Under the Shadow of Darkness

Apprentice Series #1

by James Cardona, Issa Cardona

Magician's apprentice Bel along with a wise cracking wizard must journey under the shadow of darkness to try to discover how the fabric of reality has been rent, tearing open a gateway to the underworld and allowing the dead to walk among the living. Who did it and why? Was it intentional? Can they defeat them? Can they close the rift? Can a teenager learning the ways of magic and an ancient archmage long past his prime stop the darkness, close the breach and save all reality?

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult

270 pages, Paperback

First published February 24, 2014

About the author

James Cardona received his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Delaware with a minor in Religious Studies.
He enjoys all things creative including the typical things such as drawing, painting, music and creative writing; and the not-so-typical such as building robots and writing computer code.
James has written five books and is planning on writing many, many more.
He also loves tinkering with computers, electronics and building robots and is a mentor for FIRST Robotics FRC Team 316.
James also helps organize and run the PSEG Salem County Math Showcase which he created back in the year 2000, a math competition for students from grades four through eight, typically attended each year by approximately 500-600 students.
He lives in Southern New Jersey and works as a Senior Test Engineer for the Laboratory and Testing Services group of Public Service Electric and Gas company.
H

Reviews

[Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In my experience evil is always defeated if we stand, face it and fight it. It is only when we give up that we lose to the darkness."
-Nes’egrinon

Please note that I received a free e-book copy of Under the Shadow of Darkness from the author in exchange for an honest review. I would like to say a huge thank you to James and Issa Cardona for this wonderful opportunity and for a copy of their fabulous book!

Rating: 4 1/2

Young Bel just graduated from the Academy of Arts and Magic and has been chosen by Nes'egrinon to be his apprentice. While this is exciting, seeing as not everyone at his school is picked for an apprentice position, Bel is still quite hesitant. His new master is one of the most renowned wizards throughout both current and past history, but he has had two apprentices previous to him that were killed under his watch. While the exact causes of their deaths are still uncertain, the mysteries surrounding each of their untimely departures from this world has left Bel skittish and insecure about his current situation. Also, his mysterious dreams of a one armed boy fervently warning him about something that he cannot decipher does nothing to calm his fears.

It is custom for all wizards to remain celibate, and so Bel has left the only girl he loved to become who he is today. His determination and loyalty towards his position is unwavering. So, when he goes to Nes'egrinon's humble home, he is expecting to start his training and have a thorough talk with his master. Unfortunately, this is not what ensues. Bel's former rival from the academy is there, Kerlith, along with his master, Muolithnon. These two want Nes'egrinon's help with a dire situation. Naturally, the old wizard is tentative to participate in their requests. It is not until Bel is attacked by ghouls in Nes'egrinon's very own forested domain that very same evening that he is fully willing to oblige, and so starts these four wizards journey into the unknown.

A great darkness has been sweeping across the lands where even the sun cannot be seen. It is eternally black to the point where day and night cannot be properly distinguished. Searching for the source of this frightening development, they encounter the ghouls time and time again. These creatures are the living dead in constant search for human blood. One bite from them will kill you and then turn you into a ghoul as well. Hundreds have been seen roaming around the lands in every direction. The wizards discover that they must be coming from a breach between our world and theirs. Under the Shadow of Darkness is their adventurous journey to find and attempt to defeat this breach so that the sun might return again and the dead will remain dead so that the living can regain their lives once more.

This book has become one of my all time favorites in its genre. The story was expertly written with enough lure and fantasy appeal to keep the pages turning, and the characters were all unique and enjoyable to read about. I personally am very excited to hear more about Nes'egrinon's past in the books that will hopefully follow this one in the Apprentice Series. James and Issa created an intriguing middle grade/young adult book that I can't help but feel will eventually climb the charts with due time. It has heart, friendship, mystery, humor, and, of course, magic.

