The Shadow Dragons

Written by James A. Owen

Narrated by James Langton

World War II has been raging for three years, but a more terrible evil is just over the horizon. The last stones are falling from the Keep of Time, and the Imperial Cartological Society, led by Richard Burton, has collected doors and is building a new tower at the request of an old enemy: the Winter King's shadow. He has a terrible weapon -- the Spear of Destiny -- that can be used to command the shadows of anyone it touches.

The Shadow King uses the Spear of Destiny to enlist an unstoppable army of Dragon shadows. And after the Archipelago falls, the Shadow King intends to use the turmoil of World War II to take over both worlds.

All the legendary Caretakers, past and present, come together to save two worlds, and their only hope lies with a small group of companions who are on the quest for the broken sword Caliburn: the Grail Child, Rose Dyson; her clockwork companion, the owl Archie; a dead professor of ancient literature; and the mythical knight Don Quixote.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Oct 27, 2009
• ISBN: 9780743583756

James A. Owen

James A. Owen is the author of the Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica series, the creator of the critically acclaimed Starchild graphic novel series, and the author of the Mythworld series of novels. He is also founder and executive director of Coppervale International, a comic book company that also publishes magazines and develops and produces television and film projects. He lives in Arizona. Visit him at HereThereBeDragons.net.

Reviews for The Shadow Dragons

[jrashk · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An interesting story (as usual) with some good ideas for life after death. (no zombies) I really enjoyed the appearances/disappearances of the Cheshire cat, and whom we're told he really is. This book could probably have been a good ending to the series, but it's just the middle so I'm adventuring on and hunting down the rest to read.

[gothicguru13 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not as good as the first three - the ending felt anti-climatic and too simple - I was surprised to find this one so fast after the third book and I think it was too rushed - He is letting the world get more gimmicky with the trumps and pocket watches - Hopefully he can keep these elements from unraveling the rich tapestry he began with.

[erie5leaver · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the fourth book in the series, and at first I wasn't into it. The time travel and other dimensions in time were over my head and I had no idea what they were talking about and what the problem was. Then Edgar Allen Poe showed up and I was taken. Poe was hilarious along with a few new characters. James Owen pulled off another masterpiece.

[rhinoa_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Caretakers of the Imaginarium Geographica return to to go to war with a set of defectors who have joined forces with the Shadow of the Winter King. He is armed this time with the Spear of Destiny as well as the renegades and is looking to build an even more terrifying army of Dragons. World War II has begun in our world (the Summer Country) which seems connected to the war in the Archipelago and chaos is breaking loose everywhere.Some new characters like Don Quixote join the Caretakers as they sail over the edge of the Archipelago to find an ancient sword that can defeat the Shadow energy. Definitely the weakest of the series though. I found the plot hard to follow and I'm frankly bored of them fighting the same energy in different forms again and again. It's like the boss battle at the end of a Japanese RPG game where you defeat it and then it goes ha ha ha and morphs into another form. Only this is the fourth book now and it's like there no original ideas...