What do you think?
Rate this book
Tales of the Drui #1
Dolor and Shadow
As the elven city burns, Princess Kallan is taken to Alfheim while a great power begins to awaken within her. Desperate to keep the child hidden, her abilities are suppressed and her memory erased. But the gods have powers as well, and it is only a matter of time before they find the child again.
When Kallan, the elven witch, Queen of Lorlenalin, fails to save her dying father, she inherits her father's war and vows revenge on the one man she believes is responsible: Rune, King of Gunir. But nothing is as it seems, and the gods are relentless.
A twist of fate puts Kallan into the protection of the man she has sworn to kill, and Rune into possession of power he does not understand. From Alfheim, to Jotunheim, and then lost in the world of Men, these two must form an alliance to make their way home, and try to solve the lies of the past and of the Shadow that hunts them all.
When Kallan, the elven witch, Queen of Lorlenalin, fails to save her dying father, she inherits her father's war and vows revenge on the one man she believes is responsible: Rune, King of Gunir. But nothing is as it seems, and the gods are relentless.
A twist of fate puts Kallan into the protection of the man she has sworn to kill, and Rune into possession of power he does not understand. From Alfheim, to Jotunheim, and then lost in the world of Men, these two must form an alliance to make their way home, and try to solve the lies of the past and of the Shadow that hunts them all.
520 pages, Paperback
First published May 31, 2015
About the author
Angela B. Chrysler
10 books319 followersAnna Imagination (Formally Angela B. Chrysler) is an Ontological Physicist, a Philosopher Bard, and a Societal Solutionist.
She is on the front lines of the Healing and Societal Reformation where she provides Pythagorean Psychology and Nutritional Knowledge that commands a raising of the bar on Educators world wide.
Her inspirations are Ghandi, Booker T. Washington, and Mother Theresa.
https://linktr.ee/annaimagination
She is on the front lines of the Healing and Societal Reformation where she provides Pythagorean Psychology and Nutritional Knowledge that commands a raising of the bar on Educators world wide.
Her inspirations are Ghandi, Booker T. Washington, and Mother Theresa.
https://linktr.ee/annaimagination
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
July 27, 2016
Angela B. Chrysler has brought world building to breathtaking heights with ‘Dolor and Shadow’. The first book in the ‘Tales of the Drui’ saga, ‘Dolor and Shadow’ begins what promises to be an epic fantasy series. Chrysler lays it all out in clear terms, showing the reader right away that this is a world that is as compelling and complex as any other. From philosophy and religion to geography and architecture, to weapons and mythology and symbolism, the author introduces us to every aspect of this land and its varied peoples with poetic prose that draws us easily into the story.
There’s really a lot going on, and a great many characters that each seem as though a whole book could be written about them. Most of these folks have dedicated themselves and their lives to a promising young ruler that may bring peace at last to the realm. There are two of them: Kallan is a tempestuous new elf queen with startling magic powers, and Rune a cunning king with a variety of clever tricks and dark secrets. Neither of them is perfect by any stretch; but they aren’t evil, either. They have just grown up with very different views of the world, and have come to see each other as the enemy.
When they meet by chance encounter, neither of these two pivotal figures suspect who the other is. Although they are clearly immediately smitten with each other, they both have a war to fight; they do not discover who has invaded their thoughts until their armies clash. As opportunities to claim victory present themselves, neither of them is as resolved to seize it as before. While they both wrestle with the old feelings warring with the new within, the war continues without as well.
Kallan has lost a lot, and not all of the stories she has been told were true. Rune is neither as innocent as he plays it off nor as brutal as his reputation, and it’s hard to tell exactly where he falls in between. When they are thrust together once more, they must each confront the horror that the other sees in them. Their people depend on them to grow up before they are ready, let go of what they least want to, and embrace a new reality before it is forced violently on them all. Neither of them wants to acknowledge the bond that is forming between them, or the feelings blossoming within each of them, for fear of showing weakness and losing everything. Yet something has got to give, before all is lost.
I enjoyed ‘Dolor and Shadow’ for a great many reasons. The younger me delighted in the mapped journey across a new world, and descriptions of its natural beauty and grand architecture. The philosopher in me delighted in Chrysler’s exploration of the ‘Seidr’, the energy that flows in and through all things. I loved the way Kallan’s magic was tied up in her emotional state, and how her power was limited almost solely by her understanding of it. Magic is a disappointingly unbelievable thing when it comes from a wand or a few choice words; Chrysler poignantly shows how magic can be real, and how it can affect those that wield it.
This is the kind of book that anyone who enjoys a good read can really get into. The layers of the story contain bonus finds for those of us looking for something more, and deliver on both a book that stands alone and the beginning to a longer and even more intricately woven tale. The author’s obvious love of mythology and philosophy pair perfectly with her imagination, and make for so many of those bonus finds. I look forward to reading the next book in the ‘Tales of the Drui’ series, ‘Fire and Lies’. I would highly recommend ‘Dolor and Shadow’ to a fantasy reader of any age, particularly those that delight in a well-crafted world brought to life by a poetic philosopher.
There’s really a lot going on, and a great many characters that each seem as though a whole book could be written about them. Most of these folks have dedicated themselves and their lives to a promising young ruler that may bring peace at last to the realm. There are two of them: Kallan is a tempestuous new elf queen with startling magic powers, and Rune a cunning king with a variety of clever tricks and dark secrets. Neither of them is perfect by any stretch; but they aren’t evil, either. They have just grown up with very different views of the world, and have come to see each other as the enemy.
When they meet by chance encounter, neither of these two pivotal figures suspect who the other is. Although they are clearly immediately smitten with each other, they both have a war to fight; they do not discover who has invaded their thoughts until their armies clash. As opportunities to claim victory present themselves, neither of them is as resolved to seize it as before. While they both wrestle with the old feelings warring with the new within, the war continues without as well.
Kallan has lost a lot, and not all of the stories she has been told were true. Rune is neither as innocent as he plays it off nor as brutal as his reputation, and it’s hard to tell exactly where he falls in between. When they are thrust together once more, they must each confront the horror that the other sees in them. Their people depend on them to grow up before they are ready, let go of what they least want to, and embrace a new reality before it is forced violently on them all. Neither of them wants to acknowledge the bond that is forming between them, or the feelings blossoming within each of them, for fear of showing weakness and losing everything. Yet something has got to give, before all is lost.
I enjoyed ‘Dolor and Shadow’ for a great many reasons. The younger me delighted in the mapped journey across a new world, and descriptions of its natural beauty and grand architecture. The philosopher in me delighted in Chrysler’s exploration of the ‘Seidr’, the energy that flows in and through all things. I loved the way Kallan’s magic was tied up in her emotional state, and how her power was limited almost solely by her understanding of it. Magic is a disappointingly unbelievable thing when it comes from a wand or a few choice words; Chrysler poignantly shows how magic can be real, and how it can affect those that wield it.
This is the kind of book that anyone who enjoys a good read can really get into. The layers of the story contain bonus finds for those of us looking for something more, and deliver on both a book that stands alone and the beginning to a longer and even more intricately woven tale. The author’s obvious love of mythology and philosophy pair perfectly with her imagination, and make for so many of those bonus finds. I look forward to reading the next book in the ‘Tales of the Drui’ series, ‘Fire and Lies’. I would highly recommend ‘Dolor and Shadow’ to a fantasy reader of any age, particularly those that delight in a well-crafted world brought to life by a poetic philosopher.
April 15, 2018
Read this book for a Read It & Reap in exchange for an honest review.
Dolor and Shadow is the first book in the Tales of the Drui series. It is such a great opener that I can't wait to dive into the second book.
A lot happens in this book and you get to meet so many amazing characters that your head might be spinning. Kallan is the new elf queen and the MC of this book. She's a badass with super awesome magical powers. Then there's Rune who is the cunning king that has a ton of dark secrets and tricks up his sleeve. They are't perfect in any way, shape, or form.. but they aren't evil either.. so that's a good start right? Yes, yes it is.
These two need to work around their different point of views on this world, land, and people. They need to start working together and figure out how to save their people and kingdoms. There's a war going on and that's how they end up meeting each other. Of course they have a crush on each other.. which I was totally for. Their feelings blossom into something beautiful has they learn the truth about their past and present.
Overall, I loved this book. Their teamwork and growing relationship gave me life. I wanted more from them and this book. I never wanted it to end and now that it has.. well, I need the second book STAT. I loved the mythology that was in this book. I loved the mystery and drama of it all. The action was amazing. The two main characters were easy to fall in love with. I want more! I need more.