The world building was extremely well done in this novel. I literally felt like I was journeying with the group into the darkness, remarkably to the point where it was practically tangible. Also, there was definitely one curve ball thrown at me towards the end about Bel's dreams that was absolutely brilliant. Yet another great aspect in this work of art was the ghouls. They were a definite intrigue throughout the entirety of the story. While they were frightening at points, they also carried with them an allure to know more about their sudden presence among the living and how some were more conscious than others about hurting humans for their blood. Ultimately, Under the Shadow of Darkness was fast paced and a great story.

The only thing that was slightly strange to me was how parts of the dialogue were written. Throughout most of the book, the speech was how you would expect someone in this world and point in time to talk like.

“Alexius, it is I, Kerlith, apprentice to Master Muolithnon, the wizard of these lands. You remember me, don’t you?”

However, at other times the speech patterns become much more modern and current.

“Wow. That was great! Wooh! You don’t know how exhilarating that is. I feel
like a new man. Hahaha. Okay. Wooh! Listen here. My head’s clearing. Gimme a second."

Don't worry though, this does not take a great amount away from the story told within this book's pages. It is a must read for all fantasy and wizard lovers, middle grade and young adult alike!

You can see reviews like this one and more at http://knightingalereviews.blogspot.com/.
(http://knightingalereviews.blogspot.c...)

[Suellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, a great fantasy story for teens and of course adults will love it too. Its set back in the time of Kings with slanguage of modern youth. Captivating and fun. I can't wait for the rest of the series.

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I'd like to thank James for offering me this book to read. I had read his previous book, Santa vs The Aliens which I enjoyed once the bugs were worked out of it. But when he contacted me about this book, I was like, "Zip it on over dude! I'd love to read it!" These are definitely my own personal feelings on this book and they've been in no way influenced by anyone else. What you read here, is what I really feel about it, no sugar coating allowed! James is a wonderful guy and I enjoy meeting and reading new works by new authors, but you will never find me to be a cheerleader for someone/thing unless I really mean it.

Anyhoo, now that I've totally bored you to tears with my crap, let's get on to the review, shall we?

Under the Shadow of Darkness is the story of Bel, a young wizard who has just finished his schooling and is now an apprentice with one of the oldest wizards in the land, Master Nes'egrinon (do not ask me how to pronounce this. I have NO clue!). On the day he meets his new mentor for the first time, he is also greeted by 2 other wizards, another master and his apprentice. These wizards, Master Muolithnon and his apprentice Kerlith, (who just happens to be the last person Bel would like to see, because he was is tormentor in school) have come from the woodlands looking for help or answers as to what is causing the darkness which has befallen all the lands. After much thought and discussion, the 4 wizards set off on a quest together to try and figure out what is causing the darkness and what is causing Ghouls to rise from the dead and prey on the living.

The story does have a familiar plot, with the questing and such, but it's just different enough to make it interesting. These wizards draw their magic from the elements: air, water, fire, earth, which is kind of a nice change since they don't have great power if they aren't in their respective lands/element. It's trying to teach that even if you have one great skill, it's not everything and you can do great things even though you think you can't. It points out the fact that you need to work together to get things done, even when you don't like the person you have to work with, but it does it subtly. It's also about growing up and within yourself, but again, you're not being hit over the head with that fact. It's not preachy at all. It just kinds of rolls along and you just go right along with it, which is nice.

I think this story would be good for kids (boys and girls) around 9 and up, but it can be read by anyone. I love the way James writes his books, because he doesn't dumb them down or condescend to the reader and treat them like they're kids. Being an adult, it nice to have a kids book where it doesn't feel like you're actually reading a kids book. He uses words that I know a lot of kids are not going to understand, but that's good because it will force them to find out what it means and what means in the context of the story. He doesn't use gratuitous violence but is just graphic enough that you can get a good picture of what he's trying to portray. All in all, it's a pretty well written piece of work.

I liked the book a lot. I won't read any book unless it can grab me in the first few sentences. This book does that and it keeps you interested until the end. Some people will see the magic thing and think, "Oh, this is probably Harry Potter, part whatever". No, it's not that at all. Yes, it's got the magic bits, it's got the Wizard School, but that really is where the similarities end. There are some really good plot twists that I did not see coming and that just made the story that much better! There were a few places in the story where I would've liked to see it go into more depth, but it probably would've slowed down the narrative too much and I can live with that. Hopefully, some of the things I wanted to be more flushed out will be done in future episodes of the series. It just makes me want to read the next one that much more, just to find out!

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that likes a good magical/adventure story. Anyone that liked Harry Potter or similar books, should like this one also. It's definitely worth the time to check it out, I think.

You don't have to be a kid to read it, you just have to be a kid at heart and have some imagination.

[Sabrina Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Under the Shadow Darkness (Book 1)" was an interesting take on magic that was different and that I have never experienced before! At first, it's pretty light-hearted with its structure and the way the goal at large is presented, but reading into it, there are some moral and lightly-dark elements that puts you at crossword, a sort of "I need to do this, but it'll cause that" feeling.

The characters were overall pleasing and different! Though the dialogue often didn't match a particular character and their persona, it made sense when you think about the character's personality, lifestyle, history, and habits! I managed to get the bulk of a character's development without the author needing to blatantly explain it or add it into the plot! That impressed me! Nes'grinon (the archmage) is modernized with his speech and blunt in his tone, which is unlike anything that you would expect from a legendary mage of incredible history and status. However, he's old; he's lived for many years and has seen many things. Thinking about it, his speech will adjust to the times because Nes'grinon isn't simply an old man who reads magic spell books while sitting on a rocking chair!

There were also very insightful elements on the principal of light and dark, good and evil. The characters struggle with this principle, and by no means do they avoid succumbing to darkness. No one, not even the great archmage, Nes'grinon, or the headmaster of the Academy of Arts and Magic, Rylithnon, are exempt from the dark side -- from evil. The author James Cardona succeeded with making this a point in fact throughout the book and it was well done.

That being said, I'd like to thank James for offering me a chance to read and review it. I would also like to thank Goodreads for making it possible for other readers to read books like the "Under the Shadow of Darkness" through their giveaways. I enjoyed reading this book very much and I would recommend it to anyone who would like to read some light-hearted fantasy!

[megHan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read James' story Santa Claus vs the Aliens and enjoyed it, especially after he fixed up the ending as I, and a few other reviewers, suggested, so when he asked me to take a look at this one, I was really excited.

Bel has just become an apprentice to a great wizard, but had not had the chance to learn anything from him before they had to set off with two others (another wizard and his apprentice, a boy Bel had known in school) to find out the reason for the darkness that has swept over their lands and the zombie-esque creatures that are walking through that darkness.

I liked this story. It was fun, interesting, and I really enjoyed the characters, especially the two wizards and their apprentices. I liked the description of the darkness that covered everything and the adventure that they went on to try to save their lands from the evil that was taking over. I liked the battle at the end, as well, and would really like to know more about these characters and their adventures to come, so I can't wait for book 2 to come out.

I did have one or two problems with the book. First, it does have some editing issues, which I brought to the attention of the author. Second, and the biggie for me, the dead - they are funny and, at times, even dumb, which makes them attacking not really all that frightening. In fact, the only times that I had a fear of them was when they were first introduced (mainly because I did not know what they were capable of) and when they were attacking the town that these four stopped in for a few days to rest. The other times, they seemed more like an annoying afterthought.

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Keeley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Under the Shadow of Darkness is book one in the Apprentice Series. Bel has recently graduated from a specialized school as a magician's apprentice. As an apprentice to the great Nes'egrinon, Bel has been given the opportunity of a lifetime, if he can survive long enough to finish his training that is. The only two apprentices that Nes'egrinon has had in the past have both died and as Bel continues to interact with Nes'egrinon, the mystery surrounding him grows.

After a terrifying interaction with the ghoul-kind while tending to horses, Bel begins an epic journey along with his master, a fellow apprentice that has always tormented him, Kerlith, and Kerlith's master Muolithnon in order to uncover the origins of the appearance of the ghoul-kind and save life as they know it.

I was given this book in e-book format from the author for review and am very happy that I had the chance to read it. This was a brilliant start to what will hopefully continue to be a fun and adventure filled series. Definitely unlike any other YA fantasy that I have read recently, Under the Shadow of Darkness had one of the best plot lines that I've encountered so far this year.

My only issue with the story was the dialogue. While appropriately corny at times, I felt that the dialogue of one character in particular (Nes'egrinon) went a little overboard when trying to make him appear quirky. As a well known and powerful archmage, I was hoping that Nes'egrinon's dialogue would have been more intimidating. While some of what he had to say definitely took me out of the moment when reading this story, it was not enough to detract from the plot altogether. I feel comfortable giving this book a solid 4/5 and am very excited to see what will come next from these two great authors.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

English:
It's about a boy (Bel), graduated from an Arts and Magic Academy (Lasaat), who is now the apprentice of wizard "Nes'egrinon, the great and the terrible". While, the deads are rising and killing people to get a few seconds of life. Bel and others go to a journey where they have to travel under the shadow of darkness to find out the start of the forever-Night days, and stop the situation before it gets worst.

I really liked it, is something like zombie-vampire stuff, it was fun and sad, a light lecture, you can read it fast, even though the writing style was a bit difficult at first.

Waiting for the rest of the series to see what will happen with Kerlith and Nes'egrinon, to know a little bit more about Bel's family or the girl he loves.

Espanol:
Cuenta la historia de un chico(Bel), graduado de la academia de magia(Lasaat), pasa a ser aprendiz del mago "Nes'egrinon, el bueno y el terrible". Mientras que los muertos se levantan y matan a las personas por unos pocos minutos de vida. El chico y otros más se lanzan en una aventura donde tienen que viajar bajo la sombra de la oscuridad para averiguar como iniciaron los días oscuros y como detenerlo antes que la situación empeore y sobre pasar los obstáculos en los que se ven metidos.

Realmente me gusto muchísimo la trama, algo así como Zombie/Vampiro, cómica y hasta triste, no es una lectura pesada de contenido, rápido de leer, aunque me costo adaptarme al estilo del autor.

Espero la otras partes porque me gustaría saber mas de la familia de Bel o del amor de su vida, que pasara con Kerlith y Nes'egrinon, etc...

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd like to thank James for offering me this book to read. When he contacted me about this book, I was thrilled to be able to read this book and give it my honest review. He is a very sweet person to contact me and ask if I would like to review his electronic copy of his book since I had not won a hard copy. I love reading, and it is always a pleasure to be able to read new works by new authors. I received this copy and began reading and could not stop until I was finished.
Under the Shadow of Darkness has a different look on magic. It comes with a few good lessons scattered throughout the book and some hard choices to be made with a good bout of humor. I found this work a very worthwhile and truly entertaining read sure to please any age. This story would be good for any middle grader through adult.

I love the fact that the author writes in a way that does not talk down to the reader and treat them like they're kids, it nice to have a kids book where it doesn't feel like you're actually reading a kids book.
He has used a few words that some kids are not going to fully understand, but that's okay because it will make them want to find out what the word means and look it up. He doesn't go into a lot of detail on the violence. It is just graphic enough that you can get a good picture of what he is portraying.
Overall a good well written piece of work , fun read and comes highly recommended .

[Marc Secchia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bel the magician's apprentice and his master Nes'egrinon take on the forces of darkness in this new fantasy adventure by James Cardona. Laced with signature Cardona humour and a few handy life's lessons along the way, I found this work a most worthwhile read. (I read an ARC or pre-publication copy)

Magic does not come easy to Bel. He is immediately thrust into the thick of the action as the undead creatures take a liking to those with mage blood. Bel must learn his lessons at the sharp end of the bloodthirsty undead hordes' teeth, which certainly keeps his motivation and the overall pace of the book at a rollicking clip. There were some unexpected plot twists at the end, too.

What I liked: magic doesn't come easy to Bel. It requires effort and resourcefulness and sacrifice. There are good lessons scattered throughout the book, hard choices to be made, and punches are not pulled when it comes to the consequences of evil. However the tone of the book never becomes too heavy, in my opinion.

What I liked less: in a few places the action seemed to descended into a zombie-fest / punch-up, but the storytelling always got back on track and the pace was good.

Overall a good, fun read and comes recommended.

[Terri Christie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The World is falling into darkness and being over taken by Ghouls. One bite and you yourself will fall and become one too. The only hope is to find the source of the darkness and stop it! When Bel's new master, the infamous Forest Mage Nes'egrinon is approached by Muolithnon the charismatic Stone Mage to set out on such an adventure Bel is thrown into his new life head first. He is reunited with a school rival Kerlith, who is the bane of his existence and the reason why he graduated a year late and is only now starting his training.

Cardona brings us into a world of magic and myth as we follow our heroes through their journey to right what has been wronged. It is a great story line that pulls you along and demands that you learn more about the characters and their motives. The characters have depth and are relatable, you find yourself cheering for them! The plot twists keep you on your toes and slightly shocked.

Do yourself a favor and read this book! It is the beginning of what is sure to be an epic series!

Thanks for the good read!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not very often that I read a book and think, "This would be perfect for a teenage boy." James Cardona has done it with Under the Shadow of Darkness! That being said, I AM an adult female and I loved it, too.

It's hard NOT to compare fantasy and magic with Harry Potter, especially when you combine it with a teenage apprentice magician, but that is where the comparison ends. Apprentice Bel has to work alongside his rival Kerlith, all while proving himself to his new master Nes'egrinon and being thrust into a creepy life-threatening situation. Unsure of who he can trust, and not quite on his feet regarding his own power, not to mention having some mistakes in his past and embarrassing moments that he just can't shake, Bel moves forward sometimes doing the right thing and sometimes blundering, as all teenagers do.

Cardona includes some applicable life lessons and attitudes as well as humor, in an adventure that has me excited about where the Apprentice Series is headed!

[Mark Higbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from the authors as an advanced read with an understanding that I would write an honest review.

I highly enjoyed reading this (relatively) short novel. It was engaging, fast paced and descriptive. It certainly has set up a series that could generate numerous books (much as The Ranger's Apprentice has given me countless hours of enjoyment).

The relationship between the "Fifth Year" and the Archmage barely has a chance to develop, as from the first time they meet until the end of the book, they are in a life and death fight to overcome powers that try to drain all light and life from the world. Yet there are glimpses that show the nurturing role the old master takes. I look forward to many more books in this series, as Bel's skill develops through training and application from his master.

Thank you for your imagination and skill as I was able to enjoy a wonderful story.

[Flewts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. If you like ghouls, quests, magic and humor, you'll find them all here. This is a young adult book that will really appeal to male teens especially. I would have liked to have seen more of the apprentice's training, but as is explained at the end of the book (mild spoiler) his apprenticeship hasn't really begun yet. I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes in the next book in the series.

Although there is magic involved, this book is not like Harry Potter, except at the end, when some important life values are imparted, much as Dumbledore would do.

I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because I got tired of the ghouls and wanted to see more apprentice-training. But the interactions among the mages and the 2 apprentices were humorous and helped move the action along.

[Linda Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow wizards & magic can it get any better yes this story had it all. The added saying magic is life & life is magic. Now I can't wait to read more yummy,yummy stories in this wonderful series. A delightful first book in I hope will be ever better as the stories go on. Fabulous story lines well thought out characters and all the zest and a grumpy old wizard there are alot going on in this wonderful story that I think you have to read this book to get it so please go get this book it will put smiles on your beauty facessss. This delightful book I would be very happy to recommend to all my friends & my thanks go to the wonderful authors James & Issa Cardona and my sincere thanks to you both for the privilege of reading your wonderful book and hope to read more. with admiration for your brillants in writting books like these with all my loves from wee me. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Linda Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow wizards & magic can it get any better yes this story had it all. The added saying magic is life & life is magic. Now I can't wait to read more yummy,yummy stories in this wonderful series. A delightful first book in I hope will be ever better as the stories go on. Fabulous story lines well thought out characters and all the zest and a grumpy old wizard there are alot going on in this wonderful story that I think you have to read this book to get it so please go get this book it will put smiles on your beauty facessss. This delightful book I would be very happy to recommend to all my friends & my thanks go to the wonderful authors James & Issa Cardona and my sincere thanks to you both for the privilege of reading your wonderful book and hope to read more. with admiration for your brillants in writting books like these with all my loves from wee me. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Stephen Levesque · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bel a magician's apprentice along with his new Master, an old archmage, who is long past his prime, start a adventure leading them into the heart of danger, which may kill them all. Then there is the wise cracking wizard from his former school that journey with them under the shadow of darkness to try to discover how the fabric of reality has been torn opening a gateway to the underworld and allowing the dead to walk among the living. Finding out who did it and can they defeat them? Can they close the rift and save all of mankind? This book was a joy to read and I would like very much to read more. The book itself was well written and the story moved right along holding the reader til the end. I highly recommend it.

[Kirsten Jany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tired of Harry Potter? Under the Shadow of Darkness is a different take on magic, complete with valuable life lessons, Christian principles, and a good dose of humor! When dead ghoul-like creatures start stalking the living, Bel and his master Nes’egrinon are faced with a twofold problem: how do you protect the living by finding the access path the dead currently have, and how do you do find...well...anything when faced with an eternal darkness? With daylight no longer breaking through, Bel and his crabby master are forced along a dark, treacherous journey that tests the limits of their magic. A thoroughly entertaining read sure to please middle graders!

[Danielle Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Newly graduated from magic school Bel is given an apprenticeship with Nes’egrinon an old wise wizard, arguably the best. Upon arrival at Nes’egrinon's house he encounters his old school rival Kerlith and his master Muolithnon. Muolithnon is asking Nes’egrinon to join him in searching out the darkness that is overtaking the land. After accepting the four of them soon discover that they need to depend on each other to try to defeat this darkness. It is also abundently clear that they may not be able to stop it or even survive the battles they face. James Cardona brings you into this magical land and brings the characters to life. I truly can not wait to read the next book in this series.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a free copy of Under the Shadow of Darkness in exchange for an honest review. This is the beginning of what looks to be one of those series you can't get enough of. A great fantasy story for teens and of course adults will love it too. I can't wait for the rest of the series.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great new wizard series. Join Bel as he starts his journey after school. bel first day as a apprentice is not all what he was thinking it wood be or any of the days to come. I will be waiting for the next book to see what is next for Bel and Nes'egrinon.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters of Bel , Kerlith and Nes'egrinon drive this fast paced, action packed first book of a magical new series. I can't wait to see what happens next.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was excited when the author contacted me to receive a copy of his book in return for an honest review. I have read his two other young adult novels, Santa Claus vs the Aliens, and Gabriella and Dr.Duggan's Secret Dimensional Transport Machine and enjoyed those, so I expected to be just as entertained with this novel.

I enjoyed 'Under the Shadow of Darkness' as a young adult fantasy novel. The characters were interesting. I liked the main character Bel. I thought he was believable and seemed to represent the ‘everyman’ type of person. He came from humble beginnings and is trying to make his way in the world. He thinks he can do more than he is really capable of, he makes mistakes, but then he learns from them. Of all the characters I think I liked this character the best. I didn’t much care for Kerlith through the story until the end when he was humbled some when his master was turned into a ghoul. At that point he showed some humanity and vulnerability in not wanting to abandon his master. Otherwise to that point he was just the typical bully, arrogant jerk character. The main wizard Nes'egrinon was a bit frustrating to me. He is revealed to be 400+ years old and one of the most powerful and well-known wizards of all time. Throughout the story though he shows a lot of uncertainty and says 'I don't know' a lot to questions asked of him by his apprentice. Perhaps though that is to show that although he is an all-powerful wizard, he is just a man after all and doesn't have all of the answers.

From reading ‘Santa Claus vs the Aliens’ and the first Gabriella book, as well as understanding the author's religious studies educational background, I have come to understand how the author ends his books. So, I found the ending of “Under the Shadow of Darkness” very appropriate for the story as well as for the message the author wants to deliver.

I look forward to the next release of the Apprentice Series books to see what is next in store for Bel, Kerlith, and Nes'egrinon.

[Gerard Bianco · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Under the Shadow of Darkness" is a young adult fantasy, and its story of wizards, wizardry, castles, magic, and ghoul-like zombie creatures is a fun and entertaining ride. In addition, its story also addresses young adult development issues.

The protagonist is Bel, a young man who is the apprentice to one of the world’s most powerful wizards. Bel, and the old wizard are caught up in a battle to find and seal a reality rift that has caused life to be turned upside down. Creatures from beyond the grave roam the earth searching for blood, and causing death to mortals they bite. The skies are forever dark, and there appears to be no end to the calamity.

The author created a good story that focuses on the thought processes of a young man, fresh out of wizard school, now thrust into the thick of a life and death struggle. In spite of his fears, the young wizard meets all challenges, head on, as he and the old wizard stop at nothing to reach their goal.

There’s plenty of wizardry and zombie fighting in this novel to make any fan of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings happy. An added bonus is that the story deals with contemporary issues that young adults can easily relate to, such as peer pressure, name calling, and bullying.

However, a good story is only one of the elements of good literature. The other essential element needed to raise a story from three stars to five is good writing, and unfortunately the writing in this novel does not rise to the standards of its story. Writing issues, such as repetition, voice, punctuation, lack of important details, and redundancy, affect the overall reading experience. In the hands of a good editor, these issues can readily be addressed, which will catapult a good story such as this to a much higher level.

I received a free copy of this book in return for a non-reciprocal, honest review.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Light vs dark, Good vs Evil, greed, a quest, adventures, walking dead!
Just as in life at any time, it is sometimes difficult to know who you can trust and what is causing the ripples.
It is also a tale of friendship and self discovery. "Every First Year knows this."

"There is a big difference between being told to memorize something and knowing it."

This wonderful adventure novel will appeal to all ages. There may be some dark moments that squeemish may find uncomfortable, but there truly is nothing offensive in this tale.
This is a tale about finding one's strengths and calling upon what is aleady inside of yourself.

Overall this adventure is a fun read. I can hardly wait to see what happens next.

Kerlith and Bel met at the Academy of Arts and Magic. They started out the same year, but Bel was held back and did not graduate with his class. Kerlith delights in causing Bel discomfort. There is a strong competitive nature between them. After graduation Kerlith was apprenticed to a stone mage.
Bel is assigned to a wood mage to complete his education. Bel's master has only had two apprentices before and neither survived to complete his training. Bel is quite nervous about his own fate, especially when a darkness envelops the entire land.

I did receive a copy in exchange for my honest opinions and review.

[Angie Rhodes]

Firstly , a big thank you to James and Issa Cardona, for kindly sending me this to review, I loved it,
Bel is a Graduate Lassat, and now become apprenticed to Master Nes'egrinon, along with Kerlith, apprentice to Moulithon, to say Bel is a little nervous is one thing, but to have Kerlith smirking as he has to do the chores he usually does is something else,
"There is talk , that Death is in the air," Mulithon, tells the old Wizard.
He is right, as Bel, Kerlith and Mulithon, ride out to the woods, All is well, even though the Woods are gloomy, and the horses are spooked, until, Eyes begin to glow, Red eyes, from deep in the undergrowth,,
"Ghouls!" the one word is howled out loudly by a terrified Bel, sending power to his staff, and lighting the surrounding dark, There from the edges of the wood, small grey figures appear, with one thought on their minds, Blood!!
After reading Santa Vs The Aliens, this was a surprise, Yes, it has humour, and a great cast, but it has something else, The something else,reminded me of The Dragon Lance books, which I read in my late teens, and still do, It has everything a Fantasy needs, good plot,, descriptive writing and great cast,,
Can't wait for the next one,,
Angie Rhodes

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the beginning of what looks to be one of those series you can't get enough of. The characters are at times incredibly deep and at other times simplistically shallow - much like typical teenagers the worlds over. The story takes us along a journey where the two boys must become more than adults - they must also take their first serious steps towards their ultimate future - becoming Mages in their respective callings.

The story does jump about a little in this first book to give as much background as possible without it becoming a lecture outlining the tale. This does enhance the story though and it adds a more humorous edge to the subject of the dead rising which often comes across in quite a comic fashion. At times the comedy is perhaps a little too absurd which does distract from the seriousness of the ultimate quest.

All in all I enjoyed the story, it made me chuckle on occasion and I'm looking forward to the next in the series


The author offered me an e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Bianca · Rating 5 out of 5]

To cut to the chase, this was a brilliant read!

As a lot of the reviews on here give a general description of what the story is about i will not go into that. What i do want to say is how action packed and exciting this little read was. From the very begining you are drawn into and captivated by Bel's (the main character) world. As you follow him and his teachers quest to take on the darkness you see a very different take on the magic genre which i found very refreshing (theres nothing worse than reading a new book thinking this is just Harry Potter with different characters). I particularly enjoyed the wise-cracking old wizard Nes'egrinon. His humour made the book effortless to read.

Although I feel that boys would enjoy this story the most, I would defiantly recommend this book to anyone big or small, male or female. I can't wait for the next instalment.

One last thing i must say about the author himself is that i love how open and interactive he is with his readers. I personally enjoy books more when the authors themselves come off as friendly.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a free copy of Under the Shadow of Darkness in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story and look forward to future installments of this series. I was a little put off, at first, by the modern slang coming from a old man, however, as the story went along it melded in with the characters and the story as a whole.

Bel is a boy just starting on his journey into an apprenticeship with the old wizard, Nes’egrinon. As he starts his apprenticeship, he is forced to work with his former school bully, who continues to torment him.

As time goes on, Bel gains experience using his magic and joins in the fight between good and evil.

This was a very fun take on zombies, good vs. evil, light and darkness. I can't wait to read the next book!

[Daleine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Under the Shadow of Darkness was sent to me to read to review. I would not have chose this book as it was about ghouls, however I really enjoyed the book. A young Apprentice Bel goes to meet his new Master Meg but does not even get introduced before ghouls attack. Bel and his former school nemesis must fight beside each other along with the Mag's who they are being trained by. The Mag's must find out why the world is being overrun by the dead and stop it. The teenagers in this story had many of the same insecurities and childhood fighting that our teenagers face. The violence is not graphic and the story was well written. I found myself having a hard time putting this book down and look forward to reading others by the authors who wrote it.

[Annie Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

First let me say I love books about Wizards and this was a great read. Some of the words were hard but who can understand wizard talk. This does not stop from making a great read and enjoying the trails that they go trough. James told and wrote a great tale that is sure to please.
Bel a mage in training is sent to the great Wizard Nes'egrinon to learn. When Bel arrives in the forest of the wizard guest come to get them to fight the darkness that is taking over the world causing Ghouls to rise and darkness to cover the earth.. Battles are fought and allies made and lost. But can the darkness of the tear in hell be closed before its to late.