by Brent Weeks
Review by KM & DM
For about four years, my husband has been trying to get me to read Way of the Shadows. It’s his favorite book *of all time* and I’ve seriously feared reading it because I don’t want to disappoint him with my reaction. Now, he’s recently hacked my library card and requested the book through my account. I have a copy of it (and of other versions, such as the graphic novel).
Today’s going to be a bit different. Instead of me writing this review, he’s going to be convincing me (and you) to read it in the musings. This may be our first guest post (SA, can you confirm?) Let’s go!
Summary
For Durzo Blint, assassination is an art-and he is the city’s most accomplished artist.
For Azoth, survival is precarious. Something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, he’s grown up in the slums, and learned to judge people quickly – and to take risks. Risks like apprenticing himself to Durzo Blint.
But to be accepted, Azoth must turn his back on his old life and embrace a new identity and name. As Kylar Stern, he must learn to navigate the assassins’ world of dangerous politics and strange magics – and cultivate a flair for death.*
Musings
KM: Husbeast, what makes these characters stand out from other books? What makes you love them?
DM: They’re terrible people. They have no moral compass or value of innocence. They’ll murder without cause. They are generally the scum of society.
KM: What about that one character that I think I’ll love?
DM: She’s a prostitute who helps murder the elderly.
KM: Oh.
DM: These people could be in any setting and I’d want us both to read that book.
KM: Is there any character development that makes them better?
DM: Nah, if anything, they get worse. They lose what little respect for human life they had and some of them turn to black magic. The MC is a good person for a very brief time.
KM: What is your favorite scene in the book? Something that I’d latch onto and want to read?
DM: That’s a really hard choice. (To avoid the spoiler he just told me, we’ll rephrase and say the depth of religion and the magical torture within the book.)
KM: Are there any morals or lessons taught by this book?
DM: (answers in a way that makes me redact the question)
KM: Are there any other books or movies you’d find similar to this, so I know what I’m getting into?
DM: Nope, this is totally unique.
Welp. Not sure if I’m convinced. Maybe I’m convinced that my husband is a terrible person, but not about reading this. How about you? Do you think I should give it a chance?
*thank you Amazon
*After this, we’ll see if guest reviews are a good choice after all.
Readcommendations 