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Chronicles of Elantra #5
Cast in Silence
Don't ask. Don't tell. Stay alive.
A member of the elite Hawk force that protects the City of Elantra, Kaylin Neya has sacrificed much to earn the respect of the winged Aerians and immortal Barrani she works alongside. But the mean streets she escaped as a child aren't the ones she's vowed to give her life guarding. Those were much darker…
Kaylin's moved on with her life—and is keeping silent about the shameful things she's done to stay alive. But when the city's oracles warn of brewing unrest in the outer fiefdoms, a mysterious visitor from Kaylin's past casts her under a cloud of suspicion. Thankfully, if she's anything, she's a survivor…
A member of the elite Hawk force that protects the City of Elantra, Kaylin Neya has sacrificed much to earn the respect of the winged Aerians and immortal Barrani she works alongside. But the mean streets she escaped as a child aren't the ones she's vowed to give her life guarding. Those were much darker…
Kaylin's moved on with her life—and is keeping silent about the shameful things she's done to stay alive. But when the city's oracles warn of brewing unrest in the outer fiefdoms, a mysterious visitor from Kaylin's past casts her under a cloud of suspicion. Thankfully, if she's anything, she's a survivor…
464 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 2009
246 people are currently reading
2294 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Sagara
54 books1,805 followersSee also:
Michelle Sagara West
Michelle West
Michelle is an author, bookseller, and lover of literature based in Toronto. She writes fantasy novels as both Michelle Sagara and Michelle West (and sometimes as Michelle Sagara West). You can find her books at fine booksellers.
She lives in Toronto with her long-suffering husband and her two children, and to her regret has no dogs.
Reading is one of her life-long passions, and she is sometimes paid for her opinions about what she’s read by the venerable Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. No matter how many bookshelves she buys, there is Never Enough Shelf space. Ever.
She has published as Michelle Sagara (her legal name), as Michelle West (her husband's surname), and as Michelle Sagara West (a combination of the two).
Michelle Sagara West
Michelle West
Michelle is an author, bookseller, and lover of literature based in Toronto. She writes fantasy novels as both Michelle Sagara and Michelle West (and sometimes as Michelle Sagara West). You can find her books at fine booksellers.
She lives in Toronto with her long-suffering husband and her two children, and to her regret has no dogs.
Reading is one of her life-long passions, and she is sometimes paid for her opinions about what she’s read by the venerable Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. No matter how many bookshelves she buys, there is Never Enough Shelf space. Ever.
She has published as Michelle Sagara (her legal name), as Michelle West (her husband's surname), and as Michelle Sagara West (a combination of the two).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 288 reviews
November 13, 2017
This book annoyed me often due to my usual complaints about Kaylin, pacing, info dumping overloads, and lack of growth. The other annoying part were the flashbacks. I really wasn't interested in Kaylin's past, I rather liked it staying mysterious.
This book is all about going into the fief of Barren and trying to find out why the shadows have increased there. The tower parts were interesting and confusing, so the usual. This book is one big Severn, Tiamaris, and Kaylin party. Yay for the first two.
The ending, it was drawn out and convoluted and I briefly understand what happened.
I'm too tired to care anymore about this review. Done.
This book is all about going into the fief of Barren and trying to find out why the shadows have increased there. The tower parts were interesting and confusing, so the usual. This book is one big Severn, Tiamaris, and Kaylin party. Yay for the first two.
The ending, it was drawn out and convoluted and I briefly understand what happened.
I'm too tired to care anymore about this review. Done.
May 19, 2017
Oh, Kaylin
This series always manages to make me laugh so hard, I just love Kaylin! She can piss off a dragon like no one's business and always in such a perfect way.
I'm slowly beginning to understand that not a lot of people could write this as good as Michelle Sagara can, I honestly can't think of anyone better suited to write this story. I just love it all!
This series always manages to make me laugh so hard, I just love Kaylin! She can piss off a dragon like no one's business and always in such a perfect way.
I'm slowly beginning to understand that not a lot of people could write this as good as Michelle Sagara can, I honestly can't think of anyone better suited to write this story. I just love it all!
June 23, 2017
I liked the story in this installment, but I didn't love the writing.
I think this particular book would have benefited from a bit more careful editing. There were some overly used phrases (so many things were "said quietly", that it started to bother me), and the middle dragged a bit with all the introspective philosophising.
That said, I have to absolutely give credit to Sagara for always delivering a stand out finish. Every book in the series has finished strong, and Cast in Silence is no exception. What can I say? I'm always on board for dragons.
In any event, whatever the weaknesses of this book, I'm still in for the next.
I think this particular book would have benefited from a bit more careful editing. There were some overly used phrases (so many things were "said quietly", that it started to bother me), and the middle dragged a bit with all the introspective philosophising.
That said, I have to absolutely give credit to Sagara for always delivering a stand out finish. Every book in the series has finished strong, and Cast in Silence is no exception. What can I say? I'm always on board for dragons.
In any event, whatever the weaknesses of this book, I'm still in for the next.
August 7, 2023
In this volume, Kaylin's past comes back to haunt her as she is called upon to look into an incipient incursion of Ferals into Elantra, coming from the fief of Barren. After fleeing Nightshade at thirteen years old, Kaylin spent half a year in Barren before crossing the Ablayne and becoming a mascot of the Hawks, and then a trainee. She hoped never to go back there, but when one is under orders from the Emperor, they act without question, or they die.
Why is Barren called that? And how is it connected to the Palace of Nightshade, or other, similar structures in the fiefs, all named after their reigning Lord or Lady?
Ah, this series. I'd love to love it, but every time it's a pile of if onlys. [Edit: I put all this nonsense behind spoiler tags. If you care to read a long list of grievances, click away.]
There isn't much point to "if only"-ing like this. Five books in, one has to either accept things as they are and press on, or decide that wading through the muck ain't worth it. I have two more of these books, so the final decision can be put off for a little while. ;) I'm sure that the same complaints will be in full force in subsequent volumes, but there'll be no reason for me to enumerate them again--if there was any in the first place--so we can talk about other stuff next time.
A couple of postcripts. This review isn't very coherent, sorry...
Unfortunately, I was able to predict a lot of what was going on before Kaylin or the other characters did.
(1) Much is made of Kaylin's having kept a secret for the seven years since she left Barren. What else could have caused her that much guilt and remorse? I can easily imagine that this "secret" was no secret at all to the Hawklord, Marcus, or Severn.
(2)
Meh. I have never seen this done in a satisfactory way.
Despite my gripes, one thing that's been consistent in this series thus far is that the various plot threads are wrapped up well, and the endings always leave me with a warm, "happy tears" feeling. Each time, they pull the "Chronicles of Elantra" books up from a soggy 2-2.5 stars to something more like a 3.
Why is Barren called that? And how is it connected to the Palace of Nightshade, or other, similar structures in the fiefs, all named after their reigning Lord or Lady?
Ah, this series. I'd love to love it, but every time it's a pile of if onlys. [Edit: I put all this nonsense behind spoiler tags. If you care to read a long list of grievances, click away.]
There isn't much point to "if only"-ing like this. Five books in, one has to either accept things as they are and press on, or decide that wading through the muck ain't worth it. I have two more of these books, so the final decision can be put off for a little while. ;) I'm sure that the same complaints will be in full force in subsequent volumes, but there'll be no reason for me to enumerate them again--if there was any in the first place--so we can talk about other stuff next time.
