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A review by hoffmann_fanatic
A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham
4.0
Not an instant favorite, but an impressive and interesting curiosity in the world of 2000s fantasy. Beautifully written, with a wonderfully and attentively crafted, Eastern-inspired world.
The character work is the highlight of this, with some of the most tightly intertwined cast I've seen in a fantasy book from this era. There are not many fantasy books that could be staged without many props or a huge cast, but this is one of them, despite the fact that this book's soft magic system has a central place in the plot and the worldbuilding.
The writing comes across as simply high quality. The prose is intellectual, distant, calm, and neutral. While it's not a heavily immersive book, Abraham very slowly and methodically uncovers details of the world, letting the reader experience the full story only when the book has ended. While the setting and many of the scenes are reminiscent of Brandon Sanderson, this is a high-effort, far more literary read.
A left brain read, best recommended to those who enjoy epic fantasy but sometimes don't mind not being swept away by an immersion tsunami.
Rating: 8/10
Closest comparison: The Grace of Kings
The character work is the highlight of this, with some of the most tightly intertwined cast I've seen in a fantasy book from this era. There are not many fantasy books that could be staged without many props or a huge cast, but this is one of them, despite the fact that this book's soft magic system has a central place in the plot and the worldbuilding.
The writing comes across as simply high quality. The prose is intellectual, distant, calm, and neutral. While it's not a heavily immersive book, Abraham very slowly and methodically uncovers details of the world, letting the reader experience the full story only when the book has ended. While the setting and many of the scenes are reminiscent of Brandon Sanderson, this is a high-effort, far more literary read.
A left brain read, best recommended to those who enjoy epic fantasy but sometimes don't mind not being swept away by an immersion tsunami.
Rating: 8/10
Closest comparison: The Grace of Kings