Firestorm
Authors: Rachel Caine
Praise for the Weather Warden series
Windfall
“The writing is so fluid, the story so quick-paced, I can't possibly put the book downâthere is a compulsive need to find out What Happens Next.”
â*Purple Pens
“Overall, the fast pace, intense emotion, cool magics, and a sense of hurtling momentum toward some planet-sized conclusion to the overarching story are keeping me a fan of the Weather Warden series. I continue to enjoy Joanne's girly-girl yet kick-ass natureâ¦. I'm very much looking forward to
Firestorm
.”
âRomantic Science Fiction & Fantasy
“Caine ups both the pace and the stakes in the fourth entry in her stellar series. Joanne is as appealing as everâ¦. Unflinchingly honest with herself and more than willing to acknowledge her own failings, Joanne cannot help but draw the reader's sympathy and affection. Colorful supporting characters lighten this thundercloud of a novel, but on the whole this is the darkest, most enthralling, and most powerful novel yet from the talented Caine.”
â
Romantic Times
(Top Pick, 4
1
/
2
stars)
Chill Factor
“With chick-lit dialogue and rocket-propelled pacing, Rachel Caine takes the Weather Wardens to places the Weather Channel never imagined!”
âMary Jo Putney
“The Weather Warden series is fun readingâ¦more engaging than most TV.”
â
Booklist
“Chill Factor
successfully builds upon the story lines begun in
Ill Wind
and continued in
Heat Stroke
, bringing them all to a furious climax. Caine just keeps getting better and betterâ¦. Like a good hurricane, she builds slowly offshore and, once ready, tears inland to wreak literary havoc in an unpredictable manner.
Factor
, like the rest in the series, is a breath of fresh air in the urban fantasy field, and I continue to look forward to Rachel Caine's further offerings.”
âSF Site
“Caine has cleverly combined the wisecracks, sexiness, and fashion savvy of chick lit with gritty action-movie violence and the cutting-edge magic of urban fantasyâ¦a convincing and intensely compelling contemporary fantasy, with a kick-butt heroine who will appeal strongly to fans of Tanya Huff, Kelley Armstrong, and Charlaine Harris.”
â
Romantic Times
Heat Stroke
“A neat, stylish, and very witty addition to the genre, all wrapped up in a narrative voice to die for. Hugely entertaining.”
âSFcrowsnest
“Sexy and suspenseful, this follow-up to
Ill Wind
exceeds the previous volume in sheer excitement and edge-of-your-seat suspense. Caine creates vibrant, over-the-top characters. Joanne is at once funny and heartbreaking in her attempts to adjust to her new way of life.”
â
Romantic Times
Ill Wind
“The forecast calls forâ¦a fun read.”
âJim Butcher
“A fast-paced thrill ride [that] brings new meaning to stormy weather.”
â
Locus
“Crisp characterizations, snappy dialogue, an interestingly different magic system, some sexy romance, and lots of thrilling encounters with storms and heavy weatherâ¦. Joanne herself is an appealing heroine, with a wry sense of humor that enlivens even the darkest encounters.”
âSF Site
“I dare you to put this book down.”
â
University City Review
(Philadelphia)
“Fans of Laurell K. Hamilton and the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher are going to love this fast-paced, action-packed, romantic urban fantasy.”
â
Midwest Book Review
“Caine writes with a superquick pace that carries the reader from beginning to end effortlessly. Caine's writing reminds me of Laurell K. Hamilton in her early daysâ¦. Dig in to this great new fantasy series.”
âPurple Pens
B
OOK
F
IVE OF THE
W
EATHER
W
ARDEN
S
ERIES
A ROC BOOK
ROC
Published by New American Library, a division of
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ISBN: 4-514-61045-3
Copyright © Roxanne Longstreet Conrad, 2006
All rights reserved
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For Jenny Griffee, NaNoNov winner of 2004, who
provided a
hell
of a good idea for a new class of magical
being, not to mention a slam-bang character
The author wishes to thank the following:
My absolutely incredible editor, Liz Scheier, for her
patience and help during my personal crisis that
fell right across the deadline for this book.
My equally incredible agent, Lucienne Diver,
without whose support and encouragement
none of this would be happening (or ever would
have, for that matter).
The Stormchasers, all five hundred-plus of them, who are some of the most enthusiastic and wonderful folks I could ever hope to know.
My LJ friends, nearly as numerous as the
Stormchasers, every single one of them a gem.
Kelley, Marla, Claire, Laurie, Katy, and Becky:
the Time Turners. Goddesses all.
Independent booksellers Edge Books
and Bakka-Phoenix.
ORAC, especially P. N. Elrod, Joanne Madge,
and Jackie Leaf.
My husband, Cat, for supporting me at every step of
the process, and being my cheering section.
Tory Fuller, who has given me immense help by
vetting the weather content of these booksâ¦
Mistakes are all mine, mine, mine.
And as always, the great Joe Bonamassa, who makes
this writing process so much more fun by turning
out incredible music. Come back to Texas more often.
We love you.
My name is Joanne Baldwin, and in case you haven't been keeping up with current events, we're in big trouble. The world, I mean. As for me, I've been in trouble sinceâ¦well, alwaysâ¦but this is
big
. The Wardensâthe folks who are supposed to be protecting all of
you
from the dangers of raging fires, floods, earthquakes, and natural disasters of all kindsâhave been compromised. Slowly but surely, they've lost their way and become corrupt and ineffective.
I used to be one of them, until I acquired a Demon Mark and fell in love with a Djinn, but that's another story altogether (
Ill Wind
, actually, if you're taking notes). The point is that now, the Djinnâwho should be the allies of the Wardensâaren't playing by the rules that have held for millennia. A Djinn named Jonathan set up those rules, and now that Jonathan's gone, all bets are off.
And the Djinn's new leader? My lover, David. What that bodes for a stable relationship is still up in the air, but confidentially? I'm worried.
The human race has one chance to keep its place at the top of the food chain: make peace with the Djinn, and that means somehow, some way, making peace with the Earth itself. Which ain't gonna be easy, because Mother Nature is
pissed off.
And apparently, I may be the only one able to do something about it.
Lucky meâ¦