Colors of Magic

by Liz Sauco

Where we come from does not define where we goA long time ago, Abomination almost succeeded.

A man who had lost everything found something to have faith in.

A child of the desert found a Master of Blades in a cold forest far from home.

A half-Avari struggling to find a place for himself has his life implode around him.

These stories from the past, both distant and near, are collected into this anthology. Nine short stories featuring Hades, Jak, Sukra, Ander and more offer a glimpse into life at different moments on Gaia. What events have shaped the characters we have come to know in Blades of the Goddess?

Genres: Fantasy

287 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 12, 2024

About the author

I’ve always loved stories. The more fantastical, the better. Unicorns were an early favorite of mine; I must have watched The Last Unicorn a thousand times as a child, driving my parents to near insanity. I journeyed with Bilbo and Frodo to their respective mountains, flew with the dragonriders of Pern, rode with the Heralds of Valdemar (and desperately wanted a Companion. Or a dragon. Any talking animal friend, really). I devoured every book I could get my hands on – trips to Barnes and Noble were hotly anticipated.

Anime (thanks, Toonami!) and video games were other favorites. I watched Sailor Moon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Gundam Wing, played Zelda and Mario. Some of my earliest memories are of watching my parents play A Link to the Past and Mario 64. A Link to the Past was the first game I ever finished. I found myself endlessly fascinated with how the Zelda games fit together. Mythology also grabbed me, made me think of how other cultures viewed the world.

And then I made up stories for myself when I ran out of media to consume.

In college, I decided I was going to write a book. NoNoWriMo was popular, and I had a few other friends who wrote a bit, so I decided I would give it a try in Nov of 2010. I outlined and outlined. My outline was almost twenty pages long (and only about three-quarters of the way through the story) when I decided it was not actually what I wanted to write. It was too much like a video game. I scrapped it, and went back to the drawing board. Then I realized – what if I told the story that came after that one? That would be more interesting.

(I missed that NaNoWriMo deadline by quite a bit.)

So I started again, worldbuilding with what would have happened in the thousand years between the two stories. I drew maps. I made races. I fleshed out my characters, some of whom were the same – the benefits of writing immortals. By the time NaNoWriMo 2011 came around, I was ready.

I wrote three and a half chapters. In that fourth chapter, I introduced my pirate characters – and writing their speech exhausted me so much that I just… stopped. The story sat in the back of my mind for almost a decade, untouched by any actual writing, but living and growing anyway. I consumed more media, more stories. Marvel, Star Wars, and Game of Thrones dominated conversations around me (I mentioned I’m a nerd, right? If not, you could probably tell). I started crocheting little cute plushies. I got a job teaching Latin.

Then came 2020. Everyone was staying at home. A friend of mine brought up a book she had been writing some time ago, and I mentioned mine. We decided to give them both another go, offering critique and support to each other as we went.

And this time, I successfully wrote Lost Blades, kicking off my journey as an author.

Nowadays, Destiny 2 and Genshin Impact make up the majority of my gaming, both franchises with lore-rich worlds ripe for theorycrafting. Go ahead, ask me anything about either of those, but be prepared for a dissertation in response. I still crochet plushies, and fantasy still makes up the majority of my world. I’m excited to embark on this publishing journey, and I’m glad you stopped by to check in! For more information on my books, or just getting to know me better in general, I hope you’ll take some time to explore my website, read my blog, or even send me a message.

Cheers!

Reviews

[Cat Bowser · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book and am leaving my thoughts voluntarily.

I was immediately intrigued by the title. I love colors in general so I adore when authors incorporate that into the stories. They have so many variations and ways to apply them so I was thrilled this book took advantage of that.

I am really surprised about the variety here. I think we all have come to expect certain feelings and settings with certain colors. And there are certainly examples of that here. But more often than not, you’ll find a certain colors us generating feelings in you that are very foreign!

Silver and white were my favorite stories in here but the first one will really grab your attention. It was a great choice to use as an opener!

Well worth your time!

[Bookalyptic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colors of Magic by Liz Sauco is a companion anthology (a collection of stories) of the Blades of the Goddess series. In this book we get a glimpse into the lives of Hades' companions and Hades herself, and a deeper understanding of what happened in the past.

Seeing the course of Abomination, the hardships it caused for so many, and the resolve and faith people found through it all, is really inspiring. As with all other books in The Blades of the Goddess series, this book draws you in and sticks. I couldn't stop wondering what would happen next, I laughed, I cried, I was scared and excited.

"He would remember the truth for them."

I really like how the characters have colors to represent them in the book. Nine stories, nine different colors and nine very likeable characters. And let's not forget about the wargs, those are so loveable and smart!

Colors of Magic is a quick read with only 287 pages, but it is such a great addition to the series. I loved getting to know more of the characters I got to know in Lost Blades and Broken Blades, and cannot wait to read Blades Reforged!

Thanks to the author Liz Sauco for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. I read this as an ARC reader, my opinions are my own and my review is voluntarily.

[J Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

When authors write collections of short stories, they're often seen as ancillary or bonus material. Rest assured, that is not the case here! If you're already a fan of Blades of the Goddess, these stories expand on everything you could want! Not only does the spectacular worldbuilding deepen with some interesting revelations, but we get to meet interesting new characters, and learn more about the characters we already know and love.

The themes, genres, and even scope of each story vary wildly, showcasing Liz Sauco's impressive range as an author. Few of the stories were what I would have expected, but I loved them all. Even if I had to see a lot of my favorite characters suffer (poor Jeri...poor Ander...poor Takeshi...poor Jamirh). And also, some beautiful art deco-inspired art to accompany each story!

Overall, this book is a perfect accompaniment to the rest of the series, and an essential read if you enjoyed the other entries!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed all the short stories in this and the way the different colors of each section corresponded with parts of the story. It gave me a good intro to each of the characters in the Blades of the Goddess series. And I also loved how each of the stories tied back to hades.

The use of magic in this was fun and I’m ready to go read the rest of the series to learn more. Highly recommend this book!

Thank you NetGalley, Liz Sauco, and Dark Waters Publishing for this eARC!

[Ka'Ua Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I quickly fell in love with the variety and depth in each chapter. You get a fragmentary view of what life was like for these people before converging in the main story, with each chapter adding to the already engaging worldbuilding. Reading this feels like piecing together a puzzle of a greater whole, and if you’re already a fan of the series then this will be the icing on the cake. Read this book. Fall in love with Hel and Jeri and enjoy another fantastic ride.

[Monesapula Nosizwe Manake · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ARC for free from BookSirens, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

Questions I had about some of the main characters were answered, and I love that. I especially love Ander's back story. I am not shy to say that. These are some of my favorite people. I was as riveted in this version of the story as the first 2 books, and I can't wait for the next chapter in this journey

[Siu Lum · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful collection of short stories that allows the reader to get a glimpse into the past of the world and the various characters in the Blade of the Goddess series.

I highly recommend this book.

Thank you BookSirens for the e-Arc.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jason Frisvold]

Oh wow.. I can't believe that's where.. And that's really his backstory? And hers? But no.. no spoilers. So much more information about the main story now! And I want more.. MORE STORY! This whole series was amazing and I loved the whole ride. I can't wait to see more.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jonathan DeMarco · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this collection of short stories. It's probably my favorite installment in the series. The character development was just so good and seriously added to the main storyline. The visuals were incredible too. I really felt like I was in each story. I looooved Ander's story!

[Robbi Pfeil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed this series. I found this book to be more challenging to follow and stay engaged than the others but I enjoyed learning the backstories of all my favorite characters! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice read that made me want to read the series! Well done!