Summary
In saving his city of Williamsport, sixteen-year-old wizard Sam Adams uncovered dark revelations that left him shattered.
Abby, the girl he loved, was murdered. His memories of her last day were magically erased. And the person responsible is hiding in plain sight. A new threat emerges when an infamous necromancer appears in Williamsport, with a dark agenda that may be connected to her killer. As the undead threaten to tear the city apart, Sam is forced to ally with the very people he suspects of Abby’s death.
With paranoia mounting and violence escalating, Sam has to scramble to stay one step ahead of the necromancer—and to keep from being the killer’s next victim. Navigating a lethal web of shifting alliances, Sam is trapped between insidious magic, and human enemies even more deadly.
But the darkest demons are waiting in his own mind.
Review
Rising Shadows is the perfect sequel to the author’s debut novel Credible Threats. I’m not typically a fan of urban fantasy novels but this series just keeps getting better and I’m so glad I found it.
The first thing I will note is that Rising Shadows does an excellent job of smoothly transitioning from the previous novel. One of my frequent barriers with some urban fantasy series is the episodic nature makes the jumps between books feel jarring, but I felt none of that here. The book picks up shortly after the events of Credible Threats and incorporates enough elements of the first book to make it flow nicely while at the same time introducing the new enemy Sam Adams must deal with. The plot continues with the same breakneck pace set in the first novel but never feels rushed. I read the whole book in two sittings, I just couldn’t put it down once I got started.
Because this is an urban fantasy book set in our world there isn’t much worldbuilding to do like we see in many fantasy novels, but there is certainly lore and history to explore. I really enjoy how the author has established why magic can be so prevalent in the town while still keeping so many people ignorant of its existence. And it’s not just hand wavy “magic” reasons either like mortals just happen to not be able to see anything. Instead it is a combination of magic and the efforts of local people in the know, including basically the whole police department. The author does a great job of making the effects of these conflicts fairly realistic, including death, destruction, and the powerful people working to keep it all covered up for their own gain. The first book set up several mysteries and potential conflicts that Sam has to work out, including a truly jaw dropping one at the very end. Not all is revealed in Rising Shadows but I got enough answers to satisfy me while still dangling more questions that left me eagerly anticipating the next entry.
I love fantasy books with necromancy and this one did not disappoint. Sometimes authors create new spins on necromancy and the way it affects the dead or the necromancer, and sometimes we just get good old zombies. This book is the latter, but no less entertaining for it. I mean, who doesn’t love a teenage wizard fighting zombie hordes? I won’t spoil anything here but in addition to just being really cool, the necromancy is a great example of the way the author is able to incorporate the events of the previous novel while still progressing the plot in a natural way. You’ll just have to read the book to find out more.
Against the odd I’ve become a huge fan of these books, they are relatively short and fast paced reads that are so entertaining I wish they were longer. I believe the series is technically YA, and the protagonist is in high school, but it certainly doesn’t shy away from violence and action. Sam also deals with some trauma that the author writes in such a way that makes it relatable to both YA and adult audiences. With many YA books it’s not hard to tell and I have to switch my brain to a different mode, but while reading this series I never felt like I was reading something YA despite the age of the protagonist. I think it’s a great series that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.