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Dark Moon, Shallow Sea (The Gods of Night and Day Series Book 1) Kindle Edition
The first in a new epic fantasy series from David R. Slayton—author of White Trash Warlock—Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is a powerful story of divine betrayal, ghosts, and self-discovery, perfect for fans of the Dark Souls series or Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson.
When Phoebe, goddess of the moon, is killed by the knights of the sun god, Hyperion, all who follow her are branded heretics. With Phoebe gone, the souls of the dead are no longer ferried to the underworld, and instead linger on as shades who feast on the blood of the living.
Raef is a child of the night. He lives in the shadows, on scraps, eking out a meager existence as a thief. But when an ornate box is sequestered in the Temple of Hyperion, the chance of a big score proves too great to resist. What he finds within propels him on an odyssey across the sea and back again, altering the course of his life forever.
Seth is a knight of the sun. But unlike the others of his order, the fire of Hyperion only brings him pain. He believes he deserves this penance, exacted for his unknown origins. Tasked with recovering the contents of the box, Seth must also venture beyond the horizon if he’s to learn the truth about himself.
In a dying world divided by the greed of those in power, Raef and Seth find their destinies intertwined—and learn they might have more in common than they ever imagined.
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateOctober 31, 2023
- File size4645 KB
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Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Review
"A thrilling, atmospheric fantasy about one thief's desperation to do the Right Thing in a world where the moon has been vanquished and the dead linger. A twisty read, with surprises aplenty, and a lead who will pick your pockets and your heart. I look forward to more adventures with Raef and his friends." --K. A. Doore, author of the Chronicles of Ghadid trilogy
"David R. Slayton conquers his kingdom in the epic fantasy world with Dark Moon, Shallow Sea! Inventive, character-driven, and intensely exciting!" --Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Cave 13 and Long Past Midnight
"Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is as heartfelt as it is thrilling. A fantasy adventure rooted in compassion, the world building and lore are exquisite, and the characters are so real it hurts in the best way. I wanted to hug Raef, and I wouldn’t even be mad if he picked my pockets. I have waited my whole life for an epic fantasy like this." --Shaun David Hutchinson, author of Before We Disappear
"Immersive world-building, compelling characters, and a twisty plot. An excellent story!" --Gail Z. Martin, author of the Chronicles of the Necromancer
"Warning, clear your schedule because this is the fantasy novel you won’t be able to put down. Breathtaking action, yearning so powerful that it hurts, and that David R. Slayton signature wit combine like a symphony to lift Dark Moon, Shallow Sea from the extraordinary to the divine." --Barbara Ann Wright, Lambda Award-nominated and Rainbow Award-winning author
"An epic ride. This is Slayton doing what he does best -- building a complex yet compelling fantasy world, stirring in rich and layered characters that both steal and break your heart, and jettisoning you through a dark and twisting adventure that leaves you reeling and wanting more. I was riveted until the final pages." --Mason Thomas, author of Lord Mouse and Mouse: Scoundrel at Large --This text refers to the audioCD edition.Review
“Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is as heartfelt as it is thrilling. A fantasy adventure rooted in compassion, the world building and lore are exquisite, and the characters are so real it hurts in the best way. I wanted to hug Raef, and I wouldn’t even be mad if he picked my pockets. I have waited my whole life for an epic fantasy like this.” --Shaun David Hutchinson, author of Before We Disappear
"David Slayton delivers a beautifully realized world, his signature relatable characters, and some great twists. Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is rife with skullduggery and magic, romance and heartbreak. Highly recommended!" --Lynn Flewelling, author of the Nightrunner series and the Tamír Triad“Immersive world-building, compelling characters, and a twisty plot. An excellent story!” --Gail Z. Martin, author of the Chronicles of the Necromancer
“Warning, clear your schedule because this is the fantasy novel you won’t be able to put down. Breathtaking action, yearning so powerful that it hurts, and that David R. Slayton signature wit combine like a symphony to lift Dark Moon, Shallow Sea from the extraordinary to the divine.” --Barbara Ann Wright, Lambda Award–nominated and Rainbow Award–winning author
"A thrilling, atmospheric fantasy about one thief's desperation to do the Right Thing in a world where the moon has been vanquished and the dead linger. A twisty read, with surprises aplenty, and a lead who will pick your pockets and your heart. I look forward to more adventures with Raef and his friends." --K. A. Doore, author of the Chronicles of Ghadid trilogy“David Slayton delivers a beautifully realized world, his signature relatable characters, and some great twists. Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is rife with skullduggery and magic, romance and heartbreak. Highly recommended!” --Lynn Flewelling, author of the Nightrunner series and the Tamír Triad
“An epic ride. This is Slayton doing what he does best―building a complex yet compelling fantasy world, stirring in rich and layered characters that both steal and break your heart, and jettisoning you through a dark and twisting adventure that leaves you reeling and wanting more. I was riveted until the final pages.” --Mason Thomas, author of Lord Mouse and Mouse: Scoundrel at Large
"David R. Slayton conquers his kingdom in the epic fantasy world with Dark Moon, Shallow Sea! Inventive, character-driven, and intensely exciting!" --Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Cave 13 and Long Past Midnight --This text refers to the hardcover edition.Product details
- ASIN : B0C1Q1JCSG
- Publisher : Blackstone Publishing (October 31, 2023)
- Publication date : October 31, 2023
- Language : English
- File size : 4645 KB
- Simultaneous device usage : Unlimited
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
- Print length : 407 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #227,574 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #1,469 in LGBTQ+ Fantasy (Kindle Store)
- #4,273 in Epic Fantasy (Kindle Store)
- #9,078 in Epic Fantasy (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
David R. Slayton grew up in Oklahoma, where finding fantasy novels was pretty challenging and finding fantasy novels with diverse characters was downright impossible. Now he lives in Denver, Colorado and writes the books he always wanted to read. White Trash Warlock, David’s first novel, was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award. In 2015, David founded Trick or Read, an annual initiative to give out books along with candy to children on Halloween as well as uplift lesser-known authors or those from marginalized backgrounds. Find him online at www.DavidRSlayton.com.
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We are presented with the land of Agea, once ruled by two gods: Hyperion, the Sun, and Phoebe, the Moon—day and night. Then the Hierarch of Hyperion declared that the darkness was evil, and sent his knights to eradicate the darkness from the world. To do so, they destroyed Phoebe’s temple and killed all her followers, trapping Phoebe in the underworld.
The unanticipated consequence of that destruction was that the souls of the dead now had nowhere to go, and remained on earth, haunting the living. At night, without a moon to guide them, the dead souls formed a gathering shadow in the world, known collectively as the Grief.
Raef is a survivor of the destruction of Phoebe’s temple, living on his wits in the underbelly of Agea’s major city-state, Versinae, over which the golden dome of Hyperion’s temple looms. Early in the story he encounters a young knight named Seth, whose golden hair and flaming sword make him Raef’s enemy. Seth is guarding a mysterious box, brought to the crypt in Hyperion’s temple. Raef is a thief, hiding in the shadows, waiting for any opportunity. But he is not a killer.
“The priests of Hyperion preached their god’s mercy, but Raef had never seen it.”
The entire plot of this captivating book centers on this paradox, over-zealous protectors of a mythical goodness, lost in blind faith and the hunger for power, committing acts of cruelty and injustice in the name of goodness. And doesn’t THAT ring a bell?
Raef and Seth’s paths continue to cross as their respective journeys take them across the world on a quest neither of them quite understands. Their quests bring them knowledge, and with that comes the heavy burden of acting on the truths they have discovered.
I’m speaking in such broad strokes because I don’t want to spoil the pleasure of discovery in following the adventures of these two young men in chapters titled alternately, “Sun” and “Moon.” Slayton creates an intensely vivid world, full of imagery and action, seasoned with characters who amplify the contradictions and complexities of the world he’s created. There are plenty of familiar motifs—religious intolerance, economic inequity, class division—to draw the reader in; but ultimately it is Raef and Seth who hold our attention. Every epic needs its heroes, and these unlikely young men don’t even know that this is their role in the tale.
This was an enthralling read, and unlike any other fantasy I’ve read.
This is EXACTLY the sort of thing I'd like to see out of gay fantasy going forward. Interesting stories with romance being not quite secondary but certainly to the side of what is ultimately an interesting fantasy plot.
I can't wait to see what else comes out of this author, and I look forward to whatever comes next for this series!
David R. Slayton, I am hooked! I really enjoyed "The Adam Binder"stories, but they pale in comparison to this new series. The story line is dark but not scary, full of twists and turns, along with a few surprises that you readers will have to experience on your own. I saw that one reviewer thought the middle of the book was boring! Well, I am to tell you to ignore that thought because there is nothing boring between page 1 and page 401 and that is my truth! The author has begun an odyssey and is taking the rest of us along for the ride. May it be long and fun! I will not spoil the plot or story because it has to be read to be understood. Please purchase a copy to encourage Slayton to get book 2 out soon!
Reasons I enjoyed this book: Wonderful characters /Original /Tragic /Great world building /Page-turner /Action-packed /Unpredictable /Romantic /Entertaining /Haunting /Easy-to-readWitty
The Gods of Night and Day series #1.
Fantasy, dark. Knights, mythology, M-M elements, pirates, abandoned children, dying worlds.
Seth is a Knight but must offer penance on a regular basis. He doesn’t have control. He is tasked with protecting a box. He is not told why or what’s in the box. He doesn’t want to hurt people.
Raef wants revenge for the death and destruction of his godess, the tides and sea. In the knights temple he finds a man imprisoned within a box. Raef befriends Kinos but others are searching for Kinos.
Two opposing religions. Raef and Seth are on opposite sides of the religious destruction.
Ghosts, and shadows, spirits roam as the knights fight.
Dark, bloody, brutal. Fantasy. Stitched together shades. Battles.
Twists, turns, who is on what side? Who is evil? Who is the savior?
A complex fantasy that turns over and inside out as the Moon and Sun and their delegates battle for supremacy.