Reign of Shadows: Volume 1

Since her parents, the King and Queen of Relhok, were murdered 17 years ago, Luna has been existing in a Tower in the Black Woods, for only company Perla – who had been her nursemaid – and Sivo, one of her father’s royal guard. Luna is never allowed Outside of the tower, mostly because of the deadly dark dwellers; the only time of day where one is safe from them is during midlight, a mere hour each day. The Relhok is in a state of permanent eclipse. One day, Luna sneaks out armed to the teeth to gather berries for Sivo’s birthday. That’s when she hears a human scream, and comes about three young people. A boy’s leg is caught in a trap that was meant for the dark dwellers; Luna frees him and they all flee to the Tower. Luna is ecstatic to have company besides her beloved Perla and Sivo, especially that of the older boy, Fowler. Luna has always dreamed of going Outside, but Fowler has seen too much of it. He is cynical, bitter, but realistic; Outside is an ugly place. Still Luna convinces him to show her a little of what’s out there, and while they are out, the Tower is attacked, and nothing will ever be the same again… Ms. Jordan has crafted a grim and literally dark world so vividly, it’s truly unsettling. She doesn’t reveal everything at the beginning, and I believe I understand the author’s tactic, and it’s brilliant. REIGN OF SHADOWS reminded me a bit of Lord of The Rings because of the intricacy of the world-building and the rather terrifying creatures that lurk in the dark. Luna is an admirable, and quite relatable, heroine; it took me a tad longer to warm up to Fowler, but when what he had faced on the Outside became known, his behaviour made perfect sense, and I liked him fine. REIGN OF SHADOWS is a bit reminiscent of The Lord of The Rings, as much for the light that will eventually come out of the oppressing darkness, as for the superb writing. Ms. Jordan has crafted an unsettling world, very dark, with creatures that will make your skin crawl, and very engaging young protagonists, Luna and Fowler, who are both fascinating each in their own right. The book ends with a startling revelation that bodes very well for the next instalment The writing is exceptional, the dialogues sound authentic, the pace is flawless throughout, culminating in a frenzied crescendo that leads to the conclusion of book one of what will surely be another successful series for the incredibly talented Ms. Jordan. I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Really well written and yes, major cliff hanger - but one i hadn't been so impressed with and eager to continue with before.

loved this story bravo please say there's book number 2 it can't end like this what happens next .