Words of Power by Shami Stovall
Publisher: Aethon Books
Genre: Fantasy
Rated: 5 stars
Review by Rose

A magic-fueled progression fantasy adventure from Dragon Award winning author Shami Stovall.

Power is not given—it’s taken. He will prove even the lowest can rise to challenge gods.

In the Tze Empire, spirits and demons rule the wilds, but Ring Warlocks control civilization. For Rimon, the son of a courtesan and lowest in society, Ring Warlocks seem like gods.

Each has their own magic drawn from Titans, and they can do whatever they please, regardless of how it affects the prefectures they rule.

But when a chance encounter places one of the ancient and powerful rings in Rimon’s hands, everything changes. For there is a trick to the rings, and Rimon sees through the test given to him.

Suddenly, he is no longer a player at the fringes of power; he is a Ring Warlock and granted his own territory.

Determined to make sure his prefecture thrives, Rimon must contend with jealous rivals, demons seeking his ring for themselves, and forces he cannot yet name, all while mastering his new abilities.

Rimon will have to grow twice as strong as his rival warlocks just to survive in this new Progression Fantasy Adventure by Shami Stovall, the Dragon-Award winning author of Knightmare Arcanist!

I was so freaking excited to read this book…the start of a brand-new series by Shami Stovall. I think I might have enjoyed it even more than Knightmare Arcanist and I loved that book!

The main character in Words of Power, Rimon, is more mature and has seen more of the world in many ways. He’s not jaded by any means, but he’s also not as naive. This gives him so many more layers and really deepens the story.

He is idealistic, but already there are forces at work that make the reader wonder how… or if… he will be able to maintain that idealism and his desire for right over might throughout the series.

And, I absolutely love the other characters in the book…and what a varied group they are. I’ll not give you any spoilers, but I think I can honestly say there are characters here I’ve never seen before.

As the first book in the series, there is naturally some word building, but the author does it so seamlessly, the reader is drawn into this world very organically. And, also as the first book in the series, not all storylines are tied up with a pretty bow. There’s not really a cliffhanger, but there is definitely more to look forward to, all the time ending in a very satisfied way.

Kudo, Ms. Stovall… and I am waiting anxiously for the next book!