Luck in the Shadows: The Nightrunner Series, Book I

I just reread this book for...the third time? Fourth? Something like that. Regardless, its place in my short list of all-time top favorite fantasy series remains secure.Luck in the Shadows has good writing, a complex plot, and enticing characters. It combines rogues and wizards, and royals and gutter rats, and places them all in a country standing on the brink of war. The book starts off with a bang, but Flewelling teases us with storylines that take whole volumes to come to fruition. (Which is not the same as a cliffhanger, BTW. This story wraps itself up just fine, while leaving room for continuing adventures in this amazing world Flewelling's built.) There's no doubt I've fallen in love with the two main characters, Alec and Seregil, but the supporting players are rich and nuanced, too. Thero? Beka? Fantastic.Seriously, this book exemplifies just about every reason I spend so much time reading epic fantasy. I think I originally picked it up because it was listed as m/m fantasy, but it can hold its own among the epic standards just based on the characters and the setting and the plot, which is all gritty and wonderful.I haven't told you the best part, though:The romance.OK, I can't believe I just typed that, because seriously? I think sometimes I must not have a romantic bone in my body. Lately, I've been finishing more and more books wishing the authors would have just skipped over the love stories. Some are reasonably well done, of course, but those stories are getting buried in the flood of paint-by-number romances. It's almost like there's a checklist out there, and authors haven't caught on yet that following it isn't doing them any favors. (Insta-love? Check. Otherworldly chemistry? Check. Poor Suffering Martyr syndrome? Check. Traumatic past? Check...) When I finally found a book a couple months ago that didn't have the slightest hint of a romance, I very nearly re-read it immediately just for the opportunity to revel in the lack of formulaic drama. I could swoon just thinking about it.This is not that romance. The romance in this series is barely a twinkle in the author's eye by the last page of LitS; it doesn't take off for real until well into the second book. The characters fall in love slowly, and organically, and...and healthily! BTW, there are several reviews pointing out the age difference between the two mains, but I stand behind my "healthily." (The rest of this paragraph has slight spoilers...which I'd recommend risking if the other reviews about the age gap are giving you pause.) The older character doesn't age the way a human does, so it doesn't come across like he's a dirty old man, and perhaps more importantly, the extremely slow burn gives the impression that Seregil, the older one, has zero intention of taking advantage. By the time they get together for real instead of just in their own imaginations, the power imbalance is gone. It's a relationship of equals. Believe me, I'm really not one for the May/December trope, but this book doesn't come across that way to me.Further, the author doesn't expect the characters to be invested in the romance before we readers are. In fact, she draws things out so skillfully, we're left practically panting for the characters to finally muster up their courage and get on with it already. And speaking of which: don't make the mistake of thinking Alec and Seregil are basing things on lust and chemistry. No, this is the real deal.In other words, the romance in this book is just about the most romantic thing I've ever read, and I – as jaded an unromantic as anyone could probably be – just want to cheer at the sheer sweetness of it all.But don't forget what I said before! This moving, captivating, SLOW love story is stretched out on the frame of really, really good tale. Those looking for a book where the plot is merely a support structure for the love story would probably be disappointed – I wasn't kidding...this first book barely even hints at the love story to come – if it weren't for how finely-crafted a fantasy this is. If you're looking for a book where the love story is secondary to the story-story, or if you're patient enough to let the author show you how satisfying delayed gratification can be, I think you'll probably like this quite a lot. (I have a hard time imagining anyone NOT liking this book/series quite a lot.)As for me, regardless of whether this was the third or fourth time I've read this book, I have no doubt I'll find myself back in Rhiminee on many more occasions.

I bought this book from Amazon based on the synopsis---only because I was bored. To be honest, the synopsis made it sound like yet another run-of-the-mill sword-lockpick-and-sorcery fantasy novel, and the recommendations didn't help with their comparisons to fantasy writers whose works I've grown to dislike over time. I just needed something to read while on the stairmaster at the gym, so I bought it.And that most wonderful of occurrances happened---I discovered a deliciously good novel, completely by accident. It doesn't start out slow, but there *is* a lot to digest at first---a completely new world, both like and unlike those of other fantasy realms, complex politics, a number of characters who will all grow to be important eventually. Fortunately, Seregil is so charming and Alec so ingenuous that they alone held my attention during the required learning curve of this book. Once past that curve, I was able to appreciate the complexity of the plot---intrigue has always fascinated me, and the politics of war, while repellent, are plausibly and interestingly-presented here.A lot of people have commented on the central romance in the series (because there are several, which others have not noted). I want to emphasize, for those who may get the wrong impression from the reviews (as I did)---this is not a "queer fantasy". Rather---there's a same sex romance in it, but it's made clear in the books that neither of the characters involved is what we Americans would categorize, stamp, and bracket as "gay." They simply happened to fall in love with someone of the same gender. The same-gender issue *isn't* an issue, in most ways---neither of the characters spends a great deal of time questioning their sexuality or masculinity or fretting that they're violating the mores of polite society (mainly because, in this series, they aren't). I'm only pointing this out because I hate seeing books "labeled". If you're the puritanical sort who dislikes any dollop of non-traditional romance in your traditional fantasy, then the books will irritate you, so don't bother reading them. If not, you don't have to be a rainbow-flag-waving GLBT activist to like the series. It's just good fantasy, with a realistic and thoroughly satisfying romance in it.The romance is also not central to the novels' plot. They're spies and adventurers for the queen in a land beset by war. They fall in love, somewhere in the middle of book 2. They go on spying and adventuring for the queen as the war progresses. It's an accent to the novel, not a key plot element. So for those who dislike reading fantasy books which are really just thinly-veiled Harlequins with sword-wielding Fabio's on the cover, this book is a delight.(Don't get me wrong; personally, I love a nice central romance---when it's appropriate to the story. But in this case, too much attention focused on the romance would detract from the all-too-engrossing other plot elements of the books.)So since others have compared these books to another author's, I'll say this---these are excellent for those who are ready to graduate from reading Mercedes Lackey. Here is true originality, plausibility, excellent characterization, and fascinating worldbuilding. And a damn good read. The time on the stairmaster just flew by.

Where do I begin. This series is full of wonderful stuff. It's exciting, touching, nail biting, and memorable. I LOVE the characters, the world and the plots. It felt like I soaked into it and never wanted to leave. Still as fresh as when they were first written. Don't miss them, and Luck in the Shadows!!Edit re: Audible Version. This will always be one of my favourite books but the audible version is enormously disappointing. What possessed the reader to introduce all the DREADFUL accents? For some reason he read some of the characters with Scottish or Irish accents. I assume that was his intention, because they are only vaguely recognisable as such. This is a fantasy. There’s no reason for anyone to be Irish or Scottish. Especially if the reader can’t do those accents without sounding ridiculous. It’s horribly distracting. Audible: This is one of the best fantasy series ever written please pay a good,, expressive actor to re-record it. This audible offering does a terrible disservice to the original.

My first impression was that this was intended for a late teenage audience, given the youthfulness of Alec. However, stick with the series and the themes get more mature. If it's romance you're after, it builds up slowly (you'll have to wait until later books), but it's well worth the wait!Alec starts off an honest, straightforward woodsman but on meeting the spy Seregil he's soon introduced to a much wider world of intrigue. Hisingenuous character gives Flewelling the chance gradually to expand themagical and fantastical elements of her well-drawn world. Alec learnsespionage and dissembling from Seregil, against a backdrop ofimpending war and pursuit by evil magics. Soon, he's on first-hand termswith much that he once believed mythical. Seregil is a more mysteriousfigure, witholding much about himself even as he tutors Alec and the bondbetween them grows.

There are a lot of very positive reviews here for this wonderful set of books - so I shan't go back over the storyline again.What I do want to say is, I purchased this book only a week or so ago, started reading it and immediately ordered the rest of the set as I knew I was going to love all the books. To be fair, the world building does go on a bit, and it wasn't until the third book that I really got into the story, but what pulled me in totally were the characters of Seregil and Alec. I love them! I think the most recent two books (shadow's return and The white road)are my favourites, so even if you're not sure - do continue, they're worth it.If you enjoyed Robin Hobb's Farseer, Liveship and Tawny man books - then you will probably enjoy these.

Brilliant series. Have enjoyed all of them. The intricacy and depth of the story lines, attention to detail and development of the characters, the amazing creativity of building her own world and language that really works and is believable. And especially the sensitivity with which LF develops the love and relationship between the two (male) heroes. I mean, who wouldn't want to find his or her tali ....

Brought this on recommendation, thinking i'd give it a go but not expecting to be that impressed,WRONG from the start i couldn't put it down, this is story telling at its best, so much so i brought the other 4 in the series and have read all 5 in just over a week.From the start you are pulled into the plot, with all its twists and turns till your head spins,its action packed, funny in places, sad and a really good read,right to the last page.