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The Cleric Quintet #2
In Sylvan Shadows
Enter the Forest of Shadows...
"In Sylvan Shadows" follows Cadderly the scholar-priest, as he leaves his home to combat the evil unleashed by the Chaos Curse. To counter Castle Trinity's plans for conquest, the cleric and his friends enter the beautiful forest of Shilmista. But among the trees and glades of the forest, Cadderly must battle a monstrous evil.
"In Sylvan Shadows" follows Cadderly the scholar-priest, as he leaves his home to combat the evil unleashed by the Chaos Curse. To counter Castle Trinity's plans for conquest, the cleric and his friends enter the beautiful forest of Shilmista. But among the trees and glades of the forest, Cadderly must battle a monstrous evil.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
150 people are currently reading
2341 people want to read
About the author
R.A. Salvatore
607 books11.3k followersAs one of the fantasy genre’s most successful authors, R.A. Salvatore enjoys an ever-expanding and tremendously loyal following. His books regularly appear on The New York Times best-seller lists and have sold more than 10,000,000 copies. Salvatore’s original hardcover, The Two Swords, Book III of The Hunter’s Blade Trilogy (October 2004) debuted at # 1 on The Wall Street Journal best-seller list and at # 4 on The New York Times best-seller list. His books have been translated into numerous foreign languages including German, Italian, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Turkish, Croatian, Bulgarian, Yiddish, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Portuguese, Czech, and French.
Salvatore’s first published novel, The Crystal Shard from TSR in 1988, became the first volume of the acclaimed Icewind Dale Trilogy and introduced an enormously popular character, the dark elf Drizzt Do’Urden. Since that time, Salvatore has published numerous novels for each of his signature multi-volume series including The Dark Elf Trilogy, Paths of Darkness, The Hunter’s Blades Trilogy, and The Cleric Quintet.
His love affair with fantasy, and with literature in general, began during his sophomore year of college when he was given a copy of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings as a Christmas gift. He promptly changed his major from computerscience to journalism. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications from Fitchburg State College in 1981, then returned for the degree he always cherished, the Bachelor of Arts in English. He began writing seriously in 1982, penning the manuscript that would become Echoes of the Fourth Magic. Salvatore held many jobs during those first years as a writer, finally settling in (much to our delight) to write full time in 1990.
The R.A. Salvatore Collection has been established at his alma mater, Fitchburg State College in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, containing the writer’s letters, manuscripts, and other professional papers. He is in good company, as The Salvatore Collection is situated alongside The Robert Cormier Library, which celebrates the writing career of the co-alum and esteemed author of young adult books.
Salvatore is an active member of his community and is on the board of trustees at the local library in Leominster, Massachusetts. He has participated in several American Library Association regional conferences, giving talks on themes including “Adventure fantasy” and “Why young adults read fantasy.” Salvatore himself enjoys a broad range of literary writers including James Joyce, Mark Twain, Geoffrey Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dante, and Sartre. He counts among his favorite genre literary influences Ian Fleming, Arthur Conan Doyle, Fritz Leiber, and of course, J.R.R. Tolkien.
Born in 1959, Salvatore is a native of Massachusetts and resides there with his wife Diane, and their three children, Bryan, Geno, and Caitlin. The family pets include three Japanese Chins, Oliver, Artemis and Ivan, and four cats including Guenhwyvar.
When he isn't writing, Salvatore chases after his three Japanese Chins, takes long walks, hits the gym, and coaches/plays on a fun-league softball team that includes most of his family. His gaming group still meets on Sundays to play.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/rasalv...
Salvatore’s first published novel, The Crystal Shard from TSR in 1988, became the first volume of the acclaimed Icewind Dale Trilogy and introduced an enormously popular character, the dark elf Drizzt Do’Urden. Since that time, Salvatore has published numerous novels for each of his signature multi-volume series including The Dark Elf Trilogy, Paths of Darkness, The Hunter’s Blades Trilogy, and The Cleric Quintet.
His love affair with fantasy, and with literature in general, began during his sophomore year of college when he was given a copy of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings as a Christmas gift. He promptly changed his major from computerscience to journalism. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications from Fitchburg State College in 1981, then returned for the degree he always cherished, the Bachelor of Arts in English. He began writing seriously in 1982, penning the manuscript that would become Echoes of the Fourth Magic. Salvatore held many jobs during those first years as a writer, finally settling in (much to our delight) to write full time in 1990.
The R.A. Salvatore Collection has been established at his alma mater, Fitchburg State College in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, containing the writer’s letters, manuscripts, and other professional papers. He is in good company, as The Salvatore Collection is situated alongside The Robert Cormier Library, which celebrates the writing career of the co-alum and esteemed author of young adult books.
Salvatore is an active member of his community and is on the board of trustees at the local library in Leominster, Massachusetts. He has participated in several American Library Association regional conferences, giving talks on themes including “Adventure fantasy” and “Why young adults read fantasy.” Salvatore himself enjoys a broad range of literary writers including James Joyce, Mark Twain, Geoffrey Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dante, and Sartre. He counts among his favorite genre literary influences Ian Fleming, Arthur Conan Doyle, Fritz Leiber, and of course, J.R.R. Tolkien.
Born in 1959, Salvatore is a native of Massachusetts and resides there with his wife Diane, and their three children, Bryan, Geno, and Caitlin. The family pets include three Japanese Chins, Oliver, Artemis and Ivan, and four cats including Guenhwyvar.
When he isn't writing, Salvatore chases after his three Japanese Chins, takes long walks, hits the gym, and coaches/plays on a fun-league softball team that includes most of his family. His gaming group still meets on Sundays to play.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/rasalv...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
January 6, 2019
The second part of a five book series in the Forgotten Realms is just partway through Cadderly's adventure and his inner quest to find his place in the world. This book brings to question where Cadderly's home really is, and his heart for violence.
Slightly spoilery ahead:
While I found myself annoyed at Cadderly's particular spot in his character progression, where he comes to be fearful of death and any partake of it, I can see how this is just one part out of more where this young priest will grow.
The fighting scenes are stellar as always by R.A. Salvatore, and the dwarven brothers make a much appreciated return.
If you at all like Dungeons and Dragons, and a hero that isn't quite up for the task at hand but tries anyway, then this book is definitely for you. But please start at the first book of the Cleric Quintet series.
Slightly spoilery ahead:
While I found myself annoyed at Cadderly's particular spot in his character progression, where he comes to be fearful of death and any partake of it, I can see how this is just one part out of more where this young priest will grow.
The fighting scenes are stellar as always by R.A. Salvatore, and the dwarven brothers make a much appreciated return.
If you at all like Dungeons and Dragons, and a hero that isn't quite up for the task at hand but tries anyway, then this book is definitely for you. But please start at the first book of the Cleric Quintet series.
December 11, 2016
Book two of five in this series.
Cadderly our scholarly cleric is back along with Ivan and Pikel Bouldershoulder, Danica and all of the supremely skilled elves on a desperate, suicidal mission to thwart a seemingly insurmountable invasion until the very trees themselves join our heroes.
A good, fun story.
Salvatore is known for his fight scenes but there were just too many in this book - I would've liked a little more characters, a little more plot and a little less fighting.
Still, it was good, it was fun, it was Salvatore.
Looking forward to the next book of Cadderly's adventures.
Cadderly our scholarly cleric is back along with Ivan and Pikel Bouldershoulder, Danica and all of the supremely skilled elves on a desperate, suicidal mission to thwart a seemingly insurmountable invasion until the very trees themselves join our heroes.
A good, fun story.
Salvatore is known for his fight scenes but there were just too many in this book - I would've liked a little more characters, a little more plot and a little less fighting.
Still, it was good, it was fun, it was Salvatore.
Looking forward to the next book of Cadderly's adventures.
September 30, 2023
Again, the usual Salvatore garbage.
The story is completely void of originality, but this is not such a bad flaw. One of the real flaws is the absolute perfection of the main characters and the absolute felony of the villains, which results in a plot with a very childish division between good and evil, and the extreme use of plot armor.
A very good example is when Cadderly, Danica and Elbereth are captured by Dorigen. There is a sensible explanation why the first two are kept alive, but what about Elbereth? The only plausible motivation is that he was crucial to the plot. That's absolutely plot armor.
In short, as always in Salvatore's novels, the evil guys' downfall is caused by their own treachery and their tendency to turn against each other.
The main effect of all this is that there is very little suspense in the book. The reader does not fear for the protagonists, because he always, undeniably knows that they never suffer any real problem, only minor setbacks. I can see no way how I could ever sympathize with perfect characters who I know in advance will always get by, no matter how dire a situation they are put in.
The other very big problem, which is peculiar to this book (and to The Silent Blade, among Salvatore's books), is that this is essentially a continuous combat scene. In essence, it is quite a short book, but if you remove all the combat parts, the real plot would be some eighty pages or the like. At some point it gets boring to see how Ivan's axe cuts down the thousandth goblin, or how viciously the thousandth elven arrow kills an orog.
Furthermore, the inconsistencies are significant. At some point, it looks like the elves, which are very few (less than one hundred, if I remember correctly), are hard pressed by the evil army. Many elves are killed at the battle of Daoine Dun. In the end, there are about eighty elves remaining. That's not a battle, that's a butchery, which does not really explain why they were supposedly so hard pressed. Furthermore, after killing Ragnor, the elves are shown cutting through enemy lines like a hot knife through butter. But what's the big change? The Talonite army does not seem to have any established line of command, only an overlord who rules over an extremely widespread and heterogeneous army, so why killing Ragnor should make the war go so differently? Apart from the fact that, as I said before, it didn't go all that differently anyway. The only explanation seems to be that the elves were extremely cowardly at the beginning, and after Ragnor is killed they realize they are infinitely stronger than the enemy and find the heart to butcher them at their leisure.
Then there's Ivan and Pikel. Ok, maybe Salvatore wrote this book for his 5-year old child, and maybe if I had that age I would find them funny, but doesn't he realize that they are not funny at all?
But the worst part of all is Cadderly's moral struggle. It really reflects that the author is American. Killing another living being is ok, no problem, I can blast as many as I want… unless they look like me. So it's ok to kill orog or an ogrillon, but Cadderly knows he should never, ever kill another human, such as Barjin or Dorigen. Ah, but it's ok to torture and maim her. That also sounds very American.
The story is completely void of originality, but this is not such a bad flaw. One of the real flaws is the absolute perfection of the main characters and the absolute felony of the villains, which results in a plot with a very childish division between good and evil, and the extreme use of plot armor.
A very good example is when Cadderly, Danica and Elbereth are captured by Dorigen. There is a sensible explanation why the first two are kept alive, but what about Elbereth? The only plausible motivation is that he was crucial to the plot. That's absolutely plot armor.
In short, as always in Salvatore's novels, the evil guys' downfall is caused by their own treachery and their tendency to turn against each other.
The main effect of all this is that there is very little suspense in the book. The reader does not fear for the protagonists, because he always, undeniably knows that they never suffer any real problem, only minor setbacks. I can see no way how I could ever sympathize with perfect characters who I know in advance will always get by, no matter how dire a situation they are put in.
The other very big problem, which is peculiar to this book (and to The Silent Blade, among Salvatore's books), is that this is essentially a continuous combat scene. In essence, it is quite a short book, but if you remove all the combat parts, the real plot would be some eighty pages or the like. At some point it gets boring to see how Ivan's axe cuts down the thousandth goblin, or how viciously the thousandth elven arrow kills an orog.
Furthermore, the inconsistencies are significant. At some point, it looks like the elves, which are very few (less than one hundred, if I remember correctly), are hard pressed by the evil army. Many elves are killed at the battle of Daoine Dun. In the end, there are about eighty elves remaining. That's not a battle, that's a butchery, which does not really explain why they were supposedly so hard pressed. Furthermore, after killing Ragnor, the elves are shown cutting through enemy lines like a hot knife through butter. But what's the big change? The Talonite army does not seem to have any established line of command, only an overlord who rules over an extremely widespread and heterogeneous army, so why killing Ragnor should make the war go so differently? Apart from the fact that, as I said before, it didn't go all that differently anyway. The only explanation seems to be that the elves were extremely cowardly at the beginning, and after Ragnor is killed they realize they are infinitely stronger than the enemy and find the heart to butcher them at their leisure.
Then there's Ivan and Pikel. Ok, maybe Salvatore wrote this book for his 5-year old child, and maybe if I had that age I would find them funny, but doesn't he realize that they are not funny at all?
But the worst part of all is Cadderly's moral struggle. It really reflects that the author is American. Killing another living being is ok, no problem, I can blast as many as I want… unless they look like me. So it's ok to kill orog or an ogrillon, but Cadderly knows he should never, ever kill another human, such as Barjin or Dorigen. Ah, but it's ok to torture and maim her. That also sounds very American.
September 30, 2019
Clear change of pace from the previous one, this book finds our cleric on his way to his first adventure outside the Edificant Library.
I liked the main character development a lot, from his frustration and sorting of his feelings, to the change of heart of the curious juvenile person in the first book, to the more seasoned, weary and sceptic adult in this one. Lots of other interesting characters as well, with subtle nods of things to come and references to the other book.
I liked the main character development a lot, from his frustration and sorting of his feelings, to the change of heart of the curious juvenile person in the first book, to the more seasoned, weary and sceptic adult in this one. Lots of other interesting characters as well, with subtle nods of things to come and references to the other book.
April 23, 2013
Having failed to bring down the Edificant Library with the Chaos Curse, the evil forces of Castle Trinity have moved against the elven homeland of Shilmista Forest. The elves are outnumbered and overwhelmed. Cadderly has spent the last year trying to determine the origin of this foe Cadderly leaves to see the action up close. He is joined by the young warrior monk Danica and his fellow priest Kierkan Rufo. In the forest they meet up with their dwarvish friends Ivan and Pikel Bouldershoulder. Along the way they are forced to battle against an overwhelming foe. Will this be the end of the elven realm?
