Hope and Red - Jon Skovron

In a fracturing empire spread across savage seas, two young people from different cultures find common purpose. A nameless girl is the lone survivor when her village is massacred by biomancers, mystical servants of the emperor. Named after her lost village, Bleak Hope is secretly trained by a master Vinchen warrior as an instrument of vengeance. A boy becomes an orphan on the squalid streets of New Laven and is adopted by one of the most notorious women of the criminal underworld, given the name Red, and trained as a thief and con artist. When a ganglord named Deadface Drem strikes a bargain with the biomancers to consolidate and rule all the slums of New Laven, the worlds of Hope and Red come crashing together, and their unlikely alliance takes them further than either could have dreamed possible. 

My thoughts:

Gangs, warriors, pirates and thieves;

First there is Bleak Hope (not her real name, that would be rather depressing), who ends up with a bunch of monks and becomes a warrior. A truly kick ass warrior who is all about honor. So she lives on her island and trains and..well duh, leaves so the stories can become one.

Then there is Red, a thief who lives in a city ruled by gangs, that is the underworld is ruled by them. The Imps patrol the rest and protect the good folk. As for Red, aye I liked him, he had grown up differently and was kinder cos of it. He also had that smile you can not say no to.

Oh and there is some pirating in there too ;)

And creepy magicians called Biomancers and those are really really evil, I did not see a single one one do a good thing. You will see.

Conclusion;
Ass-kicking, pirating, running, danger and an ending that made me all whaat? What next?! More is sure in store for us, and I am curious.

Cover
eh

Paperback, 416 pages
Expected publication: June 28h 2016 by Orbit
Empire of Storms Trilogy #1
Fantasy
NG