Shards of Glass

Academia Chronicles #1

by Michelle Sagara

The Academia, once an elite proving ground for the rulers of the world, has been frozen for centuries. Now its strange slumber has ended, and a new Chancellor, an orange-eyed dragon, has reopened its lecture halls and readied its dorms. In order to thrive once more, however, the Academia needs fresh blood—new students with a passion and talent for learning.

One such student, Robin, has the perfect recruit in his friend Raven, an orphan who lives in the dangerous Warrens. Robin grew up in the Warrens, and he wouldn't have made it if not for Raven. He knows she’ll be safe at the Academia, where her unusual gifts can be appreciated.

But when students start turning up dead, the campus threatens to collapse completely. Raven and Robin will not let that happen to their new home…if they can survive long enough to figure out who—or what—is trying to kill them.

Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Dragons, Mystery, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Audiobook

504 pages, Paperback

First published November 28, 2023

About the author

See 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).

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shards of Glass is a spin-off of the Elantra series focusing on Robin, the Academia, and several other returning characters. Note: this book really can't be read without having read the Elantra series first. There's a lot of background information you'll need for it to make sense. You don't have to be completely up to date with Elantra, but you should have at least read up to #15 Cast in Wisdom.

For long time readers, this spin-off was really enjoyable. I liked the focus on Robin (returning character) and Raven (a new character) and their adventure. It was both refreshing and familiar and opened up an interesting new aspect to the world and it's magic. And while I missed seeing Kaylin on the page, Robin and Raven carried the story well.

As much as I enjoy Severn and his spin-off series, I think Shards of Glass is going to squeeze into 2nd place in terms of my Elantra rankings. And while Goodreads doesn't give Shards a definitive series name or place, I would put this in the Elantra series at 17.5 - for those who keep track of that kind of thing.

Thanks to Harper Collins and Edelweiss for an advanced e-galley!

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this, especially that it focused on the friendship between two odd street kids (and the adorable giant spider librarian!).

The magic system is a very mysterious and ‘soft’ one, without any defined rules, navigated mostly by intuition. The setting is a magic school that is also a sentient building (sadly we don’t get to witness any classes, the focus is on a series of unsolved deaths instead).

The strongest points for me were the world building and characterization, the weakest was the editing, which should have removed a lot of very repetitive material in which the main characters kept having the same thoughts and recollections again and again in slightly different ways. A bit too much of the book consisted of memories of what had happened in the past, I think.

This was my first Sagara book and even though I’ve read in some reviews that you need to have read ten other books before this one, the plot and world were explained well enough for me to make sense of everything. I probably missed a lot of references to previous works, but I thought it was fine. Since the world described is very unique and inventive, I’d love to read more of her work now.

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elantra once again entrances!

Raven lived in the Warrens. She collected glass no-one could see. She had a companion Robin but he’d disappeared. He had been recruited to the Academia, a place of learning that had been asleep but now returned and is governed by the Dragon chancellor, Lord Tiamaris. Tiamaris sees Academia as his horde. Never get between a dragon and his horde!
Raven couldn’t remember her past, her name, names of objects, anything, she was a blank slate. Robin had named her. The two had survived in the Warrens, looking out for each other from an early age. Robin vaguely, fleetingly remembers another life. Robin wants Raven to come to Academia, but when she arrives those in charge are alarmed by her.
Death is stalking the halls of Academia.
Who or what is Raven? Who is Robin? Who is the old woman Giselle?
This is an independent title that has seemingly grown out of Cast in Wisdom. I love the way Raven interacts with the giant spider Starrante, a Wevaran, and one of the three librarians of Academia.
Some of the lost Barrani cohort who now live with Kylin Neya are present, particularly Terrano who most people can’t see but Raven and Giselle can.
Sagara has an underlying current running through this novel that explores questions around waking thoughts and what dreams might be. The reality of fears, anxieties and wishes as they pertain to dreams. Fascinating!
Another stunning novel of Elantra that pulled me into the mystery of Raven and Robin, and more broadly into the lost cohort of Baranni’s.

A Harlequin Trade ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

[Ay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story flows on from the events in Cast in Wisdom, book 15 of the so far 17 book series, The Chronicles of Elantra. In a sense, it is a side story in the series. It is about the university.

It would be very difficult to understand what on earth is going on without having read the earlier books. Sagara does not spoon-feed the reader. This series has some of the densest, richest world-building I have ever read. The characters are complex and nuanced.

We don't see Kaylin in this story. The protagonists are Robin and Raven. They are quite different from Kaylin, the protagonist in the longer series. They are both interesting and likable people. The story is very much "What Is Going On? Why?"

The story is satisfying, and a bit more about this world, the university, and the city is filled in. Interesting characters added. Thank you Netgalley, for providing me with this advanced review copy.

[Noone]

Interesting world, great intro, convoluted and contrived plot, terrible writing technique.
My main gripe with this one is that the characters tell a lot of the story in the form of dry exposition to the reader.
Everyone nowadays is yelling about "show, don't tell", and despite it being very overused, it's still a fundamental lesson a lot of authors still seem to not grasp. In this instance, it's a bit different though.
The problem of telling instead of showing is usually distinct from the problem of dry exposition but this author somehow managed to mix both into a slurry of boredom.

I wish the story was only told from the perspective of Raven. The story starts as if she is going to be the main character which would have made the entire story a lot more interesting because she seems to behave according to the typical characteristics of autism mixed with an intriguing extra mystery on top. Initially, the story does a great job of committing to the bit and trying to tell an engaging narrative from the perspective of a person who is struggling to understand her fellow human (or maybe not-so-human) beings. It puts her at this interesting remove, looking at the world from this odd but fascinating viewpoint.
I was fully invested in exploring this pretty dark world from her perspective and following the possibly very odd character development that could have followed.
But the author keeps on hopping into the head of the second main character, Robin, who turns into the main perspective of the story more and more. And while he loves her dearly, he doesn't really understand her either so the story ends up treating her as this inscrutible intellect and almost conveys the feeling of people gawking at a mentally impaired person which seems very counter to what the book was going for initially.
I think I have to clarify that this is very much an indirect impression I got. The book isn't terribly tactless or anything. But having this contrast to a second character the reader can more easily connect to didn't really work for me.
The second perspective of Robin feels like a crutch that undermines Raven as a main character.
I think I could even see past this if it would have led to better pacing and more interesting storytelling by utilizing a perspective that is better aligned with the average reader.
But despite abandoning this unique viewpoint (for the most part) the book still fails to tell an engaging story. It's full of mundane, repetitive, and redundant exposition. I think you could easily cut the length of this book in half even without losing a single detail of world-building or plot.
The story feels aimless, there are things happening and the stakes are being raised but the book forgot to explain why I should care. The only interesting character in the entire book got kind of abandoned half way through.

Another thing that annoyed me was the inconsistent personalities of many of the other characters especially later on. They felt like they were extremely inconsistent in maturity and temperament. Grown-ass men who are wise and educated one moment suddenly behave like temper tantrum throwing toddlers. Apart from the main characters, most other characters weren't really distinct from one another. Everyone else kind of blurred together into this other-people-soup.

I am very disappointed with how this book managed to completely throw away such a great opening which got me deeply emotionally invested early on. The story repeatedly kicked me out of immersion to the point where I couldn't care less and simply stopped reading.
Usually I am just annoyed with bad books for wasting my time. This one feels particularly tragic because it had something special going on there for me at least but couldn't execute on it in any meaningful way.

[Crystal King]

"Shards of Glass" by Michelle Sagara is a captivating addition to the Chronicles of Elantra series, brilliantly set in the mystical Academia. The novel's heart lies with its unique protagonist, Raven, and her complex journey alongside Robin, amidst a world teeming with magical beings like dragons and giant spider librarians. Sagara masterfully blends mystery, fantasy, and the poignant power of friendship, creating a richly layered narrative that is both enthralling and thought-provoking. This book is a five-star gem, offering a deep dive into themes of identity, memory, and belonging in an exquisitely crafted fantasy realm.

[Laurla2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

-5 stars. drew me in and i didn't want to put the book down.

its the first book in a new series. a spinoff that started off in the Chronicles of Elantra series book Cast in Wisdom. this book is about Robin and his friend Raven, and there is danger in the school, the Acadamia.

"Raven hadn't slept that night. her thoughts were loud, like a swarm of angry wasps; they buzzed and buzzed, breaking the quiet that sleep demanded, although Raven herself didn't make a sound."

"Robin said it was safer to be liked, but Raven knew from experience it was far safer to be unseen, to be almost invisible."

"this was part of the reason she found people so tiring. it wasn't hard to understand their words - but it was often impossible to understand what they meant."

"the look he gave Terrano should have shriveled the Barrani had Terrano any capacity for shame."

"you are ignorant."
"that's why i'm a student. i want to be less ignorant."

[Mimi Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This is the start of a spin-off set in Elantra which is centered on the Academia, and with a new (but familiar) set of protagonists. I would recommend reading installments across the two series in chronological/publishing order, since I don’t believe this works well as a starting point. It’s very connected to events and characters we’ve seen in Kaylin’s series.

To try make this a proper #1 the author does deliver a LOT of information in the first half of the book to try to catch the reader up - on the world and its properties, various characters and all that had happened in a solid chunk of the other series. So, if you’re familiar with Elantra, there’s an issue in slogging through all that.

And yet, somehow, I didn’t get in the end whether our protagonist was twelve or fifteen years old or what.

To conclude: would have been easier for many readers if the spin-off was distanced from main series by having a more segregated cast or similar.

Still, I did like a lot in this book. The Academia is a cool setting, especially during a murder spree which should not be possible. Robin and especially Raven were fun to follow, as street kids navigating so much. Many interesting conflicts arose around Raven and her admittance. In the end, the author also takes us to a completely new mythological, magical angle and part of Elantra.

Lots of cool possibilities for the next book (which will hopefully have less of the intro difficulties)

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads you need to let me do half stars - I'd say this was a 3.5 - the first half of the book I was addicted, learning about the past and the magic and Robin and Raven was just so heartwarming - their relationship was very well done - the plot lost me toward the end - but the epilogue made up for that a bit because seeing that past event was eye opening

[Kathy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

SHARDS OF GLASS is set in the same world as the Chronicles of Elantra series and has some of the same characters. This story takes place at the recently rediscovered Academia which was once a center of learning for the world but was shifted out of its timeline in the battle to defeat Shadow which was set to consume the world.

Young Robin was kidnapped from the Warrens when it was discovered that Academia needed students to complete its recovery. After the defeat of the people who wanted to use Academia to build their own powers and a new Chancellor was chosen, the quest for new students began.

Robin proposed the friend who kept him alive in the Warrens when he was a child. Raven was a strange person who knew how to survive and chose to help Robin survive too. Robin is the one who named this child Raven and who acted as her interpreter to the world since she was almost completely nonverbal when they first paired up.

Robin hoped that bringing Raven to Academia would provide the safety, food, and shelter that were so scarce in the Warrens. He wasn't expecting to drop her in the middle of a campus where random students were being murdered.

Robin has been making new friends among the students including three of the Cohort of Barrani who were rescued from captivity in an earlier book of the Chronicles of Elantra. Serralyn loved the Academia especially its endless library staffed by Arbiters from three ancient, immortal races. And Terrano was another friend who was most changed by their captivity and now has very non-Barrani abilities. Robin is even friends with Starrante who is one of the librarians and a Wevaran who looks like a giant spider.

As Robin and Raven work together to solve the murders and preserve this new home they learn more about each other and more about the pasts that are impacting their presents.

This was an excellent, complex fantasy filled with magic and magical beings. Robin seems to be an ordinary human but one with a potential magical ability. Raven is anything but human which comes as a surprise to Robin. The Chancellor of the Academia is a dragon. The Arbiters are a Wevaran, an Ancient, and a Barrani. There are sentient buildings and human mages.

But beyond the fantastical elements, this is a story of friendship and love and finding a home. I really enjoyed it and would be eager for more stories in this world.

[Reece · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC from NetGalley

3.75 stars

I procrastinated reading this one because the blurb made it seem like it would read a bit younger than it does. I really enjoyed reading it, but it needs to be like 200 pages shorter. There was so, so, so much repetition. Wait, repetition is not really the right word.. perseveration? Shit that could be said in a paragraph is dragged on for a full page. Frequently.

I also became frustrated with the lack of dialogue tags. I often find they are used unnecessarily/excessively, but this book has so many people speaking at the same time that it can get quite confusing when it's not specified who is actually speaking. There are also long and winding chunks of dialogue which are broken up into several paragraphs, and combining that with a lack of dialogue tags, if you aren't paying close attention, you can get confused.

On the note of confusion, I dislike it when authors have several characters with very similar names in terms of spelling and length; for instance, Serralyn, Sendallan, and Sedarias. When there are characters you aren't super familiar with or who aren't major players, it gets difficult remembering who said/did what.

I found myself kind of baffled several times, to the point that I just kind of had to shrug and roll with it and hope I figured it out later. Or, I just kind of figured it didn't really matter since there was so much perseveration.

I went into this book without having read any of the author's other books. She has written at least 17 other books that also take place in this world. I do wonder if I would have been less confused if I hadn't gone in blind.

I did find the idea fascinating, and the world was very interesting. I like the idea of sentient buildings that can project avatars that can be interacted with. Raven was a very interesting character. If you've read the slow regard of silent things by Patrick Rothfuss, I was getting some similar vibes from this book. I did find this one to be written in a more artistic-vague style. If it was a bit more concise and less confusing, it could have been a 5-star read for me.

[Stacy Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not really sure why, but I struggled with this book. The story was interesting and so were the characters. It built on the of Cast world of Elantra, which is one of my favorite series, grew some of the characters/ locations from that series, and expanded the Elantran story of magic.
I didn't get wonderfully sucked in though, but the only real complaint I had was that I grew tired of how many times the reader was told how "different" Raven is.
That being said, I will read anything else that comes out in this series, and might read it again.

[Marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shards of Glass is a bit of a side story in the marvelously interwoven, intricately-plotted, and long-running Chronicles of Elantra series. It takes us deep into the heart and soul (and yes, it most certainly has one, literally as well as figuratively) of the formerly lost and presumed destroyed Academia, the institution that was found hidden in a misty pocket of Elantra’s fiefs in Cast in Wisdom.

The Academia, both in its function as a school and repository of knowledge, and in the person of its sentient building, majordomo, administrator and caretaker, Killianas, is slowly recovering from its long, well, let’s call it a coma.

But it seems, at least at first, that someone or something or some force or all of the above is trying to prevent or at least delay that recovery. By way of murdering the students. That is not a situation that either the Chancellor, the Dragon Lord Lannagaros, or Killianas himself can allow to continue – not if they’re doing their jobs and/or following the purposes their hearts have called them to.

Which is where Robin, his friend Raven, and the woman they call the ‘grey crow’ wing their way into this considerably disturbed nest of learning and scholarship. Initially, they seem to be a bit at cross-purposes. Giselle, the information broker and ‘grey crow’ of the downtrodden slum known as the Warrens, just wants to get paid for bringing a new student to the Academia. Robin, once a denizen of those Warrens, wants to bring his friend Raven to the Academia, where she’ll be safe and warm and fed and be able to learn more things – just as he is.

But Robin is not safe at all, and neither is the Academia. Since it is Raven’s duty to keep Robin safe, she comes to the Academia to save him. And it. And all of the students who have come to call the place home.

Someone is murdering the students. Or something. Or magic. Or all of the above. No one is sure how they are being killed – or if the students are the intended victims. Or why its happening. Or who might benefit – or think they benefit – from the blood and the chaos.

Raven only cares that Robin is safe. So that he can fulfill a duty he hasn’t been allowed to remember. Which will bring an end to hers – whether her duty ends in success or failure, it will end in blood and tears either way.

Or will it?

Escape Rating A+: I began reading the Chronicles of Elantra in 2011, at which point the series was already seven books in. I have a distinct memory of where we were living and exactly what the room looked like as I read them – the series made that much of an impression and I was so completely hooked. My first official review of the series here at Reading Reality was for book 7, Cast in Ruin.

But, and it is an unfortunately large but in this case, as much as I love the series – and I very much still do – at this point in the main series, last year’s book 17, Cast in Eternity, it’s gotten harder and harder to get into each successive entry as the backstory has gotten bigger, more convoluted and considerably both denser AND more sprawling as it’s gone along. (I have audio for both book 16, Cast in Conflict and Cast in Eternity and have hopes the whole thing will work better for me that way.

But I love the series. I really, really love it. Which is what made both the Wolves of Elantra prequel series (The Emperor’s Wolves and Sword and Shadow), as well as this latest book, Shards of Glass, so good, so much fun, and so much easier to get stuck into.

The Wolves of Elantra is a prequel series, so it can serve as an intro to the Chronicles, but it’s also an excellent way to slip back into Elantra without having to hold all the details of everything in one’s head.

Shards of Glass, on the other hand, is a side story within the Chronicles. It sets a story almost entirely within the formerly lost Academia that was rediscovered in Cast in Wisdom and expands upon that setting and that setting pretty much alone. And it’s a fantasy mystery, which makes it all just that much better, as I love the fantasy mystery blending AND the story is contained enough within the now-mostly-functional Academia that one again does not need to remember all the ins and outs of all of Kaylin Nera’s many, many unexpected ‘adventures’ to happily get ensconced in this one.

Kaylin, the protagonist of the main Chronicles series, isn’t even a side character in Shards of Glass. She’s mentioned – as she should be all things considered – but this is most definitely NOT her story.

Instead, Shards of Glass takes the reader into the heart of that formerly lost Academia, where school is finally back in session after over a millennia of abeyance. The school, both as an institution and in the person of its sentient building and grounds, Killianas, is recovering.

At first, it seems like it’s flailing around its mystery – or at least all the characters within it are flailing, including the Dragon Chancellor and the Giant Spider Librarian. (The varieties of species, histories and perspectives are a huge part of what make the Chronicles of Elantra so much fun. The Dragons are particularly acerbic and wry, but then they can afford to be.)

A big part of the flailing is that there are so many possible motives for the murders and so little ability to settle on which one is correct. The flailing keeps falling apart on, not the classic mystery question of ‘Why benefits?’ but more a matter of who is believed to benefit or who believes they benefit and none of those possible avenues of investigation resolve to the same set of possible motives or suspects.

And of course they all turn out to be wrong – and wrong in a way that is buried in the legends of the deep past and will cause catastrophic destruction if they’re not sussed out in time and by the right people.

So Shards of Glass, both in the way the story works itself and the way it dives deeply into one of Elantra’s fundamental institutions, both fits perfectly into the way the series as a whole works and yet still introduces – or reintroduces – the reader to a small enough corner of the vastness that it’s possible to get completely stuck into the whole thing without remembering all the details of what came before.

On top of all of that, it’s a beautiful story about the power and saving grace of friendship, and that was just wonderful. Shards of Glass is worth the read for that factor alone and I’m so very glad I read it. Hopefully, by the time the next book in the main Chronicles of Elantra series, Cast in Atonement, comes out next August I will have caught back up to that last couple of books in the series that I missed.

Originally published at Reading Reality

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4

*Thoughts*

Michelle Sagara's Shard of Glass is set in the authors Chronicles of Elantra world. This book is set at the Academia, which you might be familiar with if you read Cast in Wisdom featuring Corporal Kaylin Neya. Kaylin was the one who discovered the Academia after it was lost for so long. The school, both as an institution and in the person of its sentient building and grounds, Killianas, is recovering, but it appears someone is trying to belay that recovery.

*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*

https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...

[Kris Sellgren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. Set in Elantra, but with different characters. The protagonist is a human boy who has just joined a magic school. The most intriguing character is his friend Raven, who seems to be a human girl on the autism spectrum. But is that really what she is? Much magic of different flavors, lots of sentient species, zero sex or romance. I enjoyed the freshness.

[Brie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. A good read, and a good off shoot of the standard Elantra series. I found myself missing my main cast of characters though, and there was a lot of heavier descriptive elements throughout ( as Sagara is somewhat prone to do), which are never my favorite parts of her writing. Overall a good read and I’d continue with more if this series continues.

[Meghan Cannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

After 100 pages I was still struggling to get into this book so ended up just putting it down. Maybe will go back to it but just couldn’t focus while reading

[Sheila · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF-did not finish

[Bobbie Kirkland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of SHARDS OF GLASS (Acacdemia Companion Novel to the Elantra fantasy series) by Michelle Sagara in exchange for an honest review. The Academia is coming back online with the help of its students. One such student is Robin, who was featured in the Elantra book wherein the Academia was rediscovered. As it turns out, Robin has a friend, Raven, whom he left behind in the Warrens when he was kidnapped to the Academia. Raven becomes worried and goes looking for Robin. She’s worried that Robin isn’t as safe as he thinks he is. Students are being murdered at the Academia. Soon, Robin eagerly and Raven reluctantly help investigate the murders. Some familiar characters are there to “help.”

The Chronicles of Elantra is one of my favorite series, so I was eager to read this book. I enjoyed it and recommend it to other fans of the series. Be aware the POV shifts between Raven and Robin, sometimes without notice. The book begins as if Raven is the main character, but finishes with Robin taking over the role.

#ShardsofGlass #NetGalley

[Dominique]

$2.99 Kindle and Kobo sale, April 30, 2024.

[Lauren Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm thought about this author before but haven't had the chance to read her yet. I have been missing out. The world building and Character building is top notch. Our main character or one of our main characters is Raven. A child born of the warrens who helps another boy Robin who gives her her name. The dynamic between these two is the main plot of this book. Raven seeking her missing friend journeys to the Academia to find him. This place of refuge and learning is hiding many secrets but then all the characters in this book are hiding secrets as well. and most of it revolves around shards of broken glass that the somewhat neurodivergent Raven collects like treasure and which through some magical means only she can find and collect them. This is a world of many races, sentient buildings and fights against great evils of the supernatural world as well as the one of the human heart. It is brilliant and kept me riveted throughout the whole book. I lost a lot of sleep over this one. amazing work. I thank netgalley and the author and publisher for letting me read it.

[Naw dawg · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 78%

Kept reading because I thought there was no chance I'd come across another 50 pages of vague dialogue, endless descriptions of how one of the characters has trouble putting thoughts into words or their orphan codependency, or triple and quadruple-negative sentences.

The plot never really takes off. There are unfinished dialogues that make the reader wonder what the actual result of the conversation was. There is repeated use of the same medium difficulty words that mask what is actually a pretty simple plot and writing done terribly. This could have been a 250 page book and been much better without all the repeated descriptions of the two MCs codependency on each other. Repeated descriptions without adding anything new.

[Michele bookloverforever · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rites of passage. Danger, friendship

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, this was an interesting read, though I almost DNF about 2/3 of the way through. The last third of the book is well written and compelling and it flows; the first 2/3 is about 60 pages too long and repetitive.

[Wendy]

DNF @28%

Too repetitive, too much “Raven is so different!” This is interspersed with info dumps that are summaries of other novels in the series.

[Marina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story idea and 1st book in the series. This is funny, with great characters and lots of complex emotions. It makes me think a lot.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note to Self:
Spoilers:
Robin Gardianno (Guardian,Gardener,pal,new ward,Academia student,heir,cousin,from warrens) &
sword avatar, ancient heirloom,historical,Teela's mother's sword
Raven(pal,his Guardian,from warrens)
Teela(An'Teela,Hawk,Corporal,Barrani High Court Lord,immortal,cousin,1 of 12 Barrani changed/cohort,ex-Arcanist,partner,pal,new legal guardian,carries one of the 3 Dragon slayers Kariannos, new Academia etiquette teacher),
Tain(Hawk,corporal,Barrani,immortal,partner,pal,Lord),
Lannagaros (Academia Chancellor,Dragon Lord,ex-head of Imperial Library,ex-Librarian, Archivest,oldest,ex- Arkon),
Killianas(Academia avatar,damaged,sentient)
Seldon Gardianno(Sel,older cousin,older bro,regent,traitor)
Larana(cousin,younger sis,6yrs older)
Serralyn(Barrani cohort,Teela's year mate,1 of 11 ex-lost children,pal,Academia student)
Valliant(Barrani cohort,Teela's year mate,1 of 11 ex-lost children,Academia student)
Terrano of Allasarre(ex-Barrani shadow,Teela's year mate,cohort/1 of 11 ex-lost children,Barrani High Court,pt Academia student,troublemaker)
Sedarias An'Mellarionne(female Barrani,Teela's year mate,leader cohort/1 of 11 ex-lost children,bloodline heir),
Giselle(Grey Crow,Warren Guardian,informant,info broker)
Arbiter Starrante(librarian, Waveren )
Arbiter Androsse(librarian, Ancient)
Arbiter Kavallac(librarian,Dragon )
Prof. Larrantin(Ancient Barrani,Academia)
Prof. Lakson of Leante (practical magic for beginners,scholar,cast court heir)
Helen(Avatar building,Kaylin's home)
Kaylin Neya (Corporal,Elianne,mortal,Hawk(groundhawk),partner,Chosen,magic apprentice, healer, volunteer midwife, Nightshade fiefling,orphan,Lord of Barrani High Court, kyuthe,pal) &
Hope(small glass lizard/dragon,familiar,like an elemental but shadow)
Imelda Erickson(Helen's tenant,roommate,baker,pal)
Annarion(Barrani,Teela's year mate,cohort/1 of 11 ex-lost children,Nightshades younger bro, bloodline heir)
Mandoran(Barrani,Teela's year mate,cohort/1 of 11 ex-lost children,bloodline heir)
Karian(Barrani,Teela's year mate,cohort/1 of 11 ex-lost children,bloodline heir),
Allaron(Barrani cohort,Teela's year mate,1 of 11 ex-lost children)
Fallessian(Barrani cohort,Teela's year mate,1 of 11 ex-lost children)
Torrisant(Barrani cohort,Teela's year mate,1 of 11 ex-lost children)
Tiamaris(Dragon Lord,fieflord,ex-Hawk,Court youngest member,ex-Sanabalis' student,pal)
Tara(Avatar,tower of Tiamaris,pal)
Sheila Hawman(Academia student)
Prof. Ian(Academia numbers)
Prof. Caryl(Academia reading & writing)
Beryl Endarelle(new Academia student)
Delia dar Cassia(Aerian,new Academia student,new pal)
Tarransin of Menelas(Barrani, Academia student who left,Robin's Barrani language tutor)
Elisianne(Barrani)
An'Teremaine(Barrani)
Scholar Serriat(new academia Prof.)
Eternal Emperor(Dariandaros of Ebon flight,Lord,Dragon Court),
Onar Harrowmere(ally, human caste court,elder,family pal)


Mentioned only;
Corporal Severn Handred(mortal,Hawk,corporal, partner,Lord of Barrani High Court,ex-Shadow Wolf,Nightshade fiefling, orphan,pal),
Corporal Danelle(?)
Moran dar Carafel(Hawk,Aerian,Sergeant,infirmary)
Lord Grammayre(Hawklord,Aerian),
Lord Nightshade(Calarnenne,Outcast Barrani High Court,fieflord,Kaylin's namebound,Annarion's older bro),
Evanton(Keeper of the elemental garden,mentor,pal),
Consort(Lady,Barrani High Court,middle sis,Keeper of the Lake,ex-pal),
High Lord(Lord of the Green,older bro,Barrani High Court),
Lord of the West March(Lirienne,Consort's younger bro,Barrani High Court,Kaylin's namebound, pal),
Hallionne Alsanis(avatar West March, Barrani way station,ex-lost,ex-exiled)
Eddorian(Barrani,Teela's year mate,cohort/1 of 11 ex-lost children,Iberrienne's older bro,lives in the West March),



Not mentioned, notes to self;
Sanabalis(Lord,Dragon Court,mage,mentor)
Lord Emmerian(Dragon Court)

[EA Solinas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: “Shards of Glass” is the first volume of a new series by Michelle Sagara, but it takes place in the same universe as her Elantra series, and harkens back to events from that series. So if you haven’t read that series, you’re going to be confused.

And it seemed to open with a lot of promise, since a magic school opens the doors for a lot of exploration of a fantasy world. And considering the magic school is actually alive, has a dragon for a chancellor and a giant spider for a librarian, “Shards of Glass” seems like it has a good basis for a fantasy whodunnit – but it feels like it gets tangled up in its own mysteries and doesn’t explore the Academia itself very much.

An ancient magic school called the Academia has been brought out of hibernation, and contains new students for the first time in centuries. A young homeless girl named Raven is brought there to find her best friend Robin, who is now a student at the Academia and who thought she would be happy and safe there. Unfortunately, she arrives just in time for a murder – and discovers a piece of glass under the body. In case you’re wondering, Raven collects pieces of glass, metal, and whatever other “treasures” catch her fancy.

But this is no ordinary glass – not only was it invisible before Raven picked it up, but it burns the hands of the Academia’s avatar, Killian. And as more mysterious murders pile up, Robin and the faculty of the Academia discover more mysterious, extremely dangerous glass and metal. They also have more questions about exactly who Raven is and what powers she has, as she might be the key to figuring out exactly what is trying to destroy the Academia.

The Academia itself is perhaps the weakest element of “Shards of Glass” – precisely because we don’t know much about it. Despite being a school of magic, we only meet a few students, don’t know much about what they teach, and don’t know much about daily life there. Michelle Sagara seems more intrigued by the idea of a living campus and immortal library being infiltrated by inexplicable powers. Fair enough, it is interesting. But it feels like we don’t know the Academia enough to worry about its possible destruction.

Instead, Sagara focuses on the whodunnit aspects of the plot, both the murderous and the magical. Her writing is solid and fairly atmospheric, although the characters tend to repeat things a lot (such as the glass not being visible until Raven got it). It’s only at the two-thirds mark that things start to coalesce and the many oddities – both with Raven and the attacks – are given some kind of answers, and the tension amps up as we find out more about what’s going on.

Raven herself is an interesting character – she has some traits in common with autistic people like highly individual priorities, issues with communication and single-minded focus. Yet it becomes clear soon after that her traits are the result of something else, and she herself isn’t what she seems. Robin seems like a fairly generic character, but similarly we learn that he’s not what he seems. Then there’s the eccentric Barrani Terrano, the draconic chancellor, the temperamental professor Larrantin, and the giant spider-librarian Starrante.

“Shards of Glass” takes a while to pull itself together, but once it does, Michelle Sagara’s spinoff book has some truly gripping twists and developments. For fans of her Chronicles of Elantra series, this would be a treat.

Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Ro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely story about friendship, but SLOW and DENSE reading

The premise, characters, mystery, and world building of this YA fantasy novel are all enjoyable. As others have said, friendship is the core of this tale, and the primary characters learn to recognize what it is, what it means if its positive, and what it can be if its valued. I bought this ebook on the strength of its sample, yet around the 20-33% complete mark, I was regretting it because of how truly slow I found it, and it got more bogged down with so many characters and descriptions of eye colors over and over and over about nearly ALL of those characters (I got it: they indicate mood and strength of mood, but how many times does a reader need that information reiterated?). And the explanations that help a reader stay with the story or know they are on the right or wrong track were not there (they show up WAAAAY further in, almost too late to keep me bothering with trying to follow). BUT...I did keep going, because after spending $13 on an EBOOK (!), there was no way I wasn't going to slog it out, lol. I'm glad I did, because the complete story was lovely, and just because I prefer less sprawling stories that are a little easier to follow doesn't mean that others do. What is important about this book is that the primary characters are compelling, their journey is worth joining, and the many messages--both to indicate positive and warn against negative--are deftly blatant in a way that isn't preachy but instead, encourages self-reflection. It is important for us to read, and read widely in order to make and keep our minds sharp, and I am guilty of reading fiction almost exclusively. With this story (which seems to wisely be a standalone that has ancillary/"more stories in this world" potential), I did at least read out of my primary styles, and it made the work of doing so well worth the effort! If you like the slow-build with lots of moving parts and no breadcrumbs to follow before the "Ah!" moments of revelation, this book is a wonderful choice for you. If you don't, trust that the story will be a different kind of reward and give your imagination a good bump out of any autopilot rut. :)

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

I have not read the Elantra books but have read the author's Sun Sword and House War series (written under the pen name Michelle West). Surprisingly, with this book I was not lost and could follow the plot easily (though I imagine I did not get the subtleties of the side characters or backstories, of course). Without having read the Elantra books, I still found this an engrossing and enjoyable read.

Story: Robin has lived in the hardscrabble Warrens since he was little. He has one friend, Raven, a mysterious girl his age who has saved his life many times with her ability to sense danger and find hiding places. Raven is difficult to talk to but Robin has found a way to communicate with the waif. When he disappears, Raven knows she needs to go find him - leading her to the Academia. There, the two will have to face both a terrifying future and a devastating past as students suddenly show up murdered in what should be the safest place in the city.

This has all of the Sagara/West trademarks: depth, nuance, rich world building, and quirky characters. The interactions between Robin and Raven (we get a POV from both) are incredibly interesting but never pandering - there are several mysteries in the world and from our characters that are explored throughout the novel.

The pacing is excellent and the magic here quite interesting. Despite being in a well written world, the focus here is very narrow on the two street urchins. Both are more than they seem and will play a large part in what is happening. Other reviewers have given where this fits in the Elantra series but really the big picture isn't needed to follow this side story.

In all, another excellent Sagara/West book - one I hated to see end. It was a great glimpse into the Elantra series and one I am sure to pick up now. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot, overall!

I thought it fit in very well within the world of the rest of the series, and that Raven and Robin were interesting protagonists to follow, especially their relationship with each other as each others' only friends, and helping where the other had a weakness (surviving vs. becoming human). Unraveling the mystery of Raven's origin and how she ended up friends with Robin kept me interested, as well as the whole 'what is the glass Raven is collecting' mystery.

I also thought it ended at a great place - Raven and Robin able to reestablish their friendship, but without bonds of obligation this time, and with Raven able to stay in the world as she becomes more 'human'. I look forward to where their bond, and each of them as individuals, go going forward.

It was mildly annoying getting the occasional infodump of backgrounds on characters who have been in the Elantra series for like ten books, but I understand that this (1) may be intended to be a franchise starter, and (2) not everyone read the entire Elantra series to this point within the last couple of years. I also have to admit some skepticism that there is this labyrinth with power gained from thoughts of Ancients (amazing concept, though) and that none of the immortal species know about it, but an unbroken line of humans (over hundreds of years at least) kept knowledge about it secret/going.

I also thought that there was some unnecessary repetition in how characters were feeling, and some bloat, especially toward the end.

Getting to see the Warren was great - it's been mentioned in the main series, but not much time was ever spent there, and it was nice to get more of the sterrante arbiter (love him), Serralyn, and the Academy general. Terrano remains mildly annoying to me, but I enjoyed pretty much all of the other characters. And Teela showed up! And even Sedarias, briefly!

Overall I thought this was a fun book that, though it had some flaws, I devoured. I enjoyed the new protagonists, and look forward to reading more!