Book Spotlight: An Incarnation of Shadow and Light
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Hello, book besties! Welcome or welcome back to my blog. It is officially the middle of November, so you know what that means Mid-Month Book Spotlight. This month we are featuring a debut book. An Incarnation of Shadow and Light by S.A. Christianson. Author S.A. Christianson weaves a gripping fantasy novel set in a corrupt Victorian-inspired world where power struggles and darker paths are inevitable.
The story follows an exiled prince trying to regain his throne and navigate a treacherous world filled with morally grey characters, including four magicians who abuse their magic for personal gain. As the lines between shadow and light blur, each character faces the temptation to choose their desires over what is right.
With an intricate magic system and a cast of charismatic yet flawed individuals, this book takes readers on a journey through a twisted tale of ambition and sacrifice. In this book review, we’ll dive into the dark depths of this captivating world, exploring its complex characters and why this is a must-read for fantasy lovers. Highly recommend!
Shadow and Light Synopsis
In the Kingdom of Verchiél, only a handful of people known as Incarnate can use magic. The Incarnate people are not only respected but feared, revered as saints, and indulged like gods. Four magicians abuse their magic to gain power in a corrupt Victorian-inspired world.
The sudden deaths of Verchiél’s rulers unleash a power struggle between the Incarnate, each seeking power to fulfill their desires.
Gabriel is a charismatic socialite who takes darker paths to avoid slipping back into powerlessness.
Zoe, the daughter of a disgraced merchant, is determined to carve a new path for her life.
Niklas is an exiled prince trying to escape the ghosts of his past.
Silje is an assassin who will stop at nothing until she’s seized the adoration she has always been denied.
Infighting and betrayal run rampant as each becomes worse than the problems to solve them.
Each half of either shadow or light needs the other half of one to fulfill their destiny.
Shadow and Light Review
Magic is extremely rare in the kingdom of Verchiel, using shadow and light to wield half of the magic within them. As being an Incarnate is a rare gift only bestowed upon the next when the previous has perished, they are worshiped like gods. Deemed saints of the land. Sometimes leading the land, into ruin.
After the sudden deaths of the previous leaders, a struggle for supremacy ensues between the Incarnates. Each has their reasons for wanting to rule. In this debut installment of An Incarnation of Shadow and Light, we follow four new Incarnate. Gabriel is extremely morally grey. He would rather gamble and frequent sex houses, or engage in shady practices to get what he wants than ever feel powerless again. Zoe, the daughter of a trader, has been determined to embark on a new path, since becoming an Incarnate. Niklas is an exiled prince from Bjoral. A land that sees him as a heska, trying to forget his past. And finally Silje. A killer who won’t stop until everyone adores her, wanting the love she so desperately lacked.
An Incarnation of Shadow and Light gives me A Darker Shade of Magic vibes. I was immediately drawn to the premise and magic system of the book from the start. The magic system is unique each of the Incarnate takes the magic from either the sun or the moon. Zoe and Silje are Daughters of the Sun and Niklas and Gabriel are Sons of the Moon. Sun Incarnate can use its magic during the day. Having the ability to heal and have psychokinesis. Moon Incarnate can control the Shadows and Illusion, with Niklas having a special ice power.
Extended Thoughts
The characters were different in so many ways but Gabriel has me. He was the best part of the book. He was exceptionally witty and self-preserving, only really thinking about himself ALL THE TIME. Taking anyone he can to bed just to accomplish his goals. The grey area of their behavior was also a great driving force in the story. The inner fight between good and evil is what it needed to be to help move the story along. The representation in this book also was wonderful. The book was extremely diverse, not just in minor side areas of the books but it is built throughout the storyline.
The different perspectives were fleshed out and it was easy to follow who was who, despite the number of characters. Even though they are revered as gods they are human, in every sense of the word. Flawed despite the magic they wield.
It was just a nice and solid fantasy book with elements that I liked, but I just didn’t love it. It is hovering in the middle. S.A. Christianson captures the atmosphere of the story. Allowing you to immerse yourself in the illusions at night, or the rays of the sun during the day. While it has some great points it was a little lackluster for me. I lost my interest mid-way through the book, becoming bored with the story, and wanting more contrast to the wonderful parts of the novel. There were maybe three fighting scenes in the whole book and it just wasn’t enough contrast to keep the story propelled.
I still highly recommend this to fans of the series I mentioned above, to anyone who appreciates complex, morally grey characters, and to those readers who want to support a very promising debut with a strong LGBTQIA+ rep.
This book is out now! Thank you to the author for sending me a copy to review. Grab yourself a copy on Amazon.
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