Cast in Deception is the Thirteenth installment in author Michelle Sagara's Chronicles of Elantra series. Elantra is populated not just by humans, but also by Leontines, Aerians, Thallani and Barrani and ruled by Dragons. Kaylin Neya is a private in the Hall of Justice’s Hawks. Call her a beat cop if you like. She's been called Chosen because of the marks on her body which glow when she's around magic. Kaylin's uncanny ability to find disaster has become legendary. Kaylin also has a dragon like familiar she calls Hope.

Of course, she still hasn't found a way to speak with Hope, unless hope grows bigger. Kaylin currently lives with the only female Dragon in existence (Lord Bellusdeo) as well as two Barrani Annarion and Mandoran. Annarion has created a major issue by demanding that he be allowed to take the Name test which Kaylin somehow managed to survive. Annarion's choice pushes his Cohort into traveling to Elantra so they can face the test together.

The story mainly focuses on the cohort of young people who were sent, millennia ago, to take part in a ceremony that would give them great power or kill them. They were supposed to be weapons against the Dragons who they were at war with. They didn't die but they didn't return either. Until Kaylin brought them home which caused some tremors among the Barrani High Court which is still reverberating. Kaylin's friend and fellow Hawk, Teela, was the only one who made it home.

Teela's fellow cohort members Annarion and Mandoran have taken refuge in Kaylin's home (Helen) because their time away changed them greatly. Trouble rises it's ugly head when Annarion decides to undertake the Barrani Test of Name against his brother Nightshade's advice. His fellow cohort members refuse to let him face his task alone—and Kaylin’s sentient home, Helen, is the only structure capable of shielding the rest of Elantra from the magnitude of their power.

If this happens, it will greatly disrupt the political landscape of the Barrani since at least three of them are the rightful heirs to their family holding, including Annarion. But before they cohort could even arrive, something diverts them and they are lost along. This is only the tip of things to come. Teela and her partner Tain are attacked by other Barrani, an unknown Barrani seems to be stirring up anger against Teela, and just when things were calming down, the Water elemental sends Kaylin and Bellusdeo into the heart of the Barrani.

Things are exceptionally dangerous because Bellusdeo is a dragon in the heart of the people who went to war with Dragons of this world. As usual, Kaylin has a way of doing things that might grate on your nerves, but I sincerely hope she doesn't change, except for learning to speak with Hope. Kaylin has a tendency of naming objects, and in this case, she calls a shadowy recording device Spike. She also receives a mysterious box which hasn't been explained.

Yet. Kaylin frequently knows things that she shouldn't know while being ignorant of things that appear to be common knowledge. Kaylin has become more than a reckless healer, blunt detective and mascot. She's found a place she can call home. She has a family of mismatched individuals who are all capable of squashing her into paste but even though she sometimes gets on their nerves, they tend to don't because they're her family. She's even made piece with Severn who left her behind to become a Wolf of Elantra.

Many of the immediate events and crises that take place in “Deception” are resolved, but other issues that arise in this book are left to be resolved in future ones, and some of them are major. I will, hopefully, get caught up on reading this series in the next month.

Enjoyable read. Little drawn out with traveling and deciding who was the culprit of the missing cohort. Disappointed that we didn't see more growth in Kaylin. She seemed to revert back to some of what we had seen before. Good book but not a favorite in the series.

I love Kaylin and all of the crazy situations she gets mixed up in. I am breathlessly anticipating what's in store for her next. This series has really started picking up momentum, the first few books were entertaining but slow to get going. Now, the entire book is a roller coaster. If I had one complaint, it would be that I didn't get enough Severin.

Cast in Deception is the 13th book in The Chronicles of Elantra by Michelle Sagara. You do need to read this series in order to get the most out of it, and maybe a reread of the previous books would help if it has been a while. Each book really does add to the world and character building, so new readers will want to start at the very beginning to enjoy the read.

Private Kaylin Neya thought her home couldn’t possibly get more crowded. But when one of her housemates, Annarion, decides to undertake the Barrani Test of Name, his friends refuse to let him face his task alone—and Kaylin’s sentient home, Helen, is the only structure capable of shielding the rest of Elantra from the magnitude of their power. Annarion and Mandoran almost caused the destruction of the High Halls once already. Add nine of their closest friends, and the danger is astronomically higher—especially since these guests are at the heart of a political firestorm. Imprisoned almost a millennium ago, their recent freedom threatens the rulership of several prominent Barrani families, and the machinations of those Lords make it almost impossible to tell friend from foe. As political tensions ramp up, the shadows beneath the High Halls are seeking a freedom that has never been possible before. Kaylin must find a way to keep those shadows from escaping, or that freedom will destroy her city, the empire and everything she holds dear.

Cast in Deception is a journey with Kaylin and companions in dangerous territory. Politics, intrigue , and shadows are the main dangers at the heart of what they all face. Friendship, chosen and real family, and perceptions of self and others all come into play. I like that Kaylin has to continue thinking about her choices, past and present, and how they have changed her and effected the world around her. I did not like that the book felt a bit like the bridge between the previous book and the next, lacking substantial action and movement of its own. Half of the things promised for the book are only mentioned as problems, but end up being things that we will not see the consequences of fully until the next book. I enjoyed the read, particularly getting a better understanding of the cohort and all of its members, but did not feel like there was as much substance as I am used to from the author, or this series.

Cast in Deception is part of a fantastic series, but I felt a little let down with this one. It felt like this book was more of a placeholder or single journey rather than moving the greater story arch much. I am still invested, and will still keep reading, but it did not live up to my grand expectations.

The intricacies of politics is ever the pain in Kaylin's behind. Like a bull in a china shop, Kaylin is sure to stomp through and break all the delicate political alliances. The latest problem is once again Barrani issues which spill over to the Dragons and Kaylin is in the middle, trying to smooth it all out. It does not help that sometimes her help makes things worse.

This writing style is not for everyone. For those who are big on action and maybe not as interested in the motivations or intent behind the art of politics and back stabbing, may find this series a bit tedious and wordy. For those who enjoy seeing the difference of clashing predator cultures forced into a facade of polite civility, this series is an addictive drug. This book is definitely not to be read as a standalone. This series does need to be read in the order written to understand what is discussed and what is going on.

After thirteen books, I would have thought this world could not get more complicated and I would finally have some more answers. Who are the ancients exactly? What are the Shadow? And how is the Chosen going to help more? Instead, this series feels like a never ending one with more questions asked than answered. I would be frustrated like Kaylin but I can't be. Because, I'm so impressed with how Ms. Sagara leads me down a path riddled with sink holes and ankle breaking pot holes. The trouble Kaylin gets herself into is mind boggling. She is a trouble magnet. The reason why? Mostly because she is reactive and makes decisions by heart instead of by her head. Some of the characters in this story use a bit of both. Most of them are all led by their head. Kaylin is the one exception where she is all heart. Perhaps there may be one or two decisions that she actually thinks about the consequences of her actions, but rarely does she walk the situation all the way through. Instead, we are taken through what she feels and why she feels a certain way. We do not always know what her decision is, but we know how she feels about it and why she must go that this path.

I find this writing voice stimulating because I am not ever sure where Kaylin is going to take us. I shouldn't be surprised by now and yet I am. Or maybe I'm still befuddled as to why Kaylin makes a decision that does not necessarily make sense and yet it works. Whilst the story is written from Kaylin's point of view, I feel as though I'm one of her Hawks or one of the Dragons, trying to prevent her from creating a fifty plus car pile up crash.

Kaylin does show some growth in this latest book. She does understand the ramifications of her actions and yet she still choices to go against what common sense would dictate is the right direction. Case in point, her decision to lead the cohort to a place that is dangerous for all. Still, there a reason for her madness and what I come realize is that Kaylin is an ends justifies the means kind of character. She may argue this point but if we look at it, she makes choices that can irreparably damage friendships and alliances to help the people she thinks needs her the most. And, in some ways, Kaylin is a snob. Not an elitist snob.

Kaylin does not care about anyone who has an semblance of power or ability to navigate through the political waters. Anyone who is lost or the underdog, she feels the need to fight for their cause. And this probably why I like Kaylin so much. She is still an idealist who walks the talk. She will do everything she can to right an injustice and no one will step in her way. Because no one else is defending those who are persecuted, she is using her unique position and inexplicable power to do good. May Kaylin never change because then she would lose what makes her so special.

This story is highly recommended to those who enjoy fantasy and fighting for the underdog.

Michelle Sagara continues the Chronicles of Elantra with Cast in Deception. Private Kaylin Neya lives in a sentient house with her friends. The Barrani Annarion wishes to take the Barrani test of name and all his cohort decide to come to the city to aid him. However Annarion and his partner Mandoran almost caused the destruction of the city and the High Halls of the Barrani; what more harm can the rest of the cohort do? Barrani families do not want the competition from the return of the formerly imprisoned cohort. The elemental water throws Kaylin and Bellusdeo, the only female dragon, across the world to find and rescue the cohort who have gone missing. Barrani intrigue upset the balance of power. How will balance be restored?

I really wanted to love this as much as the rest of the series, but I struggled. It had been too long since I read the last book in the series and the author referred back to things that happened multiple books ago. The character names are all very similar, which can be confusing.
Also, the author has become a little too philosophical for me. Her writing is still strong and I love her world, but the internal monologues have become a little too long for me.
Still, an incredible read, it just not fully my cup of tea any longer.

It can be hard to build book to book momentum this far into a series, but with CAST IN DECEPTION Michelle Sagara manages to do just that. Titanic forces are moving, and the lives of Kaylin, her friends, and perhaps the whole kingdom are on the cusp of change.
CAST IN DECEPTION is also one of the most linear adventures of the series, which is not a criticism. Kaylin gathers clues and bread crumbs, and the biggest surprises lay in who adds themselves to her band of allies by book’s end. There is the inevitable moment where magical theory got a bit over my head and There’s a lot of pausing to ruminate on the nature of family and trust, but overall I enjoyed this sorry quite a bit.

While many things are accomplished and resolved in this book, the ending feels more like a rest before the action to follow in the next book than a resolution within this one. A treat for fans of the series, CAST IN DECEPTION points towards high stakes and monumental changes for Kaylin’s world.

Sagara's Elantra novels are just so visceral!

I didn't think I would be giving this latest Elantra novel 5 stars when I was a quarter of the way through. But but the end I was saying Yes, Yes, Yes!
Once again we plow through acres of the in between portal paths with Kaylin (Private Neya) and Bellusdeo (Dragon Lord), in search of the Barrani Cohort, the lost one, Teela's companions in her testing. And no this this did not start off as choice! Kaylin and Bel were literally thrown into the situation by the elemental water.
As Kaylin described to Helen, her sentient living space,
' "we have a Barrani war band, the threat of war, a High Court in revolt, Barrani Lords in collusion with a fief lord to enter Ravellon, and an elemental water that’s terrified enough of something that she grabbed me and threw me at the West March. And at the heart of it all: Ravellon.”'
Those left behind who are now wanting to return are at the heart of the matter. Teela's is up in arms, Tain close behind, and all of Elantra is tense.
On the way we have a new creature well met, a creature Kaylin names in an entirely Kaylin way, 'Spike.'
And yes the ending has me waiting not so patiently for what more is to come.
Another riveting read joins the series I love.

A NetGalley ARC

I originally said that the Chronicles of Elantra series was urban fantasy in a high or epic fantasy setting. Our point of view character is Private Kaylin Neya, a member of the Hawks, meaning law enforcement, in the city of Elantra.

Elantra is populated not just by humans, but also by Leontines, Aerians, Thallani and Barrani (read elves, sort of) and ruled by Dragons. While only the Barrani and the Dragons are immortal, even the non-immortals make the reader think more of epic fantasy than urban.

At the same time, Kaylin’s very lowly position among the local equivalent of the police did put her in the way of solving crimes and mysteries in her city. But even though that’s where she started, that’s not where she is now.

Instead, Kaylin has become a wild card among the political movers and shakers of Elantra. Not because she wants power, but because they began by seeing her as too ephemeral to cause any problems, only to discover that it’s her mortality that makes her so interesting.

One of the problems with being immortal is that everything gets boring after a while. Being around Kaylin is never, ever boring. Often dangerous, frequently chaotic, occasionally life threatening, but never dull, not even for a second. Kaylin is such a chaos magnet that she actually makes boring look desirable in comparison.

The story in Cast in Deception, like all of the stories in the Chronicles of Elantra, is about Kaylin dealing with the unexpected consequences of her previous actions – hopefully before someone gets killed, war breaks out, or both.

cast in shadow by michelle sagaraBut as the events of this story are the results of so many that came before it, this is a series where it is probably impossible to get in at this point. Events, and people, in this series layer upon each other, well past the point where the only way into Elantra is from the very beginning, with Cast in Shadow. Kaylin’s life and her world, or at least her perspective of it, were much simpler back then.

It is also possible to start with the prequel novella, Cast in Moonlight, which tells the story of how Kaylin became a Hawk – which was not what she intended. Kaylin’s actions often result in things which she did not intend, frequently to the dismay of anyone else even tangentially involved.

The scope of events of the series have become epic, but it is epic in a way where the author does not seem to be leading toward some ultimate battle between good and evil. Not that there are not evil forces, but rather that those evil forces don’t seem to be personified, or at least not yet. In some ways, it seems as if the evil force they are resisting is entropy, the winding down of the universe, rather than true evil. This may be resolved later in the series.

The story in Cast in Deception relates directly to events in Cast in Peril where Kaylin rescued a group of young Barrani from centuries of an imprisonment designed to increase the power of their families. It was a ceremony that backfired spectacularly, and Kaylin rescued the much changed young people who emerge.

But that cohort of people have become threats to the High Halls of the Barrani, and there are forces both within and without that are attempting to keep them from claiming their birthrights. Some of those forces are embodied in people that Kaylin thinks of as friends, and others may be part of the dreaded Shadow.

But all of it is politics as usual among the extremely political, immortal Barrani. And if there’s one thing Kaylin hates more than anything else, it’s politics. Which doesn’t stop her (as nothing ever does) from rushing in where angels fear to tread to pull her friends out of grave danger, even if that merely puts her in danger with them.

As usual.

Escape Rating A-: I absolutely adore this series, and wait eagerly for each installment. At the same time, this is a world creation that has become very, very dense, with lots of characters and epic amounts of backstory, and it always takes me a little ways (and a bit longer each time) to get into the book to feel myself catching up. Then, of course, it takes me an equally long time to emerge from the book hangover. Elantra is difficult to get into, and equally difficult to leave.

As much as I love this series, and this particular entry in it, this particular story feels like it doesn’t take up a lot of “world time” and it feels like not much gets resolved by the end. At the beginning, the cohort of formerly lost Barrani were lost again on their way to take up their birthrights. By the end of the story, they have managed to make their very dangerous and nearly deadly way to Elantra, but the political challenges are all still yet to come. But as always, I was happy to travel along on Kaylin’s journey.

Hopefully in the next book, hopefully next year. And now the countdown begins!

Kaylin our main character is living in a Sentient house named Helen and right now she is about to have more house guest. Her Baranni co-worker Teela and Tain want to move in. Previously Kaylin rescued Teela's friends and two of them already live with Kaylin. Kaylin wakes up to the argument between these two house guest. Thought it is ill-advised Annarion has decided to take the Barrani Test of Names. The excitement ramps up when the other members of the group plan to also join Kaylin's household to offer support to Annarion in his quest. No one is happy with this and the trip they will undertake will be hazardous. Not only is the journey dangerous it is possible that there will be other factors interfering with the journey that the "cohort" as Kaylin had named them plan to take. Kaylin is a Hawk so is Teela and Tain. They are part of Elantra's law enforcement. Kaylin is worried that the cohorts have changed, they are not as they used to be. They are more with abilities that no one knows about. But to create more confusion there is a Barrani Outcast meeting with locals and that is causing trouble as well. The question is does the Barrani Outcast and the strange events in Elantra have anything to do with the journey of the cohorts.
When Kaylin and Bellusdeo visit the Keeper to get answer things go wrong fast. The Elemental water grabs Kaylin and Bellusdeo and drops them in the area that the cohort is in. However, to add to the issue the cohort have gone missing and no one can reach them. Bellusdeo is a dragon and she is now in the middle of Barrani territory. The Barrani like the dragons are immortals with very long memories that includes a war between the Barrani and the Dragons.
This story is filled with all the excitement that I expect from Michelle Sagara. This is # 13 in the Chronicles of Elantra and it is an excellent read with Kaylin our Heroine doing the unexpected and leaving everyone on the edge of their seat hoping that she survive and do not start another war.
If you have read the rest of the series then you must read this one. If you have not read the rest of them and you are looking for a good fantasy series this series will tick all the boxes. Action, Barrani, Dragons, Magic, Shadow and more.

This series... just keeps going. On and on. Not much happens, per usual. At this point, if you haven't read the other books in the series, don't start here (obviously). Honestly, not sure how much longer I'm going to keep going.

Magic, politics and mayhem are happening once again in Elantra and Kaylin is involved of course. This is a series that has been going for some time and can be confusing, but well worth the reading as the characters are well written and the stories are interesting.

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley for an honest review.

This is one of the favorite series, and we have gotten another amazing entry in it. The story is packed with both action and character development, which is something that I love about the series.

This episode of the Chronicles on Elantra focuses on the Barrani. It especially focuses on the cohort of young people who were sent, millennia ago, to take part in a ceremony that would give them great power or kill them. They didn't die but they didn't return either. Kaylin's friend Teela was the only one who made it home at the time of the ceremony. Two others made it back to Elantra more recently and have taken refuge in Kaylin's home because their time away changed them greatly.

Now, one of the two is determined to take the Barrani Test of Names and the rest of his cohort are determined to come to Elantra to take it with him. If this happens, it will greatly disrupt the political landscape of the Barrani since at least three of them are the rightful heirs to their family holding. Getting them home isn't going to be an easy task nor are they the people who left.

Kaylin is the last person that anyone would choose for a political task but she is dropped in the middle because she has invited them to be her house guests too. Since she already shares her home with a dragon - Lord Bellusdeo - and dragons and Barrani were ancient enemies, the political consequences are real.

While the complications of this plot would be enough to keep Kaylin busy, it is not the only concern. It is learned that someone in the High Court of the Barrani is dealing with Shadow which is the ancient enemy of all the races of Elantra.

This story takes place in a complex world. There are a variety of different races of beings with the humans like Kaylin being one of the least. The Empire is controlled by dragons with the Emperor considering the whole Empire as his hoard. Bellusdeo is an orphan dragon out of time who is of great interest to the Emperor because she happens to be the only female dragon. The Barrani are immortal and live in a caste system defined by politics. There are Leontines and other races too. The elements - earth, air, fire and water - have a sort of sentience and are kept in control by the Keeper. The world contains ancient sentient buildings like Kaylin's house Helen. Kaylin herself is the Chosen who has a number of marks all over her body that are words of power. She also has an acute sensitivity to magic.

Around the complex political plot are woven discussions of friendship and family, loneliness and loss, love and treachery. Each of the races has their own definitions of these and Kaylin, whose own basis for decision making is the law, struggles to understand the beings she considers her friends.

This was an excellent story that demands a sequel. I can hardly wait to read it.

I am a huge fan of the series, so when I was approved for the ARC of “Cast in Deception” I was really excited. Unfortunately this one was a slow starter and really did not pick up in action until the last few chapters and then it was over. With the last two books in this series I have felt like Ms. Sagara has lost her direction. Previous books have a subplot that is ongoing and connects each to each and there was more of a complete story in them with a real conflict and resolution, which I felt this title lacked. I honestly feel like this book and the last book could have been combined and much cut out to make one better novel. While there is substantial world building that takes place center stage in “Cast in Deception” that fills in some of the backstories of the main and repeating characters of the series, it was not enough to warrant a whole book and at this point I am beginning to feel like we are never going to get to the final conflict and action in the series.

Ugh, i just love these books! This one was kind of a slow starter, no murder to solve. However, once it got going it took off. I love the sentient buildings, and Bellusdeo has to be my favorite dragon. Lots of her in this one. As always, can’t wait for the next!

I really love this series. I've been reading it so long that it's become a cozy read for me now. The series is really a slow build and I'm not sure if there's an end in sight. I can see the direction it's going, but each new book mostly adds more to the world building instead of feeling like you're preparing for the final conflict. For some people that could be frustrating, but I like revisiting the world and the characters and just enjoying my time there.

MIchelle Sagara's The Chronciles of Elantra series is one of my faovrites and this title did not disappoint, A few of the books in this series have not been as strong in my opinion but the last few, including this title, have been excellent. The story was engaging and helped to move the plot along. I felt like I learned more about many of the characters including the protagonist in this volume. I highly recommend this book. I am reviewing this book based on an ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

Yeah, this book! This is the book of politics, there's no real crime that they can solve. There is a whole ton load of things going on, like an assassination attempt, an unwanted, forcible move, and going to the heart of another sentient building. Epic!

I was watching NetGalley every day for the past month or so in the off chance that this book would be added. And when I saw that it was, I pouched, and immediately began reading it. This is the 4th book of the series that I had to wait for, and that wait was evil and well worth it!

It was a very dense read, on multiple occasions I had to reread sections, over and over, to make sense of what was happening. Plus, having to remember what had just happened and earlier conversations and discoveries. There was a lot going on, and it was just so freaking great!

I didn't understand the cover. Not till about 300 or so pages in, when we're introduced to Spike. I think he'll (pretty sure he's a he, or at least that's what can be used as his pronoun) be even more important than the role he plays in this book, because I want to see more of him!

A lot of this book is politics. Because the cohort decided to take the Test of Name, that makes them a threat in more ways than one. And this affects both the 9 who stayed back as well as Teela. Which of course Kaylin gets tangled in!

Terrano makes a splashy entrance, and it was really interesting to see him again, and actually get to know him vs. trying to fight him as he was a bad guy previously. And some of his past actions come to bite them in the butt, but what doesn't kill you!

There were also concerns and suspicions about the motives of various people. Like, the Consort and how she knew that Kaylin would be there. That someone might have requested for the portal path the cohort was to use be different. How the war band found cause to come together so quickly. Things like that. So intriguing!

Near the end, and the end, were the two big moments in this book. The first one could've been the ending of the book, but we're lucky it's not, because that meant we got more book! While things aren't wrapped up, they've settled, at least, until the next book!

This book was just amazing, and I can't wait for the Severn novella and the next book in this series!