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The Shadow Of Malabron (2008)

by Thomas Wharton(Favorite Author)

3.78 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

1406312509 (ISBN13: 9781406312508)

languge

English

genre

Fantasy

publisher

Walker Books LTD

series

Perilous Realm

review 1: Will Lightfoot never imagined that his visit to the roadside carnival The Perilous Realm would indeed dump him straight into The Perilous Realm itself---a world of stories, the story behind every story. The Perilous Realm is growing darker. The evil Malabron has been warring against the Realm itself, trying to make every story his own. But Will's arrival may herald hope, for Malabron certainly seems to think he might be a threat . . .A boy stumbles to another world. A small group of companions gathers around him to help him find the way back. Pursued by evil, they make their way to the gateless gate, where Will can at last find his way back to his world. They do kill a rather major evil along the way, but . . . I think this is partly why the book left me rather blase about... more its plot. Will tends to miss enjoying most of the interesting things in the Perilous Realm because he's too focused on getting back, and travel stories are best when they're exploring interesting things. The only driving motivation he has, mostly, is to get home. In the end when he finally decides there's something that, at least for a moment, might be worth more, it's only a few pages before he does get back and go through the gate.Another peeve was that the book, after deliberately giving a nod to Lord of the Rings earlier on, the book later on nearly duplicates one of its more famous scenes involving a bridge and a large drop. It rather destroys the tension since you know said character is going to show up again alive and well (and he does, hardly a chapter later).Shade, for me, was the most interesting character. An ancient wolf with the power of speech, he was a companion to the Stewards, the first caretakers of the Realm. His dignified manners are a nice contrast to his form and tend to surprise everyone else, too. He's simple and rather straightforward, but he's also one of the more magical (and not evil) beings they encounter on the journey.It's not as though this was a bad story. I just never found myself invested in Will's need to get back, since he's obviously ignoring the great darkness threatening the world in order to get himself out of there. It actually feels a bit cruel at the end when he abandons everyone who risked their lives for him to a temporary peace so he can get back to his family while they try not to get crushed by the minions of darkness while they make their way back home, if they can even go home.There is a second book, but I'm doubtful I'll ever read it. It's hard to imagine Will explaining to his family that this time when he disappears he's not going to be back until the evil overlord is vanquished, if Will is even in the second book. I rate this book Neutral.
review 2: The Shadow of Malabron is the first in a trilogy by new-ish author Thomas Warton (not to be confused with the Nobel Laureate of the same name). It’s an uneven offering, and one about which I’m a little ambivalent.The book starts with an interesting prologue of sorts that hints at something fable-like to come, and sets up what seems as to be an intriguing and novel idea. Unfortunately, as is often the case with prologues, the book turns its attention elsewhere, and the reader is soon looking on as young teen Will Lightfoot bickers with his widower father and young sister as they embark upon a camping trip.The notion of setting up camp in a new and unknown place, of course, is a harbinger of things to come, and soon Will finds himself in a motorcycle accident that lands him in what is apparently known as the Perilous Realm, a sort of parallel story-world. The name of the place is apt, as Will finds himself being hunted down by the Night King. As is frequently the case in this sort of quest-based epic fantasy, Will is befriended by a motley assortment of allies, and with them, he sets out to find his way home.There are a few good moments in The Shadow of Malabron that point to Warton as a writer to watch. There are some neat turns of phrase scattered here and there throughout the novel, as well as some great moments such as the library that is physically constructed from books. As a whole, though, the novel is competent but nothing notable: it goes through the motion of a standard epic fantasy without daring to step off this oft-travelled path in search of something new for readers to enjoy. This is a shame, as Warton clearly has some talent as an author, and a more creative take on the premise could have resulted in something quite interesting.As it is, The Shadow of Malabron is a fast read that many young readers will likely enjoy, but that many adults will find themselves comparing with classics such as The Lord of the Rings and other well-known quest-based novels. less

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