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Chronicles of Elantra #0.5
Cast In Moonlight
Compelling, female-focused fantasy with vivid characters, romance set in other worldsBarely a teenager, Kaylin Neya is a thief, a fugitive and an attempted assassin. She also has a smart mouth, sharp wits and mysterious markings on her skin. All of which make her perfect bait for a child prostitution sting in the city of Elantra - if she survives her first meeting with the Hawks!
139 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2001
122 people are currently reading
1239 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Sagara
54 books1,805 followersSee also:
Michelle Sagara West
Michelle West
Michelle is an author, bookseller, and lover of literature based in Toronto. She writes fantasy novels as both Michelle Sagara and Michelle West (and sometimes as Michelle Sagara West). You can find her books at fine booksellers.
She lives in Toronto with her long-suffering husband and her two children, and to her regret has no dogs.
Reading is one of her life-long passions, and she is sometimes paid for her opinions about what she’s read by the venerable Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. No matter how many bookshelves she buys, there is Never Enough Shelf space. Ever.
She has published as Michelle Sagara (her legal name), as Michelle West (her husband's surname), and as Michelle Sagara West (a combination of the two).
Michelle Sagara West
Michelle West
Michelle is an author, bookseller, and lover of literature based in Toronto. She writes fantasy novels as both Michelle Sagara and Michelle West (and sometimes as Michelle Sagara West). You can find her books at fine booksellers.
She lives in Toronto with her long-suffering husband and her two children, and to her regret has no dogs.
Reading is one of her life-long passions, and she is sometimes paid for her opinions about what she’s read by the venerable Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. No matter how many bookshelves she buys, there is Never Enough Shelf space. Ever.
She has published as Michelle Sagara (her legal name), as Michelle West (her husband's surname), and as Michelle Sagara West (a combination of the two).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
March 27, 2020
▧ Crappy non-review #12567 ▧
► The last time I enjoyed reading a story about a teenager, it was one written by Ilona Andrews and I rated it 3.5 stars. I just gave Cast in Moonlight a 4-star rating. That should tell you something.
► Kaylin is not your average 13-year-old. She kicks ass. She's magic. She kills things. She's awesome.
► This series also features cool creatures with wings (the non-angel type, yay!), cool creatures with fur and paws (the non-shifter type, yay!), cool Faery-type immortals (which-I-actually-like-even-though-I've-never-been-a-fae-fan, yay!) and very cool dragons! Yes! Dragons!
► Yes, this is me telling you to read a YA story. Please try and refrain from fainting.
· Book 1: Cast in Shadow ★★★★★
· Book 2: Cast in Courtlight ★★★★ (make that 3.5 stars. Because I was in a good mood when I wrote the Crappy Non Review)
· Book 3: Cast in Secret ★★★ (make that 2.5 stars aka bye bye, Kaylin, it was nice knowing you!)
April 3, 2016
Around 2.5 stars.
This was stupidly difficult to find as audio in the UK, but in the end I prevailed! And I wish I hadn’t bothered…
Some thoughts:
- The blurb has absolutely nothing to do with the novel.
There’s no mention about a prostitution ring in the novel or about Kaylin being bait… WTF?
- The names Kaylin and Caitlin might look different in print, but they’re incredible alike when you’re listening, so it can be difficult to differentiate at first who the author is talking about.
- There was a lot of information and way too many lose threads…
How did Kaylin get into the Hawk Lord’s office?
Who sent her to kill him?
Who’s the Barrani Arcanist that was talking to Teela?
What were the people doing with the childs? What happened to the rest of their organization?
How exactly was this entire harvest moon thing working?
I hope the series gives me ANSWERS, and soon.
This was stupidly difficult to find as audio in the UK, but in the end I prevailed! And I wish I hadn’t bothered…
Some thoughts:
- The blurb has absolutely nothing to do with the novel.
“Kaylin Neya is a thief, a fugitive and an attempted assassin. She also has a smart mouth, sharp wits and mysterious markings on her skin. All of which make her perfect bait for a child prostitution sting in the city of Elantra”
There’s no mention about a prostitution ring in the novel or about Kaylin being bait… WTF?
- The names Kaylin and Caitlin might look different in print, but they’re incredible alike when you’re listening, so it can be difficult to differentiate at first who the author is talking about.
- There was a lot of information and way too many lose threads…
How did Kaylin get into the Hawk Lord’s office?
Who sent her to kill him?
Who’s the Barrani Arcanist that was talking to Teela?
What were the people doing with the childs? What happened to the rest of their organization?
How exactly was this entire harvest moon thing working?
I hope the series gives me ANSWERS, and soon.
October 31, 2015
*** 4 ***
This was a fast, fantastic and fabulous read! I neeeeeeeeed something that would uplift my spirit and this is just what the doctor ordered! Very imaginative, obviously an introduction to a series, giving just enough to wet the appetite and leave us hungry for more. It is shaping up to be a fascinating world!
This was a fast, fantastic and fabulous read! I neeeeeeeeed something that would uplift my spirit and this is just what the doctor ordered! Very imaginative, obviously an introduction to a series, giving just enough to wet the appetite and leave us hungry for more. It is shaping up to be a fascinating world!
October 14, 2016
Prequel to Cast in Shadow and a glimpse at a very different Kaylin.
Starting a new life is always a hard thing. Even under the best of circumstances. And the circumstances of Kaylin's arrival in Elantra are anything but good. Imagine being a scared 13 year old girl that has lived all her life in fear. Stuck into survival mode she has trouble acclimating to the less vicious part of the world and the people that populate it. Not that there are no dangers here. The difference is that this time around there are people willing to help her. People that see her as a child to be protected. Kaylin has to strike a balance between her need to help and prove herself and the Hawks need to shelter her. I loved seeing her first interactions with Marcus, the Hawklord, Caitlin and Clint. It makes the family that we meet 7 years later in the first book of the series even more adorable :)
Starting a new life is always a hard thing. Even under the best of circumstances. And the circumstances of Kaylin's arrival in Elantra are anything but good. Imagine being a scared 13 year old girl that has lived all her life in fear. Stuck into survival mode she has trouble acclimating to the less vicious part of the world and the people that populate it. Not that there are no dangers here. The difference is that this time around there are people willing to help her. People that see her as a child to be protected. Kaylin has to strike a balance between her need to help and prove herself and the Hawks need to shelter her. I loved seeing her first interactions with Marcus, the Hawklord, Caitlin and Clint. It makes the family that we meet 7 years later in the first book of the series even more adorable :)
January 26, 2020
I liked this one better than Cast in Shadow. I liked the younger Kaylin better. It was also better explained as it was a prequel.
I like that Kaylin was accepted, if reluctantly by the hawks. Caitlin was a great temporary mom/older sister.
I hate that Kaylin's powers got the best of her and she scared the very kids she was trying to save.
I like that Kaylin was accepted, if reluctantly by the hawks. Caitlin was a great temporary mom/older sister.
I hate that Kaylin's powers got the best of her and she scared the very kids she was trying to save.
May 5, 2012
2 - 2.5 stars
Narrated by Khristine Hvam
This audiobook was a free download from Audible.com, and being free (as well as recognizing the author), I thought, why not? This is my first (I think) introduction to the author, and I was interested in learning this was a prequel to a series I had been eyeing for some years now. Having listened to this more than once (first time to listen, second time to review), I am now ambivalent over whether I want to continue with the series.
I think I might have enjoyed this novella just a tad bit more had I read it. I had issues with the narrator that I think would not bother some people (although given the complaints about the narrator in earlier reviews, perhaps I'm mistaken). A couple of the things that I thought the narrator did well were that the narrator made a credible effort to give each character a distinct voice, and that the male voices were not painfully bad. I thought that her voice for the stranger who spoke through the child was particularly chilling. I would not care to listen to horror stories in the dead of the night from her in that voice. (lol) I appreciated the different voices on the one hand, but on the other, I think that perhaps it would have been better had she not done so as some of them were just too weird or annoying. Otherwise, I thought that the narrator did a decent job with the narration - aside from a couple of boo-boos such as ending a sentence in a upward tone as if there was more to the sentence.
In any case, I didn't think the narrator had a good narrating voice. While clear-spoken, there was a "scratchy" undertone especially when she was speaking in a lower register. The narrator's voice sounded rather young. Perhaps I'm just used to more mature voices instead of lighter, younger-sounding ones and therefore am biased against youthful sounding narrators. In any case, I ended up really disliking the narrator's "normal" narrating voice, I didn't like her voice for Kaylin nor the voice she used for Kaitlyn (sp?).
But the narrator was not the only problem I had with this audiobook.
I am currently sitting on the fence with regard to whether my interest in the world is strong enough to overcome my general dislike of the author's voice. I did not care for the writing so much. It sounded rather trite and cliched (imagine the accent over the "e"); I was hoping for something refreshing. For the past 5+ years, I've been extremely picky about my fantasy books. This writing did not pass my "Picky Test". I did enjoy the humor, though.
My issues with the novella, in no particular order:
Issue #1: World-building vs. Info-dump
The world seemed to unfold slowly in this novella, something that I regarded as both a positive and a negative. In a way, it didn't seem like a great info-dump introduction into the world. On the flip side, I still felt as if this novella would have been best enjoyed by someone already familiar with the world since I did end up with questions and only a vague impression of the world. Take this as you will regarding whether this novella would make a good stand-alone or not.
Issue #2: Style, Writing, Genuineness, Cliched
The novella didn't sound very natural. It seemed partially forced to sound a bit more consistent with the already published books in the series. One example was that of the voice of Kaylin. She did not sound like the 13-year old girl who had failed an assassination attempt and who, only by fortunate chance, was accepted into a cadre of law enforcers. She seemed too brash, insolent, and confident of her position within this group, easily giving commands in a crisis to people who were far more experienced than she.
The author also made poor choice with names, particularly for an audiobook format. Kaylin and Kaitlyn sounded so similar that had the narrator not given very distinct voices for them, I would not have been able to tell who was who. As it was, I still had some trouble determining who the narrator was talking about on occasion.
The writing was a bit choppy:
Issue #3: Characters and Characterization
Kaylin, as another reviewer noted, had a "modern, 'sassy' voice" that really bothered me. In retrospect, perhaps it wasn't the narrator's voice for Kaylin I objected so much but Kaylin's voice itself. I found 13-year old Kaylin neither charming nor precocious. This was unfortunate because the novella was written in Kaylin's 3rd person POV.
There was nothing interesting about Kaylin. She sounded too commonplace - almost a Mary Sue: girl from unfortunate circumstances due to more fortunate circumstances gets adopted into a happy and supportive circle of friends/allies who think she's really special, and it just so happens that she is not an ordinary child with ordinary skills and talents. Yeah, already read that and read that. What is this called? Wish-fulfillment?
I felt that the author was not able to separate the 20-year old Kaylin from Book 1 with 13-year old Kaylin. As I'd mentioned, Kaylin sounded too confident of her position with the group. But also, in a scene toward the end of the book, Kaylin sounded like an adult, continuously referring to "the child" and "At the same time, the girl stirred in Kaylin's arms. She was a stranger. A stranger's child. Someone who Kaylin didn't know and might never see again. She was also just that moment the most precious gift that Kaylin had ever been given". I had to wonder, Kaylin herself is a child. These children who were being killed ranged from who knows what as the youngest to, so far, 10 years old. Whatever age this particular girl was, Kaylin herself was barely old enough to continue to refer to her as "the child" as well as refer to the girl as "the most precious gift...ever been given" without sounding utterly ridiculous in my ears.
In a way, the characters tended to sound just a tad bit similar in their speech and thoughts. "Too damn long/tall" or the endearment "Kitling" were a couple of the ways that the characters failed to sound less cliched (again, imaginary accent) and more distinct.
Issue #4: Loose Ends and Plot
The novella did not address why Kaylin was sent to assassinate this Lord Hawk person nor by whom it was ordered although this assassination attempt was the very first thing we learned about. Kaylin as described in the beginning of the novella didn't sound like the Kaylin who was met by Kaitlyn. In the crisis toward the end of the book,
As for the plot, it was...interesting. I have to admit, I still have no idea what was really going on - something magical with dead children and strange markings involved. I figured this was partly due to my lack of knowledge about the world and further series. The Leontine or whatever those lion-people were sounded interesting, but the descriptive words used for the Barrani (or was it some other group?) had me rolling my eyes as my mind flashed back to Bella's reverent descriptions of Edward's perfection.
I give the story and the writing 2 stars.
I give the narration 2.5 stars.
I give my own enjoyment 1 star.
Tracey's review covers other issues I had with the audiobook and neglected to mention.
First read: April 14, 2012
Second read: April 27, 2012 (?) - May 4, 2012
Narrated by Khristine Hvam
This audiobook was a free download from Audible.com, and being free (as well as recognizing the author), I thought, why not? This is my first (I think) introduction to the author, and I was interested in learning this was a prequel to a series I had been eyeing for some years now. Having listened to this more than once (first time to listen, second time to review), I am now ambivalent over whether I want to continue with the series.
I think I might have enjoyed this novella just a tad bit more had I read it. I had issues with the narrator that I think would not bother some people (although given the complaints about the narrator in earlier reviews, perhaps I'm mistaken). A couple of the things that I thought the narrator did well were that the narrator made a credible effort to give each character a distinct voice, and that the male voices were not painfully bad. I thought that her voice for the stranger who spoke through the child was particularly chilling. I would not care to listen to horror stories in the dead of the night from her in that voice. (lol) I appreciated the different voices on the one hand, but on the other, I think that perhaps it would have been better had she not done so as some of them were just too weird or annoying. Otherwise, I thought that the narrator did a decent job with the narration - aside from a couple of boo-boos such as ending a sentence in a upward tone as if there was more to the sentence.
In any case, I didn't think the narrator had a good narrating voice. While clear-spoken, there was a "scratchy" undertone especially when she was speaking in a lower register. The narrator's voice sounded rather young. Perhaps I'm just used to more mature voices instead of lighter, younger-sounding ones and therefore am biased against youthful sounding narrators. In any case, I ended up really disliking the narrator's "normal" narrating voice, I didn't like her voice for Kaylin nor the voice she used for Kaitlyn (sp?).
But the narrator was not the only problem I had with this audiobook.
I am currently sitting on the fence with regard to whether my interest in the world is strong enough to overcome my general dislike of the author's voice. I did not care for the writing so much. It sounded rather trite and cliched (imagine the accent over the "e"); I was hoping for something refreshing. For the past 5+ years, I've been extremely picky about my fantasy books. This writing did not pass my "Picky Test". I did enjoy the humor, though.
My issues with the novella, in no particular order:
Issue #1: World-building vs. Info-dump
The world seemed to unfold slowly in this novella, something that I regarded as both a positive and a negative. In a way, it didn't seem like a great info-dump introduction into the world. On the flip side, I still felt as if this novella would have been best enjoyed by someone already familiar with the world since I did end up with questions and only a vague impression of the world. Take this as you will regarding whether this novella would make a good stand-alone or not.
Issue #2: Style, Writing, Genuineness, Cliched
The novella didn't sound very natural. It seemed partially forced to sound a bit more consistent with the already published books in the series. One example was that of the voice of Kaylin. She did not sound like the 13-year old girl who had failed an assassination attempt and who, only by fortunate chance, was accepted into a cadre of law enforcers. She seemed too brash, insolent, and confident of her position within this group, easily giving commands in a crisis to people who were far more experienced than she.
The author also made poor choice with names, particularly for an audiobook format. Kaylin and Kaitlyn sounded so similar that had the narrator not given very distinct voices for them, I would not have been able to tell who was who. As it was, I still had some trouble determining who the narrator was talking about on occasion.
The writing was a bit choppy:
"She heard steel against stone but didn't move, didn't look, didn't even try to draw her own dagger."(Punctuations placed based on what I heard). This was the writing style throughout the book. Also, repeating words and phrases tend to stand out when the text is read aloud, which is something an author may want to consider when crafting their words.
"There was a child on the floor, faced down, blood, pooled around her upper body. But it was wet. Red. It wasn't sticky yet."
"She knew this warmth, this heat, this burning."
"Fear hit. Relief. Terror..."
Issue #3: Characters and Characterization
Kaylin, as another reviewer noted, had a "modern, 'sassy' voice" that really bothered me. In retrospect, perhaps it wasn't the narrator's voice for Kaylin I objected so much but Kaylin's voice itself. I found 13-year old Kaylin neither charming nor precocious. This was unfortunate because the novella was written in Kaylin's 3rd person POV.
There was nothing interesting about Kaylin. She sounded too commonplace - almost a Mary Sue: girl from unfortunate circumstances due to more fortunate circumstances gets adopted into a happy and supportive circle of friends/allies who think she's really special, and it just so happens that she is not an ordinary child with ordinary skills and talents. Yeah, already read that and read that. What is this called? Wish-fulfillment?
I felt that the author was not able to separate the 20-year old Kaylin from Book 1 with 13-year old Kaylin. As I'd mentioned, Kaylin sounded too confident of her position with the group. But also, in a scene toward the end of the book, Kaylin sounded like an adult, continuously referring to "the child" and "At the same time, the girl stirred in Kaylin's arms. She was a stranger. A stranger's child. Someone who Kaylin didn't know and might never see again. She was also just that moment the most precious gift that Kaylin had ever been given". I had to wonder, Kaylin herself is a child. These children who were being killed ranged from who knows what as the youngest to, so far, 10 years old. Whatever age this particular girl was, Kaylin herself was barely old enough to continue to refer to her as "the child" as well as refer to the girl as "the most precious gift...ever been given" without sounding utterly ridiculous in my ears.
In a way, the characters tended to sound just a tad bit similar in their speech and thoughts. "Too damn long/tall" or the endearment "Kitling" were a couple of the ways that the characters failed to sound less cliched (again, imaginary accent) and more distinct.
Issue #4: Loose Ends and Plot
The novella did not address why Kaylin was sent to assassinate this Lord Hawk person nor by whom it was ordered although this assassination attempt was the very first thing we learned about. Kaylin as described in the beginning of the novella didn't sound like the Kaylin who was met by Kaitlyn. In the crisis toward the end of the book,
As for the plot, it was...interesting. I have to admit, I still have no idea what was really going on - something magical with dead children and strange markings involved. I figured this was partly due to my lack of knowledge about the world and further series. The Leontine or whatever those lion-people were sounded interesting, but the descriptive words used for the Barrani (or was it some other group?) had me rolling my eyes as my mind flashed back to Bella's reverent descriptions of Edward's perfection.
I give the story and the writing 2 stars.
I give the narration 2.5 stars.
I give my own enjoyment 1 star.
Tracey's review covers other issues I had with the audiobook and neglected to mention.
First read: April 14, 2012
Second read: April 27, 2012 (?) - May 4, 2012
September 9, 2024
Great novella that gives lots of insight into Kaylin as a thirteen year old and how she came to be such an integral part of the Hawks at such a young age. Wish I had read it before starting the series, it would have added a lot of depth to the first book, especially.
February 20, 2015
I was never able to make a dent in the first "Cast" (Chronicles of Elantra) novel; the wild variety of races defeated me, I recall, and I wasn't grabbed thoroughly enough to care enough to try to figure out who was what and what that meant. (Also, the fact that there is an avian race and also a law enforcement group called the Hawks, but the avians (Aerians) aren't necessarily Hawks and the Hawks aren't necessarily Aerians. That took adjustment.
A sort of similar hurdle in this audiobook (audio novella) is a very odd decision to show the main character, Kaylin, taken under the wing (though not literally) of an administrative assistant of the Hawks: Caitlin. (At least I don't think it's literal; I don't remember it being specified that Caitlin is human. Which is interesting considering that the others' races are talked about frequently.) On paper, that might be all right given different first initials. Orally, they're – obviously – almost identical, and if it wasn't for the very different character voices used it would be a mess. And this was, as far as I can find, exclusively released as audio. I think the characters were established already, but it's still very odd.
Because this was an audio, and I admit to not researching too deeply, my character name and race spellings may be wildly erratic.
The voices … Caitlin sounds prissy, which is not how the character is described. Kaylin sounds petulant at times when it's extremely inappropriate. I have a problem with the Leontine, Marcus, being Jamaican. Or maybe it's Bahamian…. I can almost understand the extraordinary accent, so completely different from the others': the voice being shaped by the muzzle… I think it would actually be kind of fun to listen to, under other circumstances – in a Terran setting, say, when the character would actually be from some tropical isle. But it dredges up a mental image from somewhere of a cartoon lion wearing flip-flops, a Hawaiian shirt, and sunglasses. I don't mind the character; I mind having that picture in my head. Almost as bad is when the Wolf Captain Neal shows up; he's a Cockney (and I keep picturing him as lyncanthropic with perhaps a soft plaid cap. I think Marcus's accent is supposed to relate to his race; I don't know what the deal is with a sudden Londoner in the midst of all Midwest US accents, but it was bizarre enough that I have no idea what the character said for quite a while, as I've been too distracted by the pronunciation.
I honestly don't know whether I like this story or not. There are some interesting ideas; the world seems interesting, if under-explained in some aspects. There are three basic ways to introduce a reader to a new world. There's the Malazan Method, in which the hapless reader is given a shove off the ship of reality into deep water, no lifeboat, no flotation device, to try to kick off her shoes and tread water and not drown or succumb to hypothermia. Nothing is explained, no allowances are made for the fact that the reader is not in fact living in the writer's head and can't know more than she's told. Then there's the opposite, for which I'm sure I'll think of an example later: not only is there a lifeboat and a Mae West, the reader is gently assisted into the lifeboat while it's still on deck (where it remains), and provided with further inflatables from water wings to a rubber ducky, and handed a lovely box lunch. The reader is assured that the sky is blue and the grass is green, and if there are new races or concepts no detail is too small to be included to make sure that the reader's image is precisely what the author sees in his head. The happy medium is a rare and wonderful thing, allowing the reader to find her own lifeboat and put together her own survival pack, and learn her way around the oars and whatnot naturally.
"Cast in Moonlight" leans toward the Malazan Method, though with maybe a pair of flippers and a small can of shark repellent thrown in. The races are introduced one by one, but either Sagara is more interested in the Leontines or she felt they warranted more detail: the sergeant is one of the only ones I have any real clear image of (though it is unfortunately Dreamworks). I don't know if the Aerians have other bird-like attributes. I have no idea what the Barrani are supposed to look like – neo-traditional elves? – or the Fa-alani (Tha-alani? Can't find it, even on Michelle West's blog), apart from some kind of mind-reading stalks on their foreheads. And why are the Barrani specifically so hateful to Kaylin? It's mentioned many times that in the fiefs where she has always lived, if you saw a Barrani you ran for it, but it's never explained what would happen if you didn't. Are there more races? What does it mean that someone is a Dragonlord – is it the head of some group like the Hawks and the Wolves, or … a dragon?
The language throws me a little. This is obviously somewhere else entirely, with both magic and technology and with at least four other races besides humans. But the narrative and dialogue are laced with very 20th - 21st century-US colloquialisms ("pissed off"; "I'll bet"; "who was that guy"; "big sucker"; "crappy" weather). And in several places the narrator makes a little editorial remark – along the lines of buildings being described as "too damn tall". If it's supposed to be Kaylin's point of view, that's the only really personal touch to it; otherwise the narrative voice is neutral. It's frequent, and it's odd, especially for a 13-year-old girl, even one from the streets. A related issue: there are a couple of occasions where characters engage in little side chats while something major is going on in the foreground, which annoyed me in two ways: I wanted to return to what was important, and also I was irritated with the characters for being distracted (and distracting me) from what was important.
Kaylin smacks a bit of Mary Sue in that she is adopted immediately by the Hawks, despite frequent protests that they have no use for a young girl, and she more than holds her own and evinces some unexpected and very useful talents along the way. People listen to her who shouldn't listen to her. In fact, it seemed like the text would just finish describing a character who would never in a millennium listen to a barely-teenaged girl, and then suddenly a few minutes later all is going just as Kaylin suggested. On the one hand, it is drummed into the reader's brain that she is only a 13-year-old stranger, known for mere hours: a completely unknown quantity – but on the other she is treated consistently as if she has been a member of the team, the "family", for a long time. (This is even glancingly addressed, as a couple of other characters express astonishment that she has only been with them a day. She is not an endearing child, and this instantaneous glomming-on is not quite believable.) In the end, the way in which the story is – somewhat – resolved is jarring, and I thought not properly dealt with; without spoilering, Kaylin goes through something she should not bounce back from immediately, but seems to do just that. And, in the end, I'm really not sure I like her, or the world she moves through, enough to hurry into the books.
A sort of similar hurdle in this audiobook (audio novella) is a very odd decision to show the main character, Kaylin, taken under the wing (though not literally) of an administrative assistant of the Hawks: Caitlin. (At least I don't think it's literal; I don't remember it being specified that Caitlin is human. Which is interesting considering that the others' races are talked about frequently.) On paper, that might be all right given different first initials. Orally, they're – obviously – almost identical, and if it wasn't for the very different character voices used it would be a mess. And this was, as far as I can find, exclusively released as audio. I think the characters were established already, but it's still very odd.
Because this was an audio, and I admit to not researching too deeply, my character name and race spellings may be wildly erratic.
The voices … Caitlin sounds prissy, which is not how the character is described. Kaylin sounds petulant at times when it's extremely inappropriate. I have a problem with the Leontine, Marcus, being Jamaican. Or maybe it's Bahamian…. I can almost understand the extraordinary accent, so completely different from the others': the voice being shaped by the muzzle… I think it would actually be kind of fun to listen to, under other circumstances – in a Terran setting, say, when the character would actually be from some tropical isle. But it dredges up a mental image from somewhere of a cartoon lion wearing flip-flops, a Hawaiian shirt, and sunglasses. I don't mind the character; I mind having that picture in my head. Almost as bad is when the Wolf Captain Neal shows up; he's a Cockney (and I keep picturing him as lyncanthropic with perhaps a soft plaid cap. I think Marcus's accent is supposed to relate to his race; I don't know what the deal is with a sudden Londoner in the midst of all Midwest US accents, but it was bizarre enough that I have no idea what the character said for quite a while, as I've been too distracted by the pronunciation.
I honestly don't know whether I like this story or not. There are some interesting ideas; the world seems interesting, if under-explained in some aspects. There are three basic ways to introduce a reader to a new world. There's the Malazan Method, in which the hapless reader is given a shove off the ship of reality into deep water, no lifeboat, no flotation device, to try to kick off her shoes and tread water and not drown or succumb to hypothermia. Nothing is explained, no allowances are made for the fact that the reader is not in fact living in the writer's head and can't know more than she's told. Then there's the opposite, for which I'm sure I'll think of an example later: not only is there a lifeboat and a Mae West, the reader is gently assisted into the lifeboat while it's still on deck (where it remains), and provided with further inflatables from water wings to a rubber ducky, and handed a lovely box lunch. The reader is assured that the sky is blue and the grass is green, and if there are new races or concepts no detail is too small to be included to make sure that the reader's image is precisely what the author sees in his head. The happy medium is a rare and wonderful thing, allowing the reader to find her own lifeboat and put together her own survival pack, and learn her way around the oars and whatnot naturally.
"Cast in Moonlight" leans toward the Malazan Method, though with maybe a pair of flippers and a small can of shark repellent thrown in. The races are introduced one by one, but either Sagara is more interested in the Leontines or she felt they warranted more detail: the sergeant is one of the only ones I have any real clear image of (though it is unfortunately Dreamworks). I don't know if the Aerians have other bird-like attributes. I have no idea what the Barrani are supposed to look like – neo-traditional elves? – or the Fa-alani (Tha-alani? Can't find it, even on Michelle West's blog), apart from some kind of mind-reading stalks on their foreheads. And why are the Barrani specifically so hateful to Kaylin? It's mentioned many times that in the fiefs where she has always lived, if you saw a Barrani you ran for it, but it's never explained what would happen if you didn't. Are there more races? What does it mean that someone is a Dragonlord – is it the head of some group like the Hawks and the Wolves, or … a dragon?
The language throws me a little. This is obviously somewhere else entirely, with both magic and technology and with at least four other races besides humans. But the narrative and dialogue are laced with very 20th - 21st century-US colloquialisms ("pissed off"; "I'll bet"; "who was that guy"; "big sucker"; "crappy" weather). And in several places the narrator makes a little editorial remark – along the lines of buildings being described as "too damn tall". If it's supposed to be Kaylin's point of view, that's the only really personal touch to it; otherwise the narrative voice is neutral. It's frequent, and it's odd, especially for a 13-year-old girl, even one from the streets. A related issue: there are a couple of occasions where characters engage in little side chats while something major is going on in the foreground, which annoyed me in two ways: I wanted to return to what was important, and also I was irritated with the characters for being distracted (and distracting me) from what was important.
Kaylin smacks a bit of Mary Sue in that she is adopted immediately by the Hawks, despite frequent protests that they have no use for a young girl, and she more than holds her own and evinces some unexpected and very useful talents along the way. People listen to her who shouldn't listen to her. In fact, it seemed like the text would just finish describing a character who would never in a millennium listen to a barely-teenaged girl, and then suddenly a few minutes later all is going just as Kaylin suggested. On the one hand, it is drummed into the reader's brain that she is only a 13-year-old stranger, known for mere hours: a completely unknown quantity – but on the other she is treated consistently as if she has been a member of the team, the "family", for a long time. (This is even glancingly addressed, as a couple of other characters express astonishment that she has only been with them a day. She is not an endearing child, and this instantaneous glomming-on is not quite believable.) In the end, the way in which the story is – somewhat – resolved is jarring, and I thought not properly dealt with; without spoilering, Kaylin goes through something she should not bounce back from immediately, but seems to do just that. And, in the end, I'm really not sure I like her, or the world she moves through, enough to hurry into the books.
November 17, 2012
I chose to read Michelle Sagara West's Chronical of Elantra prequel before tackling the first book. It just makes sense to me, but it's not without its dangers: the story could be fragmented, trying to tie up too many loose threads; since it's written after other novels in the series, there's the chance that key information isn't passed along in the novel; and an onslaught of information could overload your brain as the author tries to explain an entire life history. Rest assured, Cast in Moonlight avoids each of these pitfalls and weaves an entertaining fantasy around Kaylin Neva, a young girl caught up on both sides of law.
Honestly, the beginning of the story wasn't very appealing. One mention of a 13 year old girl and a whole host of different races instantly turned me off. But after I worked through the introductory portion of the book, Kaylin's story took on an adventure of its own. She went from captured criminal to beloved mascot of the police department. It happened very quickly, but it works in the way it was woven into the story.
While I can deal with a host of different characters, it seemed that nearly everyone I met was going to be of a different race. Race, along with magic, are critical elements to this tale, and they were blended rather well. Neither seemed to overwhelm the other. And thought it took a little while to catch on, I became rather excited whenever one of the Barrani, manifested blue eyes; or when Sergeant Marcus let loose that deep Leonid growl. And while Clint was so cool because he could fly, or one of the mages started casting spells, I couldn't resist the Barrani who were the kick-butt characters who looked after Kaylin like one of their own.
Ultimately, Kaylin, Teela and Tain end up in the middle of a classic detective story. The Hawks, the police force in this story, end up having to deputise Kaylin to unravel a crime accomplished with magic. With nobody else to trust, that not so innocent young girl ends up being the hero of the story - you can't help but cheer for her at the end.
Looking beyond the magic, the world with different races, and even the cool detective story, Michelle Sagara West manages to make you like her characters. Even better, they come alive, showing you how they feel for each other. You can predict their reactions, get excited for them, and even worry when something goes wrong.
While Cast in Moonlight is a rather short novella, it excited me about Kaylin and the rest of the Hawks she's come to know as friends. I look forward to jumping into the series and I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in a quick, enjoyable fantasy read. It's not perfect, but the melding of races/character background, magic/fantasy, plot, character interaction, and character development make this one a keeper. Great job, Michelle!
Honestly, the beginning of the story wasn't very appealing. One mention of a 13 year old girl and a whole host of different races instantly turned me off. But after I worked through the introductory portion of the book, Kaylin's story took on an adventure of its own. She went from captured criminal to beloved mascot of the police department. It happened very quickly, but it works in the way it was woven into the story.
While I can deal with a host of different characters, it seemed that nearly everyone I met was going to be of a different race. Race, along with magic, are critical elements to this tale, and they were blended rather well. Neither seemed to overwhelm the other. And thought it took a little while to catch on, I became rather excited whenever one of the Barrani, manifested blue eyes; or when Sergeant Marcus let loose that deep Leonid growl. And while Clint was so cool because he could fly, or one of the mages started casting spells, I couldn't resist the Barrani who were the kick-butt characters who looked after Kaylin like one of their own.
Ultimately, Kaylin, Teela and Tain end up in the middle of a classic detective story. The Hawks, the police force in this story, end up having to deputise Kaylin to unravel a crime accomplished with magic. With nobody else to trust, that not so innocent young girl ends up being the hero of the story - you can't help but cheer for her at the end.
Looking beyond the magic, the world with different races, and even the cool detective story, Michelle Sagara West manages to make you like her characters. Even better, they come alive, showing you how they feel for each other. You can predict their reactions, get excited for them, and even worry when something goes wrong.
While Cast in Moonlight is a rather short novella, it excited me about Kaylin and the rest of the Hawks she's come to know as friends. I look forward to jumping into the series and I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in a quick, enjoyable fantasy read. It's not perfect, but the melding of races/character background, magic/fantasy, plot, character interaction, and character development make this one a keeper. Great job, Michelle!
September 12, 2020
This story was an interesting introduction to a world filled with different magical and powerful creatures, and humans.
Kaylin Neya is young and in custody at the story’s open, and something about her intrigues the Lord of Hawks, and he pulls her into his organization (essentially a sort of police force), which is investigating the disappearances and deaths of children.
Kaylin is from the Fiefdoms, and comes equipped with a healthy mistrust of everyone, along with a pragmatism and an understanding of the violence individuals commit against others. And intriguingly, odd marks on her arms, legs and back, which give her the ability to sense when magic is worked, and this turns out to be really useful to the investigation.
Michelle Sagara’s world and Kaylin have piqued my interest enough to read book one of her long-running series.
Kaylin Neya is young and in custody at the story’s open, and something about her intrigues the Lord of Hawks, and he pulls her into his organization (essentially a sort of police force), which is investigating the disappearances and deaths of children.
Kaylin is from the Fiefdoms, and comes equipped with a healthy mistrust of everyone, along with a pragmatism and an understanding of the violence individuals commit against others. And intriguingly, odd marks on her arms, legs and back, which give her the ability to sense when magic is worked, and this turns out to be really useful to the investigation.
Michelle Sagara’s world and Kaylin have piqued my interest enough to read book one of her long-running series.
January 14, 2020
So far I've enjoyed this prequel novella most out of the series. The story follows a 13 yr old Kaylin in her first encounter with the hawks. Sent as an unlikely and ultimately ineffectual assassin against the Hawklord, Kaylin is discovered to have strange writing on her limbs. THis prompts the Hawklord to try and show Kaylin something worth fighting for in an attempt to avoid executing a child. By the end of the novella, Kaylin has gone on a mind broadening journey and knows that while the fiefs are dangerous and people live in squalor, there are those - the howks - who attempt top bring them protection and justice. This was very engaging and a 13 yr old protagonist took nothing away from the story. In fact it might even be fair to say that it improved matters because you actually feel that Kaylin develops as a character. Plus who can fail to care about an orphan from impoverished and criminal origins being given a second chance to show she has a heart of gold? The fact that it's a novella meant that Sagara had to mind a word count and honestly it was good for her prose. No lengthy over expositionary dialogue, no repetition, a tighter less meandering plot and a better pace. I wish the first three books were written like this. World building is stellar as usual. Recommend this one and it can be read as a standalone for those who aren't sure about investing in the series but want a short fantasy fix.
