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ShadowVein
Not yet published
Expected 3 Jun 26From the ashes of the old, the Shin-Kami will rise.
The cult behind the demons’ resurgence is defeated, their leader slain and their remaining numbers scattered. But every victory comes at a cost. And that victory will amount to nothing unless Shura can destroy the demons at the source of their power. All that stands in her way are two kings foolish enough to have made an enemy of her. Their betrayal will not go unpunished.
Before she can embark on the road to vengeance, she must bring an entire kingdom to heel, but Ōkoku’s noble clans will not be coerced so easily.
Jin wanders Kinza’s streets, bitter and broken, awaiting the darkness that will consume the world. He knows the prophecy. There is no hope. And even if there was, these people don’t deserve salvation. They deserve to burn. Or so he tells himself in an effort to escape the truth—that he may still have something left to fight for.
While Shura sets her schemes in motion and Jin wallows in sorrow, a shadow stirs within the city’s slums. Whispers of a score to be settled drift upon the winter wind. It’s possible the Shin-Kami are truly defeated, these whispers merely a dying echo. It’s also possible that, in a reckless gambit for retribution, the surviving cultists have summoned an evil so terrible, so ravenous, that even the demon lords of the deepest hells dare not set it free.
The cult behind the demons’ resurgence is defeated, their leader slain and their remaining numbers scattered. But every victory comes at a cost. And that victory will amount to nothing unless Shura can destroy the demons at the source of their power. All that stands in her way are two kings foolish enough to have made an enemy of her. Their betrayal will not go unpunished.
Before she can embark on the road to vengeance, she must bring an entire kingdom to heel, but Ōkoku’s noble clans will not be coerced so easily.
Jin wanders Kinza’s streets, bitter and broken, awaiting the darkness that will consume the world. He knows the prophecy. There is no hope. And even if there was, these people don’t deserve salvation. They deserve to burn. Or so he tells himself in an effort to escape the truth—that he may still have something left to fight for.
While Shura sets her schemes in motion and Jin wallows in sorrow, a shadow stirs within the city’s slums. Whispers of a score to be settled drift upon the winter wind. It’s possible the Shin-Kami are truly defeated, these whispers merely a dying echo. It’s also possible that, in a reckless gambit for retribution, the surviving cultists have summoned an evil so terrible, so ravenous, that even the demon lords of the deepest hells dare not set it free.
- GenresFantasy
590 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication June 3, 2026
About the author
Cal Logan
2 books19 followersA full-time personal trainer and competitive powerlifter, Cal started writing seriously in 2017, drawing inspiration from history, his time spent practicing mixed martial arts, and of course, books. Cal lives in Chicago with his wife, Taylor, and his dachshund, Rizzo.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
This review was originally published on Grimdark Magazine
4.75 stars
I made it no secret that I really, really enjoyed ShadowBane, but honestly, it feels like Cal Logan looked directly into my brain while writing ShadowVein because this book gave me more of absolutely everything I loved in book one and somehow made it even better. It’s got heavier emotional weight, sharper character work, richer worldbuilding and lore, and much more devastating consequences. Middle book syndrome? We don’t know her.
Now, fair warning, because I know some readers are going to come into this expecting more of the demon-hunting adventure and blood-soaked action of the first book, and ShadowVein is very intentionally not that, at least not at first. Instead, this sequel slows down the pacing considerably and becomes far more introspective and character-driven, and that is exactly why I loved it so much. Everything is steeped in grief, trauma, regret, loneliness, emotional repression, political tension, and characters making increasingly catastrophic decisions while barely holding themselves together, which just happens to be exactly my favourite flavour of dark fantasy. On top of that, the prose here feels even more emotionally loaded too, and there were so many moments where Cal Logan genuinely carved straight into my heart with a single line and then just left me there to bleed out over fictional people.
“For all their bond of blood had frayed, its interwoven threads pulled apart by strife and strain, the final strand had yet to snap, and he’d been unable to forsake that basest, most primal of loyalties. Maybe that made him simple, as Sarugami had said. Maybe it made him weak.”
It feels a bit embarrassing to say that I was initially nervous the story would lose some of its spark with Jin and Shura being apart, as their dynamic was one of my favourite things in the first book, but I could not have been more wrong to worry. I think separating them was absolutely the right choice, because it allows both of them to go on these deeply personal, deeply painful journeys of growth that would not have hit nearly as hard otherwise. Although, ‘growth’ almost feels too neat of a word for what happens here because these characters are on an emotional rollercoaster from hell after the absolute gut punches at the end of the first book, and I loved that ShadowVein refuses to brush any of that aside.
“Nothing ever changed. No matter how fiercely he fought, no matter how much he bled, he always ended up at the mercy of someone who lacked the spine— or couldn’t be bothered— to do what needed doing. What had been the point in any of it? All his effort, all he’d suffered, cleft of purpose and made futile by these politicians and parasites, these cowards and sycophants. His only solace was that when the demons came, they too would burn.”
Jin was already my favourite character in ShadowBane, and somehow he became even more my favourite here because my god, this man is going THROUGH it. The way Logan handles his trauma, grief, and regret feels so raw and painfully human, and I loved that we really got to sit with him in the trenches while he copes in all the worst possible ways, because it made every tiny step forward feel genuinely earned. There is such an ugly hopelessness hanging over his entire arc as he tries to convince himself that the world deserves to burn, while deep down there is still this fragile part of him clawing for something or someone worth fighting for, and I was living for that emotional turmoil. And then there are these tiny flickers of light through his dynamic with Aiko, both in the flashbacks and in the present, which just tugged on all my heartstrings. Like, no spoilers, but I have been saying from page one that Jin is a daddy, you know?
“Why couldn’t he escape this place? Why did it feel so real? Why could he taste the iron, feel so keenly that same rage and desperation? He wanted it all to go away. Wanted these memories out of his head. Wanted those screams to fucking stop.”
Meanwhile, Shura put me through emotional warfare in a completely different way. I absolutely loved getting more of the courtly and political intrigue through her perspective now that she occupies a higher position of power, but it also genuinely hurt to watch her slowly force herself back into the shadow of another man when she so clearly has the potential to stand as this fiercely independent and terrifying force on her own. The dynamic between her and Ujikatsu just had me on edge in the best and worst ways though, and I loved every tiny rebellious moment where her fury slipped through the carefully controlled facade and ate up every bit of her scheming and colluding behind the scenes, especially together with the king’s cousin Shigesuke, iykyk.
“She was as much a prisoner here as she had been growing up under Togashi Yoshinori’s iron fist. As she paced the halls of carved oaken columns and soft, streaming sunlight she’d once gazed upon in abject wonder, Shura couldn’t help but wonder if the dream she had pursued all these years had been an illusion. If she was as hopelessly deluded as Jin had told her time and time again. If all she’d suffered and sacrificed had been for nothing.”
What impressed me most, though, is how ShadowVein became more intimate and character-focused while somehow making the overall scope feel even bigger and more epic. I loved how much more deeply the Japanese mythology and supernatural elements were woven into Jin and Shura’s personal journeys, and I will always be here for a good meddling gods moment. The tension here is truly divine in every sense of the word, and that constant sense of looming dread unsettled me in the best way.
I do think the side cast still pales somewhat in comparison to Jin and Shura, particularly during some of the more complex military and political manoeuvring. With all the betrayals, shifting alliances, and double-crosses happening at once, there were definitely moments where it became harder to stay fully invested in every subplot. But honestly, the emotional core of this story is so strong that I barely cared, and the fact that I blasted through the last 300 pages in one day should say enough about how much this book had me in a chokehold. Especially part 3 of ShadowVein is absolutely relentless with its twists and turns, and I just loved that every single victory comes at such a painful cost here.
