David Dalglish’s ‘A Dance of Cloaks’

This week I am reviewing a book recommended to me by a friend: David Dalglish’s A Dance of Cloaks (Book One of the Shadowdance Series). A Dance of Cloaks is a dark fantasy novel thatfollows Aaron Felhorn, a young man who is set to inherit the most influential position of power in the city of Veldaren: head of the Assassin’s Guild. Aaron’s father, Thren, is the most skilled assassin who has ever lived. As such, he has a fleet of thieves’ guilds that are under his command, and all of the most influential politicians take heed of his wishes. Aaron has been groomed into the perfect assassin: cold, calculating, and unflinching in his devotion to the guild. But everything changes when, in a split-second decision, he risks his life to save a young girl from his own guild. Now, Aaron struggles with finding his own identity, as well as becoming a wildcard in one of the most volatile political arenas to have ever been imagined.

I am grateful that my friend recommended this book to me, because it was an immensely enjoyable read. Dalglish’s world is dark and foreboding, giving the city of Veldaren a feeling similar to that of DC Comic’s Gotham City. The story is intensely personal, and Dalglish manages to finely weave several seperate storylines together. In a style similar to George Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, the story switches back and forth between several characters, building up the political intricacies and overall feeling of shady politics. If you like the cloak and dagger dealings of A Game of Thrones, there is much for you to like here. The book is, undoubtedly, fantasy, with all the lovable elements of sword and sorcery abound. That being said, if you aren’t a fan of high fantasy novels, it is still quite possible that you will find something in this book to love. The character development is top-notch, with Aaron Felhorn going through some dramatic, albeit believable, changes. Dalglish also manages to craft some truly powerful female characters, a feat that many male authors have trouble accomplishing. Is it perfect? Not at all. In regards to the magic, there are many times where the rules governing its use in the universe are…convenient to say the least (that being said, I have read very few books where it is NOT convenient…it still bothers me). Besides the sometimes convenient solution to some plot points, David Dalglish has definitely impressed me with A Dance of Cloaks. Offering a host of believable characters, an enigmatic protagonist, a dystopian medieval setting, and a great deal of action and political intrigue, A Dance of Cloaks has earned its place on my library shelf. If any of the above sounds appealing to you, even if you normally shy away from fantasy novels, give this book a shot: you may just love it.