“Perfect Shadow” by Brent Weeks

Not too long ago, I completed the Night Angel trilogy by Brent Weeks, a grimdark fantasy story about a street urchin who becomes a notorious assassin, which is called “wetboy” in the book. I enjoyed reading the story although I wasn’t enthused about how it ends. Wanting more story about the characters, I quickly started on Perfect Shadow. I wanted to know more about my favorite character — Durzo Blint, who trained the protagonist of the Night Angel books, — and the Perfect Shadow didn’t disappoint.

Genre:

Fantasy

Series:

Night Angel, book 0

Pubbed:

June 2011

Quick summary:

The Perfect Shadow contains two short stories. The first focuses on Durzo Blint before he became Durzo, the best wetboy in Cenaria and connected to the Sa’kagé. The second story focuses on Kylar after the events of the trilogy and in the process of hunting down Trudana Jadwin, the duchess who killed the prince and started a war and has a weird taste in art. (Goodreads)

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“Beyond the Shadows” by Brent Weeks

The end of an exciting story I blazed through.

Well, it actually took me a couple months to read all three books in the trilogy, but the fact that I managed to complete the whole thing in about two years is something to celebrate because I hardly ever complete the series I start. So yeah, I’m proud of myself.

Genre:

Fantasy

Series:

Night Angel, book 3

Pubbed:

December 2008

Goodreads summary:

A new queen has usurped the throne and is leading Cenaria into disaster. The country has become a broken realm with a threadbare army, little food and no hope. So Kylar Stern plans to reinstate his closest friend Logan as King, but can he really get away with murder?

“Shadow’s Edge” by Brent Weeks

I love me an exciting assassin story filled with lots of fighting and hidden plots. It’s why I enjoy reading Brent Weeks’s Night Angel trilogy. Well, the main reason is friggin DURZO badass BLINT!! But I also like the fights and the other stuff that happens. Despite how dark the story is and how sordid the lives of the characters are (it’s a depressing world to me), these books are very entertaining to me because I read for the fight scenes — the Night Angel fight scenes.

Genre:

Fantasy

Series:

Night Angel, book 2

Pubbed:

2008

Goodreads summary:

Kylar Stern has rejected the assassin’s life. The Godking’s successful coup has left Kylar’s master, Durzo, and his best friend, Logan, dead. He is starting over: new city, new friends, and new profession.

“The Way of Shadows” by Brent Weeks

Ah. Here’s another novel that’s difficult to review. I don’t even know how to start. Whenever I mention it to others, I babble and gush and hardly make sense because all I’m thinking is “DURZO BLINT! DURZO BLINT! DURZO BLINT!!!” 😆

(If you were wondering who my favorite character in this book is, well, you know now.) Durzo Blint! 😀 (I don’t think he would approve of all these emoticons.)

You’re probably wondering why I decided to read this novel; or not.

Well, the Tome Topple Readathon was held last month and I decided to participate though I doubted I’d do well. My plan was to read Nicholas Eames’s Kings of the Wyld, but since that novel isn’t exactly a 500+ page tome (It’s over 400 pages and reaches 500 because of the extra stuff in the back), I decided to read something on my e-reader — this, The Way of Shadows.

The novel was a total surprise. I didn’t expect to like it. It’s dark and its grittiness smacks you in the face as soon as you start reading. I could handle it, but I wasn’t in the mood for that sort of novel. Luckily the pace picks up after a few pages in, and I became so hooked that I sped through the book.

My thought upon completing the novel: “Fuuucckkk!! I need to read that shit again!”