The Shades of Magic series is a fantasy saga set in a universe with four parallel Londons, each with varying degrees of magic and danger, following the adventures of a rare magician with the ability to travel between these worlds.
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Kell is one of the last Antari―magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black.
Kell was raised in Arnes―Red London―and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, travelling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.
Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see. It’s a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.
After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.
Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they’ll first need to stay alive.
About the Author
V.E. Schwab, also known as Victoria Schwab, is a New York Times bestselling author known for her fantasy and science fiction novels. Her books have been translated into over 25 languages and have been adapted for television and film.
V.E. Schwab books have received critical acclaim and several awards, including the Locus Award for Best Young Adult Novel, the Alex Award, and the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Fantasy Novel.
Her adult novels have been published under the name V.E. Schwab, while her books aimed at a younger audience have been released under the name Victoria Schwab.
What to read next
The next book in the Shades of Magic series is A Gathering of Shadows, so I would recommend reading that next. If you have completed the series, you may want to read The Fragile Threads of Power. It’s the first book in a new trilogy set in the same world as the Shades of Magic series.
