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The Dome #1
The Shadow Spinner
N'Halia hates how weak she is. But the Tempest wasn't formed in a day. The storm is coming...
The king's taxes bleed the people dry. And those who can't pay, burn.
Hermit, a vagabond Shadow Spinner, whisks N’Halia out of the burning ruins of her home. They flee under the cover of Darkness and she joins him on his mysterious quest. Along the way, Hermit teaches her to fight and unlock her true Power.
N'Halia earns her way by fighting in the gladiatorial bloodsport. In the arena, anything goes. Shadow, Fire, Lightning, Ice, blunt force trauma. They're all just different ways to die. N'Halia needs to win, to be the strongest.
Because only the strongest mage in the land has a chance at killing the king.
If you like the magic of Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series and the riveting unfolding of David Eddings' Belgariad, then you'll love The Dome Series!
Click Buy Now to join Hermit and N'Halia on their epic journey!
The king's taxes bleed the people dry. And those who can't pay, burn.
Hermit, a vagabond Shadow Spinner, whisks N’Halia out of the burning ruins of her home. They flee under the cover of Darkness and she joins him on his mysterious quest. Along the way, Hermit teaches her to fight and unlock her true Power.
N'Halia earns her way by fighting in the gladiatorial bloodsport. In the arena, anything goes. Shadow, Fire, Lightning, Ice, blunt force trauma. They're all just different ways to die. N'Halia needs to win, to be the strongest.
Because only the strongest mage in the land has a chance at killing the king.
If you like the magic of Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series and the riveting unfolding of David Eddings' Belgariad, then you'll love The Dome Series!
Click Buy Now to join Hermit and N'Halia on their epic journey!
- GenresFantasy
447 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 3, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
March 12, 2023
The Shadow Spinner
By Eric Kao
I enjoyed this fantasy tale of a small group of people and a legend. It's a plot style that is over used but everyone tries to make it their own. I liked the twist of a shadow spinner. A shadow spinner is someone that goes town to town and shows people what happened somewhere else by using shadows like a play instead of a bard singing stories.
There is a lot of fight scenes and practice scenes because one girl is training to be a fighter. I really think the fight scenes, or practice scenes, could have been reduced.
I liked the clever dialogue. It had me giggling at times.
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this book!
By Eric Kao
I enjoyed this fantasy tale of a small group of people and a legend. It's a plot style that is over used but everyone tries to make it their own. I liked the twist of a shadow spinner. A shadow spinner is someone that goes town to town and shows people what happened somewhere else by using shadows like a play instead of a bard singing stories.
There is a lot of fight scenes and practice scenes because one girl is training to be a fighter. I really think the fight scenes, or practice scenes, could have been reduced.
I liked the clever dialogue. It had me giggling at times.
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this book!
May 14, 2023
1/5 stars, there's potential but that's where it ends
Thank you to BooksGoSocial for the arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
This book sounded amazing after reading the synopsis so I was very excited to read the arc, especially hearing about three people coming together to grow their power. The synopsis talks about a lightning mage, light, and shadow mage who come together so that N'ahlia (the lightning mage) can become the greatest fighter in the Dome. But, this just wasn't very good.
First of all, the writing style really just wasn't for me, especially how people talked to each other through dialogue. It was supposed to be "funny" in an adult-like humor way but it really felt like it was trying too hard. Nothing was funny that it was emphasized because it felt really out of place whenever there was a "humor" moment. The writing style was also very disjointed and the pacing was way off, with time skips but also lots of attention on little moments. As well, it switched from people's perspectives way too fast, and in the same chapter, so there was never a consistent POV.
None of the characters were very memorable either, the only two I really remember were the Hermit and N'Halia, but neither were super interesting. N'Halia fell under the trope of an apprentice who learns way too fast and has way too much skill for someone of her level. The Hermit was also just kind of weird, I didn't totally love him.
I do think my favorite part was the potential for the world, as people used their powers for their everyday jobs. This was really interesting to see how people were able to use their powers to their advantage, but other than that the world really didn't have any substance to it. I think this is one of the series that I really don't think I'll be continuing for sure.
[TW: physical violence and harassment, sexual themes mentioned, death of parents and caregivers, fighting rings, burn scars, blood]
Thank you to BooksGoSocial for the arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
This book sounded amazing after reading the synopsis so I was very excited to read the arc, especially hearing about three people coming together to grow their power. The synopsis talks about a lightning mage, light, and shadow mage who come together so that N'ahlia (the lightning mage) can become the greatest fighter in the Dome. But, this just wasn't very good.
First of all, the writing style really just wasn't for me, especially how people talked to each other through dialogue. It was supposed to be "funny" in an adult-like humor way but it really felt like it was trying too hard. Nothing was funny that it was emphasized because it felt really out of place whenever there was a "humor" moment. The writing style was also very disjointed and the pacing was way off, with time skips but also lots of attention on little moments. As well, it switched from people's perspectives way too fast, and in the same chapter, so there was never a consistent POV.
