A Threat of Shadows by J.A. Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The first entry of author J.A. Andrews’ The Keeper Chronicles fantasy series opens with the protagonist, the “Deeper” Alaric, riding through the wilderness on his trustworthy horse Beast, his destination the stronghold of the order to which he belongs, the franchise’s eponymous Keepers. Alaric seeks an antidote to his wife Evangeline’s poisoning, during which she is in magical stasis. He believes a mystical artifact known as the Wellstone holds the key to healing his beloved, with the long-deceased Kordan, a Keeper and wicked sorcerer, potentially holding further clues in one of his old logs.
Alaric bands with the dwarf Douglon, the elf Ayda, the old sorcerer Wizendorenfurderfur the Wondrous (Gustav for short), and a young man named Brandson to seek the Wellstone. Douglon has issues with his cousin Patlon; their rivalry gets a sizeable focus later in the novel. The party travels to Bone Valley, where they encounter a dragon with whom Ayda attempts communication to ward off. Revelations abound regarding Ayda’s backstory, a betrayal, and consequential quest to stop the resurrection of Mallon, a ruthless Shade Seeker with the title of “Rivor” who disappeared eight years before the book’s events.
Overall, despite the negative first impression given by the glaring error in the book’s opening sentence (though mercifully, such oversights aren’t endemic through the novel), I found the first The Keeper Chronicles book to be enjoyable, given the relatively straightforward, linear narrative, unpredictable revelations and twists, and coherent backstory. However, many names are unoriginal, like “Queensland,” and titles like “Rivor” are unusual. Vagueness occasionally abounds as well, with a poor initial explanation of whether King Horgoth is a dwarf or human, not to mention unclear uses of pronouns and phrases like “the gem.” Regardless, I enjoyed this book and will continue reading the series.
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