Son of Shadow by John Lenahan – Book review and Blog tour

I’m so pleased be part of the Write Reads Tours for Son of Shadow by John Lehanan- I enjoyed this YA fantasy set in the world of Shadowmagic.

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. 

Review

I really enjoyed this Young Adult Fantasy -Son of Shadow by John Lenahan is one of my favourite reads this year. The added bonus ( for me anyway) is the fact this was written by the man who was the voice of the Toaster in Red Dwarf ( which deserves its own review).

I received a copy of this book for a free and unbiased opinion

 I didn’t realise this book follows on from The Shadowmagic Trilogy when I started reading this, but this made no difference to my enjoyment. This book can be read without having read any of the previous books ( but I will be adding this to my ever-expanding list of books.

I enjoy books with portals and parallel worlds, and Doe’s reactions to our world and his interactions with people in this world was hilarious. The world-building in Tir na Nog was just as interesting with its sentient trees, were dragons, politics and magic.

The book is told in the first person from Doe’s point of view and his voice had the right amout of humour and snark.

The story has a quest and a rescue at its heart but is made complicated by the fact Doe the rescuer has lost his memory. There is plenty of action and magic for the most ardent of fans. The women and girls in this story are just as strong and magical as the men ( and much scarier). I would have liked to have read more about the villains in the book ( and the ultimate baddie) but hopefully, this will be covered in the next books.

The main story is resolved but the next book is perfectly set up at the end and I can’t wait to read the second part of this trilogy.

Content warning

Abduction

Perfect for Fans

Anyone who loves clean, action-driven fantasy.

About the author

John Lenahan is a popular TV magician who toured with Jack Dee, Lenny Henry and Victoria Wood. He starred on a prime time BBC1 TV show, had his own BBC2 series, and was the voice of the toaster in ‘Red Dwarf’.