Review - The Silent Paths of Night by David R. Slayton
The Silent Paths of Night
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Volume 2 of The Gods of Night and Day
Tags: Fantasy
Posted in Book Reviews on 24 June, 2026
Warning: This book is hard to review without discussing the ending. I’ve tried to keep the spoilers to a minimum, but you have been warned.
Raef has freed the goddess Phoebe so the moon once again is in the night skies, driving the tides and carrying the dead away to the underworld. But the world is still out of balance. The Hierarch of the sun god Hyperion still seems determined to plunge the world into chaos. Plus, Phoebe was not the only one returned from the underworld. An evil demon has also come to wreak havoc, and seems focused on Raef and Seth.
This sequel to Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is a direct follow-on to the first book, so naturally, you need to have read that first book before this one to know what’s going on. Much as in the first book, the story unfolds in a very episodic fashion, as Raef and Seth undertake several quests in their determination to restore balance to the world.
Raef learned about his unusual origins in the first book, but the reasoning behind it remained a mystery. Over the course of his adventures with Seth in this story, Raef believes he discovers his true purpose, and it’s not a happy one. Through it all, Raef remains steadfast in is determination to make the world a better place, even though it keeps treating him badly.
Unlike Raef, Seth’s origins are still a complete mystery as the story opens. The truth is finally revealed at the very end, but if you’ve been paying attention, you’ll probably guess at it before Seth figures it out. Seth is a very sympathetic character as he searches for meaning in his life.
This book ends ambiguously with the revelation that one of our heroes must sacrifice themselves at the hands of the other to set the world right. The scenario isn’t played out, so we’re left to either imagine it, or wait to see if there’s a third book that offers a hope for another way out.
“The Silent Paths of Night” is available from independent booksellers through Bookshop.org.