Book Cover from Amazon
Greatshadow: Book One of the Dragon Apocalypse by James Maxey
BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON
A classic sword and sorcery dungeon crawl to hunt a dangerous dragon!
After stealing a priceless relic from the Church of the Book, Infidel is the world’s most infamous mercenary. Now she’s got her eyes on a new prize, the fabled treasure trove of the dragon Greatshadow. Joining forces with a band of dangerous rogues, can she survive her own allies long enough to face the dragon?
MY REVIEW
The world creation of the primal dragons is great. I love why they became what they are and look forward to future books of the Dragon Apocalypse. The three systems of magic ruling the world (blood, weaving and dreams) plus the multi-religious powers with each being right in their own way add another level of flavor to the story.
And then the uniqueness of the point-of-view character keep pulling me forward. It is not every day the POV dies in the first chapter. Truly an inspired twist that was never a gimmick.
But the most important thing is the characters and storytelling. The characters are all flawed, likable (but not lovable), and not in any sense of the understanding “good” guys. The story drives relentlessly forward on a trip that leaves you gasping.
I have previously read James Maxey’s superhero stories, which, while inventive, I did not like. I decided to give Mr. Maxey a second try because he writes extremely well with twists never seen before. And I glad I have. He has made a unique fantasy world; not all unicorns and butterflies, but then the series title of The Dragon Apocalypse kind-of lets you know that up front.
Greatshadow is a solid beginning to an interesting series.