A Gathering of Shadows Is a Welcome Return to an Irresistible Fantasy World

Time has passed, and the royal family is, to all outward appearances, healing. But the victory didn’t come cheap—Rhy and Kell are now bound by a forbidden spell that means Rhy cannot die while Kell lives, but causes each of them to experience the pain the other feels. Kell must quell his former wanderlust, as he’s kept under jealous watch by the king and queen, who all too recently treated him like a son, and who now see him as the source of all Red London’s troubles, and the all-too-important key to their son’s survival. And Lila Bard—well, as far as Kell and the prince are concerned, she has vanished as quickly as she came into their lives, off to pursue dreams that have nothing to do with them.
At this inopportune moment, the strength of Red London’s leaders is about to be put to the test: the Arnesian Empire is due to play host to the Element Games, which pit the most powerful magicians of the world’s three empires against each other in a show of might that is as much political as it is magical. The kingdom must play host to the foreign parties for weeks on end, each sizing up the others and probing for weaknesses, which only puts Kell, whose mythical status as the Arnesian Antari is considered a cornerstone of the empire, under further scrutiny. As powers converge on the city for the Games, Schwab gathers in fun and fascinating new characters: the elusive Captain Alucard Emery; the strong, subtle regent of Faro’s empire, Lord-Sol-in-Air; and the imperious Princess Cora of Vesk. For Kell and Rhy, restless and still coming to terms with their permanent bond, the Games inspire their latest crack-brained scheme, which runs into unexpected complications so great, I wouldn’t dream of hinting at them, especially as a darker plot is being hatched against them, one they never saw coming. Reports of Black London’s death seem to have been greatly exaggerated.

A Darker Shade of Magic is so memorable for the sheer fun of exploring Schwab’s creatively conceived, captivating world, as well as the fast-paced plot that takes us on a breakneck tour of the darker side of human nature. The sequel is somehow even more compelling. Having established her world, Schwab allows us to spend quality time getting to know and love her characters. We see them grappling with the consequences of their choices, and we’re exposed to aspects their personalities we could only glimpse as they rushed about saving the day in the first book.
Schwab isn’t afraid to slow down the action to give her cast room to breathe, look around, and grow, with often surprising outcomes. She lets them sit with the cost of playing hero, and shows us how it changes lives—and not always for the better. But that’s not to suggest the author is done building her world: she expands her lens far beyond the confines of the London and the Arsenian Empire, introducing us to the residents of three empires, all at different levels of society. Her descriptive abilities are strikingly memorable and positively cinematic (no surprise that the series has been optioned for television). She paints in just the sort of rich colors you’d imagine for a world of magicians, nobles, pirates, and thieves, and you’ll feel like you’re walking amidst enchanted red rivers, smoky taverns, and dazzling ballrooms yourself.
This is very much a middle book, with a plot that only gains speed as it barrels toward a truly epic cliffhanger ending, a clear setup for what is sure to be a heart-pounding, heart-wrenching conclusion. It’s a year away, but I, for one, already can’t wait to be welcomed back to Red London.
Preorder A Gathering of Shadows, available February 23.