Kalila Stormfire’s Economical Magick Servies is an on-going fantasy audio drama about a witch’s documentation of her clients and how she deals with a mysterious saboteur who is trying to destroy her magick business.
If you like stories about minority witches in modern-day working class neighborhoods, meddling love goddesses, and morally ambiguous spellcraft…this is the tale for you.
I’m not entirely sure what I expected going into this. Urban fantasy brings to mind stories like the Dresden Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and a variety of paranormal romances. While Kalila Stormfire has a good bit in common with these stories, it stands apart as something unique.
After a falling out with her coven, Kalila sets up shop as a friendly neighborhood witch offering a variety of magickal services to clients with complex issues. And since of course her life isn’t challenging enough, her reputation comes under attack as an anonymous critic attempts to undermine her business and drive clients away.
Each episode deals with a new client and their often magickal troubles. A mother seeks a spell to help her pianist son overcome his performance anxiety, Kalila assists someone who’s lost feeling in their body after an astral projection spell gone wrong, and a wary man seeks help in dealing with his romantic and trust issues. Many of these cases don’t have an easy magickal fix, and those that do often present Kalila with an ethical decision that’s anything but simple. This is a deeply thematic audio drama that explores insecurities, fears, and the relationships we form with those around us, with multiple own voices stories interwoven into one.
Kalila Stormfire builds slowly over the course of the season, masterfully transitioning from a single-narrator story dealing with individual clients to a multi-cast show with a vast and immersive magickal world to explore. What starts as essentially standalone episodes becomes a cohesive story that packs an emotional punch.
I can’t wait for season 2. The show’s creator has promised more of the incredible world, which reminds me of Harry Potter if there was no attempt to keep magick secret. Covens are major political powers, the fae are common knowledge, and magick appears in all aspects of life. Suffice it to say I’m intrigued and looking forward to what comes next.
Fans of Ursula K. Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea and Becky Chambers’ Wayfarers series will find much to love in this show. The beautiful portrayal of complex characters and underlying message of hope in the face of past mistakes makes this a show to remember.
Kalila Stormfire is a free fantasy audio drama available through iTunes or wherever you find podcasts. Find out more on its website, or listen to the show below:
