Storm Strider

Storm Strider, Book 1

De: Maradina

Narrado por: Rachel Leblang

Five thousand kilometres from shore. A sea of leviathans snapping at her heels. Marisol has never felt more alive.

Nearly a century ago, rifts opened and giant magic-blooded bugs descended upon humanity. They were named the "swarm" for their fierce, insatiable hunger for human flesh. Born and raised in a small desert village, Sand-Dancer Marisol wants nothing to do with them. All she wants to do is sail to a legendary island city and bring a vial of healing seawater back to her sickly mama. Who has time to care about some distant war?

Just when she earns enough to pay for her once-in-a-lifetime trip to the city, a swarm of leviathans attacks her ship and strands her in the middle of the sea, forcing her to pick a class from a system. Three out of four classes will save her life and bring her home, but only one will let her stand on water, move forward, and save her mother.

So what if her system tells her she has a less than one percent chance of making the journey? Marisol will skate to the city or die trying.

The Storm Strider series is a high-octane adventure that mixes LitRPG elements with magic, mutations, power progression, oversized enemies, and a war-torn fantasy world where factions are based around different types of bugs. Come for the nail-biting human versus insect battles, stay for the incredibly wicked insect trivia.

©2025 Maradina (P)2025 Podium Audio

A fantastic story with interesting world building and unique takes on magic/abilities.

Overall I enjoyed the narrative and the voice actor was fantastic. I very much enjoy a story about the generation after the disaster and how civilization has adapted. The world is intriguing and fascinating enough for me to want more. The main character is easy to get behind and likable.
However there are things that make this book a difficult listening experience. One the objectives as all system story's have are redundant and immersion breaking as they feel tagged on to fit the system novel type. Two the references to how much time has passed and the discussions and event that take place are often wildly disproportionate to each other. Finally is just feels like a few more like a polished draft of a book, things like references to in world locations, events and characters feel retcond in to explain things that have already taken place instead of woven into the story.
But at the end of the day it was a good listen and I'll definitely be getting the second book when it releases or mabey skipping straight to Royal Road.

Weirdly, my favorite part is the pronunciation

This world crafted is incredibly fascinating and interesting, the adventures are fun and different in ways I wouldn't expect, the main character is effortlessly charming while also being believably strong in the context of the world and totally awesome. I think my favorite part about this though is that because it's an audiobook I get the pronunciations her name and her mama in a very authentic way that I wouldn't have. otherwise. Very much enjoyed this book series and can't wait for more

A new series to look forward to.

scratches that particular fantasy nautical itch. the rpg elements make sense and the story is wonderful. read thid you won't regret it .

Slow build with niave MC

Bug world invaders with human fighter adapting bug mutations to hold the off. A niave MC who lives in the moment and makes choices based purely on what she needs then.

Both in class choices and life. Like when she is on a ship that has no one on it and she needs to abandon it. Rather than loot the captian quarters that she is in for money, she just leaves. Even though she saves for 10 years to get coins for the trip and wont have any for the city or way back.

She never once thinks of the future for herself and how to pay for things, that's her personality.
She also soft hearted first time she runs into child killing people, she just hits them with the flat of her blade to knock them out to win. At least she shows signs of hardening her heart through the book. Hope to see future hardened bug slayer MC with a protective nature in future books.

Leaves out some action parts.

Its an ok book, even though the whole book is her traveling to the city. In some of the action parts of the book, the obvious action parts are left out, and theirs a bunch of flash backs. Ill see where the series goes.