A Shadow in Summer: Book One of The Long Price Quartet

It has been four months since I read this book, and I still vividly remember the characters. The characters are real to me. They are real, not only because they have all the foibles and intricacies of true people, but also because Abraham drew them with such vivid, perfect descriptions. You should read this book if you enjoy seeing interesting characters interact in a fantasy setting. The fascinating characters' interactions are like a dance. I recommend this book, if you want a wonderful reading experience that will stick with you.

I am in love with this book. The characters, which in some ways are familiar (the Hidden Prince, for example) are richly written, real people with real lives rather than fleshed out stick-figures who only serve to advance the plot. The relationships are complex, both friendships and emnities are well founded, and the interactions are genuine, almost making the reader feel embarrassed to be evesdropping on conversations rather than reading them in a work of fiction. Mr. Abraham amazes me with his ability to paint details into scenes with an economy of words, relying on mastery of vocabulary rather than volume of prose. Having only read of the place in this book, I feel I know Saraykeht. It's seedy dockside, it's glorious noble quarter, it's teahouses, inns, and places where workers toil at their labors are all familiar territory to me. I can hear the beggars singing for alms, the the prostitutes singing for clients, and the food vendors hawking parchment wrapped parcels of fish and ginger or sugar-glazed almonds. The climate of the place is so well detailed that it too seems like another character. The plot and storyline are also impressive. I have read enough novels to this point to be tired of over-reaching tales of high improbability. Mr. Abraham's story is above all things believable, written on a scale that takes no great leaps of faith to bring to life in the mind's eye. Normal people doing business, living and working in a world where the greatest magic is not wizards raising armies of undead or lobbing fireballs about the firmament, but that of the Poet, who once in his lifetime chants a song that's taken him years to write, to capture a thought and make that thought flesh and purpose. Court intrigue is at play here, not high wizardry and grand adventure, and I applaud the author for it. This story is pure, well considered, and believable.

I was lucky enough to get an early copy of this book, and I wanted to say that it is one of the best books that I've read in a long time. I'm not an editor, or an author... I'm just a reader... but I can honestly say that I loved it. The plot was intriguing and the character development was wonderfully done. I especially liked that you learned so much more about the characters as the book progressed, rather just having everything thrown at you in the beginning... The way Daniel wrote it, it was a lot more difficult to anticipate a character's actions, which made it even harder to put the book down! I can't wait until the 2nd book in the series.

As a fantasy writer, I find it very hard to get involved in someone else's world, but this book really blew me away. I kept trying to figure out how he did it--and how I could write more like that. The characters are marvelously believable and sympathetic--complex, with mixed emotions and motivations. I wanted them all to succeed, and knew that they could not. Abraham is a master of resonance, building in layers of meaning and echoes that return throughout the work. Definitely not your standard fantasy. The plot moves slowly, on the one hand, and yet I was engaged by the characters & didn't mind the pace. I did find the ending a bit of a let down--but I am eager for the next book to see where the brewing troubles will lead.

This is a good book. It's intelligent, it's fresh, and it's human. Abraham creates a new world, introducing some fascinating concepts, such as demigods forged by poets, which is what Fantasy as a genre allows you to do, and at the same time what he has created is warm and human. These characters come alive off the pages. You care. Abraham treats you like an adult. It is rewarding to read some fantasy that is grown up and complex and smart. Makes you feel that you are, too. My only negative comment is that it takes awhile to get going. While he was educating me about this new world, he almost lost me. If you are in the first quarter of the book and feel that way, keep reading. It's worth it.