Review: One of the finest recently released fantasy books out there!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 21, 2014
Great fantasy novels are difficult to write because even if you’re writing about events or characters that never happened or existed, there is still the readers’ demand for believability and verisimilitude. But Michael Diack, with his ‘Shadows in the Sand’, has fulfilled those demands in a flourish: this is a book you will “devour” and whose sequel(s) you will watch out for. Here’s why.‘Shadows in the Sand’ is a post-apocalyptic tale about the remnants of mankind who manage to thrive and survive after a devastating cataclysm. And like how human beings lived in the past, this small, vulnerable community of survivors in a city called Nimar live near a water pool, on which they depend on for their meagre nourishment. But the water pool happens to be drying up—in a few weeks, the water would be gone. Desperate, the humans send out search or exploration parties everywhere to find an alternative water source, despite their fear that there might not be any. This post-apocalyptic situation sounds familiar—but in ‘Shadows in the Sand’, the humans have allies and foes that come from the fantasy genre: elves, trolls, giant insects, mermen and mysterious immortal beings called the Ovites. And if the water problem isn’t enough, the humans also face a formidable problem: the murderous onslaught of the Sanghouls, beings whose main mission in life is inflict death. Fortunately for the humans, they’re not alone: an elf prince offers alliance and military help—and a chance to survive the Sanghouls: using the long lost seven stones of light as weapon. There’s only one little problem: as I’ve said, the stones have been lost a long time ago, and nobody knows where they are.And that’s only for starters—as you may realize, this is an epic fantasy tale that shall span multiple books, as indicated by its sheer scope. But if this “Book 1” is any indication, then the entire series is set to become a well-loved classic. Author Michael Diack has a way with words that compels you to keep on turning the pages and drops your jaws when you least expect it. He paints a rich, vivid, and evocative backstory that supports the tale’s present, giving us more than enough emotional gravitas to “feel” with the main characters.Overall, an exceptional fantasy tale that will delight both fans and nonfans of the genre. Get a copy—or send as a gift to like-minded friends. You will love every page of it.