Light vs. dark, revenge vs. justice, right vs. easy. Crystal Grant explores all these themes and more in her debut novel Shadowcast, the first in The Gateway trilogy. Set against a stunning medieval backdrop, the story follows Mason, Seria, and several other characters as they’re swept up in a war for the Gateway and each must decide what’s worth fighting—and sacrificing—for.
Mason, the antihero, suffered a great loss as a child, and has been working toward gaining the Shadowstone—something that will numb the pain and anger—ever since. He has risen through the ranks of The Dark Army, focused on revenge, and has been promised the coveted stone . . . if he completes the task of infiltrating The Steward Army’s stronghold at The Gateway.
Seria also suffered a great loss as a child, but instead of allowing the pain to consume her, she chose to cling to what is good and help those less fortunate than herself. She’s stuck in place, though, unable to move forward with her dream of becoming a healer due to the town’s prejudice against her. When she finds an injured Steward, one of the vaunted guardians of The Gateway, she believes she’s been gifted the opportunity she’s been waiting for.
But all is not as it seems, both outside the Steward stronghold and within it. The story is excellently woven, showcasing multiple POVs (point of view) that immerse the reader in the world, giving the story-telling a bit of a movie feel where you can see multiple plot threads at once. The pacing starts more slowly, but that only serves to give the reader time to develop a rapport with the characters.
The cast of characters is diverse, and you can’t help rooting for them—well, except the chief villains—as they fight to overcome both external and internal obstacles. The story asks questions and allows the reader to ponder the answers, rather than presenting one right way. Dive into Shadowcast today for a story of hope, of perseverance, and of fighting against all odds for what you believe in. Be warned, though, the book does end with a cliffhanger.
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God Bless, and Keep magic in the mundane,
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