REVIEW: The Perfect Shadow by Brent Weeks (Kindle Edition)

The Perfect Shadow by Brent Weeks
Publishing information: Kindle
Publisher: Orbit 1 June 2011
ASIN: B004RQTXDI
Series: Prequel to The Night Angel Trilogy
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "Discover the origins of Durzo Blint in this original novella set in the world of Brent Weeks' New York Times bestselling Night Angel trilogy.

"I got a bit of prophecy," the old assassin said. "Not enough to be useful, you know. Just glimpses. My wife dead, things like that to keep me up late at night. I had this vision that I was going to be killed by forty men, all at once. But now that you're here, I see they're all you. Durzo Blint."

Durzo Blint? Gaelan had never even heard the name.

***
Gaelan Starfire is a farmer, happy to be a husband and a father; a careful, quiet, simple man. He's also an immortal, peerless in the arts of war. Over the centuries, he's worn many faces to hide his gift, but he is a man ill-fit for obscurity, and all too often he's become a hero, his very names passing into legend: Acaelus Thorne, Yric the Black, Hrothan Steelbender, Tal Drakkan, Rebus Nimble.

But when Gaelan must take a job hunting down the world's finest assassins for the beautiful courtesan-and-crimelord Gwinvere Kirena, what he finds may destroy everything he's ever believed in."

It is no secret that I am a big Brent Weeks fan, in fact his Night Angel trilogy is what got me back into the genre after reading history and military books for years. When his Lighbringer series started up I was not all that impressed as it had a hard time of keeping me interested. So, it was a nice change of pace to return to the world that started this whole love for the genre and blogging thing.

The Perfect Shadow is a prequel to the Night Angel trilogy and it basically tells of Durzo Blint's rise as the infamous assassin in the world. We also learn a bit more about his early life and where the name Durzo Blint actually comes from.

While The Perfect Shadow is a prequel, I couldn't help but wonder if someone who was interested in the series would want to start here. There is a lot of information that only seems to make sense for those who have already read the original series. If I had started with the Novella I think that things would be spoiled once I got to the trilogy. A few things are given away that do not come to light right away as you read the series. With that in mind, I might skip this prequel until you have read the series first. It does not really contain much as far as spoilers, but some relationships are revealed before they are in the books which may or may not ruin the experience.

That aside, The Perfect Shadow was a homecoming of sorts, I enjoyed the story and my only real complaint was that it was far too short and made me wish there were more stories to read about the characters and the world.

Do not have a Kindle? Subterranean Press has it for pre-order. No official release date other than fall. Click here for details.

Story 7
Characters 8
Style 8

Overall 8/10