Attack of Shadows

Galaxy's Edge #4

by Jason Anspach, Nick Cole

The End of the Republic begins now.

The galaxy ignites as Goth Sullus and his fleet unleash a devastating surprise assault on the Republic. All that stands in his way are the 7th Fleet and the Legion. But with allies hidden in the very heart of the Republic, Sullus looks to reshape the galaxy in his own image.

Fleets collide in a moment-by-moment account of tactics, heroism, sacrifice, and the start of the final war of the Republic. The stakes have never been higher—and it’s winner take all.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Military Fiction, Audiobook, Space Opera, Fantasy, Military Science Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 14, 2017

About the author

JASON ANSPACH is the author of Galaxy's Edge, Wayward Galaxy, Forgotten Ruin. and more.

He lives in Puyallup, WA with his wife and their seven (not a typo) children.

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the great things about this series is that every book has a different feel. First small scale squad battle, then outlaw adventure, then action/espionage thriller. This book was nothing but one massive battle, on the ground, in space, and everywhere in between.

There are some familiar characters back, but this book was less about the characters and more about the action. I really enjoyed how we changed point of view frequently to see all the different aspects of the battle. We also rode along with characters on each side of the conflict, adding some depth and nuance. Most of the point of view characters were new, which was a bold choice, but even in small snippets the authors were able to lend personality to the different characters.

I would have loved to see a bit more from some of the series regulars and see them tied more into the plot for this book, but it was still a lot of fun.

[Jas · Rating 5 out of 5]

There seems to be a pattern to this series, with each alternate book focussing on either the specific characters (Chhun and his team), are as is the case for Assault of Shadows pulling out to give us a wider scope of the Galaxy and the war at large. It is a very clever and fascinating way to keep the readers engaged, and to also tell the stories of the ground troops, those in the thick of the action, but also allow us to get a scope of the scale of the galactic conflict that is unfolding from the Galaxy’s Edge inward.
In this Epic 4th instalment, Goth Sollus, ‘The Man in Black’ has brought together a fleet of his own, 3 massive Battleships with support ships, as well as highly trained soldiers including many ex-Legionnaires who have either been kicked out, pushed out, or left as they are so dis-enchanted by the Republic, and their use of ‘Points’ as Political tools in controlling their military forces, even at the cost of lives. Sollus rallies these ex-Legionnaires into a mighty fighting force, as well as using them to train additional soldiers. With a mighty Navy that he has also gathered, he is ready to strike at un-prepared Republic that is weak and believes itself all powerful.
Anspach and Cole do a brilliant job of building the intensity at the start of this book, like a slow moving chess game with the Galaxy as the outcome, both sides moving pieces about. However, whilst the Republic push pawns around uselessly, Sollus positions his most powerful pieces into strategic positions without the Republic even noticing. That is one of the best parts of this book, the strategic and tactical moves as they are unfolding.
One thing that is a little hard to know though, is whose side you are meant to be on? In the previous book, we were clearly on the Republic side, wanting Chhun and his team to survive and complete their mission. However, in this book, the Republic are almost made out to be the enemy, and Sollus the hero, the good side, even though there is definite linkages to him being Darth Vader at times (the ominous Man in Black!!). It is a little confusing to know who to go for in this book.
As things unfold though, and Sollus moves his pieces into play this book becomes such an outstanding story of intense war, with incredibly crafted battle scenes that leave you holding your breath as you read them, flipping through pages to find out what is going to happen next. Anspach and Cole write the most amazing battle sequences, whether it be close combat hand-to-hand, shooting, sniper fire, aerial dog fighting, and fighter combat, all the way through to capital ships slaughtering each other with super weapons, the two of them have the ability to create it all.
Something just as an aside is all the ‘Easter Eggs’ that are throughout these stories. As you are reading, you realise that there are quotes from multiple different movies and Sci-Fi references (Star Wars gets a lot of references), that just makes it fun to read (or listen to if you are an audio fan), to try and pick them out.
Part 4 is a fantastic story. It is those that feel betrayed by the Republic, feel that the Republic is weak, that the House of Reason is no longer reasonable, and must be removed. Part 4 is all about Civil War, and it is just so cleverly done. I think that is the best thing about this book, when you read how Sollus put his resources together and you realise what he did, you also realise just how clever he has been, and how brilliant the underlying story is.
This is an outstanding story, in an Epic Series, and should not be missed!!

[Wadi Hisham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is set entirely around a single battle. And a space battle at that. The story alternates between viewpoints of characters on both sides of the conflict and each one makes you believe that their side is the good one. Truth is, there is no good side. There's just two forces fighting for control with individuals on each side who are completely committed to their cause.

It's difficult to portray a battle as evenly as it is done here. On top of that, Attack of Shadows managed to keep my interest throughout, which was also a challenge considering the entire book depicts only a single battle. But when it was all said and done, I was left with the feeling that the consequences of this battle will shape the future of the entire galaxy.

I give this a Spectacular Space Slugfest out of 10.

[Ker_Thwap · Rating 2 out of 5]

... and I'm done with this series. Book 1 was decent, if a bit shallow. Book 2 and 3 were pretty good, each told from different perspectives telling a different part of the tale. We finally got to meet some characters that were filled out, and likable, or at least memorable. Book 4 was a muddled mess. Several new, very superficial characters, and one old one, treated superficially. One giant running battle that was at times sloppily narrated.

[Thomas Ellis · Rating 2 out of 5]

The best part of this book was the preview of the next book. I have enjoyed the series but this book was a chore to get through. Jumbled fights for pages on end, terrible science even if you suspend belief, a new character every few pages and almost nothing tying it into the story line. Oh let's not forget Darth Vader showing up in the form of Sullus.

I found myself flipping through the pages hoping to stumble across a bit that was worth reading. But nope it continued the entire book.

[J.R. Handley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary:
First, let me say that none of what I’ll say in this section couldn’t be found on the back copy of the novel. Heck, I cribbed this summary from the back, and then I add my own twist! And not even much of one, since most of the books I read have kick butt descriptions (aka blurbs). If the blurb doesn’t catch my eye, then I tend to skip the book unless a friend recommends it. Generally speaking, my goal is to provide a spoiler free review, so here goes nothing!

Things are in chaos since we left the galaxy at the edge of the universe. The bedlam has spread, and the End of the Republic begins now. The galaxy ignites as Goth Sullus and his fleet unleash a devastating surprise assault on the Republic. All that stands in his way are the 7th Fleet and the Legion. But with allies hidden in the very heart of the Republic, Sullus looks to reshape the galaxy in his own image. Fleets collide in a moment-by-moment account of tactics, heroism, sacrifice, and the start of the final war of the Republic. The stakes have never been higher, and it’s winner take all.

If you like epic space opera, with a side of military science fiction, you should read this series. Plenty of explosions, with authentically gritty combat. If this sounds like your flavor of badassery, then you’ve come to the right place! This novel is a brilliant continuation of the Galaxy’s Edge Universe, where they fix everything George Lucas broke in this Star-Wars-Not-Star-Wars adventure. I wish I could give you an easy comparison, if you enjoyed Book X, buy this book but I really feel like Nick and Jason broke new ground here. They’ve revived that sense of newness and fun that we loved as children, that brought most of us to the science fiction genre! There are other military sci-fi books out there, but none quite like this!


Characters:
In this novel, we didn’t follow a small group of characters like in the previous three novels. Instead we meet a diverse group of Legionnaires, Black Fleet Shock Troopers, and sailors from both fleets. While there were a lot of characters, I liked that each of them had their own world view and weren’t cardboard cut-outs of the cheap military clichés. They were all consummate professionals, and skilled at their jobs. It made it hard to know whom to root for, and I loved it. These were hard men and women, in a dangerous universe, protecting the Republic from rebel scum! Or they were stone cold killers, set on destroying the corruption of the House of Reason. All of these fighters felt a bit rushed, but that was because of the decision to show the chaos of the first major naval battle the galaxy has seen in living memory. Artistically, I understood why this decision was made, but I was left wanting to know more about these characters. Maybe those that lived will get there own series some day? Regardless of how quick our look at these characters were, they all added to what is clearly a vast and expansive universe. All of the characters were a lot of fun to get to know, and made me what to know more so (hint, hint) start working on those side novels!

Overall, it seems like the overabundance of secondary chararacters are building something huge, and you end up hopeful that you’ll get to see big things from him in the future. I will give these characters 4 out of 5 Grenades and can’t wait to see where the author takes the survivors for the rest of this new series!


Plot:
The premise for this series was to take the kind of Star Wars stories we used to love, strip out all of the political messaging, and just tell fun tales. Escapism and enjoyment, under the banner of intergalactic science fiction. This book was like most of the military fiction I love to read, it was an action-packed novel. The story is set as the galaxy is in turmoil, reeling from the arrival of the instability caused by Goth Sullus’s arrival. We get to see the world through a several characters, too many to count in this novel. It took some getting used to, but let you feel the chaos and confusion that combat brings. We see the world from the eyes of many of the lower level warriors and pilots who were doing the actual fighting. The conventional wisdom is that so many POVs would limit the novel, making it confusing but I was able to get used to it. Eventually you won’t notice and will just ride the waves of awesomeness into the promised land of space combat. I never felt cheated, or like I should’ve seen bits that happened off screen because they used this style of narration. It was a good set-up and well-executed premise that held my interest from the first sentence. The multiple character views did make it harder to read the book, since I often had to back track a chapter or two to follow it again but I think it was a fair trade off for showing the chaos of an epic space battle. This allowed the plot to grow and expanded, and I can only image bigger things coming from the Galaxy’s Edge world. I think that this is partly because I’ve become conditioned to these large expansive worlds because of the copious amounts of space opera that I read. Maybe your mileage will vary, but it’s definitely worth checking this book out. As you can tell by the gushing, despite the confusion of multiple POVs, I really got into this book. I couldn’t put it down, the plot was that compelling. I really loved the premise, and more importantly, I enjoyed how the execution. The pacing was excellent, and there was never a slow moment. I couldn’t ask for anything more; a unique premise, perfect execution, and incredible pacing! I again give Nick Cole and Jason Anspach 5 out of 5 Grenades!


World Building:
This is the fourth book in the Galaxy’s Edge Series, and I absolutely loved it. Can I say that enough? Okay, back to the nitty gritty of the review. This novel had a very flushed out world that was consistent, made sense and sucked you in. I loved the way they handled inserting the back stories of the new characters in such a way that you didn’t even notice. They did it so well that you never felt like you were missing anything important about the larger world. There were parts that felt like they weren’t there, because the characters were rushed. However, rather than detract from the world building, it made the universe feel that much larger. In the end it gave us so many windows into the battle on the Tarrago moon, and of the space battle in the voids above. It definitely made me want to become part of the larger world. I liked reading about the technology used by the various services, and how they’ve evolved over the scope of this series. I especially loved the tri-fighters and the raptors. Seriously, when can I buy some Galaxy’s Edge battle armor? And I want to travel the galaxy in my own battleship. Who wouldn’t want an ion cannon to forge your own galactic empire? I was hooked, and now I want to know it all! I definitely see room for CosPlay and a fandom for this world, and can’t wait for my own Legionnaire armor! They described the world with plenty of details, and there wasn’t a scene where I couldn’t picture it. They didn’t reinvent the wheel and built on the existing troupes of science fiction. They just made it sexier! Overall, the world building was well done, and I was sold on the way it happened. It felt believable, and the characters fit within the universe Nick Cole and Jason Anspach created. It was a fun ride that made me wanna suit up…which is the goal of action/adventure authors! Like most of the stories I read, this one didn’t take itself too seriously, which allowed you to focus on the fun which is why I read in the first place. I give the world building 5 out of 5 Grenades.


Description:
I have to give it to the authors, this novel was chalk full of visualization, and you could definitely imagine yourself in this world. He described things across the sensory spectrum; sights, sounds, smells and even how the world felt. This is how it’s done, and I hope to get that good some day. While I could visualize all of the characters, I would still love it if the authors shared artists renderings for them. Also, some of the ships were harder to imagine in this book. It wasn’t too bad, but I had trouble visualizing them. Could be my head injury, I can be slow sometims so your mileage may vary. I’ve said it before, but there is a trend to be lighter on the details so the imnagination can fill in the rest and I’d prefer a little more. There has to be a happy medium somewhere, but I’m mentioning it so you know my own preferences and biases for my review. If that isn’t something you notice, you would be pleased with the level of detail here. This hasn’t been an issue before because the legionnaire armor covered the lack of physical details but there were so many sailors who weren’t in body armor that it stuck out this round. Luckily, the fast paced action kept you from dwelling on it because you were quickly swept away in the chaos of the massive battle. One huge plus for me was Nick Cole and Jason Anspach’s descriptive use of language, a skill they’ve carried through the first three books as well. They balanced the explanation of this new world with the need to move a story along. This book didn’t have a single place where I couldn’t picture the scenery and the equipment, which added to the world that felt tangible and I enjoyed it. The only issue where I couldn’t imagine things was the spaceships, but everything else was crystal clear. The author’s description of their universe was evocative, and converted me into an uber fan! The only slight draw back of how descriptive they were, it was was a little bit distracting. Seriously, it made you wanna take a moment and explore every nook and cranny, but that’s a sign of an amazingly built universe. And a little birdy told me that they DO intend to explore those nooks and crannies! The proof of that was the release of the Goth Sullus origin story, Imperator. In summary, I didn’t find any issues with the descriptions and was impressed by the literary skills of the authors. The action was gripping, and the story was fun. If you want the action, the adventure, and the PEW PEW, then this is the book for you! Nick Cole and Jason Anspach brought it, they were definitely their A game. I give them 4 out of 5 grenades in this category. If I could’ve envisioned the fighters and more of the characters, it would’ve been a perfect score.


Overall:
I really loved this book, it was a lot of fun to read. It brought back the epic space romps I read and loved as a kid. This was definitely a lot closer to the fast paced space combat full of explosions and the fog of war than the previous three novels, which was a fun change of pace. There were no deep messages, or political themes, just good clean fun. Like the previous novels, this story was compelling and made me want to know more. I would say it made me want to join the Legion, but it was hard to tell if they were the good guys in this one. There was good and evil to be found on both sides, and the waters were a tad murkier than in the previous books in this series. One change in this book was set that it was a third person view, which was a change from the first three books. One thing I’ve enjoyed about this series was that each novel was a slightly different style, watching as the authors experimented with this modern classic. From a craft point of view, that evolution has been fun to follow, but that could just be the writer in me geeking out.

Like the previous novels in this universe, the first thing that caught my eye was the fantastic cover. Seriously, they’re all amazingly compelling. If you want to learn more about them, the Galaxy’s Edge mailing list will show you how the covers evolved to their final version. This was one series were I wished I weren’t color blind, and art dumb. I’d add a section to the book review template on the covers because so many of them are kicking butt these days! I don’t know if the authors are setting that trend, or following it, but I don’t care because we the readers are winning on this front! The Galaxy’s Edge covers reminded me of the iconic science fiction covers I loved as a kid, or the movie posters from the action adventures I watched when I was supposed to be studying. When I finally have a dedicated office or man cave, I’m decorating it with these covers! And whenever they sell swag, that too!

Now onto the book itself! The military culture shown was spot on, just what I’d expect from an Army veteran. Nobody felt like cookie cutter clichés or paradoies of the warrior, and the ethos was spot on. This deadly literary duo clearly understand the culture of the grunt! Nick and Jason made it clear that their world was flushed out, and didn’t fall into some of the traps most military sci fi did. The troops run out of ammo, dumb luck happens, and good soldiers still die. My god, lots of them! Rivers of blood ran throughout this novel, the action was intense and the characters responded as you’d expect in those circumstances. Moving right along, the ground combat described was primal, and immersive. It was everything you want from the genre. The battle scenes were believable, gripping and I never felt like the author missed a chance to get creative with the tactics. It was text book KTF, the mantra of the Legionnaire! Kill them first! Such a detailed portrayal of the tactics is rare. Where the battle lacked were the space scenes, because as I’ve mentioned previously, I couldn’t visualize the fighters or the massive capital ships.

Seriously, I realize I’ve gone full fanboy, but the authors have definitely raised the bar for military science fiction authors everywhere. Even with the flaws of this novel, it was still leaps and bounds above most of what’s out there! I was hooked from the first page, because they wove the action in such a compelling way that you wanted to jump into the page and join the party. Basically, they had me hooked from the beginning and kept it going throughout the whole novel. This is a book I would happily recommend, and an author I will definitely read again. Buy the novel! But hey, it’s easy to spend someone else’s money! I give this novel a 5 out of 5 grenades!

[Doug Sundseth · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars

As a description of a skirmish wargame, this isn't bad. But there's no real plot other than "we have to win," and there are virtually no actual characters.

In theory, this is a part of a series. But I don't recognize any of the characters here. And the narrative doesn't give me much reason to care about them, either. This is almost entirely a Star Wars pastiche (including a Darth Vader stand-in), but without the actual story.

If you're looking for off-brand, cut-rate Star Wars, this might be OK. Otherwise, this is not recommended.

[Travis ARNOLD · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was the weakest of the series so far. The authors describe battle really well, but the entire novel told the story of a Dibble battle. It didn't even chronicle some of the most important parts of the battle. Nor did it being up the characters from the first three books. I was not impressed with this book. It should get 2 stars based on the plot and scope of the book. But I gave it an extra star cause it is written quite well.

[Dayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book in this series!

This book was a little different from the other books in this series, in that the reader meets some new characters (and maybe one or two we already know), and the story is from a different viewpoint. However, from a broad perspective, the reader can begin to see the overall picture of why "the galaxy is a dumpster fire". Great read. Highly recommended.

[Eric Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

the plot thickens

Lots of action, some questions answered, some not… like what the heck IS Goth Sullus? Puts Vader to shame. The tech is beyond belief.

[J.R. Handley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary:
First, let me say that none of what I’ll say in this section couldn’t be found on the back copy of the novel. Heck, I cribbed this summary from the back, and then I add my own twist! And not even much of one, since most of the books I read have kick butt descriptions (aka blurbs). If the blurb doesn’t catch my eye, then I tend to skip the book unless a friend recommends it. Generally speaking, my goal is to provide a spoiler free review, so here goes nothing!

Things are in chaos since we left the galaxy at the edge of the universe. The bedlam has spread, and the End of the Republic begins now. The galaxy ignites as Goth Sullus and his fleet unleash a devastating surprise assault on the Republic. All that stands in his way are the 7th Fleet and the Legion. But with allies hidden in the very heart of the Republic, Sullus looks to reshape the galaxy in his own image. Fleets collide in a moment-by-moment account of tactics, heroism, sacrifice, and the start of the final war of the Republic. The stakes have never been higher, and it’s winner take all.

If you like epic space opera, with a side of military science fiction, you should read this series. Plenty of explosions, with authentically gritty combat. If this sounds like your flavor of badassery, then you’ve come to the right place! This novel is a brilliant continuation of the Galaxy’s Edge Universe, where they fix everything George Lucas broke in this Star-Wars-Not-Star-Wars adventure. I wish I could give you an easy comparison, if you enjoyed Book X, buy this book but I really feel like Nick and Jason broke new ground here. They’ve revived that sense of newness and fun that we loved as children, that brought most of us to the science fiction genre! There are other military sci-fi books out there, but none quite like this!


