Book: Dark Skies
Series: Dark Shores #2
Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Publisher, year: Tor Teen, 2020
Page Count (Hardback): 464
Goodreads rating: 4.28 (18th Dec 2020)
First off, Danielle L. Jensen is now one of my top three authors. I read The Bridge Kingdom this summer, which was so amazing I immediately wanted to read Danielle’s other works. As if by fate, Dark Skies was offered as a 1,99 deal on Kindle not long ago.
I follow Danielle on Instagram, where she mentioned that Dark Shores and Dark Skies can be read out of order, so I chose to start with Dark Skies.
Summary, sourced from Goodreads:
A RUNAWAY WITH A HIDDEN PAST
Lydia is a scholar, but books are her downfall when she meddles in the plots of the most powerful man in the Celendor Empire. Her life in danger, she flees west to the far side of the Endless Seas and finds herself entangled in a foreign war where her burgeoning powers are sought by both sides.
A COMMANDER IN DISGRACE
Killian is Marked by the God of War, but his gifts fail him when the realm under the dominion of the Corrupter invades Mudamora. Disgraced, he swears his sword to the kingdom’s only hope: the crown princess. But the choice sees him caught up in a web of political intrigue that will put his oath – and his heart – to the test.
A KINGDOM UNDER SIEGE
With Mudamora falling beneath the armies of the Corrupter, Lydia and Killian strike a bargain to save those they love most—but it is a bargain with unintended and disastrous consequences. Truths are revealed, birthrights claimed, and loyalties questioned—all while a menace deadlier and more far-reaching than they realize sweeps across the world.
“Always she’d tried to fight her battles with words, but some people refused to hear her voice.” – From Dark Skies by Danielle L. Jensen
Both The Bridge Kingdom and Dark Skies have some similar plot elements, including a great deal of political intrigue and battle/warfare, but these themes are more prominent in Dark Skies. Immediately, the plot elements and the world-building gave me Game of Thrones vibes, which is very positive to me!
The Celendor Empire and The West are both unaware of each Kingdom’s existence. But, whereas The Empire is based on ancient Rome, the world of The West has a more savage/magical/adventurous vibe (kinda similarly to Winterfell or The North in GoT) where they believe in numerous gods. Their Gods, The Six, guard the people of The West by granting them special marks.
Lydia is a bookworm from The Empire, with a mysterious birth origin. When meddling in dangerous politics, she mistakenly gets her friends captured, and then an attempt at her life is made and she manages to flee to The West.
There, she meets Killian, a warrior marked by the God of War. After the Corruptor’s armies invaded Mudamora on his watch, he’s been disgraced by the people and believed to have lost his godsent support. Together, Killian and Lydia set out to save their friends and Mudamora.
Dark Skies was, perhaps most importantly, refreshing. Although I’ve made connections to Game of Thrones, I’d just like to point out that Danielle’s books are some of the most original works I’ve read this year. Her worldbuilding is impeccable – from the descriptions to the atmosphere she creates and the believability of the worlds themselves. This is true for both her Dark Shores series and The Bridge Kingdom. I’m thoroughly impressed by her craftsmanship.
“There was a rumor that those marked by the God of War felt no fear. That Killian felt no fear. But the dull throb of blood in his ears and the thundering beat of his heart belied that rumor. Killian knew fear. He just didn’t run from it.” – From Dark Skies by Danielle L. Jensen
Despite how much I loved it, I have to admit that Dark Skies took me a while to get into. I’m not a big fan of political intrigue at the beginning of a story. As I’ve yet to fall properly in love with the characters, I’m not able to feel the sympathy that is perhaps required to engage with the story. However, once Lydia appeared in The West and started seeing more of Killian… Well, I’m a sucker for a slow burn romance. Literally, give me so much as a hint of romance or sexual tension and I will keep reading to see where my newfound ship goes.
Lydia is one of the most relatable characters I’ve read. She’s now up there with Tessa Grey on my favourites list. She’s a bookworm, and kinda timid (hello me??), but she’s also strong in her way, and very, very brave. For me, her character arc is one of the best aspects of Dark Skies, and what sucked me into the story and this world.
In the end, I devoured this book, and there’s no doubt about my rating:
Dark Skies and Dark Shores are unique in the way that these stories run parallel to each other, during the same time frame but with different characters. So, now I’m excited to read Dark Shores and see what happens on the “other side” of this story. In April 2021, Danielle’s releasing the third instalment in the series: Gilded Serpent, which is the continuation to both of the books and will follow all four perspectives! I have a feeling it’s only going to get better from here.
Bring it on!
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