Strange Totems: Shadowlands 2

by R.A. Lindo

A return to a magical maze.With Tom Cassidy and his classmates accepting a do or die mission, they return to the magical maze called the Shadowlands. Here, Tom and his friends have to unravel certain mysteries, including how stone totems protect the Shadowlands, and how to get to the ultimate prize.
Along the way, they meet comrades, some human and others not, although they all seek the same freedom.
Freedom has its price, however, something Tom and his friends are about to discover.

194 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 24, 2025

About the author

I'm the creator of the Kaira Renn fantasy series - a new urban fantasy packed with mystery, action, adventure and, above all, magic.

Set in The Society for the Preservation of Magical Artefacts, it follows the adventures of a young girl who has to learn magic and a lot of other things along the way! The series will contain five books.

I also write short thrillers under the pen name E.G. Ellory.

You can find out more and grab your FREE STARTER LIBRARY at https://ralindoauthor.com.

Reviews

[Lora Shouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strange Totems is kind of a meh book. The plot reminds me a lot of the Magic & Misdemeanours Series set in the author’s S.P.M.A. Universe.

In this case, we have a group of eighteen-year-olds who have been selected to travel to an alternate universe to save their hometown which is under some kind of curse. This has been going on for generations, and so far none of the groups sent to break the curse has been able to free the town from its influence.

The students have signed up for an after-school class where a mysterious professor has been giving them hints about what needs to be done, but very little in the way of useful instruction. They have had a couple of brief visits to the Shadowlands where the battle for their hometown will take place, but so far very little has actually happened.

In this book they make several longer forays into the Shadowlands, staying longer this time. They are given what are supposed to be magical objects that will serve them as weapons, but no instruction in the use of these objects. The objects seem to have come to them from their parents who engaged in this same quest when they were young but failed to break the curse. They also encounter various creatures – some friendly, some not – and the Genin – aliens who are supposed to be the main enemy. They accidentally stumble on a large group of other humans in an underground prison, where they are being held by the Genin. They manage to free these people, and themselves using their magical objects. This is probably the most action in the book.

There is one large redeeming factor about the book, however. Similarly to the Magic & Misdemeanours series, there is a clear focus on friendship and working together rather than giving in to either fear or ego and breaking the focus of the group. It is made very clear to the students through their own experiences, as well as visions of how their parents failed in the past, that being carried away by ego, or leaving your teammates unprotected, will end badly.

It's a shame that, with such a good theme, this book is not better edited. There are fewer instances of tagging than in the earlier series, but it still suffers from run-on sentences and a lot of repetition. (I know; my writing has similar flaws. This is why it jumps out at me so much.)

[Raeleane · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely fantastic second book in a series about six teenagers going into battle to save not only their parents, but also their town. Each character is individually well written and driven. They are each personable and resonate well within the story. There is plenty of action, adventure, twists, turns, surprises and magic throughout. R. A. Lindo's world building is created beautifully with magic throughout his story! I can't wait for the next book! I absolutely recommend reading this great read!

[Annemarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Six teenagers with the fate of their town, and possibly others, on their shoulders. A burden only a chosen few can bear. Will they be able to maintain their cohesion or will the machinations of The Shadowlands tear them apart, as it has countless others?
I am really enjoying this series and am looking forward to the next book.

I received a free Advance Reader Copy of Strange Totems through BookFunnel and have chosen to leave a review.

[Phthon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tom and his friends are finding out just how difficult this quest is going to be. It is interesting how each person matures and grows at a different pace yet the group can’t progress much until they all have reached some milestone. I am a little concerned about their interest in the weapon. I am guessing that mastering not only their fear, but their desire to use them is going to be a difficult test. I am definitely looking forward to the next book! This is an AWESOME series!

[Micki-D · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story continues. Our six students are still trying to break the curse that has been going on for generations.
There’s plenty of action and adventures in their journey through shadowland full of twists and turns surprises, and of course magic. As they are given magical sticks that are supposed to help them break the curse from their parents who failed their quest to break the curse.
Will they be the generation to do it?

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those series that gets better and better with each book and this second book is soooo good. We rejoin Tom and co as they embark on an adventure to save not just their parents but also the town. An exciting and enthralling read as we journey to the shadowlands, it’s suspenseful, it’s full of mystery and it had me glued to the pages and in the edge of my seat.

[Kelley D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the different characters and how they each interacted with one another. Tom and his group of new and old friends are learning to work together while they attempt to save their town. I really liked how R. A. Lindo brings the reader along for an enjoyable adventure that brings interesting twists throughout the book.

[Rowan Creech · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another great book by the author R A Lindo. This is a great addition to the series that is very engaging and full of adventure with twists of the paranormal. I love these books by this author.