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Dragon Spirits #2
The Shadow Gate: Dragon Spirits, Book 2
Opening the shadow gate is the only way Fenn's memories can be restored—and with them, his life and family.
It could also destroy the world.
Guided by dragon spirit Hassen and manipulated by the Myr, Fenn fights the corruption spreading through Tassar—and himself—in an attempt to find his family. Separated from his allies and unable to trust even his own mind, the arduous journey takes its toll.
Far from home and reunited with her sister, Calidra battles to keep her loved ones safe. But when the fickle loyalties of dragon spirits shifts, and darkness lurks around every corner, running from her fears is no longer an option.
And in the far south, consequences of the past catch up with those fighting for their freedom.
Return to the magic-drenched world of Tassar, where ancient artefacts awaken and the seeds of corruption are sown.
It could also destroy the world.
Guided by dragon spirit Hassen and manipulated by the Myr, Fenn fights the corruption spreading through Tassar—and himself—in an attempt to find his family. Separated from his allies and unable to trust even his own mind, the arduous journey takes its toll.
Far from home and reunited with her sister, Calidra battles to keep her loved ones safe. But when the fickle loyalties of dragon spirits shifts, and darkness lurks around every corner, running from her fears is no longer an option.
And in the far south, consequences of the past catch up with those fighting for their freedom.
Return to the magic-drenched world of Tassar, where ancient artefacts awaken and the seeds of corruption are sown.
Audible Audio
First published April 30, 2023
15 people are currently reading
562 people want to read
About the author
L.L. MacRae
12 books502 followersHello fellow book dragon! Thank you for visiting my author page. :)
I'm a British fantasy author of character-driven stories and epic adventure.
My books contain dragons, bucket-loads of magic, less conventional characters, and are typically fun and hopeful.
I live in a tiny village in the English countryside, have a degree in Psychology, and was a professional copywriter before going full-time as an author—swapping corporate copy for magic and dragons.
Physical copies of my books are available exclusively through my website (or The Broken Binding) and never on Amazon. All paperbacks can be signed/lined/dated and ship internationally: https://llmacrae.com/shop
Book one in my Dragon Spirits Trilogy, The Iron Crown, was a finalist in SPFBO7, and my debut novel, Moroda, was a semi-finalist in SPFBO4. Two of my short stories have also appeared in anthologies.
If you'd like to support me directly, Patreon is the best option! You'll receive weekly updates, behind-the-scenes posts, author essays, and free eBooks/audiobooks as I publish them: https://www.patreon.com/llmacrae
If you send a friend request and we don't have any similar interests or books in common, I'll probably decline. Feel free to follow me, though!
Please don't send me book recommendations or invitations to join groups.
Best wishes and happy reading,
Lauren
I'm a British fantasy author of character-driven stories and epic adventure.
My books contain dragons, bucket-loads of magic, less conventional characters, and are typically fun and hopeful.
I live in a tiny village in the English countryside, have a degree in Psychology, and was a professional copywriter before going full-time as an author—swapping corporate copy for magic and dragons.
Physical copies of my books are available exclusively through my website (or The Broken Binding) and never on Amazon. All paperbacks can be signed/lined/dated and ship internationally: https://llmacrae.com/shop
Book one in my Dragon Spirits Trilogy, The Iron Crown, was a finalist in SPFBO7, and my debut novel, Moroda, was a semi-finalist in SPFBO4. Two of my short stories have also appeared in anthologies.
If you'd like to support me directly, Patreon is the best option! You'll receive weekly updates, behind-the-scenes posts, author essays, and free eBooks/audiobooks as I publish them: https://www.patreon.com/llmacrae
If you send a friend request and we don't have any similar interests or books in common, I'll probably decline. Feel free to follow me, though!
Please don't send me book recommendations or invitations to join groups.
Best wishes and happy reading,
Lauren
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
October 10, 2023
My complete review of The Shadow Gate is published at Grimdark Magazine.
The Shadow Gate is Book Two in the Dragon Spirits series by L.L. MacRae, following up on her excellent first volume, The Iron Crown, which was a finalist in Mark Lawrence’s 7th Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO7).
Grimdark fans will find much to love in The Shadow Gate, which takes the series in a decidedly darker direction. L.L. MacRae also presents an intriguing treatment of gray morality across several of her characters, including the lead protagonist, Fenn, an amnesiac who is trying to recover his lost memories and locate his family, if he still has one. Fenn learns that he is touched by an ancient evil known as the Myr, and he might be playing an unwitting role in their return to the Realm of Tassar. MacRae adeptly builds layers of complexity in Fenn’s character, who is both a sympathetic and potentially dangerous lead.
The Myr themselves are a shadowy threat, haunting the land with death and destruction. L.L. MacRae’s descriptions of the Myr are shrouded in mystery and lore, reminding me of Patrick Rothfuss’s approach to the Chandrian in the Kingkiller Chronicle. Fortunately, the Myr get significantly more page time in The Shadow Gate than the Chandrian have seen thus far in the Kingkiller Chronicle.
L.L. MacRae maintains a fast, even pace throughout The Shadow Gate. She also ups the ante on action, starting from the opening scene which depicts the terrible aftermath of a Myrish attack at Foxmouth, highlighting the death and ruin brought by this otherworldly evil.
The Shadow Gate switches perspectives among several vividly drawn point-of-view characters. Beyond Fenn, my favorite characters from The Iron Crown are back: the hotheaded Calidra and her partner, the loving and supportive Jisyel, whose relationship was a highlight of the first book. Also returning are Torsten, the grand inquisitor who is another masterclass in gray morality; Apollo, a former thief looking to build a better life; Selys, a priestess with competing loyalties; and Varlot, a former soldier trying to escape his violent past.
MacRae’s worldbuilding is phenomenal across both The Iron Crown and The Shadow Gate. This series is manna from heaven for dragon fans. The Shadow Gate features nine dragon spirits, powerful supernatural beings who appear in specific geographical areas such as forests or lakes and are dedicated to protecting their natural realms. The dragon spirits’ powers are channeled through the humans to whom they are bonded. The greatest of the dragon spirits is Toriaken, the enormous spirit of iron, who is bonded with Queen Surayo of the Iron Crown.
The Shadow Gate also brings back L.L. MacRae’s hyperintelligent griffins, who are large enough to carry several people on their backs during flight. Fans of Thiago Abdalla’s griffin-drenched Ashes of Avarin series will also love MacRae’s work.
Overall, The Shadow Gate is a spectacular tour de force in dark epic fantasy. The Dragon Spirits trilogy will conclude with Book Three of the series, The Broken Sword.
The Shadow Gate is Book Two in the Dragon Spirits series by L.L. MacRae, following up on her excellent first volume, The Iron Crown, which was a finalist in Mark Lawrence’s 7th Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO7).
Grimdark fans will find much to love in The Shadow Gate, which takes the series in a decidedly darker direction. L.L. MacRae also presents an intriguing treatment of gray morality across several of her characters, including the lead protagonist, Fenn, an amnesiac who is trying to recover his lost memories and locate his family, if he still has one. Fenn learns that he is touched by an ancient evil known as the Myr, and he might be playing an unwitting role in their return to the Realm of Tassar. MacRae adeptly builds layers of complexity in Fenn’s character, who is both a sympathetic and potentially dangerous lead.
The Myr themselves are a shadowy threat, haunting the land with death and destruction. L.L. MacRae’s descriptions of the Myr are shrouded in mystery and lore, reminding me of Patrick Rothfuss’s approach to the Chandrian in the Kingkiller Chronicle. Fortunately, the Myr get significantly more page time in The Shadow Gate than the Chandrian have seen thus far in the Kingkiller Chronicle.
L.L. MacRae maintains a fast, even pace throughout The Shadow Gate. She also ups the ante on action, starting from the opening scene which depicts the terrible aftermath of a Myrish attack at Foxmouth, highlighting the death and ruin brought by this otherworldly evil.
The Shadow Gate switches perspectives among several vividly drawn point-of-view characters. Beyond Fenn, my favorite characters from The Iron Crown are back: the hotheaded Calidra and her partner, the loving and supportive Jisyel, whose relationship was a highlight of the first book. Also returning are Torsten, the grand inquisitor who is another masterclass in gray morality; Apollo, a former thief looking to build a better life; Selys, a priestess with competing loyalties; and Varlot, a former soldier trying to escape his violent past.
MacRae’s worldbuilding is phenomenal across both The Iron Crown and The Shadow Gate. This series is manna from heaven for dragon fans. The Shadow Gate features nine dragon spirits, powerful supernatural beings who appear in specific geographical areas such as forests or lakes and are dedicated to protecting their natural realms. The dragon spirits’ powers are channeled through the humans to whom they are bonded. The greatest of the dragon spirits is Toriaken, the enormous spirit of iron, who is bonded with Queen Surayo of the Iron Crown.
The Shadow Gate also brings back L.L. MacRae’s hyperintelligent griffins, who are large enough to carry several people on their backs during flight. Fans of Thiago Abdalla’s griffin-drenched Ashes of Avarin series will also love MacRae’s work.
Overall, The Shadow Gate is a spectacular tour de force in dark epic fantasy. The Dragon Spirits trilogy will conclude with Book Three of the series, The Broken Sword.
November 3, 2023
3.5/5 rounded up to 4
I’m so conflicted here. On one hand great magic, story, prose, and everything. Which is what I would expect from the sequel of one of my favorite books. However, the characters feel a bit off to me. This could be because I have been in a bit of a reading slump while reading this book.
The characters didn’t feel like the ones I fell in love with in the first book. They were quick to anger, selfish, erratic, and irrational at times. They form up a bit in the last 20% and start feeling like what I expected but it takes a lot to get them there.
I will be continuing this series and adding this to my collection for sure despite my issues with the characters
Pacing 4.5/5 a bit to fast IMO sometimes we needed to slow down and not be so impulsive
Story 4/5 great as always
Inventiveness 5/5 the war between dragons and Myr is god teir
Characterization 2/5 I really struggled
Structure 5/5 superb as always
Overall a decent read.
I’m so conflicted here. On one hand great magic, story, prose, and everything. Which is what I would expect from the sequel of one of my favorite books. However, the characters feel a bit off to me. This could be because I have been in a bit of a reading slump while reading this book.
The characters didn’t feel like the ones I fell in love with in the first book. They were quick to anger, selfish, erratic, and irrational at times. They form up a bit in the last 20% and start feeling like what I expected but it takes a lot to get them there.
I will be continuing this series and adding this to my collection for sure despite my issues with the characters
Pacing 4.5/5 a bit to fast IMO sometimes we needed to slow down and not be so impulsive
Story 4/5 great as always
Inventiveness 5/5 the war between dragons and Myr is god teir
Characterization 2/5 I really struggled
Structure 5/5 superb as always
Overall a decent read.
September 25, 2023
I am absolutely starstruck on how great this sequel was. Been a huge fan of MacRae for a while but this is next level.
Everything wowed. Repeatedly. Our main POVs each pulling me in beside them in their struggles. Feeling their emotions while both cheering them on and fearing their plights.
The otherworldly Myr are downright sinister and creepy.
The dragon spirits fearsome and destructive.
It’s griffons powerful and majestic.
It’s Queen strong and authoritative.
Everything written has inspired vivid imagery for me in this epic engrossing world. This is the darkest book I’ve read from this author and I loved each and every inch of it.
I had been waiting for this book for quite some time. Was completely honoured when the author gifted me this ARC.
Let me tell you…it was so worth the wait.
One of the best fantasy books I’ve read period. 🏆
Everything wowed. Repeatedly. Our main POVs each pulling me in beside them in their struggles. Feeling their emotions while both cheering them on and fearing their plights.
The otherworldly Myr are downright sinister and creepy.
The dragon spirits fearsome and destructive.
It’s griffons powerful and majestic.
It’s Queen strong and authoritative.
Everything written has inspired vivid imagery for me in this epic engrossing world. This is the darkest book I’ve read from this author and I loved each and every inch of it.
I had been waiting for this book for quite some time. Was completely honoured when the author gifted me this ARC.
Let me tell you…it was so worth the wait.
One of the best fantasy books I’ve read period. 🏆
October 18, 2023
4.5/5
The Shadow Gate is the second book of The Dragon Spirits series and is the sequel to The Iron Crown. I really enjoyed The Iron Crown, it was a strong, solid, fun fantasy book. This however, is excellent. It’s a huge step up from its predecessor in every single way. Lauren has smashed it here.
Everything is an improvement upon what was already something very strong. The prose is a step up, Lauren’s writing style has become so much smoother. The story just flows seamlessly and before you know it, you’re another 100 pages deep without realising it. There is no fluff or fat, everything written is perfectly concise; with it all lending strength and mattering. Whether that be fleshing out the world building(which is brilliant), or further characterising the characters - nothing goes to waste. On the subject of world building, the world of Tassar feels like a genuine, lived in place. There’s diversity among the many different countries, each with their own fleshed out culture.
I said it in my review of The Iron Crown and it bears repeating here; Lauren’s portrayal of dragons in this series is easily one of the most authentic and refreshing that I’ve come across. It’s without a doubt one of my favourite elements of this series. It feels so refreshing to not have dragons as the typical malevolent or regal creatures that work as either forces of mass destruction as they preside over their hoards, or just glorified beasts of burden. Tying them to not just the religion of this story but also the magic system is a breath of fresh air. Each Dragon Spirit has their own unique identity as well as associated power. The Dragon Spirits themselves feel very Japanese mythology inspired which I’m all for.
My ever so slight criticism is that this time around, there wasn’t as much focus on the characters of Apollo and Torsten. In my mind, these two are the series best characters by far, and the more Lauren utilises them, the stronger the series can only be. That said, what we do see of them is nothing short of excellent. The characters in this series are a huge strength. The good guys are good, and the bad guys are bad. It’s simple, but that’s all it needs to be. You root for the good guys, you want the bad ones to get their comeuppance. Torsten however as a character is wonderfully deep and as much of a nob I think he is I can’t help but empathise with his relationship with his bonded dragon spirit.
The Dragon Spirits is very quickly becoming one of my favourite indie fantasy series to date, with The Shadow Gate playing a huge role in that. The entire concept is just so authentic. It feels like a mishmash of both Western and Eastern themes, as well as giving off huge anime, Ghibli and Final Fantasy style vibes. Each book just gets better and better and if this one was any indication to go by, it seems like The Broken Sword will be another incredible entry.
The Shadow Gate is the second book of The Dragon Spirits series and is the sequel to The Iron Crown. I really enjoyed The Iron Crown, it was a strong, solid, fun fantasy book. This however, is excellent. It’s a huge step up from its predecessor in every single way. Lauren has smashed it here.
Everything is an improvement upon what was already something very strong. The prose is a step up, Lauren’s writing style has become so much smoother. The story just flows seamlessly and before you know it, you’re another 100 pages deep without realising it. There is no fluff or fat, everything written is perfectly concise; with it all lending strength and mattering. Whether that be fleshing out the world building(which is brilliant), or further characterising the characters - nothing goes to waste. On the subject of world building, the world of Tassar feels like a genuine, lived in place. There’s diversity among the many different countries, each with their own fleshed out culture.
I said it in my review of The Iron Crown and it bears repeating here; Lauren’s portrayal of dragons in this series is easily one of the most authentic and refreshing that I’ve come across. It’s without a doubt one of my favourite elements of this series. It feels so refreshing to not have dragons as the typical malevolent or regal creatures that work as either forces of mass destruction as they preside over their hoards, or just glorified beasts of burden. Tying them to not just the religion of this story but also the magic system is a breath of fresh air. Each Dragon Spirit has their own unique identity as well as associated power. The Dragon Spirits themselves feel very Japanese mythology inspired which I’m all for.
My ever so slight criticism is that this time around, there wasn’t as much focus on the characters of Apollo and Torsten. In my mind, these two are the series best characters by far, and the more Lauren utilises them, the stronger the series can only be. That said, what we do see of them is nothing short of excellent. The characters in this series are a huge strength. The good guys are good, and the bad guys are bad. It’s simple, but that’s all it needs to be. You root for the good guys, you want the bad ones to get their comeuppance. Torsten however as a character is wonderfully deep and as much of a nob I think he is I can’t help but empathise with his relationship with his bonded dragon spirit.
The Dragon Spirits is very quickly becoming one of my favourite indie fantasy series to date, with The Shadow Gate playing a huge role in that. The entire concept is just so authentic. It feels like a mishmash of both Western and Eastern themes, as well as giving off huge anime, Ghibli and Final Fantasy style vibes. Each book just gets better and better and if this one was any indication to go by, it seems like The Broken Sword will be another incredible entry.
January 28, 2025
Disclaimer: I worked on this book as a (hopefully) helpful editor, and this series is very dear to my heart, but my review is, as always, honest.
I can confidently say that this book does not suffer from middle book syndrome. It's better than The Iron Crown.
I won't talk too much about the actual plot because it's a sequel, but I do have a few thoughts about some of these characters.
Firstly, they really get to grow, especially Torsten and Calidra. Secondly, we get to know them better, especially Selys, who I originally wasn't that interested in, and Jisyel.
I was a fan of Torsten in the first book already, but here he really stood out to me as a morally grey, conflicted person, who is trying to be dutiful, but also cares so very much about his brother, a dying dragon spirit.
Calidra, on the other hand, must learn that she cannot control everything, and that sometimes it's better to let go. I adore the way MacRae explores the dynamic between the two estranged siblings who both grew up with an abusive mother. They carry a lot of emotional baggage, and I love them to bits.
And then there's Fenn. Fenn, my dear, Fenn. I wanted to smack the man, but bless him, he tries, unaware just how much he's fumbling around in the dark.
In The Iron Crown we meet a handful of powerful dragon spirits. Some are mischievous, some are more powerful than others, some are not what I would call pleasant, others are entirely benevolent. In The Shadow Gate, we get to see even more of these spirits, and it's really one of the aspects I enjoy the most about this series, and this time around they get to fight.
Epic dragon battles? Yes, please.
MacRae's writing is fantastic and has evolved even more. I love watching an author grow. She has a strong and distinct voice and the ability to seamlessly weave her world-building into action in order to avoid info dumps.
Overall, The Shadow Gate is an exciting sequel to The Iron Crown, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys epic fantasy with rich world-building, complex characters, and of course, dragons.
MacRae has, once again, delivered a thrilling and engaging adventure, and I can't wait to see where the series goes next.
I can confidently say that this book does not suffer from middle book syndrome. It's better than The Iron Crown.
I won't talk too much about the actual plot because it's a sequel, but I do have a few thoughts about some of these characters.
Firstly, they really get to grow, especially Torsten and Calidra. Secondly, we get to know them better, especially Selys, who I originally wasn't that interested in, and Jisyel.
I was a fan of Torsten in the first book already, but here he really stood out to me as a morally grey, conflicted person, who is trying to be dutiful, but also cares so very much about his brother, a dying dragon spirit.
Calidra, on the other hand, must learn that she cannot control everything, and that sometimes it's better to let go. I adore the way MacRae explores the dynamic between the two estranged siblings who both grew up with an abusive mother. They carry a lot of emotional baggage, and I love them to bits.
And then there's Fenn. Fenn, my dear, Fenn. I wanted to smack the man, but bless him, he tries, unaware just how much he's fumbling around in the dark.
In The Iron Crown we meet a handful of powerful dragon spirits. Some are mischievous, some are more powerful than others, some are not what I would call pleasant, others are entirely benevolent. In The Shadow Gate, we get to see even more of these spirits, and it's really one of the aspects I enjoy the most about this series, and this time around they get to fight.
Epic dragon battles? Yes, please.
MacRae's writing is fantastic and has evolved even more. I love watching an author grow. She has a strong and distinct voice and the ability to seamlessly weave her world-building into action in order to avoid info dumps.
Overall, The Shadow Gate is an exciting sequel to The Iron Crown, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys epic fantasy with rich world-building, complex characters, and of course, dragons.
MacRae has, once again, delivered a thrilling and engaging adventure, and I can't wait to see where the series goes next.
July 18, 2024
The Citrine Key ★★★ 3/4
The Iron Crown ★★★★
The Shadow Gate ★★★★
I was happy to receive a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review. The Iron Crown was my group's pick for best SPFBO book two years ago. I thought the story was well written with dragons and a cool magic system. This is the sequel and maybe not so surprisingly it doesn't suffer from middle book syndrome!
Though the book has a summary of book one -and much appreciation for MacRae for that- I think some of the finer details were lost to me and I would have preferred to read it closer to book one. I don't usually do re-reads otherwise I would have done so. The writing is good though and the pacing is somewhere in the middle with middle length chapters.
The book will appeal to Dragon fans with its unique magic system mixing magic with dragons but also other creatures like Griffins. The sequel builds upon what was established in book one and we get to see more action.
In short, it was an enjoyable sequel. Fans of book one will probably enjoy it as much. The story will wrap up in book three. Looking forward to it.
The Iron Crown ★★★★
The Shadow Gate ★★★★
I was happy to receive a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review. The Iron Crown was my group's pick for best SPFBO book two years ago. I thought the story was well written with dragons and a cool magic system. This is the sequel and maybe not so surprisingly it doesn't suffer from middle book syndrome!
Though the book has a summary of book one -and much appreciation for MacRae for that- I think some of the finer details were lost to me and I would have preferred to read it closer to book one. I don't usually do re-reads otherwise I would have done so. The writing is good though and the pacing is somewhere in the middle with middle length chapters.
The book will appeal to Dragon fans with its unique magic system mixing magic with dragons but also other creatures like Griffins. The sequel builds upon what was established in book one and we get to see more action.
In short, it was an enjoyable sequel. Fans of book one will probably enjoy it as much. The story will wrap up in book three. Looking forward to it.
April 17, 2023
* You can find my full video review here: https://youtu.be/kuXpXDhbkI4 *
I really loved The Iron Crown, and its prequel novella, The Citrine Key. I just thought the overall concept was fresh and exciting for someone who loves epic fantasy, and loves dragons, but sometimes finds them to be a bit boring, if I’m honest. Here, L.L. MacRae has, with quite a simple move, made dragons exciting again.
As soon as I picked up The Shadow Gate, I just felt at home with it. It’s a really special thing when you find a book, or an author who just seems to get you. And for me, The Dragon Spirits is definitely in that number.
There’s so much to love about The Shadow Gate, but I felt that the dragon spirits really come into their own here with some truly epic scenes, I mean, what could be more epic than two massive dragons duking it out in the skies above? If there was ever any doubt why the series is called Dragon Spirits, those doubts are more than answered in this book.
We see so much more of them, with even the smaller dragons (relatively speaking) having a big presence, and I like the way that’s accomplished. Here though, we start to see the real might of these dragon spirits, including the great archons. And when you see a chapter title like “The Archon of Lightning”, you know you’re in for a treat.
There are nine (named) dragon spirits in this book, and they each have personality that sets them apart, so it’s not just “another dragon” whenever one of them pops up. They are characters in their own right, which can be a difficult thing to manage, but which I think was done very well here.
For the more traditional characters, there were a lot of high points too. I really enjoyed the journey they each went on, sometimes on their own, sometimes with others for support. The actual character development is quite subtle as you’re reading and enjoying the story, but when you look at where each of them will be at the start of book three, they will all have some major differences compared to how we met them in book one, and even to where they first returned in book two.
Initially, I started off thinking that Finn and Jisyel (as individuals) would have a very different dynamic in book three, but then I added in Torsten, and Calidra, and Apollo, and then I realised that, actually, I can say it for pretty much all of the major characters. For an author to do that, to have such a marked change in her characters, but to have it happen so organically through the storytelling rather than just from big obvious triggers, is no mean feat.
Often I find when there is a big change in a character, it can backfire. The character can become less relatable, or less likeable even. Here, I didn’t find that for any of them. I was excited to see the changes, and to think how these changes will impact the continuing story.
Onto the worldbuilding, and I like how we got a good mix of new locations while also expanding on previously visited locations, plus there are some areas that will be new to those who haven’t read The Citrine Key.
(Sidenote: The Citrine Key is set five years before both The Iron Crown and The Shadow Gate, and while you can read it after The Iron Crown, I would definitely recommend reading it before The Shadow Gate because there is a fair bit that gets referred back to. I don’t think it’s enough to leave you scratching your head, unsure of what’s going on if you skip it, but it will definitely fill in the gaps as you read the story here.)
As it is, for someone who has read The Citrine Key as well, I like how we revisit the main setting of the novella and in doing so, we see so much more. It’s not just endless ice and snow, and going there at this point of the story really helps with some of the character development we see.
Like any good epic fantasy though, the expansion of the world is gradually increased as the story progresses, showing us just how big this world really is. I think it’s well handled, with the amount we see nicely following the line of “just right” – meaning that we see a good amount here, but there’s plenty left to potentially be unveiled in the third book of the trilogy.
As far as that third book goes, with the growth we see here in the world and the characters, and the way the story just keeps building, I cannot wait to see what happens next.
I really loved The Iron Crown, and its prequel novella, The Citrine Key. I just thought the overall concept was fresh and exciting for someone who loves epic fantasy, and loves dragons, but sometimes finds them to be a bit boring, if I’m honest. Here, L.L. MacRae has, with quite a simple move, made dragons exciting again.
As soon as I picked up The Shadow Gate, I just felt at home with it. It’s a really special thing when you find a book, or an author who just seems to get you. And for me, The Dragon Spirits is definitely in that number.
There’s so much to love about The Shadow Gate, but I felt that the dragon spirits really come into their own here with some truly epic scenes, I mean, what could be more epic than two massive dragons duking it out in the skies above? If there was ever any doubt why the series is called Dragon Spirits, those doubts are more than answered in this book.
We see so much more of them, with even the smaller dragons (relatively speaking) having a big presence, and I like the way that’s accomplished. Here though, we start to see the real might of these dragon spirits, including the great archons. And when you see a chapter title like “The Archon of Lightning”, you know you’re in for a treat.
There are nine (named) dragon spirits in this book, and they each have personality that sets them apart, so it’s not just “another dragon” whenever one of them pops up. They are characters in their own right, which can be a difficult thing to manage, but which I think was done very well here.
For the more traditional characters, there were a lot of high points too. I really enjoyed the journey they each went on, sometimes on their own, sometimes with others for support. The actual character development is quite subtle as you’re reading and enjoying the story, but when you look at where each of them will be at the start of book three, they will all have some major differences compared to how we met them in book one, and even to where they first returned in book two.
Initially, I started off thinking that Finn and Jisyel (as individuals) would have a very different dynamic in book three, but then I added in Torsten, and Calidra, and Apollo, and then I realised that, actually, I can say it for pretty much all of the major characters. For an author to do that, to have such a marked change in her characters, but to have it happen so organically through the storytelling rather than just from big obvious triggers, is no mean feat.
Often I find when there is a big change in a character, it can backfire. The character can become less relatable, or less likeable even. Here, I didn’t find that for any of them. I was excited to see the changes, and to think how these changes will impact the continuing story.
Onto the worldbuilding, and I like how we got a good mix of new locations while also expanding on previously visited locations, plus there are some areas that will be new to those who haven’t read The Citrine Key.
(Sidenote: The Citrine Key is set five years before both The Iron Crown and The Shadow Gate, and while you can read it after The Iron Crown, I would definitely recommend reading it before The Shadow Gate because there is a fair bit that gets referred back to. I don’t think it’s enough to leave you scratching your head, unsure of what’s going on if you skip it, but it will definitely fill in the gaps as you read the story here.)
As it is, for someone who has read The Citrine Key as well, I like how we revisit the main setting of the novella and in doing so, we see so much more. It’s not just endless ice and snow, and going there at this point of the story really helps with some of the character development we see.
Like any good epic fantasy though, the expansion of the world is gradually increased as the story progresses, showing us just how big this world really is. I think it’s well handled, with the amount we see nicely following the line of “just right” – meaning that we see a good amount here, but there’s plenty left to potentially be unveiled in the third book of the trilogy.
As far as that third book goes, with the growth we see here in the world and the characters, and the way the story just keeps building, I cannot wait to see what happens next.
April 15, 2023
Wow.
I need book 3, right away!!! How you gonna leave it like that LL!!!
I read book 1 in this series as part of my SPFBO7 review and it was brilliant and very nearly five stars. This follow up, is a step up in quality, the characters have even more depth and the story rockets along from the very first page. This book is worthy of all 5 stars
The author is incredible at world building and the imagery created in this novel is outstanding. Every page came to life in my minds-eye . The dragons are spectacular on the page and at times I found myself closing my eyes to imagine them in all their glory. I adore the way in which the author has created this imagery. Only Robin Hobb has written dragons that I can believe in, as much as this story
Fenn who I found a little dry in book 1, has a full arc in book 2. I found his chapters to be captivating. His inner turmoil between doing what is deemed to be right by everyone else and following his own desires/needs , was probably my favourite bit of character writing in this novel.
I massively appreciated the way the different PoVs used, created a story with multiple layers and threads. Not every PoV was my favourite but I can fully understand how and why they were needed and used.
The pacing was excellent throughout the story. Slow and measured when there was a need to build suspense and back story, but also fast and moving when events were unfolding.
I loved this book. One of my favourites this year already .
I need book 3, right away!!! How you gonna leave it like that LL!!!
I read book 1 in this series as part of my SPFBO7 review and it was brilliant and very nearly five stars. This follow up, is a step up in quality, the characters have even more depth and the story rockets along from the very first page. This book is worthy of all 5 stars
The author is incredible at world building and the imagery created in this novel is outstanding. Every page came to life in my minds-eye . The dragons are spectacular on the page and at times I found myself closing my eyes to imagine them in all their glory. I adore the way in which the author has created this imagery. Only Robin Hobb has written dragons that I can believe in, as much as this story
Fenn who I found a little dry in book 1, has a full arc in book 2. I found his chapters to be captivating. His inner turmoil between doing what is deemed to be right by everyone else and following his own desires/needs , was probably my favourite bit of character writing in this novel.
I massively appreciated the way the different PoVs used, created a story with multiple layers and threads. Not every PoV was my favourite but I can fully understand how and why they were needed and used.
The pacing was excellent throughout the story. Slow and measured when there was a need to build suspense and back story, but also fast and moving when events were unfolding.
I loved this book. One of my favourites this year already .
November 6, 2023
4.5-stars rounded up t 5.
It's fairly unusual to find book 2 of a series to be even better than book 1 but this book was an example of that for me.
The characters are more fleshed-out, and the story felt more compelling to me plus, I really don't know where the author might be heading in the final book of this trilogy so that adds some excitement for the concluding book.
I would heartily recommend this but don't forget to read The Citrine Key and The Iron Crown first.
It's fairly unusual to find book 2 of a series to be even better than book 1 but this book was an example of that for me.
The characters are more fleshed-out, and the story felt more compelling to me plus, I really don't know where the author might be heading in the final book of this trilogy so that adds some excitement for the concluding book.
I would heartily recommend this but don't forget to read The Citrine Key and The Iron Crown first.
April 15, 2023
You cam read my full review on fanfiaddict.com:
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-the-sh...
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-the-sh...
July 11, 2023
I really enjoyed continuing in this world and I am very glad I went back to it whilst on holiday so I really got the chance to dig into a big expansive fantasy world and really invest back into these characters. This story is sprawling and feels like it has lots of threads all going to different places, but the root of it all is whether or not the Myr are going to take over the Sprits of the Dragons in this world and whether they are truly such a dark force or not. The Myr seem to be able to take over and influence people susceptible, and some of our characters are certainly vulnerable. They also have dark magic which is ominous and could spell doom for the wider fantasy world here, so of course there is a lot at stake!
I liked going back into this story and remembering the curses and the blessings that Dragon Spirits had given to the humans. They are often both a curse and a blessing all at once, and the question of whether Dragon Spirits or the Myr are better to share the world and your mind with comes up a fair bit over the story. We have a lot of viewpoints and so we see the ‘spread’ of the Spirits and the Myr influence through various different eyes and we get to follow the individual journeys of those working for or against the bigger world-ending/re-making that could be coming.
Fenn as a character is someone I don’t particularly like in this book. He felt pretty much like the bad guy and he here was very little wiggle room here to make him likeable whereas in the previous one he didn’t feel as set in stone to me.
Calidra and her family and loved ones had some touching moments and I enjoyed the family bonds which were formed in her plot. Her story is somewhat dysfunctional but I like her and her determination.
I liked Selys and the Pirate-like crew that we see down in the other part of the world. Their inclusion in the story made for some fun moments and some levity and love at times, whilst also adding a new piece of the puzzle into the plot.
Overall a fun second book and it got me firmly back into enjoying fantasy after a bit of a break and also into this world and wanting to see where it might go next. 4*s.
I liked going back into this story and remembering the curses and the blessings that Dragon Spirits had given to the humans. They are often both a curse and a blessing all at once, and the question of whether Dragon Spirits or the Myr are better to share the world and your mind with comes up a fair bit over the story. We have a lot of viewpoints and so we see the ‘spread’ of the Spirits and the Myr influence through various different eyes and we get to follow the individual journeys of those working for or against the bigger world-ending/re-making that could be coming.
Fenn as a character is someone I don’t particularly like in this book. He felt pretty much like the bad guy and he here was very little wiggle room here to make him likeable whereas in the previous one he didn’t feel as set in stone to me.
Calidra and her family and loved ones had some touching moments and I enjoyed the family bonds which were formed in her plot. Her story is somewhat dysfunctional but I like her and her determination.
I liked Selys and the Pirate-like crew that we see down in the other part of the world. Their inclusion in the story made for some fun moments and some levity and love at times, whilst also adding a new piece of the puzzle into the plot.
Overall a fun second book and it got me firmly back into enjoying fantasy after a bit of a break and also into this world and wanting to see where it might go next. 4*s.
June 18, 2025
ReRead ⏳Time 2025 🐲🐉
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Shadow Gate
2024
Doing the audio , courtesy from the author herself!!
Again the story & world is awesome everything I wrote before still applies 🤩
I was given this to read by the author for a honest review!!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨4.5 Stars
Can this book surpass the middle book curse?
I say YES!!!
The only curse would be if you don’t read it!!
Lauren has just begun to scratch the Darkness of the This world!!
All the main characters are exquisitely executed!
All the creatures play their part!!
Dragon Spirits have taken on a new voice, love what they have to say!!
The world has grown , to match the characters as well!!, this is my third book from the author, she has shown me that her creativity does not end, she will enrich us for years to come!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Shadow Gate
2024
Doing the audio , courtesy from the author herself!!
Again the story & world is awesome everything I wrote before still applies 🤩
I was given this to read by the author for a honest review!!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨4.5 Stars
Can this book surpass the middle book curse?
I say YES!!!
The only curse would be if you don’t read it!!
Lauren has just begun to scratch the Darkness of the This world!!
All the main characters are exquisitely executed!
All the creatures play their part!!
Dragon Spirits have taken on a new voice, love what they have to say!!
The world has grown , to match the characters as well!!, this is my third book from the author, she has shown me that her creativity does not end, she will enrich us for years to come!
August 15, 2025
Book Review - The Shadow Gate
To say I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of this book is a massive understatement.
Since reading The Citrine Key and The Iron Crown in 2021, I’ve been patiently waiting for book 2.
Lauren being the awesome person she is offered me an arc copy to read before the release date, I jumped at the chance.
Thank you Lauren!!!
So I started The Shadow Gate, I read one sentence and just like that it, it felt like I was home.
I just love it when an author adds a recap to the start of a book as it really helps me immerse myself back into the story and pick back up the keys points from the previous book.
Thank you Lauren for adding the recap, it was a great help.
The Shadow Gate starts and we’re thrown into the immediate aftermath of the destructive attack by the Myr.
Our main characters from The Iron Crown are split up. We have Fenn, Selys, Apollo and Nadja heading to Foxmouth in search of Apollo’s family before going after The Citrine Key.
Unbeknown to Apollo, Calidra and Jisyel are with Malora, Apollos wife and heading off on their own adventures in the opposite direction.
Lauren delivers some brilliant characters growth in this book. Each characters arc is expanded on more deeply in this book compared to book 1, especially Fenn.
Fenn is struggling with some inner turmoil as he try’s to “do the right thing” from his perspective. Fenn is hoping to find his family, regardless of the potential ramifications of his actions.
I probably enjoyed Fenn chapters in this book the most.
We get introduced to some great new characters in this book that definitely add additional depth to the story. You can see off the bat these characters would play an integral part of the wider story.
If you have read any of my previous reviews you would know I’m a sucker for a Dragon story. I loved the take on Dragons Lauren give us in this series.
In The Shadow Gate the dragon epicness just jumps up 100 levels. We not only get to see more of the Dragon Spirits but really get to understand more of their personalities and powers. Lauren explores the bond between person and Dragon in more a lot detail, which was just awesome.
There is quite a bit of travelling throughout this book and this was great way for the reader to see more of this expansive world.
The world of Tessar is both beautiful and harsh. Through Laurens detailed descriptions you definitely feel you could be standing in the middle of the wasteland or the frozen domain of Paragos.
An area we saw a significant increase in quality in this book compared to The Iron Crown is the extensive action. I don’t want to give anything away but there is some epic fights.
Each action scenes was delivered with such detail and clarity, making it so easy to picture it in your mind.
The Shadow Gate takes everything I loved in The Iron Crown from the characters to the world and especially the Dragons and magnifies the quality 100 fold.
I’m really excited to see where Lauren takes the story next. If the improvements continue on the same trend, book 3 will be on another level.
I’m so happy to have read this ARC but also sad that I have to wait soooooo long for 3 book.
Rating 10/10 ⭐️
To say I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of this book is a massive understatement.
Since reading The Citrine Key and The Iron Crown in 2021, I’ve been patiently waiting for book 2.
Lauren being the awesome person she is offered me an arc copy to read before the release date, I jumped at the chance.
Thank you Lauren!!!
So I started The Shadow Gate, I read one sentence and just like that it, it felt like I was home.
I just love it when an author adds a recap to the start of a book as it really helps me immerse myself back into the story and pick back up the keys points from the previous book.
Thank you Lauren for adding the recap, it was a great help.
The Shadow Gate starts and we’re thrown into the immediate aftermath of the destructive attack by the Myr.
Our main characters from The Iron Crown are split up. We have Fenn, Selys, Apollo and Nadja heading to Foxmouth in search of Apollo’s family before going after The Citrine Key.
Unbeknown to Apollo, Calidra and Jisyel are with Malora, Apollos wife and heading off on their own adventures in the opposite direction.
Lauren delivers some brilliant characters growth in this book. Each characters arc is expanded on more deeply in this book compared to book 1, especially Fenn.
Fenn is struggling with some inner turmoil as he try’s to “do the right thing” from his perspective. Fenn is hoping to find his family, regardless of the potential ramifications of his actions.
I probably enjoyed Fenn chapters in this book the most.
We get introduced to some great new characters in this book that definitely add additional depth to the story. You can see off the bat these characters would play an integral part of the wider story.
If you have read any of my previous reviews you would know I’m a sucker for a Dragon story. I loved the take on Dragons Lauren give us in this series.
In The Shadow Gate the dragon epicness just jumps up 100 levels. We not only get to see more of the Dragon Spirits but really get to understand more of their personalities and powers. Lauren explores the bond between person and Dragon in more a lot detail, which was just awesome.
There is quite a bit of travelling throughout this book and this was great way for the reader to see more of this expansive world.
The world of Tessar is both beautiful and harsh. Through Laurens detailed descriptions you definitely feel you could be standing in the middle of the wasteland or the frozen domain of Paragos.
An area we saw a significant increase in quality in this book compared to The Iron Crown is the extensive action. I don’t want to give anything away but there is some epic fights.
Each action scenes was delivered with such detail and clarity, making it so easy to picture it in your mind.
The Shadow Gate takes everything I loved in The Iron Crown from the characters to the world and especially the Dragons and magnifies the quality 100 fold.
I’m really excited to see where Lauren takes the story next. If the improvements continue on the same trend, book 3 will be on another level.
I’m so happy to have read this ARC but also sad that I have to wait soooooo long for 3 book.
Rating 10/10 ⭐️
October 29, 2023
This review was originally posted on Before We Go Blog
4.5 stars (rounded up)
The Iron Crown was a promising start to the Dragon Spirits series, but The Shadow Gate absolutely takes the story to the next level.
Everything I loved from the first book is again present in this sequel, but somehow just executed even better. The story takes a much darker turn, but because MacRae also infuses the story with SO much heart, it never loses its comforting and exciting touch. This is character-driven epic fantasy at its very best!
I am absolutely blown away by the character development in this instalment and was quite surprised and excited by the bold turns in some characters’ character arcs. We really go through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows with these characters, and I loved that each of them is allowed to be so authentically flawed and messy.
I think that these characters were more easily likeable in the first instalment, but here they become more well-rounded, and, as a result, more human. And yes, sometimes that meant I wanted to smack them over the head or give them a good shake (mostly looking at you, Fenn), but that’s exactly why they felt so real and why I am now so terribly emotionally invested in all of them.
It’s also quite impressive to me how smoothly MacRae has built up this rather large cast of characters, even adding a new POV in this instalment (which I loved, give me all the pirate/seafaring vibes!), and still manages to give them all the time and care they deserve. There were maybe a handful of supporting characters that felt a bit flat and forgettable to me, but I think that only stood out because all the other characterisations are so stupendously strong.
I especially love how each of these protagonists is driven forward by a similar motivation, that being the love for their loved ones, yet none of their journeys feel interchangeable. Family, love, loyalty, and friendship are very big themes in this story, and they are explored in both the most heartbreaking and most heartwarming ways.
The world building is another aspect that is only continuing to get better and better the further into the series we get. I absolutely adore the concept of the Dragon Spirits and loved seeing them become an even more integral part of the story here. Not only because it’s simply damn cool to read about these majestic and awe-inspiring beings, but also because we really dive deep into just how dangerous and capricious they really are. Their corruptive powers have big psychological impacts on some of our protagonists, and I loved all the dangerous mind games that were being played.
Speaking of dangerous, MacRae does such a brilliant job of building up tension and subtly reminding both the characters and the readers of the looming threat of the Myr. I really love that these dangerous beings continue to be so shrouded in mystery, as that only makes them more frightening. These characters might all be on their own separate journeys, but their paths keep interweaving because of the overarching threat of the Myr and their collective impending doom.
Also, the way that the events of the prequel novella The Citrine Key (which I highly recommend reading before diving into this book) are tying back into the story here is simply magnificent and only raises the stakes to even more unimaginable heights. The fate of the world might just be in these characters’ hands, whether they like it or not, and that makes this book absolutely unputdownable from start to finish.
All in all, I think The Shadow Gate is the sequel that this epic series both needed and deserved. MacRae strikes the perfect balance between progressing the plot and putting all the pieces in place for what I can only imagine will be an EPIC finale, which makes this a damn near perfect sequel in my eyes.
