Shadows: Book of Aleth, Part One [Paperback]

Michael Duncan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2011

A stolen text... When the Book of Aleth is stolen, Aaron, captain of the Royal Guard, is ordered by Emperor Therion to reclaim the ancient tome. The mission thrusts Aaron into a world he's never known--a world of elves and dwarves, races long thought extinct; a world where everything he has known and believed is a lie.

A secret past... Forced to challenge his long-held beliefs, Aaron and his companions, two soldiers of the Royal Guard and two men of the Dwarvish kingdom of Brekken-Dahl, set out on a quest to recover the Book. Aaron resolves to discover the truth, and rescue the empire he is sworn to protect.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Rating: 5 stars!
A wonderful book! I definitely rank it as one of my favorites! - Zman14  (Tuesday, 18 October 2011)

From the Author

Check out the video trailer! You can find it at YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=QlIoNyD5F34

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Harbourlight Books; First Edition edition (October 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1611161207
• ISBN-13: 978-1611161205
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,507,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael has spent more than 20 years preaching and teaching God's Word. After serving in the U.S. Air Force, Rev. Duncan entered into public ministry and has served in four churches. He currently resides in Washington State with his wife and three children and serves as pastor.

When Michael is not preaching or teaching God's word, he spends time writing. His first novel, "Shadows", is now available. He is an apprentice-level alumnus of the Christian Writer's Guild. Michael is also a member of the Northwest Christian Writers Association and serves as a board member and a critique group facilitator.

Given the opportunity, he also enjoys time on the golf course.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Shadows: Book of Aleth, Part One October 19, 2011

By John Hobson

Format:Paperback

I found Shadows:Book of Aleth,Part One to be a fun book to read. It is a fantasy concerning a kingdom of soldiers, elves, dwarves and various other inventive creatures surrounding the quest to find the Book of Aleth. It was filled with action and drama while containing interesting and beautiful descriptions of the locations and characters. While I will be looking forward to the next book in the series, this book was also a satisfying read on its own, leaving me both comfortable with what I had read and wanting to read more. I highly recommend this book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars amazing October 22, 2011

By Clare Revell

Format:Kindle Edition

This debut novel by Michael Duncan is a fantasy novel far surpassing anything I've ever read. I read a lot of Tolkien and Le Guin and this is right up there with them.

The characters spring to life off the page. Vivid descriptions pull you deep into the amazing world Rev. Duncan weaves on the pages. Sword fights, dwarves, elves, deamons and horras. A gripping tale of good and evil where you never know who the good guys are and when you think you know what's happening, another twist takes you by surprise.

My only complaint is having to wait for book two.

If you only pick one fantasy novel to read this winter, it should be this one.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Story, But Also Made Me Think January 12, 2012

By Dr. Terry W. Dorsett

Format:Paperback

Michael Duncan writes an attention grabbing novel full of twists and turns that carries the reader to a world filled with mystery and intrigue. From the opening chapter detailing personal sacrifice on the battlefield, to the closing page of determination against overwhelming odds, readers will be unable to put this book down. The story has just the right number of twists and turns to keep the reader wanting to turn the page and find out what happens next. I read the entire book in one day!

The characters are described in ways that the reader can picture them in their minds. The geography can be pictured just as easily. The basic storyline is the epic battle between good and evil, but what makes this story stand out from similar ones in the fantasy genre is the underlying concept that some of what the characters think is "good and normal" is actually evil in disguise and some of what the characters have always assumed is "bad and evil" is actually good waiting for the right moment to reveal itself. It keeps the readers thinking while they read. Can't wait until book two comes out!

One personal caveat I would like to share is that the book made me think about the possibility that perhaps in the real world some good is called evil and some evil is called good. I do not know if the author's intent was to make that kind of statement about the real world or not. But I did get a sense that it was something I should be thinking about.

Overall, a great read by a fresh new voice in fantasy fiction.