Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Reviews

Book Review: The Shattered Dark

By Sandy Amazeen Nov 20, 2012, 2:02 GMT

McKenzie Lewis has a gift. It allows her access to a world few have seen, and even fewer can comprehend. It\'s her secret. And it exists in the shadows... McKenzie was a normal college student, save for one little twist: she\'s a shadow reader, someone who can both see the fae and track their movements between our world and the Realm. It\'s a gift for which she has ...more

McKenzie Lewis’s rare and highly sought gift to track the fae puts her squarely in the middle of a fae civil war between the former King’s loyal subjects and the Rebels who brought him down. After events in The Shadow Reader, Lewis thought the affairs of the troubled Realm were behind her but as the loyal fae grow stronger the rebel, Aren requests assistance. If the circumstances were less dire, Aren and Lewis could pursue a serious romantic relationship but with the fate of the Realm on a knife-edge and Lewis’s best friend abducted into the fae world, there is little opportunity. As the dead King’s subjects grow increasingly bold and new gateways begin appearing, Lewis puts everything on the line with unexpected results that will have lasting ramifications which proves, no matter how hard she works at putting the Realm out of her life it is always within reach.

Plenty of action with numerous close-call escapes, Williams spends more time on character development then advancing the plot, which in this case isn’t a bad thing as it adds considerable depth. Still fiercely loyal, Lewis has gained enough experience to begin weighing options before leaping blindly into action though this does not simplify her love life. While there are several urban fantasy series dealing with the fae, the multiple storylines and rapid-fire action make this one stand out.