Firstly, let’s get to the business of which way around you should read these books. Obviously, I came to this one having already read The Priory of the Orange Tree – but if you haven’t, then it certainly isn’t a problem. In fact, given the relatively slow, steady build-up of this doorstopper, I think it might be an easier introduction to the sheer scope and power of the world. That said, as the books are set five hundred years apart, each one can also be treated as a standalone.

The pacing is certainly tighter in this offering – I recall there were moments in TPOTOT when after a big build-up, the keynote scene was delivered at a bit of a gallop. There wasn’t any such unevenness that stood out for me this time around. And the other issue I had with TPOTOT was the manner in which significant character deaths were treated – Shannon clearly hated killing off any of her cast and so we mostly learnt of their demise second-hand, instead of having a ringside seat to the event. Not so in ADOFN – there are several notable deaths, but two in particular stood out as I didn’t see them coming. But they were movingly written and left me with a lump in my throat – which is what you want when someone is tragically and unexpectedly killed.

Once again, I’m left awed at the sheer scale of this book, which comes in at 850+ pages. Epic fantasy tales tend to deal with the political, religious and social pressures caused by major happenings – and this one is no exception. I liked how a particular historic event has been interpreted entirely differently by various cultures, causing friction and religious persecution that fractures the response to the rise of the monsters. I also enjoyed the tenderness and love demonstrated within the same sex relationships, which Shannon writes very well.

Indeed, the characters all sing off the page as each one is clearly nuanced, with strengths and weaknesses that sometimes define them – fatally so, in a few instances – and always made me want to turn the page to learn more. Perhaps the one theme that stood out for me in this book is the treatment of motherhood. In a lot of Fantasy, mothers are often idealised and there is rarely a hint that any mother is anything other than thrilled with their offspring. So I was struck by Shannon’s more nuanced approach – particularly the feelings of poor, trapped Glorian. And given her plight is one that reflected the fate of queens and princesses through History, I found it both poignant and utterly relatable. I also loved the fact that three main protagonists in this book are all at different stages in their lives.

And I haven’t yet mentioned the dragons… the monsters… the battles… the double-crossings and the redemptions. All in all, this is an impressive effort – and since I stopped reading it, it has stayed with me. I’ve even dreamt about it. Highly recommended for fans of epic fantasy tales that provide an insight into a detailed, plausible world through a cast of charismatic and nuanced characters. While I obtained an arc of A Day of Fallen Night from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
10/10

Wow. I am speechless! A Day of Fallen Night is absolutely outstanding! A gorgeous, tragic, triumphant fantasy novel set in such a layered world with its own mythology and history carried by the most inspiring, badass women with the most incredible inner and outer strength. A true tale of love, loss, friendship, family and responsibility. Glorian and Tuva were my favourites throughout, not forgetting the wonderful Wulff. It had everything I need and is one of the best books I’ve read in a long, long time. My expectations were high but this exceeded them all and then some. A complete and utter triumph!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

While I probably would have preferred a book that continued the story of The Priory, or at least gave us more insight into some of those characters, Shannon's new book, which takes us back to the time of the Grief of Ages, introduces us to new characters who you immediately get to know and love almost as much. I enjoyed the intertwining of the stories, which happened a lot quicker than in the original novel, and there were a few nods and even cameos that will be appreciated by fans. Getting to know more about the Priory was definitely a bonus, and I really liked the Tunuva storyline especially.

4.5 stars. Let's see if Shannon takes us even further back to the original Dreadmount eruption!

now i haven’t read priory yet… it’s been on my TBR for the longest time ever and since reading this, i have gone to pick it up because i am OBSESSED! now i am not a fan of thick books, so this took me a long time to read because i had to keep taking breaks - big books OVERWHELM me!

you can really tell that Samantha Shannon thought about every word that went into this book. this books screams that Shannon has thought of EVERYTHING - typically when you read a novel, especially one of this size, you question whether certain aspects were relevant and are actually crucial to the story. but this is not the case with this book. not a word was wasted. this book is so immersive and truly hooks you in right from the start. and whoever designs these covers really deserves a raise because they are STUNNING!

this was such a breathtaking and powerful read. i really recommend it to everyone! now… onto reading priory!

I don’t think I could love this book more, the prose is so beautiful, the worldbuilding is first rate and beyond fantastic. I loved the idea of a Matriarchal society, one where homosexuality is accepted, but honestly everything is accepted, there are dragons, magic, religion, action, adventure, love, politics, betrayal, this book has over 800 pages of everything you could ever want in a fantasy story and I completely love it



I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I didn't finish this book as it was archived and I lost the file but I enjoyed the first few chapters. It was frustrating to not finish but this book is very promising!

Samantha Shannon’s world-building is just breathtaking. This world is so complex and so detailed and it was an absolute joy to return to the ‘Roots of Chaos’ universe. Set 500 years before, it was interesting to see differences in the political landscape of the universe and to learn more about the rich history that we get glimpses of in The Priory of the Orange Tree.

There are so many fantastic female characters, all strong in their own ways, and it’s lovely to see queer love so casually accepted in this world.

It did take me a little while to settle into this book. The narration is split between four different storylines and sometimes it felt like just when I’d found my groove with one storyline, the book changed focus and pulled me elsewhere in the world where I had to re-learn the cast of characters and how they all fitted together. But once you get to grips with the characters, and once their stories all begin to intertwine, then it’s so worth it.

If you love losing yourself in long epic fantasies with richly diverse female characters, romances layered with political intrigue, and sweeping battles against mythical creatures, then you’ll love these books.

I've just finished this absolute behemoth of a novel and can't find the words to say how breath taking and stunning it is. (Those adjectives I just used are no where near close enough!) It took me FOREVER to read this book, yet not once did it feel like a chore. I was totally and completely absorbed in the world and the threat of the wyrms.
The world building is so complex yet authentic; the mix of East, West and South. I honestly felt as though I were there with the characters as they battled political intrigue alongside the threat of the wyrms and their fire. The mythical creatures of dragons and wyrms were brilliantly balanced.
Each character is so well executed, they all have their own unique voice and play a part in the great war against the fierce creatures that awaken and start war on mankind. This novel is teeming with true, strong female characters who face their united fate at the hands of the evil creatures with strength and kindness. I loved the huge breadth of main characters. Young Princess Glorian who bares the weight of fate upon her body as she strives to prove she's worthy of her parents legacy. Tunuva, a warrior who needs to fight for her sisters in the priory while carrying the huge burden of grief, Dumai who has lived all her life as a Godsinger on the high cold mountain. I could rave and rave about them all, but instead you need to go and find out for yourself and just read this truly brilliant novel. Strangely, in a novel filled with powerful female characters, my favourite was Wulf, fighting for the King while trying to hide from his mysterious past.
Honestly, this book was just brilliant from beginning to end. Don't be put off by the length, just dive in and become destroyed by this stunning fantasy.
Thank you so much to the publishers and netgalley for providing me with an arc in return for an honest review.. If I could give a gazillion million stars I would!!!

Thank you so much for the arc copy of this title.

I absolutely loved this instalment of the Roots of Chaos series. I cared so much more about the characters in this one, they were an amazing bunch. Even though this is a prequel I feel that the stakes were a lot higher this time around.

The queer representation was absolutely amazing. In a world that is constantly trying to erase our identities, it is so refreshing to see a work of fiction that includes so many different identities without the need for homophobia.

There were so many twists and turns in this book that I was constantly on edge right until the end.

The only thing that I disliked about this book was the length of it. I feel like it definitely could’ve been a few hundred pages shorter and the story would’ve still had the same impact.

I put off reading this for SO long as I was terrified. I adored POTOT, 5 stars and one of the best fantasy books I’ve ever read and you know what, this book was very very nearly just as bloody good! It was so well fleshed out. It’s such a slow burn read but the best kind, you really take your time with the characters and getting to know them. It was just such a pleasure to read. I really loved it.

Having not read the priory of the orange tree I was worried I would not follow this book, but I loved it, and could Easley be read as a stand-alone, but really why would you if you knew there was another book. A high fantasy story that you see 4 different regions and the characters within,
With suck fantastic storytelling that flowed so well where the author built the word building so clear that It will be high on the lift for many fantasy readers who like a descriptive fantasy world
I loved every bit of this book, it’s a slow burn with multiple pov, where you didn’t want the chapter to end, but then the next one started and you was yet again was deeply invested into their storyline.
What a joy to read and will be one that I will come back to again .
A definite 5 star read for me

One of the reads I was waiting for the most and I was absolutely not disappointed!

Samantha Shannon is a very skilled writer and has also demonstrated in this volume.
Wonderful and intricate story, a well-kept and suggestive worldbuilding, and unforgettable characters move.

Thank you Netgalley and publishing house for allowing me to read this wonderful e-arc.

I was incredibly excited to read get my hands on this and it did not disappoint! While I was worried about not remember enough about the world of Priory, Shannon does an excellent job of throwing readers back into the action, managing to intertwine enough subtle worldbuilding that I did not feel like I was on the back foot in this respect. Another brilliantly crafted fantasy epic that keeps you immersed for all 800+ pages - a feat not many authors can sustain.

It was pure joy to be back in the world of The Priory of the Orange Tree in Samantha Shannon's A Day of Fallen Night!
500 years before the events of the Priory of the Orange Tree, the world building was more detailed and rich ,also the attention to detail was brilliant.
As always, the writing style is intricate and complex and every POV that was used in the story is equally captivating, so you don't have the situation where you get to a chapter you want to skip or read in a rush.
Wulf,Dumai,Nikeya and Glorian have such a spectacular arcs and the slow burn of the story is building a great foundation for the story development until the end!
As I said, the world of the book is opulent with four different regions with their specific beliefs that are in total contrast to one another, from political views to religion and history.
Now that the wyrms and many other dangerous creatures are wreaking death and destruction, it's up to every leader to decide which way to take to ensure the safety of its people.
Loved this chunky and captivating book from cover to cover and can't wait to see if there's more in the world of The Roots of Chaos!

A mammoth fantasy novel with tons of action - very good stuff.

A prequel to a novel I have yet to read, this fantasy story revolves around several key figures living in the four corners of this world and their fight against evil mythical creatures. Mainly women, these strong characters face political manoeuvring along with attacks on their different faiths. There’s plenty of action, fighting and a hefty death toll alongside some romantic moments. If you’re offended by homosexual activity, this book is not for you. It’s a great read although, in the Kindle version which I read, there’s no map - and there’s an awful lot of place names and descriptions of places, not all necessarily needed, but the author has a smooth interesting and engaging style. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A solid epic fantasy I've ever read.

A Day of Fallen Night took a special place in my heart. This book pace was right and Samantha Shannon's writing style was beautiful as always.

This is a marvellous piece of world-building and storytelling. You can read it on its own or as the prequel to "The Priory of the Orange Tree", I imagine it doesn't matter either way, but I think it is a bit more fun to realise how some legends in Priory came to be and to meet some ancestors of characters you know.
There's everything a classic fantasy needs: dragons, heroes, intrigue, fights, love
And then there's the very modern look at gender and sexual orientation (totally doesn't matter in this world) as well as a rather respectful demolition of religion.
All in all a wonderful book to fall into for a week!

“But I vow to you, this age of fire and smoke will end. A star will come at morning on the first day of spring.”

CW: Childbirth, child loss, child marriage, mass death, mind control, miscarriage (mention), pandemic, parental death, postnatal depression, pregnancy, reproductive coercion, violence, vomiting

A Day of Fallen Night felt like Samantha Shannon’s love song to the world she’d already created. Separate to the story of The Priory of the Orange Tree, you don’t need to have read one to understand the other.
However, I do think a love of TPotOT did make me love ADOFN even more. There were a lot of nods to the later world and things that made me look twice because I wasn’t sure if they were things we’ve “already” encountered. I thought it was really clever how traditions/rituals from TPotOT that weren’t in place at the start of ADOFN came into being, both explaining their absence and existence.
Although the story spans three or four worlds, all the characters are connected somehow. More than anything, ADOFN is a story of sisterhood, of the triumphs of women. Women are connected across realms and find comfort in each other. I loved how their stories happened simultaneously, each experiencing the same worldwide disaster. I think this was shown particularly well in the final confrontation.
I absolutely adored the characters. They showed us each a side of the world we hadn’t seen before, like the politics of the courts in the East, or spending more time in the Priory with Tunuva, or exploring the North with Wulf. I’d give my heart for all of them, especially for Wulf and Glorian. We spent so long in Inys before with Ead but we never saw the world through a queen’s eyes. To see it through Glorian’s, a young girl who has never wanted to fall in love but is made to marry for duty, was heartbreaking. I don’t love what she went through, but I loved her character growth and was inspired by the character she was at the end.
I cannot wait to read ADOFN again, and I’m so excited to revisit TPotOT with this in mind.

*A mesmerising standalone prequel to the bestselling The Priory of the Orange Tree*

The most stunning fantasy I’ve read in a long time! This book not only has been bound together by Samantha Shannon’s exquisite writing, woven with dragons, sweeping magic, fascinating characters; an intricately developed, complex and detailed story. Compiled with rich history and mythology, an incredibly colourful world, filled with diverse and gripping characters, feminism, Sapphic romance and a heartfelt and powerful narrative,

I’ve always loved how Shannon created her worlds and characters so cleverly and beautifully. But it is particularly evident in ADOFN. Every detail was realised and well developed to create such rich tapestry that we see in the finished masterpiece.

It has all the elements of an epic fantasy book, as well as being immensely readable and truly enjoyable. I completely devoured this book.

Highly recommend

5 plus stars

'A Day Of Fallen Night' is the perfect addition to 'The Roots of Chaos' series.

On this standalone prequel, Samantha Shannon takes us back to the universe she introduced us in 'The Priory Of The Orange Tree'. Set 500 years before the previous book, we follow a new cast of characters facing a new set of challenges that could change everything in the four corners of that universe.

Like it happened in 'The Priory of the Orange Tree', Shannon's writing style shines through each page of the story. We have a beautiful prose that shines on each page and each paragraph. The worldbuilding is just as astonishing as it was on the previous book, showing us not only a different time, but also different areas of this universe.

The detailed plots and well-written characters solidify this story, turning 'A Day Of Fallen Night' into one of the best high fantasy stories that have been released in these last few years.

It's safe to say that this book has become a new favourite of mine. After reading this book, I can't wait to read 'The Priory Of The Orange Tree' again and see all the points in common that book has with its prequel.

I don't know how many more books will have on this series, but it's safe to say that I'll be reading every single one of them.