“He still didn’t see the point. Defeat was inevitable. It had been prophesied, hadn’t it? But he hadn’t seen the point in doing a lot of the things he’d done, and he’d done them anyway. Maybe choosing was the point. If he was destined to die, better to die defying fate than meekly accepting it. Sword in hand, blood on his lips, but still a more peaceful end than he would find here, loathing himself for action not taken.”
So yeah, I don’t know if I devoured ShadowVein or if it devoured me, but I loved it, I highlighted the hell out of it, emotionally broke down over it multiple times, and now immediately want to scream about it to everyone I know. This is such a brutal sequel full of consequences, grief, vengeance, trauma, and painfully hard-earned growth, and it sets up the stakes for the finale to the A Schism of Souls series so perfectly that I am both unbelievably excited and deeply terrified for what comes next. Just inject book 3 into my veins now, please and thank you.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. ShadowVein is scheduled for release on 3 June 2026.
4.75 stars
I made it no secret that I really, really enjoyed ShadowBane, but honestly, it feels like Cal Logan looked directly into my brain while writing ShadowVein because this book gave me more of absolutely everything I loved in book one and somehow made it even better. It’s got heavier emotional weight, sharper character work, richer worldbuilding and lore, and much more devastating consequences. Middle book syndrome? We don’t know her.
Now, fair warning, because I know some readers are going to come into this expecting more of the demon-hunting adventure and blood-soaked action of the first book, and ShadowVein is very intentionally not that, at least not at first. Instead, this sequel slows down the pacing considerably and becomes far more introspective and character-driven, and that is exactly why I loved it so much. Everything is steeped in grief, trauma, regret, loneliness, emotional repression, political tension, and characters making increasingly catastrophic decisions while barely holding themselves together, which just happens to be exactly my favourite flavour of dark fantasy. On top of that, the prose here feels even more emotionally loaded too, and there were so many moments where Cal Logan genuinely carved straight into my heart with a single line and then just left me there to bleed out over fictional people.
“For all their bond of blood had frayed, its interwoven threads pulled apart by strife and strain, the final strand had yet to snap, and he’d been unable to forsake that basest, most primal of loyalties. Maybe that made him simple, as Sarugami had said. Maybe it made him weak.”
It feels a bit embarrassing to say that I was initially nervous the story would lose some of its spark with Jin and Shura being apart, as their dynamic was one of my favourite things in the first book, but I could not have been more wrong to worry. I think separating them was absolutely the right choice, because it allows both of them to go on these deeply personal, deeply painful journeys of growth that would not have hit nearly as hard otherwise. Although, ‘growth’ almost feels too neat of a word for what happens here because these characters are on an emotional rollercoaster from hell after the absolute gut punches at the end of the first book, and I loved that ShadowVein refuses to brush any of that aside.
“Nothing ever changed. No matter how fiercely he fought, no matter how much he bled, he always ended up at the mercy of someone who lacked the spine— or couldn’t be bothered— to do what needed doing. What had been the point in any of it? All his effort, all he’d suffered, cleft of purpose and made futile by these politicians and parasites, these cowards and sycophants. His only solace was that when the demons came, they too would burn.”
Jin was already my favourite character in ShadowBane, and somehow he became even more my favourite here because my god, this man is going THROUGH it. The way Logan handles his trauma, grief, and regret feels so raw and painfully human, and I loved that we really got to sit with him in the trenches while he copes in all the worst possible ways, because it made every tiny step forward feel genuinely earned. There is such an ugly hopelessness hanging over his entire arc as he tries to convince himself that the world deserves to burn, while deep down there is still this fragile part of him clawing for something or someone worth fighting for, and I was living for that emotional turmoil. And then there are these tiny flickers of light through his dynamic with Aiko, both in the flashbacks and in the present, which just tugged on all my heartstrings. Like, no spoilers, but I have been saying from page one that Jin is a daddy, you know?
“Why couldn’t he escape this place? Why did it feel so real? Why could he taste the iron, feel so keenly that same rage and desperation? He wanted it all to go away. Wanted these memories out of his head. Wanted those screams to fucking stop.”
Meanwhile, Shura put me through emotional warfare in a completely different way. I absolutely loved getting more of the courtly and political intrigue through her perspective now that she occupies a higher position of power, but it also genuinely hurt to watch her slowly force herself back into the shadow of another man when she so clearly has the potential to stand as this fiercely independent and terrifying force on her own. The dynamic between her and Ujikatsu just had me on edge in the best and worst ways though, and I loved every tiny rebellious moment where her fury slipped through the carefully controlled facade and ate up every bit of her scheming and colluding behind the scenes, especially together with the king’s cousin Shigesuke, iykyk.
“She was as much a prisoner here as she had been growing up under Togashi Yoshinori’s iron fist. As she paced the halls of carved oaken columns and soft, streaming sunlight she’d once gazed upon in abject wonder, Shura couldn’t help but wonder if the dream she had pursued all these years had been an illusion. If she was as hopelessly deluded as Jin had told her time and time again. If all she’d suffered and sacrificed had been for nothing.”
What impressed me most, though, is how ShadowVein became more intimate and character-focused while somehow making the overall scope feel even bigger and more epic. I loved how much more deeply the Japanese mythology and supernatural elements were woven into Jin and Shura’s personal journeys, and I will always be here for a good meddling gods moment. The tension here is truly divine in every sense of the word, and that constant sense of looming dread unsettled me in the best way.
I do think the side cast still pales somewhat in comparison to Jin and Shura, particularly during some of the more complex military and political manoeuvring. With all the betrayals, shifting alliances, and double-crosses happening at once, there were definitely moments where it became harder to stay fully invested in every subplot. But honestly, the emotional core of this story is so strong that I barely cared, and the fact that I blasted through the last 300 pages in one day should say enough about how much this book had me in a chokehold. Especially part 3 of ShadowVein is absolutely relentless with its twists and turns, and I just loved that every single victory comes at such a painful cost here.
“He still didn’t see the point. Defeat was inevitable. It had been prophesied, hadn’t it? But he hadn’t seen the point in doing a lot of the things he’d done, and he’d done them anyway. Maybe choosing was the point. If he was destined to die, better to die defying fate than meekly accepting it. Sword in hand, blood on his lips, but still a more peaceful end than he would find here, loathing himself for action not taken.”
So yeah, I don’t know if I devoured ShadowVein or if it devoured me, but I loved it, I highlighted the hell out of it, emotionally broke down over it multiple times, and now immediately want to scream about it to everyone I know. This is such a brutal sequel full of consequences, grief, vengeance, trauma, and painfully hard-earned growth, and it sets up the stakes for the finale to the A Schism of Souls series so perfectly that I am both unbelievably excited and deeply terrified for what comes next. Just inject book 3 into my veins now, please and thank you.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. ShadowVein is scheduled for release on 3 June 2026.
April 16, 2026
I rate this a 4.5.
ShadowVein (Book 2 of A Schism of Souls series) by Cal Logan is a gripping continuation that builds directly on the foundation of the first book. It deepens everything—the stakes, the tension, and especially the characters.
What really stood out to me is how much more character-driven this installment feels. There’s less emphasis on constant action and more focus on political maneuvering and the emotional weight each character carries. And somehow, it works even better. Every decision feels heavy, every alliance fragile, and every ambition comes at a cost.
Cal Logan writes internal conflict incredibly well. You feel the torment, the doubt, the desperation—how far someone is willing to go to rise, to survive, to become something more… or something worse. The characters aren’t just moving through the plot, the plot bends around their choices, their flaws, and their breaking points.
The pacing kept me completely hooked!!
And that looming sense of something bigger—of fate and prophecy—is handled in a way that keeps you guessing. I’m genuinely excited (and a little nervous) to see how everything is going to unfold, because it feels like it could go in so many directions.
This book was so frustratingly good—the kind of good that makes you anxious, invested, and completely unable to put it down.
I highly recommend starting this series if you want something that feels almost like a gritty anime—character-driven, emotionally intense, with brutal action and unpredictable political maneuvering where you’re constantly questioning who’s actually “good.” Honestly… I’m not even sure any of them…. are good.😅
Just pick this series up!!
I’m also incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to read an eARC of this book, and to be mentioned in the acknowledgments. It truly means a lot, and I’m genuinely honored.
ShadowVein (Book 2 of A Schism of Souls series) by Cal Logan is a gripping continuation that builds directly on the foundation of the first book. It deepens everything—the stakes, the tension, and especially the characters.
What really stood out to me is how much more character-driven this installment feels. There’s less emphasis on constant action and more focus on political maneuvering and the emotional weight each character carries. And somehow, it works even better. Every decision feels heavy, every alliance fragile, and every ambition comes at a cost.
Cal Logan writes internal conflict incredibly well. You feel the torment, the doubt, the desperation—how far someone is willing to go to rise, to survive, to become something more… or something worse. The characters aren’t just moving through the plot, the plot bends around their choices, their flaws, and their breaking points.
The pacing kept me completely hooked!!
And that looming sense of something bigger—of fate and prophecy—is handled in a way that keeps you guessing. I’m genuinely excited (and a little nervous) to see how everything is going to unfold, because it feels like it could go in so many directions.
This book was so frustratingly good—the kind of good that makes you anxious, invested, and completely unable to put it down.
I highly recommend starting this series if you want something that feels almost like a gritty anime—character-driven, emotionally intense, with brutal action and unpredictable political maneuvering where you’re constantly questioning who’s actually “good.” Honestly… I’m not even sure any of them…. are good.😅
Just pick this series up!!
I’m also incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to read an eARC of this book, and to be mentioned in the acknowledgments. It truly means a lot, and I’m genuinely honored.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This review is spoiler-free. Thank you to Cal Logan for providing the ARC!
ShadowVein is the sequel to ShadowBane in the A Schism of Souls series, and it continues to be an absolute gorefest with returning, beloved characters. The craft as a whole operates on an uncanny level, seen only infrequently in the indieverse, surpassing many traditional and beloved authors. On the surface, we get an unflinching, brutal tale that is mainly delivered through the twin protagonists, but the story also beckons to the lizard brain with a well thought-out metaphysical layer, where various deities strive for power and influence beyond the material plane.
What I appreciate most is that the author does not waste readers' time with needless scenes. You are either actively discovering the mythical side of the late-feudal Japanese-inspired world through clever dialog, celestial intermissions, and quick flashbacks, or, alternatively, you are up to your nose in torn-out viscera, stunned in awe with all the ways a demon can be disassembled. There is no in between, no filling pages with indulgent fluff, no mindless stuffing to bulk up the page count…
It is a hallmark of a skilled author (or a deft editor) to know what and when to cut and what to keep and develop further. While ShadowVein always goes for the emotional jugular—keeping tensions high or straight up painting scenes of stark, unflinching violence—flow-wise it is genuinely a delightful read and never comes across as overwrought or nasty just for the sake of being intense. Those pesky cultists and demons are evil bastards and deserve what’s comin’! That’s how you’ll feel about them, and you’ll be validated with every additional page you devour.
I've signed up for a bundle of indie ARCs. ShadowVein was the one I was looking forward to sinking my teeth into the most. Admittedly, I snorted up the whole book in less than two days (it's not short!) and, boy, I have zero regrets. Hopefully, it is not too pretentious of me to say that I rarely hype up books, because they seldom live up to their expectations. This one has. And is absolutely worth your time if you are a Dark Fantasy or Grimdark enthusiast looking for your next obsession.
