The Drogue

The Shadow Army Trilogy

by M.A. Nichols

For fans of young adult contemporary fantasy comes an exciting new world of magic and mystery.

Being magical isn’t everything Jake hoped it would be.

Jake knew he was meant for something more than the normal teen life he pretended to live. There has to be more to life than ticking down the moments until the mindless drudgery of school ended each day. And then his father disappeared.

Vanishing before Jake’s eyes, his father abandons him to a hidden world of wizards and magic, thrusting Jake into the middle of a war he’s not prepared to fight. A war in which more than his life is at stake. Hounded by the Dark Knights, Jake holds the key to the Drogue. A myth. A legend. So old, even the storybooks have all but forgotten its story. Jake doesn’t know why the Dark Knights think he has it, but he must find it before they find him.

For where the Dark Knights go, death follows.


***Series has been republished as The Shadow Army Trilogy***

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult, Magic, Paranormal

271 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 13, 2016

About the author

Born and raised in Anchorage, M.A. Nichols is a lifelong Alaskan, though she briefly ventured south to get a fancy bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and a master’s degree from Utah State University—neither of which had anything to do with why she became an author, but they kept her alive while launching her publishing career.

As a child she despised reading, but thanks to her mother’s love and persistence, she saw the error of her ways and developed a deep and abiding obsession with books. Currently, she writes sweet historical romance and fantasy, but as a lover of many genres, she plans to explore more in the future.

Reviews

[Emily Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't help being pulled into this book. Annie's emotional and moral turmoil cause a great deal of loneliness in her world. Caught between protecting the people she loves and knowing she has the power to stop great evil from being unleashed. This book has twists, turns, and unexpected outcomes. Great read for any age. The characters have depth and interesting back stories. M.A. Nichols is witty and fun to read, and did an excellent job creating a rich world full of magic and adventure.

Can't wait to read part 2!

[M.A. Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course, I think this is a five star book, and I hope that you do, too!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

This whole book (the storytelling style, plot, character development, and world building) read a bit young to me. I don't normally read work written for an older middle school/young high school audience anymore since it's been decades since I've been that age. Nonetheless, I really enjoy this author's writing style and was curious to see what this decidedly non-Regency romance was about. Aside from how young everything seemed, the story was just alright. There are some really excellent middle school/YA fantasies out there. Unfortunately, this one fell short of that mark. However, I do have to say that the ending was not what I was expecting and makes me curious as to how the author is going to further develop this series.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its a great start to a new series....humor, tears and excitement. Although, there are questions and puzzles yet to be solved, I like that the first book has a conclusion, instead of a cliff hanger. I'm eager for the next one.

[Clara Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was much better than the original. There were a lot of times when I was reading the first book when I lost interest in the story even though when I was paying attention I was liking it. With this one I at first thought it was going to be okay it ended up really keeping me interested and wanting more. The writing was much better and that was one of the biggest reasons why I liked it more and it kept my interest more. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes good fantasy.

[M.A. Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

***The Shadow Army Trilogy is an updated version of the Trealtha Series with new titles, new edits, and even some changes to the story itself.***

This series will always have a tender place in my heart. It was the first I ever published and was definitely a big learning experience. It was my first dip into the publishing world and has had a significant impact in my life... so, yeah. I love it.

That said, my first stab at the series wasn't as good as it should have been, so this is my second go of it and is a far better story because of it.

[Scarolet Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smoke and Shadow by M.A. Nichols is a wonderful story to read. This is book number one in this wonderful start to a brand new series writen by a brand new author for me to read. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading about fantasy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun new series! Great opening book to what should be a great new series! Very enjoyable read. I will be passing this on to my son because I think he will love it.

[Davidbolenge · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Stephanie]

I must say. It is super fun to read a book that was written by someone I know personally. I loved seeing the authors' personal character pop up from time to time in her writing - while simultaneously witnessing the creation of a whole new world. I am certainly looking forward to the other books in the series.

This is a fantasy adventure and I would say it would be ideal for upper elementary on up to adults. It's a fun, fast read and I'm exited to see her grow as a writer and watch the rest of the story unfold from the very beginning of her writing career.

PS - my friend who wrote them would NEVER ask this of others on her own. So this is me being her unasked for advertising. If you do read this book and then leave your personal review here and on Amazon (especially Amazon) - it does volumes for her as an independent publisher. Hope you enjoy it!!!

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, but it seems to be impossible to get the sequels, so when I came to write this review my enjoyment of the books is outweighed by my irritation.

[Kristine’s Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was given to me by the author for an honest review.

This was an interesting book to read, there are things that I enjoyed about it and there are things that I could have done without. For me, the first half of the book was a bit dragging and it really took me awhile to get into the story. To be honest the premise of the book was interesting, but it didn't take the path I wanted it to. Since this is the first book, it was very much the introduction to the people and world. The world building was executed well, but I was a bit disappointed that the magical world wasn't as magical and mystical as other fantasy novels. I did enjoy that there were other magical creatures and we got to see them. However, I feel that there were too many characters that are being followed that I got a bit confused at all the POVs.

That being said, I didn't really get attached to any of the characters, which really sucked because there were so many of them. I feel that there wasn't really a main protagonist, but rather everyone has equal parts to contribute to the story. I'm not sure if this is the reason why I didn't really get attached to any of them, since there really wasn't someone that we get to know thoroughly. The one thing I would have wished is that the author took a bit longer to look through my blog to see some of my preference. I hated the ending and even though I wasn't that invested in the story, the ending broke my heart.

The book is well written, unfortunately its just not my alley. I believe others will enjoy the book and should be at least check out by everyone who is interested in fantasy novels.

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really didn't like this series. It was too dark and graphically gory. The bad guys were really bad and their actions throughly detailed. It was just disturbing. I thought I'd let my 14-year old son read this, but after finishing the series, I don't think I will. I just kept waiting for things to get better and to have a happy ending, and they never really did. It was kind of depressing.

[Clara Gee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that the book was fantastic. One of the things I liked was the vampire blood bank. It was funny, interesting and a good idea for vampires. My favorite character in this book was Jake. Now from what i hear most peoples favorite character was Annie. I really liked Annie I truly did. My issue though with her was you don't know much about her. with Jake you know more about him because he is pretty much the main character of this book. My favorite part of this book was when Jake wanted to give Mason a big high five because of what he said to his son. For me I found that hilarious. I also really like how he stayed through the entire book. I also like how he dealt with Dad being gone, it was pretty admirable. I also really liked how strong and fearless Annie was. I liked how she was always trying to help other and not herself. From the beginning to the end her motives were always about helping others and she was never really concerned about herself. Another thing that helped me enjoy the book was the friendships. I liked how even after Annie's friends found out she had been lying to them and she was the daughter of a dangerous criminal they still wanted to be her friend. Not only that but they stood up for her when people were bad mouthing her. So that is why I liked the book and I totally recommend this book to everyone.

[Terri Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I was contacted by the author to review this book. I got it through Kindle Unlimited but then liked it so much, I bought it.**

Creating worlds is hard, and it takes talent and skill to do it well. This author nails it. From the very beginning, the reader is drawn into this alternate universe and the real world drama that the main character, Annie, has to face. I felt the author did a great job of "showing" the story instead of "telling" the story. The author goes beyond the typical YA fantasy tropes we see today. Yes, the kids in the book are wizards going to school, but the story becomes more twisted and involved so it transforms the reader into a new fantasy world. I really appreciated that the characters in this book acted and reacted like real young adults. They react to situations just like the young adults I know in my life. I'm looking forward to reading the next book.

[Carinne Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not generally a fan of books written for kids...for myself to read of course. I feel differently if I'm actually reading them to my children. This one was fun. It was a great start to a series. It was funny and had some plot surprises which were unexpected. I also thought the author's take on magic was unique, especially for a plot subject which is so common among children's/YA books. Fun book, recommend it for your kids or yourself if you're looking for something clean, fun and light.

[NormaCenva · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a very easy going, clean reading fro youngsters. A bit like if you'd mix "Harry Potter" series and "Dust: Before and After" together. Great cover art, and high quality paper, that is sturdy for reading on the go. Welcoming shift, and good formatting. Interesting steady characters, especially enjoyed the parts in the book where the mother situation was discussed and/or touched upon. Pleasant overall.

[Curtis Rappleye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful!

I don't read much YA books but this one intrigued me. I'm glad I read it and I look forward to the next book!

[Julie Bragdon · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s another ordinary day in the life of high school student Jake Faltz. That is until a menacing stranger appears in a cloud of black smoke. He demands that Jake give him the Drogue. Jake manages to escape and along the way discovers that he is really a wizard. A sinister group called the Dark Knights is after him because they think he has a magical amulet. Believed to be a weapon of enormous magical destruction, no one is quite sure that the Drogue actually exists. But just in case and for his own protection, Jake is whisked away to the Widtsoe Academy in Alaska. It is here that he begins to learn how to use the magic he has always felt in the air around him.
Unbeknownst to Jake, he was sold out to the Dark Knights by Annie. A halfling who is on the run, Annie is really Princess Zhiana of the Nymphs. Plagued by guilt, she comes to Widtsoe to protect Jake and fails miserably.
The Drogue is the first installment in Treáltha trilogy. While it takes a third of the book for M.A. Nichols to ramp up the action, the later parts show promise of an exciting series. Nichols clearly spent a lot of time developing the magic and the limitations of it are precisely defined. A wand doesn’t have indefinite amounts of magic, for example, it needs to be recharged. The highlights of the book are without question the scenes in which magic occurs. When arch nemesis Cassandra Pace brews her bubbling, boiling potions, it is so deliciously macabre that is sends shivers down your spine.
A little tweaking to connect scenes and catch the odd slip-ups would improve the overall smoothness of the story. It’s in the ordinary bits that Nichols sometimes falls short. Clearly, she is most enamoured of the magic. By far, the biggest upset comes at the end of the novel, when we discover that Jake is not really the main character, Annie is.
As a magical brew of action and adventure, Nichols has almost, but not quite, got it. All it needs is a little dash of ... something... to bring all the flavours together. A little eye of newt? The ground bones of a fairy? Whatever it is, if Nichols could capture it in the next installment, she would be writing pure magic.