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Shadow Project #1
The Shadow Project
Danny Lipman is a thief . . . until one night he robs the wrong house. He inadvertently breaks into the headquarters of the Shadow Project, a secret government organization where teenage spies are trained to leave their bodies, using astral projection to travel around the world on deadly missions.
Danny is captured, but the Project leaders quickly realize he has a special gift. And when a key operative--the director's daughter, Opal--goes missing, he is offered a choice: join the Shadow Project or go to jail.
Danny joins and is quickly sent to investigate the Project's current target: a worldwide terrorist organization known as the Sword of Wrath. But as he gets deeper in, he discovers both the Project and the Sword of Wrath are far more than they seem. Danny and his fellow operatives are caught up in an ancient supernatural conflict and will have to learn how to survive in a world without boundaries of space or time, where the wrong choice could be their last.
Danny is captured, but the Project leaders quickly realize he has a special gift. And when a key operative--the director's daughter, Opal--goes missing, he is offered a choice: join the Shadow Project or go to jail.
Danny joins and is quickly sent to investigate the Project's current target: a worldwide terrorist organization known as the Sword of Wrath. But as he gets deeper in, he discovers both the Project and the Sword of Wrath are far more than they seem. Danny and his fellow operatives are caught up in an ancient supernatural conflict and will have to learn how to survive in a world without boundaries of space or time, where the wrong choice could be their last.
355 pages, Hardcover
First published December 10, 2009
71 people are currently reading
1440 people want to read
About the author
Herbie Brennan
173 books403 followersWhat you should know
Name: Herbie Brennan
Occupation: Author
Favourite book: The Crimson Petal and the White, by Michel Faber.
Favourite subjects: Esoteric matters, psychical research, anomalies, Mac computers, other people and cats.
Favourite journals: Journal of the Society for Psychical Research.
Favourite holiday spot: Kenmare, County Kerry, Ireland.
Number of books published: 116.
Total copies sold worldwide: 10 million +.
Herbie Brennan recently (written 2019) celebrated publication of his 116th book, Nectanebo. Traveller From An Antique Land.
Name: Herbie Brennan
Occupation: Author
Favourite book: The Crimson Petal and the White, by Michel Faber.
Favourite subjects: Esoteric matters, psychical research, anomalies, Mac computers, other people and cats.
Favourite journals: Journal of the Society for Psychical Research.
Favourite holiday spot: Kenmare, County Kerry, Ireland.
Number of books published: 116.
Total copies sold worldwide: 10 million +.
Herbie Brennan recently (written 2019) celebrated publication of his 116th book, Nectanebo. Traveller From An Antique Land.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
July 14, 2011
Hahahahahahahahahahahahha.
Ha.
Okay. It contains some spoilers, but hey, read at your own risk. You should know about this book before you pick it up.
I picked this book up at the library thinking it would be full of spies and CIA missions after having one of the characters break into one of the field houses. I was kind of right. There were CIA missions, just not the way I thought they would pan out. Uhm. Hmmm. I liked the idea of the book and I enjoyed it while I was reading it. When I finished it, all I could think was "What WAS that?"
The plot seemed underdeveloped and it lacked some excitement, now that I look back on it. The characters were also underdeveloped. They all seemed pretty flat until maybe the last fifty pages when they conquered their fears. I'm sorry, did you seriously just give Opal, the only teenage girl in the book, the fear of not being pretty enough?! We have other fears, you know...geez. I could understand Michael's and Danny's fears, but come one! The fear of being ugly? It was even presented in such a short manner.
This book seemed to lack any form of in depth detail. It was mainly action and a "Oops, I forgot to put some detail." So, it was quickly thrown in before it looked like it was forgotten about. The decriptions of the characters didn't seem to stick with me, maybe because the descriptions were just mentioned in passing. Or maybe they were just short, sweet and to the point. The only description I remember is the one when they were in the Astral Plane. "Oh, hey, let's show everyone what they look like inside...Throw a dress on Opal, make her less pretty; put the boys in kilts and show off their abs because they obviously have them because they're strong on the inside; OH, and make the old woman young." Right. Okay. Got it.
Okay, let's delve into the supernatural aspect of the book. Oh, boy. The first couple of chapters hardly led on to the supernatural part. All you understood was CIA missions and spies. Okay, cool book, right? I thought so -- without the added supernatural. Let's the give the characters a second body so they can go on secret missions and not be seen. Ugh. They can't get hurt! But isn't that the excitement of a spy book? The never-knowing feeling that someone's going to be captured and hurt. Thennnnn, Opal gets captured, in her second body. Surprise much? No. But the reader still doesn't understand how she was captured, besides the fact that somehow Farrakhan could see her and he had some special medallion that could capture her. Convenient. AND THEN, the villain of the story doesn't even explain his plot, which is supposed to happen in a novel where the 'evil villain' plays a role. A lot of the supernatural things seemed to be left unanswered, leaving me, at least, unfulfilled.
The book was split up into short chapters between all of the main characters. It's a good idea because it gives the reader access to everyone's thoughts. No. Not at all. When we're in Danny's perspective, we only seem to read what he sees, not what he feels. Once again, showing the lack of details. All action and no down time.
I couldn't tell where the climax and the falling action was. Build up: accidently breaking into the a house that holds a secret part of the CIA that not many people know about. An amazing premise to the plot, right? YES. An amazing premise. But the plot didn't hold up. Danny is able to do half the things the Shadow Project can do without implants. Another great premise. He's going to be an amazing spy for them! No, he kind of sucks at that. Then we have the rescuing of Opal, which you would've thought Danny would resolve because he's an amazing spy. Nahhhh, Opal gets herself out of it. No time for Danny to shine. Frowny face. THEN SOME DEMON BREAKS INTO THE PROJECT! Climax? Don't ask me, I don't know. It seemed like this book was full of mini climaxes and a lot of falling action. When you finally get to the part of the book where it seems like the real climax is happening, it seemed...plain. The climax was lacking detail, and excitement. And then you don't even get the explanation from the bad guy.
Okay, on the front cover of the book, it explains how DANNY breaks into a house, DANNY who is chosen to be in the Shadow Project, DANNY who gets to save Opal, DANNY DANNY DANNY. Even on the back cover, it has an excerpt from one of DANNY'S chapters. Woahhh, back up Michael. Whatchu doin' here, Michael? You get the idea that this book is supposed to center around DANNY. Why in the world does Michael get the girl? Then, in the end between Michael and Opal, abrupt much? "I'm arranged to be married (BECAUSE I'M A PRINCE, didn't I mention that?), but I'm having it released so I can be with you." Aw, cute. OPAL, DON'T LISTEN TO HIM. GO FIND DANNY. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WITH HIM. Nope, that's the end of the book, it's done. Too bad.
So, all in all, I felt this book was just a hundred ideas thrown together. Random climaxes. No emotions from the characters. No thoughts from the characters. And not what the reader expected -- in a bad way.
I liked the idea of the story, but once the supernatural got mixed in, I kind of lost interest. I read it all the way through, just to see if it would get better, but unfortunately I finished the book with a bad feeling. Even though it's the first book, we still should've gotten some explanations as to the villains in this book. This just suggests that explanations are going to be dumped on you during the last book. Yay.
Ha.
Okay. It contains some spoilers, but hey, read at your own risk. You should know about this book before you pick it up.
I picked this book up at the library thinking it would be full of spies and CIA missions after having one of the characters break into one of the field houses. I was kind of right. There were CIA missions, just not the way I thought they would pan out. Uhm. Hmmm. I liked the idea of the book and I enjoyed it while I was reading it. When I finished it, all I could think was "What WAS that?"
The plot seemed underdeveloped and it lacked some excitement, now that I look back on it. The characters were also underdeveloped. They all seemed pretty flat until maybe the last fifty pages when they conquered their fears. I'm sorry, did you seriously just give Opal, the only teenage girl in the book, the fear of not being pretty enough?! We have other fears, you know...geez. I could understand Michael's and Danny's fears, but come one! The fear of being ugly? It was even presented in such a short manner.
This book seemed to lack any form of in depth detail. It was mainly action and a "Oops, I forgot to put some detail." So, it was quickly thrown in before it looked like it was forgotten about. The decriptions of the characters didn't seem to stick with me, maybe because the descriptions were just mentioned in passing. Or maybe they were just short, sweet and to the point. The only description I remember is the one when they were in the Astral Plane. "Oh, hey, let's show everyone what they look like inside...Throw a dress on Opal, make her less pretty; put the boys in kilts and show off their abs because they obviously have them because they're strong on the inside; OH, and make the old woman young." Right. Okay. Got it.
Okay, let's delve into the supernatural aspect of the book. Oh, boy. The first couple of chapters hardly led on to the supernatural part. All you understood was CIA missions and spies. Okay, cool book, right? I thought so -- without the added supernatural. Let's the give the characters a second body so they can go on secret missions and not be seen. Ugh. They can't get hurt! But isn't that the excitement of a spy book? The never-knowing feeling that someone's going to be captured and hurt. Thennnnn, Opal gets captured, in her second body. Surprise much? No. But the reader still doesn't understand how she was captured, besides the fact that somehow Farrakhan could see her and he had some special medallion that could capture her. Convenient. AND THEN, the villain of the story doesn't even explain his plot, which is supposed to happen in a novel where the 'evil villain' plays a role. A lot of the supernatural things seemed to be left unanswered, leaving me, at least, unfulfilled.
The book was split up into short chapters between all of the main characters. It's a good idea because it gives the reader access to everyone's thoughts. No. Not at all. When we're in Danny's perspective, we only seem to read what he sees, not what he feels. Once again, showing the lack of details. All action and no down time.
I couldn't tell where the climax and the falling action was. Build up: accidently breaking into the a house that holds a secret part of the CIA that not many people know about. An amazing premise to the plot, right? YES. An amazing premise. But the plot didn't hold up. Danny is able to do half the things the Shadow Project can do without implants. Another great premise. He's going to be an amazing spy for them! No, he kind of sucks at that. Then we have the rescuing of Opal, which you would've thought Danny would resolve because he's an amazing spy. Nahhhh, Opal gets herself out of it. No time for Danny to shine. Frowny face. THEN SOME DEMON BREAKS INTO THE PROJECT! Climax? Don't ask me, I don't know. It seemed like this book was full of mini climaxes and a lot of falling action. When you finally get to the part of the book where it seems like the real climax is happening, it seemed...plain. The climax was lacking detail, and excitement. And then you don't even get the explanation from the bad guy.
Okay, on the front cover of the book, it explains how DANNY breaks into a house, DANNY who is chosen to be in the Shadow Project, DANNY who gets to save Opal, DANNY DANNY DANNY. Even on the back cover, it has an excerpt from one of DANNY'S chapters. Woahhh, back up Michael. Whatchu doin' here, Michael? You get the idea that this book is supposed to center around DANNY. Why in the world does Michael get the girl? Then, in the end between Michael and Opal, abrupt much? "I'm arranged to be married (BECAUSE I'M A PRINCE, didn't I mention that?), but I'm having it released so I can be with you." Aw, cute. OPAL, DON'T LISTEN TO HIM. GO FIND DANNY. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WITH HIM. Nope, that's the end of the book, it's done. Too bad.
So, all in all, I felt this book was just a hundred ideas thrown together. Random climaxes. No emotions from the characters. No thoughts from the characters. And not what the reader expected -- in a bad way.
I liked the idea of the story, but once the supernatural got mixed in, I kind of lost interest. I read it all the way through, just to see if it would get better, but unfortunately I finished the book with a bad feeling. Even though it's the first book, we still should've gotten some explanations as to the villains in this book. This just suggests that explanations are going to be dumped on you during the last book. Yay.
August 12, 2022
This is another one that I have had in my stash for a while. It was an enjoyable read with an interesting character named Danny Lipman and his amazing grandmother. It was a combination of secret societies, African sorcery, terrorism, the occult, astral projection, and government super-secret agencies. I see that there is a sequel but I don't feel the need to read it.
June 2, 2011
This is the first in a series, and highlights Danny, a teenaged thief, who steals to take care of himself and his grandmother and handle his self-esteem issues rising from being jeered at by snobbish schoolmates, and ends up in the wrong house where a sum of errors allows him entry into a top secret MI6/CIA facility in time to see a paranormal agent being prepped for a mission.
Turns out he has a few paranormal abilities all his own.
This was confusing at times, too many people with too many powers, including Danny's capabilities as a natural born Sohanti or with doctor who can fight and destroy demons. But I enjoyed the cast, and the idea that the intelligence agencies had to use teens to combat terrorists because only the young have brains malleable enough to allow them to literally control out-of-body experiences. Turns out the terrorists are using demons to accomplish their ends. Or is that vice versa.
The pace was fast, the premise strong, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story.
Turns out he has a few paranormal abilities all his own.
This was confusing at times, too many people with too many powers, including Danny's capabilities as a natural born Sohanti or with doctor who can fight and destroy demons. But I enjoyed the cast, and the idea that the intelligence agencies had to use teens to combat terrorists because only the young have brains malleable enough to allow them to literally control out-of-body experiences. Turns out the terrorists are using demons to accomplish their ends. Or is that vice versa.
The pace was fast, the premise strong, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story.
September 25, 2013
The book I read was called The Shadow Project by Herbie Brennan. I thought this was a very good book.The genre of this book was a science fiction.This book was about a young boy named Danny Lipman. He is a young boy trying to make ends meat so he broke into a house and explored and found out he was in a top secret organization and was trapped and gets a offer to join this organization and if he accepts they will pay for his scholarship to Cambridge University and they will take care of his grandma who recently had a stroke. In the missions he is asked to go on he learns that he is not just a regular boy and learns that his one guardian, his grandma is not who he thinks she is and has actually had a past much like Danny's. I liked this book because there was a lot of action on very page. The only bad part about this book was it was kind of confusing. This is because every chapter was written in the point of view of different people so you just have to figure out who is talking. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes the genre science fiction and to people that love lots of action.
June 7, 2010
This book started out with such promise when teen thief Danny breaks into what appears to be an abandoned house and unwittingly stumbles into the lair of a secret government project where agents are able to use out of body experiences to spy on terrorists. Rather quickly, things took a very awkward and weird turn for the worse when demonic creatures are summoned and start killing members of the project. What started out as "Alias" with a kick, ended up as a pitiful excuse for "The Mummy" (the fact that Brendan Fraser was the star of that movie should tell you everything you need to know about its' caliber). I do not recommend this book unless you like stories that can't decide whether they want to be a spy novel or a book about the occult.
December 28, 2017
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Facts:
Rating: 3.11✨/5✨
Recommended? Not so much.
Movie Availability: No
Review Points:
Gut Instinct Reaction (Gut Instinct Score: 3)
This book was severely underwhelming. I read it in one sitting, but struggled to get through it from the beginning. I hate writers who rotate through their characters chapter after chapter - and this book did a poor job of it anyways, so it was the biggest force against me.
Characters:
Who were the main characters? (Character Score: 4)
Danny is the main character. He breaks into this supposedly top secret facility (yeah, I know, horrible introduction right?) posing as a house to steal and he gets caught and then is forced to join this top secret group for Britain's CIA to help his grandma get better.
Michael is another teen agent who should have more impact and story time, but doesn't.
Opal is another teen agent who's dad (Sir Rowland) runs the program. She is probably more of the focus of the story despite Danny being the main character.
Were the characters credible? I suppose they are. I mean, Danny seems to be the most authentic because he comes from this and that and he tends to be the most forthcoming with his life. We hardly know a thing about Michael, even though we should know more since he plays such a huge role from the beginning and has some weird thing with Opal. And Opal is fine. I don't feel one way or another towards her because her story is about her actions, not about who she is.
Who was your favorite character? Why? I really didn't feel anything towards any particular character.
Could you relate to any of the characters in the story? I mean, I guess we're back to Danny - he had a shit life before the Project and then he is forced to do it to prevent anything from happening to his grandma. But, I can't really relate to him so much as I can empathize for him.
Was the book believable? (Believability Score: 3) It wasn't super hard to believe - I mean, for as long as I can remember, we've had movies about Spy Kid and Agent Cody Banks and so on. So, do I think there's probably a select number of teenagers being recruited to the CIA or whatever? Yeah, probably. I don't buy into voo-doo this, or psychic that, and this entire book revolved around those concepts, so I'm just not really on board.
Was the book similar to several books or did it seem to have enough unique components? (Uniqueness Score: 2) This entire book is exactly like a million other books except for this whole telepathy/floating in space thing.
Was the writing fluid and coherent? Were there parts of the story that jumped around or felt disconnected from the original thought? (Writing Style Score: 2) This book was written horribly. I wanted to put it down from the first 10 pages, but I feel like if I'm going to spend the money on a book, I should give it at least a quarter of the book. It never got better. The chapters jumped from location to location; character to character; different spaces in time. I even skipped a series of chapters because it was the exact same moment in time told from a different character's perspective.
Was the book packed with a punch or were there more periods of slow paced writing? (Excitement Factor Score: 3) The first half of the book was basically a snooze. The middle chunk of it was fine, and then the last half where they finish off the bad guy was the most exciting part of the book and it lasted about 40 pages.
What was the story about? (Story Line Score: 3) I'm still not really sure on this one... I mean, we know Danny, Opal, and Michael are all teen spies, and then something happens to Opal and Danny is supposed to save the day. All that happens, but it never really made sense. Arms dealers - got it. Teen spies - got it. All the science-y stuff, however, was hard to follow.
Did the title fit in with the story's theme, message, or tone? (Title Relevance Score: 5) All fine and dandy.
Did the artwork on the cover and/or dust jacket fit in with the story's theme, message, or tone? (Artwork Relevance Score: 3) These are supposed to be teen spies and the dude on the front looks like Matt Damon, so I'm not exactly sure how that one works out.
My Opinion:
Did you like the book? Not really. I mean, it was fine and it took up a few hours of my night, so there's that. But, it wasn't like I was all excited about it. It felt more like an obligation.
What was your favorite part of the book? The beginning, honestly. Danny playing games with good cop/bad cop.
Do you have a least favorite part of the book? Mostly everything about Danny gets to the hospital to check on his grandma, which was about page 50.
If you could change something, what would it be? I wouldn't have picked it up at Half Price Books.
My Recommendation:
Would you recommend this book to another person? Not unless it was a hardcore sci-fi fan between the ages of 11 and 14.
Instagram @RainbowReviewsKC
Website: http://rainbowreviews.wix.com/rainbow...
Facts:
Rating: 3.11✨/5✨
Recommended? Not so much.
Movie Availability: No
Review Points:
Gut Instinct Reaction (Gut Instinct Score: 3)
This book was severely underwhelming. I read it in one sitting, but struggled to get through it from the beginning. I hate writers who rotate through their characters chapter after chapter - and this book did a poor job of it anyways, so it was the biggest force against me.
Characters:
Who were the main characters? (Character Score: 4)
Danny is the main character. He breaks into this supposedly top secret facility (yeah, I know, horrible introduction right?) posing as a house to steal and he gets caught and then is forced to join this top secret group for Britain's CIA to help his grandma get better.
Michael is another teen agent who should have more impact and story time, but doesn't.
Opal is another teen agent who's dad (Sir Rowland) runs the program. She is probably more of the focus of the story despite Danny being the main character.
Were the characters credible? I suppose they are. I mean, Danny seems to be the most authentic because he comes from this and that and he tends to be the most forthcoming with his life. We hardly know a thing about Michael, even though we should know more since he plays such a huge role from the beginning and has some weird thing with Opal. And Opal is fine. I don't feel one way or another towards her because her story is about her actions, not about who she is.
Who was your favorite character? Why? I really didn't feel anything towards any particular character.
Could you relate to any of the characters in the story? I mean, I guess we're back to Danny - he had a shit life before the Project and then he is forced to do it to prevent anything from happening to his grandma. But, I can't really relate to him so much as I can empathize for him.
Was the book believable? (Believability Score: 3) It wasn't super hard to believe - I mean, for as long as I can remember, we've had movies about Spy Kid and Agent Cody Banks and so on. So, do I think there's probably a select number of teenagers being recruited to the CIA or whatever? Yeah, probably. I don't buy into voo-doo this, or psychic that, and this entire book revolved around those concepts, so I'm just not really on board.
Was the book similar to several books or did it seem to have enough unique components? (Uniqueness Score: 2) This entire book is exactly like a million other books except for this whole telepathy/floating in space thing.
Was the writing fluid and coherent? Were there parts of the story that jumped around or felt disconnected from the original thought? (Writing Style Score: 2) This book was written horribly. I wanted to put it down from the first 10 pages, but I feel like if I'm going to spend the money on a book, I should give it at least a quarter of the book. It never got better. The chapters jumped from location to location; character to character; different spaces in time. I even skipped a series of chapters because it was the exact same moment in time told from a different character's perspective.
Was the book packed with a punch or were there more periods of slow paced writing? (Excitement Factor Score: 3) The first half of the book was basically a snooze. The middle chunk of it was fine, and then the last half where they finish off the bad guy was the most exciting part of the book and it lasted about 40 pages.
What was the story about? (Story Line Score: 3) I'm still not really sure on this one... I mean, we know Danny, Opal, and Michael are all teen spies, and then something happens to Opal and Danny is supposed to save the day. All that happens, but it never really made sense. Arms dealers - got it. Teen spies - got it. All the science-y stuff, however, was hard to follow.
Did the title fit in with the story's theme, message, or tone? (Title Relevance Score: 5) All fine and dandy.
Did the artwork on the cover and/or dust jacket fit in with the story's theme, message, or tone? (Artwork Relevance Score: 3) These are supposed to be teen spies and the dude on the front looks like Matt Damon, so I'm not exactly sure how that one works out.
My Opinion:
Did you like the book? Not really. I mean, it was fine and it took up a few hours of my night, so there's that. But, it wasn't like I was all excited about it. It felt more like an obligation.
What was your favorite part of the book? The beginning, honestly. Danny playing games with good cop/bad cop.
Do you have a least favorite part of the book? Mostly everything about Danny gets to the hospital to check on his grandma, which was about page 50.
If you could change something, what would it be? I wouldn't have picked it up at Half Price Books.
My Recommendation:
Would you recommend this book to another person? Not unless it was a hardcore sci-fi fan between the ages of 11 and 14.
May 25, 2022
Just a fine book. The book itself tries to latch onto many different ideas, each one appearing to be a cool idea that could lead to a nice story but for me it felt like the sheer amount of ideas made the book muddled. The general plot of the book is when Danny Lipman, the protagonist, happens upon a secret government operation and becomes more and more entwined with the operation as the book goes on. The book introduces new aspects to the operation as time goes on, each with its own twist or turn that ensues more and more confusion due to their complicated nature. My favorite aspect of the book is how I didnt feel like I needed to understand everything to understand the book, as most chapters build off themselves or it is explained in a general sense that makes it easy to understand at least the flow. Despite this, I was frustrated at times for having to reread certain parts of the book due to their convoluted nature or due to the lack of anything that could determine which parts are important and which parts just keep the story going. One important quote from the book is when Danny thinks "What is my grandma doing here?"(92 Brennan) This quote is important because it shows a point in the book in which the main character determines that his whole family has relations to the operation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2023
I thought the book was okay for about half of it, but after that it was kind of boring. It also really annoyed me how Opal’s worst fear was being ugly. In the book what they said that made her ugly was being flat chested and fat. Which annoyed the heck out of me. I hated how of course the only girl was afraid of being ugly. Like what the heck? And one of the ways it said she was ugly was that she was flat chested. Like seriously? Kids are reading this book and it saying she was ugly because she was fat and flat chested can seriously cause people to think badly about themselves. Not only did the author say that but he also said it was a “girl thing” to be afraid of being ugly. It just really annoyed me because I’m a pretty self conscious person in general and I’ve read plenty of books where girls (it’s only ever girls) greatest fears were being ugly. ESCUSE ME?!?! My greatest fear is my family dying even though I’m pretty self conscious too. I think the stereotype that flat chested people are ugly can be very harmful to people.
The only thing I liked about this book was that It’s a little bit unique. I’ve read plenty of books where it is based on Greek mythology and this one is based on the beliefs of Christian’s. So I did think it was cool the author did something new. But that was one of the only things I liked in the book.
The only thing I liked about this book was that It’s a little bit unique. I’ve read plenty of books where it is based on Greek mythology and this one is based on the beliefs of Christian’s. So I did think it was cool the author did something new. But that was one of the only things I liked in the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2021
This book started out with such an amazing concept: A petty thief unknowingly breaks into one of the most well kept and well guarded secret operations of the known world, the Shadow Project. The project is a type of technology that allows its operatives to escape from the limitations of their physical bodies so that they can spy on enemy territories and get critical information without being seen or heard. The story kept me reading all throughout the introduction of the villains and the revelation that the energy bodies of the agents could be trapped. However, things took a weird turn after that. Suddenly, there was a bunch of mentions of astral planes and different demonic realities. There were demons, fish-gods, bone wizards and so much more that just didn't make sense and more importantly, didn't fit in with the book. The ending seemed off since the main villain was barely mentioned and died within the same page. The reason for the ending was also confusing, along with all of the "War in heaven" and demonic creatures that spring up out of cabinets. All in all, this book started off great but ending kind of badly. I wouldn't really recommend it unless you like the odd type of technological and demonic mix there's in this book.
Read
March 12, 2020This book was a good read that i enjoyed because it was always mysterious or secretive, like right in the beginning when it starts you with the the room in the abandon house that Danny finds and that situation after he goes in the elevator is already in and you can also see the action form from the start then right after the shadow project then the mission with opal when she get's captured it all starts really fast and i think its a every good fast passed book to keep up with and read.
This book might be hard to find the allegory at first but if you keep reading it makes it self more and more clear that the it is you shouldn't be scared to try new things i think that this is the allegory because it throws the main charter into a issue and a new environment make him adjust to it and not be sacred with the power and the government and stuff.
In conclusion this book is a very good read but is fast passed that's probably what i like most about it the allegory of the story or the symbolism is that to not be to scared to or try new thing even if it's not helping the government against terrorist or ridding a bike.
This book might be hard to find the allegory at first but if you keep reading it makes it self more and more clear that the it is you shouldn't be scared to try new things i think that this is the allegory because it throws the main charter into a issue and a new environment make him adjust to it and not be sacred with the power and the government and stuff.
In conclusion this book is a very good read but is fast passed that's probably what i like most about it the allegory of the story or the symbolism is that to not be to scared to or try new thing even if it's not helping the government against terrorist or ridding a bike.
April 8, 2019
The Shadow Project is a fun read, and while not the best book on earth it is worth it. We start the book with a seen of an older woman who is having a stroke and her neighbor is calling the ambulance to help her out. During this, a young man named Danny has accidentally discovered a top secret organization due to a power outage. This is problematic because Danny has a special ability that not very many people do; he is what is called a shohanti. The scene that Danny finds this lab is when one of the top agents, Opal, goes looking for a leader of a terrorist group. Some problems happen and her projection ends up in a cage, Danny ends up projecting to his grandma instead of her, and luck of the draw has it that everything works out fine. Eventually Danny, Opal, and another character named Michael go further into astral projection after an incident at the headquarters which ends up killing an agent, after which Danny sees a much more terrifying beast summoned. They do stop the bad guy and watch him get destroyed by the thing he was controlling.
February 13, 2020
After reading The Shadow Project, I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It keep me interested, and made me want to keep reading. I liked how all of the characters were portrayed in the book, given there very different backgrounds, in which Brennan did well to clearly describe. I enjoyed how the book was split, meaning that while something was happening in the world of The Project, there were problems being solved in a completely different world, The Astral Plane. The author did a great job at keeping the reader hooked, by adding action-paced scenes that the reader would be able to imagine actually happening. That is why I think that this book resembled Imagery as a literary device. It gave readers the ability to form pictures of what was happening in the book, and allowed them to keep up with the story and imagine themselves being the main characters. When rating this book, I would give it 5 stars because it kept me hooked, and allowed me to picture as to what the other characters were going through.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2022
What an entertaining story. I am a sucker for a book that has cool gadgets and mystical powers, and I was hooked right away. Where the story starts and how it ends is absolutely awesome. The story is told from different perspectives, and it greatly benefitted the flow and storyline of this book. There is a great mix of pleasant and dark that keeps the reader intrigued, just as I was. The story is not all that deep, but it is made up by having great action parts and events. There was lots of inner meaning shown in the book and how characters thought on th inside. This was benefitted by the varying perspectives. In one of my favorite parts of the book, the main characters traveled to a suppernatural realm. I really liked this qoute, "Oh, hey, let's show everyone what they look like inside..." I liked it because right after it revealed that the main characters looked similar to how they felt on the inside. I did enjoy the characters and how their personalities were quite different from one another. Brennan did a great job of making these characters not like each other at the start but slowly bridge a friendship. Overall, I enjoyed this story and am glad I read the book, but, there was a lack of complexity that makes a book amazing.
November 29, 2016
I read the book The Shadow Project it’s about a kid named Danny and he gets in trouble more than he can handle. He finds a house with a secret government facility. Danny is a typical teenager besides he gets into a lot of trouble more than he can handle, especially after he gets in the facility. This book is filled with adventure, excitement, action, and is about spies. I would recommend this book to anyone because it’s full of adventures and thrill. This book was amazing because it’s full of twist and turns and then there are mythical creatures too.
January 21, 2019
The synopsis is very good. Reading the book you get a made-for-telvision vibe, and there are a few subsequent chapters that are really enjoyable. But then it goes downhill from there. There are bits that show promise then it just evaporates with a speedy resolution. The ending literally blew my mind (not in a good way) which is why I had to write this review.
June 24, 2025
This is another one that I have had in my stash for a while. It was an enjoyable read with an interesting character named Danny Lipman and his amazing grandmother. It was a combination of secret societies, African sorcery, terrorism, the occult, astral projection, and government super-secret agencies. I see that there is a sequel but I don't feel the need to read it.
October 6, 2018
I thought it had a good plot. There were some things that I thought didn't need to be in the book. But I loved how the boy could do amazing things even before he was ready. It had a really good twist at the end and I would recommend it to a lot of people.
May 6, 2021
Good but where's the ending?
I enjoyed this book but the last third left me wanting more and felt rushed. Then the book just ended. It kind of felt like it ended mid sentence or as if the author was saving the next chapter for the next book.
Overall not what I was expecting but an OK read.
I enjoyed this book but the last third left me wanting more and felt rushed. Then the book just ended. It kind of felt like it ended mid sentence or as if the author was saving the next chapter for the next book.
Overall not what I was expecting but an OK read.
February 28, 2024
4.5 stars...I really enjoyed this book, and could have easily been a 5 star read, but it was lacking in depth. There were some things that should have been delved into more deeply. It needed more "meat."
November 18, 2024
Interesting premise, but the writing was lackluster and I couldn't make myself care about the characters or the plot in the slightest. Almost DNF-ed at multiple points but decided I was far enough into the book I just needed to finish it.
April 17, 2018
A great novel where author Herbie Brennan combines out-of-the-body habilities with spying, resulting in a original and very dinamic plot. Recommended for those who like these subjects.
May 18, 2018
Exciting first story! This book explores many historical settings. Fun novel if you like fantasy. I certainly recommend this book!
July 18, 2018
the beginning wasn't very interesting. the middle was fine.
May 20, 2019
A teenager accidentally walks into a secret lab for a government facility called the shadow project.
November 22, 2019
Danny, his nan, Opal and Michael are off to another reality to retrieve the spear of destiny.
May 14, 2022
I loved the author's Faerie Wars but this wasn't as good as that series. An decent idea but it is deadly boring.
June 19, 2022
It started off alright, but then just went so majorly downhill...
December 7, 2013
The Shadow Project by Herbie Brennan was certainly better than its sequel. Yes, I have read the second book first. However, I still find myself increasingly annoyed with this cool concept based on actual conspiratorial history mixed with, to my utter discontent, a completely unnecessary teen element. Brennan seems like a decent writer- but in my opinion, he failed in this attempt at revising these ideas for a teen novel. In fact, I question why he chose to go this direction in the first place. Anyway, these are my thoughts on this book:
First of all, to join the Shadow Project (a secret governmental agency like the CIA), you must be a teenager because agents "need a mind that's imaginative and genuinely flexible (p. 89)". That's bull crap. This is a terribly thin premise to twist the whole idea of astral projection into a teen novel, it almost makes me sick. After all, when the main characters go to the Astral Plain, they're accompanied by Dorothy (Danny's old Nan). Also, while in the Astral Plain, they see Farrakhan (the antagonist). Sure these characters have the "natural talent" for astral projection- but they're not teenagers. Moreover, they also saw over a dozen djinn, or men with swords guarding the Spear of Destiny on the island in the Lake of Fire. Somehow, I doubt that every one of those men was a teenager. Furthermore, I doubt that every one of those men had an "imaginative and genuinely flexible" mind. Just silly.
Second, there are parts in this book that tend to poke holes in the plot concerning the whole, only-a-very-select-few-can-astral-project thing. With the aid of their machines, the Shadow Project can make anyone leave their body (this fact is never refuted within this book). Sure, the book indicates that people with "natural talent" are preferred- but by the same logic, this also indicates that the Shadow Project has agents without the natural talent. Statements like "we think [Danny] may have natural talent (p. 117)", "you're a bit of a natural (p. 166)" and the fact that some agents need machines to leave their bodies (Opal) bespeak the fact that teenagers with imaginative and flexible minds are unnecessary.
Third, I found it a little too convenient that Danny just stumbled into this secret headquarters for the Shadow Project. Also, I don't think Lusakistan is an actual place. But I can forgive little things like this. And yes, I can understand the benefit of using fictional locations in stories like this.
Finally, I thought Danny was the biggest whiny brat I have ever encountered in a book. This was particularly upsetting considering he was the main protagonist. And I didn't particularly enjoy reading the separate visions for each of Michael, Danny, and Opal when they arrived at the Astral Plain and the Shenlu Chamber... just tedious. But Danny was simply insufferable- I can understand why Michael wanted to kick his ass so much. And what's up with the name 'Opal?' Is she a 90-year-old geriatric or a spunky teenager with an imaginative and flexible mind?
Overall, I can appreciate that this book was based on actual mysterious histories and events. I also enjoyed the really weird and crazy parts. The idea of having this ability of remote viewing is very intriguing. But I just couldn't get past the thin excuse for a teen novel and the holes in the plot. And one more thing, I hated the character Hector.
First of all, to join the Shadow Project (a secret governmental agency like the CIA), you must be a teenager because agents "need a mind that's imaginative and genuinely flexible (p. 89)". That's bull crap. This is a terribly thin premise to twist the whole idea of astral projection into a teen novel, it almost makes me sick. After all, when the main characters go to the Astral Plain, they're accompanied by Dorothy (Danny's old Nan). Also, while in the Astral Plain, they see Farrakhan (the antagonist). Sure these characters have the "natural talent" for astral projection- but they're not teenagers. Moreover, they also saw over a dozen djinn, or men with swords guarding the Spear of Destiny on the island in the Lake of Fire. Somehow, I doubt that every one of those men was a teenager. Furthermore, I doubt that every one of those men had an "imaginative and genuinely flexible" mind. Just silly.
Second, there are parts in this book that tend to poke holes in the plot concerning the whole, only-a-very-select-few-can-astral-project thing. With the aid of their machines, the Shadow Project can make anyone leave their body (this fact is never refuted within this book). Sure, the book indicates that people with "natural talent" are preferred- but by the same logic, this also indicates that the Shadow Project has agents without the natural talent. Statements like "we think [Danny] may have natural talent (p. 117)", "you're a bit of a natural (p. 166)" and the fact that some agents need machines to leave their bodies (Opal) bespeak the fact that teenagers with imaginative and flexible minds are unnecessary.
Third, I found it a little too convenient that Danny just stumbled into this secret headquarters for the Shadow Project. Also, I don't think Lusakistan is an actual place. But I can forgive little things like this. And yes, I can understand the benefit of using fictional locations in stories like this.
Finally, I thought Danny was the biggest whiny brat I have ever encountered in a book. This was particularly upsetting considering he was the main protagonist. And I didn't particularly enjoy reading the separate visions for each of Michael, Danny, and Opal when they arrived at the Astral Plain and the Shenlu Chamber... just tedious. But Danny was simply insufferable- I can understand why Michael wanted to kick his ass so much. And what's up with the name 'Opal?' Is she a 90-year-old geriatric or a spunky teenager with an imaginative and flexible mind?
Overall, I can appreciate that this book was based on actual mysterious histories and events. I also enjoyed the really weird and crazy parts. The idea of having this ability of remote viewing is very intriguing. But I just couldn't get past the thin excuse for a teen novel and the holes in the plot. And one more thing, I hated the character Hector.
April 5, 2013
I read the book “The Shadow Project” by Herbie Brennan. It was about a teenage boy named Danny Lipman who is very misbehaved and went into a secret CIA building, “accidently” or so he claims. Before getting to in depth with the story let me tell you about his personal life a little bit. First off he doesn’t really know where his parents are and lives with his grandma who he is very close with. They don’t live in the best of areas but his grandma or “nan” wants the best education for Danny so she scrapes up the money to send him to a private school. He is always looking for a way to help her out which is kind of how he gets into the situation of going into the CIA building. He was looking to steal some things from the building to help with the funds, so when he goes into the building he is in for a big surprise.
“You have to get me to a hospital, otherwise I’m going to die down here at the bottom of the stairs. So ring for an ambulance and the ring Danny on his mobile.” (Page 7) This is what Danny’s grandmother thought to herself after having a very serious stroke. Danny is very close with his grandma so later on in the book he gets caught snooping around the CIA building and he sees a girl in a chair with bats flying around her head. The catch is that the bats weren’t actually there and Danny could project himself to see the bats, this is a very confusing topic because it is talking about out of body experiences. Danny get’s investigated by the CIA and tells him what he saw and why he was there and they basically give him a choice work for them, get better care for his grandma, and payed college, or they will turn him in and he gets no benefits. Pretty easy choice for most people so he obviously accepts the first offer and joins the rest of the teens that project but he is different they have implants and they believe he can project himself and have out of body experiences without the implant.
Sadly I can’t give away anymore than that so if you would like to hear more which I suggest you do, if you are into a book that makes you think and gets you hooked this is definitely one of them. I’d rate this only a 3 because I do like it and all but it was kind of a let down after reading my last book because if you read an amazing book then go to a good one it feels like a big let down. I appreciate the book for what it is but everyone gets the feeling of going from an A+ book to a just above average one. I haven’t read a book similar to this but if I had to compare one to it I’d compare it with “Streams of Babel” and that is just because of the format from switching the main character each chapter. I don’t plan on reading the next book in the series but if I get book bored that is definitely an option.
“You have to get me to a hospital, otherwise I’m going to die down here at the bottom of the stairs. So ring for an ambulance and the ring Danny on his mobile.” (Page 7) This is what Danny’s grandmother thought to herself after having a very serious stroke. Danny is very close with his grandma so later on in the book he gets caught snooping around the CIA building and he sees a girl in a chair with bats flying around her head. The catch is that the bats weren’t actually there and Danny could project himself to see the bats, this is a very confusing topic because it is talking about out of body experiences. Danny get’s investigated by the CIA and tells him what he saw and why he was there and they basically give him a choice work for them, get better care for his grandma, and payed college, or they will turn him in and he gets no benefits. Pretty easy choice for most people so he obviously accepts the first offer and joins the rest of the teens that project but he is different they have implants and they believe he can project himself and have out of body experiences without the implant.
Sadly I can’t give away anymore than that so if you would like to hear more which I suggest you do, if you are into a book that makes you think and gets you hooked this is definitely one of them. I’d rate this only a 3 because I do like it and all but it was kind of a let down after reading my last book because if you read an amazing book then go to a good one it feels like a big let down. I appreciate the book for what it is but everyone gets the feeling of going from an A+ book to a just above average one. I haven’t read a book similar to this but if I had to compare one to it I’d compare it with “Streams of Babel” and that is just because of the format from switching the main character each chapter. I don’t plan on reading the next book in the series but if I get book bored that is definitely an option.
April 25, 2011
First Look: 5/5 I won this in one of those Inkpop Weekly Challenges. The cover is so cool, and the premise is awesome and unique.
Setting: 3/5 I could have gone either way, here. It was set mostly in England, which is a place I'd like to go, but I never really got a feel for it.
Characters: 4/5 I liked Danny. He had a definite personality, and he was well fleshed-out. Michael and Opal had a bit of depth, but not as much. Everyone else was very, very flat. Except Dorothy. She was hilarious. I nearly laughed out loud when she said "There's no place like home." I still can't figure out if that was intentional.
Plot: 4/5 I loved it. I really did. The action started on page one, and did not stop until the end. I did feel, though, like the whole thing was really rushed. There was no time to take anything in. It all happened too fast. Don't get me wrong; I loved the amount of action, but there was nothing to balance it out. The climax felt rushed in particular, and the ending didn't have a sense of finality to it.
Uniqueness: 5/5 I wasn't sure what to expect with the whole out-of-body-experience thing. I was pleasantly surprised. I mean, how often do you get to read a YA spy thriller...with a paranormal twist?
Writing: 4/5 It wasn't really anything special, but it flowed smoothly. There was never anything to distract me from the story.
Likes: I loved the paranormal twist. Teenage spies trained to leave their bodies and use astral projection to go on missions? Let's see Spy Kids top that one. And besides, how can you not love the old grandma?
Not-so-great: Danny was a little too quick to trust the Shadow Project. And vice versa, the Shadow Project was a little too quick to take him on. It didn't feel realistic.
Total Score: 4/5 This was exciting. I practically inhaled it. It will appeal to paranormal* fans, as well as people who like thrillers of the Alex Rider variety (but this is better!). It was a bit rushed, but I still very much enjoyed it; in fact, I'll probably hand this one down to my brother**. A solid four stars.
*Paranormal in the traditional ghosts and spirits sense. Not the Edward-I-love-your-vampireness-you-smell-good-I'm-obsessed-with-you-and-your-glitter sense.
*Who is reading Artemis Fowl right now. I take my recommending very seriously, of course. :)
Read even more reviews at http://anniesepicblog.blogspot.com!
Setting: 3/5 I could have gone either way, here. It was set mostly in England, which is a place I'd like to go, but I never really got a feel for it.
Characters: 4/5 I liked Danny. He had a definite personality, and he was well fleshed-out. Michael and Opal had a bit of depth, but not as much. Everyone else was very, very flat. Except Dorothy. She was hilarious. I nearly laughed out loud when she said "There's no place like home." I still can't figure out if that was intentional.
Plot: 4/5 I loved it. I really did. The action started on page one, and did not stop until the end. I did feel, though, like the whole thing was really rushed. There was no time to take anything in. It all happened too fast. Don't get me wrong; I loved the amount of action, but there was nothing to balance it out. The climax felt rushed in particular, and the ending didn't have a sense of finality to it.
Uniqueness: 5/5 I wasn't sure what to expect with the whole out-of-body-experience thing. I was pleasantly surprised. I mean, how often do you get to read a YA spy thriller...with a paranormal twist?
Writing: 4/5 It wasn't really anything special, but it flowed smoothly. There was never anything to distract me from the story.
Likes: I loved the paranormal twist. Teenage spies trained to leave their bodies and use astral projection to go on missions? Let's see Spy Kids top that one. And besides, how can you not love the old grandma?
Not-so-great: Danny was a little too quick to trust the Shadow Project. And vice versa, the Shadow Project was a little too quick to take him on. It didn't feel realistic.
Total Score: 4/5 This was exciting. I practically inhaled it. It will appeal to paranormal* fans, as well as people who like thrillers of the Alex Rider variety (but this is better!). It was a bit rushed, but I still very much enjoyed it; in fact, I'll probably hand this one down to my brother**. A solid four stars.
*Paranormal in the traditional ghosts and spirits sense. Not the Edward-I-love-your-vampireness-you-smell-good-I'm-obsessed-with-you-and-your-glitter sense.
*Who is reading Artemis Fowl right now. I take my recommending very seriously, of course. :)
Read even more reviews at http://anniesepicblog.blogspot.com!
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