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Shadowdance #5
A Dance of Ghosts
IN A CITY KNOWN FOR DARKNESS, THE UNDERWORLD TREMBLES AT THE RISE OF THE SUN...
In book #5 of the Shadowdance series... He is known as Muzien the Darkhand, and a night of fire and blood heralds his arrival to the beleaguered city of Veldaren. With him comes the might of the Sun Guild, its thieves and smugglers eager to spread their criminal empire to the east.
Left blind and vulnerable after being attacked by the Widow, Alyssa Gemcroft struggles to hold together the remnants of the Trifect as the Sun Guild's arrival threatens to shatter whatever future her son might have left.
Veldaren's only hope is in the Watcher, but Haern is no longer there. He travels west with his father, Thren Felhorn, whose own thief guild has been crushed by the might of the encroaching Sun Guild. Their destination: the Stronghold, an ancient bastion of the dark paladins of Karak. Together, Haern hopes to discover a shred of something good within Thren. But as much as Haern tries to change his father, will it be Thren who ends up changing him?
Killer or savior; the line can no longer remain blurred.
Fantasy author David Dalglish spins a tale of retribution and darkness, and an underworld reaching for ultimate power.
Chronological Order
A Dance of Cloaks A Dance of Blades A Dance of Mirrors A Dance of Shadows A Dance of Ghosts A Dance of Chaos
In book #5 of the Shadowdance series... He is known as Muzien the Darkhand, and a night of fire and blood heralds his arrival to the beleaguered city of Veldaren. With him comes the might of the Sun Guild, its thieves and smugglers eager to spread their criminal empire to the east.
Left blind and vulnerable after being attacked by the Widow, Alyssa Gemcroft struggles to hold together the remnants of the Trifect as the Sun Guild's arrival threatens to shatter whatever future her son might have left.
Veldaren's only hope is in the Watcher, but Haern is no longer there. He travels west with his father, Thren Felhorn, whose own thief guild has been crushed by the might of the encroaching Sun Guild. Their destination: the Stronghold, an ancient bastion of the dark paladins of Karak. Together, Haern hopes to discover a shred of something good within Thren. But as much as Haern tries to change his father, will it be Thren who ends up changing him?
Killer or savior; the line can no longer remain blurred.
Fantasy author David Dalglish spins a tale of retribution and darkness, and an underworld reaching for ultimate power.
Chronological Order
A Dance of Cloaks A Dance of Blades A Dance of Mirrors A Dance of Shadows A Dance of Ghosts A Dance of Chaos
512 pages, Paperback
First published November 11, 2014
131 people are currently reading
1882 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
July 30, 2021
This one felt like a transitional book as it sets things up for the final novel. Still enjoyable though.
July 6, 2015
I really like this series and this book, once again, was great!
Lots of action and finally some mystery cleared to us, readers. I mean, now we know who is the real villain behind everything.
Still, much things to discover in the last book of this series.
It was really great to see Haern and Thren working together, even each of them, having different goals.
Delysia proved to be a badass! She is powerful and fearless!
Seeing Delysia, Haern and Thren traveling together, it was like seeing the good and bad advising Haern.
I don't know if many people liked or didn't like that the writer brought Ghost back to the story, but I liked it!
It gave him a good ending. Because he was a bad thing but, he realized all the awful things he did and he looked for forgiveness for all of this. So, for me, it was like the good won, in the end. Even if it was just with him, for now.
Finally that Melody has her end! I never liked her, even with all the cruelty that she suffered, still, that didn't make her a good person!
But, speaking of her, her story with her lover priest of Karak, Luther, was pretty lame!
Oh please, Luther inviting her to worship their god in his bedroom?!
Well, that was one of the reasons I didn't give this book, five stars.
The other reason is, and I know it's a story of guild of assassins, but I think it has too much carnage, violence and gruesome details.
The thing is with that gets a bit too unnecessary! We all know they are merciless assassins, and that Alyssa lost her eyes, and they are now empty holes and all the tortures Melody suffered in the Gentle Hands.
It wasn't necessary to remind us of it, every time some of them show up in the story!
Anyway, the book is full of adventure, strong and great characters, hateful villains and funny moments, specially with Tarlak and Brug.
Lots of action and finally some mystery cleared to us, readers. I mean, now we know who is the real villain behind everything.
Still, much things to discover in the last book of this series.
It was really great to see Haern and Thren working together, even each of them, having different goals.
Delysia proved to be a badass! She is powerful and fearless!
Seeing Delysia, Haern and Thren traveling together, it was like seeing the good and bad advising Haern.
I don't know if many people liked or didn't like that the writer brought Ghost back to the story, but I liked it!
It gave him a good ending. Because he was a bad thing but, he realized all the awful things he did and he looked for forgiveness for all of this. So, for me, it was like the good won, in the end. Even if it was just with him, for now.
Finally that Melody has her end! I never liked her, even with all the cruelty that she suffered, still, that didn't make her a good person!
But, speaking of her, her story with her lover priest of Karak, Luther, was pretty lame!
Oh please, Luther inviting her to worship their god in his bedroom?!
Well, that was one of the reasons I didn't give this book, five stars.
The other reason is, and I know it's a story of guild of assassins, but I think it has too much carnage, violence and gruesome details.
The thing is with that gets a bit too unnecessary! We all know they are merciless assassins, and that Alyssa lost her eyes, and they are now empty holes and all the tortures Melody suffered in the Gentle Hands.
It wasn't necessary to remind us of it, every time some of them show up in the story!
Anyway, the book is full of adventure, strong and great characters, hateful villains and funny moments, specially with Tarlak and Brug.
August 30, 2020
A well written book. Mainly, to set up for the final book, but there is a lot more emphasis on the relationships between characters. This allows the reader to fill in some blanks while simultaneously changing the readers opinion of a few characters.
Predominantly, the story revolves around Haern, Thren and Muzien the dark hand. Tying in some historical information to bring the fragments of certain characters together.
Predominantly, the story revolves around Haern, Thren and Muzien the dark hand. Tying in some historical information to bring the fragments of certain characters together.
May 19, 2022
What a wonderfully enjoyable read this was. There is an undercurrent of darkness which is brought about by the plot and the characters themselves. I especially liked the way the characters interacted with each other, it was a joy to read.
It definitely feels like something really big is going to happen in the next and last book and this one was preparing the path well.
There is a lot more in depth relationships explored with the main characters which I also appreciated. I would have given this a 5 star rating if it weren’t for the random appearance of Orcs. Maybe this is an introduction to them to another of Dalglish’s books..?
I could say more about the Watcher and his complex relationships with the other characters, but it really would spoil the fun..!
It definitely feels like something really big is going to happen in the next and last book and this one was preparing the path well.
There is a lot more in depth relationships explored with the main characters which I also appreciated. I would have given this a 5 star rating if it weren’t for the random appearance of Orcs. Maybe this is an introduction to them to another of Dalglish’s books..?
I could say more about the Watcher and his complex relationships with the other characters, but it really would spoil the fun..!
December 12, 2019
Another strong entry in this amazing series, that has captured and held my interest for quite some time and refuses to let go. David Dalglish continues to exceed my expecations in this volatile, action driven, epic saga. Dalglish does a courageous job of transitioning characters and story lines with careful thought and precision execution, never losing my attention. Commendable indeed! Onto the next! Work well done, David Dalglish, well done.
March 16, 2017
I cannot believe that this is the penultimate book already. I really liked this book, though not as fast and engaging as the fourth book, A Dance of Shadows. What I did like was Haren and Thren's relationship. (Again, not going into detail, due to spoilers as I aforementioned in other reviews.) Muzien's cunning and the roll of his charming tongue was delightful, almost reminiscent of Sebastian Morgenstern from the Shadowhunter books, only if he were an elf and much older. I do like the vibe that David Dalglish imprinted in this book, setting us up for the grand finale, but then again, so do other penultimate books in a series; second if it's a trilogy. I cannot wait what the last book has in store.
December 30, 2014
David Dalglish doesn't write the most mentally challenging books. Of course, I can't say that with 100% certainty since I've only read this Shadowdance series and none of his others. In this book the author tried to set up the next book, which is the only thing that worked for him.
Hearn, the Watcher, I discovered, is Batman. I mean, he prowls the rooftops targeting the criminal empires of the capital city wearing a black and grey cloak, hood pulled down to hide everything but his chin. If that doesn't describe Batman, who does it describe? The only real difference beteen the characters is, Hearn is rebelling against his father, instead of avenging him, and uses swords to set the peace. Otherwise, they're the same person but without all of Batman's depth.
Alyssa ... I don't know if David Dalglish just hates women or if he just hates Alyssa, but as someone who was raised to take over the family fortune, she sure isn't very smart. She shows absolutely no business acumen and makes mistake after mistake after mistake. It's like the woman has never considered the future further than her nose. I'd really hoped she would have been killed off or written out by the end of the first book, but she still bores us with her pages. I mean, how can one of the wealthiest people in the entire world not be smart enough to recognize when her house guards are being replaced by someone else's, supposedly with that someone else's loyalties and not her own; that when a murderer came for her she should have found a guard, not gone after her 8 year old son; or that, as she likes to claim, being a target for just about everyone, she hasn't done anything in her twenty-some years to defend herself other than hire more guards? Even though her best friend and only true ally is an assassin, she's never learned the most basic self-defense tools and usually needs those skills when the assassin is gone. And then, to show us how stupid she is, she makes a decision that sends the assassin away from her. I would think, someone running a financial empire larger than the king's, would have a little more sense about them.
In this book we learn a little more of Thren's motivations, which is good. He has the potential to be a great character is he grows, but as we've seen from book 1, his character hasn't grown too much in the "years" that have passed. In the previous book we saw a spark of character development when he donned the Watcher's garb and defended the city when the Watcher was incapacitated, but that was it. The one thing Dalglish did do in this book he didn't in most of the others was set up a future story, so hopefully we'll see Thren get some more POV time.
Seriously, a king this cowardly would have been deposed of by his own people by now. His whining and hiding would have seen to that. And for someone who's terrified all the time, I'm surprised he didn't have any magical protections or a chief mage to ward his castle against intruders. Instead he hides behind his walls and lets his city (and we have to assume, kingdom) be taken over by invaders.
Zusa is an interesting character and one of the most interesting, by far. While she always seems to disappear when she's needed most, she also doesn't have a lot of common sense running through her veins.
Hell, the only one who does seem to grow as a character is Ghost and he's a minor character. I'd really like to have seen him do more.
The one good thing Dalglish did do with this book, and the previous one, was set up some subterfuge. Circles within circles. While the Watcher and Thren are looking left, all the real pivotal plot points are happening to the left. And he's showing us the "bad" guy might not be that bad at all. Different goals, would be the best way of describing it. Thren wants to secure his dominion over the criminal world; the Watcher wants to have peace; Alyssa wants security for her and her son and Zusa just wants a place to call home. And, as it turns out, the Darkhand and his criminal empire are just another piece on the board of a larger game. That's what Dalglish did well here.
I can't really say "OMG, you have to read this!" What I can say is, if you want an easy read without too much thinking, give this series a try. For me it falls along the same level of mental prowess as The Riftwar Saga by Raymond Feist. Which isn't bad, it's just not great.
Hearn, the Watcher, I discovered, is Batman. I mean, he prowls the rooftops targeting the criminal empires of the capital city wearing a black and grey cloak, hood pulled down to hide everything but his chin. If that doesn't describe Batman, who does it describe? The only real difference beteen the characters is, Hearn is rebelling against his father, instead of avenging him, and uses swords to set the peace. Otherwise, they're the same person but without all of Batman's depth.
Alyssa ... I don't know if David Dalglish just hates women or if he just hates Alyssa, but as someone who was raised to take over the family fortune, she sure isn't very smart. She shows absolutely no business acumen and makes mistake after mistake after mistake. It's like the woman has never considered the future further than her nose. I'd really hoped she would have been killed off or written out by the end of the first book, but she still bores us with her pages. I mean, how can one of the wealthiest people in the entire world not be smart enough to recognize when her house guards are being replaced by someone else's, supposedly with that someone else's loyalties and not her own; that when a murderer came for her she should have found a guard, not gone after her 8 year old son; or that, as she likes to claim, being a target for just about everyone, she hasn't done anything in her twenty-some years to defend herself other than hire more guards? Even though her best friend and only true ally is an assassin, she's never learned the most basic self-defense tools and usually needs those skills when the assassin is gone. And then, to show us how stupid she is, she makes a decision that sends the assassin away from her. I would think, someone running a financial empire larger than the king's, would have a little more sense about them.
In this book we learn a little more of Thren's motivations, which is good. He has the potential to be a great character is he grows, but as we've seen from book 1, his character hasn't grown too much in the "years" that have passed. In the previous book we saw a spark of character development when he donned the Watcher's garb and defended the city when the Watcher was incapacitated, but that was it. The one thing Dalglish did do in this book he didn't in most of the others was set up a future story, so hopefully we'll see Thren get some more POV time.
Seriously, a king this cowardly would have been deposed of by his own people by now. His whining and hiding would have seen to that. And for someone who's terrified all the time, I'm surprised he didn't have any magical protections or a chief mage to ward his castle against intruders. Instead he hides behind his walls and lets his city (and we have to assume, kingdom) be taken over by invaders.
Zusa is an interesting character and one of the most interesting, by far. While she always seems to disappear when she's needed most, she also doesn't have a lot of common sense running through her veins.
Hell, the only one who does seem to grow as a character is Ghost and he's a minor character. I'd really like to have seen him do more.
The one good thing Dalglish did do with this book, and the previous one, was set up some subterfuge. Circles within circles. While the Watcher and Thren are looking left, all the real pivotal plot points are happening to the left. And he's showing us the "bad" guy might not be that bad at all. Different goals, would be the best way of describing it. Thren wants to secure his dominion over the criminal world; the Watcher wants to have peace; Alyssa wants security for her and her son and Zusa just wants a place to call home. And, as it turns out, the Darkhand and his criminal empire are just another piece on the board of a larger game. That's what Dalglish did well here.
I can't really say "OMG, you have to read this!" What I can say is, if you want an easy read without too much thinking, give this series a try. For me it falls along the same level of mental prowess as The Riftwar Saga by Raymond Feist. Which isn't bad, it's just not great.
March 20, 2016
Superbly done!
May 23, 2017
This is a series that started off fairly meh, but managed to build to an incredible degree. The blurbs on several books in this series have mentioned Game of Thrones, and the author's note at the end have mentioned his desire to write a Game of Thrones-like series, and while the past few books have been fairly good, this is the first one that I would say qualifies as being at Game of Thrones' level. The book manages to incorporate political wrangling, personal relationships and brutal violence with excellent balance, and finally has a feeling of an overarching plot that it's been looking for.
About the only part I would criticize is a section where Haern kills someone for completely idiotic reasons. There's a lot of attempt to put this in character for him, but it's not completely successful, IMO. The initial fight certainly was in character, but the way it plays out beyond that felt like it was a necessary plot point that needed to be included for the story.
Still, that's a comparatively minor issue in an otherwise excellent book. It's really just unfortunate that it's taken this long to get this good, as it makes it a bit hard to recommend to people. "Sure, you gotta slog through several meh books, but it gets really good in book 5!"
About the only part I would criticize is a section where Haern kills someone for completely idiotic reasons. There's a lot of attempt to put this in character for him, but it's not completely successful, IMO. The initial fight certainly was in character, but the way it plays out beyond that felt like it was a necessary plot point that needed to be included for the story.
Still, that's a comparatively minor issue in an otherwise excellent book. It's really just unfortunate that it's taken this long to get this good, as it makes it a bit hard to recommend to people. "Sure, you gotta slog through several meh books, but it gets really good in book 5!"
September 26, 2020
This is the fifth book into a series so it’s limited what I can say without giving away too much. I’ve been reading the Shadowdance series for a while now and I enjoy them for being quick reads set in a fantasy world that I do enjoy. I really like the main characters and I’ve come to love a lot of the side characters as well. That said it felt like A Dance of Ghosts was suffering from being the fifth in a series that ends with the sixth book. It’s not a bad book - but not a lot happens. The few issues that take place are resolved quickly and without too much drama. It felt a little bit too easy - and the plot was lacking a bit compared to the previous books. I know that Shadowdance is just part of David Dalglish’s larger fantasy world, but I just personally think it’s too late to introduce new races such as elves and orcs. It should have been mentioned in the first book. It feels like the whole setting is being changed and I’m not a fan of that.
June 3, 2025
"A Dance of Ghosts" is the thrilling conclusion to David Dalglish's Shadowdance series. The final installment masterfully weaves together the complex threads of the story, delivering a satisfying and haunting ending.
Dalglish's world-building and character development continue to shine, with each character facing their demons (literally and figuratively). The pacing is well-balanced, with a mix of intense action sequences, emotional moments, and clever plot twists.
The themes of grief, guilt, and redemption are expertly explored, adding depth to the narrative. The writing is evocative, making it easy to visualize the dark, mystical world and its inhabitants.
Overall, "A Dance of Ghosts" is a fitting conclusion to the Shadowdance series. Fans of fantasy and dark fiction will appreciate the intricate storytelling and atmospheric setting. If you're looking for a captivating and haunting read, this series is definitely worth exploring.
October 30, 2024
Kind of meh on this. Probably closer to 3.5 stars, but I’m rounding down this time. The book was a bit slower than previous books. I know it’s setting up book 6, but there seemed to be done pointless storylines. E.g., the trip by Thren,Hearn and Delysia to the stronghold. The confrontation with Melody was just a joke (basically nonexistent) and seemed like a missed opportunity. Sge seemed like a pointless character. I also didn’t like the way Alyssa’s storyline progressed. Hoping it gets better in book 6.
April 18, 2023
Took me a while to finish due to depression but I loved it. When you can't sleep because you need another chapter, you know you are reading a great book.
It is really part 1 as it sets stuff up for the next book.
Fantastic writing. David answered alot of questions and you really got to see more insight into the character's we know and love.
It is really part 1 as it sets stuff up for the next book.
Fantastic writing. David answered alot of questions and you really got to see more insight into the character's we know and love.
April 12, 2018
I enjoyed this book in the trilogy. There was some closure of certain storylines and some additions as well. I felt some were added that didnt need to be and some parts forced instead of being as fluid as on the past, but excited for the next book.
December 23, 2017
I'm so hyped for the final book. It's gonna be epic.
June 12, 2018
Eh. It was OK.
August 1, 2018
Improvement from the last one but I still felt like this was much of a “filler”.
And Zusa, oh Zusa.
And Zusa, oh Zusa.
November 7, 2019
I feel like a dam trying to burst 🌊.. one hole 🕳 keeps getting plugged and another opening is the way this series is going. 👻 🧝♂️
February 11, 2021
It's a gritty world full of violence and betrayal. However, there is also loyalty, hope and care as well. The pace is gripping and the world dark. It's building to pretty big ending.
February 12, 2023
I read this book so quickly. I was sitting on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it.
March 16, 2023
Can't say enough great things
I love these books!! The writing is exemplary ! I can't go to sleep because I can't stop reading. They keep you wanting to read what's next!
I love these books!! The writing is exemplary ! I can't go to sleep because I can't stop reading. They keep you wanting to read what's next!
May 18, 2025
I’m committed to the series. I need to know how it ends but I’m also looking forward to being done. A good ride for sure.
June 8, 2020
Yep. This is the good kush. Shit is bouta go down and my quarantine self is READY.
March 3, 2015
"I will leave you with a graveyard of fire and death before I let you pretend to be it's god" - Thren Felhorn
David Dalglish is back with the 5th book in The Shadowdance Series. Unsurprisingly, for the umpteenth time, Veldaren, is once again under siege. The Thief Guilds are dead, with the exception of the Ash Guild, and only one Guild rules all over the city, The Sun Guild, led by Muzien The Darkhand. This time, neither Thren Felhorn and The Watcher are there to suppress the occupation but rather the duo are out on a road trip in hopes to learn more about Karak's Dark Paladins. With only Alyssa Gemcroft, Lord Victor Kane and The King to deal with the Darkhand's occupation, how will they handle Muzien's plans for the city?
Being the 5th book in the series, A Dance of Ghost serves as the calm before the storm. Not that it's a still and quiet book but rather compared to previous books. It has a solemn feel to it. Muzien's take over of Veldaren is calculated and done in such a masterful way compared to previous take over. It has moments of bloodshed however there are no soldiers and thieves running amok and less fire on the streets of Veldaren. David Dalglish created an intimidating and unforgettable villain in the form of Muzien. He is calm, and mostly unmoved by any threats that comes his way. Even Thren Felhorn is shadowed by Muzien's presence.
Unfortunately Muzien is possibly the best thing on this book. Ghost makes a return but this point, all interest goes to Muzien. Ghost's arc mostly feels like an "Ok let's just get this over with" moment. It was an uninteresting return but it did serve a a purpose. As Delysia and Hearn's relationship is put to the test thanks to Ghost. A big improvement in this book is the way the female characters were written, specially Delysia. She is written in a much stronger way physically and emotionally, she proved numerous times that she can handle herself in a fight. Also Zusa shows some emotions in the most shocking way possible likewise Alyssa Gemcroft still proves to be a woman of strong will and would not any man undermine her authority, in fact most of the time Lord Victor Kane is at her mercy.
Thren is still very unpredictable and also greatly improved as he transitions to a villain to a likeable anti hero. That said we're still not forgetting the despicable things he has done in previous books. Ultimately the most disappointing aspect of the book is the lack of Deathmask and his guild. You really miss their presence as they were such a bad ass in the last book. It will make you wonder, "Where the hell are they during Muzien's occupation of the city?". Hopefully they will have a huge part to play on the 6th book but this time, Deathmask fans will without a doubt be disappointed.
All in all A Dance of Ghost is a mediocre book at best, that said it does set up the big finale in terms of the 6th book. It is the calm before the storm but it's a readable calm and it will definitely make the reader look forward to the next book.
David Dalglish is back with the 5th book in The Shadowdance Series. Unsurprisingly, for the umpteenth time, Veldaren, is once again under siege. The Thief Guilds are dead, with the exception of the Ash Guild, and only one Guild rules all over the city, The Sun Guild, led by Muzien The Darkhand. This time, neither Thren Felhorn and The Watcher are there to suppress the occupation but rather the duo are out on a road trip in hopes to learn more about Karak's Dark Paladins. With only Alyssa Gemcroft, Lord Victor Kane and The King to deal with the Darkhand's occupation, how will they handle Muzien's plans for the city?
Being the 5th book in the series, A Dance of Ghost serves as the calm before the storm. Not that it's a still and quiet book but rather compared to previous books. It has a solemn feel to it. Muzien's take over of Veldaren is calculated and done in such a masterful way compared to previous take over. It has moments of bloodshed however there are no soldiers and thieves running amok and less fire on the streets of Veldaren. David Dalglish created an intimidating and unforgettable villain in the form of Muzien. He is calm, and mostly unmoved by any threats that comes his way. Even Thren Felhorn is shadowed by Muzien's presence.
Unfortunately Muzien is possibly the best thing on this book. Ghost makes a return but this point, all interest goes to Muzien. Ghost's arc mostly feels like an "Ok let's just get this over with" moment. It was an uninteresting return but it did serve a a purpose. As Delysia and Hearn's relationship is put to the test thanks to Ghost. A big improvement in this book is the way the female characters were written, specially Delysia. She is written in a much stronger way physically and emotionally, she proved numerous times that she can handle herself in a fight. Also Zusa shows some emotions in the most shocking way possible likewise Alyssa Gemcroft still proves to be a woman of strong will and would not any man undermine her authority, in fact most of the time Lord Victor Kane is at her mercy.
Thren is still very unpredictable and also greatly improved as he transitions to a villain to a likeable anti hero. That said we're still not forgetting the despicable things he has done in previous books. Ultimately the most disappointing aspect of the book is the lack of Deathmask and his guild. You really miss their presence as they were such a bad ass in the last book. It will make you wonder, "Where the hell are they during Muzien's occupation of the city?". Hopefully they will have a huge part to play on the 6th book but this time, Deathmask fans will without a doubt be disappointed.
All in all A Dance of Ghost is a mediocre book at best, that said it does set up the big finale in terms of the 6th book. It is the calm before the storm but it's a readable calm and it will definitely make the reader look forward to the next book.
February 12, 2017
The Shadowdance series continues in David Dalglishs A Dance of Ghosts. Once again returning to the Veldaren, we find the city in the midst of a power struggle. Muzien Darkhand, sinister leader of the Sun guild, has arrived and is systematically removing all opposition to his unchallenged supremacy of the underworld. Alyssa Gemcroft struggles to maintain her position in not only the Trifect, but her family as well, and Haern and his father, Thren Felhorn, travel to the Stronghold, religious bastion of the god Karak, to uncover the plots swirling around them and, if successful, foil the plans the priests have for their home, for if Karak prevails, none will make it out alive.
The Shadowdance series is an enjoyable read for those who like action-packed scenes and skulking through the darkness of night, drawn blade in hand. While I'm starting to feel that Alyssa's story has just about played out, I really enjoyed the interactions between Haern and his father and, based on the cliffhanger, am excited to see them face off against the gods themselves.
The Shadowdance series is an enjoyable read for those who like action-packed scenes and skulking through the darkness of night, drawn blade in hand. While I'm starting to feel that Alyssa's story has just about played out, I really enjoyed the interactions between Haern and his father and, based on the cliffhanger, am excited to see them face off against the gods themselves.
December 8, 2014
To date I have been enjoying this series in much the same way as I enjoy a R A Salvatore novel. They are good fun, fast paced and always packed with action. However, in my mind they are always lessened by their episodic nature where things don't ever really change overly much.
This novel (and to a lesser extent the last as well) makes an attempt to improve on that. There are some interesting changes, some of the previously smaller characters are expanded upon ready for bigger things to come and story elements are woven into existence that hint that much bigger things are on their way.
All this adds together to make me much more excited to read the next book in the series and for that more so than any other book in this series makes this worth a read.
The only reason why this book lost a star for me is that Haern feels a bit like a character that is pushed aside for others to get more of the story. This is inevitable to an extent as the cast grows larger but what troubles me is that in this book, and in the last, Haern is relegated to a sub storyline; which is problematic as I was under the impression that he is the star in this series. In this novel he is more a part of Thren's storyline rather than Thren being a part of his.
Overall though this is another enjoyable read and one I would gladly recommend.
This novel (and to a lesser extent the last as well) makes an attempt to improve on that. There are some interesting changes, some of the previously smaller characters are expanded upon ready for bigger things to come and story elements are woven into existence that hint that much bigger things are on their way.
All this adds together to make me much more excited to read the next book in the series and for that more so than any other book in this series makes this worth a read.
The only reason why this book lost a star for me is that Haern feels a bit like a character that is pushed aside for others to get more of the story. This is inevitable to an extent as the cast grows larger but what troubles me is that in this book, and in the last, Haern is relegated to a sub storyline; which is problematic as I was under the impression that he is the star in this series. In this novel he is more a part of Thren's storyline rather than Thren being a part of his.
Overall though this is another enjoyable read and one I would gladly recommend.
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January 31, 2015Yayeeeah!!!
Excellent read, as was every book in this series. I really tried to spread this one out as to avoid the long wait before the next book, but once I would start reading I couldn't put it down. So, here I am anxiously awaiting Book Six.
Having read the authors self published versions of the previous books, I admit that I did not re-read the current editions. However, I didn't have any trouble following the story with the changes that were made. All the characters received adequate page time to understand who they are and why they are. I walked away with new perspectives on familiar characters and their relationships to one another. The plot is thick and juicy with loads of action and drama, and I remain deeply invested in the outcome of this series.
Not to mention the superb writing of David Dalglish, who has created a world in the fantasy genre that I always enjoy visiting as much as i enjoy visiting Skyrim or Westeros.
Excellent read. Fans of the genre should definitely pick this one up. And if you haven't read the other books in the series, you should get started. You're in for a treat.
Excellent read, as was every book in this series. I really tried to spread this one out as to avoid the long wait before the next book, but once I would start reading I couldn't put it down. So, here I am anxiously awaiting Book Six.
