The Shadow of Theron by Kathryn Troy
Published: February 28, 2023
City Owl Press
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 534
KKECReads Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Kathryn Troy teaches in the Department of Social Sciences and Criminal Justice at Suffolk County Community College and the Department of History, Politics, and Geography at Farmingdale State College, State University of New York.
Holy relics are all that remain of Theron’s sacred legend.
Now those relics, the enchanted weapons forged by the Three-Faced Goddess to help Theron defeat the wicked Sorcerer Argoss, are disappearing.
Lysandro knows the village magistrate Marek is responsible, and he searches for proof disguised as the masked protector the Shadow of Theron.
But when Marek wounds him with an accursed sword that shouldn’t exist, Lysandro must find a way to stop Marek from gaining any more artifacts created by the Goddess or her nemesis.
The arrival of the beautiful newcomer Seraphine, with secrets of her own, only escalates their rivalry.
As the feud between Lysandro and Marek throws Lighura into chaos, a pair of priestesses seeks to recover the relics and return them to safekeeping. But the stones warn that Argoss is returning, and they must race to retrieve Theron’s most powerful weapon.
While they risk their lives for a legend, only one thing is certain. The three temples to the Goddess have been keeping secrets: not just from the faithful, but from each other.
“So he sought justice from the shadows.”
Lysandro spends his days avoiding talk of marriage with his father and his nights as the masked protector of his village. Until the beautiful Seraphine returns home. Now, Lysandro has his heart set on the possibility of forever. But someone is stealing ancient relics and leaving death in their wake.
I don’t read fantasy novels, and I would not call myself a fantasy fan. However, I enjoyed this story a lot. This is the beginning of what is going to be an incredible series and a sordid tale.
I liked the characters in this novel. Our hero, Lysandro, is gentle and sweet but also fierce and protective. He will destroy anyone that threatens those he loves. Sera is sassy, intelligent, and brave. She is fearless when it comes to doing right by her heart.
I enjoyed how this story unfolded and found the telling clever. This introduced the characters, the plot, and the journey. This was also the beginning of the coming war, and the two points were woven together seamlessly.
The Shadow of Theron is a bit of Zorro mixed with The Lord of the Rings. I enjoyed how all elements came together and how each character carried their role. The use of magic was well done, and the romance was sweet.
I devoured this story, which for me was surprising. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this being a fantasy novel, but I am pleased to say I enjoyed this.
The writing was superb, the pacing was fast, and the plot flowed nicely. The elements all came together in a perfect balance. I will be reading the next book in this series.