Format: Hardcover, 464 pages
Release Date: January 22, 2019
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy
A thrilling new fantasy series full of magic and betrayal from Evelyn Skye, the New York Times bestselling author of the Crown’s Game series
Sora can move as silently as a ghost and hurl throwing stars with lethal accuracy. Her gemina, Daemon, can win any physical fight blindfolded and with an arm tied around his back. They are apprentice warriors of the Society of Taigas—marked by the gods to be trained in magic and the fighting arts to protect the kingdom of Kichona.
As their graduation approaches, Sora and Daemon look forward to proving themselves worthy of belonging in the elite group—but in a kingdom free of violence since the Blood Rift Rebellion many years ago, it’s been difficult to make their mark. So when Sora and Daemon encounter a strange camp of mysterious soldiers while on a standard scouting mission, they decide the only thing to do to help their kingdom is to infiltrate the group. Taking this risk will change Sora’s life forever—and lead her on a mission of deception that may fool everyone she’s ever loved.
Love, spies, and adventure abound as Sora and Daemon unravel a complex web of magic and secrets that might tear them—and the entire kingdom—apart forever.
Circle of Shadows is the start of a new duology from author Evelyn
Skye. From the dangerous and talented fighter Sora and her partner, Daemon, a
powerful boy who was raised by wolves, to Fairy, Sora’s best friend,
a relentless flirt and brilliant poison-master, and Hana, Sora’s
long-lost sister who is fighting for an evil cause but perhaps is still
connected to the sister she once adored, the cast of Circle of Shadows is full of complicated, fun, and unforgettable characters.
In the Kingdom of Kichona, Empress Aki Ora has brought peace and prosperity to her country after a horrible Blood Rift tore the country into factions. 18-year old Sora (Spirit) and her gemina partner Daemon (Wolf) are Level 12 Taiga apprentices who are getting ready for graduation. Sora has a reputation for causing trouble which doesn't go well with her instructors. Even though she has the best scores, especially with magic, she's called talented but deficient when it comes to following the rules.
After an impressive show in front of Aki, Spirit and Wolf are sent to the village of Tanoshi by the Society of Taigas where they end up discovering some very unpleasant and unwelcome news that someone who was thought to be dead for 10 years, has returned and is luring Aki's people into following him into a war to take over the crown from Aki. Armed with new magic, the Dragon Prince Gin is recruiting warriors to
his cause via mind control.
The native magic of the warriors is to use
mudras to get animalistic abilities like enhanced sight, speed and
strength, but the new ryuu magic is much more versatile and expansive and can easily overcome any challenges they encounter. Sora has a personal stake in the matter as Gin was the cause of the
nursery fire in which she lost her sister Hana 10 years ago. Daemon, meanwhile has a
mysterious past that gets hinted at the end of the book.
Raised among wolves, Daemon has never known his parents and has often wondered about his lack of magic that Sora seems to easily access whenever she needs it. Sora and Daemon's partnership is one of friendship, but it is really never hinted that anything romantic is possible. As Gin pursues his long sought path to Evermore, or immortality for the entire country, Sora and Daemon are at the front and center of pretty much all of the action along with their friends Fairy and Broomstick.
I have heard that things are supposed to be even more suspenseful, dangerous, and action packed in the sequel. Since I have read the authors previous series, The Crown's Game, and liked it, I will definitely look out for the sequel to this series once it releases.
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