When a new witch threat rises, only Hunter Astley can stop them… emerge of a new power that will throw the world into chaos.
As the only 7th generation witch-hunter, Hunter Astley is the best the MMC has to offer. With the help of his colleagues, it’s a race to track down this new threat and stop them… in any way he can.
Part one of the Witch-Hunter trilogy.
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In The Shadow Rises all witches are considered evil and it’s up to MMC to protect the world from them by any means necessary. And while evil things are alluded to and some bad deeds are done by the Shadow Witch and her followers, there’s still enough gray to make you wonder if they’re really all evil. While I wished the story delved a little deeper into the character’s psyche and motives, and the transitions between times a little clearer, I found the overall story to be very intriguing. It was easy to get sucked into the story and visualize the scene playing out within your mind’s eye. And the ending… wow.
Overall, The Shadow Rises was a great read with a few surprise twists that completely caught me off guard in a great way. I can’t wait to see where the story goes in book 2.
She raised a brow. “A witch-hunter named ‘Hunter’? How very original.”
Hunter (George) Astley was a witch-hunter, the best one actually. He was the only seventh generation in history, and that implied he was more powerful than the others. It seems, when you fight witches you start to absorb some of their power, which gave each generation of witch-hunters more abilities than the older one, but given their lifestyle, not lots of them had decendents.
Witches are an entirely different breed of human, at least one parent has to be a witch; you can’t become one by wanting it.
Hunter was on holiday in Venice, forced by his friend and partner James, a first generation witch hunter, for having a little rest from work. He was actually just getting bored when he felt the magic (one of the witch hunters abilities) and found a young lady about to be sacrificed in a ritual for giving witches more power. He saved the girl, kill the men witch and got the other two witches to surrender and accept their magic being bound.
Hunter sighed, even witch-hunting required paperwork in this crazy modern world – but thankfully Hunter could shift all that onto James’ workload. He preferred the more active part of his job than this paperwork. And James did a tediously good and thorough job of it.
The rescued lady’s name was Sophie, a beautiful but excessively cold woman that decided not to get out of this new world she just found and asked to be part of the MMC. It seems this wasn’t so weird, lots of the rescued asked for joining, but most ended up in paperwork in the office. But Sophie wanted to be a hunter, and she didn’t give up until she was accepted as a first generation witch-hunter.
Sophie has an opinion… not so popular among the witch-hunters. She can’t believe that all the witches are evil just because they are witches. Besides, the witch-hunters used their amulets and their acquired abilities that were not that different from magic. However, she decides to stay in the team.
Hunter watched Sophie walk away from him and move up the main staircase, heading straight for her room. He didn’t want her to be alone; he told himself that she shouldn’t be alone after such a day. But a part of him knew better. Oh god, he was in trouble.
Hunter, James and Sophie find out that a Shadow Witch had rose. A very rare breed whose magic powers are unlimited. There’s only register of two Shadow Witches in history, one was murdered by Hunter’s grandfather.
After facing her, it gets clear that witch-hunter are no opponent for her and it depends on Hunter and his seventh generation abilities to defeat her and save humanity.
“Oh, that is bad. Did the Shadow Witch give a bad guy speech?”
“Oh yes, very impressive and clichéd – shame you missed it.”
For now, I’ve liked the story a lot, it’s a totally recommendable book. I’ll keep reading the saga and hope the next ones are as good or even better.
I loved Hunter. Typical lead of a fantasy book that is too good to be real and that can make a thousand mistakes, but as you are in his mind you can’t stop loving him. This is not a complaint, I love this kind of characthers .
He could fight, kill if need be, but he couldn’t face sorrow. Not even when one of his best friends needed his comfort.
I really like Sophie too. I hope we will know more about her in the next books, but I will anyway read her prequel. I really want to understand what made her the way she is.
James… I actually liked this character and feel h e is important for the story itself, but I can’t stop picturing him as Sherlock Holmes’s Watson . Thinking better, Hunter could be this Holmes too.
Something I really liked of this book is how they laugh about clichés.
How very British; having a nice cup of tea whilst conversing about witches.
I love books that make me laugh without losing the emotion of the story.
“Look, just because we’re sharing a bed, doesn’t make this a girly sleepover.”
PD: I’m really trying to like the cover but no… it still freaks me out .
The Shadow Rises is a book about witches and hunters. Hunter Astley, is a 7th Generation witch and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the audiobook. I actually found myself enjoying the other characters in this book.
It was a pretty good pace and it was filled with twists and turns. I know I had a couple of loud *gasps* moment while listening. I was caught aback.
The narrator did a great job and kept my attention while I listened. I really enjoyed the accent.
*Audible Format
The Shadow Rises by K.S. Marsden is one of the best Urban Fantasies I’ve read (or in this case, listened to) in a long time. Think the 2010 Sherlock Holmes T.V. series meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer — if Buffy was British, on the Watcher’s Council, and staked witches instead of vamps.
Filled with clever twits that will keep you guessing, The Shadow Rises is a dark and deeply layered story of good vs. evil and all the grey areas in between. Add in Jonathan Ip’s engrossing narration, and you’ll be hanging on every word.
I received this book for free. I am voluntarily leaving this review and all opinions expressed herein are mine.
This is the first book in the Witch Hunter series. It is a standalone book but does have an ending which sets up the next book in the series.
Here, Hunter is a 7th generation witch hunter, which is quite unusual. He is on holiday when he rescues Sophie, a woman he notices in the bar, from witches. He believes that he will never see her again when she shows up at his home asking to become an apprentice. Hunter agrees and apprentices Sophie to another witch hunter. Soon that witch hunter is murdered by a very powerful shadow witch and Sophie must be safe guarded. But is everything as it seems?
There is great worldbuilding in this story – the hierarchy of witch hunters and the development of witch hunters is great, although it would have been nice to have a little exploration as to why witches/magic is completely evil and must be destroyed. I loved Hunter’s relationship with his mother – who he barely tolerates. But, the relationship between Sophie, Hunter and James [Hunter’s assistant] is most interesting. There are plenty of twists and turns in this to keep you glued to your seat. This is a very solid start to a series.
I listened to this book – the narrator was a perfect compliment to this work. He has a very pleasant low key voice which is both intoxicating and soothing.
Whose being hunted?! The Hunters!? The witches are fighting back…. & people are dying. Has you sucked in from the beginning & twists you down the rabbit hole before you know it. A roller coaster of a twist that comes out of know where!?! Uggh It’s onto to book 2! Great start to the series!! Highly recommended.
I received this great start as an ARC for free for my honest opinion and review! HAPPY READING!!
The more serious take of witches and witch hunters. There were twists and turns that kept me reading.
An entertaining story!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The Shadow Rises (Witch-Hunter #1) by K.S. Marsden is a wonderful story that I have read.This is book number one in wonderful start to a brand new series that I loved reading. I highly recommend this to everyone who loves reading about fantasy in their stories.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed this take on the theme of witches versus hunters and the concept of a super (or Shadow) witch. The audiobook has its share of action, violence, twists and turns, and betrayals on all sides. The human witch hunters seem outgunned and outmanned. You wonder if they even stand a chance despite Hunter’s skill, leadership, and bravado. Then…BOOM! I have to admit I didn’t have any inkling of either of the big surprises that came near the end. I was completely captivated, and I am eager for more of the story. Oddly enough, James was my favorite character. Sophie was too cold and stand-offish, and Hunter was too arrogant. James was loyal, steadfast, bold, and a little snarky. I think his line could produce some quality hunters in the future if he survives, and he’s just a good friend.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Anyone who enjoys stories involving witches…the real kind in fiction, not the silly or sweet and innocent…will like this series. The witches are finally tired of being chased down by witch hunters and being persecuted for being who they are, and the most powerful witch, “The Shadow”, rises again to free her people. The story has some unexpected twists and turns to it and finally reaches a big climax near the end regarding more than one thing. You sort of get a finality to the main build-up, but there are some things left unresolved as a cliffhanger. If you wanted to stop here, you would get sort of an ending you need, but one obviously needs to read the rest of the series for it all. The way this book builds things up, I get the feeling it will get pretty intense later in the series.
Witches and witch hunters against one another for generations.
The witch hunters have been protecting the people from the evil magic of the witches for centuries. Hunter is a 7th generation witch hunter. This brings him prestige among other witch hunters, but he is so much younger that it also brings with it jealousy, conflict and mistrust. As a 7th gen, Hunter has abilities that only come with his families longevity in the business, but they don’t know exactly what those abilities might be. A young lady, Sophie, comes into his life. She wants to become a witch hunter. So the story begins, the war between the witch hunters and the witches. Lots of intrigue and adventures. Chaos, destruction and loss. Read to discover about the surprising powers of both sides. Can’t wait to read book 2.
I really enjoyed this story line and how it all played out. Hunter (the main character) is a witch-hunter and the story is about hunting witches. I really enjoy the characters in the book and the author has made this magic believable. I am very excited to read the next two in this series.