I wasn't able to read this with the new file type. The text was all clustered together and impossible to read unfortunately, as I was looking forward to this one greatly.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for access to this Advanced Reader Copy!!

Gaurav does it again! This time, the tale of the Mahabharata is set to the side and yet roaring in the background as the tales of a few new characters is told. I really liked that the author was able to tell a completely original tale with brand new original characters steeped in Indian folklore and mythology.
This one is just as gritty.

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC of this book. I absolutely loved Sons of Darkness, especially on a reread. I had reread Sons of Darkness before reading Dance of Shadows since there are a lot of characters and places to remember.

I was surprised that Dance of Shadows is not necessarily a book 2 to the series but rather it is more of a side quest book. This book follows the time line from Sons of Darkness (mainly the last few months leading to the battle of Manthura). At first, I was not too excited about this since the characters being followed were not my favorites from Sons of Darkness, but I grew to enjoy their stories and I grew to appreciate their contribution to the overall storyline.

This book really shows that there is a much bigger picture to this series. Sons of Darkness focuses your attention on the Battle of Manthura, but this book focuses on the chaos and destruction that the Son of Darkness can bring if awakened. Dance of Shadows started off very slow and I will not lie, I was tempted to dnf since I was not interested in the characters, the story is different, I could not tell where the stories were going, and I felt things were overly described or explained. But as the story progressed, it grew more and more intense and I became invested with the characters. I really enjoyed Mati’s storyline and Nala’s became more interesting towards the end as well. I tend to forget this is grimdark since not much happens in the beginning but then certain scenes come up towards the end and it definitely meets its quota for being grimdark. I personally enjoy it even though I do want everyone to have their happy endings, but I also respect authors that are not afraid to be realistic with their characters.

I do think I would enjoy this even more on a reread (as I did was Sons of Darkness) since I now know the direction of the story and I can focus more on the details. I do think this will be quite the epic series and I am super excited for the series to be complete. I will be reading the next books as well!

Gourav Mohanty's saga continues in this follow-up to Sons of Darkness, a series inspired by the Mahabharatha. Mohanty weaves together a narrative with an immense cast of characters. A must-read for fans of gritty and complex high fantasy with a diverse setting. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this arc!

This was definitely a step up from the first book, you can really see how the author has improved from his debut novel. Especially with how the characters have developed throughout the story

The GrimDark retelling of the Mahabharata continues in Dance of Shadows, Gourav Mohanty’s newest entry in his Raag of Rta series. If you thought, that what the Indian Epic needed was MORE venomous scheming, wanton violence, dark magic, and abject suffering for all the characters involved, look no further.


“In chaos lies the cosmos.”

Dance of Shadows continues the story in Gourav Mohanty’s first novel in the Raag of Rta series, Son of Darkness. Son of Darkness follows the events of the Indian mega-epic Mahabharata more closely, with characters from the Hindu epic cycle like the avatar Krishna, Arjuna and the other Pandavas, Duryodhana, Karna, and the other Kauravas, with other notable characters like Draupadi and Satyabhama, leading up to the fabled Kurukshetra war, which forms the epicenter of the grand tale. Mohanty chose to delve into the world laid out by the traditional epic cycle but gave the narrative a grimdark spin. Stepping away from the classic sequel cycle, Mohanty regales us with events parallel to those during the lead-up to the events in Son of Darkness, in Dance of Shadows. In this regard, Dance of Shadows is neither a prequel nor a sequel, but straddles the thin line between both, and is a concurrent book, although it does refer to events, characters, and plotlines in Son of Darkness.

“Is suffering the only thing that lends victory its value?”

For those who read Son of Darkness and thought it ramped up the violence, showed us the morally grey sides of well-known and beloved characters, and spared no expense in putting its extravagant suffering on full display…

… Dance of Shadows makes that book look tame.

Oh boy, this is easily among the grimmest and darkest books I have ever read, clawing at the heels of Michael Fletcher’s Manifest Delusions series, often touted as the most GrimDark series so far. The bleak setting, the bloody ultraviolence at every turn, and the cycles of torment that the characters are put through with little respite are in stark contrast to the kid-gloves with which the Mahabharata is usually disseminated.

“Beware the fury of a patient man”

The story of Dance of Shadows mainly deals with the power struggle in the Kaurava Camp leading up to the conclave and the Mathruan war with the Pandavas. It also deals with the more fantastical elements, as various factions plot in the shadows, nudging characters and tailoring world events to either bring about the successful emergence of the prophesied Son of Darkness or thwart his attempts to bring about the world-ending apocalypse. Dance of Shadows is more a character and arc-driven book than a big-picture plot-driven book, and therein lies Mohanty’s genius. The large-scale plot feels like a nasty itch at the back of the reader’s mind, as in-your-face capers and disasters absorb your attention.

Since Dance of Shadows diverts from the classic events of the Mahabharata that are well-known to people versed in that culture, Mohanty brought in characters only tangentially alluded to in the epic cycle, and added new characters to the world, making The Raag of Rta less of a retelling, and more of a grey-area thing, between retelling, and fanfic. Princess Bhanumati is a minor character in the traditional epic, but plays a central role in the Dance of Shadows. New to the character roster are the dancer-priestess Devadasi Marzana/Meenakshi, the runaway rogue princess Vahura and her baby sister Vauri, the assassin-trainee Nala and her oracle sister, and more fantastical characters of non-human races. Returning characters (or characters known in the classic epic cycle) like the errant prince Dantavakra, the immortal hunter Parshurama, the poet Narad Muni, the sage Vyas (who is credited to be the author of the original Mahabharata) complete the wide roster of this new entry in the series.

“The world was always destined to burn. At least now she will make a fortune from the flames.”

Dance of Shadows is a very female character-driven book, with many of the chapters and POV characters being influential women who move plotlines forward for better or worse. In particular, the conniving yet blase Bhanumati was a stellar addition to the series and was the highlight of the book. Her internal monologue, morally grey outlook on life, and constantly wavering motivations are the cornerstones of the grimdark genre. Mohanty absolutely knocked it out of the park with her character. In contrast, Vahura and the assassin-apprentice Nala take on a more traditional heroic and anti-heroic fantasy role, and were much more predictable but Vahura’s character forms another great counterpoint to Mati’s scene-chewing presence.

“Men with morals only make for good martyrs.”

In the male character camp, Dantavakra’s arc was also rewarding, and mirrored Jezal’s arc (First Law by Joe Abercrombie) in many ways. In contrast, Duryodhana and Karna’s arcs were almost background fodder, which is refreshing since both of these characters are central to this series and the original Mahabharata. I have a feeling their role in this series was, in large part, to position themselves to face the events in the next book in the series.

“When men of God seized power, men of Scrolls were the first to be thrown to the pyre”

Mohanty vehemently digs into the rigid caste-structure in this series, casting a severe light on cultural norms outlined in the Mahabharata, and persist to this day in various Indian and South Asian cultures. Being of Indian descent himself, and as a fellow Westernized Indian, these elements are important as social commentary on the evils of the caste system and the disastrous effects the system had on the emergent nation’s history and future.

As much as I enjoyed many elements of Dance of Shadows, several other facets will hold this novel, and this series from attaining its due celebration in Dark Fantasy circles, even in the underbelly of the deviant GrimDark fandom. This book is just a little too much! Definitely on the longer side of modern fantasy novels, the lengthy chapters, the many POV characters, and several concurrent plotlines that take a long time in the readers’ mind to converge, led to a fatiguing journey.

Mohanty tried to hit nearly every dark fantasy trope in this novel. Palace intrigue, pirate adventures, assassin-y shenanigans, a rescue mission, a heist mission, gladiatorial games, otherworldly arcane-elrtich-y elements, and even a gosh darn dragon just for good measure. He throws everything at us including the kitchen sink, to diminishing returns. Additionally, the uneven pacing, and over-the-top action scenes ramping up in the final third of the book, caused many of the events to blur together in the “red mist” of blood and guts, leaving the reader without much respite to digest and enjoy the culmination of the author’s plotting.

The biggest gripe many readers will have is the graphic nature of this book. Dance of Shadows does not shy away from large passages of meticulously described ultraviolence (that even veteran GrimDark writers are shying away from owing to market pressures). With implied and expressed sexual violence, and graphic violence to many of the central female characters in particular (though many central male characters also suffer tremendously), this book will need to have a very long list of trigger warnings and will push away many readers who are sensitive to these elements.

My final gripe is that Dance of Shadows is just too damn bleak. By the end of this tale, without spoiling plot points, nothing goes well, for anyone. The crushing sense of despondency, while another trademark part of the grimdark genre, lies like a heavy weight on even the most jaded and genre-veteran soul.

There are NO happy endings here.

“Only the dead have seen the end of war.”

My deepest condolences to those (many) characters who did not make it through the events in Dance of Shadows, and to those who are too squeamish to carry on with this series. For the rest of us, the gristle remains within our teeth, the taste of blood remains in our mouths, and our thirst for vengeance against fate lies sated for now, till Gourav Mohanty’s unleashes his next installment in the series.

Dance of Shadows essentially picks up right where Sons of Darkness ended, and it goes a hundred miles a minute from there. It is relentless in not just action but atrocities, and when I say I genuinely tried to figure out how I could cover my eyes and still read something, I mean that with every fiber of my being. And I can promise you in what thirty-ish years of a reading a scene has never been so devastating, so violent, so just fucking messed up that I instinctively attempted to cover my eyes. And yet through all of the blood, gore, and political machinations it still ended up laughing through much of it.

This all means that it was absolutely amazing. I'm not sure how many books this is going to end up being but this was almost the perfect middle book if it's going to be a trilogy. Mohanty doesn't get bogged down in anything unnecessary here and while this is absolutely brutal that's absolutely the point. He could have drug this out so much longer and genuinely never even gained or completely lost the momentum that the violence of this book builds, there is something very wrong happening in this world and this volume drove home a desperate need to see that violence ended. Which is the perfect way to ensure that humans want to read book three!

Just a heads up I think given everything I've said here this is painfully violent and the scene that I referenced earlier will be especially difficult for women, mothers especially to read, so there's your trigger warning. This is definitely not a series for the faint of heart.

Overall, I highly recommend this one, especially if you read book one. It certainly ends many threads and then throws us right back into the fire.

As always thanks to NetGalley and Head Of Zeus/Bloomsbury USA for the eArc!

NOTE: I HAVE NOT READ THIS BOOK. I'm assigning 1 Star only because Netgalley refuses to let me provide feedback without a star rating.

I decided not to read this after reading the first of the series in prep, Sons of Darkness. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book and I apologize that I will not be able to do so.

I'm obsessed with the series, and with the indian rep in them. I was lowkey dreading reading this book just because the first book had some questionable scenes with the women, but this book, although darker in nature, was able to maintain a fine line between disgust and grimdark with its clever use of humour to soften it up a bit. Overall, another brilliant book added to the stack and I'm anticipating the next book already!!

My jaw literally dropped. Multiple times.

Dance of Shadows is the sequel to Sons of Darkness, but it's a parallel story in that most of it takes place at the same time as the events of the first book, only we follow different characters. Before I go any further, I just want to acknowledge that a) I don't typically read adult epic fantasy, so any confusion on my part may be the result of that and b) I just started a semester at school, which may also play a role in my comprehension of certain parts of this book. I wanted to throw that out there so you can take this review with a grain of salt.
I think I preferred this book to the first, and the main reason is that it follows one of my favorite story structures: the characters are all split up at first but come together by the end. There are so many moving plotlines it can be hard to follow at times. Mati (yes, the same pirate princess) and her appointed knight, Dantavakra (yes, Shishupal's womanizing brother) are supposed to be traveling for diplomatic reasons. Karna finds Marzana, a dancer who may just save his life. Nala, Masha, and Parshuram embark on a journey to save the world. Vahura is simply a bookworm princess searching for a way to save her sister. I can't say much more without dropping spoilers, but the last 20% of the book was incredibly shocking in a variety of different ways and I don't know if I'll ever recover. My main issue was that the pacing dragged at some points, and yet at other times I was confused as to how characters had progressed from place to place so quickly.
I also enjoyed the characters from this book way more than the first. I also appreciated that they are all morally complex and there's not really any character who doesn't do things you'll disagree with at some point. I found Mati's chapters very enjoyable (they had a fair amount of action), but she's also just a fun narrator. I didn't like Dantavakra at first, but by the end, he was probably one of my top three characters (we love the noble knight types). I didn't care much for Karna and Marzana's sections, mostly because they were the most "romance" heavy. While Nala was my favorite in the first book, she kind of annoyed me in this one...mostly because her role of favorite was usurped by Taksha. Taksha was, hands down, my favorite character and I can't really explain why. I didn't care much for Masha again, especially with the dynamics between her, Nala, and Taksha that left me with mild secondhand embarrassment. I also didn't love Vahura, which was surprising because I usually love characters similar to her. I did love Vauri, though.
Fans of Sons of Darkness will not be disappointed by this stunning sequel, Dance of Shadows, and its epic scale, rich worldbuilding, and fascinating characters.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

3.5/5

This was completely different from book 1
As someone familiar with the Mahabharata, I was expecting book 2 to continue from book 1's storyline but events here take place during book 1's timeline. We have new characters and some returning. They are all well written. The pacing does take time to catch up especially around the 20-30% mark but it's never boring.

I still think it could have been slightly shorter with some random povs excluded but overall, an amazing book 2 and really delivers on the GOT meets Mahabharata tag
Can't wait for more

4.5 Stars

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. I have been waiting for this book since I finished reading the 1st book. I haven't finished reading the whole book but again it's a long read and am loving each page of it. So far it's everything I was hoping from the book and the author. be aware, it is very graphic and gruesome and is not for everyone. Will update the review once finished the book but its fantastic

My first review of 2025 and it’s a five star. A solid-omg-wtf-I-need-therapy-over-fictional-characters kinda ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It would be encouraging to start off year with an articulate review, but Mohanty has rendered me stunned. After that last 25%, it felt like I just stepped outside of a tornado and I’m trying to comprehend the destruction.

I’ve been in this review game awhile, and my marketing background wants me to sell this book in a clever, charming way. But this book hangover prevents me to doing it with pizzazz.

So let me land on three semi-coherent reasons why.

1. You’ve read Sanderson. Or some other outrageous George R. R. Martin-level ish. Now you are ready for your next wordy Iron Man. Note, this series isn’t complete, but I still recommend joining the party now, because there is a lot to unpack in each book.
2. I’d argue Mohanty is one of the funniest high fantasy authors I’ve read. Which feels ironic for how dark this ish is. 😅
3. For people that think fantasy book series have “book slumps”- Even I sometimes dread reading book 2’s or 3’s because I hold a previous book on a pedestal. I think it’s safe to say Mohanty crushes this theory with all signs of not slowing down.

I’m here for you after you read this series. You may need to talk to someone (or scream into an abyss). Better yet, highly recommend securing this series as your next fantasy book club read. (I loved the audio for book 1, too!)

Book 2 is due out 25 February 2025

TY NetGalley for this much anticipated ARC.

eARC Review: Dance of Shadows by Gourav Mohanty 🐘

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! 🤯😳🥲😍

Okay, I got that out of my system so now for some coherent thoughts. This book exceeded and completely ANNIHILATED my expectations for a sequel. The action, the characters, the gore, THE PLOT?? Mohanty, you are a wicked genius for what you did here because my heart is deceased with something like depressed giddiness. 🤪

This plot runs parallel to the events of Sons of Darkness. There are new characters who join the already known cast of Duryodhan, Karna, and Mati. As with the first book, I loved all the characters in all their wickedly flawed glory, but the ones that stood out to me the most were the librarian princess, Vahura; the immature knight, Dantavarka; and again, poor Karna. 🏹

Karna is DRAGGED through the mud in this book and man I just wanted him to be happy for just one blissful second (and even that was viciously ripped from him). Vahura is a wonderfully naive but incredibly booksmart princess that I was cheering for the entire plot only to be cruelly reminded that this is a grim dark fantasy and happiness doesn’t exist. And Dantavarka. . . Oh you sweet summer child. His progression towards maturity was not only very well done in my opinion, but what he got at the end of the book? I’m gonna need a few days to just process it all. 😮‍💨

But seriously though, the last 35% of the book had me in a chokehold and I think I was repeatedly and distressingly saying “no” and “ah, what the hell man?!” the entire time I was reading and for five minutes after I finished the epilogue. As much as I would to recommend this to ALL readers out there, this is not for faint of heart or for people out there looking for a bit of “light/cozy reading.” If you’re looking for wonderfully flawed individuals, gore-core and an epic fantasy inspired by Hindu belief and the Mahabharata, then go pick this up NOW! 🗡️

Bowing at the feet of Head of Zeus and NetGalley for accepting my request to be traumatized with this INCREDIBLE sequel. And to Mohanty: WHEN IS BOOK 3 COMING?! 🥺

Shout out also goes to @lookmairead and @ladymairreads for being amazing buddies to scream with on StoryGraph. Here’s to trying to chase this high in another book. 🥂

Publication date: February 25!!

Overall: EASILY 5/5 ⭐️

Dance of Shadows is a dark and vivid reimagining of ancient India, weaving a tale of war, ambition, and fate. Packed with morally gray heroes, political intrigue, and a lush, atmospheric setting, it’s an epic where peace is but the prelude to chaos. Gourav Mohanty masterfully balances humor, heart, and havoc, delivering a story that is brutal, mythic, and utterly captivating. A must-read for fans of immersive, high-stakes fantasy.

This book was a wild ride. It’s one of those stories that throws you right into a sprawling world full of intrigue, danger, and complicated characters, and it doesn’t let up. The Tree Cities of the East, where most of the action happens, feel alive with their mix of politics, corruption, and desperate ambitions.

What I really enjoyed was how layered the story is. There’s a pirate-queen stuck in a cage (both literal and metaphorical), a temple-courtesan caught between duty and her heart, and even a librarian who decides stealing is the only way to save the world. Add to that a deaf swordswoman, lovesick princes, and immortal assassins—it’s a lot, but somehow it all fits together in this chaotic, fascinating way.

The pacing wobbled in places, especially with so many perspectives to follow, but once things clicked, I was hooked. The tension builds steadily, and when the stakes finally boil over, it’s worth it. There’s also something refreshing about how messy the characters are—not everything they do is noble or wise, and that makes them feel more real.

This is definitely a book for readers who love big, ambitious fantasy with plenty of twists and moral gray areas. The themes of love, loyalty, and ambition are woven throughout, and while the story doesn’t shy away from darkness, it’s balanced with moments of hope and humanity.

Overall, a solid 4 stars. It’s not a light read, but if you’re in the mood for something epic and a little unconventional, it’s worth picking up.

An excellent dark fantasy that puts a new and exciting spin on the Mahabharata! Definitely recommended to any fans of A Song of Ice and Fire and of Indian literary epics! Thank you to NetGalley and to Bloomsbury USA for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

As a big fan of SON OF DARKNESS I was absolutely thrilled to receive the ebook of this sequel! It was wonderful and everything I hoped, and I cannot wait for the opportunity to buy a hardcover with sprayed edges that will match the first one.

The magical heist, pending war looming on the horizon, and fantasy environment was so rewarding and fun to live in during this read.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This series is vicious, bloodthirsty and I just love the ride. Definatly for the people whom like John Gwen or Christopher buelman I love the dark Fantasy