A couple of postcripts. This review isn't very coherent, sorry...
Unfortunately, I was able to predict a lot of what was going on before Kaylin or the other characters did.
(1) Much is made of Kaylin's having kept a secret for the seven years since she left Barren. What else could have caused her that much guilt and remorse? I can easily imagine that this "secret" was no secret at all to the Hawklord, Marcus, or Severn.
(2)
Meh. I have never seen this done in a satisfactory way.
Despite my gripes, one thing that's been consistent in this series thus far is that the various plot threads are wrapped up well, and the endings always leave me with a warm, "happy tears" feeling. Each time, they pull the "Chronicles of Elantra" books up from a soggy 2-2.5 stars to something more like a 3.
November 22, 2015
*** 4 ***
“Manners,[...] are severly underappreciated in my opinion".
"Oh?"
Where practiced well, they remove the probability that someone in my position will be forced to go through the effort of killing someone in yours. Belive that on occasion that much death can become tedious.”
“Manners,[...] are severly underappreciated in my opinion".
"Oh?"
Where practiced well, they remove the probability that someone in my position will be forced to go through the effort of killing someone in yours. Belive that on occasion that much death can become tedious.”
September 22, 2017
Finally a book worthy of the first one! And Kaylin is finally starting to show some character development!
At first I was disappointed when it became apparent that CiS won't be about the Aerians. But I was soon swept in with the happenings in the fiefs. And learning what happened during the "missing" six months between Kaylin leaving Nightshade and arriving at the Halls of Law was quite interesting. Kaylin's really grown a lot since that time and had I met her back then I would probably dislike her on sight. All the flashbacks made me realize how much she's changed and how hard living in the fiefs really is.
This instalment was about the fiefs and what makes them so different than the rest of Elantra. At the same time it also brought to live more questions about the Ancient Ones and the Shadows that seem to be the only thing left of them apart from some ancient buildings. We got to And we got some battle featuring Lord Tiamaris in his dragon form.
Reading this made me so glad I didn't abandon TCoE when the lack of character development started to grate on me because it was a great experience and Elantra is worth knowing.
At first I was disappointed when it became apparent that CiS won't be about the Aerians. But I was soon swept in with the happenings in the fiefs. And learning what happened during the "missing" six months between Kaylin leaving Nightshade and arriving at the Halls of Law was quite interesting. Kaylin's really grown a lot since that time and had I met her back then I would probably dislike her on sight. All the flashbacks made me realize how much she's changed and how hard living in the fiefs really is.
This instalment was about the fiefs and what makes them so different than the rest of Elantra. At the same time it also brought to live more questions about the Ancient Ones and the Shadows that seem to be the only thing left of them apart from some ancient buildings. We got to And we got some battle featuring Lord Tiamaris in his dragon form.
Reading this made me so glad I didn't abandon TCoE when the lack of character development started to grate on me because it was a great experience and Elantra is worth knowing.
August 2, 2009
This book is really a 4.5. first of all, I'm biased a bit because I love the characters of Kaylin and Severn.
This book was more of an exploration of desires, regrets, decisions, and the famous motto of the Stones 'you can't always get what you want, but if you try 'sometimes, you just might find - you get what you need'.
The character of Morse was interesting and created a good mentor/foil for Kaylin and as she was also the exact opposite of Severn - it was good to see how both influences molded her. In the end though, it was what she did/does to mold herself.
I, of course, am waiting for something to happen with Kaylin and Severn (as I'm sort of sappy that way although not entirely sure anything would work out) and am also waiting for the eventual meeting with the Emperor.
And the teaser for the next book has me both excited and a little worried. I'm not that big a fan of Nightshade but it does always make me smile to see the way that Severn reacts to him as well as Kaylin.
It was an entry in the series that needed to happen (as we all needed to know what happened with Kaylin during those missing 6 months) and while there could've been better ways to describe things (I find that Sagara tends to get lost in her descriptions, depending on abstracts and vagueness when just cutting a sentence short of simply using less abstract will suffice), the end result was well worth it.
Editorial wise, there were a few grammatical issues and again, as I mentioned before with her abstract way of explaining something simple, a content editor might have wanted to take a second look at this edition as it was heavy on description and less on dialogue (Sagara has a problem with describing things in this manner but with the books, it's ok because there is a lot more dialogue). Overall, this is a 4.5 and well worth the read.
This book was more of an exploration of desires, regrets, decisions, and the famous motto of the Stones 'you can't always get what you want, but if you try 'sometimes, you just might find - you get what you need'.
The character of Morse was interesting and created a good mentor/foil for Kaylin and as she was also the exact opposite of Severn - it was good to see how both influences molded her. In the end though, it was what she did/does to mold herself.
I, of course, am waiting for something to happen with Kaylin and Severn (as I'm sort of sappy that way although not entirely sure anything would work out) and am also waiting for the eventual meeting with the Emperor.
And the teaser for the next book has me both excited and a little worried. I'm not that big a fan of Nightshade but it does always make me smile to see the way that Severn reacts to him as well as Kaylin.
It was an entry in the series that needed to happen (as we all needed to know what happened with Kaylin during those missing 6 months) and while there could've been better ways to describe things (I find that Sagara tends to get lost in her descriptions, depending on abstracts and vagueness when just cutting a sentence short of simply using less abstract will suffice), the end result was well worth it.
Editorial wise, there were a few grammatical issues and again, as I mentioned before with her abstract way of explaining something simple, a content editor might have wanted to take a second look at this edition as it was heavy on description and less on dialogue (Sagara has a problem with describing things in this manner but with the books, it's ok because there is a lot more dialogue). Overall, this is a 4.5 and well worth the read.
August 1, 2009
This series has taken a lot of left turns. I feel like my very favorite books were 2 and 3. I absolutely did not like the last one, so I was eagerly awaiting this installment because I love the characters and the world and was willing to hang in there. It doesn't disappoint, although I didn't get what I wanted which was: SPOILERS FOLLOW:
MORE NIGHTSHADE!
There was SOME of him in it, but not enough (I can't get enough really, he's a yummy character, very Jean-Claude before book 5 of Anita Blake).
It's almost like the author is deliberately steering clear of the romance angles she explored in the first three books, which is kinda weird to me, especially since this publisher is owned by Harlequin, haha. If you let go of that part of it though, this book was SOOO much better than the last! It was just a really good fantasy novel! Interesting things happen, the backstory flashbacks were very compelling, I liked the main character so much more and felt like she grew a whole heap during this book. Really fun ending too. There were long internal monologues that I skimmed, and I always feel like this series has a whole lot of dancing around things, people keeping secrets and leaving dialogue hanging when I'm screaming at the page, "JUST TELL HER WHATS GOING ON!" Some answers happen, not enough, but it was a really fun ride. Definitely excited to read the next book (PLEASE MORE NIGHTSHADE!!)
MORE NIGHTSHADE!
There was SOME of him in it, but not enough (I can't get enough really, he's a yummy character, very Jean-Claude before book 5 of Anita Blake).
It's almost like the author is deliberately steering clear of the romance angles she explored in the first three books, which is kinda weird to me, especially since this publisher is owned by Harlequin, haha. If you let go of that part of it though, this book was SOOO much better than the last! It was just a really good fantasy novel! Interesting things happen, the backstory flashbacks were very compelling, I liked the main character so much more and felt like she grew a whole heap during this book. Really fun ending too. There were long internal monologues that I skimmed, and I always feel like this series has a whole lot of dancing around things, people keeping secrets and leaving dialogue hanging when I'm screaming at the page, "JUST TELL HER WHATS GOING ON!" Some answers happen, not enough, but it was a really fun ride. Definitely excited to read the next book (PLEASE MORE NIGHTSHADE!!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2012
4/5; 4 stars; A-
This was an excellent addition to the series. Five books is a long time to wait to start to really connect to the characters in a series but this is the book for me. I was impressed with the Tower, the 'travel', the emerging role of the new leader in Barren. It was all good.
This was an excellent addition to the series. Five books is a long time to wait to start to really connect to the characters in a series but this is the book for me. I was impressed with the Tower, the 'travel', the emerging role of the new leader in Barren. It was all good.
December 30, 2024
First read 2 March 2013.
Fifth in the Chronicles of Elantra fantasy series revolving around Kaylin Neya, a private in the Hawks law enforcement agency.
My Take
Whoa...lotsa action in this one, but not a current day investigation of any particular peoples, although we do learn what happened to Kaylin in the six months she was missing and why she ended up with the Hawks. Oh, boy. Didn't see that one coming. Instead, Kaylin, Severn, and Tiamaris fall back in time in this particular adventure and explore the realities of the fiefs and a history in which Dragons have not won and the fiefs are clean and friendly. A time which also explores Kaylin's history. It was the things Barren made her do. The people he ordered killed, the reasons for it, that helped Kaylin make up her mind to join the Hawks.
The office atmosphere is back to normal: Marcus is slashing desks, but not yet shattering the bloody window that Mallory had re-magicked to be oh-so-polite---Kaylin's already lost her guess in the betting pool---and, yup, the betting is back in full play. Yes, Rennick's play was also a success (see Cast in Fury , 4).
Oopsie, Arkon is quite displeased with Sanabalis' lack of progress with Kaylin. She has not yet learned how to light that damned candle. A fact which rather cracks me up in light of Kaylin's other accomplishments, LOL.
The more I read this series, the more fascinated I become, and the more I appreciate the extremely complex world that Sagara has built. It's not just the small things of everyday life, but the big philosophies that change from culture to culture. Very impressive. It's still incredibly complex, and I suspect I will need to read this over and over again before I grasp it all.
Kaylin is learning wisdom:
There's only one comment I can recall Tiamaris making that makes sense of his actions at the end. It will definitely be interesting to learn what happens in the next installment, Cast in Chaos , 6.
It's terrifying what envy and jealousy have wrought. Kaylin will use the power of words which she learned in Cast in Fury , 4, to rewrite the Tower, to teach her about duty, responsibility, pride, guilt, grief, regret, accepting past mistakes, the need to be needed, and most important, a sense of real love and understanding.
The words that turn Kaylin's world upside down:
Okay, another bit of the puzzle...the High Lord says that "Elantra exists...because the fiefs exist".
The Story
One of the fiefs is losing its power, its magic, and the Shadows are creeping through. If they break all the way through, they will break into Nightshade and Candallar and then into the City itself.
It's a demand Barren is making of Kaylin. One she cannot refuse.
Or all will die.
The Characters
Private Lord Kaylin Neya of the Hawks has managed, so far, to avoid meeting the Dragon Emperor. But the days are counting down, for Kaylin has achieved too much. Corporal Lord Severn Handred grew up with Kaylin, and now they are partners in the Hawks. Lord Tiamaris, a Dragon, has partnered up with them in previous stories and will do so again.
Lord Sanabalis is one of four Dragon lords at the Imperial Court and is the mage trying to teach Kaylin to understand her powers. There are also Lords Diarmat and Emmerian. The Arkon is the oldest Dragon at court, and he serves as the palace librarian. Evanton is the Keeper of an elemental garden. One that is in wild disarray and trying to relay a message.
The Hawks include:
Sergeant Marcus Kassan, a.k.a., Ironjaw, a Leontine, is back and in charge. And everyone is breathing easier. Caitlin is his unofficial second-in-command and a human. Teela and Tain are Barrani, and, yes, they chose to work for the Hawks rather than "participate" in politics in the High Halls. Both are friends of Kaylin's.
Ybelline Rabon'alani is the Emperor's Tha'alani, the castelord of her people with the most experience of how humans think, and has a great ability to survive delving into the minds of others.
Barren acts as fieflord in Barren. Morse is the woman who took Elianne/Kaylin in and taught her further how to survive. She's also Barren's second-in-command.
The High Lord, the castelord of the Barrani, the former Lord of the Green, and his Consort, the Lady, welcome Lord Kaylin.
Turns out that Lord Nightshade, an outcaste Barrani fieflord, sought out the fief for strategic reasons. Ohhh, I betcha I know why…! And you'll hafta read Cast in Fury, 4 if you want to find out… Lord Andellen is the Barrani guard who has shared some of Kaylin's adventures, and he is being summoned for High Court.
The Hawks are one of three peacekeeping forces in Elantra, and Lord Grammayre is the Hawklord. The Aerians are birdmen, but not shifters. Barrani are the upper class in this society, although not the uppermost. Kaylin believes they have the art of lying down to a fine and engrained art. The Leontine are lion shifters. Arcanists are mages who work independently of the Dragon Emperor.
Fieflords are independent conquerors of the seven large criminal neighborhoods outside the city proper: Liatt is ruled and held by a human woman from the Tower of Liatt; Barren is ruled by a human, Barren (its former Barrani lord, Illien, was considered a dreamer who was uncomfortable in a city ruled by Dragons; wanting power, his existence is a mystery); Nightshade is held by Lord Nightshade, an outcaste Barrani who rules from Castle Nightshade; Candallar is held by a Barrani and is on the other side of Nightshade; and, Ravellon is the heart of the fiefs, one that none dare enter. Tara is the Tower, a child affected by another woman's dreams and hopes. A child of the Old Ones.
The Cover
I can't decide if Kaylin is being thoughtful or making a run for it on this cover. It's a close-up with Kaylin wearing a sleeveless top and a deep v-neck---exactly what she would never wear—that exposes her tattoos, her left arm up and wearing the bracer that dampens her magic with a beautiful night sky in the background, the moonlight gleaming on the waters. Above is a skyline view of Elantra.
I suspect the title could go two ways: the lack in the fief of Barren or what Lord Nightshade learns too early. Cast in Silence will ensure that history plays out as it should.
Fifth in the Chronicles of Elantra fantasy series revolving around Kaylin Neya, a private in the Hawks law enforcement agency.
My Take
Whoa...lotsa action in this one, but not a current day investigation of any particular peoples, although we do learn what happened to Kaylin in the six months she was missing and why she ended up with the Hawks. Oh, boy. Didn't see that one coming. Instead, Kaylin, Severn, and Tiamaris fall back in time in this particular adventure and explore the realities of the fiefs and a history in which Dragons have not won and the fiefs are clean and friendly. A time which also explores Kaylin's history. It was the things Barren made her do. The people he ordered killed, the reasons for it, that helped Kaylin make up her mind to join the Hawks.
"Meaning is often decided by your intended audience."
The office atmosphere is back to normal: Marcus is slashing desks, but not yet shattering the bloody window that Mallory had re-magicked to be oh-so-polite---Kaylin's already lost her guess in the betting pool---and, yup, the betting is back in full play. Yes, Rennick's play was also a success (see Cast in Fury , 4).
Oopsie, Arkon is quite displeased with Sanabalis' lack of progress with Kaylin. She has not yet learned how to light that damned candle. A fact which rather cracks me up in light of Kaylin's other accomplishments, LOL.
The more I read this series, the more fascinated I become, and the more I appreciate the extremely complex world that Sagara has built. It's not just the small things of everyday life, but the big philosophies that change from culture to culture. Very impressive. It's still incredibly complex, and I suspect I will need to read this over and over again before I grasp it all.
Kaylin is learning wisdom:
"I always paid attention to anything that seemed practical and important. I didn't realize just how practical some of the theoretical classes would end up becoming."
There's only one comment I can recall Tiamaris making that makes sense of his actions at the end. It will definitely be interesting to learn what happens in the next installment, Cast in Chaos , 6.
It's terrifying what envy and jealousy have wrought. Kaylin will use the power of words which she learned in Cast in Fury , 4, to rewrite the Tower, to teach her about duty, responsibility, pride, guilt, grief, regret, accepting past mistakes, the need to be needed, and most important, a sense of real love and understanding.
The words that turn Kaylin's world upside down:
"'We do not always succeed in our attempts to find---or uphold---justice. But if we fail to try at all, what is left? The only justice that exists is the justice we attempt to make. The only fairness, the same.'
--Lord Grammayre"
Okay, another bit of the puzzle...the High Lord says that "Elantra exists...because the fiefs exist".
The Story
One of the fiefs is losing its power, its magic, and the Shadows are creeping through. If they break all the way through, they will break into Nightshade and Candallar and then into the City itself.
It's a demand Barren is making of Kaylin. One she cannot refuse.
Or all will die.
The Characters
Private Lord Kaylin Neya of the Hawks has managed, so far, to avoid meeting the Dragon Emperor. But the days are counting down, for Kaylin has achieved too much. Corporal Lord Severn Handred grew up with Kaylin, and now they are partners in the Hawks. Lord Tiamaris, a Dragon, has partnered up with them in previous stories and will do so again.
Lord Sanabalis is one of four Dragon lords at the Imperial Court and is the mage trying to teach Kaylin to understand her powers. There are also Lords Diarmat and Emmerian. The Arkon is the oldest Dragon at court, and he serves as the palace librarian. Evanton is the Keeper of an elemental garden. One that is in wild disarray and trying to relay a message.
The Hawks include:
Sergeant Marcus Kassan, a.k.a., Ironjaw, a Leontine, is back and in charge. And everyone is breathing easier. Caitlin is his unofficial second-in-command and a human. Teela and Tain are Barrani, and, yes, they chose to work for the Hawks rather than "participate" in politics in the High Halls. Both are friends of Kaylin's.
Ybelline Rabon'alani is the Emperor's Tha'alani, the castelord of her people with the most experience of how humans think, and has a great ability to survive delving into the minds of others.
Barren acts as fieflord in Barren. Morse is the woman who took Elianne/Kaylin in and taught her further how to survive. She's also Barren's second-in-command.
The High Lord, the castelord of the Barrani, the former Lord of the Green, and his Consort, the Lady, welcome Lord Kaylin.
Turns out that Lord Nightshade, an outcaste Barrani fieflord, sought out the fief for strategic reasons. Ohhh, I betcha I know why…! And you'll hafta read Cast in Fury, 4 if you want to find out… Lord Andellen is the Barrani guard who has shared some of Kaylin's adventures, and he is being summoned for High Court.
The Hawks are one of three peacekeeping forces in Elantra, and Lord Grammayre is the Hawklord. The Aerians are birdmen, but not shifters. Barrani are the upper class in this society, although not the uppermost. Kaylin believes they have the art of lying down to a fine and engrained art. The Leontine are lion shifters. Arcanists are mages who work independently of the Dragon Emperor.
Fieflords are independent conquerors of the seven large criminal neighborhoods outside the city proper: Liatt is ruled and held by a human woman from the Tower of Liatt; Barren is ruled by a human, Barren (its former Barrani lord, Illien, was considered a dreamer who was uncomfortable in a city ruled by Dragons; wanting power, his existence is a mystery); Nightshade is held by Lord Nightshade, an outcaste Barrani who rules from Castle Nightshade; Candallar is held by a Barrani and is on the other side of Nightshade; and, Ravellon is the heart of the fiefs, one that none dare enter. Tara is the Tower, a child affected by another woman's dreams and hopes. A child of the Old Ones.
The Cover
I can't decide if Kaylin is being thoughtful or making a run for it on this cover. It's a close-up with Kaylin wearing a sleeveless top and a deep v-neck---exactly what she would never wear—that exposes her tattoos, her left arm up and wearing the bracer that dampens her magic with a beautiful night sky in the background, the moonlight gleaming on the waters. Above is a skyline view of Elantra.
I suspect the title could go two ways: the lack in the fief of Barren or what Lord Nightshade learns too early. Cast in Silence will ensure that history plays out as it should.
October 6, 2024
3.5/5.0
In the 5th installment of this superbly written series, Kaylin is forced to confront her past. That means the reader gets all kinds of great information that has been alluding us from book one. Personally, however, the way in which it unfolds just isn’t my cuppa. I’ve never been one who enjoys wandering through alternate universe/dreamscape-type plots, and the vast majority of this book is exactly that. Also, while jumping back and forth between those weird alternate worlds, we are also jumping back and forth between Kaylin’s present and her past. Yeah, confusing much? It’s a way to pull a whole bunch of threads together, just not one I really enjoyed.
Still, the result is super interesting and sets things on a future trajectory that is all kinds of interesting (although I guessed that particular ending very early.) SO… I am still completely committed and have already shelled over the moola for three more installments! :)
In the 5th installment of this superbly written series, Kaylin is forced to confront her past. That means the reader gets all kinds of great information that has been alluding us from book one. Personally, however, the way in which it unfolds just isn’t my cuppa. I’ve never been one who enjoys wandering through alternate universe/dreamscape-type plots, and the vast majority of this book is exactly that. Also, while jumping back and forth between those weird alternate worlds, we are also jumping back and forth between Kaylin’s present and her past. Yeah, confusing much? It’s a way to pull a whole bunch of threads together, just not one I really enjoyed.
Still, the result is super interesting and sets things on a future trajectory that is all kinds of interesting (although I guessed that particular ending very early.) SO… I am still completely committed and have already shelled over the moola for three more installments! :)
August 12, 2013
Review first published at http://fansofmsw.com/
Summary:
After leaving the fief of Nightshade and before showing up among the Hawks, Kaylin went missing for six months. She was in fact in the fief of Barren, serving the fieflord. In Cast in Silence, Kaylin's past comes back haunting her in the form of an old friend transmitting a message from Barren. Since this message has been delivered in front of Severn, Kaylin had not choice but to tell him the truth about her past. Then she is send with Tiamaris to meet first Nightshade who reveal to them that the fief of Barren is highly unstable as it doesn't have a true lord, then to Barren himself to understand what is happening.
