The Stormcrow Cycle [Slow-burn Tragic Romantic Fantasy]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

A witch exiled from her people.

A sellsword running from his past.

A chance meeting on a desert road will change their lives—and an empire—forever.

Ba’an salu-Ba’an was once a celebrated witch. Now she lives alone in a cave, waiting to die. When she rescues a dying outlander from a bandit ambush, she expects a short recovery and a fast goodbye.

But Lukios—golden, cheerful, and relentlessly kind—has a soul that sings, filling her empty home with life. Charmed despite herself, Ba’an begins to realize that the most dangerous thing is neither spell nor sword, but a beautiful stranger who sees her as the woman she was, not the monster she is.

But his love won't save her—and her love will damn them both.

The Exileis the first book in a slow-burn tragic romantic fantasy series. It is a quiet story about two people who were never meant to meet, finding each other in the unlikeliest of places.

Warning:The world ofThe Stormcrow Cycleis dark and rather grim; most civilizations practice slavery and all its abuses. Please mind the “Sensitive Content” tag. I do not include individual trigger warnings, but you can expect everything typical of a Greco-Roman-inspired society going forward.

Book I is a quiet romance with a HFN. Book II ventures into more traditional fantasy territory. Please note thisseriesis atragedy, not an industry romantasy or romance.

Book I is currently being edited for Kindle release. The series is on hiatus, but not dead!

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2022
Author: bokhi

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.7/ 5.0
Followers: 527
Views: 255,774

Chapters(73 total)

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(10)

AnodyneRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Sprawling deserts! Crow-cloaked witches! And...a mysterious stranger, bleeding out into the sand?
If you like works with obvious care put into them, you should read this. Trust me, you'll soon get the sense that the author knows exactly what they're doing and that you're in safe hands.
I must second many other reviews about the worldbuilding: it is simply fantastic. Now, if the term 'worldbuilding' makes you feel wary, be reassured that details of culture and geography are gracefully woven throughout. The author imparts a lot of 'texture' and history to a world that is very different from our own while also exercising admirable restraint; while I was reading, I never felt as though I were being info-dumped at.
Style: The style is third-person past tense, very readable and with good (often fascinating or amusing) insight into the POV character's heads. Character voices are distinct, and the difference is obvious at once when switching into interludes.
Story: Don't be offput by the mention of 'slice of life'; it may begin that way, but is handled in a very enjoyable manner and doesn't become stale in the slightest. The story also ups its stride in time and delves into some great action and intrigue.
The grimdark elements are well-handled, in that the reader can appreciate the bleakness permeating throughout the setting without being hit over the head with it. This aspect of the world ups the stakes and tension while avoiding the pitfall of stomping out any reader catharsis.
I also found that the low-magicness of the setting really works; it makes instances of magic-use extra impactful...also, said magic is really cool in its execution—complete with lightning, badassery, and knife-edge costs.
Grammar: Excellent grammar, very cleanly proofread. I spotted only one minor error throughout the first ~160k words.
Character: The characterisation is fantastic; although these characters have different problems and values than what one might typically be able to empathise with,
ImMrMeeseeksRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I literally love this book. It's a different pacing and style to the RR standard. More of a traditional novel, but I still love it already. The characterizations are on point. The prose and introspection flow like a peaceful summer stream. Best summarized by the fact that I was completely lost in the words of the book until my right arrow key stopped working.
MateuszRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The Stormcrow Cycle is one of those stories that slips beneath everyone's radar on this site simply because it has no form of power progression like litrpg or xianxia do. But it's written with such a deft hand and care for craft that in an alternative universe where its genres were more popular, it would surely be at the very top of the Best Rated lists.
The author absolutely nails character voice. The bulk of the page time so far has been focused on the two protagonists, Ba'an and Lukios, yet even the side characters that have only appeared once so far are memorable. All the characters have complex, nuanced personalities that are colored by their backstories, and it's fun to see the those backstories slowly unravel themselves to the readers.
The dialogue is a delight -- you know those stories where you have characters that are assassins or beings of eldritch power but still talk like someone you once met in school? That absolutely does not happen here. Merchants talk like merchants, and characters meant to be charismatic in-universe actually sound charismatic on the page.
The grammar is as flawless as you can reasonably expect from a webnovel. Style is good overall since the prose is skillful -- at least one tier above what people generally call good prose on this site. If there are any quibbles, it might be about pacing, since the story is a bit of an odd combo of slice-of-life and actual plot. Quality writing and character work make reading slice-of-life much more enjoyable for me, though, and do a lot to smooth over any pacing choices that may not be your speed.
The last thing of note to mention is the world-building, which is top tier. Ba'an's magic is just absurdly cool the way it's portrayed on the page and the world feels real with the way all the little details about it are subtly woven in throughout the chapters. The author draws a lot of inspiration from Greek/Roman history, which they've clearly researched, and though that's well-done, I find the more fa
S.N. KeirsteadRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Lovers of deep lore and intense world building, this story is for you. Embedded within the author's notes are extra bits of info to get more info about the world.
Even within the first few chapters, the world is deep and complex along with its magic system.
Main character is a bit on the rough side in terms of personality; she's not the typical "save everyone" type.
A fun read with a fluid style.
SpookyspacklesRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Like seeing a stray kitten on the side of the road, the struggle was real for Ba'an.
Grammar/punctuation wise, I didn't see a single comma or word out of place. Great use of italicize on world specific terms and Ba'ans internal thoughts.
I adored the flow of the fight, it was incredibly easy to track what was happening, while weaving in some key details from Ba'an's POV that let us know tons about (what I assume to be) the second MC's personality - without spelling anything out. Both Ba'an and the stranger have intriguing personalities that leave a lot of questions to coax readers into the next chapter.
I am curious, when she turns into a flock of crows, is she seeing through the eyes of a main body leading the flock? Or is it like sitting in a room full of security camera screens? I'm leaning towards the first point.
I can tell you've put a lot of work into building this world and your characters, and it really shines through. I have nothing to critique, splendid job!
fluflamRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
As of Chapter 46.
I don't review much on RR, but this is one of the few stories I would consider a hidden gem. Normally the all the best stories are very well known. The characters are distinct and interesting. There are no stupid bits you can find in a lot of romances where interpersonal conflict could have been avoided if people just talked to each other. Overall I am interested to see where the story will go and how. While thinking about downsides to the story their are not any major ones. The author seems to be very interested in making Lukios have a mysteries background, but so far it has not felt like it adds much to the story. I understand that there will probably be a dramatic reveal sometime in the future, but unless something else is done to make me care about it other than have it be a mystery it is probably going to be underwhelming.
Unless you just absolutely have no interest in reading a romance you should really give it a try
(disclaimer) This review is given according to royal road quality scale. AKA below 4 is not worth reading unless it is a very specific genre you like. 4-4.4 is not terrible, but not particularly good either, and novels above 4.5 are good.
C. Ron IcklerRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
After an action-packed opener of a prologue, we get a lush, well-paced slice of life that manages to be as interesting and indeed suspenseful as it is informative about the author's created world.
Style: The style is very literary, I would say, with strong attention to detail regarding worldbuilding as well as imagery. The imagery draws you in, and the world keeps you there. Along with that, is all the words, language and lore of the created world (guess that goes back to worldbuilding), it is incredibly strong in this regard.
Grammar: Very well written. Not much else to say here, author does a good job of even using their own created words in obviously grammatically correct ways.
Story: Story goes with worldbuilding, at least for me, and this world is built, let me tell you. We've got the world's own answers to philosophy and greek and roman mythos (ie tale of Cupid and Psyche and the works of Plato) that are somehow naturally introduced. A good bit of showing, telling balance. Also, the terms, and the glossary in the author's notes. A lot of research went into this story. As well, without any spoilers I think it's safe to say that there is a good element of suspense in here that you wouldn't necessarily expect at first.
Character: You'd think there might be some loss of quality somewhere, what with all the focus on everything else, but you'd be dead wrong. Our two main characters are expertly portrayed, two very different people whose personalities as doctor and patient play excellently together while also giving us a very clear picture of who they are as people. You will be entertained by these characters.
Overall, The Stormcrow Cycle: The Exile is a well-written, well-thought out, well-rounded fiction that will take you to a new world and have you falling in love with its characters, and is surely worth your time, even if you wouldn't think of yourself as looking for a slice of life read.
CloudfallRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Cover: I have to admit that the cover looks good. Although I was expecting a cover with a stormcrow or a cycle (hehehe).
Synopsis: It's well written. The opening line really grabs the attention of a potential reader. After reading the blurb, the cover made a perfect sense. Excellent work.
First chapter: You have to see it for yourself. It's well written.
Storyline: It follows the path of a disgraced witch. So far, the story develops nicely according to the plot.
Style: The author is using the third person narration style. We are seeing the world of fantasy from different points of view. Excellently done.
Grammar: Top quality. I didn't find any error that could affect the flow of the story.
World building: This high fantasy novel is based on tragedy, grimdark, magic and slice of life.
Characters: They are well designed, and they fitted their roles perfectly. Ba'an is a really good character. You just have to root for her.
Overall: Great book. Recommended.
Dylan KingRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Dropping a normal review as I don't quite have time for the advanced review The Stormcrow Cycle deserves, but hoo-boy does it deserve it.
Incredibly well-built Dune-inspired fantasy, with relatable and fully-realised characters as well as an excellent control of tension even as the story shifts from more high-intesity fantasy action (particularly with the prologue that was removed) to a tension more centred around character relationships and dynamics.
If you like great storytelling, never mind what's popular on RR -- you should be reading The Stormcrow Cycle.
Elijah MenchacaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The Stormcrow cycle is an absolutely captivating fantasy romance set in a meticulously crafted, Mediterranean inspired fantasy world, centering on a classic pairing: two war heroes from opposite sides of a bitter conflict.
Style (5/5): The author knows how to inject character voice straight into the third person narration, which is my favorite thing to see in an author's style. Be warned, you will get thrown into the deep end with a lot of non-English words incorporated into the dialogue and narration. It takes some getting used to, but most of the words are easy enough to figure out with repeated context (and they will get repeated a lot), they add a lot of texture to everything, and there's a glossary included for people who don't want to try too hard.
The author's approach to the world absolutely drips with genuine interest in Mediterranean history, with so much of the worldbuiling thoughtfully lifted or adapted from it and the culture notes in the author's notes always showing off the care and thought that went into these things.
Then there's the sex scenes, which are erotic without slipping into unrealistic porn, and not an awkward euphemism in sight.
Story (4.5/5): The story so far is mostly just a slow burn romance between our two leads, taking place in essentially one location over the span of several months, but in the latest chapters there have been the beginning rumblings of the real trouble on the horizon.
It's actually largely just charming slice of life domesticity between our two leads and their chemistry. We've got the ray of sunshine with the emotional turtle. Tried and true pairing dynamic that works, made slightly more intriguing by certain facts.
That fact is that one of the leads would actually really like to eat the other, hence the Twilight reference in my review title.
It might be a little too slow. I've got nothing against a slow burn, but as long as the slice of life falling in love section is and how little happens, there's probably some