Achbain, Arleban "Banny" :- Half Varlish, half Pannone. Kaelins best friend and member of the Eldacre Company.
Cochland, Eain and Draig :- Defenders of Chara, Jaim and Feagol, seeing them safe to Call Chaces lands although Eain dies killed by Tostig.
Galliott, Captain :- Known as the Borderer who beleives in a status quo system with everything in its place.
Grymauch, Jaim :- The living embodiment of what it means to be rigante. Strong, undomitable, honourable and unconquerable by the Varlish. Known as a thief, rogue and drunkard and thought of with affection by all that knew him. Although not in Stormrider its his deeds in Ravenheart that are embelished in the Stormrider tale.
Huntsekker :- A Varlish known as the Harvester due to his choice of weapon, a hand sythe. His word is his bond and hes the Moidarts personal executioner who carries out special missions.
Ironlatch, Arik :- One of the Rigantes War Chiefs who's nominated for the role of Chief after Call Jace's death.
Jace, Call :- Clan Chief of the Black Rigante and father of Chara Jace and Bael, who dies of a stroke.
Jace/Ring, Chara :- Kaelins wife and mother of his son Jaim, her soul name is Flame on the Water
Jaekel, Taybard :- Descendent of Fiallach whos a crack shot in the Eldacre company.
Kay, Winter :- Leader of the enemy and follower of the Orb of Kranos which is really the skull of an old Seidh god.
Macon, Gaise :- Raised as a Varlish Nobleman although his parentage is questionable due to the unusual eyes (one gold, one green) as his mother had been having an affair with Lanovar Ring. The problem arises when it is known that the Moidarts own grandmother also had the strange eye colouring. Given the soul name of "Storm Rider" by the Wyrd and destined to do "great" things for the Rigante.
Moidart :- The ruthless noble in charge of the north. Is known to have killed his wife after the birth of a child where the parentage was in question and after Winter Kay reneigns on his deal leads the rebellion against him.
Mulgrave :- Tutor, mentor and friend for Gaise Macon
Powdermill, Aron :- Seer who works for the Moidart who turns sides in exchange for Gaise Macons Sword, the sword of Connovar.
Ramus :- Apocathary and peddler of the Moidarts art.
Rayster :- A Black Rigante clan member, unknown parentage and pivitol in the defeat of Winter Kay.
Ring, Kaelin :- Son of Lanovar and raised by his aunt, Maev Ring. Taught the skills of the Rigante by Jaim. Withdraws from the election for Clan Leader with the condition that the Rigante aid the defense of the north with the Moidart. Son is called Jaim after Grymaulch and his soul name is "Ravenheart."
Ring, Jaim :- Son of Kaelin and Chara Jace.
Ring, Maev :- Lanovars siser who saved Kaelin on the night many of the Rigante were slaughtered by the Beetlebacks. She also raised Kaelin and has very good business acumen as everything she has a share in turns a good profit. Also is given the rank of Quartermaster General when she takes control of the Armies supplys.
Shaddler, Alterith :- School Teacher and defender of Maev before the council of her trial.
Wyrd :- Also known as the Dweller to the Black Rigante. She is the mystic of the Rigante seeking to bring the magic back to the earth though her people. She was taught by Riamfada (Connavars friend) and is known as Caretha with her soul name being Flame in the Crystal.
My Views
At the conclusion of Ravenheart (released a year ago) I was left feeling that the novel was incomplete with Gaise Macon disappearing a third of the way into the novel after being built up into a leading character. In my opinion I felt that maybe he should have been mentioned in passing with detail leading to Stormrider being at the end of the novel when Gaise obtained his soul name. Much in the same way that Valanus was mentioned at the end of Sword in the Storm leading the army against Connovar setting the timescale for the battle at Colden Moor mentioned
in Midnight Falcon.
Bearing that in mind I was left wondering how Stormrider would develop. Would it answer questions that Ravenheart left? How would the novel answer fans who felt as I did about this being a just a sequel (a first for Mr Gemmell as all his other novels were complete without loose ends,) picking up where Ravenheart left off?
To me, Stormrider has led Mr Gemmell in a new direction and something that I felt had been missing from many novels of this genre. Present in Stormrider I beleive that there is something for everyone regardless of your preference for style. Love, honour, betrayal, friendship, schemeing and victory in the face of defeat.
Here, many dilemas appearing throughout his 27 novels re-emerge and this I found made the novel more gripping for it, with many of the questions that many of the readers had previously contemplated being faced with the appropriate consequences ensuing. Each characters quirks, beliefs as well as actions had been meticulously crafted giving the reader the opportunity to envisage them as live people seeing that everyone has some good and bad present, something that is sadly lacking from many novels when the hero is always good and the villain always dark. Throughout the novel eachs characters decisions are weighed against previous history and throughout the story each characters darker nature has the opportunity to be released
accompanied by the feelings of regret and remorse. This is a trait to which not many people try to obtain a balance and something that Mr Gemmell has brilliantly pulled off here never leaving the reader in any certainty as to which way the next choice will take the novel.
On a final note, Stormrider kept me griped throughout with truces, treason, honour, deciet, defeat and victory each pulling the readers mind in a fast paced, constantly changing direction chase. Stormrider has been worth the wait and is now one of my favourite Gemmell novels. Roll on White Wolf.
Others Views
