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The Gods of Night and Day #1
Dark Moon, Shallow Sea
The first in a new epic fantasy series from David R. Slayton—author of White Trash Warlock—Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is a powerful story of divine betrayal, ghosts, and self-discovery, perfect for fans of the Dark Souls series or Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson.
When Phoebe, goddess of the moon, is killed by the knights of the sun god, Hyperion, all who follow her are branded heretics. With Phoebe gone, the souls of the dead are no longer ferried to the underworld, and instead linger on as shades who feast on the blood of the living.
Raef is a child of the night. He lives in the shadows, on scraps, eking out a meager existence as a thief. But when an ornate box is sequestered in the Temple of Hyperion, the chance of a big score proves too great to resist. What he finds within propels him on an odyssey across the sea and back again, altering the course of his life forever.
Seth is a knight of the sun. But unlike the others of his order, the fire of Hyperion only brings him pain. He believes he deserves this penance, exacted for his unknown origins. Tasked with recovering the contents of the box, Seth must also venture beyond the horizon if he’s to learn the truth about himself.
In a dying world divided by the greed of those in power, Raef and Seth find their destinies intertwined—and learn they might have more in common than they ever imagined.
When Phoebe, goddess of the moon, is killed by the knights of the sun god, Hyperion, all who follow her are branded heretics. With Phoebe gone, the souls of the dead are no longer ferried to the underworld, and instead linger on as shades who feast on the blood of the living.
Raef is a child of the night. He lives in the shadows, on scraps, eking out a meager existence as a thief. But when an ornate box is sequestered in the Temple of Hyperion, the chance of a big score proves too great to resist. What he finds within propels him on an odyssey across the sea and back again, altering the course of his life forever.
Seth is a knight of the sun. But unlike the others of his order, the fire of Hyperion only brings him pain. He believes he deserves this penance, exacted for his unknown origins. Tasked with recovering the contents of the box, Seth must also venture beyond the horizon if he’s to learn the truth about himself.
In a dying world divided by the greed of those in power, Raef and Seth find their destinies intertwined—and learn they might have more in common than they ever imagined.
407 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2023
157 people are currently reading
8819 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews
April 7, 2023
How far would you go to save a world that hates you?
There are some books that haunt their author. This is mine. The book of my heart (Sssh, don't tell the others). My feral firstborn who has finally moved out, onto the page, and is paying some rent for all the years he spent living in my brain's basement. I hope you love him and his book as much as I do.
There are some books that haunt their author. This is mine. The book of my heart (Sssh, don't tell the others). My feral firstborn who has finally moved out, onto the page, and is paying some rent for all the years he spent living in my brain's basement. I hope you love him and his book as much as I do.
January 19, 2024
Dark Moon, Shallow Sea by David R Slayton
The Gods of Night and Day series #1.
Fantasy, dark. Knights, mythology, M-M elements, pirates, abandoned children, dying worlds.
Seth is a Knight but must offer penance on a regular basis. He doesn’t have control. He is tasked with protecting a box. He is not told why or what’s in the box. He doesn’t want to hurt people.
Raef wants revenge for the death and destruction of his godess, the tides and sea. In the knights temple he finds a man imprisoned within a box. Raef befriends Kinos but others are searching for Kinos.
Two opposing religions. Raef and Seth are on opposite sides of the religious destruction.
Ghosts, and shadows, spirits roam as the knights fight.
Dark, bloody, brutal. Fantasy. Stitched together shades. Battles.
Twists, turns, who is on what side? Who is evil? Who is the savior?
A complex fantasy that turns over and inside out ad the Moon and the Sun and their delegates battle for supremacy.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
The Gods of Night and Day series #1.
Fantasy, dark. Knights, mythology, M-M elements, pirates, abandoned children, dying worlds.
Seth is a Knight but must offer penance on a regular basis. He doesn’t have control. He is tasked with protecting a box. He is not told why or what’s in the box. He doesn’t want to hurt people.
Raef wants revenge for the death and destruction of his godess, the tides and sea. In the knights temple he finds a man imprisoned within a box. Raef befriends Kinos but others are searching for Kinos.
Two opposing religions. Raef and Seth are on opposite sides of the religious destruction.
Ghosts, and shadows, spirits roam as the knights fight.
Dark, bloody, brutal. Fantasy. Stitched together shades. Battles.
Twists, turns, who is on what side? Who is evil? Who is the savior?
A complex fantasy that turns over and inside out ad the Moon and the Sun and their delegates battle for supremacy.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
October 19, 2023
I would like to thank Edelweiss and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Ooh yes, a bit dark and gruesome this!! I found this book quite creepy and ghoulish and perfect for my October Mood Read🎃
I really enjoyed the world building, and the fully realized mythologies behind both the sun and moon cults. I found myself thoroughly immersed ngl. It helped that both raef and seth were characters who stole my heart right off the bat! So to see their worlds/interiority rocked by the diametrically opposite religions that governed them both, well, i found it to be a more intimate lens and therefore a more engaging (read: tolerable) reading experience for me.
I absolutely CANNOT STAND ALL MURDERY RELIGIOUS ZEALOTRY and the heretic-ism that stems from it. People always suffer and i suffer for the people and so my bleeding heart tends to take me out of my reading experience 9 times out of 10 the more righteous indignation i feel. That's just the facts idgaf😤
This book was atmospheric and intriguing and quite grisly at times. What's not to love? It doesn't shy away from visceral gore, the bottom-line honour and love (both agape and eros ) that drives our MCs, or the consequences regular folk face when the ruling dogma deigns what uplifts and corrupts.
There was A LOT happening in this first installment, which felt fast-paced and light, even though the ghoulish bits were (for me) dark, and my love for seth (and argos my gawd hi this FURBABY is an auto stan for me😭) ran hella deep!
***FOR M/M ROMANCE READERS: this is NOT A ROMANCE! Read that again.
This is FANTASY with an undercurrent of romantic love. This book is more of a multifaceted love story, celebrating the force of it and the source of it!
anyway, this book was a wonderful introduction to a series that promises to be wild fun, with lots of world left to explore and rich characterization that promises to do that with a lot of heart behind it! I fr can't wait to reread this prior to book 2's release day, so yay!
Happy to discover new-to-me author, David R. Slayton, and looking forward to how the rest of The Gods of Night and Day series unfolds in the future!
Ooh yes, a bit dark and gruesome this!! I found this book quite creepy and ghoulish and perfect for my October Mood Read🎃
I really enjoyed the world building, and the fully realized mythologies behind both the sun and moon cults. I found myself thoroughly immersed ngl. It helped that both raef and seth were characters who stole my heart right off the bat! So to see their worlds/interiority rocked by the diametrically opposite religions that governed them both, well, i found it to be a more intimate lens and therefore a more engaging (read: tolerable) reading experience for me.
