Where Shadows Lie

I was given an audiobook from Authors Direct in order to judge the book for Best Audio Narration for the Indie Ink Awards. It is narrated by Marian Hussay, and it's incredibly well done. 
The cast of characters is incredibly diverse, and the narration doesn't miss a beat with accents and personalities. There's everything from Irish to Middle Eastern, and they're all done well. I was super impressed and it was very enjoyable. 
The novel also features lesbian/bisexual and disability representation, which I also found to be well done and meaningfully used. One of the main characters, seen on the cover, was taken with a wasting sickness as a child and had to fight their way back to walking. It's not used just to be there, it genuinely shapes everything the character is and does. 
This is a large scale epic fantasy, with winding plot and twisting turns. It features multiple POVs that become more and more intwined over time. It is very heavy on the political intrigue, with actual action being quite spread out, but the climax was pretty damn solid. There's cool magic, relying on apparatuses that enhance or funnel power, and most people are required to charge items with magic so that they have a source to draw from in times of need. Therefore, the more powerful are dangerous, and the gods watch them. 
Interesting first entry, I would check out more! 4/5*