Shadowlith

Umbral Blade #1

by Stuart Thaman

Alistair the Fourth was a mighty general from a long-forgotten war. Four hundred years later, Alster Lightbridge is barely a shadow of his legendary namesake. Crippled and confined to his family’s estate, he spends his days dreaming of something larger than himself—something worthy of his name.

Encouraged by his tutor to explore the Lightbridge archive, Alster discovers a magical dagger with the power to cleave shadows from their bodies. Blade in hand, Alster finally understands his purpose, though he needs to find a four-centuries-old grave in order to fulfill it.

Genres: Fantasy

275 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 17, 2017

About the author

International best-selling author Stuart Thaman!

Stuart Thaman was born and grew up in Ohio. He attended Hillsdale College as well as Chase College of Law and currently holds degrees in politics, German, classical political philosophy, and law. He is a licensed and practicing member of the Kentucky Bar.

Stuart Thaman is also the lead guitarist for the extreme metal band Saxo Grammaticus.

Check out all the wonderful words of epic fantasy and LitRPG at www.stuartthamanbooks.com. Join the mailing list for a free book!

Head over to www.nefhousepublishing.com for even more cool stuff!

Reviews

[Beverly Laude · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alster is a cripple due to his father's abuse & temper. When his tutor challenges him to find something interesting in the archives, he finds a pair of gauntlets that probably belonged to the ancestor for whom he is named: Alistair the Fourth.

When Alster puts on the gauntlets, something happens to him. He feels stronger & able to finally fight for himself. The adventure begins when he leaves home with his friend, Elsey, in order to try to find the rest of Alistair's armor.

Well-developed characters, wonderful world building, and lots of adventure. The idea of shadows being an entity separate from humans is intriguing. This is not only a fantasy, it is also the story of a young man overcoming his infirmities & facing his father.

I was given the opportunity to read this book & chose to review it.

[William Mehl]

Winning this book on goodreads was a treat. Stuart Thaman has used his imagination to come up with a brilliant book that kept me guessing to the very end.

[Seraphia Bunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shadowlith by Stuart Thaman is an engaging fantasy novel that will hook you in from the beginning and keep you engaged all the way to the end. Shadowlith is book one in this author's Umbral Blade series. In this book we are introduced to Alster. Alster is a young man who wants to be a fighter like his brother. However, due to a cruel twist of fate he is crippled. He wasn't born that way though. No. His father in a fit of rage beat him until he broke him. Alster has never been the same since unable to walk very well. Alster knows that his father prefers his older brother. The servants all sympathize with Alster but they dare not show him any open comfort for fear of bringing down his father's wrath upon them. One day, after being given a task by his tutor, Alster, with the aide of a friend, discovers a secret room and some arm bands that were hidden within. Later on, one of the servants tells Alster he should run away because it's only a matter of time before he is another dead body buried in the back. So he flees but not before coming into contact with something that shouldn't be....a shade. All the shades were supposed to have been destroyed years ago by his name sake but he confronts one not once but twice. Now he is on the run with his friend on a mission to find the rest of the armor in a quest to become more.
Shadowlith is an engaging fantasy novel that will have you turning pages and not wanting to put the book down. The story starts off with a man on a mission. He seeks a book, a spell, a key to bring back his dead wife. He's been searching for years and now he feels that he is closer to the end of his quest. His search has worn at him for all the years that he has searched. The search has driven him mad but still he pushes on. This story is so well woven. Each character is coming together and their paths will all cross but what will the end hold? The shades are stirring, attacking and waking. What all does it mean? Alster's father seeks greatness and he will do whatever he must to acquire this. He seeks that greatness at the helm of a great war that he wishes to see. Alster seeks to be stronger but at what cost will each gain what it is that they seek?
There is absolutely nothing that I don't like about this book. I was immediately engaged from the beginning. I wanted to know who the mad man was and why he sought what he seeks. I was saddened by Alster's situation and how he has suffered and been ignored by his father. But it appears that destiny has a special place in mind for him. There are twists, surprises and so much more in this story. The writer has really done a great job bringing this story to life. I love it.
I am rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. I cannot wait for the next book in this series. If you are looking for a unique story that will be hard to put down then this is the book to pick up. But be prepared to not put it down until you're done.

[Billy Rodriguez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Edit: Finishing right now, and I had to pause. For ****'s sake, the author has a real problem with not putting all of his thoughts down on the page. Often times key info is just left out, and you have to guess that something happened. Not so much in a "read between the lines" sort of way, as more in a "the lines are missing" sort of way. It's just supposed to be assumed that (spoilers)...





Alistair still has the dagger? It wasn't mentioned aside from him clutching it before reaching the Shadow King. Are we to assume that his shade carried it to his hand as it absorbed into him? Or, does the Shadow King magically have it. It's needed to make the shade army, so if Alistair still had it, it should have been left with Alster (by the way, I **** hate that their names are almost the same, it gets confusing; and, are they meant to be pronounced alike, or are they how they seem phonetically?).

Also, the plot just seems to move on as it needs, with characters just randomly deciding to go placed when it is necessary.

Edit 2: Palos' end felt particularly cruel, and unnecessary. I know we are supposed to hate him and think his own men should as well, but that is not well set up. We're supposed to find Alster's actions heroic and deserved, but I don't. It also feels very out of place, given that the book is written like a middle grade fantasy, but the ending seems very grimdark; as does the earlier reference to Elsey being young for a camp follower.

Edit 3: Yeah, the rest of the book, though better, was not enough so to raise my rating. I will say that the Epilogue seemed much better written. It must have been written later, after the author had already started writing the next book. Still, after this book, I won't be continuing with the series.

Original review: DNF'd at page 174. I was going to force myself to finish this, but I seem to have misplaced it. If I find it, I'll finish it.

That said, I wasn't enjoying it. I wasn't expecting a story written for middle graders, but that's essentially the level of quality on display. Even then, the writing isn't great, and it could use an editor badly. I was hoping it would get better, because the premise sounded really good, but as of where I got, it had not.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this for an honest review.
What can I say? Bravo! You can’t help but feel for the main character Alistair. His home life is awful. I do wish We were told more of the reasons why it was so bad for him and why no one ever stood up for him anywhere in the castle. His father def had some major anger issues and decidedly always took them out on Alistair. To just be cast away like trash is horrible. The relationship between him and his brother is also a very nonevent. BUT the adventure he goes on to basically save himself from being killed by his father is amazing. I love the details about the shades and the dagger with magical powers from the pool. I love the interaction he had with his namesake and how he was accepted right away. Given a great task to continue and now knowing his purpose at least for now gives him all the confidence he is so desperately needing.
Glad the ending of his father was dealt out by Alistair but there was less emotion that I thought. I always assumed that when this came to pass it would be more than it was with more emotion. I dont know maybe that’s my view alone.
Looking forward to the next book. And looking forward to seeing how he and Else get on now that they are a package deal. How will they find the one thing that will hold the Shadow King? What will the relationship be between the resurrected Alistair the 4th and the young Alistair? Excited to find out!

[Natasha Clark-French · Rating 4 out of 5]

I volunteered to read and honestly review this book and I'm so happy I did! I was captured from the very beginning and I wasn't ready for it to end. Thaman is a wonderful author. The characters have depth and their emotions/reactions are true to themselves. There were never any dry spots in the writing and the storyline was easy to follow.
There were some hard spots to read but that was from the subject matter, not the writing itself. I'm really rooting for Alster to be the hero but I also see the potential to for him to loose himself in his new power. And his father! I freaking hate his father! He doesn't even deserve to have his name in this review! But wow, there were some brutal scenes.
Another aspect about this book is there's no love story! Generally when a young woman and man find them travelling and suffering together there's an undercurrent of their physical tension and desires. This series has to potential to head that way but the relationship was a pure friendship in this book. If a love story does arise I doubt Thaman will make it as consuming as I've seen in other stories.

I definitely want to continue this series and find other books by Thaman

[The Mysterious Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well done tale of coming to maturity, coming into one's own and having a grand adventure out of it. The kindle blurb gives a good hint of what's going on here. Alistair is sickly etc until he finds his distant ancestor's gauntlets in the family archives and, upon putting them in, becomes healthy and strong. He and his friend Elsey then go on a quest to find the rest of his ancestor's armor. Thrills and adventure then ensue in a pretty rousing tale. I'm looking forward to more of this and, who knows, perhaps Elsey and Alistair bracing more than just friends? No hint yet, but surely there's potential. Even if not, more of the same would be pretty darn excellent.

Definitely recommended.

[Raewynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book, by this author, that I have read and....can't wait for the next installment in the series!

A gripping storyline and intricate twists and turns that keep you guessing.

This takes you from madness, viciousness, love, anger, belief, determination and plain trust.

You are dragged into the storyline and spat out at the end wanting more.

Well done Stuart Thaman.

[Jim Galford · Rating 3 out of 5]

A magical dagger turns an invalid into a mighty force. Has shortcomings but readable.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free. I voluntarily left this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

This is the first book I have read by this author and what an introduction. This is the first book is the series Umbral Blade. The story revolves around Alistair, who is crippled as a result of his father's brutality. His father has a position high in the King's Army and values nothing more than the willingness and ability to fight - something Alistair's brother possesses but unfortunately Alistair does not. Alistair, with his friend Elsey, runs away from home. However, his father is informed that someone has kidnapped Alistair. His father is, of course, indifferent to this news. Of course, it is during the adventure in which Alistair begins to grow and learn about his background -- all of which eventually comes into play in the end. This story has some great action sequences and some touching moments. Alistair is a very sympathetic character, while is father is clearly the villain [with no real redeemable features, so a bit cardboard but still a good counterpoint to Alistair.] I really liked the friendship between Alistair and Elsey. This is very well written and I am interested to see how the story progresses.

As I listened to this book -- the narrator, J. Scott Bennett, was a great fit to this story. He did voices for the various characters and set a wonderful tone to the story. Part of the enjoyment of this book was the narration -- as a bad narrated story will distract or ruin a well written book, so to a good narrator can add or enhance a well written book. In this case, J. Scott Bennett enhanced and added polish to this diamond.

[Zachary · Rating 4 out of 5]

[note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review]
Overall, this was a well put together book. The conflicts raised were resolved and the story sets up a larger conflict which (I assume) will be resolved in later books - but there wasn't a cliffhanger ending, which was nice. The book was well-written and events unfolded in a reasonable manner.

I did have trouble connecting with the MC, which surprised me a little. I've lately enjoyed Thaman's books for their rather original premises. This one, too, has an interesting premise and Thaman's world-building hints at a fascinating world surrounding what we see in the book. But, I found myself struggling to care too much for the main character, at least until about the final quarter of the book. As the various story lines came together, the pace picked up and some foreshadowed conflicts emerged, I found myself drawn more deeply into the story. By the time I finished I was curious to see where the story goes next.

Overall, well-written book with an interesting premise (abused boy stumbles upon an opportunity to gain strength and power, this amidst "shadowlith" magic, which has potential to be a pretty interesting magical system). If that intrigues you, give it a shot and have patience for the story to unfold and the characters to grow on you.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alster was named for his battle mighty ancestor, Alistair the Fourth, who slayed the shades in the First Shade Conquest. But all his life he has been treated as inferior and worthless, and his older brother Jarix was always the favored some of Lord Palos. However, Alster may possess a talent that no one could have seen coming, and the previous Shade Conquest may not have been the last...

Because of his past, Alster had very few people in his life that he can truly trust, and even THOSE people may be fewer than he imagined. Alster must flee his hellish hole if he is to survive to adulthood, and with his companion Elsey by his side, they will travel the ends of the earth in search of adventure. But what they find awaiting them is beyond what either could have prepared for, and it may just be the death of them both.

I very much enjoyed this story. It has a very dated period of time, one which was very clearly expressed and easy to follow. There were also several POVs to follow, both friend and foe. I'm not typically a fan of multiple POVs, but I believe this was exactly the kind of story in which to use them. Overall, this was a fantastic read and I would highly recommend it to those who enjoy stories of old and possess a sense of adventure.

[Renata Riva · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Shadowlith” is the first book of the “Umbral Blade” series by Stuart Thaman. It tells the story of Alster Lightbridge, born in a noble family but plagued by a physical deformity caused by his father.

Alster is a shy boy who admires his ancestor Alistair and wants to be a hero like he was. To save himself from his father’s random punishments, Alster runs from home with the help of a servant’s daughter, Elsey. He is certain that his father won’t look for him. But his flight puts in motion dangerous forces.

I really enjoyed this novel that started like a coming of age story with a journey metaphor, but became more sinister in the second half. Alster is initially a victim. Understandably, he wants to change that, but growing up too fast may have a price.

The more disappointing figure in the book is Palos, Alster’s father, because, unlike the more ambiguous Alster, he is very predictable and too obviously the “bad guy”. However, I have the feeling that there would be more information about Alster’s family in the next books. We will see.

[Rabid Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great start to the Umbral Blade series, you are immediately enamored by Alistair's plight and your heart breaks for the cruelty and brutality he endures from his father. Hidden powers,
adventure, struggle, action, magic, battles and shades hold you captive in this action filled story. The narrator fit the story well and gives individual personalities to the characters, bringing out the tension and emotion in the story. I will look forward to seeing how things develop in the next book.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook: I really enjoyed this first book of the "Umbral Blade". The story was captivating. Once I started the audiobook, I found it hard to drag myself away from it. Having stated that, I did manage to finish this audiobook in one day. The story moved from one action packed scene to the next. The characters were fascinating. I'm hoping that there will be another book in this series soon. J. Scott Bennett's narration was great, and his performance kept my attention. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.

[Dragoonfliy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid read! I loved the lore in the book, possibly a little too much, because my major criticism of the book was that we didn't spend enough time exploring it! Shadowliths are cool and I wanted to learn more, though there's definitely something to be said with learning with Alster and Elsey.

Would love to get a sequel and see what happens!

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts wirh a bang, but you won't be losing interest once the initial fireworks are over. An amazing fantasy adventure centered around one boy's bravery and tenacity, Shadowlith is both thrilling and inspiring.

[Deedra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audible:Great story!I'm looking forward to more in this series!Very imaginative! J. Scott Bennett is the perfect narrator for this project.I was given this book by the narrator,author or publisher free for an honest review.

[Rhonda Rankin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book in a fantasy series. Enjoyed

[Dennis Stamey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating premise. Thaman the master is on a roll.