Review: The Way of Shadows

It's been a while since I picked up a really good fantasy novel. I have never heard of Brent Weeks and have seen no promotion for his books, I just stumbled across him in the Science Fiction & Fantasy section of a bookstore. What caught my eye was the white cover, surrounded by other books with dark and foreboding designs. The back cover didn't tell me a lot about what the book was about, but I bought it anyway hoping I wouldn't regret the 645 pages waiting for me.

I was not disappointed.

Azoth, a street rat, gets by day to day trying to stay alive and watch out for his two friends. Constantly threatened by violence, hunger, disease, and molestation by his psychotic guild leader, Rat, Azoth comes to desire an apprenticeship from the one person in Cenaria who isn't afraid of anything and for good reason; Durzo Blint, number one wetboy. "A wetboy was like an assassin - in the way a tiger is like a kitten" (Weeks, 4). Risking his life to get Blint's attention, Azoth is given an ultimatum. Kill Rat within a week, or be killed. Azoth quickly learns, in the most painful way, not to hesitate when his master tells him to kill.

The Way of Shadows is full of graphic imagery and detail, though I wouldn't count any of it as useless or 'word-padding'. There are rays of hope and compassion that seem idealistic and out of reach when compared to the realities of life from Azoth's point of view. The hope takes on a meaning that wouldn't be possible unless contrast against the detailed blood and violence. Weeks also includes a number of underlying issues, such as religion and morality, corruption in politics, the value of life and the ability to change, but largely avoids bringing too much attention to any theme.

We watch Azoth skip through the following years of training in a skilfully chosen set of scenes that keep the plot moving and eventually Azoth takes up a new identity; Kylar Stern. Azoth struggles to abandon his life and identity as Azoth and constantly reminds himself that he is now Kylar, Azoth is dead. "Azoth had been weak, but Azoth was no more. Kylar was strong. Kylar had acted. Kylar would be like Master Blint. He would never be afraid" (175).

The Way of Shadows used a combination of fighting and combative magic with a new approach which I found refreshingly original. The magic in this book isn't the same as what you see in the stereotypical fantasy novel and the combat scenes are easy to follow, the character movements have a natural flow to them. Not too much description of setting or appearance either. Sometimes I will skip through paragraphs of description if I feel like it's a waste of space, but I didn't find myself skipping through anything in this one.

The Way of Shadows is book one of Brent Weeks Night Angel trilogy. Reviews of book two and three will follow shortly. I recommend The Way of Shadows to anyone who enjoys fantasy and every person I have suggested it to so far have loved it.