Born of an Iron Storm (Age of Wrath #2), by Anthony Ryan
20 Jan 2026The Book
Synopsis:
The Sister Queens have fallen and Ascarlia lies naked before the storm. A Nihlvarian plan, years in the making, has seen Ascarlia’s enemy seize the capital Skar Magnol. Now the invaders look to the wealthy port city of Olversahl to complete their conquest.
But there is hope.
Elvine is trapped at the heart of the conspiracy, yet her role in the new government offers the chance to plan resistance from within. She must tread a fine line between loyalty and secret disobedience, knowing the smallest mistake will mean her death.
Meanwhile, Thera has secured the Outer Islands, but her loyalist forces alone cannot liberate Skar Magnol. She must seek allies to have any chance of defeating the Nihlvarian threat. But her greater challenge will be to overcome her own doubts and become the leader she needs to be.If she fails, Ascarlia will fall.
And far away across the ocean, Felnir embarks on a bloody path towards kingship whilst to the north, Ruhlin seeks escape from the tyrannical realm of Nihlvar where the mysterious Vortigurn holds sway.
Continuing the epic tale begun in A Tide of Black Steel, Born of an Iron Storm is a compelling saga of bloody retribution, deadly intrigue, and desperate courage.
My Review
Born of an Iron Storm is the second book in the epic fantasy series Age of Wrath, written by Anthony Ryan, published by Orbit Books. A sequel that builds from the foundations left by the explosive finale of A Tide of Black Steel while continues fleshing out the world, creating an epic tale of conspiracy, action and fascinating characters (and I'm really thankful of Ryan's including a summary at the start).
The narrative is better balanced than in the previous book, not having a single dull moment in between the covers: not only we have plenty of bloody battles, but the political maneuvering parts are top-notch while we get to learn more about the past of Ascarlia. One could argue that this happens because the first book put all the effort into setting the pieces on the table, while this second one just recounts how the match is being played.
Elvine took the spot as my favourite character after her arc in this novel: not only because of her growth as a character in the middle of the situation created by Sister Lore, but how she passes from being a mere pawn to actually be a key piece for the plot.
Ruhlin was not as compelling this time as Elvine; while we explore more about the Morvek and the own Ruhlin, overall the arc was much quieter, focusing on the group and their travel. It certainly served to give us calmer moments in between the storm that is happening in the other POVs.
Thera continues to be incredibly engaging, and her rise to power in this book was another brilliantly executed arc by Ryan; she shines as a leading character, and the sea-based battles are quite spectacular.
And finally, Felnir's arc was also full of action, keeping the reader on the edge of the seat; said that, I'm wondering about what role will he play in the final book.
Born of an Iron Storm is a great second book, a novel that takes the foundations layered in the previous one to build something bigger and more complex; setting all the actors ready for the last act of this play. Can't wait for that third book in the series!
The Author/s
Anthony Ryan
Hi, I’m Anthony Ryan, writer of fantasy, science fiction, and very occasional non-fiction.
After a long career in the British Civil Service I took up writing full time after the success of my first novel Blood Song, Book One of the Raven’s Shadow trilogy which has been purchased by Penguin US, published in July 2013. I also wrote the Draconis Memoria trilogy and the Raven’s Blade duology, the sci-fi noir series Slab City Blues, and The Seven Swords series of fantasy novellas.