Characters:
In this novel, we didn’t follow a small group of characters like in the previous three novels. Instead we meet a diverse group of Legionnaires, Black Fleet Shock Troopers, and sailors from both fleets. While there were a lot of characters, I liked that each of them had their own world view and weren’t cardboard cut-outs of the cheap military clichés. They were all consummate professionals, and skilled at their jobs. It made it hard to know whom to root for, and I loved it. These were hard men and women, in a dangerous universe, protecting the Republic from rebel scum! Or they were stone cold killers, set on destroying the corruption of the House of Reason. All of these fighters felt a bit rushed, but that was because of the decision to show the chaos of the first major naval battle the galaxy has seen in living memory. Artistically, I understood why this decision was made, but I was left wanting to know more about these characters. Maybe those that lived will get there own series some day? Regardless of how quick our look at these characters were, they all added to what is clearly a vast and expansive universe. All of the characters were a lot of fun to get to know, and made me what to know more so (hint, hint) start working on those side novels!

Overall, it seems like the overabundance of secondary chararacters are building something huge, and you end up hopeful that you’ll get to see big things from him in the future. I will give these characters 4 out of 5 Grenades and can’t wait to see where the author takes the survivors for the rest of this new series!


Plot:
The premise for this series was to take the kind of Star Wars stories we used to love, strip out all of the political messaging, and just tell fun tales. Escapism and enjoyment, under the banner of intergalactic science fiction. This book was like most of the military fiction I love to read, it was an action-packed novel. The story is set as the galaxy is in turmoil, reeling from the arrival of the instability caused by Goth Sullus’s arrival. We get to see the world through a several characters, too many to count in this novel. It took some getting used to, but let you feel the chaos and confusion that combat brings. We see the world from the eyes of many of the lower level warriors and pilots who were doing the actual fighting. The conventional wisdom is that so many POVs would limit the novel, making it confusing but I was able to get used to it. Eventually you won’t notice and will just ride the waves of awesomeness into the promised land of space combat. I never felt cheated, or like I should’ve seen bits that happened off screen because they used this style of narration. It was a good set-up and well-executed premise that held my interest from the first sentence. The multiple character views did make it harder to read the book, since I often had to back track a chapter or two to follow it again but I think it was a fair trade off for showing the chaos of an epic space battle. This allowed the plot to grow and expanded, and I can only image bigger things coming from the Galaxy’s Edge world. I think that this is partly because I’ve become conditioned to these large expansive worlds because of the copious amounts of space opera that I read. Maybe your mileage will vary, but it’s definitely worth checking this book out. As you can tell by the gushing, despite the confusion of multiple POVs, I really got into this book. I couldn’t put it down, the plot was that compelling. I really loved the premise, and more importantly, I enjoyed how the execution. The pacing was excellent, and there was never a slow moment. I couldn’t ask for anything more; a unique premise, perfect execution, and incredible pacing! I again give Nick Cole and Jason Anspach 5 out of 5 Grenades!


World Building:
This is the fourth book in the Galaxy’s Edge Series, and I absolutely loved it. Can I say that enough? Okay, back to the nitty gritty of the review. This novel had a very flushed out world that was consistent, made sense and sucked you in. I loved the way they handled inserting the back stories of the new characters in such a way that you didn’t even notice. They did it so well that you never felt like you were missing anything important about the larger world. There were parts that felt like they weren’t there, because the characters were rushed. However, rather than detract from the world building, it made the universe feel that much larger. In the end it gave us so many windows into the battle on the Tarrago moon, and of the space battle in the voids above. It definitely made me want to become part of the larger world. I liked reading about the technology used by the various services, and how they’ve evolved over the scope of this series. I especially loved the tri-fighters and the raptors. Seriously, when can I buy some Galaxy’s Edge battle armor? And I want to travel the galaxy in my own battleship. Who wouldn’t want an ion cannon to forge your own galactic empire? I was hooked, and now I want to know it all! I definitely see room for CosPlay and a fandom for this world, and can’t wait for my own Legionnaire armor! They described the world with plenty of details, and there wasn’t a scene where I couldn’t picture it. They didn’t reinvent the wheel and built on the existing troupes of science fiction. They just made it sexier! Overall, the world building was well done, and I was sold on the way it happened. It felt believable, and the characters fit within the universe Nick Cole and Jason Anspach created. It was a fun ride that made me wanna suit up…which is the goal of action/adventure authors! Like most of the stories I read, this one didn’t take itself too seriously, which allowed you to focus on the fun which is why I read in the first place. I give the world building 5 out of 5 Grenades.


Description:
I have to give it to the authors, this novel was chalk full of visualization, and you could definitely imagine yourself in this world. He described things across the sensory spectrum; sights, sounds, smells and even how the world felt. This is how it’s done, and I hope to get that good some day. While I could visualize all of the characters, I would still love it if the authors shared artists renderings for them. Also, some of the ships were harder to imagine in this book. It wasn’t too bad, but I had trouble visualizing them. Could be my head injury, I can be slow sometims so your mileage may vary. I’ve said it before, but there is a trend to be lighter on the details so the imnagination can fill in the rest and I’d prefer a little more. There has to be a happy medium somewhere, but I’m mentioning it so you know my own preferences and biases for my review. If that isn’t something you notice, you would be pleased with the level of detail here. This hasn’t been an issue before because the legionnaire armor covered the lack of physical details but there were so many sailors who weren’t in body armor that it stuck out this round. Luckily, the fast paced action kept you from dwelling on it because you were quickly swept away in the chaos of the massive battle. One huge plus for me was Nick Cole and Jason Anspach’s descriptive use of language, a skill they’ve carried through the first three books as well. They balanced the explanation of this new world with the need to move a story along. This book didn’t have a single place where I couldn’t picture the scenery and the equipment, which added to the world that felt tangible and I enjoyed it. The only issue where I couldn’t imagine things was the spaceships, but everything else was crystal clear. The author’s description of their universe was evocative, and converted me into an uber fan! The only slight draw back of how descriptive they were, it was was a little bit distracting. Seriously, it made you wanna take a moment and explore every nook and cranny, but that’s a sign of an amazingly built universe. And a little birdy told me that they DO intend to explore those nooks and crannies! The proof of that was the release of the Goth Sullus origin story, Imperator. In summary, I didn’t find any issues with the descriptions and was impressed by the literary skills of the authors. The action was gripping, and the story was fun. If you want the action, the adventure, and the PEW PEW, then this is the book for you! Nick Cole and Jason Anspach brought it, they were definitely their A game. I give them 4 out of 5 grenades in this category. If I could’ve envisioned the fighters and more of the characters, it would’ve been a perfect score.


