The Hurricane Wars

Author: Thea Guanzon
Published: 2023
Target audience: Adults 18+

Enemies-to-lovers meets a Southeast Asian-inspired fantasy world in this standout addition to the romantasy genre. ‘The Hurricane Wars’ has so many great surprises and reveals that are superb to experience firsthand without prior knowledge, so this review will be try to be as spoiler-free as possible. Now on with the review!

All Talasyn has ever known is the Hurricane Wars. Growing up an orphan in a nation under siege by the ruthless Night Emperor, Talasyn has found her family among the soldiers who fight for freedom. But she is hiding a dangerous secret: light magic courses through her veins, a blazing power that can cut through the Night Empire's shadows.

Prince Alaric, the emperor's only son and heir, has been forged into a weapon by his father, and spearheads the war against the Sardovian allied nations with his armies, stormships, and deadly shadow magic. Tasked with obliterating all threats to the Night Empire, Alaric has never been bested. That is until he sees Talasyn burning brightly on the battlefield with the same magic that killed his grandfather, turned his father to obsession, and ignited the Hurricane Wars. In a clash of light and dark, their powers merge and create a force unlike anything seen before. 

Talasyn and Alaric both know this war can only end with them. But a greater threat is coming, and the strange new magic they can create together may be the only way to survive it. Forced into an unwanted alliance, Talasyn and Alaric must work together to prevent the coming destruction. That is, if they don’t destroy each other first…

Review:

Showcasing a sizzling enemies-to-lovers romance in a vibrant arcanepunk setting, ‘The Hurricane Wars’ is an exquisite romantasy novel from Filipino author Thea Guanzon. In an exciting combination of magic and technology, this story takes place in a world where warships powered by crystallised aether cores fly through the air; where sound magic from storm-streaked dimensions is harnessed like radio waves; and where Talasyn and Alaric summon weapons of light and shadow as they collide in a fury of desperation and destiny. The driving action and political tension of ‘The Hurricane Wars’ interweaves with fascinating world-building to make a fast-paced, exhilarating read that will have you hooked from the very first chapter.

The core strength of this book lies in it’s credible, clearly communicated stakes that directly inform the characters’ actions, decisions, and identities. As a child, Talasyn witnessed the catastrophic destruction of her home by the Night Empire, barely surviving to crawl out of the rubble of the flattened city. Ten years later, she is a solider desperately trying to prevent the same fate befalling the rest of Sardovia. But Talasyn knows all too well how quickly their resources, lives, and chances of victory are dwindling. Defeat and subjugation are constant, real fears for every solider and innocent embroiled in the Hurricane Wars, and the story gives weight and consideration to this. Loss is permitted space and acknowledgement, enabling readers to experience its gravity and myriads. There is the acute pain of losing loved ones, livelihoods, and safety, yet also grief for stunted opportunities and stolen years as all technological, artistic, and personal developments have been solely focused on warfare for a decade. The toll of war permeates this story on a individual and societal level, and establishes a solid foundation early in the novel that gives credence to everything that comes after.

And holy heck, what does come after is an incredible slowburn enemies-to-lovers romance that will have you glued to the page. Forced to cooperate as danger threatens everything they know, the connection between Talasyn and Alaric is complex and fractious. They are driven by a love and loyalty to their home countries, fuelled by an unyielding resolve to to what is right, but this has different meanings for both of them. Yet in spite of their incompatibilities and justified enmity, Talasyn and Alaric find themselves unwittingly drawn to each other. Talasyn is fiery, unpolished, and determined to do everything possible to save her people. Alaric is aloof, sarcastic, and a deadly instrument of the Night Empire’s ambitions. They are exactly what the other needs, they just don’t know it yet.

Having grown up in an age of ceaseless conflict, Talasyn and Alaric are simultaneously pawns and players in the multifaceted maelstrom of politics and war. But between tense diplomacy and hidden agendas, Alaric and Talasyn are baffled and horrified to realise that the only person who might truly understand them is their enemy. In an interview with Paste Magazine, author Thea Guanzon highlights how Talasyn wrestles compassion out of Alaric, he goads her into thinking for herself, and in doing so they balance each other out. This sparks a yearning between the characters that is simultaneously tentative and tantalising, and will have readers completely enthralled. It is a true testament to the author’s skill in building romantic and sexual tension to make something as small as a hug between Talasyn and Alaric feel so intimate, so momentous, and leaves readers hungry for more. And ‘The Hurricane Wars’ certainly does not disappoint for more.

For all the praise I have for this book, there are some weaker aspects to note. The world-building elements are often delivered in large expository clumps, the secondary characters would benefit from greater development, and the writing style veers more towards young adult fiction than adult fiction. The political manoeuvring is well-executed in forcing Alaric and Talasyn into close proximity, but is sparsely explored for many other aspects. Similarly, after Talasyn discovers the truth of her heritage, what should be her life-changing experiences of trying to learn the culture, language, and political minutiae is largely glossed over through a timeskip. Despite these flaws, the story’s themes, character arcs, and throughlines remain consistently strong throughout ‘The Hurricane Wars’, and the novel does not suffer as a whole.

‘The Hurricane Wars’ is the first book in an exciting trilogy by author Thea Guanzon. If you’re looking for a sensational romantasy tale to devour, I absolutely recommend this. I can’t wait to read the next book!

Excerpt:

Fear stole the breath from her lungs, as razor-edged as the winter on this mountain.

People always said that Alaric of House Ossinast, Master of the Shadowforged legion and Gaheris’s only son and heir, had the most piercing gray eyes. Those eyes shone a bright and chilling silver with the glow of his magic under the seven moons, looking directly into hers.

She’d been warned about him. She had known that she would one day have to face him.

That day had come too soon.