Storm Gathering by Rebecca Zanetti

Well hello there Mr. Storm …

Let me start by saying that I love the name Greyson Storm. I also enjoyed his lover’s name, Maureen Shadow. Rebecca Zanetti names her characters well. I’m not joking when I say that a “bad” name can be distracting to a story. I’ve read a book where a woman was named Sissy and it drove me nuts every time I read the name. Maybe I’m an odd one.

Storm Gathering continues the storyline of The Scorpius Syndrome. If you’ve read the prior stories, you’re familiar with the post-apocalypse world. To sum up, one person went psycho after contracting Scorpius and purposefully spread it to others as quickly as he could. Thus, wiping out 90% (or so) of the population. There is not many people left, food is running out, there is no longer running electricity, and the president is a psychopath.

Friendly reminder, I’m never disappointed by Rebecca Zanetti’s books.

Greyson Storm leads “The Mercenaries” in Santa Barbara. His territory was once a wealthy neighborhood with ocean views. He kidnaps Maureen Shadow as his hostage to extort her brother Raze, a member of “The Vanguard” in LA. This is all laid out in book 2 (Mercury Striking). In Storm Gathering, we rewind in time to learn just how the kidnapping occurred and what kind of relationship was built while Maureen was kept in Merc territory. It’s not Stockholm Syndrome I promise. Zanetti was smart to zip back for a little while in the beginning of this book because it is imperative to their storytelling. Without learning the details of their interactions it would be hard to accept a relationship that originated from a kidnapping and extortion plot.

In Storm Gathering, Greyson has to choose a side with whom to align his people. Clearly if he becomes an ally of the crazy President he will lose Maureen. He could align with Vanguard (if Raze could bury his grudge with Greyson) but it isn’t the best option from a war-zone/tactical standpoint. Naturally, Greyson would normally make the logical choice without emotions; however, he’s in love now. Emotions have muddied his thinking and he finds himself forced to make some quick decisions in the heat of the moment that can either save or damn them all.