What do you think?
Rate this book
The Legend of the Gate Keeper #1
Land of Shadows
The gorgeous lands of Tarmerria are full of magic and beauty. But the virtually lawless cities contain no shortage of darkness and greed. A land where daily survival in the harsh realm takes priority over all else. But the world is about to change. The ancient prophecies, written during a time long forgotten, just might be true after all.
Join in as unlikely companions from completely different worlds set out on the adventure of a lifetime. A search for answers. A search for the truth.
This book is intended for mature audiences.
Join in as unlikely companions from completely different worlds set out on the adventure of a lifetime. A search for answers. A search for the truth.
This book is intended for mature audiences.
220 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 29, 2012
381 people are currently reading
2495 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Gunzel
22 books44 followersJeff Gunzel grew up in Chicago Illinois. Even though he now lives in Westminster Colorado, "Da Bears" will always be a part of his soul! He eventually graduated from Devry University with an Associate of Applied Science in Electronics & Computer Technology. But his first love will always be writing fantasy novels. You can blame that on years and years of playing Dungeons & Dragons.
Feel free to contact him here: jgunzelbooks@gmail.com
Feel free to contact him here: jgunzelbooks@gmail.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
November 30, 2013
This book should not have been published in the state that it is in.
It has, quite obviously, not been properly edited. Grammar errors, spelling errors, composition complications, redundant phrases, and a repetitive use of the same odd word choices all burden this book with so much clutter that it is almost impossible to stay immersed.
The characters are unbelievable and inconsistent. The action scenes read like a bad attempt at a Quentin Tarantino movie. The attempt at mature elements were focused entirely on gratuitous sexual grunge that was totally not necessary and did more to pull away from the scenes than secure the targeted atmosphere.
Gunzel spends most of this book trying to build up layers of mystery and intrigue, but didn't have the patience to see it through. Unfortunately, the most powerful pieces of his story were delivered to quickly and too unceremoniously to create any real feeling. Romance, mystery, plot sequences. They all begin to build and then PLOP there they are. It takes so much away from the power of the elements within [which REALLY have potential]. Even diamonds are ugly when they are uncut and cluttered with flaws.
~This applies to the book as a whole.~ With more patience and care, this piece could have been worthy of a pleasant read at the very least. Currently it's somewhat of a tiresome chore.
It has, quite obviously, not been properly edited. Grammar errors, spelling errors, composition complications, redundant phrases, and a repetitive use of the same odd word choices all burden this book with so much clutter that it is almost impossible to stay immersed.
The characters are unbelievable and inconsistent. The action scenes read like a bad attempt at a Quentin Tarantino movie. The attempt at mature elements were focused entirely on gratuitous sexual grunge that was totally not necessary and did more to pull away from the scenes than secure the targeted atmosphere.
Gunzel spends most of this book trying to build up layers of mystery and intrigue, but didn't have the patience to see it through. Unfortunately, the most powerful pieces of his story were delivered to quickly and too unceremoniously to create any real feeling. Romance, mystery, plot sequences. They all begin to build and then PLOP there they are. It takes so much away from the power of the elements within [which REALLY have potential]. Even diamonds are ugly when they are uncut and cluttered with flaws.
~This applies to the book as a whole.~ With more patience and care, this piece could have been worthy of a pleasant read at the very least. Currently it's somewhat of a tiresome chore.
July 15, 2013
Ug. And things were starting out so good.
I actually didn't finish this book. I stopped at 15% through and I really hate that I had to. There's a really good story in here, but it's unfortunately buried in a mountain of exposition and poor editing. As an independent author, I always try to support other indie writers by giving their stuff a shot. Jeff's world was very well thought out and his characters were genuinely interesting. The poor editing I could forgive at first, but it just got worse and worse as the pages turned. Poor sentence structure, missing punctuation, tense changes, and some confusing jumps in point of view just filled the pages.
Like I said, I was willing to forgive these things. After all, indie authors have to start off somewhere and Jeff definitely has a lot of potential. What I finally just couldn't forgive was the mind-numbing amount of exposition. To be fair, I've written plenty of high fantasy where no character can serve as a reader-surrogate (i.e. someone in the story that is also new to the world so the other characters can explain stuff to them and thus weave exposition into the narrative). When facing that kind of writing challenge, often you simply have to just tell the audience stuff. The issue came when there started to be more exposition than story going on. I reached the last straw when an entire half of chapter three was nothing but exposition. By the time something started actually happening in the story again, I no longer cared.
This really upset me, because the parts of this book that were good were really good. There were some action sequences that grabbed my full attention and some characters that, while kind of cliche, really intrigued me. I'm giving this two stars more for the potential of the writer than for the book itself. I hope the author doesn't become discouraged because there's real talent here. It just needs a lot of polish.
I actually didn't finish this book. I stopped at 15% through and I really hate that I had to. There's a really good story in here, but it's unfortunately buried in a mountain of exposition and poor editing. As an independent author, I always try to support other indie writers by giving their stuff a shot. Jeff's world was very well thought out and his characters were genuinely interesting. The poor editing I could forgive at first, but it just got worse and worse as the pages turned. Poor sentence structure, missing punctuation, tense changes, and some confusing jumps in point of view just filled the pages.
Like I said, I was willing to forgive these things. After all, indie authors have to start off somewhere and Jeff definitely has a lot of potential. What I finally just couldn't forgive was the mind-numbing amount of exposition. To be fair, I've written plenty of high fantasy where no character can serve as a reader-surrogate (i.e. someone in the story that is also new to the world so the other characters can explain stuff to them and thus weave exposition into the narrative). When facing that kind of writing challenge, often you simply have to just tell the audience stuff. The issue came when there started to be more exposition than story going on. I reached the last straw when an entire half of chapter three was nothing but exposition. By the time something started actually happening in the story again, I no longer cared.
This really upset me, because the parts of this book that were good were really good. There were some action sequences that grabbed my full attention and some characters that, while kind of cliche, really intrigued me. I'm giving this two stars more for the potential of the writer than for the book itself. I hope the author doesn't become discouraged because there's real talent here. It just needs a lot of polish.
March 18, 2014
I was given the book “Land of Shadows (The Legends of the Gatekeeper #1)” by author Jeff Gunzel, in exchange for an honest review. I met Mr. Gunzel in a forum on www.goodreads.com for authors that were introducing their books. After a brief discussion of his book, I was more than willing to accept the task of reading what he penned.
I will be the first to admit that what sparked my attention to the book was the cover art. I don’t know how he developed the cover or who created it, but they did a fabulous job. The woman on the cover pretty much gives you the idea that this book is going to have a strong female character. Just that there sold me on the book. I know, you aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover, but I did.
*****
The story starts off with Morcel, a battle worn warrior, member of the Leathers that has no desire for the next raiding mission. Unlike the other Leathers, he despises having to plunder a city, kill the men, women, infants and animals. He’s tired of these tasks that are amounting to nothing for him. Where he feels he is the most needed is on the battlefield fighting. To him these types of tasks are demeaning and beneath his experience.
Everything changes when he hears a scream. Taking off to find the source, he comes to the most despicable sight he has seen thus far. A young boy, about twelve, is naked and being held down bent over a bench by a small group of Leathers. Screaming and being held back by Leather, a young woman is trying to save the boy. In what takes a matter of seconds, Morcel is in the middle of this mess. He doesn’t even realize that he has grabbed his axe and is slicing the throat of one of the men.
In a split second, he witnesses something that he isn’t quite sure is even happening. The young woman has now freed herself from her captive. She has somehow pulled out two daggers and is slashing her assailant. Witnessing her movements, he instantly knows that this woman has had some serious training in weaponry and fighting. Where did she learn these skills and why?
Once the men have been slain, the girl realizes that the boy has been murdered. Realizing that they are in danger due to their actions, Morcel instructs this female warrior to leave. Within seconds, backup arrives and Morcel is captured. The only thing he can hope for is that the woman was able to escape.
Jade, who we discover late in the book, is the hooded assassin that has been causing havoc among the Leathers. She has been training all her life for one crucial task, find and protect the Gatekeeper at all costs. Not knowing who she really is or where she came from, Jade has relied on her teachers to raise her. All her life she has known nothing other than lessons, books and battle training. She has had to rely on her skills and the generosity of strangers to get her to the point that she is in her life.
Eric Aethello has always been known as the blacksmiths son. He’s always felt that there was really nothing special to his life. Outside his homeschooling, he spends his time sparring, learning hand-to-hand combat, and various forms of weapons. He trains and spars with his best friend Jacob, who has mastered the art of the staff.
Eric, who never favored himself a ladies’ man, attacks the attention of a striking young woman, Aena. It’s through Aena that Eric discovers that his life has been a total lie. After a night of bliss, Aena turns on Eric and tries to kill him. It’s Jade that finds Eric and saves him from the murderous hands of the assassin Aena.
The father that he thought he had has lied to him. The only people that he can trust now are his best friend and this strange female Jade. It’s thought Jade that he discovers that he is the Gatekeeper and she has been tasked with saving his life. Now it’s up to Jade to get Eric to the queen before Dragot finds and kills him.
*****
“Land of Shadows” isn’t a book that I would suggest for younger audiences. Due to the sexual violence in the book, I would say that it might even be for more mature audiences. There are some pretty graphic scenes that might not set well with some, especially younger audiences.
As for the storyline, I was happy to see that the author created a strong female character. Most of the time adventure and fantasy novels portray the female as the victim and or weaker characters to the men. So, when I do stumble across a story that has the female as the strongest of characters, it does make the story more appealing.
I did find that the mystery of Jade’s lineage was easy to figure out. As soon as the character was introduced, I pretty much had it nailed. Even though I was able to figure this out, yet the characters have yet to admit to it, it wasn’t that distracting. I personally believe that it just builds to the suspense of wanting to read the next installment. It leaves you wanting to see how everyone handles the issue.
In all, this was a great book. I did peak at a couple other reviews after I finished the book to just try to grasp how others felt. I did agree that there were some editing errors, but then those weren’t so major that they took away from the story. I do disagree with one that the book didn’t feel as if it was finished. Of course it’s not finished! This is a series book, so it’s going to leave you hanging and things will be unanswered. This is what makes you want to read the next installment...which I hope I’ll be able to.
In the end, the author has developed strong characters and great story line. I feel that as he continues to write, he’ll only improve and more people will appreciate where this story is headed.
I will be the first to admit that what sparked my attention to the book was the cover art. I don’t know how he developed the cover or who created it, but they did a fabulous job. The woman on the cover pretty much gives you the idea that this book is going to have a strong female character. Just that there sold me on the book. I know, you aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover, but I did.
*****
The story starts off with Morcel, a battle worn warrior, member of the Leathers that has no desire for the next raiding mission. Unlike the other Leathers, he despises having to plunder a city, kill the men, women, infants and animals. He’s tired of these tasks that are amounting to nothing for him. Where he feels he is the most needed is on the battlefield fighting. To him these types of tasks are demeaning and beneath his experience.
Everything changes when he hears a scream. Taking off to find the source, he comes to the most despicable sight he has seen thus far. A young boy, about twelve, is naked and being held down bent over a bench by a small group of Leathers. Screaming and being held back by Leather, a young woman is trying to save the boy. In what takes a matter of seconds, Morcel is in the middle of this mess. He doesn’t even realize that he has grabbed his axe and is slicing the throat of one of the men.
In a split second, he witnesses something that he isn’t quite sure is even happening. The young woman has now freed herself from her captive. She has somehow pulled out two daggers and is slashing her assailant. Witnessing her movements, he instantly knows that this woman has had some serious training in weaponry and fighting. Where did she learn these skills and why?
Once the men have been slain, the girl realizes that the boy has been murdered. Realizing that they are in danger due to their actions, Morcel instructs this female warrior to leave. Within seconds, backup arrives and Morcel is captured. The only thing he can hope for is that the woman was able to escape.
Jade, who we discover late in the book, is the hooded assassin that has been causing havoc among the Leathers. She has been training all her life for one crucial task, find and protect the Gatekeeper at all costs. Not knowing who she really is or where she came from, Jade has relied on her teachers to raise her. All her life she has known nothing other than lessons, books and battle training. She has had to rely on her skills and the generosity of strangers to get her to the point that she is in her life.
Eric Aethello has always been known as the blacksmiths son. He’s always felt that there was really nothing special to his life. Outside his homeschooling, he spends his time sparring, learning hand-to-hand combat, and various forms of weapons. He trains and spars with his best friend Jacob, who has mastered the art of the staff.
Eric, who never favored himself a ladies’ man, attacks the attention of a striking young woman, Aena. It’s through Aena that Eric discovers that his life has been a total lie. After a night of bliss, Aena turns on Eric and tries to kill him. It’s Jade that finds Eric and saves him from the murderous hands of the assassin Aena.
The father that he thought he had has lied to him. The only people that he can trust now are his best friend and this strange female Jade. It’s thought Jade that he discovers that he is the Gatekeeper and she has been tasked with saving his life. Now it’s up to Jade to get Eric to the queen before Dragot finds and kills him.
*****
“Land of Shadows” isn’t a book that I would suggest for younger audiences. Due to the sexual violence in the book, I would say that it might even be for more mature audiences. There are some pretty graphic scenes that might not set well with some, especially younger audiences.
As for the storyline, I was happy to see that the author created a strong female character. Most of the time adventure and fantasy novels portray the female as the victim and or weaker characters to the men. So, when I do stumble across a story that has the female as the strongest of characters, it does make the story more appealing.
I did find that the mystery of Jade’s lineage was easy to figure out. As soon as the character was introduced, I pretty much had it nailed. Even though I was able to figure this out, yet the characters have yet to admit to it, it wasn’t that distracting. I personally believe that it just builds to the suspense of wanting to read the next installment. It leaves you wanting to see how everyone handles the issue.
In all, this was a great book. I did peak at a couple other reviews after I finished the book to just try to grasp how others felt. I did agree that there were some editing errors, but then those weren’t so major that they took away from the story. I do disagree with one that the book didn’t feel as if it was finished. Of course it’s not finished! This is a series book, so it’s going to leave you hanging and things will be unanswered. This is what makes you want to read the next installment...which I hope I’ll be able to.
In the end, the author has developed strong characters and great story line. I feel that as he continues to write, he’ll only improve and more people will appreciate where this story is headed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2013
What a fantastic adventure. I will say straight away that I would have given this book the top marks of 5 out of 5, if it wasn't for the editing issues. However, if you let the few mistakes of editing put you off reading this book then you will be missing out on a great story.
A busy plot with lots of things going on and then it all comes together and leaves little teasers so you simply cannot wait for the next book. This is a very good author with an amazing imagination.
Characters were very alive and either likeable or not, whatever your preferences are. The plot weaves out their individual lives and brings them together to fight the good fight.
Plot line is adventurous and most certainly never boring. There are sad parts, happy parts, funny parts, a bit of romance, fighting and magic. Plenty of fantasy creatures and fantasy people. Everything a fantasy reader could wish for. Thank you Jeff Gunzel for a great read.
A busy plot with lots of things going on and then it all comes together and leaves little teasers so you simply cannot wait for the next book. This is a very good author with an amazing imagination.
Characters were very alive and either likeable or not, whatever your preferences are. The plot weaves out their individual lives and brings them together to fight the good fight.
Plot line is adventurous and most certainly never boring. There are sad parts, happy parts, funny parts, a bit of romance, fighting and magic. Plenty of fantasy creatures and fantasy people. Everything a fantasy reader could wish for. Thank you Jeff Gunzel for a great read.
April 16, 2018
This was a free download and on this occasion I got a mixed bag of good, bad and frustrating.
The good : There's the core of an exciting story here. Action, magic, interesting creatures and some great characters. Its a series, so be aware that although the story does not end exactly on a cliffhanger, the story is not over when the book ends.
Mostly, the bad parts were due to grammatical errors, inappropriate word selection (what are "irrelevent souls"?) and inconsistencies/ not enough depth in characters.
The frustrations were caused by lack of follow through on good scenes or characters abandoned after a lot of introduction (so you think they are vital to the story).
Example 1 : A new character is described as 'shuffling' through the town, so we think ah, this character is elderly, yet clearly respected as he greets the residents. Yet not two pages later, this same character is taking 'long confident strides' as he makes his way through the preparations for a celebration. So is he old and shuffling or strong and confident?
The writer would build up a scene, creating good tension and an expectation of great action or drama and then abruptly switch to a different part of the story and character pov.
Example 2: a captured warrior is about to be forced into gladiator style arena "games". There is great build-up as he calms his thoughts and mentally prepares for the challenge. Another captive approaches there is a significant exchange and they agree to fight/defend together. Then just as the door opens and they enter the arena, we are suddenly pulled to another part of the story And Never Go Back! What happened??
Having said all that.. if I were this author I would reconsider the incredibly long, detailed and frankly, rather boring introduction before the first chapter, which describes *at length* the trade, character traits, barter and legal system of every major town in this universe.
I appreciate the concept behind creating this world for the characters to inhabit but it was just too much. I found myself skimming it and then finally thinking .. if it doesnt stop soon, I'm gonna give up before the story has even started!
This was a 2.5 star book really. I liked where the story was going but the faults were stalling my enjoyment. YMMV.
The good : There's the core of an exciting story here. Action, magic, interesting creatures and some great characters. Its a series, so be aware that although the story does not end exactly on a cliffhanger, the story is not over when the book ends.
Mostly, the bad parts were due to grammatical errors, inappropriate word selection (what are "irrelevent souls"?) and inconsistencies/ not enough depth in characters.
The frustrations were caused by lack of follow through on good scenes or characters abandoned after a lot of introduction (so you think they are vital to the story).
Example 1 : A new character is described as 'shuffling' through the town, so we think ah, this character is elderly, yet clearly respected as he greets the residents. Yet not two pages later, this same character is taking 'long confident strides' as he makes his way through the preparations for a celebration. So is he old and shuffling or strong and confident?
The writer would build up a scene, creating good tension and an expectation of great action or drama and then abruptly switch to a different part of the story and character pov.
Example 2: a captured warrior is about to be forced into gladiator style arena "games". There is great build-up as he calms his thoughts and mentally prepares for the challenge. Another captive approaches there is a significant exchange and they agree to fight/defend together. Then just as the door opens and they enter the arena, we are suddenly pulled to another part of the story And Never Go Back! What happened??
Having said all that.. if I were this author I would reconsider the incredibly long, detailed and frankly, rather boring introduction before the first chapter, which describes *at length* the trade, character traits, barter and legal system of every major town in this universe.
I appreciate the concept behind creating this world for the characters to inhabit but it was just too much. I found myself skimming it and then finally thinking .. if it doesnt stop soon, I'm gonna give up before the story has even started!
This was a 2.5 star book really. I liked where the story was going but the faults were stalling my enjoyment. YMMV.
January 2, 2015
I received an electronic copy of this book as part of the EPIC: Fourteen Books Of Fantasy boxed set in exchange for an honest review.
I'm disappointed by this book. It falls prey to one of the most common failings of series -- the first book isn't a whole book by itself. It needs more to complete it. In this case, I think all that would have been needed to tie it off would have been a decent epilogue where we got to see the aftermath of the final battle. Not much to ask for, but it isn't there.
Some of the characters were interesting. The Mary Sue assassin who can outdo everyone from a young age and the disabled witch are both intriguing. The hero isn't. He's your standard clueless blond blacksmith type, with a comic relief sidekick. The plot isn't; it follows the prophecy exactly with no real surprises. The world building is quite nice though. The book starts out with a chapter of explanation, usually a key to failure, but in this case, it was more interesting than some of the actual action.
A real mixed bag of a story here. Some good things, some bad things and some things so cliche they hurt.
I'm disappointed by this book. It falls prey to one of the most common failings of series -- the first book isn't a whole book by itself. It needs more to complete it. In this case, I think all that would have been needed to tie it off would have been a decent epilogue where we got to see the aftermath of the final battle. Not much to ask for, but it isn't there.
Some of the characters were interesting. The Mary Sue assassin who can outdo everyone from a young age and the disabled witch are both intriguing. The hero isn't. He's your standard clueless blond blacksmith type, with a comic relief sidekick. The plot isn't; it follows the prophecy exactly with no real surprises. The world building is quite nice though. The book starts out with a chapter of explanation, usually a key to failure, but in this case, it was more interesting than some of the actual action.
A real mixed bag of a story here. Some good things, some bad things and some things so cliche they hurt.
June 16, 2018
DNF just could not get in to it
August 20, 2023
It started great! And then kinda…fizzled.
January 26, 2015
I saw the reviews. I saw the reviews that were really extremely positive and I saw the reviews that were extremely negative and I wondered if I had gotten myself into something awful. But, I read the book. There were points in the book that I got really frustrated. The shifting between Jade, Eric, the half-demon and the Queen was difficult to get past. I have read many books told from multiple perspectives, but this was the first that didn't seem like they wanted to be shifting between people. It was almost as if the last section went away kicking and screaming and the next section was reluctantly drug in for the reader's perusal.
