The Last Shadow Knight

The Shadow Knights Trilogy, Book 1

By: Michael Webb

Narrated by: Tim Campbell

Length: 13 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

On the unforgiving streets of Karad, Veron grows up hungry, inexperienced, and stealing just to survive. After tragedy strikes, he is forced to decide what path his life will take.

Opportunity arises when he discovers the last survivor of a secret organization called the Shadow Knights. Apprenticed to learn their ways, Veron begins to develop abilities he never dreamed he could have.

Meanwhile, an enemy from across the mountains comes to destroy their kingdom’s way of life, and the Shadow Knights are the only ones able to stop him. As Veron fights to survive the city, he prepares to face his destiny.

©2021 Michael Webb (P)2021 Podium Audio

Mostly good but I have reservations.

This audiobook was excellently performed by Tim Campbell. After being repeatedly subjected to Daniel Wisniewski in recent weeks, it was a breath of fresh air to listen to a narrator who doesn’t ruin everything he touches.

The book was also pretty good for the most part. It kept me engaged and I enjoyed following the MC’s as they made their ways through the story. The plot was not particularly original, but that’s fine with me. I don’t need an author to re-invent the wheel in order to enjoy a good story.

With that said Michael Webb made some pretty glaring rookie mistakes. My biggest problem is that his MC’s are inexplicably stupid whenever Webb needs them to be to create tension or move the plot forward.

It just strains credulity that a kid who spent most of his young life living on the streets, starving, and having to steal to get by, would be this naive and trusting. Also, in every single action sequence, the MC’s are stunned into inaction at least once but often multiple times in a single engagement… Yeah, this increases the tension but it’s a cheap ploy when used sparingly and it just gets insulting after the fourth or fifth time.

For the most part, I was still interested enough in finding out what happened next that I was able to stick with it. I can only hope that future books in the series will be more carefully crafted and contain less cheap and transparent manipulations of the MCs’ intelligence and personalities.

-Edit-

After reading people’s reviews of the second book I feel obligated to update this one. I was hopeful that this author had made improvements between this book and the next, but it appears I’ll be sorely disappointed.

After further talking with some friends who have read the second book, I have discovered that this author continues to force his characters to act like morons whenever he’s too lazy to come up with a way to create drama or move the plot.

This is all very frustrating because I was really enjoying the story. However I’m not prepared to subject myself to more repetitions of this cheap plot device. When the characters blatantly stop being themselves just to create tension in the story it ruins everything. There is so much potential here, and it’s really disappointing to see it wasted. Michael Webb desperately needs some good beta readers who aren’t afraid to push him to do better.

Great start to the trilogy

This book is well written and the narrator was perfect. The characters and story were engaging and kept me interested. Can’t wait for the rest of the trilogy to come out!

Disappointing ending

The Book was good up until about the last 5 chapters and kinda ruined it for me. I will not be getting book 2

A new fan

I really enjoyed the book. Loved seeing the point of view from each of the characters and when they finally crossed over. I'm glad I stumbled upon Michael Webb and his books.

Very entertaining!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The narration was great and I enjoyed all of the main characters. At the end it left me really wanting to start the second book immediately.

Great book!

Love this series! Books are very well written, and the narration is fantastic. Characters are engaging and interesting. Would highly recommend this book to others!

Dumb mc just keeps getting worse

Constantly making bad decisions that end up hurting him in the end. Fights a bunch of thugs then is surprised they follow him to his new rich house and is surprised they take from him. Then forgets they exist again and act like after killing one of them they want just try again. Draws attention to himself for no reason. Goes from no business to a magical new concept that makes him a bunch of money. One moment he has intelligence the next nothing. The whole book ends with him doing more dumb things that then ends up with him getting blamed for murder but like omg why did I get blamed how could it end up this way! Like the guy already double crossed you like twice and your surprised your in hail? Also he uses his power like 2 times and then just thinks he can do anything.

Great listening audible book

Very well written and narrated. A lot of characters to get to know and keep track of. Just downloaded book 2!

A whiny punching bag that Wishes for change

In this world 90% of everyone is corrupt the main character gets beat on all book wines about he never does anything to change the outcome. The same characters kill his best friend his 2nd father throw his mentor out of business business and he has the power to stop them and does nothing all book with 6000 horribly bad delinquents in a city of 10000 it takes all book to stop one of them the series should go on for thousands of books I have 472 books in my library this is my 3rd ever one star do not buy

Worth the precious credit

I enjoyed the story building. The story slowly draws you in. While the plot is familiar it has enough twist to keep your mind engaged. Lookin forward to Book II

Honestly one of the most gripping reads of my life

Im well past a couple hundred books that I’ve listen to on this app, but this one is special

Worst read ever!!

Was expecting a book about Assassins not how to build a medieval grocery market or how the economy of of ye olde world works.