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A review by dawn_marie
In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan
3.0
In the Shadow of Lightning is a (mostly) enjoyable, if somewhat uneven, entry into Brian McClellan’s new fantasy series, Glass Immortals.
The prologue, which is among the strongest I have read, introduces the reader to Demir Grappo – the scion of a minor, yet still powerful guild family who abandons his responsibility as a governor, politician, and general after a horrific battle leaves him traumatized. Living in the outer regions of the empire and eking out a living as a grifter, Demir ends his nine years of self-imposed exile after learning of his mother’s brutal and very public murder. While trying to solve her murder, Demir finds himself embroiled in political intrigue, conspiracies, and learns that the godglass – the key to the empire’s power and sorcery – is finite and quickly running out.
As is true of Mr. McClellan’s other works, the world building and magic systems are exceptionally well developed. The power structure of the various guild families is quickly established, as are the “rules” for engagement between the various factions. The magic system is quite intriguing; using a specific type of godglass imbues the wearer enhanced abilities (strength, sight, stamina, mental acuity) while others help calm the mind, address pain, or can heal certain ailments or injuries. And there are more nefarious applications of godglass that can be used for torture or break the mind. Godglass is also used in armor, weapons, and assorted other tools. In addition to those that can enhance their abilities through the use of godglass, there are the siliceer, those who manipulate glass the way a blacksmith manipulates metal. And then there are the glassdancers, the elite group of mages that control any glass within their environment/vicinity. I found the sections of the novel involving glassdancers the most intriguing, especially when you factor in the absolute terror which the other characters view glassdancers (can you blame them? the idea that someone can kill you using the lens from my glasses is rather terrifying). I also really like the fact that using this magic comes with a cost; both financial (that godglass isn’t cheap) and physical/mental.
The novel’s storylines – a murder wrapped in conspiracy and the front lines of the on-going war – are weaved together well creating a cohesive plot. Even with a few draggy points, the overall pacing felt brisk, moving characters and events along at a decent pace. Sometimes I think the novel would have been better served if some of the action/events were slowed down a bit, giving the characters and the readers some time to react to what’s happening. And in typical form, Mr. McClellan’s battle scenes are top notch.
The character work was . . . spotty. Most of the characters were flat, with some being cartoonishly bad. While Demir, Kizzie, and Indrina were a bit clichéd, I did find them interesting. I appreciate Mr. McClellan not shying away from discussing mental health,specifically Demir’s mental health issues and post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from the events of the prologue and the guilt of not being around to protect his mother, or Indrina’s mental illness resulting from the deterioration of his godglass eye. . Thessa was a little too “not like other girls” and everything about her was extremely grating.
I’m still not sure how I feel about the last few chapters and epilogue, specifically the fact that an alien/nonhuman race has declared war on humanity, and it is they who planned Adriana Grappo’s murder OR the fact that Devia Kerite is really The Conqueror, a member of this alien/nonhuman race (at least that is what I gather based on the conversation between Sumala Volos (Thinking One) and Aristanes (Schemer) .
Even with its flaws, In the Shadow of Lightning was an entertaining ready that set up the events/stakes for future installments.
The prologue, which is among the strongest I have read, introduces the reader to Demir Grappo – the scion of a minor, yet still powerful guild family who abandons his responsibility as a governor, politician, and general after a horrific battle leaves him traumatized. Living in the outer regions of the empire and eking out a living as a grifter, Demir ends his nine years of self-imposed exile after learning of his mother’s brutal and very public murder. While trying to solve her murder, Demir finds himself embroiled in political intrigue, conspiracies, and learns that the godglass – the key to the empire’s power and sorcery – is finite and quickly running out.
As is true of Mr. McClellan’s other works, the world building and magic systems are exceptionally well developed. The power structure of the various guild families is quickly established, as are the “rules” for engagement between the various factions. The magic system is quite intriguing; using a specific type of godglass imbues the wearer enhanced abilities (strength, sight, stamina, mental acuity) while others help calm the mind, address pain, or can heal certain ailments or injuries. And there are more nefarious applications of godglass that can be used for torture or break the mind. Godglass is also used in armor, weapons, and assorted other tools. In addition to those that can enhance their abilities through the use of godglass, there are the siliceer, those who manipulate glass the way a blacksmith manipulates metal. And then there are the glassdancers, the elite group of mages that control any glass within their environment/vicinity. I found the sections of the novel involving glassdancers the most intriguing, especially when you factor in the absolute terror which the other characters view glassdancers (can you blame them? the idea that someone can kill you using the lens from my glasses is rather terrifying). I also really like the fact that using this magic comes with a cost; both financial (that godglass isn’t cheap) and physical/mental.
The novel’s storylines – a murder wrapped in conspiracy and the front lines of the on-going war – are weaved together well creating a cohesive plot. Even with a few draggy points, the overall pacing felt brisk, moving characters and events along at a decent pace. Sometimes I think the novel would have been better served if some of the action/events were slowed down a bit, giving the characters and the readers some time to react to what’s happening. And in typical form, Mr. McClellan’s battle scenes are top notch.
The character work was . . . spotty. Most of the characters were flat, with some being cartoonishly bad. While Demir, Kizzie, and Indrina were a bit clichéd, I did find them interesting. I appreciate Mr. McClellan not shying away from discussing mental health,
I’m still not sure how I feel about the last few chapters and epilogue, specifically
Even with its flaws, In the Shadow of Lightning was an entertaining ready that set up the events/stakes for future installments.