Fantasia Reviews Shadow Stalker Part One

Shadow Stalker by Renee Scattergood

Published 4/18/2015

Ages 12+

“The Hidden Truth (Episode 1)
A young shadow stalker is destined to enslave the people of the Serpent Isles, and the Galvadi Empire want this child of prophecy dead. Auren Trasks perfectly normal life is disrupted when the Galvadi invade, and she learns a startling secret about her past. A secret that will change her life forever.
The Delohi-Saqu’s Fate (Episode 2)
Auren is being targeted by the Council of Elders, and the only one who could put an end to their corruption is her father. But leaving the Dark Isle would turn Kado against her.
Shadows’ Betrayal (Episode 3)
After seeing the monster she will become, Auren swears not to leave the Dark Isle. Despite that, the elders are conspiring against her. To escape their scheming, she and Kado decide to explore the Dark Isle. But worse things await them in the forests.
Forbidden Love (Episode 4)
Kado and Auren survive a deadly storm, but when Auren is forbidden from pursuing love with another young shadow stalker, will it be enough to drive a wedge between her and her foster father?
Destiny Reconciled Part 1 (Episode 5)
Auren and Kado accept that they may not be able to avoid her leaving the Dark Isle. Now they have to prepare for that eventuality. Will the training be more than Auren can handle?
Destiny Reconciled Part 2 (Episode 6)
Cathnor has been arrested and is facing a death sentence. The Dark Isle is out of control, and Kado is the only one who can help his people. So he prepares Auren for the possibility that she may have to leave the Dark Isle without him and face her destiny alone, but can she leave him and do what must be done?” – From Amazon

Story – Compelling

Miss Scattergood has given us something unique to digest with a world that has been crafted with painstaking precision and has taken fantasy to a new level. What makes it even better is that she has delivered a story ripe with intrigue and imagination to place in this wonderful world. If for no other reason, this book should be read to see that there is more to fantasy than the work of Tolkien.

“I found him where he spent most of his spare time, sitting in the study reading in his favorite chair. Piles of books lined the walls making the room appear smaller than it was. There was only enough room for a couple of armchairs and a small table for furniture. How he even managed such organization amongst the clutter was beyond me.”

Writing and Formatting – Good

The writing is superb, with errors so negligible we would be pressed to recall one. There are small formatting errors with the e-book format but nothing as to distract from the experience. Perhaps it should be mentioned that this is only the first part of a serial, part one only contains episodes one through six. That is something to keep in mind as you come to the ‘end’ of the story.

“My curiosity got the better of me, so I set my bag of food aside and went to take a look. I cleared some of the vines covering the opening and climbed inside. There wasn’t enough room to stand, but the view from the outside was deceptive. There was plenty of space for three or four people to sit comfortably.”

Literary Value – Noteworthy

In her writing, Miss Scattergood covers the classic coming of age story, combined well with some teenage angst, and yet it feels cohesive and fun. The work his handled with enough precision to enhance the underlying story and deliver something that is not only fun to read but worth reading.

“There was a bird nearby, so I approached it. Seeing the animals in the shadow word was a lot different from the humans. They were clearer, almost vivid, so I could just about determine the bird’s coloring. It seemed to be floating in the air, and because its wings didn’t move, it looked more like it was a stuffed toy than a real animal.”

Overall – 4.25, A Good Read

What can we say? We liked it, and we recommend that you read it too. While it feels at first like so many of the YA novels that have flooded the market in recent years, it does a service to the genre and offers something new when considered against the usual prototypical YA novel, and it will likely leave you wanting more. If that is the case, you are in luck, as parts two and three are available on Amazon as well.
Are you interested in reading Shadow Stalker? You can find it on Amazon.