Looming Shadow by Brian Wilkerson is the second book in the Journey To Chaos series. It picks up where book one left off, with protagonist Eric Watley desperate to return to Tariatla, a land where using magic is as common as learning to ride a bicycle. The life of a humble mercenary is no longer available to Eric after his previous adventures in this foreign land, and a whole new adventure filled with monsters, magic and darkness awaits him now. Despite the danger and the looming return of the villainous Dengel, Eric’s enthusiasm for magic will help him see through all the trickery and deception that stands in his way.

There was nothing quite original or out of the ordinary enough for me to get really excited about Looming Shadow, but it was a well written adventure with all of the expected ingredients to make a compelling fantasy tale. I particularly enjoyed the character of Tasio the Trickster, who was presented with a devilish humour throughout the story, and author Brian Wilkerson was able to fill every page with action. Looming Shadow was an easy read with a fast pace once Eric makes his return to Tariatla, and I very much enjoyed reading about the various types of magic and spell craft that Wilkerson invented to produce problems for Eric to face. Those magic fans looking for something a little more unusual will have to go elsewhere, but fans of the traditional fantasy genre will certainly find Looming Shadow to be a solid and pleasing read.

The Looming Shadow (Journey to Chaos Book 2) is a fantasy by Brian Wilkerson. Eric Watley prefers living on Tariatla where he studies magic, but Tasio, a Trickster sent him to Threa, which weakens his magical powers. Eric eventually returns to Tariatla, where he’s still employed at the Dragon’s Lair, but is dubbed “The Trickster’s Choice” so everyone is wary of him and he often has mishaps wherever he goes. He reunites with old acquaintances, Kasile who is now the Queen, Kallen, and a few enemies that include Nulso who also wants to harm him as well as others. Although Eric killed a powerful magician named Dengel, he constantly hears the magician’s condescending voice in his head, and a strange shadow calling itself Grey Dengel trails him. Grey Dengel believes that it is The Trickster’s Choice, unaware that Eric is the current one and causes mischief.

It is suggested that Book One in the series be read first to get a better understanding of The Looming Shadow (Journey to Chaos Book 2) by Brian Wilkerson. I feel there should have been a Glossary or Cast of Characters as most characters suddenly appeared in a scene then disappeared, and there was not sufficient information on them for me to form an impression. It contains more dialogue than action, and there was very little violence, but the plot was a bit difficult to follow at times. However, the author’s writing was imaginative and consistent throughout the content. The silent conversations that Eric has in his mind with Dengel were witty. He certainly has problems, but attempts to solve them as quickly as possible, regardless of obstacles. The Looming Shadow is an original, fast-paced story that fantasy lovers, particularly young adults will like reading.

Looming Shadow by Brian Wilkerson is the second book in the Journey to Chaos series. (The first book is A Mage's Power) Looming Shadow follows Eric, a mage, as he returns to his home in Ataidar. While there he reunites with his friends, has many adventures and tries to find some answers to the mana mutation. The book reminds me a little of Harry Potter, just with a lot more action and with mages instead of wizards.

I have not read Wilkerson’s first book yet so Looming Shadow is my first time reading about Eric and his adventures. When I started reading, I knew I was missing part of the story, it having been told in the first book. Wilkerson does a good job in filling in the blanks in Looming Shadow. He reminds, or in my case, tells the reader a little bit of the back story of the characters and storyline. This helps the story come together and flow nicely. I also loved Wilkerson’s female character, Tiza. Tiza is a strong female fighter character who is never shown as a damsel in distress. I also really enjoyed that Wilkerson put a map of the Isaryu continent in the beginning of the book. It helps the reader get a stronger picture of everywhere Eric travels.

Overall, I enjoyed Looming Shadow and would like to read Wilkerson’s first book, A Mage’s Power. I can say that Wilkerson has gained a fan in me. I recommend this book to all fantasy book lovers as well as Harry Potter fans. I look forward to the next book in the series, Mana Mutation Menace.