The Shadow of What was Lost

A true pleasure in life is to crack open a book and see that it does the fundamentals so well you can’t help but be impressed.

For me, The Shadow of What was Lost is one of those stories. As the story began, I feared that I was in for a very familiar journey. An orphan boy slowly discovers that he has magic powers, soon to realize he is instrumental in the shape of events to come. It’s a trope as old as fantasy, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done well.

This book continued to prove itself with every passing page. New concepts are brought in, the magic system is slowly unveiled, and characters learn more about themselves and each other. Then it is all tied together in a beautiful and exquisite package.

The world here is deep and complex, with a history that is very clearly having an effect on the events of the story. Fans of world-building will no doubt be pleased by the work that has gone into this book. Even by the end of the story, it’s clear there is so much left to learn.

Needless to say, the sequel is already in my queue.