The King of Shadows

Matthew Corbett #8

by Robert McCammon

It’s January of 1704, and Matthew Corbett continues his mission to Italy, accompanied by Hudson Greathouse and former enemy Professor Fell. They seek Brazio Valeriani and information about the mirror created by his father, the sorcerer Ciro. Legend claims the mirror can be used to summon demons from beyond.

But fate has other plans for Matthew as their ship is disabled by a pod of whales, and they seek refuge on a secluded island. The islanders welcome them with a massive feast, but all is not what it seems. As the island pulls them deeper into its influence, the castaways struggle to maintain their grip on reality, even their very identity. Matthew must keep his wits about him and solve the mystery enshrouding the other side of the island, where an active volcano looms and a secretive creature lurks.

The King of Shadows is the eighth installment in bestselling author Robert McCammon’s acclaimed series of historical thrillers featuring Matthew Corbett, a brave “problem-solver” who now faces a challenging foe that threatens to take over his most valuable resource: his own mind.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Horror, Fiction, Thriller, Adventure, Audiobook

736 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 6, 2022

About the author

Pseudonyms: Robert R. McCammon; Robert Rick McCammon

Robert McCammon was a full-time horror writer for many years. Among his many popular novels were the classics Boy's Life and Swan Song. After taking a hiatus for his family, he returned to writing with an interest in historical fiction.

His newest book, Leviathan, is the tenth and final book in the Matthew Corbett series. It was published in trade hardcover (Lividian Publications), ebook (Open Road), and audiobook (Audible) formats on December 3, 2024.

McCammon resides in Birmingham, Alabama.

Reviews

[Dave Edmunds · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Memory.” A third smile was attempted, and could not be held. “The king of shadows.”

Initial Thoughts

There's only two things I truly love in my life and that's my daughter and Robert McCammon's Matthew Corbett series. Were talking about, quite possibly, the best reading experience I've ever had. It is absolutely immense, but you don't need me to tell you. Wait a second, what do you mean you've never heard of Matthew Corbett??? Surely you jest. Well just in case you're actually being serious, let me enlighten you.

Robert McCammon is the best kept secret in the world of fiction, in my humble opinion. I’ve completely fallen for McCammon’s writing style and his ability to tackle a wide range of subject matter with real artistic flair.The guy can write like an absolute superstar and the Matthew Corbett series is his magnus opus. The story he was born to write. Its rich, it's exciting and contains characters that jump straight off the page and into your drab life to make it explode into technicolour wonder.

The King of Shadows is the latest installment in this very unique series of historical thrillers that feature the eighteenth centuries equivalent to James Bond, Matthew Corbett, a professional problem solver, who leaves no stone unturned in his search for the truth. With this character, the author has breathed new life into the historical fiction genre.

Chances like this don't come around very often and I was frothing at the mouth like a rabid dog with the excitement of being able to read the latest book In this amazing series on release day. I now know what it feels like to be one of those Harry Potter book nerds queuing outside the bookstore and I don't care one bit. It seems like I've been waiting a lifetime for this opportunity.

The hardest part of reviewing this novel is going to be not spoiling anything as I'm known to get a little over excited when discussing this series.

The Story

The story kicks of in January 1704 right after the events of Cardinal Black. Our favourite problem-solver is now working for his arch-nemisis Professor Fell after striking a deal to save the love of his life, Berry Grigsby. In the company of his colleague, Hudson Greathouse, Matthew once again get his sea legs as he starts his mission to Italy in search of a fabled mirror rumoured to be a gateway to the depths of hell.

As I've come to expect things never run smoothly and Corbett quickly finds himself in hot water as he and his crew are left stranded on the beautiful Island of Golgotha, where he quickly becomes embroiled in a mystery that looks to have every inhabitant in its grip. And if things couldn't get any worse, the presence of the sinister Cardinal Black and ruthless Maccabeus DeKay increase the tension way past breaking point.

So McCammon has assembled the most vile collection of murderous villains as ever has been seen and he takes full advantage of this to delve into their pasts and get us all fully acquainted. I'm always weary of this style of narrative after Stephen King's Wizard and Glass, where flashbacks completely ruined the momentum of that story for me and completely killed any interest I had. But with King of Shadows it was completely the opposite and I'm sure you're going to love delving into the darkest of pasts to see what actually makes a monster.



The Writing

Robert McCammon is an absolute master of his craft and this is evident on every single page and more to the point every single sentence of this beautifully written book. The very first thing that will grab you is how natural and smooth his prose are while achieving a wonderful level of detail. The sumptuous scenery of the paradise Island is a sharp contrast to the dark and dingy streets of London and it's painted in such vivid fashion.

But despite the depth of the prose the pacing of the novel is never sacrificed and the narrative is constantly rolling and evolving. It's crazy how good Bobby McCammon is at keeping his stories moving regardless of how much detail he adds and I was constantly engaged, not being able to turn the pages quick enough to find out what happened next but then having to stop myself to take in the actual beauty of what was written.

"Matthew considered that it was, this palace was haunted. But maybe, just maybe, the ghosts could be chased into daylight."

It's also evident that a great deal of research has went into this work and the world is so authentic as a result. The style of language adopted to tell this story is perfectly suited to the period it takes place in and there is some fantastic dialogue. It really gives the book, and the series as a whole, a unique feel and tone.

By expertly utilising flashbacks McCammon explores the theme of good and bad by creating stories within a story. In then end the question posed is "is a villain born or made," the old nature versus nurture debate. Circumstances can make the most noble soul turn to the dark. They were without doubt the best part of the book for me, although all of it is exceptionally good.

The Characters

If you've read this series like I have you've witnessed the central character of Matthew Corbett lose the innocence that he had when it all kicked off in Speaks the Nightbird and evolve into a man who is willing to do whatever it takes to win, even if it sometimes conflicts his moral code. But I feel like we are getting back to seeing the Corbett from those early novels within The King of Shadows. A Matthew who was eternally curious and would not leave a stone unturned in his pursuit for the answer to the puzzle at hand.

"I am from the netherworld. Your netherworld … the place that exists in every man, unknown until the terror of the mind can no longer keep it gated and secured. Then it bursts out in desperation, and comes to urgent life with a thousand tentacles to seek the survival of its single inhabitant."

But enough about Corbett because he has to take a backseat in this story as it's all about those villains of Cardinal Black and Maccabus DeKay. McCammon has a knack for creating memorable characters, and placing them in situations where we see all sides of their nature, and very often it's not good. The varying shades of grey, the hidden motivations and the depth of the emotion really got inside my head and challenged the way I viewed both of these fascinating characters. As we often see with McCammon, people are capable of more horror and evil than any monster and this pair have certainly had their share. There's a wealth of great characters but these two absolutely steal the show.



Final Thoughts

My top book of 2022 so far. I could leave it at that, but why say a few words when you can say a thousand? King of Shadows is another immense achievement from one the most skilled and talented authors in the business.

For me, King of Shadows could be the best, and certainly most emotional, Corbett novel so far, and I can’t wait until book nine is out!
The ending sets up the possibility for the final entry in this amazing world and I'm starting to feel deep sadness already at the thought of it ending.

For me this series cements Bobby R McCammon as not only one of the best writers in the horror genre, but also one of the best writers of any genre. The scary thing is that this author is still getting better and hasn’t even reached his peak yet. I've been competing a chronological read through of McCammon and the improvement since his early novels is mind-blowing. It's my sincere hope that with the quality of his writing right now, he is soon set to hit the big time and get the recognition he richly deserves.

This is one of those novels I would give six stars if I could. An easy, easy five stars. If you haven’t read any of the Matthew Corbett novels, you need to do it right now. Begin with SPEAKS THE NIGHTBIRD, then get ready to become completely obsessed like I have. Where all you do is eat, sleep and read Matthew Corbett. Life doesn't get any better.

Thanks for reading. Cheers!

"He who forgets the past is a traitor to himself."

[Ginger · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING!! I absolutely love this series and author.

The quality of the writing, storytelling and characters are as fantastic as the first Matthew Corbett book!

Part historical fiction, horror/thriller and mystery, it’s one of the best formulas out there. It’s tense, shocking and you’re glued to the pages.
The time period of the 1700’s and atmosphere makes it feel like I’m going back in a Time Machine. Where’s my tricorn hat and flintlock musket?!

I’m so excited for the next book!!

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matthew’s story didn’t progress as much as I had hoped, but the background of certain main characters was finally filled in and there was a satisfying mystery here as well.
Eduardo Ballerini is so good as a narrator I’m thinking about rereading the entire series on audio.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may have said this before, but it's difficult to choose a favorite installment of the Matthew Corbett series because each book differs from the last and carries a beauty in its own right. I enjoyed this on the same level as I did Cardinal Black or Queen of Bedlam, but experienced this story quite differently.

The King of Shadows traded many of its lighter moments of the earlier novels for the darker tones and tragic moments. In fact, if I had to compare this with anything, it would be with Book #3 Mister Slaughter. And the funny thing is, as bleak as this book gets, it's set in paradise.

Robert McCammon still amazes me. He doesn't pull punches, and he doesn't gloss over the details. If he sees you squirm, he'll keep on pressing. And he also knows how to make his characters more human. Good or bad, you will care for the people he creates.

So I'm glad I finally had a chance to read this. I've been looking forward to it the moment I finished Cardinal Black. The downside is that it's going to be a long wait for the final installment, Leviathan. I may just have to re-read all 8 books beforehand, so that I'm fresh on everything and prepared for the grand finale. Oh what a sad day that will be, when it's over...

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another banger in this series. I’ll give some random thoughts without spoilers.

Cardinal Black’s backstory appears in this novel instead of the book bearing his name. A bit odd.

Again, we meet an array of strange characters. Many of them have unexpected depth, but maybe it’s not so unexpected when it’s Robert McCammon, one of the most entertaining writers of my lifetime.

I always underestimate the horror elements in this series. The horror is here and it is brutal, and if you think the worst of it is in Cardinal Black’s story, think again. It’s hard to recommend this series to people unused to horror, so maybe use that as a hint for where these stories can go and who should be reading it. Or not.

Can you read this as a standalone? Probably. You’d get a lot more out of it if you read the series, and it’s definitely one long epic.

[Andy Marr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably the weakest book in the series so far. The plot barely progresses, with McCammon's attention apparently given to the backstories of the two main baddies. Still pretty solid, but I'm hoping for better in the final two instalments.

[Richard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe it was bound to happen at some point. Maybe it was too much to hold out hope that McCammon could maintain the high quality that I’ve come to expect from the wonderful Matthew Corbett series, even with it being eight books deep at this point. Well here it is, this book marks the dip in quality.

I’m not sure why this book was even written. It blows my mind that the author thought that it would be a good idea to have a random side quest for the entirety of the penultimate book in a 9 book series, when the momentum should instead be rising to a climax. But, that's exactly what happens here, grinding the overall story to a halt while Matthew and his unlikely band of colleagues find themselves stuck on a mysterious Mediterranean island isolated from society. I had a similar nitpick with The River of Souls and I forgave it because it was still enjoyable. But this is the same times 100 here!

And like with River of Souls , I could forgive it if said side story was interesting on its own. But it’s the opposite. It feels lazy and pedestrian and not even remotely interesting, with a strange, half-baked cop-out of an answer to what was happening on the island. It also had side quests within the side quests, as we spend like 200 pages flashing back to the origins of new characters we don’t really give a shit about.

So essentially, the book reads like the rejected drafts of about 4 supplemental novellas that should have been released on their own, as further reading into the Matthew Corbett universe, but instead they were cobbled together here in an unsatisfying collection and labeled the 8th book in the main series. A total disappointment.

[Lukasz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing. Seriously, Matthew Corbett series is one of the finest things ever written.

Longer review to come.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for the phenomenal world of Matthew Corbett although probably only 2 or 3 in terms of plot. Pure filler.

[Algernon · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Memory is the king of shadows,” DeKay repeated. “You being a problem-solver for the Herrald Agency ... you should know. How two people – three, four, a score of them – can witness the same moment yet have vastly different memories of it, thus throwing shadows over the absolute truth.”

This is probably my least favorite episode in the series, yet my expectations from this Matthew Corbett historical adventure are so high than even this misfire was quite good when considered as a stand-alone book. Which new readers can do, since each book can be read on its own merits and this particular voyage across the Mediterranean Sea is like a side-quest to the main plot.

The main story is that Matthew Corbett, a young prosecutor’s apprentice taken from an orphanage by his mentor in the first book, has become a ‘problem-solver’ for a private agency, dealing with vicious criminals and with cases with a touch of the supernatural about them. His activities have put Matthew on the black lists of several crime lords from the underworld of New York and London at the start of the 18th century. Chief among these evil masterminds being a certain Professor Fell, Corbett’s Nemesis in the last couple of episodes in particular.
After saving his fiancee and his best friend from the village of the damned ruled by Fell, Corbett must now fulfill his promise to embark on a trip to Italy in search of a magical mirror the criminal master hopes to use to summon a powerful demon.
Here is where episode eight starts, with Matthew Corbett aboard a ship with Fell and another monster named Slaughter. But some greater evil is in turn chasing them, derailing their plans, and my expectations for a jolly time in Venice. Instead, the company gets marooned on a mysterious island off the beaten commercial seaways.
On this island they discover an utopian society ruled by a benevolent if senile King, a place where people work freely and share their products without the need for money or indenture. Once arrived on the island, nobody seems to ever want to leave the place.
Yet the same island hides a dark secret, a mystery that will bring low the evil masterminds and challenge Matthew to re-evaluate both his talent in ‘problem-solving’ and the recourse to logic and common-sense that has brought him so far in the series.
All of this because the ill-smelling smog of this volcanic island is playing games with the memories of the visitors, making them question the reality before their eyes and their own recollections of the past.

>>><<<>>><<<

I had a good time reading this, and the pages flew with the usual Robert McCammon panache for action and weirdness. Yet, I am starting to wonder where does he want to take the series? The author seems more interested in milking the cash cow with long episodes that do little to advance the main story line, and the supernatural elements are getting out of control. [a naked teenager lost in a frozen forest and claiming to come from February 1945 back to 1704?]

“But what exactly is rational reason, Matthew?”

The main premise of this eight book, the one about the dependence of rational thought on valid input from the senses and from the brain, is a great one in retrospect, once our young gumshoe arrives at an explanation, but I guess I wanted to see Venice more than to spend an entire book on a lost island.

My other major issue with the series, is the degradation of the adversaries pitted against Corbett. Almost every major fantasy and horror series has this problem of getting to the high stakes and the major monsters early in the game and being at a loss what to come up with to trump them in later books.
Case in point is the dreaded Professor Fell, who could do everything he pleased in early books and who has become a caricature of himself now. McCammon solves this by introducing new evil masterminds in every episode, but this stretches my credulity close to its breaking point.

“There are worse than Professor Fell out there. I have a feeling that Professor Fell will seem as a kindly old uncle bouncing baby Corbett on his knee when you meet who’s waiting for you in the future. Because take it from me, my boy ... the worst is yet to come.”

I hope the next Corbett adventure will be published soon, but I also hope this series will not turn into a 20+ books monster.

[Brent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great Book Derailed

After having a really great time with the previous book I went into thus with very high hopes. Instead we get a River of Souls like side quest that was still pretty entertaining for the most part. However, this book takes a diversion late that spends way too long giving us a backstory for a new character that was honestly pretty boring. It just never recovered from there to be honest. I also found the ending unsatisfying. The book still gets 3 stars and barely beats out River of Souls in my Corbett rankings, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a disappointment based on how it started.

[Klaas Bottelier · Rating 5 out of 5]

The latest addition to the Matthew Corbett series is another brilliant book, I have said it before, this series is my favorite book series ever, McCammon has such a rich fantasy, the writing is so good, and you never know what to expect because each book is so different from the next.

The King of Shadows in excellent, although maybe not quite what you expected if you are following this series. The Matthew Corbett series always keeps you guessing what will happen next, McCammon is not afraid to make bold decisions that impact some of the key characters. Introducing along the way new mysteries to be solved and new interesting criminals to be bested. And so it is with this one.

Matthew Corbett finds himself on a ship towards a place he doesn't want to go in search for someone he doesn't want to find and doing the bidding of someone he doesn't want to follow. But then he reminds himself of Plutarch's words: "Fate leads him who follows it, and drags him who resists." I won’t tell you more as not to give anything away about the plot, suffice it to say it is surprising.

The writing in this one is once again sublime. There is an excellent origin story of one of the main characters that adds much to the story. Matthew Corbett stays inquisitive as ever, always on the lookout for mysteries to be solved even if it means getting in people’s way. "It was his belief that bereft of curiosity, the mind died, and this was a factor that had kept him inquiring even when the inquiries were met with hostility and even violence; it was simply a fact of life."

I love the way McCammon describes people's appearances in his books: "He was a tall thin drink of brine with a reddish-brown beard streaked with gray and eyebrows as thick as horse brushes, his narrow face adorned with a bulbous nose that appeared to all the world like a lump of potter's clay."

All in all, I loved this book, it was not what I expected but still so, so good. Robert McCammon is a master storyteller and the Matthew Corbett series is brilliant.

[Jodie Scales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who gave this newest Robert McCammon addition to the Matthew Corbett series a lower rating because "it had too much backstory of the other characters" missed the brilliance of this book. In prime McCommon fashion the telling of the gruesome backgrounds of the men around Matthew are what makes the story worthy of the series as a whole. I totally enjoyed the book and look forward to any future additions McCammon may write.

[john · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seems like I waited forever for this one to arrive. In my opinion, Robert McCammon is a master. This installment of the Matthew Corbett series didn't disappoint!

The King of Shadows picks up pretty much right after Cardinal Black, ends.

Matthew and Hudson are taking a sea voyage with Matthew under the employ of Professor Fell (More or less) with Hudson serving as Matthew's over watcher. Once again, McCammon weaves an interesting tale that's both rich with a few new characters along with some deep diving into the history of others. He continues with his magic of capturing what appears to be the sprit of life in the 1700's.

No spoilers here. If you've never read any Robert McCammon, do it.

[Bobbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, why did I do this. Listened right away, now it's over and how long do I have to wait for the next book. This was as good as all the others before it. If you have not read this series, it is a most but they most be read in order. McCammon writes the best and Ballerini narrates the best. Can't beat this combo. Of course, he has left us on another cliff hanger. Poor Matthew, will he ever find peace with Berry. I guess I have to just wait again to see.

[Kevin Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

87/100

I’ll write more here later but sad this series is almost over ☹️

[Gintautas Ivanickas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serija, prasidėjusi kaip istorinis detektyvas su nuotykio priemaiša, kuo toliau, tuo labiau virsta istoriniu nuotykiu su vos vos įmaišyta mistika ir detektyvu. Bet labai skųstis neverta, McCammonas moka pasakoti nenuobodžias istorijas.
Šerlokas Holmsas turėjo vieną ryškiai išreikštą antagonistą, Corbettui gi autorius nepagailėjo – be kone nuo serijos pradžios tinklus rezgančio profesoriaus Fello septintojoje knygoje prisijungė dar ir lengvai pamišęs kardinolas Blackas, o dabar nei iš šio, nei iš to, iš rausvo rūko išnyro ir dar vienas. Na, bet kad jau kiekvienas turi savų tikslų, tai gal jie susinaikins tarpusavy, o Matthew tiesiog ramiai stebės iš šalies? Gal.
„Šešėlių karalius“ tęsia septintojoje knygoje užsimezgusią istoriją – Matthew priverstas bendradarbiauti su profesorium Fellu ir iškeliauja Venecijon ieškoti mistinio – gal egzistuojančio, o gal ir ne – veidrodžio. Bet nereikia apsigauti, bendras siužetas nepajuda pirmyn nė per plauką, nes veikėjai atsiduria paslaptingoje saloje, kurios paslaptis teks perprasti ir kažkaip iš ten išsigauti.
Tad visa knyga tarsi koks side quest‘as, iš esmės paliekantis Matthew tame pačiame istorijos taške, kuriame jis buvo knygos pradžioje. Nemažą dalį užima ir atskleistos dviejų antagonistų priešistorės.
Ne visai tai, ko laukiau, bet vis dar tvirti keturi iš penkių.

[Dave TN · Rating 5 out of 5]

The King of Shadows might be the best of the series so far in my opinion. There are disgusting and horrific aspects of the story I didn’t like, but the overall story is absolutely a five star read.

If you haven’t read the previous books in the series, don’t start here. Start with the first, Speaks The Nightbird.

[Todd Glaeser · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable read, but I'm at a loss as to what McCammon's up to with his Corbet series. Matthew has become a supporting character in his series and, again we find Matthew at the end of the novel in much the same place he was at the beginning.

[Kaora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably one of my favorite since the first in this series. It focused more on the general mystery of things and some character backstory rather than just shocking the reader with the amounts of depravity in this world.

[Blair Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Memory is the king of shadows...”
-Robert R. McCammon

[Paige Cash · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know how I’m going to wait for the last book in the series. I think this is the best Corbett book so far. The addition of the origin stories of Cardinal Black and DeKay so well fleshed out and poignant- when you think about what trauma does to a person it’s easy to see how they turned out the way they did.

[Tarik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 8th installment of the Matthew Corbett series and it is one of the best. There is so much to unpack with this book; So much to explore and talk about. The characters are so deep with so much history that the scope of the story can only make the reader feel as though they were a fly on the wall experiencing everything as though it were really happening.

The Matthew Corbett series is a masterpiece. The author, Robert McCammon, Is a brilliant writer who has an incredible knack for storytelling. Sadly, he's not as well recognized as his peers And that is very unfortunate as he is leaps and bounds a better writer.

I have shared the brilliance of this series with many of my friends but they have yet to uncover the beauty and amazement of the series. It's their loss.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series has been so good! I am bummed to be done with the last finished book. I hope there will be a new one soon because this one did not wrap up and I am anxious to see how it all comes out.

ETA: Reread in anticipation of new release of final book 12/3/24!

ETA: Rereading the complete series start to finish. This one gives background on Cardinal Black and Maccabeus DeKay and I forgot how sad DeKay's backstory was. We also get background on Hudson Greathouse. On to the last one! 3/22/25

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the other books in this series, this was fantastic storytelling, really three stories in one. The broader story involves 18th century sleuth Matthew Corbett and his friend Hudson Greathouse being captured and forced to help the nefarious Professor Fell travel to try and find a mysterious mirror in Italy. Corbett does not believe in magical mirrors. Their ship traveling to Italy gets hijacked by another group also seeking the mirror headed by a new half-masked character Maccabus DeKay and the dark Cardinal Black.

En route to Italy, the ship ports in a small island known as Golgatha. While there, the group encounters what seems to be an isolated, idyllic and self-sustaining community. The locals extend a warm welcome, but not all is what it seems. The boat they travel on is intentionally damaged and they are now marooned on the island that also has an active volcano and a mysterious beast. As weeks go by, many of the crew and some of its leaders start having delusions about the island with some memory loss. Can Matthew Corbett use his sherlock skills to solve this mystery while dealing with his own ghosts and the apparent hypnosis of Greathouse and DeKay?

The two other shorter stories cover the background of Cardinal Black and Maccabus DeKay. These are marvelous stories in their own right showing how a man's character can devolve into something sinister. The author is clearly a gifted a horror writer and I thought these stories were frightening and possibly the highlights of this book. Not sure why the Cardinal Black backstory wasn't covered in the last book.

Within the Matthew Corbett series, I'd put this book up there with the first two books Sings the Nightbird and Queen of Bedlam. It contains both the mystery to be solved plus a great threading of new and past characters woven into the story.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Memory and trauma. I can understand why others are disappointed Matthew himself took a backseat in a penultimate book of the entire series that doesn't move the main story on at all, but the origin stories we got were just so so good and the world of Corbett is one of my favorites of all time. It will be a bitter sweet day the last of this steller series comes out. Oh and Ballerini is the best narrator in the game. Easy 5.

[Joel Schwartz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This penultimate book of the series (#9 is a series of short stories/novellas) explores the back stories of two of our villains with anticipation of the final installment. The main difference is in this book, we don’t sense Matthew is in peril.

[Jordan Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As if there was ever any doubt that the most recent full length Matthew Corbett novel wasn’t going to be an absolute masterpiece…

Robert McCammon has proven time and time and time again that he’s quite possibly the worlds best (or at least insanely consistent) author of all time, and, The King of Shadows only cements that fact permanently.


Continuing right where Cardinal Black left off, The King of Shadows plunges readers smack dab into the continuing story of Corbett and the quest for the infamous mirror of Valeriani and Ciro. Obviously things go wrong pretty much right away and the trajectory of the story changes yet again, going in a direction I didn’t expect, but still managing to make this series compelling and instantly addictive. Especially as we finally get backstories to the 2 antagonists McCammon has so expertly crafted and weaved into this ongoing drama.

This novel is everything (and I meant freaking EVERYTHING ) we have come to expect both from this series and McCammon itself. It’s deep, dense, and dark, taking twists and turns that leave the reader shocked and begging for more.

It’s nuts to think how different this series has become since Speaks the Nightbird yet it’s also nuts to think that 9 books in and every single novel has been perfect. No other author can boast of such amazing consistency or raw, unadulterated talent.

[Julie Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

1/24/25 Revisited this on my way to listen to Leviathan and it is still a great story!

Another excellent installment in this amazing series, Book 8 did not disappoint. Matthew is on a journey with his former enemy Professor Fell, along with Hudson Greathouse. When the boat is disabled along the way, they seek refuge on a secluded island. It doesn't take our problem solver long to realize things are not as wonderful as they seem. One of my favorite parts of this book was the back stories that we were treated to. It was so interesting to delve into the past of characters that we haven't along the way.
This is one of my very favorite series and the narration of the audiobooks by Edoardo Ballerini is the best way to experience the story.

[Michael Pahr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better off reading the crib notes and waiting for the next book.

I have enjoyed all of Roberts books, not just the Matthew Corbett ones. This is his first book I really did not care for... Seemed more like an idea he horseshoe'ed Matthew into, and one that can be quickly forgotten.