Beyond the Shadows: The Night Angel Trilogy, 3 Mass Market Paperback – December 1, 2008

I would have liked a bit more epilog, but a nonetheless great ending to a great fantasy series. I've enjoyed everything that Brent has done. Thank you to the author

First off, I have to admit that I made a lot of vocal complaints with this entire series as I made myself read them all. It was something I just had to make myself do, despite the times I had tried and failed in the past. Now then, with that said, I have to also admit that I am beyond glad I made myself do it and ultimately, that I let my friends's suggestions help me to decide to do it to begin with. This series as a whole is absolutely and utterly fantastic - it presents you with an entire world and a full cast of characters to love or hate, but it distinctively shows you why you should do just that each and every time. And though the politics and army talk really strained me and my attention at times, as those are not my usual type of interests when fictional, "assassin"-themed books are concerned, it again really helps build the world up around you and gives you the best feeling from all perspectives. The series as a whole is worth reading for anyone interested in fictional work and fully developed characters/plot points, and as a side note as well, the Kindle version of each book is also very well laid out and another huge plus for them.

I agree with a number of other reviewers who only gave this series 3 stars however I have to say that after passing up these books for years due to the corny childish looking covers and thinking they we're some stupid kiddie "Ninja" books even after I started noticing everyone talking about this work and this Author I finally broke down and decided it was not fair to "judge a book by its cover" and give Mr Weeks a chance before blowing him off for good and boy am I glad I did! I have to say he ranks up there with my top 15 favorite Authors alive now and for a FIRST WORK I am very impressed, especially seeing as it sounds like he has had no formal training in writing!? I have to give him 4 stars since with just a little work I believe I would have put him up near the top of my all-time favorites list or within the top 10 easily and that includes people such as David Gemmell, Stephen Erikson, Martin, Robert E. Howard, Donaldson, Feist, Brooks, Rothfuss, Abercrombie, Lawhead, Bakker, Tolkien, etc...I think mostly, as the Authors first work and possibly a bad contract deal/bad publisher choice, it showed.....He has exceptional talent but I wonder if the publisher "harassed and hurried" him into finishing too quickly?! Knowing how they operate (all they think about is money) I guarantee that or something similar, is most likely what happened, reading Mr Rothfuss's blog not long ago after ranting about how long it has taken to finish his second book in a trilogy he apparently had already had written he claimed, I was pretty shaken and put in my place for "jumping to false conclusions based upon zero facts" to find that apparently even the death of both his parents, one after the other and both while finishing his second book, did not stop the greedy publishers of his books from pressuring him to finish up his second book (He had agreed to finish each book within 12 months I believe he said), luckily he refused to be badgered and pushed back, and so instead of a book every 12 months he took 3 years for just his second book! and said he wanted to make sure it was PERFECT for his audience and fans! I applaud him and his courage and integrity and to hell with the "contract" and publisher, if you made a mistake and need to adjust the "terms" then by God, get a lawyer if needed and do it! I encourage MR Weeks to take a hint from him and DO THE SAME, you have the potential to be one of the best fantasy writers of this generation, I could not put the books down and have been lying on my couch now for a week reading all three non-stop and finding some of the best characters and story plot I've ever read, now you just need to flush out the details and finish developing it properly! and do not worry about fitting it into someones square hole, if it takes 12 books, take a lesson from Steven Erikson....and don't think everything has to fit in three books...I'm really not sure where that came from but it is a stupid "rule" that every author seems to think they have to follow and it drives me crazy! Trilogy, Trilogy, Trilogy my ass....Do what is "right" for you and how YOU work and express your art and to hell with what the publishers and editors and "the rules" say you need to do! Believe me, the publishers can't live without people like you, they need you more than perhaps you know and definitely more than you need them now with the world of the internet and self publishing and with your stock in trade going way up with this first series, you can pick and choose what to do and when to do it and do it right.I know its easy for me to stand here and sound self-righteous and say "I would do things differently" without ever having stood or walked in your shoes, I know its hard when you have a family to feed, believe me I've done what I've had to do to make sure my family has had a roof over their heads and food on the table, so who am I to judge you for what perhaps you had to do, but I hope you will read these reviews and take the constructive criticism for what it is worth, realize you no longer have to bow to the proverbial and almighty dollar (I'm sure there are plenty of publishers, fair publishers who would give you a large loan/advance and let you take all the time and give you all the freedom you needed) so if you need to hire an attorney and break a crummy contract, I say go for it and do it and don't let anyone rush your excellence or edit your book so much that perhaps it comes out different from what YOU WANT.My Advice to MR Weeks, DO NOT SIGN ANY MORE CONTRACTS THAT HAVE DEADLINES IN THEM, TAKE YOUR TIME AND DO THE STORIES RIGHT, YOUR WAY. DO NOT LET THE MONEY GRUBBING PUBLISHERS PUSH YOU TO SETTLE FOR ANYTHING BUT YOUR BEST!God Bless You and Your Family,--JNR

+ Masterful weaving of independent storylines whose culmination results in a cliched “deus ex machina” finish that drives eager readers through the chapters.+ A rather wonderful improvement in the battle scenes that were so horribly done in the preceding novel.- Power for the sake of power becomes unrealistic when limits are never reached. Highlighting that some story arcs are individuals akin to gods decreases their worth in the story. Thankfully the bastardization of characters, through this unrealistic power jump, is left until the very end; allowing the reader to love them until the ridiculousness is unwelcomely introduced.- - - It would be nice to have a novella with the history of the black ka’kari as used by Thorne...A required novel for any reader who has any interest in the series. Ultimately anyone who loved the first novel will read through the end; so the point is very well moot.

Beyond the Shadows and the other two books in the Night Angel Trilogy are easily the best fantasy books that I have read that revolve around assassination and assassins ("wetboys" being a step above assassins according to Brent Weeks). They are exciting, easy to read, easy to understand, and don't get bogged down in unnecessary details like some fantasy series tend to. I found all three books to be much less predictable in plot than I expected them to be as I read them. When a plot mechanism would be revealed that seemed to tie things together in my mind I'd think "Ok, I can see where this is going," and then it wouldn't; it went somewhere else and was still believable and entertaining. These are the best fantasy books I have read in a very long time. I highly recommend them to anyone who enjoys a good story. You are going to want all three--guaranteed.

As always I dread the end of a loved series. It is hard to say goodbye to all these much loved characters.