Shadow Blade (Shadowchasers book 1) by Seressia Glass

I've read several really good first books in a series over the past month. I heard some good things about Shadow Blade, so I figured I'd check it out as well. And I'm glad I did.

The worldbuilding is exceptionally well done, with magic users, psychics, psychic vampires, gods and goddesses that interact with humans, and Egyptian mythology come to life. Along with a few other mythologies in small doses here and there. It's basically a good vs bad thing, or the "light" versus the "shadow", those who stand for the light and those who stand for chaos.

The characters are three dimensional and likable. The pacing is excellent, and the plot was engaging and entertaining.

I also appreciated that the series takes place in Atlanta, and that I've been to many of the places in the book. I particularly enjoyed that her friends have a shop in Little Five Points, and that even the Junkman's Daughter got a mention. Very cool.

Did I mention the worldbuilding was very well done? Yeah, I did. Doesn't hurt to say it again.

The series does hit on one of my pet peeves, the one that asks why so many fictional characters have to be orphans... but I already know the answer to that, especially in this case, where not knowing her heritage is likely to be a major part of a plot arc. So, I'll overlook it. Again.

Here's the official blurb:

For Kira Solomon, normal was never an option.

Kira's day job is as an antiquities expert, but her true calling is as a Shadowchaser. Trained from youth to be one of the most lethal Chasers in existence, Kira serves the Gilead Commission, dispatching the Fallen who sow discord and chaos. Of course, sometimes Gilead bureaucracy is as much a thorn in her side as anything the Fallen can muster against her. Right now, though, she's got a bigger problem. Someone is turning the city of Atlanta upside down in search of a millennia-old Egyptian dagger that just happens to have fallen into Kira's hands.

Then there's Khefar, the dagger's true owner -- a near-immortal 4,000-year-old Nubian warrior who, Kira has to admit, looks pretty fine for his age. Joining forces is the only way to keep the weapon safe from the sinister Shadow forces, but now Kira is in deep with someone who holds more secrets than she does, the one person who knows just how treacherous this fight is. Because every step closer to destroying the enemy is a step closer to losing herself to Shadow forever....

I'm giving Shadow Blade a 10 of 10. I won't rate it as a series after only one book.

Book Rating: Shadow Blade: 10 of 10

Book two will be called Shadow Chase and is scheduled for release July 27th of this year. I couldn't resist putting the cover for it up, especially since Amazon doesn't have it yet, and seeing the cover makes me want to read the book now - not four months from now.

Here is the blurb for book two, Shadow Chase:

As a Shadowchaser, Kira Solomon has been trained to serve the Light, dispatch the Fallen, and prevent the spread of chaos. It’s a deadly job, and Kira knows the horror of spilling innocent blood. But now she has a new role, as the Hand of Ma’at, the Egyptian Goddess of Truth and Order, and an assignment that might just redeem her.

A fellow Shadowchaser has gone missing, and so has a unique artifact imbued with astonishing magic. Unless the Vessel of Nun is returned, it will cause destruction beyond anything the modern world has seen. Kira’s got a team at her back, including Khefar, a near-immortal Nubian warrior who’s already died for her once. But as complicated as her feelings for him are, they’re nothing compared to the difficulties of the task she faces. And the only way to defeat the enemy is to trust in a power she can barely control, and put her life—and her soul—on the line.

I'm looking forward to learning more about Balm, and Nansee. I'm looking forward to seeing where a relationship may go between Kira and Khefar. I'm really looking forward to seeing where the series goes from here.




1. Shadow Blade
2. Shadow Chase