Product Description

A man wakes in the wilderness, amid scattered corpses and inquisitive crows. He has no memory of who he is or how he came to be there. The only clues to his former existence lie in his apparent skill with a sword and the fragmented dreams that permeate his sleep. Alone in a hostile world he moves from village to village, masquerading as a god to obtain food and shelter. But the shadow of his past pursues him relentlessly. It whispers to him a riddle far more complex than he could ever have imagined - and a truth he may not wish to believe. Look out for more information about this book and others at www.orbitbooks.co.uk

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #79709 in Books
• Published on: 2002-05-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 576 pages

Review
'Utterly compelling' THE ALIEN ONLINE on Shadow 'This is exactly what the fantasy genre needs. Mature, confident prose from a talented writer...compelling, assured, intelligent - five stars ' SFX

From the Publisher
K.J. Parker received critical acclaim for his Fencer Trilogy (COLOURS IN THE STEEL, THE BELLY OF THE BOW and THE PROOF HOUSE). SHADOW is the first book in the Scavenger Trilogy – a series that takes fantasy fiction into remarkable new territory.

Praise for K.J. Parker

‘One of the most entertaining fantasy debuts in recent years … A superior slice of fantasy’ SFX

‘Action-packed adventure … an intriguing tale of magic, manipulation and revenge. STARBURST

About the Author
Having worked in journalism and the law, K. J. Parker now writes and makes things out of wood and metal.

Customer Reviews

Dangermash approves
Outstanding stuff.

I'm getting towards the end of Book 2 (Pattern) at the moment and thought now was a good time to give my thoughts on Shadow.

It's impossible to quantify the scope of the plot in Shadow simply because I still don't know what the plot is. OK I've followed the adventures of Poldarn for a while now but there's something else going on that I'm not yet sure of, although I'm starting to get some ideas.

It's a bit like Agatha Christie in some respects. A mystery, littered with clues and red herrings. During the first book I was wishing I was a single man again, able to sit in the back garden on a Sunday and read through the whole book in one sitting (OK maybe two for one this thick). Because there's so much information thrown at you in such a confused manner that it's hard to take it all in. Mind you, you do end up in the same situation as Poldarn does, having lots of "I'm sure I'm supposed to already know something about this" sort of way.

For anybody enjoying the first book but feeling buried under information, I can tell you that the second is more relaxing. We are told at the end of the first book who Poldarn is (although I'm still suspicious) so the second is more about character development, and about filling in some of the memory lapses. And the feeling of deja vu still keeps coming back.

It's just such a nice change to have a fantasy book with some real mystery to it.

What the fantasy genre should be
Billed by SFX as "exactly what the fantasy genre needs", this book is a truly excellent example of how a basic fantasy novel concept can be turned into a masterpiece of believable and entertaining fiction. The plot begins with the main character, Poldarn, waking up in a puddle of mud surrounded by corpses, not knowing who he is, where he is, or anything of his past (let alone who the corpses beside him are). An almost cliched beginning these days, but instead of sending Poldarn off on some irrelevantly random quest, and discovering by the end of the book he's actually the heir to the throne of the kingdom currently held under the tyranny of an evil warlord, Parker sends Poldarn bumbling his way through the world in which he finds himself, and having to deal with the problems this presents.

This is done in a completely creditable manner, and although there is indeed a deeper plot afoot in the background, Poldarn only brushes past it from time to time, whilst in other chapters the reader is privy to what dangers could face him in the future (and looking for any subtle clues as to the character's identity). But perhaps the most memorable (and brilliant) aspect of this book is the way in which it has been written. Parker does not go in at all for describing the glorious countryside, or the long back-histories of irrelevant forests and towns, he tells it "like it is", with a nicely cynical narrative which effectively grounds the story into something resembling a true reality you can actually believe exists, rather than having to make an effort to suspend your disbelief. If there is some contrived factor, say, for example, a hay cart just outside Poldarn's window which he has to jump into later to escape some attack, he will remark on it rather than leave the reader groaning at the falsity; more importantly he will look at it and probably mutter to himself cynically about how a god of some sort must be enjoying seeing his hindquarters running into the sunset.

This refreshing tone in a fantasy book, and the light and easy manner in which it is told (contrasting to the more serious moments, thus increasing the intensity of those interludes), lead to "Shadow" being a totally accessible, and massively entertaining read, with many a plot twist and revelation right to the last chapter. Don't expect to have all revealed at the end, either; this is a trilogy, and Parker intends to do it properly, and keep the central factors in the book (Poldarn's loss of memory, coupled with the fragments of worrying story he hears about himself, and the mysterious confidence and panache he possesses with a sword) going to the final instalment. This is no bad thing, as I personally cannot wait for more of the same.

Outstanding
Although I was dazzled by the virtuosity of Parker's 'Fencer' trilogy, I have to say that 'Shadow' marks a step forward. In the 'Fencer' books, Parker displayed a breathtaking talent for description, making you feel that the world being described is as real as our own, and a brilliant style ranging from dry wit to pure poetry. These elements are present in 'Shadow', but allied to a basic concept that's guaranteed to take your breath away. This is an amazing book; it draws you in from the very first page and never lets you go. I can't wait for the sequel!