My opinion:
In this book we finally understand what abuse Kaylin went through, which is something that has been alluded to in the previous book but that I personally hadn't notice. It certainly explains her self-loathing, the fact that she behaves as if neither Nightshade nor Severn are interested in her and that she totally ignores their various advances.
I love the scene at the beginning of the book where she reveal that she tried to kill the Hawklord and that it amused Teela and Tain :) Teela's behaviour in the tavern was hilarious and I appreciate that we finally see that other aspect of her as Kaylin has been referring to for a while but we had only see her correct Barrani Lord behaviour until now.
As I love the dragons, I was happy that Tiamaris goes with Kaylin this time, even if I was a little disappointed that it means that she doesn't get any discussion alone with Nightshade. It was also great to see again the Arkon; I love every scenes he is in :)
As we only see Nightshade briefly in the last book, I was afraid that the fact that we see him so early in the story meant that we would not see him again. When the group went to the past and that Kaylin recognize a Barrani there, I was thinking “No, it's not possible..." then “Yes!". It was definitely a good surprise. It was interesting to see how Michelle manage to make him appear younger and more carefree; Kaylin unarguably find him more attractive. It's also a major event that put all their precedent interactions under a different light and incite me to reread them (again!). After this book my vision of Nightshade has been considerably altered... Normally I hate time travel because I can't see how it can word and be logical and consistent with the rest of the novel world and I was a bit apprehensive when I saw Michelle used it here (that is, after I recover of my excitement of seeing Nighstahde). Nonetheless, I think that the result is good; it's even impressive that we can reread all the novel and that everything now appear under a different light but that both interpretation seem correct.
As for Severn, he doesn't get any evolution in this book nor in the last one and he only seems to be present in the background, which was a shame even if he isn't one of my favorite characters. Too often I tend to forget that he is present in the scene...
The developments with the fiefs were really interesting; I love Tara's character and the way Kaylin “heals" her. The fact that Tiamaris took the fief was also interesting and promised great evolution for the future of the fief.
I like the fact that the Consort is one of Kaylin's friend, a fact that I didn't really appreciate in Cast in Courtlight as she didn't have a lot of screen time. Kaylin's visit to the High Court was interesting as it shows us the new relationships she has with the High Lord and the Consort.
Summary:
After leaving the fief of Nightshade and before showing up among the Hawks, Kaylin went missing for six months. She was in fact in the fief of Barren, serving the fieflord. In Cast in Silence, Kaylin's past comes back haunting her in the form of an old friend transmitting a message from Barren. Since this message has been delivered in front of Severn, Kaylin had not choice but to tell him the truth about her past. Then she is send with Tiamaris to meet first Nightshade who reveal to them that the fief of Barren is highly unstable as it doesn't have a true lord, then to Barren himself to understand what is happening.
My opinion:
In this book we finally understand what abuse Kaylin went through, which is something that has been alluded to in the previous book but that I personally hadn't notice. It certainly explains her self-loathing, the fact that she behaves as if neither Nightshade nor Severn are interested in her and that she totally ignores their various advances.
I love the scene at the beginning of the book where she reveal that she tried to kill the Hawklord and that it amused Teela and Tain :) Teela's behaviour in the tavern was hilarious and I appreciate that we finally see that other aspect of her as Kaylin has been referring to for a while but we had only see her correct Barrani Lord behaviour until now.
As I love the dragons, I was happy that Tiamaris goes with Kaylin this time, even if I was a little disappointed that it means that she doesn't get any discussion alone with Nightshade. It was also great to see again the Arkon; I love every scenes he is in :)
As we only see Nightshade briefly in the last book, I was afraid that the fact that we see him so early in the story meant that we would not see him again. When the group went to the past and that Kaylin recognize a Barrani there, I was thinking “No, it's not possible..." then “Yes!". It was definitely a good surprise. It was interesting to see how Michelle manage to make him appear younger and more carefree; Kaylin unarguably find him more attractive. It's also a major event that put all their precedent interactions under a different light and incite me to reread them (again!). After this book my vision of Nightshade has been considerably altered... Normally I hate time travel because I can't see how it can word and be logical and consistent with the rest of the novel world and I was a bit apprehensive when I saw Michelle used it here (that is, after I recover of my excitement of seeing Nighstahde). Nonetheless, I think that the result is good; it's even impressive that we can reread all the novel and that everything now appear under a different light but that both interpretation seem correct.
As for Severn, he doesn't get any evolution in this book nor in the last one and he only seems to be present in the background, which was a shame even if he isn't one of my favorite characters. Too often I tend to forget that he is present in the scene...
The developments with the fiefs were really interesting; I love Tara's character and the way Kaylin “heals" her. The fact that Tiamaris took the fief was also interesting and promised great evolution for the future of the fief.
I like the fact that the Consort is one of Kaylin's friend, a fact that I didn't really appreciate in Cast in Courtlight as she didn't have a lot of screen time. Kaylin's visit to the High Court was interesting as it shows us the new relationships she has with the High Lord and the Consort.
December 20, 2009
First off let me say that I have never been disappointed in any book published under the Luna books label yet. I highly recommend reading any of these books if you are looking for that gritty sci-fi/fantasy magic filled struggling broken souls kind of story.
Michelle Sagara West has an amazing storytelling voice. I can read her books in a sitting because they are so amazingly raw and real. She blows away the usual male-driven fantasies. You know the story. Boy lives on farm. Boy discovers magic. Bad guys try to get boy. Boy struggles with powers. War. More war. Boy masters powers & more war. Ending that alludes to another book.
Michelle gets down to the personal. The heart wrenching drama that is life. For me, someone who recently discovered she had add and is really not just crazy or stupid - seeing how people interact in books is amazing. I can relate to the pain of trying to fit in, of trying to understand different cultures, their protocols, their insecurities and hatreds.
Read this series in order or you won't know what is going on. This book has to be the best so far, as you really discover the main characters war within herself and her battle to accept both her light and dark side as who she is. This is the basic struggle that every person must fight every day. There are no rainbow filled happy endings, b/c this is life. Reading this story gives you strength and a better understanding of the life around us, at least it did for me.
Michelle Sagara West has an amazing storytelling voice. I can read her books in a sitting because they are so amazingly raw and real. She blows away the usual male-driven fantasies. You know the story. Boy lives on farm. Boy discovers magic. Bad guys try to get boy. Boy struggles with powers. War. More war. Boy masters powers & more war. Ending that alludes to another book.
Michelle gets down to the personal. The heart wrenching drama that is life. For me, someone who recently discovered she had add and is really not just crazy or stupid - seeing how people interact in books is amazing. I can relate to the pain of trying to fit in, of trying to understand different cultures, their protocols, their insecurities and hatreds.
Read this series in order or you won't know what is going on. This book has to be the best so far, as you really discover the main characters war within herself and her battle to accept both her light and dark side as who she is. This is the basic struggle that every person must fight every day. There are no rainbow filled happy endings, b/c this is life. Reading this story gives you strength and a better understanding of the life around us, at least it did for me.
December 31, 2010
Kaylin has a past. A past which is dang hard to drag out of her.
But when the elements spin, and the dragons start bossing her around, and an assassin from the fifes comes bearing a message, she has no choice but to go back.
Back to the place where she was hurt.
And where she hurt others.
And where the tower now waits. To test her with all the terrors of her past.
Awesome! I have been waiting FOREVER for Kaylin to start digging into her past again. And the climax just came out of nowhere and hit me on the head. (Morse’s description of Tiamaris is a riot). Definitely my second favorite book in the series.
But when the elements spin, and the dragons start bossing her around, and an assassin from the fifes comes bearing a message, she has no choice but to go back.
Back to the place where she was hurt.
And where she hurt others.
And where the tower now waits. To test her with all the terrors of her past.
Awesome! I have been waiting FOREVER for Kaylin to start digging into her past again. And the climax just came out of nowhere and hit me on the head. (Morse’s description of Tiamaris is a riot). Definitely my second favorite book in the series.
October 14, 2023
This is my second favorite Elantra novel by Michelle Sagara (my most favorite is Cast in Fury). The heroine, Kaylin, is tough in a street fight (she is basically a police detective in the capital city of a fantasy empire), but is also loving (devotes time to orphans) and caring (volunteers as a midwife). She makes friends everywhere she goes. This is refreshing after so many paranormal heroines who are tough but unlikeable. Cast in Silence invokes two kinds of time travel: magic takes her many centuries into the city's past (I love time travel), while the narrative takes her 7 years into her own past via flashbacks. Many reviewers hope that Kaylin will start a relationship with Nightshade, but I find Nightshade repulsive in most of the Elantra books. This book is the exception, as she meets Nightshade in the distant past where he is curious and adventurous instead of enigmatic and creepy. I continue to root for Severn, the boy next door.
November 6, 2024
3.5 stars.
Nov 2024 - re-listened.
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Nov 2023 - re-listened.
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Re-listened in 2021.
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Re-listened in 2020. There's a lot of time shifting with this one as it goes back to that in-between time after Kaylin left Nightshade and before trying to assassinate the Hawk Lord. Some of it was in the prequel Cast in Moonlight but this is more detailed. I thought that first meeting with Nightshade was interesting.
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I thought the ending scene in the tower dragged on a bit too much.
Nov 2024 - re-listened.
________________
Nov 2023 - re-listened.
________________
Re-listened in 2021.
________________
Re-listened in 2020. There's a lot of time shifting with this one as it goes back to that in-between time after Kaylin left Nightshade and before trying to assassinate the Hawk Lord. Some of it was in the prequel Cast in Moonlight but this is more detailed. I thought that first meeting with Nightshade was interesting.
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I thought the ending scene in the tower dragged on a bit too much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2016
A very convoluted book, but at least we saw some of Kaylin's traumatic past, and we finally! found out why Nightshade singled her out in the first place. It's all clear now, ladies and gents. And of course, I found myself ridiculously excited by his role in this book. Obviously, I am team Nightshade, because we need more antiheroes in books.
* * *
Запутанная книга, в которой мы видим проблески травматичного прошлого Кейлин и наконец-то! понимаем почему Найтшейд её заметил. Теперь тут всё ясно, дамы и господа. Признаюсь, что роль Найтшейда в этой книги меня привела в восторг, так как я полностью в его лагере и считаю, что нам нужно больше антигероев в книгах. Интересно!
* * *
Запутанная книга, в которой мы видим проблески травматичного прошлого Кейлин и наконец-то! понимаем почему Найтшейд её заметил. Теперь тут всё ясно, дамы и господа. Признаюсь, что роль Найтшейда в этой книги меня привела в восторг, так как я полностью в его лагере и считаю, что нам нужно больше антигероев в книгах. Интересно!
September 25, 2012
*Genre* Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Review forthcoming*
A really interesting story. We actually get the authors take on what happened to the missing 6 months that Kaylin Neya refuses to speak about. Readers knew it had to be something to do with why she was allowed to join the Hawks in the first place. Still want to know about Nightshade and Kaylin and that hasn't happened yet. I know there are more books in the series, and yes, I shall read them all until I get an answer.
More later....
*Rating* 3.5
*Review forthcoming*
A really interesting story. We actually get the authors take on what happened to the missing 6 months that Kaylin Neya refuses to speak about. Readers knew it had to be something to do with why she was allowed to join the Hawks in the first place. Still want to know about Nightshade and Kaylin and that hasn't happened yet. I know there are more books in the series, and yes, I shall read them all until I get an answer.
More later....
January 1, 2023
Loved it. Really really loved it. It was a fantastic journey for the characters, and I'm so excited to see how this changes everything.
January 23, 2020
Bit of a ploddy episode in the series. Good to see some of the characters I've grown fond of again but this book focuses on Kaylin's backstory (interesting but covered in Cast in Moonlight) and the Berrani lore. The Berrani bore me so this was not going to be my favourite. The lore of the Towers and how the fiefs came about was good. The questions of name and identity were intelligent. The story moved along at a far brisker clip than Cast in Secret for instance. But I just didn't find it as engaging. That said, I really liked how it ended and for a very linear plot, the structure and pace was good. I'm still invested in continuing the series.
April 23, 2025
3.5 stars
Drawn in by the first third, struggled through the second, and really enjoyed the final part of the book.
It was good to learn more about the fiefs (including the magic which drives them) and Kaylin’s past before she joined the Hawks. I had to push through the past Tower segments, as they felt really slow, between the flashbacks and the introspection. However it built up towards great conflicts for all the characters and an unexpected and cool finale.
Not sure how I feel about potential for time magic (and the whole bit with Nightshade) yet, but I’m looking forward to see where the author takes it.
Drawn in by the first third, struggled through the second, and really enjoyed the final part of the book.
It was good to learn more about the fiefs (including the magic which drives them) and Kaylin’s past before she joined the Hawks. I had to push through the past Tower segments, as they felt really slow, between the flashbacks and the introspection. However it built up towards great conflicts for all the characters and an unexpected and cool finale.
Not sure how I feel about potential for time magic (and the whole bit with Nightshade) yet, but I’m looking forward to see where the author takes it.
December 30, 2010
This is the fifth book in the Chronicles of Elantra series by Sagara. Originally Sagara was contracted for five books, but it looks like that's been extended to eight books total. This was definitely not the best book in the series. It was still a good read, but at times I was really bored.
In this book Kaylin is sent to investigate some strange goings on in the fiefs. For once her journey doesn't take her to the fief of Nightshade, but to the fief of Barren where Kaylin lived out 6 months of her life that she would rather forget and has never shared with anyone. Kaylin, Severn, and the dragon end up finding more about the dark heart of the fief than they had ever imagined.
There was a lot of good stuff in this book. You learn more about Kaylin's past and more about the fiefs. In fact the majority of the story takes place in the fiefs. I liked this a lot since the fiefs have kind of remained a mystery. You also learn more about the dark heart of the fiefs, about the dragons as a race, and about Nightshade's past. I really like Nightshade as a character so more info about him was a good thing. Overall the book was well-written, but there were quite a few things that bothered me.
So...on to the things I didn't like. Severn was mostly present as a place holder for most of the book. In fact there were many scenes where he was supposedly in the scene but he did so little I couldn't remember if he had left the scene or not. He talked rarely and mostly just stood there and let Kaylin do her thing. Kaylin spent a lot of the beginning on the book talking about how awful her past in Barren was, but when it all came down to it, most of the the people around her knew most of her past and didn't care. So, I had some trouble figuring out why Kaylin made such a big deal about all of that.
The story was going along okay until they got into the scene where they enter the Tower the first time. Then the book really starts to drag and get pretty darn boring. I had a lot of trouble enjoying the second half of the book because it just went too slow. I also get a little sick of the fact that Kaylin always seems to be exhausted and stressed out about everything. I was also a little surprised, that Kaylin doesn't even have a second of time to deal with her relationships with Severn and/or Nightshade. She kind of ignores them most of the time. I guess with Nightshade I can understand that since he has all the time in the world, but I was surprised Severn's role was so truncated.
Overall it was an okay read. I think all the things that we learn about the fiefs and the origins of the Empire outweigh the bad pacing and whiny Kaylin; but I really was bored the last half of the book. I am still interesting to see how things pan out in the next book, now that we know more about the heart of the fiefs. So, I will read the next book, but I will get it from the library.
In this book Kaylin is sent to investigate some strange goings on in the fiefs. For once her journey doesn't take her to the fief of Nightshade, but to the fief of Barren where Kaylin lived out 6 months of her life that she would rather forget and has never shared with anyone. Kaylin, Severn, and the dragon end up finding more about the dark heart of the fief than they had ever imagined.
There was a lot of good stuff in this book. You learn more about Kaylin's past and more about the fiefs. In fact the majority of the story takes place in the fiefs. I liked this a lot since the fiefs have kind of remained a mystery. You also learn more about the dark heart of the fiefs, about the dragons as a race, and about Nightshade's past. I really like Nightshade as a character so more info about him was a good thing. Overall the book was well-written, but there were quite a few things that bothered me.
So...on to the things I didn't like. Severn was mostly present as a place holder for most of the book. In fact there were many scenes where he was supposedly in the scene but he did so little I couldn't remember if he had left the scene or not. He talked rarely and mostly just stood there and let Kaylin do her thing. Kaylin spent a lot of the beginning on the book talking about how awful her past in Barren was, but when it all came down to it, most of the the people around her knew most of her past and didn't care. So, I had some trouble figuring out why Kaylin made such a big deal about all of that.
The story was going along okay until they got into the scene where they enter the Tower the first time. Then the book really starts to drag and get pretty darn boring. I had a lot of trouble enjoying the second half of the book because it just went too slow. I also get a little sick of the fact that Kaylin always seems to be exhausted and stressed out about everything. I was also a little surprised, that Kaylin doesn't even have a second of time to deal with her relationships with Severn and/or Nightshade. She kind of ignores them most of the time. I guess with Nightshade I can understand that since he has all the time in the world, but I was surprised Severn's role was so truncated.
Overall it was an okay read. I think all the things that we learn about the fiefs and the origins of the Empire outweigh the bad pacing and whiny Kaylin; but I really was bored the last half of the book. I am still interesting to see how things pan out in the next book, now that we know more about the heart of the fiefs. So, I will read the next book, but I will get it from the library.
May 10, 2010
Instead of writing a review for each of the first five books in the Chronicles of Elantra, I will just write one here.
Kaylin is a young girl who flees the fiefs after a tragic childhood and crosses the bridge into the city of Elantra. There, she serves the Hawk Lord as one of his Hawks (the eyes and ears of the city). Kaylin's world is filled with Dragon Lords, immortal Barrani, bird-like Aerians, and cat-like Leontines. But Kaylin is also more than merely human.
The story was interesting and the world caught my imagination, but I felt that it could have been better. All five books suffered from common writing problems that, if corrected, would make the stories more gripping and lifelike. The possibilities and the relationships kept me in suspense, but never quite satisfied in the end.
Some issues
1. Repetition
Phrases, words, plot points, and characteristics are repeated. The reader is beat over the head with Kaylin's poor academic record and tardiness. These characteristics make her charming at first, but later they become irritating in their repetition. Conversations already played out for the reader are often rehashed as if to say, did you get that?
2. Adverbs and adjectives
The description relies too heavily on the word "very."
Also other adverbs and adjectives are overused in place of fresh description and strong verbs.
3. Italics
Italics are overused for emphasis where stronger verbs and clearer description should have been used.
4. Dialogue
The dialogue is stilted. Characters often say each others names and ask questions such as "What do you see?" in place of meaningful dialogue. Conversations are difficult to follow as speaker attributions are often missing. Also, the beats are unimaginative and repetitive resulting in a green screen effect while characters are engaged in prolonged conversation. Other characters also seem to disappear from the scene while the discussion is carried out.
5. Characters
Severn and Nightshade need to be developed into 3-D characters. These two pivotal men are cardboard cutouts that need fleshing out. The story is written in the third person, but never strays into their thoughts. Severn is too silent, and readers are never given a window into his thoughts and feelings for Kaylin. Nightshade, while enigmatic, is equally flat.
Kaylin is sluggish to mature. Her experiences should change her and teach her, yet the middle books have arrested her development. Also, Kaylin manages to save the world at the end of every book, with the exception of book 5.
This world grabbed my imagination, and I enjoyed entering it, but writing improvements could have made it un-putdownable.
Kaylin is a young girl who flees the fiefs after a tragic childhood and crosses the bridge into the city of Elantra. There, she serves the Hawk Lord as one of his Hawks (the eyes and ears of the city). Kaylin's world is filled with Dragon Lords, immortal Barrani, bird-like Aerians, and cat-like Leontines. But Kaylin is also more than merely human.
The story was interesting and the world caught my imagination, but I felt that it could have been better. All five books suffered from common writing problems that, if corrected, would make the stories more gripping and lifelike. The possibilities and the relationships kept me in suspense, but never quite satisfied in the end.
Some issues
1. Repetition
Phrases, words, plot points, and characteristics are repeated. The reader is beat over the head with Kaylin's poor academic record and tardiness. These characteristics make her charming at first, but later they become irritating in their repetition. Conversations already played out for the reader are often rehashed as if to say, did you get that?
2. Adverbs and adjectives
The description relies too heavily on the word "very."
Also other adverbs and adjectives are overused in place of fresh description and strong verbs.
3. Italics
Italics are overused for emphasis where stronger verbs and clearer description should have been used.
4. Dialogue
The dialogue is stilted. Characters often say each others names and ask questions such as "What do you see?" in place of meaningful dialogue. Conversations are difficult to follow as speaker attributions are often missing. Also, the beats are unimaginative and repetitive resulting in a green screen effect while characters are engaged in prolonged conversation. Other characters also seem to disappear from the scene while the discussion is carried out.
5. Characters
Severn and Nightshade need to be developed into 3-D characters. These two pivotal men are cardboard cutouts that need fleshing out. The story is written in the third person, but never strays into their thoughts. Severn is too silent, and readers are never given a window into his thoughts and feelings for Kaylin. Nightshade, while enigmatic, is equally flat.
Kaylin is sluggish to mature. Her experiences should change her and teach her, yet the middle books have arrested her development. Also, Kaylin manages to save the world at the end of every book, with the exception of book 5.
This world grabbed my imagination, and I enjoyed entering it, but writing improvements could have made it un-putdownable.
September 16, 2010
I liked this book and this series. But it has been months since I read the first 4, almost a year, and it is hard for me to remember the details. I keep wanting and waiting for Kaylin to develop a romantic relationship with one of the characters or a new one, but it never would fit into the plots. As for the plot of this one, it seems more lost than the last. The everydayness of police work is not in this one but for the very beginning, for the rest of the book it seems to be flashbacks( which were insightful) and mind games( which was a little tedious). At least now we know why she changed her name when she crossed the bridge. I would love to see a map of the city. I have an idea of what it would be in my mind, then something says, "then they went north" or similar. So I'm trying to refigure it. Mostly I would need to re-read these books.
It was not my favorite, but then my favorite character is Nightshade. I can never decide if hes " evil" or " opportunist" or "good" most likley he is a bit of all in the mix. So I can not wait for the next book, Cast in Chaos.
It was not my favorite, but then my favorite character is Nightshade. I can never decide if hes " evil" or " opportunist" or "good" most likley he is a bit of all in the mix. So I can not wait for the next book, Cast in Chaos.
August 25, 2016
So i was surprised that this wasn't a case of being a child prostitute, but a general thug and murderer. Well, that is kind of heavy. Of course, it was obvious that Barren had coerced her into sexual activity. It was good to see Kaylin reaching for something and trying to change rather than digging in her heels. Of course, the whole Tara/Tower thing was so harrowing- geez. talk about tough love. The ending was great since we'd completely forgotten about the second person to enter the tower, given the saga Kaylin was going through. And there is Severin, silent but accepting witness to all, as usual. There was a real sense of tension in this book, in the decisions and choices that still wer to be made. Great story-telling. Cleared the air a bit.
Loved the romanticism of Nighshade's kiss- how very Gothic. But alas, it was just a kiss; a very scary one. For that alone, i'm glad to have read the book.
Loved the romanticism of Nighshade's kiss- how very Gothic. But alas, it was just a kiss; a very scary one. For that alone, i'm glad to have read the book.
May 14, 2021
Continuing my frantic race through this series because my brain won't let me focus on anything else. It dragged a bit for me during the "road trip" middle but the ending was so satisfying.
Does anyone know whatever happened to Nightshade's cloak?
cw: something happened between Barren and Kaylin/Eli when she was 13 and working for his gang that never is articulated in any way other than that it traumatized her. If your brain is likely to supply nightmares into that un-described blankness, heads up.
Does anyone know whatever happened to Nightshade's cloak?
cw: something happened between Barren and Kaylin/Eli when she was 13 and working for his gang that never is articulated in any way other than that it traumatized her. If your brain is likely to supply nightmares into that un-described blankness, heads up.
September 6, 2024
This book is primarily Kaylin's origin story mixed with a bit of timey-wimey. It also introduces a new character whom I love. Another thing I love? Rereading this series in one straight shot. I've been reading these for years, but as the wait between books occurs, I forget a lot of what's going on with the story and the characters. Now I *know* and it's fantastic!
December 17, 2019
Easily one of the best books in the series so far, and a kind of capstone to all that's come before without ending any arcs. I love this world. I love these characters. I'm so happy for how this book ended, gosh.
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May 1, 2018Miniseries: The Chronicles of Elantra
October 9, 2014
This time around Michelle Sagara is exploring Kaylin’s past and the things that brought her out of the fiefs. She’s also delving into the relationship between a fief and its lord, and how these things are necessary to protect the city from a deeper shadow. There’s more than enough going on in these two topics to keep things lively and interesting.
Sagara’s characters are my favorite part of the Chronicles of Elantra. Kaylin is a pain in the ass, but an enjoyable pain in the ass. Sagara nicely balances the need for Kaylin to grow and improve with the fact that such changes come slowly and reluctantly. There’s enough improvement that I don’t become frustrated with the character, but like anyone else she occasionally backslides or has trouble moving forward. I would like to see the author do more with Severn; he’s still a bit much of an enigma. I really love what she’s doing with the dragons, however. Each one has such a strong personality, and the dragon concept of a hoard comes with interesting connotations. Kaylin seems to be drawing ever closer to an inevitable meeting with the Emperor; it’ll be interesting to see how that goes in later books. I’d always wondered how Kaylin ended up becoming a Hawk at a particularly young age, and we finally get to explore that here. We also get just a peek at a younger Lord Nightshade, and I loved it.
The plot is a good one: the fief of Barren (it shares a boundary with Nightshade) is starting to be invaded by shadows and evil creatures from the sort-of fief that lies in the center of all the others. This means there isn’t a proper relationship between the fief lord and the “tower” that protects the domain. Kaylin, Severn, and Tiamaris have to fight the shadows in order to save lives, but they also must figure out what’s gone wrong with the tower and why it isn’t keeping the nightmares contained. The answer to the mystery is clever and challenging.
The climax of the book primarily involves internal rather than external challenges and revelations. Kaylin has to puzzle out what exactly is going on and how to fix it while her friends buy her some time. This does mean that the climax doesn’t involve a lot of flat-out action. The pacing remains a little slow. Whether this will appeal to you or frustrate you depends entirely on you, the reader, and the sort of books you enjoy. If you’re reading through the entire series and have gotten this far then I doubt you’ll mind it; all of the books have some aspect of internal struggle and revelation rather than external.
I do love the world-building in the Elantra books. The city rides a precarious balance between carefully arrayed forces, and Kaylin is smack dab in the middle of that mess. The details of the city present so much opportunity for action, reaction, revelation, and conflict. It’s easy to see how this story will require more books in order to tell its tale, and I very much look forward to reading those other books.
Reviews also available on my site: http://www.errantdreams.com/2014/10/r...
Sagara’s characters are my favorite part of the Chronicles of Elantra. Kaylin is a pain in the ass, but an enjoyable pain in the ass. Sagara nicely balances the need for Kaylin to grow and improve with the fact that such changes come slowly and reluctantly. There’s enough improvement that I don’t become frustrated with the character, but like anyone else she occasionally backslides or has trouble moving forward. I would like to see the author do more with Severn; he’s still a bit much of an enigma. I really love what she’s doing with the dragons, however. Each one has such a strong personality, and the dragon concept of a hoard comes with interesting connotations. Kaylin seems to be drawing ever closer to an inevitable meeting with the Emperor; it’ll be interesting to see how that goes in later books. I’d always wondered how Kaylin ended up becoming a Hawk at a particularly young age, and we finally get to explore that here. We also get just a peek at a younger Lord Nightshade, and I loved it.
The plot is a good one: the fief of Barren (it shares a boundary with Nightshade) is starting to be invaded by shadows and evil creatures from the sort-of fief that lies in the center of all the others. This means there isn’t a proper relationship between the fief lord and the “tower” that protects the domain. Kaylin, Severn, and Tiamaris have to fight the shadows in order to save lives, but they also must figure out what’s gone wrong with the tower and why it isn’t keeping the nightmares contained. The answer to the mystery is clever and challenging.
The climax of the book primarily involves internal rather than external challenges and revelations. Kaylin has to puzzle out what exactly is going on and how to fix it while her friends buy her some time. This does mean that the climax doesn’t involve a lot of flat-out action. The pacing remains a little slow. Whether this will appeal to you or frustrate you depends entirely on you, the reader, and the sort of books you enjoy. If you’re reading through the entire series and have gotten this far then I doubt you’ll mind it; all of the books have some aspect of internal struggle and revelation rather than external.
I do love the world-building in the Elantra books. The city rides a precarious balance between carefully arrayed forces, and Kaylin is smack dab in the middle of that mess. The details of the city present so much opportunity for action, reaction, revelation, and conflict. It’s easy to see how this story will require more books in order to tell its tale, and I very much look forward to reading those other books.
Reviews also available on my site: http://www.errantdreams.com/2014/10/r...
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