None of the characters were very memorable either, the only two I really remember were the Hermit and N'Halia, but neither were super interesting. N'Halia fell under the trope of an apprentice who learns way too fast and has way too much skill for someone of her level. The Hermit was also just kind of weird, I didn't totally love him.
I do think my favorite part was the potential for the world, as people used their powers for their everyday jobs. This was really interesting to see how people were able to use their powers to their advantage, but other than that the world really didn't have any substance to it. I think this is one of the series that I really don't think I'll be continuing for sure.
[TW: physical violence and harassment, sexual themes mentioned, death of parents and caregivers, fighting rings, burn scars, blood]
February 21, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley for an arc of this book. Below is my honest review.
Hermit is a shadow spinner. He controls shadows and spin stories. During his travels, he meets N’Halia at the inn where she lives and works with her foster father. After a horrible incident, the inn burns down and only Hermit and N’Halia survive. Until that night, N’Halia didn’t know her magic can actually spark lightning. So, N’Halia leaves her home town with Hermit. What else can she do and where can she go?
This is a pretty standard first book in an epic fantasy. There is a grumpy character who trains the young hero, a villain/evil group (spoilers, so not specifying), training montages, practice fights, revelations about what is really going on, and a found family who set off to save the world.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. The characters were likable and you wanted to root for their success. I appreciated that there were some lighter scenes and funny scenes. It wasn’t all end of the world doom and gloom. There were a bit too many fight scenes for my taste, though.
Hermit is a shadow spinner. He controls shadows and spin stories. During his travels, he meets N’Halia at the inn where she lives and works with her foster father. After a horrible incident, the inn burns down and only Hermit and N’Halia survive. Until that night, N’Halia didn’t know her magic can actually spark lightning. So, N’Halia leaves her home town with Hermit. What else can she do and where can she go?
This is a pretty standard first book in an epic fantasy. There is a grumpy character who trains the young hero, a villain/evil group (spoilers, so not specifying), training montages, practice fights, revelations about what is really going on, and a found family who set off to save the world.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. The characters were likable and you wanted to root for their success. I appreciated that there were some lighter scenes and funny scenes. It wasn’t all end of the world doom and gloom. There were a bit too many fight scenes for my taste, though.
February 23, 2023
The Shadow Spinner, by Eric Kao, was a great fantasy adventure that had me laughing every other page. With characters so bizarre, and decidedly un-typical-hero-like, it was funny to see how they all interacted with each other and the world around them. I loved the Hoops, and found the no-rules competitive sport to be a perfect measuring stick for the characters as they gained more skill and power.
Reading-wise, I sometimes found it hard to distinguish who was speaking or thinking, as the perspective could hop around quite a lot, and you weren't sure where you landed. Some of the sentences could have been lengthened a bit, or just combined with the next, as I found a lot of stopping and starting was a little hard to follow, and it may have helped with the flow a bit, But aside from a few errors (proofreaders can't catch everything!) it was a good read.
I absolutely loved the inclusion of everyone's gift, and how they could be so widely applied to so many different areas and careers. It gave a great feel of believe-ability, and I loved the diversity. Wasn't a huge fan of the demons who would eventually posses humans, though. That's... not very cool.
I did find it really interesting how almost every action had an initial capitalisation, as if to denote it could be the product of a gift or power, not just a normal action, though. What a great stylistic tool! Great work!
Reading-wise, I sometimes found it hard to distinguish who was speaking or thinking, as the perspective could hop around quite a lot, and you weren't sure where you landed. Some of the sentences could have been lengthened a bit, or just combined with the next, as I found a lot of stopping and starting was a little hard to follow, and it may have helped with the flow a bit, But aside from a few errors (proofreaders can't catch everything!) it was a good read.
I absolutely loved the inclusion of everyone's gift, and how they could be so widely applied to so many different areas and careers. It gave a great feel of believe-ability, and I loved the diversity. Wasn't a huge fan of the demons who would eventually posses humans, though. That's... not very cool.
I did find it really interesting how almost every action had an initial capitalisation, as if to denote it could be the product of a gift or power, not just a normal action, though. What a great stylistic tool! Great work!
March 20, 2023
First of all my sincere thanks to Eric Kao for providing me this advanced reader copy even after its official publication date.
The Shadow Spinner by Eric Kao was a good start to a great series with a lot of potential. While the central concept may not be entirely original, the story’s many intriguing ideas provide a wealth of material to explore in future installments. One aspect of the story that particularly captivated me was the concept of The Created, inhabiting The Peaks, and their contrasting counterparts, The Twisted, dwelling in The Pits. While there is always room for growth and refinement, it is no doubt that Eric Kao possesses a gift for writing. The story was action packed and flowed well and I was introduced to a lot of new interesting characters as the story progressed.
However, despite having great promise The Shadow Spinner has it’s fair share of weaknesses as well. The world building was extremely poor. I found myself unable to conjure up any mental images of the cities or characters described in the book, and I felt that the fascinating backstory could have been better integrated and elaborated upon in the narrative. The magic system in the book was not adequately clarified, and I was left feeling perplexed about certain magical terminology used in the story, such as Influence, Enlightenment, and Approximation Event (although I could roughly guess), until I consulted the Index at the end of the book. Furthermore, I couldn’t help but wonder if there is such a thing as an excessive amount of action. The first two-thirds of the book were dominated by an unending succession of combat scenes, ceaseless training sessions between characters, and battles fought for monetary or reputation gain. Perhaps the most significant drawback for me personally was the constant shifts in perspective that occurred every few sentences in certain chapters. This frequent alteration of viewpoint ultimately left me feeling drained and exhausted.
While the story introduced a plethora of characters as it unfolded, I found myself most enamored with the characters of N’Halia and Hermit, whose perspectives resonated with me the most. N’Halia was temperamental, impulsive and eager to learn. Hermit was chaotic, mysterious, sarcastic with a dramatic flair. While I had hoped to witness some character development in N’Halia and Hermit as the story unfolded, the numerous additional characters introduced, including Arol, Ariana, Talla, Vithe, Jace, and Shoku, with their own perspectives woven into the narrative, left little space for such growth. As a result, I felt that the focus was too scattered, and the character arcs were not as fully realized as they could have been. I am not new to High Fantasy and Epic Fantasy genres and I am accustomed to the use of varying perspectives in such works. However, I feel it is important for the author to exercise skillful pacing and discernment in their placement of these perspectives throughout the story.
All in all, The Shadow Spinner is a decent start to what could potentially be an engaging series. However, I feel the author needs to take the necessary time to refine the narrative, introduce more pauses between the action-packed sequences, and focus on deepening the character arcs as the series progresses. If these issues are addressed, the series has the potential to become a truly compelling work of High Fantasy genre.
The Shadow Spinner by Eric Kao was a good start to a great series with a lot of potential. While the central concept may not be entirely original, the story’s many intriguing ideas provide a wealth of material to explore in future installments. One aspect of the story that particularly captivated me was the concept of The Created, inhabiting The Peaks, and their contrasting counterparts, The Twisted, dwelling in The Pits. While there is always room for growth and refinement, it is no doubt that Eric Kao possesses a gift for writing. The story was action packed and flowed well and I was introduced to a lot of new interesting characters as the story progressed.
However, despite having great promise The Shadow Spinner has it’s fair share of weaknesses as well. The world building was extremely poor. I found myself unable to conjure up any mental images of the cities or characters described in the book, and I felt that the fascinating backstory could have been better integrated and elaborated upon in the narrative. The magic system in the book was not adequately clarified, and I was left feeling perplexed about certain magical terminology used in the story, such as Influence, Enlightenment, and Approximation Event (although I could roughly guess), until I consulted the Index at the end of the book. Furthermore, I couldn’t help but wonder if there is such a thing as an excessive amount of action. The first two-thirds of the book were dominated by an unending succession of combat scenes, ceaseless training sessions between characters, and battles fought for monetary or reputation gain. Perhaps the most significant drawback for me personally was the constant shifts in perspective that occurred every few sentences in certain chapters. This frequent alteration of viewpoint ultimately left me feeling drained and exhausted.
While the story introduced a plethora of characters as it unfolded, I found myself most enamored with the characters of N’Halia and Hermit, whose perspectives resonated with me the most. N’Halia was temperamental, impulsive and eager to learn. Hermit was chaotic, mysterious, sarcastic with a dramatic flair. While I had hoped to witness some character development in N’Halia and Hermit as the story unfolded, the numerous additional characters introduced, including Arol, Ariana, Talla, Vithe, Jace, and Shoku, with their own perspectives woven into the narrative, left little space for such growth. As a result, I felt that the focus was too scattered, and the character arcs were not as fully realized as they could have been. I am not new to High Fantasy and Epic Fantasy genres and I am accustomed to the use of varying perspectives in such works. However, I feel it is important for the author to exercise skillful pacing and discernment in their placement of these perspectives throughout the story.
All in all, The Shadow Spinner is a decent start to what could potentially be an engaging series. However, I feel the author needs to take the necessary time to refine the narrative, introduce more pauses between the action-packed sequences, and focus on deepening the character arcs as the series progresses. If these issues are addressed, the series has the potential to become a truly compelling work of High Fantasy genre.
August 28, 2023
This was a highly interesting book to read. It took me awhile to get into the swing of the author's prose, but once there it was a fun read! I'm giving it a 4 star rating but would actually rate it a strong 3.5.
