A fitting conclusion to the duology

Okay, a few disclosures. One, I may be a little biased because I’m a big fan of Intisar Khanani’s work. Two, I went into this book as someone who’s been having a hard time getting back into reading for the last few years. Last year, I read one graphic novel (Neil Gaiman, et al) and two short stories (Intisar Khanani). The year before that I read one full-length book and one novella. That’s how dire my reading has been. In an effort to get me into some kind of reading mood this year, I revisited old favorites–specifically, Intisar Khanani’s Sunbolt Chronicles, a series that I absolutely love. I read the two books in the series before diving into A Darkness At The Door.

So, take all of that as you will. My ‘reader self’ is still out of sorts so writing a review after so long feels a little strange.

Anyway, having said all that, I find that A Darkness At The Door is a great conclusion to the duology and I enjoyed reading it. Well, I like most of it.

Here are some of the things I like:

It has a strong and resilient woman at the center, and the supporting characters are pretty interesting, too (shoutout to Artemis and Lirika!). It’s a gripping story with a lot of action and a little magic thrown in. It has disability representation that’s handled well. It has some pretty dark stuff and mature themes, but I think they’re tackled well, too.

I think the best thing about the duology is the main character, Rae, who is the heart of it all. She’s strong, but also vulnerable. She’s smart and thinks things through, but she’s not closed off to her emotions. She gets herself into some kind of trouble so many times, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that she’s a big-hearted person who doesn’t let anything stop her from trying to help others.

Some of the things I don’t care for:

I think the pacing isn’t as consistent as Theft and my attention wavered a bit somewhere in the middle of the book. It’s like so many things are happening and also nothing is happening, I don’t know. Things pick up towards the end though so it’s fine. Also, the romance bit, which isn’t bad really. I’m not a big fan of heavy romance mixed in my fantasy and sci-fi reads, so I’m glad that the romance here is kind of light and clean. I would have preferred none of it for this, but that’s just me (haha).

I don’t know how to get into more details without spoiling a few things, so let me just say that A Darkness At The Door is a great ending to the duology. Many things are wrapped up nicely.

Like most good stories, the book ends with new beginnings, so, you know, I think it’s nice and open to potentially more stories in the Dauntless Path world. I know I would be happy to read something that features other characters like Rae’s sisters Niya and Bean or even Lirika.

Note: This review also appears on my blog whiteskyproject.com.

This was one of the more satisfying conclusions to a story I've read in a while. Actually, I hope it's not the end. I hope there are a couple of spin-offs at some point. I was only bothered by one character's story not being concluded. The romantic aspects of the story were good without overwhelming the rest of the story, which was nice too.

Rae is so strong and kind and bossy and "prickly" - just human, that it's easy to root for her. I also admire that the author decided to talk about a problem that's pretty much everywhere that most don't even want to think about, and she did it in a Y/A appropriate way.

I enjoyed the series. I'm glad I read it. If there are no more books in the world of this series that's ok, there are more that'll be great.

Love this author, love this series. Khanani’s prose is beautiful without being overly flowery, and her pacing and flow is spot-on.
I’m enjoying all the slow-burn goodness, the magic, the action, the setting and intriguing characters.

This was absolutely brilliant. The way the story unfolded, all the character arcs and the awareness it shows on human trafficking.
Rae is such a headstrong, smart and thoughtful character, she was one of my favourites. Bren! I knew he had something to hide (lol) but his loyalty to his men and Rae ;) was the best trait.
Intisar khanani's writing is so eloquent but easy to understand and conveys the story in a wonderful manner. I keep wanting more.

The conclusion to this duology was amazing.
I love the characters and the work that went into them, I love the disability rep
And most of all I love the author's ability to write such a good atmosphere in her books

Intisar Khanani is quickly becoming one of my all-time favorite authors and this book certainly helped! Loved it.

An immersive writing, a detailed magic system, and a compassionate protagonist make this a refreshing read that explores injustice due to corruption, family dynamics, and a romantic subplot well.

A solid conclusion to Rae's story that began with "Theft of Sunlight." While part of me balks at the good woman reforms a bad boy trope, Khanani makes it work well in this sequel. With strong characters who have their own unique moral compass, we see Rae bring about change in the world around her in a surprising fashion.

Looking forward to seeing if there is anyone else to explore in the Dauntless world.

What a bittersweet way to end the trilogy! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this series and getting to know this world.

Thanks to netgalley & the publishers for this e-arc.

Nooo! I really wanted to love this book, but I just didn't.

I was tempted to rate this lower, but have decided to be more forgiving, because I think my main problems were that my hopes had been so high after the first two books, which I really enjoyed, and the fact that I didn't ship the main couple and this book was a lot less about the action, the story, and the search for friends, and more about the relationship.

I didn't like the seemingly endless conversations about the nature of justice, as interesting as that concept is, I felt the slow boat travel section to be pretty excruciating while each person considered how they could be with the other with their different viewpoints <spoiler> only for one of them to essentially give up their role and stance because Romance!</spoiler>

Rae needed rescuing quite a lot, which got repetitive, and more interesting characters than Bren were relegated far into the background. Also, the big event from the end of the last book that made it personal for Rae, and directly led to the events of this book, was just abandoned. <spoiler>One character who was abducted early on was searched for endlessly, but another was just given up for lost.</spoiler>

The ending seemed convenient, and quick, and a bit too neat, but I think I'm just bitter because I really didn't want Bren to be who he turned out to be in a not-so-twisty twist, and I would rather their relationship hadn't gone the romantic route, I think they could have respected and admired each other without it going further or with them giving up the more interesting parts of their personalities and roles in order to be a couple.

I know others have loved this though, and it was well-written, and well-paced, so I can't be too harsh, so this was all down to personal preference for me, so despite my criticism, I'll give it an ok.

This was such an emotional rollercoaster. Similar to The Theft of Sunlight, A Darkness at the Door picks up where we left off- with Rae kidnapped and aboard a slave ship and in the middle of the political conspiracy. Rae is one of the most resilient and compassionate characters I've had the pleasure of meeting. Her strength, despite the intolerance others have for her and her disability, spoke volumes and it meant that I was firmly rooting for her throughout my reading experience. So many dark topics are discussed and covered in this book and without going into spoilers, all I'll say is that the author knows how to write rich stories filled with emotion. I'm so excited to continue reading Intisar's books, despite the fact that I seem to always cry alot when reading her words. If you love YA fantasy, then this book is definitely for you.

"I keep trying to pull away from you, Rae. It never works. It's as if I'm caught in your orbit; I can only get so far before I come back again."

"A Darkness at the Door" is the third book in the Dauntless Path trilogy and picks up where "The Theft of Sunlight" left off. Rae, along with several children, is being held captive by slavers on a ship. She desperately needs to get information about the mages being at the heart of the rot in the kingdom to Princess Alyrra, and hatches an escape plan. But when that goes horribly wrong, she's saved by a Fae sorceress, to whom she now owes a life debt.

Rae won't rest until the children are freed and races to their final destination before they get sold. She still has friends though and receives help in the form of Bren, the thief she just can't stop thinking about and who gets her pulse racing just a little. But what hope do they have of a normal relationship when Bren lives outside the law while Rae has sworn to uphold it?

I think "A Darkness at the Door" is the best book yet in this trilogy, which I have enjoyed immensely. Rae is a gorgeous character, complex and very much dauntless, ready to step right into danger if it will help others. She is unafraid to embrace her body (she has a club foot) regardless of how others may see her, and their underestimation of her is often her enemies' downfall. And the 'will they, won't they?' romance is highly engaging. Bren is such a great love interest because how do you manage falling for a criminal?

I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an early copy of this book.

This review took me a long time to write because I had to sit on the book for a while. I’m always getting hit by this bittersweet feeling after the end of a trilogy.
But I can say, this was a great and satisfying story.

I’m a huge fan of thorn and theft of sunlight and was very happy to see that people picked up on how amazing this author writes.
This book, without any spoiler, is a must read and has the perfect romance in it. I still smile thinking about Rae and Bren.
We got everything we wanted and more with this, a fast pasted plot from page 1, actual character growth and incredible writing.

I’m beyond glad that I decided to read this series and can’t wait to read other projects by the author !

Headlines:
Heroine with disabilities
Breaking the mold
Fighting, thieving and integrity

Intisar Khanani left us at the end of book two in pain with that ending but A Darkness At The Door did not disappoint. This was a story of tension, tragedy, gore and the fight for justice for those children being trafficked. This was a very full story with twists and turns that was ultimately hugely satisfying.

Rae is the kind of heroine I loved to admire. She broke through people's expectations of how she should be and behave and that cover came into perspective. Rae's fight for escape, revenge and justice kept me hooked from page one to the end. Rae's disabiliy was written well with ability realistically conveyed along with the pain, problems and attitudes that were faced on a daily basis. The magic was a light-ish touch but remained authentic to the dauntless path world.

Bren as a character and Bren with Rae really grew on me more in this book. I liked that neither character changed for one another. The side characters were wonderful, especially Bren's crew and then Rae's family. There was only a little of Alyrra which a lapped up but could have managed more.

This series definitely sits in my pile of favourites for world building, consistency and characterisation; Initisar Khanani is an equal favourite.

Thank you to HotKey Books for the review copy.

Stunning sequel! Absolutely love this world. Thanks to netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

It’s hard to give a synopsis of this book without giving spoilers for Theft of Sunlight, because we immediately jump right back in to where that book left off. Rae is held prisoner but when she breaks free is still held captive in other ways. She needs the help of thief Bren and his friends to save the kingdom and many she loves from the darkness.
Intisar writes such stunning books. The world she created is engrossing and the fast-paced plot kept me turning the page. In some ways these magical fantasies are like many I’ve read and loved before, but she beautifully highlights cultures and disabilities that are often lacking from this genre. I have loved the previous books in this series and this one was just as good. I made a NetGalley account legitimately just to get this book early because I was so excited for it.
I will pick up whatever this author writes next.
*thanks to NetGalley for an ARC

Intisar writes an excellent story, a continuance of The Theft of Sunlight. Still following the adventures of Rae as she doggedly continues her quest to find the sister of her friend and as many of the others that have disappeared over time.

At the start, Rae is injured and being trafficked along with a number of others much younger than her. On her escape, when it comes, she takes another with her. But something happens and they are separated.

Rae continues her journey, along the way she is ensorcelled, captured, given fighting lessons and so much more. It is though, a continuous battle to keep moving on with her journey along the path she has set out for herself. Others are intend on diverting or stopping her, and most just want to make use of her by one means or another.

It's very much an action story, but not like the ones that have soldiers battling etc. All in all its very different and enjoyable.

A Darkness at the Door is the final book in the Dauntless Path series. If you haven’t read this series, it is so good! You should give it a try.

Possible spoilers for the first books ahead. You have been warned.

<i> “Silver tongues, bone knives, white owls.”</i>


We catch up with Rae right where the last book leaves her, on a boat headed into a life of slavery along with several snatched children. This book puts you right back into the action and the action doesn’t stop till you reach the end of the story. Every twist and turn was delightful.

One of the things I love most about this series is Rae. I cannot think of another fantasy novel that has a main character with a disability. I have loved watching Rae progress from someone who expected little out of life and believed her disability was something that made her less worthy to someone who believes she IS worthy. She knows herself better and knows what she wants when we meet her again in this book.

I really didn’t know how she was going to overcome all that she was up against, but she did. I LOVED how the Circle storyline wrapped up. It was brilliant, exciting, and surprising. I’ll say no more.

The romance aspect ended exactly how I hoped it would. There were some fantastic romantic moments considering this book is not at all spicy. It’s perfectly suitable for teenagers to read. Nothing inappropriate for a younger reader, but it’s also really well done.

Thank-you so much Intisar Khanani, Hot Key, and Netgalley for providing this free arc. I’m so glad I was able to read this arc. I will absolutely be reading whatever she publishes next.

Thank you to Hot Key Books and Netgalley for letting me read a copy of this book ahead of its release!

I haven't necessarily made it a secret that I really enjoy Intisar Khanani's work, so I was obviously beyond excited for the third and final installment in the Dauntless Path series.

This is the second book following Rae and her journey to undo the injustice that's being done to the children of her country by allowing slaving rings to run freely. Without going into it too much to avoid spoilers for the rest of the series, this takes off right where book one left us with that major cliffhanger and, overall, is much more action-packed in comparison. Where book one was court politics, this one is all about finally dealing justice - one way or another.

I think the story was resolved in a very satisfying way, I have zero complaints. Sure, this being YA, it's not as complex as it could be, but honestly, the conclusion is still incredibly well-considered and nuanced, in my opinion.

The one thing I will not comment on, since it is not my place, is the disability rep this story gives us. Rae has a clubfoot and therefore chronic pain and difficulty walking (she later one also uses a cane as mobility aid). As far as I am aware. Khanani has stated that this rep is not based on her own, personal experiences. While I personally did not see any issues with the rep, especially when you consider the arc Rae goes through within the two books dedicated to her, that opinion isn't based in personal experience.
I'll be keeping an eye on the reviews to see if any own-voices readers raise complaints and obviously recommend everyone do the same, but this far, I haven't seen any criticism, so I'd carefully recommend it for this aspect of the story!

Overall, this was a great YA series that addressed some incredibly important themes, and I'm excited to see what comes next from Khanani!

Spoilers for the events of Rae’s first story, The Theft of Sunlight, Dauntless Path #2 below.

After her efforts to free captured children from the slavers find Rae in their grasp as well, she has no choice but to make a risky bargain with a dangerous sorceress for a chance at freedom. But the slavers aren’t so easily escaped, and the Darkness is an ever-present danger, so Rae turns to old friends, from both outside of and inside the law in an attempt to bring down the trade once and for all. She just may not recognize herself if she manages to come out the other side.

I loved this story. I really enjoyed getting to know Rae in the previous book, and the connections to the first book in the series, Thorn, have always been a joy, but this installment drew me in and did not let me go. I would say you most definitely need to read A Theft of Sunlight to fully experience this story – there’s not much time for getting caught up before the action pulls you away – but a knowledge of Thorn is not quite as necessary, though nevertheless nice to have.

Rae is a protagonist to be reckoned with. Bursting at the seams with all the qualities of a hero but with very human elements of anxiety, self-doubt, PTSD, and fear, she could not be more fleshed out. This book takes place at a variety of locales, all but one entirely new and unfamiliar, and Rae changes with the tide. I am very happy to report that a certain thief is very much present and accounted for and just as charmingly devilish as he has been in the past.

A grounded fantasy, magical elements present but not the main part of the story, this series’ heart is truly its characters and their many relationships and conflicts. It’s beautifully woven and the world is fully realized in every aspect. The element of conspiracy is detailed yet not too complicated that it’s impossible to follow. The amount of care and thought that went into plotting this novel is evident and I could not be more grateful for this beautiful story. Go read read read.

Content warning: child abuse, human traficking, ableism, blood, death, murder, violence.