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The Palâdnith Chronicles #1
Journey of Shadows
SHORTLISTED FOR THE SIR JULIUS VOGEL AWARDS, 'BEST FANTASY NOVEL', 2014!
“When you’re lost there’s nowhere to go but forward. One step at a time – and the way will show itself.”
A traditional epic fantasy adventure about three brothers – a guard, a weaponsmith and a librarian – and the legacy that binds them.
Thirty years after the mysterious disappearance of their mother, cataclysmic events force Seth, Eni and Val Falkyn to abandon their old lives and identities, and embark on three epic journeys. An assassin hunts Seth, Eni is accused of murder and sentenced to hang, and Val’s master sends him on a perilous quest that is meant to claim his life.
As each brother sets out on his journey, he must face his personal demons and fears. Help comes from unlikely sources but, in the end, it is Seth, Eni and Val’s own strength, determination and courage that will decide their fates.
Journey of Shadows (Book One of the Palâdnith Chronicles) is part one in a high fantasy trilogy. The complete series is now available on Amazon (Kindle and paperback editions):
The Citadel of Lies (Book Two of the Palâdnith Chronicles)
The Well of Secrets (Book Three of the Palâdnith Chronicles)
“When you’re lost there’s nowhere to go but forward. One step at a time – and the way will show itself.”
A traditional epic fantasy adventure about three brothers – a guard, a weaponsmith and a librarian – and the legacy that binds them.
Thirty years after the mysterious disappearance of their mother, cataclysmic events force Seth, Eni and Val Falkyn to abandon their old lives and identities, and embark on three epic journeys. An assassin hunts Seth, Eni is accused of murder and sentenced to hang, and Val’s master sends him on a perilous quest that is meant to claim his life.
As each brother sets out on his journey, he must face his personal demons and fears. Help comes from unlikely sources but, in the end, it is Seth, Eni and Val’s own strength, determination and courage that will decide their fates.
Journey of Shadows (Book One of the Palâdnith Chronicles) is part one in a high fantasy trilogy. The complete series is now available on Amazon (Kindle and paperback editions):
The Citadel of Lies (Book Two of the Palâdnith Chronicles)
The Well of Secrets (Book Three of the Palâdnith Chronicles)
301 pages, Paperback
First published February 8, 2013
4 people are currently reading
977 people want to read
About the author
Sam J. Charlton
6 books30 followersSam J. Charlton is an author of epic fantasy adventures. Her novels are character-driven, coming of age stories that take place in richly drawn fantasy worlds. Fast-paced, and full of epic adventure and memorable characters, her books are for anyone who loves traditional epic fantasy.
Two of Sam's novels: Journey of Shadows, and The Children of Isador, were shortlisted for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards.
PUBLISHED WORKS:
The Palâdnith Chronicles:
Journey of Shadows (Book 1)
The Citadel of Lies (Book 2)
The Well of Secrets (Book 3)
The Children of Isador
Sam lives in New Zealand's South Island, where she works as a freelance copy writer.
Find out more about Sam's books at her website: www.samanthacharlton.com
Two of Sam's novels: Journey of Shadows, and The Children of Isador, were shortlisted for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards.
PUBLISHED WORKS:
The Palâdnith Chronicles:
Journey of Shadows (Book 1)
The Citadel of Lies (Book 2)
The Well of Secrets (Book 3)
The Children of Isador
Sam lives in New Zealand's South Island, where she works as a freelance copy writer.
Find out more about Sam's books at her website: www.samanthacharlton.com
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 11, 2014
“When you’re lost there’s nowhere to go but forward. One step at a time – and the way will show itself.”
I received a copy of this book in return for my honest review. Thanks so much Sam! :)
The "Journey of Shadows" is about three brothers, Eni, Seth, and Val, who live in the world of Paladnith, a land where the magic has disappeared. A land of danger, mystery, and excitement. All three brothers share a great destiny, if they can survive long enough to fulfill it.
I honestly cannot say enough about how fantastic this book is and how much I loved reading it. I was surprised at how impressed I was, right from the beginning, with not only the authors writing skills and style but also the character development and worldbuilding. Instead of laying details on thickly, we are shown Paladnith from the very different viewpoints of Seth, Eni, and Val, and learn about their world through them. It was clear, concise, yet lost none of the sense of 'magic' that I love in this sort of genre. Epic fantasy has always been one of my favorite genres, and this book is a wonderful example of how great fantasy can be.
My favorite aspect of the book? The strong female characters. It can be a bit of a daunting project sometimes within fantasy to find great female characters, but this book excelled with that. The character development was just amazing.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys well-written fantasy novels!
"When you’re lost there’s nowhere to go but forward. One step at a time – and the way will show itself."
I received a copy of this book in return for my honest review. Thanks so much Sam! :)
The "Journey of Shadows" is about three brothers, Eni, Seth, and Val, who live in the world of Paladnith, a land where the magic has disappeared. A land of danger, mystery, and excitement. All three brothers share a great destiny, if they can survive long enough to fulfill it.
I honestly cannot say enough about how fantastic this book is and how much I loved reading it. I was surprised at how impressed I was, right from the beginning, with not only the authors writing skills and style but also the character development and worldbuilding. Instead of laying details on thickly, we are shown Paladnith from the very different viewpoints of Seth, Eni, and Val, and learn about their world through them. It was clear, concise, yet lost none of the sense of 'magic' that I love in this sort of genre. Epic fantasy has always been one of my favorite genres, and this book is a wonderful example of how great fantasy can be.
My favorite aspect of the book? The strong female characters. It can be a bit of a daunting project sometimes within fantasy to find great female characters, but this book excelled with that. The character development was just amazing.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys well-written fantasy novels!
"When you’re lost there’s nowhere to go but forward. One step at a time – and the way will show itself."
April 24, 2013
The magic is gone from Paladnith and now the land is ruled by ruthless lords. Charlton seems to assume that her readers are smart enough to extrapolate information about their new world and doesn’t overly explain anything. The result is a tightly written back-story for a world that I believe we’ve just dipped out toe into.
Something that stood out to me about this novel that I absolutely love is that Charlton allows her characters to be saved by strong women. These are woman who are doing it for themselves and they are fully realized and realistic characters and I love that. The author’s bio states that she also writes romance and given her talent for character development, I’d hazard a guess that those novels are spectacular. That’s not to say Journey of Shadows is a romance novel. It is action, adventure, danger and courage. Journey of Shadows is a wonderfully told story with three storylines that don’t get confused. The flow of action and movement between the brothers is flawlessly graceful.
The setting is vivid. Familiar but foreign. The tone is that of Middle Earth and yet distinctly different. Charlton has a talent for painting word landscapes. There were no wasted scenes or dialogue. Everything played a key role in the story and yet gave the feeling of a full picture. The dialogue is lightly tinged with Old English which adds a second dimension of realism to the setting.
I really enjoyed Journey of Shadows a lot and look forward to the next book in the series, “Citadel of Lies.”
Something that stood out to me about this novel that I absolutely love is that Charlton allows her characters to be saved by strong women. These are woman who are doing it for themselves and they are fully realized and realistic characters and I love that. The author’s bio states that she also writes romance and given her talent for character development, I’d hazard a guess that those novels are spectacular. That’s not to say Journey of Shadows is a romance novel. It is action, adventure, danger and courage. Journey of Shadows is a wonderfully told story with three storylines that don’t get confused. The flow of action and movement between the brothers is flawlessly graceful.
The setting is vivid. Familiar but foreign. The tone is that of Middle Earth and yet distinctly different. Charlton has a talent for painting word landscapes. There were no wasted scenes or dialogue. Everything played a key role in the story and yet gave the feeling of a full picture. The dialogue is lightly tinged with Old English which adds a second dimension of realism to the setting.
I really enjoyed Journey of Shadows a lot and look forward to the next book in the series, “Citadel of Lies.”
November 10, 2013
‘Journey of Shadows’ kicks off with a powerful beginning, setting the tone for the rest of the book and giving the read the first bits of background to understand the world Charlton created. Set in the past we follow an important event that will define the lives of our main characters and that of the whole world throughout the book.
Charlton succeeded in pulling me in from the very first paragraph. ‘Journey of Shadows’ is a classic epic, nothing extremely new or innovative, but it’s a solid story and the writing is clean and sharp, a joy to read. That’s why I read through the whole book quite easily and quick, while I usually need a little more time. When I finish a book quickly it’s normally because of one of these two reasons: the writing is so good I just kept reading without noticing the time passing or the story is too easy for me (which I get a lot with YA novels). Here it was definitely the first reason.
We follow three brothers, leading very different lives, who haven’t seen each other in years. I had the impression they had an OK childhood together, but ever since their mother disappeared their father didn’t really ‘care’ all the anymore. It’s mentioned a few times that they just wanted to get out. I think the author did a great job incorporating this into the story. Seth is a hired guard working for an arrogant Marshal at the edge of bankruptcy. He isn’t satisfied with the life, it shows in every move he makes, every thought he has. Eni is a weaponsmith, living for his job. He even chose his work over love. Val is the bookish one of the three. He works as a librarian and is happy to hide among his book, secluded and without many friends (if any at all). All three of their lives change suddenly and all by different reasons. Seth is the first one that encounters the evil that will be changing them ‘till the end of the book. He’s lucky enough to escape but now knows that he will have to keep running to stay alive. He also has the good sense to warn his brothers. Eni is falsely accused for murder and betrayed by the woman he once loved. Val is sent on a mission that pulls him right out of his comfort zone. He has to go on the road with people that don’t appreciate him and would rather be doing this without him. All three of the brothers will soon learn though that there is more to their story than they thought at first.
I loved the characterization in this book. Val, Seth and Eni are three very different people and I know creating three characters that are linked but totally different in multiple POV’s can be quite difficult. Charlton does a wonderful job giving each of the brothers their own personality and making them easy to recognize by the reader. Each time a new POV chapter started I was immediately immersed in the story of that particular brother, no confusion at all.
The three brothers also seem to live in very different parts of Charlton’s world when the story begins so we get to experience it through three pairs of eyes, all seeing different scenery. It was pretty great to get to know this new world in this particular way. It gave a lot of different dimensions to it.
The only minor remark I could make is that the book should have been longer in my opinion. The three main characters start a journey and go through lots of stuff on the way, but I would have liked to see them reaching their destination at the end of the book. Now they’re only halfway. I don’t really think I can call this a ‘negative’ remark, wanting the book to be longer! Luckily I’ve recently received the second book from the author for review (Yay! Thanks!) so I can now see how the rest of their journey will go and what will happen when they all reach their destination.
‘Journey of Shadows’ is a good book. Like I said in the beginning of this review: it’s classic Epic, nothing all that new, but an entertaining book that will certainly keep Epic fans satisfied. It’s a self-published book but don’t be put off by that. This is one of those really good once, that deserve a place in the spotlight.
Charlton succeeded in pulling me in from the very first paragraph. ‘Journey of Shadows’ is a classic epic, nothing extremely new or innovative, but it’s a solid story and the writing is clean and sharp, a joy to read. That’s why I read through the whole book quite easily and quick, while I usually need a little more time. When I finish a book quickly it’s normally because of one of these two reasons: the writing is so good I just kept reading without noticing the time passing or the story is too easy for me (which I get a lot with YA novels). Here it was definitely the first reason.
We follow three brothers, leading very different lives, who haven’t seen each other in years. I had the impression they had an OK childhood together, but ever since their mother disappeared their father didn’t really ‘care’ all the anymore. It’s mentioned a few times that they just wanted to get out. I think the author did a great job incorporating this into the story. Seth is a hired guard working for an arrogant Marshal at the edge of bankruptcy. He isn’t satisfied with the life, it shows in every move he makes, every thought he has. Eni is a weaponsmith, living for his job. He even chose his work over love. Val is the bookish one of the three. He works as a librarian and is happy to hide among his book, secluded and without many friends (if any at all). All three of their lives change suddenly and all by different reasons. Seth is the first one that encounters the evil that will be changing them ‘till the end of the book. He’s lucky enough to escape but now knows that he will have to keep running to stay alive. He also has the good sense to warn his brothers. Eni is falsely accused for murder and betrayed by the woman he once loved. Val is sent on a mission that pulls him right out of his comfort zone. He has to go on the road with people that don’t appreciate him and would rather be doing this without him. All three of the brothers will soon learn though that there is more to their story than they thought at first.