Having read the authors self published versions of the previous books, I admit that I did not re-read the current editions. However, I didn't have any trouble following the story with the changes that were made. All the characters received adequate page time to understand who they are and why they are. I walked away with new perspectives on familiar characters and their relationships to one another. The plot is thick and juicy with loads of action and drama, and I remain deeply invested in the outcome of this series.
Not to mention the superb writing of David Dalglish, who has created a world in the fantasy genre that I always enjoy visiting as much as i enjoy visiting Skyrim or Westeros.
Excellent read. Fans of the genre should definitely pick this one up. And if you haven't read the other books in the series, you should get started. You're in for a treat.
March 18, 2015
I was flying right through this one, it just had a nice natural flow.
The plot in this one gives some answers, but leaves you with just as many unsolved questions. Since the flow was so natural as it was, there wasn't any big surprises for me. What I was most interested in was Haern and Thren, and I'm still not satisfied.
What really stood out, for me, was the character development. There were a lot of character development, some of it was great and some of it I didn't like.
Thren: It was interesting and nice to see more of Thren and his personality.
Haern: An interesting development, but not that surprising to me.
Alyssa: I don't agree with all she does, I hope it will be better in the next book.
Zusa: Still strong.
Victor: That's some character development, I'm curious about how that will go for Victor.
"You pick strange company to keep, Watcher," Thren Felhorn said, stepping out from the trees and into the light of the fire.
Haern grinned at his father.
"Of course I do," he said. "You're here, aren't you?"
The plot in this one gives some answers, but leaves you with just as many unsolved questions. Since the flow was so natural as it was, there wasn't any big surprises for me. What I was most interested in was Haern and Thren, and I'm still not satisfied.
What really stood out, for me, was the character development. There were a lot of character development, some of it was great and some of it I didn't like.
Thren: It was interesting and nice to see more of Thren and his personality.
Haern: An interesting development, but not that surprising to me.
Alyssa: I don't agree with all she does, I hope it will be better in the next book.
Zusa: Still strong.
Victor: That's some character development, I'm curious about how that will go for Victor.
"You pick strange company to keep, Watcher," Thren Felhorn said, stepping out from the trees and into the light of the fire.
Haern grinned at his father.
"Of course I do," he said. "You're here, aren't you?"
March 10, 2015
Decent action, and some interesting surprises. A new, even more dangerous foe appears, and upturns everything that the Watcher has worked for. Unfortunately, Haern and Thren both leave Veldaren, and every time the action moves away from the city, the story suffers. It's clear that this volume is meant to set everything up for a final showdown in the next, and to get some major characters out of the way so the plot can happen. Unfortunately, I can't really see most of the set-up as necessary, or needing such attention. Haern is still wavering between hero and villain, Thren is the same man he always was, Alyssa is still struggling to hold herself together. Not much really changes, aside from the power structure in Veldaren, and that flip flops every book. I can only hope it all pays off in the next book, when everything set up here comes together.
December 2, 2014
Excellent bridge book for me.
What a way to bring the series to higher standards. And A LOT of questions are answered related to the following relationships:
Hearn & Thren
Hearn & Delsyia
Ghost
Ms. Gemcroft & Melody
Daverick & Pelarak
Zusa & Hearn
Very interesting read and what a setup for the next book. And a true villain emerges in Muzien.
Lots of references to the other series, the Paladins and the Half -Orcs series. Lots of hints and items are explored in great detail here. If you have read Weight of Blood I believe, now we will hopefully find out what was going on when the "war" was playing out.
Just a really great read and a fun ride. Hopefully the next book soars with action & adventure. Cannot wait! Read it, read it, read it.......
What a way to bring the series to higher standards. And A LOT of questions are answered related to the following relationships:
Hearn & Thren
Hearn & Delsyia
Ghost
Ms. Gemcroft & Melody
Daverick & Pelarak
Zusa & Hearn
Very interesting read and what a setup for the next book. And a true villain emerges in Muzien.
Lots of references to the other series, the Paladins and the Half -Orcs series. Lots of hints and items are explored in great detail here. If you have read Weight of Blood I believe, now we will hopefully find out what was going on when the "war" was playing out.
Just a really great read and a fun ride. Hopefully the next book soars with action & adventure. Cannot wait! Read it, read it, read it.......
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