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Time of Legends: The Sundering #2
Shadow King
When his family is betrayed and slain, Alith Anar, ill-fated prince of the Nagarythe, is forced to walk a dark path. With the island of Ulthuan in the grip of a civil war with their evil counterparts, the druchii, Alith Anar follows his destiny to become the Shadow King. Hunting his enemies from the darkness, he is now on a quest for vengeance that will never end.
522 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
8 people are currently reading
367 people want to read
About the author
Gav Thorpe
377 books577 followersGav spent 14 years as a developer for Games Workshop, and started writing novels and short stories in the worlds of Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 when the Black Library imprint was launched in 1997.
He continues to write for Black Library, and his first 'homegrown' novel series The Crown of the Blood has been released via Angry Robot.
Currently living in Nottingham, Gav shares his home with his loving and very understanding partner - Kez, and their beautiful little boy - Sammy.
He continues to write for Black Library, and his first 'homegrown' novel series The Crown of the Blood has been released via Angry Robot.
Currently living in Nottingham, Gav shares his home with his loving and very understanding partner - Kez, and their beautiful little boy - Sammy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
November 6, 2023
Great book! I have to commend the author for making what could have been a contrived story of loss and vengeance into a very compeling read. Alith Anar's tale really came to life in the pages, making me see his heartfelt story on a more personal level even as it meshed with the over arching story of Malekith and the elven civil war (if that is the right way to categorize this war). By the time Alith's story reached the point in time where Malekith ended, I could barely put the book down, wanting to see where our hero was heading as fate continued to slap him down again and again.
The only criticism I have of Shadow King is that certain events just did not seem very realistic. I won't post spoilers, but certain things toward the end of the book seemed rushed as if the author had to tie up a loose end quickly or throw in a clever plot device to jerk our main character back into line for where he is suppose to go. These few scenes annoyed me even though I was too attached to Alith by this point to put the book down. Perhaps I am being too harsh, but they really were glaring missteps to me.
However, Shadow King is a page turner, especially if you enjoy the warhammer universe or just a good tale regarding the pursuit of vengeance.
The only criticism I have of Shadow King is that certain events just did not seem very realistic. I won't post spoilers, but certain things toward the end of the book seemed rushed as if the author had to tie up a loose end quickly or throw in a clever plot device to jerk our main character back into line for where he is suppose to go. These few scenes annoyed me even though I was too attached to Alith by this point to put the book down. Perhaps I am being too harsh, but they really were glaring missteps to me.
However, Shadow King is a page turner, especially if you enjoy the warhammer universe or just a good tale regarding the pursuit of vengeance.
January 4, 2010
A few months back Gav wrote a post in his blog regarding cutting out "faffy" words. A lot of writers use a lot of excess language to get a point across where Gav tends to cut to the meat of the story and carves his way through the pages at a fevered clip.
The Shadow King is another great example of this. To be honest I was hesitant about whether Thorpe could pull that off. I mean...over 500 pages. That seems pretty wordy to me. So I sat down and set about consuming and digesting this thick tome (larger than anything he's written to date I believe page-wise. Don't quote me but I *think* that is accurate.)
As per usual Gav gets right to it. The stage is set and things start going to hell...fast. This is the second book of The Sundering, following Malekith. I haven't read the first book, and I understand that there is some overlap between the books: the first segment covers the events of Malekith from a different angle and the second segment delves in to wholly new territory.
Now having missed out on the previous novel, the intro is breakneck. This isn't a complaint. Hardly so. I want the story...not a wordy intro on the same ol same ol. Some writers, even really good ones meander a bit when starting a novel. Gav tends to bull straight forward.
One of the best parts in reading Gav Thorpe's books is that he's a smart writer. He's a pro when it comes to hooking you right in at the first few pages. He grabs you by the nose and drags you kicking and screaming down a road that you *KNOW* is going to end badly. Especially in writing about events considered "history" in the Warhammer Fantasy or Warhammer 40,000 universe.
A lot of the time we have the broad strokes of what the story is about far in advance of the novel ever being read. The story of Alith Anar is a prime example of that. We all know that Alith Anar is the last of his line, prince of Nagarythe. His family murdered, and his revenge is eternal. Blablabla. Yeah, we know.
