Cloak of Shadows

Cloak of Shadows (Netherwalker #1)

by C.K. Dawn

5 out of 5

Synopsis
What if all you've ever known of King Arthur's legend was a lie to mislead you from the truth? What if Camelot truly existed, but was destroyed to keep its secrets? What if there were descendants of the Knights of the Round Table defending us today from the creatures that lurk within the shadows? If the gloaming came looking for you would you answer its call? 

Fourteen year old Abigail Thorne answered the gloaming and it turned her life upside down. Along with her mentor Lourdes Reese, a seasoned hunter in the King's Court, she now banishes the evil shadows while most dociles sleep in their beds.

Fighting hidden creatures that feed on humans, glimpsing fractures that lead to another world, and wielding magical weapons all before geometry? That's a normal day for Abbey now, and she loves every minute of it. But, she has no idea that being sent to Britain for her last hunter trial will unleash a chain of events that will change everything and everyone she loves forever.

A life will be lost, a life will be taken, and an unexpected new romance will emerge all while the fate of two worlds balances on the edge of a hunter's blade.



Review
The shadows that lurk in the corner of your eye, that terrify you as a child, they are real.  Netherwalkers slip through into our world, greedy to consume human lives.  An ancient order of hunters are the first and last line of defence.  And Lourdes Reese is the best they have to offer.

 I'm not actually sure where to start with this book, there is just so much going on!

 The world-building is fantastic.  C.K. Dawn takes a new spin on the Arthurian legend, giving us an alternate history.  The King's Court is a secret order that's woven through several legends, it's task is to banish the netherwalkers, and to protect innocent human lives - preferably whilst keeping them ignorant to the danger.

 To become a part of the King's Court, you have to be descended from the original residents of Camelot.  Most are born within the King's Court families.  But some, like Abbey Thorne, are born outside and after fearing for their sanity when they see creatures no one else can, end up finding their way home.

 The story follows Abbey, a 14 year old apprentice hunter; and her mentor Lourdes "Lourdie" Reese.  Both of these female characters are strong, confident, and can take care of themselves.
Lourdie in particular was a very cool character.  On top of being one of the best hunters in her home territory, Lourdie's unique abilities has earned her a trip to England, to train the best hunters from around the world.
Abbey is... a teenage girl.  As much as I liked the character, I also found her very annoying and a little tiring to deal with - which kinda reminds me of my own baby sister!
The girls have their girly moments, they enjoy shopping and observing the bevy of fit young men at the Castle; but they never allow it to interfere with their duty.

 There are some awesome scenes throughout the book, whether they are training within a holographic projection; or fighting demons for real.  Actually, some of the simple interactions between the characters is equally awesome, and shines out.

 This was somewhere around a 4.5 out of 5 for me, and very hard to rate.
Despite the fact that on paper, it ticks so many boxes; and that it is written really well; I was missing that "grab-me-and-don't-let-go" factor.  I really wanted this to be one of the books that kept me up until three in the morning, because I had to know what happened next.
The worst thing is, I can't actually put a finger on why.  So I'd like everyone to try this book for themselves and not be put off by my mini-negative note.
This is a series I'll definitely be continuing, and I'd love to hear everyone else's opinions.

Goodreads link
Amazon.co.uk

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dark Prophet

Image
Dark Prophet (The Chronicles of Koa #2) by K.N. Lee 4 out of 5 Synopsis Not all vampires are created equal... Koa is a half-blood vampire with not only the ability to fly, but survive in the sun's light. She will do anything to protect her mother, and break her curse. The demon, Bund, wants more than her mother's life. He wants something from Koa, a power that she doesn't even know she has, and will rip through as many humans as he can to get her to surrender. Agent Koa Ryeo-won, and her boss, Halston, formed a crew of supernatural agents to stop Bund. But is a prophet, a temptress, a War-Breeder, a half-blood with an enchanted sword, and a few angels enough to stop what Bund has planned? In the midst of a war between the humans of the mortal world, and the creatures of the Netherworld, Koa discovers the truth of her past. She finds herself torn between two men, and in the center of everything. Faced with all of her returned memories, Koa also finds herself more p
Read more

Child of Recklessness

Image
Child of Recklessness (Trials of Strength #2) by Matthew R. Bell 4 out of 5 Synopsis They hoped escaping set them free. They assumed fighting back put them on top. They thought they had their enemy sussed. They were wrong. Lucas Bishop is a wanted man. After the horrors he and his group endured in Greystone, the hope that followed seemed warranted. They were high on success, and a new mission was formed. Find the people responsible, and destroy them. But things have changed. The survivors' lives are about to be rocked once again, with forces beyond their sight taking position. The new threats test our group to their limits, but in the end, the biggest threat is Lucas himself. He's filled with anger and resentment, and the lines between justice and revenge blur. Lucas will have to control his emotions. Or risk leading his new family to destruction....  
Read more

The Daring Assignment

Image
The Daring Assignment Victoria Bright 3 out of 5 Synopsis I didn’t mean to hurt anyone, especially him…  I was living the dream. I had a great career as a romance author, a successful boyfriend, and am the daughter to a New York power couple. With my standing, my family groomed me to be perfect. Despite having it all, something was still missing.  In an attempt to break away from my privileged, suffocating life, I was in pursuit of finding my own path to happiness. After my literary agent gave me a risky writing assignment, I set out to write a best-seller that took me completely out of my comfort zone and into the arms of another man. He was only supposed to be a research toy, falling in love wasn’t a part of the plan.  As I become tangled into a huge web of lies, I quickly find out that I have a life changing decision to make. Do I choose to continue living a life of comfort, stability, and misery or do I take a chance on the unknown to preserve my happiness?
Read more