Ill Wind by Rachel Caine
Paperback, 352 Pages
2003, Roc
ISBN: 0451459520
Series: Book 1 of Weather Warden
Synopsis
Joanne Baldwin is a Weather Warden. Usually, all it takes is a wave of her hand to tame the most violent weather. But now, she's trying to outrun another kind of storm: accusations of corruption and murder. So, she's resorting to the very human tactic of running for her life...
Her only hope is Lewis, the most powerful warden known. Unfortunately, he's stolen not one but three bottles of Djinn-making him the most wanted man on earth. Still, she's racing hard to find him-before the bad weather closes in fast...
Review
The Weather Warden series didn't sound like something that would work for me, but having heard good things, I decided to check out the first book. Ill Wind combined two things I have absolutely no interest in, djinn and the weather, and managed to get me rather excited about both. This newly found appeal most likely won't translate to other books, but it will entice me to continue the Weather Warden series.
Jo is a weather warden on the run. She has the power to control water and air and she used that power to kill someone. In self-defense. Instead of even considering going to the council, she hits the road in search of the one man strong enough to protect her, Lewis. Who just happens to also be on the run. Much of the present day action in the book is Jo digging herself a deeper and deeper hole without even a mediocre plan beyond finding Lewis. That sort of annoyed me.
What made Ill Wind enjoyable for me was the look at Jo's past - how she became a warden, her past with the characters she sees as friends and enemies, and how she ended up in the position she is currently in. The abilities themselves were pretty standard, all being earth based magics of sorts, but the way they were used and explained in the context of science, more specifically meteorology, was both interesting and fairly educational. The rules of the djinn (basically genies, like the ones that live in bottles) are different from what one usually pictures. No wishes here, and some even manage to be kind of sexy.
Ill Wind contains a hugely surprising ending that was completely spoiled for me. If you plan on reading this series, do not read the synopsis of the next book before you've completed Ill Wind. The ending is a game changer that is unavoidably mentioned in even basic synopses.
I found Ill Wind to be intriguing on levels that don't usually appeal to me. The Weather Warden series seems to be headed some unique directions not often seen in other urban fantasy books, which will absolutely delight readers looking for something a little different and completely repel those who like to stick to more standard fare.
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