Review:  One Dark Window (The Shepherd King Book 1) by Rachel Gillig

Rating: 4.75⭐️

Another new author, another absolutely amazing novel.  This one actually had me sobbing, shattered at the end, even though the author’s story and characters said it was coming. 

I’m was and am so immersed in this dark world that Rachel Gillig has created, full of mystical elements, mythical beings, and sheer terror lurking in the shadows.  Literally a magical vindictive mist that’s slowly enveloping all the woods around the town and its people , able to infect them with an  sickness that turns their blood black with a magic that will eventually kill them. By immediate discovery by the cruel King’ magic hunters or by a slow disintegration by the magic itself.

Our main protagonist is young Elspeth Spindle. Infected and hidden from the hunters by her ex hunter Father himself in his brother’s house and raised with her uncle’s family, Elspeth immediately grabs our minds and hearts. One of my favorite characters of late. 

She’s got plenty of secrets, reason to keep them and herself hidden and emotionally isolated, resourceful and, naturally mistrusting.  In Elspeth, Gilleg has crafted a stunning character. She’s quietly brilliant in her unexpected qualities, so vastly multi dimensional in the depths of her needs , that an accompanying darkness feels even more terrifying. And shattering. 

The highly complex and imaginative use of a magical Deck of Cards as a base element in the series arc and storyline is so satisfying and powerful. There’s a number of interesting aspects to this facet of the series and it’s beautifully written. 

So is the many “historical poems “ or repeated quotes from the important texts that appear throughout this book and, I imagine the next.  They contain the clues to the story and the characters dramatic moments and quests. 

That said, it in no way lessens the impact of each scene and moment as it occurs.

These are fantastic characters and impactful storylines. They are filled with pain, horror, tragedy, and death.  While Gillig has included some very funny bits of conversation and humorous moments to lighten the tone, the main themes and plots are consistently dark and gothic.

The names the author has chosen are intriguing and greatly tied into the story. I always wonder what the author is thinking when creating the characters names and towns like Blunder. The main character of Ravyn Yew, a layered well defined character and great balance for Elspeth, is one who has a meaningful name that makes sense the more the story unfolds. I love this aspect of this book. 

There’s multiple points of view but it’s absolutely necessary and well written.  Three main ones to be exact.  Instead of being distracting, it becomes an integral component of the characters and their journey. 

I absolutely adore this cover and would have been drawn to it even if I didn’t love the description already. 

I love One Dark Window (The Shepherd King Book 1) by Rachel Gillig even if it left me sobbing at the end of the book. Now I’m on to see how this aspect of the story is handled in Two Twisted Crowns, the finale. 

Highly recommended and thrilled to have found this author. 

Cover design by Lisa Marie Pompilio.

The Shepherd King Duology-complete:

🔹One Dark Window #1

🔹Two Twisted Crowns #2

Buy link:

        One Dark Window (The Shepherd King Book 1)

    

Blurb 

For fans of Uprooted and For the Wolf comes a dark, lushly gothic fantasy about a maiden who must unleash the monster within to save her kingdom—but the monster in her head isn’t the only threat lurking.

Elspeth needs a monster. The monster might be her.

Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom she calls home—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets. 

But nothing comes for free, especially magic. 

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it. Except the highwayman just so happens to be the King’s own nephew, Captain of the Destriers…and guilty of high treason. 

He and Elspeth have until Solstice to gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly, darkly, taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.

• Publication date: September 27, 2022
• Language: English
• Print length: 423 pages