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Weun Academy: The Shadow Maker
Sixteen-year-old Eisah Tanner lives by one stay invisible.
As an Earther on the fringes of a Martian colony, he keeps to the shadows, evading bullies who stalk his kind for sport. But when their cruelty explodes into violence, a dangerous power ignites within him—one that can't be hidden—drawing unwanted, extra-terrestrial attention.
Torn from Mars, Eisah is conscripted into Weun Academy, an alien school for gifted outcasts. With an uneasy start, he struggles to master his superhuman powers—and to finally belong. This alien realm proves just as treacherous.
When a brutal strike shatters the academy, shifting loyalties and hidden agendas drive Eisah and his friends into a fight for answers. Learning who to trust is the deadliest lesson.
As enemies close in, they must untangle a web of lies, betrayal, and something far darker—before shadow consumes them all.
Discover Weun Academy—where mettle is tested, a chosen family defended, and stepping into your power begins.
As an Earther on the fringes of a Martian colony, he keeps to the shadows, evading bullies who stalk his kind for sport. But when their cruelty explodes into violence, a dangerous power ignites within him—one that can't be hidden—drawing unwanted, extra-terrestrial attention.
Torn from Mars, Eisah is conscripted into Weun Academy, an alien school for gifted outcasts. With an uneasy start, he struggles to master his superhuman powers—and to finally belong. This alien realm proves just as treacherous.
When a brutal strike shatters the academy, shifting loyalties and hidden agendas drive Eisah and his friends into a fight for answers. Learning who to trust is the deadliest lesson.
As enemies close in, they must untangle a web of lies, betrayal, and something far darker—before shadow consumes them all.
Discover Weun Academy—where mettle is tested, a chosen family defended, and stepping into your power begins.
495 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 30, 2025
2 people want to read
About the author
Michael Zummo
9 books7 followersHello everyone, I'm Mike Zummo. Thanks for looking into me.
I write sci-fi and fantasy where high-tech futures meet the messiness of being human. My stories dive into identity, belonging, and the fight to find your place—set against the backdrop of superpowers, alien worlds, and cultures reshaped by AI and advancing tech.
At the core are characters who feel real: people caught between who they were and who they’re becoming, all while navigating prejudice, mental health, and systems that don’t always have their best interests at heart. Whether they’re facing down interstellar threats or their own inner battles, their journeys are about courage, connection, and choosing who you want to be.
If you’re into bold, emotional adventures with heart, high stakes, and questions that reflect our world, step into the D’mok Revival universe. As I like to say: Without further ado, allow me to take you on a journey.
I write sci-fi and fantasy where high-tech futures meet the messiness of being human. My stories dive into identity, belonging, and the fight to find your place—set against the backdrop of superpowers, alien worlds, and cultures reshaped by AI and advancing tech.
At the core are characters who feel real: people caught between who they were and who they’re becoming, all while navigating prejudice, mental health, and systems that don’t always have their best interests at heart. Whether they’re facing down interstellar threats or their own inner battles, their journeys are about courage, connection, and choosing who you want to be.
If you’re into bold, emotional adventures with heart, high stakes, and questions that reflect our world, step into the D’mok Revival universe. As I like to say: Without further ado, allow me to take you on a journey.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 26, 2025
Wow, wow, wow!
Weun Academy: The Shadow Maker by Michael J. Zummo is an absolutely incredibly written, fun, tense, and mysterious science fiction novel that I can’t recommend enough! The book follows Eisah Tanner, a young 16-year-old whose life changes upon learning he has special abilities and can one day join an elite force called the D’Mok Warriors in order to protect the galaxy. From an Earth colony on Mars, his world is opened beyond the Human Coalition as he heads to Weun Academy, a school for people like him. Navigating his newfound abilities and learning to control them, as well as meeting a diverse group of aliens and history he never knew existed, Eisah goes through a lot in the course of the book.
Eisah himself, as a protagonist, is incredible. Having grown up secluded, completely unaware of the alien species and politics that make up the galaxy, he’s thrown into his new life and has a lot of catching up to do. Which is absolutely perfect to guide the reader along! All the information is, of course, new to readers, but actively learning alongside someone who is also new to the material makes it far more digestible and easy to comprehend. Which is great, because the worldbuilding in this novel is rich. I honestly cannot remember the last time I came across a novel with such a wholly unique world; the lore, politics, abilities, and alien species are all so varied. I am always incredibly impressed by someone who can create a world so rich, so fantastical, and yet make it feel so, so real at the same time, and Zummo does so with seeming ease.
Beyond his newness to this world, Eisah is just a genuinely likeable protagonist. Observant and inquisitive, when he comes across something new he likes to theorize what it is or what it does, which helps provide greater insight for the reader, without stating outright what something is, instead letting it build up and be revealed when it best suits the story; it means a lot of reveals are shown not told, which is the sign of great writing!
Eisah is a natural-born leader, even if he doesn’t always realize it, and his friends and others often come to rely on him. Now, that’s not to say he’s perfect. Eisah is a flawed character; he can be mean, selfish, judgmental, and vindictive, but he is also someone who protects people, wants to learn from and about them, and strives to be the absolute best version of himself that he can be. It’s great to read about a flawed hero who actively makes the choices to be a good person, especially when that hero only continues to grow. His skills don’t come naturally to him, but he works at it. He’s not a prophesied Chosen Hero, just a kid trying to protect the people he cares about, and it makes him all the better.
The secondary and tertiary characters make for an incredibly rich world. Eisah’s closest friends throughout the novel are Tai’rol, Arile, and Zayin; his closest mentors are Raitr, Lady Elle, and Siana, and his nemesis is Rica; each and every one is a different alien species with different abilities from one another. With such a diverse group of characters, the reader is able to get a well-rounded view of the world and certain politics, even though the majority of the book takes place in one location. Yet, there’s clearly more to the story, but it doesn’t feel like we – as readers – are missing information (though we can get it by reading the other works set in this universe). Each character brings something unique to the novel, and they each have their flaws and strengths that make them invaluable to the other characters, but to the story itself, and therefore the readers.
The story itself is gripping and intense. While I will avoid spoilers, turmoil is running amok throughout the galaxy, and Eisah finds himself smack in the middle of it no matter where he goes. Only a student, just learning about his powers, he takes the weight of the world on his shoulders. From the onset, he experiences tragedy and trauma, and that only continues throughout the novel. However, his resilience and determination to do well by those who are lost and to protect those who remain makes for an incredibly inspiring read.
The whole novel felt very human – messy, inspiring, resilient, hopeful, anxious, and all the other messy emotions that make and shape who we all are. Each character goes through something, but Weun Academy: The Shadow Maker by Michael J. Zummo shows that we are never alone. We can get through anything with the support of others because we are always more powerful together.
Weun Academy: The Shadow Maker by Michael J. Zummo is an absolutely incredibly written, fun, tense, and mysterious science fiction novel that I can’t recommend enough! The book follows Eisah Tanner, a young 16-year-old whose life changes upon learning he has special abilities and can one day join an elite force called the D’Mok Warriors in order to protect the galaxy. From an Earth colony on Mars, his world is opened beyond the Human Coalition as he heads to Weun Academy, a school for people like him. Navigating his newfound abilities and learning to control them, as well as meeting a diverse group of aliens and history he never knew existed, Eisah goes through a lot in the course of the book.
Eisah himself, as a protagonist, is incredible. Having grown up secluded, completely unaware of the alien species and politics that make up the galaxy, he’s thrown into his new life and has a lot of catching up to do. Which is absolutely perfect to guide the reader along! All the information is, of course, new to readers, but actively learning alongside someone who is also new to the material makes it far more digestible and easy to comprehend. Which is great, because the worldbuilding in this novel is rich. I honestly cannot remember the last time I came across a novel with such a wholly unique world; the lore, politics, abilities, and alien species are all so varied. I am always incredibly impressed by someone who can create a world so rich, so fantastical, and yet make it feel so, so real at the same time, and Zummo does so with seeming ease.
Beyond his newness to this world, Eisah is just a genuinely likeable protagonist. Observant and inquisitive, when he comes across something new he likes to theorize what it is or what it does, which helps provide greater insight for the reader, without stating outright what something is, instead letting it build up and be revealed when it best suits the story; it means a lot of reveals are shown not told, which is the sign of great writing!
Eisah is a natural-born leader, even if he doesn’t always realize it, and his friends and others often come to rely on him. Now, that’s not to say he’s perfect. Eisah is a flawed character; he can be mean, selfish, judgmental, and vindictive, but he is also someone who protects people, wants to learn from and about them, and strives to be the absolute best version of himself that he can be. It’s great to read about a flawed hero who actively makes the choices to be a good person, especially when that hero only continues to grow. His skills don’t come naturally to him, but he works at it. He’s not a prophesied Chosen Hero, just a kid trying to protect the people he cares about, and it makes him all the better.
The secondary and tertiary characters make for an incredibly rich world. Eisah’s closest friends throughout the novel are Tai’rol, Arile, and Zayin; his closest mentors are Raitr, Lady Elle, and Siana, and his nemesis is Rica; each and every one is a different alien species with different abilities from one another. With such a diverse group of characters, the reader is able to get a well-rounded view of the world and certain politics, even though the majority of the book takes place in one location. Yet, there’s clearly more to the story, but it doesn’t feel like we – as readers – are missing information (though we can get it by reading the other works set in this universe). Each character brings something unique to the novel, and they each have their flaws and strengths that make them invaluable to the other characters, but to the story itself, and therefore the readers.
The story itself is gripping and intense. While I will avoid spoilers, turmoil is running amok throughout the galaxy, and Eisah finds himself smack in the middle of it no matter where he goes. Only a student, just learning about his powers, he takes the weight of the world on his shoulders. From the onset, he experiences tragedy and trauma, and that only continues throughout the novel. However, his resilience and determination to do well by those who are lost and to protect those who remain makes for an incredibly inspiring read.
The whole novel felt very human – messy, inspiring, resilient, hopeful, anxious, and all the other messy emotions that make and shape who we all are. Each character goes through something, but Weun Academy: The Shadow Maker by Michael J. Zummo shows that we are never alone. We can get through anything with the support of others because we are always more powerful together.
August 25, 2025
The Shadow Maker is a fun fantasy that takes the classic “magical school” story and launches it into space. When Eisah discovers he has unique powers, he gets whisked away to Weun Academy on a distant planet—think Hogwarts or Sky High, but with aliens as classmates.
The world-building here really shines. The author does a great job creating believable alien cultures and making life on a different planet feel natural.
What makes this book work is how it balances the fantastical setting with very real, relatable problems. Eisah main problem us dealing with bullies. The friendship dynamics feel genuine, and the author handles the bullying subplot with care, though sometimes the emotions of the story feels off between the bullying and the separate threat to everyone.
The pacing is spot-on. Just when you might start getting a bit tired of learning about alien customs and planetary politics, something happens to pull you back into the action. There’s also a hint of bigger threats lurking in the background, which keeps you invested in what’s coming next.
The Shadow Maker delivers exactly what it promises—an engaging adventure with heart. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s a solid, entertaining read that knows how to keep you turning pages. Perfect for anyone who wants their fantasy with a sci-fi twist.
The world-building here really shines. The author does a great job creating believable alien cultures and making life on a different planet feel natural.
What makes this book work is how it balances the fantastical setting with very real, relatable problems. Eisah main problem us dealing with bullies. The friendship dynamics feel genuine, and the author handles the bullying subplot with care, though sometimes the emotions of the story feels off between the bullying and the separate threat to everyone.
The pacing is spot-on. Just when you might start getting a bit tired of learning about alien customs and planetary politics, something happens to pull you back into the action. There’s also a hint of bigger threats lurking in the background, which keeps you invested in what’s coming next.
The Shadow Maker delivers exactly what it promises—an engaging adventure with heart. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s a solid, entertaining read that knows how to keep you turning pages. Perfect for anyone who wants their fantasy with a sci-fi twist.
August 24, 2025
When Academy is Book 1 in The Shadow Maker by Michael Zummo. I enjoyed this book. Eisah is an interesting main character. He is bullied and that ignites a power within. Eisah Went to the Weun Academy for gifted outcast. Where he must learn who is his friend and who is his enemy hiding behind a smile. I really enjoyed this fantasy. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
September 16, 2025
This was my first visit to the D'mok universe built by Michael Zummo, but it won't be my last. Weun Academy is full of twists, drama, combat, and politics. The pace doesn't let up, and the development is snappy. Readers can expect to stay up too late telling themselves "one more chapter" half a dozen times.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 1, 2025
He stays hidden from the bullies but an attack will awake powers inside that will bring him to the attention of an alien force. He tries to get on but a brutal attack makes many of them trying to find the hidden truth. It is not going to easy as they try to find those they can trust. See how they get on
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and a great science fiction read
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and a great science fiction read
December 18, 2025
This is going to be an outstanding series. The characters are very relatable. I really enjoyed this mix of scifi and fantasy. Moved quickly and had enough twists that I never knew what to expect. I received this ARC from Booksirens and am happy to leave this review .
January 1, 2026
Really loved this book. It's a bit heavy at times, but handles the school setting excellently. Eisah Tanner is a fantastic main character, excellently written.
Also, that cover is so gorgeous. Looks amazing on my shelf.
Also, that cover is so gorgeous. Looks amazing on my shelf.
December 10, 2025
Good story I love the story and the character development
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews