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The Shadow Appears: Book 1 in The Devil's Shadow Series
What does a man do when he watches all that he cherishes destroyed in front of him? For Robert Hester, a captain in Mosby’s Rangers, he continues his mission, following his orders, doing his duty, honoring his commitment and keeping true to his oath.
Reassigned to accompany President Davis as he evacuates Richmond, Captain Hester makes a last visit to his home. There, he watches as General George Stoneman’s bummers murder his father, his sister, his fiance and the Black woman who helped raise him. He watches his home burn and makes a new oath—one of blood and vengeance.
In a vain attempt to reunite with Davis, they ride through the South, witnessing the destruction and devastation. When Davis is captured, they set their sights on Texas to join with General Kirby Smith's Trans-Mississippi army. Together, Hester and Turley navigate a war-torn South and confront loss, moral ambiguity, and the cost of an unrelenting thirst for revenge.
After Kirby Smith's surrender, Hester turns his horse toward Mexico to join Jo Shelby to rebuild a Southern army and continue the fight for the lost cause. The war had taken everything—his home, his family, his cause—and now, his only reason for living was vengeance. All he had left were his horses, his guns, and his sense of honor. So, he pointed his horse toward war-torn Mexico to find his old life—or a new one—or to die with neither. He didn't think he cared which of the three he found.
Reassigned to accompany President Davis as he evacuates Richmond, Captain Hester makes a last visit to his home. There, he watches as General George Stoneman’s bummers murder his father, his sister, his fiance and the Black woman who helped raise him. He watches his home burn and makes a new oath—one of blood and vengeance.
In a vain attempt to reunite with Davis, they ride through the South, witnessing the destruction and devastation. When Davis is captured, they set their sights on Texas to join with General Kirby Smith's Trans-Mississippi army. Together, Hester and Turley navigate a war-torn South and confront loss, moral ambiguity, and the cost of an unrelenting thirst for revenge.
After Kirby Smith's surrender, Hester turns his horse toward Mexico to join Jo Shelby to rebuild a Southern army and continue the fight for the lost cause. The war had taken everything—his home, his family, his cause—and now, his only reason for living was vengeance. All he had left were his horses, his guns, and his sense of honor. So, he pointed his horse toward war-torn Mexico to find his old life—or a new one—or to die with neither. He didn't think he cared which of the three he found.
435 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 15, 2025
4 people want to read
About the author
Burt Tyson
1 bookBurt Tyson almost never takes off his cowboy hat, but he does tip it to the ladies. As a child, he loved historical adventure stories like Davy Crockett and TV Westerns including Hopalong Cassidy, The Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers, and Have Gun Will Travel. As a teenager, his love of history and adventure continued as he read novels of the American Frontier.
Burt continues the tradition of good men and women confronting evil in the 19th century American West as he writes The Devil Appears, the first novel in his The Devil’s Shadow series. Readers won’t have difficulty identifying the good guys and gals: they’ll be the ones who stand tall, saddle up despite the risk and, if they’re men, always respect the ladies.
In the remote small South Carolina town where Burt writes, there are lots of good men and women, but not too much adventure. He has to provide the adventure in his novels.
Burt continues the tradition of good men and women confronting evil in the 19th century American West as he writes The Devil Appears, the first novel in his The Devil’s Shadow series. Readers won’t have difficulty identifying the good guys and gals: they’ll be the ones who stand tall, saddle up despite the risk and, if they’re men, always respect the ladies.
In the remote small South Carolina town where Burt writes, there are lots of good men and women, but not too much adventure. He has to provide the adventure in his novels.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 30, 2025
What struck me most about The Shadow Appears is how personal the story feels. Despite the vast historical backdrop, this is a deeply character-driven novel.
Robert Hester is not romanticized. He is wounded, disciplined, and shaped by a war that has taken more than it has given. His choices feel authentic, sometimes uncomfortable, and always believable. The friendship between Hester and Turley adds depth and grounding to the story, especially as the world around them unravels.
This novel respects the reader. It doesn’t rush, exaggerate, or simplify. Instead, it allows the story to unfold with honesty and weight. Highly recommended.
Robert Hester is not romanticized. He is wounded, disciplined, and shaped by a war that has taken more than it has given. His choices feel authentic, sometimes uncomfortable, and always believable. The friendship between Hester and Turley adds depth and grounding to the story, especially as the world around them unravels.
This novel respects the reader. It doesn’t rush, exaggerate, or simplify. Instead, it allows the story to unfold with honesty and weight. Highly recommended.
December 30, 2025
This is a novel about what happens when duty outlives its cause.
The Shadow Appears explores the quiet, internal consequences of war more than the battles themselves. Robert Hester’s journey is shaped by grief, loyalty, and an unyielding sense of honor, even when that honor no longer has a clear place to belong.
The prose is measured and confident, and the pacing allows the emotional weight to settle naturally. Readers who enjoy reflective, morally complex stories will find much to appreciate here.
This book doesn’t shout, it endures.
The Shadow Appears explores the quiet, internal consequences of war more than the battles themselves. Robert Hester’s journey is shaped by grief, loyalty, and an unyielding sense of honor, even when that honor no longer has a clear place to belong.
The prose is measured and confident, and the pacing allows the emotional weight to settle naturally. Readers who enjoy reflective, morally complex stories will find much to appreciate here.
This book doesn’t shout, it endures.
December 30, 2025
The Shadow Appears is not simply a Civil War novel, it’s a meditation on loss, honor, and what remains when everything familiar is taken away.
Burt Tyson writes with restraint and confidence, allowing the weight of events to speak for themselves. Robert Hester is a compelling protagonist: disciplined, haunted, and deeply human. His journey across a collapsing South feels both intimate and epic, shaped by grief and driven by a relentless sense of duty.
This book lingers. Long after finishing it, I found myself thinking about the moral cost of vengeance and the quiet endurance of honor. A powerful, thoughtful read for anyone who appreciates serious historical fiction.
Burt Tyson writes with restraint and confidence, allowing the weight of events to speak for themselves. Robert Hester is a compelling protagonist: disciplined, haunted, and deeply human. His journey across a collapsing South feels both intimate and epic, shaped by grief and driven by a relentless sense of duty.
This book lingers. Long after finishing it, I found myself thinking about the moral cost of vengeance and the quiet endurance of honor. A powerful, thoughtful read for anyone who appreciates serious historical fiction.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews