About

The Shadows of Dust is a standalone novel authored by Alec Hutson, well known for The Raveling series. Here's the announcement post from the author on /r/Fantasy.

The Shadows of Dust book cover

Blurb

The Streams bind together the vast reaches of the stellar tributary, plied by brave streamsurfers and their telepathic starbeasts. Some of these adventurers are heroes. Some are rogues. And some just want to return from the void with their bodies and minds unbroken . . .

Kerin thon Talisien is the heir to a legendary name. When he was a young boy, his grandfather swooped down from the stars and rescued him from the slums of his homeworld. But with the death of the infamous old streamsurfer, Kerin and his crew have fallen on hard times, exiled from the Starfarers Guild and forced to take on risky contracts in the shadowy margins of the stellar tributary. A strange encounter in a glimmer den offers a chance at redemption and glory . . . but the stakes are high, with the fate of the Known potentially hanging in the balance.

Review

A riveting space fantasy epic. A standalone, though I'd be surprised if we don't get more books set in this expansive universe. And has a single POV. I wonder if there are other such gems out there waiting to be read that also meet these three criteria.

Having read The Raveling series before, I had high expectations for this book and it was indeed enjoyable. I especially liked the ending, a sweeter experience for me since one of my predictions at the start turned out to be true.

Pacing was nice and steady for the most part. Writing was easy to follow and descriptions gave a vivid picture of the universe. Character wise, I liked the flawed main POV character and crew members. Magical bond with creatures is a favorite trope of mine - when said bond is a massive flying turtle 🐢 with an awesome personality, what more do you need? Single POV was refreshing to read for such a huge setting, but I do wish we had other POVs so that I could relate to those characters better. Can't have it both ways 😁

There's lot of mysteries left to reader's imaginations (the book wouldn't have worked as a standalone otherwise). But, there's a fair bit of on screen plot elements that don't get a closure as well. So, here's to hoping for more content 😇

My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

What others are saying

From Michael's review on goodreads:

The Shadows of Dust is an interstellar, imaginative adventure of epic proportion. You will absolutely love this story if you are fans of science fantasy (fantasy novels based in outer space), fans of Star Wars, or anything of the sort, for this novel drags you along the nebulas and the stellar tributary and doesn’t let you go.

From Dustin's review on goodreads:

The plot was thrilling and the pacing, although slowing down at times, always kept me engaged. I loved the characters, especially Drifter, the giant turtle mentioned above. He has his own personality for sure, and I loved his bond with Kerin, the main protagonist and adventurous streamsurfer.

From Chris Puntoni's review on goodreads:

The main characters are intriguing, each in different ways with histories and challenges unique and curious, and the plot moves as the characters develop with satisfaction for both interests. Many recognizable tropes, but what makes this a standout is the quality of the writing - the description and vocabulary used, the fullness of the written experience. I am always fully immersed in Hutson's stories and enjoy them so much more because of it.

Bingo

/r/Fantasy/ 2020 bingo categories:

  • Optimistic SFF (HM)
  • Novel Featuring Necromancy
  • Self-Published SFF Novel
  • Big Dumb Object
  • Novel with a Magical Pet (HM)
  • Novel Featuring Politics
  • Click to view spoilerNovel Featuring a Ghost