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The Age of Darkness #2
As the Shadow Rises
Six of Crows meets Graceling with a dash of Winter is Coming in Katy Rose Pool's second installment of the action-packed and swoon-worthy Age of Darkness series-- As the Shadow Rises .
" As the Shadow Rises solidifies Katy Rose Pool's status as one of the best fantasy writers of the 21st century." ― Popsugar
The Last Prophet has been found, yet he sees destruction ahead.
In this sequel to the critically-acclaimed There Will Come a Darkness , kingdoms have begun to fall to a doomsday cult, the magical Graced are being persecuted, and an ancient power threatens to break free. But with the world hurtling toward its prophesized end, Anton’s haunting vision reveals the dangerous beginnings of a plan to stop the Age of Darkness.
As Jude, Keeper of the Order of the Last Light, returns home in disgrace, his quest to aid the Prophet is complicated by his growing feelings for Anton. Meanwhile, the assassin known as the Pale Hand will stop at nothing to find her undead sister before she dies for good, even if it means letting the world burn. And in Nazirah, Hassan, the kingdom-less Prince, forms a risky pact to try to regain his throne. When the forces of light and darkness collide in the City of Mercy, old wounds are reopened, new alliances are tested, and the end of the world begins.
The Age of Darkness trilogy is perfect for fans of Throne of Glass , Children of Blood and Bone , and An Ember in the Ashes .
* "Adventurous relic-hunting, mind-blowing twists, budding love, and terrible betrayals feature in this multiple-narrator, character-driven study of power, agency, and identity." ― Kirkus Reviews , starred review
Praise for There Will Come a Darkness
"Reading this intricate YA fantasy, you get the feeling Katy Rose Pool’s plot is always seven steps ahead of you. You’ll want to catch up as quickly as possible." ― Refinery 29
" As the Shadow Rises solidifies Katy Rose Pool's status as one of the best fantasy writers of the 21st century." ― Popsugar
The Last Prophet has been found, yet he sees destruction ahead.
In this sequel to the critically-acclaimed There Will Come a Darkness , kingdoms have begun to fall to a doomsday cult, the magical Graced are being persecuted, and an ancient power threatens to break free. But with the world hurtling toward its prophesized end, Anton’s haunting vision reveals the dangerous beginnings of a plan to stop the Age of Darkness.
As Jude, Keeper of the Order of the Last Light, returns home in disgrace, his quest to aid the Prophet is complicated by his growing feelings for Anton. Meanwhile, the assassin known as the Pale Hand will stop at nothing to find her undead sister before she dies for good, even if it means letting the world burn. And in Nazirah, Hassan, the kingdom-less Prince, forms a risky pact to try to regain his throne. When the forces of light and darkness collide in the City of Mercy, old wounds are reopened, new alliances are tested, and the end of the world begins.
The Age of Darkness trilogy is perfect for fans of Throne of Glass , Children of Blood and Bone , and An Ember in the Ashes .
* "Adventurous relic-hunting, mind-blowing twists, budding love, and terrible betrayals feature in this multiple-narrator, character-driven study of power, agency, and identity." ― Kirkus Reviews , starred review
Praise for There Will Come a Darkness
"Reading this intricate YA fantasy, you get the feeling Katy Rose Pool’s plot is always seven steps ahead of you. You’ll want to catch up as quickly as possible." ― Refinery 29
512 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2020
212 people are currently reading
11645 people want to read
About the author
Katy Rose Pool
7 books1,184 followersKaty is a writer living in Berkeley, California. She grew up in Los Angeles, where her screenwriter father taught her about three act structure, characterization, and inciting incidents all before she could tie her shoes. Katy studied history and English at UC Berkeley. She enjoys breakfast sandwiches, fancy cocktails, rooting for the Golden State Warriors, and books that set her on fire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 717 reviews
October 17, 2020
for those readers who love character driven novels, this series for you.
yes, the plot has an important role, but its how the plot defines the characters and influences their choices that really makes this book wonderful. its always such a neat experience when you can see how several individuals continue to be connected in a much bigger way. and this sequel only enhances that particular kind of storytelling, especially because some of their paths have already previously crossed.
and the only reason im not rounding up to 5 stars is because i found certain POVs to be more compelling than others. while all five are necessary to the story, its obvious that some are not a priority/dont have as much of an impact, so it just makes a slow-paced book feel even slower. i didnt find this to be the case in the first book, so its a little disappointing.
but overall, a very consistent and strong sequel. super excited to see how the series continues from here!
↠ 4.5 stars
yes, the plot has an important role, but its how the plot defines the characters and influences their choices that really makes this book wonderful. its always such a neat experience when you can see how several individuals continue to be connected in a much bigger way. and this sequel only enhances that particular kind of storytelling, especially because some of their paths have already previously crossed.
and the only reason im not rounding up to 5 stars is because i found certain POVs to be more compelling than others. while all five are necessary to the story, its obvious that some are not a priority/dont have as much of an impact, so it just makes a slow-paced book feel even slower. i didnt find this to be the case in the first book, so its a little disappointing.
but overall, a very consistent and strong sequel. super excited to see how the series continues from here!
↠ 4.5 stars
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February 21, 2020As the Shadow Rises is releasing September 1, 2020!
You can preorder the book here:
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Indigo
The cover is live! And you can read an exclusive excerpt featuring your favorite gambler and his swordsman right here: https://www.denofgeek.com/us/books/yo...
You can preorder the book here:
Indiebound
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Indigo
The cover is live! And you can read an exclusive excerpt featuring your favorite gambler and his swordsman right here: https://www.denofgeek.com/us/books/yo...
September 14, 2020
A 3rd person multi-POV fantasy story with complex, memorable characters, an apocalyptic setting, and Greco-Roman vibes, The Age of Darkness trilogy deserves more love with everything it delivers. Book two, As The Shadow Rises, expands the world and characters we grew to love in the first book, while also upping the stakes for the finale in book three. On top of that, it stands well on its own as a middle book with solid character development and plot twists.
That being said, if it’s been awhile since you read the first book, I would recommend re-reading or brushing up on it before reading the sequel. I was a little fuzzy on the connections between characters and the magic system/world, which made parts of this book a bit difficult to follow.
If you have read the first book and, like me, your favorite element was Jude, Anton, and their budding relationship, this sequel definitely will not disappoint you. Watching their romance blossom as they come to terms with their individual fears and insecurities made my heart melt and seriously was the reason this book left me with a 24-hour book hangover.
Pool also does some amazing character work with Ephyra, the morally gray killer desperate to protect her sister. While I unfortunately didn’t feel as much of a connection to her, or to Beru for that matter, I still appreciated the exploration of Ephyra’s anger and grief. Hassan’s storyline contained some good twists I didn’t see coming, but I found his character slightly unbearable and his chapters felt just as underwhelming as they did in the first book. If it weren’t for Jude and Anton, I most likely would’ve given this book fewer stars.
Honestly, I think this is due to the fact that we don’t get POVs from anyone else in Ephyra, Beru, or Hassan’s storylines, romantic or platonic, to give us perspective on their actions and personalities. We know how Jude feels about Anton, and we know how Anton feels about Jude, and seeing them come together in a beautiful catharsis made it all the more emotional. If you were hoping our ensemble cast would team up to work towards a similar goal in this sequel, you sadly might be disappointed. It plays out similarly to book one in that the characters don’t all collide until the end of the book.
The plot also included some unexpected twists involving side characters from book one. While I thought these twists were interesting additions, Pool introduced some of them so early in the book that they lost some of their shock value . Given these characters’ memorable fates in book one, it was jarring to see them reversed right at the beginning of this book and made the ending of the first book feel a bit cheap. However, these characters did make book two more interesting given their nuanced relationships with our protagonists.
I found some of the dialogue and other elements in this book, such as descriptions of clothing, to be anachronistic enough to pull me out of the story. Like book one, there is still the confusing idea that this world seems to be a fantasy twist on antiquity, yet trains are a common form of transportation. Based on Pool’s writing style, you can definitely tell she learned her craft from a screenwriter as she states in her bio, as this book is mostly dialogue and blocks of action. Descriptions are sparse, and while this didn’t necessarily detract from the book, readers looking for more flowery prose might not appreciate her to-the-point style. I don't even think I could tell you with 100% certainty exactly what our main characters look like.
Lastly, the ending of this book had me on the edge of my seat turning the pages at rapid speed. I had initially planned to stop reading for the night, but once the climax began to unfold I stayed up til I’d finished the final page. I can’t wait to see where the story goes in book 3!
That being said, if it’s been awhile since you read the first book, I would recommend re-reading or brushing up on it before reading the sequel. I was a little fuzzy on the connections between characters and the magic system/world, which made parts of this book a bit difficult to follow.
If you have read the first book and, like me, your favorite element was Jude, Anton, and their budding relationship, this sequel definitely will not disappoint you. Watching their romance blossom as they come to terms with their individual fears and insecurities made my heart melt and seriously was the reason this book left me with a 24-hour book hangover.
Pool also does some amazing character work with Ephyra, the morally gray killer desperate to protect her sister. While I unfortunately didn’t feel as much of a connection to her, or to Beru for that matter, I still appreciated the exploration of Ephyra’s anger and grief. Hassan’s storyline contained some good twists I didn’t see coming, but I found his character slightly unbearable and his chapters felt just as underwhelming as they did in the first book. If it weren’t for Jude and Anton, I most likely would’ve given this book fewer stars.
Honestly, I think this is due to the fact that we don’t get POVs from anyone else in Ephyra, Beru, or Hassan’s storylines, romantic or platonic, to give us perspective on their actions and personalities. We know how Jude feels about Anton, and we know how Anton feels about Jude, and seeing them come together in a beautiful catharsis made it all the more emotional. If you were hoping our ensemble cast would team up to work towards a similar goal in this sequel, you sadly might be disappointed. It plays out similarly to book one in that the characters don’t all collide until the end of the book.
The plot also included some unexpected twists involving side characters from book one. While I thought these twists were interesting additions, Pool introduced some of them so early in the book that they lost some of their shock value . Given these characters’ memorable fates in book one, it was jarring to see them reversed right at the beginning of this book and made the ending of the first book feel a bit cheap. However, these characters did make book two more interesting given their nuanced relationships with our protagonists.
I found some of the dialogue and other elements in this book, such as descriptions of clothing, to be anachronistic enough to pull me out of the story. Like book one, there is still the confusing idea that this world seems to be a fantasy twist on antiquity, yet trains are a common form of transportation. Based on Pool’s writing style, you can definitely tell she learned her craft from a screenwriter as she states in her bio, as this book is mostly dialogue and blocks of action. Descriptions are sparse, and while this didn’t necessarily detract from the book, readers looking for more flowery prose might not appreciate her to-the-point style. I don't even think I could tell you with 100% certainty exactly what our main characters look like.
Lastly, the ending of this book had me on the edge of my seat turning the pages at rapid speed. I had initially planned to stop reading for the night, but once the climax began to unfold I stayed up til I’d finished the final page. I can’t wait to see where the story goes in book 3!
June 13, 2023
This one is just as good as book 1, a phenomenal read. I cannot wait to finish the last book. I can already tell it’s going to become a favorite series.
August 22, 2021
I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I gave the first book 5 stars. I reread some of it so I could start the second book and I didn’t really give a crap about either book. 😕 I’m going to unhaul my hardbacks. I still have the kindle editions I got in a sale but I really don’t know if I’m going to read the final book.
And even when I 5 Star a book lately, I’m not happy. I’m wondering if I’m just going to get rid of everything sometimes. I’m just not happy with anything any more. I just don’t know.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
And even when I 5 Star a book lately, I’m not happy. I’m wondering if I’m just going to get rid of everything sometimes. I’m just not happy with anything any more. I just don’t know.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
September 11, 2020
What a stunning sequel.
This took every element that made the first book amazing and then cranked it up even more. The action, the character development, the world building, the ROMANCE... All of it was spectacular.
I love all the characters here. They’re each so complex and distinct from one another. And their relationships with each other and with the world around them are fascinating.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have favourites, because I do. Jude and Anton gave me life throughout this book. I ADORE them with my entire heart and if anything happens to them in the finale I will have WORDS for Katy Rose Pool! (Please don’t hurt them!)
It’s going to be a long wait for book 3 but I know it’ll be worth it. I can’t wait to see how this story wraps up. I’ll be sad when it does though because god I love this series.
This took every element that made the first book amazing and then cranked it up even more. The action, the character development, the world building, the ROMANCE... All of it was spectacular.
I love all the characters here. They’re each so complex and distinct from one another. And their relationships with each other and with the world around them are fascinating.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have favourites, because I do. Jude and Anton gave me life throughout this book. I ADORE them with my entire heart and if anything happens to them in the finale I will have WORDS for Katy Rose Pool! (Please don’t hurt them!)
It’s going to be a long wait for book 3 but I know it’ll be worth it. I can’t wait to see how this story wraps up. I’ll be sad when it does though because god I love this series.
April 8, 2022
Reread 2022: Rereading in preparation of Into the Dying Light since I read this around two years ago and didn't feel like I remembered enough for the finale! My original review (below) holds pretty true to my thoughts the second time around. That being said, I do not have nearly as much beef with Hassen as I did the first time reading. He definitely made some naive decisions but I understand his logic and frustrations much more now. If anything my dislike for Khepri has grown. I dislike how she treated Hassen and my opinion still stands that their relationship is a little forced. I think it would be best if they stayed separated.
Thank goodness that I decided to reread, the ending had much more developments than I remembered.
Orginial Review:
1) There Will Come A Darkness: ★★★★(3.5)
2) As the Shadow Rises:★★★★ (4.5)
As The Shadow Rises is a fine example of a book NOT suffering from the dreaded ‘second-book syndrome’. Actually, it blew its predecessor out of the water. When I finished There Will Come A Darkness, I had hope, I felt like the sequel could improve and be an all-around quality book, I was invested in faith alone (okay, maybe a little investment in Jude and Anton), and that’s risky business especially when it comes to books. And it is even more risky knowing I’m very good at having high expectations for a book before I read it and leaving myself disappointed. But in hindsight, my faith in Katy Rose Pool was accurate for ATSR was an amazing book and a greatly improved sequel.
As The Shadow Rises picks up soon after the events of TWCaD and our characters, still continuing with their separate plotlines, are all struggling to find a way to stop the age of darkness that benefits them best.
So who is a part of the obnoxiously large cast of characters?
*minor spoilers from the first book included*
Prince Hassan: After the brutal betrayal in There will Come a Darkness Princes Hassan is searching for some way to regain power in his kingdom, without being caught by the Hierophant, alongside his girlfriend, Khepri. In all honesty, I don’t like Prince Hassan. We only got a handful of his chapters but I genuinely dreaded reading his POV until the last one or two of his chapters. He’s arrogant and has the mindset that his life sucks and nobody else can be unhappy because his life is the absolute worst. He did nothing to redeem himself from TWCaD and the few empathetic moments he did have were explicitly stated - not shown.
And I have to acknowledge one of the worst YA relationships I have read - Khepri and Prince Hassan’s relationship is so forced I really don’t see the point in having it be a part of the story. Khepri and Hassan are better apart than together, I think Hassan would (maybe) grow as a character more without her.
Ephyra: after Beru abandoned her with the hope that Ephyra would leave behind her killing ways, Ephyra has become even more driven to find a way to save Beru. And Ephyra knows that there is only one way to stop Beru’s life from fading: finding Elazar’s Chalice. But Ephyra knows she cannot do that alone and finds herself with a group of thieves all on the hunt for the Chalice - But there’s another unexpected member of the group that flips Ephra’s world upside down in more ways than one. Ephyra is …. slight psycho, I'm not gonna lie. But at least she doesn’t try to act like she’s not so that makes her a whole lot more enjoyable to read.
Beru: disgusted with her sister's actions, Beru is dead set on atoning the darkness she has caused in the world. And the best way to do that is to give her life to the one person who didn’t deserve Ephyra’s wrath when given the opportunity. Beru is a character that I was indifferent to, she wasn’t a bad character but unrememberable, to say the least.
Hector: “Hey Siri, play Without Me by Eminem”
JUDE: Jude + Anton >>>> literally everyone else in this book. After Jude broke his oath as Keeper of the Word and lost the Pinnacle Blade, Jude’s future hangs in the balance, but Jude still has one purpose, and that’s to protect the Prophet, even if it means betraying his family and friends... again. Jude is one of the best characters in this book. He’s matured since TWCaD and is increasingly enjoyable to read. I could be completely satisfied if this book was just Jude and Anton because let's be honest, they are carrying this whole series on their back.
ANTON: Still not thrilled about being the Prophet, Anton is forced to relive his vision every day at Kerameikos. After realizing he is a prisoner in another way, Anton decides to escape from the Order, but he doesn’t want to leave alone. After a series of events that forced Anton to escape (despite that being his original plan) Anton and Jude find themselves alone together, struggling to stop the impending age of darkness. Anton is the other star character in this book. He was my favorite in TWCaD and my love for him continues. His interactions with Jude and his chaotic-ness and troubled past combined together are just so perfect. I love it.
My biggest issue for There Will Come a Darkness was that all the characters lacked maturity, especially at the beginning. Thankfully this issue was (mostly) resolved by the end of AtSR. The characters really seemed to grow and fit into, what I believe was the author’s desired identity. I’m hoping that we can only do better from here.
And of course, I mentioned that I disliked or was indifferent to a few of the characters but with such a vast cast, I don’t see how you could like every single person. But, the characters I did like (Anton and Jude) were so amazing that they made up for some of the characters that were lacking. I'm hoping that the other characters can begin (*stares into the depths of Hassen's soul*) and/or finish their character arc by the third book.
In my review for, There Will Come A Darkness I mentioned that the writing was a little juvenile and was noticeably a debut so I would like to acknowledge that Katy Rose Pool’s writing ability has done nothing but improve. I found the writing to be much more flowing and articulate and overall a more enjoyable experience in AtSR. I am beyond excited to see has Katy Rose Pool improves in her third book.
Overall, this was a stunning sequel. Though some of the characters were lacking and there is an insane amount of POV’s, The writings had improved greatly and I found Jude and Anton’s characters great enough to carry the whole series. I and beyond excited to see where Katy Rose Pool takes us in the conclusion of her debut trilogy!
**
So uhhh.... I kinda need this book asap
Thank goodness that I decided to reread, the ending had much more developments than I remembered.
Orginial Review:
1) There Will Come A Darkness: ★★★★(3.5)
2) As the Shadow Rises:★★★★ (4.5)
As The Shadow Rises is a fine example of a book NOT suffering from the dreaded ‘second-book syndrome’. Actually, it blew its predecessor out of the water. When I finished There Will Come A Darkness, I had hope, I felt like the sequel could improve and be an all-around quality book, I was invested in faith alone (okay, maybe a little investment in Jude and Anton), and that’s risky business especially when it comes to books. And it is even more risky knowing I’m very good at having high expectations for a book before I read it and leaving myself disappointed. But in hindsight, my faith in Katy Rose Pool was accurate for ATSR was an amazing book and a greatly improved sequel.
As The Shadow Rises picks up soon after the events of TWCaD and our characters, still continuing with their separate plotlines, are all struggling to find a way to stop the age of darkness that benefits them best.
So who is a part of the obnoxiously large cast of characters?
*minor spoilers from the first book included*
Prince Hassan: After the brutal betrayal in There will Come a Darkness Princes Hassan is searching for some way to regain power in his kingdom, without being caught by the Hierophant, alongside his girlfriend, Khepri. In all honesty, I don’t like Prince Hassan. We only got a handful of his chapters but I genuinely dreaded reading his POV until the last one or two of his chapters. He’s arrogant and has the mindset that his life sucks and nobody else can be unhappy because his life is the absolute worst. He did nothing to redeem himself from TWCaD and the few empathetic moments he did have were explicitly stated - not shown.
And I have to acknowledge one of the worst YA relationships I have read - Khepri and Prince Hassan’s relationship is so forced I really don’t see the point in having it be a part of the story. Khepri and Hassan are better apart than together, I think Hassan would (maybe) grow as a character more without her.
Ephyra: after Beru abandoned her with the hope that Ephyra would leave behind her killing ways, Ephyra has become even more driven to find a way to save Beru. And Ephyra knows that there is only one way to stop Beru’s life from fading: finding Elazar’s Chalice. But Ephyra knows she cannot do that alone and finds herself with a group of thieves all on the hunt for the Chalice - But there’s another unexpected member of the group that flips Ephra’s world upside down in more ways than one. Ephyra is …. slight psycho, I'm not gonna lie. But at least she doesn’t try to act like she’s not so that makes her a whole lot more enjoyable to read.
Beru: disgusted with her sister's actions, Beru is dead set on atoning the darkness she has caused in the world. And the best way to do that is to give her life to the one person who didn’t deserve Ephyra’s wrath when given the opportunity. Beru is a character that I was indifferent to, she wasn’t a bad character but unrememberable, to say the least.
Hector: “Hey Siri, play Without Me by Eminem”
JUDE: Jude + Anton >>>> literally everyone else in this book. After Jude broke his oath as Keeper of the Word and lost the Pinnacle Blade, Jude’s future hangs in the balance, but Jude still has one purpose, and that’s to protect the Prophet, even if it means betraying his family and friends... again. Jude is one of the best characters in this book. He’s matured since TWCaD and is increasingly enjoyable to read. I could be completely satisfied if this book was just Jude and Anton because let's be honest, they are carrying this whole series on their back.
ANTON: Still not thrilled about being the Prophet, Anton is forced to relive his vision every day at Kerameikos. After realizing he is a prisoner in another way, Anton decides to escape from the Order, but he doesn’t want to leave alone. After a series of events that forced Anton to escape (despite that being his original plan) Anton and Jude find themselves alone together, struggling to stop the impending age of darkness. Anton is the other star character in this book. He was my favorite in TWCaD and my love for him continues. His interactions with Jude and his chaotic-ness and troubled past combined together are just so perfect. I love it.
My biggest issue for There Will Come a Darkness was that all the characters lacked maturity, especially at the beginning. Thankfully this issue was (mostly) resolved by the end of AtSR. The characters really seemed to grow and fit into, what I believe was the author’s desired identity. I’m hoping that we can only do better from here.
And of course, I mentioned that I disliked or was indifferent to a few of the characters but with such a vast cast, I don’t see how you could like every single person. But, the characters I did like (Anton and Jude) were so amazing that they made up for some of the characters that were lacking. I'm hoping that the other characters can begin (*stares into the depths of Hassen's soul*) and/or finish their character arc by the third book.
In my review for, There Will Come A Darkness I mentioned that the writing was a little juvenile and was noticeably a debut so I would like to acknowledge that Katy Rose Pool’s writing ability has done nothing but improve. I found the writing to be much more flowing and articulate and overall a more enjoyable experience in AtSR. I am beyond excited to see has Katy Rose Pool improves in her third book.
Overall, this was a stunning sequel. Though some of the characters were lacking and there is an insane amount of POV’s, The writings had improved greatly and I found Jude and Anton’s characters great enough to carry the whole series. I and beyond excited to see where Katy Rose Pool takes us in the conclusion of her debut trilogy!
**
So uhhh.... I kinda need this book asap
Want to read
April 24, 2020Jude and Anton is a thing, right? cause I lowkey ship it
September 1, 2022
“-No me interesa el poder. Porque en mi experiencia, el poder y la locura son lo mismo.
-Entonces, supongo que todos estamos locos”.
Bueno, digamos que me encuentro frente a una encrucijada. Por un lado, me ha gustado mucho el libro y me ha entretenido lo suficiente para mantenerme en vilo durante mis tiempos de reposo y las noches. Sin embargo, por el otro lado ha habido cosas que no me han gustado del todo, sobre todo relativo al comportamiento y acciones de ciertos personajes durante la novela y la necesidad de la autora de incluir romance a diestro y siniestro: Señora, no importa si en un grupo grande de personas solo cuentas una historia de amor mientras esté bien hecha y justificada (que mas o menos la has conseguido en una de ellas), de resto está bien. No es necesario añadir romance más para crear drama. Al contrario, puede llegar a ser excesivo, al menos en lo que a mi opinión respecta.
“Cuando seas rey, descubrirás que hay gente que discrepará contigo en casi todo y gente que te rechazará por el simple hecho ser quien eres. No podrás huir de ellos, pero si tomar la decisión que no te gobiernen”.
A pesar de todo, la novela se lleva 3 estrellas redondas porque no siento que dos sean suficientes y cuatro se sobrepasa: tiene problemas de wordbuilding y de sistemas de magia, por no decir que faltan paginas para hacerme sentir real a los personajes. Eso sí, el final, aunque un poco precipitado no me ha disgustado del todo y solo me queda el último libro. A ver que se saca la autora de la chistera pues estoy intrigada.
“-Solo espero que el hecho de ganar no nos haga olvidar quiénes somos y cuáles son nuestras creencias.”
-Entonces, supongo que todos estamos locos”.
Bueno, digamos que me encuentro frente a una encrucijada. Por un lado, me ha gustado mucho el libro y me ha entretenido lo suficiente para mantenerme en vilo durante mis tiempos de reposo y las noches. Sin embargo, por el otro lado ha habido cosas que no me han gustado del todo, sobre todo relativo al comportamiento y acciones de ciertos personajes durante la novela y la necesidad de la autora de incluir romance a diestro y siniestro: Señora, no importa si en un grupo grande de personas solo cuentas una historia de amor mientras esté bien hecha y justificada (que mas o menos la has conseguido en una de ellas), de resto está bien. No es necesario añadir romance más para crear drama. Al contrario, puede llegar a ser excesivo, al menos en lo que a mi opinión respecta.
“Cuando seas rey, descubrirás que hay gente que discrepará contigo en casi todo y gente que te rechazará por el simple hecho ser quien eres. No podrás huir de ellos, pero si tomar la decisión que no te gobiernen”.
A pesar de todo, la novela se lleva 3 estrellas redondas porque no siento que dos sean suficientes y cuatro se sobrepasa: tiene problemas de wordbuilding y de sistemas de magia, por no decir que faltan paginas para hacerme sentir real a los personajes. Eso sí, el final, aunque un poco precipitado no me ha disgustado del todo y solo me queda el último libro. A ver que se saca la autora de la chistera pues estoy intrigada.
“-Solo espero que el hecho de ganar no nos haga olvidar quiénes somos y cuáles son nuestras creencias.”
April 10, 2021
I'm not going to say this was a disappointing sequel, because it wasn't, but I'll admit that the excitement I felt in book one was mostly missing here. Whereas in THERE WILL COME A DARKNESS I think I was pretty interested in all of the POVs, this time I definitely had favourites and sorta slogged along in some of the paralell plotlines as they eventually converged into one. That said, this is definitely a twisty installment and of a few of the reveals, I think I only managed to predict one of them. I really liked that.
I mentioned in my review for book one, this is definitely a darker, grittier, version of the Falling Kingdoms series. And I totally stand by that assesment; in fact, this book only solidified my opinion on that comparison. We didn't gain any new POVs, though we did gain quite a few new faces along the way, but what did change were many of the dynamics we had been given in book one. I enjoyed seeing these characters overlap, pass amongst each other, and then come together.
I did like this installment, it pretty much absorbed me all afternoon, but I hope book three pushes this out of like-zone and back to really like (if not love!)-zone to round out the series.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
----
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
I mentioned in my review for book one, this is definitely a darker, grittier, version of the Falling Kingdoms series. And I totally stand by that assesment; in fact, this book only solidified my opinion on that comparison. We didn't gain any new POVs, though we did gain quite a few new faces along the way, but what did change were many of the dynamics we had been given in book one. I enjoyed seeing these characters overlap, pass amongst each other, and then come together.
I did like this installment, it pretty much absorbed me all afternoon, but I hope book three pushes this out of like-zone and back to really like (if not love!)-zone to round out the series.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
----
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
April 29, 2021
4,5/5
"Algo se avecina, Penrose, y no hay modo alguno de esquivarlo, cambiarlo o detenerlo"
Cuando las sombras se alcen es una segunda parte sobresaliente que, para mi , supera a su antecesora. Necesito urgentemente saber que pasará en el último libro. Se ha convertido en una de mis historias favoritas de este género.
-Reseña completa: http://addicionaloslibros.blogspot.co...
"Algo se avecina, Penrose, y no hay modo alguno de esquivarlo, cambiarlo o detenerlo"
Cuando las sombras se alcen es una segunda parte sobresaliente que, para mi , supera a su antecesora. Necesito urgentemente saber que pasará en el último libro. Se ha convertido en una de mis historias favoritas de este género.
-Reseña completa: http://addicionaloslibros.blogspot.co...
abandonados-pausados
October 27, 2021Lo he abandonado en el 68 %, quizá más adelante (mucho más adelante) le dé otra oportunidad.
Ahora mismo no estoy con el humor de este tipo de libros y sé que si continúo leyéndolo así, le daré una mala calificación que no creo que se merezca, porque dentro de su género es un libro bastante aceptable (?
Ahora mismo no estoy con el humor de este tipo de libros y sé que si continúo leyéndolo así, le daré una mala calificación que no creo que se merezca, porque dentro de su género es un libro bastante aceptable (?
January 3, 2021
4.5/5 stars, I don’t wanna wait 9 months for more Jude & Anton
This book was one of my most anticipated books of last year, I’m very lucky to have gotten it for Christmas and been able to read it now. I had super high expectations for this book, and it mostly lived up to it!
One of my favorite things about this series is what the setting is inspired by, Ancient Greece and Southern Asia is how I would describe it. We never get TONS of worldbuilding, but there is a lovely map in the front. This book for sure took us to many more places then we went to in the last book and I really enjoyed the exploration of this.
It’s slow, I just have to put it out there, no doubt about it. But that doesn’t always mean a bad book! The slow pace was deliberate, it allowed us to see more growth in (some) characters that was very important for the overarching story. There were no extremely shocking plot twists, but I enjoyed following our characters nonetheless. The romances were even slow burn too, which worked in favor to some and not in favor to others. And like always, it was a masterwork of multiple point of views, and how to work each around each other so they interact the right amount.
Ephyra got some particular attention in this book that shifted her character arc in a direction that I feel, it needed to go. In this book she appeared more as an anti-hero, which is always fun to explore. This book pushed her to the edge, of her mind and her wits, and then threw her back again. I’m not in love with her, but it was interesting to see just how much trouble she would go to to protect Beru, even though we already knew some of it. With the ending, I think it would be great to see another arc for her in the last book, I’m hoping something of a redemption arc. She is a very interesting character by all means.
Beru & Hector also got a fair amount of attention in this book, I felt much more than last book. I honestly prefer Beru over her sister, maybe it’s because of her values, but seeing them be tested was interesting. Especially when she worked beside him to travel and try to save what she could of her conscious. I’m not sure how I feel about that ending for Beru, but we’ll see how the next book goes.
Prince Hassan was once again, not given tons of page time, you can tell what the stories priorities are. But I did feel he made some awkward decisions in this book, and had to learn how to deal with his actions even more. He claims to want to help his people, but we never really got to see the connection with them. But there was some times he showed courage and stood up for himself so I’m proud.
Jude & Anton were once again, my favorites. Some people might get tired of the angst in this book, do I stay true to my duty or my feelings stuff but I just fell in love with them more. Both of them are great characters by themselves. Jude being someone really loyal who just wants to do the right thing, but knowing that doesn’t always mean following his code. Anton feeling ill equipped to handle his position, but still trying to strive for better ness anyways. And their romance? It was so slow burn that when we got anything I squealed, out loud. I just think they’re the shining stars of these books.
“A boy with a heart in his chest and a sword in his hand” (445)
Overall, a fun slow burn sequel to the first book, it might’ve fell into second book syndrome a bit but Jude and Anton are everything. The ending is a bit muddled, but it makes me crave the last book even more!
This book was one of my most anticipated books of last year, I’m very lucky to have gotten it for Christmas and been able to read it now. I had super high expectations for this book, and it mostly lived up to it!
One of my favorite things about this series is what the setting is inspired by, Ancient Greece and Southern Asia is how I would describe it. We never get TONS of worldbuilding, but there is a lovely map in the front. This book for sure took us to many more places then we went to in the last book and I really enjoyed the exploration of this.
It’s slow, I just have to put it out there, no doubt about it. But that doesn’t always mean a bad book! The slow pace was deliberate, it allowed us to see more growth in (some) characters that was very important for the overarching story. There were no extremely shocking plot twists, but I enjoyed following our characters nonetheless. The romances were even slow burn too, which worked in favor to some and not in favor to others. And like always, it was a masterwork of multiple point of views, and how to work each around each other so they interact the right amount.
Ephyra got some particular attention in this book that shifted her character arc in a direction that I feel, it needed to go. In this book she appeared more as an anti-hero, which is always fun to explore. This book pushed her to the edge, of her mind and her wits, and then threw her back again. I’m not in love with her, but it was interesting to see just how much trouble she would go to to protect Beru, even though we already knew some of it. With the ending, I think it would be great to see another arc for her in the last book, I’m hoping something of a redemption arc. She is a very interesting character by all means.
Beru & Hector also got a fair amount of attention in this book, I felt much more than last book. I honestly prefer Beru over her sister, maybe it’s because of her values, but seeing them be tested was interesting. Especially when she worked beside him to travel and try to save what she could of her conscious. I’m not sure how I feel about that ending for Beru, but we’ll see how the next book goes.
Prince Hassan was once again, not given tons of page time, you can tell what the stories priorities are. But I did feel he made some awkward decisions in this book, and had to learn how to deal with his actions even more. He claims to want to help his people, but we never really got to see the connection with them. But there was some times he showed courage and stood up for himself so I’m proud.
Jude & Anton were once again, my favorites. Some people might get tired of the angst in this book, do I stay true to my duty or my feelings stuff but I just fell in love with them more. Both of them are great characters by themselves. Jude being someone really loyal who just wants to do the right thing, but knowing that doesn’t always mean following his code. Anton feeling ill equipped to handle his position, but still trying to strive for better ness anyways. And their romance? It was so slow burn that when we got anything I squealed, out loud. I just think they’re the shining stars of these books.
“A boy with a heart in his chest and a sword in his hand” (445)
Overall, a fun slow burn sequel to the first book, it might’ve fell into second book syndrome a bit but Jude and Anton are everything. The ending is a bit muddled, but it makes me crave the last book even more!
October 8, 2020
I love the entire cast, but Jude and Anton 100% carried this book. They are the sweetest little beans and should be protected at all costs!
Besides how lovable the characters are, the rest of the book was a fun ride too. The story was wonderfully paced, and I was constantly engaged when reading. I never caught myself thinking that there were slow or unnecessary moments. Plus, the world building continues to be cool as hell.
Would recommend the audiobook as well. The narrator does a variety of accents and they are pretty entertaining.
Overall, I had a really nice reading experience. If you're looking for a solid YA fantasy, this series is rather well-rounded.
Besides how lovable the characters are, the rest of the book was a fun ride too. The story was wonderfully paced, and I was constantly engaged when reading. I never caught myself thinking that there were slow or unnecessary moments. Plus, the world building continues to be cool as hell.
Would recommend the audiobook as well. The narrator does a variety of accents and they are pretty entertaining.
Overall, I had a really nice reading experience. If you're looking for a solid YA fantasy, this series is rather well-rounded.
April 24, 2022
Cuando las sombras se alcen ha sido un segundo título incluso mejor que el primero, permitiéndonos conocer más a sus inolvidables personajes, su fantástico mundo y dejándonos con ganas de un tercer libro que estoy seguro de que será incluso mejor. No estoy preparado para el final.
Reseña completa
Reseña completa
August 29, 2020
Thank you Netgalley for the free eArc in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really great continuation of There Will Come A Darkness! It was a little difficult to keep up with who is where, doing what, but if you read slow it’s easier to keep up. I absolutely adore Anton and Jude the most! I can't wait to see where the story goes from here!
This was a really great continuation of There Will Come A Darkness! It was a little difficult to keep up with who is where, doing what, but if you read slow it’s easier to keep up. I absolutely adore Anton and Jude the most! I can't wait to see where the story goes from here!
July 31, 2021
4.5
Adoro que sin ser extremadamente complejo, estos libros tienen mil y un detalles! Además la trama está tan bien construida que realmente da gusto leer de un grupo tan variopinto de personajes. Excepto Hassam, es un inútil xD
Adoro que sin ser extremadamente complejo, estos libros tienen mil y un detalles! Además la trama está tan bien construida que realmente da gusto leer de un grupo tan variopinto de personajes. Excepto Hassam, es un inútil xD
May 25, 2021
Enthält Spoiler zum Vorgänger!
Das erste Buch endete mit einem großen Knall und alle Protagonisten haben große Verluste erlitten, aber sie sind noch nicht am Ende, sondern kämpfen weiter ... Außerdem hat nun eigentlich jeder Protagonist ein Love-Interest, was im Vorgänger ja teilweise noch nicht der Fall war oder wo es noch nicht so offensichtlich war.
Jude ist wie auch im ersten Buch unglücklich verliebt. Nachdem Hector sein Vertrauen missbraucht hat und er sich vom scheinbaren Propheten Prinz Hassan hat täuschen lassen, wird ihm nun Eidbruch vorgeworfen. Zwar hat er inzwischen den echten Propheten gefunden und konnte ihn beschützen, aber er zweifelt an sich selbst, an seiner Bestimmung, an seinen Pflichten und Entscheidungen. Aber Anton glaubt an ihn und vertraut ihm auch, was Jude in dieser Zeit sehr viel bedeutet. Ich fand es schon unglaublich süß, wie die beiden sich näher kommen, weil die beiden auch meine Lieblingscharaktere sind. Anton mit seinem Charme, der einen etwas leichteren Ton in das ernste Abenteuer bringt, und Jude, mit so viel Verantwortung, aber einem so weichen Herzen, dass man ihn eigentlich nur in den Arm nehmen möchte.
Bei Beru und Ephyra geht es eigentlich wie gewohnt weiter. Ihre Wege haben sich getrennt, denn Beru erträgt die Last der Gabe ihrer Schwester nicht mehr, sie möchte nicht, dass weitere Menschen sterben müssen, darum ist sie geflohen und wartet darauf, dass ihr geliehenes Esha ihr ausgeht. Dabei begegnet sie Hector, der irgendwie überlebt hat und mit dessen Esha sie nun verbunden ist. Ephyra sucht aber gegen den Willen ihrer Schwester immer noch nach einem Weg, sie am Leben zu erhalten und geht dabei über Leichen. Nun ist sie auf der Suche nach dem heiligen Eleasarkelch und auch Antons verräterischer Bruder Illya sucht die legendäre Reliquie. Illya ist ein schwieriger Charakter, ähnlich wie Anton ist er charmant und bringt Leichtigkeit in Ephyras düstere Geschichte, aber man kann ihm auch nicht wirklich vertrauen.
Prinz Hassan wurde von seiner Familie betrogen und versucht nun im Geheimen, sein Volk vor den Zeugen des Hierophanten, der die magischen Gaben vernichten möchte, zu beschützen. Er hat aber schon einmal versagt und manchen Rebellen liegt das Wohl des Volkes weniger am Herzen als der Sturz des tyrannischen Hierophanten.
In diesem Buch sieht man leider gar nicht mal so viel von den verschiedenen Gaben, erfährt aber schon einiges über die Geschichte der Propheten und über die vier heiligen Gegenstände. Die Charaktere erleben getrennt voneinander verschiedene, ziemlich spannende und abwechslungsreiche Abenteuer, die aber alle irgendwie miteinander verknüpft sind und ein großes Gesamtbild ergeben. Das Ende ist wieder genauso spannend wie der Showdown im ersten Band, auch wenn es mir schon etwas zu turbulent war. Nach allem, was geschehen ist und bei so vielen offenen Handlungssträngen, erwarte ich aber schon, dass das Finale das noch toppen kann.
Fazit
"The Age of Darkness - Schatten über Behesda" hat mir genauso gut gefallen wie der Vorgänger. Die komplexen Charaktere erleben wieder viele spannende Abenteuer und die magische Welt hatte auch wieder eine Menge zu bieten. Ich freue mich schon sehr auf das Finale!
