The Shadow of the Gods

I cannot rave enough about this book! One of the best I’ve read in a while, and so unique! Definitely a must read. It is action-packed, suspenseful and emotional. Ms. Alyce has managed to pull me into the story from the very beginning and never let go. I had to read it in one evening, talk about lack of sleep. But it was worth it, I would do it again.

3.5/5 Stars

The Shadow of the Gods was such a good read for me! The author Alyce Caswell wrote this book brilliantly and the story line kept me on the edge of my seat! I can not wait to read more from this "new to me" author and highly recommend this book! Ami is a starship captain who chases dare I say...Space Pirates! This book was the perfect mix of sci-fi for me. It wasn't too far out there, and the plot kept me intrigued throughout.

I was gifted a copy of this book through Net Galley, in exchange for an honest review.

Ami has to decide what she needs to do and what is most important to her. Kieran needs to decide between a life he knows and a life where he can change the galaxy. What they choose can make or break them and the galaxy around them. What will they choose and how will their lives coming together change how everyone lives.

This is a science fiction romance with more science fiction elements than romance. Learning the characters and the galaxy is hard at first. The author just throws you right into the galaxy of the book without much to go on. In some cases this can be bad but the more you read the more you understand. I am not really into the science fiction genre but this book made a good try at changing my mind. The “magic” system takes a little to understand but it is not too difficult to get it once you read more. There is a lot of information to take in as well as following the characters in their journey.

However there are really good discussions to be had within this book and I believe the author did a good job discussing these even at a galactic level. From a discussion on diversity to an overall government controlling everything, there is a discussion to be had that Caswell didn’t let go to waste.

We start out with Ami and her crew of two facing off with a pirate and slave trader. Ami has her own reasons for wanting to catch him while also fighting her own demons. The story unfolds and we find out more about why Ami is so intent about catch these slave traders and not just from the good of her heart.

Then Kieran comes into the picture and the romance begins. I have more experience in the fantasy and romance genre.

This is not a slow burn novel. This is “oh we’ve known each other for a few weeks and are meant for each other” kind of romance. Which, in my case, I like. This didn’t seem like a ridiculous notion with the way these characters pasts were portrayed. This is definitely not a romance book however.

The more you read the more invested you get. As you meet Ami, Kieran, Av and Grace the more you want to know what is going on.

Ami ran from her parents, Kieran and Av’s parent are gone and Grace is there with information. Their dynamic is an interesting one and one that you will want to know more about.

This book has discussions, romance and world building that can’t be ignored. The more you know the better this book gets. I would recommend this to any sci-fi lover.

This story was something different being a mix of Fantasy and Science Fiction.

The characters were engaging and the story drew me in the further I read.

A really good read.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Captain Ami N’uni wants nothing more than to do her best to stop space pirates from carrying around human cargo and stopping as much of the intergalactic slave trade as she can while trying to teach Avurn, an ambitious and whipsmart kid, to be a good human. But when her paths cross Kieran Krendasta’s, she reluctantly invites him aboard, hoping to take advantage of his connections with the Galactic Law Enforcement Agency to aid in her own rescue missions. Kieran, however, has secrets of his own, and his interest in Ami isn’t helping him. When gods, rulers, and other forces collide, Kieran and Ami will have to choose who to trust and whether or not to risk it all.
Overall, I liked this book. There are some biting lines of humor, and I was intrigued by how gods as characters were incorporated into the story. Most of the science fiction stories I’ve read have no religion or, at least, no actual deities, so the inclusion of gods AND active roles on their part definitely made this different from what I anticipated. One thing I struggled with in this book was pacing. Two characters fell in love very quickly, and there didn’t seem to be a lot of development of a relationship before then. The narrative took a little before it picked up and I could hone in on what the main conflict was, and the ending felt dragged out. That being said, action filled the middle of the book, and I was left wondering how the characters were going to get out of the scrapes that they were in.
I think this book is a sequel series to one that Caswell has already written, which explains why I felt like there were gaps of information missing. Those who’ve read Caswell’s “The Galactic Pantheon” series will probably pick up on some hints and make connections between characters far quicker than I did. If you’ve read and enjoyed Caswell’s previous series or if you’re looking for a science fiction book that treads a little bit differently from the beaten path, this might be the read for you.