What do you think?
Rate this book
Locked Within Trilogy #1
Locked Within
The supernatural realm and the mundane world have existed side by side since the dawn of time. Predators walk the streets, hidden by our own ignorance. Once, the city of New York was protected, but that was another age.
Now a creature emerges from the city s past to kill again, with no one to hear the screams of its victims. The lost and the weak, crushed under the heels of the city s supernatural masters, have given up hope.
But one man finds himself drawn to these deaths. Plagued by dreams of past lives, his obsession may cost him friends, loved ones, even his life. To stop this monster, he must unlock the strength he once had. He must remember the warrior he was, to become the hero he was born to be.
His name is Nathan Shepherd, and he remembers.
Now a creature emerges from the city s past to kill again, with no one to hear the screams of its victims. The lost and the weak, crushed under the heels of the city s supernatural masters, have given up hope.
But one man finds himself drawn to these deaths. Plagued by dreams of past lives, his obsession may cost him friends, loved ones, even his life. To stop this monster, he must unlock the strength he once had. He must remember the warrior he was, to become the hero he was born to be.
His name is Nathan Shepherd, and he remembers.
- GenresFantasyParanormal
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 24, 2012
7 people are currently reading
561 people want to read
About the author
Paul Anthony Shortt
9 books48 followersA child at heart who turned to writing and roleplaying games when there simply weren’t enough action figures to play out the stories he wanted, Paul Anthony Shortt has been writing all his life.
He believes in magic and monsters. In ghosts and fairies. The creatures that lurk under the bed and inside the closet. The things that live in the dark, and the heroes who stand against them. Above all, he believes that stories have the power to change the world, and the most important stories are the ones which show that monsters can be beaten.
He lives in Ireland with his wife Jen and their dogs, Pepper and Jasper. Their first child, Conor William Henry Shortt, was born on July 11th, 2011. He passed away three days later, but brought love and joy into their lives and those of their friends.
The following year, Jen gave birth to twins, Amy and Erica. Their fourth child, Olivia, was born in January, 2014.
He believes in magic and monsters. In ghosts and fairies. The creatures that lurk under the bed and inside the closet. The things that live in the dark, and the heroes who stand against them. Above all, he believes that stories have the power to change the world, and the most important stories are the ones which show that monsters can be beaten.
He lives in Ireland with his wife Jen and their dogs, Pepper and Jasper. Their first child, Conor William Henry Shortt, was born on July 11th, 2011. He passed away three days later, but brought love and joy into their lives and those of their friends.
The following year, Jen gave birth to twins, Amy and Erica. Their fourth child, Olivia, was born in January, 2014.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 26, 2019
A quick entertaining read. You can tell it's the author's first book, as it relies heavily on telling, not showing, resulting in a lack of emotional connection with the characters at times, but the author's potential is clear. Interesting ideas and concepts - I love the idea of a person being 'reborn' but having access to their past memories and therefore able to access the expertise of lifetimes worth of experience. The monster was suitably terrifying, and the politics and backstabbing going on in the background promise a richer depth of story telling later in the series. Worth a read if you have Kindle Unlimited!
January 29, 2022
Best I've read in a while
I don't remember how I ran across this book and it sat on my TBR for awhile but I finally read it and boy am I glad. This is the best I've read in a while. Entirely new take on creatures of the night wrapped up in mystery and intrigue. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying this book. It has something for everyone.
I don't remember how I ran across this book and it sat on my TBR for awhile but I finally read it and boy am I glad. This is the best I've read in a while. Entirely new take on creatures of the night wrapped up in mystery and intrigue. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying this book. It has something for everyone.
July 13, 2021
I wasn’t a fan. The story kept me somewhat entertained, but the characters were dry and dull, their relationships seemed forced, the conflicts and fight scenes were not very exciting. It had potential but unfortunately fell short for me.
October 19, 2013
“I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.”
Nathan Shepherd is literally your average Joe at the start of the book. Your average Joe with an unusual hobby that is. This book not only entertains but fascinates. From the go, I couldn’t put that dang thing down. Author Paul Anthony Shortt did a marvelous job turning a normal person with a normal 9 to 5 job into a hero, a protagonist everyone can get behind. It’s a fast paced rollercoaster ride that leaves you hanging by the edge of your seat. I’m pretty sure you’re not going to want to put this book down once you
I loved the idea of reincarnation and past lives and I believe whole heartedly that Mr. Shortt managed to do what many could not, make you believe. While reading this story you are aware that it is just that, a story. But it is written so well, you are able to envision almost every aspect of the book. To be quite honest, I never expected to enjoy this book as much as I did. The story was something out of a movie but thankfully it wasn’t written that way. You get the imagery you need without the awkward writing that sometimes (most times) accompanies those types of books. The characters were strongly developed and almost real. So let’s do a really quick pros and cons list of this book, you’ll be surprised… trust me, I was lol.
To read the remainder of this review as well as my review on book 2 silent oath, please visit my Tipsy-Ink website: http://www.tipsy-ink.com/apps/blog/sh... or http://tipsyink.blogspot.com/2013/10/...
Nathan Shepherd is literally your average Joe at the start of the book. Your average Joe with an unusual hobby that is. This book not only entertains but fascinates. From the go, I couldn’t put that dang thing down. Author Paul Anthony Shortt did a marvelous job turning a normal person with a normal 9 to 5 job into a hero, a protagonist everyone can get behind. It’s a fast paced rollercoaster ride that leaves you hanging by the edge of your seat. I’m pretty sure you’re not going to want to put this book down once you
I loved the idea of reincarnation and past lives and I believe whole heartedly that Mr. Shortt managed to do what many could not, make you believe. While reading this story you are aware that it is just that, a story. But it is written so well, you are able to envision almost every aspect of the book. To be quite honest, I never expected to enjoy this book as much as I did. The story was something out of a movie but thankfully it wasn’t written that way. You get the imagery you need without the awkward writing that sometimes (most times) accompanies those types of books. The characters were strongly developed and almost real. So let’s do a really quick pros and cons list of this book, you’ll be surprised… trust me, I was lol.
To read the remainder of this review as well as my review on book 2 silent oath, please visit my Tipsy-Ink website: http://www.tipsy-ink.com/apps/blog/sh... or http://tipsyink.blogspot.com/2013/10/...
August 7, 2013
Nathan Shepherd is a regular man with a regular life. It’s so easy to empathize with him, to follow him in his daily struggles with his life, than when things start to get weird, well, it’s too late. The boundaries of reality are already fading and, before you’re even noticing, you’re looking at a stranger on the metro and trying to figure out whether or not he could be a vampire. In this sense, Paul Anthony Shortt is more a reporter than a writer. These events, even the most incredible and unsettling ones, took place somewhere – another dimension? another reality? – and it feels like the author’s work is simply to report those events. He doesn’t tell you a story he fabricated, but rather a sequence of events he witnessed. And, after reading Locked Within, there is absolutely no doubt in the mind of the reader that Nathan Shepherd really exists, as do all the creatures and supernatural beings he deals with.
December 19, 2012
I read almost all of Locked Within in one sitting, as it was nearly impossible to put the book down. Paul Anthony Shortt has created an engaging hero in lead character Nathan Shepard, who is investigating mysterious deaths in New York City and struggling with dreams that feel like past lives. Shortt's New York is brimming with supernatural beings, and Nathan soon finds himself thrust into a world that most New Yorkers never see. The supernatural creatures are both scary and intriguing, and the historical aspects of the story are interesting to read. Nathan is a hero worth cheering for as he realizes his destiny, and I am looking forward to reading more of his adventures!
March 20, 2013
Urban fantasy isn't my normal genre but Locked Within won me over. Nathan Shepherd especially won me over. He's the ideal hero-- humble in his heart, following a passion or path of discovery that could cost him his job, his girlfriend, his friends and not sure why he feels so driven to do so but he just can't help feeling this is right, important, vital in ways that Nathan does not yet understand. Paul Anthony Shortt brings the reader along on Nathan's journey of discovery, his path from somewhat confused office worker to hero. I can't wait for the next in the series, to see where Shortt takes Nathan, and what more is revealed about his past lives.
December 24, 2012
This was a great book... any fantasy fans out there will love this!Set in New York, with a nice mix of real and unreal, it will keep you going to the end. I sat down only toread the first few pages before dinner and ended up reading the entire book until the end! There are plenty of things to imagine, several controversial topics (reincarnation for one) but the author approaches it in a fun, thrilling and yet thought provoking way. If you are a Twilight, Harry Potter or fantasy fan in general, this is a must read!
April 15, 2013
I love this story, I have a tendancy to only read books that are super natural in nature.
This book fits the bill quite well. It is a super easy read. The story flows nicely.
The story centres around the hero Nathan Shepard, A man who notices some strange goings on and when he investigates them, he uncovers the underlying evil of the city and in turn finds some memories that are foreign to him yet so familiar.
Follow him as he tries to keep the city and all he loves safe while unlocking the mystery of his past lives.
I can not wait for the story to continue.....
This book fits the bill quite well. It is a super easy read. The story flows nicely.
The story centres around the hero Nathan Shepard, A man who notices some strange goings on and when he investigates them, he uncovers the underlying evil of the city and in turn finds some memories that are foreign to him yet so familiar.
Follow him as he tries to keep the city and all he loves safe while unlocking the mystery of his past lives.
I can not wait for the story to continue.....
November 20, 2012
A fantastic read. I started this just after 2pm. It's now 5.03pm. I couldn't put it down. Fantastic characters with wonderful plot lines. Nathan Shepard is officially my favourite hero type character. 5 stars. Can't wait to see what happens next!
February 15, 2016
Excellent
Read this one and then the rest of the trilogy in less than a week. Loved them. Very well written good strong characters, and kept me rooting for the goodies. Not often I find a set of books that just gets better. Thank you.
Read this one and then the rest of the trilogy in less than a week. Loved them. Very well written good strong characters, and kept me rooting for the goodies. Not often I find a set of books that just gets better. Thank you.
December 24, 2012
Interesting story. I liked how Nathan became stronger as his memories developed. I hope there's more.
January 7, 2014
Awesome book!! I usually don't like books like this but from the summary it sounded good. I can't wait for the second book!! I won this book on a first reads giveaway on goodreads.com.
September 10, 2013
The world that Paul Shortt created is amazing! It is an evocative NY with suspense, affection and humor. I'm looking forward to Silent Oath!
November 9, 2013
A brilliant and enveloping read. A world I am sad to leave... now where did I put the sequel?
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews