512 pages | 2/23/16 | Shades of Magic #2 | Tor Books | Fantasy
A Gathering of Shadow picks up a few months after ADSOM and our characters are reunited just in time for an international contest that pits magician against magician— and it’s a lot like Goblet of Fire. I legit kept thinking that for the first few chapters of the books. I mean Lilah even “Harry Potters” herself into the competition. You know that thing where an underqualified competitor gets themselves into the competition and The Powers That Be let it slide because. . . Chosen One? (yes, I know Harry doesn’t put his own name in, but still.)
Overall this felt like a solid”middle of the series” book. At first, I thought this was going to be an episodic series because it introduces so many new plot elements and conflicts. Instead it just very slo-o-o-o-wly continues the arc from the first book. I think fans of the world and the brooding characters will enjoy this, but those looking for something more plotty might find this one a little slow. Speaking of brooding characters, we get introduced to the flashy, snarky, mysterious pirate Alucard. I sorta feel like this book was written just to introduce this character.
Michael Kramer and Kate Reading take over the narration duties and to be honest–I could take or leave the narration. Reading, who was raised in England, has done a ton of historical romance drops her vaguely British accent at odd times. While I was excited to see how Kramer would interpret the characters he basically mimics Steve Crossley. The pair does an admirable job but at the end of the day, I think younger voice would have done more justice to the characters. I think I may check out the next book in paper.
1/2 of the blogging duo at Books and Sensibility, I have been blogging about and reviewing books since 2011. I read any and every genre, here on the blog I mostly review Fantasy, Adult Fiction, and Young Adult with a focus on audiobooks.