REVIEW: Shadow's Lure By Jon Sprunk

Shadow's Lure by John Sprunk
Publishing Information: Paperback; 391 Pages
Publisher: Pyr June 21, 2011
ISBN 10: 1616143711
ISBN 13: 978-1616143718
Series: Book 2 of the Shadow's Saga
Copy: Provided by Publisher
Reviewer: Tyson


Synopsis: In Othir, he was at the top of the food chain—an assassin beyond compare, a dark shadow in the night. But Caim left that life behind when he helped an empress claim her throne. And now his past has come calling again.

Searching for the truth behind the murder and disappearance of his parents, Caim discovers a land in thrall to the Shadow. Haunted by temptations from the Other Side, he becomes mired in a war he does not want to fight.

But there are some things a son of the Shadow cannot ignore, and some fights from which he can't run. In this battle, all of Caim's strength and skill won't be enough.

For none can resist the Shadow's Lure.

It seems like it was ages ago when I read Shadow's Son, the first book in the Shadow's Saga. And for that reason when Shadow's Lure began I had a lot of catching up to do. I remembered the key players but some of the finer details escaped me. It was a few chapters in when everything started coming back together.

Shadow's Lure is more of a personal journey than a quest or adventure. As Caim travels back to his long forgotten homeland he learns a great deal about himself and his family origins. The complete story remains a mystery but a lot of what everyone was wondering from the first novel is brought to light.

Josey also does a lot of growing up in the course of this book. She is no longer quite as naive as she once was and by the end of this novel proves she is worthy of the throne. Anyone looking for a strong female character needs to look no further as she does a fine job of balancing her new role as empress and that of a young woman with very little knowledge of court politics.

While I did enjoy Shadow's Lure quite a lot it didn't have the non-stop action I recall from the first book. It definitely has that middle book feel that many fantasy novels suffer from. Because it is more of a personal/spiritual journey this time around it drags a little from time to time. However, that said it is still a favorite and does its best to uncover many mysteries while preparing us for what is ahead of Caim and Josey and those that reside in Othir. Anyone who is a fan of the first book will notice that the pacing in this book is a little slower and is preparing us for whatever may come in book three which looks like a doozy.

Plot 7/10
Characters 8/10
Style 7/10

Overall 7.5/10