In the Shadow of Lightning (Glass Immortals Book 1)

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Recommendations: this is an incredibly creative and original fantasy that has the power to jolt (pun) anyone out of a reading rut. Truthfully, I don’t think I would’ve been quite so accepting of the wild ideas if the author hadn’t already established my trust in the Powder Mage trilogies. So proceed with caution if this is your first McClellan. While wildly entertaining, it didn’t strike the same chord with me as other works have. At least not yet… the series is young. I liked how the author included so many different religions as a plotpoint, and I would have liked it if they were further explored to flesh out this world. Similarly, the magic is called 'godglass;' is it related in some way to a god or something likewise supernatural? Excellent worldbuilding and a truly epic narrative combine into Brian's finest work to date. Heartily recommended to anyone who wants a new favorite fantasy series to read." — Brandon Sanderson The book had good tension. I liked how all the characters had near-death experiences at least once, barely dodging assassins sent after them. But if I were this books editor and I were tasked to improve upon this already good tension, I would suggest that the tall man assassin would attempt to kill all four of the different protagonists at different points. That way his eventual defeat would feel better, and impact all four POVs. I thought this book was very well executed. I particularly enjoyed the mystery story. The author did a very good job in steadily pacing out the mystery reveals to keep the pacing of the story going.

I’m incredibly excited to join the team at Tor for Glass Immortals. Tor was the very first publisher I recognized as a voracious young reader and getting the chance to work with them is like a dream come true. I’m especially thrilled to work once again with Devi Pillai, who acquired both Powder Mage trilogies and edited the first four books. IF YOU ARE IN THE TARGET AUDIENCE, OR THE GENRES/TROPES SOUND INTERESTING TO YOU, SHOULD YOU READ THIS? I enjoyed the original Powder Mage trilogy - the setting was fresh, characters were well-realised, magic system(s) added plenty of flavour within the context of the world. The setting reminded me of a fusion of a gunpowder empire with the social dynamics of an early Roman city state- namely of a system of patronage between powerful families with client businesses/families. I thought it was fascinating how Demir felt the weight of responsibility towards the clients of his family, now that his mother is dead and it falls to him to be their patron. Readers won’t want to miss the first book, In the Shadow of Lightening, full of magic, rival families, political intrigue, and fast-paced action. Meet Demir Grappo, an outcast—he’s renounced his wealth and left his family and responsibilities behind, including a son. But when his mother is brutally murdered, Demir must return from exile to claim his seat at the head of the family and uncover the truth that got her killed: the very power that keeps civilization turning, godglass, is running out. War is coming, a war unlike any other. And Demir and his ragtag group are the only thing that stands in the way of the end of life as the world knows it.

If I were to critique Thessa's character arc, I'd say that the slavery story beat from the first half of the story wasn't really continued on to the second half. Her enemies in the first half were different from those in the second half. It made her section feel a bit disjointed, having built up one faction as enemies (the Magna) only to have her fight another faction at the end (the Grent).

This feels like a cop-out, using one of McClellan's own books as a reference, but it's accurate. That story involves a mystery, battle tactics, and strange magics. This book's narrative is outwardly very similar, in that it uses similar plotlines, but on the execution, 'Lightning' is better written. I’m so sad for him because of his abusive past and how he won’t allow himself to get close to anyone. I mean, I get it, but still….I also had a problem with how the main love interest is portrayed in this book - it feels very YA, and just made me eye roll at how predictable it was and just not really fitting with reality. I'll finish the review by talking about some parts of the setting. First of all, this magic system is fantastic. It is unique in concept and design, and has enough structure to create some interesting dynamics in action scenes, but it is simple enough that playing around with the rules don't become the main plot, and if you don't care to learn about all the facets of the magic, you don't have to, you only have to remember like 4 abilities and you'll be fine—the most important thing to know about the magic in this world is how it affects the economy of Ossa, and how disastrous it would be for Ossa and the world if the resources that powered the magic of this world ran out (which is currently a thing that is happening in the story.