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The Stormcaller by Tom Lloyd
01/07/2008 . Source: Phil Jones 
pub: Gollancz. 438 page enlarged paperback. Price: £12.99 (UK only). ISBN: 0-575-07727-1. 502 page enlarged paperback. Price: £ 7.99 (UK), ISBN: 978-0-5750-7926-7. Buy The Stormcaller in the USA - or Buy The Stormcaller in the UK  check out website: www.orionbooks.co.uk
Isak is a 'white eye', travelling along with a gypsy-like wagon train and his father displeases him. The reason, as with all white eyes, his mother died in childbirth. White eyes are quicker, larger and more agile than humans but prone to anger and violent outbursts. His tedious life is completely changed when Lord Bahl chooses him to be his Kraan or heir.
Lord Bahl, himself a white eye and is not completely sure about Isak. He is rapidly trained and thrown not only into combat and warcraft but also has to deal with court politics and resentment from his men and elite who feel he has little right to be in the position he is in. There are plenty of people who wish to win his favour or use him for their own ends.
On gaining his position, nightmares stir and Isak senses there is darkness and evil lurking but is unsure of the source. Isak has to deal with a lot which is new and come to terms with the fact that he will be Lord Bahl's replacement.
I think from the outset Tom Lloyd has tried his best to steer clear of the usual fantasy routes. That's not to say 'The Stormcaller' doesn't derive from traditional fantasy roots. It does. The one thing that does strike you right from the beginning is the reader is just presented with objects, beings and senecios with very little if at all, explanation. This I like. So many fantasy novels bury you in hordes of information and detail that is often quite unnecessary. That's not to say Lloyd's world is undetailed. Far from it.
There is a problem, though, and it's a major one is the fact the first volume tends to meander. The start flips from one scene to the next jumping around. Slightly disorientating, it has the effect of perhaps distancing the reader from the characters. I never felt I got totally to grips with Isak. I didn't find I could get involved with any of the characters to any extent. You sort of felt once removed from them. I also found this with some of the scenes. There are huge set pieces and battles but the never quite inspire. I suppose you just don't quite get that urgency to turn over the next page. I think this is partially due to the meandering nature as I mentioned before, but also I think sometimes there is a lack of overall focus.
This is the first in a series of five. There is though a lot to like. You've pretty much got most fantasy elements in there, magic, dragons, trolls, elves and, of course, white eyes. Most of these are kept to a minimum and a lot more focus is on political maneuvering.
There's a lot to like here and I think with a bit more careful editing and plotting all the groundwork is there for an impressive fantasy series. There is much detail in Lloyd's world. Ranging from the magical to the political, intrigue to mysticism, it's all there. The start of the book does provide a barrage of elements being thrown at the reader but for all that it does feel slow to start off with.
The elements are there but they just don't seem to mesh together. The book revolves around Isak becoming heir but Lloyd never seems to be totally in control. The plotting seems to buck him off occasionally but Lloyd does persevere and gets back on and does provide some enjoyable sequences. I think the different threads need to be tamed a bit more and managed a bit better. Everything is there in the cooking pot, it just needs mixing in a better way perhaps without so many random scenes that seem to have little bearing on the overall story. I think the more important and significant parts of the story need to be focused on more.
More clarity and less of just chucking everything in and hoping for the best. There are treads that will undoubtedly be resolved in the following books but Lloyd will need a lot more focused prose if the readers are going to keep up and follow them. It does make for a very frustrating read sometime as Tom Lloyd is obviously an accomplished writer. Hopefully, these issues can be resolved in the next book as there is much potential here.
Phil Jones
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