Queen of Shadow

by P.C. Cast

From #1 New York Times bestselling author P. C. Cast—a sexy and magical epic of Celtic legend, perfect for romantasy fans who love Sue Lynn Tan and Thea Guanzon.

Step into the mystical world of the Isle of Skye in 200 BCE, where legends come to life and the Queen of Shadow holds court. But Scáthach is no ordinary queen. Daughter of the Underworld goddess Bēfionn, golden-haired Scáthach is gifted with the Sight, able to glimpse all the possibilities of the future and pass between the world of men and the world of gods.

Scáthach dedicates her life to training the fiercest warriors from across the land in her fortress at Lethra. But then a newcomer arrives in Lethra and upends everything about Scáthach's existence. He is Cuchulainn, the hero of Ulster, son of the Irish God Lugh. Known for his strength and bouts of berserker rage, Cuchulainn wants Scáthach to help him hone his skills and find redemption for his violent past. The Queen of Shadow reluctantly agrees to take him in, ignoring their growing attraction, and what it might mean for her destiny.

Meanwhile, Scáthach's jealous half-sister Aife threatens Scáthach’s claim to the kingdom she loves and challenges Scáthach for Cuchulainn’s loyalty. Caught in a snare of duty and desire as she navigates the perils of leadership, Scáthach discovers that her destiny may lie in the Underworld, where she can forge a future for herself and Cuchulainn by tricking death itself....

Genres: Fantasy

384 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication August 4, 2026

About the author

PC was born in the Midwest, and grew up being shuttled back-and-forth between Illinois and Oklahoma, which is where she fell in love with Quarter Horses and mythology (at about the same time). After high school, she joined the United States Air Force and began public speaking and writing. After her tour in the USAF, she taught high school for 15 years before retiring to write full time. PC is a #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today Best-Selling author and a member of the Oklahoma Writers Hall of Fame. Her novels have been awarded the prestigious: Oklahoma Book Award, YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Prism, Holt Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, Booksellers’ Best, and the Laurel Wreath. PC is an experienced teacher and talented speaker. Ms. Cast lives in Oregon near her fabulous daughter, her adorable pack of dogs, her eccentric Maine Coon, and a bunch of horses. House of Night Other World, book 4, FOUND, releases July 7th, 2020. More info to come soon about the HoN TV series!

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me? Reading pure fantasy? Noblebright, no less? Strange, I know. But I grew up on PC Cast’s House of Night series, so I leapt at the chance to request this ARC and was delighted to receive it.

There is SO much exposition and scene-setting to be done, with much of happening through in-universe personal conversations, that Queen of Shadow admittedly gets off to a bit of a clunky start. The pieces are all there - an imaginative, historical world rich with mystery and belief; the enchanting coexistence of gods, goddesses, religions and otherworlds feels fresh and unique, like Superwholock is real and nothing hurts - but they just don’t quite come together in the way I expected.

For all of the combat, there is little real conflict for quite some time; for all of the things that happen, the stakes never feel particularly high; for all of the worldbuilding, the plot somehow feels a bit anemic, like an early draft rather than a polished release. I wish I could’ve connected more with our main cast of characters, but as it was, I almost felt like I was watching a movie on 2x speed. Part III was my favorite by FAR, so stick it out to be rewarded with some mesmerizing visuals and fascinating folklore!

Another thing I did really like was getting to see a strong, capable grown woman - a mother, no less, and not of a toddler - be the focus of a romantic fantasy. It was refreshing and engaging, and made the entire tale feel much more relatable and realistic (caring about realism in an Ulster Cycle fantasy? yes, I know, I know) than the world being saved yet again by someone who just got their non-vertical license this year.

P.S. dog-lovers unite: the buff and fearless Shadow Queen, daughter of Béfionn, teacher of heroes and warring men, commander of the sea and demigoddess of the Afterlife, basically named her guard dog Sweetheart. Sweetie Pie. Babydoll. Lovergirl.

Relatable.

Many thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for this ARC!

[Book Nook Baddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A self-contained world, rich in its own mythology and fully realized inside the story. "Queen of Shadow" blends Norse and Greek mythology, with its own tiny additions to create a beautiful world of warriors.

Scathach is the Queen of Shadow, a daughter of a god training only the worthy to be wise warriors and leaders. She uses strength and grace to teach not only her students but also her daughter to defend their home and others. When a champion comes to be trained, he must follow her teachings to master not only the physical feats of training, but also to calm the battles inside of himself.

This story feels like an epic quest, calling on the gods themselves to grant wisdom and favors upon mortals. Much like Hercules proving himself through his trials, so too does the warrior Cuchulainn in his journey to be a worthy student of the Queen of Shadow.

P.C. Cast does a wonderful job of building a world that is both mythical and real. The story flows easily and it isn't hard to get caught up in the action. This is an enjoyable book that fans of mythology and fantasy will enjoy.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy.

[Emma Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I dive into this review, I want to clarify that while this is a 3-star read for me personally, I think there are a ton of fantasy and romantasy readers who will find this to be easily 4-5 stars, and I think this could potentially be one of the biggest fantasy books of 2026, especially in the romantasy readers’ sphere.

Readers who loved Throne of Glass will find this to be a super satisfying, stand-alone (I think), mythology-inspired fantasy/romantasy (80% adventure/20% romance). I suspect that readers of PC Cast’s
House of Night series will also enjoy reading something more adult from such a beloved author.

Writing: the prose is better than TOG in my opinion, but not by a ton. Nothing novel in the prose itself, but it gets the job done.
Characters: I LOVE that we finally have a romantasy book featuring a middle aged MOTHER! Hell yeah—no more insecure, weak-but-somehow-strongest-girl-alive tropes. Scáthach is wise, compassionate, strong AF, and she is at least 40, I think. It was so refreshing to read about a mature woman in fantasy (and with a younger man, too)!
Plot & Pacing: I wasn’t super familiar with the Ulster Cycle (Irish mythology), so I went into this fairly blind, and I love Cast’s take on the Irish gods and legends. I don’t know how well it matches actual Irish mythology, but I think it’s pretty well done. At times, it felt too fast-paced (a significant portion of the book takes place all in 1-2 days), and that prevented me from feeling the sense or urgency and tension that a slower-burning plot can inspire, but overall the pace and plot were effective.
Spice: reminiscent of one of the later TOG novels—all the actual spice is in the last 15% of the book, and it’s not that detailed. Definitely adult, but kind of mild spice imo. More romantic than spicy.

So overall, if you want poetic, powerful prose or epic fantasy, I’d skip this one. But if you loved the Throne of Glass series (but long for older, more mature characters), or tend to enjoy mythology-based romantasy, I think this is a must-read.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and P.C. Cast for access to this ARC.

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

P.C. Cast is known for her ability to immerse readers in different worlds and bring gods and goddesses to life. Queen of Shadow uses characters and features of Celtic lore to create a vibrant and multilayered setting for Scáthach and Cuchulainn’s story. Cast’s dedication to carefully researching her chosen legend(s) shines through in this work, although it’s missing the modern twists of her Goddess Summoning and Divine Series. This different approach lends itself to this particular story and helps the reader fall back in time and myth.

What stood out the most in Queen of Shadow is Scáthach’s steady self-assurance in her own abilities and worth, and Cuchulainn’s humility. It’s exciting to have a female protagonist who has earned strength and wisdom through many years and puts the good of others over personal glory, and refreshing to have a man who recognizes the opportunity he has to learn from a strong woman without her needing to prove herself or convince him.

-Scáthach is powerful but uses her abilities to train others into strong capable warriors and to act with honor and compassion.
-She uses her own fighting abilities as a last resort when diplomacy has failed, and only to prevent further loss of innocent life.
-She recognizes her divine powers are a gift and uses them sparingly and always with thanks.

-Cuchulainn is already strong but recognizes Scáthach has skills and knowledge he doesn’t possess.
-He admits when he doesn’t know something and takes guidance and advice seriously.
-He supports and uplifts his peers through training, and never brags about his superior abilities or looks down on others

Fantasy romance fans tired of the ‘young woman suddenly gifted with extraordinary powers’ trope will appreciate the steady confidence and capability of Scáthach, the mutual respect and admiration between her and Cuchulainn, and enjoy the slow burn as she allows herself to find love.

*Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC*

[Katie at Book Ink Reivews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved PC Cast since I was a child. Her House of Night series enthralled me, and I am incredibly excited that she now has this beautiful adult fantasy to dive into.

I am tempted to liken it to other stories, but it honestly stands as a monument of its own. Cast showcases knowldge of Greek mythology, the Picts, and the Norse seamlessly weaving each of their societies and dieties. While billed as a Romantasy, it is also researched enough to be an ancient historical fantasy to boot. This is a character-driven novel. While stakes are high and action still happens, know you will spend a significant time delving into multiple characters to fully flesh them out.

In Scáthach you find everything you want a FMC to be. She is kind, patient, loving, and wise. And yet, she is still a warrior, willing and able to protect her people and dance politically with other leaders. She is, in short, incredible.

In Sentana you find the best book boyfriend. Still leaning into the warrior of honor, integrity, and prowess, Cast completely avoids the shadow daddy concept and instead gives us a man with a broken childhood and a good and kind heart towards all, not just his inner circle. I wanted to protect him and be protected by him the entire time.

Add a journey to the Underworld that carries some simar vibes as Orpheus and Eurydice with a home base on thr Isle of Sky and Dunscaith, Queen of Shadow is breathtaking in its scope, story, and setting.

I am comfortable calling it now: this will absolutely be one of the biggest Romantasy books of 2026 and TikTok and Instagram will go wild over it.

[Kasey · Rating 3 out of 5]

After having read some of P.C. Cast’s House of Night series, I was very interested to see how a romantasy novel would compare!

This book follows Scáthach, Queen of Shadow and daughter of the goddess of the underworld, and her adventures with Cuchulainn, the hero of Ulster and the son of the Irish sun god.

While the concept was great, I did have a few things that I wasn’t a huge fan of. The sections at the beginning of each chapter that essentially just spoiled the chapter was the first of these few things as they felt very unnecessary and kind of made me mad. The characters also didn’t feel like they had too much to them. I didn’t feel invested in what they were doing, so I didn’t really find myself reaching for this book. The final issue was that it felt like the second and third parts of the book were two different tales forced into one book. I think this easily could have been stretched into a more defined and detailed duology or trilogy with more attention to the characters, and the plot of the third part could have been expanded upon greatly.

In general, I think this would be a decent read for someone who is interested in mythology (this one in particular being Celtic mythology), but I wouldn’t go into it expecting your typical romantasy. It was pretty slow on the romance side compared to other popular books in this genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review :)

[Yolanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a bit of a love–hate relationship with this book, mostly because of the pacing, but the strength of the storyline ultimately made this a solid four-star read for me.

The premise immediately hooked me. Scathach, Queen of Shadows and daughter of Befionn, Goddess of the Underworld, runs a school dedicated to training elite warriors. When Cúchulainn, the son of the god Lugh, arrives seeking her training, everything begins to shift. At the same time, Scathach’s half-sister Aife threatens to destroy everything she has built, setting the stage for conflict on both personal and epic levels.

The world building is descriptive and well done, and the plot itself is engaging and compelling. Honestly, the plot is what saved this book for me. While the story kept me invested, I struggled at times with the pacing. Some of the dialogue felt a bit flat, and a lot of time was spent on character exploration. Normally, I love deep character work, but here it occasionally felt repetitive and slowed the momentum more than I would have liked.

That said, I can absolutely see character-driven readers loving this and rating it higher. The emotional depth and focus on motivations will really work for the right audience. Bonus points for this being a standalone and for an ending I genuinely adored.

Overall, a strong story with some pacing issues, but still very much worth the read.

[Brittney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Queen of Shadow by P. C. Cast

A myth soaked romantasy set in Celtic legend, Queen of Shadow follows Scáthach, a warrior queen with the Sight who trains elite fighters and walks between worlds. What makes this book special is its mythological depth and epic stakes. The plot is rich, the setting feels ancient and alive, and the story ultimately delivers an emotionally satisfying standalone ending. While the pacing leans slow and character heavy at times, the strength of the storyline and mythology carried this to a solid win for me.

Tropes & Vibes:
👑 Warrior queen FMC
⚔️ Gods and demigods
🔥 Slow burn forbidden attraction
🌒 Celtic mythology and fate
🖤 Jealous rival and power struggle

Read this if you like:
Character driven fantasy, lush world building, mythological retellings, slow burn romantasy, and standalones with big emotional payoffs.

#QueenOfShadow #RomantasyReads #MythologyFantasy #CelticFantasy #BookstagramFantasy @williammorrow

Gifted copy review.

[Diamond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Queen of Shadow had an intriguing premise that initially drew me in. The idea of a story centered around powerful figures, demigods, and mythological elements set in an ancient world felt like it would be a compelling and immersive read.

Unfortunately, the story didn’t fully work for me. While the characters were intended to be complex, they came across as somewhat one-dimensional, and I struggled to connect with them emotionally. The relationship between Scáthach and Cuchulainn was especially difficult to believe, as their love felt unearned and seemed to develop suddenly rather than growing naturally over time.

Because I never fully connected with the characters or their relationship, it was hard to become invested in the emotional stakes of the story.

That said, the novel ultimately wrapped up nicely and provided a satisfying conclusion to their journey.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Jennie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, this book was okay, but it wasn't my favorite. It certainly didn't draw me in like I hoped. It felt like it was going to be a younger YA novel to NA to a Harlequin romance novel. It was a very odd combination. Maybe it's just me. It would've been nice to have some sort of pronunciation guide as well. I kinda ignored the names, as I couldn't figure out how to pronounce them at all. I think this created a disconnect from the characters for me.

I did like the overall story and concept of the relationship dynamics. The way they unfolded just didn't work well for me. It switched from focusing on Sentanta being strong and powerful, and then will compare him to a young boy. It would then focus on the heroine's maturity. Just seemed a bit odd to me considering the relationship that develops. There is a short section of a few spicy scenes.

[Mya Nearhoof · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!! If Divine Rivals and Smoke and Scar were 5 star reads for you, this book will be a 5 star for you as well!

We have an older FMC (which is always refreshing). If you enjoyed The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi, you need to read this.

The FMC and MMC have a mentor and mentee relationship. She trains the fiercest warriors while he’s pressured to make a name for himself. I loved the dynamic between these two. Shadow mommy alert 🚨 🖤

Also P.C Cast is phenomenal at writing battle scenes. Battles can be chaotic and confusing but that was not the case with this book. I was engrossed in every battle.

This comes out August 4th, 2026. Romantasy lovers need to read this! Mark your calendars!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins, and P.C Cast for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Skye Suarez · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5- I really wanted to like this book more. I loved PC Casts HoN Series when I was a teen and I love myths and retellings so I had high expectations. The lore was interesting and prompted me to research but other than that this book was middle of the road at best. It felt at some points dry and forced. The writing was repetitive and sometimes I felt like she was trying to reach a word count. I think overall the word I have for this book is: rushed. The love story, the quests, and the resolution all felt rushed. I say all of this and would also say that this book might serve as a good entrance to the Romantasy genre. I just wanted something a bit more complex. Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins, and PC Cast for the chance to read and review.

[Sarah Seltzer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not a fan. There's no explanation whatsoever about the magic system the FMC has use of, the characters are all pretty one-dimensional aside from the MMC (who is the only one I was able to feel any sort of connection to. I did not care at all about the others.) This also felt like 2 separate books that were sped up and mashed into 1. This could have easily been fleshed out and worked into a duology. Everything was just concluded so quickly and easily and things were all so convenient. I think if this has been more thought out it could have been good as there are some good and interesting elements. But the execution is severely lacking.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC

I didnt realize this was a retelling of an Irish myth until I looked up the pronunciation of some of the names (phonics are very different there!). There is a content warning at the beginning for SA but I was still disturbed reading it. I wish it wasn't as descriptive as it was. The speech was a bit formal, but it works (immortals, am I right?), although it made me want to put it down more often than I usually do with books I like. It took me 2 weeks to finish! I loved the characters and their personalities. I'd like a second book following their new roles.

[Book Lover]

I got an ARC from Netgalley to read and review. I went in with loving the description of the book. It seemed to be a great idea to me with my love of mythology. It shows you not to judge someone without getting to know them before making judgements on what you've heard from other people. What you see is not always what you get in believing the best of someone. It shows you strong people come in every walk of life. It, also, shows you that someone can be judged without meeting the person and get who they are wrong but also can be right at the same time. Though the ending was unexpected in some respects and in others totally expected.

[Jubilee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGallery for the ARC!
Overall 4/5, I really enjoyed the story, it did feel like two different books tho. In my personal opinion I would have loved to have this split into two novel but it reads as a standalone which is always nice so you don’t have to commit to a series.
I did enjoy that it was more fantasy over romance, the Romance wasn’t over done and the relationship build up was decent (again would have liked to have more).
The writing style fit the novel, and majority of the characters introduced stood out.
I recommend reading this if you want a standalone, and fantasy read! *please read trigger warnings*

[inanookwithabook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Queen of shadows was a gripping Romantasy featuring a badass warrior Queen. The FMC is middle aged- incredibly refreshing in a world with so many 18 year old FMCs. The storyline showcases an in depth knowledge of Norse and Greek history making it much more engaging than your average Romantasy. The world building was compelling and the characters unique. I thoroughly enjoyed that it was a standalone and I would absolutely recommend this book. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc read!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a lovely read. It is written beautifully and the world building is amazing. The only issue I had is with the FMC. She just seemed perfect through out the entire book. There was no character development. The only character growth we get is from the MMC- which is good but also lacking a little. It’s like there was growth- but he chose not to go down that path of growth. There were also no big plot twists - only a long journey that didn’t seem to change anything in the end.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed the book. It was very reminiscent of the House of Night series which is one of my favorites. However, I had a hard time getting into the story and certain things just annoyed me with how it was written. I loved the main characters though and found their journey exciting and interesting.

[Mika · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first adult novel I've read by this author & I really liked it! I'm a sucker for anything based in Scotland lately & I love the intertwining of mythology. The main character was so wonderfully written. Yes-a strong, badass warrior, but also a woman and a mother. All aspects were well-written and accounted for.