Book Summary
The idyllic kingdom of Parisia sat nestled securely in the Great Emerald Mountains. For generations Parisia had known nothing but peace and prosperity. When the elder dragon Draka 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.
Book Details
- Publisher : Tyler Edwards (December 20, 2023)
- Genre: Fantasy
- Language : English
- Paperback : 690 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1737722615
****I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, NetGalley, book tours, and or authors. A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.****
My Review
I enjoy reading Fantasy novels, and Shadows of The Dark Realm is a fantasy book with a variety of characters. The novel features diversity not only in its characters but also in the towns and cities mentioned, as well as the magical abilities displayed by certain characters.
When I jump into a fantasy novel like this, I grab one of my spiral notebooks and start taking notes. Doing this also extends my reading time of the 690-page book, as it becomes for me more of an explorative study of the world depicted in Shadows of the Dark Realm.
The world-building in this fantasy novel is exceptional. The story unfolds in the kingdom of Parisia, where generations of peace and prosperity were maintained by the royal family possessing The Darkstone, which kept The Shadow King at bay. The story is filled with thrilling adventures, magic, humor, menacing dragons, and sword fights. The characters' allegiances are often questionable which adds to readers wondering about their backgrounds and motivations to join the quest to recover the Darkstone.
On Author Tyler Edwards's website, there are specific descriptions, pictures, and backstories of each character, along with details of their strengths and weaknesses. This source served as a very helpful reference as I read through each chapter.
The plot is filled with interesting features like puzzles and challenges that the heroes/anti-heroes need to overcome in order to progress in their adventure. What struck me was the lack of purely good or bad characters, with many sitting in the morally gray area. These characters are shown in a very human light, and readers are shown how past experiences compelled them toward choices made and influenced their decisions.
This epic adventure will absolutely entertain you while cheering for your favorite characters. I enjoyed watching unlikely friendships form that ultimately led them closer to success.
In conclusion, this novel was such a thrilling experience, and I recommend it to all fantasy fans looking for their next epic fantasy read.
Don't miss reading my interview with the author down below. (which is found on my blog)
Characters in Shadows of the Dark Realm
Vale Lox
Former commander of the Phoenix Legion, Vale was once a famed hero of Parisia. After the events of the Two Rivers he was stripped of his position and labeled the Disgraced Knight. Haunted by a horrible curse, Vale strives to undo the sins of his past.
Dante Bgoni
Driven by a pursuit of knowledge, Dante strives to improve the lives of the whole realm through learning. His potions and designs are famed throughout Parisia. His wisdom has made him a valuable asset as one of the chief advisors to King Alistar.
Caelan Swift
Skilled archer and thief, Caelan is wanted throughout Parisia for his work with the Hands of Freedom. After the destruction of his childhood home, Caelan swore to find those responsible and get his revenge.
Azalea Zarila
With a temper that surpasses even the fire of her magic, Azalea has a deep hatred for all royals. She is a member of the Kingspira, a sisterhood of witches who serve the Red Empress and seek to destroy the noble family of the Vila Delaluche. She is a powerful shapeshifter and hosts a dark secret that threatens the entire realm.
Celeste
Celeste is a young woman seeking to escape her station. She dreams of adventure. When the king calls for Seekers, she sees her chance to live the life she’s always dreamed of. With high hopes of proving there is more to her than meets the eye. She soon discovers that adventures are not what she imagined they’d be and finds herself in way over her head.
Kade Drako
Mysterious man working with Tardania to capture the Seekers. Kade is driven, focused, and unrelenting. His magical power is preternatural. While he pursues the Darkstone, his true motives are unknown.
Rivik Markal
Called the bard of Rag’amor, Rivik is a proud warrior from the village of Wellar. When his home is attacked by a dragon, Rivik joins the Seekers in their quest. He is a talented warrior and bard. His laid back personality often gets him in trouble with his lover, Sera.
Sera Galen
Like Rivik, she is from the village Wellar. She is a great fighter and a kind spirit, but her true strength is her leadership. She is driven by her honor as a warrior, her sense of justice, and her desire to defend the weak and oppressed. Sera is always willing to do the right thing, even if it means going at it alone.
Grom
Troll berserkers are renowned for the strength and love for battle. Grom is no exception. His greatest joy in life is fighting and he will rush head first into any opportunity to test his favorite axes. He also has a strange love for purple flowers and is exceptionally loyal.
Ash Hargrave
Childhood friend of Caelan. Ash grew up in the harsh conditions of the lower city of Mortharth. He is rare survivor of the Dunamai clan and a skilled fist-fighter. With unrivaled strength Ash wields a great deal of influence on the streets of Mortharth as an enforcer.
Valron
A mysterious warrior with great magical power. Valron is a loyal and devoted servant of the Red Empress. He will stop at nothing to bring about her return to the mortal realm.
Red Empress
Vespera is a powerful ifrit from the Spirit Realm. After taking on human form she rose to power and ruled the kingdom of Parisia prior to being banished by the Vila Delaluche family. She is cruel, controlling, and obsessed with power. She desires to return to the mortal realm and acquire a body so she cannot be vanquished again.
Praetar Rath
Lord of the Shadow Realm, Praetar Rath is a relentless conquerer. He is determined to rule all the realms and though, contained by the power of the Darkstone, he is constantly plotting ways to return to the land of mortals and spread his darkness across it.
Shivanariandu
Known by most as “Shiv” he is the captain of a ship of sea elves that sails into the Dragonlands. He is brave, cunning, and playful. Shiv is a wild vagabond who enjoys surprises and will do just about anything for gold.
Spiro
After his village was destroyed by a dragon, Spiro joined the famed order of the Dragon Knights. He is strong, stubborn, and often oblivious of his surroundings. His sole purpose; to hunt down and kill any dragon he can find.
Owen
An unfortunate member of the Katuchi tribe, Owen is cursed by the god of luck to bring bad fortune and hardship wherever he goes. He is searching for his lost son who was taken from him by an angry mob. Owen carries the shame of saving himself instead of trying to rescue his son.
~*~*~*~*Exclusive Author Interview~*~*~*~*
1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Starting when I was about eight years old, I found myself not paying attention in class because I was too busy writing stories in my notebooks. Never really completed any but was always crafting an idea, a character, or some element of a story. I think on some level, the desire began then.
2. How do you get inspired to write?
It doesn't take a lot to inspire me to write, I mostly feel this driving need to do it. Like the ideas in me bubble up and threaten to overflow until I write them.
3. Can you tell us about a book or author that has greatly inspired your own work?
Tolkien was the first. Cliche as it may be, he created this world that I could get lost in and for years, I needed to get lost in it. That really started my desire to create worlds where others might find that same escape in.
4. Do you base your characters on real people?
Sometimes yes. One of the ways I like to ensure diversity amongst my characters and a clear voice for them is to build them off people I know. I don't do this a ton in the same story but there are usually a few characters that are at least rooted in someone I know, if for nothing else, taking an amusing quirk they have. Others, and this is more common, are meant to serve as illustrations of a point / like a virtue.
5. When did you start writing Shadows of the Dark Realm?
I started writing Shadows of the Dark Realm in 2022. It was actually meant to be a distraction to reset my pallet because I was having writer's block with the third book of my dystopian trilogy. Once Shadows got going, I got caught up in it and couldn't stop.
6. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
There are several, like Tolkien I try to keep the messages more subtle inference and let the reader draw on their own experience for how they might work. Each character ex. Vale represents a lesson: doing the right thing doesn't always mean things go well for you. The book itself is meant to show the value of community, people are different and yet, what allows to do more than any one of us is capable of on our own, is learning to appreciate the differences we have as we work together.
7. What would you say is the most difficult part of writing a book? Thanks so much for being willing to answer the questions.
Excluding the elements of book writing that are not writing related (like marketing 
) I would say the hardest part is finding the proper balance between depth and pacing. You want the story to move well but you don't want to ignore the characters along the way. Knowing when to slow down to let a moment really sink in and when to speed up so as not to get bogged down in 17 pages describing a tree, has been a tough. challenge
****Meet Author Tyler Edwards****
Learn more about Tyler and his books here-
https://authortyleredwards.wordpress.com/
Shadows of the Dark Realm Trailer
~*~*~*~*Purchase Shadows of the Dark Realm~*~*~*~*
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