For Cadderly this is his first journey into the larger world. He is a gentle spirit and is greatly disturbed by the killing around him. Once he is forced to take part in the battle how will he be able to deal with the strain? Will he come out stronger, or will his faith reach the breaking point.Will the other priest Rufo overcome his own lack of character? Cadderly's quest for truth will propel him further than he could ever imagine.
For Cadderly this is his first journey into the larger world. He is a gentle spirit and is greatly disturbed by the killing around him. Once he is forced to take part in the battle how will he be able to deal with the strain? Will he come out stronger, or will his faith reach the breaking point.Will the other priest Rufo overcome his own lack of character? Cadderly's quest for truth will propel him further than he could ever imagine.
December 15, 2014
This is a good book and a good series. I like the 5-book format, and I'm one of those readers that likes to see Salvatore boxed-in like that. I want a conclusion, dang it, and I don't want long, open-ended series where you can wander, like happened with some other stuff.
Anyways, this is a good series that I've read once and enjoyed and think is a good addition to the Forgotten Realms universe. And how 'bout those Snowflake Mountains! Nice place.
Anyways, this is a good series that I've read once and enjoyed and think is a good addition to the Forgotten Realms universe. And how 'bout those Snowflake Mountains! Nice place.
July 6, 2024
I found this book was an improvement from Canticle.
Cadderly Bonaduce is still reeling from having his world shaken from the first novel. Set a couple of weeks after the having the Chaos Curse being unleashed on the Edificant Library, Cadderly is haunted by visions of him killing Barjin. But he doesn't have long to dwell on that, because shortly afterwards he's summoned by his higher ups to go help the elves out in the local forest, who are currently trying to fight back hordes upon hordes of orcs, goblins, giants, and orgres, sent by the evil overlords of Castle Trinity. Lead by Ragnor, and being assisted by Dorigen, one of the three wizard's of Castle Trinity, Cadderly has his hands full trying to help the elves reclaim their home, all the while trying to understand what it means to be a priest of the Deneiran order.
I thought this novel had a good start. Elbereth, the elf prince that comes to fetch Cadderly as the library's emissary, hates Cadderly from the start and vice versa. I enjoyed reading about Cadderly being petty and jealous around him, because it gave him an added depth that he lacked in the first novel - that being character flaws. Their bickering was pretty amusing to read.
Another reason the novel had a good start was because the dwarven brothers, Pikel and Ivan Bouldershoulder are off on their own adventure and not with Cadderly and company. I don't care for dwarves, or at least any that Salvatore writes. You can swap their names around and you'd never notice, because they're all the same ( exception being Pikel, I suppose ). Because of their absence, I was able to take the plot somewhat seriously.
Cadderly has to fight his morals, as he witnesses countless deaths of orcs and goblins, and is even forced to kill his fair share. This is a stark contrast to Danica and Elbereth, who are both seasoned fighters and have killed many times before. They basically just tell him to shut up and get over it. Poor Cadderly. He needs all the hugs.
As far as negatives go, the writing is still more of the same. If I have to read about Cadderly being called "the young scholar", or Rufo as "the angular man" one more time, I may have an aneurysm.
As I write this review, I'm already halfway through Night Masks, the third novel, so it's safe to say that the character Danica Maupoissant will never grow on me. She is a super powered tank, to the point of it taking away all the fun in the battles. She can crack open an orge's rib cage with her head. She can will out poison out of her veins. She can go into a meditative trance so that she can't feel pain so she can't be tortured. A single punch of her fist breaks goblin necks, etc. . .
I love my badass female heroines, but that's pretty ridiculous. Honestly, if she's that damn strong, why not just send her off to Castle Trinity and take out the head honchos for everyone else to save time?
Oh, did I mention there's a love triangle in this book? Elbereth basically immediately falls in love with Danica because of her "exotic, almond shaped eyes" and her amazeballs fighting prowess. There's implications she reciprocates his physical advances ( which she does right in front of Cadderly to boot ). Okay, so if you include Rufo, and this random barbarian class character named Tiennek, that makes. . four guys that desperately want to bone her. Because Danica you see is not only strong, she's also described as being a smoking hot babe ( again and again and again, just in case you dare think of her as just a person ).
There's a couple of things that really bothered me.
Anyways, despite my nit pickings it was still an enjoyable read, and I liked it a heck of a lot more then Canticle. It's a good old fashioned sword and sorcery book, and it gives you plenty of entertainment. Onward to book three!
Cadderly Bonaduce is still reeling from having his world shaken from the first novel. Set a couple of weeks after the having the Chaos Curse being unleashed on the Edificant Library, Cadderly is haunted by visions of him killing Barjin. But he doesn't have long to dwell on that, because shortly afterwards he's summoned by his higher ups to go help the elves out in the local forest, who are currently trying to fight back hordes upon hordes of orcs, goblins, giants, and orgres, sent by the evil overlords of Castle Trinity. Lead by Ragnor, and being assisted by Dorigen, one of the three wizard's of Castle Trinity, Cadderly has his hands full trying to help the elves reclaim their home, all the while trying to understand what it means to be a priest of the Deneiran order.
I thought this novel had a good start. Elbereth, the elf prince that comes to fetch Cadderly as the library's emissary, hates Cadderly from the start and vice versa. I enjoyed reading about Cadderly being petty and jealous around him, because it gave him an added depth that he lacked in the first novel - that being character flaws. Their bickering was pretty amusing to read.
Another reason the novel had a good start was because the dwarven brothers, Pikel and Ivan Bouldershoulder are off on their own adventure and not with Cadderly and company. I don't care for dwarves, or at least any that Salvatore writes. You can swap their names around and you'd never notice, because they're all the same ( exception being Pikel, I suppose ). Because of their absence, I was able to take the plot somewhat seriously.
Cadderly has to fight his morals, as he witnesses countless deaths of orcs and goblins, and is even forced to kill his fair share. This is a stark contrast to Danica and Elbereth, who are both seasoned fighters and have killed many times before. They basically just tell him to shut up and get over it. Poor Cadderly. He needs all the hugs.
As far as negatives go, the writing is still more of the same. If I have to read about Cadderly being called "the young scholar", or Rufo as "the angular man" one more time, I may have an aneurysm.
As I write this review, I'm already halfway through Night Masks, the third novel, so it's safe to say that the character Danica Maupoissant will never grow on me. She is a super powered tank, to the point of it taking away all the fun in the battles. She can crack open an orge's rib cage with her head. She can will out poison out of her veins. She can go into a meditative trance so that she can't feel pain so she can't be tortured. A single punch of her fist breaks goblin necks, etc. . .
I love my badass female heroines, but that's pretty ridiculous. Honestly, if she's that damn strong, why not just send her off to Castle Trinity and take out the head honchos for everyone else to save time?
Oh, did I mention there's a love triangle in this book? Elbereth basically immediately falls in love with Danica because of her "exotic, almond shaped eyes" and her amazeballs fighting prowess. There's implications she reciprocates his physical advances ( which she does right in front of Cadderly to boot ). Okay, so if you include Rufo, and this random barbarian class character named Tiennek, that makes. . four guys that desperately want to bone her. Because Danica you see is not only strong, she's also described as being a smoking hot babe ( again and again and again, just in case you dare think of her as just a person ).
There's a couple of things that really bothered me.
Anyways, despite my nit pickings it was still an enjoyable read, and I liked it a heck of a lot more then Canticle. It's a good old fashioned sword and sorcery book, and it gives you plenty of entertainment. Onward to book three!
December 29, 2020
"What's an Elbereth?" lol Oh Ivan, I love you!! haha
I gave this one a four star only because while I love how fluid R.A. Salvatore makes his fights scenes (which he is infamously known for) I felt like this book maybe had too many fight scenes? It was a war between the elves and the "orcs" but still, I missed the lighthearted banter and side of things with the characters,
I gave this one a four star only because while I love how fluid R.A. Salvatore makes his fights scenes (which he is infamously known for) I felt like this book maybe had too many fight scenes? It was a war between the elves and the "orcs" but still, I missed the lighthearted banter and side of things with the characters,
July 27, 2023
Another rock solid chapter in Cadderly's development. Salvatore does a really nice job of showing his struggles with the morality of taking a life, even in defense of his own and others. While I thought that the Prince of the Elves was a bit of a miss when it came to depth of character, the regulars, Danica and the Bouldershoulders specifically, stand out as people who help carry the entire work. 7.5 out of 10.
August 28, 2024
A massive improvement on canticle.
The characters are a lot more developed here and the story makes more sense for the characters to actually take part in than the first book.
I wasn’t looking forward to the rest of the series after the first book but now I’m more optimistic.
The characters are a lot more developed here and the story makes more sense for the characters to actually take part in than the first book.
I wasn’t looking forward to the rest of the series after the first book but now I’m more optimistic.
March 18, 2025
This book doesn't really pick up until the Boulder shoulder brothers arise but when they do ohh boy is it a lot of fun. This book is the first glimpse of what Cadderly will truly become.
Loved it.
Loved it.
October 19, 2023
I wasn't certain how this would go - definitely a different tone than the first of this series. Took a bit to get into it. Once it gets going it's a really good read though. Lots of Cadderly growing up and learning about the world and himself.
March 1, 2018
Hey man, I know what I signed up for. Cheesy D&D fanfic, professional-grade. That's what he's delivering. It gets me through my tempo runs, and I will say that his dwarves have become less racist.
January 31, 2025
I'm continuing my journey into the Forgotten Realms with the second book in The Cleric Quintet, and I'm honestly very happy to say, that I enjoyed In Sylvan Shadows significantly more than I did Canticle.
Right from the very beginning, this book delivered on what it is that I want, when I sit down to read an R.A. Salvatore book, and that's well written, breakneck speed action, a lovable band of characters and a plotline that feels true to the writing tradition of epic/high fantasy, as well as classic sword and sorcery!
Pretty much all of the important characters from Canticle return here, but I found myself enjoying their dialogue, their banter, their wit, their interactions and their combat quite a bit more this time. I'm not sure if that's because I know them now and so I'm familiar with them, or if it's because Salvatore knew them better this time and so he figured out how to deepen them as individuals and as a group to create a more memorable and believable party, but whatever the reason, I found myself actually caring about Cadderly and Danica in a way that I just admittedly didn't in Canticle. Ivan and Pikel were of course the stars of the show in my eyes, I love those dwarves, but even the new characters like Elbereth and Ragnor were a great deal of fun to read, and I found them interesting in their own ways as characters.
The plot of this admittedly isn't anything truly new, there's an invading band of goblins, orcs and ogres who are attacking elves in their forest, chopping and burning down their trees, all while the small number of elves manage to fend off their vastly greater numbers. It absolutely draws its inspiration from Tolkien, as all of Salvatore's, and many others, fantasy works do. But it did so in a way that I found to be more of a nod, than outright plagiarism.
In fact, I actually think one way in which Salvatore exceeds Tolkien's writing, is in his action scenes. Don't get me wrong, Tolkien's battles are memorable too, but they lack the breakneck speed and dedication to brutality, such as cleaving orcs in half or bashing a giant's skull to pieces, that this book has, and honestly, I found that to be a great deal of fun to read. I mean afterall, who doesn't hate orcs and goblins right?
The characters themselves felt deeper too, Cadderly struggling with having taken a human life back in the Library, Danica wanting desperately to comfort her lover but there's a war raging and she doesn't have enough time to be there for him and to fight, Rufo struggling with his decisions and feeling turmoil over his betrayal, Pikel's continued devotion to nature and his desire to become a druid, but I think most of all, it's Cadderly's transformation in the later half of this story that even he doesn't understand that really hooked me. How is is he capable of suddenly doing the things he does? Seeing things nobody else sees? Performing clerical magic he has never practiced? It all leaves me very curious and wanting to jump into the sequel ASAP.
I have to give In Sylvan Shadows a 4.5 out of 5 star rating, it was too fun not to, and I feel it's beginning to capture a lot of the same magic that the Legend of Drizzt has, which I love.
Wanna check out my other Forgotten Realms book reviews? Check em out below!
The Legend of Drizzt - Homeland: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Legend of Drizzt - Exile: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Legend of Drizzt - Sojourn: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Legend of Drizzt - The Crystal Shard: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Legend of Drizzt - Streams of Silver: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Legend of Drizzt - The Halfling's Gem: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Stone of Tymora - Stowaway: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Stone of Tymora - The Shadowmask: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Stone of Tymora - The Sentinels: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Cleric Quintet - Canticle: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Right from the very beginning, this book delivered on what it is that I want, when I sit down to read an R.A. Salvatore book, and that's well written, breakneck speed action, a lovable band of characters and a plotline that feels true to the writing tradition of epic/high fantasy, as well as classic sword and sorcery!
Pretty much all of the important characters from Canticle return here, but I found myself enjoying their dialogue, their banter, their wit, their interactions and their combat quite a bit more this time. I'm not sure if that's because I know them now and so I'm familiar with them, or if it's because Salvatore knew them better this time and so he figured out how to deepen them as individuals and as a group to create a more memorable and believable party, but whatever the reason, I found myself actually caring about Cadderly and Danica in a way that I just admittedly didn't in Canticle. Ivan and Pikel were of course the stars of the show in my eyes, I love those dwarves, but even the new characters like Elbereth and Ragnor were a great deal of fun to read, and I found them interesting in their own ways as characters.
The plot of this admittedly isn't anything truly new, there's an invading band of goblins, orcs and ogres who are attacking elves in their forest, chopping and burning down their trees, all while the small number of elves manage to fend off their vastly greater numbers. It absolutely draws its inspiration from Tolkien, as all of Salvatore's, and many others, fantasy works do. But it did so in a way that I found to be more of a nod, than outright plagiarism.
In fact, I actually think one way in which Salvatore exceeds Tolkien's writing, is in his action scenes. Don't get me wrong, Tolkien's battles are memorable too, but they lack the breakneck speed and dedication to brutality, such as cleaving orcs in half or bashing a giant's skull to pieces, that this book has, and honestly, I found that to be a great deal of fun to read. I mean afterall, who doesn't hate orcs and goblins right?
The characters themselves felt deeper too, Cadderly struggling with having taken a human life back in the Library, Danica wanting desperately to comfort her lover but there's a war raging and she doesn't have enough time to be there for him and to fight, Rufo struggling with his decisions and feeling turmoil over his betrayal, Pikel's continued devotion to nature and his desire to become a druid, but I think most of all, it's Cadderly's transformation in the later half of this story that even he doesn't understand that really hooked me. How is is he capable of suddenly doing the things he does? Seeing things nobody else sees? Performing clerical magic he has never practiced? It all leaves me very curious and wanting to jump into the sequel ASAP.
I have to give In Sylvan Shadows a 4.5 out of 5 star rating, it was too fun not to, and I feel it's beginning to capture a lot of the same magic that the Legend of Drizzt has, which I love.
Wanna check out my other Forgotten Realms book reviews? Check em out below!
The Legend of Drizzt - Homeland: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Legend of Drizzt - Exile: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Legend of Drizzt - Sojourn: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Legend of Drizzt - The Crystal Shard: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Legend of Drizzt - Streams of Silver: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Legend of Drizzt - The Halfling's Gem: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Stone of Tymora - Stowaway: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Stone of Tymora - The Shadowmask: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Stone of Tymora - The Sentinels: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Cleric Quintet - Canticle: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
August 25, 2023
3.5/5 I enjoyed this one more than Canticle as it hits the ground running where as Canticle took a while to hit it's stride. Like all of the R.A. Salvatore books I've read before this the story here is relatively self contained. The back story of the agents of Talona trying to dominate the region is still present as are the antagonists but there are no real cliff hangers and each adventure is usually in a new area and wraps up nicely.
In Sylvan Shadows starts with Cadderly and friends heading to the forest of Shilmista to investigate the presence of Talona's minions. A group of Ogre's, Bug Bears, and Goblins have laid siege to the forest. After a meeting at the Edificant Library Cadderly meets up with the Elven Prince Elbereth to venture into the forest. The group is then quickly throne from one battle to the next.
The pace is pretty much nonstop action and the main draw here is the cast of characters which I still enjoy more than Drizzt's party. Particularly the dwarf brothers Ivan and Pikel. Beyond that the story is a little shallow. Still though it's a fun piece of pulp fantasy.
In Sylvan Shadows starts with Cadderly and friends heading to the forest of Shilmista to investigate the presence of Talona's minions. A group of Ogre's, Bug Bears, and Goblins have laid siege to the forest. After a meeting at the Edificant Library Cadderly meets up with the Elven Prince Elbereth to venture into the forest. The group is then quickly throne from one battle to the next.
The pace is pretty much nonstop action and the main draw here is the cast of characters which I still enjoy more than Drizzt's party. Particularly the dwarf brothers Ivan and Pikel. Beyond that the story is a little shallow. Still though it's a fun piece of pulp fantasy.
April 9, 2018
The second book, 'In Sylvan Shadows' in the Cleric Quintet by R.A. Salvatore follows young scholar priest Cadderly and his warrior Monk girlfriend, Danica, deep into the Sylvan Forest in order to help the Woodland Elves from extinction through an Orcish army.
Just like the first book, I found the writing to be very simple and the story not very complex or entertaining. The bad guys, although very powerful, seem to have the worst kind of luck, and just kind of come across as being quite helpless. Even though we dealt with the release of the Chaos Curse in the last book, there was hardly a mention regarding the curse or its ongoing effects here in this book. While the Dwarven brothers are somewhat funny and entertaining, I find all the characters lacking any real kind of depth, besides their constant whiney and pissy behavior.
I will read the next book in the series (as I've already purchased it) and will see if things get better by then. If not, I might just have to drop this series entirely.
Just like the first book, I found the writing to be very simple and the story not very complex or entertaining. The bad guys, although very powerful, seem to have the worst kind of luck, and just kind of come across as being quite helpless. Even though we dealt with the release of the Chaos Curse in the last book, there was hardly a mention regarding the curse or its ongoing effects here in this book. While the Dwarven brothers are somewhat funny and entertaining, I find all the characters lacking any real kind of depth, besides their constant whiney and pissy behavior.
I will read the next book in the series (as I've already purchased it) and will see if things get better by then. If not, I might just have to drop this series entirely.
December 18, 2019
A marked step back from the first entry in the series and from the usual Salvatore fare. It's possible that reading two of Salvatore's books in relatively short succession was a mistake. The D&D tropes and stereotypes became a bit grating and overused. The story advances relatively little, and there's a heavier focus on combat. Maybe that's the problem, his action scenes are not particularly strong; so if there's a lot of them then they really start to grate on the nerves.
Still planning on continuing in the series, but I'll leave a longer gap before I pick it up again.
Still planning on continuing in the series, but I'll leave a longer gap before I pick it up again.
January 27, 2018
Salvatore sure loves his orc battles. In Sylvan Shadows is basically one big battle over an elven village. Many characters go through some interesting growth, but this book would be complete filler without it. It's OK, and I hope the next book does something a bit more interesting than elf vs orc battles.
December 28, 2020
Most of this book was a chore but there were some good parts. Cadderly is very human and questions his actions and the reality of the consequences. Shilmista and the elves was also decently magical to read about, but it's bogged down by Salvatore's juvenile style and characters, but still manages to come out being overall positive, just not that positive.
Almost 3 stars, but not quite.
Almost 3 stars, but not quite.
May 15, 2022
Oh my god the most boring fight scenes of all time, I was listening to these as audiobooks and it was so boring for the middle chunk of the book that I couldnt even focus. I'm sure at one point I fell asleep. Also Caterly is just so infuriating, this is the first book I've read where I wished the main character would die.
October 19, 2015
The themes and plot are largely reminiscent of Tolkien's The Two Towers. As they say, imitation is the best form of flattery. I honestly felt like I was in Middle Earth, except Salvatore takes effort with his long (but vividly descriptive) battle scenes.
November 13, 2023
NO SPOILERS:
I've always had a soft spot for the forgotten realms, even despite its many issues. I hated this book regardless.
Canticle, the first book in the Cleric Quintet had numerous problems, its slow start, bland bad guys, the last third of the book being one long drawn out action sequence. But it had promise, there were glimpses into a half decent story, the main characters were likeable and had a fun dynamic, the setting of the Edificant Library was fascinating and unique. There were many actually enjoyable moments and while my expectations were low entering In Sylvan Shadows, I was still looking forward to what was ahead. And for the first 4 chapters It wasn't so bad! Cadderly and Danica have a great dynamic, and while Cadderly's weird trauma towards killing the most comically evil man alive was a little weird it wasn't that bad.
My main problem with Canticle was the weirdly paced third act which was pretty much one long drawn out action sequence, RA Salvatore loves his fight scenes, and he isn't even that bad at writing them! They are dynamic and feel really animated, the issue stems from Salvatore's insistence to put as many fight scenes in the final act, and have each one drag on for far too long. This led to a really boring climax where the reader already knows where the story is going but has to read through pages upon pages of Cadderly smacking zombies with a yoyo.
In Sylvan Shadows feels like if you took the final act of Canticle; and made it into an entire book. This entire book can be summarized in 4 sentences, so little actually happens besides the same old fight scenes against orcs and goblins it is baffling. RA Salvatore has the components of a good story, fun main characters, a great setting, cool bad guys and decides to value repetitive battle sequences over character development, interesting dialogue and any semblance of a story.
This book has nothing going for it. It took me two days to read this book and I still feel like I wasted my time. I labeled this review no spoilers because there isn't anything to spoil, nothing happens.
I've always had a soft spot for the forgotten realms, even despite its many issues. I hated this book regardless.
Canticle, the first book in the Cleric Quintet had numerous problems, its slow start, bland bad guys, the last third of the book being one long drawn out action sequence. But it had promise, there were glimpses into a half decent story, the main characters were likeable and had a fun dynamic, the setting of the Edificant Library was fascinating and unique. There were many actually enjoyable moments and while my expectations were low entering In Sylvan Shadows, I was still looking forward to what was ahead. And for the first 4 chapters It wasn't so bad! Cadderly and Danica have a great dynamic, and while Cadderly's weird trauma towards killing the most comically evil man alive was a little weird it wasn't that bad.
My main problem with Canticle was the weirdly paced third act which was pretty much one long drawn out action sequence, RA Salvatore loves his fight scenes, and he isn't even that bad at writing them! They are dynamic and feel really animated, the issue stems from Salvatore's insistence to put as many fight scenes in the final act, and have each one drag on for far too long. This led to a really boring climax where the reader already knows where the story is going but has to read through pages upon pages of Cadderly smacking zombies with a yoyo.
In Sylvan Shadows feels like if you took the final act of Canticle; and made it into an entire book. This entire book can be summarized in 4 sentences, so little actually happens besides the same old fight scenes against orcs and goblins it is baffling. RA Salvatore has the components of a good story, fun main characters, a great setting, cool bad guys and decides to value repetitive battle sequences over character development, interesting dialogue and any semblance of a story.
This book has nothing going for it. It took me two days to read this book and I still feel like I wasted my time. I labeled this review no spoilers because there isn't anything to spoil, nothing happens.
March 31, 2024
4.5 *
C8 A8 W9 P8 I9 L9 E10
Characters
We were introduced to some new characters this book that really get off to a rocky start on the likablity scale. Some of them get better an grow as a character as the book goes on. Some of them maintain their unlikeablity. There were Ivan and Pikel moments that were amazing as always and had me laughing out loud, they are some of my favorite characters I've ever read.
Atmosphere
I really like the forest atmosphere in this book, but the characters and the way that most of them interact with each other in this book made for a slightly uncomfortable and tenser atmosphere in this book than the others.
Writing
The writing in this book is a little better than in book one mostly because the characters have had some time to develop in their personalities a bit more. There is also a better thought out villain for this book so Salvatore had that to play with as well.
Plot
We get to leave the area of the library to go to help out the neighbors to fight back against a hoard of bad guys who are trying to take over the forest. This is an extension of the plot in book one featuring some new characters as the active vilains in the book. Feels like some set up that can come back in later books in the series.
Intrigue
It was fun to see how the book pulled you along to the next scene and most of what kept me going was the interesting interactions between the characters.
Logic
Would the helmet scene work as well as it did? Probably not but it just leads to the D&D humor that is so prevalent in this five book series.
Enjoyment
My memories for this series was primarily limited to book one, so while that aspect was a little lower in this book, I still had a lot of fun rereading this book, and again I have to mention the fantastic characters in this series. I'd go right now to get more books with these characters in them.
C8 A8 W9 P8 I9 L9 E10
Characters
We were introduced to some new characters this book that really get off to a rocky start on the likablity scale. Some of them get better an grow as a character as the book goes on. Some of them maintain their unlikeablity. There were Ivan and Pikel moments that were amazing as always and had me laughing out loud, they are some of my favorite characters I've ever read.
Atmosphere
I really like the forest atmosphere in this book, but the characters and the way that most of them interact with each other in this book made for a slightly uncomfortable and tenser atmosphere in this book than the others.
Writing
The writing in this book is a little better than in book one mostly because the characters have had some time to develop in their personalities a bit more. There is also a better thought out villain for this book so Salvatore had that to play with as well.
Plot
We get to leave the area of the library to go to help out the neighbors to fight back against a hoard of bad guys who are trying to take over the forest. This is an extension of the plot in book one featuring some new characters as the active vilains in the book. Feels like some set up that can come back in later books in the series.
Intrigue
It was fun to see how the book pulled you along to the next scene and most of what kept me going was the interesting interactions between the characters.
Logic
Would the helmet scene work as well as it did? Probably not but it just leads to the D&D humor that is so prevalent in this five book series.
Enjoyment
My memories for this series was primarily limited to book one, so while that aspect was a little lower in this book, I still had a lot of fun rereading this book, and again I have to mention the fantastic characters in this series. I'd go right now to get more books with these characters in them.
August 30, 2022
While I don't love this as much as the first book, that's really only by comparison. There is still plenty to love here, especially as we see the relationships and characters introduced in Canticle change and mature.
I can't for the life of me figure out why Kierkan Rufo is still around, regardless of whether he serves a merciful deity or not. There's always a thousand excuses for why what he does is never actually his fault, and so far that is largely working--at least, it's working in the sense that he's still alive, and still allowed at the Library. That wouldn't have been my choice with what to do with him, and I can only assume/hope that he will still have some kind of major part to play. Right now I see him as (and kind of picture him as, too) Gollum in the LOTR books; it is pity that stayed Cadderly's hand, on more than one occasion, and I hope something good still comes out of it. At nearly halfway through the quintet, however, I am doubtful.
I do still have a sense that several characters we've met so far will switch sides before the end of the quintet, but I won't put my guesses here, as that will either prove to be a major spoiler, or will show how badly I misunderstood what was to come; either way, not something I necessary want to share here in Internetland. After two books (and I've started the third), I feel like we still have a very long way to go before the final sides start to form. And I am looking forward to every word of it!
I can't for the life of me figure out why Kierkan Rufo is still around, regardless of whether he serves a merciful deity or not. There's always a thousand excuses for why what he does is never actually his fault, and so far that is largely working--at least, it's working in the sense that he's still alive, and still allowed at the Library. That wouldn't have been my choice with what to do with him, and I can only assume/hope that he will still have some kind of major part to play. Right now I see him as (and kind of picture him as, too) Gollum in the LOTR books; it is pity that stayed Cadderly's hand, on more than one occasion, and I hope something good still comes out of it. At nearly halfway through the quintet, however, I am doubtful.
