The Way of Shadows is the first book in The Night Angel Trilogy by author, Brent Weeks. This book follows the story of Azoth. A guild rat who spends his time scavenging for food, watching out for his friends Jarl and Doll Girl, and trying to stay on the good side of the Guild Fist, a nasty, older boy named Rat.
That is until he meets Durzo Blint. Blint is a wetboy, meaning that assassination is his art. Azoth desperately wants to be Blint’s apprentice and will go to great lengths to make this happen…. Even if that means turning his back on his life, his friends and his identity.
So Azoth becomes Kylar Stern, and enters a life of violence and vengance. He soons finds himself not only trying to learn the assassins art, but a learn to survive in a world full of dangerous politics and magic. But can he really shed his old self so easily?
Do you know how many people I have killed?
Kylar shook his head.
“Me neither. I used to. I remembered the name of every person I killed outside of battle. Then it was too many. I just remembered the number. Then I remembered only the innocents. Then I forgot even that. Do you know what punishment I’ve endured for my crimes, my sins? None. I am proof of the absurdity of men’s most treasured abstractions. A just universe wouldn’t tolerate my existence”.- Durzo Blint.
I gave this book to my fiance for Christmas. I aways have trouble buying books for him as he loves Science-Fiction and Fantasy, two genres I do not read a lot of. I picked this book based purely on it’s pretty cover and interesting description. Much to my delight, he loved it! So much so he went out and purchased the other two books in this trilogy and quickly devoured them too.
So, out of curiosity, I decided to give this book a go. I am so glad that I did! This book was action packed, fast paced, and had a very in depth, yet easy to follow story line
Since this book is about assassins it is quite violent, but it is also full of magic and romance. Not to mention the complex politics of Cenaria. There really is something in this book for everyone.
The characters in this book are well though out and quite complex. Just when you think you know a character, their values and motivations…. they take you by surprise! The human spirit and mind are explored throughout this novel and really do give depth to each character. Some I came to love, others … not so much. But each have their value.
The plot of this novel is much the same. It reaches far across the characters involved and the land, and just when you think you have guessed what is happening… think again! This is one author who is not afraid to kill off his cast!
The only negative comment I have about this book is that some of his conversations about sex used the “F” word. I am really not that prudish (I just don’t want to use the “F” word on my blog) but when two people are in love, and are having a romantic conversation, it kind of kills the mood when the “F” bomb is dropped in reference to “making love”. This did come from a male character (when the female called it “making love”) so maybe it was supposed to be IN character, but I just didn’t feel it. That said, I can not fault the rest of this novel.
There are (obviously) two books to go in this trilogy and I am eager to see what happens!
That’s all for now… must… go …read…!!
Rating 5/5
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