Wondrous world building, complex interpersonal relationships, deeply flawed characters, queer love, magical artefacts, capricious dragon spirits, talking griffins, cinematic action sequences, heavy emotional gut punches, and so much page-turning intrigue; the Dragon Spirits series has it all. I can’t recommend it highly enough!
4.5 stars (rounded up)
The Iron Crown was a promising start to the Dragon Spirits series, but The Shadow Gate absolutely takes the story to the next level.
Everything I loved from the first book is again present in this sequel, but somehow just executed even better. The story takes a much darker turn, but because MacRae also infuses the story with SO much heart, it never loses its comforting and exciting touch. This is character-driven epic fantasy at its very best!
I am absolutely blown away by the character development in this instalment and was quite surprised and excited by the bold turns in some characters’ character arcs. We really go through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows with these characters, and I loved that each of them is allowed to be so authentically flawed and messy.
I think that these characters were more easily likeable in the first instalment, but here they become more well-rounded, and, as a result, more human. And yes, sometimes that meant I wanted to smack them over the head or give them a good shake (mostly looking at you, Fenn), but that’s exactly why they felt so real and why I am now so terribly emotionally invested in all of them.
It’s also quite impressive to me how smoothly MacRae has built up this rather large cast of characters, even adding a new POV in this instalment (which I loved, give me all the pirate/seafaring vibes!), and still manages to give them all the time and care they deserve. There were maybe a handful of supporting characters that felt a bit flat and forgettable to me, but I think that only stood out because all the other characterisations are so stupendously strong.
I especially love how each of these protagonists is driven forward by a similar motivation, that being the love for their loved ones, yet none of their journeys feel interchangeable. Family, love, loyalty, and friendship are very big themes in this story, and they are explored in both the most heartbreaking and most heartwarming ways.
The world building is another aspect that is only continuing to get better and better the further into the series we get. I absolutely adore the concept of the Dragon Spirits and loved seeing them become an even more integral part of the story here. Not only because it’s simply damn cool to read about these majestic and awe-inspiring beings, but also because we really dive deep into just how dangerous and capricious they really are. Their corruptive powers have big psychological impacts on some of our protagonists, and I loved all the dangerous mind games that were being played.
Speaking of dangerous, MacRae does such a brilliant job of building up tension and subtly reminding both the characters and the readers of the looming threat of the Myr. I really love that these dangerous beings continue to be so shrouded in mystery, as that only makes them more frightening. These characters might all be on their own separate journeys, but their paths keep interweaving because of the overarching threat of the Myr and their collective impending doom.
Also, the way that the events of the prequel novella The Citrine Key (which I highly recommend reading before diving into this book) are tying back into the story here is simply magnificent and only raises the stakes to even more unimaginable heights. The fate of the world might just be in these characters’ hands, whether they like it or not, and that makes this book absolutely unputdownable from start to finish.
All in all, I think The Shadow Gate is the sequel that this epic series both needed and deserved. MacRae strikes the perfect balance between progressing the plot and putting all the pieces in place for what I can only imagine will be an EPIC finale, which makes this a damn near perfect sequel in my eyes.
Wondrous world building, complex interpersonal relationships, deeply flawed characters, queer love, magical artefacts, capricious dragon spirits, talking griffins, cinematic action sequences, heavy emotional gut punches, and so much page-turning intrigue; the Dragon Spirits series has it all. I can’t recommend it highly enough!
April 13, 2023
I really enjoyed The Iron Crown so when The Shadow Gate by LL Macrae dropped in my mailbox, I was ready to dive into it and I never let go.
Opening the shadow gate is the only way Fenn’s memories can be restored—and with them, his life and family.
It could also destroy the world.
Guided by dragon spirit Hassen and manipulated by the Myr, Fenn fights the corruption spreading through Tassar—and himself—in an attempt to find his family. Separated from his allies and unable to trust even his own mind, the arduous journey takes its toll.
Far from home and reunited with her sister, Calidra battles to keep her loved ones safe. But when the fickle loyalties of dragon spirits shifts, and darkness lurks around every corner, running from her fears is no longer an option.
And in the far south, consequences of the past catch up with those fighting for their freedom.
I absolutely rattled through this, much like i did with The Iron Crown, and I felt myself being transported back into this world of epicness and losing track of everything else. The mythos involved in this is established from previous and Macrae has done a lot to build on this foundation. The grappling of familial dynamics and the connections that are present are described perfectly and the feeling of pressure on some of these characters range from messy to textured. The way that Macrae has wrote these issues is amazing.
I like how expansive this world was. The Iron Crown already held a massive scope but The Shadow Gate built on what has already been established and carried it outward tenfold. We have new characters providing an interesting role and previous characters expanding upon their already cemented ground. The balance here is that Macrae has created some well-loved, meaningful discussions on the in-book topics from a unique perspective. The worldbuilding and magic here is mysterious and informal. Macrae doesn't shy away from letting us work out each part ourselves but to fully immerse us in this creation, from dragons to crafting, and have us yearning for more is an incredible feat.
The Iron Crown was a great debut but The Shadow Gate is an addictive sequel filled with the complexity and involvement of a multi-book series and I cannot wait to find out how this series ends.
Opening the shadow gate is the only way Fenn’s memories can be restored—and with them, his life and family.
It could also destroy the world.
Guided by dragon spirit Hassen and manipulated by the Myr, Fenn fights the corruption spreading through Tassar—and himself—in an attempt to find his family. Separated from his allies and unable to trust even his own mind, the arduous journey takes its toll.
Far from home and reunited with her sister, Calidra battles to keep her loved ones safe. But when the fickle loyalties of dragon spirits shifts, and darkness lurks around every corner, running from her fears is no longer an option.
And in the far south, consequences of the past catch up with those fighting for their freedom.
I absolutely rattled through this, much like i did with The Iron Crown, and I felt myself being transported back into this world of epicness and losing track of everything else. The mythos involved in this is established from previous and Macrae has done a lot to build on this foundation. The grappling of familial dynamics and the connections that are present are described perfectly and the feeling of pressure on some of these characters range from messy to textured. The way that Macrae has wrote these issues is amazing.
I like how expansive this world was. The Iron Crown already held a massive scope but The Shadow Gate built on what has already been established and carried it outward tenfold. We have new characters providing an interesting role and previous characters expanding upon their already cemented ground. The balance here is that Macrae has created some well-loved, meaningful discussions on the in-book topics from a unique perspective. The worldbuilding and magic here is mysterious and informal. Macrae doesn't shy away from letting us work out each part ourselves but to fully immerse us in this creation, from dragons to crafting, and have us yearning for more is an incredible feat.
The Iron Crown was a great debut but The Shadow Gate is an addictive sequel filled with the complexity and involvement of a multi-book series and I cannot wait to find out how this series ends.
November 22, 2023
A fantastic sequel that expands on the character and world development nicely. Tightly paced with some tense moments, the eponymous dragon spirits are one of the most unique and cool takes on dragons you will come across! The book also ends in a way where I have no idea what's going to happen in book three which is exciting.
Big recommend!
Big recommend!
July 20, 2025
The Shadow Gate is the second book in LL MacRae’s Dragon Spirits fantasy trilogy. I loved the first book, The Iron Crown, and a return to MacRae’s colourful fantasy world of Tassar was long overdue.
The Iron Crown left me with lots of questions as a reader. The mysterious Myr have returned to Tassar, a blight on everything they touch, and Queen Surayo is determined to end this threat. She tasks her Inquisitors Torsten and Varlot to seek out a powerful Myrish artefact in Marlrush Fortress so she can use its power against its creators. Meanwhile, Apollo is reluctantly persuaded by Nadja, another Inquisitor in Torsten’s service, to locate the magical Citrine Key. This mission gives Apollo an opportunity to redeem himself after previously failing to follow Queen Surayo’s instructions (as explained in the prequel novella, The Citrine Key). They are accompanied by the priestess Selys and Fenn, who is now adjusting to his bond with the dragon Hassen.
Elsewhere, Calidra tries to rebuild her estranged relationship with her sister Malora, who is also Apollo’s wife, and their daughter Renys. They set out on their own journey, Malora seeking to regain her blessing from the dragon Chyram, whilst Calidra’s partner Jisyel is hoping the same dragon spirit will lift her curse.
Despite the size of the cast, MacRae also introduces a new major character. Young Kaio is struggling with the responsibility of managing his seafaring pirate warband, which rules the seaport city state of Segandis. I really enjoyed Kaio’s storyline. The sea dragon spirit of Neros killed his family, thrusting him into a leadership role long before he was ready. You can feel the tension in Kaio’s shoulders as he tries to keep other warbands in check and maintain his powerbase. I also loved the Middle Eastern feel of the setting for this part of the story and how Segandis’ inhabitants have a different outlook on life, with their rather ambivalent attitude towards Queen Surayo and the Porsenthian Empire.
The whole set up means there are lots of interwoven story strands in this book, MacRae taking a similar approach to the structure of The Iron Crown. Where I think The Shadow Gate improves on the previous book is there’s a much clearer set of goals for each group. This gives the story more of a hook and a sense of purpose right from the start. There's also a lot more conflict between the different sets of characters this time round, driven by having competing goals, which makes their dynamic far more compelling.
In particular, I enjoyed Fenn’s story. He’s determined to regain his lost memories, desperate to find out who he is and learn whether he has a family waiting for him somewhere. There were times when I found myself wondering whether Fenn was being selfish, setting this goal above everything else that was happening in Tassar. Yet at the same time his struggle made me relate to him more. Is it realistic to expect our characters to always behave as the hero? MacRae doesn’t play to that stereotype with any of her characters. They’re still ordinary people, trying to do their best in extraordinary circumstances, and this is one of my favourite aspects of this series.
As the carefully plotted book unfolds, the connections between the various groups of characters are slowly revealed. After a steady build up in the first half, the second half speeds along nicely with plenty of twists and turns. There’s also a lot more action in this book. In particular, the scenes where the different dragon spirits clash are spectacular and vivid, displaying some of MacRae’s best writing.
I thought this book succeeded in the difficult task of improving on every aspect that made The Iron Crown such a good read. Overall, the stakes are greater this time round and as a result this is a darker tale, although MacRae is careful not to take this aspect too far. I think the Dragon Spirits series is one which is equally suitable for older children and adults alike, with plenty of depth in both its characters and the world they inhabit. The overriding pleasure of these books comes from the sense of escapism they offer. After my previous read had been a relentlessly dark and intense book, The Shadow Gate was just what I needed. The final instalment, The Broken Sword, is due to be released on 25th July, so I’m looking forward to picking that up soon so I can find out how it all ends.
The Iron Crown left me with lots of questions as a reader. The mysterious Myr have returned to Tassar, a blight on everything they touch, and Queen Surayo is determined to end this threat. She tasks her Inquisitors Torsten and Varlot to seek out a powerful Myrish artefact in Marlrush Fortress so she can use its power against its creators. Meanwhile, Apollo is reluctantly persuaded by Nadja, another Inquisitor in Torsten’s service, to locate the magical Citrine Key. This mission gives Apollo an opportunity to redeem himself after previously failing to follow Queen Surayo’s instructions (as explained in the prequel novella, The Citrine Key). They are accompanied by the priestess Selys and Fenn, who is now adjusting to his bond with the dragon Hassen.
Elsewhere, Calidra tries to rebuild her estranged relationship with her sister Malora, who is also Apollo’s wife, and their daughter Renys. They set out on their own journey, Malora seeking to regain her blessing from the dragon Chyram, whilst Calidra’s partner Jisyel is hoping the same dragon spirit will lift her curse.
Despite the size of the cast, MacRae also introduces a new major character. Young Kaio is struggling with the responsibility of managing his seafaring pirate warband, which rules the seaport city state of Segandis. I really enjoyed Kaio’s storyline. The sea dragon spirit of Neros killed his family, thrusting him into a leadership role long before he was ready. You can feel the tension in Kaio’s shoulders as he tries to keep other warbands in check and maintain his powerbase. I also loved the Middle Eastern feel of the setting for this part of the story and how Segandis’ inhabitants have a different outlook on life, with their rather ambivalent attitude towards Queen Surayo and the Porsenthian Empire.
The whole set up means there are lots of interwoven story strands in this book, MacRae taking a similar approach to the structure of The Iron Crown. Where I think The Shadow Gate improves on the previous book is there’s a much clearer set of goals for each group. This gives the story more of a hook and a sense of purpose right from the start. There's also a lot more conflict between the different sets of characters this time round, driven by having competing goals, which makes their dynamic far more compelling.
In particular, I enjoyed Fenn’s story. He’s determined to regain his lost memories, desperate to find out who he is and learn whether he has a family waiting for him somewhere. There were times when I found myself wondering whether Fenn was being selfish, setting this goal above everything else that was happening in Tassar. Yet at the same time his struggle made me relate to him more. Is it realistic to expect our characters to always behave as the hero? MacRae doesn’t play to that stereotype with any of her characters. They’re still ordinary people, trying to do their best in extraordinary circumstances, and this is one of my favourite aspects of this series.
As the carefully plotted book unfolds, the connections between the various groups of characters are slowly revealed. After a steady build up in the first half, the second half speeds along nicely with plenty of twists and turns. There’s also a lot more action in this book. In particular, the scenes where the different dragon spirits clash are spectacular and vivid, displaying some of MacRae’s best writing.
I thought this book succeeded in the difficult task of improving on every aspect that made The Iron Crown such a good read. Overall, the stakes are greater this time round and as a result this is a darker tale, although MacRae is careful not to take this aspect too far. I think the Dragon Spirits series is one which is equally suitable for older children and adults alike, with plenty of depth in both its characters and the world they inhabit. The overriding pleasure of these books comes from the sense of escapism they offer. After my previous read had been a relentlessly dark and intense book, The Shadow Gate was just what I needed. The final instalment, The Broken Sword, is due to be released on 25th July, so I’m looking forward to picking that up soon so I can find out how it all ends.
April 26, 2023
I received a complimentary digital arc of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review – thank you Lauren! My opinions are my own.
The Iron Crown was one of my recent favourite starts to a series and I have been eagerly awaiting its sequel, The Shadow Gate, which did not disappoint in any way. It was fantastic to revisit this wonderfully imaginative world of dragon spirits and their devotees. Now the Myr are well and truly back and their dark, shadowy evil is spreading, not only affecting the countryside, but also some of the dragon spirits are becoming corrupted by Myrish magic, and Queen Soraya is promising a war against the Myr. The dragon spirits are much more visible in this story and there are some seriously epic battle scenes as they rise to defend their homelands from the Myr-touched. These are really enjoyable edge-of-the-seat sequences that got my heart racing.
Relationships are one of L.L. MacRae’s obvious writing strengths, along with her fabulous world-building, which I have gushed about in previous reviews. In The Shadow Gate we see examples of sibling rivalry, warm, loving romantic relationships, strained mother/daughter relationships, selfless acts by parents to save their beloved child and people being used by the spirits to which they are bonded. All of them are well-written and believable.
“Calidra waited, patient, as her sister cried. She’d been through so much recently. They all had. Calidra wanted to cry herself—her eyes burning if she thought too much about what had happened—but she kept her tears at bay.
She needed to be strong for her sister.”
The story follows the fortunes of three main groups of characters in this book. Fenn is determined to find the Citrine Key as he was told in the previous book that if he brings it to the Myrish construct Vermecio he will regain his memories. He is accompanied by the Inquisitor Nadja and Apollo who both want to destroy the key in order to put a stop to the spread of the Myr’s power.
Selys the priestess, bonded with the dragon spirit Neros, returns to her brother Kaio and his pirate warband and they become intent on stopping Fenn. Selys was one of my favourite characters in this story. She had been the warband’s leader prior to becoming a priestess and yet on her return she is careful not to go blundering in, taking over once again from her brother. She wants to atone for leaving him when their family were killed by Neros. She has to handle Kaio carefully especially when he discovers that the dragon she has bonded with was their family’s cause of death! Kaio’s animal companion, a ship’s cat named Fergus, is a cute touch and helps to show his softer side.
Calidra and Jisyel are still searching for a way to remove Jisyel’s curse for most of this book and they catch up with Calidra’s sister, Apollo’s wife Malora and their daughter Renys. Their bond is reestablished as Malora begins to realise what a hard childhood Calidra suffered while she herself was spoilt. Their unsympathetic mother eventually shows Malora her true colours.
Torsten the Master Inquisitor is not as evil in this book as he was in the Iron Crown – he doesn’t torture anyone – but is still the uncaring, self-serving bad guy. Happily, he gets his comeuppance to some extent in The Shadow Gate, but I hope he will be made to suffer more in the next book!
The Shadow Gate is a terrific sequel to The Iron Crown, filled with epic dragon battles, warm relationships, some strained relationships and evil monsters. Oh and griffin riders. Mustn’t forget those!
The Iron Crown was one of my recent favourite starts to a series and I have been eagerly awaiting its sequel, The Shadow Gate, which did not disappoint in any way. It was fantastic to revisit this wonderfully imaginative world of dragon spirits and their devotees. Now the Myr are well and truly back and their dark, shadowy evil is spreading, not only affecting the countryside, but also some of the dragon spirits are becoming corrupted by Myrish magic, and Queen Soraya is promising a war against the Myr. The dragon spirits are much more visible in this story and there are some seriously epic battle scenes as they rise to defend their homelands from the Myr-touched. These are really enjoyable edge-of-the-seat sequences that got my heart racing.
Relationships are one of L.L. MacRae’s obvious writing strengths, along with her fabulous world-building, which I have gushed about in previous reviews. In The Shadow Gate we see examples of sibling rivalry, warm, loving romantic relationships, strained mother/daughter relationships, selfless acts by parents to save their beloved child and people being used by the spirits to which they are bonded. All of them are well-written and believable.
“Calidra waited, patient, as her sister cried. She’d been through so much recently. They all had. Calidra wanted to cry herself—her eyes burning if she thought too much about what had happened—but she kept her tears at bay.
She needed to be strong for her sister.”
The story follows the fortunes of three main groups of characters in this book. Fenn is determined to find the Citrine Key as he was told in the previous book that if he brings it to the Myrish construct Vermecio he will regain his memories. He is accompanied by the Inquisitor Nadja and Apollo who both want to destroy the key in order to put a stop to the spread of the Myr’s power.
Selys the priestess, bonded with the dragon spirit Neros, returns to her brother Kaio and his pirate warband and they become intent on stopping Fenn. Selys was one of my favourite characters in this story. She had been the warband’s leader prior to becoming a priestess and yet on her return she is careful not to go blundering in, taking over once again from her brother. She wants to atone for leaving him when their family were killed by Neros. She has to handle Kaio carefully especially when he discovers that the dragon she has bonded with was their family’s cause of death! Kaio’s animal companion, a ship’s cat named Fergus, is a cute touch and helps to show his softer side.
Calidra and Jisyel are still searching for a way to remove Jisyel’s curse for most of this book and they catch up with Calidra’s sister, Apollo’s wife Malora and their daughter Renys. Their bond is reestablished as Malora begins to realise what a hard childhood Calidra suffered while she herself was spoilt. Their unsympathetic mother eventually shows Malora her true colours.
Torsten the Master Inquisitor is not as evil in this book as he was in the Iron Crown – he doesn’t torture anyone – but is still the uncaring, self-serving bad guy. Happily, he gets his comeuppance to some extent in The Shadow Gate, but I hope he will be made to suffer more in the next book!
The Shadow Gate is a terrific sequel to The Iron Crown, filled with epic dragon battles, warm relationships, some strained relationships and evil monsters. Oh and griffin riders. Mustn’t forget those!
May 28, 2023
The Shadow Gate is yet another phenomenal outing from Macrae. She has a way of turning words into gold. A freshly imagined world and a fantastical plot full of twits and turns.
The Shadow Gate is the long-awaited sequel to The Iron Crown which I enjoyed immensely. I was left hungering for more – characterisation, world building and a plot tighter than two coats of paint left me itching to know what would happen next. I read this before the sprawling fantasy novel was entered into SPFBO #7 and subsequently became a finalist. There was always something special about it, it was always evident that others would feel the same way. Reading this series is an investment, one that won’t leave you disappointed.
I am a complete sucker when it comes to a fantasy novel with dragons in it. It’s a sure way of getting me invested in the story to come and the sequel almost manages to pack more dragon action into the story if that was at all possible. I can’t emphasis enough how excited I am to see just how this series is going to be wrapped up – there’s still so much potential and conflict to be resolved, it’s going to be fun.
So, Malora – I really want to talk about this character. So many surprises along each character’s arc and I found this one fascinating. A character with so many nuances and layers but isn’t that just like people you meet in the real world anyway. We discover alongside her sister that Malora was once blessed by a dragon spirit, she was favoured for some reason. But like a lot of humans, she turned away from him in favour of greater riches, bigger prizes and she lost contact with the dragon. Like the dragon suggested to Malora during their showdown – he should’ve been the biggest prize to seek. I can’t help but agree with him – I mean, how cool would it be to be connected to such a majestic and powerful creature such as a dragon. I’d move heaven and earth to be in her position.
Again, I found myself leaning towards Fenn being one of my favourite characters. He isn’t simple, he isn’t easy to work out, but he shouldn’t be. He’s still struggling with his memories. I can’t imagine the inner turmoil he’s going through, well we can, because Macrae’s writing does a spectacular job of allowing the reader to peer into Fenn’s inner monologue. She has a brilliant talent for making the many layers of humanity seen less complex but more understandable. He became cursed by the Myr in The Iron Crown and blessed by the dragon spirit, Hassen we are rewarded with some great scenes between the two. He must travel on dangerous seas and mountainous trails to find The Citrine Key to regain his memories, but his travelling companions seem intent on destroying the key before he has a chance to use it to his benefit.
The Shadow Gate is the long-awaited sequel to The Iron Crown which I enjoyed immensely. I was left hungering for more – characterisation, world building and a plot tighter than two coats of paint left me itching to know what would happen next. I read this before the sprawling fantasy novel was entered into SPFBO #7 and subsequently became a finalist. There was always something special about it, it was always evident that others would feel the same way. Reading this series is an investment, one that won’t leave you disappointed.
I am a complete sucker when it comes to a fantasy novel with dragons in it. It’s a sure way of getting me invested in the story to come and the sequel almost manages to pack more dragon action into the story if that was at all possible. I can’t emphasis enough how excited I am to see just how this series is going to be wrapped up – there’s still so much potential and conflict to be resolved, it’s going to be fun.
So, Malora – I really want to talk about this character. So many surprises along each character’s arc and I found this one fascinating. A character with so many nuances and layers but isn’t that just like people you meet in the real world anyway. We discover alongside her sister that Malora was once blessed by a dragon spirit, she was favoured for some reason. But like a lot of humans, she turned away from him in favour of greater riches, bigger prizes and she lost contact with the dragon. Like the dragon suggested to Malora during their showdown – he should’ve been the biggest prize to seek. I can’t help but agree with him – I mean, how cool would it be to be connected to such a majestic and powerful creature such as a dragon. I’d move heaven and earth to be in her position.
Again, I found myself leaning towards Fenn being one of my favourite characters. He isn’t simple, he isn’t easy to work out, but he shouldn’t be. He’s still struggling with his memories. I can’t imagine the inner turmoil he’s going through, well we can, because Macrae’s writing does a spectacular job of allowing the reader to peer into Fenn’s inner monologue. She has a brilliant talent for making the many layers of humanity seen less complex but more understandable. He became cursed by the Myr in The Iron Crown and blessed by the dragon spirit, Hassen we are rewarded with some great scenes between the two. He must travel on dangerous seas and mountainous trails to find The Citrine Key to regain his memories, but his travelling companions seem intent on destroying the key before he has a chance to use it to his benefit.
April 26, 2023
Huge thank you to Lauren for sending me an eARC of The Shadow Gate in exchange for an honest review. The Shadow Gate will be released on ebook on Friday 28th April, you can pre-order right now on Amazon.
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The Iron Crown was one of my top reads of 2022, making The Shadow Gate one of my most high anticipated releases of the year. There was plenty of room to be disappointed, but Lauren far exceeded any expectations that I had for this sequel.
TSG picked up immediately from where TIC left off, we follow the same familiar faces from book 1 and are also introduced to some new characters along the way. Once again the character’s are beautifully written, even the characters you love to hate.
Apart from the fact we see way more of the dragons in The Shadow Gate, the highlight of this book is that we get to see more of Tassar as we meet new characters and move around the world. The world building was great in TIC but it’s stepped up to another level and is absolutely phenomenal here.
Finally let’s talk about the plot. Gripping from the off with never a dull moment just some gaps to catch your breath. At points this was unputdownable! Dragons fighting dragons, I dare you to try and stop reading! When I got to the final chapter I was ready for book three and then I read the epilogue and I was ready to lie, cheat and steal to have book 3 in my hands that second!
This series is quickly becoming one of my favourite’s, at this point anything that Lauren writes I will be reading. The Shadow Gate it sitting up there with The Light of All That Falls as my top read of the year so far and I didn’t think that anything was going to come close to matching how I felt about that book.
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The Iron Crown was one of my top reads of 2022, making The Shadow Gate one of my most high anticipated releases of the year. There was plenty of room to be disappointed, but Lauren far exceeded any expectations that I had for this sequel.
TSG picked up immediately from where TIC left off, we follow the same familiar faces from book 1 and are also introduced to some new characters along the way. Once again the character’s are beautifully written, even the characters you love to hate.
Apart from the fact we see way more of the dragons in The Shadow Gate, the highlight of this book is that we get to see more of Tassar as we meet new characters and move around the world. The world building was great in TIC but it’s stepped up to another level and is absolutely phenomenal here.
Finally let’s talk about the plot. Gripping from the off with never a dull moment just some gaps to catch your breath. At points this was unputdownable! Dragons fighting dragons, I dare you to try and stop reading! When I got to the final chapter I was ready for book three and then I read the epilogue and I was ready to lie, cheat and steal to have book 3 in my hands that second!
This series is quickly becoming one of my favourite’s, at this point anything that Lauren writes I will be reading. The Shadow Gate it sitting up there with The Light of All That Falls as my top read of the year so far and I didn’t think that anything was going to come close to matching how I felt about that book.
May 17, 2023
https://undertheradarsffbooks.com/202...
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for a honest review. The long anticipated sequel to the SPFBO #7 finalist The Iron Crown has finally arrived and exceeds every expectation I could have had for a sequel. I was on the SPFBO team that selected The Iron Crown to be our finalist so I know full well what the author is capable of and the potential this series possesses. You will not be disappointed in the least when it comes time to diving into this beauty! This will be a spoiler free review but I will be discussing events from the previous novel.
Fenn is still trying to put the pieces together of his lost memories while dealing with the war and destruction going on in the world around him. Cursed by the Myr and blessed by the Dragon Spirit Hassen, Fenn will need to traverse the hazardous sea with Apollo in order to find the Citrine Key so he can regain his memories once more. There will be a terrible price to pay if Fenn continues down this path. Calidra is once again reunited with her sister Malora, who is the wife to Apollo, and their daughter Renys. Calidra is still looking to lift the curse from her lover Jisyel but she may have bigger fish to fry in the upcoming war with the Myr.
Malora turns out was once blessed by a Dragon Spirit as well before she met Apollo but has since turned away from the blessing and it has disappeared. Malora may need to find that blessing once more. Torsten is still the evil henchmen of the queen and looking for Fenn believing he is the cause for all of the Myr reappearing. He starts to play the long game with all parties involved and Torsten may be looking to make a dynamic shift in the game ahead. Their are some new characters introduced to the story as well but I will leave those for the reader to discover.
The name of the game in The Shadow Gate is fast the pacing and action. There is a lot less worldbuilding in this sequel with the fights and battles scenes are notched up to a ten out of ten. We also learn a lot more out the Dragon Spirits and how their blessings work, as well as the fact that some spirits do not like each other. I was not prepared for the shocking revelations this book unveiled especially towards to end. All of the pieces fell into place flawlessly setting up for the epic concluding volume. There is a bit of a slow burn in the middle portion of the story but that is needed for the ending to really hit in all the right places.
The Shadow Gate was one on my most anticipated novels for 2023 and was was worth every second reading it. If you enjoy emotional character moments with Dragon Spirits, magic, and gryphons then give this series a chance. You will be glad you did.
Cheers!
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for a honest review. The long anticipated sequel to the SPFBO #7 finalist The Iron Crown has finally arrived and exceeds every expectation I could have had for a sequel. I was on the SPFBO team that selected The Iron Crown to be our finalist so I know full well what the author is capable of and the potential this series possesses. You will not be disappointed in the least when it comes time to diving into this beauty! This will be a spoiler free review but I will be discussing events from the previous novel.
Fenn is still trying to put the pieces together of his lost memories while dealing with the war and destruction going on in the world around him. Cursed by the Myr and blessed by the Dragon Spirit Hassen, Fenn will need to traverse the hazardous sea with Apollo in order to find the Citrine Key so he can regain his memories once more. There will be a terrible price to pay if Fenn continues down this path. Calidra is once again reunited with her sister Malora, who is the wife to Apollo, and their daughter Renys. Calidra is still looking to lift the curse from her lover Jisyel but she may have bigger fish to fry in the upcoming war with the Myr.
Malora turns out was once blessed by a Dragon Spirit as well before she met Apollo but has since turned away from the blessing and it has disappeared. Malora may need to find that blessing once more. Torsten is still the evil henchmen of the queen and looking for Fenn believing he is the cause for all of the Myr reappearing. He starts to play the long game with all parties involved and Torsten may be looking to make a dynamic shift in the game ahead. Their are some new characters introduced to the story as well but I will leave those for the reader to discover.
The name of the game in The Shadow Gate is fast the pacing and action. There is a lot less worldbuilding in this sequel with the fights and battles scenes are notched up to a ten out of ten. We also learn a lot more out the Dragon Spirits and how their blessings work, as well as the fact that some spirits do not like each other. I was not prepared for the shocking revelations this book unveiled especially towards to end. All of the pieces fell into place flawlessly setting up for the epic concluding volume. There is a bit of a slow burn in the middle portion of the story but that is needed for the ending to really hit in all the right places.
The Shadow Gate was one on my most anticipated novels for 2023 and was was worth every second reading it. If you enjoy emotional character moments with Dragon Spirits, magic, and gryphons then give this series a chance. You will be glad you did.
Cheers!
October 16, 2023
This book??
This ENDING??
WHAT?
Now how am I supposed to wait for the next one??
Dear Fenn went through so much in this one, they all did, but he's my BOI and I don't like to see him suffer 🥲
I loved this so much!!
This ENDING??
WHAT?
Now how am I supposed to wait for the next one??
Dear Fenn went through so much in this one, they all did, but he's my BOI and I don't like to see him suffer 🥲
I loved this so much!!
Want to read
February 25, 2022I recently read The Iron Crown and I honestly, can't wait to read this and know more about Fenn and Apollo.
September 7, 2024
4.5
So many lives are hanging in the air at the end. Fenn is such a frustrating character! I kept saying “Fight or Wake up!” So annoying.
Calidra seems to be the toughest of the lot. She has self doubts but she is strong. Others have their path, and they are slowly converging to stop the key from releasing the Myr.
“The Myr represent death, where dragon spirits represent life…. They pour their magic into artifacts that can last eternally, even if they themselves are vanquished.” Most sane people do not want to free the Myr into the world.
The story unfolds deliberately and controlled. There are many different character paths to follow. It takes a while to catch up on what’s going on with everyone. Unfortunately it has been a long time since I read the first book which I loved. So my little quibble is that the pacing is somewhat slow for me. But there are events which help me get through. So many more dragon scenes! Witnessing these creatures battle is a sight to behold. All the dragon spirits are amazing, and they steal the show.
But what is the Myr really? Maybe there’s more to them than I see here.
So many lives are hanging in the air at the end. Fenn is such a frustrating character! I kept saying “Fight or Wake up!” So annoying.
Calidra seems to be the toughest of the lot. She has self doubts but she is strong. Others have their path, and they are slowly converging to stop the key from releasing the Myr.
“The Myr represent death, where dragon spirits represent life…. They pour their magic into artifacts that can last eternally, even if they themselves are vanquished.” Most sane people do not want to free the Myr into the world.
The story unfolds deliberately and controlled. There are many different character paths to follow. It takes a while to catch up on what’s going on with everyone. Unfortunately it has been a long time since I read the first book which I loved. So my little quibble is that the pacing is somewhat slow for me. But there are events which help me get through. So many more dragon scenes! Witnessing these creatures battle is a sight to behold. All the dragon spirits are amazing, and they steal the show.
But what is the Myr really? Maybe there’s more to them than I see here.
August 18, 2024
On a par with the iron crown which was also great, if you liked that then you’ll enjoy this. I got through it really fast as the character POV switching is well balanced and the writing style is really enjoyable. Look forward to the concluding third book which I hope will remain consistent to the first two.
I also really liked the start of the book where there is a well detailed overview of the iron crown which an excellent refresher, I wish every author would do this.
I also really liked the start of the book where there is a well detailed overview of the iron crown which an excellent refresher, I wish every author would do this.
August 9, 2024
All chapters were perfect, I think this is the first book I've read where I can say this about it.
There was pretty much everything you wanted in a classical epic fantasy in The Iron Crown. Yet this is better.
I put off reading this as I wanted to read this closer to the release of The Broken Sword, so I could remember it all. That shouldn't have been a worry.
How cool is the magic system, spirit dragons based off of area of energy. And the world shaped around this. I think the creativity to come up with this is great but the imagination on how it effects the world building is even better. We got more of the world and more of the magic, and that's what elevates this above the Iron Crown. That and the characters are developed further.
As for the plot it was addictive, looking back at it I may have spotted a plot hole, but equally I could be wrong. Either way it takes nothing away from the plot. Excellent 3 parts to this book and I can't wait for The Broken Sword, and may binge read the Linara series before then! 😄
Definitely recommend to any fans of classic fantasy!
There was pretty much everything you wanted in a classical epic fantasy in The Iron Crown. Yet this is better.
I put off reading this as I wanted to read this closer to the release of The Broken Sword, so I could remember it all. That shouldn't have been a worry.
How cool is the magic system, spirit dragons based off of area of energy. And the world shaped around this. I think the creativity to come up with this is great but the imagination on how it effects the world building is even better. We got more of the world and more of the magic, and that's what elevates this above the Iron Crown. That and the characters are developed further.
As for the plot it was addictive, looking back at it I may have spotted a plot hole, but equally I could be wrong. Either way it takes nothing away from the plot. Excellent 3 parts to this book and I can't wait for The Broken Sword, and may binge read the Linara series before then! 😄
Definitely recommend to any fans of classic fantasy!
March 29, 2025
I brought your dragon spirit series. I just wanted to tell you that I read them across three days last week and fell in love with them! They've easily become part of my top 5 reads! The world building, the characters, the plot all equal a massive amount of perfection and everything you could want in a fantasy series! I've just placed an order for your next series and pre-ordered the Broken Sword!
Thank you so much for your creativity and putting together these amazing worlds!
Thank you so much for your creativity and putting together these amazing worlds!
July 29, 2023
(9.57 on CAWPILE)
*Disclaimer: I was sent this book for review by the author. This in no way affects my opinion.
I will admit, I have been anxiously awaiting this book since I closed the last page of book 1. I will happily announce, that my wait was not in vain!
The plot of this book follows on from the cataclysmic ending from The Iron Crown. It has highs and lows and everything in between. It will make you grip your seat with fear, tremble with dread and cheer with joy.
The characters that in the last book I really enjoyed following, I ABSOLUTELY ADORED in this instalment. Their ARCs keep getting better and better with each book and I am developing an unhealthy attachment to Calidra.
MacRae’s writing is always top tier. The balance between plot and character and world building is always masterfully crafted. The pacing of the book is enough to keep you wanting to pick up page after page while still dreading turning it in case something will happen. I didn’t want it to finish but couldn’t stop reading and that is my favourite kind of book.
Coming from book one which was already an amazing book, this one completely upped the game. If this trajectory continues this will be one of the best series I’ve ever read.
The world building in this series is some of the most creative and innovative. I’ve never read anything else like it.
Pros
- Worldbuilding
- Characters
- Plot
- Writing
-Pacing
Cons
- Haha, no.
Overall a wonderful continuation to one of the best series out there in the genre.
*Disclaimer: I was sent this book for review by the author. This in no way affects my opinion.
I will admit, I have been anxiously awaiting this book since I closed the last page of book 1. I will happily announce, that my wait was not in vain!
The plot of this book follows on from the cataclysmic ending from The Iron Crown. It has highs and lows and everything in between. It will make you grip your seat with fear, tremble with dread and cheer with joy.
The characters that in the last book I really enjoyed following, I ABSOLUTELY ADORED in this instalment. Their ARCs keep getting better and better with each book and I am developing an unhealthy attachment to Calidra.
MacRae’s writing is always top tier. The balance between plot and character and world building is always masterfully crafted. The pacing of the book is enough to keep you wanting to pick up page after page while still dreading turning it in case something will happen. I didn’t want it to finish but couldn’t stop reading and that is my favourite kind of book.
Coming from book one which was already an amazing book, this one completely upped the game. If this trajectory continues this will be one of the best series I’ve ever read.
The world building in this series is some of the most creative and innovative. I’ve never read anything else like it.
Pros
- Worldbuilding
- Characters
- Plot
- Writing
-Pacing
Cons
- Haha, no.
Overall a wonderful continuation to one of the best series out there in the genre.
December 22, 2023
The Shadow Gate is the second book in the Dragon Spirits series that was started in The Iron Crown by L.L. Macrae.
This second book continues the story that was started in the first book and we see that after their return, the Myr are becoming decidedly more bold in their assertions to carry out the plans that they have for the world of Tassar.
The Shadow Gate is more fast paced than first book in the series as now that the world of Tassar has been introduced, L.L. MacRae can throw caution to the wind and can get on with telling the story of the battle between the dragon spirits and the Myr, and the effects that it will have on the people and the lands that make up the story.
In relation to the world building aspect, L.L. Macrae assumes that there is now some familiarity amongst her readers and that they are prepared for what is to come.
Character wise, this book is different from the previous book in that the party that we had in the first book have all split up and gone their separate ways. Fenn, along with Apollo and Inquisitor Nadia have gone to search for the Citirine Key in order to rectify the decisions that Apollo had made previously. In addition to this, Fenn believes that the only way to regain his memories is to take matters into his own hands.
Also, there is Callidra and Jisyel, who are doing their best to help the refuges from the Myrs attack with her sister Malora, and Calidra’s newly found niece, Renys. In the midst of this, Macrae also gives some time to give he point of view of the inquisitors and Torsten also returns.
Throughout the book, Macrae builds upon the characters that we were introduced to and starts to add nuances to their characters and we get some more humanistic qualities to make them more believable. Fo instance, the characters are definitely greyer than in the first book, they can be fickle, argumentative and impulsive, but at the same time they can warm, loving and generally nice to be around.
In The Shadow Gate, Macrae really brings to the fore that the stakes are higher in this book. We get the impression that the Myr are far more of a threat and that they have set in motion plans that have been maturing for eons and that what seems to be at first to be a random resurgence of their powers, it is in actual fact a well-orchestrated plan that is only just coming to fruition.
Not only do we get the usually adept characterisations of the main characters, we also get to see ore of the dragons and how much they are intrinsically linked to the very ecology of the world. Not only that we get hints at the lore of Tassar and how the Dragons and the Myr have been fighting their battle for millennia.
Now I have read quite a few of L.L. Macrae’s books and I have a theory. I am not sure whether I am right or that I am just making things up. Recently, I read the first books of the Linaria series, and similarly to the world of Tassar, the world is governed by Dragons, although they are a different iteration. Now, whilst reading this, it struck me that there are some similar terms used in both books. High Dragons in both books are called Archons, so I was wondering is this a connecting universe, similar to the Cosmere and other fantasy worlds. Just a thought, but it did cross my mind regularly.
The Shadow Gate is a cracking sequel to Iron Crown and moves the story to greater stakes, setting it up perfectly for the third book
This second book continues the story that was started in the first book and we see that after their return, the Myr are becoming decidedly more bold in their assertions to carry out the plans that they have for the world of Tassar.
The Shadow Gate is more fast paced than first book in the series as now that the world of Tassar has been introduced, L.L. MacRae can throw caution to the wind and can get on with telling the story of the battle between the dragon spirits and the Myr, and the effects that it will have on the people and the lands that make up the story.
In relation to the world building aspect, L.L. Macrae assumes that there is now some familiarity amongst her readers and that they are prepared for what is to come.
Character wise, this book is different from the previous book in that the party that we had in the first book have all split up and gone their separate ways. Fenn, along with Apollo and Inquisitor Nadia have gone to search for the Citirine Key in order to rectify the decisions that Apollo had made previously. In addition to this, Fenn believes that the only way to regain his memories is to take matters into his own hands.
Also, there is Callidra and Jisyel, who are doing their best to help the refuges from the Myrs attack with her sister Malora, and Calidra’s newly found niece, Renys. In the midst of this, Macrae also gives some time to give he point of view of the inquisitors and Torsten also returns.
Throughout the book, Macrae builds upon the characters that we were introduced to and starts to add nuances to their characters and we get some more humanistic qualities to make them more believable. Fo instance, the characters are definitely greyer than in the first book, they can be fickle, argumentative and impulsive, but at the same time they can warm, loving and generally nice to be around.
In The Shadow Gate, Macrae really brings to the fore that the stakes are higher in this book. We get the impression that the Myr are far more of a threat and that they have set in motion plans that have been maturing for eons and that what seems to be at first to be a random resurgence of their powers, it is in actual fact a well-orchestrated plan that is only just coming to fruition.
Not only do we get the usually adept characterisations of the main characters, we also get to see ore of the dragons and how much they are intrinsically linked to the very ecology of the world. Not only that we get hints at the lore of Tassar and how the Dragons and the Myr have been fighting their battle for millennia.
Now I have read quite a few of L.L. Macrae’s books and I have a theory. I am not sure whether I am right or that I am just making things up. Recently, I read the first books of the Linaria series, and similarly to the world of Tassar, the world is governed by Dragons, although they are a different iteration. Now, whilst reading this, it struck me that there are some similar terms used in both books. High Dragons in both books are called Archons, so I was wondering is this a connecting universe, similar to the Cosmere and other fantasy worlds. Just a thought, but it did cross my mind regularly.
The Shadow Gate is a cracking sequel to Iron Crown and moves the story to greater stakes, setting it up perfectly for the third book
May 26, 2025
Loved the book, very different and original. The characters are diverse and engaging, the story interesting and building up really well - can’t wait for third instalment!
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