Shadow's Son [Dramatized Adaptation]

Written by Jon Sprunk

Narrated by A Full Cast, James Keegan, Alyssa Wilmoth and 23 more

In the holy city of Othir, treachery and corruption lurk at the end of every street, just the place for a freelance assassin with no loyalties and few scruples.

Caim makes his living on the edge of a blade, but when a routine job goes south, he is thrust into the middle of an insidious plot. Pitted against crooked lawmen, rival killers and sorcery from the Other Side, his only allies are Josephine, the socialite daughter of his last victim and Kit, a guardian spirit no one else can see.

But in this fight for his life, Caim only trusts his knives and his instincts, but they won't be enough when his quest for justice leads him from Othir's hazardous back alleys to its shining corridors of power. To unmask a conspiracy at the heart of the empire, he must claim his birthright as the Shadow's Son...

• Language: English
• Publisher: GraphicAudio
• Release date: Jun 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781648810329

Reviews for Shadow's Son [Dramatized Adaptation]

[jrg1316 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a quick, fun read. It doesn't bother with a lot of world building or filler nor do I think it really needs to. It's a pretty straight-forward story with a little bit of mystery thrown in, but nothing to dwell on after it's over. I'm interested enough in Caim's backstory to keep going.

[altheaann · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

You know, whenever I pick up a book that's brand-new, I have an unreasonable expectation that it will live up to the standards of the day. Unfortunately, this book barely lives up to the standards of the 70's, when some of the elements found in this mediocre fantasy novel were still a bit fresh.
Not that it wouldn't be possible for me to enjoy a predictable romp about a good-hearted assassin with mysterious magic powers who finds himself rescuing a damsel in distress who is secretly an heiress from an evil sorcerer bent on revenge and a plot against the Rightful Royalty.... but it would have to be better written.
One of the things that really bugs me is when pseudo-historical settings are sprinkled with anachronistic and/or colloquial terms... people in some kind of 16th-century (?) type setting don't talk about "bad vibes" or when they were "just a kid." Add to that some cheezy descriptive passages and generally unconvincing characterization and motivations... blah.

If you are into this sort of book, and are tempted to get it... go read Sarah Monette instead.

[cosmosgravitation · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Interesting plot and main character. Crappy romance. The author seems to rely on action instead of characterization to tell the story.

[bishopza · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Did not enjoy this book at all. It was very formulaic with your standard "assassin with a heart of gold and a secret power". There are better books available on this theme

[babybelle-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Fair read,usual tale,reasonable writing.Like Brent Weeks?

[shirezu · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I always like assassin books and this one hits the mark. A good blend of magic, mystery and killing. I was intrigued by the magic and I hope there is more to it in the sequel. My only gripe is that I wish it was a bit longer and I would have like more to the backstory and history of the world. A solid piece I will be reading the sequel.

[bryanthomass · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An excellent debut. Sprunk does so many things right, from using sophisticated vocabulary just enough to add flavor but still be discerned in context and never too much to distract from the narrative. His sword fighting scenes are top notch, as if he himself were an experienced fencer (he says he's not). His protagonist is an anti-hero, a noble born orphan assassin, but unlike so many, Sprunk counters him perfectly with a truly heroic companion in Josephine, a woman whose nobility and honor and purity more than make up for any deficiencies in Caim, By fighting to save her, we can't help but root for him. It's clever and overcame even the tiredness of a reader who's worn out from too many anti-heroes (like me). His world building is well handled. I don't recall a single infodump (rare for a first novel). And the pacing and POV choices aid the telling of the story well, moving it along at just the right clip, with just the right perspectives at each moment. Well plotted, with good character development of the two antagonists and two leads, the only faults I saw were leaving the shadows too much in mystery, at least until the end, when Caim discoveries some history and his own connection to them. Frankly, I think it would have helped us to understand a little more about them throughout or at least learn more as we went, rather than have them shrouded in mystery the whole time. It certainly might have increased tension and our fear or suspense. The second is a minor quibble. The scene at the end where Caim discovers his own connection played out a little farcical because of parallels to a famous movie scene. But neither of my complains will dampen the experience of reading this well crafted tale. Highly recommended.

[wdbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

PictureRecently a book from a new author showed up and I decided to give it a go. Shadow’s Son is an assassin story staring Caim one of the most feared and deadliest knifes in the city of Othir. Othir is a city ruled by the True Faith, a corrupt and grasping religious order whose members are busy conspiring and plotting. Many other players are in town, from the former nobility to relatives of the powerful. Into this Caim suddenly lands in the midst of a power struggle between factions trying to become the new rulers on the block.There is a ton of great action, decent characterization and a solid plot, toss in some cool magic that is lightly used and some powerful bad-assed enemies and you have a winning combination. Granted there hasn’t been a lack of assassin based stories recently, but this one was well worth it! I’m sure looking forward towards more books from Jon Sprunk.8/10

[lehack · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a fun story. Caim is a sellsword (assassin for hire), in the 1200's. Kit, only seen and heard by Caim, watches over him. There is action in the first few pages which doesn't stop. Fantasy, magic, swords, treachery, power struggles, betrayal all lead is through a wonderful story that is a quick read. I was fortunate to meet the author at our book group meeting last week. He is working on the next book.

[melhay_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Caim is an assassin. Kit is his beautiful guardian, no one else can hear or see. Kit has been with Caim for most of his life. She has helped him and warned him of numerous dangers - before they happen. For Caim fear is the key to the Shadows, and he can hide in the Shadows, unlike any other. Against Caim's better judgement, he takes a job as a favor to his one friend in Othir, Mathis. The job was started by Ral, another assassin, who quit the job for another. This job goes arry in so many different angles. Caim finds himself protecting his targets daughter, Josey - a gorgeous young lady.Yes, this is a read of and with assassins. But even though there are assassins in the story, I enjoyed the additions to the story; dark magic, the empire and government, and the characters. It is not just about killing the bad guys, but about the story that is built here and what happens with the creations of the shadows.The first chapter starts off with a bang; the action and mystery of who Kit is along with what Caim can do with the shadows. After chapter one the action slows just a little as you meet the main players of the story. You get to know them by way of flashbacks that highlight important pasts of their lives. Ones that lead them to who they are. This was a great way to get to know the characters along with some information for the storyline and conflicts. Don't fret as the action does pick back up. As I read I came up with questions, and got answers to the questions which then lead to bigger questions. The story and questions were all mixed with conspiracy, corruption, and mistrusts. I was amazed at how this book reads as a whole story, or a stand-alone, with so much happening in this novel to complete the story. At a few transition spots got the feel that they where rushed, but these are small parts in a wonderful story. There is an end to the main story here, but there seems to be an underlining which you start to learn of Caim and his family history, the Shadows. I liked the use of Shadows as the ability Caim has. I am very curious to learn more about Caim as he learns more of who he is and what he can do.