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The Cadeleonian Series #6
Master of Restless Shadows: Book Two
As a schoolboy, Fedeles Quemanor barely survived being possessed by sorcery. Now he’d gladly abandon all matters of magic to more ambitious people. His happiness lies in more simple things: riding horses, the joy of friends and family and dancing with Ariz Plunado.
But when he discovers that Hierro Fueres, the Duke of Gavado, is raising an army of enthralled assassins to seize the crown, Fedeles is shaken to the core. Worse is the revelation that the ancient spells protecting their nation from an ravenous curse are being dismantled.
The murderous power lurking in Fedeles’s shadow could be enough to secure the nation of Cadeleon. If only Fedeles can face the darkness that once possessed him.
But even as Fedeles takes on the challenge, his agents, Atreau and Narsi, learn that the threat at heart of the capitol has grown beyond the bounds of their nation. Unless they take action, Count Radulf, the ferocious Scarlet Wolf of Labara, will destroy it and all of Cadeleon along with it.
But when he discovers that Hierro Fueres, the Duke of Gavado, is raising an army of enthralled assassins to seize the crown, Fedeles is shaken to the core. Worse is the revelation that the ancient spells protecting their nation from an ravenous curse are being dismantled.
The murderous power lurking in Fedeles’s shadow could be enough to secure the nation of Cadeleon. If only Fedeles can face the darkness that once possessed him.
But even as Fedeles takes on the challenge, his agents, Atreau and Narsi, learn that the threat at heart of the capitol has grown beyond the bounds of their nation. Unless they take action, Count Radulf, the ferocious Scarlet Wolf of Labara, will destroy it and all of Cadeleon along with it.
522 pages, Paperback
First published February 15, 2022
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April 15, 2025
Don't say I didn’t warn you / I'm something like a shadow / It takes a ghost to know one / And we're so good when we’re in motion (Shadow – Carly Rae Jepsen).
I’m always hesitant to use the word “brilliant” as a descriptor for the things I read because, to me, it’s a special word that should be reserved for the kinds of stories that have a profound and visceral impact. Got to save it for the all-timers, you know? Well... yeah, this book is brilliant. No sarcasm. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this is one of the best books I’ve ever read and I’m honestly at a loss for words here. Hm, where to start, where to start? I don’t know… how about I rant about the idea of “plot armor?” Whenever I’m looking up reviews for stories that are “realistic” (don’t worry, I’m not vague-posting about anyone here on Goodreads), a common criticism that always crops up is that all the main characters have a crazy amount of plot armor and the fact that we know that the heroes won’t die removes all tension from the story. “Oh, they lived after that lethal blow because of plot armor” or “the villain didn’t finish them off in this moment because of plot armor, blah blah blah.” I mean, sure, everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, but to me, the term “plot armor” has become synonymous with like… just having a main character. When I’m reading something, it’s never bothered me if the main character didn't die. Not once. Yeah dude, the protagonist lives throughout the entire thing, what a surprise. You know what happens if they don’t? The story ends, full stop, no characters… no more story! This whole “subverting expectations,” “anyone can die” style of writing feels more like a poison rather than something that’s actually breathing new life into the art of storytelling. Everything’s got to be gritty and edgy and needs to stomp on the notions of hope and goodness. They're naïve sentiments and you should feel bad for thinking you'd get a happy ending. –"Fantasy for people who don't like fantasy"– That smug superiority? I blame Game of Thrones. Ahh damn, here I go again. I’ll keep it brief, but when you tackle your story with the mindset that you need to subvert expectations, and strive to do so at every turn, not only does your story ironically become just as predictable than if you were following convention, but the final project will almost always be unsatisfying to the audience. Sure, you might have surprised us, but maybe we only didn’t see that coming because we didn’t think the writing would be that stupid! Turns out that tropes do exist for a reason. Wow, who would have thought that people really hate it when their favorite characters are killed off purely for shock value? Look, in no way am I against character deaths, and a lot of the times it can elevate a story to greater heights, but I just think it’s often used as a lazy narrative device for writers to fall back on when they believe that it’s the only way to add stakes and gravity to the story.
Spoilers, I guess, but this is my way of saying that I really liked how all the major players in this book made it out to the end. Uh oh, I guess this comparison isn’t going to be brief at all, but Game of Thrones also had this cynical, bitter through-line that people can never change and they’re foolish to even try. Again, spoilers for season eight of that show, but there was a character named Missandei who starts the show as a slave and ends her journey dying in chains. I'm not going to unpack why that’s literally one of the worst ways to write a character, but my main takeaway is that it’s just an ugly and mean way to finish a character's arc. Ugly and mean, that's Game of Thrones in a nutshell. In Master of Restless Shadows (this book!), Ariz is in a very similar situation, but their arcs couldn’t have diverged in more different ways. Whereas Game of Thrones uses Missandei as a tool, in-universe and out, for another’s character development, Ariz is treated with nothing but empathy and concern throughout the narrative. One screams “Well bud, that's just the way the world is, accept your fate!!” and the latter dares to quite literally say, “hey, fuck you fate, what if things could be better? What then!?” The ideas of complacency and cruel indifference are spared no second thoughts here, and for that, Master of Restless Shadows is unmatched. Of course, there’s always a time and place for darker fiction, but that’s exactly what this book and its predecessor is; dark fiction without soul-crushing dread. It’s also important to remember that you can have incredibly bleak situations in your story without the story becoming about how bleak the world is. Otherwise, despite its hopeful message, there were some things in this book that had me covering my eyes more than any horror movie could ever hope to do so. The blood-curling villains in this book could seriously give the greats a run for their money. Darth Vader, Walter White, ...Ted Mosby, they can go ahead and move aside because Hierro Fueres is here to take the crown! Seriously though, fuck him. His involvement so smartly written because he’s normally the kind of villain that presents a problem that can only be solved with the word starting with a “g” and ending in a “uillotine,” but there were actually really good story reasons as to why they couldn’t just get rid of him right away. While he’s the most personal enemy by far, and with how arrogant and vile he was, the fact that his death remains almost inconsequential in the greater scheme of things was actually incredibly satisfying. Ahh yes, hello again, beautiful poetic justice. His death isn’t given any fanfare, and why should it? The man wasn’t a God, just a bully. And the way Fedeles and Ariz manage a beautiful love-story while the latter is enthralled by Hierro? Good stuff. Normally, I find most reunion type kissing scenes to be ill placed and flat, but here it really was something to be remembered. Relief and adoration flooded the page.
I kissed you, it was instinct / Sometimes it's better off to not think.
But I think I've spent more than enough time on comparisons to things that are worse by a wide margin, because I think I’m coming across as weirdly hostile in a review for a book that I have nothing but love for. Positive thinking, yay! First of all, the characters were perfect, and kissing scenes besides, Ariz and Fedeles being wonderful was noteworthy because most the time it's a hard won battle for a book to get me to like the main couple, let alone the B-sides, so cheers to that. But if I were being totally honest, all candid mode, I really was mostly here for Narsi and Atreau! I could seriously read a million books following just them doing nothing in particular. I almost always hate epilogues, but when I saw that there were even more pages with my dudes, I was overjoyed. Hell yeah, more time with the boys! A couple of lads, “lad-ing” around. I think I’ve been resisting the urge to come across as a complete fanboy this whole review and I’ve probably failed, so I might as well go all out now. No stopping it now! You know why I think Narsi is such a great character? It's because he’s a Disney Princess in a cruel, cruel world, yet he’s never punished or treated like he’s too simple and dim by the narrative. His kindness is something to be aspired to, not laughed at and ridiculed at every turn, or dismissed outright in a way that more common in Low Fantasy. In a story full of manipulators and monsters, he stands out by simply being a good person. I’ve said as much before, but there’s also a good reason in-universe as to why Narsi is so likable and adored by the reader (but mostly just me) and the characters in the story, it's that he literally has to be. His people are always under scrutiny and any act they commit, be it benevolent or nefarious, will always be under immense scrutiny, studied under a magnifying glass by bigots and fence-sitting onlookers alike. As he gains greater prominence and status in the story, any wrong move on his end and the chances of escalating the racial violence against his people also increases tenfold. The sad reality is that oftentimes, in this fantasy world and the one we live in, one person’s actions are unfairly attributed to their race as a whole. But I’ve already talked about how his “walking-between-two-worlds” thing is something that many people of mixed-race heritage go through, so I'll try not to repeat myself too much. What else to say, what else to say? Oh yeah, he's also super relatable because he’s basically always just one more wild ass event away from having a full-on panic attack. Yet, in everyone else’s pov chapters, he’s in complete stone-face-mode, like a sphinx. He’d be going about his business normally, but on the inside his heart rate would be the same as someone being hunted for sport. He truly continues to be the people’s champion. My hero!
Though, I can’t really talk about him without mentioning his worse half, Atreau. And yup, I still loved him this time around! And because of his presence, the gravity of the situation never felt too heavy. Which helped immensely, because this book remains just a whole lot of fun to read. It’s rare that the “comic relief” guy is also the source of most of the romantic pining I've ever seen in a book. And I like how he spent a lot of his time away from Narsi at the beginning, because when they do finally meet up again, it’s a non-stop roller-coaster ride right up until the epilogue (that I uncharacteristically loved). Fantastic payoff. You’d think it'd get a little old by the millionth time they narrowly escape mortal danger simply by playing everyone like Atari, or how they always seem to find themselves crawling through gross secret tunnels, but… nope. It was a delight every single time! The book doesn’t go out of its way to be funny, but I couldn’t help but laugh at the increasing absurdities of their situation. They’re supposed to be the non-magical, normal ones, but whenever Atreau and Narsi are apart, they seemed to be competing with each other as to who can get up to the most illegal enterprises. I also loved how Narsi was originally the one with a crush, but he’s completely cool and normal about it, while over there, we’ve got Mr. Famous Writer, Areau, as the smitten one, following Narsi around like a lost puppy. Or how a large portion of the plot involves a play he’s writing with Narsi as one of the extras (so he can keep a close eye on him), and what starts out as a bit part, slowly turns into a lead role. Not because Narsi’s a good actor (he’s terrible, actually), but because Atreau uses it as an excuse to stare at him unabashedly. He's in love! You swoon, you sigh. Why deny it? Uh-oh! I didn’t really have a point here, I just thought that was really sweet. Makes my poor heart burst into flames. Is it totally obvious yet that my favorite thing in the world is a player in love? He’s great, and while he tries to be pragmatic and soulless, at the end of the day, he’s loyal to a fault. Never switching sides, only angles. This is getting pretty long, so I’ll try to wrap this jumbled mess up in some semblance of a bow. Oh, I know. I’ll just list a bunch of things that I liked, that always works! Um, I liked how it was often harrowing and real, but ultimately hopeful and kind. I liked how all the main characters from the previous books showed up to help out in the final battle like they were assembling the gay Avengers. And I especially loved how underneath all the scheming and complicated plots, what actually saved the world in the end was an accidental kindness and a childhood promise. Worldly devastation on a grand scale thwarted by the power of love? I can dig it. I’m a new fan, but Ginn Hale has written some of the most brilliant books I’ve ever read, and I truly, truly, mean that. No tired sigh, no rolling eyes, no irony.
“If pure reason wouldn’t move them, then he’d bring his arguments to bear through song, art, and literature. He’d make his ideals light up stages and fill bookshelves.”
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, we’re talking about a book so good I had to read it twice:
Did you know that they’re calling Master of Restless Shadows the best book ever written? Who’s “they” you ask? Oh well… you know… them! If I ever were to impart some kind of advice to another person, my "fly, you fools!" moment would be me telling people that “you definitely should delete Twitter!” Wait, that wasn’t what I was going to say. I mean, you totally should, but… oh yeah! Also, you should stop what you’re doing right now and read Master of Restless Shadows as soon as you’re able! It’s important! You've got to!! I really do think that at this point, I'm this book's biggest fan and you know what? Sure, I'll gladly take on the title. "I want the title, I wanna be known as your girl" and all that. Anyway, I know I only read this for the first time a year ago, but it’s wild to at just how little my love for it hasn’t dulled even in the slightest. All the twists still had me doing The Twist, the characters were still the best ever to be put on the page, and the ending still had me turning on the water-works. We've got a repeat performance here! And speaking of performers, Master of Restless Shadows sheds a little light on a secret so universal that even Ari and Dante knew about it: being a theater kid can save the world from bigotry? Hey, it’s more likely than you’d think. But be very careful with the idea so that things don’t get a little too out of hand like a Hamilton kind of deal! I’m kind of joking, but I do often have gripes whenever a book pontificates about the importance of literature and art in its ending act without showing us exactly why they’re so important (Game of Thrones season eight… sorry, I had to do it), and more often than not they can come across more as sanctimonious and pompous rather than impactful. And that’s exactly why this book succeeds where others fail! Master of Restless Shadows puts its money where its mouth is and goes through the painstaking process of expressing that art can save the fucking world if pressed. So yeah, I loved this the same if not more than the first time, and I know this doesn’t mean much coming from me because I don’t do well with any kind of ending, but I found myself particularly sad after realizing Master of Restless Shadows has finally come to an end. Again. I guess all that's left to say is a resounding, “So long, farewell, to you my friend. Goodbye, for now, until we meet again!”
Oh wait, here are some miscellaneous thoughts:
• Ariz is on some Howl’s Moving Castle type shit (he can turn into a bird now).
• Ahhh Fedeles, the man that you aren’t.
• Yes, I changed the lyrics I referenced in this review from Hozier to Carly Rae Jepsen. Sorry Hozier, but you've got to make room for the queen.
• I think I found Narsi’s situation, being surrounded by snakes who want him dead for who he is, especially tense during the reread because it’s something I know intimately well as a man in Seattle who doesn’t like Macklemore.
• I haven’t read the books prior to the Master of Restless Shadows duology yet because I was worried that I wouldn’t like them as much without Narsi, but I just need more of Ginn Hale’s writing, so I’m going to get right on that!
I want to tell you something so hard to say / I think you might already know / I think about you almost every day / There's not a place that you don't go.
I’m always hesitant to use the word “brilliant” as a descriptor for the things I read because, to me, it’s a special word that should be reserved for the kinds of stories that have a profound and visceral impact. Got to save it for the all-timers, you know? Well... yeah, this book is brilliant. No sarcasm. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this is one of the best books I’ve ever read and I’m honestly at a loss for words here. Hm, where to start, where to start? I don’t know… how about I rant about the idea of “plot armor?” Whenever I’m looking up reviews for stories that are “realistic” (don’t worry, I’m not vague-posting about anyone here on Goodreads), a common criticism that always crops up is that all the main characters have a crazy amount of plot armor and the fact that we know that the heroes won’t die removes all tension from the story. “Oh, they lived after that lethal blow because of plot armor” or “the villain didn’t finish them off in this moment because of plot armor, blah blah blah.” I mean, sure, everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, but to me, the term “plot armor” has become synonymous with like… just having a main character. When I’m reading something, it’s never bothered me if the main character didn't die. Not once. Yeah dude, the protagonist lives throughout the entire thing, what a surprise. You know what happens if they don’t? The story ends, full stop, no characters… no more story! This whole “subverting expectations,” “anyone can die” style of writing feels more like a poison rather than something that’s actually breathing new life into the art of storytelling. Everything’s got to be gritty and edgy and needs to stomp on the notions of hope and goodness. They're naïve sentiments and you should feel bad for thinking you'd get a happy ending. –"Fantasy for people who don't like fantasy"– That smug superiority? I blame Game of Thrones. Ahh damn, here I go again. I’ll keep it brief, but when you tackle your story with the mindset that you need to subvert expectations, and strive to do so at every turn, not only does your story ironically become just as predictable than if you were following convention, but the final project will almost always be unsatisfying to the audience. Sure, you might have surprised us, but maybe we only didn’t see that coming because we didn’t think the writing would be that stupid! Turns out that tropes do exist for a reason. Wow, who would have thought that people really hate it when their favorite characters are killed off purely for shock value? Look, in no way am I against character deaths, and a lot of the times it can elevate a story to greater heights, but I just think it’s often used as a lazy narrative device for writers to fall back on when they believe that it’s the only way to add stakes and gravity to the story.
Spoilers, I guess, but this is my way of saying that I really liked how all the major players in this book made it out to the end. Uh oh, I guess this comparison isn’t going to be brief at all, but Game of Thrones also had this cynical, bitter through-line that people can never change and they’re foolish to even try. Again, spoilers for season eight of that show, but there was a character named Missandei who starts the show as a slave and ends her journey dying in chains. I'm not going to unpack why that’s literally one of the worst ways to write a character, but my main takeaway is that it’s just an ugly and mean way to finish a character's arc. Ugly and mean, that's Game of Thrones in a nutshell. In Master of Restless Shadows (this book!), Ariz is in a very similar situation, but their arcs couldn’t have diverged in more different ways. Whereas Game of Thrones uses Missandei as a tool, in-universe and out, for another’s character development, Ariz is treated with nothing but empathy and concern throughout the narrative. One screams “Well bud, that's just the way the world is, accept your fate!!” and the latter dares to quite literally say, “hey, fuck you fate, what if things could be better? What then!?” The ideas of complacency and cruel indifference are spared no second thoughts here, and for that, Master of Restless Shadows is unmatched. Of course, there’s always a time and place for darker fiction, but that’s exactly what this book and its predecessor is; dark fiction without soul-crushing dread. It’s also important to remember that you can have incredibly bleak situations in your story without the story becoming about how bleak the world is. Otherwise, despite its hopeful message, there were some things in this book that had me covering my eyes more than any horror movie could ever hope to do so. The blood-curling villains in this book could seriously give the greats a run for their money. Darth Vader, Walter White, ...Ted Mosby, they can go ahead and move aside because Hierro Fueres is here to take the crown! Seriously though, fuck him. His involvement so smartly written because he’s normally the kind of villain that presents a problem that can only be solved with the word starting with a “g” and ending in a “uillotine,” but there were actually really good story reasons as to why they couldn’t just get rid of him right away. While he’s the most personal enemy by far, and with how arrogant and vile he was, the fact that his death remains almost inconsequential in the greater scheme of things was actually incredibly satisfying. Ahh yes, hello again, beautiful poetic justice. His death isn’t given any fanfare, and why should it? The man wasn’t a God, just a bully. And the way Fedeles and Ariz manage a beautiful love-story while the latter is enthralled by Hierro? Good stuff. Normally, I find most reunion type kissing scenes to be ill placed and flat, but here it really was something to be remembered. Relief and adoration flooded the page.
I kissed you, it was instinct / Sometimes it's better off to not think.
But I think I've spent more than enough time on comparisons to things that are worse by a wide margin, because I think I’m coming across as weirdly hostile in a review for a book that I have nothing but love for. Positive thinking, yay! First of all, the characters were perfect, and kissing scenes besides, Ariz and Fedeles being wonderful was noteworthy because most the time it's a hard won battle for a book to get me to like the main couple, let alone the B-sides, so cheers to that. But if I were being totally honest, all candid mode, I really was mostly here for Narsi and Atreau! I could seriously read a million books following just them doing nothing in particular. I almost always hate epilogues, but when I saw that there were even more pages with my dudes, I was overjoyed. Hell yeah, more time with the boys! A couple of lads, “lad-ing” around. I think I’ve been resisting the urge to come across as a complete fanboy this whole review and I’ve probably failed, so I might as well go all out now. No stopping it now! You know why I think Narsi is such a great character? It's because he’s a Disney Princess in a cruel, cruel world, yet he’s never punished or treated like he’s too simple and dim by the narrative. His kindness is something to be aspired to, not laughed at and ridiculed at every turn, or dismissed outright in a way that more common in Low Fantasy. In a story full of manipulators and monsters, he stands out by simply being a good person. I’ve said as much before, but there’s also a good reason in-universe as to why Narsi is so likable and adored by the reader (but mostly just me) and the characters in the story, it's that he literally has to be. His people are always under scrutiny and any act they commit, be it benevolent or nefarious, will always be under immense scrutiny, studied under a magnifying glass by bigots and fence-sitting onlookers alike. As he gains greater prominence and status in the story, any wrong move on his end and the chances of escalating the racial violence against his people also increases tenfold. The sad reality is that oftentimes, in this fantasy world and the one we live in, one person’s actions are unfairly attributed to their race as a whole. But I’ve already talked about how his “walking-between-two-worlds” thing is something that many people of mixed-race heritage go through, so I'll try not to repeat myself too much. What else to say, what else to say? Oh yeah, he's also super relatable because he’s basically always just one more wild ass event away from having a full-on panic attack. Yet, in everyone else’s pov chapters, he’s in complete stone-face-mode, like a sphinx. He’d be going about his business normally, but on the inside his heart rate would be the same as someone being hunted for sport. He truly continues to be the people’s champion. My hero!
Though, I can’t really talk about him without mentioning his worse half, Atreau. And yup, I still loved him this time around! And because of his presence, the gravity of the situation never felt too heavy. Which helped immensely, because this book remains just a whole lot of fun to read. It’s rare that the “comic relief” guy is also the source of most of the romantic pining I've ever seen in a book. And I like how he spent a lot of his time away from Narsi at the beginning, because when they do finally meet up again, it’s a non-stop roller-coaster ride right up until the epilogue (that I uncharacteristically loved). Fantastic payoff. You’d think it'd get a little old by the millionth time they narrowly escape mortal danger simply by playing everyone like Atari, or how they always seem to find themselves crawling through gross secret tunnels, but… nope. It was a delight every single time! The book doesn’t go out of its way to be funny, but I couldn’t help but laugh at the increasing absurdities of their situation. They’re supposed to be the non-magical, normal ones, but whenever Atreau and Narsi are apart, they seemed to be competing with each other as to who can get up to the most illegal enterprises. I also loved how Narsi was originally the one with a crush, but he’s completely cool and normal about it, while over there, we’ve got Mr. Famous Writer, Areau, as the smitten one, following Narsi around like a lost puppy. Or how a large portion of the plot involves a play he’s writing with Narsi as one of the extras (so he can keep a close eye on him), and what starts out as a bit part, slowly turns into a lead role. Not because Narsi’s a good actor (he’s terrible, actually), but because Atreau uses it as an excuse to stare at him unabashedly. He's in love! You swoon, you sigh. Why deny it? Uh-oh! I didn’t really have a point here, I just thought that was really sweet. Makes my poor heart burst into flames. Is it totally obvious yet that my favorite thing in the world is a player in love? He’s great, and while he tries to be pragmatic and soulless, at the end of the day, he’s loyal to a fault. Never switching sides, only angles. This is getting pretty long, so I’ll try to wrap this jumbled mess up in some semblance of a bow. Oh, I know. I’ll just list a bunch of things that I liked, that always works! Um, I liked how it was often harrowing and real, but ultimately hopeful and kind. I liked how all the main characters from the previous books showed up to help out in the final battle like they were assembling the gay Avengers. And I especially loved how underneath all the scheming and complicated plots, what actually saved the world in the end was an accidental kindness and a childhood promise. Worldly devastation on a grand scale thwarted by the power of love? I can dig it. I’m a new fan, but Ginn Hale has written some of the most brilliant books I’ve ever read, and I truly, truly, mean that. No tired sigh, no rolling eyes, no irony.
“If pure reason wouldn’t move them, then he’d bring his arguments to bear through song, art, and literature. He’d make his ideals light up stages and fill bookshelves.”
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, we’re talking about a book so good I had to read it twice:
Did you know that they’re calling Master of Restless Shadows the best book ever written? Who’s “they” you ask? Oh well… you know… them! If I ever were to impart some kind of advice to another person, my "fly, you fools!" moment would be me telling people that “you definitely should delete Twitter!” Wait, that wasn’t what I was going to say. I mean, you totally should, but… oh yeah! Also, you should stop what you’re doing right now and read Master of Restless Shadows as soon as you’re able! It’s important! You've got to!! I really do think that at this point, I'm this book's biggest fan and you know what? Sure, I'll gladly take on the title. "I want the title, I wanna be known as your girl" and all that. Anyway, I know I only read this for the first time a year ago, but it’s wild to at just how little my love for it hasn’t dulled even in the slightest. All the twists still had me doing The Twist, the characters were still the best ever to be put on the page, and the ending still had me turning on the water-works. We've got a repeat performance here! And speaking of performers, Master of Restless Shadows sheds a little light on a secret so universal that even Ari and Dante knew about it: being a theater kid can save the world from bigotry? Hey, it’s more likely than you’d think. But be very careful with the idea so that things don’t get a little too out of hand like a Hamilton kind of deal! I’m kind of joking, but I do often have gripes whenever a book pontificates about the importance of literature and art in its ending act without showing us exactly why they’re so important (Game of Thrones season eight… sorry, I had to do it), and more often than not they can come across more as sanctimonious and pompous rather than impactful. And that’s exactly why this book succeeds where others fail! Master of Restless Shadows puts its money where its mouth is and goes through the painstaking process of expressing that art can save the fucking world if pressed. So yeah, I loved this the same if not more than the first time, and I know this doesn’t mean much coming from me because I don’t do well with any kind of ending, but I found myself particularly sad after realizing Master of Restless Shadows has finally come to an end. Again. I guess all that's left to say is a resounding, “So long, farewell, to you my friend. Goodbye, for now, until we meet again!”
Oh wait, here are some miscellaneous thoughts:
• Ariz is on some Howl’s Moving Castle type shit (he can turn into a bird now).
• Ahhh Fedeles, the man that you aren’t.
• Yes, I changed the lyrics I referenced in this review from Hozier to Carly Rae Jepsen. Sorry Hozier, but you've got to make room for the queen.
• I think I found Narsi’s situation, being surrounded by snakes who want him dead for who he is, especially tense during the reread because it’s something I know intimately well as a man in Seattle who doesn’t like Macklemore.
• I haven’t read the books prior to the Master of Restless Shadows duology yet because I was worried that I wouldn’t like them as much without Narsi, but I just need more of Ginn Hale’s writing, so I’m going to get right on that!
I want to tell you something so hard to say / I think you might already know / I think about you almost every day / There's not a place that you don't go.
August 22, 2021
I added a five-star review to counterbalance the person who rated it two stars at a time when, according to the author, the book hadn’t even been completed yet. How do you give a two-star rating to a book that hasn’t even been fully written? This website is mad.
Anyway, I have no idea when we will see this book, since I understand Ginn Hale is dealing with some stuff. But I wish her the best. This is still possibly my favorite fantasy series of all time, and I think she might be one of the few authors alive who really understands how structure works. Even if this series never gets completed, it retains five stars, like, in my heart.
Anyway, I have no idea when we will see this book, since I understand Ginn Hale is dealing with some stuff. But I wish her the best. This is still possibly my favorite fantasy series of all time, and I think she might be one of the few authors alive who really understands how structure works. Even if this series never gets completed, it retains five stars, like, in my heart.
April 27, 2022
3.5
Book 2 gains traction and it's astonishing how many threads Ginn Hale can hold and follow up without making it confusing for the reader or lose track of her MCs. There is a lot going on and even secondary support characters become important for some time but I suppose that's the way with scheming and moving your chess pieces.
Hierro is enthralling more and more people but becomes more boastful with each small success while Fedeles is still reluctant to use his power and when he eventually does it ends as a disaster and he has to use all his determination and influence to set things right. He only finds joy in the few moments he's able to hold Ariz in his embrace and if the man is out of reach his thoughts are always with him. It's not different for Ariz who only feels some calmness if touched by Fedeles or his shadow. Their similar experience with abuse makes them nearly soul mates but Ariz is also still Hierro's deathly weapon, conscious of his bloody doings but powerless to resist although a potion from Narsi allows small latitude.
I have to say Narsi grew on me. His level-headed empathy makes a needed refreshment from all the tragic, fateful and supposedly unavoidable circumstances. With his wit, his easy banter and loyalty he's perfect for Atreau and his disenchanted world view and self-indulgent past. As touching as Fedeles' and Ariz' is, it's this thing that grows between Narsi and Atreau which became the romance part of this story for me.
All of that and a lot of action and suspense made me get to my Kindle every time I could spare a minute and even some times where I hardly could spare that minute. So why wasn't I able to at least round up that 3.5? There are several reasons and it started with a minor one for which I should have been prepared by a slight comment of Javier in the first book about the Waarihivu. It's just that I don't expect the kind of spell and in a nearly Marvel-esque magnitude like Atreau and Narsi experienced when they entered the Old Road. I understand the reason and without it we wouldn't know what's really at stake. It also led to a perfect Javier/ Kiram moment, let Narsi meet his uncle and more importantly became the needed turning point for Narsi' and Atreau's relation. So I could cope with it, though what was disappointing was the end. Until the masquerade or maybe even until the final fight Ginn Hale had every ball in the air but then noteless she lost some. Her focus was completely on the 2 couples and nothing else mattered anymore. From that point it was a beautiful end but I wanted more. I wanted more than only a glimpse on Skellan from afar. I needed a final reconnection with all the guys. They were all there after all, but nothing, nada. So I hoped for the epilog and there are 2 of them but neither was really satisfying or included the scene I longed for. .
So I guess it takes another Hellion story for a final conclusion. There's still Morisio although he never played a bigger part and there's the missing overall story arc but maybe I just didn't see that yet and we all meet again on the Salt Islands or in Yuan.
Book 2 gains traction and it's astonishing how many threads Ginn Hale can hold and follow up without making it confusing for the reader or lose track of her MCs. There is a lot going on and even secondary support characters become important for some time but I suppose that's the way with scheming and moving your chess pieces.
Hierro is enthralling more and more people but becomes more boastful with each small success while Fedeles is still reluctant to use his power and when he eventually does it ends as a disaster and he has to use all his determination and influence to set things right. He only finds joy in the few moments he's able to hold Ariz in his embrace and if the man is out of reach his thoughts are always with him. It's not different for Ariz who only feels some calmness if touched by Fedeles or his shadow. Their similar experience with abuse makes them nearly soul mates but Ariz is also still Hierro's deathly weapon, conscious of his bloody doings but powerless to resist although a potion from Narsi allows small latitude.
I have to say Narsi grew on me. His level-headed empathy makes a needed refreshment from all the tragic, fateful and supposedly unavoidable circumstances. With his wit, his easy banter and loyalty he's perfect for Atreau and his disenchanted world view and self-indulgent past. As touching as Fedeles' and Ariz' is, it's this thing that grows between Narsi and Atreau which became the romance part of this story for me.
All of that and a lot of action and suspense made me get to my Kindle every time I could spare a minute and even some times where I hardly could spare that minute. So why wasn't I able to at least round up that 3.5? There are several reasons and it started with a minor one for which I should have been prepared by a slight comment of Javier in the first book about the Waarihivu. It's just that I don't expect the kind of spell and in a nearly Marvel-esque magnitude like Atreau and Narsi experienced when they entered the Old Road. I understand the reason and without it we wouldn't know what's really at stake. It also led to a perfect Javier/ Kiram moment, let Narsi meet his uncle and more importantly became the needed turning point for Narsi' and Atreau's relation. So I could cope with it, though what was disappointing was the end. Until the masquerade or maybe even until the final fight Ginn Hale had every ball in the air but then noteless she lost some. Her focus was completely on the 2 couples and nothing else mattered anymore. From that point it was a beautiful end but I wanted more. I wanted more than only a glimpse on Skellan from afar. I needed a final reconnection with all the guys. They were all there after all, but nothing, nada. So I hoped for the epilog and there are 2 of them but neither was really satisfying or included the scene I longed for. .
So I guess it takes another Hellion story for a final conclusion. There's still Morisio although he never played a bigger part and there's the missing overall story arc but maybe I just didn't see that yet and we all meet again on the Salt Islands or in Yuan.
July 6, 2022
Ginn Hale is an incredible writer and this book certainly doesn't break that mold. It's epic high fantasy at its best - magic and spycraft and kings and priests and a villain you absolutely love to hate (like seriously, fuck that guy) - but make it a little bit queer. Loved our heroes. Narsi was one of the coolest and most levelheaded characters in recent memory (yay for healthcare workers). The only thing that detracted from it for me was the length. Both volumes together are like 1000 pages and, even though it was a very engaging story, it still felt daunting. It took me forever to read. It would have taken me half the time if there were multiple volumes or snappier chapters. But that aside, it was peak Ginn Hale and a must-read if you've ever been a fan.
February 16, 2025
The final chapter is here! FINALLY! and its as brilliant and amazing and full of heart as I hoped. I devoured the book in one sitting and if you liked the previous books, its a definite must read. Ginn Hale once again brings incredibly vivid world to life, full of characters who are absolutely amazing and easy to love (or hate.)
I have only one gripe... which is that i need like, 200-300 more pages of just our all boys being happy and together and doing lot of cuddles and like. They deserve it!
I have only one gripe... which is that i need like, 200-300 more pages of just our all boys being happy and together and doing lot of cuddles and like. They deserve it!
June 28, 2022
Thank you once again to Calen for another great recommendation.
I absolutely loved all six of these books. Every two volumes focuses on new main characters while reintroducing the previous main main characters as supporting characters. The final book brings everyone together for a grande finale.
First & foremost, this is a high fantasy series. If you don’t like fantasy you probably won’t enjoy these books as much as I did.
I felt the plot, characters and political intrigue could definitely compete with Game of Thrones but with a stellar LGBTQ+ cast. Highly recommended.
I absolutely loved all six of these books. Every two volumes focuses on new main characters while reintroducing the previous main main characters as supporting characters. The final book brings everyone together for a grande finale.
First & foremost, this is a high fantasy series. If you don’t like fantasy you probably won’t enjoy these books as much as I did.
I felt the plot, characters and political intrigue could definitely compete with Game of Thrones but with a stellar LGBTQ+ cast. Highly recommended.
February 8, 2022
I was so excited when I got the advanced ebook copy for preordering the book! I love Ginn Hale and think I have read most of her works at this point. She is so underrated! I cannot believe there are not billions of people reading her books. I devoured this one. Then, I had to wait a couple of days before writing this review. Just to put my thoughts in order.
First, I must confess that Master of Restless Shadows Book One was my least favourite in the Cadeleonian Series. I still loved it, but a bit less than the others. It was mainly due to expectations. Usually, Ginn Hale’s books make me feel all fuzzy and warm inside and that one didn’t. It made me feel anxious, sad and angry. There was more pining than I was expecting and not enough resolution. This book pretty much continues on that line but, this time, I was prepared.
I just loved it. It is the (almost) perfect conclusion to the series. I will have to read it all over again, just to pick up things that I probably missed when I devoured it in a couple of days.
This is what I loved.
Worldbuilding, worldbuilding, worldbuilding! If there is one thing Ginn Hale is good at is creating multidimensional and complex worlds. You can tell she takes inspiration from history and nature to craft completely believable and unbelievably complete social structures. This book also expands, even more, the already colourful and fantastical mythology of the previous books. It even introduces some new concepts. And not sure if this is a spoiler, but there is a link with the Rifter series. It’s a blink and you miss it mention, but it’s there. Maybe a hint that they might be to different worlds but the same universe? I wonder where Ginn is going with this one, I hope she is going somewhere, because that would be extremely interesting.
The plot!!! Of all the books in the series, MORS Book Two is the most ambitious. Ginn Hale is a great storyteller and creates complex and compelling stories without falling into cliches or ridiculous plot twists just for shock value. Most of the story was carefully planned. I was engaged the whole time. I had no idea what was going to happen next but trusted the author to know it was going to be amazing.
The fact that there are four POVs instead of two gives the story more breath and expands it. There was just so much happening. The book distanced itself even more than the first from the strictly “romance” category becoming more of a fantasy adventure in its right. There is nothing wrong with romance books, but I am always pleasantly surprised when I pick up something that I think is going to be romance and find so much more. Even though, now I know not to expect just romance from Ginn Hale.
I would have loved for some things to be explained in more detail, or for some characters to be more prominent in the story, but then we would have had a VERY long book. Not that I would have complained, by the way.
Oasia has always fascinated me, I wish we could have had some closure with her and Atreu’s storyline (some seriously rapy allegations were made in Book One and never explained). I wanted to know more about Llirio, Spider, Delphia and the rest of the gang. I think it is proof of Ginn Hale’s ability to create truly compelling characters, even the secondary ones. Which brings me to my next point.
Characters! I don’t know how she does it but I love every single character that she puts on the page, even the ones I hate. They are multidimentional and the relationships between them are alive and realistic.
The only thing I really would have loved and did not get was a good old fashioned reunion with all the Hellions. We got something, but not quite what I wanted. Now I am hoping for a short story or a novella to cover that.
In conclusion, if you are looking for a romance book in the traditional sense, this is not the book for you. Though there is romance, and it makes the story more interesting and the characters more compelling, it does not drive the plot. If you like rich and complex stories set in a carefully crafted universe, with a cast of diverse characters, this book is for you. I recommend reading Book One first though. The rest of the series is not a must to enjoy this book, but I still recommend checking it out. It will be a journey.
First, I must confess that Master of Restless Shadows Book One was my least favourite in the Cadeleonian Series. I still loved it, but a bit less than the others. It was mainly due to expectations. Usually, Ginn Hale’s books make me feel all fuzzy and warm inside and that one didn’t. It made me feel anxious, sad and angry. There was more pining than I was expecting and not enough resolution. This book pretty much continues on that line but, this time, I was prepared.
I just loved it. It is the (almost) perfect conclusion to the series. I will have to read it all over again, just to pick up things that I probably missed when I devoured it in a couple of days.
This is what I loved.
Worldbuilding, worldbuilding, worldbuilding! If there is one thing Ginn Hale is good at is creating multidimensional and complex worlds. You can tell she takes inspiration from history and nature to craft completely believable and unbelievably complete social structures. This book also expands, even more, the already colourful and fantastical mythology of the previous books. It even introduces some new concepts. And not sure if this is a spoiler, but there is a link with the Rifter series. It’s a blink and you miss it mention, but it’s there. Maybe a hint that they might be to different worlds but the same universe? I wonder where Ginn is going with this one, I hope she is going somewhere, because that would be extremely interesting.
The plot!!! Of all the books in the series, MORS Book Two is the most ambitious. Ginn Hale is a great storyteller and creates complex and compelling stories without falling into cliches or ridiculous plot twists just for shock value. Most of the story was carefully planned. I was engaged the whole time. I had no idea what was going to happen next but trusted the author to know it was going to be amazing.
The fact that there are four POVs instead of two gives the story more breath and expands it. There was just so much happening. The book distanced itself even more than the first from the strictly “romance” category becoming more of a fantasy adventure in its right. There is nothing wrong with romance books, but I am always pleasantly surprised when I pick up something that I think is going to be romance and find so much more. Even though, now I know not to expect just romance from Ginn Hale.
I would have loved for some things to be explained in more detail, or for some characters to be more prominent in the story, but then we would have had a VERY long book. Not that I would have complained, by the way.
Oasia has always fascinated me, I wish we could have had some closure with her and Atreu’s storyline (some seriously rapy allegations were made in Book One and never explained). I wanted to know more about Llirio, Spider, Delphia and the rest of the gang. I think it is proof of Ginn Hale’s ability to create truly compelling characters, even the secondary ones. Which brings me to my next point.
Characters! I don’t know how she does it but I love every single character that she puts on the page, even the ones I hate. They are multidimentional and the relationships between them are alive and realistic.
The only thing I really would have loved and did not get was a good old fashioned reunion with all the Hellions. We got something, but not quite what I wanted. Now I am hoping for a short story or a novella to cover that.
In conclusion, if you are looking for a romance book in the traditional sense, this is not the book for you. Though there is romance, and it makes the story more interesting and the characters more compelling, it does not drive the plot. If you like rich and complex stories set in a carefully crafted universe, with a cast of diverse characters, this book is for you. I recommend reading Book One first though. The rest of the series is not a must to enjoy this book, but I still recommend checking it out. It will be a journey.
March 21, 2022
This is more weighted toward the epic battle to save their world than to relationship drama when I'd have preferred just the opposite. Or at least more time spent on romance. But the writing is excellent (it's Ginn Hale!) and we do get nice moments for our 2 couples as well as glimpses (too brief!) of the couples from the previous books. I'd like to revisit these guys in slightly less dire circumstances someday.
March 3, 2022
I have a lot of thoughts but what it all basically boils down to is: Ginn Hale is an outstanding writer and an even better world builder and I ultimately love everything she writes.
August 21, 2022
4.5 stars. I loved this. It's a big ending to a big series. It's complex, with many characters, and it's wonderful. This is an epic battle to save the world and it's action-packed and amazing. This installment is more plot-focused than character-focused, and I'm sentimental, so naturally I wanted a big mushy epilogue with all the characters together again at the end, but alas, not this time. The story is amazing, but I definitely wanted more time with my favorite characters. I'm sad this series is over, but I'm always excited to see what Ginn Hale does next!
March 8, 2022
Ginn has created a world that never fails to draw me in. A true master of fantasy, she is finally giving the gay reader a world of their own. Her pragmatic, unique style lacks the shine of the traditional happy ending, but the characters have real lives because of it. Start from book one and binge to book six, I cannot recommend this series more. I never had my style of book as a child, but now I do, all that is needed is a quick trip through time in the sorrowlands and I can correct that.
The door is soooo open for a Rifter cross-over!
The door is soooo open for a Rifter cross-over!
March 7, 2022
Dumb Review in 3 Parts:
1) fhgjshdfkjghsdjkgh
2) YES
3) my heart gaaah
Slightly More Sensible Review:
Hale's complex plotlines and intricate worldbuilding just get better and better with each book released. I love being surprised by books and the directions they take, and when so many authors take the safe road with their plots and attempts at plot twists, Hale just effing went for it with this one and it was amazing and it worked, and more than once I was absolutely riveted because something horrible or completely unexpected had just happened and I had absolutely no clue how it was going to turn out.
As always, the characters were deep and well crafted, and one of my favorite things about this series has been watching how the Hellions have grown and matured book by book. :)
1) fhgjshdfkjghsdjkgh
2) YES
3) my heart gaaah
Slightly More Sensible Review:
Hale's complex plotlines and intricate worldbuilding just get better and better with each book released. I love being surprised by books and the directions they take, and when so many authors take the safe road with their plots and attempts at plot twists, Hale just effing went for it with this one and it was amazing and it worked, and more than once I was absolutely riveted because something horrible or completely unexpected had just happened and I had absolutely no clue how it was going to turn out.
As always, the characters were deep and well crafted, and one of my favorite things about this series has been watching how the Hellions have grown and matured book by book. :)
April 30, 2022
Too much action thriller for my taste, too little focus on the human relationships.
The first book of the duology was great. This one was just too much. I couldn't keep track of all the noblemen and who was in cahoots with whom, and then the author had to throw in more and more things to ratchet up the tension. Time travel and people coming back from the dead and magical end-of-the-world weapons and I just got tired of it all. And the "positive feelings conquer evil" ending was too trite for my taste.
The first book of the duology was great. This one was just too much. I couldn't keep track of all the noblemen and who was in cahoots with whom, and then the author had to throw in more and more things to ratchet up the tension. Time travel and people coming back from the dead and magical end-of-the-world weapons and I just got tired of it all. And the "positive feelings conquer evil" ending was too trite for my taste.
June 13, 2022
What an adventure and sad to see it end.
We continue with the same cast of main characters as in the first entry. The progression of the plot actually had me surprised and kept me hooked from beginning to end. If you liked what you have read this far, this final entry won’t disappoint.
We continue with the same cast of main characters as in the first entry. The progression of the plot actually had me surprised and kept me hooked from beginning to end. If you liked what you have read this far, this final entry won’t disappoint.
February 26, 2024
3.5 rounded up
An enjoyable conclusion to the series overall, but I'm a bit bummed that the last two books are my least favorite of the series. Somewhat mends one of my quibbles in the first book of the duo, which is that we do finally get appearances from our book 1-4 favorites, though not nearly as much as I'd have personally preferred. I continued to find Fedeles and Aziz's relationship to be bland and uninspiring--I never really bought into the build between them, which undermined my ability to care about them, or to feel their connection at all. I loved Atreau and Narsi, and I dearly wish the book had exclusively focused on them. Partially influenced by the fact that while the stakes in this conclusion felt properly high, the way everything came about felt a little silly, particularly when compared to the villains and battles in book 2, which just felt a little grander, despite the fact that the scale of destruction in this one had such higher potential.
I did enjoy it, and I think this duology is worth reading for Atreau and Narsi, but particularly compared to how amazing the second two books were in this series, this conclusion fell a smidge flat.
An enjoyable conclusion to the series overall, but I'm a bit bummed that the last two books are my least favorite of the series. Somewhat mends one of my quibbles in the first book of the duo, which is that we do finally get appearances from our book 1-4 favorites, though not nearly as much as I'd have personally preferred. I continued to find Fedeles and Aziz's relationship to be bland and uninspiring--I never really bought into the build between them, which undermined my ability to care about them, or to feel their connection at all. I loved Atreau and Narsi, and I dearly wish the book had exclusively focused on them. Partially influenced by the fact that while the stakes in this conclusion felt properly high, the way everything came about felt a little silly, particularly when compared to the villains and battles in book 2, which just felt a little grander, despite the fact that the scale of destruction in this one had such higher potential.
I did enjoy it, and I think this duology is worth reading for Atreau and Narsi, but particularly compared to how amazing the second two books were in this series, this conclusion fell a smidge flat.
March 8, 2025
4,8⭐️
And I’m done with this series.
I honestly think that this is an awesome fantasy series that’s totally worth a read. Especially if you like a bit of doom and gloom before a hard won hea for everyone involved.
It’s not a 5⭐️ for me because at the end there some things felt a bit too obvious and a bit like “well we need to resolve it somehow”. Otherwise it’s an excellent series with amazing worldbuilding and that’s largely plot driven. Has some nice character development too though.
And I’m done with this series.
I honestly think that this is an awesome fantasy series that’s totally worth a read. Especially if you like a bit of doom and gloom before a hard won hea for everyone involved.
It’s not a 5⭐️ for me because at the end there some things felt a bit too obvious and a bit like “well we need to resolve it somehow”. Otherwise it’s an excellent series with amazing worldbuilding and that’s largely plot driven. Has some nice character development too though.
July 11, 2022
La Hale sempre magistrale, mi spiace solo non averle dato la giusta attenzione perché il mio cervello in questo periodo ha l'encefalogramma super piatto 😂
Popsugar Reading challenge: A book published in 2022
Around the year in 52 books: A book published in 2022
The 52 books club challenge: Published in 2022
Popsugar Reading challenge: A book published in 2022
Around the year in 52 books: A book published in 2022
The 52 books club challenge: Published in 2022
January 30, 2023
A superb conclusion to this thrilling and amazing story.
As I've come to expect from Ms Hale, the world-building is skilfully done and the characters are memorable, even the thoroughly despicable ones.
Political manoeuvering, power-plays, rivalries among aristocratic families, racial and religious disputes all make for an exciting and compelling story. Add into the mix some serious sorcery skills and enchanted creatures.
I love the two main couples and how their relationships develop throughout the course of the story. The way they get to know each other and themselves in the process endears them to the reader.
My overall favourite character is Ariz. His story arc is tragic and beautiful. His transformation is astounding. I won't say more because I don't want to give away spoilers.
I highly recommend Ms Hale's books, although some of them are difficult to get hold of. I hope to acquire her entire back-catalogue.
As I've come to expect from Ms Hale, the world-building is skilfully done and the characters are memorable, even the thoroughly despicable ones.
Political manoeuvering, power-plays, rivalries among aristocratic families, racial and religious disputes all make for an exciting and compelling story. Add into the mix some serious sorcery skills and enchanted creatures.
I love the two main couples and how their relationships develop throughout the course of the story. The way they get to know each other and themselves in the process endears them to the reader.
My overall favourite character is Ariz. His story arc is tragic and beautiful. His transformation is astounding. I won't say more because I don't want to give away spoilers.
I highly recommend Ms Hale's books, although some of them are difficult to get hold of. I hope to acquire her entire back-catalogue.
May 16, 2022
First off, I'm so biased about this series. I absolutely love this constantly growing universe, and seeing the Hellions all grown up and being these amazing leaders and masters of their trades is everything. I really hope we get more! There is so much potential waiting in the unseen countries like Yuan, the Salt Islands, and Usane. I'd love to see more of the Irabiim too. I would love to see our characters continue to explore and shape the world they are living in.
**Spoilers**
Favorite stuff:
-All the Hellions got this really OP moment. Elezar beast mode tearing his way through the mordwolves (and how smoothly he leads his army), Kiram actually making a time traveling machine, Javier: MASTER of the Sorrowlands, Atreyu's sacrifice (and skill as a spymaster), Morisio....honestly just him being there is an improvement.
-The final battles with Ariz vs. Hierro and Fedeles vs. Clara. Absolute poetry. Fedeles just walking in there like he owned the place, sucking up magic like it's absolutely nothing and using the strength he has gained from facing his trauma and accepting himself to save the world- incredible.
-The epic proportions of the final battle and having all the Hellions taking part one way or another. (Not me crying every time Javier or Kiram shows up at all...)
-Fedeles/Ariz entire relationship and every single crumb of Javier/Kiram that we got.
-FIRAJ
-Hail to the Solstice King. Seriously such a bamf.
-Also, finally Atreyu can get some fucking REST. Bro is basically in a position to become Shakespeare now as it should be.
-The last word in Ariz' point of view: Decide. *Chef's kiss*
What I want moving forward:
-Morisio's pirate adventures (Hopefully traveling to Yuan and the Salt Islands)
-Javier and Kiram officially no longer exiled and free to go where they want. They can totally keep their amazing jobs in Labara, but just knowing that they are free to go home sometimes would be nice. (And just more Javier and Kiram in general. They are so OP now and I'm living for it.)
-Fedeles & Javier getting to fight side by side someday. The White Hell and the Shadow. Let's go!
-I need to know what happens to Nestor now. I think he and Narsi will get along really well, and I hope Narsi relies on him in his new position.
-Kiram, Fedeles, and Nestor OG friend group reunited.
-I'd really like to see more of Fedeles' family dynamic especially now that they are royals.
-Honestly, just more of the Hellions. All of them. They are all so good and I need more of their stories.
**Spoilers**
Favorite stuff:
-All the Hellions got this really OP moment. Elezar beast mode tearing his way through the mordwolves (and how smoothly he leads his army), Kiram actually making a time traveling machine, Javier: MASTER of the Sorrowlands, Atreyu's sacrifice (and skill as a spymaster), Morisio....honestly just him being there is an improvement.
-The final battles with Ariz vs. Hierro and Fedeles vs. Clara. Absolute poetry. Fedeles just walking in there like he owned the place, sucking up magic like it's absolutely nothing and using the strength he has gained from facing his trauma and accepting himself to save the world- incredible.
-The epic proportions of the final battle and having all the Hellions taking part one way or another. (Not me crying every time Javier or Kiram shows up at all...)
-Fedeles/Ariz entire relationship and every single crumb of Javier/Kiram that we got.
-FIRAJ
-Hail to the Solstice King. Seriously such a bamf.
-Also, finally Atreyu can get some fucking REST. Bro is basically in a position to become Shakespeare now as it should be.
-The last word in Ariz' point of view: Decide. *Chef's kiss*
What I want moving forward:
-Morisio's pirate adventures (Hopefully traveling to Yuan and the Salt Islands)
-Javier and Kiram officially no longer exiled and free to go where they want. They can totally keep their amazing jobs in Labara, but just knowing that they are free to go home sometimes would be nice. (And just more Javier and Kiram in general. They are so OP now and I'm living for it.)
-Fedeles & Javier getting to fight side by side someday. The White Hell and the Shadow. Let's go!
-I need to know what happens to Nestor now. I think he and Narsi will get along really well, and I hope Narsi relies on him in his new position.
-Kiram, Fedeles, and Nestor OG friend group reunited.
-I'd really like to see more of Fedeles' family dynamic especially now that they are royals.
-Honestly, just more of the Hellions. All of them. They are all so good and I need more of their stories.
January 27, 2022
I guess this was a little in advance of publication. I had pre-ordered the print book a couple of years ago, and then there was a pandemic shutdown and all. I saw a fair amount of typos, but I'm sure they will be fixed before the official publication. I enjoyed the story itself, though.
May 1, 2022
3.5 stars
May 18, 2022
This book took over my life for the three days it took me to read it. I simply couldn't stop and couldn't think of anything else. For the culmination of a 6-book series that has been going on for around 10 years, this did not disappoint. The stakes are so high this time, and during the last 25% I kept closing out of the book due to nerves. But it was worth it.
There are 4 POV characters in this book, which is a lot, but helps us get a good view of all the plot lines Ginn Hale is weaving here. And there are lots of them. Of course, she manages to tie everything up beautifully, as usual.
As for the main characters, I loved all of them, but Ariz has to be my favourite. The combination of fatalism and kindness, tragedy and hopefulness? Chef's kiss. Fedeles makes a good pair for him and their interactions were all delightul. I also LOVED seeing him finally kicking some ass in this book. I thought Narsi was a bit boring in book one, but he really shone here. He got to show all the contrasts of his personality and be more than just sweet and naive like he seemed at first. Atreau is a great character, and very human, and for all of that I do have conflicting feelings about him, but he was still masterfully written, and I couldn't help liking him as well. Especially when his inner dialogue is simply listing all of Narsi's qualities!
Ginn Hale's worldbuilding is one of my favourite things, and this book goes even deeper into Cadeleonian society. It feels like a real living universe and it's very interesting, and I wouldn't mind to know more about what's going to happen to it after the events of the book.
Another positive point, for me, was the cast of supporting characters, which was so great I have a hard time naming favourites. Atreau's brothers were a really nice surprise to me, and not at all what I expected. The women were also exquisitely written: Oasia, Delfia, Yara, Hylanya and even Clara.
This is very action and plot-focused, more than character-driven, and there is romance (and it's really sweet) but it takes a backseat to the whole saving-the-world thing, so it's best to go in with the right expectations: this isn't primarily about the romance. Since the plot is so important in this, I would also recommend a reread of the previous installments, if possible. Otherwise, it might get a liiitle confusing.
Also, despite the fact it can get quite heavy and stressful at times, there were definitely enough sweet and lighthearted moments that it didn't get tiring.
Overall, 5 stars because I really enjoyed this and I feel it was a really good ending to this series. Ginn Hale remains a master of her craft and I can't wait to see what she'll create next!
There are 4 POV characters in this book, which is a lot, but helps us get a good view of all the plot lines Ginn Hale is weaving here. And there are lots of them. Of course, she manages to tie everything up beautifully, as usual.
As for the main characters, I loved all of them, but Ariz has to be my favourite. The combination of fatalism and kindness, tragedy and hopefulness? Chef's kiss. Fedeles makes a good pair for him and their interactions were all delightul. I also LOVED seeing him finally kicking some ass in this book. I thought Narsi was a bit boring in book one, but he really shone here. He got to show all the contrasts of his personality and be more than just sweet and naive like he seemed at first. Atreau is a great character, and very human, and for all of that I do have conflicting feelings about him, but he was still masterfully written, and I couldn't help liking him as well. Especially when his inner dialogue is simply listing all of Narsi's qualities!
Ginn Hale's worldbuilding is one of my favourite things, and this book goes even deeper into Cadeleonian society. It feels like a real living universe and it's very interesting, and I wouldn't mind to know more about what's going to happen to it after the events of the book.
Another positive point, for me, was the cast of supporting characters, which was so great I have a hard time naming favourites. Atreau's brothers were a really nice surprise to me, and not at all what I expected. The women were also exquisitely written: Oasia, Delfia, Yara, Hylanya and even Clara.
This is very action and plot-focused, more than character-driven, and there is romance (and it's really sweet) but it takes a backseat to the whole saving-the-world thing, so it's best to go in with the right expectations: this isn't primarily about the romance. Since the plot is so important in this, I would also recommend a reread of the previous installments, if possible. Otherwise, it might get a liiitle confusing.
Also, despite the fact it can get quite heavy and stressful at times, there were definitely enough sweet and lighthearted moments that it didn't get tiring.
Overall, 5 stars because I really enjoyed this and I feel it was a really good ending to this series. Ginn Hale remains a master of her craft and I can't wait to see what she'll create next!
May 15, 2022
It's hard to rate the single final volume of this incredible fantasy series. I have so many feelings about this whole series and these characters - the first book was very good but didn't really pull me in (I was reading a chapter every evening), and even this one didn't took it's time. I could echo some of the other reviewers who wished they had been more romance and time for the relationships with the two main couples, just few brief moments here and there were the morsels we were given. But also the amount of plot and plot threads Ginn Hale was weaving here were astounding, and all of them were so neatly wrapped. And my heart - . And of course the HEA ending, I cried a little saying goodbye to everyone.
This series just doesn't get the recognition it deserves because it's queer fiction - but to me this series and this world is one of the best fantasy books every written. How can I give the final volume anything but full five stars.
This series just doesn't get the recognition it deserves because it's queer fiction - but to me this series and this world is one of the best fantasy books every written. How can I give the final volume anything but full five stars.
April 11, 2022
10/10!! if i could somehow erase my memory of the series, i would so that i could read it again!!
i love fedeles, ariz, atreau, and narsi so much!!! there's a definite change in tone from the first 2 books in that the characters are so mature now. we go to see them younger and now it feels like they all grown up now!! is this what being a parent feels like?
the plot is great, i loved the twists and turns it takes. the characters, love love love. the worldbuilding is wonderful as always.
ginn hale you amazing person you've done it again
i love fedeles, ariz, atreau, and narsi so much!!! there's a definite change in tone from the first 2 books in that the characters are so mature now. we go to see them younger and now it feels like they all grown up now!! is this what being a parent feels like?
the plot is great, i loved the twists and turns it takes. the characters, love love love. the worldbuilding is wonderful as always.
ginn hale you amazing person you've done it again
February 29, 2024
A sweet ending for me in a book full of amazing and charismatic characters that sadly I don't feel like giving 4 stars, because of how dumb characters acted and how some POV protagonists were unbereable to read.
January 28, 2022
I'm breathless after finishing a marathon reading of Master of Shadows 2, but also thrilled and ready to reread the entire Cadeleonian series again! Highly recommended.
April 1, 2024
[Much like the book, this review is way too long.]
As with Book 1, we have a great cover that does a lovely job of depicting the characters' personalities. Fedeles (on the right) has the appearance of a brooding man who constantly questions his actions. He's riddled with self-doubts and still doesn't believe he deserves the dukedom.
Fedeles looks much as I imagined him. He's been described as very similar to Javier. And since Atreau posed as Javier's decoy when the Hellions galloped through Anacleto in Lord of the White Hell, Book Two], their similarity on these covers makes sense.
Throughout the books, Ariz is described as "nondescript," an unremarkable man who blends into everything—the crowd, the wall, the scenery. In fact, according to Atreau ...
Somehow, the illustrator captures that blandness and his ability to become a nobody. (Side note: we may think Ariz is a new character, but he actually showed up in Lord of the White Hell, Book One as Kiram's toughest opponent in the autumn tournament.
As for the story: Remember all the moving parts in Book 1? Here's a recap: Mystery, political machinations, religious shenanigans, assassinations, mysticism, and magic. To all those, now add...
Time travel!!!
OMFG! If keeping track of everything was difficult before, imagine how crazy everything is when moved up by two weeks... and then back again!
It's all done in order to save the world! Because how else you gonna' end an epic fantasy series? That's right! The entire world is at stake. And it's up to Atreau and Narsi to prevent it—but mostly Narsi.
The good news is we get to spend some time with Javier and Kiram in Labara with a bit of Elezar and Skellan thrown in. And our couple even gets in has some sweet sex.
The story is wwaaayy too long. It was a chore to get through, and yet I found myself reading whenever I had a break in my day. Maybe that was just so I could finish it, but really, I simply enjoyed these characters and wanted them to get their happy ending.
Even in the face of adversity, Atreau never lost his snark, and Narsi never lost his appreciation for it
When the ancient relic destined to save the world (the horns of the Summer Doe, which Narsi broke off her head) appears, it disappoints.
As if you could not love Fedeles more, when he rescues his son Sparanzo from kidnappers...
Oh, Fedeles. You'll always have my heart.
As with Book 1, we have a great cover that does a lovely job of depicting the characters' personalities. Fedeles (on the right) has the appearance of a brooding man who constantly questions his actions. He's riddled with self-doubts and still doesn't believe he deserves the dukedom.
Fedeles:“Javier wouldn’t have made a mess of all this.”
Atreau: “Fedeles, my dear. Your heretic cousin has done nothing but make messes and leave them for you to clean up,”
Me:Amen, Atreau!
Fedeles looks much as I imagined him. He's been described as very similar to Javier. And since Atreau posed as Javier's decoy when the Hellions galloped through Anacleto in Lord of the White Hell, Book Two], their similarity on these covers makes sense.
Throughout the books, Ariz is described as "nondescript," an unremarkable man who blends into everything—the crowd, the wall, the scenery. In fact, according to Atreau ...
Master Ariz had presented himself with all the grandeur of a potato
Somehow, the illustrator captures that blandness and his ability to become a nobody. (Side note: we may think Ariz is a new character, but he actually showed up in Lord of the White Hell, Book One as Kiram's toughest opponent in the autumn tournament.
As for the story: Remember all the moving parts in Book 1? Here's a recap: Mystery, political machinations, religious shenanigans, assassinations, mysticism, and magic. To all those, now add...
Time travel!!!
OMFG! If keeping track of everything was difficult before, imagine how crazy everything is when moved up by two weeks... and then back again!
It's all done in order to save the world! Because how else you gonna' end an epic fantasy series? That's right! The entire world is at stake. And it's up to Atreau and Narsi to prevent it—but mostly Narsi.
The good news is we get to spend some time with Javier and Kiram in Labara with a bit of Elezar and Skellan thrown in. And our couple even gets in has some sweet sex.
The story is wwaaayy too long. It was a chore to get through, and yet I found myself reading whenever I had a break in my day. Maybe that was just so I could finish it, but really, I simply enjoyed these characters and wanted them to get their happy ending.
Even in the face of adversity, Atreau never lost his snark, and Narsi never lost his appreciation for it
when crawling through tunnels to get to the end-battle...
“Sometimes you have to hold your nose to follow the path of heroism,” Atreau intoned with great solemnity.
Javier's prophecy: “The Solstice King will arise from blood and flames. From shadows and ruin, to wake Yah-muur and tear the Shroud of Stone asunder.”
Atreau: “Would it have killed Javier to have just written this Solstice King’s name down?”
When the ancient relic destined to save the world (the horns of the Summer Doe, which Narsi broke off her head) appears, it disappoints.
... somehow the Goddess Yah-muur could only provide a spindly painted stick. It really was hard not to feel cheated by such an underwhelming relic. What were they supposed to do with this? Poke the Shroud of Stone apart with it?
“By chance . . .” Atreau leaned close, whispering in his ear. “When you met Yah-muur, was she very, very tiny?”
As if you could not love Fedeles more, when he rescues his son Sparanzo from kidnappers...
“I’m not him. I’m sorry,” Marisol whispered into Fedeles ear. Her tears felt hot as they slid down Fedeles’s cool skin. “I’m not him.”
“I know who you are, Marisol,” Fedeles quietly assured her. “Your uncle and I came here for you, not for anyone else.”
Oh, Fedeles. You'll always have my heart.
March 9, 2022
Ever since a dear friend recommened "Lord of the White Hell" to me, I have never been able to put a book by Ginn Hale down as soon as I started it, and "Master of Restless Shadows: Book Two" was no exception. And while I admittedly needed a bit of a refresher before starting this one, there is a handy-dandy, alphabetized collection of names and phrases at the end of the book, so it's easy enough to look up.
The plot is what readers might have come to expect from a book in the Candeleonian series: filled with an intresting magic sytsem and political intrigue Hale's writing makes it easy to not only see the "scenes" that are described in your head, but also feel the character's excitment and sorrow.
While I think the story is very interesting, the characters are what makes this book shine. And not just the protagonists- the minor characters also feel like they could easily be the "stars" of the next installment in the series, if there is/was one. The ones that I garvitated to the most where Oasia, Spider and "the Goat".
Out of the four POV characters, I liked reading from Ariz's persepctive the most, since it showcased the struggle and anguish he went through and really makes you feel for him while never ignoring what he has done. Fedeles, however, was still my favorite character of the four. I'm a sucker for people who have endured a lot but maintained a gentle, even fargile core. He is not yoru typical "heroic" protagonist, neither is he brooding and snarky. I love that. Nasir was very pleasant to read and his kindness and optimism was needed in a cast like this. The only one I never really warmed up all that much to was Atreau. Not because he is a bad characer in of itself- I just found the other three more compelling, personally.
I don't want to spoil the story at all, but I will say, that this is probably the part of the series that most requires you to have read the other books in the series, while previously that wasn't completly nessesary since Hale did a good job "catching you up" each time.
I have but one gripe with this book- one that made me deduct a star. It is pretty spoilery, though, so I'll hide it for those who don't want to see it:
All in all, this was all I hoped for in a conculsion to this series. Maybe we'll get some more books set in this world in the future, but even if we don't, at this point, I'd give any book written by Ginn Hale a try.
The plot is what readers might have come to expect from a book in the Candeleonian series: filled with an intresting magic sytsem and political intrigue Hale's writing makes it easy to not only see the "scenes" that are described in your head, but also feel the character's excitment and sorrow.
While I think the story is very interesting, the characters are what makes this book shine. And not just the protagonists- the minor characters also feel like they could easily be the "stars" of the next installment in the series, if there is/was one. The ones that I garvitated to the most where Oasia, Spider and "the Goat".
Out of the four POV characters, I liked reading from Ariz's persepctive the most, since it showcased the struggle and anguish he went through and really makes you feel for him while never ignoring what he has done. Fedeles, however, was still my favorite character of the four. I'm a sucker for people who have endured a lot but maintained a gentle, even fargile core. He is not yoru typical "heroic" protagonist, neither is he brooding and snarky. I love that. Nasir was very pleasant to read and his kindness and optimism was needed in a cast like this. The only one I never really warmed up all that much to was Atreau. Not because he is a bad characer in of itself- I just found the other three more compelling, personally.
I don't want to spoil the story at all, but I will say, that this is probably the part of the series that most requires you to have read the other books in the series, while previously that wasn't completly nessesary since Hale did a good job "catching you up" each time.
I have but one gripe with this book- one that made me deduct a star. It is pretty spoilery, though, so I'll hide it for those who don't want to see it:
All in all, this was all I hoped for in a conculsion to this series. Maybe we'll get some more books set in this world in the future, but even if we don't, at this point, I'd give any book written by Ginn Hale a try.
March 23, 2025
5-⭐
(Review for both books)
I love Ginn Hale's fantasy worlds. They're rich and complex, quite filled with injustice and evil. These two books are back in actual Cadeleon and in the heart of their culture, which is corrupt and disgusting. It's not quite as bad as Captive Prince but ugh, it's a warped society.
I was worried about not being able to enjoy Cadeleon again quite as much as I enjoyed Labara, and I was also worried about having Atreau as main romantic lead. But I shouldn't have worried. While I do despise a large portion of the Cadeleonians, there's so much more happenign here. And really we see all the cultures in these books. The story is a culmination of the whole series.
It feels to me Atreau and Narsi are the main characters of these books. Despite the blurbs, one book does not focus on one of the couple and the second the other. This is once again one longer story cut in two. I like all these main characters and their POVs but I was pleasantly surprised by Atreau. He might be a tortured soul but he was a total manwhore, so I wasn't looking forward to him behaving like a pig while someone else pines after him. Luckily Atreau has grown up, he's a very likeable character now. And Narsi is not exactly quietly pining either. He's such a good-natured young man that his chapters are always almost weirldly pleasant to read. I really like these two on their own and together.
It's 387K words for two books, but I was not bored a moment. I wasn't even feeling that exhausted towards the end like I sometimes do with really thick books. I feel like the political scheming worked much better here than in the Scarlet Wolf books. There's a one plot point that feels a bit too convenient (fate plays a big part here so most of the coincidences are not) but that's nothing. Basically I felt only that I can't quite give this full 5 stars because I wanted a longer ending. I feel there was just a bit more lingering needed after the craziness of the final battles.
(Review for both books)
I love Ginn Hale's fantasy worlds. They're rich and complex, quite filled with injustice and evil. These two books are back in actual Cadeleon and in the heart of their culture, which is corrupt and disgusting. It's not quite as bad as Captive Prince but ugh, it's a warped society.
I was worried about not being able to enjoy Cadeleon again quite as much as I enjoyed Labara, and I was also worried about having Atreau as main romantic lead. But I shouldn't have worried. While I do despise a large portion of the Cadeleonians, there's so much more happenign here. And really we see all the cultures in these books. The story is a culmination of the whole series.
It feels to me Atreau and Narsi are the main characters of these books. Despite the blurbs, one book does not focus on one of the couple and the second the other. This is once again one longer story cut in two. I like all these main characters and their POVs but I was pleasantly surprised by Atreau. He might be a tortured soul but he was a total manwhore, so I wasn't looking forward to him behaving like a pig while someone else pines after him. Luckily Atreau has grown up, he's a very likeable character now. And Narsi is not exactly quietly pining either. He's such a good-natured young man that his chapters are always almost weirldly pleasant to read. I really like these two on their own and together.
It's 387K words for two books, but I was not bored a moment. I wasn't even feeling that exhausted towards the end like I sometimes do with really thick books. I feel like the political scheming worked much better here than in the Scarlet Wolf books. There's a one plot point that feels a bit too convenient (fate plays a big part here so most of the coincidences are not) but that's nothing. Basically I felt only that I can't quite give this full 5 stars because I wanted a longer ending. I feel there was just a bit more lingering needed after the craziness of the final battles.
January 3, 2025
I can’t sing the praises of this series enough, I’m completely in love. I wish there were more despite the huge volumes the world Hale created is so rich and vibrant I think there could be an anthology created for every side character and each would be as good as the last. The ending note to Hales monstrous series weaves together threads from all the previous books so seamlessly as to suggest she knew every detail from the start.
Like Ariz, who suffered more than jesus. I never expected to see him again or to love him at all never mind as much as I do now. His and Fedeles’ romance was the most touching to me. Something about two abused and tormented people finding solace in each other, and the tenderness they treasure expressing so much with each other, despite the horrors and violence the have been forced to inflict on others, I wish there were more of it, of those two.
I honestly didn’t care much for the direction Atreaus character took, or his romance with Narsi (who I did love as a character). I thought if he were to end up with a man it would be Morisio since he treasured their relationship so much as to try an affair with a man in the first place. Still that didn’t really diminish my enjoyment of the book at all. Only for a longing to see more of Fedeles and Ariz, especially being happy upon the conclusion.
A great work of texts cannot recommend enough.
Like Ariz, who suffered more than jesus. I never expected to see him again or to love him at all never mind as much as I do now. His and Fedeles’ romance was the most touching to me. Something about two abused and tormented people finding solace in each other, and the tenderness they treasure expressing so much with each other, despite the horrors and violence the have been forced to inflict on others, I wish there were more of it, of those two.
I honestly didn’t care much for the direction Atreaus character took, or his romance with Narsi (who I did love as a character). I thought if he were to end up with a man it would be Morisio since he treasured their relationship so much as to try an affair with a man in the first place. Still that didn’t really diminish my enjoyment of the book at all. Only for a longing to see more of Fedeles and Ariz, especially being happy upon the conclusion.
A great work of texts cannot recommend enough.
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