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Standing on a cow pasture fence, Sebastian reaches up and pulls the moon down from the sky. This starts a chain of events that leads to battles with monsters, an epic journey, and, ultimately, a confrontation with a channeler of nightmares.

Unsure what’s happening to him, Sebastian has to fight to save his small medieval village and the woman he loves from destruction.

With his fellow villager’s support, and Luna the lunar spirit’s guidance, Sebastian journeys to the source of the creatures that embody the worst of our dreams.

Where are the nightmares coming from? Who is attacking a simple farming village, and why?

And, once he reaches and confronts the source, how will Sebastian, the Knight of Moon and Shadow, overcome it?

177 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 15, 2020

45 people are currently reading
97 people want to read

About the author

J. Steven Lamperti

12 books11 followers
J. Steven Lamperti is working on the Tales of Liamec, an award-winning series of fantasy novels. So far, books in the series have won a red ribbon from the Wishing Shelf Book awards, a Royal Dragonfly and a Purple Dragonfly Book award, and a five-star medal from the Reader’s Favorite website. By the Sea was a finalist in the 2021 Best Book Awards. The BookLife Prize website described The Wolf’s Tooth as “A gripping read that is hard to put down.”

Mr. Lamperti is a former application developer who has abandoned the world of bits and bytes for a career in writing. He and his wife live in California near their three daughters.

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5 stars
18 (41%)
4 stars
12 (27%)
3 stars
9 (20%)
2 stars
3 (6%)
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1 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Profile Image for Seraphia Bunny.
2,115 reviews34 followers
September 2, 2021
Moon & Shadow is the first book in J. Stevens Lamperti's Tales of Liamec series. This is a quick-paced novel and relatively very easy to read. The story starts off exactly as the blurb details and quickly moves forward into Sebastian's story. He seems like a really unassuming type of character, who has gone through life pretty much under the radar. Both of his parents are dead, but he lives in a small town/village that sounds like it is relatively prosperous. He pulls the moon out of the night sky, and then things continue to change for him from there.
This book flows really well and I appreciate that. I would have liked a bit more background on Sebastian and details about him as a character, but overall, this story is really easy to follow. This is a children's book and I think that it definitely fits that. Children would enjoy this book and the various characters that are in it. It's a good story that you'll be able to read in less than a couple of hours.
I'm rating this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Profile Image for Emily.
297 reviews16 followers
September 9, 2021
Moon & Shadow by J. Steven Lamperti is a delightful fairy tale! It employs traditional genre elements and supplements them with a new setting, new characters, and new ideas.

Sebastian has spent his entire life in a small village (or TOWN, if you listen to the mayor) where nothing much happens. Then one day, for no apparent reason, he pulls the moon down and brings it home. This sets a series of fun and fascinating events in motion. It was interesting to watch as Sebastian tried to navigate all of this, and learn more about himself in the process.

I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the town, and of the areas covered by Sebastian's travels. They were richly detailed and gave me a true sense of the geography and appearance of the area.

I must say that, while I saw some of the events coming, there were definitely some things that surprised me as well. To me, this is the hallmark of a good story....I can figure some things out, but some parts remain mysterious until the end.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy, fairy tales, and good stories!
Profile Image for Lily.
3,390 reviews118 followers
May 13, 2020
Moon & Shadow is brilliant. A fantasy book that can definitely be enjoyed by any age, this book grabs you from the start. There's a bit of humor mixed in with the mystery and danger. If you're a fan of adventures and magic, you'll want to curl up and spend an afternoon or two lost in the pages of this book.
Author 1 book90 followers
July 14, 2021
One bright, moonlit night, a young man named Sebastian plucks the moon from the sky and places it above his mantelpiece. Though somewhat skeptical, the other residents of Westhavenfieldbrook soon notice that the moon is, in fact, missing from the night sky. When a series of unusual requests leads Sebastian to amass a collection of borrowed objects, he finds himself to be the only person capable of protecting his village from an unexpected danger. Filled with cunning, Sebastian ventures into the unknown to rid the land of the menace that plagues it.

This is the first book in the Tales of Liamec series and introduces readers to some of the magical components inherent to this world. Told from the perspective of an omniscient narrator, readers glimpse several angles of this story through narrative storytelling and splashes of tongue-in-cheek humor. Thanks to the use of short chapters and a straightforward delivery, readers will appreciate the accessibility of this tale.

Both the plot and presentation of this book make it feel like a fairy tale, incorporating elements of magic and the supernatural within a moral scope. Throughout the story, narrative loops are left open, inviting readers to read on to find closure to each piece. As Sebastian meets an assortment of colorful characters, the story takes on new shape to guide him to his ultimate destination.

While this book was written first in the series, it can be enjoyed at any point. Each of the installments in the Tales of Liamec collection can be read on its own or in any order, giving readers a deeper understanding of the world through the eyes of a different primary character. Engaging writing and a memorable storyline make this entire series enjoyable for young adult and adult readers with an interest in fantasy adventures.

I received a copy of this book from the author and I chose to leave this review.
Profile Image for Pearly Williams.
96 reviews8 followers
October 20, 2020
Moon & Shadow by Steven Lamperti was simply brilliant !! I enjoyed the story, the language, the characters, and most of the simple humor of the story.

One night, Sebastian, a young man from a small village decided to climb the fence and pull the moon from the sky. This is his journey to becoming the Knight of Moon & Shadow.

This fantasy novel can be enjoyed by any age, it grabs your attention right from the start and keeps you coming back for more. Keep up the excellent writing, looking forward to more great stories from you.

I would like to thank Steven Lamperti for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Summary: An easy, enjoyable read, that I highly recommend picking up.

Rating: 4/5
Profile Image for Kimberlee.
247 reviews53 followers
September 9, 2021
I'd been hearing good things about the "Tales of Liamec" series, so I was excited to start reading with "Moon & Shadow", the first book. It definitely did not disappoint....all the good reviews are definitely warranted!

The book reads very much like a traditional fairy tale. A young man, Sebastian, pulls the moon out of the sky one night. This leads him through a series of events he never could have anticipated as he fulfills what was obviously his destiny all along. I enjoyed the story itself, and was eager to keep reading to see what would happen next.

I also enjoyed the character of Sebastian. He is an interesting, detailed character, and I liked him more and more as additional details were revealed about his life and personality. A side character, Anise, was also intriguing, and I anticipate seeing more of her in future installments (based on some details provided in this one).

I like the idea of the fantastical world of Liamec, and that there are additional stories set there that will let me see more of this place and the people that inhabit it.

One final note: As I read the book, it didn't really feel like I was reading. It felt more like I was sitting around a campfire listening to an old friend telling me a story. It was lovely...maybe some of the Liamec magic came through in real life?

Definitely 5 out of 5 chunks of perfect cheddar!
50 reviews2 followers
June 12, 2023
a sweet read

Lamperti has a delightful approach in this light read. I thoroughly enjoyed his playful sense of humor. This book is refreshing and so different from other “ hero” adventures books.
Profile Image for BookHeavenReads.
108 reviews
June 15, 2025
I feel this book would have been great if I had read it when I was young. It was adventurous, and it had many magical elements in it, making it fun. What stood out to me now was Sebastian's and Isabel's relationship, it was sweet.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Nikki Mitchell.
Author 11 books31 followers
March 6, 2023
See this and other reviews at https://thebookdragondotblog.wordpres...

4.5 Stars:
Lamperti creates a quaint fantasy world filled with adorable citizens who unfortunately are in trouble--the magic kind. With his Tolkien-esque writing style, Lamperti guides us on a journey to find the trouble and defeat it before it can harm anyone else. And our hero? An average, lonely farmer boy, who just happens to get a bit of (magical) help. 

Fans of Tolkien's The Hobbit will find this story similarly intriguing. The characters each have their own endearing idiosyncrasies, breathing an entire life and background into each, even the seemingly minor characters. And as for the magical elements of the story, the citizens seem to take it in stride, dropping the reader into a world where we must suspend our belief of what is real and what isn't. 

The pacing is much quicker than that of The Hobbit, and reads fairly quickly, especially with the help of the many chapters that average 1-2 pages. With these bite-sized chunks of chapters, the plot never lags and we are given a glance into different characters that otherwise may have gone overlooked. 

A fantastic story, full of wonder and childlike innocence.  Short and easy to read. Perfect for JRR Tolkien fans. This is the first in The Channeler Trilogy, and I am looking forward to reading the sequel!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews

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