Dolor and Shadow is the first book in the Tales of the Drui series. It is such a great opener that I can't wait to dive into the second book.
A lot happens in this book and you get to meet so many amazing characters that your head might be spinning. Kallan is the new elf queen and the MC of this book. She's a badass with super awesome magical powers. Then there's Rune who is the cunning king that has a ton of dark secrets and tricks up his sleeve. They are't perfect in any way, shape, or form.. but they aren't evil either.. so that's a good start right? Yes, yes it is.
These two need to work around their different point of views on this world, land, and people. They need to start working together and figure out how to save their people and kingdoms. There's a war going on and that's how they end up meeting each other. Of course they have a crush on each other.. which I was totally for. Their feelings blossom into something beautiful has they learn the truth about their past and present.
Overall, I loved this book. Their teamwork and growing relationship gave me life. I wanted more from them and this book. I never wanted it to end and now that it has.. well, I need the second book STAT. I loved the mythology that was in this book. I loved the mystery and drama of it all. The action was amazing. The two main characters were easy to fall in love with. I want more! I need more.
October 4, 2016
Kallan is one of the long-living fair folk, and the Queen of Lorlenalin. But there is an encroaching darkness, and secrets about her own life that even she is unaware of. Only her enemy, King Rune, can help her.
This was a hard one to rate.
I was just reading another reviewer's post on a completely different book, and a phrase she used caught my attention: "a dense wordiness that is reminiscent of high fantasy novels".
Which struck very true for Dolor and Shadow. Which can be taken as a positive or negative. This book is wordy - the author states this in the synopsis (more on this later). It is written in a style to echo back to the Norse Gods and myths of the tenth century. So this should have been perfect for me.
I love mythology, although most of my own reading and research has been centered around the history of the British Isles and Ireland. I've read plenty of stories from this sort of genre and era: I know that you have to be in the right mood and frame of mind to concentrate and lock into this descriptive world.
Which was why I kept putting the book down, and coming back to it later, hoping that this would be the time that I click with it. I've got to say that I'm still hoping that I can come back to this book later and enjoy it more.
The level of descriptiveness was fine. I think what I struggled with was the repetitiveness.
Whether it was musing over killing someone, hating someone, going out a door...
It felt like a phrase would be repeated several times in a page - a technique that can add a certain poetry or rhythm to a section. But this was overdone. Wordiness. Lots of wordiness. I wanted to scream at them to kill him already! Break the curse/spell already!
It didn't feel like a smooth ride along the waves of adventure; it made it stutter and jump back a step.
I can tell how much work Chrysler has put in. Everything rings very true, there is a startling authenticity to it.
Overall, I liked the plot: Rune and Kallan are sitting at the head of opposing armies. They are matched in skill and intellect; and it is only circumstance that makes them enemies.
Both are keen to end the war; but they are blinded by years of fighting, and the need to revenge just one more death.
Finally, external circumstances force them to work together, and they dance along the balance of being a prisoner in the other's hold; to being equals.
But looking in more detail at the plot, or the machinations that moved things along - it can be summed up by people making bad choices.
I wish the section where they gear up for war in the first place, was left out. From what I understand, the people of Gunir and Lorlenalin were going to be united by marriage between Princess Kallan and Prince Rune. This is halted when Rune's sister is murdered, supposedly by a Lorlenalin agent.
Next step: war.
Seriously? With two highly intelligent races, nobody thought to investigate?
Straight to war for the two Kingdoms that up to this point have lived in peace?
There's a time skip of... I don't know how long. It could be a few years, or as they are immortal, it could be centuries.
Our main character Kallan was a tricky one. She is raised to be strong and independent, but she takes it too far and can be sullen and spoiled, and refuses help when it is offered. She refuses to see that anything is wrong, and can be very stubborn on this point.
I do like the character, and how she is portrayed. She is not perfect, and despite the many years that she will live, she still makes mistakes.
Rune is perfect for the task set. He's strong enough to protect Kallan - even from herself. He's smart, and kind, and can see there's something dark that threatens Kallan, and he's willing to go to any length to free her.
I felt that he was a little too perfect in places. For such a kind man, he sure kept the war going for a while. And when he's suddenly there for Kallan and seeing deep within her soul, and knowing exactly what was best for her, it all felt too much, too fast.
The other characters... I struggled with. There are too many players and, until about 70% through this rather large book, there isn't enough focus for the rest of the cast. They sit in the background while Kallan and Rune get the spotlight, they have their own plots and scheming; and when they eventually get some screentime, the characters are racing at a hundred miles an hour with Point X, and I struggle with trying to recall their brief glimpse before - who they are conspiring with, who they're lying to; who they're hiding from...
It is multi-layered. Yes, there are wars and other realms and races that are working in the shadows, but I felt they didn't get enough time to make sense. They are going in a dozen different directions (even the same character). It is only in the latter part of the book, when they all turn their aims in the same direction, that any of them become memorable.
((edit: I love it when authors take on your comments! Chrysler has updated her synopsis, and I definitely like this new version!))
Going back to the synopsis, just because I might as well mention it - I'm not a fan of when writers post interviews or forewords in the Goodreads synopsis. Especially if there's already a section where you have compared the book and author to other contemporaries.
It seems a touch too try hard. As a potential reader, I am being told how to read this book.
If it is likened to Tolkein, I can already guess. But then I am warned that the author has put a lot of work and research into this book. She has studied everything and put her heart and soul into it.
This can come across as a) too intellectual for us to truly enjoy, or b) we're not allowed to not enjoy it, because this is personal and emotional.
You can tell that Chrysler has put work into it, the text speaks for itself, as I mentioned earlier I really liked the authenticity of it. But I'd think about removing this section from the synopsis - it's already set as a foreword in the actual ebook, so this is overkill.
This was a hard one to rate.
I was just reading another reviewer's post on a completely different book, and a phrase she used caught my attention: "a dense wordiness that is reminiscent of high fantasy novels".
Which struck very true for Dolor and Shadow. Which can be taken as a positive or negative. This book is wordy - the author states this in the synopsis (more on this later). It is written in a style to echo back to the Norse Gods and myths of the tenth century. So this should have been perfect for me.
I love mythology, although most of my own reading and research has been centered around the history of the British Isles and Ireland. I've read plenty of stories from this sort of genre and era: I know that you have to be in the right mood and frame of mind to concentrate and lock into this descriptive world.
Which was why I kept putting the book down, and coming back to it later, hoping that this would be the time that I click with it. I've got to say that I'm still hoping that I can come back to this book later and enjoy it more.
The level of descriptiveness was fine. I think what I struggled with was the repetitiveness.
Whether it was musing over killing someone, hating someone, going out a door...
It felt like a phrase would be repeated several times in a page - a technique that can add a certain poetry or rhythm to a section. But this was overdone. Wordiness. Lots of wordiness. I wanted to scream at them to kill him already! Break the curse/spell already!
It didn't feel like a smooth ride along the waves of adventure; it made it stutter and jump back a step.
I can tell how much work Chrysler has put in. Everything rings very true, there is a startling authenticity to it.
Overall, I liked the plot: Rune and Kallan are sitting at the head of opposing armies. They are matched in skill and intellect; and it is only circumstance that makes them enemies.
Both are keen to end the war; but they are blinded by years of fighting, and the need to revenge just one more death.
Finally, external circumstances force them to work together, and they dance along the balance of being a prisoner in the other's hold; to being equals.
But looking in more detail at the plot, or the machinations that moved things along - it can be summed up by people making bad choices.
I wish the section where they gear up for war in the first place, was left out. From what I understand, the people of Gunir and Lorlenalin were going to be united by marriage between Princess Kallan and Prince Rune. This is halted when Rune's sister is murdered, supposedly by a Lorlenalin agent.
Next step: war.
Seriously? With two highly intelligent races, nobody thought to investigate?
Straight to war for the two Kingdoms that up to this point have lived in peace?
There's a time skip of... I don't know how long. It could be a few years, or as they are immortal, it could be centuries.
Our main character Kallan was a tricky one. She is raised to be strong and independent, but she takes it too far and can be sullen and spoiled, and refuses help when it is offered. She refuses to see that anything is wrong, and can be very stubborn on this point.
I do like the character, and how she is portrayed. She is not perfect, and despite the many years that she will live, she still makes mistakes.
Rune is perfect for the task set. He's strong enough to protect Kallan - even from herself. He's smart, and kind, and can see there's something dark that threatens Kallan, and he's willing to go to any length to free her.
I felt that he was a little too perfect in places. For such a kind man, he sure kept the war going for a while. And when he's suddenly there for Kallan and seeing deep within her soul, and knowing exactly what was best for her, it all felt too much, too fast.
The other characters... I struggled with. There are too many players and, until about 70% through this rather large book, there isn't enough focus for the rest of the cast. They sit in the background while Kallan and Rune get the spotlight, they have their own plots and scheming; and when they eventually get some screentime, the characters are racing at a hundred miles an hour with Point X, and I struggle with trying to recall their brief glimpse before - who they are conspiring with, who they're lying to; who they're hiding from...
It is multi-layered. Yes, there are wars and other realms and races that are working in the shadows, but I felt they didn't get enough time to make sense. They are going in a dozen different directions (even the same character). It is only in the latter part of the book, when they all turn their aims in the same direction, that any of them become memorable.
((edit: I love it when authors take on your comments! Chrysler has updated her synopsis, and I definitely like this new version!))
Going back to the synopsis, just because I might as well mention it - I'm not a fan of when writers post interviews or forewords in the Goodreads synopsis. Especially if there's already a section where you have compared the book and author to other contemporaries.
It seems a touch too try hard. As a potential reader, I am being told how to read this book.
If it is likened to Tolkein, I can already guess. But then I am warned that the author has put a lot of work and research into this book. She has studied everything and put her heart and soul into it.
This can come across as a) too intellectual for us to truly enjoy, or b) we're not allowed to not enjoy it, because this is personal and emotional.
You can tell that Chrysler has put work into it, the text speaks for itself, as I mentioned earlier I really liked the authenticity of it. But I'd think about removing this section from the synopsis - it's already set as a foreword in the actual ebook, so this is overkill.
June 28, 2015
Dolor and Shadow by Angela B Chrysler is an epic saga, some 700 pages in the kindle edition. It introduces the reader to the world of Norse legend, and is intricately described and detailed.
Much of the tale concerns the thousand year conflict between the Dokkalfar and the Ljosalfar, two eleven races that inhabit Alfheim or the land of the elves. The Dokkalfar are led by Kallan, daughter of King Eyolf who inherits the throne from him when he is ambushed and slain by treachery at the hands of the King of the Ljosalfar. This precipitates a 1000 year war between the two immortal races. Woven throughout this endless conflict there is subterfuge, treachery and of course Seidr, the magical energy that Kallan and a few of her fellow Seidkona can wield.
There is plenty of intrigue, action, swordplay and magic in this tale and many surprising twists in it plot. Given the amount of background and world crafting and research that obviously went into creating this story it is a bit of a daunting read, much of what the reader learns has to be exposed through dialog and interaction and therefore details of the world are constantly being shaped and crafted as the story itself moves forward, a difficult feat for any author, but handled in a competent way by Ms Chrysler.
I gave this story a four star rating, i liked it a lot but it suffered a bit from its length (it likely should have been two books) and also the constant (necessary) introductions of new characters, lands and peoples makes the beginning of the tale difficult to get into, requiring the reader to persevere while the world is built up around them. I feel with judicious editing this slight difficulty could be overcome and this work would compare favorably with any of the best examples of this genre.
Much of the tale concerns the thousand year conflict between the Dokkalfar and the Ljosalfar, two eleven races that inhabit Alfheim or the land of the elves. The Dokkalfar are led by Kallan, daughter of King Eyolf who inherits the throne from him when he is ambushed and slain by treachery at the hands of the King of the Ljosalfar. This precipitates a 1000 year war between the two immortal races. Woven throughout this endless conflict there is subterfuge, treachery and of course Seidr, the magical energy that Kallan and a few of her fellow Seidkona can wield.
There is plenty of intrigue, action, swordplay and magic in this tale and many surprising twists in it plot. Given the amount of background and world crafting and research that obviously went into creating this story it is a bit of a daunting read, much of what the reader learns has to be exposed through dialog and interaction and therefore details of the world are constantly being shaped and crafted as the story itself moves forward, a difficult feat for any author, but handled in a competent way by Ms Chrysler.
I gave this story a four star rating, i liked it a lot but it suffered a bit from its length (it likely should have been two books) and also the constant (necessary) introductions of new characters, lands and peoples makes the beginning of the tale difficult to get into, requiring the reader to persevere while the world is built up around them. I feel with judicious editing this slight difficulty could be overcome and this work would compare favorably with any of the best examples of this genre.
August 14, 2015
Epic - that's the one word that sums up Dolor and Shadow in my mind. Chrysler has created a rich and vivid world, walked by fierce warriors and gods alike. It's obvious that she has studied her history, and her world-building ability left me in awe, as did her exceptional writing.
The only problem was the epic scope itself, which left me dazed at first, while I was trying to memorize one unfamiliar name after another. I gave up after realizing that Chrysler had named even the most secondary of characters. Personally, I would have left out the names of at least half the characters, to avoid unnecessary confusion (plus, some of these unusual names sounded alike). Mercifully, after a while the pieces started fitting together, allowing me the full immersion that is the mark of a great book.
Another reviewer suggested this book could have been split up into two separate books. Personally I disagree; I liked the tight pacing of the book, and worry that such a move would have made it flatter. This was a sharp-edged read, with many a memorable moments and likable, identifiable characters.
I won a free copy from the author on a giveaway, with no obligation to review.
The only problem was the epic scope itself, which left me dazed at first, while I was trying to memorize one unfamiliar name after another. I gave up after realizing that Chrysler had named even the most secondary of characters. Personally, I would have left out the names of at least half the characters, to avoid unnecessary confusion (plus, some of these unusual names sounded alike). Mercifully, after a while the pieces started fitting together, allowing me the full immersion that is the mark of a great book.
Another reviewer suggested this book could have been split up into two separate books. Personally I disagree; I liked the tight pacing of the book, and worry that such a move would have made it flatter. This was a sharp-edged read, with many a memorable moments and likable, identifiable characters.
I won a free copy from the author on a giveaway, with no obligation to review.
August 5, 2015
It's hard to do this book justice due to its length. Quite a bit of work went into this epic dark fantasy. For a dark fantasy, this book is simply excellent. It is well researched (especially the Norse mythology) and fits the title quite well. The book also has a very appropriate cover. After reading the author bio it was easy to see how she could write such a book. The author is a talented and skilled writer. The fighting and banter between Kallan and Rune is very well done and even humorous in parts, as reflects the author's dry sense of humor. Though this book is sad, as the title suggests, it is well worth the read.
June 26, 2015
An Epic Saga
I was a huge fan of sword and sorcery novels growing up, but hadn’t picked one up in a while as an adult. Dolor and Shadow reminded me exactly why I loved the genre, and still do. This novel is big, detailed, and sweeping in scope. The characters are very well done, multi-layered and deep. They don’t give up their secrets immediately, a fact I greatly appreciate in novels of any genre. Kallen is an amazing heroine, strong, spunky, but full of conflicting emotions about ruling. She has to grow up fast and make some selfless decisions for her people. Kallen is also conflicted about her feelings for Rune, the man she owes her life to, but whose kingdom she is at war with. The two sworn enemies have to work together if they want to survive a common threat, leading to much verbal sparring and sexual tension. I love the level of detail the author gave to world building. Norse place names, culture, and snippets of history were seamlessly interwoven into the narrative, making it clear the author did her research. This is a sweeping, epic novel to sink your teeth into! I highly recommend it to all fantasy lovers.
I was a huge fan of sword and sorcery novels growing up, but hadn’t picked one up in a while as an adult. Dolor and Shadow reminded me exactly why I loved the genre, and still do. This novel is big, detailed, and sweeping in scope. The characters are very well done, multi-layered and deep. They don’t give up their secrets immediately, a fact I greatly appreciate in novels of any genre. Kallen is an amazing heroine, strong, spunky, but full of conflicting emotions about ruling. She has to grow up fast and make some selfless decisions for her people. Kallen is also conflicted about her feelings for Rune, the man she owes her life to, but whose kingdom she is at war with. The two sworn enemies have to work together if they want to survive a common threat, leading to much verbal sparring and sexual tension. I love the level of detail the author gave to world building. Norse place names, culture, and snippets of history were seamlessly interwoven into the narrative, making it clear the author did her research. This is a sweeping, epic novel to sink your teeth into! I highly recommend it to all fantasy lovers.
August 16, 2015
Dolor and Shadow by: Angela B Chrysler
This is an epic tale that you won't want to put down!
Kallan, daughter of King Eyolf, inherits the throne when her father is ambushed and slain. She is also known as a Seidkona to a select few. When someone in the high court becomes an enemy bent on a takeover, Kallan is abducted, but escapes with the help of someone from her past, she starts the long journey back home in the company of the king of Ljosafar.
The reader is introduced to the Norse legend and the ongoing battle between the Dokkalfar kingdom and Ljosalar Kingdom. Sparks continually fly between both headstrong Queen and King as they make their way through harsh conditions.
Ms. Chrysler used vivid details of the countryside, foods, and legends in her tale. You will be involved with lots of swordplay, action, treachery and magic. I highly recommend this book to any one that enjoys historical, action, adventures, suspense and love. I give this awesome work 5*****!!
I received this book in exchange of an honest review.
This is an epic tale that you won't want to put down!
Kallan, daughter of King Eyolf, inherits the throne when her father is ambushed and slain. She is also known as a Seidkona to a select few. When someone in the high court becomes an enemy bent on a takeover, Kallan is abducted, but escapes with the help of someone from her past, she starts the long journey back home in the company of the king of Ljosafar.
The reader is introduced to the Norse legend and the ongoing battle between the Dokkalfar kingdom and Ljosalar Kingdom. Sparks continually fly between both headstrong Queen and King as they make their way through harsh conditions.
Ms. Chrysler used vivid details of the countryside, foods, and legends in her tale. You will be involved with lots of swordplay, action, treachery and magic. I highly recommend this book to any one that enjoys historical, action, adventures, suspense and love. I give this awesome work 5*****!!
I received this book in exchange of an honest review.
October 5, 2015
Fantastically engrossing. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Well written with strong characters and an even stronger story line. Won courtesy of Goodreads Giveaway
March 25, 2018
Curious start, building quickly into a strong base for the main characters. I need one of those pouches. I like how Kallan is both strong and weak at the same time, as well as her interactions with Rune. Rune is my favourite character, how he’s calm and both ally and enemy for Kallan. Their oil and fire relationship had me cheering them on but at the same time wanting to smack their heads together. Undecided on Bergen, he seems to be a mischievous dark horse. Didn’t like the dvergr. The middle did get a little weak and the ending didn’t feel right, especially with the missing whereabouts of two. There were too many questions left over and I almost had a panic attack when it just said the end. Thankfully there is a second book. There was one part in the book that confused me, it felt like it had just been thrown in. I was satisfied with the story and definitely will be reading the second at some point, it’s going to be very interesting with all the misunderstandings and awaiting betrayal.
May 18, 2020
Review also available on my blog The Shameful Narcissist Speaks.
I had started reading this before and Initially thought it was boring or the characters irritated me for some reason, but as I'd barely finished the prologue, I figured I'd give it another chance. The beginning quote is directly from The Poetic Edda: Stories of the Norse Gods and Heroes, which I'd recently finished, and the novel itself if rife with Norse Mythology.
The prologue introduces two characters, a grandmother and her granddaughter who are elves or Alfar (as the story calls them) living on Midgard, and there are mentions of Alfenheim and Jotunheim, which are other locales on Yggdrasil, the World Tree. Gudrun, the elder, is telling the young Kallan about a war between the Aesir and Vanar with the latter on the losing end. I'm always down for Norse Mythology, so my hopes were high, but they had been as soon as I saw the title had "dolor" in it, which not only means "sorrow" in Latin, but is also used in the Advent Children version of "One Winged Angel," which has been stuck in my head since I started writing this review.
"Saevam iram
Iram et dolorum..."
The title translates to "Sorrow and Shadow" so I was pretty stoked.
Chrysler obviously has extensive knowledge of both Celtic and Norse Mythology, as well as a love of history. I believe she makes reference to Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, too with one character Bergen traveling to Egypt and falling in love with the queen there. He witnessed the burning of the Library of Alexandria (called Academia here), but I don't think the author was attempting to put this story at any particular point in history with that happenstance.
Kallan has a power called Seidr (which I pronounced SAY-thur with no clue if that's right/wrong), but her father's high marshal Aaric did something to seal it away in order to protect the princess from Danann who not only would kill her, but also created the 90,000 refugee crisis that starts the book. Someone is trying to start a war between the Alfar (Kallan's people) and the Dokkalfar, another type of elf, so yeah, it's that type of novel with lots of fantasy names, though it's not all that difficult to keep track. Like so many conflicts this starts with an innocent victim, a misunderstanding, an overreaction, then war. Hundreds of people on the other side were killed to avenge one death, and this can't be left unanswered.
While keeping track of the different elf races wasn't too bad, knowing when things happened was a little more difficult. At the beginning of the second part, there's a thousand year time jump. The war between the Dokkalfar and the Alfar continues, but the children of the previous rulers have picked up fallen swords honed on lies and misunderstandings. It begs the same question as A Song of Ice and Fire: when does vengeance end?
Kallan, now a war queen, is more than just a warrior. She's a good ruler who knows what's important. If her and Rune, the son of the Dokkalfar king, could have that necessary conversation where they hear each other's stories, everything could be hashed out, but alas it never occurs (more on that later).
A bunch of plot happens that puts Rune and Kallan together, and this is where my side eye started to kick in. Kallan is kidnapped by Dvargar (dwarves but more in the Tokien sense not the Snow White one) who beat, torture, as well as threaten her with rape, and I'm just like...really? She, a war queen and battle ruler, is rendered utterly helpless and unable to defend herself until Ori, one of her captors, gives her a chance to escape and use her Seidr. She's still recaptured and the abuse continues with increasing threats of assault by a dwarf named Nordri, and it was really uncomfortable to read. There was absolutely no point other than to give Rune a reason to rescue her and look like a hero, and this is hard for me to say and not feel like a hypocrite, because I did the same thing in my first novel. I think my saving grace is my female character wasn't a warrior queen. She was portrayed as vulnerable from the get-go whereas Chrysler spent the entire first half of the book painting Kallan as this strong, powerful magic user who was so potent she had to have her abilities locked away lest she risk the wrath of a goddess, a war queen who inherited her father's cause after his death (it's the Sansa issue all over again...) All shes' known is war and fighting, and Chrysler reduces her to a chained victim. Now, this isn't to say something like this couldn't have been accomplished brilliantly, but novels don't exist in a bubble, and the idea of "taking powerful women down a peg" has a whole host of problem. I was hoping there'd be some other reason for including the Dvergar, but nope; they were only there to knock Kallan down and give Rune a chance to rescue her.
Then the author sees fit to seemingly forget that Kallan not only inherited her father's war, but she literally grew up in a time of strife. Yet, she is almost cartoonishly ignorant of things. When she and Rune arrive at an army camp, she just wants to waltz right in when she sees a sign for naudr or "need." Why wouldn't she consider this is neither her land nor her people thus signs could mean vastly different things? Why would Rune need to remind her of that? How does she not know to be cautious in a strange land? It's like Chrysler wants to portray her as an ignorant, little girl who is wholly dependent on Rune to guide her, and it's utterly at odds with the prior portrait she painted. If Kallan had been sheltered her entire life, it would track, but she hasn't and should have a nuanced understanding of politics, which is another thing. How the fuck does she not have a basic understanding of politics?
At one point Rune mentions something about the war in Midgard spreading to Gunir (Kallan's kingdom), which makes perfect sense. It's going to effect her realm, and Kallan would've been taught these political intrigues; it's part of a princess' education. The fact that she's unconcerned makes her look like an incompetent leader, which is...fine? A good warlord isn't necessarily a good leader (see Robert Baratheon of ASOIAF), but Rune was born in the time of war, too, and he understands this. It's like the instant she runs away from him and is kidnapped by the Dvergar, she completely forgets all of her life's lessons. Like really? She's going to just walk blithely into a war camp. What the actual fuck? If she'd been portrayed as a sheltered princess from the jump, then of course it would be acceptable, but she's given the role of "strong, female character." She can fight with sword, shield, and seidr, and yet in the middle of the book Chrysler completely undermines her in such a sexist way. What makes this even worse is she's been informed that men (Midgardians) are killing all those they find with seidr, and she's not being careful to hide that she can use it AT ALL. I honestly just don't get it. Chrysler is obviously a capable writer, but did a complete reversal of character competency when it was seemingly convenient.
We also need to talk about the chemistry or rather the complete lack there of between Rune and Kallan. Just like the latter's competency, this is something else that withered away like yesterday's lilies. When they first met there were instant sparks; however, they didn't know who the other was, so there was that mystery about it. Had they known, they would've hated each other, and I think that's what the author was going for, but there's a subtlety missing. With the enemies to lovers trope, there's usually some kind of denied desire between the two of them, but we see none of that. There's just petty bickering and this contrived jealousy angle. It would make sense if the novel had showed the characters have anything between them, but it just comes off as them doing it because it fulfills the requirements. They only time they talk is to argue or when Rune is baiting her, and I hate the possessiveness he professes to another (male) characters. It's just...icky, and Chrysler is showing their "like" through mutual jealousy, which is not only not remotely genuine, it's also toxic.
There is no change in their relationship after Rune rescues Kallan, and that's an issue. It doesn't have to be a complete 180, but there is literally no difference in how either of them think or act. Did the author just stage that in order for us to see Rune in a good light? We already know his side of the story whereas Kallan doesn't. As much as they've been sniping at each other, it's baffling that Rune has never said, "All of this started because my sister was killed by Dokkalfar!"It's never made clear why he doesn't just tell her, and this leads into one of the most irritating tropes: when a inter-character conflict could be solved by one conversation that has no reason not to occur.
I wound up stopping around 84% because as I neared the end, Chrysler continued throwing in more characters from mythology as if packing the story with such figures grants relevance or cohesion. It just adds more noise and doesn't address the plot or character development issues. Heimdall shows up at the end for no foreseeable reason. Why did Kallan have an image of him at that moment? Was that shoehorned in to tie in the Loptr (Loki) part mentioned earlier? The author obviously knows a great deal about Norse Mythology, and it seems like she was attempting a Tolkien maneuver by writing a novel that showcased her knowledge, but she sacrificed a lot of the plot's integrity to shove all of these elements in there. The pacing leaves much to be desired after the two leads end up on the road together. It's honestly a shame, because Chrysler clearly has a lot of knowledge about this subject; it just wasn't executed in an efficient way.
2.5 stars.
I had started reading this before and Initially thought it was boring or the characters irritated me for some reason, but as I'd barely finished the prologue, I figured I'd give it another chance. The beginning quote is directly from The Poetic Edda: Stories of the Norse Gods and Heroes, which I'd recently finished, and the novel itself if rife with Norse Mythology.
The prologue introduces two characters, a grandmother and her granddaughter who are elves or Alfar (as the story calls them) living on Midgard, and there are mentions of Alfenheim and Jotunheim, which are other locales on Yggdrasil, the World Tree. Gudrun, the elder, is telling the young Kallan about a war between the Aesir and Vanar with the latter on the losing end. I'm always down for Norse Mythology, so my hopes were high, but they had been as soon as I saw the title had "dolor" in it, which not only means "sorrow" in Latin, but is also used in the Advent Children version of "One Winged Angel," which has been stuck in my head since I started writing this review.
"Saevam iram
Iram et dolorum..."
The title translates to "Sorrow and Shadow" so I was pretty stoked.
Chrysler obviously has extensive knowledge of both Celtic and Norse Mythology, as well as a love of history. I believe she makes reference to Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, too with one character Bergen traveling to Egypt and falling in love with the queen there. He witnessed the burning of the Library of Alexandria (called Academia here), but I don't think the author was attempting to put this story at any particular point in history with that happenstance.
Kallan has a power called Seidr (which I pronounced SAY-thur with no clue if that's right/wrong), but her father's high marshal Aaric did something to seal it away in order to protect the princess from Danann who not only would kill her, but also created the 90,000 refugee crisis that starts the book. Someone is trying to start a war between the Alfar (Kallan's people) and the Dokkalfar, another type of elf, so yeah, it's that type of novel with lots of fantasy names, though it's not all that difficult to keep track. Like so many conflicts this starts with an innocent victim, a misunderstanding, an overreaction, then war. Hundreds of people on the other side were killed to avenge one death, and this can't be left unanswered.
While keeping track of the different elf races wasn't too bad, knowing when things happened was a little more difficult. At the beginning of the second part, there's a thousand year time jump. The war between the Dokkalfar and the Alfar continues, but the children of the previous rulers have picked up fallen swords honed on lies and misunderstandings. It begs the same question as A Song of Ice and Fire: when does vengeance end?
Kallan, now a war queen, is more than just a warrior. She's a good ruler who knows what's important. If her and Rune, the son of the Dokkalfar king, could have that necessary conversation where they hear each other's stories, everything could be hashed out, but alas it never occurs (more on that later).
A bunch of plot happens that puts Rune and Kallan together, and this is where my side eye started to kick in. Kallan is kidnapped by Dvargar (dwarves but more in the Tokien sense not the Snow White one) who beat, torture, as well as threaten her with rape, and I'm just like...really? She, a war queen and battle ruler, is rendered utterly helpless and unable to defend herself until Ori, one of her captors, gives her a chance to escape and use her Seidr. She's still recaptured and the abuse continues with increasing threats of assault by a dwarf named Nordri, and it was really uncomfortable to read. There was absolutely no point other than to give Rune a reason to rescue her and look like a hero, and this is hard for me to say and not feel like a hypocrite, because I did the same thing in my first novel. I think my saving grace is my female character wasn't a warrior queen. She was portrayed as vulnerable from the get-go whereas Chrysler spent the entire first half of the book painting Kallan as this strong, powerful magic user who was so potent she had to have her abilities locked away lest she risk the wrath of a goddess, a war queen who inherited her father's cause after his death (it's the Sansa issue all over again...) All shes' known is war and fighting, and Chrysler reduces her to a chained victim. Now, this isn't to say something like this couldn't have been accomplished brilliantly, but novels don't exist in a bubble, and the idea of "taking powerful women down a peg" has a whole host of problem. I was hoping there'd be some other reason for including the Dvergar, but nope; they were only there to knock Kallan down and give Rune a chance to rescue her.
Then the author sees fit to seemingly forget that Kallan not only inherited her father's war, but she literally grew up in a time of strife. Yet, she is almost cartoonishly ignorant of things. When she and Rune arrive at an army camp, she just wants to waltz right in when she sees a sign for naudr or "need." Why wouldn't she consider this is neither her land nor her people thus signs could mean vastly different things? Why would Rune need to remind her of that? How does she not know to be cautious in a strange land? It's like Chrysler wants to portray her as an ignorant, little girl who is wholly dependent on Rune to guide her, and it's utterly at odds with the prior portrait she painted. If Kallan had been sheltered her entire life, it would track, but she hasn't and should have a nuanced understanding of politics, which is another thing. How the fuck does she not have a basic understanding of politics?
At one point Rune mentions something about the war in Midgard spreading to Gunir (Kallan's kingdom), which makes perfect sense. It's going to effect her realm, and Kallan would've been taught these political intrigues; it's part of a princess' education. The fact that she's unconcerned makes her look like an incompetent leader, which is...fine? A good warlord isn't necessarily a good leader (see Robert Baratheon of ASOIAF), but Rune was born in the time of war, too, and he understands this. It's like the instant she runs away from him and is kidnapped by the Dvergar, she completely forgets all of her life's lessons. Like really? She's going to just walk blithely into a war camp. What the actual fuck? If she'd been portrayed as a sheltered princess from the jump, then of course it would be acceptable, but she's given the role of "strong, female character." She can fight with sword, shield, and seidr, and yet in the middle of the book Chrysler completely undermines her in such a sexist way. What makes this even worse is she's been informed that men (Midgardians) are killing all those they find with seidr, and she's not being careful to hide that she can use it AT ALL. I honestly just don't get it. Chrysler is obviously a capable writer, but did a complete reversal of character competency when it was seemingly convenient.
We also need to talk about the chemistry or rather the complete lack there of between Rune and Kallan. Just like the latter's competency, this is something else that withered away like yesterday's lilies. When they first met there were instant sparks; however, they didn't know who the other was, so there was that mystery about it. Had they known, they would've hated each other, and I think that's what the author was going for, but there's a subtlety missing. With the enemies to lovers trope, there's usually some kind of denied desire between the two of them, but we see none of that. There's just petty bickering and this contrived jealousy angle. It would make sense if the novel had showed the characters have anything between them, but it just comes off as them doing it because it fulfills the requirements. They only time they talk is to argue or when Rune is baiting her, and I hate the possessiveness he professes to another (male) characters. It's just...icky, and Chrysler is showing their "like" through mutual jealousy, which is not only not remotely genuine, it's also toxic.
There is no change in their relationship after Rune rescues Kallan, and that's an issue. It doesn't have to be a complete 180, but there is literally no difference in how either of them think or act. Did the author just stage that in order for us to see Rune in a good light? We already know his side of the story whereas Kallan doesn't. As much as they've been sniping at each other, it's baffling that Rune has never said, "All of this started because my sister was killed by Dokkalfar!"It's never made clear why he doesn't just tell her, and this leads into one of the most irritating tropes: when a inter-character conflict could be solved by one conversation that has no reason not to occur.
I wound up stopping around 84% because as I neared the end, Chrysler continued throwing in more characters from mythology as if packing the story with such figures grants relevance or cohesion. It just adds more noise and doesn't address the plot or character development issues. Heimdall shows up at the end for no foreseeable reason. Why did Kallan have an image of him at that moment? Was that shoehorned in to tie in the Loptr (Loki) part mentioned earlier? The author obviously knows a great deal about Norse Mythology, and it seems like she was attempting a Tolkien maneuver by writing a novel that showcased her knowledge, but she sacrificed a lot of the plot's integrity to shove all of these elements in there. The pacing leaves much to be desired after the two leads end up on the road together. It's honestly a shame, because Chrysler clearly has a lot of knowledge about this subject; it just wasn't executed in an efficient way.
2.5 stars.
October 22, 2016
'Dolor and Shadow' is a story about Kallan, who becomes Queen after the death of her father. Unable to save him Kallan wants revenge on King Rune of Gunuir, who she believes is to blame. But as the story goes on Kallan finds herself in the company of Rune. Together they try and make their way home but find it isn't easy.
Overall, I thought this book was good but a bit too long in length for me.
The world and characters that Chrysler has written about were what I liked best about it. They were written well and I found them very interesting.
Rune, was my favourite and I took to him straight away. He came across kind and clever. I liked the dialogue between him and Kallan, as I found it funny at times. Kallan, was ok but at first I found her a bit stubborn. Later on, towards the end of the story I liked her a lot more.
I do plan to read the next book in the 'Tales of Drui' series as I want to know what happens. I felt this book didn't answer enough of my questions.
I received a copy of this book from the author and Booklover Catlady Publicity in return for a fair and honest review. Thank you.
Overall, I thought this book was good but a bit too long in length for me.
The world and characters that Chrysler has written about were what I liked best about it. They were written well and I found them very interesting.
Rune, was my favourite and I took to him straight away. He came across kind and clever. I liked the dialogue between him and Kallan, as I found it funny at times. Kallan, was ok but at first I found her a bit stubborn. Later on, towards the end of the story I liked her a lot more.
I do plan to read the next book in the 'Tales of Drui' series as I want to know what happens. I felt this book didn't answer enough of my questions.
I received a copy of this book from the author and Booklover Catlady Publicity in return for a fair and honest review. Thank you.
June 7, 2016
I was immediately entranced with the premise of the book, since it envisions Viking/Norse mythology from the perspective of the elves. I knew, going in, that there would be a lot to love about the world being built and, in that aspect, I was not disappointed in the least. The worldbuilding here is magnificent and, once you get used to the onslaught of names and places, you can really begin to feel immersed in the world. Things are just so well-developed in this book that it feels reminiscent of the wholeness that Tolkien brought together with Middle-Earth in his books. This is one of the greatest strengths a book can have, that synergy with the wholeness of the world that allows for complete immersion, and is one of the things I love the most about reading fantasy novels.
This book has moments of darkness in there, with some pretty brutal scenes happening to one of the main characters. They prove to be quite essential to the development of both the plot and that main character, and the amount of detail given during said scenes are rather minimal in comparison to some other dark fantasy novels I have read this year. Just be aware, if you are a sensitive reader, that there will be some chapters in the middle that may make you a bit uncomfortable.
One of the biggest issues I had came in the first hundred pages or so. There are so many characters and balls juggling in the air and shifts in POV that it was confusing trying to decipher who was central to the story and what is going on and how much time has elapsed. By the time the POV settled down upon the two central characters, the struggle went away and some of the events became clearer, although I probably would need to revisit those first hundred pages now to really grasp all that happened and the implications of those things.
The other big detraction came about from the ending which, ultimately, felt like a forced ending point. The main characters still have not reached their intended destination, and the only resolution came from meeting up with a character while driving off, at least temporarily, the threat that was pursuing them. The consolation is that there is a new book in the series coming next month (which I am very excited about and plan to read as soon as I can cross a few other books off my list) which should progress things beyond where the first one left off.
As a whole this book was very good and certainly is one I would recommend to anyone who loves grand worldbuilding in fantasy, dark fantasy stories, interesting magic systems, Norse mythology, and complex female protagonists. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more books by Angela.
This book has moments of darkness in there, with some pretty brutal scenes happening to one of the main characters. They prove to be quite essential to the development of both the plot and that main character, and the amount of detail given during said scenes are rather minimal in comparison to some other dark fantasy novels I have read this year. Just be aware, if you are a sensitive reader, that there will be some chapters in the middle that may make you a bit uncomfortable.
One of the biggest issues I had came in the first hundred pages or so. There are so many characters and balls juggling in the air and shifts in POV that it was confusing trying to decipher who was central to the story and what is going on and how much time has elapsed. By the time the POV settled down upon the two central characters, the struggle went away and some of the events became clearer, although I probably would need to revisit those first hundred pages now to really grasp all that happened and the implications of those things.
The other big detraction came about from the ending which, ultimately, felt like a forced ending point. The main characters still have not reached their intended destination, and the only resolution came from meeting up with a character while driving off, at least temporarily, the threat that was pursuing them. The consolation is that there is a new book in the series coming next month (which I am very excited about and plan to read as soon as I can cross a few other books off my list) which should progress things beyond where the first one left off.
As a whole this book was very good and certainly is one I would recommend to anyone who loves grand worldbuilding in fantasy, dark fantasy stories, interesting magic systems, Norse mythology, and complex female protagonists. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more books by Angela.
June 21, 2016
Dolor and Shadow is the first book in the Tales of the Drui series. Like most first books in a series, it’s got a fairly steep learning curve and some development points that need to be established for future books.
The main characters Kallan and Rune, steal the show. The rest of the cast is interesting, but not quite built on. Luckily the character of Kallan stands on her own. She’s a compelling person with an interesting internal conflict. Rune is a solid counter to her. I was most happy with the book when they were in the thick of the plot.
I gave this book 5-stars because it is a great start to a series, but, like I said, it has a lot in common with other great starts to books. I absolutely love “Eye of the World” and Dragon Flight, but those books start slow and sometimes drag a bit. My brother asked me to read the first one hundred pages of “Eye of the World” before I said anything, and I’ve never been happier to listen to him.
Dolor isn’t much different in terms of the amount of set up it requires. This is a deep world with a lot of backstory to it that requires a few viewpoint shifts and early chapters that can slow a reader down, but don’t stop because the reward is a great “cat-and-mouse” plot that drives the story quickly once everything is established.
I’m a fan of the setting and the magic system. I’m a big fan of epic landscapes and solid magic systems. This is still fairly soft, but the magic system is a plot solution device, it is, in fact, a source of conflict from my point of view.
Fans of heroic women will enjoy this story. Kallan isn’t a normal heroine. She may be one of the first "broken" female heroes I’ve seen. I don’t know that I’d go so far as to call her an antihero, but she isn’t the “pluckly lass” from down the road. She’s a queen and a young woman nearly broken by stress. Her journey alone makes the book worth reading.
The main characters Kallan and Rune, steal the show. The rest of the cast is interesting, but not quite built on. Luckily the character of Kallan stands on her own. She’s a compelling person with an interesting internal conflict. Rune is a solid counter to her. I was most happy with the book when they were in the thick of the plot.
I gave this book 5-stars because it is a great start to a series, but, like I said, it has a lot in common with other great starts to books. I absolutely love “Eye of the World” and Dragon Flight, but those books start slow and sometimes drag a bit. My brother asked me to read the first one hundred pages of “Eye of the World” before I said anything, and I’ve never been happier to listen to him.
Dolor isn’t much different in terms of the amount of set up it requires. This is a deep world with a lot of backstory to it that requires a few viewpoint shifts and early chapters that can slow a reader down, but don’t stop because the reward is a great “cat-and-mouse” plot that drives the story quickly once everything is established.
I’m a fan of the setting and the magic system. I’m a big fan of epic landscapes and solid magic systems. This is still fairly soft, but the magic system is a plot solution device, it is, in fact, a source of conflict from my point of view.
Fans of heroic women will enjoy this story. Kallan isn’t a normal heroine. She may be one of the first "broken" female heroes I’ve seen. I don’t know that I’d go so far as to call her an antihero, but she isn’t the “pluckly lass” from down the road. She’s a queen and a young woman nearly broken by stress. Her journey alone makes the book worth reading.
August 19, 2015
With first-rate world building, in depth character development, and layers of political drama and warfare, this book captivated me.
The brutalities of war, which unfortunately included children as casualties, were not glossed over, nor dwelt upon to the point of being violence just for the sake of violence. People's deaths affected the main characters in realistic, deep, and debilitating ways. A good portion of the narrative focused on one character's, Kallan's, struggle to cope with the atrocities she'd been a witness to and victim of.
Kallan's plight is the central focus of the story but, as allies and foes protect and pursue her, mysteries of the lands through which she travels and of the people who inhabit them unravel to reveal subplots steeped in myth and magic.
With an ending that's just the beginning, I will be first in line for Volume 2.
The brutalities of war, which unfortunately included children as casualties, were not glossed over, nor dwelt upon to the point of being violence just for the sake of violence. People's deaths affected the main characters in realistic, deep, and debilitating ways. A good portion of the narrative focused on one character's, Kallan's, struggle to cope with the atrocities she'd been a witness to and victim of.
Kallan's plight is the central focus of the story but, as allies and foes protect and pursue her, mysteries of the lands through which she travels and of the people who inhabit them unravel to reveal subplots steeped in myth and magic.
With an ending that's just the beginning, I will be first in line for Volume 2.
Read
January 25, 2016Steeped in the mythology of the Norse realms
This story takes time to build, but it easily fulfills the promises made in the first few pages. The characters come to life in stunning detail, evolving through the course of the story, shaped by their actions, and the actions of those around them.
Between work and my own writing, I find it hard to dedicate much time to reading, but this was one of those books that I had a hard time putting down. I found myself turning page after page, and wanting to read just one more chapter before bed... The level of detail in the background characters, the lands themselves, and the mythology keeps you wanting to read more. This is the kind of epic story that "Lord of the Rings" wanted to be, but with the balance between plot and background balanced just right. This is book one in a set that has the potential to become timeless.
This story takes time to build, but it easily fulfills the promises made in the first few pages. The characters come to life in stunning detail, evolving through the course of the story, shaped by their actions, and the actions of those around them.
Between work and my own writing, I find it hard to dedicate much time to reading, but this was one of those books that I had a hard time putting down. I found myself turning page after page, and wanting to read just one more chapter before bed... The level of detail in the background characters, the lands themselves, and the mythology keeps you wanting to read more. This is the kind of epic story that "Lord of the Rings" wanted to be, but with the balance between plot and background balanced just right. This is book one in a set that has the potential to become timeless.
October 15, 2015
I'm a huge Norse everything nerd. This story was perfect. Angela did an amazing job getting the mythology and folklore of Norway right (unlike some major comic brands, *cough* *cough*). You can definitely tell that I loved her world-building if you listen to the discussion on AVBC. I might have gone overboard a little.
Angela doesn't pull her punches. This is definitely dark fantasy: some awful stuff happens. But there isn't any senseless violence. It all has a reason and is directly relevant to the story. There's no hacking of bodies just for funsies. Only for revenge or, if it's a villain, to manipulate a political situation or extract an important piece of information.
There's a lot of foreshadowing of events that (I hope) will occur in future books in the series. I'm awaiting those tales with great anticipation.
Angela doesn't pull her punches. This is definitely dark fantasy: some awful stuff happens. But there isn't any senseless violence. It all has a reason and is directly relevant to the story. There's no hacking of bodies just for funsies. Only for revenge or, if it's a villain, to manipulate a political situation or extract an important piece of information.
There's a lot of foreshadowing of events that (I hope) will occur in future books in the series. I'm awaiting those tales with great anticipation.
August 9, 2015
Magic! That's the one word that can explain this multi-layered, epic fantasy. This Nordic fantasy was also epic in size but so worth the read. The characters and story seem to build and layer as the tale progresses. This book will take the reader on a journey they will never forget.
November 19, 2021
This is the first book I have read by this author but it definitely will not be my last. I am not usually very into books about the Northman and the Norse Gods but the title caught my attention and this book which is a sort of enemies to friends book captured me right from the start. The worldbuilding of the realms is amazing and the descriptions take the reader right to the place being described as they are so vivid and detailed. The characters are powerful both in their magical powers and also in the depth of their feelings. Kallan is the princess of the Dokkalfar and is a seidkona with a pouch she carries with the apples of Idunn, These have the power to heal and give extra strength to anyone who eats them and the pouch never ran out of these. Thus the pouch was sought after by many, and she becomes a target. Kallan becomes queen at the death of her father, and she takes on his war against the Ljosalfar and vows to kill their king, Rune herself as she believed it was he who wielded the sword which killed Eyolf. Kallan mourns him almost right through the book and when she is forced to flee and travel across the realms of Midgard and into the realm of men from Alfheim she is forced to travel with Rune, her biggest enemy. However during their travels and the many times he saved her hide they finally reach a compromise and though not becoming lovers they are at least allies of a sort. However the Gods are playing games with Kallan, and the humans were on the warpath and their was a traitor in her own home amongst those she trusted most but who is this traitor who wants to see her dead? The tale is very intricate and beautifully narrated and I cannot wait to read book 2 in this very captivating story of love and heartbreak!
June 1, 2017
Kallan is a princess. Her father rules the Dokkalfar, a type of dark elf. He moved a large group of his people from their homeland to Alfheim, where the Ljosalfar are located, because one of the other kings killed his wife. The Ljosalfar king has three children. The youngest, the only daughter, is killed, and it looks like a Dokkalfar attack. His wife uses her influence over the Seidr to try and bring her back to life, but gives to much, and is overcome by the shadow. The same shadow surrounds the king, and he goes on a berserker like rampage, and kills hundreds of Dokkalfar. He kills himself shortly after, once he comes back to his senses. This shadow continues on, and eventually takes one of the brothers, Bergen. Rune, the eldest sibling, is now king, and vows to fight the shadow. Because of the massacre, a war breaks out between the two kingdoms, and eventually the Dokkalfar king is killed. This leaves the two heirs to fight a war neither of them started, but neither can finish. There are many subplots involved, and eventually Kallan and Rune must interact for a while, and eventually some lies are revealed.
This is a good book overall, but you can definitely tell this is her debut novel. Towards the beginning I really didn’t like the book, but as I continued reading, I became quite entranced. Dolor and Shadow had some flaws, like all books do, but it was overall an enjoyable book. I would recommend this book to anyone who can get through the first few chapters to get to the better part of the book.
This is a good book overall, but you can definitely tell this is her debut novel. Towards the beginning I really didn’t like the book, but as I continued reading, I became quite entranced. Dolor and Shadow had some flaws, like all books do, but it was overall an enjoyable book. I would recommend this book to anyone who can get through the first few chapters to get to the better part of the book.
May 4, 2018
I have mixed thoughts about this one. On one hand, I appreciate the scope of the fantasy and loved how vividly it was written. The characters were genuine and the plot kept my interest.
On the other hand, I thought it was too long. It could have shaved a hundred fifty pages off easily.
Personal preference: the formatting didn’t work for me. I didn’t like how each paragraph was double spaced from every other paragraph, while within the paragraphs were single spaced. It gave off an impression of being a blog, which I didn’t think did a service to the genre.
Another preference thing. The names used. Are they classically more accurate? Probably, but to a contemporary reader, they were needlessly complex. Especially when you have other characters...or horses, named similarly. (Looking at you, Thor the horse). Some of them were quick enough for me (as someone with at least a modicum of Norse mythology backing) to pick up. Odinn is Odin. But I have to wonder how much of this story I missed because I didn’t recongnize the names and couldn’t supply missing plot elements, since an understanding of these myths is assumed.
The magic system I also felt was both too complicated and not explained enough. Despite 500 pages of it, I still have no idea how a character uses/controls it. Why it works in most cases but not in others.
I received this book for free through Goodreads firstreads.
3/5
On the other hand, I thought it was too long. It could have shaved a hundred fifty pages off easily.
