Shadowgod

Shadowkings #2

by Michael Cobley

Ancient powers stir all across the domains of the defeated Khatrimantine Empire. Its last defiant defenders have won a great victory and a new, young emperor has been crowned. A harsh, unseasonal winter has shrouded the land. In the icy north, the Shadowking Byrnak musters his forces, determined to crush the Imperial remnants and their allies. But his freedom to act is hampered by the intrigues of the other four Shadowkings, while a ghostly fragment of the Lord of Twilight haunts them all. If fulfilled, his dread destiny will devour the foundations of the world...

The barbarian Mogaun are born to ice and snow and are no strangers to winter campaigns, as Tauric’s advisors know full well. Despite reservations, Tauric’s general, Ikarno Mazaret, knows they must stand and fight, against the ravaging winter, against the pitiless Mogaun, and against the dark destiny of the Lord of Twilight.

So the onslaught begins, and the faces of Day join in the dance of might, and every turn tempts fate while every step skirts the edge of doom.

REVIEWS
“...one of the most gritty, grimy and evocative fantasy worlds... There's none of the sanitised fairytale fantasy world here.” -- Eternal Night on SHADOWGOD

“SHADOWKINGS, was brutal, cruel and realistic in a way genre usually avoids. SHADOWGOD, his second, is not only lighter, it is better... and makes good use of the world Cobley has created... writing to rival David Gemmell.” -- Jon Courtenay-Grimwood (Guardian)

Genres: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

480 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 3, 2003

About the author

Mike Cobley was born in Leicester and has lived in Scotland since the age of seven. Although the Scottish cultural heritage informs much of his own outlook (egalitarian, argumentative yet amiable, and able to appreciate rain), he thinks of himself as a citizen of the world.

While studying engineering at Strathclyde University, he discovered the joys and risks of student life and pursued a sideline career as a DJ, possibly to the detriment of his studies. The heady round of DJ'ing, partying and student gigs palled eventually, but by then his interests had been snagged by an encounter with Pirsig's 'Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance' which led him off on a philosophical and political odyssey which continues to this day.

The desire to write had its first burgeoning when he was 20/21, resulting in the creation of a short fantasy novel (that has never seen the light of day!). He later wrote a string of articles/rants for the campus paper at Strathclyde University under the pen-name Phaedrus, at the same time as he began writing short stories. Mike harbour much affection for the short story form, but has had little opportunity to write them since beginning work on the Shadowkings trilogy.

The 1st 2 volumes of the trilogy - Shadowkings and Shadowgod - have been published by Simon & Schuster's now-defunct imprint Earthlight, and the 3rd part - Shadowmasque - will be published by Simon & Schuster-Pocket at the end of 2004. Mike has a number of ideas and concepts for his next big project but they're being kept on the backburner for the time being. The publication of Iron Mosaic will be a personal milestone for him, as well as a showcase of the topics and techiques which have intrigued him since the publication of his first short story back in 1986. And just recently, he has had appeared in the Thackery T Lambshead Guide to Eccentric and Discredited Diseases, with a monologue upon the malady known as 'Parabubozygosia', which is not for the faint-hearted!