Indie Grimdark at the Apex of the Craft — 4.75/5.00
ShadowVein is the sequel to ShadowBane in the A Schism of Souls series, and it continues to be an absolute gorefest with returning, beloved characters. The craft as a whole operates on an uncanny level, seen only infrequently in the indieverse, surpassing many traditional and beloved authors. On the surface, we get an unflinching, brutal tale that is mainly delivered through the twin protagonists, but the story also beckons to the lizard brain with a well thought-out metaphysical layer, where various deities strive for power and influence beyond the material plane.
What I appreciate most is that the author does not waste readers' time with needless scenes. You are either actively discovering the mythical side of the late-feudal Japanese-inspired world through clever dialog, celestial intermissions, and quick flashbacks, or, alternatively, you are up to your nose in torn-out viscera, stunned in awe with all the ways a demon can be disassembled. There is no in between, no filling pages with indulgent fluff, no mindless stuffing to bulk up the page count…
It is a hallmark of a skilled author (or a deft editor) to know what and when to cut and what to keep and develop further. While ShadowVein always goes for the emotional jugular—keeping tensions high or straight up painting scenes of stark, unflinching violence—flow-wise it is genuinely a delightful read and never comes across as overwrought or nasty just for the sake of being intense. Those pesky cultists and demons are evil bastards and deserve what’s comin’! That’s how you’ll feel about them, and you’ll be validated with every additional page you devour.
I've signed up for a bundle of indie ARCs. ShadowVein was the one I was looking forward to sinking my teeth into the most. Admittedly, I snorted up the whole book in less than two days (it's not short!) and, boy, I have zero regrets. Hopefully, it is not too pretentious of me to say that I rarely hype up books, because they seldom live up to their expectations. This one has. And is absolutely worth your time if you are a Dark Fantasy or Grimdark enthusiast looking for your next obsession.
Indie Grimdark at the Apex of the Craft — 4.75/5.00
Review of advance copy
Humor/Tone: 2/5
Character depth and development: 2/5
Emotional impact: 2/5
Worldbuilding: 4/5
Originality: 4/5
I have to say, I am quite disappointed. I liked the first book a lot and was hoping to get something in the same ballpark with the second novel. Unfortunately, to me, there is a huge shift in the main driving force behind the plot. To most, this would probably be considered more of a positive change than a negative one, I suppose, but for me, as most of my enjoyment from book one came from parts that got benched for book two, I see it as more of a loss.
Book one had a lot of fighting, gore, and bloodshed, which drove the plot and kind of presented the characters through conflict. Book two starts out as more of a character drama, which is welcome, as it allows us to dive into the characters more deeply and get to know more of their inner struggles. However, after the first 30% of the book, all of it turns into political/military drama, which I didn’t enjoy at all. Nowadays, I get it: most people enjoy some juicy political scheming and intrigue, but it has to be built on stakes and tension that we, as readers, can take sides in and root for. Here, however, it feels more like dragged-out filler. Anyhow, towards the end, we get a few chapters with some action, but I feel like it is too little, too late.
The ending is a bit confusing and unsatisfying, and pretty much feels like middle-book syndrome. Otherwise, the writing is still good, and I can’t point out any concrete negatives about it, so I guess it is not a bad book. I just kind of expected more after book one.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Character depth and development: 2/5
Emotional impact: 2/5
Worldbuilding: 4/5
Originality: 4/5
I have to say, I am quite disappointed. I liked the first book a lot and was hoping to get something in the same ballpark with the second novel. Unfortunately, to me, there is a huge shift in the main driving force behind the plot. To most, this would probably be considered more of a positive change than a negative one, I suppose, but for me, as most of my enjoyment from book one came from parts that got benched for book two, I see it as more of a loss.
Book one had a lot of fighting, gore, and bloodshed, which drove the plot and kind of presented the characters through conflict. Book two starts out as more of a character drama, which is welcome, as it allows us to dive into the characters more deeply and get to know more of their inner struggles. However, after the first 30% of the book, all of it turns into political/military drama, which I didn’t enjoy at all. Nowadays, I get it: most people enjoy some juicy political scheming and intrigue, but it has to be built on stakes and tension that we, as readers, can take sides in and root for. Here, however, it feels more like dragged-out filler. Anyhow, towards the end, we get a few chapters with some action, but I feel like it is too little, too late.
