Strump: A World of Shadows

by Michael Alexander Beas

Upon the death of King Aerostat II, two brothers fight for the keys to the throne of their fathers beloved Blue Kingdom. Through a labyrinth of lies and deceit the Shadow Lord uses the oldest of the two brothers to unite the pieces of a magical game board called Strump. If successful a shadow uprising would bring death and destruction upon all the inhabitants of the Blue Kingdom. The search for truth becomes an enchanted adventure where humans and mermen, pirates & mice, sorcerers & pixies make alliances to defend their Kingdom before it falls into ..... A World Of Shadows.

Genres: Fantasy

448 pages, Hardcover

First published December 28, 2013

About the author

Michael Alexander Beas holds an associate’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in business management; none of which has anything to do with writing novels. He spent over a dozen years working in banking, telecommunications and commercial insurance. In those industries, he dedicated the bulk of his time selling products and services to customers. He has always enjoyed writing but busy schedules never gave him the time needed to follow the dream of completing a novel. Then one day, life gave him the opportunity to fulfill that dream. Beas lives in Waxhaw, N.C. with his family.

Reviews

[Char]

http://nospin.booklikes.com/post/9397...

[Louise White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with Michael Beas', Strump: A World  of Shadows. An epic fantasy, the first in a series, it delivered action, adventure and thrills throughout. This book came to me at a perfect time, and I thoroughly appreciated the escapism it offered.
Prince's Gorgan and Alexander's struggles had me hooked right from the beginning. With characters that included Sorcerers, Mice, Merpeople and Pixies, I found this work highly interesting and Beas' detailed world building and written scenes had me envisioning the tale on the big screen. 
The action kept me on the edge of my seat and I must admit to becoming totally absorbed in this intricate story which details the horrors of deception, greed, and lust for power- this tempered by a strong theme throughout, highlighting the values of humility, wisdom, justice and the powerful and tenacious pursuit of truth.
Inspired by the magical game of Strump, the Shadow Lord is intent on uniting the magical pieces of the board in pursuit of ultimate power. He exploits the weakness of key players to further his aims in wickedly superb style. Lord Kavardas gave me chills!
This book  is a classic good versus evil treat for all Fantasy lovers. A Tolkien style adventure, it is written in an accessible manner that I would recommend to all Fantasy lovers from older teens upwards.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have to start off by saying this is not my cup of tea, I'm quite finicky with Fantasy novels don't read maybe a couple a year. It took me a bit to get into the story, found the beginning kind of sputtering, I think it was the writing, found some grammatical errors which broke my concentration. Was not till mid book that I was able to get a nice rhythm and was able to get immersed in the story. I enjoyed the story, liked the idea of a board game and pieces intertwined with the story itself. Story has intrigue, mystery and excitement.It's a good read, looking forward to seeing more from the writer.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was merely five pages in when I put Strump down to collect myself. So I pulled my hair back and got a cup of coffee before I began again; this was some serious fantasy and I intended to be all there for it.

The world inside Strump is enchanting. And I mean every corner of it; from the names of characters, places, things, to the description and dialogue. This author has an incredible imagination and the mad skills to transport his readers into a land divided in two. I should have waited to write this review because at the moment I’m tongue-tied with adjectives. All I want to do is put everything in caps and end it with exclamation points. I don’t often gush, but that’s all I seem to want to do.

At its heart of heart, this is a story of two brothers who both want the keys to their father’s kingdom. One is nefarious, the other virtuous, both powerful. By birthright, yes, but also because of the allegiances they form. And this is just the main vein. So many subplots and delightful characters abound.
I agree wholeheartedly with a previous reviewer(on Amazon) who said this is a great bedtime story. I thought the same thing! Like, somebody cue Fred Savage and tell him to climb under the covers because Grandpa’s got a real doozy for him this time around.

Definitely the best fantasy I’ve read in a long, long time. I loved it.

[Trisha Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Escape into another world

I’ve often been asked by non-readers on why I enjoy reading (I always have my Kindle with me, and I call it ‘my precious’), and my answer is always the same: Reading takes me to places I’ve never been to and allows me to roam in worlds that allow me to experience things which I can’t in reality.

And this is precisely the reason why I LOVE this book. The author sets the scene in the prologue and brings me into a world with pixies, sorcerers, and magical shields, swords, and game pieces.

I’m not a huge fan of fantasy books because sometimes the events in the story can be so far fetch that they turn me off. But at the heart of A World of Shadow’s plot is a problem that readers can easily relate to—sibling rivalry.

I can’t write more without giving out spoilers, so I shall end here.

Overall, great book! And I’m definitely watching out for the author’s next book.

[Jennifer Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first fantasy novel I have read in years, and probably the first I have read in my adult life. This book takes you on a magical adventure with two brothers, one of whom is next in line as heir, and the the other younger brother whom is chosen to succeed in his place. The storyline is amazing, as you read of each brother's adventures, plots, and battles, one being evil and one being good. Throughout this book, the author creates depth to numerous characters and situations, allowing the reader to firmly grasp the imagination and visualize the details of every escapade, mission, or expedition. Great book, and leaves you ready to pick up the next.

[Kelina Cowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read a fantasy adventure book for years so this was my first attempt at getting back into the genre. The story and it's characters instantly got me hooked. The twists in the plot made it impossible to put down and it was an enjoyable read. Beas is a talented author and I look forward to his next book, hopefully a sequel!

[Danni · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a big fan of heroic fantasy I was keen to read Strump and I wasn't disappointed. A genuine 5 star read it hooks you from the first page and keeps you glue throughout the book. There are an interesting mix of unusual characters and the plot just gets better and better. A new fan for Michael Alexander Beas here!

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strump is what I call an epic fantasy novel. It has everything you would expect. Action, mystery, magic and a quest. The story is told well and the writing is excellent. I couldn't ask for more and thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Annastew1144hotmail.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

it has been a while since I read a fantasy novel of this caliber. Highly original and imaginative, author Michael Alexander Beas quickly draws you into his amazing world. Highly addictive, make sure you have nothing planned for several days when you sit down to read it!