In Solitude’s Shadow is the first book in the Empire of Ruin series and a great introduction to the world and characters created by Author David Green. Think of a magical version of Game of Thrones (similar to House Stark and without all the drama of House Lannister!) Instead of the White Walkers we have a race called the Banished who are attempting to get past the walls of Solitude… but for what purpose and are they what we are led to believe? The forgotten Sparkers, mages with various magical abilities including the power to kill, are sent to Solitude for their misdemeanours, and are all that stand in the way of the Banished. Their task, to protect the fortress, but the Banished numbers are greater and it seems their pleas to the Masters in Haltveldt for reinforcement are not forthcoming… why? This definitely has a similar feel to the ‘Knights Watch’ where nothing really happens until a mysterious phenomenon occurs which is a catalyst for the Banished to come!
In Solitudes Shadow, overall is a well written and constructed plot that moves at a satisfactory pace, although it did take me a little while to fully settle into the story, but once I did I was completely hooked. The characters are well developed and are really fascinating with their varied magical abilities. There is plenty of drama, twist and turns to keep readers engaged and entertained, as battle lines are drawn and our main protagonists Zanna (mother) and Calene (daughter) are forced to put aside their personal fude, and work out who is friend and who is foe. The dialogue is relevant and credible, and there are no significant editorial issues that would detract from the readers enjoyment of the story.
I would recommend it to all fans of this genre and award 4.5 stars
