Shadow The Books

The novel is full of realistic Southern charm and characters. If you love Southern novels, don't miss out on this one! Shadow of Dreams by Eva Marie Everson and G. W. Francis Chadwick is a well-written, well-developed novel full of foreshadowing. The main character serves as an excellent example of what happens to many young teens glamorized by the big city and running from problems at home. Instead of the prodigal son, the main character, Katie, is the prodigal daughter. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen to Katie and her husband, and the bad guys. I loved the way the authors used literature for clues. I also loved the way the small-town Georgia guys protected their own and took care of the big-city guys. These authors do not preach, but they certainly know how to spin a tale that could serve to help others. These authors offer much insight, and a reflective reader will benefit from the experience of having read this novel. I have ordered all three Shadows books from Amazon, and I can't wait to read the other two. A good, reflective reader will find that this book is about many things that connect to life in such a way, it can't help but be realistic. The characters are realistic, not mere shells of characters. The way they talk and the things they say provide that realistic touch to make them come to life. I think this book would make a good movie; in fact, a three-part series.

Eva Marie's series is fabulous. I couldn't wait to find the time to read the next page. I fell in love with Katie and hope there are plans to read more of her. Eva Marie's 3 books in this series is filled with exciting plot twists, suspense, and drew me closer to the Lord, plus making me even more appreciative of my wonderful husband. These books are delightful!

Once more Eva Marie Everson and G.W. Francis Chadwick put together a best seller in this story of Katie and her struggle to keep her faith and continue living life even while not knowing if her husband is dead or alive. In the end, it leaves you waiting anxiously for the next book in the series.
I have actually been given the privilege of reading the first three chapters of Shadows of Light, book 3, and I can honestly say it promises not to disappoint!! You won't want to miss this one!

Everson and Chadwick have once again written a suspense-filled drama in their sequel, Summon the Shadows. Their behind the scenes look at a world unknown to most Christians evoke a predictable variety of emotions: anger, disgust, pity, compassion, hopefulness-while they weave yet another unpredictable fiction plot. The haunting question throughout the book keeps the reader hoping for an answer at the end: "What REALLY happened to Ben, Katie's beloved husband? Is he really dead? Clues say "maybe not," but reality says, "probably so." Will the three call girls ever make it in the "real" world? Can Katie hold out and hold on to the inner strength and faith she has found? You may have to wait until the very end to get any glimmer of an answer to those questions. Which opens the door to yet another sequel......

Couldn't keep this one to myself. I read it and immediately passed it on to a friend. : ) She also loved it. Gritty, real, and powerful.

Thieves & Kings is an odd duck -- part illustrated narrative, part graphic novel -- but it's a charming odd duck as Mark Oakley's ambitious fantasy tale mirrors the energy and exuberance of his lead character, the young thief Rubel, and smartly focuses on him and his adventures as opposed to the more typical genre emphasis on world-building. It's not that Oakley doesn't offer a compelling setting in Oceansend, because he does and it is, but the appeal of his story -- which has all of the standard genre tropes accounted for -- lies squarely on Rubel's precocious shoulders.

The combination of illustrated narrative and traditional comic book format feels a bit awkward at first, but as the story moves along, it mostly works, with the comic book sections offering Oakley the opportunity to mix in some show with his tell. His brisk writing style is complemented (if not always enhanced) by his solid artwork, which suffers at times from overly crowded panels and odd layouts.

Nevertheless, this first volume is an engaging introduction to Rubel and Oceansend that kept me turning the pages and, when it was done, I was anxious to immediately jump into the next volume.

I first got turned onto Mark's work accidently at my local library. From the first page I was hooked. I'm not going into a long summation of the plot, or remark on any of the characters, others have done that. All I'm going to say is that I own all of Mark's books. I also visit Mark's website on an almost daily basis. There I stay up to date on Mark's latest adventures. This book, The Blue book,(Mark's books are colored after the seasons, mostly), is just GREAT! If you like a really good read, about characters you'll come to love, and care about-BUY THIS BOOK!! Then explore the rest of Mark's wonderful work!

Mark Oakley's Thieves & Kings is one of the best, freshest, original fantasy stories to come along in a long long time. Part graphic novel and part illustrated narrative; Oakley has created an incredible new world/mythology that is enjoyable, creative, innovative and almost revolutionary - all without demanding the reader to stretch their beliefs and imagination to uncomfortable or awkward limits. It is truly an enjoyable epic-feeling story with wonderful characters.
This is not a story that tries to imitate Tolkien, or that is derived from trite fantasy genres like D&D. Though some of the words/concepts may seem familiar, their importance and function are not what you would find in the standard tripe that litters the fiction landscape. For example: one of the main characters, the Thief, is not a thief. He is a creature of magic (though very real), a person of honor, loyalty, integrity, and innocence. And perhaps it would be more accurate to think of him as THE Thief. He really is too complicated to explain here, but he is a wonderful character.
Anyway, I can't recommend this story enough to you. BUY IT! YOU'LL LIKE IT! Mark Oakley has stepped outside of clichéd stereotypes, and tired old story telling tools, to tell a tale in a wonderful new world, using an exciting new mythology that is at once fresh & surprising and comfortable & easy to believe. He has crafted characters that are interesting and endearing, without being saccharin and sappy. The story is epic and nuanced, personable with the characters and grandiosely spanning ages. It's really REALLY GREAT!
If you're scared, just buy the 1st book. That's all it will take to get you hooked. If you're smart, you'll buy the first 2 or 3 books; that way when you finish the first book, and you realize that you must have all of them, you'll get to read a book or 2 more while you're waiting for the rest of them to arrive in the mail. See? It would pay to plan ahead. If you don't want to believe me, go and sell yourself on it by visiting his website and reading a little of it, peruse his art work, read other reviews!
Go to Mark Oakley's Thieves & Kings website! Look at more of his stuff there! Buy from him! STOP WASTING TIME READING THIS AND BUY THESE BOOKS!
No, I don't know Mark Oakley. I have never met him. I gain nothing from you buying his products, or anything else from IBox Publishing. So, that's all I have to say about that.
Thank you.

Mark Oakley's Thieves & Kings is one of the best, freshest, original fantasy stories to come along in a long long time. Part graphic novel and part illustrated narrative; Oakley has created an incredible new world/mythology that is enjoyable, creative, innovative and almost revolutionary - all without demanding the reader to stretch their beliefs and imagination to uncomfortable or awkward limits. It is truly an enjoyable epic-feeling story with wonderful characters.
This is not a story that tries to imitate Tolkien, or that is derived from trite fantasy genres like D&D. Though some of the words/concepts may seem familiar, their importance and function are not what you would find in the standard tripe that litters the fiction landscape. For example: one of the main characters, the Thief, is not a thief. He is a creature of magic (though very real), a person of honor, loyalty, integrity, and innocence. And perhaps it would be more accurate to think of him as THE Thief. He really is too complicated to explain here, but he is a wonderful character.
Anyway, I can't recommend this story enough to you. BUY IT! YOU'LL LIKE IT! Mark Oakley has stepped outside of clichéd stereotypes, and tired old story telling tools, to tell a tale in a wonderful new world, using an exciting new mythology that is at once fresh & surprising and comfortable & easy to believe. He has crafted characters that are interesting and endearing, without being saccharin and sappy. The story is epic and nuanced, personable with the characters and grandiosely spanning ages. It's really REALLY GREAT!
If you're scared, just buy the 1st book. That's all it will take to get you hooked. If you're smart, you'll buy the first 2 or 3 books; that way when you finish the first book, and you realize that you must have all of them, you'll get to read a book or 2 more while you're waiting for the rest of them to arrive in the mail. See? It would pay to plan ahead. If you don't want to believe me, go and sell yourself on it by visiting his website and reading a little of it, peruse his art work, read other reviews!
Go to Mark Oakley's Thieves & Kings website! Look at more of his stuff there! Buy from him! STOP WASTING TIME READING THIS AND BUY THESE BOOKS!
No, I don't know Mark Oakley. I have never met him. I gain nothing from you buying his products, or anything else from IBox Publishing. So, that's all I have to say about that.
Thank you.

Mark Oakley's Thieves & Kings is one of the best, freshest, original fantasy stories to come along in a long long time. Part graphic novel and part illustrated narrative; Oakley has created an incredible new world/mythology that is enjoyable, creative, innovative and almost revolutionary - all without demanding the reader to stretch their beliefs and imagination to uncomfortable or awkward limits. It is truly an enjoyable epic-feeling story with wonderful characters.
This is not a story that tries to imitate Tolkien, or that is derived from trite fantasy genres like D&D. Though some of the words/concepts may seem familiar, their importance and function are not what you would find in the standard tripe that litters the fiction landscape. For example: one of the main characters, the Thief, is not a thief. He is a creature of magic (though very real), a person of honor, loyalty, integrity, and innocence. And perhaps it would be more accurate to think of him as THE Thief. He really is too complicated to explain here, but he is a wonderful character.
Anyway, I can't recommend this story enough to you. BUY IT! YOU'LL LIKE IT! Mark Oakley has stepped outside of clichéd stereotypes, and tired old story telling tools, to tell a tale in a wonderful new world, using an exciting new mythology that is at once fresh & surprising and comfortable & easy to believe. He has crafted characters that are interesting and endearing, without being saccharin and sappy. The story is epic and nuanced, personable with the characters and grandiosely spanning ages. It's really REALLY GREAT!
If you're scared, just buy the 1st book. That's all it will take to get you hooked. If you're smart, you'll buy the first 2 or 3 books; that way when you finish the first book, and you realize that you must have all of them, you'll get to read a book or 2 more while you're waiting for the rest of them to arrive in the mail. See? It would pay to plan ahead. If you don't want to believe me, go and sell yourself on it by visiting his website and reading a little of it, peruse his art work, read other reviews!
Go to Mark Oakley's Thieves & Kings website! Look at more of his stuff there! Buy from him! STOP WASTING TIME READING THIS AND BUY THESE BOOKS!
No, I don't know Mark Oakley. I have never met him. I gain nothing from you buying his products, or anything else from IBox Publishing. So, that's all I have to say about that.
Thank you.

I own and have read most everything related to the Mercury through Apollo space program and this book shows new information that I hadn't seen in the other books published by many other astronauts and authors. Information was gathered from a myriad of sources and checked against other sources. The book greatly changed my opinion of a few astronauts and paints the entire NASA program in a more accurate light. The passing of time since the event depicted in the book has allowed the authors to see the "big picture" and step away being politically correct and instead be factual and accurate instead.

Just when I thought I had read everything about the space program, French and Burgess have done it again will a follow-on effort to their book "Into That Silent Sea."

I have no idea when they have the time to create such excellent work, but the latest book begins where the first one ended and includes much information I had never seen before, especially the chapters on the Apollo 1 pad fire and monumental Apollo 8 mission, it alone, a historic accomplishment rivaling the actual Moon landing.

Riddled with numerous never-before seen accounts (at least by me), the book is simply bulging with information such as Lola Morrow's dire premonition concerning the Apollo pad fire, and the raw emotional impact experienced by the crew of Apollo 8 upon seeing the first Earthrise observed by man.

I sincerly hope that Francis and Colin keep up the good work; maybe they could do a similar effort on underwater exploration? That would be such a contribution....

C. Newport, D.Sc.
Author of Lost Spacecraft: The Search for Liberty Bell 7

I just finished this wonderful historical and personal account of the race to the Moon, and feel privileged to know a little more about the brave men at the apex of mankind's tremendous achievement all those years ago. The authors have expertly captured the spirit of the times and given us the "warts and all" perspective on the personalities involved. For those who love history but are concerned that this book may be a "technical" account, there's no need to worry - it's exposition of events is clear and uncluttered, and clevery interwoven with the life stories of the people involved.

I strongly recommend this book as required reading to younger, high-school and college-age readers who may wonder today "How did we get there?". (Or sadly, even if we got there at all!). The answers are here, where we learn that despite our ever-present human failings, we CAN do great things when united to a common purpose. By the end of the book it will become obvious why and how we could reach the point where Armstrong and Aldrin could safely land on the Moon and return home - in fact it's almost anti-climactic!

Knowing more about the fallibilities of the astronauts has only deepened my respect for these remarkable and courageous men. As they grow old over a time when we haven't returned to the Moon, it's important to capture their stories for future generations, and French & Burgess have succeeded eminently in doing so.

My only niggle is that apparently the publishers balked at the idea of an index, which would have served as a guide for those who want to return to this book from time to time to "dip in" - as I'm sure I and many others shall do for years to come.

There are and have been hundreds if not thousands of books about manned spaceflight over the years but only a select few have really been able to communicate the true story and feeling generated by one of the most fondly remembered era's in American history. A time most commonly remembered as being one of technological marvel. However the true story is one of the men & Women who supported and flew the missions. This book goes deeper into the "Golden era" or manned spaceflight and tells stories that have never been told all the while keeping the reader enthralled. It touches on subjects long since forgotten or ignored and brings them to the fore. With first hand interviews with the people involved the authors really touch on the human aspect. I was especially taken by surprise that they told the story the way it should be. Not just the American effort, but the Russians too as there story never really gets told. I have read many books on spaceflight and I can honestly say this is one of only a few books that have kept me addicted and wanting to come back for more. Buy this book. You will not be disappointed. Even if you are not interested in manned spaceflight buy this book as you will be by the end. It reminds us all why we were interested in spaceflight to begin with. For a long long time the Book A Man on the Moon by Andrew Chaikin was the book to beat. This is no longer the case.

This book - both volumes - gives a tremendous sense of closeness and immediacy to the manned space programme. It is one of the small handful of books on the space age which I would recommend without reservation to non-specialists as well as those in the know. It's both highly readable and a primary source. It's not easy to be fluent when you're working with memories decades old and comparing them with documentary material, so it's a tremendous achievement.
Robert Poole [...]

I love M.M. Kaye's writing. I've read the other books and look forward to this one.

First off, this is a great book. It does have a very old-school writing style (think Charlotte Bronte or Charles Dickens) which I love, but others might not enjoy. The setting, story, and excitement level are all there but it is a little shy of a 5 star rating in my book. Here is why:

1. The characters were not as realistic or as developed as I would have liked. The main female protagonist is almost frustratingly naive while the main male is distant and exceedingly unemotional.

2. Sometimes it reads a little too much like a history book entry.

3. There are very similar but better books. A book called Zemindar focuses on the same period in history (with a similar writing style) only is much more engaging. M.M. Kaye's second novel, The Far Pavilions, is also much better.

So if you are thinking about purchasing this book my suggestion would be to try either Zemindar or The Far Pavilions first and then read this novel if you want more.

M.M. Kaye is a master storyteller of the epic romance. While some readers may find her heavily stylized writing tedious and a difficult read, one must consider that like her characters, she is an upper-crust, exceedingly well educated British authoress. The richness of detail in which she sets her breathtaking sagas make the places come alive for the reader and the land, their climates, and indigenous peoples all become as integral to her intricate plots as the major characters themselves. Would that I could tell a story like she can!

Shadow of the Moon, is an epic tale of politics and war in India. I found it to be a very long drawn out book that took 3/4 of the way through before I was hooked into the story. I bought it under the understanding that it would be a gothic romance, but it really is more in the epic category. I found the writing to be tedious, and it dragged on and on. When I read the author's note at the back, I came to realize that is was once published abridged, and really that is what it needs. It was so hard for me to connect all the political drama with how long it took to get the story going. Once I got into it, the climax of the book was 3/4 of the way through it, and then the rest of the book got back to the dragging format as before, only not as tedious. I am sure if you love books that are epic in nature you will love this one. Still it is no where the match to Gone With the Wind or The Thornbirds in the writers ability to tell the tale. I personally did not like the book that much.
3 bookmarks out of 5

"Shadow of the Moon" is the story of the time before and after the Sephoy rebellion. It is the story of two people who are passionate about India, Winter and Alex. As an officer in the Indian army, Alex is asked to escort seventeen year old English/Spanish/Indian heiress Winter back to the land of her birth, to the man she has been engaged too since age eleven. Alex expects an older woman-a spinster with no other option than to marry his corpulent, drug and alcohol addled chief. But Winter's true age, and her childish attachment to the handsome man she was affianced too brings out a resented sense of responsibility in Alex and he continues to watch over her in India.

I read in the back of my copy of "Shadow of the Moon" that the original version, published in the 1950's, contained less than half of the original manuscript, which was re-printed in its entirety in the 80's. It's easy when reading this book to see what would have been cut out-M.M. Kaye is great at describing social interactions, clothing and landscapes but she isn't so good when describing the politics that went on before the Sephoy rebellion. So the original book would have been (I imagine) a romance with very little insight to the political ramifications of the British occupation of India. It's a pity that the real manuscript took too long to come out because while it has its slow parts it is a very complete picture of two very different societies occupying the same space and expecting to co-exist.

Winter and Alex, our main characters, represent two very different aspects of India. Though both were born and to some extent, raised there, neither is actually of the land (though they both posses physical traits which allow them to fake it.) Winter, because of her sex and marriage is incorporated in British India, and Alex, even though he works for the British army, has an understanding of the Indian feelings toward the British that most people can hardly grasp. So he spends the majority of the novel sneaking around, finding information about the rebellion he believes will happen soon. Naturally, no one believes him because with the conceit of the conquerors, the British believe they are enhancing and improving Indian society and culture.

Naturally our hero and heroine develop feelings for each other-which come to a head at the worst possible moment when they are hiding from Indians who are outraged enough to commit atrocities beyond belief.

Like The Far Pavilions this an amazing novel full of romance, vivid descriptions of culture, places, clothing and attitudes of the time. While not quite as engaging as "Pavilions" (mostly because of the political discussions, which Kaye never really manages to make all that interesting though they should be fascinating) it is head and tails above Trade Wind.(Though of course everything Kaye writes is wonderful, it only varies by slight degrees.)

Five stars. But make sure you get the complete version!

Karen Hancock has continued her excellent "Legends of the Guardian-King" series with this 2nd book in the series. Her characters are fully formed. They have real problems, real joys, real misgivings about why things happen. Through out the book we see the main character dealing with the "how" and "why" questions about the events in his life. Is God there? Does He really care? Is life just a meaningless journey to death? Ms. Hancock handles all of these questions in a manner that will give encouragement and new hope to those who experience similar issues in our 'real' world. Each book is a treasure, so open one and become wealthy!

Overall, this book is MUCH better then the first in the series. The Author still has a tendancy to make me speed read through long winded descriptions but most of the time the story held my interest. I actually started to like the chara's more in this story.

A new female chara is both good and bad. Madeleine is not a perfect Goddess but described as plain a number of times. PLAIN. I think God is proud of that. I have yet to read a novel (faith based or otherwise) where the main female chara is NOT descibed as beautiful. Although we do stray into stereotypical waters...I half expected a new girl to show up in this book or the next that might win Abramms heart. It seemed very Brother/sister to me. No actual chemistry was described until the last second, being rather predictable. I think I am just high maintence though, when it comes to love in stories. *sweatdrop*

The only other drawback is the ending. It feels as though it should have lasted longer.

Other qualities make up for the faults greatly. I was anxious through most of the the book to find out how Gillard would react to his return, along with every one else. After that, its the ball that makes you anxious, and then the monster, ect. We dont really get any relaxing time which is nice. It kept me reading!

I have enjoyed the whole Guardian King series by Karen Hancock more than any of the other contemporary Christian fantasy stories I have read over the last several years. Of the four books in the series, this is the one I keep coming back to read again and again. With the background and character development of the first book to build upon this one starts with a bang right in the first chapter. I like the way the author portrays the lead character in his role as king - not a king to be served by his people but one to serve and protect them no matter what the cost to himself. Our world has long been missing that kind of role model in a king figure.

Karen Hancock has a way of weaving a story with intrigue, a hint of romance, and life lessons that is amazing. I'm hoping to read a lot more from this author in the future.

How can I count the ways I love this book? I can hardly wait until the next in the series is released. Karen Hancock creates a wonderful world that I can get lost in. I read her books slowly so I can savor them. I know they will end all too soon. I love the allegory and hope that her book will make a difference in other people's lives, as it has in mine. I pray that more Christian fantasy authors like Karen will be raised up soon. I believe there is a great demand for them.

this is the best book ever. if u dont read it u are a loser

The excitement that Shan has been stringing for the past ten books comes forward in a wonderous explosion in this book as vampires and vampaneze fight one another for survival. It's full of all the right drama and action we have come to expect.

Reviewed by India Furney (age 12) for Reader Views (12/07)

Darren Shan travels with Cirque Du Freak--a sideshow of non-human creatures like Wolf Man. He hides under the cover of the cirque from his human family and friends who think he is dead, when in reality he is a vampire prince. Now the cirque is going to his hometown. While there he runs into an old friend and has to make up a story about why he's still alive and hasn't aged.

He has been having nightmares for two years about a shadow-like man called Lord of the Shadows. The dreams are full of death and despair and the worst part is that he doesn't know if the Lord of the Shadows will be him or his old human friend, Steve Leopard, who is now the Lord of the Vampaneze. The Vampaneze are half human, half vampire.

I liked "Lord of the Shadows," but it was a little confusing coming in on the 11th book without reading the previous books. I'll have to go get the other "Cirque du Freak" books because I loved this one!

I was very satisfied with the service from this vendor. The book arrived in the time frame promised and in good condition.

Sent on time product was what I ordered and expected. I am very happy with my purcase.

I absolutely LOVE these series. I'm now reading them for the 4th time. I love how Lund breaks down the parables and teachings of Christ to make them easier to understand. I also love the historical accuracy. He brings you into the story as if you really are there. I highly recommend these books!

This book is amazing. It has truly enlightened me as to the true nature of Jesus Christ. On one hand, He seems very conservative, but on the other, He seems so liberal! What a paradox. Lund does a fantastic job of capturing just how complex our Lord is, but how loving and accepting He is, too. Truly, He is a higher form of life, and that essence is easily portrayed in the story. There is also a very interesting fictional plot unfolding all around Jesus with the story's main characters who are the Jews and Gentiles that chose to follow Him during His earthly ministry (some fictional, some historical). If you've ever wished you could get into a time-machine and go back to the time of Christ and see Him for yourself, this book will help you vividly paint this dream in your imagination better than anything else. Plus, you'll get schooled in the biblical Gospel that Jesus taught without feeling that it's preachy. It's just Jesus. Like Him, the author invites people of all religions, beliefs, and unbeliefs to partake of his words. There's nothing to fear. Jesus is SO cool, you'll definitely feel that way afterwards if you don't already!

I have heard people say that the story of Jesus is the greatest story ever told, but have wondered how that could be when I found the New Testament so difficult to understand when reading straight from beginning to end. Now having finished this series of books I add my vote that the story of Jesus Christ is really the greatest story ever told.

Upon finishing I have felt driven to explore the New Testament again. I recently purchased a version of the New Testament which attempts a chronological harmony of the four gospels. I am amazed at how closely Lund's series shadows the chronological harmony version of the King James Version of the New Testament. Lund's work has helped me attain a level of clarity regarding the Savior's ministry that I didn't even know I was missing. Lund also did a great job in helping me understand which characters in the book are really from the New Testament, and where he was favoring certain scriptural interpretations over others. The chapter endnotes were fantastic!

Having now finished the whole series that this book belongs to I realize that without the historical insights that Lund provides into the political, social, and cultural setting of the people who lived in that area of the world at that time, I would not fully understand the life and mission of Christ as the Son of God and the Savior of mankind. For me this series is now the standard for all other historical fiction that attempts to represent the ministry of Jesus Christ, or the origins of Christianity.

I am now on the second book... the first book in this series is so wonderful. I takes you there to Jerusalem and Galilee. You feel as if you walk with Jesus and experience his miracles and teachings first hand. It is an ambitious achievement for the author. You learn and come to know Christ more deeply. At times it can get a bit preachy and I feel like I am in one of Lund's classrooms, but I dig it anyways (other people may not). But the story is well crafted.

I always hate it when authors take too much artistic license and try to guess what a real historical person is feeling or what their motivation is (when there isn't a written record of it anywhere and it is completely up to the interpretation of the author). I am grateful that Lund never attempts that, and for Heaven's sake, especially not with Jesus. All of the dialogue that is written for Jesus can be found directly out of the New Testament.

Read this book and come to know the Savior even more deeply than you have before.

I am not much of a reader. In fact, this is the first novel I have read in about 30 years. (I never seem to have the time)

Boy, did I ever pick a winner on this one!

It immediately immerses you into the lives of a Roman soldier, a Galilean family, a Pharisee and a Sadducee.

It so masterfully intwines these folks into many of the gospel stories and places you into the crowds that are following Jesus. From the Birth of Jesus, to the cleansing of the Temple, the sermon on the mount and the feeding of the multitude.

It also puts in detail the difficulties of a family split between becoming followers of Jesus and denying him, and the melting of hardened hearts.

I could barely put this thing down.

Now I am ready to take on "Come Unto Me" (Kingdom and the Crown Vol 2.)

I purchased 2 copies of this book as my daughter had required reading for 7th grade. My intent was to be able to discuss the book with her, so we read the book 'together'. While I admittedly was not excited to be reading a teen book, the premise of the story was interesting and kept my attention. The books talks to friendship, values, and many things children in this age group encounter. It was an enjoyable, hard to put down book. My daughter has now asked for the second book in the series and I'll probably steal it after she has finished.

As an English professor and an avid reader, it's been a source of distress that one of my grandchildren doesn't like to read. He is fast-paced and doesn't like to slow down long enough to read; like so many of my students, he'll "wait for the movie." Recently he told me that his class at school had been reading THE SHADOW CLUB and that he had been reading ahead because he loved it. I bought it for him on the spot and purchased THE SHADOW CLUB RISING, the sequel, and two other books by Shusterman as well. He was excited to have them and has told me at length what he likes about the books: the constant action and drama, the characters sympathetic to his age group (11), etc. I thank Neal Shusterman for turning my grandson on to reading at long last!

Book Review
Shadow Club
By: Neal Shusterman

Jared and Cheryl always were second best, always living in someone else's shadow. Jared came in second at the races he was in and Cheryl's cousin would always upstage her. No one likes to lose especially all the time. Always being kicked into the dirt. They were sick of it so they decided to fight back. They gathered all the second-best people and went to their old hide out in the forest and formed a club, the Shadow Club was formed. At first it was just about pulling harmless pranks on their enemies and thinking of ways to hurt them but it went to far. Is someone trying to frame them? What will happen to the Shadow Club?
Shadow Club is a thrilling story that both boys and girls will love an maybe some adults. I wish it didn't have to end. It's filled with action, humor, suspense, and lots of mysteries. I recommend this book to any one who likes to get sucked into their book and forget about the world around them. Its so detailed that it feels like your really there in the story. It will have your eyes glued to it until the last pages have turned.

-Megan C.

Jared, a ninth-grader, is so sick of always being the second-best runner on his team. No matter how hard he pushes himself, he is always beaten by Austin. To make things worse, Austin loves to rub it in when he beats Jared.

Jared's best friend Cheryl knows how he feels. Her cousin Rebecca, who is a year younger than her, is a better singer than Cheryl and she seems to be constantly rubbing Cheryl's face in that fact. Jared and Cheryl are both fed up.

When they feel they can't take it anymore, Jared and Cheryl decide to start a secret club to vent their feelings--The Shadow Club. They invite Cheryl's little brother Randall, who is the number two swimmer on his team. They invite the second best trumpeter, the second prettiest girl in the class, the second best basketball player, and the second best student to join.

All of the members of the club get together and at first aren't sure what to do besides say bad things about those who are beating them all of the time. Then they decide that more needs to be done. Jared comes up with the idea of playing practical jokes on those students they detest. He thinks if no one knows about the club and no one plays a joke on his or her own enemy, all of the club members will escape being suspected of playing the jokes. So it starts.

Green slime shows up in a trumpet before a big solo. The best student's pet tarantula is put in the hood of the best runner's sweatshirt. The best swimmer has his toenails painted bright red while he's asleep.

The members of the Shadow Club are thrilled with their accomplishments. But then things start getting out of control. Jokes are being played that no one seems to know about, and they are getting meaner and more destructive by the day. Could someone be trying to frame the members of the club?

I thought this book captured the attitude of many junior high school students--it highlighted the feelings of competition and the petty nastiness that occurs in students of this age. I thought Jared should have been able to see when things were getting out of control, though, and should have been able to stop the club before anything bad happened.

The Shadow Club
By: Neal Shusterman

Review done by: A Mid-Prairie Teen Student

You would have no idea what you would be expecting if you got a book titled The Shadow Club, I sure didn't. The Shadow Club is a great book having middle school to high schooled aged students making mistakes and seeing the consequences in the end.
Jared, a middle school aged kid, is the main kid in this story. He is the second best runner in his school and hates being second best. He absolutely hates Eric, the best runner in school, and would do absolutely anything he could to be better than Eric. This is where the trouble started.
Jared's friend Cheryl, the second best singer, wanted to start a club called the Shadow Club. This means for people to come to this club if they're second best in something. Like second best singer, second smartest person in school, and even second prettiest girl in school. All these second best kids formed this club and got themselves into trouble without even knowing it.
This is quite a story and it is written by Neal Shusterman a fantastic author. He is an American author of books for young readers, and also a screenwriter. He has won and award called the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for The Schwa Was Here, and he was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He now lives in Orange County, California with his four children. So as you have seen he has a busy life but he has certainly used some of his time to write great books.
This is an amazing book but I'm not going to tell you what happened in the end. Once you read it, it will shock you incredibly as you will see. I will tell you though that it teaches great things like making friends, the trouble you can get yourself into with just starting little things, and how much hate can really hurt someone else's life.
I dare you to read this book even if you think you're the best person in your school. Just go and read this book so that you can see the secrets some second best people may be thinking right now.

Overall, I thought this book was well written and was incredibly informative. My only disappointment came at the lack of real hardship they faced on their trek. Walking from Kilimanjaro to the Indian Ocean is no small feat, but I was disappointed that they had all their camps sights (tents, food, etc.) prepared for them by one of the travelers employees. I would have liked to see them carry their own gear and prepare their own meals like true explorers. Besides the dangers from lions, elephants, crocodiles there was never any excitement/anticipation that they may get lost, run low on food, face unknown challenges....it was too much of a planned straight forward trip.

That said, the author did a great job telling personal stories of those that established the national park and background info. I'd recommend this to anyone wanting to know more about conservation in Africa...not so much to anyone wanting a true adventure book.

Let me first of all say that Rick Ridgeway is one of my favorite adventure writers. This book is focused on the area around Kilimanjaro and the current state of the conservation movement. Rick does a wonderful job of describing the area as he makes his way on foot from Kilimanjaro to the East coast of Africa.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is that Rick includes all the books he has used in his research to gain a better understanding of the history of East Africa.

If you love a well written adventure, with enough meat to make you want to dig deeper in understanding Africa - this is your book.

Author Ridgeway writes a well-paced narrative that smoothly ties together his personal adventure in eastern Africa with the area's history and culture, particularly in terms of its ecology, with focus on elephants as the defining megafauna of the area.

Ridgeway provokes thought on the future of Africa's large animals, the past fate of those large mammals that have already disappeared, and how we humans tie into all of this. His primary sources are the people who have shaped and continue to shape Kenya's game and wildlife policies; these sources give his writing the distinct tinge of veracity.

Recommended for any interested in travel, African history, or ecology.

I was so disappointed by this book I could not get through more than a couple of chapters. The author may know about mountaineering, but he seems to know very little about Kenya. Moreover, I found the writing to be ethnocentric and quite boring.

Combining moments of danger with moments of profound introspection, mountaineer/explorer Ridgeway details his journey from the top of Mount Kilimanjaro through the Tsavo game reserves to Mombasa, a month-long journey on foot, which allows him to experience man's primal relationships with the environment. Traveling with an experienced guide, two members of the Kenya Park and Wildlife Service, and two sharpshooters (in case of life-threatening danger), Ridgeway follows dry riverbeds across the savanna, seeking "tactile knowledge of Africa's wildlands and wild animals."

Far more than a search for thrills, the journey offers Ridgeway an opportunity to observe breath-taking vistas and the full panoply of wildlife, from the elephant to the tiniest of birds, paying equal attention to all. Mourning the absence of once-plentiful animals from the bushlands near Kilimanjaro, and the decline of species elsewhere, Ridgeway contemplates the long-term effects of colonialism, big game hunting, poaching, traditional tribal values, climatic changes, and tourism, as well as man's seemingly innate tendency to kill certain species into extinction.

Ridgeway, long a hunter himself, is an engaging author, both observant and thoughtful. A great admirer of hunter-turned-game-park-adminstrator Bill Woodley, whose two sons from the Park and Wildlife Service are on the journey, he provides a sensitive and impartial treatment of conservation issues. Extolling the work of elephant researchers Cynthia Moss and Joyce Poole, the latter of whom joins the group for part of the journey, he points out that they have acquired through study a kind of knowledge not available to hunters. Without preaching, he conveys "the big picture," making a compelling case for the fact that to preserve Africa's large mammals one must "fight fiercely not only to preserve, but even to expand, their wild habitat." Mary Whipple

I don't normally read thrillers but after reading this one, I may add this genre to my list of preferred reading, that is if I can find any more that are written as well. I have to say that I was quite surprised and amused by the plot twists and turns and to echo what others have written, I simply could not put this book down, it was truly captivating and had me under it's spell into the wee hours and until I felt the discomfort of eye strain. (It happens at my age).Though it is not possible for me to tell Colin what a wonderfully talented writer he had become, instead I shall tell everyone I know to purchase this book (and be prepared for thrills and chills as they flip through the pages of this great late night read). -Rev. Dale Hatcher

This was an excellent book. I couldn't put it down once I started it. There were so many interesting twists and turns to the plot that I was anxious to get to the end to see what happened. I couldn't have guessed the end, it was really exciting right to the last page. I love this type of story that keeps me guessing right to the end! I think it would make an excellent movie and hope to see it on the big screen too!

A well-paced intriguing can't put it down kind of thriller! I really
had a hard time putting it down-It's really well-plotted, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. I highly recommend this
book.

Colin is my cousin and I had no idea he was such a talented writer! I am not one who actually enjoys reading because I have a hard time getting into books. Not many books capture my attention and hold it. Colin's book did! I could not put this book down!!! It was so exciting, suspenseful, and thrilling. Casting Two Shadows keeps you guessing the whole time. It was everything a book needs to make it an exciting and enjoyable for the reader. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an all around great read. Wow Colin, the past 20 years of my life I have been searching high and low for a great read and the whole time you have been the author I was looking for. Casting Two Shadows

I've been an avid reader for many years, but normally will not touch anything fictional. It has almost become a challenge for friends and family to try to become the one to break that barrier, by getting me interested enough to read a fiction book that not only will I finish, but will actually enjoy.

Casting Two Shadows has done exactly that! Sitting among piles of other books that were strewn about my reading room, something drew me to this one. An inexplicable curiosity quickly gave way to a fervent desire to chew through the pages as quickly as I could turn them. My indifference to fiction was quickly replaced by a rapacious hunger for the next page (all while standing, as I had no intention of getting this deeply involved with any non-fiction creation!) Once I determined there was no closing this book, I settled into the most pleasantly surprising tale I have ever had the pleasure of stumbling upon.

The only drawback to this book is that you will not find other materials from this supremely talented author. Colin's tale had the audacity to pry me from my non-fictional world into the lively, multi-dimensional universe of novel. I only wish he were here so I could thank him...