Into the Shadowlands - Tiffany Putenis

In the Duchy of Amadan, all males are born with the spark of magic running through their veins. But there is a price to be paid by the strongest magic-wielders.

Once a generation, a magical tournament unfolds at the Duke of Amadan's fortress. The winner becomes a hero before being sacrificed to the Shadowlands, where the Demon Lord Trahern awaits.

Gedran wins the tournament and is shoved through a portal into the Shadowlands. His brother, Roarke, faces a harrowing decision: to stay in Amadan or journey into the Shadowlands to save his brother.

Into the Shadowlands is an adventure through perilous terrain where the bonds of family and a brother's devotion are tested. This is Tiffany Putenis's first fantasy novel.

My review: After reading hundreds of fantasy books, I'm always in search of something new. To be honest, the cover is what grabbed me here. The story takes place in a fictional land, where people can wield magic. Based on a contract between a half-demon and a duke, the strongest magic wielder in every generation is portaled into the Shadowlands. The brother of the last young man to be sent there embarks on an journey to save him and gets tracked and aided by a girl he barely knows from his village.

Now, the story is not bad, but it gives me a feeling of generic fantasy. With so many books out there from this genre it's hard to come up with something new and exciting. I think what I didn't like was that the characters were quite undefined. Eislyn, the main female character, is portrayed as a strong girl who knows her own mind and doesn't need a man to defend her. I think she's the best-defined character in the book. The rest of them feel quite two-dimensional.

I'm not saying the plot is bad in any way, but it didn't bring anything that I was looking for. It would be ideal for someone who just now starts reading fantasy. It's quite tame, so perfect for a teenager.

Publisher: ‎ Jazz House Publications (April 19, 2022)

Language: ‎ English

Paperback: ‎ 178 pages

ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1955373036

The review copy was provided by Book Sirens.