Overall:
I really loved this book, it was a lot of fun to read. It brought back the epic space romps I read and loved as a kid. This was definitely a lot closer to the fast paced space combat full of explosions and the fog of war than the previous three novels, which was a fun change of pace. There were no deep messages, or political themes, just good clean fun. Like the previous novels, this story was compelling and made me want to know more. I would say it made me want to join the Legion, but it was hard to tell if they were the good guys in this one. There was good and evil to be found on both sides, and the waters were a tad murkier than in the previous books in this series. One change in this book was set that it was a third person view, which was a change from the first three books. One thing I’ve enjoyed about this series was that each novel was a slightly different style, watching as the authors experimented with this modern classic. From a craft point of view, that evolution has been fun to follow, but that could just be the writer in me geeking out.

Like the previous novels in this universe, the first thing that caught my eye was the fantastic cover. Seriously, they’re all amazingly compelling. If you want to learn more about them, the Galaxy’s Edge mailing list will show you how the covers evolved to their final version. This was one series were I wished I weren’t color blind, and art dumb. I’d add a section to the book review template on the covers because so many of them are kicking butt these days! I don’t know if the authors are setting that trend, or following it, but I don’t care because we the readers are winning on this front! The Galaxy’s Edge covers reminded me of the iconic science fiction covers I loved as a kid, or the movie posters from the action adventures I watched when I was supposed to be studying. When I finally have a dedicated office or man cave, I’m decorating it with these covers! And whenever they sell swag, that too!

Now onto the book itself! The military culture shown was spot on, just what I’d expect from an Army veteran. Nobody felt like cookie cutter clichés or paradoies of the warrior, and the ethos was spot on. This deadly literary duo clearly understand the culture of the grunt! Nick and Jason made it clear that their world was flushed out, and didn’t fall into some of the traps most military sci fi did. The troops run out of ammo, dumb luck happens, and good soldiers still die. My god, lots of them! Rivers of blood ran throughout this novel, the action was intense and the characters responded as you’d expect in those circumstances. Moving right along, the ground combat described was primal, and immersive. It was everything you want from the genre. The battle scenes were believable, gripping and I never felt like the author missed a chance to get creative with the tactics. It was text book KTF, the mantra of the Legionnaire! Kill them first! Such a detailed portrayal of the tactics is rare. Where the battle lacked were the space scenes, because as I’ve mentioned previously, I couldn’t visualize the fighters or the massive capital ships.

Seriously, I realize I’ve gone full fanboy, but the authors have definitely raised the bar for military science fiction authors everywhere. Even with the flaws of this novel, it was still leaps and bounds above most of what’s out there! I was hooked from the first page, because they wove the action in such a compelling way that you wanted to jump into the page and join the party. Basically, they had me hooked from the beginning and kept it going throughout the whole novel. This is a book I would happily recommend, and an author I will definitely read again. Buy the novel! But hey, it’s easy to spend someone else’s money! I give this novel a 5 out of 5 grenades!

[Sahara · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was fast paced and so easy to get lost. It kept going back and forth between both sides of the battle. You got to meet characters from Sullus' army and the Republic's army. It had you feeling like both sides had their own legitimate reasons to fight. It was hard to choose a side because both sides are wrong and many good people are dying for "the cause".

I truly enjoy the way this book was presented. It felt like I was watching an epic movie. The only reason I give it 4 stars is because it's so fast paced it's a bit hard to keep up with all the new characters introduced .

[Michael David Cobb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the best battle descriptions in any book in the series and any I can recall in science fiction. They've outdone themselves. And it's still not over. The wonderful complexity is all there, none of it forced. The entire series gets five stars, but I cannot see giving this individual book five. It doesn't stand alone in that regard, but if I could give it 4.5, I would.

Betrayal, bravery, butchery and badassery. It's all here.

[A.R · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty fun. A ton of new characters, most just for this book I believe but many will probably stay on. This book jumps from action to action, letting you see heroism on both sides. Many fighting for the Republic know it to be corrupt but want to save it anyway. Or at least they fight to save their brothers in arms. The big surprise in this book to me was how much I identified with the "bad guys". They are really humanized here, though it also makes it clear that many of them are nearly insane as well. Some just want violence, some just want to kill, and some are deluded in why the Republic spurned them. However, many really want to change the Republic. To see it better.

You almost want to cheer for the bad guys, but only almost. I feel that is excellent writing. Honestly, just a bit more polish would have gotten 5 stars from me. This book mainly suffers from jumping around to much, which I get was part of the idea. It is supposed to feel frantic, to let you see the whole battle and what is at play. Still, it was a really fun read.

[xuskw · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book covers a single battle: the invasion of a moon that has both a shipyard and orbital gun by the mysterious Goth Sullus. At first I found the writing of this novel very jarring. The story is constantly switching between an entire cast of new characters, what they're doing in combat and politics, and many other things. At a glance, it seems like a jumbled mess. However, I realized that that isn't the case. The cast isn't as new as it appears. The combat isn't as disjointed as you first think. Paying attention to the story allows you to easily shift from one perspective to the next with no trouble. I found some of the Star Wars references to be a bit on the nose, but at least the authors own up to it (looking at you, "tri-fighters")... While this isn't my favorite novel in the series, I have no issue with it and thoroughly enjoyed the story.

[AnnanFay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don't read this book. Just skip it. The books before it were good, and book #5 seems good. Just skip this one.

None of the characters introduced are interesting. None of the previously introduced characters do anything. It's just an entire book of ship-to-ship broadsides and ground combat with no character development. I might be exaggerating a bit, I really can't remember the book very well, none of it stood out in my mind, that's how bad it was. The previous books stand out in my mind like flaming torches while this book is a bloody side note!

The only reason it's not 1 star is because the writing is fairly competent. I did finish it, somehow.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Least favorite of this series so far. I actually listen to the books while driving and to say this one was hard to follow would be an understatement. You literally need a spreadsheet to follow the story in this book, with timetables, names, locations and v-look-up. It was action packed and allot of good information but just way to difficult to follow.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I think I know what’s going on, but there are so many players in this book, it’s hard to keep up, at least for me it is. The Republic has a big problem. A number of people are not pleased with the way things are ran and how things are going. And, there are a lot of ex-military guys and gals around that are looking for something to do and someone to follow. That’s not a good thing for the Republic and not good for the Legion. Yet, that’s the situation and now there appears someone who will led these former military people into the kind of fighting they are used to.

I don’t know exactly what Goth Sullus is, but he’s not totally human. He has some how amassed a fleet of three huge battleship (starships) and is preparing to take over the Tarrago Prime which included the huge Republic shipyards stationed in orbit over that planet. If he can do that, then his Black Fleet can grow to unimaginable size. The Republic has seen fit to forget it’s past and thinks it’s so large that no one would dare attack any Republic facility. Yet, the Republic has failed its citizens, letting political corruption run rampant while the average citizen struggles for mere existence. There are a lot of disgruntled people and when those disgruntled happen to be formerly well-trained Legionnaires, that’s bad news for everyone. Goth Sullus has provided a refuge for these forgotten and displaced Republic veterans. He’s placed them back in the environment that are so comfortable with and has trained them up to razor sharp standards. Tusca was about two days away from Tarrago Prime, but they had left that place of training and are now at the doorstep of war with the Republic.

The Republic doesn’t know what’s coming. They have their usual contingent of ships coming and going from the docks at Tarrago Prime and everything is as peaceful as always. The orbital defense of Fortress Omicron stands ready to defeat any who would consider striking at the Republics assets. Yet something is already wrong. A lone Captain finds two of his technicians that should have been doing long range reconnaissance scanning, dead at their posts. With unusual actions, he sets off the alarms and begins to wonder what was out there that Fortress Omicron wasn’t supposed to see. Shortly, he’s wondering is gone as the three gigantic battleships of the Black Fleet appear in the heavens! They know to stay just out of range of the deadly guns on this mighty fortress, but that doesn’t mean they can start sending troops to do the work of capturing the planet and everything on it. With their already inserted spies, they are now slowly taking the fortress cannons out of the picture. The young Captain must find who is working for the wrong side and kill them before he is killed himself. That’s going to be a tough job since everything now erupts in war!

So, now the Legion is fighting the Legion! Yes, the Republic Legionnaires are now fighting against some of their own veterans who for one reason or another were found unfit for further duty with the Legion. Most were out for good reasons, but some were thrown out under trumped charges and very angry with the system that basically took their life away. While these were now called shock troops, they vaguely knew they were working for someone called Goth Sullus and even his Admirals were afraid of speaking his name out in public! It’s a fight like none other. Legionnaires don’t usually surrender, but they also don’t normally have their own turning on them. Even the fleet is now showing signs of not being as true to the Republic as it should. The Third fleet which should have jumped in and help out with the defenses, held back looking like it would wait to see who one and then come join that side. I don’t know if this was going to work or no.

What happens if the Republic loses this battle? Can the Legion actually be defeated? Will the starship yards become manufacturing sites for the dreaded Black Fleet? All these and more are answered in this three part book which is pretty exciting all the way through. Not sure what’s going to happen in the future, but this story is turning out much different than I thought it would.

[Benjamin Espen · Rating 5 out of 5]

That, was intense.

I keep being surprised by the storytelling of Cole and Anspach. This volume in the Galaxy's Edge series represents only a few hours, yet it is one of the most frenetic things I have ever read. We see the course of a single battle through the eyes of the men and women caught up in it.

Pitched battle is spoken of by its survivors as disjointed and confusing in retrospect. Both an eternity and an instant. The structure of the book recapitulates this in words, switching back and forth between the viewpoints of the combatants on all sides with disconcerting rapidity. Each chapter is grounded by a location and a timestamp. For the most part, the book proceeds in chronological sequence, but the brief intervals between sections serve as a reminder of just how fast everything happened.

When Goth Sullus comes to the shipyards at the Tarrago system, it feels like the Somme, Stalingrad, and Lepanto all at once. This is something of an exaggeration, since the first two were mass conflicts, the nation at war, fought at the pinnacle of state power. War for the Legion, both the Republican forces and Goth Sullus' grimmer copies, is more like the era of heavy cavalry, where the most powerful weapons are wielded only by experts. The loss of life in the battle is astonishing, but the same thing used to happen on the Western Front every day during an offensive.

Since we are allowed to see through the eyes of so many, Attack of Shadows allows us to understand why so many good people would choose to take up arms against the corruption and venality of the Republic. We see their wounded hearts, and share their thoughts, as they seek justice, or vengeance, against their oppressors. On the other hand, we also see the that any revolution will attract its share of psychopaths, malcontents, and adventurers, who just want to watch the world burn.

On the gripping hand, despite its many faults, there are men and women of honor who still fight for the Republic, or perhaps for what they think it should really stand for, instead of what it does. These true sons and daughters of Martha, Captain Thane of the Republic Artillery, Captain Arwen of the Legion, Ensign Fal of the Republic Navy, do their duty despite the odds.

And the odds don't look good. Goth Sullus knows that the Republic is riddled with incompetence, and weakened by self-serving lies. It is easy for him to find recruits in a galaxy characterized by casual betrayal; where money and connections matter more than character or competence. And the Republic clearly deserves everything it is getting, good and hard.

Yet, for all that, I still root for the Republic, or at least for its defenders who retain their integrity. Perhaps I'm not so much pro-Republic as anti-Sullus, whose millenarian cult of personality we see blossoming. I don't yet know what drives Sullus, but I suspect that whatever it is, it has already consumed his humanity long before we ever met him. Most revolutions don't live up to their promises, and I don't have any reason to think that this one will be any different.

[John Pires · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly fun to read, but also confusing, frustrating and unrealistic. This series needs a better editor; reading on a kindle I was able to highlight/submit half a dozen errors, typos, and grammar issues. Half the book takes place on a moon and a lot of emphasis is put on the dangers of being exposed to vacuum if a building is damaged or someone's suit is punctured. But then there is one single sentence accidently left in that describes vehicles on the moon moving through trees/vegetation. There is a lot of stuff like that. Also, the author is one of those people that says "could care less" instead of "couldn't care less".

Galaxy's Edge is not hard sci-fi. On one end of the spectrum you have series like Dune and Star Wars, on the other end (mostly) you have universes like The Martian, The Expanse, and Seven Eves. Galaxy's Edge is firmly on the fantasy/space opera end of the spectrum. Even so, you still have to get the basic stuff right and Attack of Shadows does not.

