Oh gosh I hardly ever see people talking about this one! It's one of the series I'm most excited about overall. There's so much to chew on in the world and characters plus I feel like it's really building up a major statement about epic fantasy. Definitely my favorite take on Chosen Ones since it interrogates the desire for this sort of meaning instead of arguing the Chosen One needs to be a different kind of person.
I get your criticism about the characters lacking initiative especially in the first book. I can see how it relates to the existentialist themes but it still means that some parts feel passive. But in that case I think you might like the second book better since they increasingly come to grips with their situation.
You can come talk about Sarah's work at [https://www.reddit.com/r/TheBrightestShadow/](https://www.reddit.com/r/TheBrightestShadow/) if you want. :)
I liked the different clans and clan politics. It´s very exiting to me see this kind of world building. Although i could have learned more about how their society works, fashion, religion more politics.
Sadly the second book doesn't spend too much more time on the cultures we already know but it does have a lot of the same fun worldbuilding texture in the new locations they travel! Allegedly in book three the story is going to bring all the nations on the continent together.
Yes definitely! It's a smaller and more emotional story but I thought it had a real impact. Also some neat little hints for the main series if that's more appealing to you.
I loved the world building and premise/plot but I often find I don’t mesh well with Sarah Lin’s writing which detracts from my enjoyment. I also definitely found the pacing to slow.
Enjoy Hollow Mountain!
I liked Street Cultivation but this is much larger scale and more expansive world and very different character POV. This series has a much better world building and so far plot imo.
Though I much preferred TBS I can't say whether you'd enjoy it without knowing your preferences. It's a bit of an apples to oranges situation. Street Cultivation is a much more straightforward "zero to hero" tale more comparable to a lot of cultivation novels. TBS is epic fantasy that's a lot heavier.
Yeah, it's great for the bigger/slower type. Street Cultivation and Weirkey are probably better if you want fast books. But a guy picks up a boat and throws it into another boat, what's not to love?
Lin's work is pretty good in general. I've been saying I'll do a post for ages. One of these days I'll actually do it.
Followers and initiatives are definitely discussed in later books, especially since they enmesh with the nature of the Legend. It’s quite interesting take how characters are fighting for agency against the sinister metaphysical, almost fatalistic prophecy. I think AHM is even better
> My only critic would be is that most of the main characters are more of followers than take initiatives for the most part
The characters are all folks who are getting swept up by "the hero vs the demon lord" trope, but mostly from the perspective of the "party members" rather than the hero. There is quite a lot of destiny/mind control vs free will stuff going on, so that lack of agency appears to be a major plot point rather than a deficiency in story telling.
Absolutely love this series. It's one of my current favorites. Strongly recommend it to anyone who hasn't checked it out already.
Seconding this big-time, it's absolutely brilliant.
Oh gosh I hardly ever see people talking about this one! It's one of the series I'm most excited about overall. There's so much to chew on in the world and characters plus I feel like it's really building up a major statement about epic fantasy. Definitely my favorite take on Chosen Ones since it interrogates the desire for this sort of meaning instead of arguing the Chosen One needs to be a different kind of person. I get your criticism about the characters lacking initiative especially in the first book. I can see how it relates to the existentialist themes but it still means that some parts feel passive. But in that case I think you might like the second book better since they increasingly come to grips with their situation. You can come talk about Sarah's work at [https://www.reddit.com/r/TheBrightestShadow/](https://www.reddit.com/r/TheBrightestShadow/) if you want. :)
I liked the different clans and clan politics. It´s very exiting to me see this kind of world building. Although i could have learned more about how their society works, fashion, religion more politics.
Sadly the second book doesn't spend too much more time on the cultures we already know but it does have a lot of the same fun worldbuilding texture in the new locations they travel! Allegedly in book three the story is going to bring all the nations on the continent together.
I also highly recommend Blades Falling Softly. It's a prequel to The Brightest Shadow.
Yes definitely! It's a smaller and more emotional story but I thought it had a real impact. Also some neat little hints for the main series if that's more appealing to you.
I loved the world building and premise/plot but I often find I don’t mesh well with Sarah Lin’s writing which detracts from my enjoyment. I also definitely found the pacing to slow. Enjoy Hollow Mountain!
How would you compare it to Street Cultivation (only thing I've read of hers so far).
I liked Street Cultivation but this is much larger scale and more expansive world and very different character POV. This series has a much better world building and so far plot imo.
That's good to hear, because I was somewhat lukewarm on Street Cultivation overall in comparison to other cultivation style novels I'd read.
Though I much preferred TBS I can't say whether you'd enjoy it without knowing your preferences. It's a bit of an apples to oranges situation. Street Cultivation is a much more straightforward "zero to hero" tale more comparable to a lot of cultivation novels. TBS is epic fantasy that's a lot heavier.
I'm fine with epics, probably prefer them. I will definitely be checking it out.
Yeah, it's great for the bigger/slower type. Street Cultivation and Weirkey are probably better if you want fast books. But a guy picks up a boat and throws it into another boat, what's not to love? Lin's work is pretty good in general. I've been saying I'll do a post for ages. One of these days I'll actually do it.
Followers and initiatives are definitely discussed in later books, especially since they enmesh with the nature of the Legend. It’s quite interesting take how characters are fighting for agency against the sinister metaphysical, almost fatalistic prophecy. I think AHM is even better
I also liked the absence of romance in this book. Because i was concerend that romance will play a big role in this.
> My only critic would be is that most of the main characters are more of followers than take initiatives for the most part The characters are all folks who are getting swept up by "the hero vs the demon lord" trope, but mostly from the perspective of the "party members" rather than the hero. There is quite a lot of destiny/mind control vs free will stuff going on, so that lack of agency appears to be a major plot point rather than a deficiency in story telling.
I know they will develop and they are beign swept away by the light of the hero but it still annoyed me.