Published by: HarperTeen, April 4th 2017
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 560
Format: Ebook
Source: HarperTeen, via Edelweiss
Alyssa ana'Raisa is the reluctant princess heir to the Gray Wolf throne of Fells, a queendom embroiled in a seemingly endless war. Hardened by too many losses, Lyss is more comfortable striking with a sword than maneuvering at court. After a brush with death, she goes on the offensive, meaning to end the war that has raged her whole life. If her gamble doesn't pay off, she could lose her queendom before she even ascends to the throne.
Across enemy lines in Arden, young rising star Captain Halston Matelon has been fighting for his king since he was a lýtling. Lately, though, he finds himself sent on ever more dangerous assignments. Between the terrifying rumors of witches and wolfish warriors to the north and his cruel king at home, Hal is caught in an impossible game of life and death.
Set in the world of the acclaimed Seven Realms series, this is a thrilling story of the unfathomable costs of war, the allure of dark magic, and two principled and conflicted characters, drawn together despite everything they stand to lose.
Alyssa ana'Raisa is the reluctant princess heir to the Gray Wolf throne of Fells, a queendom embroiled in a seemingly endless war. Hardened by too many losses, Lyss is more comfortable striking with a sword than maneuvering at court. After a brush with death, she goes on the offensive, meaning to end the war that has raged her whole life. If her gamble doesn't pay off, she could lose her queendom before she even ascends to the throne.
Across enemy lines in Arden, young rising star Captain Halston Matelon has been fighting for his king since he was a lýtling. Lately, though, he finds himself sent on ever more dangerous assignments. Between the terrifying rumors of witches and wolfish warriors to the north and his cruel king at home, Hal is caught in an impossible game of life and death.
Set in the world of the acclaimed Seven Realms series, this is a thrilling story of the unfathomable costs of war, the allure of dark magic, and two principled and conflicted characters, drawn together despite everything they stand to lose.
Okay so this was great but... I didn't love it.
And here's the thing - there's a lot in this that's pretty great. It does a good job of demonstrating different kinds of being feminine, showing women can be soldiers too (even if it does make Lyss really adhere to masculine tropes to do so, she really holds her own and lets herself be soft and romantic without seeing that as diminishing from her fighting and captaining.) There's really nothing that I don't like, except was it a little slow? Or was it the perfect pace to show how war really builds? Anyway, I really like Lyss, I still like Jenna and her dragon (!), and I fell so hard in love with Hal Matelon. Plus the world is amazingly built and feels so real. What I reaaaally liked was Lyss is a broad, muscular girl who isn't actually that pretty at all - and she doesn't give a shit!!
We don't see any character from the first book until halfway through the book which is 1) frustrating because I wanna see Adrian and 2) pretty darn cool actually. We get to see what's going on in a different part of the world while Arden goes to shit, and get closer to the Fellsian royals. I can't really pinoint what I don't like about Shadowcaster, if there is anything at all.
While I didn't fall head over heels for this book, I can't think of one thing I'd change. But please let there be Adrian in the next book!
Characters ★★★★☆
Setting/world ★★★★☆
Writing ★★★☆☆
