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Spellslinger #2
Shadowblack
A Shadowblack plague is taking hold... The second book in the Spellslinger fantasy series
It's a few months since Kellen left the Jan'Tep people. Now aged sixteen, Kellen is an outlaw, relying on his wits to keep him alive in the land of the Seven Sands. He misses home, he misses family and more than anything, he misses Nephenia, who he once loved.
Then he meets Seneira, a blindfolded girl who isn't blind, and who carries a secret that's all too familiar to Kellen. Kellen and Ferius resolve to help – but the stakes are far higher than they realise. A Shadowblack plague is taking hold – and Kellen can't help but suspect his own people may be behind it.
Perfect for fans of The Dark Tower, Firefly, Guardians of the Galaxy, Terry Pratchett, Ben Aaronovitch and Jim Butcher.
It's a few months since Kellen left the Jan'Tep people. Now aged sixteen, Kellen is an outlaw, relying on his wits to keep him alive in the land of the Seven Sands. He misses home, he misses family and more than anything, he misses Nephenia, who he once loved.
Then he meets Seneira, a blindfolded girl who isn't blind, and who carries a secret that's all too familiar to Kellen. Kellen and Ferius resolve to help – but the stakes are far higher than they realise. A Shadowblack plague is taking hold – and Kellen can't help but suspect his own people may be behind it.
Perfect for fans of The Dark Tower, Firefly, Guardians of the Galaxy, Terry Pratchett, Ben Aaronovitch and Jim Butcher.
Audible Audio
First published October 5, 2017
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About the author
Sebastien de Castell
57 books4,911 followersHi Folks!
My eighteenth novel, MALEVOLENT EIGHT is now available. Cade Ombra and his misfit band of mercenary war mages are determined to prevent a cataclysmic war between supernatural beings. But peace at any price might mean killing an awful lot of people. The Malevolent Seven might be heroes, but they'll be the good guys . . .
My seventeenth novel is titled PLAY OF SHADOWS. A swashbuckling fantasy set in the world of mystical theatre where exalted actors can channel the spirits of the historical figures they portray on stage. But Damelas Chademantaigne seems to be summoning the spirit of a notorious villain whose secrets could unleash a civil war!
My sixteenth novel is CRUCIBLE OF CHAOS. Estevar Borros is my favourite swashbuckling investigator of the supernatural, so come investigate alongside him and his dauntless mule, Imperious inside a mysterious abbey where the gods seem to be driving the monks mad!
My fifteenth novel is FATE OF THE ARGOSI. The Argosi series is one of my favourites and I hope you'll come along for Ferius Parfax's adventures!
You can get a pair of free stories here.
The best way to stay up to date is at www.decastell.com, but I'm also on that Facebook thing. Also that Twitter thing. One day I'll even remember to get on that Instagram thing.
As to who I am? Well . . .
Sebastien de Castell had just finished a degree in Archaeology when he started work on his first dig. Four hours later he realized how much he actually hated archaeology and left to pursue a very focused career as a musician, ombudsman, interaction designer, fight choreographer, teacher, project manager, actor, and product strategist. His only defence against the charge of unbridled dilettantism is that he genuinely likes doing these things and that, in one way or another, each of these fields plays a role in his writing. He sternly resists the accusation of being a Renaissance Man in the hopes that more people will label him that way.
Sebastien's acclaimed swashbuckling fantasy series, The Greatcoats. was shortlisted for both the 2014 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Fantasy. the Gemmell Morningstar Award for Best Debut, the Prix Imaginales for Best Foreign Work, and the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. His YA fantasy series, Spellslinger, was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and is published in more than a dozen languages.
Sebastien lives in Vancouver, Canada with his lovely wife and two belligerent cats. You can reach him at www.decastell.com
My eighteenth novel, MALEVOLENT EIGHT is now available. Cade Ombra and his misfit band of mercenary war mages are determined to prevent a cataclysmic war between supernatural beings. But peace at any price might mean killing an awful lot of people. The Malevolent Seven might be heroes, but they'll be the good guys . . .
My seventeenth novel is titled PLAY OF SHADOWS. A swashbuckling fantasy set in the world of mystical theatre where exalted actors can channel the spirits of the historical figures they portray on stage. But Damelas Chademantaigne seems to be summoning the spirit of a notorious villain whose secrets could unleash a civil war!
My sixteenth novel is CRUCIBLE OF CHAOS. Estevar Borros is my favourite swashbuckling investigator of the supernatural, so come investigate alongside him and his dauntless mule, Imperious inside a mysterious abbey where the gods seem to be driving the monks mad!
My fifteenth novel is FATE OF THE ARGOSI. The Argosi series is one of my favourites and I hope you'll come along for Ferius Parfax's adventures!
You can get a pair of free stories here.
The best way to stay up to date is at www.decastell.com, but I'm also on that Facebook thing. Also that Twitter thing. One day I'll even remember to get on that Instagram thing.
As to who I am? Well . . .
Sebastien de Castell had just finished a degree in Archaeology when he started work on his first dig. Four hours later he realized how much he actually hated archaeology and left to pursue a very focused career as a musician, ombudsman, interaction designer, fight choreographer, teacher, project manager, actor, and product strategist. His only defence against the charge of unbridled dilettantism is that he genuinely likes doing these things and that, in one way or another, each of these fields plays a role in his writing. He sternly resists the accusation of being a Renaissance Man in the hopes that more people will label him that way.
Sebastien's acclaimed swashbuckling fantasy series, The Greatcoats. was shortlisted for both the 2014 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Fantasy. the Gemmell Morningstar Award for Best Debut, the Prix Imaginales for Best Foreign Work, and the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. His YA fantasy series, Spellslinger, was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and is published in more than a dozen languages.
Sebastien lives in Vancouver, Canada with his lovely wife and two belligerent cats. You can reach him at www.decastell.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 986 reviews
May 15, 2018
I don't care who knows it, I'm a fanboy. Yes, it's fantasy YA, but after the first novel and having loved the flow so well and where it wound up, there's nothing that might convince me to stop now.
On the road.
Everything about the characters is fun. Sorry. It's just super easy reading and what's not to love about a wisecracking thieving racoon-cat who is the nightmare of every mage alive as your best friend? Or having a wily dancer/charmer showing him the ropes on the road in a permanent exile? Or how about solving the riddle of a plague of shadowblacks overwhelming a far-off city?
This one is mostly about living off the land and surviving in it, enjoying the characters so expertly developed in the first book, and learning a bit (or a lot) about oneself in the process.
The exile is coming into his own! Evil or not evil? We shall see. :) :)
Totally looking forward to the new audiobook this month for book 3! :)
On the road.
Everything about the characters is fun. Sorry. It's just super easy reading and what's not to love about a wisecracking thieving racoon-cat who is the nightmare of every mage alive as your best friend? Or having a wily dancer/charmer showing him the ropes on the road in a permanent exile? Or how about solving the riddle of a plague of shadowblacks overwhelming a far-off city?
This one is mostly about living off the land and surviving in it, enjoying the characters so expertly developed in the first book, and learning a bit (or a lot) about oneself in the process.
The exile is coming into his own! Evil or not evil? We shall see. :) :)
Totally looking forward to the new audiobook this month for book 3! :)
March 16, 2020
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Spellslinger ★★★ 1/2
The Dowager Magus ★★★★
Shadowblack ★★★
After finishing book 1 I decided to give this more time to see if it improves! I felt that book 1 was better and I kind of expected that with the reviews I saw for this one. The book continues where book 1 ended but unfortunately the plot shifts away from the main line toward what I felt was a filler.
This book focuses on the Argosis and their ways! I felt the point was to develop Kellen as a character because let’s be real, he was never the brightest main character in YA fantasy! I think this was well-established with this book. There were some new characters and I believe nothing was wrong with them!
The prose is very easy to read and I think that is logical since it is directed toward younger audience! I did not enjoy the banter and humor in this one very much because it started to become predictable, not funny and it got on my nerves!
The world-building is okay, I am just salty because I know it has a lot of potential to be something epic, just imagine the 6 bands they have for 6 different elements and the possibilities the magic can develop with dual or triple combinations of those, but instead we are stuck with the same 2 or 3 spells and that makes me annoyed!
Summary: An okay entry to the series that worked as a filler to develop the characters. The plot and magic system have more potential for sure and I am waiting for that to happen! The reviews for the third book are excellent and since I do not think this one was bad at the end of the day, I am still willing to continue it soon.
You can get more books from Book Depository
“First thing you learn travelling the long roads, kid: language is as much in the way you speak as the words you choose.”
Spellslinger ★★★ 1/2
The Dowager Magus ★★★★
Shadowblack ★★★
After finishing book 1 I decided to give this more time to see if it improves! I felt that book 1 was better and I kind of expected that with the reviews I saw for this one. The book continues where book 1 ended but unfortunately the plot shifts away from the main line toward what I felt was a filler.
This book focuses on the Argosis and their ways! I felt the point was to develop Kellen as a character because let’s be real, he was never the brightest main character in YA fantasy! I think this was well-established with this book. There were some new characters and I believe nothing was wrong with them!
The prose is very easy to read and I think that is logical since it is directed toward younger audience! I did not enjoy the banter and humor in this one very much because it started to become predictable, not funny and it got on my nerves!
The world-building is okay, I am just salty because I know it has a lot of potential to be something epic, just imagine the 6 bands they have for 6 different elements and the possibilities the magic can develop with dual or triple combinations of those, but instead we are stuck with the same 2 or 3 spells and that makes me annoyed!
“I’m going to go murder something.’
‘It’s called hunting, you know.’
‘Not the way I do it.”
Summary: An okay entry to the series that worked as a filler to develop the characters. The plot and magic system have more potential for sure and I am waiting for that to happen! The reviews for the third book are excellent and since I do not think this one was bad at the end of the day, I am still willing to continue it soon.
You can get more books from Book Depository
January 8, 2022
5/5 stars.
This writer is just amazing. After such a long reading slump, I read the first book, and also this book in less than a day. It's an amazing feeling, I missed that feeling of finishing a book.
This writer is just amazing. After such a long reading slump, I read the first book, and also this book in less than a day. It's an amazing feeling, I missed that feeling of finishing a book.
June 17, 2023
On the art of conversation, “There are two parts to music, kid: the notes, and the silences.”
SHADOWBLACK, the second novel in De Castell’s wonderfully entertaining young adult fantasy series, definitely tones down the slightly more mystic extended metaphors, those allegorical moments clearly designed to serve as teaching messages to a young adult reader. However, it also ratchets up the humour, the adventure, the fantasy camaraderie, and the rootin’, tootin’, high-falutin’ cowpokes versus the bad guys theme by more than a few notches as well. The smart-aleck, wise-cracking humour from Reichis, the mercurial flying fur-ball squirrel cat with a murderous chip on its shoulder, was reminiscent of Shrek’s donkey equipped with an attitude and the fangs and claws to back it up. Definitely worth the price of admission all by itself. But that said, the fun is never overdone and those adult messages are still there – loyalty, xenophobia and racism, recognition of nationhood, love and friendship. And you have to hand it to De Castell, science lovers will even recognize a reference to the magical equivalent of long distance quantum entanglement of virtual particle pairs! (Where in the world did that idea come from??)
SHADOWBLACK ends with Kellen achieving a greater understanding of his life’s path and a fuller comprehension of the nature of his enemies. I might have turned the last page on SHADOWBLACK but I’m certainly on a fast track to open the first page of CHARMCASTER, #3 in the series. A special “woot, woot” from a Canadian reader to a Canadian author.
Paul Weiss
SHADOWBLACK, the second novel in De Castell’s wonderfully entertaining young adult fantasy series, definitely tones down the slightly more mystic extended metaphors, those allegorical moments clearly designed to serve as teaching messages to a young adult reader. However, it also ratchets up the humour, the adventure, the fantasy camaraderie, and the rootin’, tootin’, high-falutin’ cowpokes versus the bad guys theme by more than a few notches as well. The smart-aleck, wise-cracking humour from Reichis, the mercurial flying fur-ball squirrel cat with a murderous chip on its shoulder, was reminiscent of Shrek’s donkey equipped with an attitude and the fangs and claws to back it up. Definitely worth the price of admission all by itself. But that said, the fun is never overdone and those adult messages are still there – loyalty, xenophobia and racism, recognition of nationhood, love and friendship. And you have to hand it to De Castell, science lovers will even recognize a reference to the magical equivalent of long distance quantum entanglement of virtual particle pairs! (Where in the world did that idea come from??)
SHADOWBLACK ends with Kellen achieving a greater understanding of his life’s path and a fuller comprehension of the nature of his enemies. I might have turned the last page on SHADOWBLACK but I’m certainly on a fast track to open the first page of CHARMCASTER, #3 in the series. A special “woot, woot” from a Canadian reader to a Canadian author.
Paul Weiss
March 19, 2018
This was for sure a step up from book one, which I enjoyed, but this one kept me engrossed through to the end and I am now really looking forward to seeing where the story goes next. In this book we're once again following Kellen, who is Jan'Tep . Kellen is accompanied by Reichis, a squirrel cat with a bad temper and a thieving paw, and his Argosi mentor who is supposedly training him. He's journeying with them away from everything he has ever known .
What I liked about this book is that even though it follows on from the one before, it feels like its own adventure and story. This time we follow Kellen as he is trying to learn more about what path he should take, and as he is doing this he is also met with a new character, Seneira, who may just suffer from the same affliction he does.
Kellen's story from that point onwards is darker and twisty as he tries to help himself and Seneira as they try to find out how to cure their ailments and fight back against those who would do them harm. It seems like someone is out for blood and death, and has a way of achieving just that...
Reichis is my favourite character I think becuase he's just so very grumpy and silly. I really enjoyed the whole bath scene with him, and I think he's a great addition to the series becuase he brings in the banter and hilarity at just the right moments, but he's also a really great side-kick (ahem...sorry, business partner).
The pacing of this book felt a lot faster in the second half than the first, and as a whole I felt like this was a book that I got into really quickly and just enjoyed. I would call this a light-but-fun YA story, with some great moments, and although there's not a huge amount of magic, it does crop up here and there in the plot.
Overall a solid 4*s from me, and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next.
What I liked about this book is that even though it follows on from the one before, it feels like its own adventure and story. This time we follow Kellen as he is trying to learn more about what path he should take, and as he is doing this he is also met with a new character, Seneira, who may just suffer from the same affliction he does.
Kellen's story from that point onwards is darker and twisty as he tries to help himself and Seneira as they try to find out how to cure their ailments and fight back against those who would do them harm. It seems like someone is out for blood and death, and has a way of achieving just that...
Reichis is my favourite character I think becuase he's just so very grumpy and silly. I really enjoyed the whole bath scene with him, and I think he's a great addition to the series becuase he brings in the banter and hilarity at just the right moments, but he's also a really great side-kick (ahem...sorry, business partner).
The pacing of this book felt a lot faster in the second half than the first, and as a whole I felt like this was a book that I got into really quickly and just enjoyed. I would call this a light-but-fun YA story, with some great moments, and although there's not a huge amount of magic, it does crop up here and there in the plot.