With all of that said, once things settled down and (not really a spoiler alert, but...) everyone got together, it made it a lot better book. Once I finally got through the book, though, I was highly disappointed in how the book started. Seriously? Did the writer play D&D as a kid and decide that he had to build the world for us before we were dumped into it? Looking back, the political layout didn't really matter.
But, I actually have high hopes for the next book. I truly do believe that now that the characters are together, if the author continues to follow that route where the shifts are much smoother, i'll be happy to read the other books. Of course, I have several books to finish before I come back to this series. But, I really like Eric's story and I hope that Jade eventually finds out who her mother is.
With all of that said, once things settled down and (not really a spoiler alert, but...) everyone got together, it made it a lot better book. Once I finally got through the book, though, I was highly disappointed in how the book started. Seriously? Did the writer play D&D as a kid and decide that he had to build the world for us before we were dumped into it? Looking back, the political layout didn't really matter.
But, I actually have high hopes for the next book. I truly do believe that now that the characters are together, if the author continues to follow that route where the shifts are much smoother, i'll be happy to read the other books. Of course, I have several books to finish before I come back to this series. But, I really like Eric's story and I hope that Jade eventually finds out who her mother is.
May 4, 2016
This was a fun book. I got pulled in to it later than I thought, but I will more than likely continue the journey. The character's and story have me in their grasp.
August 19, 2020
Interesting Story, Better Execution Needed
*****Spoilers*****
Jade was hands down my favorite character in this book, especially in the beginning. The tough, intense fighter pulled me in as soon as she was introduced.
The rest of the book is mostly confusion for me. There is a lot of writing not broken up by dialogue and it's written in such a way that I noticed and found myself skimming to get to the next part. The scenes jumped from person to person, sometimes seemingly without connection to the rest of the book. Point of view changes are numerous and the characters weren't developed deeply enough, I don't think. Also, some of the characters sounded alike. Which is to be expected somewhat but I would have expected a little different phraseology from the warrior. The story was interesting though I didn't really feel the Jade and Eric connection. It just kind of was. When Jacob mentioned that Jade liked Eric, I had to page back to see if I had missed some indication earlier in the book. The emotions and actions were disconnected.
*****Spoilers*****
Jade was hands down my favorite character in this book, especially in the beginning. The tough, intense fighter pulled me in as soon as she was introduced.
The rest of the book is mostly confusion for me. There is a lot of writing not broken up by dialogue and it's written in such a way that I noticed and found myself skimming to get to the next part. The scenes jumped from person to person, sometimes seemingly without connection to the rest of the book. Point of view changes are numerous and the characters weren't developed deeply enough, I don't think. Also, some of the characters sounded alike. Which is to be expected somewhat but I would have expected a little different phraseology from the warrior. The story was interesting though I didn't really feel the Jade and Eric connection. It just kind of was. When Jacob mentioned that Jade liked Eric, I had to page back to see if I had missed some indication earlier in the book. The emotions and actions were disconnected.
September 6, 2017
This is the first book I've had to mark as a DNF. Probably got about halfway into it (hard to tell as part of an anthology) before realizing I didn't want to try to make this happen.
The main characters, Eric and Jade, are perhaps the most exceptional instances of Mar(t)y S(t)ues that I've ever seen. They can do pretty much anything they set their minds to, regardless of previous training or skills. The writing is very 'tell, don't show,' and...curious decisions about characters abound.
There are better entries in the genre. Do not recommend.
The main characters, Eric and Jade, are perhaps the most exceptional instances of Mar(t)y S(t)ues that I've ever seen. They can do pretty much anything they set their minds to, regardless of previous training or skills. The writing is very 'tell, don't show,' and...curious decisions about characters abound.
There are better entries in the genre. Do not recommend.
January 13, 2024
I give it two stars mostly because it was very confusing. There are descriptive scenes, mind profanity, and random homosexuals in the middle of the book if those things bother you. I got the book for free. I wanted to give it a full chance, but every single chapter seem to be talking about a different person in a different land and I was just confused. I tried so hard I kept rereading it, but man was I confused I also get confused when someone says I’ve loved you forever, and they have known them for like half a day. there wasn’t like characters understanding each other and then falling in love. There were non descriptive sexual scenes. halfway through each chapter, I would figure out who is talking.
September 27, 2018
Could have been a good tale
Had high expectations after reading 'Book Zero' . Started out okay but proof reading wasn't so great with too many misspelled words and sentences that had been badly edited. Gratuitous sex and violence wasn't needed and did spoil book in a few places. Read more like a draft for a screenplay, particularly the forced ending and return of 'dead' companion who was expected to survive encounter by readers but not by story characters and sets scene for next book
Had high expectations after reading 'Book Zero' . Started out okay but proof reading wasn't so great with too many misspelled words and sentences that had been badly edited. Gratuitous sex and violence wasn't needed and did spoil book in a few places. Read more like a draft for a screenplay, particularly the forced ending and return of 'dead' companion who was expected to survive encounter by readers but not by story characters and sets scene for next book
February 26, 2021
I think I got this as a free e-book and I paid too much for it. The characters are shallow. The author does not seem to like humans and I chose not to finish this book because I have no intention of reading any more in the series. Also, sometimes it is correct to say Eric and me rather than Eric and I.
January 31, 2018
Land of shadows
I really enjoyed the first book of the legend of the gate keeper series. It had great characters and lots of action. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
I really enjoyed the first book of the legend of the gate keeper series. It had great characters and lots of action. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
May 28, 2019
I stuck through the prequel and this first novel, hoping it would improve. Poorly thought-out, not well written. If you truly have nothing better to do, go ahead and read. It doesn't completely suck. But there is much better, less derivative stuff out there to read.
March 14, 2017
I wanted to like this book. I think there are some good story ideas, but overall the writing was a chore to read through.
July 24, 2017
Strange and Intersting
August 11, 2018
Good read
The story is full of action , adventure and strong characters. I really enjoyed this book and I'm excited to read the rest of the series.
The story is full of action , adventure and strong characters. I really enjoyed this book and I'm excited to read the rest of the series.
May 5, 2019
Stuffed with cliches and in dire need of an editor.
May 24, 2020
DNF @ 8%
God what a boring intro. I almost didn’t even start the book based on it. Once I did, I tried to put it out of my mind to give the book a chance.... but no go!
God what a boring intro. I almost didn’t even start the book based on it. Once I did, I tried to put it out of my mind to give the book a chance.... but no go!
February 1, 2021
Good stuff
An exciting read which kept up the pace and the interest. Hard to put down and hard to resist the urge to complete.
An exciting read which kept up the pace and the interest. Hard to put down and hard to resist the urge to complete.
May 31, 2021
Green eyes rule
An interesting story with a fine couple of twists at the end. It is definitely worth the reading time. Enjoy.
An interesting story with a fine couple of twists at the end. It is definitely worth the reading time. Enjoy.
November 6, 2023
There were a lot of errors that kicked me out of the story when I came across them.
November 1, 2025
I couldn’t get through it. I started reading it several times, but it just didn’t keep my interest.
September 16, 2016
*SPOILER ALERT*
Land of Shadows starts off at a reasonable pace, though there are some quite unpleasant scenes in the few first few chapters. This book is graphic in places and certainly not one to sit down with the kids and read! I found myself grimacing a couple of times early on but somehow the violence felt necessary.
Gunzel does however quickly set about laying down the characters and there is nothing new to readers of fantasy here. Eric, the Blacksmith's son, lives in a small rural village which is preparing for the annual summer harvest. He generally enjoys his life and has no real desire to leave. His best friend Jacob is a smooth-talking hit with the ladies who also knows his way around a quarterstaff.
Morcel is a mercenary who 10 years ago witnessed one atrocity too many and, as a result of his actions, ended up being branded a slave and forced to fight in the arenas in the capital. He has lasted longer than most but no-one lasts forever.
Jade is a young girl who has been training her whole life to fulfil her destiny. When The Gatekeeper comes of age she must find him and protect him with all her powers, as he is fated to save the world.
Sometime soon after Eric comes of age, things begin to happen. His village is attacked and he barely escapes with his life. He is eventually (despite at least one attempt on his life) rescued and along with his best friend Jacob and his "guardian" Jade sets of for the capital to begin to live up to the destiny he never knew he had.
In an interesting twist we are also given a glimpse into the life of the antagonist, a ruthless and cruel demon by the name of Dragot - who is also trying to find the Gatekeeper and destroy him before he can fulfil his destiny and save the world.
We are also given some background into the world of Tarmerria, its politics, history and the mysterious beings called "crytons" against whom the last war was fought. These clearly will become relevant soon but probably in a way no-one expected (again a classic fantasy plot line).
Make no mistake though, this is ambitious stuff. Gunzel has thought long and hard about this world and created a universe and story that goes far beyond the scope of this book. He should be given credit for that; a lot of people would settle for something safe with a nice easy plot which you can tie a bow round at the end. It is risky to invest the time and effort in creating a world when you have no idea whether the next instalment will ever see the light of day.
The plot itself is nothing original and pulls together elements from all the "best" fantasy series. There is a definite feeling of this being a collaboration of ideas-by-others in some places, but in Gunzel's defence there is very little in the fantasy genre that hasn't been done before in one guise or another!
I enjoyed the occasional glimpses into Dragot's world (if slightly sadistic and brutal) and don't real blame Gunzel from sticking to tried and tested techniques. The whole "farm-boy has to save the world but doesn't have any idea" could have come straight out of Wheel of Time or Eragon (to name just a few) but Gunzel does enough with his take to keep it fresh.
The characters of Eric and Jacob really do remind me at this early stage of Rand and Matt from the first few Wheel of Time novels, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing if Gunzel takes the time to develop them further in the later instalments.
Jade is more interesting but I hope that her character isn't reduced to the role of "romantic interest" only as is hinted at towards the end of the book. I think she has more to give and it would be disappointing if Gunzel went down this route too far.
Morcel, again, is someone we have encountered in different stories under different names but he also has enough about him to be interesting and worth finding out more about.
Land of Shadows is actually quite short and Gunzel packs a fair amount into the story. He is also trying to establish the characters and the environment at the same time too. As a result, some of the pacing can feel slightly inconsistent and rushed in places. I'd rather it was this way than the other way (turgid boring passages about nothing) but I felt he could have balanced things a touch better occasionally.
All in all though I was pleasantly surprised by Land of Shadows and will definitely be reading the rest of the series if it continues in this vein. I found the characters and storyline to be interesting, if not unique, and enjoyed enough of the universe Gunzel has created to be enticed back for another go.
Verdict: 4 stars out of 5
Land of Shadows starts off at a reasonable pace, though there are some quite unpleasant scenes in the few first few chapters. This book is graphic in places and certainly not one to sit down with the kids and read! I found myself grimacing a couple of times early on but somehow the violence felt necessary.
Gunzel does however quickly set about laying down the characters and there is nothing new to readers of fantasy here. Eric, the Blacksmith's son, lives in a small rural village which is preparing for the annual summer harvest. He generally enjoys his life and has no real desire to leave. His best friend Jacob is a smooth-talking hit with the ladies who also knows his way around a quarterstaff.
Morcel is a mercenary who 10 years ago witnessed one atrocity too many and, as a result of his actions, ended up being branded a slave and forced to fight in the arenas in the capital. He has lasted longer than most but no-one lasts forever.
Jade is a young girl who has been training her whole life to fulfil her destiny. When The Gatekeeper comes of age she must find him and protect him with all her powers, as he is fated to save the world.
Sometime soon after Eric comes of age, things begin to happen. His village is attacked and he barely escapes with his life. He is eventually (despite at least one attempt on his life) rescued and along with his best friend Jacob and his "guardian" Jade sets of for the capital to begin to live up to the destiny he never knew he had.
In an interesting twist we are also given a glimpse into the life of the antagonist, a ruthless and cruel demon by the name of Dragot - who is also trying to find the Gatekeeper and destroy him before he can fulfil his destiny and save the world.
We are also given some background into the world of Tarmerria, its politics, history and the mysterious beings called "crytons" against whom the last war was fought. These clearly will become relevant soon but probably in a way no-one expected (again a classic fantasy plot line).
Make no mistake though, this is ambitious stuff. Gunzel has thought long and hard about this world and created a universe and story that goes far beyond the scope of this book. He should be given credit for that; a lot of people would settle for something safe with a nice easy plot which you can tie a bow round at the end. It is risky to invest the time and effort in creating a world when you have no idea whether the next instalment will ever see the light of day.
The plot itself is nothing original and pulls together elements from all the "best" fantasy series. There is a definite feeling of this being a collaboration of ideas-by-others in some places, but in Gunzel's defence there is very little in the fantasy genre that hasn't been done before in one guise or another!
I enjoyed the occasional glimpses into Dragot's world (if slightly sadistic and brutal) and don't real blame Gunzel from sticking to tried and tested techniques. The whole "farm-boy has to save the world but doesn't have any idea" could have come straight out of Wheel of Time or Eragon (to name just a few) but Gunzel does enough with his take to keep it fresh.
The characters of Eric and Jacob really do remind me at this early stage of Rand and Matt from the first few Wheel of Time novels, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing if Gunzel takes the time to develop them further in the later instalments.
Jade is more interesting but I hope that her character isn't reduced to the role of "romantic interest" only as is hinted at towards the end of the book. I think she has more to give and it would be disappointing if Gunzel went down this route too far.
Morcel, again, is someone we have encountered in different stories under different names but he also has enough about him to be interesting and worth finding out more about.
Land of Shadows is actually quite short and Gunzel packs a fair amount into the story. He is also trying to establish the characters and the environment at the same time too. As a result, some of the pacing can feel slightly inconsistent and rushed in places. I'd rather it was this way than the other way (turgid boring passages about nothing) but I felt he could have balanced things a touch better occasionally.
All in all though I was pleasantly surprised by Land of Shadows and will definitely be reading the rest of the series if it continues in this vein. I found the characters and storyline to be interesting, if not unique, and enjoyed enough of the universe Gunzel has created to be enticed back for another go.
Verdict: 4 stars out of 5
April 23, 2022
I like this book a lot. It has a well-written plot with interesting characters that grew throughout the story. I highly recommend it to those who like this type of book.
January 28, 2016
Pretty generic fantasy novel. There was nothing special about the characters and the "plot twists" were clearly laid out for the reader in advance. The writing wasn't that great, lots of overstated sentences and unnecessary punctuation. In my opinion there was too much "telling" and not enough showing. A lot of this story could have been extended to fully flesh out both the plot and the characters.
Like I said, the characters were so generic and boring. There was nothing that really distinguished one from the other except for their names.
Jade: Seemed interesting at first but then became the typical "I am an assassin that is clearly here as a love interest"
Jacob: Typical playboy sidekick who is still a good fighter and like a "brother" to the main character
Eric: So boring. For being the lead and the "Gate Keeper" (whatever that is -- there are so many prophecies and everyone knows them but the reader doesn't have a clue what is going on), he is actually not that interesting. The most exciting he got was having a one night stand with the enemy tbh. And that was like Chapter 2.
Morcel: What a waste of a character. Considering he is the first character we meet and he is barely in the novel at all, there is no point in even including him. It did nothing to either (a) move the plot forward, or (b) add complexity to another character.
The tone was really shaky and it was difficult sometimes to determine which "point of view" we were seeing the story from as it quickly shifted -- without warning, I might add -- from one character to another in the middle of a scene.
The world-building was horrendous. Like I don't need to know about the economic breakdown of each and every town that the characters go through. Saying "this town does trade" is enough for me (and most people) to realize that they have a solid economy in this town. It is really unnecessary to have any more description than that.
Also the descriptions of literally everything made me want to claw my eyes out. I get that you want to be descriptive and paint a picture for the reader but too much detail is not a good thing, trust me. You know what is?? Giving enough of a picture that the reader can imagine the rest.
Overall: 2.5/5 stars but rounded up for the star counter. I probably will finish this series only because I can't leave things unfinished but I am not looking forward to it, if I am being honest. It is too generic of a story that is basically a lot of other fantasy plot lines mixed together to create a big heaping mess. Honestly I could complain for a while about this one, but just read my status updates. There are some spoilers in there ish but it was frustrating.
Like I said, the characters were so generic and boring. There was nothing that really distinguished one from the other except for their names.
Jade: Seemed interesting at first but then became the typical "I am an assassin that is clearly here as a love interest"
Jacob: Typical playboy sidekick who is still a good fighter and like a "brother" to the main character
Eric: So boring. For being the lead and the "Gate Keeper" (whatever that is -- there are so many prophecies and everyone knows them but the reader doesn't have a clue what is going on), he is actually not that interesting. The most exciting he got was having a one night stand with the enemy tbh. And that was like Chapter 2.
Morcel: What a waste of a character. Considering he is the first character we meet and he is barely in the novel at all, there is no point in even including him. It did nothing to either (a) move the plot forward, or (b) add complexity to another character.
The tone was really shaky and it was difficult sometimes to determine which "point of view" we were seeing the story from as it quickly shifted -- without warning, I might add -- from one character to another in the middle of a scene.
The world-building was horrendous. Like I don't need to know about the economic breakdown of each and every town that the characters go through. Saying "this town does trade" is enough for me (and most people) to realize that they have a solid economy in this town. It is really unnecessary to have any more description than that.
Also the descriptions of literally everything made me want to claw my eyes out. I get that you want to be descriptive and paint a picture for the reader but too much detail is not a good thing, trust me. You know what is?? Giving enough of a picture that the reader can imagine the rest.
Overall: 2.5/5 stars but rounded up for the star counter. I probably will finish this series only because I can't leave things unfinished but I am not looking forward to it, if I am being honest. It is too generic of a story that is basically a lot of other fantasy plot lines mixed together to create a big heaping mess. Honestly I could complain for a while about this one, but just read my status updates. There are some spoilers in there ish but it was frustrating.
November 11, 2013
In a dystopian world ruined by many years of battle, the story goes back a few years at the start and talks about Morcel, the Leather during a raid, but he doesn’t want to kill anyone. But then he sees a boy and his sister being killed. Morcel kills two of the Leathers. To his amazement the girl kills the third one. They meet, but suddenly Morcel is knocked out and sent to the arena where he must fight for survival.
Then the story goes to a different perspective. Eric is the local blacksmith’s son. His friend Jacob is also good using a quarterstaff. On his 20th birthday, the town is attacked by strange human-like bats. They survive and escape, and Eric is shocked when his dad says he isn’t his real father.
Then the story switches to yet another perspective. Dragot is half-human and half-pig, created by a spirit called Krytoes, who plans to destroy the planet when the stars align. He captures humans and wants to know more about them, but they refuse and end up being decapitated. He also has a human servant called Addel with special abilities that allows him to summon monsters.
The three main characters meet in Taron, where the Queen lives. Jade, the girl from the story is actually the queen’s daughter. When Jade recognises the warrior she met many years ago in the games, she asks the Queen to release him. Morcel is asked to join them on their quest to find the crytons (a species that humans were at war against before) and ask them for help.
Eric finds out he is the Gate Keeper, who is the only chance of survival for the people against Krytoes.
Morcel sacrifices himself when a huge wave of monsters attacks them in the forest. The other three reach their destination and Shantis, the queen of the crytons aids them on their quest.
But Dragot releases a wave of monsters that can completely control humans and push their physical limits until they are smashed to a million pieces. The group successfully defend against them, but Taron is also attacked. As the Gate Keeper, Eric finds out a new ability to create portals to other places. He does not know that Addel helped him in this task.
Back at Taron, the Queen sees Morcel walking into the palace. This totally surprised me.
The book was full of action and the mature audience warning was definitely not needed. I loved it and would definitely recommend this book to people of any ages.
Then the story goes to a different perspective. Eric is the local blacksmith’s son. His friend Jacob is also good using a quarterstaff. On his 20th birthday, the town is attacked by strange human-like bats. They survive and escape, and Eric is shocked when his dad says he isn’t his real father.
Then the story switches to yet another perspective. Dragot is half-human and half-pig, created by a spirit called Krytoes, who plans to destroy the planet when the stars align. He captures humans and wants to know more about them, but they refuse and end up being decapitated. He also has a human servant called Addel with special abilities that allows him to summon monsters.
The three main characters meet in Taron, where the Queen lives. Jade, the girl from the story is actually the queen’s daughter. When Jade recognises the warrior she met many years ago in the games, she asks the Queen to release him. Morcel is asked to join them on their quest to find the crytons (a species that humans were at war against before) and ask them for help.
Eric finds out he is the Gate Keeper, who is the only chance of survival for the people against Krytoes.
Morcel sacrifices himself when a huge wave of monsters attacks them in the forest. The other three reach their destination and Shantis, the queen of the crytons aids them on their quest.
But Dragot releases a wave of monsters that can completely control humans and push their physical limits until they are smashed to a million pieces. The group successfully defend against them, but Taron is also attacked. As the Gate Keeper, Eric finds out a new ability to create portals to other places. He does not know that Addel helped him in this task.
Back at Taron, the Queen sees Morcel walking into the palace. This totally surprised me.
The book was full of action and the mature audience warning was definitely not needed. I loved it and would definitely recommend this book to people of any ages.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews