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Tales of the Shadow City #1
Shadow City
Los Angeles is an apocalyptic wasteland.
Without orientation, Colton stumbles through the vast, deserted city. He doesn’t remember who he is and where he came from. Scavengers save his life from mutants and bring him to the only remaining inhabited area and safe Zone in former Hollywood.
There he learns that after a devastating catastrophe called The Glitch, reality shifted, allowing nightmarish creatures from another dimension to enter our world. These co-called Dark Ones feed on suffering and violence, wanting nothing less than the complete annihilation of humanity.
Colton discovers that he has extraordinary abilities and joins a league of unusual defenders: ex-cop Eric, female cyborg Bombshell and Vincent, a mighty entity from another world, disguised as a human soldier.
But the Dark Ones are evil beyond imagination and with their ice-cold enforcer, the traitor Eurydice, they are a threat nearly impossible to overcome. Cunning and ruthless, Eurydice sets a ploy in action, which leads to the destruction of the Zone’s defenses weakening the tiny community from within. It’s up to Colton and his friends to take a desperate stand against the superior enemy and save what is left of humanity from extinction.
Fast-paced, action-driven, and cinematic – an eternal fight of good vs. evil told in a way as never before.
Without orientation, Colton stumbles through the vast, deserted city. He doesn’t remember who he is and where he came from. Scavengers save his life from mutants and bring him to the only remaining inhabited area and safe Zone in former Hollywood.
There he learns that after a devastating catastrophe called The Glitch, reality shifted, allowing nightmarish creatures from another dimension to enter our world. These co-called Dark Ones feed on suffering and violence, wanting nothing less than the complete annihilation of humanity.
Colton discovers that he has extraordinary abilities and joins a league of unusual defenders: ex-cop Eric, female cyborg Bombshell and Vincent, a mighty entity from another world, disguised as a human soldier.
But the Dark Ones are evil beyond imagination and with their ice-cold enforcer, the traitor Eurydice, they are a threat nearly impossible to overcome. Cunning and ruthless, Eurydice sets a ploy in action, which leads to the destruction of the Zone’s defenses weakening the tiny community from within. It’s up to Colton and his friends to take a desperate stand against the superior enemy and save what is left of humanity from extinction.
Fast-paced, action-driven, and cinematic – an eternal fight of good vs. evil told in a way as never before.
323 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 7, 2019
160 people are currently reading
964 people want to read
About the author
Anna Mocikat
57 books203 followersAnna Mocikat is a successful Cyberpunk and Space Opera author.
She was born in Warsaw, Poland, but spent most of her life in Germany where she attended film school, worked as a screenwriter and a game writer for several years.
Her "MUC" novels have been nominated for the most prestigious awards for Fantasy and science fiction in Germany.
In 2016 Anna moved to the USA where she continued her writing career.
"Shadow City" was her debut in English in 2019.
Since then she also published the "Behind Blue Eyes" series, the "Cyber Squad" series, the "Nephilim" series as well as "Space Punks" and "Neon Nights."
She was born in Warsaw, Poland, but spent most of her life in Germany where she attended film school, worked as a screenwriter and a game writer for several years.
Her "MUC" novels have been nominated for the most prestigious awards for Fantasy and science fiction in Germany.
In 2016 Anna moved to the USA where she continued her writing career.
"Shadow City" was her debut in English in 2019.
Since then she also published the "Behind Blue Eyes" series, the "Cyber Squad" series, the "Nephilim" series as well as "Space Punks" and "Neon Nights."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
May 16, 2022
Shadow City by Anna Mocikat is a different kind of dystopian future. It has a bit of sci-fi and fantasy mixed together. There is my favorite character, a cyborg that is a woman in a machine body. There are mutant creatures, vampires, and Dark Ones that come from some other place. The world has been destroyed but no one alive knows what happened. They call it the Glitch. This story is about a settlement of humans and a group of vampires that help protect the humans from danger. There are evil bands of humans too. One man is new, he doesn't know who he is but he is a hero already to the people. The vampires checked his thoughts and ok'd him. But the mystery is who is he? Another mystery is that of a Being taking charge of a dead body. No one knows it's not their friend they thought was dead. Who is he? It is very exciting and mysterious! The only thing I had trouble with was the jump between points of view. No warning or change of chapter. Oh well, I enjoyed it and starting the next book I got from NetGalley!
November 11, 2019
A very entertaining, well-written part one of an urban fantasy trilogy. Yes, dear Anna, I do want to get the answers to the questions you asked in the afterword and will be looking forward to the second part.
Set in post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, Shadow City focuses on the story of several characters, representatives of categories typical for the genre- humans, vampires, a cyborg, a mysterious creature capable of superfast healing and other untold miracles, and the Dark ones who are creeping into our world to feed on human pain and agony. The book is fast-paced, and the whole experience is very visual as if you are already watching a film or a TV show. I liked the differentiation and development of the main characters, although, understandably for such a large cast, the secondary ones come across as a bit one- dimensional. There's romance, but it is not the driving force of the plot. My favourite character was Bombshell and I can't wait to find out her backstory.
Overall, it was a quick read, dynamic and enjoyable.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Black Rose writing for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
Set in post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, Shadow City focuses on the story of several characters, representatives of categories typical for the genre- humans, vampires, a cyborg, a mysterious creature capable of superfast healing and other untold miracles, and the Dark ones who are creeping into our world to feed on human pain and agony. The book is fast-paced, and the whole experience is very visual as if you are already watching a film or a TV show. I liked the differentiation and development of the main characters, although, understandably for such a large cast, the secondary ones come across as a bit one- dimensional. There's romance, but it is not the driving force of the plot. My favourite character was Bombshell and I can't wait to find out her backstory.
Overall, it was a quick read, dynamic and enjoyable.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Black Rose writing for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
October 29, 2019
Shadow City is the opening salvo of a post-apocalypse fantasy trilogy. It's now several decades after the Big Glitch and the world will never be the same. Outside of a few survivors in Hollywood, the world is filled with radioactive mutants, vampires who are now revealing themselves to be real not fictional, demons erupting from a crack in the earth appropriately at LA s City Hall, and some other ancient race still hidden somewhere. The Zone survives only through a final alliance of humans and vampires against the Dark Ones from below. And, there are a few superheroes who have appeared like a lady ironman in her titanium cyborg suit, affectionately known as Bombie and Colton who doesn't know where he came from or who he really is and Vincent who is in love with a rogue vampire. The action is fast and furious from the start. The battles and such are cartoonish but that's part of the charm. It reads like a movie.
December 29, 2020
I love to read in different genres because it makes the reading experience much more intense and brings variety to my reader hungry mind 😂
This scifi-
fantasy-postapocaliptic story is definitely something for everyone's mind.
This unbelievable gripping and creepy-exciting story, is really an amazing read.
The dystopian world is so unique and interesting described, you just don't want to stop reading. I'm not a scifi expert, but I've read some of books in this genre and I've never read so unbelievable realistic and detailed described book.
You really can see the whole scenes like you are living it.
I would like to see this book in the cinema on a big screen, because the writing style is like a movie. There are so many different characters and individuals in this story you are completely overwhelmed.
They all communicate with the reader at the same time.
No, not from chapter to chapter, but I mean constant.
I needed some pages to acclimate to the totally crazy and very creative apocalyptic world and writing style, but afterwards the story didn't want to let me go.
You've all the creatures that are usually in 10 different books in this one story.
Humans, vampires, mutants, cyborgs, dark characters and mystical beings.
All in one place.
This book is unbelievable gripping and terrible creepy at the same time.
I can't wait to read the next book in the series. I'm really curious about the future of Los Angeles's last free zone.
This scifi-
fantasy-postapocaliptic story is definitely something for everyone's mind.
This unbelievable gripping and creepy-exciting story, is really an amazing read.
The dystopian world is so unique and interesting described, you just don't want to stop reading. I'm not a scifi expert, but I've read some of books in this genre and I've never read so unbelievable realistic and detailed described book.
You really can see the whole scenes like you are living it.
I would like to see this book in the cinema on a big screen, because the writing style is like a movie. There are so many different characters and individuals in this story you are completely overwhelmed.
They all communicate with the reader at the same time.
No, not from chapter to chapter, but I mean constant.
I needed some pages to acclimate to the totally crazy and very creative apocalyptic world and writing style, but afterwards the story didn't want to let me go.
You've all the creatures that are usually in 10 different books in this one story.
Humans, vampires, mutants, cyborgs, dark characters and mystical beings.
All in one place.
This book is unbelievable gripping and terrible creepy at the same time.
I can't wait to read the next book in the series. I'm really curious about the future of Los Angeles's last free zone.
December 11, 2021
SHADOW CITY by Anna Mocikat is a post-apocalypse urban fantasy horror novel and if that sounds like a mouthfull, it's certainly a fascinating mash-up premise. The world has been destroyed by a kind of HALF-LIFE-esque weird event that has plunged the world into darkness as well as unleashed terrifying monsters. In a more interesting twist, vampires have emerged from the shadows to protect the remainder of humanity because they don't want to endanger their food supply. Oh and there's cyborgs too. It is a crazy and fun book that I heartily recommend for those who like The Walking Dead and Zombieland.
April 2, 2024
A post-apocalyptic Los Angeles. After „The Glitch“ the city lies in ruins, with charred remains. 30 years later the sky is still covered and there is no sun. Vampires have always been under us and can now roam free. Mutants threaten from outside the city, from a potentially radioactive wasteland. The last remaining humans shelter in „The Zone“, a protected enclave.
Main characters are a pair of siblings that venture into the city to scavenge whatever they can find. And there is Eric and his partner Bombshell. He is an ex-LAPD officer, turned vampire shortly before the Glitch. Bombshell is an ex-bomb squad expert, now cyborg after an almost fatal (bomb-related?) accident.
The siblings find a naked man without memories, naming him Colton, after the street where they found him on one of their scavenging trips. And there is Vincent, a cop working with Eric and Bombshell, who is inhabited by a mysterious entity. Maybe an alien? Or an angel?
So much for the first chapter and the setting of the scene.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher or author through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to give a positive review. I received this ARC in 2019, so it‘s been on my shelf for almost 5 years. Mea Culpa!
The first chapter was rough. The writing was not great and the grammar full of mistakes. Strange sentence structures, incorrect word order and word choices, tenses changing in the same sentence or paragraph, correct use of adjectives was missing entirely. Maybe my ARC was an unedited first draft? It definitely needed editing by a natural English speaker.
I read chapter two as well, which brought me to 22%. About 60 to 70 pages, depending on edition. I am not terribly interested anymore in UF/horror in a post-apocalyptic setting with goth vampires and (probably) demons. Sorry, combined with the less than stellar writing: DNF.
Main characters are a pair of siblings that venture into the city to scavenge whatever they can find. And there is Eric and his partner Bombshell. He is an ex-LAPD officer, turned vampire shortly before the Glitch. Bombshell is an ex-bomb squad expert, now cyborg after an almost fatal (bomb-related?) accident.
The siblings find a naked man without memories, naming him Colton, after the street where they found him on one of their scavenging trips. And there is Vincent, a cop working with Eric and Bombshell, who is inhabited by a mysterious entity. Maybe an alien? Or an angel?
So much for the first chapter and the setting of the scene.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher or author through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to give a positive review. I received this ARC in 2019, so it‘s been on my shelf for almost 5 years. Mea Culpa!
The first chapter was rough. The writing was not great and the grammar full of mistakes. Strange sentence structures, incorrect word order and word choices, tenses changing in the same sentence or paragraph, correct use of adjectives was missing entirely. Maybe my ARC was an unedited first draft? It definitely needed editing by a natural English speaker.
I read chapter two as well, which brought me to 22%. About 60 to 70 pages, depending on edition. I am not terribly interested anymore in UF/horror in a post-apocalyptic setting with goth vampires and (probably) demons. Sorry, combined with the less than stellar writing: DNF.
January 14, 2020
Definitely a lot of action here. I enjoyed the world building - I felt like I was in the story. Some of the transitions of the paragraphs to explain the backstory were rough. The out of left field instalove did not fit the vibe at all, but I could have liked it if handled differently. Lots of different characters and seeing both sides of the rivalry was a plus. Overall, it could play out as a mindless action movie, but as a book it lacked substance. It was fun and original, earning 3 stars from me.
October 13, 2020
As someone who generally enjoys dark fantasy, I was hopeful when picking up this book. Unfortunately, it wasn't for me, and I'd struggle to pinpoint anything I particularly enjoyed.
Set in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles with danger around every corner, human survivors have created a safe settlement due to a deal set up with vampires. The vampires get blood the humans get safety, everyone's happy. Jean and Louis stumble across a strange man out in the city, he can't remember anything about himself, but he's strangely talented in combat. Some people in the settlement believe he's the chosen one. Meanwhile, demon-like creatures are spilling into the city, desperate to overthrow the human race.
The major issue with this book is that it appears as if it hasn't been edited. I'm not usually bothered by spelling and grammar errors, but it was almost unreadable. Wrong word structure, wrong tenses, wrong spelling, wrong words, awkward phrasing. This book has it all. On the positive side, I've heard that a new version is being released where this is fixed, so I'd recommend waiting until that comes out. Outside of the writing, I still didn't manage to enjoy much. There's way too much going on. So many different factions, themes and characters meant that none of it was fully developed, and I didn't feel connected to anything or anyone. The plot twists were predictable, the conversations were clunky, and there was no tension because we had a constant POV of what the enemies were doing and planning. The book had an interesting premise, but it wasn't carried out well at all.
CW: rape, violence, death
(Thanks to Booktamins and the author for providing me with a copy in exchange for participating in a book tour. This is my honest review posted after the tour had ended.)
Blog | Twitter
Set in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles with danger around every corner, human survivors have created a safe settlement due to a deal set up with vampires. The vampires get blood the humans get safety, everyone's happy. Jean and Louis stumble across a strange man out in the city, he can't remember anything about himself, but he's strangely talented in combat. Some people in the settlement believe he's the chosen one. Meanwhile, demon-like creatures are spilling into the city, desperate to overthrow the human race.
The major issue with this book is that it appears as if it hasn't been edited. I'm not usually bothered by spelling and grammar errors, but it was almost unreadable. Wrong word structure, wrong tenses, wrong spelling, wrong words, awkward phrasing. This book has it all. On the positive side, I've heard that a new version is being released where this is fixed, so I'd recommend waiting until that comes out. Outside of the writing, I still didn't manage to enjoy much. There's way too much going on. So many different factions, themes and characters meant that none of it was fully developed, and I didn't feel connected to anything or anyone. The plot twists were predictable, the conversations were clunky, and there was no tension because we had a constant POV of what the enemies were doing and planning. The book had an interesting premise, but it wasn't carried out well at all.
CW: rape, violence, death
(Thanks to Booktamins and the author for providing me with a copy in exchange for participating in a book tour. This is my honest review posted after the tour had ended.)
Blog | Twitter
December 23, 2019
In exchange for the opportunity to read this book from Net Galley, I offer a review of Shadow City by Anna Mocikat. @brwpublisher Review can also be found at https://theundeadreader.blogspot.com/
This is a post - apocalyptic, fast paced and exciting thrill of a ride for a good die-hard science fiction fan. If you like mutants, humans, vampires, and other evil creatures that you can only imagine coming from a place you never want to visit, this is a story for you. There is torture, death, friendship and love.
Set in Los Angeles, the story follows four main characters, with many side characters that round this story out nicely. There is a vampire, a cyborg, a human with inhuman abilities, and a creature unknown possessing a human. They fight for the right to live in the horrible aftermath of a cataclysmic event. What kind of a creature could possibly be a threat to all of these characters with their combined skills? The only way to know who wins and who dies, is to read this book.
This is a post - apocalyptic, fast paced and exciting thrill of a ride for a good die-hard science fiction fan. If you like mutants, humans, vampires, and other evil creatures that you can only imagine coming from a place you never want to visit, this is a story for you. There is torture, death, friendship and love.
Set in Los Angeles, the story follows four main characters, with many side characters that round this story out nicely. There is a vampire, a cyborg, a human with inhuman abilities, and a creature unknown possessing a human. They fight for the right to live in the horrible aftermath of a cataclysmic event. What kind of a creature could possibly be a threat to all of these characters with their combined skills? The only way to know who wins and who dies, is to read this book.
November 10, 2019
“At the horizon, just a few miles away, a sign was visible standing on the dried-up hill. Huge letters, once bright white, were now dirty and gray. Although some of the oversized letters were missing, the following word could still be read: HO LYWO D.” (excerpt of Chapter 1, Shadow City by Anna Mocikat)
Had me hooked from the start🤩!! The setting, the characters, the monstrous creatures & the Dark Ones (freaky as hell btw!!), the delicious darkness in the writer’s descriptive abilities (especially in the fighting scenes which have an intense movie-like quality to them- just wow!!)... it all blew my mind. Truly an incredible read and an amazing debut. All fans of fantasy and dystopian/post-apocalyptic fiction (and even horror since this novel has quite a few horror elements integrated into the narrative) will fall head over heels with this book. God, I can’t wait for the sequel!!!!!!!😍
Had me hooked from the start🤩!! The setting, the characters, the monstrous creatures & the Dark Ones (freaky as hell btw!!), the delicious darkness in the writer’s descriptive abilities (especially in the fighting scenes which have an intense movie-like quality to them- just wow!!)... it all blew my mind. Truly an incredible read and an amazing debut. All fans of fantasy and dystopian/post-apocalyptic fiction (and even horror since this novel has quite a few horror elements integrated into the narrative) will fall head over heels with this book. God, I can’t wait for the sequel!!!!!!!😍
October 4, 2020
This book was interesting to say the least. The world is in ruins. It Glitched. People died from radiation. Mutants hunted humans. And vampires become known to man. Mostly to save them, because they need human blood. Very interesting stuff in here.
So then, more evil than expected lurks in the shadows.
This book has a ton of action in it. More than what I prefer, but maybe that comes with the genre? This was a nice break from my typical horror reads
So then, more evil than expected lurks in the shadows.
This book has a ton of action in it. More than what I prefer, but maybe that comes with the genre? This was a nice break from my typical horror reads
not-even-if-you-paid-me
November 28, 2019Public Service Announcement: Although there is no indication of this anywhere in the marketing, this book is the first in a planned trilogy and apparently ends in a cliff-hanger.
You have been warned.
You have been warned.
November 25, 2019
dow City is the kind of book I know will stick with me for a while. Everything about it was really unique and well thought. I really do love post-apocalyptic novels so this one was easy to get into. But what you don't know is that it is no ordinary book about the end of the world.
Shadow City takes place in what used to be Hollywood. The few survivors created the Zone, which is like a closed camp to protect its citizens. The Zone is made up of humans and vampires, they created an alliance to co-exist, humans give their blood to the blood bank, and in exchange vampires keep the humans safe. Outside of the Zone, it is really dangerous because you can find rogue vampires, violent gangs made of humans that did not want to join the Zone and something really dark nobody wants to talk about.
I won't go into more details to keep this spoiler-free but I really enjoyed the mix between post-apocalyptic and fantasy here. I loved how the author explained how vampires have always existed and how they started to co-exist with humans, everything was well thought and pretty clever! I love the different relationships in this book (friendship, romance...) I think every single one of them was well constructed and enjoyable.
If I had to complain about something, I might say that I was not always a huge fan of the writing style. For example when one character kept repeating "what a shithole" like a million times, it started to annoy me. But this is really a minor detail. Also, the romance was a bit of an insta-love and it was too fast in my opinion.
In brief, if you love vampires and people trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world with great friendships that will give you faith in humanity, this book is for you. And I am really looking forward to reading what's next because this book left me with so many questions and hypothesis that I want to verify!
Shadow City takes place in what used to be Hollywood. The few survivors created the Zone, which is like a closed camp to protect its citizens. The Zone is made up of humans and vampires, they created an alliance to co-exist, humans give their blood to the blood bank, and in exchange vampires keep the humans safe. Outside of the Zone, it is really dangerous because you can find rogue vampires, violent gangs made of humans that did not want to join the Zone and something really dark nobody wants to talk about.
I won't go into more details to keep this spoiler-free but I really enjoyed the mix between post-apocalyptic and fantasy here. I loved how the author explained how vampires have always existed and how they started to co-exist with humans, everything was well thought and pretty clever! I love the different relationships in this book (friendship, romance...) I think every single one of them was well constructed and enjoyable.
If I had to complain about something, I might say that I was not always a huge fan of the writing style. For example when one character kept repeating "what a shithole" like a million times, it started to annoy me. But this is really a minor detail. Also, the romance was a bit of an insta-love and it was too fast in my opinion.
In brief, if you love vampires and people trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world with great friendships that will give you faith in humanity, this book is for you. And I am really looking forward to reading what's next because this book left me with so many questions and hypothesis that I want to verify!
November 29, 2019
I was provided an eARC from Netgalley, and boy, was I glad I asked for this one.
This is NA. I don't trust NA since the content can be over the top, but also romance, and I don't like romance. This book was perfectly balanced. Brutal beyond words with hints of romance of all kinds. This book is for fans of Fallout, Underworld, and Terminator. Brutal dystopian world with raiders and few supplies, cyborgs, vampires, and demons. What else could you ask for.
That's an odd mix, I won't deny, but Mocikat makes it fit together seemlessly. The worldbuilding is gradual in terms of explaining The Glitch, and it's never fully explained, which I kinda like. Colton knows nothing about what was going on, and he was the perfect person to have pages of info-dumping for, but at most it was a paragraph or two here or there of info given to him. It never felt overwhelming or boring as it was quick, bite-sized chunks that slowly formed a cohesive backstory for this Earth.
The characters aren't the most complex, but they were fleshed out well and evolved through the story. Colton was especially interesting to watch, as was Vincent. Eurydice was more than a cliche villain, and the vampire lore was super cool.
I'm assuming this is to be a series, and I'm eagerly anticipating a sequel.
This is NA. I don't trust NA since the content can be over the top, but also romance, and I don't like romance. This book was perfectly balanced. Brutal beyond words with hints of romance of all kinds. This book is for fans of Fallout, Underworld, and Terminator. Brutal dystopian world with raiders and few supplies, cyborgs, vampires, and demons. What else could you ask for.
That's an odd mix, I won't deny, but Mocikat makes it fit together seemlessly. The worldbuilding is gradual in terms of explaining The Glitch, and it's never fully explained, which I kinda like. Colton knows nothing about what was going on, and he was the perfect person to have pages of info-dumping for, but at most it was a paragraph or two here or there of info given to him. It never felt overwhelming or boring as it was quick, bite-sized chunks that slowly formed a cohesive backstory for this Earth.
The characters aren't the most complex, but they were fleshed out well and evolved through the story. Colton was especially interesting to watch, as was Vincent. Eurydice was more than a cliche villain, and the vampire lore was super cool.
I'm assuming this is to be a series, and I'm eagerly anticipating a sequel.
April 24, 2020
Instagram review: www.instagram.com/p/B7tZCfUAwRf/
Though this little gem sits outside my usual genres, I found quite a few things to love in this book. Mocikat's setting work is gorgeous, to start; she does an excellent job grounding the reader in that terrifying world she has created for her stories.
I thought the addition of the cyborgs to this horror paradigm was both clever and refreshing; not to mention, I love Bombshell and all her antics. I also appreciated all the deviations from the tradition vampire mythology. I don't usually get into vampire stories because I'm a little bored with the myths; but this was fun and different. You'll see what I mean in the first couple chapters.
4.5 out of 5 for me, only because sometimes I had a little trouble following so many characters. I don't blame Mocikat for that really; large casts are hard to follow at times!
I forgot to say: congratulations on landing your publisher! Book 2 is going to be awesome!!
Though this little gem sits outside my usual genres, I found quite a few things to love in this book. Mocikat's setting work is gorgeous, to start; she does an excellent job grounding the reader in that terrifying world she has created for her stories.
I thought the addition of the cyborgs to this horror paradigm was both clever and refreshing; not to mention, I love Bombshell and all her antics. I also appreciated all the deviations from the tradition vampire mythology. I don't usually get into vampire stories because I'm a little bored with the myths; but this was fun and different. You'll see what I mean in the first couple chapters.
4.5 out of 5 for me, only because sometimes I had a little trouble following so many characters. I don't blame Mocikat for that really; large casts are hard to follow at times!
I forgot to say: congratulations on landing your publisher! Book 2 is going to be awesome!!
January 9, 2021
A post-apocalyptic world. Anna Mocikat creates a world of adventure unparalleled by most anyone in Tales of the Shadow City. From the beginning of the book, you are thrown into the fight for life against creatures of the dark. You get deception from some of the characters and even a little love story. You will find yourself rushing to buy book 2.
May 10, 2020
This is not the normal genre that I read, but it is good to sometimes step out of the comfort zone and read something different. This was one of those times.
I am really glad I did, there is a lot of world building, making the reader feel like they are part of the story. This story itself was gripping and at times creepy and exciting. Set in a post apocalyptic world, with lots of different creatures, from mutants, vampires, mystical creatures to humans. Everything just works so well.
The story and plot was just brilliant, you could see this being made into a film.
I would recommend this to any sci fi/fantasy lovers out there.
This is the first book in a trilogy.
I am really glad I did, there is a lot of world building, making the reader feel like they are part of the story. This story itself was gripping and at times creepy and exciting. Set in a post apocalyptic world, with lots of different creatures, from mutants, vampires, mystical creatures to humans. Everything just works so well.
The story and plot was just brilliant, you could see this being made into a film.
I would recommend this to any sci fi/fantasy lovers out there.
This is the first book in a trilogy.
May 29, 2020
Shadow City
After the apocalypse, in the shadows of the Hollywood Hills, a war sweeps across the streets of Los Angeles for the future of humanity.
And yet, this is far more than a story of post-apocalyptic survival. The author has constructed a world pulled by the forces of good and evil, of technology and the old world, and more importantly of the choices people have to make to survive in a place that takes everything and forgives nothing.
This is definitely a book most enjoyed when read carefully. The author has created a wide variety of characters, both human and not, into a rich plot with many interwoven threads.
The main thrust of the plot centers around the surviving bastion of civilization, an uneasy alliance of humans and vampires, and the forces aligned to destroy it. There's a little of something for everyone in this broad canvas - vampire lore, kick-ass women, mysterious despots, a POV character of unknown origin, and a battle robot too. The world-building is excellent and the different factions and their motivations very well thought out.
I don't want to give too much away, so I'll leave it that the battles are vivid and the characters are a lot of fun. I'd particularly like to hang around with Eurydice, possibly to my detriment.
From a plot standpoint, the first act covers almost half the book as a setup for the final two books of this trilogy, which I am super-excited to read.
After the apocalypse, in the shadows of the Hollywood Hills, a war sweeps across the streets of Los Angeles for the future of humanity.
And yet, this is far more than a story of post-apocalyptic survival. The author has constructed a world pulled by the forces of good and evil, of technology and the old world, and more importantly of the choices people have to make to survive in a place that takes everything and forgives nothing.
This is definitely a book most enjoyed when read carefully. The author has created a wide variety of characters, both human and not, into a rich plot with many interwoven threads.
The main thrust of the plot centers around the surviving bastion of civilization, an uneasy alliance of humans and vampires, and the forces aligned to destroy it. There's a little of something for everyone in this broad canvas - vampire lore, kick-ass women, mysterious despots, a POV character of unknown origin, and a battle robot too. The world-building is excellent and the different factions and their motivations very well thought out.
I don't want to give too much away, so I'll leave it that the battles are vivid and the characters are a lot of fun. I'd particularly like to hang around with Eurydice, possibly to my detriment.
From a plot standpoint, the first act covers almost half the book as a setup for the final two books of this trilogy, which I am super-excited to read.
December 21, 2020
This book surprised me a bit. It's not really my usual read and it began with such a depressive tone that I almost bailed on reading the entire story. However, the action and the strange, strange characters pulled me in and I got involved more and more. Turned out that this was a fast and engrossing read with lots of threads that need to be followed up in the next book of the series. If this is your genre, you probably will enjoy this story.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
March 4, 2020
A great read! I'm really not too big on the whole instant love/lust aspect, but they- then again, these are adults and it's a tough world, and she's... well, you'll see, and all... But it was still a great read! There was a lot of action and I didn't actually expect this was the first in a series when I got this, but... that's ok. I'm eager to know the questions asked. I look forward to finding out who some of these characters are in reality.
Ok and yeah, Bombshell is such a fun character!
Ok and yeah, Bombshell is such a fun character!
August 11, 2020
I was sent a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This is a science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, dystopian post-apocalyptic book, set in Los Angeles which has been completely destroyed after the "Glitch" a massive catastrophe that happened 30 years prior to the events of this book, but which people don't really know the causes of. I found that the setting was a really good one, I like dystopias and post-apocalyptic settings. Los Angeles was really destroyed and the tiny community that is left is now living in the Zone, a safe space surrounded by around the clock surveillance from the Human Force, which is actually partly made up of vampires.
This book has quite a lot of creatures and we meet them right from the start. We have mutants (caused by the events of the Glitch apparently), vampires, cyborgs/hybrids, humans, and the infamous Dark Ones, however, we don't know anything about these last creatures. I personally felt like there were a lot and maybe too many creatures, almost like everything had been added to this book but this made it a bit overwhelming. I find it a bit strange to have vampires and cyborgs in the same book, so this was a bit jarring to me, but I think it's a case of personal taste and others will like it more.
I also felt that, unfortunately, I was lacking a lot of information about the setting, the Glitch, the characters and their lives before it, what happened during the Glitch and how people came to be like they were in the book. It seemed a bit strange to me that humans before the Glitch had been at the point of making hybrid humans but that after the Glitch they apparently just gave up, so I think there is more to this, specifically about the "Academy" where Bombshell, the cyborg, was sent to the Zone from.
I don't want to go into too much detail about the plot and give anything away, but it was really unique and I enjoyed reading it and seeing where everything went. However, I did have a few issues with this book, firstly there were some problems with some of the wording and use of prepositions and coordinating words, which unfortunately drew me out of the flow and made it seem rather clunky. I pushed through and read it all, but I know some people who would have given up, so maybe a touch of editing would be really good.
Overall, this was quite an interesting book, and despite the issues I had with it, I gave it 3 stars and I would recommend to fantasy and science fiction readers.
Trigger Warnings: post-apocalyptic setting, death of a parent, radioactivity, mutations, paranormal/supernatural creatures, attempted sexual assault (rape), abuse, physical assault and injury, violence, death, cyborgs, religious fanaticism, an instance of slavery, abduction, killings, blood and gore.
This is a science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, dystopian post-apocalyptic book, set in Los Angeles which has been completely destroyed after the "Glitch" a massive catastrophe that happened 30 years prior to the events of this book, but which people don't really know the causes of. I found that the setting was a really good one, I like dystopias and post-apocalyptic settings. Los Angeles was really destroyed and the tiny community that is left is now living in the Zone, a safe space surrounded by around the clock surveillance from the Human Force, which is actually partly made up of vampires.
This book has quite a lot of creatures and we meet them right from the start. We have mutants (caused by the events of the Glitch apparently), vampires, cyborgs/hybrids, humans, and the infamous Dark Ones, however, we don't know anything about these last creatures. I personally felt like there were a lot and maybe too many creatures, almost like everything had been added to this book but this made it a bit overwhelming. I find it a bit strange to have vampires and cyborgs in the same book, so this was a bit jarring to me, but I think it's a case of personal taste and others will like it more.
I also felt that, unfortunately, I was lacking a lot of information about the setting, the Glitch, the characters and their lives before it, what happened during the Glitch and how people came to be like they were in the book. It seemed a bit strange to me that humans before the Glitch had been at the point of making hybrid humans but that after the Glitch they apparently just gave up, so I think there is more to this, specifically about the "Academy" where Bombshell, the cyborg, was sent to the Zone from.
I don't want to go into too much detail about the plot and give anything away, but it was really unique and I enjoyed reading it and seeing where everything went. However, I did have a few issues with this book, firstly there were some problems with some of the wording and use of prepositions and coordinating words, which unfortunately drew me out of the flow and made it seem rather clunky. I pushed through and read it all, but I know some people who would have given up, so maybe a touch of editing would be really good.
Overall, this was quite an interesting book, and despite the issues I had with it, I gave it 3 stars and I would recommend to fantasy and science fiction readers.
Trigger Warnings: post-apocalyptic setting, death of a parent, radioactivity, mutations, paranormal/supernatural creatures, attempted sexual assault (rape), abuse, physical assault and injury, violence, death, cyborgs, religious fanaticism, an instance of slavery, abduction, killings, blood and gore.
February 29, 2020
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Not going to lie, when I first saw this on the NetGalley website, I was intrigued. From the title and the cover, I wanted to know more about this book and the world within it. Yet, after a couple of pages into the Shadow City I was bored. The characters were okay but none were my favorite or held my attention span for long. Then the world itself was okay but I just wasn't hooked on anything that was happening.
That being said, this book had a ton of action. A lot more than I though it would but I figured since this takes place decades after the Big Glitch.. there was bound to be some action. It kind of reminded me of the movie 'I Am Legend' in a way. Ya know, the one with Will Smith.
The one thing I did like was getting pov's from both sides of the rivalry. It was interesting to see everything from both sides during this post-apocalyptic time. I just wished it was a bit more interesting for me.
Not going to lie, when I first saw this on the NetGalley website, I was intrigued. From the title and the cover, I wanted to know more about this book and the world within it. Yet, after a couple of pages into the Shadow City I was bored. The characters were okay but none were my favorite or held my attention span for long. Then the world itself was okay but I just wasn't hooked on anything that was happening.
That being said, this book had a ton of action. A lot more than I though it would but I figured since this takes place decades after the Big Glitch.. there was bound to be some action. It kind of reminded me of the movie 'I Am Legend' in a way. Ya know, the one with Will Smith.
The one thing I did like was getting pov's from both sides of the rivalry. It was interesting to see everything from both sides during this post-apocalyptic time. I just wished it was a bit more interesting for me.
February 8, 2021
I was engrossed in this book.
It strikes many themes that I have in my own book, but explores them in different ways. I was fascinated to see where Anna went with this.
But while that may have been my initial hook, I was quickly along for the ride. It’s got a nice sense of mystery about it, and the different characters and different factions lead to an interesting world of shades of grey.
Nothing is black and white.
Vampires turning against Vampires, humans against humans. Throw in mutants, shadowy villains and a couple of mystery characters and it keeps you intrigued till the end and ready for book 2!
I found myself irresistibly drawn to the more complex characters (for me at least) or Eurydice, Eric and Bombshell. But the whole cast is well drawn and interesting.
It strikes many themes that I have in my own book, but explores them in different ways. I was fascinated to see where Anna went with this.
But while that may have been my initial hook, I was quickly along for the ride. It’s got a nice sense of mystery about it, and the different characters and different factions lead to an interesting world of shades of grey.
Nothing is black and white.
Vampires turning against Vampires, humans against humans. Throw in mutants, shadowy villains and a couple of mystery characters and it keeps you intrigued till the end and ready for book 2!
I found myself irresistibly drawn to the more complex characters (for me at least) or Eurydice, Eric and Bombshell. But the whole cast is well drawn and interesting.
December 1, 2020
An Absolute Rollercoaster
Okay, so, first of all, I loved this story! I loved the world Anna built. She is an absolute master of creating dystopian settings that are so vivid and realistic that it kind of makes you feel uneasy because you can quite easily picture yourself in them.
I also loved how fast paced this story was. It was action, action, action all the way through. At times I felt annoyed with myself because my eyes couldn’t read fast enough and I needed to know what happened next! I do love a plot driven story. Also, I have to comment on the fact that there are so many suspenseful moments and intriguing moments that grab you and hold you throughout. Some questions are still unanswered now but that’s fine because I will definitely be back for book two.
Okay, so, first of all, I loved this story! I loved the world Anna built. She is an absolute master of creating dystopian settings that are so vivid and realistic that it kind of makes you feel uneasy because you can quite easily picture yourself in them.
I also loved how fast paced this story was. It was action, action, action all the way through. At times I felt annoyed with myself because my eyes couldn’t read fast enough and I needed to know what happened next! I do love a plot driven story. Also, I have to comment on the fact that there are so many suspenseful moments and intriguing moments that grab you and hold you throughout. Some questions are still unanswered now but that’s fine because I will definitely be back for book two.
September 4, 2020
The beginning of a thrilling, action packed post-apocalyptic world!
Shadow City will immerse readers into the grim, yet enthralling setting of an apocalyptic Los Angeles, CA. From the beginning I was hooked by the exciting action between, humans, cyborgs , vampires, mutants & characters with inhuman abilities! I can't wait for Dark City! I definitely recommend Shadow City if you enjoy sci-fi & dark fantasy with a twist on the tired old vampires stories.
A well crafted story that doesn't disappoint!
Shadow City will immerse readers into the grim, yet enthralling setting of an apocalyptic Los Angeles, CA. From the beginning I was hooked by the exciting action between, humans, cyborgs , vampires, mutants & characters with inhuman abilities! I can't wait for Dark City! I definitely recommend Shadow City if you enjoy sci-fi & dark fantasy with a twist on the tired old vampires stories.
A well crafted story that doesn't disappoint!
February 4, 2021
Chilling....
I enjoyed this story and couldn't put it down. I don't like science fiction but love this apocalypse tales. Maybe because of the world we live in AS they always make me think, what if......
I enjoyed this story and couldn't put it down. I don't like science fiction but love this apocalypse tales. Maybe because of the world we live in AS they always make me think, what if......
December 28, 2020
“Shadow City” by Anna Mocikat was an adventure from it’s opening scene to its end, leaving the reader with many questions and a demand to know more. The story contains a wide array of characters from humans to vampires, cyborgs to mutants and Dark ones, with the POVs switching to show snippets of each character’s story and how they are all intertwine.
Although there are many characters, Colton seems to be at the center. A seemingly normal human with no memories and combat skills, he becomes a symbol of hope in a devastating reality where Los Angeles has become an apocalyptic wasteland. Unfortunately, the Dark Ones have plans, and no one will stop them from destroying what’s left of humanity.
I enjoyed reading this story quite a bit. I only wished we got a few more answers on who Colton was and what happened to him. Also, I would love to see more about Eurydice who seems like a complex character. Since this is a series, I am sure all reader’s questions will be answered as the story progresses. I look forward to seeing what will happen to Colton, his new friends, and the devious plan the Dark Ones are plotting.
Although there are many characters, Colton seems to be at the center. A seemingly normal human with no memories and combat skills, he becomes a symbol of hope in a devastating reality where Los Angeles has become an apocalyptic wasteland. Unfortunately, the Dark Ones have plans, and no one will stop them from destroying what’s left of humanity.
I enjoyed reading this story quite a bit. I only wished we got a few more answers on who Colton was and what happened to him. Also, I would love to see more about Eurydice who seems like a complex character. Since this is a series, I am sure all reader’s questions will be answered as the story progresses. I look forward to seeing what will happen to Colton, his new friends, and the devious plan the Dark Ones are plotting.
September 19, 2021
I found this a non stop action book with a nod to H. P. Lovecraft's old ones later on in the book. The last vestiges of humanity who are shored up and co-exist with the vampires who provide protection in exchange for blood to fill their blood banks in the hospital. There are raider gangs who live outside the barricades in what used to be Hollywood all is a desolate waste ground and ruins after The Glitch which only a few lucky one survived, there are one or two mysterious characters who turn up one Colton who does not know how he got there and Vincent who took over the body of the recently deceased aforenamed. all in all a page turner of a book.
June 15, 2021
Action-packed inventive fun
There's lots to love here - a mysterious end of days event, strange characters appearing, vampires, a great post-apocalyptic LA setting... It's pacy, intriguing and inventive, and full of action as well as a varied and interesting cast list. If you like your fiction with a hefty dose of sci fi or fantasy, or like those kind of high octane films and video games then check this out...
There's lots to love here - a mysterious end of days event, strange characters appearing, vampires, a great post-apocalyptic LA setting... It's pacy, intriguing and inventive, and full of action as well as a varied and interesting cast list. If you like your fiction with a hefty dose of sci fi or fantasy, or like those kind of high octane films and video games then check this out...
March 26, 2020
ARC REVIEW
Surprising, I didn't know what to expect when I got this book from Edelweiss I just like the blurb. I really liked it. I've been struggling to finish books recently this book kept my attention from start to finish, I enjoyed the characters and am anxious for the next book. It's not much of a cliffhanger, it's open ended for the next story.
Surprising, I didn't know what to expect when I got this book from Edelweiss I just like the blurb. I really liked it. I've been struggling to finish books recently this book kept my attention from start to finish, I enjoyed the characters and am anxious for the next book. It's not much of a cliffhanger, it's open ended for the next story.
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