Butt-kicker extraordinaire Kylar Stern has returned as the ultra-fearsome Night Angel in the concluding volume of Brent Weeks' excellent Night Angel Trilogy, "Beyond the Shadows.
" The latest novel follows closely on the heels of Weeks' noteworthy debut "The Way of Shadows" and the equally enjoyable follow-up "Shadow's Edge," all three novels published within a three-month window.
(An inspired marketing choice by the publisher, Orbit.
One I wish other publishers would follow.
) "The Way of Shadows" followed Kylar's transformation from street urchin to Durzo Blint-trained wetboy, from a weak boy who desires to be all-powerful to an all-powerful superhero who discovers how damning that power truly is.
In the process he struggles with his dual persona, the shadow and the real.
He's like Batman/Bruce Wayne, two disparate identities within the same person, one real, one illusionary.
In "Shadow's Edge" Kylar searches for salvation, hoping to eliminate the illusion and embrace his true self.
Love is his life preserver.
But digging yourself out of such a serious self-inflicted hole can be difficult, and Kylar struggles between his two lives, constantly riding the edge.
"Beyond the Shadows" then is the price Kylar must pay to be free.
Free of the constraints and shadows and the prison his life has become.
Free to live his life, truly.
It is the price of his salvation.
And the price is extraordinarily steep.
To avoid spoiling the previous two novels in the trilogy, I'll forego the plot synopsis of "Beyond the Shadows.
" It's too difficult to discuss the storyline of the current novel without referring to certain pivotal past events.
Without revealing too much I can say that Kylar is once again called on to save Cenaria.
However now he's taking the fight to the Khalidorans, striking at the very heart of their evil, the goddess Khali.
Now that the series has ended it's clear that anything that can be said about one of the books is applicable to all of them given the close proximity of their release dates.
They all share the same strengths and weaknesses.
The trilogy reads like a cohesive whole, more like a single novel than a multi-volume set.
Certain shortcomings from the previous novels like Weeks' generic worldbuilding are present here also, but in his defense he's never had the opportunity to address these concerns.
To be fair to him, "Beyond the Shadows" should be viewed more as a continuation of Weeks' debut novel rather than his third book.
And as a continuation of the magic started in "The Way of Shadows," "Beyond the Shadows" succeeds spectacularly.
It's the most poignant and emotionally fulfilling of the trilogy.
There's a real heart beating underneath.
Credit Weeks' strong sense of characterization for making Kylar, Elene, Logan and Vi feel like old friends.
They feel real, which they should near the end of a series.
We understand their hopes and dreams and desires now.
And we accept them, hoping for the best (or possibly worse) for each of them.
This emotional bond with the characters drives the book to an extremely enjoyable and satisfying conclusion.
Weeks provides closure to Kylar's journey through the way of shadows.
Loose ends are tied up beautifully and there is a sense of completeness to the narrative.
Throughout the series, Weeks' storytelling has been wonderful, his fast pacing and fertile imagination keeping the proceedings consistently enjoyable and vastly entertaining.
The one aspect that really stands out is his incredible sense of plotting.
Over the course of three books, the narrative never bogs down, exciting and significant events happen one after the other.
The story always moves forward.
It's impressive for a new author to have such an innate sense of storytelling.
There's also been an inherent joy and infectious energy to the novels that's missing from most fantasy.
Weeks' passion seemingly infuses every page and the effect is intoxicating for the reader.
Significant twists that have absolutely stood the narrative on its head have defined the series to this point, and "Beyond the Shadows" may have the most shocking and clever twist of them all.
The price Kylar must pay for his immortality is revealed about half way through the novel, and it's jaw-dropping.
This revelation utterly transforms the story up to that point, coloring Kylar's history in a completely new shade.
The stakes change significantly, going from a two-dollar table to no-limit in a heartbeat.
It's the finest moment in a series that has had its share of memorable ones.
Last Word: Fun, entertaining and poignant, "Beyond the Shadows" is a wonderful and satisfying conclusion to the Night Angel Trilogy.
It's a bustling bundle of energy, fast-paced, cleverly plotted and filled with heart-stopping jolts.
Brent Weeks establishes himself as a serious fantasy player and has me eagerly anticipating his next book (So Brent if you are out there and want to talk about what's next, let me know).
One of the best books of the year.
" The latest novel follows closely on the heels of Weeks' noteworthy debut "The Way of Shadows" and the equally enjoyable follow-up "Shadow's Edge," all three novels published within a three-month window.
(An inspired marketing choice by the publisher, Orbit.
One I wish other publishers would follow.
) "The Way of Shadows" followed Kylar's transformation from street urchin to Durzo Blint-trained wetboy, from a weak boy who desires to be all-powerful to an all-powerful superhero who discovers how damning that power truly is.
In the process he struggles with his dual persona, the shadow and the real.
He's like Batman/Bruce Wayne, two disparate identities within the same person, one real, one illusionary.
In "Shadow's Edge" Kylar searches for salvation, hoping to eliminate the illusion and embrace his true self.
Love is his life preserver.
But digging yourself out of such a serious self-inflicted hole can be difficult, and Kylar struggles between his two lives, constantly riding the edge.
"Beyond the Shadows" then is the price Kylar must pay to be free.
Free of the constraints and shadows and the prison his life has become.
Free to live his life, truly.
It is the price of his salvation.
And the price is extraordinarily steep.
To avoid spoiling the previous two novels in the trilogy, I'll forego the plot synopsis of "Beyond the Shadows.
" It's too difficult to discuss the storyline of the current novel without referring to certain pivotal past events.
Without revealing too much I can say that Kylar is once again called on to save Cenaria.
However now he's taking the fight to the Khalidorans, striking at the very heart of their evil, the goddess Khali.
Now that the series has ended it's clear that anything that can be said about one of the books is applicable to all of them given the close proximity of their release dates.
They all share the same strengths and weaknesses.
The trilogy reads like a cohesive whole, more like a single novel than a multi-volume set.
Certain shortcomings from the previous novels like Weeks' generic worldbuilding are present here also, but in his defense he's never had the opportunity to address these concerns.
To be fair to him, "Beyond the Shadows" should be viewed more as a continuation of Weeks' debut novel rather than his third book.
And as a continuation of the magic started in "The Way of Shadows," "Beyond the Shadows" succeeds spectacularly.
It's the most poignant and emotionally fulfilling of the trilogy.
There's a real heart beating underneath.
Credit Weeks' strong sense of characterization for making Kylar, Elene, Logan and Vi feel like old friends.
They feel real, which they should near the end of a series.
We understand their hopes and dreams and desires now.
And we accept them, hoping for the best (or possibly worse) for each of them.
This emotional bond with the characters drives the book to an extremely enjoyable and satisfying conclusion.
Weeks provides closure to Kylar's journey through the way of shadows.
Loose ends are tied up beautifully and there is a sense of completeness to the narrative.
Throughout the series, Weeks' storytelling has been wonderful, his fast pacing and fertile imagination keeping the proceedings consistently enjoyable and vastly entertaining.
The one aspect that really stands out is his incredible sense of plotting.
Over the course of three books, the narrative never bogs down, exciting and significant events happen one after the other.
The story always moves forward.
It's impressive for a new author to have such an innate sense of storytelling.
There's also been an inherent joy and infectious energy to the novels that's missing from most fantasy.
Weeks' passion seemingly infuses every page and the effect is intoxicating for the reader.
Significant twists that have absolutely stood the narrative on its head have defined the series to this point, and "Beyond the Shadows" may have the most shocking and clever twist of them all.
The price Kylar must pay for his immortality is revealed about half way through the novel, and it's jaw-dropping.
This revelation utterly transforms the story up to that point, coloring Kylar's history in a completely new shade.
The stakes change significantly, going from a two-dollar table to no-limit in a heartbeat.
It's the finest moment in a series that has had its share of memorable ones.
Last Word: Fun, entertaining and poignant, "Beyond the Shadows" is a wonderful and satisfying conclusion to the Night Angel Trilogy.
It's a bustling bundle of energy, fast-paced, cleverly plotted and filled with heart-stopping jolts.
Brent Weeks establishes himself as a serious fantasy player and has me eagerly anticipating his next book (So Brent if you are out there and want to talk about what's next, let me know).
One of the best books of the year.
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