In the chaos of war, not all heroes shine. Some must rise from shadows to claim the light.
As the youngest son of the greatest smith of the fae, Curuthannor should be aspiring to the forge. Instead, he would rather wield a blade than craft one. When the high elf king commissions a powerful enchanted sword requiring iron found only in the subterranean goblin mines of the Shadow Realm, Curuthannor … of the Shadow Realm, Curuthannor seizes the opportunity to earn a place in the smithy that doesn’t require a hammer. But when dark elf treachery interferes, the lives of his entire family could be at risk…for the high elf king is unmerciful and will not suffer disobedience.
Especially from his own daughter.
Lhéwen is honored to be the only handmaiden selected to attend the high elf princess on what she believes is a diplomatic delegation to the dark elf king. She doesn’t realize it could be a one-way trip. While the princess forges an escape from her father’s ruthless will, Lhéwen is trapped in a foreign land. Betrayed and alone, Lhéwen discovers it is her own quiet power that may free—or doom—them all.
For when the pen fails, the sword will take its place.
Forged in Shadow is the first book in the thrilling new epic fantasy trilogy by award-winning author, Megan Haskell. Set in the same universe as The Sanyare Chronicles, this is the story of the Great War between the nine faerie realms. If you like sweeping vistas, unexpected heroes, and world-shattering stakes, you’ll love this battle between Shadow and Light.
more
I’ve always enjoyed Megan’s writing style–the story flows beautifully, with a simple, clean turn of phrase that makes for easy reading. Definitely a huge part of what kept me reading this book right up until the end!
The characters of Llewen and Curuthannor were interesting, and I felt engaged by both of their emotional journeys and connected to them. However, for me, it was the secondary characters that made it more interesting. The more I got to know each of them–good, bad, and otherwise–the more intrigued I was.
My favorite part had to be the way that EVERYONE suspected everyone else of terribly suspicious motives, when they were really just going about their own business as usual. A comedy of errors that could only exist in a world where everything is suspect and no one believes anyone else has pure motives.
This is my first time reading this author, and I devoured every page.
The plot, sub plots, characters and world building is fantastic. The way the characters arcs are woven together made it truly a wonderful book to read. I love a fantasy story that has complexity and is more focused on character growth and the journey they are on.
Definitely want to read more from this author!
Strong Character building.Excellent story line so far , you just know where the story leads….or not I am an Honest ARC Reviewer and recommend this book to all comers. I cringed at the total loss of Family, And know the future can only be better .Royalty is sooo messed up..You’ll see.
This was a wonderful action fantasy book. The story world is developed and very creative, yet makes sense. The characters are well developed and have actual personalities – like they could be real people you’d be friends with and writing is above average. If you like fantasy, specifically faerie fantasy, you’ll like this book!
This novel’s storyline in the beginnings of the Sanyare Chronicles and I enjoyed finding out the start of the nine realms and the chaos that went with it. It is a great story that you will enjoy and may leave you wanting to know more.
I love the two main characters, Curuthannor and Lhéwen! Both of them start out on what should be a straightforward journey, just trying to do their jobs. But they’re both dragged deep into a maze of intrigue and lies and betrayal that will test their loyalties and their courage.
This book does a perfect job with the different points of view, showing how differently things look to different people, and letting the characters draw their own conclusions about the intricate web of secrets that drives the story.
Megan Haskell weaves intrigue, betrayal, and lies perfectly together, driving the nine worlds inevitably toward war. A gripping tale of the reckless destruction wrought by the powerful, and the bone-deep bravery of those who seek to stop them.
I liked this book. The characters were well written and the world was explained and make sense. I look forward to seeing how Curuthannor and Lhéwen will fare in the future. There was a good bit of action and intrigue to the book. War is on the horizon for the Nine Realms. It does leave the story unfinished, but resolves many issues. I am looking forward to the next book.
IN THE CHAOS OF WAR ,NOT ALL HEROS SHINE,SOME MUST RISE FROM THE SHADOWS TO CLAIM THE LIGHT.
The heading says a lot.
Rei,s adoptive parent Curuthannor had to procure the materials to forging the sword because he wanted to earn a place in the smithy that did not require him working the sword as he would rather fight with a sword than make it.
he travels to the shadow realm to get iron and this is where the problems arise and he puts his family at risk because he gets caught up in the court politics of the other realms….
What happens next does he work it out and become a hero as the title suggest or does the quest fail.
You will have to read on to find out and you will not be disappointed.
I cannot wait till the next book.
Great characters in a well executed story ,you can actually visualise the story from the detail with twists and turns ,great battles plus ,you will want more …..so buy the book.
I thought the story was good. It is the simple story of a King who wants to rule every other realm because he thinks he can. The characters were fun and interesting as they were all slowly introduced along with their quirks and inner feelings. They are the back bone of this story that was a bit addicting to read. I liked that it was easy to read and follow and did not loose itself in high prose or heavy background. Instead slowly built up so that the reader could see what could be coming in the near future as the story unfolded. Quite a few scenes were funny especially when people kept thinking others were doing bad things or must be involved in something bad but were just being themselves and going about their business. I loved it. It was addicting as hard to put down.
ONE SPECTACULAR ADVENTURE!!!
Sensational! Megan hit the ground running, blowing through like a thief in the night, ratcheting up the thrill of the chase, riding roughshod with such unbridled gusto, meshing this sparkling gem together sleek, shiny and tight. Twined, combined and interwoven, exposing the explosive ups and agonizing downs, grounding in it’s strength and awe inspiring in it’s depth. Rousting the drama, intrigue, turmoil, deception, betrayal, secrets, danger, mounting suspense and nerve racking situations along with a boatload of chaos while dodging sinister intentions you have one chart topping masterpiece. Satisfaction is an understatement, you get it all with this action packed, hard hitting, pulse racing, heart pounding, adrenaline pumping, nailbiting, block busting bombshell, blasting this little gem into a hissy with a mind-blowing culmination. Maneuvering through terrifying trials and torrid tribulations, noting the shocking twists and wicked turns, testing our characters in ways they could have never envisioned. The characters are authentic and original with qualities and traits that blend into genuine relatable personalities. The scenes are strikingly sharp with abundant details and colorful descriptions so rich and lively, they balance and flow perfectly. Remarkable job Megan, thanks for sharing this little jewel with us.
I am totally in love with the Sanyare world, being a huge fan of The Sanyare Chronicles. So, getting to know it’s beginnings has been fun. Rei’s adoptive parent, Curuthannor, had some exciting experiences as a youth. Reading about his adventures in forging the sword that the egomaniacal King Othin commissioned was his family’s job, but procuring the materials was his. Having to go to the Shadow Realm to do so was where it all began. And what a beginning!
Going backward is often difficult for me. I don’t mind a prequel or 2, but starting way back as a “sister series” can be problematic because I always feel like I’ve already moved past that so I don’t really care.
In this case, however, Megan has done a remarkable job of making me become invested in the characters who preceded Rei. It actually turned out to be quite interesting how the 9 realms came to be here, on this planet, and how they interact with each other. I found it fascinating to watch all the earlier people, like King Rindae and Prince Aradae, Princess Faeliel (Othin’s daughter), Prince Daeturion (Othin’s son), the ill-fated sword, Thulentur, and of course, Garamaen, the Sanyaro.
There is a lot of intrigue and courtly machinations that lead up to the world that Rei grew up in; certainly, enough to build a spinoff series! And while I found a bit too much description in this one, I chose to overlook that since first books, even first books in spinoff series, usually have a lot of backstory. And while I don’t like a lot of description, I always allow for it in first, and sometimes even second books of a series, depending on how long that series intends to be. So I’ll let it go for this one and just say this: this was an excellent start to a sister series, and I’m really looking forward to learning more about the world before The Sanyare Chronicles. I really really love that series, so finding out how they all came to be where they ended up is promising to be fun.
Well done, Megan Haskell! Well done, indeed! I am definitely looking forward to book 2.
This was an ARC copy, and my review was in my own words and of my own volition. As always.
What can you do when you feel like you don’t fit in and desire to be other than what is expected? Well, you can take life by the hand and take off on an epic quest, meet new people and fight for your life. This is an excellent story. I enjoyed reading it and would recommend it.
When Rindae, King of the Shadow Realm, refuses to join the King of the Upper Realm, King Othin is determined to capture the shadow realm through war. He tasks the great Hatholdammon to forge him a blade that will amplify his power and ensure he wins the coming war.
Curuthannor, son of Hatholdammon, is tasked with travelling across the realms to gather the materials needed to forge the blade Thúlentur. However, when he finds himself breaking up a fight between upper realm and shadow realm soldiers, he is thrust between the coming conflict and his life is put in constant danger as he tries to navigate the two conflicting Kings. This is worsened when Princess Faeliel, King Othin’s daughter, travels to the Shadow Realm in an unsanctioned mission of her own.
Will Curuthannor and his family survive the rising conflict to forge Thúlentur? Which side will he choose to stand by, and will the nine Realms survive the coming war?
This is an amazing fantasy adventure story that highlights war, political games and ploys, loyalty, fate, and romance. The characters were masterfully written and their growth builds upon the tension in the story. I cannot wait to read the sequel.
Received as review copy, this is an honest review. Curuthannor rather be a warrior than toil in his father’s smith; when his father is charged by king Othin to craft a powerful sword, Curuthannor is sent to acquire the materials to do so. What should have been an easy quest to the Shadow Realm, finds Curuthannor caught up in the political struggles between the realms and the desire of absolute power. With a brilliant narrative, fleshed out agendas that are bone- chilling; haunting battles that will leave you floor. Highly recommended.
Megan Haskell is a real pro. She weaves world-building into her scenes seamlessly. Despite the fantasy setting and unusual names, her characters are believable and familiar. They are people who live next door, people you work with thrust into situations with unbelievable odds. This is a great start to what I believe will be a terrific series.