Of Darkness and Dawn

The Elder Empire: Shadow, Book 2

By: Will Wight

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's Summary

The Heart of Nakothi has been lost, the Consultants were victorious, and the Empire remains free of Elder control. For now.

Shera has become a Soulbound, but with her new powers comes a terrifying burden. Her Soulbound Vessel has begun to poison her mind, slowly transforming her into a monstrous, bloodthirsty killer. Meanwhile, Calder Marten and his Imperialist Guilds have begun to work against the Consultants...even to the point of raising their own band of homegrown assassins. Assassins with unique ties to Shera's past.

On the seas, a man will do anything to seize control of a throne.

In the shadows, a woman fights for her own soul.

©2015 Hidden Gnome Publishing (P)2019 Audible, Inc.

I wish there was more

I loved the first book so I was very excited to listen to this one. There were a couple of key events that didn't get explained very well and the ending really left me feeling unfinished. I know there are two other books parallel to these from another character's point of view, but the male narrator's voice wasn't for me. I just wish this story was a bit longer.

Great book!

Great book, fantastic narration! What else could you ask for. Really looking forward to finishing the series, just cannot decide which of the final books I will read first.

Really fun series

After reading this book I think that I am team Shera. I just wonder what my out look would be if I read Of Dawn and Darkness first. I am excited to get more information. It is fun having two competing protagonists. It adds an element of unpredictability which is refreshing. Zeller does a great job with the narration of this book.

excellent story, excellent performance

I loved this series so far, I don't like Caulder as a person, I prefer Shera.

Will Wight has done an incredible job telling the same story from two different, opposing perspectives.

I read Shera's story first, book 1 then Caulder book 1, and this one and will read Caulder next. I look forward to the 3rd set.

also Emily Woo Zellar Travis Baldree are my favorite narrators and I was excited to see they both would be performing these books.

great story

Loved it it was really good.
the performance of the Emily woo was not that impressive but the book was good enough to carry her.

I can't wait for the next one

The best yet

If I could have I would have listened to this in one sitting. I almost did. The story is brilliant. And the faceless man....so freaking awesome. Shera’s story deepens. As much as I want to dislike her (I started with Colder) she is awesome. Her motives are now clear and she no longer plays the villain. These books are so awesome. Just pick them up.

A uniquely told tale only Will Wight could write..

As the book's intro states, "... but it’s not the ONLY second book!"
If you've been following the Elder Empire series at all, you'll understand that Will Wight's right back at it with this uniquely told tale! Having just finished one of the storylines, I'm now onto it's parallel, Shera's story (the books were simultaneously released, so there's no need to wait between them! ).
I loved Shera's second story even more than the first! She's got a "Take-No-Prisoners" attitude with an assassins heart... and I got more insight into her friends (what few she has) motives, and I really, really needed that!
Emily Woo Zeller didn't fail me as the narrator of this book! She simply carried me away on this fantastic adventure!

Flash-Backs Adds Context But Disrupts Flows

Will Wight's decision to add significant back-story elements using numerous flash-back side quests is a bit disrupting to the flow of the series. I'm pleased with the additional context that they provide to the MCs of the series but would have preferred them being provided in the traditional chronological ways rather than the distracting back and forth method.

This book still has the story focus on the primary MCs, Shera and Calder Martin, with principal focus on Shera's warrior progress, perils, struggles and losses as she continues to grow stronger and darker as the story ends.

While I enjoyed the encounters between the Anti-Imperialist and Imperialist guilds interesting and entertaining, I find that the introduction of the high Elders into the story; especially Estyr Six, most intriguing, just not enough of it.

Emily Woo Zeller performance continues to be stellar.

so good!

I really like this series and I can't wait to read the next book. I like seeing the different point of views.

Another excellent book in this series

I wrote a rather long review for the first book in this series so will keep this one shorter . Excellent storyline, excellent narration and plenty of action/plot twists . Highly recommended