SHADOWKINGS by Michael Cobley
Book One of the ShadowKings Trilogy
Earthlight (Simon & Schuster) - July 2001
ISBN 0743207173 - Trade Paperback
Fantasy

Reviewed by Rachel A Hyde, MyShelf.com
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Where once the prosperous Khatrimantine Empire covered the land all is dust and ashes, thanks to the invading barbarian Morgaun. Now people either scratch a poor living and dream of how it used to be only sixteen years before - or they get up and do something about it. Ikarno Mazaret, Commander of the Knights of the Fathertree (an outlawed religion) and Suviel, one of the few surviving mages are two such people and they have the young heir to the Imperial throne as a trump card to play. Trouble is the other side have more than their arms up their sleeves as well and cruel warlord Byrnak finds that he is one of the dread Shadowkings, a part of the evil Morgaun entity the Lord of Twilight who was sundered into five during the war. With his new powers he can wreak revenge upon his onetime mistress and swordswoman Keren and try to grab the glory for himself.

Cobley paints a bleak but realistic picture of a shattered land trying to rebuild itself after a devastating war. The individual factions pitted against one another make for an interesting read although none of the characters come to sufficient life to be memorable which is a fault. He avoids verbosity (a problem of so much fantasy fiction) and manages to conjure up some gripping action scenes and a tortuous plot that keeps the pages turning as friends reveal themselves as foes and new obstacles arise to keep the good guys more than busy. Flesh out some of the characters and this series will shape up nicely.