The Way of Shadows
David Gemmell Legend Award nominee 2008.
The perfect killer has no friends. Only targets.
For Durzo Blint, assassination is an art. And he is the city’s most accomplished artist, his talents required from alleyway to courtly boudoir.
For Azoth, survival is precarious. Something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, he’s grown up in the slums, and learned the hard way to judge people quickly – and to take risks. Risks like apprenticing himself to Durzo Blint.
But to be accepted, Azoth must turn his back on his old life and embrace a new identity and name. As Kylar Stern, he must learn to navigate the assassins’ world of dangerous politics and strange magics – and cultivate a flair for death.
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Brent Weeks
Brent Weeks, a name synonymous with thrilling epic fantasy, crafts worlds filled with intricate magic, complex characters, and unexpected twists that have captivated readers around the globe. From the release of his debut novel, The Way of Shadows, Weeks has carved out a distinctive niche in the genre, earning a reputation for his fast-paced, emotionally charged storytelling and a willingness to tackle the gray areas of morality and power.
Weeks’s journey into the world of writing was far from straightforward. Born in 1977 in Montana, USA, he didn’t immediately set out to be an author. His early career began with a degree in English and a string of jobs that didn’t quite ignite his passion for writing. But it was during a quiet stretch of time, a mix of frustration and inspiration, that Weeks found his voice. It was then that he began working on the Night Angel Trilogy, which would go on to be his first major success. The trilogy—brimming with assassins, betrayal, and political intrigue—became a breakout hit, introducing readers to a dark and morally ambiguous world where the lines between good and evil often blurred.
Night Angel
In a city ruled by shadows, where betrayal lurks in every alley and power is held by those who manipulate the dark, the Night Angel series immerses readers in a brutal world of assassins, espionage, and moral complexity. This gritty, fast-paced fantasy trilogy follows the journey of Azoth, a young orphan who is trained in the deadly arts of assassination by the enigmatic and feared Durzo Blint. But Azoth's path is not just one of bloodshed—it's a fight for his own soul as he grapples with loyalty, revenge, and his emerging sense of self.
Night Angel consists of four primary books, and includes one additional book that complement the series but is not considered mandatory reads and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
Reviews and Comments
This review is for all The Night Angel Trilogy books: The Way of Shadows, Shadow's Edge and Beyond the Shadows. When I began to read this trilogy I didn't have much information about these books. I think it was good that I didn't know much about them, because it helped me to like them. In my opinion these books were entertaining and easy-to-read fantasy books. There were some minor problems/flaws and the writing wasn't always as fluent as it should have been, but the plot was interesting. Although these books were quite thick (600+ pages), I read them fast. For a debut trilogy, The Night Angel Trilogy was pretty good. The flaws were a bit annoying sometimes, but the books were readable and likable. Here's some information about the flaws: The adult themes were nice, but I would've liked to see more depth in certain scenes. The writing style was okay, but not as good as it could've been (it was easy to see that these books were debut books). And here's some information about the good things: The plot was pretty good and interesting. I also liked the action. Although these books weren't perfect, I consider them to be good entertainment. If you're looking for an interesting, entertaining and easy-to-read fantasy trilogy, The Night Angel Trilogy is a good choice. You'll probably enjoy reading it.
This book was hard to put down. The depth of his characters yanked me in and kept in perfect bliss the whole time, even at the most depressing of times. For those who love assassins, corrupted power figures, twisted politics, and disturbing magic, this is the book of all books.