Shadows

Shadows #1

by Sam Blood

Have you ever felt that part of you is missing?

Lonely gamer Griffin is haunted by nightmares of a monster that killed his mother. When he is transported to a world of magical creatures called Shadows, everything he knows is turned upside down.

Griffin is rescued by an eccentric dragon-parrot named Cirrus and they instantly sense a connection to each other- a secret locked in their pasts that could change both of their worlds... forever. The unlikely pair are forced to flee, pursued by an Empire that views any relationship between human and Shadow as a dangerous sickness.

Hunted through floating cities and forests of giant proportions, Griffin and Cirrus must discover the truth about their connection before they are locked away for 'treatment', abandoned to a terrifying fate.

BOOK ONE IN THE SHADOWS SERIES

470 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2015

About the author

Sam Blood lives in Auckland, New Zealand, where he spends his days writing urban fantasy, eating, and trying to impress his spectacular Sri Lankan lawyer wife with plot twists. He started writing the first book about magical creatures called Shadows when he was nine years old, and frankly, things have spiralled out of control ever since. If you enjoyed his books, he’d really appreciate a quick rating or review—reviews help indie authors get seen! www.sambloodauthor.com www.instagram.com/sambloodauthor www.facebook.com/sambloodauthor


Dive into the Shadows universe with my other books:

Counterpart Academy: (Young Adult, Urban Fantasy)

A Warrior So Clever and Cursed (Prequel)
A School so Gorgeous and Fatal
A Princess so Noble and Vengeful

The Shadows Series: (Young Adult, Portal Fantasy)

Shadows
Raven
Cameron
Majestic
Eclipse
Winghold



Reviews

[Winterdragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked it! The story was engaging, the text had a great flow, and the action sequences were so intense at times that I could hardly put the book down. It felt very genuine emotion-wise too; the description of Griffin's feelings were suitably melodramatic for a teenager. I'm looking forward to the next book!

[Aelvana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Griffin has spent most of his life trying to forget the non-human friend he had when he was little. Before the accident. Before he lost his mom and his brother turned into a stranger. But a moment of rebellion sends him straight through a portal into another world---a monstrous world where none of the occupants are humans, but they have a mysterious connection to humans. Just what is the relationship between Shadows and humans? Why do so many want to kill over it? And what will become of Griffin, who has inadvertently stepped in the middle of all of this?

This was amazing. First, I just love the concept behind the Shadow world. Every occupant is nonhuman, and they range from familiar mythological creatures like satyrs and phoenixes to more unusual creatures like the half-parrot/half-dragon Cirrus. These all come together in a civilized society very like ours, with some adjustments for things like aerial traffic. And that's before the story even gets into what, exactly, the Shadows are and why that matters.

I like how this book handles soulmates. Too often it's a solely romantic relationship, or one free of the most serious problems. Griffin and Cirrus have a soul-deep connection, but it's one that freaks both of them out, and as much as they both want it at some level, they're also running from it. Watching their friendship blossom was one of the best parts of the book.

The humor is also extremely good. It felt like every few paragraphs I'd stumble over something else that cracked me up.

"I don’t want to die. And if you died, I’d probably feel like, slightly bad about that too."

And:

“That was awesome! I thought you were as uncoordinated as I am.”
“Lots of laser force practice. You know, a shooting game back home.”
“You played this with your friends?”
“I was a bit of a loner. I just turned up and shot strangers.”
“This explains so much,” Cirrus says.

I seriously need to reread this and pull all my favorite quotes.

The characters are another strong point. Griffin is an interesting choice of protagonist, because he's not a hero. He sort of wants to be. He deludes himself into thinking he will be. But in the end, he's a single person contributing to both sides of a conflict that's much bigger than himself, and his decisions, good and bad, hurt both sides. In other words, he's a normal kid in way over his head.

Cirrus, of course, is just awesome. Awkward teenage boy, even if he is a different species. I love his snarky conversations with Griffin, and the way he's struggling to handle his own heart. He wants his best friend back, but what happened ten years ago impacted more than just Griffin, and now Cirrus is unsure how to approach Griffin.

Hanna is another interesting addition. She's lust at first sight for Griffin, but even he has to admit she's got some issues that could seriously complicate their relationship.

"My Mum used to tell me something,” Cirrus says grimly. “She said be careful when trying to put a broken person back together, in case you cut yourself on the pieces."

Which is why I liked how it worked out in the end.

Overall this was a lot of fun, and I've already bought the sequel. Highly Recommended.

See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....

(And one more quote, which contains small spoilers)

"Oh, and for the record: high-jacking the laboratory filled with my life’s work and trying to crash it into my place of residence: not appreciated."

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very cool!

[Laura Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic fantasy

Gripping world, fantastic concept expertly executed. Loved the NZ setting and the dual Aucklands, and the Shadows each with their amazing appearances and strong characters. This is such a visual book it just played like a movie in my head. Strongly recommend for older teens and up as some of the darker themes might scare very young or sensitive readers. Supremely funny though, had me snorting in laughter multiple times.

[Goldiroks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book, highly recommend!

[Johnie C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read

I enjoyed reading this book and I recommend this book to anyone who likes LitRPG and progression types of books with lots of action.

[Lemurkat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A competently written young adult adventure. I enjoyed watching Griffin's growth from sulky gamer teenager into a hero. More or less. The concept of the Shadows was intriguing, and fun. I could not help imagine what my own Shadow might look like (actually I think I know, she's a winged ringtail lemur). The plot is filled with unexpected twists and surprises - some good, many bad! It moves at a powerful pace, with just enough room to breathe (and let down your guard) and the characterisation is strong. Overall, a very fine independently published tale. I shall keep an eye on the author, for I am eager to see where his stories take us next.

So... fan art of Cirrus, anyone? Or Eclipse? Or Zephyr? So many awesome monsters!