A Darker Shade of Magic
On occasion I get to dip into one of my guilty pleasures – reading books from my “like to” list. The majority of these books include science-fiction, high-fantasy, and other notable works of fiction and non-fiction. I’ve read classics like The Great Gatsby, The Pearl, Walden, Animal Farm, and Brave New World. I’ve read books that have been recently made into movies like, The Hobbit, Harry Potter, The Martian, and Ender’s Game. And then, I’ve read books most of you have probably never heard of, like: Sex On the Moon, The Lost City of the Monkey God, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, and All the Ideas Living In My Head. Needless to say, I enjoy losing myself in a book that takes me places, allows me to imagine, and doesn’t cause me to fall asleep. The catch, however, is that I have to limit my reading in this list because without the limit, I’d only read these books and never read from my other lists of “have to” and “want to.”
The most recent books I’ve read from my “like to” list has been the series “Shades of Magic” by V.E. Schwab. Within this series are three books: A Darker Shade of Magic, A Gathering of Shadows, and A Conjuring of Light. All three are great books that take you to a world of 4 parallel universes set in cities that resemble London (all the parallel cities are refereed to as Grey, Red, White, and Black London). The worlds and people vary in their connection and use of magic. The doors between parallel worlds are closed to all except for a select few – what Schwab calls the Antari. These special magicians use blood magic in a powerful way to manipulate all five elements: water, ground, air, fire, and bone, and to travel between worlds. Kell, the main character throughout the books, is an Antari who lives in Red London but travels as a diplomat to the other Londons. He often carries letters from his King and Queen to the other rulers to keep open lines of communication.
One can read the first book, A Darker Shade of Magic, as a stand-alone book. It is a unique book that takes on a creative spin on a plot similar to that of the Lord of the Rings. While in the LOTR, hobbits are trying to return an evil ring; Kell is an Antari who tries to return a piece of evil black magic to Black London – the London who’s doors are closed, even to Antari. The story is fast-paced and action filled with duels between strong magicians. Books two and three, however, are much more along the lines of a “series” as their stories flow together more naturally. In book two, A Gathering of Shadows, Schwab follows the adventures of a second character, Delilah, as she travels throughout the world of Red London as a thief on a boat. Like the first, this book is filled with adventure, fight scenes, and plenty of character and world development. What stands out in Schwab’s second book is her development of this world of magic. The reader learns about the ebb and flow of power, how magic works, and the difference that lays between a normal magician and an Antari.
It is in the final book, A Conjuring of Light (currently up for a Goodreads book of year award), that Schwab brings her characters together in a final battle of good against evil – good magic verses a kind of black and evil magic that takes on a consciousness. This final book spans over about 10-12 days but is filled more with dialogue and further character development of second tier characters. While this book is just as good as the two previous ones, I wish more time was spent on the adventures experienced in the final days than what Schwab details. She moves quickly through the final four days and closing battle scene and leaves the reader wanting a little more. However, her ending is original and fitting for the characters she has developed.
I highly recommend these books to anyone who might be interested in the high-fantasy genre – or anyone who really enjoyed reading the Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings books. There is a bit of homoeroticism in the 2nd and 3rd books that might be difficult for some to read but nothing that can’t be skimmed over. Overall, these books are fun, highly imaginative, and great works of originality. I am happy to have finally finished her trilogy as I am ready to read the next book on my list: Brandon Sanderson’s brand new book from his “Stormlight Archive” series, Oathbringer.