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A review by bethfishreads
Play of Shadows by Sebastien de Castell
3.5
Action adventure mixed with mystery, a bit of magic, and good humor.
Damelas Chademantaigne joins the Knights of Curtain acting troupe in desperation; thanks to an old law it's the only way he can get out of dueling the fearsome Vixen. What Damelas didn't know was that once he stepped on stage, his life would change forever.
On opening night of Damelas's first play, he steps out from the wings to deliver his line and promptly blacks out. When he regains consciousness, he learns that he hadn't fainted but instead was delivering lines that weren't in the script. Thus he learns that he's a Veristor--an actor who can channel the dead, speaking their words and seeing through their eyes. The gift manifests only in the context of a play.
This discovery sets in motion the humor, action, danger, and mystery that make up the novel. Damelas soon finds himself meeting the duke, running from a femme fatale, befriending a dangerous female assassin, trying to save his city, exposing the truth of a local legend, and doing his best to protect his friends.
Phew! It sounds like a lot, but de Castell wraps this all up in an entertaining, fast-action tale full of good humor, bantering dialogue, and terrific characters.
My understanding is that this new series is set in the same universe as de Castell's Greatcoats books. That said, I didn't feel lost or that I somehow was dropped in the middle of a story. Play of Shadows stood on its own as the start of a series centered on Damelas. On the other hand, I love de Castell (I encourage you to read his Spellslinger books!), so, while waiting for the next Court of Shadows book to come out, I plan to read the Greatcoats books.
Thank goodness Narrator Joe Jameson was available to perform Play of Shadows. He was the narrator for the Spellslinger books, and I can't imagine a better match for de Castell's work. Jameson totally nails it: the voices, the timing, the humor, the action. Honestly, I can't say enough good things about his performance.
Thanks so much to the publishers for review copies in various formats.
Damelas Chademantaigne joins the Knights of Curtain acting troupe in desperation; thanks to an old law it's the only way he can get out of dueling the fearsome Vixen. What Damelas didn't know was that once he stepped on stage, his life would change forever.
On opening night of Damelas's first play, he steps out from the wings to deliver his line and promptly blacks out. When he regains consciousness, he learns that he hadn't fainted but instead was delivering lines that weren't in the script. Thus he learns that he's a Veristor--an actor who can channel the dead, speaking their words and seeing through their eyes. The gift manifests only in the context of a play.
This discovery sets in motion the humor, action, danger, and mystery that make up the novel. Damelas soon finds himself meeting the duke, running from a femme fatale, befriending a dangerous female assassin, trying to save his city, exposing the truth of a local legend, and doing his best to protect his friends.
Phew! It sounds like a lot, but de Castell wraps this all up in an entertaining, fast-action tale full of good humor, bantering dialogue, and terrific characters.
My understanding is that this new series is set in the same universe as de Castell's Greatcoats books. That said, I didn't feel lost or that I somehow was dropped in the middle of a story. Play of Shadows stood on its own as the start of a series centered on Damelas. On the other hand, I love de Castell (I encourage you to read his Spellslinger books!), so, while waiting for the next Court of Shadows book to come out, I plan to read the Greatcoats books.
Thank goodness Narrator Joe Jameson was available to perform Play of Shadows. He was the narrator for the Spellslinger books, and I can't imagine a better match for de Castell's work. Jameson totally nails it: the voices, the timing, the humor, the action. Honestly, I can't say enough good things about his performance.
Thanks so much to the publishers for review copies in various formats.