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Into Shadow #3
The Six Deaths of the Saint
The Saint of War spares the life of a servant girl so she can fulfill her destiny as the kingdom’s greatest warrior in this short story of love and loyalty by New York Times bestselling author Alix E. Harrow.
Always mindful of the debt she owes, the girl finds her worth as a weapon in the hand of the Prince. Her victories make him a king, then an emperor. The bards sing her name and her enemies fear it. But the war never ends and the cost keeps rising—how many times will she repeat her own story?
Always mindful of the debt she owes, the girl finds her worth as a weapon in the hand of the Prince. Her victories make him a king, then an emperor. The bards sing her name and her enemies fear it. But the war never ends and the cost keeps rising—how many times will she repeat her own story?
31 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 15, 2022
1039 people are currently reading
35368 people want to read
About the author
Alix E. Harrow
46 books24.9k followersa former academic, adjunct, cashier, blueberry-harvester, and kentuckian, alix e. harrow is now a full-time writer living in virginia with her husband and their semi-feral kids.
she is the hugo award-winning and nyt-bestselling author of THE TEN THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY (2019), THE ONCE AND FUTURE WITCHES (2020), a duology of fairytale novellas (A SPINDLE SPLINTERED and A MIRROR MENDED), STARLING HOUSE (2023) and various short fiction. her next book, THE EVERLASTING, will be out on october 28th, 2025!
her writing is represented by kate mckean at howard morhaim literary agency.
newsletter: https://buttondown.com/alixeharrow
email: alixeharrow at gmail.com
insta: alix.e.harrow
bsky: @alixeharrow.bsky.social
**I AM NOT ON FACEBOOK OR TWITTER, nor will i ever offer to connect you with my "marketing team." this is a scam.
she is the hugo award-winning and nyt-bestselling author of THE TEN THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY (2019), THE ONCE AND FUTURE WITCHES (2020), a duology of fairytale novellas (A SPINDLE SPLINTERED and A MIRROR MENDED), STARLING HOUSE (2023) and various short fiction. her next book, THE EVERLASTING, will be out on october 28th, 2025!
her writing is represented by kate mckean at howard morhaim literary agency.
newsletter: https://buttondown.com/alixeharrow
email: alixeharrow at gmail.com
insta: alix.e.harrow
bsky: @alixeharrow.bsky.social
**I AM NOT ON FACEBOOK OR TWITTER, nor will i ever offer to connect you with my "marketing team." this is a scam.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,287 reviews
February 10, 2023
I feel like stories that make me tear up in less than 30 pages should incur some sort of penalty. That should simply not be allowed.
The Six Deaths of the Saint is a beautiful short story, as is everything Alix writes. It is tender and fierce and gorgeously drawn. It speaks deeply to the desire to be desired, to be subsumed into another and be worthy, all the terrible extents that one might travel for the impoverished hope of entering a world where they might be wanted and belong. It's a story about sacrifice and power and empire and the stories we create to protect ourselves but which end up trapping us instead. But really, at bottom, it is a story about love: love that heals and frees and withholds nothing; love as action, as sacrifice, as something beyond generosity; love that ultimately returns us, whole and undefeated, to ourselves. It is a love story.
In short, Alix is a master of the short form, and The Six Deaths of the Saint is all that mastery on full, stunning display.
The Six Deaths of the Saint is a beautiful short story, as is everything Alix writes. It is tender and fierce and gorgeously drawn. It speaks deeply to the desire to be desired, to be subsumed into another and be worthy, all the terrible extents that one might travel for the impoverished hope of entering a world where they might be wanted and belong. It's a story about sacrifice and power and empire and the stories we create to protect ourselves but which end up trapping us instead. But really, at bottom, it is a story about love: love that heals and frees and withholds nothing; love as action, as sacrifice, as something beyond generosity; love that ultimately returns us, whole and undefeated, to ourselves. It is a love story.
In short, Alix is a master of the short form, and The Six Deaths of the Saint is all that mastery on full, stunning display.
![Profile Image for s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1735525095i%2F6431467._UX200_CR0%2C11%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
April 11, 2025
‘I would rather love a coward than mourn a legend.’
This is pure perfection in a tiny package of pristine prose. To read Alix E. Harrow’s The Six Deaths of the Saint is like being hunted by wolves—you think you see the kill coming as you are locked in it’s eyes but then, suddenly, you are struck again and again and again from all sides. Harrow delivers so many surprises in this short tale, each as an eloquent emotional blow that by the end you’ll feel as battered and bruised as the narrator, wanting to scream your own battle cry in the climactic crescendo of swords spilling blood as destinies and empires are on the verge of being reduced to forgotten rubble. Even the subtle shift from second to first person perspective has a shocking implication enfolded inside in this story of a child who repays her debt of life by becoming a legendary warrior in service to a prince, aided by recurring visits from the Saint of War who guides her through danger and towards violent victory. A fantasy, a fairy tale, a warning against violence in the service of power, and a story of doomed love that brought tears to my eyes, The Six Deaths of the Saint cuts like a blade and completely knocked me out.
‘I have made my life a work of blood alchemy transforming a child into a devil into a saint, a kingdom into an empire, a prince into a god.’
Alix E. Harrow has such a gift of prose that manages to be comforting and devastating all at once. The story relies on a lot of looping and retelling, though it continuously feels fresh while also feeling like a story that has been polished by the waves of centuries of retellings until it shines without a hint of impurities. I was gripped the entire way through, feeling the sorrow of the girl-become-warrior so ‘wanted so badly to be beloved’ that she would sacrifice all for a prince who’s desire for her as a weapon she mistakes for love.
It helped that this story made me recall a favorite novel, Jeanette Winterson’s The Passion which similarly explores the misguided service out of love for a political icon who can only love their own power (and also contains an additional narrative of doomed love). There is a shocking twist about halfway through, but the way the narrative then coils around itself and delivers a cavalcade of emotions blows after that makes the twist feel tame in comparison. It is a fantasy that feels like it could be right at home in a Doctor Who episode but ultimately it will make your heart a home.
‘You saw yourself as an unholy triptych, three into one, one into three: she the girl, you the Devil, and I the Saint. And you understood, finally, that there had never truly been a she or a you but only a terrible, lonely I.’
There is an element in this which, without spoiling the twist, made me think about how sometimes we realize we are the only one truly looking out for ourselves. It is bittersweet and lonely here, as it is in life, but I found something rather empowering in it as well. To imagine ones past self (or future) watching you in the present and wanting you to succeed, to want to make a choice of actions that wouldn’t let the tender 8 year old you once were disappointed in who they would become, thats something I think we would all benefit to keep in mind. This story goes some wild places and manages to do so in such a short space while still feeling earned and properly built-up. The subtle differences in each cycle of the story, particularly the development of the relationship between the girl and her squire, gave me chills and really drove this story home.
‘You found you did not mind being a devil, so long as you were his.’
A huge thank you to Liv for recommending this. It is a quick little story, one that took less than an hour to enjoy yet I’ve spent the entire day still consumed by it. A dark tale, but one that will keep the light on inside your heart.
5/5
‘When you die, little Devil, a kingdom will fall to its knees and crawl to your bier. In a thousand years and a thousand after that, they will still sing of the Prince and his Devil.’
This is pure perfection in a tiny package of pristine prose. To read Alix E. Harrow’s The Six Deaths of the Saint is like being hunted by wolves—you think you see the kill coming as you are locked in it’s eyes but then, suddenly, you are struck again and again and again from all sides. Harrow delivers so many surprises in this short tale, each as an eloquent emotional blow that by the end you’ll feel as battered and bruised as the narrator, wanting to scream your own battle cry in the climactic crescendo of swords spilling blood as destinies and empires are on the verge of being reduced to forgotten rubble. Even the subtle shift from second to first person perspective has a shocking implication enfolded inside in this story of a child who repays her debt of life by becoming a legendary warrior in service to a prince, aided by recurring visits from the Saint of War who guides her through danger and towards violent victory. A fantasy, a fairy tale, a warning against violence in the service of power, and a story of doomed love that brought tears to my eyes, The Six Deaths of the Saint cuts like a blade and completely knocked me out.
‘I have made my life a work of blood alchemy transforming a child into a devil into a saint, a kingdom into an empire, a prince into a god.’
Alix E. Harrow has such a gift of prose that manages to be comforting and devastating all at once. The story relies on a lot of looping and retelling, though it continuously feels fresh while also feeling like a story that has been polished by the waves of centuries of retellings until it shines without a hint of impurities. I was gripped the entire way through, feeling the sorrow of the girl-become-warrior so ‘wanted so badly to be beloved’ that she would sacrifice all for a prince who’s desire for her as a weapon she mistakes for love.
‘your squire watched you carefully. his eyes landed on every pink scar, every old injury that still ached. “is this love?” he asked softly…’
It helped that this story made me recall a favorite novel, Jeanette Winterson’s The Passion which similarly explores the misguided service out of love for a political icon who can only love their own power (and also contains an additional narrative of doomed love). There is a shocking twist about halfway through, but the way the narrative then coils around itself and delivers a cavalcade of emotions blows after that makes the twist feel tame in comparison. It is a fantasy that feels like it could be right at home in a Doctor Who episode but ultimately it will make your heart a home.
‘You saw yourself as an unholy triptych, three into one, one into three: she the girl, you the Devil, and I the Saint. And you understood, finally, that there had never truly been a she or a you but only a terrible, lonely I.’
There is an element in this which, without spoiling the twist, made me think about how sometimes we realize we are the only one truly looking out for ourselves. It is bittersweet and lonely here, as it is in life, but I found something rather empowering in it as well. To imagine ones past self (or future) watching you in the present and wanting you to succeed, to want to make a choice of actions that wouldn’t let the tender 8 year old you once were disappointed in who they would become, thats something I think we would all benefit to keep in mind. This story goes some wild places and manages to do so in such a short space while still feeling earned and properly built-up. The subtle differences in each cycle of the story, particularly the development of the relationship between the girl and her squire, gave me chills and really drove this story home.
‘You found you did not mind being a devil, so long as you were his.’
A huge thank you to Liv for recommending this. It is a quick little story, one that took less than an hour to enjoy yet I’ve spent the entire day still consumed by it. A dark tale, but one that will keep the light on inside your heart.
5/5
‘When you die, little Devil, a kingdom will fall to its knees and crawl to your bier. In a thousand years and a thousand after that, they will still sing of the Prince and his Devil.’
January 22, 2023
This was fantastic & I wasn't expecting to be so impacted by it. I don't remember the last time a short story captivated me in the way that this one did. The writing is superb, I adored the second person point of view as it made it even more gripping. Fantastic.
February 6, 2023
30 pages of brienne of tarth fanfiction
April 15, 2024
✰ the collection on amazon
✰ the collection on goodreads
➽ What the Dead Know ★★★
in the last 24 hours, i have heard nothing but people screaming their love for this on social media… even including kpop social media circles! it has been a very long time since i have seen a story spread so quickly, with such high praise, via word of mouth before. so i knew i had to pick it up and see if these thirty pages were going to be literary life changing, and… you all were very right. this really is a heartfelt masterpiece.
i feel like i keep saying this in my mini reviews lately, but i do believe it would be best to go into this not knowing anything, because i really believe this helped my enjoyment of this short story. i do have some trigger and content warnings down below if you want/need them, but besides those - i highly recommend just picking this book up without looking at reviews until after you finish!
this is a very beautiful and emotion evoking story about a girl trying to feel needed, to feel seen, to feel love, to feel like she is not nothing, to feel anything that is real. but love can be exceptionally hard, especially when you enter into this world not knowing what love is. while also slowly figuring out what you will do in the name of it, mixed with the overwhelming feelings we all have of wanting to leave something behind, but to also belong so desperately in the time we are presently here.
but we are more than being tools for other people, but especially for their cruelty and destruction. and when we are truly loved and truly seen… that’s really the most powerful magic of all stories. we can be the saints of so many things, if we only allow ourselves to be.
the writing is perfect, and these thirty pages of heartfelt pain and love will truly leave you feeling dizzy in the best way possible. this is a perfect example of why i love short fiction and how it can be so very powerful and inspiring.
content + trigger warnings: war, battle, violence, a lot of blood depiction, gore, nightmares, codependency depiction, exploitation depiction, sickness/child sickness, medical things, death, child death, drowning, + suicide.
blog | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon
✰ the collection on goodreads
➽ What the Dead Know ★★★
“He kissed the center of each of your palms, precisely where the priest said the Savior suffered the nails to be driven.”
in the last 24 hours, i have heard nothing but people screaming their love for this on social media… even including kpop social media circles! it has been a very long time since i have seen a story spread so quickly, with such high praise, via word of mouth before. so i knew i had to pick it up and see if these thirty pages were going to be literary life changing, and… you all were very right. this really is a heartfelt masterpiece.
i feel like i keep saying this in my mini reviews lately, but i do believe it would be best to go into this not knowing anything, because i really believe this helped my enjoyment of this short story. i do have some trigger and content warnings down below if you want/need them, but besides those - i highly recommend just picking this book up without looking at reviews until after you finish!
this is a very beautiful and emotion evoking story about a girl trying to feel needed, to feel seen, to feel love, to feel like she is not nothing, to feel anything that is real. but love can be exceptionally hard, especially when you enter into this world not knowing what love is. while also slowly figuring out what you will do in the name of it, mixed with the overwhelming feelings we all have of wanting to leave something behind, but to also belong so desperately in the time we are presently here.
but we are more than being tools for other people, but especially for their cruelty and destruction. and when we are truly loved and truly seen… that’s really the most powerful magic of all stories. we can be the saints of so many things, if we only allow ourselves to be.
“I wonder what the songs will say about the Devil now that she is covered in the blood of her own God.”
the writing is perfect, and these thirty pages of heartfelt pain and love will truly leave you feeling dizzy in the best way possible. this is a perfect example of why i love short fiction and how it can be so very powerful and inspiring.
“And you understood, finally, that there had never truly been a she or a you but only a terrible, lonely I.”
content + trigger warnings: war, battle, violence, a lot of blood depiction, gore, nightmares, codependency depiction, exploitation depiction, sickness/child sickness, medical things, death, child death, drowning, + suicide.
blog | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon
August 5, 2025
me at the start of this: ew, second person pov
me at the end: wow, this was beautiful
me at the end: wow, this was beautiful
August 29, 2025
Infinite stars! This book deserves every single star that exists to give. I deeply regret not having picked it up sooner because what an incredible experience it was! The writing was nothing short of brilliant—bittersweet, fascinating, and utterly captivating. It was filled with rich emotions that resonated deeply within my heart, and I absolutely adored every moment.
I cried over such a short story, overwhelmed by a whirlwind of emotions that seemed to pull at every string of my soul. It left me longing for more, almost as if I had been given a taste of something exquisite and now I am in desperate need of a full-length version! My goodness, I want to erase my memory just so I can experience reading this for the first time once again. Additionally, I couldn’t help but sense strong Joan of Arc vibes throughout the narrative, which added a layer of depth and historical resonance that truly captivated me.
From this moment forward, I will be an avid reader of anything this author writes. This book deserves all the hype and praise it receives; honestly, it surpassed many full-length novels I’ve read.
Now, I’m eager to delve into this author’s other published works because I crave more of the unique magic she weaves into her stories. I can’t wait to see what other emotions she will guide me through!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
{Gwynne said, softly, “Before all this, before the Saint
and the Prince, you were the girl who still shared her meat
with the begging dogs, no matter how hungry she was. Who
took a beating for a boy who deserved it, for no reason
except that she could bear it better than him. Who shone,
even in the shadows.” He said your name, even more softly.
“You are not a knife.”}
I cried over such a short story, overwhelmed by a whirlwind of emotions that seemed to pull at every string of my soul. It left me longing for more, almost as if I had been given a taste of something exquisite and now I am in desperate need of a full-length version! My goodness, I want to erase my memory just so I can experience reading this for the first time once again. Additionally, I couldn’t help but sense strong Joan of Arc vibes throughout the narrative, which added a layer of depth and historical resonance that truly captivated me.
From this moment forward, I will be an avid reader of anything this author writes. This book deserves all the hype and praise it receives; honestly, it surpassed many full-length novels I’ve read.
Now, I’m eager to delve into this author’s other published works because I crave more of the unique magic she weaves into her stories. I can’t wait to see what other emotions she will guide me through!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
{Gwynne said, softly, “Before all this, before the Saint
and the Prince, you were the girl who still shared her meat
with the begging dogs, no matter how hungry she was. Who
took a beating for a boy who deserved it, for no reason
except that she could bear it better than him. Who shone,
even in the shadows.” He said your name, even more softly.
“You are not a knife.”}
December 21, 2022
oh (in italics)
March 2, 2023
3.5 stars
This is a short story, and yet I liked this one better than the two longer works I have read by this same author (The Ten Thousand Doors of January and A Spindle Splintered).
This is a short story, and yet I liked this one better than the two longer works I have read by this same author (The Ten Thousand Doors of January and A Spindle Splintered).
Read
December 27, 2023Source of book: KU
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.
And remember: I am not here to judge your drag, I mean your book. Books are art and art is subjective. These are just my personal thoughts. They are not meant to be taken as broader commentary on the general quality of the work. Believe me, I have not enjoyed many an excellent book, and my individual lack of enjoyment has not made any of those books less excellent or (more relevantly) less successful.
*******************************************
Fuck off. No, seriously. Just fuck off. Fuck *right* off.
This short story is so brilliant, so beautiful, so overwhelmingly, painfully, devastatingly perfect that I had too many emotions for toxic masculinity to cope with and now I’m angry.
I mean, no, I’m not sincerely angry. I’m humbled to live in a world where this exists, and I got to read it.
I don’t want to tell you anything about it because I want the experience of reading The Six Deaths of the Saint to be to you what it was for me.
Like… it’s an exploration of exploitation. It’s a story about finding yourself. It’s a story about making choices when you’ve had all your choices stripped away. It’s story about greed and cruelty, and hope and freedom. It’s a love story of almost unbearable tenderness. It might be one of my favourite things like, ever? Ever ever ever.
Stop reading this. Go and read that.
I’m busy.
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.
And remember: I am not here to judge your drag, I mean your book. Books are art and art is subjective. These are just my personal thoughts. They are not meant to be taken as broader commentary on the general quality of the work. Believe me, I have not enjoyed many an excellent book, and my individual lack of enjoyment has not made any of those books less excellent or (more relevantly) less successful.
*******************************************
Fuck off. No, seriously. Just fuck off. Fuck *right* off.
This short story is so brilliant, so beautiful, so overwhelmingly, painfully, devastatingly perfect that I had too many emotions for toxic masculinity to cope with and now I’m angry.
I mean, no, I’m not sincerely angry. I’m humbled to live in a world where this exists, and I got to read it.
I don’t want to tell you anything about it because I want the experience of reading The Six Deaths of the Saint to be to you what it was for me.
Like… it’s an exploration of exploitation. It’s a story about finding yourself. It’s a story about making choices when you’ve had all your choices stripped away. It’s story about greed and cruelty, and hope and freedom. It’s a love story of almost unbearable tenderness. It might be one of my favourite things like, ever? Ever ever ever.
Stop reading this. Go and read that.
I’m busy.
February 10, 2023
Wonderful short story. Alix Harrow did it again.
I’ve never seen a short story spread like wildfire and hyped as much as The Six Deaths of the Saint by Alix Harrow. Never. Seeing that I enjoyed reading The Ten Thousand Doors of January and The Once and Future Witches by the author, I thought I might as well give 30 minutes short story a read. And it delivered. Not as incredible as The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu, my favorite short story of all time. But it is a beautifully written short story, impactful, and filled with a lot of food for thought. Highly recommended.
You can find the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Barbara, Brad, Casey, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Michael, Miracle, Neeraja, Nicholas, Radiah, Romeo, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.
I’ve never seen a short story spread like wildfire and hyped as much as The Six Deaths of the Saint by Alix Harrow. Never. Seeing that I enjoyed reading The Ten Thousand Doors of January and The Once and Future Witches by the author, I thought I might as well give 30 minutes short story a read. And it delivered. Not as incredible as The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu, my favorite short story of all time. But it is a beautifully written short story, impactful, and filled with a lot of food for thought. Highly recommended.
“I would rather love a coward than mourn a legend.”
You can find the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Barbara, Brad, Casey, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Michael, Miracle, Neeraja, Nicholas, Radiah, Romeo, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.
February 19, 2025
Can something 30 pages long be the saddest story you’ve ever read in your life? Alix E. Harrow is determined to try.
December 8, 2025
This was beautiful! A short read that is so captivating for 30 pages.
November 18, 2022
Ho hum...just Alix Harrow doing that thing where she writes with such beauty and power that she makes your heart pound in your ears before she rips it out and holds it up for everyone to see before she gives it a soft kiss and lays it gently to rest on a bed of dandelion seed heads.
Golly she's great.
Golly she's great.
April 4, 2023
Heartbreaking. Think The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August condensed into a perfect short story about a ragged girl visited by the Saint of War.
When you die, little Devil, a kingdom will fall to its knees and crawl to your bier. In a thousand years and a thousand after that, they will still sing of the Prince and his Devil.
Trigger warning: written in second person.
You couldn't name the emotion you felt, in that last second before you fell into your squire's arms, but I can: relief.
Apparently, this is part of an Amazon series of shorts known as the 'Into Shadow' collection. Shadow indeed.
When you die, little Devil, a kingdom will fall to its knees and crawl to your bier. In a thousand years and a thousand after that, they will still sing of the Prince and his Devil.
Trigger warning: written in second person.
You couldn't name the emotion you felt, in that last second before you fell into your squire's arms, but I can: relief.
Apparently, this is part of an Amazon series of shorts known as the 'Into Shadow' collection. Shadow indeed.
February 4, 2023
holy shit is this writing beautiful
i reread this on ebook because i couldn’t figure out what i was missing that everyone else saw and i thought maybe ebook would be better because i listened to it audio the first time but unfortunately i just don’t love it as much as everyone else. the writing is beautiful but i’m not the type just to like something just because it has beautiful prose (no shade) it was good but not that good. i could say i wish it was longer but i think if it was i would’ve ended up getting bored.
i reread this on ebook because i couldn’t figure out what i was missing that everyone else saw and i thought maybe ebook would be better because i listened to it audio the first time but unfortunately i just don’t love it as much as everyone else. the writing is beautiful but i’m not the type just to like something just because it has beautiful prose (no shade) it was good but not that good. i could say i wish it was longer but i think if it was i would’ve ended up getting bored.
March 4, 2024
ೃ⁀➷ 5 stars *ੈ✩‧₊˚
me after finishing this:
me after finishing this:
April 3, 2024
In a Nutshell: A strange combination of complex yet simple. Loved this short fantasy – it redeems the ‘Into Shadow’ collection.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Story Synopsis:
This short story is a part of ‘Into Shadow’, described by Amazon as ‘an enthralling collection of dark fantasy stories about the lure of forbidden knowledge.’
This is not a romance, and yet it is a story of love. Of loyalty. Of guilt and sacrifices. Of drawing a line when needed.
I have kept my synopsis as bare and simple as possible because this is a story you should go into blind. It is just 30 pages long, but within those few pages lie a plethora of emotional complexities. Though a fantasy, the proceedings feel realistic, and in today’s world, even convincing. For a story with just four main characters, the plot speaks volumes.
Initially it was tough for me to understand where the author intended to take the story, but once I got it, the end was fairly easy to guess. Despite this, I relished the journey, because when the writing and the characters are good, the journey is as interesting as the destination.
For some reason, I kept picturing Gwendoline Christie in her ‘Brienne of Tarth’ avatar as the Red Devil, and that served to enhance my experience.
I have read two novels by Alix E. Harrow – The Ten Thousand Doors of January and Starling House. I loved the first and had mixed feelings about the second. But what was common to both was her writing. She tends to use words to the maximum advantage, creating a vivid picture even when she is constrained by the word count requirements. This story is further proof of her writing prowess.
That said, I wish this story were a tad bit longer because I would have liked some more details about the fantastical elements.
Nevertheless, a compelling read. I enjoyed this much. It is the best of the three stories I read from this collection. The second person narration might be a hurdle for some readers, but if you don’t mind that pov, do give this a try.
4.25 stars.
This standalone work is the third story in the ‘Into Shadow’ collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
I have read three stories from this collection, and the remaining four are too poorly rated for me to waste time on them. My journey ‘Into Shadow’ thus ends here. Onto the next set!
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Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Story Synopsis:
A servant girl finds herself “saved” by the Saint of War. The prince of the kingdom claims her immediately. No… not in a romantic way. She is trained to be his greatest warrior, a weapon he can unleash on anyone who stands against him. The girl learns quickly, she wins battles, she becomes known as the Red Devil. Poems are sung in her honour. But the wars never end and the perils rise along with the sacrifices. How many times is she destined to repeat her actions?
The story is written in the second-person perspective of the servant girl, with a minor first person narration by the Saint of War.
This short story is a part of ‘Into Shadow’, described by Amazon as ‘an enthralling collection of dark fantasy stories about the lure of forbidden knowledge.’
This is not a romance, and yet it is a story of love. Of loyalty. Of guilt and sacrifices. Of drawing a line when needed.
I have kept my synopsis as bare and simple as possible because this is a story you should go into blind. It is just 30 pages long, but within those few pages lie a plethora of emotional complexities. Though a fantasy, the proceedings feel realistic, and in today’s world, even convincing. For a story with just four main characters, the plot speaks volumes.
Initially it was tough for me to understand where the author intended to take the story, but once I got it, the end was fairly easy to guess. Despite this, I relished the journey, because when the writing and the characters are good, the journey is as interesting as the destination.
For some reason, I kept picturing Gwendoline Christie in her ‘Brienne of Tarth’ avatar as the Red Devil, and that served to enhance my experience.
I have read two novels by Alix E. Harrow – The Ten Thousand Doors of January and Starling House. I loved the first and had mixed feelings about the second. But what was common to both was her writing. She tends to use words to the maximum advantage, creating a vivid picture even when she is constrained by the word count requirements. This story is further proof of her writing prowess.
That said, I wish this story were a tad bit longer because I would have liked some more details about the fantastical elements.
Nevertheless, a compelling read. I enjoyed this much. It is the best of the three stories I read from this collection. The second person narration might be a hurdle for some readers, but if you don’t mind that pov, do give this a try.
4.25 stars.
This standalone work is the third story in the ‘Into Shadow’ collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
I have read three stories from this collection, and the remaining four are too poorly rated for me to waste time on them. My journey ‘Into Shadow’ thus ends here. Onto the next set!
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June 19, 2023
‘i would rather love a coward than mourn a legend’ <\3
January 15, 2023
finally someone says "I would rather love a coward than mourn a legend."
i'm crying
i'm crying
November 29, 2022
Alix E. Harrow knows how to write a short story.
This isn't as dark as I thought it might be, but rather bittersweet and beautiful. The narrative is creative and the plot packs plenty of surprises, so I'd recommend going in without reading the blurb (or reviews, like this one) to get the most out of it. My only complaint is that the mix of first and second person pov felt unnatural at times and took me out of the story every now and then, but overall that didn't make the tale any less interesting.
This isn't as dark as I thought it might be, but rather bittersweet and beautiful. The narrative is creative and the plot packs plenty of surprises, so I'd recommend going in without reading the blurb (or reviews, like this one) to get the most out of it. My only complaint is that the mix of first and second person pov felt unnatural at times and took me out of the story every now and then, but overall that didn't make the tale any less interesting.
May 28, 2024
is this what love is
November 30, 2022
4.25 Stars. Get the audio! After somehow not getting Covid, when everyone around me had it, I ended up getting the flu right before Thanksgiving. I was not up to reading but I also didn’t feel like starting a big 10-hour audiobook, which seems to be the average length of the ones I have, since I knew it would just put me right to sleep. I decided to look around Amazon and I just happened to bump into these since they are free rentals for Prime readers.
There were a lot of stories to pick from, so I decided to go with the authors I knew first, that is Harrow and Vo. I also grabbed Muir since I’m waiting to read her series when it’s complete, so I’ve never read her before but wanted to. This short by Harrow was an interesting story about a badass knight trying to do whatever it takes to fight for her King.
I would highly suggest if you got the option of the free audio to absolutely listen to it instead of reading the short story. This short is only 30 pages. If you read that you will fly by in minutes. The audio is a different experience. It slows it down, and you feel like you are listening to this longer and therefore more complex and complete story. The audio is just under an hour, and it was the perfect way to consume this short and I would absolutely recommend it. 4.25 Stars for the audiobook.
There were a lot of stories to pick from, so I decided to go with the authors I knew first, that is Harrow and Vo. I also grabbed Muir since I’m waiting to read her series when it’s complete, so I’ve never read her before but wanted to. This short by Harrow was an interesting story about a badass knight trying to do whatever it takes to fight for her King.
I would highly suggest if you got the option of the free audio to absolutely listen to it instead of reading the short story. This short is only 30 pages. If you read that you will fly by in minutes. The audio is a different experience. It slows it down, and you feel like you are listening to this longer and therefore more complex and complete story. The audio is just under an hour, and it was the perfect way to consume this short and I would absolutely recommend it. 4.25 Stars for the audiobook.
April 5, 2025
5 "lush, romantic, medieval" stars !!!
Tie- 10th Favorite Read of 2024 Award
A big thanx to Spenx and their compelling review.
This far surpassed my expectations of an adult fairy tale short story.
Beautifully written with mystical Christian and Buddhist symbolism. A fierce female knight worships her prince for many lives while her true hero is her feminine humble squireman. The wheel of Samsara keeps on turning until we find who is our true love and savior and escape an eternity of suffering and our divided selves....
Utterly fucking Gorgeous !
Tie- 10th Favorite Read of 2024 Award
A big thanx to Spenx and their compelling review.
This far surpassed my expectations of an adult fairy tale short story.
Beautifully written with mystical Christian and Buddhist symbolism. A fierce female knight worships her prince for many lives while her true hero is her feminine humble squireman. The wheel of Samsara keeps on turning until we find who is our true love and savior and escape an eternity of suffering and our divided selves....
Utterly fucking Gorgeous !
June 3, 2023
to go into this completely blind and with no knowledge whatsoever is the greatest thing you can do with this book. this book achieved more in 30 pages than books with 300 have ever done
January 16, 2023
" I know his desires by the pace of his breath and the tilt of his shoulders, by the shape of his jaw and the heat of his gaze. I know him, and in knowing him I love him, and in loving him I cannot do as he wishes."
this was the best fucking 30 pages I've ever read in my entire life.
I need everyone to read this.
Buddy read with Yasmine
March 7, 2025
I rented this book from KU because there was an audiobook version that came with the book that I could download. That made me happy, though I didn't make use of it since I was at work when I was reading the book. I read it in one sitting so I guess that's good, right? lol
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In this short story, we find the Saint of War preparing a young servant girl for her destiny as the hero a prince uses for world domination. This story takes place over the span of several centuries as she tries to keep her debt in mind while she tries to find her worth as the prince's weapon.
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I have no idea why but this book made me so emotional. This is one of those books that I was confused by this book until I could see the whole picture at the end of the book. I felt so bad for the FMC of this book because of all the trauma she has experienced.
I know the FMC (unnamed for the entirety of the book) and her squire didn't deserve to experience all of the trauma at the hands of "God". I could say that I can't understand why she took the actions she did in his name but I'd be lying if I said that.
I can empathize with her reasoning for her actions: she just wants to be loved. When she said that at the end, I almost cried. I have done that before myself and I think that's why I became so emotional at the end of the book.
I wish we had more to this book because I would've eaten it up, for sure. I would have loved to have a full-length book out of this one. However, I am so glad that the FMC got the ending that she gave herself.
I am so glad she is finally getting the rest she deserves, if that makes sense. Does it make it weird since this is a fictional book? If it's a weird thing to say, then I'm a weirdo. lol Take it how you will, I guess. lol
Yes, I'd recommend this book, if anyone is wondering. This is the first book I have truly enjoyed by this author and I'm going to go back and read the other book I have by Alix. I need to finish it, as it is. lol Let's see how I do, shall we?
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In this short story, we find the Saint of War preparing a young servant girl for her destiny as the hero a prince uses for world domination. This story takes place over the span of several centuries as she tries to keep her debt in mind while she tries to find her worth as the prince's weapon.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
I have no idea why but this book made me so emotional. This is one of those books that I was confused by this book until I could see the whole picture at the end of the book. I felt so bad for the FMC of this book because of all the trauma she has experienced.
I know the FMC (unnamed for the entirety of the book) and her squire didn't deserve to experience all of the trauma at the hands of "God". I could say that I can't understand why she took the actions she did in his name but I'd be lying if I said that.
I can empathize with her reasoning for her actions: she just wants to be loved. When she said that at the end, I almost cried. I have done that before myself and I think that's why I became so emotional at the end of the book.
I wish we had more to this book because I would've eaten it up, for sure. I would have loved to have a full-length book out of this one. However, I am so glad that the FMC got the ending that she gave herself.
I am so glad she is finally getting the rest she deserves, if that makes sense. Does it make it weird since this is a fictional book? If it's a weird thing to say, then I'm a weirdo. lol Take it how you will, I guess. lol
Yes, I'd recommend this book, if anyone is wondering. This is the first book I have truly enjoyed by this author and I'm going to go back and read the other book I have by Alix. I need to finish it, as it is. lol Let's see how I do, shall we?
January 16, 2023
the greatest tragedy of our time is that this wasn’t a full-length novel
March 17, 2023
5/5
I would rather love a coward than mourn a legend.
I am broken. I am shattered. I am inconsolable.
In only a few pages, this short story has irrevocably destroyed me. Beautiful.
They will never sing my name.
I would rather love a coward than mourn a legend.
I am broken. I am shattered. I am inconsolable.
In only a few pages, this short story has irrevocably destroyed me. Beautiful.
They will never sing my name.
September 30, 2024
“I would rather love a coward than mourn a legend”.
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