Stands a Shadow by Col Buchanan

Genre: Fantasy — Grimdark

Series: Heart of the World #2

Publisher:  Tor Books (July 11, 2011)

Author Information: Website 

Length: 416 pages

My Rating: 4 stars

Grittier.  More complex.  More engaging.  Stands a Shadow is a book which does not succumb to the sophomore book slump but rises above its predecessor, making a reader crave more.  Col Buchanan crafting a mesmerizing sequel to Farlander, one which grips a reader from the first page and never lets go, as an epic tale of revenge, war, and survival plays out across the pages.  Or, to put it simply, this is a damn good book!

Picking up directly after book one, the Roshun assassin Ash is bent on revenge against the Holy Matriarch of the Empire of Mann after her treatment of his apprentice Nico.  This overwhelming desire going against all Ash’s beliefs, repudiating…