Rating – 9 /10
Synopsis
Book III in the Fallen Light series
To be read after The Forbidden Realms
Deep within the forests of Nyn’Dira, darkness rises, and Neer finds herself hunted at every turn. Fleeing from relentless enemies and vicious creatures of darkness, she embarks on a treacherous journey through the dangerous woodlands in search of strength and salvation.
As the humans push further into the forbidden lands, the Nasir and his men close in, finding strength in the blood of the innocent. With the balance beginning to shift, Neer is caught in a war she was never meant to be in, and is forced to make a decision that could change the tides of fate, or cause it all to collapse and burn.
Review
If there was ever any question that this series was heading for legendary status, then this book firmly rams the sword home on that argument. The stakes are higher than ever, the perils facing our protagonists seem unrelenting and there even more nightmarish creatures. There’s even a direwolf!!
The first line leaves little doubt to how serious events have become in the story –
Men in chains pissed themselves before the blade struck their throats
What a series this is developing into! The world building and character development continue to be such a fundamental part of why I have enjoyed it so much. Shadows of Nyn’Dira is a shift from the fast pacing of the first two books but in my view, this change in pace serves the story well. The relatively slower pace of Shadows (in comparison to the first two books) really allows the reader a closer look at the toll this war is taking on the characters and Neer especially. These characters have had to do terrible things and lost those close to them along the way and that has to have a huge impact on them. The author isn’t afraid to take on important subjects such as mental health, survivors guilt, PTSD, disability and self doubt. And whilst that does lead to a darker tone it strikes me as realistic consequence of conflict and war. The story is in my opinion all the richer and visceral as a result.
Just as we explore the complexities of the Nyn’Dira forest we are also taken on an exploration of Neer’s feelings of dread and desperation as she struggles with the impact of what she has been through and those close to her that she has lost. She is caught up in a battle she never chose and must navigate her conflicting emotions, does she pursue vengeance at all costs or chose the harder path of forgiveness? Whilst this can lend the story a darker hue at times, I feel it brings a level of realism to what she is going through. Which really serves to add further depth and feeling to the story.
And as for the forest itself, I really enjoyed being exposed to this rich and alluring environment. Page after page we are treated to glimpses of this magical world, and I really couldn’t get enough of that. But the real icing on the cake (for this reviewer) was the way in which the sinister undertones were woven into the narrative. The author does a terrific job of creating a world that is equal parts alluring and yet unsettling at the same time which really underpins the whole story. I’m not going to claim this sentiment as my own (as other far more talented reviewers have said it) but I firmly believe that there is some Tolkien level world building going on this series and in this book especially
Whilst I don’t want to give anything away, I do want to make special mention of the Clan Klaet’il, who were introduced to us in The Forbidden Realm (Book 2), are some of the most vicious and terrifying protagonists I’ve come across in fantasy. These guys have a singularity of purpose and disregard for life that is simply terrifying. I can’t go into further detail without giving away spoilers but this group and their leader The Nasir are downright scary and will I’m sure feature heavily in the future books.
I also want to add that I really appreciate the inclusion of the footnotes in this book and the preceding books too – I find them to be a great addition both in the physical books but they also worked very well on my e-reader. These allow the author to include additional details about the myths / lore as well as the authors thoughts. The effort that goes into these is certainly appreciate by this reader.
This series continues to build into something truly special, mark my words these books will becoming classics (if they aren’t already). Shadows of Nyn’Dira is (for me) the best book in the series so far, I’m really excited to see where HC Newell takes us with the next book and the rest of the series.
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