J. A. Andrews’s A Threat of Shadows (The Keeper Chronicles #1)
Description
Alaric has lost everything – or rather he has thrown away everything while trying to regain the one thing he lost.
As a Keeper, Alaric had been a respected recorder of stories and events, trusted to recall the information when necessary. But now, his wife lies dying and he will search the ends of the earth for the antidote she needs, if only he has enough time.
His desperate search has brought him to places he would rather not admit, but it has all led him to the knowledge of a Wellstone containing the memories of a past Keeper who knew the antidote. On the trail of the Wellstone, he meets a group conveniently searching for it as well. But there is more to the haphazard group than Alaric initially thinks, and some of them hold more darkness than he would have imagined.
A darkness that hides a threat the world had thought destroyed.
Disclosure
I received this book for free from family, it was provided for my personal use. There was no agreement with the author, publisher, or any third party that I would publish a review. The following review is unsolicited, unbiased, and all opinions are my own.
Review – Spoiler Free
I was gifted J. A. Andrews’s A Threat of Shadows because it was on my To Be Read list. I had seen numerous recommendations comparing it to the work of Michael J. Sullivan who is easily my favorite author (read a review of his work here). After reading A Threat of Shadows, I can agree with those recommendations – while Sullivan’s work has a more epic feel and Andrews’s has a softer, more classic feel, they have some core similarities and I would describe them both as fun reads.
One of the things I love about Sullivan’s work is that his epic fantasy is not gritty and grimdark. Yes, there is darkness and despair but there is hope and victory also. And the same good, fantasy vibe shines through in Andrews’s A Threat of Shadows. Yes, there is a ‘big bad’ and magicians that dabble with lives and souls, but there is also redemption and those who rally against such evils with determination and hope.
A Threat of Shadows is a good, classic fantasy that gives Dungeons & Dragons quest vibes, think: a strangely diverse group of adventurers searching for a magic rock. It sounds cliché and, until the in-world explanations for the group members’ diversity, it reads a little cliché but that’s part of what makes it fun.
It’s also why I describe A Threat of Shadows as a classic fantasy rather than an epic fantasy. It has fantasy hallmarks including good depth to the story, interwoven story threads, and a well described world ready to offer more adventure in the next book. While still having that sweeping fantasy story, it is told with the embraced genre clichés, has no dragging info dumps or onslaught of characters with confusing or forgettable names, and with low immediate stakes but high secondary stakes that softens the story overall. I’m curious if this softer style would fall in the currently popular ‘cozy fantasy’ genre but, since it does deal with some darker things, I’m not sure.
A Threat of Shadows had an easy reading feel that I could put down for long stretches and, when I finally picked it back up, I could slip right into again. I think this is in part because of the softer, classic fantasy writing, and because the short chapters clipped along but the overall pacing wasn’t fast. Again, think: a D & D adventuring party working their way through a quest isn’t always running for their lives or fighting the ‘big bad’, they are also spending time searching for things and solving riddles.
Overall, I really liked J. A. Andrews’s A Threat of Shadows. I loved it’s classic fantasy feel and it’s themes of hope and redemption. I will definitely be reading book 2 of the series, Pursuit of Shadows, and already have it on my bookshelf. I would recommend A Threat of Shadows to fantasy readers who enjoy a good adventure and softer fantasy storytelling, but I would not recommend it to fantasy readers who are looking for a darker story or would be irked by the stereotypical tropes and characters.
Quote
We do not cast men out for a single choice because no man is defined by a single choice. With each day, we decide anew who we are, what we will grow toward.
The Sheild (A Threat of Shadows, J. A. Andrews)
Ratings
- Quality of Writing – 4
- Plot – 4
- World Building – 4
- Characters – 3
- Ease of Reading – 4
- Pictures/ Illustrations – 3
- Overall Enjoyment – 4
- Final Rating – 4 (Actual: 3.7) – Really Liked It
Want to learn more about the numbers I use for rating, and the qualities I’m thinking about when writing a book review? Check out my post How I Rate and Review.