Black Hallows: Cradle of Darkness

The Black Hallows Trilogy, Book 1

De: Tom G.H. Adams, Andrew Naisbitt

Narrado por: Tom Adams

A cataract of evil has fallen over the planet Varchal as its orbit enters the influence of Sol-Ar, stirring up tectonic upheavals called Black Hallows. As malignant rains fall on the Imperious Crescent, those who access these sites are transformed into shadows of shame.

Accession to the Donnephon throne at the age of 18 has thrust monumental responsibility on Tayem Fyreglance, queen of the Dragon Riders. Yet, there is a greater burden to bear. Her people labor under the yoke of a cruel Cuscosian Empire, and now, they threaten the noble lineage of dragons.

Tempted by the dark magical power of the Black Hallows, Tayem seeks to rise up against the House of Cuscosa. Her adversary - Etezora, Queen of Cuscosia - has already taken in the purple effervescence of Hallows power herself and used it to deal death on those who stand against her.

As this confrontation builds, the subterranean Kaldorans and pacifist Gigantes are drawn into the storm - one race influenced by mischievous intent, the other by a mysterious dream world. With the Hallows now on the ascendance, it becomes clear that there can be no winners save the Hallows itself, and if it prevails, then only chaos will remain.

Immerse yourself in a tale of epic fantasy, where kingdoms plummet toward a war fueled by avarice, greed, and the lust for power. Cradle of Darkness is the first novel in a series that chronicles the reign of the Black Hallows.

©2019 Tom G.H. Adams (P)2019 Tom G.H. Adams

Shadows of Shame!

Wow, this is an amazing story with some amazing imagination. This is kind-of long and the world building takes some time, but if you can hang in there...it gets pretty good.. The Narration leaves a little to be desired but once again, if you can hang in there and get used to it, it gets better. There are so many ways to die or get turned into shadows of shame. I received this audio book for free in exchange for an unbiased review. Not bad! A little long.

A fun dark fantasy in an original setting

I received a free audio copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I like the idea that the story revolves around a planet that suffers tectonic upheavals due to its orbital alignment. These upheavals release (more) evil onto the world by means of Black Hallows (the series title). This affects different people in different ways, but the one significant effect is forcing everyone to look after themselves as war looms. Here’s my thoughts on the book:
This one is novel (as opposed to ‘A’ novel) due to the fact that it's narrated by the author. Sure, I’ve heard authors read chapters on podcasts, but not a full length audiobook. And you know what, he has another career if he ever gives up on the writing thing (which I hope he doesn’t). I didn’t like all his voices, but he was mostly top-notch, and very listenable
I mentioned how much I like the concept, and while it doesn’t quite veer into science fantasy, it’s a fun idea. It has the usual staples of fantasy - warring races, knights and other medieval warriors and a bunch of critters. These are quite unique, as Tom Adams’ critters tend to be, and the book does veer from the norm
The release of the Black Hallows brings a dark magic to the world, and many of the denizens strive to grasp it for their own ends, bu this tends to twist them even more. There’s also a mystery Dream World, that attracts the peace-loving Gigantes, but what it’s true purpose is won’t be revealed until later in the series
There aren’t a lot of negatives to the story. As I mentioned already, some of the voices I found annoying, but there are few audiobooks where I have liked all the accents. Also, despite the novel setting, this never really distances itself from the fantasy pack, and while it’s enjoyable, nothing constantly wows you throughout. This isn’t damning, but it could also potentially cause readers to not bother reading further in the series. I think it has potential though.
Verdict
A solid fantasy tale in a mostly original setting.

Busy, Busy

I struggled to finish this. It just was a little to busy and over complicated for me. That's on me, not the story.
On the other hand, the author also being the narrator, was clear and expressive. Makes a great storyteller.
This audio was given to me free and I voluntarily gave this review.