasionally put me off was the odd bit of dialogue that used modern slang phrases; it didn't fit with the world of the story and it reminded me a couple of times that this was fiction. Despite this, I will definitely be looking to read the second installment as this is one of the best books I have read this year.

I really liked this book. To start this review, I definitely have to mention the maps that are included throughout the book. This book not only includes a world map at the beginning of the book but also includes maps of the places that the characters visit within the next chapter. These maps help establish the setting and are a nice touch that make the story more fun.
I also loved how there was both magic and science used within the book. There was some amazing world-building and the plot was also very enjoyable. There were points in the book where I had to take a moment to pause because I got too absorbed in everything that was happening.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am excited to read the next book in the series when it comes out. I can't wait to see how the story continues.

Do you like high/Epic fantasy intertwined with Steampunk? Are you a player or a fan of Dungeons and Dragons? Are you looking for an age-diverse cast? Are you a fan of lively Fantasy worlds with detailed history and architecture? Then this may just be the book for you.
After the Sagean empire fell, the people of Territhmina experience freedom like never before. But when Ellaria, a war veteran in her fifties, is called to Adalon, this freedom seems to be in danger.
Feeling the threat, she calls on her two old friends and war heroes to help her stop a new Sagean emperor from overtaking the Coalition of Nations and dooming them all. Together with three young adults they must ensure the freedom they fought so hard for will remain.
This book surprised me in the nicest way. I love how the older characters interact with the younger ones. It's something you don't read a lot and I must say I wasn't expecting it but I'm very much in love with it. All main characters had their own distinguished personalities, which I was worried about as there are six of them so they can easily drown each other out. Luckily this wasn’t the case and every one of the characters had their own expertise to bring to the table. What I do like to see more of is the different nationalities in Territhmina. *slight spoiler* How does Tali physically stand out in another part of the world? I would love to read more about physical characteristics like skin colour and how that does or doesn’t change the social standing.
The writing style was something I had to ease into, but once I was in, I was hooked. Apart from the occasional flaw in sentencing it's an amazing book so far! I believe the writer Steven Rudy created his own publishing house to publish this book, so some mistakes I expect as it isn’t published under a big publishing company. I’m always lenient when it comes to self-publishing as it is a lot more work. He did have an editor look at it though, but it could be just for the formatting of the book and not the mistakes in the writing itself. Some mistakes were big like missing words, but never dramatic enough that I couldn’t understand the text. I loved the third person narrative that changed focus every chapter. This helped bring out each character’s personality.
The plot was a bit slow at times for my liking but intrigued me enough to continue reading. I loved the description of architecture and I understand that in a first book in a series much more description is necessary, but sometimes it held up the plot. I loved how the plot is very character driven as well as sudden urgencies that needed to be resolved. It felt very much like a main quest in Dungeons and Dragons where the party members get some side quests thrown at them. There also was the subplot of characters wanting to resolve their own problems, like finding a missing sister and avenging someone’s death. It kept things interesting and told more about character’s backgrounds.
I very much enjoyed this book. The main characters were very much likable with realistic flaws assigned to them. I liked the detailed world with its vibrant history you uncover along with the main characters. I loved the maps in between chapters! It helped a lot with the storytelling and navigating this big, new, interesting world. But my review is still missing a star. That’s because the plot sometimes was a bit too slow and some descriptors a bit too detailed. I also would really want more physical description for different nationalities. Luckily it didn’t withhold me to finish this book and I’m very glad I did. I can’t wait for the next one!

The world building in this book was spectacularly done. The steampunk vibes were definitely sent and I could picture so many of the elements described perfectly. I will say some of the dialogue felt forced and I found it hard to get through some of the points of view. But aside from that I liked this first installment in the series and cannot wait to see what improvements are made on book 2!

Thank you to netgalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I picked up this book after reading it's’ interesting summary and ended up liking this book.
We are following several POVs throughout the book, 4 of them are older veterans of a prior War that got rid of the Empire, and a couple of youngsters. A new Dark Lord has risen and it’s up to the crew to stop it.

There are so many amazing steampunk elements (early Victorian-esque designs combined with technology) and machines in the world. It was fascinating to read about, and my first introduction into the steampunk genre.
At first it took me a while to get used to all of the characters, I felt a few of them were a bit boring and I was eagerly waiting for other character’s chapters (mainly Ellaria Moonstone and Tali). I liked how Rudy separated the various characters out in the different parts of the world, which gives us readers more outlook into his world.

