FANTASY REVIEW: Shadowmarch 4: Shadowheart - Tad Williams

Release Date: 03/02/11

SYNOPSIS:

Barrick Eddon, prince of Southmarch, is no longer entirely human. He has vowed to safeguard the legacy of the dark Qar race, and must now decide where his loyalties lie. His twin sister Briony has a difficult choice of her own. Her father, King Olin, is held captive by the Autarch, a mad god-king who plans to use Olin's blood to gain unlimited power. And the castle of Southmarch still remains in the possession of Hendon Tolly, Briony's murderous relative. As time runs out, will Briony decide to save her father's kingdom ...or her father? As the foretold Great Defeat draws near, history is stripped of its costume of lies. Poets and players, mortals and fairies, warriors and gods, all will have their roles to play as the fate of the known world hangs in the balance.


REVIEW:

Released within this title is the concluding part to Tad’s Shadowmarch chronicles that keeps the reader glued as twist after twist is thrown at them, so much so that they’ll soon forget what has come before and be just as surprised as more carefully hidden plot aspects are revealed.

Beautifully written, this conclusion has some great prose and when backed with characters that have continued to grow emotionally as well as physically you know that Tad really has grown over the years as an author. Overall it’s definitely a book that we loved as twist after twist thrilled, horrified and surprised so much so that time simply disappeared as the pages flew by. A real gem and one that we absolutely loved making 2011 a solidly great year to start.