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Start giftingA Darker Shade of Magic
A Darker Shade of Magic: Book #1
Narrator
Steven Crossley
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Length
11 hours 34 minutes
Language
English
Bookseller recommendation
“While this series takes a minute to get into the action, I felt like once it hits its stride it’s really great. Complete with a somewhat complex magic system, a lovable but deadly female rogue, dueling David/Goliath type magicians, truly sadistic blonde twin rulers and a high stakes world destroying evil coming in from all sides set in multiple 1800s Londons (Yes, I’m talking about a multiverse here!). A great start to this super dynamic trilogy. ”
— Zinna • A Great Good Place for Books
Bookseller recommendation
“Four different versions of London that are split by the level of magic present, a jacket that has many sides that can be folded into different jackets, and one main character with the ability to move through them all. Kell is an Antari, which means he can move between the four versions of London and does so to carry correspondence between the monarchies of each dimension. After he is tricked into treason by carrying a piece of Black London into another London he must navigate returning the piece to its rightful realm whilst keeping it from falling into the wrong hands. I enjoyed this book because while there is a suggestion of a romance between characters, Schwab prioritizes the plot and the characters as individuals rather than the romance. The contrast of a protagonist who is a bit unsure of himself and a deuteragonist who has no choice but to be sure of herself was a very interesting dynamic to watch unfold, in addition to the concept of differing dimensions of the same city with differing levels of magical access overlapping each other.”
— Sol • Quail Ridge Books
Summary
Kell is one of the last Travelers—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel universes—as such, he can choose where he lands. There's Grey London, dirty and boring, without any magic, ruled by a mad King George. Then there's Red London, where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. There's White London, ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. And once upon a time, there was Black London . . . but no one speaks of that now.
Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see—a dangerous hobby, and one that has set him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cutpurse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a dangerous enemy, and then forces him to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.
