Dance of Shadows

The Raag of Rta, Book 2

De: Gourav Mohanty

Narrado por: Raj Ghatak

Bloomsbury presents Dance of Shadows by Gourav Mohanty, read by Raj Ghatak.

As the Sun sets on the age of virtue, the shadows gather for a final dance…

The Mathuran Republic and Magadhan Empire are locked in mortal struggle, but they are not the only pieces on the board. Over the Eastern horizon, storm clouds gather.

The Rakshasan Tree Cities have opened their borders for the first time in centuries, gathering kings, clerics, matriarchs and merchant lords to a Conclave of Peace... all the better to carve up the future without having to worry about either Empire or Republic.

After all, a season of peace is the time to plant anew the seeds of war.

But in this world drenched in oil, three women emerge, each the spark that might light the fire.

A Pirate Queen discovers the only gold around is in the bars of her cage.

A Temple Courtesan’s heart dances for the lowborn archer she was tasked to destroy.

A Librarian Princess steals from deathless witches and legendary thieves to save the world from an ancient plague.

As smouldering conflicts reignite, intimate betrayals unwind and ancient evils awake, our cast of spoilt heroes and lovesick princes, immortal assassins and their apprentices, deaf swordswomen and exiled snakelings will find no sun to light their path.

For the Son of Darkness rises, boiling over with a wrath that all the oracles in the world cannot appease. Seeing the future is one thing, changing it is quite another…

Unless it is through a heist.©2025 Gourav Mohanty (P)2025 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Pathetic narration!

Maybe this is the narrator’s first attempt, or maybe they thought an exaggerated, fake accent would somehow add depth—but it only ruins the experience. The pacing is a disaster, with zero sense of timing or emotion. It feels like no one bothered to direct or even listen to the recording. The narration is so lifeless and flat that it sucks the soul out of an otherwise compelling story. Honestly, this performance does a disservice to the book—it desperately needs a narrator who... it just needs a Narrator.

Better than book 1

Highly recommend. Give this series a chance you won’t regret it. I’m shocked it doesn’t have 500+ reviews by now!

This series is structured differently than any I’ve read. I got used to it quickly and am thoroughly enjoying the progression of the story. For ASOIAF fans, Dance of Shadows gave me big Feast for Crows vibes (one if my favorites). Mohanty’s world opens up immensely with this read. Nuggets on nuggets of lore. The cast of characters is diverse, sometimes likable, sometimes insufferable, sometimes lovable, sometimes evil… just how I l prefer it!