Shadow of a Human

The Human Cycle #2

by J.D. Estrada

Invincibility is fiction. Two years have passed since Nathaniel Runnels was abducted by a vampire and offered the choice between dying or risking his life to save humanity. In that time, he’s killed, seen angels up close and learned that therians are never to be called werewolves. For a time, he thought new abilities meant he could not be defeated. That was also fiction. In the second installment of the Human Cycle, Nathaniel realizes that everything comes with a price. Shadow of a Human continues his path of discovery and he’ll endure any pain to find the truth that he hungers for.

439 pages, Paperback

First published May 6, 2016

About the author

After years of working in advertising, I figured there were better ways to write fiction. Born on August 13th, I share birthdays with Alfred Hitchcock and Fidel Castro... an interesting coincidence since mom is Cuban and I love a good story.

Truth be told, ever since I was a kid I dreamt about being an inventor, I just didn't know I'd end up doing it using words. Where some people choose to invent new products, I’ve chosen to invent worlds through words.

In college, I studied psychology for 3 years before realizing that if I finished, I'd need a psychologist for myself. Not being too enticed by the whole full circle nature of that trajectory, I switched to Marketing, Advertising... and Psychology. Seems I just couldn't let it go.

A lover of Science Fiction and Fantasy, I’ve always loved writing and connecting with people. Mind you, although I love these genres, my reading tastes are as eclectic as my musical passions. So from rock to salsa to classical music, I also read and write in a variety of genres and am just as satisfied writing a review or a poem as I am working on my next novel. My obsession with the human aspect of who we are is deeply embedded in most of my work and my first book is no exception. Only Human is the first link within the Human Cycle, a three-book exploration of humanity through fiction.

I’m currently working on several projects, consistently put out free material on the blog (jdestradawriter.blogspot.com) and I rant with zest on Twitter via @jdestradawriter. I also have and instagram account (@jdestradawriter) if you want to see what I’m getting up to or what delicious beer I may recommend pairing with the book your reading.

My favorite band is Pearl Jam, I was born in Puerto Rico, I bodyboard and to me, playing a guitar is as therapeutic as a bleeding into a notebook with my pen. So by all means, visit, say hi and connect.

Peace, love and maki rolls.

JD

Reviews

[Karen Ohren · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a rare thing when a book takes your breath away, but J.D Estrada has done just that with his latest book Shadow of a Human (book 2 in the Human Cycle). I read and absolutely loved book 1 - Only Human and have waited 'impatiently' for book 2 desperate to find out what happened next.

For those uninitiated into the amazing and powerful events that change Nathaniel Runnels life forever let me give you a brief glimpse (no spoilers you have to read book 1 it's incredible!) Nathaniel is a disillusioned journalist who feels his life is going nowhere fast, but that all changes the day he's kidnapped by a vampire called Daniel and tasked with saving the world as we know it. The ensuing book sees him encounter Demons, Angels, Vampires, Photogeni, Therians (whatever you do don't call them Werewolves or things will get ugly!) and so much more, in a quest that takes him all over the World and to places he never dreamed existed.

Shadow of a Human finds Nathaniel two years on from the explosive finale of book 1 and his world has now become a much darker place. No longer the naive, awestruck person he was, he is now a battle seasoned fighter, scarred by tragedy and events have taken a catastrophic and deadly turn.

A battle between Angels and Demons and the imminent destruction of everything we know and dare not imagine hangs in the balance… my lips are sealed as to what happens next, but it will blow your mind!

This is an epic book in every sense of the word. Intelligent and thought provoking, the pace of the story will literally leave you breathless. There isn't a single page that doesn't captivate, thrill or move you, with characters so real they could be plucked from the page and exist in our reality.

J.D Estrada is without a doubt one of the finest writers I have ever read. I know with absolute certainty he is destined for great things in the future.

[Cate Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very first page this book draws you in, invoking so many emotions I hardly know where to begin. There are sections so beautiful you want to weep, others so deep and scary you want to run and hide. Even now the memory of Elliot makes my skin crawl and I adore that. You cannot help feel for Nathaniel, he has to endure so much, I wonder what he did to Mr Estrada to deserve this treatment. JD Estrada has developed the characters in this story exquisitely and it was an absolute pleasure to read.

[Amarinske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lower end of 4 stars
With an average mark of: 7.5/10
My rating system:
1 star: 1.0-2.9/10
2 stars: 3.0-5.4/10
3 stars: 5.5-7.0/10
4 stars: 7.1-9.0/10
5 stars: 9.1-10/10

REVIEW
This was a nice book to read, I definitely recommend it, but not everything did fully click with me. Let’s get into the review now and start with the characters.
And just for the fun of it, I’ll recommend songs by the band Delain as they fit the character or plotline.

Characters
8,5/10
I will talk about Nathaniel (Nat), Daniel, Jane & the black Calico, and the other side characters.

Main characters
Nathaniel Runnels (Nat)
Nat’s character seemed flatter to me in this book compared to the previous one. For a big part of the book he was in physical pain or depressed. But the depression only felt shallow to me. The development was less striking than in Only Human and needed a few steps back to progress. We got our curious, little human back and at the end his changed views are clear enough to feel satisfied.
Recommended songs: Shattered and Daylight Lucidity

Daniel of Montacre
Apparently he’s a jew? Nice little view in the past. We get more of Daniel’s backstory and more of his personality. Best of all: he gets less self-obsessed, which really changes character dynamics. Mind you, this doesn’t mean he doesn’t interfere with stuff that should happen or that he thinks things through long enough to consider possible consequences. The most beautiful thing here is that Daniel shows more of this feelings, which makes him an interesting character to read from. Ooh, the things ‘people’ do when in love. It was also nice to see his friendship with Ama develop and see how he dealt with having no control over his life. He still managed to be egotistical at points in his storyline, even though he should’ve been humble. That’s some quality writing for you.
Recommended songs: Come Closer

Jane and the Black Calico
Finally some backstory about where the boat and the Corsaires came from. A lovely tale showing some nostalgia for you. It also gave us the story about how Jane and her crew became vampires. Very sad, dark, and extremely aggravating. I like the way her grieve was written and the way she dealt with the unexpected appearance of the previously sleeping and unknown engine master of the boat. The depth of her character was gorgeous and I was sad there weren’t more cameos of the crew members in this book.
Recommended song: I’ll Reach You

Side characters
Ama
A black angel that helps Daniel in his quest (explained more in the plot section of this review). His character seemed so lovable and morally white, until he showed some extreme brutality. I can’t do anything but love him though. He really did help in the end.
Recommended song: My Masquerade

The Kitsune werefoxes
Gosh, these are creepy, but the background story and role this played in relationships today, done in a great way.

Ms. Fawn
Our sweet mother time. She is so caring, yet distanced from everything. I would love to stay with her some time. She would be such a great guide in life.
Recommended Song: Tell Me, Mechanist

Elegast
Our helpful character of undefinable origin who lives in the Austrian mountains. His backstory was so striking and explained some of the other character’s histories as well. I also can't stop wondering if the name implies some knowledge of Dutch literature history? Elegast is a character in a Mideaval story called Karel ende Elegast. For those of you interested, I'll embed the link here:
https://www.literatuurgeschiedenis.nl...

Elliot
Our tiny little devil even if he is a human. This man seriously needs to die.

The rest of the side characters
I don’t have a lot to say about them. Depending on if they turned up in the previous book or not, they had their roles and development. It was nice to see Liam again and to see what had happened since the climax of the previous book, but it’s a shame not some of the characters got so little page time or didn’t show up at all. I’ll have to wait and see what happens in the next installment.

Plot
8.5/10
In this section I will talk about the two main plotlines and several minor ones. As well as th general plot of this book.

General
The story picks up two years after the ending of Only Human and shows us what has happened after the battle at the end of this book. Everyone is looking for Elliot and needs him to be dead.
Meanwhile, in the mid-dimension of Ha’youn (or Shaddhulu) we have a drug production and addiction problem that needs to be solved. As a punishment Daniel is forced to help solve this.
All the storylines somehow intertwine masterfully in this book. Be it through letters or memories or just the order in which stuff happens that turns out to be linked with one another later.
Everything somehow gets back to Elliot in direct or elaborate ways.

Daniel
I loved this storyline so much. The whole puzzle aspect of finding the origin of where gEl was produced and how it was made besides containing purified egnalem. The whole mess that appeared because Daniel lost control of his life as a punishment and couldn’t kill himself. Like I said before I also liked the way the relationship with the Ama developed although I didn’t really like how much focus there was on his skin color. There were themes of drug abuse, control, and racism in this storyline that were integrated so well I couldn’t end up anyway else as loving them. It was ingenious to make gEl look like cocaine and egnalem like heroin. I specifically mean the effects they have and to some extend the way the drugs are taken as well. It is disturbingly similar to our real life. To the fact that opioids are also used as painkillers and medicine, just like in this plot. And the fact we get to see the origin of egnalem, which is morbidly creepy, unlike the origin of heroin (a morphine derivative).
Fitting songs: Your body is a battleground

Nat
We follow Nat as he travels to Japan, Ibiza, and other places in different ways including, but not limited to: plain flight and diving into his shadows. This all leads to final climax where we visit our first supernatural location of the first book again: The Halo Maze (my favorite location together with Raelis). Along the way he meets all kinds of ‘people’. These range from old acquaintances and friends to complete strangers and he is asked to help solve some problematic situations. Meanwhile he’s in agony that can only be soothed by taking egnalem and we slowly discover the reason and how to solve it. A very intriguing storyline that did require beautiful adjustments of Nat’s character. We get to hear very often he shouldn’t even be alive of conscious with this kind of pain, but yet he is, giving us a beautiful depiction of the power of willpower. I get more and more convinced I don’t want all my cardinal points unlocked. Man it is described as the most agonizing experience in existence and I’ve had to deal with a lot of pain before.

Elliot
Like I said before this is our little human devil. He poses like a priest and has to distinct sides to his character. In the plotline of this book is looking for the Fernaculum, a book hardly anyone has seen. He wants to steal and use it for his own gain. We see more of the effects his actions in the previous book had. With him creating demons and wraiths, some of those had to turn back up or do things. And that is exactly what we follow. We follow him (in not very much page space) as he comes closer to his goal and shows his true self to the fallen angels. The literally two-faced person of the book.

The climax
Only one thing I can say without really spoiling: what the heck…. I did not expect that one. So abrupt in start and finish. And so emotional. I need to know where this ends.

Writing
6.5/10 (weighted twice, because it impacts my reading experience so much)
This wasn’t fully my cup of tea. It took me a while to get into the writing of this book as it starts of in quite the flowery way. Not bad flowery, just not the way that clicks with my brain. What J.D. Estrada does well is shifting writing styles throughout his books. A little bit subtle in this one than in Only Human, but this book is also a lot darker. On top that the book shifted between writing styles between character points of view. Some POV’s were written in present tense, but most in past tense, which was a very jarring to me at points. Sometimes you would switch several times between past and present tense in one chapter as the POV changed. This was too much for me. Even though it was, to an extent, a nice way to showcase the importance of the theme time in this book.
The flowery turned more eerie and haunting later on in the book, but then came back at times. This was frustrating to me at times as some descriptions were things like colors I didn’t know how to envision.
I really liked the overall dark vibes the book had because of the combination of plot and writing, but it still didn’t sit with me completely right. Strengthened by the fact that I sometimes couldn’t fully recall what had happened in a storyline because of the writing style. This the first or second time this happened to me and made me confused while reading even though this is no way near the most complex book I’ve ever read. These more complex books didn’t give me this issue, at least not that I can remember.
As a final remark about the writing that has nothing to do with the writing style: there were grammatical errors in here and some sentences that I needed to analyze and read three times to understand. It was nothing a few more editing rounds couldn’t have fixed, but they were still there and I will subtract starts from my rating because of it. It really took me out of the story on several occasions.

[Nadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are things known and there are things union, and in between are the doors of perception - Aldous Huxley

This is the thought I would have continuously through Only Human and now again in Shadow of a Human.

JD Estrada's brilliant reception and creator of both favour all the senses. Seeing(reading) is believing becomes quite relevant, and as I proceeded through book 2 it became clear what one inherits and encounters. Taste, touch, smell (yes even smell) and sounds with spikes of surprise :)

I truly enjoy JD’s text and thoughts, not only because he is a dear friend but because he is an intensified writer who truly puts it out there. Who relates to personal struggles and trials which then sends one onto an adventure of thoughts, feelings, wonder and explosiveness beyond ones imagination.

You start to become cautiously involved with the circumstances developing in the main character, Nathaniel Runnels. His deep dark encounters which in fact, breaks away from Only Human into an even better storyline with heart racing! Imagine that! If you’ve read Book 1 you’d understand what I mean and if you haven’t then well, go do that!

JD Estrada once again engages and makes the reader awestruck but always remember one thing - Never call therians werewolves ;)
Go on the Only Human/Shadow of a Human expedition and be ready for a flammable quest!

[J.D. Estrada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read in April 2023. Curious how my feelings about book 2 are consistent with what I reviewed a couple of years back and yes, I'm still editing and writing Beyond Human. That said, still think that even weird and complex, it is a fun read. Definitely quicker than Only Human and with some twists that I'm still very proud of. Let's hope the research and rereading pays off for a great ending to the series :)

-

Reading your own work is a curious thing. When you're editing or proofreading, it's one thing. To pick up your book 4 years after you published it gives a fresh perspective and it's been interesting revising the first two books in the Human Cycle as I continue to work on book 3. Part of me did it as research, but I honestly wanted the experience to read my books back to back. I've often said that these books in particular are better read this way because there's a LOT of information and details.

When comparing to Only Human, rather than being better or worse, I can say it's different. It's an easier read in terms of language as well as the structure of sentences and chapters and it's a book I definitely think keeps you on your toes more than the first one, but that's not because it's better. Only Human lays down the groundwork for the Human Cycle and Shadow of a Human expands on the existing world while also presenting new aspects of it.

Being an urban fantasy, it's set in present times taking into account things that have happen and places that do exist. In Only Human I found it refreshing to visit places that are truly off the beaten path and new countries. In Shadow of a Human, places on Earth are much more limited and you don't visit as many countries because you're also exposed to the mid-dimension and other existential planes. In a way, Only Human is complicated because it's dense with characters and locations but it's a linear path, which is easier to follow. Shadow of a Human has overlapping stories and layers, much more than Book 1 and for good reason.

I've mentioned before but think it's important to say again, The Human Cycle is 3 books because first we tag along to explore the physical aspect of the universe and in Book 2 it's exploring the psychological aspect of who and how we are. In the first Book, Nathaniel is discovering himself through his body while Shadow of a Human has him coping with his fragmented psyche... and he's not the only one. I've described the Human Cycle as an exploration of the human condition through fiction. Book 1 focuses on body, Book 2 on mind, and Book 3 will be spirit/soul.

So what got better? Character development was more balanced in Shadow of a Human than in Only Human because even if there are a lot of characters, there are less of them and are developed a bit better... this is thanks to the page time some characters had in Book 1 though even with that, for me it still flows better in book 2. Villains are as hateful as possible, but I do think villains/monsters were fleshed out better in this book. Scary parts were scarier and some scenes have descriptions which might be unsettling/revolting. Chapter beginnings and end were also more consistently engaging, meaning that sometimes finishing one chapter isn't enough.

What wasn't better? Some additional editing and spelling has been done during this read through and I'll be uploading an updated manuscript. It's not enough to disengage you from the story but at least for me, it was frustrating, and all I can do is correct, apologize, and work harder for less of those. Also, although I understand the plot, I recognize that some aspects are much more complex and harder to understand. So without offering spoilers, here's a quick explanation... There is Earth, where we live. There is an Underworld (Sheol) divided in different regions. Some of these regions overlap in other planes of existence. The regions in Sheol are Hell and Purgatory. There is Limbo. Limbo and Purgatory are different in this universe. There is a Mid Dimension known as Hay'oun. Some people also refer to it as Shaddulhu. It is the Shadow of Earth, meaning that what happens on Earth is reflected in this world. There is a Heaven and you can see it from the mid dimension high above. There is a cloud of angels in between the mid dimension and heaven. And there is god. These are the seven levels of existence. I would love to do a map of this for Book 3 so if you know a cartographer or artist interested in something like this, please let me know.

As you can see from that above paragraph, it's a LOT of information to process. Also, having tandem storylines is challenging, though I think it lends for a better book. You're always wanting to know what's happening with everyone so in that sense, it's better balanced and engaging. Finally, the characters are more varied, show more natural diversity, and explore different emotions and personalities.

So all in all, beyond enjoying writing the story, I really enjoyed reading it. I think that more than being a better book than Only Human, it's a book that helps bring the series up, and I'll be pushing for the third book to be the same. An evolution where each book will resonate for different reasons and have enough variety to interest, but be different enough to stand out for its shining qualities.

In the end, I think it's a worthy sequel, and sets the stage for a good conclusion. It's a challenging read and an intense one. It's darker, but all emotions are dialed up, and in the end, it's a book written to make you think and feel.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second book in the Human Cycle series does not disappoint. Some reads are meant to sooth the soul. This, however, is not. Shadow of a Human is not meant to help a person unwind after a long day. There just isn’t any time for relaxing. Elliot has a plan of attack. Allies are coming together. Zero hour draws near.

As with the first book, “Easter eggs” are spread throughout the book. I was excited every time I made a connection between Shadow and real life. Some instances are subtle while others are more blatant.

I love the flow of the story. Secrets of the Calico, and how Jane came about owning her, are revealed. I was intrigued by the relationships between many of the immortal characters. I was intrigued by the various non-worlds we visited. I was angered by some of the actions unleashed by demons and their Master. I was appalled by some revelations, including the origination of egnalem. I was saddened by the outcomes of certain actions. Everyone is on their own road, and as we know, all roads eventually lead to Rome…The final twist was a shocking surprise. I’m still not sure how severe the repercussions will be.

Full review on my blog feedmybibliodiction.wordpress.com

[Maricel Jiménez Peña · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book! There are two stories running parallel until they come together in a very unexpected end. A very cool detail for me was the Therian Cuisine. And behind all the epic quests, a bit of a love story. Great read!

[Anais Chartschenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shadow of a Human delves deep into the psyche, with nods to Jung along the way. It is a book for rereading to catch all the references, as well as appreciating scenes that rush by the first time because the pacing is lightning fast.
I am eagerly anticipating the next book in this series!