The Father of Shadow and Death

A Fantasy Horror Novel

De: Tim McKay, T. J. McKay

Narrado por: T. J. McKay

Beneath the splendor of empires, there ever beats a poisoned heart.

In the city of Naemralda, a glorious capital of untold wealth and glamor, the people of Ceremai live in exile—content but loathed, and ever dreaming of the homeland they left behind. Only a scorned arbiter and failed priest, Braddock Tuzzein, knows the truth.

That the lands they seek, the lands their ancestors escaped at great cost, are home to a fallen god.

Hakaz, the Dark One, whose waking spirits nearly shattered Braddock’s mind with a single touch.

And now, the wolves of the fallen god are coming for them all.

A tale of grisly murders, monsters, and madness, The Father of Shadow and Death follows one man’s doomed quest to save his people—from the wrath of a vengeful god, and the traitors who hound his every step.

But woe to those who would break a man’s soul.

For the shame of the father begets wrath of the son.

Dar’shenna Cere Ma’z.

“Glory to the children of wrath.”

©2025 T. J. McKay (P)2025 T. J. McKay

a puzzle of light, dark and insidious

Braddock is a tormented hero that you want desperately to have peace.
instead we're given a grim tale that tortures Braddock relentlessly.
excellent writing, powerful stakes.
I highly recommend!

Feel the shame

I do NOT like stories where the main character is tortured relentlessly. Physical torture is bad enough. Emotional torture is worse. I FELT the shame.

The four star rating comes purely from that.

The story is well written. The world is amazing--deep and fully-developed. Tim is an excellent writer and I love that he reads his own work.

And the way it ends...

Lovable flawed hero grapples with horror and his own salvation

Tim Mckay’s horror fantasy, The Father of Shadow and Death, tells an engrossing tale of a man’s efforts for salvation against impossible odds. The backdrop is that of a country and people who are struggling to understand who they are in light of a history they long since buried, but which refuses to die. The story is set in a complex and rich world full of politics, intrigue, friends and competitors where one must watch their step lest the fall out of favor with the social happenings of court and power, but give too much and you become a spineless fop worthy of scorn. Braddock straddles this world as an ambitious, though flawed, man.

We find ourselves rooting for this man in part in spite of his flaws, but also because of them. Braddock elicits our sympathy and reveals something real about most of us that we may rather ignore, much like his people’s attempt to leave their past behind. It’s hard to be a hero and sometimes our best efforts will fall short. But we cheer as we see Braddock try to become a better man and give him allowance when he fails, because he is all too human.

This story captures an almost Lovecraftian horror, as our unreliable narrator struggles to make sense of his own state of mind and the horrors that beset his world. You ask if he can maintain his sanity, save his country and become the person he wishes he could be by the end of the book. And the end of the book does not disappoint, but leaves us with a question to ponder.

Dark and gripping!

I really enjoyed this dark story that definitely leans horror!
The writing is strong with a clear direction, the author knows what he wants to say and does it excellently.
World building is fulsome and unique, I enjoyed the fast pace of the story.
Braddock is a powerful character that is easy to follow, he has a distinct voice and despite the horrors he experiences, he stays true to himself. Ceremai is such a cool character, his story arc with Braddock really made the book for me. Their interactions were a highlight.
I'm looking forward to more from Tim!

The only slight negative is the narration.. While Tim did a great job, a professional voice actor would have brought the story to life in a different way. I also know how expensive it is to produce an audiobook so take that with a grain of salt!

Fast-paced horror/fantasy

what a wild ride! This dark fantasy was full of unexpected twists and definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. I love that the Author also took time to let us get to know the main character. I can’t wait to read more in this series. Fast-paced horror/fantasy