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The Battle Against Corruption
The Sturm Awakens follows a woman with a dangerous job, a corruption hunter, who speaks to eradicate her world of the sinister animal abominations that are taking over her world. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I wanted to do a story about the Sturm and the light and darkness in my universe for some time. Back when I storyboarded the idea, all of the characters had a part in it; Inos, Rayeen, Kosinki, Shamooga, etc, but none of them were at the forefront. I wanted to give Inos that focus because I felt like her adventures were interesting and relatable, and I love her development and struggles with her own corruption.
Inos Sevrence is a woman with strength. What do you think makes her a valuable and worthy heroine?
I listed some of these in the prior answer, but one thing that stands out to me about Inos is her empathy and compassion, even for beasts and creatures. Despite being this brutal corruption hunter, she does not leap to violence in every situation. She would sooner opt for a civil solution, even if her hired job at the time is to fell a troublesome beast. Her fight is with corruption, and to her, everyone else—beast and man, are simply caught in it.
The creatures in this book were very intriguing. How did you go about creating them for this book?
I take a lot of inspiration from video games I enjoyed as a kid. Castlevania is one that resonates with me to this day; the gothic designs and fearsome beasts you encounter stuck with me! I tried to come up with creatures I considered “realistic” for a fantasy world, ones with fur to protect them or ones that might live under water. Figuring out how the corruption might affect and alter them was another story, though.
What will the next book in that series be about and when will it be published?
The next book in the series is in the process currently. It’s titled: Paragon’s of the New Moon, and begins immediately after the ending of The Sturm Awakens. Now that Rayeen is ready for action, Shamooga tasks him with finding Kosinki and bringing him to safety. We will get deeper backstories for both Rayeen and Shamooga as we see them both develop. While Rayeen scours Anotrris for clues, Kosinki continues his journey to Shaddoir to confront the Elementalists and uncover the truth behind their plan. Along the way, there will be plenty of trials, new faces, and epic battles! Kosinki will have to become a master of the magic inside him if he’s to overcome it. I’m excited for readers to take on this journey, slated for March 2025. I will likely do a Kickstarter for it in Jan/Feb 2025, similar to what I did for The Sturm Awakens.
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Inos Sevrence is a Corruption Hunter who aims to eradicate the Light and Dark-afflicted beasts from her world. But she has a dark secret to her success: she too is Corrupted, empowered by the Darkness she fights against. Though the Darkness within her seems benign, many within Antorris treat her as a monster.
When she happens upon an amnesiac boy possessing unusual magic powers, the two outcasts unite to fight against Corruption. While the threat of war between nations lingers on the ground, something more sinister is brewing in the cosmos.
The fate of Antorris lies with a Corrupted Hunter, a dead man, a god, and a boy with the power to change the world.
Will Inos be able to save the world and unite it against the Lords of the Sturm?
The Sturm Awakens (The Last Battlefield for Light and Darkness)
In The Sturm Awakens, Marvin North transports us to the captivating world of Antorris, a realm besieged by a sinister phenomenon known as the Corruption. This blight transforms wildlife into monstrous abominations, and at the heart of the battle against it is Inos Severance, a Corruption Hunter. Inos harbors a secret that gives her an edge against her prey but also poses a grave danger to her. During a hunt, she encounters Kosinki, a boy with amnesia and unprecedented magical abilities, who saves her using powers he doesn’t understand. Together, they must harness their unique gifts to combat a worsening and evolving threat that stems from a much larger issue.
From the outset, North plunges readers into the action, opening with a gripping battle against a corrupted creature. The story’s immediate intensity and unexpected twists make for an exhilarating start to an enthralling adventure. The world of Antorris is richly detailed, featuring a blend of magic and machinery across diverse locations and societies. The myriad races, each with their own distinct appearances, beliefs, and histories, reflect real-world issues of racism and prejudice, adding depth to the narrative. North’s meticulous world-building is evident in the unique flora and fauna, enriching the story with every detail. The inclusion of drawings, character write-ups, quotes, and snippets of knowledge scattered throughout the book enhances the reading experience, offering a guidebook-like glimpse into the vast lore and mythology of Antorris. Despite the engaging epic battles, the frequency of these action sequences can feel overwhelming at times. Longer intervals between fights would have allowed for more development of the non-combative elements of the story. While the detailed character information is appreciated, placing it at the end of the book could have prevented potential spoilers and maintained the element of surprise.
For fans of heroic tales filled with epic fight scenes set in a vividly imagined world, The Sturm Awakens is a must-read. North has crafted an extraordinary realm with high stakes and continuous revelations. I eagerly anticipate the next installment in this remarkable series.
Pages: 355 | ASIN : B0CLJ6GSMY
LITERARY TITAN 