Hermit is basically a Loki characterisation. He's an immortal created and tasked with the protection of the Dome a bridge world from the hordes of the Twisted but really he's more interested in his own amusements, saving the world is just an incidental side hustle.
In 'The Shadow Spinner' Hermit is haphazardly assembling the chosen powered human champions of the Created in order to get them trained up in time to battle the Twisted and their armies. Preventing them from decimating the Dome and invading the Peaks. The Peaks is pretty much Heaven and the domain of the created and the Pits thusly is Hell and the domain of the Twisted.
We get 3 Champions in this book. N'Halia, a revenge driven, fight obsessed Lightening user is our entry character. She's a driven, naive, orphaned peasant girl. And, unbeknownst to her, Hermit's chosen Champion. He pretty much infuriates her constantly. Actually he pretty much infuriates anyone he deals with for too long. It's part of his charm.
Following along with Hermit and N'Hali we learn more about the Created, the Chosen and the Twisted. The second Champion is a grandmother Araina gifted with Force. Her husband Arol is a talented healer and her grandchildren also bear rare gifts. Thanks to Hermits intervention they end up having to flee their home and hit the road with a bounty on their heads.
The third and final Champion introduced in this book is Shoku, a Light user. He's only in it for the money.
The interactions between the characters is mostly hilarous and what drew me into the story. Hermit is exasperating, devious, a total louse and yet still somehow a loveable character. N'Hali is a hoot, Ariana and Arol as a couple are inspiring in their love for and protection of their family.
Shoku is just . . .
Looking forward to finding the 4th Champion and figuring out how this unhinged lot are going to save the world!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Hermit is basically a Loki characterisation. He's an immortal created and tasked with the protection of the Dome a bridge world from the hordes of the Twisted but really he's more interested in his own amusements, saving the world is just an incidental side hustle.
In 'The Shadow Spinner' Hermit is haphazardly assembling the chosen powered human champions of the Created in order to get them trained up in time to battle the Twisted and their armies. Preventing them from decimating the Dome and invading the Peaks. The Peaks is pretty much Heaven and the domain of the created and the Pits thusly is Hell and the domain of the Twisted.
We get 3 Champions in this book. N'Halia, a revenge driven, fight obsessed Lightening user is our entry character. She's a driven, naive, orphaned peasant girl. And, unbeknownst to her, Hermit's chosen Champion. He pretty much infuriates her constantly. Actually he pretty much infuriates anyone he deals with for too long. It's part of his charm.
Following along with Hermit and N'Hali we learn more about the Created, the Chosen and the Twisted. The second Champion is a grandmother Araina gifted with Force. Her husband Arol is a talented healer and her grandchildren also bear rare gifts. Thanks to Hermits intervention they end up having to flee their home and hit the road with a bounty on their heads.
The third and final Champion introduced in this book is Shoku, a Light user. He's only in it for the money.
The interactions between the characters is mostly hilarous and what drew me into the story. Hermit is exasperating, devious, a total louse and yet still somehow a loveable character. N'Hali is a hoot, Ariana and Arol as a couple are inspiring in their love for and protection of their family.
Shoku is just . . .
Looking forward to finding the 4th Champion and figuring out how this unhinged lot are going to save the world!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 4, 2023
“The Shadow Spinner” by Eric Kao has an eye-catching cover that hints at a unique magic system. In the world of Dome, it seems everyone is born with some innate ability, and that those abilities can manifest in a variety of different ways. Not surprisingly, the magic is integrated into society, being put to use in practical ways (such as Strength on a construction site) and not-so-practical ways (arena fighting). Valuable powers can yield a great arena fighter or warrior, but also put one at risk of being used by others.
Kao embraces this idea by telling the story of a young woman with powers over electricity. Her dreams are somewhat small, like proving her mettle in the arena, but her mentor draws her toward something larger and more desperate. Unfortunately, I found the main character to be too much of a rude, over-demanding and inconsiderate bully for me to root for her. Her motives for learning to fight were unclear to me, and the revelation of her mentor’s motives came fairly late in the story. I also found it quite unbelievable for her or others to advance as quickly as they did.
The story overall is told from a third-person point of view, but tends to hop from one perspective to another within a paragraph or two. I found it difficult to connect personally with a single character or really get inside their head and empathize with their experience. There were also a few modern-day idioms and jokes thrown in which pulled me from the more medieval-esque setting (e.g., “run out of gas”). There were a number of grammatical, spelling, and word choice errors which also pulled me from the reading experience. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Kao embraces this idea by telling the story of a young woman with powers over electricity. Her dreams are somewhat small, like proving her mettle in the arena, but her mentor draws her toward something larger and more desperate. Unfortunately, I found the main character to be too much of a rude, over-demanding and inconsiderate bully for me to root for her. Her motives for learning to fight were unclear to me, and the revelation of her mentor’s motives came fairly late in the story. I also found it quite unbelievable for her or others to advance as quickly as they did.
The story overall is told from a third-person point of view, but tends to hop from one perspective to another within a paragraph or two. I found it difficult to connect personally with a single character or really get inside their head and empathize with their experience. There were also a few modern-day idioms and jokes thrown in which pulled me from the more medieval-esque setting (e.g., “run out of gas”). There were a number of grammatical, spelling, and word choice errors which also pulled me from the reading experience. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 10, 2024
The Shadow Spinner is well written with a well-rounded cast of characters. In this fantasy series, mages wield attributes such as light, darkness, strength, force, sound, lightning, fire, and healing. N'Halia is a young lightning mage, one of four champions who must prepare to defend the world in the apocalyptic battle between the Created and the Twisted. She is obsessed with getting stronger, blaming her family's death on her own weakness. Talla is a sound mage, initially shy and hesitant to reveal that she was born deaf and speaks by magically creating sound; but she grows into an independent young woman as the novel progresses. Ariana is an elderly force mage, and the second champion. She is initially focused on the family construction business and raising her grandchildren, but she becomes a fierce fighter. Her husband Arol is a healer, and their grandson Vhithe uses magic to hear more than what is said.
There were only two parts I didn't like. First, I was uncomfortable with the sexual descriptions in parts of the novel. Second, everything magical in the book is written with capital letters: "Her eyes Flickered with a Glint of Light." This was distracting and unnecessary once a character was introduced as a mage.
There were also some humorous lines.
•"That's the spirit. Love is our strongest weapon! Well, besides Ariana. And N'Halia, I guess. Probably Shoku, too. And our fourth Champion, eventually. Also me, of course. Alright, so love doesn't make the top five, but I still maintain that it is within the top ten of our strongest weapons."
•""Tell me about it," N'Halia siad, nodding sagely. She had no more experience than Talla, but she did have a tremendous amount of opinions."
There were only two parts I didn't like. First, I was uncomfortable with the sexual descriptions in parts of the novel. Second, everything magical in the book is written with capital letters: "Her eyes Flickered with a Glint of Light." This was distracting and unnecessary once a character was introduced as a mage.
There were also some humorous lines.
•"That's the spirit. Love is our strongest weapon! Well, besides Ariana. And N'Halia, I guess. Probably Shoku, too. And our fourth Champion, eventually. Also me, of course. Alright, so love doesn't make the top five, but I still maintain that it is within the top ten of our strongest weapons."
•""Tell me about it," N'Halia siad, nodding sagely. She had no more experience than Talla, but she did have a tremendous amount of opinions."
March 26, 2023
Genre: NA, Fantasy, Action (sci-fi?? 👀 I don’t usually read it)
Third Person omniscient pov (the best…like the side comments were just it!)
Violence: Lots of fighting scenes….
This book is about….. Saving the world basically but the thing is…the leader is goofy, very unserious, and nonchalant. Everywhere he goes he’s always causing trouble and people who know him most of the time…are not really happy to have him back. He’s just a goofball. But he’s also kind of skilled and a “god”(kind of) so that (does not even out) makes it okay. It also closely follows the life of N’Halia (Hermit’s champion) who is slowly becoming as goofy and nonchalant as her leader - like the master-like pupil. And then there’s a whole bunch of other important characters.
This is a very conversational, laugh-out-loud book and I’m so grateful that I got this from Netgalley. I have never read a book like this one and it was just funny and captivating. I like N’Halia and Araina and..all of them…I love their progress. They all started out as average and mediocre and then they started improving and getting so much better. With practice. LESSON: practice freaking makes perfect. I love this book and I can’t wait for the second one.
What didn’t I like? First I don’t know what is wrong with my app but it kept on skipping pages and it was weird so that took me a long time to read because of that. I was super annoyed lmty. And second reason, I read this book like it was a standalone, and book 2 is not even out yet I almost cried when I got to the end. Like we were getting to D-day come on now!
Regardless, I recommend you read this book (if you haven’t) or check it out and make sure to add it to your tbr for that someday you’ll read it! ♥️
Third Person omniscient pov (the best…like the side comments were just it!)
Violence: Lots of fighting scenes….
This book is about….. Saving the world basically but the thing is…the leader is goofy, very unserious, and nonchalant. Everywhere he goes he’s always causing trouble and people who know him most of the time…are not really happy to have him back. He’s just a goofball. But he’s also kind of skilled and a “god”(kind of) so that (does not even out) makes it okay. It also closely follows the life of N’Halia (Hermit’s champion) who is slowly becoming as goofy and nonchalant as her leader - like the master-like pupil. And then there’s a whole bunch of other important characters.
This is a very conversational, laugh-out-loud book and I’m so grateful that I got this from Netgalley. I have never read a book like this one and it was just funny and captivating. I like N’Halia and Araina and..all of them…I love their progress. They all started out as average and mediocre and then they started improving and getting so much better. With practice. LESSON: practice freaking makes perfect. I love this book and I can’t wait for the second one.
What didn’t I like? First I don’t know what is wrong with my app but it kept on skipping pages and it was weird so that took me a long time to read because of that. I was super annoyed lmty. And second reason, I read this book like it was a standalone, and book 2 is not even out yet I almost cried when I got to the end. Like we were getting to D-day come on now!
Regardless, I recommend you read this book (if you haven’t) or check it out and make sure to add it to your tbr for that someday you’ll read it! ♥️
Did Not Finish
March 23, 2023DNF @ 29%
The Shadow Spinner is a fantasy adventure filled with humor, an interesting world, and really cool powers. The magic system was very interesting, though not particularly explained. Still, I thought it was interesting, and I enjoyed seeing all the different kinds of powers.
The plot moves along fairly quickly, sometimes to the story's detriment. It didn't feel slow at any point, but it also didn't always feel like there was a solid connection between point A and point B. For example, in the very beginning of the book, the main character loses their family . . . and they just kind of move on. There's no real exploration of the loss or anything. There's also quite a bit of point of view switching and head hopping, which was sometimes hard to follow.
The characters in this were a delight, though! It's probably no surprise that I loved Hermit: the very snarky, mysterious stranger who is somehow stronger than he has any right to be. The interactions between characters had me laughing out loud in several spots. Traveling with the characters was a lot of fun!
Ultimately, I ended up putting this one on the "Did Not Finish" list because it felt more like a training montage, and that's not something I'm interested in at this moment. Even though I enjoyed the characters, the plot felt a lot like just one training exercise to another and that's about it. I know several readers who would really enjoy this type of story, but it's just not for me. It just didn't hold my interest.
The Shadow Spinner is a fantasy adventure filled with humor, an interesting world, and really cool powers. The magic system was very interesting, though not particularly explained. Still, I thought it was interesting, and I enjoyed seeing all the different kinds of powers.
The plot moves along fairly quickly, sometimes to the story's detriment. It didn't feel slow at any point, but it also didn't always feel like there was a solid connection between point A and point B. For example, in the very beginning of the book, the main character loses their family . . . and they just kind of move on. There's no real exploration of the loss or anything. There's also quite a bit of point of view switching and head hopping, which was sometimes hard to follow.
The characters in this were a delight, though! It's probably no surprise that I loved Hermit: the very snarky, mysterious stranger who is somehow stronger than he has any right to be. The interactions between characters had me laughing out loud in several spots. Traveling with the characters was a lot of fun!
Ultimately, I ended up putting this one on the "Did Not Finish" list because it felt more like a training montage, and that's not something I'm interested in at this moment. Even though I enjoyed the characters, the plot felt a lot like just one training exercise to another and that's about it. I know several readers who would really enjoy this type of story, but it's just not for me. It just didn't hold my interest.
March 21, 2023
In a nutshell: Great beginning, fab ending, but the middle did drag a little.
The best part of this book is the character of Hermit, the shadow spinner. Someone who can control shadows, causing them to act out stories, like a more visual version of a bard that might sing those tales. On his travels, Hermit meets N’Halia, our young female protagonist. Tragedy strikes, leaving these two as the only survivors. Hermit takes young N’Halia under his wing, training her to use and grow the power she has within her that, until now, had gone largely untapped.
That training mostly takes the form of a combat sport called Hoops, and at first, that idea was quite interesting. The battles or bouts were well described so it was always clear what was going on. However, as I got further into the book, there were just so many of them that I started to find it a little repetitive.
Other characters join them, which broke the pattern and made things interesting again. Especially when the narrative started to explore non-combat powers. Then, at the the end things picked up a lot and I’ll probably give book 2 a go when it comes out.
All in all, an enjoyable read that could probably have benefited from a bit of cutting in the middle.
The best part of this book is the character of Hermit, the shadow spinner. Someone who can control shadows, causing them to act out stories, like a more visual version of a bard that might sing those tales. On his travels, Hermit meets N’Halia, our young female protagonist. Tragedy strikes, leaving these two as the only survivors. Hermit takes young N’Halia under his wing, training her to use and grow the power she has within her that, until now, had gone largely untapped.
That training mostly takes the form of a combat sport called Hoops, and at first, that idea was quite interesting. The battles or bouts were well described so it was always clear what was going on. However, as I got further into the book, there were just so many of them that I started to find it a little repetitive.
Other characters join them, which broke the pattern and made things interesting again. Especially when the narrative started to explore non-combat powers. Then, at the the end things picked up a lot and I’ll probably give book 2 a go when it comes out.
All in all, an enjoyable read that could probably have benefited from a bit of cutting in the middle.
July 27, 2023
Characters were flimsy and it changed POV so many times I couldn't keep track. N'halia becomes an incredible fighter winning against people whose job it is to fight in a couple weeks... on the run. She also doesn't seem to care about the family that raised her when they die, not thinking about them again, until she decides she's fighting for revenge against a pit fighter she'd never meet before. which is then dropped immediately. nobody questions her attitude about anything. Things were often often times overexplained, even when it didn't need explaining
The Magic seems cool and unique but had inconsistencies and wasn't enough to keep me going.
Powers
Strength
Flame
Shadow
Light
Seeing
Hearing
Characters kept "Grouding" themselves to mean they weren't going to be easily knocked over.
The Magic seems cool and unique but had inconsistencies and wasn't enough to keep me going.
Powers
Strength
Flame
Shadow
Light
Seeing
Hearing
Characters kept "Grouding" themselves to mean they weren't going to be easily knocked over.
March 29, 2023
A big thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
A refreshing take on the archetype of a character being able to control darkness. Bardugo's Darkling is surely shaking in their boots.
The Shadow Spinner by Eric Kao is a fantasy novel that follows the many tall tales and (mostly mundane at this point) travels of Hermit. Until he stumbles upon N'Halia, a girl who didn't know she had lighting powers until she burns down the very Inn her and foster father own. Thus starting an epic adventure, where grumpy Hermit must teach N'Halia the ways of her magic, without getting zapped of course.
I loved this book, as it gave a new take on the whole 'dark/brooding/morally gray' character by giving them the chance to be the mentor and (mostly sometimes) narrator of the story. Hermit stilled to be sarcastic and snarky, with a band of misfits that might not be the perfect ones to save the world.
Though I will say, there were a bit too many POVs, and I often got lost trying to figure out who was who. But I would still happily recommend this book to anyone looking to start reading fantasy.
A refreshing take on the archetype of a character being able to control darkness. Bardugo's Darkling is surely shaking in their boots.
The Shadow Spinner by Eric Kao is a fantasy novel that follows the many tall tales and (mostly mundane at this point) travels of Hermit. Until he stumbles upon N'Halia, a girl who didn't know she had lighting powers until she burns down the very Inn her and foster father own. Thus starting an epic adventure, where grumpy Hermit must teach N'Halia the ways of her magic, without getting zapped of course.
I loved this book, as it gave a new take on the whole 'dark/brooding/morally gray' character by giving them the chance to be the mentor and (mostly sometimes) narrator of the story. Hermit stilled to be sarcastic and snarky, with a band of misfits that might not be the perfect ones to save the world.
Though I will say, there were a bit too many POVs, and I often got lost trying to figure out who was who. But I would still happily recommend this book to anyone looking to start reading fantasy.
April 10, 2023
In a nutshell, the book had a great beginning, fantastic ending, but the middle seemed a little drawn out.
The best part was a character named Hermit, the shadow spinner. Someone who can control shadows, like a more visual version of a bard. On his travels, Hermit meets N’Halia who is our young female protagonist, basically the sh*t hits the fan only leaving these two standing. Hermit takes N’Halia under his wing training her to use the power she never knew she had. This is where the middle seemed to be drawn out longer than it needed to be.
Looking forward to see if book to increases the pace of the story or drags on. An enjoyable read that could probably have benefited from a bit of cutting in the middle, but not a terrible read over all.
The best part was a character named Hermit, the shadow spinner. Someone who can control shadows, like a more visual version of a bard. On his travels, Hermit meets N’Halia who is our young female protagonist, basically the sh*t hits the fan only leaving these two standing. Hermit takes N’Halia under his wing training her to use the power she never knew she had. This is where the middle seemed to be drawn out longer than it needed to be.
Looking forward to see if book to increases the pace of the story or drags on. An enjoyable read that could probably have benefited from a bit of cutting in the middle, but not a terrible read over all.
October 26, 2023
‘The Shadow Spinner’ is an epic fantasy story. The premise is filled with action and adventure and begins with Hermit, a Shadow Spinner. His mission is to find three Champions to save the Dome, and these three immortals are not so easy to find.
There are many battle scenes between good and evil filled with magic and twists that you aren’t expecting. The ending does not give you much closure, making me wonder what will happen now.
The added humor lightened the premise, yet the story’s pace kept it intriguing. As this is book one of the Dome Series, the author provides a foundation-based world where the characters and their backgrounds are introduced.
I look forward to reading more from this author and enjoyed reading this book.
March 16, 2023
4/5 stars! This was the first book I've read by author Eric Kao. The premise of this fantasy novel was interesting and it is the first in a series, which is always exciting. It felt like the magic system was kind of similar to the structure in Divergent with people's abilities putting them into supporting roles in society. This was a unique and interesting take on fantasy in a new world and I enjoyed it. My only concern is that the shifting POVs got confusing at times. Looking forward to reading the next installment in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review
December 16, 2024
Personally this book did not click with me the way I wished it did. Though there were some humorous points I found myself unattatched to the characters and the plot. I found myself getting confused and unable to fully visualize what was happening during the story which left me rereading. This is all not to say that it was not a good book. I can certainly see how this would appeal to people looking for a fast paced, action packed and slightly humorous fantasy novel to dig into.
Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for allowing me to read the book early in exchange for an honest review! (even though it took me quite a while to get through)
Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for allowing me to read the book early in exchange for an honest review! (even though it took me quite a while to get through)
March 6, 2023
Eric Kao’s The Shadow Spinner is the first book in what I imagine will be a fantasy epic saga. It was incredibly engaging and entertaining, I laughed out loud countless times. Great found family, magic, and a quest to save the world. The dialogue was a bit confusing at times deciphering who was speaking. But overall, solid debut work, I look forward to seeing where Kao’s career takes him.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 18, 2023
Eric Kao spins a wonderful, magical yarn around a shadow spinner. Shadow spinners are story tellers who are able to summon shadow to act out the scenes they describe orally. You are drawn into the world around the shadow spinner and the characters he encounters. This is an entertaining and enjoyable read from start to finish.
I received an advanced copy of this book and voluntarily gave my review.
I received an advanced copy of this book and voluntarily gave my review.
March 20, 2023
This book has an interesting take on magic, and upends the way epic battles between good and evil are usually fought. It has a great plot, and a roguish main character … maybe a bit like Han Solo. The ending leaves you waiting for more! What a teaser! Two notes: there is some swearing, and lesbian marriage is positively mentioned in passing. I received a free copy of this book, with no obligation.
May 2, 2023
This might be one of the best books I've read in a while. All of the characters are loveable in their own way and Hermit might just be my favorite character.
I felt myself getting very excited at times and I just HAD to know how it ended. I just couldn't stop reading! I can't wait to see what happens next in book 2!
I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who loves a good coming-of-age story with political intrigue and magic.
I felt myself getting very excited at times and I just HAD to know how it ended. I just couldn't stop reading! I can't wait to see what happens next in book 2!
I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who loves a good coming-of-age story with political intrigue and magic.
April 3, 2023
I won't lie the cover art caught my attention and the book description drew me in. It was a quick buy quality read for me that left me wanting and eagerly waiting for the next in the series. I'm hopeful that the second book will be released in a soon Too many authors take too long and lose fans. I compare this book to books by Jonathan Moeller with a bit of Jim Butcher mixed in.
February 27, 2023
I loved the snarky dialog between the Hermit and everyone else, the heroic grandmother, the reticent grandchildren and the clueless fighting heroine. I am excited toe see where the next book continues.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2023
I greatly enjoyed reading this book! Great world, the magic mechanics were unusual and unique, the characters were well developed and fun. I loved the dynamic between N’Halia and Hermit, they are great! I hope there will be more books in this world!
March 10, 2023
A good overall premise. I was however expecting a more Shadow and Bone vibe.
Unfortunately i found this book difficult to read. It took me several attempts to even get half way. In the end i did manage to finish it. I was just unban-blue to connect to the characters.
Unfortunately i found this book difficult to read. It took me several attempts to even get half way. In the end i did manage to finish it. I was just unban-blue to connect to the characters.
March 12, 2023
I enjoyed this interesting take on a novel. The storyline centers around fights sort of similar to the Fight Club, but with a whole lot of supernatural kicked in. I received this novel from StoryOrigin, and I think you will be in for a real ride. This is my true and honest review.
March 20, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reading copy of the shadow spinner by Eric kao. The way the author uses descriptors is not great, I didn’t get a feel for the characters and it felt very forced and flat to me. For a sci-fi book this really isn’t it
April 17, 2023
The Shadow Spinner: Book One of the Dome Series, my first read from author Eric kao. Well-written and enjoyable, fantasy read. I was given a Kindle copy of this book and am voluntarily reading & reviewing it. I look forward to Kao's next book. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
May 26, 2023
This is a well thought out world with some really interesting characters I feel like you had somewhat of a problem with the pacing but it mostly was up to my standards has a lot of the normal tropes if that matters to you but in the long run it was a pretty good story with a cool magic system
December 14, 2023
I received a free copy via Netgalley.
This is an interesting read.
The characters are engaging and the story is wonderfully written with you being drawn into world full of magic.
The story is fairly violent in places although it also made me chuckle.
This is an interesting read.
The characters are engaging and the story is wonderfully written with you being drawn into world full of magic.
The story is fairly violent in places although it also made me chuckle.
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