I loved the characterization in this book. Val, Seth and Eni are three very different people and I know creating three characters that are linked but totally different in multiple POV’s can be quite difficult. Charlton does a wonderful job giving each of the brothers their own personality and making them easy to recognize by the reader. Each time a new POV chapter started I was immediately immersed in the story of that particular brother, no confusion at all.
The three brothers also seem to live in very different parts of Charlton’s world when the story begins so we get to experience it through three pairs of eyes, all seeing different scenery. It was pretty great to get to know this new world in this particular way. It gave a lot of different dimensions to it.
The only minor remark I could make is that the book should have been longer in my opinion. The three main characters start a journey and go through lots of stuff on the way, but I would have liked to see them reaching their destination at the end of the book. Now they’re only halfway. I don’t really think I can call this a ‘negative’ remark, wanting the book to be longer! Luckily I’ve recently received the second book from the author for review (Yay! Thanks!) so I can now see how the rest of their journey will go and what will happen when they all reach their destination.
‘Journey of Shadows’ is a good book. Like I said in the beginning of this review: it’s classic Epic, nothing all that new, but an entertaining book that will certainly keep Epic fans satisfied. It’s a self-published book but don’t be put off by that. This is one of those really good once, that deserve a place in the spotlight.
April 19, 2014
“Have you ever dreamed of a different life - one of adventure, excitement and purpose?"...
A well-crafted fantasy of extraordinary vision and originality
As an avid reader and lover of high fantasy, I was incredibly excited upon encountering this masterwork of great imaginative premise. Exceeding all expectations, Journey of shadows is set within a richly imagined world containing classic creatures (Witches, Wizards, Sorcerers and all kinds of creatures of darkness) and sweeping settings. The intricately detailed map of ‘Palâdnith’ is wonderful as it compliments the remarkable world-building perfectly; transporting you to a place of magical wonder. Solid, in-depth background history regarding each individual character adds to the realism of the story and convincing plot. The background information on the epic battle between the Sentorân and the Esquill is enough to make an idea about how magic works in this world. The complexity of the plot is so intricately woven and fascinating; I was able to completely lose myself within the assured, confident writing.
The attention grabbing and intense narrative takes you on an unforgettable adventure full of danger and exploration. Having felt so attached to the characters on their journey, as they grew and developed throughout the book I was left disappointed by the rather abrupt ending which seemed to cut the story short. It just…ended. I am certain that the author could have ‘fleshed out’ the last chapter, as it would have if not been the most sensational story reminiscent of JRR Tolkien or Terry Brooks. Hugely ambitious and containing such scope and substance this outstanding character-driven fantasy was an enthralling read and one that took me totally by surprise! As a self-published author I was so impressed by Sam J Charlton’s writing.
This epic adventure of discovery, fear, courage and bravery with a great destiny awaiting three men is a story of magnificence and awe-inspiring proportions. The magic of Paladnith (a land ruled by ruthless Lords) is captivating, and I could quite happily remain in this magical world. Spectacular landscapes take your breath away while exquisite descriptive passages paint a vivid picture of such a totally unique world. Journey of Shadows is a fantastic read and has left me eager to delve into book 2: Citadel of Lies!
*I would like to thank the author for providing me with an e-copy to read & review *
A well-crafted fantasy of extraordinary vision and originality
As an avid reader and lover of high fantasy, I was incredibly excited upon encountering this masterwork of great imaginative premise. Exceeding all expectations, Journey of shadows is set within a richly imagined world containing classic creatures (Witches, Wizards, Sorcerers and all kinds of creatures of darkness) and sweeping settings. The intricately detailed map of ‘Palâdnith’ is wonderful as it compliments the remarkable world-building perfectly; transporting you to a place of magical wonder. Solid, in-depth background history regarding each individual character adds to the realism of the story and convincing plot. The background information on the epic battle between the Sentorân and the Esquill is enough to make an idea about how magic works in this world. The complexity of the plot is so intricately woven and fascinating; I was able to completely lose myself within the assured, confident writing.
The attention grabbing and intense narrative takes you on an unforgettable adventure full of danger and exploration. Having felt so attached to the characters on their journey, as they grew and developed throughout the book I was left disappointed by the rather abrupt ending which seemed to cut the story short. It just…ended. I am certain that the author could have ‘fleshed out’ the last chapter, as it would have if not been the most sensational story reminiscent of JRR Tolkien or Terry Brooks. Hugely ambitious and containing such scope and substance this outstanding character-driven fantasy was an enthralling read and one that took me totally by surprise! As a self-published author I was so impressed by Sam J Charlton’s writing.
This epic adventure of discovery, fear, courage and bravery with a great destiny awaiting three men is a story of magnificence and awe-inspiring proportions. The magic of Paladnith (a land ruled by ruthless Lords) is captivating, and I could quite happily remain in this magical world. Spectacular landscapes take your breath away while exquisite descriptive passages paint a vivid picture of such a totally unique world. Journey of Shadows is a fantastic read and has left me eager to delve into book 2: Citadel of Lies!
*I would like to thank the author for providing me with an e-copy to read & review *
December 21, 2013
"Have you ever dreamed of a different life - one of adventure, excitement and purpose?"... after reading this, I knew this book was for me. I'm glad I got a free copy of this book from the Goodreads giveaway.
The "Journey of Shadows" is about three brothers, Seth, Eni and Val, who live in the fantasy world of Paladnith; their stories are told separately but at the same time, one chapter each: this makes the book much more enjoyable and various.
The three main characters are all likeable and realistic; a guard, a weaponsmith and a librarian. Their personalities are quite well drawn, so they can be easily understood and liked by the readers.
The story is quite thrilling and exciting, with the right amount of unexpected events.
The narrator just describes what happens, without providing much additional explanations; for instance, there is no chapter about the whole history of Paladnith, so it is unknown why there are different nations and why some of them are at war. However, I'm glad the writer made this choice, so I could avoid long and boring descriptions; on the other hand, the lack of explanations made the start of the book seem a bit confusing and hard to follow. Some explanations are given gradually in the rest of the book, and all becomes quite clear in the final part.
The book ends quite abruptly, and the reader is left wondering about what will happen next, which is not entirely a bad thing, but I would have preferred if the book was a bit longer so there could be a proper ending. The good news is that the second book of the series is already available.
I enjoyed this book and read it quickly, being eager to know what was going to happen to my favorite characters, that were mostly Val, Eni and Avalon.
Now I'm looking forward to read the second book of the series.
The "Journey of Shadows" is about three brothers, Seth, Eni and Val, who live in the fantasy world of Paladnith; their stories are told separately but at the same time, one chapter each: this makes the book much more enjoyable and various.
The three main characters are all likeable and realistic; a guard, a weaponsmith and a librarian. Their personalities are quite well drawn, so they can be easily understood and liked by the readers.
The story is quite thrilling and exciting, with the right amount of unexpected events.
The narrator just describes what happens, without providing much additional explanations; for instance, there is no chapter about the whole history of Paladnith, so it is unknown why there are different nations and why some of them are at war. However, I'm glad the writer made this choice, so I could avoid long and boring descriptions; on the other hand, the lack of explanations made the start of the book seem a bit confusing and hard to follow. Some explanations are given gradually in the rest of the book, and all becomes quite clear in the final part.
The book ends quite abruptly, and the reader is left wondering about what will happen next, which is not entirely a bad thing, but I would have preferred if the book was a bit longer so there could be a proper ending. The good news is that the second book of the series is already available.
I enjoyed this book and read it quickly, being eager to know what was going to happen to my favorite characters, that were mostly Val, Eni and Avalon.
Now I'm looking forward to read the second book of the series.
September 14, 2013
This book was really good,although, I felt like some things weren't explained well enough. But overall it was a good book. I can't wait for the second one. Oh and Val was my favorite character.
May 15, 2013
I got this book as a first-reads give away. It was a quick read, but very enjoyable. The only bad thing is now have to wait for the next book to be published...
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews