Can’t Wait for Shadow and Bone on Netflix? The Books Are 50% Off So You Can Just Skip Ahead

Can’t Wait for Shadow and Bone on Netflix? The Books Are 50% Off So You Can Just Skip Ahead
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It’s been two years too long waiting for Season Two of Netflix’s Shadow and Bone to drop, but it’s finally here and there’s a lot to talk about. The show – based on Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone books – has begun to stray from its source material, in ways that are good and bad.

If you want to find out all of the differences between the show and books, as well as everything that’s to come, then get hyped because the trilogy is on sale for 50% off right now.

What is the Shadow and Bone book series about?

shadow and bone recap
Image: Netflix

The first book in the Shadow and Bone series began as Leigh Bardugo’s debut novel and was first published all the way back in 2012. The YA fantasy series has since earned itself a cult following around the world, along with four additional spin-offs that take place in the same universe.

The original series follows an orphan named Alina Starkov, who inhabits a war-torn land named Ravka, which is heavily inspired by 1800s Tsarist Russia. The world is in a tenuous peace between those with magical abilities (the Grisha) and those without them.

Ravka is plagued by The Fold, sometimes called the Unsea, a great expanse of darkness that has split the realm in two. The creation of The Fold is the product of an evil Grisha known as The Black Heretic from many years ago, and is home to vicious shadow monsters known as the volcra.

The people of Ravka have long awaited the appearance of the legendary Sun Summoner, a Grisha with light powers that may be able to end The Fold once and for all. So when Alina and her best friend, Mal, brave The Fold on a mission, she accidentally triggers her dormant Sun Summoner abilities and chases away the attacking volcra.

The leader of the Grisha, a man known as The Darkling, quickly arrives and whisks Alina away from Mal against her will, in an attempt to mentor her newfound abilities, so she can destroy The Fold.

While being Grisha gives Alina privileges and power beyond her wildest dreams, her only desire is to reunite with Mal and to avoid becoming a political pawn in the upcoming war between Grisha and non-Grisha.

If you’re already hooked on the show and want to read ahead, or maybe you just need something a new series to escape into, then let’s jump ahead to the good stuff.

Which Shadow and Bone books are on sale?

Shadow and Bone books
Image: Orion Books/Netflix

Right now, you can grab all three novels in the Shadow and Bone book series (formerly known as The Grisha Trilogy) from Amazon Australia for $12 each.

Usually, each book is sold at $22.99, so this is the perfect opportunity to get up to date with the series before the TV show is hopefully renewed for Season Three.

If you’re confused about which one to read first, start with Shadow and Bone, which is the source material for Season One of the Netflix show. The plot of Season One stays almost exactly true to the first book, so you won’t find much deviations there. It’s a breeze to read through, you could easily devour it in one or two days.

Next, you’ll want to pick up Siege and Storm, the inspiration for Season Two. In the sequel, you’ll find out what Bardugo intended for the trilogy, especially since Season Two is where the show begins to veer away from the books. The changes are substantial, so if you want to know all the major differences, you better get reading.

The Sun Summoner’s trilogy concludes in Ruin and Rising, but once you’re done reading the third book, you’ll quickly realise that Netflix combined the most important plot points from the second and third books, leaving a lot unknown for the direction of Alina’s story should the show be renewed.

Find out everything for yourself by grabbing all three books from the Shadow and Bone series below:

It turns out that the Shadow and Bone trilogy isn’t the only Grishaverse series on sale right now. Fans also fell in love with show-stealers Kaz, Inej and Jesper, a Ketterdam gang who refer to themselves as The Crows. Even though their story takes place in the same universe, their story isn’t part of the original Shadow and Bone books.

The criminals have their very own duology that kicks off in Six of Crows and ends with Crooked Kingdom. Following the events of Shadow and Bone, these books follow six dangerous outcasts as they attempt a deadly heist that will land them great riches. While the Netflix show doesn’t unite all main players in this series until Season Two, you’ll get to read about all six together rightaway with Six of Crows.

You can buy the duology below for 40% off:

Can’t get enough of the Grishaverse? Then we have good news for you. The last two books in Leigh Bardugo’s dark universe are also on sale for up to 40% off. The King of Scars duology circles the paths of Nikolai Lantsov (who you meet in Season Two), Nina Zenik (your favourite Heartrender) and Zoya Nazyalensky (legendary squaller) as they attempt to rebuild the broken land of Ravka.

The duology is on sale below:

And that’s it! Go forth and enter the Grishaverse, friends.


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At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

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