By Maressa K Voss
"When Shadows Grow Tall" is a Fantasy Novel, set in a fictional realm called The Grasp. This is the is the first book of the The Cycles of Night series.
From the Publisher:
When truth becomes a weapon, who shall wield it?
In the Grasp, a realm on the threshold of enlightenment, the dactyli guard the fading embers of their ancient brotherhood, dedicated to the pursuit of absolute truth. Lovelace and Gunnar, two of the order's last rangers, find themselves on the precipice of a changing world. When the order faces a fatal threat from within, Lovelace and Gunnar embark on a dangerous ranging where they discover more than the welfare of the order is at stake: a rogue dactyli named Alev amasses an army of those he calls the Burned Ones, mercenaries wielding elemental forces. Lovelace and Gunnar are forced to grapple with the unimaginable implications.
Meanwhile, A young woman named Kylene undertakes a journey to find her missing father, a prominent printer wanted for sedition.
This book is for you if you enjoy:
- Elemental Magic
- Mysterious Societies
- Epic Quests
- Unlikely Heroes
- Strong Female Characters
- Gaelic Influences
- Battles of Good vs. Evil
Vibe Check
When Shadows Grow Tall gave me Robin Hood vibes in the best way. You can't help but root for the cast of loveable underdogs as they journey through nature in a quest to restore order to The Grasp at the hands of the oppressive rule of the mysterious Osbert.
Minor Content Warning for the murder of a child. This isn't particularly gory, and it is a minor, isolated incident within the novel.
Overall, I enjoyed When Shadows Grow Tall and give it ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
As with any fantasy series, you'll spend the opening chapters meeting the cast of characters, and learning the vocabulary of the realm and it's particular brand of magic. With the exposition well-established, and the first part of this adventure well underway, I'm excited to see what journeys await in Book 2!
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I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. "When Shadows Grow Tall" is scheduled to be released in August 2024.
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