Shadow of Night

Last updated
Shadow of Night
Shadow of Night 2012 Novel.jpg
Cover of Shadow of Night
Author Deborah Harkness
LanguageEnglish
SeriesAll Souls trilogy
Genre Contemporary fantasy, romance, vampire, witchcraft, alchemy
Publisher Penguin Books
Publication date
July 10, 2012
Publication placeUSA
Media typePrint (Hardcover, Paperback)
Pages592
ISBN 978-0-670-02348-6
Preceded by A Discovery of Witches  
Followed by The Book of Life  

Shadow of Night is a 2012 historical-fantasy novel by American scholar Deborah Harkness, the second book in the All Souls trilogy. As the sequel to the 2011 bestseller, A Discovery of Witches , it follows the story of Diana Bishop, a historian who comes from a long line of witches, and Matthew Clairmont, a long-lived vampire, as they unlock the secrets of an ancient manuscript. Diana and Matthew travel back in time to 16th century London during the Elizabethan era.

Contents

The book received generally mixed feedback from literary critics. Like its predecessor, A Discovery of Witches, it was praised for its blend of history and fantasy. Some critics felt that the book had too many secondary characters and plot elements. Harkness had previously studied England's Tudor period, in 2007 publishing a non-fiction book about the scientific revolution in Elizabethan London, The Jewel House.

Shadow of Night was first published in hardcover on July 10, 2012, by Viking Press, becoming a New York Times Best Seller upon its release. It has also been released as an ebook. Shadow of Night is followed by The Book of Life, the final installment of the All Souls trilogy, which was released on July 15, 2014.

Background

In 2011, A Discovery of Witches was published as the first installment in the All Souls Trilogy, debuting at number two on the New York Times Best Seller list. [1] Deborah Harkness began writing the All Souls Trilogy as a "thought experiment" after noticing the popularity of vampire fiction. [2] Harkness has studied magic and the occult since 1983, which provided much of the inspiration for the series. [3] Harkness is a respected historian of science and an expert on the Elizabethan era, [4] which gave her the inspiration for the 16th century setting of Shadow of Night. Much of the research for Shadow of Night came from Harkness' dissertation on John Dee. [5]

Synopsis

Book Two of the All Souls Trilogy plunges Diana and Matthew into Elizabethan London, a world of spies and subterfuge, and a group of Matthew's old friends who are part of School of Night. The mission is to locate a witch to tutor Diana and to find traces of Ashmole 782. As the net of Matthew's past tightens around them they embark on a very difficult journey. They find Goody Alsop to guide Diana. With her friends, Alsop helps Diana to understand that she is a weaver, one who creates her own spells. They also help her evoke her familiar, a dragon (firedrake) that acts as a protector. Diana and Matthew come to know that Ashmole 782 is made out of materials of creatures like skin, bones, blood, etc. and could be a codex of creature reproduction. Matthew Clairmont and Diana discover that time travel is no simple matter as they have to confront their ancestors; neither is their search for understanding themselves and retrieving the key that holds the legacy of creatures shadowed by history and secrets.

Publication history

Harkness submitted the novel's manuscript to her publisher in late 2011. [6] Shadow of Night was published by Viking Press for a North American release on 10 July 2012. It debuted at number one in Hardcover Fiction on the New York Times Best Seller list, [7] and number four in Combined Print & E-book Fiction. [8] It landed at number four on the USA Today Best-Selling Book list. [9]

Critical reception

Shadow of Night was met with generally positive reviews from literary critics. Sherryl Connelly of the New York Daily News described the novel as "rich, period fun, particularly delightful in its witty characterization of historical immortals." [4] Carol Memmott of USA Today gave the book four stars, praising Harkness' attention to historical details. [10] Both Memmott and Margot Adler of NPR expressed excitement and anticipation for the next novel in the series. [10] [11] Entertainment Weekly also praised the novel, giving Shadow of Night a B+: "The joy that Harkness, herself a historian, takes in visiting the past is evident on every page. […] Like any love affair, Shadow of Night has its rough patches. But its enduring rewards are plenty." [12]

Many critics pointed out that the novel was too complex, [11] and it had too many secondary characters and plot elements. [13] Paula Woods of The Los Angeles Times said Shadow of Night is "overstuffed but entertaining." [14] Elizabeth Hand, who previously criticized A Discovery of Witches as being too slow, [15] said that Shadow of Night "proceeds at a snail's pace" and is "overstuffed with secondary characters and plot elements that never quite earn out." However, Hand wrote: "Fortunately, Harkness makes up for a lack of narrative thrust by weaving a tapestry of 16th-century European life." [16] Sarah Willis of The Plain Dealer felt similarly: "The many details of place and time are lush, and every opportunity to describe clothes, furniture, buildings, even a mousetrap, is indulged. But the plot wanders as much as the characters do, and the first 250 pages are slow." [17]

Historical references

People

Books & Art

Places

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin J. Anderson</span> American science fiction author (born 1962)

Kevin James Anderson is an American science fiction author. He has written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E. and The X-Files, and with Brian Herbert is the co-author of the Dune prequel series. His original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award–nominated Assemblers of Infinity. He has also written several comic books, including the Dark Horse Star Wars series Tales of the Jedi written in collaboration with Tom Veitch, Dark Horse Predator titles, and The X-Files titles for Topps. Some of Anderson's superhero novels include Enemies & Allies, about the first meeting of Batman and Superman, and The Last Days of Krypton, telling the story of how Superman's planet Krypton came to be destroyed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelley Armstrong</span> Canadian writer (born 1968)

Kelley Armstrong is a Canadian writer, primarily of fantasy novels since 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diana Gabaldon</span> American author (born 1952)

Diana J. Gabaldon is an American author, known for the Outlander series of novels. Her books merge multiple genres, featuring elements of historical fiction, romance, mystery, adventure and science fiction/fantasy. A television adaptation of the Outlander novels premiered on Starz in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Waterhouse</span> English actor, writer (b. 1961)

Matthew Waterhouse is an English actor and writer, best known for his role as Adric in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who from 1980 to 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Goode</span> British actor (born 1978)

Matthew William Goode is a British actor. Goode made his screen debut in 2002 with ABC's television film Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. His breakthrough role was in the romantic comedy Chasing Liberty (2004), for which he received a nomination at the Teen Choice Awards for Choice Breakout Movie Star – Male. He then appeared in a string of supporting roles in films, such as Woody Allen's Match Point (2005), the romantic comedy Imagine Me and You (2006), and the period drama Copying Beethoven (2006). He earned praise for his performances as Charles Ryder in the 2008 film adaptation of the novel Brideshead Revisited and as Ozymandias in the superhero film Watchmen (2009). He then starred in the romantic comedy Leap Year (2010) and Australian drama Burning Man (2011), the latter earning him a nomination for Best Actor at the Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards.

Patricia Briggs is an American writer of fantasy since 1993, and author of the Mercy Thompson urban fantasy series.

Ann Carol Crispin was an American science-fiction writer and the author of 23 published novels. She wrote several Star Trek and Star Wars novelizations; she also created an original science fiction series called StarBridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nnedi Okorafor</span> Nigerian-American writer of science fiction and fantasy (born 1974)

Nnedimma Nkemdili "Nnedi" Okorafor is a Nigerian American writer of science fiction and fantasy for both children and adults. She is best known for her Binti Series and her novels Who Fears Death, Zahrah the Windseeker, Akata Witch, Akata Warrior, Lagoon and Remote Control. She has also written for comics and film.

This is a list of books by Mercedes Lackey, arranged by collection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brent Weeks</span> American fantasy writer (born 1977)

Brent Weeks is an American fantasy writer. His debut novel, The Way of Shadows, was a New York Times best seller in April 2009. Each of the five books in his Lightbringer series made the NYT list as well, starting with The Black Prism in 2010. He lives and works near Portland, Oregon with his wife, Kristi, and their two daughters.

<i>"U" Is for Undertow</i> 2009 novel by Sue Grafton

"U" Is for Undertow is the 21st novel in the "Alphabet" series of mystery novels by Sue Grafton. It features Kinsey Millhone, a private eye based in Santa Teresa, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deborah Harkness</span> American scholar and novelist

Deborah Harkness is an American scholar and novelist, best known as a historian and as the author of the All Souls Trilogy, which consists of The New York Times best-selling novel A Discovery of Witches and its sequels Shadow of Night and The Book of Life. Her latest book is Time's Convert: A Novel, both an origin story of the trilogy's Marcus Whitmore character, set in the American War of Independence and the French Revolution, and a sequel to the All Souls Trilogy.

<i>A Discovery of Witches</i> 2011 novel by Deborah Harkness

A Discovery of Witches is a 2011 historical-fantasy novel and the debut novel by American scholar Deborah Harkness. It follows Diana Bishop, a history of science professor at Yale University, as she embraces her magical blood after finding a long-thought-lost manuscript and engages in a forbidden romance with a charming vampire, Matthew Clairmont.

Diana Bishop may refer to:

<i>The Book of Life</i> (Harkness novel) 2014 fantasy novel by Deborah Harkness

The Book of Life is a 2014 fantasy novel by American scholar Deborah Harkness, the third book in the All Souls trilogy. As the sequel to the 2012 bestseller, Shadow of Night, it follows the final steps in the story of Diana Bishop, a historian who comes from a long line of witches, and Matthew Clairmont, a long-lived vampire, as they unlock the secrets of an ancient manuscript.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leigh Bardugo</span> American fantasy author (born 1975)

Leigh Bardugo is an American fantasy author. She is best known for her young adult Grishaverse novels, which include the Shadow and Bone trilogy and the Six of Crows and King of Scars duologies. She also received acclaim for her paranormal fantasy adult debut, Ninth House. The Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows series have been adapted into Shadow and Bone by Netflix, and Ninth House will be adapted by Amazon Studios; Bardugo is an executive producer on both works.

Paula Brackston is the New York Times bestselling author of The Witch's Daughter and other historical fantasy novels. She also writes the fantasy crime Brothers Grimm Mystery series under the pseudonym P. J. Brackston.

<i>A Discovery of Witches</i> (TV series) 2018 British fantasy television series

A Discovery of Witches is a British fantasy television series based on the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness, named after the first book in the trilogy. Produced by Bad Wolf and Sky Studios, it stars Teresa Palmer and Matthew Goode as a witch and a vampire who must learn about and fend off magical creatures. Edward Bluemel, Louise Brealey, Malin Buska, Aiysha Hart, Owen Teale, Alex Kingston, and Valarie Pettiford are also featured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher Marlowe in fiction</span> Fictional depictions of Chrisopher Marlowe, 16th-century English dramatist.

Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593), English playwright and poet, has appeared in works of fiction since the nineteenth century. He was a contemporary of William Shakespeare, and has been suggested as an alternative author of Shakespeare's works, an idea not accepted in mainstream scholarship. Marlowe, alleged to have been a government spy and frequently claimed to have been homosexual, was killed in 1593.

References

  1. "Best Sellers". The New York Times . Feb 27, 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  2. Pellegrino, Nicky (11 April 2011). "Deborah Harkness: Once bitten." The New Zealand Herald . APN News & Media . Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  3. Timberg, Scott (10 April 2011). "Deborah Harkness' 'A Discovery of Witches' started with airport bookstores". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  4. 1 2 Connelly, Sherryl (1 July 2012). "Book Review: 'Shadow of Night' by Deborah Harkness". New York Daily News . Mortimer Zuckerman . Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  5. Lee, Stephan (29 June 2012). "Deborah Harkness: The Dual Lives of a Fantasy Writer". Entertainment Weekly . Time Inc. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  6. Manette, Alice (12 January 2012). "Author mixes fantasy, history in 'A Discovery of Witches'". The Wichita Eagle . The McClatchy Company . Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  7. "Best Sellers – Hardcover Fiction". The New York Times . 29 July 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  8. "Best Sellers – Combined Print & E-Book Fiction". The New York Times . 29 July 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  9. Memmott, Carol (19 July 2012). "Deborah Harkness' 'Shadow of Night' shines at No. 4 on book list". USA Today . Gannett Company . Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  10. 1 2 Memmott, Carol (10 July 2012). "Harkness shines again with 'Shadow of Night'". USA Today . Gannett Company . Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  11. 1 2 Adler, Margot (10 July 2012). "'Witches' Sequel Casts A Complex Spell". NPR . Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  12. "Shadow of Night Review". Entertainment Weekly . Time Inc. 6 July 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  13. Weldon, Laura Grace (29 August 2012). "Shadow Of Night by Deborah Harkness". Wired.com . Condé Nast Publications . Retrieved 4 January 2012.
  14. Woods, Paula (29 July 2012). "Review: 'Shadow of Night' by Deborah Harkness is overstuffed but entertaining". The Los Angeles Times . Tribune Company . Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  15. Hand, Elizabeth (3 March 2011). "Books: 'A Discovery of Witches' by Deborah Harkness, reviewed by Elizabeth Hand". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  16. Hand, Elizabeth (17 July 2012). "'Shadow of Night' is the sequel to Deborah Harkness's 'A Discovery of Witches'". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  17. Willis, Sarah (17 July 2012). "With 'Shadow of Night,' historian Deborah Harkness resumes her time-traveling witch saga". The Plain Dealer . Advance Publications . Retrieved 3 January 2013.