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Shadows of destiny: The awakening of the dragon
"It’s dreadful, the sense of feeling half. Half buried under the pressures of your status, half trying to climb through the earth falling on your head, entering your nose and throat, clogging your lungs until all you can see and breathe, and taste is fear. For Aranel, the feeling grew, sticking to every surface of his short life. Half human, half something else. The first trait clung to his skin, keeping him from greatness—the fear of a mortal, limited life."
Follow Aranel in his journey of self-discovery. A story of friendship, magic, loss and newly found hope. Immerge yourself in a world where two factions struggle to share what is left of the once prosperous Gil-la-dem. Learn of new races, cultures, and places inhabited by strange creatures.
As women start to disappear, a new mysterious figure threatens them all. A reborn-God or a well mastered lie? Among well kept secrets and dangerous encounters, everything is at stake for Aranel, heir to the throne of Meccadith.
Follow Aranel in his journey of self-discovery. A story of friendship, magic, loss and newly found hope. Immerge yourself in a world where two factions struggle to share what is left of the once prosperous Gil-la-dem. Learn of new races, cultures, and places inhabited by strange creatures.
As women start to disappear, a new mysterious figure threatens them all. A reborn-God or a well mastered lie? Among well kept secrets and dangerous encounters, everything is at stake for Aranel, heir to the throne of Meccadith.
227 pages, Hardcover
Published October 14, 2023
About the author
Iri Ta Drara
1 book2 followersOfficial page for the Shadows of Destiny series.
Welcome everyone! I am so glad that you are here :)
Welcome everyone! I am so glad that you are here :)
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 24, 2026
I finally finished Shadows of Destiny: The Awakening of the Dragon, and what stayed with me most wasn’t just the magic or the creatures. It was the journey.
One aspect I particularly enjoyed was the use of old language throughout the story, with footnotes explaining the meaning of words and phrases. It added an extra layer of depth to the worldbuilding and made the world feel even more immersive.
This is a story filled with royalty, friendship, sacrifice, ancient legends, and a world that feels far bigger than the pages you’re reading. From mermaids and nymphs to dragons and entirely new creatures born from the author’s imagination, every discovery added another layer to the adventure.
I loved following Aranel, heir to Meccadith, on his journey as he struggled to understand who he truly was while carrying the weight of expectations, destiny, and the future of a kingdom on his shoulders. But what surprised me most was how invested I became in the stories of the other characters. My favourite was Oaris. She is the kind of loyal, supportive best friend everyone deserves to have. Each character brought something unique to the story, and every perspective slowly revealed another piece of a much larger puzzle.
The worldbuilding is one of this book’s greatest strengths. New races, cultures, languages, myths, and legends are woven throughout the story, making Gil-la-dem feel like a living, breathing world with its own history, mysteries, and stories waiting to be uncovered.
This isn’t a fast paced fantasy that immediately throws you into battle. Instead, it takes its time building the world, introducing its characters, and laying the foundations of its secrets. But once those pieces begin to come together, it becomes increasingly difficult to put down.
If you enjoy stories with friendship at their heart, hidden truths, magic, dragons, royal intrigue, legendary creatures, and the feeling that danger may be hiding where you least expect it, then Shadows of Destiny might be a book worth picking up.
And after that ending? I definitely need to know what happens next👀📚
One aspect I particularly enjoyed was the use of old language throughout the story, with footnotes explaining the meaning of words and phrases. It added an extra layer of depth to the worldbuilding and made the world feel even more immersive.
This is a story filled with royalty, friendship, sacrifice, ancient legends, and a world that feels far bigger than the pages you’re reading. From mermaids and nymphs to dragons and entirely new creatures born from the author’s imagination, every discovery added another layer to the adventure.
I loved following Aranel, heir to Meccadith, on his journey as he struggled to understand who he truly was while carrying the weight of expectations, destiny, and the future of a kingdom on his shoulders. But what surprised me most was how invested I became in the stories of the other characters. My favourite was Oaris. She is the kind of loyal, supportive best friend everyone deserves to have. Each character brought something unique to the story, and every perspective slowly revealed another piece of a much larger puzzle.
The worldbuilding is one of this book’s greatest strengths. New races, cultures, languages, myths, and legends are woven throughout the story, making Gil-la-dem feel like a living, breathing world with its own history, mysteries, and stories waiting to be uncovered.
This isn’t a fast paced fantasy that immediately throws you into battle. Instead, it takes its time building the world, introducing its characters, and laying the foundations of its secrets. But once those pieces begin to come together, it becomes increasingly difficult to put down.
If you enjoy stories with friendship at their heart, hidden truths, magic, dragons, royal intrigue, legendary creatures, and the feeling that danger may be hiding where you least expect it, then Shadows of Destiny might be a book worth picking up.
And after that ending? I definitely need to know what happens next👀📚
May 8, 2026
Shadows of Destiny by Iri Ta Drara
What I Was Wondering Going In:
How do the choices we make in our past shape the paths of our future, and can we break free from the cycles of fate that seem to bind us?
My Take:
This book digs into the fascinating interplay between free will and destiny, following a cast of characters whose lives are tangled up in hidden connections and repeating patterns from generations past. At its core, it suggests that while our histories can feel like they've set our course, truly understanding where we come from gives us the power to build a more deliberate future. The core ideas are thought-provoking and stay with you long after turning the last page.
Thoughts on the Story:
I really appreciated how the author frames destiny not as something fixed and unchangeable, but as a tapestry we help weave with every decision we make. The emotional beats of the characters' journeys make the big philosophical questions feel grounded and relatable. My only small critique is that the multiple interwoven timelines can get a bit confusing at points – I found myself flipping back to keep track of how everything connected. That said, the payoff when all the threads come together is well worth it.
Favorite Lines from the Book:
• "Every choice we make casts a shadow forward in time, and every shadow holds the ghost of a choice yet to be made."
• "Fate is not a chain that binds us, but a map drawn with the ink of our own actions."
• "To understand where we are going, we must first look closely at where we have been—and recognize that we hold the pen to rewrite the story."
Would recommend to anyone who loves character-driven stories that make you think about the bigger questions in life!
What I Was Wondering Going In:
How do the choices we make in our past shape the paths of our future, and can we break free from the cycles of fate that seem to bind us?
My Take:
This book digs into the fascinating interplay between free will and destiny, following a cast of characters whose lives are tangled up in hidden connections and repeating patterns from generations past. At its core, it suggests that while our histories can feel like they've set our course, truly understanding where we come from gives us the power to build a more deliberate future. The core ideas are thought-provoking and stay with you long after turning the last page.
Thoughts on the Story:
I really appreciated how the author frames destiny not as something fixed and unchangeable, but as a tapestry we help weave with every decision we make. The emotional beats of the characters' journeys make the big philosophical questions feel grounded and relatable. My only small critique is that the multiple interwoven timelines can get a bit confusing at points – I found myself flipping back to keep track of how everything connected. That said, the payoff when all the threads come together is well worth it.
Favorite Lines from the Book:
• "Every choice we make casts a shadow forward in time, and every shadow holds the ghost of a choice yet to be made."
• "Fate is not a chain that binds us, but a map drawn with the ink of our own actions."
• "To understand where we are going, we must first look closely at where we have been—and recognize that we hold the pen to rewrite the story."
Would recommend to anyone who loves character-driven stories that make you think about the bigger questions in life!
January 19, 2024
This book is a prelude to a long-awaited journey but with completely unexpected implications. We meet the protagonist (Aranel, the heir of the throne of Meccadith), or rather the protagonists - for me, and we accompany them along this tortuous journey. If the first chapters seem long and slow, with the great castle as the only space we live in, from the second half it's all a precipitation of situations until you reach the end - not the end. The safe space of the castle and the life in it it's the start of everything: loving parents, exceptional and warm-hearted staff.
But there will always be a BUT in a very good book.
If you want to be involved with a young adult but with a very dark side this is for you. Books have no age, and this is the clear example of it.
But there will always be a BUT in a very good book.
If you want to be involved with a young adult but with a very dark side this is for you. Books have no age, and this is the clear example of it.
April 20, 2026
Mysterious, magical and dark.
Loved learning about each of the characters stories and the build up to more action at the end. Oaris is my favourite but the characters are all interesting. I can't wait to read more about the story. The use of footnotes for the in world language was really helpful and a cool addition.
Loved learning about each of the characters stories and the build up to more action at the end. Oaris is my favourite but the characters are all interesting. I can't wait to read more about the story. The use of footnotes for the in world language was really helpful and a cool addition.
April 25, 2026
This is such a thrill-seeking book I loved following the journey and experiencing the plot twists. Definitely one of my favourite reads this year and is so well written. I definitely recommend this if you’re in a reading slump I couldn’t put it down. Xx
May 2, 2026
Characters were really well developed! Loved the footnotes at the bottom :)
April 25, 2026
Mysterious, magical and dark.
Loved learning about each of the characters stories and the build up to more action at the end. Oaris is my favourite but the characters are all interesting. I can't wait to read more about the story. The use of footnotes for the in world language was really helpful and a cool addition.
Loved learning about each of the characters stories and the build up to more action at the end. Oaris is my favourite but the characters are all interesting. I can't wait to read more about the story. The use of footnotes for the in world language was really helpful and a cool addition.
April 25, 2026
Mysterious, magical and dark.
Loved learning about each of the characters stories and the build up to more action at the end. Oaris is my favourite but the characters are all interesting. I can't wait to read more about the story. The use of footnotes for the in world language was really helpful and a cool addition.
Loved learning about each of the characters stories and the build up to more action at the end. Oaris is my favourite but the characters are all interesting. I can't wait to read more about the story. The use of footnotes for the in world language was really helpful and a cool addition.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews