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Shadow Dance #1
Jack Shadow
This is an alternate Cover Edition for ASIN: B00904HKQE.
You've probably heard them. The jokes. They all start the same. 'See – this guy walks into a bar...' Well, Jack Shadow isn't that guy. The guy who walked in. Because one day Jack Shadow walked out of a bar. And nobody - not Jack, not the Dragon - knows anything else about him.
The day Jack walked out, the Dragon were waiting. A secret society who can offer those they choose the ability to travel through time, now Jack works for them. To fix things. To make them work the way the Dragon want them to. To make the future the way they want it to be. Which, in Jack's line of work, generally means killing whoever the Dragon want dead.
Jack's used to being someone's problem. At least, for as long as it takes him to do what he does best. But now he's the one with a problem. Because the Dragon think Jack knows something dangerous to them - and he has no idea what it is.
Jack knows what happens to Dragon problems. Generally, Jack happens. But now Jack's working for Jack, and he's really going to fix things. Fix them his way. Because some days - the last thing you need is a good guy.
If Raymond Chandler and Tom Holt had drunk two too many in a bar one night, Jack Shadow might have walked out of it.
You've probably heard them. The jokes. They all start the same. 'See – this guy walks into a bar...' Well, Jack Shadow isn't that guy. The guy who walked in. Because one day Jack Shadow walked out of a bar. And nobody - not Jack, not the Dragon - knows anything else about him.
The day Jack walked out, the Dragon were waiting. A secret society who can offer those they choose the ability to travel through time, now Jack works for them. To fix things. To make them work the way the Dragon want them to. To make the future the way they want it to be. Which, in Jack's line of work, generally means killing whoever the Dragon want dead.
Jack's used to being someone's problem. At least, for as long as it takes him to do what he does best. But now he's the one with a problem. Because the Dragon think Jack knows something dangerous to them - and he has no idea what it is.
Jack knows what happens to Dragon problems. Generally, Jack happens. But now Jack's working for Jack, and he's really going to fix things. Fix them his way. Because some days - the last thing you need is a good guy.
If Raymond Chandler and Tom Holt had drunk two too many in a bar one night, Jack Shadow might have walked out of it.
77 pages, Unknown Binding
First published August 19, 2012
6 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Graeme Smith
8 books17 followersThis is me. Graeme Smith. Fantasy writer. Mostly comic fantasy (which is fantasy intended to make you laugh, not fantasy in comics) :-).
When I'm not writing (well, or editing my writing. Or re-writing. Or editing my re-writing. Or... Quite. You get the picture), I'm doing other things. Things like wishing I could play keyboards. And not playing them, not even very badly. Things like online gaming (If you know Bard Elcano, you know me. If you know a grumpy old dragon called Sephiranoth, you know me. If you know a tall, dark, handsome but brooding vampire, charming witty and brilliant - we never met. That's someone else.) And strange midnight practices involving mushrooms. And garlic. And knitting needles. But the less said of my cooking, the better :-P.
So there you are. This is me. Graeme Smith. Short, fat, bald and ugly (fortunately my wife has lousy taste in men). Time was, I worked on a psychiatric ward. Now I write about people who believe in magic and dragons, and who live where the crazy folk are the ones who don’t.
When I'm not writing (well, or editing my writing. Or re-writing. Or editing my re-writing. Or... Quite. You get the picture), I'm doing other things. Things like wishing I could play keyboards. And not playing them, not even very badly. Things like online gaming (If you know Bard Elcano, you know me. If you know a grumpy old dragon called Sephiranoth, you know me. If you know a tall, dark, handsome but brooding vampire, charming witty and brilliant - we never met. That's someone else.) And strange midnight practices involving mushrooms. And garlic. And knitting needles. But the less said of my cooking, the better :-P.
So there you are. This is me. Graeme Smith. Short, fat, bald and ugly (fortunately my wife has lousy taste in men). Time was, I worked on a psychiatric ward. Now I write about people who believe in magic and dragons, and who live where the crazy folk are the ones who don’t.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 23, 2013
It was entertaining, but there are some serious WTF is going on here? and telling vs showing issues going on in this book. Despite that,I'd read another in the series. But, clarity would be nice.
November 30, 2025
Danger is the spice of life when one is in certain lines of work.
Jack had a well-rounded, intriguing personality that made me want to learn more about him. I appreciated his wry sense of humor and how intelligently and cautiously he approached every aspect of his work. He was the sort of character I’d want to hang out with during an emergency due to how closely he paid attention to small details in his environment as well as how prepared he was for a wide variety of possible outcomes in life, both positive and negative.
This was one of those tales that tossed the reader into the action and asked us to figure out what was happening as the protagonist attempted to stay alive and well. As much as I enjoy the challenge of this style of writing in general, I did find myself wishing for a little more exposition in the beginning in this case. Even a few more paragraphs worth of it would have catapulted this to a five-star rating for me as I enjoyed everything else about it and thought Jack was definitely someone worth getting to know better.
The time travel aspects of the storyline were handled nicely. It can be a complicated topic, especially when more than one trip is involved or when multiple characters are involved, so I was glad to see Mr. Smith spend some time digging into the risks involved and what the characters hoped to earn from their hard work.
Jack Shadow was fast-paced and adventurous.
Jack had a well-rounded, intriguing personality that made me want to learn more about him. I appreciated his wry sense of humor and how intelligently and cautiously he approached every aspect of his work. He was the sort of character I’d want to hang out with during an emergency due to how closely he paid attention to small details in his environment as well as how prepared he was for a wide variety of possible outcomes in life, both positive and negative.
This was one of those tales that tossed the reader into the action and asked us to figure out what was happening as the protagonist attempted to stay alive and well. As much as I enjoy the challenge of this style of writing in general, I did find myself wishing for a little more exposition in the beginning in this case. Even a few more paragraphs worth of it would have catapulted this to a five-star rating for me as I enjoyed everything else about it and thought Jack was definitely someone worth getting to know better.
The time travel aspects of the storyline were handled nicely. It can be a complicated topic, especially when more than one trip is involved or when multiple characters are involved, so I was glad to see Mr. Smith spend some time digging into the risks involved and what the characters hoped to earn from their hard work.
Jack Shadow was fast-paced and adventurous.
October 21, 2012
I will say up front I know this author from online groups and really like his writing. He has a tremendous voice.
While the voice is here in Jack Shadow, the story is baffling. I had a hard time following what was going on. There were some quirky things I enjoyed -- the author does quirky really well! -- but on the whole I was too busy trying to figure out what the heck was happening. I'm still not sure what the plot was about. Except it had something to do with time. And people after Jack. And Jack after people. 'People' not exactly meaning... Never mind. I won't go there.
I read the first few pages of this long ago and thought Jack was too unlikable to use as a main character. Either I didn't read far enough or the author's lightened him up. Jack works fine as a main character.
Anyone reading this review should realize the problem in understanding what JACK SHADOW's about likely lies with me. I feel sure a sharper mind will follow the story and enjoy it tremendously. Especially one who loves SF/fantasy. That's the reason I give it four stars.
While the voice is here in Jack Shadow, the story is baffling. I had a hard time following what was going on. There were some quirky things I enjoyed -- the author does quirky really well! -- but on the whole I was too busy trying to figure out what the heck was happening. I'm still not sure what the plot was about. Except it had something to do with time. And people after Jack. And Jack after people. 'People' not exactly meaning... Never mind. I won't go there.
I read the first few pages of this long ago and thought Jack was too unlikable to use as a main character. Either I didn't read far enough or the author's lightened him up. Jack works fine as a main character.
Anyone reading this review should realize the problem in understanding what JACK SHADOW's about likely lies with me. I feel sure a sharper mind will follow the story and enjoy it tremendously. Especially one who loves SF/fantasy. That's the reason I give it four stars.
December 12, 2012
I give this book a 4 star rating alone for the voice and humor. I love Graeme's wit in all of the books/stories he writes. He has an intelligent sense of humor that I quite enjoy.
He is also quite crafty at coming up with the most interesting concepts and plot twists.
I would agree some with Cheryl, there is a quite a bit going on with characters and arcs, so that is why I give it 4 out of 5.
The ending is definitely interesting and certainly not predictable.
He is also quite crafty at coming up with the most interesting concepts and plot twists.
I would agree some with Cheryl, there is a quite a bit going on with characters and arcs, so that is why I give it 4 out of 5.
The ending is definitely interesting and certainly not predictable.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews