Dark Moon, Shallow Sea

The Gods of Night and Day Series, Book 1

By: David R. Slayton

Narrated by: Michael David Axtell

Length: 11 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

The first in a new epic fantasy series from David R. Slayton—author of White Trash Warlock—Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is a powerful story of divine betrayal, ghosts, and self-discovery, perfect for fans of the Dark Souls series or Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson.

When Phoebe, goddess of the moon, is killed by the knights of the sun god, Hyperion, all who follow her are branded heretics. With Phoebe gone, the souls of the dead are no longer ferried to the underworld, and instead linger on as shades who feast on the blood of the living.

Raef is a child of the night. He lives in the shadows, on scraps, eking out a meager existence as a thief. But when an ornate box is sequestered in the Temple of Hyperion, the chance of a big score proves too great to resist. What he finds within propels him on an odyssey across the sea and back again, altering the course of his life forever.

Seth is a knight of the sun. But unlike the others of his order, the fire of Hyperion only brings him pain. He believes he deserves this penance, exacted for his unknown origins. Tasked with recovering the contents of the box, Seth must also venture beyond the horizon if he’s to learn the truth about himself.

In a dying world divided by the greed of those in power, Raef and Seth find their destinies intertwined—and learn they might have more in common than they ever imagined.

©2023 David R. Slayton (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

This is a beautiful and smart book

Everything about this book is well crafted. The fantasy world building is first rate, a place I look forward to returning to in my imagination as the series progresses.

The conflicts and surprises in the book show that life is complicated in so many ways. In fact, "It's complicated" appears to be a reoccurring theme throughout all four of the author's published works

The high quality of the author's writing and his ability to grapple with the complexities of life, including being in a family, are two of the things that make this a smart book.

The characters and world make the book beautiful. The craft of the writing and ideas that are explored make it a smart book.

I highly recommend this enjoyable fantasy story that includes a sweet romance.

Great story! Vivid fantasy world!

My favorite thing about the fantasy world that exists here is that there isn’t over-explanation of the strange world. Instead it lets you understand the works through the story over time. Give it a minute and be okay without understanding everything right away!

Fantastic Writing

The pace, the story, the plot, the characters, the world, the everything. David R Slayton is one of my favorite writers but I feel he really really outdid himself with this one.
It kept me riveted the entire time.

Amazing story

David R. Slayton is a wonderful writer who puts a lot of thought into his stories. The reading is so well done.

Wonderful story!

I couldn't press pause! Great world building, interesting and engaging characters, and beautifully written prose.

Throughly Enjoyed

The world is so well fleshed out and characters reactions to the event are spot on. Twists and turns love and heartbreak, piety and corruption are on full display.

Excellent

This is David’s best book yet. I can’t wait to see where this story goes!

Phenomenal

I’m obsessed with this book! It’s well written and seriously captivating. I was sucked into the story from the very first chapter! David R Slayton writes in a way that is truly enthralling and engaging and the story was sensational.
10/10 I definitely recommend

In a world where who you love isn’t the problem

I’m not typically a fan of other world stories but this story’s world was enough like “ours” that I was able to lose myself in it just enough. I love this author’s imagination. His ability to visualize the world around the characters he presents. It’s an interesting concept to present fully developed characters up front and use the entire story and book to show you what and how their life journeys made them into the people initially presented while at the same time presenting the story itself from beginning to end.
A story where out love exists without shame or criticism is a joy to read.
#Kevin

Great story!

Wonderfully written, I thoroughly enjoyed the love story along with the magic! The author set this series up for many more books to come, I can not wait!