A Betrayal of Storms opens the Realm of Fey series with lush worldbuilding and a high-stakes realm of half-fey heirs, war, and hidden legacy, but the pace crawls as it sets up the war between humans and fey. Ben Alderson crafts evocative magic—ice, courts, ancient power—but the emotional beats and character chemistry feel buried under exposition for too long. The romance between Robin and his guard Erix sparkles in moments, yet inside the web of betrayal and politics their bond doesn’t always hit the emotional weight I’d hoped for. It’s a promising start with big ideas and rich atmosphere, though it asks patience more than it delivers payoff.