Shadow's Lure [Paperback]

Jon Sprunk (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 21, 2011

The unforgiving Northlands . . .

In Othir, he was at the top of the food chain—an assassin beyond compare, a dark shadow in the night. But Caim left that life behind when he helped an empress claim her throne. And now his past has come calling again.

Searching for the truth behind the murder and disappearance of his parents, Caim discovers a land in thrall to the Shadow. Haunted by temptations from the Other Side, he becomes mired in a war he does not want to fight.

But there are some things a son of the Shadow cannot ignore, and some fights from which he can't run. In this battle, all of Caim's strength and skill won't be enough.
For none can resist the Shadow's Lure.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Shadow's Son:

"The intrigue, action scenes, and ever-more-revealing character insights are masterfully woven together in a book the reader won't want to put down.... Overall, a first-rate sword-and-sorcery tale, with intriguing characters, that moves at a fast pace." --Booklist

"Fans of Brent Weeks and Brandon Sanderson will certainly find plenty to like here." --The Mad Hatter's Bookshelf & Book Review

"This book IS action. ...The pacing, action, and characters are all well written, and really that is what the focus is on for this novel. ...We'll read his stuff readily, every time. So should you." --Elitist Book Reviews

About the Author

Jon Sprunk is the author of the Shadow Saga—Shadow's Son, Shadow's Lure, and Shadow's Master—which has been published in seven languages worldwide. An avid adventurer in his spare time, he lives in central Pennsylvania with his family. Visit him online at jonsprunk.com or facebook.com/JonSprunkAuthor.

Product Details

• Paperback: 391 pages
• Publisher: Pyr (June 21, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1616143711
• ISBN-13: 978-1616143718
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 1.1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #283,054 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jon Sprunk lives in central Pennsylvania with his wife and son. When not writing, he enjoys travel, collecting medieval and ancient weaponry, and pro football. Shadow's Son is his first novel. Visit him online at www.jonsprunk.com, on Facebook (Jon Sprunk), or Twitter (jsprunk70).

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Lured in by Shadows July 20, 2011

By Joseph P. Bonadonna

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Jon Sprunk has done it again. SHADOW'S LURE not only lives up to its prequel, SHADOW'S SON, it surpasses it with unexpected twists and turns. Sprunk has fleshed out his evolving storyline, giving us deeper insight into the politics, history, and religion of his world. The action soars and the emotions run high as Caim learns more about the death of his father, his missing mother, and her family who serve the Shadow. His relationship with Kit deepens, and he's torn between her and Queen Josephine. I won't give away any spoilers, but there are new characters to love and hate, and a peak into the darkness that threatens to drown the world in Shadow. This is an exciting and intriguiging novel -- but above all, it tells its story through its characters, characters who live and breathe and bleed. These characters LIVE!!! Well done, Jon Sprunk!

-- Joe Bonadonna, author of MAD SHADOWS: THE WEIRD TALES OF DORGO THE DOWSER

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Really Enjoyable August 15, 2011

By Brandon Zarzyczny

Format:Paperback

I really enjoyed this sequel, the author did a great job advancing the story and skills of Caim. This story was maybe a little more epic and less contained than Sprunk's debut, and it really was a page turner. In truth I may have liked the first one more, but I loved both of the books. I really only had two problems with this book, the sections with the new queen didn't really grab my attention as much as Caim's story, and near the end Caim's powers were becoming a bit too superheroish. In my fantasy stories I generally prefer more defined rules for the magic system. Still, I'm sure any fantasy fan would love reading this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Worthy follow up, with more promise to come December 19, 2011

By Justin Landon

Format:Paperback

Without spoiling too much of what went on in the first novel, Lure picks up right where Son left off. Caim (what?! the main character survives? no way!) leaves his home in Othir behind, heading north to discover the truth behind the murder of his parents and his power over the shadow. He leaves Josey behind, now Empress of the Nimean Empire, to consolidate her power.

The nature of the two stories, which could be read completely separate from one another, blunt the pace that was such a hallmark of Sprunk's debut. Much of the slowdown (never slowness) is affected by much more extensive character development and world building, an almost always welcome and, in this case, necessary inclusion. That lack of frenetic energy shouldn't be taken to mean it's inferior. Quite the opposite. In taking his time to build the narrative, Sprunk has written a different kind of novel that succeeds because of what it doesn't have, almost as much as because of what it does (Yes, that was an awkward sentence).

Lure is divided primarily into three points of view - Josey, Caim, and Kit. While Sprunk occasionally dips into other characters, it's these three who comprise the bulk of the narrative. He separates them from one another in the novel's early stages, providing him the opportunity to drill down to a level that the structure of the first novel never allowed him to.

Josey's point of view is very political in nature, subject to plots and machinations of factions within the Empire. Through her, the world is capably fleshed out without resorting to information dumps or poorly concealed exposition. Similarly, Kit becomes the defacto spelunker who delves into the Shadow, revealing the world behind the world that is only tangentially touched on prior (for fans of Kit she gets significant page time). In contrast, Caim's sections remain highly kinetic, often going from fight to fight. Moments of rest in between allow him to develop into a textured character and not a simple archetype.

Of course, it should be no surprise that Sprunk continues to shine in his depiction of action sequences. Sure, they compelled a raised eyebrow of disbelief from time to time, but they always left me with a crystal clear picture in my mind of how Caim whipped his opponent(s) - something that other writers (Weeks) in this sub-genre can struggle with. By novel's end, the relentless action connects with the determined expansion of world and character, making Lure a much more complete novel than its predecessor.

There are some hiccups though. Things are on occasion too neat and black and white. At one point there's an attack on Josey where a single bite would kill (or seriously incapacitate) her. Despite the creature being wrapped around her, she somehow manages to avoid such a fate. Sprunk uses the annoying trick of handicapping his protagonist with wound after festering wound. Someday, I would very much enjoy an author letting his protagonist face the final battle at 100%. The series's villain is inherently evil and I never felt that her actions were righteous even from her perspective - something that modern fantasy has become very adept at doing. Mostly these are small quibbles and Sprunk tells such a capable story that none of them remotely imperiled my enjoyment of the novel.

While elements remain decidedly couched in a common, and arguably overused, motif, the Shadow Saga remains a worthy addition to the fantasy Rolodex. Once completed, Sprunk's trilogy will go on the shelf right next to the Night Angel Trilogy where it will compete for the hearts of assassin lovers for years to come. For fans of Brent Weeks, Brandon Sanderson, and to some degree Joe Abercrombie and Scott Lynch, this is a series that shouldn't be missed. Shadow's Master, the third and final volume in the series, is already one of my most looked forward to titles of early 2012.