Table of Contents
Praise for the Weather Warden Novels
Cape Storm
“A tale that’s sure to keep fans at the edge of their seats . . . a must read.”
—Darque Reviews
“[Caine] invents new and interesting ways to ramp up the tension and the stakes . . . another excellent entry in a series that’s been consistently enjoyable all along.”
—The Green Man Review
“Exhilarating. . . . The story line is fast-paced and filled with plenty of magical action. . . . Rachel Caine provides another terrific tale in one of the stronger urban fantasies on the market today.”
—
Midwest Book Review
“Powerful. . . . From the first page to the last, the pulse-pounding action is nonstop. Caine delivers one terrific high-seas adventure.”
—
Romantic Times
“Like every other book in this series,
Cape Storm
is the equivalent of a 300-page adrenaline rush. . . . Caine writes with her trademark flair for action and plot contortions. . . . [An] impeccably written thriller, imaginative and well paced . . . I loved
Cape Storm
from beginning to end. It’s another win by Rachel Caine—with the only drawback? Waiting another year for book nine.”
—The Book Smugglers
Gale Force
“Rachel Caine is still going strong, throwing one curveball after another as she continues to shake up the status quo. She successfully maintains a sense of impending doom and escalating tension as the stakes get ever higher. . . . I really like this series, because it’s urban fantasy that . . . tell[s] something exciting and original and ever changing.”
—SF Site
“Light, wry wit keeps things from getting too heavy, but even at the funniest moments, there is an intense drama that makes this a magnetic book.”
—Huntress Book Reviews
“Captivating. . . . Caine is a top- notch writer and her skill in weaving a mesmerizing tale is easily seen. Her characters are wonderfully dimensional, and the world they live in is solid and believable. The chemistry between these strong characters always sizzles and
Gale Force
stands out with deep and fluctuating emotions.”
—Darque Reviews
“Caine jumps the reader into the middle of another epic battle, pitting Joanne Baldwin against supernatural evil unlike any she’s seen before. . . . Fans of dynamic, fast-paced action, strong on magic and characterization, will enjoy this new installment of Joanne Baldwin’s adventures.”
—SFRevu
“The Weather Warden books are an addictive force of nature that will suck you in.”
—News and Sentinel
(Parkersburg, WV)
“Another great addition to the series. . . . The action never stops and, like every other book in the series, this is a roller-coaster ride through all the elements Mother Nature can throw at Jo.”
—ParaNormal Romance
The Other Weather Warden Novels
“The forecast calls for . . . a fun read.”
—Jim Butcher
“With chick-lit dialogue and rocket-propelled pacing, Rachel Caine takes the Weather Wardens to places the Weather Channel never imagined!”
—Mary Jo Putney
“A fast-paced thrill ride [that] brings new meaning to stormy weather.”
—Locus
“An appealing heroine, with a wry sense of humor that enlivens even the darkest encounters.”
—SF Site
“A kick-butt heroine who will appeal strongly to fans of Tanya Huff, Kelley Armstrong, and Charlaine Harris.”
—Romantic Times
“Chaos has never been so intriguing as when Rachel Caine shapes it into the setting of a story. Each book in this series has built-in intensity and fascination. Secondary characters blossom as Joanne meets them anew, and twists are revealed that will leave you gasping.”
—Huntress Book Reviews
“The Weather Warden series is fun reading . . . more engaging than most TV.”
—Booklist
“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 days. . . . Dig into this great new fantasy series.”
—Purple Pens
“I dare you to put this book down.”
—University City Review
(Philadelphia)
“A neat, stylish, and very witty addition to the genre, all wrapped up in a narrative voice to die for. Hugely entertaining.”
—SF Crowsnest
“Fans of Laurell K. Hamilton and the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher are going to love this fast- paced, action-packed romantic urban fantasy.”
—Midwest Book Review
“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 nature.”
—Romantic SF & Fantasy Novels
Books by Rachel Caine
WEATHER WARDEN
Ill Wind
Heat Stroke
Chill Factor
Windfall
Firestorm
Thin Air
Gale Force
Cape Storm
Total Eclipse
OUTCAST SEASON
Undone
Unknown
THE MORGANVILLE VAMPIRES
Glass Houses
The Dead Girls’ Dance
Midnight Alley
Feast of Fools
Lord of Misrule
Carpe Corpus
Fade Out
Kiss of Death
ROC
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First published by Roc, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
First Printing, August 2010
Copyright © Roxanne Longstreet Conrad, 2010
All rights reserved
eISBN : 978-1-101-19820-9
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To all the wonderful people who’ve supported Joanne’s
adventures through this series—THANK YOU. You all rock.
But I’ll single out one, because she was the first to tell me
that the idea for
Ill Wind
was a good one.
Thank you, Sharon.
Okay, I lied; I will single out two, because about the time
I was going to give up on this whole writing gig, I talked
with fantastic writer Joe R. Lansdale, and he gave me the
encouragement I needed to keep on defying gravity.
Thank you, Joe. And hey, thanks for Bubba Ho-tep, too,
while I’m at it.
ACKNOW LEDGMENTS
Joe Bonamassa
Lucienne Diver
Sheila Hanahan Taylor
Felicia Day
P. N. Elrod
Jackie Leaf
Heidi Berthiaume
Charles Armitage
Jackie Kessler
Richelle Mead
Patricia Anthony
R. Cat Conrad—always
What Has Come Before
My name is Joanne Baldwin, and I used to control the weather as a Weather Warden. These days, I can also control the forces of the earth, such as volcanoes and earthquakes, and the forces of fire. Don’t ask—it’s a long story. Just go with it, okay?
Controlling all those awesome forces sounds like fun, eh? No. Not when it makes you a target for every psycho world-killing danger that comes along.
Good thing I’ve got my friends at my back—Lewis Orwell, the most powerful Warden on the planet; Cherise, my best (and not supernatural) friend; a wide cast of sometimes dangerous allies who’ve got their own missions and agendas that don’t always match up with mine.
And I’ve got David, my true love. He’s also a supernatural Djinn, the fairy-tale-three-wishes kind, and he’s now coruler of the Djinn on Earth.