Shadow and Bone “A Searing Burst of Light” Review
Shadow and Bone is finally out and we couldn’t wait to start our roundtable reviews. If you still haven’t started watched the highly anticipated show of the year, check out the books, read our article here and start now! This is Shadow and Bone “A Searing Burst of Light” Review!
Introductions
Marti: I’m Marti and I’m a contributor here at FANdemonium Network. I’m also an interpreting and translation student with a passion for tv shows and traveling.
Dan: I’m Dan, and I write the occasional piece for FANdemonium Network. My main job is as an appearance agent for actors for DMJ Consultancy.
Jen: Hi, I’m Jen and I’m a senior support agent in an office. When I’m not busy working, I love to travel or indulge in fantasy series and books.
Rike: Hey, I’m Rike and I’m also a contributor here at FANdemonium Network. Right now I’m about to finish my apprenticeship in a library, so one could say I’m really into books.
Q: What did you think of the episode overall?
D – I thought it was a really strong opening episode. It set everything out nicely – the characters, the locations, the world the show exists in. It was really well done.
M – I think it was a perfect first episode. They took all the time necessary to present Alina, the main character, and to explain the world she lives in without revealing too much.
J – I think it was a good introduction as well. Eventhough, in my opinion, it started off a bit slow, it was necessary in order to get to know the characters and the world that they live in.
R – What a great way to kick off, am I right? People who read the books were excited to “meet” all the different characters after already falling in love with them over and over again. On the other hand, people who are new to this whole universe got a perfect way to start with all these beautiful character introductions and also getting to know this whole world.
Q: Were you satisfied with the character introductions? Did they live up to your expectations?
D – I loved the character introductions. 5 of the “big 6” got proper introductions that showed them off as characters, and gave non-readers the chance to get to grips with who they are quickly but effectively. The only one really missing is General Kirigan, but he was spoken about enough that it almost felt like an introduction in itself.
M – Yes, absolutely. I’ve especially loved the crows introductions, who also were the “new” ones, since this is a sort of a prequel to their story. Only General Kirigan’s introduction was “missing” as we only see him looking at the skiff, but it’s not like he needs one anyway.
J – I think the character introductions were really well done, i especially liked seeing the flashbacks as well. Even though i had pretty high hopes, i can honestly say that my expectations have been exceeded and the characters already lived up to everything i’d hope they would be in the first episode. In regards to General Kirigan, i personally think he had the perfect introduction without being properly introduced. I think only showing him in a short scene from behind left viewers curious and intrigued to see more.
R – Yes, they truly did. Couldn’t have asked for better introductions to be honest. They really thought all this through. Every little detail fitted perfectly and I have to admit that some characters got me right from the start. No surprise here.
Q: In the first episode, we can already see the Shadow and Bone trilogy and the Six of Crows duology merge. Did you like the way the two “worlds” collided?
D – I liked the way they’ve merged them. Obviously season 1 is set before the story that is Six of Crows, so to integrate those well-loved characters was a tough task. But I think they did it really well, and the season wouldn’t have been as good without those characters in it.
M – That probably was the part I’ve loved the most about this episode. Having read the books years ago, the part regarding S&B wasn’t a surprise to me. I was very curious about the crows, and I’ve absolutely loved the way they made them work together.
J – When i first found out that their stories would intertwine, i wasn’t completely sure what to expect and how it will all tie together, after the first few minutes however i was sure that they’d do a great job in bringing both of the stories together. Like Martina already said, it is nice that we get a whole new story of the crows in this season, one that left even book readers in suspense, not knowing what will or could happen next.
R – BIG YES!! Once I heard about it I was like: “Not 100% sure how they want to do that, but let’s wait and see.” They didn’t disappoint me at all. A perfect “collision”. That sounds wrong, but you know what I mean. After reading the crows duology I was super excited about this “prequel” and seeing the crows meeting different characters from the shadow and bone trilogy. Can’t wait to see what’s coming next. Super excited!
Q: Special effects play a very important role in the show. Considering everything we saw during this episode, from Alina’s light to Squallers’ wind and Inferni’s fire, were they exactly what you were expecting them to be?
D – I decidedly had no expectations about the special effects. I’d seen the fold and the stag in promo trailers, but hadn’t wanted to see much beyond that. I like that the show used actual physical things as much as possible – it gave it an authenticity that is often missing in shows these days. What special effects that we did see in the episode, however, I was impressed with. Everything mentioned in the questions and more – it was very well produced.
M – I had no expectations because they’re really difficult powers to portray and yet, they completely surprised me. They all looked very natural, as they should be, and I loved the movements. I loved Alina’s light, recreating the sunlight isn’t an easy task at all.
J – In that regard i had no expectations, however i am really picky when it comes to this kind of stuff. The special effects and the portrayal of the different grisha powers positively surprised me and i knew from the first moment i’ve seen them, that they’d probably be very well done in the rest of the season as well.
R – To be honest, I wasn’t concerned at all because I knew this one would be pretty good especially when it comes to special effects. Luckily stuff like that reached a higher level compared to a couple years ago. Nowadays I really do enjoy watching most of the stuff. Shadow and Bone has set the bar high in my opinion.
Q: First impressions are important. Whether you previously read the books or not – what was your first impression? What made you keep watching the show after the first episode?
D – I am a huge lover of the books, so my first impression was always going to be about the characters and the setting and whether they felt authentic. They did. So my first impression was overwhelmingly positive. I was always going to watch the whole season, for several reasons, but the way the characters and places were brought to life kept me gripped.
M – I have read and loved the books and I was ready to watch it all and feel disappointed with many things as it happened with other adaptations, but this wasn’t the case at all. I’m very surprised and pleased because there is nothing to complain about. The characters were just perfect and straight out of the books. The cast had a lot of pressure to deal with but they did an amazing job. At this moment, I cannot imagine anyone else in their place.
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J – One word: incredible. I honestly couldn’t have imagined a better start to the series. It was everything i asked for and more. The cast embodied the characters just as i have imagined and the producers brought the world, that i fell in love with, to life. I’m always sceptical when it comes to film adaptions, however after watching the first episode i had no doubt that this would be one of the best adaptions i’ve seen. I was hooked from the first second on and knew i would spent the rest of the night bingewatching it and falling more and more in love with the characters, the cast and the world.
R – Let me tell you this: I truly fell in love with every single book and I was so damn excited for this show to finally be available to watch. After seeing the cast and watching some interviews, I knew that it would be good – but it wasn’t just good… it was super freaking good. What a talented cast! So, what made me keep watching the show? Just literally everything. Also – Alexei has a really special place in my heart and I’m still a bit disappointed about his short journey. Meanwhile, I’m all here for Alina and Mal – also a big reason I continued watching after the first episode with all the content we got.
Overall rating (from 1 to 10):
D – A solid 8
M – 8,5
J – 8
R – 8
See you next week for the next Shadow and Bone review!