Just as an example, one of the main plotlines revolves around an enormous defensive rail gun inside of a moon. At one point the rail gun is described as shooting a rod of "impervisteel" the size of a tree trunk at 99% the speed of light. That's pretty dumb to begin with, but ok. Then the steel rod hits its target ship and people on nearby ships are described as watching the shot, in real time, hit the target ship, travel through the ship from stem to stern, then go out the other end, leaving an immense hole. 1) If it's going 99% light speed no one is watching it go anywhere. 2) if it's going 99% light speed it isn't going to hole a ship from stem to stern, it is going to instantly vaporize whatever it comes into contact with.

The entire book is one enormous prolonged space/land battle punctuated with some political intrigue. It's pretty confusing to follow and the authors chose to write a non-linear narrative of the battle itself. They switch perspectives often and open each section with a little header telling the time/location/character. Often something confusing or out of place would be described and I'd go back to check the header and see that the current section takes place 10 or 30 minutes before the previous section I'd just read. There's no need for it to be non-linear though because there are no surprises or setups or payoffs. It's like someone took the normal linear story and then slightly jumbled up the timeline just because.

This has been a fun but frustrating series so far. There are amazing, memorable characters and moments but also a a lot of flaws that drag it down.

[Joel Borden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Attack of the Shadows

Military Sci Fi - noir

Impressive! said the basso profundo voice.

I know whose voice I heard when I read that line and it is, but it isn’t. And, this series is free to go where no series has gone before.

Attack of the Shadows continues the saga of a bloated and impotent Republic government and the upstart rebellion. With a battle for the shipyards at Kesselworks (?) to see who will control the building of warships. Here, the two major powers square off in a bloody toe to toe fight to the death.

Who do you cheer for? There are great stories on both sides of the battle and the narrative moves you from one side to the other seamlessly. I choose the MCR, so my bias may show a little.

Here’s a snippet that describes the Republic pretty well,

“That, he thought, summed up the very nature of this decrepit and dying Republic he was about to destroy. Warships that weren’t supposed to threaten. Leaders that never led. And citizens who were really slaves.”

In the meantime, there are great insights into the characters and probably the authors, as well. How could one tell a tale without putting a little of their soul into the story? So, Nick and Jason are here too.

There were a number of references to food in the story. I liked Tarrago. Were these guys hungry while writing this story?

Apparently yes, because the quality of the throw off lines is very high.

I liked this one, “She’d have been more successful had she been squat and butch—just diverse or minority enough to make rank for all the wrong reasons.” I worked with a USAF Captain who said almost the exact words to me about 30 years ago. I could still see her face when I read this.

Plenty of high quality characters to go around too. Who is your favorite sci fi hero? Maybe Malcolm Reynolds. If so, then picture that person when you read the tale of Captain Desaix who does the impossible — twice!

I am enjoying this series immensely relishing the work in front of me, and looking forward the next installment.

[Adam Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, intense, nonstop action, this book has all the marks of a fantastic war movie. However, it left me feeling unfulfilled for reasons that had nothing to do with the writing.

Readers of the first three: The authors jump around constantly in this novel and at first this was jarring, but it came to make perfect sense. The authors are showing multiple perspectives of two different sides in a war, and it eventually works. You don't feel like either side is one monolithic mass of good or evil, and by the end you aren't sure whom to root for. The characters feel human in the short time we get to spend with each one of them, and it works.

The problem for me was that we never got to spend enough time watching characters develop. These authors are at their best when we get to spend the whole book, or even multiple books, helping us come to know and love a small cast of genuine people. This book hints at that multiple times with some really interesting characters I'd love to follow for a novel or two. Because of the large cast and the jumping around, I just didn't get my fix.

About halfway through this book I realized: the war itself is the main character, with different views shaping out the character of the war. Taken that way, this writing decision makes sense.

This is one of those books mid-series where everything explodes and all the suspense tears wide open. It was enjoyable, but what pulls me through a novel is getting to know the characters deeper and deeper. I look forward to seeing what the actual characters of the series think and feel of this situation, and watch them react. The authors are masters there, and I hope for a return to that.

Good book, but the perspective (while probably necessary to tell this particular story) didn't have that emotional punch for me. Now that the war has started, gimme my plucky little band again so I can go back to crying over Prisma's backstory.

[Deacon Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goth Sullus and his fleet of three massive destroyers aren't waiting for the politicians to guide them, they are bring back the age of the warrior, even if they have to go through their former comrades to do it. The only issue is that despite the corruption at the core of the Republic, the military isn't entirely under the thumb of a slack leadership chain.
Pilots still have valor, The Navy will never surrender easily, the Marines are as hard as nails, and the Legion is just as elite as ever. So can Goth Sullus conquer the shipyards, take the massive weapon protecting it? Can they seize the planet and capture its governor? Not if the Republican Military has anything to say about it.

Attack of Shadows was exceptionally well coordinated. Writing such a massive battle, with well developed characters in each operational area was both impressive and entertaining. The novel was a non-stop climb on the tension scale, that left you uncertain who you wanted to win.

Watching both the fire control officer struggle to defend his guns, or the bitter and revengeful pilot who was trying to destroy them left me conflicted. This kind of juxta positioned story telling was much like a real conflict, everyone is fighting for their flag, and neither side thinks its wrong in defending their assignment or comrades.

I gave it 4 stars because it was a little confusing at parts, and nearly gave it three because there seemed to be a whole story line somewhere that I missed out on. The transition between part 3 and part 4 was at best loosely conjoined.

That said, I will say I noticed the Star Wars call backs and, I was slightly amused, and a little disappointed.

I guess I will have to go back and try to figure out if I missed a novella or something.

[Gregg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written but uninteresting to me

First let me say the book was well written. Virtually the entire book is one long action space battle scene. While normally that’s just what I’m looking for this was not for me. On one side of the battle are the forces of the Republic, a galaxy wide civilization run by a totally corrupt government only interested in maintaining power. On the other side is a rebel force of mixed pirates and ex-republic military led by an evil immortal sorcerer who want to destroy everything he has to to rebuild the galaxy in his image AKA the Emperor from Star Wars. The problem for me is that the majority of the book is written from the viewpoint of the attacking rebel fleet, the only character from that fleet that was even remotely interesting was a character from the books 1&3 that I really liked, but now he’s working for the bad guy and I’m no longer interested. This series has become about a war that both sides should lose. The only good guys are the loyal republic fleet trying to hold back the darkness, but they are working for a corrupt and powerful government. Many of the bad guys truly think they are doing the right think overthrowing an evil government, but as mentioned above are working for an evil want to be dictator. Books one and two were great, clear cut good guys and bad guys, book 3 brought back characters from the first book but also introduced a whole undercover spy doing horrible things under orders storyline that I detested. I’ve skipped so much of the last two books I’ve probably only read just over a single books worth of pages. If you don’t care about clear cut lines between the good guys and bad guys you might like this. I certainly didn’t.

[Player 1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe it's me but the only thing missing are Wookiees. The story includes: a republic that is transforming into an empire; a battle for a small important moon; ominous larger than anything seen before battleships; The Dark (side?) Fleet; Tri fighters that sounds like Tie Fighters; and Republic Raptors that have AI bots talking to pilots that sounds familiar to Rebel X and Y wing fighters. The Delegate (I see Palpatine) is part of the villainous HOR but his machinations are for the benefit of an Empire he intends to rule. I read Goth Sullus but I think Darth Sidious complete with telekinetic powers. I did not have to reach far to imagine the action in this book because I have already seen it.

To the authors' credit there is so much more in this book. Depicting both sides of the battle as heroic. Giving character backstories makes them likable and sadness when they perish. Only the political monster aka "The House of Reason" the villain. Now it is transformed into the Empire and I am torn as to which is the villain. The HOR has a legacy of beneficial to the upper crust and the Empire, while it's story has not yet happened, I am led to believe that it will be something better. I think we all know what happens in empirical governments.

What stood out most to me were the independent hackers—the outsiders. A few of them start to piece together the truth: the Republic’s fragile balance is unraveling, and the tipping point may hinge on one question—what side will the Legion choose?

I was originally hooked on this series because of the compelling plots in the first three books. I’m shelving it for now, but I plan to come back. Maybe next time, mesa hope da Wookiees stay outta mesa headspace.

[Simon · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book encompasses the opening battle to a galactic war. It flits about between many characters giving their points of view at certain points. Several characters die, some do something heroic, and others manage to just survive. The story is NOT heavy on character development. It's more like a frantic documentary of different war journals. That being said, I found the pacing dragging. Chapters seem very long with multiple character bits in each one. The chapters don't seem to envelop any singular idea or plot point. They just house a bunch of character actions and then just arbitrarily end whenever they get to it. Thus the chapter length seems to drag. Strange quirk to the story: more often that not the major events of the battle happen "off screen". Stuff will be building to something but then we're told event occurs instead of seeing it. Major writing failure. We dwell on build ups and never see the major points of climax. Just told about them after the fact in passing?!

All in all, gonna take a break reading these. MAYBE return to the series later. I am slightly interested to see how it resolves but not driven to it on account of the strange styles of writing the authors keep experimenting with.

[Robert Defrank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly, this wasn’t the book I was expecting: thinking that this would be a thematic continuation of Galactic Outlaws, where our heroes would return and the campaign of the Goth Sullus against the Republic would make more strides. I readjusted those expectations when it became obvious that this would be a play-by-play account of a single battle, shown in detail from every side, attackers, defenders, and scheming politicians.

Readers are introduced to a wide cast of characters through these segments of fast-paced action. We learn about who the servants of darkness are and why they have chosen to fight under the banner of the man in black in an excellent example of character building through action. Players of Star Wars, Knights of the Old Republic may well recognize many of the character types from the former Republic minions in Revan and Malik’s Sith army.

Recommended for lovers of the game, as well as those interested in intensely-detailed military science fiction of a Star Wars-esque type. It is also a brilliant example of yet another of a wide variety of approaches played out in the same universe.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 4th in the Galaxy’s Edge series. Once again, I was just looking for another mindless read – and military sci-fi fits the bill. It’s the usual fare – ‘naval’ space warfare, civil war, rebels versus the Republic, big battles, etc. Each book in the series builds upon the last so a reader would enjoy this book much more if they’d read (at least a couple) of the prior novels. I definitely don’t suggest that it be read as a standalone. The reader, for example, learns more and more about the Legionnaires. And, fitting for a rebellion, it’s Legionnaires against Legionnaires (now enemy “Shock Troops”) i.e. ‘brothers’ versus ‘brothers’. (While I did have some difficulty keeping track of the ‘good guys’ from the ‘bad guys’ during the big battle, but it didn’t matter much. I got the jest … Remember, mindless military sci-fi. … (Actually though, this was less mindless than I had anticipated and I enjoyed the observations of strategies and tactics within a major battle.)

The authors occasionally offer futuristic societal comments which may be applicable to current time, but with this genera, it’s really all about shoot ‘em up bang-bang stuff.

[Matthew Shaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my least favorite addition of the series through four books. I liked a lot of the book, but it fell flat in some areas, especially compared to the first three books in the series. I read the kindle version, and there were quite a few strange typos that I couldn’t find ways to justify. Things like a ship landing, but said it is ascending. Similes that, for an unrelated example, said “like box chocolates” instead of “like a box of chocolates”. I’m not sure if it simply a kindle transcription issue, or if this was just rushed.

The pacing in the chapters was a bit wonky at times. Each new section would be taking place at a different time, earlier or later, and the events never seemed to truly line up.

The ENTIRE book is a battle. This can be awesome, but by page 250 it became a bit tedious and drawn-out. This book lacked the character development and strong sense of connection to the story that was so prevalent in the first books. The best part of the book, IMO was the epilogue, and that’s very odd for this series.

It was okay. I liked it. I had a pretty good time. I’ll read book 5 and that will probably be the make-or-break for me with this series.

[Thay · Rating 3 out of 5]

It pains me to not give Attack of Shadows a better score but this book gave me literal pains listening to the audiobook and following on Kindle.

Honestly, maybe I'm not clever enough for this book because it broke me. I was so confused as to who the bad guys were and who the reader was meant to sympathise with. We were told in the first 3 books of the series that Goth Sullus was the baddie but then we find members of Black Ops from Book 3 on his side and it goes back and forth between like a million characters I didn't care for.

Don't get me started on Tom. Poor guy. I wanted to skip the player when his parts came up because it gave me serious anxiety to hear of his conundrum towards the end. For the most part though, Tom's "story" was boring as batshit. It KILLED me when his true identity was revealed.

I don't think I can do this anymore. Probably the last of the series I will listen to despite the great job RC Bray does for the series.