The Shadow King delves in to territory we didn't even know existed. He paints Morathi and the Witch King and others in vibrant colors. You get to understand a bit of the "why" of the story. You see just how far the elves had fallen in many cases and as a reader you can grasp the "why" of Alith's plight and to a certain degree understand why he snaps the way he does. It's a deep and treacherous story.
In many ways, the elves of Ulthuan are alien to us. They are elves. We're human. They are different. They see life in a very different way. Almost a manic-depressive way I guess is a good way to describe it. To a certain degree we won't fully understand the characters or their excesses...but where the writer really nails it is in illustrating them in such a manner that allows them to be seen as alien, but close enough that we can largely sympathize with the characters.
As a writer, in order to have a character we care about, we as readers need to be at least a little sympathetic. We have to understand. Thorpe is able to keep the Elves slightly alien while telling a story about a character whose whole world is utterly ruined and his subsequent rampage of death and revenge. In no way does the story leave you flat or uncaring or wanting to simply skip a page. Sometimes when we get bored with a character or what is happening we do that.
I think the main reason for this is because the characters aren't bi-dimensional, 4-color comic book toons. Alith Anar is one messed up dude. Serious. He's got problems. He's not perfect. He's not the shiny perfect High Elf lordling riding a pegasus whose farts sound like angels singing.
It's not black and white. That's really saying something considering how dark the druchii are. Think of Alith Anar as being kind of like an elven Batman. His scars are deep, and revenge...brutal. You almost feel sorry for the druchii...almost.
The battle scenes are epic in scale and seem tactically smart. Some thought on how forces would maneuver definitely went in to it. There is a definite feel of the mythic fairy tale of shimmering hosts, and gleaming spear tips and lances and coats of maille. Banners flying, beats on the ground and in the air. Seriously good battle than seems all mythic and shiny...and dwindles down in to the more brutal reality of the aftermath. Like it starts at sunrise and goes until a bloody sunset and a night of weeping over the dead. Really moving stuff. Then there are the skirmish-level bits: raiding caravans and Special Forces/ unconventional warfare stuff.
Again Gav Thorpe does a masterful job in playing our heart strings. It was a damn good read. 5/5 on this one. Previously I thought 13th Legion was his best, most visceral work. This one really matches it. I have a hard time admitting maybe better...but...maybe it is.
The Shadow King is another great example of this. To be honest I was hesitant about whether Thorpe could pull that off. I mean...over 500 pages. That seems pretty wordy to me. So I sat down and set about consuming and digesting this thick tome (larger than anything he's written to date I believe page-wise. Don't quote me but I *think* that is accurate.)
As per usual Gav gets right to it. The stage is set and things start going to hell...fast. This is the second book of The Sundering, following Malekith. I haven't read the first book, and I understand that there is some overlap between the books: the first segment covers the events of Malekith from a different angle and the second segment delves in to wholly new territory.
Now having missed out on the previous novel, the intro is breakneck. This isn't a complaint. Hardly so. I want the story...not a wordy intro on the same ol same ol. Some writers, even really good ones meander a bit when starting a novel. Gav tends to bull straight forward.
One of the best parts in reading Gav Thorpe's books is that he's a smart writer. He's a pro when it comes to hooking you right in at the first few pages. He grabs you by the nose and drags you kicking and screaming down a road that you *KNOW* is going to end badly. Especially in writing about events considered "history" in the Warhammer Fantasy or Warhammer 40,000 universe.
A lot of the time we have the broad strokes of what the story is about far in advance of the novel ever being read. The story of Alith Anar is a prime example of that. We all know that Alith Anar is the last of his line, prince of Nagarythe. His family murdered, and his revenge is eternal. Blablabla. Yeah, we know.
The Shadow King delves in to territory we didn't even know existed. He paints Morathi and the Witch King and others in vibrant colors. You get to understand a bit of the "why" of the story. You see just how far the elves had fallen in many cases and as a reader you can grasp the "why" of Alith's plight and to a certain degree understand why he snaps the way he does. It's a deep and treacherous story.
In many ways, the elves of Ulthuan are alien to us. They are elves. We're human. They are different. They see life in a very different way. Almost a manic-depressive way I guess is a good way to describe it. To a certain degree we won't fully understand the characters or their excesses...but where the writer really nails it is in illustrating them in such a manner that allows them to be seen as alien, but close enough that we can largely sympathize with the characters.
As a writer, in order to have a character we care about, we as readers need to be at least a little sympathetic. We have to understand. Thorpe is able to keep the Elves slightly alien while telling a story about a character whose whole world is utterly ruined and his subsequent rampage of death and revenge. In no way does the story leave you flat or uncaring or wanting to simply skip a page. Sometimes when we get bored with a character or what is happening we do that.
I think the main reason for this is because the characters aren't bi-dimensional, 4-color comic book toons. Alith Anar is one messed up dude. Serious. He's got problems. He's not perfect. He's not the shiny perfect High Elf lordling riding a pegasus whose farts sound like angels singing.
It's not black and white. That's really saying something considering how dark the druchii are. Think of Alith Anar as being kind of like an elven Batman. His scars are deep, and revenge...brutal. You almost feel sorry for the druchii...almost.
The battle scenes are epic in scale and seem tactically smart. Some thought on how forces would maneuver definitely went in to it. There is a definite feel of the mythic fairy tale of shimmering hosts, and gleaming spear tips and lances and coats of maille. Banners flying, beats on the ground and in the air. Seriously good battle than seems all mythic and shiny...and dwindles down in to the more brutal reality of the aftermath. Like it starts at sunrise and goes until a bloody sunset and a night of weeping over the dead. Really moving stuff. Then there are the skirmish-level bits: raiding caravans and Special Forces/ unconventional warfare stuff.
Again Gav Thorpe does a masterful job in playing our heart strings. It was a damn good read. 5/5 on this one. Previously I thought 13th Legion was his best, most visceral work. This one really matches it. I have a hard time admitting maybe better...but...maybe it is.
March 25, 2016
God Damn Gav Thorpe! I have enjoyed your writing quite a few times since my fall to Black Library, but never have I enjoyed it more than this!
Shadow King, the tale of House Anar and more specifically, Alith Anar, was phenomenal. The action was amazing, the characters each had a life and personality all their own, and each was extremely well done. Following Alith on his path from Prince of House Anar in and out of love, in and out of war, on his long journey to misery and vengeance and his rebirth as the Shadow King was altogether too much fun for how hopeless the novel kept being! Oh man, a wild, wild ride and a blast that kept me on the edge of my seat and unable to stop reading once things got rolling!
Thank you for this novel Gav!
Shadow King, the tale of House Anar and more specifically, Alith Anar, was phenomenal. The action was amazing, the characters each had a life and personality all their own, and each was extremely well done. Following Alith on his path from Prince of House Anar in and out of love, in and out of war, on his long journey to misery and vengeance and his rebirth as the Shadow King was altogether too much fun for how hopeless the novel kept being! Oh man, a wild, wild ride and a blast that kept me on the edge of my seat and unable to stop reading once things got rolling!
Thank you for this novel Gav!
September 8, 2025
Rest in peace Yeasir my goat. It is a small mercy that you never had to see what became of Malekith. Amazing book, though the cliff hanger ending drives me mad. What is Alith Anar to do when confronted by the specter of Malekith?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2023
Swashbuckling and intrigue combine to make a gripping revenge plot. One of the better Warhammer novels I’ve read.
May 27, 2021
3.5 stars
Good Warhammer fantasy novel looking at the events that split the Elves into Dark and Light factions.
The writing style is a bit stilted in places, and it's slow to get going, but once the action starts then it improves.
Follows on/runs concurrently with events in Malekith, which I've read but can't find on my shelves any more. You don't need to have read that book to get into this one.
The characters are generally well written, and it's interesting to see events leading up to the more well known Warhammer setting.
Good Warhammer fantasy novel looking at the events that split the Elves into Dark and Light factions.
The writing style is a bit stilted in places, and it's slow to get going, but once the action starts then it improves.
Follows on/runs concurrently with events in Malekith, which I've read but can't find on my shelves any more. You don't need to have read that book to get into this one.
The characters are generally well written, and it's interesting to see events leading up to the more well known Warhammer setting.
