The Shades of Magic quests are a series of fantasy novels written by V.E. Schwab. The story takes place in parallel London's, each with a different magical level: Grey London, a non-magical city resembling the real world; Red London, a vibrant and prosperous city where magic flows freely; White London, a city ruled by power-hungry and corrupt individuals; and Black London, a city that was destroyed by magic and is now sealed off from the other worlds. The main character of the series is Kell, a powerful magician known as an Antari who has the ability to travel between the different Londons. Kell serves as a messenger between the rulers of each city and is responsible for maintaining the balance of magic between the worlds.
The hero crosses into this new world and begins some sort of quest.
The first book, A Darker Shade of Magic, opens with a description of protagonist Kell Maresh s peculiar, magical coat It had neither one side, which would be conventional, nor two, which would be unexpected, but several , which was, of course, impossible. I felt warm reading about the bright red river and lively Night Market in Red London and uninspired by the drab landscape of Grey London, which closely approximates the London of our own world in the 1800s.
Kell serves as a messenger between the rulers of each city and is responsible for maintaining the balance of magic between the worlds. However, Kell develops a dangerous habit of smuggling magical artifacts between the worlds, which leads him into trouble. In the first book, "A Darker Shade of Magic," Kell stumbles upon a dangerous artifact from Black London that threatens to disrupt the balance of power.
What happened in A Darker Shade of Magic? (Shades of Magic #1)
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Ratings
4.4 stars on Amazon
4.04 stars on Goodreads
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***** Everything below is a SPOILER *****
Alongside Delilah Bard, a skilled thief from Grey London, Kell embarks on a quest to return the artifact and prevent catastrophe. The subsequent books in the series, "A Gathering of Shadows" and "A Conjuring of Light," continue Kell and Delilah's journey as they face new challenges and unravel the mysteries of the different Londons. The Shades of Magic quests explore themes of power, identity, and the choices individuals make in the face of adversity. Overall, the Shades of Magic quests are an enthralling and engaging series that takes readers on a magical journey through multiple parallel worlds. With its well-developed characters and intricate plot, the series will captivate fans of fantasy and adventure..
Reviews for "Wielding the Power of Antari: Antari Quests in Shades of Magic"
1. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I really wanted to like "The Shades of Magic Quests" because the concept seemed interesting and unique. However, I found the execution to be lacking. The pacing was slow and the characters felt flat and one-dimensional. I struggled to connect with any of them and their motivations felt unclear. Additionally, the world-building was confusing and inconsistent, which made it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. Overall, I was quite disappointed with this book and wouldn't recommend it.
2. James - 1/5 stars - I had high expectations for "The Shades of Magic Quests" based on the buzz it was getting, but it fell far short of my hopes. The writing style was choppy and fragmented, making it hard to follow the narrative. The plot felt disjointed and lacked coherence. I also found the dialogue to be cringe-worthy and filled with cliches. Ultimately, I couldn't connect with the story or the characters, and I was left feeling bored and unsatisfied. I won't be continuing with this series.
3. Emily - 2/5 stars - "The Shades of Magic Quests" started off promising, but it quickly descended into a convoluted mess. The plot was overly complicated and had too many unnecessary subplots that detracted from the main story. The protagonist was supposed to be a strong, nuanced character, but came off as whiny and indecisive. The magic system also felt underdeveloped and inconsistent. I was hoping for an engaging fantasy adventure, but instead, I found myself struggling to maintain interest and often confused by the direction of the story.
4. Michael - 2/5 stars - I'm usually a big fan of fantasy novels, but "The Shades of Magic Quests" didn't do it for me. The writing style was overly descriptive and filled with unnecessary details, which slowed down the pacing. The world-building was lacking and left me with more questions than answers. The action scenes were lackluster and failed to generate any excitement. Overall, I found this book to be forgettable and unimpressive. I wouldn't recommend it to avid fantasy readers looking for a compelling story.