A review by ashlightgrayson
The Shadow & The Sun by Monica Enderle Pierce

dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 A great combination of an interesting fantasy world, action, and romance. The magic comes at a price, which I always appreciate in a magic system. I feel like it makes the stakes higher and emphasizes that even with magic, characters have limitations. Gethen and Halina are the main characters we follow. Halina is a knight under her father, the king's, service. There is an impending war and she is sent out to seek the help of the shadow mage, Gethen. Gethen is a shadow mage attempting to separate himself from the dark past of those that came before him and refuses to participate in this upcoming war. 

Halina and Gethen have great characterization. There is a lot of tension between them secondary to the circumstances, but it eventually coalesces into mutual respect. They begin a romantic relationship a bit over half way through the book. The development of the romantic relationship is balanced out well with the overarching plot, so it does not feel like it detracts from the important plot points at all. Gethen is a very solitary man, but he has very close friends that are almost like family that play a role in the story. We also get some animal companions, which I'm always happy about. I found the ending satisfying and I think it's a good opener for the sequel. I'm looking forward to continuing this series and I wish I had actually read it earlier. I do recommend this for anyone who likes fantasy with a bit of romance, but with more of a focus on the plot and character development than the romance. 
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