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musgrovej's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Fantastic!
This author has become a definite auto buy after completing her Keeper Origins series.
I love the redemption arc of this book. When you meet Alaric he’s obviously questioning some of his decisions but also justifying them because it’s the only way to save someone he loves.
This book has found family, elves, dwarves, magic, a great story, and a satisfying ending. What more could you want from a fantasy book.
This author has become a definite auto buy after completing her Keeper Origins series.
I love the redemption arc of this book. When you meet Alaric he’s obviously questioning some of his decisions but also justifying them because it’s the only way to save someone he loves.
This book has found family, elves, dwarves, magic, a great story, and a satisfying ending. What more could you want from a fantasy book.
alysha714's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bookish_satty's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I really enjoyed this story. The author succeeded in maintaining the tension till the very end which kept my attention and urged me to read faster.
Saying that I think the story lacked proper worldbuilding as well as character development moments and was too focused on the progression of the quest. After sometime it felt too fast moving for my taste especially because it's the first in a series and I'm still not emotionally invested in the characters.
I liked the ending a lot but it lacked the emotional punch the author was aiming my way because I didn't much care about the fate of our beloved characters.
This will work as a good palette cleanser between chunky epic fantasies and it's quite self contained to work as a standalone.
P.S. - The audio narration by Tim Gerard Reynolds is fantastic. Definitely recommend.
Saying that I think the story lacked proper worldbuilding as well as character development moments and was too focused on the progression of the quest. After sometime it felt too fast moving for my taste especially because it's the first in a series and I'm still not emotionally invested in the characters.
I liked the ending a lot but it lacked the emotional punch the author was aiming my way because I didn't much care about the fate of our beloved characters.
This will work as a good palette cleanser between chunky epic fantasies and it's quite self contained to work as a standalone.
P.S. - The audio narration by Tim Gerard Reynolds is fantastic. Definitely recommend.
cameronkobesauthor's review against another edition
5.0
A Threat of Shadows is the first of the Keeper Chronicles series by J.A. Andrews. It’s another high fantasy novel, set in a medieval world populated by humans, dwarves, elves, dragons, wizards, and various mystical monsters. It also has the distinction of being, so far, the best indie novel I’ve read.
The protagonist’s hero and protagonist is Alaric, whose occupation as a Keeper enables him to have various magical abilities and a wide range of arcane knowledge. When Alaric’s wife Evangeline is bitten by a poisonous snake he embarks on a quest to find an antidote for her, which puts him in the path of a plot to resurrect a long-dead wizard of a wicked group called Shade Seekers.
In many ways the novel seems to follow several fantasy tropes that have been used to the point of cliché. Alaric is a quest in a traditional fantasy land, and he eventually becomes part of a traveling party with an old wizard, a gruff dwarf, an ethereal elf, a blacksmith, and a milkmaid. That trope, the diverse wandering fellowship, has been done many times before. However, without going too far into spoilers, this book turns the trope on its head in an unexpected and spectacular way. I’m always impressed by writers who can take the familiar aspects of a genre and do something new with them, and A Threat of Shadows does that especially well.
A major part of the book’s appeal for me was that it had a sense of wonder to it. I’ve noticed a trend with a lot of recent fantasy that the books sometimes take themselves very seriously. A Song of Ice and Fire, despite all that’s good about it, doesn’t have that sense of wonder. I don’t think the indie fantasy novels I’ve previously reviewed had it either. Books with a sense of wonder don’t try so hard to be gritty or realistic. They allow themselves to be playful, to do impossible things because impossible things are fun. The Harry Potter series is an especially prominent example of this. So is Piers Anthony’s A Spell for Chameleon of the Magic of Xanth series, but I strongly disliked that one for other reasons. Many fantasy novels written for children or young adults have that playfulness. I would not say that A Threat of Shadows is aimed at children or young adults (though it doesn’t have anything that would lead most parents to prohibit it), but it still has that playfulness and wonder.
A side-effect of that playfulness and wonder is that the characters occasionally benefited from having just a little too much luck in their quest (which, as the story progresses, shifts from healing Evangeline’s wife to preventing the return of the villainous wizard). In another book this might bother me, but in this case I’m okay with it. The writing was also very good, mostly without any grammatical or formatting mistakes.
To wrap this up, I would definitely recommend this book to fans of fantasy. If you’re into anything from J.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, Terry Pratchett, and so on, you’ll most likely enjoy this book.
The protagonist’s hero and protagonist is Alaric, whose occupation as a Keeper enables him to have various magical abilities and a wide range of arcane knowledge. When Alaric’s wife Evangeline is bitten by a poisonous snake he embarks on a quest to find an antidote for her, which puts him in the path of a plot to resurrect a long-dead wizard of a wicked group called Shade Seekers.
In many ways the novel seems to follow several fantasy tropes that have been used to the point of cliché. Alaric is a quest in a traditional fantasy land, and he eventually becomes part of a traveling party with an old wizard, a gruff dwarf, an ethereal elf, a blacksmith, and a milkmaid. That trope, the diverse wandering fellowship, has been done many times before. However, without going too far into spoilers, this book turns the trope on its head in an unexpected and spectacular way. I’m always impressed by writers who can take the familiar aspects of a genre and do something new with them, and A Threat of Shadows does that especially well.
A major part of the book’s appeal for me was that it had a sense of wonder to it. I’ve noticed a trend with a lot of recent fantasy that the books sometimes take themselves very seriously. A Song of Ice and Fire, despite all that’s good about it, doesn’t have that sense of wonder. I don’t think the indie fantasy novels I’ve previously reviewed had it either. Books with a sense of wonder don’t try so hard to be gritty or realistic. They allow themselves to be playful, to do impossible things because impossible things are fun. The Harry Potter series is an especially prominent example of this. So is Piers Anthony’s A Spell for Chameleon of the Magic of Xanth series, but I strongly disliked that one for other reasons. Many fantasy novels written for children or young adults have that playfulness. I would not say that A Threat of Shadows is aimed at children or young adults (though it doesn’t have anything that would lead most parents to prohibit it), but it still has that playfulness and wonder.
A side-effect of that playfulness and wonder is that the characters occasionally benefited from having just a little too much luck in their quest (which, as the story progresses, shifts from healing Evangeline’s wife to preventing the return of the villainous wizard). In another book this might bother me, but in this case I’m okay with it. The writing was also very good, mostly without any grammatical or formatting mistakes.
To wrap this up, I would definitely recommend this book to fans of fantasy. If you’re into anything from J.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, Terry Pratchett, and so on, you’ll most likely enjoy this book.
dawn_marie's review against another edition
3.0
A Threat of Shadows by J.A. Andrews is a charming fantasy story featuring a Keeper (sort of a magical historian) searching for an antidote to save his dying wife. While on his quest Alaric (the Keeper) meets up with a band of unusual characters (a bumbling wizard, flighty elf, grumpy dwarf, blacksmith, and a milkmaid) who are on their own treasure hunt. Since their needs algin, Alaric joins up with the group as they continue their quest. Along the way, they encounter various obstacles, puzzles, and mysteries that attempt to thwart Alaric and his traveling companions. Oh, and they just might need to save the world.
While there was nothing particularly new or inventive about A Thread of Shadows, the world, magic system, and characters being typical of most fantasy works, it was a fun, quick read.
While there was nothing particularly new or inventive about A Thread of Shadows, the world, magic system, and characters being typical of most fantasy works, it was a fun, quick read.
geethr75's review against another edition
5.0
I started and finished this in one sitting which should tell everything about this book, and it's not a short one. 452 pages long on my kindle, and it was almost 4 am when I finished it. I absolutely loved this. Alaric and his companions are memorable characters, and I love how the plot is resolved in the book itself. (hope that's not a spoiler). While the author feels that they have nothing to tempt a reader with for the second book, I disagree, since I don't know that anyone can stop at reading one from this author. This trilogy has been on my kindle for a while, and I'm sorry that I haven't read it yet. Highly recommended for fans of epic and dark fantasy.
ETA: I read the audiobook recently, and while the story was immensely enjoyable, I didn't enjoy the narration as much, esp the fake accents. I believe it's a me problem, however.
ETA: I read the audiobook recently, and while the story was immensely enjoyable, I didn't enjoy the narration as much, esp the fake accents. I believe it's a me problem, however.
ellyrarg's review against another edition
3.0
A nice distraction-y book. Dove right in, lovely pace enough intrigue to keep things interesting without giving too much away, a few twists I didn’t foresee and some I did (which made me feel smarter than I am). Character wise there was some development, but the way I ripped through I didn’t become overly fond of any of them. I was sad at the switch, though. She was an interesting character.
I ripped through this so quick (because: distraction) but it was a lovely little read. I’m excited about the next instalment.
I ripped through this so quick (because: distraction) but it was a lovely little read. I’m excited about the next instalment.