Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for Shadows Return by Lynn Flewelling starting on August 3, 2024.


Happy Reading!

Spot!

Thank you!!

Suggested Schedule:
1. Luck in the Shadows (Jan 3) [link]
2. Stalking Darkness (Feb 3) [link]
3. Traitor's Moon (March 3) [link]

Take a break for the Tamir Triad:
1. The Bone Doll's Twin (April 3) [link]
2. Hidden Warrior (May 3) [link]
3. The Oracle's Queen (June 3) [link]

Return for the rest of the series:
4. Shadows Return (Aug 3)
5. The White Road (Nov 3) [link]
6. Casket of Souls (Jan 3) [link]
7. Shards of Time (Feb 3) [link]

Stories in Glimpses: A Collection of Nightrunner Short Stories can be worked in around the timeline.

audio: Nightrunner 1-3 on Hoopla
ebooks: no library/subscription available

Read this today and really enjoyed it! Nothing was familiar to me--so I'm pretty sure we've reached the books I've not read yet! (view spoiler)[Oooh, slavery stories make me so grrr!! I hated that Alec and Seregil had to bow and scrape... but I'm glad they were never truly broken. It was heartbreaking to see all the slaves who kept trying to convince them they needed to give up and give in... and that one 'fae who killed herself rather than be caught again!!

As for the slave who was befriending Alec--I was so surprised when he turned out to be Seregil's old lover and betrayer! I'm more with Alec than Seregil... I want him dead. I don't feel any empathy for what he endured as a slave. He is still a horrible person. I'm glad he died.

I really liked how this book picked up dangling threads from the previous books--specifically tying off Seregil's past and the prophecy about Alec.... and it looks like we're going to get ties to Alec's past too, with the epilogue.

The Queen is disturbing though... I'm thinking she was probably a red herring as far as who set up S&A, but her tendency toward grudges and inability to trust even her family is not reassuring... (hide spoiler)]

Goodness gracious! I am never going to catch up!!! I will be here soon though...

I hope you enjoy! Next one hasn't been scheduled yet, so we can always adjust for how overbooked everyone is getting. I think it's only three of us who continued this far?

Ghhhrrrt!!! The slavery thing is really triggering for me , every time! And this one is written well enough to be really disturbing! I see you had the same reaction...

I am up to Ch. 37... About 11 more chapters to go...

I have to say, this has been intense! (view spoiler)[ When it started, I thought what would have me upset would be the Queen, for who knows what reason, wanting to disband The Watchers.... Why? It doesn't make any sense! And I don't think she has good intentions towards our guys and her half sister...

The slavery was written too well, if you ask me. The psychological torture was horrible and the constant threat of mutilation, as well as all the slaves that had been completely broken, and the old slave who killed herself rather than get captured again, it just broke my heart...

And the little creatures that the fucker tortured and dismembered, the ones he made from Alec's blood, this was too much! I want him dead and that had better happen in the next 11 chapters!

It looks like they might actually run away and they are taking the third created child with them. Hopefully they all survive this, including the petty jealous dude who used to be Seregil's lover and obviously betrayed them... But how did he learn they were coming that way? And who was the Fae who actually got it done in exchange for the 42 clan members? I hope we learn by the end of the book... (hide spoiler)]

Finished! This one was really good;!! (view spoiler)[ That child that isn't a child is kind of creepy, but cool at the same time. And it is possibly a dragon? Whaaaaatttt?! Did not expect that at all!!! But now it appears that Alec's mother's people are going to hunt to kill it???? Why???? It isn't hurting anyone... I hope they would leave it alone, but I know they will not... Please tell me it survives the series!!! We still have 3 books left and I fear they will kill it:((((

Glad the bad dude died! He didn't suffer enough for my liking. I think our people should take down that system, which supports slavery somehow.... (hide spoiler)]

I am excited to see where we go from here!

re: Chapter 37--I totally agree! I was so incensed at (view spoiler)[the Queen at the start, for being so suspicious and making problems she didn't need to be making--and then all the slavery happened and completely supplanted those feelings!

The spirits of the poor slaves was the most disturbing for me too... it's one thing to break someone's body, another to break their mind, and a complete other level to break their spirit... the gaslighting too, keeping Alec & Seregil from each other, and the former lover playing both of them... I would not have forgiven him. Not that I think Seregil did, exactly... more, he just stopped caring. Kind of like what they say about the opposite of love being indifference, instead of hate... (hide spoiler)]

Exactly!!!! It was so well written!!! It had me on my toes, I was angry and hurt, and still I love that they never truly broke. This is why the ex made me feel pity for him, because they actually had broken him ... And then gave him some hope, and broke him again... Just sad that this existed at all....

So true!

I think Emily was planning on joining us again for this series--should we wait to see if/when she makes it here before scheduling the next one, or go ahead for next month? Or the month after? Or December?

Cool with me. It is hard to forget, so I am not worried when we pick it up again, as long as we do:)))

Still havent gotten to this, but I plan to! Would prefer after September if yall dont mind for the next one!

Sure! We will let you catch up

I'm also game with post Sept... do we want to take a break for Spooktober, and maybe pick up for Nov 3rd? These books are kinda cozy... even with the bloody bits.

Sounds good!

Request made for Nov 3 for #5!

Oops almost forgot to read this! Putting it in my immediate queue :)

Through Chapter 10 (view spoiler)[ man, do I hate slave plot lines... They make me feel so angry and powerless! (hide spoiler)]

Emily, me too!!! that is exactly how they make me feel!!!!!!

Choko wrote: "Emily, me too!!! that is exactly how they make me feel!!!!!!"

Very frustrating to read about! But it was certainly a page turner! (What's the equivalent term in audio? lol) and I finished it in one go. I was sad to leave behind Tamir and co, but happy to be back with Alec and Seregil! I'm apprehensive about what the new Queen will do.. I don't trust her.

Read through y'alls spoilers and very much agree with what's said. The slavery parts were a little too real and soul crushing! (view spoiler)[ While Sebrahn was very different from Brother, he really reminded me of him.. Just the creepy vibes maybe. But a dragon?? Was not expecting that at all! I guess with Alec's mixed blood the dragon takes the form of a person rather than the classic winged creature we'd picture as a dragon??

Also yeah the alchemist dude did NOT suffer enough. I even missed the part where he died at first because it was so sudden!

And former lover dude is still out there... I know he suffered a lot and doesn't deserve slavery, but I don't trust him free out there with what he's been shown to do in the past.

I'm wondering if the current queen being so suspicious of her sister in the way she's been will in fact cause the sister to usurp.. Like something she brought onto herself. (hide spoiler)]

Are there threads for books 5 through 7? I can not find them via the search function.

We've only scheduled to #5 so far here

First post updated with thread for #5 too.

No one else made it to #5 yet! Folks still planning on reading?