I’m sad I left this one so long to pick up, as it’s an excellent read.

This is the first in the series, and I was rather upset to find the next one isn’t out yet as I’m keen to continue!

It’s an interesting world, many suns, gods, power in light, but also a lot of darkness, secrets, poverty and riches.

The blurb on the back says it all better than I can, and it really does live upto its promise.

An excellent start, I eagerly await the next book.

My thanks to Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very interesting book, and the author has a great voice. I found myself pulled into the story and thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters are well developed. This is a strong first book in the series. I also absolutely love the cover.

This was an extremely unique book alongside the plot. The author was incredibly descriptive with this and the reader was able to vividly imagine the world

The world is incredibly complex with a multitude of characters to get on board with! There’s a lot going on and at some points I did find myself getting a little lost! But overall a gripping story and not a moment of boredom!

Really confusing because of the sheer amount of POV's! Currently catching up to my arcs so I will give a more detailed review in the future!

Because the amount of POV's this book felt very slow to me. The amount of POV's made me lose the plot multiple times and at some point I was just....confused. The only reason I kept pushing through was because of the really cool magic system. Oh I love me a book with an original magic system

Grieving Gold is a thrilling and captivating novel that immerses readers in the unique and mysterious world of Luminocity. Set in a city where the light of three sun gods casts down upon the decaying remnants of an ancient civilization, this book blends fantasy, horror, and a touch of science fiction in a way that kept me hooked from start to finish. The setting itself is fascinating, with the interplay of light, magic, and history adding layers of intrigue to the plot.

The story is both gripping and entertaining, with a pace that never lets up. McDaniel’s writing pulls you into this world effortlessly, and the combination of fantasy and horror elements keeps the tension high throughout. The magic system and the supernatural elements are fascinating, and the twists and turns in the plot make it hard to put the book down.

I thoroughly enjoyed Grieving Gold, and I can’t wait for the next books in the series. I’ll be getting them as soon as they’re released! This book is a must-read for anyone who loves fantasy, magic, and a touch of the eerie. Highly recommend!

The book pulls you in right away with its unique world and intriguing twists.
Laxerion is such an interesting character, his ability to find lies and his struggles with family debt made thia character seem.almost like a real person..
The Aztec-inspired lore and eerie creatures underground gibe this story depth which I really enjoyed. thia is a book that constantly has you wondering what's coming next.

This book was an uphill battle—so many concepts and perspectives, yet nothing truly came together. Too many questions remained unanswered, the prologue and epilogue felt disconnected, and key characters’ motives were unclear.

My thanks to Daniel Makk (the real name of the author) and NetGalley for a free DRC of "Grieving Gold" the first volume of "The Luminocity Seed" by Daniel McDaniel.
This was a bright debut inspired by the South American culture, and while I wanted a bit more cultural exploration, I am glad that the author was respectful and also created an engaging story for new adults.
The worldbuilding, the heist and the eldritch elements were quite fun after I managed to somewhat get used to the multiple points of view (maybe a bit too many POVs?).
My favorite character was Ilumi and I wanted to discover her secrets, but maybe they will be revealed in the next novels.
Overall a decent debut. I think the author is on his way to discover his own style. I hope he moves on from being influenced by Sanderson (not that is a negative thing) and develops a true authentic voice.

Sadly ,I had to dnf, I couldn't really get into this one as much as I thought I would but I think the writing was very good. I would still recommend this to people I know would love this type of story.

Grieving Gold by Daniel McDaniel is a captivating entry into the epic fantasy genre, blending elements of horror, adventure, and mystery. Set in the light-drenched world of Luminocity, the story revolves around five interconnected characters, each grappling with their own unique challenges and destinies.

The world-building is rich and immersive, drawing inspiration from ancient Aztec culture and weaving it seamlessly into a narrative filled with dark twists and eldritch horrors. The city of Luminocity, blessed by three gods, is a character in itself, with its crumbling skyscrapers and underground secrets.

The characters feel well-developed and relatable, each with their own distinct voice and motivations making it easy to remember whos point of view you are following. From Ilumi, the dedicated young scientist, to Dawb, the street urchin, McDaniel creates an array of personalities that drive the story forward. The interplay between light and dark, both literally and metaphorically, adds depth to the narrative, highlighting themes of power, loss, and redemption.

This is new sci-fi, fantasy world where the rich dominate the poor and class structure is very apparent. There is the threat of war looming. Lax, the main character, struggles in his attempts to save his father's bankrupt business. This was not an easy book for me to get through. The world building was a bit choppy and difficult to follow. That paired with the multiple POV storytelling had me running in circles trying to figure out who was where and doing what. At the start of each chapter, I would have to circle back to figure out how it was all related. I love stories told from multiple POV, but this one just didn't have the flow I've seen in other novels. After trudging through the world building and getting my wits about me with characters, it did end up being worth struggling through the entire first half of the book. This is a great book for people that like to keep notes and make drawings to when reading to help organize things.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Took me a while to read this book. Almost 10 months. I nearly gave up, then would read a page or 2, put it down and forget about it, pick it up, read, be bored to tears and wonder if i was going to have to file it under my dnf list which i hate to do. Anyway im glad i stuck with it in the end because it did get better after the 1st 100 pages and opened up into a much better story overall.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

📖 NetGalley Review

Grieving Gold by Daniel McDaniel
Endless Equinox, 1st February 2024

This milti-POV fantasy blends adventure, horror, and mystery. Lax has left home and pursues a life of crime; Lax's older brother Val is a soldier, and they both thought they'd become their father's heir; Illumi is a young scientist at the Scientific Institute; Alana is a would-be huntress; and Dawb is a street urchin seeking revenge for his best friend's killing.

When Lax and Val's father dies, leaving a bankrupt business with huge debts, Val assumes his father's position: General of the reserve armies and High Judge. Lax helps his brother resolve the financial issues. The story unfolds through the POV of Lax, Val, Illumi, Alana, and Dawb, although it is not always clear through whose eyes we are seeing, so it became confusing at times. It was a struggle to understand what was going on in the first part of the book, which detracted from the enjoyment. It was, however, worth wading through this to reach the engaging tale that emerged.

This is a fast-paced adventure with many twists and turns, and the story contains a world of contrasts that make it interesting. There are righ and poor, strong and weak, powerful and powerless, dark and light. If epic fantasy is your bag, you should find Grieving Gold a highly enjoyable read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Daniel McDaniel and Endless Equinox for the eARC provided via NetGalley; this is my honest review.

I tried really hard to get into this book. It has interesting characters who are introduced in detail before they begin to interact. There are so many of them keeping track of who is who was sometimes difficult. By the time they began to interact I had unfortunately given up and could no longer care who did what and why. Not the book for me I’m afraid.

Three sun gods bathe the city of legends, Luminocity, in their blessed light. The city stands on the decaying ruins of an ancient civilization. Skeletal skyscrapers guard their solemn secrets of forgotten technology and past tragedies. A dark God that holds grudges. Great book, Very developed characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review

I really wanted this to be a five star read for me but unfortunately it just didn’t quite cut it.

Grieving Gold is the first book in a new epic fantasy series. It is a multi-pov that follows a number of different characters of different genders and ages in the city of Lumo no se or “luminocity” a city that has a vast wealth and privilege gap between the wealthy and the poor. The story predominantly revolves around Lax,a young con-man who has been tasked by his ailing father with saving the failing family business. As Lax works on balancing the books, there is war brewing, both with the neighbouring country and the city’s seedy underbelly. Will Lax save the family business? And will anyone make it out alive?

For the first 50% of this book I really struggled with the constantly changing POV as it felt like I was starting over with every chapter but eventually I found the groove and really liked it. It was fast past and engaging and I cannot wait to see how the storylines eventually all weave together.

I did think that this book struggled with the world building and the magic system a little bit. The world it takes place in, and the magic system are extensive and I wish they had been explained a little bit more upfront, as I still feel as though I don’t truly understand them.

This book is good for people who enjoy
- multi POV
- Interesting magic systems
- Epic fantasy
- A “show, don’t tell” world building style

I enjoyed the story once I got really into it, and will be looking forward to reading the next one once it comes out, to start piecing more of the overlying story together. Overall I gave Grieving Gold 3.5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Endless Equinox for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Grieving Gold by Daniel McDaniel had all the elements that usually draw me into a story—a world rich with mythology, a protagonist with a morally gray streak, and the promise of high-stakes heists. However, despite these intriguing aspects, I found it difficult to connect with the book and struggled to follow the storyline.

One of the main issues I had was with the complexity of the plot. The concept of a world where powers are granted by the gods, specifically the abilities to find and lose, is fascinating. However, the way these powers were explained and woven into the narrative left me more confused than captivated. The story seemed to jump between various subplots and characters without enough clarity, making it hard to keep track of who was who and what was truly at stake.

Laxerion, the protagonist, is a character with potential—a thief navigating high society, trying to save his family’s failing business, all while facing threats from a dangerous crime lord. Yet, I found it challenging to get a solid grasp on his character and motivations. His internal conflicts and relationships, particularly with his estranged father, were hinted at but never fully explored in a way that made me feel invested in his journey.

The pacing also contributed to my difficulty with the book. The narrative moved quickly from one event to another, but without sufficient development or explanation, it felt more disorienting than thrilling. The world-building, while imaginative, was dense and sometimes overwhelming, making it hard to visualize the setting and understand the stakes of the unfolding conflict.

Additionally, the intertwining fates of multiple characters and the looming war on the horizon added layers of complexity that, instead of enriching the story, left me feeling lost. The introduction of eldritch beasts and ancient secrets promised a dark, exciting turn, but the execution was too convoluted for me to fully appreciate or enjoy.

In summary, Grieving Gold is a novel with a lot of ambition and a unique premise, but it didn’t quite work for me. The intricate plot, fast pacing, and dense world-building might appeal to readers who enjoy piecing together complex stories and don’t mind a bit of confusion along the way. However, if you prefer a narrative that’s easier to follow with more straightforward character development, you might find this book challenging to get into, as I did.

A promising start to a new sci-fi fantasy adventure epic!

As other reviewers have noted, this can be a challenging read due to the multiple POVs (at least 5) and storylines that all twist and intertwine with each other. The author is world-building and trying to cover the breadth of this, but there were points were the story lagged a bit and as a reader, i did at times struggle to remember who was what and where doing which thing.

But I stuck with it! And am so glad I did, because I am invested now and will need to get hold of the next book to see how the story develops from here.

I really enjoyed the fantasy element and the whole mystery around the magic and how the world seems to have been split into those that live 'below' and those 'above'. Book 1 has introduced an intriguing world on the cusp of civil war, with good and evil at play along with gods ruling the sky, mystical and incredibly powerful priests with their own agenda and all the characters in their own way trying to find their purpose/way in the world. Not everyone is human in the traditional sense and the magic element seems to present differently for everyone - definitely piqued my interest and drew me in.