Shadow Corps

Shadow Corps, Book 1

By: Justin Sloan

Narrated by: Tess Irondale

Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's Summary

Death isn't so bad if it means saving the universe.

Samantha was badass even before she learned magic. Fending for herself in the cauldron of a planet torn apart by an alien invasion taught Samantha how to kill. Ruthlessly efficient, her abilities have caught the attention of the Shadow Corps.

A group comprised of deadly warriors who focus on galactic safety, using any means necessary.

A battle-hardened warlord causing you trouble? The Shadow Corps will ruin their day.

Her first mission puts her team up against a space dragon, death reapers, and the ultimate sorcerer.

Samantha had better learn to master her alien magic, or be forced to watch her world, and many others, burn.

A Seppukarian universe series for fans of Destiny and Warhammer 40K.

Note: For fans of LitRPG who like level-ups and skill trees without being in a video game.

©2018 Podium Publishing; 2017 Justin Sloan

Climb a skill tree and level up! Old ones approach

I like that this has the feel of LitRPG with skill trees and leveling, but does not have nor need the game elements to go with it. I just reviewed a book that was similar in that it was set in an awesome fantasy setting, with a great magic setting, and it had LitRPG elements, elements it did NOT need at all. Sloan plays it smart, and gives his characters a world with a Lit feel, but not into an actual game, and I think it plays out well.

Admission, I did not know anything about books preceding this particular series, but after some talk about syndicate wars I looked it up, and there are books tied to this one, but they shall not be spoken of since I have no clue about them or how this book fits into their series.

I am first going to discuss the cover, I think that they get overlooked to often in a review, and they are literally what catches your eye when seeking a new series. I think the cover itself is beautiful, albeit a bit overly blue. You get to see the main character in her armor, and that helps as you listen/read along. Further, I appreciate that it is of high quality, it looks like a professionally done book, and so it made me want to read it.

Next, Tess Irondale kills the narration (in a good way)! She does an amazing job, and you sometimes get the feeling that she isn't just playing or reading a character, you feel like she actually is Samantha. She also plays out the other characters, male and female, and gives all of them 100% of her attention when they are in the batters box, so to speak. I really liked her cadence and pacing, and her standard narration voice was both soothing and stimulating. I enjoyed listening to her.

The story itself is full of what I guess you could call graphic violence if it was on HBO, and there is some swearing, but nothing you shouldn't be able to live with. The story itself is paced wonderfully, and is blocked out beautifully. Each scene occurs in order to drive the story forward, and nothing trivial appears just to fill up space or create some secondary story that isn't needed. The Gamelit elements include Samantha leveling herself and her sword up, and gaining skills. And she needs to increase her abilities, since so beings known as the Old Ones are making a comeback, and she is called upon to help stop them.

This is very clearly a book one of a series, and I look forward to reading the rest of the books. Samantha is fascinating, and her powers are pretty cool. I think that the arc will only get better as time goes on. Give Sloan and Samantha a chance, pick up this book now, and get blown away by its great writing and characterizations, and be prepared to be swept up into the amazing story that begins here! Even though I did receive a promo code for this review it in no way influenced my considerations of the material, and in fact, inspired me to be more honest. In fact, getting a code generally makes me harsher as a reviewer as I am more often concerned what someone like Me will decide based on my review.


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Favorite narrator, book not so much

This book has an amazing set of 5 star reviews on Amazon, but I do not get it.

So first, the narrator, Tess Irondale, she is great.

I would say spoilers, but I am only a couple chapters in so I am not sure if that counts.

So, we have a teenage protagonist who of course is crushing on an older male. The fact he is older does give her issues apparently, but not so much she does not have a crush on him we are told. We are reminded of this crush throughout the opening chapters as the main character is constantly distracted by said crush during a military operation of which she is a key team member.

She has magic, but it is not magic it is science, but works like magic? Everyone thinks she is crazy, and she kind of thinks she might be crazy too. This topic takes up most of the rest of her focus while she is on this super important military mission.

Anyway all of that does not matter because the protagonist is teleport-ed? I am not actually sure as she suddenly appears on a ship in space, but maybe I just glazed over during the explanation. Anyway it is on this ship she is to join an elite team that will save, not the planet, not the solar system, not the galaxy, but the universe. It is hard to quantify how large that is, but it might be more comprehensible than the plot so far.

This is one of my key complaints at this point. The book has no idea what scale it is operating at. I have no sense of where the characters are and not in a cool and mysterious way either.

So they have some lunch where we find out about an alien female team member who is really beautiful and makes the protagonist uncomfortable. Apparently her species is in a war between genders, why? Well apparently if you do not need the other gender to procreate then the default choice is to go to war. Sure, it is sci-fi right? The thing is this detail is just kind of dropped in there and then it is off to lunch.

Then we have a fight at a gate? A gate where? A gate to where? The fight is there because there is a traitor to their cause, which is a mystery, except for the fact that ever single member of the captains species fights for the other side?

If this review seems confused it is because I am confused trying to follow this book.

Maybe I will give it a try on Kindle Unlimited.

Too far, too much and too far fetched.

The story itself is not bad, although debeloping too quickly with little time for proper character development. the main problem is actually the characters and especially the main character. In his rush to create a strong heroine she does not develop into one, she suddenly is one. 16 year old girl, full of confidence, kicking alien ass wherever she goes, so secure she is the best that she jumps into combat against aliens she knows nothing about. Larger, stronger and by all reasoning better trained than her, she is in full control.
Before the book is over she is the leader, everyone looking up to her although they are all seasoned veterans, they trust and enthusiastically follow her, cheering her on whenever she gives a command. Not to forget that she is the least trained, has no knowledge of the wider universe or the races in it and very little experience with the sword she gets and wields expertly almost from the moment she has it.

she has fought for 3 years on earth from she was 13 to 16 and I am sorry, that is just not enough foundation for the instant transformation into a super hero who can beat the crap out of anyone and instantly see how things are connected and make the right choices. That the other characters would accept her as the squad leader is beyond unbelievable, and into the realm of absurd and unfortunately it takes the story with it.

It all just ends up being ridiculous when she is given command over the strong headed group of veterans who instantly accept her as their leader and master of combat so to speak... by book two I fully expect her to be a goddess in control of the armies of Earth, at least, challenging other gods to fight, fully secure that she can kick their buts and ready to lead the universe on the right path.

The book is well performed, something that truly is a miracle, having to read without laughing this story about a 16 year old girl who is so strong and well trained (not.really, she just knows it), in 3 years, that she can do almost anything. You go girl! It is just too much, too quickly and sounds more like a 10 year old daydreaming...

Fantastic Story

I really enjoyed listening to this audio version of the Shadow Corps. I think if people find themselves a bit confused it possibly might be that they have read or listened to the Syndicate Wars. This story has a light bit of a lit-rpg element to it, which I find as a nice touch to the story. Looking forward to when book 2 comes out in audio.

Just plain bad

So bad i couldn’t get past the 2nd chapter, main character is supposed to be 16 but acts like she’s 12, transitions are chopped up and uses blatant cope out plot devices to make up for it, also the other characters are 2d and generic

Bad narration, juvenile story

why are there so many 5 star reviews. Narrator cannot perform male voices. story is disjointed with a bit of a hypersexual feminist slant where all men are only interested in sex.

Great but a bit of false advertising

This book is fun, I love it so keep that in mind but I’m not gonna spend a bunch of time singing it’s praises. It advertises a magic protagonist who also uses guns and tech. Magitech, if you will. There’s almost no magic though, at least not from the protagonist because she “forgot” which is a tad overdone I think. I love the skill tree and I absolutely love the armor but not a fan of the swords. To me, melee combat just seems too unrealistic in the sci fi book that opens with a laser sniper shootout. I wish the characters would have a more rounded party, instead of just “sword person” the fourth. Still well worth the listen but I miss laser guns and spellcasting instead of “oop protagonist makes drone explode” I wish the protagonist would actually like throw a fireball or a swarm of magic missiles or something.

Just action no plot

Slow jumped around and no real plot. I didn't even make it through the first couple of chapters

Great Storytelling!

I like the diversity in character’s right off. They each develop nicely in a version of the galaxy. The story moves fast with good detail. I’m not going to say anything about the actual story it’s dope tho… But very forward thinking in its approach to social and cultural norms in other worlds and our. I’m starting Shadow Worlds next!

Shadow Corps

Good book.

Not really what I’ve been into recently, but I took the recommendation from audible to give it a listen, and found myself fully intrigued.

Good Story, even if some was kept a bit cryptic.

The performance was good, I enjoyed it very much.

Overall, a good book.

A whole load of ‘Meh’

I expected this to be more entertaining as I’d read some other works of the author, but the only other books by Justin Sloan I’d read were co-written.
I guess Michael Anderle was the one who knows how make a bog-standard adventure about a chick who is the baddest ass ever. and there is no actual threat to them at any point, actually fun to read instead of a slog.
In this case, without a co-author to input some fun, it was a chore to get through, and I considered not completing it a few times during the run time. Not because of the subject matter or anything like that, just because I was kind of bored.

a bit too marvel-tastic and uninteresting.

story is weak characters thin.
not bad, just like thin coffee...
lack substance and mass.

This book started off so good, then the more it we

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes and no

What was most disappointing about Justin Sloan’s story?

Trying way too hard, you didn't get to know the characters all that well.

A Real Struggle

I made it to chapter 16 before I had to stop. This might suit a younger audience with the writing being quite plain and non descriptive. Probably minor but I found the use of "Kaboom" to explain almost any explosion grating and the way it was narrated quite painful.

Characters are quite one dimensional and uninteresting so really struggled to engage with the story. I will normally get through 8 - 12hrs a day but after almost three days I had to give up as I couldn't finish it. Not bad, just not for me I think.