How do you kill a shadow?
As a raging storm descends on the Blasted Coast, the crippled young rigger, Caleb Rusk, meets a stranger on the road. Little does he know that the encounter will pull him into a conflict that threatens everything he holds dear—and change the course of his life forever.
Meanwhile, in the Capital of Taralius, a string of inexplicable deaths have captured the attention of the Ember Throne. Second Corporal Avendor Tarcoth is tasked with uncovering the truth behind a danger that could threaten the very fabric of the Realm
About the Author
Deck Matthews is a pseudonym for one particular Matthew Ward. He is a life-long reader who fell in love with writing and fantasy in middle school.
He remains an avid reader, a casual gamer and a dabbler in the visual arts. He has worked as a designer and currently spends his days neck-deep in code as a front-end web developer.
He also holds a Master’s degree in English Literature and currently resides in Ottawa, Canada with his wife, two daughters and one little fluff ball of a dog named Wicket.
My thoughts:
The three novellas that make up volume one of the Riven Realm cover a lot of ground, literally in terms of the distance the characters cover, and in terms of the plot.
Shadow monsters are attacking people, seeking a source of power once in the the ownership of the royal family. Caleb, our hero, now has it and is now a target.
Meanwhile in the capital there are signs of other trouble brewing and the Queen brings together a team to investigate.
The two plot lines slowly begin to coalesce, could there be a connection between the shadow monsters and the disturbances in the capital?
Although the two groups don’t meet up in this collection of stories, I imagine they will eventually and pool their experiences.
I preferred Caleb’s story line, I found his family and friends more engaging than the other plots. He’s an interesting protagonist, full of doubts and in awe of his companions, but with his own gifts.
Overall I really enjoyed this volume of stories and I can imagine as all the plots come together that they grow into a complex and interesting conclusion.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 