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Beyond the Shadows
Beyond the Shadows
Beyond the Shadows
Audiobook22 hours

Beyond the Shadows

Written by Brent Weeks

Narrated by Paul Boehmer

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

()

About this audiobook

Logan Gyre is king of Cenaria, a country under siege, with a threadbare army and little hope. He has one chance-a desperate gamble, but one that could destroy his kingdom.

In the north, the new Godking has a plan. If it comes to fruition, no one will have the power to stop him.

Kylar Stern has no choice. To save his friends-and perhaps his enemies-he must accomplish the impossible: assassinate a goddess.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateNov 30, 2009
ISBN9781400182886
Beyond the Shadows

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Reviews for Beyond the Shadows

Rating: 4.621621621621622 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

222 ratings40 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Beyond the Shadows was hit-and-miss with me for a while, until I caught on that all these plot threads that to me seemed random were actually building towards a unified ending. That ending rocked, both on an action level and an emotional level. Maybe on a second read-through, I will be less confused by all the story lines. And the entire series is definitely worth a re-read.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    You know that feeling you get when you've just finished reading a really good book? The joy, the sorrow, the need for the bathroom because you couldn't stop reading the for final 100 pages. Well this book wasn't one of those, it was three of them: the Night Angel series by Brent Weeks.

    I read this series back to back, buying the second two on my Kindle immediately after finishing the first (a curse on the publishers who decided to charge a ridiculous price for them). It was a good thing too, since each book was able double the size of the thrillers and crime novels that make up the majority of my reading. There are many advantages to long books and to series. Long books can be more entertaining, a series can give you more value for reading. But the disadvantage is that authors who write long books often try to pack a lot of filler into the books. The thing that I liked about each book in this series, and the series as a whole, was the lack of filler.

    So, if you haven't read the adventures of Kylar Stern - the Night Angel - I suggest you start with the first book, The Way of Shadows.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    That. Was. EPIC.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I rarely fall so hard and so fast. For an author I hadn't read before, Brent Weeks suddenly became a must have on my bookshelf. I picked up book one cos I was bored, and for the rest of the weekend I couldn't stand to be interrupted for 5 minutes. It was absolutely riveting. ALL THREE BOOKS were. As I finished the last part of the trilogy, I got very very sad, cos it seemed like a fantastic adventure was coming to an end. I missed all the characters- Logan , Kylar, Durzo all of them. can't wait to read his next book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Night Angel Trlogy 3. Kylar acts and all the many characters from the previous books take their own separate story lines along, seemingly separately, but all building to a grand crescendo at the end.
    A satisfying finish.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Book Info: Genre: Dark epic fantasyReading Level: AdultRecommended for: fans of dark epic fantasyTrigger Warnings: murder, killing, assassination, violence, rape (mentioned but not seen), torture, mutilation, stealing, slaveryMy Thoughts: After the first book in this series, it turns more into adult fare. I neglected to mention this in the review for book 2. Also, although not as bad as the first book, this one again has a number of editing errors, including misused words and many missing words. I just can't fathom how this happened; aren't publishing houses supposed to have superior editing staff?However, all in all, this is a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. The ending is a bit abrupt after all the build-up, incorporating a certain element of deus ex machina, but at the same time it makes sense based on the hints that are dropped over the course of books 2 and 3. The author has said he plans to write further books in this universe, set at a point some years in the future, and I will definitely be watching for those. Many of my problems with the first book, such as overuse of tropes, is cleaned up by the end of the series; you can see how the author has grown in writing. I will, in fact, be seeking out more works by this talented author. If you enjoy dark, gritty fantasy that has elements of redemption and hope, then definitely check this trilogy out.Series Information: The Night Angel TrilogyBook 1: The Way of Shadows, review linked hereBook 2: Shadow's Edge, review linked hereBook 3: Beyond the ShadowsDisclosure: I purchased the omnibus edition of the trilogy for myself. All opinions are my own.Synopsis: Logan Gyre is king of Cenaria, a country under siege, with a threadbare army and little hope. He has one chance—a desperate gamble, but one that could destroy his kingdom.In the north, the new Godking has a plan. If it comes to fruition, no one will have the power to stop him.Kylar Stern has no choice. To save his friends—and perhaps his enemies—he must accomplish the impossible: assassinate a goddess.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The first half of the book was shooting storylines in all directions, and most lead.. nowhere? The second half was focused once more and the finale was nice(even though it was somewhat cliché to someone who's read so many fantasy book and played so many rpg)There has been some very strong moments throughout the 3 books, yes, I cried in a few places. I liked the character development of Logan, Vi, Durzo and Dorian. I had some problem with Kular who seemed to regress at the start of the 3rd book. Reading the 3 books back to back(10th anniversary edition) did show some plot error that I'd thought should have been fixed since it's a 10 anniversary edition, but nothing major. A very nice find/read
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I liked this book better than the previous one. Elene is still too perfect to be interesting, but there are other characters to focus on. E.g. we get to know Vi better in this book. It actually gets a bit complicated with all the characters involved. Khalidor and the new Godking's rise to power is very interesting. I also liked the description of the Chantry. I got a bit tired of magic in the end, although it is well described. The author likes to throw in very unusual words which impaired my reading experience a little.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The final book of the Night Angel Trilogy did not disappoint. Great characters and plot twists that keep you turning the page make this series a real winner. I really appreciate that with all the complexities, the book didn't bog down like some other epics. Would love to read more from Brent Weeks.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I was hesitant to give this one 5 stars, only because, in the final analysis, it's not anything super original. It does not go somewhere new. But, what it attempts to do it accomplishes superbly. I found myself putting it down more than once during the final 100 pages because I did not want to finish reading it. (Good news is that there might be a sequel-yay!) The climax is epic, the revelations/twists are surprising but not to the point where you feel cheated, the one extra reveal is breathtaking, although depending on one's level of cynicism may not be universally welcome. Despite the covers, the main plot line and the sometimes excessive violence this trilogy is not for readers looking for moral ambiguity or grittiness. It's an old fashioned heroic fantasy and a fairly straightforward morality tale, very well done.

    One more note: I have complained in the review for the first book about the use of modern language. My main concern was that by using modern phraseology the author would be conveying a level of irony and self-awareness (wink, blink, don't take it too seriously- think A Knight's Tale's use of Queen songs). After finishing the full trilogy, I have to say that even though there's plenty of humor, there's none of the post-modern irony that often ruins current works of fantasy. The issues raised are dead serious and are given full consideration and weight, just as they deserve.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The characters were created with such emotion and depth. Loved it!!!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Weeks ties up the trilogy of dark hero, "wetboy", and kakarifer Kylar here with a lot of kicking ass, a lot of action, a lot of poignancy, and a lot of heartbreak. Deftly tying together and showing significance small details from the previous two volumes, the plotlines all come together neatly to make a ripping good read. I ended the book with mixed feelings, simply because Weeks had made me care about these guys and some of what they endure is a real gut punch, but a realistic and non-gratuitous one...sure sign of a good book by a good author. I'm looking forward to his next work.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Meh. It's no Song of Ice and Fire, this series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book was a fitting ending to the trilogy. 'Great' doesn't cover it.  
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Overall this book, and the series, ended good. However, given everything that was going on in the book, this could have been either more focused on the two main kingdoms and their conflict or expanded further into a quartet. A lot happened, and though I appreciate how everything all tied up, I feel a lot of stuff just popped out of nowhere and wasn't given enough time to breath. It made some developments lack the punch they would have otherwise. Still, I was entertained. I see why Weeks is as popular as he is.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I started the first book of this series years ago and for whatever reason set it down and just never got back to it until a couple of weeks ago and now I've devoured the whole series. I really liked the series and felt that it got more exciting with each volume great read!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    After a very good first book, and a nice sequel, this book caught me. I had the "luck" to be sick for a few days, so I had the chance to read most of it in one go, and it is fascinating how Brent Weeks managed to tie almost every little thing he ever mentioned in one of the three books into a big plot, where little facts dropped somewhere in a sentence suddenly influence the fate of kingdoms.

    All in all, I really enjoyed the books, and the ending didn't leave a pale taste to me, like it sometimes does when I finish a series.

    I can recommend the series to anyone who likes good fantasy, especially with asassins (although Kylar would probably beat me up for calling him one).
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Meh. there were parts to this trilogy that were interesting, but they just got lost under poorly crafted purpose of the whole story. Characters motivations were either overly defined or ill-described. There was too much "and then this other catastrophe happens" but it's okay because purity, chastity and good old fashioned magic will save the day."
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A stirring conclusion to an excellent trilogy. More, please.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Book was good. Narrator was awful. Who gives a French accent to a man with a name like Garuwashi. And a British one to a man named Solonariwan? Disappointing voice.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    It doesn't end with a whimper, but the other way. In the previous two outings of this series we had several more of the unexpected plot twists that had elevated this series beyond the stereotype of the genre.So my opening is stereotypical as a review for an ending to a trilogy, as is the story. Weeks however delivers action, depth, plot and fun along the way. It makes us look for more than we get, as if Weeks almost rushed to tie up a few loose ends, but adds in some new dimensions so that we have something to look forward to in a promised sequel that casts the story further into the future.In the first two books Weeks succeeded because we thought we were on familiar ground and he stood everything on an ear. We knew our hero was indestructible, though at first in the series we were unsure who exactly it was. But as the series finished up we see that the survival of our hero had its price. We find that as everything is tied neatly, not all was made happy, but was made satisfactory.The third book of a trilogy has to give us a conclusion and Weeks did that. Just as you know that the Motion Picture Academy has to acknowledge Peter Jackson by the third movie for the entire Trilogy, so too do you have to give kudos to Weeks for bringing the series to its end. It is worth reading again, and as a whole, though in hindsight, this book needs a little more to make it rival the previous two.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Not without its problems, but still an engaging read. Inconsistencies and some dead-obvious fantasy cliches interfere with the fun a bit.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Sadly I thought this series got worse as it went on. Thankfully, this was the final book in the series. There were no real plot twists or surprises to the tale and even when he tried hard to surprise the reader it just came off flat.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Oct09:Well, the last book wraps it up for sure. It's also a lot more romantic than it's writing style would encourage. I'll try not to spoil more than that. Although, I think the final fighting scene came straight from "God of War" the console game. But that's not a bad thing :)The following applies to the whole trilogy:Characters: Fully realized. Durzo is the bomb. The lead manages not to be annoying for a "boy grows up" and the females are strong.Plot: Superbly written. There is reason and there is motive. It moves at a brisk pace and doesn't drag me down.Style: And the best for last. This book just oozes style. The fighting is cool. The characters are cool. You get to escape into a super awesome action flick for the thinking man.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    So many of my friends have liked this, but by the time I got to this book, I was just tired of the world, characters, & series in general. I just never felt connected to most of the characters, I guess. Maybe I'll try again some day.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was a great story that was read well and with a equally good ending. I would recommend this series. I’ve listened to some other book on Scribd and this one of the best.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Beautiful epic fantasy, with just the right amount of big complicated world and real characters you get attached to. I highly recomend.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Great book, great series. I thought he packed too much plot into the trilogy, it easily could have, and probably should have been more books. I didn't particularly like the fact that one character reemerged again and again to save a main character, seemed like sloppy writing. However, the characters, the story, and the general writing were all excellent.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Well now I feel bad about my review for the second book. It makes more sense after reading the third. There's still some flaws I can see, but I can overlook them if I so choose. Kylar never totally went back to the tricks he was capable of before he became supernatural, but oh well. The ending itself felt rushed and I could wish for a fourth book to clear up some things and fully develop those characters that didn't quite make it, and hell, also so I could read more about Kylar. But then I'd want a fifth book, and then a sixth. Probably good Week's stuck with three books. And he is in the middle of another series. After reading this series I can't wait for that second book. This series was epically great but I think this next one The Lightbringer series will be just as good if not better. Even so I'll miss Kylar. It's not as epic as the first book painted it out to be, but it's still a series I would recommend to any fantasy fans.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    if you're looking for a great love story look no further this is way more sad than Romeo and Juliet. get that s*** out of here.