Personal preference: the formatting didn’t work for me. I didn’t like how each paragraph was double spaced from every other paragraph, while within the paragraphs were single spaced. It gave off an impression of being a blog, which I didn’t think did a service to the genre.
Another preference thing. The names used. Are they classically more accurate? Probably, but to a contemporary reader, they were needlessly complex. Especially when you have other characters...or horses, named similarly. (Looking at you, Thor the horse). Some of them were quick enough for me (as someone with at least a modicum of Norse mythology backing) to pick up. Odinn is Odin. But I have to wonder how much of this story I missed because I didn’t recongnize the names and couldn’t supply missing plot elements, since an understanding of these myths is assumed.
The magic system I also felt was both too complicated and not explained enough. Despite 500 pages of it, I still have no idea how a character uses/controls it. Why it works in most cases but not in others.
I received this book for free through Goodreads firstreads.
3/5
February 18, 2018
This book was pretty interesting although a bit difficult to keep up with. There were some parts of the plot I found to be confusing like I was missing an important part of different characters' past.
Overall it was a really great book with plenty of action and the perfect amount of personal conflict between characters. There were some typos (sorry I notice those a lot) and there were actually two chapter 44's (chapter 43 was labeled as chapter 44). I really enjoy fantasy and historical fiction, so this is a fantastic blend of both genres! Having her own spin on elves we've read in so many other works and including ancient conflict within a world not yet founded as we know it now, Chrysler has bridged fantasy, history, and Norse mythology into one epic book--and hopefully an epic series altogether! I can't wait for the next one!
Overall it was a really great book with plenty of action and the perfect amount of personal conflict between characters. There were some typos (sorry I notice those a lot) and there were actually two chapter 44's (chapter 43 was labeled as chapter 44). I really enjoy fantasy and historical fiction, so this is a fantastic blend of both genres! Having her own spin on elves we've read in so many other works and including ancient conflict within a world not yet founded as we know it now, Chrysler has bridged fantasy, history, and Norse mythology into one epic book--and hopefully an epic series altogether! I can't wait for the next one!
October 3, 2017
Fantastic book! This is the kind of story that got me so interested in reading when I was a kid. It's got a similar idea to Terry Brooks' earlier books, which I devoured as a kid. Yet, the difference in terms, such as Alfr rather than Elf, made it more interesting. The only thing I disliked about this book was that it took me so long to read it... Which is because of my other commitments, not because the story was bad in any way! I 10000% would recommend reading it... In fact, I finished it today, and bought the second one as soon as I got home!
Note: I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
Note: I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
August 26, 2018
I found it difficult to follow the large cast of characters. After a while, I gave up and concentrated my attention on the main characters and their problems. I was eager to see Rune and Kellan together. I wanted to see some passion between them. After Rune saved her life, Kellan kicked him. Then she ran off. I stopped reading. One day, I will finish it.
The book is well-written. I'm sure readers who are used to reading fantasy fiction will enjoy the history and details.
The book is well-written. I'm sure readers who are used to reading fantasy fiction will enjoy the history and details.
October 25, 2022
Too confusing
Jumps into characters without any background, no chance to understand them and then jumps to another poorly written character, very confusing. Its work to try and read this book.
Jumps into characters without any background, no chance to understand them and then jumps to another poorly written character, very confusing. Its work to try and read this book.
April 26, 2018
Where to begin. I really enjoyed the book. Definitely a change from my usual paranormal books. The beginning was a bit difficult to follow. There were new characters introduced and I had trouble keep track of who was who. But after the first few chapters I caught on and it was actually a very interesting book!
All in all great read. I wouldn’t give it five stars just because it took some extra concentration to get through the first few chapters and try not to get lost.
All in all great read. I wouldn’t give it five stars just because it took some extra concentration to get through the first few chapters and try not to get lost.
July 8, 2016
Well written Norse/Elven fantasy, the author's knowledge of the historical and mythic setting and languages being among the best features of the book. Angela Chrysler also knows how to tell a story, one result being that I was disappointed enough to reach the abrupt ending to consider giving this only three stars. I can't quite do that, it's too good a book. But readers need to be aware that reading this volume by itself is very unsatisfactory. Good news is that the next in the series is out... but we will have to wait for further instalments!
Other negative comments are that the reader is dumped headfirst into the world of the book and left to sink or swim - and there are a lot of characters and locations to 'place' in relation to what is happening. There is also an odd tendency to skip the occasional preposition; for example: "chunk meat hanging from his mouth" where I would have expected the phrase "chunk of meat".
Other than these little issues, however, the writing is of a very high standard and the presentation excellent. Characterization is good, plot very good, and pace very good to excellent. For a work of this complexity, the pages went by very quickly, and the end most certainly left me wanting more. I'm tempted to compare this to George R.R. Martin or J.V. Jones or J. V. Jones, but must note that while Dolor and Shadow has something of the *feel* of both of these, Angela Chrysler's writing style is different and distinctive. She is an original.
If you like high fantasy and are looking for something different, you may well find it here.
*I received this book free in exchange for an honest and objective review.*
Other negative comments are that the reader is dumped headfirst into the world of the book and left to sink or swim - and there are a lot of characters and locations to 'place' in relation to what is happening. There is also an odd tendency to skip the occasional preposition; for example: "chunk meat hanging from his mouth" where I would have expected the phrase "chunk of meat".
Other than these little issues, however, the writing is of a very high standard and the presentation excellent. Characterization is good, plot very good, and pace very good to excellent. For a work of this complexity, the pages went by very quickly, and the end most certainly left me wanting more. I'm tempted to compare this to George R.R. Martin or J.V. Jones or J. V. Jones, but must note that while Dolor and Shadow has something of the *feel* of both of these, Angela Chrysler's writing style is different and distinctive. She is an original.
If you like high fantasy and are looking for something different, you may well find it here.
*I received this book free in exchange for an honest and objective review.*
July 17, 2016
“How I hate to kill you,” she whispered. “How I hate more that you seek to kill me, and how I hate most your bloodthirsty king who orders the slaying of my kin.”
Dolor and Shadow is a pretty fast paced book with just the right amount of foreshadowing, badassery and fantasy to make it a perfect afternoon read.
It covers Norse mythology and is quite frankly a gripping book. Sure, at times I did feel a little confused but that was simply because there were a lot of names and events to remember during the initial chapters. After a while however, you begin to root for the characters especially, Kallan, our protagonist,who eventually stars to grow on you.
The gleam in her eyes returned with her smile. “I love my swords.”
This book is better suited to those who have time to spare in indulging in a mystical world where a 1000 year war fires up between 2 elven races. While there's not a whole lot of character connection, the world building is quite sound with brilliant descriptions about the setting, time and characters though this does at times gets over bearing.
The plot twists though and character interaction is a good enough reason to keep plodding through as it does get infinitely better once the world building is out of the way.
*I received this book in exchange on an honest review via Read it and Reap
January 2, 2017
I know how much I love the book I'm reading when it haunts my dreams, and this book did just that plus I had an affinity with it from the start because I have a tri-cornered knot tattoo on my lefty shoulder! The world built by Angela is incredible, her knowledge of Norse mythology, including the language is amazing, but she is not only able to create this intricate world, her words are able to draw you in. This is a complex world full of intrigue, brutal combat and mystical magic. The huge cast of characters can be daunting but the all the main ones are brought to life and become unforgettable. None are perfect either, they all are troubled by a past not of their making and watching them learn and change was a delight. Of course Angela has left me wanting more, I need to know what happens to these characters, I need to know what happens next, I need to read the next book and I will. I would recommend this great fantasy novel.
April 7, 2016
This is a fantasy set in an interesting magical world based on Norse history and mythology. I really enjoyed the first third of the novel, but lost interest as the focus turned to romance. It just wasn’t what I was hoping for. Obviously, lots of people love romance, so this is not a drawback for everyone, just for me. I would have preferred focusing on the other characters, their motivations, and how they were all interconnected. I think a rich world was being built, but those parts moved along so quickly that it never really made sense to me.
I did like Kallan (a strong, intelligent, driven character), the writing style, and the world the book was set in. I think if you like the idea of a fantasy rooted in Norse mythology with lots of bickering and building sexual tension, then this could be for you.
I did like Kallan (a strong, intelligent, driven character), the writing style, and the world the book was set in. I think if you like the idea of a fantasy rooted in Norse mythology with lots of bickering and building sexual tension, then this could be for you.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews