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Gift of the Shaper
by
For thousands of years, the Breaker of the Dawn has been locked away in the ethereal plane of the Otherworld. Now, a young blacksmith’s apprentice finds himself trapped in a war between the noble Athrani, a subset of humanity gifted with the ability to transmute matter, and the malevolent and powerful Khyth, who seek to free the ancient god from his prison.
When his father ...more
When his father ...more
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Paperback, 456 pages
Published
February 7th 2018
by Indigo River
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D.L. Jennings uses tight language and well-paced action to move his hero, Thornton Woods, along on his quest to save his father in Gift of the Shaper.
This is very much a coming of age tale as Thornton comes into his own, alongside his friend Miera, at the beginning of the book. But Thornton is not a stranger to hardship, as the son of a blacksmith.
Jennings’ world is fraught with peril and his writing reminds me somewhat of Robert Jordan. The lands of Derenar and Gal’Dorok likewise have original ...more
This is very much a coming of age tale as Thornton comes into his own, alongside his friend Miera, at the beginning of the book. But Thornton is not a stranger to hardship, as the son of a blacksmith.
Jennings’ world is fraught with peril and his writing reminds me somewhat of Robert Jordan. The lands of Derenar and Gal’Dorok likewise have original ...more

[Disclosure: I personally know the author. Our relationship has no bearing on this review.]
Gift of the Shaper is a good debut by a new, independent author. I am not an avid fantasy reader but I am familiar with major titles in the genre, along with the genre's tropes and clichés.
The good: Jennings takes the story in directions you don't always expect it to go. He handles a-b-c-d plots and weaves them together quite well. His tale has a good magic system while the lore is well-woven, and easy to ...more
Gift of the Shaper is a good debut by a new, independent author. I am not an avid fantasy reader but I am familiar with major titles in the genre, along with the genre's tropes and clichés.
The good: Jennings takes the story in directions you don't always expect it to go. He handles a-b-c-d plots and weaves them together quite well. His tale has a good magic system while the lore is well-woven, and easy to ...more

Reviewed by Skyler Boudreau for Reader Views (11/18)
“Gift of the Shaper” is the first in an epic fantasy series following the struggle between two different magical orders as they fight for control of a key that will grant them access to the mysterious Otherworld, where they draw their magic from.
Author D. L. Jennings makes excellent use of the multiple narrators in this debut novel. Each one adds a fresh flavor to the narrative, keeping readers actively engaged with their individual plotlines. ...more
“Gift of the Shaper” is the first in an epic fantasy series following the struggle between two different magical orders as they fight for control of a key that will grant them access to the mysterious Otherworld, where they draw their magic from.
Author D. L. Jennings makes excellent use of the multiple narrators in this debut novel. Each one adds a fresh flavor to the narrative, keeping readers actively engaged with their individual plotlines. ...more

Confession: Fantasy is not my forte. After Lord of the Rings, I kinda got out of the hobbit. The Gift has much the same feel as LOTR without any of the Orc/Elf/Ent/Dwarf / Hobbit characters. Jennings has created a cogent new universe with characters that are novel, not only in their physical habitus but their emotional makeup. The story is riveting and the unfolding of a new world even more fascinating.
The viewpoint shifts from protagonists to antagonists; you get into everyone's head at one tim ...more
The viewpoint shifts from protagonists to antagonists; you get into everyone's head at one tim ...more

I finished the book about 10 minutes ago, and I’ve already sent my recommendation to four friends who I know love fantasy. This isn’t my preferred genre, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I actually canceled plans for after work to finish it, because I had to make myself put it down to sleep the night before.
I’m admittedly frustrated with the ending of the book, but that’s only because I need there to be more. The story isn’t done, so the sequel had better be out soon.
I’m admittedly frustrated with the ending of the book, but that’s only because I need there to be more. The story isn’t done, so the sequel had better be out soon.

Intriguing
Gift of the Shaper was a very interesting fantasy slash mythical book, as it has a feel of Greek mythology. The characters were very well developed and had a great depth to them. This was full of adventure and twists. The plot was smooth and just the right pace, so much that you would want to read quickly but then slow down to savor the story. There was the right balance of light versus darkness within the story. I look forward to reading more by this new author.
Gift of the Shaper was a very interesting fantasy slash mythical book, as it has a feel of Greek mythology. The characters were very well developed and had a great depth to them. This was full of adventure and twists. The plot was smooth and just the right pace, so much that you would want to read quickly but then slow down to savor the story. There was the right balance of light versus darkness within the story. I look forward to reading more by this new author.

A solid 4 stars.
I bought this book from the author, who signed it. We met on Instagram. Our friendship does not in any way affect the review I am about to give.
This book was a very good start, but an obvious beginning to those who have been reading in the SFF genre for a long time. It gave off serious "Eragon" vibes, which is to be expected from a brand new indie author. Overall, I felt the story and structure of the novel to be good. The pacing was okay. The characterization was good. The narra ...more
I bought this book from the author, who signed it. We met on Instagram. Our friendship does not in any way affect the review I am about to give.
This book was a very good start, but an obvious beginning to those who have been reading in the SFF genre for a long time. It gave off serious "Eragon" vibes, which is to be expected from a brand new indie author. Overall, I felt the story and structure of the novel to be good. The pacing was okay. The characterization was good. The narra ...more

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author and form R&R Book Tours. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Gift of the Shaper
Author: D.L. Jennings
Book Series: Highglade Series Book 1
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: fantasy lovers, ya readers
Publication Date: February 7, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, kidnapping, gore, war)
Publisher: Indigo River
Pages: 456
Synopsis: For thousands of years, the Breaker of the Dawn has been locked away in the ethereal plane of the Otherwor ...more
Book: Gift of the Shaper
Author: D.L. Jennings
Book Series: Highglade Series Book 1
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: fantasy lovers, ya readers
Publication Date: February 7, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, kidnapping, gore, war)
Publisher: Indigo River
Pages: 456
Synopsis: For thousands of years, the Breaker of the Dawn has been locked away in the ethereal plane of the Otherwor ...more

🌻When I started this book, I wasn't really aware of where it would take me, not in terms of plot but in terms of adventure, I had no clue that I would end in some dangerous yet extremely adventurous situations with the lead characters. The book follows a story of Olson who is kidnapped and Thornton Woods and his childhood friend, Miera, must leave their small village of Highglade to find him. On their way, they are joined by Ynara and Kethras, cat-like humanoids called Kienari, who use their ski ...more

Written Review Of "Gift Of The Shaper: Book One Of The HIGHGLADE Series" By D. L. Jennings
Publisher : Indigo River Publishing
Pages : 458
Available On : Amazon
Its An Amazing Story And At The Core Its A Story Of Good Vs Evil. Author Has Narrated This Story Very Nicely.
The Start Is Little Slow But Slow Steadily The Story Developed Nicely So Just Kept Going For Few Chapters. The Characters Are Also Developed Properly And Every Character In A Story Has A Purpose. It Doesn't Seem Like They Are Just In ...more
Publisher : Indigo River Publishing
Pages : 458
Available On : Amazon
Its An Amazing Story And At The Core Its A Story Of Good Vs Evil. Author Has Narrated This Story Very Nicely.
The Start Is Little Slow But Slow Steadily The Story Developed Nicely So Just Kept Going For Few Chapters. The Characters Are Also Developed Properly And Every Character In A Story Has A Purpose. It Doesn't Seem Like They Are Just In ...more

The world was elaborate but I found myself getting confused very frequently. The map was really nice. It took me a lot of time to finish the book. Chapters like Chapter 4 was not my favourite and I was confused as to what the consistent pattern of the author because it was not a smooth ride. I liked the plot, the multiple points of view were great. Initially, the book was very slow, it took a while for the book to get the pace to get picked up. I really like dregs and underdogs, so I did enjoy t
...more

Gift of the Shaper is the first book in the HIGHGLADE series written by the author D.L. Jennings. It is the debut work of the author.
The main characters are Olson, his son Thornton Woods and Thornton's childhood friend Miera. Olson got kidnapped. Thornton and Miera went in search for Olson. Ynara and Kethras joined them on the way to help Thornton in finding Olson. This adventurous journey to find Olson is not that easy. Grab a copy of this book and read the story to know will Thornton be succe ...more
The main characters are Olson, his son Thornton Woods and Thornton's childhood friend Miera. Olson got kidnapped. Thornton and Miera went in search for Olson. Ynara and Kethras joined them on the way to help Thornton in finding Olson. This adventurous journey to find Olson is not that easy. Grab a copy of this book and read the story to know will Thornton be succe ...more

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I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I got a copy of this from the author and once I had my hands on it I had to read and then re-read to get the whole experience of this epic adventure. The characters are wonderful and have strong personalities of their own. The whole world just unfolds before you and the twists and turns keep coming and keeping the reader on their toes. It is a story that you biting your nails to see what happens next. That is what I want. To get my ha
...more

This is an excellent debut novel. The characters are well drawn & the battle scenes are vivid, due to the fact that they are based on the author's own experience as a combat veteran. The ending left me wanting more, so it's great that a sequel is in the works.
...more

I bought this book and I would buy it again. Fantasy is not my usual genre, but maybe I will check out some more. This was a well-paced adventure that I finished in one sitting. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
...more

The book is quite similar to the Lord Of Rings, but it still manages to stand apart. There are certain books that is stay within you forever, and the gift shaper is one such book. This work has the potential to become a best seller it just requires good marketing! Anyways, talking about the storyline, Gift of the Shaper chronicles the epic struggle between the existing forces of good and evil, with both sides vying for control of the key that unlocks the Otherworld. The very powers of creation a
...more

Brilliant story, vivid imagination, and great prose!
Excellent storyline, and the author went to great pains to bring the characters to life. The style is clean and compelling, and a great read overall. When you weave in the author's background it is even more fascinating! ...more
Excellent storyline, and the author went to great pains to bring the characters to life. The style is clean and compelling, and a great read overall. When you weave in the author's background it is even more fascinating! ...more
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