December 30, 2013
This was a pleasant surprise. I've heard mixed reviews about Elantra, the main series, so I wondered and worried about this. I picked it up as a free audiobook. It's 4 hours long and I finished my last read so I figured ..."what the heck" and gave it a try.
I was very pleasantly surprised. The world building was wonderful. Different races, elves (but by another name) magic and an almost modern society, but one where magic, not transistors makes the world go round.
The Heroine is a 13 year old girl with special powers. When someone writes a 13 year old as a hero, often I find that the characters come across as adults in a childs bodies. Sure, sure, I get the "had to grow up fast" bit for those in tough parts of the magical world but that doesn't justify kids who are, for all practical purposes adults.
In this story, the heroine did come across as wiser than her years, and, here and there there was a bit of something that seemed to anchor her at thirteen. I won't say it was a masterful job of keeping a kid, a kid, but it was surely a darn good one. (I liked her child-like facination of the Hawk's wings.)
In the end, it was easy to think, kid... young adult, okay, not of legal voting age whatever and just enjoy the girl we knew so little about.
I thought the supporting cast Tiela and Kaitlyn were wonderful characters and and the whole structure of the "Hawks" in a world where a Dragon is the Emperor. The multi-teired, and multi-raced police administration. Integration of each faction.
I thought Sagara did do a wonderful job of having a 13 year old with power, and not turning her into a Mary Sue. She had limits and curious ones on how her power worked. Rich characters.
This goes under pleasant surprise, especially as dark as this one started. Recommended and enjoyable. And with strong female characters that are well designed. I also liked that this was a "magic rich" world, but Sagara managed to make it work so it seemed natural and not satirical or snarky like the Xanth series. NOTHING like Xanth (thank God). I really enjoyed the world building here.
It's also a good plot, with some humor (though it takes a bit to get to that) and an interesting mystery.
Four stars
Recommended for young adult, anyone who appriciates strong female characters (she's young) and exotic settings and doens't mind magical worlds.
Good Audiobook (good narration).
Warnings
1) Violence - there is violence here and the plot involves crimes committed on children. Sagara does a good job of telling us what it is that happened, without making us live through what are probably some difficult scenes. Still, if you are sensitive to that sort of thing, this may not trip your ick meeter, (it is well done) and it's not avoidable cause...that's what happened.
2) The story may interest young readers, but I think the begining may be confusing for them. I'm not sure at what age that changes, but, a parent might want to screen this first. I have the feeling it may work better for late teens and twenty somthings that early teens.
good read.
I was very pleasantly surprised. The world building was wonderful. Different races, elves (but by another name) magic and an almost modern society, but one where magic, not transistors makes the world go round.
The Heroine is a 13 year old girl with special powers. When someone writes a 13 year old as a hero, often I find that the characters come across as adults in a childs bodies. Sure, sure, I get the "had to grow up fast" bit for those in tough parts of the magical world but that doesn't justify kids who are, for all practical purposes adults.
In this story, the heroine did come across as wiser than her years, and, here and there there was a bit of something that seemed to anchor her at thirteen. I won't say it was a masterful job of keeping a kid, a kid, but it was surely a darn good one. (I liked her child-like facination of the Hawk's wings.)
In the end, it was easy to think, kid... young adult, okay, not of legal voting age whatever and just enjoy the girl we knew so little about.
I thought the supporting cast Tiela and Kaitlyn were wonderful characters and and the whole structure of the "Hawks" in a world where a Dragon is the Emperor. The multi-teired, and multi-raced police administration. Integration of each faction.
I thought Sagara did do a wonderful job of having a 13 year old with power, and not turning her into a Mary Sue. She had limits and curious ones on how her power worked. Rich characters.
This goes under pleasant surprise, especially as dark as this one started. Recommended and enjoyable. And with strong female characters that are well designed. I also liked that this was a "magic rich" world, but Sagara managed to make it work so it seemed natural and not satirical or snarky like the Xanth series. NOTHING like Xanth (thank God). I really enjoyed the world building here.
It's also a good plot, with some humor (though it takes a bit to get to that) and an interesting mystery.
Four stars
Recommended for young adult, anyone who appriciates strong female characters (she's young) and exotic settings and doens't mind magical worlds.
Good Audiobook (good narration).
Warnings
1) Violence - there is violence here and the plot involves crimes committed on children. Sagara does a good job of telling us what it is that happened, without making us live through what are probably some difficult scenes. Still, if you are sensitive to that sort of thing, this may not trip your ick meeter, (it is well done) and it's not avoidable cause...that's what happened.
2) The story may interest young readers, but I think the begining may be confusing for them. I'm not sure at what age that changes, but, a parent might want to screen this first. I have the feeling it may work better for late teens and twenty somthings that early teens.
good read.
February 3, 2012
13-year-old Kaylin, orphan from the “ghetto”, fails during her job as an assassin. Instead of executing her though, the intended victim sees her potential, decides to take her in and make her fight for the good side. Before long Kaylin, together with her new co-workers, gets involved in the investigation of a serial children murder.
It maybe sounds like any other Urban Fantasy series, but I really enjoyed this prequel to the Chronicles of Elantra. The mystery was intriguing, the characters diverse and individual, the setting an interesting take on the standard UF. The writing is easy to read, with a nice sense of humor.
Kaylin is a likeable character. Dysfunctional teenager with a difficult past, so she has issues, but in the end she is actually quite a sweet child. She's not one of the typical anti-authoritarian, bad-mouthed UF heroines. Maybe she will grow up into one (I certainly do not hope so), but in Cast in Moonlight I really liked her. And many of the other characters as well. They have distinct voices and behavior, and a lot of them are easy to get attached to.
The Urban Fantasy setting is typical insofar that it involves a (murder) mystery and a city inhabited by different supernatural creatures. The latter (Barrani, Aerians etc.) however aren't any I have encountered in other UF series for now. No vampires or shapeshifters, no fairies or angels. I'm not sure if some of them will turn out to be similar beings just with different names (apparently there are also some dragons?), but for now they are rather creative and fresh. There are also mages, who I find kind of under-represented in UF.
The ending was possibly one of the strongest resolution to a murder mystery in any UF series I know. It wasn't just the “now we found the criminal, we go in to fight, beat him and the end”.
It maybe sounds like any other Urban Fantasy series, but I really enjoyed this prequel to the Chronicles of Elantra. The mystery was intriguing, the characters diverse and individual, the setting an interesting take on the standard UF. The writing is easy to read, with a nice sense of humor.
Kaylin is a likeable character. Dysfunctional teenager with a difficult past, so she has issues, but in the end she is actually quite a sweet child. She's not one of the typical anti-authoritarian, bad-mouthed UF heroines. Maybe she will grow up into one (I certainly do not hope so), but in Cast in Moonlight I really liked her. And many of the other characters as well. They have distinct voices and behavior, and a lot of them are easy to get attached to.
The Urban Fantasy setting is typical insofar that it involves a (murder) mystery and a city inhabited by different supernatural creatures. The latter (Barrani, Aerians etc.) however aren't any I have encountered in other UF series for now. No vampires or shapeshifters, no fairies or angels. I'm not sure if some of them will turn out to be similar beings just with different names (apparently there are also some dragons?), but for now they are rather creative and fresh. There are also mages, who I find kind of under-represented in UF.
The ending was possibly one of the strongest resolution to a murder mystery in any UF series I know. It wasn't just the “now we found the criminal, we go in to fight, beat him and the end”.
November 29, 2011
This short (4 hour) novella was a free download from Audible, so what did I have to lose? Apparently it is a "prequel" to the author's fantasy series, which I have not read.
Kaylin is a 13-year-old girl living in a rather generic fantasy kingdom that has a variety of non-humans: immortals, lion-men, hawk-men, dragons, a few other creatures. Kaylin herself is your basic standard-issue Spunky Street Rat with Issues - and Very Special Powers, of course. After a failed attempt to assassinate a noble, for inexplicable reasons the Hawk Lord decides to make her the mascot of the generic medieval fantasy multi-racial magic cops, where she is taken under their wing and endears herself to everyone with her spunk... and her Very Special Powers, of course. The plot involves children being abducted and used by Very Bad People for Very Bad Things.
The story moved along and it was a decent listen, but eminently forgettable. The prose was annoyingly repetitive (many, many instances of "blah blah blah, was the [insert adjective here] response") and Kaylin never really came alive for me, as the author couldn't decide whether she's a hardbitten waif who grew up on the mean streets or a soft-hearted child and Hero-in-training. Likewise, you'd expect a story involving children being sacrificed would have a touch of grimdark, but the author is afraid to do more than tip-toe up to the line there.
So, meh. As long as it's free, it's worth a download and a listen if you like medieval fantasy, but it did not succeed in its presumed goal of making me want to read the series.
Kaylin is a 13-year-old girl living in a rather generic fantasy kingdom that has a variety of non-humans: immortals, lion-men, hawk-men, dragons, a few other creatures. Kaylin herself is your basic standard-issue Spunky Street Rat with Issues - and Very Special Powers, of course. After a failed attempt to assassinate a noble, for inexplicable reasons the Hawk Lord decides to make her the mascot of the generic medieval fantasy multi-racial magic cops, where she is taken under their wing and endears herself to everyone with her spunk... and her Very Special Powers, of course. The plot involves children being abducted and used by Very Bad People for Very Bad Things.
The story moved along and it was a decent listen, but eminently forgettable. The prose was annoyingly repetitive (many, many instances of "blah blah blah, was the [insert adjective here] response") and Kaylin never really came alive for me, as the author couldn't decide whether she's a hardbitten waif who grew up on the mean streets or a soft-hearted child and Hero-in-training. Likewise, you'd expect a story involving children being sacrificed would have a touch of grimdark, but the author is afraid to do more than tip-toe up to the line there.
So, meh. As long as it's free, it's worth a download and a listen if you like medieval fantasy, but it did not succeed in its presumed goal of making me want to read the series.
December 3, 2011
Ok, I have to first say that this started by saying it was a Harlequin Book and I cringed. The last free book I got from audible.com that was a Harlequin was called Vampires Tango and well come on the name of that last one kind of screamed Fabio w/ Fangs, but it was actually good and not about being "sexy". When I started Cast in Moonlight I had no idea what to expect the description is not even really a description but I needed something short to take on and this is what I chose. The intro told me it was a Harlequin Book and my skin did that crawl and well, it is not a romance. This book is so great that it had me on edge within the first 5 minutes and kept me going nonstop until I just finished it at 4:13 am.
Michelle Sagra's writing is really captivating and the characters are just wonderful, I think I am in love (no not that way) with them all. I found myself freaking out that this book was so short and would be over so quickly. The story was that good. Then I did a bit of digging and I found out that there are 6 other books in this series, and that Cast in Moonlight seems to be some kind of revival prequel, this is my guess and not what anything online says so take it with a grain of salt. I was so excited by Cast in Moonlight that I ran straight to Audible and put the 6 books from the series in my to-read shelf. I can only hope that he books keep me as entertained. I give this book a solid 5 stars and recommend it for EVERYONE, even kids. I am not aware if the book is a YA but it kicks Twilight's ass.
Michelle Sagra's writing is really captivating and the characters are just wonderful, I think I am in love (no not that way) with them all. I found myself freaking out that this book was so short and would be over so quickly. The story was that good. Then I did a bit of digging and I found out that there are 6 other books in this series, and that Cast in Moonlight seems to be some kind of revival prequel, this is my guess and not what anything online says so take it with a grain of salt. I was so excited by Cast in Moonlight that I ran straight to Audible and put the 6 books from the series in my to-read shelf. I can only hope that he books keep me as entertained. I give this book a solid 5 stars and recommend it for EVERYONE, even kids. I am not aware if the book is a YA but it kicks Twilight's ass.
March 22, 2025
This novella is a prequel to the Chronicles of Elantra, taking place seven years before the first novel. I liked it very much indeed. I note that I think this will have more impact and be easier to follow if you read the start of the series first.
4.5 out of 5 found stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
4.5 out of 5 found stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
October 20, 2013
Cast in Moonlight is a wonderful novella by Michelle Sagara, telling some of the events before Cast in Shadow, the first novel in her Elantra series. Kaylin meets (and charms) her future Hawk co-workers and is drawn into her first magical investigation. I recommend reading Cast in Moonlight first; it does an excellent job of establishing Kaylin's character and introducing the complex multi-species world of Elantra.
September 5, 2020
I happen to be reading this series in order. So Cast In Moonlight is serving as my introduction in to Elantra as a whole.
While the scope of Kaylin's story is kept blessedly small. There is a great deal of world building going on for a major portion of the story.
Leaving character and plot development woefully lacking.
And by extension leaving readers with more questions than answers about Kaylin, her origions, her powers, and who she is as a whole.
For such a short read, the tedium of the world building made getting through this tale quite the experience.
Although it must also be said that my introduction to said world and its inhabitants, has more than wet my appetite for future reads.
The contemporary tone of the book, a'la Kate Daniels, was also quite a welcome surprise.
Though I was expecting a much older heroine.
While the scope of Kaylin's story is kept blessedly small. There is a great deal of world building going on for a major portion of the story.
Leaving character and plot development woefully lacking.
And by extension leaving readers with more questions than answers about Kaylin, her origions, her powers, and who she is as a whole.
For such a short read, the tedium of the world building made getting through this tale quite the experience.
Although it must also be said that my introduction to said world and its inhabitants, has more than wet my appetite for future reads.
The contemporary tone of the book, a'la Kate Daniels, was also quite a welcome surprise.
Though I was expecting a much older heroine.
August 3, 2013
This was my introduction to "The Chronicles of Elantra" by Michele Sagara. I was impressed by the book, her creation of a believable world and several intriguing races. Enough so that I am several books into the series at this point.
November 23, 2011
This was a great glimpse into how Kaylin went from street kid living in the fiefs to a Hawk in training. It really put me in the mood to catch up on this series.
April 7, 2019
3.5 Stars Despite the misleading blurb, this was a great introduction to the Chronicles of Elantra. Having already read several of the books in this series, it was nice to go back and read about how 13 year old Kaylin Neya got from the deadly streets of Nightshade to working with the Hawks, who patrol and police the City of Elantra. The book is jam packed with information on the various races that make up this wold. Its a pleasant surprise to find that the different races are not shape shifters changing from human form into beasts and birds but are instead a blend of both. Kaylin is particularly fascinated with the Hawks and the fact that they can fly using their massive wings. There seems to be a bit of a spark between Kaylin and Clint one of the Hawks or is it just that she loves his wings. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
March 20, 2018
2.5 Stars
December 9, 2020
2nd re-read 12/18
3rd re-read 12/7-12/8/2020
I actually read Cast in Moonlight in the anthology Harvest Moon.I finished the antho on 7/10/15.
This is the 1st time I am reading something by this author. Great intro to her writing style.
Cast in Moonlight is a wonderful novella by Michelle Sagara, telling of events that occurred before Cast in Shadow, the first novel in her Elantra series.
When I read this story I was speechless, in awe, and spellbound! There had to be more. Come on I wanted more so bad. I had so many questions. When I found out this was a beginning to a actually expanded series I was ecstatic. I think I jumped up and down a few times so excited. Laughs. I am pretty picky with my books. The majority I get from the library, a few I buy and then donate. I only buy and keep my fav author's 2 series Tortall and Circle series by Tamora Pierce and my 2nd fav author Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey. I have in my house all 8 Harry Potter books to re-read and Diane Duane's Wizards series to give as a gift or reread not sure yet. So yeah I am pretty choosy about what I buy and keep to reread. It's rare when I get the urge but this series did it for me.=0)
In this story we meet Kaylin Neya.Kaylin is not your average 13-year-old.She is a thief, a fugitive and an attempted assassin. She also has a smart mouth, sharp wits and mysterious markings on her skin. Kaylin was living in the slums of her world of Elantra.To survive, she had had to obey the lord of those slums, who's last order was to send her to kill the lord of the Hawks, the police force of the city.Not surprisingly, she is unable to do so and is captured. Resigned to her death, she is suspicious when the lord of the Hawk fails to have her executed .The Hawklord makes her join the ranks of the Hawks as punishment.(Eyebrow raised!) Kaylin accepts having nothing to lose. She tries to fit in at the same time wondering what the Hawklord's motives are.However, the mutilated bodies of young children keep being discovered and Kaylin who has always had a weakness for those younger than herself joins the investigation.
Nightshade is a fief (a neighborhood) in which a series of ritual killings occurred a year ago. Elantra is the city in which all this occurs.
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The world Michelle paints is so vivid. So easy to see in my minds eye and watch everything play out. Love the humor. Still laugh and cry on the 3rd re-read. Talk about a great story! =0)
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Spoiler
Note to self; Elantra
Kaylin Neya(13yo,mortal,assassin,ex-thief,fiefling, orphan,Kitling, survivor of Nightshade ritual killings,tattoos appeared on her body, ability to see and perform magic, experiment trainee Hawk in early education,new Hawk mascot)
Lord Grammayre(Hawklord,Aerian,commander of the Hawks,one Lord of Law)
Sergeant Marcus Kassan(Leontine,Hawk,Iron Jaw,Halls of Law investigations)+Kayala(Leontine,1st oldest of five wives)+Graylin(Leontine, one of his five wives)+Reesa(Leontine,one of his five wives),
Leanndra(Leontine,his daughter,1 of 3)
Caitlin(mortal,Hawk, Sergeant's aide,Foundling Hall volunteer)
Teela(Barrani,Corporal Hawk,ex-Arcanist,partner)
Tain(Barrani, Corporal Hawk,partner)
Red(Reginald,mortal,Hawk's coroner,runs the morgue Halls of Law)
Clint of the Camaraan Flight(Aerian,Hawk,Halls of Law door guard)
Navarre(Hawk,Halls of Law door guard)
Tanner(mortal,Hawk,Halls of Law door guard)
Morlan(Aerian,Halls of Law/Hawk,in charge of the infirmary,spotted wings)
Sanabalis(member The Imperial Order of Mages,Dragon Lord,mentor)
Barrani Arcanist Lord
Garadin(older Tha'alani,telepath,Hawk liaison)
Eternal Emperor(Dragon)
Ceridath Morlanne(member The Imperial Order of Mages,grandfather,ex-pupil,lied during exam)
Meredith(8yo, Ceridath granddaughter,ex-kidnap survivor)
Magister Dreury(head of The Imperial Order of Mages)
Farris(member of The Imperial Order of Mages,lied)
Captain Neall(Wolf)
Joey(Hawk)
Lord of Wolves(Captain)
Nightshade(Barrani,fieflord,outcast)
Missing Persons(front hall,public face of Halls)
3rd re-read 12/7-12/8/2020
I actually read Cast in Moonlight in the anthology Harvest Moon.I finished the antho on 7/10/15.
This is the 1st time I am reading something by this author. Great intro to her writing style.
Cast in Moonlight is a wonderful novella by Michelle Sagara, telling of events that occurred before Cast in Shadow, the first novel in her Elantra series.
When I read this story I was speechless, in awe, and spellbound! There had to be more. Come on I wanted more so bad. I had so many questions. When I found out this was a beginning to a actually expanded series I was ecstatic. I think I jumped up and down a few times so excited. Laughs. I am pretty picky with my books. The majority I get from the library, a few I buy and then donate. I only buy and keep my fav author's 2 series Tortall and Circle series by Tamora Pierce and my 2nd fav author Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey. I have in my house all 8 Harry Potter books to re-read and Diane Duane's Wizards series to give as a gift or reread not sure yet. So yeah I am pretty choosy about what I buy and keep to reread. It's rare when I get the urge but this series did it for me.=0)
In this story we meet Kaylin Neya.Kaylin is not your average 13-year-old.She is a thief, a fugitive and an attempted assassin. She also has a smart mouth, sharp wits and mysterious markings on her skin. Kaylin was living in the slums of her world of Elantra.To survive, she had had to obey the lord of those slums, who's last order was to send her to kill the lord of the Hawks, the police force of the city.Not surprisingly, she is unable to do so and is captured. Resigned to her death, she is suspicious when the lord of the Hawk fails to have her executed .The Hawklord makes her join the ranks of the Hawks as punishment.(Eyebrow raised!) Kaylin accepts having nothing to lose. She tries to fit in at the same time wondering what the Hawklord's motives are.However, the mutilated bodies of young children keep being discovered and Kaylin who has always had a weakness for those younger than herself joins the investigation.
Nightshade is a fief (a neighborhood) in which a series of ritual killings occurred a year ago. Elantra is the city in which all this occurs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The world Michelle paints is so vivid. So easy to see in my minds eye and watch everything play out. Love the humor. Still laugh and cry on the 3rd re-read. Talk about a great story! =0)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spoiler
Note to self; Elantra
Kaylin Neya(13yo,mortal,assassin,ex-thief,fiefling, orphan,Kitling, survivor of Nightshade ritual killings,tattoos appeared on her body, ability to see and perform magic, experiment trainee Hawk in early education,new Hawk mascot)
Lord Grammayre(Hawklord,Aerian,commander of the Hawks,one Lord of Law)
Sergeant Marcus Kassan(Leontine,Hawk,Iron Jaw,Halls of Law investigations)+Kayala(Leontine,1st oldest of five wives)+Graylin(Leontine, one of his five wives)+Reesa(Leontine,one of his five wives),
Leanndra(Leontine,his daughter,1 of 3)
Caitlin(mortal,Hawk, Sergeant's aide,Foundling Hall volunteer)
Teela(Barrani,Corporal Hawk,ex-Arcanist,partner)
Tain(Barrani, Corporal Hawk,partner)
Red(Reginald,mortal,Hawk's coroner,runs the morgue Halls of Law)
Clint of the Camaraan Flight(Aerian,Hawk,Halls of Law door guard)
Navarre(Hawk,Halls of Law door guard)
Tanner(mortal,Hawk,Halls of Law door guard)
Morlan(Aerian,Halls of Law/Hawk,in charge of the infirmary,spotted wings)
Sanabalis(member The Imperial Order of Mages,Dragon Lord,mentor)
Barrani Arcanist Lord
Garadin(older Tha'alani,telepath,Hawk liaison)
Eternal Emperor(Dragon)
Ceridath Morlanne(member The Imperial Order of Mages,grandfather,ex-pupil,lied during exam)
Meredith(8yo, Ceridath granddaughter,ex-kidnap survivor)
Magister Dreury(head of The Imperial Order of Mages)
Farris(member of The Imperial Order of Mages,lied)
Captain Neall(Wolf)
Joey(Hawk)
Lord of Wolves(Captain)
Nightshade(Barrani,fieflord,outcast)
Missing Persons(front hall,public face of Halls)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2017
It's nice to see a back story, but honestly Kaylin's speech and behavior was unrealistic for a 13 year old kid from the slums. She spoke too well, was extremely confident (in an obnoxious way among people and situations of which she's completely ignorant), and started to trust everyone pretty quickly - considering her past experience with Barrani, I don't find that likely. Kaylin sounds too adult, as if Sagara could not separate her from her current character in the novels. I'd like to know why she thinks the Hawklord knows she can heal - and if she's right, how would he know it? I read the first book so long ago that I can't recall whether or not the Hawks really did investigate the child murders in Nightshade, but I'd really like to know why they would do that, since the fiefs are completely outside their jurisdiction, and that sort of interference seems to be unlikely for Nightshade to allow. Also, wouldn't Kaylin have encountered the Hawks earlier if they investigated something that close to her?
The author needs to pay slightly more attention to detail. The first mage introduces himself, then on the next page it refers to him as "the mage that no one bothered to introduce." Although I always enjoy the books, when I really think about it, they actually need a lot of work - frequently the antagonist won't even be named, and the crime itself isn't explained. For example, in this novella I'd have liked to see the conclusion of the Wolves' investigation, and for the entire crime to make more sense. What were they accomplishing? What is the Harvest Moon to the Barrani? Who was the Barrani? Even the Barrani Arcanist wasn't named, though I have a fair guess who he is. I find this an issue with all the Elantra books - they have decent writing but also tend to go on incomprehensibly about magic and events while skipping details that are actually important. It seems like kidnapping children, particularly humans, is just par for the course for every evil guy out there, to accomplish something or other. And being The Chosen is important, even though the Dragons initially wanted to kill her just in case she was dangerous, without having any idea what consequences might occur from her death. After all these years and books, I'm still not sure what Sagara is saying, and frequent wonder if even she understands it.
The author needs to pay slightly more attention to detail. The first mage introduces himself, then on the next page it refers to him as "the mage that no one bothered to introduce." Although I always enjoy the books, when I really think about it, they actually need a lot of work - frequently the antagonist won't even be named, and the crime itself isn't explained. For example, in this novella I'd have liked to see the conclusion of the Wolves' investigation, and for the entire crime to make more sense. What were they accomplishing? What is the Harvest Moon to the Barrani? Who was the Barrani? Even the Barrani Arcanist wasn't named, though I have a fair guess who he is. I find this an issue with all the Elantra books - they have decent writing but also tend to go on incomprehensibly about magic and events while skipping details that are actually important. It seems like kidnapping children, particularly humans, is just par for the course for every evil guy out there, to accomplish something or other. And being The Chosen is important, even though the Dragons initially wanted to kill her just in case she was dangerous, without having any idea what consequences might occur from her death. After all these years and books, I'm still not sure what Sagara is saying, and frequent wonder if even she understands it.
March 26, 2012
Cast in Moonlight is a novella that serves as a prequel to Michelle Sagara West's Elantra series. It's a bit of a police procedural set in a world of high fantasy. I stumbled on to the series and have been hooked ever since.
My review pertains to the audio version narrated quite wonderfully by Khristine Hvam. (Yes, she affects different voices, inflections, and cadences of speech for different characters. This happens to be one of the reasons I enjoy her as a narrator --- Apparently, though (having read other reviews) this puts some people off. As with any audio book, I suggest people check out the sample first to see if a particular narrator is to one's liking.
As to the story:
Having already been somewhat familiar with the series, I found this story to be quite a treat. It was fun seeing a different viewpoint and seeing Kaylin Neya as a true kittling/ 13-year-old girl before she became a Hawk.
Having said that, even though this story is technically a prequel (of sorts), I'm not so sure that it works as well if you aren't already familiar with the characters and the complex world of Elantra. I'd probably rate it 3 stars if I didn't already have a connection to the characters. But since I do, I'm giving it 4 stars.
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If one is looking for the written story, it can be found in the Anthology HARVEST MOON (collection of 3 short stories/novellas by Mercedes Lackey, Michelle Sagara, and Cameron Haley)-- or -- if you have a Kindle you can purchase the individual story separately on Amazon.com. I'm not sure about other e-readers/platforms.
My review pertains to the audio version narrated quite wonderfully by Khristine Hvam. (Yes, she affects different voices, inflections, and cadences of speech for different characters. This happens to be one of the reasons I enjoy her as a narrator --- Apparently, though (having read other reviews) this puts some people off. As with any audio book, I suggest people check out the sample first to see if a particular narrator is to one's liking.
As to the story:
Having already been somewhat familiar with the series, I found this story to be quite a treat. It was fun seeing a different viewpoint and seeing Kaylin Neya as a true kittling/ 13-year-old girl before she became a Hawk.
Having said that, even though this story is technically a prequel (of sorts), I'm not so sure that it works as well if you aren't already familiar with the characters and the complex world of Elantra. I'd probably rate it 3 stars if I didn't already have a connection to the characters. But since I do, I'm giving it 4 stars.
***********************************
If one is looking for the written story, it can be found in the Anthology HARVEST MOON (collection of 3 short stories/novellas by Mercedes Lackey, Michelle Sagara, and Cameron Haley)-- or -- if you have a Kindle you can purchase the individual story separately on Amazon.com. I'm not sure about other e-readers/platforms.
January 1, 2015
This is a prequel for the Chronicles of Elantra. It tells the story of how Kaylin became one of the Hawks (the country's police force) even though she was far too young.
I read a couple of the reviews for this book while I was reading it. They mostly talked about how they had decided to read this before starting the rest of the series. A couple of the reviews said they had decided not to continue. The more I think about it the more I think I am grateful I didn't know this story existed until I was almost at the end of the first book. I had a difficult time getting past the first four chapters in the first book, but once I did I thought it was really good. This story had a lot of the same information I got stuck in, but this time instead of being bogged down I was able to retain more of the information.
I thought the story was really interesting mainly because it answered some of the questions I had already formed. I had wondered why Kaylin was so special not only to the Hawklord and the Sergeant but also the rest of the department. There was a moment during the first book in the climax where Kaylin made a remark about children which didn't make sense to me. I now understand more of what that scene was about.
We spent a lot of time with Kaylin and Caitlin. I enjoyed the enfolding relationship that formed between the two. I could see where a lot of Kaylin's feelings towards the different characters had come from and I think I will hopefully be able to better understand in a greater way what will happen in the future.
I read a couple of the reviews for this book while I was reading it. They mostly talked about how they had decided to read this before starting the rest of the series. A couple of the reviews said they had decided not to continue. The more I think about it the more I think I am grateful I didn't know this story existed until I was almost at the end of the first book. I had a difficult time getting past the first four chapters in the first book, but once I did I thought it was really good. This story had a lot of the same information I got stuck in, but this time instead of being bogged down I was able to retain more of the information.
I thought the story was really interesting mainly because it answered some of the questions I had already formed. I had wondered why Kaylin was so special not only to the Hawklord and the Sergeant but also the rest of the department. There was a moment during the first book in the climax where Kaylin made a remark about children which didn't make sense to me. I now understand more of what that scene was about.
We spent a lot of time with Kaylin and Caitlin. I enjoyed the enfolding relationship that formed between the two. I could see where a lot of Kaylin's feelings towards the different characters had come from and I think I will hopefully be able to better understand in a greater way what will happen in the future.
January 24, 2021
After reading the first book in Sagara's new series set in the world of Elantra, I decided to go back to this "first" novella in the Chronicles of Elantra, as the timelines run somewhat concurrently. This is a fast-paced book, with not much background on Kaylin, other than she's been caught by the Hawk Lord when she tried to assassinate him--at the ripe old age of 13. She's a fief rat and life in the city is new and different--but not so much as she becomes embroiled in the investigation of several child murders. 2017 review: This is a prequel to the series, and tells of how Kaylin Neya first came to the Hawks. It was written well into the series, and I'm torn on whether a reader should start here or go back to it after several books in. In some ways, the books are more intriguing--especially her reactions to Severn and Nightshade--without this backgorund. Still, whereever you read the book in the scheme of the series, it provides an interesting basis for Kaylin's character and motivation. It doesn't answer all the questions--in fact, it might present more than it answers, but to me? That's a good thing.
December 31, 2011
I have just now finished listening to "Cast in Moonlight" by Michelle Sagara on Audiobook. I knew very little of the book when I began reading. It looked interesting to me and the blurb on the site enticed me to read it.
This book seems to me to be written for young, young adults--I think twelve and thirteen year olds would enjoy the characters and the story. It is written simply, the main character is a thirteen year old girl, and she is treated as a child.
In this book there are many different kinds of creatures. It takes place in a dystopian world. The description of these creatures was imaginative. Sometimes, however, it was somewhat distracting and confused me, there were so many different creatures interacting at once. The narrator of the book was also distracting-it seems it would have been better had she used the same voice and not changed pitch and inflection for the different characters.
Overall, the concept of the story was interesting. I liked the main character well enough. I had difficulty with so many different creatures in such a short book and became confused, at times, as to who was who. i think this world is promising but might be better suited to be presented in anime or manga form. Visuals would help, I think.
This book seems to me to be written for young, young adults--I think twelve and thirteen year olds would enjoy the characters and the story. It is written simply, the main character is a thirteen year old girl, and she is treated as a child.
In this book there are many different kinds of creatures. It takes place in a dystopian world. The description of these creatures was imaginative. Sometimes, however, it was somewhat distracting and confused me, there were so many different creatures interacting at once. The narrator of the book was also distracting-it seems it would have been better had she used the same voice and not changed pitch and inflection for the different characters.
Overall, the concept of the story was interesting. I liked the main character well enough. I had difficulty with so many different creatures in such a short book and became confused, at times, as to who was who. i think this world is promising but might be better suited to be presented in anime or manga form. Visuals would help, I think.
February 16, 2012
I am not going to bother reviewing this on my blog. It was a free exclusive on Audible and no longer available. You can get it in a short story collection, but not as a stand alone.
It is a prequel to the Chronicle of Elantra series. This was put out by Harlequin's Luna (their fantasy imprint) and if I had known that I probably wouldn't have listened to it. But it doesn't have any romance in it. It is a simple and decent novella about a 13 year old that gets adopted into the police force in a fantasy world. She has some special, but unknown powers and together with the others they are see that there are a series of child murders.
The description suggests that she is set up as part of a sting operation in a child prostitution ring. But that is not accurate. There were children, they were sold into slavery and then murdered, but no sex involved.
I am mixed about whether I want to read more. Honestly the imprint scares me a bit. I don't mind a bit of romance (I read all of the twilight books), but harlequin is not known for high quality writing. And the fact that this is a prequel with absolutely no romance, and the first book starts 7 years later when she is all grown up makes me a bit wary. If I find it cheap or in the library I might try the first.
It is a prequel to the Chronicle of Elantra series. This was put out by Harlequin's Luna (their fantasy imprint) and if I had known that I probably wouldn't have listened to it. But it doesn't have any romance in it. It is a simple and decent novella about a 13 year old that gets adopted into the police force in a fantasy world. She has some special, but unknown powers and together with the others they are see that there are a series of child murders.
The description suggests that she is set up as part of a sting operation in a child prostitution ring. But that is not accurate. There were children, they were sold into slavery and then murdered, but no sex involved.
I am mixed about whether I want to read more. Honestly the imprint scares me a bit. I don't mind a bit of romance (I read all of the twilight books), but harlequin is not known for high quality writing. And the fact that this is a prequel with absolutely no romance, and the first book starts 7 years later when she is all grown up makes me a bit wary. If I find it cheap or in the library I might try the first.
September 7, 2013
I was fortunate to get this book for free. I don't think I would have purchased it; however, now that I've read it, I'm glad that I did. I plan to start reading the rest of the series. Cast in Moonlight is a prequel to the author's Elantra series, and it introduces the character of Kaylin Neya. Kaylin is a young teenage girl who is wrapped up in a city's investigation into child prostitution.
Of course, this is no ordinary city--and no ordinary investigation. The world of Elantra is filled with a variety of individuals who possess animal-like qualities. One group in particular are the Hawks, who have bird-like qualities.
As Kaylin gets more involved in the investigation, the reader is given additional bits about her history. For example, she is oddly affected by magic. Also, she has very strange marking on her body that are a bit of a mystery.
This book was rather short, so it didn't really have enough substance to explain a lot about Elantra or about Kaylin. I suspect that was the point. As a prequel, it was able to draw me in to this world, and I'm curious about the rest of the series.
Of course, this is no ordinary city--and no ordinary investigation. The world of Elantra is filled with a variety of individuals who possess animal-like qualities. One group in particular are the Hawks, who have bird-like qualities.
As Kaylin gets more involved in the investigation, the reader is given additional bits about her history. For example, she is oddly affected by magic. Also, she has very strange marking on her body that are a bit of a mystery.
This book was rather short, so it didn't really have enough substance to explain a lot about Elantra or about Kaylin. I suspect that was the point. As a prequel, it was able to draw me in to this world, and I'm curious about the rest of the series.
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