Scott's Take: In The Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan

In The Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan is the latest series and features a new world. His previous series include the two separate Powder Mage trilogies. This new series is very good, but has many strong similarities to the Powder Mage series. Instead of gun powder being the basis of the magic system of the world, in this case, the source is glass. As in his other books, there are multiple characters and perspectives at work here in the first book of The Glass Immortals.

The main character is Demir who is a troubled genius with PTSD that is forced to return home after his mother is murdered. She was beaten to death in the streets by a group of masked individuals. He returns home to uncover her murderers, protect what is left of his family and the people she protected, and try to prevent the other families from taking advantage of his loss. 

The main characters are similar in tropes to the various leads of the Powder Mage series, but the ending here is far different and this sets this series apart from the others. As in his other series, here there is action, humor, mystery, and plenty of strategizing.

If you liked the Powder Mage series, then you should like this one too. The twist ending will either intrigue you or make you quit the series depending on how you feel about the new elements being introduced.

 

My reading copy came from the Polk-Wisdom Branch of the Dallas Public Library System. 

Scott A. Tipple ©2022