A review by thebiasedbibliophile
A Threat of Shadows by J.A. Andrews

5.0

Alaric is a Keeper, a person with magic who is tasked with protecting the people of Queensland and recording their stories. But after he falls in love, his only concern is to save his wife, and he is willing to do some very un-Keeper-like things to do so. His quest leads him to a ragtag group of treasure hunters, which includes Douglon the dwarf, Gustav the wizard, and Ayda the elf. The group goes on an adventure of a lifetime filled with peril and discovery.

I have to be honest with you; I have a secret…. I’ve never read any of the classic epic fantasy novels…like not a single one. However, after reading A Threat of Shadows, I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t need to because they could never be as good as this book!

You know that feeling when a book is just so fantastic that you don’t have the words to describe it, and you feel like screaming aimlessly and extremely loudly is the only possible way to convey your feelings? Nope, just me? Well, that’s how I felt about this book. I think I’m going to have a book hangover for the rest of my life. 

Okay, okay, I’ll try to put what I liked about the novel into words. First off, the epicness (which is not technically a word, but it should be) of the story is unparalleled. You really feel like you’re going on an adventure with the characters, getting to know them, bonding with them, and feeling their wins and losses as if they were your own. I’m completely convinced that this book is somehow a portal to another universe because there’s no way I was on Earth while reading it.

Additionally, the themes in the novel are extremely powerful. Andrews has an uncanny ability to write strong themes, something I wish we’d see more often in fantasy. The theme of loss is not one I typically seek out in the novels I read, but it was so compelling in this story. Right from the start, you have Alaric, who is facing the loss of his wife. Each character experiences loss in their own unique way, and I absolutely loved what Andrews did with that theme (even though I bawled my eyes out).

Finally, I was moved by the message that our misdeeds do not make us who we are. The idea that we can reach our darkest point and still be redeemable is one that will stick with me for a long time to come. It was an absolutely beautiful message woven through an equally beautiful story. 

*Please note: Spelling of character names might be incorrect because I listened to the audiobook.