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War of the Magi #1
Shadows of the Empire
Out of the darkness emerges a young girl who can save the world—if the empire doesn’t kill her first.
For her entire childhood, Zelda has only known homelessness, hardship, and hostilities toward her and the other magi. Fearing their powers, the empire and its citizens persecute magi without mercy or cause, believing them to be the greatest threat to humanity.
But just south of the imperial capital lies an ancient dragon so deadly, legend says it can tear asunder an entire city in a single night. Soldiers cannot conquer it. Dragon hunters avoid it. Even magi fear it.
Greed and fear, however, are driving powerful political figures to hunt the dragon. And in doing so, they may bring about their very end—unless Zelda and the other magi can look past centuries of genocide.
Should the lust of those in power awaken this mythical monster, the world’s only hope lies in the shadows of the empire.
For her entire childhood, Zelda has only known homelessness, hardship, and hostilities toward her and the other magi. Fearing their powers, the empire and its citizens persecute magi without mercy or cause, believing them to be the greatest threat to humanity.
But just south of the imperial capital lies an ancient dragon so deadly, legend says it can tear asunder an entire city in a single night. Soldiers cannot conquer it. Dragon hunters avoid it. Even magi fear it.
Greed and fear, however, are driving powerful political figures to hunt the dragon. And in doing so, they may bring about their very end—unless Zelda and the other magi can look past centuries of genocide.
Should the lust of those in power awaken this mythical monster, the world’s only hope lies in the shadows of the empire.
- GenresFantasy
402 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 29, 2017
31 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Allan
27 books12 followersFrom the time that he zoned out of elementary school to dream about visiting planets beyond our galaxy, Stephen has always fantasized about great worlds, fantastic journeys and incredible stories. After going through some real life journeys in his adolescence and young adulthood, Stephen has returned to the fantasy and sci-fi realm and turned those creative thoughts into real words through his science fantasy and epic fantasy stories.
A graduate of Duke in 2010, Stephen moved to Las Vegas that summer to become a professional poker player, a journey that would eventually lead him to create "The Wild Card," a real-life-turned-fiction novel. He then lived in a series of places, residing in Charlotte, Vegas again, Los Angeles and Montana, all accruing stories and ideas in his head for future work. He then entered the fantasy world with “The Kastori Chronicles” young adult fantasy series. His work has been featured on "The Writership Podcast" and other media.
He now lives in Raleigh near his family and his alma mater. He loves improv, Duke basketball, his two dogs and traveling (especially to Montana). You can reach him at stephen@stephenaallan.com.
A graduate of Duke in 2010, Stephen moved to Las Vegas that summer to become a professional poker player, a journey that would eventually lead him to create "The Wild Card," a real-life-turned-fiction novel. He then lived in a series of places, residing in Charlotte, Vegas again, Los Angeles and Montana, all accruing stories and ideas in his head for future work. He then entered the fantasy world with “The Kastori Chronicles” young adult fantasy series. His work has been featured on "The Writership Podcast" and other media.
He now lives in Raleigh near his family and his alma mater. He loves improv, Duke basketball, his two dogs and traveling (especially to Montana). You can reach him at stephen@stephenaallan.com.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 13, 2018
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Great book! The book follows several characters who don’t know each other at the start of the book. Zelda is a young girl with magic who must hide who she is because of a cruel ruler who hates magic. Eric was 10 when his mom and sister were killed by a fierce dragon and years later he has dedicated his life to the Dragon Guild so one day he can find out which dragon killed his family and seek revenge.
The beginning of the book started a little slow for me but the end flew by and I couldn’t put it down. Both protagonists have their own goals but seek to do the right thing for the people around them. Unfortunately, there are several people of influence who have their own agenda. The book ends with us getting a little closer to finding out what those agendas are but I need book 2 now in order to get more information!
Great book! The book follows several characters who don’t know each other at the start of the book. Zelda is a young girl with magic who must hide who she is because of a cruel ruler who hates magic. Eric was 10 when his mom and sister were killed by a fierce dragon and years later he has dedicated his life to the Dragon Guild so one day he can find out which dragon killed his family and seek revenge.
The beginning of the book started a little slow for me but the end flew by and I couldn’t put it down. Both protagonists have their own goals but seek to do the right thing for the people around them. Unfortunately, there are several people of influence who have their own agenda. The book ends with us getting a little closer to finding out what those agendas are but I need book 2 now in order to get more information!
January 19, 2018
Zelda, with a goal for peace.
Eric, on a path towards revenge.
Artemia, on a quest for power.
Kara, with a desire for freedom.
I was surprised that we followed four distinct points of view throughout this book. Each of them had their own plot lines and charm, which I greatly appreciate. I was skeptical going into this book about how much I was going to enjoy the experience, simply because I usually don’t love High Fantasy stories. Normally, I find them too confusing to follow and boring when it comes to the political aspect. However, I didn’t have any of those issues with this book. I loved the world and the magic system that the author created. It wasn’t littered with loads of political terms or family trees that I couldn’t remember. I grew to care so much for the characters in such a short period of time, that I actually had to take a break. Less than 50 pages left of the book.. and I had to put it down because I was just so not ready for the final event and it’s after effects. I was afraid that it would leave off at a huge cliff hanger like a lot of books do to get you to buy the next one.. and I wouldn’t know what happened to my characters. Actually, it wrapped up nicely. That in itself was refreshing to see, but then it also gave us clues for what’s to come in the sequel.. which I am very excited for.
There were a couple of problems that I had while reading this. While I do love the magic system that has been introduced, I feel like it needs to be expanded on. The concept and types of magic that the Magi possess has such potential, so I hope we see that in the next book. Also, I felt like Zelda’s voice and tone didn’t exactly match her character perfectly. I realize that she’s been through so much and is more mature than most girls her age, but with the way it’s written, it just doesn’t click for me. That being said, her dialogue not always matching her age did not affect my enjoyment of this story.
🛑SPOILERS AHEAD🛑
I just want to say that I LOVE the concept of the Southlands and all of the horrible creatures that reside there. Ever since that was mentioned, I was hoping that we would travel there and have dangerous adventures. I’m very eager to see what the author has in store for us in that land, with all of our characters.
Eric, on a path towards revenge.
Artemia, on a quest for power.
Kara, with a desire for freedom.
I was surprised that we followed four distinct points of view throughout this book. Each of them had their own plot lines and charm, which I greatly appreciate. I was skeptical going into this book about how much I was going to enjoy the experience, simply because I usually don’t love High Fantasy stories. Normally, I find them too confusing to follow and boring when it comes to the political aspect. However, I didn’t have any of those issues with this book. I loved the world and the magic system that the author created. It wasn’t littered with loads of political terms or family trees that I couldn’t remember. I grew to care so much for the characters in such a short period of time, that I actually had to take a break. Less than 50 pages left of the book.. and I had to put it down because I was just so not ready for the final event and it’s after effects. I was afraid that it would leave off at a huge cliff hanger like a lot of books do to get you to buy the next one.. and I wouldn’t know what happened to my characters. Actually, it wrapped up nicely. That in itself was refreshing to see, but then it also gave us clues for what’s to come in the sequel.. which I am very excited for.
There were a couple of problems that I had while reading this. While I do love the magic system that has been introduced, I feel like it needs to be expanded on. The concept and types of magic that the Magi possess has such potential, so I hope we see that in the next book. Also, I felt like Zelda’s voice and tone didn’t exactly match her character perfectly. I realize that she’s been through so much and is more mature than most girls her age, but with the way it’s written, it just doesn’t click for me. That being said, her dialogue not always matching her age did not affect my enjoyment of this story.
🛑SPOILERS AHEAD🛑
I just want to say that I LOVE the concept of the Southlands and all of the horrible creatures that reside there. Ever since that was mentioned, I was hoping that we would travel there and have dangerous adventures. I’m very eager to see what the author has in store for us in that land, with all of our characters.
August 30, 2017
*I received a free ARC of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.*
Shadows of the Empire has everything you would look for in a traditional epic fantasy novel: magic, dragons, an unjust tyrannical ruler, ‘chosen one’ orphans on journeys of growth and quests of legend.
What makes Shadows particularly stand-out is the introduction and development of the two main characters, Zelda and Eric. The two fulfil all of the criteria for stereotypical fantasy protagonists, but Allan has managed to bring them to life as real individuals. The reader sees their thoughts and feelings; sees their strengths and weaknesses; watches them grow in ability, understanding and maturity as the plot progresses. The relationships depicted are also natural and develop at a realistic pace: bonds are not forged instantaneously but through getting to know people and respect them.
The plot is gripping, well-written and well-paced, with plenty of tension, action and intrigue. Background information (such as the history of the empire, and the legends of the dragons) is filtered smoothly into the flow so as not to disrupt the reader’s immersion in current events. The plot arc for this first novel in the series follows the characters as they begin to hone their skills to deal with the ‘third greatest’ legendary dragon their world has to offer. It is evident how this will lead into the rest of the series, but the author also introduces a more subtle series-arc involving the segregation of magi from humans, the individual ambitions of certain individuals, and the question of whether means can justify ends if the final aim is peace for all.
Cleverly, this first book ended in raising more questions than the few it answered: what motivates the dragons; how is the dragon-essence linked to the magic of the magi; what really happened to the legendary mage and his wife; why is Zelda different from other magi, and is Artemia telling the truth about what happened to Eric’s family? Much like any serial drama, I guess we’ll have to tune in to the next installment to find out…!
Shadows of the Empire has everything you would look for in a traditional epic fantasy novel: magic, dragons, an unjust tyrannical ruler, ‘chosen one’ orphans on journeys of growth and quests of legend.
What makes Shadows particularly stand-out is the introduction and development of the two main characters, Zelda and Eric. The two fulfil all of the criteria for stereotypical fantasy protagonists, but Allan has managed to bring them to life as real individuals. The reader sees their thoughts and feelings; sees their strengths and weaknesses; watches them grow in ability, understanding and maturity as the plot progresses. The relationships depicted are also natural and develop at a realistic pace: bonds are not forged instantaneously but through getting to know people and respect them.
The plot is gripping, well-written and well-paced, with plenty of tension, action and intrigue. Background information (such as the history of the empire, and the legends of the dragons) is filtered smoothly into the flow so as not to disrupt the reader’s immersion in current events. The plot arc for this first novel in the series follows the characters as they begin to hone their skills to deal with the ‘third greatest’ legendary dragon their world has to offer. It is evident how this will lead into the rest of the series, but the author also introduces a more subtle series-arc involving the segregation of magi from humans, the individual ambitions of certain individuals, and the question of whether means can justify ends if the final aim is peace for all.
Cleverly, this first book ended in raising more questions than the few it answered: what motivates the dragons; how is the dragon-essence linked to the magic of the magi; what really happened to the legendary mage and his wife; why is Zelda different from other magi, and is Artemia telling the truth about what happened to Eric’s family? Much like any serial drama, I guess we’ll have to tune in to the next installment to find out…!
June 10, 2019
I will try to keep this largely spoiler free, but just to be sure, expect there to be a few spoilers, that way if there are, you won't be disappointed.
Just finished reading this book, coming into it, I wasn't expecting too much, and the first few chapters weren't too interesting. As the story progressed, however, and the various characters started getting fleshed out more and more, things started getting more interesting.
Things I liked:
- Magi aren't depicted as overpowered, instead, most magi are depicted as being weak, or at the
very least mostly using their magic for everyday life scenarios; cooking, lighting candles or
lanterns, enhancing their body in various ways.
- Magi are also dependent on using tools in order to safely use their magic, with only the female
protagonist - Zelda - being the only (as of the end of book 1) exception to the rule.
- Zelda, while often being told by others around her that she is very powerful, is depicted having
only a slightly above average understanding and power, and still needs to train to get stronger
and have more control over her magic, as well as learning new magic.
- The Author chose to write the world of the book in a way that makes it actually seem to fit the
story, where death, homelessness, split Capital City between the rich and the poor, and many
other things that clearly lets the reader know what an unfriendly and dangerous world it is/can be
What I didn't like:
- The chapters are rather large in page count, some reaching as many pages as in the 30s.
- The dates being difficult to keep track of, as the number of days passing on one trip changes later
on as the characters think back to how long the trip took.
- I would add more, but as I am writing this, I can't remember anything else, if anything it would
just be more things that I like.
Just finished reading this book, coming into it, I wasn't expecting too much, and the first few chapters weren't too interesting. As the story progressed, however, and the various characters started getting fleshed out more and more, things started getting more interesting.
Things I liked:
- Magi aren't depicted as overpowered, instead, most magi are depicted as being weak, or at the
very least mostly using their magic for everyday life scenarios; cooking, lighting candles or
lanterns, enhancing their body in various ways.
- Magi are also dependent on using tools in order to safely use their magic, with only the female
protagonist - Zelda - being the only (as of the end of book 1) exception to the rule.
- Zelda, while often being told by others around her that she is very powerful, is depicted having
only a slightly above average understanding and power, and still needs to train to get stronger
and have more control over her magic, as well as learning new magic.
- The Author chose to write the world of the book in a way that makes it actually seem to fit the
story, where death, homelessness, split Capital City between the rich and the poor, and many
other things that clearly lets the reader know what an unfriendly and dangerous world it is/can be
What I didn't like:
- The chapters are rather large in page count, some reaching as many pages as in the 30s.
- The dates being difficult to keep track of, as the number of days passing on one trip changes later
on as the characters think back to how long the trip took.
- I would add more, but as I am writing this, I can't remember anything else, if anything it would
just be more things that I like.
January 20, 2023
Zelda had known persecution and poverty and homelessness all her life as in the city of Caia the King had declared magic wielders to be outcasts and the non-magic users were incited to fear and hate them. Zelda wanted to escape Caia and travel to Dabira, a city which allowed magis to practise freely and without persecution but her mother was too weak to make the voyage and they needed to purchase a travel permit. Her mother gave up her life for Zelda and she vowed she would always use her magic for good as her mother told her to do. A massive dragon was threatening the lives of the citizens of Caia and though the Emperor in his arrogance thought that his army would be enough to kill it he had to except that he needed both the dragon hunters as well as the magi who he hated. The hunters came from Mathos and Artemia their leader had the ear of the king, whilst the shadows of darkness, a guild of magi who lived in secret in Caia were also ready to do battle with the dragon Indica. The emperor had to accept that if the magi helped and rid the city of the threat he would allow them passage to Dabira and freedom from persecution. However Kara the leader of the shadows was as ambitious and power hungry as both the Emperor and Artemia, and none of them could really be trusted. Whilst people like Sera and Eric were just pawns being used by them, even though they too had their own agendas to meet. I love this very powerful 1st book in this magical series with massive battles against dragons as well as against the prejudice of humans, and I hope that Sera and Eric get to live in peace after so much turmoil internally and externally but for this we have to read the next book in the series.
September 5, 2017
his book follows two teens and their adventures. One is a dragon hunter, focused purely on that. The other is a young girl, a mage whose mother is killed by the soldiers of the empire, but still keeps faith that she can reform the emperor and make mages free, rather than being persecuted. They are both involved in fighting a legendary dragon, who has decimated all before it.
An easy to read book and a good tale.
An easy to read book and a good tale.
August 22, 2019
Book 1 shadows
Book 1 had errors throughout and was a fun read. The plot and characters started off strong and then digressed towards the end. The female character was smart and whitty, but towards the ending became naive and complained a lot. The male character was the same, even in his stoic manner, digressed towards the end. The overall was fun to read and I look forward to book 2.
Book 1 had errors throughout and was a fun read. The plot and characters started off strong and then digressed towards the end. The female character was smart and whitty, but towards the ending became naive and complained a lot. The male character was the same, even in his stoic manner, digressed towards the end. The overall was fun to read and I look forward to book 2.
September 15, 2017
I wasn't sure if i was going to like this book. And I didn't... I loved it. it has everything you look for in a fantasy adventure. You have Dragons, Dragon Hunters, Wizards and Witches and a emperor that thinks he's a God.
I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 25, 2017
Very good story
If you like dragons, dragon hunters and mages you will find them in this book. A well written story and well developed characters makes this an enjoyable read. I highly recommend this book.
If you like dragons, dragon hunters and mages you will find them in this book. A well written story and well developed characters makes this an enjoyable read. I highly recommend this book.
September 15, 2017
Good Action Adventure!
If you like magic, dragons and fighting this is the book for you.
If you like magic, dragons and fighting this is the book for you.
January 6, 2018
This book is a great read for people who like forbidden magic, dragons, and dragon hunters. As soon as I started I was lost within the world in the pages. Can’t wait to read the next one.
March 8, 2018
This was a good read! Stephen has created a believable world of magic that will keep you enthralled to the end. Can't wait for the next installment.
July 18, 2021
I couldn't even get into this book to read it.
November 10, 2022
Great easy high fantasy
This is very user friendly fantasy. Its great but accessible to newbies. There isn't pages upon pages of useless descriptions.
This is very user friendly fantasy. Its great but accessible to newbies. There isn't pages upon pages of useless descriptions.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews