Robin's Review

Shadows of the Dark Realm

The idyllic kingdom of Parisia sat nuzzled securely in the Great Emerald Mountains. For generations Parisia had known nothing but peace and prosperity. When the elder dragon Darka Mors, steals the Darkstone, the entire realm is threatened. Without the Darkstone, the magic sealing away the Shadow King would fail. His return would bring death and destruction to the world of men.

Desperate, the king of Parisia calls on an unlikely hero, the Disgraced Knight Vale Lox to lead a group of Seekers on the most important quest in a thousand years. To save the realm and everyone they have ever known from the rising shadows of darkness, these misfits must survive hostile lands, enemy armies, unspeakable monsters, and each other in order to retrieve the stone from the dragon’s lair before it’s too late.

Robin’s Review

Children are disappearing from villages. Vale Lox, a disgraced knight, investigates and kills a creature called a swapling. He discovers a connection to the Regilum, a fanatical religious group that worships the royal family and has ties to the missing children.

“My king, without the Darkstone, we are vulnerable. Our mages are working to hold the veil in place, but they won’t be able to sustain it. If we don’t get that Stone back, the veil will fall, and the gates to the Dark Realm will re-open, ushering in the “Days of Doom.”

“Alistar put his hand on Dante’s shoulder. “Taking up a king’s quest is a great honor.”  Dante shook his head. “Honor is the currency of fools. I care not.”  “Of course, you don’t. You care only about your books.”  “Make it sound cold if you want. Knowledge is our future. It is our hope and our deliverance.”

If you’re searching for an epic fantasy read that will keep you engaged from start to finish, you’ll want to join Vale, Dante, Caelan, Celeste, and Azalea on a journey to prevent the Shadow Lord, Ruler of the Dark Realm, from escaping and plunging Parisia into chaos and ushering in the “Days of Doom.” The characters are relatable and show growth throughout the story, keeping me invested and rooting for them.

Although it has been done before, the storyline feels unique and fresh. The world-building is vivid, and the description of Parisia in the Great Emerald Mountains is one of the most impressive aspects of Edwards’ novel. It’s creative and richly crafted, drawing me in from the very first chapter.

One of the highlights I found is that the author’s use of what I thought were made-up words, for instance, “swapling” is a real word— I looked it up myself.

Despite the snarky and unlikely characters, the quest promises lots of action with kingdoms, dragons, and sorcery.

If you’re a fan of the epic fantasy genre, Shadows of the Dark Realm by Tyler Edwards is a must-read.

It was my pleasure to receive a copy of this book, but that does not in any way affect my opinions in this review of this entertaining story.