Shadow of the Sword: A Tale of Alamore

by C.J.R. Isely

Laster is squire to Alamore knight Sir Dasroch. Their surprise border patrol is surprised. He holds fierce anger against an enemy who offers help. Can he trust his captor?

Genres: Fantasy

213 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2022

About the author

C. J. R. Isely is an American author primarily known for her medieval fantasy novels. She has a lifelong passion for fantasy, medieval history, horses, and adventure.


She began writing at a very young age, with her first full-length novel, "Ranger of Kings," being written when she was just 12 years old. This book became the first in her "William of Alamore" series, which ultimately comprised six books that she penned during her middle and high school years.


Although she initially set her novels aside to pursue a business degree, she later decided to revise and release them. "Ranger of Kings" was published in 2020, and she has since released the full "William of Alamore" series, with the final book, "Blood of the Crown," released in 2024. She has also written standalone spin-off novels set in the World of Alamore, such as "The Falcon and The Stag" and "Shadow of the Sword."



When not writing, C. J. R. Isely lives on a ranch in Kansas where she enjoys riding and training horses, playing guitar, and taking on DIY construction projects

Reviews

[Dave Lawson]

Read for spfbo. Review to come

[Steve Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure, I narrated the audiobook version of this book and it was an absolute gem of a story to immerse myself into and bring to life with my voice. The characters are full of personality and the story was exactly my kind of thing - gripped me from the start! I'm now in the midst of reading book 1 of the main series and absolutely loving it.

[Aleese Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Type of Book!

If you like stories with princes, knights, royal intrigue, and sword fighting, this book is for you! It was definitely my type of book.
 
Shadow of the Sword tells the story of a young man, Laster, who wants more than anything to make his father proud. Through many attempts at proving himself, including training to become a knight, Laster finds himself with an opportunity—an opportunity that he first thinks will bring him that coveted approval from his father but actually sets him on a path he could have never imagined.
 
Heartbreak, sacrifice, and growth await Laster as he starts his journey to becoming the knight he was always meant to be—not for his father, but for himself and Alamore.
 
There were just a few typos/errors in the book (minor grammar mistakes), and the dialogue read awkwardly at times, but the storytelling made up for most of it! The world-building, plot, and character development were spot on.
 
Shadow of the Sword has a satisfying ending with a promise for more adventurous stories in the world of Alamore.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a captivating story that really took me by storm. I didn't expect to be so invested in the characters and their journey, but I was. I also became emotionally tied to their outcomes. I didn't expect to be teary at the end either, but that happened too. Excellent writing with engaging characters by a new to me author. Kudos. I voluntarily listened to a free copy of this and am giving an honest review. The narrator did an excellent job bringing the characters and story to life.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laster as a (squire) was given the opportunity to go out with his Knight Dasroch on patrol but things went very wrong. Laster was poisoned, capture and beaten and held in the dungeon in Thorten hoping his father would pay the ransom. With the help of one of the Princes from Thorten Laster was helped to escape. But not without difficulty. The book was greatly written and held my attention to the end. Was hard to put down. Surprising you also find out who the Ranger of Kings is. You will be surprised!

[R.M. Krogman, Dark and Epic Fantasy Author · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Shadow of the Sword" by C. J. R. Isely is a dark, gritty read full of action. It is fast-paced in parts, interspersed with slower-paced internal dialogue by the main character Laster, a squire with a short temper and lots of room for growth. Despite serving one of the most noble and respected knights in the realm, Sir Dasroch, Laster has much to learn about himself, the enemy, and reality. He is guided by an admirable set of beliefs etched in stone: loyalty, honor, and duty. But not all is as it seems when the rival kingdom of Thornten attacks Alamore, and Laster faces the destruction of everything he holds sacred.

I thought the action scenes were extremely well-written, as well as the depiction of physical and emotional suffering and loss. Sometimes Laster did reflect a bit long on his circular thoughts, but he was also going through a lot, so it made sense as he was trying to process everything. He also is so bullheaded in his preconceptions that you want to strangle him, even toward the end, and it really pushes your empathy as a reader to feel for him when he gets himself into so much trouble. He eventually grows from a squire into the man Dasroch wanted him to be, kicking and screaming the entire way, and his story clearly continues on after this story. I look forward to his and other characters' adventures in Alamore, and plan to read The Ranger of Kings series soon.

4.5/5 Stars

[Paula Dyches · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Backstory of Laster & the Ranger Book 2.5

Parents- PG13 - middle grade and up read
Language: PG - Not a lot but there is some - no f-bombs
Violence: PG13 - normal to genre - fight scenes, murders, torture, beatings, but not overly graphic
Sexual Content- none

These books should be read in order, this one fills in the backstories alluded to in book 2 involving the Knight Laster and the Ranger of Kings. It's a darker coming of age story during the time that Laster was a squire. This one has lots of action, drama and captured torture. I have been reading these books with my 17 year old son and we have both been really enjoying them! They are definitely geared for the young male audience but those who enjoy the renaissance/medieval adventure or the D&D fans - will thoroughly enjoy this series.

The narrator does a fantastic (4.5 stars) job with the voice differentiations and acting!

—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Ysobella Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great sword and knights story
This book is part of the Alamore world, but can be read as standalone. After reading it, I have to see what happens between Laster and the prince in the future. I have a feeling those two are not done with one another yet.
This was the tale of kind of a dark journey that Laster made during his transition from squire to knight. He certainly didn't have any easy time of it, on any front, and I identified with all his frustrations, rage, and grief as he eventually came into his own.
The story is fast-paced and full of well written action sequences. It's a good read for fans of medieval coming of age stories. While I expected to like the story when I chose to listen to it, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I truly enjoyed it.
Steve Coleman's performance was brilliant and helped bring the characters to life.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shadow of the Sword: A Tale of Alamore (William of Alamore Series), my sixth read from author C.J.R. Isely. The tough thing about this series is 6 books spanning over 2300 pages read over a 20 month span makes it hard to stay on top of all the fine details that Isley has written into the tale. According to the author this book is best read second, following The Falcon and The Stag and before Ranger of Kings. Oh well, you know what is said about hindsight. “I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. I look forward to reading more from this author, with Tyrant of Traitors (William of Alamore Series Book 5), (another 926 pages) when I get it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Helen Garraway · Rating 5 out of 5]

An action packed epic fantasy adventure which will grab you by the heartstrings and keep you reading. Having read the first book in the William of Alamore series, (see review here) it is really interesting to learn more about one of the knights, Sir Laster.

In Shadow of the Sword, Laster is still a squire, and this novel is about his path to becoming a knight. It is set before book 1 of the main series and also gives us an insight into the shadowy Ranger of Kings.

I hope there are more related novels about the knights, as the more you read, the more you want to know about each of them.

Beautifully written, and although only 230+ pages, there is plenty to keep you gripped and it is well worth the read.

[Claire Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an example of a perfect prequel to be enjoyed after reading the main series (William of Alamore). I was initially surprised that a story was going to follow Laster of all the knights, but it only made me appreciate more the depth of characterization in these books... Laster isn't just a handsome knight with a scowl (though it makes sense he appears that way to a teenage squire) he's suffered deep hurt and has made a series of choices that make him who he is. I loved getting a behind the scenes look at young Esrin. Added so much dimension and makes me even more excited to reread the regular series. I would love to see more private conversation between him and Ross, though how perfectly Ross to tie him up before allowing him ride to the castle with him.

[Big Fat Hairy Man · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first foray into this genre and I'm not yet familiar with the overall series yet. In addition, it ended up being pushed to the side due to more pressing matters in life, but now the book is done! Apparently, this is a bit of a backstory for Laster describing some of the hardships he endured near the end of his tenure as a squire. There's lots of action, twists and turns, and an unexpected resolution in the end. Overall, it was a good story.

I'm a member of the ARC team and have left an honest review voluntarily. Or, at least, I hope I'm still a member of the team. . .heh. . ..

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook: I really enjoyed this audiobook. Once the audiobook started, I had to listen until the end as I was captivated by the story. I liked Laster, whose dream of becoming a knight was derailed by events in his young life. The plot moved from one harrowing scene to the next, without being too graphic. Steve Coleman's narration was excellent, and his performance added to the story's entertainment. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.

[Constance Jeske]

Good Background Story

Great story about one of the lesser known knights of Alamore. Finally brings closure as to why Laster has such antipathy towards the Ranger. What I find disturbing with some of the characters populating the Alamore storyline, is the lack of growth, both in maturity & skills. Laster at his age of knighting still seems to be lacking in both judgement & emotional maturity. Still an enjoyable read & great plotting.

[Nemesis Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

C.J.R. Isely's "Shadow of the Sword" is a thrilling story about a young squire's journey to knighthood. Steve Coleman's narration of the gripping tale adds to the excitement of the plot, making it a must-listen for fans of medieval fantasy fiction. With twists and turns at every corner, this book will keep you hooked till the very end.

[Michael Babin · Rating 3 out of 5]

i started this book not knowing it was a side story to a series. i kinda wish i read the series first because i was complaining about the book. about how i didint know the characters and it felt like i should have known them before this story. it makes much more sense now i know this is a side story and maybe one day ill read the main one

[Stephen Levesque · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book a little slow and the characters were frankly bland. It was OK read but not enough of a attention grabber to make me want to read the next one in the series. I'll be passing on them.

[patricia blaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

The adventures of the Knights and squires continues. captures you to want to know more about how they went about saving a squire of a dead Knight.

[Abbie Riddle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shadow of the Sword
by C. J. R. Isely