• Cast in Shadow

  • Chronicles of Elantra, Book 1
  • By: Michelle Sagara
  • Narrated by: Khristine Hvam
  • Length: 14 hrs and 25 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (2,566 ratings)

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Cast in Shadow  By  cover art

Cast in Shadow

By: Michelle Sagara
Narrated by: Khristine Hvam
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Publisher's summary

Seven years ago, Kaylin fled the crime-riddled streets of Nightshade, knowing that something was after her. Children were being murdered— and all had the same odd markings that mysteriously appeared on her own skin….

Since then, she's learned to read, she's learned to fight and she's become one of the vaunted Hawks who patrol and police the City of Elantra. Alongside the winged Aerians and the immortal Barrani, she's made a place for herself, far from the mean streets of her birth.

But children are once again dying, and a dark and familiar pattern is emerging. Kaylin is ordered back into Nightshade with a partner she knows she can't trust, a Dragon lord for a companion and a device to contain her powers—powers that no other human has. Her task is simple—find the killer, stop the murders… and survive the attentions of those who claim to be her allies!

Spellbound? Listen to more Chronicles of Elantra.
©2011 Michelle Sagara (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Cast in Shadow

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,192
  • 4 Stars
    756
  • 3 Stars
    366
  • 2 Stars
    164
  • 1 Stars
    88
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,288
  • 4 Stars
    647
  • 3 Stars
    247
  • 2 Stars
    72
  • 1 Stars
    41
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,059
  • 4 Stars
    652
  • 3 Stars
    340
  • 2 Stars
    143
  • 1 Stars
    95

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

ok, just ok

I Really thought I was going to like this book I was disappointed in some respects. Yeah the main character not only lacked depth but she didn't grow throughout the whole book she was the same irresponsible irreverent insecure child. I may just be too used to reading heroines that are strong and they learn from their mistakes and the tragedies this one just didn't to me. I can't say it was a waste of a credit but I won't be reading any more in the series. The one positive really what gave it the most stars was the narrator she brought life to sometimes very dead words and she bought what little depth there was to the characters.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

love it!

loved it! Narrator did an excellent job of bringing the story alive. ready for the next book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great book

loved it. great characters that have many twists and turns. part of a wonderful series

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

I think I started in the middle of a series

I thought this was the first book.
.
There are a lot of things that are not explained or clearly described in this book.
I think I may have accidentally started in the middle

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Chick fantasy

Nice writing but long on emotion and short on suspense. Action scenes were more lyrical than gripping

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars

I couldn't follow the story

the voices were different volume levels some were too loud others you couldn't understand what they were saying.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Surprised

This book was a nice surprise... Really enjoyed the storyline and the narrator. Excited to have found it.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

A little detail and history can go a long way

What disappointed you about Cast in Shadow?

Almost everything. I saw the ratings on this book and thought for sure i would have a new series to add to my collection. I need a little more description about the world the story takes place. I couldn't relate to any of it, are we on earth, another world, what is the history of this world? How did the society come to be as it is. Anything giving you something to relate to would have been helpful in getting me involved in the characters and their world. Instead i got words that had no meaning. Characters would switch languages when they were talking and I guess that was supposed to mean something, like it was an insult but with no distinction of this how can you tell. Characters are very two-dimensional to me. You get dropped in to this world with no primmer I had no context to anything that was going on. I stopped with 20 min left.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Not the next in this series

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The accents were unnecessary. A Jamaican accent for the cat people? Why? A British accent would work or something more purring and drawn out. Again strange choices made here

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The narrators voice was nice when she wasn't using an accent

Any additional comments?

This is my personal opinion. I just didn't like the book, I am glad that others really enjoyed it. I am very picky about my audio books.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Entertaining but not fully compelling.

This is an entertaining start to a series, although not fully compelling for me. My rating 3.75.

Kaylin is a young woman seeking to be accepted as a Hawk warrior. The Lord of Hawks has accepted her into the Hawks for training and she is improving. Kaylin is sent on an assignment but must work with Severn, a childhood friend who has become an enemy to her. Kaylin and Severn are accompanied by a Dragon, Tiamaris. Fortunately, Tamaris, a formidable and quiet man, has great forbearance as he tires to keep Kaylin and Severn from attacking each other.

Children are dying in a bizarre manner in the poorer, crime-riddled section of the city known as Nightshade. Kaylin and Severn are familiar with the Nightshade as they were raised there as orphaned children. Seven years earlier Kaylin and Severn left the area, separately, after suffering the loss of friends who were being killed. The murdered children, then and now, are marked with tattoos which appeared on Kaylin’s skin too. Kaylin discovered that she has unusual healing powers that seem connected to the tattoos appearing on her body. But somehow she brings danger to others. Under the direction of the Hawklord, she is not supposed to use her healing skills without permission and she must keep her powers hidden.

Kaylin braves an audience with the Lord of Nightshade, an immortal who might be an enemy but currently is intrigued by Kaylin. He gives her a mark of protection. Although the mark doesn’t fully bind them as it might others, it is enough to raise questions by other powerful leaders possibly turning allies into enemies. While some try to take Kaylin down she struggles to save the children before another of her friends, a girl kidnapped from the orphanage, is killed.

I appreciate the world building and the different characters. Kaylin was a bit difficult to fully like as she is a messy character: immature, undisciplined and hotheaded. She is independent, a strong fighter and did mature some during the book providing hope for better behavior in future books. I definitely liked the interaction with the other characters, especially Tiamaris. It was annoying that others knew secrets regarding Kaylin’s powers but no one would share with her.

Between the interesting world, characters and action, the story kept my attention. I will likely try the next in the series at some point, although I don’t feel compelled to rush off to get it. I think readers who enjoy strong fantasy and YA characters should give this a try.

Audio Notes: Khristine Hvam does a good job narrating. She gives fitting voices to each character which adds depth to the audiobook. The narration enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love this series!

What did you love best about Cast in Shadow?

I enjoyed the way the story flowed. I have read the book but it was wonderful to hear it as well.

What did you like best about this story?

I love the main character, Kaylin.

What about Khristine Hvam’s performance did you like?

Her voice just made the book come alive for me.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, it's just a great story.

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