The Shadow Prince

The Shadow Prince #1

by David Anthony Durham

In this middle grade solarpunk novel set in an alternate Egyptian universe, twelve-year-old Ash must compete and survive to become the shadow--and protector--of the prince.

FIVE DEADLY TESTS, ONLY ONE SHADOW PRINCE
Growing up in a village in the middle of the desert, Ash thinks his future holds nothing but sand, sun, a few annoying bullies, and lots of boring chores. Boy, is he wrong!

On the night before his twelfth birthday, Ash learns that he was born on the same day as Prince Khufu, which makes him eligible to compete to be the prince's shadow, a coveted position as the friend and bodyguard of the boy destined to be pharaoh of all of Egypt. At first, Ash can't believe it, but when a floating royal barge takes Ash and his mentor to the bustling, magical, solar-powered capital, things get real.

What awaits Ash and the candidates is deadly--five days of dangerous tests filled with demon fighting, monster slaying, and magical spells--each overseen by a different Egyptian god. Ash finds two friends willing to fight by his side--the first friends he's ever made. But there are candidates who will lie, cheat, and even harm others to win. Not all will survive, and only one can become the prince's shadow.

To make matters worse, Ash is up against Lord Set, the devious god of chaos, who is secretly working to make the candidates fail. But if they do, the very survival of the kingdom is in peril. Can Ash and his new friends save Egypt? And will any of them survive to become the shadow prince?

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Mythology, Fiction, Adventure, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction

400 pages, Hardcover

First published September 28, 2021

About the author

David Anthony Durham was born in New York City to parents of Caribbean descent. He grew up mostly in Maryland, but has spent the last fifteen years on the move, jumping from East to West Coast to the Rocky Mountains, and back and forth to Scotland and France several times. He currently lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. Or... actually, no he doesn't. He's back in New England at the moment.

He is the author of a trilogy of fantasy novels set in Acacia: The Sacred Band, The Other Lands, and The War With The Mein, as well as the historical novels The Risen, Pride of Carthage, Walk Through Darkness, and Gabriel’s Story. He’s won the John W Campbell Award for Best New Writer, a Legacy Award, was a Finalist for the Prix Imaginales and has twice had his books named NY Times Notable Book of the year. His novels have been published in the UK and in French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish and Swedish. Three of his novels have been optioned for development as feature films.

David received an M.F.A. in creative writing from the University of Maryland. He has taught at the University of Maryland, the University of Massachusetts, The Colorado College, for the Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Foundation, Cal State University, and at Hampshire College. He's currently on the faculty of the Stonecoast MFA Program. He reviews for The Washington Post and The Raleigh News & Observer, and has served as a judge for the Pen/Faulkner Awards.

He also writes in George RR Martin's weird and wonderful Wild Cards universe. He feels like the process makes him exercise a whole new set of creative muscles, and he loves the feeling.

Reviews

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Full disclosure--I do know the author.)

Alternate Egyptian solar punk MG fantasy. That was enough to sell me on this book. And Durham delivers on the promise with the story of Ash, a boy trained all his life for a destiny he is unaware of. When the answer is revealed, he finds himself thrust into the spotlight, competing against others for the honor of protecting the young prince of the realm. But the tests are deadly. And among gods, demons, royals, and his own competitors--everyone has secrets and many are willing to kill in order to protect them.

Balancing action and stakes with humor and a colorful cast of characters, The Shadow Prince is a fun adventure from start to finish.

[Kathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

Wow. I’m shocked there are only two Goodreads ratings for this book because it’s one of the best books I’ve read this year. Set for release on September 28th, I think readers who enjoy high-action, fast-paced fantasies will LOVE it.

Ash grew up in a small village in the desert, but the night before his twelfth birthday, he discovers that his guardian, Tazen, has been training him for the opportunity to become Prince Khufu’s shadow. It’s a position given to someone born on the same day as the prince who will become the life-long bodyguard and confidant to the future pharaoh. Ash must compete in five days of deadly competitions led by Egyptian gods and be the last one standing to earn the honour. The contestants have no idea that one of the gods is determined to see them all fail and secretly sabotages the competitions. Some of the contestants are willing to do whatever it takes to win, including cheating and lying. But Ash finds two contestants that become his friends, and the trio is determined to find a way to make it to the end together.

I’m not a big fan of long books (this one is 400 pages), but I was sucked in from the beginning and raced through it. It’s promoted as a “solarpunk novel set in an alternate Egyptian universe,” and it felt a little bit like a middle-grade version of The Hunger Games at times. There’s no mention of it being part of a series, but I would love to go back and visit this world and its characters. I highly recommend it for middle-grade collections.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What worked:
The story is set in Egypt and shares information about its history, mythology, and culture. Ash grows up as an orphan in a small village along the Nile River and his job is to clean the canals in the irrigation system. Solar energy is widely used as the god Lord Ra shines his power down to earth each day. The irrigation system, sunboards, and some flying vehicles are all driven by the sun. Ash travels to the capital city of Memphis on a sunbarge where he enters a trial of tests to determine which twelve-year-old will become the shadow prince. The pharaoh, gods, and goddesses are part of the council overseeing the contest to decide which candidate will defend the prince for the rest of his life. All of Ash’s challenges are based on Egyptian gods and mythology.
The story addresses different forms of prejudice, tolerance, and bullying. In Ash’s village and the capital city, the wealthy look down on peasants as lesser humans. He’s bullied by the son of a wealthy merchant at home, and the son of a politician during the trial demeans him at every opportunity. Some characters believe the pharaoh is too sympathetic to the poor, and his willingness to negotiate with other countries displays weakness. These people have resolved to do what it takes to maintain a wide disparity between the wealthy class and everyone else. Ash doesn’t feel this way, and he accepts the range of personalities and backgrounds among the candidates for shadow prince.
Most of the story is told through Ash’s eyes with periodic chapters sharing the covert plans of the prince’s brother Rami and the god of chaos named Lord Set. These chapters share their plans to interfere and describe their tenuous relationship. The candidates to become Rami’s shadow prince all perished, so his younger brother Prince Khufu will become the pharaoh’s successor if Ash or someone else succeeds this time. Rami and Set scheme to kill all of the candidates during the new trials, so Rami will remain the crown prince. This subplot grows throughout the book and is sure to continue in the sequel. The chapters told from Ash’s point of view reveal his insecurities, quick-thinking, and compassion for others that make him such an admirable character. He often finds inspiration from remembered words shared by his mentor.
What didn’t work as well:
Two characters cheat, and worse, throughout the trials and are never caught. One of them is even rewarded time after time due to the ignorance/blindness of those running the trials. While this behavior is infuriating, it stokes readers’ emotions and develops additional drama in the story. The end result is a plot that will captivate readers.
The Final Verdict:
Trust yourself and your abilities. This book feels very similar to Rick Riordan’s stories, as Ash is an underdog human battling gods and mythical monsters. It combines adventure, tension, humor, and action to present a story that’s sure to become a middle-grade favorite. I highly recommend you give it a shot.

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This solarpunk novel set in an alternate Egyptian universe pits a twelve-year-old boy against demons, gods, and fellow humans in a competition to survive and become the shadow—and protector—of the prince who will grow up to be Pharaoh.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly standard middle grade fantasy (chosen one + tests + social situations = story) with solarpunk elements and ancient Egyptian pantheon. I enjoyed it overall, although I was befuddled by how short the chapters were.

[*ੈ✩‧₊˚ava ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has spent an unfair amount of time collecting dust on my shelf. I have FINALLY decided to take a crack at it, and honestly, I'm having trouble trying to determine how I feel.

This book threw me for an absolute loop in the first few chapters. Boy, does it get to the point FAST. Because the pacing goes at the speed of light in the first quarter, I was buckling myself in for a wild ride, and not really in a good way. I was pleasantly surprised, however, as it did start to slow down once the plot began (which is very fast??? lmao). From an overall point of view, this book is really great. It's middle grade, so that should always be taken into account when factoring in writing style and plotline... but with that being said, I can't say I loved the writing. To me, it felt a lot more juvenile than middle grade. I think it was something to do with sentence fluency and the witty remarks-- it read like it was crafted for a young readers audience. Maybe I'm just old and stale.

I think it was quite hard for me to latch onto these characters considering how quickly I was thrust into their world. I had a very difficult time feeling for them, which I think could've been fixed had there been more exposition. There really is none. You are nose diving head first into this wild fantasy world, and everything is hitting you all at once. Admittedly, the more the book progressed, the better this got.

Honestly, my large critique is really just the start of this novel. It's so messy!!!! It reads like a first draft, and I can sense where the author started getting the hang of the story. It melts nicely, but I don't like the block of damn ice in the beginning.

The plotline is very standard. There's nothing about it that is super groundbreaking or earth shattering. I've been trying SO HARD not to compare them, but I do think this reads like a Riordanverse novel for younger children. (Aside from like... the gruesome child on child murder???? Sorry but that felt so intense... all for them to just Twilight us in the end???? Girl.)

The main character, Ash, has a crush on one of his competitors, Kiya, that is kind of useless and doesn't do anything for the story. I think they interact once, even though the author hypes it up like they're gonna be all cute and friendshippy in the end. What was the point if nothing happens...? I feel like the book community is more at fault for this one. Sometimes no romance is better than a random useless one between twelve year olds. Then of course Kiya ends up being a child killer along with fuckass Sutekh, another competitor who actually should be put down because why are you trying to kill your peers hi hello that's not normal yes nurse it's this one!

I think I am just kind of an oldhead and a hater. I hope the middle schoolers of the future continue to read their silly little mythology books where 12 year olds always somehow end up saving the world. It's a rite of passage, and I will say, this is a valid book in that particular field. Just maybe not for me.

[Raaven💖 · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Tour related read*

Ash is an 11-year-old who has been living with his mentor his entire life. He’s been trained in fighting, even though he never knew why. He never knew his parents and only knew of Yazen, the man who raised him. On the day before his 12th birthday, Yazen tells him he was meant for great things and has been training to be the shadow of the prince. Children born on the same day are all pitted against each other in order to work for the prince and protect him from evil. Ash must face foes in human, demon, & God form in order to save himself and the lives of the new friends he’s made along the way in order to be by the prince’s side. In the background, a vindictive God is plotting against the Shadows in hopes of overthrowing Egypt with the help of a jealous noble.

I liked how deep this goes into Egyptian mythology. While I don’t know much about Egypt, I appreciated everything the author explained. I wasn’t sure on the time period here because it’s never really stated. Also I know this is a kids book, but I love how 12-year-olds fight to the death in order to be bodyguards. You’d think they’d want adults to protect the future pharaoh’s of Egypt and not prepubescent children, but that obviously wouldn’t work for the story.

I liked Ash and I just hope he gets more assertive during the next book. There were so many times he said he thought about saying something to defend himself and didn’t. He was constantly picked on and humiliated for being poor and being a village boy while the other children came from rich households. I hated when people would do awful things and of course Ash was the only one to see them and nobody would believe him. It got frustrating as the story went on. I’m very excited to read the next book and see what comes next for Ash and his friends. Hopefully the loose ends will be taken care of.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Shadow Prince" by David Anthony Durham is a book for what is called "middle-grade readers". The main character is Ash, a twelve-year-old boy, and, thus, I would primarily recommend it for twelve-year-old boys. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it. It was a light read, to-be-sure; but it had some interesting characteristics such as Egyptian Gods of ancient Egypt as characters. Having become interested in Egypt myself initially in grade five or six via some largely fictional books, I can see this book sparking interest in Egypt in others. Mr. Durham has recently continued Ash's story with "The Longest Night in Egypt". I will likely read this book as well at some point to see what happened with Ash after "The Shadow Prince". That is, I am willing to read the sequel and am also willing to check out at least one of Mr. Durham's adult-directed books, of which he has several. His writing was not painful for me to read, despite my pickiness with regards to grammar, punctuation, spelling, ... If writing is able to allow me to rise above such sensibilities with little, or preferably no, particular note; it is a plus for me. Nowadays, both verbal and written English is atrocious with far too many, sigh.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you goodreads for this book!

"Ash's life takes a dramatic turn when, on his twelfth birthday, he's called to the grand royal palace in a small ancient Egyptian village. Unbeknownst to him, he's been groomed from childhood to compete for the coveted title of the 'shadow prince,' a role that involves being the prince's companion and protector.

Set against a backdrop of enchanting ancient Egypt, this middle-grade debut offers a thrilling tale of a young boy's journey. The competition, spanning five intense days, unfolds with each perilous challenge overseen by Egyptian deities and featuring the slaying of magical creatures. But the excitement doesn't stop there; the story is enriched with fantastical elements like magical sun-powered kites and ships.

Amidst this enchanting world, palace intrigue abounds, where humans and gods conspire against the contestants, adding layers of suspense and complexity to the narrative. 'The Shadow Prince' is a captivating introduction to middle-grade fiction, offering young readers a glimpse into a world where magic, adventure, and intrigue collide."

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another story about gods! But this one I liked better than Arthur Quinn-not only did this book not have an annoying twist villain reveal, but I found the characters to be more likable than those in Arthur Quinn, especially SERET! Oh my gosh, she was awesome. Not only was she a lioness(so cool!) but she was SO FIERCE and STRONG and POWERFUL Set was interesting, I have a hunch that he was the inspiration for Discord(one of my favorite characters of all time) in MLP. They even look kind of similar! The plot of the book was also really good and I thought that it was really cool how-MAJOR SPOILER ALERT, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT, STOP READING NOW- no one actually died during the testing! That was a cool twist! I think at this point it is insane how many characters have been named Ash in books I've read-first there was the lovestruck teen boy in East of the Sun(not reviewed yet), then there was the sweet teen girl in Arthur Quinn, Duck's caring teen best friend in Patron Thief of Bread, and now the main character of this book is a preteen boy named Ash! But anyway, If you like stories about Egypt and gods, demons and dangerous, deadly competitions, then this is the book for you!

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at Egyptian mythology. The gods are very active with the Pharaoh's family as the next Prince's Shadow is selected. Readers meet Ash, an orphan, in the peasant village where he is raised by his guardian. He doesn't know who his parents are and though hints are given, this is never revealed (perhaps in a sequel?). Based on his birthday, he is one of his birthday, he is one of those who will face the tests to become Prince Khufu's personal bodyguard and confidante. These are challenges like no other and result in multiple deaths for those who accept this responsibility. Durham creates characters who reveal themselves and their natures throughout the book. Ash learns more about himself, his mentor, and the new friends he tentatively makes. The gods also reveal their natures and Durham includes a glossary telling about each at the end of the book. I like the twist at the end with regard to the others who test for this Shadow role. Hope to see a sequel soon.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mix of a ancient Egypt and future Egypt relying on solar powered (infused with power by Lord Ra), this middle-grade novel is a classic peasant-to-royalty story. When we meet Ash, he's being trained by an eccentric guardian in a remote village and on his 12th birthday, he learns he is a candidate to become the prince's shadow. Battles ensue with demons from the underworld...

This is being marketed as solarpunk: "They said all solar-powered devices worked because Lord Ra, one of Egypt's most powerful gods, joined with the sun each day and shone his magic down onto Egypt." (p. 5) "Sunmills were a lot like windmills, except the blades of the turbines were covered in suncloth, a thin, sparkling fabric that captured the magic of the sun and transformed it into energy." (p. 4)

Spoiler note: this is a kinder, gentler fight with candidates "vanishing" rather than dying.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

1st in a series
Ash has been raised by his mentor in a small rural village in Egypt. On the night before his 12th birthday, Ash is told that he will be called to Memphis, the capital to compete against a number of others to be the Prince's Shadow, or protector. Ash arrives to find not only the royal family but also a number of the Egyptian gods will be in charge of the competition to determine who will become the Prince's Shadow. There is lots of action and conniving - both among the gods and the competitors.

For fans of Egyptian mythology and the Rick Riordan Presents books. I loved how the author made Ra's sun power magical, giving things almost a sci-fi twist to the use of solar power. Short chapters and creative world-building will keep middle grade readers fully engaged with this 400 page book.

[Mrs. Pierre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ash is a 12-year-old Egyptian peasant boy who has been raised by his mentor Yazen. Yazen has trained Ash and promised him that he is destined for something great. Like most 12-year-olds, Ash is impatient and tired of living his boring life of chores and being pushed around by the bullies of his village. All of that changes one day when Ash learns that he is going to try out to be Prince Khufu's shadow. In order to become Kufu's shadow, Ash must endure The Testing. The Testing is a five-day competition in which all shadow prospects must prove themselves. Only one shadow candidate can win and the competition is fierce. Things get even more complicated when Ash makes friends with two of the other candidates. Will Ash pass The Testing? Who can he trust? Find out in The Shadow Prince.

[Roha · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was alright. prince khufu's personality or character was very bland. also towards the end when Ash looked in the mirror the author said "He looked Egyptian". No kidding. Honestly I wouldve preferred an actual Egyptian author. Also since this is the author's first middle grade book and he usually writes adult books... I could feel some adult themes lurking. They were diluted and not easily noticeable but it was there. Also the ending was expected and slightly boring, it wouldve been more interesting if everyone had died, more character wouldve been added to Ash. Also what Ancient Egyptian is named Ash lmao, like you gave everyone interesting names except him. My favorite character would probably be Yazen, he's awesome.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have the second book in this series to review and I have not enjoyed my previous experiences of starting with the second book in a series, so I picked this one up from the library. The Shadow Prince has a lot of elements that remind me of other fantasy series that are upper elementary/middle school favorites (Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, etc.). Poor, orphaned Ash is easy to root for and the short chapters and action-heavy plot make the story fly by. Young readers may be intimidated by the nearly 400 pages here, but will find it easier to read than they might expect. This installment of the series wraps up nicely, but readers will be pleased to know that Ash's adventures are not over.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ash has been raised by a mentor in a small ancient Egyptian village and unbeknownst to him, he has been in training his entire life to compete to be the next “shadow prince,” a companion and bodyguard for the prince. On his twelfth birthday, he is summoned to the royal palace to begin 5 days of competition. Each deadly event is overseen by an Egyptian God and involves the slaying of magical beasts. In addition to the fantastical creatures and magical sun-powered kites and ships, there is plenty of palace intrigue with humans and Gods plotting against some of the contestants. An excellent middle-grade debut.

[BiblioBrandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five deadly tests, only one Shadow Prince! I am not a huge mythology fan so was surprised by how much I liked this book. The pace is quick and keeps the pages turning. The characters are interesting, I learned so much about Egyptian Gods. The setting, an alternate solar-powered ancient Egypt, is wonderful. You will be rooting for Ash until the final page (which leaves the story open for a sequel)! My one complaint is that it was a bit long. For fans of Rick Riordan, Harry Potter, and The Hunger Games.

[Joshua A. Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Shadow Prince is a sort of Black Panther-esque take on Egypt. Imagine a world where solar powered technology runs airships, hoverboards, and other advanced technology, add in a generous helping of gods, demons, and other creatures from Egyptian mythology, swirl it all around a trial competition vaguely similar to, say, the Hunger Games or Nyxia, and you've got the Shadow Prince. It's more lighthearted and funny than those properties, though, which makes it a breezier read. Solid book overall.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Shadow Prince" is filled with familiar tropes: a young person unaware of his special powers, a trial he must pass before he an take on the role he has been prepared for, intense competition from a bully who will do anything to win. All familiar, but Durham writes so well, they seem fresh. I liked that he didn't fall back on having a child from our world transported to a magical one. The world he builds, the equivalent of a "sun-punk" (rather than steampunk) ancient Egypt, is unique and fun. Recommend to fans of "Last Gate of the Emperor".

[Heaven Ashlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very fun book! The world was very vivid, the "solartech" was super unique and I had a real adventure reading this!

The only reason I knocked off a star is the dialogue. There is a way to write old/classic dialogue that doesn't sound stuffy to kids. Hearing super modern words and phrases really pulled me out of this book--it sounded more like Percy Jackson than ancient Egypt at times. I feel like even as an age appropriate reader, I would have noticed it too. It got a little less noticeable during the last third of the book but it lingered.

That's really my only qualm. I seriously loved this little book.

[Joseph Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

THISBOOKISAMAZING!!!!!!!!! I really liked that it was.about Egyptian gods because I already have some background knowledge on this topic from the Kane chronicles. Yeah if you like this you definitely should read the Kane Chronicles and Percy Jackson. Anyway this book was absolutely outstanding and it held my attention throughout the whole time I was reading it. Definitely read this book if you like learning about mythology. Thanks for creating this book David.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

An alternate Egyptian mythology story, I missed this book when it came out in 2021, but it has mass appeal for global mythology lovers. Following the cliched middle grade fantasy novel, there's a challenge. Our character is a shadow prince and he must excel at challenges in order to succeed. But they're death-defying and harrowing.

Plenty of action and adventure, intrigue, and a friendship to last. For fans of Roshani Chokshi and Rick Riordan.

[Ada]

***WHO SUCKED ME IN***
Thomas of SFF180 on YouTube in their SFF180 | Mailbag Monday | October 25, 2021 video published on maandag 25 oktober 2021

THAT COVER! Pity that it's for kids but it's a standalone and sounds very interesting.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy reading about Egyptian gods and goddesses and the world of ancient Egypt, this is a book for you! Enter the world of the Old Kingdom at the time of Khufu, mixed with solar power, and a contest for the Shadow of the soon to be pharaoh. MG readers who love Percy Jackson or reading fantasy will enjoy this book. *It has also made the list for Missouri’s Mark Twain reader award.

[Adam Bloch · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is a pretty standard raised-a-poor-orphan-but-is-really-the-chosen-one; its specific twist is that it incorporates Egyptian mythology and magic. I enjoyed the story but there wasn’t anything unpredictable about the book at all. If you’re ok with your kid reading about demons and the like, then it’s an ok kids book.

(I am reading through the 2023-2024 Mark Twain and Truman nominees)

[Emily Cottle · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book didn’t hook me as much as I’d have liked, I did enjoy the story. The mythology was well done, especially the descriptions of the animal-based elements, such as beetles they rode around on. I describe it as Hunger Games meets Percy Jackson, but I did find the ending a bit unsatisfactory.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Anthony Durham

Is a fantastic fantasy author that mized STEM, Historical, and Cultural insights as he creates these epic novels, especially for the middle grades! I compled enjoyed this book!!! The second book is fantastic as well too!

[SL Reads and Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read aloud with the kids. They loved it! I found it difficult to stomach how the main character kept getting kicked down over and over while no adults believed him, but I imagine that feeling resonates with a lot of middle-grade readers.

[Sarah Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for work. The subject matter and themes were not of interest to me, but I enjoyed this better than I thought I would. Interesting overview of the Egyptian gods. Predictable story arc, and it depicts teamwork, moral dilemmas, fairness, and friendships. Looks like this will be a series.