![]() ![]() ![]() Kell is very much the heart of the story, right from the opening line. ![]() The system of magic – so crucial to a fantasy story – is fresh and compelling and dark, and everything just feels filled with detailed history and character. Not only is that instantly intriguing but Schwab elegantly sets each one apart through as many subtle details (each London has a unique scent for example, of which its own citizens are unaware) as obvious ones, while the explanation for the naming convention is a charming, clever little detail. Take the basic idea – Red London, White London, Grey London and the semi-mythical Black London, no longer intertwined but still inextricably linked. To say much more would spoil the joy of finding out what happens for yourself, but suffice to say the worldbuilding here is phenomenal. Kell, one of the last remaining Antari, is a risk taker – when luck catches up with him he finds himself trapped in the only London without magic of its own. Each world is unique, but connected by a common factor – they each contain a city called London on the same spot, cities which were once linked freely but can now only be moved between by a tiny handful of individuals known as Antari. ![]() Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic is a delightful, instantly engaging adventure story in a fantasy setting of linked worlds and blood magic. Book one in the Shades of Magic series, V.E. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |