The Servants of the Storm

I’ll admit, I went into *The Servants of the Storm* skeptical. Steampunk can so easily tip into self-parody, all top hats and clunky exposition. But Campbell sidesteps the tropes by making the *conflict* the star: this isn’t about inventing cool gadgets, it’s about who *controls* them—and what happens when the rules holding reality together start to fray. Mari and Alain’s dynamic is the heart of the book, a push-pull of logic and faith that feels earned, not forced. Their followers, a ragtag mix of disillusioned Mechanics and rogue mages, add layers of moral ambiguity—this isn’t a clear-cut rebellion, but a desperate gamble with universe-ending stakes. MacLeod Andrews’ performance is *almost* flawless. His pacing is impeccable, ratcheting up the tension during the Storm’s surreal, reality-warping sequences (which, by the way, are some of the most inventive set pieces I’ve heard in audiobook form). My only critique? His female voices occasionally veer into slightly breathy territory, which feels at odds with Mari’s hardened personality. That said, his delivery of the Mechanics’ robotic cadence—think *Battlestar Galactica*’s Cylons, but with wrenches—is so distinct it becomes a character in itself. The production is polished, though I wished for a touch more atmospheric sound design during the Storm’s chaos; a subtle hum or distant thunder could’ve elevated those scenes from *described* to *experienced*. Where the book stumbles slightly is in its mid-section pacing. Campbell spends a lot of time on political maneuvering within the Guild, which, while necessary, drags compared to the breakneck opening and the mind-bending climax. But when the Storm hits? It’s worth the wait—a surreal, Lovecraft-lite nightmare where physics and magic collide. If you love your fantasy with a side of philosophical heft (and a narrator who can make guild bylaws sound gripping), this is your next listen.