Cast of Illusions Ashley J Barnard 9780615915098 Books
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Jonathan Wilder is about to make a name for himself. His plays and troupe of actors are considered among the best in Salsima, and he is on the verge of building his own playhouse. However, when his latest play greatly offends the king, he and his troupe are forced to impersonate a royal party to infiltrate the exotic and presumably savage people known as the Selphyn, an elfin-like race with a special bond with animals. In over his head with politics, Jonathan will find himself in an intrigue worthy of one of his plays, with mistaken identities, treason, assassinations, kidnapped princesses and feverish passions. Just what a misanthrope with social anxiety needs. Set in a world similar to Elizabethan England, CAST OF ILLUSIONS is an historical fantasy that celebrates -- and satirizes -- the world of Shakespeare.
Cast of Illusions Ashley J Barnard 9780615915098 Books
The very first lines of the very first chapter hooked me in this amazing tale. Completely! How can someone die over a thousand times? I knew I was in for an exciting ride and was not disappointed. Ashley Barnard's Cast of Illusions was indeed a multi-layered illusion that just pulled you deeper and deeper into the story. From her biography page, we can see Ms. Barnard's love of theatre, and Cast of Illusions is drenched in it but not drowning with it to make the uninitiated bored with the theatrics. The characters jump out at you - a trait Ms. Barnard is known for - the plot twists and turns with surprises and revelations at every corner. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, a fantasy-historical-fiction with a twist.Product details
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Cast of Illusions Ashley J Barnard 9780615915098 Books Reviews
The book tells the story of a group of travelling players who become pawns in a deadly game of intrigue that centres around the royal court. Being manipulated from all sides the company of players must find a safe path through the plots and conspiracies that surround them and discover a way to avoid a deadly fate that awaits them.
As I have come to expect from Ashley the book is well written and the characters are detailed and fully formed. The world that she has created is believable and complete while still being fresh and interesting. The race known as Selphyn are a one of the highlights of this book. A race of people who link themselves to animal familiars and have a closer relationship with the fairy kingdom. I hope that we may see more of the Selphyn in future books.
The first thing that struck me about this book was how much it is influenced by Ashley's previous incarnation on the stage. Her love of the stage and in particular Shakespeare is reflected through many aspects of the story. The plots owes a lot to Shakespeare while the main characters radiate a love of the stage that I believe is shared by the author. For any who know and love the plays of Shakespeare this novel will feel like familiar territory. Cast of Illusion is a far lighter tale than Ashley's Shadow Fox series, although the book still deals with some of the darker aspects of the human condition. But it is here that the story has an identity issue. There are scenes within the book that are of an adult nature while the overall story lacks the grittiness and raw nature of Ashley's previous work. As such this book is difficult to categorise. But this doesn't distract from the story and it is not our job as readers to confine a book by creating boundaries for the author. We are meant to just enjoy the tale woven for us.
If i was going to sum up Cast of Illusion in just one sentence it would be "A Shakespearian tale with a light seasoning of fantasy". Well worth a read and I am pleased to award it a 4.5 star rating.
Full review can be found on DarkissReads.com
Cast of Illusions, by Ashley Barnard is a wonderful story that can appeal to both fans of fantasy stories and lovers of classic Shakespeare alike. The story very much reads like something of a love-letter to Shakespearean theater and style.
Miss Barnard does a good job of portraying the taken-for-granted injustices of feudal societies. The dichotomy of classes and the flagrant disrespect for women are both visibly apparent to the reader without being sledgehammered with a distinctly clear message. The characters are both confused and disquieted in realistic ways as they start to actually look at the way of things and have to deal with the shattering of their assumptions. In some cases things go well and in others they don't, but you do find yourself caring for which direction the characters plan to go.
The dialogue is another good piece of writing by the author and it consistently carries with it the distinct flavor of Shakespearean speech while still being accessible to the modern reader. The narration itself has a distinct character to it that could almost be seen as that of the Chorus standing to the side and giving the audience further explanation for play unfolding before them.
There are many layers and intrigues from all sides such that it is hard to tell in which direction the story might eventually go. As much as it feels like something the Bard may have written, you are left wondering of which sort through the majority of the book. It contains elements of the Histories, Tragedies and Comedies all together and as you read it, you will find yourself believing it might go one way or another. And in the end the clues she left before as to the direction things go will finally be readily apparent.
As to the magic and the Selphyn people, it is a subtle, imaginative piece to the fiction that adds to its flavor. It is enjoyable and serves more as a backdrop than as a driver of plot. As can be expected, it seems to share much of its inspiration from such plays as "The Tempest" or "Midsummer Night's Dream" and I'd say mostly the second of those two.
All in all it was a rather good read.
Plan to clear your day and night for this thrilling tale. Once you begin, you will be swept away into the land and intrigue Ms. Barnard has so beautifully created. Cast of Illusions likens to a Shakespearian romp with the added pleasure of exquisite other worldly beings. This novel is moving, beautifully written, clever, impossible to put down, and will steam up your ! The characters are so delicious that I am feeling a bit lonely without them! Perhaps Ms. Barnard will take mercy upon us and write a sequel! 5 Stars!!!!!
This book immediately whisks you away from your normal day to day life and transports you centuries long passed in a parallel world not so much unlike our own. The author's writing style always brings you deeply into the tale, you feel a part of the world and characters as you read about them. It has a light and fun element of fantasy, but is tempered beautifully with a historic Shakespearian feel. This book is so well written and very enjoyable to read, I highly recommend it to take that well deserved break from your normal day to day life. I also highly recommend other books by Ashley Barnard that are available on , she is one of my all time favorite authors!
The very first lines of the very first chapter hooked me in this amazing tale. Completely! How can someone die over a thousand times? I knew I was in for an exciting ride and was not disappointed. Ashley Barnard's Cast of Illusions was indeed a multi-layered illusion that just pulled you deeper and deeper into the story. From her biography page, we can see Ms. Barnard's love of theatre, and Cast of Illusions is drenched in it but not drowning with it to make the uninitiated bored with the theatrics. The characters jump out at you - a trait Ms. Barnard is known for - the plot twists and turns with surprises and revelations at every corner. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, a fantasy-historical-fiction with a twist.
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