“Cast in Shadow is set mainly in the City of Elantra, which is governed by an Emperor Dragon and occupied by citizens of various species (races?): humans, the winged Aerians, dragons, Leontines, and the immortal Barrani.
Kaylin Neya, the troubled, heroine is marked by mysterious symbols--sigils and curves. She fled the fiefs when she was young when a terrible event occured in the fiefs; children bearing the type of markings she bears were being slaughtered.
Years later, it is up to Kaylin, who is a member of the Hawks of the Houses of Law, who police the city, along with others, including a dragon and a man from her past, to stop the slaughter of children, which is once again occurring.
Kaylin has a power that she does not understand and cannot herself control. Will her power lead them to finding those responsible for the slaughter of innocent children, or will it destroy her and others along the way?
Cast in Shadows is Michelle Sagaras' first book in The Chronicles of Elantra series. It's a fascinating tale that keeps you guessing at every turn. It's fast paced, and everyone has their secrets, so the intrigue is well-layered throughout the text. I really appreciate books that keep the reader guessing and keep the suspense built until the end.
Sagara does an excellent job at world building. She has a good eye for including little details that make the fantasy world she has built seem complete and real. She also does a great job of creating a flawed heroine, with some annoying traits, but those annoying traits make Kaylin seem believable.
I really enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the next book in the series.”
Jaede wrote this review Thursday, September 25 2008.
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