I do still have a sense that several characters we've met so far will switch sides before the end of the quintet, but I won't put my guesses here, as that will either prove to be a major spoiler, or will show how badly I misunderstood what was to come; either way, not something I necessary want to share here in Internetland. After two books (and I've started the third), I feel like we still have a very long way to go before the final sides start to form. And I am looking forward to every word of it!
March 17, 2022
It has been years since I went thru this series. I was a huge fan of Salvatore as a teen, but grew tired of his writing style.
Recently I have been feeling nostalgic and wanted to revisit my favorite of his series, the Cleric Quintet.
I enjoyed the first book, but didn't feel like it was mind blowing. The characters while fun, were a bit hollow, the events churned along at a somewhat awkward pace.
In Sylvan Shadows fixes a lot of these issues, Cadderly is undergoing some dramatic crisis of faith, questioning the morals of slaying monsters/beings to protect his friends and world. Salvatore does an admirable job navigating Cadderly's nuanced perspective, while still keeping him feeling useful. His friends get his struggle, but don't hinder or help his progress much.
It is character progression that works pretty well.
In addition, because there isn't a mind altering curse happening, we get more exploration of the amazing dwarf brothers Pikel and Ivan. Cadderly's love interest creates some interesting dynamics, managing to avoid any damsel in distress tropes these books fall into. And even better her and Cadderly's relationship is supportive and understanding, without being too clingy.
The pacing in the book is good, the stakes and villain, if a little basic, work well.
Overall this is a big improvement from book 1!
Recently I have been feeling nostalgic and wanted to revisit my favorite of his series, the Cleric Quintet.
I enjoyed the first book, but didn't feel like it was mind blowing. The characters while fun, were a bit hollow, the events churned along at a somewhat awkward pace.
In Sylvan Shadows fixes a lot of these issues, Cadderly is undergoing some dramatic crisis of faith, questioning the morals of slaying monsters/beings to protect his friends and world. Salvatore does an admirable job navigating Cadderly's nuanced perspective, while still keeping him feeling useful. His friends get his struggle, but don't hinder or help his progress much.
It is character progression that works pretty well.
In addition, because there isn't a mind altering curse happening, we get more exploration of the amazing dwarf brothers Pikel and Ivan. Cadderly's love interest creates some interesting dynamics, managing to avoid any damsel in distress tropes these books fall into. And even better her and Cadderly's relationship is supportive and understanding, without being too clingy.
The pacing in the book is good, the stakes and villain, if a little basic, work well.
Overall this is a big improvement from book 1!
July 29, 2025
I'm giving up on Salvatore.
This book features all the things I hate about his writing: the main character is as bland as a slice of white bread while the sidekick is the exciting, over-powered as **** character Salvatore really wanted to write about (remember that Drizzt was originally conceived as Wulfgar's sidekick), there's a laughable attempt at moralizing (Cadderly is traumatized by killing another human, although he and the others kill hundreds of orcs, goblins and ogres, but that's fine). The plot is particularly straight forward and completely lacking in twists or surprises. Cadderly, Danica and the annoying dwarf brothers have to help elves that are being attacked by thousands of monsters. The language was particularly bad; I dislike authors writing about characters 'shooting' or 'firing' bows (you can't fire bows, you fire guns) but variations on the sentence 'she popped another arrow into the orc' happened repeatedly, and every time I wanted to scream, it's such an awful phrase. And Salvatore cannot do humour. At all.
I read a lot of the Drizzt books when I was younger, but I'm not going to force myself through any more of these novels. Does anyone want a set of 24 Salvatore books?
This book features all the things I hate about his writing: the main character is as bland as a slice of white bread while the sidekick is the exciting, over-powered as **** character Salvatore really wanted to write about (remember that Drizzt was originally conceived as Wulfgar's sidekick), there's a laughable attempt at moralizing (Cadderly is traumatized by killing another human, although he and the others kill hundreds of orcs, goblins and ogres, but that's fine). The plot is particularly straight forward and completely lacking in twists or surprises. Cadderly, Danica and the annoying dwarf brothers have to help elves that are being attacked by thousands of monsters. The language was particularly bad; I dislike authors writing about characters 'shooting' or 'firing' bows (you can't fire bows, you fire guns) but variations on the sentence 'she popped another arrow into the orc' happened repeatedly, and every time I wanted to scream, it's such an awful phrase. And Salvatore cannot do humour. At all.
I read a lot of the Drizzt books when I was younger, but I'm not going to force myself through any more of these novels. Does anyone want a set of 24 Salvatore books?
May 24, 2019
I wondered after Canticle and I wonder it again: what is the deal with Pikel? He has the heart of a lion, but the seeming intelligence and literally the vocabulary of an orangutan.
Salvatore does an excellent job here of crafting a thrilling one-volume adventure while also keeping it open for the rest of the pentalogy (or "Quintet"). The quest to save the elven forest, Shilmistra, is suitably epic in heroism, while geographically contained. Cadderly's moping bogs it down in places, and for much of the time I was reading it I thought I would give this book only three stars. But then I got chills reading two segments in particular: . Those scenes evoked such power and emotion, I felt genuinely moved. Hokey, yes, but I am admittedly a sucker for hoke. You should see how I cry at watching The Iron Giant. Every damn time.
Many of the names in this series are quite a mouthful, failing to roll off the tongue: Alabaster, Pertelope, Tintagel. They look like normal names, but I persistently find them jarring.
A bigger issue is the use of over-powered characters, in this case the unstoppable Bouldershoulder brothers, who are a little too larger-than-life for my taste. I had the same issue with the Icewind Dale trilogy; the characters are just too able; it produces great thrills but lessens dramatic tension. Clearly, no force can stand against these daunting fighting machines. At least Cadderly is vulnerable, unlike the protagonist of most of Salvatore's Forgotten Realms novels, whose name rhymes with Grizzt.
Finally, a dumb comment. I appreciate that this is a five-part series, as opposed to a trilogy, in a long line of trilogies in the Forgotten Realms publishing universe. It keeps things a little fresher.
Salvatore does an excellent job here of crafting a thrilling one-volume adventure while also keeping it open for the rest of the pentalogy (or "Quintet"). The quest to save the elven forest, Shilmistra, is suitably epic in heroism, while geographically contained. Cadderly's moping bogs it down in places, and for much of the time I was reading it I thought I would give this book only three stars. But then I got chills reading two segments in particular: . Those scenes evoked such power and emotion, I felt genuinely moved. Hokey, yes, but I am admittedly a sucker for hoke. You should see how I cry at watching The Iron Giant. Every damn time.
Many of the names in this series are quite a mouthful, failing to roll off the tongue: Alabaster, Pertelope, Tintagel. They look like normal names, but I persistently find them jarring.
A bigger issue is the use of over-powered characters, in this case the unstoppable Bouldershoulder brothers, who are a little too larger-than-life for my taste. I had the same issue with the Icewind Dale trilogy; the characters are just too able; it produces great thrills but lessens dramatic tension. Clearly, no force can stand against these daunting fighting machines. At least Cadderly is vulnerable, unlike the protagonist of most of Salvatore's Forgotten Realms novels, whose name rhymes with Grizzt.
Finally, a dumb comment. I appreciate that this is a five-part series, as opposed to a trilogy, in a long line of trilogies in the Forgotten Realms publishing universe. It keeps things a little fresher.
February 28, 2019
My sister found me books 2-4 at a book sale. I started with book 2 and it has enough back looks that I was never confused. I would love to get book one though some day just to see what I missed.
Cadderly is a quiet scholar who has so much more going on that he doesn't know. Even though he has already been a great hero, he still doesn't think much of himself. When the elves come for him to help save Shilmista, he isn't too sure he can help.
So when Cadderly's woman, Danica and the elf prince Elbereth seem to be getting along way too well, Cadderly fears he will lose her. No matter how great his deeds, Cadderly doesn't see his greatness. The greater his deeds, the more Danica fears her sweet Cadderly will be lost.
The Bouldershoulder brothers are the best. I never dreamed that I would adore the dwarf in every book.
Cadderly, invokes a lot of incredible magic. Probably the greatest magic he invokes is with the evil msgican Dorrigen. I hope I get to see that play out.
What will happen between Danica and Cadderly? Will Shayleigh and Elbereth become a thing? Thankfully I have two more books to find out.
Cadderly is a quiet scholar who has so much more going on that he doesn't know. Even though he has already been a great hero, he still doesn't think much of himself. When the elves come for him to help save Shilmista, he isn't too sure he can help.
So when Cadderly's woman, Danica and the elf prince Elbereth seem to be getting along way too well, Cadderly fears he will lose her. No matter how great his deeds, Cadderly doesn't see his greatness. The greater his deeds, the more Danica fears her sweet Cadderly will be lost.
The Bouldershoulder brothers are the best. I never dreamed that I would adore the dwarf in every book.
Cadderly, invokes a lot of incredible magic. Probably the greatest magic he invokes is with the evil msgican Dorrigen. I hope I get to see that play out.
What will happen between Danica and Cadderly? Will Shayleigh and Elbereth become a thing? Thankfully I have two more books to find out.
May 11, 2021
In Sylvan Shadows is the 2nd book in the Cleric Quintet and its honestly not my favorite. In this story the evil followers of Talona decide to attack the wood Elves in the region. Cadderly, Danica, and Rufio are sent with Prince Elberth to discover who the enemy might be and help the elves if possible.
Cadderly's personality changes a lot in this book. He is jealous and whiney and seems overly childish. He thinks he is competing with Elberth for Danica's affections and honestly doesn't handle himself well, showing a lack of respect and trust in Danica. He also behaves childishly when it comes to killing things. Making grand speeches and gestures about why killing is horrible and passing judgement on Danica's actions when, in reality, Cadderly himself is just uncomfortable with killing things. Cadderly's actions create unsafe conditions for his friends all in the name of some imaginary moral high ground.
I know it gets better from here and this book is ultimately worth the read. Just suffers from a sophomore slump.
Cadderly's personality changes a lot in this book. He is jealous and whiney and seems overly childish. He thinks he is competing with Elberth for Danica's affections and honestly doesn't handle himself well, showing a lack of respect and trust in Danica. He also behaves childishly when it comes to killing things. Making grand speeches and gestures about why killing is horrible and passing judgement on Danica's actions when, in reality, Cadderly himself is just uncomfortable with killing things. Cadderly's actions create unsafe conditions for his friends all in the name of some imaginary moral high ground.
I know it gets better from here and this book is ultimately worth the read. Just suffers from a sophomore slump.
October 24, 2025
In Sylvan Shadows continues the humble beginnings of the unlikely hero, Cadderly, a priest of the Edificant library. The story begins with highlighting how Cadderly is haunted by the events of his recent past where he was forced, for the first time, to take a life. However, he shoves these feelings down as the threat of Castle Trinity, the entity that attacked his previous home, continues to spread to the Shilmista forest. Cadderly is asked to Journey with Danica, another priest named Rufo, and the Elf Prince, Elbereth, to the Forest to help save the elvish kingdom there from the goblin, orc, and Ogrillon forces of Castle Trinity. Cadderly and his friends must face overwhelming odds and turn to ancient and long-forgotten magic to save the forest and the elves from certain doom.
This book took me surprise. It has a slow progression throughout which did create a bit of a slog for me. But that final third of the book made it worth it. Throughout this story, Cadderly faces much more than the typical dangerous challenges of adventure. An unusual tone for this type of book is brought out by Cadderly’s struggles with inadequacy and value to his party. This is less a story of an underdog pulling through and becoming a hero, and more a relatable story of a man who is scared and overwhelmed but forced to act anyway. He begins to find his value and strength several times only to be met with the overwhelming reality that perhaps he does not belong to a life of adventure.
These struggles are not what I’m used to in a modern fantasy adventure book, and ,while I was unsure at first, I found myself really enjoying the story being told about this man. It reminded me a lot of how I felt when following Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit. It is a story of inadequacy affecting every decision, every important relationship, and causing doubt in every outcome. I enjoyed it very much and I think it makes this book very worth reading. By the end of the book, I found myself truely excited to uncover what Cadderly’s future adventures will bring and how he will react and grow. So far, the Cleric Quintet has taken me by surprise, and I think it’s a great recommendation for fantasy readers that maybe want something a bit different from the standard heroic adventures in the genre. I’m looking forward to more and I think most other readers will as well.
This book took me surprise. It has a slow progression throughout which did create a bit of a slog for me. But that final third of the book made it worth it. Throughout this story, Cadderly faces much more than the typical dangerous challenges of adventure. An unusual tone for this type of book is brought out by Cadderly’s struggles with inadequacy and value to his party. This is less a story of an underdog pulling through and becoming a hero, and more a relatable story of a man who is scared and overwhelmed but forced to act anyway. He begins to find his value and strength several times only to be met with the overwhelming reality that perhaps he does not belong to a life of adventure.
These struggles are not what I’m used to in a modern fantasy adventure book, and ,while I was unsure at first, I found myself really enjoying the story being told about this man. It reminded me a lot of how I felt when following Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit. It is a story of inadequacy affecting every decision, every important relationship, and causing doubt in every outcome. I enjoyed it very much and I think it makes this book very worth reading. By the end of the book, I found myself truely excited to uncover what Cadderly’s future adventures will bring and how he will react and grow. So far, the Cleric Quintet has taken me by surprise, and I think it’s a great recommendation for fantasy readers that maybe want something a bit different from the standard heroic adventures in the genre. I’m looking forward to more and I think most other readers will as well.
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