About the Book
We grow up with the Legend of King Arthur... but where did he come from? Who was Merlin? What part did the Druids play in bringing Arthur to his round table? This is the story that came before, when Britain was just a Shadowland.
On the night of Midwinter's Eve, a storyteller takes his listeners back to the Dark Ages and a tale from his youth.
`I have lived more years than I can remember, probably more than the sum of all your years combined. Kings have called me friend and brigands have sworn to burn the flesh from my bones, even if they have to search all seven halls of the shadowland to find me.'
Deserted by its Roman masters, Britain has been invaded by the Saxons at the invitation of Vortigern, traitorous leader of the Britons. Now, as the tribes unite to reclaim their land, one man must rise to lead them and become their only true king.
Shadowland is a young adult story of historical fantasy set in the Dark Ages of Britain; however, it is gathering fans of all ages.
My Review (4 Stars)
Shadowland is an interesting and unique take on the Arthurian legend. At least, it's not one that I've personally read before.
It's set in Britain, during the Dark Ages, as the Romans are starting to pack up and leave, and head back home to sort out their more pressing internal problems. Their departure leaves a vacuum among the tribes, and the Picts, Iceni, Gauls, Saxons, and others, are all vying for control.
With "culture" and "heritage", among other things, being hot-button topics in South Africa at the moment, I found this book to be quite refreshing. I remember saying to my wife, pretty early on, "Wow. This is MY heritage; this is MY culture!"
Shadowland is very well researched, with just the right amount of artistic licence. The writing is fairly good, and engaging, but I do feel that the plot occasionally drags on a bit.
Still, it's a fresh take on history, a fresh take on the fantasy genre, and one that fans of historical fiction are sure to enjoy.
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