The ending is a bit confusing and unsatisfying, and pretty much feels like middle-book syndrome. Otherwise, the writing is still good, and I can’t point out any concrete negatives about it, so I guess it is not a bad book. I just kind of expected more after book one.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 17, 2026
Review of an ARC copy received from the author
ShadowVein jumps straight back into where we left off at the end of the previous book, and once again it does not shy away from the violence, gory action, and intense emotions of the story. The plot moves along quickly, swept along by political intrigue and demons.
Once again I thoroughly enjoyed the take on Asian mythology, and the vast amount of creatures introduced alongside the incredible world building. Though still falling very heavily into the grimdark category, in this book I feel we were able to see some of the softer, more human emotions from both Shura and Jin, adding real depth to both their characters and stories. The mystery of prophecy weaving everything together and giving you just information to start forming your own theories.
The prose is brilliant, the story sweeping you along and every scene incredibly immersive and well written (even if there were some that had you reading between your fingers - namely a certain scene in the jail!). And I would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone!
ShadowVein jumps straight back into where we left off at the end of the previous book, and once again it does not shy away from the violence, gory action, and intense emotions of the story. The plot moves along quickly, swept along by political intrigue and demons.
Once again I thoroughly enjoyed the take on Asian mythology, and the vast amount of creatures introduced alongside the incredible world building. Though still falling very heavily into the grimdark category, in this book I feel we were able to see some of the softer, more human emotions from both Shura and Jin, adding real depth to both their characters and stories. The mystery of prophecy weaving everything together and giving you just information to start forming your own theories.
The prose is brilliant, the story sweeping you along and every scene incredibly immersive and well written (even if there were some that had you reading between your fingers - namely a certain scene in the jail!). And I would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Gonna go on a limb and call it now, ShadowVein by Cal Logan is gonna be a Top 3 book this year, it’s really that good, folks. ShadowBane, book one, was one of my fave reads of 2025 and Logan does not let up in book two, nor does it suffer from a sophomore slump. This book is grimdark to perfection. The creep factor of these sinister demons oozes from the page while the betrayals cleanly sever like a katana in this gritty and dark sequel, setting up what can only end in a cataclysmic conclusion.
Taking place a short time after the harrowing conclusion of ShadowBane, twins Shura and Jin are in two different places emotionally and mentally. With the war initiated in the fallout from their failed mission, both have to navigate something other than just oni infiltrating the capital: court intrigue. With schemes aplenty, betrayals at every corner, and blood on the horizon, these two need to figure their shit out, and figure it out fast.
One of the things that I loved about ShadowBane was the dichotomy of Shura and Jin. Sure they are twins, but they couldn’t be further apart. In simple terms, Jin is the aggro muscle and Shura is the crafty politicker. They are much more than this but think of them this way. At the end of book one, Bad Things :tm: happen and their arcs are forever changed…let’s just say it, they hate each other. Jin blames Shura and Shura blames Jin. Logan could have fallen prey to the off-page make-up between these siblings for book two, but he doesn’t and that’s why this book is amazing. For the entirety of the book, they are at wit’s end with each other, moreso from Shura whereas Jin is more apathetic. The dynamic between these two and the growth (not always positive) in this book is downright amazing. Logan deftly delivers characters we both love and are infuriated with. And while there are a number of great characters in this book, everything hinges on Shura and Jin, and Logan nails it.
Where book one was more episodic oni slaying, book two firmly keeps our characters in the capital city and they have to deal with a ton of political intrigue. Oh there is oni here, don’t worry, the slaying still exists, but the crux of this plot is all about the court and war. The schemes are scheming and the backstabbing is stabbing repeatedly. The dialogue is where this shines, the red herrings are there, the lies are plenty. The reveals are excellently placed and the few twists twist hard. The vibe feels different from book one and I believe this was probably Logan’s best decision.
The pace of this book is top notch. Similar to book one, we get alternating POV chapters from the twins and in a step up from book one, there was never a moment where this style hindered forward momentum. Instead, each scene built upon another like blocks waiting to be toppled. And when the fight scenes or the oni appeared, we were ready to ride that tension.
Let’s talk about the oni. This is a feudal Japanese inspired world, and Logan has crafted something stellar here while still respecting the inspiration. ShadowBane had a number of different oni (demons if you haven’t gathered by now) and here he pulls it back some. I think this was a brilliant move. The oni we do get here are just downright creepy as sin. There is a scene with one oni that sheds flesh and it is just visceral and gross but still disturbing and frightening. And in the climax, Logan touches on some things built up in book one and then destroys us in a perfectly placed reveal, leaving me both in awe and giving him a round of applause for a job well done.
Can we also agree that this cover (and ShadowBane) are just some of the coolest covers ever made??? Right??
This series just keeps getting better and better and it’s one any grimdark fan needs to be reading, like now. If only book three was ready tomorrow…
Taking place a short time after the harrowing conclusion of ShadowBane, twins Shura and Jin are in two different places emotionally and mentally. With the war initiated in the fallout from their failed mission, both have to navigate something other than just oni infiltrating the capital: court intrigue. With schemes aplenty, betrayals at every corner, and blood on the horizon, these two need to figure their shit out, and figure it out fast.
One of the things that I loved about ShadowBane was the dichotomy of Shura and Jin. Sure they are twins, but they couldn’t be further apart. In simple terms, Jin is the aggro muscle and Shura is the crafty politicker. They are much more than this but think of them this way. At the end of book one, Bad Things :tm: happen and their arcs are forever changed…let’s just say it, they hate each other. Jin blames Shura and Shura blames Jin. Logan could have fallen prey to the off-page make-up between these siblings for book two, but he doesn’t and that’s why this book is amazing. For the entirety of the book, they are at wit’s end with each other, moreso from Shura whereas Jin is more apathetic. The dynamic between these two and the growth (not always positive) in this book is downright amazing. Logan deftly delivers characters we both love and are infuriated with. And while there are a number of great characters in this book, everything hinges on Shura and Jin, and Logan nails it.
Where book one was more episodic oni slaying, book two firmly keeps our characters in the capital city and they have to deal with a ton of political intrigue. Oh there is oni here, don’t worry, the slaying still exists, but the crux of this plot is all about the court and war. The schemes are scheming and the backstabbing is stabbing repeatedly. The dialogue is where this shines, the red herrings are there, the lies are plenty. The reveals are excellently placed and the few twists twist hard. The vibe feels different from book one and I believe this was probably Logan’s best decision.
The pace of this book is top notch. Similar to book one, we get alternating POV chapters from the twins and in a step up from book one, there was never a moment where this style hindered forward momentum. Instead, each scene built upon another like blocks waiting to be toppled. And when the fight scenes or the oni appeared, we were ready to ride that tension.
Let’s talk about the oni. This is a feudal Japanese inspired world, and Logan has crafted something stellar here while still respecting the inspiration. ShadowBane had a number of different oni (demons if you haven’t gathered by now) and here he pulls it back some. I think this was a brilliant move. The oni we do get here are just downright creepy as sin. There is a scene with one oni that sheds flesh and it is just visceral and gross but still disturbing and frightening. And in the climax, Logan touches on some things built up in book one and then destroys us in a perfectly placed reveal, leaving me both in awe and giving him a round of applause for a job well done.
Can we also agree that this cover (and ShadowBane) are just some of the coolest covers ever made??? Right??
This series just keeps getting better and better and it’s one any grimdark fan needs to be reading, like now. If only book three was ready tomorrow…
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