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Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
In The Deathly Shadow by Justin C. Davis, Abaddon is a sorcerer who has taken control of a human kingdom by force after securing the goblin industry and weapon supply, using terror to eliminate rival rule. Lord Walsingham, a senior noble with ties to lawful governance, is captured so his family and allies can escape. His daughter Lily is hidden because a prophecy links her survival to Abaddon’s fall, making her a target. While Lily is taken to a remote island to be trained in magic that resists domination, her mother, Ursula, moves between independent regions seeking military support. As Abaddon hunts fugitives and stages public reprisals, a loose but rapidly rising resistance works to delay him long enough to force a direct encounter.
Justin C. Davis’s The Deathly Shadow is an excellent fantasy, well-written, dark, epic, and full of magic. As far as protagonists go, Lily is a brilliant anchor that we want to root for and has the moral fortitude I like to see in a main character. She takes her drills seriously and puts herself behind the greater good in scenes like returning to a ruined village to save a boy. The settings are so visual that they are almost cinematic, with storm-lashed cottages and goblin mine galleries, where torchlight frames carvings like a moving mural. The society Davis has built runs on bargains and fear, shown through Abaddon, who turns executions into policy. This is the perfect read for those who appreciate a great rebellion fantasy. It ticks all the boxes for lovers of classic and contemporary authors alike. Recommended.
