Series Review: The Shepherd King by Rachel Gillig

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

Synopsis for One Dark Window (from Goodreads):

Elspeth needs a monster. The monster might be her.

Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom she calls home—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.

But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it. Except the highwayman just so happens to be the King’s own nephew, Captain of the Destriers…and guilty of high treason.

He and Elspeth have until Solstice to gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly, darkly, taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.

Author: Rachel Gillig
Series: The Shepherd King
# of Books: 2 (Full Reading Order Here)
Book Order: Chronological
Complete?: Yes
Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Supernatural, Magic, Romance, Gothic
Heat Rating: warm
Point of View: First Person, Single (#1); First & Third Person (#2)
Publication Dates: September 2022 – October 2023
Source & Format: Public Library–Audiobook

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

I had seen the covers for this series before but never paid it any mind until some co-workers recommended it to me. I’m hesitant when it comes to witch books (I have a 50-50 success rate for enjoyment) but this leaned more towards the supernatural (it really isn’t about witches, more magic) so I figured it was worth the chance.

The Concept / The World:

The world in this series is super intriguing. I can see why some people say it needs to be developed a little more or feel like it’s lacking. It’s one of those worlds that really builds one piece at a time and you have to keep reading to get those little pieces to help you see the bigger picture. (At the start of some chapters is a brief explanation of a card or magic so you learn as you go in the first book). I enjoyed that suspense of trying to figure out what is going on but it did confuse me at times.

I also loved the eerie, gothic vibes of the world and the darkness that surrounds all the characters. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in a world like that.

The Plot:

As I said above, I was definitely lost for the first few chapters trying to navigate the world, plot and characters. But once I grasped what was happening – and we actually get to the plot described in the synopsis for One Dark Window (#1) – I was drawn into the story and the plot.

I loved that I couldn’t trust the characters and the magic took a life of its own in the world. Especially when we start getting more POVs in the second novel, Two Twisted Crowns. It kept me on my toes!

The Characters:

I loved the chemistry of the characters. There is love and hate and distrust and loyalty and everything in between – so it made for some great dynamics when it came to character actions and motivations.

Elspeth is an intriguing character for follow thanks to her Nightmare companion in her head. Who is the one truly in control? It’s a great element that haunts both novels.

The Romance:

This takes a backseat to the main plotlines but helps enhance it without distracting from it. If you want a Romantasy that emphasizes the romance aspect and has some more steamy scenes: go elsewhere. But I really enjoyed the slow burn chemistry between these two and the few scenes we did get made me smile or swoon.

I also found myself invested in some of the side characters relationships too!

My Audiobook Experience:

This was a great audiobook production! All the characters had different voices; it was easy to tell the difference between Elspeth and the Nightmare’s inner monologues. While I think I might have benefited from reading the text simply for the ability to review the card descriptions at the start of each chapter, I loved listening to this story!