Dark Moon, Shallow Sea

The Gods of Night and Day Series, Book 1

De: David R. Slayton

Narrado por: Michael David Axtell

Duración: 11 h y 29 m

Resumen del Editor

The first in a new epic fantasy series from David R. Slayton—author of White Trash Warlock—Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is a powerful story of divine betrayal, ghosts, and self-discovery, perfect for fans of the Dark Souls series or Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson.

When Phoebe, goddess of the moon, is killed by the knights of the sun god, Hyperion, all who follow her are branded heretics. With Phoebe gone, the souls of the dead are no longer ferried to the underworld, and instead linger on as shades who feast on the blood of the living.

Raef is a child of the night. He lives in the shadows, on scraps, eking out a meager existence as a thief. But when an ornate box is sequestered in the Temple of Hyperion, the chance of a big score proves too great to resist. What he finds within propels him on an odyssey across the sea and back again, altering the course of his life forever.

Seth is a knight of the sun. But unlike the others of his order, the fire of Hyperion only brings him pain. He believes he deserves this penance, exacted for his unknown origins. Tasked with recovering the contents of the box, Seth must also venture beyond the horizon if he’s to learn the truth about himself.

In a dying world divided by the greed of those in power, Raef and Seth find their destinies intertwined—and learn they might have more in common than they ever imagined.

©2023 David R. Slayton (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

Extraordinary

I don't read much fantasy, but this was amazing. I simply cannot, and I mean cannot, wait for more.

Wonderful story!

I couldn't press pause! Great world building, interesting and engaging characters, and beautifully written prose.

Throughly Enjoyed

The world is so well fleshed out and characters reactions to the event are spot on. Twists and turns love and heartbreak, piety and corruption are on full display.

Excellent

This is David’s best book yet. I can’t wait to see where this story goes!

This is great!

I love everything about this title, the twists are great and the characters rip out my heart 🧡💙

The Sea Might Be Shallow, But the Story Is Not

I picked up DMSS on a whim and I'm glad I did. I had not heard of David R, Slayton on any of his books before, but now I'm a fan and will be checking out his other works. I think going into this book with as few spoilers as possible will give the best experience. So, if a character driven novel with a deep mythology of demons, ghost and gods with a little gay romance on the side sounds appealing I'd recommend given DMSS a try.

(I'm going to give my thoughts on the book but will try to avoid spoilers.)

I found DMSS by searching for a sci fi/fantasy book with a gay male lead. The algorithm offered up DMSS. I think it knows me too well. Although the main character, Raef, and a few others are gay, this book is not a coming out story and their sexuality is not a main factor in the plot or crisis. I personally found this refreshing. I think anyone will enjoy the experiences of the characters and will be able to relate to them.

The characters are the best part of the novel. Slayton is able to write complex characters who are struggling to do the right thing when what is right or wrong is not clear. DMSS does live in the gray area of belief vs experience, which resonated with me personally.

The other strong factor of the novel is the world building. Slayton creates a deep mythology about gods, demons and ghost that was a joy to explore and learn about. I always enjoy books with back story mysteries. The horror setting of the novel really shines. A few scenes towards the end of the novel almost reach body horror. Slayton still keeps the epic feel though.

I said earlier that the novel is character driven and the plot is where I had a few issues. First the plot is actioned packed, and I was never bored. But a few characters and events show up and happen that felt convenient. I know the book has some Greek mythology influences, with the gods/titan and I suspect some of the episodic events in the plot are due to being based on this. I could see the Odyssey as a template for the plot giving the epic journey experience. In the end my attachment to the characters, enjoyment of the world, and story overcame in small issues I had.

DMSS is marketed as a series, and I hope it will be, but the novel does wrap up nicely and not end on any major cliff hanger. I look forward to more works by Slayton.

The world building

This book was such a pleasure to listen to. The world was interesting and I loved learning about its culture and the complex people. One thing though, I wish the romance was a bit more fleshed out. It felt rushed and I would have loved to see more build up to the relationships. I still enjoyed seeing the representation in fantasy novels and will definitely look forward to the next book.

nice surprises, nice sadness

not the predictable story I expected. of course, some aspects involving romance where a bit trite, but they didn't do too much damage to the story. thanks

Vivid development of both world and characters

This drew me in completely in a way I haven’t experienced in a very long time. I immediately went to the series page and was disappointed to see no more volumes are out yet. Highly recommended!

This is a beautiful and smart book

Everything about this book is well crafted. The fantasy world building is first rate, a place I look forward to returning to in my imagination as the series progresses.

The conflicts and surprises in the book show that life is complicated in so many ways. In fact, "It's complicated" appears to be a reoccurring theme throughout all four of the author's published works

The high quality of the author's writing and his ability to grapple with the complexities of life, including being in a family, are two of the things that make this a smart book.

The characters and world make the book beautiful. The craft of the writing and ideas that are explored make it a smart book.

I highly recommend this enjoyable fantasy story that includes a sweet romance.