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Keeper of Light #1
Shadows
A group of forest dwellers find their homes and existence threatened by an act of treason. As they flee in the hope of preserving their lives, it becomes apparent that the treachery is only the hem of a great tapestry of darkness, seeking to smother all that is good. A displaced princess, a mysterious young woman, and a lost prince lead their friends in a desperate search for light and hope amid the approaching shadow of evil.
473 pages, Paperback
Published January 21, 2016
4 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Jordan
10 books29 followersKathryn Jordan is an indie author who writes faith-filled, YA and NA fantasy. She likes to describe herself as neurospicy, slightly unhinged, and unapologetically weird. She enjoys digital art, taking walks, watching crows, and reading books by her fellow indie authors. Much of her time is dedicated to raising and homeschooling her three awesome kids, but creating is a nonnegotiable outlet, a creature within she must heed.
Her works include the Keeper of Light series, The Girl Who Has Stars on Her Shoulder (a companion novel), The Wolf Warden, and House of Dragons (Book One of The Emberstone Trilogy). Visit her official website to explore her books, connect on social media, and more!
Her works include the Keeper of Light series, The Girl Who Has Stars on Her Shoulder (a companion novel), The Wolf Warden, and House of Dragons (Book One of The Emberstone Trilogy). Visit her official website to explore her books, connect on social media, and more!
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 19, 2024
While fantasy may not be my typical genre, I thoroughly enjoyed this skillfully woven story. Complex world-building, iconic and lovable characters, and mystery are just some of the wonderful elements you’ll find in this book.
It’s hard to find fantasy novels without magic and spells which was one of the things I loved about this, along with the symbolic aspect of “The Father of Light” (which I personally thought was beautifully executed.) I’m excited to start book #2 soon!
It’s hard to find fantasy novels without magic and spells which was one of the things I loved about this, along with the symbolic aspect of “The Father of Light” (which I personally thought was beautifully executed.) I’m excited to start book #2 soon!
October 23, 2024
Kathryn Jordan's "Shadows" from the Keeper of Light Series is a refreshing departure from the typical modern fantasy. With Christian themes and moral characters, the story sweeps you up and carries you away. It had rich, poetic world building and descriptions with a cozy feel. There was high adventure and intrigue mixed with beautifully emotional moments. It felt like a return to the fantasy worlds of Robin Hood or King Arthur. The romantic elements were sweet. The characters felt real. I enjoyed it immensely and look forward to the next book.
(Three of my teenagers also have read this and highly enjoyed it! Highly recommended!)
(Three of my teenagers also have read this and highly enjoyed it! Highly recommended!)
January 7, 2026
This book is a long one, but believe me, I mean it in a good way. I can't tell you how much I loved the allegory and how beautifully the author depicted the Lord through it. There were so many situations she described so simply, and that's just how it's supposed to be. Simple. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.
Now if I'm being completely honest, it was a little difficult for me to get into this book at first. There were so many characters and I had trouble sorting out who was who. BUT once I pinned down the ones I liked I followed along and the book became more interesting. Lisona is definitely a favorite. I didn't like Brendamina at first, but she grew on me as her character was developed (she is one of my top favorites). I really can't wait to see what happens with her in the following books (iykyk 👀).
*Possible mini spoiler*
I also LOVED how she handled the Prophets in the book. They were chasing the gifts of God, but not God Himself. How true is that in today's world? We often search after the gifts themselves more than the One who gave us the gifts. God gave us gifts to glorify Him, not to strut our own feathers. God wants a close and personal relationship with you, You just must keep your eyes on Him at all times.
*End of mini spoiler*
The reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 is simply because I didn't dive into this book as easily as I thought I would. It's still a great read, however✨️
My personal suggestion is 16+ (because of heavier topics)
Content Guide:
Mentions of torture, and one torture room is described.
Mentions to heavier topics, such as women being mistreated under evil reign. Nothing is described.
Mentions to drunkenness but not in a supportive way.
Now if I'm being completely honest, it was a little difficult for me to get into this book at first. There were so many characters and I had trouble sorting out who was who. BUT once I pinned down the ones I liked I followed along and the book became more interesting. Lisona is definitely a favorite. I didn't like Brendamina at first, but she grew on me as her character was developed (she is one of my top favorites). I really can't wait to see what happens with her in the following books (iykyk 👀).
*Possible mini spoiler*
I also LOVED how she handled the Prophets in the book. They were chasing the gifts of God, but not God Himself. How true is that in today's world? We often search after the gifts themselves more than the One who gave us the gifts. God gave us gifts to glorify Him, not to strut our own feathers. God wants a close and personal relationship with you, You just must keep your eyes on Him at all times.
*End of mini spoiler*
The reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 is simply because I didn't dive into this book as easily as I thought I would. It's still a great read, however✨️
My personal suggestion is 16+ (because of heavier topics)
Content Guide:
Mentions of torture, and one torture room is described.
Mentions to heavier topics, such as women being mistreated under evil reign. Nothing is described.
Mentions to drunkenness but not in a supportive way.
June 21, 2024
This book was phenomenal! It has a complex, diverse world-building, but is still easy to follow along with. I absolutely loved the characters - especially Bernard who gives off strong, sensitive, loyal vibes. I absolutely loved the biblical foundation that was intermixed in the plot, the characters, and the dialogue, as well. I'm excited to read the next book!
April 1, 2024
Really liked this book! A mix of medieval fantasy and romance “Shadows” is super fun, lots of great characters, and the type of book that keeps you engaged till the end. Sometimes the plot could be a little predictable but that might just be me😂 Would highly recommend, especially for Christian fantasy readers!
July 21, 2024
i went into this hoping it would be a fun indie read. i really like ya as a genre, and when i saw this one was from a Christian author, i was excited to see that there would be a religious spin on a traditional fantasy story, but i sadly DNF'd. i'll be elaborating my full thoughts below, hopefully with very minor spoilers.
☼
things i enjoyed:
- i love a good map!
- the naming conventions, especially geographically, are very strong.
☼
things i didn't jive with as much:
- there are so. many. characters. it feels like a new person is introduced by name almost every page (sometimes even the animals)
- the dialogue was very unnatural, with big blocks of text and very little difference between character voices.
- a lot of telling without showing; we're often told that character a is a good person/strong leader/loyal friend, without their actions really supporting any of the anecdotal evidence
- the characters have very little development; it feels as if the writer had a couple of adjectives to describe the idea of them, and chose to simply bring them up in dialogue rather than giving them any real depth. their motivations are extremely unclear.
- the first 90 pages don't really add much to the plot; they probably could've been cut entirely and solved the pacing issues.
- the worldbuilding is very weak; much of the world feels like it's in a void, and there is surprisingly very little culture displayed for the number of named characters present.
- the story elements themselves are very black-and-white. there is very little nuance, and it is never established in the story that such a dichotomy was specifically woven into the story for a reason.
☼
the main reasons i DNF'd:
racially insensitive plot elements
- a prominent female character, Amorhi, is described as being a person of color, hailing from a "dark tribe" with "primitive" traditions. none of the traditions are ever explained, and they're described as looking wicked by the conspicuously white protagonists, who belong to the aptly-named White Clan
- the White Clan supposedly has the "light" which i can only assume is supposed to be representative of salvation, and it's never clear whether the "dark tribe" has rejected the light, or cannot have it based on who they are. a character has a dream about Amorhi in which she morphs into a different white character. i can only assume this wasn't meant from a place of harm, but the implications are very strong.
- given that Amorhi is rescued by the White Clan, there is a strong tang of white saviour complex. she quickly adopts the White Clan as her new home, claiming that they're inherently better people than her original home, and views her new... captors? saviours? guardians? as the best men to ever walk the earth, even though one of them asks her to cook for him and another grabs her by the arm a couple of times.
- Amorhi is meant to be in a budding romance with a man 13 years her senior, a fact openly acknowledged by the text. this reflects the trend of adultification among POC and feels like an uncomfortable choice by the author.
a lot of misogyny
- most of the women introduced in this book are in some kind of servant-type capacity -- the White Clan women are specifically introduced as gossipy creatures whose quarrels need to be broken up by a strong man.
- the women in the White Clan are not allowed to practice anything masculine, especially combat, seemingly on account of them being women. this is contradicted in the text later for some reason, but Amorhi is allowed to practice with a bow and arrow as she is not like other girls.
- women are often sent away by the men because they "cannot handle the discussions" even though it affects their lives and safety as much as it does the men
- there is a subplot of a lost prince, and patriarchal themes run strongly through it. for reasons unexplained, it is more desirable to be a man than a woman, regardless of whether or not the woman is more capable of holding a royal title. this directly contradicts Jesus' teachings in the Gospels, where man and woman are all equal in His kingdom.
- in one scene, there is casual discussion between two men about a servant woman (who is coincidentally also a woman of color). it implies that she is the problem, and that her existence among men means that she is a temptation to them, rather than condemning the men who regard/treat her poorly. this is an uncomfortable choice, as the only women who are placed in this sort of sexual context are not white.
- there are very casual mentions and implications of sexual assault, which in my opinion was unnecessary and also does not belong in Christian fiction, especially one marketed as coming-of-age. i came across this in chapter 18, and that was when i finally set the book down and chose not to finish it. it feels like a very irresponsible choice from a female author who writes for a Christian audience.
☼
final thoughts
i'm deeply disappointed with this read, and i would not recommend this to anyone else as is. i sincerely believe that the author had only the best intentions, but this story would improve significantly with a professional editor.
☼
things i enjoyed:
- i love a good map!
- the naming conventions, especially geographically, are very strong.
☼
things i didn't jive with as much:
- there are so. many. characters. it feels like a new person is introduced by name almost every page (sometimes even the animals)
- the dialogue was very unnatural, with big blocks of text and very little difference between character voices.
- a lot of telling without showing; we're often told that character a is a good person/strong leader/loyal friend, without their actions really supporting any of the anecdotal evidence
- the characters have very little development; it feels as if the writer had a couple of adjectives to describe the idea of them, and chose to simply bring them up in dialogue rather than giving them any real depth. their motivations are extremely unclear.
- the first 90 pages don't really add much to the plot; they probably could've been cut entirely and solved the pacing issues.
- the worldbuilding is very weak; much of the world feels like it's in a void, and there is surprisingly very little culture displayed for the number of named characters present.
- the story elements themselves are very black-and-white. there is very little nuance, and it is never established in the story that such a dichotomy was specifically woven into the story for a reason.
☼
the main reasons i DNF'd:
racially insensitive plot elements
- a prominent female character, Amorhi, is described as being a person of color, hailing from a "dark tribe" with "primitive" traditions. none of the traditions are ever explained, and they're described as looking wicked by the conspicuously white protagonists, who belong to the aptly-named White Clan
- the White Clan supposedly has the "light" which i can only assume is supposed to be representative of salvation, and it's never clear whether the "dark tribe" has rejected the light, or cannot have it based on who they are. a character has a dream about Amorhi in which she morphs into a different white character. i can only assume this wasn't meant from a place of harm, but the implications are very strong.
- given that Amorhi is rescued by the White Clan, there is a strong tang of white saviour complex. she quickly adopts the White Clan as her new home, claiming that they're inherently better people than her original home, and views her new... captors? saviours? guardians? as the best men to ever walk the earth, even though one of them asks her to cook for him and another grabs her by the arm a couple of times.
- Amorhi is meant to be in a budding romance with a man 13 years her senior, a fact openly acknowledged by the text. this reflects the trend of adultification among POC and feels like an uncomfortable choice by the author.
a lot of misogyny
- most of the women introduced in this book are in some kind of servant-type capacity -- the White Clan women are specifically introduced as gossipy creatures whose quarrels need to be broken up by a strong man.
- the women in the White Clan are not allowed to practice anything masculine, especially combat, seemingly on account of them being women. this is contradicted in the text later for some reason, but Amorhi is allowed to practice with a bow and arrow as she is not like other girls.
- women are often sent away by the men because they "cannot handle the discussions" even though it affects their lives and safety as much as it does the men
- there is a subplot of a lost prince, and patriarchal themes run strongly through it. for reasons unexplained, it is more desirable to be a man than a woman, regardless of whether or not the woman is more capable of holding a royal title. this directly contradicts Jesus' teachings in the Gospels, where man and woman are all equal in His kingdom.
- in one scene, there is casual discussion between two men about a servant woman (who is coincidentally also a woman of color). it implies that she is the problem, and that her existence among men means that she is a temptation to them, rather than condemning the men who regard/treat her poorly. this is an uncomfortable choice, as the only women who are placed in this sort of sexual context are not white.
- there are very casual mentions and implications of sexual assault, which in my opinion was unnecessary and also does not belong in Christian fiction, especially one marketed as coming-of-age. i came across this in chapter 18, and that was when i finally set the book down and chose not to finish it. it feels like a very irresponsible choice from a female author who writes for a Christian audience.
☼
final thoughts
i'm deeply disappointed with this read, and i would not recommend this to anyone else as is. i sincerely believe that the author had only the best intentions, but this story would improve significantly with a professional editor.
February 2, 2025
This is book one of six. It's fine, but I'm in no hurry to read the others. At times it's a bit sluggish, and somewhat predictable after reading The Wolf Warden. It's not bad, per se, for a self published author but, I've got other books I'd rather read
March 3, 2025
An engaging story from the start! A lot of characters and sometimes hard to keep up with all the new people and subplots, but I enjoyed it and am looking forward to continuing on with the series.
July 21, 2024
Shadows is book one of six in this series, and I eagerly anticipate the rest of the series.
In Shadows, you'll find multiple povs, letting you get to deeply know all of the characters and their personalities, thoughts, and feelings.
It's adventurous, laced with ancient prohecies and appearances of unique mythical creatures.
It's a beautiful story of redemption, personal growth, and found family bonds... With a hint of romance 😉
I especially appreciated the spirituality of the realm, which reflects our own spiritual connection to God. And the focus is on personal faith in The Father of Light over ceremonial religion. Very well done!
If you enjoy faith-filled fantasy with journeys, danger, love, friendship, coming-into-power, and endearing characters that start to feel like family, give this story a try!
In Shadows, you'll find multiple povs, letting you get to deeply know all of the characters and their personalities, thoughts, and feelings.
It's adventurous, laced with ancient prohecies and appearances of unique mythical creatures.
It's a beautiful story of redemption, personal growth, and found family bonds... With a hint of romance 😉
I especially appreciated the spirituality of the realm, which reflects our own spiritual connection to God. And the focus is on personal faith in The Father of Light over ceremonial religion. Very well done!
If you enjoy faith-filled fantasy with journeys, danger, love, friendship, coming-into-power, and endearing characters that start to feel like family, give this story a try!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews