Title: Shadowmancer
Author: G. P. Taylor
# of pages: 275

Plot Summary:

In a small village by the German Ocean lives a vicar named Obadiah Demurral, a man with cruel ambitions to control everything and everyone. All he needs to accomplish this are the two Keruvim, and with these weapons, even God and His angels must bow down before him. To make the task easier, Demurral was given the ability to control the dead, as a shadowmancer, by the Dark Lord Pyratheon. However, possessions and power are not so easily obtained, as Demurral soon realizes the truth about who will really hold the Keruvim's power - and it isn't him.

Meanwhile, Thomas and Kate are soon dragged into this catastrophe, after their new friend, Raphah, was sent from his homeland to retrieve the Keruvim that belonged to his people. The three must face danger beyond words, in their quest filled with ruthlessness and deceit.

Opinion:

Shadowmancer was somewhat enjoyed because of the creativity involved. There are few characters with wickedness matching Demurral and Pyratheon, or the innocence of Raphah. However, certain aspects relate to Harry Potter's world, such as Pyratheon's desire for the death of others and Voldemort's.

Nevertheless, I found some flaw in the story's plotline: Demurral and the other antagonists never suffered in any way. They received their magical powers effortlessly, defeated every obstacle in their path, and had unlimited armies. Although a terrific story always needs evil characters, I believe the antagonists grasped their possessions as though they were given to them generously, which they didn't deserve.

The conclusion brings some distraction, because Pyratheon and the others simply vanish when they realized they had not won the war between evil and good, even after the golden Keruvim was in his hands. Disappearing out of sight seems controversial when Pyratheon is very determined to hold power, and would sacrifice anything for it except for himself.

Shadowmancer may appeal to fantasy and mystery enthusiasts, because of the magic and deception. Unfortunately, this book ranks low in other genres, and in my opinion, there isn't enough magic; it seems as though only Raphah and God are the only characters whom possess such powers on the protagonists' side. There is no appearance of non-fiction, romance, etc. The characters only care about their quests to oppose or support Pyratheon's wrongdoings, and little else. I suggest adding elements of these genres to the story so that it can appeal to a wider audience.

Overall, Shadowmancer is mediocre, with some flaws that need repair.

Main Themes and Subjects:

• Religion
• Fantasy
• Power

Target audience: Preteens and teenagers

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 3/5

Book review by Fiona T.
* 33 hours so far
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