November 25, 2021
Following Malekith, Gav Thorpe introduces us with yet another fascinating personage: Alith Anar. He's a fierce and uncompromising character that's driven by a single goal: vengeance. Leader of the Shadow-walkers, he's a cunning and remorseless killer, but at the same time, he's also a tragic figure, haunted by the loss of loved ones, the desolation of his homeland, and the thought of a life he was never able to live.
Once again, Gav Thorpe continues to impress with his deft writing skills.
For one thing, the story tends to drags quite a lot. Intense battles and shocking events are interlaced with drawn-out conversations between way too many forgettable side-characters with same-sounding names. One really out of place chapter has the character running around with talking wolves, providing us with some really weird dialogue:
That's why I'm giving this a three. It's got an interesting lead character but only a so-so plot. It's still worth a read, but it's not as good as its predecessor, Malekith.
Once again, Gav Thorpe continues to impress with his deft writing skills.
'Loneliness is an indulgence for those with the time to spare for it,’ said Elthyrior. ‘Some fill the emptiness with the meaningless chatter of those around them. Some of us fill it with a greater purpose, more comforting than any mortal company'There are plenty of memorable quotes and imaginative descriptions throughout this novel. With a compelling lead character and engaging writing, the book should be captivating, but unfortunately, there are too many problems with it.
For one thing, the story tends to drags quite a lot. Intense battles and shocking events are interlaced with drawn-out conversations between way too many forgettable side-characters with same-sounding names. One really out of place chapter has the character running around with talking wolves, providing us with some really weird dialogue:
'Long fang in water old as forest, older. Wolves not need long fang. Two-legs need long fang. Long fang hide from two-legs.'Fighting in the book seems desperate and ferocious. Leaders are slain, villages are razed, cities besieged, and yet neither side makes any headway and the war continues interminably for years. There is no sense of progress as the war just drags on, despite the accounts we get of victories or defeats. As exciting as the events are to read, they don't matter if they don't have any greater impact.
That's why I'm giving this a three. It's got an interesting lead character but only a so-so plot. It's still worth a read, but it's not as good as its predecessor, Malekith.
February 21, 2024
Once again, Gav Thorpe pulls off an amazing tale in the Warhammer fantasy universe. The second installment in The Sundering series follows Alith Anar, heir to the Anar family as he grows into one of the most formidable opponents to the evil in Ulthuan. One thing I enjoy about Gav Thorpe's writing is that he does an amazing job of giving a history of the events surrounding the Anar family and effortlessly blends them into the chaos that ensued during book 1 of The Sundering trilogy, Malekith. Anyone who is interested in the history of the Old World of Warhammer fantasy is in for a treat by reading these books. This one, in particular, helps to set the stage for the final book in the series and brings to life several characters that will determine the fate of Ulthuan. I am very much looking forward to reading the third installment. This series is amazing for fans of Warhammer and those that have no care for the game, but crave a great fantasy series. I highly recommend it.
September 20, 2021
I remember first reading this book years ago and not enjoying it, but I can't fathom why.
Alith Anar is a more compelling and sympathetic character then Malekith, while still possessing some of the arrogance and aggressive culture of the Nagarothi.
I really enjoyed Alith's development as a character; however, if I do have one annoyance it's that he seemed to have the same epiphany multiple times, but it didn't really sink in until the last time.
The pacing, description, and action in this book is just as strong as Malekith, but it benefits greatly from a better cast to follow. Some characters from book 1 make appearances, and you get different view on events that we saw in book 1 as well.
Overall, this was a lot of fun to read and had me immediately start an elf focused Total War Warhammer Campaign (though I picked Dark Elves)
Alith Anar is a more compelling and sympathetic character then Malekith, while still possessing some of the arrogance and aggressive culture of the Nagarothi.
I really enjoyed Alith's development as a character; however, if I do have one annoyance it's that he seemed to have the same epiphany multiple times, but it didn't really sink in until the last time.
The pacing, description, and action in this book is just as strong as Malekith, but it benefits greatly from a better cast to follow. Some characters from book 1 make appearances, and you get different view on events that we saw in book 1 as well.
Overall, this was a lot of fun to read and had me immediately start an elf focused Total War Warhammer Campaign (though I picked Dark Elves)
March 14, 2021
Shadow King is the second volume in The Sundering trilogy. This book follows the tragic story of Alith Anar and his rise as the Shadow King of Nargarythe. Much of the book is a re-telling of the events in Malekith but from a different perspective. This book gives us a deeper look into the society of Nargarythe and its relations with its neighbors. I like this book more than its predecessor. The pace in Shadow King is even, and the story feels more compact even though it is 100 pages longer than the previous book. Overall, Shadow King is a good follow up from Malekith and I can't wait to check out the concluding volume of the trilogy.
January 2, 2024
The initial story was fairly building for the Anars and while at parts felt boring and made me reluctant to push through it was all worth it in the end in the last 150-200 pages this book was hard to put down and each chapter made me want to read another! While some of the ending was predictable for me, the actual ending left me completely shocked and made me question where does this go now?! The character building made you actually feel the loss and grief of Alith throughout the story which I now appreciate but like I stated before it made progression slow for awhile for me at least. Worth the read, and makes me want to finish this trilogy!
June 9, 2018
I enjoyed this book much more than the first one in the trilogy. The main character is more engaging and I liked his character arc. It covers some of the events of the last book from another perspective and then goes further and reveals more about the Elven Civil War. I like the different look at Elven culture that is presented here as well. Not much else to say except I liked it.
December 9, 2019
A great read following the beginnings of the Shadow king and his kin. Sheds a lot of needed light on a the origin and overall position of the shadow warriors and a story that develops a character in to the icon of vengeance while still showing his human(elven) side.
March 17, 2020
Supprisingly the best of the trilogy. Lots of intrigue, backstabbing, and maneuvers.
Strong story with lots of fresh and original ideas. I simply couldn't put this book down from start to finish.
A hard fantasy book to beat
Strong story with lots of fresh and original ideas. I simply couldn't put this book down from start to finish.
A hard fantasy book to beat
May 5, 2020
Slower than the rest of the trilogy, but good for warhammer fans still.
December 20, 2021
Brilliant. An actual character who's not a hero, but still likable enough.
November 6, 2022
I had a blast reading this novel. I highly recommend it!
January 29, 2024
Very good like Timo 😁👍
February 17, 2025
Great characters but a slog to get through.
October 3, 2024
I was worried when it started well before the climactic end of the first book. My experience with Thorpe's other books has been this cyclic narrative structure not having a weighty enough pay off.
This book through, it justifies the narrative structure right off the back. Starting the series from the point of view of the one who would become the "dark lord" is a harsh thing to live up to, following it up with a story of a young rebel, coming of age and trying to find out his place in the war was a great move. Through Alith Anar we get to see the scope of the civil war raging across the Elven empire.
It has a nice little bookend as well.
This book through, it justifies the narrative structure right off the back. Starting the series from the point of view of the one who would become the "dark lord" is a harsh thing to live up to, following it up with a story of a young rebel, coming of age and trying to find out his place in the war was a great move. Through Alith Anar we get to see the scope of the civil war raging across the Elven empire.
It has a nice little bookend as well.
March 12, 2025
It had been more than a decade since I read Malekith before reading it again recently after acquiring the entire Sundering series. Two reasons for not doing so earlier were that I did not enjoy it excessively much then and that I had always been a Dark Elf fan, so the prospect of mainly High Elf focused novels didn’t interest me much.
Both reasons have proven false; I did enjoy Malekith more than I remember doing so the first time, and Shadow King actually was a better experience than the first novel.
The crux in that lies in the almost exclusive POV focus on Alith Anar. I wasn’t a fan of him before, but, once the story really got going, damn did his arc hook me. The main characters of the Sundering trilogy are troubled, conflicted anti-heroes and Alith is a fantastic example of this character type.
He has little interest in the noble life he was born into, the fancy parties, the politicking and often seeks refuse in wild nature, climbing mountains, hunting game and generally isolating.
Over the course of the story he becomes more and more jaded, grim and cynical. At times I missed the old dynamic and emphatic Alith, but his transition into the dark, vengeful being he becomes is very much a product of his experiences and his empathy for others.
The plot runs parallel to both the other entries in the series, intersecting at certain points and informing about events that will happen in the next book (half way through Caledor at time of writing). My favorite sections were when we got to see that Elven society outside of the events around the big, important characters. It lends so much more character and weight to the whole civil war and corruption from the cults.
I don’t often compare modern fantasy to Tolkien, it’s generally tiresome and close minded, but this very much is a travel story in the vein of LOTR and on multiple occasions there were very clear parallels to The Two Towers, with things like chases across rolling fields of a horse master culture and the entering of foreboding forests to commune with tree spirits and animals.
At times Alith’s negativity and combative nature got tiresome, but otherwise I really enjoyed seeing the Elven civil war from his POV. There are some truly chilling and horrific moments that add to the tragedy of the conflict. It might well turn our that Alith will be my favorite of the 3 main characters in the series.
Both reasons have proven false; I did enjoy Malekith more than I remember doing so the first time, and Shadow King actually was a better experience than the first novel.
The crux in that lies in the almost exclusive POV focus on Alith Anar. I wasn’t a fan of him before, but, once the story really got going, damn did his arc hook me. The main characters of the Sundering trilogy are troubled, conflicted anti-heroes and Alith is a fantastic example of this character type.
He has little interest in the noble life he was born into, the fancy parties, the politicking and often seeks refuse in wild nature, climbing mountains, hunting game and generally isolating.
Over the course of the story he becomes more and more jaded, grim and cynical. At times I missed the old dynamic and emphatic Alith, but his transition into the dark, vengeful being he becomes is very much a product of his experiences and his empathy for others.
The plot runs parallel to both the other entries in the series, intersecting at certain points and informing about events that will happen in the next book (half way through Caledor at time of writing). My favorite sections were when we got to see that Elven society outside of the events around the big, important characters. It lends so much more character and weight to the whole civil war and corruption from the cults.
I don’t often compare modern fantasy to Tolkien, it’s generally tiresome and close minded, but this very much is a travel story in the vein of LOTR and on multiple occasions there were very clear parallels to The Two Towers, with things like chases across rolling fields of a horse master culture and the entering of foreboding forests to commune with tree spirits and animals.
At times Alith’s negativity and combative nature got tiresome, but otherwise I really enjoyed seeing the Elven civil war from his POV. There are some truly chilling and horrific moments that add to the tragedy of the conflict. It might well turn our that Alith will be my favorite of the 3 main characters in the series.
April 21, 2012
Like the first tale of the Sundering, Shadow King basically tells the life-story of one of the legendary Elven figures of the Warhammer world, Alith Anar, the last Prince of Nagarythe. His story essentially runs concurrently with that of Malekith as chronicled in the first book, so this is less of a sequel and more of an expansion. Like most other offerings from the Black Library, the story is entertaining rather than ground-breaking. The writing style is economical and engaging enough not to be boring, yet still manages to convey a comparable story and background to books nearly twice as long.
Part of this may be because Gav Thorpe, the author, is one of the powerhouses behind the Warhammer universe, and his familiarity with the story he is telling and with the character of the world in general shows clearly in every chapter. He does not waste time on long tracts of description for the setting, but he offers lots of innuendo to give a reader a good feel for the continent of Ulthuan and the difference between its different regions.
His relationship with the universe also shows in his treatment of the characters, particularly the supporting cast. It is to be expected that Alith Anar's character is well-developed, but Thorpe takes care to show off secondary characters as equally complex people as well, with motivations and histories all their own, rather than simply having them show up to advance the plot. Of particular note in this regard are Anar's love interests. Such characters often suffer from a lack of development because they have few purposes in heroic fantasy other than to demonstrate the loneliness of the hero's path or to act as a reward for getting the job done. Thorpe, however, avoids this common trap rather nicely, and the female elves that cross paths with his hero feel just as real as the male warriors that accompany Anar everywhere.
Overall, therefore, I found this to be a very enjoyable read, and recommend it both to fans of the Warhammer universe and to readers of fantasy who are looking to take a brief break from the more epic-length tales out there.
Part of this may be because Gav Thorpe, the author, is one of the powerhouses behind the Warhammer universe, and his familiarity with the story he is telling and with the character of the world in general shows clearly in every chapter. He does not waste time on long tracts of description for the setting, but he offers lots of innuendo to give a reader a good feel for the continent of Ulthuan and the difference between its different regions.
His relationship with the universe also shows in his treatment of the characters, particularly the supporting cast. It is to be expected that Alith Anar's character is well-developed, but Thorpe takes care to show off secondary characters as equally complex people as well, with motivations and histories all their own, rather than simply having them show up to advance the plot. Of particular note in this regard are Anar's love interests. Such characters often suffer from a lack of development because they have few purposes in heroic fantasy other than to demonstrate the loneliness of the hero's path or to act as a reward for getting the job done. Thorpe, however, avoids this common trap rather nicely, and the female elves that cross paths with his hero feel just as real as the male warriors that accompany Anar everywhere.
Overall, therefore, I found this to be a very enjoyable read, and recommend it both to fans of the Warhammer universe and to readers of fantasy who are looking to take a brief break from the more epic-length tales out there.
May 12, 2013
This title has certainly given me hope that Gav Thorpe will continue to progress in his writing skills.
One of the most difficult skills that an author has to learn is where to cut out scenes, words, alter dialogue and otherwise break down their piece into a work that efficiently tells their story without using over complicated language or too many words. Malekith, his first work, was fraught with such errors. In that work I swear that the first quarter of the book was 90% description & 10% dialogue. Now perhaps he was trying to evoke a setting while telling some necessary background information for readers, but it could have been presented other ways. Shadow King corrects that error. Background is expressed through the personal reflection of the main character, or through conversations they are having with family, friends, rivals and enemies. There was no words wasted on unnecessary exposition and even paragraph felt like it was written for a reason & that every decision moved forward the plot.
That structural and pacing change, alone, makes me look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Alith was a very believable hero. Gav still is writing the heroes and villains of the world with a very classical, epic (as in larger than life literary...not modern internet usage), characterization with long speeches, over the top emotional reactions (complete with chest beating), and very quickly changing motivations...but I enter the book expecting that because the entire setting revolves around those types of characters.
I mean the first page of the book is "The Warhammer World is founded upon the exploits of brave heroes and the rise and fall of powerful, devastating, enemies."
The action is getting better and better. While I knew that Alith would not die, since he is a canon character in the current timeline of the tabletop game, the outcome of the surrounding cast was very intense and really evoked each of the scenes.
Looking forward to Caledor, the final book in The Sundering series.
One of the most difficult skills that an author has to learn is where to cut out scenes, words, alter dialogue and otherwise break down their piece into a work that efficiently tells their story without using over complicated language or too many words. Malekith, his first work, was fraught with such errors. In that work I swear that the first quarter of the book was 90% description & 10% dialogue. Now perhaps he was trying to evoke a setting while telling some necessary background information for readers, but it could have been presented other ways. Shadow King corrects that error. Background is expressed through the personal reflection of the main character, or through conversations they are having with family, friends, rivals and enemies. There was no words wasted on unnecessary exposition and even paragraph felt like it was written for a reason & that every decision moved forward the plot.
That structural and pacing change, alone, makes me look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Alith was a very believable hero. Gav still is writing the heroes and villains of the world with a very classical, epic (as in larger than life literary...not modern internet usage), characterization with long speeches, over the top emotional reactions (complete with chest beating), and very quickly changing motivations...but I enter the book expecting that because the entire setting revolves around those types of characters.
I mean the first page of the book is "The Warhammer World is founded upon the exploits of brave heroes and the rise and fall of powerful, devastating, enemies."
The action is getting better and better. While I knew that Alith would not die, since he is a canon character in the current timeline of the tabletop game, the outcome of the surrounding cast was very intense and really evoked each of the scenes.
Looking forward to Caledor, the final book in The Sundering series.
August 4, 2011
Part One of the book looks at events that took place in the first of The Sundering novels, Malekith, however these events are told from the perspective of the Anar, a noble house in Nagarthye. Eventually the overlap stops and the furthering of the story happens. Unfortunately it is quite boring for a while as the main character poses as a servant and tries to rally support for his family whose name has been associated with the cults. The book picks up in intesity and only drops off after Alith's story gets old. The final three or four chapters are really good and the Shadow King even turns into a bit of an old school, Errol Flynn type swashbuckler at times. The final page leaves me wishing I had purchased Caledor when it came out.
Even though at times the book seemed to be getting a bit single focused and boring it did not disappoint in the end.
Even though at times the book seemed to be getting a bit single focused and boring it did not disappoint in the end.
January 14, 2014
While less epic than Malekith, this is still a grandiose fantasy tale and I reccomend it strongly for lovers of epic fantasy. It tales the sad king of a young elf, who loses everything - lands, family and love - for daring oppose Morathi, the sorceress queen of the dark elves, who is back with a vengeance after the death of king Bel Shanaar. The book is full with magic and epic battles, but still is not always a quick read because of the grim happenings in it and to see a noble, optimistic youngster turn into a spirit of vengeance is simply sad. The ending, like in book one, is still abrupt, but better executed and although expected, still stings with the ultimate betrayal.
As in the previous book, nods for other fantasy stories can be seen, here the arrival of the Witch King and the way he is brought back to life sound very similar to the story of Darth Vader. Still, the whole book is quite original, haunting fantasy tale, which you will not forget.
As in the previous book, nods for other fantasy stories can be seen, here the arrival of the Witch King and the way he is brought back to life sound very similar to the story of Darth Vader. Still, the whole book is quite original, haunting fantasy tale, which you will not forget.
January 8, 2023
The second book of the Sundering Trilogy is a gripping tale of betrayal, loss, heartbreak, revenge and finding new purpose even in the darkest of times...Alith Anar's tragedy is one worthy of Batman as he and his supporters, hated for loyalty in a kingdom of traitors, survive all efforts to exterminate them and strike back at their oppressors, using the same terror the druchii have unleashed on Ulthuan as a weapon against them... An interesting new perspective on the Sundering from a character I was unfamiliar with when I first started reading, but went through a compelling journey and development from a callow youth into a rebel leader proving a genuine thorn in the side of the Dark Elves...
August 8, 2011
Although the book advanced the overall story of the Elvish plot, I felt we were on the sidelines and missed out on the core action as we followed house Anar around. We had no perspective of Morathi or Malekith during the most crucial moments of their intrigue. Then, Anith goes feral hanging out with wolves for some reason? Nor did his way of 'infecting' his shadow warriors with his hatred of the Druchii seem to hold water-a more likely result would've been them seeking leadership elsewhere given his degenerating state of mind. I've never been a big fan of Gav's writing though, so this lack-luster novel wasn't much of a surprise.
May 10, 2012
Alith Anar the self proclaimed Shadow King, starts out as a young elf man, and when the war starts, the Anar Household who are usually neutral have to pick between fighting for Malekith or fighting for his mother Morathi. But when Morathi is captured and twists her son to betrayal, Alith Anar takes the name The Shadow King and along with his men The Shadow Warriors, they begin an unconventional war to harass the Nagarythi forces from inside their own borders. Alith's main concern through the book is keeping his people alive and killing his brethren who follow Malekith on his path of betrayal.
May 10, 2013
I read this immediately after finishing Malekith, and so was able to spot the many references to events that happen during the storyline of the previous book (which was thoroughly enjoyable).
This is a brilliantly written story which I would have loved to have given a 4.5 rating but sadly Goodreads doesn't work by halves! The ONLY reason I haven't given a 5-star is because I'm notoriously stingy with them.
Before reading this book, my knowledge of Alith Anar (one of the only High Elves cool enough to have a surname!) was the fluff from the previous army book; so this really was an eye-opener!
This is a brilliantly written story which I would have loved to have given a 4.5 rating but sadly Goodreads doesn't work by halves! The ONLY reason I haven't given a 5-star is because I'm notoriously stingy with them.
Before reading this book, my knowledge of Alith Anar (one of the only High Elves cool enough to have a surname!) was the fluff from the previous army book; so this really was an eye-opener!
May 31, 2011
I am a fan of the Shadow Warriors of the Warhammer universe and am completely over the moon about Alith, so this book was an incredible treat for me to read into the insights of his family and in his identifying purpose for becoming the Shadow King. I found all the descriptions beautifully written and could envision the elves and their surroundings to a tee. There were only a few areas where I felt the story dragged somewhat, but it wasn't quite like "Malekith", the first of this series. I would definitely re-read "Shadow King".
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