Jump to ratings and reviews

Shadows Of Tomorrow

Earth is at war. Portals are opening across the planet and bringing creatures known as Outsiders. Their only desire is to eat, leaving a trail of destruction in their path. All that stand in their way are the Defenders led by Gareth Walker who can open portals of their own to target the Outsiders in minutes. Gareth's one advantage is an ability to see glimpses of his future.

For the past decade the Defenders have held back the incursion, but now a new portal opens, bringing something that Gareth did not see coming. As he must find a way to stop this new threat, he starts a quest for answers. He must learn how the war began and find a way to stop them once and for all.

All the while, he is aware of a shadow in his future a moment he can't see past. Will stopping the Outsiders cost him everything?

288 pages, Paperback

First published November 19, 2013

Loading...
Loading...

About the author

Jessica Meats

17 books35 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
14 (33%)
4 stars
20 (47%)
3 stars
7 (16%)
2 stars
0 (0%)
1 star
1 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Montzalee Wittmann.
5,537 reviews2,387 followers
November 11, 2017
Shadows of Tomorrow
By: Jessica Meats
Narrated by: Jake Urry
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
I really enjoyed this sci-fi book. The characters were well developed and introduced in a way that was different and interesting, I liked it and found it flowed well in the story. The plot...it was always ahead of me, and never what I thought was going to happen. So many twists, turns, unpredictable but satisfying. Lots of action, adventure, of course great sci-fi, creatures, and friendship. I haven't read any of this author's books before but I will be looking for them now.
The narrator was perfect for this book! He did the voices well and kept the action and tension for the scenes just right! Great acting. Wonderful job!!!
Profile Image for Petra.
823 reviews97 followers
November 14, 2016
This exciting science fiction story had a bit of everything: ravenous alien creatures that appear through portals, a skilled group of "defenders" who attempt to protect earth from these monsters, named "The Outsiders"; special powers, fighting and action scenes, betrayal, secrets, and even some romance.
The characters were well developed and I thought the group of defenders was made up of a good variety of different personalities. I enjoyed the relationships and the dialogue among the defenders. In particular, Cassie's story of joining the training to become a defender from her background of having been a successful athlete was interesting. The book was generally well written; the only thing that interrupted the flow a bit were the inserted back stories of each character. They were great for getting to know the characters, but I wished that information had been inserted into the story in a different way.
The end leaves a few things open, presumably to be continued in the sequel Between Yesterdays. A very suitable story for a younger audience, clean with regards to language and romance, nothing graphic.
The audiobook narration by Jake Urry brought the characters to life and made them easily distinguishable through subtle differences. The only thing I was missing here and there was a bit of emotion.
Overall, an easy to follow, suspenseful sci-fi adventure recommended for all ages.
Profile Image for Vicki.
1,206 reviews177 followers
November 13, 2016

I loved the premise and the words that were used. They conveyed the heart of the characters and the pain of their knowledge of the future. Knowing that they could change that if they varied. The setting was dismal and brought reality to the story.

The narration was wonderful, the tone of Jake Urry's voice was fitting for the emotion of the story. I enjoyed the tension and the emotion.
Profile Image for K.S. Marsden.
Author 20 books739 followers
September 23, 2019
Gareth and his team of trained Defenders are heroes. They are the only protection against the Outsiders. The time is coming to put an end to these attacks.

I bought a paperback copy when I met the author at York Unleashed comic con, which is always a bonus.

Gareth is still relatively young compared to the senior Defenders, but he has come to terms with being in charge. He has a certain skill for seeing the future, which is very handy in predicting where and when the next Outsider attack will hit. Unfortunately, he also sees the fate of every person that fights, and he still has to send them through the portal to their death.
Since he has taken on this role of command, Gareth has been somewhat distant. It's hard to be close to people when you know the outcome; and it's also hard to act normal, when you don't know if you're replying to their current or future question.

Cassie is a newcomer to the Defenders, desperate to do her part in protecting Earth. As an ex-Olympic sprinter, she thinks she'll be somewhat ready for the physical exertions; but training to be one of these elite soldiers pushes her to the max.

Even though Gareth is the main character in this book, I really liked that there were multiple narrators. With Gareth's constantly-shifting hold on current and future events, it helped strengthen the story that he wasn't the only narrator (not to mention it helped build some suspense, when your narrator is not all-seeing!).
There managed to be a few shocks and surprises, and even when one particular death had been hinted at, then firmly foretold, you can't help hoping Gareth will be wrong.

I found the plot original and intriguing. I'm not sure exactly when its set - either current day or near future - but for the last ten years, portals have been opening at random unleashing vicious monsters onto the defenceless public.
The Defenders was established by the original commander, who was strangely familiar with the portal technology, and had dark weapons that could kill the beasts. Soon, the trained soldiers were able to deploy anywhere in the world, and stem the Outsider attacks.

