Take a photo of a barcode or cover
barb4ry1's review against another edition
3.0
I have mixed feelings about this one. I appreciate the unique structure (each chapter is told from another POV and can be treated as a short story of sorts) and the way McNally ties all the moving parts. On the other hand, some chapters and some POVs felt flat or unnecessarily brutal and dark. Additionally, another pass of editing could help the author to get rid of POV changes mid-scene (infamous head-hopping).
So...I dunno...I think I appreciate the structure and the idea more than the execution.
So...I dunno...I think I appreciate the structure and the idea more than the execution.
booksandrollercoasters's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kittylisha's review against another edition
3.0
Review originally posted to https://tinyurl.com/y7rxco5l.
Gods have been forcing themselves on mortal women since all goddesses were slain in the civil war between them hundreds of years ago. The mother always dies and the children have a small portion of the gods power, rendering them shadowless. These shadowless children are then harvested by the gods to not only get their power back, but to grow it as well, as their power increases with age.
Amrodan has seen six-hundred summers and over the last two-hundred he has been amassing the perfect team in order to finally end the gods tyranny. How many shadowless will it take to fell a god? What events must happen in order for this to be possible? And just how far are they willing to go to no longer fear for their lives?
While this book is a good book it is a bit all over the place. There is no defined timeline and one chapter may be at one time and another be in the past. You just have to hope you remember the things you were told in the past in order to know the things that are going on now. I think that was the hardest thing for me in this book. Well, that and the fact that the first 50% of the book was nothing but introducing new characters. The thing about it is that half of the characters that were introduced we have no idea what happened to them. It was like they served their purpose in that chapter and they were no longer of consequence. The book itself was good and I enjoyed the concept of it, I just wish that it was a bit more chronological.
This book is a fantasy book that is great for anyone who loves gods, god-spawn, murder, and dragons. If you have the patience to get through the first half of the book then you may find some characters that you enjoy in it, just as I enjoy Pandimonia and the little side story girl who played no part in the actual plot.
Gods have been forcing themselves on mortal women since all goddesses were slain in the civil war between them hundreds of years ago. The mother always dies and the children have a small portion of the gods power, rendering them shadowless. These shadowless children are then harvested by the gods to not only get their power back, but to grow it as well, as their power increases with age.
Amrodan has seen six-hundred summers and over the last two-hundred he has been amassing the perfect team in order to finally end the gods tyranny. How many shadowless will it take to fell a god? What events must happen in order for this to be possible? And just how far are they willing to go to no longer fear for their lives?
While this book is a good book it is a bit all over the place. There is no defined timeline and one chapter may be at one time and another be in the past. You just have to hope you remember the things you were told in the past in order to know the things that are going on now. I think that was the hardest thing for me in this book. Well, that and the fact that the first 50% of the book was nothing but introducing new characters. The thing about it is that half of the characters that were introduced we have no idea what happened to them. It was like they served their purpose in that chapter and they were no longer of consequence. The book itself was good and I enjoyed the concept of it, I just wish that it was a bit more chronological.
This book is a fantasy book that is great for anyone who loves gods, god-spawn, murder, and dragons. If you have the patience to get through the first half of the book then you may find some characters that you enjoy in it, just as I enjoy Pandimonia and the little side story girl who played no part in the actual plot.
theamazingmrg's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
For over half the book it feels like you're reading a collection os short stories about completely different people.
By the time it allcomes.rogwther characters start appearing and you struggle to remember who they were and what they could do.
Add to this the infuriating errors in word choice (people being surrounded by 'roles' of paper/parchment on more than one occasion) that are made all the more annoying by the correct sugars.of the word in other parts of the book being my rating down.
It was alright, but I won't be rushing to re-read.
By the time it allcomes.rogwther characters start appearing and you struggle to remember who they were and what they could do.
Add to this the infuriating errors in word choice (people being surrounded by 'roles' of paper/parchment on more than one occasion) that are made all the more annoying by the correct sugars.of the word in other parts of the book being my rating down.
It was alright, but I won't be rushing to re-read.
jerusar's review against another edition
4.0
I have to start by saying this was unlike any other book that I have read as to how it was set up. At the start I almost felt like I was reading a bunch of short stories that didn’t quite end. However about half way through you start to see the webs in which they connect and then as it progresses everything comes together. At first it’s frustrating because you get into a character’s story and then it gets to climax and it ends and you go to another chapter with a totally different story.. but I would instantly become enveloped into that story. And as it goes on and you start to connect the dots it is just so good and turns into a real page turner. I loved the writing and his approach was refreshing as it was new to me. Without giving spoilers I will also just add that Chapter 9 was hands down my favorite and if ever wrote a whole book on the quirky old alchemist I’d be first in line. I truly loved this book and I cannot wait for the next one!
bookmadlibrarian's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
cygny's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I read the first few chapters of this book over the course of three weeks or so. I thought of putting it aside for a bit but a week later, I gave it another try and something clicked.
The thing is, I'm not a fan of short stories usually. This book starts out with every chapter dealing with a different character and they seemingly don't connect to each other. But in a certain chapter, the main character really got to me, only to die at the end of it. And I was hooked. The funny thing, if I tell it like that, it's as if something's wrong with me, that characters dying are the thing that gets me interested. Anyway, once you get somewhere halfway through the book, things do start to overlap and I read the last 80% faster than the first 20%. Characters you see in the beginning come back later and start to come together. I love when characters that start out separately, end up converging on a certain point.
The major thing I had a bit of trouble with, was the huge amount of characters. I'm not talking about the 'main characters' in each chapter, but mostly because nearly each one of them had a whole ton of side characters and I felt there could be more there. All the different countries and politics were also a bit underdeveloped, it would have been nice to know more about the world. And with so many characters, it was hard to really like them completely, because it's difficult to get to really know them.
I guessed some of the things that were going on in the book, but hadn't quite figured it out entirely. I'm not sure about the ending either. It is definitely open for a lot more story, so I do hope the author continues, because even though I'm not entirely attached to a lot of the characters, I would love to read more about some of them.
All in all, I ended up liking the way the story was told, it was really well done.
The thing is, I'm not a fan of short stories usually. This book starts out with every chapter dealing with a different character and they seemingly don't connect to each other. But in a certain chapter, the main character really got to me, only to die at the end of it. And I was hooked. The funny thing, if I tell it like that, it's as if something's wrong with me, that characters dying are the thing that gets me interested. Anyway, once you get somewhere halfway through the book, things do start to overlap and I read the last 80% faster than the first 20%. Characters you see in the beginning come back later and start to come together. I love when characters that start out separately, end up converging on a certain point.
The major thing I had a bit of trouble with, was the huge amount of characters. I'm not talking about the 'main characters' in each chapter, but mostly because nearly each one of them had a whole ton of side characters and I felt there could be more there. All the different countries and politics were also a bit underdeveloped, it would have been nice to know more about the world. And with so many characters, it was hard to really like them completely, because it's difficult to get to really know them.
I guessed some of the things that were going on in the book, but hadn't quite figured it out entirely. I'm not sure about the ending either. It is definitely open for a lot more story, so I do hope the author continues, because even though I'm not entirely attached to a lot of the characters, I would love to read more about some of them.
All in all, I ended up liking the way the story was told, it was really well done.
narratricenessa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I am the bringer of death, the instrument of destruction, whom all enemies fear. I am the invisible blade that strikes unseen in the darkness. I am the shadowless damned.
Randall McNally's Shadowless is among the most fascinating and uniquely structured (indie) books I had the pleasure of reading.
Shadowless is an epic, dark fantasy novel set in the world of the Northern Realms. The main protagonists are individuals born without a shadow - children of various gods that are hunted throughout the continent by the Shadow Watchers (armed soldiers assigned to temples) and the gods themselves.
The book could be described as a collection of interconnected short stories. The story is told from multiple POVs; in each chapter, the readers are introduced to a different protagonist. McNally's characters are complex and as diverse as the lands and kingdoms of the Northern Realms.
You judge me on acts that you feel are criminal when they are none of your concern. Now that those acts might serve your purpose, you willingly ignore any potential wrongdoing and repercussions, choosing instead to cite beliefs that these deeds will somehow be for the greater good.
However, the chapters are not arranged in chronological order - one might be set in the present and another in the past. These deliberate choices form an intriguing puzzle that the readers have to put together as they progress throughout the book. At times it can be challenging, but I promise you it's well worth it.
My only complaint about the book is related to the page space dedicated to character development. With so many POV characters in one book, it is understandable that not all of them would get enough page space for detailed character development. Some things would be resolved in a few lines, or wouldn't be explained in enough detail as I would have liked. This could have been resolved by having fewer POV characters, but having fewer POV characters would diminish the reading experience.
With a fascinating and diverse cast of characters, intriguing and amusing chapter titles (such as "The Botanical Misdemeanors of Dorrin Brethil" or "The Infectious Charm of Clantiâr Novastus"), a plot that will lure you in from the very start and keep you glued to the story... To the ending that will make you question everything and have you craving for more... Shadowless is a spectacular book that should find its way to every lover of epic, dark fantasy! This 5 ⭐ read is well worth your time!
szeththeassassin's review against another edition
4.0
Please read my review at the following link:
https://escapistbookcompany.com/2022/09/21/shadowless-by-randall-mcnally/
Thank you for taking the time to read my review. As always. happy reading and Stay Great!!
https://escapistbookcompany.com/2022/09/21/shadowless-by-randall-mcnally/
Thank you for taking the time to read my review. As always. happy reading and Stay Great!!