I felt there was too much description, and it was a slog to get through. Just too overly complex and it could be cut out of the book and it wouldn't affect the plot. There were also many, many info-dumps of every character’s past and thoughts, and the magic system. I didn’t like the amount of exposition characters would sprout out to each other, and the readers, it was just too much. It happened several times throughout the book. I didn’t like the way it was done.

I won’t be continuing on this series. Overall the magic system was interesting, I liked a few of the characters and loved the steampunk elements, which was the main reason I finished this book. Check it out if you’re interested in the steampunk genre and a unique magic system!

This was an okay entertaining read. Lots of well done worldbuilding, but still the same old recycled fantasy tropes we saw many times over. The first few chapters are quite confusing as we jump from character to character a la GRR Martin, but less engaging. Some of the word choices were odd and I found the dialogue a bit stilted and stiff sometimes.
However I liked the steampunk elements and I loved the maps and chapter head illustrations a lot.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

In a word, “Legolas, what do your elf eyes see?” “Too much, Aragorn, too much.”

High-fantasy, steampunk, a band of ragtag war veterans and gifted newbies joining forces to take down the new dark lord. . . I wanted to love this book.

First off, if you like super intricate world-building, this is for you. This world is extremely detailed, and I adored all the maps and how the story jumped through all these fascinating different countries. Another thing I loved was how each new POV character was introduced in the previous character’s chapter—either by a quick sentence, or a cameo, or something similar. It added a fun moment of recognition when you finally get to your chapter and go “OOOOH that’s the chick with the secret message!”

What did me in for this book was all the telling. On one page we’re introduced to a new POV, and then we get pages and pages of their thoughts/past/ponderings, before we’ve even seen them in action or interact with anyone, or start to care about them. Repeat in every chapter with a new character for the first ~7 chapters. It was the quicksand that the story so tragically got stuck in, so to speak.

In sum, The Binding Tempest needed an Inigo Montoya moment of “Lemme explain. *pause* No, there is too much. Let me sum up.” We could’ve really used some Cliffsnotes—with the character introductions and the very complex world-building.

This story has a nice balance of magic and technological science throughout. You find everything from luminarie's (people who can sense the vibrations of any living thing and the energy everything displaces), to crystals that harness magic to be used later (love, healing, etc.), to steampunk mechanisms seen throughout the wonderfully elaborate world-building. Like most fantasy novels, there are maps that depict the world, however, they do not just appear at the beginning of the book. There are a few detailed maps of key cities before the chapter they take place in, and smaller forms of the map wherever the character is in that chapter. I have not seen this in other fantasy novels and found this to be very helpful when picturing where the story was at that given time.

We follow several POV's throughout the story, and every character has a unique perception of the plot. At first, I didn't like some characters, like Wade, who I found rather boring and unnecessary, but as the story progressed I found myself in love with their individual stories and honestly wanting more. Ellaria and Tali were by far my favorite characters. Ellaria was a general in the Great War, and she gives off a powerful and cunning attitude that I found myself wanting in every scene. Tali was interesting from the beginning, but as the story progressed I found myself wondering if there was a deeper story in her character than what was explained.

Overall, I felt that the story had a strong plot, enjoyable characters, and an ending that makes you wish the second book was out already. I'm looking forward to what the next book in this series brings.

A few quotes I found memorable:
"Sorrow is a tree that grows from the soil of wisdom."

"'Simply put, it's called willpower. You see, willpower is the act of channeling the force of belief. Belief, young man, is power.'" - Elias to Learon

"'What is life but energy and light. There's an energy to all things and to all energy there is light - a signature.'" - Elias

In a word, “Legolas, what do your elf eyes see?” “Too much, Aragorn, too much.”

High-fantasy, steampunk, a band of ragtag war veterans and gifted newbies joining forces to take down the new dark lord. . . I wanted to love this book.

First off, if you like super intricate world-building, this is for you. This world is extremely detailed, and I adored all the maps and how the story jumped through all these fascinating different countries. Another thing I loved was how each new POV character was introduced in the previous character’s chapter—either by a quick sentence, or a cameo, or something similar. It added a fun moment of recognition when you finally get to your chapter and go “OOOOH that’s the chick with the secret message!”

What did me in for this book was all the telling. On one page we’re introduced to a new POV, and then we get pages and pages of their thoughts/past/ponderings, before we’ve even seen them in action or interact with anyone, or start to care about them. Repeat in every chapter with a new character for the first ~7 chapters. It was the quicksand that the story so tragically got stuck in, so to speak.

In sum, The Binding Tempest needed an Inigo Montoya moment of “Lemme explain. *pause* No, there is too much. Let me sum up.” We could’ve really used some Cliffsnotes—with the character introductions and the very complex world-building.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book!

-Ande