This is the 2nd book in the Burnished City series, sequel to The Notorious Sorcerer. I will say that although many of the elements were there for this to be a homerun for me, I felt put off by the writing style early on and it never really found its footing- I find writing overstuffed by adjectives and adverbs to be distracting. However I know that is a personal preference and may not bother others. Beyond that though the world building is outstanding, although there are still some problems with pacing, but I love the unique magical elements and characters that draw it all together.

I have been eagerly awaiting this book since finishing Notorious Sorcerer, and I am so thankful that I was able to get an arc from Orbit through NetGalley!

I wanted to tear through this book to get answers, but ultimately ending up savoring it because I simply did not want it to end. We pick up two months after the events of Notorious Sorcerer, and things are once again going awry in Bezim. Shadow Baron takes us on a much more political based journey than the first book, and I especially loved Zagiri’s POVs as she navigates the system and figures out how to make things work. Siyon is trying to find his footing as the Power of the Mundane while also caught in a loop of grief and pining. Meanwhile, Anahid lives an intense double life and slays while doing so.

I really enjoyed this book!! It was definitely a slowdown compared to the first one, but I really loved learning more about Bezim and the way that the world opened up so much more. There are also some great new characters that added some interesting elements, particularly Mayar and Balian. The stakes seemed a lot higher in this installment, and things definitely took some darker turns as the characters tried to find answers.

All things considered, this is truly Anahid’s book. She absolutely stole the show. Hers were my favorite sections and I absolutely loved the journey she was on, and the growth we saw in her character. I loved Siyon’s parts of course, but my heart was hurting for him missing Izmirlian, and Zagiri’s sections didn’t quite get to the same depths as Anahid’s. I did not expect Anahid to be my favorite character by the end of this, but I am so happy to say she is. She is the moment.

This book is a rock solid 5⭐️ for me, and I will be rereading when I get a physical copy, and then desperately awaiting news of book three.

I absolutely loved the first book in this series and was truly so excited to receive this as an ARC. I didn't love this book as much as the first. I felt Shadow Baron relied too much on the reader to know/care about the complex socio-political systems of this world and it pulled me out of the magic and enchantment of the storyline.

Easy to read, easy to follow, well written, and interesting. I stopped after chapter 1 as it's book 2 of the series. It seems like it works as a standalone, though, as we had a good initial set up. I would like to pick up book 1 and read that first.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC.

This was such a great sequel! When I read the first book I had a bit of a hard time truly getting invested in the story right at the beginning, I felt like it was moving so quickly that I didn't have time to truly ruminate on the characters and settle into the world. A part of me worried that that pacing might be repeated in the second book, but I'm so happy to see it wasn't! I'm not sure if that was simply because I did have that investment going into this book, or if I just found the story moved at a better pace. Either way, it was a win.

As always I adore these characters, they're easy to root for and I love discovering new layers to them as the story unfolds. Izmirilian was my favourite from the first book and that only grew with this one. The humour and easy banter is also a highlight.

My biggest complaint from the first book was the world building felt like it was missing a little oomf. There was always *more* that could have been dug into, and I think this book stepped that up a notch. I found the world much more immersive, it felt like the political landscape of the world mattered more, and it kept me engaged with the story much easier.

overall it was a great to return to this world, and I'm excited to see where the story continues to go. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc!

This book is the continuation of the story surrounding Siyon, the Power of the Mundane, Zagiri a brazi and want to be politician and Anahid a high society woman bored with the role she has been living. This book is about each of them as they try to find their place in society. It is also about Bezim, it's politics, it's people and it's seedy underbelly. It is about forcing a ruling class into accepting it's poor class and the magic users in it. This is a vividly described world. The details so rich you can smell the spices, feel the fabrics and taste the bloodshed. This author is skilled at world writing and character creation. You want the main characters to succeed and feel their triumphs as your own. An excellent story and I'll be looking forward to the next. Thank you netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this novel.

Absolutely outstanding! Love this second installment in THE BURNISHED CITY series and hope there are many more to come. Great action, fantastic character development, and even some surprises. Can’t wait for book 3