Shadow of the Sun (Timeless, #1)

Aug 09, 2010 Kim rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, read-in-2010

This review will sound strange. I'm giving 2 stars to a book I didn't like and I haven't even finished it yet. I still have another 200 pages to go but I just can't be bothered anymore. I'm putting it down for a few months and I hope this is just because of the state of mind I'm in, and not because the book sucks. I thought about this all day. The general storyline is good, the concept interesting and the characters are pretty likable. What's not to love, right?

I'm all for sensitivity and feelin...more

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Jun 11, 2010 ~Tina~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cover-crazz, adults, own, angels, read-2010

Shadow of the Sun is the first book in a promising new series by Laura Kreitzer and I just have to say, the cover is Gorgeous!

Twenty Four year old Gabriella Moretti, is a Supernatural Specialist, designed to conduct and provide intel on subjects of the paranormal, be it true or false.
One day at Zelko Corp, three caskets dated back over 2000 years old from Italy was delivered. Gabriella was expecting bones and decay, only to find rejuvenated bodies who looked almost...alive.

This was a really good...more

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Nov 27, 2010 Natasha rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shadow of the Sun is the first novel in the Timeless series by Laura Kreitzer. I'm new to Laura's books, but I really enjoyed this book.
I wasn't sure if I'd like it or not, but I'm glad I read it. When I heard Laura Kreitzer was a self-published author, I actually wanted to read it more. I love supporting the self published.
Shadow of the Sun was an interesting and fun read. This book had great suspense, romance and an interesting plot. Gabrielle is an amazing character to read. She is strong, in...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Riccol rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: barnes-noble, fiction

This was, in essence, a 740 page free sample with no ending. A ruse to suck you in and get you to purchase the next books in the series. Which I won't be doing.

I don't know who the author intended as her target audience. The book is too juvenile for adults but has too much of a sexual/"romance" under-current to be for kids. (No actual sex but there is an abundance of, uh, lust going on.)

The heroine was not at all heroic. She spent the entire book crying, weeping, sobbing (in tears of various col...more This was, in essence, a 740 page free sample with no ending. A ruse to suck you in and get you to purchase the next books in the series. Which I won't be doing.

I don't know who the author intended as her target audience. The book is too juvenile for adults but has too much of a sexual/"romance" under-current to be for kids. (No actual sex but there is an abundance of, uh, lust going on.)

The heroine was not at all heroic. She spent the entire book crying, weeping, sobbing (in tears of various colors depending on author's whim) while burying her head in the protective embrace of her male lust-interest. Many times she couldn't/woudn't even open her eyes to see whatever crisis was happening.
She is supposed to be the most powerful character in the book yet she does nothing, she is always being protected and rescued by the other characters.
She is unlikable from the very beginning and as the book continues she becomes downright unbearable. The author doesn't give enough background or engage in enough "character development" to give us any reason to like or care about her. Which makes it all the more implausible when both male leads fall for her instantly. Why? They must have had some insight into her character that the author failed to give us readers.

Moving past the lead character...
The story is dis-jointed and convoluted and what the characters can or can't do seems to change every other page, the author's later "explanations" always being a spell. It feels as though the author just makes up powers (or lack thereof) for her characters as she goes along, whenever it's conveniant to the situation at hand. We know by the end of the book that the heroes can teleport, become invisible, and cast spells to make immortals human. If these three abilities had been employed consistantly throughout the story, there wouldn't have been a story.

Much of the writing was repetitive and there was too much time spent on unimaginative descriptions of some things, like the angels (always physically beautiful, the females always in white robes with flowing long hair...gag) while other things that badly needed detail to enhance the story were not given any. Battles between the angels, for example. Just loud noises, flashing lights, and inspecific spells being thrown about. These were supposed to be terrifying battles but the author gave no desciption to make them feel so. (Plus, referring back to my above paragraph, the battles were needless anyways.)

A tale that had potential but was very poorly executed.(less)

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Mar 09, 2013 Michelle rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dnf

I could not finish this book, and here's why:

1. The prologue: I really hate prologues that read like somebody grabbed a page from the climax of the book and just slapped it at the beginning. It's so gimmicky, and it doesn't work if I don't know who anybody is.

2. The main character: Most of what we see in the first chapter is Gabriella being horrible to her assistant, Sally. Gabriella tells us one thing ("I'm not a mean person!") and immediately does another (provokes and threatens Sally). Inst...more

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Mar 22, 2011 Carmel (Rabid Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reviewed by Rabid Reads.

When I saw that this book was next up on my to-be-read pile I started berating myself over accepting yet another book for review before researching it properly. It's a bad habit of mine that I'm trying to correct. This novel has all of the warning signs that I usually try to avoid; it's long and self-published. Fortunately for me, there are exceptions to the rule and Shadow of the Sun is definitely one of them. I loved this book! In fact, after finishing it I'm tempted to...more Reviewed by Rabid Reads.

When I saw that this book was next up on my to-be-read pile I started berating myself over accepting yet another book for review before researching it properly. It's a bad habit of mine that I'm trying to correct. This novel has all of the warning signs that I usually try to avoid; it's long and self-published. Fortunately for me, there are exceptions to the rule and Shadow of the Sun is definitely one of them. I loved this book! In fact, after finishing it I'm tempted to request the sequel, Soul Stalker, sooner rather than later. Laura Kreitzer's unique approach to angels paired with her superior world-building skills make this novel an instant favorite.

The entire book will have you at the edge of your seat, eagerly turning page after page to see what happens next. You can almost cut the constant tension in this story with a knife. There's always something new being added to the fate-of-the-world plot. But at the same time, the novel is easy to keep up with. I adored Kreitzer's approach to angels. The hierarchy is still there but with a new spin and their origins undergo a makeover that brings these ethereal beings down to a more earthly level. I really enjoyed the way the story unfolds. Gabriella has dreams of the past throughout the book and these are key to the angels' history. Important facts are gradually added and the characters are constantly modifying their course of action based on what information is available to them.

Joseph was a secondary character in the book but I immediately took a liking to him. He added some comic relief but not intentionally. He's the lowly FBI agent who all of a sudden finds himself in the middle of a war between angels. Despite being human, he manages to hold his own and takes whatever is thrown at him with a grain of salt. I liked how the angels would search for him on the battlefield, worried that he was outmatched only to find him winning a fight against a supernatural being. Gabriella meets him before anyone else and there's immediate chemistry between them. Unfortunately, that kinda gets squashed once her guardian angel shows up. Normally I'm the first one to jump on board the soul-mate train but in this case I was rooting for Joseph, the underdog, the whole time. There was just something about him that flat out did it for me.

Gabrielle's story is a captivating one. She's thrown from one reality into another and handles it as best as anyone could in her situation. She has no memory of the first 5 years of her life but through her dreams she manages to fit a couple of the pieces together. Ella is such a strong and courageous character. I sympathized with her from the very beginning. There are some real heart-wrenching moments in this book that will tug at your emotions. It's rare that I cry while reading but I came close a few times! This story will take you on an emotional roller-coaster ride so be prepared!

Shadow of the Sun has is all: a tale of epic proportions, battles of good VS evil and a sprinkle of romance. There's no toe curling action but I barely felt its absence. This story will have you so enthralled that you won't need any yummy diversions. In fact, if there were any you might feel the urge to skip them so that you can get back to the action. Yeah, this book is that good! I'm eager to see where the story goes from here. I expect great things from Soul Stalker. Laura, if you're reading this please feel free to contact me! Subtle aren't I?(less)

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Mar 10, 2011 Lindsay Paige rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: favorites, reviewed, own

WARNINGS: I fell in love with this book and I absolutely, positively can not wait to read more. This could possibly become a favorite series.

Where do I start? Okay, if you couldn't tell from the WARNINGS, I love this book. I mean, come on people!! I stayed up into the very late hours of the night to finish this book. I was so caught up in the characters and Andrew and what was happening that when I put it down to sleep, it was all I could think about. My mind was running around like crazy with...more WARNINGS: I fell in love with this book and I absolutely, positively can not wait to read more. This could possibly become a favorite series.

Where do I start? Okay, if you couldn't tell from the WARNINGS, I love this book. I mean, come on people!! I stayed up into the very late hours of the night to finish this book. I was so caught up in the characters and Andrew and what was happening that when I put it down to sleep, it was all I could think about. My mind was running around like crazy with possibilities until I couldn't stand it anymore. I pulled it back out and stayed awake until I finished. And it wasn't even hard to stay awake. I was wide awake from the action in the book that there was no hope for sleep until it was finished.

At times, I wondered about Gabriella. She mentions a few times about her being a genius. She graduated from Yale with a PhD at 19, so yes she's smart. At first, when I was trying to get a feel for whether she was being snotty about it or not. She wasn't as I soon came to believe.

The characters, Gabriella, Andrew, Ehno, Lucia, etc were all very diverse with characteristics. They didn't mesh together at all. Kreitzer takes Angels to a whole another deliciously woven level and I thoroughly enjoyed every word. I believe everyone will like this book. I wasn't bored for a second.

Addict's Last Words: READ IT. I was overwhelmed with my giddiness of this book. I might die soon if I don't get my hands on the next book.

To Buy or To Borrow: You can not seriously be asking me this after reading my review. *looks pointedly at you and points at the links of where to buy it*

Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of the Book Lovin' Bitches Ebook Tours and a copy was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Book Lovin' Bitches Ebook Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review nor was there an obligation to write a positive one. all opinions expressed here are entirely mine and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.(less)

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Dec 22, 2010 Audrey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm going to be totally honest - over 100 pages in, and I was STILL thinking that I wasn't going to like this book. The writing seemed wordy and unprofessional, the story seemed underdeveloped while at the same time seeming overly detailed, and the characters and plot held no interest for me. I didn't like the characters, and I especially didn't like the writing style. I genuinely believed that this book had no way of redeeming itself.

And then something clicked. I don't know what happened, but s...more

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Feb 26, 2011 J. added it · review of another edition

In Shadow of the Sun, Gabriella investigates paranormal mysteries every day as a part of her job, but when she discovers that angels really do exist, she discovers a world and her place in it. In this book, angels are immortals who gained power but don't necessarily know about what exists in the heavens as far as God goes. I think this makes the world that she stumbles into even more interesting because it's a different take from what I expected.

Gabriella meets some very interesting immortals, t...more

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Nov 28, 2010 Katieb (MundieMoms) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, mundie-moms-review, 2010-100-book-challenge, signed, debut-author-challenge

4.5 stars

Shadow Of The Sun is a uniquely woven story about Angels, Guardians and Shadows and Soul Catchers. It's vivid and richly detailed history is something I've never read before, and I found myself so taken away with the story, that when I finished it I wanted more. This is far from your typical angel book. There is so many elements, surprises and bits of realism that I really surprised myself and finished this 500+ page book within a few hours.

Aside from some wonderful characters, the sto...more 4.5 stars

Shadow Of The Sun is a uniquely woven story about Angels, Guardians and Shadows and Soul Catchers. It's vivid and richly detailed history is something I've never read before, and I found myself so taken away with the story, that when I finished it I wanted more. This is far from your typical angel book. There is so many elements, surprises and bits of realism that I really surprised myself and finished this 500+ page book within a few hours.

Aside from some wonderful characters, the story itself has the perfect blend of romance, action, lore, magic and prophecies. Laura has done a brilliant job at keeping the flow of the story evenly paced throughout the book, and she knows when to throw in the element of surprise. Not to mention she has some wonderful characters whom I looking forwarding to learning more about in her sequel.

I really liked Gabriella, the main character, as she is gifted and very bright. At 19 she graduated from yale, and now at twenty four she's working in a lab as a supernatural specialist. It's her normal "human" feelings and tendencies that make her relatable. She's strong, driven and independent, and goes from being some what of a loner to being surrounded by her guardian angel, other angels and a family she didn't know she had.

I really enjoyed Laura's angels. As I said before, I've not read any other book with angels as unique as hers. Laura's characters stand out as they aren't typical angels, and each of them has a strong, rich heritage and I enjoyed getting to know a little more about their back story, which was also well written. The bond that three angels Andrew, Lucia and Ehno have is simply refreshing. They've been through a lot and have a lot more to accomplish together. Where I would normally be a little bothered by how intense the chemistry and connection is between Gabriella and her hot Guardian Angel Andrew, I loved it as it fit the story perfectly.

Shadow of The Sun is a fantastic read, with an underlying story of unconditional love, plenty of action, a lot of powerful emotions and a book that will leave you both thinking about it and wanting more of it when you're done. It's a book who's pages I couldn't turn fast enough as there's so much to discover as Gabriella learns more about herself and the destiny that awaits her. This is definitely my favorite adult book I've read this year, and one I'd recommend to older YA readers. It's fresh, unique, clean and I can't wait to read Soul Stalker. (less)

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May 05, 2013 J.L. Dobias rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Paranormal Romance and Apocryphal Angel lovers

Shelves: book-shelf-11

Shadow of the Sun(Book One of the Timeless Series) by Laura Kreitzer

Let me say that I loved-hated this book at the very beginning. As I got past that I could hardly put it down.

For some reason the whole beginning sort of read like a paranormal Dragnet episode. Dialogue mostly devoid of emotions. It went on for about the first 15% of the book. It was at about chapter seven that things finally took off. ( I was either growing used to the character- some explanations were now forthcoming that expla...more

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Mar 23, 2013 A Goddess rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: unfinishable, kindle

This story was a bit too facile for my tastes, although it wasn't as bad as some of those extraordinarily bad wish fulfillment stories that are self published (not that all self-published books are too-corny wish fulfillment tales; I've read some great self-published stuff). The characters in this story were all too perfect. The events were over-simplistic. However, I have pretty good sensory impression of the settings throughout that portion of the book I completed, so I conclude that the autho...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Mapuana Collins rated it 5 of 5 stars

The story starts out about a girl named Gabriella and her job is to work on the supernatural and to judge if it’s supernatural or just some coincidences that occur in the area. The day started normal, all Gabriella had to do was examine three bodies dated over 2000 years old from Italy, Gabriella was expecting bones and decay, but what she got was three bodies that look like they could get up and walk of the table, then more stuff happens but you have to read the book for yourself to see what ha...more

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Apr 06, 2012 OpenBookSociety.com rated it 4 of 5 stars

Brought to you by Katlyn

Beware of spoilers

SHADOW OF THE SUN, by Laura Kreitzer, is an epic journey of supernatural proportions. This story of a young and gifted laboratory worker, whose life was turned upside down with the discovery that she has been waiting for, is action-packed and will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time.

Laura Kreizer is a first-time and self-published author. Her full-time job is in a laboratory which gives the background for our heroine, Gabriella. Gabriella is...more

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Dec 14, 2011 Tiffany rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was a free book for my kindle. It really bugged me how wrong words and misspellings were so prevalent in this book. But beyond that, the author had a decent story, but had so much trouble trying to convey the emotions of her characters it resulted in her droning on and on. Whereas a truly amazing author can make the reader feel things without telling them outright, this author could not do that.

When there is "tragedy" in the book, after referring to the person she has known for 5 minutes o...more

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Mar 20, 2011 Donna (BLHmistress) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review:
When I signed up for this book, the blurb and the cover drew me in and the fact it was about Angels as well, but to be honest I didn't know what to expect. Let me tell you this book pulled me in from the first page until the very end.

The world-building was huge, and at first I thought oh boy here we go it was going to be drawn out boy I was wrong, This author kept my attention not once did I dream of skipping in fact I was even more eager to read more about the Angels and how they came to...more

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Jan 09, 2011 Kyleigh rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have to start off by saying that I’m kind of on the fence with this book. It’s definitely one of those books where you like a lot of things about it, but you just can’t ignore the disappointing aspects of the novel. I really enjoyed it, but just can’t help but wish certain parts were done differently.

From the beginning I was hooked. I’ll admit it right here and now. As much as I am about to criticize this novel, I will freely admit I was freakin glued to at least the first five chapters, prob...more I have to start off by saying that I’m kind of on the fence with this book. It’s definitely one of those books where you like a lot of things about it, but you just can’t ignore the disappointing aspects of the novel. I really enjoyed it, but just can’t help but wish certain parts were done differently.

From the beginning I was hooked. I’ll admit it right here and now. As much as I am about to criticize this novel, I will freely admit I was freakin glued to at least the first five chapters, probably more. The prologue really grabbed my attention. I was immediately trying to piece together what had happened and what it all meant and just gah! Flash forward prologues just torture me. When the three corpses are first opened in Gabriella’s lab I was even more sucked into the story. I was definitely thinking to myself “Oh man this is going to get really interesting!” And that’s when things started to go south. Plots moving along nicely and then bam! The most random ass piece of unnatural disaster I have ever come across in a novel just pops up out of nowhere. I felt like I was being Punked. Just kidding! Here’s what really happened! Except that Ashton Kutcher didn’t magically appear in my living room accompanied by a camera crew. I was literally flabbergasted, and not in a good way. I eventually got over it and moved on. As much as I loathe “soul-mate” romance plots I couldn’t help but get sucked into Gabriella’s and Andrews. Nothing even really happened! Well nothing in the steamy category but I just totally loved the two of them. They just… clicked ya know? And I’m enough of a romantic at heart to appreciate that. At least there were no declarations of undying love immediately. Just a very strong connection that sparked. Literally.
Thankfully there were no more “You have got to be kidding me” moments in the book. The plot from then on out was truly captivating and very surprising. I didn’t see any of the little plot twists coming. It was all really masterfully done. I really did love Laura’s version of angels. I could literally hug her for not making them God related. That is just one thing I cannot get over in most angel related books. It actually reminded me of another book I own. It dealt with immortals, but the whole idea of a small group of people with magical abilities becoming a whole new race is just awesome. I really thought it was original and really commend her for that. Plus all the lore and history of the Angel race. Wow. I mean I really have to hand it to her, that was some pretty awesome stuff. To create a world that rich in history and detail takes true talent and she did a masterful job with it. While there were many aspects of this novel I really adored, there are just some minor disappointments that can’t be ignored.
I don’t think I have ever read a 500+ page novel before and thought the plot moved too fast. I didn’t think it was POSSIBLE, yet I still feel like that. I think the problem is with the transitions from plot twist to plot twist. The beginning especially so, because it is the moment in the novel where the reader is first getting a glimpse at a whole new world and I felt like it was thrown in my face. I just didn’t feel like Gabriella’s reactions were believable. I mean she got over the whole “Angels exist” PDQ and just accepted what came next all in stride. I’m sorry but people just don’t react like that. One thing all humanity has in common is denial in the face of the incredible. Gabriella’s reactions further into the novel bothered me as well. They just didn’t strike me as believable and it felt like the author was trying too hard to get an emotional impact. Especially with grief. She just hit us up with so much pain and sorrow back and forth that it didn’t emotionally impact me at all. I didn’t share Gabriella’s grief, I just wanted her to shut up. If she was more subtle about it, with a more gradual decline from shock and denial to acceptance it would have been fine.
Apart from a few more cheesy moments it was fine. The ending totally threw me though. I was in shock from that plot twist. Though I don’t think it was all that well explained, it definitely threw me for a loop. I’m looking forward to reading the next installment in this new trilogy, not only to see what happens, but to see how the authors’ writing has grown. I have a feeling that these books will only get better and better, and I’ll get over the minor let downs. I can already tell more unexpected plot twists are to be had in the sequel and I can’t wait to continue reading. I will tell you right here and now, it is going to be intense. (less)

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Dec 01, 2010 Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-debut-author, 2010-100-book-challenge, books-i-own, mundie-moms-reviews, signed-books-arcs

4.5 stars

Shadow Of The Sun is a uniquely woven story about Angels, Guardians and Shadows and Soul Catchers. It's vivid and richly detailed history is something I've never read before, and I found myself so taken away with the story, that when I finished it I wanted more. This is far from your typical angel book. There is so many elements, surprises and bits of realism that I really surprised myself and finished this 500+ page book within a few hours.

Aside from some wonderful characters, the sto...more 4.5 stars

Shadow Of The Sun is a uniquely woven story about Angels, Guardians and Shadows and Soul Catchers. It's vivid and richly detailed history is something I've never read before, and I found myself so taken away with the story, that when I finished it I wanted more. This is far from your typical angel book. There is so many elements, surprises and bits of realism that I really surprised myself and finished this 500+ page book within a few hours.

Aside from some wonderful characters, the story itself has the perfect blend of romance, action, lore, magic and prophecies. Laura has done a brilliant job at keeping the flow of the story evenly paced throughout the book, and she knows when to throw in the element of surprise. Not to mention she has some wonderful characters whom I looking forwarding to learning more about in her sequel.

I really liked Gabriella, the main character, as she is gifted and very bright. At 19 she graduated from yale, and now at twenty four she's working in a lab as a supernatural specialist. It's her normal "human" feelings and tendencies that make her relatable. She's strong, driven and independent, and goes from being some what of a loner to being surrounded by her guardian angel, other angels and a family she didn't know she had.

I really enjoyed Laura's angels. As I said before, I've not read any other book with angels as unique as hers. Laura's characters stand out as they aren't typical angels, and each of them has a strong, rich heritage and I enjoyed getting to know a little more about their back story, which was also well written. The bond that three angels Andrew, Lucia and Ehno have is simply refreshing. They've been through a lot and have a lot more to accomplish together. Where I would normally be a little bothered by how intense the chemistry and connection is between Gabriella and her hot Guardian Angel Andrew, I loved it as it fit the story perfectly.

Shadow of The Sun is a fantastic read, with an underlying story of unconditional love, plenty of action, a lot of powerful emotions and a book that will leave you both thinking about it and wanting more of it when you're done. It's a book who's pages I couldn't turn fast enough as there's so much to discover as Gabriella learns more about herself and the destiny that awaits her. This is definitely my favorite adult book I've read this year, and one I'd recommend to older YA readers. It's fresh, unique, clean and I can't wait to read Soul Stalker.(less)

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Jun 07, 2010 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars

With Shadow of the Sun, first time author, Laura Kreitzer, illuminates us with the first book in her Timeless series. The story starts off as her heroine, Dr. Gabriella Moretti, receives three bodies from an archeological dig in Italy. Dr. Moretti is a supernatural specialist for the Zelko Corporation, and the bodies have been sent to her for investigation. She walks into her lab and looks into the crates to find the supposed 2000 year old bodies to have no decomposition what-so-ever. She immedi...more With Shadow of the Sun, first time author, Laura Kreitzer, illuminates us with the first book in her Timeless series. The story starts off as her heroine, Dr. Gabriella Moretti, receives three bodies from an archeological dig in Italy. Dr. Moretti is a supernatural specialist for the Zelko Corporation, and the bodies have been sent to her for investigation. She walks into her lab and looks into the crates to find the supposed 2000 year old bodies to have no decomposition what-so-ever. She immediately contacts the dig to make sure she was sent the correct bodies, for these seem minutes dead and not centuries. She is soon emailed pictures of the bodies that were taken just four days prior, and images of three leathery, decayed corpses appear on her screen. Eager to find some answers, Dr. Moretti takes a tissue sample from the arm of one of the bodies, and in the time it takes her to turn around, the flesh has regenerated. For the first time in her tenure with Zelko, her skepticism is rocked to it's foundation.
Dr. Moretti seals her lab and rushes to contact her supervisor, both anxious and eager to return to her lab once he arrives to see what they will find there. While waiting in her office, her assistant delivers her dry cleaning and a mysterious box. Wanting to make herself presentable after practically living at her lab as of late, Gabriella puts all thoughts of the box aside. While in the en-suite bathroom of her office, she begins to hear noises in her office. Peaking out into the room, she sees nothing, until she realizes that the box appears to be punched opened. Soon a darkness overcomes her, and a shadowy creature appears warning her not to wake the angels. The mysterious bodies below are angels.
Soon her boss arrives along with the FBI, who want to take this whole operation under their jurisdiction. Feeling very protective of these creatures, with only Gabriella knowing their true identity, she is included in the detail to remove them from her lab. Hidden in the ranks of the FBI agents are a Shadow, Jeff, and an angel, Karen. Gabriella finds herself back in her office with Karen, who reveals herself. She tells Gabriella that she is her guardian angel sent to keep her and the bodies safe. More importantly, Kreitzer uses Karen's explanation that angels are immortals who protect humanity, and their depiction in religious texts was written by her self-righteous angel brothers. With this, Kreitzer has given herself creative liberty for her world of angels to not follow the archetype that angels are the messengers of God, and in turn frees the reader to accept Kreitzer's world as she unfolds it to us.
Karen accompanies Gabriella as she goes home to pack for the trip, and in the processes is presented with the angel elders. She is told she is the “Darkness Illuminator”. A prophesy was made stating that the Darkness Illuminator would come and be the key to end the war between the angels and the Shadows. Because Gabriella survived her visit from the Shadow, which no human and few angels have survived, they believe she is the one who will save them and bring them peace.
Gabriella finds herself on the run, not knowing who to trust as she discovers more of the lore of this hidden world of guardian immortals. Not only does their history unfold, but her own hidden past is revealed to her as well. Gabriella hides, runs, and fights with the help of the three crated angels come-to-life, Andrew, Ehno, and Lucia; and a human FBI agent, Joseph. Other angels and shadows cross their paths, but as Gabriella learns, people are not always who they seem to be. Kreitzer's mix of narrative, flashbacks, borrowed memories, and even stored messages in inanimate objects presents the unfolding of this world, and Gabriella's past and future, in digestible pieces. As complex as this world is, you are able to keep track of who everyone is, and the various levels of lies that mask and complicate the situation Gabriella finds herself in. You can feel her emotion coming off the page,her anxiety in your nerves, and her weariness in your bones.

Along with the larger picture of ending a supernatural war is the slow unfolding of a love story between Gabriella and Andrew. Beginning with him coming to life in time to save her from a plane crash, they find themselves on the run together. They reveal each others worlds to each other, and gradually, pieces of themselves. They have an actually physical connection that they ignore at first, but soon there is an emotional connection as well.

Laura Kreitzer has created a world rich with history and intrigue. Just when you think you have it figured out, she throws you for another loop and you are no longer operating in the same reality you thought existed for the story. This is an intriguing start to what promises to be a captivating book series.(less)

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Mar 30, 2010 Leslie Nash rated it 5 of 5 stars

Title: Shadow of the Sun
Genre: Fiction (Urban Fantasy)
Author: Laura Kreitzer
Publisher: iUniverse $26.95
ISBN: 978-1-4502-0689-1

“Gabriella’s past is a mystery, but that never stopped her from achieving her goals. As a supernatural specialist, and far more intelligent than anyone her age, she has always been ignored by her peers. Because of the isolation she has always felt, she put her life and soul into her job. Being a supernatural specialist hasn’t given her the divine intervention she always...more

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Mar 28, 2011 Wenj rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, read-2011

3.5 Stars

Review provided by Black Lagoon Reviews:

Shadow of the Sun, the first novel in the Timeless series by Laura Kreitzer, was something of a surprise for me. There have been a lot of wonderful reviews and I was eager to give this novel a try, but like most I was apprehensive about a full length novel written by an Indie author. Luckily, it was all worry for nothing! Krietzer's writing ability quickly becomes evident showing her to be just as well versed in characterization, world development...more 3.5 Stars

Review provided by Black Lagoon Reviews:

Shadow of the Sun, the first novel in the Timeless series by Laura Kreitzer, was something of a surprise for me. There have been a lot of wonderful reviews and I was eager to give this novel a try, but like most I was apprehensive about a full length novel written by an Indie author. Luckily, it was all worry for nothing! Krietzer's writing ability quickly becomes evident showing her to be just as well versed in characterization, world development and most importantly, story development as any seasoned published author and in some cases better! With wonderful characters, a unique spin on Angelic lore and a great pace, this novel is one that I can honestly say, the hype is extremely justified!

Of course, that's not to say when I started reading this novel that I instantly slid right in to the story. In fact, it took me a chapter to really come to relax into the wonderful characterization and world building within the novel. But, once I was acclimated, I really came to love the world that Kreitzer created. The original spin on Angelic lore was fascinating and I enjoyed the in-depth historical development which really brought the world to life. Yet, even though the world of the Angels is nicely rounded, as the story progresses even more tidbits and insights are given which lead to a wonderful twist in the premise as things become clear that nothing is as it appears. The amount of details within the novel was also something that I truly enjoyed. I've always been a sucker for nicely depicted settings which make the story seem to pop from the pages. But with that said I think I should bring up the old tried and true sentiment of 'moderation' as sometimes the sacrifice of details helps to keep the pace moving. In this way, the descriptive quality of the novel can be a bit too much, hampering the progress and emotional appeal of the writing.

However, there is often a fine line between just enough and too much detail. For instance, I loved the amount of detail in regards to the characters' development. The insights and wonderful emotional appeal were great to see develop and I hesitate to say that anything about the thoughts or actions slowed down the pace simply because of the insight all of the descriptions offer into their psyches and emotional ties. This really helps to build a resilient, strong and intelligent female lead that is easy to like. With lots of emotional turmoil quickly being imposed upon her, Gabriella retains her inner strength with the tender support of her self-appointed protector, and Halo of the Sun Guardian Angel, Andrew. The electrifying connection between the two quickly grows creating an simmering undercurrent of desire and devotion that leads to a flourishing relationship that really draws the reader in. The honest and often times innocent Andrew was definitely a wonderful counterpart to the more practical and skeptical Gabriella. His earnest assessment of the world and the situations they find themselves in adds some stability to even the most dire situation as he oozes confidence and calm with an underlying skein of iron clad strength. But, really this novel evolves into an ensemble piece as the other Halo of the Sun Guardians are drawn into the destiny of the Illuminator and as the ultimate battle between good and evil begins.

But, while I love the secondary characters it often becomes confusing which ones you should truly focus on as each minor character is introduced just as thoroughly as the main ones. I was often mostly confused by the part they would play in Gabriella's journey as many disappeared just as quickly as they appeared. There is also some very definite confusion as to who the main love interest in the novel will be. This led me to do something of a double take as the chemistry and development between Gabriella and Joseph seems to go to waste, though a friendship does develop it often seems abandoned with little interaction between the two. However, by the end of the novel it does appear that the relationship and bond between the two will take on a new dynamic leaving me to believe that all the build up of the varying characters may come in to play later.

The writing style was also something that surprised me a bit. There was a wonderful flow that was a great mix of concise and descriptive. The pace is nicely set with lots of action and build up though the beginning has a nice sense of supernatural mystery surrounding the slumbering Angels. But, sometimes this flow was interrupted by the in-depth descriptions of the settings as well as an unneeded repetition of thoughts and histories. Since the story reads so fast, I often found the repetition to be more of a hindrance then a help as emotions and thoughts can often be run in to the ground. But, I think what nagged at me the most was the ending. It felt that the closer you got to the end, the more the story began to flounder, only to culminate in a climax that was jumbled and sort of anti-climatic given the scope of the story. But, there is still a lot of good in the story that overshadows the more disappointing aspects, leaving me eager to find out more about this wonderful cast of characters and gather some insight into the main characters that tended to remain more in the background.

Overall, this was a rather impressive read with a wonderfully original premise that leaves you wanting to know more about this unique world. The characters are endearing and wonderfully developed with a great emotional appeal that I truly enjoyed reading, making this a great debut to what promises to be a thrilling new series.

(less)

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Feb 28, 2011 Katniss rated it 3 of 5 stars

I can't decide weather to:
a) give this a two or a three and
b) read the next book

As you can see by my previous posts, I was wowed by the begining, not impressed with the middle, and was then once again wowed and hopeful at the end. It seems that it will be possible for the series to be saved from Twilight-dom, and so I am both hopeful and wary of the next book.
I would have given it a hands down, all the way five, except for the overly acentuated romance going on. I'm okay with a little romance...more

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Jan 27, 2011 Aimee rated it 3 of 5 stars

I would have given this book 4 stars if all the swearing was taken out. Because that's just the kind of girl I am. Me = no swearing.

Here's what I liked about this book. It was thick. A good, long book is happy to me. The story moved along quickly and had action, emotion and romance. I liked the good angel/bad angel thing going on. It was a really fun story.

I finished the book but I'm still left with so many questions. SO MANY! And if I'm picking a team? It's going to be Joseph. Sorry, but I know...more

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Oct 23, 2010 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Before I got the offer to review this book, I hadn´t heard anything about this author. Now, I want to start the second in the series like as soon as possible. I seem to have a huge thing for angel of all sorts right now.

Okay, where to start? To say I really liked this book is not much of a review, so I try to come up with something better.

I have mixed feeling towards the characters of the book. On one hand, I really liked Gabriella who is a strong and independent woman with loner tendencies, a w...more Before I got the offer to review this book, I hadn´t heard anything about this author. Now, I want to start the second in the series like as soon as possible. I seem to have a huge thing for angel of all sorts right now.

Okay, where to start? To say I really liked this book is not much of a review, so I try to come up with something better.

I have mixed feeling towards the characters of the book. On one hand, I really liked Gabriella who is a strong and independent woman with loner tendencies, a woman who still struggles with events from her childhood that made her lose the first five years of her life. It´s also not a big stretch to imagine that I adored Andrew, Gabriella´s very own Guardian and Angel. His fiercely protectiveness, calm and soothing manner and okay, his looks somehow really spoke to me. Strangely so, as I´m usually all for the bad boys in a story. But their growing relationship was really sweet. On the other hand, I felt like some of the other characters fell somehow short, which is really a shame. Lucia and Ehno are just as intriguing and I would have loved to read more about them. It´s the same with Joseph, the hunky FBI guy that sticks around for the story. I´m really hoping I´ll get to see mor of them in the next book.

As far as the worldbuilding is concerned, I have to admit that is original, well tought-out and very rich in details. The whole world of Angels, Guardians, Shadows and the Soul Stalker is nothing like you´ve ever read before. Well, at least I haven´t. You know when you sometimes read a book and think: Oh, that one reminds me or (insert title here)? I couldn´t possibly compare it to another book. There´s a lot of action, magic, prophecies and romance (romance mind you, no random sex scenes in this book. We´re dealing with angels after all! :) I guess their love has to be more…pure)

The story had just the right pace and I especially enjoyed the episodes where Gabriella had The Sight. There are some events in the book I really wouldn´t have anticipated. Plus, the end changes everything I´m like I said, I´m really looking forward to reading “Soul Stalker”, the next book in the series.

Two minor things were bothering me, however. I would have expected another, you know, more ancient name for an immortal being that has been around for 4000 years. Andrew? Not so much. It would also be noce for a change if the hero and Heroine would take more than say two days to determine that they are kindred souls. Just saying.

For all who are (like me) just discovering their love for angels or who want to read outside of their vampire/werewolves comfort zone, “Shadow of the Sun” might just be the right book for you.

As far as the books I´ve received for reviews are concerned, “Shadow of the Sun”, along with “Jenny Pox” is one of the most pleasant surprises.

I´m going to give “Shadow of the Sun” 4 out of 5 points!(less)

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Dec 16, 2012 Raye rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantascy

Ok so I read other peoples reviews on this book before I read it. And I have to say some seemed a little harsh. Yes there does seem to be some crying in it (just about every character at some point) however most was justified. Angles are known for being compassionate so it would go to show that they would be a little sensitive. And Gabby the main character goes through so much without hardly any sleep to speak of....well he'll were human and especially females when we get tired we get weepy, wit...more

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Feb 25, 2011 Inspired Kathy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

When I received this book in the mail I honestly thought "Oh no! What did I agree to review" - a 500+ page self published book? Honestly my expectations were not very high and I put off reading this book until the last possible minute. A great reminder to me that first impressions are often inaccurate!

My initial judgement of this book was completely wrong. This book is fabulous! I was surprised at how quickly I was able to read this book. Despite being 500 pages long Shadow of the Sun is a fast...more

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May 29, 2012 Nicole Trainor rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: regretted-reading

Bleh. This book started out pretty okay but then went off the over-the-top fanfiction/Mary Sue cliff full speed. The main character was supposedly a super-genius (multiple science PhDs by 19) but was a complete idiot and constantly getting her ass saved, despite waking up and getting all these awesome powers. It really felt like this book was written by a 14 year old girl as a fanfiction attempt. These ancient angels had modern names like Karen and Andrew and Liz and Mimi and used endearments li...more

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May 19, 2011 Jenna rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was a bit on the fence on this one. It took me a while to get into the story - I know it's fiction and it's fantasy, but some of the aspects sounded even improbable for fantasy. Once I was in though, I really liked the story line and the flow became better.

What I liked:
1. The story of the Angels vs Shadows was interesting and not the same old good vs evil so that was refreshing.
2. I liked the details about the lab. You can tell that Ms. Kreitzer worked in one since the details are great.
3. I r...more

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Apr 23, 2010 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars

SHADOW OF THE SUN, by Laura Kreitzer, is an epic journey of supernatural proportions. This story of a young and gifted laboratory worker, whose life was turned upside down with the discovery that she has been waiting for, is action-packed and will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time.

Laura Kreizer is a first-time and self-published author. Her full-time job is in a laboratory which gives the background for our heroine, Gabriella. Gabriella is an amazing character to read. She is stro...more

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Apr 27, 2010 Peace Love and Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

Dr. Gabriella Moretti never fit anywhere besides her profession and inside the confines of her lab that they call "fishbowl". At age of 19 she already graduated with honors and with a Ph.D, impressive? yes and she is probably the most intriguing character that I've read this year. Her character surrounds a great depth of mystery. The first two chapters did not really try to hide that. She is someone else, something else... People envy her especially her peers, how can they not, she was above the...more Dr. Gabriella Moretti never fit anywhere besides her profession and inside the confines of her lab that they call "fishbowl". At age of 19 she already graduated with honors and with a Ph.D, impressive? yes and she is probably the most intriguing character that I've read this year. Her character surrounds a great depth of mystery. The first two chapters did not really try to hide that. She is someone else, something else... People envy her especially her peers, how can they not, she was above them all. A great example is her 19 year old assistant Sally - snooty, nosy, rude and insecure. I would understand it if Gabriella is a horrible boss but no, unless you push her buttons. She is humble and nice if people gave it a chance to really get to know her. As far as her field goes, as Supernatural Specialist, Gabriella has yet to discover something real, something to be proven that exists, on any myth the world has to offer. Vampires? Nope. Werewolves? nope. But Angels yes.

Caskets were delivered to Gabriella's office for examination, the documents show that they are carbon dated as ancient artifacts. When she saw the bodies inside, they looked like they just died the other day. Freaked out, astonished and confused she decided to peel a piece a piece of skin, the previous reaction was doubled when she saw that they healed faster than she could bolt out of her lab. The next morning a mysterious box was placed on top of her table and when she opened it darkness consumed her, a figure, as dark as coal with blazing red eyes told her not to wake the angels. It was not long enough to get an answer to that question because the next 24 hours her world as she knew it was gone, replaced by something she's been looking all her life. A supernatural adventure...

I love this book all 98% of it. I have two minor issues, number one: I could do without reading the very long mourning and grief stricken stage in the book. And wished that Gabriella wouldn't cry as much on the second book. I find those two over dramatic and I got a little bored :( but with those two blunders aside, I can honestly say that this is my favorite (adult) series in 2010. The story was fast paced, full of wonder and have that astonishing depth in its plot. Kreitzer also made a wonderful love story. An undying and unconditional love that will always prevail no matter what. I know it sounded so cliche but trust me this one is different. I love the dialogues and the powerful emotions that goes with it too. It was neither cheesy nor predictable and I think most readers will find that refreshing. The action was heart pounding/ full of adrenaline and the air of mystery surrounding Gabriella's existence makes you want to read faster than usual to find out the real deal, her journey of finding out who her real parents are, the role of the three Angels - Lucia, Ehno and her beloved Andrew was a powerful combination that made this book a worthy read. I think readers will feel connected to any of these amazing characters. Oh and did I tell you guys that Laura is self published? The big houses truly missed out on this talented writer.(less)

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Shadow of the Sun (Timeless #1)

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