I received this for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy on November 15th 2016 Pages: 655
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The New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling collection of short stories chronicling the adventures of Simon Lewis as he trains to become a Shadowhunter is now available in print for the first time with ten brand-new comic illustrations!
Simon Lewis has been a human and a vampire, and now he is becoming a Shadowhunter. The events of City of Heavenly Fire left him stripped of his memories, and Simon isn’t sure who he is anymore. So when the Shadowhunter Academy reopens, Simon throws himself into this new world of demon-hunting, determined to find himself again. Whomever this new Simon might be.
But the Academy is a Shadowhunter institution, which means it has some problems. Like the fact that non-Shadowhunter students have to live in the basement. At least Simon’s trained in weaponry—even if it’s only from hours of playing D&D.
Join Simon on his journey to become a Shadowhunter, and learn about the Academy’s illustrious history along the way, through guest lecturers such as Jace Herondale, Tessa Gray, and Magnus Bane. Written by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, and Robin Wasserman, these moving and hilarious short stories are perfect for the fan who just can’t get enough of the Shadowhunters.
My Thoughts:
It’s not secret that I am a huge fan of Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter books. I’ve read and loved all the books out so far. I particularly loved learning more about Magnus Bane through The Bane Chronicles. I listened to the audiobook of each story and simply loved them! When I heard we would be hearing more about Simon and his life at the Shadowhunter Academy I was pumped! I knew I would also have to listen to the audiobooks. They get such amazing narrators for each one!
I’m not really sure how to structure this post. There are so many things I want to talk about! It seems a list will work best:
- Audiobooks: Each story in this book was released as an audiobook. You can buy them individually on audible (as I did,) or you can wait until the book releases and get the collection. Each story is narrated by a different person. These narrators are exceptional! Sam Heughan (of Outlander fame) even narrates one of them. If you’ve never done audiobooks before these are a great intro as they’re not terribly long.
- Illustrations: I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of this book as well. Each story has an illustrated excerpt before it starts. I was intrigued by which parts of the stories they chose to illustrate. Each one is stunning. It really adds to the collection overall. These illustrations alone are reason to purchase a physical copy as well!
- MOAR Simon: Oh hi there Simon. So happy to see more of you!
- New Characters: In addition to getting to see more Simon, there is a whole host of new characters we’re introduced to. I particularly loved seeing how those with and without Shadowhunter blood interacted. Throw in a few Downworlders and things escalate quickly!
- Old Friends: I will never get enough of seeing characters from The Infernal Devices, The Mortal Instruments, and The Dark Artifices again. It’s interesting to see how their shared history affects their stories.
- Born To Endless Night: This is the penultimate story in the collection. I loved every story but there is something special about this one. Oh, this one. I laughed and cried and have listened to it over and over. I’m sure part of it is that it features Magnus and Alec. But it’s more than that. This one just really, really touched me.
Basically any fan of the Shadowhunter books should check these stories out. There are spoilers for The Infernal Devices and The Mortal Instruments so I’d recommend finishing those first 🙂
Sabrina R.
Jealous you got a free copy. I have been chomping at a bit for this book to be all grouped together and not just an ebook. Now to decide if want to wait for paperback like the rest of my Cassandra Clare books or get this one in hardcover.