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Shadowmancer #2
The Curse of Salamander Street
The Magenta has returned to the shores of England, carrying young Kate, her friend Thomas and the ship’s charismatic owner, Jacob Crane, up the Thames. They have recently escaped the sorcerer Demurral, and Kate searches the waves for a sign of their friend Raphah, lost to the sea. But further trouble awaits them in London, where their beloved ship is seized. Meanwhile, figures stir on the shores further north. Beadle, Demurral’s one time servant, has survived, while other shadows from Jacob and Kate’s past are also awakening. Has Demurral really been vanquished forever? Who is the lady who haunts the roads south? What is the hidden secret of Salamander Street?
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
16 people are currently reading
601 people want to read
About the author
G.P. Taylor
80 books192 followers (born 1958 in Scarborough, North Yorkshire), pen-name G.P. Taylor, is the author of the best-selling novels Shadowmancer, Wormwood and Tersias. Before taking up writing full-time, he was an Anglican vicar in the village of Cloughton, North Yorkshire.
His works reflect his faith, carrying Christian messages like The Chronicles of Narnia of C.S. Lewis. He began to write his works to counter the increasing number of works, such as Harry Potter and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, that he believed were encouraging children to investigate the occult. His works have also garnered some controversy however, because whilst Taylor has claimed to be "an authority on Wicca and paganism", his books have been considered offensive by some neopagans for describing them as being tricked by the Devil.
His works reflect his faith, carrying Christian messages like The Chronicles of Narnia of C.S. Lewis. He began to write his works to counter the increasing number of works, such as Harry Potter and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, that he believed were encouraging children to investigate the occult. His works have also garnered some controversy however, because whilst Taylor has claimed to be "an authority on Wicca and paganism", his books have been considered offensive by some neopagans for describing them as being tricked by the Devil.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 23, 2013
It read alright it had the same Gothic atmosphere and intense action and underlying spiritual truths as Taylor's Shadowmancer but this book didn't really work for me as a continuation. It is a sequel certainly, but it doesn't really have an ending that satisfies both stories. In fact the ending is really unsatisfying as a whole. Though the falling action is improved from the last book.
August 11, 2019
I much preferred this book to the prequel - shadowmancer. I enjoyed the two storylines which eventually merge towards the end. Although some parts of the story were predictable and some parts rushed (a better ending than shadowmancer but still felt rushed) it was overall a good book and I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys YA fictions, particularly about magical good and evil.
June 9, 2009
I was a bit disappointed by this story, I remember that I thought Shadowmancer and Wormwood were amazing and this novel did not deliver on the same level. Of course I am older now so I may have just grown away from this style.
There was some really interesting parts to the story but there was an awful lot of wordy dialogue to get through between these highlights. I genuinely think the book would have been better had it been half the length and been a fast paced adventure.
There was some really interesting parts to the story but there was an awful lot of wordy dialogue to get through between these highlights. I genuinely think the book would have been better had it been half the length and been a fast paced adventure.
September 2, 2015
This is the sequel to Shadowmancer. However, it isn't nearly as good. It seemed not to flow as well, and the villain wasn't nearly as menacing in this one. Still a lovely world he's created. However, the atmosphere in the first one was so much more.
Currently reading
August 21, 2011It's pretty exiting, but disturbing. Creepy yet cool!
Want to read
December 20, 2013I love it
you guys need to try it
you guys need to try it
January 13, 2016
good story
August 1, 2021
The story was filled with a lot of references that made it enjoyable if you knew about them. Otherwise they are just terms that makes no sense and sound fancy. It has a simple style easy to follow.
Although I enjoyed the story and was able to pass over how simple and unresolved many of the subplots were the ending was just rushed and dry. I wanted more. It was not satisfying and made little sense. Especially since the book creates a lot of expectations along the way. What about the Salamander Street, what about the children in the factory, the curses and odd thing created by the comet. Did they all disappeared? Got sorted out by themselves?. The only satisfying thing was Barghast plot line. He made sense and was delivered. It was sad but it made sense. The others felt like puppets to fit a role. No one had real power of decision. Kate had not control, no determination. Thomas was the same. Even crane who seemed like a man of action, actually was described as a man of action did almost nothing but talk. Sad. I like to read though the story but not the story overall.
Although I enjoyed the story and was able to pass over how simple and unresolved many of the subplots were the ending was just rushed and dry. I wanted more. It was not satisfying and made little sense. Especially since the book creates a lot of expectations along the way. What about the Salamander Street, what about the children in the factory, the curses and odd thing created by the comet. Did they all disappeared? Got sorted out by themselves?. The only satisfying thing was Barghast plot line. He made sense and was delivered. It was sad but it made sense. The others felt like puppets to fit a role. No one had real power of decision. Kate had not control, no determination. Thomas was the same. Even crane who seemed like a man of action, actually was described as a man of action did almost nothing but talk. Sad. I like to read though the story but not the story overall.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2019
After a bit of meaningless wanderings and set-up, the story really gets going once the children find themselves in Salamander Street. The expedition on the road find themselves up against werewolves, witches and immortals, while the Thomas and Kate struggle with ghosts and opium. This is a good vs. evil story where the good is sometimes more of a lighter shade of grey, and the evil attacks the heroes in directions they were not expecting. If faith-based fiction raises your hackles, I would say that this is at the same level as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: most of the terms and names have been changed and the heroes have to do more than just pray and hope for the best. If you welcome a more theologically-based story, there’s not much here that’s groundbreaking but sometimes it’s enough that it’s just ‘there’. The ending was satisfying, though not necessarily as expected.
October 15, 2021
Not for me I am afraid; I just don't get on with horror and Gothic atmosphere. I thought it might be manageable in a YA book, but it's just all drawn out descriptions of nastiness and not much action. The first character we meet, we spend far too much time with for someone unrelatable. A paragraph would have sufficed to indicate menace, then we should switch to the protagonists, the main relatable characters.
I had not read the previous book; if I had, I might have been interested in the young people and their activities, but alas, I wasn't. Those who did read and enjoy the first in the series will doubtless like the story.
I can recommend instead, Stone Heart by Charlie Fletcher, for an alternate London.
This is an unbiased review.
I had not read the previous book; if I had, I might have been interested in the young people and their activities, but alas, I wasn't. Those who did read and enjoy the first in the series will doubtless like the story.
I can recommend instead, Stone Heart by Charlie Fletcher, for an alternate London.
This is an unbiased review.
May 28, 2022
I took time to finish this book because of loads of work that I need to finish.
I love this book so much! It's very dark and I love how some characters have developed throughout the story. Poor Thomas and Kate, they have to face heavy obstacles for young children.
Overall, I love the plot and the ending.
I love this book so much! It's very dark and I love how some characters have developed throughout the story. Poor Thomas and Kate, they have to face heavy obstacles for young children.
Overall, I love the plot and the ending.
January 31, 2020
How to read this book
June 26, 2021
Thought this was a series of 4 but more like 2 2s, set at the same time and was expecting the two stories to collide at some point.
September 18, 2021
AGAIN VERY SLOW AND QUITE BORING!
May 18, 2022
How do I read stories here especially the return of the shadowmancer I really want to read that story please help
February 8, 2024
Almost DNF. It's okay to read but nothing spectacular.
September 7, 2023
Shadowmancer Review
The Shadowmancer Returns Review
Wormwood Review
Tersias the Oracle Review
Kate experiences a haunting environment with the promise of freedom if she would simply kill herself. But she struggles knowing she could have freedom if she'd die to the world but not in those dire terms.
Thomas experiences tense abuse and imprisonment, yearning for freedom while being persecuted by a haughty charlatan.
Raphah experiences a mysterious who-dunnit with a group of travelers through murky areas. Representative God's creation of Eve, Adam, and the angels, all three battle God's enemies.
Taylor has wrote a page-turner again, no doubt. The mythology and atmosphere are enthralling, and the inclusion of faith in God is a plus. But Taylor definitely likes making his characters suffer. Hope is not abundant here and it barely is believable with the one Believer who acts like he has no connection to the world.
Raphah goes back and forth for me. I like his fearlessness, with faith in God's hands, in the face of the occult and even in the face of occultic hearts disguised as religious fervor. But Raphah also seems to be the conduit for which the author critiques believers who aren't "doing it right", like Raphah's clear disdain for a supposed knight of the Crusades. I also appreciate his positive character for the youth, being dark-skinned and faithful but the author seems to show representation of a persecuted people only, never bothering to give us villians from Ethiopia or Kush and almost avoiding the downtrodden and persecuted English that get judged for their skin, heritage, and nationalities, relegated to indentured servants but avoiding calling any slaves. With Jesus, he wasn't hated for his skin but for his righteousness, for his threat to the status quo. He was also hated in his home town. Raphah seems to take on Jesus' role but he is clearly written to be judged for his skin, hated, and his home town is like a paradise of like-minded and grounded people.Taylor has Raphah make London sound like a country of curses and Africa as a country of eternal peace.
I've noticed through the series that you have more villians semi-quoting scripture than you have righteous-minded folks. Taylor's inclusion of biblical stories or details are subtle but interesting, like Mad Cassy and Galilee Rocks modeling after the possessed man in the graveyard when Jesus and his crew come ashore. I would caution believers to not seek this series as a theological PowerPoint, but to have fun with the dark, macabre environment that has plenty of magic, but little of the romance. Raphah judges his acquaintances harshly but he never cared to make the world a better place in his lifetime, only choosing to leave his comfortable life because someone stole his family property.
The Shadowmancer Returns Review
Wormwood Review
Tersias the Oracle Review
Kate experiences a haunting environment with the promise of freedom if she would simply kill herself. But she struggles knowing she could have freedom if she'd die to the world but not in those dire terms.
Thomas experiences tense abuse and imprisonment, yearning for freedom while being persecuted by a haughty charlatan.
Raphah experiences a mysterious who-dunnit with a group of travelers through murky areas. Representative God's creation of Eve, Adam, and the angels, all three battle God's enemies.
Taylor has wrote a page-turner again, no doubt. The mythology and atmosphere are enthralling, and the inclusion of faith in God is a plus. But Taylor definitely likes making his characters suffer. Hope is not abundant here and it barely is believable with the one Believer who acts like he has no connection to the world.
Raphah goes back and forth for me. I like his fearlessness, with faith in God's hands, in the face of the occult and even in the face of occultic hearts disguised as religious fervor. But Raphah also seems to be the conduit for which the author critiques believers who aren't "doing it right", like Raphah's clear disdain for a supposed knight of the Crusades. I also appreciate his positive character for the youth, being dark-skinned and faithful but the author seems to show representation of a persecuted people only, never bothering to give us villians from Ethiopia or Kush and almost avoiding the downtrodden and persecuted English that get judged for their skin, heritage, and nationalities, relegated to indentured servants but avoiding calling any slaves. With Jesus, he wasn't hated for his skin but for his righteousness, for his threat to the status quo. He was also hated in his home town. Raphah seems to take on Jesus' role but he is clearly written to be judged for his skin, hated, and his home town is like a paradise of like-minded and grounded people.Taylor has Raphah make London sound like a country of curses and Africa as a country of eternal peace.
I've noticed through the series that you have more villians semi-quoting scripture than you have righteous-minded folks. Taylor's inclusion of biblical stories or details are subtle but interesting, like Mad Cassy and Galilee Rocks modeling after the possessed man in the graveyard when Jesus and his crew come ashore. I would caution believers to not seek this series as a theological PowerPoint, but to have fun with the dark, macabre environment that has plenty of magic, but little of the romance. Raphah judges his acquaintances harshly but he never cared to make the world a better place in his lifetime, only choosing to leave his comfortable life because someone stole his family property.
October 6, 2015
Dark fantasy for Christians. Plot-driven. Didn't really get connected to the characters, at the end I was like, shouldn't I be feeling something for them. The action kept you on your toes, and turning the pages, asking questions, wondering, marveling. I am glad I read Wormwood before this, it gave me an understanding what happened in London before the characters arrived.
December 11, 2009
This sequel to "Shadowmancer" was good, but not nearly as good as the first book. This is a classic fight between good and evil (God versus the devil) type of book. There is some interesting symbolism and some very thought provoking scenes and dialog. The ending was a bit of a let down for me, however. If I could give 1/2 stars, this one would receive 3 1/2.
August 8, 2012
I actually enjoyed this book more than the first one. To me it was more intriguing and mysterious. I had to work a lot harder to put the pieces together. It kept me turning the pages, unlike the first book.
September 1, 2008
I so wanted to enjoy this book and couldnt get myself into the story at all.
I find that Taylor is beeing too clever since the book is ment to be for older children.
I find that Taylor is beeing too clever since the book is ment to be for older children.
July 22, 2008
I didn't like it very much, seemed dragged out, and not as well written as his others.
Read
May 24, 2010F TAY shadowman bk.2
Fantasy
Fantasy
May 27, 2012
Not as good as the first one.
April 4, 2013
An interesting story but I found it really hard to look past the glaringly obvious typos. Looks like Mr Taylor needs to get himself a new editor!
August 11, 2013
This was a good sequal to Shadowmancer although i preferred the first book the characters are good and the plot keeps twisting and turning keeping you on your toes
August 28, 2016
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14169766
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14169766
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews