The Shadow of the Blade will return to full price on December 4th.
From #1 bestselling author R.R. King
I have no name, but my enemies call me Shadow.
I have killed the mightiest of warriors. Read books that have not been written yet. Drowned my enemies in their own blood and looked madness in the eyes. I've danced with Death herself and coerced her into letting me live. I've lied and uttered truths. Sinned and never forgave myself.
Raised by a blind woman in the seclusion of a deep well, and then thrust out to an unforgiving world of the Seven Seasons, I seek an understanding of things not understood, salvation of from puzzles never solved, and most of all, a quest to find out who I am and what I was made for.
I'm warrior of words, slayer of souls, tamer of tides, and I answer to no one but my blade.This is my story. It's up to you to decide, if I am a liar or a legend, man or myth.
That's if you can handle the truth... that the quest for light is a journey into darkness.
No name, but called Shadow by enemies... This warrior of words curiously snares and weaves the reader into his quest, together seeking an audience with the King. Along the way, we're left to determine if the warrior is liar or legend, man or myth.
The Seven Seasons is a world richly envisioned, with magic and filled with intrigue. Exciting, inventive, intelligent, complex. Vivid imaginings, lyrical prose.
Very different in its approach, good word building, story moves quickly, character is not yet fully defined yet but I guess we'll see it in book two. Can't wait for it
This story brings to the reader philosophical questions and major wonderings about the characters, the books they read and their interactions with each other. It makes the reader wonder about the seasons and why they are called those names and makes the reader dive deeper into the story to figure out what is real and what is not.
A little wonderful novella, with a fascinating story. This book deserves the attention of fantasy aficionados out there. It is a relatively short book, not more than 120 pages, but it delivers a very intriguing story. I hope that this little unpolished gem gets noticed by the fantasy reading community, and give a boost to the talented author.
The worldbuilding is brilliant, and the mythology has some resonance with the Biblical mythos. The seven Kingdoms are named as seasons, and there are perpetual natural hazards like cold, rain, dryness etc, permeating them as a curse placed by the Seven creators. I think that the seven creators are modeled upon the seven Seraphims or the Archons of God. There is also the hint of the seven deadly sins present in the world, which made the creators place their curse upon the land to awash and purify from its evil.
The story is also filled with suspense and tension. The chapters are brief, and done with the first person narrative which reminded me of Kvothe. The writing is pretty strong, and there are poetical aphorisms which keeps the prose its quality. The magic is captivating, based on music and some esoteric rituals. What impressed me was the way the author has decided to tell the story in the form of brief vignettes by the protagonist. Shadow, the protagonist is a very unreliable narrator, and his story although meticulously and beautifuly told raises doubts and suspicions, which makes the reader incapable of guessing the truth and the mystery.
The characters are also great and particularly interesting. King Thorn is a well-learned and a powerful king ruling in the season of cold. He has dragons and potent magic on his side, and no one can get to him easily. He is a little paranoid, but his demeanor is mighty and haughty, and also quite callous and intelligent. Our protagonist Shadow is quite mysterious, which adds more intrigue to the story. He is a proficient warrior, a young man well versed in the letters as well as the three swords that he carries. He tells the entire story, and it's multi-layered filled with truths and lies which are indecipherable. There is no backstory of his origin, and the author only provides a few glimpses in to his past which only further makes him mysterious.
The central motif of the novella is a sort of prophecy, the death of the king to get rid of the lands curse. The motive of our protagonist is still vague and unknown, and the presence of his dubious stepmother makes the issue more shadowy. The story is executed with a wealth of detail, and here we get to visit the season of snow, and the season of rain where the events of the first story happens and takes place. The rainy atmosphere is well described, and the author wonderfully delineates on the magic and power of music in this story.
This book is a self-published gem, rough at the edges, but it is imbued with quality. There were a few spelling and grammatical errors, which would've been avoided if a professional editor scanned the draft. I want it to be picked up by a major publisher, as it truly has a enticing potential. I hope that the author will publish the sequels, because it's really has an amazing storyarc.
I was hoping I'd get to learn all 7 stories this book. I was sad to learn I had to wait just as the king. This reminds me a lot of dune without the political types of stuff. It's a world I'm now very much invested in. I love shadow... I'll always root for the underdog. ❤
FTC DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVED AN E-ARC FROM THE AUTHOR. RECEIPT OF THIS BOOK IN THIS MANNER DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION OF THE BOOK OR THE CONTENT OF MY REVIEW
I have no name but my enemies call me Shadow. I have killed the mightiest of warriors and read books that haven’t been written, yet. I was raised by a blind woman in the seclusion of a well, where I was taught and trained to face any challenges I may face before being thrust into the unforgiving world of the Seven Seasons. I’m on a quest to find out who I am and what I was made for. Listen to my story and decide for yourself if I’m a loser at or a legend.
The story starts with Shadow requesting an audience with the King, for he has news that he knows the King will be interested in. After he surpasses the challenge to get into the palace, the King tells Shadow that he must tell the story to prove his news. This story was captivating from the first paragraph. So much detail went into the storyline and character development. Every base was covered. Honestly, I can’t wait for book 2 when Shadow continues his story for the King.
I received a snippet of this book from the author to review and give feedback on. It has a mythic Norse feel to it, and it struck me as intriguing from the start. The author captures your attention right from the start with young Shadow wanting to see the King, but there are obstacles in his way. The mood, details and story will sweep you up immediately. I am so happy to finally have the full book to finish! 5 stars!
Loved reading a fresh story that isn’t like every other fantasy out there. This is the first book in a new epic fantasy series and I’m already hooked. I can’t wait to find out more about Shadow, the remaining Season’s rulers, and what his goal is related to King Thorne. Shadow is a warrior who was raised to complete a prophecy but how he’ll do that will be told through the remaining books.
If you don't read this, you're missing out :) Epic, subtle, dramatic and abstract. Like a hand drawn scene on a blank slate. So much is still in shadow that I can't wait for the next 6 books...
Not quite 4 stars but solid 3.5. Kind of weird, a little flowery, and a bit conceited (not really, but that's the best way I can describe it). I like the storyline and I like where the author seems to be going. A very solid effort that has faint echoes is Zelazney (I kept thinking about Jack of Shadows) . Unfortunately there were quite a few editing errors, normally that doesn't bother me, but with such a short book it was distracting. Look forward to the next book.
A book that is quite addictive to read yet you never truly understand. This is a really good piece of writing and has a feel of a classical story more than modern Fiction, which is one of the main reasons it is worth a try.
This book won't appeal to those who enjoy super fast paced bloody action on every page And is one to take some time reading despite being quite a short book.
R.R. King writes an intriguing and alluring tale of the Shadow, a character cloaked in his own mysterious childhood and adulthood. The author divulges bits and pieces of his past and powers slowly and carefully, keeping the reader intrigued and committed to finishing the story. Editing prevented me from bestowing a five star rating. Anxiously awaiting the next Season!
Not your normal innocent finds out they are special and must save the world kind of story. Author paints a world of vastly different cultures and customs. And the story is mostly told through stories and lies. Skittles slow with not a lot of action,but thought provoking and worth reading.
I am not even sure how i stumbled upon this treasure of a book but im sure glad i did! I love the fact that there is so much mystery behind Shadow, leaving me wanting more and more. I cant wait to read the next one. Few typos here and there but other than that it will be listed as one of my favorites. Well done!!
While the grammar and spelling need a bit of help, overall I loved this story. It captured my imagination and aroused my curiosity. If you need another beta reader and prof reader let me know.
I was hooked in the first chapter. A well written story that keeps you turning the next page. The characters are all well woven into your mind. I read this book in one very long night Wish the next book was already here!