Play of Shadows - (Court of Shadows) by Sebastien De Castell (Hardcover)

Number of Pages: 528
Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres
Sub-Genre: Fantasy
Series Title: Court of Shadows
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Jo Fletcher
Age Range: Adult
Book theme: Epic
Author: Sebastien De Castell
Language: English

Book Synopsis

Swordplay, magic, intrigue and friendships stronger than iron: the first book in a new swashbuckling fantasy series by the bestselling author of The Greatcoats.
Damelas Shademantaigne picked a poor night to flee a judicial duel.
He has precious little hope of escaping the wrath of Vixen, the most feared duelist in the entire city, until he stumbles through the stage doors of the magnificent Operato Belleza and tricks his way into the company of actors. An archaic law provides temporary respite from his troubles--until one night a ghostly voice in his head causes Damelas to fumble his lines, inadvertently blurting out the dreadful truth: the city's most legendary hero may actually be a traitor and a brutal murderer.
With only the help of his boisterous and lusty friend Bereto, a beautiful assassin whose cartnear may well be Damelas himself, and a company of misfit actor who'd just as soon see him dead, this failed son of two Greatcoats must somehow find the courage within himself to dig up long-buried truths before a ruthless band of bravos known as the Iron Orchids comes for his head.
Oh, and there's the that matter of the Vixen waiting to duel him...

Review Quotes

Praise for The Greatcoats
Traitor's Blade is a swashbuckling romp packed with charisma, camaraderie, quick wit and even quicker swordplay. That said, it's far from candy-coated - and it packs some serious substance . . . darkness is served up deliciously in Traitor's Blade--only de Castell uses it as the sauce, not the soup . . . What makes the book truly sing, though, is its rich historical backdrop . . . De Castell's fight scenes are as sumptuously detailed as the world Falcio inhabits. . . In its own way, Traitor's Blade is as grim and dark as the edgiest fantasy series on the shelves. It's also shot through with heroics, hope and a dazzling aptitude for fun.--Jason Heller, NPR

[Knight's Shadow] will blow you away . . . Sebastien de Castell has really, really outdone himself. . . I probably will have to wait another year for the third book in the series but it is definitely worth the wait. The Greatcoats series should be on every reading list.--The Book Plank

How wonderful it is to be back into this world . . . wildly entertaining . . . Greatcoats is now up there on my list of favorite fantasy series, and I never miss a chance to recommend it to my fellow readers and friends.--Bibliosanctum

If you enjoy fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat adventure and compelling, believable characters battling overwhelming odds yet never giving in, you can't beat the Greatcoats series. To read them is to love them.--The Oklahoman

Like the sword its disgraced protagonist carries, Traitor's Blade is short and sharp and smart, and very well wielded, really . . . With a tip of his hat at Alexandre Dumas, Sebastien de Castell make a fine first impression in this entertaining debut.--Tor

Once again de Castell has raised the stakes of his series with a fantastic new villain, and he has pulled together the threads of his past four books to create a very memorable conclusion. Tyrant's Throne has everything you love about the previous books; heartbreaking moments, laugh out loud humor, a loveable/hateable cast of characters, a fascinating world, and a fantastic author's voice.--The Quill to Live

This final adventure had heartache and loss, but also ended on that most uplifting and enduring of human conditions: hope. It is a beautiful ending to a fabulous series that ranges from swashbuckling fun to deep philosophical ponderations.--A Fantastical Librarian

This is a great series, that gets better with each book, while Traitor's Blade was good, an impressive debut and decent start to the series, Knight's Shadow improved on it in every way and with Saint's Blood de Castell has managed yet again to top his previous book by creating what will surely be one of the best fantasy books of the year. You're pulled in from the first page through to the last in this fast paced, character driven epic where come the final page you are left wanting more!--Tattooed Book Geek

About the Author

Sebastien de Castell had just finished a degree in archaeology and started work on his first dig, four hours later he realized how much he hated archaeology and left to pursue a very focused career as a musician, ombudsman, interaction designer, fight choreographer, teacher, project manager, actor and product strategist. After a year in the Netherlands, he has recently returned to Vancouver, Canada where he lives with his wife and two belligerent cats. He is the author of the award-winning Greatcoats series: Traitor's Blade, Knight's Shadow, Saint's Blood, and Tyrant's Throne, as well as the 6-book YA series, Spellslinger.