Shadowborn

<br />Why it has 'Vampire Academy' kind of feeling? <br />

(Source: Download for free on kindle from Amazon.co.uk.)<br />14-year-old Catwin was only minutes old when her mother spoke a prophecy that one day she would be betrayed, and sent her to the castle to be raised by the wet nurse there. Now at the age of 14, Catwin has been selected by the Duke’s assassin Temar to become like him – a shadow.<br /><br />Now Catwin stands to play a part in what will soon come to pass. She must become to the Duke’s niece and heir (Miriel –also 14), what the Temar is to the duke – his shadow, his protector, his assassin. Catwin must learn to know everybody whilst escaping notice herself, to blend into the shadows where no one can see her, and to eavesdrop at all times.<br />Can Catwin keep Miriel safe? What are the Duke’s plans for Miriel? And is Miriel really destined to marry the King?<br /><br /><br />This was a really good fantasy story about two quite different girls, and their differing positions in life.<br /><br />Catwin was a strong character who learned quickly, and knew how to trust her instincts. I felt quite sorry for her that her mother had basically abandoned her, and that she really had very few people who even knew her, never mind loved her, but Catwin wasn’t the sort of girl who wallowed in self-pity, she knew what she needed to do, and she did it, even when it meant putting her own life in danger.<br /><br />Miriel started off as a very spoiled child. She came across as quite snooty, and it wasn’t ‘til quite a way into the story that we began to see her true colours, and learned exactly what it was that she was dealing with. I thought that her uncle the duke was quite harsh on her, although I suppose he was that way with everyone. He did seem to impose really strict rules on both Miriel and Catwin though, and was happy to dish out punishments when he felt he had been disobeyed.<br /><br />I liked the storyline in this book, and I managed to keep up with it most of the way. I did get a little confused over talks of different monarchs, and different strategies in the upcoming war, but mainly the story was straightforward, and I knew what was going on most of the time.<br />The ending of this was quite enlightening, although the ending was a bit of a cliff-hanger too unfortunately, it seems that we will have to read the next book if we want to find out what happens to Miriel and Catwin next, and who the king will marry.<br />Overall; a good YA fantasy story.<br />7.5 out of 10.<br />

This is a medieval fantasy tale that does a great job of building a story that keeps the pages turning. The story builds relatively slowly with the introduction of the main characters, their various attributes, flaws, histories and choices. As the pace of the story builds, the layers of the plot become apparent and the intrigue plays out like a complex chess game.<br /> <br />The story is essential told from the perspective of Catwin and therefore we see the world and understand the choices through the eyes of the growing child. The characterizations are relatable and one can feel empathy and enmity towards the players in the game and sometimes a little of both. <br /><br />Overall the plot is very well developed and the story keeps going at a high enough pace with a few good surprises along the way making this a delightful book to read and enjoy.<br />

Despite the fact that Catwin was rejected by her family as a baby, and lives in a cold castle in an inhospitable place, she has led a life of freedom and kindness. She only answers to Roine, the castle healer and her mother-figure; and spends the rest of the time causing mischief. Unfortunately, her ability to sneak into places she shouldn't, brings her to the attention of the Duke, a man keen to exploit the skills of those around him. He ties Catwin's fate to that of his niece, Lady Miriel Devere. Soon Catwin and Miriel are thrust into a world of politics and danger, all to win the hand of a sickly king.<br /><br />I thought this was a fantastic little book. It's a reasonably short read at 270 pages, but Katson manages to fit so much into it, without ever letting the book get bogged down, the story just flows and carries you along.<br />I always love a little political intrigue (as evidenced by my absolute love of books like <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Other-Boleyn-Girl-Tudor-Court-ebook/dp/B005Z4SMFG/" rel="nofollow noopener">The Other Boleyn Girl</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Across-Nightingale-Floor-Tales-Otori-ebook/dp/B0044XV5OO" rel="nofollow noopener">Tales Of The Otori</a>) and this has plenty. A young unmarried king, with courtiers vying for his attention (some with more lethal methods than others); never knowing who to trust.<br /><br />Catwin is a fun character, she is a simple peasant girl who has been lucky to escape all notice. Because of her inauspicious birth, nobody wants anything to do with her, so she is free to take whatever path she will.<br />But when she comes to the attention of the Duke, she has to sacrifice that freedom. She is to become the shadow to Miriel's light, to be invisible and unnoticed for the rest of her life. To be Miriel's most unobtrusive line of defence; and the Duke's spy.<br />At first, the lessons she must learn from Temar are simply games, challenges that she revels in. But soon, Catwin starts to realise how demanding (and painful) her role will be.<br /><br />Lady Miriel Devere has been raised like a princess from the moment her uncle realised that she was useful. She has purposefully been kept away from the capital, living her whole life in seclusion, with her (somewhat disgraced) mother. Miriel is the spoilt little madam, who soon makes Catwin's life hell, when the Duke forces them to work together. As Catwin is posing as Miriel's servant; Miriel knows exactly how to apply a constant level of misery on the peasant girl.<br />That being said, I think Miriel was one of my favourite characters. The interactions between her and Catwin were always entertaining; and as you go on through the book, you really start to admire her strength.<br /><br />The plot... gah, this is the hard part about writing reviews about this kind of book. Especially when I love the story. I don't want to share <i>anything</i>, because each tiny revelation builds up to make this book awesome.<br />So, you know what, the book is permanently free to download, so go get it and tell me what you think!

I picked up Shadowborn during the Smashwords Summer Sale, but I had neglected to pick up the next two books...which I bitterly regretted late the other night when I didn't have the ability to connect to Amazon to order them.<br /><br /><s>To get the bad out of the way, Shadowborn had some very obvious gaffes in editing that would send me out of the story pretty quickly. There weren't a lot, but it was the sort of things that made reading the line awkward and made you pause (wayward "to" when it should be "the" for instance).</s> <b>Edited 8/5</b>: The author has re-issued a corrected version of the Trilogy on Smashwords, Amazon and Kobo. My review is from the previous version before the upload of the revised versions.<br /><br />Also the book takes a long while to get to where it wants the reader to be at in terms of the relationship between Miriel and Catwin.<br /><br />As for the good! Mysterious prophecy, sneaky girls, sneakier assassins and learning that you can't expect life to be fair make for an engaging fantasy.<br /><br />Told from Catwin's POV, but in the past tense (its almost as if she's narrating her life story to someone), we see her go from a mischievous and curious child to a wary, young woman. She wants something more from her life, but when she's given that something more she balks at what that really means. Several times Catwin makes mention of 'If only I had known...well things could have been different.' as she talks about important turning points in her young life. Would she have taken that dare if she knew the pain she'd later endure? Would she have trusted Temar if she knew what lurked behind his questions?<br /><br />Because Catwin only knows what she remembers and suspects happened, much of Miriel is a mystery at first that we puzzle out as Catwin does. Neither girl is given an easy task, though they both think the other lucky for theirs. The Duke's sledgehammer approach to getting what he wants puts the girls at odds with each other when it would have been a benefit for them to be friends. A lesson learned late and at great cost I might add.<br /><br />So what's in store for these two? Well Catwin's prophecy hangs over their heads (who betrays her? or does she betray someone? what will end?) as well as Miriel's own need for independence and disillusionment with the world. So in other words FUN TIMES KIDDIES.

<b>What I liked:</b><br />-Catwin and Miriel. The main character of the story really connected with me. She was intelligent and resourceful—but not so smart that it was unbelievable for someone with no previous education or training. It was interesting to read about her life and her training under Temar, and how she saw the changing world around her. Catwin and Miriel both seemed like very complex characters. Just when I thought I got a read on Miriel, she did or said something that surprised me, especially when it came to her relationship with Catwin. She was a very closeted character, but there were brief moments where she opened up and you could tell there was more to her than she let on.<br />-Secondary characters. There really are no flat characters in this story. Even the ones that don’t get as much page time as the main ones. Temar was a complete mystery, but even though we know next to nothing about his life and his past, he still managed to be three-dimensional. The Duke was a mystery to me as well. He could go from being a fair ruler that seemed to generally care about the people in his service to being a cold-hearted, merciless man not above using his niece to his advantage.<br />-Writing style. I really liked the way this book was written. It was as if the main character were sitting beside me, telling me this story from start to finish. It was easy to be drawn into the story and I found myself getting to know the characters and rooting for them.<br />-Court. I’ve always enjoyed books about knights and kings and medieval-type lands. This book focused mainly on Catwin’s training and Miriel’s introduction to court life. I love reading about the other girls, the dresses, the dancing, the manners, and the relationships between the people in power. I thought the court in this book was very realistic and well thought out.<br /><br /><b>What I disliked:</b><br />-Action. I guess I should say the lack of it. Other than two small incidents, there didn’t seem to be much in the way of action. To add some more to the story, I would have liked a more in-depth look at Catwin’s training—perhaps a longer, more detailed fight between Temar and Catwin or maybe more weapons training. Instead I kind of felt like Catwin didn’t really have to work for her training.<br />-History. Some of the facts about this book were a little hard for me to keep straight in my head. It was a bit confusing at times to remember who killed who to ascend to power, or who led what army.<br /><br />Overall, this was a wonderfully written book that captivated me from start to finish. I enjoyed the characters and the mystery and suspense surrounding the rebellion and the threat of war. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, but especially to people who are fans of strong female role models and court intrigue. <b>4.5</b>

Fantasy has been my favorite genre to read for, like, forever. I go through spells where I'm not especially mentally prepared to read it, but every time I read one I get so happy and remember exactly why it's my favorite genre. Shadowborn is no exception. It promises court intrigue and assassin-y fun, and that's exactly what you get!<br /><br />Catwin lives with a prophecy over her head, a prophecy that made her mother give her up the day she was born. Catwin will be betrayed, and that betrayal will change the balance. She doesn't know any more, but that prophecy haunts her, even as she rockets toward its conclusion. She begins the book as a daring and mischievous child but becomes a calculating and discerning young adult--over a relatively short period of time. Catwin really isn't sure she wants to be a part of what she's gotten herself into, especially at first, but she knows there is no way out. She has to live her decisions to their conclusion, and it's great to read.<br /><br />The relationship between Catwin and Miriel is really fascinating. It's a constant give and take between them, and they're never really friends, at least in a traditional sense. They're allies, and they're growing to trust one another through trial and error. Each is young and petty and believes the other to think little of them, so it's a hard-earned balance, but it's so fun to read. In many ways, I think--as much as the book is about the state of the country and its balance--the book is really about the light and dark of Miriel and Catwin. Who is the light and who is the dark, really?<br /><br />There's not a ton of traditional action here. Most of the story is court intrigue and training of the girls, but that's really interesting to read--at least to me! We're given a really great groundwork for the entire series; not only do we know the history of the country, but we're familiar with all of the major players and know their general motives. I think this will set the stage for some really action-packed sequels!<br /><br />And can I mention that I loved the writing style? A lot of books adopt a general style that would work for any genre any time, but Moira writes in a style that perfectly fits this book. It's formalized and a little antiquated in structure--and I LOVED it.<br /><br />Shadowborn is a standout fantasy novel and has everything I love. It's got characters that are flawed but likable, a medieval setting, a lovely sense of foreboding, drama drama drama, and a friendship that's just waiting to blossom. Moira Katson has created a world that utterly intrigues me and I can't wait to get back into it! (And, hey! There's nothing to lose in trying it; this book--the first--is free!)<br /><br /><b>You can find this review and many more fun things on my blog: <a href="http://cuts-of-paper.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow noopener">Paper Cuts</a>.</b>

This is the story of a young servant girl who is forced to become a "shadow" for the Duke's niece, Miriel. As her shadow, our hero Catwin will be her bodygaurd, spy, and assassin. The Duke has plans for his niece to capture the heart of the king, and both must go to court at the age of 14 to put his plans into action. While Catwin must train physically and learn poison antidotes, observation skills, and the like, Miriel also endures constant lessons and practice related to the skill of being the perfect courtier. Neither girl asks for her role, and while both perform well, they find that they are at cross-purposes with the Duke. Naturally, trouble ensues. <br /><br />This book disappointed me; I was interested in the premise, but found the execution lacking. I noted a large handful of typos and a couple of bothersome inconsistencies. I also thought the book was extremely repetitive. The story is told in Catwin's first person perspective, and she seems to make the same "revelations" again and again. <br /><br />My biggest quarrel, however, is with the ending. It is a bit of a cliff hanger. Not a very interesting or climactic cliff hanger, though. The story sort of peters out, unfinished. I know, of course, that you are supposed to run out and buy the second book in the series to learn what happens next. But I, for one, am not interested in several hundred more pages of this; I just wanted to know how the story I was reading ends. I see this more and more with YA books that conceived as a series. They end with a cliff-hanger, presumably to entice the readers to buy the next book, but they have not yet earned their audience. If you ask me, books, especially early in a series, should be self contained. Let your audience enjoy a complete story while deciding if they are going to continue on. Once I have developed a bond with your characters and you have earned my respect as a story teller, I might be more forgiving of cliff hanger endings, but at this stage, it just seems like a cheap trick and leaves me with an even worse impression of the book than I already had.

I’ve never been a big fan of the medieval genre before. No matter how much fantasy you throw in, Kings and Queens and the Court haven’t ever done it for me. So, when Moira contacted me about reviewing <i>Shadowborn</i>, I was pretty torn. Yes, the book has pretty good reviews… but would it be interesting enough to keep my attention?<br /><br /><i>Shadowborn</i> moves a slow and steady pace. One thing I saw mentioned in a few reviews is that there isn’t a whole lot of action (danger, threat against Miriel) going on. Most people have counted this against the book. However, it felt right to me. I feel like <i>Shadowborn</i> was laying the ground work for the trilogy and it did so wonderfully. While there wasn’t a lot of action, there was a lot happening.<br /><br />Moira’s writing is fantastic. I love that <i>Shadowborn</i> is done in first person. I think it added extra mystery to the story since we’re only able to see things as Catwin sees them. The characters are masterfully done. All of the characters had their own personality and depth. I loved watching Catwin and Miriel evolve through the story. I cannot wait to see how the story continues.

A medieval fantasy that focuses on Catwin, a young shadow (that is, bodyguard, assassin and spy) in training. Catwin is a peasant who comes to the attention of her Duke after trying to steal the dagger of the Duke's shadow. She is given a task, learn to be a shadow to protect the Duke's niece and heir, Mirel, from the Duke's enemies. Catwin and Mirel become the Duke's tools in his plans to keep favour with the young king. Both girls struggle to hold onto their ideals and their lives in the king's court, where everyone is their enemy, especially the Duke. <br /><br />The author lists Tamora Pierce as one of her inspirations, and you can see it in this book.<br /><br />There is very little action. The strength of this book is characterization of Catwin and Mirel, and the relationship between the two. They never quite become friends, but progress from enemies to allies as the story unfolds. Also, the layers of intrigue at court are complex and interesting.<br /><br />The bad - the cliff hanger ending. This book doesn't complete so much as it simply stops, which is annoying.<br /><br />5/10