Cast in Shadow (The Chronicles of Elantra)

Whoever did the editing of this digital book should be fired. I had to stop reading after about 5 pages. There are missing sentences and/or paragraphs, and repeated paragraphs, sometimes 3 times with other sentences in between. There is no way to follow the flow of the story when it is broken up like this. I really enjoy this author and was very disappointed that her book was ruined by poor editing or production.

The Chronicles of Elantra is, simply put, my favorite series.

Whoa. As a life-long Tolkien fanatic that's tough to admit. But it's true. And this is the first, incredibly well written, book in such an excellent series.

Now, for the truth. It's a tough read. Especially the first half. A lot of things happen that don't make a whole lot of sense. Don't worry. They will later. And should you be wise enough to reread it, the true brilliance of this beginning will shine. Severn, Nightshade, and Kaylin are quite the trio.

The Elantra books bring together fantasy, mystery, police procedure, politics (yes, and honestly that is both their brilliance and may be their best part,) humor, and the slightest tinge of romance (which is funny as they're published under a Harlequin imprint.)

As to that humor? I'll leave you with this quote -
“How does he treat people he doesn’t like?”
“He probably eats them.” Marcus shrugged.
"That would break at least three laws.”
“Not really. Suicide isn’t illegal.”

"And being disliked by a Dragon is on record as a form of legal suicide?”

Cast in Shadow (2005) is the first Fantasy novel in the Chronicles of Elantra series. The Lords of the Law protect the Emperor and citizens from thieves and murderers. The Lord of Hawks governs those who actually solve cases.

In this novel, Kaylin Neya is an operative for the Hawklord. She has been working for the Hawks for a bit over two years, but was raised by the Hawklord for the past seven years. Before that, she lived in the fief of Nightshade.

Grammayre is the Lord of Hawks. He and the Lords of Wolves and Swords report directly to the Emperor.

Marcus is a Sergeant in the Hawks. He is called Old Iron Jaws, but not to his face. He is Kaylin's immediate boss.

Tannin is a Hawk. He is standing guard with Clint.

Clint is a Hawk. He is married to Sesti,

Severn is a former Shadow Wolf. He requested a transfer to the Hawks and was accepted. But Kaylin wants to kill him.

Tiamaris is a Dragon. He was ordered to the Hawks two days earlier.

In this story, Kaylin sleeps late, but doesn't want to rise. Her body and clothes are in poor shape. When her mirror rings, she knows that it is Marcus.

Marcus tells her that she is summoned by the Hawklord. He has been waiting for three hours. He wants to know where she has been.

Kaylin quickly washes and changes her clothes. Her pants are still a little damaged from her job. She wishes she had a bit more money to buy new clothes and the time to go shopping.

When she gets to the towers, Tannin wants to know where she has been. Clint knows where, but doesn't know that Sesti had a baby boy.

When Kaylin gets to Marcus, he also wants to know where she had been. The Leontine will probably swipe at her with his claws if she doesn't answer. She tells him that she has been doing a favor for the midwive's guild.

He growls at the response, but drops the matter. He tells her to report to the Hawklord. Kaylin hurries up to his office.

Grammayre coldly greets her and she replies to him. The Hawklord tells her that she is being sent to the fiefs. She will not go alone; two men will accompany her.

When Grammayre introduces her to Severn. she immediate throws a knife at him and charges toward him. She pulls another khife and throws that one. Severn avoids both knives.

Then she runs into him and tries to stab him with the third knife. The Hawklord intervenes and shields Severn. She is moved away from Severn by Grammayre.

Grammayre comments that he can tell that they know each other. Then he introduces Tiamaris. The Hawklord explains that each has some knowledge of the fiefs.

Since Kaylin was so late, Grammayre gives her a data crystal and tells her to learns about the case from it. Since Kaylin has never used such a crystal before, Tiamaris offers to unlock it for her. Kaylin refuses and lets the crystal unlock itself.

This tale starts with the crystal showing an aerial view of the fiefs. The city on the westside of the river are shown. There is where criminals are sent and the district from which she had come.

Then she sees the city through the eyes of man on the ground. He is carrying the body of a boy about ten years old. Kaylin sees the markings on the boy and screams. The arms of the body are marked much like Kaylin's.

The killings have come again to Nightshade. The next installment in this sequence is Cast in Courtlight.

Highly recommended for Sagara fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of archaic societies, magical beings, and primitive law enforcement. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

DNF around 53%
The idea is there. The execution is lacking.
We're told a lot of things about the people in the book but not shown any of it. I can't believe Kaylin is a Hawk worthy of any regard outside her usefulness in tracking the ceremonial killings and even in that, she's more of a pawn while Tiamaris does all the research. She can't be on time to save her life, can't take anything seriously-her classes, appearing to work on time, her own ignorance about the world in which she lives-and she is not a heroine I can get behind. She allows the people around her to keep things from her, because (and this is a guess) she's wants to take the easy, ignorant way out. She's too trusting of the people in the Hawks, which is surprising given her life in the fiefs (where you guess trust would be hard to get. I don't know. Couldn't follow the book too well).
We're not told anything, and I think it’s the author's way of keeping us in suspense. I think part of the problem is the 3rd person perspective that's not executed well. We're told Kaylin has these powers and are shown/told how she uses it to save people, but the other powers are alluded to: "you came close to losing control". I don't remember anything in that scene that would give the reader anything indicating that something terrible was going on with Kaylin and that she was struggling to keep anything back. And then, the ramifications of what could have happened had she truly lost control are not explained, which begs the question: So what?
There are plot points but no direct route from A to B. Just meandering and confusing scenes that make no sense in the grand scheme of things. I'm 50% through the book and I can't tell what progress has been made on the mystery. Nothing had been discovered by Kaylin. And if Tiamaris or Severn know anything, they won't offer to tell her and she never bothers to ask or push for answers.
The final straw in this book is the lack of female characters. I can count on ONE HAND the amount of female characters introduced. This isn't because it's a small cast; no, there are just so few meaningful female characters involved, and even the ones the author bothered to give any page time are fleeting.
Female 1: protag. Female 2: Neela. We're told she's a Barrani hawk who's badass and treats Kaylin like a kid sister. Up to 53% we don't see much of Neela and when we do, she doesn't show us her badassery and she seems like a character who's just there to take care of the protag and make her look good. Female 3: Marin, Leontine. Runs the orphanage. Took an instant liking/mothering to Kaylin. Understandable. Female 4: adolescent orphan girl Kaylin saves. Female 5: Kaitlyn: birdlike office worker who manages to put up with Marcus and always makes sure to hug Kaylin even though she never hugs anyone and mothers her, even though otherwise you're told it's not in her nature. There are references to other female characters, but it's in the context of being den wives or mothers of the Hawk men's children. It appears that, had other, competent females of equal training and education been around, we may not see how special Kaylin really is. And if more females were around, the men might not dote on her and treat her like the super special woman she really is.
I bought the audible version of this book. The narrator's pretty good, although she doesn't have a good range of male voices (which they should have tested for since most of the characters are men). Lord Nightshade sounds like a woman and I don't think that's what anyone was going for at all. I would listen to the narrator again.
I wish I could end this review any other way, but my final thought on this book is simply, UGH.
Two stars for interesting idea and the ability to get a publisher to buy and publish this book and 10 more in the series.

So first off I wanna say... Read this slowly ... Maybe my brain isn't fast enough ... There were several times I had to reread sections... A lot of times I was confused as heck. The author picks up in the day and the life of our heroine kaylin. The only thing is the author treats us the reader as if we already know much about this world we've been dumped in explanations come waaaaay after the question some time. It seems tho we learn with the main character but she's several classes ahead. Aside from this I though the book was great !!! For some reason it seemed to remind me of a magical law and order world... Don't know why Cept for the bodies ...and the way it seems to just pick up in the middle. I love the world tho ... It was new and fresh. I enjoyed the book despite some confusion

First in the Chronicles of Elantra fantasy series. It's thirteen years since events in "Cast in Moonlight" a short story in Mercedes Lackey's Harvest Moon, (Chronicles of Elantra, #0.5), and Kaylin has been a Hawk for a few years in the city of Elantra.

My Take
This really is good. I'd love it even more if Sagara would be a bit more clear as to who is doing what to whom for what purpose. It is at least a tiny bit more clear than the prequel, "Cast in Moonlight", and does leave us with more of a sense of ending this particular adventure. Although, Sagara is wicked with leaving hints for the future. It's creepy, fascinating, intriguing, and I can't wait to get my hands on Cast in Courtlight (Chronicles of Elantra, #2) to find out what happens next!

There is so much that occurs within this story...I'm feeling breathless just thinking about it! Sagara provides us with a backstory on Kaylin as well as Severn, and she doesn't hesitate to create yet more drama and tension for future installments. Nicely done.

Arghh, Sagara is making me crazy, teasing with the bits and pieces she's dribbling out about the markings on Kaylin! She gives a little and teases more. It's going to be a long, slow road to finally learn everything I need to know!

I like Kaylin. She does her best to do right by everyone. She's willing, for the most part, to be polite, but she definitely forges her own path in some very trying circumstances.

The Story
It's a flashback to the horror of her childhood. Children being marked. Killed horrifically. Worse, Severn is back. He's a traitor. A murderer and the Hawklord is forcing her to partner up with him to investigate this fresh spate of murders that bring it all back.

The Characters
Private Kaylin Neya, the former Elianne, was adopted by the Hawks some thirteen years ago, when she was thirteen. Her abilities are still kept secret to keep her safe. That side job of hers could see her dead.

The Hawks include:
Iron Jaw, more formally known as Sergeant Marcus Kassan, a Leontine Hawk. Tanner and Clint are Aerians (Kaylin loves touching Clint's forbidden wings); Sesti is Clint's wife and they've just had a baby. Tain and Teela are Barrani. Red---never call him Reginald---is their medical examiner. Moran, an Aerian, is one of the Hawks' medics.

Corporal Severn Handred has transferred to the Hawks from the Shadow Wolves, and it's only the Hawklord's disapproval that keeps Kaylin from killing him. Steffi and Jade were part of their family.

Lord Tiamaris will be their third partner in this investigation in the fiefs. A dragonshifter with high-level magic and access. A powerful being with whom Sergeant Kassan has issues. Lords Diarmat, Emmerian, and Sanabalis are all Dragons. Maukron the Black is the only outcaste Dragon. Ybelline is Tha'alani, but one that Kaylin could be comfortable with. But she is the emperor's.

Marrin is Leontine and she runs the human orphanage in Elantra. Catti is one of her young charges and desperately ill. Dock is another. Amos is the foundling home's guard.

Callantine is one of the powerful pompous, and arrogant Imperial mages who shows up for the autopsy. Burlan Oaks runs a tavern that Severn frequents. Lord Evarrim, an Arcanist, is a Barrani lord who takes an undue and threatening interest in Kaylin.

Lord Nightshade is an outcaste Barrani fieflord who has lent his name to his fief. Where Severn and Kaylani once lived. Brecht is a drunk and a pub owner, used to catch the Hawks' attention.

There are three peacekeeping forces and three Lords of Law: the Lord of Hawks, Lord Grammayre , the Hawklord, heads up the Hawks which are the city's eyes and ears; the Lord of Swords and his men are the peacekeepers; and, the Lord of Wolves and his people are its hunters and killers. Think of the Aerians as birdmen, not shifters. Barrani are the upper class in this society. Vicious, cruel and seem to have the appearance of what I would consider Fey. The Leontine are lion shifters. Tha'alani, a.k.a., Truthseekers, are mind readers. Their touch is NOT delicate. Arcanists are mages who work independently of the Dragon Emperor.

Fieflords are independent rulers of large neighborhoods outside the city proper. Theft and murder is a way of life in the fiefs.

The Cover
It's a cold turquoise cover with a bricked floor under roomy arches forming a tunnel into the light, an entire city built atop it. It's a serious Kaylin all dressed in black with her tattooed arms (kind of looks like brown and turquoise plaid sleeves).

I suspect the title refers to Kaylin's past, Cast in Shadow, with her interpretation of events.

I started reading this book while waiting on hold for some other books at the library. Honestly, otherwise I would never have finished it. I found the book to be rather confusing and difficult to follow. I was able to understand just enough to get the overall gist of what was going on. But I kept getting the feeling that I was missing something, like I should have read another book before reading this one to understand what was going on. I think that the author meant for it to be that mystery that you wait the whole book to find out, but for me, that wasn't the case. It just made everything confusing.

Now I'm fully aware that this could just be me and that others might not find this difficultly, but that's what I found for me. Take what you want from it!

** This reviewer owns the audio version of the book**

I have been contemplating purchasing this book for a while. Then Audible released a free short novella that acts as a prequel to this novel. After listening to that book I thought I would give this one a try. As I listened to the book I was at some points enjoying the novel and at others irritated.

In short, the author could have cut out a quarter to a third of the book because of the repetition. How many times do we have to know that "shrugging with the eyes" means they made a face signifying that. That explanation is fine once, every time someone "shrugs" like that however got old after the second use. The book is also a "bit" melodramatic in several places. I started feeling like I wanted to strangle the author in some parts... I'm not stupid, I can come to my own conclusions about how dire the situation is, ect. It felt like the author was writing a book for teens/adults, but felt the need to lead me through the story as if I were a child.

That said, there were enough good sections to keep this review at a three star. I don't know that I would listen to this book again because it is so painfully long (long books = good, long books that don't need to be long = bad)

There isn't much sex in the book, a few innuendos, but that is it. Not much romance either though it seems the author left it open for more romance later.
There was violence and death, in some parts pretty descriptive, though not in the autopsy thankfully. I wouldn't necessarily call it "graphic" for anything but the blood, in which case, this author really likes blood... blood on people after getting wounded, blood all over the ground after a fight. It was a bit over done for the content I felt like.
Language I thought was a bit excessive as well. I'm not a fan of cursing, etc, but if the words are well placed its not such a big deal. It felt like this book just had swearing thrown in "just because". It didn't really serve much of a purpose other than to make the main character seem crass, or to fill in blank spaces where the author couldn't think of anything else to have her say.

Overall, the story concept was interesting, and I was disappointed in the book. It wouldn't have been so bad if I had a real version because I could have skimmed the excessively long parts. Part of me wants to read the second book in hopes she will have improved (because the story is interesting) but I don't know that I can take the rest of the flaws.

I am a little behind on reading, and reviewing, this one as it has been out for a handful of years. I am happy I waited until now to read it, as I can now plow merrily through four more books rather than waiting for them to be written and released. I am unhappy I skipped over this one so many times while it sat, waiting for me to notice it, in my store as I really enjoyed reading it.

Cast In Shadow read like an excellent juxtaposition between traditional and urban fantasy. It had the fantastical world, peopled with a fun and interesting mix of peoples and cultures, and then the plot had all the overtones and quirks that usually trigger the urban designation. It was an intriguing read as a result.

I read some reviews that knocked the book for not spelling everything out for the reader, and all I can say is yes, the reader is expected to pick things up as the read and learn things on their own. If that does not appeal to you, this one will not tickle your fancy like it did mine. The reader does not get an introductory description/explanation of the world and its races. It is all revealed through events and interactions. There is enough to go on, and I was never left confused or foundering, so I am content with this method.

The protagonist is enjoyable and human. The series of murders that take up the bulk of the plot are distressing and weave and excellent sense of urgency throughout the book. I am very much looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.

The blurb on the back does not do it justice. Dont do what I did and pass it by initially. It was a quick, good read. I stayed up well past my bedtime reading, and most definitely spent some time ignoring things like houswork and the boyfriend as I happily turned page after page.

And today we have the first in yet another series I had heard much good about but avoided picking up for a variety of no good reasons. I think my reluctance stemmed somewhat from an uncertainty as to just what kind of series Michelle Sagara's Cast series was. I think at first I had the impression it was a paranormal romance, possibly an urban fantasy (the covers influenced me this way). A few chapters in I was surprised to find CAST IN SHADOW much more a mix of dark and high fantasy, peopled with a smattering of solid gold, humorous, and truly sinister characters living in a fully developed, layered, and fascinating world.

Kaylin Neya is a Hawk. The youngest of that number, in fact. In the city of Elantra, the Hawks are charged with policing the streets and guarding the citizens. They share that responsibility with their sibling organizations the Wolves and the Swords. Together the three forces are headquartered in the Halls of Law. Elantra's citizens are made up of a mix of humans like Kaylin, winged Aerians, furred Leontines, and the immortal Barrani. Seven years ago Kaylin left a life of squalor on the streets of the fief of Nightshade, gave herself a new name, and made her way to Elantra in search of a fresh start. Now her past has caught up with her as a series of murders takes place in Nightshade. Disturbing in their own right, they also bear an eerie resemblance to events in Kaylin's past she thought for sure she'd left behind.

CAST IN SHADOW starts at a good clip and doesn't slow down once. The writing is uncluttered and engaging and Kaylin is an extremely likeable heroine. She runs from a past so dark she has avoided revealing it to her closest friends. She has a gift for healing and will drop everything at a moment's notice to deliver a baby or rescue an orphan in trouble. It was actually kind of refreshing to read about a kick-a** heroine with a soft spot for children. So often they have an allergy to kids or have issues with some of the "softer" emotions and I loved Kaylin because she was both fierce and compassionate. I cheered her on when she was fighting and I wanted to help guard her secrets. Of which she has many. She has friends, enemies, comrades, and those who would use her for her unusual abilities, yet Kaylin remains a little aloof from them all, determined to make her own way. She's my kind of girl. Only a handful of pages into the book and I was completely invested from that point on. I loved this story and can't wait to move on to the next installment--Cast in Courtlight (Chronicles of Elantra, Book 2).

I got this book because Audible gave me the series "prequel" as a freebie and I was intrigued!

Kaylin is a little bit too stubborn at times, but she is overall realistic and fairly likable. I find that the side characters are what really make this book. There are a lot of side characters and it is sometimes difficult to keep everyone straight, but most of them are interesting. I find that in many books, a number of the side characters seem to be there for the sole purpose of making it possible for the main character to say or do something. Not so with this book! The side characters are unique and glimpses of their personalities leave me wanting to know more about many of them.

The setting, various races and castes are all interesting and unique.

At times things are not spelled out as clearly as I would like them to be, but I find that it makes me even more interested in the world of Elantra. There are many unanswered questions and they serve to highlight the complexity of the world, rather than just being an annoyance. I hope that some of them at least will be answered in the other books.

I am a little behind on reading, and reviewing, this one as it has been out for a handful of years. I am happy I waited until now to read it, as I can now plow merrily through four more books rather than waiting for them to be written and released. I am unhappy I skipped over this one so many times while it sat, waiting for me to notice it, in my store as I really enjoyed reading it.

Cast In Shadow read like an excellent juxtaposition between traditional and urban fantasy. It had the fantastical world, peopled with a fun and interesting mix of peoples and cultures, and then the plot had all the overtones and quirks that usually trigger the urban designation. It was an intriguing read as a result.

I read some reviews that knocked the book for not spelling everything out for the reader, and all I can say is yes, the reader is expected to pick things up as the read and learn things on their own. If that does not appeal to you, this one will not tickle your fancy like it did mine. The reader does not get an introductory description/explanation of the world and its races. It is all revealed through events and interactions. There is enough to go on, and I was never left confused or foundering, so I am content with this method.

The protagonist is enjoyable and human. The series of murders that take up the bulk of the plot are distressing and weave and excellent sense of urgency throughout the book. I am very much looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.

The blurb on the back does not do it justice. Dont do what I did and pass it by initially. It was a quick, good read. I stayed up well past my bedtime reading, and most definitely spent some time ignoring things like houswork and the boyfriend as I happily turned page after page.

And today we have the first in yet another series I had heard much good about but avoided picking up for a variety of no good reasons. I think my reluctance stemmed somewhat from an uncertainty as to just what kind of series Michelle Sagara's Cast series was. I think at first I had the impression it was a paranormal romance, possibly an urban fantasy (the covers influenced me this way). A few chapters in I was surprised to find CAST IN SHADOW much more a mix of dark and high fantasy, peopled with a smattering of solid gold, humorous, and truly sinister characters living in a fully developed, layered, and fascinating world.

Kaylin Neya is a Hawk. The youngest of that number, in fact. In the city of Elantra, the Hawks are charged with policing the streets and guarding the citizens. They share that responsibility with their sibling organizations the Wolves and the Swords. Together the three forces are headquartered in the Halls of Law. Elantra's citizens are made up of a mix of humans like Kaylin, winged Aerians, furred Leontines, and the immortal Barrani. Seven years ago Kaylin left a life of squalor on the streets of the fief of Nightshade, gave herself a new name, and made her way to Elantra in search of a fresh start. Now her past has caught up with her as a series of murders takes place in Nightshade. Disturbing in their own right, they also bear an eerie resemblance to events in Kaylin's past she thought for sure she'd left behind.

CAST IN SHADOW starts at a good clip and doesn't slow down once. The writing is uncluttered and engaging and Kaylin is an extremely likeable heroine. She runs from a past so dark she has avoided revealing it to her closest friends. She has a gift for healing and will drop everything at a moment's notice to deliver a baby or rescue an orphan in trouble. It was actually kind of refreshing to read about a kick-a** heroine with a soft spot for children. So often they have an allergy to kids or have issues with some of the "softer" emotions and I loved Kaylin because she was both fierce and compassionate. I cheered her on when she was fighting and I wanted to help guard her secrets. Of which she has many. She has friends, enemies, comrades, and those who would use her for her unusual abilities, yet Kaylin remains a little aloof from them all, determined to make her own way. She's my kind of girl. Only a handful of pages into the book and I was completely invested from that point on. I loved this story and can't wait to move on to the next installment--Cast in Courtlight (Chronicles of Elantra, Book 2).

I got this book because Audible gave me the series "prequel" as a freebie and I was intrigued!

Kaylin is a little bit too stubborn at times, but she is overall realistic and fairly likable. I find that the side characters are what really make this book. There are a lot of side characters and it is sometimes difficult to keep everyone straight, but most of them are interesting. I find that in many books, a number of the side characters seem to be there for the sole purpose of making it possible for the main character to say or do something. Not so with this book! The side characters are unique and glimpses of their personalities leave me wanting to know more about many of them.

The setting, various races and castes are all interesting and unique.

At times things are not spelled out as clearly as I would like them to be, but I find that it makes me even more interested in the world of Elantra. There are many unanswered questions and they serve to highlight the complexity of the world, rather than just being an annoyance. I hope that some of them at least will be answered in the other books.

Because this book was endorsed by Tanya Huff, I was expecting a generic, run-of-the-mill urban fantasy, but what a pleasant surprise is this world created by Sagara!

Cast in Shadow (The Chronicles of Elantra, Book 1) was deliciously uncomfortable to read, dark and gritty but not lurid for the sake of sensationalism, suspenseful enough to devour in a day, and so captivating I had to overnight the next few books in the series. Sagara has created strong, realistic, multi-dimensional protagonists with faults and tempers and very UN-Disney-princess-like appearances and personalities, multiple fascinating races (complete with culture and language details) written consistently and cleverly enough to inspire a Tolkien-type following, enticingly dangerous bad guys to whom the reader can't help but be drawn (and root for?), and a painfully realistic pre-story character history that, once finally explained, is immensely satisfying. In fact, Sagara is brilliant at enticing the reader with hints of the characters' secret pasts, and successfully toes that line of un-put-downable suspense without going too far and becoming outright annoying. The city of Elantra itself (perhaps more of a city-state or mini-nation) is fully fleshed-out with a highly plausible setting believable enough to make readers wonder if an Elantra-type place could be the future of our own world, and the extensive underworld is beautifully complex, consistent, and darkly alluring.

My favorite plus: it's unpredictable! NO CHANCE of knowing where this book is going in the first few chapters because of a sloppy, spoon-fed plot, and thankfully no obvious and inevitable, sappy romance. Thanks for giving the reader the benefit of the doubt, Sagara; I'm so tired of books where the author writes as though we're all too stupid get the plot without the writing on the wall.

This is no common waif-turned-heroine sword and horsey book either. If you're looking for sappy, predictable, easy-to-read drivel, you're in the wrong place. All in all it is was a blessed reprieve from all those popular urban vampire fantasies. Fantastico!

Cast in Shadow (The Chronicles of Elantra, Book 1)

I really like this book! At first, the dry narration - dry in humour, not in interest - is a bit off-putting. I think that this would not have been in the case if the book was written in first-person, rather than third, but as I became more accustomed to her style, I really loved it! And it's always so exciting to start a new series! In some ways, this book reminds me of what I remember from reading Maggie Furey's Aurian (First Book) a long time ago, and more recently, Maria V. Snyder's fantasy novels. Either way, I am really enjoying this series and am quite excited to continue reading them!

And even reading this series for the second time does not diminish my enjoyment. Kaylin's humour, spirit and her relationships all make this such a promising start to the series and I like how Sagara never hesitates to thrust the reader right into the action. I think, though, that there is too long of a build-up in some of the relationships which preserves the tension (which makes the revealed history and backstory something of a relief), but the book includes such strong characters and exciting plots that I am actually embarrassed that I recalled so little from reading this nearly five years ago for the first time. The dry humour does take a bit to get used to, but it works well to break up the dramatic tension. My main curiosity is with Nightshade, but other characters are intriguing as well.

And strong characters. I really enjoyed reading this story and look forward to reading the rest. The nature of the magic — and the as yet unrevealed complexity of interracial politics — are fascinating. I’m glad that the relationships are complex too: here a parent, there a friend, elsewhere a nascent love.

Cast In Shadow by Michelle Sagara is the first book in an intriguing series. I have never read anything like this before. The world she brings you into is very different. When I first began this series I really had to think to read it because it was a completely new world. With a new world I had to learn a lot. Now I know the world and it is easier to sit back and read without as much thought. Don't be discouraged though. Cast in Shadow is a really good book and so is the series.

Kaylin is a strong female character. She ran away from her past years ago and devoted her life to work for the law in Elantra. Now she is being confronted with her past and all the questions that come with it. One of those questions is about the marks that cover her body that have been there since she could remember.

This is a wonderful world holding plenty of action and adventure and even some mystery. If you are looking for an interesting read this is a good book and series to invest yourself in.

-Christie's Book Reviews @[...]

When I first read this book I thought Michelle Sagara was a new author, because this first book reads more like a rough draft than a finished novel. There were a lot of confusing "plot twists" that just made things drag, and some dead ends along the way that made you go "...okay?" I wasn't too sure of Nightshade at first, some of the things he did just didn't seem to fit his character. I also found Kaylin Neya to be a bit on the immature, drama queen side. I just didn't think anybody but a newbie with lots of room to grow would write like this.

...But, and there is a big one here, I usually like to give writers a second chance, and I was very happy I did with this series. The later books, if you can drudge through this one, are much better, and they just keep improving along the way. You learn more about why Nightshade did a lot of the "uncharacteristic" things he did in this book, and Kaylin (Thank the heavens) matures a bit. (How she ever survived on the streets I still have yet to deduce; even with the help of Severn and others.) She actually grows in every book, while still keeping her personality intact, which is always nice to see in a book.

I have read every book in this series, excluding the last one (Cast In Ruin; waiting until I get my Kindle.) and have been pleased with all of them except this one. This is an amazing series, as long as you can make it past this first "rough draft" of a book.

wow! the world building in this series is crazy-good. I've read very few (UF?) series set in such imaginative and original world.
Which leads to the biggest issue I have with these books: they are so intricate I'm having a lot of "wait... wtf is going on?" moments...this might be my fault as a reader but when I read through some of the reviews other people expressed the same...judge for yourself.
Otherwise, I'm really loving this series. I learned about this series on the Fiction Vixen's Blog (a super neat blog) when searching for books like my 2013 favorite book Written in Red. It's similar in that it is an "urban fantasy" novel (kinda sorta) while at the same time being high fantasy (cross genre I think it's called)

"Cast in Shadow" takes place in fantasy setting of swords & magic & various humanoid races. The main character, K, is a young lady with a tortured past who is an agent for the governemnt -- sort of a mix between guard, police, detective, spy & low level diplomat. K and two fellow agents are sent to investigate a series of magical, ritualistic murders. Their investigation will bring up unpleasant memories from K's past; and surprising revelations about K's mystical/magical tatoos.

Overall, this is a fun book, with plenty of action and surprises. Friendships are warmly presented and well rounded, which is a joy to read. The interplay between races enjoyable and, refreshingly, slightly different from the usual fare. K is skilled/powerful, but not out of context -- her coworkers and enemies are powerful, too. The "tortured past" bit is overplayed, and not revealed to the reader (or K's supervisor!) until long past the point where it ought to have been. This is obnoxious, like a small child singing "I've got a secret" every few chapters, but overall an ignorable complaint. This is a very long novel (see the page cound) because the author is quite verbose, dragging out sections that would have been better if a third the length -- I found myself skimming occasionally, and felt no need to go back to read the details. As another reviewer mentioned, don't expect much personal growth. The plot concerns some dark elements (e.g., murder) that sensitive readers may find inappropriate. The overall plotline is well developped and closes nicely.

Overall, enthralling and enjoyable. I look forward to seeing if Sagara has another stand-alone book in her (bravo!); or does she fade like too many authors into a series of copy-cat sequels.

Wow, Kaylin, neither did I!

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I feel like I've been left scratching my head. Several times in the book, the heroine says "I don't understand." or others ask her "don't you understand?" And she doesn't understand anything going on, so how am I supposed to understand? And the worst part is that after they ask her that, THEY DON'T EXPLAIN!

Kaylin is a "hawk," which means she part of law enforcement. She was born in the slums and left at 13 after some traumatic event. Children were being slaughtered in the slums and it's happening again. Now she's been assigned the case and must revisit her past in order to stop the killings and come to peace with who she is, her magical gifts, and the people who surround her.

Sounds good, doesn't it? I thought so.

Good points of this book:
1. Entertaining--Even though I was lost for a lot of the story, it was an entertaining read. I kept reading because I wanted to know the secrets, understand the tattoos, and mere curiosity.
2. Different plot line--not too strong and a bit confusing, but it was different.

Annoying points of this book:
1. Kaylin--We never get a description of her other than her tattoos. She barely passed her exams to become a hawk, so she doesn't seem to understand anything in the world around her that includes multiple species. She isn't a very interesting character. I really didn't care what happened to her, she was very flat, ignorant, childish, and untalented.
2. Elantra--Too confusing. I don't know if it was because the story was written from Kaylin's POV who didn't seem to know anything, but this world she lived it didn't make any sense. There are multiple species, but they all seemed to fall in some sort of cliché. We were never given any clear description of what the species looked like so it was hard to imagine this world. Not only that, but she seemed to have different names for each species which made things all that more confusing.
3. Too secretive--This was the MOST annoying. Kaylin states that the immortal species know how to keep a secret and lie more than they state the truth. OK, so how am I supposed to believe anything they DO say, which isn't much. Everyone around her is content to make a small comment in passing that makes no sense and then say, "I won't tell you anymore." ooooooooooooooookaaaaaaaaaay? Because of this, it's not a mystery that she's solving, it's some random events that seem to happen because there are no clues to follow.
4. Too secretive Part 2--This book is 507 pages. We learn in the first chapter that she has some magical abilities....that's all, that she has "some magical abilities." We don't learn until page 132 what the gift is, and it's just lamely stated "I can heal." Then, we don't learn until another 300 pages or so that she has another ability and what it is. Not only that, but even though she tries to kill Severn in Chapter 2, we don't learn until page 279 why she hates him. It's fine to hold out on the readers (you know, to create tension & have twists, etc.), but when you keep referencing it and don't explain it? VERY ANNOYING.
5. Grammar--So, this is just a minor annoyance, which others have already pointed out. The grammar and sentence structures were pretty poor. It was easy to overlook.

All in all, I don't think I'll ever pick this one up again. I might for curiosity's sake read the next in the series to see if it gets any better, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm just glad that I picked this up at the library. Read before you buy.

Finally, a fantasy & romance publisher risks publishing a book which involves the winding path a young lady walks to realize her potential and save her own life. Michelle Sagara blows a much needed gust of fresh air into the paranormal romance genre which usually involves cookie cutter yes-boyfriends (or alpha-mates) and stubborn women who burn up the sheets. As other reviewers have mentioned, the reader gets occasional glimpses into Kaylin's personality and growth. Kaylin, Severn, Tiamaris, and Nightshade all offered interesting glimpses into their personalities which makes me hunger for the next book so I can get to know them better. Personally, I liked the gradual character reveal as I've come to grow tired of the standard romance formula of giving a character's elevator pitch in the first paragraph, mission statement in the first five pages, and summation in the first chapter. Such upfront first impression characters always tell me everything about his/her character in the first half of the book and you can easily predict what will happen after that. Also, while you can usually smell the love interest from two chapters away, Sagara deftly handles the possible suitors in this book so the reader is always mentally assessing Kaylin's changing moods and feelings.

Disclosure: I only read the first book after finding out that the second book was published, so I knew the story would continue. Had it only been a single book and not part of a possible series, I would probably want more closure at the end of Cast In Shadow.

I really appreciate that the world Michelle Sagara created in this book is highly compelling and imaginative, with fabulous characters and an interesting plot. It is, however, a VERY tough read because the writing is clunky... something that definitely gets in the way of what would otherwise be an excellent fantasy novel. I stuck with the book despite the painfully awkward sentence structures and unnecessary verbal fluff simply to see how everything would work out in the end, and the reveal was worth my persistence, but the process has been a very long one. As a result, I'll have to think seriously about whether or not I continue reading the other books in this series and I'm not 100% sure I can recommend this one. On balance, I'd say go for it if you're willing to plow through the writing... Sagara's world of Leotines, Dragons, and Barrani is highly original and easy to connect with once you get used to her presentation.

An aggravatingly immature lead really bugged me, and destroyed most of my willingness to invest in this world. Really, is five minutes thought *really* so much to ask? Instead, she bounces around overreacting to things we're only half told about, instead of following up on the real leads available to her.

Mildly interesting (although flawed) worldbuilding, but I just couldn't read another book of Kaylin's mental and emotional immaturity. And since it's first person pov, there's no rest from it, either. I won't be picking up any more in the series.

Like many reviewers, I found this book confusing in its narrative. The inexplicably poor editing and poorly resolved plot points make this book a tedious read. This is the first Michelle Sagara/West book I read, and I find I am at a loss to understand how she has published so many books. Pages and pages of incoherent action detail beg to be skipped over. Sentences and statements that make no sense in the context of a scene frequently undermine the flow of the story. These non-sequiturs cause frequent confusion and aggravation. Here is an example of a frequently used "sentence" thrown in just about anywhere in the story: "The children." There are times when it makes sense and many other times I felt like it was a word processing error. There are far too many words devoted to action scenes, while the world building is inadequate for a first book. It is difficult to get a cohesive picture of this story universe. The reader is constantly left puzzled and questioning why something happened. I could be more intrigued by the difference species living side-by-side, but there was just too little thought devoted to the social makeup and relationships of the different societies. Frankly, I'm surprised I finished the book.

First, the actual audiobook was top notch. The narrator was very talented . I disliked the book itself, which I only finished because yelling at it kept me awake as I drove across Texas. The protagonist was a twit. Worse she was an undisciplined, inconsiderate twit. I just don't find willful ignorance and chronic tardiness at all charming. I find those attributes lazy, selfish and self-absorbed. I also think readers (listeners) could make a drinking game out of all the "for the children" references. Or at least it was fun to yell every time we were reminded how much the protagonist loved kids. Or every time Hawks are mentioned, but readers would be sloshed by the second chapter. I liked the Lord of Nightshade...until I reflected on what an inadequate fief lord he was. He does nothing for the people he allegedly rules over. Don't get me started in the other side of the love triangle. He made such a horrific choice in the backstory that he was irredeemable. I gave this a star for the audiobook. (By the way, I've only ever heard of shin splints as painful injuries, not part of armor. Shin guards on the other hand...)

Kaylin Neya is a mystery one day marks appeared on her skin and people with the identicle marks began to be found dead in the fief on Nightshade, overall thirty-eight children are found murdered with markings like hers carved into their skin but the killing stopped the day she ran away from the fiefs, and away from severn. Now years later Kaylin has joined the hawks and organisation which works alongside the wolves and the swords who together enforce the law in the city of Elantra. She is also a healer an ability which would see her joining the ranks of the emperors healers by force if she was discovered. Kaylin thought she had left all the horrors of her childhood behind but then the killings start again and Severn someone she thought she would never see again comes back into her life. To make matters worse she is ordered to work together with him and a Dragon called Tiamaris in an attempt to stop the killing and bring the people responsible to justice, but to find the killers Kaylin must first understand the connection her marks have to the case before more people end up dead.

Cast in shadow by Michelle Sagara is an amazing story set in an imaginative and fully developed world filled with mystery. Elantra's citizens consist of Humans, dragons, Aerians, Barrani and Tha'alani. You are quickly launched into this world as if it had already existed and u have just arrived it was something that I loved about this story, it left you wanting to know more about this world and starving for the next clue to explain this astonishing world, it also made the world seem more real and allowed you to accept this imaginative and original world more easily.

When i first bought this book it got left on my shelf for months unread this was due to the fact that i was unsure of exactly what to expect upon reading this book. I now severely regret that i didn't read cast in shadows the moment I bought it as the Chronicles of Elantra has now become my favourite series out of all the books I have read. Cast in shadow doesn't slow done at all keeping a fast pace all the way through but still manages to have an uncluttered and well developed storyline. Only a handful of pages into this book and I was ensnarled and I quickly bought the second, third and fourth book (that was all that was out at the time). I recommend this book to everyone to read as this is an unrecognised masterpiece and i believe a lot more people need to read Michelle Sagara's Chronicles of Elantra series.

I straggled through the book.
I read few novels per week, and as an avid reader, I'm not embarrassed to say that this was HARD to follow - not the context, but the writing style: so many unnecessary run-on sentences... sometimes, I would need to go to the beginning of it to understand the end, so many fragmented, choppy sentences that I'd have to re-read entire pages. The author was overly descriptive in the thoughts and perceptions of the characters. I now finished first 3 books, but there are some developments that are so slow unfolding & necessary facts to pull the story together are missing.

In the end, I am at a loss for words about how I truly felt while reading the book. I guess just didn't like the writing style and the story itself wasn't anything spectacular, though engaging - but so SLOW. I still can't categorize it - a suspense, a romance? Something that mixed with a fantasy world, perhaps... So much potential, but....

The cover and description on the back of this book made me think this
was an urban fantasy. It's not. There is nothing urban about it.
That's not to say it's a bad book, it's not, but it is straight up
fantasy.

The author tried very hard to create her own unique fantasy world full
of magic and otherworldly creatures, but the result is a bit
confusing. Even after finishing the book I'm still a little confused.

This book is also way too long for the story. It could have been half
as long and had a much better pace. I found myself getting frustrated
as Kaylin was called before her superior's for the twelfth time and
yelled at, threatened, and given no explanation for her repeated
questions. It felt very, very, redundant.

Also, this is nothing romantic in this book. Nothing at all. I
prefer some romantic elements in these kind of books I felt it's
absence here.

In the Kingdom of Karaazon, in the capital of Elantra, the river Abalyne separates the fiefs from the rest of society. In the fiefs, warlords rule over their own domain and have their own laws and armies. Surprisingly, the sentient species on both sides of the river, human, avian, immortal, etc get along with one another. Now there is a crisis brewing that has it roots in a series of killings that happened in the fiefs years ago when children were killed over a period of three years.

Now the killings have started only this time there are only three days between killings and the victims, like the ones three years ago have strange tatoo like makings on their bodies. Kaylin, who originally came from the fiefs, also had the mysterious markings on her body before the killings started. Now she works on the right side of the law and is determined to find the killer before the magical ritual is completed and more lives are lost.

CAST IN SHADOW is a magnificent fantasy filled with plenty of suspense, a terrific who-done-it, and a wonderful heroine sacrificing her own needs to provide selfless service to end the killing in the fiefs. Michelle Sagara provides a fantastic realm in which the audience will believe that diverse sentient species exist and live and work in harmony at least until the murders occur leading to everyone pointing fingers at anyone different. Ms. Sagara smoothly has combined mystery and fantasy in this terrific tale. She has the talent to become a star in the fantasy genre.

Harriet Klausner

This book felt slowed paced. The writing detailed the world/backstory in such a way that bogged down the current storyline. Character development was lacking. Overall, the premise is interesting and I will read the next book. Hopefully the author/editor has tweaked these issues and the rest of the series is more enjoyable.

Overall, the story was pretty interesting, but the author's writing style was like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. Specifically, she seems to have an aversion to finishing thoughts, so I have to sit there and stare at the page trying to figure out what she hasn't said. The worst is when she makes contradictory statements back to back, and then leaves the reader to figure out how they aren't really contradictory.

The tale is not the smoothest of telling... But the story it contains holds great promise especially with the 2nd book to be published late this year, early next (Cast in Courtlight).

The heroine was once a young lass who lived in Nighshade fife and she has always felt that she barely escaped with her life. For she was the only child to live of those who woke with tattoos one morning. Now 7 years late someone is killing tattooed children again.

Kaylin, is now a member of the Hawks... part of a Triad law enforcement agency and nothing but human or so she seems. But unlike most humans in a society ruled by immortals she has magic, and its power is growing... There are those who fear her enought to suggest she be put to death before the meaning of the killings comes to light.

The author has created a interesting fantasy world and I look foward to the next book!

this ia an awesome book! the plot is amazing with unseen twists. kaylin grew up with marks that were mysterious. she fled her home and her protector, only to find that she had to face her past and her protector again. but this time she has the help of the fieflord, dragons', and an odd bracelet that helps her to face it all without fear. at least, not too much fear. i really recommend this book!

The world in which the author writes is very interesting. All the races are intriguing. The heroine - Kaylin starts off fairly interesting and goes downhill from there. I can't understand why the other characters think so highly of her. She is frequently terribly annoying. Another difficulty is the writing style. It is somewhat confusing. Several times I had to go back and reread a sentence. The book is not worth that. If Michelle Sagara can make her main character more interesting, the setting of this world shows considerable promise.

The story was interesting enough but was often confusing. I didn't like that several times something would happen and, at the end of the scene, you wonder why the author just wasted your time with that. Much, much later you realize what she was trying to establish with the scene, but I really would have liked it if the author had made the point of the scene clearer at the time it occurred.

Also, the author attempts to create a mystery (as if there wasn't enough) by withholding from the reader information that the view point character knows. Kaylin knows what happened in her childhood that makes her attack Severn several times during the book, but the author deliberately keeps what happened very vague, even when Kaylin is directly thinking about it. It remains a mystery until the middle of the book, but hiding it doesn't add anything and only makes Kaylin's motives more confusing. Whenever an author hides something about the main character like this, it has the side-affect of keeping the reader at a remove from her so it is harder for the reader to really care about or bond with the character.

Also, I liked Kaylin well enough, but it's more firmly established that she's annoying and exasperating to everyone around her than it is that people are fiercely loyal to her (rather than simply affectionate) so that they would risk the fate of mankind by leaving her alive.

The heroine's poor grammar made the story a bit confusing at times and got downright distracting if I was tired while reading. I was also a bit annoyed that the author felt she needed to repeat minor points than had no direct bearing on the story (for example, she makes the point several times that Aerians use stools because a chair with a back doesn't work for them). Another annoyance was her repeatedly saying that a lifted chin was a universal sign of submission only to later have Kaylin wonder if the Dragon race also used this Leontine sign of submission. That's not exactly 'universal' then, is it?

On the other hand, I appreciated that Severn steadily shows Kaylin his love throughout the story, even though he knows she doesn't understand and isn't ready to accept it. That's a better romance than having two strangers jump in bed together, in my opinion.

Police procedural in a fantasy world. I love that the main female character is so weak, but the potential for strength and just growing is written in every scene. This has caught me and I can't wait to read the other eight I just bought.

A wonderfully written exploration of the fragile human experience. The past haunts, blocks sight, effects all facets of being... even when it is a distorted view or memory. A wonderful look at the power of relationships built in troubled times, the destructive power of events half seen and the effects of the no win choices that face real people. Friendship, love, dark powers and powerful non human races make a deep and rich world of fantasy with enough elements of our own world for us to relate and understand and enough differences to be magical.

Anyone who has read Michelle Sagara writing as Michelle West, will see some strong parallels between two of the main characters in that series and her new heroine. Kiriel has a ring; Kaylin has a bracer. They both roar, create darkness, and are referred to as daughter of darkness. Jewel is marked as Avandar's consort; Kaylin is marked as Nightshade's consort. They both come from the street, lived with a den, have unruly hair and tempers, and live far too firmly in their childhoods. Though, at least Kaylin has an excuse at 20. Why Michelle doesn't let Jewel grow up at 30+ is a quandry.

I definitely enjoyed the book. It was one of the first I've read in a while that I didn't want to put down. I would highly recommend it to others, even with the higher price of the oversized paperback edition. I just hope that this doesn't mean that all of her books will be double the price from now on. Also, if Michelle wanted to write a Kiriel-Jewel book, why couldn't she have given us House War a little earlier? I wish that she had finished her previous series before starting a new one.

This was a very interesting book with detailed characters and a creative new world to explore. The biggest issue that I faced with this novel was that it was very confusing. Some of the explanations for things are unfathomable; I would find myself re-reading the section multiple times and still be unable to understand it. I think it's a very unique and different new world, but Sagara sometimes puts the reader on overload with too much information to absorb or understand at once. Having said this, it was an enjoyable read, but not something that I can see myself reading over and over again. Borrow it from a friend, or check it out at the library, but don't take it home expecting to get multiple readings out of it. Just my thoughts; happy reading!!

Once an impoverished and homeless orphan, Kaylin has worked toward becoming a Hawk, the equivalent of a police force in this fantasy world. The recent deaths of local children hit entirely too close to home as she becomes involved with trying to discover who/what is causing them. Although I haven't exactly come to expect greatness from Luna books, this was disappointing. I spent most of the book confused -- not only about the immediate goings-on, but also about the entire plot in general. I didn't feel I had enough information or understanding about the world the protagonist lives in or even about Kaylin herself for the story to come together and make sense. Fans of other books published under Harlequin's Luna imprint will be disappointed in the absence of any romantic element to the book whatsoever.

I enjoyed this book, however at times there weren't enough details to really understand what is going on. This is a slight flaw in the entire series. That said I've read every book and find it an enjoyable read.

I have to wholeheartedly agree with E. Llado. I picked up this book because it seemed like something I would enjoy. The premise was promising and the world Sagara created had so much potential. I started to worry when I realized I was two thirds of the way through the book and still waiting for a moment of clarity -- the moment in a book where everything you've read so far comes together to give you a clear picture of the world the book is set in. My impression of the setting and the people is fuzzy, at best.

I found the character development weak and I didn't empathize with the main character at all. The writing was choppy and I found it exceedingly difficult to focus on the story as random, tangential comments seem to pop up and throw me out of the story as soon as I got into it. I was left wishing the characters were developed more: who are these people? I know almost as much about the characters around Kaylin as I did when the book started and only slightly more about her.

I'm hoping that the next book in the series is better. I'm a firm believer that you should always give a series a second chance - especially in this case because there were, throughout the book, flashes of what it could be.

Couldn't put this down. Non stop action and plot really pulls you in. the only downside is that in my opinion the author is not very good at describing things in a way you can visualize (IE, people, landscapes, buildings, etc...)

What no other reviewer has mentioned is the humor and byplay between characters. Without this, the storyline of children being ritually killed would be too incredibly dark and depressing, but Kaylin's love and protectiveness for children helps drive the storyline and the humor about everything from betting on Kaylin's arrival time at work to "going Dragon" makes this an enjoyable read.