I thought this book was completely amazing but also one of the biggest commitments I’ve made outside of my career.

The book follows four perspectives: Glorian Berethnet; future queen (and later queen) of Inys, Wulfert Glenn; a member of the royal guard, Dumai a godsinger from the east, and Tunuva; a member of the Priory of the Orange Tree. The story takes place 500 years before Priory, and follows the characters as the sudden rise of wyms appear all across the land.

I took at least 20% of the book to feel like I wasn’t reading a foreign language, and as someone who has read priory before this book, I thought I was going to have a better understanding as to what was happening. Once I had committed to the story though, the second portion of the book flew past me without much energy on my part.

However, the advantage of how long the book is, was the depth with which the characters were felt and also how much you grew to know every single narrator. I was so in love with Wulf and I loved his character so much, I desperately wanted more of him and his relationship with Glorian.

I would thoroughly recommend this book, but I understand why such a large piece may be intimidating to many readers.

Absolutely beautiful; I am in awe of the inventive, sweeping creation here. Shannon genuinely deserves to be called a master of fantasy!

Yet another awe inspiring work from Samantha Shannon. A Day of Fallen Night is a beautiful tribute to love and loss and journeys of the body and soul. I genuinely could not recommend it more. The characters are so incredibly human, I fell in love with all of them. Of the four narrators (Tunuva, Glorian, Wulf, and Dumai) my favourite was probably Tunuva. Though only by the smallest of fractions.

Samantha Shannon said, in a recent insta story Q&A, that she wants ADOFN to be a worthy successor to Priory. With all the honesty in my bones, I can say that ADOFN shines just as bright, if not brighter, than priory. The world building is so detailed. Every place a character visited felt real and whole. It didn’t exist only while the character was there but had a rich existence before and after. And the FEELINGS this book had me feeling, my god. Sympathy and pity and fear and pride! It was an absolute joy from start to finish.

Though this is absolutely a standalone, and you don’t have to read Priory first, I did thoroughly enjoy making the connections between this and Priory. Having to revisit those pages to remember exactly how I remembered names and places. It was lovely, and felt like returning to an old friend.

I don’t claim to be a literary expert, or even someone who has read an exceptional number of books in comparison to others. But I do believe that A Day of Fallen Night will be marked as one of the greatest works of fiction of our time. I guess what I’m saying is don’t let the page numbers scare you, you’d be missing out one exceptional story if you did.

This book utterly consumed me. I fell in love with The Priory of the Orange Tree back in 2019 and have since been thrusting it into the hands of anyone who wandered too close to the fantasy section of my bookshop, so I was more than excited to find out Shannon was working on another book set in the same world. I was worried I wouldn’t take to it as much, though, because none of the characters I loved before would be around. A Day of Fallen Night is set centuries before the original narrative, and there is potential for confusion. But do not fear, dear readers, for you are in safe hands. With A Day of Fallen Night Shannon has created something epic, ambitious, and fresh, and she pulls it off remarkably. I had the sense while reading it that I was discovering a real and ancient history, and it was utterly absorbing.

The point of view characters span the map, which comprises concentrated areas of land to the east and west, divided by a vast and dangerous ocean called the Abyss. Glorian, the young princess of the Queendom of Inys is in the west; Dumai, a temple resident awaiting her gods’ awakening, is in Seiiki to the east; Tunuva, a sister of the Priory, is in the lands of Lasia to the south; and Wulf, retainer to the king of Hroth, is in the north, though he is the character that travels across countries and continents the most throughout the story. These four lead an impressive cast of characters, and though I found myself getting confused between people and places at first (it’s been a while since I read Priory), their focused narratives kept me gripped to the story and slowly unravelled the complex politics and history of this vast world.

Similarly to the first book in the Roots of Chaos series, A Day of Fallen Night is an epic in one volume, and there is so much going on that it’s hard to give it a concise summary, but the main event in this book is the eruption of the Dreadmount, the volcano that first brought forth the Nameless One generations before, and the effect this has on each country. The Queendom of Inys was founded on the belief that their first (and only) king defeated the Nameless One and that the blood of his descendants –all daughters with the same features spanning generations– are the only thing keeping the enemy chained in his prison, and so the spawning of new dragons fills the people with doubt and endangers political alliances. In the south, the Priory finds they may not be as prepared as they believed despite all their years of training to slay wyrms. And in the east, the arrival of fire-breathing dragons makes the people even more desperate for their gods –the great dragons of air and water– to wake from their slumber.

In amidst cataclysmic events and twisting politics of shadow courts, lost heirs, and secrets from the past, Shannon deftly weaves magic and myth, and ties it together with incredibly compelling character interactions. Though I wanted to see things unfold on a grand scale, what kept me turning pages long after bed time was the push and pull between people, both point of view characters and others; the romance, the deceits, the betrayals, the rekindled friendships… it was all brilliant and balanced very well with the moments of action. Plus, there is plenty of excellent representation to be had.

As I said at the start, reading this book felt like uncovering a lost history, and part of that is the sheer attention to detail, not only with the people and events, but all the elements that comprise the world. Clothing, landscape, hair and jewellery traditions, fighting styles, city structures… every culture was clearly defined, and they made the moments in which two or more bleed into each other more satisfying. I did notice a lot more that the different cultures do draw quite significantly from some of our real-world ones, whereas while reading Priory I saw the influences but they didn’t feel like imitation, and that was the one thing that occasionally brought me out of the narrative a bit, but everything was done respectfully and fit with the story. I found that having read The Priory of the Orange Tree first was beneficial in understanding the intricacies of this prequel, but it is not strictly necessary to do so. Though, if you haven’t read The Priory of the Orange Tree I highly recommend you give it a chance; these books may be big, but they are definitely worth the time and heavy-lifting!

Amazing! I loved being back in the world built during Priory of The Orange Tree. I loved this prequel. The characters and how they all end up linking is something I loved too.

A Day of Fallen Night is an incredible example of epic high fantasy. The plot builds slowly, with a large focus on the political and historical complexities of this world, but it is never dull.

It has a large cast of characters in multiple settings spanning the corners of this world, and yet I cared about all of the main characters. The storylines are separate for a large chunk of the book but all play into the main underlying plot, and of course they interweave together at some points. The chapters jump between different perspectives, but they are all equally compelling. No matter which POV I was currently reading from, I was invested in both the big and small plot points. The cast is wonderfully diverse, and there is great LGBTQ+ representation amongst primary and secondary protagonists. It is clear that LGBTQ+ people and relationships are very normal in this world, and is lovely to read.

This book is complicated and heavy at times, so it won't be for everyone. But it is perfect for fans of epic fantasy who relish detailed and exquisite world building.

Beautiful prequel can't wait to reread The priory of the orange tree <3. Love this writing style sm its so rich

Priory is one I have been trying to pick up to read ever since it was released but for some reason I never have. Knowing that this book was was a prequel to Priory, I decided it was time I rectified that.
What I got was one of the most stunning and captivating worlds I have ever come across with the most complex yet lyrical writing throughout. An astonishing masterpiece.

<i>I would like to thank Bloomsburry and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review, I’m truly honoured.</i>

This book is a prequel to The Priory if the Orange Tree, set 500 years before the events of that book. I must say I have not read the Priory but this did not affect at all my enjoyment of the story. Samantha’s clarified on her Goodreads that reading the Priory before may help understanding the world, as the Prequel is slightly longer and politically more complex. As I tend to prefer reading events on chronological order, I chose to start on A Day of Fallen Night and do not regret it.

The book follows different POV across different regions - Glorian (East), Dumai (West) and Tunuva (South), and Wulf (initially in the North but across other regions as well). Samantha did a terrific job building the characters stories, personalities, and arc, slowly building our connection and curiosity about them.

I loved the beautiful writing and the worldbuilding, with rich and diverse characters. I was more partial to Dumai and Wulf because I loved their backstories and personalities, and there was slightly more action in most of their chapters and less religious background.

My only (small) complaint is that the first half felt a bit too slow. I know Shannon was setting up the story, but I have felt that every time something was going to happen, we would switch POV, and return when the events already happened. However, I loved how the story evolved and everything was tied up on the second half of the book.

I could not recommend Samantha Shannon work more. She is definitely a name to follow and remember regarding High Fantasy.

This book returns to the epic world of The Priory of the Orange Tree, but 500 years earlier when the eruption of the Dreadmount marks the beginning of The Great Sorrow, an age of terror and violence across the continents. The story primarily follows three women- Tunuva; an initiate of the Priory in the South, Glorian; heir to Inys in the West and princess of Hróth in the North, and Dumai; a godsinger in Seiiki, an island in the East -as they all must shoulder immeasurable responsibility to safe guard their loved ones, and their world as they know it.

This story is epic in absolutely every sense of the word, Shannon is an absolute master of fantasy. The scope and depth of the world she brings to life in this book is breathtaking, and you can really see the pay-off of all the time and research and immersion in this world. It's a world that is lived in, it's a world with a rich and complex history, multiple rich and complex histories across its regions, and this history isn't just there as set dressing; this being a prequel we get to witness events that will put into motion sequences that culminate 500 years later in Priory. The level of thought and planning to achieve this and have it seem so natural is just incredible, you could probably read this 10 times over and still find new details.

Her writing, of course, is beautiful, it entirely wraps you up in this world and demands all of your attention. While it might partially have helped to have read Priory already, I do think it is just a testament to her skill in that a high fantasy world of such epic proportions with such a range of characters and cultures and individual narratives, can be so easy to immerse yourself in. Yes, it's 880 pages long, and honestly I would read 880 more, and love it. She knows how to pace the story, maintain the intrigue, and keep you invested in the characters throughout.

The cast of characters was a real stand out for me here, I loved every. single. one. of them. A few chapters in, I was 100% invested and fully prepared to have my heart broken (which it was, several times). This story takes place over three years, and in those three years our narrators are forced to face and overcome a LOT, and the growth and development that comes with this is so well written, and the relationships they forge are so compelling. Honestly I could probably write for days about all of their individual journeys, and friendships, and relationships but... spoilers, so. I will leave it at the fact that Shannon beautifully weaves in the overarching themes of religion, bodily autonomy, and child/parent relationships, into every aspect of these characters' journeys, and in such varied ways. No two characters' journeys are the same, but at their core, their driving forces have been shaped by their societies' structures. It's beautiful, and it's heartbreaking, and I will probably never stop thinking about it.

I absolutely adore how Shannon explores religion in this world. You have the East's worship of dragons, who up until the events of this book have been asleep for centuries but are still prominent figures in the lives of the people. To then see them wake and have a generation of people seeing their gods in the flesh for the first time is so interesting. But what really fascinates me is the conflicting beliefs and versions of history between the Priory and Virtudom, and how both in their own way, weigh on these characters (Glorian's journey in this book, knowing what you know as the reader about the duty she feels bound to, is particularly heartbreaking). It's complex and it's nuanced and, again, I could probably go on about it forever.

Finally, the queer representation in this book made me so so happy. It was everywhere, and it was normalised and that is just the way it should be, especially in these fantasy worlds. In our narrators alone there is a woman who has been in a committed relationship with another woman for 30 years, a young woman highly implied to be on the aro/ace spectrum, a stunning slow burn between two men who are members of the same lith, and a lesbian dragon rider with a top-notch enemies to lovers storyline. That's not even getting into all the supporting trans and nonbinary characters, and honourable mention to the Barons Glenn. It's so so good.

I loved this every bit as much as I'd hoped to, and then some. It is a must read for any lovers of high fantasy worlds because honestly, it doesn't get much better than this.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury for my e-arc of this title, received in exchange for an honest review.

This book is the Prequel to The Priory of Orange Tree and is set 500 years before this book. For clarity I’d like to mention that I have not read the first book The Priory of Orange Tree.
After reading this book, I’m now looking forward to read the next book. I believe these two books can be read in any order.

I absolutely loved this book. I can certainly see what the hype with the first book was after reading this one.
The world building is phenomenal and I feel like I can see in my mind what is being described to me. I absolutely love how descriptive the book is which I feel massively helps with understanding the story. I don’t think I’ve read a book with such complex world building before.
The characters we meet are diverse and each facing there own issue and problems. I enjoyed reading the different points of view in this book as it really opens you up to understanding each character.
The writing style is first class and so easy to read which is a massive bonus!
This book is super thick at over 800 pages long, it took me just over a week to read this one and it was worth every minute.
I absolutely can’t recommend this book enough. I’m really looking forward now to reading The Orange and the Priory Tree.

Samantha Shannon fantasy books are truly amazing! I can’t wait for more.

Thank you to Samantha Shannon, Bloomsbury and Netgalley for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I started 2023 off strong with an e-ARC of my most anticipated release: A Day of Fallen Night

This book is a prequel standalone novel to The Priory of The Orange Tree. You can read them in whatever order you wish, but I decided to reread Priory before diving into Day as I appreciate the set-up and worldbuilding of the first novel.

And I absolutely loved to see how Samantha Shannon’s craft has developed over the years.

In Priory we follow the world a thousand years after the evil wyrms decended upon it and humans were almost enslaved and erased.

There are myths and religions about what happened, who banished them and what keeps them from coming back... but at last there are sightings of the draconic army again and we have to travel across the world to find out the truth about what happened all that time ago, and how to finish them for good.

This is one of my all-time favorite fantasy worlds, where we have evil wyrms, good dragons, dragon riders, priory assassins, love, friendship and a TON of worldbuilding.

I had no clue Samantha could top it with A Day of Fallen Night, but she did!

Day is set 500 years prior to Priory of the Orange Tree.. where a new cast of characters make sure the human race survives.

We follow different POVs, just like in Priory but there are more of them PLUS it is covering more geography, which made me very excited.

Sabran Berethnet the current Queen of Inys and figurehead of their religion, her husband the King of the North: Hroth and their daughter Glorian.
Dumai of Ipyeda in the East who has spent her life in a Seiikinese mountain temple with her mother, trying to wake the gods (dragons) from their long slumber.
Tunuva Melim is a 50 year old sister of the Priory in the South. And the keeper of the tomb. She has struggled with loss and the younger generation’s dedication to the Priory's purpose.
There is also a strong fourth POV but he will be a nice surprise!

While Priory is focused on the West and the East, plus South sometimes (as that is where the priory resides), in a Day of Fallen Night we learn about how the North became part of the Queendom of Inys through different eyes.

The book starts off with the mothers of our main leads: we see a peak of the world our characters came into, the hardship, the challenges and the current situation with the thread of wyrms.

I loved to see how motherhood was different for each of these characters and how they made a safe environment for their children. At its core, Day is a story about mothers and daughters, and that visceral, unbreakable connection.

After this “introduction” you are thrown into the world today, learn about the politics of the different realms the threats from within; and then finally when a disastrous eruption from Dreadmouth brings ruins and devastation, how these women will have to face the world and be prepared to do anything.

The 880 pages of pure High Fantasy were a magical delight. There wasn’t one dull moment. While in Priory there was a lot of set-up in the beginning with a swift battle at the end, in Day you were on the edge of your seat the whole time due to the intrigue of the character’s backgrounds, developments and hardship when evil descends upon them. The fighting scenes were really good, I know Samantha said this is one of her weak points, but man YOU KILLED IT!!

Next, and honestly what makes Samantha Shannon one of my all-time favorite writers is her writing style, her use of words and how she managed to write a story five centuries apart from her previous one, but still feeling extremely familiar. Shannon acknowledges this in tiny spelling changes. Such as the city that we know as Ascalon in Priory, is referred to as Ascalun in Day etc. And it makes for such a reel experience!

Finally, what made this the ultimate 5 star read is the extremely well-developed relationships and the fierceness of our leading ladies. Of course the mother-daughter/son bonds, but also the casual queerness that exists in this world. The relationship between two badass 50 year old Priory sisters felt like pure perfection. And the way our young Glorian struggles with her duty to her queendom gave me the shivers.

‘I need the Virtues Council to stop looking at me as a womb - a jar, created to be filled.

They will not let me fight alongside the people until I yield the fruit. It must be done, else I will not be free. I will not be able to choose my own fate. Can you imagine what that's like - to be seen only for the life you could make, not the life you already possess?'

I am a bit of a newbie when it comes to the fantasy and mythology genre, but, I am widening my perspectives and so far loving it. The author has done this brilliantly. The story is beautifully written, the characters come alive on the page, the settings pop and all characters have believable voices.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words some text written has been typed in red and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

I really strong second book from the Author and loved it as much as the first one. I look forward to seeing what Samantha Shannon does next.

Oh my gosh, I absolutely adored this. I was worried it wouldn’t live up to my expectations because I loved Priory so much, but ADOFN was perfect. Samantha Shannon is such an incredible author, this really is a masterclass in how to write high fantasy. The world building is perfect and all of the characters are so well written, I felt like I knew them inside out. They made me smile, they made me cry, and I know I’ll think about them for years to come. I’m so glad Samantha has decided to write more stories in the roots of chaos series because I want to keep returning to this world forever. I’m so thankful to Bloomsbury for giving me an advanced e-copy of this book through NetGalley. I can’t wait to get my physical copy next month and read it all over again.

An epic prequel to the Priory of the Orange tree! I have loved reading about this intriguing world in a different era (even if I still miss Sabran and Eadez!😆)

The World building continues to be amazing, wow- the Ichneumons! Apart from the obvious requirement of female rulers to produce heirs, this world is refreshing in it’s lack of stereotypes and prejudices. Women in roles and with awesome skills normally associated with men and vice versa. Also the beautiful mix of gay, straight, bi, trans & non-binary characters. The way that relationships within the book develop in slow and intriguing ways kept me hooked throughout.

The story has echoes of Priory, but reveals lots of new and interesting ground whist uncovering the origins of some of the characters and things that occur in Priory

I only wish there were a map of equally epic proportions to accompany the books!, 🤣

Many thanks to Samantha Shannon, her publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

Set 500 years after The Priory of the Orange Tree, its prequel, A Day of Fallen Night, dives deep into the history of Shannon's epic, all-encompassing fantasy universe.

What I enjoyed most about this book was how fleshed out Shannon's characters were, and how deeply I felt for them as they struggled through issues of duty, motherhood, and love. I loved that the characters spanned different age ranges, and the interwoven narrative that ties their distinct stories together.

While A Day of Fallen Night can feel daunting at over 800 pages, the story is so well-paced and draws the reader into its world. I think you could read this novel as a stand-alone, but knowing how it sets the story up for The Priory of the Orange Tree, I think there's more to be uncovered when you understand the context of the first book. However, having read both back to back, I'd be interested to see how the reading experience would change with A Day of Fallen Night first!

Thank you to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review!

A Day of Fallen Night is a spectacular fantasy epic that gave me everything I needed and so much more.

The Priory of the Orange Tree was the feminist, high fantasy escapism I needed and Shannon makes a triumphant return to this wonderfully rich world here.

Yet again, Shannon draws on this incredibly rich and detailed world. We have delved back into the past gestured towards by Priory, adding even more layers of political machinations, expansive geography and fascinating magic systems. It is just so well-crafted. My mind boggles at the sheer scale and ambition of this epic. How Shannon manages this complex and ever-moving story, with its different lands, people and politics is beyond my knowledge. I could stay in this world endlessly, as Shannon always manages to bring something new and deeply fascinating to the surface. The writing style completely transported me into this vividly described world where monsters lurk beneath the surface, but also behind the smiling faces of courtiers and friends. You rarely feel entirely comfortable, always aware of some grander, devious scheme that Shannon is allowing you to fall into.

This book sets in motion the myths and legends that define Priory. The moments that seem set in stone previously come to life here in deftly drawn, rich character studies. Every protagonist has a distinctive voice and role to play in the larger scheme unfolding. I love how at several moments, I had to physically distance myself from the book as everything clicked into place. The web of connections is startling and even more impressive when you consider this as a text in constant dialogue with its predecessor. At the same time, this is a deeply intimate story surrounding family, duty and the way destiny weighs on individuals. It is a tragedy on personal and grand scales. That emotional flexibility is what elevates it and imbues it with heart.

Shannon took every expectation I had and smashed them to smithereens. This is the fantasy epic of 2023.

Honestly, I didn't think anything could top the first book but this was absolutely fantastic. I ate it up and still want more!
Samantha Shannon is remarkable, the world she's created and her writing skills are fantastic. She draws you in and its like being there.
Excited to see what she does next!
Thankyou Netgallery and Bloomsbury for the ARC

Thank you Bloomsbury and Netgalley for the arc of A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

There was a reason, multiple reasons actually that I finished everything else I was reading before I started reading this book. A Day of Fallen Night is a complex, engrossing, multi-layered epic fantasy. Filled to the brim with a cast intricately woven characters, elaborate and multilayered politics, gods and royalty, religion, war, and of course, most importantly dragons! Ultimately though, it is a story of strong female characters, duty, love and motherhood.

A Day of Fallen Night is a prequel set 500 years earlier than The Priory of the Orange Tree. It reveals the origins of the dragon riders, the Red Damsels and of course a foundational event in the history of this world. as well as one of the main events in the world.

The world building in A Day of Fallen Night is complex, multi-faceted, beautiful and ugly; Shannon once again builds a world that is truly 360, encompass all directions of the compass and the globe.

As I have said, the characters in this book are complex, multi-faceted, and woven together with such intricacy, and skill, which drew me in, rooting for them, their success, and ultimately their survival. I also loved that the characters ages and profiles ranged from the young - Dumai, Glorian and Wulf, to the middle-aged - Esbar and Tunuva, and of course the older generations, including Fustria and Patagusta, the dragons. I adored the sisters of the Priory of the orange Tree; middle-aged sapphic, female warriors, it’s such a rare thing to see these women as the protagonists and heroes of fantasy tales. Focus is not denied to younger characters, their development and growth shines a path through the story, particularly so for Gloruan, Wulf and Dumai.

In the east we meet Dumai, daughter of Unora, who lives a quiet life as a godsinger, not knowing the identity of her father, until the Lady of Faces arrives at Mount Ipeyeda, turning Dumai’s world upside down.

In the south lies the Priory of the Orange Tree, shrouded un secrecy, unknow to outsiders, it is the home of Esbar, Tunuva and Siyu, sisters and family, struggling to shore up their family against the challenges both internal and external.

In the north and west we meet Princess Glorian, daughter of Sabran VI and King Bardholt. Her life is predicated to bear the descendant of the Saint, and by doing so, prevent the return of the Nameless One. Meanwhile, Wulf, Glorian’s forgotten childhood playmate joins Glorian in the west, triggering a resurgence of childhood memories that will lead him to solve his own personal mystery.

Shannon has once again delivered a complex, interwoven, intricate and truly masterful plot, that balances people, religion, politics, war, and love, with such mastery that there is no imbalance between the lyrical and poetical beauty of love scenes, and the power, destruction and truly cruel battle and fight scenes.

This is truly a book to be savoured, explored, and reflected upon. It does not give up its secrets in a huge reveal but, peeks back it’s onion-like layers slowly, immersing the reader further into the Roots of Chaos world.

Like The Priory of the Orange Tree, thus book is seriously THICK, but I totally recommend immersing yourself into this amazing world, filled with huge and intricately beautiful, characters, world building, plot and of course dragons!