Das erste Buch endete mit einem großen Knall und alle Protagonisten haben große Verluste erlitten, aber sie sind noch nicht am Ende, sondern kämpfen weiter ... Außerdem hat nun eigentlich jeder Protagonist ein Love-Interest, was im Vorgänger ja teilweise noch nicht der Fall war oder wo es noch nicht so offensichtlich war.
Jude ist wie auch im ersten Buch unglücklich verliebt. Nachdem Hector sein Vertrauen missbraucht hat und er sich vom scheinbaren Propheten Prinz Hassan hat täuschen lassen, wird ihm nun Eidbruch vorgeworfen. Zwar hat er inzwischen den echten Propheten gefunden und konnte ihn beschützen, aber er zweifelt an sich selbst, an seiner Bestimmung, an seinen Pflichten und Entscheidungen. Aber Anton glaubt an ihn und vertraut ihm auch, was Jude in dieser Zeit sehr viel bedeutet. Ich fand es schon unglaublich süß, wie die beiden sich näher kommen, weil die beiden auch meine Lieblingscharaktere sind. Anton mit seinem Charme, der einen etwas leichteren Ton in das ernste Abenteuer bringt, und Jude, mit so viel Verantwortung, aber einem so weichen Herzen, dass man ihn eigentlich nur in den Arm nehmen möchte.
Bei Beru und Ephyra geht es eigentlich wie gewohnt weiter. Ihre Wege haben sich getrennt, denn Beru erträgt die Last der Gabe ihrer Schwester nicht mehr, sie möchte nicht, dass weitere Menschen sterben müssen, darum ist sie geflohen und wartet darauf, dass ihr geliehenes Esha ihr ausgeht. Dabei begegnet sie Hector, der irgendwie überlebt hat und mit dessen Esha sie nun verbunden ist. Ephyra sucht aber gegen den Willen ihrer Schwester immer noch nach einem Weg, sie am Leben zu erhalten und geht dabei über Leichen. Nun ist sie auf der Suche nach dem heiligen Eleasarkelch und auch Antons verräterischer Bruder Illya sucht die legendäre Reliquie. Illya ist ein schwieriger Charakter, ähnlich wie Anton ist er charmant und bringt Leichtigkeit in Ephyras düstere Geschichte, aber man kann ihm auch nicht wirklich vertrauen.
Prinz Hassan wurde von seiner Familie betrogen und versucht nun im Geheimen, sein Volk vor den Zeugen des Hierophanten, der die magischen Gaben vernichten möchte, zu beschützen. Er hat aber schon einmal versagt und manchen Rebellen liegt das Wohl des Volkes weniger am Herzen als der Sturz des tyrannischen Hierophanten.
In diesem Buch sieht man leider gar nicht mal so viel von den verschiedenen Gaben, erfährt aber schon einiges über die Geschichte der Propheten und über die vier heiligen Gegenstände. Die Charaktere erleben getrennt voneinander verschiedene, ziemlich spannende und abwechslungsreiche Abenteuer, die aber alle irgendwie miteinander verknüpft sind und ein großes Gesamtbild ergeben. Das Ende ist wieder genauso spannend wie der Showdown im ersten Band, auch wenn es mir schon etwas zu turbulent war. Nach allem, was geschehen ist und bei so vielen offenen Handlungssträngen, erwarte ich aber schon, dass das Finale das noch toppen kann.
Fazit
"The Age of Darkness - Schatten über Behesda" hat mir genauso gut gefallen wie der Vorgänger. Die komplexen Charaktere erleben wieder viele spannende Abenteuer und die magische Welt hatte auch wieder eine Menge zu bieten. Ich freue mich schon sehr auf das Finale!
October 3, 2022
3'5.
Creo que ha sido un error por mi parte dejar pasar tanto tiempo entre la lectura del primer libro, cuando se publicó y la lectura de esta segunda parte, que llevaba muchísimo tiempo en mis estanterías. No recordaba prácticamente nada de lo sucedido en la primera parte pero entre la lectura de un resumen con spoilers del primer libro y los recordatorios presentes en esta entrega, he ido recordando casi que todos los detalles de la historia.
Es una lectura muy amena, que no se hace para nada densa, es más, es un ligero con capítulos cortos, que lo vuelve más ágil a la hora de su lectura, cosa que me encanta porque los libros con capítulos largos quitan años de vida.
En esta entrega, volvemos con los personajes que conocíamos, continuamos con los peligros y los momentos de tensión y lo cierto, es que hay muchos, con nuevas tramas y nuevos acontecimientos. No sabría decir cuál de todos los personajes es mi favorito pero sí que adoro el hecho de que tengan personalidades tan diferentes.
Lo que no me ha gustado tanto, es que al haber pasado tanto tiempo desde que leí la primera parte, había perdido un poco el interés y no recordaba casi que nada del libro. Además, aunque descubrimos nuevos secretos y nuevos giros de trama, es cierto que la novela no sorprende tanto, al menos a mi, como lo ha hecho en Y vendrá la oscuridad, que me fascinó por completo.
Tengo ganas de descubrir cómo terminará la trilogía.
Creo que ha sido un error por mi parte dejar pasar tanto tiempo entre la lectura del primer libro, cuando se publicó y la lectura de esta segunda parte, que llevaba muchísimo tiempo en mis estanterías. No recordaba prácticamente nada de lo sucedido en la primera parte pero entre la lectura de un resumen con spoilers del primer libro y los recordatorios presentes en esta entrega, he ido recordando casi que todos los detalles de la historia.
Es una lectura muy amena, que no se hace para nada densa, es más, es un ligero con capítulos cortos, que lo vuelve más ágil a la hora de su lectura, cosa que me encanta porque los libros con capítulos largos quitan años de vida.
En esta entrega, volvemos con los personajes que conocíamos, continuamos con los peligros y los momentos de tensión y lo cierto, es que hay muchos, con nuevas tramas y nuevos acontecimientos. No sabría decir cuál de todos los personajes es mi favorito pero sí que adoro el hecho de que tengan personalidades tan diferentes.
Lo que no me ha gustado tanto, es que al haber pasado tanto tiempo desde que leí la primera parte, había perdido un poco el interés y no recordaba casi que nada del libro. Además, aunque descubrimos nuevos secretos y nuevos giros de trama, es cierto que la novela no sorprende tanto, al menos a mi, como lo ha hecho en Y vendrá la oscuridad, que me fascinó por completo.
Tengo ganas de descubrir cómo terminará la trilogía.
April 13, 2021
Lo acabé anoche con el corazón en un puño, menudo final nos ha dado la autora en esta segunda parte. Había cosas que a lo largo de la novela me iba dando cuenta que iban a pasar, pero cuando pasan es que me han dejado igual de sorprendida, porque son grandes cosas que van a dar mucho juego y oscuridad a la tercera parte. Los personajes me han gustado todos, todos ellos aportan mucho juego a la trama, con su personalidad, con sus desvaríos, con sus penas... Me han gustado todas las ramificaciones que ha tenido la historia, dando lugar a un libro muy adictivo y completo, ayudado por unos capítulos cortos y sabiendo en todo momento quien narra y en tercera persona. Así que me quedo aquí con unas ganas muy grandes de la tercera parte, ya que todo queda increíble, y espero que la autora nos regale un final de historia a la altura de las dos primeras partes.
May 1, 2021
Leí el primer libro en 2019, y sin duda se convirtió en un gran descubrimiento de fantasía adulta que tenía muchísimas ganas de continuar. Tengo que decir que me ha gustado muchísimo más que el primer libro (y eso que el primero me encantó), así que no puedo estar más contenta de haber podido seguir con estos libros. En esta trilogía nos encontramos una historia contada a cinco voces con personajes muy diferentes y una trama bastante compleja que abarca profecías para acabar con las guerras y mantener la paz, mucha diversidad, magia, fanatismo y una población divida entre aquellos que nacen con poderes llamados gracia y aquellos que no los poseen y se oponen a ellos.
Estos son libros de personajes, y en esta segunda parte nos reencontramos con aquellos personajes principales que tanto me gustaron, y en ellos vemos una evolución y madurez bastante grande con respecto al primer libro. Encontramos nuevas alianzas que me han encantado, más protagonismo de algunos personajes secundarios a los que me faltó poder conocer mejor en la primera parte y nuevos personajes que nos ayudan a entender mejor todo lo que va ocurriendo. Esta vez tengo que decir que sin duda mis protagonistas favoritas han sido Beru y Ephyra, y vuelvo a quedar alucinada con la capacidad de Katy Rose Pool de perfilar tan bien unos personajes tan distintos y hacer que podamos conocer a todos igual de bien.
En cuanto a la trama, esta vez dejamos de lado esa primera parte mucho más introductoria para tener desde el primer momento un ritmo vertiginoso donde no dejan de ocurrir cosas en todo momento. Algo que me fascina de estos libros y de su autora es que a pesar de la complejidad evidente de las numerosas tramas enlazadas que nos presenta, nada ocurre por casualidad, sino que todo tiene un propósito y acaba siendo explicado sin dejar más cabos sueltos que los que entenderemos en el tercer y último libro.
En definitiva, con este segundo libro no he podido hacer otra cosa que reafirmarme en la idea de que estos libros de fantasía oscura más adulta son un viaje a través de personajes maravillosos que se mueven en un ambiente de profecías y mitología con pinceladas de un mundo clásico muy bien mezclado con la ficción.
Sin duda unos libros que os recomiendo muchísimo si os gusta la fantasía. Yo ya estoy deseando conocer el desenlace de esta historia.
Estos son libros de personajes, y en esta segunda parte nos reencontramos con aquellos personajes principales que tanto me gustaron, y en ellos vemos una evolución y madurez bastante grande con respecto al primer libro. Encontramos nuevas alianzas que me han encantado, más protagonismo de algunos personajes secundarios a los que me faltó poder conocer mejor en la primera parte y nuevos personajes que nos ayudan a entender mejor todo lo que va ocurriendo. Esta vez tengo que decir que sin duda mis protagonistas favoritas han sido Beru y Ephyra, y vuelvo a quedar alucinada con la capacidad de Katy Rose Pool de perfilar tan bien unos personajes tan distintos y hacer que podamos conocer a todos igual de bien.
En cuanto a la trama, esta vez dejamos de lado esa primera parte mucho más introductoria para tener desde el primer momento un ritmo vertiginoso donde no dejan de ocurrir cosas en todo momento. Algo que me fascina de estos libros y de su autora es que a pesar de la complejidad evidente de las numerosas tramas enlazadas que nos presenta, nada ocurre por casualidad, sino que todo tiene un propósito y acaba siendo explicado sin dejar más cabos sueltos que los que entenderemos en el tercer y último libro.
En definitiva, con este segundo libro no he podido hacer otra cosa que reafirmarme en la idea de que estos libros de fantasía oscura más adulta son un viaje a través de personajes maravillosos que se mueven en un ambiente de profecías y mitología con pinceladas de un mundo clásico muy bien mezclado con la ficción.
Sin duda unos libros que os recomiendo muchísimo si os gusta la fantasía. Yo ya estoy deseando conocer el desenlace de esta historia.
September 21, 2020
The day this book is in my hands may be the happiest day yet
Update
So i finished it and it was one heck of a ride. I just love the world and characters Katy Rose Pool has created. They feel so real and i recommend for everyone to pick it up if u haven't. Its fun, touching, very interesting with many twists and turns.
So if you haven't yet picked up the first book, i wont spoil anything. Book 1 is told from 5 different perspectives; Hassan, Jude, Beru, Ephra and Anton. It follows their journey amd how their paths come to cross.
A girl is trying to save her dying sister and she will do anything to help her while a prince is trying to save his city after being exiled. A boy is the leader of a group that has sworn to a sacred commitment while another is gambling with his life.
Basically, they have an interesting power and are called the graced. They are frowned upon. There are 4 graces which is very interesting.
The timing of both books are phenomenal in terms of how the characters get to meet one another. Its brilliant. The world building and lore is breathtaking and i love figuring it out. The romances are beautiful and heart wrenching and trust me, you want to read this.
Just think of it like Six of Crows with the powers but they have their own separate storylines and it converges at some point which is truly beautiful to read about and analyze.
The adventures each storyline holds is also a blessing of its own. I love both books so much i cant even fathom what i will do when the series ends next year.
So go read book one now, you wont be disappointed (hopefully )
Update
So i finished it and it was one heck of a ride. I just love the world and characters Katy Rose Pool has created. They feel so real and i recommend for everyone to pick it up if u haven't. Its fun, touching, very interesting with many twists and turns.
So if you haven't yet picked up the first book, i wont spoil anything. Book 1 is told from 5 different perspectives; Hassan, Jude, Beru, Ephra and Anton. It follows their journey amd how their paths come to cross.
A girl is trying to save her dying sister and she will do anything to help her while a prince is trying to save his city after being exiled. A boy is the leader of a group that has sworn to a sacred commitment while another is gambling with his life.
Basically, they have an interesting power and are called the graced. They are frowned upon. There are 4 graces which is very interesting.
The timing of both books are phenomenal in terms of how the characters get to meet one another. Its brilliant. The world building and lore is breathtaking and i love figuring it out. The romances are beautiful and heart wrenching and trust me, you want to read this.
Just think of it like Six of Crows with the powers but they have their own separate storylines and it converges at some point which is truly beautiful to read about and analyze.
The adventures each storyline holds is also a blessing of its own. I love both books so much i cant even fathom what i will do when the series ends next year.
So go read book one now, you wont be disappointed (hopefully )
March 6, 2021
Buddy read with Riya ❤
2.8🌟
ok, so I didn't have extremely high hopes for this as I just thought the first one was okay, but I still wanted to like this. To be honest, it was kinda bad.
I was really hoping for more character development, but it just seemed to get worse. The whole book, Hassan literally accomplished nothing and Ephyra... I don't even know, what I do know is that I kinda hate her now.
Jude and Anton felt like the same people to me. They both have POV's so you would expect them to differ, but half of the time I didn't know if it was Anton or Jude's chapter because they were too similar.
Beru I felt was the only interesting character.
The relationships were alright, but something that wasn't alright was Ilya and Ephyra's romance thing. It was extremely toxic and I don't even know why it was a thing.... like just why.
Honestly, nothing happened... like... I feel like we're still at the end of book 1 except with a mild twist.
And for a moment I thought these people would finally come together... but no of course they had to get split up again😀
2.8🌟
ok, so I didn't have extremely high hopes for this as I just thought the first one was okay, but I still wanted to like this. To be honest, it was kinda bad.
I was really hoping for more character development, but it just seemed to get worse. The whole book, Hassan literally accomplished nothing and Ephyra... I don't even know, what I do know is that I kinda hate her now.
Jude and Anton felt like the same people to me. They both have POV's so you would expect them to differ, but half of the time I didn't know if it was Anton or Jude's chapter because they were too similar.
Beru I felt was the only interesting character.
The relationships were alright, but something that wasn't alright was Ilya and Ephyra's romance thing. It was extremely toxic and I don't even know why it was a thing.... like just why.
Honestly, nothing happened... like... I feel like we're still at the end of book 1 except with a mild twist.
And for a moment I thought these people would finally come together... but no of course they had to get split up again😀
September 21, 2022
NO TIME TO BREATHE I HAVE TO START THE NEXT BOOK
December 26, 2022
An epic continuation that I could not put down!!! I will be writing a full review and posting it later, but this was just SO GOOD.
Full review starts here:
**I received this as an egalley from the publisher through Edelweiss in return for an honest review.**
You know how there are those series that suffer from the “middle-book syndrome?”
Yeah, this isn’t one of those.
As the Shadow Rises continues off where There Will Come a Darkness left, and keeps the story going. It kept my attention, held me captive, unable to put it down, and was chock full of adventure and intrigue. I loved absolutely every page of it.
The characters we know and love from the first book continue to grow and change along the courses they were already set on – both physically and internally. I loved seeing their individual progresses with their selves and their journeys, and learning to cope with both new and old characters as well.
While it was nice to see more from Beru’s perspective than there had been in the first book, I felt that Hassan took the loss in the sequel, with his chapters being far and few between. I’m still only so-so about Ephyra, since much of her character growth stayed stagnant for the majority of this book, but with some hopeful improvement towards the end. Anton and Jude, of course, had my full love and attention and I so enjoyed seeing where their storylines took them, both as individuals and together.
The storyline continues to enchant, pulling the reader in quickly and keeping a firm grip on the imagination. It had me constantly feeling breathless with excitement and anticipation. And while some of the twists were easy to spot and glean onto, there were one or two that I definitely did not see coming. The pacing was excellent, with only a few moments here and there that felt a little rushed, and the balance of action and character development was just as superb as in the first book.
Honestly, this sequel was everything I could have asked for and more. It took me to unexpected places and had turns I was not fully prepared for, but it also took these characters and continued to mold and change them as they followed their journeys. It was completely un-put-downable and has me waiting eagerly for the next book to see what happens to these characters with whom I have thoroughly fallen in love.
5 stars
EDIT: After rereading this a couple of years later, I kind of feel like I my first pass of the book was so quick I missed the fact that the character relationships in this one felt extremely rushed. I thought the first one was perfectly paced, but in this one things felt unnecessarily rushed, as if they had to be gotten out of the way and established before the third book. Just wanted to add that tidbit of thought to this review. Might make this more of a 4 star in my head but I'll leave the 5 up there.
Full review starts here:
**I received this as an egalley from the publisher through Edelweiss in return for an honest review.**
You know how there are those series that suffer from the “middle-book syndrome?”
Yeah, this isn’t one of those.
As the Shadow Rises continues off where There Will Come a Darkness left, and keeps the story going. It kept my attention, held me captive, unable to put it down, and was chock full of adventure and intrigue. I loved absolutely every page of it.
The characters we know and love from the first book continue to grow and change along the courses they were already set on – both physically and internally. I loved seeing their individual progresses with their selves and their journeys, and learning to cope with both new and old characters as well.
While it was nice to see more from Beru’s perspective than there had been in the first book, I felt that Hassan took the loss in the sequel, with his chapters being far and few between. I’m still only so-so about Ephyra, since much of her character growth stayed stagnant for the majority of this book, but with some hopeful improvement towards the end. Anton and Jude, of course, had my full love and attention and I so enjoyed seeing where their storylines took them, both as individuals and together.
The storyline continues to enchant, pulling the reader in quickly and keeping a firm grip on the imagination. It had me constantly feeling breathless with excitement and anticipation. And while some of the twists were easy to spot and glean onto, there were one or two that I definitely did not see coming. The pacing was excellent, with only a few moments here and there that felt a little rushed, and the balance of action and character development was just as superb as in the first book.
Honestly, this sequel was everything I could have asked for and more. It took me to unexpected places and had turns I was not fully prepared for, but it also took these characters and continued to mold and change them as they followed their journeys. It was completely un-put-downable and has me waiting eagerly for the next book to see what happens to these characters with whom I have thoroughly fallen in love.
5 stars
EDIT: After rereading this a couple of years later, I kind of feel like I my first pass of the book was so quick I missed the fact that the character relationships in this one felt extremely rushed. I thought the first one was perfectly paced, but in this one things felt unnecessarily rushed, as if they had to be gotten out of the way and established before the third book. Just wanted to add that tidbit of thought to this review. Might make this more of a 4 star in my head but I'll leave the 5 up there.
December 24, 2020
Alright. Who gave this book the right to be so MIND-BLOWING. And how long will I have to wait now before the third book comes out?!
My thoughts on this book are pretty much the same as the first book, and honestly, that's all you can ask of the sequel of a book you loved- that it allows you to sustain your love for the first book and never lets you down. I only read There Will Come a Darkness earlier this year, so I was able to return so easily to this vivid and thrilling world, and it really just felt like an extension of the same fun.
This series is unusual and pushes a lot of boundaries, so it may not be for everyone, but I said it before and I'll say it again: it might as well have been written specifically with me in mind. The concept is so epic, the character dynamics are so satisfying, and the plot is so complex yet so perfectly logical. I did think the first book was a bit slow, and while there are definitely slower parts, the tension is so suspended throughout the entire book that it quickly became impossible to put down.
The only other complaint I had from the first book was that Ephyra was somewhat annoyingly and perhaps un-sympathetically selfish and didn't think about the consequences of anything she was doing... But I think her character development really came through here, and she became a really fascinating (though still frustrating) x-factor in this story. It was so interesting to see how all the different character arcs wound around each other and pushed the plot in different directions.
So like the missing piece of a puzzle, there are now magically no flaws in this book? I mean I'm sure there must be something, but as I'm writing this, I can't seem to think of any. So yes. 10/10 would recommend this series. Maybe wait until the final book comes out, though, because these cliffhangers are awful.
Content Warnings: familial abuse, internalized homophobia (kind of), refugees, terminal illness, genocide of and prejudice against fictional group (all challenged)
My thoughts on this book are pretty much the same as the first book, and honestly, that's all you can ask of the sequel of a book you loved- that it allows you to sustain your love for the first book and never lets you down. I only read There Will Come a Darkness earlier this year, so I was able to return so easily to this vivid and thrilling world, and it really just felt like an extension of the same fun.
This series is unusual and pushes a lot of boundaries, so it may not be for everyone, but I said it before and I'll say it again: it might as well have been written specifically with me in mind. The concept is so epic, the character dynamics are so satisfying, and the plot is so complex yet so perfectly logical. I did think the first book was a bit slow, and while there are definitely slower parts, the tension is so suspended throughout the entire book that it quickly became impossible to put down.
The only other complaint I had from the first book was that Ephyra was somewhat annoyingly and perhaps un-sympathetically selfish and didn't think about the consequences of anything she was doing... But I think her character development really came through here, and she became a really fascinating (though still frustrating) x-factor in this story. It was so interesting to see how all the different character arcs wound around each other and pushed the plot in different directions.
So like the missing piece of a puzzle, there are now magically no flaws in this book? I mean I'm sure there must be something, but as I'm writing this, I can't seem to think of any. So yes. 10/10 would recommend this series. Maybe wait until the final book comes out, though, because these cliffhangers are awful.
Content Warnings: familial abuse, internalized homophobia (kind of), refugees, terminal illness, genocide of and prejudice against fictional group (all challenged)
December 31, 2021
Well, well...
Even though I'm terrible at writing reviews lately, I really did enjoy As the Shadow Rises. Just like the first book, the characters, magic, and overall world just sucked me in. I have an obvious end game in mind and I'm hoping things come true in the next book. Mostly because Jude and Anton give me life. They support one another unconditionally and mesh so well. Even their chemistry gives me life and I think we all deserve happiness.
As for the rest of the cast, well, I liked Ephrya, Beru, and Hassan. There wasn't anything bad about them, other than a certain someone's betrayal, but I also wasn't completed invested in them this time around. Which, yes, seems very weird because they have likable qualities. I think there's some serious potential for me to eventually love them.
Especially after that little cliffhanger. I'm seriously freaking out right now and need to get my hands on next book. Not sure what will happen but I'm begging for my ship to sail off into the sunset.
Even though I'm terrible at writing reviews lately, I really did enjoy As the Shadow Rises. Just like the first book, the characters, magic, and overall world just sucked me in. I have an obvious end game in mind and I'm hoping things come true in the next book. Mostly because Jude and Anton give me life. They support one another unconditionally and mesh so well. Even their chemistry gives me life and I think we all deserve happiness.
As for the rest of the cast, well, I liked Ephrya, Beru, and Hassan. There wasn't anything bad about them, other than a certain someone's betrayal, but I also wasn't completed invested in them this time around. Which, yes, seems very weird because they have likable qualities. I think there's some serious potential for me to eventually love them.
Especially after that little cliffhanger. I'm seriously freaking out right now and need to get my hands on next book. Not sure what will happen but I'm begging for my ship to sail off into the sunset.
September 18, 2020
Vid rev will be available September, 23, 2020 here https://youtu.be/M98ls6jFrXo
September 10, 2020
I am loving where this series is going! I love all of the characters and how none of them fit into a specific box. They all have layers and it elevates the story.
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