Review of The Shadows of Ebonveil

[Love Ukaegbu]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Shadows of Ebonveil" by Phillip Gross.]

---

4 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

If you love fantasy stories, you will love The Shadows of Ebonveil by Phillip Gross. The book follows the story of Elara, a librarian with the rare ability to manipulate shadows. At first, she lives a peaceful life as a librarian, unaware of the true nature of her powers, until she starts having nightmares. These are not regular nightmares, as they manifest as real creatures. Elara is forced to confront her powers and eventually face her worst fears.

But this story is not all about her; the land of Ebonvile is not as peaceful as it should be, and it is about to be plunged into eternal darkness by a vengeful god named Nyx. Elara is the key to defeating Nyx, as her powers are tied to the shadows she can manipulate, so she must confront her powers and face her inner demons to defeat Nyx. But like every protagonist, she will not be alone in this mission. She is helped by several people who must work together to ensure their mission is successful. Among her group is Rhys, a skilled thief with tremendous survival skills; he becomes Elara's protector and confidant. Then there is Kael, a cursed warrior bound to the shadows; despite his skill and agility, he remains vulnerable to Nyx. He must confront his past and find redemption. She is also accompanied by Professor Eldrin, who provides the group with knowledge, especially knowledge of Nyx's powers, ancient prophesies, and protective spells. Together, they worked to stop Nyx before it was too late. Are they willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to save Ebonveil, or is Nyx already too powerful for them to handle?

I love so many things about this book, but the first is how developed the characters are. They all have unique stories that have led them to where they are, especially the story of Kael and his curse. I also like how detailed the author described the scene, especially in the whispering woods, where the line between reality and nightmare was blurred. This book was so thorough that you could feel the characters' emotions, including their fears and burdens. I appreciate the glossary added at the end of the book; this will help the reader understand some of the concepts and places where certain events took place in the book.

On the downside, I feel the book was slow-paced, but that helped bring the emotions and the story to life. I wish the book gave some of the characters' stories more closure. This would have helped me as a reader gain more closure of the book. This book emphasises fear, teamwork, courage, and a strong will that can bring anyone who has chosen to do whatever it takes to achieve a specific goal. The book's editing was flawless, and I did not spot a grammatical error while reading. I rate this book four out of five stars, I'm only deducting a star due to the downside I mentioned. I recommend this book to lovers of dark fantasy.

******
The Shadows of Ebonveil
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[NetMassimo]

This novel includes some classic tropes of the fantasy genre, which are used to create a story that seems engaging despite the flaws you pointed out. Some important themes that transcende any genre and the flawless editing are a plus. Thank you for your great review!

[Mark Lazarus]

A dark fantasy with shadow magic, a cursed warrior, and a fight against a vengeful god? That definitely sounds like something I’d enjoy. I love stories where characters have to confront their fears and work as a team, especially when the world-building is immersive. The slow pace might be a bit of a hurdle, but if the atmosphere and character depth make up for it, I’d be willing to give it a shot.

[Ariadna Blue]

Everthing sounds like something I would love to read and have in between my books! I also think the cover it's pretty captivating, making me want to read it even more just by looking at it.