I very much enjoyed this and look forward to the next part in the series!
Profile Image for Tamara.
515 reviews7 followers
October 9, 2016
Shadows of Tomorrow by Jessica Meats is a terrific book with interesting and believable characters that you can't help but feel for and become emotionally invested in. With the author's attention to detail, the reader can't help but be drawn into the story and the world in which she has created.

This book is narrated by Jake Urry and with his lovely British accent took this story to a whole other level of enjoyment. This is the third audio book I have listened to that is narrated by Mr. Urry, and each one continues to get better and better. The performance was solid and the 'voices' were subtle yet distinctive enough for the listener to keep track of the speaker. I would have liked to have heard more emotion from each of the characters, but this is just a personal preference and did not distract from the story.

Overall, Shadows of Tomorrow is riveting story with a unique plot that will keep any fan of science fiction engaged throughout. This book is truly a hidden gem among the many jewels in the literary world and one that I would highly recommend.

Overall - 4 stars
Performance - 4 stars
Story - 4 stars

*Audio Book provided by the narrator in exchange for an honest review.
5 reviews
November 28, 2013
Shadows of Tomorrow is a highly entertaining ScFi adventure novel which explores the notion of what life might be like if you could see into your future. Sounds simple? well not really, not if it turns out that time is not a single, unbroken, continuous forward line.

The story follows the exploits of Gareth as he struggles to lead his ‘Defenders’ against frequent extra-terrestrial attacks. The level of adventure is sustained throughout, but with small touches of geeky humour to lighten the mood.

I recommend this as a thoroughly ‘good read’ for teens upwards
4,082 reviews15 followers
November 1, 2016
( Format : Audiobook)
""A whole new Universe, a whole new life""
For some years the earth has been beset by the sudden appearance of Outsiders, terrifying, ravenous creatures which pour out of opening portals "like a horde of zombies in a horror movie". And they are impervious to almost all weapons. Small groups of highly trained human Defenders, armed with unique and non replacable swords, are the only protection. What are these creatures and where are they from?
We follow the core group of the Defenders through a crucial period, getting to know them individually how they work and interact and, in particular, we meet Cassie, a one time athlete as she trains to join the Defender's ranks.
The book is written in a deceptively simple style, easy to read. But it covers a complexity of concepts including portals into other dimensions, foreknowledge of who will live and who will die, memories of the future, time travel, free will, loyalty and traitorous deeds, envy, fear and love. All wrapped up in a rattling good unusual action thriller.Jake Urry reads the text flawlessly and his characters each have distinctive, true sounding voices despite the numbers involved. But the real highlight of his narration is the sinister tension his reading imparts to the entire story. Excellent, as always.
My thanks to the narrator for the gift of Shadows of Tomorrow, given to me without expectation of any return. I very much enjoyed this book and hope that the author will soon follow with another to provide answers to the questions raised and, so far, not explored. A good, thought provoking science fiction adventure suitable for all ages. Recommended
Profile Image for Daniel.
175 reviews3 followers
June 1, 2019
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
This was a great, action packed book. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I finished it in one day. I would describe the book as similar to television shows such as Sliders and Stargate with portals to alternate realities and such. There are portals to other dimensions, monsters invading earth, dark blade sword fights and even a bit of future sight powers. It sounds like a weird combination but it works to create a highly entertaining story. I’ve been reviewing some of these free books that new or indie authors have been providing me and to be honest they are hit or miss but this one was a really pleasant surprise. It does take a bit to get into as it starts in the middle of the action with no backstory really, but once you get a bit into it and understand the history of the characters and what’s going on it’s hard to stop listening. This isn’t an epic long book that you have to get into, it’s just action packed fun, more like a TV series than a book. It looks like the author has written a sequel but there’s no audio version yet. If an audio book is produced I’ll be more than happy to purchase it as this book felt like a season one of a new show where you can tell there is a lot more room to explore in this world.
I listened to the audio book. Jake Urry was a good narrator for this book. I was able to grasp the tone of the story and the voices for the different characters. I did have to speed it up a bit to suit my tastes but that’s just me.
Profile Image for Colin Rowlands.
240 reviews2 followers
December 16, 2017
This book takes some interesting ideas such as alternate dimensions or realities, precognition and predestination and packages them into a book that seemed like a more human version of Pacific Rim.

In this book you still had the demonic-seeming invaders coming from another world through portals, but in this case those defending the earth needed to rely on their own strength and skill to fight them off rather than being more safely locked away in mechs as the casualties throughout clearly demonstrated.

I liked that the author shifted the first-person perspective from time to time as it helped me to get to know more of the characters than simply the main protagonist and the story felt all the stronger for that choice.

The narrator gave a good performance, nicely enhancing the overall story, even if I did expect some of the characters to have been quickly killed off as some of his voices sounded rather like Sean Bean.

Overall, I found this to be an interesting and enjoyable sci-fi novel suitably enhanced by good narration.

[I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.]
Profile Image for Shanna Tidwell.
762 reviews7 followers
November 17, 2017
I enjoyed this book very much. I noticed so many similarities to Game of Thrones that I imagine that Jessica Meats must be a die hard fan. No there weren’t any dragons or wolves but if you are familiar with the series you will see the way she pays homage to the series with this book.
The narration was great.
The story was a bit slow to start but once it is going it really kicks off. I love the idea of alternate universes, portals to other worlds & time travel.
This book has some bad ass characters and great concepts I haven’t come across in all my years of reading. I love it when I get something new and totally different.
I was voluntarily provided this review copy at no charge by the author, publisher and or narrator.
429 reviews8 followers
December 4, 2017
This story had so many different elements that I think that it would appeal to a wide audience, including teens. I appreciated that the main characters were so fully developed and I enjoyed their back stories. Portals, alien monsters, action, adventure and clean romance - great stuff!

I've listened to Jake Urry narrate several audiobooks and he never fails to entertain me. Awesome as usual. I thoroughly enjoyed Shadows of Tomorrow and would recommend it to listeners of all ages.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. This review is my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Courtney Odor.
113 reviews4 followers
May 26, 2019
AMAZING!
Overall 5 out of 5 stars Performance 5 out of 5 stars Story 5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed: 05-21-19

First, I have to start off by stating that I got this book free of charge in exchange for a review, but as I always state, this does not in any way impact my review. My reviews are always honest and my own.

I liked it, wasn't sure I would but it does grow on you, The action is a mix of slow and fast, it can be bloody but also not as power packed as other books.
870 reviews31 followers
May 15, 2017
Ms Meats has written a thoroughly enjoyable and complex sci fi story, which is raised to greater heights by the brilliant narration of Jake Urry. I'm sure I would have liked this audio book, but the calibre of the narrator takes it up to a higher, superb level.
408 reviews7 followers
June 13, 2017
I liked it, wasn't sure I would but it does grow on you, The action is a mix of slow and fast, it can be bloody but also not as power packed as other books.
I received this book for free in return for my unbiased review
Profile Image for Deedra.
3,933 reviews41 followers
March 20, 2017
This is an amazing story filled with love, action,romance and sacrifice.It makes you also wonder how others see your heroes.Gareth was injured, dead really, but his hero saved him.After being sucked into a portal and told of his heroes indiscretions,he can barely believe it.People change,especially after a trip through death.Monsters that eat flesh also come out of the portals.This all sides can get behind to fight.Jake Urry is the perfect narrator for this story.I was given this book free by the author, narrator or publisher.
Profile Image for Scott.
306 reviews6 followers
October 17, 2016
Portals, Powers, and Monsters

If you like science fiction stories that include fighting, portals, time travel, monsters, unique weapons and even romance, you will find it all in Jessica Meats book “Shadows of Tomorrow”. This may be one of the lost gems of the genre and I was glad I took the time to read it. This detailed story is only enhanced by the wonderful voice narration performed by Jake Urry. The book weaves a tale covering multiple worlds consisting of different time periods and dimensions; think multiverses. Not only do you have a deep storyline, one of the main characters is blessed or cursed with a special power permitting him to see events in the future; which none of his friends or co-workers can know about.

The reader is dropped into a world that appears to be earth based on various locations, however there are also rifts in time or dimensions that are accessible via portals popping-up in various places. What comes out of these portals can only be imagined in a child’s worse nightmare. The “Others” can best be described as zombie like hordes that want to devourer whatever is in their path when they enter a new world; be it plant, animal, or human. If you are like me and not a fan of zombies, do not worry as these are not your typical zombie-like creatures, but it is the easiest way for me to describe them.

The defenders on the other hand are a group of specially trained people who respond to portals appearing and are tasked with defend those around it by dispatching of the others. It is a tight group of individuals who are well respected in the community and many desire to become one if they can. This unique team is trained in various weapons and techniques to kill the different “other” types. I liked the author’s use of both medieval weapons (knives, swords, axes) along with some limited projectile weapons such as guns. These were used sparling due to limited ammunition. I also liked that each character seemed to have a purpose and reason for being there. Each had weakness and strengths and they needed to depend on their co-workers to survive.

Think Stormship Troopers, Portal, and Sixth Sense wrapped into a well-developed story consisting of complex and likable characters. It may sound like a strange mix, but it works and as I listened more, the more I began to grow on me. The author is able to tell a believable story that is complex and engaging. I enjoyed very much the way she took chapters in the book to provide backstories or flashbacks on why the characters were who they were and the way they acted. It was well thought out and delivered. The book was descriptive, but not overly so. There were times of humor, sadness, and nearly every other emotion one can think of. It was a rollercoaster ride consisting of many different twists and turns as the story was unwrapped. You never knew who or who not to trust.

The story did not contain any vulgar language that I recall, and even the parts describing romance were done in a way that is suitable for young adult readers; mid-teen and above. That is not to say this is a YA book, it is enjoyable by both young and old. Even the violence was not overly descriptive or graphic, however one could picture the events without needing it said in the text itself.

From the start, I enjoyed the deep and rich voice of Mr. Urry’s narration. His voice along with the audio itself was very clean and crisp. Although he did not narrate the multiple characters using a unique voice for each, he made it easy enough to distinguish the different speakers. He also read the story with passion and emotion bringing the listener into the book all the more. The audio itself did not contain any artifacts such as pops, clicks, or swallows. It seemed to be professionally done as care was taken to clean up any mistakes.

Disclaimer: This book was provided to the reviewer at no charge by the author, narrator, and/or publisher in exchange for a non-bias review.
Profile Image for Audio Audits.
197 reviews5 followers
October 27, 2016
Gareth Walker is the leader of the Defenders, what he's defending is the planet against alien creatures called the Outsiders, who are entering the planet through portals which are popping up everywhere! There are four supporting characters helping him in this endeavor and each has a special set of skills, Cassie is a true warrior, Lizzy who I feel is really the glue that holds the group together, his close friend Khal and Richard a world class hacker and what you may ask, is Gareth ability? His is the worst and the most heartbreaking, he can glimpse into the future and what he sees causes him both joy and devastating sadness.

What I really liked most about this audiobook is that Jessica Meats really took her time, in the beginning by fleshing out the story. Each of the supporting characters had their moment in the sun, describing how each of them became a member of the Defenders. The Outsiders are pretty horrifying creatures, so expect lots of blood, gore and death. But there's also love and strong bonds of friendship between people thrown together by circumstances.

The audiobook is narrated by Jake Urry, and it's the first book I've listened to by him and he did an awesome job voicing a lot of different characters, his delivery is pretty even, preferring to let the author's words convey the emotion of the scene and it works!

This audiobook was gifted to me exchange for an unbiased review!

Profile Image for Simona Nielsen.
Author 2 books3 followers
November 1, 2016
Audiobook review: 3 STARS (Jake Urry 5 STARS)

I have a hard time understanding the sci-fi genre and rarely it compells me. The sci-fi elements in this book went just like that, however, there's a lot more to this book than just sci-fi.

The story also contains elements of real people struggles, suspense and a bit of romance. The characters are very well-developed, so I see this as a different take on sci-fi than other books of this genre. If you're a sci-fi fan please take my rating with a grain of salt - you might love it!

Jake Urry can make any story come to life and if it weren't for him and my feel of real people in this story, I probably would have given up on the book. Jake narrates with a lot of drama that keeps surprising you and he's perfect for a story like this.

*This book was gifted to me in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for April.
2,201 reviews59 followers
October 6, 2016

“This audiobook was given by the narrator at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review."


Shadows Of Tomorrow
by Jessica Meats

A futuristic novel about a group of "Defender," that are tasked with protecting Earth from the "Outsiders." There is plenty of action,suspense , and even some romance. The listener will think they have it figured out when twists and turns hit and you start over with a different idea.


The narration was well done.The characters were well portrayed.I love Jake Urry's British accent. The only thing I would change, a little more enthusiasm during the action scenes.
Profile Image for Jean.
912 reviews39 followers
October 22, 2016

A Futuristic Suspense..

This book was a fast pace full of action with the main character, Gareth, having psychic

abilities..

Overall, this was an entertaining read that covered just about everything from betrayal,

action, and a bit of romance.

Once again, Jake Urry did really well with the narration.

Note:
"This audio book was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review."
Profile Image for Tim.
374 reviews8 followers
April 4, 2016
One couldn't help thinking that the defenders could easily have their own series or T.V show, this book was written to be made into a script.
Plenty of action, a bunch of saviours, love, tragedy, betrayal. Was there anything this book didn't have?
I wasn't over keen on the interspersed histories of characters but overall I enjoyed the read.
Profile Image for Paul.
Author 38 books26 followers
Read
September 4, 2016
Endlessly surprising

It's quite rare to read a sci-fi and have absolutely no idea where it's going. Great characters, a very real world and a pace that'll keep you turning the page all the way.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews