Starred review from August 27, 2018
In the thrilling conclusion to Bowen’s Shadow series (following 2017’s Malice of Crows), intrepid cowboy and shape-shifter Rhett Walker must wrangle a diabolical and manipulative foe that forces him to reckon with a past he’s fought to forget. Shortly after someone very special to Rhett is nearly killed, he and his ragtag posse are attacked by marauding chupacabras, who warn that Rhett and company are being watched. They barely regroup before Rhett feels the tug of the Shadow, the mysterious force that notifies him of supernatural danger. It’s soon obvious that someone, or something, has a deeply personal vendetta against him, and that the people he loves most are in terrible danger. Can he rely on the Shadow to lead him true? Bowen’s wild and weird West, populated with all manner of supernatural beasties, is fully realized, and she barely lets up on the gunslinging action. The lovably irascible Rhett, only 17 and greatly changed over the course of the series, has come a long way in accepting himself, though he struggles with questions of destiny and choice. The final battle is bloody, fierce, and heartbreaking, and the hopeful conclusion is a fine feather in the cap of Bowen’s uniquely superb series. Agent: Kate McKean, Howard Morhaim Literary.
September 15, 2018
Rhett Walker (formerly known as Nettie Lonesome, Ned, and Nat), the trans POC hero of Bowen's "Shadow" series finale, is cognizant of yet unburdened by his labels when facing danger and leading his crew of good-hearted monsters. With this book, Bowen successfully satisfies her passionate fan base while being accessible to new readers, raising the stakes with increasingly complex action sequences sure to delight fans of the Wild West-meets-supernatural world, while also doling out sufficient backstory to engage newcomers. As in the comic book and TV series Wynonna Earp, the elements of queer Western fantasy serve to create a thrilling backdrop to the universal human experience of leaving innocence behind. Old-school Buffy fans and Saga aficionados should line up to get the whole series. VERDICT Any library with the earlier entries must complete this fun, sexy, poignant series. Confidently recommended to both new and seasoned adult fantasy readers alike.--Nicole Steeves, Fox River Valley P.L. Dist., IL
Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
September 15, 2018
The absorbing conclusion to the adventures of the shape-shifting vigilante known as the Shadow.Rhett Walker has lost a lot of people, and he'll go on to lose more. But he can't lose Sam Hennessy. Against his friends' advice, he'll do what it takes to save the warmhearted Ranger. And that's just one of the many hard choices Rhett has to make, because like it or not, he's the Shadow, with a destiny that calls him to fight for justice--and even though he's bone-tired, with "his life stretched before him like a mountain he'd never finish climbing," his destiny just won't quit. And he won't quit trying to protect the little band of misfits who've gathered around him, including Dan, the coyote shifter, Inès, the gorgon nun, Winifred, Dan's pregnant sister, and a few other allies who show up along the way. This novel picks up right from the cliffhanger ending of Malice of Crows (2017), with Sam Hennessy bleeding in the sand, and things never get easier for Rhett and his posse. Still, Bowen manages to create some moments of warmth and humor along the trail without ever letting the pace of this hard-charging adventure flag. And after all that he's been through, it's impossible not to love Rhett and root for him and Sam to find a little time to be at peace together.Fans will love this final chapter in Bowen's story, in which her hero fights harder than ever to make a place in the world for himself and the people he loves.
COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Starred review from September 15, 2018
The absorbing conclusion to the adventures of the shape-shifting vigilante known as the Shadow.Rhett Walker has lost a lot of people, and he'll go on to lose more. But he can't lose Sam Hennessy. Against his friends' advice, he'll do what it takes to save the warmhearted Ranger. And that's just one of the many hard choices Rhett has to make, because like it or not, he's the Shadow, with a destiny that calls him to fight for justice--and even though he's bone-tired, with "his life stretched before him like a mountain he'd never finish climbing," his destiny just won't quit. And he won't quit trying to protect the little band of misfits who've gathered around him, including Dan, the coyote shifter, In�s, the gorgon nun, Winifred, Dan's pregnant sister, and a few other allies who show up along the way. This novel picks up right from the cliffhanger ending of Malice of Crows (2017), with Sam Hennessy bleeding in the sand, and things never get easier for Rhett and his posse. Still, Bowen manages to create some moments of warmth and humor along the trail without ever letting the pace of this hard-charging adventure flag. And after all that he's been through, it's impossible not to love Rhett and root for him and Sam to find a little time to be at peace together.Fans will love this final chapter in Bowen's story, in which her hero fights harder than ever to make a place in the world for himself and the people he loves.
COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.