THE SHADOW'S HEIR by K. J. Taylor is about a girl trying to
find the land where she belongs only to find she may not
belong anywhere. Laela Redguard of Sturrick is a half-breed,
the child of a Southern woman and a Northern man. Laela has
her mother's eyes and the dark coloring and long limbs of
her father's people. She is ostracized by the people of her
homeland. Once the man she calls Dad dies she heads north
to find the truth of her origins. An auspicious event
places Laela under the care of the Northern king, Arenadd
Taranisaii, and his griffin, Skandar. Arenadd is a tragic
figure, a drunk king with no will to conquer, who is brought
to life with the arrival of Laela. Together they are caught
up in a war between the Day God, Gryphus, and the Night God,
Scathach. With so many unknowns between them, will they
ever find the truth?
THE SHADOW'S HEIR is the first book in K. J. Taylor's new
series, The Risen Sun. K. J. Taylor flawlessly
introduces
readers to a whole new world built for her fascinating
cast of characters. The reader is not bogged down by the
minutia of this new world, but instead slowly introduced to
vivid imagery as the story unfolds. Each chapter gracefully
leads to the next, but they can easily stand on their own.
The only aspect I find jarring is Laela's vernacular,
sometimes her accent is laid on a little too thick. But for
that, Laela's character is very likeable as is the deformed
Arenadd. THE SHADOW'S HEIR is a fantasy full of mystery,
romance and adventure.
This is the first book by K. J. Taylor I have read and I
must say she has a new fan. I look forward to reading about
Laela's adventures in the next book of The Risen Sun
series.
Laela Redguard was born with the black hair of the Northern
kingdom and the blue eyes of the Southern people, forever
marking her as a hated half-breed child of both. When her
only family tie is severed, the fierce and strong-willed
Laela decides to leave her adoptive father’s home in the
hopes of finding acceptance in the North, where the ruthless
King Arenadd and the dark griffin Skandar rule. While
Laela’s Northern features allow her to blend into the crowds
of the King’s seat at Malvern, she cannot avoid falling
victim to a pair of common thugs. When a stranger saves her
life and gives her a place to stay, Laela is shocked to
learn he is Arenadd himself—a man said to be a murderer who
sold his soul to the Night God—the King without a heart.
Arenadd is unsure what compels him to help this girl, but
there is something about her that seems familiar, something
he cannot remember—something that may rise up to banish the
darkness forever…
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