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Aether Guardian: The Mark of Shadows
Liberation. Loyalty. Light.
Enter the world of Aether Guardian with the first book of a stunning fantasy series. This tale of magic and danger is perfect for fans of John Flanagan, Christopher Paolini, and Joseph Delaney.
Her power could save the world—if it doesn’t destroy her first.
In the city of Erebus, young women are trained for ten years to become Sisters—elite warriors wielding Aether to protect humanity from the monstrous beasts that roam beyond the city walls. For Cecilia, it’s a chance to prove her worth. But when her Soul Stone awakens with a forbidden Aether, everything changes.
Branded a heretic. Distrusted by her team. Feared by the very institution that trained her.
Assigned to a squad that barely tolerates her presence, Cecilia must survive grueling missions, master a power no one understands, and unravel the truth behind the High Church’s hidden agendas. As beasts begin to breach the city’s defenses and ancient enemies stir in the shadows, Cecilia and her squad are thrust into a battle far beyond what they trained for.
The world doesn’t want her. But it just might need her.
Enter the world of Aether Guardian with the first book of a stunning fantasy series. This tale of magic and danger is perfect for fans of John Flanagan, Christopher Paolini, and Joseph Delaney.
Her power could save the world—if it doesn’t destroy her first.
In the city of Erebus, young women are trained for ten years to become Sisters—elite warriors wielding Aether to protect humanity from the monstrous beasts that roam beyond the city walls. For Cecilia, it’s a chance to prove her worth. But when her Soul Stone awakens with a forbidden Aether, everything changes.
Branded a heretic. Distrusted by her team. Feared by the very institution that trained her.
Assigned to a squad that barely tolerates her presence, Cecilia must survive grueling missions, master a power no one understands, and unravel the truth behind the High Church’s hidden agendas. As beasts begin to breach the city’s defenses and ancient enemies stir in the shadows, Cecilia and her squad are thrust into a battle far beyond what they trained for.
The world doesn’t want her. But it just might need her.
345 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 7, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 8, 2026
I came across this book and was intrigued by its premise. Liberty, Loyalty and Light. That set the tone from the start for me. The actual writing of Aether Guardian has n edge but also a comforting tone and voice through out the novel. While some story arcs were Straight and Linear, some I wanted more and I hope I get that depth with the second novel. I really enjoyed the thematic undertone and its messaging, especially about the High Church, the power dynamics and a woman who seeming has to reclaim and master. Powerful prose, great pacing, a little long in the tooth worldbuilding but excellent debut for a promising series. I'm forgiving on a person first book if somethings are clunky because the payoff outweighed any nuisances.
As for the action fantasy style, I felt like at times I was reading manga story style which made for a very fun time and experience.
If you're looking for a great relevant adventure-this has my reccomendations.
As for the action fantasy style, I felt like at times I was reading manga story style which made for a very fun time and experience.
If you're looking for a great relevant adventure-this has my reccomendations.
January 18, 2026
Aether Guardian is a fantastic start to what is destined to become a beloved series.
The story-telling, the world-building, the sensory detail... all conspire to provide an immersive, fast-paced read.
Our Guardian, Cecilia (you're breakin' my heart!) is well-drawn, realistic, and powerful without knowing it. Her development is steady and sure, her doubts are human and real. Her first glimpses of the corruption that she is bound to serve plant seeds for the future of the series.
Her squad is led by a wise-woman, and includes two mean girls. But the disdain of her two squad-mates only serves to strengthen her resolve.
Highly recommended, and looking forward to the next installment!
The story-telling, the world-building, the sensory detail... all conspire to provide an immersive, fast-paced read.
Our Guardian, Cecilia (you're breakin' my heart!) is well-drawn, realistic, and powerful without knowing it. Her development is steady and sure, her doubts are human and real. Her first glimpses of the corruption that she is bound to serve plant seeds for the future of the series.
Her squad is led by a wise-woman, and includes two mean girls. But the disdain of her two squad-mates only serves to strengthen her resolve.
Highly recommended, and looking forward to the next installment!
May 20, 2026
This book was quite enjoyable! We started off with the protagonist Cecilia, and gradually got to meet her mentor Lady Elise and teammates Lucy and Diana. I loved getting to know the different personalities of each character and watching them grow throughout the story. This book is perfect for fans of The Rising of the Shield Hero!
“But worrying about what might happen,” said the war-hardened Blade, “will only feed your fear.”
“Focus on what is right in front of you,” Lady Elise continued. “Deal with what is, not what might be. And when the unknown comes…face it. Face it head on.”
“But worrying about what might happen,” said the war-hardened Blade, “will only feed your fear.”
“Focus on what is right in front of you,” Lady Elise continued. “Deal with what is, not what might be. And when the unknown comes…face it. Face it head on.”
February 25, 2026
This was a solid debut by Joshua Bush. The book was enjoyable and the challenges faced and overcome by the FMC were inspiring. I liked the growth Cecilia’ experienced under Lady Elise’s patient mentorship and her never quit/never accept failure attitude in the face of adversity was a main focal point of the story. I feel the real story is just getting started after the exhilarating events at the end of the book so we’ll see where Cecilia’s journey takes us going forward.
January 29, 2026
Before I begin, a brief disclaimer (with permission from the author): Joshua Bush has used generative A.I. concept art on his social media posts regarding this debut novel, and on his website. That said, he also shared the verifiable name of the cover designer he worked with on Reedsy for the actual cover and also, without my prompting, his editor as well. I have no reason, then, to believe A.I. was used in the creation of the book itself.
Okay, on with my review!
A SHONEN-LIKE BLAST THAT LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR SOMETHING AMAZING!
Pretty early on in my read of this book, I knew what comps I could give if someone were to ask about Aether Guardian - it reads like a mix of RWBY and Naruto, sometimes a little much but for the most part, it just made it really freakin' fun!
We follow our POV character, Cecilia, as graduation day arrives. She's going to become one of the Sisters, you see. The elite, female warriors of the city of Erebus, defenders of humanity against the monstrous evils lurking beyond the safety of their walls.
Only, graduation day doesn't quite go to plan when her Soul Stone awakens with a forbidden power that changes everything.
From there on every move she makes is watched and measured, and literally EVERYONE except maybe her mysterious, powerful teacher is either afraid of her or hates her. Probably both.
Honestly, it was just a really good time. The story choices made weren't necessarily anything new or unique, but what it does it does very well! It hooked me in the same way as the comp titles I gave did. Great, cinematic action sequences, a simple to understand and scale magic system, and that underdog prove-them-wrong backbone that almost everyone loves.
Ultimately, The Mark of Shadows - the first installment of Aether Guardian - is a strong launching point for the series to come, though it does suffer a bit from "set-upitis" as it devotes a lot of time in a relatively short page count to developing the squads, powers, world history and more.
I am very much looking forward to seeing where things go from here!
Okay, on with my review!
A SHONEN-LIKE BLAST THAT LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR SOMETHING AMAZING!
Pretty early on in my read of this book, I knew what comps I could give if someone were to ask about Aether Guardian - it reads like a mix of RWBY and Naruto, sometimes a little much but for the most part, it just made it really freakin' fun!
We follow our POV character, Cecilia, as graduation day arrives. She's going to become one of the Sisters, you see. The elite, female warriors of the city of Erebus, defenders of humanity against the monstrous evils lurking beyond the safety of their walls.
Only, graduation day doesn't quite go to plan when her Soul Stone awakens with a forbidden power that changes everything.
From there on every move she makes is watched and measured, and literally EVERYONE except maybe her mysterious, powerful teacher is either afraid of her or hates her. Probably both.
Honestly, it was just a really good time. The story choices made weren't necessarily anything new or unique, but what it does it does very well! It hooked me in the same way as the comp titles I gave did. Great, cinematic action sequences, a simple to understand and scale magic system, and that underdog prove-them-wrong backbone that almost everyone loves.
Ultimately, The Mark of Shadows - the first installment of Aether Guardian - is a strong launching point for the series to come, though it does suffer a bit from "set-upitis" as it devotes a lot of time in a relatively short page count to developing the squads, powers, world history and more.
I am very much looking forward to seeing where things go from here!
January 17, 2026
This book is really polished for an indie debut. I loved all of it. Great characters, immersive descriptions, excellent pacing. This author knows what he's doing! I can't wait to read another one! I left the story wanting more.
November 9, 2025
I had the privilege of being able to read the ARC a few months ago. This was a good beginning to this fantasy world. I like a story that keeps me interested and wanting to come back for more. This book had enough mystery and intrigue to do that for me. And with this being this writer's first book I can only see the storyline coming together and getting better throughout the series. I look forward to more Aether Guardian!
January 7, 2026
A New and Exciting World
Aether Guardian is a very fun read! Following the main character, Cecelia, as she overcomes internal and external forces is engaging, especially as she strives to be her best when everyone around her wants to see her fail. This book does a great job of establishing the characters, setting, and stakes of the world, which I am excited to see grow in future books!
Aether Guardian is a very fun read! Following the main character, Cecelia, as she overcomes internal and external forces is engaging, especially as she strives to be her best when everyone around her wants to see her fail. This book does a great job of establishing the characters, setting, and stakes of the world, which I am excited to see grow in future books!
May 23, 2026
I read an ARC of Aether Guardian in exchange for an honest review.
I’ll start by saying I’m generally not a huge hard magic system person. I understand the appeal, but personally I prefer magic to feel a little more mysterious and unknowable. Here, the magic is very structured and mathematical. Some readers will absolutely love that level of detail. Others, maybe not as much (Brandon Sanderson has made a whole career on it).
At first, I honestly wasn’t sure this book was going to click with me. Cecilia didn’t immediately grab me, and some of the early dialogue felt a little unnatural. Lines like: “Ever since my mother brought me to this city as a baby, this day joining the sisterhood has meant everything to me” stood out in a way that pulled me out of the story a bit.
But somewhere along the way, the book really found its footing and pulled me in. The worldbuilding became the big standout for me, especially the monsters, which were easily my favourite part of the whole thing. There’s a real sense of danger and mystery around them, and honestly I wanted even more.
Cecilia’s journey toward self-confidence worked well too. Watching her struggle to learn alongside the other students while slowly realising her abilities don’t function the same way was compelling, especially once the story started revealing why. Trying not to spoil anything there, because that aspect becomes much more interesting as the book goes on.
Some side characters worked better for me than others. Lucy and Diana in particular really tested my patience. They felt very much like “standard fantasy bullies,” and after a while it became obvious their main role was to highlight how different Cecilia is.
Still, this is a really solid debut. If you love hard magic systems, I can see this being a huge hit for you. And even if you’re more like me and lean toward character-driven fantasy, there’s still a lot here to enjoy. Especially if the promise of cool monsters gets your attention as quickly as it got mine.
I’ll start by saying I’m generally not a huge hard magic system person. I understand the appeal, but personally I prefer magic to feel a little more mysterious and unknowable. Here, the magic is very structured and mathematical. Some readers will absolutely love that level of detail. Others, maybe not as much (Brandon Sanderson has made a whole career on it).
At first, I honestly wasn’t sure this book was going to click with me. Cecilia didn’t immediately grab me, and some of the early dialogue felt a little unnatural. Lines like: “Ever since my mother brought me to this city as a baby, this day joining the sisterhood has meant everything to me” stood out in a way that pulled me out of the story a bit.
But somewhere along the way, the book really found its footing and pulled me in. The worldbuilding became the big standout for me, especially the monsters, which were easily my favourite part of the whole thing. There’s a real sense of danger and mystery around them, and honestly I wanted even more.
Cecilia’s journey toward self-confidence worked well too. Watching her struggle to learn alongside the other students while slowly realising her abilities don’t function the same way was compelling, especially once the story started revealing why. Trying not to spoil anything there, because that aspect becomes much more interesting as the book goes on.
Some side characters worked better for me than others. Lucy and Diana in particular really tested my patience. They felt very much like “standard fantasy bullies,” and after a while it became obvious their main role was to highlight how different Cecilia is.
Still, this is a really solid debut. If you love hard magic systems, I can see this being a huge hit for you. And even if you’re more like me and lean toward character-driven fantasy, there’s still a lot here to enjoy. Especially if the promise of cool monsters gets your attention as quickly as it got mine.
May 29, 2026
This is a very good debut novel and a brilliant start to the series. The battle scenes and action were well descriptive and I felt very immersed in the battle. I enjoyed the corrupt politics going on behind the scenes and how things might be manipulated to test our main character.
One thing I didn't like as much was the lack of outside the city action/missions. I understand this is the first book in a series and it would be more building the world and getting to know the characters but it felt like a training montage. Again I understand they need to learn their powers but having read the prequel short story (on the hunt) and the battle scene later on in this book, the author shows he can do action very well so I needed more!
With how it ends I'm very excited to read more in this series and by Joshua Bush. Very enjoyable
One thing I didn't like as much was the lack of outside the city action/missions. I understand this is the first book in a series and it would be more building the world and getting to know the characters but it felt like a training montage. Again I understand they need to learn their powers but having read the prequel short story (on the hunt) and the battle scene later on in this book, the author shows he can do action very well so I needed more!
With how it ends I'm very excited to read more in this series and by Joshua Bush. Very enjoyable
May 29, 2026
SHEILD UP!
This one was a good one! The magic is intense. There is a lot to it. Which i will admit can make the plot drag on. HOWEVER, characters are awesome, the world is cool and the fights are EPIC. The end had me at the edge of my seat. Looking forward to the next book!
This one was a good one! The magic is intense. There is a lot to it. Which i will admit can make the plot drag on. HOWEVER, characters are awesome, the world is cool and the fights are EPIC. The end had me at the edge of my seat. Looking forward to the next book!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews