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Cloaked in Shadow

(The Dragori #1)

Ben Alderson (Goodreads Author)

3.83 · Rating details · 1,072 ratings · 272 reviews

Zacriah Trovirn is concerned with two things in life: hunting and dodging Petrer, the boy who broke his heart.

Heartbreak becomes a distant concern when Zacriah is taken to the Elven capital of Thessolina, where he is forced into King Dalior’s new legion of shapeshifters. But Zacriah isn’t a shapeshifter. In truth, he doesn't know what he is.

Zacriah joins forces with new ...more

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Paperback, First Edition, 350 pages

Published December 18th 2017 by Oftomes Publishing (first published December 5th 2017)

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Average rating 3.83 ·

Rating details

· 1,072 ratings · 272 reviews

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Start your review of Cloaked in Shadow (The Dragori, #1)

Jan 24, 2017 Ben Alderson added it · (Review from the author)

MY BOOK IS OUT IN THE WORLD
IM CRYING

Thank you to everyone who has supported me and I hope you enjoy my book. It is out now and I am literally crying into my Iced Latte! Thank you all so so so so so so so much. IM CRYING. again. ALL DAY. This story means the world to me and I hope a young boy will read this one day and see how normal being gay is!

-------------------
I AM WRITING A BOOK.
THIS IS MY BABY!!!!!!!!!

I am so so excited about this announcement. I am aiming to have it out early 2018, if ...more

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Sep 09, 2018 Sasha Alsberg rated it it was amazing

Disclamer: Ben is a good friend of mine but let me tell you, this book, is OUT OF THIS WORLD. I knew Ben was a good storyteller before he ever wrote Cloaked in Shadow but WOW did this book blow my mind! It was as if I completely forgot my best friend was writing this book. The story took over my mind and every twist and turn that this book bestowed upon me, shook me to the core.

Plus, gay elves?? WE NEED MORE OF THAT IN YA! I loved the romance between Zac & Hadrian, it was sweet but powerful ...more

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Jan 24, 2017 Ana marked it as to-read

Shelves: dying-for

Quoting Ben's not-official description "Beauty and the Beast inspired fantasy with Dragons, Gay Romance and Elemental Control"

...

Shut up and take my money.

I'm so sold. I need this.

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Dec 12, 2017 Kylie Holiday rated it did not like it

BLATANT SEXISM. The female characters are portrayed horribly!!!

Saw this book in the Goodreads newsletter and noticed the impressive ratings, and I LOVE LGBTQ fiction. But please do NOT believe the hype!!! This story is sexist in the worst way, delegating most of its female characters to one dimensional 'bitchy bimbo' stereotypes while the equally one dimensional male cast of Mary Sues receive the rest of the fantasy tropes. This is NOT acceptable in 2017!!! Here's just one early example, and BLATANT SEXISM. The female characters are portrayed horribly!!!

Saw this book in the Goodreads newsletter and noticed the impressive ratings, and I LOVE LGBTQ fiction. But please do NOT believe the hype!!! This story is sexist in the worst way, delegating most of its female characters to one dimensional 'bitchy bimbo' stereotypes while the equally one dimensional male cast of Mary Sues receive the rest of the fantasy tropes. This is NOT acceptable in 2017!!! Here's just one early example, and there are many many more. (For context, Zacriah is sitting in a wagon listening to girls gossip about having sex with the prince)

"I wonder what he'll be wearing tonight?" Illera fiddled with her deep chestnut braid, twisting it around her finger. "Something tight, I hope..."
Alerior chuckled, nudging Illera's shoulder with her own. "You're terrible, truly!"
For as long as I could remember, Alerior and Katill had followed Illera around like doe-eyed puppies, always feeding her with just what she wanted to hear. I knew steering clear of her was the best option. I'd gained her unwanted attention before and became the brunt of her boredom. It didn't end well. I felt almost sorry for whoever it was they gossiped about.
"I can't wait to see his face when he sees what you're wearing later… or what you are not wearing." Katill also had a filthy mind, it was her one redeeming quality.
Illera’s laugh was shrill, forced. "We'll see. I had to sneak my dress past father. He would drop down dead if he saw what I'd done to it." She motioned with her two fingers, "Snip, snip, snip."
My laugh even surprised me.
The snort burst out of my nose, which I tried to cover up with a cough. It didn't work. I turned away, looking back over the side of the wagon but their conversation had ceased. I didn't have to see to know Illera was looking at me, her gaze burned into the back of my head.
"Something funny?" Her voice was sweet, though I could taste the sickly undertone as she questioned me.
I looked to Illera’s violet eyes, full of intrigue. Her sharp brows pinched above her sinister smile.
Here we go.
I shook my head and held her gaze, biting my tongue.
Don't fall for it. Don't fall for it.
"No?" Her cackle pierced my ears. “Well, let me see… you must have been daydreaming about your father, who will no doubt fail miserably at the hunt this evening," she drawled.
My canines bit into my bottom lip and my mouth filled with salvia and copper.
"Oh, I know, I know." She jumped in her seat, raising her hand in the air. By this point, the entire cart was listening, watching. "Was it the thought of your mother having to beg yet again for food? Yes, that must be it. Because that is hilarious” She threw her head back and roared with laughter. If that was not enough of a kick to the balls, she clenched her fists pretending to rub fake tears from her eyes.

Nyah is partially the exception and maybe this gets better later in the book, but I can't stomach another page and first impressions matter!

As if the misogyny wasn't enough to rate it one star, let's take a look at the writing itself. Purple prose, grammar errors, very weird metaphors on every page, especially when magic is being used, modern words constantly peppered throughout that break any sense this is supposed to be a fantasy world. It feels more like a series of roleplaying posts or a fanfic. Also, there's a complete absence of anything resembling story or compelling character motivation. An example: the first two chapters the main character is just sitting in a cart. Literately!!! He's just a camera describing everything in purple prose, every irrelevant detail that had nothing to do with his (lack of) motivation or personal conflict. The plot instead seems like a lot of absurdly random coincidences the characters stumble upon rather than driving things through their own actions.

DNF and will NOT come back for the sequel!
...more

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Oct 02, 2017 JD rated it did not like it

An Elf nicknamed "Zac". That's enough to DNR for me right there. Let's break down the synopsis now: the author puts "feeding his family" and avoiding a love interest into the same priority category. Seriously?

Wtf is with the cover art? It looks like something that would belong to gay fantasy fanfic featuring an Elf that works part time as a go-go dancer in a gay club in Orlando. And I say that as a gay guy living in Orlando. YA- can't we demand better than this garbage?

EDIT: Okay gang, I need ...more

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Jun 04, 2019 ☙ percy ❧ rated it liked it

Shelves: high-fantasy, kindle-unlimited, lgbtqia, romance-erotica-mm, 3-star, elves-faeries-etc, fantasy, magic, romance, young-adult

this was nice, but underwhelming. it just felt like every other YA fantasy i've ever read, including the romance. the fact that it was an m/m romance was great, because we don't see that enough in YA (especially fantasy), but even so it was just all stereotypical.

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Oct 01, 2017 Elizabeth Sagan rated it really liked it

Cloaked in Shadow made me think of Throne of Glass and ACOTAR and a lot of set-up books that put things in place before the shit hits the fan. It felt like setting up a chessboard, which makes me so much more curious about the sequel.
*
I had high expectations when I started reading it. And I can honestly say they were met. It was a really nice and enjoyable read.
*
I want to point out 2 things, though. First one, the world-building. It isn’t that it lacks in world-building (actually, it was pretty Cloaked in Shadow made me think of Throne of Glass and ACOTAR and a lot of set-up books that put things in place before the shit hits the fan. It felt like setting up a chessboard, which makes me so much more curious about the sequel.
*
I had high expectations when I started reading it. And I can honestly say they were met. It was a really nice and enjoyable read.
*
I want to point out 2 things, though. First one, the world-building. It isn’t that it lacks in world-building (actually, it was pretty decent), but I would have liked to know more about that world. But this is the problem with set-up books: you can’t put everything there, especially when the whole novel has 350 pages. So it wasn’t really a problem, since I expect the details to be filled in the sequel/s.
*
And there we go to the second thing, which I found really interesting. Since I knew it was an LGBTQ+ story, I expected to find more about how that society thinks about the LGBT community of elves. Technically, I expected to find a copy of the human world (with good and bad stuff). But there was no such a thing. The main character was just doing his stuff and he was treated in the same way as you’d expect in a straight relationship. And how cool is to read about gay relationships just like you read about straight relationships, without anyone pointing it out?! So I have mixed feeling about the fact that there was no kind of social pressure, no kind of... what I expected to find? Everything was just normal. And this is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 3. It was the first book I’ve read in which the LGBT part of it is treated in this way and I honestly think it’s so, so, so cool!
*
I want you to look at yourself, really look at yourself...
[...]
And I want you to repeat what I say.
[...]
I am strong, I am brave, I am fierce...
[...]
At first it sounded odd, like I was trying to convince myself that I was something I wasn't. But I carried on and the word began to ebb together into a mantra that vibrated through me. [...] The words began to have meaning, like they were tricking my mind into trusting them. Believing them ...more

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Sep 26, 2017 Rachel E. Carter added it

Shelves: author-friends-do-not-rate-books

Elves, shifters, and elemental magic, oh my! Ben's debut gives fans of the Shannara Chronicles something new to fangirl (and boy :D) over in young adult fantasy.

Okay, so I have to say First Year fans will love this one -I sent countless messages to Ben as I was reading saying things like: "OMG Priscilla's twin!" "Nyah is LIFE (Ella fans will love her)" "Your princeling is waaay nicer than mine (because Darren haters/those who love Ian will like Ben's book more;P)" >> Clearly Ben and I like ...more

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Dec 09, 2017 Shauna rated it it was ok · review of another edition

A few disclaimers before I get into what is probably going to be a very lengthy (and spoiler-filled) review:

One of the main things I think is important in a book review, or in any review, is honesty. So I’m going to be honest, I was a little bit sceptical when I started reading this book. The main thing that led to my scepticism was the amount of time that appeared to pass between the book being finished and its publication. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are good books.

The edition of ...more

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Jan 24, 2017 Gabrielle (Wishes she had more time to read) marked it as to-read

Shelves: fantasy, lgbtqia

Beauty and the Beast inspired? Gay romance? DRAGONS?

*is here for this*

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Apr 28, 2018 Galadrielė rated it it was ok · review of another edition

1.5/5

Plot 2/5
Details 2/5
Characters 2/5
Romance 1/5
World building 2/5
Magic system 1/5
Logic 2/5
Writing style 1/5
Enjoyment 2/5

1. Almost all female characters are portrayed horrible.
2. It feels like author was trying to write down all his sexual fantasies.
3. Magic system is weird as hell.
4. Writing style is awkward.
5. Romance is way too AWKWARD.

Still gonna read a second book. Why am I doing this to myself. Really, why? ...more

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Sep 09, 2018 Taran Matharu rated it it was amazing

Why isn't there more YA fantasy like this?
Wish I'd got to this sooner.

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Nov 02, 2017 Christine Spoors rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-2017

I haven't been reading much fantasy recently, but Cloaked in Shadow has definitely reminded me why I love the YA fantasy genre so much. This is Alderson's first book and I absolutely love the world he created.

I really liked the main character Zacriah, it's always interesting to read from a male POV in YA fantasy as it's not something we see as often. He is such a likeable character and I liked that he is flawed, and remains so throughout the book. He is gay, and I won't say who he becomes ...more

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Aug 04, 2017 ancientbookbride rated it liked it

Shelves: e-book, ya-high-fantasy, three-stars, read-in-2017, 2017-releases

actual rating: 2.7

Disappointing. I've been looking forward to this book ever since it was announced but no. I'm not going to write a review on it, not going to say any more. I hope others enjoy it but I honestly didn't and won't pick up the sequel.

(I should add though that despite everything, I'm glad this book had the LGBT character. As someone who's LGBT herself, I'm always hoping for more LGBT books and characters. I'm also certain Sarah J Maas fans will love this book. I think my tolerance ...more

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May 14, 2018 Laurie rated it it was amazing

I thoroughly enjoyed this romantic Elf fantasy - a real treat to read. The romantic leads, Zacriah and Hadrian are well-drawn and really sparkle on the page together, to the point where I couldn't wait until the next scene with both of them in it. I also enjoyed author Alderson's obvious love of the visual aspect of his world - especially the color. There are some wonderful details in this book - the claw weapon (LOVE), food details, the riding Elks - and I must say, I adored the idea of a moth ...more

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Apr 05, 2019 ✨ jamieson ✨ rated it liked it

Shelves: gay-mc, m-m, series-to-complete, young-adult, fantasy, lgbtqiap, owned-books, queer-side-characters, series, romance

"Our only enemy is within and once you conquer it ... you can overcome anything.

I have had this book in my kindle library pretty much since it released, because I was really highly anticipating it. When I used to watch a lot of Booktube Ben was one I watched a lot and I was really interested to see what his debut novel would be like. Also, the premise of this was so interesting to me. It's a high fantasy featuring elves and a central m/m relationship, which is ownvoices representation.

This ...more

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Nov 13, 2017 Anali rated it really liked it

4.5

“They say that fire is nothing without the air that fuels it. You are my air, without you I would just stop. I need you, I want you and I will get better and be there for you.”

Cloaked in Shadow es la novela debut de Ben Alderson. Había leído un poco de él antes en Because you love to hate me, pero con este libro creo que ha hecho un maravilloso trabajo. Al ser su primer libro, creí que encontraría muchos errores e inconsistencias, pero no, encontré exactamente lo que estaba buscando: Un ...more

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Dec 30, 2017 Cassie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

reread this gem in order to be better prepared for its sequel, found in night.

this reread was just as amazing as the first time i read it. zac, hadrian, and nyah have such a special place in my heart. i love them all dearly and cannot wait to continue on this journey with them!

*********************

this book was so magical and pure. i loved the characters and not once did i feel bored with the plot. cloaked in shadow will definitely be a book that stays with me for many moons to come.

if you ...more

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Oct 01, 2017 ~vatana~ marked it as to-read

Gay elves are yay elves, y'all.

I'm SO PUMPED.

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Feb 16, 2018 Dharma rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, high-fantasy, action, romance, lgbt

So I'm going to preface this review by saying that I do not intend to bash this book. As a writer myself, I would never want anyone to drag anything that I write, and I do think that Ben is appropriately enthusiastic about the publishing of his book, because it is quite an impressive accomplishment and he has a right to be excited about it. I don't intend to take that excitement away by expressing my opinion on his piece of work.

That being said, I will be honest with my opinions here. I will not ...more

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Nov 01, 2017 Jo Painter rated it really liked it

First of all, I would just like to say a massive congratulations to Ben!

'Cloaked in Shadow' is being officially released on the 18th Dec, ( get your pre-orders in now, guys), but I was lucky enough to be sent a copy to read early and let me tell you, this will fill all the Elven voids in your life. Ben's ability to create a world of Elves where they are of all different races, shapes, sizes, personalities and strengths is what the fantasy genre is desperately in need of. Don't get me wrong, I ...more

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Apr 05, 2019 tappkalina rated it really liked it

Shelves: favourite-characters, lgbt-read, 4-star, best-covers

(TBH I came for the gay, but stayed for the story.)
This was everything. The whole time it felt like I was reading an ancient storybook because of the wonderful atmosphere and the breathtaking landscape. BEAUTIFUL. No wonder it is about elves.
And this book is about a lot more than you would think. Oh boy, the magic and the mythology/history... Let me tell you, it was smart and interesting.
I really need to get my hand on the next one.
The game has just begun.

Also, my only complaint against it (I ...more

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Dec 05, 2017 Claire - The Coffeeholic Bookworm rated it really liked it

This was astonishingly beautiful!!

Zacriah Trovirn has got a lot in his hands: a kingdom reigned by an elfin King who's got skeletons hiding in his closet. a prince in love with a Niraen shifter, only he isn't really a shifter at all. A friend turns into a foe and a best-friend in the shape of a moth. Zac doesn't know anymore who to trust; even his magick plays tricks on him. When bloodshed rules the land, he must find a way to protect the ones he love and unleash his powers before he gets This was astonishingly beautiful!!

Zacriah Trovirn has got a lot in his hands: a kingdom reigned by an elfin King who's got skeletons hiding in his closet. a prince in love with a Niraen shifter, only he isn't really a shifter at all. A friend turns into a foe and a best-friend in the shape of a moth. Zac doesn't know anymore who to trust; even his magick plays tricks on him. When bloodshed rules the land, he must find a way to protect the ones he love and unleash his powers before he gets killed.

It's been almost two months since I last read a fantasy/paranormal story, so you can imagine my craving for a new fantasy read this time. When I finally got my hands on Cloaked in Shadow, I screamed alongside Ben of Tomes and knew that it would be a blast. And I was not disappointed!

Now, where do I begin? Hmm.. The cover... OMG, that book cover! It's so freakin' beautiful! Fell in love with elfin Zacriah right away. With his purple bow and arrow and his enigmatic pose, the cover definitely captivated me.

Now on with the story. I love love love Zacriah and his pure heart. It's my first time to read a gay love story in a Fantasty genre and it's s big win for me. I love how the elven commmunity readily accepted Zac and Petrer and Hardian's sexuality. Like it's the most natural thing in the world and there was no prejudice and judgment at all. I love that! At first I liked Petrer the raven shifter, but when I finally got to meet the enigmatic Prince Hadrian, I am floored. Hadrian is indeed swoonworthy and dashing! The romance was palpable but mild, tender and sweet!

“They say that fire is nothing without the air that fuels it. You are my air, without you I would just stop. I need you, I want you and I will get better and be there for you.

Learning about the shifters, (my first time to read about a moth and a spider shifter - so cool!!), elven kingdoms, the Elementals, the magick, the Dragori - it was all enthralling and captivating. I am in love with how their worlds collide. I love how there was never a dull moment in the book. I'd love to say a lot more, but I don't want to spoil all the fun. But if you're in for something high fantasy and magical and adventurous, then this book comes highly recommended for you!! Thumbs up and kisses for you, Ben! ...more

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Aug 24, 2017 Olivia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reread, books-ive-edited

5/5 STARS *****

A beautiful fantasy story from the first person perspective of a gay, male, mysterious and magical elf! Our main character, Zacriah, is so original and complex, I have never gotten so attached to a MC so quickly. As a reader, we discover his story right along with him. By learning about his powers, meeting other elves, and discovering more about the world around him we discover as much as he does.

Ben Anderson has built a wonderful cast of characters but most importantly beautiful ...more

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Mar 04, 2018 Len Evans Jr rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: owned

This book deserves at least 10 stars... it is the best epics fantasy novel that I have read in the last 5 years. The world-building is astounding, the characters are more real than some flesh and blood people I know. The story is on par with the writing of the very top level of epic fantasy. I cannot say enough about the journey this book took me on. I cannot wait till the second book is published, but till then I will have to reread this one at least several times, cuz there is so much more to ...more

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Dec 07, 2017 Vicky (What Vicky Read) rated it it was amazing

I loved this book! A fabulous debut from Ben and such a unique story. I loved that the main character was a male as I haven’t read as many books with a male lead, plus the main character, Zac, was also gay! I really loved seeing his relationships emerge and how they changed and developed.

I will be writing a full review of this on my blog (it will be up just after the 16th!), but for now I just want to say that I loved this book. It’s diverse, it’s action packed and it’s just all round fabulous. ...more

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Dec 09, 2017 Kristofer Pidgeon rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

That was awesome! I’m sad I found it so soon because now I’ll have to wait for the next book. I rarely find an authors debut book to be so good, but this one was stellar. ...more

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Dec 27, 2017 Peyton Reads rated it liked it

3.5 Stars
This book definitely captured my attention and was a fun ride all the way through. No single page was boring in my eyes. Cloaked in Shadow being Alderson's debut has left me feeling quite impressed. The writing was pretty good though there was an awkward sentence here and there and many misspelled words. The plot was predictable at times because of some common tropes, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the novel. It was definitely a fun novel through and through that sets up a ...more

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Oct 25, 2017 Kirsty Bonnick rated it it was amazing

So much suspense, shocking twists and sexual tension makes cloaked in shadow a must read for the YA book fans.
Every chapter includes stunning imagery and characters which take you to far away lands and it feels as if you can see, touch and smell everything right there in front of you.
A brilliant example of LGBT writing breaking the mold.

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Dec 06, 2017 Chanel Malherbe rated it it was amazing

Ben Alderson's use of words and characters are excellent and leaves you wanting more.

Zacriah is a character that will stay with you long after you have finished the book.
The way Hadrian treats Zacriah is amazing and their relationship leaves me squealing with happiness.

This is a type of book I have been yearning to read for a long time.

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About Ben Alderson

Ben Alderson

12,653 followers

"Ben Alderson is the book vlogger you want to know from across the pond. This 22-year-old UK native is steadily making a name for himself with not only his YouTube book vlog, but also his Instagram account ...where he is followed by thousands who can't get enough of his artsy shots of books."
- Teen Vogue.

Side from running his very own micro-publishing company, Oftomes, you can find Ben in the ...more