The Hurricane Wars is the first entry in the eponymous series, and it sets the stage for the coming action of A Monsoon Rising and the forthcoming third novel. The titular Hurricane Wars are the central conflict in the text, a battle between the Night Empire and the rest of the Continent unified under the flag of the Sardovian Allfold. Talasyn, the protagonist, is emblematic of the Sardovian cause, as the last surviving Lightweaver after the Night Empire razed Sunstead and murdered all other Lightweavers in the Cataclysm almost 20 years prior. The Night Empire seeks to control the entirety of the Continent, and the flailing Sardovian troops are the only thing standing in the way.

The Hurricane Wars “end” early in the novel, before Talasyn and the other Sardovians seek asylum in Nenavar. However, though the Night Empire views the conflict as over and the Sardovians as defeated, Talasyn does not. When Talasyn discovers her true identity as the Nenavarene Lachis’ka—or heir to the throne—she sees a way to use her newfound political power against the Night Empire. She convinces her grandmother Queen Urduja to hide the Sardovians while they regroup and rebuild. In A Monsoon Rising, Talasyn’s espionage from inside the Night Empire will continue, providing new opportunities for conflict to arise with Alaric.