Probably the best character-driven fantasy novel I've read, but this book is remarkable for quite a few reasons. It's brilliantly written, deeply felt, and solidly constructed on pretty much every level. I went in expecting it to be like the Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker, which had a brilliant sense of character, place, and style, but a weak central narrative. This book had all those strengths but adds phenomenal worldbuilding and excellent, subdued plotting, though in the end it all comes back to Abraham's strong treatment of character. A Shadow in Summer is self-contained, but also a strong start to a series: the Long-Price Quartet, which (at four volumes, totaling around 1200 pages, and jumping ahead 15 years between each book) is a good, balanced size for a fantasy series, especially if each of them work as well on their own as this.

Also, this is a novel deeply focused on working class characters, sensibilities, and problems, which is mostly uncommon in fantasy. Its main focuses are labor, the treatment of sex workers, and the tie between economics and power. The main setpiece of the first half, interestingly, is an abortion; and, though there's a strain of moralism that runs through certain things, it felt very natural rather than didactic. Ultimately, the story is large in scope while staying on a very human level, and hits a balance that seems really important.

Anyway though, I don't want to spoil anything, but there are things about this book so powerful and resonant they'll stay with me for a long time, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

n  n

After weeks of feeling empty , with no more Malazan book of fallen to be read , I picked this book up courtesy recommendations from some of my most trusted reader friends . With hopes galore , and confidence that nothing can break my heart and put me in a dark place following my past reading , I pick up , my new 4 part journey into a new fantasy Realm.

n   What I Liked : n

n  n

The World of Long Price Quartet is based on a place called Seraykeht and it's neighboring cities and countries , Seraykeht rulers are known as Khai ,who become Khai after they have eliminated all the rivals to the thrones , i.e they commit Fratricide , or if their siblings join a cult organization that teaches them to be "Poets" , not the ones who write Poem , but magicians , who can , like a poem , compose words and combine it with their magical powers to bring to life and control , god like beings , known as "Andat". The Presence and utilization of Andat in various ways keeps Seraykeht economy as the top economy and while other nations watch with envy , they can't do a thing as Seraykeht is also guarded and protected by Poets and Andat

This is the basic world of Long Price Quartet . And it's a fascinating creation , with the magic system of Andat really interesting , if not a complex thing to get your head around . Personally on the basis of Magic system , I give the author a full score . But the whole concept and utilization is very unique and quite unorthodox in terms of your general stereotypical Fantasy Genre.

Then we come to the characters who make up this story , and these characters are fascinating within themselves , and while all characters start in the moral white , every one of the character ends in the book visibly Grey in the moral color spectrum . This was what really made me love this book . Those who know me , know that the "The First Law" series , by Joe Abercrombie is my favorite ever fantasy book and the key reason for that is that the series , like Long Price Quartet is character driven with morally ambiguous character .

The plot is really well woven for Long price Quartet , as every thing from a small act to a betrayal , was aptly justified and persecuted at the same time , the author gives the reader their choices of characters and their various morally ambiguous actions to choose from . You can either end up hating every character in the book or loving most of them but realizing none of those characters you like are actually morally clean.



n   What I Didn't Like : n



At many times , the writing wasn't all that expressive . A fantasy book really relies on the world it builds and authors have a huge task in getting the image they have of their world out from their heads and into the heads of their readers , this book at most times failed to paint any distinct image in my mind of what the world looks like . Sure I understand the working of the world , but how does it look like? I can't tell . Abraham at times takes simplistic approach , like saying " there is a forest ahead , it's filled with green" and end the description there instead of someone like George Martin , Tolkien or Rothfus , who would simply explain it in detail to give you a vivid picture .

There are some other issues , but I feel like they are intentionally placed in this book and ergo would be sorted out in the next books of the series . Of course , I may be wrong , and If I am , I'll address them , but for now , I have decided to give this book some leeway for being the first book in an otherwise very entertaining book.



n   Final Verdict: n

n  n

In terms of Plot and world , I'd say that this is a very original fantasy, with a lot of foreshadowing and subtlety involved in it's plot progression and that along with the ambiguous characters really delivers this home for me. However , if you look at the Goodreads ratings, you would find it on lower sides of fantasy book rating. My inference from this is that this book is definitely not for every one and I'll reserve my recommendation regarding this book , until I've finished the whole series . But based on the first book , the originality alone would make me say that if you are bored of reading your cliched standard Fantasy , give this book a read , as it will give you a good fantasy book experience , without following the usual fantasy tropes

A book full of graceful prose, memorable characters, and great promise which wanders from theme to theme (and scene to scene) with a depressing lack of direction, conviction, or logic. The world, incompletely explored though it is, is fascinating, and I really enjoyed the first 3/4 or so of the book. But the conclusion, which isn't so much a falling action as a falling apart, is so baffling that it reveals the flaws present earlier in the novel. There's a lot here that just doesn't make any damn sense, and most of the compelling characters have been dragged so thoroughly through the mud of Abraham's disturbing travesty of a denouement that they've almost entirely lost their luster.

Updating this to all FIVE STARS after finishing the series.


I should have looked at the cover better before starting this book. I thought I was going to have some sort of braid tugging and Little House on the Prairie style dresses. Boy, was I surprised! LOL

This is an Asian-inspired style fantasy that starts with a prologue of young men wearing robes and some sort of monastery (so I thought)...and with names ending in -kvo and -cha, etc. I was thoroughly confused for the first 5 or 6 chapters, then I decided to go check out Allen's review from The Library of Allenxandria. I was hoping it was a spoiler free review and it was! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8TDS...

Once a received a little coaching from Allen's video about the names of the characters and how this is a very slow moving story told mostly through the character's interactions, I started from Chapter 1 again and it was like a light turned on in my brain! I really liked the writing and prose; there was an air of mystery; LOTS of intrigue and political maneuverings which I LOVE in fantasy. This is NOT your typical fantasy though....no battle scenes, only a little traveling. One thing that I didn't care much for was the "inciting incident" as Allen called it, but it goes along with the storyline. I just wish it could have been something else.

I'm excited to talk about this when some of my buddy-reader friends have a live discussion on Youtube and I can't wait to read the next book in December!

It is true, what I had heard about A Shadow in Summer * now that I have read it. It is fantasy with so light a touch, with a story so humanistic, and a plot so counter to convention that some might even call it literary, or at least, an inspired subset of it. It is uniquely divergent from its genre that it alienates all but some readers, one of whom I hope could be you.

Only very few authors, I think, share Daniel Abraham’s audacity to make these story choices. Who they all are, I do not know but perhaps two, Robin Hobb and George RR Martin, and even they ventured only as far as the edge of mainstream. Both have stepped out of traditional medieval fantasy with its feel-good, heroic stance, into darker, grittier, more realistic territory but retained enough heart-stopping fantasy elements - Dragons! Sexy Love! Beautiful People! - that many readers can still get comfortable in that old-new spot.

Abraham strips off that comfort. A Shadow in Summer is a slow-burning adult drama and all the better for pushing the envelope. It does not mean I am ready to love it, for I do not as yet, but I like that it made me think of the story as a story first, then a fantasy. There is no inner escapism here, usually the prevailing reason for my reading, but only a dreaded sense of inevitable that no one escapes making choices. Sometimes, there are no good choices. I felt sorrow at the end. Not sorrow for any one character, for none moved me individually, but how collectively, they all must pay a price.

If the series title, The Long Price Quartet is any indication of its finale, then I like to think of my reading the four books (with certainty) as price for holding a long position. My investment of time is poised for a satisfactory return if Goodreads ratings are any reliable, with a book upon book improvement in ratings *. That is a relief, because some plot and circumstantial aspects lack credibility, particularly with how little safeguards important people have. A glaring blemish I hope future books will address.

Who knows how long Abraham took to pen his thoughts on paper, but the books were each released a year apart. This is a complete series of under 1400 short pages, another plus to try it. As if he had crafted one big story that was spliced into four interconnected but standalone pieces threaded through with coherence and consistency in thoughts and theme. At least, my impression of book #1, A Shadow in Summer, is that - of fluidity and flow that carry the story like a deep, languid river wending past its first bend. Of tension and momentum building into turgid waters with an undercurrent of lovely, lovely dialogue. I can just read over and over, mortal and immortal conversing, and swim in their words.

What I should really tell - my apologies for the oversight - is what this story is all about. I could say that it is about a handful of people caught in the eye of a political tornado that leaves destruction in its wake. That their perspectives, in multi-POV format, form our eyes and ears in a world both alien and familiar with medieval Asian-oriented rituals and subtle poses. A story where complexity and power lie not in gender or economy, but in poetry. How a thought can take shape if we can control it. Or, I could say, read Wastrel’s excellent review.

Well, I cannot control what anyone reads but to get this underrated book into someone’s hand, I think, I hope, rounding up to 5-stars may help.


[* The Long Price Quartet series: A Shadow in Summer (#1, 331 pg, 3.59 stars); 2007: A Betrayal in Winter (#2, 320 pg, 3.87 stars); 2008: An Autumn War (#3, 366 pg, 4.01 stars); 2009: The Price of Spring (#4, 352 pg, 4.06 stars)]

Really cool world building combined with a story that I really didn't care about. :( But the world was quite cool, did I mention that?

I think this book is really a 3.5 star review, but Goodreads is a Sith and believes in absolutes and the end is very strong, so it gets a 4!

A Shadow in Summer is quite slow paced and cautious in revealing details to you. You're dropped into an intriguing world with a magic system that in theory, sounds pretty amazing (I say in theory since honestly I feel like I only understand like, 50% of it since the details are kind of sparse). And introduced to a cast of characters whom I enjoyed but didn't love, that said, with further development I could see myself growing more fond of them. All in all, a very solid foundation for book in a series.

The story from there is good. It takes its time but it's unique which I loved. There's some fantastic moral pondering about the central drama which was fun to pick apart. I can't say I found it great though, just good, probably since I didn't feel deeply for most characters.

Still, the ending is great and I'd definitely say it's worth the read for non-typical fantasy!

Lemmed at 29%.

Daniel Abraham isn't for me. This is the second book I've read by him where I couldn't get emotionally invested in the characters (the other being The Dragon's Path).
There's nothing unlikable about them but there's nothing that makes me want to pick this book up and spend time with these people. The only one I liked was Amat, a 58 year old overseer/accountant but I was totally turned off after she was beaten and called a cunt. I hate that kind of stuff and it seemed so unnecessary..

Everything about this story should work. The setting is Asian-inspired. The magic is kind of cool but for some reason, the whole thing is bland to me. And the plot doesn't make any sense. The andat named Seedless wants to be free of his master and is aborting a baby to do this? Why doesn't he just kill his master? The magic isn't explained at all at this point..

I just don't want to spend any more time on this story. It's not for me and that's fine.

I picked up this book because of the laudatory blurbs from both George R.R. Martin and Connie Willis.
I know Abraham has co-written with Martin before; although this is his first solo novel, it doesn't read like a first effort in any way - it's definitely engaging, above-average fantasy.
The world is a somewhat familiar fantasy scenario with an Asian-ish flavor, but not so much so that it doesn't feel interesting and original. It's set in a kingdom whose power rests on the andat - powerful beings in human form who are concepts incarnate - trapped/created by 'poets.' These poet/magicians are like monks, and have to go through a rigorous training program which few succeed in.
The plot involves a conspiracy which may be rooted in a personal desire for revenge, but entwines business and politics as multiple layers are revealed. Along the way there are twists and turns, a love triangle, and more. For me, though, the star of the show was the character Amat - an older woman, an accountant. Not your usual hero (or anti-hero), but she was a compelling, complex person.
Good characterization and interesting worldbuilding together mean I'll definitely have my eye out for more of Abraham's work.

This is a nice little novel and a very good start to a series.

A Shadow in Summer is a fantasy novel. But of a different kind. If you think that magic is underplayed in A Song of Ice and Fire you'll surprised of how little there is in here. And yet, It is kind of unique. Poetry is the magic in this world, where poets described concepts through words and then they can give them physical form and basically slaved the concept into do something for them. It is strange but quite interesting I hope the magic system is explored a little bit more in future books.

Characters are also good ones, you have you archetypes here and there but they fulfilled their roles quite well. All of them though are sad and tragic characters so take into a count that this is not very happy story so far.

Recommended if you like low magic/high politics fantasy.

Good writing, fantastic fantasy world (the andat, the poets, the poses were all brilliant) but the plot really ruined the book for me. There were a lot of random decisions by characters that didn't make sense, plot holes, confusing contradictions, etc. This book kind of helped me realize the difference between great writers and good writers. A good writer can, simply, write well - describe things, is good with words, has good ideas, etc. A great writer reflect emotions through their writing, makes their characters real and allows us to see the depths we see in ourselves. That's why writing is so important...it takes our inner thoughts and puts them in the minds of others and helps us recognize they are human too, to understand and empathize with their decisions, not just condemn them - which is an inherently progressive and left-wing thing.


The only really solid character is the main character - Otah. What he goes through and his decisions are the only ones with enough background and description that really make sense. As for the other characters and events...

- Why did Seedless think the sad exchange trick would work? It's the fundamental plot of the book and there's all this reasoning as to why it would work (which is never really explained) and then they do it....and it doesn't work. So....??? They never even explain why it bothered Heshai so much, which would have made it more believable.

- Why does Amat obsess over the Maj so much? Why does she throw away everything and buy a whole group of sex slaves just to help avenge one woman? It's hypocritical and illogical. Even when introducing the idea of saving the city, she is again agreeing to potentially forcibly abort thousands of women who are her city's "enemy" to avenge one? It's just not believable, her decisions are all over the place.

- Why does Marchat love Amat? Why does Maati love Liat? Both of these come out of nowhere, one comes to fruition and one doesn't and neither are explained in any way. They're just dropped in as plot devices.

- Seedless is all over the place as well. The opening conversation he has with Maati, prior to knowing who Seedless is, was great because it sets up Seedless as this thoughtful creature being forced to do good by seemingly good masters. That's already complex enough...but then Seedless is awful...then he's good again..then terrible...then good. He just is all over the place, which would make sense if he was just devoted to becoming free but he repeatedly focuses on other things, such as Maati cuz he "likes" him. What?

- Why was Liat attacked by Marchat? It's explained but it still really doesn't make sense. Amat has all the evidence, what the hell does it matter if Liat testifies or not? Not to mention they could have just then had Otah testify as well?

too many contradictions, too many unrelatable characters making unexplained decisions. There's no attachment to anyone but to Otah. Just when I think people are going to get interesting the story makes a poor decision and gets boring again. It was a lot to trudge though, but luckily the writing and world were interesting enough that I managed to finish it. Definitely not reading another one though.

Really starting to wish I found Abraham's books sooner...