I was very excited to be approved as an ARC (advance reader copy) reader for The Call of Wind by K. R. House. For a while now, I’ve been following her journey toward publication on TikTok. In addition to her videos about the process, she also makes a game of creating magic systems on the fly. Usually, she comes up with something I would want to read more about. So of course I was looking forward to reading about a system she’d spent a considerable amount of time creating and crafting. In both its world and its magic, The Call of Wind is everything that I’d hoped.

This one will be coming out on August 29th and is currently available for preorder.

Summary:

What cost would you bear to use magic, if you could? Half-brothers Marc and Elias live in a world where those without the protection of a rune gradually devolve into the element of their power the more they use it, eventually losing their sentience and individual will. It’s called “wilding.” Even a rune won’t prevent the change entirely, merely slowing it to a manageable rate. Runes are also extremely hard to come by.

Marc got one easily enough when he turned out to be a powerful lifecaller like his father. He was accepted into the holy Grove, who see the ability as the highest blessing their goddess Gaia can bestow on a man. Marc proved himself in their tests, earned a rune, and has served devoutly ever since. At the age of 16, Elias has still never manifested powers and therefore never needed a rune. If he’s lucky, that means he’s bound for a life as a laborer. If not, he’ll be rounded up and sent to the front lines of a never-ending war.

That is, until something he never imagined happens and he discovers his ability to call wind. He knew his father was foreign, but didn’t know he was a windcaller. There’s no way to get a rune for a windcaller in their country; he’ll need to make it to his father’s homeland. Because of the war and the fear of wildings, he’ll have to make the journey in secret and on foot. Marc is willing to sacrifice everything to keep his brother safe.

My Thoughts:

The magic system was everything that I hoped for. It was nuanced and well thought-out. Its lore was deep and intricate without being hard to follow. Perhaps most impressively, it’s also deeply ingrained within the world where it exists. The world and its magic feel inseparable. Politics, religions, even the social classes in this world have all formed around the existence of these powers. It was extremely well done.

What I was less prepared for were the explorations of morality and worldview we experience through both brothers. As they grow and see more of the world, they continue to find gray areas and new conflicts. Watching them muddle through and come to their own conclusions really kept me on the edge of my seat. While I struggle somewhat to relate to male characters of this age, I liked them both and I feel invested in both of their stories. (If you plan on getting this book for someone closer in age to the main characters, I recommend reading it yourself first and noting content warnings below. It does deal with a few heavy topics.)

I’m already very much looking forward to book two and where the adventure will turn next. Truthfully, I’m hoping we’ll get insight into what the boys’ mother has been doing since her boys left home. House has done a wonderful job of keeping track of loose ends in the story so far, neatly tying up ones I’d nearly forgotten. It’s very satisfying and feels much like an Easter egg left behind. Aside from the obviously intentional cliffhangers, their mother currently feels like the only loose end the story has. I don’t expect that to remain the case. The setup we have for this character feels very promising.

If you’re a lover of high fantasy, you’ll want to give the Unmarked series a try.

Content Warnings: Fire & Burn Injuries, Human Sacrifice, Racism, Slut-Shaming, Graphic Depictions of Violence & Injuries, Body Horror, Classism, Vomit, Mentions of Sex Work, Mentions of Domestic Violence

After I Finished The Call of Wind

Once I finished off The Call of Wind, I dove straight into another ARC that I’ve been excited for. I read the first book in the series back in April and immediately fell in love with the story. The author has also proven to be wonderful and an absolute joy to work with. At this point, I’ve signed up to ARC read and even beta read any project she wants to pass my way. I’m very excited for this upcoming release.

My next review will be for Isle of Ember by Alycia E. Anderson.