Book Review: The Shadows of Hades
By Elizabeth Suggs
The Shadow of Hades by Paul Williams is a fantasy novel set in a world where practicing magic is possible for those who dare, but it is considered dangerous or evil by many.
The most notable characters are Pam, a drunk singer witch; Blake, someone who can walk between worlds; Alle, a rich witch who loses everything, and twin boys, Carlos and Daniel. Each character is different, with different personalities and different wants and needs. The characters stay true to their personality, which I think is a big win for Williams. And similar to the world, Williams paints a deep picture of each of these people. I feel as though I know people who are like these characters, which makes me fall in love with them even more.
This is a refreshing take on witches and warlocks: those who practice witchcraft change their bodies as their human bodies can’t handle the magic. For example one character grows wings and another fangs. In many other fantasy stories like Harry Potter, a witch or warlock can do as much magic as possible with next to no consequences. I like that there’s a negative impact because it adds flavor and the perfect type of tension.
Another thing I enjoyed was the description of the Faes and how they came to be in this world. The way it was written, like everything Williams writes, was powerful and imaginative. I definitely fell into this world, and it was hard to come back to reality!
My only critique was the ending for some of the characters. I feel like there was a lot of potential, but it went a different way than I had hoped.
If you’re looking for something with mature and professional writing and awesome pacing set in a contemporary fantasy universe, then this is your story.
Elizabeth Suggs is the owner and founder of Editing Mee and co-owner of Collective Tales Publishing. When she’s not writing or editing, she loves to dive deep into books (the weirder, the better!), and she loves to take random long walks to unplanned destinations. Check out her recently released book Collective Darkness with eleven other authors. Buy your copy here: www.CollectiveDarkness.com