Review of Shadows of Redemption

[Sou Hi]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Shadows of Redemption" by S.G. Hughes.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Shadows of Redemption by S.G. Hughes follows Calunoth Leiron, a young guard of the castle of Lord Glathaous. The staff of the castle treated him well, and the town was peaceful. He even intended to confess to the girl he liked. His only problem was that his love could never come true.

On that fateful night, he fell off the wall after being stabbed through the heart by Alistair, the youngest son of Lord Isaac Glathaous. Everybody else perished at the hands of some mysterious men. Isaac and his archmage blew up the whole place shortly after that, making Calunoth the sole survivor of the Glathaous Massacre. Why were those two willing to destroy everything just to protect an unimportant guard? What were they trying so hard to hide? How did Calunoth survive his fatal injury? What would happen to him? Who would be his friends, and who would be his foes?

The author did a good job of creating such realistic characters. Each member of the group has a distinct personality that will develop through time. Bleiz dislikes being a leader, but he always tries his best to guide his younger companions. As a scholar, Lauren feels uncomfortable among a gang of combatants. She is keen to learn swordsmanship, but she will eventually have to face the consequences of that choice. Similarly, Calunoth constantly blames himself for the massacre. Thus, he strives to find his nemesis to the point of madness. Luca is somewhat childish, but he is good at reading the mood, effectively lightening the spirits of his friends in times of need. I feel that a person like Luca is a necessity for this party.

On the downside, I think the story has some unnecessary characters. For example, the kingdom has seven Guardians, who are the most powerful fighters. However, only one of them actually plays a remarkable role throughout the book. Meanwhile, the others are just nobodies with very limited screen times. Another thing is Lauren's presence. When Claere shows up, she swiftly overshadows the scholar. Since she can hardly help her companions with her fighting skills, her knowledge, or her magic, Lauren's contributions drop dramatically during their battles. Additionally, I will suggest another round of proofreading.

Considering the above negative points, I shall rate this fantasy novel 3 out of 4 stars. If you are looking for a fast-paced story packed with action, this would be a good choice. The plot is solid, and there is an interesting twist near the end of the book.

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Shadows of Redemption
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[Amy Luman]

I’ve got to admit that I am not all that interested in fantasy novels. However, I am impressed by Calnouth’s courage and his willingness to accept help from the others, Bliez especially.

[Aisha Yakub]

There has to be a reason(s) they risked people's lives, and I'm curious to find out. It's amazing that there was even a survivor; I guess that shakes things up. Great review..

[Tochukwu Ordu]

There has to be a reason(s) they risked people's lives, and I'm curious to find out. It's amazing that there was even a survivor; I guess that shakes things up

[Chothi]

Great review. This book really seems to be intriguing to me. I am a big sucker of fantasy novels. Am definitely adding this to my reading list!

[Soraya Bayah]

I am a fan of fantasy and was thrilled by your review. Fortunately, the negatives were not too prominent and I hope the author can correct them in their future books. I will definitely consider this book. Great job!

[Rwill0988]

Sounds like an interesting read. Wonder if in subsequent books the other 6 guardians will become more important. Thanks for the insightful review!

[Sharon Christanto]

Is this a stand-alone? The plot seems intriguing and the characters seem great. If there's no explanations regarding the other Guardians, there might be a sequel.

[Blessing Odii]

Books like this make you feel you're part of the characters. Would love to find out what would become of Calunoth Leiron.

[Ceeco2002]

I wonder what secret Isaac and his archmage tried so hard to hide. Thanks for an interesting review!

[Mabosi paul brian]

Books like this makes me feel like am part of character. Would love to read it the more. Great review.