I absolutely CANNOT STAND ALL MURDERY RELIGIOUS ZEALOTRY and the heretic-ism that stems from it. People always suffer and i suffer for the people and so my bleeding heart tends to take me out of my reading experience 9 times out of 10 the more righteous indignation i feel. That's just the facts idgaf😤
This book was atmospheric and intriguing and quite grisly at times. What's not to love? It doesn't shy away from visceral gore, the bottom-line honour and love (both agape and eros ) that drives our MCs, or the consequences regular folk face when the ruling dogma deigns what uplifts and corrupts.
There was A LOT happening in this first installment, which felt fast-paced and light, even though the ghoulish bits were (for me) dark, and my love for seth (and argos my gawd hi this FURBABY is an auto stan for me😭) ran hella deep!
***FOR M/M ROMANCE READERS: this is NOT A ROMANCE! Read that again.
This is FANTASY with an undercurrent of romantic love. This book is more of a multifaceted love story, celebrating the force of it and the source of it!
anyway, this book was a wonderful introduction to a series that promises to be wild fun, with lots of world left to explore and rich characterization that promises to do that with a lot of heart behind it! I fr can't wait to reread this prior to book 2's release day, so yay!
Happy to discover new-to-me author, David R. Slayton, and looking forward to how the rest of The Gods of Night and Day series unfolds in the future!
February 14, 2024
Slayton does it again, creating a compelling love triangle that fuels a story that sharply contrasts dark with light…until it blends the two together, opening up intriguing possibilities for subsequent stories.
November 5, 2023
Dark Moon, Shallow Sea
by David R. Slayton
Fantasy
NetGalley ARC
Publication Date: October 31, 2023
Blackstone Publishing
16+
Raef survived when the knights of the sun god killed Phoebe, goddess of the moon, now he lurks in the shadows, hiding from the shades, the spirits of the dead who, without Phoebe, cannot move on, surviving by any means. But when he is told of treasure just brought into the Temple of Hyperion, he breaks in with the hope of changing his life.
Tasked to guard the box, Seth is a knight of the sun, but when a thief takes what was in the box right from under his and two other knights' noses, he now must find both; what was inside and the one who took it.
This book was like walking through a magical forest, except the path is an elementary school hall and the students drew the forest. And while there are talented magical creative detailed pictures where there is no doubt the artist could make it a career, there are more stick figures and green blobbed trees.
The world, magic system, and characters were creative but lacked love. There was more telling the story than showing.
A deep dive into the work, adding depth to everything: the world, backstory, characters, politics, magics, gods, etc, and including a really good edit, as I came across quite a few issues, (ie location 626 says that there are no bodies swinging from the gallows but three or so sentences later on 628 the other character is looking at bodies), would fix a lot of the missing elements.
I almost loved this. It has all the makings of a good story, but it was executed poorly and I had to force myself to finish because of the lack of depth.
2 Stars
by David R. Slayton
Fantasy
NetGalley ARC
Publication Date: October 31, 2023
Blackstone Publishing
16+
Raef survived when the knights of the sun god killed Phoebe, goddess of the moon, now he lurks in the shadows, hiding from the shades, the spirits of the dead who, without Phoebe, cannot move on, surviving by any means. But when he is told of treasure just brought into the Temple of Hyperion, he breaks in with the hope of changing his life.
Tasked to guard the box, Seth is a knight of the sun, but when a thief takes what was in the box right from under his and two other knights' noses, he now must find both; what was inside and the one who took it.
This book was like walking through a magical forest, except the path is an elementary school hall and the students drew the forest. And while there are talented magical creative detailed pictures where there is no doubt the artist could make it a career, there are more stick figures and green blobbed trees.
The world, magic system, and characters were creative but lacked love. There was more telling the story than showing.
A deep dive into the work, adding depth to everything: the world, backstory, characters, politics, magics, gods, etc, and including a really good edit, as I came across quite a few issues, (ie location 626 says that there are no bodies swinging from the gallows but three or so sentences later on 628 the other character is looking at bodies), would fix a lot of the missing elements.
I almost loved this. It has all the makings of a good story, but it was executed poorly and I had to force myself to finish because of the lack of depth.
2 Stars
December 16, 2023
oh my god, okay. this book should have been exactly my bowl of soup. gay little fantasy world, characters being sad yet kind to each other, silly made up fantasy religion, dogs; I LOVE THAT SHIT.
unfortunately this book got more and more painful to read as it went on. Not compelling, not convincing, stilted dialogue, so much telling, not fleshed-out at all and ALSO these characters have known each other for single digit days HOW ARE THEY FALLING IN LOVE AND OUT OF LOVE SO FAST boys, get it together.
sorry sorry sorry, not everything is for me and that's quite alright. but seriously, the Grief kills anyone who sheds even a drop of blood at night in the city. like, fucking RIP to any single person with a uterus, sucks to suck.
jokes on me for reading a book entirely because I saw it in a random Tumblr post comparing it to 4 other books I absolutely adore. I do highly recommend a Taste of Gold & Iron, Winter's Orbit, the Last Sun, and/or a Strange & Stubborn Endurance if you liked this book.
unfortunately this book got more and more painful to read as it went on. Not compelling, not convincing, stilted dialogue, so much telling, not fleshed-out at all and ALSO these characters have known each other for single digit days HOW ARE THEY FALLING IN LOVE AND OUT OF LOVE SO FAST boys, get it together.
sorry sorry sorry, not everything is for me and that's quite alright. but seriously, the Grief kills anyone who sheds even a drop of blood at night in the city. like, fucking RIP to any single person with a uterus, sucks to suck.
jokes on me for reading a book entirely because I saw it in a random Tumblr post comparing it to 4 other books I absolutely adore. I do highly recommend a Taste of Gold & Iron, Winter's Orbit, the Last Sun, and/or a Strange & Stubborn Endurance if you liked this book.
November 1, 2023
A great start to this series!
June 2, 2023
I noped out when the man who told the people chasing them that he was a heretic who worships the moon goddess goes to the goddess’ abandoned temple to hide, saying no one will look for them there.
WHY NOT, RAEF?
WHY WOULDN’T THEY LOOK THERE?
WHY WOULDN’T THAT BE THE FIRST PLACE ON THEIR LIST?
HUH? HUH?? HUH???
So dumb.
Even before that, though… the writing isn’t bad as such, but it’s so plain and basic that it might as well be. It was like being fed a meal of plain porridge; absolutely no flavour, and extremely dispiriting to chew through. Everything was blunt, everything was predictable, the setting is just ‘generic Fantasy City’. There’s no description, and there’s a lot of ridiculous cliches. The dialogue was stiff and stilted; it read like a bad script, with none of the natural flow you see when real people talk (even when one or more of the speakers are feeling awkward).
I cannot believe everyone continued to call the casket/chest Kinos was in ‘a box’ – I know, that’s probably terribly petty, but it sounded so ridiculously stupid. ‘The man in the box’ ‘when we find him, we’ll put him back in the box’ ‘he needs to go back in the box!’ Dude. No. Please call it something else.
Speaking of calling it something else, I cannot stand when real-world names show up in fantasy worlds. I know Phoebe is a moon-related name, but it is also a name from our world, so if you call your goddess that, I’m going to flinch. Also, Hyperion for a sun god? Really? Come on. You can do better!
Ultimately it was all just so simple and boring. There were definite hints that the plot was going somewhere a bit more complicated – I liked the hounds of fire, I liked that our knight-of-the-sun-god was a misfit, the bishop is Not Stupid for a change – but I had zero interest in finding out what it might be. Simple prose, simple characters, simple worldbuilding. Forcing myself to read through it made me want to claw my own skin off. Hard DNF.
WHY NOT, RAEF?
WHY WOULDN’T THEY LOOK THERE?
WHY WOULDN’T THAT BE THE FIRST PLACE ON THEIR LIST?
HUH? HUH?? HUH???
So dumb.
Even before that, though… the writing isn’t bad as such, but it’s so plain and basic that it might as well be. It was like being fed a meal of plain porridge; absolutely no flavour, and extremely dispiriting to chew through. Everything was blunt, everything was predictable, the setting is just ‘generic Fantasy City’. There’s no description, and there’s a lot of ridiculous cliches. The dialogue was stiff and stilted; it read like a bad script, with none of the natural flow you see when real people talk (even when one or more of the speakers are feeling awkward).
I cannot believe everyone continued to call the casket/chest Kinos was in ‘a box’ – I know, that’s probably terribly petty, but it sounded so ridiculously stupid. ‘The man in the box’ ‘when we find him, we’ll put him back in the box’ ‘he needs to go back in the box!’ Dude. No. Please call it something else.
Speaking of calling it something else, I cannot stand when real-world names show up in fantasy worlds. I know Phoebe is a moon-related name, but it is also a name from our world, so if you call your goddess that, I’m going to flinch. Also, Hyperion for a sun god? Really? Come on. You can do better!
Ultimately it was all just so simple and boring. There were definite hints that the plot was going somewhere a bit more complicated – I liked the hounds of fire, I liked that our knight-of-the-sun-god was a misfit, the bishop is Not Stupid for a change – but I had zero interest in finding out what it might be. Simple prose, simple characters, simple worldbuilding. Forcing myself to read through it made me want to claw my own skin off. Hard DNF.
November 5, 2023
I’m a big fan of David’s Adam Binder Series so when I received an ARC of Dark Moon Shallow Sea I was ecstatic and it did not disappoint.
Dark Moon Shallow Sea follows three primary characters Raef, Seth, and Kinos as they navigate a world ravaged by undead spirits that linger after the death of the moon goddess. The two perspectives following Raef and Seth. Who come from similar yet very different backgrounds, one a follower of a now dead goddess and the other a follower of a god whose temple killed said goddess. The world is ripe with amazing world building and fantasy staples with a Greco-Roman influence. Perfect for fans of fantasy who grew up on Percy Jackson, and had an unhealthy obsession with the Greek pantheon.
The slight horror elements of the shades who feed on the blood of the living to sustain themselves adds a risk to every scene and makes for some very tense situations.
David’s switch of genres from Urban Fantasy to Epic Fantasy is phenomenal and yet feels similar to his last series in all the best ways! If you loved his Adam Binder Series this is definitely one you’ll want to read!
Dark Moon Shallow Sea follows three primary characters Raef, Seth, and Kinos as they navigate a world ravaged by undead spirits that linger after the death of the moon goddess. The two perspectives following Raef and Seth. Who come from similar yet very different backgrounds, one a follower of a now dead goddess and the other a follower of a god whose temple killed said goddess. The world is ripe with amazing world building and fantasy staples with a Greco-Roman influence. Perfect for fans of fantasy who grew up on Percy Jackson, and had an unhealthy obsession with the Greek pantheon.
The slight horror elements of the shades who feed on the blood of the living to sustain themselves adds a risk to every scene and makes for some very tense situations.
David’s switch of genres from Urban Fantasy to Epic Fantasy is phenomenal and yet feels similar to his last series in all the best ways! If you loved his Adam Binder Series this is definitely one you’ll want to read!
November 1, 2023
A new series by David R. Slayton?!? Count me in.
The world building was superb - I expected no less. The characters…. just as complex and tormented as ever.
I felt as if the story unfolded like I was watching a play on stage which gave an interesting feel to the story. I enjoyed the dual POV between the Sun and Moon, paralleling the push and pull the two have on each other.
The book is a little darker than I expected, but suitable for an October read.
Interested in a mythology-inspired fantasy with a little M-M romance woven throughout? If yes, the. this book is for you. Looking forward to more in this series!
The world building was superb - I expected no less. The characters…. just as complex and tormented as ever.
I felt as if the story unfolded like I was watching a play on stage which gave an interesting feel to the story. I enjoyed the dual POV between the Sun and Moon, paralleling the push and pull the two have on each other.
The book is a little darker than I expected, but suitable for an October read.
Interested in a mythology-inspired fantasy with a little M-M romance woven throughout? If yes, the. this book is for you. Looking forward to more in this series!
December 15, 2023
“Rhea, our mother in which we lay.
Hyperion, the flame to light your way.
Two coins for Phoebe, to carry you away.“
- Prayer for the dead
(DEUTSCH WEITER UNTEN)
Phew, this is kind of a hard review .... a hard one.
I wanted to love this book, wanted to give it five stars and put it in my favourites; but somehow none of that happened.
As I’ve said in a few updates, the world totally blew me away with its characters and potential. I was almost instantly enamoured and was delighted and held the book close to my chest.
Even after finishing the book, I still feel the same way and will definitely continue to follow the series. I really hope to learn more.
Nevertheless, the book reads as if it were a draft in the making. That sounds more negative than it perhaps is, but it simply doesn’t read as if it’s finished. It reads more as if the outlines of the story have been drawn and now need to be completed.
The book is listed as „adult“, but unfortunately it doesn’t feel like that.
There is a lot of use of short sentences. Whilst this can be a great and powerful stylistic device with impact, the sheer number of it simply makes for an extremely brokenly and halting read. More courage to use commas would be desirable, because the skill is definitely there. Whenever more „ challenging“ sentences appear, they are extremely well done and wonderful to read.
There are also many word repetitions, which are really annoying after a while.
The pacing is very, very, (extremely) fast and I have the feeling that so many things happen in the book that could easily have been packed into two. Because of this pacing, a lot of the lore is lost and the characters and their relationships seem rather dull than colourful and well-defined.
I can rationally and logically understand and see what relationships were intended between the characters and why, but the emotions fall by the wayside somewhere because everything happens so quickly and there’s no time for anything.
Kinos, for example, completely bypassed me with his role and the relationship with Raef in particular never became accessible to me. Or rather: Raef’s relationship with him.
It’s the same with Seth and Raef, even though I want it so much that I feel like I’ve rewritten chapters in my head.
Many emotions that arise and things that happen are simply dealt with in such a fast way that the reader simply can’t keep up emotionally. Even moments of suspense and such in which characters grow or experience trauma are neglected - precisely because of the pacing and how much detail is given.
Everything feels like it’s just scratching the surface.
It really doesn’t feel finished to me.
It’s a super cool idea and the characters are great, but ... there’s still a lot missing.
I should probably (something inside me is screaming for it) give this book even fewer stars, but at the same time I think the world and the characters, as far as I was able to experience them, are just too wonderful ...
(DEUTSCH)
Puh, das ist irgendwie ein hartes Review ... ein schweres.
Ich wollte dieses Buch lieben, wollte ihm fünf Sterne geben und zu meinen Favoriten stellen; aber irgendwie ist nichts von dem passiert.
Wie schon in einigen Leseupdates gesagt, hat mich die Welt mit ihren Charakteren und ihrem Potenzial total geflasht. Ich war beinahe sofort verliebt und habe mich gefreut und das Buch an mich gedrückt.
Auch nach Beendigung des Buches geht es mir noch so und ich werde die Reihe definitiv weiterverfolgen. Werde hoffen, mehr erfahren zu dürfen.
Dennoch liest sich das Buch so, als wäre es ein Entwurf im Entstehungsprozess. Das klingt negativer, als es vielleicht ist, aber es liest sich einfach nicht so, als wäre es fertig. Es liest sich eher so, als wäre die Geschichte in ihren Outlines gezeichnet und müsste nun noch mehr gefüllt werden.
Das Buch ist als „adult“ gelistet, aber so liest es sich leider nicht.
Es wird extrem viel mit kurzen Sätzen gearbeitet. Während dies ein super tolles und starkes Stilmittel mit Impakt sein kann, sorgt die Masse eben jener einfach dafür, dass es sich extrem abgehackt und stockend liest. Mehr Mut zum Komma wäre wünschenswert, denn der Skill ist auf jeden Fall da. Wann auch immer „anspruchsvollere“ Sätze auftauchen, sind sie extrem gut gemacht und lesen sich wundervoll.
Auch sind viele Wortwiederholungen im Buch zu finden, die nach geraumer Zeit wirklich störend sind.
Das Pacing ist sehr, sehr, (wirklich ultra) schnell und ich habe das Gefühl, im Buch passieren so viele Dinge, die man auch locker in zwei hätte packen können. Eben durch dieses Pacing geht viel von der Lore verloren und auch die Charaktere und ihre Beziehungen wirken eher blass, als bunt und ausgearbeitet.
Ich kann rational und logisch verstehen und sehen, welche Beziehung sich zwischen den Charakteren gedacht wurde und auch warum, aber die Gefühle bleiben irgendwo auf der Strecke, da alles so schnell geht und sich keine Zeit gelassen wird.
Kinos zum Beispiel ist mit seiner Rolle vollkommen an mir vorbeigezogen und vor allem die Beziehung zu Raef hat sich mir nie erschlossen. Oder eher: Raefs Beziehung zu ihm.
Genauso geht es mir mit Seth und Raef, auch wenn ich es da so sehr will, dass ich im Kopf einfach gefühlt Kapitel umgeschrieben (ausgearbeitet) habe.
Viele Emotionen die aufkommen und Dinge, die passieren, werden einfach so abgehandelt, dass die lesende Person emotional einfach nicht hinterherkommt. Auch Spannungsmomente und Momente, in denen Charaktere wachsen oder Traumata durchleben, kommen zu kurz – eben durch das Pacing und wie weit ins Detail gegangen wird.
Alles fühlt sich so an, als würde es nur an der Oberfläche kratzen.
Für mich fühlt es sich wirklich nicht fertig an.
Es ist eine super geile Idee und die Charaktere sind toll, aber ... da fehlt halt noch ne Menge.
Wahrscheinlich müsste (irgendwas in mir schreit danach) ich diesem Buch noch weniger Sterne geben, aber gleichzeitig finde ich die Welt und die Charaktere, in soweit ich sie erfahren durfte, einfach zu wundervoll ...
Hyperion, the flame to light your way.
Two coins for Phoebe, to carry you away.“
- Prayer for the dead
(DEUTSCH WEITER UNTEN)
Phew, this is kind of a hard review .... a hard one.
I wanted to love this book, wanted to give it five stars and put it in my favourites; but somehow none of that happened.
As I’ve said in a few updates, the world totally blew me away with its characters and potential. I was almost instantly enamoured and was delighted and held the book close to my chest.
Even after finishing the book, I still feel the same way and will definitely continue to follow the series. I really hope to learn more.
Nevertheless, the book reads as if it were a draft in the making. That sounds more negative than it perhaps is, but it simply doesn’t read as if it’s finished. It reads more as if the outlines of the story have been drawn and now need to be completed.
The book is listed as „adult“, but unfortunately it doesn’t feel like that.
There is a lot of use of short sentences. Whilst this can be a great and powerful stylistic device with impact, the sheer number of it simply makes for an extremely brokenly and halting read. More courage to use commas would be desirable, because the skill is definitely there. Whenever more „ challenging“ sentences appear, they are extremely well done and wonderful to read.
There are also many word repetitions, which are really annoying after a while.
The pacing is very, very, (extremely) fast and I have the feeling that so many things happen in the book that could easily have been packed into two. Because of this pacing, a lot of the lore is lost and the characters and their relationships seem rather dull than colourful and well-defined.
I can rationally and logically understand and see what relationships were intended between the characters and why, but the emotions fall by the wayside somewhere because everything happens so quickly and there’s no time for anything.
Kinos, for example, completely bypassed me with his role and the relationship with Raef in particular never became accessible to me. Or rather: Raef’s relationship with him.
It’s the same with Seth and Raef, even though I want it so much that I feel like I’ve rewritten chapters in my head.
Many emotions that arise and things that happen are simply dealt with in such a fast way that the reader simply can’t keep up emotionally. Even moments of suspense and such in which characters grow or experience trauma are neglected - precisely because of the pacing and how much detail is given.
Everything feels like it’s just scratching the surface.
It really doesn’t feel finished to me.
It’s a super cool idea and the characters are great, but ... there’s still a lot missing.
I should probably (something inside me is screaming for it) give this book even fewer stars, but at the same time I think the world and the characters, as far as I was able to experience them, are just too wonderful ...
(DEUTSCH)
Puh, das ist irgendwie ein hartes Review ... ein schweres.
Ich wollte dieses Buch lieben, wollte ihm fünf Sterne geben und zu meinen Favoriten stellen; aber irgendwie ist nichts von dem passiert.
Wie schon in einigen Leseupdates gesagt, hat mich die Welt mit ihren Charakteren und ihrem Potenzial total geflasht. Ich war beinahe sofort verliebt und habe mich gefreut und das Buch an mich gedrückt.
Auch nach Beendigung des Buches geht es mir noch so und ich werde die Reihe definitiv weiterverfolgen. Werde hoffen, mehr erfahren zu dürfen.
Dennoch liest sich das Buch so, als wäre es ein Entwurf im Entstehungsprozess. Das klingt negativer, als es vielleicht ist, aber es liest sich einfach nicht so, als wäre es fertig. Es liest sich eher so, als wäre die Geschichte in ihren Outlines gezeichnet und müsste nun noch mehr gefüllt werden.
Das Buch ist als „adult“ gelistet, aber so liest es sich leider nicht.
Es wird extrem viel mit kurzen Sätzen gearbeitet. Während dies ein super tolles und starkes Stilmittel mit Impakt sein kann, sorgt die Masse eben jener einfach dafür, dass es sich extrem abgehackt und stockend liest. Mehr Mut zum Komma wäre wünschenswert, denn der Skill ist auf jeden Fall da. Wann auch immer „anspruchsvollere“ Sätze auftauchen, sind sie extrem gut gemacht und lesen sich wundervoll.
Auch sind viele Wortwiederholungen im Buch zu finden, die nach geraumer Zeit wirklich störend sind.
Das Pacing ist sehr, sehr, (wirklich ultra) schnell und ich habe das Gefühl, im Buch passieren so viele Dinge, die man auch locker in zwei hätte packen können. Eben durch dieses Pacing geht viel von der Lore verloren und auch die Charaktere und ihre Beziehungen wirken eher blass, als bunt und ausgearbeitet.
Ich kann rational und logisch verstehen und sehen, welche Beziehung sich zwischen den Charakteren gedacht wurde und auch warum, aber die Gefühle bleiben irgendwo auf der Strecke, da alles so schnell geht und sich keine Zeit gelassen wird.
Kinos zum Beispiel ist mit seiner Rolle vollkommen an mir vorbeigezogen und vor allem die Beziehung zu Raef hat sich mir nie erschlossen. Oder eher: Raefs Beziehung zu ihm.
Genauso geht es mir mit Seth und Raef, auch wenn ich es da so sehr will, dass ich im Kopf einfach gefühlt Kapitel umgeschrieben (ausgearbeitet) habe.
Viele Emotionen die aufkommen und Dinge, die passieren, werden einfach so abgehandelt, dass die lesende Person emotional einfach nicht hinterherkommt. Auch Spannungsmomente und Momente, in denen Charaktere wachsen oder Traumata durchleben, kommen zu kurz – eben durch das Pacing und wie weit ins Detail gegangen wird.
Alles fühlt sich so an, als würde es nur an der Oberfläche kratzen.
Für mich fühlt es sich wirklich nicht fertig an.
Es ist eine super geile Idee und die Charaktere sind toll, aber ... da fehlt halt noch ne Menge.
Wahrscheinlich müsste (irgendwas in mir schreit danach) ich diesem Buch noch weniger Sterne geben, aber gleichzeitig finde ich die Welt und die Charaktere, in soweit ich sie erfahren durfte, einfach zu wundervoll ...
December 14, 2023
I never DNFed a book so quick. 15% in. This book was a hot mess wrapped in a pretty bow. The premise hooked me in, but my goodness, by chapter one it felt like I was missing something. So much was happening yet nothing was happening at all. This book read like a fanfiction or something you may come across late one night on wattpad. I did not enjoy the writing style. It was very bland and seemed heavy on thesaurus word choices, and there was a lot of telling not showing. I didn’t like the characters either because they were boring and their dialogue was off. I wanted to like it because the world seemed interesting, but this could’ve honestly done with some heavy editing and revisions. I felt like we got the first draft published. I wouldn’t doubt that all those 4-5 star reviews are paid for. There is no way anyone could say this book was phenomenal unless they were getting money for it.
June 12, 2023
A very enjoyable dark read. Slayton gives us a thoroughly atmospheric, dark world, familiar yet at the same time alien. The mythos is well fleshed out and fascinating. Those loving Greek myths will find a lot to love, yet this is very much it's own world and mythos. Added into the mix are characters rich with depth and problems galore. The plot is well conceived with a smooth pace. Action scenes are plenty with great details. I look forward to more visits with the characters and world.
May 14, 2024
Fantasy fans: don’t sleep on this one! What a wild ride. Definitely an under appreciated treasure.
More to come.
More to come.
Want to read
October 31, 2023David R. Slayton is a spellcrafter. He dreams up ultra-rich fantasy worlds and then peoples them with characters who engage, enthrall, and entertain in full measure. "Dark Moon, Shallow Sea" begins in a deconstructed world, a time and a place in which the goddess of the moon has been murdered, the voice of the god of the sun makes pawns of his worshipers, and the sacrifice of one will ensure the redemption of many. The yin can’t prevail without the yang, the circle of the sun and the moon must be unbroken, and the ones who will lie to remain in power must yield.
The parallels between fantasy and reality are unmistakable as Raef journeys through peril and deceit, a painful revelation, and discovers who he is along the way. More importantly, he discovers who he comes from, and why. Slayton masterfully twists and turns the story, tumbling readers headlong into the unexpected and leaving us on the cusp of so much more to come. The connection between Raef and Seth is only just building, and there is another whose deception must be confronted, which is a hook that was expertly baited and, I don’t mind admitting, left me a little heavy-hearted. The ending left me a lot curious, though, and promises many more secrets to be revealed.
If you love character-driven fantasy set in a world rife with danger and treachery, magic and mythology, "Dark Moon, Shallow Sea" delivers.
The parallels between fantasy and reality are unmistakable as Raef journeys through peril and deceit, a painful revelation, and discovers who he is along the way. More importantly, he discovers who he comes from, and why. Slayton masterfully twists and turns the story, tumbling readers headlong into the unexpected and leaving us on the cusp of so much more to come. The connection between Raef and Seth is only just building, and there is another whose deception must be confronted, which is a hook that was expertly baited and, I don’t mind admitting, left me a little heavy-hearted. The ending left me a lot curious, though, and promises many more secrets to be revealed.
If you love character-driven fantasy set in a world rife with danger and treachery, magic and mythology, "Dark Moon, Shallow Sea" delivers.
June 10, 2024
This novel may be my single favorite queer fantasy find in the past year. I realize everyone is entitled to their tastes and opinions, but I feel almost personally affronted that someone would give this novel less than five stars. Then again, that might be precisely because it checks every single one of my own boxes: lush, imaginative world-building from the ground up, with fascinating religions, magic, settings, and societies; rich, complex, flawed, relatable, lovable characters; and, above all, more secrets underlying the truth of the world than a red pill could possibly help you unearth. The groundwork laid is more than sufficient to give Raef, Kinos, Seth, and company plenty to resolve over at least two more books, with the potential for much, much more in all the facets of this world we haven't seen yet. At the same time, I have no clue what's next. I don't even think, even after the developments here in book one, that I could tell you whom I'm rooting for as a couple (if we're sticking to traditional pairings), though the relationships, romantic or otherwise, between the triangle of protagonists promises to be crucial to the evolution of the narrative. This is a truly fresh, original world, crafted from whole cloth, the likes of which I don't think I've had the privilege to be so immersed in since Scar Night.
I did want to punch Raef, Kinos, and Seth in the face at various points in the story. Other times, I wanted to hug and comfort them. By the end, I wanted all three in therapy, possibly group therapy together, to force them all to sit down and just figure their lives out.
I think that means David acquitted himself masterfully.
Dark Moon, Shallow Sea left me with so many questions and so many intriguing possibilities for what could lie ahead – the gods, the Grief, the gay – that book two of The Gods of Night and Day tops my list for titles to anticipate, hopefully next year.
(And may Hyperion and Phoebe both have mercy on you, David, if you dare George R. R. Martin or Patrick Rothfuss us.)
I did want to punch Raef, Kinos, and Seth in the face at various points in the story. Other times, I wanted to hug and comfort them. By the end, I wanted all three in therapy, possibly group therapy together, to force them all to sit down and just figure their lives out.
I think that means David acquitted himself masterfully.
Dark Moon, Shallow Sea left me with so many questions and so many intriguing possibilities for what could lie ahead – the gods, the Grief, the gay – that book two of The Gods of Night and Day tops my list for titles to anticipate, hopefully next year.
(And may Hyperion and Phoebe both have mercy on you, David, if you dare George R. R. Martin or Patrick Rothfuss us.)
November 25, 2023
I think the worldbuilding could have been interesting if during Seth's pov he wasn't self-deprecating the whole book.
But what really put me off was the romance. I couldn't get into it. Insta love isn't my thing in the first place, but this took insta-love to a whole new level. Literally all these characters just met. And Seth and Raef really only saw each other a handful of times throughout the book but acted as if they had a previous relationship.
I did like the grief. I thought that was really cool. The way the spirit's are now stuck because phoebe is gone. I like that they can attack if they scent blood. And the knight's flame swords were pretty awesome as well.
Although this didn't work out for me, I am thankful to blackstone publishing and the author for sending me the book along with the awesome box of great artwork.
But what really put me off was the romance. I couldn't get into it. Insta love isn't my thing in the first place, but this took insta-love to a whole new level. Literally all these characters just met. And Seth and Raef really only saw each other a handful of times throughout the book but acted as if they had a previous relationship.
I did like the grief. I thought that was really cool. The way the spirit's are now stuck because phoebe is gone. I like that they can attack if they scent blood. And the knight's flame swords were pretty awesome as well.
Although this didn't work out for me, I am thankful to blackstone publishing and the author for sending me the book along with the awesome box of great artwork.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2025
really enjoyed this and would love a sequel!! or more in the same universe.
June 24, 2024
I went straight from finishing the White Trash Warlock series into Dark Moon, Shallow Sea because I desperately needed more of David R. Slayton's work. He manages a wonderful balance of plot, mystery, and character development that never leave one feeling like it comes at the expense of another. The plot twists kept me guessing in the best of ways and the rich world he's created is a wonder to explore.
Definitely don't go into this book expecting a romance, while there are elements present this is first and foremost an adventure novel and the characters relationships develop alongside while not being the primary focus. Can't wait for the second installment!
Definitely don't go into this book expecting a romance, while there are elements present this is first and foremost an adventure novel and the characters relationships develop alongside while not being the primary focus. Can't wait for the second installment!
April 1, 2024
Absolutely adore the worldbuilding and the tone of this book. It’s got all I want from an epic plus intriguing and thought provoking romance beats. Gods, demons, knights, oh my. What more could you want?
September 15, 2024
I picked up this book because I enjoyed the Adam series. This book is nothing like those books. Dark Moon is very intense with a feeling of darkness. Yet it was so riveting. and kept drawing me in. The ending was very well played. I truly enjoyed this story. #CMCon25
June 24, 2025
This book breathed a new love into me. Sometimes it feels like fantasy books are just rinse and repeat, the same thing again and again. And while I love them still, there is still that desire for something new.
This book is that something new. I absolutely loved this world, I am obsessed with the magic system and history there, and the characters are incredibly captivating. I, as usual, wasn't in love with the romance at the end but I feel that it fit well enough and could accept it. But I want a redemption arc!
This book is that something new. I absolutely loved this world, I am obsessed with the magic system and history there, and the characters are incredibly captivating. I, as usual, wasn't in love with the romance at the end but I feel that it fit well enough and could accept it. But I want a redemption arc!
July 9, 2024
"Dark Moon, Shallow Sea" by David R Slayton is book one in his new series, "Gods of Night and Day." It is very well written and keeps you wanting to read on to see what happens next. It is a very great start to a new series by David. I have read his "Adam Binder" series and enjoyed those as well. Raef is of the Night and also known as a thief, Seth is a knight of the Day. My favorite part is when Raef tells Kinos to take the boots from the dead man, and Kinos can't do it, so Raef takes the boots and gives Kinos his shoes. I will continue with this series.
December 17, 2023
Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is convoluted. Raef is a young man who worshipped the goddess of the moon, Phoebe. When she is killed it brings about the end to the tides and the rise of the dead as they have no path to the underworld. Displeased by these events Raef seeks revenge, which leads him down a path that is neither interesting nor intriguing to the reader. In a book that could and should have easily been broken into a series, Raef’s adventures leave the reader underwhelmed and uninvested.
Raef is lost. With loss of the moon goodness Phoebe, he exists as a child of the night living off scraps and surviving as a thief. He has always loyally worshipped Phoebe, but when she is murdered by the knights of the sun god Hyperion, he and those who followed her are deemed to be heretics. Additionally, without Phoebe the souls of the dead are no longer carried to the underworld. This means they are left to linger on in the world where they feast on the blood of the living. Looking to make a major score, Raef sneaks into the Temple of Hyperion and opens a box which contains a young man that leaves him curious and sends him on a path that opens his eyes and his heart.
Intertwined in Raef’s tale is Seth, who is a knight of the sun. He is unlike the others of his order in that the fire of Hyperion brings him pain. In his eyes, the pain is a deserved penance for the mystery that exists about his origins. Seth has been tasked with guarding a very special box, but when it is opened and absconded with, he is given a mission of recovery at all costs. What he discovers along his way opens his eyes to where it all began for him and who he truly wants to be.
Confused? It’s all very messy. Add a love triangle to the mix and it doesn’t make things any more investable. Yes, readers will initially find a fascination with Raef, but it is quickly diminished when page after page finds him in yet another messy situation with no light at the end of the tunnel (no pun intended). It’s hard to root for a protagonist when you are overwhelmed by various storylines that intertwine in a way that is hard to follow. Author David R. Slayton seems to throw a lot at the reader. There is so much going on in this tale that it would have been best chopped into several books in a series. I found myself thinking there were a number of perfect places to put a pin in things and pick up in another book.
While Dark Moon, Shallow Sea makes you root for Raef and his mission to bring order to a dark world, it doesn’t make for a meaningful tale that has the reader turning page after page to find out his or Seth’s fate. The love story included only muddles things further. Should you pick up this fantasy read, just know you are diving into a novel that will require an open mind and a lot of patience.
Raef is lost. With loss of the moon goodness Phoebe, he exists as a child of the night living off scraps and surviving as a thief. He has always loyally worshipped Phoebe, but when she is murdered by the knights of the sun god Hyperion, he and those who followed her are deemed to be heretics. Additionally, without Phoebe the souls of the dead are no longer carried to the underworld. This means they are left to linger on in the world where they feast on the blood of the living. Looking to make a major score, Raef sneaks into the Temple of Hyperion and opens a box which contains a young man that leaves him curious and sends him on a path that opens his eyes and his heart.
Intertwined in Raef’s tale is Seth, who is a knight of the sun. He is unlike the others of his order in that the fire of Hyperion brings him pain. In his eyes, the pain is a deserved penance for the mystery that exists about his origins. Seth has been tasked with guarding a very special box, but when it is opened and absconded with, he is given a mission of recovery at all costs. What he discovers along his way opens his eyes to where it all began for him and who he truly wants to be.
Confused? It’s all very messy. Add a love triangle to the mix and it doesn’t make things any more investable. Yes, readers will initially find a fascination with Raef, but it is quickly diminished when page after page finds him in yet another messy situation with no light at the end of the tunnel (no pun intended). It’s hard to root for a protagonist when you are overwhelmed by various storylines that intertwine in a way that is hard to follow. Author David R. Slayton seems to throw a lot at the reader. There is so much going on in this tale that it would have been best chopped into several books in a series. I found myself thinking there were a number of perfect places to put a pin in things and pick up in another book.
While Dark Moon, Shallow Sea makes you root for Raef and his mission to bring order to a dark world, it doesn’t make for a meaningful tale that has the reader turning page after page to find out his or Seth’s fate. The love story included only muddles things further. Should you pick up this fantasy read, just know you are diving into a novel that will require an open mind and a lot of patience.
November 1, 2023
Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is a fantasy masterpiece!
David R. Slayton delivers an absolute page-turner: atmospheric, rich in worldbuilding, full of twists and turns and raging emotions!
The two main characters (and POVs) of the story have very different starting points:
Raef, a follower of the fallen moon goddess Phoebe, is living in poverty and constant danger after his kind were branded as heretics.
Seth, a knight of the sun god Hyperion, is desperate for approval within their ranks, mocked for his inability to control the god's fire.
Their parallel journeys start when Raef steals a box from Hyperion's temple. The box contains a man, Kinos, who the priests of Hyperion desperately want to retrieve and Seth is among the Knights tasked to locate him.
From there, we are diving deeply into the broken psych of Raef who lost everything and hopes he found something that makes his life worth living again, and into the internal struggle of Seth, with the blind faith he was taught he must have clashing with his doubts and his kind nature. Both Raef and Seth are broken in different ways, and fighting to pull themselves together.
The worldbuilding is rich, without being overwhelming. You feel the eeriness of the dark alleys filled with shades, the desert's sand, the salty smell of the ocean, the emptiness of a dead island.
The characters change step by step, as they uncover truths about the world, about the people around them, and about themselves. The development is at an ideal pace, taking the reader inside their mind in a sometimes painful and sometimes hopeful trip.
The plot combines an urban adventure, a journey, an escape and multiple unexpected twists and turns, with the scope widening and narrowing whenever necessary.
There is also romance, an integral part of the story but this isn't a romance book: love is an integral part of each character's feelings, motivations and worldview, but not the whole of them. It's deeply entwined with the core of the story, warm and fuzzy but also full of doubts and risks.
For readers who have read David's Adam Binder urban fantasy trilogy, Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is equally savory and wonderful, just in a different way! David perfectly adapts his writing style to this genre and this world, and produces another book you don't want to put down!
The book is out now!
Thank you Edelweiss and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC!
David R. Slayton delivers an absolute page-turner: atmospheric, rich in worldbuilding, full of twists and turns and raging emotions!
The two main characters (and POVs) of the story have very different starting points:
Raef, a follower of the fallen moon goddess Phoebe, is living in poverty and constant danger after his kind were branded as heretics.
Seth, a knight of the sun god Hyperion, is desperate for approval within their ranks, mocked for his inability to control the god's fire.
Their parallel journeys start when Raef steals a box from Hyperion's temple. The box contains a man, Kinos, who the priests of Hyperion desperately want to retrieve and Seth is among the Knights tasked to locate him.
From there, we are diving deeply into the broken psych of Raef who lost everything and hopes he found something that makes his life worth living again, and into the internal struggle of Seth, with the blind faith he was taught he must have clashing with his doubts and his kind nature. Both Raef and Seth are broken in different ways, and fighting to pull themselves together.
The worldbuilding is rich, without being overwhelming. You feel the eeriness of the dark alleys filled with shades, the desert's sand, the salty smell of the ocean, the emptiness of a dead island.
The characters change step by step, as they uncover truths about the world, about the people around them, and about themselves. The development is at an ideal pace, taking the reader inside their mind in a sometimes painful and sometimes hopeful trip.
The plot combines an urban adventure, a journey, an escape and multiple unexpected twists and turns, with the scope widening and narrowing whenever necessary.
There is also romance, an integral part of the story but this isn't a romance book: love is an integral part of each character's feelings, motivations and worldview, but not the whole of them. It's deeply entwined with the core of the story, warm and fuzzy but also full of doubts and risks.
For readers who have read David's Adam Binder urban fantasy trilogy, Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is equally savory and wonderful, just in a different way! David perfectly adapts his writing style to this genre and this world, and produces another book you don't want to put down!
The book is out now!
Thank you Edelweiss and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC!
October 10, 2023
I'm a fan of David Slayton's White Trash Warlock series so I was very excited to read a new series by him. In this one we follow Raef and Seth both young acolytes of different, warring gods. 12 years ago the knights the god of the sun murdered all of the followers of the goddess of the moon and death and trapped their goddess in the underworld. Since then no souls have been able to rest and ghosts hungry for blood haunt the land.
I enjoyed this book but I was also often confused by the reasonings. I didn't understand why they killed the moon goddess until towards the end of the book and I never understood the long term plan (considering how bad humanity was doing after her death). The pacing also felt a bit off at time.
The plot twist at the 75% mark was AMAZING. It has been a long time since a plot twist in a fantasy book got me and that one did a great job. I knew something was coming with the relationships but did not expect that.
Overall I enjoyed my time with this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for queer MM fantasy written by an actual man.
Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. I was not required to leave this review.
I enjoyed this book but I was also often confused by the reasonings. I didn't understand why they killed the moon goddess until towards the end of the book and I never understood the long term plan (considering how bad humanity was doing after her death). The pacing also felt a bit off at time.
The plot twist at the 75% mark was AMAZING. It has been a long time since a plot twist in a fantasy book got me and that one did a great job. I knew something was coming with the relationships but did not expect that.
Overall I enjoyed my time with this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for queer MM fantasy written by an actual man.
Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. I was not required to leave this review.
August 1, 2023
With Dark Moon Shallow Sea, Slayton brings his ability to take genre fiction and explore deep truths of the human condition into a new genre. This time, Slayton uses the deep lore of epic fantasy to explore hard truths about religious trauma and the ways uncritical devotion to religiosity can erode society.
While exploring these ideas, he also introduces readers to two of the most wonderful characters he’s ever dreamed up. Seth, the sunshine in the grumpy/sunshine equation, is the quintessential himbo that will warn readers hearts. While Raef, the grumpy, will steal their hearts while he steals across the city. Both characters have hidden depths and more than a few secrets to explore. Nothing is what it seems in Dark Moon, Shallow Sea. Not even this slow burn.
Ultimately, this book represents a lovely new adult coming of age in a fantasy setting. It captures a feeling of youthfulness that took me back to the beginning of adulthood when people surprise you, for good and for bad, and when betrays hurt the most for being firsts.
David R Slayton continues to show his ability to master any genre he sets his mind to. If we, the readers, are lucky, there will be far more to come from this fantasy world and far far more to come from Slaytons wonderful, creative and compassionate mind.
While exploring these ideas, he also introduces readers to two of the most wonderful characters he’s ever dreamed up. Seth, the sunshine in the grumpy/sunshine equation, is the quintessential himbo that will warn readers hearts. While Raef, the grumpy, will steal their hearts while he steals across the city. Both characters have hidden depths and more than a few secrets to explore. Nothing is what it seems in Dark Moon, Shallow Sea. Not even this slow burn.
Ultimately, this book represents a lovely new adult coming of age in a fantasy setting. It captures a feeling of youthfulness that took me back to the beginning of adulthood when people surprise you, for good and for bad, and when betrays hurt the most for being firsts.
David R Slayton continues to show his ability to master any genre he sets his mind to. If we, the readers, are lucky, there will be far more to come from this fantasy world and far far more to come from Slaytons wonderful, creative and compassionate mind.
May 6, 2023
Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is a book I wanted to like more than I did. The premise appealed to me immediately from the blurb, and I did still like the storyline on the whole as I read. But something about the book didn't quite work for me. My attention wandered as I read and the characters never caught me in any kind of emotional connection, their relationships feeling forced. It's hard to pinpoint why exactly I felt that way, and perhaps other readers will really connect with the work, but for me personally it was missing a spark to captivate me and lift the book above a shallow read through. As such, I am giving it three stars. It had promise and there were good elements, but it simply wasn't a stand-out work for me.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 7, 2023
Atmospheric and haunting, Dark Moon Shallow Sea left an ache in my chest. Slayton does an excellent job creating an atmosphere that immediately pulls you in and doesn't let go. He plays with mythology in a fun, refreshing way. I did struggle at points with the world building and felt like I could've used some more exposition; we're plopped right in so I was trying to grapple with how the world functioned and how it was structured. It didn't take away from my enjoyment of the work, though. A lot of this does some good groundwork and, once the second half of the novel gets going, I couldn't stop. I'm excited to see more adventures in this world.
July 30, 2024
David Slayton's Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is a fast-paced fantasy adventure that dunks you into the action like the gun at the start of an Olympic 800m freestyle race.
Readers are introduced to an atmospheric environment where the moon, a goddess by the name of Phoebe, has been vanquished, leaving behind a landscape overrun with restless ghosts and a looming presence known as the Grief. This makes for a world of contrasting light and dark - fire and shadow - that is as moody as it is combustible.
Without giving too much away, Dark Moon was one of the fastest page-turners I have read in a while, moving at a breakneck pace that eschews lengthy description in favor of fiery action sequences and plenty of plot. The story never lingers in one place too long, though there were some indelible set-pieces I would've liked to see more of (here's looking at you Thiva).
Even with speed of storytelling, Slayton creates likeable protagonists with depth, that touch on themes about heritage and the perspective of upbringing. I am a fan of both Seth and Raef, and can't wait to see where the next installment takes them.
Readers are introduced to an atmospheric environment where the moon, a goddess by the name of Phoebe, has been vanquished, leaving behind a landscape overrun with restless ghosts and a looming presence known as the Grief. This makes for a world of contrasting light and dark - fire and shadow - that is as moody as it is combustible.
Without giving too much away, Dark Moon was one of the fastest page-turners I have read in a while, moving at a breakneck pace that eschews lengthy description in favor of fiery action sequences and plenty of plot. The story never lingers in one place too long, though there were some indelible set-pieces I would've liked to see more of (here's looking at you Thiva).
Even with speed of storytelling, Slayton creates likeable protagonists with depth, that touch on themes about heritage and the perspective of upbringing. I am a fan of both Seth and Raef, and can't wait to see where the next installment takes them.
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