Shadow Blade by Seressia Glass

Shadow Blade by Seressia Glass

When I first started reading this one, I thought it was awfully similar to other urban fantasy out there right now. There’s the strong, brave, independent heroine, Kira, whose father figure/ handler is killed and she wants revenge. Enter the male lead who she’s attracted to but doesn’t at first want to work with. There are a couple of catches though that set it apart. Kira is a Shadowchaser, working on the side of Light fighting the Shadow, evil and chaos and the man, Khefar, is a 4,000 year old Nubian warrior whose dagger happens to fall into Kira’s hands.

What really makes the book stand out for me though, is the incorporation of Egyptian mythology.

[Kira’s] eyes closed as she held her prayers in her heart waiting. She never doubted her patron deity; enforcing order and justice were her life, and she lived the principle of Ma’at every day. Soon enough she felt a brush of warmth, the answering touch of the goddess. (pg. 72)

The blend of ancient Egyptian beliefs and modern Atlanta is fascinating and gripping. It’s also odd that a West African demi-god is the warrior’s companion, but once I accepted it I really enjoyed the interplay between Kira, Khefar and “Nansee.”

It took me a little while to get into the story, but then I was captivated. I’m sure lovers of urban fantasy will enjoy it. I thought the ending fit well with the rest of the book, too, and I’ll be looking forward to the next in the series.

Published January 2010 by Pocket
Shadowchasers #1
344 pages