Overall a solid 4*s from me, and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next.
September 10, 2017
Kid, one day, if you live long enough, you're gonna figure out that power is the biggest joke of all.
So Spellslinger was a fun, twisty turny adventure with added magic and angst and great characters, with wit and a few darker moments, but not so much of a wild west influence as the cover would suggest.
For Shadowblack, Castell has upped the darker moments by like 75%, upped the angst by 50%, upped the western style by 10% and kept everything else - the characters, the magic, the twisty turns, the funny bits - about the same.So you could prefer either Spellslinger or Shadowblack, depending on your tastes.
We left Kellen running from his childhood home with a price on his head, taken in by the continuing-to-be-a-badass Ferius and accompanied by his squirrel cat companion Reichis. Just like Spellslinger, the novel opens with a fight (and a beating. Poor kid), and Ferius showing Kellen how its done. Here begins the change.
I know you're scared, kid, and you've got good reason to be. You want to do the right thing, but your fear makes you look for ways to protect yourself.
Think of Shadowblack like many superhero sequel films. Remember Spiderman 2? Or Iron Man 2? Or even Captain America: Winter Soldier? Shadowblack is all about the classic crisis of confidence, not knowing what to do or where you belong, feeling like you're all alone in a big and scary world. Kellen is a hunted, hated exile, and Ferius is not teaching him what he wants to learn. He's beginning to harbour some resentment, feeling useless and honestly, getting a bit fed up with getting beaten all the time. You can see where he's coming from, as Kellen was just as relatable in Spellslinger, and again, this is a strong element of the novel.
The story, too, is darker. Spellslinger had its moments of animal cruelty and sinister plots, but Shadowblack is easily the Evil Trophy Winner. Our characters get hurt harder and more easily, their friends don't always make it, and winning is not a sure thing. The twists remain, with a couple of fun double-bluffs to enjoy, and some really tense scenes. Again, I'm not really going to expand on the plot very much - its much more fun to go in blind.
Let us make no maps of lands yet unseen.
There are some fun new characters to enjoy, including a mysteriously blindfolded girl and her companion - another Argosi like Ferius. I loved the interactions between the 2 Argosi, which helped expand Ferius' character a little more. There was also an added element of romance in this instalment, which I didn't entirely hate.
There was less emphasis on the magical aspects overall, which I didn't mind since there was so much more emphasis on dark, murdery plot lines which I am always going to enjoy. Overall, it was a great sequel, with a bit of a tone shift that didn't take away from the enjoyability of the series.
July 10, 2019
Translation widget on The blog!!!
Un volum 2 alert, cu multe răsturnări de situație, plin de pericole știute și neștiute, cu mult mai complex decât primul volum al seriei. Mi-a plăcut Kellen si în acest volum: am apreciat ca își recunoaște limitele, temerile si totuși, are curaj! Reichis, celebra pisica-veverița este in continuare feblețea mea!
Recenzia mea completă o găsiți aici:
https://www.delicateseliterare.ro/inf...
Un volum 2 alert, cu multe răsturnări de situație, plin de pericole știute și neștiute, cu mult mai complex decât primul volum al seriei. Mi-a plăcut Kellen si în acest volum: am apreciat ca își recunoaște limitele, temerile si totuși, are curaj! Reichis, celebra pisica-veverița este in continuare feblețea mea!
Recenzia mea completă o găsiți aici:
https://www.delicateseliterare.ro/inf...
October 17, 2017
As always this review can also be found on my blog The Tattooed Book Geek: https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress...
I won a copy of this book through Readers First.
Even though The Greatcoats by Sebastien de Castell is one of my favourite fantasy series I have to admit that I haven’t read the first book in his YA fantasy series the Spellslinger series. You all know how it is, too many books and sadly, never enough time to read them all and ultimately some will end up passing you by.😢
I was, however, easily able to pick up and follow the story in Shadowblack without any prior knowledge so it’s all good. Granted, I only got to know the bare bones of the previous book but it was enough, you learn more as you progress through the book and quite frankly, it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of Shadowblack at all.👌
Kellen of the House of Ke is a sixteen-year-old outcast, an outlaw spellslinger from Jan’Tep on the run who also happens to have the ‘shadowblack‘ – (the shadowblack is a dangerous magical plague that is easily recognisable by the swirling black design around the left eye. That will in time cause the inflicted to descend into madness).
What’s a spellslinger you might ask! Well, let me tell you! A spellslinger is a derogatory term used by the people of Jan’Tep and means that Kellen doesn’t have much magic (the six different forms of magic are Iron, ember, breath, blood, sand and silk. Kellen, due to having the shadowblack has been permanently counter-banded which means he is unable to ever use five out of the six forms of magic. The only one available to him is breath and he only knows a couple of different variations of one singular spell) and has to resort to his own wits, guile and a variety of other tricks to supplement his meagre magical ability and to help stay alive.
His two companions are Reichis, a two-foot-tall nekhek (squirrel cat) think Rocket from Guardians of the Galaxy only far more murderous with an even worse attitude and his favourite food just so happens to be that delicious delicacy human eyeballs, nom nom nom! Actually, with Reichis bad attitude and my love for the classic 1980’s show The A-Team I think he should be referred to as Bosco “B. A.” Bareichis!😂 And, Ferius Parfax, a red-headed Argosi card wielding (think of a female version of Gambit from the X-Men) wanderer and gambler.
After the initial action-packed opening featuring Kellen, Reichis and Ferius the addition of Seneira who is accompanied by Rosie (another Argosi) really opens up the story (which is a great story) in Shadowblack and is the catalyst that allows the plot to start unravelling and the mystery and adventure to really begin.
I liked Seneira as a character and I enjoyed learning more about the wanderers that are the Argosi too. The addition of Rosie by de Castell worked well and she was a good counterpoint to Ferius helping show the differences between the various paths that the Argosi choose and then spend their life following.
Kellen, as the main character and narrator can at times be quite naive, doesn’t really know his place, who he wants to be or even where he fits in but during Shadowblack he goes through some self-discovery, coming to learn more about himself and by the ending, he has matured and has a far greater understanding of who he is.
The story in Shadowblack is definitely Kellen’s. But for me (whilst I liked Ferius as both a character and a companion for Kellen) the star of the book is definitely Reichis who is an outstanding character, shining everytime he’s on the page. The banter between him and Kellen is topnotch and I also found Reichis to be the perfect comic relief as at times Shadowblack can be quite dark in tone. Whenever Reichis goes hunting he doesn’t refer to it as ‘hunting‘ oh no! Reichis goes ‘murdering‘ and really, that tells you all you need to know about him. He’s just a fantastic creation who thinks he’s the mack daddy of everything!
The setting for Shadowblack is the Seven Sands, an outback, frontier type region that gives of a western vibe to it and it’s pretty cool.
While the ‘big bad‘ behind the overall scheme in Shadowblack remain largely unknown (until the end). There’s a decent bad guy to act as the foil against Kellen, Reichis and Ferius throughout the course of the book who uses sinister and menacing means to enact their plan.
Castell is a superb writer who knows how to tell a story. Shadowblack is easy to read, decently paced, gives you twists and turns aplenty in the story to keep you engaged and characters that you care about too. The back of the book states ‘sorcery is a scam‘ but Shadowblack dear readers is the real deal.👌 As a writer, de Castell is also a dab hand at incorporating both the deeper moments of emotion and the lighter moments of humour into his books and you will often find yourself smiling throughout the course of Shadowblack.
I stay away from the YA genre, I’m not discriminating, it’s just not for me. I like my fantasy to be far more on the grittier, bloodier, grimmer and darker side with flawed amoral protagonists rather than the standard light v dark and good guys v bad guys. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed Shadowblack and feel that it transcends its YA fantasy label to something that fans of both YA and adult fantasy will enjoy as there’s truly a lot to like in de Castell’s creation.
I found Shadowblack to be a fantastic fantasy western hybrid and a rousing adventure. I am definitely looking forward to continuing the story in the next book.
Oh, read and buy de Castell’s The Greatcoats series too! It’s finished, exceptional and I highly recommend it!👌
I won a copy of this book through Readers First.
Even though The Greatcoats by Sebastien de Castell is one of my favourite fantasy series I have to admit that I haven’t read the first book in his YA fantasy series the Spellslinger series. You all know how it is, too many books and sadly, never enough time to read them all and ultimately some will end up passing you by.😢
I was, however, easily able to pick up and follow the story in Shadowblack without any prior knowledge so it’s all good. Granted, I only got to know the bare bones of the previous book but it was enough, you learn more as you progress through the book and quite frankly, it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of Shadowblack at all.👌
Kellen of the House of Ke is a sixteen-year-old outcast, an outlaw spellslinger from Jan’Tep on the run who also happens to have the ‘shadowblack‘ – (the shadowblack is a dangerous magical plague that is easily recognisable by the swirling black design around the left eye. That will in time cause the inflicted to descend into madness).
What’s a spellslinger you might ask! Well, let me tell you! A spellslinger is a derogatory term used by the people of Jan’Tep and means that Kellen doesn’t have much magic (the six different forms of magic are Iron, ember, breath, blood, sand and silk. Kellen, due to having the shadowblack has been permanently counter-banded which means he is unable to ever use five out of the six forms of magic. The only one available to him is breath and he only knows a couple of different variations of one singular spell) and has to resort to his own wits, guile and a variety of other tricks to supplement his meagre magical ability and to help stay alive.
His two companions are Reichis, a two-foot-tall nekhek (squirrel cat) think Rocket from Guardians of the Galaxy only far more murderous with an even worse attitude and his favourite food just so happens to be that delicious delicacy human eyeballs, nom nom nom! Actually, with Reichis bad attitude and my love for the classic 1980’s show The A-Team I think he should be referred to as Bosco “B. A.” Bareichis!😂 And, Ferius Parfax, a red-headed Argosi card wielding (think of a female version of Gambit from the X-Men) wanderer and gambler.
After the initial action-packed opening featuring Kellen, Reichis and Ferius the addition of Seneira who is accompanied by Rosie (another Argosi) really opens up the story (which is a great story) in Shadowblack and is the catalyst that allows the plot to start unravelling and the mystery and adventure to really begin.
I liked Seneira as a character and I enjoyed learning more about the wanderers that are the Argosi too. The addition of Rosie by de Castell worked well and she was a good counterpoint to Ferius helping show the differences between the various paths that the Argosi choose and then spend their life following.
Kellen, as the main character and narrator can at times be quite naive, doesn’t really know his place, who he wants to be or even where he fits in but during Shadowblack he goes through some self-discovery, coming to learn more about himself and by the ending, he has matured and has a far greater understanding of who he is.
The story in Shadowblack is definitely Kellen’s. But for me (whilst I liked Ferius as both a character and a companion for Kellen) the star of the book is definitely Reichis who is an outstanding character, shining everytime he’s on the page. The banter between him and Kellen is topnotch and I also found Reichis to be the perfect comic relief as at times Shadowblack can be quite dark in tone. Whenever Reichis goes hunting he doesn’t refer to it as ‘hunting‘ oh no! Reichis goes ‘murdering‘ and really, that tells you all you need to know about him. He’s just a fantastic creation who thinks he’s the mack daddy of everything!
The setting for Shadowblack is the Seven Sands, an outback, frontier type region that gives of a western vibe to it and it’s pretty cool.
While the ‘big bad‘ behind the overall scheme in Shadowblack remain largely unknown (until the end). There’s a decent bad guy to act as the foil against Kellen, Reichis and Ferius throughout the course of the book who uses sinister and menacing means to enact their plan.
Castell is a superb writer who knows how to tell a story. Shadowblack is easy to read, decently paced, gives you twists and turns aplenty in the story to keep you engaged and characters that you care about too. The back of the book states ‘sorcery is a scam‘ but Shadowblack dear readers is the real deal.👌 As a writer, de Castell is also a dab hand at incorporating both the deeper moments of emotion and the lighter moments of humour into his books and you will often find yourself smiling throughout the course of Shadowblack.
I stay away from the YA genre, I’m not discriminating, it’s just not for me. I like my fantasy to be far more on the grittier, bloodier, grimmer and darker side with flawed amoral protagonists rather than the standard light v dark and good guys v bad guys. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed Shadowblack and feel that it transcends its YA fantasy label to something that fans of both YA and adult fantasy will enjoy as there’s truly a lot to like in de Castell’s creation.
I found Shadowblack to be a fantastic fantasy western hybrid and a rousing adventure. I am definitely looking forward to continuing the story in the next book.
Oh, read and buy de Castell’s The Greatcoats series too! It’s finished, exceptional and I highly recommend it!👌
November 21, 2019
Personal rating: 3.75
October 24, 2017
Give me the next one now! Preferably with a nice hot bath and butter biscuits.
March 18, 2019
My name is Kellen Argos. I am the Path of Endless Stars.
While I enjoyed the first book, I Felt the story came into its own in this novel. I found this funnier too. Reikis and Kellen are great as is Ferous. Looking forward to more!
While I enjoyed the first book, I Felt the story came into its own in this novel. I found this funnier too. Reikis and Kellen are great as is Ferous. Looking forward to more!
August 20, 2018
4.5 of 5 stars https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/08/20/...
The Spellslinger series is starting to take shape with this second volume, and I’m liking where it’s going. Ex-magic student Kellen, having chosen the path of exile, has become transformed into a roaming outlaw of sorts, and I’m feeling these wonderful Western vibes seeping in. Best of all, traveling with our characters mean we get to discover a whole wide world of endless possibilities.
Indeed, Shadowblack is a sequel that greatly expands the world-building. In this book, Kellen and his companions Ferius the Argosi woman and Reichis the squirrel-cat are trekking through the wild and lawless borderland—a far cry from the more structured and civilized Jan’Tep city in which our protagonist grew up. Unable to use magic without bringing any unwanted attention to themselves, Kellen finds himself way out of his element. However, despite their precautions, trouble winds up catching up to our trio when they are ambushed by bounty hunters who nearly get the best of them. Battered and weakened, Kellen has no choice but to trust a pair of strangers who come to their aid, one of whom is an Argosi who seems to be acquainted with Ferius.
But it is the other traveler, Seneira, who astonishes Kellen the most. Like him, she is afflicted by the shadowblack, a deadly magical ailment which causes terrible headaches, disturbing visions, and swirling black markings to appear on the skin around the eyes. What Kellen can’t figure out is how. All his life, he has been taught that the shadowblack only affects magic users, but Seneira is no mage and has no magical ability to speak of. Drawn to the mystery, Kellen and Ferius agree to travel with Seneira and her Argosi mentor (who reluctantly goes by “Rosie”) to her home city, where to their dismay, they find that the plague is even more widespread than they had feared.
Shadowblack was everything I loved about Spellslinger, with a bit of added adventure. The characters are back and they’re as captivating as ever, especially Kellen, who finds himself way out of his depth in this new environment. His sheltered days are over, and he’s learning to get by without relying solely on magic (not that he was a very good mage to begin with), hoping that Ferius will teach him other ways to survive. But thus far, the Argosi woman is keeping her tricks close to the vest, and meeting Rosie has revealed just how secretive Ferius is by comparison. She’s an enigma, and something tells me her plans for Kellen go beyond simply wanting to help him find his way. Happily, there’s also Reichis, there to cut through all the bullshit. With him, what you see is what you get: a bad-tempered little squirrel-cat with an obsession with clawing out people’s eyeballs. Since the expectation is that Kellen will be growing and changing a lot over the course of this series, it’s nice (and even a bit comforting) to know that there are certainties you can always rely upon, such as Reichis’ propensity to say and do outrageously hilarious things.
For the most part though, this series is evolving. The ending of this book establishes a pattern which has been confirmed by the author, who has stated that each volume will take Kellen to new places where he will encounter new forms of magic and intrigue. This structure reminds me very much of a TV series where each episode might be self-contained, but together they make up an overall story arc that tells the journey of the main character. The downside, of course, is the sad implication that we won’t be returning to past places. In fact, Shadowblack ends on a strong sense of goodbye to this part of the world, as Kellen and his companions look ahead to their next destination. That said, it’s hard to see this as a true negative, especially now that I know what to expect. While I’ll keep my fingers crossed that we’ll meet some of these side characters again, at the same time I can’t really say I’m all that torn up about moving on to another chapter of Kellen’s adventure. I had a great time with this novel, and now I’m just even more excited for the future of this series.
Knowing Sebastien de Castell, he’ll have another incredible sequel in store for us. So far, I have been very impressed with his YA series; he seems to be able to excel at any kind of story he wants to tell. Every time I pick up one of his books, I know I can expect his great sense of humor, fast-paced plotting, attention-grabbing characters, and nonstop fun. If you enjoyed Spellslinger, you will absolutely want to pick up Shadowblack.
The Spellslinger series is starting to take shape with this second volume, and I’m liking where it’s going. Ex-magic student Kellen, having chosen the path of exile, has become transformed into a roaming outlaw of sorts, and I’m feeling these wonderful Western vibes seeping in. Best of all, traveling with our characters mean we get to discover a whole wide world of endless possibilities.
Indeed, Shadowblack is a sequel that greatly expands the world-building. In this book, Kellen and his companions Ferius the Argosi woman and Reichis the squirrel-cat are trekking through the wild and lawless borderland—a far cry from the more structured and civilized Jan’Tep city in which our protagonist grew up. Unable to use magic without bringing any unwanted attention to themselves, Kellen finds himself way out of his element. However, despite their precautions, trouble winds up catching up to our trio when they are ambushed by bounty hunters who nearly get the best of them. Battered and weakened, Kellen has no choice but to trust a pair of strangers who come to their aid, one of whom is an Argosi who seems to be acquainted with Ferius.
But it is the other traveler, Seneira, who astonishes Kellen the most. Like him, she is afflicted by the shadowblack, a deadly magical ailment which causes terrible headaches, disturbing visions, and swirling black markings to appear on the skin around the eyes. What Kellen can’t figure out is how. All his life, he has been taught that the shadowblack only affects magic users, but Seneira is no mage and has no magical ability to speak of. Drawn to the mystery, Kellen and Ferius agree to travel with Seneira and her Argosi mentor (who reluctantly goes by “Rosie”) to her home city, where to their dismay, they find that the plague is even more widespread than they had feared.
Shadowblack was everything I loved about Spellslinger, with a bit of added adventure. The characters are back and they’re as captivating as ever, especially Kellen, who finds himself way out of his depth in this new environment. His sheltered days are over, and he’s learning to get by without relying solely on magic (not that he was a very good mage to begin with), hoping that Ferius will teach him other ways to survive. But thus far, the Argosi woman is keeping her tricks close to the vest, and meeting Rosie has revealed just how secretive Ferius is by comparison. She’s an enigma, and something tells me her plans for Kellen go beyond simply wanting to help him find his way. Happily, there’s also Reichis, there to cut through all the bullshit. With him, what you see is what you get: a bad-tempered little squirrel-cat with an obsession with clawing out people’s eyeballs. Since the expectation is that Kellen will be growing and changing a lot over the course of this series, it’s nice (and even a bit comforting) to know that there are certainties you can always rely upon, such as Reichis’ propensity to say and do outrageously hilarious things.
For the most part though, this series is evolving. The ending of this book establishes a pattern which has been confirmed by the author, who has stated that each volume will take Kellen to new places where he will encounter new forms of magic and intrigue. This structure reminds me very much of a TV series where each episode might be self-contained, but together they make up an overall story arc that tells the journey of the main character. The downside, of course, is the sad implication that we won’t be returning to past places. In fact, Shadowblack ends on a strong sense of goodbye to this part of the world, as Kellen and his companions look ahead to their next destination. That said, it’s hard to see this as a true negative, especially now that I know what to expect. While I’ll keep my fingers crossed that we’ll meet some of these side characters again, at the same time I can’t really say I’m all that torn up about moving on to another chapter of Kellen’s adventure. I had a great time with this novel, and now I’m just even more excited for the future of this series.
Knowing Sebastien de Castell, he’ll have another incredible sequel in store for us. So far, I have been very impressed with his YA series; he seems to be able to excel at any kind of story he wants to tell. Every time I pick up one of his books, I know I can expect his great sense of humor, fast-paced plotting, attention-grabbing characters, and nonstop fun. If you enjoyed Spellslinger, you will absolutely want to pick up Shadowblack.
Want to read
June 24, 20171.) Spellslinger ★★★★★
July 16, 2024
✅ Gorgeous cover
✅ World-building
✅ Characters
✅ Plot
🆗 Magic
🆗 Pace
3.5 stars
Once again, the cover is just gorgeous.
Spellslinger was a very good book, funny, full of action, and some intrigue... Well, Shadowblack is darker than Spellslinger and the intrigue just gets thicker. There is still sarcasm and funny dialogues, especially between Reichis and Kellen.
I preferred (only a little bit) the pace in Spellslinger, there was a bit more action, but the storyline of Shadowblack was a big step up from the first book. There in the darkness, mystery and you just have to continue reading to try and understand what exactly is happening. In the end, we have a better idea of the grand scheme, using dark magic to control key players in international politics, but the mystery remains regarding who is responsible... I have a few ideas, but I'm still eager to continue my reading to see if I'm right or not.
There is less emphasis on magic and how Kellen's life is worth nothing since he can't become a mage (which is fine by me). He starts to mature and thinks more in this book. He is trying to find a path and a place where he feels he belongs.
The new characters were nice, we did not get the chance to know Rosie a lot, but I have a feeling that we might see her again in the next books. It was nice to see the two Argosi ladies interact and it helped expand Ferius' character and personality. Seneira is also a new character, a mysterious girl who pretends to be blind to hide the fact that she has the shadowblack ... It is a little sad for Kellen that he has to leave her behind at the end, the little romance between them was a nice touch, without being too much or out of place in the story. Still, I'm happy to keep the Ferius-Reichis-Kellen dynamic for the next book. There were some difficult moments between Ferius and Kellen, but hopefully, it will end up in a stronger relationship in Charmcaster.
1. Spellslinger ⭐⭐⭐⭐
1.1 The Dowager Magus ⭐⭐
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✅ World-building
✅ Characters
✅ Plot
🆗 Magic
🆗 Pace
3.5 stars
Once again, the cover is just gorgeous.
Spellslinger was a very good book, funny, full of action, and some intrigue... Well, Shadowblack is darker than Spellslinger and the intrigue just gets thicker. There is still sarcasm and funny dialogues, especially between Reichis and Kellen.
I preferred (only a little bit) the pace in Spellslinger, there was a bit more action, but the storyline of Shadowblack was a big step up from the first book. There in the darkness, mystery and you just have to continue reading to try and understand what exactly is happening. In the end, we have a better idea of the grand scheme, using dark magic to control key players in international politics, but the mystery remains regarding who is responsible... I have a few ideas, but I'm still eager to continue my reading to see if I'm right or not.
There is less emphasis on magic and how Kellen's life is worth nothing since he can't become a mage (which is fine by me). He starts to mature and thinks more in this book. He is trying to find a path and a place where he feels he belongs.
The new characters were nice, we did not get the chance to know Rosie a lot, but I have a feeling that we might see her again in the next books. It was nice to see the two Argosi ladies interact and it helped expand Ferius' character and personality. Seneira is also a new character, a mysterious girl who pretends to be blind to hide the fact that she has the shadowblack ... It is a little sad for Kellen that he has to leave her behind at the end, the little romance between them was a nice touch, without being too much or out of place in the story. Still, I'm happy to keep the Ferius-Reichis-Kellen dynamic for the next book. There were some difficult moments between Ferius and Kellen, but hopefully, it will end up in a stronger relationship in Charmcaster.
1. Spellslinger ⭐⭐⭐⭐
1.1 The Dowager Magus ⭐⭐
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June 17, 2019
Shadowblack is the magical second instalment in the Spellslinger series.
Kellan has abandoned his people and all hopes of becoming a great Jan'Tep Mage with his dwindling ability to perform even the simplest of spells and when he discovered the markings of the Shadowblack surrounding his left eye. Marked and feared he is on the run from those who wish death on what they do no understand. But upon his travels Kellan discovers many more who are just like him, only their markings bring with them terrible visions and it is spreading. Fast.
I was immediately invested in this story and fell straight back in with the antics of Kellan and his motley crew of outcasts. Despite the scheming and intrigue which dogs the narrative, this maintained the fun and fast-paced vibes I so loved in the first book. Wit and sarcasm abound, which wasn't always to my taste but certainly made for light-hearted and jovial reading and helped to fuel the authenticity of the characters and their growing bond.
The new characters easily fit into this dynamic and I appreciated the widening cast (if not the romance that accompanied them) and learning more about this fascinating kingdom they were set in. I wish this was infused with a little more of the latter but with much more of the series to come I'm sure the world will continue to expand as Kellan continues to explore it.
Kellan has abandoned his people and all hopes of becoming a great Jan'Tep Mage with his dwindling ability to perform even the simplest of spells and when he discovered the markings of the Shadowblack surrounding his left eye. Marked and feared he is on the run from those who wish death on what they do no understand. But upon his travels Kellan discovers many more who are just like him, only their markings bring with them terrible visions and it is spreading. Fast.
I was immediately invested in this story and fell straight back in with the antics of Kellan and his motley crew of outcasts. Despite the scheming and intrigue which dogs the narrative, this maintained the fun and fast-paced vibes I so loved in the first book. Wit and sarcasm abound, which wasn't always to my taste but certainly made for light-hearted and jovial reading and helped to fuel the authenticity of the characters and their growing bond.
The new characters easily fit into this dynamic and I appreciated the widening cast (if not the romance that accompanied them) and learning more about this fascinating kingdom they were set in. I wish this was infused with a little more of the latter but with much more of the series to come I'm sure the world will continue to expand as Kellan continues to explore it.
October 10, 2018
Another wonderful entry in this series. Sebastien de Castell is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.
We pick up where Kellen left off, on the run with Ferius Parfax and Reichis the squirrel cat, wandering the Seven Sands and just trying to keep his head on his shoulders. Out in the desert he meets another Argosi, The Path of Thorns and Roses, who has a girl in her care, Seneira. Seneira, not even a mage, is also suffering the Shadowblack.
The twists and turns in this book were excellent. A large part of the suspense is the mystery here, so there are fewer fight scenes than I am used to in a de Castell book, but the ones that are there are golden. You get this feeling when you read them, the author just has so much fun writing his stories, you can’t help but smile when reading his books.
I loved the western feel of this. It’s more pronounced in Shadowblack than in Spellslinger. They meet more wanderers on the road, trade what little the have for what little they can get. The battles are sort of quick draw, quick action which give the feeling of a frontier showdown.
The characters continue to delight, full of flaws and quirks. We meet a few new ones, that didn’t particularly stand out as anything especially great, but there are enough eyeball eating, thieving threats from Reichis to keep you entertained.
I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Spellslinger, and I can’t wait for Charmcaster.
We pick up where Kellen left off, on the run with Ferius Parfax and Reichis the squirrel cat, wandering the Seven Sands and just trying to keep his head on his shoulders. Out in the desert he meets another Argosi, The Path of Thorns and Roses, who has a girl in her care, Seneira. Seneira, not even a mage, is also suffering the Shadowblack.
The twists and turns in this book were excellent. A large part of the suspense is the mystery here, so there are fewer fight scenes than I am used to in a de Castell book, but the ones that are there are golden. You get this feeling when you read them, the author just has so much fun writing his stories, you can’t help but smile when reading his books.
I loved the western feel of this. It’s more pronounced in Shadowblack than in Spellslinger. They meet more wanderers on the road, trade what little the have for what little they can get. The battles are sort of quick draw, quick action which give the feeling of a frontier showdown.
The characters continue to delight, full of flaws and quirks. We meet a few new ones, that didn’t particularly stand out as anything especially great, but there are enough eyeball eating, thieving threats from Reichis to keep you entertained.
I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Spellslinger, and I can’t wait for Charmcaster.
November 12, 2018
Wandering novel with a really bad romance...really bad.
World: The world building here is still wishy washy like the first book. There is a good world here with some interesting ideas and places but it’s inconsistent, especially the magic system. I hate it when magic systems are not clearly defined and only come around to serve the purpose of the plot. That’s the case here, the magic is the way it is just for the story points to make a point or a plot point to drive up tension. I wish there was more depth.
Story: The book wanders and it does not feel like a next chapter in the story of Kellen, but rather a side quest that is really long. There is no real progression, there is but we don’t get to read it, of Faria training Kellen and so a lot of the depth is superficial and the conflict and the drama about him choosing a path means nothing cause we don’t really get to feel it and live and see what it’s like to choose the path he’s chosen, it’s set dressing. There is the story with the new love interest which is really irksome and is the biggest issue with the book. The character is given no favours by making Kellen this disloyal and then have him be loyal to Faria at the same time, it’s so bad. The villain and the idea of the plot and the mystery behind it is okay, but nothing particularly spectacular. I don’t know if it’s the writer that is the issue or the world that’s the issue but it’s starting to lose me.
Characters: Kellen is all over the place and inconsistent. I hate this type of writing where characters and their motivations only serve the story and they are not well thought out and complex characters. That is also the case with every single character in this book, not really clearly defined and with a personal voice. The love story this time was really bad, especially since what happened in book one and now this, that does Kellen no favours and it makes him into such a jerk. Angry Pikachu, or Squirrel Cat can get annoying as he’s the same one note again and again.
I want to like this series and this world but the lack of depth and the wishy washy character writing and the horrible romance is really making me question whether I should even care about the next book.
Onward to the next book!
World: The world building here is still wishy washy like the first book. There is a good world here with some interesting ideas and places but it’s inconsistent, especially the magic system. I hate it when magic systems are not clearly defined and only come around to serve the purpose of the plot. That’s the case here, the magic is the way it is just for the story points to make a point or a plot point to drive up tension. I wish there was more depth.
Story: The book wanders and it does not feel like a next chapter in the story of Kellen, but rather a side quest that is really long. There is no real progression, there is but we don’t get to read it, of Faria training Kellen and so a lot of the depth is superficial and the conflict and the drama about him choosing a path means nothing cause we don’t really get to feel it and live and see what it’s like to choose the path he’s chosen, it’s set dressing. There is the story with the new love interest which is really irksome and is the biggest issue with the book. The character is given no favours by making Kellen this disloyal and then have him be loyal to Faria at the same time, it’s so bad. The villain and the idea of the plot and the mystery behind it is okay, but nothing particularly spectacular. I don’t know if it’s the writer that is the issue or the world that’s the issue but it’s starting to lose me.
Characters: Kellen is all over the place and inconsistent. I hate this type of writing where characters and their motivations only serve the story and they are not well thought out and complex characters. That is also the case with every single character in this book, not really clearly defined and with a personal voice. The love story this time was really bad, especially since what happened in book one and now this, that does Kellen no favours and it makes him into such a jerk. Angry Pikachu, or Squirrel Cat can get annoying as he’s the same one note again and again.
I want to like this series and this world but the lack of depth and the wishy washy character writing and the horrible romance is really making me question whether I should even care about the next book.
Onward to the next book!
July 17, 2018
Castell just became one of my favourite authors. He casts magic like no one else.
April 22, 2019
🌌 "We're finally reading this!" BR with the MacHalo Asylum loonies 🌌
#1. Spellslinger ★★★★½
I didn't lose my mind so much with this but I enjoyed it tremendously!
This never went where I half expected it to go and at first it seemed to be a little adrift without any real storyline in sight. Turned it around though, one of those weird impossible maneuver that cats pull of so effortlessly.
I am eager to see where this goes!
Some Quotes:
#1. Spellslinger ★★★★½
This is what my life had come to: I was now begging my own eyeballs for help, and even that didn’t feel strange.
@86%
I didn't lose my mind so much with this but I enjoyed it tremendously!
This never went where I half expected it to go and at first it seemed to be a little adrift without any real storyline in sight. Turned it around though, one of those weird impossible maneuver that cats pull of so effortlessly.
I am eager to see where this goes!
Some Quotes:
August 12, 2021
An excellent sequel to Spellslinger that developed the characters and their relationships quite a bit while also expanding the story and setting satisfyingly. De Castell is quite adept at writing addictive stories.
October 9, 2019
I'm left feeling kind of "meh" about this one. I liked that it was funnier than the first book, and really the squirrel cat saved this book from being a two star review. I really like Reichis.
As for the rest...I don't like Kellen at all. He is so wishy-washy, and I find that the magic in this book is a bit "deus ex machima". Kellen basically knows one weak breath spell, but then he's able to use that to summon his sister or to do the spell from the last book that involved Reichis' mom. We are told over and over again that the Jan'tep mages are to be feared and they could take over the world if they wanted. Yet over and over again a 15 or 16 year old boy is able to beat them or escape from them. What is the point of magic when he can beat every mage he comes up against?
Then there is the Argosi - I though Ferrius was going to be a character I could really get into, but she was really annoying this time around. I do not like the trope of "wise mentor that never actually tells you anything useful and just replies in vague mystical nonsense when asked a question". I also can't stand the way she talks - the 1850s western lingo (I guess?) - y'all, aint, wrastlin etc.
On to the plot - as another reviewer said, this feels like a side quest story. Nothing really happens. The romance was silly/unbelievable, and yet again the main bad guy of the book is kind-of-beaten, but not defeated and of course, he gets away.
I know it seems like I'm shitting all over the book. It wasn't a bad book, just not up to my expectations. Maybe because it's a YA book - just something is off. However, I did read the book in one evening. It was entertaining (despite my issues with it) and it's a fast read. I'm just hoping it gets better.
As for the rest...I don't like Kellen at all. He is so wishy-washy, and I find that the magic in this book is a bit "deus ex machima". Kellen basically knows one weak breath spell, but then he's able to use that to summon his sister or to do the spell from the last book that involved Reichis' mom. We are told over and over again that the Jan'tep mages are to be feared and they could take over the world if they wanted. Yet over and over again a 15 or 16 year old boy is able to beat them or escape from them. What is the point of magic when he can beat every mage he comes up against?
Then there is the Argosi - I though Ferrius was going to be a character I could really get into, but she was really annoying this time around. I do not like the trope of "wise mentor that never actually tells you anything useful and just replies in vague mystical nonsense when asked a question". I also can't stand the way she talks - the 1850s western lingo (I guess?) - y'all, aint, wrastlin etc.
On to the plot - as another reviewer said, this feels like a side quest story. Nothing really happens. The romance was silly/unbelievable, and yet again the main bad guy of the book is kind-of-beaten, but not defeated and of course, he gets away.
I know it seems like I'm shitting all over the book. It wasn't a bad book, just not up to my expectations. Maybe because it's a YA book - just something is off. However, I did read the book in one evening. It was entertaining (despite my issues with it) and it's a fast read. I'm just hoping it gets better.
October 5, 2018
טוב אז הספר השני לא עינג אותי כמו הראשון והאמת ששקלתי לעזוב באמצע אבל בכל זאת סיימתי אותו.
זה לא שהוא רע, בכל זאת נתתי לו 3 כוכבים. אבל הוא כבד יותר, איטי יותר והחינניות של קלן פשוט נעלמה. נגוזה כאילו לא היתה קיימת בספר הראשון. וזה למעשה היה מוקד העונג האמיתי שלי בספר הראשון, הדמות של הנער בן ה 16, שיש בו חוש הומור עצמי, שרואה את העולם סביבו בבהירות.
אולי קלן פשוט מתבגר?
בחלק הזה קלן, רייקס ופריוס פאקס יוצאים למסע. הם נתקלים בבחורה בגילו של קלן, הסובלת ממחלה שנראית כמו הצל השחור שממנה סובל קלן. הם חוזרים איתה לעיר מגוריה, שם הם מגלים כי מדובר במגפה. המטרה שלהם לגלות מי מדביק את ילדי העיר במגפה ומדוע.
קלן של הספר הזה, נשמע הרבה יותר בכייני ומתקרבן. באופן פרדוכסלי הוא נשמע גם יותר מבוגר מ 16 שנותיו ו 4 חודשים.
אני לא יודעת אם אמשיך לספר הבא. אולי בעתיד או כשיתורגם. פשוט הוא איבד את כל הקסם שהיה בו בעיניי והפך לסיפור הרפתקאות ולא סיפור פנטזיה כפי שציפיתי.
זה לא שהוא רע, בכל זאת נתתי לו 3 כוכבים. אבל הוא כבד יותר, איטי יותר והחינניות של קלן פשוט נעלמה. נגוזה כאילו לא היתה קיימת בספר הראשון. וזה למעשה היה מוקד העונג האמיתי שלי בספר הראשון, הדמות של הנער בן ה 16, שיש בו חוש הומור עצמי, שרואה את העולם סביבו בבהירות.
אולי קלן פשוט מתבגר?
בחלק הזה קלן, רייקס ופריוס פאקס יוצאים למסע. הם נתקלים בבחורה בגילו של קלן, הסובלת ממחלה שנראית כמו הצל השחור שממנה סובל קלן. הם חוזרים איתה לעיר מגוריה, שם הם מגלים כי מדובר במגפה. המטרה שלהם לגלות מי מדביק את ילדי העיר במגפה ומדוע.
קלן של הספר הזה, נשמע הרבה יותר בכייני ומתקרבן. באופן פרדוכסלי הוא נשמע גם יותר מבוגר מ 16 שנותיו ו 4 חודשים.
אני לא יודעת אם אמשיך לספר הבא. אולי בעתיד או כשיתורגם. פשוט הוא איבד את כל הקסם שהיה בו בעיניי והפך לסיפור הרפתקאות ולא סיפור פנטזיה כפי שציפיתי.
January 7, 2018
Shadowblack is a very worthy and wonderful sequel to the fabulous Spellslinger!
This book picks up after the events of Spellslinger and throws you back into the action with a brand new and quite gripping new rip-roaring adventure with our intrepid and quite messed up young hero, his ferocious little squirrel cat and his new card-wielding mentor.
de Castell has written yet another rare and vivid fantasy for young adults that easily read by older too. His imagination knows no bounds and it shows yet again with this entry, his world building and character creation are phenomenal with prose that is easy to read, follow and more importantly to thoroughly and completely enjoy.
I simply cannot wait to see what will happen next.......
This book picks up after the events of Spellslinger and throws you back into the action with a brand new and quite gripping new rip-roaring adventure with our intrepid and quite messed up young hero, his ferocious little squirrel cat and his new card-wielding mentor.
de Castell has written yet another rare and vivid fantasy for young adults that easily read by older too. His imagination knows no bounds and it shows yet again with this entry, his world building and character creation are phenomenal with prose that is easy to read, follow and more importantly to thoroughly and completely enjoy.
I simply cannot wait to see what will happen next.......
February 20, 2018
I loved this book! I love this series. Everything about this book was great. The plot was intriguing and mysterious and definitely kept me hooked. I also like how while it was a contained adventure it also led into a more overarching plot. The character development was great for everybody, Kellen, Ferius and even Reichis had wonderful moments and finding out a little more about Ferius is always welcome as I adore her. Cannot wait for more from this series.
I was sent an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Edited to add: I still love this book and adore the characters and storyline :)
I was sent an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Edited to add: I still love this book and adore the characters and storyline :)
September 2, 2018
Reichis is my favorite "business partner", ever! He is so much like Rocket Raccoon, and I am living for it! He is the best comic relief for all the shit stuff that happened in this book. So excited to see what more shenanigans the gang is going to go through in the next book.
April 9, 2022
I loved every second of it ♥️
August 22, 2021
Enjoyable and engaging, Shadowblack was an excellent worthy sequel which builds on the characters and the intriguing world they live in.
The Spellslinger is shaping up to be another YA series which I could like very much. Similar to all the others in this subgenre which I've read and enjoyed, it is once again written by an author whose adult fantasy series was one which I loved. Sebastian de Castell's writing style and brand of humour which I loved in his Greatcoats series came across really well into this one as well. The self-deprecating and mocking inner voice from the perspective of the main protagonist was evident in both Falcio (the main character in Greatcoats and Kellen - even though both characters are totally different. I'm not saying that Kellen sounds like Falcio, not in the least, but their internal monologues have a wry sense of humour while respectively maintaining a voice that is distinctively his own.
I found the sequel to be an even more engrossing read than the first as the introduction of new characters and new places provided greater insights into the worldbuilding. The best part is that characters come first, and it was through their stories that we learnt more about the political landscape as well as the magic of the world. Given the title of the book, I was intrigued to know more about the magical curse known as shadowblack, which manifests in black inky patterns around the eyes those afflicted. Without giving anything away, the fast-paced plot of the book was not what I've expected and in my eagerness to know more, the pages just flew by.
Typical to most YA books, the story was written in first person perspective of Kellen, and as such his character development is the primary driver of how invested I would become. And the answer is - very much so. As a teenager, it is understandable that Kellen will be given to some level of immaturity and angst, but I liked how it was never dwelt on for very long. This was mainly due to his companions, the enigmatic Ferius Parfax, and the bad-tempered but hilarious squirrel-cat, Reichi. The way Kellen's relationship with the two of them developed throughout the course of the series so far was probably the key in keeping me interested in the series. Not to mention that pretty much almost every time Kellen and Reichi end up in trouble, the action and banter between the two of them are imminently fun to read.
Even the new characters introduced in this book were well-written enough that I wanted more of them, but I think perhaps for most this might be last I'll see of them. While in no way written as a stand-alone, the way the book ended gave me a feeling of closure as far as this part of Kellen's life is concerned. What lays ahead will definitely challenge his growth further, and I'm excited to read more and partake in his future adventures.
You can purchase the book from Blackwells | Bookshop.Org | Amazon US | Amazon UK
You can find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
The Spellslinger is shaping up to be another YA series which I could like very much. Similar to all the others in this subgenre which I've read and enjoyed, it is once again written by an author whose adult fantasy series was one which I loved. Sebastian de Castell's writing style and brand of humour which I loved in his Greatcoats series came across really well into this one as well. The self-deprecating and mocking inner voice from the perspective of the main protagonist was evident in both Falcio (the main character in Greatcoats and Kellen - even though both characters are totally different. I'm not saying that Kellen sounds like Falcio, not in the least, but their internal monologues have a wry sense of humour while respectively maintaining a voice that is distinctively his own.
I found the sequel to be an even more engrossing read than the first as the introduction of new characters and new places provided greater insights into the worldbuilding. The best part is that characters come first, and it was through their stories that we learnt more about the political landscape as well as the magic of the world. Given the title of the book, I was intrigued to know more about the magical curse known as shadowblack, which manifests in black inky patterns around the eyes those afflicted. Without giving anything away, the fast-paced plot of the book was not what I've expected and in my eagerness to know more, the pages just flew by.
Typical to most YA books, the story was written in first person perspective of Kellen, and as such his character development is the primary driver of how invested I would become. And the answer is - very much so. As a teenager, it is understandable that Kellen will be given to some level of immaturity and angst, but I liked how it was never dwelt on for very long. This was mainly due to his companions, the enigmatic Ferius Parfax, and the bad-tempered but hilarious squirrel-cat, Reichi. The way Kellen's relationship with the two of them developed throughout the course of the series so far was probably the key in keeping me interested in the series. Not to mention that pretty much almost every time Kellen and Reichi end up in trouble, the action and banter between the two of them are imminently fun to read.
Even the new characters introduced in this book were well-written enough that I wanted more of them, but I think perhaps for most this might be last I'll see of them. While in no way written as a stand-alone, the way the book ended gave me a feeling of closure as far as this part of Kellen's life is concerned. What lays ahead will definitely challenge his growth further, and I'm excited to read more and partake in his future adventures.
You can purchase the book from Blackwells | Bookshop.Org | Amazon US | Amazon UK
You can find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
June 19, 2024
3.5 stars🌟
I enjoyed the storyline, but some of the characters annoyed me quite a bit. Reichis the squirrel cat was the best part of the book by far!
I enjoyed the storyline, but some of the characters annoyed me quite a bit. Reichis the squirrel cat was the best part of the book by far!
July 15, 2018
This is fast-becoming one of my favourite fantasy series! It is a weird but perfect blend of magic, wild west-style gunslinging, frontier survival, murderous magical creatures and Kellen's stupid teenage decisions. This book will make you laugh, while drawing you in to really care about the characters. Reichis, the foul-mouthed squirrelcat is a particular favourite of mine, particularly when he shows his vulnerabilities a bit more in this book when faced with the only thing he is afraid of, a demon-possessed crocodile. I liked learning more about Ferius Parfax and the Argosi, as well as meeting Rosie and Seneira and learning more about Kellen's world outside of the Jan'tep territories. The world-building is perfect - a light touch here and there gives you a lot of information without ever info-dumping. I am completely hooked and will be reading more!
August 13, 2019
Je deviens de plus en plus fan de cette saga ! Chaque tome est un gros pavé que je lis pourtant hyper vite car tout est fluide, tout s’enchaîne parfaitement et c'est hyper addictif ! J'adore l'univers de magie super original, j'adore l'ambiance et les personnages ... bref, j'adore.
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