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The Shadow's Heir

(The Risen Sun #1)

K.J. Taylor

3.57 · Rating details · 358 ratings · 40 reviews

Laela Redguard was born with the black hair of the Northern kingdom and the blue eyes of the Southern people, forever marking her as a hated half-breed child of both. When her only family tie is severed, the fierce and strong-willed Laela decides to leave her adoptive father’s home in the hopes of finding acceptance in the North, where the ruthless King Arenadd and the dar ...more

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Paperback, 408 pages

Published July 1st 2012 by Harper Voyager

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· 358 ratings · 40 reviews

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Jan 23, 2013 Donna rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, library

Me and The Shadow's Heir got off to a rough start.

We're given a description of the heroine, Laela, when she looks at herself on the surface of a bucket of water. Her appearance plays a role in how she's treated, but I've still read reflection descriptions often enough that they yank me right out of any growing curiosity about what's going on. And then there was screaming and frustration and a big, emotional event for someone that I hadn't come to care much about yet.

I put the book down, watched Me and The Shadow's Heir got off to a rough start.

We're given a description of the heroine, Laela, when she looks at herself on the surface of a bucket of water. Her appearance plays a role in how she's treated, but I've still read reflection descriptions often enough that they yank me right out of any growing curiosity about what's going on. And then there was screaming and frustration and a big, emotional event for someone that I hadn't come to care much about yet.

I put the book down, watched some tv instead, and went back to it again the next day. There were still some small annoyances, most notably that the use of dialect sometimes distracts from important moments, but things improved a lot after Laela hit the road.

The story hits some familiar fantasy notes: an orphan with a mysterious past, a peasant that gains standing and influence, and magical creatures that pair-bond with humans. They all work fairly well together here. There's a major coincidence in play, but that feels fitting in a land whose gods actively influence events.

The plot travels along at a good pace, but still gives Laela time and space for introspection. While many of the characters are well-defined, I wish that some of the relationships had gotten more attention.

One character's backstory was a big source of confusion. I picked this up while browsing my library's new releases shelf, and seeing "Book 1" on the cover, I assumed it was safe to jump right in. I was able to follow the current story just fine, but presumably the author's previous trilogy, The Fallen Moon, explains a few things. (view spoiler) I'm curious enough that I'll give the earlier series a try at some point.

I was pretty impressed with the ending. It would probably have a bigger impact for those familiar with the setting, but I loved that it wrapped things up instead of just trailing off until a future installment. ...more

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Jun 07, 2015 Indigo rated it really liked it

Okay, so this is definitely a book that has parts that I LOVE and parts that I hate. I love the fantasy world that the author has beautifully painted with her words, filled with gods and griffins and deceit. Taylor has also done a good job in creating a strong female lead character, which I always enjoy. Unfortunately, I couldn't really make a connection with Laela (the lead). Although I love some of her personality traits, and straight off the bat I could imagine what she looked like, I found h ...more

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Jan 11, 2016 Jessica rated it liked it · review of another edition

This book started rough. I absolutely hated the way the author wrote dialectal speech, and I still do. It's annoying and provides nothing for the overall story or character progression. If anything, it makes Laela seem like a moron, when she clearly isn't. Lines like "I ain't no fancy thinker" just make me angry. The story did take a long time to get really interesting, and the major plot points were obvious a third of the way in.

But at the ending, I didn't want it to be over. I absolutely like ...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Haley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, loveit, sci-fi

When I picked up this book this afternoon, I essentially expected a fluff novel. I'm not sure why but I did. What I go instead was this amazing piece of fiction that is full of betrayal and choices. I can't wait to read the next one. ...more

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Apr 23, 2018 J.F.R. Coates rated it really liked it

For the most part, a certain improvement on the quality from the first series. There were still a few little annoyances - mainly with the phonetic dialogue which sometimes made understanding tricky, but otherwise a solid start to this fantasy series.
With Arenadd, it was sometimes hard to know whether we were actually meant to sympathise with him or not, but now that he's been relegated to a supporting character (with occasional POV), I think the series is able to breathe a bit better with Laela. ...more

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May 14, 2018 Logan rated it really liked it

The story revals around Laela and king Arenadd, laela looking for her father and arenadd is trying the fill the hole in the heart while fallowing the night god,The people are divied as the land into the northern and sothern kindom.

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May 08, 2017 Morgan rated it really liked it

Cant believe it took me so long to discover this series! Great book

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Aug 06, 2018 Polly rated it it was amazing

Very enjoyable . I think I will love the daughters series even more than her fathers.

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Dec 22, 2018 Eveie Hickman rated it it was amazing

This book was good, though I struggled at times with the dialect used. Laela was a strong heroine and her story was slowly revealed as the book went on.
Even so good writing .

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Mar 10, 2017 Lawrence rated it really liked it

4++
3:06pm

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Jun 19, 2012 Shaheen rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-not-on-shelf

I began reading The Shadow’s Heir almost as soon as I finished The Griffin’s War, so I didn’t have a long wait to get back to this world like many other fans did. It was great seeing all my favourite (and some of my not-so-favourite) characters twenty years on. As expected, some of them are changed but others are stubbornly the same.

Of the new characters, I found Laela to be the most likeable and loved watching her grow into herself throughout the book. The discrimination she faces as a ‘half-br I began reading The Shadow’s Heir almost as soon as I finished The Griffin’s War, so I didn’t have a long wait to get back to this world like many other fans did. It was great seeing all my favourite (and some of my not-so-favourite) characters twenty years on. As expected, some of them are changed but others are stubbornly the same.

Of the new characters, I found Laela to be the most likeable and loved watching her grow into herself throughout the book. The discrimination she faces as a ‘half-breed’ defines her, and it was saddening to realise that she couldn’t find true acceptance in the North or South. However, I was happy to see that her tenacity and honesty eventually won her a place in the North. She does seem to take everything to stride though, and I can’t remember her ever displaying any extreme emotions, which is a little weird. The bond she and Arenadd develop struck me as one of the best aspects of the book – I loved watching their mutual respect grow over the course of the book.

I wasn’t surprised to find that Saeddryn continued to antagonise me in this book and her griffin was even worse. I find her completely untrustworthy and power-hungry and kept waiting for Arenadd to throw her out. But I must concede that she has never tried to grab power through assassination, so she must have some moral code I’m not privy to. But seriously, I haven’t read too many characters that make me hate them so vehemently and I give credit where it’s due to the author. I also found myself taking a strong dislike to the warring Gods of the world – they use humans as pawns and are extremely self-interested (I guess this is expected, but I can still hate them for it).

I had thought that this book could only go in a handful of directions, and while I wasn’t expecting it to go the Star Wars way, I definitely didn’t anticipate what happened. I loved the book for this reason - I don’t enjoy stories where I can peg what’s going to happen early on. The engaging plot line is supported by the expansion of this fantastical world, introducing us to new countries and cultures and giving the book a string sense of place. I also liked the exploration of the turmoil that reigns in the South since The Dark War and the state of politics in the North as they establish themselves as a country in their own right.

As the first book in the Risen Sun series, The Shadow’s Heir forms a great basis for an epic new story, one that I am looking forward to following. I’ve said it once, but I’ll say it again: K. J. Taylor is a talented author who continues to bring us spellbinding stories and if you aren’t already reading her books, then you should remedy that!

You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic . ...more

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Jan 02, 2017 Katie rated it liked it

#popsugarreadingchallenge

A book involving a mythical creature

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Jan 22, 2015 TheCosyDragon rated it it was amazing

This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.

Laela's father has just died. When she is facing being thrown out of her village, she decides to make the move herself and abandon the life she has known so far. Little does she know that the wild city is waiting - and that the person she meets might not be the kind of person she assumed him to be.

Laela is a plucky, if somewhat oblivious sometime This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.

Laela's father has just died. When she is facing being thrown out of her village, she decides to make the move herself and abandon the life she has known so far. Little does she know that the wild city is waiting - and that the person she meets might not be the kind of person she assumed him to be.

Laela is a plucky, if somewhat oblivious sometimes, hero. I loved reading about her, and getting inside her mind (even if it seemed like she was freaking out over nothing sometimes). What did I like about her? Her determination to keep going, and please her rescuer, and then her determination to try and fix things when they went wrong.

It felt to me like the story had several parts. The beginning, and Laela's inductions into the household was sort of part 1, followed by the trip overseas which was part 2, followed by a very short part 3. The ending seemed a little far fetched to me, that the retainers would be so supportive of some of the ideas. I didn't really feel much suspense at the end, but it was satisfying.

What more can I say about it? Well, it seemed to me like something that had been revealed to Laela in the beginning was completely forgotten either by her, or the author. I could have sworn she knew what her real father's name was - in which case all the worrying she does about it is unfounded.

The dialect drove me a little nuts. I don't think it was necessary to set the tone of the novel (not like in a historical fiction book). Also there were a couple of descriptions of things that didn't do much for me. I think those were about my only complaints with this novel.

After I had bought this book to read (blindly choosing one in *gasp* a brick-and-mortar bookshop) and had started reading it, I realised that it follows another trilogy that I haven't read. I'd already gotten into the story by that point though, so I wasn't going to stop reading it just for that. Also, I think I was stuck on a 14 hour plane flight at the time with limited other reading choices.

My gamble paid off - and I hope to get my hands on the others in this series soon. My birthday is soon, so there's a chance I'll get off guilt free in buying them! ...more

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Feb 17, 2013 E. marked it as to-read

“The Shadow’s Heir” by K.J. Taylor is the initial title in ‘The Risen Sun’ series and continues the sometimes somber tale started in ‘The Fallen Moon’ trilogy. The North is populated by the freed slaves and ruled by Arenadd Taranisaii who has his companion, the griffin Skandar, but feels constricted by his role as ruler. Laela Redguard had always felt outcast because of her obvious similarities to the Northern people and after the death of the man who she considered her adoptive father she elect “The Shadow’s Heir” by K.J. Taylor is the initial title in ‘The Risen Sun’ series and continues the sometimes somber tale started in ‘The Fallen Moon’ trilogy. The North is populated by the freed slaves and ruled by Arenadd Taranisaii who has his companion, the griffin Skandar, but feels constricted by his role as ruler. Laela Redguard had always felt outcast because of her obvious similarities to the Northern people and after the death of the man who she considered her adoptive father she elects to travel to the Northern kingdom where she will stand out only because of her blue eyes and lack of familiarity with the customs of the land. Her remarkable encounter with a stranger results in an unimaginable change in her life but she continues to be conflicted between the teachings she was raised with and those of her new home. Arenadd knows all about life-changing decisions and the unlikely pair may find a way to change the destinies of all who have sought refuge in the harsh North.

This paranormal series picks up after all of the momentous changes in the previous trilogy. This particular story is not quite as dark as some of the previous tales (although it has some violence and its share of gory scenes) but it definitely opens up quite a few storylines even as it takes an abrupt and surprising turn. Arenadd has always been a little difficult for me to sympathize with but there is no denying that he and the griffin Skandar are memorable even though I cringe at the depth of violence they can sink to. This story showcases the author’s impressive ability to create a nicely developed world populated by complex characters who are often unwillingly forced into roles that they have to grow into. The interesting developments depicted in this tale set the stage for even more upheavals in the harsh world populated by these captivating characters and I look forward to seeing what new developments are birthed from this author’s labyrinthine imagination!

© Night Owl Reviews

I received a copy of this title in return for an honest review. ...more

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Dec 13, 2014 Coriander rated it did not like it

Simply put, this book was frustrating. The plot itself was fine and the characters were fine, nothing amazing but nothing too bad either. However the writing was a major issue, I know some authors go for trying to write accents phonetically to accentuate characters' location and culture, but its highly frustrating. It distracts me as a reader, and doesn't appreciate that as I (and a large part of the audience) likely already speak English differently from the author, writing phonetically does no ...more

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Nov 07, 2015 Crystal rated it did not like it

Shelves: fantasy, wizards-witches-and-mages, teen, wont-continue-the-series, wtf-is-going-on, shouldnt-have-bothered-buying-it, stupid-main-character-names, obvious-ending, disappointed, easy-reading

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 10, 2015 Wayland Smith rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: dc-challenge, 2015-challenge

This is a fantasy version of medieval Wales. There is magic, Griffins, and Gods. The main character here is Laela, a half breed girl from the South with features that mark her as a Northerner. When her adoptive father dies, she sets off to find out what the North is like, and try to learn more about her past.

She had misadventures along the way before meeting the King of the North, chosen of the Night God. She goes from peasant girl to adviser to the King in a series of twists and turns. It's a n ...more

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Sep 09, 2014 Tani rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, female-author, 2014

I felt like this was a case of an author having really good ideas, but not quite being able to execute them. I wanted to like Laela, but I had a hard time doing so, and I think it's mostly just that the writing quality wasn't quite there. The story itself was interesting, but characterization was not quite there. In general, it felt like a book from an inexperienced author. I will keep reading her work, though, because the ideas are definitely there. Just not the rest of the package yet. ...more

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Sep 04, 2013 Rick rated it it was ok

I felt like I came in the middle of this story somewhat. And there were 3 book ian series set directly before this book.
Possibly it could benefit from a foreword.
It was still okay and moved along fast enough and certainly didnt strain me, a nice relaxing ride, probably a good Junior fiction title. Not sure if i will read the others (past and future)

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Jul 21, 2015 Joy rated it did not like it

Shelves: fantastic-fiction, crap-that-sucks, series

I true HATE bad writers who have these glowing reviews at the front of the books. It just further proof that making money is more important that a quality product.

The writing is both unsophisticated and boring. Mostly done in insipid dialogue with poor attempts at a dialect. I would even hesitate to recommend this for children as the plot depends on a lot of abuse and violence.

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Oct 27, 2015 Norah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I enjoyed this book, and will read the next in the series, but I'd strongly recommend reading The Fallen Moon series first (which I didn't, and will be doing before moving onto book two in this series). Fallen Moon takes place before this series and I think would have added a lot to my understanding of the characters and some of the plot points if I had better understood what came before. ...more

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Feb 05, 2016 Trilby Johnson rated it it was amazing

Love K.J.Taylor's writing style - it is bold and crisp - and her characters are as well. The plot of this story begins to unfold from the first page only to come to a brutal climax out of the blue. Love the different regions and the complexity of how they interrelate. Glad I stumbled on this author's work. ...more

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Oct 30, 2016 Lisa Brick rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: dnf

This book started out very slowly for me and maybe I should have read past chapter 10, but I couldn't. The speech got on my nerves and I reareally didn't care for Laela. For someone who was practically on her own for so long, she was whining a lot and scared of everything. I just couldn't finish it. ...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Lisa rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

Every time I read a book by K.J. Taylor, I wish my puppy was a griffin. And I don't even like griffins on account of them having pointy beaks and beady eyes. And being way too much like a chicken.

But still. I wish my dog was a Darkheart griffin. ...more

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Jul 12, 2015 S.J. rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 03, 2013 Francisca rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi

well written, good story....but - predictable...(maybe I need a new genre?)

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Feb 10, 2013 Dr susan rated it liked it

The Shadow's Heir would not have been my normal choice for reading material when I am sick. Heir is very dark, filled with betrayal, and death, and without a clear cut hero. ...more

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Apr 19, 2013 Kris rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy, unfinished

Sorry. Dropped. I just lost interest.

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May 06, 2013 Karen rated it it was amazing

I hope this series continues, awesome to read.

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Jul 22, 2013 Amanda (Is Not a Panda) rated it it was amazing

A great unique storyline

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About K.J. Taylor

K.J. Taylor

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K.J.Taylor was born in Australia in 1986 and plans to stay alive for as long as possible. She went to Radford College and achieved a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications at the University of Canberra, where she is currently studying for a Master’s Degree in Information Studies.

She published her first work, The Land of Bad Fantasy through Scholastic when she was just 18, and went on to publish The D ...more