A world of faeries, leprechauns and dragons - and magic fuelled by the blood of trees. A mystery portal to the Real World. And a pair of curious young adventurers who know they shouldn't step through it...
Meet Fergal the Second, nicknamed 'two'. Or 'Doe', in his own language. He can do magic. But, for the moment, he's forgotten where he's from. Or what's happened to his blind friend Ruby. He's actually from Tir na Nog, the enchanted world of Shadowmagic, where a new generation of the royal House of Duir are cheeking their parents, preparing for adulthood and itching to see the Real World for themselves - whatever the peril.
Book source ~ TWR Tour
25 July 2022
Fantasy
320 Pages
My Rating ~4 bites
Doe comes from a world of magic, a parallel or alternate universe to our own. However, he doesn’t remember who or what he is. He instinctively knows how to use magic though and that attracts people to him, some of whom he needs to get away from, but some who are allies. Once in our world he needs to figure out who he is, why he’s there, and where to go. And quickly because bad things are about to happen. If only he could just remember.
I was a little worried going into this book that I hadn’t read the original Shadowmagic trilogy and I’d be lost. But it’s fine. You can totally jump in with this book and be swept away by the story. It does make me want to go back though and check them out, so excellent job!
The story is split into three parts and I think it works great. The first is where Doe lands in our world and has amnesia. Navigating a strange world without a memory is frightening, but Doe handles himself well. The second is where he remembers everything. This is an excellent way to give backstory without info dumping. Then part three is where the peril comes into play.
The writing carries the reader right along with only a few hiccups of convenient plotting and the characters are varied and interesting. This story ends, but it’s just the beginning of something bigger. A foundation well laid.
Born in Philadelphia but long settled in the UK, John Lenahan is an acclaimed magician and TV performer. He fronted his own BBC2 magic series Stuff the White Rabbit, played the voice of the toaster in Red Dwarf and has appeared on a wide range of entertainment shows including TFI Friday, Comedy Café and Celebrity Squares. He is a member of the exclusive Magic Circle. He is also the author of the popular Shadowmagic trilogy, a fantasy adventure series for young adults which combines Irish folk myth with 21st-century wit. Son of Shadow takes up the story once more, following the noble houses of the magical parallel world of Tir na Nog into the next generation.
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