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Shadowcursed
Bolen is a thief, plying his trade under the spires of an ancient and sprawling city. Worried that he's growing too old, Bolen has lined up a risky job, just to prove that he can still pull one off.
Tonight, he's going to break into a nobleman's vault and help himself to its contents. What he doesn't know is that inside is the key to a secret as old as the city itself.
Kings have killed for it, demons have coveted it, priests have prayed for it, and in a few moments it will be in his hands. And when it is, the adventure of his life will begin.
Tonight, he's going to break into a nobleman's vault and help himself to its contents. What he doesn't know is that inside is the key to a secret as old as the city itself.
Kings have killed for it, demons have coveted it, priests have prayed for it, and in a few moments it will be in his hands. And when it is, the adventure of his life will begin.
- GenresFantasy
110 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 20, 2013
2 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 29, 2014
Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Positives
Shadow Cursed is a beautiful tale of a thief named Bolen and how he lands in an unexpected situation and ultimately overcomes it. The character of Bolen is developed beautifully and I felt the connection with him almost instantly. The plot is quite simple but it's simplicity is quite mesmerizing! It might sound weird but this book had an odd satisfying feel to it, the way fairy tales have on children. It made me feel that the world is a good place and that it's not as wicked as we believe it is. This book made me feel like a child who is just hoping for a good ending throughout the entire read. I wanted to see Bolen happy at the end more than anything.
This book had me under it's spell and that too a really fine one! It has some really good surprises which makes it a must read for everyone.
Negatives
None.
Conclusion
Shadow Cursed is a powerful short and simple read. I'd recommend it to everyone who loves to read a fine book.
You can also read this review at The Reading Bud
Positives
Shadow Cursed is a beautiful tale of a thief named Bolen and how he lands in an unexpected situation and ultimately overcomes it. The character of Bolen is developed beautifully and I felt the connection with him almost instantly. The plot is quite simple but it's simplicity is quite mesmerizing! It might sound weird but this book had an odd satisfying feel to it, the way fairy tales have on children. It made me feel that the world is a good place and that it's not as wicked as we believe it is. This book made me feel like a child who is just hoping for a good ending throughout the entire read. I wanted to see Bolen happy at the end more than anything.
This book had me under it's spell and that too a really fine one! It has some really good surprises which makes it a must read for everyone.
Negatives
None.
Conclusion
Shadow Cursed is a powerful short and simple read. I'd recommend it to everyone who loves to read a fine book.
You can also read this review at The Reading Bud
September 9, 2014
I was drawn in by the protagonist, Bolen. He's a guy in his 40's who realizes that he doesn't have the dexterity or strength that he once had. As a guy in his 40's, I can totally relate to that. Screw all these fantasy novels with young men at the peak of physical shape; let's hear it for the middle-aged guys whose bodies have succumbed to time and gravity!
Credit Fleisher for capturing a man stuck at the moment in his life where he realizes his mortality. Except for a few stints down at the docks, he's been a thief his whole life, an occupation for the young and nimble. He looks around and realizes he has nothing to show for it, save his reputation. While he's been successful enough to still be alive and have all his limbs, he hasn't accrued any kind of savings to cover old age. That assumes he doesn't die in the gutter, penniless and alone. He should move on to something less risky, but the irresistible lure of one more job, one more big payday, beckons him.
And it is this predicament that tears him up inside. After a life of thievery, Bolen is full of regret. Having survived the hubris of youth, he acknowledges that what he does is wrong, but feels powerless to change. He seeks forgiveness from the local church and a way out of the only life he's ever known. He soon discovers that he has become a pawn in the city's power struggle. But even pawns can play a decisive role in the game.
Fleisher skillfully details Bolen's city, paying attention to the places that the common folk inhabit: wharves, churches, taverns, nobles' houses. It is a fully realized world, and apparently there's a video game, too.
Bolen's fate is settled before the end of Shadowcursed. There's no endless series of books to slog through. Fleisher advances the story at about the right pace, with an appropriate amount of action and intrigue. It isn't all soul searching, though that is the underlying story.
All in all, Shadowcursed is a seldom seen (in fantasy) excellent character study of a middle-aged thief stuck at the crossroads of life. Fleisher constructs a easy to visualize setting with a very real protagonist who must choose between the fates dealt to him or craft one of his own.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review initially appeared at the New Podler Review of Books.
Credit Fleisher for capturing a man stuck at the moment in his life where he realizes his mortality. Except for a few stints down at the docks, he's been a thief his whole life, an occupation for the young and nimble. He looks around and realizes he has nothing to show for it, save his reputation. While he's been successful enough to still be alive and have all his limbs, he hasn't accrued any kind of savings to cover old age. That assumes he doesn't die in the gutter, penniless and alone. He should move on to something less risky, but the irresistible lure of one more job, one more big payday, beckons him.
And it is this predicament that tears him up inside. After a life of thievery, Bolen is full of regret. Having survived the hubris of youth, he acknowledges that what he does is wrong, but feels powerless to change. He seeks forgiveness from the local church and a way out of the only life he's ever known. He soon discovers that he has become a pawn in the city's power struggle. But even pawns can play a decisive role in the game.
Fleisher skillfully details Bolen's city, paying attention to the places that the common folk inhabit: wharves, churches, taverns, nobles' houses. It is a fully realized world, and apparently there's a video game, too.
Bolen's fate is settled before the end of Shadowcursed. There's no endless series of books to slog through. Fleisher advances the story at about the right pace, with an appropriate amount of action and intrigue. It isn't all soul searching, though that is the underlying story.
All in all, Shadowcursed is a seldom seen (in fantasy) excellent character study of a middle-aged thief stuck at the crossroads of life. Fleisher constructs a easy to visualize setting with a very real protagonist who must choose between the fates dealt to him or craft one of his own.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review initially appeared at the New Podler Review of Books.
October 21, 2014
We are getting into the time of year when spooky things rule the day. Shape-changers of various forms, many - of course - bent on gaining as much power as possible, are said to prowl the shadows, making us afraid of turning off the lights. Of course, we know that these creatures are the stuff of legend and television....but what if they were a part of every day life? What if mages and priests with strange healing abilities were commonplace?
LONG STORY SHORT
In a work that feels like it could be lore for several different video games, Fleisher uses a medieval setting to explore a misty intersection between the magical and the mundane. A thief is tasked with breaking into the one place in the city that he should avoid at all costs - the treasure room of the "mad" ruler, a man who would just as soon gut people rather than even bother looking at them. This thief, who may be aging out of his game, steals an item that is infinitely more precious than he knows and in doing so becomes embroiled in a centuries-long power struggle of which he would have rather remained unaware. But will he find redemption? In this novella length work, Fleisher explores what redemption may look like in a world shrouded in magic, shape-shifters, and nothing being as it seems. Exceptionally descriptive language captivated my imagination - I could practically smell the reeking fish at the dock and hear rusty hinges complaining loudly about moving for the first time in decades. Powerfully portrayed characters made me remember why I love fiction so much in the first place as I got to know a broken man who is seeking a little peace. I wanted more backstory, and the language was a bit too descriptive at times, but overall this is a very good piece of fiction sure to please any with a gamer-type brain. =)
On an ascending scale of 1 to 5, I give this work a 4.
LONG STORY
The Good
I'm a bit of a gamer with an awareness of medieval history (thanks to my history nerd husband), and so enjoyed this work on a level that I wasn't expecting. I've played World of Warcraft extensively and dabbled a bit in Dragon Age and some other RPGs, so am familiar with worlds where magic, mages, and shape-shifters are part of the norm. I love stories that feel like game lore, and so really enjoyed "Shawdowcursed".
Bolen is 40-something year old thief who is living in a medieval setting where magic, mages, priests with healing powers (in MMORPG games you need a priest or two on your side - they are often the best healers (them or paladins)), and things creeping about in the shadows is the norm. Oh, and so is living in fear of the "mad ruler" who has developed a rather gory reputation for killing anyone who stands in his mad way. Bolen is tasked with stealing items from this ruler's vault and goes ahead with doing so in order to prove to himself that he is still the thief that he was in his younger days. The problem is that he steals an item that holds a value different from any he has ever known. This particular theft will rattle Bolen to his core and tear apart his understanding of reality in the city whose shadows he has frequented his entire life.
I would like to say that Fleisher is an exceptionally talented writer, but this is the only work I've yet read by him and have become rather hesitant to make such major comments based on a single work. What I can say is that "Shadowcursed" is incredibly well written. The fog winding its way through the city will feel as though it is winding its way around you as you are reading, the descriptive imagery in this book is so well written. Sentences flow together in a way that makes it clear this author has read and re-read his work for clarity's sake. Pronouns are rarely confused (confused pronouns have become a pet peeve of mine). People move about in a way that makes sense for the story (i.e. no people standing up in one side of the room when you didn't read them going to that side of the room). Characters are distinct from one another and are developed exactly as much as they need to be in order for this story to make sense (well, most of them at least....but I'll cover that in a minutes). It contains just the right amount of unpredictability. Elements of magic are entwined with what we know as medieval real-world in a way that makes sense, flows well, and is enjoyable to read.
I really, really liked this book. It is a quick read that brings up very interesting moral questions. What is right when everything is in shadow? Of course, these are questions that often come up in games. If we are honest with ourselves, however, we will admit they often come up in our lives as well.
The Bugly (bad/ugly)
A few quibbles, minor though they are:
1) The major antagonists could be explained a bit more. There are clear lines drawn between good (or at least semi-good in search of redemption) and evil....but the evil of the motivation is barely explained. Power. Conquest. Okay, sure....but what explains the relationship between the two major evil characters?
2) Bolen is the only thing in the story that we really get any back story on. I wanted to know more about the city, the antagonists, the faith system (which is clearly specific to the story), etc. But that leads to my next quibble....
3) Longer. This story needs to be longer. There is enough good material to work with here to bring this novella length work into a novel. This would solve some of the problems with not enough back story, and spending more time on the relationships between specific characters. Perhaps it is my extremely relational brain that just wants to know more about the relationships between different elements of the story, but honestly - this felt like a teaser to a much bigger story.
LONG STORY SHORT
In a work that feels like it could be lore for several different video games, Fleisher uses a medieval setting to explore a misty intersection between the magical and the mundane. A thief is tasked with breaking into the one place in the city that he should avoid at all costs - the treasure room of the "mad" ruler, a man who would just as soon gut people rather than even bother looking at them. This thief, who may be aging out of his game, steals an item that is infinitely more precious than he knows and in doing so becomes embroiled in a centuries-long power struggle of which he would have rather remained unaware. But will he find redemption? In this novella length work, Fleisher explores what redemption may look like in a world shrouded in magic, shape-shifters, and nothing being as it seems. Exceptionally descriptive language captivated my imagination - I could practically smell the reeking fish at the dock and hear rusty hinges complaining loudly about moving for the first time in decades. Powerfully portrayed characters made me remember why I love fiction so much in the first place as I got to know a broken man who is seeking a little peace. I wanted more backstory, and the language was a bit too descriptive at times, but overall this is a very good piece of fiction sure to please any with a gamer-type brain. =)
On an ascending scale of 1 to 5, I give this work a 4.
LONG STORY
The Good
I'm a bit of a gamer with an awareness of medieval history (thanks to my history nerd husband), and so enjoyed this work on a level that I wasn't expecting. I've played World of Warcraft extensively and dabbled a bit in Dragon Age and some other RPGs, so am familiar with worlds where magic, mages, and shape-shifters are part of the norm. I love stories that feel like game lore, and so really enjoyed "Shawdowcursed".
Bolen is 40-something year old thief who is living in a medieval setting where magic, mages, priests with healing powers (in MMORPG games you need a priest or two on your side - they are often the best healers (them or paladins)), and things creeping about in the shadows is the norm. Oh, and so is living in fear of the "mad ruler" who has developed a rather gory reputation for killing anyone who stands in his mad way. Bolen is tasked with stealing items from this ruler's vault and goes ahead with doing so in order to prove to himself that he is still the thief that he was in his younger days. The problem is that he steals an item that holds a value different from any he has ever known. This particular theft will rattle Bolen to his core and tear apart his understanding of reality in the city whose shadows he has frequented his entire life.
I would like to say that Fleisher is an exceptionally talented writer, but this is the only work I've yet read by him and have become rather hesitant to make such major comments based on a single work. What I can say is that "Shadowcursed" is incredibly well written. The fog winding its way through the city will feel as though it is winding its way around you as you are reading, the descriptive imagery in this book is so well written. Sentences flow together in a way that makes it clear this author has read and re-read his work for clarity's sake. Pronouns are rarely confused (confused pronouns have become a pet peeve of mine). People move about in a way that makes sense for the story (i.e. no people standing up in one side of the room when you didn't read them going to that side of the room). Characters are distinct from one another and are developed exactly as much as they need to be in order for this story to make sense (well, most of them at least....but I'll cover that in a minutes). It contains just the right amount of unpredictability. Elements of magic are entwined with what we know as medieval real-world in a way that makes sense, flows well, and is enjoyable to read.
I really, really liked this book. It is a quick read that brings up very interesting moral questions. What is right when everything is in shadow? Of course, these are questions that often come up in games. If we are honest with ourselves, however, we will admit they often come up in our lives as well.
The Bugly (bad/ugly)
A few quibbles, minor though they are:
1) The major antagonists could be explained a bit more. There are clear lines drawn between good (or at least semi-good in search of redemption) and evil....but the evil of the motivation is barely explained. Power. Conquest. Okay, sure....but what explains the relationship between the two major evil characters?
2) Bolen is the only thing in the story that we really get any back story on. I wanted to know more about the city, the antagonists, the faith system (which is clearly specific to the story), etc. But that leads to my next quibble....
3) Longer. This story needs to be longer. There is enough good material to work with here to bring this novella length work into a novel. This would solve some of the problems with not enough back story, and spending more time on the relationships between specific characters. Perhaps it is my extremely relational brain that just wants to know more about the relationships between different elements of the story, but honestly - this felt like a teaser to a much bigger story.
July 24, 2014
Originally reviewed on LauraofLurking
Strong language: None
Drugs: None
Violence: Some, graphic
Sexual content: None
I received a free copy of this novella in return for an unbiased review
Shadowcursed is a self contained story of a city buried under tyrannical rule for so long that nobody ever questions it. Yet underneath all that, all the way to the gutters where many people are forced to merely survive hand to mouth, we see the will to live and carry on. The story is set on a bedrock of magic, with unseen mages producing magical lights for the city, but more importantly a new and dynamic myth with refreshing creatures different from the usual supernaturals in modern fiction.
Bolen, our aging point of view thief, is one such person, making just a few coppers for a hard days work, when it's legitimate. One day he gets offered a big contract, one that could set him up handsomely – if he can pull it off and survive.
Bolen soon realises just how out of shape he is, and that maybe he should have given this up some time ago, retired into handing out the assignments instead. Reading his physical struggles was wince-worthy at times, the slipping, falling and protesting joints jumping out of the page to join mine feeling much the same in the summer weather (and all I had to do was lay in bed, no wall scaling for me!).
Bolen was written interestingly, I'm unsure if this trait was the intention of the author or not but it suited his trade. Thieves need to hide, to blend in, as Bolen is often thinking about, and when he is in a conversation, or listening in on one, he almost disappears from the writing, leaving it with a feeling of vague omniscient. Normally this would be a sign of weak writing, but for him it just worked. When he was alone he had a much stronger presence.
I felt overall the descriptions in this story were vivid and in depth, really bringing the crumbling, dirt and filth encrusted city and its inhabitants to life. This was left to the back burner however when a conversation was going on, I would have like it to have been more consistent.
As the story progress and Bolen realised just how much trouble he was in the tension amped up nicely. Some scenes were lacking in explanation in why he took such a treacherous path, when there was next to no chance of it working out. This increased the tension, but also the confusion I felt. In the end there usually was an explanation, albeit one Bolen could not have known would happened, leaving, for me, a plot hole.
Overall I thought this was a very nice, stand alone novella, light in its language and an easy read. While it is self contained and tied up all the loose ends I would like to see it as a part of a series of stand alones, covering the mages we never saw, the myths of times gone by and the enormous changes the city is about to undertake.
For escapism and adventure I give this book a 4.5 out of 5. For the sake of reviewing sites I am going to forget the minutiae of issues and give it a well deserved perfect 5
As a side note there is a video game to go with the novella. I have yet to try it (if I can set it up to run with an Xbox 360 controller I will do a separate review of it on my blog), but the screenshots are gorgeous.
Strong language: None
Drugs: None
Violence: Some, graphic
Sexual content: None
I received a free copy of this novella in return for an unbiased review
Shadowcursed is a self contained story of a city buried under tyrannical rule for so long that nobody ever questions it. Yet underneath all that, all the way to the gutters where many people are forced to merely survive hand to mouth, we see the will to live and carry on. The story is set on a bedrock of magic, with unseen mages producing magical lights for the city, but more importantly a new and dynamic myth with refreshing creatures different from the usual supernaturals in modern fiction.
Bolen, our aging point of view thief, is one such person, making just a few coppers for a hard days work, when it's legitimate. One day he gets offered a big contract, one that could set him up handsomely – if he can pull it off and survive.
Bolen soon realises just how out of shape he is, and that maybe he should have given this up some time ago, retired into handing out the assignments instead. Reading his physical struggles was wince-worthy at times, the slipping, falling and protesting joints jumping out of the page to join mine feeling much the same in the summer weather (and all I had to do was lay in bed, no wall scaling for me!).
Bolen was written interestingly, I'm unsure if this trait was the intention of the author or not but it suited his trade. Thieves need to hide, to blend in, as Bolen is often thinking about, and when he is in a conversation, or listening in on one, he almost disappears from the writing, leaving it with a feeling of vague omniscient. Normally this would be a sign of weak writing, but for him it just worked. When he was alone he had a much stronger presence.
I felt overall the descriptions in this story were vivid and in depth, really bringing the crumbling, dirt and filth encrusted city and its inhabitants to life. This was left to the back burner however when a conversation was going on, I would have like it to have been more consistent.
As the story progress and Bolen realised just how much trouble he was in the tension amped up nicely. Some scenes were lacking in explanation in why he took such a treacherous path, when there was next to no chance of it working out. This increased the tension, but also the confusion I felt. In the end there usually was an explanation, albeit one Bolen could not have known would happened, leaving, for me, a plot hole.
Overall I thought this was a very nice, stand alone novella, light in its language and an easy read. While it is self contained and tied up all the loose ends I would like to see it as a part of a series of stand alones, covering the mages we never saw, the myths of times gone by and the enormous changes the city is about to undertake.
For escapism and adventure I give this book a 4.5 out of 5. For the sake of reviewing sites I am going to forget the minutiae of issues and give it a well deserved perfect 5
As a side note there is a video game to go with the novella. I have yet to try it (if I can set it up to run with an Xbox 360 controller I will do a separate review of it on my blog), but the screenshots are gorgeous.
October 10, 2014
I don't know if I'd call it an adventure, but it's definitely an intriguing read with equal parts fantasy and horror. Oh, and I love the cover! It makes me think of the medieval setting in the movie Van Helsing.
Bolen is an aging thief who's never known any other way to keep food in his belly. His only friends aren't really friends, just those who use his skills to ply their own trade and fill their pockets. But he's got to figure out something else to do to keep a roof over his head as age wears him down, because the thought of dying an agonizing death by losing his grip and falling from a rooftop has become a very real probability. When the chance to break into the treasury of Lord Falasade presents itself, Bolen foolishly agrees.
He just never imagined one last job would lead to the gates of hell.
Lord Falasade's family has carried a secret that whispers through the night - a darkness of pure evil resides within the city, a life of death connected to the great ruling house that slowly slips even the strongest mind into fragile madness. Once the torch passed to him, Falasade never had a choice in the manner of cruelty handed out to the people. The evil eats away at his soul as the years pass, until an unlikely event offers a chance at reprieve.
But Lord Falasade's mind is too far gone to accomplish the task - and there is only one who possesses the ability to free him and the village from bondage and ultimate destruction.
It took a little bit to get going, but I eventually found Shadowcursed to be a good story in the fight of good and evil. Once the story engaged me, the plot moved forward with additional characters and situations then quickly built into an explosive finale. Bolen and even Lord Falasade became sympathetic characters as the story wove toward the finishline. The evil character, Markus, was creepy and frightening, which is where the horror element really came into play.
Good showing usage kept the story moving as all of the elements came together. There were a few places where I'd have preferred a little more development, as the events felt rushed and almost skipped over to the point they didn't really need a mention. Bolen was nicely developed as a character, but I'd really have liked to see more fleshing-out of Lord Falasade. The witch, Miina, a tool used by the evil character Markus, was really not developed in any way to the point I felt she wasn't even necessary to the story. In truth, there was so much here that could've been utilized to tell a much longer and much deeper story, and I'd earnestly liked to have seen what would've happened with a more fully developed story as a whole. There was a lot of potential here for an epic, full-length novel.
Editing was fairly clean. Point-of-view had just a few moments where it wavered between characters, almost as if dipping your toe into the water - you're not fully in and yet you're not fully out either. It stopped me a few times, but a minor change in wording would alleviate this sense of stepping into two character heads at once.
Overall, I enjoyed Shadowcursed, though I'd still love to see how this would develop as a full-length novel. Right on the cusp of taking a good fantasy story and making it great leave me with a rating of four stars.
I was provided with a free copy in exchange for review and was not financially compensated for my opinion.
Bolen is an aging thief who's never known any other way to keep food in his belly. His only friends aren't really friends, just those who use his skills to ply their own trade and fill their pockets. But he's got to figure out something else to do to keep a roof over his head as age wears him down, because the thought of dying an agonizing death by losing his grip and falling from a rooftop has become a very real probability. When the chance to break into the treasury of Lord Falasade presents itself, Bolen foolishly agrees.
He just never imagined one last job would lead to the gates of hell.
Lord Falasade's family has carried a secret that whispers through the night - a darkness of pure evil resides within the city, a life of death connected to the great ruling house that slowly slips even the strongest mind into fragile madness. Once the torch passed to him, Falasade never had a choice in the manner of cruelty handed out to the people. The evil eats away at his soul as the years pass, until an unlikely event offers a chance at reprieve.
But Lord Falasade's mind is too far gone to accomplish the task - and there is only one who possesses the ability to free him and the village from bondage and ultimate destruction.
It took a little bit to get going, but I eventually found Shadowcursed to be a good story in the fight of good and evil. Once the story engaged me, the plot moved forward with additional characters and situations then quickly built into an explosive finale. Bolen and even Lord Falasade became sympathetic characters as the story wove toward the finishline. The evil character, Markus, was creepy and frightening, which is where the horror element really came into play.
Good showing usage kept the story moving as all of the elements came together. There were a few places where I'd have preferred a little more development, as the events felt rushed and almost skipped over to the point they didn't really need a mention. Bolen was nicely developed as a character, but I'd really have liked to see more fleshing-out of Lord Falasade. The witch, Miina, a tool used by the evil character Markus, was really not developed in any way to the point I felt she wasn't even necessary to the story. In truth, there was so much here that could've been utilized to tell a much longer and much deeper story, and I'd earnestly liked to have seen what would've happened with a more fully developed story as a whole. There was a lot of potential here for an epic, full-length novel.
Editing was fairly clean. Point-of-view had just a few moments where it wavered between characters, almost as if dipping your toe into the water - you're not fully in and yet you're not fully out either. It stopped me a few times, but a minor change in wording would alleviate this sense of stepping into two character heads at once.
Overall, I enjoyed Shadowcursed, though I'd still love to see how this would develop as a full-length novel. Right on the cusp of taking a good fantasy story and making it great leave me with a rating of four stars.
I was provided with a free copy in exchange for review and was not financially compensated for my opinion.
August 15, 2014
Shadowcursed, by Gelo R. Fleisher, is a fantasy novella about an aging thief. At thirty thousand words it’s not exactly short, but the story was so engaging that I finished it in one sitting. Interestingly the author created a game, or more appropriately mod of Thief, to go along with the novella. I’m not sure if the game is meant to accompany the novella, or vice versa.
Shadowcursed starts by introducing the reader to an aging thief named Bolen. As the novella opens he decides to pull one last heist, while he still can. Afterwards there’s an exciting sequence of the actual heist, including some very good passages that reference Bolen’s age. While I have not been in the aging athlete position, and Fleisher is too young to be there, his writing of Bolen’s struggles with getting older and the effect that has on his body is perfect.
While the heist is in progress Fleisher also brings in aspects of the larger world. The only downside to this is that the world he creates is so interesting that I wish that there was more about it. The concept of a lord driven mad by a curse, and being controlled through that curse, is fresh. Then to have the lord start to regain his sanity is brilliant. During the heist Bolen over hears the mad lord speaking and I was startled by how sane this mad lord sounds. We discover quickly that Bolen stole the object saving the mad lord from his curse. Then the fun begins.
I was really impressed with Shadowcursed. When a book is promoted via a gimmick, in this case a game, I’m always slightly leary. Is the gimmick there as a valid marketing technique, or is it trying to prop up a substandard work. In this case it is simply marketing. Shadowcursed could easily stand on it’s own. In fact my only complaint is that the story is not longer. Another complaint I quickly manufactured was that Shadowcursed is Fleisher’s only work. On his blog there is no mention of anything but his work on further games. Hopefully they come with additional books.
In terms of mechanics I have very few complaints. There are a few too many times where the action starts with Bolen waking up; I think it’s a bit cliche at this point. We could have explored a little more of the Mad Lord’s rise and fall from sanity. There are some scenes with him later in the novella that could handle his madness better. I wish he had done better work on the cover, it seems rather armature and there's such potential for a really compelling cover. Still, these are minor quibbles, and more personal preference than hard and fast things done wrong. The prose is good, if nothing spectacular, and the story structure is done very well.
I highly recommend that you check out Shadowcursed. It will only take you an hour or two to read, but the payoff is great. I also hope that Fleisher comes back to writing, I would buy anything else he writes in an instant.
You can pick up Shadowcursed
here.
Shadowcursed starts by introducing the reader to an aging thief named Bolen. As the novella opens he decides to pull one last heist, while he still can. Afterwards there’s an exciting sequence of the actual heist, including some very good passages that reference Bolen’s age. While I have not been in the aging athlete position, and Fleisher is too young to be there, his writing of Bolen’s struggles with getting older and the effect that has on his body is perfect.
While the heist is in progress Fleisher also brings in aspects of the larger world. The only downside to this is that the world he creates is so interesting that I wish that there was more about it. The concept of a lord driven mad by a curse, and being controlled through that curse, is fresh. Then to have the lord start to regain his sanity is brilliant. During the heist Bolen over hears the mad lord speaking and I was startled by how sane this mad lord sounds. We discover quickly that Bolen stole the object saving the mad lord from his curse. Then the fun begins.
I was really impressed with Shadowcursed. When a book is promoted via a gimmick, in this case a game, I’m always slightly leary. Is the gimmick there as a valid marketing technique, or is it trying to prop up a substandard work. In this case it is simply marketing. Shadowcursed could easily stand on it’s own. In fact my only complaint is that the story is not longer. Another complaint I quickly manufactured was that Shadowcursed is Fleisher’s only work. On his blog there is no mention of anything but his work on further games. Hopefully they come with additional books.
In terms of mechanics I have very few complaints. There are a few too many times where the action starts with Bolen waking up; I think it’s a bit cliche at this point. We could have explored a little more of the Mad Lord’s rise and fall from sanity. There are some scenes with him later in the novella that could handle his madness better. I wish he had done better work on the cover, it seems rather armature and there's such potential for a really compelling cover. Still, these are minor quibbles, and more personal preference than hard and fast things done wrong. The prose is good, if nothing spectacular, and the story structure is done very well.
I highly recommend that you check out Shadowcursed. It will only take you an hour or two to read, but the payoff is great. I also hope that Fleisher comes back to writing, I would buy anything else he writes in an instant.
You can pick up Shadowcursed
here.
August 30, 2014
This review was posted originally on my blog @ http://letbooksbee.blogspot.com/
*I received this Ebook as a free copy in exchange for an honest review*
That was better than i was expecting. Very original!
Bolen is a thief, plying his trade under the spires of an ancient and sprawling city. Worried that he's growing too old, Bolen has lined up a risky job, just to prove that he can still pull one off.
Tonight, he's going to break into a nobleman's vault and help himself to its contents. What he doesn't know is that inside is the key to a secret as old as the city itself.
Kings have killed for it, demons have coveted it, priests have prayed for it, and in a few moments it will be in his hands. And when it is, the adventure of his life will begin.
For starters i have to point out that it started off wonderfully. I love how the author described the environments. He did a great job on the writing. I could really imagine all the scenes clearly, which is very important to me.
But... near the end it got a little sloppy, making me think that Gelo either didn't check it or just wrote it really quickly just to finish the book. It was nothing too bad, though. Just a little bothersome.
Also, in the middle it all went a little too slow for me. Too much sitting around and talking to monks and not enough sneaking around and blood.
Which brings me upon the ending. What was up with that? O.o Not that it was bad or anything, just a little out there. Not exactly what I was expecting. I'm a little sad that it was't a heart-rate-picks-up-omgwhatshappenin?! kind of ending and more of a laugh out loud for no reason one.
The language they used also bothered me. It was very modern and it really killed the medieval mood that was going on.
And now let's talk about Bolen. I don't get what his deal is. First he's brave, going to the Tanni manor and all that, then he's a coward by not just telling Markus that he doesn't have the damn statue. Like c'mon. You're in your 50s, you're an adult and all that. Just tell the guy that you don't have the statue! You're only digging a deeper hole for yourself! -_- But of course my attempts to yell at my Kindle didn't prevent Bolen to do stupid stuff.
Then the whole deal about Markus and his little girlfriend, or whatever she is to him.I don't understand what his power was all about. Sure, he was evil and wanted to engulf the world in shadows or something right? But...how did he manage to get the city under his thumb? Magic, yes, i got that. But i can't really figure out what his limits were. brainwashing, bending flames, transforming into a black monster. Like... hmm. I don't even know what was going on in those last few scenes.
Don't get me wrong, i really enjoyed this novella. It was light and quick to read. But i think it's more for amusement than as a serious book.
I give Shadowcursed 3.5 stars. it wasn't perfect. A lot could have been improved, but i enjoyed it quite a lot ^.^
I would recommend this novella to you if you're looking for something quick to read. It's only about 100 pages after all.
Lots of luck,
Bee
*I received this Ebook as a free copy in exchange for an honest review*
That was better than i was expecting. Very original!
Bolen is a thief, plying his trade under the spires of an ancient and sprawling city. Worried that he's growing too old, Bolen has lined up a risky job, just to prove that he can still pull one off.
Tonight, he's going to break into a nobleman's vault and help himself to its contents. What he doesn't know is that inside is the key to a secret as old as the city itself.
Kings have killed for it, demons have coveted it, priests have prayed for it, and in a few moments it will be in his hands. And when it is, the adventure of his life will begin.
For starters i have to point out that it started off wonderfully. I love how the author described the environments. He did a great job on the writing. I could really imagine all the scenes clearly, which is very important to me.
But... near the end it got a little sloppy, making me think that Gelo either didn't check it or just wrote it really quickly just to finish the book. It was nothing too bad, though. Just a little bothersome.
Also, in the middle it all went a little too slow for me. Too much sitting around and talking to monks and not enough sneaking around and blood.
Which brings me upon the ending. What was up with that? O.o Not that it was bad or anything, just a little out there. Not exactly what I was expecting. I'm a little sad that it was't a heart-rate-picks-up-omgwhatshappenin?! kind of ending and more of a laugh out loud for no reason one.
The language they used also bothered me. It was very modern and it really killed the medieval mood that was going on.
And now let's talk about Bolen. I don't get what his deal is. First he's brave, going to the Tanni manor and all that, then he's a coward by not just telling Markus that he doesn't have the damn statue. Like c'mon. You're in your 50s, you're an adult and all that. Just tell the guy that you don't have the statue! You're only digging a deeper hole for yourself! -_- But of course my attempts to yell at my Kindle didn't prevent Bolen to do stupid stuff.
Then the whole deal about Markus and his little girlfriend, or whatever she is to him.I don't understand what his power was all about. Sure, he was evil and wanted to engulf the world in shadows or something right? But...how did he manage to get the city under his thumb? Magic, yes, i got that. But i can't really figure out what his limits were. brainwashing, bending flames, transforming into a black monster. Like... hmm. I don't even know what was going on in those last few scenes.
Don't get me wrong, i really enjoyed this novella. It was light and quick to read. But i think it's more for amusement than as a serious book.
I give Shadowcursed 3.5 stars. it wasn't perfect. A lot could have been improved, but i enjoyed it quite a lot ^.^
I would recommend this novella to you if you're looking for something quick to read. It's only about 100 pages after all.
Lots of luck,
Bee
April 12, 2014
"Shadowcursed" by Gelo R. Fleisher is a fantasy novella featuring a thief named Bolen. Bolen is getting up there in years - 43summers have passed him by - and he wants to pull off one last risky job. Why? Well, just to see if he can still do it. Now, you don't usually get to be 43 in the thieving occupation unless you are good, because in that line of work, failure usually means much more than losing just your occupation.
In his head, Bolen can still do all of the things he needs to do. His body, however, might disagree. When your knees make worse sounds than the rusty doors you are trying to open quietly, there could be some problems. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop might also be thought of as a "younger man's game."
So who to target for your last "job?" Hey, why not sneak into the the mayor's house who is known by all as the "Mad Lord" - sneak into his basement that is home to his vault of personal treasures and see what we can find? Really, what could go wrong.... Apparently, Murphy's Law was alive and well during the Middle Ages as well.
I enjoyed this book immensely. It took me all the way back to my Dungeon & Dragon playing days - and let's just be honest - it is sometimes more fun to be the "not so good" guy. Fleisher does an excellent job all the way around in this story - I was hooked and couldn't wait to get home to keep reading it. It is very apparent that Fleisher is a great story teller, not just a writer. I was leery that in 78 pages that he would be able to develop the characters enough to make me care - but that worry left soon after I started reading the book. Fleisher has a unique ability to build up an entire new world, characters, plot, and action in probably a third of the words that other writers take - and then they still miss the mark. This is not to say that the story or the writing is overly simple or straightforward - but instead Fleisher chooses his words carefully and doesn't lose his great story to a blustering flurry of adjectives (such as I just used!).
Strengths
Everything. Plain and simple. I am not exaggerating when I say that I loved it!
There was a point in the plot (which I won't spoil here) that puts Bolen in an impossible (literally) situation that just had me chuckling inside at it's absurdity. It's not absurd because it's a huge stretch of the imagination, it's absurd because Bolen's life mirrors everyone else who has had the pleasure of living with Murphy's Law.
This is an easy one or two day read that you will wish you could somehow stretch into a Game of Thrones six book 8,000 page saga.
Fleisher even has a game that he created around the book himself. Way to go, Gelo - raise the bar for all of the indie authors out there. Keep it up and we will all hate you for it!!! LOL. What's worse is that it's FREE!
Weaknesses
None. Give me more!!!
In his head, Bolen can still do all of the things he needs to do. His body, however, might disagree. When your knees make worse sounds than the rusty doors you are trying to open quietly, there could be some problems. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop might also be thought of as a "younger man's game."
So who to target for your last "job?" Hey, why not sneak into the the mayor's house who is known by all as the "Mad Lord" - sneak into his basement that is home to his vault of personal treasures and see what we can find? Really, what could go wrong.... Apparently, Murphy's Law was alive and well during the Middle Ages as well.
I enjoyed this book immensely. It took me all the way back to my Dungeon & Dragon playing days - and let's just be honest - it is sometimes more fun to be the "not so good" guy. Fleisher does an excellent job all the way around in this story - I was hooked and couldn't wait to get home to keep reading it. It is very apparent that Fleisher is a great story teller, not just a writer. I was leery that in 78 pages that he would be able to develop the characters enough to make me care - but that worry left soon after I started reading the book. Fleisher has a unique ability to build up an entire new world, characters, plot, and action in probably a third of the words that other writers take - and then they still miss the mark. This is not to say that the story or the writing is overly simple or straightforward - but instead Fleisher chooses his words carefully and doesn't lose his great story to a blustering flurry of adjectives (such as I just used!).
Strengths
Everything. Plain and simple. I am not exaggerating when I say that I loved it!
There was a point in the plot (which I won't spoil here) that puts Bolen in an impossible (literally) situation that just had me chuckling inside at it's absurdity. It's not absurd because it's a huge stretch of the imagination, it's absurd because Bolen's life mirrors everyone else who has had the pleasure of living with Murphy's Law.
This is an easy one or two day read that you will wish you could somehow stretch into a Game of Thrones six book 8,000 page saga.
Fleisher even has a game that he created around the book himself. Way to go, Gelo - raise the bar for all of the indie authors out there. Keep it up and we will all hate you for it!!! LOL. What's worse is that it's FREE!
Weaknesses
None. Give me more!!!
June 7, 2014
Bolen is getting old. That’s bad news for a thief, especially for a thief like Bolen whom often has to climb, jump and run when on the job. Turning the better part of forty is naturally a time to consider retirement. Bolen knows and fears this and it weighs on his mind while taking his latest gig- steal from the great Tanni mansion that has plenty of guards with steel guns.
What Bolen finds in the rich manor's vault are the usual precious gems and priceless family heirlooms. In the vault is also a small unusual ruby statue. A statue that brings out the emotions of regret, guilt and comfort. Emotions that Bolen believed to long be dead.
The Good: I LOVED this book! I am very weary of giving any book 5 stars. 5 star books to me must be a story I can read at any age, something I can see myself rereading over and over, I can identify with the characters and finally it has to be a story that my mind still thinks about even after reading and reviewing it.
The world building is great; the way Shadowcursed was written gave me a clear picture of the city and have me readily accepting the magical aspects of Bolen's world.
Identifying with Bolen, a forty something year old man had me thinking I would not be able to identify with Bolen with me not being a man and not being forty. However I was. Bolen's age did nothing to keep me from getting into his head. His ache and pains were understandable and honestly made him believable. Into the novel the reader sees that Bolen is consider an awesome thief; like Sherlock Holmes awesome. Which he is, but the reader does not see this until other mention it. Bolen is not cocky and he is always just trying to get the job done. I really loved that about his character. He had an awesome reputation without the snark, probably not even realizing his reputation precedes him.
The Bad: It was too short! It had a good ending that could just be an end to the story but it also left off with the potential of another book or story. I really hope the author considers writing more about the characters! I want to know more! (So really I could not see anything negative; I just did not want it to end.)
The Book: I RECOMEND this novella to EVERYONE!!! It's entertaining, thoughtful and is action packed. I would put this on the 'Shelf of Honor' right with Harry Potter, His Dark Materials and Eragon. Go out, buy it ($2.99) and read it!
What Bolen finds in the rich manor's vault are the usual precious gems and priceless family heirlooms. In the vault is also a small unusual ruby statue. A statue that brings out the emotions of regret, guilt and comfort. Emotions that Bolen believed to long be dead.
The Good: I LOVED this book! I am very weary of giving any book 5 stars. 5 star books to me must be a story I can read at any age, something I can see myself rereading over and over, I can identify with the characters and finally it has to be a story that my mind still thinks about even after reading and reviewing it.
The world building is great; the way Shadowcursed was written gave me a clear picture of the city and have me readily accepting the magical aspects of Bolen's world.
Identifying with Bolen, a forty something year old man had me thinking I would not be able to identify with Bolen with me not being a man and not being forty. However I was. Bolen's age did nothing to keep me from getting into his head. His ache and pains were understandable and honestly made him believable. Into the novel the reader sees that Bolen is consider an awesome thief; like Sherlock Holmes awesome. Which he is, but the reader does not see this until other mention it. Bolen is not cocky and he is always just trying to get the job done. I really loved that about his character. He had an awesome reputation without the snark, probably not even realizing his reputation precedes him.
The Bad: It was too short! It had a good ending that could just be an end to the story but it also left off with the potential of another book or story. I really hope the author considers writing more about the characters! I want to know more! (So really I could not see anything negative; I just did not want it to end.)
The Book: I RECOMEND this novella to EVERYONE!!! It's entertaining, thoughtful and is action packed. I would put this on the 'Shelf of Honor' right with Harry Potter, His Dark Materials and Eragon. Go out, buy it ($2.99) and read it!
August 29, 2013
I found Shadowcursed on LittleHyuts.blogspot.com when the author, Gelo Fleisher was spotlighted on that website-- the story seemed to be something completely different from the usual zombie/vampire/werewolf book. I loved this book and loved the fact that I could read it in one evening. As opposed to some other novellas I’m reviewing, Shadowcursed is a complete book in 76 pages, no sequels, no serial novelization that leaves you hanging.
An aging thief manages a heist from a nobleman and steals a ruby statue with otherworldly powers, which both the nobleman and a villain value more than anything in the world. Throw in a beautiful woman, mysterious and shadowy, and the author has created a story that truly is unique. What stuck me at once was the rich descriptiveness of his writing. I once read that Dickens wrote as if his stories could be easily translated into movies and I felt the same quality here–it was if the author was describing a play he was watching, giving me feeling of being in the scene. When Bolen, the thief, is skittering across the roof my heart beat faster.
The characterizations are superb. Bolen is no one-dimensional thief–he is fraught with anxiety, wondering if he can still pull off a job, and then when he does, for how much longer will he be able to do so. The monk, the nobleman, the beautiful lady all have complete personalities.
Best of all was the story, unusual and unpredictable. Bolen fences the statue and it is chopped up into little sellable pieces and as much as I wished otherwise, it was the end of the statue. It was irrevocably gone and I realized how seldom does this happen in a novel. I kept turning the pages, unable to fathom what might come next. And, with a remarkable twist at the end, I was left with a feeling of surprised wonder.
What I loved about it: Everything! With the unpredictable story, the fleshed-out characterizations, and beautifully descriptive writing, this is a nearly perfect book!
Overall: 5+ stars! I’ll be watching out for more from this author!
by Laura Masciarelli, author of Quest
An aging thief manages a heist from a nobleman and steals a ruby statue with otherworldly powers, which both the nobleman and a villain value more than anything in the world. Throw in a beautiful woman, mysterious and shadowy, and the author has created a story that truly is unique. What stuck me at once was the rich descriptiveness of his writing. I once read that Dickens wrote as if his stories could be easily translated into movies and I felt the same quality here–it was if the author was describing a play he was watching, giving me feeling of being in the scene. When Bolen, the thief, is skittering across the roof my heart beat faster.
The characterizations are superb. Bolen is no one-dimensional thief–he is fraught with anxiety, wondering if he can still pull off a job, and then when he does, for how much longer will he be able to do so. The monk, the nobleman, the beautiful lady all have complete personalities.
Best of all was the story, unusual and unpredictable. Bolen fences the statue and it is chopped up into little sellable pieces and as much as I wished otherwise, it was the end of the statue. It was irrevocably gone and I realized how seldom does this happen in a novel. I kept turning the pages, unable to fathom what might come next. And, with a remarkable twist at the end, I was left with a feeling of surprised wonder.
What I loved about it: Everything! With the unpredictable story, the fleshed-out characterizations, and beautifully descriptive writing, this is a nearly perfect book!
Overall: 5+ stars! I’ll be watching out for more from this author!
by Laura Masciarelli, author of Quest
October 28, 2014
Shadowcursed
Gelo R. Fleisher
Note – The Author Visits received a copy of Shadowcursed in exchange for an honest review.
Shadowcursed by Gelo R. Fleisher is a well-written novella that reads swiftly despite being pint-sized. But do not let that fool you, the story of Bolen is well-rounded, shrouded by mystery that unravels with controlled pacing to reveal an unique storyline – centered around a precious statue.
Bolen is a thief, aimless with few prospects. With no real skills save thieving, he realizes there is little value in the life he’s led. That is until an opportunity to steal from the Mad King presents itself. Bolen robs the crazy Falasade but the thing he’s stolen profoundly impact his life. The statue he’s taken is far more precious than the cost of the rubies from which it is created.
Bolen is called upon a withered old man named Markus who demands the thief bring him the already stolen statue otherwise face death.
As the remainder of the story unfolds, the nature of the statue, the implication the statue has for both Falasade and Markus and the aftermath of the Bolen’s failure to deliver the statue to the vile man is divulged and whatever notion I had of the ending isn’t exact which adds to the enjoyment of reading Shadowcursed.
The catalyst for Bolen’s self-realization and self-rectification is the statue. However, his decision to make amends comes both from counsel and a sheer desire to redefine his life’s purpose.
Shadowcursed is a distinct story. Well-structured and paced, Fleisher is adept with the organization of plot and the usage of fluid language, drawing imagery that transfixes the reader, luring them into Bolen’s brittle world overruled by Falasade’s ferociousness.
Shadowcursed has paranormal elements entwined with a slant of spiritualism which I definitely appreciated adding to the noteworthiness of Bolen’s story.
My rating? A five-star must read. Bolen’s transformation from flawed to redeemed, regardless of reason makes Shadowcursed an effortless read.
Read my reviews at The Author Visits
Gelo R. Fleisher
Note – The Author Visits received a copy of Shadowcursed in exchange for an honest review.
Shadowcursed by Gelo R. Fleisher is a well-written novella that reads swiftly despite being pint-sized. But do not let that fool you, the story of Bolen is well-rounded, shrouded by mystery that unravels with controlled pacing to reveal an unique storyline – centered around a precious statue.
Bolen is a thief, aimless with few prospects. With no real skills save thieving, he realizes there is little value in the life he’s led. That is until an opportunity to steal from the Mad King presents itself. Bolen robs the crazy Falasade but the thing he’s stolen profoundly impact his life. The statue he’s taken is far more precious than the cost of the rubies from which it is created.
Bolen is called upon a withered old man named Markus who demands the thief bring him the already stolen statue otherwise face death.
As the remainder of the story unfolds, the nature of the statue, the implication the statue has for both Falasade and Markus and the aftermath of the Bolen’s failure to deliver the statue to the vile man is divulged and whatever notion I had of the ending isn’t exact which adds to the enjoyment of reading Shadowcursed.
The catalyst for Bolen’s self-realization and self-rectification is the statue. However, his decision to make amends comes both from counsel and a sheer desire to redefine his life’s purpose.
Shadowcursed is a distinct story. Well-structured and paced, Fleisher is adept with the organization of plot and the usage of fluid language, drawing imagery that transfixes the reader, luring them into Bolen’s brittle world overruled by Falasade’s ferociousness.
Shadowcursed has paranormal elements entwined with a slant of spiritualism which I definitely appreciated adding to the noteworthiness of Bolen’s story.
My rating? A five-star must read. Bolen’s transformation from flawed to redeemed, regardless of reason makes Shadowcursed an effortless read.
Read my reviews at The Author Visits
June 8, 2014
"Shadowcursed" by Gelo R. Fleisher is a uniquely different fantasy novella written with a keen sense of the realities of getting older and being past your prime.
Bolen, the thief, is getting on in years and has a chance to do one last robbery. Little does he know that this last job will bring to light the truth of why the mayor is truly the "Mad Lord".
While robbing the mayor's estate, Bolen is privy a conversation between the "Mad Lord" with his closest counsel. The information gathered is not really earth-shattering, but gets Bolen to re-think selling the stolen bounty. Against his better judgment, he gives up the statue that he absconded with from the mayor - only to be asked by others to steal it from the mayor (again).
The plot thickens with so many people wanting to get their hands on the statue. Bolen is caught between a rock and hard place and asks for advise from the clergy on what he should do. It takes all the strength he can muster to go to the mayor and tell him that he is the one who stole his priceless heirloom.
But, the mayor has incredible information of his own to give to Bolen. This is where the story takes a fantastical turn and no one is truly what they seem.
This story is well written, well thought out and kept my attention from start to finish. The characters are well-developed and I could feel myself cheering Bolen on throughout the entire story.
I would definitely recommend this to those who are fans of fantasy and paranormal type plots.
Very good debut novella from an up and coming new author.
Bolen, the thief, is getting on in years and has a chance to do one last robbery. Little does he know that this last job will bring to light the truth of why the mayor is truly the "Mad Lord".
While robbing the mayor's estate, Bolen is privy a conversation between the "Mad Lord" with his closest counsel. The information gathered is not really earth-shattering, but gets Bolen to re-think selling the stolen bounty. Against his better judgment, he gives up the statue that he absconded with from the mayor - only to be asked by others to steal it from the mayor (again).
The plot thickens with so many people wanting to get their hands on the statue. Bolen is caught between a rock and hard place and asks for advise from the clergy on what he should do. It takes all the strength he can muster to go to the mayor and tell him that he is the one who stole his priceless heirloom.
But, the mayor has incredible information of his own to give to Bolen. This is where the story takes a fantastical turn and no one is truly what they seem.
This story is well written, well thought out and kept my attention from start to finish. The characters are well-developed and I could feel myself cheering Bolen on throughout the entire story.
I would definitely recommend this to those who are fans of fantasy and paranormal type plots.
Very good debut novella from an up and coming new author.
June 15, 2014
www.readingbifrost.com
Bolen is a thief going through a midlife crisis. While other thieves his age have given up the trade, he sets out to go on one of his most dangerous jobs yet; stealing from the vaults of a nobleman. But the unlucky thief finds a statue belonging to the Mad Lord of the city. The red lady statue calls to Bolen with a magical flare in its center while the Mad Lord releases his wrath on the city and other powerful beings come seeking the power of the statue.
“He would never tell Hakar, but part of why he was here was just to see if he could still pull off a job like this. He’d been a thief all his life, and the thought of being unable to do the one thing he’d always been good at was terrifying.”
Bolen is a fun character to follow. He’s not the traditional hero fantasy readers so often come to associate with the genre, and Fleisher balances his hero with other just as equally well developed antagonist and minor characters.
I would have liked to have seen more magic in everyday elements throughout the book. There’s mage orbs for lights and mentions of mages, but no more magical elements other than being part of the main storyline.
There’s no question that Fleisher’s Shadowcursed has the ability to enchant fantasy readers with its unique choice for a protagonist and quality storytelling. While it doesn’t demand your attention, it does grab the reader and keep your interest until the very end.
Bolen is a thief going through a midlife crisis. While other thieves his age have given up the trade, he sets out to go on one of his most dangerous jobs yet; stealing from the vaults of a nobleman. But the unlucky thief finds a statue belonging to the Mad Lord of the city. The red lady statue calls to Bolen with a magical flare in its center while the Mad Lord releases his wrath on the city and other powerful beings come seeking the power of the statue.
“He would never tell Hakar, but part of why he was here was just to see if he could still pull off a job like this. He’d been a thief all his life, and the thought of being unable to do the one thing he’d always been good at was terrifying.”
Bolen is a fun character to follow. He’s not the traditional hero fantasy readers so often come to associate with the genre, and Fleisher balances his hero with other just as equally well developed antagonist and minor characters.
I would have liked to have seen more magic in everyday elements throughout the book. There’s mage orbs for lights and mentions of mages, but no more magical elements other than being part of the main storyline.
There’s no question that Fleisher’s Shadowcursed has the ability to enchant fantasy readers with its unique choice for a protagonist and quality storytelling. While it doesn’t demand your attention, it does grab the reader and keep your interest until the very end.
October 17, 2013
This fantasy novella was a nice surprise. Mr. Fleisher has written an enthralling story full of descriptive prose that will pull you into the story so thoroughly you can practically smell the stench. He has also given us a bad guy to root for as we sit on the edge of our seats as the plot twists and turns.
The story is character driven as we follow Bolen down the streets and alleys as Fleisher paints us stark pictures of the corruptness throughout this ancient city and its ruling family. When Bolen gets his hands on a coveted ruby statue, which he steals from the safe inside the fortress walls, we know it is magical. The story behind it is fascinating in and of itself, the powers it wields may even be considered miraculous.
As a twist of fate, Bolen is then enlisted by a shadowy figure to steal this statue that he has already stolen and fenced. The story that unfolds is an original and captivating roller coaster ride that will leave the reader fully satisfied. I think this is an Indie author to watch for in the future.
Format/Typo Issues: No significant issues.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** October 5, 2013
The story is character driven as we follow Bolen down the streets and alleys as Fleisher paints us stark pictures of the corruptness throughout this ancient city and its ruling family. When Bolen gets his hands on a coveted ruby statue, which he steals from the safe inside the fortress walls, we know it is magical. The story behind it is fascinating in and of itself, the powers it wields may even be considered miraculous.
As a twist of fate, Bolen is then enlisted by a shadowy figure to steal this statue that he has already stolen and fenced. The story that unfolds is an original and captivating roller coaster ride that will leave the reader fully satisfied. I think this is an Indie author to watch for in the future.
Format/Typo Issues: No significant issues.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** October 5, 2013
June 24, 2014
Shadowcursed includes a struggle between light and darkness that grips the reader, making them turn each page with abandon. This is not a novella that will allow you to easily take a break. Plan to read this one when you won't be interrupted for a while. Perhaps after everyone else has gone to sleep.
Why? Let me give you an example:
My Husband:
"Rebecca?"
Me:
"...."
Husband:
"Umm, Rebecca?"
Me:
"..."
Husband:
(places his hand on my shoulder)
"Hey, Rebecca..."
Me:
(fangs break through my gums as my eyes turn solid black. Lightning crackles overhead.)
WHAT?!?!?!?!!? I'M BUSY!
Husband:
"I um... I just wanted to be sure you saw the glass of water I placed beside you forty-five minutes ago. You haven't touched it yet."
So, yeah. I was kind of a wee bit focused on this novella.
I recommend that you read Shadowcursed. It's something I would easily choose to read again. Fleisher has a great talent for drawing a reader's emotions to the surface, making a person evaluate their own actions in life, just as the characters did.
I mean, seriously... how many people do you know that can cause you to feel empathy toward a statue?
Why? Let me give you an example:
My Husband:
"Rebecca?"
Me:
"...."
Husband:
"Umm, Rebecca?"
Me:
"..."
Husband:
(places his hand on my shoulder)
"Hey, Rebecca..."
Me:
(fangs break through my gums as my eyes turn solid black. Lightning crackles overhead.)
WHAT?!?!?!?!!? I'M BUSY!
Husband:
"I um... I just wanted to be sure you saw the glass of water I placed beside you forty-five minutes ago. You haven't touched it yet."
So, yeah. I was kind of a wee bit focused on this novella.
I recommend that you read Shadowcursed. It's something I would easily choose to read again. Fleisher has a great talent for drawing a reader's emotions to the surface, making a person evaluate their own actions in life, just as the characters did.
I mean, seriously... how many people do you know that can cause you to feel empathy toward a statue?
October 9, 2014
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Shadowcursed is a well thought-out fantasy novella that features distinctive characters and world. It gives the impression that this is a part of a larger body of work--with three-dimensional supporting cast and a land that seems to extend beyond the pages.
Bolen, the main character, is caught in a web of deceit that centers around a carving that everyone seems to want. Bouncing between his fence, a demon, and a guy controlled by said demon, he must also come to terms with his aging physique.
Seeing him grow as a person, to accept who he is and find strength within his limitations, was the most engaging part of the story for me. I'm weary of fantasy stories where the main character is a strapping young teenager or early twenty-year-old who is "the chosen one." This is something different, with a new sort of struggle.
If you like fantasy and real characters, I would recommend Shadowcursed, and I look forward to Mr. Fleisher's future works.
Also posted on my blog, Magic & Mayhem Book Reviews.
Shadowcursed is a well thought-out fantasy novella that features distinctive characters and world. It gives the impression that this is a part of a larger body of work--with three-dimensional supporting cast and a land that seems to extend beyond the pages.
Bolen, the main character, is caught in a web of deceit that centers around a carving that everyone seems to want. Bouncing between his fence, a demon, and a guy controlled by said demon, he must also come to terms with his aging physique.
Seeing him grow as a person, to accept who he is and find strength within his limitations, was the most engaging part of the story for me. I'm weary of fantasy stories where the main character is a strapping young teenager or early twenty-year-old who is "the chosen one." This is something different, with a new sort of struggle.
If you like fantasy and real characters, I would recommend Shadowcursed, and I look forward to Mr. Fleisher's future works.
Also posted on my blog, Magic & Mayhem Book Reviews.
August 26, 2014
I enjoyed Shawdowcursed very much. The fact that it was a novella was appealing to me because I’ve been reading quite long books lately and sometimes a shorter read is nice.
As to be expected with a novella, Shadowcursed is a fast paced read. Its emphasis is on action rather than character development. While the main character, Bolen, is likeable, the reader doesn’t get a lot of back story from him. For me as a reader, in this particular book, this worked. I’m a big character reader so the fact that I was engaged enough to keep reading the book says a lot in itself.
There is a free companion game that goes along with the book and Fleisher is a game developer. If you’re a gamer, I think this story will really appeal to you. I could definitely see how it would be make a great plotline for a game.
When I read books like this, I think of whether my 13-year old son will like them and I think Matt would definitely enjoy Shadowcursed. If you like a fast paced, action adventure then this is a book you should definitely check out!
As to be expected with a novella, Shadowcursed is a fast paced read. Its emphasis is on action rather than character development. While the main character, Bolen, is likeable, the reader doesn’t get a lot of back story from him. For me as a reader, in this particular book, this worked. I’m a big character reader so the fact that I was engaged enough to keep reading the book says a lot in itself.
There is a free companion game that goes along with the book and Fleisher is a game developer. If you’re a gamer, I think this story will really appeal to you. I could definitely see how it would be make a great plotline for a game.
When I read books like this, I think of whether my 13-year old son will like them and I think Matt would definitely enjoy Shadowcursed. If you like a fast paced, action adventure then this is a book you should definitely check out!
September 18, 2015
Shadowcursed - Gelo R. Fleischer Shadowcursed is the story of an aging thief who takes one last job, and gets more than he bargained for.At 42 or so, Bolen is not as spry as he once was, but he's convinced he can still pull off one more job. So he agrees to break into the home of the City Lord, Falasade, and steal a ruby statuette from the man's vault. The risk is great -- they don't call Falasade the Mad Lord for nothing. But there's something enticing about that statuette. Something...magical.Still, he fences it. And then he's forced into another job, this time for an anonymous employer: to steal the statuette he's just fenced.To sort out the mess he's in, Bolen will need the help of the clergy, all of his wits, and maybe even a meeting with the Mad Lord himself.I really enjoyed this fantasy novella. They story moves along at a fast pace, with plenty of unexpected twists. I didn't see any editing issues. Highly recommended.
July 19, 2014
I was really quite impressed by the contemplative nature of this novella. It's a little repetitive, I'll admit. But I really appreciated seeing men long accustomed to atrocities learn what it means to face their own inner light, even if they have to fight the physical embodiment of their darkness first. Well written, with engaging characters and HEA of sorts. This isn't tweeny, sparkly fantasy. I'd recommend it for fans of eerie, thought provoking fantasy instead.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2014
Reviewed for writocracy.blogspot.com by M.A.Leibfritz
There is something delightful about a story whose protagonist is middle aged. A forty something thief who wants to prove to himself he's still got it.
A protagonist who fits his setting, screws up, gets hurt. It's a delicious change of pace. The setting is rich, the writing is strong, and the ending satisfying.
My issue is the middle, the story bogged down on it's internal musing. As a novella, there shouldn't be this much sag. I can recommend it as a solid read, but it gets four of five.
There is something delightful about a story whose protagonist is middle aged. A forty something thief who wants to prove to himself he's still got it.
A protagonist who fits his setting, screws up, gets hurt. It's a delicious change of pace. The setting is rich, the writing is strong, and the ending satisfying.
My issue is the middle, the story bogged down on it's internal musing. As a novella, there shouldn't be this much sag. I can recommend it as a solid read, but it gets four of five.
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