In "In the Shadow of Lightning," Brian McClellan takes readers on a journey into a new fantasy world filled with intrigue and magic. As a fan of McClellan's previous works, particularly the Powder Mage series, I was excited to dive into this new series, "The Glass Immortals."

The book opens with a gripping prologue that sets a high standard for the rest of the story. Demir Grappo, the protagonist, is a complex character with a compelling backstory and a sense of mystery surrounding him. His return from exile to uncover the truth behind his mother's murder adds a layer of suspense and intrigue to the narrative.

One of the highlights of McClellan's writing has always been his intricate magic systems, and "In the Shadow of Lightning" doesn't disappoint in this regard. The godglass magic system is well-developed and adds depth to the world-building. Fans of hard magic systems will appreciate the intricacies and capabilities it brings to the story.

However, despite these strengths, some readers may find the pacing of the book to be slower than expected, especially compared to McClellan's previous works. While the initial prologue and setup are engaging, there are moments where the story feels like it loses momentum, leading to a somewhat uneven experience.

The supporting cast of characters adds flavor to the story, but they may not resonate as strongly as those from the Powder Mage series. Nonetheless, McClellan's skillful character and world-building are evident throughout the book, showcasing his talent for crafting immersive fantasy settings.

In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan is a gripping fantasy novel that follows the story of a young woman named Shai who is forced to confront her past and discover the truth about her family.

Brian McClellan does an excellent job of creating a vivid and immersive world filled with magic and political intrigue. The characters are also well-developed, with Shai being a particularly strong and sympathetic protagonist who is both determined and vulnerable.

The plot is well-structured, with plenty of twists and turns that keep readers engaged. The pacing is also perfect, with just the right amount of action and character development to keep the story moving forward.

Overall, In the Shadow of Lightning is an excellent read that is sure to appeal to fans of fantasy and political intrigue. The book is well-written, with a richly imagined world and well-developed characters. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a gripping and immersive fantasy novel.

Powerful guild-families, politics and intrigue meet sorcery and strange secret societies. Demir Grappo, once a promising young figure in Ossa's political arena, has fled society with a guilty conscience. After his mother is brutally murdered, he returns to Ossa and the role he once fled. But nothing is quite the same anymore and few can be trusted.

I loved this fast-paced and very twisty story. The layers of political intrigue and relationships between the characters really kept me intrigued every step of the way. The way that the details of the setting and world are revealed really stood out to me. There was no intense info-dumping, just subtle details revealed at just the right time to create another piece of the very vivid world the author builds.

Loved every page if I'm honest, the suspense and tension were felt throughout and quite frankly, I read it on kindle but I have to get it so that it looks pretty on my shelf. Not my typical genre but I enjoyed it.

Unfortunately, "In the Shadow of Lightning" by Brian McClellan failed to capture my attention. Despite being a fan of the author's previous works, I found the plot to be slow-moving and uninteresting. The characters lacked depth, and the world-building felt uninspired. Overall, a disappointing read.

Such a great start to what promises to be an epic fantasy series. The setting and world building we solid and easy enough to get immersed in. The characters were well written and likable. I found the magic system to be complex and well done. There were parts of the novel that seemed to almost stall out at points. While this is to be expected in an epic fantasy it did sometimes make it hard to stay engaged. Over all this was a very enjoyable read and I can't wait to see where this series goes.

This is the first instalment in the Glass Immortals series.

The powerful guild-families seem untouchable until one of them is murdered and the hunt for who is responsible begins. With the elite turning on each other, old faces returning to their old positions, and magic's supposedly infinite source turning out to be quite the opposite, each individual soon finds they must look for allies in unlikely places or stand alone and face the enemies approaching them from all angles.

I initially adored everything about this novel. The world was unique and yet not too dissimilar to other fantastical settings that I have read about, so easy to immerse one's self in. The characters were varied and nuanced, meaning I got a feel for their distinct personalities, easyily and immediately. The magic system was well-constructed and the panic surrounding it easily felt by the readers. And, finally, the murder that formed the primary focus for the novel added thrills, chills, and tension to the proceedings.

As the storyline progressed, however, I found small sections to feel a little stagnant. Perhaps the abundance of characters meant that not all could have action-orientated narratives or that this novel needed time to build for the latter books in the series. Either way, I lost a small portion of my initial love but closed the novel very satisfied with all I read and eager for the following instalments.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! Yes, it was long as heck and took me forever to get through, but man was it worth it. There was everything you could ever want in a fantasy novel and I am BEYOND excited to see what happens in the upcoming sequel!

Thank you to TOR for sending an arc of this book.

This book had so much potential during the beginning but sadly it fails to deliver an explosive ending.
The novel started out with an intense and powerful prologue that caught my attention and set my expectations for an epic story. I think I set my expectations too high because when I continued reading the book slowly but surely the pacing fell flat and that grip it had on me continues to fade. No part of the story was bad or executed poorly, it was just okay. I really wanted to love the story but nothing seems to jump off the page. Though I would love to commend McClellan's ability in building an amazing world and magic system that is quite interesting. If it weren't for those aspects I would've put this book down much earlier.

This book is the start to a series, even though this book did set the stage right it didn't give off any sign that it will give an amazing sequel. I have doubts so I will probably not continue the series.

In the Shadow of Lightning is the first book of the Glass Immortals series by Brian McClellan. Released 21st June 2022 by Macmillan on their Tor/Forge imprint, it's 576 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out in second quarter 2023. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.

This is a beatifully rich and vibrantly complex world, building on a magic system based on silica/glass manipulation. It's an epic political/war fantasy with a well rendered protagonist and a complex huge cast of secondary characters. I was perhaps most impressed with the level of detail and precision in the writing. The dialogue is never clunky or awkward, the action is well controlled and moves the plot along at a good clip despite the impressive "door-stop" length. As if that weren't enough of an assignment, there's a subplot which is a seriously creditable murder mystery and investigation which added another level of enjoyment for me.

The author is adept at his craft, and I never found my interest waning or found myself being yanked out of the story by clunky dialogue. For sensitive readers, there is quite a lot of graphic violence (it's a book about war and murder where the primary magic users can manipulate shards of glass to cut people to *literal* ribbons).

Four and a half stars. Although it's not derivative in any way (quite the opposite), the level of detail and plot arc control and character development reminded me a lot of Joe Abercrombie, Brandon Sanderson, Joseph Malik and the other boys in the band. Fans of those authors will feel right at home here. Definitely looking forward to the next book(s). There's some info about a crowdfunded novella sequel up on the author's website currently.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Thank you o much to TOR for the ARC of this book!

I am a huge fan of the Powder Mage series so I was really excited to be able to read and review this book!

In true Brian McClellan fashion, the world building and the magic system in this book are fantastic and so unique! This author truly has a deft hand with creating compelling new worlds and making those who dwell within them exciting to read about.

The character development in this one wasn't quite up to the same level as the Powder Mage books, and not to just compare him to himself, these characters were a little muted and seemed to go through the storyline not as developed as I'd like for a fantasy novel of this type. I wasn't super invested in any of them like I instantly was with Taniel or other fantasy characters that I love.

Overall, this is the first book in a series by an excellent writer whom I trust, and I have faith that its only going to improve form here! There's lots of room for these characters to grow. I say give it a shot, as the writing is very good and the world is really interesting.

Such a great book! I loved the variety of characters, word building, and storyline. I'm looking forward to more books in the series.

The first in a new saga from the author of the Powder Mage series, perfect for fans of Sanderson’s Mistborn and Abercrombie’s A Little Hatred.

When Demir Grappo’s mother is murdered, he 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 on the horizon, and Demir and his ragtag group of outcasts must uncover the invisible hand that threatens the Empire, they’re the only thing that stands in the way of the end of life as the world knows it.

This is one of those books where each POV is equally engaging, McClellan does such a grand job establishing and developing his characters. They all have an intriguing backstory, a charming personality, and a thrilling storyline. He also includes a number of queer characters in his cast, which we always need more of in epic fantasy.

McClellan effortlessly weaves each of his character’s stories together over the course of the book for a truly phenomenal and unexpected ending. The final twist is utterly bonkers in the best way, it blows open the entire story and I cannot wait to see how he picks this up in the next book.

The world-building is first class, McClellan fully immerses you in the glittering and gritty world of Ossa: A place of great wealth, great war, and great magic. I also love that this is not a male dominated world, plenty of women sit in positions of immense power.

McClellan takes a straightforward concept for his magic system (different types of godglass augment different abilities), and layers it with the complexity and sharpness you would expect from Sanderson. He delighted me with the clever and unexpected ways godglass could be used.

Expertly written with poise and wit, McClellan’s prose is tight and considered, the world-building built cleanly into the action and dialogue without any lengthy exposition that can typically be found in even some of the best fantasy.

In the Shadow of Lightning is rife with politics, action, humour, magic, and mayhem. My favourite read of 2022 so far.

WOW!
Just wow!!
McClellan already astounded us with the Powder Mage series. In which he creates an entirely new(to me at least) with Mage-Soldiers who can consume gunpowder for martial prowess. And it's damned cool.
In The Shadow Of Lightning he creates a world with GLASS based magic.
They have magic glass that can heal, make you stronger, more focused.
And Mages that can telekinetically control shards of glass.
Imagine an enemy that can throw a flying wall of razors at you.
So, so damn clever.

I really enjoyed this book. I didn't know what to expect as this is my first Brian McClellan book, and I must say, he has earned a fan today. There is so much going on in this book, it's hard to wrap my brain around what I want to say. The characters are great, and I loved that we got all of the POVs because I always feel like I get a better sense of characters this way. The magic system is intriguing and the worldbuilding was quite nice as well. There is a ton of action and political intrigue and so many moving parts that I can see it getting overwhelming, but the author does such a masterful job of juggling all the components, I was impressed. I will definitely be continuing this series and checking out the backlist.

Brian McClellan just writes book that work for me. The world building is, once again, quite unique. The characters are fun and relatable. The story is quite fast paced.
I just really and genuinely enjoyed this book and I cannot wait for books 2 and 3.

This is the first book I've ever read by Brian McClellan and I was not disappointed!
The book starts off at the ending of an epic battle won and led by our protagonist, Demir Gappo, a young and brilliant politician and strategist. The Gappo family is a small family that makes up one of the many in the Ossan empire that rule the city. The win is quickly upended by the unauthorized sack of the city they just defeated and Demir has proclaimed will be mercifully saved. This betrayal whom everyone is lead to believe was authorized by him mentally breaks him and he abandons military and political life for a life of anonymity in the provinces. This ends when he finds out nine years later his mother has been brutally murdered on the steps of the assembly hall where politicians gather. This brings us to the actual beginning of the story, mystery and political intrigue.
The magic system is unique. It is based off of magic that is endowed into wearable glass made by siliceers. It is the basis off of which the entire world runs on. When a sudden war is started against a neighboring neutral territory known for its glassworks, motives are questions and loyalties are tested.
This was a fantastic book that really got you vested in the characters, which were so well fleshed out and interesting. It definitely ends with MANY unanswered questions and some crazy plot twists! I will definitely be reading the rest of this series. Highly recommend!

4.5 stars

Oh, wow. I'm so upset that I can't immediately read the rest of this series. What happens next?!

This a wonderful, slow-burn, epic fantasy that builds the intensity so deliciously. These characters keep getting better as the narrative twists and different perspectives overlap, and everything is so complicated and messy and incredible.

I love that the (very little) romance is subtle, honest, and not a terrible trope in sight! No instalove, miscommunication, or hiding from the truth here, folks! Every potential issue is faced head-on with maturity, so the characters are actual, believable adults. I often find romance in fantasy so incredibly unbelievable that I'm starving for realistic romantic relationships, and here it is.

I love the family dynamics, the hierarchy, the limits and the science of this magic - everything is so damn interesting. At the risk of raving, even more, I cannot get enough. I love that there's always more to learn without feeling like information is being withheld to artificially raise the intensity. We get all the information relevant to the narrative at that point in time without overexplaining or withholding, and it is so freaking refreshing.

So much is going on here; multiple subplots with crime to solve, mysteries to reveal, and wars to win. And when you get a handle on all of this, let's throw in some mythopoeia and ancient creatures and surprise, this book I already loved is turning into something bigger that I was not even remotely expecting.

Sanderson fans won't want to skip In the Shadow of Lightning. Can I have the second book in the Glass Immortals series now?

"They were going to die here, she was certain of it.
But they were going to die well."

This was another fantastic new series from Brian McClellan. While I'm a bit behind due to the sheer number of amazing new author's I've found in the past few years, McClellan will always hold a special place in my heart as one of my first "auto-buy" authors. I love his writing and characters and will read anything he writes, even if it takes me a little while to catch up! So here we are, this was so unique and I haven't been invested in such a cool magic system since Mistborn. I cannot wait to see what the sequel has in store.

I ended up putting this book down for now as I couldn’t get into the book. Might try again later and hope it catches my attention then.