Cast in Shadow

Chronicles of Elantra, Book 1

By: Michelle Sagara

Narrated by: Khristine Hvam

Length: 14 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

Seven years ago, Kaylin fled the crime-riddled streets of Nightshade, knowing that something was after her. Children were being murdered— and all had the same odd markings that mysteriously appeared on her own skin….

Since then, she's learned to read, she's learned to fight and she's become one of the vaunted Hawks who patrol and police the City of Elantra. Alongside the winged Aerians and the immortal Barrani, she's made a place for herself, far from the mean streets of her birth.

But children are once again dying, and a dark and familiar pattern is emerging. Kaylin is ordered back into Nightshade with a partner she knows she can't trust, a Dragon lord for a companion and a device to contain her powers—powers that no other human has. Her task is simple—find the killer, stop the murders… and survive the attentions of those who claim to be her allies!

Spellbound? Listen to more Chronicles of Elantra.

©2011 Michelle Sagara (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

didn't hold my attention

2nd time that I've started with a new series in hopes of finding a jewel and ended up disappointed, but this didn't work for me either. perhaps I'm simply in a funk. suspect given recs from friends that I should have started later in series as the authors improved.

This Magic Series Will Ensnare You

Any additional comments?

This is really not my Genre. That said, I was intrigued by a free read, Cast in Moonlight. And then I was hooked. Cast in Moonlight is a good introduction to the series, I don't know why it is listed as Book 6.5 when it should be Book 0. Listen to it first. Then go on to Cast in Shadows. I suspect I will work through the entire series over time - even though it is really, really not a genre I would ever go looking for. I think it is a magic spell, the well-conceived and well-written adventures of our heroine in a land inhabited by mortals, immortals and dragons are impossible to put down. The narrator does an excellent job with enough difference in voice so the listener knows which character is which without sounding hokey.

Khristine Hvam is one of the best readers their is

I liked the story line just fine but reading more of the series would be like watching buffy the vp slayer but that being said does'nt mean I won't listen to them anyway

good story but...

i think i would have enjoyed this more if i hadn't read the books first.
i had high hopes for the narrator since she got so many good reviews but this one hit one of my biggest pet peeves.
its fief, not feef, and its ferals, not fearels.
(look fief up in the OED for pronunciation).
normally it wouldn't be a big deal but the words come up in just about every other sentence and by the time i was an hour into the story my teeth were clenched, by an hour and a half i started grinding them and had to stop.
now, i have seen narrators self-correct pronunciation in the middle of the story but so far this one hasn't.
it makes me sad because its a series i really enjoyed reading and was looking forward to the audible version. i will probably force myself on until the end out sheer stubborn hope but i doubt i will buy any more out of this series, which is a shame as i want to support the author.
the narrator, other than those mispronunciations seems fine, better than some i've hear. but really, the little things can make or break a narration.

So, So

I want to like this book. In someways I did but in others I didn't. I found Kaylin's thoughts distracting. As the book goes on I tuned out and got lost because of it. I don't know if the other books have Kaylin grow up and her thoughts get more focused.... but I don't know if I'll give them a try. I'm on the fence

Good books

I really enjoy this series. It Rocks! Twist turns heart and strength. it has it all.

I have the entire series.

Would you consider the audio edition of Cast in Shadow to be better than the print version?

I have never read the print version but love the audio series and can't wait for #8.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I hated to get interrupted while listening to this book.

Any additional comments?

You can't go wring with this series.

Good fantsy fun

This is not for the serious minded. But it is a fun romp with a bunch of new species in a new world that is well-drawn by the author and well performed by the narrator. And I found it a step above the vampire and werewolf genre that takes up so much of the fantasy space these days. My taste in fantasy runs more to Robin Hobb or Tadd Williams, but this was good and held my interest. Great listening while exercising!

One of my favorite Stories

Where does Cast in Shadow rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It is one of my favorite series'. I don't actually consider it a single book-- the story continues and builds with each new book. I have them all and re-read them about every quarter waiting for the next book (paper, audio interchangeable). The story is wonderfully detailed- it has to be it is a world unlike any other. The Emperor is an immortal Dragon. Her immediate boss is a Leontine (a vaguely humanoid lion). Her highest ranking boss is an Arian (winged humanoid but not angelic). Her best friend/mentor is an immortal Baroni (Elf- tall beautiful perfect). It all works perfectly.

What other book might you compare Cast in Shadow to and why?

I really can't compare it to any other books. I have read about fantastical police in other worlds before, but I can't really compare them to Cast. It is unique- mainly because Kaylin is unique. She is very opinionated and yet she is not extremely knowledgeable because she is a new citizen in this society. She is bigoted and yet she is open to learning and discarding those bigoted ideals when given the opportunity to met good "people". She is scathing and abrupt, but she makes time and takes care with the fragile. She is a contradiction by definition and brash about it. But she is lovable and loves her "people" that surround her for the very fascinating differences they hold.

Have you listened to any of Khristine Hvam’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but I have listened to these alot. Her rendition of Marcus is wonderful. And later of Sanabalis, too.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, at least three times.

Any additional comments?

The caharacters become real and grow and mature and surprise you and disappoint you and thrill you and anger you and make you laugh and make you want to cry. Despite very few of them being human and having very few human responses-- they all become "human" to you in a very short time.

Addicted to the series, but leaves you hanging...

I read this entire series back-to-back so I'm only going to comment on the first book's board.

I'm obsessed with this series. It's definitely addicting...but by the end of the last book I'm still hanging and holding out for some major relationship development of the heroine. The author basically teases you throughout the series. You keep feeling like "Okay, this book will be the one", but then I'm disappointed by the end and left hanging.

The first two books were my favorite, especially book 2. Book 1 was hard to get into at first, because the world and its many casts of people are very difficult to grasp at first. By book 2, the confusion subsides. But book 2 is definitely worth working through the complicated world development of book 1. Book 2 is AMAZING!

I'm in a love/hate relationship with this author. I love her world (Elantra) and I love the characters. I even love the struggles and challenges and the main story lines. There is so much adventure and mystery! On the other side, it's sooooooo wordy!!! You're in the middle of an intense action/climatic scene and I feel like the intensity and build up get overtaken by the wordiness. It's almost like the author starts out on the right path of being wordy to tease and build up your emotions, but then just keeps going and going until you're like, "enough already, just get on with it...I get that the 'word' is complicated" (you'll know what I refer to when you read it - - not a spoiler).

The narrator is great, though! I'm definitely a huge fan of Khristine Hvam! She does a great job with all the character voices, keeping them separate and recognizable without needing to tell us who's speaking. After soooo many books and a building mass of characters, I'm amazed she keeps pulling out new voices.

I'm a critical person, so don't let my negative comments fool you. I definitely loved this whole series and recommend it. Just brace yourself for difficulty establishing the world and its characters at first, and then dealing with climatic wordiness with each book. If you can get past those, you'll really enjoy the action and adventure. Here's hoping the next two books (I read on the author's blog that book 8 will now be split in two because she had too much to say) will focus more on the heroine's relationship/romantic development. It's about time!