Review: Beyond The Shadows by Brent Weeks

BEYOND THE SHADOWS
Book Three of the Night Angel Trilogy
Published: December 1, 2008
ISBN-10: 0316033669
ISBN-13: 978-0316033664

Review: 4/5

So I took a massive hiatus in reading, writing, and even art. Work was just bogging me down for a long time. Anyway, it took me forever to finally finish Beyond the Shadows. Truthfully, I forgot a lot of the stuff that I read in the very beginning, but when I was finally able to sit down and pound away some pages, I got back into the swing of Weeks' world.

The only reason I gave this final volume of the trilogy four of five stars is because is very long. Long books are great. Long books with great characters are even better. However, there are WAY TOO MANY characters in this entire series. Some have all the face time while others are below third-supporting characters. They're basically mentionables.

However, into the grit of the story. Weeks finished off the Night Angel Trilogy with a massive blow. While I followed the boy Azoth as he became Kylar, an enigma and soon to be one of the most legendary Wetboys (assassins) in Cenaria, his character is every part of every other character's role in the series. He is connected to almost everyone. By meeting, speaking, humiliating, or killing.

The battle for Cenaria closes with Kylar finally earning his right as THE Night Angel. He is judgment and retribution, death and life, but he is lover and compassionate man at the end. Kylar's growth spans the whole series. If you ever find your to-be-read list running thin (which most readers don't), I would certainly recommend adding The Night Angel Trilogy to your TBR. The world is vast and rich, the magic and lore so woven into dialogue and mannerisms, it sold me from beginning to end.

Weeks has recently put out the first novel of his second series, The Black Prism. I hope to get to that one, but I also recently found out Weeks is set to publish (soon) a Night Angel novella, Perfect Shadow, which will tell more about the rise of Kylar's witty mentor, Durzo Blint.

Peace and Writing Love,

JWP

Now Reading: Beyond the Shadows by Brent Weeks

BEYOND THE SHADOWS
Book Three of the Night Angel Trilogy
Published: December 1, 2008
ISBN-10: 0316033669
ISBN-13: 978-0316033664

Logan Gyre is king of Cenaria, a country under siege, with a threadbare army and little hope. He has once chance - a desperate gamble, but one that could destroy his kingdom.

In the north, the new Godking has a plan. If it comes to fruition, no one will have the power to stop him. Kylar Stern has no choice. To save his friends--and perhaps his enemies--he must accomplish the impossible: assassinate a goddess.

I am very excited to finally finish the Night Angel Trilogy. Here in the conclusion, after so much happening in the second book, Shadow's Edge, you couldn't possibly think some greater scheme is at large. WRONG! Brent Weeks made the choice to throw the large battle of Pavvil's Grove in Shadow's Edge, ready to impress you in Beyond the Shadows. It was like the Battle of Pelennor Fields all over again.

So here, after only reading the back flap, I know I'm expecting a fireworks finale. Kill a goddess? A new Godking rises? This means Kylar is taking on a hit greater than the last -- he's going right to the source, the goddess Khali, who empowers the Godking, his Vurdmeisters and wytches with the corrupting "vir." It'll be one heck of a showdown, for Kylar is a user of Talent, the one force of magic that opposes the vir all together. It's like the two sides of The Force. Oh yeah, going to be fireworks for sure.

Review of Beyond the Shadows to come.

Peace and Writing Love,

JWP

Review: Shadow's Edge by Brent Weeks

SHADOW'S EDGE
Book Two of the Night Angel Trilogy
Published: November 1, 2008
ISBN-10: 0316033650
ISBN-13: 978-0316033657
Review: 4/5
Cover: 4/5

Highlight the blocked out spoilers to read them.

Brent Weeks has done it again in Shadow's Edge. While this second novel in the series was slower in the middle, telling of Kylar and how he is trying to get out of the way of the shadows, it soon picks up at the pace I love Brent Weeks for.

After he killed his master, Durzo, Kylar began rejecting everything about the assassin's life. He wanted a life with his childhood friend, Elene. They adopt a young girl, Uly, from Momma K, the leader of a very popular brothel. It turns out Uly is the daughter of Momma K and Durzo, and Kylar has more of a reason to escape the life of killing.

However, when his old friend, Jarl, comes knocking to recruit Kylar back for one last hit, the memories of that life slowly start to come back to him. That, and he learns Logan Gyre, his best friend and King of Cenaria, is alive. Kylar's final hit is the Godking, the murderous and very powerful ruler of the Kahlidorian army. Through betrayal and heartbreak as he watches friends die at his side to take on this hit, Kylar feels more like he needs this. He was meant for this one kill.

Now, here is where Brent Weeks really sucked me in. In the last ten or twelve chapters or so, things are moving so quickly with all of these characters coming out of the woodwork to participate in the final battle. While Logan leads the battle charge against the Godking's army, Kylar and his sworn enemy, Vi, make a pact to take down the Godking together.

After all is said and done, Logan succeeds in breaking the Kahlidorian threat and Godking is dead. He wants to return to Elene, but knows she will reject him. All he has now is the mysterious black ka'kari, the artifact that made him the Night Angel. A voice comes from the ka'kari, telling him to visit Durzo. He uncovers a letter at Durzo's grave, written by his master and dated a month after Kylar killed him. Durzo is alive!

Blew my mind! Sprockets and bolts were clicking everywhere. Didn't see it coming. I had assurance that something more was coming because everything seemed to be culminating in only the second book, and sure enough, I downloaded Beyond the Shadows last night. Can't wait to finish this trilogy.

Peace and Writing Love,

JWP

Now Reading: Shadow's Edge by Brent Weeks

SHADOW'S EDGE
Book Two of the Night Angel Trilogy
Published: November 1, 2008
ISBN-10: 0316033650
ISBN-13: 978-0316033657

Kylar Stern has rejected the assassin's life. The Godking's successful coup has left Kylar's master, Durzo, and his best friend, Logan, dead. He is starting over: new city, new friends, and new profession. But when he learns that Logan might actually be alive and in hiding, Kylar is faced with an agonizing choice: will he give up the way of the shadows forever and live in peace with his new family, or will he risk everything by taking on the ultimate hit?

I went out on a whim when I first picked up The Way of Shadows from my local Borders. It was the first novel of a new series from an author I had never heard of or even dreamed of exploring.

Am I ever glad I did!

Brent Weeks has a voice and rich world that rivals my other current great love, Jim Butcher. Where Butcher relies on his clever dialogue, Weeks's world is mighty, grand, and full of surprises. It is your classic fantasy setting, with a twist here and there. The city is falling apart in places and flourishing in others, and amidst all of it is the boy, Kylar Stern, who became one of the greatest wetboys (assassin) in Cenaria.

I am very excited to finally pick up Shadow's Edge after a long love affair with Butcher. I'm ready to return to the world of wetboys, prostitutes who are equally as dangerous (if not more), and magic that just astounds me. I'm a sucker for a fantastic magic system, and Weeks's use of "vir," tattoo-like magic, always draws me in. Then there is the mysterious "ka'kari," a series of artifacts each imbued with the protection of a single element. But there also exists the powerful silver ka'kari, which belonged to Durzo. Kylar has yet to fully explore the ka'kari's true potential, but I expect Shadow's Edge will deliver more explanation, more world, more character, and more gritty death and violence that made me glad I picked up The Way of Shadows.

Review of Shadow's Edge to come in recent weeks.

Peace and Writing Love,

JWP